A Challenging Future for Spiritual Leadership

So I remind us again as ministers of His Gospel, we won't be reviewed by our peers. Our popularity won't matter a bit. Remember, He is not looking at quantity but quality.

One of the most disturbing things about ministry today is that when I talk with 99% of pastors and I ask how their church is doing, they usually respond with an answer in these 3 areas: 1) weekly attendance 2) budget 3) facilities. Yet none of those three are mentioned in the New Testament. Folks, our religion began by meeting in caves and upper rooms, not million dollar buildings and performance halls. In Jesus' 7 Letters to the Churches in Revelation, we do not know what one of them was running on a Sunday morning. Laodicea could have been running 25,000 people but it did not matter because they were about to vomitted out of God's mouth for apathy in their lives. On the other hand, Smyrna could have been running a few hundred but were faithful and in tune with God. God was reviewing not the quantity or numbers but the quality of ministry.

My ministry will be reviewed one day by what kind of people are at ELEVATION? What are we making of the Church? We have too many people who have revisionist theology and are trying to revise what the Church is. No one has the right to change the Church of Jesus Christ! We did not die for it, He did! And I want to say to leaders: you do not have to reinvent it! Just do ministry as the Bible says to do. God doesn't have to have your creative thought.

Look at Acts 2:42 again. "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Now we have made it how can you get people for 60 minutes in a building one day per week? That is not a church. That is a meeting of people for one hour. We are inundated with seeker friendly nonsense that will not wash when we stand before the One whose eyes are like fire.

We can't let our meetings last more than an hour today because people are watching the clock to get out to go home and watch an NFL game that is 3 hours or an NBA game game that is 2 1/2 hours. Does not someone think this is not what God had in mind when He started the Church?

I have committed my life to raising up people who are not satisfied with a 3 point powerpoint sermon and no power. But I am telling you I see people today who do not want to be in the presence of God. It amazes me. We have shortened all of our meetings, prayer meetings have died out of the church, and we are now divorcing in the Church at the same rate as outside. Out of the people professing Christ, last year evangelicals had the highest divorce rate in history.

I mean what does it matter what the numbers were if the people don't want to be in the house of God? I had a pastor friend tell me recently that he couldn't have a prayer meeting at his church because no one would come. Are you serious? People will pay $15 for a Christian concert but for free they won't come into the presence of God and call upon the name of the Lord! Every revival of which we have record has been characterized by great teaching? Great eloquence? NEVER! Always by prayer. When His people pray, people and things change. Is prayer our steering wheel or our spare tire?

Am I the only one embarrassed in America as a pastor when I hear pastors get mad at the political stances of our day? "Isn't it terrible we do not have prayer in schools today?" Are you kidding me? We don't have prayer and revival and hunger in the Church! The Bible never indicates they had prayer in the Roman Empire in schools, but the Church was effective because they had prayer meetings in the Church!

If the people don't want to be in the presence of God, then what are we doing? How sound is our doctrine? People don't want to be faithful to God's House but they are renting filthy videos and spending more time facebook stalking and youtube browsing than seeking God. It's time to get off facebook and get our faces in the Book!

Call me a fanatic but I am sticking to His Word. Why would God send people to heaven when that is the last thing they want to be is in His presence? They may believe in justification by faith but I am just asking, if they are looking at the clock the whole time during worship, why would heaven be heaven to them? Why would they want to be there?

It is time for us to humble ourselves and find out now. There is a very challenging future for us as a generation. All my wife and I will be able to present to the Lord is the quality of these people we pastor. Are they holy and living in the Word every day? Do they have an appetite for the things of God and prayer? Are they filled with the Spirit of God? Not how many were coming on Wednesday night. Not how many came to your big event. I don't want for my life to go to waste!

I don't want to find out at the end of the day and have God ask me, "Who asked you to build that?" Well that is the way other churches did it Lord. Nope. It will not work. We must build according to His blueprint. "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Let's look again at 2 Corinthians 3:1-6:

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Paul said you Christians are the result of my ministry. God wrote by the Holy Spirit not with ink on tablets of stone but by His Holy Spirit with tablets of your hearts because God had made him a competent minister.

The greatest need in America is for a revival to hit the Church so that we would become competent ministers of the New Covenant! In other words, it is possible to not be a competent minister. I have a question for us. What could possibly stand against a Church full of Jesus Christ? Paul had nothing yet he was so powerful because God had made him a competent minister! Paul was not complaining about Nero in the New Testament. Let them do what they want but let the Church arise he was preaching! Incompetent on the other hand: I could get people into a building once a week but not into God.

In Acts 11:21, multitudes were turning to Him and yet they knew nothing of Jesus beforehand. There were no choirs, no buildings, no services. How did they do that?

I tell you friends, I would rather live just one year with God's hand on me than 40 years just shuffling my feet! More to come later this week.

Fighting in this war together,

pcraig

Competent Ministers of a New Covenant - Not Pulpit Pimps

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

I love this passage of Scripture - a favorite of mine really as a pastor and minister of this glorious gospel! What I am writing about today really concerns me - it concerns me because what happens in our church leadership today really matters. There is a calling we have; we aren't selling shorts, we are doing eternal work friends. We've been entrusted with the gospel of Christ, and we've been chosen before the foundation of the world not because of us but because of His sovereign choice for us to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ!

And I must remind us again: we will all stand at the judgment seat of Christ and the quality of our work will be reviewed. Why are the sound guys doing what they do? Why are the leaders leading? Are we doing it for a buck or to be noticed or is it service for the Lord? God will review our motives. Why is Craig Mosgrove preaching? What kind of preparation goes into his messages? What's his relationship with ELEVATION?

And you will not be reviewed by your peers. It won't matter who you get to shout out your name on twitter or who thinks you're the hot preacher. Your popularity won't matter a bit. It will not matter if your church was in outreach magazine or your name was on a conference graphic. We, as ministers, are not called to impress people but to influence their decision-making for Christ. And God is not looking for your talent, but rather your availability. He is not looking for genuises; He knows it all already. He is looking for someone He can break, mold, use, and fill for His glory.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians that we are competent ministers of a new covenant. Many people I know today preach Old Testament Christianity or New Testament legalism. Let me explain.

I will go ahead and say it: the greatest need in America today is for a revival to hit the Church so we would become competent ministers of the New Covenant!

In other words, Paul is implying to us that it is possible to be an incompetent minister. These are those who preach OT Christianity. They say things like 'how many people today will come and promise you will do this spiritual discipline this week?' 'Promise that you will keep it now!' That is not Christianity - Christianity is not a commitment religion. It's not a promise religion - it's a supernatural religion - Christ in us the hope of glory! It is "God working in us to will and to do according to His good purpose (Phil 2:13)." It is not about trying, it's all about trusting! We don't lead people to walk by commitment, but rather by faith!

I know, I know. Craig just calm down a bit. Lighten up, just lighten up. NO! I believe there is a true stirring in the Bride in this generation. A people that do not want "5 Steps to a Better Me" but instead live by the principles and precepts of God and you'll look like Him! If you are truly moved by the Spirit of God in this generation, you won't be satisfied with a 3-point powerpoint sermon and no power. You will have a longing! I believe there is a simple, apostolic yearning for true Biblical revival in our day!

And we are the ministers! I see less mention of sin from pastors to accommodate the lowest carnal denominator because you can't dare offend people. We've tried to take the supernatural out of salvation and yet it is a supernatural work of God! Your work and mine will be reviewed by the King of Kings and we can't compromise!

The testimonies that we hear from believers these days are pitiful to say the least. In churches around the country, we hear people testify how God gave them promotions, new houses, new cars, and new clothes, yet they don't realize that material blessings are nothing in comparison to victory over sin. Where are the testimonies of men and women who say that they have defeated anger and depression? Where are the testimonies of those who say that they have learned the secret of contentment? Where are the testimonies of those who say that they have victory over the fear of man? The gospel of prosperity is a repetition of the Old Covenant way of life: a life of material blessings without victory over sin. It is a gospel that washes the externalities of man while leaving the inner man dead. And folks it is everywhere! This is the reality of many churches around; many do not examine their spiritual lives because their focus on wealth has blinded them. They do not realize that although they are materially well-off, they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked internally.

And the worst part: it continues on because we have incompetent ministers that have risen up to plague us.

Lord, would you purge us today of pulpit pimps? Would you save us from leaders today who care more about quantity than quality? Lord your Church in America today has been invaded by technicians, instead of men and women of prayer and the Scriptures. There are clever people everywhere but very little power anywhere. It has been invaded with people who are better with computers than they are with the Word of God. Would you forgive us Lord? Lord we pray raise up a mighty army of competent ministers, flames of fire, men and women of your Word!

Let's pray, pray, pray and train, train, train this next generation of leaders!

pcraig

The Law of Submission

"Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." - Hebrews 12:3-11

Fact: our character is so weakened that we all must learn the lesson of brokenness. Whatever is being asked of us, we simply must learn to do it and do it without complaining or grudging. For most of us, we have always had a road out when someone has asked something from us. We have a crux if you will.

This is why it is so important for us to learn the law of submission wherever we find ourselves; whether it's in the work place, school, accountability group, etc.

You learn the most about yourself when you have to come up under the authority of someone else. When you come up under them, God is using that to reveal to you areas of weakness in your character. Remember, we always try to self justify. Our flesh always tries to justify. In your mind, it will always seem right why you are choosing to not submit to that authority. The question is can you come under the influence of someone else? That is what accountability is.

Jesus modeled complete dependence and brokenness. What is amazing about us is that we often spend more time looking for ways out rather than just doing whatever it is and getting it done!

When you come under accountability, God wants to use that environment to conform you to Christ. The most intense warfare Jesus went through was to get out of what the Father wanted Him to do. He was literally sweating blood drops in the Garden of Gethsemane. The same is true for us.

We must allow the Cross to affect our will. It's not my will, but the will of another that needs to be done. Would you just trust God that whatever accountability you are under, God will protect and use this for your good?

Hebrews 12 talks about the chastening of the Father and the rules and guidelines that cost us. God uses accountability as a process to train you. You must come under the restrictions of the Father.

Tell me if this is not the truth? In the Church, we usually do not have a problem with the direct ministry of the Holy Spirit, but we have a major problem with the indirect ministry of the Holy Spirit when it comes from someone else. I have no problem doing what I feel God has asked me to do, but I buck when someone else is requiring something out of me (scripture memorization, reading, chores, etc.) But I pray that you do submit yourself to Godly leadership because after all, you learn more about yourself in times of restriction than any other time in your life.

You will learn one of two things:

1) You are seeking to be an overachiever for the praise of men. Or....

2) There is rebellion in your heart and lots of self-will.

May each of us learn to submit to one another!

pcraig

New Series Next Week!

KALEO is in the books, and a great first series at that! The Lord moved in a mighty way in the last few weeks here at ELEVATION - lives were restored, deliverance was found, repentance was granted, and direction was found! We ended the series with a message last night entitled "Called to Significance!" I pray that the ministry of His Word is encouraging your heart each week!

As we have focused on building leaders and raising up students in discipleship in this first month, the Lord has been faithful to bring even numerical growth. Just for Wed night attendance, we have grown over 35% since the end of December! But far more important than that has been the intensity that has been growing over the last few weeks.

The next three weeks are gonna' be fly here at ELEVATION! We start a brand new series this coming Wed night called "SOBER!"

SOBER - to be marked by character, temperance, and moderation. It is the art of self-discipline, yet so few people have it in our culture. If a person cannot govern himself, major excesses will likely mark his life. Self-mastery is the foundation of a strong godly life. You likely know how much work it takes to be self-disciplined. But the rewards are worth the fight. It’s time to sober up!

Over the next three weeks we are going to examine together self-discipline in the areas of relationships and spiritual disciplines - it will be a February to remember!

And best of all, on February 16, we are doing our first-ever BLACK TIE AFFAIR!

Be sure to grab all your friends and join us for Valentine's at ELEVATION in a big way! Giveaways, best dressed prizes, pictures, free food, chocolate fountains, jazz music, and more - it's your night to shine! You don't want to miss it for the world!

See you all this Sunday morning at 9:30 for Discovery and then Ricardo Sanchez leading us in worship at 10:30!

Much love,

pcraig

Mission Possible - This Sunday!

So for the church at large, we are beginning a new series this coming Sunday, February 6! It's called "Mission Possible: Winning the Lost!"

Let's look once more at the vision statement of NCCoG: We, as a community of Spirit-filled believers, commit to exalt God, to evangelize the lost, and to edify and equip the church for ministry.

This February the whole month will encompass the second "e" of our vision: to evangelize the lost. You ready for this? Here is the series:

"Mission Possible: Winning the Lost"

Jesus commissioned us to carry His Gospel to the far corners of the earth, and contrary to popular belief, that mission is still possible! The reason why? Because the power whereby to discharge that commission is still available to us through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! What impression are you making on the people around you? “For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:3).” Jesus is Yeshua. Jehovah is Salvation. That salvation will surround the month of February; our Savior Jesus was born to die. Join us all month long and you’ll be sure to gain a new and relevant perspective on the Savior’s call on your life, a call to win the lost! You can’t afford to miss a week!

This coming Sunday, I will be opening up the series with a message entitled "Reverse the Curse." Ricardo Sanchez will be leading us in worship as we share about winning the next generation for Christ! The previous generation is called to reverse the curse of sin in this current generation! And how do we reverse the curse? We must know our identity in Christ and then recognize who are my spiritually paralyzed friends and how we can get them to Jesus!

"Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert." - Numbers 14:33

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel." Judges 2:10

It's time to REVERSE THE CURSE!

Check out the February series promo below:

See you this Sunday, and don't come alone!

pcraig

Awaiting the Vision.....

"For the revelation (vision) awaits an appointed time; it speaks (as if to kindle a fire) of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." Habakkuk 2:3

ELEVATION Vision Statement: Our vision is to lead lost students to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, teach them to worship the Lord, implement them into this local body to be discipled in the Word of God, develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for ministry in the church and God’s mission for them in the world to advance the Kingdom of God.

ELEVATION Mission Statement: Our mission is to empower a generation of students with the gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, discipleship, relationship, and mission.

ELEVATION is committed to developing students of prayer and worship. (WED NIGHT WORSHIP GATHERINGS)

• Wednesday night worship experiences
• all-night prayer gatherings
• Biblical teaching and preaching
• ELEVATION is committed to developing students of prayer and worship. Worship is far more than music. Worship is our response to God declaring His worth as He has revealed Himself to us. We simply can’t worship or apply what we do not know. Our Wednesday night worship gatherings provide a place for us to experience His presence, be challenged and taught Biblically, and devote ourselves to prayer.

ELEVATION is committed to discipling students to Christlike maturity. (DISCOVERY DISCIPLESHIP)

• Discovery discipleship classes (every Sunday at 9:30am)
• Encounter Retreats
• FIRE Institute
• ELEVATION is committed to discipling students to Christlike maturity. Discipleship is a lifetime process, not a youth activity. We are committed to taking the time to help students become intimate with the long-term Jesus rather than hurrying young people into short-term results. Jesus knew that hurried disciples become ex-disciples. A real lover of God and disciple of Jesus take time to develop and use the mind.

ELEVATION is committed to equipping students within genuine relationships. (SMALL GROUPS)

• small groups (will start later this year)
• membership in God’s family
• accountability
• ELEVATION is committed to equipping students within genuine relationships. True transformation takes place as we build relationships in settings that encourage transparency and openness. Our small group ministry meets together each month to provide that setting. Our small groups meet all across Cleveland and are gender specific to foster a more effective means to forge genuine relationship.

ELEVATION is committed to mobilizing students to live a missional lifestyle. (WECARE)

• monthly outreach opportunities
• evangelism
• mission trips
• ELEVATION is committed to mobilizing students to live a missional lifestyle. Each of us were made for a mission. It is evident that God is at work in the world, and He wants you to join him. He desires for you to share His love where you are. It pleases Him for you to reach out to those around you. Compassionate evangelism to the world outside embodies a missional lifestyle. You can do that through demonstrating love for those in need in your life, participating in our monthly outreach opportunities, and inviting a friend to your small group and ELEVATION.

VISION IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN IT IS VERY CLEAR AND EASILY RELATABLE!

Striving for the vision!

pcraig

To the Final 6 Days!

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:25

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” – Heb. 3:13

Here we are on Day 16! It is exciting to remember that as we fast, we are investing in something that will outlast us! There is always purpose in what we are doing – we are never just getting by when we are fasting and seeking God. Be encouraged by that today, and encourage others as they fast with you as the Bible exhorts us to do in the above Scriptures. Jesus had purpose even as He was dying – there was purpose down to the last moment! The late A.W. Tozer once said, “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular. It is why he does it.” Isn’t that a reality check for our motives in fasting? Why are you still fasting at this point? It is important to maintain pure motives that are always filtered through the Holy Spirit as we participate in spiritual disciplines such as fasting.

As each of you know, the Holy Spirit is the key to success in any area you are involved in. This is certainly true of ministerial success. What we need in America is a renewed dependence on Spirit-empowered leadership. Expansion of the church is a work of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that during this fast you are upholding your spiritual leaders in prayer. Continue to pray for them that God would pour out on them a fresh infilling of His Spirit!

I came across the following Scripture the other day, and I want to share with each of you:

“Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?” –Gal. 3:3

It is true that each of us began our walk with God by His choice, His action, His initiative. We must always remember that! If we drift from that place we gut the gospel of its transforming and marvelous power. You and I never found God; He found us. It was not Him who was lost and was found – you and I were lost and He found us! Praise God for that! And I want to ask you a question: having started this fast with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? I pray not! Stay so dependent upon His Spirit every day as you consecrate yourself to His purposes! We need His power in our lives like never before. Training and education are stimulating, but the Spirit is where the power comes from. Principles help us stay in control, but the Spirit directs us to do what God wants us to do.

During this fast, we must remember the purpose of Spirit-baptism. It is solely for the enhancement of our witness; for the empowerment of service in God’s Kingdom. Let’s look at what the Scripture states.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Tongues may be evidence of Spirit-baptism, but witness is essence. If we are baptized in His Spirit, we must be reaching out to others with the hope of Jesus Christ. So many today dismiss the existence of Spirit-baptism saying it ended with the death of the last apostle John. But I have a thought: if the Great Commission is still in charge, the power thereby to discharge this commission must still be available as well! God thank you for your Spirit!

Here is my prayer for each of you during these final days of this fast. It is not only a prayer for you individually but a prayer for the ministries that you are part of as well.

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” – 2 Tim. 1:7

The Spirit gives each of us the trilogy of power, love, and self-discipline. It is interesting to note that whenever a church is alive, all three of these components are present. These are the ABC’s of ministry. Do these three mark the ministry you are a part of? Would you pray that God would make manifest power, love, and self-discipline in the ministry of His Church? Scripture anticipated the days we are living in, when immorality would spread like cancer and the church would hold “to the outward form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Tim. 3:5). As leaders, as those seeking after God while fasting, we don’t need new principles, ideas, or buildings. We need a renewed dependence on God!

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” – 2 Peter 1:3

Would you say this out loud with me according to 2 Peter 1:3? Say this, “No matter what I am facing today, His power has given me everything I need! I have everything I need in Jesus’ name!

Do you long for His presence? Are you seeking a fresh baptism of His Spirit as a subsequent experience to your salvation? Do you really believe that He has given you everything you need for life and godliness? Are you living that way currently?

To the last week of the FAST,

Pastor Craig Mosgrove