The vision of man cannot be fulfilled until the character of man is built and tried in the fire.

Revolution of Restoration - Partial Transcript - Nov 5. 2006, FCSBC

This morning I am at a loss for words as to what we should talk about. I have spent this week hurting for my brothers and sisters, longing for a revolution of restoration to sweep through the American church body. I have been taught so many things that I am finding to be irrelevant to Godly living, and yet I am learning that I am ill-equipped to lead as Jesus lead. I am learning that those with the most letters behind their names are the ones that we trust the most without any concern for their private conversations with God. And yet we turn our back on the man who has a true calling to the care of souls and pastoring because he lacks the pedigree of others.

I wanted to come here today and preach a sermon that would cause us to smile and laugh, I was even going to take Barry’s keys and wallet until I heard that had already been done. But this week my spirit was broken, so this morning I want to talk to you as your brother and friend, rather than the preacher or pastor.

I was taught in college that the study of scripture was purely systematic. That the same process works every time without fail. I have found however that to study scripture systematically by the book increases our knowledge to the point of arrogance and yet our spirit falters through lack of Spirit filled understanding.

The emphasis on daily devotion to scripture is thus that we fail to order our lives in such a way that our quiet time lacks the ability to provide joy throughout our day, instead choosing to live in chaos. We see our commitment as a systematic approach. 30 minutes in the morning of prayer and reading is sufficient fuel for the day. I beg to differ. When we place our devotion as obligation rather than spirit induced meditation we fail to see the beauty of the scripture laid before us. We invest in study tools written by men with their own human faults and sins, rather than allowing the very Spirit of God to lead and teach His word. We rely on the preacher to speak with eloquent words to properly articulate the message that God has breathed so poetically through the hands of biblical writers.

I stand here today as a broken man. This past week men of God that I trusted, loved, played golf with, ate dinner with fell. My heart aches not only for those men but for the children of God who had placed their trust in them rather than the Shepherd. Not only Pastor Haggard but a dear friend of mine who has fallen.

I wept this week for my hometown, 20 men and women who I grew up admiring, the sheriff who has served for 20 years, some were my classmates, one was a deacons wife, were arrested and charged with 48 felony charges. I literally cried painful tears as I thought about a pastor’s son that I played basketball with in junior high who was arrested for sex trafficking.

And the thing that broke me the most is that I knew that if any church in America spoke regarding any of these issues it would be in condemnation rather than a spirit of responsibility and restoration.

I don’t come here today with all the answers, but I stand here today to tell you that the church as we know it is failing, not only those in the streets that don’t know God, but it is failing our brothers and sisters who are in pain and can’t find a way out.

I wasn’t angered at the deacon’s wife who was selling drugs, I was angered at her pastor and her husband for not knowing her spiritual needs. I am saddened that while women across this country are having emotional affairs with the men behind the pulpit, those very men are failing to equip and empower husbands to love and lead with true Christ-like authority in the home. I am saddened that a man who is trusted to be a deacon of a congregation does not care enough for his wife to see the sin that is controlling her life.

I was given the argument this week that some people hide their sins and it isn’t possible to help everyone. I felt the need to laugh at such an absurd thought. If a man or woman is truly submitted to and controlled by the spirit of God, sin in the lives of those we love and are biblically responsible for is as evident as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. The problem we face today is that we aren’t submitted and controlled, rather we are addicted and patrolled.

The Billy Graham Association says that 75% of people sitting on church pews this morning are on their way to hell. I find this interesting when we compare it to George Barna’s finding that 80% of American Pastors do not believe in effectual calling, rather they see ministry as a career choice. Do you see the correlation here? Maybe the reason these leaders are falling is, because they themselves have been led by someone who isn’t submitted to biblical authority.

I am convinced that the spiritual health of someone that is under the discipleship of a leader is discernable if that leader is submitted to God in prayer and meditation. This past week God began to show me things within my Spirit that scared me, things about friends, my family, my own life.

I realized this week that spiritual accountability is not an individual responsibility, the spiritual well being of the person sitting next to you belongs to you and to everyone in this building. Your spiritual life is the covenant responsibility of each and every person here today, and of your future pastor. I speak with assurance of one thing this morning, no man should ever stand behind this pulpit that is not willing to stand accountable for what you do outside of these walls.

Ephesians talks about the body of Christ, the arm, the leg, the head, the eye. The body does not operate properly without all of these parts being healthy. If we were to look biologically at our bodies we would realize that our body really works together when something goes wrong. Is we are cut, red blood cells race to the surface and form clotting to prevent us from dying. When germs enter our body, there is an all out war to rid itself of the disease. If we trip, our arms instinctively reach out to protect the rest of the body and to break the fall. When a leg is broken, the arms become stronger to support our weight on crutches. Do you see where I’m going with this? The body works together to prevent disease or harm, and then if harm does come, it works together to heal itself.

Cain failed God, Cain failed his brother, and yet through Cain I see myself. I see that I am quick to judge based on my offering compared to that of someone else. I see that I immediately scorn the fallen, yet fail to take responsibility for their sin. And yet restoration is what God taught as he restored life to Cain. Yes he punished him by cursing the ground from which his livelihood came from. But he restored him to the place where he married and fathered children. Yes he had to suffer for what he had done, but God did not fail to restore a new life to him.

God himself is our example this morning, if God was willing to restore life to a murderer, then should we then not help in restoring the life of an adulterer or a thief. Should we not speak words of peace and truth, words that encourage rather than destroy, and leave the judging and the punishment to God?

What I am saying this morning, is yes, these men who have fallen should pay the price for their actions, but you and I should not be their judge. Our prayers and encouragement should be at their disposal.

And yet this should cause a deep evaluation of what you are doing for the spiritual life of those around you. Men you are accountable for your wife’s and your children’s relationship with God, women you are responsible for constant prayer on your husbands behalf that he leads in the way of Jesus. And you are all responsible for the spiritual life of the person that God calls to be your future pastor. And even more important than that, we are all accountable for each other. Isn’t it nice to know that we are not alone, in our struggles, in our joy, in good times, and in bad. The journey is ours to share. We are our brothers keeper, Jesus said to go and make disciples, to make a disciple we must invest our lives into someone else. True discipleship is learning to do life together in the pursuit of life as Jesus lived. You are my brothers and sisters, and I’m counting on you as you should count on me.

It seems like the only alpha male I’ve ever read about that doesn’t have a messiah complex is the actual Messiah. - Matt Chandler

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Today I weep...I weep for my fallen friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, who despite their best efforts have been led astray by the arrogance of the corporate institution we call the church. Read foxnews.com about the latest scandal in my hometown of Martinsville, VA. What you won't read is that the majority of the people involved held prominent positions in the counties most respected churches.

Today I weep...I weep for the soul who is barely clinging on, but is just another number in scheme of things

Today I weep...I weep for my friend who has fallen into sexual immorality and all we can do is laugh and scorn.

Today I weep...I weep for the pastor who is called a thief, and then proven to be one

Today I weep...I weep because I very easily could be anyone of these people.

But Today I am encouraged...I am encouraged because I believe the remnant of true followers will begin shine

I am encouraged because this generation has the capability to engage culture and embrace a kingdom

I am encouraged because now is the time for a revolution of restoration for the fallen

The time for thought without action is over, the world will never know Jesus if the church fails each other.