In Search of Revival

Pastor Sam Blanco4Over the course of Christian history there have been countless times of revival and refreshing such as the Montanist, Waldensian, Wesleyan, American Awakenings, Welsh and early twentieth century Pentecostalism, to name a few. Today, we could certainly add the great expansion of the Gospel in Africa, Indonesia, Latin America and Asia. What is the common denominator? Very simply a return to the fundamental elements of our Christian faith as presented in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts thereafter. In Luke 24:49, Jesus clearly instructs His disciples to sit tight in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come and fill them with power. Over a meal (Luke 24), He blesses them with an ample understanding of the Messiah in the Old Testament and with the Gospel of repentance. He acknowledges that they have been witnesses to His ministry, yet instructs them to wait for the Promise of the Father. The Book of Acts is a testament to their obedience and to the great ministry the early Church had as a result. One writer has said that the great miracle of that first Pentecostal Day was the transformation wrought in the hearts of those disciples who simply waited to be transformed by the Spirit of fire. Today, we tend to seek renewal as part of a human process. But, why not follow the Lord Jesus’ command to wait on Him to fill us with fire, power and wisdom?

“See you in church” 

June 29, 2016

Bear fruit and be hated!

Pastor Sam Blanco4The General Conference of the United Methodist Church is still in session as we go to print and the future of the church is still in the balance. A large part of the difficulties is the lack of identity, doctrinal, historical and spiritual in the rank and file and in our leadership. This cannot be easily fixed, but if there is any hope in the decisive months to come, the church must return to the things that made it powerful in God’s kingdom.
The words of Jesus in the Gospel of John present us the realistic vision of the church in a fallen world – Obey me, bear fruit and be hated by the world. If the Master wanted to present an inviting call to his potential disciples, this wasn’t it; unless it was the truth and there was power in this statement. The message of the whole salvation in Jesus Christ runs counter to the wisdom of human nature because, through faith in Him, the unseen power of God is credibly at work in the lives and hearts of sinful people, turning them into children of God. Moreover, this truth, as spelled out in the Bible, upsets and contradicts the philosophies and emotions of this day. But, in order to be disciples of the Nazarene, we must go and bring the redemption of Christ to people where they are and then disciple them to be fellow Christians. The world will not like you if you do this. But will you do it?
The Lay Witness Mission of the 1960s was a blast of fresh air for the Methodist Church at the time with its services of songs, testimonials of Jesus, prayers, small groups and Hallelujah moments! It should not surprise us that this happened since God had resuscitated the elements of the early church as He has done throughout history. Obedient disciples with a clear identity have confronted hostility and borne fruit many times, as the early English Methodists did. The time has come for us to seek that clear identity again!

See you in church . . . . .

May 27, 2016

 

“I Am A Church Member”

Pastor Sam Blanco4Facebook has a page called Cristo Reina (Christ Reigns) which is a page created for the United Methodist Hispanic congregation in Nicholasville, Kentucky. It was both an evangelistic and social ministry begun in Wilmore by the United Methodist Church there. Though the issue of membership was not easily discerned, there were some who were recognized as members. One of those was Ignacio back in 2002. Unfortunately, this UM congregation folded soon after I left Kentucky. Recently, someone called him and asked him what church he tells people he belongs to as he ministers to them. He answered, Iglesia Cristo Reina! When told the church had closed he said, It doesn’t matter; Cristo Reina is my church. The little book, I am a Church Member, offers a different approach on church membership. It sees the reality of love, unity, selflessness, prayer, family and faithfulness as essential to the church, but with a twist – it focuses on attitude. Jonathan Edwards wrote about affections, which is the deepest intention or attitude you have toward something. So, if you shake someone’s hand or say hi, if you give a large donation, or pray, what is your deepest intention or motive? The book will establish that the deep-seated intention of a church member determines the strength of the congregation. The church does not depend so much on the outward signs as much as on the profound, personal intention to please our Savior – the One we belong to. Ignacio’s story serves to highlight a church member’s obstinate and dogged loyalty. He may walk alone 9 hours through the mountains to visit a church, but by golly he will be loyal to the Master! The Lord needs men and women to serve Him with the same dogged intention!

See you in Church,

May 5, 2016

The Resurrection Worldview and Lahore

Pastor Sam Blanco4While I lived in Kentucky, I knew a man named Maurino who worked in the tobacco farms. Needless to say, he did not have the proper documentation to work legally in the U.S., so he lived on the same farm where he worked. He would work hard, keep whatever he needed to survive and send the bulk of his earnings back to Mexico. His dream was to build a corral and be able to buy a few cows back home. I visited him once and saw that the house he lived in was dilapidated, missing a wall, a part of the floor and with no utilities. So I asked him, doesn’t it bother you to have to live this way? He smiled and said to me, This is not my house; I will be going home soon. And so he did.

The Apostle Paul writes in Romans for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. This reflects a worldview. Because of the Resurrection of the Lord I understand perfectly that I do not belong to this world nor am I swayed by its pleasures. I belong to the Lord Jesus! When this worldview pervades the heart and mind of the Christian not only are we at peace, we are bold in our Christian lifestyle.

Today I heard of Christian families gathering with their families to celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Amidst the joy and laughing, a bomb went off and twenty nine children were dead. Without a worldview that defines our life as sojourners on this earth and the faith to believe it, our world collapses in the face of suffering. But the message of the Lord Jesus is, don’t worry about anything; I am going to build you a home where we can all be together, whether you live or die. But until then, I am with you!

See you in Church,

April 2, 2016