Category: Pastor - IRONSTRIKES

Don't lie

1/18/2018

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.- 1 John 4:20-21.

Monday was a great day to talk about the concept of love. Not only is it the day in which we honor the legacy of an American hero (Martin Luther King Jr.), but it also reflects an urgent need for our world. Day by day we see hate and vitriol in the context of words and unfortunate actions from people we have given our trust. We are seeing, right before our eyes, the true manifestation of what it means to live in a fallen world. Darkness is all around us.

Christians are called to rise above the decaying behavior the world perpetuates. Lashing out in anger, hate, and rudeness reflects a mentality that does not look, sound, or think like Jesus. If we are not loving others, we are walking away from the purpose we were placed on this earth to pursue.

The fact is we may not always agree with everyone around us, but we certainly have the ability to look at our neighbor with compassion. Differences in personalities, political rivalries, race, or even past interactions are not valid excuses to abandon the calling Jesus has for reconciliation.

I don’t want to be called a liar. Do you? We can prevent this by showing love, standing firm in our faith, and praying that God would continue to grant us an ever-growing capacity for understanding and respect.

Seek people to show love to today. Counteract the world’s darkness.

Prayer for today: Father, grow my heart so that more of you will fit. Take over my life so that you are fully in charge. Amen.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: www.ministrysauce.com

Ordaining Women

2/18/2016

Free Methodist founder B.T. Roberts made his case for female pastors in his 1891 book “Ordaining Women,” but women could not become Free Methodist elders until General Conference 1974 delegates unanimously approved a resolution giving men and women equal status in church ministry.

Support for women in the pulpit is far from unanimous, however, as many prominent evangelicals describe ordination of women as an unbiblical surrender to modern trends. Long before gender equality was popular, Roberts used the Bible to make the case that “there is nothing in the creation of woman or in her condition under the law which proves that no woman should be ordained as a minister of the gospel.”

Benjamin D. Wayman —an assistant professor of theology at Greenville College and a pastor at St. Paul’s Free Methodist Church in Greenville, Illinois — believes Roberts’ message deserves an audience throughout and beyond the Free Methodist Church. He is the editor of “Ordaining Women: New Edition With an Introduction and Notes” (fmchr.ch/owbw), which Wipf and Stock Publishers released in November.

“I hope this book reaches the broadest possible audience — not just women, not just Free Methodists. Unfortunately, women’s ordination has been wrongly cast as a women’s issue, and the book has been narrowly treated as a Free Methodist resource,” Wayman said in a Light + Life interview. “But Roberts’ vision of the gospel is broader than women and Free Methodists. It’s a pressing matter for all of God’s people in every faith community of the global church.”

Why release a new edition of Roberts’ book when a PDF of the original edition can be downloaded for free from the Internet?

“The ordination of women is arguably the most pressing issue for the church today, and Roberts’ handling of the issue is concise and compelling. The problem with the online version is that it’s in a 19th century style and format, which jars modern readers. For example, Roberts sometimes writes in all caps, is at times unclear about where his quotes end and whom he’s quoting, and he follows 19th century citation and formatting conventions,” Wayman said. “My main aim with the new edition was to re-present Ordaining Women in a format and style that is useful and readable for people in the 21st century.”

Although Wayman hopes to reach a wide audience of Christians, the new edition would not have been possible without the help of fellow Free Methodists.

“This book is a collaborative work of church and academy,” Wayman said. “The bishops of the Free Methodist Church – USA, the Committee on Free Methodist History and Archives, [former Gateway Conference] Superintendent Lucia Delamarter and [Ministerial Development and Credentialing Director] Jason Morriss were all lively supporters of the project.”

Wayman also credited Free Methodist scholars Christy Mesaros-Winckles and Howard A. Snyder, who co-wrote the foreword, and his supportive colleagues at Greenville College. He praised the research of Beth Armstrong, a Free Methodist elder who recently defended her Gonzaga University doctoral dissertation on gender equality among Free Methodist clergy.
“She argues that what’s needed are more ‘Benevolent Male Advocates’ (BMA),” Wayman said about Armstrong. “She’s surely right. It’s important to note that advocacy must have feet. It’s not real advocacy if women aren’t being placed and supported in positions of leadership in the church.”

Wayman said the ordination of women creates “a new kind of community” that exposes the lies of the world’s distinctions, classifications, hierarchies and values.

This post was written by Jeff Finley of Light and Life Magazine. You can find his original post here: http://fmcusa.org/lightandlifemag/ordaining-women-for-a-new-generation/

My legacy

11/28/2015

If I didn't wake up tomorrow
You know what I would do?
I would run through the meadows
My feet dampened by the dew

I would be at peace
And finally be free
Free from the darkness
Escaping all misery

It would be great to swim
in the cool crystal pools
Reuniting with loved ones
and acting like fools

The food would be great
the banquet would never end
We would dine with Jesus
as if He were our closest friend

I wouldn't care about below
And all the pain I fled
Not that I was calloused
But I realize eternity is ahead

But let's just say
I actually did think for a bit
About the life I led
and the light that was lit

I would probably wonder
about the prints I leave
If others were touched
If I helped them to believe

Did I allow God to guide
Even when my soul seemed bare?
Did I treat people kind?
Did I show them I care?

Perhaps I will look down
at some point to see
If those that I prayed for
Will carry on my legacy

My God only knows
When that fateful moment will start
Until then, my job continues
His words will guide my heart.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos

Pastor shoots intruder during church service

10/21/2015

A man, who police say attacked a pastor with a brick at a church service before the pastor whipped out his Glock handgun and fatally fired back, ranted weeks before on Facebook that his pastor had gotten his wife pregnant.

The incident happened about 15 minutes into the 1:30 p.m. Sunday service at the City of God ministries storefront church on Grand River near Lahser, Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt said.

“The pastor had had issues with the man before,” Dolunt said. “He had been threatening him to do bodily harm. He walked into the service and went after the pastor with a brick. The pastor pulled out his Glock and fired several shots. I think he hit him four or five times, and the man died.”

The victim was identified as Deante Smith, 26, of Detroit, police said.

Two Detroit police sources said detectives were investigating a possible love triangle between Smith, his wife and their pastor.

Dolunt said police were called to the church in September. On Sept. 16, Smith wrote he planned to attend the church.

“Can’t wait to see Sunday message at the City of God Ministry,” he wrote. “I’ll be there with the truth.”
Later that day, Smith wrote: “This (expletive) gonna hit the fan.”

In a Sept. 15 post, Smith wrote: “That wasn’t my baby that was (his wife) and pastor(’s) baby.” That preceded a Sept. 18 rant: “This (expletive) got my (expletive) pregnant. Tick tock (expletive) and everybody with you.”

Smith posted several times in the weeks leading up to his death about the pain he wasfeeling about the alleged affair. On Oct. 8, he wrote: “I’m hurting, yall.”

His posts appeared to concern friends, one of whom wrote on Oct. 13, “may I ask (what) is going on with you?”

Smith replied: “I’m crazy they call me S.O.N.I.C.”

The pastor was not arrested and is cooperating with authorities, Officer Jennifer Moreno said Monday.

“He was never in custody,” Moreno said Monday. “He was just brought downtown (on Sunday) for questioning regarding the incident. He stayed a couple hours, cooperated fully and went home.”

After questioning the pastor, police will submit a warrant request to prosecutors, who will then decide whether the shooting was justified.

“We’re not sure at this point whether the man had mental problems or what,” Dolunt said. “It’s still under investigation.”

Smith had been a player for the semi-pro Michigan Lightning football team. The team released a statement on Facebook on Monday.

“His infectious smile and the courage in which he approached life, on and off the field, are attributes that will stick with all of us,” the team statement read.

According to the team, Smith was captain and founding father of the organization, established in 2012.

“More important than all his on-the-field achievements, was his ability to reach someone who was going through a rough time. ‘I got you,’ was echoed by him on many occasions, and to Tae, they weren’t just words, he wasn’t going to let you fall,” the team’s statement read.

Brad Bentley, head coach of the Lightning, said he was still in shock after hearing of Smith’s death. He had known the young man since 2007, and they’d been together on the Lightning since its founding.

“I’m tore up over this,” Bentley said. “I’m shocked.”

Bentley said he’ll lobby team owner Rami Abousaleh to retire Smith’s No. 3 jersey and even do a halftime ceremony next season.

Smith used to wear number 22, but had switched to No. 3. Bentley still called him “double-deuce” regardless.

“Before every game, he pointed to the sky and yelled Jesus!” Bentley said. “He believed in God, his family, and this football team.”
“He was a leader, a great man.”

Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey, who also serves as pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church on Detroit’s east site, said late Sunday he had never met the City of God pastor. But concerns about security in places of worship, he said, have seemingly increased in recent months since June’s mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

“It continues to shock me,” Spivey said. “Before June, you saw things like this happen every now and then. But now it seems every week something happens at a church.”

In the wake of the Charleston shooting that left nine dead, many Detroit pastors said they planned to beef up security at their places of worship.

In June, the Rev. Larry L. Simmons of Baber Memorial A.M.E. Church in northwest Detroit said he was one of them. “Unfortunately, we had an incident about a year ago at another church in Brightmoor,” Simmons said, referring to a shooting outside the Citadel of Praise Church in July. In that incident, an off-duty police officer serving as a church security guard fatally shot an ax-wielding man who was later determined to be mentally impaired.

“That incident alerted us that our security was not right,” Simmons said. “But how do you make a place that’s open to the public completely secure? You can’t.”

Spivey said Sunday he worries over the direction churches are being pushed in as they attempt to make their congregations safer.

“Thinking out about it, I do hope the church does not become a place where you have security like an airport,” he said. “My concern is churches are becoming a place where you can no longer welcome people freely. And that shouldn’t happen.”

This post was written by Jim Lynch of The Detroit News. You can find the article here: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/10/18/pastor-kills-brick-wielding-man-during-church-service/74190782/

Hope Of The World

9/12/2015

Reaching out with open hands
Desperately ignoring circumstance
Really hoping to gain His glance
Finding peace when I do

But, watching the news with disbelief
Killings, abuse…another thief
Praying evil will turn over a new leaf
Wanting the world to be made new

Save them God, as they go astray
Show the world your face today
Help them to joyfully obey
Thinking “If they only knew”

All of my frustration and concern
Over the lessons they should learn
For worldwide change I passionately yearn
Wishing they understood what was true

I shout in anger to the sky
“Why do the innocent have to die?”
Why are slaves given over to buy
Cities destroyed by wind that blew

When will the answer show its face
And give hope to the human race
When will people wholly embrace
When will the hurt be through

These questions I had in my mind
And not one place could I find
An answer that was direct and kind
But, I unsuccessfully thought of a few

But then a finger came out of the air
And pointed at me in my chair
The booming voice, terrifying yet fair
Said, “the change starts with YOU”.

This poem was written by Rev DeCrastos.
You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net

Five things I have learned as a pastor

9/5/2015

I am a young pastor, and I do not presume to think that I can offer up much worthwhile advice and encouragement to a new generation entering the ministry. I do think, however, that any amount of experience has its own level of anecdotal instruction that can be offered to anyone willing to listen.

This week, I have thought about what I have learned in my decade of formal ministry (volunteer and paid) and I think there are some things that are worth sharing. Some items being shared in this blog are a result of frustration that has helped to grow me as a minister. Other points are simply things I that have come to mind. Just know that none of them are meant to demean, discourage, or demonstrate anger. I just feel these things need to be said.

I love learning. Sometimes the learning involved pain, and other times it was a result of great joy.

Today, I want to share 5 Things I Have Learned As a Pastor.

People prioritize what matters

Sunday after Sunday pastors all over the world work their hardest to preach, teach, and display the Gospel in their lives. Their families often feel the brunt of the time and effort they put into sharing vision, meeting with those in need, and attending business meetings. Sometimes a pastor will give their all for a congregation who seem to look at the idea of worship as “something they will attend if they have nothing else to do”. Don’t get me wrong. Pastors are thankful that anyone shows up for worship, but we now live in a Christian culture that has prioritized other things over meeting together as was commanded of us in scripture.

Discouragement is only temporary

I’m going to let you in, behind the scenes, for a moment on what pastors talk about when they are together. Sometimes we talk about how things are progressing with the church. Other times we talk about how discouraged we are in a particular area of ministry. For some people in ministry, short seasons of discouragment end in resignation. It is easier to quit than to persevere. When discouragement comes, and it certainly will, it is always vital to lean into God and rely on His promises. The seasons of discouragement do not last forever. They can just be painful. When we tap into God’s resolve, then we find times of great spiritual wealth and ministerial progress.

There will be resistance

No matter what God has asked a person in ministry to do, resistance to that call is inevitable. Sometimes there is resistance because the author of lies is creating unnecessary conflict in the church. Other times (I am speaking to myself here) it is because personal pastoral agendas are forced and God’s will is not taken into account. Pastors are not exempt from being stubborn or having human thoughts, emotions, or actions. A consistent prayer life trains the mind and heart to more readily pick up Christ’s signals and gentle nudgings.

Lives matter to God

When looking at scripture, it is apparent that God has spent a lot of time showing humanity His love. Sure, there are times of discipline, but the way He guided the Israelites out of captivity, restored them multiple times after their transgressions. sent Himself to die, and gave us the Holy Spirit, no one can deny the energy that has gone into God’s affection for us. He calls pastors to be distributors of this love and grace. Christians in general have this call on their lives as well, and are compelled to share this message with the world. So, when someone comments that a pastor’s focus is “all about numbers”, they are actually somewhat correct. Every person matters to God, and He came to die for every single one. A pastor’s job is a response to this concept.

Often times, more energy is spent on lemurs than butterflies

Ok, so this one is a difficult topic to talk about. Now, I do not want to sound harsh or condescending, but this idea breaks my heart so I felt as if I needed to share. You may read this heading and be somewhat confused, but allow me to explain. I wrote another blog post a while ago that compared the personalities found in the church to animals that live in a zoo. Lemurs are animals that live in trees and eat berries and bugs. When there are no more berries or bugs in the tree they move on to another one that will suit their needs. Butterflies start as caterpillars, and camp out in trees or bushes. They are sheltered by the tree and allow themselves to be transformed. Often churches respond to God’s call to help those in need (in and out of the church), and sometimes it is the “lemurs” get the most attention. In the church, it is often the case that the ones that are the most helped are the first ones to leave. The church is a great place to seek transformation. No matter the result, though, we are called to serve.

Overall, I can honestly say that God has blessed me more than I deserve. His calling on my life to participate in the transformation of souls is something that invigorates me. Ideas keep me going, and His spirit not only makes up for my inadequacies, but moves me out of the way completely. He has also given me an amazing church family.

If you are a young pastor leading a church today, I implore you to lean on that calling. Don’t quit. It is a very difficult job, and it is not going to get any easier. You are not going to make millions and you may struggle to help grow the congregation you are in. Don’t be a “corporate ladder” type of pastor and just move to the next bigger church for the nice facility and salary package. There is a large family sitting in your pews waiting to see revival, and their souls need it. Be vulnerable, and build deep relationships. What if they leave? Well, then you will be deeply hurt, but don’t run away from being hurt. God’s call means more.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net

Am I A Christian Goldfish?

9/4/2015

In my house, we have a special name for the local pet store. It is called the “free zoo”. At this store, we can observe and even interact with cute, fluffy creatures for as long as we want. We can pet dogs, hold bunny rabbits, and have staring contests with exotic lizards sun bathing under a lightbulb. It is great. The best thing about this place is the fact that we can enjoy the fun of learning about animals without the headache of having to take them home. My kids still have no idea that people can buy these animals, and we intend to keep it that way.

My children love the fish tanks. In our pet store, these tanks are in a separate back room with special lighting. Each tank is clearly labeled and contain dozens of the particular species being advertised. The aquariums look like little cloning experiments, because all of the fish look exactly alike. They resemble synchronized swimmers and seem to read each other’s minds.

Personally, I like the basic goldfish. I enjoy their color, and how peaceful they look in their tank. When I tap on the glass (don’t judge me), they get startled and swim away behind a fake coral reef. Then something fascinating happens. They come back to the glass as if they completely forgot what happened.

As I grow in Christ, I often wonder if I am a Christian goldfish. Do I do things just because others do them? Do I have a very short memory when it comes to the consequences of sin (or even the blessings of God)? And, most of all, do I attempt to create an isolated world of religion around me where I am protected from any suffering, disppointment, or potential risk? Sometimes, I come up undeniably short on these questions. When I do, I tend to make excuses about my frail human condition.

Unfortunately, I find that many others behave in the same fashion. The aversion to risk, selfless love, and being distributors of grace are attitudes that can devastate the growth we so desperately need.

How serious are you about seeing that the lost are found? Are you more concerned about your safety? Your comfort? Your life? Or, do you care more about what Jesus has done for the world? Christ is on a mission and we can either follow that mission or work against it.

We have a say in whether or not we fall prey to being a goldfish. The closer we get to God through worship, prayer, service and a dedication to His word, the more we start to condition ourselves for more readily hearing His voice. Our memory of His blessings become clearer and we lean on His promises more easily. When we pray, we learn what it means to selflessly intercede for others and truly rejoice when others find peace. Worship is given a new life that has little to do with us, and everything to do with God’s faithfulness. We simply learn to be instead of just do.

Today, take some time to reflect on all that God has done, and engage in risky prayers that, if answered, will turn your world upside down.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For his blog, go to: http://other-words.net

Church Planting: When Being Old News is Good News

8/8/2015

What type of things do you daydream about? When it comes to your life’s vocation, do you look forward optimistically or are your prospects grim? Before I go on let me emphasize that no matter what your circumstances may look like, God can bring about new beginnings, second chances, and fresh direction. “Never give up” is not always an accurate charge, because sometimes we are called to abandon our temporary desires and pursue His heart. When we do this, we realize there is more abundance on this route than the path we thought we desired. “Never give up”, however on pursuing God’s best.

The journey ordained by God will not always be new and exciting, or easy to navigate, but it will always be blessed. Therein lies the problem, at times, with pursuing God’s dream for our lives. So many people have programmed their minds and hearts to follow that which is new and exciting…essentially striving after the “godly” thing instead of the “God” thing.

If you are a Christian, you know that it is easy to start believing that the only sign that the Holy Spirit is active is the warm fuzzy/ goose bump-y feeling we often get during our favorite worship song. When we no longer feel that, it is tempting to move on to find it again. A mature Christian has realized that the Holy Spirit is always active in the midst of obedience, devotion, and rest in God’s promises.

So, back to the original question. What do you daydream about? Before I started the church that I lead, I had certain desires and dreams for what it would look like. I had small prayers like, “God, if you could just send us 50 people…” and I would fill in the possibilities. Then God did send that many. Then 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, etc. Each time my prayer would evolve to accomodate the next numerical tier. At the beginning, it was never enough. My old prayers involved begging God to help us not lose “momentum” so we would continue to grow. All of my results were based on numbers and the feeling I got when I saw the numbers increasing. When we didn’t see times of massive growth, i found myself feeling as if I failed (and satan always wants us to rely on our own resources). It is a cycle that many leaders find themselves in. My mindset had to change.

Guess what??? I am now happy to report that my church is old news. Yes, you read that correctly. We are old news. We have been around for almost 5 years, and we are not the “next newest thing”, and it feels fantastic. While, at the beginning we saw many people who came because of the excitement of “newness” (which actually was helpful for the mission), we now see those who are hungry for fellowship, servuce and growing deeper with Jesus. It is great. It is where we need to be. We definitely have much to improve, but we can now do so in a healthier mindset.

If you have been wrestling with the concept of starting a new church, allow me to extend some wisdom to you. Church planting is exciting, hard, frustrating, and overall worth every minute. If you learn to move away from the mentality of merely attracting more people with ellaborate programs, complicate structures, fancy lighting, the newest technology, and crowd gathering messages, then you will realize that God is waiting for you to be faithful and dedicated to truth. People need to be welcomed, accepted, and given a space for transformation through God’s word. Don’t allow yourself to gravitate to “what’s working” thus constantly being distracted from genuinely loving people.

God has blessed me with an amazing church, and I constantly thank Him for it. As pastors we need to start finding peace in the mission instead of our ellaborate daydreams. Then, we will know what joy looks like in ministry.

Keep fighting brothers and sisters. Love you all.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net

The Rooster's Crow

7/18/2015

I hope that you never know
The erie sound of the rooster’s crow
As your sin brings you to a new low
And you deny Him once again

As He died there on that tree
Back then on calvary
He did that for you and me
But how often we forget

We forget the blessed times
When He provided nickles and some dimes
The stories are more than nursery rhymes
Yet we dismiss them way too soon

What would happen if we made a stand
United with believers hand in hand
Desired to take back this land
And attack the gates if Hell?

It wouldn’t be easy; I can tell you that
Engaged in fervent spiritual combat
No physical weapons; not even a bat
But prayers and His holy truth

No…here is my ultimate plan
I pledge to be that man
Who is more than just a fan
But a warrior; ready to win.

My goal is never to hear that sound
Of the rooster’s crow and thus be bound
By my rejection of the truth I have found
And throw it all away

The bird I mean is that very same
the fowl Peter heard and thus was blamed
For denying the Lord’s holy name
And convicting his heart for good…

Brothers and sisters, it’s time to rise
Let’s look at the world through His eyes
Stand up and defeat the author of lies
And fight the battle of truth.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos.
You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net

What if the church....

6/20/2015

What could possibly happen
if the Church made a decree
That no single mother
Would go hungry

That no little child
Would go unembraced
That the lowly would be educated
Through the struggles they face

What if the sinner was served
As if it were right
And, instead of spewing venom,
We prayed for their plight

What if our enemies
Were looked at with care
Could we really love them
Would we even dare?

What if we were given
Just one single day
What would we do
Would we give ourselves away

What about if…
We were given only two
Would we still set out
To please God in all we do?

What if all believers
Decided right now
That God’s work was too vital
To simply throw in the towel

I think I know the answer
I think it is clear
For His promises are sure
And can eradicate our fear

A revival would come
Like has never before
We would be the Church
And like Christ even more

So mobilize sleeping giant
It’s time to stand up and fight
We are the hope for the world
Serve others with all your might.

This poem was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: http://other-words.net