RSS 2.0 FeedManaging the Forces of Change , Cover Stories, Focus Articles
Magazine Introduction
The Current Blessing editor provides a snapshot of the magazine and the influences that helped shape the theme of this issue.
Current Blessing Magazine...
An Introduction
Fifty years ago the challenge of change was little more than a subtle knock, knock, knocking at the leader's door. The world moved at a measured pace, the daily rhythm tied to metronomes of pen and paper, centralized journalism, and shoe leather postal delivery. Intrusions into the schedules and routines of pastors were seldom expected and easily controlled.
In 2010 the winds of change buffet ministry organizations and its leaders at hurricane force. Closed office doors once secluding the leader now yield little protection for personal and organizational privacy. Our inner clocks are ticking faster and we are programmed to move at breakneck pace with an insatiable search for more information -- to know what is happening at the moment, not just down the street, but around the world. Christian fellowships once isolated from litigation, government inspection, and cultural phenomena find themselves insuring, auditing, and clamoring for relevance. In its infancy the church persuaded a pagan world to accept Christianity; in its 21st century, it is struggling to rebuff accusations of fakery, mismanagement, and irrelevance.
Today there are many but too few Christian ministries doing outstanding work for the Kingdom of God. The church is in need of young men and women skilled at harnessing the potentially destructive societal currents and converting them into a new wave of church ministry -- a force pristine in soul yet fully immersed in our dirty, broken world. It is hard to argue that the ministry movement birthed at Azusa Street has delivered on its God-given mission. Consequently, the coming generation must do things differently, and it seems to this observer that traditional Pentecostal ministry now stands at a critical crossroads. Do we turn a new direction or stay on the same course?
The theme for this issue of Current Blessing is Change Is Coming. From any angle the title couldn't express a truer statement. Will Christian leaders seek to change their methods for ministry or will cultural change methodically marginalize and mute them? One of the two is inevitable. Current Blessing's intent is to raise this issue within our fellowship, and initiate dialogue about change within GCMF and the churches scattered across North America. Our GCMF overseer, Apostle Eugene Weaver, has presented a forward-looking article that provides insight about the issues he sees as important to our future journey in ministry. It is a must read.
We are grateful to the contributing authors in this issue of Current Blessing and recognize the wisdom of hearing a multitude of counselors and teachers. You will find several articles that address elements of our topic and others that provide biblical insight and organizational highlights of interest. We hope you are challenged and encouraged by this issue of Current Blessing.
J.R. Allebach provides direction for the administrative processes of Gospel Crusade Ministerial Fellowship.