Resolution number 3

As I recall, there were about 2 resolutions at District Council this year.

On one hand, it is very nice to have so much peace and agreement in our District. Unity and agreement is a very pleasant thing indeed, and something that is blessed of the Lord.

But in the past year, I again read the book (actually listened to it this time) 5 Dysfunctions of a Team.

If I applied some of those principles, I gotta ask; do we have enough spirited discussion and challenging debate over the things that really matter? One of the dysfunctions is not being able to argue passionately over the stuff that really makes a difference.

Years ago, we added a requirement to our system where resolutions must be submitted months in advance and reviewed carefully by a team of parliamentarians, and whatever other processes. This seemed good at the time (as I recall) because hotheaded and spontaneous- perhaps poorly thought through- ideas could not be brought to the floor at all.

The thing worked, and we now have relatively peaceful meetings. Yes, we do disagree and passionately discuss certain details about the resolutions presented, and that seems fine I guess. But is there room for a resolution to be brought up spontaneously "for the good of the order", just because the Spirit is moving and someone thought up something good right there on the spot?

We get together and pray for God's leading, but how can He move? And how can we be a healthy team when there is no room for any resolution that was not thought up 800 years before (exaggeration intended for humor of course)?

Maybe this is just for me, because I am not the world's best planner. But after I read Tom Rees's report on the 83% of my friends and neighbors who will end up in Hell, and David Crosby's report that we have about the same amount of churches (and that we had when I started ministry in '83), I wanted to repent of lots of things, including but not limited to our issue with autonomy of the local church.

For example, I wanted to weep about the fact that I cannot think of a resolution to bring to next year's Council that really addresses the 83%. How would we, what would we, who would we, and where would we start? I have no serious ideas. The 83% should not expect anything good from me as it pertains to the rescue of their souls. They should get ready for a hot eternity, because I am bankrupt.

I was thrilled with the Decade of Harvest in the 90's. I was thrilled with Pastor Steve's idea to bless and give room for Catalyst leaders to work in the C3 plan. And I was thrilled with a lot of other ideas that better minds than mine have come up with over the years.

Yet, we are still about 360 churches, and close to the same amount of adherents here in PennDel. In my ministry lifetime, we have zoomed downward from at least 45% church attendance in America, to less than 20%! Yes, I think we should repent!

Minister friends, we have failed. We have failed our culture, and failed the Kingdom of God. We are losing the battle and from Penndel northward (the North East), we have failed the most of all! I do not wish to point to anyone else- I have not made a discernible difference myself.

In Romans, the Apostle Paul indicates that repentance is a gift that God gives. As I understand repentance, it is not a gift He has given me yet, (or us), yet in Penndel, as measured by our ability to reverse this horrible decline in percentage of people who will spend eternity in Heaven because they know Jesus. Oh God, have mercy on us an give us this treasure! We may not deserve it, but surely you love this 83% too much! If we in the PennDel District of the Assemblies of God are too hard hearted to receive it, please give it to some other group before more of our friends are lost forever!

I am not kidding around here, and not being light hearted. Seriously, does anybody have a reasonable idea to make the 83%, 82%? or 70%? Anybody? Anything? Yes, I know we are planting churches, and if we all live to be a hundred and fifty, MAYBE we will gain a little on it. (not that past performance would indicate that any of our plans will do anything, because since 1983, I and my fellow colleagues have NOT GAINED ONE CHURCH!)

Could there have been a resolution 3 this year that would have addressed the 83%? Does anybody even care? Or shall we come back next year and argue for three more hours about whether the word repentance is too strong for our national leaders to stomach? (sorry, my flimsy take on the little bit of this that I got to be part of)

My sons want me to teach them everything I know about ministry, they tell me. "Gotta be honest", I told them last night, "based on my performance since I got into ministry in '83, I got nothing for you. And don't read anything from anyone my age", I told them. "We are not prevailing. I pray that your generation will, but if you do, it will not be from what you have seen us do, for we have lost half of what we have been given!"