Charting the Course: Questions

By Charles Scott
I like questions.
Questions invoke thought.
Thought leads to ideas.
Ideas lead to innovation.
Innovation brings change.
Change should mean progress.
Progress escorts growth.
Growth is success.
(Unless of course it is around our waistline!)

I am 100% committed to the success of the Pentecostal Church of God! That means I am 100% committed to your success, our pastors and ministers, churches, ministries and missions – I pray John 15:8 for each of you and every ministry effort in the PCG!

Our assignment is the success of the Pentecostal Church of God. Not just one district, office, church or department but the PCG in its absolute entirety. If one area is not successful we have to ask if the whole is successful in God’s eyes.

Here are some important questions to consider and answer that assist us on the pathway to success:

1. Who am I around?
2. What are they doing to me?
3. What do they have me saying?
4. What do they have me reading?
5. Where do they have me going?
6. What do they have me thinking?
7. What do they have me becoming?
8. And this is the question that is the most important – Is that pleasing to God?

We are looking forward to seeing our district leaders at the General Board meeting in November. The days ahead will be busy as usual with conventions in Ohio (where we are headed at the time of this writing), Central, Oklahoma and Arizona Districts. Please keep us in your prayers as we pray for you daily.

Defining Leadership = Success

By Charles Scott
The PCG cannot afford mediocre leaders. Each of us must be committed to become the servants that God has ordained that we develop into. Here are some key areas for evaluation of ourselves and others, and teaching for the leaders of the next generation:

1. Adaptability – Leaders must quickly adjust to change. Leaders are the ones in charge of implementation. Adaptable leaders are willing to embrace a change operationally even if they are not yet ready to do so emotionally.
2. Discernment – Leaders understand the real issues. Good leaders cut through the clutter to see the real issues. A smart person believes only half of what he hears, but a truly smart leader knows which half to believe!
3. Security – Leaders find identity in Jesus Christ, not a position or title. John Maxwell wrote in 360 Degree Leaders, “Effective 360º leaders are secure enough in who they are to not worry about where they are. Instead of focusing on reaching a position, they focus on reaching their potential.”
4. Service – Leaders (Godly leaders) gain fulfillment in serving everyone. A servant leader serves the mission and leads by serving those on mission with him or her. It has been well said, “The true measure of leaders is not the number of people who serve them but the number of people they serve.”
5. Maturity – Leaders put the team before self. A mature leader sees beyond his or her personal vantage point and has the courage to make sacrifices which advance the team.
6. Communication – Leaders link communication to all levels of the organization.
7. Resourcefulness – Leaders find creative ways to make things happen. We seldom, if ever, have all the answers, but leaders should always have the imagination to create solutions to whatever problems we may be facing.

Vision Vitamins

By Charles Scott
Don't spend most of your time on the voices that don't count. Tune out the shallow voices so that you will have more time to tune in the valuable ones.
- Jim Rohn

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Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution.
- Stephen Sondheim

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There is nothing so fatal to character as half finished tasks.
- David Lloyd George

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News and Trends from Mission America:

Church Affilitations
Baylor University researchers found that only 10.8% of Americans have no ties to a congregation, denomination or faith group. Previous surveys had put that figure at 14%, overlooking about 10 million people involved in some form of organized religion. Other surveys have also overlooked millions of evangelicals, because respondents who belonged to nondenominational groups or
mega-churches often report they had no denomination and were wrongly counted as unaffiliated. 33% of Americans are evangelical Protestant, just under 25% are mainline Protestant, 20% are Roman Catholic and 5% are black Protestant. 2.5% are Jewish and 5% belong to other faiths. The rest, though not involved in religious groups, are not fully secular. 60% of the unaffiliated believe in God or a higher power, and 33% pray at least occasionally. 11% believe Jesus is the Son of God. (The Globe and Mail 9/11/06)

Hispanics
There are now 44 million U.S. Hispanics (15% of the population) with an estimated spending power of $1.2 trillion. Nearly 4 million have annual incomes of $75,000 or above, per the U.S. Census Bureau. (Brandweek 7/14/08)

• People now give less than 2-3% of their income to charitable causes. It was 3% during Great Depression.
• The most recent Barna research shows only 5% of Christians are tithing.
• Megachurches make up less than 1% of the total number of U.S. congregations.

Charting the Course: Awaken America

By Charles Scott
September 11, 2001 is this generation’s JFK moment. Most of us can recall vividly where we were and what we were doing at the exact moments of the attacks. This week Janice and I were honored and privileged to attend a prayer summit in New York City at Ground Zero.

On Wednesday, 9/10 a solemn assembly was held at the Crenshaw Christian Center. This was broadcast on God TV. The event was attended by some 400 prayer warriors. It was originally planned for the TBN studios in Manhattan but that venue was not prepared to handle the size of the crowd.

On 9/11 we gathered at Ground Zero for a few moments then ascended to the 55th floor of the Millennium Hotel across Fulton Street from where the Twin Towers once stood. This location was very strategic as we could look right down upon the families and loved ones of those who died in the attacks. We were able to pray while McCain and Obama were at the site.

After 4 hours of prayer, we met a group of intercessors from the United Nations on a tour vessel and boated around Manhattan Island. We went north up the Hudson, across Harlem River and south down East River. Intercession was made for the City and each state of the Union. Most of those in the prayer group fasted from sunup to sundown for revival in America.

As we came into the harbor, we approached the Statue of Liberty and were partaking of communion as the sun set. This was a moment beyond description! It was truly a highlight for both of us.

America must have a new move of the Holy Spirit. I wish I could find the words to describe the spiritual darkness that we encountered on this journey. There is such a dark desolation over this great city. God has touched my heart and placed such a heavy burden for the cities of America, especially New York City. The cities are the gatekeepers of the nation! It is strange for me to feel so strongly this because I am a country boy from a mid-size city of 75,000 but my heart is crying out for God to move in the major cities of America. Please join with me for the PCG to increase our voice in these key spiritual arenas.

Billy Wilson who is the head of the Awakening America Alliance, shared that since 9/11/01, New York City has seen an increase in church attendance of 20%. While this is reason to rejoice, alcohol use is increased 30%, drug use increased 30%, and other degenerate behaviors have increased more than church attendance.

There were some interesting developments from the 9/11 prayer efforts at county courthouses across America:

• First, the PCG had more hits on the Cry Out America web site than any other organization! When Ashley Wilson shared this with me I just shouted, “PRAISE THE LORD!!” The PCG was a major leader in this mobilized effort of prayer.
• Second, every county in America had a prayer coordinator.
• Third, states in New England (where the prayer coalition met in April of this year) had 100% representation. This means that in the most liberal part of our nation there was a united effort for prayer and a cry out to God for America!

Please help us promote and participate in the Awakening America prayer and fasting consecration for the first 21 days of 2009. From January 1 to 21 the PCG can and should be a leading voice in this effort! Please go the web site at www.awakeningamerica.us for complete details. PCG District Leaders were given a CD in June at the General Board meeting to share with their districts and churches.

At the time of this writing, we are on our way back to Missouri and praying for the situation surrounding Hurricane Ike. Millions are without electricity and many of our own are in the path of this storm.

Vision Vitamins

Compiled by Charles Scott
Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.
- Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

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What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

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Conduct is what we do; character is what we are.
Conduct is the outward life; character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen.

Conduct is external, seen from without; character is internal--operating within. Character is the state of the heart; conduct is its outward expression.
Character is the root of the tree; conduct is the fruit it bears.
- E. M. Bounds

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Here are a ten ways that will help to build a strong character...

1. Practice patience when those around you are hurried.
2. Act with faith and diligence when others show mistrust or lack of commitment.
3. Be gentle when you meet with cruelty and harsh temperament.
4. Be courteous, even when others do not show courtesy.
5. Give generously to those who have nothing to give.
6. Communicate peace to those who are saddened or anxious.
7. Express gratitude for every experience and person you have known.
8. Act with self-control when dealing with those who are out of control.
9. Be encouraging to those who are discouraged.
10. Act with self-discipline, even when it is difficult to take correct actions.

E2E Article: "I Dont Know How to Arrive, but I Know How to Keep Going"

By Charles Scott
I was discouraged. I was tired. I was frustrated. I was ready to quit. I will never forget that time in my life. I needed a word from the Lord. The church was not growing. The services were stale. Our efforts were not succeeding. I felt like a total failure. I needed something that I could not even express.

I received great value in one simple statement: "I don't know how to arrive, but I know how to keep going." I wish it was original; it is not. I wish it had come to me in some burning-bush experience; it did not. I would like to say it came while I was on a prolonged fast, and God sent angels with these words on a stone imprinted by the hand of god; I cannot. But it came, and these words have changed my life.

It occurred at an unexpected time from an unexpected source. It was like sunshine on a cloudy day when I heard it. It was a moment forever etched in my mind, spirit and soul. I was desperate to hear God; I had to hear God; I did hear God. And those simple words re-energized my passion and have done so multiple times since.

Somewhere I got it in my mind I was supposed to "arrive" at some abstract apex of spirituality, although the Bible is clear that we are running a race. There is no arrival point here. I did not arrive when I got credentials with the PCG. I did not arrive when I got voted in to pastor a church. I did not arrive by being chosen to serve on the district board. I did not arrive when the district chose me as a youth ministries leader. I did not arrive when I got a position at the general office. I did not arrive when I got chosen to serve as general secretary or general bishop. I have not arrived.

But I am still going. I have been misunderstood; but I am still going. I have been falsely accused; but I am still going. I have been wrong; but I am still going. I have made mistakes; but I am still going. I have been mistreated; but I am still going. I haven't heard the trumpet so I am still going.

In 2009 the Pentecostal Church of God will celebrate a 90-year legacy of "Proclaiming Bible truth in Pentecostal power". We have not arrived, but we are still going. We will keep going until:

• We achieve a new level of organizational effectiveness in congregational transformation,
  
• We effectively develop servant-leaders with a trickle-down anointing,
  
• We focus on congregational reproduction and not congregational maintenance,
  
• We are a mission- and value-driven partnership,
  
• We understand the difference in being committed to grow grass rather than pull weeds,
  
• We comprehend that it is more important to be fruitful than it is to be faithful,
  
• We birth leaders of influence rather than shepherds of stagnation,
  
• We see that every minister has a mentor and a coach,
  
• We determine every activity by strategy and mission rather than tradition or bylaw, and
  
• We team with the Holy Spirit – the Church Administrator – to be an effective sending agency of five-fold ministry around the world.

We must keep going until America experiences a renewed Christian awakening. In order to do our part, the PCG will designate the first 21 days of January 2009 for fasting and prayer for Holy Ghost revival in our nation.

We must keep going until we can "impact eternity." Impacting Eternity will be observed on February 6, 2009. This is a day of fasting and prayer for the Pentecostal Church of God Missions and Ministries around the world, and worshipers are invited on this day to fast and pray and offer the cost of three regular meals to their church, district, and general ministries.

We must keep going for a refreshing, re-energizing and restoring General Convention in 2009. We will keep going through 40 days of prayer and fasting from May 18 to June 26, 2009 for the presence of the Lord to minister to our hearts and lives, and to prepare us to come together at the end of June.

We must keep going for one another. Some of you reading this today have stopped going. You know you have not arrived, but you are not going forward. Some stuff has happened and you quit. You haven't quit going to church, praying or worshiping; but inside your spirit you have stopped. You have stopped hoping, dreaming, trusting, believing and caring. You have excuses but you know deep inside it's up to you to keep going. You've been hurt, let down, disappointed... and the list goes on. But you are not going on.

Regardless of those who won't believe this, the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now. I sent this page to the editorial staff for printing and called them at 4:30 a.m. on my way to an airport to tell them to stop – I needed to make some changes. That same day my assistant, Gabriel Espinoza, wrote me these words in an email:

Every night, Bro. Scott, I go home now asking myself, wondering why this feeling of loneliness is within many ministers. It may be a lack of Christian character and maturity; or is it that God is trying to tell me I need to work in this area of being more relational, or maybe even the PCG as a whole organization? I know that part of the process of the formation of Christian character and the price of leadership is sometimes to walk alone and feel alone. But I also know what John 13:34, 35 says: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (NIV). Speaking in general, maybe we have just lost a simple basic thing: loving one another. Have we tried to make things too technical and fancy, in a sense, and ruled out this basic principle of discipleship, fellowship? As I write to you these words, I weep, because it hurts to see that we have lost this true fellowship that Jesus described here and that the Bible describes in Acts chapter 2. I have been praying to God asking for forgiveness. Bro. Scott, I want to be more committed in serving God with all my heart and serving others as Jesus describes.

We have to keep going until the Father says we have arrived. And we see Him eye to eye.