If the pastor walks in shallow faith, likely the congregation will, too.
Recently returned from his trip to Israel, Pastor Greg Locke of Global Bible Vision Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, gave a powerful message to his congregation about why it is so vital to be filled up by the Holy Spirit day after day, especially for ministers.
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“I’m not going to be lukewarm just because everybody else in America wants to be lukewarm,” Locke says. “God is sending out that lukewarm crowd, that loveless crowd, that powerless crowd that unbaptized by the Holy Ghost crowd.”
Locke makes it clear that what is needed in the American church is the presence of God. He believes that we cannot have more of the power of His Spirit without being receptive to His presence above all else.
Locke points out that if someone can go to a church year after year without ever hearing the gospel, feeling a sense of community and receiving healing and deliverance, then that is a reflection of a particular church not moving in the power of the Holy Spirit.
“The only people who get mad at fired up churches are dead ones,” Pastor Locke says. They’re the only people complaining about demons and healing and supernatural and baptisms and praying in tongues.
Ultimately, a minister must be willing to bring in the presence of God. And a minster can only pour out to others what he has to give.
“The church can never grow beyond my depth. As a congregation, If I’m shallow, I’ll preach shallow. If I’m lukewarm, I’ll project it. You see, I can only transmit to you what I have myself,” Locke says.
Above all, the church is to be a place where people who are starving for the light of the gospel can come and be set free.
“The necessity of ushering in God’s presence is hungriness,” Locke says. “May God give us hungry congregations and congregants in this church.”
As Locke boldly declares, a congregation can only go as deep as its shepherd. When ministers prioritize God’s presence and power, they create a spiritual atmosphere where healing, deliverance and genuine transformation flourish. May the church in America rise from spiritual slumber and hunger once again for the fullness of God’s Spirit.
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
First of all, I agree that baptism in the Holy Spirit is indeed necessary. However, may I ask you to please define what baptism in the Holy Spirit is? How does it radically affect a person’s life and perspective. Is it mandatory to manifest speaking in tongues.? Who is the gold standard when it comes to modeling what baptism in the Holy Spirit really is?