Two years ago this month a famous singer died at the age of 27, Amy Winehouse.  I asked the question: Does it seem unusual to you that 43 famous Rock Stars would all die at the age of 27?   Is this a coincidence or is something sinister happening?  Do you have an inquiring mind?

On July 11, 2011 I wrote:  “Are some people evil”?  I told a story that was read to my 5^th grade class when I was in grade school many, many years ago.  This was when you could still pray and read the Bible in school.  Our teacher read us a short-story called “The Devil and Daniel Webster”.  The story took place in New England and a farmer was having some very bad luck with his crops and farming in general.  He said it was so bad that he was willing to sell his soul to the devil for better times.  The next day, farmer Stone was visited by a stranger who identified himself as Mr. Scratch.  Mr. Scratch said if you are serious about selling your soul I will give you seven very prosperous years.  They made a binding contract and farmer Stone had seven of the very best years ever.

After seven years he begged Mr. Scratch to give him just three more years.  Again they made a contract and farmer Stone had another three prosperous years.  However, farmer Stone no longer wanted to be controlled every minute by the devil and wanted out of his contract.  He hired an attorney, Mr. Daniel Webster to take Mr. Scratch to court and force the contract to be broken.

The trial is really suspenseful and Daniel Webster won and the devil had to give farmer Stone back his soul.  Ever since, I was left believing that some politicians, business people, movie stars and others in general, may have sold their souls to the devil for prosperity, power, fame, etc.  If this is true, I wonder how many people would be willing to sell their souls and have.

I previously wrote that it is very rare, if ever, for a person who had sold their soul to break the contract.  It is possible they allowed themselves to become possessed, deceived or driven to gain the lime-light and did so not knowing the consequence.  What would cause a superstar, a politician or anyone, receiving everything they could have ever dreamed of accomplishing, begin this very self-destructive behavior leading to eventual death?   Could Amy Winehouse have been offered a seven year contract at age 20 when they were too young to realize the consequences?

Ephesians 6:12 – “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”   NLT

I realize that the majority of people reading this article would not believe anything written to be authentic.  Most would not even believe there are evil powers seeking to control people’s lives and behavior.  But if there is the slightest chance what happened to Amy Winehouse was a result of making a contract to become famous or in power, would you make the same contract?  The Bible was written that we might have true joy, happiness and love in our hearts.  Satan is the world’s greatest deceiver, so do not allow yourself to be sold a bill of goods for a few years of wealth or power or notoriety.

As I watch the evening news and read my newspapers I am beginning to wonder.  How many of our politicians may have sold their soul to the devil in order to have the power that comes with it?

Matthew 4:8 & 9 – “Again, the devil took him (Christ) to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”  Scripture implies that Satan was able to do what he offered to give Christ.  It made me question: “Do we have politicians that would accept that position in a minute?”  I suppose there would be some that would fall to their knees and begin worshipping Satan instantaneously.  (Are you still with me?  Is this too difficult to accept?)

Are governments around the world being led by Satan to establish a one-world government to be ruled by the Antichrist?  Isn’t this what the Bible teaches?  Read prophecy and then see the signs that are happening.  When you see a peace treaty between Israel and Palestine the Bible says the end of time is near.  Upon completing of the Jewish temple being erected, it is just months away.  So why is our president and the United Nations trying so desperately to have a treaty?  Are they being led by Satan?  Surely, they have not read or accepted Bible prophecy knowing the results of a peace treaty.

Let us assume that no politician has sold their soul to the devil.  Isn’t it still possible that they can be deceived by Satan?  Can’t most Christians who believe in the accuracy of the Bible and have studied it, see the signs predicting the end-time?  A world government could not function properly without the Internet.  Technology and the RFID chip must be available to keep track of its people.  To have a one-world currency you have to buy and sell electronically to be monitored.  There will no longer be any hard cash or a black market.  You must be willing to do away with all nations borders.  Or at least, be willing to do as the European Union has done and combine their countries.

Matthew 24:24 – “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Have you heard any false prophets lately?  I have heard of a politician who left offices with a net worth of about $2 million who is now worth over $500 million.  From the time he left office he has been predicting unbelievable events and has convinced many followers.  The more people he convinces the richer he gets.  You might understand why Satan does not want anyone thinking God would cause global warming.  He tries to deceive those into believing there is no God.  Yet, God says He will cause the earth to heat up.  Prophecy also says earthquakes will become more frequent plus there will periods of draught and flooding.  Satan does not want anyone to believe what is being caused is what the Bible predicted would happen as we draw nearer to the end of this age.

Revelation 16:8 – “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.  They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.”

When life is over and many have accumulated great wealth or notoriety; how many will be able to use it in the after-life?  Life is a great gamble:  If you believe there is a God you probably will not bow down and worship Satan.  However, there are many that would rather have instant gratification and not believe there is a Heaven or a Hell.  Are you willing to make a deal with the devil?  Are there some politicians who have?

“But for me and my house we will serve the Lord!”

Are you likely to find the devil in church?  If Scripture says he or his demons are everywhere, then he must also be in the church.  He is there to cause trouble, divide Christians and make Christians powerless.  If you are not aware of the devil being in the church, you may not be involved enough.  Because of my job and being transferred I have been a member of 12 churches.  The devil is there!

Do you find it hard to find time to read and study your Bible?  Could it be possible that you have been influenced by the devil not to study?  II Corinthians 4:4 – “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” It is not just the unbelievers; he is out to deceive everyone.  II Corinthians 11:14 – “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.“  This is how he operates inside the church.   

Matthew 4:8 – 9 – “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Christ did not deny that the devil had this power.  How many would and have accepted worshipping the devil for riches and power?  Do you agree the devil is not only in the church but in politics, business and everywhere else?  Have you ever allowed the devil to deceive you?  If you answer no, you are not aware of the devil and his power.  His organization is made up of millions of demons.  Why would you think he would ignore you?  You were born under the power of Satan and remained there until you accepted Christ as your Savior.

Revelation 12:9 – “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Scripture tells Christians to protect ourselves from the devil.  When was the last time you prayed asking God to protect you from the devil?  The devil convinces most Christians that we don’t have to worry about the devil’s influence.  When we are making decisions we don’t need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us.  We just believe all of the consequences will be what Christ would want for us.  Then events turn out negatively.  We were deceived once again.  (II Timothy 2:26 – “and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will”)

Ephesians 6:10 – 18 – “11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Many of the miracles that Christ performed was healing of the sick and driving out the demons of those who were demon possessed.  Scripture indicated that many were possessed by demons.  Is it possible that many today are also possessed?  Do we have friends, partners or salespeople that could be possessed?

Matthew 12:24 – “But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

Are you aware that Christians are being attacked continually being told they do not have the Holy Spirit, they have not been forgiven and are unworthy?  How often do you hear negative influences telling you that you are a sinner and don’t deserve eternal life with God?

Revelation 12:10 – “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”

Is it supposed to be easy living a Christian life?  Are you aware that you are being influenced continually to be disobedient to God, to accept the ways the world lives and give into your selfish, sinful desires?

I John 5:19 – “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”

I hope you are aware that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.  Knowing this, would we not have been more careful in how we live?  Do you now realize how important it is to allow the Holy Spirit to constantly guide you in making decisions?  The devil will try anything to deceive us into rejecting what we know is the right thing to do.  However, if we are a Christian that has not studied the Bible it may be easy to be led astray.  Be aware: you will be attacked by evil almost daily.  Are you prepared to handle it?  Hopefully, you don’t see the devil in a red pajama with a long tail and pitchfork, harmless and not one to be feared.

Why is it important to be aware?  We are getting closer to the end of the world.  We are seeing signs that things are no longer normal.  We have increased earthquakes and storms. We have political and economic changes.  Christ said labor pains, as in childbirth, would get more frequent.  The devil doesn’t want us to recognize the end-time signs.  I believe it is Satan who is behind man-made global warming.  His purpose is to deceive us into believing everything is normal and o.k., so keep on rejecting God and continue living as the world lives.   If the unbeliever recognized that the end was near, they possibly would accept Christ.  This is not what Satan wants.  His goal is to get Christians to reject the Holy Spirit and deny God.  He is not too concerned about the nonbeliever as long as he continues to reject God.

Matthew 24:15 – 16 – “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

These are the last two signs.  President Obama and others want Israel to reach a peace treaty.  They want to put the temple mount under international control so Israel can build its temple north of the Islamic Mosque.  When a leader enters the temple and says he is in charge the Jews in the West Bank or Judea, approximately 550,000 are to run.  Those who do not will be massacred.  Part of the peace treaty will be for Palestine to receive the West Bank or Judea.  Years before God separated ten tribes to the north and two tribes to the south or Judea.  It is Judea that Palestine believes should be there’s.

Matthew 24:21 – “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”  Be ready!  The end could be just months away.  Then Christ returns!

If you cannot buy or sell anything unless you take the “MARK” on your hand or forehead many Christians will rationalize that God forgives anything we do.  But will He?  Just what are you willing to give up?  Assume most of your life you have sacrificed to save over $500,000 in your 401 (k).  You have $75,000 in savings.  Your $250,000 home is paid for and you owe no one.  Without the “MARK” you cannot draw from any of those assets.  They eventually become the property of the government.  What if you knew that rejecting the Holy Spirit’s checking, by yielding and taking the “MARK”, you would no longer have the Holy Spirit?   Your rejection of the Holy Spirit causes you to commit the unpardonable sin.  You are then separated from God for eternity.  Is it any wonder why many mature Christians will not understand or have enough faith to reject the “MARK” and be deceived by Satan as the Bible predicts? 

Are you not familiar with the unpardonable sin?  It is the rejection of the Holy Spirit.  To take the “MARK” I believe could require rejection of the Holy Spirit.  This will not be just some casual decision that a Christian makes.  Taking the “MARK” is knowingly taking and yielding to Satan over God.   God cannot be blamed, for it will be we who make the fatal decision to separate ourselves from God if we take the “MARK”. 

Many on Goggle believe the chip can change one’s DNA.  If this is possible, taking it a step farther, once the DNA is changed it can affect your spirit and soul and how one thinks.  Satan’s ultimate goal or purpose of the chip is to gain control.  It is believed it can have a virus that can transform one’s DNA giving control over everyone who receives the “MARK”.  Is this too farfetched?    Almost anything is possible with our technology.  Why would God say: Take the “MARK” and you will never get to Heaven.  Revelation 16:2 – The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.”

For those who ask: Why would a loving God be unwilling to forgive anyone who takes the chip?  Isn’t it possible that the chip could affect the individual, to the degree that they would not feel a need to ask for forgiveness?  Therefore, if a person, after taking the chip, which is really the “MARK”, causes the Holy Spirit to leave one’s body; then without the Holy Spirit, is it possible that a person no longer has a repentant spirit and fails to request redemption and forgiveness?  There may be a number of reasons to reject the Holy Spirit. 

Another rationalization: what Christian father or mother would not be willing to take the chip to feed their children?  They will reason that it’s just a chip and not the “MARK”.  To protect your assets, using a chip and a wand to identify one-self and also include health information, makes sense.  This is why I believe the Bible says even the spiritually mature can be deceived.  If many Christians will be deceived by Satan it has to make sense, it can’t be complicated. 

With the many scandals coming from Washington, D.C. it sounds like the government wants more and more control over its people.  Can you think of a better way of knowing what everyone is doing every minute?  They would find a way to tract any implanted chip no matter where one goes.  RFID chips attached to merchandise can be traced no matter where it is located. 

The reason I am writing about the “MARK” is it has been reported that China has been cyber-spying on U. S. military and defense systems.  It won’t be long until credit cards, bank accounts and other accounts will be easily hacked.  If the military cannot block hackers, what makes us think our accounts will not be attacked in the future?  Wouldn’t an identification chip solve the problem with hackers?  There may be a time soon when we will no longer use hard money, we will buy and sell electronically.  Every nation will use the same electronic currency in a one-world-government.  We will accept for security purposes.

If the government requires that to protect us from hackers we will need to be implanted with an RFID chip for identification and other information will you allow this procedure?  For a while they have been implanting chips into pets and some humans have allowed chips to be implanted with health information.  Months ago when they were putting Obamacare together they had planned to require RFID chips for those on Medicare, Medicaid and other government health plans. However, it did not make it to the final bill.  This is what was suggested for the Obamacare bill.

“This sort of device would be implanted in the majority of people who opt to become covered by the public health care option. With the reform of the private insurance companies, who charge outrageous rates, many people will switch their coverage to a more affordable insurance plan. This means the number of people who choose the public option will increase. This also means the number of people chipped will be plentiful as well. The adults who choose to have a chip implanted are the lucky (yes, lucky) ones in this case. Children who are ‘born in the United States who at the time of birth is not otherwise covered under acceptable coverage’ will be qualified and placed into the CHIP or Children’s Health Insurance Program (what a convenient name). With a name like CHIP it would seem consistent to have the chip implanted into a child. Children conceived by parents who are already covered under the public option will more than likely be implanted with a chip by the consent of the parent. Eventually everyone will be implanted with a chip. And with the price and coverage of the public option being so competitive with the private companies, the private company may not survive.”

Revelation 13:16 – 17 – “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,  so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

Revelation 14:9 – 11 – “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

You must understand, one day our government and the world’s governments will demand that you take a mark on your hand or forehead for identification purposes.  It will be for the most logical reason and you would be a fool not to comply.  Realize the consequence!  Where do you want to spend eternity?  Are you willing to die out to self and give up everything you have accumulated on earth?  This will be a sure way of letting God know how much love you have for Him.  If your love for Him is enough, the Holy Spirit will give you the faith and the power to reject the “MARK”.  For those who are a Christian in name only will willingly take the “MARK”.  (It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of Heaven.)

As I read Scripture it tells me that if I have enough faith I can move a mountain.  I believed this was just an illustration because how could faith move a mountain?  I then wondered: were the pyramids built by faith since they did not have the mechanical equipment to build them?   What does Scripture really mean: If I have enough faith I can move a mountain?

I happened to read an article on the Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida.  According to Stephen Wagner the castle is one of the most amazing structures ever built.  It is compared to ancient Greek temples and the pyramids of Egypt and elsewhere.  This castle was built by a Latvian immigrant who had a quarry cut, transported and constructed by this one person only.  He used huge blocks of coral rock weighing as much as 30 tons and then was able to move them and set them in place without the use of modern equipment.  It is estimated that 1,000 tons of coral rock was used and 100 tons was carved into furniture.  He would allow no one to watch him build this vast home and now a museum.  No one apparently knows how he was able to do it other than if you have enough faith you can move mountains.

Mark 11:23 – “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.”

Matthew 17:20 – “He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

I Corinthians 13:2 – “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

In a Fate magazine article concerning the Coral Castle, it states, “Alternative science investigators suggest that Leedskalnin (the builder)  somehow learned the secret of the ‘world grid,’ an invisible pattern of energy lines surrounding the Earth which concentrates points of telluric power where they intersect. It was here, at one of these intersections of Earth energy, that he was supposedly able to move his prodigious stone blocks using the unseen power of our planet.” Yet that still does not explain how Leedskalnin was able to tap this power, and others cannot.

When Leedskalnin was asked how he was able to build the castle, He replied: “I have discovered the secrets of the pyramids.  I have found out how the Egyptians and the ancient builders in Peru, Yucatan and Asia with only primitive tools, raised and set in place blocks of stone weighing many tons.”

I was reading the Gospel of Mark, in the second chapter where four friends who brought a paralytic to Jesus to be healed.  The room was so packed that they couldn’t get in so they went on the roof, made an opening in the roof and lowered the man down in front of Jesus.  Jesus said: Mark 2:5 – “When Jesus saw their faith; he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”  He saw their faith which I believe is a very important part of this story.

Do you have enough faith to take action?  It seems like we need more than faith, we need to be bold in getting started.  Matthew 7:7 – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  It seems like Christ is saying we must ask, we must seek and we must knock in order for the door to open.  What about those dreams or visions that is in your mind hoping that God will open the door and you will walk right on through?  What happens if God requires that we must put action to our faith before He opens those doors?

I share the above illustrations to show that with God nothing is impossible.  We may be asked by God, through the Holy Spirit, to do something we believe impossible.  I shared in my recent blog: “From a small traditional church to a mega church” things that we thought were impossible actually become possible.  I am now convinced that if we have enough faith we can move mountains.  However, faith may require research and hours of prayers and preparation before we learn how our faith can move a mountain.  Like 300 years ago who would have believed in an electric light?

There are a number of people who are waiting for God to get them a job, to find them a spouse or to take care of their financial needs.  When Jesus saw their faith He healed the paralytic man.  Would the paralytic have been healed if he sat at home praying that Jesus would heal him?  We know faith is important but I believe God expects us to show our faith by also taking action in some situations.

“We know the statistics,” said President Obama, “that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home, or become teenage parents themselves.”

It is the belief of many that when the government stepped in during the 1960s with an explosive welfare program an increase of out-of-wedlock births resulted. In 1985, the Los Angeles Times asked whether poor women often have children to get additional benefits. The answer was that 64% said yes. Where have all the fathers gone? In 1960 approximate 5% of children grew up without a father in the household. By 1980 it was 18% and by 2000 it had risen to 33%. At the present time it is 41%. For African/Americans it was 25% in 1965 and 73% today. For Hispanics out of wedlock births are 53%.

I recently watched on TV a man interviewed who had 22 children with 14 different women. Every state a women with two children will make more money on welfare than she could earn at a minimum wage job.

It is alarming what we are doing to the next generation. I was born to parents having gone through the great depression of the 1930s. They never had all of the conveniences that we enjoy today. Most did not have radios, telephones, TVs or dependable cars. A few still used horses as a means of transportation. Living during that time people had become dependent upon God and most seemed to realize the importance of being loyal and honest. Generally people were dependable, hard working and were willing to help each other when a need occurred.

What I see today is nothing like it was 75 years or more ago. Society’s principles and values have changed. It was a rarity to hear about gang activity. What young people do today was not even thought about years ago. For a teenage to have a child out of wedlock was a disgrace. Years ago, if a teen became pregnant the baby’s father was expected to marry her. If he didn’t, the dad showed up at his door with a shotgun and they had a shotgun wedding. Sometimes it was the boy’s father that carried the shotgun pointed at his son.

I did some research and learned that much of our problems in America today come from homes without fathers.

The following is what I learned:

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.
• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)
• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol. 14, p. 403-26)
• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)

Father Factor in Education – Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.

• Children with Fathers who are involved are 40% less likely to repeat a grade in school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are 70% less likely to drop out of school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to get A’s in school.
• Children with Fathers who are involved are more likely to enjoy school and engage in extracurricular activities.

Father Factor in Incarceration – Even after controlling for income, youths in father-absent households still had significantly higher odds of incarceration than those in mother-father families. Youths who never had a father in the household experienced the highest odds. A 2002 Department of Justice survey of 7,000 inmates revealed that 39% of jail inmates lived in mother-only households. Approximately forty-six percent of jail inmates in 2002 had a previously incarcerated family member. One-fifth experienced a father in prison or jail.

Should father’s day be for any male who has fathered a child then refused to accept the responsibility to raise them? I realize you cannot legislate morality but isn’t there something that can be done to stop this beside abortion? Couldn’t dead-beat dads be sentenced to a six-month boot camp? At least we can change Father’s Day to A Day for Responsible Fathers Only!

I Corinthians 6:9 – 10 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” KJV

Those who say they are Christians but persist in these practices, with no remorse, will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Most Christians agree that not all traditions are essential.  Traditions like the wearing of robes by the choir, thundering organ music and the order of worship are honorable traditions, yet they are nonessential.  There are other ways to do things, which are equally honorable.  But even when nonessential traditions become an albatross to the church, many Christians are still loath to let them go.  At the very suggestion of change, all traditions suddenly become essential traditions and they don’t go without a fight.  When the leadership decided to make some minor changes in the Sunday worship service, thus breaking with tradition, the reaction of some members of the congregation was unsettling.  The services had followed an almost ritualistic routine for years, which included the congregation reciting the Lord’s Prayer in unison and the singing of the doxology.  In addition, we decided to clear the platform and have the minister sit on the front seat.  They would not introduce who was going to sing and no one gave their testimony before singing.  It was a well-planned and organized presentation of the gospel.

The board agreed to this approach.  After about three weeks we had three families leave because we had removed the American flag and were no longer being patriotic.  Some asked why we were hiding the preacher.  Had he done something wrong?  I could not believe the controversy that occurred over these few changes.

It was not long after Gene Appel arrived in October 1985, as our senior pastor, that we decided that every Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. we would meet and pray for God’s vision for Central.  We did this for three straight years, 1986, 1987 and 1988.  To this day, I feel assured this was one of the most important things we have ever done at Central.  From these meetings, Gene and the board received a vision that our church should change from being a traditional church, largely made up of traditional Christians who voiced a concern for lost people but their concern seldom translated into action.  With a few exceptions, it appeared the church had lost their passion for reaching lost people and lost people stayed away.  Was there another city that had more lost people than Las Vegas?

It was a problem making the transition from a traditional church, that ministers to a closed community, to a nontraditional church that reaches out to lost people.  It can be hazardous!  If it is not carefully and prayerfully planned and executed the road to spiritual renewal can end up leading to ruin!

As a traditional church the members expected a robed choir accompanied by a thundering organ like other churches.  Instead, we had drums, horns, guitar and a keyboard.  The music had a distinctly secular flavor to it, but the lyrics had an equally distinctive Christian flavor.  Sermons were not the normal; they seemed to be demonstrating that the Bible is a practical book that can be applied to our present lives rather than just a holy book.  It took some getting used to.  Some believed it sounded too much like self-help stuff and did not have enough traditional worship.

We did not make changes for the sake of change.  We needed to free ourselves of nonessential traditions.  We needed to explore new ways to help unchurched people feel comfortable in our services.  We will never reach lost people in any great numbers if we do not create an atmosphere that is friendly to them.

Gene preached a long-term diet of teaching sermons to lead comfortable Christians out of their comfort zones.  They needed to be reminded, sometimes again and again, what Christ had done for them, what it means to be saved and what it means to be lost.  Once the congregation began to grasp the urgency of the situation, namely, scores of lost people facing eternity without Christ, the need for prayer was obvious and they responded.

Gene’s sermons examined the difference between that which is unbiblical and that which is antibiblical.  Most of our Christian traditions are unbiblical.  For example there is nothing in the Bible that forbids women from taking an active part in Christian ministries or favoring a piano and organ over a guitar, drums and keyboard.  Nor does the Bible say anything about things like choir robes, song books, Sunday School classes, the wearing of neckties, or whether the congregation should applaud or not.  These things are unbiblical and we are free to decide for ourselves.

We are not free to alter things like God’s plan of salvation.  The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace and when a church adds some requirement to this it is doing so in defiance of Scripture.  Such things are antibiblical.

It was continually emphasized to everyone; we must understand the reason for church services changing.  The purpose of the weekend service is designed to help us reach people with little or no church experience.  The purpose of the midweek service is to build up believers through worship, teaching and praise.

The transition did not go easily.  The Board of Elders realized that spiritual leadership involved more than being right.  It involves love and compassion for those who do not agree, or do not understand.  It involves what one might call finesse or a spiritual touch.  Spiritual leadership requires a sensitivity and skill at knowing when to do what.  In some respects, spiritual leadership is like parenting.  Parents have to know when to encourage, when to correct, when to stand firm and when to ‘let go’ and let a child make some mistakes.  Of course, parents also make mistakes and we, as a Board could be guilty.

We realized one thing, nothing would happen until both the leadership and congregation, or at least most of it, was willing to listen and respect each other’s ideas and opinions.  We had to learn to cooperate with one another and once something was decided we had to set aside our differences and work together toward a common goal.

Prayer, as I noted, began with the Board, but it had not yet spread through the congregation.  Everyone had to get out of the habit of praying occasionally for a few special projects or causes and become a congregation that prayed daily, for everything.  This would include personal prayer plus corporate prayer.  Praying together helped bond people together and start them on the road to spiritual maturity.  Everyone knows there is no such thing as total unity.  No two people ever agree on everything and the more people who are added to the equation the more disagreement there is.  But it is entirely possible to build a team, or congregation, where most of the people agree on a few key things.  We believed prayer played a major role in making this happen.

Church board meetings were not like what you would find in the corporate boardroom.  Every Elder would pray for the Lord to lead us in all of our decisions.  There was an excitement in serving God.  Many decisions were influence by applying a Biblical principle to it.  Most board meetings were very relaxed affairs with every one feeling free to participate.

It wasn’t long before we realized that our Board had to stop our hands-on leadership to hands-off leadership.  Once we were accustomed to having authority, it was not easy to give it up.  If our vision was to be achieved, the leadership had to become very much like a corporate board of directors who had overall responsibility for the church without being directly involved in all of its ministries.  Gene was designated the CEO and would be in charge of the church staff.  He would run the day-to-day operation as a team.  The Elder Board would make major policy decisions, they would monitor progress, they would mix with the congregation and in so doing; they would be a conduit for people to communicate with church leadership.

In 1988, we decided to build a 42,000 sq. ft. addition to our previous Mojave sanctuary.   It would require borrowing 1.7 million dollars.  I was chairman of the Board.  I believed we should build in three phases.  We barely had enough money to build the first phase. I strongly thought that was the way to go and was adamant.   Having worked as a store manager for Montgomery Ward and having been in nine different stores, I was very conservative in my thinking.  But it was pointed out that it would be much cheaper to build all at once than stretch it over in two or three year phases. I stated it would almost require us to double the church’s income for us to pay the mortgage and the additional upkeep.  I had a real faith problem.  But, after much discussion and prayer, we unanimously agreed to go ahead and build the complete plan.

As chairman, I worked with the contractor, as did others.  The building was completed in 1989.  Almost overnight, the tithes and offerings were sufficient to pay all of our expenses, the mortgage and allowed us to also add additional staff.  This made a tremendous change in enhancing my faith and made a difference as we approached our relocation.  I believed all things were possible if God is in it and He was.

Early on we believed God had asked us to become a different type church.  We were to make our Sunday service attractive to the non-believer.  A new comer did not want to come and be embarrassed.  They just wanted to hide in the crowd and not be given any special attention.  It also became our vision that God wanted this church to evangelize the Las Vegas area and beyond.

Even after a number of years of trying everything we could to maintain our vision and keep people happy it almost seemed impossible.  Many believing Christians, who had always gone to services that were geared to their liking, still were not pleased that the emphasis was on those, who were not even members.  No matter how hard we tried, we realized Central would not be for everyone and that we would continue losing some members.  It was difficult to see some very strong, tithing Christians leave the door for another church.  But we believed God needed these people to strengthen other churches in our city in order for Las Vegas to be evangelized.  It also opened seats for more unsaved people to attend our church.  We found other churches growing to over 1000 and have seen a change in many Las Vegans lives.

Having been Chairman of the Board for four years and kind of spearheading the previous building program, I was asked to head up a task force to relocate and build a new church in 1991.   We were running close to 1200 on the weekends.  We did not have the parking and it required four services to meet the needs.

The board believed that we would need 80 acres.  At the very beginning of our search for land, we felt the most ideal location was at Russell and the expressway.  With its highway accessibility, population density and visibility it would be perfect.  However, the land on the west side of the expressway was priced at $110,000 an acre.  Believing we needed no less than 80 acres, this land was not affordable.

Our real estate agent and church member heard that a parcel of land on Russell east of the expressway was coming out of bankruptcy.  It was land that had previously been taken and used to build the expressway. It was nothing but a gravel pit and the land was three feet above the water level.  It had about 25 feet removed from its surface.  It had a wash drainage continually flowing through it and there were acres and acres of thick vegetation so dense you could hardly walk through it.

We believed if the price was reasonable, this was an ideal location.  We met with owners of the property, to see if the church could purchase it.  In previous meetings property owners could not understand why a church would need 80 acres.  They thought that we would buy that amount and then later sell most of it for a profit.  No one was willing to give us a discounted price, I assume, for that reason. That may have been the reason that our other bids on other land were never accepted.

We took to the meeting drawings for the church complex, including all four buildings and the need for parking.  We showed our renderings and told them about all of the programs presently being provided and our vision of the future.  Not too far into my presentation about the many programs being offered, one of the owners stopped me and said she was about to receive her PhD in clinical psychology.  It was about time that a church did more than just save souls.  She had a lot to say about what she believed and what churches should be doing.  We could sense the family wanting to participate in our dream.  We offered to buy the 80 acres for 2.8 million dollars.  They said that was way too low but they would accept 3.0 million dollars.  That was a God thing.  We bought it for $37,500 an acre.  We later sold 24.5 acres to the City of Henderson who had to have it for another project for $66,800 an acre.

An all-church breakfast was held in the activity center in mid-March of 1993.  Then an all-church banquet was held a week later at the Hacienda Casino.  Bill Hybels senior pastor of Willow Creek Church in Chicago served as our guest speaker to help us kick off our financing campaign.

In the meantime, the property owners were offered twice what we had offered for the property.  Yet they stood by their word.  When the land closed escrow in January of 1995, we too were offered a similar price.  Even with its apparent flaws, the land was of great value and that value would continue to increase with the purpose for which we would use it.  We wound up with the property we had most wanted in the first place; only on the other side of the road.

Our initial church plan included a 100,000 sq. ft. building costing approximately $15 million.  We turned the architectural part over to the design committee.  They rose to the task and months later returned with a 150,000 square foot facility costing approximately $23 million.  As our church continued to grow and expand, our initial estimates had already been outgrown and so our plans had to grow too.

October 8, 1995, we held our first service on site, in an open field and witnessed 98 lives dedicated to Christ in baptism.  It was an awesome sight!

April of 1996, we made the last payment on our land.  We can always say there was a time when Central was debt free while owning a $4 million church campus on Mojave Road and 80 acres of land.  Because our site at Russell Road and the expressway was a low area with a wash running through, it was prone to periods of flooding.  This made it necessary to raise our property seven feet and the pad on which the buildings would set had to be raised fifteen feet.  Of course, the actual building could not begin until fill was brought in, compacted and leveled.  (Parts of the building’s foundation go down thirteen feet into the ground and are just five feet above ground water level.)

It was at this time that the City of Henderson came to us and said they had to have 24 acres of our property in order to complete their major league spring training baseball facility.  We met with the mayor and the city manager and told them this was impossible.  We needed this land to complete our own sports area.  We planned soccer and baseball fields, tennis and volleyball courts and more.  The Las Vegas Convention Authority and the City insisted they had to have the land.  They were planning to build a park north of us between our property and Russell.  But how could we lose one fourth of the land we had worked and prayed so hard for and give up on a part of our vision?

After much discussion and deliberation, the City offered to build their sports park adjacent to us and allow us to use it during specific times if we would sell.  Although this initially sounded good, they did not wish to pay what we believed the property was worth.  However, after an appraisal and comparisons, the City agreed to a fair price.  (We were able to sell the 24.5 acres for $1,639,000 or $66,800 an acre.)  This paid for the hauling, spreading and compacting of the 70,000  loads of fill dirt coming from all over the city.  A few months after selling, the Convention Authority decided they would not build the major league baseball spring training facility after all and really did not need our land.  The city went ahead and built a beautiful all-purpose sports park on Russell adjacent to our church.

Through the summer of 1997, we received 300,000 cubic yards of dirt from the site of the former Hacienda Casino.  (What a sense of humor God has…that the Hacienda was the location of our all-church campaign banquet just four years earlier.)  Our landowner neighbors to the west gave us 110,000 cubic yards and we received almost 70,000 cubic yards from the Desert Inn Road and Convention Center underpass.  We saved more than $1 million by getting the dirt free.  Acquiring 600,000 cubic yards plus hauling, added up to big savings.  “A God Thing”!

July of 1998, serious construction began.  It became apparent that additional funding was going to be needed. The church board authorized the selling of approximately $10 million in bonds.

As the building progressed, many changes were made.  This caused a number of delays and extra costs.  However, we held our first service December 1999 and it was one of the most exciting church dedications I have ever attended.  Central is like no other church now and I doubt if it ever will be.  We have never sought large numbers or a gigantic campus.  Our vision has been to stay ahead of the growth as much as is possible and to follow wherever God leads.

We joined the church in 1981 when the attendance was 470 on weekends.  I became a member of the board in 1983 and participated on and off for 20 years.  I was selected as chairman of the relocation task force and served in that capacity for nine years.  We first started attending the church and it was so traditional I was not sure I was willing to continue.  We had just left a denominational church that too was traditional and legalistic. However, Central was an independent church and could change.  I read an article that described a group of ladies on the east coast who prayed weekly that America would have a spiritual revival.  It started one of the largest revivals in America during the 1800s.  After reading that article, it was an inner voice saying to me, this church will help evangelize Las Vegas.  Our family needs to become a part of this.  We joined and have stayed.  We have had as many as 40,000 attend on a special weekend.

In 2003 Jud Wilhite became our senior pastor.  Every year our attendance continues to grow.  The leadership’s vision is to expand our present sanctuary to include 1500 more seats.  As our church continues to grow, with satellite churches and prison services being added continually, we are one of the top ten largest churches in America.  Over the years we believe there have been at least 50,000 conversions and 24,000 baptisms.  The greatest thing God has shown me during this journey was how prayer guided us and opened so many doors.  We have seen the impossible become possible.  I am just thankful that we as a church could make decisions on a church level and not have to wait for a denomination approval.  We have seen too many traditional churches having dwindling membership.

May I stress how much I believe it all started with those three years of weekly prayer meetings with the board asking God to give us a vision and mission for our small church.    All of it is: “A GOD THING”.  As a result, we wrote the book: God & The Bottom Line.  Putting faith into the workplace!

God said: “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,” Genesis 1:26 – God’s plan for man was that we would be Christ-like in how we lived on this earth.  To be in God’s image we had to have free moral agency and be able to make decisions.  However, Satan was evicted from Heaven and placed on earth as a result of his sin of rebellion.   Man had a choice between doing as Satan suggested or obeying and living as God had required man to live.  When Adam disobeyed God and was deceived by Satan, he chose to know the difference between good and evil.  His sin caused his God-centered nature to become self-centered, as that of Satan and his angels.  Man was no longer in the image of God.    

God gave laws to instruct man how to live as God had planned.  It did not work.  Man became little different from animals.  People were so selfish that they would do anything that gave them physical pleasure.  This did not come as a surprise to God.  He knew from the very beginning that it would be necessary to send Christ to teach man how to live a holy life.  Once man accepted Christ as His Savior He would be left with God’s Spirit to assist him in living as God had originally planned.    

Living a holy life as God intended requires discipline and preparation.  This probably discourages more converts to Christianity than anything.  If we reject discipline it determines who we become.  If we fail to prepare we will never know the promises of God and how God wants what is best for us.  It takes discipline and preparation to become Christ-like.  Life has shown us we cannot be successful without preparation. 

My friend Doug who played basketball for the New Jersey Nets and Sacramento Kings said many days in his early days of playing he would practice shooting 500 baskets each day.  If you were to shoot 500 baskets everyday for ten years would you be better than if hardly ever shooting?  He had a passion for the game and his goal was to become a pro.  The same must be as a Christian.  We must have a passion to please and serve God.  Without that passion, probably little will change in our lives.  We must also have the discipline to read our Bibles daily and it is necessary to develop a personal relationship by communicating with God daily.  You will never be fed if the only time you worship is during Sunday’s service. 

I Corinthians 9:23 – 27 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  I Peter 1:15 – “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;”

We must have strict training and the discipline to plan time for reading Scripture and praying.  Benjamin Franklin said: “Failure to plan is planning to fail.”  If we fail to become more like God intended, it could affect our health, our finances or relationships. 

Do you have the discipline to organize?  Do you daily make a list of things to do?  Have you determined your purpose in life or have you set goals?  What value do you place on your goals?  Do you have a passion for obtaining those goals you have set? 

The Bible tells us what is good to eat and what we should not eat.  Scripture tells us what to do to have a long, healthy life.  We are told how our financial needs can be met.  We are told what it takes to be successful in life.  We can learn how the Holy Spirit with help us in every phase of life. 

Galatians 5:22 – 23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

These are what it takes to become Christ-like.  We are given the Holy Spirit to provide these character traits that we saw in Christ.  We cannot obtain them without the Holy Spirit.  Having these traits will fulfill the intent of the law which was to love God and others as ourselves.  Any person who has the fruits of the Spirit is in perfect harmony with God’s laws.  You can be religious, memorize the Bible but if you do not have love you have nothing.  It is the fruit of the Spirit that changes our self-centered nature to a nature that is Christ-centered.  The more we become like Christ, the more we become like God had planned for Adam and Eve.  The fruit of self-control develops discipline and the desire to prepare to become like Christ. 

I am utterly amazed at the way some Christians live their lives.  They must believe that no matter what they do; immorality can be easily forgiven.  Therefore, anything goes and then I can ask God for forgiveness and everything is o.k.  All sin can be forgiven then what’s wrong with telling lies or cheating? 

 I Thessalonians 4:1 – 8 – “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.  It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

Living to please God must be every believer’s priority.  God requires each Christian to turn they lives over to Him.  We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.  We are told to become sanctified and holy.  Sanctified means to separate ourselves from the world and give ourselves to God.  We are told to have self-control and prepare ourselves for heaven in the way we live.  The Bible teaches us to let the Holy Spirit take our sinful, self-centered nature, our old habits and behaviors and let them be transformed by renewing our minds so we can emulate the life of Christ.