Healing Church Pt 1 Series

“The Healing Church 2023”

Opening Remarks: Disclaimer on the screen – options for kids and teens to go to for this sensitive topic and message.

Pastor Marlon and I attended the AACC Convention in Nashville Tn. last week and I was pressed by the Holy Spirit to talk about us being a healthy and healing church – Why? Because we live in a world filled with the perversion of the truth, a world filled with pain and a world saturated with porn and distorted views of sex!

Yes, I said porn and sex! We live in a world saturated with perverted sex and a distorted view of what brings fulfillment in life! The purpose of life is seeking to be redefined by media and Hollywood.

But Jesus said in John 10:10: ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

We see the enemy stealing away people’s lives, minds and hearts as they are led into seductive sins which lead to addictions, bondage, isolation and destruction.

Mo states, “While society twists, perverts, cheapens, and idolizes it, (sex that is) we—the church—are relatively silent about it. Awkwardly stumbling around it. Running from it. Building desperate rule lists of dos and don’ts. And, as a result, allowing the sanctity of God to be stolen by the insatiable lust (for others). Somewhere along the way we’ve allowed ourselves to be drowned out of the conversation. In a halfhearted attempt to stay relevant and relatable, we’ve caved into the narrative that sex—the most prominent and overwhelming focus of our entire society—isn’t for us to really talk about. Right”

Isom, Mo. Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot (pp. 11-12). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

I agree with Mo the church needs to lead the way in teaching our children and teens the proper view of sex, marriage and the dangers which will pervert a person’s mindset and heart in the wrong direction.

Personal Illustration: My first exposure to porn was when I was about 11 and me and my friends were out on garbage day walking the streets and we stumbled on someone throwing out all their playboy and penthouse magazines. We thought we found gold but as most of you know that is not gold but a path to bondage and deception.

At the AACC Convention – I listened to George Barna talk about the need for the church and for Christians to get into the battle for the minds and heart of our children. I agree – we think sports and busy-ness is the way to protect our child’s hearts and mind, but I am here to tell you it’s teaching them the truth of God’s Word – modeling it and protecting them from the Coming storm which is bombarding their morals and innocence.

George Barna Stated in Raising Spiritual Champions the following: “I came to realize that if we do not get it right with young children, the chances are good that we will never see those people mature into real disciples of Jesus.” (Barna, Dr. George. Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child's Heart, Mind and Soul (p. 6). Fedd Books. Kindle Edition.

He added, “The research is very clear that the more biblically prepared a child is to address life, the more likely they are to embrace a Christlike approach to daily challenges. Conversely, the less biblically trained a child is, the less likely it is that they will ever become a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit can instantly transform any life at any moment, but years of data suggest that such miraculous transformations are the exception, not the norm. Knowing this, I feel a sense of urgency to wake up people—especially the parents of young children as well as individuals who have significant cultural influence—to understand that time is of the essence in transforming how we raise children.” (Barna, Dr. George. Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child's Heart, Mind and Soul (p. 8). Fedd Books. Kindle Edition.)

Barna went on to emphasize that “In the younger generation“especially, “In recent years, large and increasing numbers of Americans have been struggling with the purpose, meaning, direction, value, and joy in their life. Statistics from national studies by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University show that two out of every three adults under the age of forty (67%) say they are still trying to identify the meaning and purpose of their life. A mere 22% believe that life itself is sacred, which helps to explain why suicide rates have skyrocketed and abortion remains a popular option for an unplanned pregnancy. Further, most young adults (54%) admit that they often feel anxious, depressed, or unsafe.” (Barna, Dr. George. Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child's Heart, Mind and Soul (p. 15). Fedd Books. Kindle Edition.)