My Philosophy of Ministry, Pastor Michael Mccartney
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Cor. 3:17 NIV
Motto of my Ministry: Leading People from Here to Eternity
Motto defined as specific cyclical sequence: (See explanation in the summary)
1. Evangelize
2. Realize
3. Baptize
4. Revitalize
5. Spiritualize
6. Materialize
7. Evangelize
Mission Statement:
My goal is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in all dimensions of my ministry. I will contend to liberate the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will wholeheartedly strive to enable as many people as possible to experience, know, love, and serve God with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength.
Vision Statement:
I will seek to liberate the lost through lifestyle evangelism. I will not only preach the Word but live it through my life and my actions. I will reach into our community, sharing that there is hope beyond life’s circumstances. I (And the church) will reach out through small groups and provide a seeker-sensitive service on Sundays. The word “seeker” is defined as one who is in search of spiritual life. This person is not a Christian. This service will endeavor to make the seeker feel comfortable, accepted through unconditional love, and impressed that God is relevant to them today. I will present the gospel message without compromise but will use creative means that will appeal to the hearts, minds, and souls of all those who are seeking.
I will liberate all people by standing against all forms of discrimination. I will strive to develop a church that is cross-cultural, racially mixed, and financially diverse. All these differences will be the strength of the church.
I will always seek to serve God, others, and the community unconditionally (1 Peter 4:7-11). My resolve for this vision is reflected in the prayer below:
More than anything else in heaven or on earth,
I pray for the power to love my fellow person,
to break through the condemning bigotry,
the crippling prejudice,
the stifling self-centeredness
that smothers God’s Spirit within me,
and to channel and communicate divine love
to lonely, loveless people about me.
And I pray as well for the ability to translate
the message of God’s eternal love into words and action
that will pierce the hearts of busy men and women
and move their hearts to faith and obedience to Christ.
Adapted from “Resolve”
by Leslie Brandt
I will also liberate hurting Christians from the bondage of religious legalism and traditional ritual. I will accomplish this by not allowing manmade rules to be a part of our church doctrine and practices (Matt. 23).
I and we will also make disciples. I will provide biblical instruction to help all new converts grow and mature in Christ. I will also seek to implant into older Christians the mandate to “show thyself approved” through study and that we are to continue our spiritual growth. I know that groups and classes must be instituted to help with the renewing of the mind. Our members will aid in discipleship as well as our leaders. I and We will seek to disciple so that our church will be active in body ministry (Matt. 28:16-20).
My leadership will model servant leadership as demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ (John 13). My leadership will promote and live the three mottos:
“I choose to lose to God!”
“I will have no pride!”
“I will not quit serving the Lord!”
My leadership will contend at all times to be open, honest, genuine and authentic. I will stand against the “pecking order” and seek not to appear perfect or flawless but be one who models humility (Luke 9:46-50).
I will encourage and empower mature Christians to step out in faith and take risks for God. When we look back at history we discover that Christians who were led by
God and took risks for Him made an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God. Risk taking for the Kingdom of God will be a hallmark to show that God is with us and that we trust Him:
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing, your true self
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing
They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live
Charmed by their attitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom
Only a person who risks is free
When we take risks for God we do so in obedience to His leading. We will walk by faith and not by sight (Hebrews 11).
Values
I will demonstrate and role model a life of integrity. I will not promote greed in any form or fashion. I will trust the Lord to meet our needs. I believe that offerings should be dropped into bins in the sanctuary and we should not pass the plate. I and we will always provide open financial records and minutes to our congregation, and open communication to our congregation. The key here is integrity in all scenarios of life especially in finances (1 Tim. 3:1-9).
I and we as the body of Christ will strive to serve God daily on a personal basis and weekly as a corporate body. We will not forsake the assembly of the body for other worldly enticements.
Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see The Day approaching.”
I will value the Bible as 100% the Word of God. We will adhere to the fact that the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is to be used to lead and guide our lives daily.
Plans
Goals: We would need to come up with a detailed five year plan for the church to strengthen its weak areas revealed in the survey. We would also need to incorporate into the goals maintain and improve the strengths of the church.
Strategies
Flat organization flow charts
Body ministry
Leadership training—with emphasis on servant leadership
Lifestyle evangelism—taught and modeled
Discipleship classes—college level Bible courses, New Believer’s class
Home cell groups
Support and recovery groups
Seeker-sensitive Sunday services
Open communication policy
Elder-run church—The Senior Pastor is head Elder, yet this board will get input from the congregation and know its heartbeat
Elders will focus on spiritual matters
Deacons and Elders will run financial side of the church
Creativity in Gospel presentation – Multi-media, hands on illustrations, visuals
Culturally relevant to ministry area
Cross-cultural church—God is no respecter of persons
Service ministries—task force groups to meet needs within the community
Tactics
The flat organizational chart reveals an organizational structure that aids in releasing the potential of the individual body of workers within the congregation. This approach gives the message that we, as leaders, are leading the charge. The pastor is at the front, leading the troops to battle, yet is not viewed as a dictator who dominates at the top. This will be modeled by all leaders being servant leaders and delegating out the mission of the church to those gifted in the body to assist in accomplishing the Great Commission. The leaders will train the body for battle. They will provide the body of this church with leadership training to equip them to win souls through lifestyle evangelism, and to have servant leaders functioning properly in their areas of calling.
Suggest: Twice a month - Leadership Training offered to all leaders.
Emphasize that Christianity is not just a decision, but it is a lifestyle. We would emphasize through our teaching and preaching that authenticity is the key—no facades, but genuine Christianity. We will share our victories and our failures so others learn that we are all saved by grace, not by good works.
I and we will provide a Sunday morning service geared to seekers who are looking for the answers to life’s dilemmas. We will use contemporary means to create an atmosphere that is appealing to these seekers. We will incorporate drama, mimes, movie clips, skits, and creative illustrations to emphasize visual stimulants to the message of the gospel.
The worship will incorporate all forms of music with emphasis on meeting with the Lord through this worship experience.
• We will have worship teams who are focused on glorifying the Lord.
• Worship teams will coordinate their theme with the message that night or day.
• At our seeker services, we will invite seekers into the presence of God.
• At our believers’ and support-group worship services, we will strive to experience God and attribute worth to His holiness. This service will essentially focus on worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth, this being an interaction between God and His people.
Mass media will be used in reaching out to our community and promoting the mission of our church. We will seek to convey the message that we are a church that cares and gives hope to the hopeless.
I suggest that offerings not be taken in the Seeker Service. Offering bins should be available in the church foyer for tithes and offerings. However, there will be teachings on the concept of stewardship unto God once a quarter. We will emphasize that to tithe means you give 10% of your income to the church (the storehouse were you are fed spiritually. The offering will be defined as any giving above your 10%). See Malachi 3:6-18; Lev. 27:30; Dt. 12:17; Mt. 6:24; Mt. 22:21.
I suggest that the leadership pray about making a challenge to the Congregation. I challenge people here at New Life with the money back guarantee. Here is the challenge: If you have not tithed in the past to New Life and you now start tithing faithfully for the next 6 months and if you feel that God has not blessed you by tithing then we will refund your money. We have done this at New Life for 5 years and God has always come through. We have never had to return any money.
The other avenues of services will be focused on the believer to equip the saints for service unto the Lord. These services will seek to equip, train, help, and educate the body for ministry.
Weekly Eve:Marriage and Family class—twice a month, Leadership class—twice a month
Weekly Eve:Support and Recovery groups—twice a year for 12-16 weeks:
7:00 pm Coffee and Fellowship
7:30 pm Praise and Worship
8:00 pm Support Groups (Topics)
-Stress Management
-Anger Management
-Chemical Dependency, 12-Step
-12-Step Spiritual Growth Class
-Search for Significance
-Marriage Enrichment Class
-Codependency Support Group
Weekly Eve: 7:00 pm Praise and Worship
7:30 pm Break into classes or services
-Nursery
-Toddler Ministry
-Classes for Kids
-Youth Services
-Adult Services
Once a week: Prayer Meeting
I believe that Small groups should meet every other week on various nights, as the group decides what night is best. We should use a hybrid styles, incorporating the best of the leading theories of small groups and practical Bible studies.
Fellowship meals once a month - I believe are important for helping people connect with each other.
Discipleship classes should be developed on site through various Bible college materials to equip our body with college-level Bible training.
Community service should be stressed in the congregation. We should seek ways to serve the community. We should seek creative ways to show our community that we care.
Service Ministry Ideas:
• Serve free hot chocolate at parades.
• Develop task forces to help businesses in community.
• Use our church giftings to minister to hurting people in the community.
• Establish Repair crews to help in times of crisis.
• Develop and implement a benevolence ministry.
• Provide financial education and help to the community.
• Have an active Prison Ministry
• Help support Half way homes
• Have a Counseling Center
Clear communication will be practiced through various means:
• Surveys of congregation
• Minutes available to all from Board meetings
• Financial statements available to all, without question
• Job descriptions for all positions
• Flow charts to clearly define structure
• Announcements will be given at beginning of services and in the bulletin
• Congregational meetings
• Open-door policy for all staff and leaders
• Accountability will be stressed for all statements
• Delegation of positions will be implemented
I believe in having a proactive mind set rather than just being reactive in decision making.
I and we will, as Christians, seek to tear down all discrimination based on race and seek to promote unity in all areas. I will aggressively address this issue to promote the power of Biblical unity.
I and we will all live by the Matthew 18 principle for handling problem situations between individuals and groups (see page 12).
Summary
My seven core values are summarized below:
1. EVANGELIZE. My belief is that lost people matter to God; and, therefore, the church needs to focus on reaching them with the Gospel. This will be accomplished by three means:
a. By relational evangelism, which is a process that takes time. This does not happen by just one time sharing the gospel with someone but by establishing a relationship with the lost individual. I will train our people in this type of evangelism with programs like “Contagious Christian”. See Luke 5:30-32, Luke 15, and Matt. 18:14.
b. By anointed preaching and teaching which changes lives. This form of communication is God’s plan for explaining the who, what, when, where, and why of Christianity. See Romans 12:7, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, and James 1:23-25.
c. By being culturally relevant to the lost community yet remaining Biblical in our approach. There will be no compromise of the Gospel in any way. See 1 Cor. 9:19-23.
2. REALIZE. When the gospel is evangelized by the above process, lost individuals come to a realization that they need to become born again. This decision occurs by the following means:
a. Life change happens through the above process.
b. I believe that life change is a result of the Holy Spirit working in individuals and the Holy Spirit using Christians.
c. Repentance occurs
d. Once a decision is made, discipling enters the picture. This happens best in small groups and one-on-one relationships. I will offer classes to new believers to teach them the basics of Christianity. See Luke 6:12-13 and Acts 2:44-47.
e. I will stress mentoring of new believers.
3. BAPTIZE. Once the believer understands the meaning of their new birth, they will be encouraged to be water baptized and baptized in the Holy Spirit.
The two baptisms:
-Water Baptism (Romans 6)
-The Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2, Acts 19:1-22, 1 Cor. 12, 13, 14)
4. REVITALIZE. This has to do with the renewing of the mind. This is accomplished by four means:
a. By stressing that Christ’s followers are to strive toward continuous growth. See 2 Tim. 2:15, 3:14-16.
b. I believe that the pursuit of full devotion to Christ and His great commission is normal for every believer. This includes teaching by the leadership on the concepts of stewardship, servanthood, no pride, pursuit of God and finishing strong. See 1 Kings 11:4, Phil. 2:1-11, 2 Cor. 8:7.
c. I will emphasize that excellence honors God and inspires people. This includes the concepts of evaluation, critical review with love, intensity in the cause of Christ, and excellence in serving the Lord. See Col. 3:17, Mal. 1:6-14 and Pr. 27:17.
d. I will teach to all that the church is to be led by men and women with leadership gifts. This includes teachings on empowerment, servant leadership, delegation, strategic focus, and being intentional in our vision. See Neh. 1-2, Rom. 12:8 and Acts 6:2-5.
5. SPIRITUALIZE. I believe that Christians are to demonstrate love, authenticity, and genuineness at all times. This will be achieved by four means:
a. The Matthew 18 principle will be enforced, and gossip will not be tolerated.
b. Character will be modeled and stressed by the leadership and required to be upheld by the church.
c. 1 Cor. 13 will be modeled by the leadership. See also Neh. 3, Luke 10:1 and John 13:34-35.
d. Hypocrisy will not be tolerated and will be pointed out and dealt with as Jesus Christ dealt with it in Matt. 23. See also Eph. 4:25-26, 32; Heb. 12:1; and Phil. 1:6.
6. MATERIALIZE. I believe that a Christian church is made up of servants, men and women serving each other with their gifts. This will be stressed through four means:
a. We will all seek to choose to lose to God and our own selfish desires. See John 13.
b. This will be accomplished by unity being emphasized and modeled. Note: sometimes we may disagree on subjects, but we can still disagree and be united as one in the Love of Jesus. See 1 Cor. 1.
c. Spiritual gifts will be taught, demonstrated, and monitored by leadership. See 1 Cor. 12, 14; Rom. 12; Eph. 4; Ps. 133:1. We will incorporate programs like “Networking” and Wagner’s “Spiritual Gifts”.
7. EVANGELIZE (Person who has gone through the cycle reproduces themselves.)
a. When the church is accomplishing the above process, we will continue to repeat this seven-step cycle over and over in individuals’ lives, in the church, and in the community.
My Philosophy of ministry has developed over the last 20 years from making mistakes and then learning from them. I have also made sure I observe what not to do from others mistakes. As John Maxwell would say, “We need to fail forward!” Yes, I have misheard, misread, misspoken, and made mistakes. I tell New Life Community Church often, “God uses imperfect people to do his perfect will and I am one of them.” I have at times gotten angry and said something I should not have and had to go back and apologize to that person. I can relate to Paul who said “I do the things I do not want to do!” Yes, I have had failures in ministry. I think the biggest failure occurred in my very first Pastorate were I allowed people to put me into their little box. They wanted me to compromise my beliefs to make everyone happy and for a while I accommodated them. When I realized that I was pleasing man and not God I repented and moved on into another area to minister. The church split upon my departure and many were hurt because I jumped ship instead of working through the problem. This is where my motto, “I will not quit” emerged. I have since learned to press on in the tough times of ministry and I now never choose quitting as an option.
My Philosophy of ministry has also developed from being and avid student of the Word of God. I feel that when I am through learning then I am through. So I continue to study, to learn and to grow. I usually attend 2 conventions a year to help stretch me in my ministry. I have developed my ministry style by being influenced from the following sources: The Bible, Willow Creek resources, The American Association of Christian Counselors resources, Rick Warren’s resources, John Maxwell’s resources, Vineyard resources, Insight for Living resources, Youth Specialties resources, Barna resources, Group resources and The Fellowship of Christian Assemblies resources.
I have been impacted spiritually by the following books: Purpose Driven Life, Experiencing God, Turning Vision Into Action, The Jesus I Never Knew, Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, The Life You Always Wanted, Grace Awakening, The Kingdom of God is a Party, and a host of others.
The reason I love to study is because I was raised in a nominal Catholic home which never went to church. My parents were not Christian and I was not taught about Jesus. I grew up in a home in Pittsburgh Penna. were my dad occasionally beat up my mother. My first fight was with my dad at age 11 to protect my mom. I ended up being beaten up and vowed to get back at him. After losing this fight I began body building and joined a Martial Arts club. Later on in High School I joined a gang and became the “Tough Guy.” My dad and I had many fights which led to stitches and broken bones. I became a young man driven by hate and anger.
Through a series of events I ended up in Minneapolis Minnesota. I had landed a job as a Carpenter Apprentice and was working on remodeling a school into apartments when God brought a former pimp and drug addict into my life. His name was Thomas and we called him the “Holy Roller.” Wow! Did he roll for Jesus! Thomas entered into our job site to the scene of swearing, gambling and pornography. Yet in the midst of these sins he shined brilliantly in the darkness. He developed relationships with the guys and gals on the job. I sat back and watched Thomas lead 6 people from here to eternity by modeling the character traits of Jesus and telling his testimony to everyone. He would develop relationships with people and then ask them to come to his church. They would go and come back the following Monday with a smile on their face and a glow in there eye and a new Bible under there arm. It was amazing! I watched as the break room changed from a place of debauchery to a Bible Study. I observed our conversations change from parties, fights, and women to Jesus, the end times and His amazing love.
I watched hard core construction workers change spiritually. One of them was my best friend Bear the ex-Vietnam Vet who had kept pictures of his kills from Nam. Bear was a person who could never sleep through the night from the nightmares. So he and I would party hard so we could both sleep. I also suffered from nightmares. I recall when he started talking to Thomas a lot about how he lacked peace in his heart. Bear had killed over 35+ people in the war and was considered a war hero. He discovered the butchered bodies of his 5 best friends one night along with the Viet Cong who were presently doing it. Bear came on the scene and then killed all the Viet-Cong soldiers in the bunker that night. He was awarded the Bronze Star. He then became a sniper and suffered mentally. Thomas told him that Jesus could set him free and forgive him for what he had done. Bear told me, “ I am going to try Jesus Mike.” I tried talking him out of it because I felt he would brain washed. But he went to church with Thomas that weekend. He came back to work on Monday morning with a smile and not a growl. He emerged on the job site with a light in his eyes and that hollow look in his eyes was gone. I could see he had encountered something real and genuine. I asked what happened and he said, “I meet Jesus and I slept last night for the first since Nam and did not have a nightmare!” He then quit drinking and doing drugs and he never had another nightmare. I know I kept asking him if he did! He didn’t! He just kept telling me “Jesus has set me free Mike and He can do the same for you!”
Then one day the attention of the new, “Holy Roller Gang” turned to tough hardcore Mike. They started asking me to go to church with them, I said “No.” They did not pressure me too much but they all encouraged me that peace was only found in Jesus. I watched and observed these 6 men, men who had been angry, mean and nasty. They now had smiles and laughter as they read their Bibles and talked about what they learned. Then one day an Atheist came to work at our job site. Grant made it plain that he did not believe in God. He even made fun of the group and mocked them. One day I had enough of Grant. He said “A belief in God is for the weak minded!” I turned around and looked him in the eyes and said, “Grant I believe in God and I am not weak, as a matter of fact if you don’t shut up I am going to punch you right in the mouth! I also added “Believe me I will knock you out because unlike these folks who are to nice to do it I’m not.” At that moment Thomas, looked at me and asked me a question, “Mike, if you believe in God why don’t you go to church?” I though a moment and said,” Well ….because I party Saturday night’s and I sleep in!” But then I added this phrase, “But if you had church tonight I would go.” I was blown away when he said “We have church tonight!” I thought no one has church on Wednesday night!
We went that night to his African American Pentecostal Church. All I can say is WOW! I did not accept Jesus that night but when I went home that night after the service the Pastor’s message recited in my mind over and over. By morning I was ready to make a decision for Jesus Christ. I wanted to be free. I wanted to have peace like Bear. I wanted to smile, and be happy. I did not want to be angry anymore. I went to work found Thomas and asked if he had church that night and he said “Yes!” I thought, “Man they have church every night.” We went that night to a new believer’s class and I had a personal encounter with the Living God. It changed my heart and my life. By the way Grant went too!
I must admit Jesus has blessed me with a great family that loves the Lord Jesus Christ with their whole heart, mind and souls! I could not be in the ministry without all their support. I want to leave you with this thought:
“Vision without action does nothing.
Action without vision accomplishes nothing.
Vision with action can change us, our community, our county, our state, our country, and the world!”
Matthew 18
The Matthew 18 Principle for Solving Problems:
1. Keep the matter confidential.
The Bible has much to say about those who gossip or malign others with their words.
2. Keep the circle small.
Most problems are solved at the two-person level.
3. Be straightforward.
Jesus tells us to be forthright and to love honesty.
4. Be forgiving.
Once the matter is resolved, we should wholeheartedly forgive and restore the person whose fault has offended us.
5. The two should agree to discuss the matter with each other first.
An open and honest discussion will most often reach an amiable solution.
6. If this does not work, they should agree to share the matter with a pastor.
The goal of such a meeting is to understand the problem clearly; solve the problem; reproof and correct, if necessary; and forgive and restore those who have made amends.
7. The pastor, if necessary, will explain the situation to the elder board for their appropriate response.
If the problem is not resolved, the two parties will present their case to the elders; and the elders will present their solution to the parties.
Satan would like to destroy harmony and fellowship between Christians. That is not possible if all of us follow the Matthew 18 principle of solving problems.
MY STATEMENT OF FAITH
Concerning God:
1. God is Spirit (John 4:24).
2. God is one (Mark 12:29) and has revealed Himself to us in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14)
3. God is Love (1 John 2:8, 16).
4. God the Father gave us His Son for salvation (John 3:16)
5. Jesus is the Son of God and the only Savior and Redeemer of a lost world (Acts 4:12).
6. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter of the believer, promised by the Father and given through His Son (John 15:26).
Concerning the Virgin Birth:
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Jer. 31:22; Matt. 1:23, Luke 1:35).
The Bible:
I believe the Bible to be the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. I believe it to be divinely inspired in its entirety. I accept the same as the only infallible guide and rule of our faith and practice (2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
Concerning Man:
1. Man was originally created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27).
2. Man fell into sin and came under God’s curse (Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12-14).
3. The natural man is therefore a sinner (Ps. 14:3; Rom. 3:9-10; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 3:8-10; 1 John 5:19).
Concerning Salvation:
1. Jesus Christ has brought salvation and redemption to the world through His death and resurrection (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:4-5; Gal. 4:5; Col. 1:19-23; Heb. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rev. 5:9).
2. Jesus Christ has brought healing to the sick through His blood (Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24).
3. Jesus Christ has brought justification and sanctification to the believer (Rom. 5:1; Rom. 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:30; Gal. 2:20; Heb.10:10-14).
4. Jesus Christ is the mighty Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:5-8; Acts 2:1-13; Acts 10:44-46).
5. Jesus Christ shall soon come again to take His bride to Himself (Acts 1:11; 1 Thes. 4:14; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28).
6. Jesus Christ conditions our salvation into His Kingdom upon the new birth (John 3:3-16).
7. Jesus Christ, through the apostle Peter, tells us how to become members of His body (Acts 2:37-39).
Concerning the Holy Spirit:
1. The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father, our Comforter, sent to convict the world of sin, place the believer in the Body of Christ, indwell the believer and bestow spiritual gifts to the Church (1 Cor. 12:1-7).
2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for all believers as a definite enduement for life and service subsequent to conversion, with one of the evidences being speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; Acts 19:1,2 & 6; 1 Cor. 14).
a. Speaking in tongues:
i. I believe that God does give people the gift of tongues which is to be used in their personal prayer life.
1. I pray in tongues as the Lord leads.
2. I do not Lord it over others or force in on others.
3. I do encourage people to research the topic and pray about it. Then I allow the Holy Spirit to lead the individual.
ii. The Apostle Paul said that He spoke in tongues in 1Cor. 14:18 and used it as a prayer language between Him and the Lord.
1. He admonished the Corinthian church for their misuse of this gift and I have had to do the same in my ministry.
a. See 1 Cor. 14:19
2. He also said in 1 Cor. 14:39, 40 “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. BUT everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
iii. I do not believe that some of gifts of the Spirit have passed away as some believe. They would use the 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 text to say they have.
1. These gifts would be prophecies, tongues, and knowledge. I feel that they are still a vital part of the church.
a. I see the prophetic gift coming forth in many sermons today.
b. There are many who speak in tongues and pray in the spirit.
i. Genuine sincere humble Christians.
ii. Yes, I know there are those who abuse it and are flaky. But there are many more that are not and love the Lord with their whole hearts.
c. I do not believe that knowledge has passed away.
i. Knowledge is still used in many sermons to guide people to Truth.
iv. I also want you to know that tongues is too be approached and used in the spirit of love and humility.
1. My motto “No Pride” fits here.
v. It needs to be done in places were it is appropriate: Primary place-- in times of deep prayer and intercession.
1. It’s not to be done to draw attention to a person.
2. It’s not be emphasized in places that are geared toward reaching seekers like Seeker Services.
3. It’s not to be an idol.
4. It is not the cure for all the problems in the Christian walk.
5. A person who has the gift is not one up on another who does not speak in tongues. A person who speaks in tongues is not more spiritual than another.
a. See 1 Cor. 13:1
b. I believe we need to be like Paul when it comes to this area of ministry. When he wrote to the Ephesians he said in 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
i. That is my heartbeat to know him better with a balance of wisdom and revelation.
Concerning Our Holy Life on Earth:
1. I should shun the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21).
2. I should avoid carnality (1 Cor. 3:1-3) and pride (Phil. 4:8).
3. I should have a forgiving spirit (Matt. 18:23-35; Col. 3:13).
4. I should not yield to the natural love of selfish desires (John 12:24-25; Phil. 2:3)
5. I should bear fruit (John 15:5).
6. I should live a pure and holy life. The Bible teaches a life of holiness “without which no man shall see God”. Sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to the Word of God. Therefore after being born again I am to forsake worldly evil and follow Biblical teachings (Rom. 12:1,2; 1 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:18; 1 Thes. 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15).
7. I should tithe and give offerings in accordance with scripture (Gen. 14:20; Num. 18:24; Mal. 3:8-10; Luke 11:42; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2; 2 Cor. 9:6, 7).
8. I must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).
Concerning Ordinances:
1. Water Baptism. I believe that baptism in water should be by immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and shall be administered to only those who give evidence of being born again (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4).
a. I do not believe in infant sprinkling (Mark 16:16) but encourage the parents to dedicate their children to the Lord.
2. The Lord’s Supper. I believe that the Lord’s Supper is to be observed by all believers. Each participant should examine his spiritual life before partaking. It is a memorial of our Lord’s suffering and death and is to be observed “until He comes” (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11: 26, 27).
3. I believe in praying for the sick, with the anointing of olive oil and laying on of hands by the elders, in accordance with James 5:14. But I believe this should be done in proper context. It is not wise to do this in a Seeker sensitive service.
For more of my beliefs you can check out SermonCentral.com for my last 6 years of sermons. Go to Home page at Sermoncentral.com then click on Free Searches. Then Under Contributor type in Michael McCartney, New Life Community Church. My Messages will come up and a profile of me and my ministry. You can also access some audio messages on newlifechurchamery.com under sermons.
God bless!
Pastor Michael McCartney
