WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE TO THIS LADY'S TESTIMONY?

I do not know the lady, nor the church that she is at. I also do not know the minister (I assume he is a minister) who is holding the microphone. This is important; because many times videos go viral on social media, without context or explanation.

The first thing I notice about the video is that that lady said, "Pray for me, I'm a backslider." So, regardless of how things went "down hill" from there; she has already stated where she is in her relationship with God. Thus, (1) we need to pray for her as she has requested. She gave us her name and we should pray earnestly for her. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 says, "As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us..." How should we pray for this lady? The answer is found in Matthew 9:38, "Ask the LORD of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." The hope and prayer is that someone prayed with her at the service and presented God's plan of salvation.

Yes, we have to be VERY careful who we allow to "get the mike." Yes, she used some very offensive and graphic language (but again, she DID make it clear that she was a backslider - a sinner is going to talk like a sinner - no excuse - but it is what it is). But, we must pray earnestly for her. Will you stop for a moment and do that right now? Imagine the power of the thousands that view this blog; praying for this soul.

(2) We do not want to be quick to attack who I would assume was the minister for how he handled the situation. "Hindsight is 20/20." It is easy to say what he could have, would have and should have done. The fact is we were not in his shoes and cannot say what we would do in that situation. There is no context.

THAT was the response. NOW for a teaching moment. What do we the Church learn from this? Years ago, the saints were taught HOW to testify. We were taught how to be orderly. This was not only in "sanctified" churches; but churches of all denominations. You were taught how to give honor to God and do all of the protocol. You were taught to give a testimony and not a "tellamony." You were taught how to testify and not preach a sermon nor give all of your life's details. Testimony service was not the time to "throw off." This is what we were taught.

Unfortunately, in the early 90's my generation (Generation X) said all of that teaching was "religious." They said that we needed to get away from "religion" and "indoctrination." Well, now this is the conundrum that we are in now; people that have no idea HOW to give a testimony in a church service; and people that do not know how to govern themselves as Christians.

God is an orderly God. 1 Corinthians 14:40 says, "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." If order and decorum is religious then SO BE IT. A lot of what you see in the church world now is utter chaos. And, we call it being free and Spirit led.

The Church often says that we are "Kingdom," and we are "soldiers in the army." The last time I checked, royalty and the military has a strict structure, protocol and etiquette. How can say we are Kingdom and soldiers and not have any order or protocol?

I am an evangelist from my heart. People will say that you have people coming into the Church that know nothing about "Christianeze." And that we are to leave them alone. So are we to just let them in and let take over with no kind of training? God forbid! We are to TEACH THEM the doctrines of the Bible, how we are to conduct ourselves in the house of God and how to live this Christian life?

To become a United States citizen you must past a test on English (the language) and Civics (history and government). See https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship. If it takes takes that to be a citizen of the United States (an earthly nation); then shouldn't we learn the language and culture of our Kingdom citizenship? Philippians 3:20, "But our citizenship is in heaven..."

Jesus did not just say to go and win souls. He told us to TEACH them once we win them. Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and TEACH all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: TEACHING them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." If teaching and NOT having a "free for all" is religious; I'll take the label and gladly be "religious."If"religious" means bringing back order and respect to the house of God; then ,"Give me that old time religion!"