May 15

Ministry Tips and Tools: Effective Ministry part 6: Fundraising for your Ministry

Today I would like to talk about money for ministry.

1 Tim 6:10 says: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. NKJV

Please note it says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, not money. Money is a good thing, especially when it is used to further the kingdom of God. In order for your ministry to succeed, you need money.

Now I understand that a majority of all TMCI ministers support their own ministries and that is fine if you feel God called you to do that. But I encourage you to let others sow into your ministry so that they can be blessed.

Remember in Luke 8:3, it tells us that Jesus had people who supported him.

Let me say first, if you are a church, you need to teach on tithing. God’s method of supporting the local church is through the tithe. We must teach the people that when they tithe, God will bless them (Mal. 3:8-10). We do our people a disservice if we do not teach on tithing. One of the most effective ways I have seen tithing taught is by allowing people in the congregation to testify of how God blessed them because of their tithing.

Fund raising is a concern for most ministries. The need for finance is one the most common prayer request on the TMCI monthly reports. All TMCI ministries are ‘faith based’ ministries which means, first and foremost, we rely on God to provide resources which He usually does through His people.

The most effective way to have people give to your ministry is to look for friends, not just donors. Making friends means that you take the time to learn what is going on in their lives. Show them that you care about them as individuals. People know when you just look at them as an opportunity to get their money. The best way to make friends is to be one.

We should build a life style of caring for and communicating with those who support us. We should share about what God doing in our lives, but it is equally important to learn from our donors what’s going on in their lives so you can pray more effectively for them. It is important that we pray for our supporters us and their families. Send a card or words of encouragement to them. Send greetings on their birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions in their lives or the lives of their families.

Please remember those who give to you view themselves as part of your ministry, so make sure you acknowledge and thank them for their gift and update them on your activities as well.

Remember most people are not good communicators so if they do not correspond with you do not get discouraged because you have not heard from them. Above all, do not remove them from your list because you never know how many are praying for you.

Communication is the critical part of maintaining friends. If they are not in your immediate area, when you visit or pass through their area stop in to visit them. Call them from time to time. Skype is a tool that God gives us to talk face to face with our donors. Consider using this tool as a way to maintain your friendships.

If your donors live close to your ministry, get them involved physically (if possible) in your ministry. Keep them involved with frequent updates.

Some important methods of communication are:

Website   We strongly suggest that you have a website for your ministry. The website should state your vision and give frequent updates on your ministry. The website also provides opportunity to reach out worldwide. One ministry reported that they are receiving monthly donations from Australia. If you do not have a website, and would like help in creating one, we suggest Cheryl Eaton, our TMCI webmaster, who has helped many TMCI ministries get started. Her email is [email protected] .

We also strongly suggest a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter should state your vision and ministry activities for the preceding quarter. Send your newsletter to relatives (even those second and third cousins), your insurance agent, doctor, dentist, hairdresser, etc. In other words, send it to everyone you know! If you minister in a church, send it to the pastor and missions committee.

Suggestions for the newsletter:

  1. Show what you’ve been doing by brief positive articles of interest to your readers

  2. Include your schedule of ministry dates or your goals in the coming months

  3. Have a prayer list of needs for your ministry

  4. Have fun and make your newsletter fun and interesting.

  5. Keep it to one or two pages.

Don’t expect much response at first; many people will wait to give until they know that this is not a whim but a genuine ministry.  Continue to send quarterly newsletters, using e-mail and regular mail.  Keep in mind, however, that some older people may not have email so you will need two lists – one for email and one for snail mail.

We encourage you to look for Christian businesspeople or organizations that will help your ministry. If you get an appointment with a businessperson, make sure you have a brochure and information you can leave: something that clearly states your vision and ministry. Have lists of people who will give you a good recommendation. You probably will be given half an hour to give your presentation, but be prepared to present your ministry in five minutes. If you do not get a commitment at the first meeting, find out when you can contact them for a decision and make sure you call at that time, not before or after.

Grants are another way to fund your ministry; however we discourage new ministries from seeking grants since the process can be time consuming and many organizations that give grants do not accept unsolicited applications.  After your ministry is established (has a track record) people may consider giving you a grant.

If you decide to apply for a grant we suggest that hire an experienced grant writer; perhaps someone will volunteer or hire a grants writer who will work on a contingency basis (fee or percentage when the grant is received). You will have a better chance of obtaining a grant if your ministry meets a social as well as spiritual need.  If you decide to apply for grants, TMCI will provide all information needed to prove your tax exemption

Other method of passive fund raising is having an offering box at your ministry location. Have your vison statement on a sign by the box so people will know what you are doing.

Several ministries have incorporated a business into their ministries to help fund the ministry. For example, some ministries have thrift stores that help support their ministry. However, keep in mind there is a cost to start a business and it might fail. It also may take away ministry time if you do not have help.

Recently, I have seen some of our people sign up with organization such as Go Fund Me. I have heard that many have succeeded in reaching their goals. These organizations usually charge somewhere between 5 to 8%. But they seem to be effective.

The most effective fund raising method is to make friends of the ministry and maintain that friendship. Next time I going to teach on: keys to Successful Secondary Leadership which was requested by Rev. Lillian Spearman

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

The book I would recommend is:

Friend raising: building a Missionary Support Team That Lasts by Betty J. Barnett

May 15

Bro Mike – A Little Kneeology ….

James 3:16 (NLT)  For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

This past week I attended a meeting in Denver of the National Coalition of Clubs, a gathering of representatives from motorcycle clubs and motorcycle ministries from all over the United States. It is certainly no secret that many of these “clubs” do not play well with each other and have much different ideas.  However, I feel that they present many great examples that could benefit the churches and ministries, especially when it come to jealous ambition.  Now, we can stick our heads in the sand and claim that jealousy and ambition does not exist in the Christian community, although it shouldn’t, but we would only be deceiving ourselves.  Jealousy and ambition between denominations, local churches and pastors have fueled many heartaches for not only congregations but communities as well , and have provided much ammunition for the enemy to fire back at professed Christian and like efforts emphasizing our inability to work together and even duplicate ministries and not pooling resources to solve a single problem.

The biker community demonstrated an amazing and yet simple solution to deal with many situations that are shared by the clubs and efforts that they all have an interest in, they pooled resources and energy to bring about legislation and solutions to those joint concerns.  They put aside those things that separate them and instead of jealousy and their own ambition, they displayed unity for a shared cause.  Knowing that effort, cash resources, and the energy of many will accomplish much more than everyone trying to do their own thing, they ban together for the greater good of all.

Just think how powerful the effort and results would be for the Kingdom if all the denominations and ministries pooled their resources toward winning people to Christ, to feeding the homeless and needy, to fighting the efforts of the enemy.  Just think of, even within many of the same organizations how many times efforts are duplicated because of selfish ambition.  Resources are stretched thin because so many duplicate ministries seek the same funding, and churches within the same denomination seek to outdo each other as they attack the same problems, realizing as they are blinded by jealousy that an army divided is so much more easily conquered.   I realize that the use of warfare language may put off “church folk” but we must realize that we are involved in the greatest war in the universe, that of leading people away from the gates of hell to the loving and eternal life in Jesus Christ, above and beyond our own ambition, this should always be paramount.  The Word reminds us that for one to promote their own jealousy and ambition they expose themselves to the opportunity of attack by evil and corruptness.  Ambition and jealousy are the hiding place of deadly seeds of evil.  Let each of us put aside any seeds of jealousy and personal ambition and take a lesson from the biker community and pool our resources for the battle and realize the power of unity in any and all efforts.

NOTW,  Yours In Christ Jesus,
Bro. Mike

May 04

Ministry Tips and Tools: Effective Ministry part 5: Christian Leadership

Col. 1:15-18 tells us that Christ is the Head of the Church. Christ is the head and we, as leaders, must get the mind of Christ.

What counts is not what we want, not what our friends want, not even what the church members or those we minister to want. It is what Christ wants for our church and ministry that counts. That may sound foolish to some in light of the fact that many churches vote on what the church is going to do. Our job as Christian leaders is to lead our people into the vison God has for the church. We have to remember the Church is not a democracy but a theocracy. Christ is the Head.

Because the Israelites voted for what they wanted instead of following God’s direction, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Some churches and ministries have been wandering for years because they are doing their thing instead of following God’s calling.

As Christian leaders, we must gain influence over those we lead. We do that by becoming servant leaders. The first thing people want to know about leaders is do they care for me? The old saying, “people do not care what you know until they know that you care” is still true today. People do not care what the name on your church is or the name of your ministry, they want to know if you care about their well-being.

Other things people expect from their leaders:

  1. Honesty: Followers expect transparency in communications and honesty in actions. A leader’s behavior should be the same in the home, the work place, and in the world as it is in the church. People want an honest life style: consistency between what we say and what we do.

There is an old saying: What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you are saying.

  1. Forward Looking: Followers expect their leaders to be competent and forward looking. Leaders must lead and they must know where they are leading the people. They must have a God-given vision for the people and lead them in fulfilling it. Vision gives people a sense of direction and security for the future.

  2. Inspirational: Followers expect their leaders to be inspirational. Leaders must communicate the vision with enthusiasm, energy, and a positive attitude about the future. Remember, if you do not believe in the vision, no one else will!

What does God expect from His leaders? To be the best servants possible and to serve the people by preparing them for ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12)

As a Christian leader, I would encourage all of you to read and mediate on 1 Peter 5:1-11 which give you scriptural guidelines for Christian leadership.

Christian leaders should be willing leaders. They do not take the position for dishonest gain nor for power over the people. We are to be a godly example to those God has entrusted to us. We are to humble ourselves before God and seek his guidance as we lead the people. We are to cast our cares upon him and He will show us the way we should go. Above all, we must be sober and vigilant to protect our people and ourselves from the Devil who is always looking for opportunities to attack our people.

We must stay alert! Satan will always try to attack at our weakness point. Remember, as leaders, we must respond to problems promptly. Small problems become big problems when not addressed. Avoid putting the problem off until another day. The biggest “religious” way of avoiding a problem in church meetings is prayer! That’s right, I said prayer. This is what I hear when a problem folks don’t want to deal with comes up, “Let pray about it”! What they are really saying is let’s hope it goes away before the next meeting. Yes, we must pray about but we must also deal with it. It will not go away; it will only get bigger and usually bring more people into the situation.

Some other things I would suggest you do as leaders are:

  1. Have a policy book; especially if you have other people leading in addition to you. A policy book will bring consistency to your ministry. For example, one church did not have a policy book, so someone asked one leader if they could use church chairs at one of their family reunions. The leader said yes, another time another person asked a different leader the same thing and the answer was no. This caused hurt and confusion. Having a policy book will help avoid these kinds of problems. Always remember you can change policy in the future.

  1. Do not put negative people on your board. What I mean by that are those people who never see anything positive about life. What I do not mean, is those people who challenge your thinking. Challengers are invaluable to you. But those who never see anything good in life will drag you and the ministry down.

  1. Lastly, I encourage you to follow the Biblical priority for the use of your time.

  1. First, quiet time with God. Your most important relationship here on earth is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Spend time daily with him.

  2. Second, take care of your family’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs. Men taking care of your family needs is more than “putting bread on the table” We must take care on their Spiritual and Emotional needs. We must become the husband and father God call us to be. We must be Godly leaders in our household.

  3. Third, fulfill your ministry calling.

If you get these priorities out of order, you will have problems.

Let us get the mind of Christ in all things we do. I have found anything I do in my flesh does no good for me or anyone else.

Next time I will do a teaching on Enjoying the Journey.

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

Book I would recommend: Feeding and leading by Kenneth O. Gangel

May 04

Bro Mike: A Little Kneeology May 1 Post “Get out of my way and let me be God!”

Psalm 46:10 (NLT) 10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I sometimes take this verse to mean to me, “Get out of my way and let me be God!” or “Get out of the way and I will show you who I am”.   Either way, we, whether we admit it or not, will find ourselves the greatest obstacle in the way of God’s work.  It is not that He can’t or won’t overcome our being the obstacle but He does find it necessary for us to realize, for our own well being, that He is God and capable without us.  In fact, it is often the problem of many of our ministry efforts, that we get in the way of God’s working by displaying little or no faith, or altering His blueprint for the ministry to which He calls us or a great factor, going on anyhow even though He didn’t call us.

Overzealous church folk kept me from knowing God through Jesus Christ for almost half of my adult life.  Plain and simple, they got in the way by their own designs of God’s design for my life.   It was the God of the church that I was seeking to know, not the church!  I wanted to know Christ, not religion or churchliness.

I was turned off by preachers who wanted the tell me about their church, as I was wanting to hear about God and the path to Him.  Likewise, I am more interested in how God is using a certain ministry to meet the needs of the people and introduce them to Him through Christ than I am about pedigrees and degrees of the ministers.  They can only be a blessing if they get out of the way and let God bless them.   It is just my opinion, but, I feel the success and failure of many of today’s ministries are determined  by their willingness to let be God be God.  I learned a long time ago that at any board or council meeting I attend or have anything to do with organizing, I invite God to be the moderator.

I heard a biker minister say concerning his club’s success in ministry was that they kept JC in charge of the MC.  In other words, they stepped aside from themselves and allowed God to be God.    One aspect of doing so is that the successful-ness of the ministry is that God does not fail; God does not run out of money; God does not allow the world to interfere with what He has determined to do. Therefore, if we will step aside from self and let God be God, if the ministry-calling and work is of His design, it will be a success in accordance to the way He measures success.

It is an awesome thing when He even takes over something we designed and redesigns it for His purpose, once we get out of the way.   In some of the problems that folks have shared with me concerning their ministries, it is often very visible that they are in the way of God doing a powerful work with their mess, and once again, I say it is awesome how He will take our messes and work miracles.   Far too often as we begin a partnership with God in our ministries, He becomes a silent partner or we seek the controlling interest.    I often pray to God for Him to not be subtle in letting me know when to shut up and be still, when to get out of the way and let Him be God.

Yours in Christ,  NOTW

Bro. Mike

Apr 27

Continuing to PRAY FOR OUR NATION – Bishop Bob Coulter

Dear Friends,

As I continue to pray for our nation, I am reminded of Daniel 2:20-23. And I am praying that God will change the times and the seasons for our nation. God reminded me in my quiet time that whatever He speaks is. One word from God will change the circumstances. Pray that He will remove ungodly leaders and raise up Godly reformers. Let us continue to praise him for the revelation He gives us and then let us act on the revelation.

Dan 2:20-23 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. 23 “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” NKJV

What is your prayer for our nation?

Lord, heal our land,

Bishop Bob Coulter

Apr 21

Bishop Coulter: Pray for the Nation – An Appeal to Heaven from Judy Tatum

Judy Tatum who is heading up the National Day of Pray in Louisville, GA has shared her thought on praying for our nation. Please see below. It is worth the read.

Appealing to Heaven for our nation,

Bishop Bob Coulter

__________________________________________

AppealToHeavenFlagFor several years, our ministry has put together the National Day of Prayer for Jefferson County Ga. Our town, Louisville is the County Seat and the Courthouse is only 3 blocks from our house and ministry…Dove Tracks. I believe being in Louisville…because it is the county seat… gives us authority in the spirit realm as we pray and make decrees over our area.

This year the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention the flag…AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN and this will be our main focus. This flag, that few seem to know anything about, has a rich place in our history as a Christian nation. If you were in doubt that America was founded on Christianity… this piece of history makes clear what at least one of our forefathers had in mind.

 

In 1775 before we had our Stars and Stripes, we had…AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN Flag…commissioned under George Washington’s authority as our Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. This flag was originally used by a squadron of 6 cruisers… during the American Revolutionary War. It was also used by Massachusetts’ navy vessels in addition to privateers sailing from Massachusetts. This became the flag of their state navy.

 

The phrase “Appeal to Heaven” suggests that after all other alternatives of seeking justice have been exhausted, only an “appeal to heaven” remains.

Dutch Sheets has a mandate from the Lord to take this message around America to call us back to prayer. You can listen to him share about the flag and the dreams that people have had about him and the APPEAL TO HEAVEN flag at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3w8CnD6j5E This is a now word for America! Our hope lies in our praying!

And that is what the National Day of Prayer is all about! We don’t look to anyone to save us we look to God! We aren’t looking to a president…we are not looking to a political party…we are looking to the ONE Who is Faithful and True! We believe Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. We believe 2 Chronicles 7:14 that IF we…God’s people turn from wickedness…humble ourselves…seek His face through prayer…HE WILL hear us and HE will heal our land.

 

Many of His people are being obedient to this scripture…at least a faithful remnant… and because He keeps His promises I’m expecting Him to reach down and heal this land we call America! I would encourage you to find out when the National Day of Prayer is being held in your county and join them. If there is not a scheduled National day of Prayer in your county contact the National Day of Prayer and volunteer to be your county coordinator!

Apr 16

Ministry Tips and Tools: Effective Ministry part 4: TEAM

 

In the last Tips and Tools, I spoke about vision; today, I will share a very important tool for the success of your ministry vision. That tool is TEAM. Most effective ministry leaders have a team around them to help the ministry grow. Team members should be people who can strengthen your weak areas or blind spots.

If you think you don’t have a blind spot or weakness, that is your first blind spot. Everybody has them including me. Thank God I have people around me who are strong where I am weak and consequently make the ministry stronger.

Most beginning ministries cannot afford to hire staff so look for volunteers. I am presently reading the book Churchless by the Barna Group in which they state that there are eighteen million born-again churchless Christians who are looking for a broad range of outreach and in-reach ministry options. These are people who are tired of playing church and want to do something meaningful with their time and lives.

The first rule in choosing volunteers is to look for people who are interested and motivated. Never try to talk someone into doing a job. If they are not interested and motivated, you will get a poor job performance. What usually happens is that you have to replace them which causes hurt and embarrassment. Many have left the church and some the faith because they were forced into a position and then replaced abruptly because they were not performing adequately.

In order to keep people motivated and interested, involve them in planning the project. It’s one thing to say to a person, “God called us to evangelize this neighborhood; here are some tracts – go pass them out.” But it is another thing to say “God called us to evangelize this neighborhood; how do you think we should do it?” The latter one gets them involved in ownership of the project. It will also allow you to, at some point, to turn the project over to them so God can use you in another area. That is how ministries grow.

When recruiting volunteers, be realistic about how much time you are asking them to donate. This is especially important for those who have families. If we say, for example, that the activity will only take two hours and it takes four, we could cause a volunteer to miss a family activity and could create a family problem, especially if the spouse is not a believer.

Another thing that is important is to tell your volunteers who their co-workers will be. Why? Because, although we Christians are to love each other, the reality is that some cannot work with each other. Personalities do clash; we need to be aware of conflict and as leaders, address it quickly. Small problems become big problems if not addressed quickly.

It is important to have a good training program. Ideally, the mentor should be someone who has done the job. Good training programs and procedures are invaluable to make your ministry more effective.

Lastly, I would like to talk to you about ‘Judas syndrome’. When my wife Ginny and I first started leading TMCI, we visited many TMCI ministries. Much to our disappointment, we discovered many had stopped their ministries. The main reason for stopping was they “laid hands on someone too quickly”. I am not talking about new converts; I am talking about supposedly mature Christians who came into their ministry from another ministry or church. These migrating Christian said that they agreed with the vision of the ministry, but the reality was they did not agree and frequently had other motives.

I believe that Judas betrayed Christ because He wanted to force Christ to set up his physical kingdom on earth, He did not understand that Christ was here to set up his Spiritual kingdom.

When new people come into your ministry, have them walk with you for at least six months to a year before putting them in leadership. You need to find out what baggage they are bringing with them. If they come from a church split, they may be bringing that rebellious spirit with them. You will need to minister to them to help them get over the hurt.

You need to check if their doctrine lines up with your doctrine. Several years ago, a pastor laid hands on a couple too quickly so that they would help him. He introduced the couple to the community. When the new couple found out he was pentecostal and they were not, they proceeded to tell everyone he was of the devil. It completely ruined his reputation and that of his ministry in that area. Nine years of hard work was destroyed in three months. Never be in a rush to fulfill a position with someone you have not tested.

Next time, I am going to share some thoughts on how to raise money for your ministry.

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

 

Suggest Book:

 The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell

 

 

 

 

 

Apr 07

Blow the Trumpet! An URGENT Call to Pray and Fast: We are in a great war for the soul of our country

Bishop Bob Coulter: Just a Thought

Dear Friends,

As most of you know the Scripture God gave me for TMCI this year is Isa 60:1-3
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.  3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.  NKJV
I see God fulfilling this scripture through TMCI ministries with over 11,000 salvations so far this year and many signs and wonders reported on monthly reports.  However, you will note that I underlined verse two in Isaiah. I feel that there is a deep darkness on our nation and we as Christians must shine our light into this darkness.
God has had me in Joel for the last two weeks. Joel 2: 1-2 says:
 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
This trumpet was blown to warn the people that the Day of the Lord was coming. As you know the Day of the Lord is when God brings judgement on the earth. As Christians, we must blow that trumpet of alarm for our country. We are in a great war for the soul of our country and my concern is that most Christian do not have a clue as to what is happening.
I am concerned for our nation and for God’s people.  The major thing I see wrong in this country is greed. People are only concerned about their own needs and wants. It reminds me of the time of the judges when everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
The result of that type of mindset is sin against God. Some of the sins of our nation are: 1. The sacrifice of our children to Baal – it’s called abortion, 2. Rampant sexual immorality including acceptance of homosexuality behavior. It breaks my heart to see denominations bow to the homosexual movement and turn their backs on God and His Word. During the last election we, as a nation, voted for a platform that endorsed homosexual behavior and we released the homosexual spirit upon our nation. Since that election, that spirit has taken over the nation. 3. Ignorance.  People do not care about the things of God: they have a “just entertain me” attitude.
I believe God’s judgment on our nation has started. Look at the drought in California and violent weather patterns in other areas of our country. God is trying to get our attention but we conveniently pass it off as climate change. Who is changing the climate?! Another judgement that God brings on a nation is weak leaders. The Republican and Democratic leadership in this country is in chaos at the best. Pray for godly reformers. Viruses such as measles that once were eliminated have resurfaced. The HIV virus has come back; in some areas (like Indiana) it has reached epidemic proportions.
Another thing we see in a society that is crumbling is public attacks against Christians. Most of you heard about the legislation in Indiana and Arkansas that would protect Christian business people who did not wish to participate in a homosexual wedding ceremony because of their religious beliefs. This bill was not about homosexual rights but religious rights. It is interesting that a person went to a Muslim bakery in Detroit, Michigan and asked them to bake a cake for their homosexual ceremony. The baker refused on religious grounds. The person went to the local newspaper and the response he got was zero. It is not an attack on religion that we are seeing but an attack on Christians!
I feel strongly that as Christians we must blow the trumpet to warn the people of the United States that unless they repent, judgement will continue on our nation. Speak boldly in love to your sphere of influence and pray and fast for our nation. I think we are in a very critical time in our nation’s history and frankly it is not the politicians who will right the ship but the Christians.
2 Chron 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  NKJV
I feel the fate of our nation lies in the hands of God’s people; I am encouraging you to pray and fast for our nation. I am asking all TMCI to come together and pray and fast for our nation for the next month ending on May 7. May 7 coincides with the National Day of Prayer; and, if possible, I encourage you to join the Christians in your area for the National Day of Prayer meeting. If you cannot join the meeting (like me – I will be on a plane to Zimbabwe), take the time to pray wherever you are.
In my quiet time this morning this is what I received from the Lord:
It is time to blow the trumpet. Warn the people that judgement has come and will continue unless they repent. Like Israel I have given them signs and wonders, but they do not see My hand. I will not be mocked, but will continue to bring the heathen to their knees. My people who are called by my name must speak out boldly and pray and fast for this nation or it will perish.
We are in a great battle for this nation; it is only through God’s grace and mercy that the United States will survive. Let us pray earnestly for our nation.
In prayer for the nation,
Bishop Bob Coulter

Apr 04

A Little Kneeology April 3, 2015

 

A Little Kneeology  ……..Luke 4:23 (NLT)   Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’

 

Have you ever noticed that the mechanic’s car is usually in worse shape than yours, or just how badly the house painter’s own house needs painting?  I have a grandson who manages a super, high-tech car wash, running over a 1000 cars a day, yet his car is always a mess.     This week as I was counseling a young man about not letting the stress and demands of his work cause him health problems and even family difficulties.  Afterwards, I took a little time, probably too little, and examined the advise that I had given and was reminded of the above Scripture.  Likewise, I felt the need to share with you who are involved in ministry of one form or another.  As I read the many prayer request that come across my desk each week, I sense with many a high degree of stress and anxiety, even in some cases, negativity and expectation of failure.  Here we are, advising others, counseling, pointing out this Scripture or that to go to so that we might have discernment in that which God wants us to do.  Just think about how many times you advise others to go and read their Bibles and just talk to God.  Likewise, just think how many times you tell them to lean on God for their answer, maybe even saying, “Let loose and let God.”

We are quick to speak and repeat the teachings of Christ Jesus in how we are to handle that which seeks to stress us, to rob us of not only our joy, but in some cases our health and relationships.

I remembered a time in my own ministry when my study was in my parsonage, right where I lived.  One day my wife my wife was speaking to me about an issue with one of my children.  I complained about not knowing about it sooner.  She reminded me that the family as a whole had not seen me in days.  My reply was that I had been busy with ministering to folks and counseling some families.  Here was my own family and myself in need  of the same counseling I had been sharing with others.

I think that often we in the ministry are more interested in trying to keep lives on the right track that we neglect “to paint our own house” or “keep our own car running.”

My mom had a restaurant for years, a really nice one with great food.  I noticed she was loosing weight, in my opinion too much.  I cautioned her about it and she said that she was around food so much that she just neglected to eat.  I laughingly cautioned her about being a chef and starving to death.  Are we in the ministry failing to feed ourselves?  I suggest each of you take a look at all that is consuming your energy and time and just calculate how much of both go towards yourself and your family.  Let some of these miracles of healing take place in your own lives and in the lives of your loved ones.  Amen?

 Yours in Christ,  NOTW   Bro. Mike

 

Apr 04

A Little Kneeology March 27, 2015

A Little Kneeology ……..Matthew 5:5 (NKJV) “Blessed are the meek……

 

It seems like the word “meek” has come to be misunderstood in present day to mean “wimpy”. Consequently, because of the misinterpretation by both the world and many Christians, we have come to think that it more acceptable for the Christian to shrink back from taking firm stances in regards to other belief systems, politics, and world views. I, personally, find myself not one of great tolerance when it comes to lying politicians, folks speaking against the truths of the Word, or even being very tolerant of beliefs that contradict the Word of God. As Christians, born again believers, or maybe better defined as believers who have been converted and committed to being a follower of Jesus Christ, we have been given a spirit of boldness and power assisted in all things for the Kingdom by the Holy Spirit. It seems like so many professed Christians take more of what I call an “Eeyore” attitude when it comes to taking a stance concerning oppositional beliefs or behavior. Eeyore just accepts everything just as it is with no desire to try and change it because that is just the way it is. In fact, he is a bit pessimistic, and non-confrontational. When we study the word “meek” translated in both the Greek and Hebrew, when we connect its use to folks like Jesus and Moses, and even David in his later years, it seems like it is better defined as “power under control”. It seems as though meekness as Jesus speaks about it in His teachings carries with it an assurance of truth, a confidence that emits from one that speaks for itself. It would seem that if one displays such “meekness” it in itself witnesses to the power of God and the assurance of one’s salvation.   As I was studying the word as it is used by Jesus, I began to wonder if in my own walk, “Do I display the spirit of meekness as spoken of by Jesus?”   It would seem that if we had such a spirit, our witness would require very few words. As I asked the above questions , I also asked if my ministry projected a spirit of meekness, therefore, showing that I was operating in and with controlled power and assurance.   If so, did that meekness display when things get a little binding or in confrontations?   I found myself praying for a strong anointing of meekness in both my life and ministry, so much more of that controlled power of God’s Holy Spirit, realizing that such is the power to confront and overcome that which the world and the enemy throws out in front of us seeking to trip us up. Join me in like prayer. Amen?

Yours in Christ, NOTW   Bro. Mike