Prophecy Fulfilled

At the beginning of 2008, Iosmar Alvarez, Eliseo Mejia and I had lunch. We began to pray and prophesy. 2008 was going to be a breakthrough year for our ministries.

It was madness. It sure did not look like 2008 was going to be anything but humiliation and the fulfillment of the prophecies that said I was running this place into the ground. The Rock was down to about 200 in worship. But even below the surface, the places where the pastor's eye sees, it wasn't good. Serious dissent and division. Hidden or not-so-hidden agendas behind smiles. Gossip, strife. People leaving.

As the year went on, it got worse. The numbers picked up, but beneath the surface, and often bubbling up to the surface, was ugliness. More gossip and strife. Attempts to attack and undermine. More people leaving.

But then, in the summer, it all broke apart. Next thing we knew, we have a new, united service on Sunday morning. An evangelistic outreach service on Monday nights. A more thorough-going ministry to the poor, building relationships not just handing out help or creating mascots out of the two or three poor folks we knew. The garden was better than ever. Sunday Schools started up. A new church coming together in the Woodland Park/Downtown area. And then, we hit 400 people in weekly worship.

The Holy Spirit brings revival and withholds revival, so don't look at me to figure out some new strategy or great plan to make this work somewhere else. I run what I brung and trust God for the rest. So I won't ask for another lunch at Chili's to make outrageous predictions for 2009.

May we be used by God for whatever He knows is best. If it is for glory, so be it. For dishonor in the eyes of the world, I love it.