Parenting in Perilous Times | A Biblical Perspective

Allow me to start with planting an urgency in your heart, soul and mind about the times in which we are living. Never before has the world seen the amount of wickedness that we are being inundated with. Christians are under attack whether we want to admit it or not. There will be no end to this until Jesus Christ Himself raptures us from this wicked, wicked world. We have no time for spineless relationships with God and prayerless homes. We are living within reach of that blessed hope of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Through personal experience, years of observation, as well as being raised by a God fearing disciplinary mother that never went to Church regularly while raising us; I've witnessed a lot of stuff that works in parenting and a lot that doesn't.

This blog post is not to tell you about the do's and don'ts of parenting, but rather it hopes to equip you with principles, that if applied can strengthen your family even during these perilous times that we are living in. Since Pastoring I've witnessed young adults on both ends of the spectrum. Some live for God with their whole heart, some are as defiant as the devil because that's exactly what they've seen mom and/or dad do.

Paul told the Church at Rome that there "is no power but of God". Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 that "all power" was now His. If there is NO POWER outside of God giving it, it would be easy to say that we are subject to Him; either now or later, one way or the other. Shouldn't our desire be to please Him?

Parenting can sometimes feel like you're walking through a maze, dizzy and blindfolded in the dark. Kids change as they grow. Outside of the gene pool, their personalities are shaped by the environment in which they're immersed. Thankfully there are some constants that we can rely on to steady us in the days, weeks, months & years ahead. That's where I want to jump off from with 5 fundamental principles to teach and abide by in your families.


1) The Bible has to be the absolute authority for you, your family & home. It must be the centerpiece of your home. It must be read individually and as families. Your kids need to have memories of growing up reading the Bible.
-You, your spouse and your children must know that the Bible is the most important literary work in the history of mankind. It's not just "another book". It's God's divine and Holy impartation to a creation that He loves more than any other.
-If the Bible is right then there's no room for another ruling authority in your moral code. I haven't found a single thing, morally or Spiritually speaking, that I haven't been able to answer, or at the very least find a principle for in scripture.
-If you don't deem the Bible as God's Holy, unadulterated Word from all the ages to all the ages, then there's no need to read further. The Bible must be your compass to direct you and your family in all things.



2) In our current societal psychology, we must know what the original plan of God was for humans and the original design that He had in mind. We are being challenged on many levels on this topic.
-God created man in His likeness. Ponder on that before reading any further. God, the Almighty, made us in His likeness. No other creation in the universe has that honor and responsibility, other than humans.
-We must appreciate our God designed roles. When God first created Adam and Eve, Genesis 5:2 says that He called their name Adam. God desired that the man and woman be so knitted together that they would share a common name, to be inseparable. Then sin happened. Sin separates us from God, sin separated Adam and Eve's divine closeness.
-It wasn't until the early 1900's when our ladies had to leave the home to work that the moral fabric of our nation began to crumble from within, and it hasn't stopped. This isn't a male chauvinist pig statement, it's a statement honoring the irreplaceable role that wives play in keeping the home. Men, we don't have what it takes, I know that will hurt your pride, but thank God that He gave us a help meet to hold us together! Men, go to work and provide for your wife and children.
-Don't despise your role, honor it by living it out as God designed it. It works!

Genesis 5:1-2King James Version (KJV)

5 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

3) We must be connected to a body of Spirit Filled Bible believers. When God designed the Church, He designed it to be His Bride. 

-If you want to be a part of the Bride, you have to be a part of the Body; and vice versa. 

-Your children will acquire strength from being connected to the Body of Christ. Youth Programs, Sunday School classes, Youth camps & retreats, Youth prayer meetings and so forth, will foster life long relationships with other people of like passion and vision and will help to mold your children into productive members of God's Body. (I find it necessary to say this here; I would love to say that no young person has ever gone astray, but they have, even when raised in ideal circumstances. By the time that they come of age, we need to be certain that we've done everything humanly possible to instill Biblical principles in their life that will take them through those tumultuous years of young adulthood)

-Whatever or whomever you allow into your child's life will be the ones that shapes your offspring into who they will become as adults. It's critical to surround them with God fearing and Spirit filled people that will draw them closer to God and further from the world.

-This may be the most critical item in this whole blog post. In order for you to be saved, a Pastor has to give an account for your soul. It's in our best interest that they are able to do so with joy. It starts with you as a parent to submit to the covering of a Pastor. Teach your children the importance of this. Don't come home from Church and have the Pastor for dinner. You need Him watching for your soul. This is downplayed in our society due to the well of pride. Apply this scripture to this principle. If you don't have a Pastor, who is watching for your soul? 

Hebrews 13: 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

4) I remember growing up that the Nike shoe company had a slogan, they may still use it. Just do it! This is the same slogan I use for prayer. We've overcomplicated prayer. 

-Teach your children to pray. How? When you pray, bring them with you to your place of prayer. My 2 year old now comes down beside of me when I kneel, places his face in his hands and bows his head. Remember he's 2. How does he know to do this? He's witnessed his daddy & mama. It's that simple. Kids learn by example. 

-Don't be intimidated to use words that are bigger than your vocabulary. God doesn't sit with a dictionary to make sure that your words are measuring up to dictionary.com's word of the day; but He is looking into the origin of that prayer. Your kids don't have to hear big words while you're praying, what they need to hear is a sincere prayer and you pouring your heart out to a God that's bigger than your problems. 

-Your prayer life can be cultivated at home and at Church. So can your children's prayer life.

5) Finally, reinforce what you have taught them by living it in front of them. There's a high price tag on this principle. 

-If you are wishy washy; in today and out tomorrow your kids will lose confidence in what you are saying and the whole Church scene. 

-Those children need to know that we're in this for the long haul and this is the way. We're not Church hopping, we're prayer warriors. We live, eat and breathe the Word of God. We live Holy unto the Lord all the time, not just at Church. Consistency, consistency & consistency!

-Children subconsciously beg for stability in the home. A double minded man is unstable in all of his ways. To a young child, parental instability creates chaos in their minds. They're confused because just last month you told them the Bible is true, but today you're living like the Bible is a fairy tale. 

Pray that God will pour concrete over your feet as you stand on His Word and the principles and laws that it teaches. This is not an end all, know it all guide to parenting. It's a few principles that I've seen work, most notably in my Pastor and his family for generations. 

My desire is that this helps someone in the chaotic, perilous times that we're living in. 

I pray God's blessings upon you in the only saving Name of Jesus Christ!

Did you HEAR it?

How can something so vital to salvation mean so much to so many different people? We could spend all day formulating ideas and thoughts as to why, but here's the question that I want you to ask yourself. Did you HEAR IT?

Hear what? I'm glad you asked.

The question isn't whether a person must be born again in most religious circles. The unanswered question seems to be how a person is born again and if there's any immediate evidence of this new birth that Jesus said we had to experience in John 3, otherwise we could not see OR enter Heaven.

More specifically, there's a great divide and debate in religious circles all over the earth as to when someone is born of the Spirit of God. I personally have a background in a denomination that taught that you received the Holy Ghost once you "accepted the Lord as your Savior". (Spirit of God, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Christ are all synonymous terms that can be interchanged without meaning anything different)          

It wasn't until a few years of being absent from this teaching that I was introduced to scripture that I was never taught and never searched out for myself. I only listened to what was preached and/or taught in my Church and thought that was all that I needed to do. My testimony of conversion comes from a black man full of zeal that brought his Bible and laid it at the end of the tables where we worked and would teach me scripture; a whole new revelation. It had always been there, but no one ever took the time to show it to me, and I, regretfully being in my late teens had no desire to spend the time searching for this on my own. I thought that I was saved with a prayer years before.

One day I was approached by someone and they asked me the question "Did you HEAR IT?". In ignorance of the question I thought that I missed something that they said. Then they explained that Jesus told folks in scripture that they would hear it when they were born of the Spirit. I was perplexed.

So I set out to prove them wrong! Then I found these scriptures.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. -John 3:8

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 (Ironic?: Jesus mentioned the wind was like the Spirit, and that's what they HEARD at the first outpouring! I think not, it's exactly what Jesus said and the way He said)

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Acts 10:45-46 (note: they HEARD THEM)

And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.-Acts 11:15 (The beginning was in Acts 2, and they HEARD THEM then, they heard them again!)

(See additional scriptural references at the bottom of this blog)

What I set out to do was actually reversed and I found myself, in obedience to the Bible, opening up to something entirely different....but entirely Biblical. 

I then set out to experience the same thing as they did in the Bible. It took me nearly a year to experience this Heavenly experience. I would dream about being in services where I would be born of the Spirit in the dream with the evidence of speaking in tongues. But a dream wouldn't suffice. I wanted to HEAR IT with my ears. Then it happened!

I've had many people tell me that I'm wrong in believing that this is being born of the Spirit. But, I've found peace in knowing that this is exactly what Jesus desired for us and it's what the 120 experienced in the upper room, it's what Peter preached, it's what Paul preached and experienced (I Corinthians 14:18), it's what John's disciples experienced in Acts 19, it's what the early Pentecostal pioneers experienced on Azusa Street in Los Angeles in the early 1900's, it's what I experienced and the many hundreds have experienced that I've heard since coming into this great experience in 2002. 

I want to encourage you to answer the question that we started with. Did you HEAR IT? Did you hear it when you were born of the Spirit? There is an absolute distinction between this birth and repentance, and between this birth and water baptism. 

If you would like to have a Bible study on this topic or another Biblical topic please contact me at pastor@maysville.cc or by phone at 606-584-7010 (call or text)

God Bless you as you begin this great journey of being born of the Spirit! 

In His Service, 

Pastor Brian D. Young

TurningPoint Apostolic Church of Maysville, KY

Apostolic Pentecostal Church of Manchester, OH

Additional scripture references: Romans 8:26, Acts 19:1-5, Acts 2:33, Acts 2:42

           

God's Thoughts on the Clothes Line

This is a compilation of conversations that I've had recently concerning God's thoughts on clothing. I've tried to reference scripture to support my thoughts on this since what God thinks is a lot more important than what I think. I pray that this helps to give direction and settle any questions that you may have about this topic. I also understand that there are many other great men with greater laurels than I have that could provide much more insight into this topic. This is not an end all on this topic, but rather just scratching the surface. 

I further realize that this is a highly debated topic that seems to create contention in many. If you do not agree with the scripture references or this blog my only plea with you concerning this is that you will sincerely pray and ask God for guidance. He will not leave you hanging if you sincerely desire His direction in this. I also ask that you hold any negative verbal attacks on anyone else that may comment on this blog or any other social media site that it may appear on. God Bless you as you read. 

Deuteronomy 22:5 says, The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

From my understanding of the Old Testament, the law is divided into 2 parts. One is ceremonial, the other is moral law. The ceremonial was fulfilled, or accomplished once Jesus came & died. We are now the temple and Jesus the supreme sacrifice, therefore the ceremonial is no longer applicable. However the moral law, which Deuteronomy 22:5 falls under, is still applicable.

In Job 38 & Job 40, Job was instructed to "gird up LIKE A MAN". Making a clear statement that there was a distinction in how a man should "gird" up and how a woman should.

Job 38:2-3 King James Version (KJV)

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Job 40:6-8 King James Version (KJV)

6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

There was undoubtedly a difference in the robes. But "breeches", what we now call britches, were designated for the male gender only. This is not something that a Church group came up with. God HIMSELF authored it. We aren't dealing with male chauvinist pigs or a leader in the feminist movement when discussing this, we're dealing with the Lord of Glory. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords. The Great I Am!

Nearly 9 centuries after Deuteronomy was written you can still see where breeches were being worn by men only.

Ezekiel 44 18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins;

There is absolutely nothing in the New Testament to indicate that God had a different thought on how clothing should be gender specific. As a matter of fact when the soldiers were led into the garden of Gethsemene Judas told them "I'll kiss the one that you need to take away". That tells me that Jesus Himself evidently had on similar clothing than any other man would have on in that group.

If we look at all of this from merely a cultural viewpoint we are opening a can of worms that we don't have the authority to do, in my humble opinion, in light of the scriptural viewpoint. If everything is culturally based, then men can wear skirts/dresses. How would that be accepted in our Church world? If we can't accept men in dresses/skirts then why would we even begin to think that a woman in pants is permissible? Are the shows that the drag queens participate in ok? If not, why? Culture accepts this.

I think that we have entered a time that scripture has been so long neglected that things scripture forbids is now appears permissible. But from that standpoint, we should embrace the trinitarian baptismal formula. It's been around since 325 A.D.-God Forbid!

The only time that a pair of pants would cover more of the body than a skirt/dress is if the skirt/dress is immodest. That's clearly forbidden in scripture as much as cross dressing.

I am open to scriptural reference on when Jesus removed the distinction of dress.

If how we dress is based solely on cultural appeasement then where does the line get drawn on any other Biblical principle? What about the New Birth? Why can't homosexuals marry? Why should a woman not cut her hair? Why can't we kill babies in the womb, or even partially birthed? It's a right, right? It's accepted by culture, so.......

My suggestion is this-leave scripture alone! Let it stand for-IT IS WRITTEN. If we aren't careful we will dance away every core doctrine of scripture and before you know it we will not look any different, act any different, talk any different than any other religious movement in the world.

Psalm 119:88-90 King James Version (KJV)

88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

89 For ever, O Lord, thy WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN.

90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 King James Version (KJV)

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Do you see any room for changing God's thoughts on anything? Me either.

It's settled. The ink is dried.

God Bless you in Jesus Name!

Pastor Young

Heavy Hearted

I speak this as a heavy hearted Pastor just after midnight. As we are traveling back home my mind visited a familiar place of thought-eternity. 

Many religions dumb it down as they lull their parishioners to sleep with religious, rhetorical lullabies that's absent of any scriptural foundation. Those that do embrace eternity quietly give cheap pats on the back to maintain the legacy of those that have blindly went before them...with no regard to scriptural salvation. "My grandpa done this, so it must be absolutely true". Belief in grandma's salvation doesn't give you a head start to Heaven. Obeying scripture is what puts any of us on the roll that we be called up yonder. 

By the end of this week, Lord willing I will have attended 4 funerals/visitations and will have been involved in one of those. A stillborn baby. 

Eternity is long folks. Really really long. Never ending. No Rolex. No stopwatch. No gas pedal to speed it up, nor brake pedal to slow it down. 

We truly need an awakening. One to shake us to our innermost being. A revelation of the lake of fire that burns with fire & brimstone. A revelation of Calvary & the shed blood. (I'm so thankful Jesus didn't have a list of excuses as to why He couldn't make Calvary's appointment.) 

I know we're under the New Testament Church age that's powered by Grace. But Grace is not a way out, it's THE way in. This may be the only time you ever read or hear this-but there is no other way to Heaven other than being born of the water AND the Spirit. (John 3:3-5 & Acts 2:38)

If you haven't died a spiritual death at an altar of repentance you must. If you haven't been baptized by submersion in Jesus Name for the remission of sins, you must. If you haven't received the in filling of the Spirit like the experience in Acts 2, Acts 10 & Acts 19; you must. 

Get in. Excuse free. No negotiators will be allowed on our day of Judgement. 

I love you in Christ Jesus, The Lord of Glory. 

For Christ,

Pastor Brian D. Young 

I'm Overwhelmed by a Burden

By a burden for my region....my city....my street.

When I moved here 7 months ago I didn't realize the burden would intensify to the degree that it did.

Each time that I read a report from the newspaper or hear of another soul dying that we didn't reach the burden grows evermore. What more can I do personally, Lord to win my street, city & region to the Truths of your Word?

It was at the end of a long Saturday of outreach several months ago that I received a call from a man. He asked that we visit him as he had just received one of our doorhangers. As I hung the phone up God spoke to me and told me that this man had been contemplating suicide. We went to visit this man immediately. Not knowing exactly what we were walking into, I prayed all the way there. He met us on his front steps.

As we approached him tears began to flow down his cheeks from his wayward eyes. He invited us to come in. We prayed with him as I could feel the heaviness of the spirit of suicide lingering in the home. It was so real. Almost as if you could touch it with your hands. It seemed to wrap itself around you and engulf your emotions. When prayer was made and the Name of Jesus invoked I could feel the heaviness lift. As real as the spirit of suicide is, the Name of Jesus is even more real and even more powerful!

I asked him to go to a local restaurant to have a meal. As I sat down he asked me a question. "Pastor, has God showed you anything about me?" I said, Yes, you've been dealing with thoughts of suicide and God has a plan for your life.

The astounding look that appeared on his face was something that you rarely see on someone. Looking deep into his eyes I could see the despair, hunger & desparate cries of long sleepless nights and thoughts of lunging into eternity by his own hands. Confusion, yet relief, swept over him. Confusion from the enemy of his soul, yet relieved that he didn't have to remain confounded.

That was my 1st big experience with the spirit of suicide in this area. I believe it was that day that God pulled the veil on a dominant stronghold in our region to this young Apostolic Pastor. Since that day I've received reports of suicide attempt after suicide attempt. Many succesful in their pursuit of a duped exit from this natural realm. Some unsuccessful, to return only to the vices that catapulted them into their plight.

If you are suffering from this mental anguish I want to open myself up to you and our Church. There's only one true deliverance from the position that you find yourself in. Suicide is a spirit from the pits of hell and can only be broken and set free by the power of God.

As we draw closer and closer to the return of our Lord this spirit of deception, known as suicide, will intensify as satan continues his onslaught of the mortal as a way to gain the captive's eternal immortality. Below will have a list of ways that you can get in touch with me. Please DO NOT hesitate contacting me if you need help on your Spiritual journey.

Galatians 6:7

King James Version (KJV)

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Pastor Brian D. Young
TurningPoint Apostolic Church
1106 Forest Ave.
Maysville, KY 41056
606-584-7010 call OR text
pastor@maysville.cc
www.maysville.cc

The Things That I've Learned in Two Years

The title alone is surreal. Has it really been 2 years? March 4, 2014 will be the date.

God impressed me to write this blog the other day and I have been making notes since then. I do want to iterate that this is not an all inclusive list and should not be the expectation of your Church Planting, or similar endeavor.

There's just some things that are non-negotiable when it comes to this walking with God stuff. One is to never question God's voice. If it's God that you're hearing don't worry about the rest of it. He will make it happen. Your questioning doesn't validate God nor His omnipotence. Period.

I'm a quote fanatic and my favorite one at the moment is one that I seen on social media not long ago. "No one is greater than us". I can't do this Church thing as a one man show. I can't do everything that needs to be done in the Church, but the Church itself can. I've learned to empower people, it takes time but it allows you more time in the long term. Here's the kicker...people want to be used, but this is key-SET THE EXPECTATION. Never assume someone knows what you expect of them.

There's some people that want what I call in-directive positions. Simply a title but no true responsibility. They love to flaunt a title without pulling their weight in the overall direction of the Church. I've learned to use them in their strengths, try to develop them through their weakness and let God do the rest. God never called me to remold people, but he called me to lead them. It's not a bad thing if someone doesn't work in a position. That doesn't make them a bad person, it just simply means that their strength lies somewhere else.

Everyone that seems to have the gift of walking on water really don't. The super spiritual, holier than thou folks. You know...the ones that brags about how much they pray or how much that God uses them. These folks have to be handled carefully or they can cause much harm with little effort through this type of mentality, it's easy for others to latch a hold on it. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their super spirituality. What you do doesn't have to be sounded with a trumpet, God has ways of taking care of that.

Most folks that I've gotten to know in this Church plant truly want to be humble. Their desire is to like Christ, "Christ-Like", Christian. But one of the biggest things that I've learned in 2 years is being humble enough to apologize for things that you were unaware that you done, or said. I've found it much easier to apologize for something that you didn't do or are totally unaware of to keep ill feelings from being harbored. I know some in our movement have the mentality that this displays weakness in your position. I beg to differ, and God keeps record. Isn't it worth it to reconcile someone through a situation to see them saved versus the alternative?

From day 1 in our city we've been taunted, talked about and even told that people can't be saved in our Church. I'm so glad that God says differently. When Jesus said in Luke 6:28 to bless them that curse you, He said what He meant and meant what He said. It really works! My call isn't dependent upon what others opinions are...and for that I'm thankful!! It's one of the greatest feelings in the world to know that you are doing EXACTLY what God wants you to be doing. Are you doing what He wants you to do?

As a Church planter you learn to do without big buildings, a full suite of music...as a matter of fact you learn to have Church with NO music! You learn to have Church without new sound systems, a full Church staff, having the time to put into the Church that you feel like you need to. Here's the beauty-YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS TO HAVE CHURCH! The manifestation of the Holy Ghost has nothing to do with your sound system or whether or not your in a cathedral. The Spirit is made manifest when there's a hunger for the supernatural in you and your people. God wants it, we must also.

You can't afford, Spiritually, to have a bad Church service. Every service is like being on the front line of a heated battle. People are dying. People are making erroneous decisions. We DO NOT have time for ceremonial services with religious rhetoric. We are in a town that is heavily involved with traditional denominationalism. Very ceremonial. Fabricated by man. However, we MUST hear from the Almighty. We must hear a prophetic utterance from Heaven. Someone's eternal fate is in my hands when they're at my Church. We must treat it like that...every single service.

This is just a few things that I've learned in 2 years of planting a Church. Hope it helps, inspires and encourages someone. If you're a Church planter keep your head up and keep doing what God has placed upon you.

If you want to be a part of more than just another religion, you need to come to TurningPoint! Our anniversary services are less than 2 weeks away with some of the most dynamic preachers in Pentecost! Feb 28th - March 2nd.

In His Service,



Pastor Brian D. Young
TurningPoint Apostolic Church
606-584-7010
pastor@maysville.cc
www.maysville.cc

It was nearly 11 years ago that my wife and I first walked into an Apostolic Church. Both coming from denominational backgrounds this was different and at first, scared us. It was different, people shouted, people lifted their hands in worship....and then there was those tongues that I was always taught were not of God. But how could all of these people be wrong? They weren't!

So began our walk with God. It was a new dimension, it was more than tradition-it matched the Church that was in the Bible.

Fast forward to July 19^th, 2013. We accepted our call to ministry, we accepted the call of God to start a Church and now we have our 1^st “big” Revival scheduled. Our little Church that has been labeled backslidden by some in our town was serious about this revival. We prayed, fasted and sought God. We experienced great opposition. We experienced spiritual attacks during the week leading up to the Revival. But we continued praying, fasting and seeking God.

Bro. Tim Greene's name was given to me by a good friend in St. Louis. I was given a list of names but there was something that grabbed me and wouldn't let go when I heard Bro. Greene's name. Up to that, to my knowledge, I don't know that I've even heard his name. I picked him up on Friday morning without even really knowing what he looked like. We had a few previous conversations about the pick up times, pricing and such. That was it.

We arrived at the Church Friday night for Church. Really not knowing if anything great was going to happen. I was fighting a very tough Spiritual battle leading up to the Revival, to the very minute that service began. Major attacks of the mind was going on. Did I choose the right man or did I miss God? Will we have the breakthrough that we need as a Church? What's going to happen? Was the outreach and the Social Media Ad campaign just a waste?

It wasn't until the altar call that I knew something special was transpiring right before my eyes. After the music, after the announcements, after the exhorting from guest ministers...Bro. Greene got on the floor. He began to preach. I was expecting the Pentecostal fluff. The screaming that's generally called “good preaching”. The cookie cutter, recycled messages. But his approach was significantly different.

He preached a phenomenal message that touched the people. Did he get exuberant? Absolutely. But he connected to people. As he was finishing his message he asked everyone to get into a state of worship. That's easy for Apostolics, right? Right. But this worship opened the doors for the miraculous and the supernatural.

I feel great sorrow for the folks that haven't experienced Pentecost. There truly is nothing else that I would rather be. As Bro. Greene began to minister to individuals and prophesy to them I was taken back to I Corinthians 12 when Paul began to expound upon the gifts of the Spirit. Specifically verse 7, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”  To profit, or to gain. I witnessed people profiting from the manifestation of the Spirit that was in our sanctuary. It wasn't a show. It wasn't a put on. It was a genuine, heart felt move of God...like none that I had witnessed up to this point.

Folks began to weep as he spoke what God was revealing to him. As I overheard the prophecies I couldn't hold the weeping back. I stood in awe of God's wonder-working power. I've been to a lot of conferences, revivals, camp meetings, this meeting and that meeting. However, I never witnessed the pin point accuracy of prophecies and the gifts that's often not sought after, the Word of Wisdom & the Word of Knowledge. There's some things that folks had shared with me that only them and myself knew. But when God began to use His man that He sent to Maysville, KY there were things that transpired that I only heard talk of until then.

People were having breakthroughs that they thought were never possible. Some folks received long sought for confirmation for their lives. Others were placed on mountain tops after being in valleys for far too long.

I've been asked many times since the revival, “how did it go?”. I couldn't answer them with great detail due to the magnitude of the Heavenly bombshell that fell on all 3 Revival services. I'm still trying to sift through everything that God done...though I truly believe that eternity will be the only medium to convey the full effects of what transpired.

There were many that weren't there that needed to be. A few left without receiving what God wanted to give them. But most left with the greatest experience that they've ever had with our Savior. Regardless of what has been-TurningPoint Apostolic Church is marching towards a closer walk with God and ultimately authentic Apostolic Revival in our city and region.

To all the folks that read this that haven't received or has reservations about this Pentecostal stuff, allow me to assure you that it's really real and I urge you to experience it. If you are hungering and thirsting for more of God don't hesitate to contact me...I just so happen to know Him! I can tell you how to be filled and quenched!

Still in awe,

Pastor Brian D. Young