DR. CARLTON P. BYRD - WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE CHURCH

we said Everett pride we are awkward and we don't make any apologies for that we know what God has done for this school you know what God has done for this church some of you don't know who brother Chad was seeing Chad just lost his grandmother this week so he doesn't know what the future holds but this he knows that Jesus shall leave but he shall get homeless today in pastored Atlanta he was one of our young people there got us blessed him and so we lift him in prayer we lift the family in prayer and we live the aliens of Prayer His Excellency said I forgot to read this I said okay yes you got to read it he said most of you may not know that dr. Byrd dr. Pollard and I share the same graduate school as whether alma mater xandred University recall dr. Birds worked with the young people and the deliverance Mass Choir ministry deliverance Mass Choir is his legacy possibly the first gospel choir on the campus of Anjou's University I praise God for that you remember that I think you in the registrar's office at the time some of us plant others water but God gives the increase I started the choir there and I would graduate and go on but the Lord has his way of doing certain things going to tell you why the young man who was seated in front of you pastor Anthony Bolden he attended a would he went to Andrews he took that choir and kept that choir going and source of joy for me to be able to stand here knowing that history but knowing that pastor Bolden kept that thing going on and even to this day it is still going on and that's all the Lord would have of us I stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before me and one day I'm going take the baton and pass it on because either pastor Bolden or at the jock one of them are going to pastor this church and so it's all responsibilities to me the foundation do what we have to do in serving and then know that the church is in good hands my father saw it in me my father lost saw to me my godfather saw to me they'll Dewart who passed to this church saw it in me and we have to see it in others and prepare them so the work of God can still go forward and I just believe after listening to the aliens listening to the children's store in the offertory that God's church is in good hands come all say Amen it's in good hands the scripture says from first Corinthians chapter 16 I only have two verses because I knew I didn't need to preach long come on say Amen oh I'm glad you didn't say Amen too much since you did first Corinthians 16 verses 13 to 14 I must admit I've been waiting to preach all week long because if you were here last Saturday we had shown up Church in this place and I've been waiting waiting to preach all week long but let's go to first Corinthians 16 verses 13 and 14 the Word of God says watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong let all your things be done with charity so I only have two verses because we don't need to be long I have to be everlasting to be eternal the New International Version puts it this way be on your guard stand firm in the faith be courageous and be strong do everything in love our message and challenge today is entitled what's happening to the church what's happening to the church father bless us now hide behind your cross speak through me to speak to your people forgive us of our sins and lord I don't know what you're gonna do and how you're gonna do it but during this sermon Lord just do it we lift up your waiting congregation but they may hear your still small voice speak to them today it's in Jesus name we pray that everyone say Amen and amen what's happened to the church now before we answer this question we must first ask ourselves about the context to which this question is asked because many different answers can be given to this question based on the culture and context of the one speaking if you're a conservative your ass what's happened to the church they'll tell you the church is too worldly it's too liberal too much entertainment all these screens all this music all these gimmicks it doesn't take all that but if you ask a liberal what's happened to the church they'll tell you the church is antiquated archaic and waxes and obsolete ministry practices that don't impact the 21st century person if you ask a theologian what has happened to the church they'll tell you it's lost its theological power the gospel is being watered down and the academic strength of the world is not being articulated enough there's too much style and no substance but if you ask a practitioner or somebody who's just trying to make it what's happened to the church they'll tell you look I don't need all the big words I don't need to know what the Hebrew Greek or Aramaic say I just need me some Jesus help me to make it from day to day my kids are out of control my marriage is on the rocks my abuser didn't want money as low and I just need to know that I can make it same question but two different schools of thought for the answer but for me today I want to be gone go beyond the liberal and the Conservatives go beyond what the theologian or the practitioner has to say and see what Jesus has to say now before we go any further or what's happened to the church I believe it's necessary to be reminded of what the church is and what the church is not first of all the church is not an exclusive club the church is an inclusive fellowship in other words the church is not a closed society but an open fellowship do I have a witness in this place number two nobody's better than anybody else in God's church because the same blood of Jesus that's flowing in my veins it's the same blood of Jesus that's flowing in your veins the same Jesus that died for you is the same Jesus that died for me there are no big eyes or little use in God's church so because nobody's better than anybody else in God's church there's no superior race in God's church red and yellow black lights all of us are precious in God's sight Jesus came to this world to save sinners not white sinners not black sinners not red sinners not yellow sinners but he came to say all sinners number three the church is not a favored group the Bible says for God so loved the world the bible does not say for God so loves only the church make sure you understand 1st Peter 2:9 when it says we are a chosen generation yes we're at Roseland generation but our chosen nests does not mean that we have had conferred upon us some special honor in the sense of being favored but rather it means that we have been chosen by God to be his servants to the service of mankind which is why pathfinders were taught and we are servants of God and friends to men number four the church is not ours we may have the title and the deed to the property but God and God alone has the title and the bead to the spiritual body which is the Living Church it was Jesus remember who said upon this rock I'll build my church so let me let you know something I don't care how long you've been in the church I don't care how much money you've given the church this is God's church not your charts not mine but God's church do I have a witness at this place now that we've been reminded of what the church is not let's talk about what the church is the church is the family of God the family of whom everybody which one means one doesn't really join it but one is born in it but to be born in the church you have to follow the imperative of Jesus and be born again number two the church is an imperfect fellowship it's not made up of perfect people but people who are striving for perfection there are no perfect churches let me say that one more time there are no perfect churches God has no perfect churches because there are no perfect people all have sinned and come short of the glory of God I tell people all the time if you find the perfect church please don't join it because you don't mess it up but I'm so glad that I serve a God who can take our imperfections and he can change us I wish I had somebody where I was talking about If any man be in Christ he's a new creature old things are passed away all things shall become new it does not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he does appear in a moment in a twinkling of an eye we shall be like him but the last characteristic that I will mention today regarding what the church is expresses the church's purpose the purpose refers to that for which something is created purpose is why something exists the purpose of food is to nourish the body the purpose of clothing is to cover up the body the purpose of water is to replenish the body and the purpose of the church is twofold number one it is to fulfill the gospel Commission of Matthew 28 go ye therefore and teach all nations and then baptize now we talked about number last month so today as we begin this new month we talk about number two the purpose of the church it is to serve humanity we are here to help meet human need the church as the redeemed and redemptive Fellowship is the physical presence of Jesus Christ in this world we Jesus was on this earth he met people's needs Ellen White makes it clear that Christ's method alone will do more than anything he warn people's confidence vini bade them follow me as christ's representatives as his followers and servants as his physical presence in the world we should follow his example spread the gospel and meet people's needs but I'm afraid the church has gotten to the point but the gospel Commission in our mind only means going door to door handing out tracts and flyers I like that and while evangelism does include this evangelism is a more broad or broader and deeper than this because evangelism also includes how we witness in our interpersonal relationships in our business and professional activities and our civic social responsibility and it's the latter that I believe the church has forgotten what's happened to the church in our society today in our context today the church has become silent the church has become quiet the church has become neutral the church has become castrated to the issues that plague our society the church has not placed primacy on meeting human need what do I mean on black history Sabbath the church used to be the mighty voice of God in the civil rights movement that spoke out against the social ills of the day the church used to be the gathering place for civic meetings General Assemblies and civil disobedience rallies to protest the social and humanitarian abuses of the day the church from the church's pulpit was a place where it was preached darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that it was from the charts where it was preached in the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends and so I get concerned and I know you're gonna quote me but that's all right when I hear people say don't mix Church and politics let me be clear today when you speak about social justice that's not politics that's meaning of human needs when you speak about fighting the AIDS epidemic epidemic that's not politics that's meaning a human needs when you speak about the black lives matter movement their blue lives matter movement the all lives matter movement that's not politics that's meaning human needs when you speak out against the senseless killings a black youth at the hands of police and then the senseless killings of police at the hands of black people that's not politics that's meaning human need but let me needle this a bit more when you speak out against the unrighteous use of words to denigrate and castigate people from African and Caribbean countries like Haiti that's not politics that's meeting human needs my said you better be careful what you preach you achieve your brother but I don't care if God be for us who can be when you speak out against the immoral deportation of immigrants separating them from their spouses and children that's not politics that's meaning humanely when you speak out against those who oppose the dreamer movement that's not politics that's meeting human need it's not a child's fault that they were born in America no one asks to be born you're just born but after you've been born the church has a responsibility to meet human need pastor bird what's happening to the Turks the church is not speaking up I'm not just talking about what we eat what day we worship on but what happens when we die I'm also talking about how we live how we should be treated and how we serve our fellow man charts we've got a problem we still live in a society where the rich gets tax breaks and the poor get back breaks we still live in a country where depending on where you live you can't count on police protection but rather police harassment we still live in a country where you can't go to the airport in a store because you're afraid you might be separated from your family we live in a country where you have to work twice as hard to make it simply because you don't come from the right family the right zip code the right schools or you're not the right color and somebody gotta stand up somebody's gotta use their platform just stand up and speak up somebody's got to a man and it's time for the church to stand up speak up and man up I must confess today I praise God for people like our honoree Sir Patrick Allen who have had their foundation of the church and are now being used by God to be a mighty voice in sir I'm not in at tables you're not sitting at in boardrooms we're not invited to somebody's got to be a modern-day Daniel and praise God we've got a Daniel in the Queen's Court come on say a mighty spy said do you know the Queen yes vicariously through Sir Patrick Alan come on say Amen somebody so I tell people I tell people could you not get letters you know I get letters I have a lot of fan mail but if I didn't get fan mail that would mean I'm not doing something right are you hearing what I'm saying I tell people don't hate where he is celebrate where he is he said looking at this speaking of hating on people I believe hating is the result of a slave mentality it's not just a crab mentality you can't be free if you're gonna be free I gotta be free if you can't be free I can't as we know it's a slave mentality in other words the psychological chains are still on even after the physical chains have come off oppression does that the people were they've been given psychological consent to their own slavery there are some folk who feel you can't change the system why the chains are still on their mind let me tell you something young people listen to me good old folk will tell you this back in the day everybody did not like Martin Luther King let's be real everybody running around clamping down but back in the day everybody did not appreciate Martin Luther King every black person did not support Martin Luther King now bailing the bandwagon now just like when Barack Obama ran for president oh he won't win he won't win then when he won praise God some black folk back in the day thought that King was causing trouble but I'm so glad that Martin Luther King didn't let that stop him if he did and had we'd still be in physical illegal chains of slavery right now that's why I say to the governor-general keep doing what you're doing don't worry about what people say keep doing what you're doing continue to speak up let me tell you something everybody in this place don't you forget where you've come from if we had gone along to get along with every issue of injustice where would we be some people think that to follow Christ means that we have to take a vow of slaughter and suffering roll over and play dead but King said a man's freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor it must be demanded by the oppressed that's biblical even Jesus went in the temple even Jesus went in the church and he took a whip and he cast out the money changers and and made his church I attend of feeds and the spirit of black history as we talk about the black church let me remind you to listen to the young people our black congregations have a rich history people who speak negatively about the black church are often uninformed I didn't want to use the word ignorant but uninformed about the principled history of the church in fact the oldest institution in the black community is the church before black folk had formal organizations to protect against the evils of slavery the black Turks kept the flame of freedom burning in their hearts when slavery and oppression dehumanized our forefathers when discrimination and segregation degraded them it was the black church who taught him how to sing I'm gonna sit at the Welcome tape I'm gonna feast on milk and honey I'm gonna sing and never get tired one of these days when our fathers were weak physically and spiritually when our mothers were robbed of hope the words of the black preacher push them on with walk together children don't you get weary don't you ever forget that from the black church came singers like Mahalia Jackson Marion Anderson from the black church king educators like Benjamin mates Mary McLeod Bethune from the black Turks King politicians like Adam Clayton Powell and Barack Obama from the black church Kings civil rights leaders Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers from the black church King preachers like Gardner Taylor and elder Charles Bradford from the black church the pass of the black church has been fruitful and productive with the question begs ask but what's happening to the church day let me tell you this the black church can't afford to face the future by being a weak imitation of a country club the black church building can't just serve the church membership but must also serve the persons in need in our communities the back Church must strive not only to serve the classes but the masses that means black people white people red people yellow people and all people the church cannot be silent on issues of racism war poverty or injustice the church must speak up don't worry if people get mad speak up don't worry if it gets a little speaker don't worry your budgets decline speak up God will take care of you Ellen White said we have nothing to fear for the future lest we forget how God has us in the past the Bible is full of military terminology we're told to put on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6 we're told to be good soldiers in 2nd Timothy 2 we're told Jesus is our captain in Hebrews 2 but too many Christians think that the body of Christ is not supposed to be a militant body waging aggressive warfare against the devil but it's high time that we face up to the fact that God has not just called us to giddy church gatherings meetings where food is served or denigrate into prosperous social clubs full of people caring about nobody but themselves has called the Turks to war against the works of darkness war against racism Morgan's injustice war against poverty war against aids war against cancer the church is God's physical representation in the world first John 3:8 tell us that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil but some folk grade this text Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and they say we don't have to do anything because Jesus already did it all but that's foolish mentality because of the works of Satan were completely destroyed why is sin accelerating at such a rapid pace Jesus wants to destroy the works of Satan through his body here on this earth Jesus wants to destroy the works of Satan to us somebody still not getting it let me try this way whenever we pass out anointed literature we're destroying the works of Satan whenever we get Bible studies we're destroying the works of Satan whenever we preach when the stands alone we're destroying the works of Satan whenever we speak out against racism we're destroying the works of Satan when we preach whenever he preached that it's wrong to favor one race over another race we're destroying the works of Satan whenever we preach that it's wrong to call a country and I dare not say what it was called and negative country we're destroying the works of Satan when we speak out against police brutality we're destroying the works of Satan when we provide health care to everybody we're destroying the works of Satan when we challenge the fact that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer we're destroying the works of Satan when we preach abstinence to our single young people and combat AIDS we're destroying the works of Satan whenever we have support substance abuse support groups or substance abuse users were destroying the works of Satan when we teach that the ground is level at the cross we're destroying the works of Satan let me be clear today we don't destroy the works of Satan with our silence to abuse our indifference to immigration our consent to erase this rhetoric our complicity to tragic tweets or our ignoring the me2 movement we might destroy the works of Satan with meaningless irrelevant Church programs insulated social activities or sitting in our comfortable pews week after week religious activities listen to me good we'll never do damage to the kingdom of Hell the church must destroy the works of Satan by taking aggressive militant action against you and so I close what the Apostle Paul said in our text be on your guard stand firm in the faith be courageous be strong do everything enough Paul closes out this letter to the church at Corinth and he gives an exhortation which is applicable to all Christians it contains five brief imperatives for of which are closely related later taken together these four appearances remind us the purpose of the church more than that Paul gives us through this text an example of a metaphor of a church as an army at war the four imperatives here have a military background and are like a commander's orders to his soldiers this shouldn't surprise us because Paul uses military language and Ephesians six what he tells us to fight against the devil because he says we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against rulers of the darkness spiritual wickedness in high places but in first Corinthians 16 Paul tells us more than we're fighting he tells us more than what kind of armor to put on but he tells us how to fight this war it's not physical this war is not against people per se it's a spiritual battle to liberate people from the spiritual forces of evil so although this war is not physical it's still a real war and war with real objectives real rules will casualties real victories and real defeats number one Paul says be on your guard be on your what everybody come on be on your what everybody in other words he says be alert this means to be watchful because there are enemies in the area remember if the soldier fell asleep or allowed himself to be distracted the enemy could infiltrate or surprise it be a surprise in this attack and our lives would be lost so Paul is saying we got to be spiritually alert we live in a spiritual hostile environment so we must live with our guard up number two Paul says stand firm in the faith that means you got to dig in you got to do what everybody and dig in and stubbornly refuse to give ground notice that the specific area in which we're supposed to stand firm is in our faith this refers to the context and content content of our faith to truth the scripture the message of the gospel Christian militancy involves being uncompromised about the truth which is why I say evangelism if God said it that subtle said a man who stands for nothing will fall for anything number three be courageous be strong the King juror James Version if you read it it says be strong like men but don't misunderstand what Paul is trying to say the contrast is not between men and women but between acting like grown-ups and acting like children you see when children see the enemy they run but when you act like a man and you're strong like an adult it means you got to get ready to suffer if you stand for the right if you stand against what's popular if you speak truth to power be ready to suffer but Paul says be courageous be strong and then finally number four he says do everything in love this is a key difference between biblical militancy and worldly militancy worldly militancy says is the only thing that matters even if the end justifies the means it thrives on hate and fosters cruelty but biblical militancy use as if controlling thick love love is what should motivate us to speak up for social injustice love spurns us to speak against poverty love shouldn't motivate us to speak against poor education look that's why Jesus came and died for you and for me love Jesus went to Calvary because of love Jesus is Jesus died Jesus rose again Jesus is coming back why he loves you love is stronger than hate right is better than wrong action is better than into action a smile will still destroy a frown a hug will still be a show it's better to give than to receive the ballot is still stronger than the bullet truth is mightier than a lie hope will arrest despair Christ has defeated sin God is bigger than the devil heaven is greater than hell and Jesus is coming back George we got a drug epidemic to weed out a crime wave to tame a healthcare crisis to manage a homeless humanity to shelter an illiterate environment to weed out an immigration quandary to solve a treacherous tweeter to tame rappers to reach a crop of geniuses to cultivate a gospel to share and the church can't be silenced what's happened to the church I don't know what's happening to other churches but I know what's about to happen in this church we might to stand up and speak up and man up about the injustice of this land and the world tell the world that serving the Lord will pay off after a while to tell the world what certain the Lord can do for you you see I serve a God I said I serve a God who can take on nobody and make them us somebody I serve a God who can take up Lords are making Lad important and make him the Governor General of Jamaica I serve a God who can take a loser and make them a winner I serve a God who can take the failure and make them a success I take serve a God who can take a criminal and make them a convert I serve a God who can take a drug package and make him a deacon I serve a God take a boy from the hood and make him chaplain of the United States Senate [Applause] take a high-school dropout and make him a GED graduate and it is no secret what God can do what he's done father's he can do for you that if God helped me back then then God can help me up here I'll give my help he's the same yesterday today and let me tell you in somebody take my seat but God was with the children viscera and Moses as they crossed the Red Sea God was with the three Hebrew boys in the lion's den it's not inspiring furnace God was with Daniel in the lion's den God will be with you when you've lost a loved one God will be with you and you don't have a dollar to your name God will be with you and you don't have money to pay your rent ask that your lady right there somebody ought to be shouting right now I said somebody ought to be shouting right now maybe God didn't leave you out on the street somewhere that God didn't let you out on the street young people what have used to be some right now that God was with you in that test you didn't study for come on say man or that God was with you when you knew we were supposed to have a test and you got an email or a text from Oakwood police department the campus is closed tomorrow due to the weather somebody ought to be shot right now God was with you through the job interview when your enemies came to eat of your flesh God didn't let you stumble and fall they stumble they family God was with you when you stopped at the corner when you were driving when you didn't see that drunk driver speeding down the street for whatever reason God stopped you God blocked it God is with you Jesus loves you price won't failure I can't be silent I won't rush won't stop man it won't shut up God to me must speak up quiet sounds opposed now raise the standard for the Lord guard your armor stand through everyone meet human need meet human need now this is I'm slowing down you say why is he slowing down because this is where I stopped the breath of life taping because I'm gonna talk to some home folks now the day is over when something catastrophic happens hurricane tornado somebody has burned out or something happens and we as a church all we say is we will pray for you to be good for that do you have a statement and all we say as a church is will pray for you that's a given are you hearing what I'm saying that's a given because see the church down the street they're praying but they doing more than praying are you what I'm saying spread the gospel meet human need tis so sweet to trust in Jesus just to take him at his word just to rest upon his promise just to know the sea you remember I told you I was praying for something that happened and would happen before the end of last year and I was praying praying last time we talked about beating God's miracle zone I got a call this week the Lord answered that prayer I'm in God's she's gotta trust him spread the gospel and meet human need spread the gospel we people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care [Music] in spreading the gospel but not only want to spread the gospel you want to join me in meeting human [Music] everyone stand [Music] father we stand on our feet what's happening to the church jerks [Music] but god we've been reminding today it's time to stand up speak up [Music] so Lord today as she reminded me this week if we have the will you have the way [Music] if it's your will it's your bill if it's your vision god you promised and you told us that you will make produce and so lord we stand on our feet today because there are some among us who are ready to go wage aggressive warfare against Satan and so father I pray forgive me God forgive us of our sins in the name of Jesus your heads around rise time as well spin it's time for you now to hold down the out give me your hand and give Jesus for her so appeal number one is similar I'm gonna proclaim and share the gospel but I wanna meet I'm ready to speak up I'm ready to stand [Music] today in your hearing and God has spoken to you and you want to meet human and you want to do it beyond the moon but you're gonna do it in a meaningful way I've been fighting right now diesel you see come meet me right here in the front because my your commander sent past bird joining forces God sign when the Lord's army I'm committing my life as a member of this church maybe as a visitor but today attached to our motion I want you to mess appeal number one tastes so sweet sing it sing it sing it [Music] they're serious [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] stifled blue logo too [Music] you want to meet human needs but it's your knee it's not somebody else's feeling but as your need today so far youth today have a need [Music] somebody you ever need your join God's church the baptism somebody to renew your commitment to rebound ISM somebody to join this church by profession of faith or transfer your membership but there's somebody today you've got a need and the need is that somebody else's your need your need and so Phil number two is you saying God I need you to meet my need a habit God meet my need Lord I want to join this church meet my need father I want to give my life to the Lord Jesus Christ he's on the students of the hour I know the time was spent but God is calling you right now I want you to come out of your seat I want you to come down this this out and I want you to say pastor bird I'm giving you my hand I'm giving Jesus my heart because I need the Lord to meet my need god bless you god bless you god bless you there's somebody else today God wants to meet your need he wants to meet your need personally I'm not talking about collective needs I'm talking about your personal need right now somebody you need to join this church somebody you need to break out meet God's need and sing this last dance I'm so glad [Music] Jesus [Music] No [Music] [Music] everybody Jesus Jesus [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the appeal is still open the number one for those who want to meet human need I've been number two for those who need Jesus today to meet your need father i down seal the decisions of those who have come to the front today there are people who have come to the front today because Lord they want to be a part of your militant army I wanna be a part of getting militant army to tell Satan's Kingdom town we've got children out there children outfits Oh Lord we're going to speak to human need stand up for human need so seal the decisions of those who come down front there are individuals come down front who are saying in this church with this faster with this ministry that they're joining hands not just proclaim the gospel but defect the Gospel through meeting me today what's happening to the church I can't speak Lord for other churches but I must speak for Oakwood we don't meet human needs it's the Lord whosoever will let them come yeah we're institutional Church yes we're the home of the University of the God more than that we're children we're your children we're your representatives in this world and there are people dying in Huntsville Alabama every day who are going to Christ the screen so God around the world and even in the city Oh Lord God we go meet human need so anoint the efforts of everyone who stands in front of me right now like a mighty army moved the Church of God then secondly Oh God couple individuals came down today baptism remapped ISM transfer of their membership they had a human personal need I know God they responded to your voice today seal their decision in the name of Jesus we thank you for serving high-drag Alan we thank you for lady Alan we thank you for their ministry I pray that Lord he would ever keep them surround them potent and O God when you are soon seen coming in the clouds of glory you'll be able to even say to them well dad thank you for he really thank you for answering this for the name of the Father and the name of the son of the name of the Holy Ghost let everyone who loves him say amen amen put those hands together get batteries [Music]

Channel: murahomesa -CHANNEL OF BLESSINGS

Views: 16,683

Rating: 4.6891193 out of 5

Keywords: Evangelism, preaching, Breadth of Life

Id: Fdf80ERantU

Length: 51min 21sec (3081 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 23 2018