I am thankful for my heritage! I was raised in a Holiness church by great Christian parents. I went to a Christian school, and had wonderful teachers. My Grandparents were Holiness people and prayed for us every day.
I am privileged to have heard preachers like H.E. Darnell, D.R. Matherly, Stanley Kendall, Elbert Barrow, Dan Parker, Judy Williams, Millard Downing, and so on. Some of my favorite memories are sitting in revival services where the Presence of God surrounded us and we heard the Victory Trio, the Downings, and others singing the praises of God.
I will never forget those times, and when I hear people saying that those people are not relevant to our day and age, I feel great despair. Where would we be without those people? If they aren't relevant to our day, where in the world will our Holiness movement be in 10 years?
We do have some excellent young preachers in our Holiness movement. I know that. I know that we have young people who are sincere in their walk with God.
But.....too many of our young people are going astray. Too many of them think that what we've always stood for is no longer valid. They think it's too hard or too rigid!
I understand that we've all heard preaching that really isn't what is in the Bible, but by far, the preaching has kept our feet to the fire. We need messages that make us think and really dig!
I am greatly concerned that we are losing our young people to a lesser way, or losing them altogether because we think that some of our Holiness people are too "radical" or "conservative," so we don't use them in our churches anymore.
I know I'm going off, but I guess it's because I attended one of those casual, "feel good," close to the world kind of meetings this weekend. To be frank, it made me sick! Our young people need to be proud of our heritage! They need to have those memories of soul-searching messages that make you want to pray!
If it's good enough for IHC, it should be enough for any meeting where Holiness people gather! Be it for young people, or not!
6 comments :
I enjoyed what you had to say and second it. We do need to keep the old fashion way front and center of our lives. For me I don't want a lesser way.
I agree 100%!! Keep standing for "...the old paths, where is the good way,..."
(I can still hear Bro. Floyd Mann singing, "I'd Rather Be An Old Time Christian".)
i agree too! you go girl! love ya Renae
Kim it really burdens my heart. For me,it is not hard to be in the Old Fashion Way, but we are raising a daughter. She is 14 years old now. What is with the holiness women cutting their hair? Even a little bit at the front to have these bangs is cutting your hair! I just have to pray for our daughter and continue to walk the way before her, and trust God to do the rest. I loved the old time preachers you mentioned too! I don't want to lose my daughter to a lesser way, but for teenagers it is hard to be the "only one" that is different.
I am thankful for our heritage too. It saddens me as well to see people go astry. Just in church tonight, our pastor was saying that those who have known holiness and have gone astray are going to be accountable! They know the right way!!
Very true!! Great thoughts and I am encouraged by your stand. Thank God, there are still some of us that refuse to be sidetracked by the peer pressure around us. Someone recently reminded me of what John Wesley said, the way to know if your right is, the wittness of previous holy men and women, the wittnes of the Bible and the wittnes of the Holy spirit to you.
Post a Comment