It’s the Season of Revival here in the Bible Belt and China Grove AME Zion Church started a fire in Pineville, NC this week.  The Theme: “Seeking The Kingdom First!” set the parameters of the purpose for this gathering and a life-changing agenda was quickly established.  The HomeComing Message, “Throw It Down!” (Exodus 4:1-4), was delivered by Reverend Henrico D. White, Pastor of Weeping Willow AME Zion Church.  In his message, Pastor White challenged each of us to identify what’s in our hand, to throw down what we’ve been perpetrating, and to truly be what God intended.  Our personalities, our possessions, our problems and our past potentials can all be hindrances to our Divinely-ordered purpose if we don’t throw them down.  This ‘Self-Assessment’ is a vital part of the shaping process that positions us to ‘Care As God Cares’ – We must first initiate change within ourselves by allowing God to transform what’s in our hands and then allowing that transformation to position us to instigate change in others. In God’s Hand, every tool that we utilize will be endued with His power to facilitate deliverance for others as well as for ourselves.

Once we’ve handled our personal business, we can freely engage in Kingdom business.  Reverend Doctor Eric L. Leake, Pastor of Martin Temple AME Zion Church, challenged us to ‘Care As God Cares’.  His paradigm-breaking delivery of the chapter of ‘The Lost & Found:  Luke 15 – The Gospel of Grace’ explored three parables.  In these 3 stories, Jesus shared about 4 types of lost souls and the diligence given to them being found.  The lost sheep (which represents those who unintentionally wander off) is so valuable to the shepherd that he will leave the ninety-nine safe sheep to go find the one lost sheep.  The lost coin (which represents those who are ignorantly lost by the actions of another) is so valuable to the woman, that she will thoroughly sweep the floor with focused effort to find the one lost coin.  The lost sons (who represent those who were deliberately lost by their own choice – the prodigal son who was literally lost in a foreign land and his older brother who was figuratively lost in his mindset) are so valuable to the father that he patiently and persistently awaits their return.  Through these parables, Jesus reminds us that He greatly values those who are lost, and like the shepherd, the woman and the father, He is diligent in His pursuit of them.  God wants us to so embrace His passion for the lost that we will be the shepherd who can’t go home without the sheep; we will be the woman who can’t leave home without the coin; we will be the father who waits patiently at home looking expectantly for the son’s return.

And the host pastor, Reverend David Scott Cunningham, Pastor of China Grove AME Zion Church, sealed the evening with a final prophetic word to the house… “God will turn your mourning into dancing; but the blessing is not in the dancing, the blessing is in The Turning!”  As we choose to identify the rods we’ve been carrying and yield them to God, as we allow God to transform our mindsets and transition our perspectives, as we position ourselves to actively pursue God’s passion – the salvation of the lost, we will look up and discover that God has blessed us IN THE TURN – And We Will Be Dancing!

Thank you Pastor Scott Cunningham, Pastor Eric Leake and Pastor Henrico White for a Divine Trifecta : The Father has spoken, The Son has been revealed and The Holy Spirit has moved mightily; you have facilitated a God-provoked changing of the mind and We Have Been Revived!