Second Half Christians

Our society is changing--almost daily. Lots of Christians are out there expressing their anxiety and disappointment over that change. How have you experienced the changes in our nation? Is your 401.K in tatters? Your retirement plans smashed at your feet? Have your hopes for a better future for your children grown dim? Unemployed? Concerned about how our increasingly secular society is squeezing Christianity to the margins of the culture?

But, life IS change! Are you empowered and ready to take on this "Brave New World"? Or, are you satisfied simply voicing your opposition to changes you can't control. The ball is in your court. This podcast talks about how the Holy Spirit of God can empower you to take charge and navigate the rough waters ahead.

Paul Washer has written "Culture is bound in the iron bands of sin. The moral stories and life lessons of a whimsical preacher have no power against such darkness. " Yet the preaching of the apostles in the New Testament did have power against darkness and disease, demons and bondage to sin. What Gospel did they preach? Could that same gospel be preached in a post-Christian society today? Would it have impact? Or, does it need to be changed to fit the culture of the 21st century?

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How vital is prayer to the life of a missional Christian? We talked about this on the Sundy night show...but, find out more tonight LIVE @ 7PM MDT as Greg and Margaret Fisher lead prayers asking the Lord to help us to KNOW and to FOLLOW His lead as the Lord of the Harvest. This article: Knowing and Following God a devotional published on the Foursquare Church website:http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/knowing_and_following_the_voice_of_the_lord is the basis for our prayers together this evening. If you want to participate in the prayer time, add your own prayer, or, have a need for someone to pray over you...use the open line at (646)929-2432.

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On the tenth anniversary of 9/11 Greg and Margaret Fisher will be hosting a special edition of their innovative Christian talk radio program Second Half Christians @ 7 PM (MOUNTAIN) on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gregory-fisher/2011/09/12/living-missional-in-a-post-christian-society. The open phone lines for those wanting to join in the discussion is (646) 929-2432. Guests for this program will be career missionaries Rev. Bill and Rev. Kathy Kieselhorst. The Kieselhorsts have spent the past 25 years working in Africa and America helping to train pastors in West Africa and challenging Americans to learn how to live like missionaries in their own country.

In a recent meeting, Greg Fisher, the program's host stated, "Am I the only one that wants to see urban ministry where nobody gives a rip about the color of your skin, the strangeness of your language, the loudness of your music, and the expression of praise that includes dance? Am I the only one that wants a ministry that accepts you as your are--but, faithfully and boldly touches you with the raw, naked, power of God that sets the captives free and transforms your life into the jewel you never expected to be? And, tastefully, lovingly--but firmly and responsibly--confronts you with the demands of following Christ."

"This isn't your father's Christian radio show," states co-host Margaret Fisher. The Fishers hope to move American Christians to action that goes beyond participation in beautifully produced and orchestrated Sunday worship services to a life changing transformation that will spill over into every area of life. According to Greg Fisher that will require a return to an emphasis on Biblical Christianity that makes no apology for demanding life change. Those willing to turn from the vapid lifestyles of post-modern lifestyles can discover the joy and peace of knowing and understanding that you were born with and designed for an eternal purpose.

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What does living "missionally" mean? Being a missionary to a foriegn country? Or, living the missional lifestyle in your own culture as you watch Christianity dissolve from view? What does it take to live missional? Bill and Kathy Kieselhorst have done it all--from long term living in Nigeria....to living missionally in Portland, Oregon. Bill is REAL missiologist (M.A. Missilogy from Fuller Seminary), while Kathy, who also holds an M.Div from Fuller Seminary, expresses her "business sense" in the real estate marketplace. Both Bill and Kathy are long time friends and colleagues of Greg and Margaret Fisher. This program is intended to challenge your conceptions and misconceptions about living missionally in your own society.

Gordon Ramsey--Kitchen Nightmares is the Program I love To Watch

Ok...so, my fellow Pentecostal and Evangelical brethren can begin right now forming up the stoning committee. I put it there right in the title to this piece: I love to watch Gordon Ramsey on Kitchen Nightmares. (Just in case the stoning committee is lacking a full quorum let me also say that I watch--nearly every day--Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May). Yeah, I know Gordon Ramsey uses the "F" word a lot and that should stun and offend my sense of something or other. But, when you grew up in southcentral Los Angeles in my neighborhood you had heard the "F" word so many times by the time you were 8 you didn't even notice it anymore. You will--on my behalf--notice I wrote "heard" not "used." The reason you can know that the "F" word wasn't a part of my vocabulary is that I have successfully reached the age of 65. Had it been in my vocabulary at age 8 I'd already be safely tucked away in cheap box 6 feet under the turf 'cause my Dad wouldn't have allowed it.

I got to thinking about all of this at breakfast this morning. I took Margaret to the Golden Corral just up the street where you can gorge yourself on stuff that isn't supposed to be on your diet...but, do it with a crowd of fellow sinners. I sat there and the absolutely funniest thought popped into my head. What if Gordon Ramsey did a Kitchen Nightmares show from the Golden Corral? Now THAT would be a HOOT! If that didn't earn an Emmy, an Oscar, a Lifetime Achievement Award (for something or other, probably creative offensive language), and become THE SINGLE MOST HISTORIC MOMENT on television since John Glenn took that one small step for man ... then, nothing in the universe exists.

Can I tell you why I like Gordon Ramsey? Because he has passion. He is passionate about food being prepared--and, not wasted--served in tasteful surroundings that is downright spooky. He gets in the face of the owner, the manager, the chef, the waitstaff, and the diswasher guy in a way that is sad, funnny, offensive, and so right on all at the same time. And, he really doesn't care who gets offened by what he says. If the diswasher guy exhibits more passion and talent for food service than the chef Ramsey works with him and turns him into the chef. If the manager oughta be floor sweeper and toilet washer it isn't beyond him to suggest that as well. Why? Because he wants to leave behind a real, functional, clean restaurant serving good food to crowds of people and making money. That is his passion and he has an uncanny eye for people. Just for the record, I have also seen him compassionate, gentle, and almost pastoral when that would be the better approach.

What if there was a Chistian/Evangelical/Pentecostal Gordon Ramsey? A guy with a passion for preaching the gospel with power, authority, and honesty (minus the "F" word)...a guy so intent on making disciples and helping them to find the purpose that God created into their lives that he would pour himself into the groundskeeper if needs be. What if there was a guy who walked into churches got into the collective faces of leadership and asked straight out what in the name of good God common sense did they think they were accomplishing. What if there was a guy with so much passion he could tell the church that Christianity--Biblical Christianity--is dissolving from our society right before our eyes and we don't notice it because we still think America and Christian as synonymous terms.

WHOA! Now THERE would be something with even greater event potential than Gordon Ramsey and Golden Corral going at it hammer and tong on TV!.

GREG

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When I returned to the USA from Africa it was a huge process of re-entry for us. i suppose our denomination--that one we had given 34 years of ministry life to--tried to help us with re-enry stress. If so, it didn't work out so well and Margaret and I preceded to walk through hell for about five years. We found a ministry that could generously support us and God blessed us with not one, but, two houses. Margaret got the recognition she deserved for helping to establish a ministry outreach that has reached about 180 countries and I continue to work in Africa in 34 countries working with 112 partners. Over the past five years my part of the ministry has touched about (I believe) 5 million people in Africa. We've settled into a nice church served by our dear friends Dan anad Ginger Hedges. And, we've been loved and cared for there. They are great pastors and great friends.

But, we are still broken hearted people. We are still grieving. Not for our friends and African family. No. We are grieving for America. Margaret is at my elbow reminding me this is the night we go to dinner together....and, I'm going to have to go out in the public to a restaurant where I wlll hear that existential "wailing" that I hear--and, have heard--for the past five years. It's not a sound you actually hear with your ears. It's a sound you hear with your spirit. A wailing--like the wailing of an African mother when her child has died--that comes from our society because there is a hunger for an answer to the questions about the purpose, meaning, and destiny of life. In my neighborhood people are trying everything: crack, marijana, alcohol, sex, meth...anything that will sooth the pain and give them a rest from that "wailing" because their soul and spirit knows there is something better and that they were created for better. And the church--having dissolved into the culture--is only so much more background noise incapable of hearing the wailing going on around them.

Am I the only one that hears this? Am I the only one that wants to see urban ministry where nobody gives a rip about the color of your skin, the strangeness of your language, the loudness of your music, and the expression of praise that includes dance? Am I the only one that wants a ministry that accepts you as your are--but, faithfully and boldly touches you with the raw, naked, power of God that sets the captives free and transforms your life into the jewel you never expected to be? And, tastefully, lovingly--but firmly and responsibly--confronts you with the demands of following Christ.

We long for that kind of ministry. We've been told we have it all wrong for America. We've been told it would be too offensive to some sensitive people. But, I thnk there are others out there like me. At least I hope so....'cause if not...I fear for the future of our country.

GREG

Two digital innovators--both over 60--reaching 14,000 people on four continents. Not with 140 character tweets, but 90 minutes of authentic Christian discussion--not sermonizing--via an innovative Christian talk radio show heard over the internet. Every Sunday at 7 PM (MOUNTAIN) you can hear these two special people share about their lives with a level of transparency that some will find shocking. Point your browser to:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gregory-fisher at 7 PM (MDT) on Sunday 21st of August.

You'll be meeting two people that have slept in tiny villages, stayed in 5 star hotels, preached to hundreds of thousands, shared the platform with Dr. Jack Hayford, and planted churches around the world. Archives of their past programs are available on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/second-half-christians-greg/id329490388 or on Podbean.com at http://gregandmargaret.podbean.com/. They don't hold anything back or sugar coat the truth.

Don't like what you hear? Want to ask questions about anything? Want to heckle a couple of Christians? The open lines are reached at (646) 929-2432 on Sundays at 7 PM (MOUNTAIN) . You are welcome!

COMING SUNDAY, AUGUST 21st @ 7 PM MOUNTAIN on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gregory-fisher/2011/08/22/greg-and-margaret-talk-to-their-old-friend-jimi-calhoun

Jimi Calhoun is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. After demonstrating an aptitude to play several musical instruments he settled on the bass guitar and embarked on a career path that would take him around the world.

During one of his trips to England he became interested in spirituality and began to explore a variety of paths searching for God and inner peace. Jimi's spiritual odyssey included a couple of brief stops to study Buddhism and Metaphysics. Jimi also studied martial arts which he continues to incorporate into his spiritual disciplines to this day.

Jimi’s spiritual quest would ultimately lead him to return to his Christian roots. He became an ordained minister which would again lead him to travel around the world - this time not as a rock and roll musician, but as a messenger of God’s love for people, and an instrument of healing between them.

Music years During his years as a professional musician Jimi has performed and recorded with some very recognizable names in popular music. The following is a partial list of people who Jimi has either shared a stage or recording studio with:

Creation Dr. John Rare Earth Sly Stone Parliament-Funkadelic Buddy Miles with Jimi Hendrix Brian Auger Robbie Robertson Mick Jagger John Lennon Maria Muldaur Martha Reeves The Four Tops Etta James David Sandborn Clifford Coulter Lou Rawls Wilson Pickett Billy Preston Jackie Lomax Jeffrey Osbourne Mel Brown Doug Kershaw Ministry years Jimi has served as Senior Pastor at Hope Chapel Sherman Oaks, California and Hope Chapel Delray Beach, Florida. Jimi served as a missionary to Belize City, Belize, Central America for the Foursquare Church (President Jack W. Hayford). Most recently Jimi has been part of the pastoral staff at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C., serving as pastor of adult ministry and worship arts with author Brian D. McLaren. Jimi has made guest appearances on several national television programs in addition to hosting a weekly radio program for three years.

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WOW! How did this happen? We have been married for 46 years! Greg and Margaret talk openly with callers about the good and the difficult of marriage. Also in ministry for 46 years together they share about serving God while caring for one another.

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