My mum bought me this book by Jim Cymbala for Christmas. Its a devotional book, based around the pastoral life of Jim, who with his wife, has been the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Of course this is the church with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I have seen a message Jim gives about his daughter and the ‘tough love’ he and his wife showed when she was a drug addict. Fantastic, as Rod Denton called it, ‘Anointed’ message. Interestingly it is one of the most popular books, among their top five, of many younger pastors.

I believe in balance. Jim calls for more prayer, more devotion, less marketing, less polish. I have no probem with him calling for that, its a message I need to hear. However I do also believe God has gifted us all differently for a reason. Some people are great marketers, and like excellence in presentations etc. They should use their gifts for the Kingdom, as should those who love to pray for hours. God connects with us all in different ways. The satisfaction we feel over something done for God, and done well, comes from all different ‘activities’, and I think God celebrates them all.

A quote from Jim,
“what does it say about our churches today that God birthed the church in prayer meetings and prayer meetings today are almost extinct?”