philiprosenthal
08-23-2006, 03:47 PM
Did Rice Broocks learn from the failure of Maranatha?
RICE BROOCKS WORDS FOLLOW:
(Part of EveryNation in our Generation, Rice Broocks, page 48-51)
A defining moment was coming for us all. I tell this not to point a finger at anyone or dig up past pain. Instead, my hope is to shed the light of grace on these events and help people look redemptively at any negative experience that may have caused them to lose hope and drop out of the race…..
As I was describing, many wonderful things were happening in the ministry while, at the same time, storm clouds were beginning to gather. Phil, Steve and I had joined the ministry of Maranatha after becoming Christians and were drawn to it because of the commitment they preached as well as the power of the Holy Spirit they upheld. Though there were negatives, we knew there was no such thing as a "perfect church." The fact that the leaders truly had a heart for God kept us believing that these issues would eventually get worked out. Still, concerns surrounding the ministry began to surface. Many felt that some of its practices were heavy-handed and legalistic. There were also concerns that mysticism had crept in, placing too much emphasis on subjective experiences rather than the Word of God. The latter was a charge leveled against many in the charismatic community from the traditional Church at large. These issues weighed heavily on the hearts of most of the leaders. Attempts were made to bring about reforms and extricate these negatives from the mix. In retrospect, it was a "coming of age" moment for many of us as young leaders to grapple with such important issues.
These issues all came to a head at the end of 1989. The organization was dismantled and all its affiliated ministries released to follow the leading of the Spirit as they saw fit. As relieved as we were that the ordeal was over, the following season would prove to be one of the most difficult of our lives. I'm sure that was the case for many others. Yes, I had suffered heartaches after I came to Christ, but watching a ministry end was deeply painful. This pain is inevitable when churches split or close their doors. When relationships fail or when visions die, it can shipwreck the destiny of many. I've spoken to pastors of churches from many diverse backgrounds and the fallout of ministry failure is always very difficult, especially for the young. In the midst of our situation, I remembered Jesus' words to Peter, "I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail:" He concluded with a message of purpose and hope: "Strengthen your brothers' 116
It has been said that you learn more in failure than you do in success. That may be true, but only if you get up and keep trying to succeed. Deep down, the knowledge that my calling was not from an organization but from God was undeniable. As Hebrews says, "Hold fast to the beginning of our assurance firm until the end."' I was holding fast. My whole passion was to simply see the miracle of salvation that had happened to my family and me, happen to as many people as possible. That motivation kept me going, and it kept me encouraging my closest Mends to not lose sight of the Lord in the midst of turmoil.
Looking back now, it's obvious that God was orchestrating all these changes for His purposes and everyone's good. In hindsight, many of he organizations birthed in the sixties and seventies during the "Jesus Movement" or the Charismatic Movement, majored in zeal and boldness while minimising theological training. While reacting to "dead religion" the proverbial "baby" was thrown out with the "bath water." Surveying the landscape of many different church and parachurch movements, the result seemed to be a very short shelf life.
RICE BROOCKS WORDS FOLLOW:
(Part of EveryNation in our Generation, Rice Broocks, page 48-51)
A defining moment was coming for us all. I tell this not to point a finger at anyone or dig up past pain. Instead, my hope is to shed the light of grace on these events and help people look redemptively at any negative experience that may have caused them to lose hope and drop out of the race…..
As I was describing, many wonderful things were happening in the ministry while, at the same time, storm clouds were beginning to gather. Phil, Steve and I had joined the ministry of Maranatha after becoming Christians and were drawn to it because of the commitment they preached as well as the power of the Holy Spirit they upheld. Though there were negatives, we knew there was no such thing as a "perfect church." The fact that the leaders truly had a heart for God kept us believing that these issues would eventually get worked out. Still, concerns surrounding the ministry began to surface. Many felt that some of its practices were heavy-handed and legalistic. There were also concerns that mysticism had crept in, placing too much emphasis on subjective experiences rather than the Word of God. The latter was a charge leveled against many in the charismatic community from the traditional Church at large. These issues weighed heavily on the hearts of most of the leaders. Attempts were made to bring about reforms and extricate these negatives from the mix. In retrospect, it was a "coming of age" moment for many of us as young leaders to grapple with such important issues.
These issues all came to a head at the end of 1989. The organization was dismantled and all its affiliated ministries released to follow the leading of the Spirit as they saw fit. As relieved as we were that the ordeal was over, the following season would prove to be one of the most difficult of our lives. I'm sure that was the case for many others. Yes, I had suffered heartaches after I came to Christ, but watching a ministry end was deeply painful. This pain is inevitable when churches split or close their doors. When relationships fail or when visions die, it can shipwreck the destiny of many. I've spoken to pastors of churches from many diverse backgrounds and the fallout of ministry failure is always very difficult, especially for the young. In the midst of our situation, I remembered Jesus' words to Peter, "I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail:" He concluded with a message of purpose and hope: "Strengthen your brothers' 116
It has been said that you learn more in failure than you do in success. That may be true, but only if you get up and keep trying to succeed. Deep down, the knowledge that my calling was not from an organization but from God was undeniable. As Hebrews says, "Hold fast to the beginning of our assurance firm until the end."' I was holding fast. My whole passion was to simply see the miracle of salvation that had happened to my family and me, happen to as many people as possible. That motivation kept me going, and it kept me encouraging my closest Mends to not lose sight of the Lord in the midst of turmoil.
Looking back now, it's obvious that God was orchestrating all these changes for His purposes and everyone's good. In hindsight, many of he organizations birthed in the sixties and seventies during the "Jesus Movement" or the Charismatic Movement, majored in zeal and boldness while minimising theological training. While reacting to "dead religion" the proverbial "baby" was thrown out with the "bath water." Surveying the landscape of many different church and parachurch movements, the result seemed to be a very short shelf life.