A MOMENT IN TIME
Dear Family,
There have been moments in time throughout history when a phrase coined in a certain way, a song, a poem, even just a thought resonates to such a degree that it can change the trajectory in the lives of scores of people. Sometimes echoes of the moment resound that it will affect the future of hundreds. And every so often a moment in time is so powerful that it alters the destiny of millions and impacts the very existence and the way people live on the entire planet.
When Jesus declared from the Cross that “It is finished”, that was the moment in time when God Almighty declared peace with all of mankind. And whether they have known it or not, from that day forward no one needed to concern themselves with the judgment, anger, or wrath of God because Jesus had received it ALL on that day at Golgotha.
Considering all the history-changing moments in time, there was never, and never will be again, a moment as earth-shaking as that one. Never.
Still, and please forgive what may seem like foolishness and bravado to some, I am persuaded that The Gospel Revolution stands ready to seize the moment about THE Moment. We have THAT certain phrase, THAT song, if you will.
I think we all agree The Gospel is that profoundly powerful thought. The question is, are the Gospel Revolution and Mike Williams Ministries ready and committed to this “moment in time”?
Everyone, who is now an integral part of this amazing effort, has heard me rant on and stress how we must present the Gospel with the excellence it deserves. Even though we sometimes fall short of that standard it is nonetheless our goal and the default program running in the background.
The Gospel Revolution in and of itself has no power at all. It has no political view. If we did we could at least garner half of the population’s support or consideration by taking one side or the other of the issues of the day.
There is no political path that can guide our way. But the Gospel, as a pathway of thinking, has never been followed before by more than a hand full of people at one time ever.
History shows us that the shaft of light that reveals the Redemption of All has dawned on humanity’s consciousness every few hundred years only to be snuffed-out. And there have only been a few reasons for this most revolutionary thought to be thwarted from penetrating the whole world.
#1 – A Lack of Persuasion: People who saw the Redemption of All through Christ were not persuaded in their minds enough to withstand the assault from the religious community that stand to lose a fortune and a global empire by the demise of what the Gospel exposes.
#2 – A Lack of Clarity: I have studied many if not all of the past and present “experiments” with teaching the Grace of God applied to the whole of humanity, the redemption of the world. NONE of them had or have clarity. Some taught and still teach that the “End of the World” is still coming. Some say the Scriptures were not fulfilled until 70 AD at the fall of Jerusalem. Some promote “ultimate” reconciliation, meaning a temporary stop in Hell before a final destination in Heaven. Some embrace “universalism” which at its core teaches that ALL religious or spiritual paths lead to God. What a confusing mess this has all led to!
#3 – A Lack of Time: Many hardcore preachers have extolled the virtues of Evangelical Christianity throughout their respective careers. And then at the end of their lives they relent and say Jesus’ work was so profound that He did indeed redeem everyone. A case in point is the Reverend Billy Graham. But alas, for Dr. Graham like so many others who found Grace in their last moments on the planet, it was just too late to make a difference. His own son Franklin castigated him for the folly of his dad’s comments. As Billy fades away into old age, Franklin preaches a most radical, guilt-ridden, judgmental message that would have made the younger firebrand Billy proud.
#4 – A Lack of Commitment: Many thousands of people over the decades have found freedom by being exposed to the Gospel via the Gospel Revolution. Virtually none of them have gone back to organized institutional religion. A few folks have taken their freedom and said in effect, “I do not care about others, I got mine. I am out of here!” Now, of course, I support their right and decision to do that whole-heatedly. Many very successful “ministries” have been formed out of my teachings over the years. Yet they have felt a need to disconnect from The Gospel Revolution all together solely because I am gay. They seem to believe that somehow to acknowledge having learned something from a gay man would impede their message and ministry. However, let me assure them and anyone else that the Gospel is the Power of God regardless of whom or what it comes through.
Now, once again, a handful of people have been gathered on the edge of history. The group is comprised of people of every race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, and political perspective known to man.
We call our effort and “team” The Gospel Revolution. Do we believe this Gospel Revolution is just another departure from the norm of religious thought? Or do we know the Gospel is indeed the Power of God revealed in and to man?
The Gospel needs nothing to be powerful. It quite simply is, and by itself, the Power of God. The Gospel Revolution, on the other hand, does need some things to be “powerful”:
· We need persuasion. Well, we have that in spades!
· We need clarity. We have that, too! There is zero conflict in the message—no ands, ifs, or buts.
· We need time. We certainly have that. The last 30 years and counting has developed our understanding of the Gospel and its articulation so beautifully. And besides, I’m only going to be 60 years old this year! LOL.
· We need commitment! Boy, do we got that! We’re like “a dog on a bone”! Jeff is relentless. Glenn never ever wavers. Vic is a rock. Beres never quits. Sean continues regardless. Hazel is so consistent. Tim has added his expertise for over a decade with no pay. Pep never slows. Don and Judy are stalwarts. And like making an acceptance speech at an awards ceremony risking I’ll leave some out (but you know who you are if I do) – Revolutionaries with last names like Mull, Gustafson, Meyer, Lau, Howell, Benham, Amburgy, Miller, Koostra, Thompson, Barnard, Herrington, Keller, Van Sickle, Forehand, Johnson, Salonen, Galuska, Wynn, Bayerl, Price, Lange, Oliver, Jonsson, Dorsey, Winsett, Wilby, Bucholz, Gray, Burman, Davyduck, Bayley, Davis, Kolb, Roos, Moore, Najjar, Tonsky, Dyck, Wirch, Perry, Colston, Morgan, Fox, Heller, Taylor, and newcomers like Barton, Dillard, Tennie, Misener, Windorski, and Gachau and so many more are standing-up loud and proud on behalf of the Gospel for ALL! As for myself, I’ll let you judge the level of commitment I have. But it’s been over three decades and I’m still out there letting it rip!
Because we are making and have made a dent in the power of religion from people’s lives there has been and continues to be a concerted effort over these thirty years to stop the Gospel Revolution. The voices of most all the leaders of Christianity, literally, have denounced, maligned and belittled this effort and message. This at the same time they were using material from my own teachings claiming them as their own.
Can we afford to answer such a systematic attempt to thwart this Revolution with a mediocre effort or with a “wait and see” attitude on our part?
Believe me, others before us have made the effort to go down this “Gospel Road” and have been swallowed up in the very religion it hoped to challenge with the truth.
We in the Gospel Revolution have become a heartfelt family. Can we, will we, now actually become a force to be reckoned with?
Liberty always requires independence. We have declared our independence from Christianity. Independence always leads to conflict. Yet the conflict we find ourselves in has no guns, no bullets, and no bombs. It is in fact a conflict waged in which no defense is offered in retaliation by “the rebels” at all! What is our defense, our strategy to see the Earth saturated with the Good News? Simply, we are NOT going away! Those that have gone before us have waited for the Will of Heaven, the Will of God to come.
I think the Will of Heaven, the Will of God waits for us!
This is not about a people or a person thinking more highly of themselves than they ought. It is an issue of a people thinking that the Gospel is and has become to them greater than ever perceived or imagined before. Yes, we actually believe that the Gospel is the Power of God, even the very same power that created the Universe!
So, we have the persuasion, clarity, time, and commitment. But what are we lacking?
Money.
We wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true. You guys know my heart. You know we never put a guilt-trip or try in any way shape or form to spiritualize giving to this effort. How many times have you heard us say “God will NOT bless you for giving to Mike Williams Ministries or the Gospel Revolution”?
Still, the reality is the reality. We need money to do what we are attempting to do. We still have a bit of “old ministry debt” hanging over us. And we need to get “One” published, finish the new website, set-up the new Gospel Revolution School of the Scriptures starting first in Kenya, prepare for the onslaught that is coming at us once we go public with all this. And it is coming. Will we be ready for our “moment in time”?
Folks, we have a huge task ahead of us in accomplishing what we want to do. It will take equal effort from every quarter of the Gospel Revolution to achieve our goal of seeing the planet freed from the shackles of Christianity, religion, and falsely perceived human-division.
What we’re facing financially right now is nothing but “a speed bump”. Still, it could slow us down disproportionately. But as everyone “steps up to the plate”, we will more than persevere.
Can you help? Will you help? Please help me knock this burden out of the park!
To everyone who has helped in our current Start of Spring Pledge Drive and is helping, let me say thank you! You have lightened my load. For those who have not contributed currently, can you? Will you? Can you do any more? I am certainly not ashamed of the Gospel. And I am not ashamed to ask.
The Gospel, and the people who need to hear it, deserve the excellence of our hearts in every way possible.
Much Love,
Michael
Start of Spring Pledge Drive 2012 – We are right smack-dab in the middle of The Gospel Revolution’s Start of Spring Pledge Drive 2012! And…
…WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Our Goal is to raise $500 in New and/or Increased Monthly Pledges. Can you do five or ten or twenty bucks a month? Whatever you can and want to do, it will be received with many thanks and all used to continue to get the message of the Gospel out to YOUR Family who has been dominated too long by religion, guilt, judgment, condemnation, fear, and Christian doctrines presenting a feckless, unsuccessful, and failed mission of our brother Yeshua.
However, we have the Good News for them, don’t we?
Christ was completely and utterly successful in His mission to make God and us One!
The Start of Spring Pledge Drive runs through the week of April 11th. We are so grateful to be able to report to you that the number of people who pledge monthly has been growing. Of course, we’re hoping to continue this trend. It really helps us to budget for coming projects. We have a small advertising budget now that could grow depending on how well The Pledge Drive goes.
Log on to the Show Wednesday or on the archives later to hear the up-to-date list of our Generous GR Givers. And PLEASE join them!
As always, we’re more than pleased to receive One Time Gifts and Pledges, too. Large, medium, or small—it all goes to reaching the World. We’re being more and more successful reaching-out as each day goes by. On top of the bit of web advertising we’ve been able to do:
Gospel Revolution Radio is now being heard in 182 countries.
Mike’s Book “One: The Gospel According to Mike—The Christianity-Free Gospel” is in the final editing stage.
The New Gospel Revolution.com Website is just weeks away from going online.
The first-ever Gospel Revolution School of the Scriptures now being started in Kenya!
THANK YOU GIFTS – For One-time and New or Increased Monthly Pledges totaling $100 or more, we will be sending you Mike’s Latest Series from the Grace Conference in Calgary: “What’s Proverbs Got to Do With It?” – This One’s For Laurel”. Plus, if you make a NEW MONTHLY PLEDGE or INCREASE YOUR MONTHLY PLEDGE, you’ll receive The Essary’s Book, “The Hour We Least Expected” as an extra “Thank You”.
Call the office to make your Pledge or Gift TODAY: 352-569-4889! You can also Pledge online @ https://gospelrevolution.com.
Much Love, Grace, and Peace for ALL,
Mike Williams Ministries