Consistency
David Beebe

“There should be a consistency that runs through us all.”

Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.
– Hebrews 13:7-8 Message Bible

Recent church history gives us an abundance of examples of men and women of God, anointed for ministry, who may or may not have been the greatest paradigm of Christian living.

Some of the most anointed ministers lost their ministries, reputation, family, and influence because of a lack of personal, or ministerial, ethics. While many who stumbled were able to recover themselves and finish their course with joy, others simply ship-wrecked their purpose and calling.

Aimee Semple McPherson was a widow on the mission field before she was 20 years old and went through a painful divorce in her second marriage. However, she eventually founded and pastored Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, California and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel denomination.

“She was the first woman to receive an FCC license to operate a radio station. She started LIFE “Lighthouse for International Foursquare Evangelism” Bible College. She opened the Angelus Temple Commissary that fed 1.5 million people during the Depression regardless of race, creed, or color. She fought for higher wages for police and fire fighters, and railed against organized crime.

Her vision provided an expanded role for Pentecostal women to engage in ministry. She led disaster relief efforts when earthquakes hit Southern California.” Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, by Burgess, McGee, and Alexander. Zondervan Publishing House. Aimee stumbled a few times, but she found her balance again.

John Alexander Dowie is considered an outstanding pioneer and proponent for “faith healing” who settled down in the Chicago area near the time of the 1893 World’s Fair. This enabled him to reach thousands of people from around the world as he founded Zion City, Illinois and the Christian Catholic Church.

“Dowie insisted that those who sought his prayers relinquish all medicine and, instead, exercise faith. He also demanded that his followers abstain from use of all pork products. Stubborn and aggressive, Dowie seemed to welcome conflict: over the years, his sharp criticism alienated virtually every other significant American exponent of divine healing.” Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, by Burgess, McGee, and Alexander. Zondervan Publishing House.

While John Alexander Dowie’s ministry and life was cut short because of a stroke, his influence continues today. Did you know that F.F. Bosworth, Dr. John G. Lake, and Gordon Lindsay were all influenced through Dowie’s ministry and had very successful ministries of their own?

Please consider these thoughts:

1. Make sure the Word of God is emphasized in you ministry and not some fad or movement.
2. Decide to be a doer of the Word and an example to the flock of God. In James 1:19 the word “doer” is the Greek word poites, which means to be a poet. In those days, traveling poets would build a platform and present their poetry before the entire community.
3. Maintain proper humility and don’t allow yourself to think thoughts about yourself and other people that are contrary to the Word.
4. Value people as God does and love them unconditionally.
5. Stay balanced while allowing the Holy Spirit to use you.

“There should be a consistency that runs through us all.”