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Reflections of a Sold-Out Young Mother
I had a flashback yesterday as I
was worshipping God at faith4life Dallas. Maybe it would be better-called
retrospective insight. Whatever it was, it was powerful, and you need to know
about it, especially if—
·
You’re involved in raising or ministering to
kids
·
You attend a small church
·
You pastor a small church
See, yesterday I wasn’t sitting in any church. I was in the church that my son, Matthew Tarkington, pastors. He is highly anointed. I have taught in several Bible schools and have preached from many pulpits. I know many extremely anointed younger and older preachers, and my son doesn’t lag behind any of them. I sit amazed at his insight (although once in a while he takes credit for something I told him years ago). J He has an ability to follow the Holy Spirit and to exhibit patience and love for people that is second to none. Thousands of people listen to his messages all over the world. If you don’t know him yet, you will!
And… I wasn’t just singing any worship song. We were singing “Jesus at the Center.” Israel Houghton is generally regarded as the composer of that song, but I knew that he had help. The official lyrics include two other writers. One of them is Adam Ranney. You might know his name; if you don’t yet, you will! Maybe you’ve seen him on TBN (I think he’s on like… every other day!).
Adam Ranney grew up in the same church and Christian school
as my son. As a matter of fact, I have the honor of being known as the music
teacher who cut him from the small ensemble in junior high…yea…And now he’s a
world-famous worship leader! That’s another story…
To the Pastors
Both Pastor Matt and Pastor Adam spent most of their developmental
years in a church whose attendance hit around 200 at its peak. The pastor
wasn’t famous. The facilities weren’t fancy. The staff was small, and most of
them were volunteers.
My family started attending the church in 1985. Pastor Matt
was barely two years old. As a matter of fact, he raised some eyebrows in the
nursery when he got the Barbie doll out of the toy chest, pointed to her legs,
and said, “pantyhose.”
Adam is several years older than Matt, but I remember him coming to the church when he was in third or fourth grade.
Many of us who attended that church came out of the Jesus Movement or the Charismatic Renewal of the late 1970’s. We were sold out for Jesus. We were hungry for the Word and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The pastor preached the Word. He and his wife graduated
from the first class of Rhema. Sometimes he would flow in the gifts of the Spirit.
He taught us about tithing. He debunked old church myths. He used to say, “Stop shucking and jiving God.” Sometimes
he would butcher the English language, but we knew what he meant, and he was
anointed! His wife taught the women from Scripture about raising children and
being good wives. She was instrumental in opening the Christian school at the
church, which required monthly Scripture memorization. I’m sure both Pastor
Matt and Pastor Adam remember Bible verses from those days! These pastors taught the Word of God
without compromise and flowed in the Holy Spirit.
The church had an amazing children’s church program. Volunteers ran it. My son still remembers it as “Starship 91.” There was Starship Bridge with knobs and lights and buttons kids could turn and click and punch to make the time machine work. Out of the time machine came Bible characters to give their account of what God did in their lives. My son got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit there.
To the Parents
Neither Adam
Ranney’s parents nor Pastor Matt’s parents would have ever thought of letting
their kids skip church. The Ranneys were in their seats on the aisle in the third row
every week. (One week I intentionally sat in “their seats” just to throw them
off!)
I know the Ranneys well enough to know that they, like we, raised our kids and lived our lives according to the Word of God. If the Word said to tithe, we tithed. I know that both of our families went through difficult financial times. We didn’t throw up our hands and cry, “This faith stuff doesn’t work!” We continued to give and to volunteer. The pastor continued to teach us the truth.If the Word said to discipline our children with the rod, we did. We didn’t abuse our children. Mr. Ranney coached his boys in soccer. I directed my son in several musicals. We laughed with our kids; we loved our kids; we believed in our kids, and we taught them they could do all things through Christ which strengtheneth them!
We just did what the Bible said.
The Point
Neither the Ranneys nor the Tarkingtons were perfect. Our
pastor wasn’t perfect. Our church was
full of imperfect people, but they were sold-out people. I wonder if Adam Ranney would be on TBN
(practically every time I turn it on) if his parents had said, “You can go to church if you want or stay
home. Whatever. It’s up to you!” Probably not.
I wonder if my son would be an anointed world-changing
pastor if I had treated my Christianity as a hobby. You know what a hobby
is—you do it when you want and how you want to do it. Hobbyist Christians pray when they really
need something, go to church when it’s convenient, and sometimes do what the
Word says… when it doesn’t demand too much of them! Would my son be who he is
if I had been a hobbyist Christian? Probably not.
Jesus At The Center
Israel Houghton, Michah Massey & Adam Ranney
Jesus be the center of it all Jesus be the center of it
all From beginning to the end It will always be
It’s always been You Jesus, Jesus
Jesus be the center of my life Jesus be the center of my
life From beginning to the end
It will always be
It’s always been You Jesus, Jesus
Nothing else matters
Nothing in this world will do
Jesus
you’re the center
Everything revolves around You
Jesus You, at the center of it
all, the center of it all
Jesus be the center of Your church Jesus be the center of
Your church Every knee will bow
and every tongue shall confess you Jesus, Jesus
From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center
It’s all
about You
Yes, It’s all about You
Jesus, Jesus
