Re:volution

Forgotten God

2010-02-15T00:02:00.000-05:00

I know that just by my title I have your attention. You may ask, “What do you mean by Forgotten God?” Well I believe that the church as a whole has, for many years, forgotten about one of the most important persons in the triune Godhead and that is the Holy Spirit. If you look back to some of the last moments Christ spent on this earth He promised His disciples that another was coming after Him that would empower them to do greater works and miracles than even He. Jesus commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the endument of power. This of course is our heritage and Pentecostal distinctive in the fellowship of the Assemblies of God but unfortunately many of our churches have strayed from this awesome work of the Holy Spirit. With the Baptism in the Holy Spirit comes a boldness to be a witness and an insatiable hunger for the presence of God. But even more important is the powerful prayer language that will change your life forever. The Word of God confirms that this special communication between you and Almighty God can alter your destiny and shape your future. There are times in life when we just don’t know what to pray and it is through this great gift that the Holy Spirit actually prays through us. I believe that many members of the body of Christ are living in defeat and have a lack of vision for their lives because they have neglected the work of the Holy Spirit.

Revolution service.2/3/2010.Are you hungry?

2010-02-05T11:50:00.002-05:00

New Year’s Revolution

2009-12-15T15:13:00.001-05:00

It’s almost the beginning of a new year and a start of a brand new decade! I know many of you may have already thought about and are planning on implementing those infamous New Year’s resolutions. The Lord has laid an idea on my heart of a new way to approach this New Year without the disappointment of failed New Year’s resolution. I believe the Lord desires much more than just lip service and unkept promises. This year, let’s commit to a New Year’s Revolution. If you look at one of the definitions of revolution “it is a sudden or momentous change in a situation.” God has big plans and purposes for you this year! Are you going to allow God’s plans to be fulfilled in your life or are you going to get stuck in the muck and mire of the average and ordinary; struggling to make it thru the day to day busyness of your life? A revolution is a momentous change in your situation. How many of us would deny a positive change to our everyday situation? I heard a quote by Anthony Robbins that said, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Now there’s some reality for you! Are you going to allow the Lord to cause a revolution in your heart this year and bring a far-reaching change to your life or will you look back on this year with regret and disappointment? My prayer for all of our lives is, “God start a REVOLUTION in us, to influence our homes, our communities, and our world for cause of Jesus Christ”.

Stay The Course

2009-11-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

As I continue my study in the book of James the Lord has impressed upon me the importance of staying the course when life’s storms batter our personal coast line. It is so easy sometimes to feel overwhelmed with the weight of what we carry. Don’t be fooled and don’t fool yourself into believing the lies of the enemy. He wants you to accept defeat and give in to the temptation of throwing in the towel. That is what he is counting on. It doesn’t matter what the enemy sends our way, God is bigger than any fiery darts the enemy hurls at us. In James 1:16-18, we are reminded that, “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” He is the Father of Lights; constant, faithful, giver of good gifts, never changing. Consistent is one of the great attributes of our heavenly Father. He never changes and His love for us is like a mighty rushing river from His thrown. Later in this passage James says, “He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.” We are His pride and joy! He has placed the hope of future generations in us. We have become carriers of the Living Word of God and His presence in our lives sets us free.

Harvest Time

2009-09-17T22:06:00.002-04:00

Fall is in the air and it is one of my favorite times of the year, the colors of God’s creation are breath taking and the chill in the air reminds us that winter is right around the corner. This is the time of the year that people are reminded of what a marvelous and spectacular King we serve. Fall also makes me think of the harvest, I am reminded of the scripture in Ecclesiastes “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven”. There has been a message burning in my heart the past several weeks and it has to do with the harvest that is in the field at this very moment. The time is NOW! Timing is everything when it comes to the harvest. If it stays in the field too long it will spoil and if it is harvested to soon it will not be ripe. God’s timing is perfect and the time for harvesting has come, I am reminded of another scripture in Joel 2:28-32 when God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people….” Many of us want to hang around the barn instead of going into the field to reap the harvest. Jesus said that “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few”. Don’t misunderstand me there is a time for gathering at the barn but if no one ever goes to the fields and works there will never be a harvest. Purpose in your heart today to move outside of the four walls of the church and begin to be the harvester that God has called you to be.

2009-08-22T23:40:00.000-04:00

Re:volution Fun

2009-07-09T13:39:00.002-04:00

Freddie & Ryan with a face full of whip cream! LOL

Share Your Faith

2009-05-22T14:51:00.004-04:00

This week has been one of the most amazing weeks that I can remember in a long time!! It started with tragedy and has ended in triumph!! The Miracle started on Monday morning, when I was asked to go to one of the local schools to pray with a group of students mourning the loss of a classmate over the weekend. The turn out was amazing, 40 students showed up broken and with many questions. I was able to talk to them for a few minutes and pray with them. The Lord then opened a door into this school that only God could have accomplished. I was invited back to the school both Monday and Tuesday to minister to several students struggling with the loss of this friend and classmate. Through this I was able to lead 4 students to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!!! Praise God for his grace and mercy towards all of us!! This started a chain reaction and so far this week 9 people have given their hearts to Christ. This is what it is all about!!! 5 of the 9 people were led to Christ by students!! This is what Revival is all about!!! Our students are truly catching the vision of the Great Commission. We could all take a lesson from these Young Evangelists!!! Let this testimony spur you on to reach a world that is dying and on their way to Hell!!! May God light a fire in each of our hearts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and give us a new Passion for Souls!!!

The Wave has started!!!!

2009-04-30T01:07:00.003-04:00

Revival fire burn!!!! Tonight was momentous in the history of Re:volution!! There was an impartation tonight that activated something in the Spirit realm. The word the Lord gave me was out out I Samuel 16 and it was surrounding the Anointing of David as king. David was the least of all of his brothers and was the least likely to succeed. If you look at the first three brothers of David the oldest name meant "God is father", the second brother's name meant "Father of nobleness" and the third brother's name meant "Father is here". What the Lord began show me was the significance of the names of the three brothers. How they are a type and shadow of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet God chose the youngest and least significant of the sons of Jesse to bestow His Spirit. "Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life." All the things his brothers were did not compare to what God placed in him that day, he received the total package. I shared with my young people that I believe they are a Generation of David's and God is desiring to anoint them for service in this Great Move of God!!!! I explained that as I anointed them with oil, this was their Coronation into their place in the Kingdom of God. The word that God gave me to speak over them was Unction(anointing)!!! It was a powerful night, The Wave has started!!!!

Making the decision

2009-04-21T12:49:00.004-04:00

One thing that I have seen happen in new believers is that once they accept Christ as their personal Savior, they seem to think that their relationship with the Lord is going to be automatic but unfortunately what happens is they fall back into their old ways and habits. You begin to see the same people time after time responding to the salvation message. I had a conversation earlier in the week with one of my youth staff members and in the middle of our conversation on this very subject the Holy Spirit began to shed light on the answer to this dilemma. Serving Jesus Christ is a daily decision!!! The word says that we are to daily picked up our cross and follow Him. We can't accept Christ free offer of salvation and then fool ourselves into thinking our lives from that day forward are going to be a walk in the park. Yes, our salvation is free but serving Him is going to cost you something. It is going to cost you everything!!! We must daily, even before our feet hit the floor in the morning, make the decision to follow Christ. Make Christ a part of every decision you make, there is no decision too small. Some of you may be saying, "this is too hard, this cost too much". I am certainly glad Jesus did not make the decision to walk away from the sacrifice that His father had put before Him. You want to know the key to living a successful christian walk, Your Daily decision will determine your Destiny!!!

OUR SUPERHERO

2009-03-26T18:21:00.006-04:00

Last week I took three of my students to Breakaway at Valley Forge Christian College and while we were there we could not resist heading to downtown Philly and taking in the sites of my favorite city in the nation. While there I ran across this t-shirt, it really caught my eye and grieved my spirit. All of the rhetoric that has been tossed around over the past couple of months surrounding our new president and his ability to pull us out of this hole, has really got this nation enamored into a false sense of trust and security. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well this picture definitely speaks to the pulse of this nation. We must keep our eyes on the one that is the real Superhero and the only one that has the answer to our current crisis and woes. Jesus Christ is the Answer!!!! Don't misread me we need to bathe our leaders in prayer and remind our Savior that the "heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord" but that doesn't mean we stick or heads in the sand and put our trust in human ability and wisdom. The state we find ourselves in requires a Now Word from the Lord and His wisdom. Keep your eyes on Him and stop looking to the Left and the Right.

How to be a Disciple

2009-02-19T01:49:00.002-05:00

It has been a long time since I have posted but Life has been a little crazy with Shelia having surgery and my youngest daughter having Mono, I have spent more time in the hospital and doctors offices than I can bear. But I have to say that regardless of what is going on around me my God is always faithful to His word. I started a new series a couple of weeks ago "How to be a Disciple", the Lord laid on my heart several weeks the need for young people to get a revelation of what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ. We are presently going through the Fruits of the Spirit. All of these attributes are the very character of God and are present in each and every one of us, the problems lies when we make the decision to let the flesh rule our daily walk instead of letting what God has placed in each of us to come out. It's in there, we have got to make the choice to let our fruit become evident to a lost and dying world. This is part of what should attract people to Christ, they should look at how we conduct ourselves and want to know why we are different? If there is not difference between you and the world in which you live than maybe it is time to take a long hard look at yourself.

New Years Eve Lock-In

2009-01-02T22:24:00.005-05:00

On New Years Eve, we took a group of 14 students over to Victory Christian Center for a Lock-In. The R.I.O.T. is quite a facility it has pool tables, ping pong table, fooseball, Rock Band, Dance Revolution and much more!! I would like to thank Pastor Nate for his hospitality and for including us in their event. We had a great time and it was fun watching the young people play a game called "Crab Soccer", it was extremely entertaining. The game is played with a giant earth ball. I am really looking forward to next year when we will have our own Activity Center for the New Years Eve Lock-In.

New Year's Resolve

2008-12-29T10:49:00.000-05:00

Well, yesterday I preached both morning services and felt compelled to share what I talked about.
How many of us have made New Year's Resolutions and have had a tough time keeping those resolutions? I for one have struggled through the years keeping them. The word Resolution is actually from the root word Resolute, which by definition means having or showing a fixed, firm purpose; determined; resolved; unwavering. When you think of Resolutions that way it seems to be more absolute. In light of this lets reflect on 2008 and think about the following questions:

1. Has our relationship with God improved? Have we been spending time in His word and in prayer; not the kind of 2 minute prayer we pray when we are in a desperate situation but the kind of prayer that we are spending time in His presence seeking His face.
2. Has our relationship with our fellow believers improved? Has our love for one another increased this year? When was the last time you had a fellow believer into your home?
Now I am not talking about your on circle of friends you always fellowship with!! I am talking about people you see every week and you may not even know there name. You exchange pleasantries and go about your merry way. It is time we move out of our comfort zones and share the love of Christ with those around us.
3. Has our relationship with those in the world improved? We have an important responsibility toward those in the world!! In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus talks about us being the salt of the earth and a light to the world. This was not a suggestion, it was a command. Some may say "we are not supposed to be of the world" I agree but we are still "in" the world. We rub shoulders with people on a daily basis who are searching for the answer. And I have got some Good News, we have the answer. What greater opportunity do we have to show the world what Christ is all about. You may be the only representation that they will every see of Christ. It is the Gospel communicated to them on their level right where they are at. Christ first met us right in the midst of our muck and mire. Don't wait for the world to come to us, they may never darken the doorsteps of our church's but they would enter your homes. So in this coming year lets all make an effort to do these three things:

1. Resolve to draw nearer to God
2. Resolve to become closer to your fellow Believer's
3. Resolve to get to know non-believers better

Erie Otters Hockey Game

2008-12-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at the hockey game on Saturday night. It was the first time I had ever been to a hockey game and to say the least it was a awesome experience. The pace of the game was really the most amazing part; I got a whole new appreciation for the these athletes. The other thing that stood out to me was the amount of fights on the ice. It is really a violent game and I can't imagine the bruises that those guys come out of these games with. The word that came to my mind during the game was "Conditioning" and the more I thought about this I realized that we could take that word and begin to apply this to our lives spiritually. I have been talking to my students about the importance of consistency in there relationship with Christ and I could not help but think how much more effective we could be if we just became better "Conditioned", and that will only come with spending more time on our faces before the maker of the universe. Let me throw out a challenge to you, spend your time Today "Conditioning" your relationship with your "Personal Savior".

Evangelism Epicenter

2008-12-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give everyone an update on the Gym that we are in the process of constructing. I just walked out to take a look at what God is accomplishing for His glory. You know in a time when most people would say "why a building project now?" in the midst of the turbulent financial times we are in. Well all I can say is "But God!!" Thank the Lord we have a Senior Pastor that carries a vision for the lost in our community and is willing to obey the Lord no matter what the cost. This is a testament of God's Faithfulness and I believe the Lord is very pleased with our endeavours to reach a community that is desperate for a Savior. The fields are ripe for harvest and this building that is being erected is going to be a soul winning station. I believe that God is getting ready to do what all of us have been longing for. He is getting ready to pour out His Spirit on this generation. To God be the Glory. In this coming year lets all make a fresh commitment to reach our community with the Love of Christ, loving people right were they are and letting Christ do the miracle.

Re:volution Christmas

2008-12-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night we had a Re:volution Christmas. It was such a blessing to spend some time with the greatest students on the planet. We had food, games and clips from my all time favorite Christmas Movie-"Elf". We also played a couple of games. One of the games consisted of trying to unwrap and rewrap Christmas gifts with oven mitts on, it was very entertaining to watch. The second game we played was Christmas musical chairs. This game was hilarious and very competitive, congrats to Jesse Lewis for being the last person sitting. Overall it was a great night and it was great just spending time with my kids. I love you all!! You're the best!! One behalf of Shelia and I have a great Christmas. Our next Re:volution Service will be on January 7th. Remember that on Wednesday December 31st(New Years eve) we will be going to a Lock-in at the RIOT, we will be leaving the church at 9pm. If you have any questions just text me. May God bless all of you during this Christmas Season, Pastor Mark

Re:volution shares the Love of Christ

2008-12-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

On Sunday December 7th Re:volution had the opportunity to minister to the children of the the Shenango Valley through puppets and Garbonics. I was so proud of our young people. In this season when we can so easily become so self-centered we stepped out of our comfort zones and made time in our busy schedules to share the love of Christ with a community that so desperately needs a Savior. I am truly honored to be leading this wonderful group of students. I would also like to thank Amanda Kokoski for giving us the opportunity to be a blessing to these children. Let's all reflect on the true meaning of the season that is upon us. Jesus Christ is truly the reason for the season.

God is in the House!!!

2008-12-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at Re:volution last night. God is truly faithful and is good all the time. I had planned on starting a new series last night called "Developing the Heart of a Champion" but God had other plans and the Holy Spirit spoke a word that needed to be heard. The Holy Spirit gave me the phrase "Personal God and Personal Savior", so many times we as Christians we try to make our relationship with the Lord so complicated. Our God is a big but he is not complicated. His greatest desire towards us is to have an intimate relationship with His children. We sometimes feel like God is a million miles away but that is only because we let sin get in the way. Our God is a personal God and he wants to be involved in the everyday things of life. The other thing that the Holy Spirit impressed upon me is that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. There is nothing that you can do that God can't forgive. I have been talking with my young people that past few weeks about how important it is to be consistent with our walk. This is one of the keys to walking in victory. We don't end up in a mess overnight, it takes that day after day of not spending time in His presence and his Word and before we know it we feel like God is not there. Well the Word says that "He will never leave us or forsake us" we are the ones that walk away. Last night was a breakthrough for many of our students and to God be the glory. Take time today to spend time with your Heavenly Father, it will be worth its weight in Gold.

Light Up Night!!

2008-11-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

We had a great time with the Fam at Light Up Night in New Castle. Although it was a little cold for my liking. As you can see I live in a house of Drama Queens!! The one thing that I noticed during the whole night was the enormous amount of candy on the ground. I would hate to be the one to clean all that up. My kids did get there share though. The last thing I would like to leave with all of you is not to forget who the reason for the season is!! It is so easy to get so caught up in the business of the season, buying presents and running all over the countryside, we forget the true meaning of Christmas. Put Christ first, don't forget that it is His birthday, without Him life would be so empty.

God of This City!!

2008-11-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

What an amazing time we had in New York City. God did big things in all of us. We had the honor to serve the homeless of the city. Both Friday and Saturday night we hit the street at 9pm and ministered to the needs of the people until midnight. This trip touched me in a deep way, realizing that these men and women that live on the street are just like you and I. We as Christians are spoiled and need to remember that there are people dying on a daily basis without Christ. The Word asks the question "how will they know unless someone goes to tell them?" We saw lives transformed this weekend and seeds of Life were planted in the hearts of many. Lastly we don't have to go to New York City to touch the lives of the homeless and destitute, we have need right here in Hermitage and surrounding areas. So lets roll up our sleeves and put our hand's to the plow.

Isn't that Sweet!!!

2008-11-10T14:56:00.000-05:00

Well, last night for Re:volution Small group we ended up at Dairy Queen and as you can see we have a real sharing bunch!!! Truly I have a great group of young people!!

Hangin with the crew

2008-11-10T14:50:00.000-05:00

Saturday afternoon we hung out with Pastor Rich at the Ross Park mall and had a great time. It was really good to see Pastor Rich, Jodi and the girls. As you can see from the photo drama is our specialty.

MCM Ministry School

2008-11-10T14:40:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at Allison Park Church this past Friday. MCM ministry school had a day that perspective students could come and check out the classes. Johannes Amritzer and Pastor Jeff Leake were the teachers for the day. It was an awesome experience. Johannes also spoke that evening and as always challenged us to reach outside the box and be an adventurer for Jesus Christ.