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Sometimes we need doom and gloom prophets because the tv preachers can seem plastic, lopsided, and backslidden. Sometimes we need to be called to weep and wail, because things are not as good as what the pied piper tells us it is. An excessive diet of candy, sugar, and honeycomb will make a person sick. A white paintbrush can make things pretty… unless everything is whitewashed and we lose color; we lose our sense of reality.

Sometimes we need Jesus to tell us to pray as He Himself feels agony impending. Sometimes we need Him to wake us up. Sometimes we need Him to warn us, as He already knows what trouble lurks.

Sometimes we don’t see through Heaven’s lens. Sometimes we don’t know there’s an urgency in the air. Sometimes we don’t need to be coddled, patted on the back, or lied to. What we really need sometimes is to be shaken, alarmed and alerted.

Sometimes we need a voice to pierce through time and space to reach us. Sometimes we need a raised voice, an unafraid voice, a truthful voice that can’t be swayed. Sometimes we’ve forgotten that the real prophets don’t give a gas about whether or not they’re popular.

We need doom and gloom prophets when preachers are busier building their image and brand than they are His kingdom. We need the voices of lightning and thunder when our preachers are spending too much time and worry over their nearly useless fundraisers. I’m getting worked up, but I’m not feeling like I’m supposed to tone this down.

Sure, I’m still dealing with issues from my brain injuries and thus, I often have to let my helpmate proofread my stuff. I ask and allow her to reel me in. But lately I’ve dealt with a different kind of devil. A devil that has made me feel pitiful. And right now, in this exact moment, a holy oil is on me. Revelation is coming to me. And an attack of yuck is flittering off of me.

For so many years, a fiery anointing would come on me when I was preaching, prophesying, or praying. But now—thank God— that anointing also comes on me when I’m writing.

Anyway, we are at a moment in time like the aforementioned “sometimes.” Instead of resisting the rebuke with arguments and excuses, there are many Christian leaders who need to own the shame.

There’s misplaced rejoicing going on that we have mis-labeled the wedding song and wedding dance.

So many pulpits are currently being occupied with fellers who are stricken with a sick need to look cool. Unfortunately, we don’t have a Jesus movement going on, but I know where the modern day hippies are.

Today’s hippy sermons could’ve been written at Woodstock. Too many of today’s Preachers and well-known Christian singers are alcoholics. But, good news, our theology has advanced so far that now sin is ok, and Hell probably isn’t real.

Marijuana use amongst ministers will be the next sad news story. The debate on whether it’s ok for believers to smoke doobies is already marching our way.

But, I’m not worried because I’ve already heard the Lord say He is restoring the prophetic lament. This deep level of burden and spiritual ache will lead us to a new sound coming out of Zion. The outpouring will follow our almost overwhelming season of weeping intercession.

For now, don’t be too quick to dismiss or resist the gloom, or the angry sounding preacher. I believe this is one of those “sometimes” that we need to hear this strange, wild voice.

Even in his later years, Richard Strauss kept himself busy. He scheduled his day. He planned two walks a day. He worked, wrote, created for 5+ hours a day. He slotted himself time twice a day to sit and read. He intentionally made time for tea, and even scheduled himself opportunities to smoke. He knew when he was going to wake, eat breakfast, stop for lunch, have dinner, return to his room, and turn out his light.

His life was on purpose. And, what you might not notice, if you just scan over his daily schedule, is his intentional time to breathe in creativity. Yes. Creativity, though it may seem to come in random bursts, can be planned for. For Strauss, I’m guessing it happened while was taking a stroll down by the river. Or, maybe it happened when busyness was set aside as he relaxed on a seat and sipped his tea. I can even imagine that those moments he enjoyed a smoke were more productive than what you might realize.

So, yes, work and work hard. But, give your mind, your soul, your heart, planned opportunities to dream, to drift, to watch a bird or something neutral like that.

The beauty and benefit of the Pastor’s office is shepherding and Discipleship. Thus, believers can grow and be cared for under the honored umbrella of Pastoral Leadership.

Pastors preach a lot of sermons on a regular basis. This requires an incredible amount of prayer, reading, and studying.

Usually, it is a Pastor that marries or buries a believer. If someone wants to be married in a church, they will often reach out to their own Pastor. If the couple doesn’t attend church, they will probably reach out to a Pastor with some connection to their family. The process is usually similar when searching for someone to conduct a funeral.

Pastors also perform other important functions such as communion, water baptism and baby dedications.

Furthermore, Pastors are also known to visit folks in hospitals, or at their homes. Pastors give their lives to humbly, yet gladly, serving a local congregation of believers.

Pastors do their best to care for, pray for, and serve their community.

And, unfortunately, Pastors are under-appreciated today. Nevertheless, when they are functioning well… they continue nurturing and developing believers. Plus, they keep on encouraging others pieces of the body. They appoint, equip, and utilize teachers. They employ and value Evangelists. They cheer for and learn from Prophets. They submit to and assist Apostles. The benefit of Pastors is: among everything else that they contribute, they can be incredible team players.

Revivals are often victimized and intellectually assaulted by the church of its day. Surviving this barrage, and having leadership that can responsibly weather such onslaught, is what determines how transformative and far-reaching the revival will be in its world culture.

If the arguments and complaints that come from others in the church-world proves to be minimal in slowing the advancement of a spirit-born movement, it is likely that the revival can evolve into an awakening that fully affects its era.

However, if too much friendly fire begins to prevail in usurping their heady slanders of any and all new stirrings or happenings, the revival’s chances of reforming society will greatly suffer.

You see, if a revival and its leaders are hampered by the distraction of continually having to defend and explain itself, the momentum can be slowed, the workers can get exhausted, and the overall joy or emotional fuel can be drained…thus, stifling the movements advance.

Conversely, if revivalists have been touched with fresh fire and enough purpose, they sometimes take the offensive charge, as opposed to the defensive struggles.

A revival born with a running charge is one that is willing to call out:

A. the sins and dangers of its day, as well as B. the inefficiencies and backslidings of the church itself. Either way, revival is an act of war. It is heavily attacked, forcing it to become defensive from the ire of brothers and sisters until it is mostly quenched and cornered… or, it burst forth on an offensive, advancing mission with furious, fiery, raised voice and reason-ready pleadings that cause it to plow ahead with full show of emotion and purpose. But, rarely does a revival arrive on the platonic and tentative tip-toes of apathy.

There is this modern day fear and timidity preventing many ministers from calling sin “sin.” A blow-softening approach is sought after by many so they don’t lose popularity points, or people’s affections. Yet, in Acts 4, the Apostles prayed to God for more boldness so they could continue proclaiming the truth.

Im not a watchdog, but I’m not a scaredy-cat either. If I feel God is pointing something out to me, I will give it my prayer and attention. Unfortunately, this also means I will cry out when I feel I am supposed to. Yes, I know the fury and unpopularity that naming sins will garner me…but I have a responsibility. And, I can’t cheapen my love for God, His Church, and His world by worrying over my own appeal. God told His prophet in

Jer. 1 to not worry about their faces, but to take comfort knowing God was with Him.

Displays of weak integrity always harms the body, but strong, trustworthy leadership can help navigate failures. Everyone is susceptible to sin and mistakes. However, when sin surfaces, repentance is still the cure (Acts 3:19). Open repentance models humility and humanity. Meanwhile, strong leaders are needed today as pointers to a path of greater decency (2 Tim 2:2).

Some of today’s ministry leaders are just guilty of being careless. It’s important that we think things through and make our statements clearly and confidently. The psalmist said in Psa 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”

The world will always try to trip up godly leaders with pointed questions. They did it to Jesus and they’re still doing it today. Lauren Daigle faced it after being on the Ellen show. Carl Lentz faced it in the aftermath of New York’s abortion bill. And, don’t forget Joel Houston who tweeted “evolution is undeniable.” Later, Houston tried to reel in that statement and make more sense of it, but the initial damage was done. As for Daigle, she seems to still be trying to figure out where she stands concerning whether or not homosexuality is a sin. For now, it seems she’s willing to err on the side of being friendly, rather than holy. Lentz followed his poor showing on a television program that cornered him on his abortion beliefs with an online written statement that clarified his church’s stance on the issue. It’s hard on young leaders, especially when the world tries so hard to cause them to fumble.

Nevertheless, I feel God urging me to encourage folks to understand that being righteous is much more important than being cool.

1 Cor 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Instead of trying so hard to be hip and popular, we need men and women who consistently serve as humble and loving.

Unfortunately, today’s preachers and Christian leaders often lack backbone in the moment and cave to fleeting pressure.

James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

At what point do we break in our hearts? When will we be healed of our dry eyes? Where are our tears?

Revival and repentance must come. We are in great need.

My goal is not to be another angry, old-fashioned, religious rule-keeper. Rather, as a weeping intercessor, I pray for us all as we live in a generation that has embraced backslidden Christianity.