Let's take the next couple of days to review 2013. First, let's start with my top ten posts of 2013. These range in the most page views and highest original user views. In reading comments and emails from this past year, I understand with great compassion there is a high need to address hush-hush ministry and church topics. Issues that are swept under the rug where people are seeking answers. Please click on the posts to read and comment...1.) "Struggles of Slavic Third Culture Children": The problem is that the third culture kids, who are now young adults and married folks, face difficulty in letting go of the past and opening doors to fresh opportunities for the future. Many older parents hold strongly to the church traditions from their former life in the USSR. Traditions that today are hindering their third culture kids from expanding their horizons and increasing their potential in ministry.
2.) "Abuse of Slavic-American Women": I have personally spoken with many older Slavic women, younger mothers, single ladies, and even young teen girls about the culture of an abusive household mainly having to do with men taking advantage of the women in their homes. Does this indicate that all Slavic-American families have a stronghold of a macho-domineering attitude?, of course not. However, we cannot let the neglect and pains continue without addressing its core roots and making way for the Holy Spirit to heal and restore.
3.) "17 Definitive Practices We MUST Crucify": Apostle Paul teaches us in Galatians 5:19-21, a list of 17 practices we must all crucify.
4.) "Pornography for Women: 50 Shades of Grey": What continues to strike me with shock is how believers continue to approve, distribute, and even not see a problem with this type of writing. We must find ways to consecrate our minds and purify our hearts from the lures of the world. Jesus Christ did not die on the cross so we can continue to live willfully in sin, but He paid the price for our sin and gives us freedom from the stronghold of sin. Our hope is not in a sexual fantasy that degrades our mind, soul, and relationships but in the power of Jesus Christ and His love.
5.) "Celebrating Leadership Gifts in Women": Somehow we have seen more voices like, "Sit down, your not allowed to preach! Women must be silent in the church! You have no authority to speak! Your task is to be home with the kids! You can only support your husband! Cook, clean, stay home, that is your purpose in life!" As the body of Christ, we must see EVERY member valuable, honorable, and functional for the glory of God. Then the question is raised, Why should we celebrate leadership gifts in women?
6.) "iAsk: Bogdan Kipko, Pastor and Lead Visionary at Intentional Christianity": I am also passionate about navigating a movement in which predominately Slavic churches in America would in a healthy way transition to be more effective for the gospel by creating additional English venues so that communities who don't speak Russian would also be reached with the gospel. I want to see the church fulfill their calling in the United States and one of the ways that will happen is when the Slavic church will cease to be an isolationist community, bound by culture and tradition and would break out of the mold to evangelize and reach the lost people in their midst that speak a language other than one of the Slavic dialects.
7.) "12 Topics the Church Is NOT Talking About": I was blessed to be at a men's conference called Barnabas Renewal in Atlanta, GA where 25 ministers under the age of 40 came together for prayer, renewal, accountability, and building relationships. Men from all over the country came and even one youth pastor from Vancouver, Canada. God was encouraging each of us to hear His voice and be led by the voice of the Holy Spirit. One topic we discussed was: What is the Church (Body of Christ) either locally or around the world NOT talking about. Here are 12 things we must start addressing in 2014....
8.) "The Internal Enemy of Women: Comparison": Most women do not struggle with looking lustfully upon men's bodies. The way the eye of women usually works has largely to do with COMPARISONS.
9.) "Preparing For Persecution": Fellow Christians, we are being prepared by the Holy Spirit to endure much persecution in the years to come in this country. Like it or not it’s coming.
10.) "Consequences In Dealing With Sexual Sin Publicly": One verse that keeps slipping the minds of many men is found in Numbers 32:23, "But if ye will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out." In our age of hyper-grace and distant personal accountability we have discovered the true meaning of this verse with the epidemic tsunami of moral failures one after another from mega-church preachers to local 50 member congregations not only here in America but around the world.
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