Pastor, is the Holy Spirit to overflowing from you and empowering you for ministry? This conversation addresses holy qualifications in our service to Christ. Acts chapter 19 opens with this narrative: "And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples, he said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' " Eventually, these followers of John the Baptist became followers of Jesus Christ, and were miraculously baptized with the Holy Spirit of God. Charles Finney, in his book Power from On High, wrote:  “In a former article I said that the lack of the Baptism of the Spirit should be deemed a disqualification for a pastor, a deacon or elder, a Sunday School teacher, a professor in a Christian College, and especially a professor in a theological seminary.  "Is this a hard saying? Is this an uncharitable saying? Is it unjust? Is it unreasonable? Is it unscriptural?  "Suppose any one of the Apostles, or those present on that day of Pentecost, had failed through apathy, selfishness, unbelief, indolence, or ignorance to obtain this Baptism with the Holy Spirit, would it have been uncharitable, unjust, unreasonable, or unscriptural, to have accounted him disqualified for the work which Christ has in fact called us all?  "Christ had expressly informed them that without this endowment they could do nothing. He had expressly enjoined them not to attempt it in their own strength.” So, the earnest, honest question for all who serve our Lord Jesus Christ is the same. Have we received the Holy Spirit? And beyond that, are we walking in His power and fulness? Do we rely upon Him — and upon Him alone — for the qualifications and power to do what only Christ can do through us by the Spirit's power? Exhortation and encouragement are the two sides of the same spiritual coin. Prepare to be exhorted and encouraged, and may the Lord break out upon us with power, passion, and the pursuit of the highest calling imaginable... to know Christ, and to make Him known. Paul Berry is the founder of Acts 19 Ministries, as well as a team pastor with Poimen Ministries. Paul pastored Calvary Chapel Santa Maria, CA for over 30 years until stepping aside to pursue the leading of the Holy Spirit in this next chapter of his ministry life.  Websites: www.acts19ministries.faith https://www.poimenministries.com/index.php/about Email: paul.berry2@icloud.com

FROM OUR "ACTS 2 DISTINCTIVES" SERIES~The first of a six part series from Acts chapter 2, this podcast dives into the subject of the need for and power of the Holy Spirit, and how He works in the church, and why pastors should care about it. Holland Davis of Calvary Chapel San Clemente, CA (hollanddavis.com) and Jim Hesterly of Acts One Eight Ministries (act-one-eight.com) are a great pair of pastors to discuss this hugely important subject. Join in this insightful interview.

Ministry may not have to be as hard as we pastors make it sometimes. Marc Knutson shares with us some of what he has learned over the years, and what he learned from Pastor Chuck Smith up close and personal, about flowing with the Holy Spirit in the ministry. The Holy Spirit has a mind and will—and His mind and will are in complete cooperation with that of the Father and the Son. Host Bill Holdridge joins Marc in this encouraging conversation.

The early church, aka the apostolic church, was wholly dependent upon the Holy Spirit. As was the case in Corinth, the spiritual gifts were regularly manifested. Signs and wonders accompanied the preaching of the gospel. Divine healing happened. Believers were being baptized by the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of the Promise of the Father. Paul Berry is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Marian, CA. His church is a charismatic church, in the Biblical way of understanding what that means. This podcast will be an encouragement for pastors to move beyond fears and apprehension about the work of the Holy Spirit, and into the fullness of life promised by Jesus to those who believe in Him.

Every church needs to do some healthy, Holy Spirit directed personal inventory. Pastors and leaders need to ask themselves the questions, “Why are we here in this community?” And, “What should we be, and what should we do to make us essential in our community (and beyond)?” On that subject, today we have with us Pastor Jeff Birmingham of River Rocks Church in Cummins, Georgia. There’s a statement on River Rocks Church’s website which reads, “We believe that our community doesn’t need another church service…” Jeff will tell us what is meant by this statement on the church’s website, and about what the Lord has been doing recently in his life and ministry to make much of that happen. But encouragement and renewed energy in the ministry did not come easy ... there were very painful moments, moments which led Jeff to reach out. The counsel of the Holy Spirit brought freedom and renewed vision in Jeff's life, and it has changed everything. Everything! Discover some of what Jeff learned (the truth sets us free), and the journey that he's on. It will be a blessing and exciting for any pastor or church leader.

Daryl Zachman is one of a number of pastoral friends that I gained while living in Idaho. This podcast was recorded in Boise, because Daryl invited Poimen Ministries to come and do a church assessment, as well as share at a ministry conference hosted at their church. Daryl and his wife Cindy were directed by the Holy Spirit to launch out to Boise in 1994. So they started as pioneers, as is true of so many of the pastors in our fellowship of churches. The Holy Spirit has used Daryl and Cindy ... and their leadership ... to develop a culture of openness, hospitality, warmth, and love in their fellowship. Podcast number 90 explores some of those dynamics with Pastor Daryl.

Cliff Stabler become a mentor of mine when I was a young church planting pastor serving on the Monterey Peninsula in California. Cliff befriended me, and over time became a huge influence in my life. On a personal note, I am part of a four pastor fellowship and mutual strengthening group which includes Cliff. It's amazing, really. Cliff's calling is to reproduce Christ-like close followers of Jesus Christ who are steeped in the New Covenant and who depend upon the Holy Spirit for everything. Within that calling, Cliff's passion is to disciple men. Former senior/lead pastor, former missionary, and former church consultant, Cliff has a wealth of wisdom and experience from the Holy Spirit's work in his life over his 81+ years. Cliff shares in this podcast episode some of the things he has practiced and learned in his ministry to men—transferable concepts for any senior/lead pastor. Cliff (at the urging of two of us in our pastor's group) recently finished a new book. I call it his Magnum Opus. Part auto-biographical, part testimonial, part ministerial, part instructive, part discipleship manual, the book is a treasure trove of wisdom. I wrote a chapter for the book, which you may find interesting. Here is the link for a free download of the pdf version: The Other Side (by Cliff Stabler). Hope you enjoy this interview!

What's it like to minister in Las Vegas? Known for its infamous moniker, "Sin City," it does a lot to live up to that. Its other famous tagline is "what happens here stays here," a line that invites all manner of dark activities. Can people be reached in a place like Las Vegas? Can a church thrive? Is it possible to hear from the Holy Spirit concerning how to reach the lost in a place like Vegas? Take it from one who has lived in Las Vegas for decades, the answer is "yes." The methodology employed is Spirit-led, and Word-driven. Add to these things a surprising component, and you've got life! Our guest: Pastor John Knapp. Be encouraged.