I spent 17 years in secular radio and 25 years in Christian radio and tv. I have been a Pastor for 14 years, here at FGGAM going on 12 years. I could write a book on the good and the bad of Churches and Pastors. I have surely met some of the very best, but I have met some that are just in their position to make a name for themselves and build their own Kingdom. I have had Pastors lie to me, not pay their radio program bills, talk bad about other Churches and Pastors. I have been fooled too many times by Pastors, ask my wife Sharon. She will tell you that have have been deeply hurt at times. My friend Dave Flatt told me last week, “Dewey, you are naïve at times.” Yep, Sharon has worked with me on that for sure. I have always tried to take people at their word. God has worked with me on my discernment. I do a much better job now in who to trust.
The FGGAM Board of Directors has always been made up of solid people of God. We also have around 15 Pastors, and several lay people that help guide us. I have seen politics ruin Pastors and congregations. I have seen Churches fail. I have seen Churches split. It would be about 14 years ago now when New Mexico Baptist leader Garland Moore of Grants/Milan called me and asked me to go to two Churches that were going through splits. Thank the Lord both Churches have Pastors now!
God has given me such a Biblical education, better than any seminary, no fancy dancy stuff. I am from the school of hard knocks, God put me in the fire of dysfunctional Churches right away, and he led me all the way through the fires and He continues to do so here at FGGAM. God leads me and Sharon every second of the day, He clears the smoke.
Former Southern Baptist Convention leader in New Mexico, Dr. Joseph Bunce called me one day to come and visit with him. I was working with a Church that was going through a tough time. “Dewey, some Churches just need a funeral.” That shocked me, made me so very sad, I had to really think about that. What he meant was, some Churches are always in turmoil, never grow, they just need to close their doors. Truth!
I will never understand why some Churches that have 10 to 15 people, just do not merge with another Church. A lot of space in these Churches goes to waste. Why not open a soup kitchen with your unused space? Why not a shelter for women and children? All that space that is empty during the week, UGH! What does JESUS say?
There is power in numbers, if properly guided by God. Here in Albuquerque, like many places in America, there is a Church on every street corner, but still the city has gone to hell. The lack of unity of the Church in Albuquerque is shocking. You have three Churches that garner 30,000 folks or more. Do you think they work together? NO! What an army for JESUS that would be if they all came together! Awhile back I was at a prayer meeting for Pastors in New Mexico, just around 50 people or so came. So very sad. Lack of unity on the body of Christ!
Why did man create denominations? God certainly did not. Denominations do no good for unity in the Kingdom of God. The Church in America is its own worst enemy. The Downside of Denominations
I get accused of, in a good way, of preaching basic Christianity. I have said for years that the American Church needs to do as Billy Graham said:
What’s the report card on the American Church? Just 4% of American have a Biblical Worldview. Just 37% of PASTORS have a Biblical Worldview. George Barna Research. That means FAILURE! THAT MEANS HELL ON EARTH! George Barna: Most Christians don’t know what a disciple is
For the Church to be effective for JESUS, it needs to come together under the tent of JESUS Not divided up in big to small forts.
I have worked with a lot of people and still do, that sadly have been very hurt by a Pastor.
We help people get connected to a Church. Please contact me at pastordewey@fggam.org and I will try to help you find a Pastor.
I am just one man with the best wife, doggy and children ever. We operate out of our house and JESUS car! We go for JESUS. I am just saying it does not take a lot of money and fancy stuff to serve JESUS! I will die thinking of all the money Churches spend on fancy dancy while people go homeless and without food.
Before you join a Church, vet your Pastor.
By Oscar Amaechina, Op-ed Contributor of The Christian Post
Genuine ministers of the Gospel have been trying to let Christians know that there are many false teachers and prophets out there that are deceiving the people of God. Jesus also warned us beforehand that there will be false prophets and teachers with deceptive schemes which will be difficult for even the elect to discern (Mathew 24:24). What many of us have not considered is that these false prophets and teachers have given birth to many false believers whose assignment is to popularize falsehood among Christians. More Here
God’s Word is the final authority for faith and life.
as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
