A Word From Brother Mel: Hello Friends and Ministry Partners, Although I am grieved by what is being passed off as the Gospel by many national leaders, I am deeply encouraged by what I am seeing among the grass-roots Word of Faith believers and ministers. LaDonna Osborn, T.L. Osborn's daughter told me something a few months ago that arrested my attention. She said, "Brother Mel, everywhere I go--and I do mean EVERYWHERE--ministers of your generation and age group are coming up to me and saying, 'Alot of this stuff we're preaching doesn't work! Tell us how to come into that old-time power!'" She continued, "This happened to me the other day in Europe, and before that in Africa. I am seeing a great hunger among ministers for the real power of God." I am seeing it too. Many WOF ministers are "coming out of the closet" and asking, "Where's the Glory?" The answer is: "The Glory is where it has always been. Where have you and I been? God confirms His word with signs following. He does not confirm self-help, your gospel or mine, motivational speaking, the latest gimmick, or Gospel-lite. He confirms only the preaching of the blood-stained Cross of Calvary." The word of the Lord came to Oral Roberts several years ago, and the Lord said that the time of His Son's return is close, but the people of God are not ready. Brother Roberts said, "Christians are now more sick and more broke than I've ever seen them in my life! The only way to turn this around and to prepare for Christ's coming is for preachers to rise up and begin again to preach THE CROSS, and to preach it FROM THE BELLY!" His plea largely fell on deaf ears. When was the last time you were in a Word of Faith or Charismatic church service and heard just the Cross preached? It has been so many years for me that I actually can't recall the last time I heard the Cross preached. I've heard prosperity preached. Lord, have I heard prosperity preached! I've heard healing preached. I've heard success in life preached. I've heard various spiritual principles preached. But I rarely hear the Cross itself preached, unless it is as a footnote in a prosperity or healing sermon. Do you realize that our forefathers in the faith preached the Cross of Christ and almost nothing else? And God confirmed the preaching of the Cross with signs following. I believe as a part of this awakening we are experiencing, we must take ahold again in a fresh and new way the preaching of the Cross of Jesus Christ. I truly appreciate those of you who are praying for us, and those of you who have stepped forward as financial partners. God bless you. Kind Regards, Brother Mel |