FAQ's for Pastor Ed
Q- "Have you found a new meeting place?"
A- No we are still looking.
Q- "Why did you have to leave where you were?"
A- We have been "borrowing" a room at another church. The owner of the building rented the entire bldg to one group who wants full access to the whole bldg every day. We were using a room for worship band practice on Thurs and using the Sanctuary on Fri for our Fri Night Live program.
Q- "Are you a PASTOR? Did you go to seminary?"
A- I am a Lay Youth Pastor, I have not been to seminary but have been trained in dealing with troubled teens and in counseling. I am ordained as an Elder and Lay Pastor by the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. (www.adventist.org)
Q- "What is your denomination? "
A- I am a member of the SDA Church however, The Pulse ministry is non-denominational. My passion is for God and His Word (the Bible). I have studied many different denominations and why they teach different doctrine and I have discovered THE TRUTH, which I can substantiate with God's Holy Word. I believe that no one should ever take another persons word on biblical interpretation. We all must be diligent students of the scriptures. Through study (individual and group) and prayer, anyone who is truly seeking, can gain the wisdom to understand God's word.(James 1:5) I do not criticize or judge anyone for having different beliefs, but I also refuse to apologize for mine.
Q-"What started all this??? "
A- I had been raised as an Adventist but never really lived out anything close to a Christian walk, and I had been absent from the church scene all together from my High School years until my late twenties when I started going to church again but still not living it. Several years ago I had a revelation about my own spirituality and the state of our world today. Up to that point I would have told you I was a Christian, but it was mostly on the surface. I had been poisoned by the world and other "religious" people who professed a belief that they either would not live out or could not substantiate with the Bible. God gave me a desire to grow closer to Him, not closer to church, and to serve Him. At this point, I had been back in the church and involved in youth ministry for about six years. One day God gave me a Vision, this vision changed my life and caused me to take on this burden that I often feel unqualified for and overwhelmed by.
This is the vision;
I am standing in the middle of a city street in front of a tall boarded up building. It's late at night or rather early in the morning but still dark out side. The lower floors of this building are on fire. As I look up to the roof, I see a crowd of young people on the roof having a party with loud music, dancing, sex and drugs. They are totally oblivious to the fire that is raging below. As I'm standing there I begin to panic because I realize that these kids are in trouble and need help or they will die. I'm panic stricken because I am alone and without any tools to get into the building and there is no one around to help.
After I had this vision, I knew God had a purpose for me. I pursued my calling, by seeking out guidance from Godly people and through prayer and fasting. I discovered that my purpose is to seek out and rescue anyone who would come down from the roof of the burning building, primarily young people. To lead them to Jesus, who is the only one who can save them from the devil's grip and deception that has many, if not most, living for themselves while believing they are safe from the fire of hell. To help as many as will come.
The problem is this: Many churches preach and teach only half the message.
The Bible is extremely clear about what it takes to gain entrance into Gods kingdom. God's Word tells us that our salvation, though it is a free gift through God's grace, is not secure if we "insult the spirit of grace" Hebrews 10:26-29. Yes, we are saved by Grace and the gift of salvation is free. But Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born again, of the spirit, in order to enter the kingdom. This rebirth, when genuine, will be accompanied by changes in the person that continue to shape that person for the rest of their life. Fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5), and other evidences such as; belief in, and to be unashamed of, the name Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11), real selfless love for others (John 15:9-13, ), a desire to please God which manifests in the "obeying of His commands" (John 14:15-17, 23-24), unshakeable belief that the Bible is the word of God, etc.
For the past two and a half years, I have been leading and teaching a small group who's mission is to spread the gospel. We use various means to communicate with our listeners, such as Music, Drama, Outreach (community service), and One on One evangelism.
Revelation 14:6-12 speaks of the "three angels message", it is our warning from God, to know who He is, to come out of (stop living like) this world, and to seek His true church. God's true church is not any one denomination but a remnant from the original church demonstrated in the book of acts. Those who belong to Christ and serve Him with their very lives.
Our mission was given by Jesus, to all of His followers, just before he left this world to sit at the right hand of the Father.
