A Gathering of Unified Men
The weather God provided could not have been more perfect!
One of the MANY (countless…really) BLESSINGS that come with this incredible message and LIFE that GOD has granted us in the Remnant is the perspective that it gives PARENTS…to pass down to our CHILDREN. Gwen has always emphasized the fact that we need to PASS this DOWN to the next generation so that this beautiful Church – this Kingdom of LOVE – can continue for years and years to come…prayerfully until Jesus comes back! And as you will see (if you keep reading…), this IS being passed down! The following article was penned by our own ANDREW FISCHER, one of our teenagers who has been RAISED in this message and who is living for GOD each and every day. He of course attended this gathering, and he, along with his parents Don and Donna Fischer and SIX siblings, are fantastic examples of a FAMILY who is “all in” for GOD! Keep reading…and enjoy the Spirit-led words of a young man who lives and breathes for GOD!
Words from Andrew Fischer…
The men’s gathering had been planned for almost a week to take place at, Ashlawn the home of David and Gwen Shamblin. The excitement in the air was tangible. On Tuesday, May 10, there was a sudden change in location. A week prior, the weather was predicted to be beautiful. As the event grew closer, the forecast of rain became more and more daunting. Following God’s lead, the leadership at Remnant Fellowship decided to move the event to the inside of our church building. After less than twelve hours of this decision, an email was sent changing the location BACK to Ashlawn . With all of this, there were no complaints or stress. Not only was the excitement growing even more, but also the admiration for God and what he can accomplish through the lead of His Spirit in willing hearts. It never ceases to amaze and inspire. God only inspired more awe through the beautiful weather that he did in fact provide. It exceeded every expectation of the perfect Summer night. Watching the Spirit guide the event and watching God orchestrate it would have been plenty enough, but it only got more encouraging as the evening progressed.
The Godly Fellowship
A bird’s-eye-view of all of the beautiful fellowship that took place.
The start of the gathering was a time of Godly fellowship among the men present. Mulling through the crowd, it was evident that the focus of every conversation was God. Where else can you find that? Approximately 270 men were present, and all of the discussions were occurring for the purpose of encouragement. Another testimony to the hearts of the men present was the way in which the food was distributed. The Bible chronicles a story in which Jesus fed thousands of people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Although our gathering was not on such a large scale, there was definitely a possibility that we had more people than food. God proved that possibility very wrong. In fact, there was EXTRA food. Not only that, but the Experienced members, our older generation, went before the younger men. Once the younger men did join, there were absolutely no arguments of place in line or anything of that nature. On the contrary, each man continuously let other men go before him in the most humble manner imaginable. As if the evening wasn’t already encouraging, God had plans for even MORE encouragement.
The Call to Action
Gwen convicted everyone present to go ALL IN with their relationship with God.
What Gwen discussed on this night was earth-shatteringly encouraging. The words that God gave left every heart stirred, and for good reason. She started by talking about how men of God should be known, and that is disciplined. She stressed the importance of self-control among all of the Fruits of the Spirit. She went on to stress the great importance of prayer. Along with praying more, she described the power of UNIFIED prayer. Lately, she has been calling the church to, whenever possible, pray at 3 PM for the state of the Church. The effects have been so far reaching, and they will only grow as this unity deepens. Lastly, continuing with the theme of unity, Gwen called everyone present to give EVERYTHING to the Kingdom of God. Every gift that God has given needs to be active in the church to further the vision of purity that has been so clearly laid out. She equated the Kingdom of God to the largest, most successful business in the universe. If we aren’t giving our ALL to this cause, then the company will fail. It is imperative that we all preserve this beautiful company which God has given. As the purity is passed down and unity grows, the next generation of members will be left with the perfect tools to grow even more in the Spirit of God.
Suggested Resource for Men:
The Vision audio series is a must-have for every family. It describes a beautiful vision for what every family can look like, regardless of their circumstances, as they turn their focus to God and His commands. This series is targeted to the men and leaders of families, but it is relevant for everyone. These lessons will provide you with the “how to” information you need to totally change your life and direction. You will learn more about the roles and responsibilities in a Christ-like family including how to get under authority, become more unified, take responsibility, and fully obey the will of God.
