Evangelist Frank King

As I post this message, most Americans are preparing to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. For Christians, however, thanksgiving should be more than a holiday; it should be a way of life. One great benefit of the holiday is that it brings to the forefront the importance of thanksgiving. 

A verse often quoted in Christian churches during the Thanksgiving holiday season is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Please note that this verse says “in every thing” not “for every thing.” This means that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we are commanded to render thanksgiving to God.  

During this Thanksgiving holiday and the coming Yuletide season, I believe that the verse above will challenge many people of faith. Why? Because of the state of our nation: The mortgage industry has been devastating on our economy the last year. Tens of thousands have lost their homes to foreclosure. Banks are failing left and right. Businesses struggle to stay afloat. As I write this message the big three American auto makers are begging Congress for mega financial assistance. Main Street Americans have lost millions of their retirement monies due to the fallout on Wall Street. 

Again, regardless of the situations we find ourselves in today, God is calling on us to render to Him thanksgiving.

Some might argue that it’s easy for me to write a message like this one, challenging them to be thankful no matter what their situation is, because I am not in the terrible place in life they find themselves in. That may be true, but then what should I do? What good would it do if I were to get in the dumps with them and join in their pity party? As a messenger of God, my role is to help people look beyond their circumstances and focus on our awesome God.

That being said, I believe it behooves us to be thankful for a least three reasons: (1) Because we have God on our side, the one who is fully capable of changing for the better our current situation; (2) because doing so constitutes obedience to the verse above, and God blesses us when we obey His Word; and (3) because no matter what we are currently experiencing in life, God has shown all of us some of His goodness.

Well, until next time, here’s wishing you a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

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Frank King

These are exciting times and at the same time for many folks these are troublesome days: Plants are closing, people are losing their homes, and no one knows when the economic landscape will improve. The merchants are shaking in their boots, knowing the coming Christmas shopping season won’t help their bottom line much.

So why are these also exciting times? Because the gospel is the good news. It provides answers for life’s toughest problems. In fact, one of the reasons I thank God for blessing me to proclaim His Word is because I know it helps people get through the challenges of life more effectively. There is no situation life can present us with for which we cannot get priceless counsel from God’s Word.

This past weekend I was preaching in the city of Atlanta, GA. The service was awesome. Before I stood to preach, the church’s choir--very gifted--had set the place on fire spiritually. As I proclaimed the gospel, the Lord took our worship experience to another level. A number of people came to me after service and told me how they had been blessed by the message. A few of them even shared with me the part of my sermon that especially ministered to them. It blesses me when I know that what I proclaim helps those who listen.

These current economic times are causing lots of panic out there. I believe that through it all many people will be drawn closer to God. More importantly, it is my prayer that the church will know how to effectively respond to this potential harvest of souls and bring glory to the name of our God.

Whether you look at the local news or the national news, the resounding message is gloom and doom. But light shines it brightest during the darkest hour. And Jesus said we are the light of this world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14). I submit to you that this is the hour we must shine brightly, showing this dark world the way forward. Blessings,

Frank King

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If you look at or listen to any news program lately, you know that America’s current economic crisis is a mess. As I post this message, lawmakers are frantically trying to minimize the impact of the economic storm they say is looming. Getting something signed into law is proving difficult because there are a number of divergent views among those in the Senate and the House.

For one thing, no one knows if the proposed 700 billion dollar relief plan that recently failed in the House, being reworked by the Senate as I post this message, is even going to work.  If it does work, many economists agree it will not heal our sick economy, but should slow the bleeding. Secondly, many at the grassroots level refer to the plan as corporate welfare, and some of them are livid that the plan is even being proposed. They point to greed on Wall Street and at the corporate level as the culprit.

Whatever your take is on the matter, one thing for sure is that we have a mess. We are in for some very uncertain times economically for the foreseeable future. Of course, this is just one of many mega sized problems we have in America. The war in Iraq has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars to date, and only God knows when it will end. Many Americans are demanding health care for all citizens who can't afford it, etc.

Against the backdrop of all of this, in the next few weeks we will elect a new president of the United States. He will inherit all of this mess. One of the reasons there is so much interest in this election, aside from the fact that it is historic in terms of having a female vice presidential candidate and an African American male presidential candidate, is that people are feeling the pain where they live, and they are demanding someone who can solve these enormous problems. Both parties claim to have the answers.  I submit to you that whoever turns out to be the winner, he is no match for the problems at hand.

America needs God’s help. We have already proven that our financial might, our military might, and all of our many experts combined cannot solve our problems at hand. Of course, we need wise and godly men and women in leadership positions in our country, but they also need the Lord and His help. So the Bible tells us to pray “For kings, and for all that are in authority: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life” (1 Timothy 2:2). This verse tells us that praying for our leaders will bless our quality of life. Most of us have already decided whom we will vote for. The candidate we favor may or may not win, but without God’s help we will all lose.

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Frank King

As an evangelist, I am blessed to visit a number of local churches in different places to preach. One thing I can say is that no matter where I go to proclaim the gospel, the result is always the same: the people’s hearts are stirred by the preaching of the gospel. That is not a statement of my preaching ability but of the chemistry between the ministry of the Word of God, the presence of God, and the fervor of His people.

Some places I go to preach, at the beginning of service the place feels spiritually dead. I am never discouraged, however, because I am always confident that the people present will be powerfully moved by the ministry of the Word.  As an evangelist I love to see how the environment becomes supercharged as people respond to the message the Lord has given me. Some people are challenged, some encouraged, some emboldened, some are revived, etc.

But what difference does it make?

I know it might seem strange that a preacher would ask that question, but you see I hear pastors talk about what a challenge it is, and I am a member of a local church and I see my pastor’s struggle to get ample workers to serve in various capacities in the church. Moreover, I served as a pastor for many years, and I know something about this shortage-of-workers problem first hand. It’s good that people enjoy their worship experience and get excited about the Word of God but the gospel is designed to do more than that. It must result in making us more faithful servants of God.

There is so much work for us to do for the Lord in these last days. As Jesus once said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37). To me, the measure of how people are responding to the gospel as they attend church from week to week is not how spirited the worship experience is or how large the congregation becomes but how much the hearing of the gospel translates into working for the Lord.

People can get so used to attending morning worship and Bible study and prayer meeting while not getting involved in the Lord’s work that it gets easier and easier to continue doing the same. Based on my observations as an evangelist, I am afraid that is what has happened to our churches. The result is that we have become very religious. Against this backdrop, most church leaders I know have great difficulty finding ample servants to do the Lord’s work. Meanwhile, this world is dying and going to hell. Until next time, be blessed.

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Frank King

Sometimes we need to be reminded of what we already know. Take, for instance, the sharing of our faith. We know we should do that because Christ has so commanded us. Yet sometimes we go weeks—even months—without mentioning Christ to anyone.

This past weekend my wife and I visited Charleston, SC. We took a taxicab from the downtown area to a restaurant we were going to for dinner. The driver was a real people-friendly type. Almost as soon as we entered the cab he started talking. Somehow during our conversation I mentioned that my wife and I were celebrating 30 years of marriage that very day.

That really got him going. He began talking about the difference Christ makes in a marriage, and how it must have been by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit that our marriage has lasted so long. Throughout our trip he spoke passionately, keeping the conversation Christ-focused. Not until just before we exited the cab did I tell him I was a preacher. I just listened and responded to the things he was saying as it was appropriate.

I thought about that cab driver sometime later that evening. How awesome it would be if each of us practiced sharing our faith more often. No, I am not talking about doing that on your job when you should be working. That’s not what the boss is paying you for. That’s not what God blessed you with the job for. But I believe He provides countless opportunities for us to share our faith because we are laborers together with Him (1 Cor. 3:9a). There is absolutely nothing more important to Him than seeking and saving the lost.

The last congregation I pastored used to take to the streets about 10 times a year to knock on doors so the members could share their faith. It was a great experience, and it enabled us as a congregation to make a statement about our commitment to soul-winning. But this was not intended to be an ends but a means. That is, I started that ministry for the members to be trained as to how to share their faith. The intent was that they would take what they learned and practiced during our soul-winning efforts and incorporate them into their daily lives.

The sharing of our faith is not a religious activity but a way of life for Christians. As we go through our day, God makes appointments for us to share Christ with those whom we come in contact with. This is the most important message in the world. Oftentimes, however, it is the one we are least willing to share.

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Frank King

As I write this post, I and my family are in Central Florida, specifically Orlando, Fl, taking a badly needed vacation. I love the excitement of the area, fueled by the high concentration of its tourist attractions such as Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Wet ‘n Wild, to name some of the more prominent ones. As I go about enjoying myself, I think about how blessed I am to live in America and to be able to experience the quality of life that I do.

Visiting some stores, I hear the excitement of some of the children as they talk with their parents about which theme park they will be attending, or as they shop to buy something to wear for the special outing. As I look at the tags on the vehicles in the parking lot at the resort where we are staying, it is obvious that people have come from near and far to get here. The happy faces on some of the families as they arrive at the resort and begin unloading their vehicles tell a story of excitement and anticipation. 

On the other hand, a troubling thought has been stirring my spirit. I don’t know how much the average American thinks about it. Perhaps it’s because I am an evangelist, and the nation rests as a burden upon me because God has given me such a burden for our nation. Here is what gnaws at me: What does our future hold as a nation? The way I see it, there is no way that the God I have come to know and serve will allow us to continue enjoying the quality of life we currently do without serious course corrections taking place on our part.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God,” the Bible says (Psalm 9:17). Now I don’t want to get too preachy here, but also I cannot ignore the serious warning in the text above. It is clear to me that as a nation we are drifting farther from God. For instance, during my visit in Orlando, I see that like most mid-size to large cities in America, it has its share of boldly advertised adult entertainment businesses. This is just a microcosm of what is happening spiritually in our country.

What does it mean for God to turn a nation into hell? I have some idea, but I don’t know exactly, and I hope I never find out. But that’s precisely my point. You see, I have been preaching for nearly 30 years, and if it’s one thing I am convinced of, it is that God always honors His Word. Hear me friends, we cannot escape the impending judgment pronounced by verses like the one above, unless we forsake our ways and turn our hearts to God. As I look across the landscape of our nation, the current trend troubles me.

Again, I don’t want to get into details. People of faith who study their Bible regularly, and who believe in its authority, know that our nation is in serious trouble with God. My appeal to you is that we must earnestly pray and do what we can to never know what it means for America to be turned into hell. God help us.

Frank King.  

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It’s not the largest audience I preach to but the smallest. I get more out of my service there, however, than I do at any local church I have ministered to. I am referring to a Christian ministry here in my hometown. It’s called the Savannah Mission Bible Training Center. It is part of Mission Teens, Inc., which has Centers around the country.

I minister the Word of God at the Center on the first Friday night of each month. At any given time there are 25 to 30 people in the program, which is at least 10-months long and is Christ-centered. During this period, the participants in the program live at the Center—free of charge. Everyone who enters the program has drug- or alcohol-related issues, and has agreed to submit to this Christ-centered program. The participants can come from anywhere in the country because if a Center closer to them is filled to capacity, the ministry will make it possible for them to go to a Center that has space available.

One of the reasons I continue to volunteer some time at the Center is that the people there are desperate for God. Many of them turned to the Center as a last resort. They are not just there to go through some religious ritual. They want a new lease on life. They make up the kind of audience that preachers love ministering to. Secondly, the staffers who run the program model what it means to live by faith. They must raise their own financial support and the funds to run the ministry. They have to trust God week after week. Imagine the monies needed to feed 30 people each day (plus the staffers) and to keep the Center operating effectively.

Since this is a Christ-centered program, the ministry of the Word is vital to the daily activities there. What amazes me is how over the years I have seen people come in the Center beat down by life and the demons of hell, and over the course of their time in the program I get to see God building champions right before my eyes. Oftentimes, at the end of the service I conduct there, some of the participants, residents they are called, tell me how much my Word ministry blesses their life. The truth is that I feel I get much more out of my time there with them than they do.

Time after time at the Center I have witnessed how such a simple but powerful message of  the gospel of Christ can transform messed up lives. I am more convinced of this than ever I was before. This message we must boldly proclaim to lost men and women. As Paul the apostle says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). I pray that is your conviction as well. Blessings.

Frank King

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A week ago I was preaching at a church where I preach quite often, and I noticed that only a few of the teens were in the audience. It's been that way the past few times I have gone there. Granted, it is summertime, and that's probably one of the reasons for the youth's decline in attendance. After all, even some adults tend to take a vacation from church during the summer months. But my observation still made me entertain the subject of youths and their faith in God.

A main benefit of church attendance is to hear Bible-preaching so those in attendance can grow in their knowledge of and faith in God. Obviously, when a person stops attending church services that dynamic is not at work. Nothwithstanding, we the religious leaders and the people of faith at large need to ask ourselves a more fundamental question: Is the message of today's church relevant to this current generation?

One of my main passions as a preacher and Christian writer is that of being relevant to my audience. I want to provide answers to equip people for a victorious life. This is not without its challenges. The world in which my children are coming up is vastly different from the one I lived in as a youth. That means I must remain abreast of the issues of this world they live in and I must receive a ready word from the Lord so that I can equip people with the spiritual tools they need to be winners in their world. Youths should not attend or belong to a local church merely out of some religious duty. Rather, they should attend because they deem the benefits they receive as vital to their success in life.

Many things vie for the attention of our youths today. Every time you look around some new and cool tech gadget invades the market. The church can't compete with that and does not need to. The greatest need of this generation is still the same as that of every generation before it. It is to have a personal and vibrant relationship with Christ. That area exclusively belongs to the church. But, again, we must be able to effectively address the world our youths live in.

I shake at the thought of a generation that by and large does not know God. The youths of today are our leaders of tomorrow. I have given you a snapshot of my heart on this matter. I would like to know what some of you think. Do you think the church today is relevant to our current generation? There is no wrong or right answer because I am asking you what your personal thoughts are based on your observations. Feel free to comment on this blog post by first clicking on the title and then filling out the comment fields. Until next time, blessings.

Frank King

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