Why I Don’t Watch Christian TV

April 14, 2016March 7, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / 7 Comments

Let me first say that I’m not trying to influence anyone in any way. To watch….or not to watch…that’s your own business. And if you’re getting blessed by Christian TV….watch on!! I’m just stating my own opinion. And my reasons for not watching may not be valid for you in the least. When my life first ‘made the turn’, so to speak, back in November of ’84 I did watch quite a bit of Christian TV. I even watched Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker some. I did find them to be a little peculiar but, what the heck, I did learn a few things by watching their show. Same with Paul and Jan Crouch; peculiar people but no big deal at the time. And I do believe that lots of people were blessed through their TV ministries, even though I didn’t send my $100 for the little bottle of ‘holy water’ from the Red Sea.

But the further I went the less I watched TBN, The 700 Club and shows like that. For the most part, at least for me, it started feeling un-authentic, a little too much put-on, and way too theatrical for my liking. I would catch Jack Hayford from time to time, which was always good. There were a few others who weren’t ‘regulars’ that I’d try to watch if I had the chance. But it wasn’t too long that I found myself not watching Christian TV programming at all. (Been about 20 years now) And now if I’m surfing through the DISH channels and happen to cross one of those networks it just seems that I’m now further and further away from where they are and what they’re saying…..and from what I believe and perceive the Lord is saying to me.

But the clincher for me came a few years back when someone very close to me was contacted by one of those TV shows. It was one of the most highly acclaimed ones….and one that you’d surely know if I had the liberty to disclose it. This person’s life has been one of the most, if not THE most, dramatic conversions and transformations that I’ve seen in all my years. And after several phone interviews with my friend and then with me….they declined to do the story. Why?? Because, according to their representative, his conversion and transformation didn’t fit their grid of how it should happen. Tragic….in that this person’s life….and his story could have made the difference in hundreds, if not thousands who might’ve seen the TV show.

I left that situation discouraged and, to tell the truth,….about half ticked off. It was obvious to me that they were completely out of touch with what often happens out here in the real world. There’s no formula and there’s no set way for someone coming to the Lord. There’s millions of different scenarios and I wouldn’t argue the validity of any of them. “Any man who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved”.

The cynical part of me would say that if my friend would’ve just said, “I was at the end of my rope, on drugs and ready to commit suicide and I turned on the TV and the “- – – – – – Show” was on and I fell down on my knees and cried out to God.”, that they would’ve done the show as quickly as possible.

So, don’t get me wrong….I think there might be a place for Christian TV….but it needs to be authentic, it needs to ‘not’ be about money, and it needs to be relevant for what the Lord is saying and doing in our generation.

Check These Out:

Virtual Reality

Quit Telling Me What The Problem Is!!

It’s Not Too Late to Make a ‘Mark’ With Your Life!

The Fear of the Lord…..Let’s Get It Right!

March 3, 2016March 3, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

The “fear of the Lord”; It’s one of the fundamental issues of Scripture. I hear people referring to, or quoting, the phrase fairly often. But I hardly ever hear it communicated the way I think it should be done. Let me say up front that I don’t consider myself a Bible scholar. And, beyond that, it’s not anything I’m shooting for either. I do think, that for me at least, that I need (and do have) what I call a ‘good working knowledge of the Bible’. And, by that, I mean that when I need to know where to go in the Book to find the Truth about a certain issue….I can do it. I’m still learning but I can pretty much find a Scriptural answer for your problems when I need to.

But this issue of the fear of the Lord is one that really needs to be cleared up, once and for all! Nearly every time I hear anyone talking about it, (even some of the Bible scholars get it wrong, by the way!) they always talk about it…or teach it in such a way that we’re supposed to be afraid (frightened, scared of, terror stricken, fearful, petrified; all synonyms of fear) of God. Ticks me off, to say the least! Now, if you look at some of the Old Testament expressions of God…..without having any relationship with Him….it’d be easy to assume the wrong thing. And, I think that’s where a lot of the error originates….with people who know a lot of Biblical facts about Him….but don’t actually know Him relationally. That’ll mess you up in a BIG way!

You may wonder why I think this is so important. Here’s why; From God’s standpoint…it’s always been about Him having a relationship with His children. (Im talking about you and me!!) So, think about it….how good of a relationship could you have with someone that you’re afraid of?? Well, there you go! If you’re a parent do you want your kids to be afraid of you?? Good parents don’t want that!

So, let’s get this right; God is the perfect Father…..and He doesn’t want us to be afraid , or scared of Him. Now, …..reverence, respect, adoration, devotion, loyalty, esteem; these are all *correct responses to Him (*actually they’re ‘natural’ responses to Someone Who loves you like He does!) So, if you’re out there telling everyone they need to be ‘scared’ of God.…STOP IT!!

Get to know Him, and you won’t be scared of Him anymore! It’ll make a huge difference in your life!

Here’s a couple more you might like:

The “Only Thing” That Really Works

“Obviously, I’m God’s Favorite!”

Talk About a ‘Fixer-Upper’!

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

It’s a real estate term. You know, when you buy a house in disrepair for a good price but it needs a lot of work. Yeah, that’s a ‘fixer-upper’! If you’re willing to invest a little sweat equity you can actually end up with a property worth a lot more than you gave for it. It can be fairly lucrative for people who like to do that kind of thing.

It’s kind of the same principle for you and me if you think about it. The Bible talks about that very thing. Yep, it does. In fact Paul said it this way, “Don’t you know that you’re the temple of God, and that the Holy Spirit lives in you?” When we said, “Yes” to the Lord and were born again, the Holy Spirit moved into the ‘house’! And, let’s just say…..”We were a ‘fixer-upper’!! Oh, yeah! We needed a lot of work; I mean a lot! I seriously doubt anyone but the Lord, Himself, would be willing to invest in a property in this much disrepair. And there’s no question about it, nobody but the Father could do the work required on the dilapitated property that’d make it worth anything at all.

But, He must’ve seen the potential value. I guess He thought the property would end up being worth a lot after it was repaired because of the exorbitant price He had to pay! He basically gave Everything He had! The property was unbelievably high priced! And, as soon as He closed the deal, the Holy Spirit moved in and started to work! He brought all the tools He had and started knocking out walls! It turned out to be a total ‘re-model’!! Then the cleaning started; He brought the cleaning supplies and the mop bucket. Several of the rooms in the ‘house’ were awful dirty. It took awhile on some of them!

The construction, the cleaning and the upkeep ended up taking a lifetime.

But the Owner smiled…..’cause to Him….. it was all well worth the trouble!

The Bible Does Not Have All Your Answers!

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I bet that got your attention! I know it got the attention of the ones I call the ‘over-religious, self-righteous doctrinal police’. You know, the ones that just can’t resist the opportunity to set you straight about your errors in not seeing every single Biblical truth just exactly like they do. Yeah….those guys! They’d never agree with the blog title….to them it’s blatant blasphemy!

But it’s the truth whether you want to admit it or not. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Bible does have a lot of our answers. And don’t you dare get the idea that I don’t believe the Bible. I do believe it!! Every word of it! I love the Bible more today than at any other time in my life. I love reading it,…I love studying it, I love teaching it, I love listening to great teachers teach it. There’s nothing I don’t love about the Bible. But the Bible was never meant to be a substitute for our ‘relationship’ with the Father! …..and it has become that to countless thousands!

I talk a lot about that relationship and because of it there are those love to criticize saying that I don’t give the Bible the respect that it deserves. I don’t get that! In fact I believe I’m giving it much more respect than they are. In their mind they think they’re defending the integrity of the Scriptures….but in all reality they’re actually fighting against what the Bible is all about to begin with! We live in a ‘religious’ culture that values knowledge over connecting relationally with God. This desperately needs to change! From the Father’s perspective….it has always been about the encounter…..and the ensuing relationship that will naturally follow! In its essence the Bible is written to enhance our relationship with the Father…..not to limit it. It is written with the divine intent of drawing us into relationship with Him!

And all those answers about our lives that we need to know along the road of life….some of those you will find in the Bible….but not all of them! God has sealed up the details of our lives up in His heart….(and you’re going to love Him for this!), and the only way you can get those details is to go to Him! He’s designed it that way! ….so He can reveal Himself to you in a personal way….and show you how much He loves you!

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; but you’re not willing to come to me that you might have life”. Jn 5:39

It’s exactly what Jesus was talking about a couple thousand years ago.

It has always been about the encounter!

I bet you’ll like this one too:

I’ve Never ‘Led’ Anyone to the Lord……and I Ain’t Planning on Doing it Anytime Soon!

I Was Born Rich!

February 4, 2016March 31, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Not the, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, kind of rich. But rich, nonetheless, in other things that, today, stand out as being much more important. If you consider the things that are really important in life like, …..to name just a few: good health, lots of good friends, a beautiful loving wife, loving parents, healthy kids and grandkids (smart & pretty too!), then I would have to be among the wealthiest people on planet Earth! I realize that those things are not experienced by everyone and there’s not a day that I’ve taken any of them for granted. I’m more grateful for those things today than at any other point in my life.

But, regardless, if maybe you don’t have all those things in abundance now…..there’s an incredible inheritance awaiting you. Jesus said in John’s gospel, “You must be born again”. He said that to an extremely religious man by the name of Nicodemus. He didn’t understand and reasoned out loud, “How can a man enter his mother’s womb and be born again?” (paraphrased) But Jesus was talking about a ‘spiritual’ birth. Jesus went on to say, “unless you’re born again you can’t enter the kingdom of heaven”.

Being born again is the simplest, easiest thing to attain. God has made it that way! It amounts to you and I agreeing with what Jesus completed on the cross….and then ‘receiving’ Him into our lives. When that happens some amazing things begin to transpire. One of those things is that you begin to experience that ‘incredible inheritance’ I mentioned earlier!

His Word declares, “We’ve been given all things that pertain to life and godliness”. Think about that one for a minute! On top of that we now have this awesome opportunity to engage in relationship with the Father. His Spirit ‘lives’ in us! And, Heaven is the ‘icing’ on the cake!

So, even though we may be struggling to make ends meet financially, and we may not know how we’re going to make our next car payment…..when we get this perspective we’ll clearly understand that we’ve been born (again) RICH!

I think you’ll like this one, too:

$$$ – Being a “Thousandaire” Might Just Be Better Than Being a “Millionaire”!

“What’s The Father Telling You?” Part 2

January 26, 2016February 7, 2018 / Andy R Taylor / 5 Comments

If you didn’t read “What’s The Lord Telling You?”Part 1.…you really should read it before reading Part 2. *(click on highlighted link).It has been an interesting journey in learning to ‘walk out’ the things the Father has put in front of us. It’s always challenging, never boring and the amazement of it still mystifies me today. When the Lord said He would be bringing people in here from all over ….He meant it! Most are still here. Some have come and gone (just like He said!), and others are yet to come. My own take on what the Lord is doing in that is that He has brought, and is bringing, them here to catch the DNA of the house (Trinity Fellowship). Then the natural, or should I say spiritual, thing that happens is that they become a positive influence wherever they may go imparting that same DNA in their own realm of influence.

I’ve grown very close to many of the people who have arrived here as a result of the Father’s plan. They have become like family to me and it’s hard to imagine how it’d be without them in my life. Most of them look to me as their pastor and some would also say that I’m a spiritual father to them. Either is a huge responsibility and one that I’d never take lightly. But their first disappointment with me happened when they would bring their life’s problems or dilemmas to me. And, rather than give them an easy answer, my response would nearly always be, “What’s the Father telling you?”. Some of them would even admit, now, that it made them mad when I would ask that question.

It’s never been my way of skirting the issue or passing the buck. But looking back on my own life it’s been those things that the Lord has ‘said’ to me that has made the biggest transformation in my life. It’s the things He’s ‘said’ that has caused the church to flourish and be the influence it is. But even more important….when I ask them the question it has caused them to go to the Lord themselves! And rather than me being some kind of spiritual guru for everyone….they’re all learning to hear the Lord for themselves! And to tell you the truth, I’m totally convinced that the Lord likes it this way above every other way imaginable!

Think about it this way; If you have kids, would you want to talk to them about the important things in their life….or would you rather have someone else talk to them for you?!! Well, God is the perfect Father….and He desperately wants to talk to you!!

What’s He telling you?!

PS-Most of those would now say that it’s the very best thing I’ve done for them!

*Maybe some of them will ‘weigh-in’ and let you hear it from their own perspective!

“What’s The Lord Telling You?” Part 1

January 15, 2016February 7, 2018 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

I put the title in quotation marks for a reason. And the reason is, is that particular quote is one I’ve used at least a hundred times. And if the truth were to be known….actually hundreds of times!

In a Wednesday morning prayer time about 10 years ago I felt I heard the Lord saying to me, “Andy, there’s a shift in how this works; normally people move to an area because of a job and then they find a church….but I’m changing that for ‘here’! I’m going to bring people in here from all over…and I’m going to give them a job; some will come and stay, some will come and go back where they came from, and some will go to other places and start fires!”

*My understanding of that is that they’d start fires like the one He started here; ‘kingdom fires’, fires of something simple yet profound, fires of something real and authentic that would appeal to people of all kinds….especially to those that the ‘religious’ church might have scorned and rejected…and the people that nobody else wants; fires built around relationship with the Father; and eternal fires that are sustained, and kept burning by loving others unconditionally!

When I heard that from the Lord I did what I encourage others to do when they ‘think’ they might have heard Him. “Say it….and pray it!” So, we said it and prayed it and it started to happen. People began moving in here from all over; Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mexico, Columbia, Canada…. to name a few. And, true to His word (as He always is!), some came and stayed and some came and went….and the fires are glowing in places all over, now!

Oh, and by the way….those people that the Lord said would come……they’re still coming!

Part 2 – “What’s The Lord Telling You?” – Coming in a day or two

*Don’t forget the “Reflect & Refocus” Series from a year ago!

Here’s one; (click on highlighted link) Find the others in “Archives”:

Adios ’15

December 31, 2015December 31, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

One of the most obvious things we realize as we get older is how fast the years go by. If you’re young you won’t believe how fast until one of these days you look back. Well 2015 has been another of those ‘fast’ years. Looking back over 12 months I’d say it’s been a good one. Oh, there’s been plenty of ups and downs; lots of challenges; a huge helping of things to laugh about and a few things that brought tears, too. But, all in all, there’s been an infinite number of blessings to be thankful to the Lord for! And I’m sure I finished the year in a better place than I started!

Summing it up, it’s been another year of perspective on life that just proves to me again that I don’t have much of it figured out. The few things that I do have figured out seem to get clearer and clearer as the years go by. I’m pretty ‘solid’ on the utter importance of these: 1) The love of the Father; IT/HE never fails! His goodness is ‘almost’ unbelievable! We’ll only know the fulness of it as we experience it firsthand! It has to be relational! 2) Family! Julie (prettier than the day I married her nearly 39 years ago!), my incredible kids (5 of ’em), my amazing grandkids (8, and soon to be 9!), my folks (in their ’80’s). I could never go anywhere else….every single thing that’s important to me is here! 3) Friends! So many good ones, it’d be futile to try to count them. A few of them have saved my life, and kept me in the game! 4) The ‘Ever-Growing’ Trinity Family! The most unbelievably unique, diverse and quality bunch of people you’d ever find anywhere! It’s a family that’s now scattered all over the United States, Mexico and Canada! Yep, I’m sure about it….those are the things that are important! I’m extremely grateful!

I started this blog exactly a year ago (after a few years of trying to figure out how to get started!). It’s been an interesting writing trip so far.

Here’s a couple of numbers from a year of “The Way I See It”: I’ve made 210 Posts; The posts have been ‘viewed’ (read) just under 45,000 times!

Thanks for joining me!

I started 2015 with a series, “Reflect & Refocus”. It’d be a good place to start your 2016! *Click on the highlighted link. You can figure out where to go from there!

Reflect & Refocus #1

Prayer Changes Things!

December 16, 2015April 13, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / 3 Comments

It was the message on a little plaster of paris wall hanging at my Grandmother’s house in Wheeler, Texas. (My Mom’s Mom) I never knew my Granddad, he was killed in a motorcycle accident earlier in the year that I was born. That left her to raise 3 kids who were still at home. (2 older ones already married) She was an incredible person, in my opinion, and I’ve grown to appreciate that more and more as I’ve gotten older and understanding more of what it takes to raise a family.

One of my favorite things to do was to stay overnight, or a few days, at her house. I still vividly remember bedtime at her house. There were two beds in her room…one for her and one for Herman, my uncle, her youngest son. (only 3 years older than me) There’d be a story or two before we all fell asleep and they were always good ones. *(Herman always tried to tell a scary one..so we’d sleep with a butcher knife under our pillow for safety! lol) One story she told me when I was 3 or 4 years old was of an ‘old, old Grandmother by the name of ‘Mamaw Teak’. Well, that name ‘stuck’ and I called her that for the rest of my life.

When you’re a single mother with 3 kids in a small town you just have to do what you have to do to make ends meet. I remember her working at cafes and cleaning houses for people and then coming home completely worn out…but then cooking one of the best meals that you could possibly imagine. One of my most memorable Christmases was when Herman, my brother Monty and I all got our “Rifleman” rifles. We maintained a high level of justice on that block and kept the bad guys at bay in Wheeler, Texas for a good long while!

I think, somehow, the importance of prayer was imparted to me back in those days. That’s one of the things we’d do every night that I was at her house. And looking back and assessing her situation….I think she lived by it! They lived a simple life, a good life….but a simple life. And they got by,…I believe, by the provision of the Lord.

There’s a lot more to say on the subject of prayer. But simply put, “Prayer Changes Things”!

*When my Grandmother passed on, I asked for this little plaster of paris wall hanging. It means a lot to me!

Mad at God?? ….happens all the time!

December 15, 2015December 15, 2015 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I hear it pretty often from people. Because of how their life is going, or because of something that they’re convinced that God mishandled on their behalf….people do find themselves mad at Him….sometimes very mad. And I’ve seen a few, what I’d call, extreme cases where the anger lasted a lifetime. It seems sad to me but at the same time I can kind of understand how someone could end up there.

I’ve never been mad at Him. Doesn’t make me any more mature, or any more spiritual, than anyone else….I just haven’t been mad at Him. Somehow, some way I’ve known, as long as I can remember, that God is good. Remember now, that’s coming from someone who didn’t grow up in church and didn’t have a whole lot of orientation about God at all. I’ve thought about it quite a bit and I guess it boils down to a couple of things for me. 1) It was imparted to me from my Mom & Dad. I’m certain that this is true, although I can’t tell you when, where or how….it just happened….and I’m eternally grateful to them for it. 2) It’s just, simply, a revelation from the Father Himself. Personally….I think it’s a good combination of both.

I’ve had a great life, but with just as many ups and downs as the next guy. And I guess if I’m being honest, here, I’d have to say that a lot of the downs were, either directly or indirectly, self-inflicted. But not everyone’s hardships are self-inflicted such as the loss of a child or a parent. And these things can leave us wondering if God has let us down.

Well, He didn’t let you down….no matter how convinced you are of that. It’s totally against His nature as a Father to do that. I remember vividly nearly 22 years ago when our family lost a little boy. It was devastating to put it mildly. But right in the middle of our grief He spoke clearly to my spirit, “Andy, if you could see the big picture, you’d know everything is OK.” It immediately brought peace. He always knows just the right thing to say at just the right time.

I had a friend tell me recently that upon the loss of his dad that he immediately blamed God and turned his back on Him for 4 or 5 years…only to find out after that time that God didn’t give up on him…He just loved him more.

Maybe you’re reading and you have something that you’ve been mad at Him about. (it could be consciously or subconsciously) I can tell you that God can take you being mad at Him a lot longer than you can take it. He’d love to give you His perspective on your indictment against Him….but you’ll have to be open for it.

If you’ll run to Him,….He’ll help!