EdYoungBlog

Beyond the Walls

No Secrets

We sometimes need to be reminded of why we do ministry.  The calling on my life was given to me when I was 21 years of age.  There were no words that any individual could have given me to persuade me to enter the ministry, or to stay out of the ministry.  When God tugged at my heart to follow Him into full time service for His kingdom, it was only because of His call.

To this day, I look back over the 28 years of ministry, and without a doubt, if my ministry work was for anyone one or anything other than God, I would not do it.  I serve an audience of One.  With that being said, I want to share with you some recent media attention that Lisa and I have received.

A local reporter has spent what seems to be a great deal of time investigating me concerning my integrity as the leader of Fellowship Church.  We have not seen the piece that was aired, nor will we give credence to it by watching.  We do know that the report is scathing and creates the idea that I, along with my wife Lisa, have been dishonest in our business dealings and with our use of Fellowship Church as a means of obtaining personal wealth.

The reporter sent an email request for information, but refused to give us any details or information that he obtained from an anonymous source.  He only said that he has spoken with former staff members about us. But we have no verification of who he has spoken with.  We do not know his source(s) and it is irrelevant to us.  What we do know is that this report was made based on fragments of information gathered out of context and anonymously, and that it disregarded documented information that the Board of Directors for Fellowship Church is privy to and that is known by legal counsel and accounting audits.

The piece insinuates that I keep secrets from the congregation of Fellowship Church and that I use Fellowship Church to create personal wealth. Let me say very clearly, Lisa and I have no secrets. 

My life is lived in an aquarium, and I am not ashamed of that fact.  Do I share every detail of my life with the congregation of Fellowship Church?  No.  But it isn’t because my life is secretive.  It is because there are details that the proper people know, hold me accountable to and make the decisions based on what is best for Fellowship Church and its ministries.

I have never claimed to have lived a perfect life. I do, however, claim to live a life of integrity. I don’t make that claim lightly. 

Before God, the Board of Directors and the legal and financial accountants have governed the workings of Fellowship Church and its staff.  We operate in a manner that is “worthy of the calling of Christ Jesus” and have no apologies, nor would we change anything that we have done on behalf of the unbelievable ministry of Fellowship Church. 

Ironically, the reporter told a Public Relations spokesperson for Fellowship Church that this story was set to air during sweeps week, as it will be of high interest. 

Well, every week is sweeps week for Fellowship Church. And we will continue to do ministry with those who are far away from God in mind, and we will work tirelessly to make sure that the message of Jesus is at the forefront of everything we do.

The past 20 years have exceeded anything we could have ever imagined. Yet, at the same time, we truly believe the best is yet to come! We hope to see you this weekend as I begin a brand new message series called "Influence”.

"The Today Show" ... Yesterday

Lisa and I had the opportunity to be on The Today Show yesterday to talk about the important role women play in churches. And I said, I think the role of women is the soul of society!
 

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

LisaYoungBlog.com

Lisa is starting her own blog! That’s right. Now you’ll have a chance to connect with her and hear straight from her online – right here.

And, as she says, "as long as there is purpose," she’ll be giving you some phenomenal personal insights and perspectives on life from the viewpoint of a wife, mother, and woman on the frontlines of ministry.

Let the blogging begin!

Waiting on God

It all started with a smiley face. And now, my close friend and fellow pastor, John Cross, is getting married.

                                        

Over the last several years, my family has grown extremely close to John. And as our friendship has strengthened, I've prayed that God would provide him with someone who would be more than a friend, a confidant, a helper in ministry. Lisa and I have prayed for him to find a wife. We even went as far as setting him up on a few blind dates!

But, as with everything else in life, God's timing is what really matters. And, as John says, God has provided "more than I would have prayed for." And, "It's worth it when you wait on God."

Congratulations, John and Dawn!

Purity for Politicians...

...and purity for pastors, priests, poets and all people.

By now you've probably heard the sad and disappointing news of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's affair. It's a story that is sure to be in the headlines for the next several days. But after the hype of the news channels and tabloids, newspapers and magazines, the reality is that a marriage, and a family, hangs in the balance. And this story has caused me to think about my own marriage and the marriages of the people I meet every day.

Over the years, Lisa and I have been asked countless questions by thousands of people about our marriage. But one of the most important questions we've been asked is how we keep our marriage pure. So years ago I wrote out: 

The 10 Commandments of Purity

        1.     I shall have no other human relationship before Lisa, including our children.
        2.     I shall remember our date night and keep it holy. 
        3.     I shall honor Lisa on anniversaries and special days so that I may live long in the land the  Lord has given me.
        4.     I shall not take the covenant of marriage in vain.
        5.     I shall not ride in a car or eat in a restaurant alone with a member of the opposite sex.
        6.     I shall not travel alone. 
        7.     I shall not counsel a woman with the doors closed.
        8.     I shall not share the details of our marriage with others.
        9.     I shall not watch, read or expose myself to sexually explicit shows, books, websites, etc.
        10.   I shall remember the implications of committing adultery.

No matter who you are, I challenge you to make these your own. Follow them in your marriage every day. They may seem extreme. But something that has extreme consequences calls for extreme action.

Remember, everyone deals with temptation. It's what you do before facing temptation to stay pure that determines what happens in the face of it. You have to protect your marriage. So do I. Because failing to do so can result in heartache - for ourselves, our families and most importantly, our God.

This issue is bigger than only calling for purity for politicians. We need to call for purity as politicians, pastors, priests, poets and as all people.

Part of the Colbert Nation

I had a blast on The Colbert Report last night! If you missed it, check it out.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Ed Young

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

The Challenge Continues

There's no doubt this challenge has been, well, challenging. With the pace of life, the rush of our schedules, we've all had barriers to negotiate. I have to admit, my schedule has gone to a hole 'nutha level this week! But it's great to hear that so many couples are finding ways to overcome those barriers.

God is doing some amazing work in the lives of so many people - not only married, but single as well. Keep sharing those stories here.

And make sure you're at church this weekend. Because this is going to be one message you do not want to miss!

7 Days of ?!?!

I'm not even sure what day it is! We've been going at such a whirlwind pace getting ready to go to London and Johannesburg that it's been a challenge to keep the challenge.

But don't worry. Lisa and I haven't bailed out. It's just made us think more about our strategy to make time to make love. And there are so many things that Lisa and I have discovered so far.

For one, we are thinking more creatively about sex in order to avoid the monotony that can set in. We know this challenge isn't for competition. It's something that will strengthen our marriage and give us the greater "reward" of deeper intimacy. The last few days we've really had to rachet up the thought process and communication that goes into sex.

We've also taken time to pray for so many couples who aren't laughing about this challenge, but crying because of pain and hurt. We know that God is the great healer and that he can provide that healing for every couple. And this challenge can play a big role in that healing as we grow closer together and closer to God.

So far, Lisa and I are having a great time with this challenge! How about you?

7 Days of Sex - He Said/She Said (Pre-Challenge)

He (Ed) said:
The amount of press this challenge has gotten over the last several days has been a little surprising. I can't say I'm shocked, though. Our culture is so used to toilet water that it's refreshing when we get a taste of God's pure desire for sex in marriage. So no, I'm not shocked. I'm excited. But the most exciting aspect of this isn't the press. It's not the news coverage or the interviews.

The most exciting part of this right now is the potential that this challenge has to help heal and strengthen so many marriages and families. I pray over the next week that communication lines are opened, intimacy is restored and marriages are strengthened as they "do it" God's way. Please join me in this prayer.

She (Lisa) said:
I mentioned this at Flavour, but let me say it here. I'm so excited about this challenge! (And yes, ladies, I'm the one who brought the idea to Ed through a magazine article I'd found.) Why am I so excited? That's simple. Because God has revolutionized my view of sex and removed a lot of preconceived notions I had. And I can truly value intimacy done God's way.

This challenge is about so much more than the act of sex. This is an opportunity for marriages to get back to what God designed them to be. It's a chance for all of us to reinforce our love for our spouses.

So here's my prayer for this next week. First, to the ladies. I 'm praying that God expands your view of the importance of sex in marriage and that He gives you the diligence in prioritizing this aspect of your marriage. And for the men, my prayer is that you will lead out spiritually for your wife so that the oneness God has in mind will supernaturally flow through every aspect of your marriage. (And yes, that includes sex.)