The Mandate is happening in Muskegon, MI July 28-30. We will be at Rivers of Living Water Ministries. Our speaking team will consist of myself, Michael Posey, Dan Caldwell, Stephen Garner, and Rod Stevenson.

There is growing enthusiasm about this Mandate session because of the rising tide of revival that is happening in Michigan.

Check us out at www.sharpeningstoneministries.com.

I love this quote from Ian Aspin – “Perhaps the conversations we start will change the world.” Can we have a conversation this coming Sunday and Monday (July 17 & 18) with Duane Vander Klok? Can we have a conversation when we meet in Muskegon, MI for The Mandate (July 28-30)? It just might change the world!!!

In Malachi 3:16 the prophet writes: “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name.”

The Lord likes to be in on our conversations. He is listening, and He is recording our thoughts and words.

Let’s have world-changing conversations!

A Canadian couple’s decision to raise a “genderless” child has perplexed me.

I was scratching my head last week after hearing about the couple from Toronto, Canada, who announced they were going to raise a “genderless” child. Kathy Witterick and David Stocker, parents of two boys named Jazz and Kio, had a third child named Storm on New Year’s Day. Witterick announced to her family last month that she intends to keep the child’s gender a secret and let him/her figure it out on his own.

So far mom and dad have not granted interviews, but the mother said in a letter to the Edmonton Journal, published May 30, that letting Storm determine his/her gender was “a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation.”

“Gender is determined by the foreknowledge of God; it is not our choice. He is the Creator, we are the creature; He is the potter, we are the clay. To say that a child is going to “choose” his/her gender is the ultimate in rebellion against God’s created order.”

“Someday soon, Storm will have something to say about it,” the mom added. (And I’m thinking he/she also may grow up resenting its parents for this bizarre decision.)

We know where this line of reasoning came from. We already have laws on the books in several states to protect people who don’t know their gender or who have altered it surgically. In Gainesville, Fla., for example, a man is allowed to use a women’s restroom if he “feels” he is female, regardless of whether he has had a sex-change operation.

Also, some educators have advocated a policy of not telling little boys they are boys and little girls they are girls. They fear this will lead to “gender stereotypes”—such as girls wanting to play with dolls, boys wanting to drive monster trucks and all kids thinking heterosexuality is normal.

So far it doesn’t look like the Canadian couple is setting a popular trend. I doubt parents are going to send their boys to school in pink tights anytime soon. But this decision was made because we live in a time of growing gender confusion. To stay on track we must reclaim some simple principles from Scripture:

1. God created gender. Gender is one of the most fundamental concepts in the Bible. Genesis 1:27 says God created mankind “male and female”—and both genders together reflect God’s divine image. God, who is a spirit, has both masculine and feminine qualities, so when He made mankind He needed men and women to reflect His nature as well as to procreate.

Gender is determined by the foreknowledge of God; it is not our choice. He is the Creator, we are the creature; He is the potter, we are the clay. To say that a child is going to “choose” his/her gender is the ultimate in rebellion against God’s created order.

2. Attacks on gender are ultimately aimed at God. The apostle Paul noted that the reality of God and his power are clearly evident “through what has been made”—the Creation—but that sinful and unbelieving people reject this obvious truth. Romans 1:21 says: “They did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

All we know about gender is obvious in nature—and it should be taught at home (as well as in fourth grade health classes). God made males and females, and when they have sex they often have children. Same-sex couples can’t have children biologically without help from the opposite gender. A penis goes with a vagina. A sperm goes with an egg. It’s a no-brainer. Gender isn’t that difficult to figure out!

It is true that some people develop same-sex attraction, but this is not because God is confused, or because He occasionally creates a male with a female psyche, or because He thinks it will be OK for a certain percentage of men to have sex with each other. Homosexuality is just one of many manifestations of the fallen world we live in—and anyone who struggles with sexual brokenness can find healing and freedom in Christ. (And they should be able to find this healing in any church, without fear of judgment.)

3. Children should be taught to embrace their gender, without unhealthy stereotypes. Many modern psychologists think if you reinforce a boy’s masculinity he’ll grow up to be a wife-beater, a rapist or a violent thug. They also oppose teaching a girl to be feminine, lest she grow up to believe all she can do is bake cookies and vacuum.

This was obviously the thinking behind David Stocker’s decision to keep baby Storm’s gender a secret. He said: “What we noticed is that parents make so many choices for their children. It’s obnoxious.” Stocker thinks he’s providing freedom to his child by adopting this choose-your-own-gender policy; in the end, what he’s doing could be classified as child abuse.

Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” There’s nothing wrong with reinforcing a child’s gender—this will result in emotional health. But in a fallen world where men often oppress women, and where women struggle with their self-worth, we also must train our kids to rise above unhealthy stereotypes.

True masculinity, when transformed by Christ, is not violent or dominating. True femininity is not defined by inferiority, timidity or domesticity. Boys can be trained to be strong yet compassionate gentlemen. Girls can be trained to be confident women of character. And churches can help raise healthy families no matter how confusing our culture becomes.

Do you own a pet? Well if you say you do, you are a purveyor of prejudice. At least that’s what some so-called “leading academics” are saying.

You see, according to the Rev’d Professor Andrew Linzey, director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, we shouldn’t even use the word “pet,” because the phrase is demeaning to animals.

Instead, we should call a Labrador Retriever a “Companion animal.”

And please, don’t use the word “owner.” That’s demeaning to pets — I mean, to companion animals — as well. Instead, call yourself a “human carer.”

Ay-yi-yi. What’s another phrase for a “leading academic”?

Of course, such language has its downsides. If some fellow is reaching out to a canine with a temper, instead of shouting “Don’t pet the dog!” we’d have to warn, “Don’t manually stroke the companion animal!” Of course, by the time we got the words out, the poor man could have lost a finger.

As reported by the U.K. Telegraph, Professor Linzey and his colleague, Prof. Priscilla Cohn of Penn State are quite serious. And they have a point: The language we use can shape the way we think.

Linzey and Cohn say “We shall not be able to think clearly unless we discipline ourselves” to use appropriate language that reflects our proper “moral relations with” animals.

Ahh. And what might the proper moral relation be? Linzey and Cohn give us a hint. The word “owner,” they say, “whilst technically correct in law, harks back to a previous age when animals were regarded as just that: property, machines or things to use.”

They even object to the term “wildlife.” Linzey and Cohn “invite authors to use the words ‘free-living’, ‘free-ranging’ or ‘free-roaming’ rather than ‘wild animals’”

Why? Because, they say, “For most, ‘wildness’ is synonymous with uncivilised, unrestrained, barbarous existence. There is an obvious prejudgment here that should be avoided.”

Of course, what we’re seeing here is Linzey’s and Cohn’s own prejudgment — that Humans and animals are equals.

And that’s a perfectly natural conclusion if you hold to a secular, materialistic worldview. As I’ve said many times before, if we humans are nothing more than a random collection of atoms that evolved out of the primordial soup, then, yes, we are no more valuable than the common ground slug.

But the equality — or near equality — of animals and humans is a view that is creeping into the Church as well. The Telegraph says that Professor Linzey is a theologian who was awarded “an honorary degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury for his work promoting the rights of ‘God’s sentient creatures.’”

But we are not all equal. Humans alone bear the image of God. And animals cannot have “rights” in the way we humans do.

Should we care for animals as part of God’s creation? Of course. Christians have long recognized this. It was William Wilberforce, after all, who founded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. But to treat them as equals or even near-equals? Never.

I’m with Linzey and Cohn on this: Words are important. Which is why you’ll never catch me stroking a companion animal.

This morning I had a meeting with David Rodgers and Bengt Wedemalm. Bengt is our new friend from London. David and I were explaining to Bengt what Sharpening Stone has been doing here in the Chicago region for the last few years. I thought it was quite amazing to review what has been accomplished, and what is being strategized and planned.

Sometimes you may feel like you are not accomplishing too much. In those times I want to encourage you to take a review of all that has been accomplished. I think it will be a real eye-opening experience for you.

Be encouraged today!

On Saturday I had the privilege of meeting Bengt Wedemalm, an apostolic leader from Sweden now living in London.  We actually brought him to Chicago for his first visit here.  However, because I was out of town for most of last week I had not had the opportunity to meet him.  He is a good friend of my good friend in Croatia.

Bengt spent much of the 80′s and 90′s serving with Ulf Ekman at Word of Life in Uppsala, Sweden.  I admired the leadership of Ulf Ekman during those years.  Word of Life had a great impact on the church landscape in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.  Yesterday I discovered that Bengt Wedemalm was really the driving force behind that pioneering thrust.

I found Bengt to be a strong apostolic leader with a breakthrough anointing.  We will see him in Chicago again.

On Saturday, May 14 The Sharpening Stone Group had the privilege of hosting our first YOUTH CAREER FORUM.  We had a set of excellent presenters for the realms of politics, business, and the creative arts.  The information that was presented was outstanding and very beneficial for the students.

I was most impressed with the questions asked by the students.  Most of the questions revealed their concern for integrity, character, and purity.  That was very encouraging.

We look forward to the next opportunity to help prepare the young generation to penetrate this Babylonian system.

David Wilkerson was killed in a car crash yesterday in Texas.  He was 79 years old.

David Wilkerson was a major evangelical leader and prophetic voice in America for many years.  His book, The Cross and the Switchblade, impacted an entire generation with his mandate to impact the gangs of New York City.  The book was later made into a popular movie.  Nicky Cruz became a well-known Christian voice through the book and the movie.

Wilkerson was the originator of Teen Challenge, the faith-based program that has helped and delivered a multitude of addicts around the world.

The Vision became another well known book written by Wilkerson.  In the book Wilkerson wrote in detailed prophetic language about much of what is going on in the world today.  Put the Trumpet To Your Mouth was another valuable book written by Wilkerson.

The formation and building of Times Square Church became another major accomplishment of David Wilkerson’s ministry.  The church began in 1987, and it has become a major force of kingdom influence in the Times Square community of New York City.  The church’s web site puts it like this . . .

In 1986, while walking down 42nd Street at midnight, Pastor David Wilkerson’s heart broke over what he saw. At that time, Times Square was populated mainly by prostitutes and pimps, runaways, drug addicts and hustlers, along with live peep shows and X-rated movie houses. Pastor David cried out for God to do something—anything—to help the physically destitute and spiritually dead people he saw.

Recalling that life-changing night, Pastor David says, “I saw 9-, 10- and 11-year-old kids bombed on crack cocaine. I walked down 42nd Street and they were selling crack. Len Bias, the famous basketball player, had just died of a crack overdose, and the pusher was yelling, ‘Hey, I’ve got the stuff that killed Len.’ I wept and prayed, ‘God, you’ve got to raise up a testimony in this hellish place…The answer was not what I wanted to hear: ‘Well, you know the city. You’ve been here. You do it.’”

Pastor David obeyed God. He opened Times Square Church in October of 1987 in Town Hall before moving it to its present location at the Mark Hellinger Theater. Pastor David’s first call to New York City in 1958 has been well documented in his book, The Cross and the Switchblade.

I never met the man, but he had a major impact on my life, especially in my teenage and young adult years of development.  David Wilkerson was certainly a legendary leader in the body of Christ.  His influence will be missed.  We can only hope for his legacy to ignite a prophetic fire of revival for this generation and the generations to come.

Dear friend,

Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus! I am writing to invite you to The Sharpening Stone 2011 Spring Conference. This is what is now known as THE MANDATE. The thrust of this conference will be in the apostolic and prophetic veins of Spirit-filled ministry.

Over the last several years we have been doing our best to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in discovering, processing, and establishing a NEW “NORMAL.” We have been discovering that this NEW “NORMAL” is really a return to ministering in the fullness of Kingdom dynamics. We are seeing the Kingdom as the activity of God’s rule revealed in . . .

• Bringing deliverance and healing.

• Conferring blessing and favor.

• Exercising authority in every arena of life.

• Revealing truth that tears down deception.

• Rebuking the “false” of religious and secular culture.

• Building the house of the Lord.

We will continue to develop our model for building local church ministry (Acts 2:46). “The apostles’ doctrine” involves our ability to exegete Christ from the scripture in our preaching and teaching. “Fellowship” involves “reclining at the table” as we share our hearts and minds from a basis of friendship. The “breaking of bread” involves the way we present the presence of God. “Prayers” involve our access to the supernatural realm.

Our speakers for this conference will include gifted and strong leaders such as Michael Posey, Michelle McClain, David Rodgers, Dan Caldwell, Kevin Leal, and I. On Thursday afternoon we will enjoy a panel of music ministers who will share their hearts with us about the ministry of worship in the local church. The panel participants will be Phil Tarver, Rose Harper, Jon Jones, Brandon Roberson, and Andrae Ambrose. Trent Cory will be leading worship on Friday evening. After the finish of The Mandate on Friday night we will have young people from all over the Chicago area heading for an all-night event at Hidden Cove in Bourbonnais, IL. I am extremely expectant of what the Lord will release to us, and activate in us during this called meeting.

Thank you for considering this conference. I am looking forward to fellowshipping with you next week.

Sincerely, Greg Howse

The Sharpening Stone Group

Over the past couple of decades the themes of ‘SONSHIP”, “RELATIONSHIP”, AND “DIVINE CONNECTION”, have become quite popular, and within the intended manifestation of these principles of relating “as one”, fitly joined, and dynamically unified corporate entity, they are all limitless in potential, impact, power and effectiveness. Unfortunately, as with most emerging spiritual “movements’,spiritual resurgences of kingdom interest, and visitations, they have fallen short and become perverted in purpose, and even shorter and more lacking in fulfilling their mandate to exemplify the kingdom of heaven here on earth. The very concept of a viable, thriving, healthy, and correctly functioning , mutually edifying and supportive collaboration between the Church hierarchy, Senior/elder leaders, ministries, and associations is awesome when viewed by the purity of it’s original assignment, but in present day reality, it has gone “south”, much like it’s predecessors, because the enemy is present in the birthing room of every advancement that the Lord establishes, so that he can stretch forth his vile and perverse hands to alter, cripple, paralyze, and suffocate it before it can stand tall and powerful, like a tree planted by the rivers of water. There have been a number of God’s people with great destinies who were victimized by, or who entered foolishly into these arrangements, who foresook ministry all together. When the principle of “spiritual “sonship” and “fathering” was reawakened some years ago, there was a rush for those seeking spiritual parenting, to yoke up with established, “prosperous’ ministries by those who were novices in their ministries, with very little waiting before God to receive direction, directives, confirmation, or His endorsement that this was the move to make, or a release to move on it. Consequently, many were wounded, disillusioned, confused, embittered stalled in momentum, and reluctant, or undesiring to even continue on in ministry. During the same time, a great influx of “Fathering/mothering” exploded upon the Church scene, in which many “elder/statesmen/women’ began to seek out budding ministries and kingdom leaders, and approach them with offers to “cover” or parent them, and often, these seasoned leaders were preying upon those struggling to establish firm foundations and the anchoring of their vision, and they were no more than opportunists, merchandisers, and enticers who had selfish motives and plans to gain “increase”, and financial prosperity. In genuine kingdom relationships of “sonship” and “fathering”, there is an exchange of blessings, and the spiritual parennts sow into the lives and ministries of those whom thry have the oversight over, just as the spiritual “sons/daughters” bless them! Even sadder was that all these things were done under the guise of “RELATIONSHIP”, when in fact they were just convenient connections, much like the “networking”/hustling that goes on in boardrooms and golf links throughout the world , over shots of Hennesy” and martinis, where anything goes, and there’s much wheeling and dealing, as long as everbody gets what they want, with no thoughts of morality,, spiritual ethics, conscious, or consideration of the possible backlash. “RELATIONSHIP” is always established on the principle of “covenant’ in which there are mutual agreements to be mutually accountable, mutual respect, consideration, support, and assistance, when needed or possible. In all “relationships” there’s mutual “giving, as between natural fathers and mothers and their offspring ( the parents provide for the needs of the children, discipline, guidance,safety, support, instruction, affirmation,counsel and love); and the son/daughter provides respect, joy, and submission, and as they mature, they then begin to provide support, companionship, and even provide for the needs of the parents as they age, in many cases). In the “relationships” between husbands and wives, the husband provides “covering’, protection, counsel, companionship, friendship, intimate fulfillment, and he provides for her physical needs, and in turn the wife provides a home, support, the care of his personal needs, support, companionship, friendship, and unconditional spiritual/filial love. In the relationship between ‘friends”, taking into consideration that there are many tiers of friendship, they, mutually, provide camaraderie, listening ears, support, affirmation, counsel, trust, and love. There are definitive standards that can be used to measure the depth, validity and confirmation of relationships, especially within the kingdom of God, and it is when these standards are not met, or when they come up short, that relationships head in the direction of dysfunctionalism, malfunction, perversion, and being “none” or “counter productive”! The malfunctioning of relationships has existed since Adam compromised his relationship as the “spiritual head” with Eve, and when she left his counsel and protection to receive the counsel of a rattlesnake, and they both perverted and revoked their covenant relationship with God through following after the voice of another. Jezebel perverted her relationship with Ahab when she began to govern their home/lives and disrespect her husband, and Ahab perverted his role when he allowed it. Lot’s daughters seriously violated the rules of “relationship” when they entered into illegal “sexual relationship” with him. Reuben violated the rules of relationship when he bedded his father’s “wife”! We violate the rules of kingdom relationship all day, everyday, when we embrace other “gods’, violate the will and commands of God, and abuse and misuse , persecute, disrespect, and malign,our brothers and sisters, and rebel against the “elders/leadership” the Lord has set forth within the Body. There’s a reason that the most intimate contact and experience two human beings can have is also referred to as “having relations”, or sexual relationship, and that is because it is done within ( or was intended to be), and is the fulfillment of one of God’s highest relationships,marriage. Within the current universal covenant of believers, we still speak of “relationship’, and “divine connection”, as casually as we raise the offering on Sundays, but let us be clear, kingdom relationship is a sacred covenant, because we, through our relationship with/in Christ, are relating to the portion of the Very Christ in one another. There are RULES of governing and handling these relationships, and when one offends, persecutes, mocks, disrespects, rejects, fails to support, exhort, encourage, edify, and love others within the kingdom, we violate the rules of “kingdom-ship”, we risk revoking our “ambassadorship”‘, and we cause these relationships to become dysfunctional and unfit for the kingdom of God and our privileged assignments. Within the realm of this kingdom environment in which we claim, and aspire to, there are certain things that we should be able to expect from each other, whether it be in the arena of “SONSHIP”. ‘PARENTING’, or basic relationship, things that are no more than our reasonable service and what our ABBA FATHER expects from us. At the same time, there are things that should never become a thought in our minds, we should never say,and even more, that we should never do, or witness being done! In true “sonship”, there should never be Absalom-David situations, where the son is trying to discredit and “outrun”, or overthrow” the “father”! In “fathering/mentoring”, there should never be any manipulation, abuse of authority, and perverting of “prophecy” to dominate and control those “sons/daughters who are submitted under a spiritual Father/Mother! There shouldn’t be the proliferation of the “Saul/David” syndrome, where the “father” is trying to destroy his “Elisha” because he’s maturing and stretching out in the things of God, and is “preachin’ the house down”, and finding great favor with the people! When we enter into authentic kingdom relationships or “connections”, the objective or motives should not be to expand our possibilities for “engagements” or to form some fraternal exclusive conclave, order, or “spiritual posse”, but to band together and reinforce one another’s vision, mandate, and purpose because our purposes overlap, and we are only as strong, in part, as we are as a whole! Our kingdom relationships should not be such that one will support someone because they see something carnal to be gained, because it will, potentially open other doors for us, we see the potential for financial gain, or the possibility of going up to “the high places”! You breach kingdom manners when you shun the Pastor,leader to the left or right of your house-hold of faith, located on your same block, because they’re not as affluent, or on the same socio-economic status, because they differ in worship, in attire, or in the execution of their vision. You breach the rules of kingdom relationship when you only support those who are within your circle! You are in violation of the rules of kingdom relationship when you see a brother overtaken in a fault, and do nothing to restore him! You violate the rules of good manners when you fail to”cover your mouth” and partake in the furtherance of gossip or slander against another kingdom citizen! You gain another “demerit” when you see a co laborer overwhelmed,spiritually ‘whipped”, and near death, and you just shake your head in pity, and step over them as you go on just “preaching yourself silly”! You despise the “rules” when you take up the offense of another, against someone who’s done you no harm and don’t even know! You are in grave danger of judgement for violating the rules of mishandling God’s son’s and daughters through seduction, deceit, lying, spiritual fraud, and malicious gossip or slander. Men of God, you need to take a remedial course in kingdom ethics, if you know you’re guilty of prowling for “prey” amongst God’s handmaidens! Handmaidens of God, get it together if you know that you are strutting through the kingdom, trying to see whom you can bring down to your bed of whoredom! The rules state that you are obligated to ‘walk worthy”, “WALK IN THE SPIRIT”, “give no appearance of evil”, and “possess your body, unto honor”! The rules of kingdom relationship require that if you are going to truly manifest it, ” the strong must bear the infirmities of the weak.”, “one shouldn’t fall for the other”, that we “forsake not the “ASSEMBLING TOGETHER”, and not just the local assemblies! The “rule” require that we love through ‘demonstration”, and not just verbalization! The rules require that when we see someone in need, that we don’t just send them on their way with a string of emotional (shon-does), but that we do something tangible, as much as we are able. The rules say that we can not have “exclusive” little clubs within the household of faith, where only a select few are welcome, and that there be no favoritism. Much of what we have witnessed as “kingdom ministry” is not even remotely related to the kingdom, but rather the activities of someone’s “empire” they’ve established to self-govern, dictate, administrate, and orchestrate. In empires, there’s no theocracy, but the biased doctrine of “men”, and the people perish. While we are petitioning the Lord to let His kingdom come on earth,even as it is in heaven, we’ d better recognize that with the earthly administration of His kingdom,comes heavenly, divine reckoning and judgement,and that judgement must first begin in His “house/kingdom”! There’s a simple method by which you can determine whether or not you’re in compliance with kingdom rules………take a moment and think hard, and ask yourself “WHO IS MY KING?”