PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: STEP UP

In general, most church sermons and pastors’ preaching have become a cool zone.  Difficult issues of today’s society are often avoided from the church pulpit.  Pastors and ministers do not want to hurt feelings and tread on toes in fear of losing congregation membership. 

Pastor John Collins of Love That Cross Ministries does not hold back on any “hot topic” that is an offense to God.    Pastor John Collins will tell you he is not politically correct, Jesus Christ was not politically correct and not preaching and teaching the TRUTH from the pulpit is NOT pleasing God. Cushioning the truth behind what society deems acceptable is leading a congregation to complacency and acceptance of sin.  According to Pastor John, “men have interjected their will upon the people and Christianity has suffered. Religion will get you nowhere if you are complying with the traditions of men while ignoring the commandments of God.” 

Abortion, drugs, addictions, hate and racism are all part of society today.  Lies, gossip, slander, pride and ego are all part of everyday life.  These are the hard topics that pastors MUST talk about to their congregations in order to teach TRUTH.  Pastor John Collins does exactly that.

God sent Jesus to teach and preach God’s Law.  Jesus went about the countryside, living and talking among the sinners, not the ones who were self-righteous in what was taught and conceived as law by man.  Men took God’s Law from the time it was written on the tablets by Moses and twisted it to their uses and purposes.  These were the priests and holy men of the time, people who were looked to as examples of faith and religious conviction to the Jews.  Jesus came and taught what was right: kindness, love, looking after those who had need, the poor-everything wrapped up into the commandment of love your neighbor as yourself.  In other words, treat others the way you want to be treated if you were in their place. Jesus taught that what was of this world is sin.  Two thousand plus years later, Pastor John Collins began his ministry of revival in Wyoming with Love That Cross.  The very same lessons from Jesus are the lessons that Pastor John preaches in his revivals. Abortion is murder. Drugs and alcohol and addictions are gluttony, among other issues associated with them.  Hate and racism has no place in God’s creation-there is only ONE race-the HUMAN RACE.  Pastor John Collins teaches that these sins are no different than lying, cheating, or stealing. A sin is a sin, one is no worse than another in the eyes of God.  Pastor John teaches that as Christians, we do need to be tolerant, but we also need to be aware of our faith and where our hearts are in relation to the sin that is being witnessed. It is not up to us to bombard others with our faith and beliefs, but we also have to be cautious to not conform to their beliefs.  Pastor John says that we must know as Christians what our beliefs are so that we do not compromise what is in our minds and in our hearts.

Pastors, ministers, reverends, preachers are held to a higher accountability according to the Bible.  Pastor John takes that accountability seriously; God comes first in his life. Jesus taught to be aware of “false prophets”, those that look like a Christian pastor, but inside are truly a predator, a wolf in sheep’s’ clothing. Jesus taught that there was only one way to get to Heaven and that was through Him.  Pastor John preaches that pastors on the pulpit who do not know how to get to Heaven and preach otherwise, or who are there for profitable gain and not to save souls should not be on a pulpit.  The Bible very clearly shows that “there is only one way to get to the Father, God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe. That is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior who died on the Cross for us and became the pure sacrifice on our behalf so that He could pay the price for our sin and conquer death and Satan once and for all; that by our belief in Him and our seeking forgiveness through Him, we are permitted access to the Father and the kingdom of heaven.” These words of Pastor John’s call it like it is.

Pastor John challenges pastors to preach without crib notes for a change. Instead of meticulously writing out a lengthy sermon or a tick list, set to fill a specific allotted time during a church service, preach from the heart.  Let go of the restriction of the mind and preach FILLED from the HEART by GOD’s WORD.  God wants us to know Him, to FEEL the Spirit within.  Pastors who are truly serving God CAN preach, just like the apostles of Jesus’ time, speaking from the HEART, where the Spirit lives.  It can be done without preparation and the fanfare of technology.  One simply must TRUST God and Jesus to put the words in their heart and then speak it on their behalf.  Pastor John challenges those same pastors to search their hearts and minds and take a stand, once and for all, on the difficult issues.   

What are the difficult issues?  Sin.   

The pulpit has become a soapbox to profess the love of God and Jesus, and sugar coats the reality of the Resurrection.  Sin is what keeps us from that beautiful awful sacrifice of Jesus’ life for us to be able to have eternal life with God, not eternal life in Hell with Satan. 

Sin has become a topic of distaste.  If pastors don’t preach from the heart, don’t talk about the difficult issues of gossip, being a busybody, lies, resentment, adultery of the heart, abortion, gluttony, greed, addictions and how it all keeps us from sharing in the grace of God through His Son Jesus, then there is no Hope.  Pastor John knows that there is Hope, and in order to bring revival, there has to be change and the difficult issues have to be faced head on.  That time is NOW.

Pastor John’s revivals confront us to take our faith seriously, to not take the Bible lightly, and to not take our belief in Jesus for granted.  The society we live in is chaotic and confusing.  So many people do not know God, do not know Jesus, and do not know the Bible.  Even those who say they know the Bible and who “know” Jesus are not as educated in the Bible as they think they are.  The lack of knowledge allows Satan to mislead many people who say they are Christians away from God and away from Jesus. 

Pastor John teaches that God wants us back, He wants us back Home with Him.  The only way to do this is to get back into the Bible by reading it and by coming to know Jesus and what He teaches that is written in that Bible as a blueprint for how to live. Pastor John teaches that obedience to God and to Jesus is the only way we are going to get back Home to God.  We have to stand firm in the truth, facing the hard issues with the armor of faith in God, trusting that we are held FIRMLY in His hands.

“God is never secondary in my life, He is always Primary”- Pastor John Collins.

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: THE CROSS-OUR FOUNDATION OF HOPE

Pastor John Collins and Love That Cross Ministries are about REVIVAL: revival of faith, revival of belief in God and Jesus, revival for knowledge of the Resurrection and its Salvation, revival of our country, and even revival for the world.  Revival means a renewal of faith in God and coming to know that there really is Salvation in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is a re-awakening and resurgence of our interest in God and in Jesus.   Pastor John Collins preaches that revival is needed in order for survival: survival in our day to day struggles, survival of our souls for eternity, survival for our country and for our world.  The time for revival is NOW. 

Love That Cross Ministries began at a revival in Wheatland, Wyoming and has been involved in spreading the revival of faith in God from the beginning in Wyoming now across the country.  Pastor John Collins is the head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries and is an evangelist who has been leading people to God for ten years. Over the course of that time, Pastor John has been guided by God to know that in order for us to overcome society and the sin that is in this world, REVIVAL is vital. As a country, we have lost the hope of salvation that lies in the Cross.  So many of us DO NOT know God, do NOT know Jesus that we have become a hopeless society.  The violence, drug abuse and alcoholism, and suicide rates show that we are a hopeless society.  We have very little faith in God anymore, very little faith in the salvation found through Jesus. In addition, so many high profile pastors, self-proclaimed prophets, and televangelists have twisted Christianity and the Bible to serve their personal purposes that the general population wants very little to do with “Christians.”  That makes society hopeless. Pastor John has challenged pastors to step up to the pulpit and PREACH!  Preach to save souls, not line the pocketbooks of those on the pulpit.  Preach to please God, to bring Him the delight that He deserves, not the self-indulgence of greed, self-righteousness, and popularity that runs thickly among many on the pulpit right now.  REVIVAL is necessary for renewing the message that is being preached and REVIVAL is needed for humanity to come back to the foot of the Cross!  It is time for change.  That time is NOW. REVIVAL. 

The world has gone crazy and has lost its way from God.  Too many people are afraid to stand up for God, afraid of offending others and speaking the truth.  Pastor John has said “who cares who is offended?  God is for me, and therefore who can be against me?”  It is time to take a stand and change the direction that the world is taking because the majority of humanity IS heading for Hell and either we don’t care or we don’t know the truth. So many of those high profile preachers previously spoken of won’t say the harsh truth and the hard things about our accountability before God, and we WILL be held accountable for our actions.  Pastor John Collins WILL speak up, HAS spoken up, and will CONTINUE to do so through Love That Cross Ministry and Love That Cross REVIVAL.  That time is NOW.

We humans are arrogant and selfish, we tend to only acknowledge what we can see, touch, and sense.  We don’t recognize the order that God created in this world, we don’t see His laws within the universe. We are blinded by our self-importance and our self-righteousness.  We do not stand a chance but to earn Hell at the rate we are going.  Those same high profile preachers don’t speak about Hell.  If people realized that Hell is as real as our lives here on earth are, we would not procrastinate on developing our eternal well-being.  It is not a place where anyone wants to be. That TRUTH is held in our hearts.  We push it away, ignoring and resenting the truth of it. We are never promised tomorrow, and when we die if we haven’t worked on that truth, it’s too late.  Many people don’t want to accept the reality of Hell, the feeling being that it isn’t fair of God to create Hell.  We as people have a sense of vengeance, of right and wrong, of justice and the price that has to be paid for wrong.  God is just.  God judges right from wrong.  Why wouldn’t there be Hell?

Revival of HOPE is what will turn society and this world around.  Pastor John preaches that Jesus IS real, God IS real, and the Holy Bible contains TRUTH.  That TRUTH is where our foundation of HOPE rests.  Our hope is because Jesus died on that Cross for us, as a perfect sacrifice for all of humanity’s sins.  He died for all of us, ALL of our sins, through ALL the ages, because God knew that we needed it.  We CAN’T do it by ourselves.  Jesus is God’s Son.  God is a LIVING God, very much aware of what is going on in the world.  Both of Them want us, humanity, to find our faith in Them and come home to Them.  In order for that to happen, REVIVAL, a renewal of the knowledge and TRUTH that is in the Bible and a re-awakening of our hearts HAS to happen.  The Cross and what it represents is our hope and our salvation.  When we have hope, then we can be of one mind to help each other stand strong in this life.  Our hope becomes eternal.

Pastor John has preached in the Bible, it is written that Jesus said to go and sin no more.  That is what those of us who have come to believe in Jesus need to do.  Life is hard.  Life is difficult.  Times are tough.  All of that is nothing new. Give your life to Jesus. Accept our weaknesses and repent our sins.  Seek forgiveness with the intention of sinning no more. Commit to being loyal and obedient in your faith, and know that no matter what you go through in this journey of life, Jesus will be there for you.  Trust that you have what it takes to endure, and that it is worth it to try and try, and continue to try. It is in our efforts to get it right, to stay out of Hell, and to make it to heaven that we will achieve righteousness. 

Hold onto the hope that the Lord has given you, because He does love you. 

PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: 19 Miles, Carrying a Sign

Pastor John Collins, head pastor of Love That Cross Ministries, is one of the 15 most influential pastors living today.  Inspirational Faith Magazine  highlighted the ministry of Pastor John Collins.  His faith is unwavering and inspirational.  His preaching is spiritual and moving.  His style is vibrant and animated. He is a fresh and honest example for evangelism, revival, and renewal that is sweeping the United States.

Pastor John is a man of God and he lives to serve God.  He was not always a Christian and didn’t believe in God.  For the past ten years, Pastor John has grown into an outspoken, dynamic evangelist, very much like a modern day Billy Sunday of the 1930’s.  Late last month, Pastor John Collins heard God tell him to walk for Him. Pastor John is quoted to say “Was sitting Sunday watching the Cubs play when I felt GOD tell me to walk for him” and he believes that when God asks Pastor John to do something, Pastor John obeys.  Creating a sign which says “Blessed are the peacemakers, BLUE LIVES MATTER, GOD MATTERS,” Pastor John Collins walked 19 miles the next day in the July heat. Pastor John did not look for attention for that walk, but people did notice and have spread that message across the country by social media.  “GOD MATTERS.”

Too many times, God asks us to act for Him and we ignore Him or we don’t hear His voice.  That quiet voice is drowned out by a chaotic world that is noisy and all too quick to turn its back on the One who created it.  Pastor John Collins is not ashamed to profess his faith.  Pastor John does not ignore that quiet voice. Pastor John does not turn his back on God.  Pastor John Collins will take a firm and unshakeable stand on the difficult issues that are facing this country.  That stand takes guts and courage. That stand includes taking a sign across country, 19 miles, to tell people “GOD MATTERS”. 

Pastor John is NOT a marathon runner.  He DOES NOT devote hours every day to working out to improve his stamina or increase his strength.  Pastor John is very much an average man of middle age.  Pastor John did not have time to have a professional sign created to catch the eye or to promote the appearance of God’s task.  Pastor John did not have any specially made footwear or athletic clothing to accomplish God’s task.  Most people struggle to walk two miles on any given day as a form of exercise for their health benefits. Pastor John simply felt God’s call, got up the next day and began walking.  He did not know when he started out just how many miles he would walk.  His goal was to walk to the next town, carrying a sign that stated “GOD MATTERS”.  That next town was 19 miles away: not two miles or five miles, but 19 miles.  

What is so special about walking 19 miles carrying a sign?  

Most Americans take about 20 to 45 minutes to go 20 miles in a car, depending upon where they live. In a days’ time when Jesus Christ lived, the average distance covered by Jesus and the disciples was about 1 or two miles to get from one town to another.  Pastor John walked those 19 miles unconditionally without any special preparation in advance, without any special training, without any specially designed clothing, and without any advance notice to media to bring awareness to his mission.  Pastor John did it many of us because he knows with all his heart that GOD MATTERS in everything.

How have the dedication to anything that would inspire us to get up and go do something without any preparation or planning in advance?  Most churches take months to go from suggestion to implementation of a decision.  Most people don’t have the enthusiasm to participate in something like a marathon or competition without months of preparation and planning.  Pastor John is dedicated to God.  GOD MATTERS so much in Pastor John’s life that he did what he was asked and then paid a physical price of discomfort for days. The message here is that God really wants us as a country and a people.  He hasn’t given up on us even though society on the whole has given up on Him. Pastor John’s message is very simple:  God should count in our everyday lives, whether it’s while watching a baseball game or when we are in the depths of misery.  GOD MATTERS and He wants to be part of our lives unconditionally.  

Pastor John Collins will tell you candidly that he is not politically correct, but he IS biblically correct.  What was written over 2000 years ago in the Holy Bible is just as applicable today as it was when it was written.  God mattered then and GOD MATTERS now. The Holy Bible holds records of men and women who were called by God to perform and complete what to us were impossible tasks. Those men and women had faith that barely exists in today’s world.  Pastor John demonstrated a rock solid belief that God moved him to walk for Him. Pastor John’s rock solid faith allowed him to walk 19 miles in the heat of a summer day to serve God, without any special preparation or fanfare, to spread the message that “GOD MATTERS.”

Pastor John Collins gives us all an extraordinary example of how to obey and honor God.

To Pastor John, “GOD MATTERS.”  Pastor John Collins chooses to serve God by obedience to what God asks of Pastor John.  God has played an important role in Pastor John Collins' life for over 10 years.  Pastor John will tell you that he was once so far from the Cross that he needed binoculars to see it.   But now, by the Grace of God and all that He has blessed Pastor John with, Pastor John Collins will tell you that he has splinters in his hands from clinging to that Cross. GOD MATTERS.

With God, everything is possible.  Peace, ending violence, ceasing chaos, living in harmony is not a fairy tale or an impossible dream.  Pastor John Collins wants as many people to know that God knows what is happening here in the United States and around the world.  His message of GOD MATTERS is meant to reach everyone, everywhere.  What God wants, according to Pastor John Collins, is for us as people to get to know God again. We have all stepped so far away from God that we have forgotten that He really does exist. GOD MATTERS.  Pastor John will tell you that God wants us to read the Holy Bible again, that He wants us to talk to Him again.  Pastor John preaches that God sent Jesus Christ to us as our salvation and our hope.  Pastor John preached that hope through his walk for God with the simple message “GOD MATTERS”.

You can read excerpts from his sermons and Facebook archives of daily devotionals by clicking on http://lovethatcrossministries.blogspot.com. Pastor John Collins through Love That Cross Ministries that began in Wheatland, Wyoming has preached across the country, from Idaho to Wyoming, Georgia to North Carolina and many places in between with the message that GOD MATTERS.

Pastor John Collins says“It’s time for us to get to know GOD again. GOD MATTERS, BELIEVE THAT.”