#106: After Easter, What's Next? Pentecostal Pastor Paul Thomas Brings The Word

Easter is like the "Super Bowl" for churches, with the most attendance, but what happens after the holiday for churchgoers and others? For this podcast - which you need to subscribe to - I talked to a lead Pastor in Georgia about that, transitioning from small biz owner to the ministry, pastoring during the pandemic, plus he also explains gifts like speaking in tongues and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. (5:33) Pentecostal Pastor Paul Thomas, of Evangel Church in Columbus, says the focus is on excellence in services every week, not just Easter, as he discusses the importance of connections...after the holiday. (9:48) He also says Restoration is a vital post-Easter message, with the story of Peter from John 21. we all fall short! Food can also be away to bring people back together. He tells the story of (14:03) being saved at 8 years old, but straying from the Lord, eventually becoming a small business owner - building fences. He talks about learning true integrity from his boss (and father-in-law) when Paul came to work hung over. What is integrity? (20:55) This now-pastor also talks about how faith applies to our everyday lives and jobs, the importance of being authentic. As for his job, he describes how and why he started doing business work for a church then becoming a lead pastor, crying and overwhelmed in his first day on that job. (27:11) What did churches learn from the coronavirus pandemic? He talks about small groups, isolation, reaching out to the lost including those hurt by church. Nearly 35 years into his marriage, (34:53) Pastor Paul breaks down the order of priorities to successfully balance family and work and ministry. (38:28) And he didn't grow up in a Pentecostal church, but Pastor Paul breaks down the truth and misconceptions of Speaking in Tongues, how the Assemblies of God got started, (43:35) the Baptism in the Holy Spirit that anyone can experience, like he did alone in his kitchen. He says, "We don't seek gifts, we seek Jesus." Are we tapping in enough to the power of the Holy Spirit? (54:00) "Food or Thought" tackles a gut check for Christians post-Easter, a "Parting Gift" from a famous pastor about restoration, and the closing prayer is from local Youth Pastor Max Samples. Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast! Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.