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August 2010 - "Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor" by Allen Hunt
Summary
Allen Hunt used to be the pastor of a mega church but eventually found the truth of the Catholic Church. Over 20 years God planted seeds in his heart that led him home to the Church where he found several "hidden treasures" in the Church. These treasures are not just the fact that the Catholic Church feeds, clothes, and aids more people than any other organization in the world. Allen used to be the pastor of the third largest mega church in the country, in which 30-40% of its members happen to be ex-Catholics. When he finished college, he went to get his doctorate at Yale and became friends with a Dominican priest who invited him to a cloistered monastery. When visiting he was asked why he was not a member of the Church. Allen's response was that the Eucharist was something he believed to be symbolic. The cloistered nun pointed him to the Gospels at the Last Supper and to John 6. This was the first seed of Allen becoming Catholic. Later, he learned that the early Christians were willing to be martyred, to die, because they believed that the Eucharist was the body and blood of Jesus.
Allen started going to the Catholic Church on the 4 Sunday's he had off per year. He went there because he knew what he was going to get - it is exactly the same no matter what state or country you are in. It all focuses on the altar, the centerpiece of worship. It's not about the sermons and music; it's about the altar and the Eucharist where Jesus feeds us. You can have the same body and blood of Christ wherever you go. For the first 1,100 years of Christianity, there is not a single piece of evidence anywhere of anyone ever suggesting the Church was wrong in its interpretation of the Eucharist.
In the Eucharist, Jesus puts Himself into us in the most intimate way. We are the people of the Eucharist. We either cooperate with the grace of God or we block the grace of God. When we receive Communion, we ask God to fill us with His grace. Always remember who you are - we are the people of the Eucharist, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our King, Jesus Christ. In Communion, we are His and He is ours.
Scripture Readings
- John 6
- Luke 22:19-22
- 1 Cor 10:16,18
- 1 Cor 11:23
Discussion/Study Questions
- How should we respond to the fact that 1 in every 10 adults is an ex-Catholic?
- What can we do to prevent so many people from leaving the Church?
- Discuss/meditate on the awesome reality that in Communion we, in ourselves, contain all of Jesus Christ Himself - body, blood, soul, and divinity.
Memorization
- John 6:55
- 1 Cor 10:16
- 1 Cor 11:23
Last Month痴 Memorization
- Psalm 23:1
- John 10:11
- 1 Tim 3:15
- John 21:15
- John 6:54
- Rev 3:20
Living Your Faith
- How did you put into practice what you learned from last month痴 CD?
- What did this CD present that you can apply to your life this month?
- With whom can you share this CD or to whom will you give this CD that will benefit from hearing it?
Further Reading/Listening
- "Confessions of a Mega Church Pastor" by Allen Hunt (book this talk is based on)
- "Jesus Shock" by Peter Kreeft
- Lighthouse Catholic Media Store
