What Would I Do For You?

(Circa 2000)

My son David is now twenty-three years old (the year is 2011) and his father's delight. He was given his name due to an interior word from the Lord which was confirmed on three occasions before his birth. [i] When David was approaching 4th grade my wife was considering home schooling David as his sister Cassandra was already a home school student and doing quite well.[ii]  However, I was concerned as David was not as pliable as Cassandra and I thought that the home schooling experience might not be the best choice for him. My wife Suzanne, exercising her own very considerable gift of discernment, felt strongly otherwise -which added to my consternation.

While I did not actively bring this concern before the Lord in prayer, I did place this matter on my heart seeking understanding and discernment as to what course of action to take. It was then while driving back home from work in Cambridge that I began to ask the Lord for this discernment when I heard the Lord speak audibly to me: "Peter, what would I do for you?"  Reflecting on this word I then understood that it was God's will that David be home schooled -for that certainly is what the Lord would have provided for me in an identical situation. Once home, I shared this event with David telling him that the Lord himself desired that he begin home schooling. At the time, I also thought that this revelation would help him accept his transition from grammar school (which he seemed to enjoy) to the more private environment of a home school. As a result, David began his home schooling protected from an academic environment becoming increasingly godless and corrupted by the spirit of the age. Now, these many years later I can see the wisdom of the Lord's ways as David prospered greatly in the home schooling environment and to this day remains committed to the reign and rule of Christ in his life.

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[i] I have told my son that he has been named after David Du Plessis. David was known during his life as "Mr. Pentecost" and was one of the principal founders of the Assembly of God. He was also a participant at Vatican II as an observer.  He spoke prophetically to many in Catholic leadership during Vatican II and urged that a Bible be put into the hands of each Catholic Christian which he believed would result in a great move of God throughout the entire world and the salvation of many.  Sadly, he was not listened to.

[ii] In fact, Cassandra had asked Suzanne to home school her as even as a young girl as she was sensitive to things of the Spirit and was aware that the public school environment would not be helpful for her -that there was a certain "darkness" there which she knew was not of God.

The Power of Praise

A number of years ago, when the Holy Spirit was so powerfully blazing in Toronto (circa 1991), I would on occasion attend conferences there, and, from time to time, just visit there with some friends for a time of prayer and intercession.  One on such occasion (when traveling there with two friends to pray and intercede), we stopped on the way at a large church where a conference was taking place.  There were several hundred in attendance, and at one point in the conference we entered into a time of tremendous praise and worship.  To my great amazement, as we worshiped I had an open vision in which appeared in sharp relief an intricately constructed city with buildings and spires of near eastern design (very Islamic) -having an extremely large bridge leading to its entrance. The entire construction of these edifices was constructed of what appeared to be a black and white material -similar to what extremely compacted salt and pepper might look like. As the praise and worship continued this entire vast and complicated city collapsed and vanished under the power of praise being offered to the Lord. I wondered what it could mean. Today, many years later, I believe I better understand the meaning of this vision. Definitively, no ideology or philosophy inconsistent with the revelation of God's true nature -as revealed through his son Jesus, no matter how intricate it may be, can ever withstand the assault of true praise and worship offered by God's children to the glory of God. In the case at hand, other worshipers were not aware of the loosing of God's power on their behalf to destroy the false and intricate works of the enemy intended to enslave them. Yet, God did, and does, know. In my opinion, never in contemporary history has there been a greater need for times of such prayer and intercession than now. I pray that it may begin -and begin very soon.

Where is Hope Found?

(An audible experience)

Your Are Their Only Hope

This is difficult to write.  Years ago while in the shower I was thinking about a couple I knew who were not Christian, but with whom I interacted from time to time when I heard the Lord speak audibly and directly to me the following words: "You are their only hope."  This was a stunning revelation as the Lord knew I was concerned about them, and this included a concern regarding their salvation. More stunning was the phrase "only hope", as I as first found it inconceivable that the Lord could not accomplish their salvation without my help and that others were not praying for them. (As I write this, I am reminded of a statement attributed to Mother Mary during one of her many apparitions: "Many souls go to hell merely because they have no one to pray for them.")

From that point on I began to pray for them and to practice -when I could, friendship evangelization.  I, along with my wife Suzanne modeled for them our Christian ethic by regularly attending church and having meetings of youth and adults at our house for bible studies and worship and other similar events. We were openly Christian and showed our love for the Lord by the way we lived our lives.

Yet, moving forward to the current day (9/11/11 -the ten year anniversary of Ground Zero), I am saddened to report that this couple is now divorced with the wife having left the husband after thirty (30) years of marriage. Reflecting upon this it seems that I did not take this word of knowledge as seriously as I might have. I believe that I may have failed the Lord in that I did not undertake a prayer assault for this couple including a time of fasting and intercession. I did what I could, but I did not go the extra mile.

Lesson Learned:  To him to whom much is given much is expected.  The Christian walk is not a cake-walk and the battle for souls is not bloodless or without labor.  While this couple is now divorced I continue to pray for them for all things are possible with God. But, I must do my part and this includes a willingness to suffer for the sake of the Gospel.  I am almost seventy years old as I write this and I know God's love for me and his heart for the lost. So, I pray, help me Lord, to bring them to your altar.

Infant Baptism - 1963

1963

In February of 1963, while serving as a young Lieutenant JG Naval Aviator with Patrol Squadron 23 (VP-23) at NAS Brunswick, ME, I received a call from my sister Pat asking if I would be willing to be the God Father for her new baby girl Laurie. I quickly agreed, and on a cold Sunday afternoon made the long four hour trek (in my Navy Blues) to Sacred Heart church in Waterbury, CT (which was also my birthplace). Upon arrival it was very dark and dreary, and when entering the church I could not help but reflect upon the years spent earlier at Sacred Heart High School immediately adjacent to the church itself.

Then, after gathering around the baptismal font, the young priest performing the baptism asked me to hold Laurie's tiny hand as he poured the baptismal water and recited the baptismal formula. Somehow, I thought this a strange request, but readily complied. Then as he began to pour the baptismal water over the Laurie's small infant head and to recite the baptismal formula: 'I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit' -a powerful charge of electricity entered into the child and traveled through my hand and up my left arm. I immediately knew I had just experienced a manifestation of God's power, but quietly sequestered this experience to the realm of mystery wondering what it all meant.
As I indicated earlier, I sequestered this experience away for many years, and only much later in life when I had a deeper understanding regarding the power and effect of the Sacrament of Baptism, did I share this experience with a young woman named Laurie now a mom in her fourties.

Ah, where does all of this lead? Well, this revelatory experience deeply positioned in my conscious awareness the unqualified conviction that infant baptism -rejected by many Christian traditions as unnecessary, is vital and essential to the spiritual well being of a new born child in ways we can neither perceive or know.

In the intervening years since this event I have on several ocassions attended in Protestant churches the dedication of an infant child wedded to the joyous celebration of the Christian community surrounding the event itself. Yet, at such times, I have also been saddened and troubled aware that the work of Christ on the Cross gained much more for the infant child -a restorative gift through the power of the Holy Spirit. For, in the pouring of the water and in the pronouncement of the words of the baptismal formula original sin and sin itself is remitted and the child is strengthened and opened to new life in God.

It has often been said that no one can take away your personal testimony of what God has done for you and what God has allowed you to experience and know. You know what you know. Yes, one can wait until adult maturity to receive the grace of baptism -but, this is not necessary. The better order of things is to offer to infants baptism and allow the child to be confirmed in the Christian faith of their own volition and at a mature age.

I want to end this narrative with another perspective as well. Given the transformative power of infant baptism, it is not a sacrament that should be offered to families of children unwilling to raise their children in the Christian faith. Too often, business as usual and what I term 'maintenance theology' leads pastors to baptize infants in cases where parents are not committed to Christian community and the rule of life Scripture demands. This can lead to scandal and weakens the church. So too, it this true regarding the Rite of Confirmation where the issuance of this sacrament is often akin to awarding a merit badge, but not a badge of honor and distinction.

PEACE

Getting Back To It

To My Friends:

I am going to begin to use this blog to post some material from my personal diary.  My mother also left behind a few writings which I will also share. These materials will speak to some people and perhaps alert and inform their spirits and help prepare them for the days ahead.

I hope they bless you.

Peter

Salta, AR The Final Conference with Catholics

In this third and final post, I have the privilege of reflecting upon the last Global Alpha Training conference given by the team which was presented in Salta, AR. This was an all day and early evening event given in a lovely new retreat house just outside of Salta. This event was attended by an enthusiastic group of young adults. There, we were introduced to Padre Angel, a man with a great heart and a deep love for the people he serves. Padre Angel oversees over 30 barrios and 46,000 parishioners.

The team worked hard not only to provide meaningful teaching, but following the talks diligently modeled Alpha ministry with the guests who were unfamiliar with the Alpha process. This allowed time for the guests to practice ministry with one another in a very practical manner. The team found this necessary as most of these young Catholics were very inexperienced when it came to minstry -but they proved to be very quick learners.

The homemade meals and hospitality of the sisters at this Catholic retreat center eased the twelve hour day, and the fact that each table received a bottle of 'Dalton' wine with each meal was a big hit with the team. (One of the team member's name is Dalton!)

We also had the privilege of meeting with the Archbishop of the Diocese of Salta who said to his little flock attending this conference 'I want you to do Alpha,' which a very great encouragement to us. Below you will see our picture with Arzobispo Monseñor Mario Antonio Cargnello, Arzobispado de Salta.

On Sunday the team attended Mass with Padre Angel and visited four of the churches he oversees. Padre Angel's hospitality extended to a Bar B Q held at a friend's home and extensive sightseeing. On Monday we headed out for the journey home. We were all overjoyed that we could be used of the Lord in such a fabulous way. What a gift and wonderful opportunity -to preach and teach the saving Gospel message of our Lord through preparing many evangelizers who the Lord can use in Argentina for many years to come.

Deo Gratias!

Peter Carpentier

Director

North Shore Christian Ministries

Cordoba to Salta-The Evangelical Conference

In our earlier post, we were leaving Pablo's house (our host in Cordoba who we named the 'Alpha Man") for the overnight bus trip to Salta. Pablo and his wife Fer exemplified the gentleness, love and compassion which seems to be rooted in the Argentinian people and which so deeply touched all of us.

[In this picture you will see Pablo and his wife and children along with Suzanne and myself.]

The bus trip to Salta from Cordoba is 11.5 hours, and while the bus was a sleeper bus, sleep proved elusive and we all arrived at the Salta bus terminal quite sleep deprived. Fortunately, we did have two days to rest at the house of Walter and Alejandra (our hosts in Salta) who were wonderful and gracious to us in every way. Upon arrival, much of this time was dedicated to meeting the local support and music teams (Salta was scheduled for two conferences) and working out logistical issues.

[In this picture you see the team eating at Walter and Alejandra's grand table with the local evangelical team.]

Before the commencement of the evangelical conference, some of the team did have the opportunity to travel with Walter (our host in Salta) to the foothills of the Andes were we saw the colored mountains ("de colores"), and visited an indian village. This was a breath-taking and awesome experience as we had the opportunity to witness the wondrous vista of the Argentinian countryside under a brillant azure sky.

The following day, we began the first of two back-to-back conferences, a two day conference with evangelical leaders and an extended one-day conference with Catholic leadership. The evangelical conference included the attendance of many pastors and leaders from local churches and outlying areas. There was a real hunger to understand the principles of Alpha and to gain an understanding of how Alpha could be used to evangelize the Argentinian people for the cause of Christ. Over the two days of this conference, rapt attention was given to all of the presentations, and during the times of Q&A there were many thoughtful questions regarding implementation, and a good discussion of many practical issues. In the end, there was no doubt that the principals of Alpha had been understood by all the attendees who were quite eager to begin their own courses. [Here, were having lunch with some of the attendees.]

In my next, and final Argentinian post, I will address the Catholic conference which was extremely encouraging, and the wonderful gift of Padre Angel who sees Alpha as a much needed tool and a gift from the Holy Spirit to all of the church.

Blessings,

Peter Carpentier