blast
THE AGK BLAST
THE AGK BLAST
August ‘25 EDITION
Devo with
Pastor nathan
Depending on the Anointing
1 Samuel 9–16
A couple of weeks ago, I started watching “House of David“ on Amazon Prime. I’m only a few episodes in, and while I know David will eventually take center stage, it wasn’t David who captured my attention — it was Saul. His story gripped me, not because of his rise, but because of his slow unraveling.
It reminded me that every believer — every leader — has a unique purpose to partner with God and serve His Kingdom. But that purpose isn’t found in a moment; it’s discovered in due seasons, as we abide in Him daily.
When we come to Christ, we’re given the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That anointing is not a title or a task — it’s a presence. It’s the empowering of Christ Himself in us, guiding us into truth, purpose, and fruitfulness. But to walk in that anointing, we must stay within Kingdom boundaries. The moment we step outside of dependence, we begin to leak what was meant to flow.
And so, this is a reminder — to me, and to us as leaders — that the call is not just to be anointed once, but to live anointed lives. To depend fully on Him. Because it’s only when we abide in His presence that we find the clarity, strength, and courage to fulfill the purpose He’s placed on our lives.
The call is not just to be anointed once, but to live anointed daily.
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It's not enough to say that you are called. There should and will be a recognition, a confirmation, that you and I, as credential holders of the Assemblies of God, operate with a confirmation from the Church that we have been anointed and called to the position or assignment of leadership.
We fully believe and recognize that God's anointing comes in a confirmation of greater dimensions. It's my conviction that this commissioning — whether at an ordination service, a mission commissioning, or an installation — is not just a ritual, but it is a confirmation of the call — God's call.
1 Samuel 10:6,9 speaks of the Spirit of the Lord coming upon Saul and changing him into a different person. As Samuel walked away, God changed Saul’s heart. This is not a salvation experience — this is transformation. A transformation of carnal weakness into an instrument of righteousness. God was helping Saul become what he could not be on his own.
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Pastor Jim Cymbala once said, “The greatest danger in ministry is not failure — it’s success without dependence.” That quote has never left me. It echoes in moments when I’m tempted to substitute experience for encounter, strategy for surrender.
Years ago, a lady approached my wife, Amber, and said, “It must be amazing to be married to such an anointed man.” Amber, with a smile and a real sense of wisdom, replied, “Well… he’s not always anointed.”
Never confuse the person who is anointed with the real you.
It’s true — I am not the anointing. I’m a vessel who occasionally lives in alignment with it. And sometimes, I’ve stepped into moments, meetings, or even platforms where I wasn't depending on Him like I should have been. We must remember: the anointing is not a personality or a performance. It’s His presence flowing through surrendered people.
There have been moments — and I can take you to them — where I stepped behind a pulpit and preached a message that was not God's assignment for that season. I felt it in the moment. I hadn’t even read the full text. I remember the tension in my heart and mind, the weight of conviction, and the grief of knowing I hadn’t heard from God like I should’ve. It was a Sunday night service, and I tried to preach what should’ve been shared Sunday morning. It fell flat. I missed the moment.
This past year, I’ve walked into meetings desperate for the anointing — for that divine help and wisdom I knew I didn’t have on my own. And, if I’m honest, there were a few moments where I didn’t crave His presence like I should’ve. I didn’t abide like I needed to. Maybe that’s where you are today. With summer schedules, holidays, and ministry rhythms, it’s easy to coast. But let this be your reminder: drift is subtle.
Remember: the anointing is a supernatural assistance to help you do what you cannot do on your own.My encouragement to you as your superintendent is this: Would you reflect over the last season and ask: Am I depending on His anointing… or am I coasting? It’s easy to use muscle memory in life and ministry. But I’m striving for something deeper — a place where unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain.
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I struggle with verbal communication. On my own, I am a mess. On my own, I can become petty, insecure, and impatient. On my own, I am extremely limited. But with the anointing, you and I operate on a different level. As Martin Lloyd-Jones reminds us, you “look on with amazement… It is not your effort; you are just the instrument.”
The anointing can take you where your character cannot keep you. God's Spirit can open doors, but it's the fruit of the Spirit that keeps them open. We need the anointing not just to be empowered — but to be transformed. God can appoint you for great tasks, but He will not grow your character for you. We must create a life habit of walking with His anointing in our lives. Not for a pulpit but daily life.
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Dr. Allen Tennison wisely reminds us, “The anointing is not simply an inward reality—it is a shared recognition of God's empowerment on a life.” He goes on to say, “When the early church commissioned leaders, it wasn’t just a formality. It was the community acknowledging that God had placed His hand on someone.”
Tennison also challenges leaders with this: “The danger is not just losing the anointing, but replacing it with ambition. Anointing will always serve others; ambition will always serve self.”
Next Steps:
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Stay small in your own eyes so God remains large. Saul didn’t lose the throne overnight — he stepped away from God’s Spirit over time. By relying on himself, he slowly drifted outside the anointing’s covering. The same danger faces us as leaders if we substitute dependence on God for self-management.
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Create time to be still before Him. Don’t substitute preparation for presence. When Saul was small in his own eyes (1 Samuel 9:21; 15:17), God used him. His humility brought unity and victory. But when we forget our dependence, even past victories can become stumbling blocks.
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If He convicts, respond quickly. Sensitivity protects longevity. As Saul’s influence grew, so did his self-confidence. He leaned on strategy rather than surrender. Pride isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s simply prayerlessness. '“And the Spirit departed from him…” (1 Samuel 16:14). Solomon’s warning is prophetic: “Pride precedes destruction…” (Proverbs 16:18).
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Give trusted voices permission to correct and redirect. Saul stepped into priestly duties in panic, not purpose (1 Samuel 13:8–13). He was warned — but ignored the voice of correction. Every leader must ask: Have I lost sensitivity to conviction? Sensitivity to the Spirit is the safeguard of the anointed.
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Live aware of how the Holy Spirit feels about your words, your attitude, and your actions. Saul offered what God never asked for (1 Samuel 15:22). He justified his disobedience with religious activity. In the end, he defended his image more than his anointing.
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An exhausted spirit cannot carry fresh oil. Protect your sabbath moments.
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Don’t rely on yesterday’s touch. Seek Him anew.
Let this be a season not of coasting, but of pressing in.
The anointing isn’t just for preaching — it’s for parenting, for pastoring, for planning, for praying. For every assignment in your hand, let His presence rest on it.
You were never called to do this alone.
Let’s stay desperate for the anointing.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” — Zechariah 4:6
Camp Recaps
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Wheat State: The staff and teams at wheat state were phenomenal to work with. Every level of leadership went above and beyond in working with us to make sure that Camp went smoothly and was enjoyable for the kids. If there were ever any adjustments that were needed, they were open to feedback and did their best to make whatever adjustment that needed to happen. They were super flexible in working with us and our schedule.
Kids Camp date: switching the dates for kids camp was extremely beneficial. Kids weren’t in the heat to such a degree that they have been for the last number of years. We also saw an increase in registrations due in part to the switch.
Speakers: Both Camp Speakers (Jamie Walton & Liz Hoffman) were able to bring the gospel message to kids in powerful, creative ways. From characters that helped teach/reinforce the lesson to interacting with students outside of services to everything else, they were a blessing to both leaders and kids in Kansas in teaching the Gospel.
Missions/BGMC: Across both Camps kids raised over $7,000 for BGMC/WorldServe International to help build a facility for kids to have access to a safe place to play, clean drinking water, live, and so much more. Through this challenge we also tarred & feathered several of our leaders.
Kids/Students: God did the work that only He could do in both Kids Camps. In one student specifically we saw them have a pretty big behavioral issue early in the Camp, but God did a powerful work in their life and connected them to leaders, changing their life through the power of Jesus. More broadly, there were many students that said yes to Jesus for the very first time. As well as several that were baptized in the Holy Spirit. We also saw students healed of anxiety, of depression, and many others. There were also numerous kids that were called into ministry. God is doing a mighty work in the next generation of the AGK. God is going to use these kids to change the world. -
YOUTH CAMP 2025 is in the books! What a whirlwind of fun and refreshing!
At Youth Camp, you get more uninterrupted discipleship time with students than the rest of the year combined! And we saw first hand what happens when our leaders and students can spend this time together, with zero interruptions and few distractions!
For the first time in their lives, 50 students recieved salvation and over 350 students rededicated their lives to the Lord. 416 students experienced freedom through spiritual, emotional, and physical healings. 115 students discovered their purpose in life when they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and 198 students received clarity for their lives, clarity to make an eternal difference with their earthly lives, to fulfill the CALL of God. Finally, with the generosity of a faithful donor, we were able to double the Speed the Light giving from the students of Kansas at camp and we raised $19,666.46 for Chris and Sarah Geeska, our Kansas Church Mobilization missionaries.
Thank you for trusting us with your children. Thank you for sending Coaches to pour into your students lives. Thank you for sending your Youth and Kids pastors, your volunteers and your voluntolds to serve with us at camp. These students were worth every second of effort, energy, and enthusiasm we could give them.
Scattered across this state are students with divine purpose in their hearts and eternity in their sights. They've heard the call of God, not through a burning bush or a booming voice, but in the quiet moments of worship, prayers muttered at altars, and messages that stirred their souls.
Everything from this moment forward depends on one thing: follow-through!
If our leaders will choose to disciple their potential, and our students will choose obedience over comfort, Kansas will never be the same! When our students step up and say, "Here I am, Lord, send me," they join a holy lineage of world-changers. Like David with a sling, Esther with courage, and the disciples with boldness, our students hold the potential to make an eternal difference NOW!
Let it be said of this generation: they don't just dream big, they obey boldly. They don't settle for a safe life, but pursue a surrendered one. Because they follow through on God's call, heaven will be more crowded, and we will all know REVIVAL has started in Kansas!
This generation is not the NEXT generation, it's the NOW generation. This generation was born to shake nations, rescue the broken, and push back the darkness with God's light. On the other side of obedience to the call is an eternity of blessing! But we must FIRST follow through!
UPCOMING NextGen Event:
August 1-2, CALLED CONFERENCE - NextGen Students Only
50+ Adult ministires conference
What to Expect:
Workshops, Dinner, Afterparty
where to attend:
hope church | Hutchison
who will speak:
pastor andy parks
cost:
$45 through Aug. 8th
+Additional pre-con activities
What a Pastor Should Know
By Richard Hammar a renowned attorney, CPA, and founder of the Church Law & Tax ministry.
There is a common misconception that seasoned pastors, board members, and church leaders understand all the ins and outs of running a ministry. It takes a lot of work and knowledge to lead a church both spiritually and legally. In his more than three decades of working with churches, Richard Hammar has discovered fifteen areas that frequently trip up both new and seasoned church leaders. Three common areas that church leaders struggle with are understanding the importance of church constitution and bylaws, knowing the basics for running legal church meetings, and making sure they have the right insurance for their church. Hammar addresses each area in a way that is accessible and offers sound principles to reflect on and apply.
