I'm learning that you have to be quick with the pen around here. As an editor new to Strang, I was planning on writing about the incredible two days I got to spend with an evangelist from India named Harry Gomes. But my good friend Lee Grady, editor of Charisma, already beat me to the punch. Lee and I were blessed to hang around this powerhouse believer who has seen almost 12 million people make decisions for Christ and nearly a quarter of a million people healed. Staggering numbers—and yet you'd never know it by meeting this extraordinarily humble man who isn't out to impress anyone with figures, titles or hype.

Of course, Harry could brag about being a successful businessman who earned millions. Or about his being honored by the Indian government for various endeavors. Or about selling all his possessions and starting a church, a Bible college and an orphanage. Or about raising five people from the dead. Or about …

You get the point. Harry Gomes brags about one thing and one thing only: Jesus Christ. And that is why I am still mulling over my time with him. Harry is the antithesis of what we often find among leadership in American Christendom: the self-promoting, flashy, title-enamored, untouchable minister. He quotes scriptures and scripture references as if he had the entire Bible memorized, and yet the heart of his every word is to glorify Jesus, not his own intelligence. Harry puts us all to shame with both his ministry and faith. Still, he left me wanting not to be more like him, but more like Christ. And isn't that the real sign of an effective minister?

I asked Harry what he believes is the key to his ministry—or any ministry, for that matter. His answer was simple yet directed straight at every American church leader: We must spend time in the presence of God every day. Not a few minutes each morning or a half-hour here and there. Hours of simply being with the Lord. Often Harry will spend eight hours a day communing with God. In fact, he's mandated that he and his entire staff daily spend four hours in His presence (students and orphans included). He believes every pastor must take a minimum of two hours each day to be with the Lord.

I'll admit, when I heard this the cynic in me immediately rose up with claims of legalism and religious routine. Who hasn't started out on this path, only to find intimate times with the Lord turned into daily chores? We've all teetered on the line between discipline and improvisation. After all, it's about quality, not quantity, right?

Honestly, at this point in my life, I'm tired of that internal debate. I'd rather silence the passion-squelching pessimist in me than argue against a guy whom God uses to raise people from the dead. I'm guessing you're in the same boat.

The bigger issue for us, then, is this: How can we do what Harry is suggesting? Seriously, how in the world can we carve out hours of our jam-packed schedules to rest our head on God's chest? We're lucky if we can find an extra half-hour to spend with our families. We've got churches to run, staffs to guide, sermons to preach, congregational needs to meet, ministries to tend ... all legitimate pulls on our daily schedule. All responsibilities derived from our God-appointed position as leaders.

Maybe the real answer arrives, as is so often the case, in a question: Would any of those callings mean a thing without God's presence? Not His blessing, favor or anointing … His very presence. Like Moses in Exodus 33:15, will we refuse to take another step “if Your presence does not go with us� Are we that broken, hungry and dependent upon our Master?

I realize it's practically illegal nowadays to blog about old news—you know, something that happened more than eight hours ago and is now a distant memory on CNN’s ticker. But sometimes an article catches your attention in a way that you just have to share it with those who may not have heard the news. Call me outdated, out of the loop and an online outcast … whatever you do, just take a look at this from the Seattle Times.

A few weeks ago we highlighted a transgender pastor in Baltimore. Now our attention shifts to a transfaith minister in Seattle. Yes, you read that right. The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, an Episcopal priest of more than 20 years at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, is also a newly converted Muslim who sees no issue with following both religions. Redding used to serve as St. Mark’s director of faith formation; now she’ll be teaching New Testament this fall to malleable-minded collegians at Seattle University. Phew.

There are so many angles from which to take on this sign-of-our-times story. Redding’s bishop characterizing her dual faith as “exciting.†The so-called “religious scholars†who somehow deem this possible. The Muslim leaders who have opened their arms to Redding. Yet I want to focus on one crucial element that relates you and me, a telling point that cuts deep for every born-again believer.

Redding first became interested in Islam when a local Muslim leader gave a talk at her own church and, following his message, dropped to the ground to pray before the group. The Times reporter describes Redding as “moved … [because] it seemed to her that his whole body was involved in surrendering to God.†Not long after, another Muslim leader taught a group how to chant a prayer and meditate on opening one’s heart—this time at a St. Mark’s-hosted interfaith class. Once again, Redding was inspired: “I was in a situation that I could not handle by any other means, other than a total surrender to God.†Her response was to become a Muslim because, in her own words, “when God gives you an invitation, you don’t turn it down.â€

Let’s set aside Redding’s contradictory logic here and misconceptions of God. The sad truth is that she saw more authentic passion, devotion and worship in these Muslim leaders than the Christians around her. She saw faith in action, worship in motion. Christianity as a religion was not enough for this woman because it was simply that: a religion. She longed for a divine yet personal touch that went beyond stuffy religious routine. In fact, she compares her newfound Islamic prayer times to being in love all over again and looks forward to “all these dates with God. … Living a life where you’re remembering God intentionally, consciously, just changes everything.â€

Yes, it does. But how sad is it for us believers that Redding—and countless other Christians willing to compromise their beliefs—can only find this authenticity in another faith? Is it any wonder that those looking for something “real†often pass over Jesus because of those who represent Him? What does that say about the church at large? Just as important, what does it say to you and me as far as how we live out our faith? Jesus did not lead people to worshipping another God; He drew people straight to Himself, which in turn led them straight to the Father (see John 12:32). Are we doing the same?

Ministry Today has seen its share of changes over the past few years. Tweaking the name, redesigning the look, shifting department names, switching sizes of the print magazine—and then switching back again after the angry mob hunted us down, pitch forks, torches and all. Behind the scenes, our former editor, Matt Green, departed for greener pastures with a missionary organization. Meanwhile, our blogger extraordinaire, Chris Glazier, recently transitioned to a new role that will have him more involved with another publication.

That leaves this vast virtual landscape in the hands of ... me! (Cue: evil laugh of maniacal editor with plans to rule the world … brooohaha!) My name is Marcus Yoars and I'm the new editor of Ministry Today—though I'm hardly new to the field. For the past decade or so I've kept one foot in the magazine world with the other in the deep mire of Book Land. Just enough to get the shoes messy.

Most of you have arrived here with shoes equally smudged. Pastors, teachers, leaders, discerners of our times ... we've all walked a winding, arduous yet ultimately beautiful trail called Ministry. And it's left us a bit soiled. So let me put out the welcome mat to this site—again. I hope this can be a safe place for leaders of all kind, a place to mix heart healing with critical thought, encouragement with insight. But I need your help in making it that way. Don’t like what you see here? Let me know. Disagree with my take on a certain topic? Let me know. Wish the Ministry Report could be inscribed on your tombstone? Let me know … and then go see a counselor. Seriously, the keys here are interaction and response. I’ll try to post things that incite both, and on a regular basis.

Having said that, in honor of all of us ministers-cum-bloggers who only understand points that use alliteration, I hereby promise three things: dependability, depth of thought and downright randomness (loose interpretation). To kick things off, here’s your hmmm moment for the day.

A surprising new study by the Lifeway Research indicates that half of Southern Baptist pastors believe God gives some people a "private prayer language" and 53 percent believe the gift of tongues is still given to some believers today.

The news is surprising because of the Southern Baptist Convention's (SBC's) tough stance on the use of tongues by its missionaries. For a long time its International Missions Board barred missionaries from speaking in tongues in public. In 2005 the SBC went further and banned all of its missionaries from even having a private prayer language. However, that decision has sparked debate over the last few years among many Baptist pastors.

This study indicates that the denomination, which is the largest in the world, is pretty evenly divided over this issue. Ed Stetzer, the new director of Lifeway, said the middle ground between the two divisions is not very large. Check out the Christian Post's story for more details.

There were a few other interesting parts of the survey. One was the fact that 66 percent of non-SBC Protestant pastors believe in the gift of tongues, but only 51 percent of non-SBC Protestant laity believe in it. Also, recent seminary graduates (51 percent) were more likely to believe that tongues ceased in the time of the apostles than current SBC pastors (41 percent).

Does this mean that the Baptists are coming over to the charismatic side of the fence? Well, no, but it might mean they're not as wholly cessasionist as we thought. With the rapid growth of Christianity in the developing world and the crucial importance they place on the gifts and power of the Spirit, maybe it's just harder to deny the gifts of the Spirit than it used to be.

INTERACT:What do you believe about the gift of tongues? Have you experienced it? How has God used it in your life? Do you place any limits on where and when it should be used?