Crossreference

Consider This...

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper. (Proverbs 13:4 NLT)

You'll feel a lot better about yourself if you'll just get up and go to work. Your present employment may not be your dream job or pay you all you want, but it shows you have initiative and it's building personal character. Please listen carefully to this next statement...the promise of this verse isn't for those that merely "work." It's for those that "work hard!"

Consider This...

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Yes, Lord, I believe!" the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. (John 9:38 NLT)

It's so simple that anyone can do it, even a child. God's salvation is available to all that "believe!" We're not talking about having faith in faith, but about relying on Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary as your only means of eternal salvation and forgiveness of sins. With your heart...just say what this man said, "Yes, Lord, I believe!"

Consider This...

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. (Proverbs 12:26 NLT)

When you commiserate with people that are seeking pity or are simply wrong in their perspective, you don't help them...you hurt them. You drive them further into their darkness rather than bringing them to the light. "Yes" friends will tell you what you want to hear, but true friends will tell you what you "need" to hear.

Consider This...

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. (Proverbs 12:22 NLT)

On the political trail they sometimes call it "spin," but for the rest of us it's more commonly known as "lying." Twisting the facts to make yourself look better than the actual reality ultimately brings you into God's displeasure, as well as the displeasure of those who know the truth. If you tell the truth you never have to worry about being "found out" by those who are checking the facts.

Consider This...

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. (Proverbs 10:19 NLT)

The old saying is, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Such a hard lesson for most of us to learn, but the more we talk the more trouble we usually create for ourselves. A man of few words seldom puts his "foot in his mouth" or has to "eat crow" for his next meal.

My Rantings About Marriage...

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

The former head basketball coach of UCLA, John Wooden, died just four months shy of his 100th birthday (June 4, 2010). In his illustrious career he is noted for having won ten NCAA national championships in a twelve-year stretch, with seven of those being consecutive championships. It was during that same period of time that his team won eighty-eight consecutive basketball games and he was named the coach of the year six times. He was also the first person to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. I guess it’s safe to say that he was a legendary figure in the sports world and is still highly esteemed to this day.

While his coaching prowess is well-known to most basketball fans, many may not know that his wife, the love of his life, preceded him in death on March 21, 1985, after nearly fifty-three years of marriage. Following her passing he visited her grave each month and then proceeded to write a love letter to her that he placed in a sealed envelope and laid on the pillow she used during their lifetime together. It wasn’t until his eyesight failed him in the latter months of his life that he stopped this practice. At the time of his death there were 300 letters that he had written to her since her passing.

Why does it seem so strange to hear a story like this in today’s culture? Where has the love gone that God intends couples to share in their marriages? Why isn’t there true loyalty in the marriage bond like the kind demonstrated by Coach Wooden?

Some days it feels to me as if a lot of married couples have little more than a “throw away” marriage mentality. Their promise of a lifetime commitment is like a vapor that appears for a time and then it's gone. Sadly, they expend very little effort in seeking to deepen their relationships with their spouses and assume that once they are married, their love will automatically continue till death does them part.

Someone told me before my wife and I were married that if it was love that brought us together, we wouldn’t have to work at love after we were married. That is one of the biggest LIES (!!!) I have ever heard in my entire life! I want you to know that if you expect to have a long-term, love-filled relationship with your spouse you will have to make it your priority to intentionally work on your marriage every day of your life, for the rest of your life, till death does you part.

I’m weary of hearing men say they love their wives and then treat them like an old pair of shoes that are thrown in the closet at the end of the day. (Actually, some men give more attention to their favorite old pair of shoes than they do to their wives.) Too many men will polish their guns till they shine, but spend a paltry amount of time working on their relationships with their spouses. They’d rather spend time with the “boys” (i.e., male friends that'll never grow up) than to be with the “treasure” God gave them in marriage. They’ll sit in a deer stand for hours waiting to get their next kill while their “dear” wife is dying for lack of attention from the one who promised to love her for the remainder of his life. They'll work untiringly at making a living, but hardly lift a finger to make a life with the wife of their youth.

Tell me again, why is it that some of you men would rather spend time with your X-Box than with your living, breathing life-partner with whom you are supposed to be sharing life? And, could it be that your own immature, self-focused ways are part of the reason you’re headed to calling her your x-wife?

Give me a break! I’ve never seen the like of lazy, disloyal, selfish, and uncommitted married men as in this present age. Once the two of you said, “I do" at the marriage altar, that didn’t mean you could move on to your next “mountain to climb.” Your wife isn’t supposed to be sitting at home wondering, “Will he favor me with his presence today?” If your wife has to question whether you truly love her or not...it’s your fault! And, if she isn’t treating you very well, it may just be that she's reflecting back to you exactly how you’ve been treating her.

Hey, guys! In marriage, love is a verb...not just a noun. That means it is to be demonstrated to her every day by your actions and your words. It’s not just an occasional, passing response to the incessant question she keeps asking, “Do you really love me?” It’s the time, tenderness, and talking that you give to her even when she isn’t asking about your love. You married her to share every part of your life...not just the "marriage bed."

Let me just say it like this, men: if you don’t love and treat your wife like Christ loves and treats His church, you’re not acting like a Christian, nor are you honoring God. It’s time to repent and return to your first love!

Lest you wives think you’re off the hook in my interminable rantings, let me ask you a question, too. Since when did your favorite reality TV show become the standard by which you measure godly romance? I know you ladies understand this, but it isn’t “reality” to have a camera following your every move while trying to establish a relationship with someone you think might be your life mate. Tell me exactly, how do those lust-filled, TV dates advance your own personal holiness or improve the marriage God intends you to enjoy with your husband? Since when did a raunchy romance novel become the maxim your husbands must attain, if he is going to be your knight in shining armour?

There are a lot of wives that need to get out of Hollywood's fantasy land and live in the “real world” where men are really men. Surely you don’t believe that all those "hunks" on your favorite show are like that in real life. Just ask "reality stars," Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries, about their 72-day marriage, if you want to see how life is lived in one of the most corrupt, air-brushed cities in America. Does it really surprise you at the number of TV/movie stars that by-pass marriage all together or add up marriages/divorces like notches on a gun? They have no idea what “real” love is all about, let alone "real" marriage commitment!

Wives, you have much to do with making your marriage a place of respect and honor. You should make it your life-long mission to live in a fashion that deserves to be honored by your husband. You can’t wallow around in the cesspool of sinfulness, day-dreaming about the "sexiest man in America” and expect your husband to show you the kind of respect that makes for a strong relationship. The Scripture is clear that a husband is won by the “respectful and pure conduct” (1 Peter 3:2 NLT) of his wife, not by the sleazy, taudry corruption you see in the movies, on TV, and hear from your “emotive friends.”

Wives who love their husbands and demonstrate the character of Christ in their marriages are usually the ones that become magnets that draw their husbands’ hearts to them. Dressing up to be stunningly beautiful is a wonderful thing to do, but it will never replace the holiness of the heart that makes you what you really are at home. Believe me, you can fool the people you see in public, but you'll never fool your husband or your children who see the "real" you every night at home. And, excusing yourself by saying, “Well, this is the way I’ve always been and this is the way I’ll always be,” is nothing more than a cover for your own indifferent and insipid Christianity.

Wives, it’s time to start honoring your marriages by becoming women of God that carry yourselves as such. Instead of wishing for the illusion you've been watching on the screen or imagining from your book, why not let God do a "make over" in your own heart so you'll become irresistably beautiful from the inside out!

Whatever you do, don’t run down your husband in front of him or behind his back. Build him up every time you get the opportunity and make him the hero of your home. Please...stop talking to your girlfriends in a derogatory fashion about your man. No, he’s not perfect and he’s never going to be. It may be that he has a long way to go to become the husband he should be to you, but you aren’t going to change him by ragging on his mistakes and shortcomings. And, what if God is using him to make you holy, rather than to make you happy? What might God do if you actually became holy? You might find your husband becoming all you ever dreamed he could be in marriage, which would make those phony, mannequin-style Hollywood fakes look more like the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.

I know, I know!! Some of you think I should be raving about the joys of marriage, rather than decrying marriage failures. The problem is that I see too many marriages falling apart because of nothing more than sheer neglect. They’ve let the proverbial “sands of time” pass through the "hourglass," while doing little or nothing to invest in their relationships that are falling apart. Don’t tell me all the problems you have and how it would never work out no matter what you did to change your marriage. It’s not about changing your marriage, it’s about changing you!

Most of the people that give me that line (or one similar) have never even tried marriage the way God intended it to be lived. They're much too engrossed in their own little world to really think about anybody but themselves. They're the center of their own universe and everybody else has to revolve around them. And, sadly, the only thing they really know about marriage they’ve learned from TV/movies or from the sensual portrayals found elsewhere in our hell-bent world.

Marriage is the creation of God and trying to do marriage in any other way than God’s way is foolish and nonsensical. He wrote the instruction manual and as long as you ignore His basic guidelines, your "marital engine" is going to eventually grind to a painful halt for lack of any fuel to power it.

Husbands and wives, it's time to forget finding some imaginary "soul mate" who's out there somewhere and pour every ounce of your soul into the mate you married on your wedding day. Strange how you couldn't live without him/her back then, but now you say you can't live with him/her now. Fight for your marriage and refuse to give up on your spouse. Love doesn't just happen (except in the make-believe world of Hollywood). You have to make it happen and that's what you promised to do on your wedding day for the rest of your life!

One final word: it's not my desire to add any pain to those of you who've already suffered the horrors of a divorce proceeding. I’ve walked that deep valley with enough people to know that the pain it causes is not soon or easily healed. I also know that some people are left with no other option but a divorce because of the refusal of their spouses to do the right thing. Please understand that my purpose in this marriage epistle is to admonish couples still united in holy matrimony to try marriage God's way before seeking divorce. I'm not looking to condemn anyone who is divorced or imply that in your particular situation you didn't try to work out your marriage with your spouse. I just want people to know that marriage is a wonderful creation of God and it works, if couples will work at it. Just ask Coach Wooden...

Consider This...

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9 NLT)

When the clouds are raging above you and the rain is falling on you, all you can think about is finding shelter where you can seek protection from the storm. That's not only true for the weather outbursts that can soak us...it's also true for the storms of life (tests & trials) that can shake us to the very core of our souls. God didn't say there'd be no "rough weather" in this life, but He did promise that we can run to Him "in times of trouble" and He would be our "shelter."

Consider This...

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3, 4 ESV)

The Psalmist didn't have the privilege of the powerful telescopes available to us today, but he still recognized man's relative insignificance in view of the vastness of creation. There's no other way to explain God's "care" for mankind except that we alone are created in His likeness and He sovereignly chose to love us. Whether you know it or not...God sees you and He cares about you more than you will ever be able to fully comprehend!

Consider This...

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (John 6:37 ESV)

There's no greater peace than in knowing with absolutely certainty that you are God's child and that nothing can ever change that fact. God's promise to everyone that comes to Jesus Christ in faith is that He will "never cast [them] out." Now that's ETERNAL security!

Consider This...

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT)

It's interesting to note that at least three of the seven things God says He "hates" specifically deal with the words we speak, write, text or type. Too often what happens is our mouths go into motion before our minds get into gear. In other words, we speak before we think about the content/effect of what we're saying! Always remember...there are consequences to your words both now and in eternity. Make them count for good, not evil!

Consider This...

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

You know the saying, "Four months between planting and harvest." But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. (John 4:35 NLT)

People are dying and going to hell every day, but too few people even notice. We've become so engrossed in our own lives that we seldom "look around" to see the true spiritual condition of others. It's time to "wake up" to the reality that God has placed us in this world to be His messengers communicating His Gospel. Someone's soul hangs in the balance and you may be their last opportunity to get right with God.

Overexpecter! Yeah, it's a new word you need to know!

2012-01-21T06:00:00.005-05:00

There’s an interesting cartoon that shows a fourth-grade boy standing toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with his teacher and behind them stares a blackboard covered with math problems the boy hasn't finished. With rare perception the boy tries to excuse himself by saying, "I'm not an underachiever, you're an overexpecter!"

Obviously, this cartoon is primarily about failing to achieve your potential, but there really are some people who probably should be classified as “overexpecters.” You’ve met a person or two like that, haven’t you? They have unrealistic expectations for other people that almost guarantees someone is going to fail them and they are going to be hurt.

A classic example of the “overexpecter” is given by Dr. Thom Rainer who is President and CEO of Lifeway Resources. He tells the story about one of his pastorates when an angry critic called him and yelled at him for over 10 minutes on the phone because he did not visit her when she was in the hospital. When he tried to calmly explain that he didn’t even know she was in the hospital, she shouted even louder, “Well, you should have!”

Many years ago there was a lady that was unhappy about the level of care she was receiving from our church. She was still relatively young (70’s), but had some health issues that supposedly prevented her from coming to Sunday worship. As a result, my wife and I began going to her house periodically to give her some extra attention. One day I was enjoying a meal in a restaurant with my family and as I was leaving I saw this lady with one of her friends in the same restaurant. I didn’t think too much about it at first, but as the next few months passed I learned that this lady regularly went to the store, restaurants, mall, etc., sometimes for extended periods of time. After some further discovery about her physical condition I began to curtail my visits to her even though it came with increased and painful criticism from her. I didn’t know what to think at the time, but now I know she was a classic “overexpecter” that was diverting valuable ministry time for her own self interest.

Most of the pastors I know have a passionate desire to care for the people that God has placed in their sphere of influence. It’s one of the reasons they entered the ministry as shepherds of God’s flock. They long to be a vehicle through which God can show His love to hurting people at their deepest point of need. I have never had an experience when someone felt their needs hadn't been met that my heart did not ache because I wasn't able to meet their expectations. But, it simply isn’t realistic to think that you can meet all the demands of all the people all the time, especially when some of those demands come from “overexpecters.”

There are times in ministry when you have to sort through people’s needs and ask yourself the question, “Where does God want me to be right now?” You never like to have to make those kinds of decisions, but sometimes it’s absolutely necessary. And, you have to be ready to take the unjustified criticism from “overexpecters” because you didn’t prioritize their needs above the more immediately pressing ones.

Please permit me to offer some helpful advice to all church members on behalf of their pastors so that we may all be helpful and caring toward one another.

You need to know that the expectations and demands on a pastor and his staff are enormous. At the same moment you need their help there are probably numerous other people that feel the exact same way, not to mention the needs of his own family.
Be mature enough to evaluate your situation to make sure that the right place to look for help is to the pastor and his staff. There are some things in life that family and friends are the primary ones that God intends to use to assist and encourage you.
You must make friends in the church or you probably won’t have friends that know you have a need. This is where involvement in a weekly Life Group is invaluable.
If you do need the pastor’s attention, make sure to call him (or a member of his staff) directly to inform him about what’s going on in your life.
If he has to send a representative in his place don’t take it as an insult. He’s only human and he can’t be everywhere at the same time.
Once your initial crisis has passed don’t expect him to know if you need additional care. Pastors are not omniscient, nor are they omnipotent or omnipresent.
If you think something has been overlooked, the right way to get attention is to call the pastor or a member of his staff to make sure they know the situation. It’s often the “overexpecters” that become critical and fail to give their spiritual leaders the benefit of the doubt.

Your pastor has a family that needs him, sermons to prepare, the lost to reach, meetings to attend, services to plan, counselling to do, the bereaved to comfort, materials to develop, weddings to perform, discipling/mentoring responsibilities, administrative/organizational matters to handle, contacts for baptism, email/letters to answer, phone calls to return, personal times of prayer and worship, funeral visitation, class activities to attend, vision casting, people that need him in critical care, etc., etc.

Don’t assume the worst about your pastor (or his staff) if he hasn’t met all of your expectations. I’m sure he loves you and he’s doing the best that he can to care for those God has placed in his trust!

Consider This...

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT)

On either side of the "safe path" is a ditch into which people can easily fall. If you get distracted and lose perspective on where you are it's almost certain you will stumble into one of them yourself. Fix your eyes on "what lies before you" (Hebrews 12:2) and don't look away to the temptations vying for your attention. You may wreck your entire life if you do!

Consider This...

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (John 3:30 NLT)

It's incredibly refreshing when someone directs the attention away from themselves and to another. John the Baptist was a great prophet of the Lord, but he knew his place in the grand scheme of things. We'd all be better if we made less of ourselves and more of our Savior. Intentionally...let yourself fade into the background and let Jesus be the center of attention!

Consider This...

2012-01-18T06:40:00.001-05:00

"You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. (Genesis 3:4 NLT)

Satan was a liar from the beginning and he's still up to his same old tricks. He promises more than he can ever deliver, takes you farther than you ever wanted to go, and keeps you longer than you ever wanted to stay. Don't believe His lies! It's (God's) truth that will set you free (John 8:32).

Consider This...

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. (Psalm 3:5, 6 NLT)

Burglar alarm systems, multiple door locks, bars on the windows, guard dogs, loaded guns, mace, stun-guns...and yet we still feel so insecure. No one underestimates the importance of these safety measures in today's violent society. But, the ultimate "security system" really comes from trusting in the Lord who is ALWAYS "watching over" you.

Consider This...

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. (Proverbs 3:9, 10 NLT)

We don't give to God because He lacks sufficient resources or needs our financial help. We give because it fixes our hearts on Him and the things He values (Matthew 6:21). And, while He has certainly promised to bless the one who gives, let's always seek the highest motivation in our giving: to "honor the Lord."

Let's Build!!

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

What if you could invest in something that had tangible value right now and eternal value laid up in Heaven? Something that would potentially gain Heaven’s rewards even after your life on earth is finished. Sound too good to be true?

Well, it’s not and I want you to consider just such an opportunity that I will tell you about in this letter to our church family.

For the past couple of years we have desperately needed to construct an addition to our worship center that would allow us to have a fully dedicated children’s auditorium/play place and a choir room that can seat seventy-five to one hundred that is easily accessible to our auditorium. We have prayed about this addition and have spoken with various people in the construction trade about the feasibility of this project. We’ve even spoken to an architect that said he’d help us design the addition so that it matches and compliments our existing facilities.

But, every time we get ready to make a major push in this direction the same economic issues arise that impede our forward progress on the project.

At present, we owe about $850,000 on our Student Ministry Building, which is probably worth more than $2,000,000 in today's economy. However, until we can retire more of the indebtedness on this facility, all of our church leadership is in agreement that we should not move forward in borrowing any additional resources for another building project.

All you have to do is look at any of our financial statements and you will see that God is wonderfully meeting all of our monetary needs. But, having discretionary money for another sizable loan payment would be a risk that none of us believe is wise to take at this time. It’s not a lack of faith! It’s a matter of being faithful with the resources God has already entrusted to us. Consequently, what we need to do is to pay down a significant part of our present indebtedness so that we can move forward with our next building project (children’s/choir facility).

Remember when I said that this could be an investment that would reap both immediate and long term benefits?

You must not look at the construction of buildings as just being a matter of “bricks and mortar.” The reason is because inside those buildings lives are being changed and they are being changed every single day. That means as long as God gives you life, you and your friends are reaping the benefits of the spiritual fruit born in those facilities. It also means that you are leaving a lasting legacy that will reap the same benefits long after you have graduated into Heaven. The lives that are changed even after you are with the Lord can still be credited to your spiritual account and rewarded by our Savior at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

So, what I’m asking is for you to consider joining us in a concerted effort in 2012 to get this loan amount reduced so that we can get on with our immediate construction needs. In essence, by giving to help us reduce our indebtedness you are enabling us to begin making significant progress toward the new construction that’s needed for our children and worship ministry.

Here are three actions steps I believe we need to take immediately:

Pray every day that God will supply the funding for debt retirement and new construction. He has a bright future for this ministry and I want to see us realize it sooner rather than later.
Participate regularly in giving to the Building Fund, which is used exclusively for the payments on our Student Ministry Building.
If you are able, consider making a sizable, one-time contribution so that we can move more quickly toward the next phase of construction on our children’s/choir addition.

I believe this to be true: there will be lives changed in this new addition we are planning and you will have a part in all of it. Think about the children that could be reached for Christ, trained to share God’s love, and go on telling the Good News on your behalf. You could potentially be laying up treasure in Heaven even after you’re already home in God’s presence. If you ask me...that’s a GREAT investment!

Whatever God tells you to do, please use the offering envelopes that are provided to our members to make any contributions to the Building Fund. That way your gifts will be added to your record of giving mailed to you each year.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy letter and for caring enough about the future that you are willing to consider investing in it.

Consider This...

2012-01-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NLT)

There's a spiritual thirst inherent in every person that can only be quenched by the living water...Jesus Christ. Be sure to tell everyone that they've been invited to "come...drink freely from the water of life." If they do they'll find a "fresh, bubbling spring within them giving them eternal life." (John 4:14)

Consider This...

2012-01-12T08:45:00.001-05:00

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20 NLT)

One day Christ will come again to call His children out of this world. Both the dead bodies of His saints, as well as Christians living at that moment will be translated into His presence. On that day sin, death, crying, pain, sorrow, suffering, injustice, separation, sickness, etc., will be over forever for them. That's a great reason to pray like John, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Consider This...

2012-01-10T18:09:00.000-05:00

And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 NLT)

You can travel around the states and you'll probably find a place to stay, even if you didn't have a reservation in advance. However, traveling to Heaven is different! Only those whose names are recorded in "the Book of Life" will gain entrance to God's city, let alone find an eternal resting place there. Failing to plan ahead for this journey has severe consequences!

January 2012

2011-12-31T16:06:00.000-05:00

December 5, 1982 - Our first Sunday

Mary and I are beginning our thirtieth year at LMBC in 2012 and we are more excited about the future than at any other time in our ministry. We believe that God has uniquely positioned our congregation to make a significant impact for His Kingdom in the coming years.

Rarely does a pastor stay at his first church for his entire ministry. It’s not uncommon for pastors to move several times before settling into the place where they ultimately serve out their calling. However, when we came to LMBC Mary and I had full intentions of spending the remaining portion of our lives in this place, if God so willed. We would have followed Him anywhere, but it has been His sovereign plan to leave us here...and we’re glad about it!

I’m looking now at plans for the next fifteen years of our ministry that will continue to help our church reach new people, as well as care for the community of faith He has given us. I want to finish well in the place I have invested the majority of my life, should God be pleased to allow me to live that long. One of the great challenges I see before me is how to prepare our church so that LMBC will be ready to call the next generation pastor when my ministry ends. And, I want to do my part in training that generation so they can take this ministry into the middle/late part of the 21st century with the blessing of God on their lives.

But, if you really want to know about some of my dreams for the immediate future, here are just a few: I want to make a lasting spiritual difference in people’s lives and in the community where I serve. I want to see the message, “Jesus saves,” taken to those that have never heard His name. I want to see believers find that following Jesus is the only way to real meaning and purpose in life. I want to see married couples find the fullness God intended for their relationships. I want to see children and young people excited about turning the world upside down for Christ. I want to see our “prodigals” return to the Father that loves them. I want to see people far from God’s Kingdom brought into the family of God. I want to see people excitedly being baptized as they profess their faith in the Savior. I want to see men and women answer His call to vocational ministry from our fellowship. I want to be on the cutting edge of the things God is doing in this world and not wait ten/twenty years for it to reach us in the smaller cities. I want our church to bless our community and be missed by them, if we were suddenly gone. I want to take people deeper in their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and farther than they’ve ever been in their relationship with Jesus Christ. And, I can go on like this...

When you add to these things some of the projects I believe should be in our future you can see that God has a great work yet to be done here. I pray we will make significant progress toward some of these areas that I’ve long felt are important to our future: 1. A children’s auditorium/activity area (first floor) & choir room (second floor) to be added to the rear of our existing Worship Center. 2. The construction of a multi-level adult/children facility that includes a full-fledged coffee shop/banquet room and Children’s play area. (I’d love to see this coffee shop and play area open to our community during the week.) 3. Upgrade to HD quality TV equipment so we can stay relevant and continue reaching others through the Daily Walk outreach. There is probably no other single ministry of our church that has a more far-reaching impact on our local community than our Daily Walk TV program. 4. Purchase adjacent property when it becomes available so we can have the needed space to continue growing. 5. Grow our international missions program not just in quantity of missionaries, but in quality of support.

Well, you get the idea... I have lots of things rambling around in my head about the future and I’m regularly placing them before the Lord in prayer. Not everything I envision for our church comes to pass. Sometimes God shows us a better way to accomplish His work than what I initially envisioned myself. That’s OK with me! But, I’m not going to sit back and just revel in the spoils of His past blessings. I want to see Him do even greater things than I ever imagined in my own heart and mind.

Of one thing I’m certain: no matter what else we may do in 2012 and the coming years, we must continue to stay focused on JESUS. This ministry, as well as our individual lives must become increasingly more Christocentric. The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB) Nothing good or of lasting value can ever be accomplished if we lose our focus on Him.

In many ways our church has evolved over the years as we’ve grown together in ministry. But, the changes have been mostly about style or methods...not substance. And, what has driven these changes has been my desire to bring our church more closely into alignment with Scriptural teachings. Some of the things I thought I understood when I began my ministry have become clearer as my study of His Word has grown fuller and deeper. With experience and maturity comes adjustments, if you intend on calling yourself a follower of Jesus. To stubbornly say, “I haven’t changed in the last thirty years” is basically to acknowledge your own failure to grow in your relationship with Christ and your understanding of His Word. No one denies that change for change’s sake is not good, but change driven by the Scripture is always good and right!

A few years ago as the New Year dawned I brought a message entitled, “We Haven’t Changed!” In that message I outlined the core doctrines of the faith I believed when I came to the church at the end of 1982 and affirmed in that sermon that I still hold fast to these same truths. Nothing has changed on that front and I strongly affirm the same fundamentals today. However, I’m not afraid to admit that in other areas of my ministry I have changed and it’s brought me closer to Jesus and our church closer to the New Testament pattern of ministry. Is there more of that kind of change in our future? Probably! And, the reason I say that is because I am committed to letting the Scripture take us wherever it leads us and not try to impose on it our own preconceived agenda or traditions. To me, that’s part of what it means to stay focused on Jesus.

I need your prayers and your help to move in the direction God is calling us. Everything we need He will provide as we trust and obey. I don’t have thirty more years left for “day to day” pastoral ministry, but of the years I do have left, I am going to serve them out pressing forward.

There is much work to be accomplished and God wants each of us to be His vessel through which He can accomplish His work! What part will you play in the future of LMBC?

Social Media Addiction

2011-12-07T13:29:00.001-05:00

My dad's Ham Radio equipment. I still have the microphone.

I'm a total tech-gadget geek...not that I own that many gadgets, mind you. I just love reading about them and seeing the innovative advancements that "simplify our lives." Whenever I see someone I know with a new gadget I always want them to demonstrate some of the fascinating things it can do. I really like seeing it in action! I know...that sounds crazy to some people, but everybody needs a hobby and this is one of mine.

I learned this penchant for electronic gadgetry from my dad when I was just a kid. From before I was born he was involved in electronic communication through his Ham Radios. In the basement of our home on Miriam Lane in Decatur, GA, he had set up a small studio of equipment that he used for broadcasting a signal to connect with people in the states and in many foreign countries. It always fascinated me that we could sit in our modest house and be talking to someone that lived a world away from me.

Although the basement was unfinished, one of the block walls near his radio equipment was completely “wallpapered” with QSL cards from places all over the world. Not only was his radio equipment used for personal enjoyment, it also served as a tool for helping people during times of tragedy/crisis by relaying information to appropriate authorities. He ran "phone patches" for missionaries to talk with their families in the states. He made friends that to their dying days stayed in contact with one another. And, when you add his small 2 meter & 6 meter radios, he was as well connected in his generation as I am in mine.

I'll never forget the Saturdays he and I spent together at Hamfests at Stone Mountain State Park and other places around the Atlanta area. Most of what they talked about at these all day events I didn't really understand, but it's part of the reason I love technology today. My dad introduced me to electronics and created an interest in me for it that I enjoy till this day. Though I never earned my Ham Radio license (something I think he'd have loved me to do), it was my dad that introduced me to my first computer and insisted that I learn to use it.

Now you can understand better my interest in things that some people consider to be nothing more than a necessary nuisance.

Social Media Addiction

One of the "advancements" that intrigues me is this whole phenomena dealing with social media. There is hardly a day that passes that I don't post a few messages and take some time to read what people are talking about online. It's similar to what my dad did by way of his Ham Radios, only much simpler and less technical to use. Everyday I connect with friends from around the states and around the world. Social media and the Internet is today's equivalent of my dad's Ham Radio. It's a tool, it's a toy, it's total fun...SOME DAYS!

But, we also have to remember that social media (computers, technology, Ham Radios, cell phones, texting, etc.) can become addictive. How many times a day do you check Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your cell phone, etc.? Probably more than you realize!

I read an honest confession by a pastor who is battling with his addiction to social media. Listen to his transparent assessment of the struggle.

“A little over a month ago I was with a group of about ten people or so in a restaurant where we had gathered to celebrate and reflect on the end of a pretty intense season of ministry we had just completed. We had seen God do some amazing things and had more than enough reasons to be excited about the evening.

“We got our menus, spoke with each other about the options in front of us and then chatted about what we preferred and then placed our order with the waiter.

“After the waiter was gone I pulled out my cell phone. Please understand, no one had texted me. No one had called me. I did not have any voice messages from earlier in the day. Why did I pull out my cell phone then? Simple…I needed to check Twitter.

“As I did this something told me to stop and listen…and when I did I heard no conversations taking place at the table. No laughing. No celebration. No recalling what the Lord had done. Then I looked up and discovered why…

“EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THE TABLE WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THEIR CELL PHONE!

“Doing what, I have no idea…probably twitter, facebook or whatever…but what stood out to me in a very convicting way was that ALL of us were neglecting being connected with the people who were right in front of us and were engaging in something else that, for some reason we all considered to be more important.

“...Here I was with a group of friends that I should be enjoying life with and instead I was obsessed with an online perception that I somehow felt was more important than the relationships that were right in front of me.

“Thoughts began to flood my mind of other times I had done the same…

--The times I had been on the couch with [my wife], and instead of engaging her in conversation I am seeing how many people re-tweeted me.

--The times that [my daughter] had been trying to get my attention and instead I was trying to see how many “likes” that [my] Facebook page had.

--The times that I had been in a room FULL of people and opportunities to engage in conversations that mattered, but instead I was more obsessed with clearing another level of Angry Birds.

“...I realized that I was neglecting real community, real people who were right in front of me [emphasis mine] and instead engaging in relationships online that were superficial at best and achieving “high scores” on games that had absolutely zero significant value.

“Honestly, if I found out today that I had 30 days to live my obsessions would not become how many twitter followers I could gain, how many times I could dominate “words with friends” or even having to check who had written on my Facebook wall in the past 15 minutes. It would be people, REAL people and REAL relationships that would be important to me. [emphasis mine]”

It’s very easy to get caught up being “connected” to people online while ignoring the ones who have chosen to spend “real time” with you. When you’re neglecting those that are present with you by carrying on a texting conversation with someone that isn’t with you (and it’s not an emergency), it may indicate an addiction in your life.

Please hear me...there is nothing wrong with technology and the opportunities to connect with people online. It just has to be kept in perspective and you have to place the greater value on the "real" relationships in your life...not the virtual ones.

In Defense of Christ

2011-12-05T21:05:00.000-05:00

Dr. Steve Tardy has written a new book entitled, "In Defense of Christ" and I want to recommend it to you as a tool to strengthen your spiritual life in the face of so many and varied attacks on Christianity.

There is a devious effort afoot to undermine the Christian faith and all believers must be prepared to "earnestly contend for the faith."

I have known Steve and his family for many years and have watched the Lord at work in his life. He is passionate about his faith and his commitment to the truth of God's Word. His medical background, along with his theological training uniquely qualifies him to address apologetic issues that confront Christians in our post-modern world.

In a succinct and thoroughly scriptural fashion Steve introduces you to "other faiths" and prepares you to confront their theological errors with God's truth.

We simply cannot compromise the truth of God's Word or the Christ that is central to Christianity.

Steve writes, "...it is important to remember there is no neutrality in scripture. Christ Himself said, 'He that is not with me is against me...' (Matthew 12:30) In denying Christ we defame and denigrate Holy Scripture and become cowards for not standing for our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord..."

You can get your copy of his new book from Guiding Light Christian Store in Barboursville, WV, (304) 302-6441 or by contacting Dr. Tardy directly.

Dr. Tardy will be signing books at Guiding Light Christian Store on December 10th, from 2-4 p.m. This is your opportunity to meet Dr. Tardy personally and to get your own personalized copy of his book.

Guiding Light Christian Store
2010 Thundering Herd Dr
Barboursville, WV 25504
(304) 302-6441

Gifts for Jesus

2011-12-02T10:52:00.001-05:00

Did you know that if statistics hold true again this year that after Christmas there will be nearly a million unwanted presents that will be sold on eBay...including some that will still be in their original gift wrapping?

Look at a few of the after Christmas sale items from last year:

An easy-to-knit scarf kit, described by the seller as "a lovely idea but I cannot knit and really don't have time to learn."
A Simpson’s cuckoo clock, girl's lilac boots, and a pair of Red Monkey jeans.
One lady in London was selling a pair of Prada shoes given to her by her brother. She said, "I hate them. They’re old-fashioned court shoes, a style I'd never wear."
Another man wrote about a gift he was selling, "Re-homing a present [don’t you just love how we say things to make them sound better] means it will find a new owner who will really appreciate it."

Now, to be frank with you, some of the things on eBay’s list make me wonder more about the gift-giver than the gift-seller. But, we all know that there are going to be some items we give (and get) this Christmas that will never see the light of day.

Let’s be totally honest with ourselves for a moment. If we received absolutely nothing this Christmas, except for a grateful heart for the things we already possess, most of us would be just fine. I’m not suggesting that you stop your gift-giving or that you forget those important people in your life. I’m just saying that most of us have all we need even if we don’t get any gifts this holiday season.

But, there is one person on our Christmas list that we should never forget and that’s the One whose birthday we are celebrating.

Let me ask you an unusual question. When you celebrate your birthday, who receives the presents, you or the guests who are celebrating with you? And, if someone was upset about not receiving a gift at your birthday party you’d probably just tell them, “It’s not your birthday we’re celebrating anyway!”

So, what do you give the “Person” (Jesus) who has everything? You give Him exactly what He asks for all year long...to make Him known to the ends of the earth.

This year you can give a gift to Jesus for His birthday by giving to our “Gifts for Jesus Offering” on Sunday, December 18. Every dime of the offering goes to making Jesus known to our Tri-State and beyond through our Daily Walk TV ministry.

There’s a special Christmas offering envelope for this purpose that is among your regular offering envelopes you received in your mail for December (LMBC members). If you didn’t get one of these envelopes or you need a replacement you will find additional Christmas envelopes in all of the entrances of the church.

If you're not a member of LMBC and want to give to this special offering to help us take His love by way of our TV broadcast to more than 40 counties in WV, OH, and KY, then you can do so by sending your gift to 5385 W. Pea Ridge Road, Huntington, WV, 25705. Be sure to mark your gift for this specific purpose ("Gifts for Jesus Offering") in the memo portion of your check.

Please join us this year in making sure that the One whose birth we celebrate isn’t the One who is forgotten on His birthday.

I promise...no one will ever re-gift their new life they discover in Christ because you helped us take Jesus’ love to them.

Putting God Back in the Holidays

2011-11-29T21:31:00.001-05:00

Billand Penny Thrasher have written an excellent book that can help any of usredeem the holidays and other special occasions by using them for the glory ofGod. It's a purchase worthy of the price and you can get it from your localbookseller now.

If you'relike me, I want to use special occasions and holiday events to focus my ownheart on Christ and point others to Him, as well.

Considera few of their ideas for the Christmas season and see if you don't agree that theyare onto something here. And, this is just a sampling of the many ideas theyhave included in the book.

Prayer Mailbox — Set up a covered prayer mailbox on your front porch. Then send out amessage to your neighbors letting them know that they are welcome to put prayerrequests in the box. Pray for the requests throughout the holidays. Be sure tolet them know that they may keep the request(s) anonymous if they would like.

Decorated Homes — Drive someone around town to look at the decorated homes, especiallythe elderly or shut-ins who might not get out much.

Christmas Story — Read Luke 2 out loud as a family. If you have younger children, havethem act out the story as you read it. Kids love to dress up!!

Cocoa Party — Host a cocoa party for your children and their friends and use it asa time to sing Christmas carols or read the Christmas story.

Handel’s Messiah — If you haven’t listened to Handel’s Messiah, don’t let another yearpass until you have heard it for yourself. Consider playing it in thebackground as you open presents, or another opportune time such as addressingChristmas cards.

As you can see, these things (and more like them in the book) can makethe Christmas season more than the ordinary consumer event most of us endure. I always figure a book is worth the price if Iget at least one good idea from it. You’ll get a lot more than one good ideafrom, Putting God Back in the Holidays.

It covers events like: Christmas, New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving,National Holidays, birthdays, etc., etc.

This is a tool for those that don’t want to waste one more specialoccasion, but want to redeem these events for the good of others/ourselves andthe glory of God!

Orderyours today and start highlighting these special events in a manner that exaltsChrist and leads people to Him.

November Thoughts

2011-11-02T09:42:00.002-04:00

Missions Celebration in review
Now that our missions celebration month has ended, I want to take a moment to thank the Lord for His blessings on this special emphasis and for the many people that made a commitment to join us in the endeavor of reaching our world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. It’s still not too late for you to get involved yourself, if you forgot to do so during one of the services last month.

We were privileged to meet three new missionary families going to places in the world where we have no representative from our church. My prayer is that by the end of the year all three of these families will be part of our outreach team taking the Gospel in our stead to places we cannot go. You can help make that happen by beginning your faith-giving to missions in November. If you are a member of LMBC then you can use the envelopes sent to your home each month for this purpose or you can use one of the envelopes located in the back of all the church pews. Please, don’t wait to start giving your commitment until some later time. Start trusting God this month and join the rest of us in investing in eternity.

Wednesday praise celebrations
As a part of the month of November and the Thanksgiving season, we are going to have a special praise celebration during each Wednesday night service in the worship center. Many of you attend other Bible studies during the mid-week gathering, but for those that have not chosen one of our nearly sixty small groups to attend, I invite you to share this special hour with me in the main auditorium. We will be studying from the scripture a biblical lesson each week and then giving praise to God for His multiplied blessings. If the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people (and He is - Psalm 22:3), then Wednesday service in our worship center is going to be the place to have a real encounter with our living Lord. I hope you will consider joining me to have your spiritual batteries recharged each Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Bringing others to Jesus
One more thing I’d like to ask of all LMBC members and regular attenders. Would you begin praying immediately for God to let you bring at least one other person to Jesus Christ before the end of the winter season? It may be that you will bring someone to church with you where they hear the Gospel and be saved. Or, you may personally deal with a friend or family member in another setting where you can personally present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are souls to rescue that are within the reach of our own personal sphere of influence, if you’ll just ask God to open doors of opportunity for you to reach them. Wouldn’t it be great if this winter was the greatest winter in the history of our church for people coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It can be that way, if we’ll all make ourselves instruments in our Master’s hands.

Bad Behavior On Facebook and other Social Media

2011-10-29T16:59:00.001-04:00

Just a thought I recently shared with someone that is having trouble with caustic friends on Facebook.

For me, Facebook is like my "house." I consider it a privilege to host people in my "house." If you behave badly while you're in my "house," I BLOCK you from returning to my "house." If you add NO value to the conversation at my "house," I UNSUBSCRIBE/HIDE you so that I don't waste any time reading things that aren't meaningful and beneficial. But, I have hundreds of friends that I regularly welcome to my "house" and I am glad to have them here. Sometimes they make me think. Sometimes they make me laugh. Sometimes they make me cry. Sometimes they make a good point. Sometimes I'm a little embarrassed. Sometimes they touch my heart. Sometimes we all pray together. Sometimes I go to places I'll never go myself through the pictures they post. Always (at my "house")...we are respectful of others and use my "house" constructively and not destructively. If all you want to do is argue with me in my "house," well, you get ejected (BLOCKED) from my "house." This is my "house" and you are a guest here. I'm glad to have you at my "house" and I want to be a good host to you. But, if you misbehave at my "house"...well, you know what happens by now!

Don't let others bring you down by continually reading things that are caustic, uselessly controversial, and critical. Also, consider who's making the posts you read and ask yourself, "Does this person add value to my life or are they merely trying to stir up controversy?" Not every opinion expressed in my "house" is a good one, but I don't feel obligated to correct them (and if I were going to offer correction I'd do it privately). But, when people's opinions feel more like they are bullying people about their pet peeves...well, you get voted out of my "house."

FB has been a wonderful tool for me to reconnect with old friends and to make some new ones, as well. It has allowed me to have some influence in people's lives beyond the pulpit, which is where my greatest influence is found. It allows me as a "Shepherd" to see and connect with the people of our church as God is at work in their lives. It also allows me to impact people who aren't believers by showing the way of Christ to them. Social media is a tool for me, but when someone misuses this tool...I take away their privilege of having access to the tool at my "house."

This is my "house" and I'm proud to have you at my "house" with me. But, please be advised, bad behavior will result in you being removed from my "house."

Just thought I'd help some of you rid yourself of any guilt for "blocking" or "hiding" someone on FB. I've done it and will continue to do it.

___________________________________

This post was originally only on Facebook and seen by my friends. I decided to put it on my blog, which is open to anyone on the web so they might read it and find some peace in de-friending a few people, too!

King James Onlyism & Constantin Von Tischendorf

2011-10-27T23:36:00.001-04:00

"King James Only" advocates have a penchant for parroting details out of context and/or spinning them to fit their own predetermined beliefs. Never mind following the facts where they lead you, especially if the facts lead you to a place that contradicts your long held and oft repeated dogma.

Recently, I heard someone repeating one of these inaccuracies while proposing that the KJV is the "only Bible in the English language for the English speaking people." In the process of making his point he completely misrepresented the facts about one of the oldest known Greek manuscripts discovered by Constantin Von Tischendorf and called the Codex Sinaiticus. Because this manuscript significantly predates the Textus Receptus, which is the foundational Greek text for the “KJV Only” position, advocates for this position often seek to diminish the importance of this monumental find. You can Google the story about the discovery of Codex Sinaiticus and see the facts for yourself. But, following is a portion of Tischendorf's own account of finding this magnificent document.

“It was in April, 1844, that I embarked at Leghorn for Egypt. The desire which I felt to discover some precious remains of any manuscripts, more especially Biblical, of a date which would carry us back to the early times of Christianity, was realized beyond my expectations. It was at the foot of Mount Sinai, in the Convent of St. Catherine, that I discovered the pearl of all my researches. In visiting the library of the monastery, in the month of May, 1844, I perceived in the middle of the great hall a large and wide basket full of old parchments; and the librarian, who was a man of information, told me that two heaps of papers like these, mouldered by time, had been already committed to the flames. What was my surprise to find amid this heap of papers a considerable number of sheets of a copy of the Old Testament in Greek, which seemed to me to be one of the most ancient that I had ever seen. The authorities of the convent allowed me to possess myself of a third of these parchments, or about forty-three sheets, all the more readily as they were destined for the fire. But I could not get them to yield up possession of the remainder. The too lively satisfaction which I had displayed had aroused their suspicions as to the value of this manuscript. I transcribed a page of the text of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and enjoined on the monks to take religious care of all such remains which might fall in their way.”

As you can see, Tischendorf in no way disparaged his find as being inconsequential or the discovery of an inferior Greek manuscript filled with errors. Quite the contrary! He saw it as the greatest discovery of his lifetime. Furthermore, the monks were not burning parts of this manuscript because it had no value, but because they didn’t know its value. It wasn’t even the New Testament that was being burned, it was parts of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that were slated for the fire. In addition, not all of what was being burned was from the Septuagint, but apparently included other documents that most evangelical scholars don’t consider part of the biblical canon anyway. And, as we’ll discover in a moment, most of the Codex that Tischendorf so desperately wanted to see was “wrapped in a red cloth” and stored away in the “corner of [a] room” at the Convent of St. Catherine.

Becasue Tischendorf saw only a small portion of this extremely valuable manuscript on his first visit to Sinai, he returned fifteen years later to find all of the treasured Codex Sinaiticus. Listen to his delight upon discovering this ancient treasure with the entire New Testament intact.

“On the afternoon of this day I was taking a walk with the steward of the convent in the neighbourhood, and as we returned, towards sunset, he begged me to take some refreshment with him in his cell. Scarcely had he entered the room, when, resuming our former subject of conversation, he said: ‘And I, too, have read a Septuagint’--i.e. a copy of the Greek translation made by the Seventy. And so saying, he took down from the corner of the room a bulky kind of volume, wrapped up in a red cloth, and laid it before me. I unrolled the cover, and discovered, to my great surprise, not only those very fragments which, fifteen years before, I had taken out of the basket, but also other parts of the Old Testament, the New Testament complete, and, in addition, the Epistle of Barnabas and a part of the Pastor of Hermas. Full of joy, which this time I had the self-command to conceal from the steward and the rest of the community, I asked, as if in a careless way, for permission to take the manuscript into my sleeping chamber to look over it more at leisure. There by myself I could give way to the transport of joy which I felt. I knew that I held in my hand the most precious Biblical treasure in existence--a document whose age and importance exceeded that of all the manuscripts which I had ever examined during twenty years' study of the subject. I cannot now, I confess, recall all the emotions which I felt in that exciting moment with such a diamond in my possession. Though my lamp was dim, and the night cold, I sat down at once to transcribe the Epistle of Barnabas. For two centuries search has been made in vain for the original Greek of the first part of this Epistle, which has only been known through a very faulty Latin translation. And yet this letter, from the end of the second down to the beginning of the fourth century, had an extensive authority, since many Christians assigned to it and to the Pastor of Hermas a place side by side with the inspired writings of the New Testament. This was the very reason why these two writings were both thus bound up with the Sinaitic Bible, the transcription of which is to be referred to the first half of the fourth century, and about the time of the first Christian emperor.”

What could possibly be the justification for a person mischaracterizing and misrepresenting the discovery of one of the greatest treasures of all manuscript history? Have we reached a place where defending a tenuous position is more important than reporting historical facts accurately (people wouldn’t stand for this being done with American history)? Are some too ashamed or too proud to admit that they might have been wrong about the facts? If you want my opinion, I think most “KJV Only” advocates merely parrot what other misinformed people have told them, thus perpetuating the inaccuracies. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell an inaccurate story it is still inaccurate, even if people believe that what you are telling them is accurate. What you then have is little more than collective ignorance about the most important single document in the history of mankind...the Bible.

Here’s where the “logic” really meets the road. Until “KJV Only” advocates can produce a SINGLE, IDENTIFIABLE, and PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE manuscript that PERFECTLY REPRESENTS the originals penned by the authors so that we can compare all manuscript evidence to this original, the “KJV Only” position logically falls apart. History is indisputable in showing that God’s Word has been preserved in thousands of manuscripts which must be meticulously compared by textual scholars to bring us as close as possible to the original autographs penned by the authors of scripture. No two extant manuscripts match any other manuscript exactly and hence the need for this kind of careful textual analysis (i.e., textual criticism) to discover what the originals actually said. The extremely small amount of uncertainty in textual criticism (estimated to be less than 2% of the total text) does not affect any doctrine or core belief of the Christian faith. Even the highly revered (by “KJV only” advocates) Textus Receptus was derived using textual criticism employed by Erasmus, Stephanus, and Beza. So using this scientific approach to reveal the original biblical text does not, therefore, threaten the doctrine of inspiration and infallibility of the Bible. The real threat to scripture comes through people who are so bent on proving an unsupportable and illogical position that they are even willing to “spin” and/or misrepresent historical data in order to support their spurious point of view.

It’s time to stop arguing against modern Bible translations in an effort to have everyone return to Elizabethan English used in a cultural setting long past. There is no such thing as a “King James Bible,” as some “KJV Only” proponents boldly assert. It is and has always been known as the “King James VERSION,” meaning it is one of many translations (versions) of the Bible that have been made available to Christians through the ages. Use one/several of the translations available in your local Christian bookstore and/or on your electronic devices and let them enhance your understanding of God’s Word...it will foster a deeper walk with Jesus Christ in your life.

Synopsis of Jude's Letter

2011-10-26T15:57:00.002-04:00

Jude was the half brother of Jesus Christ and the author of the N.T. book that bears his name (1:1). Though we don’t know a great deal about the church or the Christians to whom he wrote (there are similarities between his letter and those of Peter, which might be a clue), he was deeply concerned for their spiritual well-being because of the presence of false teaching and false teachers in their church. His original intent was to write about their common salvation (1:3) so they could rejoice together in its many blessings. But, because false teachers/doctrine had slipped into their fellowship (“crept in unnoticed” – 1:4), he felt compelled to admonish the believers in the church to “earnestly contend for the faith” (1:3). These Christians were encouraged to not idly stand by while these purveyors of false doctrine and profligate living rambled about among their people. They had to take action and become active in the struggle against error and for the truth.

The presence of this doctrinal error was clearly dangerous to the spiritual lives of these people and to their testimony as believers. And, they needed to know that if God did not spare His own people (1:5), the disobedient angels (1:6), or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7), He certainly would not spare these unrepentant apostates or the church that coddled them. These false teachers were having a significant negative influence in the congregation because of their immorality, rebelliousness, and presumptuous sins (1:8-11). Jude chose two well-known examples from the O.T. to show the danger these apostates posed (1:11). So pronounced was this danger that five descriptive word pictures are used to express his concern. He said they were like “spots in your love feasts,” “clouds without water,” “trees without fruit,” “raging waves,” and “wandering stars” (1:12-14). As these phrases indicate, the apostates had nothing to offer that was fulfilling or brought direction to these believers. They were characterized by empty promises, aimlessness of purpose, and unrestrained wickedness. As far back as the days of Enoch God had said that He would judge the wickedness of people of this ilk (1:14-15).

It’s not until you get almost two-thirds of the way through the letter (1:17) and after he has thoroughly revealed the true character of the apostates, as well as their certain judgment, that Jude gives the first direct commands to this fellowship (each of the following words/phrases is an imperative: “remember,” “keep,” “have compassion,” “save with fear,” and “hate the garments” – 1:17-23). Central to these commands is the one that states that they are to “keep [themselves] in the love of God” (1:20), which he explains as being accomplished by “building yourselves up on your most holy faith” (1:20A), “praying in the Holy Spirit” (1:20B), and “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:21). If the church would take a strong stance for the Apostolic doctrine handed down to them and get in the fight for truth, it was even possible that some that had been deceived by the apostates could be saved from the coming judgment (1:22-23). That, along with the purity of the church, was additional motivation for them to get off the sidelines and get in the struggle for the truth.

As quickly as the letter begins, it ends with the most complete and arguably, the most beautiful doxology in scripture. Jude was reminding these believers that their ultimate purpose was to glorify God through lives that are holy. Christ was/is able to keep His children from falling into the grievous errors of these apostates, if they’d simply entrust themselves to Him and to the truth they had received about Him (1:24-25).

Is Mormonism really a cult?

2011-10-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

Dr.Robert Jeffress, pastor of the famed First Baptist Church, in Dallas, TX, lit off a vociferous debate when he recently declared that Mormonism is acult and incompatible with the Christian faith. He made his declaration at acampaign appearance with Governor Rick Perry who is running for the presidencyof the United States. To most of us that have studied comparative religions hisremarks weren't shocking at all, nor did they reveal anything we didn't alreadyknow. But, to the left-leaning American news media it was the modern dayequivalent of the "shot heard round the world" (especially in thecontext of a political campaign).

The mediaquickly began vilifying the pastor for his insensitive remarks and even somethat operate under the name of Christianity joined in the fray. In ourpluralistic society where no one is wrong and everyone is right, to make anabsolute declaration, especially about what it means to be a Christian, isconsidered by many Americans as the epitome of intolerance.

Thesaddest part of the whole ordeal to me was the lack of support Dr. Jeffressreceived from those who know the truth about the roots of Mormonism (Christianleaders). It might be argued that the venue where his observation was made wasnot the most advantageous setting for a minister of the Gospel. However, he wassimply answering a question asked of him by the media and his clarity, as wellas his courage to speak the truth in such a context, is what's missing frommany of our Christian leaders and churches these days.

Just soyou know why Mormonism and Christianity are not compatible faiths, I haveincluded a brief synopsis of Mormonism written by Dr. Albert Mohler. Peoplefollowing the “Jesus” of Mormonism may be deeply sincere people, but their soulsare in eternal jeopardy. To fail to speak the truth to them is to show a lackof concern for their eternal destinies.

"Mormonism starts with anunderstanding of God that rejects both monotheism and the Christian doctrine ofthe Trinity. The Mormon concept of God includes many gods, not one.Furthermore, Mormonism teaches that we are now what God once was and arebecoming what He now is...From a Christian perspective, Mormonism is a newreligion, complete with its own scripture, its own priesthood, its own rituals,and its own teachings...Mormonismrejects orthodox Christianity as the very argument for its own existence, andit clearly identifies historic Christianity as a false faith [emphasis mine].

"Mormonism rejects theBible as the sole and sufficient authority for the faith, and insists that TheBook of Mormon and other authoritative Latter-Day Saints writings constituteGod’sfinal revelation. Furthermore, the authority in Mormonism is mediated through ahuman priesthood, through whom God is claimed to speak directly and authoritativelyto the church. Nothing makes the distinction between Mormonism and historicChristianity more clear than the experience of reading The Book of Mormon. Thevery subtitle of The Book of Mormon — AnotherTestament of Jesus Christ — makes one of Mormonism’scentral claims directly and candidly: That we need another authority to providewhat is lacking in the New Testament.

"The Mormon doctrine ofsin is not that of biblical Christianity, nor is its teaching concerningsalvation. Rather than teaching that the death of Christ is alone sufficientfor the forgiveness of sins, Mormonism presents a scheme of salvation thatamounts to the progressive deification of the believer. According to Mormonism,sinners are not justified by faith alone, but also by works of righteousnessand obedience. Mormonism’s teachingsconcerning Jesus Christ start with a radically different understanding of theVirgin Birth and proceed to a fundamentally different understanding of Christ’swork of salvation.

"By its very nature,Mormonism borrows Christian themes, personalities, and narratives.Nevertheless, it rejects what orthodox Christianity affirms and it affirms whatorthodox Christianity rejects. It is not orthodox Christianity in a new form oranother branch of the Christian tradition. By its own teachings and claims, itrejects any claim of continuity with orthodox Christianity. Insofar as anindividual Mormon holds to the teachings of the Latter-Day Saints, he or sherepudiates biblical Christianity...[emphasis mine]"

Those arethe basics about the Mormon religion in "Cliff Note" form! So, let mecommend Dr. Robert Jeffress for having the courage and conviction to articulatewhat is the truth about Mormonism...it is a cult. I wish more Christians hadthe courage to speak the "truth in love" so we might rescue as manyMormons as possible from the clutches of eternal destruction.

Seeing What God Sees

2011-10-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

Why do we fail to see people the way God sees them? How can we miss what is most important in other people's lives? Why don't we recognize the real need for mission work here and around the world?

The disciples of Christ struggled with this issue in the same way we do at times and you hear Jesus’ diagnosis of their problem in the story of the Samaritan woman.

We don't see as God sees...
1. Because we are preoccupied with the temporal/material.

After Jesus had finished talking with the Samaritan woman the disciples returned from Sycar with food for themselves and Jesus. They kept on insisting (4:31, “urged” - imperfect, active verb meaning “to keep on asking, begging”) that He take some of the food for Himself, but He consistently refused. His explanation was that He had food to eat that was more important than the food they had brought from the city. But, they struggled to grasp His meaning (4:33).

All the disciples could see and had interest in at that moment was the temporal/material (food) and it kept them from seeing what Jesus saw and wanted them to see.

We are too often preoccupied by the temporal/material and it blinds us to the real needs of people. We live for the things this world offers while neglecting what really matters...the eternal souls of people.

When will enough (things) be enough? When will more be too much? When will we say no to greed and avarice in our lives? Whatever happened to contentment? Materialism grips this age and many Christians are caught in its grasp.

What if God gives you more so you can invest in greater ways in His Kingdom work, not so you can spend more on yourself? Shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice for the cause of Christ as those in the first century sacrificed or were taught to sacrifice for others? (Acts 5; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)

We don't see as God sees...
2. Because we are oblivious to the eternal.

When the pursuit of the temporal/material becomes the primary focus of our lives we will no longer see the eternal things that really matter to God.

Jesus contrasted three things in this story that illustrated a distinction between the temporal and the eternal: water (4:10), food (4:34), & the harvest (4:35).

The disciples had gone into Sycar to get food, but never thought about the need of the souls in the city. They interacted with, had conversations among, and made purchases from the Samaritan people. But, as far we know, they never invited one person from the city to come out and meet Jesus.

On the other hand, a woman who had only known Jesus for less than an hour went back into the city and led a large group of people out to Him. Consequently, there were many in Samaria that believed on Him because of her (4:39-41).

Jesus rebuked His disciples for not recognizing the immediate spiritual need by quoting a phrase/proverb that was common among the people: "There are still four months and then comes the harvest" (4:35). This saying was familiar to the people and was used to indicate the need for patience or delayed action. (Something equivalent to, "Rome wasn't build in a day," i.e., it takes time.) In other words, the disciples were procrastinating about something that needed attention now...not later: the souls of the Samaritan people.

When you become preoccupied with the temporal/material you also become oblivious to the eternal. You’re living for yourself and for what you can get out of life at the moment, never realizing that there are people you could be influencing for the Kingdom of God. The need of people for the Gospel never crosses your mind or you choose to think about something other than what Jesus prioritizes. It’s the fundamental reason too many people won’t prioritize missionary endeavors or rearrange their spending to include the support of missionaries. They are oblivious to the eternal because they are preoccupied with the temporal/material.

We don't see as God sees...
3. Because we are ignorant of the potential.

Jesus quoted a second parable to the disciples that said, "one man sows and another reaps" (4:37). That point seems obvious, but the metaphor really speaks of an inequity that was recognized in the first century.

The joy was in the reaping, not always in the sowing. The sowers worked hard to prepare the ground and plant the seed, but often did not get to participate in the harvest. Consequently, they missed the celebrations that occurred during that special season of the year. Most people of this period saw this as an inequity that couldn't be helped. It’s a little like working hard most of your life to amass enough money so you can enjoy the rest of your life in ease only to die unexpectedly and leave it for someone else to enjoy. Sometimes life just doesn’t seem fair!

However, Jesus was saying to His disciples that the spiritual harvest of people's souls is different. Both the sower and the reaper equally experience the reward of bringing someone to Christ. Both will be rewarded for the labor they invest, regardless of whether they sow the seed (of the Gospel) or harvested the souls for Christ's Kingdom. Both would rejoice (4:36) in Heaven when the ones they’d led to Christ or helped others lead to Him, met them there. There is no inequity in the harvest fields of the world where God is at work. The one that sends the missionary, as well as the missionary himself/herself will rejoice and be rewarded together.

The disciples were ignorant of the potential that was right before them. If they only realized the opportunities around them they could lay hold of eternal treasures for Heaven’s sake.

When you become preoccupied with the temporal/material you lose sight of the eternal and fail to realize the potential of reaching others with the Good News that Jesus saves.

Jesus had to “shake” the disciples in order to get them to focus on what was really important. That’s why the first thing He says to them before telling them to, “lift up [their] eyes and look at the fields,” is “BEHOLD.” It is sort of like verbally grabbing someone by the shoulders and giving him a gentle “shake” in order to get his attention to see/understand what he is missing.

Conclusion:
Why don't you see the need of being involved in reaching the lost souls of this world? What are you willing to sacrifice so you can invest in the eternal rewards of Heaven? What changes will you make in your spending/living to prioritize what God prioritizes?

What will it take for God to get your attention so you will see what He sees?

The Church's Primary Mandate

2011-10-02T14:39:00.000-04:00

The Mission
Matthew 28:18-20

It seems like everybody has a cause/mission they want you to join these days. As Christians many of these causes/missions are worthy of our interest, but never at the expense of our central mission. We cannot allow ourselves to be diverted from what God has primarily called us to do or permit His mandate to become so diluted by other things that we fail to fulfill the Great Commission.

I want to demonstrate that the Great Commission IS (!!) His primary mandate for the church by looking at several factors concerning this command:

1. The Location (28:16)

Mountains were important places where instruction/revelation were often given:

Mt. Sinai
Sermon on the Mount
Mount of Transfiguration
The Olivet Discourse on the Mount of Olives

Here...He invites the disciples to another mountaintop experience because what He has to tell them is to be another monumental moment in their lives.

2. The Repetition (28:19-20)

“And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
“And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.” (Mark 13:10)
“Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9)
“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.’” (Luke 24:46-49)
“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’” (John 20:21)
“As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

3. The Occasion (28:18)

This commission was given after His resurrection and before His Ascension...as His last words!

A man’s last words usually carry special weight in scripture, especially when it’s specifically preserved in some form in all the Gospels, as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

Ex. Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Paul (Acts 20; 2 Timothy), Peter (2 Peter 1:12-15.

4. The Configuration

The Great Commission is the focal point to and from which the Gospels and Acts flow.

A. The Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew speaks more about disciples/discipleship than any other Gospel: What they believe, how they behave, what they must sacrifice...”Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES...”
Matthew shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the O.T. Law/Prophets...The Great Commission emphasizes His authority (28:18).
The Magi’s presence from the east is a reminder that He wants to reach all nations...”make disciples of ALL NATIONS...”
“Today scholars agree that the entire Gospel points to these final verses: All the threads woven into the fabric of Matthew, from Chapter 1 onward, draw together here” (Bosch, Transforming Mission, p. 57)

B. The Acts of the Apostles:

“...you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Acts 2-7... The Gospel is preached to Jerusalem
Acts 8... The Gospel goes to Judea and Samaria
Acts 9... The Gospel goes to the ends of the earth

“The Great Commission is the climax to which everything points and the fountain from which everything flows.” (Kevin DeYoung)

5. The Affirmation

“All authority is given to me...I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18, 20)

“There can only be a mission imperative because there is first this glorious indicative. God does not send out His church to conquer. He sends us out in the name of the One who has ALREADY conquered. We only go because He reigns.” (Kevin DeYoung, What Is The Mission of the Church?, p. 45)

“Since Jesus Christ today has all authority, we may obey Him without fear. No matter where He leads us, no matter what circumstances we face, He is in control. By His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated all enemies and won for Himself all authority...Christianity is a missionary faith.” (Warren Wiersbe)

Never did any army have such assets behind them!!

AND...Jesus wants worshippers from every cultural/linguistic group in the world!

6. The Situation

There are four verbs in 28:19. The main verb is “make disciples” and the other three participles (which have the force of imperatives) show how it is to be accomplished.

A. The MANDATE: “Make disciples”

B. The MEANS:

Going...implies sending
Baptizing...implies joining (the family of God)
Teaching...implies developing/growing

Mankind is lost and in need of the Savior!! We MUST obey the Great Commission!

The OT mandate = Come & See

The NT mandate = Go & Tell

The preponderance of this evidence demonstrates that world missions IS God’s primary mandate for His church!! Nothing should divert or dilute our effort in taking the Gospel around the world!!

Your Invitation

2011-09-29T15:50:00.001-04:00

One afternoon author Patsy Clairmont found herself on an airplane, sitting next to a young marine. She writes about their interaction. "Hey, Marine, where are you coming from?" "Operation Desert Storm, Ma'am." "No kidding? Desert Storm! How long were you there?" I asked. "A year and a half. I'm on my way home. My family will be at the airport." I then commented that he must have thought about returning to his family and home many times while he was in the Middle East. "Oh, no, Ma'am," he replied. "We were taught never to think of what might never be, but to be fully available right where we were."

This month I’m asking you to prayerfully consider being “fully available right where you [are].” From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains you have the opportunity to participate in touching the world with the Gospel of Christ. As hard as that may be for some to believe, when you become a partner in faith giving through LMBC, you are helping to take the Good News to places that you will probably never be able to go yourself.

This is one of the most exciting times of the year because for the entire month of October we are focusing on the very heartbeat of God...to reach a lost world with His love. On the first three weekends of this month we will introduce you to a new missionary family going to a part of the world where we presently have no one taking the Gospel on our behalf. When you make a faith commitment to missions, above your tithes to our local ministry, you are enabling these missionaries and nearly 100 others like them to preach the love of Christ, establish churches, and care for the people in far away places.

Please, prayerfully consider joining our missions outreach by making a weekly or monthly financial commitment to faith giving. Help us close the gaps in the world where it’s impossible or extremely difficult to hear the name of Jesus. Your faithful gifts will make a huge difference for someone who needs to know Jesus.

Your personal copy of the faith giving commitment card can be found in the Lobbies and Welcome Center of our church. Bring it with you each Sunday as you await God’s leading about the amount He would have you give. Then, when you know what He wants you to do, write your commitment on the perforated portion, tear it off, and simply place it in the offering, give it to a member of the pastoral staff, or send it by mail to the church address. Make sure to write your commitment on the portion you keep as well, to help remind you throughout the year.

Our prayer is that God will give our church the additional resources to join the teams of the three new missionary families you will meet this month.

The Church As A Minefield!

2011-09-19T19:29:00.000-04:00

After meeting with some of our staff this week, I have come to the conclusion (yet again!!) that there are some things in ministry about which a small number of people are so intolerant (dealing with their beloved traditions and preferences) that the only thing you can do toward them is “rise above” the unpleasantness they create. It’s unfortunate that there are Christians who think that their calling in life is to resist all change no matter how effective that change may be in enabling the church to reach people and impact its community. There is too much of the general feeling among a lot of Christians that worship is really all about “me” and what “I” want when I’m there.

I’m a peacemaker by nature and want to get along with as many people as possible. But, I simply will not allow a few (very few) disgruntled souls, more worried about preserving the past than living in the present, to derail the vision God has given us to accomplish. We have a great work to do and their periodic carping on a few “pet peeves” may get old to many of us, but we will not be sidetracked from the path God has given us to follow.

After our staff meeting concluded, I knew that the only course of action that would be acceptable to our God in dealing with these people is that we persevere in our pursuits until there’s a paradigm shift. If it takes one year or ten years, we’re just going to spiritually “suck it up” (that’s everyday talk for: “ask for lots of grace”) and move forward with the love of Christ, enduring hardness as good soldiers of the cross. We will not respond “in kind” to people’s petty behavior, nor lower ourselves to treat them as they sometimes treat us. To do so displeases the Lord and places us on the same plain where they operate.

Truth be told, I would never say (or do) some of the things I’ve heard professing Christians say (and do) through the years of my ministry when they are unhappy about something at church. Recently, I had a lady place her finger on my chest and repeatedly punctuate her points during a nearly ten-minute lecture, tirade. Several times during the “discussion” I felt like saying, “don’t you know the scripture says, ‘touch not God’s anointed and do my prophets no harm...,’” but I held my tongue and confessed my arrogance/anger when I got away from the situation. When I was able to get a word in edgewise, I said to her, “I love you, I hear what you are saying, and your opinion is important to me.” But, no sooner had I finished my gentle response than she quickly returned to the same mantra and finger-punctuated points. She finally concluded her talk, after I had repeated my response to her at least two more times, by saying, “you’re not going to do anything about this, are you?”

Well, let me give you a verse on this matter that I could have given her at that moment. “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.” (Proverbs 16:21 NLT) The surest way I know to build resistance to your "cause" is to be unkind and harsh when expressing your opinion.

I have always tried to respect my elders (and will continue to do so...especially since I am one now) and have sought to honor them with my words and life. However, it takes “miraculous” grace to not treat some adults like children when they are acting like children. Temper tantrums aren’t any more attractive when worn by those who are advancing in years than they are when it’s the little ones in our homes. Incredibly, this woman would probably have never tolerated her children speaking or acting toward someone else (or her) in the way she was acting toward me.

I understand better, as I’ve aged myself, that change and/or adjustments are harder to accept than they used to be. And, it’s a scary time of life as lots of things seem to be threatening your security and stability on a daily basis. That’s one of the reasons I believe the church should never forget or treat contemptuously those with frosty white hair. But, the church is not a gathering place for one single age group and you have to be willing to see the bigger picture of what we are called to do. You simply cannot demand that your way be the only way without sending the message that nobody else matters to God...but you.

Not one criticism from this lady had anything to do with doctrinal error or misrepresentation of the truth of God. She didn’t quote a single biblical reference to demonstrate that we were doing anything that was a violation of His Word. This confrontation with me was nothing more than a “bullying” tactic to try and get her specific “preferences” prioritized as the only preferences we should adopt for our services.

I’m sorry, but I don’t deal well with bullying! And the fact is, we do many of the kinds of things she specifically likes for the very reason that we don’t want her or those of her persuasion to be left out. But, we just won’t acquiesce and abandon everything else simply to give her all that she specifically wants.

Now you know some of what pastoral staffs deal with on a regular basis. And just think of the pastor of a smaller church where he has few, if any, people to stand with him when the “fiery darts” are flying all around him. My heart goes out to these brave men and their families as they navigate through their God-appointed minefields...excuse me, pasture fields. May God give them grace, strength, and courage, to “fight the good fight” and PERSEVERE (!!) when they feel more like a punching bag than the beloved pastor of a caring flock.

Always Faithful

2011-09-18T14:01:00.000-04:00

He only had an elementary education, but by the time he was in his teens, he could read the Bible in six languages. He later became Professor of Oriental Languages at Fort William College in Calcutta, and his printing press provided Scriptures in over 40 languages and dialects for more than 300 million people.

Who is it? His name was, William Carey, “father of modern missions.” And what was his secret? What he said to his nephew sums it up...

“Eustice, if after my removal anyone should think it worth his while to write my life, I will give you the criterion by which you may judge of its correctness.

“If he gives me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly. Anything beyond this will be too much. I can plod. That is my genius. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.” (In Praise of Plodders!, Warren Wiersbe, p.11, Copyright 1991, Published by Kregel Resources, 1994)

First known use of the word the word "faithful" was in the 14th century.
(A.) Strict or thorough in the performance of duty; (B.) True to one's word, promises, vows; (C.) Reliable, trusted; steady in allegiance or affection; (D.) Loyal; constant.

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?" (Proverbs 20:6 NKJV)

"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint." (Proverbs 25:19 NKJV)

1. Faithfulness is a virtue.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NKJV)

[Though this word is] used repeatedly elsewhere in Galatians to signify a person’s response of trust regarding God’s salvation provided in Christ Jesus (cf. 2:20; 3:6ff.; 5:6), here undoubtedly [it] means the ethical virtue of “faithfulness.”...the subject is the believer and the context is determinative. For situated, as it is, amidst eight other nouns in a list of human virtues, [this word] must here be understood...as the human virtue of faithfulness, that is produced in the believer’s life by the faithful God through his Spirit. --Word Biblical Commentary

Illustration:
U.S. Senator Rick Santorum told a story seemingly unrelated to the usual commencement speeches about success and happiness. This is the story: A Baptist preacher in South Carolina wanted nothing more out of life than to run a Bible college. All his life, he worked for the position and eventually attained it. As he fulfilled his life’s dream and vocation, Alzheimer’s disease struck his wife. Her health degenerated to the point where he could not possibly take care of her and work his full-time job. The preacher came to a decision – to give up his position as president of the Bible college. His peers were incredulous. “What are you doing?” they asked. “Your wife doesn’t even know who you are!” The man answered, “She might not know who I am, but I know who she is. She’s the woman I made a promise to until death do us part.”

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:14-23)

2. Faithfulness is a choice.

"I have chosen to be faithful..." (Psalm 119:30 NLT)

"A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 28:20 NKJV)

Story of Alta Cecil who chose to be faithful even when she was in tremendous pain with her rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Faithfulness is a discipline.

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NKJV)

4. Faithfulness is a qualification.

"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry..." (1 Timothy 1:12 NKJV)

"Then He said, 'Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face…'" (Numbers 12:6-8 NLT)

"Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy." (Daniel 6:3-4 NLT)

"And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV)

5. Faithfulness is a command.

"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2 NKJV)

God requires faithfulness from his Children.

Additional Thoughts:

Faithfulness means being loyal

King David was loyal to Saul, even when Saul sought to kill him. David had the opportunity to kill him twice, but refused to stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed.

Ruth showed loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, prioritizing their relationship over what might have been more comfortable for her.

Faithfulness means being dependable (Psalm 15:4)

"Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? ...Those who...keep their promises even when it hurts." (Psalm 15:1, 4 NLT)

Conclusion:

One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to dig out their trapped brothers from beneath the rubble.

A few days after the tragedy, Marine Corps Commandant Paul Kelly, visited some of the wounded survivors then in a Frankfurt, Germany, hospital. Among them was Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton, severely wounded in the incident. Nashton had so many tubes running in and out of his body that a witness said he looked more like a machine than a man; yet he survived.

As Kelly neared him, Nashton, struggling to move and racked with pain, motioned for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote a brief note and passed it back to the Commandant. On the slip of paper were just two words -- "Semper Fi" the Latin motto of the Marines meaning "Always faithful."

Those two words need to be the testimony of every Christian!

National HUG A Pastor Day!

2011-09-12T16:30:00.001-04:00

It's Monday and many ministers are facing those predictable, "after the weekend church service blues." It's a way of life for a lot of faithful servants of Christ who desperately desire to be used by God, but wonder if anyone really listened to what they had to say the day before or if their people really entered into the joys of true worship. Granted, every message may not feel like a "home run" TO YOU, but maybe you weren’t the one in God’s “on-deck circle” that desperately needed what was said.

And have you stopped to consider that while you can find a preacher that will always give you a positive message that makes you feel better about yourself on the way out the door each Sunday, that maybe the most positive thing your pastor can do for you is warn you about the greater dangers that can potentially destroy your life and leave your family in ruins? And besides, whether a particular message on a specific Sunday was in your "top ten list” or not, your pastor put in the same amount of "blood, sweat, and tears" to prepare and deliver it. We’re not supposed to judge the value of a worship service solely by whether or not it makes you “tingle all over" with the “experience” of His presence or “it spoke to me” specifically. Isn’t church supposed to be mainly about how God feels about our worship and the special praise we give to HIM?

And, complicating the matter even further is the fact that too often it seems that when the “fire” is really burning within the pastor, from the message God has seared into his spirit that week, that he looks out across the congregation only to realize that this must be the weekend that large numbers of people have chosen to be gone...to the mountains, lake, beach, etc. Or, a large portion are away watching their kids perform in athletic and/or academic competition that MUST take precedence over the worship of God...because life is all about family, their children’s happiness, and/or potential career prospects. Did you know that most people judge a church’s success primarily by the numbers in attendance on any given Sunday (though, that’s an unwise measure)? And, most pastors know that many of his people value him according to this “success” assessment. If you’ve ever sat in on a discussion amongst ministers when they were considering why so many people are absent on Sundays, you’ve heard their consternation in trying to figure out how that many people could ALL pick the SAME weekend to be gone.

Equally disturbing is that too many Christians listen to their pastor preach on Sunday wishing he could be more like the “gifted preacher” they hear every week on TV/radio. And, they often make unfeeling comments after services that potentially make their pastor feel as if his “gift” for preaching...well, let’s just say, they love him because he is their pastor, even if he’s not their favorite preacher. It’s sort of the Corinthian thing, “I’m of Paul,” "I’m of Apollos,” "I’m of Cephas,” etc., etc. Did you know that one of the greatest ways to make your pastor a better preacher is by encouraging him in his work, not comparing him to other preachers? (Do you ever compliment your pastor’s sermons to others in the fashion you compliment the sermons of your favorite TV/radio preacher to your pastor?)

Every Sunday your pastor steps into the pulpit to do battle with the forces of evil. The principalities and powers of the air are all arrayed against him, if he’s exalting Christ and proclaiming God’s Word. Really, in many ways, Sunday services are more like war zones for the minister of the Gospel than they are friendly, family gatherings. It’s “front line” duty where he’s called to give his life and when the day is over he will have expended all his energy in the struggle for the souls and well-being of the people in his community and church. Not everybody will appreciate what he has to say and will usually make it known to him, but if it aligns itself with the Word of God, then God's people ought to respect him for his courage to deliver the truth in an age when truth is dismissed and/or despised.

On one occasion I was driving behind a car with a bumper sticker that said, “Hug A Teacher Today!” and I concur. These men and women have an incredible influence on the minds and hearts of the next generation and we should show them our appreciation for their hard work. But, it set me to thinking! Maybe we need a bumper sticker that says, “Hug A Pastor On Mondays.” Not that you have to literally/physically hug him, but you could at least stop and say a prayer on his behalf or write him a note of encouragement about his message from the day before. And if you’re too cheap to buy a stamp/card to send him, then at least make a positive comment on his Facebook page, send a Twitter message of appreciation to him, or leave him a message on his answering service.

If you do this enough times on Mondays, you might just start believing that YOU have the best pastor/preacher in your OWN church and God might start speaking to you more often in the services.

So, here we go. Let’s make every Monday this fall, “National Hug A Pastor Day!”

p.s. To my fellow servants, notice the picture above. Even if you feel like no one stands by you when you need them most, never forget that the Savior loves you and is reaching out to give you that hug you need today! (2 Timothy 4:16-17)

Small Group Failure

2011-09-08T12:44:00.000-04:00

Our Small Groups will not work...
1. If their leaders are not committed disciples of Christ themselves.

Small groups don't create disciples…disciples create disciples.
“If you can read (i.e., the discussion questions to the group), you can lead.” (not true)
Learn (about Jesus)…Live (for Jesus)…Lead (others to Jesus)

Our Small Groups will not work...
2. If they are more interested in "gathering together" than "going out."

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore stay where you are and make Christians of the people you already know, baptizing them in the name of American consumer Christianity, and teaching them to sit in rooms with one another, read the Bible, and pray for one another. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20, SGRV--Small Group Revised Version)

Would Jesus join our small group or would he be out rubbing shoulders with people seeking to lead them to salvation?

Modern-day small groups are too often producing:

…Christians who sit in circles and talk to one another inside a building.

…Who read and comment on the Bible.
…Who rant about how they long to “get out there” and do something that matters.
…That awkwardly end their time by sharing “prayer requests.”
…Who never see another person's life really changed.

Our Small Groups will not work...
3. If they rely on their organizational structure more than the power of the Spirit.

The first century church didn't have all the sophisticated organization or programing that 21st century churches employ and yet they turned the world upside-down. Their secret was the power of God's Spirit, not complex organization. There's nothing wrong with being organized, but it will never replace our need for God's enablement.

Our Small Groups will not work...
4. If all they do is teach people what to know, but fail to show them how to live.

There are two fundamental models of disciple-making from the ancient world: The Greek model and the Hebrew model. The Greek model is information-based and focuses on acquiring more knowledge. The emphasis is on what subject is being studied. Jesus made His disciples in the journey, according to the Hebrew model. He taught them life lessons as He experienced life with them.

Our Small Groups will not work...
5. If they fail to build relationships among the people that are in their groups.

Only 2% of Church members ever invite someone to church. Of the first-time visitors that accept the invitation only 10% end up becoming regular attendees. But, the likelihood of a first time guest becoming a member of the church increases to 50% when they are invited to a small group.

The Big Dig (VBS 2011)

2011-08-29T11:26:00.002-04:00

This is the video we made from our summer VBS (2011) where we taught our children about God's creation (called: The Big Dig). There were 14 children that put their trust in Jesus Christ and 9 of those were baptized. We had a high attendance day of more than 250. All glory to God for this powerful time to impact our children with creation TRUTH that counters the evolutionary theories they hear every day.

Dreaming Great Dreams

2011-08-24T09:20:00.002-04:00

There is a common experience for those who dream of doing great things for God's glory. This can best be called the: "The Six Stages of Faith." There may be the occasion when you go from the "Dream Stage" to the "Deliverance Stage" without passing through the other stages, but it will be rare. Most of our dreams are realized as we grow in faith and learn to wait on God.

Stage #1: Dream Stage
God gives you a dream...an idea, goal, or ambition. It's bigger than you and greater than you can accomplish alone...it's a Good-sized dream. All great accomplishments begin with a dream.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20)

Stage #2: Decision Stage
The difference between dreamers and doers is "decision." This is where you determine to invest your time, money, energy, and reputation in your dream. You can't be "double-minded" about it. You must be willing to step out and sever your ties of security to follow the dream.

"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8)

Stage #3: Delay Stage
Delays are not denials. There is a difference between God saying, "no" and "not yet." This is the period when God is teaching you to trust Him, even when you can't see the outcome.

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry." (Habakkuk 2:3)

Stage #4: Difficulty Stage
The two most common problems during this stage are the CRITICS and the CIRCUMSTANCES. You can't expect everyone to agree or understand your dream. This is YOUR dream from God, but you can be sure your critics will want to share in the fruits of your dream once it has been realized.

Noah and Nehemiah had plenty of nay-sayers and their circumstances seemed impossible, but they pressed on (believing God) to see their dream realized.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Stage #5: Dead-End Stage
As hard as it is to imagine, your situation may get worse before your dream is realized. It may well seem impossible to accomplish, but this places you on the verge of a miracle. God gave you the dream and He wants the glory for its accomplishment.

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead..." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Stage #6: Deliverance Stage
Crucifixion becomes resurrection and death becomes life. Miraculously everything falls into place and God is glorified as your dream is realized.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

If God has given you a dream then never give up and never give in to apathy, indifference, and/or despondency. Keep pressing forward to see how God will transform your dream into reality. Then be sure to give Him the glory because it all rightfully belongs to Him!!

Return to Eden

2011-08-22T17:11:00.002-04:00

You are invited to join us for our next "Return to Eden" class on marriage. Sometimes you have to "go back to Eden" in order to go forward in your marriage. It's a journey you won't forget or regret. Call our church office if you'd like to get more information or email j.shaffer@lmbc.org to reserve your spot in the next class.

Our Thirty-fifth Wedding Anniversary

2011-08-13T10:22:00.007-04:00

Our First Sunday at LMBC (12/05/82)

Mary and I celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary today, August 13, 2011. It seems like just yesterday that I was waiting for her to step through the back door of our church to walk down the isle to become my wife. She was (and still is) the most beautiful bride I have ever seen!! In the middle of the ceremony we turned to the congregation and together we sang, "To Be Used of God," which was (and is) the testimony of our lives. I know that sounds archaic and/or romantically lacking to some, but it sure beats a lot of the overtly secular ideas that are used in weddings today. Our overwhelming desire was to honor God and to show others that we lived for a higher purpose than our own selfish ambitions. Make no mistake about it, it was an incredibly romantic ceremony, but we were careful that ALL we did honored God and reflected our high view of Him.

To my sweet wife of thirty-five years...thank you for sharing your life with me so selflessly and with such passion. There is not, nor will there ever be a woman I'd rather spend the remainder of my life sharing the joys of marriage. You are a gift from God that displays His matchless grace to me and without you in my life I simply would not be complete. You are beautiful, talented, filled with life and the most wonderful spiritual partner I could have on this journey of life. If we can spend seventy years together loving one another and loving our God it will still be too short a time for me. I sometimes get really busy caring for others in the work that we do, but I will never let any other person stand in the way of my caring for you! Aside from our Lord Himself, there is no one that I think about or want to spend more time with...THAN YOU!! I pray that God will give us thirty-five more years to share our lives as "one." And, I've asked Him that when the day comes for us to leave this world to take our trip to Heaven's shore that He will let us go together so we will never have to be apart. You are the love of my life and my gift from God above.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, SWEET DARLING!!! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!

"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love." (Song of Solomon 2:4)

Relief for Alabama -- by Dan Londeree, Asst. Pastor

2011-08-11T14:01:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, July 14, 25 teenagers and five adults boarded the Lewis Memorial bus and hit the road. Twelve hours and 500 miles later, they reached their destination: storm-ravaged Pleasant Grove,Alabama.

While this year's missions trip was not completely unlike past teen missions trips, it did present a different type of opportunity to serve Christ. For two days, God led this group to form a bond with Mary Freebird, an 85-year-old widow whose home was severely damaged in the storms that blasted the south in late April.

Matt McClay, who partnered with David O'Dell to help lead the trip, described the damage to Mary's home and the difficult financial circumstances she faced.

"During the storm, her roof was blown off and her windows were smashed in," McClay said. "Her home sustained major water damage, which meant she needed someone to strip the house down and basically start from scratch. She was underinsured, so she didn't have the money to restore the house. The bank forced her to use her insurance money to pay her loan off. She had very little insurance money left to pay for restoring her home."

Mary is a widow of 35 years and simply didn't have the money or resources she needed to put her home - and her life - back together. McClay said the teens and adults on the trip knew God's hand was at work when He placed them in Mary's home.

"We didn't know who we would be assigned to," he said. "We worked with a loosely-knit organization of churches that came together to help uninsured or underinsured residents of the area. Doug Hodges' son, Marc, helped us connect with this group, which was on the ground before FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and is continuing to work after FEMA has left.

"We prayed that God would give us a person we could reach out to; someone we could invest in. And God gave us Mary. We were reminded of James 1:27, where God tells us to care for the widows and the orphans. It was amazing how the Lord worked out the details, because many groups are split up and then moved from place to place, but they let our group stay on one project until we finished it. This allowed us to spend that time with Mary."

McClay said Mary is a Christian who has served the Lord through teaching in Christian schools. He said helping her allowed the teens to serve God by working with their hands.

"This type of work fits into our teenagers' skill sets," he said. "They love to work with their hands and are very experienced in manual labor. They have done roofing and construction on previous trips."

McClay said the focus for the group was to strip the house down to the rafters and walls, and then get it under roof. The plan was to do this so that Mary could use the money she had left to hire contractors to handle the drywall, plumbing and electrical work. The teens pulled floors up, removed the old plumbing and wiring, and even rebuilt the roof.

"While the group had some experience in this type of work, we still saw God empower many of them to do things in skills they didn't really have time to aquire before the trip," McClay said. "They were cutting angles on sheeting and framing, and they did a great job. Some of the teens who had a fear of dirt and germs broke apart sewer pipes."

The work God accomplished through the teenagers stood as a witness to a local contractor.

"We did have the opportunity to interact and witness to a contractor who showed up," McClay said. "This man was a roofer and he was astounded by how well our guys were doing and how professional their work was. That gave me a chance to tell him about other missions trips we've taken and how these teens have acquired skills to be used for God, and how they can share God's love by serving."

Before any work could be accomplished - even before the teens boarded the bus to make the trip to Alabama - group leaders helped the teenagers prepare their hearts for what awaited them.

"We asked the teens to leave their baggage at home," McClay said. "We told them to leave everything they had been dealing with at home and dedicate this weekend to serving God. We also needed to prepare them for what they were about to see. Anytime you see devastation like that you reevaluate your life and priorities."

That spiritual preparation led to more growth while the group served Christ in Alabama.

"During the devotion time each night we saw the group grow closer together," he said. "We saw some teens make lasting friendships, and others make big changes in their life that they needed to make to grow closer to God."

These teens and adults experienced spiritual growth while serving their Savior, and they have been used to share the truth that with God, all things are possible.

Is Christianese Always Bad? --by Laura Ziesel

2011-08-08T17:20:00.002-04:00

I read this article recently and felt it made a very important point and wanted to share it with you. I asked Laura Ziesel (through her father-in-law) if she would grant me permission to re-post her thoughts on my blog for you to read. You can find the original article on Relevant Magazine's site, as well as read more of Laura's thoughts on other topics at her own blog site simply by clicking on the highlighted links. Hope you find this article as refreshing as I did! I love it when the generation coming behind us speaks with wisdom and clarity.
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How we can redeem the value of our spiritual jargon.

As is natural in all subcultures, Christians have developed dialects. Christians (Protestants and Catholics, clergy and laymen) use many terms non-Christians would not understand. Well, perhaps more often than not outsiders understand us—but we simply look odd. One of the biggest grievances against Christian culture is our bubble-like tendency. We can genuinely hurt the cause of Christ when we create holy huddles, only experiencing the world through our own eyes or the eyes of other Christians.

I've heard many people refer to this phenomenon as "speaking Christianese."

Some great examples of Christianese:

"Break bread together" vs. "Eating together"
"Testimony" vs. "Story" or "Account"
"Caused me to stumble" vs. "Was hurtful to me"
"Felt convicted" vs. "Felt bad" or "Felt remorse"

I hate to admit it, but lately I've found myself thinking in Christianese a lot more than normal. And this has me questioning my hatred of it. Upon giving Christianese a second look, here are a few solid reasons as to why it's not so horrible.

Born out of Scripture

Yes, we have Christian subcultures of all sorts: Baptist, Catholic, hipster, straight edge. But our Christian dialect is not born simply out of our subcultures; it is mostly born out of our holy Scriptures.

A large part of why Christianese is coming to my mind these days is that I have been editing a Bible commentary for nearly 10 months now. I spend most of my days reading Scripture and editing words about Scripture. And, to be frank, being over-steeped in Scripture is pretty hard to accomplish. Joshua 1:8a says, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night." That's a high bar to meet in terms of Scripture saturation, and I still don't think I've hit it.
If we, readers of the holy words of God, mingle the modern American vernacular with Scripture, I'm not so sure we should guilt ourselves about it; it's a result of time well spent feeding off of God's Word.

No Other Words

Sometimes we have no words of our own. Sometimes we are unable to form coherent thoughts and put words to feelings. This is a common occurrence during grief.During a hard break-up in college, I struggled to vocalize my feelings. I listened to a lot of Fiona Apple that summer; her album Extraordinary Machine gave words to my grief, an extremely important thing for me. While listening to her album was important to the process of grief, it didn't help me move through the grief. A dear friend simply said to me, "I think it would help if you stopped listening to Fiona Apple so much." I laughed, but he was right; I needed to focus on truth instead of simply what I was feeling. Scripture is valuable during grief because we can find expressions of grief among the words, but they are rooted in truth and hope.

After going through a miscarriage this spring, T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland ran through my mind a lot, but I longed for Scripture to reclaim the dominant place in my mind. And eventually, it did. Once I was able to borrow the words of Scripture to express my grief, I thought and spoke in Christianese a lot. But you know what? I finally had words—and I had words that were both helpful and true. Maybe I sounded like an 80-year-old church lady—but I didn't care.

A Deeper Meaning

Sometimes the Christian way of saying something holds a different or more complex meaning that cannot otherwise be expressed easily.

When we say breaking bread is an important part of community, we don't simply mean eating together. Breaking bread holds more meaning. It carries connotations of sharing, giving, receiving, honesty and laughter. Likewise, "to feel convicted" is different than "to feel guilty" or "to make a decision." The word "conviction" implies an outside party, the Holy Spirit, has intervened and influenced your thoughts and feelings. That sense of external interference is not implied easily using normal terminology.

We’ve all seen how Christianese can be misused, abused and overused. Let’s strive to use it properly and passionately, in a way that communicates the heart of God like no other words can.

Laura Ziesel is a seminary student at Azusa Pacific University and a freelance writer and editor living in sunny California with her husband. She blogs on matters of faith, gender, church culture and more at www.lauraziesel.com. She is also a contributing writer for The Redemptive Pursuit, a weekly devotional for women.

Five Significant Facts About First-Time Guests

2011-07-27T09:31:00.009-04:00

I wish EVERY church member in America could read this article by Rick Ezell. This came to me through one of the blogs I read regularly and I wanted people I know to read it, as well. I share it in hope that Christians might take to heart the importance of being friendly to guests and making a good first impression. If we want visitors to return to our services then we have to be a hospitable people. All of us can do better at this ministry (including me) as it opens the door for us to minister God's saving message.

(I have emphasized some words in blue to draw your attention to them!)

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Five Significant Facts about First-Time Guests

by Rick Ezell

You may be the most skilled preacher and your church may have excellent small groups or the best children’s ministry in the city, but your first-time guests will never know unless they make a second or third visit. Healthy and growing churches pay close attention to the people they count as members, as well as those people who are not yet a part of the flock. These churches know that new people are the lifeblood of a growing church. Like a spigot, they want to keep the valve open for the flow of new people, and most importantly, they want to ensure that nothing impairs or cuts off the flow of new people to the church.

With that in mind, pastors need to be aware of five significant facts about first-time guests looking for a church home.

1. Visitors make up their minds regarding a new church in the first ten minutes of their visit.

Often, before a first-time guest has sung an inspiring song or watched a compelling drama or viewed a well-produced video vignette or heard a well-crafted sermon, they have made up their mind whether or not to return. In fact, if you ask most church leaders, far more time and energy are spent on the plan and execution of the worship service, with only minimal time spent on preparing for the greeting and welcoming of the first-time guest, which is equally if not more important. Most pastors would rather not hear this: The church’s ability to connect with first-time guests is not dependent on you, but on those first lines of people who represent your church.

Are parking attendants in place?
Is there appropriate signage?
Are your ushers and greeters performing the “right” job?
Is the environment you take for granted user-friendly and accepting to guests?

2. Most church members aren’t friendly.

Churches claim to be friendly. In fact, many churches put that expression in their logo or tag line. But my experience in visiting churches as a first-time guest proves otherwise. The truth is that most church members are friendly to the people they already know, but not to guests.

Observe to see if your members greet guests with the same intensity and concern before and after the worship service as they do during a formal time of greeting in the worship service. A lack of friendliness before and after the service sends a mixed, if not hypocritical, message to new people.
The six most important minutes of a church service, in a visitor’s eyes, are the three minutes before the service and the three minutes after the service, when church members introduce themselves, seeking genuinely to get to know the visitors (not just obtain personal information like the market research data collectors at the mall), offer to answer any questions, introduce them to others who may have a connection (perhaps they live in the same neighborhood, are from the same hometown or state, or their children attend the same school), or any number of ways to demonstrate to the visitors that they as a church member care.
A church would be wise to discover their most gregarious and welcoming members and deploy them as unofficial greeters before and after each service, in addition to designated parking-lot greeters, door greeters, ushers, and informational booth personnel.
Don’t make promises the church can’t keep. My wife attended a church recently that calls itself “The Friendly _______ Baptist Church,” but no one spoke to her before the service and when she sought information from the guest information booth she was treated by the attendant as a bother. Mixed messages and unfulfilled promises do great harm in a church’s effectiveness in welcoming new people.

3. Church guests are highly consumer-oriented.

“If Target doesn’t have what I need, I just head to K-Mart.” “If the Delta airfare is too high, American might have a sale.” Capitalism has taught us that if we don’t find what we want, someone else down the street or at another web site will have it. If your church building is too hard for newcomers to navigate, if they have to park in the “back 40,” if your people are unaccepting and unfriendly, another church down the street may have what they’re looking for. Or worse yet, they may decide getting into a church is not worth the effort and give up their search altogether.

Pastors and church leaders need to look at their churches through the eyes of a first-time guest. Rick Warren says that the longer a pastor has been a pastor, the less he thinks like a non-pastor. That same thought would apply to thinking like a guest.
The use of objective, yet trained, anonymous guests to give an honest appraisal is very important. Many retail outlets utilize the service of one or more “mystery guests” to provide helpful analysis of welcoming and responding to the consumer. Churches would be well served to utilize a similar service.

4. The church is in the hospitality business.

Though our ultimate purpose is spiritual, one of our first steps in the Kingdom business is attention to hospitality. Imagine the service that would be given to you in a first-class hotel or a five-star restaurant. Should the church offer anything less to those who have made the great effort to be our guests?

Hospitality is almost a forgotten virtue in our society. When was the last time someone invited you to their home for a meal? But it needs to be reawakened.
Church members can extend hospitality to guests by offering to sit with them during the church service, giving them a tour of the church facilities, inviting them to lunch after service, or connecting with them later in the week.

5. You only have one chance to make a good first impression.

More than a truism, first impressions are lasting ones. Little hope of correcting a bad first impression is possible. Your first-time guests have some simple desires and basic needs. They decide very quickly if you can meet those criteria. The decision to return for a second visit is often made before guests reach your front door.

Are you creating the entire experience, beginning with your parking lot?
Are you consciously working to remove barriers that make it difficult for guests to find their way around and to feel at home with your people?
Do newcomers have all the information they need without having to ask any embarrassing questions?
Are your greeters and ushers on the job, attending to details and anticipating needs before they are expressed?
Does anything about your guests’ first experience make them say, “Wow!” and want to return?

You may be the most skilled preacher and your church may have excellent small groups or the best children’s ministry in the city. Your first-time guests will never know unless they make a second or third visit. Will they come back? It all depends on the impression you’re making. Make it the right one the first time.

2011-07-05T07:00:00.003-04:00

Click the image above and it will take you to the web site.

In the past two months, God has brought us a new and wonderful opportunity of outreach that expands our ministry well beyond our local region. We have wanted for some time to enable “live streaming” of our Sunday worship services over the Internet so that people who can’t attend can feel like they are present with us. With the connection, equipment and software in place, on May 1, we began utilizing this exceptional opportunity to impact an even greater number of people for Christ. At or before the time of our three Sunday worship services (9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.) you simply enter lmbc.tv into your web browser and you are able to view our services as they are happening. How cool is that?

This isn’t something new in other parts of the country, but it is new to us and it is already garnering a lot of “praise” from people who have to miss our services occasionally, are living where they can’t find a church home, or have health issues that prevent them from attending at all. Recently, one of our men who is unable to be at church due to providential matters told me that it made him feel as if he is still connected to the daily activity of our fellowship. And, we have already heard from people watching the services who are as far away as Poland, as well as from many in the states and in our own local community. I never knew just how big this ministry could be, but I’m now convinced that we can reach a significant part of the world right from the sanctuary of LMBC.

I once heard a speaker say that “someone is going to preach to more than a million people every Sunday … by way of the Internet.” At first I thought this was only fanciful thinking, but now I see how it can happen. Wouldn’t it be great if there were more than a million people tuning into our services live each Sunday? With our new Internet streaming it is no longer just a fantasy; it is now a distinct possibility! The potential for touching thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) has never been greater than it is right now. In fact, our recent statistics show that an average of 300 people already are watching our services on a regular basis.

For many years, we have broadcast our edited services on local TV (WCHS) and people have repeatedly told me they are tuning in each Sunday. But, I have never been as pleased as I am by the the positive responses we are hearing from this new ministry. I suppose that people know that the TV broadcast is an edited version of a past worship service (at least one month behind), and somehow they feel more connected to our church when they can see and hear the whole service live from beginning to end.

Just for clarification, this opportunity should never be a substitute for participating in person with a local church where you are serving and sharing God’s love on a weekly basis. However, there are many people who don’t have the privilege of attending a church like ours, who physically can’t attend church, or are in a church whose service times are different to our own worship services. These and many others would love to have our church come to them. That is what I’m being told by those presently utilizing lmbc.tv and if you’ll help me spread the word about this opportunity, I’m sure there will be many more who will respond favorably, as well.

One additional note, if you use an iPhone, iPod or iPad, you can now download a special web browser called “Skyfire” from the iTunes store that will enable you to watch the services on those devices, also. I tried this when I was away recently and it was wonderful to sit in a state far away from my home and participate in the services as they were happening.

What we need for you to do is to send invitations to your friends and family to inform them about this Internet streaming service so they can watch our services, too. It is free to watch and I believe could potentially be life-changing for many. Join me in praying that God will enable us to enlarge our viewing audience through this new medium of outreach to the far reaches of the earth. The Internet is bringing the world closer to us and us closer to the world so that we may give them the glorious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Did You Know? You Can Judge a Book by Its Cover!

2011-07-03T20:49:00.002-04:00

Christians and the Codex

It might surprise you to know that New Testament manuscripts were not written on scrolls. Most people think that the form of the modern book, known as the codex, was not invented until the Middle Ages. A codex is a book written on both sides of the page, with cut pages, bound on one side. In other words, a book! The roll or scroll was written only on one side as a rule, and it had columns with continuous pages stitched together. The codex was invented in the late first century AD. Christians may not have invented it, but they were the first ones to popularize it. For the first five centuries AD, eighty percent of all Christian books were on a codex while only twenty percent of all non-Christian books were written on a codex. For the first time in Christian history, followers of Christ were ahead of the technological curve!

The New Testament on a Roll

There are actually four New Testament manuscripts written on rolls. But all of them are on the backside or the verso side. Something else is written on the front or recto side. These papyrus rolls were reused by Christians—probably on rolls that had been discarded—who simply wanted to have a portion of the Bible at hand. In the Middle Ages, when very little was known about the ancient world, icons (a.k.a. miniatures) of the four Gospel writers (known as evangelists) were created that showed them writing on a codex. But this is historically inaccurate. We do not know exactly when Christians began using the codex-form, but it was most likely close to the beginning of the second century. Since all the Gospels are first-century documents, it is most likely that they were all written on rolls. In 2 Timothy 4.13, Paul asks Timothy to “bring the scrolls, especially the parchments.” The word for scrolls is biblia from which we derive our word Bible. It was the word for book, but was used for scrolls/rolls when Paul wrote this letter.

Some of the Implications for Understanding the New Testament

There are several implications for our understanding of the New Testament when we consider the form of the book then in use.

The Gospel of Mark almost surely ended at 16.8, with verses 9–20 added in the middle of the second century. Some scholars believe that Mark’s real ending was lost. But that presupposes that the early copies of Mark would have been written on a codex. Codices regularly lose material at the beginning and end of the book, just like modern-day paperback books do. But a roll would have been wound up, with the last section of the book on the inside. It would have been the most protected section of all. Thus, it is more likely that Mark intentionally ended his Gospel with an open-ended conclusion than that the real ending is lost.

The letter to the Hebrews, like every other New Testament document, would also have been written on a roll. An examination of ancient papyrus letters reveals two types when it comes to the addressee: they are either on the inside of the roll (as in all of Paul’s letters) or the outside. Hebrews was of the latter type. Frequently, because of exposure to the elements and handling by the courier, the addressee on the outside of papyrus rolls has faded. Sometimes the address was written on a label which was then glued to the outside of the roll. Either way, it seems likely that those to whom the letter to the Hebrews was written are unknown because the address was on the outside of the roll. The very form of this book, with the address on the outside, suggests that Paul would not have written Hebrews—as most scholars believe—since it does not conform to his modus operandi seen in all of his letters.

The book of Revelation speaks of a book that is sealed with seven seals (Rev 6). In order to get to each sealed section, the roll would have to be unwound. Then the wax seal would need to be cut before proceeding. If this book had been a codex, the reader could open the sections in any order, slicing open the seal he or she wanted.

Original article located at The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts

How the Bible's Formatting Can Shape the Bible's Reading

2011-07-01T21:02:00.004-04:00

Written by Daniel B. Wallace

Matthew 9.36–10.3 in
Beza’s Greek-Latin New Testament (1588)

Did you know that verse numbers were not added to New Testaments until 1551? The first New Testament to have them was Stephanus’ fourth edition of the Greek New Testament. His text had two Latin versions and one Greek. He put in verse numbers so that readers could keep track of how the texts lined up. The first New Testament translation (based on Stephanus’ fourth edition) to use verse numbers was the Geneva New Testament of 1557, then the Geneva Bible of 1560.

The verse numbers added a new wrinkle to Bibles, however. Each new verse was indented as though it started a new paragraph. This created a problem for readers because seeing the verses in their contexts was now more difficult to do. The practice of indenting each verse continued with Theodore Beza’s Greek New Testament, which the King James Version (1611) was translated from. In turn, one or two of the KJV’s descendants (most notably, the NASB) also employed the verse-indentation scheme. Not only did this format make the context harder to discern, it also gave rise to illegitimate ‘proof-texting.’ Most modern translations now indent only the paragraphs, listing the verse numbers within each paragraph. What started out as a tool to help readers compare versions became a device to keep people from understanding scripture in its context. The lesson learned from this is that the very formatting of the word of God can shape how people read the Bible.

CSNTM

We Cannot Ignore the Subject of Sin...And Still Have the Gospel!

2011-06-09T12:06:00.000-04:00

“From start to finish, Jesus’ life and ministry were aimed at dealing with our sin. The angel who announced His birth told Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21b). This is why Jesus was born into obscure poverty, His infant body placed not on a royal bed but in an animal’s feeding trough. Though very God of very God, He was born into humiliation so as to take up the cause of sinners. This is why Jesus insisted on receiving the baptism of repentance. John the Baptist tried to refuse, saying, “`I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, `Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented” (Matt. 3:14b-15). This is why Jesus associated with sinners, a practice that drew the criticism of the Pharisees. They complained to His disciples: “`Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when [Jesus] heard it, he said, `Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”‘ (Matt. 9:11b-13).

“Above all, this is why Jesus meekly submitted when He was unjustly convicted, even though Pontius Pilate had declared Him completely innocent. This was why Jesus accepted the dreadful lash of the Roman scourge, when He might have called down legions of angels to His defense. This is why He permitted Himself to be abused, allowed His body to be draped with a mock purple robe, and submitted His head to be pierced with a bloody crown of thorns-that He might be presented before history as the very picture of sinful mankind judged, condemned, and punished. And this is why the Son of God willingly took up the cross, forsaken by God and man, and died for sins He did not commit. Jesus Himself summed up the purpose of His whole saving work: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).

“Do you see why, therefore, we not only can but must bring up the issue of sin in our offer of God’s salvation? If sin was so important to God that He sent His only beloved Son into the world to deal specifically with it; if sin is so great a barrier between God and man that only the precious blood of Christ could remove it; and if Jesus was so committed to the salvation of sinners that He was willing to go to this horrific length to achieve it, how dare we cover up the topic of sin as some embarrassment to us or an impediment to the success of Christ’s church! Do you see why we must be willing to ask people to confess their sins in worship that is offered up in Christ’s name? Do you see why we must preach a gospel not just of cheery sentimentality but of the true and bad news of sin for which Christ paid so great a cost?”

Richard D. Phillips, Jesus the Evangelist (Kindle Edition)

The BIG Truth

2011-06-08T09:00:00.004-04:00

Sunday, June 12, 2011, begins "The BIG Truth" project for our children's ministry (LKC). We will be invaded every Sunday by all kinds of dinosaurs. LOOK OUT...there's one flying around the lower lobby already so duck if you see him coming toward you!!

If you want your children to learn "The BIG Truth" about God's creation I encourage you to see to it that they don't miss ANY of these upcoming lessons.

Nearly every day your kids are bombarded with the message of evolution (i.e., the big lie). If parents and our churches don't give them biblical, scientific, and reasoned answers and explanations about God's creation, there will be a vacuum in their lives that the evolutionists will be glad to fill.

About 500 hours of work has gone into preparing for this project that will conclude with our VBS program called, "The BIG Dig." Your kids will actually be able to dig for fossils during VBS week along with a BUNCH (!!) of other exciting and fun creation stuff.

This is BIG...REALLY BIG!! And, it starts Sunday, June 12, 2011, at 10:30 a.m.

Ten Things You Should Ask God To Do for Your Children

2011-06-05T22:13:00.002-04:00

There were several things that my wife and I prayed (regularly) for our children as we were raising them. This is not an exhaustive list, but it reflects the things we felt were important during their formative years. Whatever you do, make sure that you pray for these precious gifts God has entrusted to you. Our kids need us to intercede for them every day of their lives.

We Should Pray...

That our children will trust Christ as their Savior at the earliest possible age. (2 Timothy 3:15; Psalm 63:1)
That our children will be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:1,2)
That our children will have a godly hatred for sin. (Psalm 97:10)
That our children will be caught whenever they do wrong. (Psalm 119:71; cf. 119:67; 94:12)
That our children will be protected from the evil one in every area of their lives: spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially. (John 17:15)
That our children will always respect the authority over them. (Romans 13:1)
That our children will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong ones. (1 Corinthians 15:33)
That our children will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (1 Corinthians 6:15)
That our children, as well as the ones they will ultimately marry, will be kept pure until their wedding day. (1 Corinthians 6:13-20)
That God will teach our children the virtue of true humility. (James 4:6)

Four New Testament Manuscript Discoveries

2011-06-02T08:16:00.002-04:00

The article below was written by one of the men that was on the trip to Athens, Greece, with our son to photograph ancient New Testament manuscripts. On this expedition there were four new manuscripts of the New Testament discovered, in addition to the ones they originally traveled to document. This article references our son several times and describes the kind of work he and the team do when they take these international excursions. I think you will find it interesting and informative in understanding the work of The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts.

Four New Testament Discoveries on My First Trip Abroad.
(written by Rory Crowly)

For the last two weeks of May, CSNTM’s Executive Director Dr. Daniel B. Wallace led a four-man team to Greece to photograph eight New Testament manuscripts at the Byzantine and Christian Museum (BXM) in Athens.

We had a stellar team. J. D. Lemming, a former CSNTM intern and seasoned expedition-vet, added some timely experience to the shoot. Paul Wheatley, another former intern of Dr. Wallace, also came with us. Because he and his wife lived in Athens from 2007 to 2009, he is fluent in modern Greek, is well versed when it comes to Athenian culture, got the four-man team cheap lodging, and knows all the great spots to get gyros. Having Paul with us was insightful and very important in terms of solidifying vital contacts for future expeditions, not just in Athens, but all across Greece. The expedition was undoubtedly significant for CSNTM in many respects, but for me it was the experience of a lifetime. This was my first time abroad and the first time to see the mission of CSNTM in action.

For the last year or so, I worked for the Center as a volunteer intern and have been recently hired as the new Intern Coordinator. I have been exposed to virtually all aspects of the organization, except for actually going on an expedition. With this incredible opportunity in Athens, I experienced the mission of CSNTM personally! Participating in the tedious, technical, and yet exciting digital preservation process, evaluating individual scribal habits, searching for significant textual variants, utilizing the very best in photographic and computer technology, developing new relationships with institutions for future expeditions, I was actually experiencing what CSNTM was all about!

From the moment we arrived in Athens, it was straight to work. We first went to the Greek Parliament, the Gennadios Library at the American School of Classical Studies, and then off to Athens University. At each one of these locations, we tried to do some front-end work for future expeditions. We evaluated and prepped some manuscripts, while gaining important contacts. Tuesday, it was off to the races with shooting. We arrived at the BXM bright and early to begin the shoot. All in all, we shot eight manuscripts consisting of just over 2,000 images in seven very full days of work. The last day of the shoot, J.D. and Paul stayed at the Byzantine to shoot the last manuscript while Dr. Wallace and I went back to some of the other locations to look at a few more manuscripts. During this time, we discovered a twelfth-century Gospels minuscule! After that, Wheatley and Wallace discovered another two Gospels manuscripts. Later, J.D. and Paul found fragments of a manuscript of Acts in the back of a Gospels manuscript. Altogether, this expedition yielded four New Testament manuscript discoveries!

Once we finished in Athens, we headed north to do some more front-end work. We first stopped off at Tirnavos, a little town off the beaten path. In the city library are hundreds of handwritten manuscripts, some New Testament manuscripts among them. (There aren’t too many city libraries in the States that have New Testament manuscripts, I imagine.) Then we headed to a place called Meteora. It was other-worldly, unlike anything I have ever seen before. Meteora, literally meaning, “suspended in air,” is one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Greece. It is home to huge sandstone pillars that shoot straight up from the forest landscape below. Some of these pillars are home to centuries-old Greek Orthodox monasteries. At times, I felt like I was on a Hawaiian island; at other times, like I was back home in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

The greatest part about it though was the hospitality of the nuns at one of the monasteries we visited. One of our contacts at the Byzantine was able to call the Monastery of Agiou Stephanou (St. Stephen) and set up a time to look at their manuscript holdings. I have never experienced anything like this before. The monastery was impressive all around and from the very moment we arrived, the hospitality from the nuns was warm and unceasing. They offered us Greek coffee (which has the grounds in bottom of it!) and the best homemade baklava I have ever had. Additionally, they provided lunch for us. Their manuscripts were impressive too.

In addition to a very productive trip for CSNTM and discovering four manuscripts for the world of New Testament studies, our down time on the weekends included sight-seeing at the Acropolis and Aeropagos in Athens, a trip to the ancient city of Corinth, and on our way back from Meteora a brief stop at Thermopylae where the 300 Spartans fought off the million-man Persian army. Not bad for a kid who had never been outside the U.S., I think. All in all, the expedition was a huge success for CSNTM and an experience that I shall not soon forget.

The Last Word on Harold Camping...

2011-05-30T22:03:00.001-04:00

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve all been made loathsomely aware of the doomsday prediction of Harold Camping. The news media was quick to pick up on his ruminations about the end of the world partly (I think) because it gives them opportunity to ridicule Christianity in general. I’ll admit that I, too, made fun of Mr. Camping as the day of his prediction drew near. To not distance yourself from his foolishness made it too easy for people to lump you together with him, since he claims to be a Christian and follow the Bible. I also joked about his prediction because it was incredibly presumptuous on his part, setting aside the sheer heresy of making such a claim. It was either laugh at his overt arrogance or boil over with anger for the shame and reproach he was bringing on the name of Christ. I chose the first over the latter for the sake of my own sanity. Of course, he is not the first to lay claim to possessing an inside track to God’s sovereign timetable, nor, I'm sure, will he be the last. Unfortunately, there always seems to be somebody waiting in the wings that thinks God has given him a special knowledge that has been withheld from every other diligent student of the Bible throughout the ages.

Now that Mr. Camping's mathematically deciphered “doomsday” prediction has passed (though he's now changed the date to be October, 2011), I feel compelled to make one final, clarifying statement about this whole matter before closing the chapter on him and moving on.

While I believe that Mr. Camping and all others like him are to be dismissed out of hand whenever they make such ludicrous predictions, I do not want people to also dismiss the biblical truth that one day Christ will return. The Second Coming of Jesus is as theologically true as the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, the virgin birth, the sacrificial and vicarious death of Jesus, the bodily resurrection of our Savior, the infallibility/inspiration of the Bible, etc. There will be a time when Christians are caught out of this world followed by a terrible time of judgment known as the Tribulation (Revelation 4-19) before Christ establishes His Kingdom on earth. That's the eschatology that I believe is systematically revealed in Scripture. Though good theologians may debate some of the finer points of the doctrine of the Second Coming, ultimately, they all affirm the orthodox position that He will come again. The primary problem with Mr. Camping (and others like him) was that he presumed to know the exact timing of end-time events when God has clearly indicated that no man knows the day or hour they will occur (Matthew 25:13).

There are numerous references that affirm the biblical truth of the Second Coming. For instance, when Jesus ascended back to Heaven following His resurrection the angels said He would come again (Acts 1:11). Jesus Himself told His disciples that if He went away He would return for His followers (John 14:1-6). Paul speaks about the coming of Christ being a comforting hope for the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and the writer of Hebrews says we should eagerly await His return (Hebrews 9:28). John says that those who are expecting His coming will spiritually prepare for it (1 John 3:1-3) and he also closes the Revelation with a prayer for His coming, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). I wholeheartedly affirm what the Scripture teaches...one day Jesus will answer John’s prayer. Until that day, you and I should be busy about the Lord’s work seeking to glorify Him and leading others to faith in Him.

Don’t let yourself be deceived by any person who says he knows the exact timing of our Lord’s return, but neither let yourself be cynical about the promise of His coming.

Clarifying My Position On Two Important Issues

2011-05-29T12:53:00.003-04:00

One of the things I learned early in my ministry is to “take with a grain of salt” every report I hear that people find necessary to pass along to me. The reason for adopting this policy is because so much of what is said by people isn’t just verbal, but visual, too. That is, they say things in jest that unless you are there to hear the statements (i.e., their tone) for yourself, as well as see how they said it, you simply cannot tell if it was offered in good humor or as an actual criticism. Consequently, too often people take offense at things that were never intended to be offensive and end up hurt when they should have been laughing.

For the last few months I have taken this approach with comments that have been passed along to me which are reportedly being spoken by people that are outside the direct responsibility of my ministry and our church. Most of the time these types of things ultimately die on their own and never need to be addressed. On other occasions, though, it is important to say something about the comments primarily because you want those who follow your leadership to understand your thinking on specific issues. The later of the two is what prompts me to write this blog post today. Let me state clearly that I am not writing to "return fire" by pointing out some “contrived errors” where I believe my fellow servants have gone astray or veered from acceptable tradition. Actually, one of the greatest days in my life was the day I discovered that God didn’t hold me responsible for what every other church is doing. He only holds me accountable for being faithful to follow Him in my own ministry. Consequently, I don't have to concern myself with other Bible-believing churches or feel like I'm the worship police, called to enforce my preferences on other congregations. Neither am I writing to be argumentative with the people that have made these statements, but only so that you will know the facts about my position.

Needless to say, I am, however, deeply saddened by my fellow servants and their comments, primarily because these men have known me for years, have been friendly with me (though we don’t see each other frequently), and know my strong doctrinal beliefs. You can’t pastor one church in one city for twenty-eight years and it not be known where you stand on most issues, especially when you have a ministry that broadcasts its services on weekly TV. Neither do I believe that talking about another Bible-believing church or pastor in a derogatory manner aids the cause of Christ or helps our churches win more people to Jesus.

Apparently, the two major concerns that have caused these individuals to speak against me and our fellowship are as follows: first, they disagree with the style of music we use, which entails our blending of contemporary praise music with traditional hymns, as well as our choice of instrumentation to accompany the music. And, the second concerns the fact that I use something other than the KJV from the pulpit (I use the NKJV) and will not affirm their position that it is the "only" translation in the English language for the English speaking people. When I first heard about their statements I dismissed them out of hand and never thought another thing about them. But, because they have been repeated to me now on several occasions over the last few months I think it is appropriate to address them so that people who are fair-minded will know my heart and see that these criticisms are likely agenda driven.

Of these two accusations, the most disheartening one for me is their criticism of me for not using the KJV translation from our pulpit and not affirming that it is the “only” Bible in the English language for the English speaking people. I respect my brethren for their sincere desire to honor and defend the authority of God's Holy Word. I, too, want to honor and defend God's Word against the attacks of liberal skeptics. But, the fact is, I am neither a liberal, nor a skeptic. It should concern all of us whenever we hear someone maligning the Scriptures or denying the inspiration of the Bible. But, I have always preached the Bible as the Word of God and I will continue to call people to follow Scripture in whatever it affirms. I’m also very grateful that God has preserved His Word for us in approximately 6000 ancient manuscripts and manuscript fragments, as well as other languages where the Bible was translated in early church history and in the preaching manuscripts of the early church fathers. There is no other book in all of antiquity that is as well attested as God's Holy Word. Further, I have great respect for the King James Version as it is the text God chose to use for nearly 400 years in bringing people to faith in Christ and it was the translation I used for many years in my own ministry. Sadly, though, the battle over Bible translations has become so vitriolic that harsh and extremely defamatory comments are now common fare in this discussion. It seems to me that when the substance of your argument is insufficient to win the debate, that people too often resort to ad hominem attacks on those who disagree with them.

What you should know about this issue is that the KJV "only" perspective is not the historic position of the church, nor is it the view of most Bible-believing, evangelical scholars. It is not even the view of the translators of the King James Version or Erasmus in whom the KJV “only” proponents place so much confidence. If you really want to get a feel for how differently good people can see this issue you need only look at two of the most rigidly fundamental schools in the USA: Bob Jones University and Pensacola Christian College. Would it surprise you to know that they strongly disagree with one another on the issue of the KJV being the "only" Bible in the English language for the English speaking people? I have never heard anyone say that either of these two institutions are liberal in their theology. On nearly every (if not every) major point of Bible doctrine these two colleges are in agreement, as well as in their musical preferences, I might add. As the old saying goes, “even a greased BB wouldn’t fit between them.” But, on the KJV "only" matter they are miles apart. I use this not to endorse or critize either school, but only to illustrate that differing on this subject does not necessarily make you a liberal or mean you have compromised the truth. Further, it shows that this whole KJV "only" debate is not quite as simple as some people would like you to believe. From my own study on both sides of this issue I cannot personally see how the explanations that are offered by KJV "only" advocates can be supported historically, textually, and/or logically by the evidence. I simply do not believe the facts bear out their position, but that doesn't make me a liberal or our church worthy of hurtful criticisms.

Let me again personally affirm that I believe in the inspiration, infallibility and preservation of God’s Word, as do my brethren that criticize me. However, after diligent pursuit of this matter over many years I cannot affirm that the KJV is the “only” translation of the Bible that is reliable for our use today. And, it is untenable and illogical to me for a person to take a modern translation and compare it to the KJV to determine if it is a faithful rendering of God’s Holy Word (which most KJV “only” advocates do). The Bible was not written in English and only when a translation is compared diligently to the copies of the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts, can you discover the quality of a Bible translation. Further, I believe that it is in the totality of this manuscript evidence, carefully compared by textual scholars, that we find God’s preserved Word in the original languages.

Simply put, God wants us to know His Word and I think that using a good modern translation is one of the legitimate ways we can better grasp what He is saying to us. If you choose to use the KJV because it holds a special place in your life and ministry, then by all means make it your preferred text. But, when a fellow Christian affirms his belief in the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture, but uses a different translation than the KJV, I don’t believe God is pleased when division is created over the issue.

As to the matter of our music program, I want you to know that I have never been more pleased with our worship music than I am today. We still sing hymns, but we have broadened our musical horizons to include other excellent compositions that move the heart and soul toward God. I have read and studied the Scripture consistently for the last thirty-seven years and I have never read one verse that states that a particular style of music is commanded, endorsed or specifically blessed by God. It is also undeniably true that many different types of instruments were used in the praise of God throughout the Bible, including percussion instruments. Unfortunately, too much of the debate concerning church music is generationally driven rather than Biblically driven. People grow up hearing and liking a particular style of music and that’s what they prefer when they come to church. There is nothing wrong with having a preference, but you cannot make it a law that everybody else has to follow or they’re not right with God. Most people don’t even know that some of the melodies for the hymns they love started out as secular songs that were adapted for church use by changing the words. It’s gloriously freeing when you finally discover that God can and does use people and things that are outside your own personal comfort zone.

For years I have said that Southern Gospel music is not my favorite style of music. It just doesn’t fit my ear, but I don’t belittle people or think them Biblically unsound because they love it and will travel hundreds of miles just to hear their favorite group sing. As long as the music is theologically sound and is enabling people to exalt Christ, then each of us is entitled to enjoy the style of our preference.

In our church we use many different styles and usually everyone eventually hears something they specifically like best. I think some people would like their church music tailored so that everything is exactly to their own personal preferences. Maybe we should develop personal sound booths in each pew with individual dials that permit you to choose your musical style each Sunday. Possibly we could make each seat a recliner pew so that people can be fully relaxed while doing their listening. We might even develop a means of allowing the individual worshipper to chose the specific sermon he wants to hear on any given Sunday. Of course, you know that I’m being facetious and trying to be somewhat humorous. The truth is, we all have to learn to be tolerant of each other when it comes to worship music. The older members of a congregation must accept that the young people aren’t necessarily going to like the same style of music in church that they liked growing up. But, neither should the young people be allowed to tailor all of the worship service specifically to their own personal tastes. Church is to be a blending of all types of people from many different walks of life with different tastes and preferences all praising God together...in unity. Aren’t we suppose to prefer our brother before ourselves and not just demand our own way? Shouldn’t the more mature Christians be among the most flexible in the realm of personal preferences? Isn’t it the immature that usually make the most demands and the mature that know the value of sacrifice? I make no apologies for the wonderful music we enjoy every Sunday in our services, nor for the diversity that God has allowed us to experience in this realm. We are among the most blessed congregations when it comes to singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord. Whether it’s a hymn, psalm, or spiritual song all our music brings glory to God.

Let me close this lengthy article by saying that I love my brethren, even though they choose to misrepresent our church. You could go down the list of basic doctrinal beliefs and probably the only significant difference between us will be in the areas I’ve already addressed. I have not, nor am I going to compromise my doctrinal stance. It is the foundation on which I have built my ministry. Nor will I acquiesce on some of these secondary matters in order to please critics that apparently don’t know my heart or commitment to the truth very well. I’ll just keep loving them and seeking the best for them in the fashion Christ sought the best for those that misunderstood and misrepresented Him.

Jesus Saves

2011-05-28T16:25:00.005-04:00

Because this is Memorial Day weekend and many people are traveling and away from church...I am going to take a break from our series: Are You A Fan or a Follower? We will resume the series next weekend by asking one of the most important questions you'll ever have to answer.

This Sunday I'm bringing one of my all time favorite messages. I haven't shared this specific message in several years, but there is none that I like preaching more than this one. I believe that your appreciation of what Christ did for you on the cross will grow exponentially as you consider the wisdom of the cross. Hope you'll be in attendance tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.

Tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. we will have an abbreviated service and then head outside to enjoy some ice cream and fellowship together, as well as raise some much needed funds to help Lauren Gibson with her summer missions internship.

Hope you'll be there and bring someone with you, too.