Is Preaching Primary?

From Mark Dever’s and Paul Alexander’s work: “The Deliberate Church” (Crossway, 2005)

When I was interviewing with Capitol Hill Baptist Church before they
called me to be their pastor, someone asked me if I had a program or
plan to implement for growth. Perhaps to this person’s surprise . . .
I responded that I didn’t really have any great plans or programs to
implement. I was just armed with four P’s – I would preach, pray,
develop personal discipling relationships, and be patient.

Maybe even more surprising to some, I said that I was happy to see
every aspect of my public ministry fail if it needed to . . . except
for the preaching of God’s Word. Now what kind of a thing is that for
a pastoral candidate to say to a church? What I wanted to get across
was that there’s only one thing that’s biblically necessary for
building the church, and that’s the preached Word of God. Others could
do every other duty, but only I was responsible and set apart by the
congregation for the public teaching of God’s Word. This would be the
fountain of our spiritual life, both as individuals and as a
congregation.

God’s Word has always been His chosen instrument to create, convict,
convert, and conform His people. . . .

The Gospel is God’s way of giving life to dead sinners – and to dead
churches (Ezek. 37:1-14). He doesn’t have another way. If we want to
work for renewed life and health and holiness in our churches, then we
must work for it according to God’s revealed mode of operation.
Otherwise we risk running in vain. God’s Word is His supernatural
power for accomplishing His supernatural work. That’s why our
eloquence, innovations, and programs are so much less important than
we think; that’s why we as pastors must give ourselves to preaching,
not programs; and that’s why we need to be teaching our congregations
to value God’s Word over programs. Preaching the content and intent of
God’s Word is what unleashes the power of God on the people of God,
because God’s power for building His people is in His Word,
particularly as we find it in the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). God’s Word
builds His church. So preaching His Gospel is primary.

Mark Dever and Paul Alexander, The Deliberate Church: Building Your
Ministry on the Gospel (Crossway, 2005), p. 33, 35.

Sad, But True, Part II (Humor)

One Sunday morning, a mother went in to wake her son and tell him it was time to get ready for church, to which he replied, “I’m not going.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“I’ll give you two good reasons,” he said. “One, they don’t like me, and two, I don’t like them.”
His mother replied, “I’ll give you two good reasons why you should go to church. One, you’re 54 years old, and two, you’re the pastor!”

Sad, but True

Copyright ©2006 ChristianityToday.com, Christianity Today International465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Printed with permission.

I Wish We’d All Been Ready (Matthew 24:32-51)

Preached Sunday, January 29, 2006
(You can listen to this via RealAudio at http://www.boonescreekchurch.com/sermons) .

There are few things worse than missing a connecting flight to your intended destination. Back in 1996, one of my friends in Miami (Perrine, more specifically) was getting married and they asked me to play for their wedding. My flight took me from Louisville to Cincinnati to Miami. Simple enough, right? Not so much apparently.

The flight from Louisville to Cincinnati was running late, which meant that I missed my connecting flight to Miami. So they shuffled me off to a flight heading to Ft. Lauderdale, some 45 minutes north of Miami. I had a fairly smooth flight, but I began planning on how I would get to Miami where my friends would meet me.

To accommodate this, the airline arranged for me to ride in a limo to the Miami airport so I could meet my friends who were to pick me up. I arrive at the airport expecting to be greeted by friends that I hadn’t seen in a while, but alas they were not there. I had no cell phone then and did not have my friend’s number where they were staying. So I looked up in a phone book and just went down the line. Finally, I got a hold of my friend’s mother who greeted me with, “Matthew!” in that beautiful Hispanic accent she had. She then proceeded to tell me that my friends heard that I was landing in Ft. Lauderdale, so they went to get me. All the while I was driving to Miami. We passed each other on the way and didn’t know it. So instead of seeing them around 2:30, I saw them around 8:30.

How frustrating it is when we miss our airport connections that promise to take us to our intended destination! But there are other ways to miss it. We can be running late! Someone calls on the phone just as you’re walking out the door. One of your kids makes a mess and you have to change their clothes. Or maybe your car, which had been so reliable in the recent past, decides not to start. Or maybe you get behind because you can’t find the right outfit in your closet!

There are lots of reasons why we run behind and cannot seem to get ready in time. It’s frustrating … and maybe if you find this happening over and over, you are beginning to take steps to remedy this pattern. But do you find yourself getting frustrated for being late for an event, an appointment, a get-together — but do we find the same urgency in being ready for the Ultimate Appointment? Will we be truly ready when Christ returns for His children?
As we come to the end of Christ’s instruction to His disciples about the end times, He ends it with some dire warnings and pictures of how the end times will look. We have been in Mark, but a parallel passage with some more details are contained in the Gospel According to Matthew in Matthew 24:32-51.

This morning, we need to heed Jesus’ words and ask ourselves, “Are we truly ready when Christ makes His glorious appearing?”

1. Study the signs … and heed His Word (Matthew 24:32-35).

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. [33] So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. [34] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

One thing the world must glean from the teachings of Christ is that we need to be observant — a point that Jesus will make repeatedly in these passages before us. He desires us to learn, to study, to evaluate what is before us in light of His holy Word and we will not be caught off-guard.

He directs us to the fig tree — and the lesson is quite simple. When you start seeing leaves on the tree, you know immediately that summer is near. Then Jesus says, “So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” All these things? What does Jesus mean? What things?

Here you have to go back and look at what Jesus mentioned would happen as the end approached: the abomination of desolation, false Christs, the darkening of the sun and moon, the coming of Christ, the gathering of the elect from the four winds — these are the things that Jesus desires us to be aware of. The ‘leaves’ of the fig tree represent all the issues Jesus spoke of leading up to this point.

But then Jesus says in v. 34, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Some hold to the view that Jesus intended all these things to be accomplished during the generation in which He spoke. But ‘this generation’ can also mean the generation in which all these things begin to take place — and this is how I understand it. These things that Jesus mentioned to His disciples did not take place during their lifetimes nor really during any time since!

How disastrous it would be for us to be so blinded and unobservant to the things around us that we do not look and see whether the end is near. How irresponsible it would be for us to simply say, “Well, they’ve been talking about this for generations… it didn’t happen then and it won’t happen in my generation … it’s still a long way off.”

Are you so sure? We will find out there is no way to be sure of when … but there must be one thing we are sure of — the endurance and authority of God’s Word. “Heaven and earth with pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Have you noticed that people seem to spend so much time looking into the end times realm of Christianity and the Scriptures, that some neglect the other parts? I’ve seen it when pastors begin a series on studying Revelation or Daniel or any of these other books, crowds just seem to swell!

2. Stay alert for Christ’s return, even if you do not know when it will be (Matthew 24:36-44).

Jesus tells us that no one knows the day or the hour except the Father. He clearly states that not even the angels who attend to the Father, and not even the Son. Most find this an issue. They say, “If Jesus is truly God, then He would know everything, right? If His Father knows it and He is God, then Jesus should be aware of these plans as well.”

When Jesus came to earth, He willingly set aside some traits of His Godhood in order to come and bring redemption and salvation to His people — yet never in one bit relinquished his Godhead. For instance: there were times when Jesus knew the thoughts of people. (Mark 2:6-7) and even the conversation, though out of earshot (Mark 9:33-35). So it wasn’t as if he couldn’t know what was going on, but He chose not to know this particular information.

Plus, Jesus gave up parts of not only his omniscience, but His omnipresence when He took on flesh and bone, and His omnipotence (he hungered, thirsted, was tired). So don’t let anyone convince you from this passage that Jesus was not God — He always has been, is, and will be. He just willingly set aside some attributes in order to identify with us as humans.

But Matthew continues, yes? “As in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man.” Jesus doesn’t refer to the state of wickedness necessarily, but he uses this event to trigger the last great worldwide cataclysmic judgment. The execution of the judgment itself will be quick and decisive, but the warning time will be sufficient. He preached and built an ark for 120 years as a testimony to the upcoming judgment — but they ignored him.

So what did they do? They carried on with their life regardless of the warning to “get ready.” The mundane and ordinary things of life carried them away. They lived to eat rather than ate to live. Jesus even points out ‘marrying and giving in marriage.’ For some, their wedding day is the greatest day of their lives! I know it was for me — other than coming to Christ, there was no greater day that marrying Cindy! But sadly, for some, they live and die for this. Some girls, I understand, begin planning their weddings from when they were small girls. Yet for so many, they spend their time looking for Mr. Right and Mrs. Right and that consumes them. It can consume so much, that the relationship with Christ suffers.

Notice Jesus even mentions those who are working — both at home and outside the home. How many folks do you know who identify themselves by their work. For men, especially, what we do tends to define who we are. It’s in our conversation. “Hey, my name’s Matt.” “Oh, hey, Mike here.” “So … what do you do?” The idea is to find out where we work. Not only does workaholism affect your relationship at home, but you can become so fixated on your identity at work that you neglect who you are in Christ Jesus.

So Jesus tells them once again, tells them to be ready and to stay awake!

Jesus says, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.”

Some of you may remember the movie “Home Alone” — it was on a number of channels during the Christmas season. It’s the story of a seven-year old boy named Kevin from a big family who was left behind over Christmas while the rest of the family went to Paris. Halfway to Paris, the mom realizes she has forgotten her youngest son.

As Kevin is walking back home the next day, two known robbers (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) notice he is by himself. So they following him and notice he lives in a very rich house and suspect he is alone. Kevin sees them outside of his house and happens to overhear that they will return at 9:00 that evening.

The result: Kevin maps out a plan to protect his house, complete with torches, iced steps, searing hot doorknobs, flying paint cans, trip wires, tar and feathering, and an iron dropped from an empty dumbwaiter about 25 feet above. If you have seen the movie, you see that this guy was prepared. He prepared, made a plan, and when they arrived he was ready.

Jesus says, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

3. Stay faithful for eternity’s sake.

The faithful servant is the one who will endure, even when the Master is away for a great amount of time. He has the Master’s house and his own Temple in order, for the Master could return in a moment’s notice —- ‘in the twinkling of an eye.’ What’s the reward?

Verse 47 tells us, “Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” In other words, what belongs to the Master will belong to the servant. Notice in Ephesians 1:18-20:

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”

So Christ will be raised up, exalted, and given authority at the right hand of God. Now, notice Ephesians 2:4-6:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved
us, [5] even when we were dead in our tres passes, made us alive together
with Christ— by grace you have been saved— [6] and raised us up with him and
seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Here, we see that we will be raised up, exalted, and seated with Christ in the heavenly places. What belongs to Christ will belong to those who trust in Christ! You will be treated as an adopted son and will bear your Father’s name.

The wicked (unfaithful) servant takes the Master’s delay for granted. He is the epitome of Romans 2:4-5:

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbear ance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? [5] But because of your hard and im penitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

And does this ever come true. The so-called ‘servant’ of the Master then begins to treat the other faithful shamefully and even engages in activities that are not identified with the master. His reward?

First, he will be cut to pieces. Then he will be put out of the Master’s house and put rightly with the fakes where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This servant was a true hypocrite —- he acted as if he was faithful, but the longer the Master delayed, the more for granted he took his supposed loyalty and drifted away to his heart’s desire —- violence toward God’s people and a desire to live as the world’s system dictates. His destiny was being apart from God’s favor and grace forever in a place called hell —- where the regrets of not heeding God’s warnings are ever in place!

On one occasion, Col. Robert Ingersoll, the noted agnostic lecturer, was to give a lecture on the ludicrisy of the doctrine of hell. He stated that this doctrine was made up by theologians who desired to keep uninformed Christians at bay. As he got up to speak, a half-drunken man stood up and say, “Make it strong, Mr. Ingersoll, make it strong. There’s a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong then we are all lost, so make it strong, make the case plain and clear.”

The case has been made clear by Jesus Christ Himself — we will be held accountable if we fail to give our all to Him!

Conclusion

Yesterday, a crowd of 250 people gathered at the Kennedy Space Center to honor the seven Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts who died in the explosion 20 years ago yesterday. This happened only 73 seconds into their ascent into space. It was one of those moments where you remember exactly where you were when it happened. I was in the lunchroom as a freshman in high school when Steve Larner (see, I even remember his name) told me ever so eloquently, “Hey, the Shuttle blew up!” I called him a liar and didn’t believe it. But when I went into my 7th period class, we suspended the lesson for the day and just watched the news where they showed it over and over and over again.

When they looked into the reason for the Shuttle’s disastrous ending, it came down to a poorly designed gasket in one of the shuttle’s main fuel boosters. According to an AP article, the temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees, causing the gasket to freeze and thus malfunction. When they began investigating this, “a space agency more concerned with schedules and public relations than with safety and sound decision-making.”

This describes so many of us. Rather than being sound in our Christian life, we find ourselves more concerned with our schedules and our “PR” — that is, what others think of us and dictate from us. Are you like this? Does your day-to-day life so control you that you are not alert, awake, and ready?

Jesus said, “My word will not pass away though all else will.” He tells us to be faithful, good stewards of our time and resources — why? Because over and over we are told that we do not know the day nor the hour. But what do we know? We know His Word and His Word says, “Be ready.” I wish we all could be ready… I pray you are ready this morning.

I Wish We’d All Been Ready (Matthew 24:32-51)

Preached Sunday, January 29, 2006
(You can listen to this via RealAudio at http://www.boonescreekchurch.com/sermons) .

There are few things worse than missing a connecting flight to your intended destination. Back in 1996, one of my friends in Miami (Perrine, more specifically) was getting married and they asked me to play for their wedding. My flight took me from Louisville to Cincinnati to Miami. Simple enough, right? Not so much apparently.

The flight from Louisville to Cincinnati was running late, which meant that I missed my connecting flight to Miami. So they shuffled me off to a flight heading to Ft. Lauderdale, some 45 minutes north of Miami. I had a fairly smooth flight, but I began planning on how I would get to Miami where my friends would meet me.

To accommodate this, the airline arranged for me to ride in a limo to the Miami airport so I could meet my friends who were to pick me up. I arrive at the airport expecting to be greeted by friends that I hadn’t seen in a while, but alas they were not there. I had no cell phone then and did not have my friend’s number where they were staying. So I looked up in a phone book and just went down the line. Finally, I got a hold of my friend’s mother who greeted me with, “Matthew!” in that beautiful Hispanic accent she had. She then proceeded to tell me that my friends heard that I was landing in Ft. Lauderdale, so they went to get me. All the while I was driving to Miami. We passed each other on the way and didn’t know it. So instead of seeing them around 2:30, I saw them around 8:30.

How frustrating it is when we miss our airport connections that promise to take us to our intended destination! But there are other ways to miss it. We can be running late! Someone calls on the phone just as you’re walking out the door. One of your kids makes a mess and you have to change their clothes. Or maybe your car, which had been so reliable in the recent past, decides not to start. Or maybe you get behind because you can’t find the right outfit in your closet!

There are lots of reasons why we run behind and cannot seem to get ready in time. It’s frustrating … and maybe if you find this happening over and over, you are beginning to take steps to remedy this pattern. But do you find yourself getting frustrated for being late for an event, an appointment, a get-together — but do we find the same urgency in being ready for the Ultimate Appointment? Will we be truly ready when Christ returns for His children?
As we come to the end of Christ’s instruction to His disciples about the end times, He ends it with some dire warnings and pictures of how the end times will look. We have been in Mark, but a parallel passage with some more details are contained in the Gospel According to Matthew in Matthew 24:32-51.

This morning, we need to heed Jesus’ words and ask ourselves, “Are we truly ready when Christ makes His glorious appearing?”

1. Study the signs … and heed His Word (Matthew 24:32-35).

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. [33] So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. [34] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

One thing the world must glean from the teachings of Christ is that we need to be observant — a point that Jesus will make repeatedly in these passages before us. He desires us to learn, to study, to evaluate what is before us in light of His holy Word and we will not be caught off-guard.

He directs us to the fig tree — and the lesson is quite simple. When you start seeing leaves on the tree, you know immediately that summer is near. Then Jesus says, “So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” All these things? What does Jesus mean? What things?

Here you have to go back and look at what Jesus mentioned would happen as the end approached: the abomination of desolation, false Christs, the darkening of the sun and moon, the coming of Christ, the gathering of the elect from the four winds — these are the things that Jesus desires us to be aware of. The ‘leaves’ of the fig tree represent all the issues Jesus spoke of leading up to this point.

But then Jesus says in v. 34, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Some hold to the view that Jesus intended all these things to be accomplished during the generation in which He spoke. But ‘this generation’ can also mean the generation in which all these things begin to take place — and this is how I understand it. These things that Jesus mentioned to His disciples did not take place during their lifetimes nor really during any time since!

How disastrous it would be for us to be so blinded and unobservant to the things around us that we do not look and see whether the end is near. How irresponsible it would be for us to simply say, “Well, they’ve been talking about this for generations… it didn’t happen then and it won’t happen in my generation … it’s still a long way off.”

Are you so sure? We will find out there is no way to be sure of when … but there must be one thing we are sure of — the endurance and authority of God’s Word. “Heaven and earth with pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Have you noticed that people seem to spend so much time looking into the end times realm of Christianity and the Scriptures, that some neglect the other parts? I’ve seen it when pastors begin a series on studying Revelation or Daniel or any of these other books, crowds just seem to swell!

2. Stay alert for Christ’s return, even if you do not know when it will be (Matthew 24:36-44).

Jesus tells us that no one knows the day or the hour except the Father. He clearly states that not even the angels who attend to the Father, and not even the Son. Most find this an issue. They say, “If Jesus is truly God, then He would know everything, right? If His Father knows it and He is God, then Jesus should be aware of these plans as well.”

When Jesus came to earth, He willingly set aside some traits of His Godhood in order to come and bring redemption and salvation to His people — yet never in one bit relinquished his Godhead. For instance: there were times when Jesus knew the thoughts of people. (Mark 2:6-7) and even the conversation, though out of earshot (Mark 9:33-35). So it wasn’t as if he couldn’t know what was going on, but He chose not to know this particular information.

Plus, Jesus gave up parts of not only his omniscience, but His omnipresence when He took on flesh and bone, and His omnipotence (he hungered, thirsted, was tired). So don’t let anyone convince you from this passage that Jesus was not God — He always has been, is, and will be. He just willingly set aside some attributes in order to identify with us as humans.

But Matthew continues, yes? “As in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man.” Jesus doesn’t refer to the state of wickedness necessarily, but he uses this event to trigger the last great worldwide cataclysmic judgment. The execution of the judgment itself will be quick and decisive, but the warning time will be sufficient. He preached and built an ark for 120 years as a testimony to the upcoming judgment — but they ignored him.

So what did they do? They carried on with their life regardless of the warning to “get ready.” The mundane and ordinary things of life carried them away. They lived to eat rather than ate to live. Jesus even points out ‘marrying and giving in marriage.’ For some, their wedding day is the greatest day of their lives! I know it was for me — other than coming to Christ, there was no greater day that marrying Cindy! But sadly, for some, they live and die for this. Some girls, I understand, begin planning their weddings from when they were small girls. Yet for so many, they spend their time looking for Mr. Right and Mrs. Right and that consumes them. It can consume so much, that the relationship with Christ suffers.

Notice Jesus even mentions those who are working — both at home and outside the home. How many folks do you know who identify themselves by their work. For men, especially, what we do tends to define who we are. It’s in our conversation. “Hey, my name’s Matt.” “Oh, hey, Mike here.” “So … what do you do?” The idea is to find out where we work. Not only does workaholism affect your relationship at home, but you can become so fixated on your identity at work that you neglect who you are in Christ Jesus.

So Jesus tells them once again, tells them to be ready and to stay awake!

Jesus says, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.”

Some of you may remember the movie “Home Alone” — it was on a number of channels during the Christmas season. It’s the story of a seven-year old boy named Kevin from a big family who was left behind over Christmas while the rest of the family went to Paris. Halfway to Paris, the mom realizes she has forgotten her youngest son.

As Kevin is walking back home the next day, two known robbers (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) notice he is by himself. So they following him and notice he lives in a very rich house and suspect he is alone. Kevin sees them outside of his house and happens to overhear that they will return at 9:00 that evening.

The result: Kevin maps out a plan to protect his house, complete with torches, iced steps, searing hot doorknobs, flying paint cans, trip wires, tar and feathering, and an iron dropped from an empty dumbwaiter about 25 feet above. If you have seen the movie, you see that this guy was prepared. He prepared, made a plan, and when they arrived he was ready.

Jesus says, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

3. Stay faithful for eternity’s sake.

The faithful servant is the one who will endure, even when the Master is away for a great amount of time. He has the Master’s house and his own Temple in order, for the Master could return in a moment’s notice —- ‘in the twinkling of an eye.’ What’s the reward?

Verse 47 tells us, “Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.” In other words, what belongs to the Master will belong to the servant. Notice in Ephesians 1:18-20:

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”

So Christ will be raised up, exalted, and given authority at the right hand of God. Now, notice Ephesians 2:4-6:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved
us, [5] even when we were dead in our tres passes, made us alive together
with Christ— by grace you have been saved— [6] and raised us up with him and
seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Here, we see that we will be raised up, exalted, and seated with Christ in the heavenly places. What belongs to Christ will belong to those who trust in Christ! You will be treated as an adopted son and will bear your Father’s name.

The wicked (unfaithful) servant takes the Master’s delay for granted. He is the epitome of Romans 2:4-5:

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbear ance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? [5] But because of your hard and im penitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

And does this ever come true. The so-called ‘servant’ of the Master then begins to treat the other faithful shamefully and even engages in activities that are not identified with the master. His reward?

First, he will be cut to pieces. Then he will be put out of the Master’s house and put rightly with the fakes where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This servant was a true hypocrite —- he acted as if he was faithful, but the longer the Master delayed, the more for granted he took his supposed loyalty and drifted away to his heart’s desire —- violence toward God’s people and a desire to live as the world’s system dictates. His destiny was being apart from God’s favor and grace forever in a place called hell —- where the regrets of not heeding God’s warnings are ever in place!

On one occasion, Col. Robert Ingersoll, the noted agnostic lecturer, was to give a lecture on the ludicrisy of the doctrine of hell. He stated that this doctrine was made up by theologians who desired to keep uninformed Christians at bay. As he got up to speak, a half-drunken man stood up and say, “Make it strong, Mr. Ingersoll, make it strong. There’s a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong then we are all lost, so make it strong, make the case plain and clear.”

The case has been made clear by Jesus Christ Himself — we will be held accountable if we fail to give our all to Him!

Conclusion

Yesterday, a crowd of 250 people gathered at the Kennedy Space Center to honor the seven Space Shuttle Challenger astronauts who died in the explosion 20 years ago yesterday. This happened only 73 seconds into their ascent into space. It was one of those moments where you remember exactly where you were when it happened. I was in the lunchroom as a freshman in high school when Steve Larner (see, I even remember his name) told me ever so eloquently, “Hey, the Shuttle blew up!” I called him a liar and didn’t believe it. But when I went into my 7th period class, we suspended the lesson for the day and just watched the news where they showed it over and over and over again.

When they looked into the reason for the Shuttle’s disastrous ending, it came down to a poorly designed gasket in one of the shuttle’s main fuel boosters. According to an AP article, the temperature at liftoff was 36 degrees, causing the gasket to freeze and thus malfunction. When they began investigating this, “a space agency more concerned with schedules and public relations than with safety and sound decision-making.”

This describes so many of us. Rather than being sound in our Christian life, we find ourselves more concerned with our schedules and our “PR” — that is, what others think of us and dictate from us. Are you like this? Does your day-to-day life so control you that you are not alert, awake, and ready?

Jesus said, “My word will not pass away though all else will.” He tells us to be faithful, good stewards of our time and resources — why? Because over and over we are told that we do not know the day nor the hour. But what do we know? We know His Word and His Word says, “Be ready.” I wish we all could be ready… I pray you are ready this morning.

Prayer for my family, please

Last Thursday, my father’s next oldest brother Joe died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 75. When Dad called to tell me the news, I told him how sorry I was. His response was, “Thanks, Son — but we’re just all getting old.” Dad turned 72 this month, and for someone who loves his father dearly, it was just a bit of a jolt to hear him say that.

He died leaving a wife of 54 years, and I pray that he was a Christian, truly. He was baptized as a youngster, but had not been in church for decades, but wouldn’t miss his Masonic Lodge meeting for anything. He attained either the 32nd or 33rd degree status!

If you would pray for his wife, Lottie, and his three children and their families, I would greatly appreciate it.

Zero Inches — No Diving — What Think Ye?

I took a picture of this sign located at a local pool here in Kentucky. Does this strike anyone else funny? I used it for a sermon illustration. What do you think?

Jerry Vines preaching his last sermon this Sunday

http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=22539

Pray for Hope Church in Waldheim, LA

As you may know, our church as adopted Hope Church in Waldheim, LA, as part of the NAMB’s Adopt-A-Church initiative. Below is (from left to right) Alex Marshall, Jr. (the Baptist Men on Missions Director at my church), Pastor Lane Corley of Hope Church, and myself. This was taken during our recent day-trip to New Orleans on January 24th to survey the situation for potential ministry.

Lane Corley pastors …
which meets here …

They are a 2001 church plant. Southern Baptists have done a great job responding to the needs at hand and that has brought much gratitude from the New Orleans residents. Some great in-roads have been made. Pray for the partnership of Boone’s Creek Baptist Church and Hope Church that God would be glorified and His Kingdom advanced.

A Gift Assessment Placement (Humor)

From Christianity Today (c) 2006.

Happy birthday, Herr Mozart (1756-1791)

Would like to wish Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart a happy birthday. You may like the traditional picture, such as…

Or maybe the picture of Tom Hulce playing Mozart in “Amadeus” (1984):

If you haven’t seen Amadeus, you must — even if you are not a classical music fan. It’s an absolutely great story.

In light of Mozart’s birthday, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite Mozart pieces and websites. Enjoy!

• Requiem in D Minor (K. 626)
• Symphony No. 40 in G Minor (“The Great G Minor”)(K. 550)
• Eine Kliene Nachtmusic (Trans. A Little Night Music)(K. 525)
• Don Giovanni (k. 527) and le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)(K.492)

Websites:

• The Mozart Project (http://www.mozartproject.com)
• Classical Archives (http://www.classicalarchives.com/mozart.html)
• The Mozart Forum (http://www.mozartforum.com) .

These should whet your appetite. For the record, Mozart’s music is the only music by which I can study without it distracting or intruding. Some have said that Mozart’s music actually increases your IQ by 20%. Either way, Mozart truly paints a musical picture!

Whatever Happened to Masculinity?

By Chuck Baldwin
January 26, 2006

The recent Hollywood infatuation with homosexuality is only the
latest example of how true American manhood is being
systematically dismantled. Throughout our culture, masculinity is
de-emphasized, even scorned.

I well remember how Ronald Reagan was castigated as being “too
masculine.” Truly, Reagan was the last masculine president
America has had (and maybe will have). Can you imagine what
today’s generation of soft Americans would think of Harry Truman
or Theodore Roosevelt?

By masculine, I mean a man who not only demonstrates the
physical qualities of ruggedness but who also possesses inner
toughness. A man who says what he means and means what he
says. A man who recognizes the importance of honesty. A man of
noble principle. A man without covetousness. A man who cannot
be bribed or bullied. A man committed to manly virtues. A man
who is the head of his home and knows how to control and
discipline his children. A man who loves justice but also knows
tenderness and mercy. A man who fears God and shows reverence
for the sacred. A man who knows the difference between the rule
of law and the lust for power. On the whole, our society today has
little tolerance for such men. Even in our churches, masculinity is
dying.

It seems that most Christian schools and church Sunday Schools
(and probably Christian homes) are controlled and dominated by
women. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. There is certainly
nothing wrong with women working and serving in the Lord’s
vineyard. I can’t imagine where we would be without the
sacrificial and tireless efforts of the countless thousands of
dedicated Christian women found in virtually all of our ministries.
However, except for rare examples, women are not capable of
inculcating manliness into young boys. This is truly man’s work.

The overexposure of young boys to women leaders is taking a
serious toll on their masculinity. Think about it: it is not
uncommon for a young boy to never know a male teacher or
principal until reaching high school, and even then, male teachers
are egregiously outnumbered by their female counterparts. In some
schools, the ratio is 10 to 1. If a boy does not grow up with his
father in the home, the problem is only exacerbated.

Take a stroll down the hallways of most high schools, including
most Christian high schools. What do you see? Soft, effeminate
boys! Most Christian schools do not even provide masculine sports
such as football, wrestling, or boxing. Beyond that, boys are
constantly taught to submit to feminine leadership. Independence
and assertiveness are considered evil, when in fact, any man worth
his salt must, by definition, be a man of independence and strength.

I see this constantly in gospel music. Many of today’s popular
Christian entertainers (and that’s all many of them are) are
markedly soft and effeminate in appearance, voice, mannerisms,
and actions. Believe it or not, it did not used to be this way.

There was a time in America when society as a whole expected
men to be masculine. Boys were taught physical, emotional, and
spiritual toughness. They played “rough” games. They were taught
how to defend themselves and others. At the same time, they were
taught rules of etiquette, polite manners, and proper speech. They
knew the meaning of the word “gentleman.” Manhood had more to
do with how well he behaved, not how well he cussed.

That Hollywood is continuing to pollute our culture with its
incessant promotion of movies which praise and promote the
homosexual lifestyle is one more nail in the coffin of American
decency and manhood. But Hollywood is not the only culprit.
America’s politicians, business leaders, and even church leaders
are all contributing to the problem!

It is unclear whether America will be able to rebound from this
anti-masculinity political correctness that currently permeates our
culture. However, one thing is clear: true masculinity is fast
disappearing from the American landscape, and as it vanishes, so
does one of the significant attributes that helped build this nation.

There is yet one more uncertainty: how long can America survive
without it?

© Chuck Baldwin

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More pictures from Trinidad

This is the Gulf of Paria, taken from the Lookout in Port of Spain. This picture, again, doesn’t do it justice. The Gulf covers the entire western border of Trinidad, so from the lookout you can see the villages, then in the distance the entire city proper, then after that nothing but miles and miles and miles of water. When I planned this trip, I asked Roddie if we could take the two hour drive from Point Fortin to Port of Spain — because I just wanted to spend five to ten minutes just looking over the capital of this wonderful country.

This is Kasia, Roddie’s granddaughter. With this being my third trip to Point Fortin, I’ve seen Kasia since she was eight months old. She’s now two. She and I got real close when I was there. Her name for me was “Teacher.” So whenever I was out of the room for any length of time, she would say, “Teacha, where are you?” When I left to go to the airport around 4 AM, I was told that that day, she would say, “Teacher? Teacher? Where you go, teacher?” She is a beautiful child with just as beautiful a personality!

Here we are in Port of Spain (myself, Eddie, Roddie, and Frank Porter). Mr. Porter is the head of the Youth For Christ in Trinidad. That was a true joy! He is certainly one with a passion for the teens in Trinidad.

This is the last installment of my pictures from Trinidad.

I’m a Neo-Reforgelical, Fundaweslyan, Holimentalist!!!!

Below is what they said from the Theology Worldview Quiz.

You are a Reformed Evangelical. You take the Bible very seriously because it is God’s Word. You most likely hold to TULIP and are sceptical about the possibilities of universal atonement or resistible grace. The most important thing the Church can do is make sure people hear how they can go to heaven when they die.

Reformed Evangelical 96%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82%

Fundamentalist 82%

Neo orthodox 71%

Emergent/Postmodern 36%

Classical Liberal 32%

Charismatic/Pentecostal 29%

Modern Liberal 0%

Roman Catholic 0%

Woo-hoo!

I’m a Neo-Reforgelical, Fundaweslyan, Holimentalist!!!!

Below is what they said from the Theology Worldview Quiz.

You are a Reformed Evangelical. You take the Bible very seriously because it is God’s Word. You most likely hold to TULIP and are sceptical about the possibilities of universal atonement or resistible grace. The most important thing the Church can do is make sure people hear how they can go to heaven when they die.

Reformed Evangelical 96%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82%

Fundamentalist 82%

Neo orthodox 71%

Emergent/Postmodern 36%

Classical Liberal 32%

Charismatic/Pentecostal 29%

Modern Liberal 0%

Roman Catholic 0%

Woo-hoo!

More pictures from Trinidad (Part III)

For the first time in the country’s history, Trinidad and Tobago made it to the World Cup. This is a monument for their victory and entry into the world’s stage. The World Cup will take in June in Germany.

We have the White House — Trinidad & Tobago has the Red House. This is their Parliament building — and this picture only covers half of it. It turns at a 90-degree angle and covers the entire block to the left. This picture does not do it justice.

Here is a picture of the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a beautiful building. Look at the side view below of the stairstep flooring and the glass elevator!

More tomorrow.

Flying to New Orleans tomorrow — could use your prayers

A deacon friend and I will be flying to New Orleans tomorrow to visit Hope Church in Covington, LA, as part of the Adopt-a-Church initiative through the IMB. Their church was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, so we are flying down there to look over their situation and see what kind of potential ministry there may be. We leave Lexington at 6:00 a.m. and will land in New Orleans around 9:00 a.m. We will just be there for the day and will arrive back in Lexington around 9:00 p.m.

Please pray for travelling mercy and that our eyes would be open to the need.

IMB’s New Policy on Baptism — What Think Ye?

Some of you have heard about the Southern Baptist International Missions Board’s recent decision concerning baptism. On November 15, 2005 the IMB trustees passed the following baptism guideline by a vote of hands:

“a. Baptism is a church ordinance. Baptism must take place in a church that practices believer’s baptism by immersion alone, does not view baptism as sacramental or regenerative, and a church that embraces the doctrine of the security of the believer.

b. A candidate who has not been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church which meets the standards listed above is expected to request baptism in his/her Southern Baptist church as a testimony of identification with the system of belief held by Southern Baptist churches.

IMB trustee chairman Tom Harley has said the vote was 50-15 in favor of the new policy. This new policy specifies that potential IMB missionaries must have received baptism in a church that meets these guidelines.

You will notice this policy excludes virtually all non-Baptist baptisms. According to this new policy any church that practices infant baptism or sprinkling for baptism (such as a Presbyterian or Methodist church) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that believes in baptism regeneration (such as the Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Lutherans) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that rejects the doctrine of eternal security (such as Penteocosts or Free Will Baptists) can not administer valid baptism. Even if these groups baptize by immersion, their baptisms should not be considered valid.

What think ye?

(Thanks to Ben Stratton, Moderator of the Landmark Southern Baptists Forum for passing this along.)

IMB’s New Policy on Baptism — What Think Ye?

Some of you have heard about the Southern Baptist International Missions Board’s recent decision concerning baptism. On November 15, 2005 the IMB trustees passed the following baptism guideline by a vote of hands:

“a. Baptism is a church ordinance. Baptism must take place in a church that practices believer’s baptism by immersion alone, does not view baptism as sacramental or regenerative, and a church that embraces the doctrine of the security of the believer.

b. A candidate who has not been baptized in a Southern Baptist church or in a church which meets the standards listed above is expected to request baptism in his/her Southern Baptist church as a testimony of identification with the system of belief held by Southern Baptist churches.

IMB trustee chairman Tom Harley has said the vote was 50-15 in favor of the new policy. This new policy specifies that potential IMB missionaries must have received baptism in a church that meets these guidelines.

You will notice this policy excludes virtually all non-Baptist baptisms. According to this new policy any church that practices infant baptism or sprinkling for baptism (such as a Presbyterian or Methodist church) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that believes in baptism regeneration (such as the Churches of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and Lutherans) can not administer valid baptism. Any church that rejects the doctrine of eternal security (such as Penteocosts or Free Will Baptists) can not administer valid baptism. Even if these groups baptize by immersion, their baptisms should not be considered valid.

What think ye?

(Thanks to Ben Stratton, Moderator of the Landmark Southern Baptists Forum for passing this along.)

More Pictures from Trinidad

As some of you may recall, I went down to Trinidad in ill-health. No voice, sore throat, couldn’t talk without coughing — not good for someone who had to speak for a number of hours at a conferece a few days away.

So Roddie and Stella cooked up a home elixir called Zebapeek full of Trinidadian herbs, mat root … and strong rum. Basically, it was a NyQuil x 10. I have not drank alcohol in my lifetime, so I knew this would be an experience. You see three pictures. The before, the during (where I told them I would not make a face), then the after.

Yikes! But, I must say, it worked!

Pictures from Trinidad

This is me eating iguana! You heard me correctly, sports fans — iguana. Roddie Taylor, the pastor who hosted me in his home while in Trinidad, told me he would fix me some of that beast before I left. So when we came back from Port of Spain, he was there cooking it in a stew! How did it taste? Pretty good, actually! But they had some trusty KFC on hand as well in case things got a little … ugly! But this American boy hung in there … only by the grace of God, mind you.

These are the two men who made this conference possible. On the left is Darren Clement, the pastor of the Dickson Memorial Baptist Church and president of the association which sponsored the conference. On the right is Roddie Taylor, my brother from another mother who also happens to pastor the Mt. Beulah Evangelical Baptist Church in Point Fortin. It was the relationship established with him that connected me with the pastors and leaders in Trinidad. God is using these men mightily.

This is Dickson Memorial Baptist Church in San Fernando. This was the location of the Six Marks of a Godly Leader Conference I conducted with the pastors and leaders down there. It’s really a beautiful facility with truly godly people who belong to that wonderful church.

More tomorrow!

A Tribute To Lee And Jackson” by Chuck Baldwin

January 20, 2006

January is often referred to as “Generals Month” as no less than four famous Confederate Generals claimed January as their birth month: James Longstreet (Jan. 8, 1821), Robert E. Lee (Jan. 19, 1807), Thomas Jonathan Jackson (Jan. 21, 1824), and George Pickett (Jan. 28, 1825). Two of these men, Lee and Jackson, are especially noteworthy.

Without question, Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson were two of the greatest military leaders of all time. Even more, the Lee and Jackson tandem is regarded by many military historians as having formed perhaps the greatest battlefield duo in the history of warfare. If Jackson had survived the battle of Chancellorsville, it is
very possible that the South would have prevailed at Gettysburg and perhaps would even have won the War Between The States.

In fact, it was Lord Roberts, commander-in-chief of the British armies in the early Twentieth Century, who said, “In my opinion, Stonewall Jackson was one of the greatest natural military geniuses the world ever saw. I will even further than that-as a campaigner in the field, he never had a superior. In some respects, I doubt whether he ever had an equal.”

While the strategies and circumstances of the War Of Northern Aggression can (and will) be debated by professionals and laymen alike, one fact is undeniable: Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson were two of the finest Christian gentlemen this country has ever produced! Both their character and their conduct were beyond reproach.

Unlike his northern counterpart, Ulysses S. Grant, General Lee never sanctioned or condoned slavery. Upon inheriting slaves from his deceased father-in-law, Lee immediately freed them. And according to historians, Jackson enjoyed a familial relationship with those few slaves which were in his home. In addition, unlike Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Grant, neither Lee nor Jackson ever spoke disparagingly of the black race.

As those who are familiar with history know, General Grant and his wife held personal slaves before and during the War Between The States, and even Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not free them. They were not freed until the Thirteenth Amendment was passed after the conclusion of the war. Grant’s excuse for not freeing his slaves was that “good help is so hard to come by these days.”

Of course, Lincoln’s views on slavery and the black race are widely known (at least by those familiar with history). In fact, if Lincoln were alive today, he would no doubt be identified as a white supremacist.

For example, in an 1858 debate Lincoln said, “I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people, and I will say in addition to this that there is a
physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together, there must be the position of superior and inferior. I, as much as any other man, am in favor of
having the superior position assigned to the white race.” Lincoln routinely made such comments.

Contrast the sentiments of Lincoln and Grant to those of Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson. For example, it is well established that Jackson regularly conducted a Sunday School class for black children. This was a ministry he took very seriously. As a result, he was dearly loved and appreciated by the children and their parents.

Furthermore, both Jackson and Lee emphatically supported the abolition of slavery. In fact, Lee called slavery “a moral and political evil.” He also said “the best men in the South” opposed it and welcomed its demise. Jackson said he wished to see “the
shackles struck from every slave.”

To think that Lee and Jackson (and the vast majority of Confederate soldiers) would fight and die to preserve an institution they considered evil and abhorrent is the height of absurdity! It is equally repugnant to impugn and denigrate the memory of these remarkable Christian gentlemen!

In fact, after refusing Abraham Lincoln’s offer to command the Union Army in 1861, Robert E. Lee wrote to his sister on April 20 of that year to explain his decision. In the letter he wrote, “With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty as an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to
raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I therefore have resigned my commission in the army and save in defense of my native state, with the sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed.”

Lee’s decision to resign his commission with the Union Army must have been the most difficult decision of his life. Remember that Lee’s direct ancestors had fought in America’s War For Independence. His father, “Light Horse Harry” Henry Lee, was a
Revolutionary War hero, Governor of Virginia, and member of Congress. In addition, members of his family were signatories to the Declaration of Independence.

Remember, too, that not only did Robert E. Lee graduate from West Point at the top of his class, he is yet today the only cadet to graduate from that prestigious academy without a single demerit!

However, Lee knew that what Lincoln was about to do was both immoral and unconstitutional. As a man of honor and integrity, the only thing Lee could do was that which his father had done: fight for freedom and independence. And that is exactly what he did.

Instead of allowing a politically correct culture to sully the memory of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson, all Americans should hold them in a place of highest honor and respect. Anything less is a disservice to history and a disgrace to the principles of truth and integrity.

© Chuck Baldwin

NOTE TO THE READER:

Chuck Baldwin’s commentaries are copyrighted and may be republished, reposted, or emailed providing the person or organization doing so does not charge for subscriptions or advertising and that the column is copied intact and that full credit is given and that Chuck’s web site address is included.

Editors or Publishers of publications charging for subscriptions or advertising who want to run these columns must contact Chuck Baldwin for permission. Radio or television Talk Show Hosts interested in scheduling an interview with Chuck should contact chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com.

Please visit Chuck’s web site at http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com . When responding, please include your name, city and state. And, unless otherwise requested, all respondents will be added to the Chuck Wagon address list.

To subscribe to these columns, send a message to majordomo@chuckbaldwinlive.com with the words subscribe chuck-wagon in the body of the message. To unsubscribe put the words unsubscribe chuck-wagon in the body of the message.

A Tribute To Lee And Jackson” by Chuck Baldwin

January 20, 2006

January is often referred to as “Generals Month” as no less than four famous Confederate Generals claimed January as their birth month: James Longstreet (Jan. 8, 1821), Robert E. Lee (Jan. 19, 1807), Thomas Jonathan Jackson (Jan. 21, 1824), and George Pickett (Jan. 28, 1825). Two of these men, Lee and Jackson, are especially noteworthy.

Without question, Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson were two of the greatest military leaders of all time. Even more, the Lee and Jackson tandem is regarded by many military historians as having formed perhaps the greatest battlefield duo in the history of warfare. If Jackson had survived the battle of Chancellorsville, it is
very possible that the South would have prevailed at Gettysburg and perhaps would even have won the War Between The States.

In fact, it was Lord Roberts, commander-in-chief of the British armies in the early Twentieth Century, who said, “In my opinion, Stonewall Jackson was one of the greatest natural military geniuses the world ever saw. I will even further than that-as a campaigner in the field, he never had a superior. In some respects, I doubt whether he ever had an equal.”

While the strategies and circumstances of the War Of Northern Aggression can (and will) be debated by professionals and laymen alike, one fact is undeniable: Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson were two of the finest Christian gentlemen this country has ever produced! Both their character and their conduct were beyond reproach.

Unlike his northern counterpart, Ulysses S. Grant, General Lee never sanctioned or condoned slavery. Upon inheriting slaves from his deceased father-in-law, Lee immediately freed them. And according to historians, Jackson enjoyed a familial relationship with those few slaves which were in his home. In addition, unlike Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Grant, neither Lee nor Jackson ever spoke disparagingly of the black race.

As those who are familiar with history know, General Grant and his wife held personal slaves before and during the War Between The States, and even Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not free them. They were not freed until the Thirteenth Amendment was passed after the conclusion of the war. Grant’s excuse for not freeing his slaves was that “good help is so hard to come by these days.”

Of course, Lincoln’s views on slavery and the black race are widely known (at least by those familiar with history). In fact, if Lincoln were alive today, he would no doubt be identified as a white supremacist.

For example, in an 1858 debate Lincoln said, “I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people, and I will say in addition to this that there is a
physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together, there must be the position of superior and inferior. I, as much as any other man, am in favor of
having the superior position assigned to the white race.” Lincoln routinely made such comments.

Contrast the sentiments of Lincoln and Grant to those of Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson. For example, it is well established that Jackson regularly conducted a Sunday School class for black children. This was a ministry he took very seriously. As a result, he was dearly loved and appreciated by the children and their parents.

Furthermore, both Jackson and Lee emphatically supported the abolition of slavery. In fact, Lee called slavery “a moral and political evil.” He also said “the best men in the South” opposed it and welcomed its demise. Jackson said he wished to see “the
shackles struck from every slave.”

To think that Lee and Jackson (and the vast majority of Confederate soldiers) would fight and die to preserve an institution they considered evil and abhorrent is the height of absurdity! It is equally repugnant to impugn and denigrate the memory of these remarkable Christian gentlemen!

In fact, after refusing Abraham Lincoln’s offer to command the Union Army in 1861, Robert E. Lee wrote to his sister on April 20 of that year to explain his decision. In the letter he wrote, “With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty as an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to
raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I therefore have resigned my commission in the army and save in defense of my native state, with the sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed.”

Lee’s decision to resign his commission with the Union Army must have been the most difficult decision of his life. Remember that Lee’s direct ancestors had fought in America’s War For Independence. His father, “Light Horse Harry” Henry Lee, was a
Revolutionary War hero, Governor of Virginia, and member of Congress. In addition, members of his family were signatories to the Declaration of Independence.

Remember, too, that not only did Robert E. Lee graduate from West Point at the top of his class, he is yet today the only cadet to graduate from that prestigious academy without a single demerit!

However, Lee knew that what Lincoln was about to do was both immoral and unconstitutional. As a man of honor and integrity, the only thing Lee could do was that which his father had done: fight for freedom and independence. And that is exactly what he did.

Instead of allowing a politically correct culture to sully the memory of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Jackson, all Americans should hold them in a place of highest honor and respect. Anything less is a disservice to history and a disgrace to the principles of truth and integrity.

© Chuck Baldwin

NOTE TO THE READER:

Chuck Baldwin’s commentaries are copyrighted and may be republished, reposted, or emailed providing the person or organization doing so does not charge for subscriptions or advertising and that the column is copied intact and that full credit is given and that Chuck’s web site address is included.

Editors or Publishers of publications charging for subscriptions or advertising who want to run these columns must contact Chuck Baldwin for permission. Radio or television Talk Show Hosts interested in scheduling an interview with Chuck should contact chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com.

Please visit Chuck’s web site at http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com . When responding, please include your name, city and state. And, unless otherwise requested, all respondents will be added to the Chuck Wagon address list.

To subscribe to these columns, send a message to majordomo@chuckbaldwinlive.com with the words subscribe chuck-wagon in the body of the message. To unsubscribe put the words unsubscribe chuck-wagon in the body of the message.

Follow up on “The End of the Spear”

The “Provocations and Panderings” blog has written an excellent article that sums up the issues concerning the movie “The End of the Spear.” You can read it here.

Follow up on “The End of the Spear”

The “Provocations and Panderings” blog has written an excellent article that sums up the issues concerning the movie “The End of the Spear.” You can read it here.

The Anatomy of a Critical Spirit

In our Wednesday night study of Nehemiah, God showed me the anatomy of a critical spirit embodied in Sanballat the Horonite (likely the governor of Samaria to the North of Israel) and Tobiah (a dignitary from the East). Nehemiah had been given a task by God — rebuild the wall. This came from much prayer and meditation. God gave him the courage to ask King Darius of Babylon, who not only heard the request but gave Nehemiah all that he needed to accomplish the task. Nehemiah was focused and always responded to his critics with prayer and with action toward accomplishing that God-ordained task.

But here is a skeleton of a critical spirit! I recommend you going to your Scriptures and reading how Nehemiah and his followers responded. It will refresh you for church ministry, I promise.

1. Critics are fearful of losing their desired level of comfort (Nehemiah 2:10).

2. Critics will vocalize displeasure and accuse the leaders of rebelling (Nehemiah 2:19).

(Understand, that Sanballat and Tobiah accused them of rebelling against King Darius. Many will accuse us as leaders of rebelling against tradition, a former pastor’s plan and vision, or whatever standard some set up in their minds and equate with God’s will. Expect this — and respond with prayer and action to what God has in store.)

3. Critics, when they see the work progressing, will begin to criticize the quality of the work, the size of the work, and the ability of the workers to do it (Nehemiah 4:1-3).

(Again, they will say, “We have not the manpower, the finances, the resources, nor the need to do this. Plus, look at how big this is. It’s too big for us to do!” If it’s not a God-sized thing that’s being done, then did God give the vision to begin with? If God’s people accomplish something God-sized with God’s vision and blessing, who gets the glory? God does! And isn’t that the point?)

4. Critics will react violently in public to the work God has (Nehemiah 4:7-8).

(Maybe not with knives, but with words, I would say. For your tongue is the greatest weapon known to man — read James 3).

5. Critics will work behind the scenes to undermine the morale of the workers/work (Nehemiah 6:1-3).
6. Critics will even start rumors or believe the worst about the work being done (Nehemiah 6:6-7).

(How did Nehemiah respond? With the truth.)

7. Critics will try to instill fear and cause the leader of the work to compromise (Nehemiah 6:10-13).

(They tried to get Nehemiah to go into the Holy of Holies to protect himself — but he refused, even when told it might protect his life. But it was a trap! Always seek after God’s holiness above your own hide!)

“The End of the Spear” is the beginning of a controversy — again!

I know that Tim Challies (http://www.challies.com) and others have chimed in on the controversy of homosexual activist Chad Allen being cast in the role of Steve Saint, whose father was killed by the Auca Indians during their missions work in late 1955-early 1956 — and who returned to minister and make great inroads into the culture and the people who killed his father. It is a great, great story that is very compelling on various levels. The Sharper Iron blog has documented some rather disturbing issues surrounding Allen’s casting!

I’d like to add a couple of further issues. First of all, if you Google Chad Allen for some images to see what the guy looks like (in case you don’t know, he played Matthew on “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman”), you will come up with some rather disturbing and borderline pornographic pictures. Some of the pictures are him in rather graphic homosexual positions, others have him pictured on the cover of “The Advocate,” a rather popular magazine geared for the homosexual lifestyle.

If Chad Allen were a non-Christian guy cast in this role, I would have no problem. But he is a homosexual activist — and a rather outspoken one at that. He found himself quite surprised that he was called back to assume this role!

What are we to do about this? We could ignore it, but something so very blatant is difficult to ignore. I find myself growing more and more disappointed because this has so much potential! I do not doubt that the story is top-flight. I pray that the Gospel is proclaimed. But in our day, you cannot separate the actor from his role as cleanly as you could in days gone by.

To me, this is an opportunity that is lost or, at the very least, missed! They could have done better — and they should have!

“The End of the Spear” is the beginning of a controversy — again!

I know that Tim Challies (http://www.challies.com) and others have chimed in on the controversy of homosexual activist Chad Allen being cast in the role of Steve Saint, whose father was killed by the Auca Indians during their missions work in late 1955-early 1956 — and who returned to minister and make great inroads into the culture and the people who killed his father. It is a great, great story that is very compelling on various levels. The Sharper Iron blog has documented some rather disturbing issues surrounding Allen’s casting!

I’d like to add a couple of further issues. First of all, if you Google Chad Allen for some images to see what the guy looks like (in case you don’t know, he played Matthew on “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman”), you will come up with some rather disturbing and borderline pornographic pictures. Some of the pictures are him in rather graphic homosexual positions, others have him pictured on the cover of “The Advocate,” a rather popular magazine geared for the homosexual lifestyle.

If Chad Allen were a non-Christian guy cast in this role, I would have no problem. But he is a homosexual activist — and a rather outspoken one at that. He found himself quite surprised that he was called back to assume this role!

What are we to do about this? We could ignore it, but something so very blatant is difficult to ignore. I find myself growing more and more disappointed because this has so much potential! I do not doubt that the story is top-flight. I pray that the Gospel is proclaimed. But in our day, you cannot separate the actor from his role as cleanly as you could in days gone by.

To me, this is an opportunity that is lost or, at the very least, missed! They could have done better — and they should have!

We need to re-study our Bibles

I made it back safely from Trinidad by the grace of God! Words cannot express how good it was to see my wife and children! It was sooooo good to go … but it is soooooo good to be back!

Here’s a devotional that came my way from Grace Gems (http://www.gracegems.org).

—————

(John Angell James, “The Church in Earnest”)

We need to re-study our Bibles, and learn what real Christianity is–how holy, how heavenly,
how spiritual, how loving, how morally and socially excellent a matter it is.

• What separation from the world,
• what devoutness,
• what intense earnestness,
• what conscientiousness,
• what enlarged benevolence,
• what unselfishness,
• what zealous activity,
• what unearthliness,
• what seeds of celestial virtue,
• our profession of godliness implies.

Having examined this, and obtained an impressive idea of it, let us survey our own state, and ask if we do not need, and ought not to seek, more of the prevalence of such a piety as this, which, in fact, is primitive Christianity.

Is our spiritual condition what it ought to be, what it might be, what it must be–to fulfill our high commission as the salt of the earth and the light of the world? A Christian, acting up in some tolerable measure to his profession, walking in the holiness of the Gospel–is the strongest and most emphatic testimony for God to our dark revolted world, next to that of Christ Himself.

From Port of Spaining to my Soon Be Planin’ Man!

Yesterday, we went to the capital, Port of Spain, and had a wonderful time walking around the city. Now I am sitting here at 4:54 AM writing to tell you I am packed and about ready to ride to the airport. My flight leaves at 9:30 local time, then through Houston, then to Cincy at 6:55 PM.

From Port of Spaining to my Soon Be Planin’ Man!

Yesterday, we went to the capital, Port of Spain, and had a wonderful time walking around the city. Now I am sitting here at 4:54 AM writing to tell you I am packed and about ready to ride to the airport. My flight leaves at 9:30 local time, then through Houston, then to Cincy at 6:55 PM.

A wonderful day of worship

It is 8:30 Trinidad time (Trinidad is one hour ahead of our time in Kentucky) and I am quite fatigued but truly blessed at what God did this morning. I preached and took communion at the Siparia church this morning and had a number of folks come forward for prayer and rededication. The service at Point Fortin began at 3:30 and ended at 6:15! About 20 came forward for prayer, rededication and healing and God truly blessed our time of worship.

Tomorrow will be a day of shopping, site-seeing, and relaxing — and packing up for my 9:30 flight out of Port of Spain on Tuesday. I left with about 30 ESV Pew Bibles for the churches, six books to give away, plus 1200 pages of handouts for the leadership conference. I’m travelin’ light on the way back. Keep me in prayer, please!

God was glorified at the conference

Well, the conference has come and gone and God was brought the glory, it seems! The pastors and leaders are so hungry for resources and teaching to help them in their ministry that they were very happy recipients of this Six Marks conference. One pastor asked me to develop some resources for some men who have been called into the ministry, but need to know some basics about theology and church history among other things that they can cover in three months time. We’ll see where God leads.

This morning, I preached at the Baptist church in Siparia, and this afternoon I’ll preach at Point Fortin. I’ll preach a sermon called “Routine or Revival: Which Will You Choose?” from Isaiah 55. Please pray for me.

Thank you and may God bless you as you worship Him this Lord’s Day!

Tonight went very well

Just a quick word about tonight. Things went very well. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we arrived 20 minutes after the advertised starting time, but no problem. It looked as if there were about 40-50 people there that night. We discussed the Conversion and the Calling of a Godly Leader. There were some great questions at the end. When time permits, I will fill you in. But some, after hearing the first two sessions, asked if they were taping it. They will make sure that the next four will be. What a blessing!

I will blog tomorrow afternoon. Keep us in prayer.

Health doing much better

With the conference being just under five hours away, it seems that God has truly been doing Great Physician work in healing my voice. Now, just pray for Roddie — while moving a recliner, it fell and the leg of the chair landed squarely on his toe and it is badly damaged.

Today, a few more people registered for the conference, putting the total to over 60. Many cannot make it tonight, but plan to be there tomorrow and could very well have 90-100! Pray that God would give me the words, clear thoughts, and clear speech. Pray that the Holy Spirit would carry us along to deeper devotion to Christ and a deeper longing to serve Him in ministry.

I’ll give you a full report when I am at the Internet cafe in San Fernando tomorrow afternoon.

A doctor’s visit,, a panoramic view, and a stop at the fish market

A Doctor’s Visit

Today was a nice and relaxing day. Staying strong after that homemade elixir Roddie and Stella gave me, we were off to Port of Spain. On the way, Roddie phoned ahead and schedule an appointment to see his doctor, Dr. Panchoo — whose office is in the same building as a hardware store (don’t ask — but it’s all good). Roddie kept kidding me about having to take an injection. Ask my wife — I do not like injections. When she worked at the doctor’s office and I needed a tetanus shot, she literally had to chase me all over the house. While I normally do not mind this particular activity, this time I dreaded it. Not a big fan of needles. But he just gave me some antibiotics that will hopefully help and help quickly before the conference tomorrow.

A Panoramic View

We spent most of the day riding around with Roddie who had some business to take care of — both personal and ministerial. But in the middle of his business, he took me to what I believe is one of the prettiest views on earth. It’s the Lookout at Port of Spain where you can look out on the Gulf of Paria, the city of Port of Spain and the neighboring villages. You can see for miles and miles. Being in a country I love and seeing her beauties like that just gave me a great peace and joy in God bringing me back here. I’ll supply pictures soon.

While in Port of Spain, I had the chance to meet the country’s director for Youth for Christ. What a vision he has to see the young people of Trinidad & Tobago come to know Jesus Christ passionately and personally. Please pray for Frank Porter.

A stop at the fish market

On our way back from Port of Spain, Roddie and Eddie stopped at the fish market that was set up right on the dock off the Gulf. There were all sort of fish, crabs, and shrimp that were sold either for consumption or for bait. Roddie and Eddie each purchased rather large fish for bait. It was a thing of beauty seeing that man scale and clean out those fish. It was like an artist at work — you couldn’t imagine. But it was part and parcel of the life the Trinidadian people lead that is so different from us here in America. In some ways the Trinis are so up-to-speed with the rest of the world (cell phones, Internet, new cars, etc.), but in other ways they are not. Not that this is bad — it just … is!

If you will permit me, I need to go and rest and make sure I’m as whole as I can be before tomorrow. Lord willing, I’ll blog either tomorrow night or Saturday. Thanks for your prayers.

A doctor’s visit,, a panoramic view, and a stop at the fish market

A Doctor’s Visit

Today was a nice and relaxing day. Staying strong after that homemade elixir Roddie and Stella gave me, we were off to Port of Spain. On the way, Roddie phoned ahead and schedule an appointment to see his doctor, Dr. Panchoo — whose office is in the same building as a hardware store (don’t ask — but it’s all good). Roddie kept kidding me about having to take an injection. Ask my wife — I do not like injections. When she worked at the doctor’s office and I needed a tetanus shot, she literally had to chase me all over the house. While I normally do not mind this particular activity, this time I dreaded it. Not a big fan of needles. But he just gave me some antibiotics that will hopefully help and help quickly before the conference tomorrow.

A Panoramic View

We spent most of the day riding around with Roddie who had some business to take care of — both personal and ministerial. But in the middle of his business, he took me to what I believe is one of the prettiest views on earth. It’s the Lookout at Port of Spain where you can look out on the Gulf of Paria, the city of Port of Spain and the neighboring villages. You can see for miles and miles. Being in a country I love and seeing her beauties like that just gave me a great peace and joy in God bringing me back here. I’ll supply pictures soon.

While in Port of Spain, I had the chance to meet the country’s director for Youth for Christ. What a vision he has to see the young people of Trinidad & Tobago come to know Jesus Christ passionately and personally. Please pray for Frank Porter.

A stop at the fish market

On our way back from Port of Spain, Roddie and Eddie stopped at the fish market that was set up right on the dock off the Gulf. There were all sort of fish, crabs, and shrimp that were sold either for consumption or for bait. Roddie and Eddie each purchased rather large fish for bait. It was a thing of beauty seeing that man scale and clean out those fish. It was like an artist at work — you couldn’t imagine. But it was part and parcel of the life the Trinidadian people lead that is so different from us here in America. In some ways the Trinis are so up-to-speed with the rest of the world (cell phones, Internet, new cars, etc.), but in other ways they are not. Not that this is bad — it just … is!

If you will permit me, I need to go and rest and make sure I’m as whole as I can be before tomorrow. Lord willing, I’ll blog either tomorrow night or Saturday. Thanks for your prayers.

Made it Trinidad safely

On the flight from Cincinnati to Houston, I was listening to a CD of songs I had compiled. One song came on that, frankly, I had no intention of including. But I am glad I did. For when it played the sun came into the window with an unusually resplendent brilliance. The song was a hymn by Isaac Watts (1674-1748):

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth its successive journeys run.
His Kingdom spread from shore to shore
Til moon shall wax and wane no more.

God has given me an unusually calm spirit about this trip — but this event just seemed to reinforce that.

The flights went exceptionally well. On one flight, I had an entire row to myself with all my materials spread out trying to do some last minute touch-ups. One stewardess came by and asked me what I was working on. And we had a brief conversation about it and hopefully a good seed was planted.

Today, Roddie has some business to conduct in Port of Spain and I shall accompany him. The weather is cloudy and rainy and about 80 degrees right now. No, it’s not sunny, but it’s at least not winter weather.

Some prayer requests:

• My throat. Roddie and Stella gave me a home remedy to knock out my sore throat and cough so my voice will be back for the conference tomorrow. The remedy may violate some unwritten but well-understood temperance laws amongst us Baptists (Caribbean rum, lime, bitter herbs, etc.), but it was just a little stronger than Robitussin or other cough medicines. (Even 45 minutes later my belly burns — yikes! But they said it was a sure thing. It’s amazing what one does when desperation sets in!
• My ear. The landing in Port of Spain caused a bit of hearing loss in my right ear, which is a good deal stronger than my left. It’s always good to be in a foreign country with full hearing — especially going through immigration, currency exchange, and customs. It’s much better this morning, but I can still tell it’s there.
• The conference. 50+ pastors have pre-registered. I believe Satan has been throwing obstacles up left and right to prevent this conference. God must have something wonderful in store. My prayer is that these pastors fall in love with God’s Word, their calling, and His church all over again.

I plan on writing more tomorrow, but don’t be surprised if I’m not on tonight telling you about beautiful Port of Spain.

Daily blogging while in Trinidad

I leave for Trinidad in the morning — flying out of Cincinnati, then through to Houston, then another 5+ hour plane ride to Port of Spain, Trinidad. Members of the church where I serve have asked me to send them some e-mail updates. I will do so by posting them here on this blog.

I ask for your prayers. It seems that since Christmas, I have been fighting off one bug after another. Right now, I have a cold, cough, and sore throat — the worst things to have when you are getting ready to speak for a day and a half to a group of pastors over the weekend. I truly ask for your prayers in this. I just pray that God would give the strength of voice and the clarity of thought to show these men and women who are coming what the Scriptures say about being a godly leader!

May God bless you in Christ! The next time you hear from me, it will be from de islands, mon!

The Almost Inevitable Ruin of Every Minister

If you are a minister of the Gospel, sit under the preaching of a minister of the Gospel, or even know of someone who knows someone who knows a minister of the Gospel, I encourage you to read and listen to “The Almost Inevitable Ruin of Every Minister … and How to Avoid It” by Don Whitney. He truly captures some of the pitfalls of ministry if we as ministers avoid our quiet time with God in Bible study and prayer.

To read it, log on to: http://www.biblicalspirituality.org/pruin.html .

To listen to it, go to http://www.sbts.edu/resources/audio/Fall2005.php and scroll down to the September 15th Southern Seminary chapel sermon. You can simply listen or download it to your computer.

This was life-changing and so very convicting for me. I’ve been in the ministry for 14 years, so I can understand what Whitney is saying.

What think ye?

Cleaning Up the Membership Rolls — What Think Ye?

One of the most frustrating things for a pastor is having to convince church members to come to church. I am amazed at that — especially considering that those who are members are those who have made a ‘profession of faith’ in Jesus Christ as their lone Savior and Lord. Now, I am not naive enough to believe that everyone on a church roll is redeemed! But I am estute enough to realize that some response took place and my desire is to remind them of that and have them consider their lives since then and examine whether they are in Christ. If they respond, “Well, I’m a member of Boone’s Creek — I went forward in 1951. See? Here is my little card reminding me of when I did this,” then my response is, “What about now? Do you have a relationship with Him now?” Thus the conversation ensues.

When I came to Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, our church had 567 members on the roll. The problem was, we had no idea where about 180 of them were. No address, no phone number, no knowledge of whether they were alive or dead — nothing. As for the other ‘inactive members’ (an oxymoron if there ever was one, in my opinion), we would send out a little card for them to send back to let us know if they are attending anywhere else, if they are still members, or really to let us know their situation.

So, according to our by-laws, the pastor may take the initiative to post the names of those whom we did not know where they were, and allow our members to show us where they are. This is done for 30 days. After that, I as the pastor would read through the names. If no one knew where they were, they were stricken from the membership roll.

That Wednesday night, our membership roll went down from 567 to 395.

I recommend a couple of articles by Matt Schmucker of 9 Marks ministries. Let me know what you think. I want to hear from seminary students and pastors on the field as well.

Cleaning the Membership Rolls, Part I and Part II.

The Freedom to Fail

This morning, we had our monthly deacons’ meeting — meetings that I actually look forward to. God has granted me and our church with some humble servants who serve as a wonderful sounding board for ideas that come across my mind. Today, I asked each deacon present to share something that was a burden for them at this church that they would like to see really flourish in 2006. They came up with revitalizing our Sunday School ministry, adding on to our church in a potential building program, getting a van ministry started for some of our youth who do not have steady rides to church — and I’m sure there were others.

I told them that I sure did appreciate one thing about them and the church — this church has given this young pastor the freedom to fail. You may say, “What? The freedom to fail?” Yes, you heard me correctly. Let me explain.

As an avid fan of the NFL, I have noticed a number of coaches who have been fired from their jobs for not having a ‘winning season’ last year. Mike Sherman, former coach of the Green Bay Packers, stands out most in my mind. He suffered his first losing season as coach of the Packers (4-12) with a team decimated by injuries and a quarterback who threw almost 30 interceptions (an extremely high number, even for Brett Favre). And yet, he was shown the door. He was not one who had the freedom to fail.

In my almost three years here at Boone’s Creek, we have tried a number of things to strengthen the church and reach the lost. Some have ‘worked,’ some have not. But I echoed Mark Dever when I said to my deacons, “I can handle failing in every other endeavor — except in the preaching of God’s Word. That is what will ultimately bear fruit.” They seemed to agree with that — but I know that whatever we do, it must be governed by the Gospel. To do otherwise would be abject failure — and that is something that God nor I grant myself that freedom!

God has crafted my heart in such a way in that my desire is to see the work through and to invest my entire ministry life in this church should God call. It goes against all conventional wisdom for a church that is 220+ years old to grow. So many traditions and memories and hurts and experiences and pastors with grand ideas and programs and on and on — very seldom to older, established church like ours (which came into existence nine years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence) to be motivated to grow spiritually and numerically.

But the wisdom of man does not equate to the wisdom of God, now does it? 1 Cor. 1:18-21 says:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

God seems to take great delight in defying conventional worldly wisdom. The church may fail by the world’s standards; pastors may fail to meet expectations (realistic or not) of their parishioners or even themselves — but the key seems to be to rely on the wisdom of God.

Paul claimed to defy worldly wisdom in 1 Cor. 2:1-5:

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. [2] For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

When God’s wisdom is put on display in the ‘clay pots’ (2 Corinthians 4:7) of His people, God receives the glory and the Spirit and His power is put on display!!! So will I put my faith in the wisdom of men? In The Purpose-Driven(tm) phenomena, in the Your Best Life Now Osteen-mania, in John Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, or even the 9 Marks of a Healthy Deliberate Church of Mark Dever (whose ministry I highly recommend — http://www.9marks.org) ?

I will only in the sense that it conforms to the rule of Scripture. The PDC/L books use 1500 different Scripture translations that seem to fit more of Warren’s desire rather than to conform the PDC/L to a reliable, literal translations of Scripture, so I’m skeptical. Joel Osteen’s book seem to be replete with Schullerite philosophy where the new Reformation is improving self-esteem rather than being biblical and doctrinally literate and obedient — and Osteen’s books have very little Scripture in them. So I’m skeptical again.

Maxwell’s books, while helpful to a degree, seem to show leaders how to influence (manipulate) those under their leadership to advance their own vision. That seems dangerous to me, so again — skeptical.

Give me the Book! Bunyan called the Scriptures in Pilgrim’s Progress “the best of books.” Better than PDC/L? Yes. Better than Your Best Life Now? Oh where do I start? Yes!!! The Bible is the best of Books! So if I do not rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), I will have been an abject failure in the sight of God and man!

Yes, I’ve been granted the freedom to fail — but not in the preaching of His Word. In that, I cannot and must not fail!

Prayer for John Piper

Pray for John Piper

John Piper has just announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Please pray for him, his family, & his church. Below is a copy of the letter he sent to the members of his church.
Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Dear Bethlehem Family,

I hope this letter will encourage your prayer, strengthen your hope, and minister peace. I am writing with the blessing of the other elders to help you receive the news about my prostate cancer.

At my annual urological exam on Wednesday, December 21, the doctor felt an abnormality in the prostate and suggested a biopsy. He called the next day with the following facts: 1) cancer cells were found in two of the ten samples and the estimate is that perhaps 5% of the gland is affected; 2) my PSA count was 1.6, which is good (below 4 is normal); 3) the Gleason score is 6 (signaling that the cancer is not aggressive). These three facts incline the doctor to think that it is unlikely that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, and that it is possible with successful treatment to be cancer-free.

Before going with Noel to consult in person with the doctor on December 29 about treatment options, I shared this news with the Bethlehem staff on Tuesday morning, December 27, and with the elders that evening. Both groups prayed over me for healing and for wisdom in the treatment choices that lie before us. These were sweet times before the throne of grace with much-loved colleagues.

All things considered, Noel and I believe that I should pursue the treatment called radical prostatectomy, which means the surgical removal of the prostate. We would ask you to pray that the surgery be completely successful in the removal of all cancer and freedom from possible side effects.

With the approval of the executive staff and elder leadership, we are planning surgery in early February. The recovery time is about three weeks before returning to a slow work pace, and six weeks to be back to all normal activities.
This news has, of course, been good for me. The most dangerous thing in the world is the sin of self-reliance and the stupor of worldliness. The news of cancer has a wonderfully blasting effect on both. I thank God for that. The times with Christ in these days have been unusually sweet.

For example, is there anything greater to hear and believe in the bottom of your heart than this: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)?

God has designed this trial for my good and for your good. You can see this in 2 Corinthians 1:9, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” And in 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God . . . If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation.”

So I am praying: “Lord, for your great glory, 1) don’t let me miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for me in this experience; 2) don’t let the church miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for us in this; 3) grant that the surgery be successful in removing cancer and sparing important nerves; 4) grant that this light and momentary trial would work to spread a passion for your supremacy for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ; 5) may Noel and all close to me be given great peace—and all of this through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” I hope God will lead you to pray in a similar way.

With deep confidence that “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Pastor John
With Sam Crabtree, Lead Pastor for Life TrainingKenny Stokes, Lead Pastor for SpreadingTim Johnson, Chairman of the Council of EldersRoss Anderson, MD, Bethlehem Elder

You think the Intelligent Design debate is something? Get this!

Did Jesus exist? Italian court to decide
(Reuters) by Phil Stewart, 1/4/2006

An Italian court is tackling Jesus — and whether the Roman Catholic Church may be breaking the law by teaching that he existed 2,000 years ago.

The case pits against each other two men in their 70s, who are from the same central Italian town and even went to the same seminary school in their teenage years.

The defendant, Enrico Righi, went on to become a priest writing for the parish newspaper. The plaintiff, Luigi Cascioli, became a vocal atheist who, after years of legal wrangling, is set to get his day in court later this month.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

OK, quick quiz: what historical figure has had the most literature devoted to him, the most music written for him, the most paintings depicting him, and the most followers over the last 2000 years? You guessed it! Jesus Christ. How a ‘man’ from backwoods Bethlehem, living in Nazareth, setting up headquarters in Capernaum, calling men such as fishermen and tax collectors (not really the elite of society), dying as a common criminal on a cross — then appearing to over 500 men who then willingly gave their life in service to Him even to the point of jail and death — how can this man be so followed and, yes, worshipped! The odds were certainly against Him.

People treat Him as if He were God or something! (John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 8:58).

Prayer for me while in Trinidad

From January 11-17, I will be in the beautiful country of Trinidad and Tobago (thus why their national flag is included in this blog). My heart truly beats for Trinidad and her people. This will be my fourth trip to that country, the first being in 1996 through Southern Seminary, the next three from 2004-2006 ministering in VBS, revival services, pastor’s conferences, construction, and now another Pastor’s Conference this next weekend.

The conference is called “Six Marks of a Godly Leader.” The marks are as follows:

• The Conversion of a Godly Leader
• The Calling of a Godly Leader (an exposition of 1 Thessalonians 2:1-10)
• The Crown Jewel of a Godly Leader (his family, in case you were wondering)
• The Character of a Leader (an exposition of 2 Corinthians 4-5)
• The Personal Care of a Godly Leader (which will examine the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards)
• The Practical Concern of a Godly Leader (a look at the book of Nehemiah)

I will blog about my time there when I get to a computer, so I hope you will check back.

Resolutions by Jonathan Edwards (nos. 31-40)

31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects. Dec.26, 1722.

34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec.22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

Why am I telling you these things? (By J.C. Ryle)

The firstborn in Adam’s house was Cain–a murderer.

The family of Noah, that just man, contained Ham –the wicked father of Canaan, the accursed race.

Abraham was the father of Midian–an idolatrous people who deceived Israel in the wilderness.

Isaac was the father of Esau–that “profane person.”

Jacob was the father of Reuben–who defiled his father’s bed.

Eli, the priest of the Lord, was the father of Hophni and Phinehas–who made people abhor the offering of God.

David, the man after God’s own heart, was the father of immoral Absalom and Amnon.

Hezekiah, that godly man, was the father of Manasseh–the most wicked of the kings of Judah.

Why am I telling you these things? I tell you them to show you that good education and good example alone, cannot make our children godly–without the grace of God; and to show you how deeply rooted is the corruption of our natural dispositions!

(Distributed by Grace Gems.)

The Perfect Pastor (Humor)

1. Preaches exactly 20 minutes and follows it with an invitation in which everyone is convicted but no one is offended.

2. Works from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in every type of work from counseling to custodial service.

3. 27 years old with 30 years of preaching experience.

4. Tall and short.

5. Thin and heavy set.

6. Handsome but not overpowering.

7. One brown eye and one blue eye.

8. Hair is parted in the middle and is straight on one side and wavy on the other side, with a balding spot on top revealing his maturity.

9. Has a burning desire to work with teenagers and spends all his time with the older folks.

10. He smiles constantly with a straight and sober face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously at his work.

11. Invests 25 hours a week in sermon preparation, 20 hours in counseling, 10 hours in meetings, five hours in emergencies, 20 hours in visitation and evangelism, 6 hours in weddings and funerals, 30 hours in prayer and meditation, 12 hours in letter writing, and administration, and 10 hours in creative thinking.

12. Spends 5 evenings at home with his family, plus a day off, and always stops for interruptions.
13. A seminary graduate, but uses only one- and two-syllable words.

14. Makes 15 calls a day.

15. Spends all his time evangelizing the unchurched.

16. Attends all retreats, goes to all youth retreats.

17. Is always available in his office.

18. His kids are perfect.

19. His mother is rich.

20. His wife plays the piano.

21. His house is large.

22. His bank account is small.

23. His car is in the shop.

24. He is paid too much, too little, and he gives it all away.

25. He is talented, gifted, scholarly, practical, popular, compassionate, understanding, patient, level headed, dependable, loving, caring, neat, organized, cheerful, and above all, humble.

Contributed by Allen Beane allan.beane@coe.murraystate.edu . Allen
does some great seminars for churches that are awaiting a new pastor, to help the church be better prepared to support the pastor in ministry.

By way of the Sermon Fodder List. To get a regular dose of Christian Humor and a modern-day parable you can subscribe by sending an email to sermon_fodder-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .

Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, nos. 21-30

21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’ s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

The Study of Ecclesiologistix

The term ‘logistics,’ according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “the handling of the details of an operation.” When it comes to the Church of Jesus Christ, there is no shortage of opinions as to how to handle the operation of the Church! Is it to be Purpose-Driven, Seeker-Driven, CCM-Driven? Are we currently engaged in ‘worship wars’ (two terms I never ever intended to see in use) in battling over whether our churches are to be contemporary, traditional, blended, liturgical?

Ecclesiology is the study of the church — its nature, form, and function. So Ecclesiologistix deals with studying the nature of the church and how to handle the church’s operations on a day-by-day, week-by-week basis.

As a pastor, my heart beats for the church of Jesus Christ. I understand from Scripture that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). What are the implications of being an ecclesiologistician? I look forward to delving into that topic!

Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, nos. 11-20

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

Resolutions by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), #s 1-10

I fly down to Trinidad (just a few miles off the coast of Venezuela) to conduct a conference on the “Six Marks of a Godly Leader.” As part of the preparation, I found myself reading Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions. Most, if not all, of them, were written between the ages of 18-22. Edwards is considered to be, along with Benjamin Franklin, the greatest mind this country ever produced. You would do well to read George Marsden’s “Jonathan Edwards: A Life” and praise God that He put such a man as he here on earth for the church to treasure.

He wrote seventy resolutions in all. Here are nos. 1-10.

——–

THE RESOLUTIONS

OF

Jonathan Edwards

——————————————————————————–
BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD’ S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST’ S SAKE.

——————————————————————————–

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’ s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

“Another Year Is Dawning” by Frances Ridley Havergal

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
In working or in waiting
Another year with Thee;
Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace;
Another year of gladness
In the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning
Upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting,
Of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service,
Of witness for Thy love;
Another year of training
For holier work above.
Another year of dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for Thee.

Amen.

“Another Year Is Dawning” by Frances Ridley Havergal

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
In working or in waiting
Another year with Thee;
Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace;
Another year of gladness
In the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning
Upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting,
Of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service,
Of witness for Thy love;
Another year of training
For holier work above.
Another year of dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for Thee.

Amen.