Category: Editor’s Articles

by: Allen Domelle

The importance of starting right cannot be emphasized enough. How you start often dictates how well you perform. Many people have tried to recover from a poor start only to find themselves falling short at the end. If you want this year to be a productive one, you are going to have to make sure that you start right.

The Scriptures often refer to life as a race. 1 Corinthians 9:24 says, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” Everybody is in the race of life. This verse challenges the Christian to run the race in such a manner that they will receive a prize. You don’t run a race just to run it, but you run so that you can win. God wants you to win in the race of life, but you must run your race properly if you are going to win.

Life is made up of years, years are made up of days, days are made up of hours, and hours are made up of minutes. You will never win the race if you don’t make the most of each year. You cannot make the most of each year if you don’t make the most of each day. You cannot win each day unless you make the most of each hour. Likewise, you cannot win each hour unless you make the most of each minute.

Each minute that is not lived right is a minute you lose in the race of life. You may be able to make up a few minutes lost in life, but there comes a point when you can’t make up those minutes because they have turned into hours, which have turned into days and weeks. Before long, you are years behind. If you are going to win the race of life, you must make the most of each minute.

When I was in high school, I was a part of the track team. The short distance events were my best events; however, my first year on the track team my father asked me to run the mile. Honestly, I hated that event, but that event is very similar to life. The whole event is made up of individual strides. Each stride you take, and the pace and distance of each stride will determine how well you do in the race. If I started too quickly, I wouldn’t have the stamina to make the race. If I didn’t have the right pace, I wouldn’t have the energy for the final kick at the end of the race. If I didn’t save the energy to sprint the final stretch of the race, I wouldn’t be able to finish strong and have the best chance of winning the race. It all came down to starting right.

Life is like running a long distance race. You will never make this year right if you don’t start right. It’s hard to finish your year right if you don’t start it right. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” If the LORD made each day, I then need to make the most of each day so that I can win the race. At the end of each day, you should be able to say that you won. The more days you win this year, the better chance you have of making this a winning year. But, if this is going to be a winning year, you are going to have to start it right just like the runner has to start his event right. Let me give you five things you need to do to have a winning year.

1. Start right by setting goals to accomplish.

You are sure to have a losing year if you don’t set goals to accomplish. Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” I encourage you to set goals that will cause you to grow in the LORD.

Set some spiritual goals you want to accomplish this year. For instance, set a goal to read the Scriptures every day. I know many people will challenge you to read through the entire Bible in a year, but I would rather challenge you to read a portion of Scriptures every day. Too many Christians get discouraged because they miss so many days that it becomes nearly impossible to read through the entire Bible. Certainly, some Christians need to make it their goal to read the entire Bible in one year, but most simply need to read it every day. If you read it every day, you will probably read more and get more from it than trying to read the entire Bible in a year.

Set a spiritual goal to witness to someone every week. For some who go soul winning every week, set the goal higher to witness to someone every day. Set a spiritual goal to have a big day in your ministry. Set a spiritual goal to conquer a besetting sin that has defeated you for too long. You will not have a good year spiritually if you don’t have spiritual goals.

Moreover, set family goals you want to achieve. Make this year the best year of your married life. Set goals that will make you a better husband or wife. Maybe you need to listen better this year, or help your spouse in areas of their life, or it could be that you are going to have more dates this year. You can’t have a stable family if you don’t have a healthy marriage.  Set a family goal to have a better relationship with your children or parents. Do whatever you have to do to make this happen. It may mean that you will have to spend more time with each other, or find things to serve the LORD together. This year should be a good year for your family, but it won’t be unless you start it right by setting family goals.

Furthermore, set financial goals. Make this year the year you are going to pay off some debts. Set a goal to save a certain amount of money for retirement or your rainy day fund. Set financial goals to give more to missions or the church. This year will never be the best financial year if you don’t start it right by setting financial goals.

These are just some suggestions of goals you need to set. Certainly, setting personal goals you want to accomplish are suggested, but the main emphasis of what I’m trying to get you to do is to start right by setting goals.

2. Start right by pacing yourself.

One of the greatest mistakes many make is they try to do too much at one time. Paul said in Philippians 3:13, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do…” You will notice after this verse is the verse challenging the Christian to “press toward the mark.” Instead of trying to do all your goals at one time, set a pace to get them done throughout the year.

For instance, many people trying to lose weight will never lose the desired weight unless they pace themselves. Instead of trying to lose the “x” of weight all at one time, determine to lose a pound a week. That adds up over time. Likewise, you will have a better chance of making this a winning year if you learn to pace your goals. Divide them up into manageable accomplishments that you can achieve every day, week or month.

3. Run right by not comparing yourself to others.

One big mistake you will make in making this a winning year is if you compare your year to another’s. 2 Corinthians 10:12 says, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” There are some whom you will never be able to compare to what they are doing, so don’t discourage yourself by comparing your goals to theirs. There are others that by comparing yourself to them will give you a false estimation of yourself because you are stronger than they. This will only lead to mediocrity. Galatians 5:7 says, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” Comparing yourself with others hinders you from doing what God expects you to do. Stop comparing yourself to others, and run the race God expects you to run.

4. Continue right by making adjustments when you fail.

The key to making this year a winning year is to make adjustments in the areas where you are not performing well. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…” You are going to fail throughout the year, but you don’t have to let your failures dictate the rest of the year. When you fail, get up, reanalyze what caused the failure and change what led to the failure. As the saying says, “If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always got.” Don’t change what is working, but make the right adjustments in the areas of failure so that you can have a winning year.

5. Finish right by doing what you started out doing.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” The key to winning a race is to finish strong. Stay focused on what you started out doing. Galatians 6:9 challenges us by saying, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” When you get close to the end of a goal, keep doing what got you there if you want to win. When you want to quit because you are tired of the race, keep running so that you can have a winning year. It is just as important to finish strong as it is to start right.

This should be the best year of your Christian life. This doesn’t mean that you won’t have trials and struggles throughout the year, but it does mean you can have the best year ever in spite of what you face. If this is going to be the best year, you are going to have to start it right. Start it right, run it right and finish it right. This is the key to having a winning year.

by: Allen Domelle

Several years ago, the LORD allowed my path to cross with Dr. Bob Gray II. We had known each other from a distance for many years and admired each other’s ministry. For whatever reason, the LORD had not allowed us to preach together until seven years ago. Immediately, the LORD knit our hearts together as we both seemed to have a love for the old paths. For several years after that first meeting, the LORD allowed us to preach together many times each year.

Three years ago, the LORD began to clarify as to why He allowed our paths to cross. It was at that time when I moved my ministry to the Longview Baptist Temple to be under Dr. Gray II’s ministry. I not only moved my family and ministry, but I also moved the Old Paths Conference to Longview and asked Bro. Gray to co-host the conference with me. He agreed to do so, and we both decided that the Old Paths Conference would be better served under the ministry of the Longview Baptist Temple. For three years, the LORD has continued to coalesce our hearts and vision together to see the old paths continue and to influence the next generation to walk in the old paths.

Several months ago, Bro. Gray came to me and told me that the president of Texas Independent Baptist Seminary (TIBS), Bro. Vernon Lovelady, felt that the LORD was leading him to go back into the pastorate. Bro. Gray asked me if I would consider taking the position of President of TIBS. After much prayer and in the LORD’s timing, I have accepted his offer to become the President of TIBS. We have waited for the LORD’s timing to make this announcement, and today we announced to the students that next fall I will become the President of TIBS.

This decision has been carefully made. For twenty-six years, I have traveled in full-time evangelism. The LORD has been very good to me during this time to see thousands of people accept Christ as Saviour, hundreds called into full-time service, and thousands of decisions made at the altars in these meetings. My ministry is the busiest it has ever been. The LORD has truly been good.

The one thing that has burdened my heart for the past several years was that I wanted to find a way to train the next generation and to reproduce myself in others to carry on the old paths. John 15:16 says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” I’ve always believed that God’s plan is to reproduce who you are in others. The LORD allowed me in the past to help train others for the ministry while at Hyles-Anderson College, and I enjoy seeing the fruit in pastors, missionaries and full-time servants to this day. Though the LORD has used me to influence others to go into full-time service for the past few years, I have not been able to enjoy training future generations to carry on the old paths as I did during my years at Hyles-Anderson. For this reason, I am VERY excited about this opportunity to help train future generations to carry on the old paths.

What does this mean for my meetings? For the beginning of 2016, I will continue to travel as normal. However, once I take full control of the seminary, it will be necessary to rework my travel schedule. I AM NOT stopping my travels or revival meetings. Bro. Gray and I will prayerfully figure out a good travel schedule that will allow me to continue to hold meetings as well as run the seminary. My current plan is to travel every weekend, but for some meetings, I will only be preaching on Sunday. I will immediately begin to work with those who already have a scheduled meeting to see what works best for both your schedule and mine. As for those who desire future meetings, please feel free to contact me so that we can place you on the schedule.

My desire is that you would pray for my family and me as we make this transition. I am truly excited about investing in the lives of those who desire to serve the LORD full time. Please pray that the LORD will continue to send more students to TIBS and that He will give us the wisdom to properly train them for Christ. I’m excited about working with Bro. Gray, and the staff and faculty of TIBS to train future generations for the LORD.

(CLICK HERE to see video announcement from Dr. Bob Gray II)

by: Allen Domelle

It seems as if it is becoming a regular occurrence to see youth marching the streets in some American city protesting anything from raising the minimum wage to trying to oust a university president. On the surface, every cause seems to have a valid point in the view of the modern day politically correct society. Sadly, the news media enables these youth by interviewing them and constantly covering their rebellion.

In each demonstration, what you truly see is the growing up of the entitled youth who believe everyone owes them everything. It makes one wonder what has become of our society that so many of our youth feel that they have the right to take to the streets and snarl traffic, close down storefront shops and businesses, and challenge police authority. If you think this is bad, wait till the children of this entitled generation grow up, and the riots and protests we have now will only be an hors d’oeuvre compared to what the riots and protests will be in years to come.

I believe there are several reasons that this is happening. One reason is that many children are left to themselves throughout the day, and the only thing they have to train them is reality television. God warns in Proverbs 29:15, “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” It is no wonder that so many children act the way they do when they don’t have a parent at home telling them “Yes” or “No.” Many youth today have never been disciplined by their parents. Yes, they have been yelled at when they’ve inconvenienced their parents, but disciplining when they do wrong has left the average home.

Another reason youth act this way is because everything has been given to them. The Scriptures are very clear that everything should be earned. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, “…if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Many parents have found it easier just to give their child what they want instead of making them work for it. God says in Lamentations 3:27, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” If you give your child everything, they will grow up thinking that society owes them everything. I’m amazed as to how many parents feel it is their obligation to pay for their child’s college tuition. This only adds to the entitlement mentality that everything should be given to them. If a young adult works for their education, they will appreciate it much better.

One of the greatest contributions to this anarchy is that many parents have unknowingly trained their children to be an anarchist. I know these are strong words, but it is true. You ask how we have trained our children to be an anarchist? My answer is that we have trained our children to question and rebel against authority by developing certain attitudes that are detrimental to one’s future.

God says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Parents are not only to train their children how to do things in life, but they are to train them the right attitudes as they do the right things. I’m afraid too many children have been shown what to do, but the attitude that parents have had towards how authority treats their children have contributed to the anarchist attitude we are experiencing today.

Before you think this doesn’t affect you, let me assure you that it is happening in our Baptist churches. No, most of our children or young adults are not taking to the streets to protest, but they are taking to social media and protesting what has been passed down to us from previous generations. They are in their 20’s and early 30’s, and they take to their blogs to detest the previous generation’s methods, even though they weren’t involved in the ministries or even alive during their ministries. There are several attitudes that parents have towards the treatment of their children by an authority that trains the anarchist attitude that many children have today.

1. Overprotective attitude

This overprotective attitude starts when the child is a baby. My wife has been a nursery director for many years. She tells me the alarming stories of how parents treat nursery workers. What you don’t realize is that the baby starts picking up on the parents attitude that authority is never doing it right. When parents think that nobody is good enough to take care of their child, they are already starting to train their child to challenge authority. Let me assure you that a child is not as breakable as many parents think they are. Babies are very resilient and can take the bumps and bruises that come with being in a church nursery or around other children. But, when momma goes ballistic against the nursery worker because another child has hurt her little baby, you are telling that child that they don’t have to listen to authority. It is sad when parents will take their child to the doctor or school and allow secularly trained people to care for their child, but they will not trust saved nursery workers in their church who are picked by their pastor. I am all for the parent’s authority and for a parent being protective of their child, but you must not get that overprotective attitude that believes nobody is good enough, or nobody else can properly care for your child. Yes, you should be sure qualified people are caring for your child, but some children need to be brought to the nursery in bubble wrap to keep the parents from getting upset with the nursery worker who, in their estimation, didn’t properly take care of their baby.

Let me remind you of a verse that even applies to the baby. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” (Romans 13:1-2) A little bruise on your baby is not going to hurt them. Have you ever thought that maybe your baby lost their balance on their own? Don’t make the mistake of training your child to have the wrong attitude from infancy by constantly challenging the nursery workers. Whether or not you realize it, it is an attitude that you are training your children.

2. My child can do no wrong.

I have seen this attitude numerous times. I’m always amazed how parents always think it is the authority who was in the wrong and not their child. Let me remind you of a couple of verses. Romans 3:10 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Psalm 53:3 says, “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” These verses include your child. Instead of immediately taking your child’s side when they say an authority treated them wrong, you ought to hear what the authority has to say as to what your child did. You might find that your child isn’t perfect.

My parents always had the rule in our house that authority was always right. I know the modern day anarchist rolls their eyes when they hear this, but my parents never trotted me into the authority’s office demanding the authority to apologize to me. This was the best thing they ever did because it trained me that my parents were going to back any authority. One reason some youth today feel free to attack police officers is because their parents never trained them with the proper attitude towards authority; instead, they always accused authority of mistreating their child or condemned authority when their child was accused of doing wrong. It doesn’t matter how old your child may be; you need to back authority.

3. Someone else caused my child to do this.

I was talking to a parent who refused to acknowledge their child’s wrong. The mentality of this parent amazed me. Instead of making the child take responsibility for their actions, they accused another child of mistreating their child. Friend, it doesn’t matter if your child was mistreated or if another person contributed to your child’s wrong, they are still responsible for their actions. Romans 14:12 teaches, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Every person is ultimately responsible for their actions; this includes your child.

When you give your child an excuse for doing wrong by blaming it on someone else, you are enabling them to do the same thing again. If they are not held responsible for their part in a wrong, they will continue to escalate it until they break laws that will cause them to be incarcerated. Let me kindly remind you that a judge doesn’t care who mistreated your child or if someone else contributed to their actions. The judge is going to make your child pay for their wrong. The anarchist always blames others for their own condition, and if you never hold your child responsible for their own actions, they will take on the anarchist attitude.

4. Covering your child’s sin

Sadly, I have seen this more than I wish to talk about. Instead of being honest about what a child has done, many parents have covered it up instead of teaching them that there are consequences to every action. I know it is not easy, but you have to let your children pay for their sin. If you continue to cover your child’s sin instead of punishing them, they will continue to escalate what they are doing to the point where they will break your heart.

Jeremiah 31:19 says, “Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.” Notice that this verse is teaching that repentance happened because he bore “the reproach” in his youth. My daughter has heard me ask God scores of times to allow her to be caught if she does wrong. You might think this is cruel, but I would rather her get caught and punished for the wrong when she is young than to get away with sin and think that she is above it. If your child does wrong, as embarrassing as it may be, make them pay for it. When you go through the punishment with them, they will see that you love them no matter how they live. Allowing them to be punished when they do wrong instead of covering their sin will help to keep them from developing an anarchist attitude.

It is not easy to train children, but you must be careful that while you are training them in what to do that you are also training them how to do it with the right attitude. Train them to respect and honor authority, because one day you are going to be the authority they will challenge if you teach them the anarchist attitude.

Ultimately, the attitude one has towards authority will come out in their Christian life. The reason we see young adults criticizing the methods and teaching of men of God from the past is because they were trained to have an anarchist attitude in their Christian home. Certainly, every child makes their own choice in life, but you can help them immensely to avoid the anarchist attitude if these attitudes above are not a part of their training.

by: Allen Domelle

For many years of my life, I have lived in areas where there are cattle ranchers. Many times when you drive in areas where there is open range, you will see the cattle with a branding on their rump to show everyone who that cattle belongs to. The branding of each rancher is unique to them so that there is no mistake about the ownership of their cattle.

Very early in Israel’s history God wanted everyone to know who His people were. Every plague that was sent upon the Egyptians was done so that they knew there was a difference. God gave them a different diet because they were to be different. God had them dress differently than the Egyptians because He wanted there to be a difference. God was not as interested in them looking more like Egypt so that they could reach the Egyptian people. He knew that their difference would cause the Egyptians to want to follow the ways of the LORD. God wanted His people to be different because He was putting His branding on them.

God continued to stress the importance of being branded in the New Testament when He says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate…” (2 Corinthians 6:17) God did not lessen the importance of being branded under grace, but He continued that importance. Separation had nothing to do with law or grace, but it had everything to do with God’s people being branded as His people.

We live in times when people are doing everything they can to keep from being branded. Many churches today have taken the name “Baptist” off their sign because they don’t want to be branded with the Baptists. Throughout every city you have non-denominational churches that have done everything in their power to avoid being branded with any denomination. Why is it that these churches are running from being branding? If what they believe is so right, why don’t they want to be branded with it? Maybe that is the reason they won’t identify who they are. I have more respect for the Mormon and Catholic church who are not afraid to put their name on their signs than I do for churches that want no branding. The common argument of these churches is that they want to be “inclusive” to everyone. They argue that they’ve identified who they are because they have “church” on their sign. Just because you have “church” on your sign doesn’t identify to whom you belong. The satanist will put “church” on their sign, so that straw argument doesn’t justify the attempt to camouflage your branding. Instead of running from your branding, you ought to be proud of it if you truly believe in who you are.

The attempt to run from branding is also seen in the political world. If you follow politics, you will often hear the importance of getting the vote of the “independents.” The voter who wants to call themselves an “independent” is simply doing this because they don’t want to be branded a “Republican” or “Democrat.” Again, I have more respect for the liberal Democrat who is not afraid to say who they are of than I do for the independent who won’t say who they are. It is wearisome hearing the importance of those who want to call themselves independent. My experience is that the independent is less likely to be involved with what goes on in politics. Being termed “independent” is their way of avoiding their branding so that they can avoid their responsibilities of being a good citizen.

Many preachers have told me that they don’t want to be branded with any group. This always bothers me. When I study the Scriptures, I see that God stresses the importance of being branded. The arguments I hear from these preachers are that they can have a greater influence by not being branded, but their lack of branding always reveals their deficiency to take a stand for truth. When a preacher brands himself, he clearly identifies who he is and where he stands. Instead of running from being branded, they should embrace it.

The Apostle Peter fell for this mentality to avoid being branded at the heathen’s fire. When the damsel accused Peter of running with Jesus, he denied it by saying, “I know not what thou sayest.” (Matthew 26:70) When the maid proclaimed Peter as being a disciple of Christ, he again denied it by saying, “I do not know the man.” (Matthew 26:72) When others began to accuse Peter as being a disciple of Christ because the way he talked was similar to how Jesus talked, he again denied knowing Christ as he cursed and swore. Peter was like many today who try to avoid being branded, but avoidance of the branding led him to eventually deny the church, deny his faith and deny his God.

Being branded is very important for many reasons. If you are going to successfully live the Christian life until you die, you are going to have to be branded. You will always find that the first step of going the way of the world is to run from your branding. There are six reasons why you should not avoid being branded that will benefit you.

1. Being branded identifies you to you.

When God told Israel that He wanted them to be different, He showed them that this would help them to identify who they were to themselves. Exodus 11:7 says, “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Isn’t it interesting that God wanted them to know they were different. God wanted them to know that they were different so that they would stay close to Him.

Many Christians have a hard time staying faithful because they have never identified themselves to themselves. When I call myself an old paths, independent Baptist, it identifies to me how I should live. It is important to my Christian growth and walk to be branded. Every time I call myself an old paths, independent Baptist, it puts pressure on me to live a certain way. I don’t live this way to please others, but I live this way to please God. 1 Peter 2:11 shows me that being branded helps me to overcome temptation when it says, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” Notice that the branding is what helps me to abstain. If I run from the branding, there is no pressure to abstain. If you will not run from being branded, you will find that you will have an easier time avoiding the lusts of the flesh. It’s not going to be easy abstaining from these lusts, but being branded will make it easier.

2. Being branded identifies you to others.

Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” You will find that by identifying your brand you will have an easier time staying away from the wrong crowd. People often ask me if I ever get into uncomfortable situations with churches that don’t believe like I do. Truthfully, I’ve never had this problem because my branding has identified who I am to keep those who don’t want to walk the old paths from inviting me in. I’m certainly not the measuring stick of the old paths, but my preaching and clear identity have branded me and kept the wrong crowd from wanting me in their church.

When I worked in the secular world, I always made it clear that I was a Christian. It is amazing how making my branding clear kept them from inviting me to their parties where alcohol, drugs and illicit living would be present. My branding told them that I wouldn’t fit in to that lifestyle.

You will always struggle with the wrong crowd when you run from your branding. Being branded an old paths, independent Baptist will identify you to those who want nothing to do with this way of life. You will find that being branded has a way of repelling them from you. Being branded is like a person spraying mosquito repellant on themselves to repel the mosquitos from them in summer. If you want to repel the wrong crowd, then don’t be afraid of being branded as an old paths, independent Baptist.

3. Being branded keeps you safe.

Being branded will keep you from meddling with things that you have no business meddling with. If Peter had not ran from his branding, he wouldn’t have found himself at the heathen’s fire. The whole reason he found himself there was because he tried to cover his branding. In reality, it was his branding that caused others to identify him with Christ which eventually kept him safe from going back to the wrong life.

My experience is that when I boldly proclaim my branding, it identifies me and keeps me safe in the future. When I was in high school, there was a young lady who wanted to date me, but she told me that she knew I would never date her because she was not my type. She was exactly right! Even though I was in a Christian school, I still declared my branding. Everyone knew that I was going to be a preacher. Why? Because I made it clear when I preached. By embracing my branding I kept myself safe.

I’ve oftentimes wondered if the reason many are afraid to be branded is because they want to live a compromising life. Your branding will put pressure on you to live according to the God you represent. It won’t only keep you standing right in the present, but it will also help you to continue to stand right in the future.

4. Being branded helps future generations.

God commands in Jeremiah 6:16, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…” I’m afraid future generations are not going to know what the old paths are because so many have run from that branding. I know what the old paths are because there have been Christians before me who showed me those paths by embracing the branding of old paths. I have personally seen Lee Roberson, Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, Tom Malone and others walk the old paths. That help me identify what they are. I heard men like Oliver B. Greene and Harold Sightler boldly proclaim the old paths. These men boldly embraced the branding of the old paths which made it easier for me to identify what the old paths were so that I can walk in them. I have not run from being branded with these men because their branding was the brand of the old paths which are the paths that I want to be identified with.

Friend, future generations will never know the old paths unless you embrace the branding of the old paths. If you cover your branding, they will not know what the old paths are. Don’t let the old paths be lost because you are afraid to be branded.

5. Being branded will make you more influential.

The biggest argument with being branded is that you will stop being influential. First of all, it is not your job to worry about influence. Second, being branded will make you more influential. Let me ask you a question, who is heard more, the person who sounds like everyone else or the person who is different? The Devil uses this straw argument to try and play on the emotions of the one who has a great desire to influence more people for Christ.

When studying the Scriptures, you will find that the church’s influence grew because they were not afraid to be branded. It says about Peter and the church in their early days, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) Being branded gave them a distinction that brought notice to what they were doing.

This branding continued to grow their influence to where the “the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26) They didn’t grow their influence by blending in with the modern day culture of the popular religious crowd. Their influence grew because they were willing to be branded.

You will see the zenith of their influence in Acts 17:6 where it says, “…These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;” Their influence grew to this degree because they were not worried with being influential or with being branded. It grew to this degree because they decided to do right and embrace their branding.

The only thing that will make you different from anyone else is your branding. Don’t run from being called an old paths, independent Baptist, but embrace it as you continue to boldly preach and walk the old paths. Your distinction is what separates you from the crowd. The reason you will drop your branding is because you are concerned with influence. That shouldn’t be your concern. Your concern should be with doing what God has commanded you to do in the way that He commanded you to do it. If you are branded, so be it! But, don’t run from being branded.

6. Being branded will bring criticism.

Yes, being branded always brings criticism. These statements about the early church were not supposed to be glowing reports of what they had done by the popular religious crowd, but they were derogatory statements in an attempt to minimize what Christ was doing through them.

If you will allow yourself to be branded, you will be called divisive, harmful, destructive to the cause, Communist, legalist, shallow and who knows what other names they will come up with. That should not cause you to shy away from being branded. Always remember that the Devil blurs the lines. God is a God of absolutes. There are no gray areas with God. Those who blur the lines should be avoided. When you can’t discern where a person stands or with whom they are identifying, you would be wise to steer clear from them. Yes, they will simply say that you are hurting the cause of Christ by embracing your branding, but that is what they have said about those who have embraced this branding for centuries. Always remember that it is never the majority who makes the difference, it is always the remnant.

The next time you are tempted to remove your branding of being an old paths, independent Baptist, remember that by removing your branding you are joining the crowd that has always hurt the cause of Christ. God wants you to be different, or branded. Forsaking being branded for the sake of the bigger cause is compromise. Embrace it and continue to preach, teach and walk the old paths. Your branding is what will allow you to help more people to avoid the deadly hooks of the world. Brethren, let’s not be afraid to be branded an old paths, independent Baptist.

by: Allen Domelle

Success in the ministry is often misrepresented. Most of the time, someone is considered a success if they build a large ministry. Sadly, a man who has built a large work is often seen as more successful than the man who has pastored a country church for many years. I believe this misrepresentation is unhealthy for those younger men who are starting out in the ministry. This definition of success in the ministry will only lead some to compromise to become a “success” and will lead others to discouragement because they have pastored a handful of people for many years.

If you were to accept the model that large churches are the measurement of a successful ministry, many in the Scriptures would not be considered the successes that they are. Noah would have been a great failure because his ministry of over 120 years only reached eight people, and those eight people were his family. Jeremiah would not be considered a success by this model for his ministry landed him in jail and he became the outcast of his country. Ezekiel should be taken out of the rolls of a successful ministry because he certainly did not build a large ministry. In fact, God told him when he was called that the people would not listen. (Ezekiel 2:3-4) There are so many other people in the Scriptures who would never be asked to preach today on the national platforms because their ministries would be considered a flop if based off this model.

So, what is the model by which a successful ministry should be measured? I believe Paul shows us that model at the end of his ministry in 2 Timothy 4:7 when he says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” His success was that he fought the fights he was supposed to fight, he finished the course of God’s will for His life, and he kept the faith all the way to the end. This is no easy task.

Jesus also shows us one other measurement by which a successful ministry can be measured in John 15:16 when He says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” If I were to bring this verse down to one definition, it is simply that God’s measurement of a successful ministry is a ministry that has changed lives. When the fruit remains, that is a life that has been changed forever. It is not just people getting saved, but it is also seeing those lives changed and going back out and reproducing what was given to them.

What I love about God’s definition of a successful ministry is that anybody in any size church can be a success. If you are in a country church or a large metropolitan church, you can be a life-changer. The only way you are going to change lives is to use the faith. The faith is the only thing that changes lives. However, you are going to have to fight to keep running the course of the faith so that you can continue to be a life-changer.

I have grown up in the ministry, and at the writing of this article I have been in evangelism for over a quarter of a century. Throughout these years, I have studied those people who were successful. As I studied their ministries, I found eight keys that led to their success in being a life-changer.

1. Longevity

When Paul said that he “finished his course”, he was teaching young Timothy to stick with it and not to quit. He encouraged the Christians of Galatia to stick with it in Galatians 6:9 when he said, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” He reminded Timothy that longevity was a key to success in 2 Timothy 3:13 when he said, “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”

There is no easy way to make a difference in the lives of individuals. There are going to be days when you are going to want to quit or leave, but you are going to have to stay through the tough times if you want to have a successful ministry. Every man in history who would be considered a success stayed in the same place for two or three decades. Successful ministries are built in decades. Jumping from one ministry to the next trying to find that large ministry is not how you become successful. Just stay where you are and realize you are going to have to invest in those whom God has given you if you want to be successful.

2. Compassion

Every person I have seen to be successful always had a great compassion for people. Jude 1:22 says, “And of some have compassion, making a difference:” You are not going to make a difference in the lives of individuals without compassion. The only way you will have compassion on people is by spending time with them. Our Saviour didn’t get compassion by camping out in His office; rather, He had compassion on people by being with them. Mark 9:36 says about Jesus, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them…” People are not going to give their heart to someone who is never available. People don’t need CEO’s as their pastor, they need a pastor or a ministry leader who is available in their time of need.

We have become so impersonal in today’s Christianity. We want to act like we are some mega-star who walks on the platform to give our message and then we walk away without ever allowing the people to touch us. This is not how you change lives. You change lives by being compassionate enough to help people through their trials and by restoring them when they have fallen. You change lives by being there for them when they need someone.

3. Unchanging

We live in times when it seems that many are always looking for the next new thing to employ in their ministries. I’m not against adding to what we already do, but there are some who change what they are doing about once a year. God warns us in Proverbs 24:21, “…meddle not with them that are given to change:” Hebrews 13:8 says about our Saviour, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Jesus didn’t looking for the next new idea; no, He simply reproduced what He knew already worked.

There is something about knowing when you go to a place that it will be the same as it was when you left. Imagine if the prodigal son’s father had moved when the prodigal decided to come home. The young man would have never had a chance to put his life back together if his dad had moved or changed. There is a stability that is created in people when they come and see the same thing being done all the time. Stop changing everything and just do what you know has worked in the past. If you are always changing things in your ministry you will create unstable Christians. One of the identifying marks of successful ministries is that they stay the same for decades.

4. Walk with God

Every Christian who has been highly successful has always had a walk with God. Psalm 91:1 says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” How can God use you to change lives if you are not spending time with the Life-Changer? If you want your ministry to be successful, you are going to have to guard your personal time with God. You are going to have to daily spend time studying the Word of God. You are going to have to have a prayer life along with a prayer time. You won’t make a difference in the lives of individuals without a personal time with God. Jesus reminded us of this in Matthew 17:21 when He says, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” You can have the best graphics department in your church, the newest and best technological advances to help you connect with people, but it is a walk with God in the Scriptures and prayer that will make the difference in the lives of individuals. You will never find success in the ministry without a walk with God.

5. Soul winning

Every person whom God has used in a mighty way has been a personal soul winner. The church, in the Book of Acts, turned the world upside down by reaching the souls of men. Jesus’ ministry was all about reaching the lost. Luke 19:10 reminds us, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Sitting in an office will never change a life, but going to the lost and reaching them is where the beginning of a successful ministry is found. When I listen or read about men in the past whom God used mightily, every one of them was a personal soul winner. They all had a passion for the souls of men that drove them each week to reach the lost. You can desire the large conference platforms, but the best platform on which you can stand is the front porch with the Scriptures opened telling someone about Jesus Christ. That is where lives are truly changed.

I’m afraid that we have forgotten that there is a literal Hell with a literal fire. Three times in Mark 9 it says, “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” I’m afraid we’ve forgotten the cry of the rich man in Hell when he said, “…Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke 19:24) Hell is a real place. What better motivator can a person have to be a personal soul winner than to realize that people will go to Hell if you don’t reach them? You can throw your desires of a successful ministry in the trash can if you are not a personal soul winner. Instead of criticizing those who are leading people to Christ, why not get yourself out to the lost and reach them yourself? Successful ministries are always going to be soul-winning ministries.

6. Integrity

One thing that was important to Job was his integrity. When others attacked and criticized him, the one thing which he held onto was his integrity. He said in Job 27:5, “…till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.” Job’s integrity was one of the reasons God used him. When I look at those who were successful in their ministries, one thing that was very important to them was their integrity. Their word was important to them. If you want your ministry to make in impact on others, you need to be a person of integrity. You need to be a person who is honest and who lives a pure life. Live your life in such a manner that you would not allow yourself to be put in any situation where you could lose your integrity. Don’t allow yourself to be alone with the opposite gender. Keep your marriage strong. Always keep your word. Be a person who treats everyone the same. This is an important key to a successful ministry.

7. Direction

Part of the reason Paul was able to finish his course was because he kept going in the right direction. Friend, your direction will dictate your destination. You cannot run with the modern day Balaam’s who think the end justifies the means and keep your direction right. Those who have enjoyed successful ministries didn’t change direction midstream. They started walking down the old paths and they walked those paths to their death. They were not critical of the old paths; they embraced them. They didn’t criticize those from the past who championed the old paths; instead, they held them as role models for a younger generation. Every person who has changed their direction has always ruined the next generation. Those who stayed the course to the end were those who not only changed their generation, but they also influenced and impacted the next generation.

8. Friends

Who you choose to be your friend will ultimately determine the success of your ministry. We must never forget the example of Amnon who had a friend he shouldn’t have had, and that friend destroyed his potential. Proverbs 27:17 shows us what type of friends we should have when it says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Solomon controlled his bad associations while he was young, but they changed him when he got old. 1 Kings 11:4 says, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

You are only as strong as your weakest friend. You can run with the Demas’ who love the world more than God, but one day you will yoke up with them. People commonly try to defend their weak associations by saying that they are their friend, and that they are always going to be a friend to their friends. That is fine to say, but that is not scriptural. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 says, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” You are not to continue to be closely associated with those who are walking disorderly in the faith. Yes, they may still be your friend, but they need to be a distant friend. Using friendship as an excuse to justify associating with a disorderly brother is absolutely wrong. If you are going to experience a successful ministry, you are going to have to keep a close watch on whether you should stay close to certain friends.

These eight keys are imperative to continually being a life-changer. At the end of life, if these eight things have been adhered to, God will have surely used you mightily as a life-changer. These eight things are not just for preachers, but they are for every Christian to follow who wants God to use them mightily in their lives.

by: Allen Domelle

If you listen to the detractors and critics of the independent, fundamental Baptist movement, you would think that our best days are gone. From within and without, the detractors have declared the days of old paths fundamentalism as dead and gone.

Their reasoning for fundamentalism being irrelevant in today’s world is because of our unwillingness to change our stance on things they consider irrelevant. For instance, they think the days of decency are dead and gone. Many of these detractors have declared that holiness, or dress standards, is dependent upon one’s culture or conscience. They criticize preachers or churches that still believe it is right for a lady to wear a dress, for men to have short hair and for churches to expect those in ministry positions to adhere to the dress standards of the church. These detractors like to preach grace without holiness; as if grace means you can live any way that you want.

Before you get the tombstone inscribed and set it on the grave of the independent, fundamental Baptist movement, let me encourage those who still stand that there are still many growing churches who continue to stand for and promote the old paths. We may not have the national platforms that we had in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, but we are still building churches according to the old paths of the King James Bible.

I’m afraid the proclamation from the modern day Balaam’s that the old paths, independent Baptist movement is dead and gone is very premature. It reminds me of the critics in Nehemiah’s day who said, “Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” (Nehemiah 4:3) These critics were obviously very wrong as we read later in Nehemiah 6:15, “So the wall was finished…” So much for the wall not being built. Just like Nehemiah’s detractors and critics were wrong in his day, so are the detractors and critics wrong in our day when they say that you can’t build a church the way they used to be built.

Three of my most recent meetings can reassure you that the old paths, fundamental Baptist movement is still alive and well. A few weeks ago, I preached for the Faith Baptist Church, in Wildomar, CA, where Dr. Bruce Goddard is the pastor. He asked me to come in and hold a four day meeting on soul winning and revival. What amazed me about this church is that they have grown to such a size that they are holding three services on Sunday morning to house the crowds. The evening crowds were not a skeleton crew like it is in many emerging churches, if they even have night church, but a packed out auditorium for every service. During the week of meetings, the LORD gave us over 200 people who accepted Christ as Saviour and altars filled with God’s people making decisions.

There is no doubt that the Faith Baptist Church of Wildomar is an old paths, fundamental Baptist church. They didn’t want me to get up and preach sermons that appealed to the flesh; rather, they wanted me to stand and preaching strong, pointed sermons that brought conviction, encouraged the saint and moved people to make a decision at the invitation time. The stronger I preached, the better they responded. I enjoyed hearing music that didn’t sound like it came out of a bar, but music that you know was glorifying to the LORD. The ladies were dressed decently and most of the men dressed like they were going to church and not a country club. The teens were obviously more in love with the LORD than they were with the world. They were not dressed inappropriately, and they didn’t look like they got their style of dress from the latest Teen Vogue magazine. Instead, they dressed like they represented the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next week, I preached for the Spring Creek Baptist Church in Seven Springs, NC, where Jason Watford is the pastor. This church is not found in a big metropolitan city, but it is a country church out in the rural roads of North Carolina. This church is everything that you would imagine a country church to be. Though they were a country church, they didn’t let their distance from the city hinder them from packing out the auditorium for every service. Sunday morning was packed with people filling their pew with friends and family. One would wonder what type of crowd they would have on Sunday night being that they are a country church. Yet, that Sunday night and every night that week the auditorium was full with hardly an open seat. Again, 6 people were saved that week and the altars were filled.

This church didn’t have the fancy buildings that some would say are required to build a thriving church, but the buildings were very well taken care of and the services were very organized. They didn’t have praise and worship teams on the platform during their song service, but the people sang with fervor and enjoyment making it very easy for any preacher to preach. The pianist was not a concert pianist, but she was a business lady who gave her best effort in playing for the congregation without one drum to back her up, and she did a great job. These people loved the preaching of God’s Word and the old paths, which didn’t hinder their attendance as the church was experiencing its best attendances in the church’s history.

The following week, I went to preach at the Woodlawn Baptist Church in Bowie, MD, where William Tyson is pastor. This church is located in a more wealthy community, but they didn’t let their location stop them from running busses to the inner-city to bring the financially poor adults and children to church. It was a holiday weekend, but they still were still packed out in both morning services and the Sunday night service. Just on that Sunday we had 12 people accept Christ as Saviour and 3 people followed the LORD in believer’s baptism. The church is definitely not in decline as they are in desperate need of a larger auditorium so they can continue to grow.

Did this church compromise to see the growth? Absolutely not! They are the epitome of an old paths, fundamental Baptist Church. The standards this church expects from their workers are not borderline or trendy, but they are modest according to biblical standards. Old paths, fiery preaching is what this church enjoys. They believe in using the altars in every service, and the people are aggressive about reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. Their music is not starchy, and neither does it sound like it came from the latest Country & Western music album. Yet, their music was pleasant and exciting, warming the heart of each listener who attended.

Each of these churches that I mentioned are simply a representative of the hundreds of churches across America that are growing and have not compromised the old paths for this new emerging church philosophy. Yes, they all have their own unique personality, but you could walk into each of these churches and not question where they stand positionally. None of these churches have followed, nor do they want to follow, the emerging church mess that many so-called independent Baptists have started copying. These churches just believe that you can do things God’s way and still reach your community for Jesus Christ. They definitely prove that the old paths, independent Baptist movement is alive and well. There were several things that I identified in these churches that helped them to see God’s blessings on their church.

1. The bus ministry was an integral part of the church outreach.

The bus ministry was not a token ministry, but a big part in reaching their communities. Each of these churches that I talked about believed that the bus ministry is a place where any person in the church can and should be involved. They realized that it was a spiritual ministry, not because they had busses, but because it allowed them to bring more people to church in one vehicle.

The bus ministry is one of the ministries that the old paths, independent Baptist churches have embraced for years. They understand that the command to bring people to Jesus Christ can be accomplished in a greater fashion through the bus ministry. Though I don’t care how we get people to church, whether it is by filling our cars or filling a wagon, I do believe that the bus ministry allows us to bring more people to church. I do believe that a balanced approach to the bus ministry will help our independent Baptist churches continue to thrive.

2. Each church had an aggressive soul-winning ministry.

The one key that I have seen throughout the years that has perpetuated the old paths, independent Baptist churches is that we believe and practice confrontational soul winning. You can go back to the days of Christ and see that the church went to where the sinner was to show them how to be saved. These churches I preached in all had aggressive soul-winning ministries. I believe that people are still open to the Gospel. The problem is not that people are too hard to get saved, but the problem is that Christians are not going soul winning. You compare the old paths, independent Baptist churches to these emerging church growth methods and I’ll promise you that the old paths, independent Baptist churches are seeing more saved. That in and of itself will keep us alive and well until our LORD returns.

3. Each church had an aggressive Sunday school program.

What I loved about these churches is that they believed that teaching the Bible in Sunday school is still more advantageous and biblical than having small groups in a house. They all understood that Christ died for the church and not for the small groups. (Ephesians 5:25) Their Sunday school programs were their discipleship programs. Old paths, independent Baptist churches have always discipled their people and church through the Sunday school. As long as Sunday school continues to be embraced in our old paths, independent Baptist churches, we will continue to be the breeding grounds for future preachers and church workers.

4. Each church loved old-fashioned preaching.

These churches that I preached in wanted old-paths preaching and didn’t apologize for having it. We live in times when too many pastors are afraid to have the pointed preacher because they are afraid he is going to run someone off. My answer to these weak, Balaam following pastors is that if someone can run your people off through their preaching then you have done a poor job in grounding your people in the Word. In over two and a half decades of being an evangelist, only the churches that have fashioned their ministries after liberals could not take my passionate preaching. I still find today that there are scores of old paths, independent Baptist churches that love hard preaching. They understand that old-fashioned preaching needs to be the centerpiece of every service, and they enjoy it.

5. Fasting and prayer was still practiced by these churches.

One of the things I noticed while I preached for Pastor Bruce Goddard was that he scheduled a month long fasting and prayer for the revival meeting. It is no wonder that God blessed when most of the church participated in fasting and prayer. He simply asked different members to choose a day during the month that they would fast and pray for the meeting. What I noticed was that there wasn’t just one person a day, but several people a day fasting and praying for the meeting. When you get Christians who believe that the church should be the house of prayer, and they are willing to fast and pray to see God’s blessings, then you will see the old paths, independent Baptist churches continue to grow.

6. They still had requirements for church workers.

These churches didn’t believe that you had to compromise your standards to grow. What I noticed about them was that they still enforced having modest dress standards for their workers. The detractors of the old paths, independent Baptist churches say that we are running people off, but what I have noticed is that we are not running people off but we are reaching more people because there is a difference. Let the detractors push their worldly programs and dress standards, but the old paths, independent Baptist churches will be blessed in part because they follow God’s biblical and modest method for those who are going to lead in a church ministry.

7. They all had a vibrant music program.

What I loved about these churches is that I didn’t feel like I had walked into a rock concert when the special music was sung. The music didn’t sound like it came from a charismatic praise and worship service, and neither did it have the sound of country music. It was music that was lively, exciting and warmed the heart for the preaching. It was music that matched the preaching. They all realized that music shows your direction, and they wanted everyone to know that they were not ashamed to be an old paths, independent Baptist church.

8. They all embraced the King James Bible.

What is interesting to me is that none of these churches said that they used the King James Bible for unity purposes, but they all embraced it as the inspired and preserved Word of God. Watch out for those who say they only use the King James Bible for unity purposes because what they are saying is that they don’t believe it is inspired and preserved today. They are saying that any version will do, which is absolutely wrong! The old paths, independent Baptist churches will continue to be blessed by God because He will bless those who hold true to His Word.

To all those who have declared the old paths, independent Baptist church movement as dead, I hate to disappoint you but we are growing and you know it. If we were irrelevant, you wouldn’t be trying to talk about how our methods are out of touch for today’s society. People in J. Frank Norris’ day said that the old paths, independent Baptist style of church building wouldn’t reach the people of his day, and they were miserably wrong. He used the old paths to influence hundreds and even thousands of pastors across our nation to build their churches. The old paths, independent Baptist church movement is still very alive in America today. To those who are part of an old paths, independent Baptist church, take courage because there are still many churches that are building aggressive works for the LORD. To the critics and detractors, you might want to put a hold on ordering the tombstone for our movement because we have been going since the day that Christ started the church, and we will continue to be around until the day He comes to take us to Heaven.

by: Allen Domelle

The older you get, the more nostalgic you become. Nostalgia is an amazing thing in that time has stopped, and in that person’s mind nothing has changed. What is sad is watching a person go back to revisit the old places they fondly remembered only to be greatly disappointed because nothing stayed the same.

I recently had the opportunity to go back to the old church where I had spent several years as a youth. I knew that things had changed, but I wanted to see what had become of the old building and property where I cut my teeth preaching as a teenage boy. It was an amazing visit returning back to that property and seeing what the LORD was doing in that church. No, the buildings were not the same; they were improved. There were more buildings on the property, and the church auditorium had been expanded to hold the crowd that attended church every week. The old pulpit from which I preached my first sermon was still there, and I stood behind it remembering that first time I opened the Scriptures to preach the Word of God. It was truly time well spent talking to the pastor and reminiscing about the past.

Everything definitely was not the same. As I drove to the church, I almost got lost because so much had changed. The city had grown, and two-lane roads had become four lane roads. Where there once used to be a country road with a short onramp to the freeway, it had now become a major overpass. It took me several minutes trying to figure out where I was and how to get around my hometown.

Things had definitely changed since I had left. The old country roads where I used to ride my bike were no longer country roads. Where strawberry fields once used to be, neighborhoods had been built and were filled with families. How I remembered the old town had definitely changed. Time stopped in my mind, but the city didn’t stop in time. It moved on. It had developed land and built up its infrastructure which totally ruined the image of what my hometown was all about.

I was reminded of a valuable lesson on that trip. That lesson was that how I remembered a place or person to be was no longer the case. Time didn’t stop when I moved on. People got older and children grew up and got married. The town I remembered as a child no longer existed as it did in my mind. Time had moved on and the little town had changed.

What happened on this trip was that I wanted to remember my hometown as Mayberry, a make-believe city on film that never changes. I wanted to go back to Mayberry, but Mayberry no longer existed. The reality is that Mayberry has changed for everyone. What we remember as Mayberry is no longer the same. How you see everything from the past is not reality. Places, people and institutions change. Humans tend to judge people and places by how they remember them in the past.

I was recently reacquainted with a friend from several years ago. We talked about the past and relived some of the memories of those whom God had placed in our lives. We talked about how the LORD blessed the institution where we both worked together with delight. It was truly a wonderful time of fellowship I had with my friend.

During the conversation he brought up the name of someone who I knew had changed. They no longer stood positionally where they once used to stand. Yet, this person told me that they knew this individual was a good person because they had worked with them on a personal basis. My friend based his whole perception of this person’s position upon the past without any consideration for the fact that they could have changed over the years.

It was only a couple months later when I was talking to someone else who brought up the name of this same person who had changed. They said almost the exact same thing my friend had said about this person. They said they used to sit and listen to this person teach, and they “knew” that they were positionally sound. I asked this person when was the last time they had any conversation with that individual. To my surprise they said the last time they talked to them was about twenty years ago. I then asked this person if they had considered that someone could change in twenty years. When I said this, it was like the light came on in their mind because they were trusting that an individual had stayed the same all of these years.

What happened to these two people happens to most of us and that is we tend to go back to Mayberry with people, churches and institutions and think that they haven’t changed. Their whole trust on a person’s individual stance was based off where they stood twenty years ago. NEWS FLASH! People change! Why do we foolishly think people and institutions won’t change? We remember the hallways we used to walk down when we were younger and think that the people we associated with during those times are still walking down the same hallways. Please don’t take this as an attack against any place I used to minister. It is just reality that places and people do change over the years.

God commands us in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” The word “try” means to test or approve that they are still of God. In other words, God commands us to continually test that something or someone is positionally and spiritually right.

Moreover, God says that we are to be sure “whether they are of God.” “They are” is a present tense phrase. In other words, God is commanding us not to rely upon the past, but to see where they are in the present. Just because they were right in the past doesn’t mean they are right in the present. Just because someone was right in the past doesn’t mean they are right today. We are to try them to see if they are still standing where they are supposed to stand. Just because an institution stood for the old paths in the past doesn’t mean it is still standing for the same old paths today.

Furthermore, God’s Word is the measuring stick by which right is measured. Notice, it is not your memory of someone or some place, but God. God is the final authority by which everything is to be measured. Society, conscience or one’s memories are never to be used to see if they are of God, but God’s Word is the only measurement of whether something is right.

There are several thoughts we need to take away from this truth.

1. Every person or place is capable of changing.

Nobody or no place is above changing. Because every person is a sinner, they are capable of changing. Romans 3:10 reminds us, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Because sinners are used to run institutions, institutions are capable of changing. I know there are some people who admire me, but I caution those who fall into this category not to think that I could never change. I have seen people who were far better Christians than myself change. Always remember that every person or place is only as strong as their last act or positional stance.

2. How we remember someone or some place in the past doesn’t make that reality.

Your memory of Mayberry doesn’t make Mayberry a reality. How I remembered my hometown didn’t reflect what it was truly like. It had changed! I’m glad that you have fond memories of a person or place, but memories are how we package the past and our memory isn’t always honest. Israel remembered Egypt wrongly in Numbers 11:5, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:” How they remembered Egypt was not reality. Reality is where a person is presently standing. Reality is the positions an institution is presently taking. The Southern Baptists used to preach the Word of God boldly, but reality is that today they have gone the way of Balaam. The reality is that a person’s alma mater has most likely made some changes. Some changes may be for the better, as long as they stand for the Word of God. How you remember a church from your past, a person you used to admire or be close to, or an institution to which you have loyalties doesn’t make their present positions right. You must separate the past from reality before you decide whether to associate, endorse or support a person, church or institution.

3. Do your homework before you validate.

God commands, “…try the spirits whether they are of God…” Let me prod you to never give total trust to any person, church or institution. Just because a conference was good in the past doesn’t mean it is good today. Just because a preacher stood for the old paths in the past doesn’t mean they are still standing for them today. Just because a college turned out old paths preachers in the past doesn’t mean they are still turning them out today. Tennessee Temple College/University is a classic example. Before they closed their doors, they had gone back into the Southern Baptist Convention. Yes, they had turned out hundreds if not thousands of old paths preachers in the past, but when doing your homework you would have found that they changed.

Before you start endorsing a preacher, let me encourage you to see where he stands. Be sure that the books he promotes are books that won’t turn people away from the old paths. Be sure that the people with whom he preaches are the type of people you would not be afraid to promote. Be sure the people they have in their conferences are the type of people who are strongly standing for the old paths.

Please do your homework before you endorse any college, youth conference or camp. I have watched many people promote colleges, conferences and camps that have changed only to regret that later when their children or youth follow an emerging church philosophy. You should not promote colleges, conferences or camps that are progressive in their beliefs or positions, but you should only send your youth to the types of places that strongly and unashamedly stand for the old paths. Do your homework! Check and see who that college has preach in their chapel services. Be sure the college doesn’t just have rules, but they enforce their rules. Be sure that college dresses according to the Scriptures and not according to trends. Always remember that where you send your youth to college, camp or youth conference will dictate the preachers they admire and lift up as great men in the future. Many young preachers today have been poisoned by progressive teachers who don’t believe in the King James Bible and have criticized old paths methods as out-of-date. Size doesn’t make something right, position does.

4. When places or people change, be friendly but don’t be close.

Always be a friend to your friends, but when they change you need to learn to be friendly at a distance. All it took for Amnon to change was one wrong friend. They may criticize you for not being as close as you used to be, but they are the ones who have moved. When you happen to be around someone who has changed, talk about what you do have in common which is your past. The past is a great conversation piece that you can use to be friendly without getting into a debate about who is right today.

One of the greatest concerns I have today is the mentality that everything is the same because that is how we remember it. Memories are great, but be careful about being so nostalgic that you reminisce yourself into compromise. Always “try” each person, place or institution by where they presently stand and not by where they used to stand. By making this your principle for association and endorsement, you will keep yourself and those who follow you from being exposed to something that will lead to compromise later on.

by: Allen Domelle

Since I was a boy, I have always been a dog lover. The first dog I owned was a Chow and Labrador mix, and boy was he ever the most obstinate dog I have ever owned. I am a dog lover! Something about dogs that people like is that they tend to always want to be around their owners. No matter what has happened in the past, a dog lives in the moment and will be accepting of its owner.

In recent years, I have owned several Rottweilers. A couple of my good friends are breeders who run and own Von Warterr Rottweilers. One of the current dogs I got from them is Tydy. Tydy is a female Rottweiler who weighs in at about 100 pounds, and is all muscle. She is a beautiful dog! Like all Rottweilers, Tydy is a strong-minded dog and needs a strong owner. Don’t get me wrong, she is the most loving dog you can be around, but she is a very strong-willed dog which requires my wife, daughter and me to be sure to be strong, calm and assertive owners.

When I got her as a pup, I immediately started training her. For the most part, she was a pretty easy dog to train. One thing I quickly noticed about her is that it is very hard to break her focus once she gets sidetracked. She is a well-trained dog that I can take to any public place, but I have to be sure to stay engaged with her and keep her focused on what I command her to do.

One morning I was taking her for a walk, and I decided to try something different to keep her from being sidetracked when other people, dogs or distractions walked by us. I took a bag of dog treats and got her nose working instead of her eyes. I quickly found out that I could keep her focused by making me more attractive than those things that would normally sidetrack her. I learned to get a treat out and hold it by her nose which caused her to stay focused on me every time something came that usually sidetracked her. I learned by doing this that she wanted to stay with me more than she wanted to focus on anything else.

That morning it made me realize the importance of parents keeping God’s way attractive so that their children don’t get sidetracked by the Devil and the world. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Just like I train my dog to obey me, every parent has a responsibility to train their child in the right way of life. The age-old problem that most parents face is keeping their children walking in the right ways. I am by no means an expert in child rearing, but I learned that morning walking my dog that if parents would keep the right way attractive, then fewer children would be sidetracked by the world and the Devil.

The principles in training a child and a dog are very similar. It takes time to train. God did not tell us, “Teach a child in the way he should go,” but He commanded us to “Train up a child in the way he should go…” If we are going to keep our children walking in the right ways after they leave home, then we must keep God’s way more attractive than the world’s. There are several thoughts that come to mind when I think of keeping the way attractive.

1. The way is always right.

Training a dog is not always accepted by those who don’t know how to train dogs. Many who don’t know anything about training dogs will think you are being mean to the dog by not allowing the dog to do what it wants to do, but in the long run my dogs have much more freedom than theirs because I can take my dog in public off leash and they can’t. The dog trainer always has to keep a closed ear to the critics and keep their eye on the way they know will turn out a good dog.

One thing you must always remember is that doing right is always right even when it seems nobody else is doing it. You must keep in mind that God’s way is always right whether or not others are doing it. If you do train your child in the way, you will find there will be times when criticism comes your way, but you must not forsake the way. Jesus says in John 14:6, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Don’t ever doubt the way because people have said that it doesn’t work. Don’t change the way because society doesn’t agree with it. The way is always right even when the whole world doesn’t agree with it. You know where God’s way is taking your children, so don’t leave it because another way seems more attractive.

2. The way won’t always be easy.

Training a dog takes patience, hard work, time and determination. If training a dog was easy, then everybody would train their own dog. We know it’s not easy because most people want someone else to train their dog for them. They want others to do the work that they should be doing. What most dog owners don’t realize is that they can get the dog professionally trained, but if the dog is going to continue to act the way it should, then the owners are going to have to be consistent with the rules of training when the dog comes home. This won’t always be easy. That is why you have so many dogs that are out of control.

Training children is not an easy task, but let me assure you that you are up to the task. Just like people want someone to train their dog, many parents leave the spiritual training to the church, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders or to the Christian school, but God places that responsibility on the parent. Training children takes wisdom, time, patience, hard work, communication and determination by both parents. If training children were easy, then every child would turn out right. What I have found out is that most parents struggle with their children because they have not taken the time to train them. They tell them what to do, but training is showing them how to do it and following through with each directive. Training children in the way is not going to be easy, but it is very much worth the time and effort when your children continue walking in God’s way.

3. The way builds great relationships.

Training is greatest way to build a relationship with your dog. The reason it builds the relationship is because you are spending time with them. My wife and daughter will tell you that the dogs tend to follow me, and I believe the reason is because I am the one who is doing the training. Don’t get me wrong, my wife and daughter follow up on what I do and the dogs obey them, but I’m the one who builds a relationship by teaching and challenging the dogs through training. Training builds great relationships.

One of the biggest mistakes I have seen parents make is that they want to be friends with their children instead of parents. Parenting is not easy, and it is not always going to make you the most popular person; however, training is how you build great relationships. You can’t buy a great relationship with your child, but you gain that relationship through taking the time to train them. If you will take the time to train your children throughout life, you will create lasting memories and a great relationship with them. Proverbs 29:15 says, “…a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” A child must spend time with their parents to keep them from bringing shame to their lives and to the name of Christ. Conversely, training has a way of building trust which creates a great relationship.

HOW DO WE KEEP THE WAY ATTRACTIVE?

1. Realize that there is more than one way to keep the way attractive.

There are many methods in training dogs that one can adopt as their method of training. There are some pros and cons to every method, but they all tend to have the same principles. As long as you don’t leave the core principles of dog training, the method you choose is completely up to you.

Likewise, there is more than one way a person can keep the way attractive. Let me make it clear that I am not at all promoting any form of compromise, but just because one person did something with their child doesn’t mean that is the only way. My wife and I have gleaned from many people in rearing our daughter. The main thing you must never do is leave the principles of the Word of God just to make the way of God more attractive. For instance, I’m not going to let my daughter listen to Christian Rock music just keep her under control. What I will do is find ways to make music fun and interesting. My goal is not to control her but to direct her to the right way of living. If God’s way is attractive, then most children will want to keep walking in that way when they are on their own.

2. Find the way that keeps the way attractive for each child.

I’ve trained several dogs, and one thing I have learned is one treat doesn’t work with every dog when rewarding them. My goal as a trainer is to find what attracts each dog and use it. Once I find what attracts them, then that keeps them engaged with me during training.

Every child has a different personality and different likes and dislikes. What may work with one may not work with another. My father learned how to keep me engaged in soul winning by taking me to Denny’s for breakfast every Saturday morning. I always enjoyed doing that with my dad. My daughter isn’t real crazy about Denny’s, but she like McDonald’s. So, every trip we go on together we must stop at McDonald’s and get something to eat. That has been a staple for us for many years. I found what keeps the way attractive, and I use it so that we can have time together for life training. Find what each child likes and dislikes, and use their likes to stay engaged with them so you can train them for the LORD.

3. Don’t avoid distractions while walking in the way.

One of the biggest mistakes I made early on when training dogs was to avoid those things that would distract my dog. Those distractions can actually become a training time if I learn how to keep them engaged with me. I can show my dog that as long as she stays engaged with me, then she will continue to get those treats that she enjoys.

Many parents make the mistake of trying to isolate their children instead of insulating them from distractions. Our job in training is to show our children how the way of the LORD is so much better than what the world offers. Don’t isolate your children from the world’s distractions, but insulate them by showing them the other side. For instance, the best way to show your children that the way of the world leads to heartache is to take them on a bus route with you and let them see the other side of sin. Every time you leave a place where they see and hear the heartache that sin caused, remind them sin always ends up that way. By doing this you are not avoiding the distractions by isolating them, but you are insulating them by being there to teach and train them of the heartache that sin causes. Never let your children be around the distractions alone, but be that insulator that exposes the damage sin causes.

Another thing I do with my daughter is to remind her that serving God has given us many of the opportunities we enjoy. Every time someone does something special for her, I remind her that she is enjoying the gift or opportunity because dad is in the ministry. This is simply keeping the way attractive without isolating her from everything.

4. Attraction doesn’t avoid correction.

Just because I try to reward my dog for doing right doesn’t mean that I don’t correct her when she does wrong. A total reward system will never teach the dog there are consequences for doing wrong. When I know my dog knows what to do but it refuses to do it, then I must correct her so that she will never do that again. That correction for not obeying will save her life from something greater in the future.

Proverbs 29:17 says, “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” I’m all for rewarding your children for doing right, but there are times when you will have to correct them when they do wrong. If you have done your job and trained your child right and wrong, then when they do wrong you must correct them. A child must learn that there are consequences to wrong decisions. You must not avoid correction just because it is hard to do. Correction will remind them of the liberties they lost or the correction they had the next time they are faced with doing wrong. Just because you want to keep the way attractive doesn’t mean you cannot correct. In fact, correction done right will keep the way attractive.

5. Without attraction, the way seems constrictive.

If I don’t learn to use treats to reward my dog for doing right, she will quickly lose focus and I will lose the engagement needed to train her. It is my job as a trainer to make sure what I want my dog to do is more attractive than anything else. When I’m successful at this, I will always have her attention.

When a parent does nothing to keep God’s way attractive, then your children will grow up feeling God’s way is constrictive. Find a way to make serving God fun and enjoyable. Let them see the rewards for doing right. Certainly life is not all fun and games, but there must be times when doing right is fun.

This article is in no way minimizing doing right whether or not it is fun, but my purpose in writing this article is to implore parents to find ways to make serving the LORD attractive. The more attractive the way of the LORD becomes, the more unattractive the way of the world will be. You don’t have to compromise to make the LORD’s way attractive, but you will have to be creative and sacrifice time and energy to make it attractive. The benefits of making it attractive are far more beneficial than the heartbreak a parent experiences when their child goes wayward. This article is also not indicting any parent whose child has gone astray because every person has a choice to make. I simply hope it brings awareness to the parent that as they train their child in the way they should go that they should do their best to keep that way attractive so your engagement with your child never wanes.

by: Allen Domelle

Frank Melbourne and his wife came to the church where I grew up in the latter years of their lives. They spent over fifty years as missionaries to Spain. His spirit about serving the LORD was amazing. I used to go over to his house just to spend some time with this patriarch of the faith. Their years of serving the LORD were not begrudging to them at all. They talked fondly of the years of service they had in ministering to the people of Spain.

One thing was very evident about Bro. Melbourne in his final years; he had not given up on serving the LORD. I was just a teenage boy who was called to preach and led in many of the ministries of the church, but Bro. Melbourne never one time discouraged me even though there were some times he could have easily compared what I did to his vast ministry. Instead of tearing me down, he spent many of those final years of his life giving me nuggets of wisdom to help me in the ministry. I still appreciate his encouraging words. I’m sure I didn’t do everything the way he would have done it, but instead of scolding me he wisely gave his advice in an encouraging manner which helped me to develop some of my philosophies concerning the ministry. Don’t get me wrong, he was very strong when it came to doctrine. He never compromised truth just for the sake of not offending me, but with wisdom he helped prepare me and others to serve God for years to come.

David was coming down to the end of his life. He had just about finished his race. He could have spent the final years of his life basking in the glory of his accomplishments. He also could have become bitter as he saw another generation rising to take his place. He had one other choice; He had a choice to spend the latter years of his life making sure the next generation was prepared to take over when he was gone. He chose to do the latter, and because of this Solomon served the LORD the majority of his reign. David said to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:10, “Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.” I find in this verses four things that David did to prepare the next generation.

First, David encouraged the next generation. David told Solomon, “…be strong, and do it.” This was pure encouragement. He didn’t spend his time criticizing Solomon because he didn’t do things like he did; instead, he encouraged him to carry on the LORD’s work according to the manner God had given them. He didn’t compare them to previous generations, but he encouraged them because he understood that they would have to fight their own battles just like he did.

We must be careful that we don’t criticize and compare the younger generations to previous generations to the point that we discourage them from wanting what we have. You will do more good encouraging the younger generation than you will by attacking them, discouraging them and criticizing them. It’s unfair to compare them to previous generations because they have not lived their whole lives. Previous generations are a complete package; whereas, a young generation is only starting to build their package. It’s unwise to compare complete packages to partial packages. Encourage them as they build their package according to the pattern of God’s Word.

I remember Dr. Wendell Evans met with the college staff of Hyles-Anderson College at the beginning of one school year and admonished them to be patient with the new class of students coming in. He said that he had heard many of the college staff and faculty bemoan the fact that the incoming freshmen students were just not as mature as they used to be. Dr. Evans wisely reminded us that the freshmen students were still eighteen years of age, but that we were one year older. He reminded us that the further we get away from that age the more we are going to think their maturity level is lower because we tend to forget what we were like when we were their age. This wise advice given to us was to help us encourage the younger generation instead of constantly riding them to the point of discouragement.

I’m in no way trying to justify wrong doctrine and compromise, but I do believe we need to add the ministry of encouragement to our strong stand. Paul encouraged Timothy, and it was obvious it helped him in his younger formative years to become a strong preacher later in his life. A younger generation will be more apt to want your advice if you learn to encourage them.

Second, David reminded them of the seriousness of their work. He said, “Take heed now…” While you encourage the next generation, you would be wise to remind them of what they are undertaking and that it is their responsibility to pass on to the generation following them what has been given to them. This must always be kept in the forefront of their minds so that they don’t become careless with their lives.

We live in a generation that seems to enjoy playing more than working. Let me kindly remind you that the work of the LORD is not a playground. I’m for enjoying the Christian life, but we are in a spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We must never forget that people will be greatly hurt when we become careless about the ministry. Remind the next generation the seriousness of protecting their purity and testimony. Remind them of the seriousness of keeping their marriage and family strong. Remind them of the seriousness of keeping their walk with God fresh and regular. There is nothing wrong with having a good time as you serve the LORD, but we must always remind the next generation that the Devil never takes a vacation and is always looking for an opportunity to destroy them.

Third, David showed them the pattern they were to live. David spent the next few verses showing them the pattern for the temple. The only way you are going to show them the pattern of living is to live that pattern yourself. Don’t grow old and tell the younger generation what they need to do as you sit and do nothing. Stay involved in the LORD’s work and show them how to do it.

I am troubled by an older generation who has let up after years of serving the LORD. Where once it was never right to stay home from church, I’m finding that many who get older don’t fight to stay faithful to church. I am in no way condemning those who stay home, as there are many who are older fighting serious health issues. All I’m saying is that the next generation needs to see that the old paths are important all the way to death. The best way to show the pattern of the old paths to the next generation is to continue walking those paths yourself. Always remember that you may have retired from your earthly employment, but there is no retirement in the LORD’s work.

Fourth, David taught them the pattern they were to live. Teaching the next generation will be inconvenient at times, but if you expect them to carry on what you were taught, then you must take the time to teach them. It will be frustrating at times, but you must remember that you frustrated those who taught you. Don’t assume that the next generation knows what to do, but take the time to teach them in an encouraging manner.

I have often reminded many preachers that what we take for granted that everyone should know they don’t know. What we often forget is that we were taught when we were young. Someone made sure to take the time to teach us. What they taught us most likely seemed so simple that they thought everyone should know it, but they still taught it. What you think is simple could be something they have never heard. Don’t just teach and preach what we should and should not do, but teach them why. Show them from the authority of God’s Word why we do things the way we do them.

Let this article be a simple reminder that it is not only important for you to live right, but it’s also important that you teach the next generation the right way of living. It is irresponsible to live right and not prepare the next generation to do the same. Let me encourage you to live your life investing in the next generation. You will never regret living such a life.

by: Allen Domelle

Anyone who has ever attempted to have a prayer life will completely understand that consistently having a daily prayer life will be one of the most difficult things to achieve. Most people have a prayer life that is hit-and-miss, and their Christianity reveals it. Yet, if you are going to live a successful Christian life, then a daily prayer life must be practiced.

There was only one thing that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them. They did not ask Him to teach them to preach. Jesus was certainly a prolific and powerful preacher, but they did not ask Him to teach them how to preach. They did not ask Jesus to teach them how to perform miracles, though nobody performed as many miracles as He did. They did not ask Jesus to teach them how to raise money for their ministries, though He was a masterful fundraiser who found money to pay the bills in the mouth of a fish. Jesus certainly was the package deal when it came to the ministry and the Christian life.

Though the disciples saw Jesus do all of these things, they only asked Jesus to teach them one thing. After hearing Jesus pray, they asked him in Luke 11:1, “…Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” This was their one desire. They saw the power in His prayer life. They saw the effectiveness of His prayer life. When they saw and heard Him pray, they wanted to pray as He did. They wanted that same power that came from His prayer life.

The greatest lack in Christianity today is prayer. We don’t have a financial shortage, we have a prayer shortage. We don’t have a laborer shortage, we have a prayer shortage. We don’t have an educational shortage, we have a prayer shortage. We don’t have a generational miscommunication, we have a prayer shortage. God says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Every shortcoming we have comes from our lack of prayer.

One of the reasons we tend to lack in the area of our prayer life is because our prayer life has become monotonous. James 5:16 says, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Keeping a fervency in your prayer life is the key to having an effective prayer life. A fervent prayer life will keep your prayers from becoming monotonous. There are ten ways that I believe you can enhance your prayer life so that you can keep your prayers “effectual” and “fervent” so that they will be productive.

1. Set a daily time to pray.

You will find it hard to be consistent in your prayer life if you don’t set a time each day to pray. One of the greatest prayer warriors in the Scriptures was Daniel. It says about Daniel after the law was enacted to outlaw praying, “…he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10) Daniel had a set time that he prayed, and that is what kept him consistent in his prayer life.

If you don’t have a set time to pray, then you will find it difficult to be consistent in your prayer life. It will be so easy to forget to pray or to put it aside when you don’t have time if you don’t make it part of your daily schedule. I personally feel it is good to have that time of prayer first thing in the morning, as this will help you start your day out right. Whenever you set your time to pray, set it in stone and don’t let anything keep you from praying at that time.

2. Don’t have a set amount of time you have to pray.

One of the things that discourages many people from praying is they feel they have to pray a certain amount of time. You will find in the Scriptures that the prayers of Jesus were not all the same amount of time. There were times when He prayed for an hour, and there were times when He prayed all night. There were times when He lifted up His eyes and quickly prayed, and there were times when He got alone to pray for a season.

The best thing you can do is simply pray. God says in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” He didn’t say how long to ask, He just said to ask. If you’re not careful, your prayers will become vain repetition just to fill a set amount of time. Instead of worrying how long you need to pray, simply go to God in prayer and ask Him for what you need. It is the act of praying that gets answers, not the amount of time spent trying to validate your prayer life.

3. Categorize your list of prayers.

Categorizing your prayers has a way of keeping your prayers in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Praying is part of “all things.” An organized prayer life will help you to keep your thoughts in order when you are praying. This enables you to keep your prayers fervent. Some basic categories are: personal, family, friends, church, missionaries, needs and others. These are just a basic few, but they can be a start to organizing your prayer life.

4. Pray for different categories on different days.

There is no place in the Scriptures that it says you have to pray for everything every day. If your prayer list is like mine, there so many different people and categories for which to pray that if you simply went through the list there would be no fervency in that prayer. God commands us in Matthew 6:7, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions…” You can keep your prayers from becoming vain repetitions by choosing certain days to pray for a category. For instance, I pray daily for my personal needs, family and a few others, but I have chosen to pray for pastors on certain days and missionaries on another. This keeps my prayers from becoming monotonous and keeps them fresh.

5. Envision the face of the person for whom you are praying.

One of the things that helps me to keep my prayers fresh and fervent is to envision the person for whom I’m praying. I like to get a picture of those for whom I pray and look at it to remind me of their needs and my desire for God to help them. That is one reason you should keep the missionary cards. Those cards and there to remind you of their need and where they are going. If you will keep that stack of cards and go through them, seeing their face and family will remind you of them and increase your desire to see whatever needs they have met.

6. Be specific when praying for needs.

Right after Matthew 7:7, you find that Jesus shows that we are to be specific in our prayers. He says in verses 9-10, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?” Notice the prayer was specifically asking for bread or fish. The only reason we are afraid to be specific in our prayer lives is because our faith is so weak as to believe that God could actually answer that specific need. The more specific you become, the more God will answer your prayers. It doesn’t matter how small you think your prayer may be, God loves it when His children specifically ask Him for requests.

7. Let reminders challenge you to pray.

We are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” One of the ways I pray without ceasing is when something reminds me of someone or a need, I stop at that moment and pray for that of which I was reminded. You never know if God reminded you of something because someone needed that prayer at that exact moment. When a person I see in public reminds me of someone I know, then I believe God has reminded me of that person so I can pray for them at that time. When I see a house or a vehicle that reminds me of someone who owns a house or car like what I’m seeing, I immediately stop and pray for them. Those reminders will challenge your prayer life if you will let them. Don’t waste those daily reminders that the LORD sends your way, instead use them to pray.

8. Quote Scripture during your prayers.

God gives us prayer promises to use. When you have a specific need for which you are praying, then use God’s Word to remind God of His promise. It is not that God has forgotten His promises, but it is a way to strengthen your faith and fervency for which you are praying. God’s promises are an affirmation that you are right in praying for your request. This is why it is good to keep a journal of prayer promises. You can go to that journal in a time of need and find the promise you can claim as you bring your request to God.

9. Remove any distractions when praying.

It is very easy to get distracted when you are praying. It says about Jesus in Matthew 14:23, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” Notice that Jesus went “apart to pray.” There were so many distractions that could hinder His prayer time that He got alone to pray. Each of us have our own distractions. Identify your distractions and get away from them. Turn your phone and computer off, get away from the family or any other distraction and pray. Getting alone to pray is the best way to remove your distractions.

10. Set an atmosphere to pray.

Being in an attitude to pray will only happen when you set the atmosphere to pray. Psalm 95:2 says, “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” Notice that thanksgiving will set the attitude to pray. Psalm 110:2 says, “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” Again, you will see that singing has a way of putting someone into the attitude to pray. Don’t be afraid to set the atmosphere to pray. There have been times when I’ve played piano music to get myself in the attitude to pray. There are other times when I’ve meditated on what I’m about ready to pray for to get in the attitude to pray. There are certainly times when your mind is in the attitude to pray because of the urgency of a need, but those times will be rare. Setting the atmosphere will help you to keep your prayers fervent and effectual.

These are not the only things that will enhance your prayer life, but they are a start. You will find that as your prayer life grows, you will find your own ways to enhance your prayer time. The greatest thing that I hope comes from this article is that these things will challenge you to pray more and to pray more fervently because the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Allen Domelle is the editor of the Old Paths Journal which is more than just a Christian’s publication. It is an excellent place to learn how today’s headlines will forge tomorrow’s laws and statutes. Keep yourself in tune with what is happening around the world, as well as in your own backyard with our daily updates and devotionals.