Category: Featured Articles

by: Dr. John Hamblin

1 Timothy 4:3, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”

We find ourselves living in a day and hour that sadly tears down “BEWARE” signs and slyly throws down “WELCOME” mats in front of the bound volumes that will take Christians and even churches 1,000 miles from the “Faith of our Fathers.” In 1 Timothy 4:13, the older Paul tells the younger Timothy, “give attendance to reading!” Before he puts down the pen of inspiration, Paul puts up the divine borders of this truth, “To exhortation, to doctrine.” These barriers keep those “broad-minded” clergy from saying that the Apostle of the Church was signing on to their rebellion in reading anybody or anything (Psalm 1:1). The word “attendance” in the Greek language means: Frequently or often. It is used four different times in the Bible (1 Kings 10:5, 2 Chronicles 9:4, 1 Timothy 4:13 and Hebrews 7:13). Never is it used without perimeters or precautions attached to it.

Please read slowly and carefully the next sentence. The Apostle Paul never pointed preachers or people to the religious dumpster and said, “Go ahead and eat out of here!” I have often said, “Here is my recommended reading list: for church growth, Acts; for Contemporary Theology, Jude; for Ministry Philosophy, 1 & 2 Timothy; and for refreshment, Psalms.

Dr. R. G. Lee said, “The reason that I don’t read some books is because I don’t want to swim through 500 yards of sewage to get a teaspoonful of truth.” An old Bible student now in Heaven once said, “The world is full of books; no small portion of which is either worthless or decidedly hurtful in their tendency.” Dr. Curtis Hutson said, “Who you will become one year from now will largely be determined by the books you read and the people you meet.”

In our 35 years in the ministry, I’ve watched more preachers than I can even count leave Fundamentalism because of rotten books, which caused them to backslide from their own personal office. I’ve also seen good church members leave a thriving church simply because a bad author was referred to them. Never forget that while rat poison comes in bottles, spiritual rat poison is often carried by books.

Friend, we need to discover which books are listed on the non-recommended reading list of Brother Paul! There are three types of bound volumes that make it to the Apostle Paul’s non-authorized reading list.

1. A book with a different message.

A type of volume that makes the non-recommended reading list of the Apostle Paul is a book with a different message. (Romans 16:17) It doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to understand that anything that comes from the pen or a publishing house that promotes false doctrine or gives a pass to those who propagate erroneous teaching should have a stamp put on them which reads, “AVOID THEM!” An excellent place to begin contending for the faith, preacher, is on your study bookshelves. Dump, delete, and discard all those who add to salvation and all those who subtract from sanctification, from your desk, kindle and even your home coffee table.

I have sadly seen first-hand as young preachers in and out of Bible colleges have been told to read after 100% apostates, and in less than 12 months those same young preachers mock public invitations, model the world (by their attire and attitude) and minimize the fundamentals of the faith. That spiritual shipwreck started when some preacher, often very well known, pointed them to books that shouldn’t even be used as a coffee coaster, let alone counted as reputable. Personally, I believe, those men who write books or even recommend books that take others from the “ancient landmarks” will face this screaming sin at the judgment seat of Christ (2 John 8).

On the non-recommended reading list of the Apostle Paul is a book with a different message!

2. A book with a different mentor.

A type of volume that makes the non-recommended reading list of the Apostle Paul is a book with a different mentor. (Philippians 3:17) The problem with the wrong advisor is best seen by this astronomical axiom: The stream is always polluted when the headwaters are poisoned. (1 Corinthians 15:33) Bob Jones Sr. taught a Tom Malone Sr.; a J. Wilbur Chapman trained a Billy Sunday; and a Rick Warren tutored a…well, I think you understand! Bad books make bad buddies.

As I am penning this article from my study desk, I can see on the book spines of those bound volumes on my book shelves, names such as John R. Rice, Oliver B. Greene, Lee Roberson, Bob Jones, Sr. and Tom Malone, Sr. By allowing these men of God to teach me, I never have to fear winding up off the boulevard of the Bible and running foolishly down the expressway of error. If I wouldn’t be seen publicly sitting in a service allowing a non – or pseudo – fundamentalist to influence me, why would I allow God to see me privately sitting in my study allowing them to influence and instruct me?

On the non-recommended reading list of the Apostle Paul is a book with a different mentor!

3. A book with a different methodology.

A type of volume that makes the non-recommended reading list of the Apostle Paul is a book with a different methodology (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This present nonsense of bypassing the antique store and going to the novelty shop to find out how to have church is high treason to the Bible, “old-time” religion and above all it’s the wickedest treachery to all three members of the Trinity! If it doesn’t matter how we do the work of God, why didn’t Elijah try to get fire from Heaven like the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)? METHODOLOGY MATTERS!

My biggest concern about certain books of the “How To” nature, even those written by some of our so called “fundamental” brethren, is that when it comes to what goes on down at the church house, Bible ministry never resembles business marketing! Just because some technique is new at the Apple store on the “I”-whatever, doesn’t mean that it should be the centerpiece of the platform with the pulpit shoved in a closet somewhere. We need to stop reading the Athenians “HOW TO DO CHURCH” manuals (Acts 17:21). A. W. Tozer, whose grave I recently visited in Akron OH while preaching a conference said, “Heresy of method, may be as deadly as heresy of message.”

On the non-recommended reading list of The Apostle Paul is a book with a different methodology!

There really can be no dispute concerning whether or not the Apostle Paul would have a list of books that would make his “non-recommended” tally. Since he is the “pattern” for all believers, it would do well for each of us to stay with proven truth rather than trendy pontificating (1 Timothy 1:16).  Don’t be guilty of having a fundamental heart, but also a rank revolting reading list that the Apostle Paul would surely reject.

Dr. John Hamblin
Evangelist
https://twitter.com/DrJohnNHamblin

by: Kelly Johnson

My husband LOVES kaleidoscopes. He would have a hundred of them if he could. During our time as missionaries to the United States Military in Okinawa, my husband and I would go shopping for baby gifts together. Actually, this was a frequent happening as so many of the young couples in our church had growing families. At some point during our shopping, my husband would inevitably hold up a kaleidoscope and ask, “Hey honey, don’t you think this is a wonderful gift for a new baby?”

One day I started wondering about what exactly is in a kaleidoscope—why do they fascinate my husband so much? I took one apart to see and I found only a few things; mirrors, broken glass, and cardboard. I LOVE object lessons! They help me remind me of a spiritual lesson, and since chemo, remembering can be quite a difficult task.

As I looked at those few items I had just removed from the cylinder, I thought about the purpose of a kaleidoscope. The purpose is to help us see beauty by letting the light shine through the glass fragments as they are moved around by the turning of the object.

Isn’t this what our life as Christians is supposed to do? As we allow the Lord to move the cylinder of our lives, His light shines through and around those broken pieces in our lives.

Romans 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

God’s love is the light and often His love shines through the broken pieces of our lives with more beauty and brilliance when we are facing struggles or difficult times.

In the book of John, we see a family struggling with the “why.” They sent for Jesus, but He didn’t get there “in time”. Mary and Martha must have been mystified with the why! Here is Jesus being told that Lazarus, a very dear friend, is sick unto death. Does Jesus run or even hurry to Lazarus? No! The Lord knew that Lazarus would have to journey this valley in order for those around him to see Jesus.

John 11:4, “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

Sometimes the Lord asks us to do the same. Walk a valley so that those around us might believe. Jesus said in John 3:14-16, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Jesus wants to be lifted up that ALL might live. As Christians we are to let the light of the Saviour shine through our lives so that others will see the beauty contained and be drawn to Him that those around us might BELIEVE.

In 1984 I left my husband in Florida so that I could care for my mother in Minnesota as she lay dying of cancer. After my mother died, I went back to our home in Florida and every one of my friends at church was expecting a baby. We had been trying for four years, but to no avail. I remember riding home after services and staring out the window letting God know that I had prayed for a baby NOT a dead mother.

I was struggling. Praise the Lord, He takes us right where we are! He understood my pain, but He was waiting. I have learned that you can love and trust Jesus and still hurt. Mary and Martha still had to go through some deep sorrow as they waited for the Saviour to come.

I was deeply saddened that my mother was gone and I couldn’t have a baby, but the Lord had a greater purpose. He knew there was a little boy of six who needed to know God before his life on Earth was over. We needed to lift up Jesus that our son Eddie might believe. Just two months after my mother went to Heaven we adopted our six year old son; we did not know on that joy filled day that we would have only 18 years to love him, to teach him, and especially to allow the light of God’s love to shine through our lives. On September 10, 2003, when Eddie was only twenty-four years old, he entered Heaven’s gates as a child of God.

Isaiah 30:18, “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

Sometimes prayers can be answered with “no” or seeming silence. I once heard a pastor say in a sermon, “Never mistake God’s seeming absence or silence as a sign of indifference or impotence. He waits to be gracious!”

I meditate on this thought when I am struggling with the “why” of something. Adopting our son did not end my struggle for a child. Everyone told me, “Now that you’ve adopted, you will have a baby.”

NOPE!

Praise the Lord for Eddie, but I still wanted a baby so we started praying and asking the Lord for one. I specifically asked the Lord for a baby to be born on my mother’s birthday the next year, April 24, 1986. I had it figured out that if I conceived in July, the baby would be born in April.

July came…nothing. August came and I thought, “The baby could be a little early and be born in April.”September…it would be okay if the baby was a preemie.

October, November, December and January. I knew I wasn’t going to have a baby. Not in April. Not in May. Not ever. It wasn’t to be.

In October of 1986 my friend Nan and I were visiting a woman who had cancer. We were sharing God’s simple and perfect plan of salvation. The woman became a child of the King that day. A few days later, she called my friend and said that she remembered how I had mentioned we adopted our son. She told Nan about a baby her sister was fostering and gave her the lawyer’s name for us to call.

I called five times that day. The first four times, I talked with the secretary. It turned out that this newly saved woman had given the lawyer’s information to five other people. His secretary told me that I would need to speak directly to him and he was in court all day. At 5:30 that evening, I decided to call for the fifth time. Randy, my husband, said they wouldn’t be there at 6:30 ET.

I argued the point of “importunity”: troublesomely urgent: overly persistent in request or demand.

Weren’t we both surprised when the lawyer himself answered the last time! He told me that his office had received so many calls that day, that he had decided the first person to call when he was in the office would be the first couple he would consider. With that, a little paperwork (okay, a lot of paperwork), some time, money (we had to sell our piano), and a court hearing: Christa was in our home.

Her birth date? April 21, 1986! She was our gift. All the nights I cried. All the nights I begged. All the nights I despaired. God was waiting to be gracious. He was working. Working on a little girl for the Johnson family. God knew that there was a little girl whose family was steeped in wickedness and she would need His light to shine through our brokenness. Once again He blessed us through adoption. This time there was a baby girl who the Lord did not want grow up in the terrible situation of her birth family. On December 19, 1986, we brought our lovely 8-month old daughter home as our Christmas present from Jesus.

Christian ladies, are you allowing the light of the Lord to shine through your struggle, your victory? Maybe you need to decide today that you are going to let the Lord’s beauty and love be “shed abroad” to those around you.

Maybe you are reading this and you don’t know Jesus’ light and love personally. There has never been a day when you told the Lord you were a sinner, asked Him to forgive you and save you from your sin and Hell, and be your Saviour. Let today be the day when the Lord’s light starts shining through your broken life to those around you.

Kelly Johnson
Missionary Wife

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

Genesis 2:24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

In this passage, we find the two admonitions to husbands: leave and cleave. There are more instructions, but this is a good start. Leave home and cleave to your wife.

When we get married, we start a terrible race that involves things, babies, animals, houses, and in-laws. The trouble is, we got married to be together, but many factors in that race of life pull us away from each other.

Of course, we need a job. At least one of us does, and probably both at first. But, when your job takes you from one another, church and ministry, maybe you need to re-evaluate why you are where you are. Many of us met in church while serving and being involved, but then life not only took us away from serving God, but also away from the one we married.

At times, we say, “This is just for a short time,” and perhaps it is; but I have seen those short times turn into years. Suddenly your children are in junior high, and the two of you have missed many years of love and closeness, and you may never regain what you could have had.

Buying a house is not necessary for a happy home. Two cars are not necessary for God to bless your marriage and children. Fancy vacations are not important to a good relationship. Mrs. Goddard and I NEVER had a special vacation in the first 15 years of our marriage. Our first big vacation was a family trip to Hawaii when we had been married for 21 years. Big things are not as important as relationships. Throughout our marriage, our vacations  were at my parents’ or her parents’ home — free housing, lake, hiking, parks and extended time together. Doing free things was enough. In all these years, we have been to Sea World twice; both times someone paid our way. In the early years, we also had someone take us to Disneyland and pay our way. We shopped at thrift stores — even for suits.

The one thing we had was each other (food and a roof over our head helped too). Bike rides with children, lots of ice cream stops, pushing kids on park swings — these things make for relationships, not money and large homes. Our staff members were buying houses before our family was. When our full-time staff members began working at our church, each one started work with a paycheck and insurance; my wife and I started without any of those things, and we were fine.

We spent Mondays together as faithfully as we spent Sundays in church. Shopping, walking, talking and then spending three nights a week at home was our rule of thumb. Now, everyone has to figure out what is best for his own family, but my wife and the four children who grew up in our home were more important to me than anything on Earth. I did not believe that God’s will led me to forsake my home. Was I busy? Of course I was. Was I gone to teen camp for a week each summer? Yes. But in the early days (before children), we went to camp together. However, after children were born, I was not going to have my children forfeit their mother so she could be my assistant in running a camp.

1 Peter 3:7 says, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

“…dwell with her…” means something more than sharing the same house.

Notice what Leah said:

Genesis 30:20, “And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.”

After bearing several children for Jacob, Leah, his wife, said, “Now will my husband dwell with me.” Obviously, she and Jacob spent time under the same roof because she had children with him, but she wanted a relationship; she wanted time, love, and closeness.

We must realign our priorities:

MARRIAGE — two people who love each other and marry to spend their lives together, not to be apart.

CHILDREN — an heritage of the Lord; as arrows in the hands of a mighty man. Children are not a bother that I forsake so I can hang around with the guys talking and playing or working so much to buy nice things with which to impress my friends.

The reason we have such a terrible divorce rate is because “the home” is not a PRIORITY. Make it IMPORTANT! Make home the most important thing — not a nice car, a big house, or a fancy vacation. We were in the ministry for years before we even bought a car. I can think of three cars that were given to us from the most unusual sources. And no, those cars were not very fancy, but they worked. During that time, God built a family and church.

Do not let work rob you of your relationship to God and your family. Do not let the desire for “things” cause you to work so much that you forsake your home.

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA

by: Dr. Jack Trieber

Cremation, a word derived from the Latin crematus or cremare meaning “to burn up,” is the process by which the human body is reduced to fragments and ash in chambers or furnaces capable of generating temperatures as high as 1400°-1800°F. After further processing, the remains, now resembling light grey sand, are presented to the family. This unconventional method of interment has seemed to have gained general approval and even popularity as its supposed economical, environmental, and emotional advantages are touted. From time to time, I am asked if I would ever suggest cremation over a traditional cemetery burial. My answer is no – I would never recommend cremation.

From a Biblical Perspective:

In God’s Word, we uncover no explicit teaching about or scriptural mandates against cremation; however, we do find conclusive evidence in the Bible that burial after death was the custom. Though this list is not exhaustive – we might have augmented our case further by including other kings, judges, and prophets – here are several key examples:

Jesus Christ (Matthew 27:57-60)
Abraham (Genesis 25:8-10, 49:31)
Sarah (Genesis 23:19, 25:10, 49:31)
Isaac (Genesis 35:29, 49:31)
Rebekah (Genesis 49:31)
Deborah (Rebekah’s nurse, Genesis 35:8)
Jacob (Genesis 47:28-31, 50:13)
Leah (Genesis 49:31)
Rachel (Genesis 35:19, 48:7)
Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-6)
Aaron (Deuteronomy 10:6)
Miriam (Numbers 20:1)
Joshua (Joshua 24:30)
Jephthah (Judges 12:7)
Samuel (I Samuel 25:1)
David (I Kings 2:10)
Solomon (I Kings 11:43)
Ananias (Acts 5:5-6)
Sapphira (Acts 5:10)
Stephen (Acts 8:2)

Furthermore, we find an example when the burning of bones is judged: “Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.” (Amos 2:1)

I understand, however, that not every Christian in the history of the world could have been buried. Many died as martyrs and burned at the stake, some were lost at sea or involved in fires or explosions, cremation was chosen for them, etc. Our Lord is capable of gathering all together; and He will, regardless of condition – “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” (Revelation 20:13) However, should you have a choice, as many of us do; remember that your body will have served as a “temple of the Holy Ghost” and “ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price.” (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

Which custom would appropriately represent your regard to that high honor – a burial or a burning?

From a Statistical Perspective 

Cremation is of heathen origin, which might shed some light as to why America has all but readily accepted this pagan ritual. The more she rejects Jesus Christ, the more likely she will assent to practices deliberately contrary to the Word of God; and this acceptance of cremation has only increased through the years. For example, 41 cremations occurred in the United States from 1876-1884. In 1958, a reported 3% of Americans chose cremation over traditional burials. Over fifty years later, that number has exploded to 38.15% and will swell to 51.12% by 2025. We dismiss the sanctity of human life by murdering unborn babies and sanctioning euthanasia. Must we wonder, then, when America willingly embraces yet another way to desecrate that which God has created “in his own image”?

Should we study current statistics by state, we would find that the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington each boast 65% of total deaths resulting in cremation. Interestingly enough, Oregon and Washington are the two most “un-churched” states in the nation. In the District of Columbia, more babies were aborted last year than were born. Hawaii celebrates her heathen foundation. Nevada is known the world around for casinos, gambling and debauchery.

From a Financial Perspective 

“Pastor,” you ask, “what of the poor people? How can they possibly afford a proper burial? Wouldn’t it be more prudent for their families to spend less money by choosing cremation rather than a traditional burial?” I believe the answer can be found in the Bible – “And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in… And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.” (Matthew 27:7, 10)

We find a potter’s field in the Bible, and we also find them in our local cemeteries today as burial grounds for the very poor or those who have no one to claim their bodies. Recently, I learned that there were no longer plots of land available at one of our local cemeteries – the place where I would like to be buried someday. I asked the gentleman who manages this particular cemetery why I could not be buried on an empty knoll I had seen on the property. He replied, “For this reason – it’s a potter’s field.”

From a Commemorative Perspective 

I believe it is vital for family and friends to have a place where they can honor the memory of a loved one – certainly something much more than an urn decorating a mantle. Cremation offers people closure when, in fact, you want the opposite. (May I interject without apology that closure is one of the most foolish words I have ever heard in regards to the death of a loved one?) You want the memory of your loved one’s life to live on for future generations. You want a burial spot to be a place where you can remind your children and grandchildren of the legacy of the one who lies there. That cannot be done with a jar of ashes.

I trust these thoughts will help you in the future. I have not taken a stand on the matter of holding a memorial service for someone whose family has chosen cremation and would not break fellowship over this. However, I truly believe that Christians should carefully consider their philosophy and biblical position regarding the issue of burial vs. cremation.

Dr. Jack Trieber
Pastor
North Valley Baptist Church
Santa Clara, CA

by: Jason Williams

September 11, 2001, a day we look back on with tears, sadness, resolve and with anger promising that WE WILL NEVER FORGET. But it seems to me that just a few short years later we have already forgotten. Oh, sure we remember the pictures, the speeches, the horror and where we were when the world stopped spinning, but it seems to me that we have forgotten maybe the most important thing for us to remember, and that is our first responders.

Without hesitation these brave men and women rushed in when others rushed out, many of them to never walk back out. These Americans represented what it is to be the best America has to offer, willingly laying down their lives and shedding their blood for you and me on that day.

How quickly have we forgotten! Today, these same men and women are giving their lives and their blood once again is being shed as our own citizens hunt them down and kill them. Those heroes who rushed into the twin towers are now having to run for their own lives as Americans, not terrorists, but Americans who espouse liberty for all are calling for their lives.

How did we forget so quickly? How did we get to here? In a day and age where we mock and insult these men and women, we scream at them, and swear at them and kill the same people who call when our house is on fire or our safety is at risk.

You see, the only thing that has changed is what we remember. They are the same heroes of 9/11. They will dodge your bullets and insults on the way to answer your call for help. They will rush in for you when everyone else is running away. They will give their lives and shed their blood to protect those who have forgotten that day.

So while others who have forgotten may protest and picket and yell things like, “HANDS UP DON’T SHOOT,” or believe that only certain lives matter, while others may mock and insult, we as Christians ought to lead our communities and our nation in simply saying, “Thank You. WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.”

Let us always remember what Romans 13:1 and 6 says, “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.” “For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.”

Jason Williams
Assistant Pastor
High Street Baptist Church
Columbus, OH

by: Jason Watford

Matthew 5:1, ”Then seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:”

Throughout the Bible, you will find Jesus repetitively having multitude after multitude around Him. Would to God that in today’s time, people would flock to the Scripture and preaching like they did in days past! With that said, I wonder if preachers and staff members could do a better job of promoting and getting more people to come to church services. The average revival that I see starts with a great crowd on Sunday morning, a good crowd on Sunday night, a descent crowd on Monday, and the preacher starts sweating from there on praying that members come. Let’s face it, preachers do not always like to do what other preachers do because of ego, pride, or they may get called “liberal” and a thousand other reasons; however, Jesus is our ultimate example. Let us look at what He did and follow Him.

1. Jesus promoted His arrival in advance. (Luke 10:1)

Jesus is VERY organized. If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to get organized. He is so organized that He has already told us the ending of the world. Many churches do not have successful revivals, services or events because of a lack of planning. In today’s time, we have the technology to use social media, flyers, newspapers, billboards, and a host of other ideas to get the word out about anything we are having. Jesus did not want to waste His time, so He organized people to go and promote that He was coming. Preachers, get the word out about what is coming in your church. Every good and growing TV show or sitcom always has the watchers looking forward to next week with what is coming up or what may happen. Let’s learn from them and keep something coming up at the church house. Some people came to see Jesus because of promotion.

2. Jesus fed people to whom He preached. (John 6:11)

I know there are some churches that feel like you should not use food, toys, etc to get people to come to church. I agree that you should not have to “con” someone into coming to church; however, in Acts when the church was booming, Acts 2:48 teaches that the early church often had fellowships. What is wrong with church members getting together in a fellowship hall and having a nacho party, or an ice cream social? You’ll be amazed how that will boost attendance. If Jesus used food, and trust me some people followed Jesus just to get a meal, why can’t we use food?

3. Jesus used children in the Bible as examples. (Luke 18:15-17)

Everyone loves children and loves to watch them. Preachers, you will greatly increase the size of your attendance on a revival if you would get a children’s group together to sing. What’s wrong with parents videoing and taking pictures of their kids singing in church and putting it on Facebook or Twitter? Your church is getting advertisement. Let the kids serve in your church, and I promise the attendance will jump because adults love to see children serve the Lord.

4. Jesus healed people. (Luke 13:11-17)

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not for these churches that heal people and make big scenes. If all these so-called preachers can heal people then they should be in every hospital in America healing people. With that said, Jesus had people undoubtedly who followed Him because of the miracles that He performed. Something every once in a while should happen at your church. Recently, an evangelist came to our church and preached a wonderful sermon. In the invitational altar call, the prayer was given for people to repeat to help them get saved. One woman was repeating the prayer out loud while crying and the Holy Spirit moved in and revival broke out. Every once in a while, something should happen at the church house.

5. Some followed Jesus for His preaching.

This is the ultimate goal of every preacher for his members: members who come to church regardless of what is going on. Whether it is a big day or normal day; whether it is cold, hot, cloudy, rainy, or sunny, our goal is for our members to be in church.

Lastly, before you start saying, “Well, I wonder how many people will stick from all those methods these churches use? I wonder how many people are tithing and faithful because of the food, toys, etc.?” Let me ask you this, after all the ministry that Jesus had, how many people stood by Him at the cross when He was dying? The answer is one–his mother. If through all of the things we advertise and do, only one person is reached, is it worth it to you? Let’s start getting the crowds the way Jesus did when He walked the Earth.

Jason Watford
Pastor
Spring Creek Baptist Church
Seven Springs, NC

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

I accepted Christ in 1975 and three days later I was headed off to a secular university. That was the “disco” era – the lights and the sound were distinct. Eight years before that, I remember roller skating in the world’s roller rinks. It was a pretty common thing to have a disco ball shinning different colors of lights across the dimly lit arena. The music set the pace for the skaters like a mystical hand.

Who would have guessed that forty years later, so-called, strong, independent Baptist churches would be bringing disco lights and nightclub sounds into the church service. Of course, we are “Independent Baptist” and we truly do believe that every church has a right to make its own decisions. However, it would be good for all of us to remember that we are to come “out of the world” and not bring the world into the church. It would be prudent for us to remember that we are told, “touch not the unclean thing” and James writes that pure religion is to “keep himself unspotted from the world.” We do not even want a spot of the world on us, let alone bring the world’s atmosphere into our church services.

As I have often said, a difference between my church and another church does not make one right and one wrong. Differences are logical and accepted, but when one adopts a position of change, there is no telling where they will end up. Change is not stationary. By definition, change is transient; it is mobile; it is not moored to any dock nor anchored to any place. Be careful, you have no idea where the ship will end up.

We are warned about being driven by every wind of doctrine, and the warning resounds today of Jacob to his eldest son, Reuben, though he was the excellency of his strength, “Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.” Gathering a crowd with the same methods that Las Vegas does may work for a good looking audience, but if we want Jesus to change lives, we are going to have to make a decision to “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.”

To fashion ourselves after our former lusts must mean something, doesn’t it? 1 Peter 1:14.

I assume “be not conformed to the world” still sits there at Romans 12:1-2 in most Bibles, (maybe not in some of the newer versions, you wouldn’t want to call one version right and another wrong, it might hurt the crowd.)

So, while musicians seductively whisper into the ear of our congregation, while the colored lights adorn the platform, perhaps we might ask ourselves, does this smack even a little of the world?

There is something the Bible calls worldly. There is something we are not to let SPOT us. Music now, that is powerful and lighting of course sets an atmosphere. Just what is the “world” we are warned about if not music, atmosphere, dress, movies, drinking booze and filling our homes with TV? Why not have the lights shatter the darkened auditorium? Why not have a gravely voice announce the pastor as he walks into the arena to face the powers of darkness like an MMA fighter? I guess if you call that church it is your choice. Go on with the disco and nightclub look and sound. Join up with the guy out west who teaches to get rid of the old people in the church and get things modern.

It has always been funny to me that preachers are panic stricken about offending one worldly believer or even a lost man with an old-fashioned hymn or sermon on sin, yet have no problem offending the older believers by tossing out the hymnal and bringing in a rock band. Who cares if we offend those who built the church and have supported it financially for decades? One of our 85 year-old members returned from vacation saying he was tired of 7-11 churches, seven words sung eleven times. Sure resembles the rock music I sang before I got saved.

Looks to me like there are some worldly spots getting on our philosophy on church services.

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA
thepreachersfriend.com

by: Jason Williams

How many of you have ever tried to buy a house? Most likely at some point you saw a picture of the house, whether it was in a magazine or on a realtors Facebook page. You saw a picture of the house and thought, “Wow! This is exactly what I am looking for.” That was until you pulled up and realized the neighbors were Herman Munster and Gomez Addams.

Seriously, you never buy a house based off of its picture; instead, you go examine the house closely and see what it’s neighborhood is like. Looking at the neighborhood of a house helps you better understand the house.

When it comes to studying the Bible, the same principle applies. A lot of harm has been done by well intentioned people who memorized a verse and forgot to study its neighborhood.

Let’s look at two quick examples:

Leviticus 19:19, “Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.”

This verse has come to light in the past months as people who are involved in sin have used this verse as a way of pointing out that the laws of God change. However, when you study the neighborhood of this passage, you realize that this law, as well as other passages, were meant as a way of protecting the Israelite people as they spent their years in the desert. The point here is not that different materials of clothing are wrong. The point is that for these people, mixing plants and cattle was dangerous and unhealthy. Simply put, God placed this law and other laws to protect them from diseases, envy and pride which would lead to sickness and death. By looking at the neighborhood of the verse, we understand that God has put rules in place to protect us.

How about one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible? Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Here we find a verse that seems to suggest that we should never tell anyone that what they are doing is wrong. Is this judging? Are we to simply sit back while everyone decides for themselves what is right or wrong, or are we simply not seeing the whole picture?  After all, just 6 quick verses later Jesus says, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6)

Was Jesus contradicting himself? Later on, in John 7:24 Jesus says, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” So which verse is correct? Are we supposed to judge? Or not?

The truth is, both passages are correct when viewed in their proper context. When viewed correctly, both passages suggest that Jesus is saying that we are to tell people what is sin; however, we are to do this in the most helpful, loving way possible. In other words, God has given us the spirit of truth, and we are to give the truth (this is not judgment).

It is not judgment for me to say, I do not want to buy this house because I don’t want to live in this neighborhood. It is judgment for me to say, “I don’t want to buy this house and what is more, I am leveling the whole neighborhood with a bulldozer because it will never be anything but a dump.”

The Bible (yes, even the New Testament) is full of church leadership judging people (see Peter and Ananias and Sapphira) or (Paul in 1 Corinthians). However, all of this judgment was done with the intent to bring the offender back to God and not to push them away forever.

Jesus is not giving license to allow anyone to do anything one wants to do without being warned, He is simply saying that we as Christians are not to:

1. Be hypocritical.

2.  Determine whether or not they are capable of being reached by the love of God.

So, how then do we avoid these mistakes?

Here are a couple of helps for studying the Bible in its proper context.

1. Study the history of the passage.

2. Study the culture of the people in the passage.

3. Study the author of the passage.

4. Study the purpose of the passage. (John 20:31 or 1 John)

5. Study the people in the passage – are there main characters? If so, what are they like? What is their personality?

6. Study the meanings of the words.

7. Study parallel passages. (Romans and Galatians – Ephesians and Colossians – Daniel and Revelation)

On a more practical note, here are a couple of things that I do that helps me in my study.

1. Examine the “wherefores.” Anytime the Bible says “wherefore,” we want to see what it is “therefore.” Typically, if the Bible says, “wherefore,” it is referring back to the previous chapter, paragraph or passage.

2. Read a book or passage as it was intended – most New Testament books were written as letters, so once you study the author, history and culture of the people, I have found it helpful to read the entire book as if it were a letter. When you read a letter, you don’t simply read the opening and then wait until tomorrow to finish it. No! You read it from beginning to end. For instance, James is a very confusing book, so I read the book of James from beginning to end each day to better grasp it.

3. Read the words in red as they were intended. I will be a little bit repetitive here, but most sermons Jesus preached are taken out of context simply because we fail to read them as they were intended. Most of the teaching of Jesus are broken down into little pieces by many today, but when He taught He was giving a full message. If you receive a voicemail from someone important, you don’t simply listen to the introduction and then wait until tomorrow to finish it. No, you listen to the whole message. Once again, it is wise to study the entire sermon by Jesus before jumping to conclusions.

In short, don’t memorize the words and forget the meaning. I am all for memorization, it is extremely helpful, but be careful that you don’t buy the house before you look at the neighborhood.

Jason Williams
Assistant Pastor
High Street Baptist Church
Columbus, OH

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

“Many of the Supreme Court decisions are correct!”  

“There are good people on that Supreme Court!”

When the Supreme Court made its recent decision, we saw a blurring of the lines of right and wrong. We see their crossing the lines as a violation of what we stood for throughout these many years. We saw it as a betrayal of the great people who helped build this nation we love. The lines are being blurred everywhere, crossed regularly, and the very lines of right and wrong are being moved.

When a preacher puts himself up as a leader of fundamental Christian people, be it a pastor, Bible college teacher or conference speaker, he has a responsibility to NOT BLUR THE LINES.

When a preacher stands in fundamental pulpits of America and other pastors entrust their young people to that man be it in a college or youth conference, if he then joins himself with the conferences clearly on the other side of the fundamental spectrum, that man is blurring the lines every bit as much as the Supreme Court, not to mention betraying the trust of the pastors and parents who believe in him.

Like our conferences, some might say, “Many of the Supreme Court decisions are correct!” One could add, “There are good people on that Supreme Court!” I would agree with both of those statements, but they are blurring the lines. The next generation is not going to see clearly because of these blurred lines. As young preachers see you going from one side of the fence to the other, they are getting a confused vision for their own values and beliefs.

Are you voting with the Supreme Court to eliminate the very foundational convictions upon which we were brought up? Are you blurring the lines about the things you heard thundered out as right and wrong for the last few decades? Is your choice of fellowship telling the next generation that the old beliefs are archaic and out-of-date?

I refuse to hang around the “big conferences everyone attends” listening to those who mock the very preaching upon which I was called, surrendered and trained under to preach the Gospel?

In 34 years of pastoring, I have never been in the spotlight, never spoken at nor sponsored a nationwide conference. Yet, somehow God has used our church to put as many people into Bible college and the ministry as any church I know of. Now why, Supreme Court Justices, are you trying to rewrite the very faith upon which you were trained? You are announcing by your fellowship and camaraderie what you think of our historic positions. You are saying that the truth upon which you were spiritually weened is inadequate.

Maybe it is time to stand up like Justice Antonin Scalia and declare what side you are on.

“I write separately to call attention to this Court’s threat to American democracy,”

“Today’s decree says that my Ruler, and the Ruler of 320 million Americans coast-to-coast, is a majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme Court,”

“This practice of constitutional revision by an unelected committee of nine, always accompanied (as it is today) by extravagant praise of liberty, robs the People of the most important liberty they asserted in the Declaration of Independence and won in the Revolution of 1776: the freedom to govern themselves.”

– Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

It’s a shame when a Supreme Court Justice stands more boldly than preachers.

Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA

IS YOUR CHURCH PREPARED?
by: Bill Graham

The days in which we live, we see all types of tragedy taking place in churches all across America.

Some incidents that have occurred recently: a church secretary being violently beaten during a robbery at the church; a man waiting in the church foyer for his estranged wife and shooting her as they argue on church property; a child being taken from a nursery or Sunday school class by his or her non-custodial parent; a man suffering a heart attack during a church service.

When hearing about these types of incidents, do you ever think what the outcome would be if that happened at your church?

If your church has a security team and program in place, you will be better prepared to respond to these types of situations. But if you don’t, your church is among the many that are not prepared to respond; and being unprepared is no longer an option. Having the idea that “It won’t happen to us” is a dangerous mindset.

We live in a broken and fallen world, and bad things do happen to good people, even to God’s people. In these present times, the church is not immune to the evil in the world. The church doesn’t get a pass, and we don’t have a bubble of protection over us that keeps us from experiencing trouble.

As the world breaks, broken people come to church. Some come to seek peace, while others come to vent their anger and frustration. The people who come to church, church members, visitors, friends and strangers, bring their issues with them. When the front doors are open, churches have to be prepared for who and what walks in.

The concept of security for public places is not new. Schools have an evacuation plan so students and staff know what to do and when to do it. Malls have security teams and protocols. Hospitals regularly deal with intensely emotional people and issues while simultaneously continuing to serve and protect. As a police officer and police chaplain for 32 years, I have worked in all of the above mentioned places of business and have seen these security teams meet the safety and security challenge with solid plans, well-trained teams, and policy and procedural standards.

Today, people expect reasonable measures to be in place to protect them and their families whether they are at work, school or in church. People may be stunned to know that many churches are not prepared to protect them. As we see in the media, violence is occurring more than ever in our churches across our nation, and the need for more organized safety and security programs has grown. Society has changed; It’s more violent. People expect that when they come to church, we’re going to protect them and their family on Sunday, the same as they expect the school to protect their children Monday through Friday.

While a church and a hospital may have operational aspects in common, the church’s focus is different. It’s a ministry. Churches need to protect their people and at the same time, minister to the broken and hurting. For a security program to work within a church, it must be focused as a ministry of the church.

The very characteristics of a church that appeal to parents are the same ones that present some of the greatest safety challenges with their children: openness, acceptance, caring adults and lots of activity. Job one for every security team in ministry is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. If you don’t have any security policies in place right now, then you need to start with protecting the children. That starts with making sure there isn’t someone nearby who could take one of your children.

The person who wants to take one of your children is not likely to be a stranger. A non-custodial parent who knows that mom or dad takes the child to church every Wednesday and Sunday, is more likely to try to pick up his or her child. Beyond the policies and procedures for protecting the children’s ministry, the security team will need to be aware of the legal orders that affect the children and youth in their care. At minimum, churches must establish check-in and check-out procedures and conduct background screenings and interviews of everyone who works with children and youth.

The time for church security is now. Your church is more likely to experience a medical or weather emergency than a violent act by an armed person. Regardless of the nature of the issue, you don’t want to find out after an incident that you have a security problem you haven’t addressed; nor do you want to leave your church’s security to chance or have untrained people who may do more harm than good. It’s better to prepare to protect and minister rather than just react in a moment.

A security mindset does not just happen. It takes someone who is passionate about creating a program that is focused on ministry. It takes coordination with leadership and other ministries. It takes planning; it takes a team. God entrusted us to care for his people, and one day we’ll have to give an account to Him as to how we shepherded His flock. Providing as safe an environment as possible is part of that responsibility.

Just take a few minutes and look at these ideas:

1. Identify weaknesses. When you think about safety and security at your church, what area needs immediate attention?
2. Think children first. If we could change one thing in our children’s area to increase safety and security, what would it be?
3. Examine past incidents. What events have made our members or leadership anxious?
4. Take a look around. How is our church affected by our community? What safety and security issues do other churches face?
5. Assess preparedness. Are we ready to address the issues that people bring to church?

I would be glad to come to your church and help start or improve your church security team. I have 32 years of law enforcement experience; I am a certified FBI instructor, certified firearms instructor, a church security instructor trained by the US Marshall’s office, and a certified A.L.I.C.E. instructor through the homeland security. I am also an Associate Pastor of the Grace Baptist church in Marion, Iowa, an independent Baptist church.

Bill Graham
Associate Pastor
Grace Baptist Church
Marion, IA

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