Category: Featured Articles

The Tuesday morning session opened in a challenging fashion with Dr. Trieber’s teaching on the home. He taught that you should deal with problems in the home the same way that the priest was to deal with leprosy. He said, “It is an awful thing for a Christian to destroy himself.” “It is an awful thing for a Christian to destroy his family.” He taught the importance of the father setting their house in order. The four things he stressed were to sanctify the house, shut the house by having family time, scrape the house through asking questions and smash the house by starting over from the foundation to rebuild the home. It was very evident from that session that Tuesday was going to be a great day.

The men and ladies split off with the men going to the dining hall to be taught by Bro. Domelle and the ladies going to the fellowship hall to get some great truths from Mrs. Sandy Domelle.

In the men’s meeting, Bro. Domelle gave five points to help the Sunday School. He show that the Great Commission is God’s model to perpetuity, and that it is for all ages. He showed that Sunday school is the tool that will help the church to bear fruit, bear more fruit and bear much fruit

In the ladies meeting, Mrs. Sandy Domelle talked about “Encouraging Your Encouragers.” She taught that the Holy Spirit is our Comforter from John 14:26. There are about four groups of people who a lady should encourage: her husband, children, pastor and pastor’s wife. She also showed how to encourage them. It was a great help for all the ladies attending.

Everyone came back to the auditorium to hear one last sermon that morning from Pastor Gray. After Soloist Alvin Martinez sang two songs, Pastor started his sermon. He taught that how we handle a problem is more important than the problem itself. He showed that there are four different types of problems: doctrinal, behavioral, procedural and potential. He taught that the pastor is always last to know the problems, and that some members look for problems. He continued to show how some members hang onto problems and like to gossip about them, but that mature members take their problems to pastor. Which member are you? He gave several helpful suggestions on how a person can properly communicate their problems to their pastor.

We came back that night to another rousing choir special with led into Dr. Trieber’s sermon out of Exodus 32:1-18. He said that we must watch out what is creeping in the doors of the church. He said that if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then why should we change? He showed that change occurs through worship and attire, and that we need to stay with the old paths that have never changed.

Dr. Bob Gray, Sr. closed the night out by preaching out of Luke 16:19. He asked, “Is There Really a Place Called Hell?” He showed that Hell is mentioned 162 times in the New Testament. Do we really believe there is a Hell? If we believed there was a Hell, he explained that we would be telling everyone about Jesus. He showed that we will answer to God if we don’t tell someone with whom we had a conversation or just passed them on the street about Christ. The Holy Spirit moved in a powerful way and it was obvious by the response during the altar call.

One more day is left for the Holy Spirit to work. Please keep the conference in your prayers.

-Mindi Higar and CJ DeGuzman

 

The Old Paths Conference started Monday night with the combined choir of seminary students, LCA students, and the LBT choir. The 90-plus voices lifted to the Lord as they sang, “Empower Me.” After the choir special, the congregational joined in by singing, “Saved by the Blood.”

As the custom of the conference has been, Pastor Bob Gray II asked all the men to come to the altar to pray for God to bless the conference. After a time of prayer, Bro. Alvin Martinez lifted his voice in song with his cheerful and encouraging singing.

Bro. Domelle preached the first sermon of the night, “The Fingerprint of the Holy Ghost.” He preached that everywhere we go, we leave a fingerprint. He used Stephen who was a layman, but he had the fingerprint of the Holy Ghost on his life. Stephen’s words about Jesus convicted the people so much that they stoned him. Bro. Domelle showed that there are four things that the Holy Ghost will give when a person has the fingerprint of the Holy Ghost on his life. The final point he gave made the greatest impact on the attending crowd. He showed that the fingerprint of the Holy Ghost gave Stephen the strength to forgive those who deeply hurt him. He asked, “Who is the one person who caused the most hurt in your life?” He showed how forgiveness of those who have hurt you the most is not hard when the fingerprint of the Holy Ghost is on your life. God worked on hearts as Bro. Domelle gave the invitation. People made decisions for God.

After a special, Pastor Gray introduced Dr. Jack Trieber, which started the second sermon of the conference. Dr. Trieber went to II Samuel 15:12, 31; and asked, “Why did Absalom send for David’s right-hand man?” He asked, “What was David feeling when this happened?” He showed that Ahithophel’s counsel was as if God spoke to them. He asked, “Why would Ahithophel betray David?” He then showed that Bathsheba was Ahithophel’s granddaughter. He showed how Athithophel waited for the day to get back at David, and his bitterness built until he had the opportunity to get revenge at David through Absalom.

Bro. Trieber asked the crowd how they were at home? He showed how children are watching what you do. He asked if you are a different person at home than in the pew? Do you have bitterness against God, spouse, parent, pastor, people of God? There is always a root of bitterness. He taught the Scriptural principle, “Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath.”

God worked the two sermons together and spoke to people’s hearts. The altars were filled as people dealt with this subject. It was a great start to the conference.

The people left the service anticipating what God was going to do the next day. Stay with us as we learn more about the Old Paths.

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

Forgive my sarcasm, it simply fits this morning as I read and laugh at how messed up some men must get if they read their Bible. It makes me smile. This Book will mess with your mind unless you surrender to it. Amen! Just how do contemporary preachers read their Bible at all without gagging?

Proverbs 6 brings up some very uncomfortable issues. If God knew the politically correct times in which we would be living, I just do not think He would have written some things in the Bible. Consider these few verses:

Proverbs 6:23-25, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.”

So, here is a matter of Bible reproof and a what the reproof deals with. Take a good look at how “off” God is in our contemporary world.

First of all, God thinks our preaching should contain reproof! Wow! Is that ever out-of-date! Then, the reproof should deal with these four things, can you believe it?

1. The wrong crowd: to keep thee from the evil woman.

2. Wrong speech: flattery.

3. Lust: now it is hard to have lust for a woman without it having to do with her looks. So this indicates preaching and reproof on appearance and what a man looks at.

4. The draw of a woman’s eyes: take thee with her eyelids.

That sure sounds like God wants some serious instruction on how a gal looks, how she acts and warning a young man about that woman. It appears God is so archaic that He thinks we ought to warn young men about the danger of flattering words and forward woman. It appears God is so out-of-touch that He wants us preaching to young men about what and who they look at. How 1950ish!

If God only knew the times in which we would be living, I am sure He would have dropped this kind of thing about 1950 and changed our instruction to simply loving God, loving people and getting rid of the foolish “do’s and dont’s.“ Oh, well! When your God never changes I guess He is bound to be old-fashioned and out-of-step with the times.

Maybe God can read some modern blogs and visit some big name conferences to catch up with the men who really know what is going on. If only God had not said that His Word would not change, then I am sure God would drop this “legalism” and pushy stuff. Man! That was a mistake. Now, God is stuck with these old-fashioned statements. I guess it is good most modern preachers are not stuck on the Bible. Good thing they have enough sense to ignore the Bible when needed and do the “appropriate thing.”

Where would we be if we only had an old-fashioned Bible, and we were having to find our path without these men who know better than to preach on appearance, flattery, forward women and the things at which a man looks? I am sure it was not God Who brought us these modern enlightened prophets, but whoever it is, our world owes him.

I love the ministry. I love the old-fashioned Book. I love reading It, soaking in every verse. I love being so simple that I can just believe it. What a great life!

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA

by: Stephen Shutt

2 Timothy 3:14-17 – “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

This passage of Scripture has been fiercely debated for over 150 years, and most notably so within the past 50 years with the arrival of so many different English Bibles. While this issue has been dealt with frequently, and I have no doubt that many of you understand the importance of having a perfect Bible, I do wonder if we realize what exactly it is that we have. In my own life, I often take this holy book for granted…knowing that its origins are Divine, but not really believing it enough to act upon its precepts. The part that often troubled me was not the fact that God gave me a book and told me to read it that I may know Him and His love, but that He literally chose every single Word on every single page. Sure, that sounds odd; but think about it, God himself chose every Word that would be placed before you and I when we pick up our Bible.

I am very aware that many good men have thrown this idea out there, and have not really taken it seriously – especially when it comes to our English King James Bible. But think about this very thing for just a few moments: God not only chose the words that were first spoken by the prophets, scribes, kings, and the disciples/apostles; He chose the very words of the people who would later write them out – sometimes hundreds, if not thousands of years after the fact – in exact and precise detail. Think about the awesomeness of that! Now add to it the fact that many of the things we read of in Book of Genesis were not originally spoken in Hebrew…but were spoken in a completely different language (as is the case of Joseph’s revelation of himself to his brethren; the Bible says that he spoke through an interpreter in Genesis 42:23).

God chose every word spoken by Paul, and then chose every single word transcribed by Tertius when it was sent to the church in Rome (which would have been a Latin speaking church). He chose the very words of the first missionaries who brought the Gospel to Africa, and to Europe in the 2^nd century. He chose every single Word that is held within the text of your Authorized King James Bible. He was as much in charge of the English words as He was in charge of the original words.

Have you ever watched a master penman write? Look it up on YouTube or some similar technology when you have a moment. That master penman already has the completed picture in his mind of what he wants to write. He already sees the style, the skips of the pen over the parchment, the texture of the ink, the color of the ink, and the type of pen that will best complete his dream and bring his vision to life. No pen can argue with the master penman over why he was chosen for that task. The job of the pen is to simply be ready to be used, and to be used as the master penman sees fit. There are parchments that certain ink pens do very well with, while they do poorly with others. However, a master penman may well choose a pen noted for its bad qualities, and turn those “failings” into a completely unique and beautiful masterpiece that nobody would have believed possible. All the while, the penman is in complete control over every movement the pen makes.

In the same fashion, the Master Penman chose each writer and translator down through history to bring forth and refine His vision, and to bring it to life. The sweet indwelling Spirit of the Master Penman is like the ink that fills the earthly pen, and it paints the same picture every single time – no matter the parchment type, or the color of the ink. Each says the same thing, because each is moved and divinely guarded by the same power that caused its very existence. Nothing is diminished because of the variant texture of the parchments used, or because of the different pens. It is all checked, weighed, measured, and refined by the Master. Every Word is God’s. Every stroke of the pen is His doing – no matter the language into which is written.

When a preacher states that what the reader has in their hand is not exact, he has demoted and denigrated its authority and position in that person’s life. At the exact same moment, that preacher has inferred that what he has is the very Word of God (or at the very least, he has enough learning to know where to look for it), and thus the person hearing him should trust in his understanding and learning to provide the literal words of God to those poor uneducated people. It is yet another dividing line between the ‘educated’ clergy and the ‘unlearned’ laity. They can’t really know what that passage means because it’s not really the “literal” word that God wanted them to have.

My brethren, please do not be offended at the over-simplicity of this article on such a delicate and important topic. That being said, it is high time that we stop trying to complicate the clear Word of the living God with the complicated theories of men from a certain school, church, educational background or even a certain generational arena. If we say the King James Bible is the Word of God, then it stands to reason that every Word within it is God’s. To say that a word “literally” means something other than the word used and the context in which is used, is to say that God didn’t do a very good job in telling us exactly what He meant and precisely what we needed to know.

If God said it, then preach it – all of it. Tell the people what “thus saith the Lord,” not what “thus saith [insert your favorite preacher’s name].” Even if your favorite preacher agrees with the Word of God, you are to preach the Word of God first…nothing else matters. When you get to the part that clearly deals with a specific subject, you are to preach it – all of it, in its clear context. When you find that something you have believed for a long time cannot be supported with Scripture, you are to preach what the Bible says about it – exactly what it says, regardless of what others will think or say. Allow Scripture to dictate where you take your message, and your life inside and outside the pulpit. Trust in the God Who saved you, and just preach His Word – exactly as it reads – and be faithful to every Word the Bible holds. You will find that it is by far more effective when the people in your church can take their Bible home and see the same thing you preached, without having to refer to the notes from your sermon.

Stephen Shutt

by: Keith Phemister

There seems to be a growing attitude among Christians that is quite alarming. We have this idea that God owes us something when we are obedient. Well, we can see from Scripture that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t take that attitude with them. Somewhere along the line, that memo was misplaced, for in Daniel 3:17 it says, “…our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king” Then, in verse 18, it begins with these convicting words, “But if not…”.

Someone said that the measure of a man is what it takes to stop him. If that be the case, the measure of these men is through the roof. In other words, these three Hebrew men were well aware of the potential consequences in choosing to do the right thing. They would not be swayed into making a decision based on how they thought it would benefit them, but make the decision on principles of truth.

Right is right and wrong is wrong was their motto. They did not do right and expect to get rewarded for it. They did right because it was the right thing to do and God was well able to deliver them, but if not… so what! Too many people get disappointed with God and lead a fruitless life as a result. Disappointment with God should not cause any of us to trust Him any less.

Job said it well: “…though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him.” We have this idea that God owes us something because we are obedient. I understand that God blesses obedience (and He will as He sees fit), but the simple truth is that we are supposed to be obedient. A child is supposed to obey mom and dad. I am all for praising right choices. I believe a child needs the positive reinforcement. I am concerned about parents who put the carrot out there for a child to take in order to get them to obey. This could cause many problems down the road. Sure, they will have temporary obedience, but what are we teaching them about life? Do this and get this! However, in the grand scheme of things, God is sovereign. We are all subject to God’s divine will.

For example – 2 pastors are threatened with death and one dies while the other does not. Two Christians are diagnosed with cancer and one dies while the other one does not. Two families are serving God, but one seems to be thrown into a “trouble tornado” constantly.

Israel said in Malachi 3 – “It is vain to serve God. What profit does it profit us to do right?” Is that where we are today? We do things based on whether we profit from it or not? I don’t see any fruit from soul winning so I won’t go, says Unhappy Christian. However, we are to go soul winning cause it is the right thing to do. We ought to do right no matter what! So what caused these three men to do what they did – NO MATTER WHAT!

1. I believe they did it because they had convictions. A conviction is very simply defined as something you would die for. I guess this was one, huh. Death was staring them in the face. They were not going to bow down and worship the golden image. That was wrong. The choice was an easy one when you didn’t think about the possible ramifications of the decision. I choose to do right! A preference is something you believe is right but you wouldn’t die for the choice made. I have a preference in dogs over cats, but if someone put a gun to my head and said, “Tell me that cats are better than dogs,” I would tell them real fast!

2. I believe they did it because they were confident in their God that He would come through. Notice they said, “Our God is able.” They knew, I am sure, that nothing is too hard for God.

As a pastor, it is vitally important to gain the trust of my followers. I must make myself available to them, spend time with them and minister to them. Isn’t that what Jesus did with His followers? I think so, and He had a great host of followers during His ministry.

3. They were obviously committed to their God. I heard of an experiment that was done on some teenagers some time back. Ten teens were brought in and shown three lines on a blackboard. Individually, nine were told to vote for the 2^nd longest as being the longest. The other was told nothing and was therefore the guinea pig; to see how peer pressure would affect his decision. So, all ten were brought in and asked to identify the longest line on the board. One by one, each identified the 2^nd longest as the longest. Finally, the last one was asked his answer. He identified with the rest of them. Most people are not committed to right. They are followers and do not want to be the one outside looking in.

God help us, if we are willing to say, “God if you do this, then I will do this!” We need Christians who do right NO MATTER WHAT!

Keith Phemister, Pastor
Lighthouse Baptist Church
Hudson, NH

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

When Abraham negotiated for the pardon of Sodom, the conditions did not include a first-class website, beautiful buildings, or the creation of a Dave Ramsey-pleasing family budget. The factor that made the difference between the destruction or salvation of Sodom was ten righteous people. The great need in Sodom was to turn people to righteousness.

When Daniel spoke of those who would shine as the stars forever and ever, he talked about turning people to righteousness.

Sure sounds like soul winning and preaching on holiness is high on God’s priority list.

Solomon talked about his own nation one day getting away from God and being under the judgement and wrath of God; and the promise of deliverance to come. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the requirement for the people was to humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways.

At many preacher’s conferences, there is much about the use of websites, contemporary music, P.A. systems, and first-class buildings, but what about preaching on simple old-fashioned holiness? People hate the fact that America is not as great a nation today as it was before the invention of the internet. During the days in which America saw great awakenings and great revivals, when America was great, most of its preachers were poorly educated, poorly paid, and the church buildings were anything but first-class. Preachers of today need to focus on turning people to righteousness through soul winning and preaching, and on establishing standards and convictions of decency and holiness.

Websites or righteousness?

Reaching businessmen or the fatherless and widows?

Preachers or CEO’s?

Maybe someone has messed with our priorities.

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA

by: David Owens

2 Kings 14:25 “…the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet…”

Jonah was a good guy. He was a preacher, a prophet and God spoke through him. But Jonah is better known for his “all expenses paid, three day cruise in a specially prepared fish equipped by God to transport Jonah to where God commanded him to go in the first place.” Jonah was a good guy, but he had a terrible attitude. What is your attitude concerning all that God commands or wants you to do? Teenagers, what is your attitude concerning obeying your parents? Wife, what is your attitude regarding submitting to your husband, or sir, loving your wife? Pastor, what is your attitude when you are viciously attacked? Missionary, what is your attitude when the ministry is hard and you feel all alone? Christian, how do you feel about tithing or being faithful to church when the doors are open? What is your reaction when you are commanded to forgive those who’ve wronged you? What is your attitude when you are confronted with Bible dress standards? How about when the music you like, that appeals to your flesh, is preached against? What is your reaction? What is your attitude?

As I look back at my childhood and teen years, I would have to say that I perfected having a bad attitude. A teacher once (actually more than once) said to me, “You have a bad attitude.” My response was, “Just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it bad.” With God nothing is impossible, but for God to be able to straighten out my attitude had to be next to impossible. Read the story of Jonah; he was a good guy, but he had a very bad attitude. This is sad because life, and more importantly the Christian life, is a whole lot more fun if you have a good attitude!

Watch the progression:

1. A bad attitude will cause you to do the opposite of what you are commanded. Jonah 1:2

Just as Jonah was commanded to arise and go, we also have commands. The Christian life is a life of actions and these actions must be in obedience to God’s Word. Christianity is not a life of beliefs only, but of beliefs that cause us to act. When we think of Jonah and the command to go to Nineveh, we think of missionaries going into all the world. Think about the following: go read your Bible, go pray, go to church, go teach a Sunday School class, go humble yourself, go and do thou likewise, go forgive, go with the right friends, go not with the wicked, go and destroy your ungodly music, go get some modest clothing, go and prepare, go and sin no more, go confess your sins, go love your wife, go submit to your husband, go obey mom and dad, go get a good attitude. Is there really a difference between God saying to Jonah, “Go to Nineveh” and God commanding us to go into all the world or go read your Bible or go and do thou likewise? Just as Jonah went to Tarshish, we often go anywhere else besides where God commands us.

2. A bad attitude will cost you and you won’t even care. Jonah 1:3

God pays the fare for obedience; you pay the fare for disobedience. Do you know why you don’t have time to accomplish what needs to be done in life? Because you must pay when you do things your own way. Perhaps your money is running short because it actually costs more not to tithe than to tithe. God won’t finance your restaurant tab when you should be in church. Jonah paid the fare to Tarshish; God paid the bill to transport Jonah to Nineveh. No, it was not a comfortable ride for Jonah, he traveled in the cargo hold and that was Jonah’s fault, but God did cover the costs. Obey God willingly and you will probably get to pick a more comfortable mode of travel.

3. A bad attitude will put others in harms way. Jonah 1:5

When we disobey we put others in jeopardy. When Jonah disobeyed God, he also put those around him in danger. Our bad attitude will hurt, or at the very least, endanger those close to us. The ones we put in danger are often the ones we love the most. I’ve often wondered if the terrible condition of our nation is not the fault of bad attitude Christians. We want to believe that God is judging America for her sins, but perhaps God is judging the sins of His people and America is suffering for it. If you want to destroy your marriage, your children, those you love, your church and your testimony, then go do your own thing and go your own direction.

4. A person with a bad attitude will lose the respect of others. Jonah 1:9-10

People really don’t like following people with bad attitudes. You will eventually lose whatever respect others had for you. The world sees our attitude, our family sees our attitude, and even other Christians see our attitude. I’m reminded of the times when church members have gone home and complained to an unsaved family member about someone or something at church. One day this church member tries to invite this same family member to church, gets rejected and then wonders why.

5. When we have a bad attitude, it takes a crisis to get our attention. Jonah 2:1-10

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get the attention of a person with a bad attitude. Sometimes, even a crisis cannot get our attention. A bad attitude is a self-centered and self-destructive attitude. When I am focused only on myself, I have trouble noticing what is going on around me. I cannot see the needs, the hurts or even the affect that my attitude is having on others. Because of my bad attitude, I cannot see that I am closed to any solution for others problems and even for my own problems.

6. A person can obey with a bad attitude. Jonah 3:1-10

One with a bad attitude can be forced to go through the motions of obedience, if there is no other way out, but only to make life easier for them. So, you obey because you feel threatened, but you only obey to get relief. With a bad attitude, we will go through the motions just to get what we want. We will give in only if it means getting our own way, but the bad attitude will soon return. A bad attitude will cause you to tithe only if you have financial problems. A bad attitude will cause you to be faithful or obey only because you want something from God.

7. A bad attitude has a difficult time rejoicing over spiritual victories. Jonah 4:1-11

Instead of being overjoyed with spiritual results you have a ho-hum, selfish attitude. Bad attitude Christians are more concerned with their own comfort than even the miracles of God. With a bad attitude you will get to church late, not open the hymn book, doze off during the preaching, be bored during the invitation and impatient even when someone is getting saved or obeying the Lord in baptism. A bad attitude will cause you to complain if the air conditioning doesn’t work or works too good, you will gripe that the preaching is too loud or too long. Nothing can please one with a bad attitude.

Christian, you control your own attitude. A good attitude makes life enjoyable, a bad one can be spotted in your reaction to God’s commands. God says, “Go, obey me,” but our response is, “I’ll go to Tarshish, the mall, to bed, to work, to relatives, to my easy chair, I’ll go and play with the kids, spend time with my family, I can’t, I’m hungry, I have a headache, I’ll go another time, I already do enough, I can do it on my own, etc.”

We are not saying you are a bad person, but do you have a bad attitude? If you do it’s not fun, is it?

David Owens
Pastor
Westside Baptist Church
Pacifica, CA

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

When I first got saved and began reading good material regarding the Bible, I found that Bible believers were writing about the “modernist” movement, a movement which consisted of a group of people who doubted the Bible, exalted intellectualism, compromised on standards, separation, soul winning, and the simple things of the faith. These were people I wanted to stay away from. I was saved into the world of independent Baptists.

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, a new group emerged called, Neo-Evangelicals. It was interesting that while Independent Baptists remained Independent Baptists, the modernists slipped off and joined the neo-evangelicals who became the new and exciting movement of the day. Their new philosophies were supposed to be what would reach the young generation. Their founders really knew what was going on, supposedly.

Although many jumped on this spiritual band wagon of the day, the Bible-believing, independent Baptists of America kept obeying the Bible, kept getting people saved, kept teaching Sunday school, kept preaching it was wrong to drink booze and kept telling folks to stay separate from the world.

You may find this hard to believe, but this neo-evangelical group did not last. (As if we could not have guessed that.) Neo-Evangelicalism actually consisted of nothing more than a modernist doctrine with a new title and sugarcoating: an old, deceitful doctrine with a new face. We may pursue a new car or new clothing; but we should not pursue new biblical philosophies, for Bible truth does not change.

In the years that followed, the Neo-Evangelicals slowly began to fade, and a new, exciting movement hit America called the charismatic movement. Other than adding speaking in tongues to the agenda, this group of people were not very different from the modernist or the neo-evangelical. They did not fuss much about which Bible to read or about soul winning. They did not make a big deal about separation, standards, or any other really strong convictions. They just thought it was great to love everybody and speak in tongues because that was exciting! (Reading one’s Bible, staying pure, winning souls, teaching Sunday school — those were the same old things folks had been doing for years. New stuff is exciting!)

In the 60’s, another group came alongside the neo-evangelicals and charismatics. This group was founded by converts from the hippie movement. They brought their rock bands into church and their rebellion came with them too. They rebelled against the idea of wearing your “SUNDAY best” and traditional Bible-believing churches. These two groups paralleled each other merging often in philosophy and doctrine.

The tongues and charismatic movement soon became common or boring. Their leaders did their best to revitalize it. Stories surfaced of spirit-filled laughter, spirit-filled barking, and much more nonsense. This merger of the Pentecostal movement and the Neo-evangelical movement, now called charismatic, was really not much different than the others. Along with the fleshly emotionalism of speaking in tongues, rolling on the floor, barking, possessing the “gift of hilarity,” the charismatic movement embraced rock music as their tool to reach the younger generation. The world’s rock music (once seriously condemned even by the unsaved) brought with it more of the same: no changed life, no strong Bible convictions, an emphasis on love rather than on truth, and much of what was passed down from the modernist, new-evangelical and others. During these years, the dressed-down, relaxed spirit came into being. People made comments such as, “We can worship God without showing off our fancy clothing.”

Funny, how that through all this, the Baptists somehow managed to keep preaching the KJV, teaching separation from the world, standards, modesty, soul winning and amazingly – young people kept coming and surrendering to the ministry. How did they do it without the worldly ideas of the other crowds?

As the charismatic movement and the tongues movement began to wane, a new group was formed – the contemporary church. (This is not an exhaustive list. Several other ideologies came and went along the way, the seeker-sensitive movement recently being one of the short-lived ones.)

Speaking in tongues, charismatic ideas, living worldly lifestyles, preaching against having any convictions and following the pattern of prior years brought this contemporary church movement. Wow! This was new and exciting. But not really! It was the same old stuff with a new personality leading the way. While this change to the contemporary church was taking place, there was another group in America, the Baptists. These old-fashioned people continued to preach the Gospel, promote righteousness, separation, standards and convictions. They went soul winning and continued to believe that the Bible was the Word of God. It is interesting that while movements changed and names of leaders and the movement itself were rearranged, the Baptists somehow managed to keep being Baptist. Oh, there were some Baptists who jumped on the “new stuff” band wagon, but there has always been a group that kept witnessing, kept reading their King James Bible, and kept believing in purity and holy living. This was the same stuff that helped reach the world since the time of Christ.

Rock and roll music from the charismatic church, the lack of standards and convictions from the modernists, weak stands on any Bible truth, Neo-Evangelicals and the charismatics, all these together gave us the contemporary church. A new addition of “Praise and Worship” was added. To anyone over 50, it was more like the nightclub and sensuous sound. Breathy female singers with colored spot lights sway with the sound and move the audience… Move them to what is the question. Nothing was really new at all. It is the same old fleshly stuff that has NOT changed the world since Chuck Smith, Keith Green and “Love Song” of the 70’s-80’s.

While the contemporary church played its worldly, nightclub music, had no standards, no convictions, no separation, no soul winning or stand on the Word of God, there was another group in America called the Baptists. (Isn’t it peculiar how those Baptists keep hanging around when everyone said they were not going to last or reach the next generation?) The most common thing each one of these groups said was: How do you expect to reach the young people with those kinds of beliefs? Modernists said it; Neo-evangelicals said it; charismatics said it; even the contemporary church and some soft Baptists said it. Isn’t it odd how Baptists keep reaching young people to keep their church alive while other movements fade away? Hmmm…

While the contemporary church is nothing more than the blending of all its predecessors, the Baptists somehow have managed to keep preaching the doctrines that they have always preached: separation, standards, convictions, preaching (versus teaching), soul winning and believing that the Bible in their hand is the Word of God.

When the contemporary church movement is replaced, perhaps by the recently arisen emergent church or by some other new name, the Baptists will still be getting people saved; they will still be teaching Sunday school; they will still be soul winning, and they will still preach standards, separation, and convictions. When the new movement that comes along embraces all the ideals of the former groups and changes its name again, the Baptists will continue to be Baptists. When this new group finds its new, “Robert Schuler” or “Joel Osteen,” some unknown young man will still be starting a Baptist church. Baptist churches will be the same as they were in the 40’s, 50’s or 60’s: Bible-believing, soul winning, separated, Sunday school teaching and meeting for Sunday night preaching services.

The new movement will criticize that new, unknown young man who has no finances, no charisma and no building. He will probably meet in some pitiful tent or store front building. People will say, “How will you reach the young people with those old-fashioned values?” But the fact is, Baptists will keep reaching the young people in the future just as they have reached them in each prior generation; because “…strait is the gate, and narrow is the way…” (Matthew 7:14)

If all these other groups did such a great job at reaching the young people, why do you not find anyone who claims to be a modernist? (40’s-50’s) Where can you find a Neo-Evangelical church, or even a charismatic church? (60’s-80’s) The contemporary church will give way to the emergent church or another group, but each new church is the same – just under a new name. It is the Devil’s tool to try to get Christians to be worldly, to compromise on the Bible, standards, separation and soul winning; and his ultimate goal is to defeat the Gospel. However, we found out a long time ago that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church Jesus started. I will stay a Baptist.

Give me the old-time religion! It was good for Paul and Silas; it was good for our forefathers; and it is good enough for me! They may not be names you recognize, but our church today is just like Lee Roberson’s, who started a Bible college in 1926, became pastor of Highland Park Baptist church in 1942 and stayed there until 1983 probably baptizing more converts and sending more people to the mission field than any other church in America. We could add to that list the great churches built by men like: Jack Hyles, Harold Sightler, Oliver B. Green, G.B. Vick and dozens of others. Somehow it is still working in Wildomar and many other places around the nation. We are nothing new, we just found what worked and did not see a reason to change.

Baptists are still here. Where are the new-evangelicals? Charismatics? Hmmm!

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA

by: Keith Phemister

Luke 17:1-10

Let me ask you an honest question! Have you ever been hurt by another person? I think I know the answer, and I believe I can pinpoint just who it was that hurt you. It comes from a principle that is pulled from the observation of Jesus and his disciples. We will let it be known as the Judas rule. It basically says this: Offenses come by way of close relationships. The closer you are to someone the greater the offense.

Judas is synonymous with betrayal. It is the one name that most people would give second thought to when considering a name for their son. In fact, no less than ten different times will you find Judas linked up with the word betray or a form of the word. Here are a few examples:

Matthew 10:4 – “Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”

Matthew 26:25 – “Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.”

Matthew 27:3 – “Then Judas, which had betrayed him…”

Allow your mind, if you will, to wander to the time our Lord made Himself venture back to the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas is leading a contingent of men tasting blood. Like a pack of wolves, smelling the blood, they descend upon their prey.

Wait a minute! Maybe we were wrong about Judas? He plants a kiss on his Master’s face. No, Jesus erases our doubts. “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss,” He says. The reality of this man is now known to all far and wide and to every future generations. Judas is a betrayer. However, what I believe we all should know is the fact that before the betrayal there was an offense. Yes, if you thought about the offender being our Lord, you are right. I am sure you are aware that even Jesus offended people.

Now, I know there are some who believe if you love the Lord you will never take offense. Scripture is even quoted to back this up. Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” But, that is referring to the Word of God. The precious people who love the Book will find themselves never being offended by the Bible. People however can offend us by what they say.

In Luke 17, Jesus reminds us that offenses will come. Long before Judas betrayed Jesus, he was offended by Jesus. Here is the account from Matthew:

Matthew 26:7-14 says, “There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,”

Mr. Judas was offended by Jesus responding to those who questioned him. Our Lord defended the woman and the money was not given to him in the manner he wanted. He was a thief at heart. Offenses can and will lead to betrayal, and betrayal leads to hurt.

So, the big question for you is this: When you get offended, how will you respond? Beware Christian. I have seen many a person come to this crossroads and respond in a way that causes much damage to the cause of Christ.

Now here is the real lesson! The closer you are to someone the greater the possibility for offense. People don’t get hurt by those who they do not know. They get hurt and offended by those who are closest to them. Families are divided. Churches are divided. All because of offenses. Remember this verse please: “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” (Proverbs 18:19)

We need to know what exactly an offense is. 1 Peter 2:8 says, “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word…” An “offence” then is defined as

1. Cause of stumbling
2. An injury
3. Displeasure, anger

In Luke 17:2, “little ones” refers to weak believers, not as some suppose “little children.” Furthermore, the word “offence” comes from the Greek word scandalon, meaning – the moveable stick or trigger of a trap. An impediment placed in the way causing one to stumble.

Therefore, we have a very interesting scenario developing here. When we allow ourselves to get offended, we fall into a trap. Remember that Scripture tells us, “Satan entered into him” speaking of Judas. Basically an offended person will fall into one of two categories:

1. One who has been treated unfairly
2. One who believes he has been treated unfairly

Judas, fell clearly into the second category, and for the most part this is what happens to most of us. The question is defined by this: “What then do we do when offended?”

May I offer a few helps regarding the Judas Rule?

1. We should forgive?

Notice that the offended should begin the process. (v. 3) We are to confront one who has trespassed. We can notice that a person may be sincere in what he is saying, but actions may not back up his words. However, we are to forgive him when he says he repents. (v. 4)

2. Forgiveness is not easy.

The Disciples had such a hard time believing they could forgive that they asked the Lord to increase their faith. (v. 5) Jesus is teaching that forgiveness has nothing to do with faith and everything to do with obedience. It is our duty to forgive. It is not that we cannot forgive, but that we choose not to forgive!

Maybe you have been offended in recent days and have not forgiven someone of their offense. You will know you have been offended when you bring it up to someone else for no apparent reason. Perhaps you will be speaking with your spouse or friend, and out of nowhere your inner hurt is spoken to another. This is an obvious clue that you have not yet forgiven the offender. It’s time to take action – and remember, it is most likely one very close to you who has offended you. It is the Judas Rule!!

Keith Phemister
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Nashua, NH

by: Dr. Bruce Goddard

Some have attempted to rethink their early choices for the old-time religion, soul winning, standards, separation and holy living. Not me! Some have acted like their troubles were rooted in their fundamental faith. Sorry, I don’t buy that. Our sorrows are rooted in this sinful world. Our sorrows are rooted in our own lack of obedience to God. Our sorrows are rooted in the satanic influences in our homes and families through school, friends, TV, the media and countless other ills; but no, our sorrows are not rooted in the loving words of our Lord in the Bible.

Those wonderful words are Hope, strength and Life.

John 6:63, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”

Deuteronomy 32:46-47, “And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it [is] not a vain thing for you; because it [is] your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong [your] days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”

My faith is settled in two godly old preachers and a Bible. No, I’ll not trade a thing! My faith was set and though trials come, by God’s grace, I’ll not turn back on the things God has taught me.

When I was introduced to fundamental Christianity, I had no idea it had a name. I thought it was Bible obedience. I assumed if you changed the Bible you were simply wrong. I read where the Bible said some things about fashioning yourselves after this world and we were not to follow it. It is simple Bible, not some label.

I learned to share my faith long before I heard the term soul winning. It was logical, I was saved, others were not, go tell them like someone told me. Of course, any decent believer would want to tell others how to get to Heaven. It wasn’t about fundamentalism, or Old-Fashioned Christianity, it was about honoring the Bible and good sense.

At 18, I stood at a secular college party, booze everywhere, and I realized that no one knew my glass only had soda in it. I put it down and left, I knew from Bible reading and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that I could not attend parties, no matter what I drank or who I was with. It was not a fundamental separatist belief, some things are not a matter of Fundamentalism, but Bible reading and seeking to honor God. I’d never heard a sermon on booze or separation, it was clear in the Bible that the place was wrong; all of it was wrong.

Change? Sure, I’d change some things. I’d read the Bible more, walk closer to God, be more careful with my money. I’d pay more attention to people who were hurting. But change my faith? Not on your life. This has been a great life, and I’m looking forward to what God does next.

These kids, my wife, the grandkids in Sunday school, bus routes, my wife teaching an adult ladies Bible class where 50 or so ladies come weekly to be helped, our annual ladies, conference with as many as 500 ladies coming to learn to walk with God, stay pure in an impure world, would I trade all that for an easier life?

Would I trade my kids who preach, win souls and teach Sunday school? Would I trade our annual Youth Conference? Would I trade the preachers who were trained in our ministry, would I trade missionaries across the world who were reached through the old-time religion for a few rock songs and pants on women? Right! What kind of fool do you think I am?

No, I’ll stick with the wonderful words of life. I’ll keep on the old ways, though some rookie who never made a difference in his life may mock it. I’m staying right in where I started, and yes, as the song says, “I’d do it all again, and so much more.”

Dr. Bruce Goddard
Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Wildomar, CA