Quote of the Day

In light of the recent resolution approved this week at the annual SBC meeting to tackle the issue of global warming. I would just like to go on record as saying that,

"I don't believe God is worried about global warming gentlemen". - John Pipes (1966-?)

The Root of Bitterness

After listening to the entire audio series of the previous post it's apparent that many Arminian doctrines have overrun our church's almost overnight as Baptist pastors continue to drift further away from the foundational doctrines that the Baptist faith was originally founded on, and I wonder what is the driving force behind this self-willed movement of this freewill debate and where does it originate from? I came across this quote by Horatius Bonar and thought it really exposes this freewill doctrine for what it truly is.

"In all this opposition to the absolute will of God, we see the self-will of the last days manifesting itself. Man wanted to be a god at the first, and he continues the struggle to the last. He is resolved that his will shall take the precedence of God's. In the last Antichrist, this self-will shall be summed up and exhibited. He is the king that is to do 'according to his will'. And in the freewill controversy of the day, we see the same spirit displayed. It is Antichrist that is speaking to us, and exhorting us to proud independence. Self-will is the essence of anti-christian religion. Self-will is the root of bitterness, that is springing up in the churches in these days. And it is not from above, it is from beneath. It is earthly, sensual, devilish." - Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Typical Arminian

In the inaugural Theology Talk, Jim McClarty and Jeff Young, of Grace Christian Assembly, sat down to discuss a recent anti-Calvinist message, preached by pastor Brady Cooper who is the senior pastor at New Vision Baptist Church located in Murfreesboro, TN. Jim and Jeff carefully and respectfully point out the assumptions, misrepresentations, and "straw man arguments" that are very typical of the Arminian approach to Scripture that seems to be so rampant in the SBC today. You can download this five part audio series HERE.

"What the Arminian wants to do is to arouse man's activity: what we want to do is to kill it once for all---to show him that he is lost and ruined, and that his activities are not now at all equal to the work of conversion; that he must look upward. They seek to make the man stand up: we seek to bring him down, and make him feel that there he lies in the hand of God, and that his business is to submit himself to God, and cry aloud, 'Lord, save, or we perish.' We hold that man is never so near grace as when he begins to feel he can do nothing at all. When he says, 'I can pray, I can believe, I can do this, and I can do the other,' marks of self-sufficiency and arrogance are on his brow."

"Arminianism is thus guilty of confusing doctrines and of acting as an obstruction to a clear and lucid grasp of the Scripture; because it mis-states or ignores the eternal purpose of God, it dislocates the meaning of the whole plan of redemption. Indeed confusion is inevitable apart from this foundational truth [of election]." - C. H. Spurgeon

The Blessed Hope

I'm convinced that today's church will never overcome this current state of apathy until it learns to walk in light of the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!

"Nothing but the blessed hope of Christ's glorious appearing, and of our being partakers of the glory when He appears, can draw us away from and lift us upward from among the temptations, and cares, and enjoyments of the present scene." - W. H. Hewitson (1812-1850)

Neither am I!

I must confess that I am often still frustrated with the Southern Baptist Convention! I tire of denominational politics and the liberal strongholds that most state conventions still operate under even today, I am nauseated by the fact that the "model church" that is being held up as the example by our denomination today is the seeker friendly model. It saddens and sickens me that by and large our denomination has forsaken the exposition of Scripture. I am also deeply troubled by our denomination's lust for numbers at almost any cost. I really do believe we have some threats looming in our denomination today that are far greater than what we faced in the 70's through the 90's.

But as I read of Southern Baptist men of the past.... as I read my Bible.... as I exegete Scripture I have made a wonderful discovery on my own.... to the core of my bone marrow I really am a Baptist! Not because of heritage or lineage but because of the Bible!

Fifteen years plus of exposition of Scripture has led me to the conclusion that the Baptist faith is New Testament Christianity! Fifteen years of exposition has affirmed my being a Baptist Fifteen years of diligent study of the Word of God has caused me to see why I am a Baptist. - Jonathan W. Sims, Pastor Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church

Charles Spurgeon once said, "I am not ashamed to take to myself the name Baptist." Neither am I!

Excerpt taken from "Membership Information Class Study Guide of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church", Shelbyville, Tennessee

Quote of the Day

"If the world has never been ejected from your heart, if you have never been crucified to it, then the love of God is not there; if the love of God is absent, then you are a stranger to the new birth." - Octavius Winslow, 1808-1878

The Prosperity Gospel

Watch Out!

This quote brings to mind so many of the so called televangelists that we see today that one must understand that behind their plausible speech and the smooth demeanor that they display is a serious false teaching that promotes worldly passions that will inevitably enslave the minds of all those that follow them.

"Watch out for smooth talkers who pastor large churches, write many books, lead wide ministries, and do not manifestly prize above their earthly good the whole counsel of God." - John Piper

Going, Going, Gone?

Is Your Church Going Purpose Driven? How Can You Tell? In the past ten years a large percentage of churches in America, and in other countries, have changed from a traditional New Testament church model to a contemporary Purpose Driven model, many with sorrowful results. Contrary to Purpose Driven Church propaganda, millions have been leaving their churches after the change occurred. It is important that every church member know if their church is targeted for a Purpose Driven Church takeover or already overrun by it.

25 Purpose Driven Warning Signs
1. Change in the music to a more contemporary rock style, and/or a new worship minister with rock star like credentials.

2. Removal of hymn books; installation of a Jumbo screen, and the eliminating of the choir in favor of a praise team of just five or six people.

3. Replacement of the organ and piano with heavy metal instruments.

4. Repetitive singing of praise lyrics.

6. Eliminating of business meetings, church committees, council of elders, board of deacons, etc.

7. The pastor, or a new leader with a few assistants, usually four, takes charge of all church business.

8. The pastors sermons start stressing psychological relationships with each other in order to build a bridge to the community, or the world.

9. Funded budgeted programs are abandoned, or ignored, with ambiguous financial reports made.

10. Sunday morning, evening, and/or Wednesday prayer meetings are changed to other times; some may even be eliminated altogether.

11. Sunday School teachers are moved to different classes, or replaced by new teachers more sympathetic with the changes being implemented.

12. The name “Sunday school” is dropped and classes are given new names like "Small Groups" or "The Porch", or "The Living Room", or some other subtle name that removes any notion of a place of learning.

13. Crosses and other traditional Christian symbols may be moved from both the inside and outside of the church building. The pulpit may also be removed.

14. New versions of the Bible are used; or only verses flashed on a screen are referenced during regular services.

15. Movie clips, and drama skits precede the message or are used during regular services.

16. The decor is drastically changed with multi-color paint and/or lots of plasma TVs.

17. The word “church” is often taken from the name of the church, and the church may be called a “campus.” Denominational names may also be removed.

18. An emphasis on more fun and party sessions for the youth.

19. Elimination of altar calls or salvation invitations at the close of the services.

20. The elimination of such words as unsaved, lost, sin, Hell, Heaven, and other gospel verities from the pastor’s messages.

21. The reclassification of the saved and lost to the “churched” and “unchurched”, or "members" and "nonmembers".

22. The marginalizing, and/or ostracizing, of all who are not avid promoters of the new way of doing church.

23. Closed meetings between the pastor or chosen staff members without any reports made to the general membership.

24. Open hostility to members who do not openly embrace the new program, or who may have left for another church even from the pulpit.

25. A big emphasis is placed on dressing down.

List is from a brochure (some additions are included) titled "Is Your Church Purpose-Driven?" available in (.pdf file) over at www.vcyamerica.org

Pop Christianity

Have you ever wonder why our local churches are fast becoming these huge comfort zones that look more like Christian country clubs, or a Christian community center with almost no redemptive impact in the lives of those that attend and presents little or no threat against sin? Dr. John MacArthur weighs in on this very topic.

"Theological liberalism attacks the church head on, it's very easy to see it, it's very easy to deal with it. But the pop church gives lip service to the truth while quietly undermining it. Popular Christianity has a tendency to make the basis of faith something other than the Word of God. The basis of faith now is experience. The basis of faith is emotion. The basis of faith is solving problems, it's the need theology again. The Charismatic Movement has led the way with a new basis of faith and that is private revelation, private words from God, private insights, private prophecies, private visions and so forth. Secular psychology has been somewhat quasi sanctified and offers self‑help therapy that also reflects this drift away from the Word of God as the basis of the living of the Christian life. Christian ministry has become riddled from top to bottom with pragmatism, with manipulation, with professionalism, with consumerism, all of those things indicate a less than biblical foundation to our faith.

And along that line the focus of pop Christianity and the pop church has not only moved away from the biblical basis of faith but it has moved away from the person of Jesus Christ. That needs to be stressed. Something or someone else is on center stage, not Christ. It is the celebrity, it is the evangelist, it is the project, it the fund‑raising campaign, it is the new building, it is the miracles supposedly, it is the so‑ called healings, it is anything and everything but Jesus Christ. And we have a pop Christianity that is not Christ centered and not biblically based. It has a new basis of faith, it is a new object of affection. They are in love with the celebrity, they are in love with the system, they are in love with the building, the facility, the program, or whatever. There is sort of fantasy faith, not affixed on Christ, but a sort of nebulous faith that wants to attach itself to miracles, healings, health, wealth, prosperity, comfort, personal gain. And, of course, in that kind of environment, easy believism, a cheap gospel flourishes...flourishes. And we have to ask ourselves: where is that strong faith? Where is that Christ‑centered faith that stands and holds its ground in the midst of hard trials? Rather than that fragile emotionalism called faith that is little more than selfish escapism. Christ is not the message any longer. Though He is named from time to time, the focus is on man, man is the message and how man can solve his problems and live a more comfortable life is the issue. The pop Christian focus of the church is least of all interested in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ because that would be to end their enjoyable trip on this particular pop train."

Excerpt taken from a sermon by John MacArthur titled "The Christian's Duty in a Hostile World, Pt. 1". You can read the entire transcript here or download the audio file here.

The Old Paths

I received my first copy of The Old Paths magazine today and oh what a breath of fresh air it is to have such a rich legacy of Christian thought and history right in the palm of my hands every month for free. Praise God for the staff at Old Paths magazine. The Old Paths Magazine is a free monthly periodical that is made available for the entire body of Christ and you to can sign up for your free monthly subscription over at SermonIndex.com.

"What do you crave? A crown? Then it must be a crown of thorns if you are to be like him. Do you want to be lifted up? So you shall, but it will be upon a cross." -C.H. Spurgeon

Truth is Truth

The old saying go's Truth is Truth whether you believe it or not.
John MacArthur tells it like it is.

Only the Cross

We human beings are born boasters. There seems to be something in our inherited constitution which inclines us to boasting. We seem to need to glory in something, in order to inflate our ego. In consequence, we boast of our education, our possessions, our success, our reputation, even our piety. We find it hard to learn C. H. Spurgeon's dictum "Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace."

But in the last resort there is only one alternative before us. Either we glory in ourselves and in our own achievements, or we glory in Christ and in His achievement on the cross. There is no possibility of compromise. A hallmark of authentic evangelical Christianity is that we glory only in the cross.

Excerpt taken from "Evangelical Truth" Revised Edition by John Stott copyright 1999

Signs of Liberalism

Today's Christian has to search long and hard to find a true bible teaching church that isn't tainted in some form or fashion by the liberal mind set that is so dominant in today's world. This little outline should help you spot this hideous error that has over run so many church's within the SBC.

1. Liberals speak a lot about unity but never define unity around biblical truth. Unity to the liberal mind is void and absent of the Bible. It in essence means they want "freedom from" authority. This is the unified theme of the liberals, it is not unity around biblical truth.

2. Liberals hate authority in various forms. They often gossip about leaders, spread stories about pastors, and refuse to talk to those whom they have problems with face to face with an open Bible in the hand to determine truth. They spread their ideas elusively.

3. Liberals do not teach on essential doctrines, they fail to teach verse by verse through sections of the Bible, and they believe in many interpretations to passages of the Bible.

4. Liberals talk about a love that means we should not judge others, and this means they will not exercise nor accept the Bible teaching on church discipline or accountability. They are deceptive with their language, and they redefine love without any accountability, and they do so because they do not want anyone to hold them to any standard of truth. In essence they want to be their own god!

Excerpt taken from an article titled "Liberalism in the Southern Baptists" over at Essential Christianity Ministries.

The Coming King

Should we say, "perhaps you should try Jesus as you savior" ...almost with a consumer market oriented mentality"?. "There are lots of religious options and if you try this particular religious option you might like it." ... No... rather, Jesus is Lord and he will soon be invading with His armies. He is offering pardon in advance of His invasion and should you receive the pardon and ally yourself with Him now before He invades, when he comes you will be considered His ally and He will raise you to Kingship. The alternative is to be under the wrath of the king. It is not some kind of religious option. It is an announcement that a new king is on the throne and he'll be invading. The gospel is not an invitation to an array of a buffet style of choices, it is a command. Will you heed the command? Jesus is Lord, repent and believe. -William Wilder