Sin and Deliverance

It's no surprise that the trend in "Christianity" is towards acceptance of sexual sins such as homosexuality. For far too long the teaching in much of "Christianity" has offered little or no hope for deliverance from ANY sin. If we can't be delivered from other sins, what would make anyone think they could be delivered from a sin such as this? If sin is inevitable what would make this particular sin any different for those who have this temptation?

I recently read an article by a man claiming to be a Christian who wrote: "I don’t care if homosexuality is a sin..." He admitted that according to the Bible it is a sin. But he doesn't care. Why? Because everyone sins and on the "sin scale" homosexuality "rates pretty low." He goes on to say a lot of nonsensical things including this: "Ultimately none of us have a clue what God thinks about homosexuality and we should stop pretending we do or trying to guess." Yet, in the same article he said that, according to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin! Yes, we do know what God thinks about it because He told us!

My point in posting all of this is to say that it's time to get back to the teaching of God's Word and what He has to say about all sin. We can be delivered from all sin! We can walk as He walked! There is no excuse for willful acts of sin! Through the power of the Holy Spirit Christians are enabled to live a life free from sin. I think the muddled thinking about homosexuality in Christianity today is due (at least in part) to the prevalence of the teaching that all Christians can't help but sin and we do so everyday and that once we're saved we're always saved - not matter what.

Let's get back to God's Word and what it really teaches about sin and God's deliverance from it.

10 Myths about Introverts

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

I got this list from here who got it from here :-)

MTV Reality Show Highlights Abortion

Many thoughts come to mind while watching this. Obviously I'm filled with immense sadness that the life of an unborn baby was taken. I'm outraged that the murder of innocent babies is legal in our nation. It's also upsetting that MTV obviously has an agenda with this show and that is to make abortion more acceptable and the "loving" thing to do. It's also extremely sad that in our nation abortion is pushed as the "loving" thing and abstinence is ridiculed. Instead of encouraging abstinence we hand teenagers condoms and when they don't use them we encourage murder...

That being said, I wonder where the Church was in this? Obviously this couple has some kind of religious background. The girls mother talked about praying. The couple talks about God and he has a tattoo of Jesus on his arm...

The Church has a responsibility to teach the morals of God's Word more clearly. I think sometimes we assume that people know what is right and wrong. Ultimately they do because God has written His Law on our hearts - yet, sin has a blinding power. Just like in terribly wicked times mentioned in the book of Judges where "every man did what was right in their own eyes," this couple was doing what they thought was "right." The Church has the responsibility of teaching right and wrong. This includes clearly teaching what the Bible says about sexual relationships before marriage and the fact that all life is sacred.

The Church also needs to be ready to support and help women who are in situations like this girl was in. Situations where they are pregnant and don't know how they're going to support a baby. The Church needs to do more than shout at women going into an abortion clinic calling them babykillers. We need to be there to lovingly support and encourage women who are pregnant - and those who have made the tragic choice to have their baby aborted.

It has been said that "It is better to light one small candle than to sit and curse the darkness." May God help us who make up the Church of Jesus Christ to do more than "curse the darkness" of abortion. Somehow, someway, we need to "light a candle" and help show couples like the one featured in this video the Way.

Your thoughts?

Jennifer Knapp and the deeper issue

By now you've probably heard about the contemporary Christian singer Jennifer Knapp who has publicly announced that she is a lesbian. Not too long ago Ray Boltz also "came out" that he was a homosexual.

Today the point of my blog is not really to address them and their sin; for what the Bible teaches about homosexuality is very clear. What I want to address in this post is what I think is a deeper issue. If you watch the video above you will see that Jennifer defends herself by questioning why, if homosexuality is a sin, is it any worse than any other sin? It is true that sin is sin. But, what really bothers me about episodes like this is that those condemning them never have a real answer to their argument about what makes their sin any different the one "coming out." The reason they don't have a good answer is because of their theology. Almost without fail those who respond in situations like this believe that everyone sins every day in word, thought, and deed and that "once you're saved your always saved." So when a preacher, such as the one in this video, goes on air condemning homosexuality it seems so hypocritical to the world because he too "sins every day in word thought and deed."

It seems to me that the bigger issue at stake here is about what sin is and what happens if a Christian sins. I believe the Bible teaches that sin is a willful violation of God's law (1 John 3:4) and if a Christian commits a willful act of sin they are no longer a Christian (1 John 3). God gives the Christian the power to say no to willful sin and live a victorious life without committing willful sins. Yes we still make mistakes and are human, but there is no excuse for willful sin! If a Christian commits willful sin they must repent and confess that sin and turn from it immediately and get back up and keep "running the race." If they do not they are no longer a Christian and in danger of judgment.

According to the Word of God, Jennifer Knapp is committing willful sin and is not a Christian. It's time for the Church to get a proper understanding about what sin is and what sin does if a Christian commits it. When we do then we will have a real answer to people like Jennifer Knapp when they commit sins such as she's committing. The real answer to her in a situation such as this would be to lovingly say to her: "Jennifer, because you are living in willful sin you have forfeited your relationship with Christ and you need to repent and turn from your sin so that you do not face judgment. Jesus loves you and died for you so that you could have victory over all willful sin." Then when she would ask, "What makes my sin any different than yours?" You could answer (if it's true about you), "Jennifer, God gives me the grace daily to overcome temptation and by His grace I do not commit any willful acts of sin. With every temptation He makes it possible for me to avoid sinning and live victoriously and He can for you as well if you will repent of your sins once again and trust in Him to save you and keep you."

I think the deeper issue here is a proper theology of sin.

Dear Mr. Anonymous Racist

Below is a copy of an anonymous letter I received today - with my response

Dear Mr. Anonymous Racist,

I received your letter in the mail today (I have also received your previous ones). Since you did not include your name or address I thought it best that I post my reply to your letter online. I want to thank you for your letter because once again, after reading it, God reminded me that the Devil always tries to fight and discourage those who are doing His work. While your letter was intended to discourage me from seeking to win all men to Christ, instead it just reaffirmed to me how necessary the fulfillment of the Great Commission is. As a reminder to you here is Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15:

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

You see, I take God's Word very seriously. In fact, when I read the following Scriptures, which make it very clear to me that racism, partiality, and views such as you have expressed in your letter are sinful.

"Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism  35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Acts 10:34-35

"God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11

"¹My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet," ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? ⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." James 2

"²⁶for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3 

You asked the question, "Do you promote inter-racial mixing...?" I think I know what you mean by this question and my answer is YES! You see, I believe the church of all places should be a place where people of every race, color, and background come together as one and worship Christ. So I make no apologies for not looking on the outward appearance of people and yes I encourage inter-racial mixing.

You also asked if I promote inter-racial marriage. I promote the marriage of any Christian couple, who have not been previously married, who are in love with one another and show the maturity and commitment that marriage requires. I know many inter-racial couples who have wonderful marriages that are an example of Christ's love to us. Marriage is after all a picture of Christ's love. I know I am thankful that He loved me despite my outward appearance. I am so thankful that an olive skinned Jewish man died for me a white man! You see, once again I remind you that God does not look on the outward appearance but on the heart!

As far as my "promotions" as you called them, I will most certainly pray about them. I am praying that God will expand them and further them. I am currently in the process of leaving my current church and seeking God's will about where He wants me in the future. One of my main passions is to pastor a healthy multi-cultural church where people of all races and nationalities are welcomed and included. You see, I truly believe that the Great Commission includes everyone. I'm certainly thankful it includes me as a white man. I'm very thankful that somewhere in the past, someone of a different race and color had a burden to share the Gospel with the white man. It is my prayer and mission that God will use me as a white man to share the Gospel with men and women of every race and color!

Dear Mr. Anonymous Racist I ask you to consider Revelation 5. Revelation 5 is of course the Apostle John's vision of Heaven. In the verses below they are a glimpse into the purposes of God in the death of His Son Jesus Christ and they also give us a glimpse of what Heaven will be like.

And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation ¹⁰ And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” ¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” ¹³ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “ Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” ¹⁴ Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

I also remind you that God so loved that world that whosoever would believe in Him would have everlasting life (John 3:16). Since this is the case I have sought to align myself with God's purposes and have sought to reach all men with the message of salvation - regardless of their color.

I do pray that you too will repent of the sin of racism so that you can be part of that number gathered around the throne of God praising Him forever. Meanwhile in this life if you want to get in practice for Heaven I encourage you to find a church where various races and people worship God in harmony together. I close this letter to you with one more passage of Scripture from Galatians 3:

²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Yours for the salvation of all men,
Pastor Jon Earls

The church is dying…

I drive past it several times a day. It’s a beautiful church - a brick building (I love brick buildings) with a separate large fellowship hall. The church resides on a nice lot in a great part of our town. Very few cars ever enter its paved parking lot. A sign on the front of the glass doors to the sanctuary inform anyone trying to enter that the Sunday service is no longer held in the sanctuary of the church – since there are so few who attend they now meet in the fellowship hall.

Every time I drive past this church there is a sadness that fills me. Why is this church dying? I know little about it other than it is a church with “Memorial” as part of its name. But I wonder why it is dying?

I wonder if it is dying because no one has a vision for it? Perhaps it is dying because the “Memorial” in its  name reveals something about the attitude of those who are a part of the church? Maybe they have viewed their church as a “memorial” to the past and only can see the “good-ole-days” and have never caught a vision for the present? I know that without a vision churches die.

Perhaps it is dying because there is no passion to reach their community. After all, this is a “white church” and it resides in a largely African-American community. If it is anything like most “white churches” in our area African-American’s are not welcomed. I don’t know this to be the case with this church but I do know that I fill my church bus with children from this neighborhood and yet this church apparently makes no effort to reach them. 
Perhaps it is dying because of a lack of willingness of it's members to work? Maybe they have felt that the work of the church was the pastor’s job and any church with this mentality will eventually die. (I’m not even sure if this church currently has a pastor).

Perhaps it is dying because there is little money to keep it going? I wonder if (like in so many churches) those who attend sit on their wallets and refuse to be faithful in their giving? A church can not survive if those who attend do not support it financially.
I wonder if it is dying because those who attend it are dead themselves? Spiritually dead members will cause a church to die!
I don’t know why this particular church is dying but I do know this: a church that is dying is not a church that God is blessing! Our God is the God of life who causes people and churches to live – there is something wrong in a dying church. If those who attend the church would obey God and seek Him their dying church would become a living church!

I don’t know why this church is dying but I do know this: I don’t want to ever be part of a dying church! So, may God help me to have a vision and a passion and be willing to give of myself and of my resources so that whatever church I am a part of won’t be a dying church!

Declaring His Glory - Among All People!

Currently I am reading American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists(which is a great book by the way). Today as I was reading I read how in 1790 African-American's made up 20% of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In some places there was an even greater percentage than this! In the district that Francis Asbury knew the best they represented over 30% of the members in 1787. What is amazing about this is that this was when slavery was very common. Yet the Methodists reached out to the blacks in order to win them for Christ.

In 1780 at General Conference the Methodists had declared that slavery was "contrary to the law of God, man, nature, and hurtful to society; contrary to the dictates of conscience, and pure religion, and doing that which we would not others would do unto us and ours."

In 1784 the Methodist Episcopal Church in America became independent of the Anglican Church and at the first Conference of the newly independent Church they put even further restrictions on slave ownership. The Discipline printed in 1785 stated the following about slave ownership:

We view it as contrary to the Golden Law of God on which hang all the Law and the Prophets, and the unalienable Rights of Mankind, as well as every Principle of the Revolution, to hold in the deepest Debasement, in a more abject Slavery than is perhaps to be found in any Part of the World except America, so many Souls that are all capable of the Image of God

Blacks joined the Methodist Church in great numbers. But, they not only joined in great numbers they also preached and led in the Church. One such preacher was a man named Harry Hosier who was known as "Black Harry."

Thomas Coke, who along with Asbury were the first Bishop's of the American Methodist Church, said this about Hosier's preaching: “I really believe he is one of the best preachers in the world, there is such an amazing power attends his preaching, though he cannot read; and he is one of the humblest creatures I ever saw.”

Henry Boehm, a Methodist preacher, said “Harry was very black, an African of the Africans. He was so illiterate he could not read a word. He would repeat the hymn as if reading it, and quote his text with great accuracy. His voice was musical, and his tongue as the pen of a ready writer. He was unboundedly popular, and many would rather hear him than the bishops.”

"Black Harry" became Francis Asbury's traveling partner. One nineteenth-century historian said this about Harry's travels with Asbury, "The truth was, that Harry was a more popular speaker than Mr. Asbury, or almost any one else in his day."

Obviously there were problems that would come in regards to the slaves and the Methodist Church which would lead to an eventual split in 1842 by a group of churches which became the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

The reason I have shared all of this is because I am troubled by the lack of outreach to, and the numbers of, African-American's in our "holiness churches." I am writing this post specifically in regards to the group I am a part of which is known as the "conservative holiness movement."

When I read of how the Methodist Church of 1790 was 20% African-American and then I think of the holiness movement I am a part of it troubles me greatly! Where are the holiness African-American's that should be part of us? Unfortunately there are very few, largely because I believe we have done very little to reach them. We believe we have the Message of the Bible - the Message of Full Salvation from sin - yet, we who claim to love God with all of hearts and our neighbor as ourselves have done very little (by in large) to reach our neighbor's in the African-American community! Unfortunately there are many "holiness" churches who frankly do not want blacks attending. Perhaps they may not come right out and say this in so many words but by their actions they show otherwise...

The Conference I am apart of is the Alabama Conference of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. As far as I know (and I hope I am mistaken) there is not one member of any of our churches who is African-American! Our Conference is located (for the most part) in the deep South where they are surrounded by African-American's and yet after 44 years of existence we have no black members? I am not trying to throw stones so please don't mistake this post. I am posting this to hopefully raise an awareness that it's time for us to open our eyes and see that the fields are ready for Harvest!

Thankfully there are many of our churches who are reaching out to the African-American's in their communities and in the last few years our annual youth camp has probably been nearing 30 to 40% African-American young people. This is extremely exciting to me!

However, it is time for all of the conservative holiness movement to catch the vision and reach out to those around about them - regardless of color. It is time for us to truly be "holiness people" and show the love of God to everyone around us! Surely we who claim to be entirely sanctified and filled with "perfect love" should be leading the way on this issue. I look forward to the day when I will attend the Inter-Church Holiness Convention and find it filled with blacks, whites, and Hispanics all worshiping God together in the Spirit of Holiness! The theme for this years convention is "Declare His Glory: Among All People" may God help us to do just that!

I Have a Dream...

I wasn't alive in the 1960's. I never saw the segregation that separated whites and black to the point that blacks could not eat at the same places as whites (except for eating spiritual food in Church...). But, I've seen plenty of racism. I've seen whites that don't like blacks and blacks that don't like whites, etc. I suppose that the only place where there will no longer be any racism is in Heaven (I suspect if some "Christian's" make it there they will want separate sections for white and black...)

There should not be any racism among those who claim the Name of Christ! Unfortunately I've seen many who claim to be Christian's who have a problem in this area. The Church is the one place where everyone should be welcomed - regardless of race, financial status, etc. Sadly the most segregated place in America is in Church on Sunday mornings...

My stance on this issue has unfortunately caused some people to stop attending my Church**. However, this is an issue I can not compromise on because God makes His position very clear on it! If I can't love my neighbor and invite them to my Church - regardless of their race - than I would sin against Him! If Jesus died for everyone (and He did!) than I must do my best to win everyone. 

Martin Luther King Jr. was right: we should not judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. May God help those of us who claim His Name to obey His Word!

"Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism  35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Acts 10:34-35

"God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11

"¹My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. ²For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, ³and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet," ⁴have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? ⁸If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. ⁹But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." James 2

"²⁶for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3



**This is not a reference to the church I currently pastor as this was written in 2010 prior to my moving to Tarrant and thankfully this has not happened here and as far as I know there is no one here who feels this way.

This makes me mad!

Today I received one of the supposed “Saint Matthews Churches” infamous mailings. I’ve received them before, but once again I opened my mailbox to find some of their junk. Here’s what they look like in case you’ve never been so fortunate to receive one of their mailings:

So why does this make me mad? Because I hate people using God as a rip-off scam to start with! His Name is drug through the dirt as a result of these types of scams. Prosperity preachers and things like this have caused so much damage to Christianity and to the message of the Gospel! Granted, this particular mailing makes no request for money, but if I was gullible enough to respond I know their next correspondence with me would!

This makes me mad because they are trying to take advantage of the poorest people in our country. I live in a very poor county so this is why I received one of these mailings. Not only do they try to take advantage of the poor by promising prosperity (if of course you’ll give them a “seed gift”) they also take advantage of those who are going through very difficult circumstances in life. These people are often the most vulnerable and are desperate for any type of hope – and so they fall prey to this type of scam, all done in the Name of Jesus. Oh, and your prayer requests which they seem so interested in praying for, they go up in smoke!

This makes me mad because I know I have some people who attend my church who have fallen prey for this type of think in the past. It breaks my heart to see people trust in a low-life scheme like this rather than just trusting in Jesus!

It makes me mad because of the Scripture twisting that goes on with this type of thing. God never promised us prosperity and money – He promised never to leave us or forsake us no matter what we may face. God never promised us “Your Best Life Now!” Do you think the prosperity message applied to all of the saints who have died for the faith? Did they not have enough “faith”?

So, this makes me mad. Somehow I think it makes Jesus mad as well – temple cleansing, bull-whip wielding mad! If you receive some of this junk in the mail, do with it what they do with the prayer requests that are sent in – trash it, burn it, just get rid of it!

How to Reach the Masses – Problem solved

I found the clipping I posted below while looking through and old issue of The King’s Business which was a monthly publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles from 1910 to 1970. In the first decades of its publication, it was the leading journal for conservative Christianity and the early fundamentalist movement. It’s editor was R.A. Torrey. The clipping below is from the January 1911 edition.

We debate and argue and suggest solutions and methods for reaching our world. Churches seek to be relevant and adopt all sorts of worldly means in which to attract the masses.

Perhaps we should learn from one of the greatest soul winners and evangelists of all time, Dwight L. Moody (and there are many others who have said the same thing): “To reach the masses, go to them.”  We’ve got to get out of the mindset which expects the world to come to us – we must go to them!

Porn and paper pastors

Great article!  

Decades ago, I read a disturbingly candid essay by a pastor about his struggles with pornography. It was in Leadership magazine. Years later, two of his realizations still stand out to me.

The author came to see (as I recall) that he was attracted to these images because they were unreal. The women in the pictures never had bad days, were never crabby and demanding, never disrespectful and demeaning. No mood swings. They always suited his mood, his needs, his wants. They were unreal.

He came to see that he had no actual relationship with these women whatever. If (he named a female celebrity) had sat down next to him in an airplane, she wouldn't know him from Adam. Whatever may have happened in his sinful fantasies, the two of them had no relationship in the real world.

Of course, this is why so many women resent actresses and models. It isn't catty pettiness or smallness. It is that they know how visually-tempted men can be, and they know that they can't compete with a fantasy — if their man is fool enough to chase one.

And they're right, in a way. They can't compete with these women. Because these women don't exist in the real world! They may not even look like their pictures! Thanks to computer wizardry, the pictures we see may actually bear only the slightest resemblance to the actual women.

Nobody can compete with a fantasy.

And this post is not about pornography, men, women, nor marriage.

It is about people with paper pastors.

Click here to keep reading

Good Grief...

After watching these videos and hearing the talking heads bemoan the fact that we "tortured" terrorists, who have no problem cutting off people's heads and want to kill as many American's as possible, I can't help but wonder how long it will be until the USA no longer exists...with people with this mentality in leadership I'm afraid it won't be much longer!

I'm not especially fond of insects myself, but I'm sorry but a caterpillar in a cell is not torture! Especially when you consider that those individuals may have information concerning the potential of the death of thousands of American's!

It's ironic how these same people, who claim that this is "horrible" torture has to stop, have no problem with the slaughter of thousands of unborn babies...that's the real torture that's going on!

Sad

To hopefully clarify a few things

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm not a big fan of the seeker sensitive movement (or whatever it's called these days), because I think that at the core they have things backwards. Their focus is to make everything as appealing as possible to cause people to want to come to church. They appeal to the "felt needs" of the world to compel them to come. I'm sure that most pastors and churches who do this have a right motive-I just feel that it's a wrong method and a dangerous one. I believe that church services should be focused on worshiping God and we should make sure that the things we do in them are pleasing to God, not to the sinful world. I then believe that the church as a body of believers is to go out from the church services and witness to the world. This I believe is the Biblical method of church growth (although I don't claim to have reached this point yet with my church).

Anyways, this doesn't mean that there are not some things we do as a church that needs to go or that we can't improve on. I do believe that visitors ought to be made to feel as welcome and as comfortable as possible in our services (without compromising the Truth of course). There are some things we do in our churches services that are mere tradition that at times we need rethink and maybe get rid of. For instance, when I was a kid our church had people come to the front on their birthdays and "pay" for a pencil to celebrate their birthday (they would put a a little piggy bank that looked like a church and the person who was celebrating their birthday was expected to put some money in the bank and they were then given a pencil - yipee!) This definitely had to go!

I've also been to churches where they embarrass the snot out of any new people who come by making them stand, testify, introduce themselves, etc.

As the video demonstrates below, there might be a few other things we (I) could improve upon as well...I don't want to go too far down this road, but there just might be some lessons we (I) could learn from this video. (Hopefully this will make my marketing and somewhat seeker sensitive friends happy) ;-) LOL

Fireproof

I watched Fireproof the other day and thought that it was a great movie. It has a tremendous clear salvation message and some great insights concerning marriage. The movie was made by a church in Albany Georgia which is the closest "big" town to where we live. I've been to the church that made the movie. It's kind-of weird to recognize all of the sites in the movie. My wife is doing clinical's at the hospital which is in the movie and will probably eventually work there and of course I make visits in the hospital all the time. By the way, it's the most secure hospital I've ever been in - I've been to a lot of hospitals but none are as safety crazy as this one...

Anyways, it's a great movie and I recommend it highly. I know a lot of people don't watch any movies because of the junk that is out there, and that's fine. However, I think movies like this one should be supported.

Merry Tossmas v.2

Their god is in their back pocket

The theme of Obama supporters right now is the fact that character doesn't really matter, it's all about the economy. Of course they don't want any attention on the fact that Obama is a shady character with a lot of shady friends.

I am growing weary of hearing how McCain needs to talk about the economy and not character. Yes, I am concerned about the economy (although I think a lot of the current market downturn is media driven in hopes of getting Obama elected). However, character does matter and in my opinion is much more important than what a candidate is going to do about the economy.

All of this has caused me to think about the fact that most people's god is in their back pocket (at least for men-women carry their god on their shoulder). Most people's god is their money and if they feel like something is going to affect their god they are willing to sell out on all principles whatsoever.

We saw this back when Clinton was in office. He was having an affair in the Oval Office but that didn't really matter because the economy was good. I've even heard how good a president Clinton supposedly was from holiness people!

It's not just Democrats whose god is in their back pocket - Republicans are guilty too. We saw it back in the primaries with Mike Huckabee. I was so disgusted with the Republicans then because all that matters to many of them was money. We were told that Mitt Romney was the one we should nominate because of money. I don't think there was any talk radio people who supported Huckabee other than Neal Bortz. The reason: money.

It's time to stop worshiping the god of money and start worshiping God. It's time for character to matter again and for morals to be more important than money. It's time for life to be more important than the lust for things. God help us!!

I am now climbing down off of my soapbox and returning to regularly scheduled programming...