Recently, Barry King, pastor of Grace Baptist Church (http://tiny.cc/te1v3), Wood Green, London came into contact with some friends in Germany who are at the heart of a struggle for Biblical reformation in their land. The testimony of Anita Kupfermann is sending shock waves through the churches of Germany.  Her complete testimony was published in German in Bibel und Gemeinde in the October 2011 issue (pp. 9-14). This English translation is published here in hopes of encouraging prayer for Anita and others like her who are standing for Biblical orthodoxy in Germany.

Would you join him in prayer for God to continue to move among German Baptists?

– the Editors of SBC Today

My Life Changed! How God Gave Me Faith:
A Testimony

by Anita Kupfermann



Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking the time to read my story!

My name is Anita Kupfermann and I would like to tell you about my time studying theology.  It is my hope that this little account of my experiences will serve as a warning and an encouragement to you. I would like to warn you of how the so-called “Higher Critical” (Historical Criticism) method left my relationship with God, and therefore my entire life, severely damaged. Yet I equally hope to encourage you! I can testify with great joy and thankfulness that the Lord Jesus Christ, during my time at university, healed my unbelief and called me to follow Him.

I hope and pray that God will be glorified through these pages and that you, the reader, will be encouraged to fully trust the Word of God.

My Time At Theological College & the Higher Critical Method (HCM)

Through my parents I was confronted with the Christian faith at an early age. I regularly went to Sunday School and was baptized at the age of 14.

A full ten years later, whilst working at a nursery, I was gripped by the desire to do something else with my time, something equally meaningful.  I wanted to submit myself to the Word of God and reflect on my walk with God. Although I had been baptized, I realized that I did not know the Bible. I couldn’t say I had a living relationship with God.  I longed to know God better, to better understand what being a Christian meant. So, I decided to attend a theological college for ten months. My hope was that these ten months would supply what was missing in my faith.

Right from the beginning of my time at theological college I was confronted with Biblical criticism in the form of the “Higher Critical” method, (HCM). The HCM is the current philosophy of understanding and explaining Bible passages at German universities, as well as at many free-church theological colleges. According to this philosophy the Bible is not understood to be the inspired Word of God but a contradictory, mistake-prone, human work. Just like any other piece of literature it must be critically questioned and examined. This method of approaching the biblical texts normally leads to rejecting the historicity of the Bible – in other words, the historical accuracy and reliability of the Bible is questioned. Simply put, the Bible’s stories are just myths that never happened.

An example of this technique may help explain what it looks like in practice.

We were taught that Mark’s Gospel has its origin dated back to roughly 70 A.D. According to the HCM, it is categorically denied that it was possible for Jesus Christ to have seen the future. However Mark’s Gospel reports that Christ predicts the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. This prophecy was perfectly fulfilled: in 70 A.D. the Romans razed the temple to the ground. The majority of critical researchers believe that the prophecy in Mark is a fake prophecy, (vaticinium ex eventu). Only after the event, they assume, was Jesus’ prophecy added to the text. The Gospel of Mark cannot have predicted the future destruction of the temple, therefore it must have been written afterwards.

With this fixed, faithless presupposition, the Holy Bible is critically evaluated until all her reports are questionable. A few more short examples give a fuller picture of the results of this modern critical scientific approach to the Bible:

Adam and Eve never existed. Rather, they are merely literary symbols for all of humanity. Hence, there never was a real fall into sin.

Noah and the ark is a legend, not a real event.

The first five books of the Bible were not written by Moses. Instead they were compiled by at least three different writers over a long period of time. Moreover they are, at least in part, contradictory.

The Ten Commandments did not come from God but slowly evolved from various stories. This happened a long time after Moses had died.

The conquests such as those that are recorded in Joshua never happened.

Jesus’ words and deeds in the Gospels were often invented later by well meaning Christians. Therefore, much of the Gospels is simply fictitious. For example; Jesus never talked about His death, much less His resurrection. Furthermore His identity as the promised Christ and as the Son of God was also invented at a much later date. He never wanted to start a church or reach out to the Gentiles.

Paul is not the author of the New Testament letters to the Colossians, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians and 1 and 2 Timothy, or Titus. Neither did Peter write the letters ascribed to him.

These are just some of countless examples. The theories of the HCM were not taught at this theological college, or in my later studies, to merely acknowledge them. Instead they were taught and proclaimed with conviction. Under the influence of such teaching, the reliability of the Bible was increasingly questioned. I became more and more convinced that the Bible is not the infallible Word of God but a jumbled collection of human, (i.e. imperfect) thoughts about God and life.

An unavoidable question-mark was now next to every person and event in the Bible. Moreover, as well as my new discoveries about the unreliability of the Bible, my ethical convictions were also brought into question. At the college we discussed themes such as homosexuality and sex outside of marriage. Were these perhaps permissible after all? In short, I felt my doubts about Christianity and the Bible grow and grow. If everything is not as it was written then, how could I be sure of anything I believed?

My skepticism blossomed as we took up the theme of world religions in our classes. Faced with a deep crisis of faith, I seriously considered giving up Christianity. My lecturers were so certain that it could only be good for me to give up the fundamentals of my former faith. Only such a “deconstruction” would give me a new mature and responsible faith. Such was their conviction for my life, and I desperately hoped that they were right.

My Time at the Theological Seminary

After these ten months I returned to my old job for a year. During this time I toyed with the idea of furthering my education. As the questions raised by the HCM still occupied my thoughts, I was keen to further study theology. In addition I rather liked the thought of becoming a pastor. So it was that 2007 saw me begin to study theology at the Theological Seminary of the German Baptist Union. I received no call to this by God, even if I tried to talk myself into believing this was the case. I talked with many people about my plans, but not with God Himself.

In the meantime I no longer sought to question the HCM as I was well familiar with its teachings from my previous time at college. However, the criticism of the Bible was to increase dramatically over the next few years.

I can still remember, for example, a lecturer leaving a lecture hall, stopping at the doorway to say, “Tomorrow we’ll kill Moses!” He meant that the following day we would be taught that historically, Moses never existed as the Bible taught. Furthermore I learnt that many of the Old Testament accounts were nothing more than myths and legends; far removed from history and reality. The Jewish worship of Yahweh, – the temple system, services, festivals, and commandments, – was mostly copied from the religions of Israel’s neighbours at that time. Over hundreds of years the biblical texts were added to, changed and consciously manipulated by numerous unknown authors. This is why the Bible is (apparently!) so full of contradictions. If given room to do so, the HCM swiftly gains power, tearing through every point of doctrine like a hurricane, until assurance of faith lies shattered.

I heard many students say that these “academic” discoveries were a great help for them; at the time I agreed, or at least talked myself into agreeing. In reality I was beginning to reap the bitter harvest of my new, “mature” faith. At the end of the second semester I came to the firm conclusion that the Bible was totally unbelievable and thus I laid it aside at the bottom of my bookshelves. I had no more desire to read it, let alone to try and live according to it. I did not pray any more, nor did I ask God for help or wisdom. I was just too confident of my new critical attitude.

Despite having no inner relationship with God, I continued with the outward appearance of wanting to be a pastor. I preached and seemed religious – at least whilst in church! It was a different story when I was with my fellow students. There I did not hold myself back, increasingly getting drunk at parties and losing my distaste for lying and cheating. I especially enjoyed gossiping and slandering the other students. In this case I had a specific target, a group of young men who annoyed me beyond all else. They wholeheartedly believed in the Scriptures as the Word of God. There was a small group of students in my semester who defended the trustworthiness of the Scriptures – even in our classes.  This greatly irritated me and other students and thus we delighted to spread rumors about them.

In doing this I was not in the least bothered by my conscience. I had long lost any fear of God or an eternal punishment. The words of warning in the Scriptures weren’t important to me. The god I had discovered through my studies did not get angry, respected people’s doubts and forgave everyone everything. What did I have to be afraid of? Why not have fun and live life to the max? This was my new philosophy for life, and this was how I lived. However, once the initial euphoria had left, life became worse and worse for me, until I felt there was nothing for me to stand on. An inner emptiness made it increasingly clear that I had no true life or peace. In books critical of the Bible and in conversations I tried to find what I was missing, but to no avail.

Finally I asked an evangelist I met at a church event to pray for me. I longed for a real relationship to God but felt unable to ask Him. It was as if I had lost any ability to pray.

The Change!

A few weeks later the preacher’s prayer was answered. On the 6th December, 2008 the Lord opened my eyes to see my guilt and godless life.

The catalyst for this was a polemical speech given by a lecturer at a film evening at the seminary. Above all, he mocked those who put their trust in the reliability of every word in the Bible. One of those being mocked sat right in front of me and didn’t react. I talked to him afterwards and he assured me that he was not ashamed of his faith. His inner peace and assurance made me stop and think. I asked myself how the rest of the Bible-believers, or “Fundys” (short for fundamentalists) as we called them, reacted to all this.

To my great amazement they did not consider boycotting the classes. Instead they continued to meet together every day to pray for the mockers, lecturers, and the entire seminary. I saw that the Lord was their shield, that He had given them a firm faith. The Bible says that Christians do not live for themselves anymore, but for Him who died for them.  Thanks to these young men I was able to see that the grace of God was working in them. They did not feel forced to defend themselves. I did not think this was a normal reaction to such a situation and I was greatly impressed. They simply passed the humiliation that they suffered on to Christ, and so anger or a desire for revenge simply had no hold on them.

After all these events, I drove home to spend Christmas with my family. There I recognized even more that I had despised God through my embrace of higher criticism. I had denied God’s word, rejected God’s grace, and mocked God’s servants. Worse than all, I had called myself a Christian and cared nothing for the atonement Christ bought at the cost of His life. This I realized to be an unbearably dreadful mistake. Over Christmas and with many tears I repented of many things, seeking God in prayer, and rejoiced to know His full and free forgiveness. With a glad heart I bought a new Bible and began to read it eagerly and joyfully; today I enjoy this book as much as I did then!

I called on the Lord Jesus Christ, humbling myself before him. I entrusted my life to Him and told Him that from now on I would believe His Word, no matter what questions I might have. To this day I do not have an answer to everything, but I am fully convinced that the Bible is completely inspired by God; inerrant and infallible in all that it teaches. I thank God from the bottom of my heart for the sovereign grace that He poured over me in letting me see my sinfulness and the Savior who has given me such forgiveness.

Dear Reader, I am so happy that you have read my testimony to the end. God has richly blessed my life and by His grace I believe that His Word is truth. (John 17: 17) It is very precious to be able to believe with childlike faith; I do not bother myself with any doubts or so-called academic discoveries that call into question the trustworthiness of the Bible. Instead I find in Christ, the true subject of Scripture, all the riches of wisdom and insight. Let us trust our Lord and Savior, for then He will bless us. My prayer is that you, too, will be saved from unbelief and that your faith in God and His Word will grow from strength to strength.

In Christ,
Anita Kupfermann

The Bible:

“This book speaks of the thoughts of God, mankind’s condition, the way of salvation, the unfortunate fate of all unrepentant sinners, and the joyous future of all believers. Its teaching is holy, its commandments binding, its decrees unchanging. Read it to become wise, believe it to be saved, obey it to become holy. It contains light to guide you, food to strengthen you, comfort to gladden you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the seaman’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s royal book. Here Eden is restored, Heaven is opened and the doors to Hell revealed. Christ is its great theme, our wellbeing its product, and the glory of God its one great aim. It should fill our minds, rule our hearts and determine the steps of our feet.

Read it carefully, thoughtfully, regularly, and prayerfully. It is goldmine of riches, a paradise of glory, and a river of joy. It is given to you in life, it will be opened at the day of final judgment and will remain in our hearts for all eternity. It brings the greatest responsibility with it, will reward all our efforts to live by it, and will damn all that ignore her.”

By Dr. Brian Robertson, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Kenton, TN

I have always enjoyed playing sports. In high school I participated in football, baseball, and basketball. Now, that I am older and serve as pastor, I do not have the time or physical ability to do what I once did. This is true of many people. However, recently, a story in the NFL has caught my attention—Tim Tebow. The NFL game Sunday at Miami was a demonstration of the boldness and determination of a man to accomplish a means. The purpose of this article is not to scrutinize his physical ability, but it is the intent of the writer to point out something Tebow has that each of us needs. He seems to have the “It” factor.

There have been books and articles written on the “It” factor, with authors arguing what “It” really is. I would propose to you that the “It” factor in a Christian’s life is a personal walk with Jesus Christ which results in a physical demonstration of one’s love and devotion to Christ, thereby leading to a boldness to proclaim the name of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Tim Tebow is an outspoken Christian. In college, he professed that he was still a virgin. The media mocked his honesty because “How could someone with Tebow’s personality, leadership, charisma, and determination not have had sexual relations with someone outside of marriage”? Tebow did not allow their criticism to determine how he lived or how he played. Even now, he has not lashed out against the media or teammates who think he should not start at quarterback. How many of us would stay this course while remaining faithful to Christ?

It is challenging to stay the course and walk with Christ, but as we mature in faith, we realize more of God’s love and awesome power in and through our lives. The Apostle Paul sought to walk with Christ no matter the cost. While in chains he wrote, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Phil 1:20). Paul had the “It” factor, and as such, he sought to grow spiritually into the image of Christ, so that by his life, he might represent and model one.

One of my favorite Bible stories is found in Acts 4. In the previous chapter, God uses Peter and John to heal physically a man who was crippled from birth. Each day, he sat outside the gate called “Beautiful” and begged for money. When he saw Peter and John, he instinctively asked them for money. Peter’s response, “Silver or god I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk,” reveals a boldness for the kingdom of Christ from the viewpoint of a lowly fisherman. Because of their boldness, the religious leaders arrest them and bring them in for questioning. What happens next is only possible because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter boldly proclaims, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to me by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He follows that testimony by stating confidently, “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Peter ran from Christ at the cross because he was fearful for his own life. Yet, now, with the presence of God’s Spirit, Peter preaches fearlessly Christ crucified, and as a result of God’s power, many are saved.

For three quarters in the Miami game, Tebow struggled. He did not look like an NFL quarterback. . . . and yet, when it mattered most, his boldness and tenacity inspired his teammates to raise their level of play, and as a result, Denver was victorious. There are many people who spend their lives remembering the failures of their past. For a period of his life, the Apostle Paul persecuted Christians. He sought to imprison, kill, and annihilate that movement. However, on the road to Damascus, he came face to face with the LORD of the people he wanted to destroy. After this encounter, Paul’s life changed. Instead of persecuting Christians, he became a witness with them of the risen LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul could have focused on the failures of his past, but instead, he said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14).

Our world needs Christians to practice the “It” factor in their faith. Today, relativism (the belief that everyone’s view is right) is the accepted worldview. Universalism (the belief that everyone will eventually go to heaven) is daily gaining ground. There is no metanarrative (or overarching uniting) story to which mankind can agree upon. Furthermore, morality has, as well, come under close scrutiny and in the West, been compromised to the extent that lifestyles and actions once deemed immoral are now seen as normal and acceptable. Christians need to be bold in their faith and in their testimony. There is a reason the Greek word “martus” means “witness” and is the source for the English word, “martyr.” Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To follow Christ, one must be bold both in his witness and testimony for Him.

It seems that the 21^st century has lost sight of a biblical standard (if society ever truly held to one). In turn, this can become discouraging to the church, which has lost much of its evangelistic fire; yet, there has never been a greater time to share Christ and give a witness for Him. The Apostle Peter challenged Christians to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet 3:15). The present day is a great time and opportunity for Christians to give verbal testimony and demonstrate personal life change. It is the fourth quarter. Be bold for Christ and give witness of His work in your life. May others truly see the “It” factor in you.

By Franklin L. Kirksey, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort, Alabama, and author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice.

These expositions by Dr. Kirksey are offered to suggest sermon or Bible study ideas for pastors and other church leaders, both from the exposition and from the illustrative material, or simply for personal devotion.

Introduction

The highest service of man on earth is sharing the gospel. From The Biblical Illustrator by Rev. Joseph Samuel Exell (1849-1909) we read, “The services of men on earth embrace a large variety. There is the service of the agriculturalist, the mechanic, the mariner, the merchant, the scientist, the legislator, the king, &c. Men esteem these services as differing widely in respectability and honor; but the service referred to in the text stands infinitely above all.”[1]

Some are ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They attempt to water it down to make it more palatable to this generation. The Apostle Paul shared the gospel willingly, wittingly and winningly. Lexicographers provide the following definitions.

Willingly means, “Having the mind favorably inclined or disposed”. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9:16-18,

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

Wittingly means, “Done consciously, with knowledge and responsibility, deliberate”. Paul boldly declared,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Romans 1:16).

Winningly means, “Capable of winning or charming, attractive, winsome”. In the words of our text, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul writes,

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

From our text we discover three things we need.

I. A God-given Mission

To win others to faith in Jesus Christ is our God-given mission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 21:47; Acts 1:8). This God-given mission extends in outreach “to the Jews” [or to the Gentiles (implied)], “to those who are under the law” or “to those who are without law,” as well as, “to the weak” [or to the strong (implied)].

Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1898) wrote a helpful book titled The Soul Winner: How to Lead Sinners to the Savior. Spurgeon affirms the fact that, “He who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe explains, “The word translated ‘wins’ means ‘to capture,’ as a hunter captures his prey. Wise people seek to capture the ignorant and disobedient by sharing God’s wisdom with them.”[2]

We are to be on a mission from God and we are to be on a mission for God. Paul states his mission, “that I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22) and “that I may be a partner with you” (1 Corinthians 9:23).

II. A God-guided Method

To become all things to all men is our God-guided method. Paul writes, “I have become all things to all men” (1 Corinthians 9:22). This is to meet people where they are with the message of the gospel. Dr. Jerry Vines explains, “Paul is simply saying that in order to win people to Jesus Christ, he relates to them in their particular culture. He is saying, ‘If I am around a Jew, I’m a Jew; if I’m around a Gentile—someone without the law—I’m a Gentile.’ In other words, when Paul talked with a Jew, he said, ‘Oh, I’m a Jew too. I’m a Hebrew, born of the tribe of Benjamin, and I can speak Hebrew.’ But when he talked with a Gentile, he would say, ‘Oh, is that right? I was born in Tarsus, one of the great Gentile cities.’ When he met a weak Christian who didn’t believe in doing certain things, he wouldn’t do them.

Someone may say, ‘Paul is being inconsistent. He says one thing over here and another thing over there.’ When we examine Paul’s actions, we learn that he is not inconsistent; he is compassionate. He is simply saying, ‘I find sinners where they are, and I identify with them in order to win them to faith in Jesus Christ.’”[3]

The phrase “All things to all men,” according to the Rev. Joseph Butterworth Owen (1809-1872),

Implies no sinking the Christian to meet the worldling. The Christian is no chameleon, taking his hue from every incident he feeds on; but rather like the sunlight of his heavenly Father—the evil and the good are the better for his shining. Apply the rule to places of amusement. Can we imagine ourselves meeting Christ there, as He sat at the festival in Cana, &c.? We can realize His presence on occasions of innocent festivity, but there are others at which, if we could suppose His eye falling upon us, as it did on Peter in the hall of his denial, we should be ashamed to meet Him. I noticed in France pictures of the Crucifixion in streets and public galleries, in Hotel de Ville and Palois de Justice, but never in a Café Chantant or the opera. As believers, you are Christ’s living images, and would be as much out of place in a Casino or a playhouse.

Rev. Owen also states, “Paul was a cosmopolitan in the best sense, the world was his country, mankind his brethren, truth his business, the church his family, and Christ his Lord.”[4]

Paul exhorts in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

Dr. James A. Stalker (1848-1927) warns, “When a weak or insincere man attempts to be all things to all men, he ends up by being nothing to anybody.”[5]

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33,

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience sake; for “the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience sake. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.”

“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

III. A God-glorifying Motivation

To know Christ and to make Him known is our God-glorifying motivation. We are to live “for the gospel’s sake” (1 Corinthians 9:23).

These days it is important to ask, “What is the gospel?” Reportedly, someone interviewed people at a Christian book store convention and asked that question. Regrettably, only 1 out of 60 people got it right. Paul clearly defines the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, where he writes,

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon cautions, “To keep back any part of the gospel is not the true method for saving men.”[6]

On the road to Damascus we see one converted from a self-satisfied persecutor of the church named Saul to a God-glorifying preacher of the gospel named Paul.

Rev. Edward Meyrick Goulburn (1818-1897), Dean of Norwich, shares, “While never sacrificing truth or principle, yet, so far as truth and principle admitted it, the apostle wore the guise and spoke in the accents of the persons whom he addressed.”[7]

Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon recalls,

Mr. [J.] Hudson Taylor [(1832-1905) [founder of the China Inland Mission] finds it helpful to dress as a Chinaman, and wear a pigtail. This seems to me to be a truly wise policy. To sink myself to save others is the ideal of the apostle. Never may any whim or conventionality of ours keep a soul from considering the gospel.[8]

Conclusion

Stan Guthrie, author of many books including Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21^st Century, senior associate editor for Christianity Today and a regular commentator on Moody Radio, states, “Good news is no news at all if it’s not communicated.”[9]

Larry King of CNN’s Larry King Live found himself wading through a sea of sentiments from sympathetic viewers after heart surgery. One package stood out from the others. In fact, it contained something he prizes most of all those received. It contained a leather Bible with his name engraved on the cover with a letter that read:

“Dear Larry, I am so glad to hear that everything went well with your surgery. I want you to know that God was watching over you every minute.

And even though I know you question that, I also know that one day it will be revealed to you. My prayer is that you will remain open, and that God will touch your life as He has mine.

Once I was a disbeliever. When I could not fill my life with basketball, I would simply substitute sex, drugs or material things to feed my internal, shell-like appearance. I was never satisfied.

I have finally realized after forty years that Jesus Christ is in me. He will reveal His truth to you, Larry, because He lives.

Pete Maravich, Pistol Pete.”[10]

Larry King received this package on January 3, 1988, the day before Maravich died. Pete Maravich [1947-1988] was one of the youngest players ever inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Dr. Jerry Vines observes,

I don’t know how some Christians can go a lifetime without realizing that the Lord Jesus brought them into this world and put them where they are so they might meet lost people and bring them to faith in Him. The ambition of our lives, the passion of our lives, the whole thrust of our lives should be to win people to faith in Christ, and that ambition changes our whole attitude toward life.[11]

May we live for the gospel’s sake!

Note:  This article is a response to a recently published Harvard University study which claimed to prove, among other things, that persons attending Fourth of July parades tended to be more patriotic and to vote Republican, whereas those who didn’t tend to be Democrats.

The title of this little essay is not indicative of my position. It is what I can only imagine is the mercurial rant of liberal New England, socialist elite parents who recently had their fears confirmed that 4th of July parades and other exhibitions of patriotism breed Republicans.

After all, Harvard confirmed it in a new study, timed for release just before our nation’s most profound and sacred holiday.

I’m not “joshing” here, as the patriotic folk in rural Texas say. The press release for the Harvard study claims, “Attending one Fourth of July [parade/event] before age 18 increases the likelihood of identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent and voting for the Republican candidate by 4 percent. It also increases voter turnout by 0.9 percent and boosts political campaign contributions by 3 percent.” In an era of narrow voting margins, we can’t have that, now can we?

We’ve known since the 1960s that most graduates of Harvard are liberal, most professors at Harvard are socialists (even Marxists), and most research coming out of Harvard confirms what we’ve known for years: Liberals hate America.

They hate it because, to them, it is representative of what is wrong with the world. They see it as the harbinger of the world’s wealth. They see it as an imperialist power. They see it as (dare I say?) an “evil empire.” And they see “these hicks” who have the gall to attend parades to exhibit their love “pro Deo, pro Patria” or “for God, for country,” as undereducated, disloyal to the “collective,” and simple people who cling to God and guns.

I recently had a discussion with an old acquaintance in which she said there were soon to be only two classes in America: upper and lower, rich and poor. She said that was all the fault of the fat cats on Wall Street and the Republicans who won’t raise taxes on the wealthy. She lamented that the “middle class” was dying.

I told her that I rejected the notion of “classes” in America. I will not have my views defined by the ideology of Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci and Saul Alinsky, where the bourgeoisie are at war with the proletariat openly or in the institutions that undergird society. I reject the “Progressive” rhetoric from Wilson to Roosevelt, Johnson to Carter, and Clinton to Obama.

But then I had an epiphany: “There are two nations within our borders.” I think I’ve known it for some time, but in light of recent events, it has never been more clear to me.

My nation is the United States of America, the greatest, most God-fearing nation in the world. It is the nation where countless men have fought and died to preserve the right of pulling a lever in a voting booth or sitting in a church pew on Sunday morning without looking over your shoulder or, worse, meeting in a cellar with the rats.

It is the America where the masses “yearning to be free” still come, obey our laws and start from nothing to achieve success. It is the America where life is prized and where neighbors still care for each other. It is the America where the blue collar man who works for 12 hours a day may possess more common sense on budgeting than the Washington bureaucrat with a Harvard MBA and 30 years of government largess under his belt.

It is the America that is still shocked when they see two men kissing on television. It is the America that waits to make a purchase until it can pay cash or, at least, make the payments. It is the America where being right isn’t a political position, but a way of living morally. It is the America where you need not disrobe for an invasive search before you board the plane for you flight to see your grandkids. It is a nation that stresses personal responsibility.

That is my America. That is the nation in which I grew up and cut my political teeth. It is a prosperous nation that, by its efforts to succeed, makes all of the nations of the world better. It is a nation that leads. It is a nation that realizes it is, in fact, a “city upon a hill.” The world looks to it, and in times of war, famine and political turmoil, the world asks, “What will America do?”

But things are different for Amerika. Amerika is not the land of the free; it is the land of moral inconsistency — the land where the name of the Son of God cannot be mentioned on television unless as a slur, but all other manner of speech rolls off the tongue like the verbal sewage that it is. It is a land where this same name cannot be voiced in a prayer, unless the speaker is willing to accept the jail time. It is the land where your founding documents guarantee life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but the government dictates what kind of lightbulbs you must use.

Amerika is the place where people say, “I support the troops, but I don’t support their mission.” It is the place where other people have decided, contrary to our most noble traditions, that we need not be as free politically or religiously as we used to be. It is where Christians cannot post a Nativity scene, but a Muslim holy day can appear on a stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service. It is the place where people say, “It is my body and if I want to terminate my pregnancy that is my right, but you … you accept this healthcare legislation. We will decide for you what you must do with your body.”

It is the land where liberal elites see education, rather than faith, as the solution to our problems. It is the land where the traditions of private property and accumulated wealth are thrown out in favor of progressive taxation and redistribution to slack-jawed yokuls who produce children at a rate similar to rabbits. It is a nation where getting ahead in your career is much easier if you can check the box for certain ethnicities when you apply for a job, regardless of your level of education and experience. It is a nation where an effort to liberate 50 million people and establish a form of democracy in the Middle East is seen as unnecessary.

Amerika is the place where people believe if we all just join hands and sing the Beatles “All you need is love,” everyone will get along. It is the nation that doesn’t understand that there are, in fact, around 120 million radical Islamists in the world that would like to see every Christian, Jew, Buddhist and Hindu submit to their conception of God and their rule — or die. And it is the nation that fails to see that should they ever gain the momentum and advantage, the remaining 2 billion Muslims would join the radicals in their global jihad.

And Amerika is the place where I dare not send my children across the street to their grandmother’s house without watching them from door to door for fear that harm may befall them.

How sad it is that this Amerika will consistently challenge what I teach my children as we sit around the dinner table and as we read God’s Word every night. It will tell them there is no God or that “God, whatever that is for you,” can be approached in many ways, that their parents are old-fashioned and even stupid, and that they can do with their bodies what they wish. It will tell them that the choice to kill an infant in the womb is theirs, but wearing the clothes they choose to school is not — that they must wear khaki pants and blue shirts and tennis shoes of one color.

That, my friends, is the othernation — Amerika.

So what do we do? We fight.

No, of course, we do not fight with weapons made with hands. We fight at the dinner table, on the couch at home, at the local school board, in our schools, at the city council, in the halls of Congress, and for the presidency. We fight for the survival of America. We teach our children to be holy, for their God is holy. We teach them to love Christ above all others. We teach them virtue.

We teach them the principles embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We teach them the great political ideas from Madison, Jefferson, Goldwater, Reagan, Kirk, Hayek and Friedman. We teach them financial responsibility. We teach girls to be women and boys to be men — real men who can make a decision without consulting their mother. We teach them endurance and patience. We teach them love of country and love for their neighbors.

We fight on our knees in prayer every day for them and for our nation.

And we take our children to the 4th of July parade.

But, what I really want you to see in this post is some of the reasons that the CR had to be, and where the SBC would be today if it had not happened.  The ABP is a good place to look when trying to see what the SBC would’ve been.  Look at this article:    http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5411/53/   and this one:   http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5410/9/      So, clearly going against the teaching of the Bible does not seem to matter  to these people.  They could care less that the Bible clearly teaches that only men should be Pastors/Elders in a church.  This just shows their total disregard for what the Bible teaches.  They’d rather fit in with society.  And, this is where the SBC was going before the CR.

Also, I’ve always thought that winning souls and worshipping Jesus was at the heart of Christian ministry?  I always thought that fulfilling the Great Commission was at the heart of what a Christian should be about?  I’ve always thought that people knowing God and loving Him would answer the problem of man.  Is that not what the Bible teaches?  But, according to the ABP, the heart of Christian ministry should be something else.  Now, please, dont come in here telling me that I dont believe in helping the sick and the poor.  Of course, Christian compassion should lead us to help people in need, and we’re commanded to do that in the Bible.  But, is this the “heart” of Christian ministry?  Is this the core of what we should be about?  Look at this article:   http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5410/9/    Also, notice that it’s a woman that’s “preaching” it!  lol.  And again, this is where the SBC was going before the CR. 

Also, the ABP has shown how the liberal/moderate crowd of  the former SBC’ers disregard the clear teachings of the Scripture concerning homosexuality.  Look at this: http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3469&Itemid=9   and this one:  http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5001/9/  And then, look at this one:   http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/5281/53/  This is where the SBC would be today had not the CR taken place.  This is the way we were going before the CR. 

Folks, we need to thank the Lord that the leaders of the CR had the courage and the faith to lead our SBC back to the Bible.  We need to thank God most of all for doing this great work in the SBC.  God has blessed us in the SBC in great ways.  God is using the SBC in tremendous ways to carry out His work on this Earth.  And, we need to realize that being a people of the BOOK is the reason that God uses us and blesses us so greatly.  The fact that we preach the Gospel and teach His Word is why He continues to choose to bless us and use us.  And, if we ever drift away from a true faith….based on the Bible….then we’ll go the way of the other denominations and churches that left the faith.  You dont have to look far to see how dead and dying these churches and denominations are.

First, I placed the announcement there without any consultation of the other managers here at SBC Today.  That post was my doing and I accept full responsibility.  I know that Brothers Wes, Scott, and David have taken some serious attacks on their characters and for this I am sorry.  It was never my intention to place them in such a position as to have to defend their integrity as others have hammered away.

Two, the response of some to my use of the word “exoneration” has been less than stellar. Many have castigated SBC Today for the use of that word.  I find the use of the word has provided fodder for the grist mill of the blog world that looks for any opportunity it can take to attack us here at SBC Today.   One person went as far as to call Brother Scott out to separate himself from our group.  In his statement he also expressed that he “loved Scott Gordon” thus, he implies that the doesn’t “love” the rest of us.  I find that person’s actions appalling in his attempt to separate friends.  Another person went as far as to compare us to “Baghdad Bob“  One would find it interesting that the one comparing us to Baghdad Bob is the same person that said he was praying for Dr. Caner.  However, he then posts two more posts slamming Dr. Caner.  One in a veiled attempt to call attention to celebrity preachers and the other in a veiled attempt to apply Liberty University’s honor code to Dr. Caner. He then acknowledges his penchant to tie everything to Dr. Patterson, as his comment is in response to another person who points to Dr. Patterson’s leadership in Dr. Caner’s life.

Three, allow me to inform you of my thought process in using this term.  I checked the definition before I used the term.  If one looks at the definition and then looks at the statement released from Liberty University, one has to admit that exoneration is not a stretch.  Why?  Notice what the statement says; “the committee found no evidence to suggest that Dr. Caner was not a Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager…” This was the initial charge leveled at Dr. Caner, but was later changed to Dr. Caner was not a devout Muslim.  Dr. Caner’s not being a Muslim is something that has been challenged from the very beginning, and is still being challenged.  Dr. Caner, after the committee has exonerated him, is still being charged with this by the very one who caused all of this hoopla in the first place.  Also, the committee said; “…that Dr. Caner has made factual statements that are self-contradictory.” The committee did not find that Dr. Caner “lied”, they found that he made statements of fact but sometimes had wrong dates, times and places.  These are the same as “mis-statements”, of which Dr. Caner apologized publicly and we ran that statement here on SBC Today.  Thus, I used the term “exoneration” because according to the statement released by the committee from Liberty University they cleared him from accusation or blame.

Fourth, the committee’s words and actions do not mesh.  The issue that everyone points to is that Dr. Caner was “demoted” from President to Professor.  One blogger even claims to have insight that Dr. Jerry Falwell Jr. insisted on Dr. Caner being retained as professor.  If that blogger is correct, and has that kind of behind the scenes access at Liberty University, then LU needs to seriously examine their staff.  When an egalitarian has that kind of connections in a complimentarian university there will be serious troubles in the future for Liberty. Whether Dr. Jerry Falwell Jr. insisted or not is not the issue.  Liberty has taken an action that appears to be tied to their investigation.  However, that action does not express the words of the statement.  How can one be found to have apologized for mis-statements that were not lies, and found to be factual about one’s background, but does not get a renewal of a contract?  And the contract that one does get is a contract to continue on in the position of teaching these young minds?  The statement and actions are dichotomous at the least.

Conclusion

Allow me to close by saying that I am finished commenting on this issue.  I will allow the comments to be open for you to question me and call me to task for my use of the word exoneration.  These comments are not going to venture down the road of Dr. Caner’s mis-statements.  For that reason I will remove statements about Dr. Caner and his mis-statements.  I will only allow comments that address my use of the term and my thoughts posted in this post.

I want to thank Brothers Wes, David, and Scott for their patience with me and their graciousness in expressing their differences with me.  I love these men and appreciate their hearts as we continue together to expand the Kingdom of God.

Question #1:    Do you believe that a Southern Baptist Church can trace it’s beginning to the Lord Jesus Christ?  that there’s been a trail of blood?  that a true, SB Church has been in existence from Jesus until now; as the Landmarkists believed?

Robin:  I don’t believe that JM Carroll’s trail of blood is correct in its theory.  I do believe there has been a “free church” tradition witness throughout history, whether or not one can call it a “Baptist” tradition as we see it today I question.  Baptist churches, as we know them today, I believe got their start from Smyth and Helwys, while we have a spiritual connection with the Anabaptist of the reformation.

Matt:   True churches have existed from the time of Christ and will exist until He returns.  I believe my Southern Baptist church to be one of those true churches.   I am not so concerned with the ability to list the particular name of every true church that has ever existed in historical and geographical order back to the church at Jerusalem as the Roman church tries to do with popes back to Peter.

Wes:  If by that do you mean that the baptism of everyone in my church can be traced back through churches authorized to baptize in an unbroken line all the way back to the Apostles, then no, I don’t believe that. I believe that there have always been, since the time of the Apostles, faithful New Testament churches in existence, and I base this belief on Jesus’ promise that He would build His church, and that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it (Mt. 16:18).

David:  I agree with the others that the trail of blood idea of J.M. Carroll is not correct.  I do believe that there has always been NT churches in existence thru out history.  I don’t believe that they were Baptist churches, and I know that they weren’t Southern Baptist churches.  But, they were NT churches, which  preached the Gospel. 

Question #2:  Do you believe in closed communion?  that only the members of a local Church should take the LS together, as Landmarkists believe?

Robin:  No.  We practice “close” communion which to our understanding is inviting anyone to the table who has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior and has participated in believers baptism by immersion.   With this, I do believe that communion is a church ordinance and should only be practiced among the gathered local church.

Matt:  Our church follows close communion.  Just as a family gathers together around the meal table, it is the church family that should gather together around the Lord’s table.  If we have others of like faith and practice in attendance, we do not forbid them as I suspect that the believers at Troas did not forbid the Apostle Paul when he met with them on the day they celebrated the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7).  Occasionally we will have guests that will be invited to eat with us at the table.

Wes:  While I am sympathetic to this view based on Paul’s warning against partaking without “discerning the body” (1 Cor. 11:29), I am also in harmony with the Baptist Faith and Message on this point, and have no problem serving in churches which admit anyone who has been scripturally baptized to fellowship around the Lord’s table.

David:  I believe in a modified close communion view.  I do believe that the LS is a Church ordinance.  I do believe that it should be observed by the Church, with others  of like faith being welcomed to participate.  I do believe that baptised Believers should participate in it.  I do not believe in being so rigid that we’d have the LS police making sure that only baptised Believers of like faith are taking the LS with us.  I would not make a big deal out of who should, and who should not be taking it.  But, when I preached on it, and when we begin the LS; I would gently remind everyone about these things.

Question #3: Do you believe that SB Churches are the only true Churches out there in our world today, as Landmarkists believe that Baptist churches are the only true churches?

Robin:  No.

Matt:  By definition a Southern Baptist church is one that gives money to missions through the Southern Baptist Convention.   Giving through the SBC cannot possibly be the measure of a true church as true churches existed long before 1845. 

Wes:  No

David:  No

Question #4: Do you think that only SB’s are going to Heaven?  that they’re the only ones that are really saved? (This is a misconception that I continue to hear from people concerning the BI fellas)

Robin:  That is just simply ridiculous.  Salvation is by grace through faith and is lived out among the saints in a local New Testament Church.  

Matt:   Had the Conservative Resurgence not taken place, I probably would not be a Southern Baptist today, but I would still be a Christian.  Salvation is determined by grace through faith and not by any organization of man.

Wes:  No

David:  I have to agree with Robin that it’s absolutely ridiculous that we’d even have to respond to this kind of a question, yet I keep hearing it from people.   My answer is “NO.”

Question #5: What baptisms would you accept?  In other words, what would be the bare, basic things that would have to be true before you would consider it a true baptism?  that you would accept without asking the person to be baptised? (Landmarkists would accept only Baptist baptisms; baptisms done by another Baptist church)

Robin:  Baptism by a local church, by immersion, as a symbolic representation of union to Christ, death to sin, and resurrection to eternal life, “never to die again.” Romans 6:3-11

Matt:   A member of our church must be baptized by immersion after conversion by a church whose baptism is an ordinance of symbolism and obedience to our Lord’s command and not a means of grace. 

Wes:  I agree with the Baptist Faith and Message, which defines scriptural baptism as “the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the beliefer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.” The BF&M also identifies baptism as a church ordinance. So as long as someone’s baptismal experience fits this definition, and took place under the authority of a local church, then I believe it to be biblical and would encourage my church to accept it as such.

David:  I agree with the Baptist Faith and Message, as well. 

So, hopefully this will clear things up just a little bit about who these “BI” guys are, and what they really believe.  Maybe?  I hope so.

 Now, on the main things, we must agree.  On the main truths of the Bible, we must believe the same.  On those things that are clearly spelled out in the Bible, there must be conformity.  We must all surrender and yield our hearts and minds to the foundational truths of the Christian faith.  We must all believe the fundamentals of the faith.  Things like the virgin birth; the atoning death of Jesus; salvation by grace thru faith; the Trinity of God;  etc.  These are the things that would mean whether we’re even truly a Christian, or not.  If someone denied the foundational truths of Christianity, then I wouldn’t even consider them to be a true Believer.  But, those people that do hold to the main doctrines of the faith, I call my brother, or sister in Christ; even though they may not be Southern Baptist. 

And, as Baptists, we must agree to the doctrinal distinctives which we hold dear; that we believe the Bible clearly teaches; in order to really be considered a Baptist Church.  There are things that we must believe; doctrines that  make us a Baptist Church.  Theology that makes us a Baptist kind of Christian.   Things like Believers baptism by immersion; the Lord’s Supper being a symbolic act; once saved, always saved; congregational polity, or governance; etc.   If a Church can’t even agree to the BFM2K, is it really a Baptist Church?  Is it really a Church that holds to what we consider to be the clear teachings of the Bible?  that holds to the doctrines that would make us consider them a good, sound church?  I would contend that churches must…in the least…hold to the BFM2K, in order to considered a cooperatiing, Southern Baptist Church.

But, on many, many other things, we can disagree on them all day long; and still worship and serve God together.  My friends, there are many, many, finer points of doctrine that we can not see eye to eye on, and it’s okay.  We can just have fun trying to convince the other fella that we’re right!  Lol.  But, these minor things should not cause separation, nor should they cause us to divide.  They should not cause strife, nor should they be the source of contention.  On the finer points of the major doctrines, we should allow for freedom; even while not agreeing with the other person.  Amen?  Amen!

So, when the research tells us that 91% of non-Christians see evangelicals as anti-homosexual, what are we supposed to do?  Quit saying that homosexuality is a sin?   Because, I’ll guarantee you that no matter how nice you try to say it, and no matter how many times you say that you love the homosexual person; whenever you say that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, people are gonna accuse us of being anti-homosexual.   I’ve seen this first hand on more than one occasion.  The lost crowd just does not want to hear that it’s sin against God; plain and simple.

And, when 87% of the lost crowd sees evangelical Christians as judgmental, are we supposed to stop calling sin what it is…”sin?”  Because, listen, the lost, rebellious crowd will say this just because we call sin by it’s ugly name.  That’s just how a lost person is, when they’re living in those sins. They don’t like for their sin to be brought to light.  And, once again, no matter how nice and loving you try to be, once you name a sin as a sin, especially one that a person is living in; then you’re labeled as judgmental.  Go on a talk show, and as nice and as lovingly kind as you can possibly say it; say that any sex outside of the marriage boundary is a sin against God.  See how the crowd responds.   It wont be pretty.

Okay, the next thing on the research list is  that famous old, worn out line that a lot of lost people like to use about evangelical Chrisitans.  85% of the lost crowd sees us as hypocritical.  So, what’s new here?  I’ll bet this has been said ever since Noah first lifted a hammer and told people to get right with God, because it was gonna rain.  Christians have faults and shortcomings.  Every Christian sins; every last one of us.  We all fail to be all that God wants us to be.  So, everytime a Christian fails God, the lost crowd is waiting to pounce on it like  a coyote after a fat, plump bunny rabbit.  I think it makes them feel better about their own sins, when they can call Christians “hypocrites.”  I think it eases their consciences just a little bit to point out the failures of a Believer.  It gives them a good excuse to stay lost.  And, you know what, lost people just dont understand grace.  Again, what do we do with this info?  I mean, we cant stop sinning.  We’re gonna sin.  We’re gonna fail God.  So, what good is it to know this info?  How does this help us?  What in the world can we do with it?

Now, I’m not gonna go over every single research item that was listed in the Spring 2010 On Mission magazine by NAMB.  But, here are the other topics: Non-Christians see evangelicals as Old Fashioned 78%; Too involved in Politics 75%; Out of Touch with Reality 72%; Insensitive to Others  70%; Boring 68%; Not Accepting of Others Faiths  64%; Confusing 61%.   Well, some of these things we can work on.  The old fashioned thing can be remedied, and it is being remedied by many, many Churches with contemporary music, technology, and dressing more cool and hip at Church.  The “Too involved in Politics” thing is something that we’ll always be accused of, if we ever take a political stand for moral reasons.  I do agree that some Pastors are too involved in politics.  But, I’m glad that some Christians feel led to get into politics, in order to do good.   And, any political stand that we take will be seen as too much for a lot of the lost crowd out there

Now, I’d imagine that evangelical Christians will always be looked upon as being out of touch with reality by the lost crowd.  After all, we look thru the lens of faith at the world, and the lost crowd doesn’t.  We can work on being more sensitive to others, but I doubt that us being more sensitive to others will ever be good enough for the lost crowd.  The boring thing….well, I was bored with worship and Bible study and prayer, too, back when I was lost and living in sin.  It didn’t do anything for me, as a lost person.  I doubt that there was anything that could’ve been done to make it less boring for me, as long as I was lost and living in sin.  Then, the “Not Accepting of Other’s Faiths” thing…well, this is just how it’s always gonna be.  How could it ever be seen as any different?  I mean, as Christians, who believe the Bible, Muslims are lost and wrong, and they worship a false god.  Buddhists are lost, and they will not go to Heaven.  Jews are not going to Heaven when they die, unless they put their faith in Jesus as their Messiah.  Mormons are involved in a cult, and they definitely worship a false god.  So, how in the world could we ever change this perspective, and still be true to God and to His Word?  The Bible is exclusive.  God is exclusive.  All dogs don’t go to Heaven.

You know what I think?  I think that the lost, rebellious crowd is always gonna view us, Christ Followers, as a strange and peculiar people, no matter what we do.  I think that the lost crowd is gonna look upon us in a bad light, no matter what.  I think that the lost crowd is not gonna be accepting of our beliefs, nor change their view of us, unless we’re willing to compromise our faith.  They will look upon us in a bad way, unless we’re willing stop living for the Lord.  I knew this before this study was ever done, and we all knew this before NAMB chose to put it in their magazine.  I mean, I didn’t expect to win any popularity contest in the arena of the world, as a Believer.  Who does?  Anyone?  The simple fact is that the lost crowd does not like us due to our walk with God; due to our being a follower of Jesus; due to us calling sin what it is; due to us preaching the Gospel….exhorting them to repent and put their faith in Jesus. 

I’m not really sure why NAMB put this in their magazine, nor what we’re supposed to do with this study; but I’m sure that there’ll be some wimpy Christians out there that this will really disturb.  There will be some namby, pamby Christians out there, who’ll be really upset that the lost crowd doesn’t like us.  And, they’ll want to make every change possible to “get the lost crowd to like us.”  Why?  Why are there some Believers out there, who think like this?  Who think that we have to please the worldly crowd? Who think that we have to be acceptable to the lost bunch?  Who honestly think that somehow we can “make the lost people out there like us and accept us?”  Who think this study  is even important to know? 

Are we gonna stop preaching against the sins of adultery and fornication and lying?  Are we gonna start preaching that “all dogs go to Heaven?”  Do we need to start telling homosexuals that “you’re ok, and I’m ok?”  Are we gonna start having scantily clothed dancing girls in our church, so that the men will not be bored?  And,  sign up men from the church to be in our newly formed, worship leaders group the “Holy Chippendales,” so that the ladies will be more excited about coming to church?  Do we need to start advertising that pre-worship cocktails will be available in the lobby?  Maybe that’ll make the lost crowd feel better about us? or, at least,  less bored with our worship? 

I dont think so.  I think that what we really need is  for Christians to be more like the Believers in the book of Acts, and turn our world upside down.  I really think that we need to trust the power of the Holy Spirit to call people to salvation.  I really think that we need to preach the Gospel, stand on the truth of God’s Word, and leave the results to God.  I really think that we should tweak how we do worship without violating Scripture; be creative in our outreach without getting stupid or crazy; and be open to making sensible changes that might open doors for us to able to reach lost people, without compromising our faith.  Now, please know that I was not saying that NAMB, nor Barna, was saying anything about compromising, nor even hinting at compromising.  I’m really not sure why they felt that this study was important.  Maybe they just did it, and printed it merely for information’s sake, or out of curiousity, or to tell us what we all should already be aware of? I don’t know.  But, I can just see the wheels turning in some “Evangelical Christians” minds about this info.  They might start thinking of all the things that we need to do to be more acceptable to the lost crowd.  I can just hear their thoughts about the shame it is that the lost crowd would think this of us, and how we need to change this perception. 

Again, I ask how?  And, will anything really change their perception of us?  Do we honestly think that the lost crowd will ever view us in a truly positive light?  I mean, if we really live for God, and preach the Gospel?

UPDATE:  Franklin Graham was cancelled from speaking at the Pentagon for some remarks he made about Islam.  Franklin Graham spoke the truth about Islam, and he was censored.  Anyone surprised?  Some of the people, who think that lost people will love us are probably a little shocked.

It’s very concerning to me to see so many young Pastors try to copy Joel Osteen, or Ed Young, Jr.; rather than copy some of the great Pastors and Preachers of the past, who really declared, “Thus saith the Lord.”  I truly wish that these young ministers would be more influenced by Dr. Adrian Rogers, and Dr. W. A. Criswell, and Dr. Jerry Vines; rather than some guy getting on a stage, who’s trying to be cool and hip and with it.  And, he depends on his stage props, and his hair-do, and his cool mic, and his 5 or 6 step sermon to help people be more successful, or to achieve personal happiness; rather than depending on the Holy Spirit’s power and the truth of God’s Word.  It’s very concerning to see where some preachers seem to be heading. 

You know, it used to be that a lot of Pastors, out there, just preached evangelistic sermons.  Or, they’d ride their hobby horse to death at a church; whether that was prophecy, ecclesiology, or eschatology, or soteriology, etc.  They’d also preach against sins, often.  But, you’d never hear much, real, true, Bible teaching from the pulpit.  So, those congregations never learned the Bible very much. And, that was a shame.  That was a shortcoming of the past, and it still goes on today in some churches; especially in the rural South.  But, nowadays, instead of Pastors just dwelling on certain topics, to the exclusion of the rest of the Bible; now we have Pastors that aren’t even teaching the Bible, period.  Oh, they may read a Scripture here and there, every once in a while; just to make it sound like Bible preaching.  But, they’re far, far away from truly preaching and teaching the Word of God.   They might as well be quoting  a Scripture every now and then, while doing a cooking show; teaching someone how to bake really good, gooey, moist brownies; than pretending to be preaching and teaching God’s Word to the church.

Yet, is not teaching the Bible what God has commissioned us to do?  To preach and teach His Word to His people?  Aren’t Pastors supposed to feed God’s sheep God’s Word?  Is not our calling to get the whole council of God out to the church?   Are not Pastors supposed to be more concerned with people getting saved and growing in their faith?  Rather than people walking out of the auditorium feeling warm and fuzzy inside?  feeling that they just got some good advice about how to deal with their finances? marriage? raising children? being successful at work? having a better sex life? being able to make friends?  being more positive on a daily basis?   What about God?  Where’s God in all of that?  Where’s the Gospel?  Where’s sin, judgment, and Hell?  Where’s repentance and faith?  Where’s being filled with the Holy Spirit?  Where’s not committing adultery?  Where’s living your life on mission for God?  Where is the Bible in these pulpits?

My friends, we’re seeing a whole lot of people out there going to Church nearly every Sunday, and they’ve been saved for quite a while; but they’re still wearing diapers and sucking on a spiritual passey.  We have a lot of churches out there where the people don’t know anything about the Bible.  They just know that their church is really helping people feel better about life.  They just know that their Pastor is super cool, and he’s nice.  They just know that they go away feeling good on Sunday morning.  And besides, they’ve made a lot of friends at church.  They enjoy their church.  And, they’ve handed out bottled water to thirsty people at the 5K run a time, or two.  They’ve actually taken up aluminum cans, and used the money to buy food for the hungry.  But, the Bible?  Well, that’s boring to this crowd.  They really don’t want to get serious about learning the Scriptures.   They just want their Pastor to preach a relevant message that will help them be a better business man next week.  They just want their Pastor to preach a message that will help them make friends and influence people.  They just want their Pastor to help them know how to deal with discouragement and depression.  The Bible?  Well, yea, they believe the Bible.  They just don’t know what’s in it.

We must not settle for less.  We must seek God, and want all that God has for us.  We must see that His Word is where real life is found.  And, Pastors need to see themselves as God’s messenger boys, rather than a rock star philosopher.  Preach the Bible.  Declare God’s Word.  Teach the Scriptures.  God will bless it, and He’ll use it to really, truly make a difference in the lives of people.