The Great Dividers

He has all the answers, knows just what the church needs to do in order to grow and is certain that the church will follow his lead. They better. They need him. Without him, that church can not thrive.

A new worship program, a new youth program, a church building renovation project to modernize the worship center and a half-dozen new paid staff positions... the plan can not fail.

He can already see the praise band, the people singing, hands lifted up to the Lord. He can already see himself leading a staff meeting, preaching from the new pulpit, utilizing state of the art multi-media displays to accentuate his Sunday morning message.

Oh, but wait! What's this? The church voted down his plan for church revitalization? WHY? What gives? Who do these people think they are? Why they must be a bunch of Pharisees stuck in their traditions... more in love with their traditions than they are with reaching people.

Furiously, he rips into them, decrying their dead works of tradition and telling them that they'll never grow until they get with it. Furiously, he storms out the door. Will he be back? Will they be back? Has God been honored in this situation? Did the preacher even consult the Lord? Did the Lord answer? If so, why did the Lord direct him to cause disorder in the church?

We have a problem in the Lord's churches today. Church growth has become a competitive sport, with some pastors ranking themselves and others based on who is able to lead their church to change and grow. It is a race of who can be the most innovative, who can use the latest techniques, vocabulary, who has the best technology, who has the latest Bible translation, and in some cases, who's worship band has signed a contract with the biggest label.

Indeed, churches have become like NFL franchises, and the pastor is the head coach. Churches have become multi-million dollar corporations, and the pastor is the CEO.

Just two small problems. (1) Many times, these carnal pastors, full of the pride of life, throw well seasoned Christians, men and women who have served the Lord faithfully their entire lives, under the bus, calling them hypocrites, pharisees, and challenging their faith. This is done in the name of "change," "progress," and "reaching the unreached." The other problem, (2) GOD NEVER CALLED ANY MAN TO REMAKE THE CHURCH AFTER HIS OWN IMAGE!

These type of pastors have as much love for seasoned Christians and long-term church members as Rush Limbaugh has for Nancy Pelosi. They see these aging deacons, ladies auxiliary officers and Sunday school teachers as obstacles to overcome in order to obtain church growth. There is a certain amount of animosity from progressives toward these Christians. The fact that animosity is in place is evidence of a spiritual problem on the part of the progressive pastor, not the church member. While this type of pastor may feel that the church member is more in love with the traditions than the Lord, the fact is this type of pastor is more in love with his new ideas than he is the church member.

1 John 2:9 says "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now." Don't sit there and criticize, run down, and complain about your church members, your brothers and sisters in Christ, then try to tell me how spiritual you are. You are not, and your attitude and the Bible bear witness to that fact.

Secondly, if you truly want to have a successful ministry, one that God will reward, you need to remember what your role is. Ephesians 4:12 says your work is the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, and the edifying of the body of Christ (the local church). If you want to see true church growth, perfect your saints. That means to equip them for the work of the ministry, which is making disciples (evangelism and teaching).

Furthermore, 2 Timothy 4:5 says "Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Did God truly call you to preach the Gospel? Then why are you not soul-winning? Do you really want to reach the unreached? Why aren't you knocking on their doors.

The work of a pastor is to train the church to do the Great Commission (which is soul-winning, baptizing and teaching, not total change and cosmetic appeal), and to do the Great Commission himself, not to remake the church after his own image.

Why do I bring all this up? Why did I go on this rant? Why?

Because I, for one, and tired of hearing news about a church split where a pastor thought he had to effect a bunch of change to reach new people. I'm tired of hearing how that church was divided and torn apart because the pastor insisted on ramming his agenda through business meeting. I'm tired of hearing about believers being wounded by pastors who degrade them for not "getting with it." I'm tired of it!

I am not anti-Contemporary worship. However, Contemporary worship never won a single soul to the Lord (neither did traditional.) The preaching of the Gospel and the work of evangelists have won multitudes of souls for the Lord. A new worship center can not win souls, but a spirit-filled preacher can. A cool, hip approach to church can not welcome a visitor like a church where there is a sweet spirit.

Brethren, it is time to quit wasting time and churches on this nonsense and get back to basics. Evangelism and teaching. May God bless you where you minister.

Sorting Through Revelation: Chapter 17

The great whore described in Revelation 17.

From the time that I was a child, I was taught that the great whore in Revelation 17 symbolized false religion, and the fact that she was drunk with the blood of the saints represented how false religions persecute Christianity. Some have theorized that this great whore in Revelation 17 symbolizes the Catholic Church (because of the way the Catholic Church persecuted non-Catholics in centuries past) while others theorize that the great whore represents Islam and its Jihad against non-Muslims and "the people of the book."

While scripture often uses a woman to symbolize a religious movement (the woman in the ephah in Zechariah 5, the woman that hid leaven in three measures of meal in Matthew 13:33), Revelation 17:18 says that the woman John saw (the great whore) is "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth."

The ABA Sunday School Adult Lesson Commentary states "The angel's description of the woman as 'that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth' (verse 18) is a lead-in to the account of the destruction of Babylon, which is related in (Revelation) Chapter 18." The commentary goes on to state that the false religion system reigned over the kings of the earth because of the wealth and influence it controlled.

The destruction comes, then, when the kings decide they've had enough of the false religion's influence and confiscate the property and imprison or kill the leaders of the religion. While all of this seems fairly logical, I'm not sure it really hits the nail on the head (and I'm not sure anyone can, there is a reason one of her titles is "MYSTERY.")

Going back to the hermeneutics rule that women in scripture represent religion or religious movements, and including the fact that the angel in Revelation 17 specifically designates the great whore as representing "that great city (Babylon)," one has to conclude that the great whore is, in fact, the city of Babylon, with it's wealth, influence, prestige, attractiveness, and with its heavy religious influence.

Babylon the great will be a prosperous city, despite the death and destruction that takes place during the tribulation leading up to God's wrath. It will be the seat of the Anti-Christ, which means that it will be the most influential city on earth at the time. The power and influence of being the Anti-Christ's seat will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity of the city, but the city will be more than just a futuristic New York City, Washington, London or Tokyo. It will be a city of power, prosperity, and religious movements, most notably that of the false prophet.

All of these traits are captured with the picture of the great whore. She is riding on the back of the beast (influence), she is very attractive (prosperity, John marvelled at her) and she is a woman, symbolic of religion. In the end time, Babylon will be THE hub of false religion.

Zechariah 5:6-11 says:

This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, this is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, this is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I unto the angel that talked with me, whither do these bear the ephah? And he said to me, to build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

The woman in the ephah, as well as the two women with stork's wings represent wickedness, which is often synonymous with false religion. The two women with stork's wings bear the other woman in the ephah to the land of Shinar to build it (wickedness and false religion) a house there.

The restored palace at Babylon, photo taken in 2003.

The land of Shinar is Babylon, modern day Iraq. To fulfill this prophecy, I believe that the city of Babylon will be rebuilt in Iraq... either by someone literally rebuilding on its ruins like Saddam Hussein started, or by a city like Baghdad becoming a revitalized prosperous city. I don't believe the city of Rome will become "Babylon."

This revitalized Babylon (which might become prosperous as the international community becomes involved in rebuilding it following the Iraq war, plus economic opportunity could give way to commercial development) will become the hub for false religion.

So, in the final days of Babylon, it's not just the world capital, or the world trade center, but it is also the religious center of the world. The false religious roots in the city will run as deep, if not deeper than any of the city's other traits.

So why, if the great whore represents the city of Babylon, power, prosperity and religion, would the kings of the earth devour her, seeing how they made a fortune off her (Revelation 18)? Simple. Revelation 17:17 says God will put it into their hearts to fulfill his will. Also, they may think that by conquering her, they can take over her power, wealth and influence, and rid themselves of the religion.

Ironic, huh? God overthrows Babylon, and uses the kings and people of the earth who took advantage of her wealth and power to do so. It will be done quickly and with much violence, but the battle isn't over yet. The kings, Anti-Christ and false prophet re-emerge in Chapter 19 to make war with the Lamb.

Now this is the way I am interpreting this passage, and I have found that no matter how long Bible scholars study Revelation, they all come up with a different interpretation. Which means that of all the men that have studied this their entire lives, most, if not all, will be incorrect in some of their interpretations and conclusions.

Which is why, knowing that I will likely fall into the "missed the interpretation" category in some respect, I welcome well thought out responses to my posting on this passage, so that I may have my iron sharpened and learn a little bit. What do you say?

God is Blessing Hill Country MBM in Kerrville, TX

Current meeting facility for Hill Country MBM.

It's always a blessing to me to visit with brothers and sisters in Christ who are diligently working to see the Gospel spread and lives changed. That's why it is an honor to be able to visit with Don, Cindy, Bethany and Allison Trussell in Kerrville, TX.

Bro. Don is entering his second year as a state salaried missionary, serving at Hill Country MBM in Kerrville. Prior to answering the call of the Lord, Hill Country, and sponsoring church Faith MBC of Round Rock, Bro. Don and Sis. Cindy worked as house parents for the Texarkana Baptist Orphanage.

The Trussells are working hard in Kerrville. They are holding one-day VBS's on Saturdays (one in November and one in December), Open House events at the church building, doing evangelism and reaching out in their community, and trying to see God build the work. So far, the Lord has been blessing.
  

Cooper the dog visits kids at VBS

As with any mission work, the more tools you have, the more widely you can spread the Gospel. In mission work, those tools are often acquired due to the generous support given by sister churches. As of right now, Bro. Don and Sis. Cindy are working with minimal support aside from the support from the MBA of Texas, their sponsoring church and a recent TMD presentation. The MBA of Texas support pays Bro. Don's salary and the TMD funds can only be used to purchase land or buildings. The MBA of Texas Ladies Auxiliary recently presented the Kerrville mission with the 2010 annual mission project check, but again those funds have designated uses.

In the mean time, tracts need to be purchased and distributed, outreach events need to take place, and the mission could use a few more resources. Therefore, I would like to encourage the churches of the MBA of Texas to consider supporting the work in Kerrville. If not regularly, perhaps a one-time offering. The Trussells are most grateful for all support given. On that note, I am grateful for the support given to the Brownwood work as well. Your support really enables us to do great things for the Lord.

Offerings for the Kerrville mission can be sent via their sponsoring church:

Faith MBC
1561 Sam Bass
Round Rock, TX 78681.

Be sure to write on the memo line that the check is intended for Hill Country Mission in Kerrville.

90-Hour Weeks with Little Sleep? You're Doing It Wrong!

Have you ever had the Lord remind you of something so basic you know you shouldn't have needed the reminder? Recently, while studying my Bible, I came across Psalm 127, that says, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

We know that as children of God, and some of us ministers of God, that without Christ, we can do nothing. Unless the LORD prospers our efforts, our labors are in vain. Paul sowed, Appollos watered, but GOD gave the increase. One of the things that separates Christians from the world is that we know that God will provide our needs, and that if we rely on Him, we don't need to neglect our families so we can work around the clock for additional "security." We know that, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

I have found myself lately in a situation where my wife and I have had little time together. When we do get together, its for a half hour for lunch, or maybe a few minutes in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. The kids... when was the last time I hiked up Enchanted Rock with them? When I have been taking that time with them, many times my thoughts wandered back to what I "really" needed to be accomplishing.

Psalm 127 reminds us that God builds the church, provides our needs and gives us security. It is God who blesses our efforts. Therefore, as verse two says, "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

Wake up at a decent hour (early ends at 6 a.m.), go to bed at a decent hour and be a good steward of the time in between (don't waste two or three hours on Facebook or YouTube). We need to get our ducks in a row on this because our lack of faith is having a devastating effect on the cause of Christ.

Recently, I lamented my schedule to Bro. Jim Slocumb, who told me that I better straighten it out because no Great Commission work is worth losing your wife. I'm noticing as I look across the fruited plain that more ministers seem to be getting divorced now than ever before. I am not judging those men, I don't know what happened. What I do know is that long periods of separation, isolation, or neglect that come with long work hours play a role in the divorce of an otherwise good marriage.

When I was in seminary, a professor told our class that he was counseling with several ministers who had affairs. He said the one common factor in all of their situations was fatigue.

Therefore, I am committing, and strongly urge you to commit, to being a good steward of time, and to relying on the LORD for our efforts to be prospered. Our families need us. May God bless you, and may God bless the churches of the Lord.

Mission: Brownwood October 2010 Report



Grace Pointe members observe a baptismal service at the lake.

Grace Pointe Attendance Rebounds in October

After having our average Sunday morning attendance hover in the mid to upper teens over the summer, we finally hit 20 in October. Sunday evening attendance averaged 13, our highest Sunday evening attendance since we started holding evening services in July, and Wednesday services held steady at 13. While we don't live and die by attendance numbers at Grace Pointe, seeing increased averages blesses us because it is indicative of more believers becoming true disciples.

Door-to-Door Visitation Results in One Soul Saved

During our weekly door-to-door visitation, Bro. Randy Kelso and I were able to lead one man to the Lord. Please pray that more people would be receptive to the Gospel. We have not even canvassed 25 percent of Brownwood yet, but have seen 18 souls saved over the two years we have been here.

Radio Ministry Gets Underway

Beginning November 4, 60-second Gospel messages sponsored by Grace Pointe began airing on local radio station The Breeze 96.9 KQBZ. The Breeze is our local Adult Contemporary station, very popular among locals who are under 40, and our messages air at 7:50 a.m. as parents are dropping kids off for school. Below is the audio to one of the messages. More can be found on our facebook page.

It's Association Time Again

I will be attending the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas Meeting Nov 15-17. During this meeting, I need your support. (a) Grace Pointe will be nominated for the State Ladies Auxiliary Mission Project. We are trying to finish out the third year of our three-year plan to be self-supporting. West Texas needs churches, and Grace Pointe aims to fill that need as soon as we become self supporting. (b) I will be up for state support again this year. We have rolled back our requested support amount from $3,058 to $2,800 this year. This will be the last year we request state support.

And (c) while not a part of the association meeting, Grace Pointe is on the TMD ballot this quarter. We would greatly appreciate your vote. There are currently two church buildings on the market ranging in price from $150,000 to $200,000. TMD funds would take us a long way toward reaching our fundraising goals to purchase a facility.

Sunday Morning:
10/3/10 - 21
10/10/10 - 19
10/17/10 - 18
10/24/10 - 19
10/31/10 - 23

Sunday Evening:
10/3/10 - 18
10/10/10 - 9
10/17/10 - 13
10/24/10 - 14
10/31/10 - 11

Wednesday Evening
10/6/10 - 12
10/13/10 - 9
10/20/10 - 12
10/27/10 - 14

A Plea for West Texas Support

In the messenger meeting of the MBA of Texas next week (11/15-11/17), the state Ladies Auxiliary Meeting, and in the upcoming Texas Mission Development vote, tough decisions will have to be made regarding which missionaries and projects to support, and which ones not to support.

While the missionaries and projects presented before all three bodies (state meeting, Ladies Auxiliary and TMD) are worthy projects, led by Godly, respectable men, I really want to present the urgency and magnitude of the need in Brownwood and West Texas in general.

First of all, MBA of Texas churches in West Texas are scarce. From Brownwood, our nearest sister churches to the northwest are Wyndrock MBC and Texas Ave. MBC of Abilene, some 84 miles away. To the southwest, Beacon Baptist Church is in San Angelo, some 90 miles away. To the south, Hill Country Mission in Kerrville is approximately 120 miles (two-hours of driving) away, and to the east, Westview MBC of Gatesville is 90 miles away. The nearest churches to the northeast are in the DFW metroplex (2.5 hours away), and the nearest churches to the north are at least 2.5 hours away in Iowa Park and Wichita Falls.

Now the popular perception is that West Texas is full of nothing but desert and tumbleweeds, but that only describes the areas west of the Pecos river... in Far West Texas. The areas in the panhandle and west-central Texas (from Midland-Odessa to I-35) are actually well populated with towns comparable to those in East Texas.

Between Brownwood and Abilene lies Coleman County (population 10,000). Between Brownwood and San Angelo lies Runnels County (population 11,000) and between Brownwood and Kerrville lies Fredericksburg (10,000), Brady (5,000) and Mason (2,000). All of these areas are at least an hour drive from the nearest MBA of Texas associated church.

Why is this relevant? Because these are all areas that need MBA of Texas churches started there, and we'll only be able to reach into these areas if the current mission projects in the area (Brownwood, Kerrville and Midland) are supported so they can become self supporting.

Why do we need MBA of Texas churches in these areas? Do I really need to answer that question? Because (a) people are lost and going to Hell there, (b) Meth and drug distribution rules the streets there, (c) alcoholism is prevalent (in Coleman, local police do not set up DUI check points and monitor night clubs for political and economic reasons) and (d) we can not delegate the responsibility of evangelizing these areas to other Baptist groups.

The predominant Baptist groups in this are are the Southern Baptist Convention churches, which, with all respect and deference made to my friends in the convention, are being fed pastors who were educated at Howard Payne University, a GBCTx school which teaches evolution and de-emphasizes the importance of correct Bible translations. The second most dominant type of Baptist church in this area is the Independent Baptist Church movement, which teaches salvation well and focuses on Soul Winning, but lacks in the teachings concerning the Lord's Supper. (They teach it, but they generally teach it open, though some are closed.) I am not against Independent Baptists, they are passionate about the Lord's Work and if you ever have some join your church, you'll find them to be well-taught, supportive church members. We can not just delegate this responsibility of reaching these groups to other Baptist denominations. The third most prevalent type of Baptist in this area is Primitive Baptist, followed by MBA of Texas churches.

The need in West Texas is great. We need more churches, more missionaries, and more support coming this direction, and while the churches of the MBA of Texas have been willing to support us in terms of state salary, other support is still needed.

At Grace Pointe in Brownwood, we have been pleading for building funds for two years, especially now that our currently rented building is not handicap accessible, and we have several members who need handicap accessibility. We are actually at a liability should anyone have an accident. We need to move into a place that is not only handicap accessible (per ADA laws), but can also accommodate future growth. Future growth is vital to becoming self-supporting.

At Hill Country in Kerrville, they were elected as the state ladies auxiliary project, but as of the end of October, only 25 percent of the goal had been raised.

In West Texas, we face the challenges of isolation. We are far removed from each other. The local association meeting and mission rallies are typically a five-hour drive away, unless you are the host church. Finding preachers to fill-in when the pastor/missionary is gone is also difficult and expensive, as few are willing to accept the appointment and funding the traveling expenses to bring a fill-in preacher to town can range from $300-$1,000. Attending associational functions in East Texas are difficult, as that can account for an 8-hour drive for some of our churches.

There is a need here, a need for the Gospel and the Lord's churches to be multiplied. That need can only be met by the willingness of the churches of the MBA of Texas to invest in West Texas, an area untouched by the MBA of Texas. With the support of the MBA of Texas, the mission projects we have in West Texas now will be able to finalize their organization efforts, and begin the process of reaching the surrounding towns.

We truly appreciate those who have supported us over the past few years. Memorial MBC of Rusk has supported us though they too have suffered hard times, Denson Springs MBC of Grapeland (Slocum community) has faithfully supported us, First Baptist Church of Arp has supported our building fund from the beginning, Muse MBC of Grapeland was one of our first supporters, Heritage BC of Tyler has stepped in when we needed it, White Rock MBC of Center has been a very faithful supporter, Bassett Road MBC and Memory Lane MBC of Palestine have always been there for us, Salmon MBC of Elkhart has ministered to us even though their finances were sometimes very tight, Nevill's Chapel MBC of Mt. Pleasant has been one of our biggest financial supporters, as well as Hickory Grove MBC in Newport, AR (although they never met us), East Side Baptist Church of Jacksonville, TX has been one of our most faithful supporters and I would be remiss if I didn't mention my sending church, Rocky Springs MBC of Jacksonville, who not only sent me out, but raised me up in the faith.

We have also received support from Oakland MBC of Rusk, (Oakland community) Sublett Road MBC and Crestview MBC of Arlington, Craig Rogers of Grapevine, Quaker Ave MBC of Lubbock, Beacon Baptist Church of San Angelo, Beacon Baptist Church of Odessa, Tall City MBC of Midland, Northside MBC of Snyder, and Northcrest MBC of Andrews, along with 58th Ave. MBC of Amarillo. I would also like to thank Heritage Baptist Church of Missouri City, TX, and the entire Southwest Association of Missionary Baptist Churches. I know I am forgetting some, and I do apologize. But Grace Pointe in Brownwood has enjoyed the benefit of supporting churches who help Rocky Springs with the 20 percent match for state salary, and with the various outreach projects undertaken in Brownwood that has helped Grace Pointe lead 18 souls to salvation.

The close fellowship I enjoyed with y'all back when I was in East Texas is always a great memory for me and my family, and I look forward to the day that we are no longer separated by an Interstate Highway and hours of driving, but are in close proximity to each other as we worship our Savior for eternity. Your prayers and support have been invaluable to us, and we appreciate it. We just ask that you don't forget us. May God bless you as you continue to remember us.

Why I Use the King James Version

Some who read my previous post about the coming drought of God's word might have questions regarding my choice of Bible translation. In my study, personal devotions, and in my preaching and teaching, I use the King James Version exclusively. Some would label me a "King James Only" preacher, but they would be wrong. Some might also be surprised to find that my views on this issue have changed dramatically in the past three years. This is an issue I think needs to be approached logically, and discussed intelligently. Too much of the Bible translation argument is characterized by misrepresentation and name-calling.

When I was in college, very little attention was paid to our Bible translations in our youth group. Perhaps the leader of the group felt that he should focus on more pressing matters (salvation and getting us to stay out of sin). Or perhaps he did address the issue, and I wasn't there. Or maybe I didn't pay attention. I don't know. I have nothing but nice things to say about the man.

However, when I joined Rocky Springs, I was informed that they were "King James Only." So, in an effort to get along, I carried a KJV to church, but continued reading from my NLT and NIV. I was later saved, and eventually went to using a KJV because I got to where I preferred it.

I took my KJV to seminary, during which I was taught that all literal translations of the scriptures were valid (which included the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and even the NIV. Some of my fellow students even carried the English Standard Version). So, while I was in seminary, and during the early part of my ministry, I used the KJV, but vehemently defended other translations. At times I would dabble in a modern translation, maybe preach a sermon or two from it, but I couldn't get comfortable (and no, comfort is not why I use the KJV.)

After a few years of sparring with KJV-Only preachers over arguments about translation by committee and whether the person who led in the translation of the NIV was a lesbian, and whether modern translations were counterfeits, I came across some research by Bro. James Snyder. Bro. Snyder's research, his thesis for the Louisiana Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary, did something no other discussion on the KJV did. It presented the argument in a purely logical form. Oh, and Billy Howard posted some info, but I rejected it from the hardness of my heart. Sorry, Bro. Billy.

Anyway, what separated Bro. Snyder's research is that it didn't focus on committees or conspiracy theories, but rather the texts and manuscripts that the various translations came from. His research also dealt with textual criticism.

What Bro. Snyder's research revealed to me is that the KJV is taken from the Received Text (Textus Receptus) while modern translations are taken from the Wescott and Hort text. Up until this point, no one had told me that the modern translations and the KJV were taken from completely different documents.

Now, the question is which text is the Word of God? The Received Text, or the Wescott and Hort Text. Seeing how the Received Text was widely regarded as the Word of God for centuries, and the Wescott and Hort Text wasn't finished until the late 1800s, are we to assume that the Received Text was not God's Word and the Wescott and Hort Text finally revealed it to us? Isn't this how cults get started? Or do we believe that the older text is closer to the original? Would God have allowed us to go centuries with a faulty copy of His word?

Seeing the Received Text has been accepted as God's Word for centuries, and it has been what has been used to spur revivals in countries around the world, I believe that we should accept the Received Text as the Word of God. As for the Wescott and Hort, it has significant differences from the Received Text, and comparing the two texts age wise and historically, I can't see how anyone would be able to say that it is the preserved Word of God and the Received Text is flawed.

So, until a modern translation advocate is able to demonstrate to me why the Wescott and Hort Text, a document completed in the late 1800s, super cedes the Received Text, and is able to prove the Received Text to be defective, I will continue to exclusively study, preach and teach from literal translations of the Received Text. The only reliable literal translations of the Received Text that are on the market today are the KJV, the KJV Easy Read, and sources say the up and coming KJV 21st Century, though I haven't had the opportunity to research that edition.

Which translation should you use? A literal translation of the Received Text. There are various translations of the Received Text available in most languages.

So, don't accuse me of believing in an immaculate translation or idolizing a translation, or being a stick in the mud. All I am doing is using the translation that I believe is the true word of God.

The Coming Drought

During a recent trip to a Christian retailer, I was overcome at how God's word has been sent to the back burner, even in Christian circles. I was saddened to see an abundance of books that were either (a) fiction, (b) self-help "how to have a totally great life" type books, (c) toys and trinkets to attract the children and (d) an ever-shrinking availability of studies and devotions that utilize the word of God as translated in the King James Bible. I dare say that had I gone into this retail establishment looking for the Gospel, I would have had to search long and hard before finding a book that would fit the bill (which I did... The Mind of Christ, which also used the KJV.)

Now I want to be perfectly clear. I do not begrudge this retailer for the selection they carried. As a retailer, all they were doing was stocking merchandise that would sell. The fact that Christian retailers don't stock many KJV Bibles, many devotions and study guides that use the KJV, and the subject of the books are man-centered and not God centered is an indication that the Christian community in America is not interested in those things. For if the Christian community were interested in the KJV and God-centered/Christ-centered resources, they would buy them and the stores would be full of them.

The lack of commitment to the word of God and the study of the Gospel in the Christian community is leading us toward a spiritual drought. Amos 8:11 says, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD."

While at this Christian retailer, my wife found a study that she would like to go through. The subject of the study was something that had been on her heart and she really felt that she would be blessed by doing the study. The study was compiled by a noted speaker who was the child of a very prominent author, speaker and senior pastor of a DFW metro-area church. When I took a look at the study, this author had not only elected to build this study off of modern translations, but she had used paraphrase translations like the NLT and the Message. Not only are the NLT and The Message paraphrase translations, meaning they take God's word and reword it to what they think it says, but it's not even taken from the Received Text, which, for hundreds of years was widely regarded as the true word of God.

How can we, as Christians, say that we are truly being Christ-centered, God-centered people if we are not even willing to take our thoughts and ideas directly from God's word? It gets worse.

Browsing the aisles of this retailer, I found more and more studies which used NIV and NLT versions of the Bible to support their research. I began to wonder if the KJV even still has a place at the table. Does it? Why the animosity toward the KJV? Why the exclusion of the KJV? The only study I found using the KJV was The Mind of Christ, and I find it interesting how it was also the only Christ-centered study I found.

Here's the conclusion I came to while visiting this establishment. As long as we continue down this road of abandoning the true word of God (The KJV and all other static equivalent translations of the Received Text), and gravitating toward paraphrase translations and translations from faulty manuscripts, all the while focusing the message on ourselves and not God, they we will continue toward an expended period of spiritual drought. During this time, we may very well deceive ourselves into thinking that we are experiencing revival due to our ability to manufacture miracles and gather people together for flesh-appealing events, but at the end of the day, we'll still be spiritually dry because we will have sought after fulfillment and emotional validation rather than the Lord.

If we continue down that path, we are setting ourselves up for deception as the end times draw near. The Bible is all about the Gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures. Which scriptures? The true scriptures. If you want spiritual revival, open up God's word (any literal translation of the Received Text), and learn about God. Don't seek your own agenda. You'll remain dry. May God bless you as you read His word.

Testing

I have moved this blog over to my new email address. This is just a test to make sure all is well.

I Preach Christ Crucified... Got a Problem with That?

Following another wonderful Sunday morning service at Grace Pointe MBC in Brownwood, I was approached by a church member who said, "These people in this congregation are all saved. We don't need salvation messages, we need messages about Christian living."

I'm not going to lie, when someone criticizes my preaching (especially the sermon topic), my flesh gets all riled up. So that particular morning, I chose not to engage the conversation. I simply said, "okay," and moved on.

You see, at Grace Pointe, we study through books of the Bible during our Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night sermons. On Sunday mornings, we study Luke. On Sunday evenings, we study 1 John. On Wednesday evenings, we study Revelation. What I preach about is determined by the text that comes up next in the book we are studying. So, it should come as no surprise that an overwhelming majority of the sermons preached at Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church are centered around the Gospel, for the Gospel is the central message of the Bible. Furthermore, we need to be more committed to preaching the Word of God (the Gospel, as recorded and taught in scripture) because the general public has no concept of the Gospel and God's plan of salvation. (If you don't believe me, go out and knock 10 doors of complete strangers in your neighborhood, ask how to be saved, and record the answers.)

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul said, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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:"

Typically, we use these verses to define the Gospel. That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. The Gospel had already been foretold by the Old Testament scriptures, and those Old Testament scriptures are what Paul referred to when he preached the Gospel.

Acts 17:2-3 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Not only did Paul preach the Gospel when he was evangelizing, it was his central message. 1 Corinthians 1:23 says "We preach Christ crucified."

While the Bible does address issues like being a good husband, father, or a wife and mother, or being a good child, or a good employer/employee, the overwhelming majority of the Bible conveys the message of the Gospel and how God uses the obedience of His people for His honor and glory. Furthermore, the Bible also conveys how God rewards those who are faithful. To abandon the message of the Gospel for a series of "how to be the best ______ you can be" sermons is to turn away from the message of God's word and relegate the Holy Scriptures to a bargain bin self help book like thousands of man-made philosophies lining the shelves of bookstores everywhere.

"But what about the meat of the Word, shouldn't we get beyond salvation to the meat?" You ask.

First of all, scripture does not get any deeper than Jesus Christ (Thank you Roger Copeland for pointing that out.) Secondly, a deeper study of the Bible will always lead to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. The book of Hebrews admonished Hebrew believers for being stuck on the milk of the word... not that they didn't know a lot of scripture, but that they didn't have a thorough understanding of God's grace to the point that they would leave their old religion of sacrifices and rituals behind. Perhaps the reason we have generations of baby Christians who never mature is that we (a) never move beyond the "Here's how to be saved, Admit, Believe and Confess" sermons, and (b) if we do, we preach on some obscure theological point that will not help a person walk with God. The deeper the believer understands the Gospel, the more mature the believer will be in his faith, the more meat the believer can handle, and the stronger that believer's faith will be.

Therefore, as long as God blesses me with a preaching ministry, I plan to continue to preach through books of the Bible, thus preaching the whole counsel of God, and also placing emphasis on what God placed emphasis in His word.

My people are destroyed...

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge...." This morning I was visited by a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses (so-called) who said they were looking for people who were "seeking the truth." Anyone who has ever interacted with Jehovah's Witnesses can attest to the fact that opening the scriptures to them is a difficult task because their "Bible" is vastly different from the KJV.

The lady told me that she used to read the KJV before its errors were pointed out to her. I asked how the New World Translation came about, and she told me that scholars went to the museums where the old texts were held and translated them. Her arguments against the KJV mirrored the arguments made against it by proponents of modern translations, but that is not the point of my post.

She had been taught that God has tossed aside the nation of Israel, and that the Old Testament is now obselete. This view flies in the face of Daniel 9, Romans 9, and the Biblical concept of God's plan with man.
She had also been taught that salvation begins with Christ. Salvation begins and ends with Christ (Hebrews 12:2.)

Brethren, it is destructive to stay in the milk of the word and never move on to the meat. To fail to study God's word with the intent of learning more about God is to leave yourself vulnerable to deception. The propigators of false religion are tenacious, well educated and very persuasive. We need to be armed with the whole armor of God, including the sword of the word, and we must know how to properly use it. Otherwise, we will present ourselves to be foolish and dishonor the cause of Christ.

Get in the word today. Open your Bible. Study to show thyself approved. God bless you all.

The Shortest 10 Weeks of the Year

It's football season once again! The temperature cools down, the arm chair quarterback begins to share his wisdom, and fans pack stadiums to watch their favorite high school, college and professional football teams chase championship glory. To celebrate this American tradition, we even have a new anthem to remind us how close we are to this game. Kenny Chesney's "The Boys of Fall" is currently being played at every country radio station, can be heard from the windows of pickup trucks and is hummed at the checkout line at Walmart.

This year in Brownwood, fans have the added excitement of their team being ranked #1 in the Class 3A Associated Press football poll. Football is good and fun, and it highlights some core values that we should all hold dear.

1. Everything in Life is Temporary - Last season's success of failure is over. Can you tell me, off the top of your head, who won the Class 2A state championship in Texas last year? Who lost last year's Superbowl? What was the record of the 1983 Dallas Cowboys? If you correctly answer these questions, you either looked it up on the internet, or are too obsessed with football. Mike Leach said it best, "That catch you made last year, well, that was last year!" Most of our accomplishments on this earth will be short lived. My grandfather desegregated the Dawson (TX) public school system, and secured the funding to build a new high school for Latexo, TX. Neither town remembers who he is. Dawson, TX, does remember their most successful football coach ever, and named the stadium after him, but they forget that my grandfather hired him. Most of what we do will be forgotten.
2. Invest in That which is not Temporary - When the Dallas Cowboys signed Terrell Owens, most fans knew that TO would only be around a few short years. Still, Jerry Jones signed the receiver to a huge contract. Even after TO was cut from the team, the Cowboys still owed him millions of dollars. That is not a wise financial investment, neither is investing in something that won't last wise. While most footballers see the value in bringing in rookie talent and developing it into superstar talent, many don't understand the value in investing in the eternal things of this life.
3. Football is for a short time, but eternity is forever - Brownwood is full of men walking the streets who played on the 1960 state championship team, or any one of the other 6 state championship teams from Brownwood. These men, for the four years they were in high school, invested every ounce of their being into their football careers. Most of these football careers ended at graduation. A few went on to play in college. While they recognize how fleeting those football days were, and how important it was to get an education and gainful employment to take them through the rest of their lives, most fail to realize the importance of preparing for eternity. My four years of high school ended 14 years ago. It seems like it was in the distant past, and it seems very short. That's how your life will appear to you when you go into eternity. The life we lived on this earth will have seemed short and fleeting, yet, just like the decisions I made in high school still affect me now, so will the decisions we make on this earth affect you throughout all eternity.

And so now we get to the meat of the matter. Isn't it sad to see a man whose best days were while he was in high school? Don't make that mistake with your life in eternity. No matter how good or bad things are in this life, they will be but a blip on your eternal existence. The key decision you need to make in this life is to repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you do so, you will spend eternity in Heaven. If you choose not to do so, you will spend eternity in Hell. The choice is yours.

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Down the Home Stretch: Acquiring a Permanent Worship Facility

The front of the church building we are trying to buy.

In June of 2008, my wife Jessica, my children and I moved to Brownwood, TX, under the authority of Rocky Springs MBC, for the purpose of starting a local New Testament church. Brownwood is a town of approximately 24,000 people, with 37,000 living in the county. It is home to Howard Payne University, 3M and Kohler, and the nearest ABA church is located 84 miles away in Abilene, TX.

Over the past two years, we have seen 17 souls saved, four follow the Lord in Baptism, and numerous additions by letter and statement. Our attendance ranges from 15-30 on Sunday mornings, and we have been holding services in a rented facility that is only able to accommodate 40-50 people comfortably.

In order for our mission work (Grace Pointe MBM) to grow to become self-supporting, I feel that we will need to be able to grow numerically, as well as spiritually. While our current congregation is growing spiritually, the numeric growth will continue to be a challenge in our current facility.

Sanctuary from the back row

There is a vacant church facility located on the south end of town, adjacent to the youth sports complex, which includes the high school football stadium. To the north of this facility is Brownwood Middle School. This facility is also located adjacent to Brownwood’s largest residential neighborhood.

The proposed facility has a sanctuary that will seat 125 comfortably, has five classrooms, a kitchen and fellowship hall, and sits on five acres of land that will offer room for future growth. We have begun to canvass this neighborhood and have received great feedback.

The asking price for this facility is $195,000. Aside from some minor repairs, this facility is a turnkey operation. The church pews and church furniture is still in place, including a working baptistery, sound system and projection system. This facility is the most cost-effective option in obtaining a permanent worship facility for this new work.

Our goal is to raise the funds necessary to purchase this facility without going into debt. Any and all contributions to this project will be greatly appreciated, and will ONLY be used to purchase a worship facility for Grace Pointe MBM.

View from the pulpit

Should this particular facility be sold before we can raise the funds, there are two other facilities available for purchase. Please consider sending us a one-time offering for this project.

Support for our building fund can be sent to:

Grace Pointe MBM

PO Box 1828

Brownwood, TX 76804

Thank you for your consideration.

In Christ,

Leland Acker
Missionary to Brownwood, TX
(325) 200-8531

Mission: Brownwood July 2010 Report

Grace Pointe Enjoys Successful Summer Month

July saw Grace Pointe hold their first revival meeting (led by Bro. James Snyder of Central MBC in Jonesboro, LA), its third VBS (with a high attendance of 19 children), two professions of faith, one baptism and one addition by statement.

Ramping up Our Efforts

Grace Pointe has three major projects we are working on right now in an effort to reach the unchurched of Brownwood, TX, and eventually grow to be self-supporting. (1) We are currently going door-to-door sharing the Gospel and distributing tracts. When we finish giving out the current batch of tracts, we will have given out 3,000 Chick Tracts. That means that roughly 15% of Brownwood residents have received a Chick tract from us, not including the 15,000 people who received tracts from us at last year’s Brownwood Reunion. (2) We are also preparing to spread the Gospel at this year’s Brownwood Reunion. For this outreach, I plan to purchase 10,000 custom printed tracts for $920 shipping included. On average, this event is attended by 15,000 people. (3) We are looking to raise funds to acquire a worship facility. More on this to be posted in the near future.
By The Numbers:

Attendance:

Sunday Morning:

7/4 - 16 ($516)
7/11 - 16 ($145.50)
7/18 - 14 ($61)
7/25 - 14 ($500)

Sunday Evening:

7/4 - 12
7/11 - 13
7/18 - 16
7/25 - 10

Income:
Offerings: $1,222.50
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $50
Marvin Acker (Jacksonville) $100
Roy & Cynthia McMullin $25
TM and Eloise Jones $25
Jim Slocumb ; $100
Northcrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $69.25
Arp First Baptist (Arp, TX) $120

Expenses:
Rent: $600
Sound System: $432.99
Leland Acker: $200
Brownwood Water: $84.51
James Snyder (Revivalist) $500
Lake Brownwood State Park (Baptismal Service) $27
VBS Budget (Details provided as soon as available) $500
Checks: $32.67
VBS Banner: $96
VBS Booklets: $192.50
Rich Cone A/C Repair: $298.50
TXU: $144.75

Mission Fund
Support:
MBA of Texas $3,058
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $515
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $100
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
Heritage MBC (Missouri City, TX) $200

Expenses:
Leland Acker Salary + Housing: $3,622
Building Materials $279.93
Newspaper Ad for Revival $97.50
Revival $451.51
Outreach Luncheon $120
VBS supplies $373.67

Getting down to the Nitty Gritty in Revelation

We are studying the book of Revelation at Grace Pointe MBC in Brownwood, TX. For the past few months, we have been studying the seven churches of Asia, and the significance of the contents of God's throne room as is described in Revelation 4-5. This week, we begin chapter 6, which depicts the opening of the seals and the events that unfold during the Tribulation, the seven year period at the end of our current era also known as Daniel's 70th week.

At this point of the study, members at Grace Pointe will expect to hear teaching regarding the timing of the events of the seven-year tribulation. Growing up, I was always taught the following order of things:

1. The Rapture occurs.
2. The seven-year tribulation begins.
3. The four horsemen of Revelation 6 appear.
4. The two witnesses appear at the Temple or temple mount in Jerusalem.
5. The "Wrath of the Lamb" worldwide earthquake.
6. The Anti-Christ, who has appeared on the scene at some point during all this, assumes power.
7. The Anti-Christ is assassinated, but then healed.
8. The two witnesses are assassinated, then resurrect after three days in full view of the entire world.
9. The final 3.5 years of the Tribulation, known as "The Great Tribulation," begin.
10. The mark of the beast, total war, total judgment, total destruction, Christ returns and establishes His kingdom.

However, as a result of my personal study, and some teachings I received in seminary, I have concluded that the above list is inaccurate. First of all, in all passages of end time prophecy, the rapture is not mentioned. (The rapture is only described in 1 Thessalonians, and briefly in Matthew 24). Furthermore, I find it interesting that there is no mention of the Rapture in Revelation before the opening of the seals, which tells me that there is no Rapture that occurs before the Tribulation begins.

Furthermore, the two witnesses are not mentioned until Revelation 11. They will prophesy 1,260 days (or 3 1/2 Jewish calendar years.) The Antichrist (The beast) will be given power for 42 months (3 1/2 years).

This information, along with the understanding of the purpose of Daniel's 70th week (to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to reconcile God to His people, the Jews... Daniel 9:24), we find that the contemporary Christian understanding of the Tribulation is incorrect. Most Christians understand that the seven-year tribulation is God's wrath executed upon an unbelieving world. According to scripture (Daniel 9:24), the purpose is to bring Israel to repentance.

The fact that the Tribulation will be brought about to bring Israel to repentance means that it is not ALL God's wrath being poured out on the earth, meaning that God's children, those who know Jesus as Savior, will in fact endure at least part of the Tribulation. Scriptural evidence of this includes the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11 and Revelation 7:9-16.

As for the two witnesses, I am thinking that their prophetic ministry happens during the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation. Why? First of all, when they minister. Revelation 11:1 tells John to measure the Temple of God, meaning the Temple will exist during the duration of the ministry of the two witnesses. Secondly, they witness for 3 1/2 Jewish years... the exact length of time of the Great Tribulation (the second half of Daniel's 70th week). Thirdly, the entire world rejoices at their demise... meaning that the world believes that its trouble is over because the two witnesses are gone. Notice also that 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says the world will say "peace and safety," then sudden destruction comes upon them. That is exactly what will happen at the end of the Tribulation.

As for the timing of the Rapture, I think I have found a passage in Revelation 14:14-20:

Rev 14:14-20 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

In this passage, you have one on the cloud like unto the Son of Man with a sickle, who reaps at the cry of the first angel who comes out of the Temple (the Rapture of the Saints?), and another angel who came out of the Temple with a sharp sickle who gathers the grapes of the earth (the fruit of the world, the unsaved) at the cry of the angel from the altar.

This incident happens immediately before the last seven plagues in Revelation 15, which are filled up with the wrath of God. If the rapture is in fact in Revelation 14, then it still occurs before the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth, thus we are still not appointed unto wrath.

With this (and many other thoughts in mind) my new timeline is as follows:

1. The seven year Tribulation (Daniel's 70th Week) begins at the signing of a covenant between the man who will go on to become the Beast (the Antichrist) and Israel. The covenant (probably will be called a treaty) will be a seven year treaty. (Daniel 9:27)
2. The seven seals and the 144,000 sealed.
3. The seven trumpets.
4. The midpoint - the two witnesses emerge and the beast (Antichrist) assumes power after having a fatal wound healed. The talking statue and the mark of the beast begin.
5. Rapture
6. Wrath (seven plagues and seven vials).
7. Fall of Babylon.
8. Marriage supper of the Lamb
9. 1,000 year reign.
10. Destruction of Satan.
11. Final judgment.
12. New Heaven and New Earth, New Jerusalem.

One objection some will have to this timeline is the timing of the rapture. Paul wrote that it would be at the last trump. It is possible that the seven trumps extend beyond the midpoint of the Tribulation. Regardless of the accuracy of my timeline, God's timeline is set and secure. This means that regardless of the timing of the rapture, God's saints will endure persecution and times are set to get harder. Be prepared and shore up your faith through the study of God's word (Romans 10:17).

I am not an end times expert, nor a scholar in the book of Revelation. These are conclusions I am basing on a study of Revelation in and of itself, with a background of having previously studied Daniel. Should you have any thoughts to offer, corrections to make, or arguments to advance, feel free to do so, as long as all is done in brotherly love and is supported by scripture in context. 

A Democrat? Me?

During our mad rush to make the publishing deadline when I worked at the Cherokeean Herald, my managing editor and I were lamenting the Texas Legislature's refusal to continue to fund the Texas State Railroad. Under a new Republican-controlled House and Senate, the legislature was leading the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to cut expenses, even if it meant shutting down some of the top attractions in Texas.

The Texas State Railroad was on the chopping block because it operated at a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. What was unscrupulous about the whole situation was that while the railroad brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually just by providing rolling stock for movies, that movie revenue was not credited to the railroad. So, when the annual financial reports came out, the train showed the expense of providing engines and rail cars for the movies, but wasn't allowed to show the income received. That income went straight to the TPWD in Austin.

Surely, I lamented, that the state could continue to fund this park, given the movie revenue and the fact that the transportation department operates some of the best rest areas in the nation. That's when my boss (a life-long Democrat) looked at me and said, "Leland, you are beginning to sound like a Democrat."

I must confess, I had to rethink my position. At the end of the day, however, I came to the same conclusion. The state railroad had to be funded.

Sometimes we can say things that make perfectly good sense to us, but shock us when we find out that our statements are in agreement with our enemies. Now Democrats aren't my enemies (my boss and I were good friends), but I do oppose their platform. Politics aside, when we get into eternity, state parks funding, tax rates, foreign debt and national defense will be forgotten. What won't be forgotten will be the judgment we receive for our actions. For this reason, we must be very careful that we are fighting on the right side of Spiritual warfare.

Satan is the master-deceiver. Confusion is one of his best weapons, and often he uses it to turn the brethren against each other. Often times, Christians who both serve the Lord, who agree on 99% of things, wind up at each other's throats for the 1% of things they disagree upon. Fellowship is broken, fingers are pointed, accusations are made, and cautions to avoid Brother SoAndSo are issued. These things ought not to be true.

1 John 2:11 says "But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

To hate means to detest. Do you detest your fellow Christians? Are the fundamentalists too stuck in the mud? Are the contemporary worshippers destroying worship? Is the ABA a liberal organization? Or a traditional pharisaical one? If you can not stand other Christians, it's not because you have surpassed them in spirituality. It is because you are blinded and walking in darkness.

Be not deceived. Detesting your brothers and sisters in Christ is indicative of a relationship with God that has grown distant. It is indicative of one who is stumbling around in darkness and not following Christ. Worse yet, satan can use that confusion and darkness to use you as a tool to wreak havoc on the Lord's church. Even worse still, when you spout those anti-Christian opinions, you sound just like satan.

In Zechariah 3, we see Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with satan at his right hand to resist him. Heaven help us if we find ourselves right there next to satan.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the state decided to transfer control of the Texas State Railroad to American Heritage Railways, the same company that operates the Silverton-Durango Railroad in Colorado.

Attention Calvinists...

I need to know how those who follow the TULIP doctrine harmonize their beliefs with the follwing passage from 1 Timothy 2:4-6:

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

It would appear to me that the Who (God our Savior) wants ALL men to be saved (verse 4), Who gave Jesus Christ to be the mediator between God and man (Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, not just the elect).

It would appear that this passage contradicts unconditional election and irresistable grace. For if God will have all men be saved, and gave Christ as a ransom for all, then wouldn't God extend His unconditional election and irresistable grace upon all men.

Furthermore, if Christ gave Himself a ransom for ALL, then wouldn't that contradict limited atonement?

Fighting the War on a Budget

Robert McNamara may have earned the position as the most controversial secretary of defense in U.S. history. His decisions to consolidate U.S. military bases angered congressmen and the citizens of those districts, the opposition to the war in Vietnam demonized him, and he has been widely criticized for his involvement in the acquisition of the F-4 Phantoms for the U.S. Air Force. The jets were made without machine guns, because McNamara believed the pilot could fire a missile on the enemy from 75 miles away. That would have worked, if the Sparrow didn't have an 89% failure rate in Vietnam. (The tropical conditions hindered the missile).

There are many things you can criticize about McNamara, but in some ways he was a man ahead of his time. He wanted to develop combat aircraft that could both serve as bombers and air-to-air combat jets. Though that development failed during his tenure, the military later achieved that goal with the F/A-18s and the F-16s.

McNamara made many mistakes, but his decisions were driven by a core belief that the U.S. could not afford to be wasteful when spending money on defense. He believed that the U.S. could afford whatever was necessary for national defense, but that it shouldn't just write the defense department a blank check. McNamara understood that the U.S. could bankrupt itself on defense spending, a lesson that the former Soviet Union learned the hard way in the late 1980s.

Few things will cause hurt feelings and lost fellowship quicker than financial issues. Looking at the associational mission funds of the American Baptist Association and the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas, I can tell you that financial issues are in our future. That is, unless the level of support these funds receive from the churches is greatly increased. Looking across our association at the state of our churches (not being critical, but many churches are struggling right now), the idea that more support is coming is not very realistic. Therefore, missionaries, the messengers that vote to support missionaries, their sponsoring and supporting churches will all have to make tough decisions in the years ahead.

At Mission: Brownwood, we have tried to be as cost-efficient as possible. Our biggest expenditures have been on my salary, building refurbishment and massive outreach campaigns. As time progresses, the new work will undertake more of those expenses on its own, but the work is only growing so fast despite our best efforts. None-the-less, when I look at the financial state of the MBA of Texas mission fund, I face the reality that there are not going to be many years of full salary for myself left. In fact, if something doesn't happen, the fund could be broke by 2012. At the same time, out direct support from sister churches has dropped off in the past couple of years. Two years ago, we averaged $1,800/month in direct support. In May of this year, we took in $1,200 from sister churches.

The fact of the matter is that missionaries are going to have to begin to make tough choices, because the well can run dry. We need to have a plan in place to keep our works going should that day ever come. Gone are the days when a missionary could go on salary and know that he was going to be able to draw that salary until his work organized (usually after the completion of an expensive brand new building). We're going to have to learn to purchase older church structures from protestant groups who have folded. We're going to have to learn to work out of school buildings, civic centers, and apartment community rooms. We are also going to have to learn to organize before land is purchased, buildings are built, and possibly before the pastor can draw a full-time salary from the church. We are going to have to streamline our expenses and learn to do more with less.

At the same time, it wouldn't hurt to see more support going to our associational mission programs. Over the past few years, especially when the fund balance was high (in both the Texas and national associations) men began to stand up and promote the idea of withdrawing support from these funds and directing support elsewhere. Some wanted to expend the reserves to purchase land in large cities. Others wanted to just expend it altogether. Others began to rail against our associational mission programs and call them waste of money. The discourse took its toll, and support began to erode. Now we are in a time when that support is needed, but getting the support back is always much more difficult than losing it.

There was a time when Missionary Baptists were proud of their mission programs. There was a time when having a healthy balance in the fund was a good thing, and the prayer was that more men would engage in true mission work so we could see that fund put to use. There was a time when men liked to see missionaries well-supported. Today, it seems that has all changed.

Satan is on the attack. Seminary enrollment is down, support for our associational mission programs, seminaries, mission development funds and mission efforts in general is down. Discourse on how to get new works started has been replaced with finger-pointing and back-biting. All the while, missionaries struggle on the field and supporting churches struggle back home. Let's all get back on the same page, and remember that our purpose here is to make disciples, baptize them, indoctrinate them and organize them into New Testament churches.

My pledge to you, as a missionary, is that I will do my best to streamline expenses and minimize my need. All I ask from you is that you engage in our associational mission work and help promote the Gospel in Texas, the USA, and around the world.

Mission: Brownwood May 2010 Report

Grace Pointe attendance drops
as Satan attacks

Satan has launched an all out assault on Grace Pointe, resulting in lower attendance and tough times financially for the work.

He is attacking our younger families with discouragement and even led a man to try to lead a significant portion of our congregation into a local church of Christ.

Though these attacks came leading into the summer, which traditionally is a time of lower attendance, We are standing firm. We will hold VBS the last week of July, and a revival July 5-9.

Outreach efforts continue

We are approximately three weeks away from completing our door-to-door canvassing efforts in northwest Brownwood. Once this territory is completely canvasses, we’ll begin canvassing the Southside neighborhoods. Once the entire city has been canvassed, we’ll start all over.

Meanwhile outreach efforts at the Market Place and Wildwood Trails apartment complexes continue. These have yielded some fruit, as the bulk of our core group came out of Market Place apartments.


By The Numbers:

Attendance:

Sunday Morning:
5/2 - 11
5/9 - 15
5/16 - 22
5/23 - 16
5/30 - 9

Wednesday evening:
5/5 - 15
5/12- 15
5/19 - 15
5/26 – 15

FINANCES:
Offerings: $1,003.16
Memorial MBC (Rusk) $50
Jim Slocumb $100
Northcrest (Andrews) $95.31
First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $120

Expenses:
Leland Acker: $400
James Snyder (fill-in) $100
TMD: $31.12
MBA of Texas $31.12
ABA $31.12
Abel Dimatulac $31.12

Mission Fund

Support:

Heritage Baptist Church (Missouri City, TX) $200
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
MBA of Texas $3,058
Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $78.85
Muse MBC (Grapeland, TX) $200
Ridgecrest MBC (Levelland, TX) $25
Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $17.14
Quaker Ave MBC (Lubbock, TX) $100
58th Ave. MBC (Amarillo, TX) $148.15
East Side MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $100
Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40
Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $224.46

Expenses:
Salary: $3,422
Housing: $950
Appliances for new home: $987
Outreach: $374.81
Travel Expenses: $255.68