WHAT IF MODERN MISSIONAL CELEBRITY PASTORS HAD EXISTED IN THE EARLY CHURCH?

A satire

Written by Andy Webb | Monday, September 9, 2013

I‘ve often wondered what it would have sounded like if they’d had the modern “missional” celebrity pastors in the early church, and how they would have handled issues like Roman pressure to compromise on the Lordship of Christ or the exclusivity of Christianity. I sense it might have gone something like this:

Archaeologists working in Turkey have recently uncovered what they believe to be a 2nd Century fragment from an ancient interview with popular Lycus Valley Presbyter, Elder Lew Dicean, which occurred shortly after the Martyrdom of Polycarp. The fragment is part of a larger scroll, with the Latin Title “TEMPUS” and dated February, 157. Here is what they have translated so far:

“T: So what do are your thoughts?
L: What, the Polycarp thing?
T: Yes
L: Well it’s hard to criticize such a well known guy who’d been in ministry for so long, but I can’t get away from thinking, ‘Come on guys, its just a pinch of incense!’ I mean, think about it, we Christians already support the Roman state in so many ways every day. We pay the taxes that go to build those temples, buy the incense, and make the busts of Caesar! And we even use money that has his image on it already. And hey, who doesn’t worship that just a little, right?
I’m looking forward to a juicy steak tonight that my wife cooks so well – mind you I’m not ‘THAT’ guy, I cook too, it’s just not my night – and I know that steak came from a bull sacrificed in the name of Caesar. So aren’t I kind of a hypocrite if I declare Caesar is Lord in the secular realm in all those ways, but refuse to burn a little incense and say three words?
T: But don’t Christians view that as a compromise?
L: Look, all of us, Christian, Pagan, Jew, Zorastrian, whatever, have to compromise our religious faith a little to be good citizens of the empire. It’s the price of citizenship. And let’s face it, NOT burning incense doesn’t get you into heaven. I think in the future, you’re going to see more Christians seeing this as a political and not a religious issue, and attitudes about whether mixing politics and religion has been healthy are definitely changing.
T: So where do you draw the line?
L: Well, not where Polycarp did. I know he had his reasons, but I think there’s this unhealthy fascination with martyrdom amongst some Christians who see Christianity in this very aggressive, confrontational light that just turns modern people off. We need to engage not enrage the culture. One of our guys, Paul, once wrote in one of his letters – and I have this beautiful framed copy at home – “become all things to all men.” To me, that says I must first become a good Roman before I earn the privilege of being able to tell them about Jesus. So for me, the incense is just part of “becoming a Roman” so that I can win Romans. I think in the future you’re to see less of that martyr in your face Christianity that makes enemies and more of the “Compromissional approach” that I favor…

Andy Webb is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church America and serves as Pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, NC. This article first appeared on his blog and is used with permission.

STRUCTURING WORSHIP TO ACCOMODATE UNBELIEVERS IS MISGUIDED!!!!

 
R.C. Sproul,

Many have found the life of the church to be irrelevant and boring, and so an effort to meet the needs of these people has driven some radical changes in how we worship God.

Perhaps the most evident model developed over the last half century is that model defined as the “seeker-sensitive model.” Seekers are defined as those people who are unbelievers and are outside of the church but who are searching for meaning and significance to their lives. The good intention of reaching such people with evangelistic techniques that include the reshaping of Sunday morning worship fails to understand some significant truths set forth in Scripture.

In Romans 3, Paul makes abundantly clear that unconverted people do not seek after God….so structuring worship to accommodate unbelievers is misguided because these unbelievers are not seeking after God. Seeking after God begins at conversion, and if we are to structure our worship with a view to seekers, then we must structure it for believers, since only believers are seekers.

When we look at the early church, we see that the Christians of the first century gathered on the Lord’s day, devoting themselves to the study of the apostles’ doctrine, to fellowship, to prayer, and to the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42). This was not an assembly of unbelievers. It was an assembling together of believers. Of course, as our Lord warned, there are always present among believers people who have made false professions of faith. There are always the tares that grow alongside of the wheat (Matt. 13:36–43). But one does not structure the church to meet the felt needs and desires of the tares. The purpose of corporate assembly, which has its roots in the Old Testament, is for the people of God to come together corporately to offer their sacrifices of praise and worship to God. So the first rule of worship is that it be designed for believers to worship God in a way that pleases God. . .

. . .Another erroneous assumption made in the attempt to restructure the nature of worship is that the modern generation has been so changed by cultural and contextual influences — such as the impact of the electronic age upon their lives — that they are no longer susceptible to traditional attempts of being reached by expository preaching. Early in the twentieth century, the liberal preacher Harry Emerson Fosdick pointed out that people were no longer interested in coming to church to hear what some apostle or prophet wrote a couple thousand years ago. Such words and messages were completely irrelevant according to Fosdick, and so the focus of preaching has moved in many cases away from an exposition of the Word of God. We assume this alteration is necessary if we’re to reach the people who have been trapped within the changes of our current culture. The erroneous assumption is that in the last fifty years, the constituent nature of humanity has changed, as if the heart can no longer be reached via the mind. It also assumes that the power of the Word of God has lost its potency, so that we must look elsewhere if we are to find powerful and moving experiences of worship in our church. Though the intentions may be marvelous, the results, I believe, are and will continue to be catastrophic.


taken from: Good Intentions Gone Bad, Tabletalk, October 1st, 2007.

MUST A PASTOR BE MARRIED?

 By Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr.

The New York Times has asked the question. How would you answer it?

Is marriage a requirement for pastoral ministry? That question is not new, having been a major focus of debates at crucial points in church history, but it is being asked once again.

Erik Eckholm of The New York Times asked the question in a news story that put a focus on Mark Almlie, a single seminary graduate who has been looking for a pastorate. As Eckholm reports, Almlie, “despite a sterling education and years of experience, has faced an obstacle that does not exist in most other professions: He is a single pastor, in a field where those doing the hiring overwhelmingly prefer married people and, especially, married men with children.”

Mr. Almlie calls this unfair discrimination, and he suggested that the motive behind this discrimination comes down to what Eckholm described as “irrational fears” that an unmarried pastor would be hampered in counseling, might be susceptible to sexual advances, or “might be gay.” In Almlie’s words, “Prejudice against single pastors abounds.”

Mr. Eckholm called me for comment, and included this section in his article:

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said it was unfair to accuse churches of discrimination because that word implied something “wrongful.”
“Both the logic of Scripture and the centrality of marriage in society,” he said, justify “the strong inclination of congregations to hire a man who is not only married but faithfully married.”
Mr. Mohler said he tells the students at his seminary that “if they remain single, they need to understand that there’s going to be a significant limitation on their ability to serve as a pastor.”

I have received a good number of responses to the article already, and some clearly argue that I am giving students bad advice.

Well, the reality is that the very fact that the article has appeared indicates that I am right in warning students that remaining single will be a significant limitation on their future service as a pastor. At the first level, this is simply a fact — a fact attested by the article and the statistics reported by virtually all non-Catholic denominations. Pastor search committees, reflecting the sentiments of the congregations, clearly prefer a married pastor with a wife and children.

And yet, beyond the indisputable fact that this is indeed the reality, there lies the question of whether it ought to be so.

I made a remark about that as well, telling Mr. Eckholm that the logic of Scripture and the centrality of marriage in society do justify the strong inclination to secure a pastor who is not only married, but also happily married.

I would base my argument on the most normative New Testament texts that describe the pastor. In 1
 Timothy 3:1-7, the Apostle Paul presents Timothy, and thus the church, with this instruction:

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.  Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

This text clearly suggests that the minister will be married, indeed “the husband of one wife.” It does not say, “if married, the husband of one wife.” Now, the text does not explicitly state that a minister is not to be single, but it does hold out marriage as the default and normal state.

Importantly, the text’s concern does not end there. The pastor is to “manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive.” Once again, it does not state that a single minister is an impossibility, but it does hold out the expectation of a married pastor with a wife and a household, including obedient children.

Why is this so? Paul makes clear that this is all part of the minister’s credibility, “for if he does not know how to manage his own household, how will be care for God’s church?” Evidently, the ability to lead a family is an important sign of the ability to care for the family of faith.
A similar teaching is found in Titus 1:5-9:

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you — if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.  For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.  He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Once again, the normative expectation is that the pastor is a married man with wife and believing children. This does not mean that an unmarried minister is not “above reproach,” but it does indicate a default position of marriage within the context that not only states the fact but also places it within the larger context of the pastor’s qualifications.

Why is this so? Beyond what has already been stated, the married pastor has the protection of a wife, the status of a leader in the home, the fulfillment of the marital relation, and thus the freedom to relate to the congregation as one who is already committed within the covenant of marriage, and who is able to serve as a model for other men within the congregation and the watching community.
So, then, what about Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 concerning celibacy? There are two important passages within this chapter that directly address the question:

Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. [I Corinthians 7: 6-9]

The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 7:32-35]

Furthermore, Jesus spoke of those whom he described as those “who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:12]

There is obviously great honor directed here to those who can live without spouse for the sake of the kingdom. Paul describes their service, like his own, as undivided in interest. A married man must be concerned about how to please his wife, while the unmarried man has an undivided interest and is thus more free to serve the Lord in what, as Jesus made clear, is service for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

So, this is not a blanket statement affirming the priority of singleness, but instead affirming a state of uncompromised (not burning with passion) celibacy for the sake of kingdom service.
Note that this passage is addressed to all Christians, not specifically to ministers. Without doubt, an unmarried Christian with the gift of celibacy is more free for Gospel service and Great Commission deployment than a married pastor.

But Paul is not contradicting himself, and his advice concerning pastors stands.
I was asked for my advice and counsel on this issue, and I provided it in summary. I stand by my counsel. I do not have the right nor textual authority to state without equivocation that a pastor cannot be unmarried (as in never married), but I can advise that the logic of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 will lead most congregations to a very clear expectation, and that this expectation will be reflected in congregational intuitions as well.

I can also offer my own personal experience. I was called as pastor of a small country church when I was engaged to be married. This sweet church took a risk with a young seminary student who was anxious to be married and just waiting for the date to arrive. I can testify that my ministry was transformed the moment I showed up back at the church with Mary, my wife. My relations with church members of both sexes took on a much more natural shape, and this was amplified with married couples of all ages. When children came, my ministry in later years was also deepened and widened.

My experience is not normative, Scripture is. Nevertheless, my own experience helps me to understand the logic of these key New Testament texts. I know countless unmarried men and women who are serving the Kingdom of Christ with distinction and dedication. I am so thankful for their commitment and service. But this does not change the fact that when the Bible speaks of the teaching office in the church, it speaks of a man who is expected to be married.

If you know of a better way to answer this question, you will serve the church by presenting it and allowing Christians to judge all advice and counsel by the Scriptures. The New York Times has asked the question. How would you answer it?

I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbertMohler.

Erik Eckholm, “With Few Jobs, a Single Pastor Points to Bias,” The New York Times, Tuesday, March 21, 2011.

HAS GOD CALLED YOU? DISCERNING THE CALL TO PREACH

By Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr

Has God called you to ministry? Though all Christians are called to serve the cause of Christ, God calls certain persons to serve the Church as pastors and other ministers. Writing to young Timothy, the Apostle Paul confirmed that if a man aspires to be a pastor, “it is a fine work he aspires to do” (1 Tim 3:1, NASB). Likewise, it is a high honor to be called of God into the ministry of the Church.

How do you know if God is calling you?

First, there is an inward call. Through His Spirit, God speaks to those persons He has called to serve as pastors and ministers of His Church. The great Reformer Martin Luther described this inward call as “God’s voice heard by faith.” Those whom God has called know this call by a sense of leading, purpose, and growing commitment.

Charles Spurgeon identified the first sign of God’s call to the ministry as “an intense, all-absorbing desire for the work.” Those called by God sense a growing compulsion to preach and teach the Word, and to minister to the people of God.

This sense of compulsion should prompt the believer to consider whether God may be calling him to the ministry. Has God gifted you with the fervent desire to preach? Has He equipped you with the gifts necessary for ministry? Do you love God’s Word and feel called to teach? Spurgeon warned those who sought his counsel not to preach if they could help it. “But,” Spurgeon continued, “if he cannot help it, and he must preach or die, then he is the man.” That sense of urgent commission is one of the central marks of an authentic call.

Second, there is the external call. Baptists believe that God uses the congregation to “call out the called” to ministry. The congregation must evaluate and affirm the calling and gifts of the believer who feels called to the ministry.  As a family of faith, the congregation should recognize and celebrate the gifts of ministry given to its members, and take responsibility to encourage those whom God has called to respond to that call with joy and submission.

These days, many persons think of careers rather than callings. The biblical challenge to “consider your call” should be extended from the call to salvation to the call to the ministry.

John Newton, famous for writing “Amazing Grace,” once remarked: “None but He who made the world can make a Minister of the Gospel.” Only God can call a true minister, and only He can grant the minister the gifts necessary for service. But the great promise of Scripture is that God does call ministers, and presents these servants as gifts to the Church.

One key issue here is a common misunderstanding about the will of God. Some models of evangelical piety imply that God’s will is something difficult for us to accept. We sometimes confuse this further by talking about “surrendering” to the will of God. As Paul makes clear in Romans 12:2, the will of God is good, worthy of eager acceptance, and perfect. Those called by God to preach will be given a desire to preach as well as the gift of preaching. Beyond this, the God-called preacher will feel the same compulsion as the great Apostle, who said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16, ESV).

Consider your calling. Do you sense that God is calling you to ministry, whether as a pastor or as another servant of the Church? Do you burn with a compulsion to proclaim the Word, share the Gospel, and care for God’s flock? Has this call been confirmed and encouraged by those Christians who know you best?

God still calls . . . has He called you?

This article is republished by request. For further information on discerning the call to ministry, contact Ben Dockery, Director of Admissions at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ben and his staff will be glad to help you discern God’s call in your life, and what this means as you prepare for the future. Write Ben at bdockery@sbts.edu.

 

I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at mail@albertmohler.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbertMohler. 

QUESTION: "HOW CAN WE PREVENT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM LOSING FAITH?"

Answer:This question highlights an unfortunate trend. As numerous recent books and studies have revealed, a large number of today’s youth are becoming disenchanted with the church. As a result, they are either leaving the church altogether or exploring other avenues to satisfy their spiritual appetites. And, contrary to what some may believe, more young people leave the church during their middle and high school years than will leave during their college years. Over 60 percent of young adults who attended church in their teens will ultimately become spiritually disengaged at some point during their twenties (The Barna Group).

Although the reasons behind this youthful exodus are many and varied, the answer to this epidemic is really quite simple. Our children need to fully understand that Scripture alone can give life and bring sanctification to a sinful soul, and only Scripture can equip us to discern truth from error. Yet, as the Apostle Paul aptly pointed out, how can they believe when they’ve not heard? (Romans 10:14). In a world in which there is a growing tide of hostility towards Christianity, we need to teach our children the Word of God and how to defend it (1 Peter 3:15). There are three places our children ultimately learn and develop their worldview and belief system: school, church, and home.

Beginning around age five, kids will spend the better part of two decades becoming educated. And public school systems, along with the colleges and universities they attend, continue to indoctrinate kids with the religious beliefs of humanists. Half a century ago, the United States Supreme Court recognized humanism as a religion. So, when the Bible and prayer were tossed out of public schools, they did not throw out religion. They simply replaced the Christian worldview with an atheistic one. As a result, practically everything a child learns in school about science and history has nothing to do with God. Everything is explained without any reference to our Creator. On the other hand, while kids are in school they are taught and expected to tolerate all beliefs, points of view, and different behavioral preferences. A sign at one college epitomizes this expected tolerance: “It is OK for you to think you are right. It is NOT OK for you to think someone else is wrong.” It should come as no surprise, then, that over 70 percent of young adults under the age 25 think all beliefs are equally valid.

Let’s look at the church, as this is certainly a place where the truth of God’s Word should be vigorously defended. Unfortunately, however, more and more churches are deviating from scriptural truth. The Apostle Paul warned us this would happen (2 Timothy 4:3). Discussing the church’s diminishing adherence to the hard truths of God’s Word, Charles Spurgeon had this to say: “There will come another generation, and another, and all these generations will be tainted and injured if we are not faithful to God and to His truth today…how is the world to be saved if the church is false to her Lord?” One theologian aptly commented in response: “We who love the Lord and His church must not sit by while the church gains momentum on the down-grade of worldliness and compromise. Men and women before us have paid with their blood to deliver the faith intact to us. Now, it is our turn to guard the truth. It is a task that calls for courage, not compromise. And it is a responsibility that demands unwavering devotion to a very narrow purpose.”

The development of a Christian foundation, then, must begin at home with the parents. Yet the truth is that, by the time the average child leaves for college at age 18, he or she will have never read the entire Bible (which can be read cover to cover in about 80 hours), and many will never have opened a Bible. Yet they will have watched roughly 21,000 – 30,000 hours of television, which will most definitely have played a significant role in developing their worldview.

The Bible tells us that children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3). Even though we are their stewards for a relatively short time, our parental influence in their lives is significant, to say the least, and it is our responsibility to pass along our faith and values to them. In the Old Testament, Moses stressed to his people the importance of teaching children about the LORD and His commands, decrees, and laws: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 11:19-20). And in the New Testament, parents are taught to raise their children in the “training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4), as all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, training, and correcting (2 Timothy 3:16). Parents need to instill in their children a thoroughly Christian worldview so they understand that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). This requires studying the Bible and a lot of hard work. For our children to be able to defend the Word of God (1 Peter 3:15), they need to know it well. The importance of teaching our children the truth of Scripture at an early age is put into perspective by this sobering statistic from Barna: only about 6 percent of people who are not Christians by age 18 will become Christians later in life. That frightening thought should reverberate deeply in the hearts of parents who aspire to have their children attain the eternal life that Jesus Christ died to give us.

Jesus Christ said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall as it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). It is clear that the forces of our increasingly secular world will bring torrents of “rain” and “wind” into our children’s lives so as to turn their ears away from the truth. Christians are not surprised by this, as the Bible tells us this is going to happen to a greater degree as we draw closer to Christ’s return. The wise Solomon taught us to train our children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). Quite simply, it is imperative that we construct a Christian paradigm in our children’s hearts at a tender age.

Recommended Resources:Logos Bible SoftwareandYou Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church... and Rethinking Faith by David Kinnaman.

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Related Topics:

Why does unbelief appear to be increasing in the world today?

How important is Christian conduct to how the unbelieving world sees Christ?

Is faith in God a crutch?

Why do so many preachers' kids walk away from the faith?

What is presuppositional apologetics?

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/losing-faith.html#ixzz2QyVMOLy6

QUESTION : " WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH ? "

Answer: Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for the church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” According to this verse, the purposes/activities of the church should be 1) teaching biblical doctrine, 2) providing a place of fellowship for believers, 3) observing the Lord’s supper, and 4) praying.

The church is to teach biblical doctrine so we can be grounded in our faith. Ephesians 4:14 tells us, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” The church is to be a place of fellowship, where Christians can be devoted to one another and honor one another (Romans 12:10), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and most importantly, love one another (1 John 3:11).

The church is to be a place where believers can observe the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ’s death and shed blood on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The concept of “breaking bread” (Acts 2:42) also carries the idea of having meals together. This is another example of the church promoting fellowship. The final purpose of the church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer. The church is to be a place that promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Another commission given to the church is proclaiming the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). The church is called to be faithful in sharing the gospel through word and deed. The church is to be a “lighthouse” in the community, pointing people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church is to both promote the gospel and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).

Some final purposes of the church are given in James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The church is to be about the business of ministering to those in need. This includes not only sharing the gospel, but also providing for physical needs (food, clothing, shelter) as necessary and appropriate. The church is also to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sin and remain free from the pollution of the world. This is done by biblical teaching and Christian fellowship.

So, what is the purpose of the church? Paul gave an excellent illustration to the believers in Corinth. The church is God’s hands, mouth, and feet in this world—the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do if He were here physically on the earth. The church is to be “Christian,” “Christ-like,” and Christ-following.

Recommended Resource: Stop Dating the Church! Falling in Love with the Family of God by Joshua Harris.

QUESTION : " SHOULD A CHURCH BE SEEKER SENSITIVE ?"

Answer: In recent years a new movement within the evangelical church has come into vogue, commonly referred to as "seeker sensitive." Generally, this movement has seen a great deal of growth. Many “seeker” churches are now mega-churches with well-known pastors who are riding a wave of popularity in the evangelical world. The seeker-sensitive movement claims millions of conversions, commands vast resources, continues to gain popularity, and seems to be attracting millions of un-churched people into its fold.

So, what is this movement all about? Where does it come from? And, most importantly, is it biblical? Basically, the seeker-sensitive church tries to reach out to the unsaved person by making the church experience as comfortable, inviting, and non-threatening to him as possible. The hope is that the person will believe in the gospel. The idea behind the concept is to get as many unsaved people through the door as possible, and the church leadership are willing to use nearly any means to accomplish that goal. Theatrics and musical entertainment are the norm in the church service to keep the unsaved person from getting bored as he does with traditional churches. State-of-the-art technology in lighting and sound are common components of the seeker-sensitive churches, especially the larger ones.

Expertly run nurseries, day care, adult day care, community programs such as ESL (English as a Second Language), and much more are common fixtures in the larger seeker churches. Short sermons (typically 20 minutes at most) are usually focused on self-improvement. Supporters of this movement will say that the single reason behind all the expense, state-of-the-art tech gear, and theatrics is to reach the unsaved with the gospel; however, rarely are sin, hell, or repentance spoken of, and Jesus Christ as the exclusive way to heaven is rarely mentioned. Such doctrines are considered “divisive.”

The seeker-sensitive church movement has pioneered a new method for founding churches involving demographics studies and community surveys that ask the unsaved what they want in a church. This is a kind of “if you build it they will come” mentality. The reasoning is that if you give the unsaved better entertainment than they can receive elsewhere, or “do church” in a non-threatening way, then they will come, and hopefully, they will accept the gospel. The mindset is to hook the un-churched person with great entertainment, give him a message he can digest, and provide second-to-none services. The focus of the seeker church then is not Christ-centered, but man-centered. The main purpose of the seeker church’s existence is to give people what they want or meet their felt needs.

Further, the seeker-friendly gospel presentation is based on the idea that if you will believe in Jesus, He will make your life better. Relationships with your wife or husband, coworkers, children, etc., will be better. The message the seeker church sometimes passes on to the unsaved person is that God is a great cosmic genie, and if you stroke Him the right way, you will get what you want. In other words, if you profess to believe in Jesus, God will give you a better life, better relationships and purpose in life. So, for all intents and purposes, the seeker-sensitive movement is a type of system based on giving unbelievers whatever they want. What too often happens in such a system is that people make a profession of faith, but when the circumstances of their lives don’t immediately change for their material good, they forsake Christ, believing He has failed them.

How are people responding to the “seeker” movement? Many people have responded and begun attending seeker-sensitive churches. Many people, indeed, have come to faith in Christ as a result of a seeker-sensitive church. But the bigger question is, “What does God have to say about all this?” Is it possible for a movement to be successful from a human perspective, but be unacceptable to God?

The basic premise in the seeker-sensitive movement is that there are many people out there who are seeking God and want to know Him, but the concept of the traditional church scares them away from faith in Christ. But is it true that people are truly seeking God? Actually, Scripture teaches the exact opposite! The apostle Paul tells us that “there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). This means there is no such thing as an unbeliever who is truly seeking for God on his own. Furthermore, man is dead in his sin (Ephesians 2:1), and he can’t seek God because he doesn’t recognize his need for Him, which is why Paul says that there is no one who understands. Romans 1:20-23 teaches us that all unbelievers reject the true God. They then go on to form a god that is what they want (a god in their image or the image of something else). This is a god they can tame and control. Romans 1:18-20 says they knowingly suppress what they know about God through His creation and that they are subject to God’s wrath, another doctrine studiously avoided by the seeker churches.

God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation, but unbelievers take that clear knowledge and revelation God has graciously provided and flatly reject it. This leads to Paul’s statement in Romans 1:20 that they are “without excuse.” What man finds when he seeks on his own is nothing more than a god of his own creation. Man does not seek for God; it is God who seeks for man. Jesus said that plainly in John 15:16, and John 6:44. The idea of thousands or even millions of unbelievers really searching for the true God is an utterly unbiblical notion. Thus, this movement is based on an unbiblical concept of the nature of the unsaved person, which is spiritually dead. A spiritually dead person does not seek God, nor can he. Therefore, there is no such thing as a seeking unbeliever. He does not understand the things of God until he is made alive by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Until the Father draws him (John 6:44) and the Spirit awakens the heart so he can believe and receive the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8), an unsaved person cannot believe. Salvation is completely the act of God whereby He draws and empowers the dead sinner with what is necessary to believe (John 6:37, 39-40). What part do we play in the salvation of others? God has commanded that we are the instrumentality through which the gospel is proclaimed. We share the gospel, but it is not our responsibility to make people believe, or even to try to be persuasive or manipulate them into believing. God has given us the message of the gospel; we are to share it with gentleness and reverence, but we are to share it, offensive parts and all. Nobody believes the gospel because a speaker is persuasive. People believe because of the work of God in their hearts.

God has not been vague on what His church is to be like. He didn’t leave us guessing. He has given us direction on how men are to lead His church (Acts 6:1-6, 14:23; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Ephesians 4:11), the ordinances of the church (1 Corinthians 11; Matthew 28:19), and the worship in the church—it is to be on the “Lord’s Day” (Acts 20:7), and is to consist of preaching and teaching, prayer, fellowship (Acts 2:42) and the taking of an offering (Colossians 3:16). Here, the seeker movement has missed the mark completely with its man-centered focus. When an unsaved person enters church, should our goal be to make him feel as comfortable as possible? When it comes to issues like our kindness, speaking respectfully, or even physical comfort, all who enter the church should be treated well. But the unsaved person should never feel “at home” in church, which is the body of Christ. The preaching and teaching of truth should make him feel very uncomfortable as he, hopefully, realizes the state of his soul, comes to know the existence of hell, and recognizes his need for the Savior. This discomfort is what brings people to Christ, and those who attempt to circumvent discomfort are not being loving. In fact, just the opposite is true. If we love someone, we want him to know the truth about sin, death, and salvation so we can help him avoid an eternity in hell. According to Paul, when an unbeliever enters the church and the Word of God is preached expositionally (taught directly from the Scriptures), he will be convicted and called into account for his sin. The secrets of his heart are disclosed as he confesses and repents of his sin; this leads him to humble himself and worship the God who has provided the sacrifice for his salvation.

If we apply the standards of the seeker-sensitive movement to evaluate Jesus’ ministry, we get some interesting results. At one time, Jesus was preaching to thousands, and He clearly offends nearly all of those who heard Him. They desert Him, and “from this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). The Greek words in this verse mean they left and never came back. Jesus warned us that, far from healing our relationships with others, Christians will experience rifts in their closest relationships because of Him (Matthew 10:34-37). It is true that once we are saved life is better because we are reconciled to God and have a right relationship with Him. This provides the deepest peace that can be known. However, the rest of our lives will almost certainly be more difficult than before. God has said that we will experience persecution (Matthew 10:25), the rest of the world will look upon us as fools (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23), and we may even experience deep divisions in our own families all because of Christ (Luke 12:53). Jesus never intended for us to be popular with unbelievers, saying instead that He came to bring not peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34).

The basic philosophy, theology, purpose, and end of the seeker-sensitive movement are entirely man-centered. However, some would say that regardless of the purpose, motive, and outcome of the movement being wrong, we can’t argue with the principle of getting the unsaved through the doors to hear the gospel. Certainly, any exposure we can give the unsaved to the gospel is a great thing. However, the seeker-sensitive movement sometimes doesn’t have the real gospel. Rather, it is a shell of the truth; it is hollow and void of the truths of sin, hell, and the holiness of God.

How is the rest of the body of Christ to respond to the seeker-sensitive movement? We are to “contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We are to be all the more vigilant to model our churches after the instruction of Scripture. Eventually, this movement, like all others which have come and gone over the years, will run its course and fizzle out. The seeker movement is large and well accepted, but it will eventually give way to the next fad, and in some ways that has already happened with the Emerging Church movement. Oddities within the church come and go, but the biblical church, like her Lord, endures forever.

Recommended Resource: Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work with God to Build a Faithful Church by Gary McIntosh.

QUESTION : " WHAT IS EMERGING/EMERGENT CHURCH MOVEMENT ?"

Answer: The emerging, or emergent, church movement takes its name from the idea that as culture changes, a new church should emerge in response. In this case, it is a response by various church leaders to the current era of post-modernism. Although post-modernism began in the 1950s, the church didn't really seek to conform to its tenets until the 1990s. Post-modernism can be thought of as a dissolution of "cold, hard fact" in favor of "warm, fuzzy subjectivity." The emerging / emergent church movement can be thought of the same way.

The emerging / emergent church movement falls into line with basic post-modernist thinking—it is about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, outward over inward, feelings over truth. These are reactions to modernism and are thought to be necessary in order to actively engage contemporary culture. This movement is still fairly new, though, so there is not yet a standard method of "doing" church amongst the groups choosing to take a post-modern mindset. In fact, the emerging church rejects any standard methodology for doing anything. Therefore, there is a huge range of how far groups take a post-modernist approach to Christianity. Some groups go only a little way in order to impact their community for Christ, and remain biblically sound. Most groups, however, embrace post-modernist thinking, which eventually leads to a very liberal, loose translation of the Bible. This, in turn, lends to liberal doctrine and theology.

For example, because experience is valued more highly than reason, truth becomes relative. Relativism opens up all kinds of problems, as it destroys the standard that the Bible contains absolute truth, negating the belief that biblical truth can be absolute. If the Bible is not our source for absolute truth, and personal experience is allowed to define and interpret what truth actually is, a saving faith in Jesus Christ is rendered meaningless.

Another area where the emerging / emergent church movement has become anti-biblical is its focus on ecumenism. Unity among people coming from different religious backgrounds and diversity in the expression or corporate worship are strong focuses of the emergent church movement. Being ecumenical means that compromise is taking place, and this results in a watering down of Scripture in favor of not offending an apostate. This is in direct opposition to passages such as Revelation 2:14-17, Jesus' letter to the church of Pergamum, in which the Church is warned against tolerating those who teach false doctrine.

False doctrine seems to abound within the emerging / emergent church movement, though, as stated previously, not within every group espousing emerging / emergent church beliefs. Because of this, care must be taken when deciding whether or not to become involved with an emergent church group. We all need to take heed of Matthew 7:15-20, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

While seeking new ways to witness to a changing culture is admirable, utilizing ways which compromise the Truth of the Gospel in any way is nothing more than promoting false doctrine and leading others away from Christ instead of to Him.

Recommended Resource: The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception by John MacArthur.

REVIVAL OR APOSTASY ?

by: Dave Hunt
Knowing that we are in the last of the last days, with an imminent Rapture a very real hope, our thoughts often (and indeed should) turn to the signs which Christ said would herald the nearness of His return. The signs which are most widely cited include "wars and rumours of wars...[when] nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom...and ...famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes...these are the beginning of sorrows" (Mt 24:6-8).
Unquestionably, these specific "sorrows" have been both prominent and accelerating since Israel again became a nation in 1948. Since that time, the intensity and frequency of these signs have increased like the birthpangs of a woman approaching her time of delivery, exactly as Christ foretold. However, the first sign Christ gave has been largely overlooked and His solemn warning neglected:
     And Jesus answered and said...Take heed that no man deceive you.
     For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many....(Mt 24:4,5)
     And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many....(v11)
     For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (v 24) [Emphasis added.]
Concern for this prophesied deception has marked this ministry. Let us take a closer look at the religious deception Christ foretold. He issued a warning: "take heed [beware] that no man deceive you." Its seriousness is emphasized by being thrice stated. Its nature is specified: false Christs, false prophets, and false signs and wonders. His repetition four times of the word "many" indicates a worldwide deception of multitudes.
Paul issued a similar warning: "Let no man deceive you by any means...." He explains that the spiritual deception to which Christ referred will infect the professing church. That is evident from his words "falling away," or apostasy:
     ...for that day [of the Lord] shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin [Antichrist] be revealed, the son of perdition" (2Thes2:3).
While a true Christian cannot fall away, a false Christian can. Fall away from what? From the faith in Christ which he or she has outwardly professed without inward reality. Those few apostates who announce themselves as atheists or convert to Buddhism or Hinduism are not the concern of Christ and Paul. They are warning of a turning from the truth within the professing church. Other scriptures confirm this, as we shall see.
Paul warns us not to be deceived into thinking that the apostasy won't come. It must. Such a warning can only mean that in the last days many will reject the biblical teaching that apostasy is inevitable. The false prophets to whom Christ refers will use their signs and wonders to support their false teaching that revival, not apostasy, is underway. Paul therefore warns not to be deceived with talk about revival: the apostasy must come or Christ will not return!
           *****************************************************
           *                                                   *
           *   "Then the LORD said to me, The prophets         *
           *    prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not,     *
           *    neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto    *
           *    you a false vision and divination, and a thing *
           *    of nought, and the deceit of their heart."     *
           *                       (Jeremiah 14:14)            *
           *****************************************************
That fact is clarified by other scriptures. False signs and wonders will be an integral part of the apostasy. The departure from the truth will be spearheaded by apparent miracle workers, and the delusion will be made possible by a prevailing emphasis upon experience over doctrine: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine" (2Tm4:3). Christ declares,
     Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
     And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Mt 7:22-23).
These apostates of whom Christ speaks do not lose their salvation; they were never saved ("I never knew you"). Yet they are high-profile Christian leaders apparently performing signs and wonders in the name of Christ. Tragically, they seem to think that their ability to prophesy and to perform wonders proves that they belong to Him. The signs and wonders are so impressive that doctrine no longer matters -exactly what we see today!
Surely these of whom Christ speaks in Matthew 7 must be the same "false Christs and false prophets" to whom He refers in Matthew 24. Moreover, the signs and wonders they are able to perform are apparently so impressive that without discernment by the Holy Spirit even the very elect would be deceived by them. Obviously, something more than mere trickery is involved. These miracle workers are backed by the power of Satan, whom they unwittingly serve in the name of the Lord.
Clearly, the Bible predicts a last-days signs and wonders movement-but it will be of Satan, thus a delusion that will deceive many. After a solemn warning that in the last days "perilous times [not revival!] shall come," Paul makes this remarkable statement:
     Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these [apostates] also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith (2Tm3:8).
Jannes and Jambres were the magicians in Pharaoh's court who, through the power of Satan, duplicated (up to a point) the miracles God did through Moses and Aaron. Paul thus declares that the last days opposition to the truth will not come so much from outside the church but from those within who are reprobate conceming the faith, depraved men who corrupt the truth. And they do so by performing apparent miracles in Christ's name but which (when more than mere trickery) are actually of Satan. In that way, they deceive and lead many astray-not out of the church, but into false doctrine and thus a false hope within the church. Satan has no more effective tactic to damn souls!
Consider the example we gave two years ago of Benny Hinn on TBN (with Paul and Jan Crouch giving full support) telling with much merriment of a man's wig flying off when he fell "under the power" after Hinn touched his forehead. The man pulled the wig back on, a bit askew, got up and Hinn touched him again just to see himfall and the wigfly off. This occurred five times, boasted Hinn with a laugh. Was this God's power on display, the Holy Spirit at work? Surely not! Then what was it-this power that Hinn claims to pick up at the graves of Kathryn Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson?
Such questions involving the whole gamut of today's revival scene, from Toronto to Pensacola, must be seriously faced! Videos of the services show people crawling on the floor, howling like wolves, barking like dogs, roaring like lions, going through bodily contortions impossible without the aid of some spiritual power, unable to speak or even remember their names when they try to give a testimony -and worse. Many of those being baptized at Pensacola seem to lose consciousness or shake so violently that they must be carried out of the baptismal tank or they would drown. Others flail about so wildly as to require several men to handle them. Such manifestations were also found in past "revivals" among the Shakers, the Mormons and many other cults. That such things could now be accepted widely as evidence of the Holy Spirit can only testify to the depths of the delusion!
Jude exhorts us to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Contend against whom? Surely not primarily against godless enemies outside the church. The warning concerns those within: "For there are certain men crept in unawares" (v4). Crept in can only mean inside the church.
Paul confirms Jude in addressing the Ephesian elders: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). The spiritual deception of which Christ warned would be rampant within the church.
In further confirmation, Christ warned His disciples that "the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service" (Jn 16:2)-a most remarkable prophecy. He can't be referring to the slaughter of Christians by the Caesars or by Mao or Stalin or Hitler, for they did not believe they were thereby serving God. Yes, when the Jews killed the early Christians they thought they were serving God; so did the Roman Catholics when they slaughtered the true Christians before and after the Reformation; and so it was when Muslims killed Christians. But none of this was the complete fulfillment of Christ's prophecy.
"Whosoever" is the key. Neither the Pharisees, the popes nor the Muslims were alone in killing Christians. Others pursued them to the death at the same time. But Christ is saying that a time is coming when whosoever (in other words, everyone) who kills Christians will think he is serving God thereby. That can only mean that a world religion to which everyone must belong is coming, a religion that will seek to exterminate true Christians in the name of God. John saw the same scene in the future:
     And it was given unto him [Antichrist] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them....
     And I beheld another beast...he exerciseth all the power of the first beast...and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast....
     And he had power to...cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed (Rv13:7-15).
To summarize, the scriptural warnings foretell the very delusion we find in our day: 1 ) a false signs and wonders movement led by many false prophets; 2) many being deceived through these seeming miracles; 3) the rejection of the biblical teaching concerning apostasy and the insistence that we are in the midst of, or at least are building up to, the "greatest revival in the history of the church." Such is the prevailing teaching today among charismatics and increasingly among evangelicals. The promise of revival will be part of the last-days deception, Paul warns, so beware. Instead, in the days preceding the Rapture there will be a great apostasy, a falling away from the faith. Don't be part of it!
         ***************************************************
         *  Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs  *
         *  and wonders, ye will not believe." (John 4:48) *
         ***************************************************
That we must earnestly contend for the faith against those who have crept into the church implies that the battle is not so much one of faith against unbelief, but rather of true faith against false faith. And that, too, is precisely what we see today. Articles in leading medical journals cite studies showing that those who have any "religious faith" are more likely to recover from illness. Christianity Today recently ran a major article naively promoting these studies as though they were supportive of the truth.1 Instead, God has been reduced to a placebo that can come in any shape, size or color.
Multitudes of Christians imagine that faith is believing that what they are praying for will happen and that if they truly believe, they will have whatever they ask. Obviously, if things happen because one believes they will, then one does not need God. This is mind power, not the "faith in God" Christ taught (Mk 11:22). It is faith in faith, which Kenneth Hagin and his followers such as Copeland and Price teach, calling it "the law of faith," which even non-Christians can use to get alleged miracles.2
The great tragedy is that evangelical leaders who ought to expose error commend false prophets instead. A prime example was Norman Vincent Peale. In 1984, on the Phil Donahue program, Peale said, "It's not necessary to be born again. You have your way to God; I have mine. I found eternal peace in a Shinto shrine ...I've been to Shinto shrines, and God is everywhere." Shocked, Phil Donahue responded, "But you're a Christian minister; you're supposed to tell me that Christ is the way and the truth and the life, aren't you?" Peale replied, "Christ is one of the ways. God is everywhere."3 Yet Peale, whose many heresies and occult practices were flaunted before the world and church, has been praised by evangelical leaders, from Billy Graham on down, and his books and magazines are read by millions of evangelical Christians!
The topic on everyone's lips and mind today is revival. Christian TV and radio and bestselling books persuasively argue that we are in the midst of the greatest revival of Christianity in the history of the world. Enthusiasts point to the signs and wonders occurring in such places as the former Toronto Vineyard, the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida, Benny Hinn's church in Orlando, Florida, his huge televised crusades, etc.
It comes as a shock to many to learn that the word "revival" does not appear even once in the entire King James Bible. The hope of revival which excites so many today is not even a biblical concept. Ask yourself a few questions: Is Christ not indwelling us? Is He not in our midst each time we meet? Are we not to be filled with the Holy Spint at all times? Is not the Word of God sufficient? Why, then, run after signs and wonders as though unusual manifestations prove that God is at work, while neglecting what God has already given us? We will return to this topic in the future.
In the meantime, undertake a study to see what the Bible says. Check every source (including TBC) against Scripture! Be a Berean. TBC
 
Endnotes:
===============================
1 Christianity Today (Jan 6,1997), 20-30.
2 Kenneth E. Hagin, Having Faith in Your Faith (Rhema,1980), 3-4.
3 Christian News (May 12,1997),11.

THIS IS GOD'S MINISTRY

Click here to hear a brief 2 minute clip from Dr. Hyles' timeless sermon classic, Slippery When Wet.

Psalms 5:12, “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”

       I love all my web visitors, whosoever you may be, with God's unconditional love. I truly do. I pray for you all daily, for God's will to be done in your life. You are loved in the Lord. And I thank those who pray for me and this needful ministry daily. I love the Lord and He is the sole reason that this ministry is here. God has put this in my heart. Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
I love the picture to the right... CHRIST IS RISEN!!! Amen! Colossians 3:1-2, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Jesus is on His throne, reigning on high!
Well this week brought quite a scare for many of my web visitors and I apologize. My website was shut down for over a day by my webhosting company. All that my 50,000 daily web visitors found was the disinheartening message, “This account has been suspended.” In addition to my usual health afflictions and accidentally slamming the pinky toe on my right foot on a box Friday, et cetera, the past couple days have been challenging. My toe turned blue the next morning. Ouch! I don't think I broke anything, but I'm watching it closely. Please say a prayer for my pinky toe.
Before I say any more, I want everyone to know that I'm not going anywhere as long as God wills it so. This ministry is Gods and He alone decides what happens to it. I have no intentions of quitting. I get tired, frustrated and broken down oftentimes due to my health afflictions, but everyone has problems, heartaches and afflictions. That's life! Expect bad things to happen, but don't worry, I'll bounce back with God's help if it is His will. But realize that this ministry is just my personal website and won't be here indefinitely. I encourage others to start your own ministries for that very reason. The only thing that is permanent are the inspired Words of God (Psalm 12:6-7; 119:89). That's why the heart of my ministry is uplifting the King James Bible and the precious name of Jesus Christ! HEAR YE HIM!
This is much more than a website, it's God's ministry. Expect suspended accounts and even termination one day. It can happen, but it won't be my decision. I will do my very best to prevent doing anything that will cause such actions, sincerely, but as our nation deteriorates spiritually, so will the laws. I don't know what to expect. So let's be ready for anything. If the Devil shuts me down, then by God's grace I'll be back up and running soon if there's any way humanly possible and I'm able to do anything about it.
I owe a lot of credit to my webhosting company over the past decade. Although we haven't always agreed eye-to-eye on things, they have given me the freedom to use plenty of resources to build the website God has impressed upon my heart. Bandwidth and disk storage are very expensive if you check prices online. This website draws one terabyte of bandwidth per month and occupies 25 gigabytes of disk space. That's an incredibly large website by most standards. I believe God led me to this company in 2002 for a reason. Everything that you see only costs me about $190 a year. You won't find that anywhere. I've offered them much more money, but they have always declined. So they deserve plenty of credit.
So if you see this website suspended, just relax and know that it's all part of having a website ministry. Things happen. It is normal for a website to be down for a day or two when that happens. Expect it, and don't fret it (unless you play guitar... get it, frets? oh boy). Anyway, I give God all the honor, praise and thanks, because without Him we wouldn't have any liberties or freedoms. Thank God for our freedoms and liberty in America. God is an awesome God and is greatly to be praised!
By the way, by right mouse-clicking on the main webpage of this site (click on the background anywhere), and then select "Set as Background" on the drop-down menu, then you can make the photo of the universe your desktop background. I just did mine and it looks very nice. But I usually just use plain black, with no designs.
 
The Bible Foretold That Persecution Would Come
One of the false prophets that I expose in southeast-Asia decided to make trouble for me. One of the employees of his religious organization alleged copyright infringement. It was a quote containing some text of his property holdings and a photo of him. The truth is that they're upset because I'm exposing him. I'm still exposing the guy, which is my legal right, but I prefer not to mention his name, simply because I don't want one of my loyal fans to make trouble for him. I am not a retaliatory person and don't expose someone more just because they attack me. I expose false prophets because God commands every believer to (Titus 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:11), I never attack people based upon my person feelings. That would be wrong. As Christians we are to let the Lord avenge us, and He certainly will (Romans 12:19). This website is simply a VOICE crying in the wilderness of cyberspace in Jesus' precious name.
The aforementioned false prophet that I'm exposing denies that Jesus is God the Father and he denies the Godhead. Like I said, I'm still exposing him (and will continue to do so), as I do hundreds of false prophets, but to mention him at this time I feel would be out of character for me as a Christian. I don't ever want anyone to think that I'm making it personal. It's not. I love everyone, even the false prophets that I expose in Jesus' name.
Over the past 10 years I can only remember about 3-4 complaints of copyright infringement, which is remarkable. YouTube is a copyright infringement battleground. That's why for my videos I've started using CreativeCommons media files (videos, audio, photos), which are all copyright free. I wrote about this in my article on making your own movies.
God has used a handful of preachers to change my life, and I love them as brothers. There's a pastor whom I love dearly, who preached some sermons against worldly music. I uploaded one of his preaching sermons exposing Rock music and a popular online ministry complained to YouTube. So I had to remove certain sections of the video. I choose not to mention the preacher, nor the video, nor the ministry that complained. The purpose of my ministry is to build, not to destroy.
There's a wonderful truth in Nehemiah about building the wall. The enemies of God's people tried to hinder the rebuilding of the wall and temple. They sent requests to Nehemiah to come down so they could talk. Nehemiah said I cannot come down for, “I AM DOING A GREAT WORK!” Likewise, there are enemies of God who want this ministry to cease. They will win some of the fights, but the battle is the Lord's. We are on the winning side in Christ. The Word of God tells us the future, and we already know who wins! Amen!!! Do you know what prophecy is? Prophecy is history written in advance! I learned that from Dr. Oliver B. Greene in his awesome book, PROPHECY!
In Dr. Jack Hyles awesome sermon, SLIPPERY WHEN WET (Listen), he says at 41:18 that oftentimes God will sprinkle water on our path to make the way slippery, which causes us to walk with care. We are more careful walking when the ground is slippery. So sometimes God sends tribulation and hardship to cause us to walk more carefully.
The apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 12:15, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” As I draw nearer to God and abide in the Scriptures, I find myself lonelier each day in a Godless society where few people know God. It is truly a blessing to fellowship with like-minded believers. The more that we care as Christians, the more obvious it becomes of others who don't care. The more ethical we become, the more obvious it becomes of those who are unethical. The more that we love, the more clearer it becomes of others who don't care.
 
Jesus Said To Rejoice When Persecution Comes, Because Great Is Our Reward In Heaven
The Bible says to rejoice when God's enemies persecute us, for so did the wicked to the prophets of old. Matthew 5:12, “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” “Great” is our reward Jesus said. Amen, I'm laying up treasures in Heaven. This is God's ministry and website. If God wants this website online, there's not a human being on this earth who can stop it. Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” And if God decides it's time to end, there's not a soul on earth who can keep it online. I live by faith, not fear.
Again, I want to encourage all of my web visitors that I'm not going anywhere until the Lord takes me home to glory. So don't get scared when occasionally you see my account suspended. People happen. It's all part of having a big ministry and website like I do. I'm fighting for the Lord, contending for the faith, and that makes many people upset. The Bible says in 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The Bible didn't say maybe or perhaps, but “shall suffer persecution.” If you're serving God and not being persecuted, you're doing it wrong.
By the way, I own my domain name (Jesus-is-Savior.com). That's mine and no one can take it from me. The domain name is completely separate from the hosting company. Legally it is mine and I've renewed it out 5-years (and I'll keep renewing it as soon as I can, as far out as I can). Someone actually offered to buy my website this week. No, no, no! It'll be a cold day in Hades before I ever sell my ministry. God knows that I mean this... I wouldn't take a million dollars for my ministry.
Just as Jezebel murdered Naboth to steal his land, so are there evil people in this world that would love to steal this website. Satan always exploits what God builds. I'm just a nobody, but God is bigger than all. I trust the Lord to protect me and this ministry. My work for the Lord means more to me than all the money in the world. Who knows what may happen next? But don't despair my friends in Christ, if you see this website down or gone, I assure you that it's NOT my doing and by God's mercy and grace I will be back up and running. I have never even thought of throwing in the towel, not once!
Yet, having said that, there are many things that I don't understand in this world. The laws and regulations in America are so easily rigged, manipulated and abused that I wouldn't put anything past anyone. In lieu of NDAA, effectively we have no more Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is violated by courts countless times every single day all across America—whether it be restricting free speech, cruel and unusual punishment of citizens, or using legal loopholes to deny poor parents free legal representation as required by the 5th Amendment. When the U.S. Constitution was first presented to the American people, they refused to accept it until some changes were made to it. Those first ten changes became known as the Bill of Rights. The 2nd Amendment is the right to bear arms (weapons). This right is being taken away from Americans little-by-little. A total gun ban is coming. This is the first thing that Communists do when they take over, that is, disarm the citizens.
I've been reading in the news for a long time about coming internet censorship, especially for Bible-preaching Christians. There are powerful people who want to make websites like mine go away. Eventually they will find a way. So be advised that this website won't be allowed online as it is today when the wicked get their way. Albeit, I try not to worry about things that I have no control over. I sincerely believe that the Lord's return is very near. The world is so crazy these days! The Bible tells us not to worry, but to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7). Most people tend to worry, and I confess I have to work in this area as well. Worry is over-concern about the future. This is quite different than being wisely concerned about the future.
 
Expect Persecution To Come When You're Fighting Against Satan
Again, so expect to see my website ministry suspended occasionally (I hope not, but things happen), if not altogether terminated. I don't want anyone feeling betrayed or sad over this stuff. My biggest concern during the entire time my website was down the other day, was that many of my regular faithful visitors had their heart shaken and were very sad. I'm so sorry that this happened. It's all part of having an online ministry. So just anticipate this kind of stuff happening. If my website goes down, I assure you that it is against my wishes. But don't worry, be of good cheer as Jesus said in John 16:33, for Christ is risen and we are on the winning side in the Lord. I'm not going anywhere.
I take responsibility for any copyright infringement. It's my fault. I'm not passing the blame. By suspending my website, it causes me to be more aware of what I copy from the public domain. With over 50,000 files on my website, it's to be expected that someone will claim that something is theirs. I share everything I have with others, and I want people to feel free to copy and use anything and everything from all my websites. Everybody is different and I respect those differences. Albeit, it's our differences as humans that cause conflicts. Brother Hyles has a great book titled, How To Treat Different Types Of Church Members. Dealing with different types of people's personalities is often challenging.
I can guarantee you one thing, as long as I have the ability to do so I'll always be serving God. I might be in a rescue mission, or homeless on the street and ministering to other homeless people, but I'll always serve the Lord and preach His Word! Electronically, the internet is as much a blessing to the cause of Christ; as it is a curse which furthers the cause of Satan. The internet overall is an evil place. If it weren't for my ministry I'd get rid of it. Albeit, Lord willing I plan to continue fighting the good fight of faith, preaching the gospel, contending for the faith, taking a stand for God and faithfully serving Christ on the internet. This is God's ministry. We don't know how long that we'll be here on earth, but until the Lord returns or calls us home we are hid in Christ (Colossians 3:1-3) and serve Him. Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Won't it be wonderful when Jesus comes and He has complete control over the world! It will be awesome when the Lord reigns and Hollywood is outlawed. It will be wonderful when the Lord returns and the wicked are put down forever. It will be awesome when Jesus comes back and there will be no more wars, no more newsmedia, no more corruption, no more evil. When the Lord returns, there will never be another sad day again for the Christian believer. This world is the only hell that a Christian will ever suffer, and the only heaven that the wicked will ever enjoy.
I am so glad, happy and joyful that I am on the winning side in Jesus Christ! John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jesus said that the servant is not greater than his Master. If the world hated and persecuted Jesus, then so will they hate and persecute us as His disciples. Jesus is precious!
 
Pray For God To Continue Giving This Ministry A Door Of Utterance Around The World
One thing that I learned from Pastor Jack Hyles in my 8-years at Hyles Anderson College and First Baptist Church (1985-1993) is... DON'T QUIT. We were required to cut the word out of our dictionary. Amen! I have too much time, sacrifice and life invested in my ministry to turn back now. This is a labor of love! It's full-steam ahead. Don't mistake my health afflictions and moaning and groaning from time-to-time when I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all... God's Word burns in my heart like a fire, just as it did Jeremiah 20:9. I'm simply sharing these truths with my web visitors to let you all know that I have no intentions of ever giving up my online ministry, come what may.
It is actually quite remarkable that this ministry has had the incredible door of utterance that God has given. I pray daily for a continued door of utterance, just as Paul did for his ministry. Colossians 4:3, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.” If this ministry ever disappears, it will only be because God's people stopped praying. When the church prayed, Peter was delivered from death; but it wasn't until after James had been killed (Acts 12:1-4). As long as I have any sanity and health, I don't plan on going anywhere by God's grace and mercy. Please pray for this work in the Lord.
Again, even if you see that this account has been terminated one day (hopefully not), I'll be up and running in a couple weeks at most, Lord willing. I can open a new account in one hour, but it takes time for the technical stuff and to upload the many files. So don't you worry. That was my only concern while my ministry was down, that is, the sadness it struck in the hearts of my many faithful web visitors who are blessed daily by this labor of love in the Lord. I'm here for you, in Jesus' name. You are loved in Christ.
So just rest assure in your heart that I have absolutely no intentions of quitting. I'd rather die first. Even if, God forbid, one day you see that my account has been terminated, don't panic, it's just a pothole in the road of life. It may take a couple weeks to relocate, but Lord willing “I'll be back” as Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for saying in his movies. And by the way, I have no plans of changing webhosting companies (I've been with the same company for 10 years now), but I'm just saying that I don't want you to worry about that.
If you pray for this ministry, then you are a co-labourer with me. Colossians 4:12, “always labouring fervently for you in prayers.” If Jesus was persecuted, even crucified, then we can expect the same as His disciples. I don't worry about it. If anything ever happens to this website, then I'll know God has other plans for my ministry. To lose anything in the will of God is to find something better. Bob Jones Sr. said that. I'm going to trust the Lord and try not to worry. It's human nature to worry, but God told us not to, but in everything by prayer and supplication, make our requests known unto Him (Philippians4:6-7).
 
Final Words
I am learning day-by-day how to be a webmaster. I've never liked that term. It sounds so arrogant. The only Master I serve is Jesus. So I always refer to myself as a webservant instead. It's my fault that my website was suspended for a day. I sincerely copied something that I found on the internet that was allegedly copyrighted. But I can't e-mail everyone about every single thing I use. What if I contacted Arnold Schwarzenegger and asked him if a photo I found of him online is copyrighted? He would think I'm a lunatic (and I would be).
The complaint filed against my website wasn't even about intellectual property. It was some land lot numbers. Every house is on a numbered lot. That's standard all around the world. I never would have known that it was copyrighted, and neither would have you unless you are familiar with land surveying. But it's still my fault, sincerely, because I am the webmaster and I'm supposed to know.
So as much as I try not to copy someone's precious intellectual property, et cetera, it happens. It's a very serious matter and I'll do my best to avoid doing it, but don't panic if you see my website down occasionally. It's been years as far as I can remember since my website was down for a day. Let's praise the Lord for that, and again a big thumbs-up to my web hosting company.
I apologize that my health afflictions hinder me from spending the hours per day reading and answering e-mails that I wish I could. Literally, answering e-mails is a completely separate ministry and requires hours per day. We'll have eternity to fellowship, and what a time that will be with the Lord our King!
My life has been upside down in recent years and I'm hanging in there the best I can with God's strength. I had a difficult enough time with my health afflictions prior to me surgeries, but now I'm much worse off. Never let them cut into you if you can avoid it. I didn't want to live with the pain and now I have to live with the pain and peripheral neuropathy. It's not living I assure you. But Philippians 3:21 is precious to my mind, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
I love all of you in the Lord, whosoever you may be!

Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”