TAKE A LOOK AT THE SERIOUSNESS OF SUICIDE

MY SISTER ELLEN HAS POSTED A MOST SERIOUS ARTICAL ON SUICIDE, A MUST READ

WHAT A LIFE ON THE FARM

WHAT A LIFE ON THE JOHN 855

PERSONAL STRUGGLES AND MINISTRY

SOME JUST FALL DOWN

Last week I found myself in a discussion with someone, and the topic came up about God's Will. (I am not going to mention the person name. And since there have been a number of preachers who have resigned their church in the last year, I am sure there will be those who will say I am talking about the one they know.) "And I am sure any number of people could have asked the same questions of their pastor who resigned the church.

My purpose of this post is to address those who have resigned a church due to struggles within the church, or who have suffered a personal tragedy.

• "Do you believe it was God's will for (preacher) to leave the church he was the pastor and come to his current church?"
• "Do you believe its God's will for (another pastor) to leave and go to another church?" And I gave my answer.
• The response was "How can you know that was God's will or not?"
  

Many preachers will say this, "The Lord is moving me to leave this church, and go to another church." I hear that a lot. It is true? 90% of the time, its not the will of God for a preacher to leave a church, if God has called him to that church. Nor do I believe its God's will for a church to call another pastor of a church to come to their church. But this is my opinion.

NOR DO I BELIEVE A PREACHER SHOULD QUIT.

Here I am talking about, quiting the ministry as a result of bad experiences in ministry. If I had quit as a result of getting fired from my first paid position (Southall Baptist Church in 1967) I would have never finished Seminary. We can fall down on our faces in ministry. But we should never quit.

Here I am talking about all those who have been in any kind of church ministry. DON'T QUIT.

There are times we need to leave a ministry, I understand that, what I am talking about is quiting doing what we believe the Lord has called us to do. For four years I was unable to preach and teach in a local church on a regular basis. I found myself rather discouraged. Until one Sunday, one of the members of the church said, "Charles, you will always have an attitude of a pastor, and it shows while you are in this church." While the leadership of the church was not willing, the people in the church knew it. So I came to understand, there are more than one way to be used of the Lord.

THERE ARE MANY IT SEEMS WHO JUST QUIT ALTOGETHER.

What is sad, some of these preachers who are the pastor of some larger churches quit and then go into hiding and as Phil Johnson said, "Then after a year or three, the person resurfaces as an agnostic, and after "coming out," becomes increasingly aggressive and militant in spreading the gospel of skepticism."

And so often these men who were in these churches that quit, one was addicted to pornography, another was having an extramarital affair, and the third had decided to openly indulge a homosexual bent he had struggled with secretly for years. No I am not talking about those in the music field, nor the Hollywood crowd, nor in the political field, but those in the Christian field.

TWO POINTS I AM MAKING HERE:

ONE: Good men who really love the Lord, and they get slammed by the ministry, I say to them, DON'T QUIT. Check your motives, check your soul, spirit and heart to see if its right with Christ, and if it is DON'T QUIT. Don't let other people, preachers, and ministries be the last word. Talk to your wife, talk to your children, talk to your close friends, ask them what they see in you. Keep a clear channel with Christ. Listen to and learn what the Lord is doing in your life.

SECOND: Those who are in ministry and are living a secret live of sin, QUIT. No, not the ministry but your SIN. On the other hand, you might need to step down, until you are able to seek the right kind of help you need.

NETWORKING? IS THIS A GOOD WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS?

I have found, I don't have close personal follow preachers who really are interested in you and your problems. I had one just friend in Neodesah, Kansas who I would have feel conformable to ask for any kind of help.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF 'NETWORKING ' ON THE WEB IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO EITHER. I AM SPEAKING ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES.

• E-mailing is really a poor way of talking about personal issues. Believe me I have failed in this area. Click and send an email can be damaging to one's friendship with others. ' And some will keep emails for a year, and then send them all at once to others.

MY SUGGESTING TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH MINISTRY or PERSONAL TRAGEDY.

• If you find yourself resentful and doubting in the wake of personal tragedy, or you get resentful of working in a church, a failed ministry, or whatever, don't cultivate a kind of emotionally-driven doubt about what you know God has put in your soul, spirit and heart. (And if you do, don't salve your mind by assuring yourself that your doubts are "rational.") I do understand and sympathize with the depth of grief suffered by someone who is suffering personal loss such as the death of one's children or the loss of one's health, or getting fired from a position that was successful, or whatever. Job lost everything at once, and his response is the model of true faith: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15) That didn't keep him from saying (later in that very same verse), "Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him." But if the opening phrase of that verse doesn't describe the quality of your belief in God, your "faith" probably will not survive the inevitable sorrows and hardships of life in this sin-cursed world.

IS GOD SOVERIGN OVER OUR FREE WILL?

GOD IS SOVEREIGN, CAN MAN BE FREE
IF GOD IS SOVEREIGN, HOW CAN MAN BE FREE?

Read from Genesis 50:15-19. Walked us through the story of Joseph's faithfulness in the midst of various trials whereby he was treated unjustly first by his brothers, then by Potipher's wife, then by a fellow prisoner.

MAN FREELY CHOOSES EVIL, GOD PURPOSELY USES IT FOR GOOD (deliberately, with intend, intentionally)

As his brothers beg for forgiveness (possibly motivated by a fear of punishment), they acknowledge that their actions toward Joseph were evil. Joseph asks them the question, "Am I in the place of God?"

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Gen 50:19-20

Joseph acknowledges that his brothers' intentions were evil. But he also recognizes that God was intimately (closely) involved in the evil that He experienced at the hands of his brothers. Joseph recognizes that even the treachery his brothers committed would be used by God for the good of those who love Him.

Nevertheless, the acts committed were themselves evil. Evil behavior. Evil intentionality. (deliberate, done with purpose) But over and above the human intentionality, God was purposefully at work to bring about good. Why do we call the day on which the most egregious, flagrant act of injustice was committed "good Friday"? Because of God's intentionality. i.e. done on purpose, not by accident. Notice that were it not for Joseph's coat of many colors--which pushed his brothers over the edge, prompting them to sell him into slavery--there would be no Potiphar, if no Potiphar, then no Potiphar's wife, and no going to jail, and no getting elevated to Pharoah's right hand man. But God is involved at every stage in this chain of events. Inevitably, without doubt, the question of God's sovereignty and man's freedom comes up. But it is not that hard if we remember:

What is the difference between human beings and a Supreme being? One is Supreme. God is a volitional Being. (the ability to make conscious choices or decisions) He has a divine faculty or power, whereby He makes decisions, undergoes choices. We humans are also volitional beings; our Creator has endowed us with a faculty, mental power of choosing. We have the ability to make choices. There was a leading philosopher named Edmund Husserl (1859-1938). There was a big question in his day on the issue of "personalism". What is it that makes we humans "persons"? The answer Husserl submitted is that we have the ability to make choices. One of his disciples became a leading atheistic thinker: John Paul Sarte.

HUMAN FREEDOM OR HUMAN AUTONOMY?

Sarte argued that human freedom meant God could not be real. But Sarte's conception of freedom was autonomy. And unless you were free in the sense of autonomy, you could not be free. What does autonomy mean? Well, "auto" means self. And "mobile" is something that moves. So "auto" means self and "nomos" means law. So "autonomy" means, literally, "self law" or "self rule". So Sarte's idea was this: To be truly free we must have autonomy. We must have no accountability to anyone outside of us. A true antimony (impossibility) would be reconciling God's sovereignty and man's autonomy. Those two are truly mutually contradictory. Human autonomy (self rule) is the illegitimate,(not carried out in accordance with the law) illicit (illegal) reach of dependent creatures who want to elevate themselves to the level of God.

In reality, God is free, His creatures are free - but in the Scriptures we see that God is freer than humans. If we say "God's freedom is limited by human freedom," we're actually making humans sovereign.

THE DOCTRINE OF CONCURRENCE

We talk about the doctrine of concurrence at this point. Joseph's brothers, in selling Joseph into slavery, did exactly what they wanted to do. Nobody forced them to do it. That said, we never limit God's freedom. God can always thwart human designs. Though we choose according to our desires, our very actions are made under God (with the enabling that God grants us). God's freedom is always larger. We are never autonomous. Self-directed, self-sufficient, self government, self ruling, or sovereign

On a moral plane, we are born into this world as slaves of sin. We are not morally able to do that which is truly good. We will act according with our desires, and in the manner that is according to our strongest *inclination.

• Leaning, proclivity, preference, liking, partiality, fondness, and tendency

And even when our desires are evil, God will work through them to bring about good.
You may have heard: "God saves everyone that He possibly can. He does the best He can, but He will never violate your will."

The problem is that before God invaded our hearts, we were slaves of sin. In regeneration, God elevates our wills.

• philosophy personal independence and the capacity to make moral decisions and act on them’’
  
  
• Taking place, existing, or running parallel at the same time
  Harmony consensus
  
  
  Charles E. Whisnant, Pastor/Teacher
  September 28, 2008
  Research Notes, gleamed from study notes.
  Dr. R.C. Sproul

Used Sunday Morning in the Adult Bible Fellowship Class at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

HOW TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD

A NOTE BOOK AND A CUP OF HOT COFFEE.... OUR YOUR CHOICE, YOUR FREE WILL.

What I have learned over the last few months, in preaching from the Bible, verse by verse and word by word, people will listen to the interpretation of the text. And what I have discovered that they agree in general with what the text is saying. Example: I Thessalonians 1 address several topics within themselves creates debate, but within the text there is little debate.

An example: "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God." 1 Thess 1:4 (KJV) Here in the text you have the doctrine of Election. I like to call this doctrine the Doctrines of Grace. The means whereby a unbeliever becomes a believer in Jesus Christ.

Secondly: "For our gospel came.." 1 Thess 1:5 (KJV) Here we see the Doctrine of the Gospel. And I was able to take that word "gospel" and describe what the Gospel is. Far too often we only teach the basis of the gospel and we leave out the meat of the gospel truth.

Thirdly: "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:"
Baptist do not generally use the term "elders", yet within this passage of Scripture Paul is clear about the term "elder." And within this verse, I was able again to share the principle of Eldership in the church.

Fourthly: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; "1 Peter 5:1-2 (KJV)

Here again we were able to interpret the text "Feed the flock of God." We were able to bring out the meaning:

• Feed -- Greek, "Tend as a shepherd," by discipline and doctrine. Lead, feed, heed: by prayer, exhortation, government, and example. The dignity is marked by the term "elder"; the duties of the office, to tend or oversee, by "bishop." Peter has in mind Christ's injunction to him, "Feed (tend) My sheep . . . Feed (pasture) My lambs" John 21:16). He invites the elders to share with him the same duty (compare Acts 20:28) . The flock is Christ's. —Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary


• The word "Feed" could be translated "Shepherd". Shepherd the members of the church.


• Thus within the context of the passage of Scripture we were able to bring out the role of the Elder, Shepherd, Elder, Pastor, Preacher. All the terms describe the same person who has leadership over Christ's people in the local church.

What I have been able to learn, the people in the church love learning the Word of God. They really like to get to the meat of the Word, they have had a lot of milk, which is good, but now its time for some solid food.

Whereas in our independent Baaaaptist..Churches, it is often taught that we only need to read the Bible, that is the king james version, and a dictionary. And often its the 1611 that they often say we need to read. Which is of course rather impossible to do so.

We have had it planted into our minds for a number of years, that the only words we should use is the kjv words, because they are the only real words of the Word of God. I am not going to suggest that the kjv is not a good translation, because it is one the best translations. I would trust the text in all doctrines. What I have suggested is that words do change over 400 years.

And this we discovered in our sermon on Sunday Evening from Philippians

• "in the bowels of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:8 "Christ Jesus" is the order in the oldest manuscripts. My yearning love (so the Greek implies) to you is not merely from natural affection, but from devotedness to Christ Jesus.— Whereas we used "tender affections" of Jesus Christ. Here then we were able to change the word "bowels" and give the meaning of the text.

So then when I read from the kjv, and then I give the meaning of the words, the word itself will be different. Example: Feed my flock, to Shepherd my sheep. You have not hurt the Word of God by doing so.

WHEREAS WHEN PREACHERS ONLY USE APPLICATION IN THEIR SERMON, THE DON'T NEED TO GIVE AN INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT. AND OFTEN WHAT THEY ARE SAY, IS NOT THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Yet if they were to give the real meaning of the verses they were in, they would have to discover the interpretation of the words and they would be surprise what they really mean by what they say in the context of the verse and chapter they are reading from.

THUS WHEN I INTERPRETED THE TEXT, AND DON'T USE LABELS, THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT IS WHAT THE TEXT IS REALLY SAYING. Whereas if I were to label the topic or the teaching, they would not be ready to agree even before I taught.

SO I DON'T USE THE TERMS CALVINIST AND ARMINIAN BEFORE I TEACH. Well not yet anyway. Because most people have already made up their minds what they think those terms mean anyway.

JUNK FOOD OR SOLID MEAL PREACHING

LIVING IN FINANCIAL CRISIS?

A Christian View of the Economic Crisis

Personally I have studied and researched what the Bible speaks about money and financial wisdom. The Bible has a lot to say about how we are to view Economics 101. The Bible says a lot about how we are to buy and sell. The Bible does address the issue of living in our culture. Interesting... the Bible was written 2000 years ago and yet speaks to us today. What other book do you know that will do that? The Christian life as prescribed in the Bible is for all time and in all ages and in all lands, in all nations, and in all people groups. And the principles of living are designed to help Christians in all conditions.

CRISIS! Our topic: Financial.

• "a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful, especially a time when action must be taken to avoid complete disaster or breakdown."

The idea of a Christian in crisis as define above often happens. There are times and even periods of uncertainty, and difficulty, and times of painful experiences. There are times in our lives where we might not know where the next paycheck is coming from.

There have been a number of times in our life where we didn't know where the next check was coming from. Without warning, we lost our position in a church, without knowing where the next position was coming from. Several times we moved from one city to another city without knowing where I was going to work or even knowing where we would live at the moment. (we stayed with a family member or a friend for a brief time.) CRISIS? Well, in the sense of uncertain, difficult and a little painful, and we needed to take action, yes.

GOD'S PLAN FOR CRISIS TIME IN THESE SITUATIONS?

Working and Giving: God's Way to Live Free from Worry in a Failed Economy

Have I always practiced wisdom in finance? Have I always practiced what I know are the right practices in finances? Have I failed in practice what I know and have learned over the years? The answer is yes in all the above. But you do not quit trying.

YOUR VIEWPOINT ABOUT MONEY AND LIFE HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY WHO YOU KNOW AND WHO YOU READ. Right? Ron Blue, Larry Burkett, Bill Gothard, John MacArthur and a number of others, and of course the latest, Dave Ramsey.

I have never been driven by the pursuit of making money. And thus, decisions to serve the Lord have never been based upon how much the church would pay us. On the other hand I have always had to take another job to support our family. And at times Charity has worked.

Now I have often wondered why the attitude toward money has been my belief system? Of course I would have liked to have had a church position that would have paid $100,000. That would have been nice, of course. I would like having a regular job that would pay $35.00 an hour.

But making all that money, without financially sound biblical principles will end up in major failure in many areas of live.

The pursuit of money is the key point here. If your mindset is to make money, I am sure one can do that. Making money as a primary purpose will often lead to practices that will end up in losing all your monies. The idea of making money is not wrong, the idea of the pursuit of making money is the problem.

Many Christian people have been blessed with the ability of making money. But their pursuit was not making the money, but came as a result of the desire of doing service to the Lord. They were focused on their work rather than on making money. And they practiced sound financial principles.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET INTO THESE TIMES OF CRISES?

THE PASTORAL MINISTRY

PASTOR/SHEPHERD/TEACHER/ELDER /

ALL BIBLICAL TERMS FOR

THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE LOCAL CHURCH.

THE SHEPHERD'S RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST

To Know Him and His Word

THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SHEEP, THE FLOCK, THE CHURCH

Jeremiah 23:1-4

"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD."

The LORD said "I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them..."

2Timothy 3:16-17 What we are to teach:

DOCTRINE: What is right.

REPROOF: What is not right.

INSTRUCTION: How to get it right.

RIGHTEOUSNESS: How to say right.

LOVE THE VIEW AS I DRIVE TO THE RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE MORNING

THE ELDER/SHEPHERD'S OFFICE

1Peter 5:1-4 "The elders who are among you I exhort....

1. Shepherd, tend to the flock of God which is among you.

2. Serving as overseers.

3. Not by compulsion but willingly

4. Not by dishonest gain, or selfish motives, but willingly heartly, eagerly to the service

5. Not as being lords over those entrusted to you

6. Being examples to the flock.

SUNDAY FAMILY VISIT

LEADERSHIP

Leadership has the ability to lead people in the direction that God is leading them. But one characteristics that leaders, pastors, elders, shepherds, should not be so obsessed with, its pleasing people.

What happens in ministry, we know we know should please God. And when we say to the church body, "We are to please God, first, and not man." I find often people don't really understand that. And sometimes pastors/teachers don't understand that either.

When you don't please people, they quit coming to church, they may quit giving their offering to the church and they might just get mad at you.

On the other hand, ministry motives often becomes cloudy and without even knowing it, we can become obsessed with pleasing people rather than God.

WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF PASTOR PLEASERS, AND WE NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR IN MY LIFE AND MINISTRY.

1. People pleasing pastors take most criticism personally. Any suggestion feels like a personal attack. We become overly defensive and resentful of even mild corrections.
2. People pleasing pastors have an extraordinary fear of rejection. If someone questions our motivies, doesn't like a sermon, comment about the sermon outline, or leaves the Church, it can throw a few us into a depressed tailspin, and some will just quit going to church altogether.
3. People pleasing pastors find it hard to express their feelings. Because we have to "please people," we don't feel safe expressing our true feeling and needs.
4. People pleasing pastors have a hard time saying "no." Because we want to make people happy. We often over-commit. Although we are outwardly agreeable, we are often inwardly resentful.

But while we need to watch our motives, and we need to please God first, we also need to watch that we don't on purpose get people to hate us.

How often I have talked to other pastors who are so people pleasers that they will just lie about what they are really thinking. I know strong words to say. They do not want to say something that will disappoint you, and keep you liking them, while at the same time know they are not going to use you in the church.

Most of us pastors fight the "people pleasing" problem.

POST NUMBER 700

POST NUMBER 700 WOULD YOU BELIEVE

700 post. Truly amazing. Cool. WOW.

When I started on Blogger/Google in August 2006, I really didn't know I would still be posting articles, and pictures of our family and friends.

in September 2008.

BUT JUST LIKE GOOGLE, YOU KEEP GETTING BETTER.

Well Google does, I keep trying to get better.

I am amazed to see how the Lord has moved in our lives, even in the last few months. It has been beyond my belief. Oh ye of little faith.

I tried, prayed, hoped, asked, worked, begged, to teach, or preach in a local church, and with out any results. You would think thirty five years of experience would have helped.

So I went to work at Mex- Itali Restaurant, to serve tables.

"Why are you working here?" "I guess I am learning to serve"

People couldn't understand why I wasn't preaching, or teaching.

Nor could I really. I thought I had retired. But what a joy it is now.

And now I have the blessed, humbled, privilege to pastor, teach, serve, a local church.

My kids said, "Dad, in God's time he will defend you, and he will balance the justice.

"He is not finish with you yet" Charity said.

The kids say now, "Dad we are so happy for you, its the passion of you life, to study, to preach, to teach and train people for Christ."

THE PROCESS OF SALVATION

What is the Process of Been Saved? What is the Process of Regeneration? What Happens when A Person is Born Again?

FIRST WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF PERSON SALVATION?

• John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
• John:3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
• John:3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
• John:3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

J.I. Packer: " Regeneration or new birth, is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit" (John 3:5-8)


The Bible conceives salvation as the redemptive renewal of man on the basis of a restored relationship with God in Christ and presents it as involving "a radical and complete transformation wrought in the soul (Eph 4:23: "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;") by God the Holy Spirit ( Tit 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost") by virtue of which we become new men ( Eph 4:24 "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.")


No longer conformed to this world (Roms12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God) but in knowledge and holiness of the truth created after the image of God" ( Col 3:10 "And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:")


REGENERATION IS THE birth by which this work of new creation begun.

SANCTIFICATION IS THE growth whereby it continues IPeter 2:2 "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

__________________
Paul specifies the Christological dimensions of regeneration by presenting it as a life-giving co-resurrection with Christ, a work of new creation. Eph 2:5, and 2:10)

MY DAD EVERETTE WHISNANT BIRTHDAY

OUR DAD, MOM'S HUSBAND, A PASTOR AND FRIEND

EVERETTE THOMAS WHISNANT

September 21, 1904 - February 1966

TROUBLSHOOTING PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH

EVERETTE WHISNANT AND PAULINE WHISNANT

I HAVE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR CHURCH ARE GOING TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE THE CHURCH.

AND WHAT YOU MIGHT TRY IF YOU GO PUBLIC WITH YOUR PROBLEMS

For some reason, leadership want all the troubles, disagreement, problems, in the church to say secret. This is not going to happen. Leadership often want to cover up any difficult that the leadership is having, or the membership is having. So they will focus on what they believe are the stronger points of the church. If the attendance is low, they will focus on the giving.

I believe the term is "troubleshooting" the act or process of identifying and eliminating problems or faults. So how does leadership go about troubleshooting?

LEADERSHIP PLANNING SESSION:

Once you have acknowledged the problem, admitted to your mistakes, presented the plan, answered questions, you’ll want to leave 25-30 minutes to recap with vision.

You might consider:

1. Restating what the plan is going to be (in an abbreviated form).
   
2. Remind the people what we’re really about.
   
3. Tell a compelling story that helps illustrate the vision.
   
4. State what you are going to do personally to make a difference.
   
5. Explain frankly that things may be challenging as we work through this next season, but here is what you believe will happen on the other side.
   

Whatever you do—lead with vision! Don’t ever think you have explained the vision too many times. Explain it again!

IF YOU DECIDED TO GO PUBLIC (CHURCH BODY):

If you have decided to go public with a problem, you will have admitted the challenge, owned your mistakes, and suggested a plan. Think of that.

Now you’ll want to consider answering questions.

• The reason I say “consider” answering questions is because this won’t always be the right thing to do. But often, it is one of the best things to do.

Here are some thoughts about answering questions:

• Since you aren’t hiding anything, answering questions is one way to show everything is on the table. People know, so let them know.
• If you answer questions, it might help you address something that most people are asking that you didn’t already address. Knowing the question before you ask the question, and then you can know the answers.


• Questions can give you a chance to share more vision.
  

Some dangers include:

1. You might have someone who may try to take dominate the meeting. A strong leader can handle this type of person. If you don’t think you can, you might want to avoid answering questions in a potentially hostile climate.

2. If you’re not confident in where you are going, answering questions will make you look weak and hesitant.

3. Answering questions can (in the wrong environment) make you look like you are on trial.

In my personal style of leadership, I lean toward answering questions. I’m not afraid to go head-on and like to have everything on the table. If you do answer questions, I’d suggest a time limit.

What happens far too often is the problems are not address correctly and than you have a greater problem that you are not able to overcome.

It seems that the LORD has allowed me to be a "troubleshooter" in a number of churches over the years. My Dad was often asked to come to churches to be a "troubleshooter", to help the church solve their problems. He was really good with this process.

ALL CHURCH HAVE CHALLENGING PROBLEMS. ALL CHURCH NEED TO KEEP CURRENT PROBLEMS ON THE TABLE AND KEEP THE VISION BEFORE THE PEOPLE.

WHAT IS A BAPTIST CHURCH ANYWAY

WHAT IS A BAPTIST?

"We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the reformation, we were reformers before Luther and Calvin were born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the apostles themselves. We have always existed from the days of Christ, and our principles, sometimes veiled and forgotten, like a river which may travel under ground for a little season, have always had honest and holy adherents. Persecuted alike by Romanists and Protestants of almost every sect, yet there has never existed a Government holding Baptist principles which persecuted others; nor, I believe, any body of Baptists ever held it to be right to put the consciences of others under the control of man. We have ever been ready to suffer, as our martyrologies will prove, but we are not ready to accept any help from the State, to prostitute the purity of the Bride of Christ to any alliance with Government, and we will never make the Church, although the Queen, the despot over the consciences of men." Charles H. Splurgeon.

Yet Mr. Spurgeon's church was names, M Tabernacle.

Whereas the name "Baptist" was not found in Scripture, really it isn't. John The Baptist was not a pastor nor a church. Nevertheless to me the name means those who have the beliefs that is found in the Word of God.

There are a number of books that will give you the History of the Baptist movement. But that is not the purpose of this article. What do I believe as a Baptist?

While we believe that the doctrines we hold is that of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Jesus or Peter or John or Matthew would not have been known in their day as a Baptist. Sorry, but the term "baptist" was not know in Jesus's day. What I believe, a Baptist should be is one who believes the Bible. Which is of course what every church believes they believe, the Bible.

And of course every Baptist Church will have different viewpoints as to what the believe the Bible say. It's so easy to say, "I believe the Bible is God's Word, and I believe it".

In my frame of thinking, the Bible has only one meaning and one interpretation. Yet two preachers in a Baptist Church will have a different point of view about what the bible is staying about most doctrines.

I am a Baptist because my Dad was a Baptist. I am an independent baptist because my Dad was one of those kind of Baptist.

Do I believe that Baptist are the only true church? NO. Just because a church has the name Baptist in their church name, do I believe they are the kind of Baptist I am.

WHAT KIND OF BAPTIST ARE YOU, YOU MIGHT SAY>

Just BAPTIST. If you put a prefex in front of Baptist, you are labeling and particular kind of Baptist. So you could be a Southern Baptist which would be different than a Free Will Baptist. You could be a Northern Baptist or a Particular Baptist, or Hard shell Baptist. By giving the Baptist a name, you are giving its distinctions.

You might say, I am a John R. Rice kind of Baptist, you might say I am a Jack Hyles kind of Baptist, you might say I am a J. Frank Norris kind of Baptist. Jerry Falwell was a Baptist. DeWayne Prossor is a Baptist. Bob Temple, Sr. is a Baptist. Roy Johnson is a Baptist. Charles Stanley is a Baptist. David Jeremiah is a Baptist. And within all these men, all are great men of God, but they all have different viewpoints on church life.

But I am not a Jack Hyles Baptist, nor a J. Frank Norris Baptist, etc. As a matter of fact, many of my baptist preacher friends would say I am not really a Baptist. Why? Because to them a Baptist means different things to them than it does to me. They would say to me, "Charles, you may be correct to use those terms, because they are in the bible, but they are not baptist terms."

I have heard preachers say, "It is just not a Baptist Church." Meaning the church doesn't do what they believe a Baptist church should do.

When you say "We are a Baptist Church in Scioto County," that could mean just about anything. You have to add prefixes in front of Baptist to just start to give people a mean of what kind of Baptist you are.

Independent, Fundamental, Missionary, Premilluminal, KJV, Pretribulation, Israel, Traditional, Non tongues, WBF, IBFI, Pastor control, Services only on Sunday, at 10 and 11 and 6, the Bible only kind of Baptist.

SO WHAT KIND OF BAPTIST ARE YOU?

I am not going to push "Baptist" as much as I am going to push Christ. I am going to say more about what we believe and what we preach, and who we believe we should be as Christians.

Pastoral Ministry

THE SMELL OF THE SHEEP

(No this is not me as a youth)

THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP

• 1 Peter 5:1-4: "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a wit­ness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shep­herd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."

• 1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
  1 Peter 5:1-4 (KJV)

• 1Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight )not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as ording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. nasv

Introduction

Without question, the dominant biblical model for spiritual leadership is the shepherd and his flock. We see shepherds mentioned hundreds of times throughout the scriptures. Roy Lessin wrote a beautiful word on a DaySpring card The beautiful thing about a servant of the Lord is that God gives him the heart of a shepherd.

It is a heart that leads instead of a heart that controls;
it is a heart that gives instead of a heart that takes;
it is a heart that serves instead of a heart that demands;
it is a heart that restores instead of a heart that scatters.
It is a good heart, a caring heart, a loving heart -

it is the only kind of heart that the sheep will follow.

Charles Edward Jefferson, pastor of Broadway Tabernacle in New York, wrote The Minister as Shepherd for forty years. In 1912 his pen explained why the shepherd metaphor carried such power.

"One of the secrets of the fascination of 'shepherd'
as a title is that the word carries us straight to Christ Himself.
It associates us at once with Him. So far as the New
Testament tells us, Jesus never called Himself a priest,
or a preacher, or a rector, or a clergyman, or a
bishop, or an elder, but He liked to think of
Himself as a shepherd. The shepherd idea was
often in His mind...Jesus had many metaphors by
which to image forth His character and His office,
but the metaphor by which He loved best to paint
His portrait was shepherd."

THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP OF HIS FLOCK

verse1 elders -- alike in office and age (1Peter 5:5).
Shepherd, Pastor, Bishop, Teacher

• I . . . also an elder -- To put one's self on a level with those whom we exhort, gives weight to one's exhortations (compare 2 John 1:1,2). Peter, in true humility for the Gospel's sake, does not put forward his apostleship here, wherein he presided over the elders. In the apostleship the apostles have no successors, for "the signs of an apostle" have not been transmitted. The presidents over the presbyters and deacons, by whatever name designated, angel, bishop, or moderator, &c., though of the same ORDER as the presbyters, yet have virtually succeeded to a superintendency of the Church analogous to that exercised by the apostles (this superintendency and priority existed from the earliest times after the apostles [TERTULLIAN]); just as the Jewish synagogue (the model which the Church followed) was governed by a council of presbyters, presided over by one of themselves, "the chief ruler of the synagogue." (Compare VITRINGA [Synagogue and Temple, Part II, chs. 3 and 7]).
  
  witness -- an eye-witness of Christ's sufferings, and so qualified to exhort you to believing patience in suffering for well-doing after His example (1Peter 4:19, 2:20). This explains the "therefore" inserted in the oldest manuscripts, "I therefore exhort," resuming exhortation from (I Peter 4:19)His higher dignity as an apostle is herein delicately implied, as eye-witnessing was a necessary qualification for apostleship: compare Peter's own speeches, (Acts 1:21,22, 2:32, 10:39)
• —Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Feed -- Greek, "Tend as a shepherd," by discipline and doctrine. Lead, feed, heed: by prayer, exhortation, government, and example. The dignity is marked by the term "elder"; the duties of the office, to tend or oversee, by "bishop." Peter has in mind Christ's injunction to him, "Feed (tend) My sheep . . . Feed (pasture) My lambs" (John 21:16). He invites the elders to share with him the same duty (compare Acts 20:28) . The flock is Christ's.—Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

which is among you -- While having a concern for all the Church, your special duty is to feed that portion of it "which is among you."

oversight -- Greek, "bishopric," or duty of bishops, that is, overseer.

not by constraint -- Necessity is laid upon them, but willingness prevents it being felt, both in undertaking and in fulfilling the duty [BENGEL]. "He is a true presbyter and minister of the counsel of God who doeth and teacheth the things of the Lord, being not accounted righteous merely because he is a presbyter, but because righteous, chosen into the presbytery" [CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA].

willingly -- One oldest manuscript, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic, add, "as God would have it to be done" (Romans 8:27) .

not for filthy lucre -- (Isaiah 56:11, Titus 1:7)

of a ready mind -- promptly and heartily, without selfish motive of gain-seeking, as the Israelites gave their services willing-heartedly to the sanctuary—Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

God's heritage -- Greek, "the inheritances," that is, the portions of the Church committed severally to your pastoral charge [BENGEL]. It is explained by "the flock" in the next clause. However, in 1Peter 5:2 "flock of God which is among you," answering to "(God's) heritages" (plural to express the sheep who are God's portion and inheritance, Deut 32:9. committed to you, favors English Version. The flock, as one whole, is God's heritage, or flock in the singular. Regarded in relation to its component sheep, divided among several pastors, it is in the plural "heritages." Compare Acts 1:17, 25 "part" (the same Greek).
being -- Greek, "becoming."

ensamples -- the most effective recommendation of precept (1 Timothy 4:12, Titus 2:7) "patterns." So Jesus. "A monstrosity it is to see the highest rank joined with the meanest mind, the first seat with the lowest life, a grandiloquent tongue with a lazy life, much talking with no fruit" [BERNARD].
Notes for Verse 4

And -- "And so": as the result of "being ensamples" (1 Peter 5:3) .
chief Shepherd -- the title peculiarly Christ's own, not Peter's or the pope's.

when . . . shall appear -- Greek, "be manifested" (Col 3:4) Faith serves the Lord while still unseen.

crown -- Greek, "stephanos," a garland of victory, the prize in the Grecian games, woven of ivy, parsley, myrtle, olive, or oak. Our crown is distinguished from theirs in that it is "incorruptible" and "fadeth not away," as the leaves of theirs soon did. "The crown of life." Not a kingly "crown" (a different Greek word, diadema): the prerogative of the Lord Jesus (Revelation 19:12).
—Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Sports Collection

MICKEY MANTLE, BOBBY RICHARDSON, TOM TRESH, YOGI BERRA, ELSTON HOWARD, ROGER MARIS, WHITEY FORD, AND THOSE YANKEES OF THE 50'S AND 60'S.

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE ENJOYED COLLECTION STUFF

Wheaties - I have eaten the breakfast of champions for years, I just kept the box
Baseball, Football, NASCAR, Basketball cards have been a part of my life for many years.
A view in the collection room - Hot Wheels and NASCAR

Some preachers play golf, or enjoy fishing, and a few dirt racing.

DO PREACHERS/PASTORS/TEACHERS HAVE OTHER INTERESTS?

The last several years, I have had little time for my collection, I do from time to time collect a few Hot Wheels, and a few new Wheaties Boxes.

I still enjoy looking through my sport cards. I do look as I go down the steps in the morning at the collection I have on display, but that is about as far as I have time for these days.

ITS OKAY - YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL GUILTY

BUILDING THE LOCAL CHURCH GOD'S WAY

EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE ....THEY LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT.
EXCEPT the LORD BUILD
the HOUSE.... they LABOUR IN VAIN
that BUILD it: psalms 127:1

WORKING OUT HIS WILL.. 2 Thess. 1:11
PRINCIPLES Applied out of the Word of God PRODUCES the CHANNEL for God to BUILD His Body His Church.


I pray that God move like a whirl wind in our lives and in the life of Rivers of Joy Baptist Church and we move into operating our Spiritual/Grace gifts and begin to minister to "one another" in the ENERGY of the Holy Spirit. (not in tongues)

LEARNING HOW TO DO GOD'S WILL IN THE LORD'S WA Y

will produce a spirit within our congregation, which will produce a life within us, and we will begin to see the Lord work within us. When the life and spirit of Christ is working within us, we will see the Work of Christ within this Body.

How do we learn the Lord's will?

• Note I Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, brethren, be ye steadfast unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
  

WHAT IS THE LORD'S WORK?

• What did the Lord do while He was on earth? Two things: He evangelized and He edified. Luke 19:10


• The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Acts 1:2-3
  "Until the day in which Jesus was taken up (into heaven), He was speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" Refers to the edification of Christ's disciples.
  
  The Lord's work is "labour" (work)Christians have been called to do the Lord's work in the Lord's way. And doing His work, your labor will not be in vain

FELLOWSHIP

FELLOWSHIP

Humor

I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO STEAL THIS PICTURE FROM MY LOVELY, WONDERFUL, YOUTHFUL, CARING, SWEET SISTER, MOTHER, AND GRANDMOTHER.

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR/TEACHER CHARLES E. WHISNANT AND CHARITY
RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU COME TO RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH

I HAVE WRITTEN A PROFILE OVER AT

MYCHURCH.

I have added a few outlines from the FIRST THESSALONIANS SERIES.

PLEASE CHECK OUT GROWBYLEARNING CHURCH WEBSITE

THE STATE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH TODAY

THE POTENTIAL FRUSTRATION OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

There are times over the years that you do want to "pull your hair out." There are times of frustration can set in. Its human.

I am reading that local Churches attendances in North America have declined over the years. While there are churches that are larger, those churches are growing with those who have stopped going to other churches. There are fewer people going to church these days.

On a Sunday, “tech” is happening in classrooms, the Treehouse, the gym, the main worship center and our new FX Live family production that kicked off this past Sunday. The FX Live team has their own full tech team and uses IMAG (Image Magnification) in their production as well. NOTE: FX Live has 2 cameras right now (the same ones we used in our old worship center).

Well, come churches are trying to attract those who are dropping out of church. So some churches are doing some other things to attract people to come to their church:

In this church they have chosen to have a great stage to attract people to come to the church. Here is there staff

1. Dir. of Technical Arts (that’s me - I float around, encourage and oversee) \
2. Front of House audio (usually our full-time Audio Coordinator)
3. A2 (second audio engineer at FOH)
4. Monitor Engineer
5. Lighting Technician
6. Service Director (on headset with stage managers, times service, executes)
7. Stage Manager on stage left
8. Stage Manager on stage right
9. Stage Manager on floor
10. Producer (takes in overall experience, gives creative feedback/guidance)
11. Video Director (right now the VD calls and switches)
12. Video Engineer (this person is the camera shader and is responsible for starting the recordings for the DVD-R and capture to FinalCut for the video podcast)
13. Camera operator 1
14. Camera operator 2
15. Camera operator 3
16. Graphics Operator (right now their is one that runs EasyWorship)
17. FUTURE: Broadcast audio engineer (right now we capture to ProTools HD)
18. FUTURE: TD at the switcher (the Video Director will just call the shots)
19. FUTURE: Prompt Screen Operator (we are going to move to 2 graphics operators, one for the screens that the people see and one just for the prompt screens that the singers see)

I read this comment: I Chronicles 12:32 'And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.' From this text, "men who understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take" Today, church leaders must act as scouts, fervently asking the Lord for discernment into how they can best practice biblically faithful ministry in their cultures and contexts." I thought this has come merit.

So how is the Pastor and Staff to view the need of church ministry today.



Next time. Its late.