Preachers Living in nice Houses: so what?

I have always heard that preachers should live in a hut, or a shack, or at least that show he and his family our humble.  Well Charity and I have lived in some of the really bad houses. Does that make us humble? No just mad. Preachers and churches have allowed us to live in some of the worst places a person could live in.  And give us the so little money to live on that Charity and I had to have  another job to make a living.  

Why don't we expect doctors and lawyers, and CEO to live in run down houses where they you have to trap and get rid of 100's of mice every year.  100x11 years = how many. So why should preachers? 

 

Now, Steven Furtick is spending a lot of that money on a 16,000 square foot house in Weddington. It has 7 ½ bathrooms, according to building permits, which put the contract value of the house alone just shy of $1.4 million. The land cost another $325,000, for a total cost of more than $1.7 million.

If a preacher lives in a nice home people will say he is taking the money from the church. Hate that.

Charity and I have lived in some trashy houses. But we have made them look very nice in the end.

But to be honest we have had some very nice houses.  In Connersville, the church built us a new home and gave us a nice salary to live on. And Charity and I didn't have to have another job. That was nice until the pastor fired us.

When we lived in Altoona, the church moved us to a house that was really not very good. But then a member gave us the money for a down payment for a house. Then a member worked  dirt cheap to help us fix it up. And then the church gave us a salary that help pay for it. 

Boy I wish I could write a book and sell it.  I could be another John MacArthur, or John Piper or a David Jeremiah!  Now they have others to write their books.  Well they take their sermons and turn them into books. (And I am so glad they have their books and tapes I love them)

If a preacher can honestly build a nice house, wear good clothes and drive a good car that is good for him to do that.  Its another matter in any profession to not to do otherwise.


Well all that I can say about this matter.

THE DESIRE TO BE HONEST WITH WISDOM

Post 1, 300
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This Grow By Learning Blog or Weblog or really a Journal was and is to be about our personal experiences. I am keeping a journal of our experience over the last 50 years of our life. And I have done that. Of course I could have keep this Blog private, but have chosen to open this journey to whom ever wants to read it. A private look into the life of me. Its my blog and therefore will reflect my thinking and idea and experiences, from my view point.
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Too many (and maybe it is the way it should be) have a personification of what they want to public to see them as, when in reality they are just the opposite. The public seems to believe what they see in a person is what they really are, really. Of course we know that is rarely the truth.

How you see me preaching or teaching at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, and how I am when I am now at this writing, in the office on Wednesday could be a another story all together.

What I write in this blog or any of the other websites I am on, should reflect what I am, rather than what I hope to be. What I say should be the truth rather than having to back track my position the next day.

Of course there are times to keep quite is wisdom. I usually no not reveal all the fact went writing about an even in my life. Sometimes I forget all the facts.

Some have said, you know there will be those who will read your blog. Yes. I usually do not write thinking I might be better off not saying this because someone might read this. If that would be the case I wouldn't write at all.

And I don't write to paint a picture of myself in any other light than the light I think I am in.

With all that said, I am doing good. The reality of life is that sinful people to sinful things and sometimes sinful people cause you harm and steal from you and do hurtful things to you. On any giving day, I experience joy and happiness as well as disappointment and sorrow. But at the end of the day with Christ's help I lay down at night and think the Lord for His comfort he give me.

Every single day, I grow by learning that Christ is Lord, and I seek wisdom from the Lord daily that I might be where He wants me to be, think what He wants me to think.

LAW AND ORDER TV 'DIGNITY" 2009

For the most part, I have liked the TV show Law and Order for some 20 years now. I didn't say I like necessarily the themes, but I have liked the acting, while I might not like the actors. Anyway, that as it may, tonight I watched the show called "DIGNITY." (check the episodes)

The show is straight forward, the show was about the shooting of Dr. Tiller in Witchia Kansas. Charity and I lived in Altoona about 100 miles from Witchia for 16 plus years. And there were many great churches in Witchia, yet the city was the capital city of abortions.

The show was really about the debate in our country. In any show like this, there are facts that are facts and then some that are not. Opinions are those who the writers of the show. But you learn the prospectives of that the thinking is today.

35 years since the Row verses Row ruling and its still the topic today. But the comments made during the show was interesting.

A overview of the week forthwith

The week always begins with Sunday. And this past Sunday was so good for Charity and I. Our 40th wedding anniversary was on the 14th. So we thought Sunday would be a great day to have a celebration. Since we have had 40 years of church ministry together, why not have a celebration at church.

Having having our sons and daughter up was so good. We had a great time. The only stress I had was the preaching, and the special song that Charity and I sung. Its on video on one of my websites. Several people who love us, said we did well for the first time together.

The afternoon service was also good. Bill Bower MC the service, and Bob Temple spoke, and then Johnny Edwards gave us a mini concert of songs. We were happy to see so many guest for the day. While attendance is great to have, (its good to have people come) we had fifty six for the day.

On Monday Charity and I had a nice date. That was very nice.

One Tuesday thru Saturday, Charity was working at Union Mills.

One Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, I was at Mex Itali for a few hours. I clean off the tables, made the best cream butter anywhere, twice this week, I also have a great time talking to many of my good friends. Ira Fowler is one of my best at work friends who comes in to eat everyday. I really work there to see my good friends. I enjoy working at Mex Itali, and thankful for the time I work. While that is true, I am looking forward to leaving in October, at the latest.

I took off Thursday to take a day off just to hang out at house and do a little work. That was really fun.

On Wednesday we had a great service at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, I had a lesson on Creation. And in the course of the lesson there were a few questions as to my knowledge of the subject. And the question was ask, "HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE RIGHT?" (Click) So I posted a brief thought on that idea. More to come on that idea later.

I video Sunday Morning service, and Wednesday Evening lessons. I download from the Kodak onto Kodak Easyshare softwear, this process takes a while. Then go over to Vimeo.com and they download from Kodak. This process takes for ever it seems. About three hours per 20 minutes of lesson. Thus Sunday Morning which was the shortest message in my history was just one video. Wednesday Night which is normal was 55 minutes and it took three video.

I have posted on Grow By Learning this week as well. Also over on Live Journal "For Me To Live Is Christ, website.

Had several visits with Bob Temple this week. And old, we had a drop in supper at Kindra's home, and with Amber, and Bob. That was fun, Charity just said, let's eat at Kindra's home.

SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER

SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER

Now I understand a little why Bloggers might have a little trouble with have people stop buy and reading their posts FaceBook and MySpace might be two reasons. They are a free-access social networking website

I believe the idea of these two places is to provide a more personal email inter exchange of conversation.
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I am not real sure that knowing that John Tuck is watch a TV show is what I desire to know. But than again you might be on my site and learn that I am doing as well. So who knows.
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A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services.
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Social networking has created new ways to communicate and share information. Social networking websites are being used regularly by millions of people, and it now seems that social networking will be an enduring part of everyday life. The main types of social networking services are those which contain directories of some categories (such as former classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and recommender systems linked to trust. Popular methods now combine many of these, with MySpace and Facebook being the most widely used in North America.

So the idea of social networking, created ways to communicate and share information. That is a new idea.
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These early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms, and share personal information and ideas around any topics via personal homepage publishing tools which was a precursor to the blogging phenomenon.
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Social Networking might be at Church on Sunday, now there is an idea. Funny uh! Sorry about that.
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Now we can reach friends in Altoona, Chanute, Neoesdah, Fredonia Kansas. And over the last three days, and connected with those who we have not seen in 10 years.
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WE ARE JUST ONE BIG FAMILY UH!
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Nevertheless, I like posting on Blogger. Of course you really have to want to visit the site. One good thing, all 900 posts are still there. So you can wait a month to read them, or look at the photo or view the Video.
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Then there is the cell phone or land line phone, do we call anymore, just get on a social network.

We really are having a great time. Now I need to really learn how to net work with members of my family and those of the church.
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Let's have a great time and keep it clean. lol as they say.
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Thanks for the interaction, its as really really being good.
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And of course the idea of these social networking maybe a little too much for us older folks. So sticking to the email is a challenge enough for some of us too.
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.BUT WE REALLY LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR MINISTRY, AND LOVING PRAYING FOR JESUS CHRIST'S RICHES BLESSING FOR YOU.

THERE IS A COST OF STAYING COOL

The High Cost of Being (and Staying) Cool -- Rick Warren in a Whirlwind

Read Al Mohler's article

Personally I love it. I would have rather had John MacArthur, Jr, or John Piper, or Dwayne Prossor, or a number of others. But Rick Warren will do just fine.

Of course the Separated Fundamentalist don't fellowship with Rick anyway, and the other side the Reformed folks don't like his position either. And even the Evangelicals are not all that in favor of Warren Sad. But since they don't really care about Warren's position, what do they care anyway. They don't.

Folks get over it. So Rick doesn't use the 1611 KJV, its okay, folks. There are those in our circles I guess my X circle who wouldn't liked it if John MacArthur, or John Piper prayed.

If they are not in our circle of belief, they are totally out of our circle of fellowship anyway, uh.

On the other secular side:

• Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, a group that promotes homosexual rights, sent a letter to the President-elect protesting the choice of Warren.
  

President elect Obama states:

"We're not going to agree on every single issue. But what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

As Americans we have to get alone or stay at home. That is why we have so many cities and towns, and communities, we have so many view. That is why there are 1000's of different churches, because we can't agree every well on most issues.

Most unsaved people in America have no clue that Rick Warren might have different views than John Piper, or Bob Temple, Sr. Unsaved people wonder why there is a invocation at the inauguration in the first place.

Most Christians in the pew don't have a clue if Rick Warren has different views than their own pastor. Only unless the pastor raves against those pastors who don't hold their personal views. In their eyes they are the devil's servant anyway.

If I have read one negative comment on the "THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE" MATERIAL, I have read 100 plus. But those same preachers don't like John MacArthur, John Calvin, or John Scott, or whoever has a name "John".

But can I say, there is coming a time, if the time is not now, that all of us as pastors are going to have to face this issue of homosexuality. There is going to come a time, if you accept the full normalization of homosexuality you will be cool. If you do not, you are profoundly uncool, no matter how much good things you do, nor how much you love and compassion you seek to express. There is a time that even those members in our churches are going to say, we must agree that homosexuality is cool.

But let me just say this, for now, pray and seek God's wisdom, and if its not cool to be the kind of pastor or Christian you should be, than it is not necessary to be "cool" in the eyes of the world.

GOSPEL, SPEECH, HOLLYWOOD

ARE WE JUST TO KEEP OUR TONGUE SPEECH SHUT?



BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY LIFESTYLE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HOLLYWOOD LIFESTYLE

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? WHAT ARE WE SAVED FROM?

LET ME SAY AGAIN........

The real problem is sin and guilt. That's the issue. God sent Jesus Christ to rescue us from the consequence of our sin, and everybody falls into the category of sinner. It doesn't matter whether you're among the haves or the have-nots, whether you have great expectations or none at all, whether you're consumed by your passions or exhibit a degree of self-control and discipline-you are still a sinner. You have broken the law of God and He's angry about it. Unless something happens to change your condition, you're on your way to eternal hell. You need to be rescued from the consequences of your sin. Those are the principal issues the gospel solves.

The truth is, even when you are delivered from the ultimate danger of God's wrath against sin, you might never realize your dreams. When you come to Christ, the Lord realigns your thinking so that all you ever wanted, all you used to strive for, you count as loss, waste, garbage (cf. Paul in Phil. 3:4-8). Coming to Christ means the end of you. Also, though you'll experience the power of the Holy Spirit to gain victory over sin, you may never attain total dominance over your drives and passions this side of heaven. Like Paul, you will strive with sin to your dying day (cf. Rom. 7:13-25). Issues of fulfillment and sinful passions will be dealt with, in the Lord's time and in the Lord's way. So if you've come to Christ primarily to find fulfillment or to escape from bad habits, Jesus may not be what you're looking for.

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SO WE READ THIS MORNING ON THE INTERNET

LINDSAY & SAM ARE 'REAL THING'

Headlines today and Sam is not a boy

DO PEOPLE NEED TO COME OUT "WHICH WAY TO GO"?

IS IT MY EYES GOING BAD, OR

IS HOLLYWOOD, MUSIC PEOPLE GOING

BAD?

FOR CHRISTIANS, THE WORD OF GOD IS THE RESOURCE FOR US NOT HOLLYWOOD OR MY SPACE.

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.

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 MANAGEMENT OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

A BRIEF NOTE:

• EVERY CHURCH IN EVERY AGE HAS EXPERIENCED THE LOST OF A PASTOR, PASTORAL STAFF, AND CHURCH STAFF. OUR CHURCH HAS LOST THREE PREACHERS AND CHURCH STAFF WHO HAVE LEAD THIS CHURCH. AND EACH MEMBER OF OUR CHURCH HAS REACTED TO THE CHANGE IN A DIFFERENT MANNER. AND WITH EACH LOST, THE CHURCH HAS BEEN EFFECTED.


• EVERY CHURCH MEMBER HAS EXPERIENCE HURT, (to cause mental pain to; offend or grieve): BY EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE CHURCH.


• THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW YOU WEATHER "GUSTAV STORM OR HURRICANE".

• HAVING THE WISDOM HOW TO REACT AND HELP IN THESE EVENTS TAKES THE GRACE OF CHRIST.
  

• HOW TO HAVE THE WISDOM TO PASTOR A HURTING CHURCH BODY TAKES THE WISDOM OF CHRIST, THAT ONLY HE CAN GIVE US TO DO AND SAY.
  

WHAT IS A FUNDAMENTALIST AND BIBLICAL SEPARATION

In Part One on this topic I listed 10 points : YOU ARE NOT A REAL 2008 FUNDAMENTALIST IF: (so they say)

To say you are a Fundamentalist, it seems you have to say you are to be separated from certain groups that do not follow certain guidelines. Biblical Separation is the topic. Some say its an important doctrine in the Bible, almost as important as the Doctrine of Salvation.

Here is what got my attention about this issue of Fundamentalist and Separation:


Pastors that teach that its biblical to separated from liberal pastors who do not separate themselves from those areas that their church does. And they will generally mention Jerry Falwell. That is fighting words.

• 2 John 1:9-10 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Let’s look at the “DOCTRINES OF CHRIST” what are they? Does every church need to have the same point of view that our church has in order to have fellowship together?

The definition of liberals in scripture is what? According to David Cloud

• “The same is true for neo-fundamentalists such as Jerry Falwell and the Baptist Bible Fellowship today. When I hear Jerry Falwell standing up boldly for Christ on Larry King’s television program and in other public forums, I am thankful for him and love him in the Lord, but I could not work with him because I am convinced he has determined to walk in a path of compromise and disobedience to the Bible.” David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/biblicalseparation.html

Separation from another church, organization, biblical, scriptural, should be theologically not personal ideas.

I TOO WAS A STRANGE FUNDAMENTALIST FOR A LONG TIME:
The issues I remember having while a pastor would be some of the following:

1. Who is going to preach in the pulpit of our church?
2. Who would I preach for?
3. What church group of kids would I want to come to our youth camp?
4. What church’s VBC would I say would be okay to attend?
5. Would I attend and preach at a community Easter service?
6. There is a community-wide Memorial Service and I am asked to speak, do I?

I could not do any of these six things if these practices are done in a church:

1. If I say the Gospel alone is the criteria for fellowship, I might have to narrow that down to my Calvinist view of salvation rather than the “come to Christ” approach.
2. If I say having no fellowship with churches who belong to a denomination that practices infant baptism, or sprinkling, yet they hold to the biblical view of salvation. (Some say infant baptism is not salvation) Am I being biblical?
3. If I say there will be no fellowship with any church who belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention because I hold all those churches responsible for all that the SBC does as a whole, am I being biblical?
4. If I say that I will not fellowship with any church whose pastor is a Bob Jones’ grad, am I being biblical?
5. If I say that I will not fellowship with those churches that do not believe in the rapture, the 1000 year reign of Christ and do not believe in the Tribulation, am I being biblical? In other words, they hold to doctrinal views that do not line up with my belief.
6. If I say I know of some folks in another Baptist Church that are Elders or Deacons or Sunday School Teachers that own a bar, or watch TNN on TV, or three members of that church have been put in jail for stealing, and child abuse and wife abuse, do I have biblical grounds to say, I will not fellowship with that church?
7. If a church has the view that salvation is part man’s responsibility and part God’s responsibility, would I be biblical to not have fellowship with that church?
8. If the pastor of another church preaches from another translation and does not use the KJV, am I biblically correct in not having him preach for our church?
9. If a church uses VBS material that has scripture verses that are NIV or NASV or ESV, etc. I would be safe to say to my people, don’t let your kids go to that VBC?
10. As a church I could not attend or take part in a Billy Graham, Franklin Graham meeting, nor any other kind of meeting that was not Baptist, Independent Baptist, Fundamental KJV 161l, I would be biblical?
11. If a church has Elders rather than Deacons, I would not fellowship with that church, that would be biblical grounds for not preaching in that church?
    

I mean really, these are come problems that pastors have in having fellowship with other pastors because they don't line up with their view of Biblical Separation.

SO LET US LOOK A LITTLE INTO THIS MATTER OF BIBLICAL SEPARATION, NEXT TIME.

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PREACHING SUNDAY

THE REVERENT CHARLES WHISNANT and THE MOST REVERENT BOB TEMPLE, SR

Preaching together this Sunday July 6, 2008.

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This team of preachers has been preaching now for over forty years. Bob has been in ministry since 1960, entering in Seminary in 1963 and Charles has been in ministry since 1963 as Youth Pastor in Roanoke Virginia.
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Bob graduated from Bible Baptist Seminary, Arlington Texas in 1966 the same year that Charles started Seminary at BBS. Bob started the Victory Baptist Church in West Portsmouth, Ohio in 1968. Bob has continued to preach, teach, sing, and visit folks in the church at a young age of 76.
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Charles having graduated in 1969, then married Charity who is the daughter of Bob and Lenora Temple, Sr. in June 1969. Unlike Bob, who has stayed in the Wheelersburg, and West Portsmouth Ohio area since 1957. Charles and Charity have lived "everywhere man." From the city of Fort Worth Texas, to the cold weather in Wooster, Ohio. From Minford/Portsmouth Ohio valley to the ski resorts and youth camps of Perrsyville/Mansfield, Ohio to the corn fields of Connersville, Indiana. Then for over sixteen years in the oil fields of Wilson County and the town of Altoona, Kansas. KANSAS the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas JayHawks, Kansas Bass, Kansas Wheat and of course First Baptist Church. Kansas is the birthplace of Chad Whisnant and Kyle Whisnant, and the home place of Eric Whisnant and Becky Whisnant.
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Some things have to come to an end, and Charles and Charity and family ended up in the land of horse farms and Kentucky Wildcats Basketball, and the Ashland Ave Baptist Church for several years. And the kids have grown up and the boys are living in Lexington, and Becky is currently in Kansas.
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Today, Charles and Charity are living and working in Portsmouth Ohio. Home of Mex-Itali Restaurant and Union Mills Confectionery.


OH, AM I HAVING TOO MUCH FUN OR WHAT.........

WHAT IS A REAL FUNDAMENTALIST? SEPARATION WHAT IS IT?

I LIKE TO TRY TO BE FAIR AND BALANCE IN THESE MATTERS
BIBLICAL SEPARATION?

Biblical Separation vs. Personal Separation

"There are still significant differences between fundamentalists and evangelicals, even the conservative evangelicals." And I believe it has to do with Separation.

(so say a few fundamentalists)

I am also learning there are several different branches of

Independent Baptist Fundamentalist

There is the Bob Jones fundamentalist, there is the J.F. Norris fundamentalist, there is the post Bob Jones and J.F. Norris fundamentalist, and there is the Lee Roberson, Tom Malone and WBF, BBF, Jack Hyles, and who knows how many others that I am not familiar with. There are as many brands of fundamentalist as there are teams in the Major Baseball League.

YOU ARE NOT A REAL 2008 FUNDAMENTALIST IF: (so they say)

1. You might say you are a fundamentalist but you need to be a Baptist.
2. You might say you are a fundamentalist but you need to be the right kind of Baptist?
3. You might say you are a fundamentalist but you need to understand Biblical Separation
4. You might say you are a fundamentalist but you need to know the five original points of fundamentalist (no not the five points of Calvinism)


5. You might be a fundamentalist if you do not fellowship with Evangelicals.


6. You might be a fundamentalist if you use terms like "Soul Winning" "KJV1611 only"
7. You might be a fundamentalist, but you can't also be Reformed, Covenant in Theology.
8. You might be a fundamentalist, but you need to be a dispensationalist.\\
9. You might be a fundamentalist, but you need to preach the Gospel, give an invitation, and preach separation.
10. You might be a fundamentalist, but you have to practice Biblical Separation, and separate from any body who is not a fundamentalist your style.

I can say I am a Fundamentalist, if I want to. I can say I am a Baptist if I want too, and I can say I am a Calvinist Baptist Evangelical Fundamentalist Reformed Dispensationalist if I so desire. I know what I think I believe. And I might still be viewed by other Fundamentalist as a non fundamentalist.

SO MAYBE I SHOULD NOT PUT A 'TAG' ON WHAT I AM.

WHEN IS EXITING A CHURCH OKAY

WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE EXIT FROM THE CHURCH WHERE HE IS A MEMBER?

• "This is not to suggest that these are the only circumstances under which people are permitted to leave a church. There is certainly nothing wrong with moving one’s membership just because another church offers better teaching or more opportunities for growth and service. But those who transfer their membership for such reasons ought to take extreme care not to sow discord or division in the church they are leaving. And such moves ought to be made sparingly. Membership in a church is a commitment that ought to be taken seriously. John MacArthur, JR."
  

I am speaking from the viewpoint of a minister/pastor/christian worker for over forty years.

I never wanted to leave my first church where I was a member. My dad's church. But he died in 1966, and the church was in such disarray that our family had little choice in the matter of leaving the church. (I really don't remember the details) We joined another church in town for about three months. My mother was offered a church position as the pastor's secretary in Danville, Virginia. Our family moved to Danville. I moved to Arlington, Texas to Seminary.

Upon arriving in Seminary, I wanted to find a church where I could pick up doing what I had being doing for twenty-seven months, being a Youth Pastor. Yet the churches I attended were not in favor of that. Thus I left the church to search for a place of service. Churches that I joined were churches that would allow me to serve in the church, not just come and sit.

The problem with us who are preachers is that we are not usually welcome in other churches. And often when we are invited to come and serve in the church, it doesn't take long, in my case for the people to really like me, and the pastor doesn't like that, and he will ask me to leave.

Generally there are problems that occur in churches that leave us with no choice but to leave. Generally I have really never wanted to leave a church in which I was serving as Pastor, or Youth Pastor, or having a position in the Church. Various problems will occur and you find yourself on the outside, and you have no choice but to leave. That has never been my first choice.

There have been several times, in which I felt there were better choices to serve than in the church I was serving. Those choices at the time seemed good, but was not necessarily the best choice to make.

Pastors, Associate Pastors, and Youth Pastors are often asked to leave the position. You thus have no choice but to leave. A few years ago I was removed from my position and asked to leave the church. The people didn't like that, and I stayed for a few weeks; but the Pastor made it clear he wanted me to leave.

Finally, I have been in a church for almost four years, and have desired to serve the church, within my spiritual giftedness, and for four years that has not been possible. While I was led to believe, if the Lord's will, I would be able serve in some area of ministry. When I confronted the pastoral leadership about this, they created a position, in which they said it most likely will fail and by the end of the year, I was removed from the position. THE TIME TO EXIT HAS COME.

Of course the people didn't fully understand, as generally is the case, and the pastoral leadership so shapes the events, that it always looks like it's in the best interest of the church that the position is removed. In this case I was not asked to leave the church, but was informed that my service in the area of preaching and teaching was not going to be needed.

IT WAS TIME TO EXIT.

Few pastors are really looking for another pastor/teacher to come to their church and serve in any way that would include preaching or teaching. Especially those who have experience, have pastored before and are seasoned in their position. Pastors are usually looking for someone who they can control and train in their likeness.

One church I was in this month, the pastor said, "For those who want to preach in this pulpit, we are starting a class for them, so they will know how we want them to preach for us."

THE TIME TO EXIT A CHURCH sometimes is not by your personal choice, but the choice is made by the leadership of the church.

TECHNOLOGY IS IDEOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY IS IDEOLOGY

I personally cannot keep up with technology that is available to us today.

Yesterday in the USA Today I read the headliner: “Let the iphone hype begin again.
Then the ad for the iPhone on the website read:

• “iPhone gets faster and sexier -- the new Apple iPhone.”

WHAT IS THE iPHONE:

• “The iPhone is a series of Internet-enabled multimedia mobile phones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. They have multi-touch screens with virtual keyboards and buttons, but a minimal amount of hardware input. The iPhones' functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player (iPod), in addition to text messaging and visual voicemail. They also offer Internet services including e-mail, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. The first generation iPhone uses quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation iPhone 3G, in addition to the above technologies, uses UMTS and HSDPA.”

What did I just copy and paste from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia? I loved reading the article but I have no idea what it means.

The issue that I will address, how does technology affect our daily living? Or does it?

Some years ago I read Neil Postman’s book “Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin Books, 1985.’

In the last chapter of Neil Postman’s outstanding book on television, written in 1988, Postman made a profound observation… technology is ideology

• (1). In other words, it is a manner of thinking, a way of thinking. The dictionary defines “ideology” as a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture
• (2). It gives a second definition: the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture .
• (3). And Postman says that technology is this.
  

Technology (techne (art or skill), and logos (reason)) is more than a mere device. Technology is a systematic treatment of an art. The dictionary defines it as a capability given by the practical application of knowledge. And Postman says that this capability brings with it a way of thinking.

Technology then is a systematic treatment of an art, and it is a systematic body of concepts about (among other things) life and culture. The capabilities brought to us by new technologies affect the way we think about life, about culture.

Consider Postman’s statement:

• (TV) is an ideology nonetheless, for it imposes a way of life, a set of relations among people and ideas, about which there has been no consensus, no discussion and no opposition. Only compliance. Public consciousness has not yet assimilated the point that technology is ideology. This, in spite of the fact that before our very eyes technology has altered every aspect of life in America during the past eighty years.
  

Of course, we could here discuss i-pods, cell phones, blackberries, or (as Postman does in his book) something as simple as the clock, or the telegraph, or the photograph. The point is that when a technology alters our way of life, when it in fact imposes a way of life on us, then that technology is also an ideology.

We can say all we want about knobs and buttons and neutrality. The truth is, however, that a technology has yet to be invented that is neutral. Certainly, the Gnostics would have us believe that matter itself is good or evil (which is false). The material that makes up the technology certainly is neutral in a moral sense. But every technology has a bias, a certain way that it is to be used. And that bias is not neutral. If technology is ideology, then certainly television is ideology. And all the video games are not neutral in its content, but bias in its very form.

Postman continues:

• To be unaware that a technology comes equipped with a program for social change, to maintain that technology is neutral, to make the assumption that technology is always a friend to culture is, at this late hour, stupidity plain and simple.
  

Since television as an example, and to illustrate all the forms, is ideology, since it imposes a way of life on us, since it alters “every aspect of life,” it is important that we carefully consider how it has affected our lives.

And no, I do not agree that the decision to not have a television means that you need not be concerned with this issue. In fact, I would argue that the decision to have no television, or no functioning television is a life-altering and life-changing decision, and therefore must be given equally careful consideration.

Whenever any technology arises on the scene, “Let the iPhone hype begin again” USA June 10, 2008, we must understand that our reaction to that technology, or our rejection of that technology, still has an influence within the family. Our children are still confronted with that technology. We do not render them safe by burying our collective heads in the sand. What about Grandma’s house? What about motels? Restaurants? Wal-Mart? Our children will see television, today they are glued to video games on the TV set, you can also bring in the computer and all the technology that comes with it. And my experience tells me that they will be glued when they do. So, whether we have a television or not, we still must think through a Scriptural approach to it.

Oh, is there some scripture that can be our guide to the technology that continues to make it easier to do the fun things?

• I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
  
  

THE MEDIUM WHEREBY (“an intervening agency, means, or instrument by which something is conveyed or accomplished.”) WE RECEIVE INFORMATION IS TECHNOLOGY. (“the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.”.)

THE WAY THE WORLD, THE CULTURE, THE DEVIL, AND I MIGHT SAY, CHRISTIANS, SEEK TO CHANGE OUR THINKING, OUR LIFE, OUR TIME, IS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.

I am on the INTERNET daily. I use the new gadgets and new technology to better communicate the message that I desire to give to the public. It’s not the medium or technology that in itself is wrong, but we know it’s also the means to control our thinking and life and time.

TIME, JOHN STOTT, GOD: WHAT IS HE DOING? FAITH

John Stott








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READ THIS BLOG ON FEED READER, NOT BAD I WOULD SAY

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Everything by Faith

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Faith is never meant to be a one-time experience. In our circles, it is tempting to fall into that trap because we put so much emphasis on being saved by faith. We talk about accepting Christ, receiving Christ, trusting Christ, and giving your heart to Christ. We challenge people to respond in faith to the gospel invitation. This is well and good, but sometimes we leave the impression that having been saved by faith, the rest of life is up to us. Not so! The same faith that saves us is the faith that carries us from day to day as we make the journey from earth to heaven. That’s why the Bible says, “The righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4) and we are told that the gospel reveals a righteousness that is “by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17). The whole Christian life is a life of faith. We are saved by faith, kept by faith, and we walk by faith, endure by faith, rejoice by faith, serve by faith, love by faith, sacrifice by faith, pray by faith, worship by faith, and we obey by faith. We get married by faith, and we have children by faith. All that we do, we do by faith.

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Why is faith so important? I jotted down this short list as a way to focus my own thinking. Faith is the . . .
1) Condition of justification (Romans 5:1).2) Way we receive everlasting life (John 6:47).3) Means of access to God (Ephesians 3:12).4) Only way to please God (Hebrews 11:6).5) Victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).6) Key to answered prayer (Matthew 21:22).7) Title deed to all that God has promised (Hebrews 11:1).
Because God himself is entirely faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9), he honors those who love him enough to trust him completely. The question before us in this sermon is both simple and profound: What is faith and how does it work? This is a crucial topic because I think we often don’t appreciate how precious and how precarious is the life of faith.

MAY 15TH 2008 LOOKING BACK

MAY 15TH 2008

One year ago Charity and I traveled to Lyncbhurg Virginia to visit with my Mom and sister and her son Stephen. Mom wanted to go back to Lynchburg to visit and go to Thomas Road Baptist Church and visit with Jerry and Macel Falwell.


Since Stephen wanted to attend Liberty U. this was a good time for Ellen. We had a great time visiting Mom. On Sunday we attended the Thomas Road Baptist Church, the new building was beautiful. The three services that Sunday and we were in the last two. Jerry Falwell preached and was go as he has always been. Following the service I got up enough nerve to go down an visit Macel. She was as gracious as a preacher's wife. We had a great visit with her and then with Jerry. Then we all went out to eat.


Eating and sitting beside Macel and Jerry was wonderful. Who would have known, one month later Jerry would be called hometo be with the Lord. Jerry said that say, "My dream and plans for TRBC and Liberty U will be fulfilled by my sons."


Mom this year 2008 was 86 years old. And we traved to Texas to visit. Ellen had a birthday today and is doing just great.


I am still working on this new computer and hope to be up and running by next Tuesday with some new High Speed. And getting all the software running.

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WHERE DO I COME UP WITH WHAT I WRITE ABOUT SCRIPTURE AND THEOLOGY
LEARNING TO SAY WHAT YOU HAVE READ IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
SAYING THE SAME THING IN DIFFERENT WORDS !

I can talk from Ohio to Texas without notes, Charity tells me, so why do I use notes when I preach? I generally don’t say, "Charity, I got this point from MacArthur, Spurgeon and Edwards." But when I preach I am trying to be correct. And when I write on the blog, I do try to be as correct as possible.

Can I say up front in blogging, I am generally not the first person to come up with what I say.
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When I am speaking of theology, there are far too many good people out in the Blogger and Wordpress and Com. etc that do a far better job then I, and will address the issues of the day. If I were to give credit for what I say, I would have to say, every article I write has the flavor of what I have read in some book or article on the Web.

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I have no problem giving credit to anyone. I love to drop names of those who I am reading. As much as I read Blogs, I note that there are a lot of the same quotes, from the same folks. You can quote Spurgeon, the Puritans, Calvin, Edwards, Packer, MacArthur, Luther, and all those folks.
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From the very start of my ministry, I have said up front in my teaching, I study from those who know more than I do. I am not your typical fundamentalist who claims he only reads the Bible for his sermons. I remember trying out for a church in Texas when I was in Seminary and I used notes when I preached and the committee said they didn’t believe preachers should use notes. I do not think I have taught many lessons or preached sermons that have not being bathed in a lot of research and study.
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I believed when I was called to preached that God would give me an extra ability to know the Scripture without research and study and prayer and learning. I believed I would have a better ability to write and think and a skill of better interpretation of Scripture. As a matter of fact I have felt guilty that I have not been able to.
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Instant interpretation of any verse in the Bible has never been something I have had the ability to do.
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Of course, now after some forty years of study, I have retained some of what I have read and studied and have been able to assess and build a frame around what I believe about the Scripture. Today I most likely could give you an opinion on just about any subject in the Scripture. But I have not stopped learning.
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So when someone says "Charles, what do you think?" I will gladly say what I believe. What I believe has come with a lot of study. What I hope is happening in my mind, is that the Holy Spirit is helping me have the right direction in my thinking.
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So when you read this blog about theology in Scripture, remember it’s from a lot of study and research from those who I trust the most to learn from over the last few decades. What I write is not in a total vacuum, where I get it just from my own mind without study.

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PSALMS ONE: THE WHOLE DUTY OF A BELIEVER

I was telling Charity last night, I loved teaching the Teens at West Handley Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas in 1968. May 2, 2008 -- 40 years ago, on Psalms 1. Then I remembered teaching Psalms in Roanoke, Virginia to our youth in 1964. Psalms has been a part my thinking for a long time. From the mountains of Virginia to the cities of Texas, to the farming and hunting land of Kansas to the horse country of Kentucky and to the valley of the Ohio River.

We are rich indeed when we turn from our own wicked ways. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Ps 1:1) But to reach this point, His Law must first be on our minds and hearts. Without the consideration of His commandments, there is no walking in them.. The Psalmist knew this and tells us that the same one who is blessed is the one who considers and delights in the Law of the Lord. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Ps 1:2) Again, we must ask, "Where is my mind in all of this?" "Am I concerned with such things, or is my mind too filled with the world that such blessed meditations cannot enter?" It is not only a blessing to do good, but to meditate on it day and night as well.

With the knowledge that God made us and saved us that we should fear. The forerunner to obedience is the meditation of His Laws. They should be in our hearts and minds always, for they should be our joy. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psa 1:2 ) They are not cumbersome to us, but rather a constantly yielding stream of refreshment. He feeds us with their streams of living water so that whatever we do, we will prosper in Him. (Ps 1:3) It is a blessed life where our hearts are filled with wonderful things from His Law, bearing fruit in every season to the glory of God. Even under the rod of our Father, we are blessed, for He teaches us His ways. (Ps 94:12)

With the knowledge that God made us and saved us that we should fear Him and obey Him, we should pursue this with all that is in us. Indeed, it is the first and great commandment. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Mat 22:37) And we should go to Him daily, seeking the desire and strength to do His will. "Deliver us from evil."

It should not be hard to spend time in the Word, it’s not been hard over the last forty years to be in the Word day and night. (In one form or another: reading, talking, writing, listening, etc) I was glad there were twenty four hours in a day, because I usually had to work in the secular world at least eight hours, and then I had the joy of doing ministry for another ten hours. I never found it cumbersome to start studying a sermon on Monday, preach on Wednesday and then get ready for three sermons on Sunday.

While it’s true when you are a pastor/teacher you are in the Word daily. I must confess when you are not in the pastorate, you do find yourself busy with the routine daily activities of the day. Often you are distracted by the events of the day. Thus we need to keep focused daily on our duty or privilege to think on the Laws of Christ, and the Glory of the Lord, and read His word. Listen to a sermon, read a sermon, read a Doctrinal book, keep your mind fresh with the Word of God.

Psalms 1 is not just for pastors but for all those who call themselves Christians.

• Paul prayed for the Colossians, and in His prayer we see both elements of the whole duty of man,
  Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: