By Ken Blue
I am as sure of the perpetuity of the church as I am of the human race. I am here, so there must have been a line of beings from me, back to the first human. I have no way of knowing every link back to my first father, or how many were good or bad men. The Bible is clear that Adam was the first person. From there on, it’s anyone’s guess. I am thankful that God has given me a life to live. I hope I won’t be discounted since I don’t have a chart showing a reliable trail of blood back to Adam.
I also have been associated with Baptist all my life. I was raise in the Baptist south, saved and baptized in a Baptist church, attended two Baptist Colleges, and founded and pastored a Baptist church for over 40 years. Dozens of young men have gone out from that church and started other Baptist churches. (Please remember this paragraph.)
I don’t have many challenges as to my perpetuity back to Adam. But, when it comes to my church, I have taken fire from all sides. There is a little band of Baptist that tell me, if I can’t validate my church perpetuity back to John the Baptist, I have a harlot church, and all the churches we have started are little whores.
Most of the brethren agree that Adam was the father of us all. But, when it comes to the father of the first church, you will not find that unanimity. Some believe it started in Matthew 3. Others see Matthew 16 as the starting point. Still, some claim it was started in the next chapter by Jesus. A majority of Christians think the church was born in Acts 2 at Pentecost. A few see it beginning in Acts 9, with the conversion of Saul. Finally, fewer see its beginning after Acts 28. Regardless of where it started, no one church can prove perpetuity of their local church back to John the Baptist. When it comes to the church, we don’t have the same unity we do with Adam.
Well, the last thing I want is to stand in judgment before the Lord, and be judged for having a harlot church. So, if anyone can prove that the chain from his church back to the original church has never been broken; I am all ears. Now, it will not help me if you believe your church has perpetuity. We need to know how you know the chain was never broken from there to you. If the chain was broken for over one hundred years, were all those who were baptized, or ordained into the ministry valid churches? Or, are these harlot churches? If your church was unknowingly in that line, wouldn’t that break the perpetuity, and invalidate your baptism of all those you have baptized? Can you prove that has never happened in your “so called line of perpetuity?” Of course, you cannot.
“ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
Perpetuity and Harlot Churches Part # 2
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.