Ken Blue Ministries

 

 

 

 

 

 By Ken Blue

 All appears quite on the home front. The brethren who were vehemently against Power Point have seen the light, or retreated into a cave. There is no need for fear. However, in some churches there is no need for Power Point. So, do thy self no harm.

 If your church is small, and you seldom have visitors, Power Point will be of little value to you. Most churches of a hundred or less operate as a family church. All the members know each other by name, they are one happy family, and hope it stays that way. Everyone has access to the pastor, and he loves it. In addition, all the members bring their Bibles, and can find the books with ease. If you do not have visitors, and your church is not growing, you may not need Power Point.

 On other hand, if you have visitors each Sunday, Power Point can be a great advantage and should be used. Keep in mind that most visitors are self-conscious, and your church is a strange environment for them. They do not want to be pointed out, nor embarrassed as they fumble through the Bible in an attempt to keep up with the pastor. So, if you want your church to grow new converts, make is easy for visitors and new members to follow you. You want your visitors to return next Sunday. Give them a reason to return.

 Wisdom will dictate that you put your sermon outline, sub points, and Bible verses on Power Point. The benefits of doing this far exceed your fears. It is better to make is easy for people to trust Christ than it is to try to teach them to find verses in the Bible before they are saved. Win them first, and then teach them. Preaching is an educational process. You should use every tool available to reinforce your teaching. Power Point will do that.

 Now, for those who fear that people will not learn how to find the books in the Bible, the key is to not put the verses up on Power Point in the evening service. Visitors seldom attend these services. You should not throw the baby out with the bath water. Learn how to balance your ministry so you can best help those who attend. Let wisdom guide you instead of fear.

 Creating an outline and Bible verses for Power Point will require a little more effort on your part. However, the benefits far outweigh the time invested. Don’t allow Power Point paranoia paralyze you.

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

Luke 5:31 “Jesus answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.”

Occasionally someone will complain of a migraine or a touch of the flu. Another may suggest they see a doctor. However, the person feeling ill will say, “no, I don’t feel that bad.”

My question is, how sick do you feel? Jesus made it clear, only the sick need a physician. Many who profess to be saved have never had more than a heart burn or a runny nose. They have never come to the realization that their situation is terminal.

It is the sick who need the Physician. Listen to these who have realistically looked at themselves. Job said, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.” Job 40:4. This was how this great saint of the Old Testament saw himself. Have you come to that realization?  Simon Peter saw his own sinfulness. “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8. A dear woman saw her true condition, and took her place under the table with the dogs. “Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. ²⁶ But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. ²⁷ And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Matthew 15:25-27. Finally, we hear Paul’s estimation of himself. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” I Timothy 1:15.

Now, how sick are you of yourself? Do you see your inward man as vile, sinful, like a dog, and the chief of sinners?  If not, no doubt you have not come to the Great Physician yet. Only those who sense that they are terminally ill really appreciate what the Physician has done for them, and that He is the only one who can make them whole.

How sick are you? If you know you, like I know me, you are sick of you. The only reason men and women don’t come to Christ for salvation is they don’t think they are sick. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 By Ken Blue

These are a few of the members who have been at Open Door for twenty years or more. Without a doubt, there are ten times that many who have moved on, and are serving in other churches, and ministries.

It is results like this that makes the ministry gratifying and rewarding. Sadly, too many pastors change churches about every five years, and never grow their church. It takes years to build a growing, solid, and Bible believing church. Someone has correctly said, “It takes a few weeks to grow an onion, and several years to grow an oak.” Which business are you in?

I am not the Holy Spirit, but I do not believe God is leading pastors to change pastorates ever three to five years. No doubt there is a more personal problem that should be resolved. My advice is for a pastor to stay put, if at all possible, and grow old with your members. Let God’s Spirit continue to work through you.

As a pastor ages, he will need to add younger staff to help with the children and young families. The pastor should give consideration to resigning when he is no longer effective. Time and much prayer is needed for that important decision. Stay put, and reap the benefits of a long term ministry.

Pastor Jason Murphy now pastors Open Door

 

 

By Ken Blue

Job 1:1  ^“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”

“Give an account of roaming, the earth, to and fro,

And why are you watching righteous Job as you go?”

“I have seen thousands like him, secure in their place,

Take away Your bribes, and he’ll curse You to Your face.”

 

So the Lord took down the hedge, and Job was fair game.

Once he’d lost it all, would he live up to his name?

Satan took all his farms, his servants, and his herds,

Still, Job remained faithful, and he was not deterred.

 

“Let me get more personal,” was Satan’s request.

“Let me take away his health, and what he loves best.”

So Job lost his health and his children in that day.

Job replied, “The Lord gives, it’s His to take away.”

 

Job’s friends came to comfort him in his shocking plight.

They gazed on his misery, seven days and nights.

Jobs wife was filled with grief; she could no longer cry.

And in her anger said, “why not curse God and die?”

 

Job was greatly perplexed; he had done nothing wrong.

And now his health, and all else, was dead or gone.

Job didn’t know God’s purpose or the design on high,

Nor answers to millions, who ask the reason, “why?”

 

All his friends believed he was hiding sins within.

“Just fess up Job, and all will be restored again.”

But, Job remained steadfast; he had done nothing wrong.

This was his argument, and would be his theme song.

 

But God appeared to Job in a mighty whirlwind,

And took the argument from his three naive friends.

Job needed to see God, in His wisdom and power,

And realize there’s no escaping life’s testing hour.

 

Job was at wits end, but to answer God he must.

“I see, and abhor myself in ashes and dust.

You are all righteousness; I am completely vile.”  

Unknown to Job, this was God’s purpose all the while.

 

Therefore, Satan was wrong, and so were Job’s three friends.

And Job was the more righteous in the latter end.

God proved that men don’t serve for what is given them.

But, because He is LORD, they love and worship Him.

 

Job was patient, and he proved Satan is a liar.

God is a loving God, as we go through the fire.

And all that Job lost was restored a hundred fold.

And a truth was revealed as the mystery was told.