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EASY BELIEVISM

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What could be easier than getting saved?

LogRolling

By Ken Blue

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

While a student In Bible College, I remember a story that I will never forget. Dr. Malone was preaching, and he told a story about a student who brought a lost man to the “altar.” Dr. Malone said he overheard the sinner say, “I don’t feel like getting saved today.” The student said, “You don’t have to feel like it, you just need to believe what Jesus did for you on the cross.” The sinner responded, “But I want to feel something.” Again the student assured him it was not a feeling he needed. He only needed faith. Finally the sinner knelt and prayed, asking the Lord to save him. Dr. Malone said, “As soon as the two of them stood, the student asks, how do you feel?”

One of the issues confusing pastors and sinners, is the concept that one must “feel” a certain way or his salvation is not real. The problem is we have made feeling a synonym for conviction. Now, feeling may follow conviction. However, feeling need not, and many times does not. Feeling is not conviction, nor is conviction a feeling.  Conviction is a conclusion that one comes to about an issue. Some who get saved may weep and tremble, while another may laugh and shout. Then, there are those who show little or no emotion. Now, who of us can say for sure which person REALLY got saved? The answer is, none of us.

Getting saved is the easiest thing in the world. For the life of me, I can’t figure why pastors and evangelist want to put razor wire between the sinner and the Savior. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13. Now, what could be easier? The text says the word is in the heart and mouth.  

Then we hear the criticism about “the sinners’ prayer.” I am not sure how a sinner gets saved without a prayer. I guess there is some kind of sinners’ prayer that doesn’t work. If anyone knows what it is, they should enlighten us. We hear that one, two, three, repeat after me, won’t save the sinner. I would be curious how anyone knows that the sinner led in a prayer isn’t saved. The fact, my dear brother is, you don’t know if anyone gets saved or not. If they bawl and crawl their way to the “altar” on their knees, you and I have no assurance they really got saved. Personally, I would no longer announce if people get saved or not. I think the safe thing to say is we had a certain number of professions.

The Scriptures tell us how to believe, and what to believe. But, we are never told what emotional response or feeling one must demonstrate. Let me conclude with one example, and I have many.

About fifty-five years ago, my wife and I went to her brother’s house for the sole purpose of leading him to the Lord. Vernon worked on the rail road, and the heat in his boots had caused a rash. He was setting at the table applying alcohol. I presented the gospel to him, and ask if he understood. He said he did. I ask him if he would be willing to accept Christ, if I prayed with him. He responded with a “yes.” We prayed, afterward he continued to rub the alcohol on his leg. There was no weeping, shouting, or visible emotion. Vernon is still living for the Lord, and I am as sure of his salvation as I am that of any person reading this.

I believe in easy believism. I think there is a mindset that we are in some kind of “Laodicean period,” where people have no interest in salvation. That mindset conditions our attitude toward the lost. So, we put every obstacle before them, and if they aren’t willing to jump them, we beat them up to confirm what we believed. I think we should remove every obstacle between the sinner and the cross, and do everything in our power to get people to accept Christ; so did Jesus, and Paul. Believing is easy for those who believe.

“…unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:18-22

 

PASTOR KEN FRALEY NOW WITH THE LORD

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“At approximately 9:30 a.m., EST today, My dad took his final steps into heaven. Please remember my family in your prayers. -Andrea-

Sandy Fraley Stockton

“Dad’s funeral will be Saturday Oct. 5th at First Baptist in Milford, Ohio at 10:30 am – visitation starting at 9:30. We will also have a memorial open house in Palm Bay, Florida … details to be determined. William Childs Hospice House was an amazing blessing to our family. I’m so glad my sister was here with us at just the right time, and Debbie & Chuck are here from IL at the right time. God’s hand has been very present through this difficult time. My Aunt & Uncle made it in today and we’re glad to have them here. Special thanks to my in-laws Sharon & Dale for their amazing generosity and thoughtfulness and Mother &Father-in-law for coming every day and for her making those special cinnamon rolls. God’s blessings to everyone who brought food, sent cards, called and texted or FBd. Thank you Dixie for being such a great friend! We are blessed.”

Pastor Ken Fraley was one of my precious friends. Our families spent many wonderful hour in fellowship over the years. I met Brother Fraley at Midwestern Baptist College 47 years ago. Our last time together was a Branson Missouri…He and Gena have two wonderful daughters; Andrea, and Sandy. Brother Fraley will be missed. Thankfully, those of us who know Jesus as Savior, will be reunited. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.  We love you.

 

ALBERT BARNS ON PREACHING

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Posted By Ken Blue

Many preachers have no objective for the sermons they preach, other than to preach the sermon. They have no thought-out purpose, thus they expect little or no results. They are seldom disappointed. This article, written by Albert Barns, deals with the skill and preciseness that every pastor should learn to perfect as he asks the question, “Why am I selecting this subject, and what results do I expect from it?”

“Men who preach should endeavor to understand the nature of the mind and of the moral feelings, as really as he who would inflict a deadly wound should endeavor to understand enough about anatomy to know where the heart is, or he who administers medicine should endeavor to know what is adapted to remove certain diseases. And he who has no belief in the efficacy of truth to produce any effect, resembles one who should suppose that all knowledge of the human system was needless to him who wished and who should cut at random– to perform a surgical operations piously leaving it with God to direct the knife; or he who should go into a hospital of patients, and administer medicines indiscriminately-devoutly saying, that all healing must come from God, and that the use of medicine was only to show its own weakness! Thus many men seem to preach. Yet, for aught that appears, truth is just as wisely adapted to save the soul, as medicine is to heal the sick; and why, then, should not a preacher be as careful to study the nature of truths and its adaptedness to a particular end, as a student of the healing art is to understand the adaptedness of medicine to cure disease? The true way of preaching is, to feel that truth is adapted to the end in view; to select that which is best fitted for that end; to preach as if the whole result depended on getting that truth before the mind and into the heart, and then to leave the whole result with God–as a physicians with right feelings, will exert all his skill to save his patient, and then commit the whole question of life and health to God. He will be more likely to praise God intelligently who believes that he has wisely adapted a plan to the end in view, than he who believes that God works only at random.”-Barns Notes

 

THREE INDISPENSABLES

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               Personality

 

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Aptitude            Character

 

By Ken Blue

It is impossible to give accurate percentages on the learning curve between audio, visual, and participating. These depend on the presentation, and the memory retention of each individual.

However, when it comes to ones effectiveness in any field, there are three indispensable qualities. Especially is this true of the ministry. These are personality, aptitude, and character.

  • Personality: “the condition or fact of relating to a particular person; The complex of characteristics that distinguishes an individual or a nation or group; especially : the totality of an individual’s behavioral and emotional characteristics.” Merriam Webster Dictionary.

One should note especially the words “relating to a particular person.” If you cannot relate with a person, you will not be able to minister to them. One book I would recommend is How to Win Friends and Influence People. “How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the first best-selling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie and first published in 1936, it has sold 15 million copies world-wide.” Wikipedia.  The more people you can “relate” with, the more you can reach them with your message. It will not matter how much Bible you know, or how well you can preach, if you have flaws in your personality that repels others.

  • Aptitude: “a natural or acquired capacity or ability; especially : a tendency, capacity, or inclination to learn or understand.” Merriam Webster Dictionary.

The capacity to learn and understand differs with each individual. However, it is my belief that most of us use very little of our God given potential.  In the ministry, one must learn how to visualize, and plan. If others are involved, then he must have the qualities of leadership in order to get others to join in. Then there is the matter of organization. This includes men, materials, money, and time. Finally, the pastor must be able to control all the above. All these can be learned, if one will pray for wisdom, and commit himself to mastering them.

 

  • Character: “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation.”

 

Without a doubt, your character is your most valuable asset. You must be seen as sincere, honest, caring, well mannered, polite, ethical, non-pretentious, nor high minded, or self-important.

If people see the absence of these in a pastor, they lose all respect for him, and hold him accountable. You may “wow” people with your personality. You may impress them with your aptitude to preach or minister. But, they will never overlook your character flaws. Most pastors who ruin their ministry, is because of the “little” character flaws that are seen by others.

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1 Timothy 4:15-16.:

 

THE POWER OF USING POWERPOINT

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By Ken Blue

 All appears quite on the home front. The brethren who were vehemently against PowerPoint have evidently seen the light, or retreated into a cave. There is no need for fear. There never was, but anything new terrifies the brethren, until they can convince others they came up with the idea. So, do thy self no harm.

 If your church is small, and you seldom have visitors, PowerPoint will be of little value to you. Most churches of a hundred or less operate as a family atmosphere. All the members know each other by name, they are one happy family, and many 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 don’t have visitors, and your church is not growing, you may not need Power Point.

 On other hand, if you have visitors each Sunday, PowerPoint 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 it 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 and teaching is an educational process. You should use every tool available to reinforce your teaching. Power Point, and handouts will do that.

Now, for those who fear that people will not learn how to find the books in the Bible, and that is the excuse many pastors use, the key is to not put the verses up on PowerPoint in the evening service. Visitors seldom attend these services.

Pastor seldom give it a thought that most believers in both Testaments did not have a Bible in their hand. The priest or the preacher read aloud, and the people listened. So, don’t get the idea that the Bible is a fetish that must be held in your hands. It is the Word of God, no matter how it is proclaimed.  

 

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. However, you should create handouts of your sermon, and let the people fill in the blanks. Yours is a teaching ministry. Let wisdom guide you instead of fear.

Creating an outline, and putting Bible verses for PowerPoint will require a little more effort on your part. However, the benefits far outweigh the time invested. Don’t allow PowerPoint paranoia  to paralyze you. I believe there are two reasons pastors refuse to do the above; it requires work, and they are lazy, they fear what other pastors will think and say.