You are here: Home / Archives for ARTICLES

PASTORS DRIVING IN THE FOG

by

PASTORS WITHOUT GOALS OR OBJECTIVES

pastorsBy Ken Blue

The longer I live and the more I talk with pastors, the more confident I am that many of them are driving in a fog; if they are moving at all. We all know what it is like to try to drive in those blinding conditions. Sometimes fog lights help, but the fog line on the right side of the road may be the best guide. That line gives you some point of reference as to where you are.

It appears that pastors do not want a clearly defined purpose, or stated objectives for fear of failure. Perhaps they like being in the fog, that way no one can figure out where they are going. You would think they would be eager to establish these, and clarify them to their members.

What must a pastor do to get out of the fog and see clearly his purpose, objectives, and goals? First of all, he must have a stated purpose for the church. Can you put in a simple sentence why your church exists and what you believe God wants it to focus on; if not, you are still in the fog. An example of a purpose statement is that of Open Door Baptist church. “We exist to bring families from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.” That statement is clear and defines what the churches main business will be. Everything else they do moves the church toward that purpose.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The purpose statement declares why you exist.[/perfectpullquote]

Once the purpose is established, clearly stated objectives must be put in place. The purpose declares why you exist. The objectives state what actions are necessary to carry out your purpose. Pastors should have no more that 5-7 objectives. Objectives are not goals. They are simply the major areas you must focus on to support your purpose.

Once the objectives are in place, goals must be set in each one of them. Some goals may be set for what you want the church to be in five years. Goals must be broken down to 12, 6, 3, and 1-month segments. They must be on the pastor’s calendar, and on your desk, or they will be ignored.

Also, goals have a beginning and ending date. They must be measurable, attainable and have ownership. From your calendar, you know what you are to do each week and every day. If you have done it right, your calendar will become your boss. You no longer are in the fog. If things get a little fuzzy, get your calendar out and bring yourself up to date.

Why do pastors ignore this kind of planning? One, it requires you to think and work. It won’t allow you to fly by the seat of your pants. It holds you accountable. It shows where you are failing, and the bottom line is fear.

CHECK OUT AUDIO SERMONS AND SONGS

THE DANGERS AND JOYS OF STUDYING PROPHECY

by

There is great interest in the study of Bible prophecy. This can be good, or it can be destructive. The key is how it is handled and applied.We are commanded to study the Word and rightly divide it. Nowhere, is this more important than in the study of prophecy.

Prophecy is the greatest proof of inspiration. The four gospels are a record of how the birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection of Jesus are proofs that He is the subject of Old Testament prophecies.

It helps give a point of reference to the believer. The study and understanding of prophecy will give the Christian a solid reference point if he knows how to rightly divide the Word of God.

Perhaps the greatest error in the study of prophecy is the failure to understand that most of it is written concerning Israel and their kingdom. There is very little prophecy concerning the church. Most of the things said about the church have to do with trends within it in its last days. There is a world of difference between what is said about the last days of the church and the last days of Israel’s prophecies.

Most prophecy will be understood after its fulfillment. This gives credibility to Scripture. There are many things we could not have understood 75 years ago. But with Israel in the land, the movement of the nations against them, the advent of the computer and the interned; the Second Advent seems imminent. Hindsight is 20/20. As we approach the end of the age, our understandings of prophecy will increase.

We must exercise special caution and discernment when listening to how one interprets prophecy. The great danger is the belief that we have prophets in this dispensation to whom God is revealing the future. Rest assured it is not happening. Another danger is that of eager souls see fulfillment of prophecy in every event. Jesus warned us that Israel’s last days would spawn many false prophets. Jesus said to His disciples, “ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:6-8.

We must not assume that current events are the fulfillment of prophecy. They may be; they may not. Time will tell. History is replete with accounts of preachers and teachers who preached and taught that the events in their time were sure signs of the end of the world. That does not mean we should not study, but it should warn us not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.

We must never set dates as to when prophecy will be fulfilled. It ought to be evident to all that no one knows the time of the rapture. We should be living in the reality that it could happen today, I hope it does, but it may not happen for years to come. No one knows.

There is great joy, and danger, in the study of prophecy. Don’t get caught up in following those who make prophecy their special ministry. We are told to rightly divide the whole Word of God. Also, preachers are to preach the whole counsel of God. Study, but don’t go to seed on this subject.

BABYLON IS NOT ROME NOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

by

BABYLON AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Babylon

By Ken Blue

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4.

The standard teaching is that the Catholic Church is Babylon, and that God is calling for believers to come out of it. However, nothing could be further from the truth. I have always wondered why those who are opposed to spiritualizing Scripture take such liberty in the book of Revelation, especially with chapters 2, 3, 17, 18.

When the Jews flee in the Tribulation, it will be safer for them in the city of Babylon than in Jerusalem; many will go there for protection. Two things were necessary for this to happen. One, Israel had to be back in their land as a nation, and the City of Babylon had to be rebuilt. Both have happened.

When God said, “Come out of her, my people…” He is speaking a literal city and a specific time. Look at the context of:

  • Jeremiah 51:6 “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.”
  • Jeremiah 51:6. “Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.”
  • Micah 4:10. Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. (Read context.) 

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Although the Catholic Church practices much of Babylon’s religion, she is but one of the many offshoots.[/pullquote]

  • Jeremiah 50:4-9 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. 5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. 6My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. 7All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. 8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks. 9For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
  • Jeremiah 51:5-8 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. 6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. 7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. 8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
  •  Jeremiah 51:45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.

Therefore, there is no doubt that the Lord is speaking of literal Jews, and He is calling them out of the literal city of Babylon just prior to its destruction as described in the above text. There is absolutely no thought of the Catholic Church in these verses. The idolatry and wickedness of Babylon was in full existence long before Rome ever existed. If you don’t know that, you haven’t read the Old Testament, or of her influence on all the nations, including Israel. Although the Catholic Church practices much of Babylon’s religion, she is but one of the many offshoots. Babylon is not the Catholic Church.

CHECK OUT AUDIO SERMONS AND SONGS

WANTED; A LEADER

by

 

What we are witnessing today in the nations surrounding Israel is an unraveling of existing governments. Each of these countries will emerge in new form and under new leadership. There may be a semblance of democracy, but the iron and the clay will not adhere. “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” Daniel 2:41-43.

Once the puppet leaders are in place, they will forge an alliance of a Muslim Brotherhood. There will be ten of these nations, and Christians should keep an eye on them. There will not be perfect peace between them, but an obscure leader unlike the world has ever known will come from Syria and take charge of these ten nations; Three of the ten will rebel and be removed. The remaining seven will follow their new leader. “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” Daniel 7:8.

This new leader will not only rule the ten nations, but will have control of most, if not all the oil in the region. He will spend much of his time working from Syria to Egypt in order to maintain peace. His political and military prowess has never been matched. In time he will move his headquarters to Babylon. As he traverses between Egypt and Babylon, he will decide to set up a headquarters in Jerusalem. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: ” Matthew 24:15. “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Revelation 11:2.

It is at this point the Scriptures tell the Jews to get out of Jerusalem. The reason is obvious; This leader’s goal will be the eradication of all Jews. In fact, Jesus says that if those days were not shortened; no Jews would be left alive. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22. “The elect” is a reference to Israel. The context makes that evident.

This is the leader the Muslim world is looking for, and he is coming very soon. Many Christian are looking for signs. The most helpful sign is to pay attention to what is happening around Israel. These ten nations, the leader from Syria, and his occupation of Jerusalem are keys to understand the return of Christ. “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be”. Matthew 24:15-21. The one who will stand “in the holy place” is the leader the Middle East and the world will accept.  We have been warned.

CHECK OUT AUDIO SERMONS AND SONGS

THE ATHEIST WITH NOTHING TO LOSE

by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The atheist can’t lose his soul; he doesn’t believe he has one

He can’t lose his faith; he doesn’t have any

He can’t lose his argument; he has nothing to prove

He can’t lose his faith about where he came from. He came from stardust, to slime, to his present state.

He can’t lose his purpose for existence; he doesn’t have one.

He can’t lose his morals; there’s no such thing.

He can’t lose his belief that there is right or wrong. They don’t exist.

He can’t lose the argument that rape, murder, theft, pedophilia, profanity, lying and race decimation are wrong. To him, right and wrong are inventions of religion and governments to control people.

He can’t lose a belief that man is more valuable than a rat, for both are the processes of evolution.

He can’t lose his hope of anything after death; He has none.

He can’t lose any sleep over six million Jews being exterminated, or the present wars, for all are birth pangs of the upward evolutionary process.

The atheist has nothing more to lose than Bossy the cow, or Rex the dog. There must be a lot of pride and comfort in being an atheist.

ings