You are here: Home / Archives for Christian Ministry

A ONE STRING MINISTRY

by

ADVICE TO YOUNG PREACHERS

ONE STRING“One of the evils of such a course is to beget in his mind a monstrous development of that particular truth. He soon loses the symmetry and proportion of a Christian man, becomes too much a man of one idea, loses sight, in a great measure, of other branches of reform, and is in danger of becoming censorious, towards all others in whose minds there is not the same monstrous development of that particular truth. This is a dangerous state of mind, exceedingly injurious to his own piety and usefulness, and dangerous to the Church of God. Such men are found not infrequently to be loudly denunciatory in respect to all Christians and ministers who are not swallowed up, as they are, in that particular branch of reform. They go up and down through the Churches lecturing, making their particular topic a test question, and measuring every thing and every body by the importance they attach to the particular branch of reform in which they are engaged. To them it appears that no body else is doing any good–that nothing else is at the present time of much importance, and that little or nothing can be done for the salvation of the world, until that particular branch of reform is perfected. These brethren seem not at all aware of the state of mind in which they are. They seem not to consider that they have so long dwelt upon the bearings and influence of one branch of reform, that it has in their mind grown out of all proportion as compared with other branches of Christian reform. I beseech you, brethren, take heed lest you come to be among the number of those of whom I am speaking. Do not understand me as speaking against agencies or agents, for no doubt these agencies need to be prosecuted. But I would earnestly warn you against being drawn away from the whole work of the ministry to engage in them, without a manifest call from God. And if you should be called to engage in them, I beseech and warn you to be on your guard against the tendencies of which I have been speaking. Without being at all aware of it, many of the lecturers of different societies have diffused a very unhappy spirit through the Churches, and wherever they go, they seem to plant a root of bitterness, and to get up a kind of faction, and to embitter the minds of certain classes of professors of religion against the Church in general, and the ministry, and in short against all who have not a single eye to that particular department of reform.” Charles Finney

I DARE YOU TO USE BIBLICAL INSTRUMENTS!

by

A Challenge to use Biblical Instruments

Biblical Instruments

ByKenBlue

We live in a day when pastors pick a verse from anywhere, and make it say anything they like. This is seen when one conveniently overlooks certain things in the verse and chooses only those that support his agenda.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the area of musical instruments. Why is that? You know the answer. I dare you to.

Let us consider some Biblical instruments we are called upon to use to praise God:

  1. Trumpets- 2 Chron. 7:6. Are you searching for trumpet players? Why not?
  2. Harp- I Kings 10:12. Got any harp players? Why not?
  3. Psalteries- I Kings 10:12. A stringed instrument.  Why not?
  4. Cornet-I Chron. 15:28. A wind instrument in the trumpet family. Got any, why not?
  5. Cymbals- I Chron. 15:28. A percussion instrument. Can’t find any? When did you look?
  6. Timbrel- 2 Samuel 6:5. “An ancient percussion instrument similar to a tambourine.  [Diminutive of Middle English timbre, drum, from Old French.”  American Heritage Dictionary.]
  7. Tabrets- 2 Samuel 18:6. In the percussion family.

These are a few Biblical instruments found in Scripture. Yet you will not find them in Baptist churches. Perhaps if we added them, those churches that sound like funeral homes could be revived. Why aren’t they used? The answer is because the pastors are cowards. They fear their members and the wrath of fellow pastors. Come on Pastor, don’t be a chicken. Many Baptist churches dare not use anything other than the piano or organ, and then wonder why the music sounds like a Catholic Monastery. Biblical instruments fall into three categories; wind, stringed and percussion. I dare you!

 

 

 

 

PERPETUITY AND HARLOT CHURCHES #2

by

(Perpetuity and Harlot Churches #1)

Can anyone seriously prove perpetuity?

broken chain

 

By Ken Blue

I have found that church history books are not reliable. It depends on who writes them. Then, there are little red books with charts and graphs, but how do we know these charts are accurate? Does it require faith in man’s theological bias? None is completely objective. If you can’t validate your baptism back to the beginning, with assurance that the chain has never been broken, how are others to know? Doesn’t it require a little Bible knowledge, a lot of history, and even more faith? I am confident if you can know, so can we.

Power intoxicates men. Catholic baptism, according to them, puts you in the church that started with Peter. Seventh Day Advantest baptism puts you in the church Jesus started. Apostolic Church Of God, baptism in the name of “Jesus only,” puts you in the church Jesus started. Charismatic baptism in the Spirit, gives you the Spirit.  And, some Baptist churches believe, if you don’t have their local church baptism, you are not in Jesus’s church or the bride. So, you see, it’s all about power. “If you don’t have ours, you don’t have it, and you are not in…” I think those who take that position are “power mongers.”

The argument is simple; first, you must have a proper candidate who is saved. Right! Secondly, you must have a proper mode, baptism by immersion. Right! Thirdly, you must have the proper church, one with perpetuity back to John the Baptist. Wrong! Fourthly, there must be proper authority to baptize. Wrong! It’s all about control and authority. Like Peter, their baptism is the KEY to the true church, and the bride. If you don’t have their approval, you’re OUT! I say  NUTS to their church bigotry and the arrogance about the administrator!

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]NUTS to their church bigotry and the arrogance about the administrator![/pullquote]

I have a list of different Baptist groups, found just in North America. I have no doubt that each one can “prove” they are the correct church with valid perpetuity.

************************************************************************************

Alliance of Baptists-American Baptist Association-American Baptist Churches – Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America-Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists- Baptist Bible Fellowship International-Baptist General Conference-Baptist Missionary Association of America-Central Baptist Association-Christian Unity Baptist Association-Conservative Baptist Association of America-Continental Baptist Churches-Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-Enterprise Association of Regular Baptists-Evangelical Free Baptist Church-Free Will Baptist-Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship-Fundamental Baptist Fellowship Association-Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of America-General Association of Baptists-General Association of General Baptists-General Association of Regular Baptist Churches-General Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc.-General Six-Principle Baptists-Independent Baptist Church of America-Independent Baptist Fellowship International-Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America-Institutional Missionary Baptist Conference of America-Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association-Landmark Baptists-Liberty Baptist Fellowship-Macedonia Baptist World Missions-Mainstream Baptist Network National Association of Free Will Baptists-National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.-National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.-National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A.-National Missionary Baptist Convention of America-National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A.-North American Baptist Conference-Old Regular Baptist-Indian Bottom Association of Old Regular Baptists-Old Time Missionary Baptist-Original Free Will Baptist Convention-Primitive Baptists-Progressive National Baptist Convention-Reformed Baptist-Regular Baptist-Roger Williams Fellowship-Separate Baptist-Separate Baptists in Christ-Seventh Day Baptist General Conference-Southern Baptist Convention-Southwide Baptist Fellowship-Sovereign Grace Baptists-Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists-United American Free Will Baptist Church-United American Free Will Baptist Conference-United Baptists-Unregistered Baptist Fellowship-World Baptist Fellowship-Worldwide Baptist New Testament Missions. Are you serious? You know you have perpetuity, and these don’t. It looks like the Corinthian Church to me.

SERVICE IS THE KEY

by

It’s All About Service #1

service

By Ken Blue

A few years ago I visited the Eagle Hardware store in our town. It was a man’s shopping paradise, with tools everywhere! As I entered the large double-doors, a man wearing an employee vest came out of an aisle on my left. We almost collided. I asked where I could locate a particular electrical item. He said, “Come with me.”

I followed him down the main aisle about one hundred feet, and then we turned to the right and walked another hundred and fifty feet. He then turned left and we walked fifty feet to the place where he knelt to the floor on one knee and took the item from the bottom shelf. He smiled and said, “Here you are sir.” I asked, “Are you the owner of this store?”  “No sir,” he said, “I only work here, but I do want you to come again.” I assured him I would. Not only would I return, I would tell all my friends.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Wouldn’t it be great if the people who visit our churches left feeling like they had received same special service?[/pullquote]

Wouldn’t it be great if the people who visit our churches left feeling they had received the same special service I received from a hardware employee? Instead of telling our guest where the bathrooms are, or where the nurseries are, why not train our greeters and ushers to walk with them and help them with their smallest needs. You may not be the preacher, but you will be telling the guest, “You are valuable to us, and we really want you to come again.”  Not only are they likely to return, they will also tell their friends. You see, it’s all about the service.

An Interview with Pastor Blue #1

by

classify peopleHow to classify people if the church

Hi Folks,

I asked Pastor Blue if I could post to the blog. I help pastor with the administration of the blog.

If you keep track of Pastor Blue’s posts you can see he takes time to deal with objections. Many times the people who he is dealing with seem genuinely interested in gaining understanding, sometimes not so much. Those of us who know Pastor Blue know how patiently he will work us through our misunderstandings, misperceptions and blind spots concerning Doctrine. Thinking about these “mentoring sessions” both online and in person, I asked Pastor Blue to do this. Now to the interview:


Question #1
Pastor Blue, over the years you have dealt with many types of people. Although some people resist being typed or classified, I expect that you can give us some insights into what type of people you’ve dealt with and the characteristics of the conversations. I remember other preachers classifying people as “honest seekers” and the like. Some conversations are worthwhile and some useless. Could you give us insights in these different types of people, the characteristics of their conversation, and maybe how to know if they are worth our time?  Can you show us how you classify people in the church?


Scott, like all problems, some are identified immediately, while other take some time to figure out. This is also true of people. However, when you have been in the problem solving business for a while, it becomes easier to spot it.

If I were to classify people, I think they fall into three groups. I call them the VIP, VTP, VDP. When I speak of these, it is only in the context of people within a church, with whom the pastor must deal. Every church will have within it a group who are very important to the ministries (…The VIP). These are those we choose as assistant pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers, etc. The pastor needs wisdom and patience to identify these people. A church cannot function without these called “VIP.”

Then there are the people who are very teachable (…The VTP). They are eager to learn the Scriptures, and how to serve the Lord. They are your next generation of VIP. Again, the pastor must watch for this crowd and spend his time training and nurturing them. They will display an ability to get along with people, an aptitude for learning, and strength of character.

Finally, there are those we are called to pastor who are very draining (…The VDP). They would like to have counseling sessions with the pastor after every service. The pastor must avoid the belief he can help these people. They do not want their problem solved, that would remove their excuse for counseling.

Then there are those who have a grievance about someone else, and they want you to deal with it. Don’t do it! They want the pastor’s finger prints on their murder weapon. When someone complains about another, NEVER give YOUR opinion about that person. Your comments will get back to the other party, and now you have another family to deal with.

Most complaints should be ignored. But, there are some that must be addressed. The pastor may need to seek outside advice on some issues. Remember, all three of these groups are in every church, and the pastor is the pastor of each of them. He must learn the difference, and learn the best way to deal with them. Jesus could not keep all His flock, neither can any pastor.