What's the Big Deal About KJV Onlyism? Response to Episode 4

Yet another great video explaining why Sam Gipp is wrong and misleading people in this whole crazy idea that the King James Bible is the only word of God.  Thank you once again Dr. James White for stand up ageist these crazy ideas. 

Wretched: That Woman is Mad at Christians.

FIRST-PERSON: 5 things I wish I had known as a young pastor

Rob Pochek; Posted on Aug 30, 2012

WILSON, N.C. (BP) -- I left my breakfast meeting with a young pastor and realized, with a measure of sadness, that I was no longer a "young pastor." He was facing a number of ministry challenges that seemed very familiar to me.

As I shared with him some of the lessons I had learned, he remarked, "I wish I had known this three years ago." It occurred to me that the lessons I shared with him were ones that I wish I had been told when a small country church that allowed a rough, unrefined college student to get his feet wet in ministry. As I look back, there are (at least) five things I wish I had been aware of when I was just starting out:

1. You are pastoring a parade. The first time I had a family leave the church I was leading, I was personally hurt. I thought that I had really messed up as a pastor, or in my more frustrated moments, I thought that they "just didn't get it." What I failed to realize is that, sometimes, God removes people from your ministry for your benefit. And, I am sure, sometimes he moves them for their benefit! It was John Maxwell I first heard say, "every pastor pastors a parade ... people are always coming and going." As I have watched people "come and go" over the years, I have learned to trust solely in the Lord to bring people that would add benefit to the church. It is, after all, his church to build. Indeed, God often removes someone in order to drive us to Him, and then blesses us with someone else who adds tremendous value to the church. So, as a young pastor, be prepared for the fact that people will come and go, and trust that God is doing so for your benefit and for the good of the body.

2. The people who demand the most serve the least. As a young pastor, my assumption was that the people who gave and served most faithfully would demand most of my attention. The truth was the exact opposite. The people who demand the most are typically those who give the least and serve the least. And, upon reflection, that makes sense. When people are faithful and obedient to give of themselves and their resources to advance God's Kingdom, they are far less inclined to believe they should have a pastor's undivided attention. So, don't be surprised when those most disappointed in you and who criticize you the harshest are those who have the least invested in the ministry of the local church.

3. You will see ugly behavior. I have to be honest; this lesson comes from my wife. I asked her what she wished she would have known when we first started out. Her comment was, "you will see the ugliest behavior you can imagine in the church." Now, please don't think of my wife as a bitter crank. She is not. Rather, as the wife of a young pastor, she was not prepared for the "ugly behavior" that she saw. As a young pastor it is important to remember that you are not the only one who hears the criticism of others. You need to be sure to help your family understand that such behavior is sin and we ought not return sinful behavior with sinful behavior. Instead, let the Lord defend you as you exhibit Christlikeness in the face of criticism.

4. You are irreplaceable (but not at church). A lot of pastors act as if they are irreplaceable at the church they are serving. That is why they cancel or postpone family outings and activities to attend to the latest need of a church member. But, being irreplaceable at the church is not what is intended here. Rather, you are irreplaceable at home. Think about it: You likely were not the first pastor of the church you are serving and hopefully you won't be the last. But your role as husband and father are the only truly unique roles you will have in life. I first heard this idea from Andy Stanley at a critical time in my life. I spent nearly half of my pastoral ministry taking my family for granted as I tried to be the pastor everyone else wanted me to be. Thankfully, I have learned that it does not profit us to grow a "successful" church and lose our family. A careful examination of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 2:6 illustrates the importance the Lord places on you faithfully discharging your duties as husband and father as a prerequisite to serving as a pastor.

5. Preach the Word. Every year the market is filled with the latest books on how to grow a church. Some of that advice is really good, being based on solid research into churches that are growing. Others are not so good. The temptation for young pastors is to find a concept or idea that they resonate with and decide to run with it. Or, worse, they simply attempt to copy what is working somewhere else. However, while there is much to gain from missiologists and church growth practitioners, there is one thing that must not be forgotten. The only thing we have to say that is of any value to our people is found in the Word of God. No church growth gimmicks, slick presentations, or changes in style can replace the power of the man of God, hidden behind the cross, preaching Christ from all of Scripture.

When I was a younger pastor, I wish I had been warned about these things. As a more experienced pastor, I have to remind myself of them constantly. Regardless of which describes you, may we all be mindful to "not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

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Rob Pochek is senior pastor at Raleigh Road Baptist Church in Wilson, N.C. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).

Intolerance?

Being a Christian I am told that I am intolerable to other peoples life style.  Its funny that the people that call me intolerable are in fact are the ones that are intolerable. 

We can see this with what has happen with Chick-fil-A and their views on same sex marriage. 

But the issue is that the people that are saying that Chick-fil-A and every other Christian is intolerable are being intolerable to the beliefs' for Christians. Not only are you intolerable but are also trying to take away our first amendment.  Freedom of speech and the Freedom of  religion. 

We Christians believe in the Bible and the Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is a sin.  Christians believe that all sin is wrong.  This includes lying, Murder, hating your brother, and even using God’s name as a curse word. When there is sin, we Christians stay away from it because where sin is God is not.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (HCSB)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (HCSB)

I am not saying that Christians are perfect by any means. Christians sin to.  But knowing that one sin keeps us from God and the payment to forgive us of our sins was the life of Jesus, Christians try not to sin or live in sin.  When Christians go to things like pride parades, its not to spread hate but its to tell the people that God loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. 

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Romans 5:8 (HCSB)

But I look at the bigger picture here and can see what's to come.  What will people say when the pedophilia groups like NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) come out and say things like, “We can marry or have sex with little underage boys because it’s a lifestyle choice.”  Will the same people that yell at Christians for be intolerable stand  for the so called right of these pedophilias or will they see that it is wrong and speak out ageist it? But then will they to be called intolerable?  Only time will tell.  

But for the people yelling intolerance for what Christians believe, look at how intolerable you are being to what we believe. 

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First Baptist Duchesne Makes it into the Newspaper!!!

I was happy today to get a call from my wife asking me if I knew that First Baptist Duchesne Vacation Bible School and I were in our local newspaper (Uintah Basin Standard).  This is great for our church because we are the only Christian (SBC) church in a highly Mormon town. This is a great thing for VBS, First Baptist Duchesne, and Christians in the Uintah Basin as a whole.  God is Great

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God is Great

Being a pastor and a Christian I have seen and talked to a lot of people.  Some good, others not so good, but I guess that is part of it working in this line of work.  I have been hit a lot in the past few years but with being hit I have also had the joy of seeing God working in a very lost state. 

Living in Utah my heart brakes a lot of the people here.  I can only hope that more people are reached before the end.  As Christians we need to understand that we need to work evermore hard at what we are called to do, The Great Commission. 

If we want to see lost souls saved this is the action we MUST take.  We are called to be evangelist (2 Tim 4:5) and we follow God’s command.  I am starting to see new life in Utah which is a great thing and I believe that when we as Christians come together we will win this state. 

Talking with Christians in Utah we can feel a change coming.  We can feel that God is going to move this state in a big way.  Though I have been hit, I cannot wait to see the good that comes from this state.  I called to God that make it sooner but I know it’s all in His timing.  I just hope the people get onboard and follow Jesus.  Because soon it will be to late. 

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'Great Commission' descriptor approved by messengers

Posted on Jun 19, 2012 | by Erin Roach from www.bpnews.net

Updated June 20 at 8:35 a.m. Central time.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An expanded story will appear in Baptist Press later today.

NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- The descriptor "Great Commission Baptists" was approved by messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention by a vote of 53 percent to 46 percent after nearly a half-hour debate June 19 at the SBC annual meeting in New Orleans.
According to results announced Wednesday morning, 4,824 ballots were cast, 2,546 were in favor of the descriptor and 2,232 were not in favor of the descriptor. Forty-six ballots were disallowed. At the time of the vote, 7,831 messengers were registered.
The measure survived some parliamentary maneuvering as a messenger called for tabling the discussion indefinitely and another asked that the convention not consider the issue at all.

Messengers approved the recommendation from the SBC Executive Committee that "those churches, entities and organizations in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention" which desire to use a descriptor other than "Southern Baptists" to indicate their involvement in the convention consider using Great Commission Baptists.
The phrase, messengers agreed, is commended "as one fully in keeping with our Southern Baptist Convention identity."

The legal name of the convention will remain "Southern Baptist Convention."
In February, the Executive Committee approved the recommendation brought by SBC President Bryant Wright who had appointed a task force to advise him on the possibility of changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Based on their advice, Wright brought a recommendation to the EC that the convention keep its name but adopt an informal, non-legal Great Commission Baptists descriptor, to be used by any church that wishes to use it.

Jimmy Draper, chairman of the task force, said the goal from the beginning of the study "was to consider the removal of any barrier to the effective proclamation of the Gospel and reaching people for Christ."

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Erin Roach is Baptist Press' assistant editor. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).