09.01.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 4:23 pm by Administrator
Here are some kind notes we’ve received from the Radio ministry lately. These came from the Baker station, WTJT 90.1.
From a Bible school student:
“Dear preacher, I just heard your radio broadcast for the first time today and it was extremely refreshing! Usually I find Christian radio and it’s anemic programs sadly entertaining and rarely edifying, so when I heard your preaching and truthful comments regarding the false prophets of our day (Olsteen, Warren, ect..) I couldn’t help but shout amen with your congregation that I could hear in the background! I am a Bible school student right now in Pensacola, Florida and am always happy to discover the whereabouts of the “remnant” of real King James Bible believers in these last days. Thank you and keep up the good work!”
From an inmate:
“Lee, Just a short not to say that, blessing and peace be upon you and the congregation at Ridge Road. Enclosing a $10.00 tithe offering toward the radio ministry or jail ministry whichever way the Lord directs you to use it. Enjoyed the radio messages concerning the personification of sin. (Learned a lot – good teaching.) Love you all, keep me in your prayers and don’t forget that you are on my visitation list.”
From a church mission director:
“I’m trying to find the message that I listened to on WTJT this past Tuesday. It was concerning the scriptures used to lead others to faith in our Lord Christ Jesus. I was very impressed with this message and would like the scriptures that you were encouraging the people to mark for their use in “soul winning”. I know the Roman Road but would like the other scriptures. Thanks for the message.”
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Posted in Uncategorized at 4:20 pm by Administrator
We have had an exceptionally pleasant reception on the street as of late. The last Friday of August we had a total of 20 participants in our regularly scheduled Public Ministry. Nearly half of these participating were under the age of eighteen. We had four men preaching the gospel, signs everywhere you looked, and in an hours time we managed to distribute somewhere around 150 gospel booklets.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 4:10 pm by Administrator
We have needed to go door-to-door in our community for a long time and at last we got the effort underway in the month of August. Without any intentional coordination, in one weekend, we had one team begin on one end of Ridge Road working back toward the church and another team at the opposite end of Ridge Road working back to the church. We haven’t had any professions of faith thus far, but we’ve managed to make some good contacts, invite folks to church, and get a good witness in with some lost people.
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07.29.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:01 pm by Administrator
We’ve spent this week in Somerset, Kentucky attending Saline Baptist Church’s annual camp meeting at Camp Canaan. This is my first camp meeting, as such, and it has been an outstanding week. Since Monday night when we began attending the meetings at the tabernacle we’ve spent about 17 hours in church services and heard eighteen sermons from seventeen different preachers, not to mention some of the best singing and testifying on this side of heaven. They’ve fed us well for breakfast and lunch each day, but fed us even better from the word of God over and over again. It’s been one of the best meetings I’ve been in and I’ve gotten some much needed spiritual rest and edification. We’ve enjoyed some wonderful fellowship with Christians from all over the country, and have savored the time we’ve shared with some of our church family, Bro. Freddie and Ms. Darlene (who invited us and made it possible to come) and Bro. Kyle and Ms. Kim. I’m a bit sorry to see it wind up, but I’m grateful to have received help from the Lord to take back to the work in Brewton.
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07.27.10
Posted in Church, Uncategorized at 1:27 pm by Administrator
“The Baptists are the only body of Christians that has not symbolized with the Church of Rome”
- Isaac Newton
“The institution of Anabaptism is no novelty, but for 1300 years has caused great disturbances in the church, and has acquired such a strength that the attempt in this age to contend with it appeared futile for a time”
- Zwingle (1530)
“If the truths of religion were to be judged of by the readiness and cheerfulness which a man of any sect shows in suffering, then the opinion and persuasion of no sect can be truer and surer than that of Anabaptists, since there have been done for the past 1200 years that have been more generally punished, or that have more cruel sorts of punishment, than these people.”
- Cardinal Hosius (President of Council of Trent 1650)
“…the Baptists may be considered as the only Christian community which has stood since the apostles, and as a Christian society has preserved pure the doctrine of the gospel through all ages”
- Dr. Ypeij and Rev. Dermont (Dutch Reformed 1823)
“I should not readily admit that there was a Baptist church as far back as 100 A.D., although without doubt there were Baptist churches then, as all Christians were then Baptists.”
- John Clark Ridpath (Methodist historian)
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Posted in Uncategorized at 1:23 pm by Administrator
We’ve taken a bit of a “vacation” this week and we got it kicked off by spending the weekend with Pastor Travis Alltop and his family and church. I first met Bro. Alltop back in December at Cornerstone Baptist Church’s Missions Conference. He pastors the Bluegrass Pike Baptist Church in Danville, Kentucky. We greatly enjoyed the fellowship with the folks at Bluegrass Pike. Bro. Alltop is a good preacher and a lot of his sermons can be downloaded online at www.sermonaudio.com/travis1611.
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07.22.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:35 pm by Administrator
My children have the rare privilege of having two sets of great-grandparents whom they have gotten to know very well (not to mention a great-great-grandfather that they all three will remember). I also have the unique privilege of having a legacy of faith that has been passed down for generations from both of these representative families. The Lord put it on my heart some time back to bring my two grandfathers, my father, and my two oldest sons (6 and 9 at the time) to the same table for what I termed a Patriarch Meeting. I wanted to instill in my sons minds the memory of their grandfathers and expose them to the cultural and technological changes that these men have seen come to pass in their lifetimes and the spiritual histories of their families. A few weeks before our meeting I sent each grandfather a list of twelve questions that I would like them to speak to in the presence of Taylor and Noah. I thought the experience was glorious as we sat for three hours and these precious patriarchs spoke of life in a by-gone era and the spiritual heritage that has helped to make us what we are as a family. I think that this meeting made an impression on my young sons, but I doubt they saw the value of this opportunity the way that I did. Thankfully, I got the whole thing digitally recorded to share with them in years to come. Below are the questions that I submitted to my father and grandfathers for our first ever Patriarch Meeting.
- Who was the first person to tell you about Jesus Christ?
- When did you receive Jesus Christ personally?
- Who led you to Christ or who was most influential in your conversion?
- Who, to your knowledge, was the first born again Christian in your family line?
- What were the cultural and technological conditions under which you were raised?
- What do you believe is the most dramatic change in technology and culture that you’ve seen in your lifetime?
- What, if anything, do you fear will be lost by your children, grand-children, etc. when you’re gone?
- What are the most important subjects that you’ve studied and books that you’ve read?
- How long were you in the military, what places were you stationed, and what wars did you fight in?
- What kind of jobs have you held, businesses have you started, etc.?
- What, if anything, would you change about your education, training, or military service?
- Do you recall, or have you attempted to live by, any special sayings or maxims that your father or other ancestors passed along to you?
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07.21.10
Posted in Church, Missions at 2:29 pm by Administrator
When I first entered the pastorate one of the Biblical subjects that I was rather fearful of addressing was the issue of money. This was due to the abuse of this subject in basically every religious circle. Over time I’ve gotten over this as I’ve learned that money answers all things and that what a man does with his money is related to his spirituality and his love for God. The following outline is an excerpt from a lesson that I taught in a Local Church class at a nearby Bible Institute. It’s on the subject of money and missions and briefly addresses the Biblical philosophy of Faith Promise giving.
I. Money (1 Cor 16:1-2)
A. Principles of Giving:
i. Our giving should be through the local church (“to the churches” v. 1). Not television ministries, not parachurch ministries, not ecclesiastical organizations.
ii. Our giving should be regular (“Upon the first day of the week” v. 2). Obviously the early church had a practice of gathering together on the first day of the week, but one of the plain, scriptural reasons for going to church on Sunday is to give.
iii. Our giving should be systematic (“let everyone of you lay by him in store” v. 2).
iv. Our giving should be proportionate (“as God hath prospered him” v. 2). If you have more you should give more.
B. The Concept of Tithing
i. Not a New Testament Command: If you’re an honest dispensationalist then you’ll readily admit that tithing is not an overt New Testament instruction. We’re under grace as opposed to law and as such there’s no compulsion when it comes to giving and that includes a tithe. However, tithing is an Old Testament practice that satisfies each one of these New Testament principles, so it is a tool that NT believers should use to discipline themselves to give.
ii. A Great Place to Start: Tithing, however, is simply a starting for place the New Testament believer. Because we’re not under the Law, the tithe is a lousy place to stop. If that Old Testament Jew could give ten percent of his livestock and his crops without having his sins taken away by the blood of Christ, without the certainty of heaven, and without the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit, than a tithe is the absolute least that we can do. I’ve heard tithing described as “the training wheels of giving” and I think this is an appropriate description.
II. Missions (Phil 4:14-19, 2 Cor 8:1-12)
A. Giving to Missions:
i. The Philippians are Supporting a Missionary: Paul is an apostle in the sense of having the signs and wonders and special authority conferred upon him for the establishment of the church. But he is likewise an apostle in the sense of a missionary. Apostle is “sent one”. He and Barnabas are referred to as prophets and teachers in Acts 13:1 and its only after they’re sent out by the church at Antioch that they’re referred to as apostles (Acts 4:4). (See also Silas called a prophet in Acts 15:32, sent out in 15:40, then called an apostle in 1 Thessalonians 1:1.)
ii. Supporting Missions Comes with a Promise: There’s a special Bible promise for those that give sacrificially to missions and missionaries (Phil 4:19). I have rarely heard this verse quoted in its context. It is not addresses to rich, selfish Americans in a media-induced recession, it is addressed to people who have given out of their poverty to support the work of the gospel.
B. Faith Promise Missions:
iii. A Great Way for Most Churches to do More: There are enough churches doing little to nothing to support missions that we need to be sure to do all that we can to make up for their lack (Phil 2:30, 4:15). Faith Promise is simply a tool to do all that we can.
ii. Faith Promise in the Bible: We take the concept of Faith Promise giving from Second Corinthians chapter eight.
a. Purpose: Their must be a clear appreciation of the church’s purpose. We’re not here simply to maintain, we’re here to see the gospel go out and the Great Commission is bigger than the town in which we live.
1. The churches of Macedonia had such a strong sense of the needs beyond their own that they apparently gave more, practically speaking, than they should have been able to give (v. 2).
2. Their missions program wasn’t simply a line on their budget based on their anticipated income.
b. Principle: Their needs to be an intelligent communication of the principle. We’re not after some emotional commitment that you can’t possibly keep. Every kind of giving (including Faith promise) is according to that a man hath (8:12) and is to be willing and not of necessity (8:12, 9:7).
1. By faith you make a promise. It’s not complicated. Most people purchase or rent a home or buy a car on the same principle. You agree to pay so much every so often to live in that house or drive that car and you do so by faith.
c. Promise: Once you reasonably communicate the principle you encourage the people to make a promise.
1. The church at Corinth made a promise to give so much to the relief of the saints a year prior to Paul arranging for its collection.
2. We have an annual conference and encourage our people to seek the Lord in prayer about what they should do for missions every week for the next twelve months.
d. Performance: The promise may be the exciting part, but the most important aspect of Faith Promise missions is the performance of that promise.
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07.19.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:45 am by Administrator
In a message entitled “As Jesus Passed By,” Bob Jones Sr. gave the following illustration:
A story is told of a traveler in a far-away country who had spent most of his time. He was getting ready to leave, but he decided to climb a certain mountain. He secured a guide and they started off together. The man stopped for a moment in the valley and watched a little stream playing over some pebbles. The grass was green. The scene was beautiful. The guide climbed up the mountain side and told the man to follow him. He did as he was bidden and stopped where the guide was standing. He said, ‘I wish I had come on here at first. I thought the valley was beautiful, but this is the grandest spot I ever saw.’ The guide kept climbing and said, ‘Follow me now.’ When he had gone to the point where the guide was then standing he said, ‘I wish I had not stopped down yonder. This scene is more beautiful than that.’ Thus they climbed on and on, and at every step the sight-seer was overwhelmed. They reached the top of the mountain; they stood on a projecting rock; they watched the mountain peaks, the landscapes beyond them, and the mountain which stood behind them; and the man said to the guide, ‘I wish I had come here at first, for there is no spot on earth so beautiful as this. My time is out and I will have to go. I would like to spend hours on this peak.’
Bob Jones went on to say, “When I was eleven years old Christ came in to the valley; He touched me and said, ‘Follow me.’ I said, ‘Not now. Let me play in the little stream of pleasure; this is good enough for me.’ But He said, ‘I will show you scenes grander than any you have ever beheld.’ I said, ‘Sometime I will go.’ He said, ‘Come now.’ I hesitated for a moment, then started with Him. The first step was made, and oh, what a joy filled my heart! That was a dream, a vision of heaven. Since then I have gone higher, I feel sure, and every step has brought grander sights to my vision and sublimer joys to my heart. Let us walk to the sun-lit summit to be fanned by zephyrs from the wings of angels, and from the mountain top we will read ‘our titles clear to mansions in the sky.’”
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07.01.10
Posted in Books at 4:37 am by Administrator
“If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be; if God and His Word are not know and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy; if the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; if the power of the gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation or end.” –Daniel Webster, 1823
Following is a list of the top twenty books that I’ve read that have served to shape my thinking and edify me spiritually. I’ve made some effort to place them in order, but this is difficult given the diverse subject-matter covered.
My Reading List (Top Twenty)
- For His Pleasure – Samuel Gipp
- Psalm 119 – Jeff Adams
- The Saving Life of Christ – Major Ian Thomas
- To Train Up a Child – Michael Pearl
- Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – John Foxe
- What Hath God Wrought – William Grady
- Simple Social Graces – Linda Lichter
- Embraced by the Cross – L.E. Maxwell
- The Law and Dispensationalism Reconsidered – James W. Knox
- New Age Bible Versions – Gail Riplinger
- Henry and the Great Society – H.L. Roush
- Dispensational Truth – Clarence Larkin
- The Sure Word of Prophecy – Peter S. Ruckman
- The Kneeling Christian – Anonymous
- The Gospel of John – Arthur W. Pink
- A Tale of Three Kings – Gene Edwards
- Family Driven Faith – Voddie Baucham Jr.
- The Embrace of Grace – Caleb Thompson
- The Normal Christian Life – Watchman Nee
- Thoughts for Young Men – J.C. Ryle
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