Christian One-Liners

 My admin assistant forwarded this to me this week.  This is pretty good stuff…

Christian One-Liners!

• Don’t let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.
• Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.
• Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
• It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
• The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.
• When you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God lives there.
• People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.
• Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.
• Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn’t belong.
• If the church wants a better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.
• God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?
• Some minds are like concrete thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
• Peace starts with a smile.
• I don’t know why some people change churches; what difference does it make which one you stay home from?!  
• A lot of church members who are singing “Standing on the Promises” are just sitting on the premises.
• We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.
• Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He’ll clean them.
• Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
• Don’t put a question mark where God put a period.
• Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
• Forbidden fruits create many jams.
• God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
• God grades on the cross, not the curve.
• God loves everyone, but probably prefers “fruits of the spirit” over “religious nuts!”
• God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
• He who angers you, controls you!
• If God is your Co-pilot - swap seats!
• Prayer: Don’t give God instructions — just report for duty!
• The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
• The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
• We don’t change the message, the message changes us.
• You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.
• The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails= 4 given. 

Remember those Persecuted

Just a reminder not to forget those who are being persecuted.  From the Voice of the Martyrs’ email: 

(China Aid Association)

CAA learned 24 house-church leaders are still missing following a police raid on a house-church leader’s meeting in Henan province. According to an eyewitness report, at noon on March 13th, a number of public security officials raided a house-church meeting at Wen county, Henan province. Eighty Chinese house-church leaders from different counties of Henan province were attending a co-workers’ meeting. All of the leaders were then taken into custody after the police searched their bodies and confiscated the cash on them. While 36 from Wen county were released within 24 hours, 24 of those from other counties are still missing. None of their whereabouts are known. Last week CAA also released a Defense Statement prepared by the defense lawyers of a controversial religious group leader, Xu Shuangfu. Xu Shuangfu stated he had sustained an extortion of confession by severe torture, including denial of sleep for long periods and pouring hot pepper, gasoline and ginger juice into his nostrils. He was hung for long periods with his armed stretched and bound, shocked with electricity applied to copper wires bound around his extremities and hit with clubs on a helmet worn on his head. After seven days and nights of severe torture, he finally confessed to the unsubstantiated charges of authorizing the killing of members of the Eastern Lightning sect.

Pray the 24 Christians still in custody will know the comfort of Jesus’ presence. Pray they will be released soon. Pray Xu Shuangfu will remember the apostle Peter and know Jesus’ love and forgiveness. 

Saddleback baptizes 20,000 person

In a recent Baptist Press article, Saddleback Church celebrates the 20,000 baptism in its 25 year history.  20,000 people they have baptized in 25 years.  That’s an average of 800 per year.

The article goes on to state:

Until 2004, Saddleback had averaged almost 1,300 baptisms a year since 1996. The past two years, however, the congregation has averaged more than 2,000 baptisms. In 2005, a total of 2,501 believers were baptized.

I rejoice in the work God’s done there.  The intentionality of ministry there is exciting to watch.  It’s never about numbers.  It’s never about baptisms.  It’s about disciplemaking.  But from the outside, it appears that is what’s happening.

God, Sovereignty and the IMB

I have stated publicly that the actions are motivated by fear and a power play for control. I still believe that. I have stated publicly that I believe the policies regarding baptism and private prayer language exceeded scripture. I have stated publicly that I believe the baptism issue specifically is heresy and that it can’t be found in scripture. I still believe that.

This week, the Tampa meeting consumed much of my time and energy, despite the fact that I wasn’t in Tampa. I wanted to go. My wife and I lived there for 3 years, and it would have been good to see some old friends.

Tonight I was leading a Bible Study, as I do every Thursday night, and we are in Romans 8. Beautiful chapter! During our study, I couldn’t shake my thoughts regarding my feelings about the BoT. Something wasn’t right. As I pulled onto the road heading home, I discovered I had forgotten one simple, yet monumental issue in all of this: God’s Sovereignty.

I did a couple of sermons a few weeks ago on the topic, including his sovereignty and issues of timing. If God is sovereign, he can keep people from sinning (see Abimilech in Gen 20:6). If God is sovereign, nothing can be done if he doesn’t want it done. That is the very nature of the definition of God. He can do what he wants when he wants how he wants.

So if the above is true regarding His sovereignty, I need to put all of the IMB stuff into that filter and deal with it. Did God bring Wade Burleson to the IMB board for a sovereign purpose? Absolutely! It was no accident that Dr. B became a member at just the right time. An unknown from Buford, GA picked up on something in November in a Baptist Press article. Now Marty Duren is well known across the leadership of the convention and is the main source of information for those of us who consider ourselves young, emerging leaders. Having talked to Marty and spent time with him, I have to say that his temperament, his character, his discipline are perfect for what is needed in these days. Was it an accident? I contend it was the sovereignty of God.

All of this mess – the decision about Wade, the policies of baptism and prayer, the restricting of information flow out of the IMB and the meetings of the BoT – has been sovereignly orchestrated. Think about what has occurred.

There is a network of younger leaders who have never met, but have called each other, have emailed each other, and have purposed in their hearts to fight for the convention they love. We have also shared in each other’s lives. This same network is connecting with IMB missionaries all over the world.

We are being called back to theology and doctrine. I’ve done more reading of my Baptist forefathers in the past 3 months than I can ever remember. We are searching the scriptures to deal with issues such as baptism, prayer language, salvation and ecclesiology. We are scouring church history. We (maybe just me) are even reading everything Gene Bridges writes, because it challenges me and makes me pull out my history and theology and that feeds my soul, gives me an appreciation for those who have gone before me, and draws me near to God. Just a few months ago, we were strangers. Today we are friends, united in a call to biblical authority, doctrinal purity, kingdom intentionality, and cooperation with all believers on the non-essentials.

Seems like there’s something in the Bible about all things working out for good…

What will come of this? Will it be the death knell of the convention? Possibly. It could be that in the sovereignty of God, he has brought young leaders together along with missionaries at home and abroad that will fight for the convention for a while, but instead of staying in the fight will join together in a loose network outside the SBC to build the kingdom and support each other and missions. It also may just be that we will become a convention within a convention.

Or, it could be that God has brought us all together for a different sovereign purpose. This could be the beginning of the end of the old way of doing things within the convention. It may be that the leadership for the new generation is being gathered and course corrections will occur. It could be that we are being drawn together and will see God reverse these decisions – and he may even use some of us to make that happen. Or it could be that He will do something else that we cannot even expect.

I have told several people that if it wasn’t for my state convention, the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware, there would be nothing keeping me in the SBC. Except for an emotional tie. Our church is not in the SBC part of the Bible belt. We don’t openly talk about the SBC, though I do talk about the BCMD and our association a good bit. We have no strong ties to the SBC. We could leave and our church wouldn’t really care and probably wouldn’t even notice.

But I have come to realize that if we did that, I would be leaving you, the blogosphere. In Delaware, we have few churches and few pastors. The pastors in town – none of whom are SBC – don’t get together. The pastors in our association don’t get together. Many of you have become a sounding board for me. I love your stories and your struggles. And I love that in the context of us all being Baptist we can share our lives. I even have a ministry coach from this whole experience.

What will be the result of all of this sovereign planning by the Father? I honestly believe that God is going to do something so awesome at Greensboro that we cannot fathom it. I pray that the policies will be revoked and openness, transparency, and authenticity prevail. And yet whatever He decides to do, I will rejoice in, whether I like it or not. Because He has allowed it, and He has a reason for it. And I will rejoice because of who and what He has brought to me through this time in our lives. I am the better for it.

I tell our people to let God build as we obey. It’s his church, let him build it. But when he tells you to do something, don’t hesitate, do it. That doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing. It means we watch for Him and work hard when we see Him working.

God is sovereign and His purpose is upon us. Wade told me that I was in Richmond in January “for such a time as this.” He was more right than he could ever know. It still rings true today!

To God be the Glory!

The Making of a Preacher

I married into a ministry family. In my wife’s family there is over 130 years of ministry experience which included parents, cousins, aunts and uncles.

My wife’s uncle (by marriage) pastored SBC churches for 40 years, ending in the 1970’s. Most of his time was in the Carolina regions.

I was given some of his published writings by my father-in-law soon after my wife and were married. One of the booklets had a poem in it that has stuck with me since I first read it, 9 years ago. It was written in 1944 and is entitled, “The Making of a Preacher”.

When you take your stand for right
And the devil gives a fight,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When your critics howl aloud
That you do not suit the crowd,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When you give God’s message plain
And no friends you seem to gain,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When your cherished proposition
Meets with bitter opposition
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the crowd that cheered you on
Seems depleted–almost gone,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When some you are not reaching
And folk blame it on your preaching,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the going’s not so fine
And some say you should resign,
That’s the making of a preacher.

But when you see the brighter side,
And you know the devil lied,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When true friends uphold your hands
And God sends His Angel bands,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the words of cheer are spoken
As your spirit’s almost broken,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When you realize your goal
And can greet a new-born soul,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When you see that lives are changed
And that homes are re-arranged,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the Church is at her best
And you know the Lord has blessed,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When you see your dreams come true
And you know your prayers went through,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the debts have all been paid
And you get on level grade,
That’s the making of a preacher.

When the race of life you’ve run
And the Master says, “Well done”,
That’s the making of a preacher.

R. Von King, August 9, 1944

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