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News & Views, August 2003 - Edited By E. L. Bynum
A Breakdown of Morals - Losing the Culture War - By E. L. Bynum
Teens Have Fun, but Learn Little in Church - By E. L. Bynum
By Popular Demand - By Norman H. Wells
Harold Camping's Family Radio in Wrong Doctrinal Camp - FOUNDATION Magazine
The appalling breakdown of moral values in America is frightening. While the overall birthrate continues to decline, the babies born to unwed mothers continue to rise. Currently 33.8 percent of all babies born in the U.S.A. are born out of wedlock. This means that more than 1 out of 3 babies born is born without the benefit of married parents. While all of this is happening, some even dare to call this a Christian nation.
It is true that teen birthrates dropped; I doubt that this reveals any good reasons for rejoicing. With pregnancy prevention pills and devises that are pushed on the teenagers today, and abortion so readily available, who really knows how many of them were prevented from giving birth?
When 33.8 percent of all babies are born outside of marriage, and with the slaughter of unborn infants continuing, who can say that things are getting better? While there has been a decline in the abortion rate, it looks like this awful practice will go on for years to come. Most of this decline can probably be traced to the decline in the birthrate. According to a late poll, 51 percent of American women think that abortion is wrong. They are divided about what should be done about it.
There was some hope that with the election of a more conservative president, conservative judges would be appointed to the Supreme Court. Even though Republicans now have the majority in both houses of Congress, there seems little chance of that happening any time soon, if at all. The liberals in the Senate have found a way to block the appointment of any Supreme Court justice who would, from a conservative standpoint, interpret the Constitution and laws of the nation. This tactic has never been used before in the entire history of our country. It is tragic that conservatives are apparently going to allow them to get away with it. If they do not do something about this in the next five years, there may never be another opportunity, even during the life of the younger generation.
Senators Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schummer, Hillary Clinton, Pat Leahy, and a number of other liberals are deathly afraid that a strict constructionist would be appointed by the President. They will do everything humanly possible to keep this from happening. They are going to do their best to please the feminists and the pro-abortion crowd. They have more guts than a government mule. They have promised to filibuster forever to keep the Supreme Court from returning to conservative values.
The fact that about 43-million babies have been murdered through abortion does not seem to bother most people. Their attitude seems to be ho-hum, I wonder what is on T.V. tonight.
Charisma News Service published the following. "`Jane Roe' Wants Abortion Case Overturned. Now a Christian, the former plaintiff known as `Jane Roe' in the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized abortion, wants the case overturned in a motion filed yesterday, asking the courts to consider new evidence that abortion hurts women. Norma McCorvey, who joined the pro-life movement shortly after accepting Christ in 1995 and says she regrets her role in Roe vs. Wade, said the Supreme Court's decision is no longer valid because scientific and anecdotal evidence that has come to light in the last 30 years has shown the negative effects of abortion. `We're getting our babies back,' a jubilant McCorvey said at a news conference while flanked by about 60 women, some whom sobbed and held signs that read `I regret my abortion.' `I feel like the weight of the world has just been lifted off my shoulders.' McCorvey's attorney said he could not remember any other historic case in which the plaintiff had asked to have it overturned: `I think the new evidence will show the court what they thought was goodwill turned out to be an instrument of wrong.' McCorvey, 55, filed the motion with the federal district court in Dallas, which ruled to legalize abortion in Texas before the Supreme Court ruling. McCorvey is founder and director of Roe No More Ministry."
What Charisma failed to tell us was that the original case of Jane Roe vs. Wade was a farce from the very beginning. McCorvey was not carrying a child in her womb and she needed no abortion. The whole thing was built on a lie and should have been overturned long ago. There is no chance of the Supreme Court reversing the 1973 decision unless some more conservative judges can be placed on the court. Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and others are determined that this will never happen, and, so far, they are having their way. How can we escape the curse and judgment of God upon this nation as long as this continues? The Bible speaks clearly on the subject, and there should be no doubt as to what is right. "Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen" (Deuteronomy 27:25).
The recent Supreme Court decision which struck down the law against sodomy in Texas is another sad illustration of the decline of morality in this nation. In some provinces of Canada, homosexuals can now be married to their lovers. A continuous attempt is being made to make these filthy marriages legal in the United States. The old walls of righteousness are falling upon every hand. Recently Walmart has announced that they will not discriminate against homosexuals in the work force and that they would be treated like anyone else.
There is presently a lawsuit against the public schools here in Lubbock. The homosexuals were refused permission to have their own clubs and meetings in the public schools. ACLU and other radical organizations have vast amounts of money to hire lawyers to fight schools and cities who do not give the perverts free reign. Many times, local cities and schools give in because of the great expense of fighting such cases.
Just this week, New York City announced that they would have an all (gay) school for the sodomites. They will have 100 enrolled at the beginning but will eventually be able to accommodate 170 students. Never mind that New York City is floundering in red ink from deficit spending, taxpayers must pay for the renovating and operating of a school for homosexuals and lesbians.
Presbyterians and Episcopalians are immersed in controversies over the ordination of homosexuals and lesbians as ministers that will pastor churches. A generation ago such a thing would not have even been considered. They are also debating whether they will authorize some kind of a marriage ceremony in the church, even though it is illegal to do so. Some of these marriages (?) have already taken place. A considerable number of homosexual ministers are already ordained and functioning in some of their churches. I have only mentioned two denominations, but there are a number of others that are being divided into opposing camps over this issue. Even among Baptists (?) there are homosexual and lesbian ministers preaching and pastoring churches.
Bible believing churches will not escape this controversy. The assault is coming, and we had better be preparing our members to stand and resist. Some Christians are blind to what is going on, and they are offended when the pastor tries to sound an alarm as to what is coming. Pastors must be bold to warn, even when holier-than-thou members think that this should not be mentioned from the pulpit. The flood tide of wickedness is on its way, and we can either be watchmen on the wall or dumb dogs that will not bark. "His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber" (Isaiah 56:10).
Chapter 14 from the book, "The Religion Racket." Instead of meeting the demands of God, religion has been changed to meet the demands of the public. It seems that religion is back ... by popular demand. This has resulted in religion being diluted, streamlined, whipped up, condensed, smoothed, and made palatable to the religious tastes of the public. This kind of religion has become popular. It is sweeping the country. Juke boxes grind out the latest popular gospel tunes. Movie magazines carry news of the religious activities of the movie stars. More money is coming into religious treasuries than ever before, and great new church buildings continually are being built. A greater percentage of folks belong to churches than ever before in history. Tremendous evangelistic campaigns are regularly held with thousands in attendance, and great numbers of decisions are recorded. Quite regularly the current best seller is a book on religion. The newspapers and magazines carry regular columns by religious writers, and the radio and television carry religious programs. Religious colleges, universities, high schools, and elementary schools are multiplying by leaps and bounds. This type of religion is booming. The cry of "revival" is heard over and over again.
In the haste to get everybody aboard the "bandwagon," a carnival spirit has developed. The bands are playing; the flags are flying, and everyone is invited to a hayride of happiness ... a religious romp. Popcorn, peanuts, and paper hats! Our religious boom today is a little like cotton candy and bubble gum. It seems big and beautiful until you get your teeth into it and find it dissolves into nothing. When it breaks it leaves behind nothing more than a sticky mess.
The popularity religion enjoys has been purchased at a terrific price. The desire to please man has supplanted the desire to please God. "What do I get out of it?" is the approach made to this religion by popular demand. When the services are entertaining and make the participants feel good they are stamped as successful. The world's methods and manners are religionized and brought into religion, and finances and figures have been made the test of success. A big crowd and a lot of money are interpreted as a sure sign of the blessings of God and it is considered sacrilege to question the doctrines or ethics of anyone who has been successful in gathering a large crowd and abundant cash.
In view of this seeming boom it would be well to consider what has happened to religion. What little religion is preached is of such a shallow, frothy nature it should bring a response of disgust ... but it doesn't. The strength of true religion has been so diluted it has lost its effectiveness. Cheap, sentimental appeals have been substituted for true sledge hammer messages. What a change! What a comedown!
True religion has always offended, but today's religion prides itself in the fact it does not offend. The guilty sinner is not offended but rather feels very comfortable with religion. Wayward Christians are not offended because in today's religion the question of sin is dealt with in such generalities it is most impossible to determine who is guilty. Repentance has become a forgotten doctrine confined to the yellowing pages of neglected articles of faith. What used to mean "godly sorrow" doesn't even involve mild embarrassment. The crowds have never responded very well to true repentance, so modern religion, by popular demand, has discarded it.
Contrast today's religion by popular demand with the reality of facts. Consider the moral condition of our country. The figures have been published often and do not need to be reprinted. Crime is at an all time high. Juvenile delinquency increases every year. Divorce rates climb every year. Jail houses, penitentiaries, and detention homes are packed to overflowing. Drunkenness and dope addiction mount with each passing day. Illegitimate births and abortions continually increase in numbers. Our headlines scream of murder, rape, suicide, and robbery. Sex mad and whiskey-soaked, the nation reels down the path of the pursuit of pleasure. The material in the popular books, songs, movies, radio and television programs, etc. give an idea of what appeals to America. Popular religion would have us to believe we can have all this and still be religious. Who's kidding who?
True religion will check the flood tides of sin and depravity, but this has not happened in today's religious boom. The religious boom is a spiritual bust. Religion is failing but makes a desperate attempt to appear successful. This is accomplished by using the "numbers racket." It measures everything by "how big" and "how many." Numbers have been made the criterion of success and the church with the most statistics in its favor is judged the most favored of God. The world and religion now use the same standard of success ... finance and figures.
In reading the great number of church papers, bulletins, magazines, etc., it would be easy to come to the conclusion that religion is out to produce one thing ... numbers. Church services are judged a success if there is a large crowd, and the value of an evangelistic campaign is determined by "how many" were persuaded to make some kind of "decision." The average church has its whole organization geared to bring about one thing ... an increase in numbers, and everything else is secondary.
A great number of religious papers have been reduced to nothing more than numerical reports exploiting cheap, number-producing, promotional schemes. This thing has been carried so far the average preacher feels that since numbers are the sole indication of God's blessings ... numbers he must have, or he has utterly failed. How many young preachers have given up in discouragement simply because they did not produce numbers? Numbers can indicate the Lord's blessings ... they can also indicate a lot of other things. Great numbers can indicate that religion has become popular by compromising the great truths of religion. Great numbers can also indicate a religion has a good program of entertainment that appeals to the non religious.
Pastor Bynum, Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. A few months ago I came upon your site and found the Sunday school lessons of "learning to live by the bible." I thought it was a wonderful gesture for a man of God to show his true worth in the kingdom of God. I must recently when I came upon your site again to share, I found that you are now charging $6.95 for what was free for months. What in this world has bewitched you? It really disappointed me to see your heart has changed towards something that you at first gave so freely (which was give to you freely) and now you choose to sell. God will supply all your needs according to His riches...and whatever He has started in your life He will complete, only trust. He has paid the price for what was then , what is now, and is to come. May I suggest that you refer back to the lessons you wrote and once gave freely of. My prayer are with you. In His care, M. Harris
ELB Replies: It is still free on the internet and always will be as long as we have a web page. Anyone who wants a printed copy must pay. If you want to pay for printing them and pay the postage, I will be glad to advertise them free and mail them out without charge. If I was rich, I would do it myself. I receive no income from this book nor from any other book we publish or sell. God has always taken care of my needs. May God bless you is my prayer. --E. L. Bynum
Dear Pastor Bynum, I do apologize for my error can you please forgive me. I did find out they were still free after I had sent the email to you. As I stated before you are a true man of God and may He continue to bless you and your ministry greatly. Keep on being a blessing! In His Care, --M. Harris
Dear Bro. Bynum and T.B.C., I rode for 950 miles rehearsing the Conference. It has been many years, if ever, that I have attended such an encouraging, uplifting, challenging, and powerful Conf. I got EXACTLY what I needed in the preaching, the fellowship, and the great spirit that was so prevalent throughout the entire Conference. Tabernacle Baptist Church is such an encouraging place (the choir, greeters, Pastor, staff, singers) for Pastors to come and get recharged for their own ministry!!! Thank you so much for the many good meals and gift-bag. It was such a blessing to see so many of the members in all the services. Thank you for your obvious sacrifice to make us feel so welcomed and refreshed by the close of Wednesday evening. Every sermon was right on target...every special song was a real blessing...every minute there was just what I needed!!! There is always a "Key" message for me at every Conf. I attend. The one this time was Bro. M.L. Moser's second message of the Conf. on "The Church." Thank you, Bro. Bynum, for following the leadership of the Holy Spirit! What a blessing to hear something that I already believe preached with such precision and power. God help us who are only 20 to 30 years behind the E. L. Bynums and M.L. Mosers to "PREACH THE WORD" to those who are 20 to 30 years behind us. I sure am looking forward to next year. Lord willing, I'll see you in March, 2004, if not before at another Conf. somewhere in our great country. Gratefully, --Bro. Paul McWherter
Greetings in Jesus Name. I have been reading your web pages concerning the KJV and I would never trade it. I believe that it is the Word of God. I'm not a Baptist but I appreciate what you have written. Peace and Blessings, Sombra
Dear Brother Bynum, I just finished reading your article, "The Government and the Churches," in the March, 2003, issue of the Plains Baptist Challenger. I am in full agreement with you and sincerely appreciate your comments. In particular, I appreciate your perception of the duty of the church which is toward the saints and not to "feed, clothe, and cure the world at large." So many have the utterly false idea that it is the duty of the church to help heal all of the ills of society when nothing could be further from the truth. God bless. In the Beloved, Leon King, Hidden Hills Sovereign Grace Baptist Church
Good Morning Pastor, I want to thank you for this Wonderful resource defending GOD's HOLY WORD. I am saved by the Precious Blood of JESUS CHRIST only, and thank you for defending the True & Living WORD of GOD. I attend Good News Baptist Church in Chesapeake Va. If ever you are close, our Pastor Walter Coles would love to have you visit, I'm sure. GOD bless you, and if I don't see you here, I'll see you in Heaven. --Wally Richardson
Greetings. I am a bivocational minister in Tennessee making my secular living as a public school teacher/coach and working in the ministry conducting services for the elderly residents of a local assisted living center. A young friend, who is a former student of mine, recently announced his call to ministry and we have had numerous discussions regarding Bible versions. I personally purchased an NIV to use for comparison purposes, and as I read through sections of it found many of the same glaring errors your articles point out. I can see that it would be very easy to be led into believing the validity of the NIV especially in young people. I have used the copy I have to teach my two young sons about the perversions of the Scripture and to hammer home to them why we believe the KJV is the perfectly preserved Word of God. Again, thanks for the information in your articles, keep up the good work of the Lord in defending our Faith and His Word. In Him, Rev. Rex Hickey Jacksboro, TN
Dear Pastor Bynum, Last year when I asked you to translate your Sunday School Lessons and others into Japanese, you willingly consented to my request. Now I have made the Missions' home page with index,sub1,sub2,sub3. But in Japan most of Sunday School Lessons are made for children. So your Lessons for adults are very useful if they are open to the public. And it will be an extension to your mission work in Japan. May I include your Lessons' translations in our Mission's home page? As for the IBM's home page builder, I tried it for the first time, so the contents of the pages are a little poor. I will make every effort to improve it. About the translations, would you please approve it? --Kohei Oyama (Hokota Otake Missions Missionary from the Turumaki Bible Chapel, pastor Shuji Seki, Missionary Fumio Nomura is the same member).
My reply. I gave permission.
His reply: Dear Pastor Bynum, Thank you very much for your ready consent to my request. I made a new page at once, and added to my home page. I also made a link to your home page. Again, thank you very much for your favor. --Kohei Oyama
Dear Sir, I was truly happy to find your wonderful tracts at your website. Thank you for standing up for truth. But, sir, if I might make a comment that I feel might be helpful that would be a blessing to me. The tract called, "She maketh herself coverings," is a very wonderful tract, mostly. However there is one statement that is very offensive to Bible believing Christians such as myself. Here is the quote: "7. On the other hand, do you purposely dress dowdy and frumpy to appear more "holy" than those around you? (i.e.. Amish style plain, head coverings like you just popped out of a thrift shop window.)" The reason Sir, that this is offensive is that there are some born again Christian women, Baptist even, who wear head coverings. We do not do it to appear like we just popped out of a thrift store window. Some ladies cannot afford expensive clothing and this is also not a nice comment about poor women. Again, I do thank you for standing up for Biblical truth, but I wanted to express how this one statement has caused much offense to me. Sincerely, Mrs. Downin
Hello Pastor Bynum, Thank you for making your Sunday school lessons available online. I lead a Senior Saints' Bible study, at my church (Rosedale Baptist, Baltimore County Maryland). I look to your lessons as very important when developing my lessons. So far I've studied Ruth, Esther, James and now 1st Peter. Our whole group is being blessed studying God's Word. Pastor, the Lord has used your work to glorify His name, and bless us. Again, thank you. --Brother Carmine Catalfamo
Kindly remove our names from your mailing list. If you would spend more time doing what the Bible says and not attacking other Christians, you would be more in line with how a believer needs to live, and focus on the greatest commission, not your back yard and picking logs from others eyes. You are not the only people who think that you know what is right and wrong...and certainly not the yardstick that I would measure myself by.. as far as I am concerned, there is only ONE yardstick. --John and Jennifer Maxwell, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa
Editor's reply. Thank you for your sweet and gentle letter. No doubt you will learn better some day, but thanks for writing. I suppose that it would do no good to tell you that we have an extensive mission program and that we are simply obeying what the Lord told us to do. Earnestly contend for the faith. Consider the following: Then I sent the tract A-322, Is It Right to Judge?
If you are a member of one of these churches you are a part of the liberal National Council of Churches. If you are, you are helping to support modernism and liberalism, that is trying to destroy Biblical Christianity.
*African Methodist Episcopal ChurchThere are other churches that are cooperating with the NCC, even though they are not actual members. We would like to know the names of all of them, so that we could publish it.
Most churches are trying to figure out how to reach more people. This nearly always includes an active outreach to teens. Everybody recognizes that the churches of tomorrow will be made up of those who are in their youth today. Now churches are hiring youth directors who have a proven track record of attracting teenagers. To most churches any method that works is all right, because it produces results. As long as the head count is good, they figure that everything is coming along fine.
Food, fun and entertainment usually attract young people and adults as well. Modern churches gear their services and their activities to accommodate the prevailing drawing card of the day. After all, if you can get free food at church, that beats having to pay for it at McDonalds. If the church has a gym, that beats having to pay a fee at some regular gym or health club. If you can play pool, basketball, pin ball, handball, and other games free, why go pay somewhere else? The modern church must have something that appeals to the whole family. If you can go to a church that has videos, TV, expensive visuals, and plenty of jokes and fun stuff, why go to a church that only offers the teaching and preaching of the Bible?
The only problem with this kind of thinking is that the Bible has nothing to say about this kind of program at all. It is true that the Bible teaches us that we should be open and aggressive about winning people to the Lord. It was done by witnessing, teaching and preaching, and not by entertainment. Three thousand souls were saved and added to the Church at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. It does not say one thing about how many teens if any were in that number. It says nothing about any food, entertainment or fun on that glorious day. It does give us that wonderful sermon preached by Peter that was filled with truth and substance that really count. The truth spread like a flame, and God continued to save souls and add people to the church.
Today we show little of that zeal and fire of God, but instead we have turned to easier methods that require no real commitment, no holy living, no prayer, and very little Bible study. It is easier to use the cheap methods of the world than to pay the price of going back to the Bible and just following what it teaches.
Baptist Press recently published information that was gathered by pollster and researcher George Barna. Here are some of the results of this survey.
*56 percent attended church-related activities
an average of at least twice a month when younger, but few of them received
Christ or developed a biblical world view while there.
*Of all those teens who did attend, only 53
percent said they understood "the Bible so that every decision you
make is based on biblical principles."
*Barna said, "the result of [teens'] involvement
at a church is that they can recite some religious facts, they made some
friends, and they had fun... For most teenagers who have spent years attending
church activities their faith is not integrated into who they are and how
they live."
*Eight out of 10 teens who attended church activities
said they gained an important "insight" from their attendance.
*Twenty-six percent said they received general
information about God such as the teachings of Christ.
*Seventeen percent said they had gained core
religious beliefs from the Bible.
*Twenty-one percent said they learned nothing
of value.
*"Unfortunately . . . most of the young
people who claim they developed an understanding of the Bible that enables
them to make decisions based on biblical principles show no evidence of
using that understanding in relation to the core beliefs and lifestyle choices
that we studied," Barna said.
Most of these young people do not attend churches that believe and preach the Bible. They hear a lot that is false rather than the truth. They are entertained and brain washed instead of being indoctrinated in the truth. Doubt about the truthfulness of the Bible is being implanted in their mind. Liberalism, modernism and ecumenicalism are the teaching given, and they receive so little truth that they have no foundation.
Sad to say, many independent and fundamental churches are not doing much better. There is very little adherence to biblical standards. The emphasis is on sports, fun, frolic, foolishness and outright worldliness. This may produce a larger head count, but it will never produce a larger soul count. I am sorely afraid that what we count as important in the churches here on earth will count for nothing in heaven.
It is much easier to see the problem than to arrive at the solution. There are a lot of things I do not know, but I do know some of the things taught in the Bible. Paul wrote to a young preacher who was probably about the right age to be a youth minister. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." (2 Timothy 4:2-5)
You will notice that he did not instruct Timothy to entertain, or have fun with them, but rather he said, "Preach the word." Since Paul wrote by inspiration of God, it would seem that God would not have forgotten to tell him what was important to give to young and old alike.
Paul gave a testimony of what he had done, and he gave a sober charge to the elders of the church at Ephesus. "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:27-28). Please notice that Paul had declared "all the counsel of God," and he said nothing about a program of entertainment or any worldly program that would appeal to the flesh. He instructed the elders to "feed the church of God," but he is talking about spiritual food from the word of God. He tells them nothing about amusing or entertaining the flock at Ephesus. There are many other Scriptures that could be used and applied in the same way.
I have often received offers from "Christian" entertainers, comedians and magicians who wanted to come and perform for our Church or the Young People. Frequently I receive telephone calls, letters and emails wanting to sell or rent some movie production or video to entertain or educate our Young People or the whole Church. They are shocked when they learn that we do not use such things at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Evidently they are finding a ready market with many churches.
Some months ago we learned of a church in Houston that now has a McDonalds restaurant inside the building. If you will read on you will see that this is a perfect example of what I am talking about.
"The new Family Life Center at Brentwood Baptist Church is a unique place that everyone in Houston, Texas will want to visit. Now completed, this 74,000 square foot facility will provide the staff and congregation of Brentwood Baptist many innovative ways to minister to the community . . . There is a NBA regulation size basketball court with 6 retractable goals, a volleyball court, full locker room with showers, and retractable bleachers. Besides a full service kitchen, there is also a McDonalds restaurant inside the building. Other features of the new facility include classrooms, a Computer center, library, gift shop and a weight room. There is also a 1,000-seat Fellowship Hall with a portable stage for drama and music productions."
Of course this kind of program works, if we are talking about drawing a crowd.
"Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff has been the Pastor of Brentwood since 1980. Under his leadership the church has grown to over 10,000 members, a 16-member staff, 41 deacons, seven trustees, eight choirs and a fully staffed nursery. Outreach ministries of the church include a Food Pantry, Aids Ministry, Home Cell Bible Study, and a Substance Abuse Ministry." The pastor said, "We look forward to continuing God's work with the provision He places before us."
Many churches cannot afford to go all out as the Houston church did. However, they will do as much of it as they can afford, or the church will tolerate. Sometimes it just has to be gradual. A little here and a little there, so that in due time the program takes over, the message gets weaker. Soon the program will carry them on to success, even if the Holy Spirit is no longer present.
Charisma News Service reported, "More churches in beach communities are catching the wave of popularity of surfing and skateboarding to reach out to young adults. Trying to make religion relevant to everyday life, congregations and ministries in recent years have been turning to the activities once considered fringe sports, despite their reputation as aggressive, anti-establishment sports. `Churches realize that surfing and skateboarding are fertile grounds for youth outreach,' noted a Florida newspaper. There's even a Christian skateboard-clothing company and a version of the New Testament aimed at surfers. `You need to be culturally relevant and doctrinally sound,' said Eddy Fredryk, who served for eight years as a youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Central Florida. `It's been in the last 10 years that church people started thinking outside of the box. True Christianity is challenging Christians to take their faith to where they live and where they play.' Fredryk, 41, has skate boarded since the 1970s and until recently ran a skateboard ministry called Splinter. Fredryk set up Crosswaves, a surfing ministry that proclaims to be `surfing for the Savior,' that offers free surfing lessons to anyone who stays for about an hour-long Bible study. `It's so powerful in kids' minds to see that [they] can wear skate clothing and be a Christian at the same time,' said Mike Doyle, a pastor at Calvary Chapel in Florida, who started a skateboard ministry."
I hardly see how that any true Bible believer would need any words from me to see the error of a surfing ministry. Can you not see how this would promote holiness and modesty? Well I can't, and if you can, I wonder about your relationship to the Lord.
The trend today in churches is to coddle and entertain the flesh. It is what will please the natural man with all of his fleshly tendencies. Never mind what the Bible teaches, let us get something that will work easier. After all we are living in the age of microwaves, instant foods and immediate entertainment. Surely all of this will work in the area of Christianity.
Paul emphasized that the flesh is to be crucified not entertained or amused. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Galatians 5:16-17). "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24)
The word of God tells us that we are to be crucified (put to death) to the world. It also teaches that the world is to be put to death as far as the Christian is concerned. "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14).
The trend today is to make every provision for satisfying the flesh. Instead of abstaining from fleshly lusts, they are encouraged because this will draw the crowd. "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14). "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11).
This article is a lot longer than I intended, but many things came to my mind that I feel need to be said. I am well aware that some will be offended by what I have written, but that is not what I intended. I would pray that it will "...provoke unto love and to good works" (Hebrews 10:24).
Harold Camping has already proven himself to be a dangerous false prophet. Years ago, Camping predicted the return of Christ in September 1994 and wrote a book to support his claims. His book was, in reality, a direct attack against the pretribulational, premillennial return of Christ, but Camping was proven wrong when September 1994 passed without any sign of Christ's return. However, thousands continue to support Camping and his Family Radio, which airs his heretical false teachings. Now Camping is just as certain that the Church Age is finished, that believers are in the midst of the Tribulation, that the Spirit of God is no longer working in ANY New Testament church, that no unbeliever can now be saved in a local church and that believers must leave all churches and only support certain ministries such as Family Radio. He writes, "No longer are you to be under the spiritual rulership of the church. This command is given because God is finished with the era of churches being used of God to evangelize." Camping arrives at such a preposterous conclusion by spiritualizing, allegorizing and twisting multitudes of Scripture verses that pertain to Israel and the Gentile nations yet future. Camping's errant interpretation of Scripture is leading him to preach diabolical heresy that is affecting thousands. Stay clear of Camping and Family Radio!
FOUNDATION Magazine
EDITOR'S NOTE: We agree with the writer of this article that the Camping teaching is way off base! If he has a radio station in your area, it would be our recommendation that you be alert to the danger of it and beware of it!
Sword of the Lord