By Bob Jackson
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41 (emphasis added)
We were recently alerted about a Baptist church in Edmond, Oklahoma that was planning to vote whether they should continue to require baptism for church membership. This church is associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, and is a member of the Capital Baptist Association of Oklahoma. We have been watching their web site since early August to determine the outcome of the scheduled congregational vote on this issue. No vote has ever been reported on the web site, and a recommendation by the “Ministry of the Word Sub Team” was that this policy of eliminating the requirement of baptism for church membership should not become policy related to By-Law changes at that particular time. This recommendation of this “sub team” agreed with the premise of the Elder Council that originally recommended that the church vote to change its bylaws to eliminate the requirement of baptism for church membership. Following is a lengthy quote from the recommendation of the “Elder Council” of this church in Edmond.
“Every follower of Christ should obey the Lord’s command to be baptized by immersion, as quickly as possible after receiving Christ. The purpose of baptism is to obey the Lord’s command to identify oneself publicly with His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism serves as a perfect picture of these deep and wonderful truths. To add other meanings or motivations to baptism is to downgrade and confuse the importance of the Lord’s instructions regarding this ordinance. (emphasis added) The Bible also directs every Christian to become an active and participating ‘appendage’ to a local expression of the body of Christ. Local church membership is essential for the believer’s healthy spiritual development. Therefore church membership should be granted to any person who has received Christ and has been led by the Spirit into a biblical commitment with other believers of the local church. To fail to grant such membership because of any unbiblical requirement or initiatory prerequisite, would potentially limit the spiritual growth of both that believer and the church, and must be avoided. Both to deny a Christian membership with a local church and to confuse the significance and meaning of baptism are very serious matters. We believe this change to our bylaws will greatly help the church avoid these pitfalls and support our continued development as a thoroughly biblical church.”
There are obviously a number of things in this quotation with which we cannot agree, and there are some things that are correct. To think that baptism is being used as an initiation rite, rather than the actual requirement of God for entrance into the membership of one of the Lord’s churches is amazing. But it becomes clear to us why such thinking prevails among this group when we recognize their universal church thinking in the phrase “a local expression of the body of Christ.” Of course, every true New Testament Baptist Church is the body of Christ in the location in which it exists.
However, the “sub team” recommended that the bylaws remain as they are for now. Here is a quote of the recommendation of the “sub team.” “It is the recommendation of the Ministry of the Word Sub Team that the Elder Council adopt the position that baptism is for all and every believer, and that church membership should be restricted to saved persons who are seeking to live godly lives. We do not believe that baptism should be used as an initiation rite for church membership. However, we also recommend that the position should not become policy related to By-Law changes at this time. In part, this is because the Bible itself does not establish a specific set of qualification for church membership. Perhaps the Lord allows individual fellowships to establish their own standards. Henderson Hills Baptist Church has operated with the qualification of baptism for church membership throughout its history[,] and it would be needlessly disruptive to the body to change it at this time.” (emphasis added)
Typical of modern-day compromise is that they do not want to rock the boat, even if they believe something should be changed to make it right. We surely do not agree with the recommendation of the Elder Council of this church that baptism should not be required for church membership. This sub team also has the idea that “individual fellowships” (surely not the Lord’s churches) have the right to set their own standards for membership. At the same time, they believe they will become more biblical by not requiring baptism for membership. It is sad that a church with the name Baptist has such error in their doctrinal beliefs and outlook. We realize this is not the only church that believes these types of erroneous doctrines, and we also know that the Southern Baptist Convention has gone a long way away from the truths that they once held as Baptists.
We recently read in an article written by the President of the Baptist Bible Fellowship that the Southern Baptist Convention had gotten much better in their doctrine and practice due to the control of the “conservatives” within the Convention. It is obvious that the doctrine and practice of the Convention are far from Baptist doctrine and practice. Those so-called fundamental Baptist leaders who are guiding their groups into closer fellowship and ties with the Convention these days only show their lack of belief or standing for Baptist truth based on the Word of God.
The Recommended Change
The current bylaws of Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, OK states, “Membership will be granted to anyone who offers a biblical testimony of salvation, has been scripturally baptized and agrees to accept the responsibilities of membership.” The proposed bylaw from the Elder Council of this church simply removes the words, “has been scripturally baptized” from this section of the bylaws.
The ideas of this Elder Council are rather revealing, because it shows their lack of biblical, Baptist doctrine. We quote from their paper written to accompany and explain their recommendation of this elimination of the requirement of baptism for church membership. “The Elder Council has become convinced that it is essential to restore the biblical motivation for baptism and respect the vital importance of church membership by removing baptism as a prerequisite for entry into the church.
“A.Christians should not be told that they have to ‘be baptized to join the church’ because that creates the opportunity for a wrong motive to develop for the reason to make the decision to be baptized.
“B.Just because a person has not yet become convinced of the need or recognize the Holy Spirit’s conviction to be baptized doesn’t mean that person should be further hindered in his/her Christian growth through being denied church membership.
“D.The Elder Council recognizes that there are certain positions of leadership that do require the spiritual maturity and obedience to Christ that is exemplified by believer’s baptism.
“E.The Elder Council feels the freedom to make this proposal because the Bible does not give any prerequisite other than salvation for church membership.”
The recommendation of this Elder Council is to basically receive members into their church who refuse to follow the Lord in baptism. If a person refuses to follow the Lord in this very first step of obedience after salvation, why should he be allowed to be part of a church? The truth is he cannot be scripturally a part of one of the Lord’s churches without scriptural baptism. Of course, this recommendation also opens the way for people to join this church who have come from some other denomination that practices another form of baptism or does not require baptism at all. Churches who accept people as members without true, scriptural baptism are a disgrace to the name Baptist!
Other Radical Churches
While researching this issue on the HHBC web site, there was a link to stories of other Southern Baptist churches which had changed their practice regarding baptism, or the type of baptism they would accept for someone to become a member of their particular congregations. There is a story about a South Carolina church that faces ouster from its local association over baptism. “Fernwood Baptist Church in Spartanburg may join a growing list of South Carolina churches kicked out of local associations for accepting members who have not been baptized by immersion. The 500-member church was notified by letter Nov. 21 that the Spartanburg County Baptist Network, an association of Baptist churches, considered Fernwood’s practices to be a ‘breach of fellowship.’ In the past three years, similar disputes have resulted in splits between two South Carolina Baptist churches and their local associations. Decades earlier, First Baptist of Greenwood (1970) and First Baptist of Clemson (1975) were dismissed from their associations for the same thing.”
We use the term “radical” for this section because of the radical departure from historic Baptist faith and practice that these churches have demonstrated. These churches should join the growing list of churches that remove the name “Baptist” from their official name.
The Real Cause
The real cause for all of this confusion and change among these churches within the Southern Baptist Convention, etc. is their belief in the Protestant doctrine of the “universal, invisible church.” We have said for years that what we believe about the church makes all the difference in Bible doctrine and interpretation. This doctrine affects everything in our Christian lives and practice. When an Elder Council of a large Baptist church can believe and say that the Bible does not require baptism for church membership, there is an obvious doctrinal problem. Our text verse for this article in Acts 2:41 tells us that those who were baptized on that Day of Pentecost almost two thousand years ago were “added unto them” as they followed the Lord in scriptural baptism. Now this verse means either that these 3,000 souls were saved and added to the family of God in the act of baptism, or that they were already saved through repentance and faith and then added to the membership of this first church “them” through this act of scriptural baptism. We reject the idea that baptism has anything to do with the actual receiving of salvation, of being saved itself. God had told us in Acts chapter 1 that the number of names of the members of this first church was about 120. Now, through the act of scriptural baptism following their conversion to Christ, these 3,000 souls were added to the membership of this church. No, the Bible never says, “If you want to be a member of a church, you have to be baptized after you are saved,” but it is clear that this is exactly what occurred with these 3,000 souls in Acts 2:41.
The Bible declares in Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” therefore there cannot be two biblical baptisms that occur these days. The only kind of biblical baptism that occurs these days is that of the immersion in water of a person who has already been born again into the family of God through repentance and faith. This baptism can only be scriptural when it is administered by a scriptural Baptist church, not just any organization that calls itself a church, and not administered by any individual who is unauthorized by a scriptural Baptist church. This is the doctrine that was once commonly held among the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention and among true independent Baptist churches as well. Sadly, time has eroded this belief in the truth that is still held dear by those of us who are historical Baptists to this present hour. Since there is but “one baptism” scripturally in operation these days, there can be no baptism by the spirit into the universal body of Christ that Protestants believe. This false doctrine is based on misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 12:13.
It behooves us today to stay close to the Lord and true to His Word. We also must be very careful as to whom we accept as members of our churches. We must surely confirm the scripturalness of the baptism of a prospective member before we agree to receive that baptism as scriptural. The sincerity of the person who was baptized in no way makes the baptism that he received scriptural. If the church that administered the baptism did not follow the Word of God and was not scriptural in its practice, then the baptism that church administered could not be scriptural either. We are living in days when many are departing from the faith; therefore it requires that we be even more careful and diligent in our practice and our vigilance in the Lord’s churches.
By E. L. Bynum
The Southwide Baptist Fellowship was established in 1956 in the Highland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN. From its beginning it was the brain child of Dr. Lee Roberson who was the pastor of the Church and the founder and president of Tennessee Temple Schools. Dr. Roberson, along with a number of others, had come out of the Southern Baptist Convention.
What began as a come out organization has now become a going back in organization. I quote from a letter sent to me by Tom Messer, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida.
“Our church has the privilege of hosting the 51st meeting of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship. I want to personally invite you to the conference this year on October 22–25.
“You will hear from some of the nation’s finest preachers, including several pastors of rapidly growing churches who are making a difference in their communities for the cause of Christ. The services will be anchored by nationally recognized speakers, Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jerry Falwell.
“Dr. Elmer Towns, Dean of the School of Religion at Liberty University and a contributing author to Outreach Magazine, will speak Tuesday at a luncheon on the subject of church growth.
“Dr. Falwell will hold a special private briefing for all senior pastors. This briefing will be very timely just weeks before the important national elections. I believe God will use this meeting to bring true spiritual revival to our hearts and ministries.”
The Record of Compromise
Jerry Falwell is a member of the Baptist Bible Fellowship and several years ago he joined the Southern Baptist Convention. He sometimes says some good things, but his ministry has slipped further and further from the truth. His unscriptural antics are too numerous to be listed again, and they increase on a regular basis. Jerry Vines is a Southern Baptist buddy of Falwell. No doubt many believe that the Southern Baptist, whom they are associating with will be drawn out of the Convention. The truth is that they themselves are being drawn deeper into the web of deceit. We live in a day when truth has fallen in the streets, and worst of all, it has fallen in churches. “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” (Isaiah 59:14)
I looked on the website Trinity Baptist Church and it lists a number of other fence-straddling preachers who will be speaking. Some are Southern Baptist and some are not, but a link of compromise can be found with them all. They are among the church growth crowd with contemporary music and many other forms of compromise. In the past we have printed articles relating to these forms of compromise, which we will not try to reproduce at this time.
Southwide Baptist Fellowship has become a founding member of the International Baptist Network, along with the Baptist Bible Fellowship and the World Baptist Fellowship. When the crows and some other birds begin to flock together you know that winter is nigh. When you see the different fellowships gathering together, then you know the winter of truth is stopping the spread of the truth.
There is a growing stench of sin among many that claim to be running under the banner of truth. The cover up of sin is astounding and a terrible hindrance to the advancement of the proclamation of truth. Southern Baptists, Fundamentalists, and some Independent Baptist Churches are shaming the cause of Christ. When child predators, adulterers and crooks are sheltered by preachers and churches, and allowed to cover up their filthy sins, someone should have the guts to expose them.
Hold Your Nose and Read on
The following quotations come from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that can be found on the World Wide Web.
“Pastor Tom Messer, whose church and college, Trinity Baptist Church and Trinity Baptist College, have become infamous for having sheltered accused child molester and former pastor Bob Gray, is hosting the 2006 Southwide Baptist Fellowship without censure for having failed to come forward with a statement about his role and his knowledge of allegations of child molestation in the church: allegations that went back for two decades. Jerry Vines, Southern Baptist pastor who has allowed the notorious Dave Hyles into his church without warning his congregation that Hyles has a history of gross sexual sin including pornography, adultery, and a “swinger” lifestyle, will also be speaking at the 2006 convention. (Bob Gray is scheduled to go on trial in November 2006. He has been accused of molesting numerous children. Editor)
“Prominent Independent Fundamental Baptist David Cloud has openly criticized Southwide Baptist Fellowship for its new leniency regarding external ‘standards’ (hair length, dress code, movie attendance, music choices, etc.) and lack of ecclesiastical separation, and he has rebuked the Southwide Baptist Fellowship for shallow theology . . .
“Others have rightly assessed that the Southwide Baptist Fellowship is in flux, forced by change to modify itself but lacking a sufficiently theological constitution to map out its path of change. Currently, it remains a loose federation of Baptist churches that stand for conservatism, both religious and political, including political action, and overall it remains Dispensational in theology. It embraces, but does not require, strict Independence. While some bemoan its lack of ‘standards,’ others recognize that it has failed to live up to the moral necessity of policing itself, enforcing Biblical rules of demanding purity in pulpits, and it has allowed scandals to occur without investigation or rebuke.
“The best conclusion is that in an age when information is readily available to everybody, and Bible study is incredibly accessible, Baptist Fundamentalism is shrinking and is being forced to confront its own self-contradictions and reinvent itself. And thus, Southwide Baptist Fellowship, while paying homage to its roots, has also been forced to adapt and make relevant changes. And yet, in the end, it has no real plan for change and no guiding theology to repair its growing lack of credibility.” End of Wikipedia quote
Immorality in the Ministry
Adultery and fornication are wicked, because the guilty parties are exercising a natural gift from God in an illegitimate and sinful way. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4) They should never be sheltered and kept in the ministry, and it is a sin to do so. They may in some instances repent of their deeds and be forgiven by God. This does not mean that they are to be restored to the ministry, because they have disqualified themselves. “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.” (Titus 1:6–7) Adulterers cannot be blameless or have a good report of them that are without. “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without ; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:7)
Pedophiles, child molesters and homosexuals are exercizing their perverted sinful desires in an unnatural way. To cover up for them is a sin of the worst kind. It is a proven fact that these people go back to their old sins as soon as they have opportunity. I have known of a number of such people who were supposedly restored, but over and over again they go back into their awful sins. Preachers sometimes take such people into the church out of sympathy and a desire to help them. They nearly all either claim to have repented and changed, or they claim they were not guilty in the first place. Shame, shame upon them for so doing.
I do not mean to imply that all the members of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship are engaged in such conduct. No doubt most of them are honorable men, but nevertheless they are in an organization that was founded unscripturally and that is on the downhill slide of the slippery slope of compromise.
Something is Seriously Wrong
It is sad when popular fundamental and Independent Baptist pastors can be approved by many as great men for God, and then it is found out that such men have been living sinfully in illicit relationships and sometimes even be child molesters and homosexuals. They get loud “amens” from preachers in a conference, but in fact they are the very best examples of sinful conduct under the guise of holiness. Where is biblical discernment in all of this?
By Jerry Jackson
“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” Acts 13:1–4
The need for world evangelism is not cause for controversy. Anyone who reads and believes the Bible knows about the Great Commission, and the necessity of spreading the Gospel to every man, woman, boy, and girl on the planet. The controversy begins to arise when we articulate the details of God’s plan for world evangelism. But, even there we can find many that will stand with us and agree with the conclusion that world evangelism cannot be accomplished outside of the authority and personnel of local churches. The great controversy comes as we delineate the way to practice and accomplish this plan. One of the main sore spots in this controversy is in the scriptural basis and use of mission boards.
The Brotherhood of Missions
Without doubt, the Great Commission cannot be fulfilled without partnership. Not one single Christian can evangelize the world on his own, and neither can one single church.
First, there is a partnership between the church and the Holy Ghost. The church at Antioch did not send out Barnabas and Saul until the Holy Ghost had called Barnabas and Saul and manifested that call to the church. I fear that many missionaries today are not called of God, nor is that call manifested to their sending church. I do not mean to say that every man who has started deputation and never made it to the field was not called of God, but there is certainly a partnership between the church and the Holy Spirit before sending out the missionary. For this partnership to work as God intended there must be a close relationship between each church member and the Lord. Not only must there be a close relationship, but there must be a clear dedication to the Lord and the things of the Lord. The church at Antioch “ministered to the Lord, and fasted” long before the Holy Ghost spoke to them concerning Barnabas and Saul. Once the Holy Ghost spoke to them, they fasted and prayed some more. If we had this same partnership between Holy Ghost and church, what could be accomplished for the cause of Christ?
There is also a partnership between churches of like faith. As many churches support the same missionary, they are working in partnership together through that missionary’s ministry. This means that they help to carry the burdens of this ministry together, and that they share the fruit of this ministry. Many claim that for this partnership to work smoothly there must be some sort of a central organization or “board” to oversee and handle the partnership. However, we do not find this taught or even hinted at in Scripture. “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account (Philippians 4:15-17).” “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth (3 John 5–8).”
The Basis of Mission Boards
A study of history shows us that mission boards, clearinghouses, or sending agencies did not exist until recent centuries. As different Baptist Associations, Conventions, and Fellowships were formed, they found a need to create their own missions agencies to “make the best use of the mission money.” However, there is absolutely no scriptural basis for any of these groups or their corresponding agencies.
The true basis for mission boards is found in the logic of man, rather than the Word of God. There are many seemingly sound reasons used to justify the use of mission boards, but none of them justify a clear departure from the Scripture.
Many people say that mission boards are necessary and bring a benefit to any and all churches involved with them. “You know what you are getting with a mission board, because the board screens and approves each missionary,” we have been told. Filled with this philosophy, many pastors have no trouble supporting a man because of the board that has “approved” him. They do not take the time or trouble to find out for themselves what this man believes, or where he stands on Bible doctrine, because the board has already seen to that. However, we know of many board-approved missionaries who have done a great of harm to the cause of Christ. Many churches have been wounded as a result of these men, and countless souls have been turned away from the Gospel by their poor testimony.
Other people see the mission board as necessary to direct and oversee the work of the missionary. Some mission boards have a built-in hierarchy that controls where, when, and how the missionary does his work. In the example of the Apostle Paul, we find that he was directed by the Holy Ghost (Acts 16:6–7), and accountable to the church at Antioch (Acts 14:27). No one else directed him, and he was accountable to no one else. This is the God-given pattern for mission work.
Others will point out the many benefits that a mission board is able to offer to the missionary. The very mention of certain mission boards will open the doors of certain churches for the missionary. Then, there are the church directories which each board or group compiles and makes available to their missionaries.
There are also the more personal benefits of group health insurance and retirement benefits. There are the loans, which can be received for the purchase of a home or vehicle, without the headaches of dealing with the banking system of foreign countries. There is always money available to each missionary for the many emergencies that can and do occur on the mission field. What missionary doesn’t want the benefit of these things?
There are also the benefits to the ministry of the missionary. The board has already set up contacts with the many foreign governments where their missionaries serve. In this way, the missionary does not have to find out for himself what is necessary to obtain visas to enter the mission field, because the board takes care of all of the legwork for him. Some folks even tell us that some nations are closed to missionaries unless they are sent out through a mission board. I would like to respectfully differ with that opinion. I have known of unaffiliated, independent Baptist missionaries in “closed” communist countries for the past twenty years, while only recently have the boards been sending men to these places. This idea that only a mission board can get a missionary into many countries of the world is nothing more than self-serving propaganda sent out by the boards themselves.
The Bane of Mission Boards
While there may seem to be many benefits in the use of mission boards, they are nothing more than leaches on the Lord’s churches. They do not aid in the work of the Gospel. Instead, they drain mission offerings that would be better put to use by giving it to a missionary. Here are some of the ways in which mission boards drain support best given to missionaries.
Many churches send monthly support to the various mission boards. Some churches support the board at the same level as a single missionary, while other churches send larger amounts to the board than to the missionary. While this may not seem like much to each individual church, we have to wonder how many more missionaries could be spreading the Gospel world-wide on the money that is given to the board. Of course, this money is used to pay full-time salaries for the missions director and other staff members. If a missionary went out directly from his church, there would be no need to pay extra staff to handle his needs.
• Some, but not all, mission boards skim a percentage of each missionary’s support for “administrative costs.” This sounds like a racket to me. If a mission board wants to be paid to fill out deposit slips for missionaries let them go out and raise their own support. Leave the missionary’s support alone!
• Mission boards are constantly raising money for new staff, equipment, facilities, etc. If a missionary were sent through his church, there would be no need to raise money for any of these things.
• Many boards require that a missionary raise a set amount of support, based upon the nation in which they intend to serve. The board then turns around and tells the missionary how he will spend his money. There must be a set amount each month for retirement, health insurance, emergency or furlough expenses, housing maintenance, etc. Once this money is placed in these various funds or accounts, they cannot be used for any other purpose. For example, the board will not allow the missionary to use money saved for furlough expenses to cover a need that arises on the field. The board is not helping the missionary in this case, but is being an uncaring taskmaster. This is outrageous, but many missionaries and churches tolerate it.
• If a board-sent missionary has a need, he will write a letter asking for special offerings from his supporting churches. When these churches respond to this need, the board then LOANS this money to the missionary, who must then pay this money back to the board! The board provided nothing to the missionary, but they are being paid as if they gave the money out of their own pocket. This is disgraceful!
• When a board-approved missionary decides to resign from the board, for whatever reason, the board confiscates any of that missionary’s funds left in a board-managed account, including retirement funds. They act as if they had money of their own that they had provided for the missionary, and had a right to get that money back!
In all these things, money is drained from doing God’s work. There are so many things set up in the board’s favor that the missionary has no choice but to comply with these things. Sadly, most churches have no idea that these things go on, and continue to think that mission boards are great helpers to the truth.
Another great disservice that the board renders to the churches is that authority is stripped from the churches. Some boards may strip more authority than other boards, but any authority taken from the Lord’s churches is wrong.
• During the time that my parents were missionaries to Papua New Guinea, one of their supporting churches dropped their support. My dad called to find out the reason for this and was able to discuss the matter with the pastor. Apparently, the church had called a new pastor who was dedicated to the ideals of using a mission board, and since his acceptance of the pastorate the church had been systematically dropping any missionary not sent out through a board. This pastor’s justification was, “For all I know, you could be over there selling tacos.” While there may be many who agree with that pastor, he had a wrong philosophy. Mission boards do not guarantee good missionaries or good mission work. At the time of this incident, we personally knew a board-sent missionary who was running a business selling clocks, pulpits, and coffins. I know of at least three missionaries who today are running sawmill businesses while getting full support from the churches back home.
• According to 1 Corinthians 5, each church member is accountable to his own church for his actions. According to the board, the church need not worry about this, as the board will take care of any disciplinary needs, which may arise. In 1986, while my parents were serving as missionaries in Papua New Guinea, two missionaries showed up at our house unannounced. They were both from the same mission board, and had been sent to check out certain allegations of immorality in the life of another of their missionaries. These two men told us of the statements that they had received and the long list of witnesses to the various accusations. They were even able to record accounts of immorality from some of the women involved with this missionary. Yet, when all this information was sent back to the board, nothing happened. Because this particular missionary was very popular among his supporting churches, they did not want to take a stand on the issue. As far as I know, they never disclosed any of this information to his sending church, so that they could deal with the problem.
• Two missionaries whom I know personally were having problems among themselves. These problems were escalating and ended up causing a church split, with one missionary taking part of the congregation with him, while the other missionary stayed with the original group. When news of this trouble reached the mission board, they did not contact these missionaries’ pastors to come together and work these things out. Instead, the missions director flew over to straighten things out by himself. One of the missionaries had the good sense to call his pastor and ask him to come over to help in the situation. But, if it had been left to the board, no pastor would have been involved with the counseling and/or disciplining of one of his members. This is not right.
Of course, there is also the problem of ownership. When a missionary decides to buy a home on his field of service, he must pay for the house and property out of his own support, but he must also put the board on the title as owner of the property. As a result, mission boards own many homes, church buildings, vehicles, etc. Is this right? Would any church in the US be willing to put someone else on the title of church property? Would any pastor buy a house from his own salary and then put the house in the church’s name? These things do not make sense, but somehow they seem to make perfect sense when relating to a missionary. What this means is that the board is able to exert pressure on missionaries and churches on the field to follow their demands. We have a word for this: extortion.
Mission boards are deceptive. They all claim to be nothing more than a clearinghouse. Even pastors within the ABA and BMA claim that their missions committees are only clearinghouses, exerting no authority or control over the missionary. We need to be honest enough to admit that all mission boards have problems, being more than they claim to be.
Someone might ask about local church mission boards. If someone is a member of that church, and sent by that church’s board, isn’t that all right? The answer should be obvious to all. If a church sends a missionary why does that church then need to create a board, or other entity for sending the missionary? The reason that many churches do this is to open doors for their missionary into churches that require mission boards for all missionaries that they support. Is this not deceptive?
I know of one highly recommended local church mission board through experience with many of its missionaries. Like all other boards, they claim to be nothing more than a clearinghouse for the missionaries’ money. When their missionaries are on deputation, they claim to be independent Baptist missionaries sent out of their own local church, with the board handling their finances. When they get to the field, they are denominational in attitude and action. They act as if they are the only ones on the field doing God’s work, and refuse to cooperate with any truly independent Baptist missionaries. In Papua New Guinea, when the translation of the New Testament from English into Pidgin English was completed, they would not cooperate in its printing. Instead, they took the plates and had their own New Testaments printed, with the mission board’s name prominently placed on the front page, as if the board had done something great in the work of the translation. This same board demands that its missionaries live in rural, jungle, or bush settings. Many of these missionaries have two-way radios for communication. In Papua New Guinea, there is a schedule set up for radio usage. Each group or denomination is given two 15-minute slots each day. On that schedule is every sort of religious group and organization that you can imagine. There is even a schedule for independent Baptist missionaries. But, this mission board’s missionaries do not use that time to communicate. They have their own time slots, meaning that they identify themselves as an organization to one and all on the mission field. Do they merely handle the money? Absolutely not!
Mission boards are not a part of God’s plan for missions. Even the most benign of them is still outside the realm of scriptural edict. We must avoid them at all costs. We must advance the cause of worldwide evangelism, but we must do it without man’s logic. We must follow the old paths, which God has so clearly laid out in His Word.
By E. L. Bynum
Nothing that Jerry Falwell does surprises me anymore. For someone who professes to believe the Bible, he shows an amazing lack of discernment. He has been so careless and unconcerned about those he associates with and who he has in his pulpit, that he has lost all credibility among Independent Baptists. As they used to say down on the farm, “he is anyone’s dog that will hunt with him.”
The following is taken from National Liberty Journal, of September 2006. This is Falwell’s own paper.
‘Super Sunday Nights’ at TRBC
Readers are invited to attend the 6:00 p.m. Super Sunday Night services at the new TRBC Worship Center. Dr. John Hagee, pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. Texas, will be speaking at TRBC on Sunday, September 3, at 6:00 p.rn. Dr. Hagee is a renowned pastor, theologian and author. He has been to Israel 22 times and has met with every Israeli prime minister since Menachem Begin. This will be a timely sermon, addressing current world affairs as they relate to biblical prophecy and the Church of Jesus Christ.
Also, renowned gospel singer Squire Parsons will be at TRBC conducting a free concert on Sunday, September 10, at 6:00 p.m., in the TRBC Worship Center.
Hagee Speaks for Falwell
Why any Baptist would even consider having John Hagee speak is a complete mystery to me. Of course, Falwell is only a Baptist in name, for long ago he departed from the truth. He has had heretics and other notorious characters speak at his Church and University. Senator Ted Kennedy, a man known to be a heavy drinker, womanizer and other disgusting things has spoken for Falwell. What a testimony to the thousands of students at Liberty University! He has had Bob Harrington, the notorious Chaplain of Bourbon Street in his pulpit. He seems to be attracted to divorced preachers as you will see if you read on.
Who is John Hagee?
He is the pastor of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, a noted Charismatic TV preacher. In the PBC March 1999, we published the following. “A conference last April also hosted by Cecil and Linda Todd featured John Hagee, Jim Bakker, Bob Harrington, John Maxwell, and a couple of TBN Charismatics as speakers.” This was at a Cecil Todd’s celebration April 1998.
Anyone that would appear on the same platform with Jim Bakker (PTL Club) and Bob Harrington is not worthy to speak in a Baptist pulpit. Both of them are divorced and should never have been in the ministry in the first place.
See the May 2006 issue of the Plains Baptist Challenger for an excellent expose of John Hagee by Jerry Jackson.
Here is a quote from this article showing Hagee is disqualified for the ministry. “Certainly there will be those who disagree with me, but I believe that Mr. Hagee is not qualified to stand in a pulpit and proclaim God’s Word. In May of 1994, the Liberty Flame reported that during the time when Hagee was serving the charismatic congregation at Trinity Church in San Antonio, he divorced his wife, resigned and married a young woman in the congregation, Diana Castro. In a letter to the church, Hagee admitted immorality, which later became a part of the court records in the custody battle over his two children. Custody was awarded to his ex-wife, Martha.”
In addition to being a charismatic, he preaches a prosperity gospel and believes in a Dual Covenant. “The Dual Covenant doctrine states that the Jews, in whole or in part, are saved, not by the completed work of Christ, but by the fact that they are Jews. For this to be true, there must be at least two separate methods of salvation. Of course, this is impossible, as we will see from God’s Word.” (PBC May 2006)
Practice Discernment
In these days of widespread compromise with false doctrine, we need to be on the lookout for the popular false prophets of our day. “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.” (2 Timothy 4:3) “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:9) “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1)
Editors note: We reserve the right to do minor editing on all letters. Of course we will never change the meaning of the original email or letter.
Dear Bro. Bynum: I am praying for you and the Church. Keep up the great work. I got some of your tracts on why we cannot support the Billy Graham crusade and that’s a great, great tract. I give it out with other tracts I have and tracts on salvation and heaven, hell, rock music, other subjects too like smoking, the lodge, Mormons, JWs, and I get some tracts from dial truth ministries, too on Satanism, rock music and other stuff too. God bless you brother, Rodney Crosby
Dear Bro. Jackson, I want to thank you for the insight you share in the Plains Baptist Challenger. In this day of compromise, it is refreshing to receive a paper that will still direct the reader down ‘the old paths’. I especially enjoyed your article, “Organized Fellowships of Churches Are Not New,” published in the July 2006 issue. Your points are clearly expressed and well taken. It seems to me that Pastors who ‘come out’ of organized fellowships and para-church organizations because of perceived error, often go right back into the same type of organization under a new name. Those of us who ‘came out’ because we could find no authority in Scripture for such an organization appear to be the ones who stay out. Once again, thanks for your friendship and valuable work there at Tabernacle Baptist Church. John Nelson, Pastor, Vandament Avenue Baptist Church, Yukon, Oklahoma
Brother Bynum, Thank you for your on-line Challenger. I have been reading them for several months. I have been called into the ministry. I am 57 years old, and I am under the wing of a BBF pastor. I do not agree with the BBF organization nor its slide into liberalism, but he is lovingly guiding me through my education. Your paper has been a great encouragement to me. Thank you so much!! Gary
Brother Bynum, We want to thank you SO much for the information you sent regarding cremation! I am sorry if it took a lot of your time researching it, but it has definitely confirmed to us that cremation is not for us, as believers. I had always thought of it as a pagan thing, but when some very devout Christians (relatives, in fact) said that is what they plan to do, it made me wonder if I was wrong. Of course, they have hardly any money to live on since he was always in Christian radio work and didn’t make anywhere near the money he’d made if he’d been in the secular world. They probably don’t have enough money for a regular funeral & want to save their kids the expense. Thanks again for helping us decide what Christ would want us to do. In Christ, Pat & Bill Joyce
Bro. Bynum, I’m a Pastor in Shreveport, La. I’m also a (STRONG) promoter of the King James Bible, “God’s preserved word”. There aren’t any places that carry the books Which Bible or True or False by Otis Fuller. Can you help me to find and purchase these, please. If so, please e-mail me. Thanks Bro. Jeff. Answer: Bro. Jeff, We have them at Tabernacle Baptist Church. E. L. Bynum (See Our Book List)
Bro. Bynum, God bless you and the folks there at Tabernacle. I have read some of your articles over the years and ran across the website. What a wealth of information! Please share my thanks with the other folks there in your ministry. Your faithful stand on the word of God is an encouragement. Have a great day! Donald Sculley. Ps. 100:2
Dear Brother, I’m glad for your militant passion. I don’t believe we will ever come to mutual understanding. I know you profoundly believe in your views. God bless you, Michael Fanelli
Editor, Your website has been a blessing to me this weekend. My church is having problems with liberated women wanting to run our church, and the teachings I have concerning women being silent in the church is trying to change. Please pray for our pastor. Thanks for the much needed information.
Dear Brother Bynum, The Plains Baptist Challenger is a great paper and well worth the price increase, it is still extremely cheap and to think about it posted all over the world to Finland. I want to thank you, remember when you were at Lehigh Valley Baptist Church preaching and you told that people pray only for 10–15 minutes when they sing about hour of prayer, I started praying a hour per day and more because of that and Doug Hammett talking about hour of prayer and trusting in power of prayer in Thursday meeting. Lord worked thru your preaching in my life, that caused me to start praying for an hour. Remember Bynum, those small things that preacher says can have big impact on person’s life when Lord works thru it. How are you? Would you have any needs that I could pray for? I want to pray even more! Thanks Bynum! In Christ, Brother Pekka Luodeslampi Finland, Europe.
Dear Bro. Bynum, Thank you for the article on ‘The Da Vinci Code’, published in the July 2006 issue of “The Plains Baptist Challenger.” I did not read the book and certainly do not see the need to do so. I will not see the movie, (I don’t go to movies anyway) but I appreciate very much your expose of a film that is evidently taking our society by storm. There are many new and dangerous trends rearing their ugly heads in ‘Christendom’ in this day and age. I am thankful that “The Plains Baptist Challenger” continues to “earnestly contend for the faith.” By the way, folks are still talking about the great revival you preached for us last year. Your messages were just what we needed to ‘stir us up’ for the cause of Christ. Your friend in Christ, Bro. John Nelson, Pastor, Vandament Ave. Baptist Church, Yukon, OK.
Edited by E. L. Bynum
(Editor’s Note: In our News & Views column we quote from many different sources. Please understand that this does not necessarily mean that we approve of all of the publications from which we quote.)
Which is Evil? — Despite having apologized to homosexuals over a cartoon deemed derogatory to gays, the University of Virginia’s student newspaper has refused to apologize to Christians over two cartoons which are derogatory to Christians.” (LifeSiteNews a, 9/5/06) Unsavory remarks may be made about the mother of Jesus & her Son, but nothing adversarial may be said about or concerning the lifestyle of homosexuals. The student newspaper had this to say to those who wanted an apology FROM the gay crowd: “Under our newspaper’s policies, satire of religion, or any other belief or creed, is acceptable.” So derogatory remarks against Christianity is ‘irony,’ yet calling homosexuality a sin is not permissible. They likely would not print Isa. 5:20. —WWM
Degenerate DeGeneres — The NY Times, 9/9/06, loudly lauds the appearance of lesbian Ellen as Oscar host. Like always sin saturated sarcasm rolls from the libeled lips of the sinful. When asked how she would conduct herself she remarked: “...I think comedy should be smart, funny and able to be enjoyed by everybody, not holier than thou.” Those who take counsel against the Lord will not be amused when “He that setteth in the heavens shall laugh” and hold them in ridicule. (Psa. 2:1–6) —WWM
The Problematic Unborn — The LSN, 9/5/06, report that British PM Blair has plans that seek to identify those who might be a “menace to society” before they are born. Is this ‘eugenics’? Upgrading humanity can only be attained by the blood of Christ. Mr. Blair had this to say, “If we are not prepared to predict and intervene far more early, then there are children that are going to grow up in families that we know perfectly well are completely dysfunctional, and the kids a few years down the line are going to be a menace to society and actually a threat to themselves.” This is the purpose of Jesus entering the world in our likeness, to make the dysfunctional functional!! (Gal. 4:4,5) —WWM
Gambling Cost — “Legalized gambling is one of the fastest expanding enterprises in the US. In 2004, the gross revenues from gambling were $78.6 billion more money than Americans spend on movie tickets, theme parks, spectator sports and video-games combined!” (Social Issues Online.) Although dollars and cents are a factor today, the real cost will be assessed when those who have changed the truth of God into a lie stand before Him. Many have already been given over to uncleanness. (Rom. 1: 23–25) —WWM
Soulforce Mission Statement — “Mainline churches may be less blatant and more sophisticated, but they are no less guilty of spiritual violence. It is just as violent spiritually when pastors and parentsquoting scripturecondemn and reject members of their congregation and their family. When this happens, God’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children also feel condemned and rejected by their Creator as well.” It is little wonder that these feel ‘condemned and rejected.’ They changed the truth of God into a lie, & God gave them up. They refused to remember God and His principles, and God gave them over to a sinful mind. (Rom. 1) False religion will furnish little comfort or support. Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus will surely help. Go and sin no more. (Acts 20:21; John 8:11) No one can possibly accuse anyone if this is followed. (Rom. 8:31–39) —WWM
Pope in Islamic Hotseat — America isn’t the only ones hated by Islamic jihadists. The present pope has stirred the ire of Turkey’s religious directorate when he quoted a “14th century Christian Emperor” saying, “Mohammed brought...things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” (AP, Vatican City, 9/14/06) Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood leader also called for an apology from Pope Ben 16. Muslims call the Catholic religion Christian, yet the only thing about Christ most Catholics know is what they see on a crucifix. Christ is God in the flesh, in whom “dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9) But who would expect the Muslim to know the difference? Having done all to stand, stand!! —WWM
Ford Co.: Gay vs. Happy — A Ferndale, MI report, 2/1/06, said the Ford Motor Co. pledged $250,000 “to the Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center. The campaign will finance a new community center in downtown Ferndale, Mich.” Recently Ford Co. announced a cut-back on production because of lack of sales. Henry Ford’s ‘Model T’ made many families happy to have a reliable mode of transportation in the 1920's. It is doubtful that Henry would be happy with the company’s move toward gay support. The way of the transgressor remains hard. (Prov. 13:15) —WWM
Hot-Button Issue? — A spokeswoman for the Philadelphia School District called the school calendar announcing October as “Gay & Lesbian History Month,” a “hot-button issue.” (Baptist Press, 9/28/06) As to be expected, Christian parents protested saying, “Homosexuality conflicts with their religious beliefs.” Likely the ACLU will remain ‘mum’ in behalf of these believers. Would they be as silent if atheists objected to the Nativity Scene in school? They have not proved to be silent in aiding the devil’s crowd. Such an Oct. announcement could make a student too ‘sick’ to attend. (1 Thes. 5:22) —WWM
Baptist Distinctives? — Baptist Distinctives are steadily changing. The Navigators, a non-denominational group, were recently enlisted by a southwest OK SBC church to teach them how to disciple others. The same church advertised in the Altus Times, 9/29/06 their sponsoring of “its second annual Deer Hunters Crusade & Hunting Clinic.” This is provided that the hunters may be able to “polish their hunting skills.” Another pastor of a neighboring church stated, “A wild game dinner will be provided at noon.” Don’t be surprised if the argument supporting this will be based on the Lord making His apostles to become “fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19) This is surely not a ‘distinctive’ of the NT church. Where is the love of the Father in this? (1 Jn. 2:15) —WWM
Evolutionist Are Afraid!! — The question arises then, if evolution is so solidly proven, what are evolutionists afraid of? Why must evolution be protected from scrutiny? Why must students be shielded from other views? Why not present all the pertinent facts and encourage the students to think critically, as a good scientist should? Would this not be a good educational technique? Would this not produce better citizens and scientists? (The Berean Call, 4/7/06) Godless science will not admit they do not have the answer. To those things they cannot explain they simply add a couple billion years or so and call it evolution. Kind of like a politician who believes all that needs to be done to help the economy is print more paper money. Neither will stand the test of truth. —WWM
Perilous Pilfering — A new study of child pornography laws in 184 Interpol member countries around the world has produced alarming results: more than half of these countries (95) have no laws addressing child pornography and in many other countries, the existing laws are inadequate. (LSN, 4/11/06) The word child/children is referred to in excess of over 2,000 times in the Word of God. Most in reference to the offspring of a man and woman. The entire Godhead, expressed wholly in the Lord Jesus, has a holy and wholesome view of children. It is in the likeness of children that believers are of the greatest benefit to our Lord. To deal in such preposterous obscenities is sure to meet the holy displeasure of God, with positive repercussions. Pray for our children! “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:16) —WWM
LGBT rights — The European Parliament’s Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights is condemning the Nigerian government for its proposal to make homosexual “marriage” illegal and to ban homosexual advocacy organizations. MEP Michael Cashman (UK), president of the Intergroup, said that Nigeria’s government supports a culture that is “homophobic,” and “continues to threaten the lives of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) citizens.” (LS, 4/11/06) Names and false accusations are the only resources available for those who are wrong. Nigeria is on solid ground in this decision. Mr. Cashman is not the first to call those who know homosexuality is sin by the term ‘homophobic.’ He can only defend his stand by calling those who are right, abnormal. —WWM
Elks Lodge Supplies Spiritual Needs? — This headline appeared on the front page of the Mangum Star News (OK), 3/23/06: “Elks Lodge Opens Doors to Meet Spiritual Needs.” The Generations Ministry under the guidance of Trinity Fellowship Church of Sayre, OK is in charge. This lodge is the home of a different kind of ‘spirit’ than would meet the real spiritual needs of this community. Beer is served in one area of this building. It has already been referred to as a ‘church’ by one of the ministers in a local church here. There was a time when leaders in this city would have put a stop to such blatant irreverence to spirituality. —WWM
Possible Reconciliation in C of C — A turning point for one Tulsa, OK Church of Christ preacher came as he listened with arms folded to “3,000 teenagers singing and praising God with a guitar accompaniment.” (Altus Times, 3/31/06) This was the son of a Church of Christ preacher and was fully convinced that using music in worship was wrong. Now this preacher is up front, with others in that group, seeking a possible reconciliation with other C of C groups, after 100 years of separation over the use of music. Maybe someone in these two groups will one day realize that is not the only area of worship they both are wrong about. —WWM