By Bob Jackson
“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” Acts 9:1–9
Lord, What Wilt Thou Have Me to Do? This is the theme of our 46th annual Missions Bible Conference to be held this coming March 12 – 14. This is the kind of text that preachers love, because you can preach almost anything starting with this question. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do about my faith-promise mission offering, about salvation, about service, about baptism, about separation, about Bible versions, about almost anything you could name. In this message, we want to deal with the context of this question in Acts chapter 9 in the life of Saul of Tarsus.
The Condition of Saul
The first thing we see is the condition of Saul as he made his way to Damascus at that time. He is described as breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is in a rage against Christians and churches that were found in this part of the world in those days after the ascension of Jesus Christ back to heaven, Acts 9:1; 8:3; 26:11. At this point in his life, Saul is an archenemy against the gospel and against all those who believed it, Acts 9:2; 26:9–10. He actively sought to destroy everything that had to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ, Acts 26:9–11. He was making this trip to Damascus, which was another trip in his attempt to destroy the gospel and the followers of Jesus Christ, to imprison and persecute Christians and to destroy a church of the Lord, Acts 9:2,13,14; 26:11–12.
The Conversion of Saul
In Acts 9:3–4 we see the confrontation of the Lord with Saul. There was a light from heaven that shone round about him, Acts 9:3; 26:13; Revelation 1:17; John 9:5. This heavenly light affected the sight of Saul because of its tremendous brightness, Acts 9:8; 22:11. Surely the light of the Lord and of heaven blinds human eyes, and is a contrast to any light that can be found in this world. Spiritual eyes are needed to be able to view this heavenly light. When we have our spiritual eyes opened, however, this heavenly light guides us in our walk for the Lord. Obviously, the Lord got Saul’s attention as this heavenly light shone round about him.
In verses 4–6 we see recorded Saul’s conversation with the Lord. The Lord questions Saul as to the reason that he is persecuting the Lord. Saul was persecuting believers in Jesus Christ, which are all the children of God and part of the family of God. Therefore, Saul’s persecution against them was against the Lord’s family. A scriptural church is the body of Christ in the location where it is found; therefore Saul’s persecution against these various churches was a persecution against the Lord’s body itself on the earth, Ephesians 1:22–23. Saul answers this inquiry by asking this heavenly speaker to identify Himself. In the form of this question, Saul recognizes the lordship of this heavenly speaker. Certainly the Lord had demonstrated His power to Saul. Saul receives the answer to his question that this heavenly speaker is none other than Jesus. Saul had been attempting to destroy every thought and memory of Jesus in this world, Acts 26:9. Jesus is the one whom Saul had considered to be a false prophet who had begun a false religion, Acts 22:4.
At this encounter with the Lord Jesus, Saul realizes that he had been fighting against the very work of God, and, in truth, the very Son of God. This was certainly the claim of Jesus that Saul wanted to eradicate from the earth. Saul had been fighting against the work of God through the authority of his own Jewish religion, Acts 26:12. His actions were being done in a human attempt to serve God, Acts 22:3–4; Galatians 4:17–18. Saul’s heart was changed as he realized who Jesus really is, the Son of God, the Lord in heaven, Acts 9:6a. Rather than fighting against the work and followers of Jesus, now he is asking this very one what He wants Saul to do.
In Acts 9:6–9 we see Saul’s conversion to Christ. Now Saul seeks instruction from Jesus. What an immediate change we detect in the attitude and life of this fierce enemy of the gospel, 2 Corinthians 5:17. Jesus tells Saul to “arise and go . . .” There is never a time in our Christian lives when we should be unwilling to follow the Lord’s instructions, Acts 9:8,9,11; 26:19; Luke 6:46. Saul now needs a man and a church to accomplish the necessary steps in his Christian life, Acts 9:17–19; 8:30–31; Ephesians 3:21; Mark 16:15. It is amazing to realize how many Christians believe that they are free to serve the Lord in any manner they see fit apart from the leadership of God, the fellowship of a church, and the direction of God’s chosen leadership. Surely, if Saul was going to grow in his Christian life as he should, he needed to be baptized and join himself to a church where he could learn and be taught.
The Consecration of Saul
As we watch the initial and speedy spiritual growth of Saul, we recognize a person who is truly consecrated to the Lord and to His work. Saul followed the very first command he received after this initial confrontation with the Lord, Acts 9:6,8. If a person is truly going to serve God, he must follow God, John 12:26. If a person is going to serve God, it is going to require him to walk by faith, 2 Corinthians 5:7. Notice that the Lord did not detail His instructions to Saul, He simply told him to go into the city and it would be told him what was expected of him. God does not tell us every detail that He will expect of us the first moment we meet Him and become His child. Becoming a child of God and serving God requires that we walk by faith.
God had a man in Damascus whom He was instructing to disciple Saul, Acts 9:10–12; Matthew 28:20. This man, Ananias, was initially afraid of the task that God gave him regarding Saul because of Saul’s reputation, Acts 9:13–14; Hebrews 13:5; Isaiah 41:10. Saul’s reputation was well earned. But his reputation had been earned before he met the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord reiterated His command to Ananias to disciple Saul, Acts 9:15–16. The Lord told Ananias that He had a plan for Saul’s life, and he would be greatly used in the work of God, Acts 9:15; 26:16–18; Matthew 4:18–20. The Lord expected Ananias to go to Saul and accomplish the work that He had given him to do, Luke 14:21,23. The Lord also revealed to Ananias the suffering that Saul would endure for the cause of Christ, Acts 9:16; 2 Timothy 3:12.
Ananias obeyed God’s will for him regarding Saul, Acts 9:17. God uses His own people and scriptural churches to accomplish His work in the lives of believers, Acts 9:17; Ephesians 3:21. God was the director of Ananias’ ministry; he was not following his own wisdom or ideas, Acts 1:8; John 20:21. God used Ananias to accomplish His will in Saul’s life, Acts 9:18–19. Saul’s sight was restored, but we have to wonder how well he ever saw again after this incident, Acts 9:18; Galatians 4:15. More than his physical vision, however, Saul’s spiritual sight was opened, and now he began to understand the things of God, Acts 9:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 2:12,14. Saul surrendered to scriptural baptism after his salvation, Acts 9:18; 2:41; Matthew 28:19. You have to wonder about anyone who professes to be saved, but refuses to follow the Lord in scriptural baptism. Now Saul was steadfast in fellowship with God’s people; the very people he had originally come to Damascus to capture, condemn, and confine in prison, Acts 9:19; 2:42. This was essential for Saul so that he would grow in grace and follow the Lord in his life, Hebrews 10:24–25; Ephesians 3:21.
Now we see the former enemy of Jesus Christ and of His work preaching the very gospel he had tried to eradicate from the earth, Acts 9:20–22. Soon after his conversion Saul was preaching Christ to those with whom he had once served and agreed, Acts 9:20; 26:9; John 8:32. Seeing this change in Saul’s life amazed those who had known him before his salvation, Acts 9:21; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20. The spiritual strength and understanding of Saul increased continually as he studied the truth with other believers within that church, Acts 9:22. He proved to those Jews by the Word of God that Jesus was the very Christ, their Messiah, 2 Timothy 2:15.
In this passage in Acts chapter 9 we see two men, actually, who did exactly what God wanted each of them to do. “Lord, What wilt Thou have Me to Do?”
By E. L. Bynum
The Roman Catholic religion is filled with false doctrine and practices. At the same time Protestant and some Baptist leaders advocate closer ties to this false system that dooms its advocates to an eternal hell, unless they can be delivered from this kingdom of darkness.
Prayers to Dead Saints
Although some may deny such a practice, it is a well-known fact that this is a doctrine and practice of the Catholic religion. While we believe that all born-again Christians are saints, the Catholic Church Saints are those approved by the Vatican’s rules and they are all dead. The New Testament uses the word “saints” about 60 times and it refers to living Christians in the New Testament times which were located in various churches and places of that very time. There is no instruction for us to pray to saints. Saints are people who are called to be saints by virtue of the fact that they are in Christ Jesus through salvation. “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
While visiting in a Catholic hospital lately, I picked up a little Catholic magazine called The Family Digest. On page seven we find the following prayer to Joseph the husband of Mary.
“Prayer to St. Joseph — O Glorious St. Joseph, chosen by God to be the foster-father of Jesus, the chaste spouse of Mary ever Virgin, and head of the Holy Family, be the heavenly patron and defender of the Church founded by Jesus.
“With confidence we beg your powerful aid for the Church on earth. Shield it with paternal love, especially the Supreme pontiff, together with all the bishops and priests who are in union with the Holy See. Be the defender of all who labor for souls.
“Protect the working men and women and their families. Intercede for young people who are searching for their place in life. Be the sure refuge for all of us at the hour of death, and guide us safely into heaver.
“In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”
Of course they also pray to the Virgin Mary and multitudes of other so-called saints. There is not one Scripture that teaches such an unholy doctrine.
Prayers for the Dead
Another false practice is praying for the dead. We should pray for the living, but not for the dead, for it is too late to pray for the dead as their destiny is already sealed and cannot be changed. Yet, there are many Catholics in third world countries, such as Latin America, that have been paying priests on a regular basis to pray their relatives out of Purgatory.
There is no such place as purgatory and there is not one verse of Scripture that teaches such a thing.
Veneration of Relics
Another false practice of Catholics is the veneration of relics associated with some Saint or individual. It may be a finger, a hand, some other bone that they claim belonged to some famous Roman Catholic Saint. It may be a splinter of wood that they say came from the cross on which Jesus was crucified. I remember hearing an Arab Baptist preacher many years ago. During his message, he pulled out his billfold and removed a splinter of wood which he said came from the actual cross of Jesus. I was a young preacher at the time, and I must say that I thought it was a fraud at the time, and I still do.
While in New York in October, I purchased a copy of The Post-Star, Glen Falls, N.Y., dated October 6, 2006. Here are some quotations from that article.
“MERRICK? In life, St. John Vianney was a revered 19th-century French clergyman who was said to be blessed with the ability to read the hearts of worshippers. In death, his own heart has become an object of worship.
“For reasons unknown, Vianney’s body never decayed after death, and his heart and body have been encased in separate glass reliquaries in France for more than a century.
“The heart is being brought to the U.S. for the first time this weekend in what the pastor of the Long Island church hosting the relic calls a ‘historical moment for our country, our diocese, our church.’
“The Rev. Charles Mangano of Long Island’s CurDe of Ars church said pastors from some of the Roman Catholic parishes around the country that bear Vianney’s name are flying in for the occasion, and thousands of worshippers are also expected. The heart and Vianney’s chalice will be placed at the front of the altar, where people can alternately walk past the relics and pray, or attend various Masses and other events commemorating the visit.
“After five days of services beginning Saturday, the heart will be taken to a parish in Boston before returning to France.
“Vianney was the 19th century CurDe (curate, or pastor) of the village of Ars in France, and died there in 1859. When his body was exhumed in 1904 because of his pending beatification, it was found intact. Except for one time in 1925, when the heart was taken to Rome for Vianney’s canonization, it has never left France.
“Picture of a heart in Chalice. This undated photo shows the uncorrupted heart of St. John Vianney, who died 147 years ago in France. The heart and Vianney’s chalice are being brought to the United States for the first time this weekend in what the pastor of Long Island’s CurDe of Ars church calls an historical moment for our country, our diocese, our church.” — The Post-Star, Glen Falls, N.Y. (Bold face type added by ELB for emphasis).
Veneration is Worship
What can you say to people who are so gullible as to think that the body of a person who died 147 years ago would not naturally decay? The heart that was pictured in the The Post-Star was so vague that it could have been a hunk of mud and certainly was not shaped the same way as a human heart. It would seem to me that this should be classified as the desecration of the dead.
Webster’s Dictionary defines “venerate” as “worship, reverence.” This is nothing short of idolatry.
“Possible sarcophagus of St. Paul exhumed in Rome”
This was the headline of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal December 12, 2006. The Vatican thinks that they may have found the body the Apostle Paul in Rome. They have not opened it yet, but they are excited about it. It was found under “the main altar of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls Basilica.” If they determine that this is the real McCoy, they will have something else to venerate.
The trouble with all their theories is a house of cards that would easily fall if they accepted the truth. Paul no doubt did die in Rome, but to the Romans he was a criminal who was executed. They would never have buried him in a marble sarcophagus. There was no Catholic Church at that time and the Christians in Rome were outcasts at the time.
For the record we don’t believe Peter was ever in Rome, much less die there, and his body will no doubt rise from somewhere else in the resurrection.
What Roman Catholics need more than anything else is the salvation that brings eternal life. We should make every effort to lead them out of the kingdom of darkness. They need Jesus Christ as Saviour, not some bone, heart or relic.
By E. L. Bynum
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23–25)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2)
The above Scriptures plus the examples of the churches in Acts, make it crystal clear that Christians should be regular attenders at a Scriptural church. In spite of the obvious facts, multitudes are dropping out of church, and many of them will never return. The average Baptist Church of any age and size will average 25% or less of their total church membership in any given service. Even the best churches for attendance percentage will have no more than one third of their membership present.
This is a disgrace and an insult to our Holy God. This kind of behavior discourages other Christians, and hinders the lost from being saved.
A recent article in Foundation magazine addressed this problem. They quote from a study done by LifeWay Christian Resources (SBC). This study says that 60% of those that once attended services but stopped attending, did so for “changes in their life situation.” The top two “changes” are as follows: “simply got too busy to attend church” and “family/home responsibilities prevented church attendance.”
It is clear that these people ignore what God has said, and simply put their own priorities before God and their church.
One Pastor’s Appraisal
Peter Beck, pastor of an SBC congregation in Louisville, KY, wrote in a recent Baptist Press column, “Christians who stay away from church for any reason other than health or travels are living in outright rebellion against the revealed will of God. They are out of communion with each other. They are out of communion with Christ. Worse, their absence may in fact suggest that they’re not really children of God after all.” He continued, “Jesus said, ‘If ye love Me, keep my commandments’ (Jn. 14:15). Those who rebel against the most basic of commandments concerning church [attendance, Heb. 10:24–25] reveal a dysfunctional relationship with Christ. It’s time we start treating those people like lost people, not lost children who’ve meandered a little too far into the woods. These people may never come out of the woods. We need to stop waiting for them to return, stop treating them like members, and start treating them like unbelievers. We need to share something more than good memories with them. We need to share the Gospel” (BP, 10–23–06). (Via Foundation)
Many may find this too harsh, but we think that it is time for churches to begin a serious effort to remedy this situation. Acceptance of the status quo will not change this shameful condition. If left alone, this serious condition will surely continue to grow worse.
If people expect to be church members, they should begin to take church membership seriously. When a person becomes a member of a Baptist church, they enter into a Church Covenant which most Baptist churches have adopted.
Church Covenant
Here is part of that covenant.
“We engage therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations . . . We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer, to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Saviour to secure it without delay. We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.”
It is time to take church membership as a serious obligation.
By Jerry Jackson
Deputation is not found or taught in the Bible. But, in 3 John 6–8, we read of what may be the only hint of deputation in the New Testament . “...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.” While pastors and missionaries may desire to avoid deputation, the reality is that deputation is needed, and serves a good purpose for both pastors and missionaries.
The Purpose of Deputation
No God-called missionary enjoys deputation, for the most part, because he earnestly desires to be on the field to which God has called him. Deputation is what may be called a “necessary evil.” Still, the missionary must endure deputation if he ever wants to arrive on the mission field. Most nations of the world do not allow missionaries to take a job from their own citizens, which means that the missionary must travel from church to church in order to raise the appropriate amount of monthly support necessary to support his family and mission endeavors on the field.
While serving in Papua New Guinea, I had occasion to talk with another missionary about deputation. His attitude was that the missionary was nothing more than a beggar, going from place to place begging for the support needed to reach the field. This attitude was highly offensive to me. Since when should the servants of God be beggars? Certainly, I have seen some missionaries who have acted as beggars, and, at those times, I was ashamed to be a missionary myself. I recall one Sunday evening in Kentucky, when we were not scheduled to be in a church. We decided to drop in on a church down the road from the mission apartment we were staying in at the time. As it turned out, another missionary, on deputation to Brazil, had the same idea. The pastor was very gracious to both of us, and allowed us to put up our displays and to give a short testimony of our field and work. When this young missionary stood up to give his testimony, he went on for some time. He said that if so many churches took him on at so much a month, he could go to the field, or if so many less churches gave him so much more per month, he could go to the field. What a shame that this young man’s idea of deputation was one of begging. There isn’t much difference between this approach and that of the televangelist. This makes a mockery of God and His work in foreign missions.
Rather than beg, what a true God-called missionary does is offer churches the opportunity to share in the ministry of the missionary and his sending church. This missionary is giving churches the opportunity to share in the fruit of his mission work. He is also giving them an avenue by which they can fulfill their responsibility in the Great Commission. The missionary is representing the King of Kings; he is not begging.
For the missionary, one of the greatest blessings of deputation is enlisting God’s people to pray for him, his family, and his ministry. I know that there were several times throughout deputation when pastors would tell me that I was welcome to come to their church, but the church was definitely not in a position to offer me anything in the form of monthly financial support. I went ahead to most of these churches anyway, because the support of God’s people through prayer is so much more important than money. If it were not for deputation, God’s men would not have very many people to pray for them. Also, if it were not for deputation, God’s people would not feel the burden to pray for a missionary or his field of service.
Deputation has been called “purgatory” by many that have gone through it. Other missionaries, as a joke, quote the verse that says, “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Mark 13:13).” Whatever terms used, deputation is not easy. Between, the miles, the vehicle maintenance, trying to keep a schedule in the family, meeting new people each church service, etc.; it is a difficult time. From experience I can say that deputation is easier when single than when married, and it is easier with just the husband and wife than it is with children. I do not advocate leaving the wife and children at home, while the man travels alone on deputation. I am just stating the fact that deputation is not easy. And it should not be easy. Deputation is a great sifter, which sifts out many of those who could never make it on the mission field. It is far better for a missionary to wash out while on deputation, than to spend many thousands of dollars sending a man to the field, who will not stay long enough to accomplish the task.
For the pastor, there are a few good reasons to approve of deputation. One thing that makes independent Baptists different from Convention Baptists is that we get to see and know the missionaries our missions offerings help to support. This may not seem like a great difference, but when a missionary comes into a church, that church and pastor can inspect the missionary to see whether or not they desire to have a part of that ministry. They have the opportunity to see if his aims are the same as theirs, or if he plans on taking part in things with which they would rather not be associated. Without deputation, this would be impossible.
There is also a need for pastors to allow missionaries to come into their churches so that the church members might be challenged by the need of missions, and of the missionary’s particular field. Yes, church members can be challenged in the area of missions without a missionary coming into the church, but the missionary simply solidifies what the pastor has been preaching all along. God can use a missionary to bring a real vision and burden for missions to a church. A missionary can also be used of God to confirm His call to the ministry in the life of a church member.
The Plan of Deputation
There are many good men who have written exhaustively on the practical side of deputation. I would never seek to compete with these men, but I would like to mention a few ideas about deputation. Deputation requires a balance of faith and wisdom: faith that God will supply, and wisdom to stay until He has supplied it.
By faith, a missionary must set a goal of monthly support. Wisdom dictates that the missionary should consult his pastor and other missionaries serving on this field. He should also consider the type of ministry he will be conducting on the field, which may require special equipment and/or training. Different types of outreach ministries have different overhead costs that should be considered when setting the monthly support goal. If the missionary has set his goal of monthly support by faith, he should then stay on deputation until the Lord has supplied the goal. Too many missionaries get anxious about getting on the field (understandably so), and lose faith in the Lord’s ability to supply the necessary funds.
By faith, a missionary must begin to travel from church to church. There is no promise of support from any church when you arrive or when you leave. Many times it seems that the very church that seems to have no ability to support will give long after it hurts, while the church that seems to have an over-abundance does not give at all. A great pit that many new missionaries fall into is counting promises as support. I have read prayer letters that went something like this: “We have reached 50% of our support goal, with 10% currently coming in.” Wisdom dictates that support is not counted until it is received.
With the current cost of fuel, it is more important than ever for the missionary to be wise in his scheduling. The best thing to do is to start close to home, if possible. It is wise to schedule as many pastors in a particular area as close together as possible. I have heard of some missionaries being in New York State one week and Washington State the next. This is not wise planning or scheduling on the missionary’s part. God only gives us so much to work with; we need to be wise in its use, lest we fall short and blame God for not supplying. Another thought along these lines regards furlough. Eventually, a missionary will be returning from the field to give a report to his supporting churches. If he has not been wise in his scheduling during deputation, then he will face a nightmare in scheduling all of his supporting churches in the year that he has set aside for furlough. That also means that there will not really be any time for the missionary to rest or spend time with his sending church before it is time to return to the field.
New missionaries are especially concerned about finding enough churches to fill a deputation schedule. What the new missionary needs to do is call and go to churches that are as close to the position and practice of his sending church as possible. The new missionary should start by calling churches recommended by his pastor. As he calls these churches, he can then ask for further recommendations, and so on. There are also many sources on the Internet, which list so-called independent Baptist churches. I use the term “so-called independent Baptist churches,” because I have used some of these lists myself and found some of the churches to be a part of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as other Associations and Fellowships. My personal advice is for the missionary to cross-reference any list downloaded from the Internet with the BBF and Heartland directories, crossing off from any downloaded list all names that are found in these places. This is not a foolproof plan, but it does help the independent Baptist missionary to concentrate his efforts in areas where he is more likely to get support.
It is good for a missionary to fill his schedule as far in advance as possible. Some pastors do not like to schedule ahead, but they are rare. One pastor I called told me that he did all of his missionary scheduling in October for the whole of the following year. This is also a rare situation. It is best to be about six months ahead in scheduling, as this seems to work the best for both pastors and missionaries. The missionary should be aware that he will have some difficulty in filling his schedule around any holiday (New Year’s Day, Resurrection Sunday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, etc.), and it is very difficult to get into most churches between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. The missionary can either work on these areas first, or plan on being at his home church during these times.
Once the missionary has called and scheduled a time to be at a church to present his ministry and field, he needs to send a confirmation letter or postcard to the church. There are many different practices regarding this, and the missionary should find the practice that best suits him. Some missionaries will send a confirmation the day after he schedules a meeting; others will send a confirmation approximately two weeks prior to his scheduled appointment, while others will do both. Whatever the practice, confirmation is a must. When I was an associate pastor, before becoming a missionary, a missionary was scheduled to attend our church. On that particular Sunday, the pastor was out of town, and I was left in charge of services. The plan was for the missionary to show his video presentation and then preach in the evening service. The problem was that we had received no confirmation from this missionary, so we were not sure that he was coming at all. As time passed that afternoon, I began searching my Bible for a text to preach from that night. Just a few minutes before services were to start, the missionary walked in the door. My anxiety would have been needless had this missionary sent a confirmation letter.
In the confirmation letter, the missionary should give as much information as possible. He should give the date of the scheduled service, as well at whether it is the AM or PM service. He should also let the pastor know who will be with him, and how many, whether he will need a place to stay for the night, a table for his display, a screen for his slides. He should also convey any health issues which would effect any meals prepared for the missionary and anything else about which the pastor may need to know. The more information the pastor receives, the more prepared the church can be for the missionary’s arrival.
There are three different methods of travelling on deputation. Each missionary must decide for himself as to which of these methods would be best for him and his family, as everyone’s situation is different. First, there is the motor home/trailer method. In this method, the missionary purchases a motor home or trailer to travel in during deputation. There are some advantages to this, but also some drawbacks. For example, hauling a trailer will limit the type of vehicle you must have. Usually, the vehicles necessary to haul a trailer do not get good gas mileage, which may be of importance. Also, the motor home would consume a good deal of fuel. Too, the maintenance costs for these are much more expensive than a normal family car. Second, there is the motel/hotel method. In this method, the missionary travels from motel to motel during his deputation. While fuel and maintenance costs may be less with this method, there is an even greater expense in paying for motel rooms. Third, there is the mission apartment/prophet’s chamber method. In this method, the missionary can still have the more economical vehicle, but avoid the expense of a motel room, except when on the road between mission apartments. This is the method I used, and with which I am the most familiar. I would book a mission apartment for two or three weeks, and then schedule as many churches in that area as I could fit in the time I would be in that area. I would then book another mission apartment in another area, and do the same thing there. Again, each missionary’s situation is different, and he must decide for himself which method he will follow.
On the scheduled day that the missionary is to be at a church, he should arrive at least half an hour before services are scheduled to begin. This will help to keep things smooth and comfortable for both pastor and missionary. The missionary will want to set up any display that he may have, and any video presentation he has, according to the desire of the pastor. He should do this as quickly as possible, so that he will be free to speak with church members as they arrive for the service. In everything, the missionary must remember that he is a guest in the church, and not in charge of anything. If the pastor allows him to preach, the missionary should not try to speak on a controversial subject, or to take as much time as he desires. Again, he is a guest at that church, and should act like one by respecting the time and the differences of doctrine or practice that will be manifested in the course of the service.
Once a missionary has been to a church, he should send back a letter thanking the church for allowing him to be a part of the service and share the ministry God has given to him. He should also list the amount of the love offering received from the church, if any.
As far as I am concerned, it is always best for a missionary to take his family with him. I know that others may not agree with me, but that is their decision. If a church can see the missionary and his family, they will know better how to pray for the missionary, the family, and the ministry. Having the family with him can be a great blessing to the missionary. While at a church, there is only so much time to answer all the questions that can be asked. When the missionary takes his family with him, they can answer questions as well as he can, which gives more people the opportunity to learn about the family and their field. When the missionary is alone, he has to go through the routine of setting up and taking down without help, which can be time consuming. With the family along, each family member can be responsible for a particular aspect of setting up or tearing down, which makes everything smoother and easier. Also, if a missionary leaves his wife and children to travel the highways on deputation, many problems can arise in the marriage and home.
Then the missionary must face the ordeal of questionnaires. I know of some missionaries who absolutely refuse to fill out a questionnaire. In my estimation, refusing to fill out a questionnaire is silly. A church is responsible for the mission money that God has given them. They will give an answer to God as to how every penny was used. In that light, they should be very careful whom they support. They need to make sure that the missionary is on the same page as the church in doctrine, practice, and in his personal life. At the same time, the church needs to be careful not to over-burden the missionary with their questionnaire. Some church questionnaires take days to fill out, while others take only a few minutes. Either “yes” or “no” answer all of the questions in the best questionnaires that I have seen. That is easy for the missionary to fill out, and it does not leave a lot of room for a dishonest man to try to explain away his differences in doctrine. A missionary who cannot fill out a simple questionnaire because he is unsure of what is right, or what he believes, should not be sent as a missionary or supported by any church.
The Promise of Deputation
The promise of deputation is that it doesn’t last forever. Eventually, the faithful missionary will receive the support goal that he set by faith, and will be able to make final preparations for going to the field to which God has called him. He will also have a great number of people praying for him and the success of the ministry on his field of service. He will also have made a number of friends between the pastors and church members, many of who will correspond with the missionary to offer a great source of encouragement while laboring on the mission field.
Deputation is not a vacation, as some erroneously think. But it is necessary as a sifting tool for the missionary, and to continue to bring the vision of worldwide missions before God’s people. We should not fight against it, but rather use it to the honor and glory of God.
By Erich Pratt
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia shook up politicos in the nation’s capital when he said that anyone who believes in a living Constitution is an ‘idiot.’
Speaking to the Federalist Society in February, Scalia said that judges should stick to the plain text of the Constitution and not insert their personal views.
As to those who feel the Constitution should change its meaning as society changes?
“You would have to be an idiot to believe that.” Scalia said. “The Constitution is not a living organism, it is a legal document. It says something and doesn’t say other things.”
Scalia warned that adopting the “living Constitution” view means that issues will be decided “not by the people, but by the justices of the Supreme Court.”
Scalia also noted there is a tremendous level of hypocrisy among those who favor the living Constitution model. Those who favor a changing Constitution are not looking for legal flexibility, he said, “they are looking for rigidity.”
They invent all kinds of “rights” which are not found in the Constitution, and then they want those supposed rights to be “embedded from coast to coast and to be unchangeable,” he said.
How ironic, for these supposed rights are given precedence over those which are specifically enshrined in the Bill of Rights. — Copied
Mr. Bynum: I am glad I found your Plains Baptist Challenger. After a recent incident at my church here in Pennsylvania, I was using Google to find out information about a Texas evangelist whom our pastor had called to preach at our youth rally and came across his name in one of your PBC newsletters from 2000 in an article written by Bill Mosely. His name was Clark Bosher from Willow Park Baptist Church http://www.willowparkbaptist.org/site/. From the 2000 newsletter I saw that his “worldly” style had not changed since he had preached at a rally in Texas in 2000. My finding this article was an answer to a prayer. Thank you and keep up the good work! Standing firm with grace and blessings to you! Arthur Costigan
Dear, Brother Bynum, I am a regular reader of your Challenger publication and I am grateful for your ministry! Keep up the good work and to God be the glory. I wanted to forward you a video my sister sent me. There are several other videos about the compromising Rick Warren on the you tube website. This one speaks for itself volumes. God bless you! Larry Zekas
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.)
Illegal Aliens Commit Crimes. According to Rep. Steve King of Iowa: 12 Americans are murdered every day by illegal aliens. Add it up. That’s 4,380 per year! That’s more than 21,900 murders by illegal aliens since September 11, 2001. And that’s not all. According to the same report, 13 people per day are killed by illegal alien drunk drivers. That’s an additional 4,745 premature deaths per year. And liberals try to tell you that Iraq is a “quagmire.” If that still isn’t enough to sicken you, King also reports that eight American children are molested by illegal aliens every day. That’s 2,920 innocent children annually whose lives are ruined each year — by scum who wouldn’t be prowling for American kids if the federal government enforced our immigration laws. — From Center for Individual Freedom
“Sexual Molestation Is less Damaging to Children than Religious Training!” Oxford evo-prof Richard Dawkins is the reigning Sith-lord Master Evo. He’s been on The Colbert Report, debated theistic evo Francis Collins (head of Human Genome Project), spoken at many campuses and in media, and pushes atheism in his new book, ‘The God Delusion.’ Dawkins has a history of meanness to non-evo’s, but articles in Time, Newsweek, USNews, etc, this fall ... show his true colors — of Sith-emperor! “it’s arguable that sexual molestation is less damaging to children than religious training!” (Chillicothe Gazette, 11/04/06, PC1) and he calls God “a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak, a vindictive, bloodthirsty, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully!” Whoa — somebody needs a time-out! — Points of Origins with Dr. Charles Jackson (Editor’s Note: “Sith-Lord” is from the Star War movies and we do not approve of them.)
Michigan Legislation Introduced to Coerce Use of Cancer Vaccine. Michigan Republican state senator Beverly Hammerstrom introduced legislation today at the state capitol that would require all girls to be vaccinated for cervical cancer unless specifically exempted. This would make Michigan the first state in the union to require the vaccination against a cervical cancer, usually spread via sexual contact, as a requirement of attending public or private schools. Apparently this means all ages of girls. This is ungodly, and will encourage children to engage in sex at an earlier age. Parents will have no choice in the matter. —ELB
Paving the Way for the Mark of the Beast. Delray Beach, Fla. —(Business Wire)—Aug. 23, 2006 — VeriChip Corporation, a subsidiary of Applied Digital (NASDAQ: ADSX — News), announced today the first sale of a fully integrated approximately $750,000 system for infant protection, wander prevention, staff duress and asset protection. These VeriChip radio frequency (RF) locating technologies will be installed in the new, state-of-the-art Brampton Civic Hospital, in Brampton, Ontario, scheduled to open in the Fall of 2007. ...the Austco nurse call system will enable staff to receive notification remotely of all events—whether from the VeriChip systems or the nurse call system — via any text-enabled device, including PDAs and wireless phones. We’re getting closer to, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:16–17)
British Medical College: Kill Disabled Babies. If a respected British medical school has its way, British doctors will be routinely killing babies born with serious disabilities. The Times of London reported in a page one story this weekend on the shocking proposal from Britain’s respected Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecology.
Joel Osteen, the Renowned Megachurch Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, Continues to Be Evasive when asked his opinion on important doctrinal and moral issues. At a recent book signing in Boston, MA, Osteen was asked his opinion about homosexual marriage to which he replied, “I don’t think it’s God’s best;” adding, “I never feel like homosexuality is God’s best” (Baptist Press, 9–22–06). When pressed further about his response, Osteen replied, “I don’t feel like that’s my thrust ... you know, some of the issues that divide us, and I’m here to let people know that God is for them and He’s on their side.” Interestingly enough, even the Boston Herald stated that Osteen, when asked about homosexual marriage, “suddenly got sheepish:” This is not the first time Osteen has acted “sheepish”and refused to give a straight, biblical answer when asked an important question. Last year, as a guest on Larry King Live, Osteen refused to say whether or not an unbelieving Jew, Muslim or Hindu would go to heaven. “I don’t know,” Osteen responded. Citing their love of God and sincerity, Osteen continued, “I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong ... I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart” (Larry King Live, 6–2005). Although Osteen later said he regretted his lack of clarity on the Larry King Live program, it is evident that Osteen has proven himself to be not only an unfaithful minister but a proponent of false teaching. Despite his popularity with professing believers and unbelievers alike, true Christians must separate from any association with Osteen and warn others of his false teaching. — From Foundation, A Magazine of Biblical Fundamentalism
Walking in Darkness—A recent poll found “a significant decrease in religious interest in Canada over the past 14 years. In 1992, 61% of Canadians said religion was important for their daily lives. In this years’ poll, only 39% said religion was important to them. ..96% of Saudi Arabia’s population stating that the official religion of Islam was very important in their lives. 89% of Egyptians agreed.” (LifeSiteNews, 11/14/06) This is the result of the tolerance many Canadians have toward homosexual activity, same-sex marriage, and countless other God dishonoring tendencies. The Lord’s churches and pastors in that country should be heartily supported in prayer even as we do in the U.S. Islam’s false god is given more credit in Muslim countries than the Creator of the Universe is in Christian(?) America. (Psa. 33:12a) “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” —WWM
Modern Culture Displeases Pope—He referred to the crisis of marriage and the family, the increase in divorce and abortions, and unions between people of the same sex, all of which, he said, “...are evident signs of de-Christianization,” (LifeSiteNews, 11/7/06). A quote of Pope Ben 16. That is one area in which he is correct. He has earlier gotten in hot water for stating truth about the Islam religion. Don’t be surprised if the homosexual agenda doesn’t seek ways to silence the pope. —WWM
Wisdom(?) Of Elton John—“From my point of view I would ban religion completely, . . .” Here are excerpts on religion made by gay musician, Elton John, in The Observer, 11/12/06. He says he “loves the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ,” but the reality is “that organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into hateful lemmings, and it’s not really compassionate.” Yet he states that, “We are all God’s people; we have to get along, and the [religious leaders] have to lead the way.” One day EJ will sing a different tune. Our Lord has a measureless different view than EJ. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” (1 Cor 3:19) There remains a way that seems right to man, but death waits at that road’s end. (Prov. 14:12) —WWM
Raisin’ The Rafters—This is not for a new church building. “Fifth Sunday of Oct. raised the rafters and served up a chili supper to a happy congregation at 1st Baptist Church in Tipton (OK).” (Altus Times, 11/8/06) The children’s choir (participants named) “hand-clapped and hip-swayed through a ringing rendition of ‘Faith Hope & Charity.’” Banjo & guitar picking was pictured with microphones and sound box. No doubt many attendants felt spirit filled. One cannot help but wonder of what spirit. This writer realizes this is an opening for criticism. Countenances would surely change if “fingers of a mans hand” wrote His opinion on the wall. (Dan. 5:5,6) God’s Word is adept at breaking up man-made parties. (Exo. 32, Dan. 3) —WWM
Could This Happen In U.S.?—In the Netherlands, “...more than 80% favor ‘voluntary euthanasia,’....the first democratic nation on earth to permit, under law, doctors to kill their patients.” A featured article dated 4/28/01, OpinionJournal. The sad truth is that this situation has escalated. Will the day come when America will become as accustomed to this as have the Dutch? “Of the 130,000 Dutchmen who died in 1990, some 11,800 were killed or helped to die by their doctors, according to a 1991 report by the attorney general of the High Council of the Netherlands. (The 1991 report is the only complete report on euthanasia practices by the Dutch government.)” Rapist & murderers are set free, while the innocent have no chance. —WWM
Too Much Attire—Like America, the Netherlands may not complain about too little attire, but they are concerned about too much. “Five days before a national election here, the center-right government announced Friday that it planned to introduce legislation to ban burqas and similar garments in public places, saying the full-body garb worn by a small number of Muslim women in the Netherlands posed a grave security threat.” (New York Times, 11/18/06) National security may be threatened just as much, or more, by the lack thereof. (1 Tim. 2:9) ‘Modest’ in this verse is the same as ‘good behavior’ in (1 Tim. 3:2). “Come as you are” is not included in these verses. Much attire worn in the Summer would not conceal ANY weapon. —WWM
Wal-Mart vs. Christianity—“‘Wal-Mart Hits Teens with Gay Porn How-To Manual.’ This book is available only at Wal-Mart in the USA. Wal-Mart Canada has said ‘This book is not available for sale in Canadian Wal-Mart stores, and we have no plans to stock it.’” (LSN, 11/16/06) It is reported that Wal-Mart has donated thousands of $ to gay/lesbian organizations. There seems to be little concern from the management of this mega-Mart for Christian values. Nor do they seem to care about America’s youth. Does our liberal neighbor to the north have higher values than we do? Have we already slipped too far? Wal-Mart has joined others attacking our nation’s dependence on God. —WWM
The 1st Americans—“The Pilgrims had a spiritual impetus to what they did, where they went, and what they thought. It was not a political agenda that governed their futures. It was belief in God and His guidance that would propel them and their future generations into what God had planned for the new country.” The 1st paragraph of an article by J. Grant Swank, Jr., MichNews. 11/17/06. Of course, the Pilgrims arrived before the ACLU got a foothold. They also had men of the character of William Bradford who dared to come to this new land because of his belief in God. Oh, for the ‘old paths’ of our forefathers. (Jer. 6:16) “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” —WWM
Higher Education?—MichNews, 11/17/06 reported, “A professor and former dean at the University of San Francisco’s School of Education agreed on Thursday to plead guilty to one count of possessing child pornography following...a federal investigation. ...[he had] more than 15,000 images containing child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors, portrayals of sadistic or masochistic conduct, and other depictions of violence.” Isn’t this Ms. Pelosi’s state? It would be interesting to know if she attended this Univ. God will give this prof. more than a slap on the hand. (Matt. 18:6) —WWM
One Catholic’s View—Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican’s Council for Justice and Peace, said, regarding the [Muslim] veil, that immigrants of other religions “must respect the traditions, symbols, culture and religion of the countries they move to” (NYT, 11/18/06). Although the Cardinal may be wrong in doctrine, he is on target politically. America was established on Christian principles & biblical standards. Many of our presidents were unafraid to say so. Early emigrants knew & accepted this and learned the language that matched the KJV 1611, used by our founders. (1 Pet. 4:11a) “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;...Amen.” Please, don’t write and tell me about the original language. This is America. —WWM
Christian Medical Assoc.—“From a medical and ethical perspective, this law gets it right on every point. Some may challenge the law on ideological or political grounds, but when it comes to the law’s scientific and ethical foundations, it is above reproach. ...these are basic and scientific facts.” (Christian Medical & Dental Assoc. website.) The CEO of CMDA made these statements concerning a ND law to be voted on 11/06. The law stated in part “the indisputable biological fact that ‘life begins at the time of conception.’” Pray for the doctors and nurses who care about life from conception to the grave. (Exo. 21:22; Psa. 139:15) —WWM