By Bob Jackson
“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)
We have recently come across some articles written by another preacher years ago. These articles, which deal with many practical things regarding missions, missionaries, etc. stirred up my mind to write about this subject. This article is written to deal specifically with the missionary’s tithe. Surely each individual Christian is to bring his tithe to the Lord at the church where he is a member, Malachi 3:10. But there are a number of things that are unique about the missionary’s tithe which we want to address. There are many opinions as to just how and how much a missionary ought to tithe. This article will not answer every question, but it expresses a view that we believe to be scriptural, and with which many pastors will agree.
The Amount of the Missionary’s Tithe
According to the financial reports we have read from many independent Baptist missionaries, some missionaries do not tithe on their personal income. When a financial report states that Missionary X has a total support of $5,000.00 per month, and one of the expenses listed is a $500.00 tithe, he, therefore, is not personally tithing on his own personal income.
The misunderstanding really occurs when a missionary, and perhaps some supporters as well, do not differentiate between the missionary’s personal income and his ministry support. Some part of the $5,000.00 of Missionary X’s support should be designated as personal (or family) support. However, not all of that support is given to him personally as his own personal support. The majority of the support a missionary receives is for his ministry. Whatever expenses a church has to operate their ministry, a missionary has to pay to do a similar ministry on his field of service. This is especially true for a missionary who is beginning a new church: in other words, for a missionary who has not been at the same location for many years working in the same church. There are also many types of expenses a missionary family incurs by being in a foreign country where much cost is expended because of the circumstances in which they live and work. No preacher, church member, or any other person for that matter can understand these circumstances if they have never faced them while living in that type of circumstance overseas. (One example we could give is the cost of tires for our small 4-wheel drive, double cab Toyota pick-up in Papua New Guinea. We traveled between three different works, and much of this travel was on roads covered with the rock from the mountain out of which the roads were cut. We generally had to buy a new set of tires every three months because of this type of road. We were not playing games, going 4-wheeling, etc.; we were there preaching the gospel in these various locations that required us to travel on these roads. This was a cost of the ministry in that location. We know of some missionaries who have to get their supplies flown in to them because they live in areas where there are no roads. That is another example of expense to do the ministry in that location.) This ministry expense comes from the support sent to the missionary. Obviously, this means that not all of a missionary’s support is personal. It is amazing the number of people, even preachers, who look at a missionary’s support as being all his, or all personal. Yes, the missionary is the steward of all of this support, but it is certainly not all his own money to spend on personal items. Since this is the case, it is therefore foolish and a demonstration of the misunderstanding of this principle when a missionary tithes on the whole amount of the support sent to him.
Some missionaries send a tithe of their entire support to their sponsoring, or home, church rather than a tithe of their personal support. Actually the missionary is like a pastor in this sense, he is administering a certain segment of God’s work. The money that he uses to do this work he is administering is the support money he receives from supporting churches. The money a pastor uses to administer the work of God in the church where he is located is the tithes and offerings of the people in that church. The church has many contributors to its total income. Similarly, the missionary has many contributors to the total income of his mission work. A certain part of the total income from a church is designated for the pastor’s personal support (his salary, etc.). It should be the same case with the missionary, a certain amount of this total support should be designated as his personal income. Obviously, the pastor tithes and gives offerings from his personal income, not from the total income of the church. The rest of the income of the church is for the expenses of the work of the church. It should be exactly the same principle for the missionary. The missionary should tithe and give offerings out of the part of his support that is designated as personal income. The rest of this support should be for the expenses of the work in which he is involved. If a missionary should tithe on his entire support, then a pastor should tithe on the entire income of the church he pastors.
The Address of the Missionary’s Tithe
We believe with all our hearts in the principle of “storehouse tithing,” Malachi 3:10. Our tithe should be given to the church of which we are active members. In the missionary’s case, the church of which he is a member is not in the same location where he is, once he arrives on his field of service. However, the principle of “storehouse tithing” does not change simply because a missionary is doing the work of God in another location. This is part of our responsibility as church members, to tithe and give offerings to and through the church where our membership is on the roll.
However, when a missionary tithes on his entire support rather than his personal income, he is really misappropriating some of the funds that he has received for his mission work. Churches have sent in support to Missionary X, and this support totals $5,000.00 per month. Missionary X has designated $2,000.00 of this support as his personal income, and the remaining $3,000.00 is ministry support. (These numbers are obviously hypothetical.) But Missionary X has not learned to tithe only on the part of his support that is personal income; therefore he believes he should tithe on the entire amount of his support. So, every month he sends $500.00 to his sponsoring church as his tithe. What he has done by this practice is actually take $300.00 sent to him that should be used for ministry support and send it to his sponsoring church. By doing this, the missionary is taking money that other churches have sent to him for his work on the field and send it to his sponsoring church to use in their own ministry. If churches wanted to send that church some extra money for the ministry of that particular church, they could have done so, but this money was sent for the mission work administered by that particular missionary. A proper question could then be put to the sponsoring church and her pastor. “Does the money this missionary sends back to the church as a tithe exceed the support the church sends to this missionary?” If so, this demonstrates that something is not being done in a proper way. Sponsoring churches do not send out missionaries to make money for the church, but to do a work for God in another location.
One other thought dealing with the address of the missionary’s tithe. If a missionary on a foreign field is expected to send his tithe and offerings back to his sponsoring church, where is a “home missionary” expected to place his tithe? If this is a Bible principle, then it is a Bible principle for all. If a pastor should tithe to the church where he pastors, then every preacher who is a member of that church should tithe to that church. If we are members, our tithe is to be given there. If we join another church, our tithe should go to the new church we join. “Storehouse tithing” is “storehouse tithing” for all. We cannot find an exception in the scripture.
By E. L. Bynum
Almost every day we are faced with an all out attack upon the doctrines of the Word of God. This charge is led by Hollywood, liberal religionists and atheists. They are determined to bring Jesus Christ down to the level of being a common sinner with all the lusts of fallen man. This is nothing but a brazen attempt to overthrow the faith of God’s people. “Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ” (2 Timothy 2:18)
Below we are reprinting an article from the LAJ of 2–27–07.
Film’s Jesus Claim Stirs Debate
NEW YORK (AP) — Filmmakers and researchers on Monday unveiled two ancient stone boxes they said may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, but several scholars derided the claims made in a new documentary as unfounded and contradictory to basic Christian beliefs.
“The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and scheduled to air Sunday on the Discovery Channel, argues that 10 small caskets discovered in 1980 in a Jerusalem suburb may have held the bones of Jesus and his family.
One of the caskets even bears the title, “Judah, son of Jesus,” hinting that Jesus may have had a son, according to the film. “There’s a definite sense that you have to pinch yourself,” Cameron said Monday at a news conference. He told NBC’s “Today” show earlier that statisticians found “in the range of a couple of million to one” in favor of the documentary’s conclusions about the caskets, or ossuaries.
Simcha Jacobovici, the Toronto filmmaker who directed the film, said that a name on one of the ossuaries — “Mariamene” — offers evidence that the tomb is that of Jesus and his family. In early Christian texts, “Mariamene” is the name of Mary Magdalene, he said. —LAJ
Liberal Unbelief and Blasphemy
The above article from the LAJ newspaper is a blasphemous attack on the deity and purity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It came from the (AP), and they are famous for picking up every crackpot professor’s attack upon Christianity and publishing it. In the first place Jesus never married, nor did he have an illicit relationship with any woman. Nothing in the Bible even hints at such a thing, and there is nothing in church history that would bear that out. This comes from heretical sources that are not trustworthy.
His disciples and apostles knew Him better than anyone else, because they walked with Him daily for 3½ years. Yet they were willing to die as martyrs, (many or all of them did), for the fact that He was who He claimed to be. They went everywhere preaching His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to heaven. This was the most controversial thing they preached, and it stirred up the Jews, Greeks, and Romans against them. He left no body in the grave, and He testified that His resurrection body was flesh and bone. “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39) These words were spoken after His resurrection. Notice He says nothing of His blood for it was carried to the Mercy Seat in heaven.
Shame on the Discovery Channel for showing such blasphemy on television. Many thousands of Christians ought to protest this.
By Albert Gregg
“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him...” Revelation 6:8
Death comes in many different ways. Just the thought of it brings fear to the hearts of men. It leaves us sad and lonely. It leaves an empty place in our lives. In our society we try to hide from death and to hide death. Many do not know how to handle death, or how to grieve. However, death will touch us all. It comes to the young, the old and those in between. Death does not respect age nor station in life. It comes to family and friends, to our enemies, to people we know and people we don’t know. It will even come to you, for we cannot escape death. It is all around us. When disasters take place, we are brought face to face with it. Why do these things happen? I do not know why, but I do know that God is in control “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word (Psalm 148:8) ...” “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7) ...”
Why Do People Die?
The simple answer is, because of the presence of sin in the world. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12) ...” Death even comes to those who have not committed any great sin. However, it comes because of sin in the world . “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:1–5).” God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17).” Satan deceived Eve. “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (1 Timothy 2:14 ).” “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Genesis 3:6).” Adam ate of the tree, knowing God said not to, and the curse of death entered into the world. “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return (Genesis 3:17–19).” Because of Adam’s sin, we become sinners by birth. And when we get old enough to know right and wrong, we become sinners by choice. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10 )...” “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) ...” The consequence of sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) ...”
The Wrath of Almighty God
To die without Christ is a terrible tragedy. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31).” All must stand before God in judgment . “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27) ...” The plight of the unredeemed sinner is so awful that it is called the second death . “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death (Revelation 20:14).” By the way, there is no general judgment of individuals where the saved are separated from the lost. There is the judgment seat of Christ for the saved to determine rewards or lack thereof (1 Corinthians 3:9–15). There is the great white throne judgment for the lost (unredeemed), which will determine the extent of their punishment. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).” There is only heaven or hell. You are redeemed, or you are not. There is no place, given in the Word of God, that would purge you from your sin after you die.
We Cannot Save Ourselves From Sin
Indeed, we are spiritually dead in our sins . “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) ...” Just as a dead person can do nothing, a person who is spiritually dead can do nothing to appease God. Our works do not save us. Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).” Keeping the Old Testament Law does not save us, for the Law only brings the knowledge of what sin is. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).” We are not saved by our righteousness, for we are unrighteous . “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5) ...” We are not saved by baptism, for dipping a spiritually dead person in water does not produce life . “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21) ...” Baptism is only a figure of what salvation does. It is not salvation. We are washed from our sins in the blood of the Lamb, not in water . “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5b) ...” The physical body is able to do all of these things I have mentioned, but God is not satisfied with them, for our personal righteousness is filthy in the sight of God . “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6).” You cannot buy salvation . “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18–19) ...” God owns the universe. What can you give Him that He does not already own? For that matter, what can you do to benefit God?
The Good News
We do not have to die without Christ. God loved us enough that He sent His Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).” Salvation is not automatic, nor is it inherited. You must be born again into the family of God to be saved from your sins. In Ephesians 2:1, where it says, “And you hath he quickened,” it means that He makes the believer alive spiritually. This is brought about by the new birth, which is a spiritual birth. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again (John 3:1–7).” There are many different terms which describe salvation. One of them is redemption. To redeem means to buy back. Adam sold the human race into sin by his own sin. Christ came into the world and shed His precious blood on the cross, was buried and rose again the third day. In shedding His blood, He paid the ransom to rescue us from our sin. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14) ...” Salvation is brought about by repentance and faith. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).” “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).” Repentance is a change of mind that brings about a turning away from sin. Faith is believing or trusting Christ to save your soul . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9–10).” Salvation is the gift of God . “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23 ).” “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8) ...” It is free for the asking . “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).”
[This article is available as a gospel tract:Tract B-324]
I have never hidden the fact that I’m not enthused about applauding in church, feeling that you applaud entertainment and amen blessing. Since I am in such a minority on this — and the average congregation applauds “No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus” in the same fashion as a night club crowd does a comedian’s raw joke — I decided I’d do a Bible study on the matter. Hey, I could be wrong you know.
Here’s what I found:
Clapping is only found 6 times in the entire Bible, all in the Old Testament!
First of all, let’s look at references to clapping in a bad sense. Job 21:22–23 says, “For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.”
Comment: This is clapping, added to hissing, by enemies of someone who is in trouble. It certainly would be no justification for clapping in church.
Second, Lamentations 2:13–17 reveals, “What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it. The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.”
Comment: Again, this is clapping in rejoicing over evil happening to another, surely no support for applauding in church.
Then there is Nahum 3:18–19, “Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?”
Comment: Once again, this clapping relates to others having trouble and the clappers rejoicing in their misfortune.
What about clapping in Scripture that is good?
Well, Psalm 47:1–2 put it like this, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.”
Comment: Surely this is church type clapping, is it not? Not exactly! This is a clapping of the hands when a great victory over an enemy has been achieved. It is the same type of clapping as the first three instances, only the outcome has been reversed. Instead of enemies clapping with rejoicing over Israel’s defeat, it is Israel clapping and rejoicing over the defeat of its enemies. It refers to God’s judgment upon His people’s enemies, which is hardly justification for clapping in church. Yet this is the closest to justifying the practice that I could find anywhere in the Bible. (And, hopefully, good Baptists would not want to “shout” while clapping!) Yes, this is the only favorable reference to people clapping, as you’ll see from the remaining references.
Another incident of good clapping is found in Psalm 98:5–9, “Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”
Comment: This has nothing to do with people, but with the oceans (floods) clapping their hands. Obviously, it is only a symbolic description of the waves clapping as they roll into shore — and a reference to creation’s praise to its Creator.
Then there is Isaiah 55:11–13, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off”
Comment: Once again, this is not the clapping of people in a congregation, but, like the waves of the ocean, it is clapping of “trees in the field.” Again, it is poetic, symbolic language for creation’s praise to God, nothing more. Trees do not have literal hands, of course, and this is a poetic expression of branches beating against one another in the wind.
That’s it! This is all the clapping found in the Bible!
While I’m confident this editorial won’t change anyone who applauds in church, at least it will explain why I sit on my hands when a moving, Spirit-blessed rendition is presented. I do not consider such as ‘entertainment!’ —By Robert L. Sumner from — The Biblical Evangelist
(Editor’s Comments: Robert L. Sumner is a friend that I sometimes disagree with, but I believe he is on target this time. I have had friends that encouraged clapping, but I must say that I have never been comfortable with this practice. —ELB)
By Mark Tooley
The head of the U.S. National Council of Churches (NCC) has a burden on his heart for prison inmates ... if they are former al Qaeda or Taliban operatives at Guantanamo Bay.
In his www.middlechurch.net blog, NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar records his chagrin that the U.S. government has denied his request for a visit with the Gitmo prisoners.
“‘I was in prison and ye visited me,’ Jesus says in Matthew 25:36. But the detainees at Guantanamo are not permitted visitors. I know this from personal experience,” Edgar blogged. “The National Council of Churches requested to visit these children of God simply to see how they were being treated,” he piously shared. “We simply wanted to visit these prisoners as our Lord commands in Matthew 25:40.”
Edgar’s and the NCC’s interest in prisoners seems to be very specifically confined to the dozens of interned terrorists at Guantanamo. But there are millions of prisoners around the world, most of them are genuinely criminal. But tens of thousands of them are incarcerated only for their political or religious beliefs, including thousands of Edgar’s fellow Christians.
My colleague Faith McDonnell, a prominent religious liberty advocate, has appealed to Edgar to take a break from his Guantanamo preoccupation and look at 12 or so specific Christian prisoners of conscience, several of whom are facing death sentences for believing in Jesus. The prisoners she identifies include several Chinese, a Vietnamese, three Indonesians, an Egyptian, a Cuban, an Eritrean, and a North Korean, all of whom suffer because they defied Communism or Islam. These sufferings interest the NCC not at all.
The Guantanamo prisoners are cause celebres with the anti-American international Left. While the detainees’ dietary and religious needs are carefully tended to, leagues of lawyers advocate on their behalf, the international media report their every hiccup, and ostensible human rights groups devote tens of thousands of man hours to argue for their legal protections. In return, the Al Qaeda and Taliban hooligans probably have only contempt for the Western secularists and leftist Christians who plead on their behalf. In a world governed by al Qaeda, church officials like Bob Edgar would be beheaded, and the NCC suppressed into dhimmitude, i.e., subordination to Islamic law.
Meanwhile, the 350 Montagnard Christians imprisoned and tortured by the Vietnamese communist regime do not have much hope of media attention or international visitors. Neither does Pastor Gong Shingling, formerly pastor of a congregation of 50,000, now into his fifth year of wasting away in a Chinese communist prison. Coptic Christian Heshan Azmy Iskender and six of his fellow Copts have been in an Egyptian prison since April, after their arrest at a Christian funeral for the victim of an Islamist knife stabbing. An Eritrean Gospel singer has spent much of the last two years incarcerated in a shipping container for her evangelical beliefs. Indonesian Sunday school teacher Rebekka Zakaria is serving time with two of her Christian friends after being accused by Islamists of trying to convert Muslim children.
Western church officials love to visit Fidel Castro’s Cuba, but so far, not many have pressed to visit Christian dissident Jorge Luis Garcia Perez Antunez. He’s been in prison for 16 years, often confined to a “tiny, sealed cell with no light or bedding, typically overflowing with excrement and infested with rats and insects,” according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Unfortunately for him, as with the others listed above, they are not enemies of the United States. So Bob Edgar and his U.S. church council are not agitating for visits or disseminating news releases on their behalf.
In vivid contrast, a quick search of the NCC’s website finds two dozen statements about the Guantanamo prisoners.
For example, in March 2004 the NCC organized a press conference and “silent walk” through Washington, D.C., on behalf of the Guantanamo prisoners, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union, family members of the prisoners, and actress Vanessa Redgrave. Folk singer Peter Yarrow even joined in by writing a special song. The NCC renewed its request, first made in December 2003, for an “interfaith delegation” to visit to monitor the “physical, mental and spiritual condition of the detainees.”
“The National Council of Churches has said that the denial of rights that inhere in the worth of human beings before God are not only a crime against humanity,” Edgar declared at the 2004 press conference, “they are a sin against God. All faiths share this basic teaching ... All persons are connected in the family of God. My rights, your rights, and the rights of the detainees are inseparable.”
Already by January 2003, the NCC had endorsed a friend of the court brief for the U. S. Supreme Court demanding that Guantanamo detainees be empowered to challenge their detention. “The National Council of Churches has a long tradition of advocating for civil liberties and human rights,” asserted Antomos Kireopoulos, the NCC’s Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace.
Early this year, the NCC “emphatically supported” a United Nations report demanding that the U.S. close the detention center at Guantanamo. For the third time, Edgar asked permission for a “small interfaith delegation” just to peek in at the prisoners. “Today we renew that request, not only for the benefit of the detainees but for the benefit of the reputation of our country in an increasingly skeptical world,” Edgar intoned.
Almost amusingly, in late 2004, Edgar denounced the U.S. for detaining Chinese Uighur Muslims at Guantanamo. The Uighurs had been in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Having found them no longer a threat, the U.S. wanted to release them, but could not return them to China, where they would have been imprisoned or killed. Edgar demanded that they be given immediate refugee status in the U.S., since Uighurs are a “persecuted minority” in China. It was a rare and no doubt grudging admission for Edgar that all is not well in communist China. Rejecting Chinese demands for their return, the U.S. ended up sending the Uighurs to Albania, about which Edgar appears not to have commented.
Edgar had offered the services of the NCC’s relief arm in the Uighurs’ potential U.S. resettlement. Such hospitality! The NCC has also helped to transport family members of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. for media events. Who knows how much the NCC has spent on its Guantanamo advocacy, but it is a safe assumption that this budget line item is exponentially larger than the NCC’s line item for persecuted Christians.
“We have a long way to go before we can truly stand as a beacon of Christ’s light for the rest of the world,” Edgar penned in his blog about Guantanamo. “I pray that Congress and the Supreme Court may continue to apply pressure on the President to meet the basic standards of the Geneva Convention; I pray that those people of faith who courageously wrote letters, rang phones on Capitol Hill, and spoke boldly about the love of their Lord may be given the gift of perseverance.”
We can also pray that persecuted Christians, whose imprisonment, torture and death sentences do not much interest Edgar’s Guantanamo-obsessed NCC, will also be given “the gift of perseverance.”
FrontPageMagazine.com. 9/29/06 —Via The Schwarz Report
By Jerry Jackson
Some missionaries dread the end of the month like most people dread the plague, because it means that it is time to put out another prayer letter. On the other hand, some pastors dread to receive prayer letters from certain missionaries, or wonder if they will ever receive a prayer letter from other missionaries. It is just a vicious circle. Yet, prayer letters are beneficial to missionaries, pastors, and churches, if they are done properly.
Why Send a Prayer Letter?
Most missionaries would not send out a prayer letter if they did not absolutely have to do so. It is true that putting together and sending out a prayer letter takes time; time that many would rather use on other things. However, there are many good reasons for a missionary to faithfully send out a prayer letter.
The missionary has a need for accountability, which is met each time he sits down to write his prayer letter. The churches which support his ministry have a right to know what is going on in his work, and a lack of communication on the part of the missionary can only lead to suspicion on the part of the supporting church.
There is also a need for communication. The missionary needs to communicate his burden for those with whom he is dealing. He also needs to communicate his needs. There is nothing wrong with sharing needs with others, but the missionary must be careful not to dwell on the needs, lest he portray himself as a “moochinary.” The missionary also needs to communicate the blessings of his ministry: new visitors, newly opened doors of opportunity, souls saved, etc. The more information that the missionary can convey to his supporters via the prayer letter, the closer they will feel to him and his work, and the more that they will feel as if they are really a part of that work.
There is also a need for prayer. The better the missionary is at communicating through his prayer letters, the better God’s people will understand the needs of that ministry, and the more prayer that will be raised on that missionary’s behalf. What the missionary needs is not “God bless the missionary,” but a lifting up of specific needs in the life, family, ministry, and nation of the missionary. Of course, there cannot be specific prayer without these things being communicated through the prayer letter. If God’s people were as faithful to pray for missionaries as some missionaries are to send prayer letters, there would be very little prayer for missions and missionaries. Someone said, “Every step in the progress of missions is directly traceable to prayer.” How much progress are missionaries not able to gain, not because of an unwillingness of God’s people to pray but, because the missionaries are unwilling to communicate their need for prayer?
Overall, in the area of prayer letters, there is a need for reality. Prayer letters are just a part of the ministry of the missionary, not an extra burden someone decided to add to his load. Since prayer letters are a necessary part of the missionary ministry, time should be set aside for its preparation, printing, and posting. This is not something extra to be crammed in as time allows. It is something important that must be done properly, at the right time, and in a right way.
When to Send a Prayer Letter?
In my last year as a missionary, I spoke with several pastors about the need of sending prayer letters. They were concerned about some missionaries from whom they almost never heard. One supporting pastor wrote a letter to all the missionaries supported by his church, asking for a prayer letter every quarter, at the very least. It seems that some missionaries are becoming extremely lax in this area. This is sad. As we consider the reasons why the missionary should send a prayer letter, we should all come to the conclusion that he should send a prayer letter as often as possible. I agree with my former supporting pastor that a quarterly prayer letter is the very least that a missionary can do by way of communication. A monthly letter is best, in my opinion, with special prayer letters sent out to inform churches of special needs or blessings.
Since coming to Tabernacle Baptist Church, I have taken a few mental notes about the frequency and consistency of prayer letters from the missionaries we support. One missionary has sent two prayer letters to us in the past three years. I suppose that it is possible that other letters are being sent, but are lost in the mail, but I doubt if that is the case. Another missionary sent us two prayer letters for all of 2005. As far as I am concerned, these are disgraceful examples. Praise God that not every missionary is that way. There are many others who are very faithful in communicating monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly.
What Should Be Incorporated in a Prayer Letter?
Many new missionaries are baffled as they struggle to write their first prayer letters. They have no idea as to what is or is not acceptable content for their prayer letter. Some missionaries ramble on in their prayer letters, making it difficult for people to read, or understand their needs, or the situation of their ministry. One thing is certain: the prayer letter needs to be organized. Even if the missionary is not a good writer, he can at least organize his thoughts so that the object of his writing is clear. There are two separate situations which affect the content of the prayer letter, which are deputation or furlough, and being on the field.
While on deputation, the missionary cannot write about what he is presently doing on the field, since he has not arrived on the field. Instead, he can discuss his burden for the people to whom the Lord is sending him, the things he will need in preparation for the ministry he is undertaking (equipment, plane tickets, shipping, etc.), blessings received in the churches he visits, support level, and his goals concerning departure for the field, etc. Another helpful hint for the new missionary is that he find interesting newspaper articles relating to his country of service, and incorporate them into his prayer letter. This is especially useful if the articles somehow impact upon his prospective ministry in some way.
Many of these things remain the same while a missionary is on furlough. While most of the things above may be discussed in his prayer letter, he also has ties within the mission field, which he can relate. Any letters, email, or telephone calls relaying information about the missionary’s ministry on the field should be shared with supporting churches, so that they can continue to pray knowledgeably for the missionary’s work in his absence.
Things are very different for the missionary who is on the field. In my experience, there was always more to talk about while on the field, than while in the US. The missionary is involved with reaching people, teaching people, and establishing churches. There are many, many things that can be related to supporting churches while on the field. My greatest problem was not trying to find something to say, but deciding what to say and what to leave out. I never could understand other missionaries who sent out a quarterly prayer letter, when my monthly letter ran as long as two pages. There was always more to tell than space permitted.
What About Email?
Email has become a tremendous mode of communication. Even missionaries living in remote parts of the world have email available to them. Some missionaries try to send out a weekly email update to all interested pastors, churches, and individuals. This is a great thing, and should be taken advantage of in every possible way, by both missionary and supporting church. However, the missionary must realize that not all supporting churches have email access, so the email updates cannot take the place of the prayer letter. At some point in the future, email may be the common method of sending and receiving prayer letters, but that time has not yet come.
What About Financial Reports?
If a missionary receives support from a church, he owes that church an accounting of where and how his support is used. I do not mean that the missionary must give a report of the use of his personal money, but he should give a clear general report of all support received and all expenses incurred in the ministry. A financial report should be sent out with each prayer letter, but that is not always possible. In my own situation, our bank in Papua New Guinea sent out a statement quarterly, if at all. That forced me to send our financial report each quarter, rather than monthly. Supporting churches do understand that these things can prevent a greater consistency in sending a financial report, but that should never be used as an excuse for failing to send a report. By sending out a financial report, the missionary is able to “provide things honest in the sight of all men (Romans 12:17b) ,” as he ought to do.
It seems like the good missionary is too busy to breathe, sometimes. However, in all his effort and work, he cannot forget to keep his supporting churches informed as to his effort and work. When a missionary is faithful in sending out a prayer letter, it will be a blessing to the missionary, pastors, and churches.
By A. A. Davis
1. The church at Ephesus believed in the eternal deity and sonship of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1:4. So Do The People Called Baptists.
2. This church at Ephesus believed and preached that Christ was the true and only head of the church. Ephesians 5:23–24. So Do The Baptists.
3. This church at Ephesus believed and taught that salvation was by grace through faith in Christ, not by works Ephesians 2:7–9. So Do The Baptists.
4. The church at Ephesus believed in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, Ephesians 4:5. So Do The Baptists.
5. The church at Ephesus believed Christ would be glorified in the church throughout all ages, therefore the church of the New Testament would endure, Ephesians 3:21. So Do The Baptists.
6. This church believed in a God-called, Spirit led ministry, Ephesians 4:11. So Do The Baptists.
7. The church at Ephesus believed in redemption through the blood of Christ, Ephesians 1:7. So Do The Baptists.
8. This church believed that the preaching of the gospel was indispensable to the salvation of the sinner, Ephesians 1:12–13. So Do The Baptists.
9. This church believed that sinners are totally depraved and are dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1–3; 4–22. So Do The Baptists.
10. This church believed that the believer in Christ was sealed by the Holy Spirit when he believed in Christ, Ephesians 1:13. So Do The Baptists.
11. The church at Rome believed in the triune God (Trinity), Romans 1:20. So Do The Baptists.
12. The church at Rome believed in the Genesis account of the creation, Romans 1:20. So Do The Baptists.
13. This church believed the gospel was the power of God unto salvation, Romans 1:16–17. So Do The Baptists.
14. This church at Rome believed that works had nothing to do with the saving of the soul, Romans 11:6; 4:5. So Do The Baptists.
15. This church believed and taught the fall of man as found in Genesis 3:1–7 – Romans 5:12–14. So Do The Baptists.
16. This church believed in the security of the believer in Christ and that nothing could separate him from the love of God, Romans 8:1–2; 33–39. “Once saved always saved” So Do The Baptists.
17. This church believed baptism was by immersion and was for believers only, Romans 6:1–4. So Do The Baptists.
18. This church believed in the separation of church and state, Romans 13:1–2; Matthew 22:21. So Do The Baptists.
19. This church believed and taught the doctrine of a surrendered life, Romans 12. So Do The Baptists.
20. The church at Corinth believed the Lord’s Supper was to be observed by the church only, and observed as a memorial to the death of Christ, not as a sacrament, 1 Corinthians 11:18–28. So Do The Baptists.
21. This church believed the blessed doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, I Corinthians 15. So Do The Baptists.
22. The church at Thessalonica believed in the personal, bodily return or the second coming of Christ to this world, I Thessalonians 4:13–18. So Do The Baptists.
23. These churches of the New Testament believed in the verbal inspiration of the original Scriptures, that the Bible was and is the Word of God, 2 Timothy 3:16. So Do The Baptists.
24. These churches believed that the gates of hell could not prevail against them, Matthew 16:16–18. So Do The Baptists.
25. These churches believed and taught the doctrine of the new birth, “Ye must be born again,” John 3:16; John 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17. So Do The Baptists.
26. These churches believed there was only one gospel, Galatians 1:1–9. The gospel of the grace of God and the substitutionary atonement, Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrew 9:11–15. So Do The Baptists.
27. These churches were democratic, self governing bodies, with all members voting on equal basis as brethren, Matthew 23:8–12; Acts 1:26; Romans 14:1; Galatians 6:1. So Do The Baptists.
28. The churches of the New Testament believed and taught the doctrine of personal and individual responsibility of the soul to God only, Romans 14:11–12. So Do The Baptists.
29. These original churches believed that the soul of the believer went directly to the presence of the Lord at death, NOT to some imaginary purgatory, Philippians 1:23; Luke 23:24; 2 Timothy 4:1–6. So Do The Baptists.
30. These New Testament churches recognized two offices and only two officers in the churches, Pastors or Bishops and Deacons, Philippians 1:1. So Do The Baptists.
31. These churches believed in the doctrine of church cooperation; that churches are to cooperate in carrying out their commission, 2 Corinthians 9:1–8; Philippians 4:15–16. So Do The Baptists.
32. These churches believed and preached the faith of Abraham as the faith of the gospel, Galatians 3:6–9; Romans 4:1–5. So Do The Baptists.
33. These churches accepted and preached the Abrahamic faith and stewardship in tithing, Hebrews 7:4–10. So Do The Baptists.
34. These early churches believed heaven was a prepared place for the people of God, John 14:1–6; Revelation 21:1–6. So Do The Baptists.
35. These churches believed hell was a place prepared for the devil and his angels, and that all unbelievers would go there, Matthew 25:41–46; Revelation 21:8; Luke 16:22–24; Matthew 13:41–42. So Do The Baptists.
If you are a believer in Christ, how can you avoid being a Baptist?
—From The Baptist Pillar
(Editor’s Note: The above article could apply to Baptists that are sound in doctrine. It could not apply to those who have departed from the truth.)
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.)
Web Site Aimed at “Tweens” Promotes Homosexuality. A Web site that targets its messages to “tweens,” which it identifies as those ages 9–14, is promoting homosexuality to those children because the idea of one-man-and-one-woman is “so last century.”
The Web site [Kidzworld]...is lobbying children to oppose the policy by the Boy Scouts of America against allowing homosexuals to lead troops of young boys, and advocates for the “rights” of homosexuals to adopt children...[T]he Web site’s agenda is unabashed throughout its messages to the children: “Isn’t the most important issue to have two parents who love you? Does it really matter if a child has two mommies or two daddies?” it tells readers ...[N]one of the pro-homosexual comments was found on the first page, the location most parents who actually do inspect a site would be most likely to check out.... They were found embedded in the site as a reader follows various links. —WorldNetDaily.com (Editor’s comment: This is just another example of the extreme danger of the Internet. Parents that allow their children unsupervised use of the computer are committing a deadly sin.)
Cross Removed from Chapel. When the president of William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, announced he was removing a cross from the altar of their Wren Chapel, he did not anticipate the major reaction it would create. After petitions with 7,500 signatures were presented to him, he agreed to place the cross in the chapel all day on Sundays. A lot of his clientele are still unhappy, believing the whole issue to be “an example of an animus toward religion in general and Christianity in particular” (WorldNetDaily).
Watch Out for Cells in Your Church. A church bulletin received recently from a Baptist church announced a cell leaders meeting (following the Korean charismatic, Dr. Cho), a monthly healing service and a coming appearance by a team from Teen Challenge (a charismatic organization). Having already taken these and other steps into the ecumenical arena, this Baptist church will soon cease to be what it once was! — Sword of the Lord
Bill Hybels Promotes Error. In my hands is a promotional booklet for a student ministries leadership conference at Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Church in Chicago. The theme of the event is “Shift.” From the appearance of the personalities pictured and other data provided, it looks like they have named it well. — Sword of the Lord
Mayor of Lubbock to Convene a Family Council to Focus on STD. Of course STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease which is rampant among teenagers. (3/1/07 LAJ) The mayor is concerned about the STD and pregnancy problem among the teens. However the kicker in this Family Council is that they will be unable to consider gay-rights and abortion. That is like saying that the homosexuals do not spread these diseases and so they need not be discussed. AIDS can be laid at the feet of homosexuals and they are one of the chief culprits in the spread of other sexual diseases. Abortion has removed the dread of promiscuous behavior, since teens know they can get an abortion. Our society is like a man with a severe leak in his house, only calling for more mops and buckets, but never a plumber.
Miami Church Brands Members With ‘666’ Tattoos. (Fox News Website 2/24/07) Surrounded by a mob of news cameras, a group of smiling, well-dressed church members crowded into a South Beach storefront parlor on a recent muggy evening and got matching tattoos of their prophet’s symbol: 666. Members of Growing in Grace, a controversial religious sect headquartered in Doral, said they were following the example of their leader, Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, who has claimed to be Jesus and recently declared himself the Antichrist. The picture showed a man with 666 tattooed on his neck. I have news for this man, he is neither Christ nor the Antichrist, but this does show how easily some can be deluded. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” (2 Thess. 2:11)
Exaggerated Attendance? — A recent poll question about pastors exaggerating attendance had this result: 14% always; 26% often; 50% sometimes; 8% never. Of course this is among ‘evangelical pastors,’ and surely would be ‘ministerially speaking.’ If the membership feel this strongly, maybe they should keep the record. The pastor does have some other responsibilities. Being examples to the flock is no easy job. (1 Pet. 5) Only something to think about. —WWM
Muslim Population Growth — A Population Research Institute spokesman had this to say: “...the future of the world will certainly be quite different if Muslims become the dominate population group in the coming decades. ‘I think we can see what life is like in Islamic countries. I think Christians know that it’s a false religion. And we can see that the Muslim world is becoming actually more radical and, in many ways, is headed backwards into its barbaric phase.’” (OneNewsNow, 2/2/07) Added to this is the many who are converting to Islam rather than fight for their religious freedom. Many died for serving Christ that we may live to further His cause. (Luke 18:8b) “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” —WWM
Ban Parental Correction? — Parents, grandparents and concerned citizens have apparently repelled the proposal to ban spanking of young children in California. Assemblywoman Sally Lieber of San Jose, a Democrat and the second-in-command of the California State Assembly, declined to introduce her spanking ban Thursday, as was expected. (LSN, 2/5/07) It would be good if the Apostle Paul could write instruction about who should speak to the legislative bodies in the U.S. Ms. Polosi/Ms. Lieber, both from CA, could learn a lesson if they followed his direction. (1 Cor.) Ms. Clinton’s ‘It Takes A Village’ would never make it to the bookstore. Timothy did well being taught by his mother and grandmother at home. (2 Tim. 1:5) —WWM
Irreversible Leopard Spots — Rev. Frederick Patrick Dunleavy, 65, was arrested Wednesday, Jan.31, following a complaint to police from a witness who alleged to have seen pornographic material in his possession. Multiple images, including video footage, were seized during a search warrant of his residence on Thursday, according to a Toronto police press release. The images were of both boys and girls, between the ages of five and 17. An activist for homosexual rights, Dunleavy boasted in 2004 of having performed hundreds of same-sex weddings, many of them for U.S. citizens planning to seek legal recognition at home, according to a report by the Oregonian in January 2005. (LSN, 2/5/07)
New Pastoral Qualification?? — “One of four ministers who oversaw three weeks of intensive counseling for the Rev. Ted Haggard said the disgraced minister emerged convinced that he is ‘completely heterosexual.’ Haggard also said his sexual contact with men was limited to the former male prostitute who came forward with sexual allegations,...” (New York Times, 2/6/07) This would be amusing if it were not so ridiculous. Haggard is not only false in prophesy, he is also false in pretense and practice. What a lame excuse for sin. It is sad that someone will believe him. He will one day stand before One greater than four of his peers. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:12) —WWM
Wandering Warren — Rick Warren, Saddleback Church pastor, visits another nation promoting more than ecumenism. When Warren “met with Syrian officials and top Muslim leaders there, he was quoted by the official state-controlled Syrian news agency as praising Syria for the peaceful relations between Christians and Muslims in the country.” (AgapePress, 11/17/06) RW was warned before going that, “...you have to know that your visit is going to be used by that dictatorship in a certain way.” Jesse Jackson claims success in foreign affairs. Maybe next time RW should take JJ to parley for peace between the two. Both seem to have the ability to “corrupt by flatteries.” (Dan. 11:32) —WWM
Weakening The Message — Following is a quoted statement by Neil Postman, author of Amusing Ourselves to Death: “...what is preached on television is not anything like the Sermon on the Mount. Religious programs are filled with good cheer. They celebrate affluence. Their featured players become celebrities. Though their messages are trivial, the shows have high ratings, or rather, because their messages are trivial, the shows have high ratings.” (AG, 11/17/06) Although Mr. Postman is no longer with us, his argument here is standard procedure by most televangelist, etc. Much of Christendom has gone from evangelism to entertainment, prayer meetings to playing, preaching truth to philosophical thinking. God, deliver us from ourselves. (Isa. 53:6) —WWM