TB Joshua Exposed as a False Prophet

If this man looks familiar, you may have seen him on the hell-e-vision station, “Emmanuel TV.” Hopefully you don’t watch that, but “Prophet T.B. Joshua” is the leader of Nigeria’s Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), and he recently announced that God told him the next president of the United States would be a woman. Since all the polls were saying Hillary was ahead, it’s not like T.B. was going out on a limb by predicting what people already knew…

Well, surprise, T.B. Joshua! Hillary didn’t win, so you are a proven false prophet! I’m not saying T.B. just guessed wrong about the election like a lot of other people did, but he actually said that GOD TOLD HIM a woman would win! Even after this epic fail, T.B.’s followers just can’t admit their hero is a fraud.

What about the irrelevance of his predictions? He gave advance notice of Michael Jackson’s death, but somehow he did not foresee the collapse of a SCOAN guesthouse in Lagos, which killed 115 of T.B. Joshua's followers. Regarding T.B. Joshua’s recent political prediction--Did people actually think that God felt the need to notify some guy in Nigeria of who the next U.S. president would be just 2 days before the election!? What would be the point?

It’s not like we had to hear about the failed prophecy to know T.B. Joshua was bad. From what I’ve read, the guy sounds Satanic, but he already lost me at being a popular TV preacher and by calling his church a synagogue! T. B. and others like him are wrong on all kinds of doctrine, including the Gospel, so they are false teachers anyway. There are Pentecostal/Charismatic preachers like this all over Africa, getting rich doing fake healings and making false predictions. We need more bold men of God living on the dark continent to rise up and speak out against these deceivers.

We aren’t living in the Old Testament where they only had part of the Bible and needed some additional information to know how to proceed. We can read Genesis through Revelation and then read it again, and learn something new every time. Unfortunately, the majority of people following these phony prophets haven’t even bothered to finish reading the Bible one time. The fact that people were so excited about T.B. Joshua’s big prediction just goes to show that they are more interested in what’s going on in politics than in the truths that God reveals to us in his word.

Here is a sermon to go with this article.

Managing Your Time Out Soul-winning

“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” Titus 3:9

When we go out soul winning, we are looking for people who are receptive to the gospel. Don’t let someone who is looking for an argument rob you of your time that you could be spending with another person who would be genuinely interested. On the other hand, if someone is receptive but just slow to understand, take some extra time to be even more thorough with that person to make sure they comprehend each point.

If somebody asks me a weird question, I might tell them we can get back to that, and then I’ll change the subject back to the gospel. I try not to take the bait but instead stay focused on getting through the presentation. Have I gotten into arguments out soul winning? Yes, I’m human, but most of the time I try to be patient with people since the goal is to either get them saved or to at least plant a seed.

At times our pride can get in the way and cause us to want to show off our Bible knowledge. Because of this, newer believers are sometimes better soul winners because they are less likely to get off on rabbit trails, trying to win an argument. It’s not beginners luck—it’s just that they don’t know enough Bible to debate about the more obscure subjects.

Those of us with more experience should still try to stay on topic rather than being baited into a fruitless argument. When I change the subject back to the gospel, I usually hope they forget about their original question, but depending on what the question is, I may answer it after the person gets saved. The point is to avoid foolish questions and use our time wisely. Encourage new converts to come to church where they will hear preaching on all manner of subjects, but our primary goal out soul winning is to win people to the Lord.

The type of questions we do want to answer are those pertaining to salvation. People may have been taught something different at their church and have a hang up that needs to be addressed. Answer relevant questions but maintain control of the conversation, so you don’t waste valuable time or veer too far off course.

If someone is combative about a key salvation point even after you have proven that doctrine with a couple of clear scriptures, it is time to walk away. Be polite when you leave, but don’t waste your time arguing with someone that clearly won’t be getting saved—at least not that day.

“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;” Titus 3:10

Sometimes it will become evident that someone just doesn’t understand salvation. Some people will constantly change the subject throughout the presentation, showing that they are missing the point. We should try to get through to them, but there comes a time when you have to realize the person just isn’t going to get saved. Consider leaving them with additional materials and invite them to visit your church for more preaching on the subject. They may just need some time for the verses to sink in, and perhaps in the future, they will understand it better coming from someone else.

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-11

Here is a sermon to go with this article.

Be Patient with People

“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Whether interacting with unsaved people, children, or people who are wrong on certain doctrines, we need to have patience with them. There was also a time when we didn’t know the things we know now.

When out soul winning, expect people to give some wrong answers, and remain calm and tactful when they do. Don’t take so much pride in your biblical knowledge that you become caustic when people don’t understand or even disagree with you.

You might be thinking--but Pastor, when you get behind the pulpit, you can be pretty abrasive. Well, preaching in church is not soul winning. My sermons are geared toward believers, and often as Christians we need a good swift kick in the pants to wake us up.

That said, when I am behind the pulpit, I am preaching about subjects in general to a group of people. Unless there is a serious problem going on in the church, I try not to directly preach against anyone in the congregation. I have a personal rule that I learned from my old pastor: I do not add or subtract from my sermon because of who walks through the door.

For example, a man with long hair might walk in on the day I’m planning to preach on that sin, and I’ll still preach on it. If he instead shows up on a day that I am preaching on a different topic, I won’t throw in a dig about hair length. If my pre-planned sermon ends up applying to someone in the audience, I try to be extra friendly and nice to them after the service. That way they realize I wasn’t singling them out or trying to preach them out the door. I’m thankful for everyone who shows up, and having people in church who don’t look like life-long Baptists shows that our church is growing and reaching people.

The exception to this laid-back approach is when someone comes in trying to teach false doctrine. People with sinister motives will be kicked out of church, but most people come here because they like our church and want to be here. A lot of people are new to church or perhaps have been in the wrong kind of church for decades, and it takes them a while to learn more of what the Bible actually teaches.

When visitors don’t get saved after I present the gospel to them, I tell them I’m glad they are here and I hope to see them again. A lot of people get saved the first time they hear It, which is why door to door soul winning works, but others might need to come to church a few times or even for a few months before they fully understand the gospel. Don’t jump to conclusions and give up on visitors who have “rejected the gospel.” There are always those that need to hear it more than once.

As parents, we need to be patient with our children and remember what we were like at their age. Don’t get me wrong, we do need to be strict with them to prevent them from going into sin, but your teenager can’t be expected to have the maturity and wisdom that you have in your thirties or forties. Stick to your guns, but don't have unreasonable expectations.

A perfect example of being patient with people who are behind us spiritually is found in Acts Chapter 18. Apollos was a guy whose heart was in the right place, but he didn’t know anything about Jesus and the death, burial, and resurrection. Priscilla and Aquila wrote letters telling people to receive him. They realized he just needed time to learn.

We need to follow the example of Priscilla and Aquila and have patience with those who are at an earlier stage than us in their learning. Remember that you catch more flies with honey. If someone ends up being pushed away, let it be because of our position, not because of our disposition.

Here is the sermon on Patience When Teaching.

Jesus Spent 3 Days and 3 Nights in Hell

The Bible teaches that Jesus spent three days and three nights in hell between his physical death on the cross and the resurrection, but for some reason, this doctrine has become unpopular. Some have tried to use this teaching against me for shock value because most people nowadays have never even heard of it. I don’t care if the whole world stops believing that Jesus’ soul went to hell, I will continue to preach on it since it is so clear in scripture. David prophesied about it in Psalm 16, and the passage is interpreted in the New Testament in Acts Chapter Two:

“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Psalm 16:10

“He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Acts 2:31

Jonah also foretold of the three days and three nights Christ would spend in Hell:

"And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." - Jonah 2:2

“The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.” Jonah 2:5-6

Notice how some of the above passage is referring to Jonah’s actual experience in the whale’s belly, while other statements are clearly symbolic. In case there was any doubt that Jonah was prophesying about Jesus’ experience in hell, the association between the two events is confirmed in Matthew 12:40:

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

The Oxford dictionary website lists the second definition for the word heart as: “the central or innermost part of something.”

I often use an artichoke heart as an example of this definition of heart. Also, when we talk about a person’s heart metaphorically, we are referring to the very core of their being. When the Bible talks about Jesus being in the heart of the earth, it is referring to hell. A sepulcher perhaps a few feet below ground level is not anywhere near the heart or center of the earth.

A common objection people will make is that they will bring up what Jesus said to the thief on the cross. Yes, he told the thief he would be with him in paradise that day because God is omnipresent, meaning he can be in more than one place at once.

“If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” Psalm 139:8

Some will try to go back to the Greek and claim that hell doesn’t mean hell. They’ll try to say hell in Acts 2:31 is referring to paradise or what some wrongly refer to as “Abraham’s bosom.” (Paradise in the Bible is actually synonymous with Heaven.)

Acts 2 and Psalm 16 would not make sense if Jesus was enjoying himself since he clearly did not want to be left in that place. Hell means hell and the time Jesus spent there was a part of the sacrifice.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me on this. I am not saying that one must believe that Jesus went to hell to be saved. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection. (The reason Jehovah’s Witnesses are not saved is because they don’t believe in the bodily resurrection.)

“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.” Romans 10:9

As if Psalm 16, Acts 2, Matthew 12:40, and Jonah 2 weren’t enough, this doctrine is alluded to in literally hundreds of verses! What about all of those burnt offerings in the Old Testament? The animal sacrifices were all pointing to Jesus Christ. Why did those symbolic offerings include fire and burning if Jesus Christ did not also have to go through the fire?

Even though our understanding of this doctrine is not a salvation issue, we should not ignore the spiritual component of Jesus’ death. Realizing more of what our Lord went through gives us a greater appreciation for what he did for us. We know that the price of sin is a physical death as well as a spiritual one, and we are thankful for every aspect of the salvation plan.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Here is the sermon where I discuss this subject in more detail.

Filthy Rich False Prophets

Creflo Dollar - Net Worth $27 million

"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." - Philippians 3:18-19

If you look at the big time false prophets, they’re making a million dollars a year. Forget six figures—they’re making seven! Look up the net worth of these charlatans. People like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer aren’t just making a reasonable living—they are FILTHY RICH! Even just “Joe Megachurch” in your home town is often making millions.

They drive fancy cars. They have a mansion—or three. They have money laid up, and they’re laughing all the way to the bank. If you’re a preacher of God’s Word, and you’re laying up treasures upon this earth, you are a hypocrite.

“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.” Titus 1:7-11

The above passage makes it clear that a pastor should not be selfish or in it for the money. A man of God doesn’t pastor a church because he thinks it will be lucrative—he does it for the Lord and to help others.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." - Matthew 6:19-20

If I ever come into a million dollars, I’ll get rid of it as fast as I can. Not only will I spend the money right away, but I’ll try to spend it on whatever would help further the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible makes it clear that pastors should not be rich, but even if I was not in the ministry, I would avoid accumulating excessive wealth since God has repeatedly warned us of the pitfalls of earthly riches.

“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:” Proverbs 30:8

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9

Here is a sermon to go with this article.

Reverend Thabo Mampane Exposed

“Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.” Luke 20:46-47

Reverend Thabo Mampane, who was interviewed with me on a radio show while I was in Botswana, bragged about his master’s degree in theology and other earthly accolades and how he seeks the approval of other religious leaders to make sure he is “relevant” in today’s society.

“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:43

He tried to defend the practice of sprinkling by saying we don’t have enough water to baptize people nowadays. Ironically, one of the first things I noticed as a guest in that country is that the people routinely shower twice a day! It’s not that they’re short on water—they’re short on truth.

Last time I checked, seventy percent of the earth’s surface is water. People don’t live in places where they do not have access to any water, so it’s a stupid argument anyway. If someone lived somewhere where water was scarce, we would take that person to a place that had more water, baptize them, and send them home.

“And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.” John 3:23

If you were baptized by sprinkling or pouring, that is not baptism. Baptism is being dunked under water because it symbolizes the burial and resurrection.

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

“And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” Acts 8:38

Not only is Thabo Mampane wrong on baptism, but this guy embodies the worst trends in modern Christianity. He believes much of the Bible is outdated, and he is not saved. When a guy from our church ran into Mampane and asked him “the question,” he admitted to not knowing if he was on his way to heaven. It is no surprise that this watered-down liberal is revered by the masses as one of the spiritual leaders of his country.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Here is link to the audio of me facing off with Mampane on the radio

Here you can pay to watch all footage from "Deported" including WATCHING the full radio interview from the perspective of being in the studio with us including off-air interactions during commercial breaks.

The Relevance of the Bible

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

God is eternal. He never changes. Not only that, but human nature is the same too. Ecclesiastes chapter one teaches that there is nothing new under the sun. Even as technology advances, we go through the same spiritual struggles as the people in ancient times. If something was a sin back then, then it is still wrong today.

Whether it’s staring at a naked woman from a rooftop or looking up pornography on a smart phone, the sin is the same. The scriptures about the lust of the eyes and committing adultery in your heart were relevant both then and now.

“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100: 5

God’s Word wasn’t only written to the people back then. God has preserved his word for all generations, so it is geared toward all of us. In fact, when you study the Bible, you’ll find little tidbits that were more than likely put in there for our sake as modern believers.

For example, the following passage teaches that if we denied the resurrection we would be “false witnesses of God.” This is interesting because the Jehovah’s witnesses do not believe in the bodily resurrection. Jehovah’s false witnesses are a modern day cult, yet God seems to allude to them specifically in that verse. This is just one example of the Bible being geared toward us as well as previous and future generations. The passage was just as relevant back then because there have always been people who deny the resurrection, but the terminology seems to specifically attack the modern day cult.

"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found FALSE WITNESSES OF GOD; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not." - 1 Corinthians 15:14-15

People will try to negate certain scripture passages by saying you need to understand the culture of when the Bible was written. That excuse doesn’t hold water because the Bible was spoken before the world even began:

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Titus 1:2

They’ll say things like, “Women had to keep silence in the church back then, but now they’re more liberated.” If it was wrong for a woman to teach or preach in church back then, then it’s wrong now because God doesn’t change. God’s law was perfect back then, and it is still perfect.

It makes no sense to assume that much of the Bible is now outdated when it contains prophecies about events that haven’t even happened yet. If you claim to believe in end times prophecy, then you should also be capable of understanding that God knew what life would be like in our day. The Bible is a supernatural book that transcends time, and it is more relevant than today’s newspaper.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” 2 Timothy 3:16

Here is a sermon to go with this article.

The Purpose of the Devil

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

People get the idea that God and Satan are the opposites of each other and are nearly equivalent in power. The Bible makes it clear that this is not the case. Although the devil is very powerful, he is nowhere near on par with God. He is a creation of God who only continues to exist because God allows it. Obviously Satan is wicked but having him around fulfills a purpose.

Because Satan is a created being, he ultimately fulfills God’s will. Part of why the devil exists is because God wants us to have a free will. Starting in the Garden of Eden, God gave man free will to make his own choices. God did not create man to be a robot, which is why Calvinism is such a joke. Anyone with common sense knows that we all make our own choices in life. The devil made his choice too when he rebelled against God:

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Ezekiel 28:15

Another purpose of the devil is to either punish or strengthen us. There is a lot of scripture on people being punished or tried through the devil. God is the one we need to fear, though, because we learn in the book of Job that the devil can only do what the Lord allows:

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:12

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 5:5

In the above verse, the church was praying that bad things would happen to this guy physically, so that he would be shaken up enough to get right with God. God often allows the devil to buffet us for our own good:

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” was probably some kind of physical ailment that helped to keep him humble and therefore strong spiritually. Satan has his own sinister agenda, but God causes even the devil's attacks attacks to work together for good.

God cannot lie, but he allows the devil to deceive people as a curse or punishment. Satan is behind all false religions and does not want you to be saved. False religion can seem very positive, because the devil is good at what he does. For example, the devil might be tempting you with a beautiful, decked-out cathedral filled with spiritual-sounding chants and beautiful music. That feeling you have in that atmosphere is not God’s presence, but Satan’s. God wants people to seek the truth and believe on him for salvation rather than falling for one of the devil’s false religions out of shallowness or laziness.

For those of us who are saved, God wants us to use our free will to avoid sin in the Christian life. The devil is our adversary. He’s our enemy—our opponent. God doesn’t eliminate the devil or tell us to live a secluded life because he wants us to resist the devil. The Bible says “we are not ignorant of his devices,” so we are expected to learn from the scriptures about how the devil works.

Here is the sermon where I go into this subject in more detail.

Baptist Bride Doctrine Debunked

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,” Revelation 21:9-10

It is obvious in the above passage that the city is equivalent to the bride. The bride of Christ consists of every believer who has ever lived. Being part of the bride of Christ one day is not dependent on church records or by who baptized the person who baptized you. If you are saved, then you can rest assured that you will be part of the bride of Christ.

What am I talking about? Well, there’s a teaching out there that says you can’t be part of the bride of Christ unless you are part of a Baptist church. Some say that any independent Baptist church will do, but many go a step further and teach that most churches are not real churches unless they have a pedigree or genealogy that goes all the way back to John the Baptist. They say that the church has to have been started by another church that was a “true church,” going all the way back.

They think that you have to be a baptized member of one of these special churches, and that you have to be baptized by someone who was baptized by someone, going all the way back to John the Baptist. ABA churches and others that subscribe to this doctrine proudly refer to themselves as “Baptist Briders.”

Not only are these people wrong about the bride of Christ, but this man-made doctrine doesn’t get anybody into heaven. It doesn’t get anyone on fire for God, therefore it is unprofitable. James Chapter Two and other scriptures warn us about people who are all talk. Being a part of a church that claims to be superior due to some kind of unbroken succession is not profitable to others when that church isn’t doing the works. Briders love to pontificate about how significant their church is, but show me one Baptist Bride church that’s a soul-winning church!

What do Roman Catholics, Orthodox members, Jews, and Baptist Briders all have in common? They all want to tell you they are the chosen ones based on some kind of spiritual or physical genealogy. We believe that we are the spiritual descendants of great men like Abraham and John the Baptist, and we believe that by faith, but the Bible tells us to avoid genealogies:

“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” Titus 3:9

Most people don’t subscribe to the extreme position that Baptist Briders take, but unfortunately many are still messed up on the doctrine of the bride of Christ. They will try to say that the bride of Christ only consists of church-age saints, and that only New Testament believers currently make up the bride of Christ.

Is the church the bride today if the wedding is going to happen in the future? No. A bride becomes the bride on the wedding day; therefore, the statement, “The church is the bride of Christ,” is a false statement. The following verse is a prophecy about a future event:

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb IS COME, and his wife hath made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

When John saw the future heavenly city in the book of Revelation, he not only saw us, but he saw the Old Testament saints, too! Again, the Lamb’s wife will consist of every believer who has ever lived. It has nothing to do with being a Baptist or being part of a particular church.

Being wrong about who makes up the bride of Christ and when the bride becomes the bride is not a deal breaker when looking for a church to attend, but stay away from “brider” churches that over emphasize church history or focus on other unprofitable pursuits. Instead, select a KJV only church based on the preaching and soul winning. Get involved at least as a silent partner, and start doing some real work for the Lord.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:17-18

Here is the sermon where I debunk the Baptist Bride doctrine.

We Need More Soul-winning Churches

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:34

There is a shameful lack of soul winning in today's independent Baptist churches. It can be hard to find a church with an advertised soul-winning time, but even among churches that do have some kind of door-to-door outreach program, many are not preaching the Gospel at the door. We need a whole new batch of churches to knock every door in America again, because the old fundamental Baptist movement is dying.

I know people who have found a Baptist tract on their door, but they never heard a knock even though they were home at the time. This is probably a common occurrence, since unfortunately, many pastors are telling people to leave door hangers without first knocking.

When we go out door to door, it’s not just an advertising campaign for our church where all we do is invite people or just leave a flyer, nor is it a "visitation" time where we visit only the people who have been to our church. Our goal is to systematically knock every door, and not only invite people to church, but give them an opportunity to hear the Gospel right then and there.

Brother Richard Miller just started a church in Nashville, Tennessee which is called Soul-Winning Baptist Church. Soul winning is a priority for Brother Miller, so it is only fitting that he call it that. With a name like Soul-Winning Baptist Church, the church will never be able to do away with soul winning, or it might as well just close down. Be sure to spread the word to your friends in Tennessee about this exciting new church!

We need to make sure that when we go out soul winning, we are doing just that. Handing someone a church invitation as an ice breaker is only the beginning. We need to open our Bibles and give the Gospel to whoever is willing to listen. Occasionally, people will show up as a result of finding an invitation left on their door when they weren’t home, and we praise God when that happens, but we need to remember that our primary purpose when we go out is to preach the Gospel.

Statistics obtained in another Baptist church showed that people are the most likely to show up at church after getting saved. Even when people don’t let the soul winner go through with the presentation, they are more likely to come as a result of being personally invited as opposed to just finding the invitation on their door.

Just inviting everyone isn’t enough. The Bible teaches that we are to open our mouths boldly and make known the mystery of the gospel. Church invitations are a useful tool when used in conjunction with actual soul winning, so pastors need to instruct their people to do more than just hand out literature.

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:14-15

Here is a sermon to go with this article.

Balance in the Christian Life

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

We live in a day of specialization, when we ought to strive to be general practitioners. What I mean by that is that we should try to achieve balance rather than going overboard in any one area of life. There are people who cultivate their brain and not their body, and there are others who get plenty of exercise yet don’t feed their mind. Some people will excel in an area such as art or music but can’t hold down a job because they lack practical skills. Ideally, we should get some smarts, get exercise, be musical, and work hard. Investing some time into each of these areas can help us to accomplish more for the Lord.

The best way to develop the mind is to read. You may not think reading is your thing, but you need to make it your thing because God gave us his word in written form. Ask God for wisdom, and then do your part by including reading as an important part of your daily routine.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:13

If you are physically weak and frail, then you need to get stronger. I don’t see any weaklings doing anything for the Lord in the Bible. If you are a person that is physically weak, then you need to work at becoming stronger.

"A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” Proverbs 24:5

“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” Proverbs 31:17

If music isn’t your thing, just show up to church and sing your heart out until it becomes your thing. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. The singing isn’t just a filler—it’s an important part of the church service since God commands us to sing.

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” Psalm 100:1-2

When it comes to the Christian life, there is something to be said for being a Jack of all trades. We need to not only read our Bibles and have our own personal walk with God, but we also need to show up for church and go out soul winning. The Bible is an infinite book, so reading it from cover to cover routinely will help us to approach life with a balanced perspective. Participating in church and soul winning will provide fellowship and exercise and will benefit you physically as well as spiritually.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

Here is a sermon to go with this article.