This Little Church

Posted on by

“This is how God proposes his church be built up – through the careful, accurate and clear preaching and teaching of his Word. Nothing else will accomplish the task. We can tell inspiring stories, sing beautiful or peppy music, fill our calendars full of social events, professionalize our program and provide small groups for every conceivable interest, but if the Scripture is not diligently, systematically, and correctly taught, Christ’s people will not be equipped and the body will not be built up, period.”

“There are no exceptions to this mandate. The church must proclaim the ‘word of truth’ – it must be the utmost priority. Congregations which focus on techniques, programs and entertainment at the expense of the centrality of the Word, may build large followings but they will not build the church of God. Programs, drama and entertainment may amuse, soothe, inspire and stir the emotions, but they will not build Christians. Only the Word can do that.

Gary Gilley – from the book, This Little Church Stayed Home

PS – I found out our church is probably going to enter a stage of being ‘bigger’ and ‘more’ because we have a ‘big god’. Personally, if our fellowship grows or reduces, it makes no difference. God will do as He pleases (Ps 115:3), and no plan of men will change that. Come Lord Jesus, quickly, I am almost unable to cope under the strain.

A prayer of a martyr

Posted on by

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray,
and to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely,
but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart,
but with you there is help;
I am restless,
but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness,
but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
but you know the way for me …

Restore me to liberty,
And enable me so to live now
that I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.

66 things you won’t find in scripture

Posted on by

By MATTHEW L. MAHAN. Pastor BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH

FIND THE BOOK, CHAPTER AND VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT TEACH:

1. God commands or desires that people speak in UNKNOWN tongues.
2. There are UNKNOWN tongues spoken in Acts, Chapter 2 (Acts 2:8).
3. Paul’s desire was that all would speak in UNKNOWN tongues (I Cor. 14:5).
4. Paul thanked God that he spoke with UNKNOWN tongues more than all others IN THE CHURCH (I Cor. 14:18-19).
5. Women should speak in tongues in the church assembly (I Cor. 14:34-35).
6. Angels spoke in unknown tongues.
7. Everyone should seek for the gift of tongues, rather than letting the Holy Spirit give utterance at a Point of time “dividing to every man severally as HE will” (1 Cor. 12:11).
8. Speaking in tongues is the “baptism in the Holy Ghost”.
9. The expression “baptism IN the Holy Ghost” occurs in the Scriptures.
10. All Christians are commanded by God to speak in tongues (I Cor. 12:30).
11. Unknown tongues are needed in an assembly where everyone speaks the same language.
12. The purpose of speaking with tongues to edify ourselves (Acts 2:4-11).
13. God commanded or desired that a man pray with an unknown tongue, although his understanding is unfruitful.
14. The baptism of I Cor. 12:13 includes speaking in tongues.
15. The object of tongues is any person other than an unbelieving Jew who needs a sign, or one that underwent a previous Jewish baptism by John the Baptist (Isa. 28:11; Acts 2:5-11, 10:45-47,19:1-8; 1 Cor. 1:22).
16. A man cannot be deceived when he speaks with tongues (2 Thess. 2:3),
17. The human spirit cannot be defiled (2 Cor. 7:1).
18. A man who is saved and has received the gift of the Holy Spirit cannot let doctrines of devils and deceiving spirits gain access to his mind, thereby giving place to the devil (I Tim. 4:1; Eph. 4:27).
19. The body is redeemed already, and has no law of sin in its members (Rom. 7:23-25; 8:23; Phil. 3:21).
20. A man cannot be devil possessed after he is saved.
21. We are not to forbid the speaking with UNKNOWN tongues in church (I Cor 14: 39).
22. We need to Practice our tongue gift daily in order to develop it, and to avoid losing it.
23. We are to seek the gift of tongues, rather than the gift of prophecy, in the church (I Cor. 14:5, 39).
24. God doesn’t mind people adding to His finished revelation (the Bible) if it is in the form of tongues, interpretation of tongues, or prophesy (Prov. 30:5-6; I Cor. 14:36; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; Rev. 22:18-19).
25. Speaking five words with an unknown tongue is more profitable than speaking ten thousand words with understanding (I Cor. 14:19).
26. The gift of tongues is manifested by a babbling that no one present can understand, including the speaker (I Cor. 14:8-9).
27. A person who prays in an UNKNOWN tongue in the church assembly does not understand it himself.
28. The Holy Spirit’s intercessory groanings can be uttered (Rom. 8:26)
29. More than one person at the same time may speak or pray in tongues in the church assembly (I Cor. 14:27).
30. Tongues are a sign to believers (I Cor. 14:22).
31. Unknown tongues are for the believer (I Cor. 14:22).
32. God commands or desires us to sing in unknown tongues.
33. Tongues were not to cease in and of themselves (I Cor. 13:8).
34. More than one in the church assembly is to interpret (I Cor. 14:27).
35. Tongues are not actual languages (Acts 2:6; Isa. 28:11).
36. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is manifested by the speaking with tongues.
37. Jesus spoke or prayed in tongues.
38. You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, not to be witnesses unto the Lord Jesus Christ, but to babble in an unknown language (Acts 1:8).
39. The “new tongues” that Jesus foretold His disciples would speak with were unknown tongues (Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4-6).
40. Jesus was not serious when he said that His disciples, in addition to speaking in new tongues would be able to take up serpents or to drink any poison without it harming them (Mark 16:17;18) . And so, everyone who claims the ability to speak with tongues should also be required to “drink any deadly thing.”
41. The word “shall” in Mark 16:17-18 means “sometimes” or “in the process of time, shall. . .”
42. Others, in addition to the twelve apostles, spoke with tongues in Acts chapter 2 (Acts 1:24 – 2:1).
43. Tongues are to be a sign to Gentiles and to the Church (Acts 2:5- 11; Isa. 28:11).
44. We are not to “try the spirits whether they are of God”, opposing any that are false (including tongues) as presumptuous against God Almighty (I John 4:1-3).
45. The devil cannot do miracles (Ex. 7:11; Dan. 11:23; 2 Thess. 2:7- 10; Rev. 13:4;
46. The Holy Spirit can manifest Himself contrary to the written revelation of the Scriptures (I Cor. 14:33) as long as the manifestation is supernatural (like tongues).
47. Besides the Old Testament saints and the original disciples, any person can receive the Holy Spirit more than once (I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14; 5:18).
48. A man who has received the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9) is not receiving “another spirit” if he receives any additional spirit after his salvation (2 Cor. 11:4).
49. The prophecy about the Holy Spirit being poured out on ALL flesh has been fulfilled Joe12:27-32).
50. There are Gentiles in Acts chapter 2 who aren’t proselytes (Acts 2:5-10).
51. Tongues in Acts chapter 2 were anything other than a clear declaration of “the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11).
52. Tongues protect us from the devil (Eph. 6:10-20)
53. Satan is not anointed, and all that is anointed is good (Ezek. 28:14).
54. Judas didn’t have the signs of an apostle and wasn’t “a devil” (Matt. 10:1-8; John 6:70).
55. Satan doesn’t have false prophets, false apostles, and deceitful workers that transform themselves into “angels of light” and “apostles of Christ” (2 Cor. 12:13-35).
56. All that is spiritual is good, and we should open ourselves up to it (1 John
57. Experience is to be taken as a higher authority from God than the written revelation of Scripture (Isa. 8:20).
58. The Holy Spirit cannot be grieved, quenched, or lied to (1 Thess. 5:19; Eph. 4:30; Acts 5:3).
59. Forbidding to speak with tongues is blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29-30).
60. Paul, or anyone else in Scripture, preached a “full gospel” (I Cor. 15:1-4).
61. We, rather than the Holy Spirit, decide what spiritual gifts we get, or transfer them to others by the laying on of hands ( 1 Cor. 14:11).
62. Pentecost is an experience, rather than a Jewish Feast (Exod. 23:16; Acts 2:1; 20:16).
63. Jesus and His disciples sent people to doctors or erected hospitals after unsuccessful healing attempts (Matt. 10:1; Acts 5:16).
64. The tower of Babel was a good experience (Gen. 11:1-9).
65. Unknown tongues edify the church (1Cor. 14;4, 18, 19, 23).
66. CHARITY DOES NOT REJOICE IN TRUTH (I Cor. 13:6).

Or you can comment if you find it.

Some Terminology

Posted on by

I’ve heard many new terms over the last year – here is a couple you may not have heard explained, but may have heard in pulpits:

Eisegesis – an interpretation of a text that confirms someone’s existing presuppositions. EG: God will bless me with many riches while I’m alive because “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:19). Yet in context, Paul starts the paragraph explaining that he is to be content in anything that he currently has. Just because God has many riches (and I don’t dispute that) does not mean that they will all be given to you.

Narcigesis – Short for narcissistic eisegesis which is when a pastor reads his own ideas into the text with a primary focus on the self, rather than God.

I propose a new one:

Niceigesis – (Nice-ee-jeesiss) – Only teaching, preaching or quoting the positive messages of the bible, like ‘we are blessed’, ‘we are loved’ etc. I’ve not got a problem with this, but can we have the WHOLE counsel of God please?

I heard a sermon in which we were taught the power of words. Sure, we can encourage, build up – we are told to according to scripture. Here are the main points:

1. Words of wisdom. We are to be wise in what we say.
2. Words of encouragement. Like I mentioned above.
3. Words of creative power. Positive, new-age style confession based loosely on Romans 10:9-10.

Those were the points. Can I ask, remove the creative power – we ARE NOT gods and we DO NOT have creative power ourselves. This is a slippery slope to a very dangerous and heretical doctrine.

Instead, where are the words of WARNING? An incredible amount of the scripture contains warnings, but these are often glossed over in order to get to the positive bits. Paul, in his writings, often encouraged and rebuked. Jesus often encouraged and rebuked. Never forget he spoke to one of His disciples, ‘Get behind me, satan!’.

We need a return to the teaching of the whole word of God, not just the nice bits. If we continue down the road of just preaching and teaching positive messages, there are going to be a lot of surprised, sleeping Christians roughly woken up when trouble and persecution comes, and even more when Jesus returns.

It should be the case that we get this notion out of our silly heads that Jesus coming back is just going to be wonderful. It will be both wonderful and terrible. He will return with a sword in His mouth (Rev 19:15), and with Judgement.

Essay on Positive Confession: http://www.gotquestions.org/positive-confession.html

Difference between Exegesis (good) and Eisegesis (bad): http://www.gotquestions.org/exegesis-eisegesis.html

Teach the Whole Counsel of God: “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” Acts 20:27

Primer on what to look out for on Narcigesis: http://herescope.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/narcigesis.html