Overreacting To Criticism

I have noticed that many Christians leave the conservative movement as a reaction to criticism from some of the "brethren."  While they were not "liberal" or "compromising" in their beliefs or practices before their attacks, they actually become so when they go too far in their reaction to attacks from their peers.  They now become what they were not because they did not respond correctly to satanic attacks brought by jealous, backslidden, or even lost people who once named them as friends.  I hate to see any Christian or preacher become disillusioned and hurt with fundamentalism because of the anti scriptural behavior of  a fundamentalist. Here are some principles that have helped me when dealing with the foolishness that is in the ministry and our movement.

1.  The fundamentals are right because they are Biblical, even if some fundamentalists are morons!

2.  The local church is what matters, what others say outside your local church is unimportant!

3.  Never let critics determine the direction of your life or ministry!

4.  Don't waste your time defending yourself.  Your friends don't need you to explain yourself and your enemies will not believe you anyway.

5.  Do what God leads you to do and do not worry if the paper, school, fellowship, or if pastor _____ does not like it.  God called you to be you.  

6.  Do not be enamored with all of the "new" philosophies.  Remember there is really nothing new under the sun.  It is just the same waste of time repackaged.  Stay in your Bible and out of the latest book of the month.

7.  Because something is old does not make it right, and because something is new does not make it wrong.  Allow the Holy Spirit to develop discernment in you based on Biblical principles.  

8.  Don't be so ready to "think outside the box." Louis Entzminger's Sunday School material is still the best out there; just use a computer instead of a roll book and filing cabinet.  

9.  Don't be so scared to "think outside the box." The world changes and we have to be aware of changes in order to be affective in our ministries.  Screens, sound systems, padded chairs, and indoor plumbing are not satanic in nature because they were once new.

10. Love God, love people, and preach the Word is still the Bible way to do it.  

I do not claim to have all the answers, but I am at least starting to ask some of the right questions! God bless each of you who labor for our Lord, even if you do it a different way than me!

For several months we have been discussing the need for a second service here at Community because of our lack of seating and parking.  We knew we needed to make the move but I wanted to do something besides just trim down the main service and squeeze it into a slot before Sunday School.  I wanted it to be a tool for evangelism and growth and not just another morning service.  My dear friend Tom Sexton of Cape Coral, Florida suggested that we make the hour a spearhead for ministry and launch an entire growth campaign around it.  At the same time we were also discussing getting a radio broadcast started to help us saturate Pinellas County with the Gospel.  As the two ideas merged together we saw the launch of two great new ministry opportunities at our church! 

Sunday at 7:30 a.m. on 860 WGUL we launched the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour radio broadcast and then an hour later, at 8:30 we launched the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour preaching service at our church!  Both were met with great excitement!  We are now able to offer people two service opportunities on Sunday morning.  That is a great option for people who are coming off the midnight shift or for those who have to go in at noon.  Everyone can now hear good gospel music and straightforward Bible preaching as they get ready for Sunday morning!  We could not have asked for a better launch as we had a good crowd for the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour and then we were comfortably full again in the morning service.  Sunday School was also up a bit in attendance! 

Not only do I see the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour as a Sunday service opportunity, and a radio presence for our church, but I also envision the Gospel Hour to be so much more.  I have a goal to see it used as an evangelistic opportunity in the Bay Area and elsewhere leading in Crusades and Revivals across the Bay Area.  We want people to think of Old Time Religion when they think of the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour and Community Bible Baptist Church.  These are exciting days around our church!  Each week we are anticipating what God is going to do for and through us as we serve Him in this day!

If you able, please join us on the radio each Sunday morning at 7:30 am on 860 WGUL or live streaming on the web at http://www.860wgul.com/.  Or you can listen to our archived broadcasts on http://www.tampabaygospelhour.com/.  You are also welcome to join us for the live service of the Tampa Bay Gospel Hour each Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. on our campus or watch live on the web at http://www.tampabaygospelhour.com/!  However you connect with us we are looking forward to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with you.  As the late Dr. W. A. Criswell said, "I'll see you Sunday with a Bible in my hand, and a message from God in my heart."

Dan and Nancy Davis Are Coming to Community!

I am so excited to announce that Rev. Dan Davis, his wife Nancy, and their son Caleb will be relocating to St. Petersburg the first week of October!  The Davis' are a wonderful family with whom I had the privilege of serving with in Texas for several years before coming to Community!  Bro. Dan oversaw several different ministries in Texas for us including our Christian School, Child Care, Sunday School, Nursing Homes, and Visitation Ministries! We are thrilled the Lord has opened the door for him to relocate from Texas to work with us here in St. Petersburg! 

Both Dan and Nancy bring a wealth of ministry experience with them from their early days at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Orlando under Dr. Bob Ware to their years at Tennessee Temple and Bob Jones University's respectively under Dr's Roberson and Jones.  Dan has experience as an assistant pastor and also as pastor in Americus and Cartersville Georgia before going to Groves.  Bro. Dan holds a degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has been in full time ministry since his days in the Army (Spanish American War! Just kidding, could not resist!)  Mrs. Nancy holds a Master's Degree in education, teaches piano, and sings in the choir and for special music.  She was also very instrumental in starting our Christian School.  We are blessed to be able to add them both to our Community team!

Bro. Dan's first responsibility will be to lead the Sunday School ministry here at Community.  With his passion for teaching, strength in organization, and weekly teacher's meetings we believe our Sunday School will outgrow our existing meeting space in a short space of time!  Bro. Dan will also begin the process of exploring options for starting a Child Care ministry and Christian Academy. 

We are looking forward to the Davis Family coming on board and believe that their relocating to our area is just another sign that God is doing some great things at Community!

John 3:16- The Most Exquisite Flower In The Garden of Holy Scripture

I was recommended a book to read on the issue of Five Point Calvinism entitled Whosoever Will, by Steve Lemke and David Allen. The book is a very clear look at both sides of the arguments for and against Five Point Calvinism, "High Calvinism" or what some might term "Hyper Calvinism". I still have a few chapters left to finish but to this point I certainly would recommend the book as an honest look at the issue facing our churches written in a very Christian manner without anger or malice.  The authors do a tremendous job in using the statements and writings of the proponents of High Calvinism to explain in detail their positions on the subject while at the same time they use the Scripture to refute or clarify many of these same opinions.  This is my biggest problem with High Calvinism is that it seems to be found in more papers, books, and sermons than it is found in the Word of God!  Something that takes this much explaining and reasoning from man seems to fight against the simplicity of the Gospel message. 

On that thought one of the chapters in the book that blessed me and so much was the chapter on John 3:16 by Dr. Jerry Vines.  In the chapter, which is a transcribed sermon by Dr. Vines, he breaks down the most powerful and yet simple verse in all of Holy Scripture.  I cannot for time retype the sermon in it's entire form, but the thought of how many isms John 3:16 clears up is incredible. I will share them as follows:

"For God" responds to atheism, which claims there is no God.
"so loved" responds to fatalism which asserts that God is an impersonal force.
"the world" responds to nationalism which says God loves only one group of people.
"that He gave" responds to materialism which says it is more blessed to give than to receive.
"His only begotten Son" responds to Mohammedanism which says God has no Son.
"whosoever believes' responds to Five Point Calvinism which says Christ died for only the elect.
"in Him" responds to pluralism which says all religions are equal.
"shout not perish" responds to annihilationism which says there is no hell.
"but have everlasting life' responds to Arminiansim which says God only gives life conditionally.

The rest of the chapter is tremendous but I wanted to share that portion of it so that it might be a reminder to us all of just how wonderful our salvation is!  Do not make the mistake of making salvation so difficult that even a little child cannot receive Jesus because Jesus would not be please with that.  (Mark 10:14-15) 

Praise the Lord for John 3:16 as it is the gospel in a nutshell,  or as Martin Luther said, the Bible in miniature!

Single Vision Conference 2011

5 Vital Reasons for The Single Vision Conference
Written by John Anderson

Did you know that the Welsh Revival of the early 1900's was mostly led by Single Adults? I had the privilege to preach in Colwyn Bay, Wales...

last Monday afternoon and chat to many people following the service. I was absolutely astounded at the number of church buildings and memorials that were raised throughout the Welsh communities referencing the Welsh Revival. One of the memorials that is not public knowledge is the fact that many single adults between the ages of 18 and 35 were the driving force of this mighty movement of God. They preached, sang, testified, and led souls to Christ while others were taking the more prominent figures and roles as the face of the Welsh Revival. I just read this account last week: "Were it not for the grace of Almighty God and the zeal and fervour of the youngsters, this mighty wind that bloweth would have ceased before it's inception." I still believe that Single Adults can make such a difference in our world today! God is not limited by time, space, or location, He is still the God that sent revival and can send revival again.



The city of London has approximately 13 million people in her greater extremities. The single adult population in London alone is staggering! I have noticed a trend growing up in a good fundamental Baptist Church and serving only in good Fundamental Baptist Churches. The trend is this: we emphasize ministry to children, teens, and adults, but somehow, we have forgotten about a hidden workforce and next generation of servant leaders, Single Adults! Seven years ago when I was working with Single Adults, God put a tremendous burden on my heart to start an annual conference once a year to encourage, teach, and expose Single Adults to the need for faithfulness in the local church and fervor for world evangelism. One year ago this burden turned into reality when I was preaching on a Wednesday night for my long time friend Brent Stancil. We both have shared a passion for a long time to see this next generation of Single Adults reached, taught, and mobilized to reach the world with the gospel. As a result of a need, burden, and prayer, Single Vision Conference has now become a reality! This January 3 -6 in St. Petersburg, FL, Pastor Stancil and the good people of Community Bible Baptist Church are hosting the first annual Single Vision Conference!

I want to share with you Five Vital Reasons for Having this conference:

1. Single Adults Are Not Second-Class

Far too long in our movement have we overlooked this wonderful group of people that God has placed into our care. Just because God has not brought their life's mate into their lives as of yet, does not mean they cannot be utilized and serving God in significant ministry roles! We must remember that it is not always God's will for every person to be married, but it is God's will for every Christian to be used to their maximum potential for God's honor and glory!

2. Single Adults Are Looking For Truth

We have been told by many emerging church leaders, that Single Adults will only come to our churches if we are entertainment driven and relevant culturally in our ministry approach to them. Although I am not against being culturally relevant, I am against it when Scripture is violated and secularism is masked as Scriptural. Christ is preeminent to culture! Sunday night following services in our church here in West London, a single young man and I had a cup of tea together. His statement was so revealing, "Pastor, I am sick of visiting churches where the Pastor attempts to relate to me and act my age, I just want the Bible, nothing else!" He will fit in just fine in our church, and I am convinced there are millions more like him around our world!

3. Single Adults Are Able To Serve Significantly

When working with Single Adults full-time seven years ago, I realized something very important: these guys have the time, energy, and resources to really serve the Lord in the local church! I was thrilled at the end of two years working with Single Adults to know that they were leading the way in ministry, missions giving, and fellowship in our local church. Friends, we have an untapped resource that God has placed at our finger tips, Single Adults who will thrive in ministry if we will train them and allow them to do the work!

4. Single Adults Are Not Afraid To Serve In Missions

Having been involved with missions for some time now, I find that the greatest draw back for many pastors to go to the mission field is their family. They have wonderful families, but they are afraid, like we all are, that their family will suffer and not have the same opportunities that they had growing up. Single Adults are not afraid! I get emails, phone calls, and visits all the time from Single Adults who say something like this, "Pastor John, I would gladly give a year of my life to serve God on a mission field somewhere!" It is my prayer that we will no longer look at these type of statements as youthful zeal, but as a sincere passion to serve Christ abroad. I am finishing criticizing, I want to enable!

5. Single Adults Need To Be Encouraged

There are conferences for every group in our churches except Single Adults. Because of this they are going to shallow, weak, contemporary churches that have compromised the gospel in order to reach them. I firmly believe that the Single Adults that come from the UK and Europe and all across the States to the Single Vision Conference are going to realize that they can still be Fundamental Baptists, love God and love people, and serve God in their local churches and in missions! They will meet with like-minded believers from everywhere that are exactly where they are and can encourage them in their faith and service to Christ! Every speaker at the conference shares in the same passion to really reach the hearts of the Single Adults that attend. I pray that you will visit the website and sign up today for this upcoming conference!

http://www.singlevisionconference.com

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Are Revolutionaries Starting to Recant?

Are Revolutionaries Starting to Recant?