Baptist Friends

I was invited this year to speak at the first annual Independent Baptist Friends International Conference hosted by Dr. Clarence Sexton at the Temple Baptist Church and The Crown College in Knoxville, Tennessee.  As I look back at the meeting, there are several truths that stand out to me that I would like to share with you:

The Truth is the greatest need of this or any generation- John 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We have the inspired Word of God in the Authorized Version- 2 Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Being around people with the right spirit refreshes your soul- Daniel 6:3  Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

The right friends are critical to your own well being- Proverbs 27:17  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

World evangelism is our mission statement- Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The local church is God’s plan for this age- Ephesians 4:11-12  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  (12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Bible preaching is ordained of God to share His message- Romans 10:8-9  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  (9)  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.

Good music stirs the heart to worship- Psalms 149:1  Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Some people will not be happy no matter what you do- 1 Corinthians 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

We have a wonderful heritage as fundamental Baptists- 2 Timothy 2:2  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Our message is the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, nothing else- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  (4)  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

While I can only speak for myself I believe it was a great meeting!  I came away with these tangible changes in my life.

I want to love my people greater that God has given me to Pastor.

I want to study, memorize, and use more Scripture in my preaching.

I want to lead my people to help start churches in America.

I want to lead my people to be more actively involved in world missions by both going and giving.    

It is hard to believe that anyone could be upset about Truth, Friendship, and World Evangelism; but as it goes, I am sure there are some who question motives or decisions about this meeting.  With that in mind, I share one final piece of advice that my father gave me years ago, that Dr. Curtis Hutson gave him, about doing something for the cause of Christ.  He said, “Don’t waste time defending yourself.  Your friends do not need you to and your enemies won’t believe you anyway.”  I pray we go forward with Truth, side by side with Friends, for the cause of World Evangelism. 

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On Tiger Woods from Tom Ziglar

Integrity and Tiger Woods
I love this quote from Dad:
“The number one tool in your sales arsenal is your integrity” Zig Ziglar
This past month we have seen Tiger Woods loose hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements for one simple reason: he has lost his integrity.
Growing up I was keenly aware of some very “old fashioned” rules that Dad set for himself. Things like never having a meeting alone with a woman, or allowing a woman to pick him up from the airport. As a business person in this day and age I am sure a lot of people thought Dad was just little to hard core. But you see, Dad is a master of the game of life, just like Tiger is a master of the game of golf.
In golf, if you have a short par 4 with water in front of the green, the wise shot is to lay up with a club that will not reach the water hazard. It would be stupid to hit driver, and besides, you can still make birdie from the center of the fairway and you take double bogey out of play.
Life is the same way. Sure, you can live close to the hazards of life without going in, but all it takes is one miss-hit and you have lost your integrity. Why take the chance?


From Pastor-

Zig Ziglar understands the value of integrity in sales, how much more for the Christian when presenting the gospel with our lives! The Christian's testimony is the most valuable possession he or she has! "Pro 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."

Peroxide vs Bleach (Reposted From Dave Noffsinger)

I got this in an an e-mail from a preacher friend of mine (Benny Carper). It is a little unusual for me but I was very interested in it and thought some of you might be as well. It was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. "I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide."Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!"Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops.."Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this:
1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the20bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out.. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash...
2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.
3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe down your countertops, or spray it on the counters directly.
4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to Kill salmonella and other bacteria.
5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of Peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.
6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.
8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.
9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get t o a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it20for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
10... Put half a bottle of peroxide into your bathwater to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections..
11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.Repeat if necessary.
12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this."I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without!"With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!"

From Cary Schmidt on Cell Phone Use and Kids

Suggested Family Cell Phone Guidelines
By Cary Schmidt August 22, 2009

Seems like kids are getting cell phones younger and younger these days! This post is one I’m only doing because of requests. Several years ago, as our boys became teens, we decided to get cell phones for them—primarily so we could get a hold of them in relation to school and youth group outings. It was a good decision, but a scary one too!
Aside from triple checking that the phones couldn’t access internet, picture mail, and other features—we also had a family meeting on that first night. With my computer open, we sat together and hammered out some family guidelines for how we would use these phones. The following ten guidelines are what we came up with. They are as much a product of the kids as the parents input.
Here’s what we wrote that night as a family:
Having a cell phone in the Schmidt family is a privilege, not a right! As a privilege, it must be earned by mature, responsibility.
It’s a tool, not a toy.
The primary purpose of these cell phones is for communication with mom and dad, so that we can stay connected as a family.
Any infraction of the following rules will result in the loss of all cell phone use immediately.
Cell phones must be cared for properly. They get charged every night, they are never to be in your pocket during play times.
Cell phones are not to be used during school or church.
Cell phones are not to be loaned to friends. Friends may use the phone only to make a quick call to parents when there is no other option.
Calls may be made or received to family and approved friends only.
All calls should be as brief as possible.
Calls to or from girls are not permitted.
All calls must have a specific purpose. No chit-chatting or idle talking is permitted.
No text-messaging, except to mom or dad. (this one has since been revised slightly)
You will be required to pay for your own bill, if you use more minutes than allowed.
The funniest result of these guidelines was the day (a couple years later) that I got my iPhone and started playing a game. Larry immediately quoted my first line, using his best “dad-impersonation” voice— “Cary—a cell phone is a tool not a toy!” We both laughed real hard at that—and that rule was quickly revised!
These lines have been occasionally crossed (usually out of forgetfulness) over the years, which made us very glad we had talked through them. They gave us a reference point for correction and appropriate discipline. They’ve pretty much remained in tact over the years—although, they will be revised as these guys grow older.
These may not be your same guidelines, but maybe they will get you thinking and talking as a family! Please share your thoughts and additional comments.