I love this quote from Schaff, History of the Christian Church about 2nd Century Christianity

But in spite of these extraordinary difficulties Christianity made a progress which furnished striking evidence of its divine origin and adaptation to the deeper wants of man, and was employed as such by Irenaeus, Justin, Tertullian, and other fathers of that day. Nay, the very hindrances became, in the hands of Providence, means of promotion. Persecution led to martyrdom, and martyrdom had not terrors alone, but also attractions, and stimulated the noblest and most unselfish form of ambition. Every genuine martyr was a living proof of the truth and holiness of the Christian religion. Tertullian could exclaim to the heathen: “All your ingenious cruelties can accomplish nothing; they are only a lure to this sect. Our number increases the more you destroy us. The blood of the Christians is their seed.” The moral earnestness of the Christians contrasted powerfully with the prevailing corruption of the age, and while it repelled the frivolous and voluptuous, it could not fail to impress most strongly the deepest and noblest minds. The predilection of the poor and oppressed for the gospel attested its comforting and redeeming power. But others also, though not many, from the higher and educated classes, were from the first attracted to the new religion; such men as Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea, the apostle Paul, the proconsul Sergius Paulus, Dionysius of Athens, Erastus of Corinth, and some members of the imperial household. Among the sufferers in Domitian’s persecution were his own near kinswoman Flavia Domitilla and her husband Flavius Clemens. In the oldest part of the Catacomb of Callistus, which is named after St. Lucina, members of the illustrious gens Pomponia, and perhaps also of the Flavian house, are interred. The senatorial and equestrian orders furnished several converts open or concealed. Pliny laments, that in Asia Minor men of every rank (omnis ordinis) go over to the Christians. Tertullian asserts that the tenth part of Carthage, and among them senators and ladies of the noblest descent and the nearest relatives of the proconsul of Africa professed Christianity. The numerous church fathers from the middle of the second century, a Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Clement, Origen, Tertullian, Cyprian, excelled, or at least equalled in talent and culture, their most eminent heathen contemporaries.

Nor was this progress confined to any particular localities. It extended alike over all parts of the empire. “We are a people of yesterday,” says Tertullian in his Apology, “and yet we have filled every place belonging to you—cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, your tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum! We leave you your temples only. We can count your armies; our numbers in a single province will be greater.” All these facts expose the injustice of the odious charge of Celsus, repeated by a modern sceptic, that the new sect was almost entirely composed of the dregs of the populace—of peasants and mechanics, of boys and women, of beggars and slaves.

Jesus Talks About the Supernatural Attitudes Needed of His Followers

Matthew is a great Discipleship Guide.  I am learning a lot from it.  In Matthew 5 Jesus talks about the supernatural attitudes needed of his followers before they can become fishers of men.

And Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19)

And then he taught them saying…(Matthew 5:1)

Supernatural Attitude # 1:   Humility -“Blessed are the poor in spirit”

What it is NOT?

The “poor in spirit” are not the poor of society.

What Jesus said was revolutionary and always caused uproar even as it does still today, but Jesus was not a Socialist, Liberation theologian, or more closer to home a social or prosperity gospel preacher.  Jesus often refused to feed the poor because they just weren’t getting the propositional truth message that he was the bread of life.  That day, thousands left from following Jesus.  Most of them were poor and hungry. 

The “poor in spirit” are not those of a wise melancholic personality.

Some of the proudest of heart are those most submissive and silent in their rebellion.  Paul and Peter were born with power personalities but like the rest, they had to possess humility. People are not born or bread with humility.  Humility is not something conditioned by culture. While Asian culture has some pretty cool stuff, they are far from “poor in spirit” because they bow to each other and know when to be quiet.  We hear of tyranny and torture everyday in these cultures.  Be careful never to confuse race, culture, or personality with being “poor in spirit”.

The “poor in spirit” are not the religious monastics.

Someone made the observation that the modern evangelical church has lost the vision for true Christian spirituality in that it is a pure reaction to ancient monasticism. Monasticisms taught that self-suffering and self-humiliation would bring the attitude of humility to the soul.  The soul has to be brought under subjection by self. This religion and Law not Grace!  And now, in the 21^st century, the total opposite, but rather, the same thing in a different man centered package.  Instead of “Discover the Worm in You” of monasticism it’s “Discover the Champion in You” of the modern gospel. Where’s the balance?  Both are only taught as man centered means to true happiness and the Blessed life in Christ. Look at all the self discovery books on the market.  We soon discover that neither the Monastic Gospel or the Prosperity Gospel really functions in the real world.  They didn’t tolerate it in the early church either (Colossians, Galatians, 2 Peter, Jude).

What is Humility?

Humilty is the Supernatutal Attitude of the Word filled believer.

Isaias 66:2 – “This is one to whom I will look:  he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word”.

One author says, “Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness” 

This is to be “poor in spirit” without which no one will have real fruit in reaching the lost for Christ or entering the Kingdom of Heaven. 

We won’t take the time to flush that out but one furthur thought about humilty and witnessing..

So, Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  Jesus wants to make his men fruitful.  It is interesting how Jesus will talk about “Removing the mote from your brother’s eye”.  I think we need to use that phrase to describe evangelism to new Christians in the local church instead of the traditional “soul winning”.  I think there would be a lot more fruit because “Mote Removing”   requires that the disciple follow Jesus and be taught and transformed by Jesus before he is commissioned to go and tell about Jesus.  Now that‘s “Personal Evangelism”!  The person is Jesus and following Him you become e powerful witness that knows how to do spiritual mote removal on others.  Man, the eye illustration is POWERFUL!  No one in history has ever said anything better that that.  Jesus is so practical.

Keep one eye on the newspaper my son and the other on the…

“Give me the right to issue and control a nation’s money and I care not who governs the country.” Meyer Amschal Rothschild, International banker

Read this: 

Federal Reserve Plans Review of Bank Pay Policies

The Fed would not actually set compensation but would review — and could veto — pay policies that could cause too much risk-taking by executives, traders or loan officers.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/22/federal-reserve-plans-review-bank-pay-policies/

One more reason to invest in the Kingdom

“The money powers prey upon the nation in times of peace and conspire against it in times of adversity. The banking powers are more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. They denounce as public enemies all who question their methods or throw light upon their crimes. I have two great enemies, the Southern Army in front of me and the bankers in the rear. Of the two, the one at my rear is my greatest foe. [As a most undesirable consequence of the war...] Corporations have been enthroned, and an era of corruption in high places will follow. The money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few, and the Republic is destroyed.” – Abraham Lincoln

“Understand that things are now in motion that cannot be undone“, (The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf realizes that the situation is dire–Frodo must succeed).  

 

 

“Discover the Champion in You” with Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra talks about his new book on Jesus.  He says he will soon be doing Moses…  The Self Conscience Revolution movement has much to do with modern evangelicalism.   And, to the theologians…our view of the Kingdom has huge consequences.  Deepak sais, “The Kingdom of God is within you” and discovering this metaphor for spiritual enlightenment is the Jesus secret.  ”You are gods”, he sais, “One with God”.  In 21st century evangelical vernacular it would be to “discover the champion within you”  Have you taken the bait?

The Demise of Evangelicalism

Source…  http://teampyro.blogspot.com/

Why “neo-evangelicalism” was a monumental mistake
by Phil Johnson

Neo-evangelicalism was a movement among evangelicals whose aim was to make evangelicalism seem more intellectually sophisticated and less polemically combative. The movement was strongly influenced by the early drift of Fuller seminary, led by men who were affiliated with Christianity Today and the National Association of Evangelicals, and driven mainly (I think) by a desire for academic respectability, even at the expense of a clear and consistent testimony.

Harold John Ockenga was an extremely influential voice in mid-20th-century evangelicalism. He helped found Fuller Seminary, Cordon Conwell, and the National Association of Evangelicals. He was pastor for many years of Park Street Church in Boston. He also introduced the idea of neo-evangelicalism and proposed that name in a 1948 meeting at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

The vision as Ockenga outlined it was driven by three priorities: First, it was a repudiation of fundamentalist separatism. Second, it was a summons to social involvement. And third (in Ockenga’s words) it represented a “determination to engage itself in the theological dialogue of the day.”

All three aspects of the neo-evangelical agenda had unintended and unfortunate consequences. The deliberate renunciation of separatism, for example, turned neo-evangelicals against their own fundamentalist brethren (in effect erecting an impassible barrier between the two groups) while deliberately opening the door to fellowship and cooperation with non-evangelicals. The call to “social involvement” was frankly ill-defined, and evangelical social involvement never really materialized on any grand scale, unless you count the rise of the religious Right after the 1970s. And the promised “theological dialogue” never really took place on any serious, sustained level. Instead, the movement trivialized and marginalized its own theology.

In the earliest days of neo-evangelical enthusiasm, the movement included prominent leaders like Harold Lindsell, Carl Henry, and Donald Grey Barnhouse, who were qualified and willing to engage in theological dialogue. But by the end of the century, the mainstream of the evangelical movement could hardly care less about theological dialogue. Evangelical megachurches were best known for their pursuit of shallow entertainments and superficial fads. And somewhere along the line, Christianity Today’s editorial board apparently came to the conclusion that engagement in theological dialogue meant giving a platform to practically every theological anomaly that came along except the old evangelical orthodoxies.

You hardly ever hear anyone (except fundamentalists) talk about neo-evangelicalism these days, but the fact is that neo-evangelicalism completely overwhelmed and commandeered the entire evangelical movement, and that is the primary reason the movement itself is no longer truly evangelical.

Face it: the evangelical movement that our grandparents and great-grandparents knew is dead. Evangelical principles live on here and there, but the label has been appropriated by people who have no right to it. It has been bartered away by those who promised to be the movement’s guardians and mouthpieces—Christianity Today and the National Association of evangelicals being among the chief culprits. But rank-and-file evangelicals are to blame as well, because they were content to abandon their own heritage and run after cheap amusements.

The average American today thinks evangelicalism is a political position or a religious ghetto rather than a set of biblical beliefs.
The task for the remnant who still believe and teach classic evangelical doctrine is to remain faithful and remember that the gospel—not the combined clout of a large politically-driven movement—is the power of God unto salvation.

Discipleship: Men with Chest

There is a church in town that has a huge sign out front the says, “Perfect People Not Allowed”.  John Burk’s book has come to Brazil as well – WhenI first read it I thought, cool, they are trying to fight against religion and declaring the Gospel call to “come and dine”.    But, as I thought much more about Jesus and the early church and the radical call to a righteousness far greater than that of the pharisees I have to consider holding on to the ideia that the culture of  christian community is to be be driven by “grace and truth”.   Yes, come as you are but don’t stay that way very long and call yourself a follower of Jesus.  “God knows them that are his, but let everyone that names the name of God depart from iniquity” or “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature”.  Really, you get what you honor!

I have to wonder if the common pagan of our day is really impressed with the ”Come as you are” mentality.  Are we taking away something of the Gospel by using this as our drawing card?   Imagine a gym in town with a sign out front that says, “Fit people not allowed”.  Sure, I would feel more comfortable their but, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE GYM?  How about a sign that says, “If any man come after me let him take up his cross”  Now that has both grace (come) and truth (take up his cross).

I love what C.S. Lewis sais about culture in his Abolition of Man and creating a culture that produces “men with chest”.  He argues that the mind is powerless against the passions without the will, or chest. Paul speaks of this as well in Romans 7.  What is it that creates men with chest, or men with the courage to say “no” to the passions?  It’s a culture of freedom (grace) that has absolutes (truth) in balance.   Liberty is a complex subject I know, but we all know that freedom without truth creates a culture of caos.  I wonder if churches that open themselves up to the “rock culture” which really go hand in hand with the “come as you are” philosophy are really enjoying the wonderful “culture of Liberty” thy espouse.  I wonder if the pastors laboring in this culture as well are able to see the kind of “transformation” they would really like to see – disciples with chest that have the “fear of God” in their hearts taught by a grace and truth culture. 

Lewis says, “And all the time—such is the tragi-comedy of our situation—we continue to clamour for those very qualities we are rendering impossible.  You can hardly open a periodical without coming across the statement that what our civilization needs is more “drive,” or dynamism, or self-sacrifice, or “creativity.”  In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function.  We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.  We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”

Praying for the Lost

Praying for the Lost by John MacArthur Adapted from Alone with God, © 1995 by John MacArthur. All rights reserved ——————————————————————————– Before Jesus gave up His spirit as He hung on the cross, He took time to pray for those who were murdering Him. He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). God began to answer His prayer on the Day of Pentecost as some three thousand people repented and were baptized that day, and there have been countless multitudes that have been saved through the centuries. In response to Jesus’ intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12), God has snatched many souls from eternal death. Do you have a heart to pray for the lost like Jesus did? Do you have the passion that inspired John Knox to plead, “Give me Scotland or I die”? Is your attitude that of George Whitefield, who prayed, “O Lord, give me souls or take my soul”? Do you, like Henry Martyn, mourn when you see others trapped in false religion and cry out, “I cannot endure existence if Jesus is to be so dishonored”? God used those faithful men as powerful tools to bring salvation to dying people. Each of them had a clear and vivid understanding of what is at stake in the gospel–it’s an issue of life or death, an eternity in heaven or hell. Do you realize that your unbelieving family members, your co-workers, and your neighbors will spend forever suffering in torment away from the presence of God if they don’t embrace Christ? That realization should drive you to your knees to plead, not only with them to believe the gospel, but with God to save their souls. The seventeenth-century English Puritan Richard Baxter wrote, Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbors. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? (cited in I.D.E. Thomas, ed., A Puritan Golden Treasury [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1977], 92) It is one thing to pray for family and friends, those for whom you have natural affections. But God wants you to pray for all people. Paul writes, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Kings and people in authority in Paul’s day weren’t bound by civil rights and were often unjust, self-serving, and cruel. Do you pray for the salvation of people like that–those who disagree with you politically, those who advocate ungodly agendas, those who openly embrace sin and reject the Scripture? The Bible has several examples of radical evangelistic prayer, and for the worst of sinners. Here are a few examples: Moses interceded for Israel after catching them in orgiastic idolatry at the foot of Mount Sinai. After he confronted and dealt with their sin, he turned to the Lord and prayed, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin–and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” Moses was willing to forfeit his life for his people, even though they were guilty of wicked rebellion! While being stoned to death, Stephen followed the Lord’s example by praying for the salvation of his executioners: “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60). Standing among those who killed Stephen was a young man named Saul of Tarsus. His salvation was an answer to Stephen’s prayer. Years later, the apostle Paul communicated the depth of his concern for his people Israel, and in Romans 9 he sounds very much like Moses: I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, [...]Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. (Romans 9:1-3; 10:1) His brethren according to the flesh, fellow Jews, were the very ones who persecuted him so severely, disrupting his work, stirring up mobs, even plotting his assassination. And yet he loved them and prayed that God would show them mercy. God honored those men’s prayers for the souls of the lost; He’ll honor yours too. Whether friend or foe; whether moral or immoral; whether you know them or not–pray for the lost. For those God brings your way, open your mouth in love and compassion to tell them the truth. Warn them of God’s judgment for their personal offenses against his holiness, but then tell them the good news. There is salvation in Jesus Christ from God’s eternal wrath, if they will only repent and believe. Once you’ve told them the truth, keep praying for them and trust God for the results. You will rejoice as you see God use you to save people from their sins and grant them new life in His Son.

On Jesus and the “best” method of evanglism

Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening – Evening, July 28

“Who went about doing good.” — Acts 10:38

Few words, but yet an exquisite miniature of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are not many touches, but they are the strokes of a master’s pencil. Of the Saviour and only of the Saviour is it true in the fullest, broadest, and most unqualified sense. “He went about doing good.” From this description it is evident that he did good personally. The evangelists constantly tell us that he touched the leper with his own finger, that he anointed the eyes of the blind, and that in cases where he was asked to speak the word only at a distance, he did not usually comply, but went himself to the sick bed, and there personally wrought the cure. A lesson to us, if we would do good, to do it ourselves. Give alms with your own hand; a kind look, or word, will enhance the value of the gift. Speak to a friend about his soul; your loving appeal will have more influence than a whole library of tracts. Our Lord’s mode of doing good sets forth his incessant activity! He did not only the good which came close to hand, but he “went about” on his errands of mercy. Throughout the whole land of Judea there was scarcely a village or a hamlet which was not gladdened by the sight of him. How this reproves the creeping, loitering manner, in which many professors serve the Lord. Let us gird up the loins of our mind, and be not weary in well doing. Does not the text imply that Jesus Christ went out of his way to do good? “He went about doing good.” He was never deterred by danger or difficulty. He sought out the objects of his gracious intentions. So must we. If old plans will not answer, we must try new ones, for fresh experiments sometimes achieve more than regular methods. Christ’s perseverance, and the unity of his purpose, are also hinted at, and the practical application of the subject may be summed up in the words, “He hath left us an example that we should follow in his steps.”

Pray for Evangelism Campaign – August 29-September 6

A group of Baptist churches in our state are getting together to evangelize at the international  fair.   100,000 tracts have been purchased and they have allowed for Hope Baptist Church’s address and contact info to be printed on the tracts.  We praise the Lord for this opportunity.  Pray for great fruit in our state and souls to be saved.

Expointer is an international fair