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Saturday, April 05, 2025

The Old Jerusalem Way

If our travels ‘Back to the Bible’ were a road, I would call it the “Old Jerusalem Way.”

In my 40-year journey on the “Old Jerusalem Way,” I have sometimes walked with other travelers and had sweet fellowship for a while – only to find that we merely happened upon the same spot on the same road at the same time, and were actually headed in different directions.


Friday, April 04, 2025

Changing letter formation

In his lesson More On The Work Of F.S. Parris, at about 39 minutes, Bryan Ross mentions changes in letter formation. Yes, this is a change technically, but I wonder if we would even be talking about it if it weren’t for folks in the Bible version debates looking for minutiae to grab ahold of on one side or the other. (I mean folks in general, not in reference to Bryan simply mentioning it in his lesson.) Differences in letter formation is more noticeable in older Bible printings, I suppose, because we are talking about letter formations that are not common today. Yet in our own contemporary reading, I suspect most folks read right over differences in letter formation and never give it a thought. For example, most all type fonts use the “double-story a” and many use the “loop-tail g,” while others use the “open-tail g” and some the “single-story a.” Very few folks actually print their letters in the more common typed letter formations (“double-story a” and “loop-tail g”) when they doing writing it by hand. (See picture above.) (The fonts at places like Google and Facebook usually have the “double-story a” and the “open-tail g.” Who pays any attention to that? Had you noticed?)

This is just an odd thought that jumped out at me as I was listening through Bryan’s video. Letter formation should be a topic of information, and not a debate on something that is right or wrong that has changed in the Bible.

Thursday, April 03, 2025

Paul relates his experience

Paul relates his experience to the crowd at Jerusalem, Acts 22.

Verses 6-11: “as I made my journey…” Now here is what happened.

  • I…was come nigh unto Damascus about noon
  • suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 
  • I fell unto the ground
  • [I] heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
  • I answered, Who art thou, Lord?
  • he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
  • they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid
  • they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
  • I said, What shall I do, Lord?
  • the Lord said…Arise, and go into Damascus… it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 
  • I could not see for the glory of that light
  • [I was] led by the hand of them that were with me…into Damascus.

The book of Acts contains three accounts of Paul’s conversion. The writer, Luke, records the first account as history (Acts 9:1-8). Paul himself gives the second and third accounts, when addressing a mob (22:4-11) and when testifying before Agrippa (26:12-18). Critics make time to mine the accounts for contradictions. They claim that Paul gives two different memories of his conversion, and that his memories contradict each other as well as Luke’s record.[1]

It is a simple fact that there are differences in the accounts. Differences, however, are not necessarily contradictions. All the complaints, save one, are merely that one thing not mentioned in one is mentioned in another. Rather than contradictory, the accounts are complementary and supplementary. A true account told need not include every detail every time. See Appendix T next week for more details.


[1] For example, skeptic and text critic Bart Ehrman writes, “the three accounts differ in numerous contradictory details.” For some critics, this is just a matter of searching for random contradictions to generally discredit the authority of the Bible. For others, it fits into a larger pattern of claiming that Paul, not Jesus Christ, was the founder of Christianity – and then proceeding to try to debunk the reliability of Paul.

Wednesday, April 02, 2025

Baptists in the British Isles, 2025 Update

A few years ago I posted a list of Baptist groups in the British Isles. I am updating it here. It mostly contains links to the groups’ web sites, but also includes a listing of regional associations that are affiliated with the Baptist Union of Great Britain. There is one new group added, and another noted as now dissolved. The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches is made up of mostly baptistic churches, but is not included in the list since it also allows membership of pedobaptist churches.

Alphabetical listing of Baptists in the British Isles.

  I. Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland (formed in 1895, severing links with the Baptist Union of Great Britain)
 II. Association of Confessional Baptist Churches UK (an association of independent churches united by full subscription to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith)
III. Baptists Together/Baptist Union of Great Britain (founded in 1813 in London; re-branded as “Baptists Together” in 2013, though its official and legal name is still the Baptist Union of Great Britain)
         1. Central Baptist Association
         2. East Midland Baptist Association
         3. Eastern Baptist Association
         4. Heart of England Baptist Association
         5. London Baptist Association
         6. North Western Baptist Association
         7. Northern Baptist Association
         8. South Eastern Baptist Association
         9. South West Baptist Association
       10. Southern Counties Baptist Association
       11. South Wales Baptist Association
       12. West of England Baptist Association
       13. Yorkshire Baptist Association
  IV. Baptist Union of Scotland (founded in Glasgow in 1869)
   V. Baptist Union of Wales/Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru (established at Llanwenarth in 1866, the Baptist Union of Wales also cooperates with the Baptist Union of Great Britain)
   VI. Grace Baptist Assembly (established in 1980 through a merger of the Strict Baptist Assembly and the Assembly of Baptised Churches Holding the Doctrines of Grace)
  VII. Gospel Standard Strict Baptists (Gospel Standard magazine began in 1835, and the first Gospel Standard society was formed in 1872)
 VIII. Jesus Fellowship Church (began as a unique group upon disaffiliation by the Baptist Union of Great Britain circa 1986)
   IX. Old Baptist Union (founded in 1880 by Henry Augustus Squire and others)

Note: The Jesus Fellowship Church, aka Jesus’ Army, grew out of the Bugbrooke Baptist Church in Northamptonshire after division from the Baptist Union of Great Britain over differences in policy in practice. It appears that this church has ceased to exist, possibly around 2023. See Jesus Fellowship Redress Scheme report.

Some of the Baptists in the United Kingdom participate in the Baptist World Alliance and the European Baptist Federation.

Tuesday, April 01, 2025

Jesus Fellowship Church

I take this opportunity of saving a record of a baptistic body in the United Kingdom, which appears to now be defunct. The Jesus Fellowship Church, also known as Jesus’ Army, grew out of the Bugbrooke Baptist Church in Northamptonshire. The Bugbrooke Baptist Chapel was built in 1808. The church over the years participated in the Baptist Union of Great Britain and and, much more recently, the Evangelical Alliance. Around 1986, the groups withdrew from the Evangelical Alliance, and was excluded from the Baptist Union of Great Britain over differences in policy and in practice. It appears that this church has ceased to exist, possibly around 2023. See Jesus Fellowship Redress Scheme report for more details. “Worship Time: The Journey Towards the Sacred and the Contemporary Christian Charismatic Movement in England,” a PhD thesis by Esther Elliott, provides an extensive look at this group.

The Jesus Fellowship Church self-described as: “an orthodox Christian group which is reformed, evangelical and Charismatic.” Elliott reports their history, faith, and practice this way:

“As a group it was once a member of the Evangelical Alliance and its activities are frequently mentioned and advertised within the pages of Renewal, a popular magazine of the Charismatic movement. One-time members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Jesus Fellowship consider themselves to be rooted in the Baptist way of faith and practice. Born out of the congregation of Bugbrooke Baptist Church in Northamptonshire the Jesus Fellowship number their participants to date at approximately two thousand five hundred [circa 1998, rlv]. The Fellowship practise communal living, aggressive evangelism, full immersion baptism, speaking in tongues, foot washing and a weekly Eucharistic rite which they call ‘agape’ or the love feast. They believe in God the Father, Son and Holy spirit, the full divinity of Christ, his atoning death and bodily resurrection, the availability of justification by faith to all, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and believe the bible to be the fully inspired word of God.” (“Worship Time,” Elliott, PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, 1999, p 96)

Jesus Fellowship Church is also mentioned in Baptists Around the World edited by Albert W. Wardin, Jr. (Nashville,TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995, pp. 182, 186).

Monday, March 31, 2025

Where the battle rages

It is the truth which is assailed in any age which tests our fidelity. It is to confess we are called, not merely to profess. If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle-field besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he flinches at that one point.

Elizabeth Rundle Charles (1828-1896), in Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family (London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1894, p. 361) This quote is very commonly but incorrectly attributed to Martin Luther.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

When I See the Blood

In the song book in the church where I grew up, this following song had this note: “Foote Bros., not copyrighted. Let no one do so. May this song ever be free to be published for the glory of God.” As a child, I was always impressed by that note. I still am. The song, had it been copyrighted, has long since passed into the public domain. Therefore, most newer books no longer carry that notice, and folks are unaware of this bit of song history

The “Foote Bros.” were John Grier Foote and James William Foote (1860-1952), who were Presbyterian singers and evangelists. They did a lot of evangelistic work around Chicago in the 1890s. In addition to being an evangelist, John also pastored; for example, East End Presbyterian Church in Ottumwa, Iowa. He wrote both the words and music for this song. Then the evangelist brothers marked it as a song not be copyrighted, as they did with other songs written by John. This indicated they believed in freely giving what they had freely received.

John Grier Harper Foote was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, October 4, 1854, the son of John Baldwin Foote and Mary Elenor Harper. His father was an elder in the Presbyterian Church at Salina, Iowa. John G. married Janet Ann Macindoe circa 1894 and they had two children, Mary Elizabeth and John Paul. He died at the young age of 46, on January 4, 1901. He and his wife are buried at the Evergreen Cemetery at Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa.

In 1892, the Foote brothers established a quarterly periodical called Bible Talks.

Since the song was not copyrighted, it is a bit harder to determine exactly when it was written. It appeared at least at as early as 1892, in Honey Out of the Rock, published by Meyer and Brother of Chicago, Illinois. Underneath the song is the note: “By Foote Bros, not copyrighted. Let no one do so. May this song ever be free to be published for the glory of God.” The Foote brothers wished to freely glorify God in his redemption and death, his blood shed on the cross, as our passover sacrificed for us, the chiefest of sinners.

Also two Bible verses were referred to underneath the title:

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13

“Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

1. Christ our Redeemer died on the cross,
Died for the sinner, paid all his due;
All who receive him, need never fear,
Yes, he will pass, will pass over you.

Chorus:
When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
I will pass, I will pass over you.

2. Chiefest of sinners, Jesus will save;
As He has promised, so he will do;
Oh, sinner, hear him, trust in his word,
Then he will pass, will pass over you.
(Chorus)

3. Judgment is coming, all will be there,
Who have rejected, who have refused?
Oh, sinner hasten, let Jesus in, 
Then God will pass, will pass over you.
(Chorus)

4. O great compassion! O boundless love!
Jesus hath power, Jesus is true;
All who believe are safe from the storm,
Oh, he will pass, will pass over you.
(Chorus)

Elisha A. Hoffman arranged a version of the song with the words appearing as follows:

1. Christ our Redeemer died on the cross,
Died for the sinner, paid all his due;
Sprinkle your soul with the blood of the Lamb,
And I will pass, will pass over you.

2. Chiefest of sinners, Jesus will save;
All He has promised, that He will do;
Wash in the fountain opened for sin,
And I will pass, will pass over you.

3. Judgment is coming, all will be there,
Each one receiving justly his due;
Hide in the saving, sin-cleansing blood,
And I will pass, will pass over you.

4. O great compassion! O boundless love!
O lovingkindness, faithful and true!
Find peace and shelter under the blood,
And I will pass, will pass over you.

Besides major additions, Hoffman changes all the phrasing in the four stanzas to “I will pass,” where Foote had “he will pass” and “God will pass.” The tune by John G. Foote in some newer hymnals is called Passover.


prepared by Committee of Synod of Iowa, 1907, page 145

Saturday, March 29, 2025

A New Exposition,and other reviews

The posting of book or film reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.