6 Language-related links -- kinds of tongues

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked. [The Pentecostal Church link demonstrates that some go so far as to posit three kinds of tongues]

* A Response to Bart Barber's Questions regarding the Relationship of Tongues in Acts and 1 Corinthians 12-14 -- "Glossolalia is not speaking in foreign languages that one has never learned. The phenomenon of which Paul spoke had no vocabulary, recognizable grammar, and syntax through which thoughts were being communicated elsewhere in the world."
* Are there different types of "speaking in tongues"? -- "Still others claim 1 Corinthians 14.2 refers to a special prayer language."
* The Gift of Tongues: Comparing the Church Fathers with Contemporary Pentecostalism -- "Chrysostom...saw the phenomenon in Acts (in both its nature and function) as identical with that in Corinthians."
* Three types of speaking in tongues -- "There are three types of speaking in tongues.  Each type has a different purpose."
* Two Kinds of Tongues? -- "The idea that the tongues in 1 Corinthians are categorically different from the tongues in Acts is a distinctly modern charismatic interpretation."
* Two Types of Tongues? -- "Throughout chapter 12, the gift of tongues is closely associated with other gifts including the gift of prophecy and the gift of the interpretation of tongues."

Sovereign Ruler of the Skies

Sovereign Ruler of the skies,
Ever gracious, ever wise;
All my times are in thy hand,
All events at thy command.

His decree who formed the earth
Fixed my first and second birth;
Parents, native place, and time,
All appointed were by him.

He that formed me in the womb,
He shall guide me to the tomb:
All my times shall ever be
Ordered by his wise decree.

Times of sickness; times of health;
Times of poverty and wealth;
Times of trial and of grief;
Times of triumph and relief;

Times the tempter’s power to prove;
Times to taste the Savior’s love;
All must come, and last, and end,
As shall please my heavenly Friend.

Plagues and deaths around me fly
Till he bids, I cannot die;
Not a single shaft can hit,
Till the God of love sees fit.

John Ryland (1753-1825)

Academics get it right

...but for the wrong reason.

The Blaze's article Self-Professed ‘Bible Scholar’ Makes Explosive Allegation About Jesus That He Believes Could Rock the Christian Faith to Its Core tells about "self-professed Biblical scholar" Joseph Atwill's theory that Jesus is an historical myth -- "that Roman aristocrats manufactured Jesus Christ."

The claim is hokum because it is hokum. But scholars and academics attack the claim because "there is no evidence that he has relevant qualifications or research to his name."

Academics have chimed in and more will chime in to debunk Atwill's research based on the fact that "he went to school for computer science" and is not a biblical scholar. This is a common method in Western societies for rejecting any claim. Fact is, it is bogus. Oh, yes, of course anyone can claim anything about things of which they have no knowledge. But the fact they don't have a degree in it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have any knowledge of it. Whether they have no knowledge of it is the determining factor, not how many letters they have behind their names.

I'm not supporting Atwill, just reasoning that we need to be careful in our reasoning. We must debunk things on what is said and its factual support, not who said it.

Link it all about

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

* Answering the ‘new atheists’ -- "For many years, atheism has been patronizing to Christian theists—they would pat us on the head and say, you can be allowed your silly little superstition. But it’s beginning to dawn on them that they might lose, and they’ve panicked."
* Deaf Composer Regains Hearing the Joy of Music -- "Einhorn said he can still use his training and 'imagination' to compose."
* Is Church Membership Biblical? -- "When you begin to look at these texts it becomes clear that God’s plan for his church is that we would belong to a local covenant community of faith. This is for our own protection and maturation, and for the good of others."
* Listening to Young Atheists: Lessons for a Stronger Christianity -- "...the church, in an effort to attract more young people, wanted Jim to teach less and play more. Difference of opinion over this new strategy led to Jim's dismissal...The church got what it wanted: the youth group grew. But it lost Phil."
* Learning from Young Atheists: What Turned Them off Christianity -- "It’s something most Christian parents worry about: You send your kids off to college and when they come back, you find they’ve lost their faith."
* Motorcyclist had key role in NYC SUV brawl -- "Lien was on the ground when bystander Sergio Consuegra stepped in between him and the bikers, Consuegra recalled at a news conference with local officials."
* The Power of Eye Contact: It's a Myth -- "Don’t force yourself to look into the other person’s eyes more than you naturally would..."
* Truth Through Personality -- "The fact that God uses different personalities not only makes preaching dynamic; it also makes preaching difficult."

Institutionalism Cause for Broken Down Condition

Institutionalism Cause for Broken Down Condition by E. E. Jones

We are evidently in the Laodicean age of the church, a lukewarm condition. We wonder what the cause is. I think that with one word we can give the principal reason – “institutionalism”. The churches, speaking in the general sense, are institutions, but we speak of institutionalism outside the pale of the churches. The characteristic features of an institution affect the social and national character of a people. We believe the foundation that ushered in the Laodicean age was laid in about 1814. About this time a great field was opened to Baptists. Instead of the independent churches cooperating in a scriptural way, they took counsel of their doubts instead of their faith, followed the general trend of the times, produced consolidation and centralization. Direction of mission endeavor was placed in human bodies. Organizations were formed to direct the energies of the churches and these organizations assumed control.

Baptists have to their sorrow placed the emphasis in the wrong place, and thus they have belittled the churches. These new organizations with their assumed authority have taken the management of the churches and have weakened the sense of responsibility the churches once felt, placing the churches in a secondary place in evangelism. These outside organizations have assumed ecclesiastical authority.

Boastful claims of a wealth of wisdom, education, culture, superior leadership, and a spirit of predominance characterize this age.

From The Baptist Defender January 28, 1941 (as reprinted in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. III, No. 3, May-June 1995, p. 4)

Latest long list o' links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

6 Questions for Atheists, Unbelievers, and the Unchurched
7 False Thoughts of a Pastor or Church Planter
All The Ekklesia Have Voices
An Exposition of the Book of Revelation
An Unspoken Assumption that Needs to be Spoken
Bowling Green, Comeback Churches, and the Landmark Baptists
Common Myths about Plurality
God
How NOT to Leave a Church
I know what you say you believe, but I am hearing something different
Is feminism a source of good in the church?
Liberty law professor-- 'evangelicals worse than Catholics in sex abuse cover-up'
Luther Douglas Perdue
Prof/pastor examines Scripture's storyline
Text Driven Preaching
The Power of Music
Training children for their good
What are the Main Types of Baptist Church Polity?
Whatever Happened to “Surrendering to Ministry”?
When is a Baptist Church Independent?

Baptism -- Everything, Anything and Nothing

BAPTISM - EVERYTHING, ANYTHING & NOTHING by John Leland

Baptism, by some, is made everything; by some, anything; and by others, nothing. The Episcopalians make it everything; they say that the water is blest to the mystical washing away of sin; that, by it, children are regenerated, and engrafted into the body of Christ, which is everything we need. The Methodists make it anything; either sprinkling, pouring or immersion. No matter how it is done, if it is done. Can it be supposed that Jesus, who was faithful in all his house, in the character of a son, should be less definite in his orders than Moses was, who was only a servant? See (says the Hebrew prophet) that thou makest the tabernacle, in all things, according to the pattern shown to thee in the Mount; and is the pattern of Jesus of no more use than to be made anything of? That which is to be done but once in a man’s life, should be well done. Are the words of St. Paul inapplicable here? “One baptism.”

The Quakers make it nothing; but when they regard the word of God more, and the word of Barclay less, they will then find baptism, not only to be a command, but the first command, after repentance and faith.

If baptism is everything, Simon, the witch, is gone to heaven, and the thief dropt from the cross to hell. If it is anything, we may say of it, as Mr. Wesley does of praying time, “Any time is no time.” And if it is nothing, why is the noun, with its verb and participle, recorded almost one hundred times in the New Testament? If men can be perfect or obedient in all things, without it, what means this bleating of the Scriptures which I hear?

From The Writings of the Later Elder John Leland, (as published in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. III No. 4, July-August 1995, p. 3)

9 Quotes about ministry

“We forget that God's primary goal is not changing our situations or relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy.” -- Paul David Tripp

“Always have a book to read, instead of indulging in vain conversation. Strive to learn English....Remember this, that you cannot commit some loved sin in private, and perform the work of the ministry in public, with facility and acceptance.” -- Christmas Evans

“A piece of paper doesn't make you a pastor any more than making predictions makes you a prophet.” -- D. R. Silva

“It is a thoroughly anti-christian doctrine that the Spirit of God, and therefore the life and governing power of the Church, resides in the ministry, to the exclusion of the people.” -- Charles Hodge

"There are some Baptists who will not be a brother to any other Baptist unless he is a twin brother." -- E. Y. Mullins

“When discipline leaves a church, Christ goes with it.” -- John Dagg

“The greatest misconception in most churches today is that if we simply give good directions, we can delegate the work of the ministry and expect good outcomes” -- Matt Smethurst

“When you go fishing, don't eat the worms.” -- Steve Brown

“Preaching is the communication of truth through personality.” -- Phillips Brooks

Let the redeemed say so

We are living in a time when Baptist churches are extremely careless in receiving members — careless with those they receive by experience, careless with those they receive by letter, and careless with those they receive by statement. This article will deal with loose practice as it relates to those who are received on relation of experience and are requesting baptism.

Many are received having never given any profession of faith or testimony of a born again experience. The pervasive practice of asking leading questions, raising hands when every head is bowed and every eye is closed”, repeating someone else’s prayer, and signing cards has won the day among a majority. Instead of requiring an experience, John R. Rice suggests: You make the plans to take him to some good Bible-preaching church. Sit by him in the services. Walk forward with him and tell the preacher, “My friend here has trusted Christ and wants you to know it and wants you to tell the people that he has been saved.”1 Notice this third hand confession — a second party tells the pastor, and the pastor tells the church. John the Baptist would never have put up with such, and neither should we! Such practices of hyper-evangelism and easy believism have invaded the old Baptist faith. Beware! 

Even churches that are not involved in these questionable evangelistic methods often only require an applicant to relate his experience to the pastor and not to the church. Equally as bad is that some Baptists have reversed their stand against infant baptism and are now receiving 3 and 4 year olds. Anyone old enough to say yes and no at the right time can join some Baptist churches — they won’t even bother to find out if they understand what they’re doing. This is a very dangerous practice. I may be closed—minded, but I’ve never seen a 4 year old who has come to an age of understanding about sin and salvation.

The practice denounced by our brethren in the 1800’s as Campbellism — to simply confess belief in Jesus as the Son of God — now prevails in most Baptist churches (if they require that much). Alexander Campbell taught “that baptism should be administered to all who say they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, without examination on any other point.”2  He ridiculed mourning over sin, repenting of sin, or having any kind of “experience” of salvation. Chapter 8 of Christian’s History of the Baptists, Vol. 2 and Chapter 9 of Origin of Campbellism by J.H. Milburn are good resources on this philosophy.

What is the reason for such things? There are several motivations. First — to increase church membership. Some preachers (and churches) have no scruples. They will do anything, receive and baptize anyone, just to enlarge their church roll, have “the largest Sunday School” or “the fastest growing church”. They seem to feel the end justifies the means. Pray that they might see “the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Still others are compromisers. They don’t want to turn anyone away lest they hurt someone’s feelings. They don’t ask for a profession of faith lest it prove embarrassing to the person asked to relate their experience. They don’t want to cause any stir in the church. They are influenced by what others think.

Some have no concern for relating an experience because they themselves have no experience of salvation which they could relate. Some are plainly deceivers of the lost. Perhaps some are just misguided, having never been taught the proper way to receive members. Whatever the reasons — they are wrong!

The biblical pattern of receiving members requires a profession of faith (relating an experience of salvation). True biblical practice requires confession with the mouth. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:10).” “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God (I John 4:15).” A born again Christian has an inward desire to confess Christ and will not be ashamed to express his hope. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Rom. 5:5).”

John the Baptist required credible evidence of salvation from all he baptized (Matt. 3:6-9). Should we require any less? I think not! His converts confessed their sins and gave evidence of repentance. He also expected to see fruit of their conversion in their lives. Too many are afraid to mention sin or preach repentance. They only mention believing and require no other belief than the devils have (Jas. 2:19). Oh that we might be fearless men for God like unto John the Baptist and stand on the same Bible ground where he stood.

Other verses that should be noted on this subject are Psalm. 66:16; Mark 8:38; Acts 2:41-47; 8:29-38; 19:18; & Rom. 10:9. The fact simply put is this — because salvation is a personal experience with God, the church will never know of our experience unless we tell her.

Notice the writing of a few Baptists not too many years ago in order to see that requiring a profession of faith was held up until recent years by most Baptists.

J. M. Pendleton in his Baptist Church Manual (1867) states, “Persons wishing to unite with a church must give an account of the dealings of God with their soul8, and state the ‘reason of the hope that is in them’.. .Great care should be exercised in receiving members. Many churches err at this point. They do not observe the requisite caution; For they receive persons who give, to say the least, very imperfect evidence of piety (p. 17-18).”

In a memorial sermon for Z. N. Morrell (1803—1883), pioneer Texas Baptist preacher, M. V. Smith said, “He (Morrell) condemned surface work in the revival meeting, deplored laxiness in receiving members, and insisted on purging our churches, as far as possible, of unregenerated material. He believed IN COMMON WITH THE GREAT BODY OF BAPTISTS (emphasis mine), that if the heart was changed, an applicant for membership could, in some way, make it known; and he was opposed to the increasing practice of asking leading questions of applicants for baptism. He said, ‘If they know anything of sin, penitence, faith in Christ, and the joys of salvation, they can tell it.’ Peter and Z. N. Morrell believed in heartfelt religion.”3

Edward T. Hiscox finished Principles & Practices for Baptist Churches in 1893. “The old Baptist way, from times immemorial,” - says Hiscox, “is, to have - persons wishing to unite with the Church to come personally before it and ‘relate their experience,’ tell what the Lord had done for them and in them. . . candidates must come personally before the Church and speak for themselves. And this custom should be heroically maintained. They need not plead timidity, and say they cannot speak in the presence of others. They deceive themselves. If they have experienced anything, they can say something about it. If their hearts have been changed, they can speak of it. If they know they love God, they can say so (p. 68,69).”

Cobb’s Baptist Church Manual (1941), under the heading “Reception of Members,” tells us, “He is usually asked to relate his experience of grace. Many churches have, through the influence of preachers who want to make a show of members, gotten away from the old and scriptural way of receiving members into their memberships. The excuse is often offered that the new convert is timid and does not know what to say, but the Spirit that regenerated a heart can loosen a tongue to make a profession of Christ. . .Even though some statements may be awkwardly expressed, Christ will be. glorified in their professions, and a church will be spiritually strengthened (p. 49-50).”

In The Church Covenant: My Sacred Vows (1957) Albert Garner advises, “A personal, public confession of faith is required of the Lord from every man before he is a fit subject for baptism (p. 8).”

The statements of these men show what has been the practice of Baptists, as well as showing that Baptists must be ever on guard against encroachments on this practice. In not requiring professions of faith from new converts, we make it easy to add unregenerate men and women to the church. We soon become so loose in our practice that our churches are not “adding daily such as should be saved” but rather filling empty pews with empty people. We also rend from the new convert the blessing of making an earnest public profession, as well as stealing from the church the possibility of being edified by that profession. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” that Christ may be glorified. Let us firmly guard the ancient and God—honouring practice of requiring new converts to make a public profession of faith.

1. p. 31 Personal Soul Winning: How to Do It, by John R. Rice, Sword Publishers, c1961 
2. p. 78, A Baptist Source Book, by Robert A. Baker, Broadman, c1966 
3. pgs. 423, 424, Flowers & Fruits from the Wilderness, by Z. N. Morrell, Baylor, c1872, 1976
(Originally published in The Baptist Waymark)

The glorious gospel!

The law and gospel distinguished. (L.M., Hymn 121, Isaac Watts)

The law commands, and makes us know
What duties to our God we owe;
But 'tis the gospel must reveal
Where lies our strength to do his will.

The law discovers guilt and sin,
And shows how vile our hearts have been;
Only the gospel can express
Forgiving love and cleansing grace.

What curses doth the law denounce
Against the man that fails but once!
But in the gospel Christ appears
Pard'ning the guilt of num'rous years.

My soul, no more attempt to draw
Thy life and comfort from the law;
Fly to the hope the gospel gives;
The man that trusts the promise lives.

2 Kinds of Churches

Church should be a covenant relationship. Yet many churches promote consumer relationships. A covenant relationship is a relationship with commitment, communication, devotion and determination. It cannot be lightly broken. It is entered by the commitment of two parties (church & individual) to put Christ absolutely first and observe their responsibility toward one another. A consumer relationship by a church and to a church is when a church offers and a person picks where to go to church based on perceived needs (but usually simple "wants"). The person leaves when he or she senses that the needs (wants) cease to be met. Such a trivial pursuit accounts for both "church hopping" and "missing in action" members. Tim Keller describes these kind of churches being like grocery stores -- “Where can I get the most spiritual product for the least cost?” 

Commitment seems to have gone out of style in our society. A "till death do us part" vow is quickly reinterpreted to mean that we can part because our "love" has "died". A contract to pay may soon be avoided by filing bankruptcy. The church that God surely "led you to" rapidly and amazingly morphs into the church that God is leading you away from!

Are you looking for a retail church that gives you the "best for less", or are you looking for a covenant relationship?

7 quotes

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” -- John Maynard Keynes

“Children are the messengers we send to a time we will not see.” -- Copied

“The Bible is exciting. It takes a preacher to make it dull.” -- Howard Hendricks

"We in America have been socialized to believe that our own dreams, goals, and personal fulfillment ought to take precedence over the well-being of any group--our church or our family, for example--to which we belong. The immediate needs of the individual are more important than the long-term health of the group. So we leave and withdraw, rather than stay and grow up, when the going gets rough in the church or the home." -- Joseph H. Hellerman, When the Church Was a Family, p. 4

"Attendance at a wedding is not a neutral act. The history and context of the wedding ceremony identify all those present as agreeing to the rightness of the marriage and acting as witnesses to the exchange of vows." -- Al Mohler

"More tears have been shed over answered prayers than unanswered prayers." -- unknown

"Whatever injury persecutors may do or attempt to do to a Christian, they cannot rob him of his God. They may destroy his body; they cannot destroy his soul. They may wound his reputation; but they cannot wound his conscience. They may strip him of all his earthly goods; but they cannot lay their unhallowed hands upon the treasure which God has lodged in his breast." -- J.C. Philpot

Prayer Better Than Lawsuits

John Leland wrote:

Samuel Harriss, of Pittsylvania, Virginia, was converted and called to preach, about the year 1758; on which he quitted all his honorary and lucrative offices, and applied himself to the work of an evangelist. A train of seriousness followed him; and, for a number of years, he was more blessed of God than any man in the southern states. His preaching was not much fraught with the wisdom of man, but so full of simplicity, zeal, and the Holy Ghost, that judgment and eternity would seem to be present before himself and his hearers. His heart was so full of burning love to the souls of men, that his domestic concerns fell into derangement, while he was seeking to pluck them as brands out of the fire. Finding, at length, the absolute need of providing more grain for his family than his plantation had produced, he went to a man (whose name I do not retain) who owed him a sum of money, and addressed him thus:

Harriss. Sir, I should be very glad if you would let me have a little money. 
Man. Mr. Harriss, I have no money by me, and, therefore, cannot oblige you. 
H. I want the money to purchase wheat for my family; and, as you have raised a good crop of wheat, I will take that article of you, instead of money, at a current price. 
M. I have another use for my wheat, and cannot let you have it. 
H. What will you do? 
M. I never intend to pay you until you sue me, and, therefore, you may begin your suit as soon as you please.

H. To himself, “good God, what shall I do? shall I leave preaching for a vexatious law-suit? Perhaps a thousand souls will perish in the time. I will not. Well, what will you do, Harriss? This I will do: I will sue the man at the court of heaven.” Having resolved what to do, the colonel retired into the woods, and, falling on his knees before the Lord, opened his mouth to this effect: “Lord Jesus, thou hast redeemed my soul from hell and sin, and thou hast called me to preach faith and repentance to my fellow men; but, while I am doing it, my family is like to suffer. Blessed Jesus, a man owes me, and will not pay me unless I sue him. I am in a great strait - O, Lord, teach me what to do.” In this address, the colonel had such nearness to God, that (to use his own words) Jesus said unto him: “Sam, I will enter bondsman for the man - you keep on preaching, and omit the law-suit - I will take care of you, and see that you have your pay.” Mr. Harriss felt well satisfied with his security, but thought it would be unjust to hold the man a debtor, when Jesus had assumed payment. He, therefore, wrote a receipt in full of all accounts which he had against the man; and dating it in the woods, where Jesus entered bail, he signed it with his own name. Going the next day by the man’s house to attend a meeting, he called a little negro to the gate, gave him the receipt, and bid him deliver it to his master. On returning from meeting, the man hailed him, and said - M. Mr. Harriss, what did you mean by the receipt which you sent me by the boy? 
H. I mean just as I wrote. 
M. You know, sir, I have never paid you. 
H. Yes, sir, I know it. I know, moreover, that you said you never would, except I sued you. But, sir, I sued you at the court of heaven, and Jesus entered bail for you; and I thought it would be unjust to hold you in debt, when I had got so good security, and, therefore, I sent you that receipt. 
M. I insist upon it, it shall not close in this manner. 
H. I am well satisfied - Jesus will not fail me. Farewell. 

A few days after this, the man loaded his wagon with wheat, and carried it to Mr. Harriss.

From The Writings of the Late Elder John Leland, as published in The Baptist Waymark, Vol. III No. 2, March-April 1995, p. 3

Linked to variety

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

* ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ Really?? -- "Few verses are more quoted than Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” The verse is almost always misquoted and misused."
* Is Anything in Scripture Non-essential? -- "All other doctrines or beliefs can be called 'non-essentials' which only means they do not relate to matters of salvation or eternal life. That doesn't mean they are unimportant."
* Scalia, Kuyper, and a “Christian” View of Economics and Politics -- "A Christian should not support a government that suppresses the faith, or one that sanctions the taking of innocent human life, just as a Christian should not wear immodest clothes."
* Selecting Music for Worship (Part 3): Know Your Church -- "Each church is a unique combination of gifts, experiences and expectations. Each is a spiritual house built from unique living stones."
* What the Bible Says About the Government Shutdown -- "We are suffering from trying to make our own way in life without asking God. We want power to use for our own ends and desires."
* White Evangelicals More Likely to Believe God Gave Israel to Jewish People Than American Jews -- "...even Jews who do believe in God are less likely than evangelicals to believe that God gave the land that is now Israel to the Jewish people."

Reports from the body of Christ: a Footwashing

Once in the year, the body of Christ at Sandy Valley meets for communion and footwashing. It is a high and holy day for the body, and one that arouses curiosity outside the body. As usual the service was preceded by the hymn singing for about an hour. The order of service was then changed with a long concert of prayer, followed by a more rousing than usual sermon by Reverend Peacock. Following Peacock's sermon, Elder Hasselben from Possum Creek spoke on the bread and wine, which was then duly served to the body. Next Elder Poden Tate spoke on the footwashing as the deacon's brought buckets of water for the footwashing pans from the pristine Sandy Branch.

The body of Christ at Sandy Valley had no less of human nature than any other. None wanted to add embarrassment to their humility as they bared their weary and worn feet to all around. The day before the rite preparations were made -- feet were washed, toenails were carefully trimmed, toejam deposits were removed and the best socks (without holes or with as few as possible) were chosen. At least for those who could help it. Sandy Valley teens also had no less of human nature, and that included pulling pranks that would doubtless later occasion a trip to the wood shed.

Before turning in for the night, Deacon Hod Dobbs prepared for the footwashing the next day. He laid out the clothes he would wear, including a nice pair of dark socks. Sure that he was asleep by the sound of his snoring, several grandchildren took those socks. Turning them inside out, they artfully rubbed them with soot from the fireplace. They then turned the socks right side out and placed them back in their place as if nothing had happened. And the old Deacon suspected nothing had happened. His brisk walk to the meeting house did its dirty work and set Deacon Dobbs up for his fall. Right there before God and everybody in the house, he exposed the fact that he really needed a thorough footwashing!

Following Deacon Dobb's footwashing, the water in the pan was no longer pristine and from that day forward he no longer wore socks to the annual communion and footwashing. 

[The grandchildren confessed and took their whooping. Unbeknownst to them, the old man interceded with his son to give them a light licking.]

Firm Foundation

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; 
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; 
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 
Isaiah 41:10

Fear not; I am with thee; O be not dismayed;
I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
The Sacred Harp, p. 72 (stanza 3)

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; 
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: 
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; 
neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Isaiah 43:2

When thru the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
The Sacred Harp, p. 72 (stanza 4)

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: 
I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Isaiah 46:4

E’en down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

A link in time

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

25 Signs You’re Addicted to Books
Errors of Campbellism
Half of evangelicals believe prayer can heal mental illness

Liberated From Ideological Captivity: Becoming Creative, Ecumenical And Hospitable
Our Baptist Heritage -- "This site is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Baptist history."

Some Wacky, Cruel, and Bizarre Puritan Names

A scathing letter of disownment

In a story from a pro-gay youth organization, we read about a father who disowns his homophobic daughter in (publicized) letter. From his side of the story the daughter is evil. She disowned her son and kicked him out of the house because she found out he claimed to be gay, was living a homosexual lifestyle, or something along those lines (details not available). The Yahoo Shine author says that "Many parents get it and are expressing their unconditional love in various ways."

I wonder whether all the ravers for unconditional love missed the irony that the father who wrote that a parent disowning a child “goes 'against nature'” turned around and went against nature and disowned his own child? Maybe two wrongs do make a right!? (Or maybe good sense doesn't matter when you are focusing on promoting a particular agenda.)

3 more thoughts on child sexual abuse

Back in July I posted some thoughts on the subject of child sexual abuse. My intention was to follow that up in a week or so with a second post. I got busy and distracted and forgot to do so. A comment on that post yesterday brought this back to my attention. I want to address 3 other aspects of the subject.

Where is the opportunity for repentance and redemption?
Some ask, "Where is the opportunity for repentance and redemption in this?" Perhaps this is the most difficult question of all. As church members and forgiven sinners, we must extend forgiveness to other sinners. We pray, "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" recognizing that if we do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will our Father forgive our trespasses. Yet what does forgiveness of the child sex abuser look like? We easily talk the talk, but who among us would hire such an one to babysit our children or grandchildren? And would forgiveness of this sin even faintly look like that? There is a need for the child sex abuser to repent, make restitution if and when in any way possible (not sure what that would look like either). Perhaps one thing that such repentance would look like is that the repentant child sex abuser would not allow himself to babysit your children or grandchildren! Where is repentance, and what does it look like? I solicit the advice of any readers who can give us further scriptural instruction in this area.

Innocent until proven guilty
In discussing the "Mahaney case", some respondents cautioned others "to remember the American judicial system maxim of 'Innocent until proven guilty'." Some went so far as to suggest that a church must wait until an abuser has been convicted in court of wrongdoing before taking any action. Since anyone can accuse anybody of wrongdoing, caution requires that we wait and see if the accusations are true before taking action. Churches do need to wait on the truth, but they don't have to wait on "the law".

I fully support our the American judicial system principle of "innocent until proven guilty." The presumption of innocence is absolutely essential to the criminal process in our judicial system. A defendant comes before the court with an assumed innocence that requires the government/prosecution to prove the guilt of a criminal defendant. The defendant or his council does not any burden to prove his or her innocence. If the prosecution can prove it satisfactorily to a judge or jury, the accused is "not guilty".

This can be misunderstood in applying it to a situation of alleged child abuse in a ministry/charity (e.g., a children's home) or by an individual. A church that supports a ministry accused of wrong-doing does not have to depend on the court finding someone legally guilty to decide whether to sever their relationship and withdraw their support. A church does not have to depend on the court finding someone legally guilty to decide whether to exclude a member if the offense occurred within the church's knowledge. A church (or an individual Christian) can make her (or his) own moral judgment as to the guilt or innocence of a ministry they support or of a church member, and then act accordingly. Legal innocence and actual innocence are not necessarily the same thing. A cautious and judicious approach by a church is necessary and exemplary. But a legal proceeding might result in a declared legal innocence where there is no actual innocence -- for example, a person getting off on a technicality of the law. In such a case a church is well within its rights and responsibility to exclude the legally innocent offender, or to cut off support of the "officially" innocent ministry.

What if it is not against the law?
It occurs to me that in every crevice of creation what we in America consider child sexual abuse might not be unlawful. Probably in most developed countries it is, but minister's serve and churches exist in all parts of the globe. It is important that we not tie child sexual abuse only to the idea of unlawful activity. It is also immoral activity. If a church is gathered in a place where child sexual abuse is lawful, the church still does not have to accept it as moral. Even if the law will not act on the offender, the church can. No, they don't take the law into their own hands and deliver some kind of vigilante justice. But they can and should act swiftly to put the offender out of the fellowship of the church and "deliver such an one unto Satan."

In the last two points I feel a large degree of confidence. In the first I struggle with the proper relationship of genuine forgiveness, the practical application of that forgiveness, and the continued protection of children from abuse.

Tribute to the Civil War Surgeons

From 2011-2015 the 150th anniversary of the "Civil War" is being recognized. At the beginning of the Twenty-First Annual Conference on Civil War Medicine I thought I would post this "Tribute to the Civil War Surgeons." This quote specifically addresses Southern surgeons, but it was doubtless true of all faithful surgeons who served during these tragic times.

"The Southern surgeons were the first to succor the wounded and the sick, and their ears recorded the last words of love and affection for country and kindred, and their hands closed the eyes of the dying Confederate soldiers." -- "Formation of the Medical Corps of the Confederate Army and Navy," Joseph Jones, M.D., The Medical History Of The Confederate States Army And Navy, Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol. XX., Richmond, VA, January-December, 1892.