Ergun Caner talking about Jesus...worth the watch...

Blessings!

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege to baptize Allie Atcheson. She is a young elementary student who accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She completely understand that her baptism was in obedience to Christ and was a testimony for others to see.

What made it such a HUGE blessing was that I baptized her father, Brandon, when he was in my youth group. Now...it definitely ages me...BUT nothing was more of a blessing than to see God's grace touch that little girl's heart becuase her dad and mom shared the love of Christ with her. To know that I was there for two generations was a blessing to me. Glory to God for His grace.

What is equally cool is that this weekend I am performing Rob Copeland's wedding. Rob was in my youth group, came back to teach in our church youth group, and has simply lived for Christ daily. He now lives in Seattle, but I am here getting to be a part of the ceremony as he and Kristin exchange vows.

What can be a greater blessing than to see kids you taught and shared with follow Christ? It is truly an amazing feeling.

Serving Christ is truly full of blessings!

An interesting read!

A Very Brief Introduction to Baptist History, Then and Now

by Bruce Gourley, Baptist Historian(Baptist Origins; The Reformed Debate; The Southern Baptist Controversy and Beyond)

Those who would research Baptist history via the Internet be warned: there is an abundance of information about Baptist history, but most of it comes from biased perspectives which are fed from personal agendas.

There is a long-held saying among Baptists: when you get two Baptists together, you get three different opinions! This is most evident when one reads online Baptist history resources: many seem bent on proving that their particular view of Baptist history is the one and only true understanding of Baptist history.

History, in fact, is subject to various (and often contradictory) interpretations. Baptist history is not exempt from the interpretive confusion. Indeed, Baptists are even in disagreement over how they originated!

Views of Baptist Origins
1. Outgrowth of English Separatism -- In this view, the Baptist faith originated from within the Separatist movement, a movement which arose in Europe with the goal of breaking away from the Church of England (which previously had broken away from the Catholic Church, yet retained many of the trappings; those within the Church of England who wished to remain a part of the Church and yet purify it became known as "Puritans;" they were, in a sense, cousins to Separatists). The influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists is considered minimal, according to this viewpoint. The earliest Baptist church is traced back to 1609 in Amsterdam, with John Smyth as pastor. The group's embracing of "believer's baptism" became the defining moment which led to the establishment of this first Baptist church. Shortly thereafter, Smyth left the group, and layman Thomas Helwys took over the leadership, leading the church back to England in 1611. This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted view of Baptist origins. Representative writers include William H. Whitsitt, Robert G. Torbet, Winthrop S. Hudson, William G. McLoughlin and Robert A. Baker.

2. Influence of Anabaptists -- This view holds that although Baptists originated from English Separatism, their emergence owes much to the earlier Anabaptists. According to this view, some early Baptists were influenced by some Anabaptists. The Dutch Mennonites (Anabaptists), for example, shared some similarities with General Baptists (believer's baptism, religious liberty, separation of church and state, and Arminian views of salvation, predestination and original sin). However, other than this, there were significant differences between Anabaptists and Baptists (Anabaptists tended towards extreme pacifism, communal sharing of earthly goods, and an unorthodox optimistic view of human nature). Therefore, few Baptists hold to this theory of Baptist origins. Representative writers include A. C. Underwood and William R. Estep. Among some contemporary Baptist scholars who emphasize the faith of the community over soul liberty, the Anabaptist influence theory is making a comeback.

3. Continuation of Biblical Teachings -- Some Baptists "seek to go back beyond the Anabaptist movement to trace the continuity of Baptist forms of faith through the centuries" (Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage, page 56). While advocates of this view do not claim a succession of organized Baptist churches (see below), they believe that Baptist faith and practice have existed since the time of Christ. This view has a few advocates, including a number of early Baptist historians, many of whom were concerned with presenting the validity of their faith (denomination) over and above that of other denominations. Some representative writers of an earlier era include Thomas Crosby (one of the earliest Baptist historians, he wrote in the early 1700s), A.H. Newman and David Benedict.

4. Succession of Baptist Churches -- This viewpoint goes beyond mere "continuation of biblical teachings" and declares that Baptist churches actually existed in an unbroken chain since the time of Christ and John the Baptist. Commonly referred to as "Landmarkism" or the "Trail of Blood" theory (J.M.Carroll wrote a book of supposed Baptist history by this name), this view declares that those churches which stood outside the influence of the Roman Catholic Church at various times in church history were, in actuality although not in name, Baptist churches. Refusing to embrace infant baptism, these churches rejected the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church as a Christian entity. However, many of the historical churches which Landmarkists label as Baptist churches were actually heretical in regards to doctrine. Nonetheless, the "Landmarkist" view, despite little actual historical support, remains popular among certain Baptists. The reason for its moderate popularity (and, indeed, strong popularity among some rural Baptists in the southern and western United States) stems to some degree from a long-standing dislike of Catholics by many Baptists. Representative writers of this viewpoint include J.M Carroll, G.H. Orchard and J.M. Cramp. It should also be noted that much of the Baptist history material thus far posted on the Internet is Landmarkist in nature, indicating that Landmarkers remain a vocal lot.

The Reformed Debate
In addition to the long-running debate over Baptist origins, a new debate is now prominent in Baptist life: the question over whether or not Baptists (and particularly Southern Baptists) are historically Calvinistic. The Founders Journal (see below), along with Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is doing an admirable job in championing the belief that Southern Baptists have always been strict (5 point) Calvinists. Their efforts do fall short of the truth, however, for although Baptists (including Southern Baptists) have certainly been influenced by Calvinism, they have also been much influenced by Arminianism, which historically served to moderate Calvinism and produce a warmly evangelistic theology as mirrored in the Great Awakenings. Most Baptists today hold beliefs from both Calvinistic and Arminian schools of thought. The current Calvinistic debate about Baptist history has reached the point where it is now affecting many Baptist churches throughout America. The reader will note that a number of the online Baptist history resources listed below are from the Reformed (or Calvinist) perspective. The reader should also note that within the past few years, some Reformed (or Calvinist) Baptists have shifted to using the milder-sounding terminology of "doctrines of grace" rather than "Calvinism."

The Southern Baptist Controversy and Beyond
Finally, the 1980s to the present have witnessed a new fundamentalist controversy (also often referred to as a "political" and / or "biblical" controversy) within the largest Baptist denomination, which has altered the course of Southern Baptist history, and Baptist history in general. The minority fundamentalists, now firmly in charge of the national Southern Baptist Convention, have changed the direction and nature of the Convention, resulting in the first statistical decline of the denomination in some 75 years. They have sought to re-fashion Baptist history to reflect their theology and their insurgency, and as a result have caused much confusion about Baptist history among Baptist laity and the general populace.

Whereas Baptists have historically been non-creedal, the fundamentalist leadership of the SBC has forced creedalism upon Southern Baptists through the implementation of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Whereas Southern Baptists have traditionally believed in the Priesthood of all Believers, the fundamentalist leadership positions pastoral authority above the Priesthood of Believers. Whereas Baptists have historically held to the authority of Scripture and looked to Jesus and the Holy Spirit as the criterion for interpreting the Bible, the fundamentalist leadership claims that looking to Jesus and the Holy Spirit as the authority for faith is a liberal position. Instead, they have positioned the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, and/or a modern interpretation of Biblical authority known as "inerrancy," as the only valid way in which to approach Scripture.

At the state Baptist level, many traditional state Baptist conventions are asserting their autonomous rights in distancing themselves from the creedalistic, fundamentalist SBC, refusing to enforce the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.

The year 2004 witnessed a significant new development within the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC leadership defunded the Baptist World Alliance, charging (with no merit) that the BWA is a liberal, un-American institution. In response, many state Baptist conventions and local Southern Baptist churches have increased their support of the BWA.

In 2006, a rupture within the Southern Baptist Convention occurred, as some younger (conservative) trustees of SBC agencies are accusing the older leadership of being too narrow-minded; the older leadership, in turn, views the younger leadership as being too liberal; latest skirmish demonstrates the nature of fundamentalists' quest for purity.

During the last three years, Southern Baptist leaders have publicly and repeatedly lamented the decline of the SBC, yet remain convinced that fundamentalist theology is not to blame. The problem, they maintain, is a lack of evangelism.

During the course of the Southern Baptist controversy, a number of new entities have come into existence to champion the very historic principles and cooperative spirit that the SBC leaders have long since abandoned. These include the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship organization, evidencing the trappings of a denomination and including numerous state and regional organizations. Other moderate Baptist organizations, many of whom partner with CBF, include the Baptist Center for Ethics, Baptist Women in Ministry, the national news journal Baptists Today, the Associated Baptist Press, Smyth & Helwys Publishers, some fourteen new Baptist seminaries / divinity schools, and other entities. As the Southern Baptist Convention continues its exit from traditional Baptist life and deeper into non-denominational, evangelical, political fundamentalism, these new entities will play a significant role in maintaining a Baptist witness in America and the world.

For more information on current events in this ongoing struggle from a traditional Baptist perspective, visit BaptistLife.Com, Mainstream Baptists, The Baptist Standard or Baptists Today. To view the fundamentalist perspective, go to Baptist Press, SBC Life, or Baptist2Baptist.

A published chronology of this controversy (through the mid-1990s) can be found by clicking here.

Iranian Couple Risk It All to Follow Christ

by Kate Gregory

International Mission Board
“Davoud” felt so disillusioned with life that he sank into a deep depression.
He wasn’t destitute. Far from it. Davoud was successful in the entertainment industry in Iran.

He brokered motion picture deals and created artwork that hung above fireplaces in the capital city of Tehran.

He had a good home life. He loved his wife. He knew he should be happy.

But he felt hollow inside, like nothing really mattered. He tried to push these feelings aside by burying himself in work, but they kept creeping back, weighing heavier each time.

My life “was meaningless because my heart was empty,” Davoud recalls.

Barriers to faith
He shrugged it off when a friend told him the reason for his depression was that Christ was missing from his life. Most Iranians know of Jesus Christ because He is believed to be one of many Islamic prophets. For Iranians to try to convince others in the Islamic Republic that

He is more than that can be punishable by prison or death.

When other friends accepted Christ, Davoud and his wife, “Susan,” still weren’t interested. Fear wasn’t their primary reason for rejecting Christ, it was disdain for religion of any sort.

When Davoud and Susan got married, they agreed that religion was something to be tolerated at special occasions.

Both of their families followed religious practices out of obligation and necessity. It was clear to the couple that religion as they knew it had nothing to do with the heart.

Susan was caught off guard by the joyful outlook of a friend who had accepted Christ.Up to this point, religion and religious people — including her extended family of strict Muslims — seemed cold and removed.

Finally Susan’s curiosity piqued. She wondered who God really is, and her friend seemed to know.

When her friend led her to Christ a short time later, “It was love, real love, pure love,” says Susan about who God is.

Jesus loves me
Susan’s face softens into a deep, lingering smile when recalling her discovery of God’s love.

“When I pray to God and when I think, I can talk to God directly,” she says, “at that time I can understand how God loves me and how much I love Him.”

Growing up she felt “… always behind a barrier so you cannot touch a real God. But in Christianity, I can reach Him very easily. I’m always open to hear Him, to interact with Him.”

Davoud’s first thought when Susan told him about becoming a Christian was: “Don’t react. After a while, she’s going to forget [her impulsive decision] and everything [will] be the same.”

But Davoud couldn’t shake his feelings of restlessness and discontentment. He had recurring daydreams in which he was drawn to a group of people sitting in a circle. When they realized someone was approaching, the group stood up and turned to him.

Going crazy?
He decided not to seek professional help. He was afraid people would think him crazy, which is how he felt. But his experience as a filmmaker helped him resolve the mysterious dream.

“I figured out that I can do something in that dream,” Davoud recalls. “I can act. Until that day, I was the audience of a movie but as soon as I figured this out, I started shouting and yelling —
‘What do you want from me? Who are you people?’”

The circle parted, and a man with an intent look asked him, “Have you suffered more than I have?”

Davoud says he realized “with all the cells of my body” that he was receiving a spiritual message.
But he wanted to be sure what it meant, so he consulted a Christian friend. The friend congratulated him for receiving a personal invitation from the One he had been trying to introduce Davoud to for a long time.

This time, Davoud accepted God’s invitation. “After that, I did not feel depressed anymore,” he says.

Following Christ
Davoud has learned that being asked, “Have you suffered more than I have?” didn’t just pertain to his salvation but also to his Christian life, which wouldn’t always be easy.
“God came to save me from my spiritual problems, but you can still encounter problems in life in Iran especially if you become a Christian,” says Davoud.

There is a saying in Iran that being a Christian isn’t a problem unless you’re an active one.
But for Christians, that’s a problem.

“If you try to give people [the] Holy Bible, if you have a place, a room for Christian books, if you openly invite people to Christianity and do other things helping people to get to know Jesus Christ, you are considered an active Christian,” Davoud explains. “If you have a house church, you are an active Christian. If you help people to get baptized, you are an active Christian.”

A price to pay
Davoud and Susan had to leave Iran or risk imprisonment when some of those forbidden activities were discovered. Within less than a week they made arrangements and left behind almost everything they had.

They are now seeking refugee status in another country. They still face restrictions about what they can do and where they can go. Davoud longs to practice his art again. Susan sometimes wonders why rebuilding their lives is such a struggle, but they refuse to surrender to self-pity.

They are active in a house church.

“When you read Acts, you don’t find yourself lonely,” Davoud says. “So, we [Iranian Christians] are experiencing this truth — that our Lord was tortured, He was insulted and He was [put to death] in the most brutal way.

“We are His followers.”

Names in quotation marks have been changed.

Disturbing Report

Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 "...narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." He further says in Matthew 11:27, "Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one the Son wills to reveal Him."

With finality...Jesus proclaims in John 14:6, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Yet...the following news report from Fox News is very disturbing...

Americans: My Faith Isn't the Only Way to Heaven
Associated Press - Tuesday , June 24, 2008

America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don't feel their religion is the only way to eternal life — even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.

The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

"The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. "There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences," he said.

Earlier data from the Pew Forum's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, released in February, highlighted how often Americans switch religious affiliation. The newly released material looks at religious belief and practice as well as the impact of religion on society, including how faith shapes political views.

The report argues that while relatively few people — 14 percent — cite religious beliefs as the main influence on their political thinking, religion still plays a powerful indirect role.

The study confirmed some well-known political dynamics, including stark divisions over abortion and gay marriage, with the more religiously committed taking conservative views on the issues.

But it also showed support across religious lines for greater governmental aid for the poor, even if it means more debt and stricter environmental laws and regulations.

By many measures, Americans are strongly religious: 92 percent believe in God, 74 percent believe in life after death and 63 percent say their respective scriptures are the word of God.

But deeper investigation found that more than one in four Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and Orthodox Christians expressed some doubts about God's existence, as did six in ten Jews.

Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent "absolutely certain" of it.

"Look, this shows the limits of a survey approach to religion," said Peter Berger, a theology and sociology professor at Boston University. "What do people really mean when they say that many religions lead to eternal life? It might mean they don't believe their particular truth at all. Others might be saying, 'We believe a truth but respect other people, and they are not necessarily going to hell.'"

Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, said that more research is planned to answer those kinds of questions, but that earlier, smaller surveys found similar results.

Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent).

By similar margins, people in those faith groups believe in multiple interpretations of their own traditions' teachings. Yet 44 percent of the religiously affiliated also said their religion should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices.

"What most people are saying is, 'Hey, we don't have a hammer-lock on God or salvation, and God's bigger than us and we should respect that and respect other people,'" said the Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

"Some people are like butterflies that go from flower to flower, going from religion to religion — and frankly they don't get that deep into any of them," he said.

Beliefs about eternal life vary greatly, even within a religious tradition.

Some Christians hold strongly to Jesus' words as described in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Others emphasize the wideness of God's grace.

The Catholic church teaches that the "one church of Christ ... subsists in the Catholic Church" alone and that Protestant churches, while defective, can be "instruments of salvation."

Roger Oldham, a vice president with the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention bristled at using the word "tolerance" in the analysis. "If by tolerance we mean we're willing to engage or embrace a multitude of ways to salvation, that's no longer evangelical belief," he said. "The word 'evangelical' has been stretched so broadly, it's almost an elastic term."

Others welcomed the findings.

"It shows increased religious security. People are comfortable with other traditions even if they're different," said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance. "It indicates a level of humility about religion that would be of great benefit to everyone."

More than most groups, Catholics break with their church, and not just on issues like abortion and homosexuality. Only six in 10 Catholics described God as "a person with whom people can have a relationship" — which the church teaches — while three in 10 described God as an "impersonal force."

"The statistics show, more than anything else, that many who describe themselves as Catholics do not know or understand the teachings of their church," said Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput. "Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members."

Ahh...These Lead to The Dark Side

By Brian L. Baker

Ok…I admit it…I am a Star Wars fan. I get mesmerized watching Jedi-knights swinging light sabers at one another. Yes, I think the Millennium-Falcon is the coolest ship ever. This past month I happened to catch of the Star Wars movies and the little green wise-guy, Yoda caught my attention.

Yoda makes this statement, “"Beware of the dark side. Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight."

Now…I don’t believe in the force, but I do believe that evil exists and sin is a real issue in our lives. Further, Jesus, the really all-powerful ruler of the universe, addresses the same issues throughout his ministry. Take a look…

• Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”


• Matthew 5:22 – “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment.


• Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.”

When we become angry…when we seek our own fulfillment…when we constantly worry, then we put ourselves in a position to be disobedient in our walk with the Lord.

Let’s look at what it means to be MEEK. The dictionary defines MEEK as “humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.” It is easy to let gossip become a provoking stimulus in our lives. We get worked up and upset when we let negative thoughts invade our lives. Being meek in the church means to be humble and patient, even times of adversity. Even when times are rough we must remain calm.

Then there is the issue of ANGER. It is easy to get upset. In fact anger can feel good, especially when we think we are right. However, we should be cautious about our anger. It is easy to get angry in a church full of people with different ideas, hopes, and wants. It is easy to find disagreement. It is easy to dwell on it.

Yet, we are warned about anger. When ANGER becomes the prevailing emotion in our lives, we lose sight of what God can do and what He is doing. Add WORRY to the mix and you will find another stumbling block. There is no doubt that WORRY leads to ANGER and the loss of self control. We let emotions begin to rule our lives rather than the Word of God.

Christians must understand that we will go through difficult times and that the Christian walk is not a joyous, euphoric ride down the yellow-brick road. There will always be monkey’s chasing you. For examples and references see Jacob, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Job, Hosea, and Jonah.

Now…think about this…

In March we had the largest free-will giving month in our church’s history. In a time where we saw dire situations arising, God provide our every need and then some. Look over the past year, and even in adversity God has provided at every turn.

Yet, I heard someone say, “Well, what about the next time we hit a rough spot?” Or better yet, I heard another person say, “The same problems just plague us.”

Welcome to LIFE folks. Why worry about the next time? Jesus warns us about worry…and reminds us that he takes care of the birds of the air and the flowers of the field AND He will take care of our every need. We simply must remain faithful.

Yep, the same problems exist generation after generation. It is funny to hear someone say that because God faced the same complaints from the Israelites time and time again. To paraphrase Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Yes, we will face hard times again JUST LIKE we have faced them in the past. Yet, each time God has provided…and His will has been done.

We are called to do only one thing…be faithful. This is easy to do when things are going good. However, when things get tough what do we do? We quit being meek and we embrace worry, which leads to anger, which leads to complaining. Then we are just like the Israelites asking Moses to take us back to Egypt where we were much better off being slaves.

Oh, my friends and family…my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us strive to shake the bonds of worry and anger. Let us strive to be like Job, faithful and committed to God even in difficult times.

Yes, it may look like we are losing ground. Maybe you feel from time to time that some of the church ministries are falling and crumbling. However, remember Job. Just when it all seemed to end, God provided and did so more abundantly than before.

God has given us so much…

Last August we entered into a time of prayer for our church, school, and ministries. We had a need to reach 165 students to meet financial needs and accreditation needs. God answered that prayer with 7 foreign exchange students.

Then, we needed our Christian school sports program to do well. This past year our football program saw more fans and more financial gain than the previous year.

Our church and school helped organize the annual auction and put together a Rock-A-Thon event. That even raised the funds needed to meet specific needs at that time. Further, in that same we moved into our new auditorium.

In the fall, during our spiritual emphasis week, we say children and adults come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

During the last year we saw the Heartland orchestra and choir grow. Have you noticed that on recent Sunday’s, the choir loft is all-but-full? Plus, the past year saw the development of the Heartland Jazz Band. Recently, the their benefit concert raised over $3,000 profit.

Time and time again, God has provided our every need. Why worry about the next problem? Let us rejoice in the blessings and victories God has provided right now. Our God warns us NOT to worry. He knows that worry leads to anger. He knows that anger leads to division.

Do you know what happens when God is good? The devil gets mad and starts poking around. He is looking to create worry. He is looking for something to get angry about. Don’t let the devil tag you. Trust the Lord…even in the hard times. After that great giving in March…that is when some new complaining began. “What about next time” or “This always happens” or “We can’t seem to have it smooth” are all comments I have heard. I say to you "why worry?" Remember that not even the Son of God had a place to rest His head. Yet, God provided His need. He provided the disciples needs. He provides for the birds of the air. He provides for the flowers of the field. He will provide for us!

God is doing great things in our church. The devil is going to try to attack that and bring worry and anxiousness into our midst. Get ready…it always happens.

Keep your eye on Christ…trust Him…and He will direct your path. Stay away from worry and anger. Amidst adversity, embrace a meek heart and serve each other with gladness. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. He is here and He is working.

Mark 12:41-44

41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

Remember...be faithful to the Lord in your giving...