God's Word or Man's Word?

I believe that the Bible is God's Word for many reasons. It was inspired by God, but, written down by men.

Here is one example of why I believe that based in logic and reason...man does not truly show the faults of the chosen and exalted among them.

As an example, I give you Margaret Sanger, who started Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood in their documents refuse to show her as she truly was, a racist, a hater of the nuclear family, and biased against the handicapped.(1) They instead says she is "heroic" just "imperfect. They then proceed to show her supposed good points while excusing her "imperfections." They state that she her relationship with eugenics was "nuanced" because she used the word "voluntary" not mandatory. But this was only true because she had no authority to make it mandatory. She embraced eugenics fully and in 1921 published an article entitled, "The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda."(2) In this article she states, "...we are convinced that racial regeneration like individual regeneration, must come 'from within.'" She was clearly stating that racial imperfections needed to be purged willingly, not that racial diversity was good. She HATED minorities, but, according to her defenders that is just an "imperfection." That is just one example of how mankind writes about its heroes.

But God's Word is completely honest about humanity! In the Bible God shows men such as Abraham and David (Two of the greatest heroes of the faith) in all their failures as well as their successes. God held nothing back as we are told of Abraham's lies and David's adultery and murder. Why? Because God wants us to know that He uses imperfect people and thus, in my mind, this helps to validate that the Bible is God's Word not man's. Man hides the failures, while does not.

The Bible is not about exalting mankind but about showing the fragility of humanity and the impact that sin has upon us...even in our "heroes." If man alone wrote the Bible, why would the failures of the "heroes" be so pronounced and transparent? Mankind does not work that way, but God does.

For some, this is not enough to prove the validity of God's Word as divinely inspired, but, to me, it is just another proof that I have chosen to accept. One of many, I might add.

1.https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/b5/d4/b5d47c32-89f2-45d9-b28c-243cb85f3f55/sanger_fact_sheet_oct_2016.pdf

2.https://www.nyu.edu/projects/sanger/webedition/app/documents/show.php?sangerDoc=238946.xml

What does modern “Christianity” often look like?

When we look at modern "Christianity" we often see a very blurry picture when compared to the Word of God.  In a day when the unsaved world needs Christians to truly be different from the way of the world, the supposed Christian community are living a lifestyle that is a mirror image to the  philosophy and ideology of the secular world around them.  It is time for us to consider where we stand and where God wants us to stand

Though not all modern Christians appear as this article presents, it is safe to state that there are many who seem to have the following characteristics:

1. They reject that God’s Word can be absolute truth in favor of general truth.  They would state that each translation is equally as valid as every other translation, regardless of its textual foundation or translation method.  It does not matter which translation you use as long as you read one, because if its easy to understand and grasp then it is God’s Word.
2. They reject that a relationship with God MUST be based upon both spirt AND truth, because how you feel about God overrules the truths of certain absolute doctrine.  They would state that if you “feel” God and your style of worship makes you feel closer to God then it is valid worship regardless of doctrinal purity.  It does not matter what elements are a part of that worship, even if those elements were first used in paganism or are not biblically sound.
3. They reject absolute truth is IN EVERY doctrine.  They would state that only certain “key” doctrines are necessary and any others are either unimportant or secondary.  It means that if a person/church believes in the “key” doctrines then rejection or disunity on secondary doctrines should be ignored.
4. They reject the biblical definition of holiness is necessary.  They would state that if people are “coming to Christ” then God must be in that.  It means that even if the people being added to that group are not leaving behind their sinful life or thinking, all is well, because the people are “coming to Christ” and being “saved.”
5. They reject that the local church and the direct participation in that local church are necessary for Christian growth.  They would state that since they think that the church is also universal in nature, whatever aids in personal “growth” is from God and therefore good, even if that pulls them away from the local church.  It means that the measure of Christianity is not in our participation with others within the local church but in our level of personal comfort and joy.
6. They reject that Bible knowledge is not the measure of spirituality but the feeling of being close to God.  They would state that since God is a spirit, if our spirit feels close to Him then we are more close to Him.  It means that God places our personal “closeness” ahead of our Bible knowledge and they are not equal in nature.

Please note that none of these things above are found in Scripture but they are clearly found in much of modern Christianity.

Truths About “Christmas” That Every Christian Can Accept

At this time of year we hear many words used to describe December 25 but one word seems to come out of the mouths of most Christians to describe the day - commercialism.   Now mind you that can be true if your standard of Christmas is what the unsaved world is doing leading up to December 25, then, YES, it is a clearly a financial bonanza for most stores and commercial to them.  But is that all there is to Christmas?  Let me share a few things that EVERY Christian should be able to accept about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

1. The exact date is really not an issue.  There is much debate about the exact date when Jesus was born.  Since the Word of God does not give us an exact time, there are some who say that they point to some markers in the Scriptures such as Zacharias’ service in the Temple, Luke 1:5.  These folks then work their numerical determination from that, based upon Old Testament passages and come up with dates that vary from early March to late May.(1)  While some use the same information and say it was exactly June 17. (2)  Still others say it was sometime in October. (3)  While a few even set the date between September 16 to 29th.(4)  And then there are groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, that say they don’t know the date, but that the selection of pagan holiday December 25 was selected by Catholic popes to “Christianize” it.  But to be honest, the date is not important or God would have given it to us in His Word.  So let’s not get stuck on any date as a marker of unchangeable truth, because it is not.
2. If celebrating Jesus’ birth is wrong then we shouldn't celebrate our own birthdays.  To be fair, it is true that some people just don’t like celebrating birthdays of any kind.  That is usually because of a fear of getting older and not some biblical belief, I might add.  But I have never found any Christian that said it is wrong to honor people of their birthdays.  Even the most ardent anti-Christmas Christian will call their mother and father to say “Happy Birthday” and send cards or gifts to friends to let them know they are thinking of them.  This is a simple way to show that birthday person that we remember their special days and want to show them that we love them.  I do not think anyone is upset by the actual celebrating of Jesus’ birth, but the supposed pagan date, potential pagan symbolism, and the general “commercialization” of the event.  So, let’s agree to celebrate Jesus’ birth and honor Him - by giving Him ourselves and singing praises to Him not Santa Claus or snowmen.  If we chose to go beyond that, it must be a personal decision, but, let’s start with the proper celebration for/of Jesus’ birth. 
3. If there was no birth, there would be no risen Lord.  Jesus’ birth was for one purpose - the payment for the sins of mankind.  He came to earth to live, die, and rise again for our redemption.  However, we all must accept that if Jesus was not born then He could not die and rise again.  It is point of simple logic as well as biblical truth.  Notice, however, the emphasis God placed upon Jesus’ arrival.  First, He made sure all the world knew that His Son had been born by sending a star to mark the path to Bethlehem.  Then He allowed that star to remain in place for potentially two years as the wise men travelled to worship Jesus, Matthew 2.  Next, God places in Paul’s mind and heart the truth about the importance of Jesus’ coming to earth through the woman (birth) in Galatians 4:1-7.  And finally, and this I find simply amazing, how often God uses the word “born” to describe a person’s walk with Him.  Do a search and see for yourself how the term “born” describes so much of the Christian experience - John 3:1-16, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:1-18, and so on.   To God the birth is crucial to the life, both physically and spiritually.  Yet, Jesus’ birth is just as important as His death and Resurrection, as they cannot be separated because of personal disdain for a certain day or mis-use of that day.
4. Every day is to be equally celebrated by Christians by worshipping their Lord.  There has always been conflicts between Christians over personal views of certain events and activities.  Today, groups separate from other groups over dress, music, and whether there is a television in the house or not.  I have even known some people to leave churches because there was an American flag at the front of the church.   With these types of conflicts among Christians today, is it any wonder that Paul wrote in Romans 14 about the conflicts over things such as meat offered to idols and whether any particular day was pagan or not? (And yes, that is the context of Romans 14:5-8, pagan/religious holidays being used by some yet being rejected by others!)  The focal point is a phrase in verse 5, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”  If you are convinced that December 25 should be just like every other day of the year then all is well for you, but so is the conscience of those see December 25th as a special day to celebrate Jesus’ birth!  The real point MUST be that we always remember that Jesus is Lord and make EVERY day a worship event.

There is little doubt that Christmas has become a major commercial windfall for businesses.  But it can also be a tremendous opportunity for Christians to openly talk about the first half of Christmas - CHRIST.  The choice is up to the individual on how that takes place.

1. http://www.livingwordlutheran.net/index_htm_files/Why%20do%20we%20celebrate%20Christmas%20in%20winter%20when%20Jesus%20was%20born%20in%20the%20spring.pdf
2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1093053/Cancel-Christmas--Jesus-born-June-17-say-scientists.html
3. http://www.times.co.sz/news/94445-jesus-was-born-in-october’.html 
4. https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/ARTB/k/568/When-Was-Jesus-Born.htm

What is NOT Pagan About Christmas

1 Corinthians 10:29-30 “Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?”

There are a lot of Christians running around social media today trying to shame people into not celebrating Christmas this year because they feel it is a pagan holiday.  I cannot judge their true intentions, nor should I, because, God gave a clear admonition about judging and condemning the actions of others, Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”  So allow me to explain why I celebrate Christmas this, and every year, by showing what IS GOOD to celebrate on December 25th.

1. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  The word Incarnation is not often used around Christmas time, but it is the truth we should be celebrating.  You see, Jesus did not come into existence when He was born, but He was “incarnated” on that day, whatever day of the year it actually was.  Incarnate means to take on human flesh, which is what Jesus did for us, Philippians 2:5-8.  When we look at the baby in the manger we see the face of God Himself come in human flesh, 1 Timothy 3:16.  The Son of God became Jesus but He has always been, John 1:1-14.  So, for me and my family, December 25th is first and foremost about celebrating the Incarnation of our Savior Jesus Christ.
2. Proving the authority of God’s Word.  God does not need to prove Himself to anyone, especially me.  But one way which He has chosen to prove His power is through the fulfillment of prophecy.(1)  According to some, there are at least 353 prophecies fulfilled in Jesus’ life, with some 60 or more unique prophecies fulfilled at the birth of Jesus Christ.(2)  I cannot speak for anyone else, but when I see that God foretold of Jesus being born in Bethlehem with angels announcing His birth, my confidence in the Word of God is strengthened, Matthew 1:22.  God’s Word is more valid that tomorrow’s newspaper and my household starts EVERY Christmas morning by reading the Word of God and rejoicing in the promise that since He came once - He is coming again, because He promised He would!   
3. The Promise of blessed giving.  Now mind you I love to receive gifts.  (Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably lying.)  But there is something special about the giving and exchanging of gifts at any time of year.  Let’s focus on that word GIVING….because that is what Christmas is about, isn’t it?  We’ve heard the adage, “Its better to give than receive,”  but that is actually a misquoting of God’s Word as in Acts 20:35, Paul in giving his farewell address reminds us of Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  I am not sure about you, but I want to be blessed by God and giving is part of that blessing.  So please don’t try to stop me from giving to my wife, my children, and my friends, even on December 25.  I want to be blessed and so we use “Christmas” as a day to seek that blessing from God.  In our house, the very first “gift” my family gives on Christmas morning is when we bow our heads and surrender ourselves to the Lord before any gifts are given or received between each other.  We actually “re-give” ourselves each Christmas to the Lord via prayer…please don’t say that’s pagan just because someone centuries ago worshipped a false god on the same day.
4. First Earthly Announcement of Salvation Had Come.  When man sinned in the Garden of Eden, God gave a precious promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15…”he shall bruise thy head.”  Then on that night many years later the angel of the Lord says, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).  THIS DAY!!!!  What a day that was for all the earth and for all humanity! It was the day that God became our salvation on earth.  It was not a pagan day or a commercial holiday, but the day where my salvation had come to me!  If you choose to see December 25th as something else, that is your right, but for me and my house it is the day where God’s salvation had finally arrived and we want to celebrate that!

Let me add in conclusion that we COULD celebrate each of these things other days of year, and WE DO.  But we as a family, and our church as a whole, have chosen to make December 25 the day where we focus on these four great truths that are NOT pagan.  Please give us the Christian liberty to do such without condemnation or scorn.

(As a personal note, before anyone quotes Jeremiah 10:2-4, let me remind you that the verse was about Israel's worship of idols not a Christmas tree, and, if you want to live by that single verse then let's discuss a few other such as Romans 14:5 which is directed to the New Testament believer.)

1. https://answersingenesis.org/jesus-christ/birth/fulfilled-prophecies-at-the-birth-of-christ/
2. http://www.accordingtothescriptures.org/prophecy/353prophecies.html

Why Some Christians Still Celebrate Christmas

Do you use the months on the calendar or the days of the week but oppose celebrating Christmas?

For those struggling to understand why some Christians still celebrate "pagan" holidays, allow me to instruct a little:

January - named after Janus, Roman god of gates
February - named after Roman pagan festival, presumed sexual in nature
March - named after Mars, Romans god of war
April - named after Aphrodite, Greek goddess of sexuality
May - named after Maia, Italian goddess of spring
June - named after Juno, goddess of pagan Roman Pantheon temple
July - named after Julius Caesar, who believed he was a god
August - named after Augustus Caesar who also believed he was a god
September to December - each are a transliteration of the Latin number which each month represents.

To add to this, the days of the week are named after heavenly bodies worshipped by pagan cultures, IE Monday = moon, Tuesday = Mars, and so on. These names were given to honor their "gods." Overtime, the names have lost their meanings to most people, yet their history is nothing short of idolatry. So every time a person utters Monday or April, a pagan god is being "praised." 

Yet most Christians say nothing about the usage of these "days."

We live by a principle called the "present dominate association" everyday of our lives, whether we know it or not. It is the principle that establishes what something means today may not have been what it meant in the past. Thus holidays like Christmas may have been pagan, but, that does not necessarily translate into a pagan holiday today - unless you make it such. 

Do you worship Janus because you said Monday? Of course not...then how can anyone say EVERY Christian is celebrating a pagan holiday when they celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25?

Romans 4:5-8 "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."

The Benefits of Being a Bi-Vocational Pastor

Sometimes when I write a post, it sounds good in my head and looks good to me in paper, but it can be interpreted differently by others when they read it.  Case in point was my last post about “day off Monday” as it was NOT mean to be a criticism or an “I know better” piece, but a simple challenge from a pastor who has seen a drastic shift in perspective of what constitutes a ministry heart nowadays.  I regret the misunderstandings, but not the truth behind it.  It was meant as a challenge to SOME and not a criticism to any.

In contrast, today I write about something that is near to my heart, bi-vocational pastors, and why there is a benefit to being one, and, I pray it comes across as encouraging to ALL not just some.  It is NOT a criticism of “full time” pastors, but a perspective from being now full-time after almost ten years of being bi-vocational.

As pastors our goal should be to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15) and then seek to train them so they can train others (2 Timothy 2:2).  As far as the building of a church, that is actually the Lord’s doing and not ours (Matthew 16:18).  With all that being said, it is easy to look at the level of involvement in ministry as a measure of success, IE a full time pastor is often seen as more successful than a bi-vocational pastor, because he has “greater” church.  But is that really true?

Yes, numbers can be a measure of God’s blessing (Acts 2:41) but numbers are not the only measure of success in God’s sight as Jesus went from 12 disciples (Matthew 10:1) to seventy sent out (Luke 10:1) to multitudes (Luke 14:25) back down to twelve (Luke 22:11) down to one disciple at the cross (John 19:26).  Also, numbers are not the only measure of God’s blessing as we can practically see in our world today but the sheer volume of people being added to false teaching groups which is clearly not God’s success.  So if a group has large numbers it does not necessarily mean God is blessing and conversely it doesn’t mean God isn’t blessing if the church is small.  

According to Scripture the true measure of success in His servants is faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. -- Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”  So if you are pastoring a small church, take heart as God is looking at your faithfulness not your attendance count.  If you are faithful, Christ will draw men to Himself (John 12:32).  Thus having to be bi-vocational in ministry is not a sign of failure per say. In actuality there are benefits to being a bi-vocational pastor:

1. You don’t have to fear being fired from your paycheck for speaking sound truth from the pulpit.  When you are a full time pastor, the flesh will tell you to be careful with what you preach.  Since churches vote men in, they can vote them out too and the flesh knows this.  I know that in 30 years of preaching I have said things from the pulpit that people did not like and even some left after a single message that contained something they did not agree with.  But if a full time pastor preaches a message that enrages the entire church, he knows his paycheck goes with it.  But if you are bi-vocational, there is a different kind of liberty that protects your daily care of your family.  Now mind you, this concept of bi-vocational paycheck freedom is neither a license to preach angry or fleshly, nor is it an excuse for full time pastors to hold back truth, but a simple thought of practical freedom.
2. You connect with people at your secular work you would probably not connect with via church outreach.  This is one of the greatest benefits of being bi-vocational.  It allows a pastor to been seen by unsaved people as real and reachable.  Full time can connect with the community but often it takes more effort, as full time pastors are not daily in the work place like a bi-vocational pastor is.  Again, this is not saying one is better than the other, just a unique benefit.  Jesus went into the crowd, Paul worked as a tentmaker, yet both reached people with the Gospel. It is interesting to note that according to some statistics, it takes over four years for a man to raise enough full-time mission’s support to plant a church here in USA.  But, there is no statistical proof that a fully supported church planter builds an autonomous church any faster than a bi-vocational pastor. I was amazed when I saw this, as I assumed full time church planting pastors, including those on mission’s support, would get churches on their feet faster, but it is not necessarily the case.  Actually, according to some main-line denomination studies, bi-vocational pastors, percentage-wise, actually get a church up and running faster.  Why?  Because, according to the studies, bi-vocational pastors “connect” with the community quicker.  But not all men are thinking full time - I was so blessed this past month when I asked a ministerial class at a major IFB college this question, “How many of you are planning on being bi-vocational in ministry?”  Over half the class raised their hand!
3. Your church people know you are willing to do whatever it takes to be their pastor.  This may not mean much to some churches, but in rural areas this is HUGE!  Rural people are often in a unique survival mode as they generally live paycheck to paycheck.  This is not to say urban people don’t struggle, but rural folks usually have less opportunities for employment and thus they get what they can.  So, when man comes to a church, or plants a church, with a heart to stay no matter whether he has to work an outside job or not, it makes an impact.  People know he wants to be there for them even if they cannot pay him.  Yes, the laborer is worth of the hire (Luke 10:7) but the people/church are worthy of the pastor’s outside labor too.
4. It allows for smaller churches and communities to have “full time” pastors. Many communities across the US are small and used to have a circuit riding pastor who would minister to them once or twice a month.  But now with the big church mentality of many in Christianity, these churches are shuttered and have no pastors as the people either have to make do on their own or they must drive long distances to attend a doctrinally sound church.  If a pastor is bi-vocational, smaller communities can call them and these men can minister within the community without the people commuting to church. 

If God has called you to be bi-vocational then please receive my thanks for obeying that call.  God will bless your faithfulness.  If you have a bi-vocational pastor, can I remind you to show your appreciation regularly to he and his family as that means they love you in a very special way.  

Praise God for both full-time and bi-vocational servants!

When Did Monday Become the Official Pastor’s Day Off?

This article was written with a heart of trying to challenge pastors to not see "day off Monday" as a right but a privilege...IT IS AN OPINION PIECE and not a doctrinal stance.  However, some have seen it as something more sinister and even unbiblical since I did not use a series of Bible verses, but I have now corrected that "error."  Also it was written to SOME pastors as I clearly stated SOME pastors numerous times in the article (I have highlighted them with all caps to clarify that).  If you are easily offended by pastors being called out for something based upon an opinion then I suggest you do not read this article. Also I am NOT better than any other pastor but after 30 years, I just know that I have seen too many churches destroyed by hirelings who see their church as a cash cow and not a ministry to serve!

Being brought up in a bi-vocational pastor’s home, “family time” was not common.  We would grab a day here and there to go fishing, my father and I, or our entire family would go out to eat once in while as a special treat.  But to have an entire day every week to do what we wanted never really happened.  You see, my father was a bi-vocational pastor almost his entire ministry, and surely he was my entire life as I recall.  Either he was teaching in a public school, he and my mother were cleaning apartment buildings, or our entire family was painting commercially to make ends meet, all the while he planted and pastored churches in the Midwest.  To be honest, I really do not remember my father ever taking a certain day off.  So when I got into the ministry after college and heard preacher after preacher talking about taking a “day off,” usually Monday, I was a little confused as to how that worked.  I had never seen it.

But now after nearly thirty years of serving as a youth pastor (9 years) and now senior pastor (21 years) I guess I get the gist of this day off thing as pastors see the need for down time, but I still have questions:

1. When did SOME pastors start seeking every Monday as their day off?  It’s almost as if Sunday is such a draining day that they have to have a day to recover.  I guess I am a little strange, but I thought ministering was a blessing not a burden, so shouldn’t Sunday be the pastor’s best refreshing day of the week?  Yes, it is physically demanding for me to preach four times every Sunday, as well as be available to listen to people’s concerns, but that is what the ministry is all about.  That should not a burden, its why pastors do what they do. Isn’t it?  How can fulfilling the actual call of the ministry be such a burden that I need the next day off every week? (1 Timothy 3:2 "given to hospitality" and Mark 6:31-34 - where Jesus tried to get away but the people followed Him and did not turn them away.)
2. Why should I completely disconnect from my church family one day a week?  I mean SOME pastors actually ask their church family to leave them alone on Mondays so they can recover from Sunday.  Yet these same pastors ask the same church members to often serve just as much on Sunday as they do, and even ask them to take their other day off, usually Saturday, to go soul winning and work around the church building, even though they have worked all week in their “real” job. No wonder some people see SOME preachers has having an easy job. (Matthew 14:23-24 shows that Jesus got alone and then when His disciples were in trouble, He immediately went to them by walking on the water.)
3. Why Monday?  I mean think about it.  When a pastor takes every Monday off he is saying, indirectly, that he gave everything he had the day before and he has nothing left.  Isn’t that kind of shallow Christianity?  Should we not daily be able to lean on the Lord and not be so emptied that we cannot continue to minister to people?  Think of Christ - on the cross he was suffering yet he ministered to his mother and John. (Galatians 6:9 and 2 Thessalonians 3:13 came to mind here.)
4. Do our families not see that everyday is ministry day?  So many pastors take Mondays off to “care for their families” and that I understand….to a degree.  But SOME pastors have sacrificed their families for the sake of the ministry and that is unbiblical as our family IS our first ministry.  But shouldn’t our families see our heart for people, no matter what day of the week? 

Please understand that I am not saying pastors don’t need time away for themselves, their marriages, and their families.  But I am questioning the motives behind the every Monday off mindset of SOME.

Is it possible that we pastors carry too much on ourselves instead of taking it to God and so Mondays off are necessary to recover?  Is it possible that we think we MUST have all the answers to every burden and problem people have and so we stress ourselves out every week beyond reason?  Is it possible that we need to spend more time before Sunday learning to fill ourselves daily with the Lord, so that when Sunday comes we simply do not EMPTY ourselves so deeply that every Monday off is necessary?

Why Monday, pastors?  Why?