You may wonder why I am using the words from a 1970s sitcom
theme song as my title. Basically it boils down to this: Two
Billys, Two Revival Preachers, Two totally different outcomes.
In 1934, Mordacai Ham, revival preacher, did a revival meeting in Billy Graham's hometown in Charlotte, North Carolina. At that time Billy was a teenager and not yet a believer. At the revival meeting he met another teen, Grady Wilson, and they became lifelong personal and spiritual friends. Result of that revival meeting: both Billy and Grady became believers that week - and both went on to do great work for the Lord through the Billy Graham Crusades.
In the 1940s, a different flavor revival preacher came to Billy Gray's hometown in Alabama. Looking back on that time, it is obvious that, while he may have been sincere in sharing the Word of God - his main goal seems to have been putting numbers of converts on the tally sheet to show that his revival meetings were successful. That would assure him more bookings.
You may tell me, "Bill, that sounds cruel. Why do you say that?"
A fair question. Let me explain. At that time I was about twelve years old. My mom wanted to go to church, but because she could not read nor write she was embarrassed. She was afraid they would ask her to read the Bible or something else. So, the only time she felt comfortable going to church was at an event such as the revival meeting where she could be one hidden in a crowd.
Yet, when I was about ten, she wanted my brother, Bob, and me to go to church - and since she could not go with us, she sent us to the closest church. That church was the Nazarene church which was about two blocks from our home. Bob and I would go to Sunday School, but most often would skip out after that.
Fast forward a couple of years, she had married my step-dad, and they were going to a revival meeting at the Nazarene church. Mom really wanted me to go with them. Bob was about fifteen then, so he was off with his friends - and not wanting to hurt mom's feelings, I agreed to go with her to the revival meeting. Keep in mind that I was only twelve years old, not really a church goer, and definitely not a believer even though I had heard all about Jesus Christ in Sunday School.
The revival meeting began and the traveling revival preacher got up a full head of steam. Then, he paused and told us, "Everyone please stand up."
Everyone stood. Then, he told us, "Those who are saved believers, sit down." That left a handful of us still standing. At that point, numbers must have begun to ring in his mind, for he told us, "After you decide to come forward and let us pray over you, then you can sit down." In other words, let's add another conversion to my tally sheet.
Thinking back on it later, as an adult, if a preacher had pulled that stunt - I would have turned and walked out of that church. But, as a twelve year old boy who did not want to lie about such an apparently important issue - I could not sit down. So, I saw only one alternative - go forward and let them pray over me.
When I got to the altar, the revival preacher and three or four of his accomplices began to really build up a head of steam, praying and pronouncing, "Hallelujah!' over me. And, I will admit that with such a thing happening to a twelve year old boy - I got caught up in the excitement and went home believing I was saved - whatever that meant.
What happened after that? Well, being a twelve year old boy and being full of testosterone I found that I still got funny feelings around pretty young girls. How could this be happening? Didn't that revival preacher tell me that I was saved and not a sinner anymore? So, how could I still have these sinful thoughts? You can see what was happening, with no one to explain to me what it meant to be saved, with no one to explain to this twelve year old boy that he was still only a supposedly "saved sinner" - my self image went into the basement.
And, because I was obviously a fallen saved person with no hope, I did not want anything more to do with anyone called a "preacher" or any "revival meetings." The secular world seemed much more accepting and warm to me, a fallen ex-supposedly saved person - so I jumped into the secular pool with all my being. And, for the next thirty-eight years, until I was fifty years old, I swam in the secular society pond - until one day, as an answer to Dory's ten years of praying for me - God led me to a pastor who would love me to the cross of salvation. In 1987, Pastor Sam Lacanienta led me, through love, to Jesus Christ - and I have been a believer, a "forgiven sinner" since then.
But, even though I have been a Christian believer for twenty-nine years and counting, even though I intellectually understand what that early revival preacher did to me and that, in his heart, he believed what he was doing was right - to this day I will not address anyone as "preacher." I will address them as pastor, pastor/teacher, or maybe brother - but never "preacher" for that brings back memories I would just as soon forget. In the early 1990s, my brother and his wife were visiting from Alabama and we took them to our church, Fil-Am Church of Irvine (CA), for Sunday worship.
After the service, my brother told Pastor Vince, "Preacher, that was really a good sermon." I literally had to bite my tongue to keep from telling Bobby, "Don't call him 'preacher' - he is our Pastor."
So, why am I sharing these thoughts? Because, in His Great Commission Jesus Christ told us, "Go, Make disciples, Baptize them, TEACH them. . . Be My witnesses in all the world" (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15).
Let's break that down: First, we are told to "Go and make disciples." That is our marching orders, to be sharing His Gospel and the Word of God, with all who do not yet believe - in all the world.
After we "Go and make disciples" we are told to "Baptize them." But, in my mind, baptism into Christ is a very special event and should be done by the pastor of the local church this new believer is now attending. Why? Because this pastor is now his/her spiritual leader and this local fellowship is now his/her spiritual family. Such happy events should be shared with your family - biological and spiritual.
On the other hand, if the person, upon believing, wants to be baptized right away - there is no reason that we, as believers, cannot do that. That is following the example we see with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). The eunuch was traveling back to his home in Ethiopia where there was most likely no local fellowships to join and he was setting out on a long and arduous journey. So, Philip baptized him.
Now comes the very important point, my reason for writing this blog - we are told to "Teach them!" When that revival preacher supposedly saved me - no one took the time to explain to me what that meant. Yes, I had heard about Jesus Christ in Sunday School - but no one ever explained what it really meant to be saved, to be a Christian believer.
To all my Christian brothers and sisters, that is one of the most important parts of our Great Commission - TEACH THEM! Don't just sprinkle holy water on their heads, shout "Hallelujah!" and leave. We have to teach them what it means to be saved and have eternal life in Christ. And, we believers need to be teaching one another, helping one another grow more mature in our knowledge of God's Word. We should all be continually learning more from God's Word, daily.
In closing, let me share a great blessing that most of us have most likely not considered. This thought came to mind during our worship service yesterday at International Bible Baptist Church in Riverside, California. Pastor Paul was sharing with us about what life would be like in heaven. And, because I, like most believers, love to be learning more about God and His Word - this blessing came to mind: "In eternal heaven, in the eternal presence of God, we will always be learning, eternally."
Think about that. For eternity - we will be learning. And, we will have the absolute Greatest Teacher of all time, Jesus Christ.
"But, Bill," you may ask, "what can we be learning for eternity?"
Let's turn your question around. "Will there ever be a time, throughout eternity, when we, as glorified, immortal believers, come to know everything?"
There are several Scripture verses which may lead some to wonder:
Yes, when He appears at the Rapture and at His Second Coming, we believers will be "like Him." Yes, we will be like Him in that we will be in our glorified, immortal bodies - just as He ascended into heaven in his glorified, immortal body. But, He is deity - and we will not, never, be deity like Him.
In heaven will we know fully, everything? This verse seems to say that:
One of God more commonly referenced attributes is Omniscience, i.e., all knowing. God knows everything, large and small - for He is eternal God who created everything, large and small. If you and I ever got to a time in our eternal existence where we will know everything, where there is nothing more we can learn - then we would be Gods. And, we all know that is never going to happen.
So, the obvious conclusion is that we will never know everything, that we will always have something to learn - and what better place to be learning than in the presence of the Great Teacher?
So one of our wonderful blessings is that we will always be learning, always at the foot of the Great Teacher, Jesus Christ. Personally, I look forward to attending God's Eternal University of Knowledge.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
In 1934, Mordacai Ham, revival preacher, did a revival meeting in Billy Graham's hometown in Charlotte, North Carolina. At that time Billy was a teenager and not yet a believer. At the revival meeting he met another teen, Grady Wilson, and they became lifelong personal and spiritual friends. Result of that revival meeting: both Billy and Grady became believers that week - and both went on to do great work for the Lord through the Billy Graham Crusades.
In the 1940s, a different flavor revival preacher came to Billy Gray's hometown in Alabama. Looking back on that time, it is obvious that, while he may have been sincere in sharing the Word of God - his main goal seems to have been putting numbers of converts on the tally sheet to show that his revival meetings were successful. That would assure him more bookings.
You may tell me, "Bill, that sounds cruel. Why do you say that?"
A fair question. Let me explain. At that time I was about twelve years old. My mom wanted to go to church, but because she could not read nor write she was embarrassed. She was afraid they would ask her to read the Bible or something else. So, the only time she felt comfortable going to church was at an event such as the revival meeting where she could be one hidden in a crowd.
Yet, when I was about ten, she wanted my brother, Bob, and me to go to church - and since she could not go with us, she sent us to the closest church. That church was the Nazarene church which was about two blocks from our home. Bob and I would go to Sunday School, but most often would skip out after that.
Fast forward a couple of years, she had married my step-dad, and they were going to a revival meeting at the Nazarene church. Mom really wanted me to go with them. Bob was about fifteen then, so he was off with his friends - and not wanting to hurt mom's feelings, I agreed to go with her to the revival meeting. Keep in mind that I was only twelve years old, not really a church goer, and definitely not a believer even though I had heard all about Jesus Christ in Sunday School.
The revival meeting began and the traveling revival preacher got up a full head of steam. Then, he paused and told us, "Everyone please stand up."
Everyone stood. Then, he told us, "Those who are saved believers, sit down." That left a handful of us still standing. At that point, numbers must have begun to ring in his mind, for he told us, "After you decide to come forward and let us pray over you, then you can sit down." In other words, let's add another conversion to my tally sheet.
Thinking back on it later, as an adult, if a preacher had pulled that stunt - I would have turned and walked out of that church. But, as a twelve year old boy who did not want to lie about such an apparently important issue - I could not sit down. So, I saw only one alternative - go forward and let them pray over me.
When I got to the altar, the revival preacher and three or four of his accomplices began to really build up a head of steam, praying and pronouncing, "Hallelujah!' over me. And, I will admit that with such a thing happening to a twelve year old boy - I got caught up in the excitement and went home believing I was saved - whatever that meant.
What happened after that? Well, being a twelve year old boy and being full of testosterone I found that I still got funny feelings around pretty young girls. How could this be happening? Didn't that revival preacher tell me that I was saved and not a sinner anymore? So, how could I still have these sinful thoughts? You can see what was happening, with no one to explain to me what it meant to be saved, with no one to explain to this twelve year old boy that he was still only a supposedly "saved sinner" - my self image went into the basement.
And, because I was obviously a fallen saved person with no hope, I did not want anything more to do with anyone called a "preacher" or any "revival meetings." The secular world seemed much more accepting and warm to me, a fallen ex-supposedly saved person - so I jumped into the secular pool with all my being. And, for the next thirty-eight years, until I was fifty years old, I swam in the secular society pond - until one day, as an answer to Dory's ten years of praying for me - God led me to a pastor who would love me to the cross of salvation. In 1987, Pastor Sam Lacanienta led me, through love, to Jesus Christ - and I have been a believer, a "forgiven sinner" since then.
But, even though I have been a Christian believer for twenty-nine years and counting, even though I intellectually understand what that early revival preacher did to me and that, in his heart, he believed what he was doing was right - to this day I will not address anyone as "preacher." I will address them as pastor, pastor/teacher, or maybe brother - but never "preacher" for that brings back memories I would just as soon forget. In the early 1990s, my brother and his wife were visiting from Alabama and we took them to our church, Fil-Am Church of Irvine (CA), for Sunday worship.
After the service, my brother told Pastor Vince, "Preacher, that was really a good sermon." I literally had to bite my tongue to keep from telling Bobby, "Don't call him 'preacher' - he is our Pastor."
So, why am I sharing these thoughts? Because, in His Great Commission Jesus Christ told us, "Go, Make disciples, Baptize them, TEACH them. . . Be My witnesses in all the world" (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15).
Let's break that down: First, we are told to "Go and make disciples." That is our marching orders, to be sharing His Gospel and the Word of God, with all who do not yet believe - in all the world.
After we "Go and make disciples" we are told to "Baptize them." But, in my mind, baptism into Christ is a very special event and should be done by the pastor of the local church this new believer is now attending. Why? Because this pastor is now his/her spiritual leader and this local fellowship is now his/her spiritual family. Such happy events should be shared with your family - biological and spiritual.
On the other hand, if the person, upon believing, wants to be baptized right away - there is no reason that we, as believers, cannot do that. That is following the example we see with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). The eunuch was traveling back to his home in Ethiopia where there was most likely no local fellowships to join and he was setting out on a long and arduous journey. So, Philip baptized him.
Now comes the very important point, my reason for writing this blog - we are told to "Teach them!" When that revival preacher supposedly saved me - no one took the time to explain to me what that meant. Yes, I had heard about Jesus Christ in Sunday School - but no one ever explained what it really meant to be saved, to be a Christian believer.
To all my Christian brothers and sisters, that is one of the most important parts of our Great Commission - TEACH THEM! Don't just sprinkle holy water on their heads, shout "Hallelujah!" and leave. We have to teach them what it means to be saved and have eternal life in Christ. And, we believers need to be teaching one another, helping one another grow more mature in our knowledge of God's Word. We should all be continually learning more from God's Word, daily.
In closing, let me share a great blessing that most of us have most likely not considered. This thought came to mind during our worship service yesterday at International Bible Baptist Church in Riverside, California. Pastor Paul was sharing with us about what life would be like in heaven. And, because I, like most believers, love to be learning more about God and His Word - this blessing came to mind: "In eternal heaven, in the eternal presence of God, we will always be learning, eternally."
Think about that. For eternity - we will be learning. And, we will have the absolute Greatest Teacher of all time, Jesus Christ.
"But, Bill," you may ask, "what can we be learning for eternity?"
Let's turn your question around. "Will there ever be a time, throughout eternity, when we, as glorified, immortal believers, come to know everything?"
There are several Scripture verses which may lead some to wonder:
1 John 3:2 (nasb), "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."
Yes, when He appears at the Rapture and at His Second Coming, we believers will be "like Him." Yes, we will be like Him in that we will be in our glorified, immortal bodies - just as He ascended into heaven in his glorified, immortal body. But, He is deity - and we will not, never, be deity like Him.
In heaven will we know fully, everything? This verse seems to say that:
1 Corinthians 13:12 (nasb), "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."
One of God more commonly referenced attributes is Omniscience, i.e., all knowing. God knows everything, large and small - for He is eternal God who created everything, large and small. If you and I ever got to a time in our eternal existence where we will know everything, where there is nothing more we can learn - then we would be Gods. And, we all know that is never going to happen.
So, the obvious conclusion is that we will never know everything, that we will always have something to learn - and what better place to be learning than in the presence of the Great Teacher?
So one of our wonderful blessings is that we will always be learning, always at the foot of the Great Teacher, Jesus Christ. Personally, I look forward to attending God's Eternal University of Knowledge.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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