Take A Step Back In Time With Me To January 19, 1955

TAKE A STEP BACK IN TIME WITH ME TO JANUARY 19, 1955 ~  And for my Sheffield High (Sheffield, Alabama) classmates, if you will close your eyes, we will be taken back to the Sheffield Community Center where we first experienced Elvis in his initial Get Acquainted barnstorming tour.  In 1954 Elvis cut his first record "That's Alright Mama" at Sun Records in Memphis. 

Sun was the recording studio of Sam Phillips, a native of Florence, in the Shoals area of Alabama.  Today the Shoals consist of four relatively small towns, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Muscle Shoals, Florence, and the surrounding communities.  That is my hometown area - born in Tuscumbia, grew up in Muscle Shoals and Sheffield.

In 1955 I was a senior at Sheffield High School and in the afternoons I would go with a group of friends to the Sheffield Community Center where the Recreation Director, Creston Porter, would allow us to dance to 45 rpm records.  One afternoon he put a new record on the player, a new demo record sent out by Sun Studios.  It was Elvis' first record - "That's Alright Mama" - and we loved dancing to it. 

I asked about the singer and Creston told me, "His name is Elvis Presley."   I will never forget my reaction to his name.  I thought to myself, "With a name that weird, he will never make it in the singing business."   Yes, in 1955 the name Elvis Presley seemed really weird to me.   Today it sounds as common as John Smith.  But, regardless of his name - we loved his music.  Yes, Bill Gray proved to be a false prophet!

Several weeks later, Elvis with two side-men, Scotty Moore on lead guitar and Bill Black on upright bass, came to the Sheffield Community Center for one night.  And, ALL we kids went wild over his singing and his gyrations.

Why did he come to Sheffield first?  Following the release of that first record, with Sheffield being only about a two and a half hour drive down Alabama Route 72 from Memphis - my hometown was the first stop on Elvis' initial one-night concert tour to introduce him and his music to the people.

And, it probably was because Sam Philips, who owned Sun Records in Memphis where Elvis was discovered, grew up in Florence, Alabama (the Shoals) and still had strong ties to the Shoals area.

Over the years since his rise to fame and his early death, I have seen and heard a number of Elvis impersonators.  Yet, I have never before heard anyone who truly captured the sound and the vibrant youth of Elvis as a young man.  But this 16 year old young man from Canada, David Thibault, does just that. 

When I first heard Elvis at the Sheffield Community Center he was about 19 years old, and this young man captures that essence of Elvis - young, loving the music he was singing.  Virtually all Elvis impersonators go for the mature Elvis look and sound.  This young man, David Thibault, is not attempting to be an Elvis impersonator.  He is only singing the music his grandfather taught him to love and which seems to fit his voice very well.

With all that said, let me first offer you the young man from Canada singing "That's Alright Mama."

David Thibault - "That's Alright Mama" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=15&v=wXzzHVu2IVA

Then listen to the young Elvis singing his first recorded song:

Elvis Presley - "That's Alright Mama"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgprZu4Hk4

I pray that you enjoyed this trip down memory lane to my 1950s - when I grew up in the beautiful state of Alabama - eating pinto beans, black-eyed peas, fried okra, turnip greens, collard greens, and real cornbread (no sugar allowed!) - and dancing to a mixture of true country music, blues, New Orleans jazz, and big-band sounds.  And experiencing the birth of rock and roll music.

So, now I will sit down and shut up - and let you close your eyes as you try to figure out who is singing - Elvis or David Thibault?

God bless, Bill

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Note:  "That's All Right" was written and originally recorded by Arthur Crudup in 1946 as "That's All Right, Mama."

"That's All Right" was the first single released by Elvis Presley, recorded in July 1954, and released on 19 July 1954 with "Blue Moon of Kentucky" as the B-side.  Its catalog number was Sun 209.   The label reads "That's All Right" (omitting 'Mama' from the original title), and names the performers as Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore, and Bill Black.  Arthur Crudup is also listed on this label, giving him credit for authorship.

Recorded at Sun Studio in 1954 with Elvis Presley providing vocals and rhythm guitar, Scotty Moore on lead guitar, and Bill Black on upright "slap" bass.  It was produced by Sam Phillips in the style of a "live" recording.  The recording contains no drums or additional instruments.  Upon finishing the recording session, according to Scotty Moore, Bill Black remarked, "Damn. Get that on the radio and they'll run us out of town."  (http://lyrics.elvispresley.com.au/lyrics/thats_all_right_mama.html)

Are "YOU" Prepared And Willing To Be A Witness? ~ Revisited

Looking through my archives of past thoughts shared, I came upon this blog from 2016 which was born from watching the excellent video from Living Waters Ministry, Ray Comfort, titled:  "The Atheist Delusion."  In the video, Ray Comfort takes us from discussions on college campuses with self-professed student atheists, to recorded debates with leading atheist professors and activists.

Many times believers will be hesitant to witness to non-believers, out of fear that they will fail or do it wrong.  Not to worry, I know the feeling of "doing it wrong" - for I have had my share of "doing it wrong" episodes.  Let me share a few examples with you - as I share this great video showing how to do it right.

Keep in mind that sharing with a person who has just not taken the step to follow Christ - is a wee bit different than witnessing to an avowed atheist.  And, in this video, Ray Comfort is showing us the best way to witness to the latter group. 

In your life-long walk with the Lord, you WILL at some point face an atheist, agnostic, or hard-line non-believer.  That is why I offer this video"The Atheist Delusion" to enhance your witnessing tool box.

In this blog, besides sharing the very good video"The Atheist Delusion" - I also share flash-backs from my own personal life.

Are YOU Prepared And Willing To Be A Witness?
Tuesday, October 25, 2016

I just watched the one hour video “The Atheist Delusion” created and published by Ray Comfort and Living Waters Ministry - and I find it fascinating, a must watch for everyone, believer and non-believer.  For the Christian believer, this one hour video should give you great material for witnessing to the non-believing world, with material even they will find difficult to deny.  

If you are not a believer, why should you watch this video?   Maybe you are an agnostic or an atheist, or maybe just a vanilla-flavored non-believer who has never taken the time to seriously think about your eternal future.  Every atheist I have encountered in my years of apologetic writing - tells me they are atheist because they are "thinking" people. 

There are even organizations named "Freethinkers" and "Freethought" in America and in many countries.  Sam Harris, a leading atheist author and the American version of England's Richard Dawson, has posted the forum: "Organizations for Freethinkers/Humanists Whatevers" where he begins:

Hey everyone.  I am very curious about people’s experiences with organizations for freethinkers/atheists/agnostics/whatevers.  I"m especially interested in your experiences with freethinker community types. 

I’ve recently joined the Ethical Culture Society here in New York City and its fascinatingly alike, and unalike, the Catholic parish I was born into in another part of New York City.  I’m fascinated and having the time of my life being a part of an actual community where I don’t have to pretend to believe one single thing.

Look again at Sam Harris' reason for not believing in God:  "He does not have to believe in a single thing!"   Can you imagine going through life - never believing in anything?  How sad.

So, if the atheists are supposed to be "thinking" persons, I put his question to them:   "Can YOU answer Ray Comfort's questions asked in this video honestly?  Or will you run and hide behind, 'It's too boring' ?"

In this video, evangelist Ray Comfort approaches and has an honest dialogue with a number of people, mostly young college students who, in the beginning, profess to being atheist.  But toward the end, a number of them admit to giving serious thought to God and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

This video became very personal for me, and it caused a number of flashbacks to earlier times.  In the video, one of the people Ray is talking with is an 18 year old black college student who, in the beginning said she is an atheist.  Toward the end of the video she admits that she wants to give serious thought about seeking Christ.  Ray, tells her, "Don't put off believing in Christ - for you don't know when you will die." 

That brought a real "no one is promised a tomorrow" flashback, from when I was about 25 years old.   Within a two year period, two young friends I worked with died suddenly of heart attacks.  One was 26 years old and a successful computer programmer at Ramo Wooldridge (later TRW).  His parents had traveled from the Midwest for his upcoming wedding.  I was with him Friday night at a friend's party.  He was joyful, enjoying life.  Saturday morning his parents found him dead in his bed, of a heart attack - 26 years old and apparently very healthy, now dead. 

The other friend and co-worker was a 21 years old I worked with at Scientific Data Systems who, from all appearances, was in apparently good health.  I saw him at work on Friday - and on Monday morning learned that he had died of a heart attack over the weekend.  I was in my mid-twenties, same age group as these two young friends.  That truly gave me food for thought.  But not for too long - for I was having too much fun in my secular world.

Another flashback:  Ray asked the young man, Andrew,  "When are you going to repent and believe?"  And he answers, "When I have a strong belief and I am ready to adhere to what God would like me to do."   

In other words, he wants to wait until he is good enough to satisfy God, which none of us can do, ever.  God takes us just as we are, warts and all.  But, actually, I believe this young man was saying that he wants to not think too much about hell, he wants to have his fun first - and then seek God when he is too old to enjoy the secular world.  That was me for fifty years.

Growing up in Alabama, I was exposed to the Christian faith, attended the Baptist church (unless there was a cuter girl attending the Methodist church) and I can honestly say that I cannot recall a time in my life when I did not believe in the existence of God and Jesus Christ.  I believed in His birth, death, and resurrection.  But, I just never took that final step and became a believer. 

Why?  Well, just as Ray tells several participants in this video, "If you believe and confess Christ as Lord and Savior - then you are held accountable to God, and not just to yourself."   Many folks are not comfortable with that.  For that puts hell into the picture, which made a lot of us very uncomfortable.  As a young adult, I felt a need to be in church - but the thought of hell made me uncomfortable, for I would have to give up my secular fun.

Later, I thought I had found the perfect solution.  I would find a church that would tell me there is no hell.  That way I don't have to worry about any consequences.  And, my Friends, I found what I was seeking.  I found an Air Force Chaplain from a large mainstream liberal denomination who assured me that hell was only a myth.  "Hallelujah!  Now I can party-hearty and not have to worry about consequences!"  I was a happy camper.  At least for the moment.

And I stayed in that lost frame of mind spiritually until I was fifty years old - until God led me to Pastor Sam Lacanienta and the Fil-Am Church of Irvine, California.  That pastor, and that church, was full of Godly love and they pointed me toward Biblical Truth and toward the cross.  Praise God I finally opened my eyes and listened to His message - just like a number of the young people in Ray's video.

One more flashback:  In the video a medical chart of the human body is shown.  That took me back to a day when I was in my doctor's office in the early 1990s.  I was sitting in the doctor's examining room waiting to have an x-ray.  On the wall I saw a chart of the human skeletal system.  The chart did not even include all the vital organs, blood vessels, arteries, etc. - just the skeletal structure, and yet it was still complex.  I thought to myself, "How can a person be a medical doctor, know all about the human body - and not believe in the God who made that body?"

In the video, Ray is talking with an older gentleman, Richard.  Richard tells Ray, "Believing in God makes no sense.  To me it is the dumbest thing."  At one point, Richard said he wanted to die, maybe kill himself.   As the video progresses, Richard begins to show emotion, finally asking, "Won't I be bored in heaven?"  Ray assures him that he will most certainly not be bored.  

Ray Comfort tells Richard, "I really hope you do believe, for I want to see you in heaven."

Richard's response:  "I'm a total stranger.  Why do you care about me?"   My Friends, that is an opening to share God's love.

And, Ray's dialogue with Richard brought a flashback from the early 1990s:  I was in a Coco's Restaurant in Costa Mesa.  As I was eating lunch, I overheard the hostess talking with an older gentleman behind me.  He had driven himself to the restaurant, but during lunch he had begun to feel very weak and was afraid to drive home.  The hostess asked if there was someone, a relative or friend, she could call to help him get home.  And, apparently there was no one.

I turned and offered to drive this gentleman, George, home.  Since George lived alone, that weekend Dory and I decided to visit him.  We talked for a while, then I began to witness to George about Jesus Christ.  Since I was a relatively new believer and was not really prepared to be a strong witness - George's response totally deflated my balloon. 

George told me, "I am a retired Christian."  Seeing my confusion, he continued, "I was a Christian.  But being a professional architect and believing in science - I had to walk away from Christianity, God, and the Bible."  At that time in my Christian life, I did not have the Biblical knowledge or maturity to respond to George's honest admission.  All I could do was tuck in my tail and walk away, totally defeated.

That was my first attempt to witness to a person - and my failure was devastating.  It was several years later before I would attempt to personally witness again.  Dory and I had an older friend, Mary, who had a stroke and was in the hospital.  I began to talk with her about Christ.  And after a short discussion, I overcame her few objections and began to lead her in the Sinner's Prayer. 

About halfway through leading her in praying to receive Christ, Mary said, "What?  I can't hear you."   I had forgotten that Mary had a hearing problem.  And this sudden reminder confused me and had me so flustered - that I forgot what I was saying.  Luckily, Dory saw my confusion and picked up where I had stopped and finished praying with Mary.

Driving home, I was so depressed at another failure.  But, then I realized - it was not up to me, a very limited man, to save Mary.  The Holy Spirit was in control and despite my clumsy attempt at witnessing - He was really in charge and leading Mary.  So much for Bill Gray being a great witness!  Thank you, Lord, for Mary - who was later promoted to heaven.

In the video, Ray asked a young man if he is a Christian.   He replied, "Well, I am Roman Catholic."   Ray asked him, "Are you born again?"  And, the young man replies, "I am not sure what that means."

Note:  In an earlier version of this blog, a good Friend thought the dialogue above was saying that Roman Catholics cannot be born again believers.  Being born again is not confined to any one church. 

A person can be a born again believer in any Christian church - although it is more common in those which teach "salvation by grace through faith - alone" (Ephesians 2:8-9) - than in others that lean toward works salvation.

Oh, what a flashback this discussion of "born again" brings!  About the year 2000, I was an elder at our Baptist church and one of my tasks was to make our weekly church Sunday Worship bulletin.  Each week I tried to include a one-page insert of encouragement or apologetics for those in our fellowship - an insert which could also be used for witnessing.  Frequently, my pastor and I would have conversations on the phone, planning next Sunday's program and just sharing with one another. 

The week that comes to mind, we were having a discussion about witnessing.  The question in our discussion that day was:  When we first meet a person and begin a dialogue, should we ask, "Are you a born again Christian?" or should we only ask, "Are you a Christian?"  I leaned toward asking about being born again.  My pastor leaned toward not using the words "born again" - for he felt that might confuse the person. 

After our phone conversation, I began to think more about our discussion and I wrote a bulletin insert exploring that question.  My tract began:

Recently, in a conversation with a close Christian friend, we were discussing whether we should ask a person, “Are you a Christian?” or should we say, “Are you a born again Christian?”  He tended to lean toward the first and his reason was that many people do not truly understand what being “born again” really means. 

Later, as I thought about our discussion, I became even more convinced that if people do not understand what being “born again” means - then it is our responsibility to help them understand.  We should not avoid the subject because they do not understand.  If you think about it, if a person doesn’t really understand what being “born again” means - it is possible that he/she is not a “born again” Christian?  That person should know what it means to have a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Just as Ray did in the video, if a person does not know the meaning of being "born again" - that gives us a great opening to witness.  Never waste a good opening when God presents it.

In one segment of the video, Raven-Symone, one of the hostesses on the television show The View declares, "You don't have to go to church on Christmas.  It is about being good.   And that is what all religions are about anyway, be a good person."  And, another hostesses tells her, "By grace through faith you have been saved."  And, Raven, confused asks, "What?"  

Why is Raven confused about God?  Or is she really hiding from God?  Raven is a confessed and committed lesbian, living in an active lesbian relationship.  She does not want God in her life - for that would mean giving up her active lesbian relationship.  So she convinces herself that all she has to do is be a good person.   My Friends, there will be many good persons - in eternal hell.

One young man defined himself as an atheist.  Then, when Ray Comfort asked if he, as a sinner, should be punished - he tells Ray, "He (God) made me that way.  Why should He punish me for being the way He made me?"  From his answer, do you really believe that young man is an atheist?  How can he be an atheist - if he believes God made him?

Or, is he like I was in my early 20s - seeking to hide from God, seeking someone to tell him there is no hell - so that he can continue to live his secular lifestyle?   If God doesn't exist - how could He have made him that way?  I find it hard to believe that this young man denies the existence of God.  To me, is seems He just does not want a relationship with God to interfere with his secular lifestyle.   Doesn't that sound like the Bill Gray I described above - looking for a church which would tell me there is no hell?

Toward the end of the video, when Ray asked the young people, "Do you know what God did for sinners so that we do not have to go to hell?"  And, virtually all of them said they did not know.   Do you need a better opening for your witness?

That is why we, as Christian believers MUST be sharing the Word of God with non-believers.  To make sure they know the Truth about Christ's atoning death which purchased the right for them - all who will believe and receive His free gift - to spend eternity in heaven with God, instead of in hell.  It is our responsibility to tell them.  Check out the Great Commission:  "GO, Make disciples (be a pointer toward Christ), Teach them (help them learn more about God and His Written Word, the Bible) - Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15.

"Wait a minute, Bill, you left out Baptize them!"   Glad you noticed.  When we GO and point folks toward Christ, i.e., make disciples - there is another very important step.  Bring them to church - get them involved in your corporate Bible studies, even one-on-one if appropriate - and help them grow in Biblical maturity as they assimilate more fully into your church fellowship family.  Once they have become a part of your fellowship family, as a family lead them into an even closer relationship with Jesus Christ - through a spiritual family witnessed Baptism.

One very good way to tell many folks about Christ and His love for them - is to share this video “The Atheist Delusion” with all your FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors).

The Atheist Delusion video (2016) HD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChWiZ3iXWwM&utm_source=Pinpointe+-+Master+English+List+-+Use+appropriate+segment&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016-10-24+BLAST

Share this video and it may give you an opportunity to share the Word of God with a non-believer this week. 

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

Happening Now With Don Stewart - Eschatology Video

IN OUR RECENT BIBLE STUDIES at International Bible Baptist Church of Riverside we have been looking at an overview of End Times Prophecies.  And I have made available to you via eNewsletter, blog, and on Facebook the YouTube videos and PowerPoint Presentations used in those Bible studies. 

Now I would like to go a step further and share with you a very good video from "Happening Now With Don Stewart."   In this video, Pastor Jack Hibbs and Don Stewart examine God’s prophetic Word in light of world events.  This session is on eschatology viewed in the light of current world events - and it is very relevant.

"Happening Now” is a ministry of Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.  The web site "RealLifeWithJackHibbs (dot) org/bible-prophecy-perspective/" has this intro: 

"The study of Bible prophecy has often been misrepresented leading to widespread confusion.  Join us as we examine God’s prophetic Word in light of world events.  During this live broadcast we will consider current events through the lens of Scripture that supports a safe and well-grounded understanding of God’s Word in these seemingly unstable times.  There will also be a time of Questions & Answers."

Jack Hibbs is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills located in Southern California.  Jack’s teachings are heard on many international radio stations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and throughout the Hawaiian Islands.  He is best known for his passionate, expositional teachings.

Don Stewart is an internationally recognized Christian apologist and speaker.  He graduated cum laude from Talbot Theological Seminary and the International Seminar in Theology and Law in Strasbourg, France, as well as from Biola University.  Don is the author/co-author of over seventy books.  His various writings have been translated into over thirty different languages and have sold over a million copies.  Don has traveled around the world proclaiming and staunchly defending the Christian faith.  He currently hosts Pastor’s Perspective on KWVE 107.9 FM Radio.

On a personal note, after being saved in 1987, for many years I have been listening to the Christian Talk Show "Pastor's Perspective" on KWVE Christian Radio.  For most of those years Don Stewart has been the host of the show, with Pastor Chuck Smith and various other Calvary Chapel pastors as cohosts. 

And I can say that, even though I have not always agreed 100% with the answers given on the show - I have learned a lot from listening to the discussions and that has helped me grow more mature in my knowledge of God's Word.  It is kind of like a discussion style Bible study - except that being on the radio I cannot raise my hand and ask a question.

What happened when I did not agree with an answer on the show?  Glad you asked.  I would do as the apostle Paul teaches us in Acts 17:11 - go to Scripture, testing the teaching and the teacher - against Scripture.  That, in my opinion, should be a major goal of all Bible studies, Sunday School classes, and Bible discussions - to encourage, motivate, and at times, push all of us toward digging deeper into God's Word for greater knowledge.

With that said, let me share with you this very thought provoking video:

Happening Now With Don Stewart And Pastor Jack Gibbs Of CCCH Church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ycuOONFMo

Let us all be ready when He comes unexpectedly, imminently, to take all believers home to be with Him (John 14:1-3) where we will be protected as the world experiences seven years of Tribulation, Refiner's Fire, as God closes the final chapter of what He began in Genesis 1.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

End Times Bible Studies - In PowerPoint Presentations And YouTube Videos

Over the years, it has been my experience that there are two kinds of Bible studies.   The best, in my opinion, is a discussion style Bible study where we sit as a group, take a chosen Scripture passage or chapter, and read through it verse by verse - discussing each verse as we move through that Scripture passage. 

Why is this method best?  Simple, the whole group can participate.  Each of us takes our turn reading the next Scripture verse and sharing our thoughts on what we believe the original writer is telling us.  That most often will lead to others in the group offering either a confirmation, or another thought on the meaning.  That can lead to good discussions - in which the Bible study leader should participate, allowing the discussion of that verse to continue as long as the discussion stays on or near the subject. 

When the discussion starts to wander, sometimes going off on a different tangent - that is when the study leader needs to bring the group back on track.  In such a study it is best to not be dogmatic about finishing "x" number of verses, or a whole chapter, in one evening.  The study leader's responsibility is to keep the discussion on track and moving forward.  

If we discuss a smaller number of verses - but the group has participated in meaningful and productive dialogue where we all have learned - that should be the main goal of our Bible study.  At the end of the Bible study we should all walk away with new insight, new learning from the Scripture passage studied and discussed that evening - and not a concern for the number of verses finished.

The other kind of Bible study is the devotional, presentation, or sermon type of Bible study.  The downside of these types of studies is that the group typically just sits and listens with no participation.  That is much like a Sunday sermon where we only listen to our pastor's teaching.  The teaching might be from topical sermons or expositional sermons.  Topical sermons can often be easier for the teacher - but there is a downside. 

I recall reading Pastor Chuck Smith's article where he told about his early days as a pastor.  His sermons were all topical and he worked diligently to prepare a repertoire of good topical sermons.  At the first church he pastored, he was able to put together about fifty good topical sermons - enough for one year.  His problem?  At the end of his first year, he had two choices:  (1) start over, repeating the same fifty sermons he had crafted, or (2) move to a new church and there present his fifty sermons to new ears.

That is when Pastor Chuck Smith decided that the most effective sermons were those taught expositionally, i.e., verse by verse through the Bible.  That method produces two positive results.  First, by teach expositionally, verse by verse, a pastor or church cannot skip verses or passages which disagree with their predetermined theology.   Second, the pastor never runs out of new material - for he is teaching directly from God's Word, verse by verse - and he has 66 books to teach through.  In his book "Expository Sermons On Revelation" Dr. W. A. Criswell said it took him 17 years to teach from Genesis through Revelation.

But, back to the three types of Bible studies which I call "pulpit led" Bible studies:  devotional, presentation, and sermon.  Devotional and sermon styles automatically put the group into a "listener only" state of mind.  Whereas the presentation style can get the group involved - but not nearly as well as the "verse-by-verse" discussion style Bible studies.

By now you may be asking yourself, "Why is Bill going into such detail about types of Bible studies?"   Glad you asked.

At times there are Bible studies which tend to be so deep that a verse-by-verse study could take years.  A study of End Times prophecies is such a deep study.   Years ago we decided to do an expository study of the book of Revelation in our home Bible study group.  We made it through Revelation in about two months.  But that was because the leader chose to read and explain each verse himself, without allowing time for a group discussion or comments on the verses or passages. 

Yes, we went through the book of Revelation - but did we really get that much from it?  If he had allowed discussions - it may have taken us a year or more to finish the book.  But we would all have come away from our Bible study with a deeper understanding of End Times prophecies.

A good example:  Dr. W. A. Criswell, was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas for fifty years (Billy Graham became a member of his congregation in 1953)and was twice president of the Southern Baptist Convention.  In the 1960s, he decided to teach expositionally through the book of Revelation.  He spent several years, Sunday after Sunday, teaching through the book of Revelation, with side trips to other books as necessary when teaching about End Times prophecies. 

Did that concentration on the book of Revelation and End Times prophecies cause folks to stop attending church or to switch to a more "user friendly" church?  It is my understanding that the First Baptist Church of Dallas continued to grow - spiritually and numerically - throughout the tenure of Dr. Criswell.

His Revelation / End Times sermon teachings were transcribed and published in a series of five volumes.  I am fortunate to have the complete set in one precious book.  By the way, that book is about two inches thick.  And that is two inches of inspired knowledge and teaching, a true treasure.

In the foreward of the first volume Dr. Criswell wrote:  "These are sermons, not lectures.  They were preached extemporaneously, not written out and read.  They were delivered without notes, in a way I have sought to preach throughout the years of my ministry."   If you ever have a chance to add this book to your personal Christian library, I highly recommend you do.

As a side note, Dr. Criswell wrote the foreward for the 1980 second printing of "Building A Soul Winning Church" by Dr. Bob Davis.  Bob has been my life-long friend, high school classmate, and after graduation in 1955 four of us (Bob, Willy Joe, Cortez, and myself) from Sheffield High joined the Air Force together.  After his tenure in the Air Force, Bob went to seminary and eventually got his Ph.d. 

For a number of years he was pastor of Southern Baptist churches in Virginia - and then about 40 years ago decided to transition into full time evangelism, founding the Bob Davis Evangelistic Association in Lynchburg, Virginia, and traveling extensively speaking at evangelistic and revival meetings.

All of this is a lead-in to my main purpose for this blog.  For two weeks at International Bible Baptist Church of Riverside I have led our weekly Bible study using my PowerPoint Presentations titled:  "END TIMES Bible Study - Week One" and "END TIMES Bible Study - Week Two."  I know, very original, right?

Because of time constraints, these studies could only be done as an overview of End Times prophecies - for, as I mentioned earlier, a verse-by-verse discussion style study could take a year or more.  In our Bible studies we must keep moving forward toward greater knowledge of God's Word and, at the same time, working toward greater maturity in our Christian walk for all of us.  That is my goal in creating these presentations and my main reason for sharing them with you.

I have also taken my PowerPoint Presentations and converted them into YouTube videos.  You may view the PowerPoint Presentations slide by slide - or you may choose to just watch the short videos and stop them when you want to ponder a point.

For your convenience my END TIMES Bible Study Week One and Two PowerPoint presentations are included in this eNewsletter as attached PowerPoint PPT files.  But for Friends who do not have PowerPoint I have also saved the presentations as Adobe Reader PDF files with URL links.

First, let me  give you the URL links to my PowerPoint Presentations converted to PDF format.  When you click on the link that will open the presentation as an Adobe PDF document which you can scroll through, slide by slide.  Or you can click the Download button and download the document into your Adobe Reader to be viewed and/or archived.

END TIMES  Bible Study Week One - 7-21-18 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WLYFAUUpPOcFnUhUkuvq01zOOTVsUI_9

END TIMES Bible Study - Week Two - 7-19-18 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TV4UWdoE2m7wmKC_hjy9HdGIbHLYLF4H

INAUGURAL CLASS - WE BELIEVE - 7-21-18 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q68oDE4p-JgMQCh_eeCi5QpUSGjTZHOz

IT ALL BEGAN WITH CREATION_7-21-18
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CznlWkc1HyeFVArHPAsbV2nyYyYPDjqF

Or, you may view the same presentations as YouTube videos with soothing background music:

BIBLE STUDY 2018 - BILL GRAY (YouTube Playlist) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUwF_igeTQk&list=PL_YT3RttutrhPFj_GxNr9bXqlaei7eJaQ

All comments, suggestions, and suggested corrections will be appreciated.  I pray this will be useful to you in your own personal Bible study and in your corporate studies.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

Brent Riggs Responds - Re: Statement Of Faith ~ How Is Yours Coming?

Yesterday I posted a new blog via my Friends Ministry eNewsletter, on the Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries, and on Facebook asking:  "Statement Of Faith ~ How Is Yours?"   And my long time Friend and Christian brother in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brent Riggs, responded with the message below sharing his personal and ministry Statement of Faith.  For years I have been receiving Brent's "Serious Faith" blogs (http://www.seriousfaith.com/) and he has been receiving my blogs and eNewsletters.

Just a bit of info about Brent:

Personal:  Happily married  ~  Eight children - two from Guatemala, one from Ethiopia, one from Marshall Islands, four bio  ~  A Christian for 35+ years  ~  Pastor of Straightway Bible Church  ~  Have several blogs with tens of thousands of readers  ~  Author of many books and publisher of various magazines  ~  Have taught, spoke, preached and trained for over 20 years  ~  Counseled, mentored & advised about business and relationships for many years  ~  Enjoy tennis, art, music, camping and family activities.

To learn more about Brent, visit the About (http://www.brentriggs.com/brent.aspx) link on this web site.  I have known him, via internet, for many years and I still am amazed at all that he has accomplished in one lifetime.

Below is his response to my Statement of Faith challenge:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Good stuff Bill… continue the great work.  If interested, here is mine, Brent

What I Believe:    (https://www.seriousfaith.com/what-i-believe/)

How You Can Be Saved – The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Every person needs to have a right relationship with the God who created us.  (Do not believe the lie that you came from a monkey or goo.  God made you, loves you, and is now trying to get your attention.)

Perhaps in your own heart you have tried to explain away spiritual things, convincing yourself it is all superstition or fairy tales, but the questions just will not go away.  Do you know why they will not go away?  Because God created in every person the need and desire to know the answers… this need is evidence that God exists, and is reaching out to you.

You need to be “saved.”  Perhaps you do not understand that religious phrase.  Let’s take a look. To be saved means to be rescued from some impending harm.  You cannot really desire to be saved unless you are convinced there is something that you need to be saved from.  What do we need to be saved from?

The nutshell is this: You are a sinner.  The God who created you does not tolerate sin.  Like a righteous human judge doing his duty, pronouncing punishment and penalty on wrongdoing, the Judge of the Universe – God – must pronounce eternal judgment on all those who have violated His perfect Law.  That is the bad news.  The good news is that God also has provided a way for us to be forgiven for those violations (sin).

But I’m a good person, you might say.

Are you really?  Is it fair to call you a “sinner”?  Most people would answer:  “No, I’m a good person.”  Hmmm… let’s put that to the test.

Have you ever lied?  Ever, even once?  How many lies does it take to be a liar?  One.  You are a liar.  So am I.

Have you ever stolen, cheated on your taxes, been lazy at work?  You are a thief.

Ever lusted?  Ever take God’s name in vain or used His name casually (“Oh my God” or OMG)?  Ever hated someone?  Even once?  That makes you an adulterer (Jesus said lust is equal to adultery in your heart) - a blasphemer (using God’s holy name without proper reverence) - and murderer (Jesus said to hate your brother is the same as wanting to kill him).

See what I mean. You are not “good.”  You are a lying, stealing, blaspheming, murdering, adulterer.  And that is just a start.  We are not even halfway through the 10 Commandments.  You are a sinner.  I am a sinner.  We ALL are sinners.  We all have a very real need for forgiveness by God.  That’s what “being saved” means.  We need to be saved from God’s righteous pronouncement of “GUILTY!” and His just sentence of “DEATH” for our sin.

Just like a good human judge will pronounce “guilty!” and a penalty on someone who has broken the law, God (The Perfect Judge) will do the same. Makes sense, right?

God mercifully provided a way for us to be saved.  You cannot earn it, you cannot be good enough to merit it.  You cannot demand it or obligate God to give it.  It is a free gift manifested in God’s love and sovereignty.  Our salvation is unattainable except that God chose in eternity past to provide it.

Here are seven truths to help you find true Christian faith for yourself, based upon what God says in His Word – the Bible:

God Loves You:  "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

You Are in Trouble:  "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) — “You [God] are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell."  (Psalm 5:4)

Sin Brings Disaster:  "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (Romans 6:23)

God Has Provided the Answer – a Savior:  "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

Repent* of Your Sin and Turn To the Savior, Jesus Christ:  "Turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus"  (Acts 26:20) — "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."  (John 1:12)

*To repent means to “turn away from.”  It means to be sorry for your sin and truly not want to do it anymore.

Believing in Jesus and Receiving the Savior by Faith*:  This is what the Bible says – God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, Jesus.  "He who has the Son has eternal life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life" (1 John 5:12)  —  "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  (Romans 10:9)

Now Is the Time to Receive Him and Respond in Obedience:  "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." (Hebrews 3:15) — "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." (Acts 2:38) 

Obedience is the evidence of true repentance, faith, and belief.  We must respond to God’s gift of salvation ON HIS TERMS by obeying what He commands. Confess that you are a sinner publicly.  Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the ONLY way to salvation. Be baptized – which symbolizes your old life of sin and defiance being put to death in a grave of water, and a new Godly person being born to a new life of righteousness and good.

Find a group of Believers with whom you can serve, pray, and worship the God of the Universe.  Read your Bible.  Love others.  Obey God. Obedience is the EVIDENCE of GENUINE salvation.

What is Faith?

You hear the word “faith” a lot in Christian conversation.  Often it is used to simply mean “trust” - such as “trust God” - i.e., have faith that God will care for you.  But what is “faith” when speaking of the clear truth in Scripture that “salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 2:8)?

Other considerations:

Do you know what “praying” is?  It just means to talk to God.  If you have finally realized you are a sinner and need to be saved, talk to God and ask Him to forgive you.  Tell Him you believe Jesus died to pay for your sins, and you want to stop sinning.  Thank God for this.

Now go and find some other Christians who are serious about their faith in God and who believe the Bible.  Ask them to show you what God would have you do next.  The Bible says we authenticate our salvation by our obedience – doing what God says.  Other mature Christians can show you what God would have you do now, such as being baptized and meeting with other Christians regularly.

Your decision of what relationship you want with God is the most important decision you will ever make in your life.  If you have questions, or need help finding Christians in your area who can talk to you further, do not hesitate to e-mail me: brent@brentriggs.com.

Look up these Bible verses where God says many of the things I’ve written above: John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Psalm 5:4, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Acts 20:21, John 1:12, I John 5:11-12, Hebrews 3:7-8, Romans 10:9; Acts 2.38.

I have adopted my salvation explanation from things I’ve read over time.  Any similarity is not meant as plagiarism, but rather just a choice to communicate this important truth in the best way possible.  I have lost track of what part of this came from where, or what is my own.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

I BELIEVE:

I believe the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God and is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. (II Tim 3:16-17)

I believe that there is one true God (Dt 6:4), eternally existing in three persons…The Father (Jn 4:24), Son (Jn 1:1,14), and Holy Spirit. (Acts 5:3,4)

I believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin (Isa 7:14), that He is God incarnate, (Jn 1:1,14), and that He came to earth for the express purpose of paying the penalty for our sins (Jn 1:29), making for Himself His very own people. (Titus 2:14)

I believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised from the grave (I Cor 15:3,4); was exalted to God’s right hand (Eph 1:20); and there is no other name under heaven by which man can be saved (Acts 4.12)

I believe that all men without Christ are sinners, guilty before God, and are under His condemnation. (Rom 3:23; 6:23)

I believe that all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and who respond in genuine obedient faith, are supernaturally born again (John 3:3,7; 1 Pet. 1:3,23; Titus 3.5), sealed by God and given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee (2Cor 1:22), adopted as children of God (Jn 1:12), and eternally saved. (Jn 6:47)

I believe that all who come to believe in Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:47-48), are commanded to be baptized (Matt 28.19; Acts 2.38; Mark 16.16, Gal 3.27); to observe the Lord’s Supper until His return (Luke 22.19; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26); and are to be a part of a local assembly of Believers (i.e, a home or community meeting on the Lord’s Day of fellow Christians for worship, service and fellowship). (Heb 10.25; The Book of Ephesians)

I believe in the personal and imminent return of Jesus Christ for His church. (I Thes 4:16,17)

I believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting bliss of the saved in heaven, (Phil 3:20) and the everlasting punishment of the lost in hell. (Rev 20:15)

I believe that the sick may request to be anointed with oil by the Elders of the Church as they pray the “prayer of faith” and the Lord can save the sick and raise them up from both physical and/or spiritual sickness as God chooses according to His will and pleasure which He may or may not reveal to us. (James 5.14-15)

I believe that every believer is endowed with spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ. (I Cor 12:4,11)

I believe that all believers are called to live a life of holiness apart from all worldliness and sinful practice. (Rom 12:1,2)

I believe that salvation is God’s merciful gift (we don’t deserve it) and possible only by faith** (belief + trust + response) in Jesus Christ alone (and no other) – (Ephesians 4: 2-4, 8).   But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

** FAITH is a combination of belief + trust + response.  Belief that Jesus is the Son of God, that was He born a real man, human in every way except the sinful nature; that He lived sin-free life (unlike us Romans 3:23), that He freely gave His life on the Cross and paid my penalty for my sin. 

It is the belief that Jesus died on the Cross but three days later rose from the dead defeating the power of death.  It is belief that I am a sinner who is justly and eternally condemned for violating God’s holy standards. 

Faith is trusting that Jesus Christ alone can atone (satisfy God’s requirement for justice) for my sins (and is willing to)  and save me from an eternity in Hell that I deserve…

and faith is responding in humble obedience (God is right, I am wrong) by confessing my sins, repenting (turning away from sin), and “putting on” Jesus Christ (like a person would believe and trust and put on a parachute to save himself from burning airplane that was going down). 

I believe that an obedient response to God’s gift of salvation and the resulting transformed life (from a lover of sin to a lover of righteousness and God) is the evidence and authentication of true salvation in a persons life.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I truly appreciate Brent taking the time to respond to my challenge.  I pray that others will at least accept the challenge to put your own personal Statement of Faith in writing, for your own benefit and to give you more confidence when sharing His Word, His Gospel.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

Statement Of Faith ~ How Is Yours Coming?

A number of times in our Bible studies and Sunday School Classes at International Bible Baptist Church - Riverside I have shared my conviction that all believers should confirm their own personal Statement Of Faith, what YOU believe and what YOU share when following His Great Commission and being His witness to all the world. 

Yes, that should conform to the local church fellowship where you worship - but, you have to confirm your own personal beliefs - based upon your own study of Scripture.

How do you confirm your own Statement of Faith, so that you may affirm those beliefs when sharing with all the world?  Glad you asked.

I would suggest that your first step should be to put YOUR own personal list of "What I Believe" statements in writing and support each statement from Scripture.  That done, what do you do with your Written Statement of Faith now that you have confirmed it in writing?  Do you just fold it, put it in your desk drawer, and let it gather dust?  Or will you put it in your Bible so you might read it periodically?   I would suggest the latter. 

And, I would suggest you periodically revisit what you have written.  A year, two years from now - have any of those beliefs changed or been slightly modified as your grew in Biblical maturity?  If not, are you sure you have written what you believe from your own personal studies - and not what a pastor or a church has told you to believe?

Many years ago a dear Friend, Pastor Freddy Cortez, taught me to always be an Acts 17:11 Christian, testing the teaching and the teacher against Scripture.  Over the years that advise has held me in good stead.  Based upon his advise, when I encounter a new ministry, i.e., church, web site, or any Christian organization or ministry - the first thing I look for - before reading any of their material - is their posted Statement of Faith or Statement of Beliefs.  Believe it or not - there are people, ministries, and churches who refuse to post this vital information.

Some years ago I came upon the web site of a church in the Midwest - but could not find their Statement of Faith.  I sent them an e-mail asking if I had inadvertently missed that information.  A person from that church responded, "We do not post our Statement of Faith - because we do not want to offend anyone."   Yes, that was supposedly a Christian church - which would not share their Statement of Faith in Jesus Christ - to not offend anyone!

I replied, "Well, there are two things I am sure of - (1) you have offended God - and (2) you have offended me."

I have found other churches and ministries who have told me, "We don't hold to a formalized Statement of Faith.  We just prefer to affirm our love and acceptance of all people and make them feel welcome in our fellowship."  Really?  Affirming your faith in Jesus Christ in writing - is too formal and restricting to your fellowship?  Good luck!

And, to follow my own advise, this week I have revisited my own personal Statement of Faith, which is the same for our Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries.  And, yes, I made modifications.  Most were just grammatical corrections. 

But I have rewritten what we believe about the Bible.  I rewrote that statement to make sure it declares our firm belief "That the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Word of God."  I want to make sure that what we believe about God's Written Word, the Bible, firmly supports our Conservative Christian faith.

STATEMENT OF FAITH - Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries

WE BELIEVE:

That the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Word of God.  The Bible is the sole authority for our Christian faith and Christian life.   The Bible is God's authoritative written revelation to man.   We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture and that all 66 books of the Bible are without error in the original manuscripts.

We believe Scripture should be interpreted according to its historical, grammatical, and literal sense.  We believe that Divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts and words of the Bible, so that the whole Bible, in the original manuscripts, is without error in its moral and spiritual teaching and in its record of historical facts.

In one God, eternally existing and manifesting Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who before His incarnation, existed in the form of God and of His own choice lay aside His divine glory and became a man in every aspect, possessed of all the human characteristics of man.  He was and is fully God and fully man.

That our Lord Jesus Christ was supernaturally conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary.  He died on the cross for our sin; rose from the dead on the third day; and sits at the right hand of God the Father as the ONLY mediator between man and the Father.

That by His death on the cross our Lord Jesus Christ, who was sinless, made a perfect atonement for our sin - that through His death on the cross the wrath of God against sinful man was appeased; and that His death on the cross provided grace for sinful man, which is why Jesus Christ is the ONLY path through which man can, of his own free will, have eternal life with God.

That through His resurrection on the third day our Lord Jesus Christ defeated death, once and for all, and made redemption available to ALL who will believe in Him as Lord and Savior.

That the Holy Spirit is God and is a person possessed of all the divine attributes of God.

That all who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior become children of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ, have His promise of eternal life, and will never lose their salvation.

That the Holy Spirit indwells and seals all born-again believers at the time of their conversion and that this is a once-for-eternity event.  We should be seeking filling (empowering) of the Holy Spirit daily, hourly, continually - through prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship.

That heaven and hell are real places and these are the ONLY two choices man has for his eternal home.  Your choice must be made before this life is finished.  There is no second chance after leaving this life.

That everyone will face judgment before Jesus Christ.  The believer to a judgment of eternal rewards - the non-believer to a judgment of eternal punishment in hell, the lake of fire.

In a Pretribulation Rapture of the church, His body of believers worldwide.

In a Premillennial Second Coming of Jesus Christ at the end of the seven year Tribulation, to establish His Millennial Kingdom, the Kingdom of God on earth.  For one thousand years He will rule the world, the perfect Theocracy, from the throne of David in Jerusalem.

As of today, July 20, 2018 - this is our Statement of Faith.  I welcome all questions or comments.  And I pray that, if you have not yet put your Statement of Faith in writing, this will encourage you to do it - for that can only strengthen your witness.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

What Is A Christian ~ Subtitled, "Is Roman Catholicism A Cult?"

Last night I watched a great video of Dr. Ravi Zacharias responding to the question, "Is Roman Catholicism a cult?"

Over the years that I have been doing Christian apologetic writing, I have often been asked a similar question,  "Is Roman Catholicism a heresy?"  Or I have been told emphatically, "Roman Catholicism is a heresy!"    And my response is that even though I spent many years of my early life attending the Roman Catholic church, since becoming a Christian believer in 1987 I could no longer be comfortable attending the Roman Catholic church.

Does that mean that I do not believe a person can be Roman Catholic and still be a Christian believer?  No, I believe there are Christian believers in the Roman Catholic church and there are people who just attend out of habit or birthright.  The same is true in the Baptist church, or any other denominational church.  In any denominational church we will find true believers - and we will find those who profess, but do not possess, the Christian faith.

In the video below I believe that Dr. Ravi Zacharias gives a good analogy.  He tells us that while different denominations may have varying doctrines and practices - what makes a Christian is our personal relationship with Jesus Christ - not our label.

For me, there is a Gospel song which says this very clearly.  It has long been one of my favorite songs, "It's Not What's Over The Door."

Just a sample of the lyrics:

Some people think today, If heaven you would see, You must belong to their one church, Or be lost eternally. But according to God's word, What He's still looking for, Is what He finds within your heart, And not what's over the door.

It's not what's over the door Of the church that you attend, That makes you a child of God, And a heavenly citizen. As the eyes of the Lord look this world o'er, There’s just one thing He's lookin’ for Can’t you see that’s what’s in your heart, And not what's over the door.

You can find a great rendition of this beautiful Gospel song by The Cathedrals on YouTube.  It speaks to my heart, I believe it will speak to yours also.

That said, I believe that Dr. Zacharias hits the nail on the head - when he tells us that most often a cult church is one that was started by "one man" with that one man setting the theology, doctrines, and teachings of that church or group of churches.

It does not matter which label that church wears, i.e., Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Independent, etc., - if "one man" is at the helm, sets all the doctrines, and does all the teaching - that church can be in danger of becoming a cult church.

That is one major reason I would always suggest to anyone who has a calling to be a Christian leader - pastor, elder, lay teacher, etc. - and wants a solid Christian education - attend a major conservative Christian seminary which offers a well rounded faculty of solid Christian teachers.  Good examples are: Biola University Talbot School of Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary, California Baptist University, Chafer Theological Seminary, Liberty University Theological Seminary, etc.

In contrast to the conservative theology seminaries, there are those which lean heavily toward liberal modernism in their theology and teaching.  Examples of such seminaries are:  Duke Divinity School, Harvard Divinity School, Yale Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, etc.

The ironic thing about these typically Ivy League schools is that they were the first Christian colleges founded in America - and they were founded primarily to provide higher education for future pastors and Christian leaders.  But over the centuries they somehow took the more popular liberal and  modernist path - and strayed away from conservative theology teaching.

"But, Bill, what is the difference?  Don't all seminaries teach the Bible?"  Great question.  Glad you asked.

So, what is the difference between the teaching found in conservative theology schools - and that found in the more liberal schools?   Traditional or conservative schools provide stronger emphasis on systematic theology - taking a more expositional indepth approach to Scripture. 

While the liberal schools place heavier emphasis on social/moral theology and often treat Scripture as only a source for inspiration.  Liberal theology tends to focus on the Bible as an evolving story and seeks to understand Scripture as an unfolding, ever changing narrative.  And, of course, the liberal theology school of thought has found appeal to a wider, often secular, audience. 

And many of the liberal theology churches and denominations have also moved toward a more ecumenical "one religion fits all" teaching.  

Am I saying that liberal theology churches and followers are not Christian?  No, in no way.  But they seem to have missed the point in the full revelation which God has given to us in His Written Word, the Bible.  The liberal Christian will end up in heaven alongside we conservative theology Christians.  The main difference is that they will find many pot holes and pitfalls along the way in their daily Christian walk.  And they will find their path more crowded.

Jesus tells us, in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Yes, it is my belief that our liberal theology brethren will always find the path they have chosen toward the narrow gate more crowded - for it will be full of those who attend church to only be made to feel good and assured that God will overlook their favorite sins and they can find many "feel good" churches and pastors who will cater to those desires.  And they will be walking alongside the many secularists who smirk at our Christian faith - and those who teach a different Gospel, i.e., the cult churches.

One of the most obvious cult groups in America has long been the Worldwide Church of God which was started in 1933 by Herbert W. Armstrong.  When Armstrong died, his successor, Joseph W. Tkach, began a movement to bring that church in line with mainstream Christian theology.  And they changed the name to the Grace Communion International to divorce themselves from the shadow of Herbert Armstrong.  This angered many of Armstrong's followers - who split off and started about six other churches which still teach Armstrong theology.  All of them are cult churches.

Why are they, the Worldwide Church of God and its offshoots, cult churches?  First, they deny the Trinity, claiming that the Holy Spirit is merely a "power" emanating from God.  They deny hell for unbelievers, instead teaching annihilationism, that the unbelievers will be totally destroyed and have no eternal existence in hell.  They teach "second chance" salvation, i.e., that a person who dies while still rejecting Jesus Christ - will be given a second chance after death.  They are cult churches.

Another cult god-father was Oral Roberts, the virtual god-father of Prosperity Theology.  Other cult leaders who followed in the steps of Oral Roberts in Prosperity Theology include Robert Tilton, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland, Reverend Ike, Frederick K.C. Price, T. D. Jakes, Kenneth Hagin, Paul Crouch, etc. - and female versions are Joyce Meyer, Paula White, etc.

That said, I believe that a person who has put his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior - is a Christian believer - regardless of the name over the door of their church.  But I would have a difficult time going back into Roman Catholicism - after being a Baptist-flavored believer for over 30 years.

Yet, just as Dr. Zacharias tells us, I would not say that a person is not a believer because he worships in the Roman Catholic church.  Still I would wonder how that person can go along with the worship of and prayers to non-deity such as Mary and all the other church appointed saints.

So, watch Dr. Ravi Zacharias' video and consider what he is telling us.

Is Roman Catholicism a cult? - Ravi Zacharias at Texas A&M's Veritas Forum

Dr. Ravi Zacharias answers the question, "Is Roman Catholicism another example of how unity does not equal uniformity within the Christian community or is it at its core a derivative of true Christianity?" at Texas A&M's Veritas Forum on March 19, 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CisY1QTgEis

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill