Charles H. Spurgeon on Alcohol

“I hope they will be full of spirit against evil spirits, stout against stout, and hale against ale.”
-Charles H. Spurgeon, letter to temperance society, March 19, 1884.

Occasionally you hear someone defending social drinking by using Charles Haddon Spurgeon (AD 1834-1892) as an example. Or as an excuse. If the great Baptist preacher of London did not believe in abstinence from beverage alcohol, then it must be alright for us to drink.

Contrary to this view, we should follow biblical teaching and the common sense God gave us. Some will be surprised, however, to see what Spurgeon came to believe about the recreational use of the drug alcohol.

In his early years, Charles Haddon Spurgeon disagreed with those who preached abstinence from alcohol. But as time went by, the temperance advocates (those who promoted total abstinence from beverage alcohol), convinced Spurgeon; or maybe the Holy Spirit convinced him. Spurgeon actually became a temperance advocate. Temperance meetings were held in Spurgeon’s church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

In 1882 Spurgeon would boldly declare, “Next to the preaching of the Gospel, the most necessary thing to be done in England is to induce our people to become abstainers.” I’m strongly against drinking, but I’m not even sure that I would go as far as Spurgeon, with his above statement.

Dr. Lewis Drummond stated of Spurgeon, “Obviously he had become a strong advocate for abstinence.”

The two above quotes are from Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Dr. Lewis A. Drummond, Foreword by Carl F. H. Henry, Kregel Publications; 1992. Dr. Drummond was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. As a result of the SBC Conservative Resurgence, Drummond was the first conservative president of SEBTS.

Charles Spurgeon also spoke to the issue of Communion Wine stating that his church used only unfermented wine.

“We use Frank Wright’s unfermented wine at the Tabernacle, and have never used any other unfermented wine. I am given to understand that some of the so-called unfermented wine has in it a considerable amount of alcohol; but Mr. Wright’s is the pure juice of the grape. One person advertised his wine as used at the Tabernacle though we had never used it even on one occasion. So far as we are concerned, we use no wine but that produced by Messrs. Frank Wright, Mundy, and Co.
Yours truly, C. H. SPURGEON.” -Westwood, June 20, 1887.
(www.godrules.net/library/spurgeon/NEW8spurgeon_d12.htm; accessed 4-12-2010)

Notice that Spurgeon calls this pure juice of the grape “unfermented wine.” Some erroneously say there is no such thing, that all “wine” is fermented. Spurgeon, Aristotle, Nicander, Horace, Pliny, Polybius, Cato, Plutarch, and others would disagree.

Next time you hear someone say Spurgeon was for social drinking, tell them the rest of the story. Charles H. Spurgeon became a strong advocate of total abstinence from alcohol.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 12, AD 2010.

Note:  You may also be interested in Preserving Unfermented Wine in Bible Times, and other articles under Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels) in the bottom right margin. 

Deuteronomy 14:26 - Does it Commend Alcohol?
Ancient Wine and the Bible - the Book

11 Reasons to Not Drink Alcohol

Other Articles in lower right margin.  

Israel, May They Prosper Who Love You

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. -Psalm 122:6

Some Christians today say we should not support the Jews or Israel. Incredibly, some say the Israelis are no different than the terrorists they fight.

Israelis and the terrorists they fight, however, are no more equivalent than the USA and the terrorists we fight. We are not always right, but we are assuredly more right than those we oppose.

* Israel does not send suicide bombers, including children, to blow up innocent people.
* Israeli soldiers do not hide in, and shoot from, the homes of innocents and force the other side to fire on them there.
* They do not use women and children as shields during battle.
* Israel has many Arabs living within the borders of Israel proper. They live there in relative peace and security, and prosper. They are Israeli citizens. On the other hand, when Israel pulled out of Gaza they had to evacuate all the Jews, or they would have been murdered by the militants.
* Israel is a democracy, surrounded by dictatorships.
* Israel has a tiny sliver of land; the Arabs have incredible amounts of territory compared to Israel.

The answer to both sides is personal faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior. I’m all for sending missionaries to both sides. There are certainly good and bad in every race. There are wonderful Jewish Christians, and wonderful Arab Christians. I do not believe all Palestinians, all Arabs, or all Muslims are terrorists. But I certainly oppose those who are. Recently it has come to light that some Arabs protected Jews during Nazi control of North Africa and the Middle East; God bless them.

Israel is not always right, and we should oppose them when they are wrong. Don’t blindly support them, or us. But be sure about the facts, before you speak up and oppose the Israelis.

It has been asked how exactly can Christians support Israel. How can we keep our support for Israel from just being a platitude? Good question.

Ways We Can Be Supportive of Israel1. Pray for them, their safety, their security. They live in an entirely different world than we do and while they have a tenuous treaty or two, they are basically surrounded by enemies. Enemy tanks could roll across their entire country in much less than a day. They have to always be on guard. Get a Middle East map and see the size of their country as compared to the surrounding nations and the Arab and Muslim controlled lands.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you.” -Psalm 122:6

2. Pray for their salvation.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” -Romans 10:1

3. Support them by voting for candidates that support our aid to, and our friendship with Israel. Support their right to exist and defend themselves.

I believe God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 12:3 is still true, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.” One of the reasons God has blessed America is we have blessed His chosen people.

4. Encourage people to go visit Israel as tourists. It helps their economy; tourism is one of their biggest sources of income. You will also learn more about the modern day country of Israel and the difficulties they face. You will come to love the Holy Land as never before.

5. Speak up for the Jews, Israel, and against anti-Semitism. Teach what the Bible teaches about them. Remember everything about Christianity comes from the Jews and their faith.

“In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” -Genesis 12:3

6. Some Christians support Israel in other financial ways.

7. Support trade with Israel. When you have a chance, buy what is produced in Israel.

We should love, pray for, and witness to all people. But God’s chosen people are still special.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 6, AD 2010.

Easter, Christianity, and the Resurrection

The Gospel (Good News) is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” -1 Corinthians 15:3-4; The Bible


Did Jesus really die for our sins and rise from the dead on the third day? Yes! He really, physically, literally, bodily, rose from the dead and is living today.

Easter is special, but really every time followers of Jesus worship on Sunday it is in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sunday is sometimes called the Christian Sabbath or the Lord’s Day.

We see from the following verses that the Christians began to worship on Sunday:

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” -John 20:19-21

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!” -John 20:26

On the first day of the week, Peter preached his sermon on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 souls were saved.

Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. -Acts 20:7-8
(As a preacher who still has Sunday Evening Worship Services, I can’t help but point out that John 20:19-21 and Acts 20:7-8 refer to Sunday Evening gatherings.)

On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. -1 Corinthians 16:2

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet. -Revelation 1:10

The early church was composed of Jewish believers in Jesus as their Messiah, their Savior. They had always worshipped on Saturday, the 7th Day. Why in the world would they change? It would have taken an incredible event. And it did. The incredible miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What did the early church do? The church soon after New Testament times? They also worshipped on the first day of the week.

Barnabas, AD 120 - “We keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose from the dead.”

Justin Martyr, c. AD 165 - “But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our communion assembly because Jesus Christ, our Saviour, on the same day arose from the dead.”

Bardesones of Odessa, Asia, AD 180 - “On one day, the first day of the week, we assemble ourselves together.”

Clement of Alexandria, AD 194 - “He, in fulfillment of the precept, according to the gospel, keeps the Lord’s day, when he abandons an evil disposition…glorifying the Lord’s resurrection in himself.”

Tertullian in Africa, Bishop of Carthage, AD 200 - “We solemnize the day after Saturday in contradiction to those who call this day their Sabbath.”

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Africa, AD 250 - “The eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord’s day.”

Apostolic Constitution, AD 250 - “On the day of our Lord’s resurrection, which is the Lord’s day meet more diligently.”

A man told a preacher, “The Christian religion is no big deal. It would be easy to start a religion like that.”
The preacher replied, “Oh yes. You would only have to get crucified and rise again the third day.”

And that is exactly what Jesus did.

Believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Follow Him. And Easter and the Resurrection will have meaning as never before. Jesus loves you. He is the way to forgiveness, salvation, resurrection, and everlasting life. Jesus gave His all to you; give your heart and life to Him.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” -John 11:25.

Reference: R. G. Lee.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 1, AD 2010.

Sharing Your Faith, by Evangelist Bill Fay

Bill Fay is an evangelist. He is author of Share Jesus without Fear, a great, brief, simple book on sharing Jesus’ salvation with others (I think there is a small group study edition by LifeWay and a regular book by Broadman & Holman). There is a link to his website in the right margin of this blog, under Sites I Mainly Agree With.

Few people know how to get to the heart of the issue of evangelism like Fay. If you read the following short article; it will be time well spent. Any time you see a Baptist Press article by Bill Fay, know it is worth reading.

Sharing Your Faith During Easter

FORT MYERS, Fla. (BP)--With Easter just days away, wouldn't it be wonderful to see the Lord enter the hearts of family and friends and people that we love?

There is not a conversation that you cannot turn into a spiritual test-point to see if God is at work. Let me give you a simple example.

You could be talking with someone about sports and simply say, "What is your favorite sport?" They may reply, "football." Just say, "I am just curious: Did you ever notice that so many pro athletes destroy their lives no matter how much money they're making? I'm just curious, do you think there's a heaven and hell?" You can go from football to heaven in one simple question.

I was in a restaurant the other day and a server came to my table. I simply said, "I love the cross you're wearing. Have you figured out when you die, where you're going?" She broke down crying. She had lost her 21 year old son to cancer and her mother had died. She was in church with me the next day.

One of my favorite questions is, "Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?" I don't ask someone if they believe in God. The second question I like asking is, "To you, who is Jesus?" If they have a relationship with Christ, they'll say, "My Lord, My Savior."

I really like asking someone, "When you die where will you go?" Most people will say, "I hope heaven." I then ask, "Why would God let you in?" If they give a works answer -- for instance, "I'm a really wonderful person" -- I ask, "If what you're believing is not true, do you want to know?"

I want to give you a challenge before your family and friends arrive at your home for Easter. Start to pray and think about one person you could go to and just ask these questions. You will experience how open people are. A lost person doesn't have any answers in this world of chaos, but the Christian does. If you're a born-again Christian, you have the only answer that's possible, and that is the risen Christ.
by Bill Fay, posted on Mar 29, 2010; bpnews.net (published by permission).

Note:  You may also be interested in The Roman Road of Salvation, and other articles under Evangelism listed in right margin below Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels). 

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 30, AD 2010.

Commentaries and Bible Study

So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
-Nehemiah 8:8

What is a commentary? It is simply a book that attempts to explain what a book in the Bible has to say.

It will give a basic introduction to the Bible book. Things like the author of the book, time of writing, who it was first written to, the basic theme or purpose of the book.

A commentary will then go verse by verse, or chapter by chapter and explain the meaning of the text of the Bible. The commentary author will sometimes refer to the original biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew. It may give several possible interpretations of a passage, especially if that passage is controversial or hard to understand. I like a commentary that then gives the author’s view of which is the right interpretation.

Some commentaries are very lengthy and detailed. Some skip over many verses and just hit the high points. Some are very technical and scholarly. Some so scholarly that you need to know Greek and Hebrew and maybe another language or two to keep up with it. Other commentaries are more expositional and devotional in nature.

Some of the best commentaries are by pastors who have preached through that book in the Bible. They include the meaning of the passage, doctrine, as well as illustrations and practical application of Scripture. These are sometimes called expositional commentaries.

For laymen, Sunday School teachers, and most pastors, I think good expositional commentaries are the most helpful. Two or three expositional commentaries, along with a more scholarly, technical commentary or two can be a good combination. You can buy them yourself or check out your church library. You don’t have to buy all the commentaries; you can start out by getting two or three on a particular Bible book.

Below are some of my recommendations. But I’d advise you to check them out for yourself to see if they are a good fit for you. Even if we believe the same basic things, my favorite commentator may not be yours. Remember that some commentators are better with one book than the next. Also, some book editors have edited out the illustrations and personal stories to condense the book; in my opinion this seriously diminishes the book.

A set of commentaries cost more at first, but the set is usually cheaper than over time buying all the individual volumes. Will you always agree with the commentary author? Of course not, but the authors listed below are conservative and believe in the divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. Not all are Baptist, but all are conservative, evangelical, and helpful.

Some of my favorite expositional commentaries and authors:
The first commentaries I would recommend would be the Bible Exposition Commentary by Warren Weirsbe; Thru the Bible Series by J. Vernon McGee; and the volumes by H. A. Ironside. These are a great place to begin.

While they are not in a set, I would also highly recommend the commentaries on individual books in the Bible by John Phillips, R. L. Sumner, Paige Patterson, W. A. Criswell, Jerry Vines, Adrian Rogers.

Other popular commentaries you may want to check out:
Holman Bible Commentary, Herschel Hobbs, John MacArthur, James T. Draper, John F. Walvoord, Albert Barnes, James M. Boice.

A more scholarly, technical set of commentaries:
The New American Commentary by Broadman & Holman. While these are scholarly, they are fairly easy to understand. The entire set is expensive, but they can be purchased one at a time. Or, talk your church into buying these, as well as some of the above, for the church library.

For the study of LifeWay Sunday School lessons, the Advanced Bible Study; Herschel Hobbs, and some of their other lesson study tools are very helpful. Check out what LifeWay has to offer.

The above commentaries can be ordered through a local Christian Bookstore, LifeWay, Amazon.com, etc. There is no end to commentaries, even the good ones, but these can get you started.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 23, AD 2010.

Related Articles:
Bibles and Bible Study
Scofield Bible, First 100 Years

Alcohol and the Church, (BP) Peter Lumpkins

This week (3-15-2010), Baptist Press began publishing a three part series on Alcohol and the Church by Peter Lumpkins. They are well worth your time to read. That is especially true considering the world in which we live. You can click the articles below to read them.

Peter Lumpkins is a Southern Baptist minister who lives in West Georgia. He is the author of Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence, Hannibal Books. It can be ordered from any bookstore or at hannibalbooks.com or amazon.com.

Baptist Press (BP) is the news agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. You can click the Baptist Press icon in the right margin of this blog (under Sites I Mainly Agree With) anytime to see their most recent articles. I appreciate Morris Chapman, the SBC Executive Board, and Baptist Press dealing with this issue. I thank God Southern Baptists still stand strong in their conviction against the mind altering, recreational drug we call beverage alcohol; the drug that has destroyed the lives of so many.

Alcohol and the Church, Part 1 (alcohol problem and statistics)

Alcohol and the Church, Part 2 (wine in Bible times)

Alcohol and the Church, Part 3 (reasons for abstinence)

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 17, AD 2010.

Obituary - Dr. Donald R. Potts (AD 1930-2010)

Therefore my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. -Philippians 4:1

Dr. Donald R. Potts passed away January 16, 2010 in Marshall, TX. Born in St. Louis, Missouri June 10, 1930, he was a graduate of: Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; Southwest Baptist College, Bolivar, MO; Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and studied at Oxford sponsored by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Potts pastored in Missouri; Lawton and Norman, Oklahoma; First Baptist Church, Groves, TX; and served as Chair of the Religion Department at East Texas Baptist University from 1976-2001. Dr. Potts also served many churches as interim pastor. He served in a number of areas in the state convention.

Donald Potts wrote articles for Proclaim, Church Administration, and the Baptist Standard. He was an adjunct professor for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He had taught at Cameron College, Lawton, OK, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX; and in Foshan, China and Lome, Togo.

He was married to Jeanne and had two children, Cindy and Donald Mark. His Funeral Service was January 21, 2010 at ETBU with Dane Fowlkes, Mark Chamberlin, Kevin Hall and Franklin Atkinson officiating.

During the Memorial Service Dr. Potts’ son spoke, his daughter spoke briefly and played a special arrangement of a favorite song. Dr. Potts had asked Dr. Franklin Atkinson to read the Scripture that Dane Fowlkes would use for the message; Philippians 4:1-8. His daughter asked Dr. Atkinson to give “A Tribute to a Friend.” His library will go to First Baptist Church, Groves, TX. They had a special day last year to dedicate this library. Interment was at Colonial Gardens Cemetery in Marshall.

Six years ago Dr. Potts was told he had approximately two weeks to live. He obviously had serious health problems yet continued to teach a Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church, Marshall, TX.

Somehow, word got out back then that Dr. Potts had already died. When a photo of him at an event, appeared in the Marshall newspaper a lady wrote in and said she was so happy to see it, she thought he had died. ETBU alumni were also confused and thought he had died. I confirmed with Dr. Atkinson, another retired ETBU religion professor, that Dr. Potts was still alive and relatively well.

Sherree Murray, ETBU graduate, was doing an alumni newsletter for those who attended ETBU in the 1970s and 1980s (then it was ETBC). In 2008 we included an updated article about Dr. Potts. There was the same response from several alumni, “We thought he was dead.” Dr. Potts was aware of these rumors and graciously, and with his characteristic humor, took it in stride.

I sent Dr. Potts a copy of my book in 2008 along with a note telling how much he had meant to me at ETBU. Dr. Potts sent a very gracious card in reply speaking of how he had enjoyed getting to know my dad through reading the book about him.

During his struggles with bad health, Dr. Potts said he was ready to go be with the Lord. He would then add, “Don’t pray against me.”

At ETBU I had Dr. Potts for a number of Bible courses. This was during the early stages of the Conservative Resurgence in the SBC and I was very impressed with his conservative theology. In the 1970s if all our SBC professors had believed like Dr. Potts, there would never have been a reason for the Conservative Resurgence.

He was theologically conservative, knowledgeable, gracious, and humorous. He made his classes interesting and worthwhile. He dealt with the theological as well as the practical side of ministry. Sundays young preachers would preach in churches throughout East Texas and quote Dr. Potts; sometimes accurately :-) . He was a Christian gentleman who treated his young ministerial students with respect. He in turn, certainly had our respect.

On one occasion, when a speaker canceled at the very last minute, Dr. Potts, stood and spoke some very helpful words of advice to a large group of young preachers. He saved the program from being a total disaster. By the way, I attended college with his wife and daughter and we all graduated in the same class.

We would ask him how far we should go in our education; he would say you should be educated to the full extent of your ability. I have a Master’s but not a Doctoral degree. I’ve often said that in this regard, I did exactly what Dr. Potts told me to do.

The good things about my life and ministry are partly due to the teaching and testimony of Dr. Donald R. Potts. He is one of the ones I’ve looked up to through the years. Many other preachers would say the same.

Thank you Dr. Potts, for your influence on my life, and the lives of so many others. This world is a better place because you followed the Lord.

Note: An obituary about Dr. Potts was printed in the Baptist Standard and the Southern Baptist Texan.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 15, AD 2010.

Saint Patrick of Ireland

“I share in the work of those whom He called and predestinated to preach the Gospel among grave persecutions to the end of the earth.” -Saint Patrick

St. Patrick and his holiday are filled with legends. St. Patrick did not drive snakes out of Ireland. He was not a Roman Catholic emissary to Ireland. He wasn’t even Irish, rather, British. Yes, he was a saint, but according to the Bible, all believers are saints (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; etc.).

St. Patrick was born into a Christian home in Britain. There are a number of interesting facts about the British church of Patrick's day. They had bishops, but they were pastors, overseers, of local churches. In the Bible the terms bishop, pastor, elder, are used synonymously to refer to the office of the leader in a local church (Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:1-3). Their bishops married and had families (1 Timothy 3:2). They looked to the Bible as their supreme authority. They referred to monasteries, but a little investigation reveals a monastery was just their version of a Bible school or seminary. They had monks, but many monks were married, had children and preached throughout the countryside. A monk was simply a seminary student. They spoke of baptism by immersion. These are some of the reasons the great preacher, W. A. Criswell, preached his 1958 sermon, St. Patrick was a Baptist preacher (see W. A. Criswell in this blog’s right sidebar).

Whatever happened to these ancient British followers of Christ? The Romans withdrew their legions from Britain in the middle AD 400s. The British had not learned warfare and had no ability to protect their country. With the Romans gone, thousands of these British Christians were killed by invaders in the late AD 400s and 500s.

Patrick was born about AD 360 into a Christian home in Britain. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a pastor. He, however, had not yet accepted Christ. In this day, the Celtic tribes of Ireland were uncivilized barbarians. During one of their raids on Britain, 16 year old Patrick was taken captive.

For six long years Patrick was a slave in Ireland. During his slavery, Patrick accepted Christ and his faith was strengthened. He wrote in his Confessions, “I would pray constantly during the daylight hours…the love of God…surrounded me more and more.”

God spoke to Patrick in a dream, “Your hungers are rewarded. You are going home. Look, your ship is ready.” As a fugitive slave, he walked over 100 miles to the Irish coast where he escaped on a ship and returned to Britain.

Back in Britain he entered into Christian ministry and in time became a bishop (pastor). Patrick developed a love for the pagan people of Ireland and sensed a call to take the Gospel to them. So years after he returned home, he voluntarily went back to Ireland as a missionary from Britain.

Patrick lived among the Irish, learned their culture, and gradually began to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Results were slow, but he was patient and faithful. Over time, thousands came to know Christ as their Saviour. He preached the Gospel throughout Ireland and established churches and monasteries (seminaries). Later Irish Christians followed Patrick’s example and spread the Gospel in Scotland, Britain, and Europe.

St. Patrick is one of the heroes of the Christian faith. He shows how growing up in a Christian family does not automatically mean you are a Christian, it must come by personal faith. He is an example of adversity strengthening personal faith. He reveals much about love for the lost, cross-cultural evangelism, and self sacrifice.

A few things to consider next week on St. Patrick’s Day.

Read more about it: St. Patrick was a Baptist Preacher, by W. A. Criswell, wacriswell.com; several Baptist Press articles on St. Patrick, bpnews.net; The Celtic Way of Evangelism by George G. Hunter III.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 11, AD 2010.

I Knew You Would Come

In ancient days there lived a great nobleman. His only child was a daughter who was of age to be married. So the nobleman decided to throw a great celebration in his castle that would last for days. He would invite all the young noblemen of the entire area to participate in this grand festival. Surely during this time a suitable husband could be found for his daughter. The appointed day came and the guests began to arrive. Eligible young men began to enjoy the merriment and the great feasts. They did the things young men do to impress a young woman. A beggar in an old cloak appeared at the door of the castle and began to knock. At first they paid him no mind. He persisted so someone threw him a few crumbs of bread. Still he would not go away. Someone cried, “Throw him a few coins. That will get rid of him for sure.” This was done to no effect. The beggar kept knocking. “Go away,” they threatened, “or we’ll unleash the dogs on you.” But he continued to knock with his crutches. They opened the door and asked, “What is it you want?” “Is this not the day for guests to come to seek the nobleman’s daughter? I have come to ask for her hand.” The beggar edged into the courtyard as word spread throughout the castle. Guests gathered to mock and laugh at this poor deluded vagrant. The daughter soon heard the talk and the laughter and asked what the commotion was all about. “It’s just a poor, crippled beggar who wants to marry you.” “I’ll go and see him,” she said. The young woman approached the beggar, “What is it you want?” “I’ve seen you while I myself was unnoticed. I love you deeply and want to marry you.” She paused, looked into his face, and, barely heard above the laughter she replied, “Yes, I will marry you.” “When,” he asked. “In a year and a day.” “Very good, I will return for you,” and he limped away. “You are smarter than we thought,” her friends said. “You sure knew how to get rid of him.” She quietly insisted, “But I meant what I said.” Knowing she could not be serious, the crowd continued their laughter and celebration. The festival resumed but the young woman gave them no encouragement. It finally came to an end on a note of gloom. The nobleman was a good man but greatly disappointed. He counseled his daughter to no avail. He explained how all his money spent for the party had now been a waste. “My wonderful daughter marry a beggar? You know he will never return for you.” A long, cruel year ensued. There was much derision. The daughter would only smile and say, “I’ve made my choice and he will return.” The year slowly passed. The next day arrived uneventful. But at noon something happened. Peals of music and trumpets were heard in the distance. An imperial messenger rode with fury to the castle gate announcing the arrival of the king’s son, the royal prince. There was no time to prepare. The nobleman, with his daughter, barely had time to reach the castle gate. What a sight they saw. As far as the eye could see were rows of knights and servants of the king. The great prince rode a majestic white horse, and was dressed in the finest clothing and armor. His face shined like the sun. The prince stepped down from the horse, “My love, I’ve come back for you just as I promised.” Through tears she whispered, “I knew you would come.” The prince took his bride to his kingdom in a far country. As they left, one of her maids barely had time to ask, “How did you ever know that the beggar was a prince in disguise?” The bride replied, “I looked deeply into his eyes. There was something special in his voice. Deep within, I knew he was the son of the king.” Many of you have been the laughing stock of the world. Some feel sympathy for you in your delusion. How could you give your heart to One who came in humility and was despised by men? You are mocked and misunderstood. But there was something in His eyes, His words, His deeds. Your heart was strangely warmed. You knew He was the Prince of Peace. One day soon, Jesus will return for you, His bride. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” -1 Peter 2:7 Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! -Revelation 19:9 

Note: Adapted from story by Thomas Lambie.  

 -David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, March 2, AD 2010.

Peter Lumpkins on Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow

My dad was a longtime, small church pastor in Texas. He was never famous, but, in my humble opinion, God used him greatly. All three of his sons are pastors. Many of the stories in his life and ministry were too good to let them be forgotten. So, after his death, I wrote a book about his life.

Just last week a lady wrote me of how as a little girl of about 10 years old, she trusted Jesus as her Saviour and was baptized by my dad at Doverside Baptist Church, Houston, TX. This would have been around 1960. About her baptism she said, “I don’t know who was crying the most me or Brother Joe.”

Peter Lumpkins has written some gracious words about The Wit and Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow, Hannibal Books. A link to his blog is listed in the right hand column of Gulf Coast Pastor. You can click the following to read his article: The Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow: A Brief Booknote by Peter Lumpkins (2-12-2010).

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, February 14, AD 2010.

Wit And Wisdom Of My Dad (Wit & Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow, the book)
Other articles in lower right hand margin under Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels).

About the Church Covenant

Most older adults fondly remember the days of the Church Covenant. Many Baptist churches would have a large Church Covenant poster hanging on the wall, sometimes in the sanctuary. To any who got a little bored in the church service - adults and children alike could spend a little time reading that giant poster. When a church was organized, it often adopted the Church Covenant; along with a doctrinal statement like the New Hampshire Confession, and later, the Baptist Faith & Message.

A Church Covenant is a pledge, based on the Bible, that church members voluntarily make to God and one another. It deals with their moral commitments and the everyday living of their faith. The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 deals with what we believe; the Church Covenant deals with how we should live.

Churches aren’t into covenants as much as they used to be and many don‘t have them or never refer to them. Some write their own covenants. A Baptist church is autonomous and not required to use or officially endorse the Church Covenant. Many have wondered whatever became of the old Church Covenant and are surprised to learn it is still available.

Many churches and individuals still use the old Church Covenant that dates back to J. Newton Brown’s The Baptist Church Manual of 1853. It is available from Broadman Supplies, and can be ordered from LifeWay Christian Resources. They print it in index card size, leaflets to paste in a church hymnal, and a large wall poster.

Some wonder if a church has to officially endorse the Church Covenant for it to be used. Well, that depends. The church can officially endorse the Church Covenant as a statement of their beliefs and practice. A pastor or church, however, can also simply present the Church Covenant as Scriptural teaching and as an example of Baptist practice.

A few may view the Church Covenant as a strict statement that must be followed. Most, however, would view this Covenant not in a dictatorial way, but as simply pointing us in the way we ought to go. It also provides a tie to the past and provides a continuity among Baptist churches.

My church uses the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 and the Church Covenant as examples of who we are and what we believe. We have copies of both, stamped on the back with our church name and address, in our church foyer in a tract rack along with other Gospel tracts. We use the 2008 Baptist Hymnal by LifeWay and have the Church Covenant pasted in the inside front cover of the hymnal. These serve as quiet, but constant reminders of who we are and what we believe.

Sorry to disappoint you, but we don’t have the giant wall poster of the Church Covenant hanging in our sanctuary. But I did see it the other day in a church just across the Houston Ship Channel.

I especially like the statement of the Church Covenant against destructive drugs, intoxicating drinks, and pornography. Too often churches have fallen silent on such issues. The Church Covenant is one small way to let everyone, especially youth, know of these dangers and where we stand.

Once every year or two, a study on the Church Covenant can be helpful. Though the language may be a little dated, it is still very relevant to today. I find it interesting that the problems of the 1850s are still problems needing addressed in Baptist churches today. Times change, language changes, discoveries, knowledge, technology change. But people are still the same.

The Church Covenant has been slightly revised since 1853 to include the issues of destructive drugs and pornography. While there are many variations of covenants, this Church Covenant has been by far the most influential.

Uses for the Church Covenant1. Have postcard size copies in your church tract rack.
2. Frame a copy and hang it on a wall in a hallway or classrooms of your church.
3. Once or twice a year insert or copy it in your church worship bulletin.
4. Every year or two use it for a small group study course. This gives you a chance to deal with church ordinances, drugs, pornography, anger, bad attitudes, reconciliation, giving, evangelism, family devotions, and many practical matters.
5. Paste the Church Covenant in the inside cover of the Baptist Hymnal. Yes, many churches really do still use a hymnal; the 2008 Baptist Hymnal is outstanding. Once a year have the congregation open the hymnal and read aloud the Church Covenant.
6. Use it, along with the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, as examples what your church believes.
7. Include it in a new members class or a new members packet of information.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, February 8, AD 2010.

Related Articles:
The Church Covenant is printed in full in the Gulf Coast Pastor post of February 4, AD 2010.
2006 SBC Resolution on Alcohol Use in America
Deuteronomy 14:26 - Does it Commend Alcohol?
Ancient Wine and the Bible - the book
Church Covenant
Order the Church Covenant in postcard size. 
Order the Church Covenant hymnal insert. 

Many other articles in lower right margin under Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels).

Church Covenant

Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote it’s prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of, and use of, destructive drugs and intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to shun pornography; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember one another in prayer; and to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

*******

The Church Covenant has been used by numerous Baptist churches, and dates back to J. Newton Brown’s The Baptist Church Manual of 1853. It has since been slightly revised. It is available in several forms from Broadman Church Supplies, Nashville, Tennessee; http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/; a division of LifeWay.

Coming soon, a few comments About the Church Covenant.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, February 4, AD 2010.

Church Discipline

It seems that churches have often gotten it wrong when it comes to church discipline. Either the church discipline is too strict, or there is none at all. Properly balanced discipline is the tricky part.

Another consideration is that much church discipline is carried out quietly, patiently, and behind the scenes. Yes, sometimes a person needs to be rebuked before all, but not as often as you may think.

As a pastor, I’m concerned that if we get too particular about church discipline, I might get kicked out myself.

If you think your church or denomination is a little harsh today, consider a Baptist church of the early 1800s.

Bethel Baptist Church was the first evangelical church west of the Mississippi River. It was also the first Baptist church in Missouri. Bethel was organized in 1806 and reorganized in 1809. It was in an area known as Tywappity Bottom, about 10 miles south of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The following are some interesting entries in the church records concerning church discipline:

March 9, 1811 - “The church met in conference. Brother Matthews and C. Thompson to talk with Sisters McDaniel and Watkins for their neglect of church meetings.”

October 12, 1811 - “John Reynolds excluded for joining the Mason Lodge. Also Ann McDaniel for insulting the church and violating the rules.”

December 15, 1815 - “Brethren T. Bull and Isaac Sheppard to write to Brother William Johnson on the arm of Turkey Creek concerning card playing.”

November 9, 1816 - “Resolved that Sister Hannah Edwards be allowed to wear gold earrings for the benefit of her eyes.”
The church did not believe in elaborate jewelry, but it was believed at the time that gold rings helped the eyes; hence, church action upon this matter.

June 8, 1822 - “Brother Ezekial Hill laid in a complaint against himself for killing a deer on Sunday, and after acknowledgment of his fault, was forgiven.”

And you thought the Church Covenant and Baptist Faith & Message 2000 were tough?

-Reference: This Day in Baptist History II by David L. Cummins & E. Wayne Thompson, BJU Press, Greenville, SC; and God in American History by A. Lloyd Collins, Christ for the World Publishers, Orlando, Florida.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 25, AD 2010.

More articles in lower right margin. 

Is God Judging Haiti?; Part 2

Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. -Jesus; Luke 13:4-5

6. Unless God is strongly, plainly speaking to you, you are probably not qualified to determine whether or not God is judging a nation.Don’t go out of your way to pronounce the judgment of God. Let God take care of that. Unless God powerfully speaks to you about the issue, leave it in His hands.

7. We don’t know all the workings and judgment of God.I heard a story of a tornado that came to a town and blew away the beer joint. The good Christian people quietly acknowledged this as an act of God. The next week a tornado came and blew away the Baptist church.

What is the moral to this story? I don’t know. Maybe just that, sometimes we need to keep our mouths shut for a while.

Certainly we know, according to the Bible, what is right and wrong. But we don’t always know the details of God’s judgment in our present day. “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

8. Sometimes, at least from our perspective, a natural disaster is just a natural disaster.Build a house in a flood plain, and eventually you will get flooded. Don’t insulate your water pipes, and sooner or later a hard freeze will make you pay. Part of living in this sin torn world is that we suffer crime, disease, natural disaster, death.

9. Is God judging Haiti?I don’t know that He is. Neither do I know that He isn’t. It is wrong to claim God spoke when He didn’t. It is also wrong to claim God did not speak when He did.

A tragedy happens to someone and they say they think God is judging them. Many preachers and Christians quickly, without thinking or praying, say, “O no, God’s not judging you.” But how do you know God is not judging them, or trying to get their attention?

I have learned in those situations to just wait, be quiet, and hear what the person has to say. For all I know, God may be judging them and they are properly under conviction.

Neither do I say, unless God specially reveals something to me, that they are being judged by God. Tragedy happens to those who are in the center of God’s will. Ever read the Old Testament book of Job? Remember the man born blind? (John 9:1-3). Be cautious about pointing at someone with problems and saying God is judging them. God may next allow the same thing in your life.

But God does still work in our history and in our lives. God does still judge and discipline. God judges individuals and He judges nations.

10. Regardless of the details, we are to help and pray for Haiti.God so loves the world (John 3:16). We are to go into all the world and share the Gospel and the love of Christ.

I don’t directly know whether God is judging Haiti. I don’t directly know if God was judging New Orleans, Louisiana, or Bolivar and Highlands, Texas with the recent hurricanes. But I do know that God can bring good out of evil. He can bring salvation out of chaos. I know that whether it is Haiti or the United States, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5).

God loves the Haitians every bit as much as He loves us sinful, rotten, unworthy Americans. We are to love them too. Let God worry about judgment. I thank God that Americans are showing their love for the Haitians. America is one of the most generous nations on earth. That is one of the reasons God has blessed our country.

What can we do? What should we do?* Pray for Haiti.
* Pray that God may be glorified in this tragedy.
One of the best things Southern Baptists do is Disaster Relief. Pray for all the relief workers, but especially pray for our SBC Disaster Relief workers. They not only minister to the hurting, they do so in the name of Jesus Christ.
* Give to the relief efforts. There are a number of worthy relief organizations, but one of the best is SBC Disaster Relief. Give through your Southern Baptist Church with a check designated for “SBC Disaster Relief.” Or, you can go directly to the International Mission Board (imb.org), the North American Mission Board (namb.net), or your state convention and give.
* Keep up with the Disaster Relief workers at Baptist Press (bpnews.net) or through your state paper (texanonline.net). Both are in the right side bar of this blog.

May God bless and bring salvation to Haiti.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 19, AD 2010. Part 2 of 2

Is God Judging Haiti?; Part 1

Is Hurricane Harvey God's Judgement?

Volunteering for Hurricane Harvey

 Why We Don't Use Alcohol For The Lord's Supper

Other Articles in lower right margin.  

Is God Judging Haiti?; Part 1

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O LORD, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah -Psalm 9:17-20

There is a story that on August 14, 1791 slaves in Haiti, in a voodoo (or voudou) like service, promised the devil if he would deliver them from slavery, the ex-slaves would serve Satan. Some historians deny this ever happened. Other historians say it really took place. Also, in 2003 Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide made voodoo an official religion. Some say this is all or part of why Haiti is impoverished while other nations have prospered. Haitians have gone from slavery to dictatorships and grinding poverty. Now, a devastating earthquake has killed tens of thousands. The suffering is unimaginable.

Hence, the question, is God judging Haiti through this earthquake? May I offer a few thoughts.

1. God does judge.If you believe the Bible and take it seriously, you have to agree that God actively rules and judges in our world today. One of the most love filled books of the Bible also acknowledges there is a sin unto death (1 John 5:16). Revelation, the last book of the Bible, tells us of some of the final judgments of God on this wicked, rebellious world.

2. God judges nations both directly and indirectly.At times God directly judges and punishes sin. He not only does this in the life to come, but right here and now. The same God who judged Sodom, Gomorrah, Judah, Israel, Babylon is present and in charge today.

Indirectly, God allows the consequences that come from sinful behavior. Like fire, play with sin and you’re going to get burned.

3. When God judges a people, innocents also suffer.I’ve heard some say about disaster, “This can’t be a judgment of God, because an innocent child was hurt.” But that is incorrect. The innocent often suffer when the guilty are punished. Do you think there were no children in Judah when God brought his judgment upon them?

For example, a man robs a bank and goes to jail. His little girl is now without a father and she suffers greatly. She suffers emotionally and lives in poverty. It is not her fault, it’s her dad’s fault; but she suffers.

4. God does not always judge equally, and at the same time period. At least not from what we can see, from our vantage point.His judgments are sure and perfect, but we cannot always see that. So God judges one nation, and another nation gets away with it. Or, so it seems.

One may say, this can’t be the judgment of God, because He did not send an earthquake to Nazi Germany. Well, God does not work according to your schedule or your opinions.

God judged Ananias and Sapphira for lying (Acts 5:1-11); but He does not always kill someone who lies. Else we’d have a lot more dead people on our hands. God works in His own time and His own way; without consulting you or me.

5. God sometimes leads a prophet to pronounce the judgment of God upon a person, a people, a nation.A prophet told the Assyrians, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, John Baptist thundered the judgments of God. God used prophets; He still uses them today.

A prophet tells us things we don’t want to hear. He is not usually elected most popular. He is often hated and despised.

On the other hand, frankly there is a thin line between a true prophet and just being obnoxious. Scripture warns against false prophets. We are to evaluate them by God’s sure Word, by their fruits, by what other respected, discerning, Christian leaders say, and by the guidance of the Holy Sprit. Then it is left to us to discern whether that person is a true or false prophet.

It is wrong to follow a false prophet; it is also wrong to reject and mock a true prophet.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 19, AD 2010. Part 1 of 2

Is God Judging Haiti?; Part 2

Is Hurricane Harvey God's Judgement?

Other Articles in lower right margin.  

Book Review of "Alcohol Today" by R. L. Sumner

Following is a Book Review by Dr. R. L. Sumner, editor of The Biblical Evangelist.

Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence, by Peter Lumpkins; Hannibal Books, Garland, TX; 3 Parts, 12 Chapters, 172 pages; $14.95, Paper.

This book is as anti-social drinking as you can get. No one is going to read this one and misunderstand what the author is saying. [Apparent reference to Bob Jones University claiming the “pro-moderate drinking" book by one of their professors was misunderstood. Sumner unfavorably reviewed it. BJU has since withdrawn the book. -DRB] (In short, there is absolutely no chance of him being confused as advocating social drinking!) He starts by explaining why he is writing (alcohol destroys), goes on to show how a once strong church (almost every denomination) that opposed booze so strongly is now endorsing ‘social’ drinking, and then examines the Prohibition era. And that is just Part One.

Incidentally note this comment on Prohibition: “The think-tank behind Prohibition was not filled with Bubbas from south Georgia. Instead university presidents, seminary professors, medical professionals, linguists, Classics scholars, and New Testament and Old Testament theologians and scholars alike argued tirelessly in professional journals, books, pamphlets, and speeches not only the personal virtue of abstaining from intoxicating beverages but also the public vice of manufacturing, distributing, selling, and consuming alcoholic beverages for social and recreational purposes…” That is not exactly how the anti-prohibitionists of today describe those days, is it?

By the way, former U.S. Health & Welfare Secretary Joseph Califano, not exactly a Baptist fundamentalist (he was a Roman Catholic) described it: “During prohibition, admission to mental health institutions for alcoholic psychosis dropped 60 percent, arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct went down 50 percent, welfare agencies reported significant declines in cases due to alcohol-related family problems, and the death rate from impure alcohol did not rise. Nor did Prohibition generate a crime wave. Homicide increased at a higher rate between 1900 and 1920 than during Prohibition, and organized crime was well established in the cities before 1920.” The booze boys have been lying to you about that period haven’t they?

This is followed by five chapters (Part Two) giving five positions on consuming intoxicants: hedonism (pleasure; if it feels good, do it) - as the author puts it, “the logical deduction of culture without Christ;” think before you drink (the popular reference of alcohol manufacturers, answered by reference to what the inerrant Word of God says on the subject, both directly and indirectly); the Christian moral worldview (what God has revealed in His Word, His revelation about righteousness, which is absolute); the wisdom view (which can be argued compellingly, perhaps, but offers no moral instruction for abstinence); and, total abstinence (God’s idea; nowhere does moderation appear in Scripture for anything wrong as a moral principle). The latter point includes a discussion of the medical use of alcohol (such, for example, as in cough syrup) and drinking alcoholic content for pleasure (admittedly, there is not much pleasure in a tablespoon of ugly tasting cough syrup). Obviously, some of these views overlap, such as two and four and three and five.

Part Three is the main part of the volume: what the Bible says about drink, a special look at the Old Testament teaching, and a complete chapter on John 2 and the wine at the wedding (we loved his subtitle for this chapter: Liberating Jesus as the Moderationist Model).

The volume is loaded with excellent quotes. For example: “…to tell a young person to go ahead and drink is like telling a fox, after you’ve locked him in the henhouse, he can touch the chickens but cannot taste the chickens.” While moderationists try to see a happy buzz in God’s comments about the blessing in wine (for example in Psalm 104), Lumpkins notes: “…assuming that alcohol enhances joy in any genuine biblical sense - is a mistake. In fact, alcohol is a depressant; it dulls the senses and therefore diminishes what could be called a conscious enjoyment of the provision, despite any tipsy feeling to the contrary” (emphasis added).

Bringing the second law of thermodynamics into it, the author notes about crushed grapes: “Fermenting wine produces the horrid, foul odor of rot and decay - a particularly formidable challenge the ancients combated.” Great care had to be taken to keep each batch from ending up as sour vinegar, unfit for consumption! “Thanking God for intoxicating beverages is like thanking God for molded bread.” And he quotes the 19th century scholar J. J. Owen as saying any claim our Lord drank any form of intoxicating wine as “malicious libel upon His character.” Amen!

In the back of the book, listed as Appendices, the author has a study on pertinent annotated texts (four from the OT and two from the NT), a Glossary, and Historical References (a dozen, including Ovid, Aristotle, Nicander, Pliny and Cato the Elder). There is also a 6-page listing of works cited.

The Foreword is by Dr. Jerry Vines, who gives a ringing endorsement. Other commendations come from Drs. Paige Patterson, O. S. Hawkins, Hayes Wicker, Jack Graham, Junior Hill and other prominent Christian leaders.

This is a great book, one we can completely endorse. In fact, if you don’t get it you will be making a major mistake, in our judgment.

-by R. L. Sumner, The Biblical Evangelist, January/February, 2010. [For a free subscription (they do, however, accept donations!) to The Biblical Evangelist see the icon in the right margin of this blog.]

Alcohol Today by Peter Lumpkins can be obtained directly from Hannibal Books, Amazon.com, or ordered from any bookstore. Order it today!

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 11, AD 2010.

Related Articles at Gulf Coast Pastor Articles (Labels) under "Alcohol" in lower right hand margin.

Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 2

Accountability
The local Baptist Association has no desire to run your business. But a Baptist church needs other churches to compare notes with, see what other churches are doing, and realize that they are not alone. You can learn much about Baptist doctrine and practice by cooperating in the Association. Sometimes they can even keep someone from going off the deep end in doctrine, policy, or legal matters. Believe it or not, we all need that accountability.

On the other hand, every church has its own personality. For example, Southern Baptists have traditional and contemporary worship styles and everything in between. Those details (and many others) are for you and your church to decide, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Help / Assistance
Help, whether formal or informal, is available in the Baptist Association. They want you to succeed. What can you get at an Executive Board meeting of the Association? The latest joke to share with your congregation. The sermon illustration or outline a fellow pastor used last Sunday. The best new Soul-Winning program around. A study book you can teach Sunday or Wednesday nights. What’s available in Sunday School, doctrinal, or new believer literature. Good Christian fellowship.

An Association may offer conferences throughout the year on topics such as the Doctrinal Study, January Bible Study, Evangelism Rally, Sunday School Worker Training, Vacation Bible School Training, Church Legal Matters, Deacons, Seniors, Youth Work, Evangelism, Ministers Fellowship, etc.

Having difficulty in your church? If you pastor a Baptist church you are! The Executive Director, as well as other pastors in the Association are ready and willing to pray with you, give you confidential counsel, or to just provide a listening ear. Often, they have “been there and done that” and can offer very helpful advice and support.

A Place to Serve
Whether you are a pastor, church staff minister, or a layman in your church, you can find a place to serve, to lead, and to fellowship with neighboring churches. Share your knowledge and encouragement with fellow believers in the Association. For young preachers, it’s a great place to get to know other preachers, and receive opportunities to preach. You need the Association; the Association needs you.

The local Baptist Association began in North America before the national SBC or state conventions were even formed. Then as now they offer assistance and encouragement. Not every church can give large amounts or percentages to the mission work of the Association. But every church can give something. Giving to the Baptist Association is another way of strengthening God’s work in your area, and ultimately throughout the world.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 11, AD 2010.

Other Articles:
Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 1
Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs

Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 1

What is a Baptist Association?
A local group of Baptist churches that have joined together to assist each other and to carry on the work of Jesus Christ in their county or area. They are a democratic body that meets quarterly (or monthly) and also has an annual Convention. They meet to conduct business, assist each other, and for fellowship. They may have other fellowship and educational meetings throughout the year.

Fellowship
Pastors need good Christian fellowship with other pastors. There are some things a pastor needs to discuss that can only be understood by another preacher. Churches, staff, and laymen need fellowship with others. The local Baptist Association gives that opportunity for Christian fellowship on a regular basis.

Missions
“We can do together what no church can do alone.” By giving to the Association you are helping provide numerous ministries. You are especially helping the smaller churches and the newer missions. You are reaching out to your county and area in ways you could never do alone. Missions do not just include state and worldwide work. It also involves your church ministry and the churches and missions in your local area. The Association stands ready to assist churches in starting new churches and ministries.

Association Ministries include areas like Student Work; Christian Women’s Job Service Corp; Mission Service Corp; Prayer; Ethnic; Senior Adult; Singles; Counseling; Youth; Encouraging, assisting, training church staff; and more. Associations vary greatly in size and participation. Some can offer more ministries than others. All can provide assistance.

Information
Want to know what church, Sunday School, and training literature is available? Don’t understand some aspect of Baptist, mission, or evangelistic work? Having trouble in your church and need some advice or encouragement? Your local Baptist Association can help. The Executive Director (aka Director of Missions), Secretaries (aka Ministry Assistants), and other workers and volunteers are there to help you. If they don’t know, they can probably tell you who does know.

Encampment
Many Associations own, or support a Christian Encampment. An encampment is one of the most effective ministries to lead youth and adults to the Lord, teach them, and bring them closer to Jesus. There is something special about getting away from it all and joining with other believers to grow in grace. Many crucial decisions have been made for the Lord at camp.

Encouragement
Pastors get lonely, discouraged, stressed out. They sometimes feel they are the only ones out there. Time and again I have laughed, learned, and been encouraged by joining with other preachers of the Gospel in my local Association. My preacher dad gave this advice to young preachers, “Get to know an older pastor in your area that you can respect. Go to him often for advice.” He also advised older preachers to nurture friendships with younger pastors. The same is true for Youth Ministers, Music Ministers, etc. We need each other. And that need can be met through the Association.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, January 5, AD 2010.

Why I Support the Baptist Association, Part 2

The God of the Second Chance

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” -Jonah 3:1-2

The fateful day was September 14, 1986. Third baseman Bob Brenly was about to experience one of the worst days of his life. The San Francisco Giant tied a major league record by committing four errors in one inning.

First, Bob let an easy ground ball bounce off his glove. Second, he bobbled another easy catch. Third, he actually caught the ball, but threw it twenty feet over the catcher’s head.

Fourth, another ground ball came Brenly’s way. A reporter, relating that ball to a live grenade, said, “Should Brenly throw himself on it and save his teammates, thereby salvaging a measure of honor in death, or turn and run? Courageously , he stood his ground, and the ball kicked off his glove.”

The opposing Atlanta Braves scored four unearned runs because of Brenly’s errors.

The next day Bob told reporters of his despair, humiliation, after error number four. “You know how you hear the old saying, ‘If you make an error you want the next ball‘? After the fourth one, I never wanted to see the ball again.”

After that inning he hid in a tunnel trying to pull himself together. Ever had a day like that?

But Bob Brenly did not give up. In the same ball game, in his next two at bats he hit a home run and a single.

In the bottom of the ninth inning Bob came to bat again. The Giants had two outs and the score was tied. With a full count of three balls, two strikes, a miracle happened. He hit the next pitch for a home run to win the game.

About his four errors in one inning, Bob said, “It’s easy to laugh now, but I was ready to commit suicide. If I could’ve found something sharp, I would’ve slashed my wrists.” Because he did not quit, he heard boos turn to cheers.

Fifteen years later Brenly was the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In games four and five of the World Series against the New York Yankees, the Diamonbacks were just one out from a win. Each time the Yankees came from behind and won the game. After those two crushing defeats, in the seventh and final game, the Diamondbacks came from behind in the bottom of the ninth and won 3-2. Perhaps part of that was because Manager Brenly understood that you never give up, and sometimes you get a second chance.

Did you foul up in 2009? Have you failed? Christianity is a faith of grace, mercy, forgiveness. Jesus, God the Son, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and miraculously rose again. He gives us the gift of salvation, forgiveness, eternal life when we turn our lives over to Him. Even after we accept Him as Savior, we continue to sin, we sometimes fail. Yet Jesus loves us still and comes to us again. Jesus Christ offers His mercy and forgiveness, if we will simply confess our sins to Him, and get back in the ballgame. God is a God of the second chance. So whatever your failures, make your life count in the Year of our Lord, 2010.

May you all have a Happy New Year.

Reference: WORLD magazine, Marvin Olasky, November 17, 2001.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, December 30, AD 2009.

Global Warming, Global Cooling, & Climate Change

The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. -Psalm 24:1

As a boy in grade school, I distinctly remember being taught the danger of Global Cooling. That’s right, not Global Warming, but Global Cooling. We were taught that pollution was clouding the skies and blocking out the sun. Crops would become more difficult, then impossible, to grow. If we did not radically change our ways, we would all freeze to death, if we did not first starve to death.

Somewhere along the line, the “authorities” completely switched their science and opinions. They began teaching the opposite, Global Warming, as though they had never taught anything different. They never issued a public apology for having taught error. No one ever apologized to me or my parents for teaching junk science in my grade school.

Seldom if ever do Global Warming activists, or the media, allow a fair hearing from credible authorities on the other side. They just proclaim all scientists, or at least most scientists, agree that man-caused Global Warming is accepted, uncontestable fact. I have never once seen Al Gore, Global Warming’s chief spokesman, asked tough questions and follow-up questions. He is asked “softball questions” over and over.

Lately, it seems the scientific and climatic evidence is stacking up against the Global Warming alarmists. It was amusing to seen the recent Copenhagen, Denmark Global Warming Summit plagued by unusually cold weather. So Global Warming authorities have begun a new tactic. They seem to be referring more to Climate Change rather than Global Warming. Why would they do so? Simple. With Climate Change you can’t lose. Guess what, the climate changes no matter what we do.

Weather obviously goes through cycles on a yearly basis. In the summer we complain about the heat. It seems hotter than it’s ever been before. In the winter we complain about the cold and rain.

Weather goes through decade or more cycles. Here on the Gulf Coast we have several years of above average number of hurricanes. Then we barely notice when we go through years of few hurricanes. Every 20 to 50 years or so, we have incredible freezing weather. Some have even argued that if Global Warming were true, it would not necessarily be a bad thing.

Is Global Warming true? Yes. Is Global Cooling true? Sure. Is Climate Change true? Of course. Weather goes in cycles, regardless of what man does.

Points to ponder:
* Al Gore erroneously claimed 2006 was the warmest on record. A new documentary reveals the warmest year actually was 1934. Not too many SUVs on the road in 1934.

* The polar ice caps are receding - and advancing; just as they have done through the years.

* Glaciers are receding - and advancing; just as they have done through the centuries.

* Polar bears are not dying out; they are increasing to the point of being a danger, and being overpopulated, in much of the north. Their increasing population should be managed by hunting. Stop showing that lonely polar bear on a melting iceberg. Stop scaring school kids. The polar bears are just fine.

* Global Warming alarmism often ends up hurting the disadvantaged. It prevents economic development in the world’s poorest areas.

The 1 ½ hour DVD documentary, Not Evil, Just Wrong, by the Cornwall Alliance does an excellent job of presenting the facts and a more rational view of Global Warming. See their website at cornwallalliance.org or you can click their icon at the sidebar to the right of this blog.

Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, should be followed up with Not Evil, Just Wrong in our public schools. Why not give both sides equal time?

Baptist Press (bpnews.net, also in sidebar) has done an outstanding job of reporting on the Global Warming issue. Professors Craig Mitchell and Benjamin Phillips at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX (swbts.edu) have been vocal on this issue. See BP December 15, 2009 article, “Profs contest global warming alarmism.”

Concluding Thoughts on Global Warming/Climate Change:
* I do not view this as a strictly Christian issue. You can be a Bible believing Christian and be on either side of the Global Warming debate. I just believe one side is right and the other wrong.

* This is an issue of truth and honesty. Environmental extremists have too often been untruthful.

* Christians should be concerned about the environment and wisely using our God-given resources. We should favor realistic ways to improve the environment and reduce pollution. Leave this world, both spiritually and physically, a better place because you were here.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, December 28, AD 2009.

10 Commandments for Christmas

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. -Galatians 4:4-5

10 Commandments for Christmas

I. Thou shalt not leave “Christ” out of Christmas nor refuse to use the word “Christmas” during this season.

II. Thou shalt demonstrate joy to the world, for the Lord is come.

III. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus take the place of the reality of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.

IV. Thou shalt remember that the value of gifts we give and receive is not so much the cost as the love that is behind them.

V. Thou shalt consider the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

VI. Thou shalt not neglect Christ and His church during the Christmas Season.

VII. Thy Christmas Cards shall bear the good news of the coming of Christ and His salvation.

VIII. Thou shalt be kind to those who serve; the cashier, the merchant, and the mail carrier.

IX. Thou shalt remember the greatest gift of all, when God gave His only begotten Son.

X. In all thy giving, thou shalt give a gift to the One whose birthday we celebrate. Appropriate recipients shall be missions, thy church, and those in need.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, December 10, AD 2009.

That Night, A Christmas Poem

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” -Isaiah 9:2

That Night

That night when in the Judean skies
The mystic star dispensed its light,
A blind man moved in his sleep-
And dreamed that he had sight!

That night when shepherds heard the song
Of hosts angelic choiring near,
A deaf man stirred in slumber’s spell-
And dreamed that he could hear!

That night when in the cattle stall
Slept child and mother cheek by jowl,
A cripple turned his twisted limbs-
And dreamed that he was whole!

That night when o’er the newborn babe
The tender Mary rose to lean,
A loathsome leper smiled in sleep-
And dreamed that he was clean!

That night when to the mother’s breast
The little King was held secure,
A harlot slept a happy sleep-
And dreamed that she was pure!

That night when in the manger lay
The sanctified who came to save,
A man moved in the sleep of death-
And dreamed there was no grave!
-unknown

I remember R. G. Lee calling this the best poem ever written about Christmas.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, December 8, AD 2009.

Alcohol and the Holidays

Last week a news program dealt with a problem many families struggle with at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The problem was big family fights and how to avoid them at family celebrations. One recommended option was to reduce the amount of alcohol served at family gatherings.

I have a better solution. Have an alcohol-free, drug-free holiday. I’m well aware that you can have family fights without alcohol being involved. The first thing alcohol does, however, is affect your judgment and reduce your inhibitions. With a little alcohol you do things you would never do in your right mind. Drug free, many can hold their tongues and keep their attitudes in check.

For those who think you must have alcohol at every family gathering, I would ask, Why? Even dedicated drinkers should be able to survive two or three hours without a mind altering recreational drug. If it is your home then you don’t have to supply it or allow it. You can also be gracious, but firm in prohibiting alcohol in your home.

Several years ago the Gulf Coast city of Galveston, Texas had a problem. Families were no longer going to the Seawall. They studied the issue and found that with all the drunken partying, families were staying away. Galveston made the wise decision to ban alcohol on the Seawall. An amazing thing happened. Peace and tranquility reigned and the families returned. Absence of alcohol will never solve all problems, but it will certainly solve many of them.

Alcohol coarsens everything it touches. The great Southern Baptist preacher, R. G. Lee, eloquently preached, “Intoxicating beverage never touched an individual that it did not leave an indelible stain, never touched a family that it did not plant the seeds of misery and dissolution, never touched a community that it did not lower the moral tone, chill religion and undermine law. Liquor never touched a state that it did not multiply crime, destroy wealth and increase the burden of taxation. It never touched a nation that it did not clog the machinery of government, blight prosperity, weaken patriotism and encourage treason.”

Want a peaceful family Thanksgiving? Want a joy-filled, Christ-honoring Christmas? One way to achieve that goal is to pour beverage alcohol down the drain.

Reference: Highways to Havoc by R. G. Lee, Christ for the World Publishers, Orlando, Florida; 1974. Lee (AD 1886-1978) was pastor of First Baptist Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and authored numerous books.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 30, AD 2009.

Articles: 
Ancient Wine and the Bible - the Book; update
Wine for Your Stomach's Sake; 1 Timothy 5:23
More articles in lower right margin. 

Bibles and Bible Study

What are the basics of doing a credible Bible Study on your own? In several posts that may or may not be consecutive, I’d like to try and answer that question. Hopefully this information will be helpful to young pastors, laymen, Sunday School teachers, and those who teach new believers.

To study the Bible, the first thing you need is a Bible. That’s profound, isn’t it? :-) . The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek (and some Aramaic). But unless you are fluent in those languages, you need a good English translation.

Good modern English Bible translations include the New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). My favorite is the NKJV. That may be partly because I grew up using the old King James Version (KJV).

Once you get a good translation of the Bible, the next thing you need is a second translation of the Bible. Why? Because when one translation is not clear, another translation may be. It can help your understanding to occasionally read the passage under study in a different translation. So get at least two of the above translations. Most of these translations in hardback editions cost about $10 to $20.

Third, get a good Study Bible. A Study Bible has Bible Study helps built right into the volume. Study helps like: a brief introduction to each of the 66 books of the Bible, footnotes that explain hard to understand verses, cross references in the margins that tell you about similar or contrasting verses elsewhere in the Bible, brief glossary or dictionary, concordance to help you find Bible verses, maps, and short articles on major doctrines and themes in the Bible. A Study Bible can give brief, easy to understand explanations of many Bible subjects. While you will end up disagreeing with some of the Bible Study notes, they can keep you from getting too far off base in basic Christian doctrine.

There are many helpful Study Bibles. In my opinion, some of the best are the Scofield Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, and the Criswell Study Bible (Later editions called Believer's Study Bible, and Baptist Study Edition; all are good. I have the Believer's Study Bible).

The Criswell Study Bible (Managing Editor Paige Patterson), and its various editions, is unfortunately out of print, but can still be found in some bookstores or at amazon.com. Hopefully it will one day be republished; it is one of the best.

The above Study Bibles are available in several Bible translations. So you may want to kill two stones with one bird by getting two Study Bibles in different translations :-) . The drawback to a Study Bible is that it is more expensive. Study Bibles range in price from $20 to $50 dollars for a hardback edition, to $50 to over $100 for leather-bound editions. They can be purchased at LifeWay Stores (lifewaystores.com), other local Christian bookstores, or through amazon.com, christianbooks.com, etc. They make great birthday and Christmas gifts. (Be sure to give your local Christian bookstore some of your business. If they don‘t have it in stock, they can order it.)

Once you get a Study Bible, take some time to read the introduction and the explanation of their Helps and Notes. Many have a Study Bible for years without knowing how to take advantage of all the helps it offers.

Much of the above Bible Study information can also be obtained free on the internet at crosswalk.com and BibleGateway.com. They offer numerous Bible translations, concordance (word search), and other study helps. While these two sites are good, be cautious about the internet. Some websites are faithful to the Word of God, many are not.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 24, AD 2009.

Squanto, an American Joseph: A Thankgiving Story

“God sent me before you to preserve life.”
“You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.”
-Genesis 45:5; 50:20

In 1605 Squanto was an American Indian living with his people in what is now called New England, USA. He and several of his friends were captured by an English fishing expedition and taken to England.

Squanto lived with the English Captain, learned English, learned to eat English food, and learned English customs. Nine years later he came back to America on another fishing expedition and was finally allowed to return to his village.

Just a few months later, however, another group of Englishmen arrived and Squanto was taken prisoner again. This time he was taken, with other American Indians, to the slave trading port of Malaga, Spain. There 27 American Indians were paraded on an auction block and sold, many to Arab slave traders. When it came Squanto’s turn a monk walked by, took pity on him, and bought him. He was taken to a monastery and there learned about Jesus.

Eventually the monks gave Squanto his freedom. Homesick, he made his way back to England and finally to his home in America. But when he arrived home, he discovered that his entire tribe had been killed by a mysterious disease, probably brought by the white man. Imagine being kidnapped, taken to a foreign land, sold into slavery, then losing your family, even your entire tribe, to disease.

Squanto went to live with a neighboring tribe. In 1621 he learned of a group of Englishmen attempting to settle in the area that had belonged to his people.

What a chance for revenge! Before him was a magnificent opportunity to even the score.

Rather than revenge, Squanto went to their aid.

The Pilgrims knew little to nothing of surviving in the wilderness. In four months they had managed to catch only one codfish.

God had perfectly prepared Squanto for such a time as this. He knew their language and their customs. He knew how to survive in a hostile land. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to fish, stalk deer, plant pumpkins, skin beavers and deer, and what wild food was edible. He taught them how to plant corn with a fish underneath for fertilize.

William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony, called Squanto “a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation.”

The Pilgrims had a Thanksgiving celebration at harvest to thank God for His goodness. Ninety Indians came with five dressed deer (venison) on poles, 12 dressed turkeys, berry pies, fish, fowl and vegetables. For three days they feasted and celebrated. They had foot races, wrestling, and archery contests. This event became a tradition each year. It is the origin of our modern day Thanksgiving holiday.

In 1622 Squanto became ill with Indian fever and died within a few days. He desired “the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in Heaven.”

In his brief years, Squanto lived the life of an American Joseph. What an example of taking the evil of men, and turning it into good.

References:
Baptist Press article 11-23-2005 by Erin Curry, and The Spirit of America by Kenyn M. Cureton.
Children’s book, Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 16, AD 2009.

Pastors, Salaries, Parsonages

Pastor needed. Parsonage provided.

Parsonage (pastor’s housing):
“A small cottage or, more properly, a hut for the minister and his wife. It contained several pieces of ageing and broken furniture: a table, two chairs and a bed that had to be supported by stone slabs. Some of the floorboards had rotted away and in their place lay a pile of bare stones. The door through which the couple entered the cottage was old and decayed, and afforded little shelter from the wind and rain, and the frugal congregation saved the expense of a new door by nailing a tin plate across the bottom of it for added protection against the elements. The roof was so low that the master of the house, who was of commanding stature, could barely stand upright and he often knocked his head.”

Demographics:
Pastoral field “made up of only a few scattered houses, each consisting of just one room, where the members of the family lived and died. In this one room ‘all the washing, cooking, baking, weaving, spinning, and dyeing were done. Hidden away in corners were the few belongings necessary to live, while under the rafters hung dried fish, salted meat and bacon, and the herbs so necessary to flavour the meals.”

Salary:
17 £ per year. Roughly $75 per year, or $6.25 per month.

Pastor’s Transportation:
A horse with a broken down stable next to the parsonage. Therefore, pastor often exposed to bad weather. Horse not always available. On one occasion, this minister was scheduled to preach at an Associational meeting some 200 miles away. “He set out on foot, preaching at various places along the way, and duly arrived on time.”

At this meeting, as he preached on the Prodigal Son, “a strong wave of emotion passed over the congregation; and there were tears and great joy, and loud praise; and these expressions of feeling continued for a long time after the preacher had finished his sermon.”

The above applies to one of the greatest Baptist preachers of all time, Christmas Evans of Wales. A preacher highly praised by B. H. Carroll, founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Evans (AD 1766-1838) was compared to John Knox and Charles H. Spurgeon.

The above financial situation was true of Evans in the prime of his life. God used him mightily; he preached with uncommon power. But his income was very low. This all probably speaks even more highly of Evan’s wife, Catherine.

Something to consider the next time you feel you are not making nearly as much as you are worth. I’m all for pastors making a good salary and living in a comfortable home. Some churches should be ashamed of the low wage they give their pastors (1 Corinthians 9:7-14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18). But on the other hand, too many seminary students seem to be called to pastor only affluent congregations. The affluent need good preaching, the underprivileged do as well.

Like the great one-eyed preacher Christmas Evans, God may have called you to preach salvation to the poor. That is no small calling. Your salary is not a measure of the value God places on your ministry.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. -Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1-3.

(Above quotes from Christmas Evans - No Ordinary Preacher by Tim Shenton, Day One Publications, 2008.)

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, November 3, AD 2009.