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“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” The children of Israel are not the only people who have ever attempted to establish their own standard of righteousness. This seems to be a common human dilemma. Men, in their sin, desire a god made in their own image. When we have convinced ourselves that our standard is sufficient to save us, the last thing we want to hear is God’s word. It reveals our sinfulness and points us to a source of redemption outside ourselves. The free gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ does not appeal to selfish, human desire. It is the word of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit that convicts us of the sin from which our selfishness stems, and causes us to submit ourselves to God through faith in His son. If you are making an attempt at establishing a righteousness sufficient to keep you from Hell and bring you to God, your efforts are doomed, like the children of Israel, to failure. Humble and sincere belief in Jesus Christ is your only hope. Come to Him today.

I have begun to recognize a disturbing trend among some fundamentalist pastors and missionaries, though I was careful to make note of a large number of examples before I dared call it a trend. Some of best informed ministers I know have made excuses for it, perhaps even admitted its potential harm, then chosen to forge ahead despite the warning signs. They have offered a disclaimer beforehand, a litany of justifications during, and a tepid approach at regret afterward; all the while failing to admit it was actually a bad idea from the beginning. This “trend” has forced me to my knees and laid upon me a burden to know why.

How should a Godly minister determine what kind of Pastors, authors and speakers they recommend to others in the ministry? More specifically, should we promote, extol the virtues of, and heartily endorse those that deny fundamental Christian theology? These questions have weighed on my heart as I have been encouraged to embrace the teaching of prominent evangelical thinkers that, in some cases, reject sound doctrine and see the world through a lens that is anything but Biblical.

As a man who has spent a number of years in vocational service, only recently becoming convinced of a calling to the Pastorate, I am eager to hear the thoughts of those more experienced along this path. Therefore I pay close attention to fellow-laborers offering advice on philosophy and method. All too often however, I am pointed to materials written by men of questionable doctrinal foundation. “He may not agree with us doctrinally” they say or write, “but he’s got some good ideas about how we can reach people”.

Three specific examples come to mind in which the phrase “doesn’t agree with us doctrinally” was used. In the first a simple Google search revealed a nationally credible magazine article in which the author in question emphatically denied a six day creation and labeled conservative Christians (basically) dangerous. The second author/Pastor was criticized widely for using profanity in the pulpit, and the third writes openly of his acceptance of sign gifts and rejection of Biblical separation.

I have taken great pains to be vague, because all of these men’s ministries would be moderately recognizable and it is not my intention to call them on the carpet here. I am rather more concerned that respected fundamentalists find their philosophies more enticing than those with which they actually agree.

Can someone please explain to me (leave a comment) when doctrinal beliefs became irrelevant in the shaping of outreach philosophy? Are we to be persuaded that a lack of understanding or blatant rejection of orthodox Christianity has no bearing on a person’s methodology? Is a man that cannot even come to grips with the simplest matters of righteousness and doctrinal truth at the same time capable of grappling with the complexities of post-modern outreach theory?

You can answer these questions yourself without my even suggesting there is one, simple, definitive answer. I am instead concerned about a groundswell of support for questionable evangelical pundits by conservative friends and colleagues. Good rarely, if ever, comes of these bizarre endorsements, though I can recount situation after situation when they have caused confusion and dismay.

We have limited time in the day, and more importantly, limited time in life. Can we not instead direct young, eager-to-learn ministers to those who have first developed principled fundamentalist belief? Let’s reject the smug facade of “sophistication” and choose our endorsements and personal influences with care.

One final statement: doctrinal integrity will always lead to Biblical methodology, while doctrinal ambiguity leads astray.

The world spends a lot of time working on the perversion of ideas, and in this case celebrations, that could potentially be beneficial to the cause of Christ. Patrick of Ireland was a man worthy of recognition it seems. Unfortunately his remembrance has taken on a negative connotation in ungodly society. On a day when many have used his holiday as an opportunity to sin, it is good to reflect on a person that spent his life pointing sinners to Christ. Happy St. Patrick’s day!

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” Two phrases stand out in this passage; they convey passion that is weighty and consistent. Paul has great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for his brethren. When I read this, I always wonder exactly how this zeal came about. General knowledge of scripture tells me it must come forth of genuine love and Godly care. This kind of love is fostered by rejection of self, deep commitment to Christ, knowledge of scripture and regular prayer. It doesn’t just come upon us, it is cultivated by righteous action, a clear conscience and an understanding of the Biblical reality. I am convinced that no believer will develop this deep passion for souls without first developing a pattern of obedience. Paul even came to the point of wishing his own salvation could be taken if it could save his brethren. He did not come to this place in life overnight; his relationship with Christ brought him there on a long road of sincere devotion. Let’s begin that pattern ourselves and watch our concern for souls grow.

One of the most wonderful things about internet technology is the ability it gives us to read, hear, and see things that would otherwise be unavailable because of geography. While I was on the Maranatha Baptist Bible College website recently I noticed a banner announcing a Conference on Baptist Fundamentalism. I really wanted to attend; unfortunately, I livein Alaska and Maranatha is in Wisconsin.

Today, two days after the conference ended, I got my chance. All of the sermons from the event were already posted online, complete with outlines, photos, etc. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to participate (long distance) in what must be one of the finest gatherings of its kind in the country. I’ll be working my way through the eighteen conference messages for days on end!

How quickly our newborn Stephen James is becoming a “big boy”. Here you see a glimpse of the transition we observe on a daily basis. From his very first photo to his first captured smile, our little boy has been a joy. Praise the Lord for a beautiful and happy one month old! Larger copies of the above pictures are available here.