What Does the Bible Teach About Abortion?

by Jesse Johnson

Here are eight biblical truths about abortion:

1. The Bible teaches that a baby in the womb is alive, and is a person whom God is making. Those I know who have had an abortion all say this is the most critical issue for them. If they believed their fetus was a real person which an abortion would murder, then they would not have done it. But they all believed that at that point of development, what was inside of them doesn’t qualify as a person by their arbitrary standard.

First, it is important to note that a fetus is a human life. It is alive, and it is human, so there is really no other way to describe it. Read more ...

Plans for a Church Weekend Missions Conference

(with emphasis on sending additional missionaries worldwide!)

1. Friday night 6:00 to 8:30:

• Missions fair with rooms arranged in the countries the church has missionaries or projects with info on the missionaries, projects country, etc.
•  The fellowship room could have an on-going meal with food of several countries (not just snacks but lots of food!).
• Missions program in the fellowship hall 7:45-8:30) with missionary speaker (challenge for missionaries to serve foreign fields), and another giving short update or story of a missionary.
• Only sing great mission songs and hymns! (This include special numbers).

2. Saturday:

• Men's breakfast with missionary speaker 7:00-8:30.
• Women's brunch with missionary women speaker, 9:30-11:00.
• 1:00 special fellowship with missionary guests with the missions committee, pastors and elders for Q&A.
• Evening 5:00 light meal (sandwiches, salads, etc.) and service 5:45-7 pm with missionary speaker. Ice cream social afterwards.

3. Sunday:

• Joint Sunday school for kids to listen to stories of missionaries (perhaps two missionaries).
• A missionary to speak in adult Sunday School, with another one giving a simple 10-minute update of ministry or story.
•  Missionary to speak in worship service (challenge to serve) with another giving 5-minute update. Just before missions message, have all the children come to the front and sit for a special missionary flash card story of 6-8 minutes (the pictures are also flashed on the church screens so the adults will enjoy also).
• All songs and hymns to be with missions emphasis (including specials)!
•  Sunday evening 5:30 in fellowship hall have a special "Action Night" (with lots of pizza and salad) with ALL ELDERS, DEACONS, DEACONESSES, MISSION COMMITTEES, TEACHERS, LEADERS, (and anyone interested) WITH THEIR FAMILIES, for discussion as WHAT TO DO NEXT? Receive suggestions on how to keep the missions interest, how to trust the Lord to send missionaries from our church, member care of our missionaries, possible projects to do for church supported missionaries etc.

4. Plan months in advance to make it an ALL church event with ALL leaders committed to attend ALL meetings. Encourage all the leaders to set the example to lead and help and attend and participate in all meetings!

5. Cover the travel and expenses (and an honorarium) for each missionary invited.

6. Perhaps use these Mission Hymns:

Modern Hymns:

• Facing a Task Unfinished
• Across the Lands
•  O Church Arise
• In Christ Alone
• By Faith
• Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God
• O Great God
• All I Have Is Christ

 Classic Hymns:

•  Grace Greater Than All Our Sin
•  We've a Story to Tell to the Nations
•  Take My Life and Let It Be
•  Jesus Shall Reign
•  Nothing but the Blood
•  Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
•  Jesus What a Friend for Sinners
•  There is a Fountain
•  All Hail the Power of Jesus Name
•   O for a Thousand Tongues
•   Amazing Grace
•   The Love of God

What do you think?

The Most Common Reasons Pastors Fall

by Tim Parr

I have been a Reformed Baptist pastor for 10 years, and I have not fallen, nor am I aware of any problems in my life of the magnitude that would disqualify me from ministry. I struggle with worry and grumbling, but my sins aren’t of the notorious and ignominious sort. I hasten to add however that I am no less in need of God’s grace and forgiveness than someone who is disgraced in the eyes of the self-righteous crowd or disqualified in the eyes of the humble Christian crowd. We are all sinners, and we all desperately need continual supplies of God’s grace, which he has given us in Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

Every sin deserves God’s wrath, but some sins receive different temporal ramifications than others. God has stipulated that those he has set over his flock must not be sinners of the blatant, notorious type (1 Tim. 3). Unfortunately, I am aware of several pastors who have become just that. In fact some of the most notorious sinners I’ve ever known were at one time pastors. These men were disqualified for ministry, and they faded away in shame, leaving in their wake many hurting, confused and outraged people. My question is a simple one. Why? Why does this happen? Why can we all, no doubt, bring to mind several names and faces of pastors who lost their testimony and their ministry due to notorious sin?

I believe there are a multitude of reasons why pastors fall. Let me address only a few before focusing on one in particular. Read more ...

Christian Men, Are You Prepared to Help Protect Others? (Do You Have a Club in Your Car)?

Late in 2016, we were watching the news of the riots in Portland, Oregon. We saw thugs with baseball bats begin to smash the window of a van with a family and little children inside. No one came to their aid!

If you are in such a situation where other lives are in danger, have you purposed in your mind and heart to rise to the occasion to help protect others?

The positive aspect of our Father's command, "Not to murder" means to protect life. As Christians, this also means to do so even at the risk of our own safety!

Let's never look for trouble, but if the Lord puts us in a dangerous situation, it is for a purpose to help the weak for Christ's sake.

(By the way, I went to a second-hand store and purchased a small baseball bat about 20 inches long. It is now under my car seat, ready to use. May I never have to!)

Where O Where? It's Over There, or There, or It Could Be Over There

Recently I went to a very large hardware store to purchase a needed product.

I did not know where to look so approached two employees to ask help. They were talking so I waited politely next to them. However, neither acknowledged me, and when they finished talking, both of them walked away in different directions!

So I approached another walking towards me, but he did not stop when I asked him for help to find where an item was located; he simply pointed and said “Over there”. Now where was "there?" as he had pointed towards 3500 or so shelves covering half an acre!

I came to what I thought maybe "there" and asked another worker who said, " I don't know, look on the shelf over there." I went over there, but what shelf?

After 15 minutes looking at several shelves there and there and there, I finally had to leave.

When my wife asked what took so long, she looked confused when I simply said, "I was there and there and there. Where I do not know, but ‘over there’."

​Do we as Christians do something similar to make it difficult for people to hear and know the one place to obtain salvation, forgiveness of sin, redemption, how to go to heaven or do we simply point quickly in any directions and say "over there," or do we take them by the hand and lead them directly to the Savior through the Gospel?

A Few Suggestions Regarding "One Aspect" of the Job Description/Responsibilities of Church Mission Committee/Council Members

Dear Mission Pastors and Church Mission Council Members,

Hello friends. Thank you for your concern for missions and worldwide out reach of the Gospel. May our Lord be praised!

We meet with mission committees worldwide as they ask for help and advice to be effective as a committee.

Over the years we have worked much with them, since the world missions scene is constantly changing and responsibilities of committees expand.

I have written the following simple challenge to committee members to help them understand the importance of their job before accepting a position on a committee.

It may be a little outdated but would you mind commenting on it and add what is needed so I can share with others? Would it also be possible to send me your committee guidelines?

----------------------------

Suggestions Regarding "One Aspect" of the Job Description/Responsibilities of Church Mission Committee/Council Members:

It is a joy to meet, fellowship, plan and advise mission committees worldwide. Usually members are dedicated men and women of God who serve as volunteers to advance the Gospel to the nations.

It is discouraging sometimes, however, for missionaries on furlough/home assignment to meet with the mission committees of supporting churches and discover the members know little or nothing of the missionaries’ calling, history, life, family or ministry.

The missionaries are asked questions such as, "Where do you serve?" "Do you have children?" "How many?” “How long has our church supported you?" etc.

A missions committee should require certain things of their missionaries such as doctrinal integrity, regular communications, etc.

Equally important for the church leadership and elders is to have simple but important guidelines for each member serving on the missions committee.

As a start here are some vitally important responsibilities:

1. The know the testimony and history of each church-supported missionary.
2. To receive and read the regular prayer and ministry communication newsletters from each missionary.
3. To be familiar and current with the family (each child) of the missionary.
4. To commit to praying for each missionary.
5. To write the missionary regularly (every three months or so).
6. The committee should meet at least every other month to review the ministry of each missionary and to pray, plan, and make decisions for the advancement of world missions.

These are "simple suggestions" for churches and can be adjusted as needed.

Do We Break Christian Fellowship Over Dancing and Drinking?

Let's be careful about cutting off friends, relatives, and, especially, other Christians over matters we may not agree on -- matters (and even personal convictions) about personalities and practices like sipping wine, drinking beer, and dancing.

There are some Christian speakers that I do not appreciate at all, but I have friends who think he is great. So, do we break fellowship? Cannot we fellowship in Christ and still not agree on personalities who we like or do not?

Alcohol helped destroy my family so the day the Lord brought me to Himself, I gave it up immediately! To me it seems as if Scripture teaches that we as believers should not drink, but some of my Christian friends feel they are "free" to do so. (The book of Proverbs teaches that leaders definitely should not drink, and as all Christians are to be leaders and examples in life. Perhaps this shows none of us should drink.) So, do I break fellowship with them or do they break with me labeling me a legalist?

Dancing has hit the church big time – dancing at weddings, parties, etc. it is amazing to see how many Christians know all the modern songs and "dancing moves." Drinking, parties, and dancing were my life; so when Christ saved me, I gave it up! And yes, it still bothers me to see how so many of my fellow brothers and sisters dance at weddings, Christmas presentations, dramas, and even church-sponsored activities. But, my question again is, do I break fellowship with fellow godly believers who feel perfectly fine with "shaking it up a little?"

So dear friends, let's settle these matters in our own hearts, and be careful about separating ourselves from other godly men and women because of personalities or practices.

God's Word says, "Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:5). Today is a good day to be "gentle" with each other!