What's going on in Laurens, SC, schools?

Now a 36-yo elementary school teacher in Laurens, SC, our hometown, has made national news by having sex with an 11-year old fifth grade student at least three times, at least once on her desk in the classroom, and at least once in the classroom in front of six other students, at least once in the parking lot at Haywood Mall.

News Video from WYFF:
Feb 24, 2006 -- Charges filed
Feb 28, 2006 -- Laurens Sex Scandal Reaction

News articles:
Female teacher arrested on sex charges
Teacher Accused Of Sex With Student Held On Bond
More Charges Filed Against Laurens Teacher

Contact Allen McWhite if you're a SC Baptist

Allen McWhite, director of global missions at North Greenville and an International Mission Board trustee from South Carolina, has asked in the latest issue of the SC Baptist Courier that SC Baptists contact him to let him know where they stand on the current IMB conflicts re: prayer language and other issues. He wants to represent SC Baptists well, and having been a missionary himself, he opposes the new policies. Please read the letter in the Courier and contact him at amcwhite@juno.com.

Ron Bryan, pastor ofCrescent Hill Baptist Church, Columbia, and also an IMB trustee, also opposes the new policies regarding tongues, baptism, and eternal security.

Dr. Jerry Rankin, president of the IMB, who answers to the board of trustees, spoke plainly from his heart about this issue in Banff, Alberta, recently.

Nehemiah 13:1-14 - Giving: Important Things to Remember

Opening thought:
Have you ever come back home from an errand to find the kids were about to burn the house down? You know the familiar phrase, “when the cat’s away, the mice will play." That is what happened in today's passage.

Read Nehemiah 13:1-14

Textual Notes
Nehemiah, one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, had pulled off the building of the city walls of Jerusalem in fifty-two days – unbelievable. After a 12-year tour of duty as governor of Judea, Nehemiah returned to report to Artaxerxes on his work (2:6; v. 6). Upon returning, he was shocked to find how much Israel’s obedience had deteriorated. 

The people had heard the Law read from Deuteronomy 23:3-6 that because the Ammonites and Moabites had refused them access to their resources to cross to enter the Promised Land hundreds of years before, that none of them would be permitted in the assembly. (Unless of course, like Ruth the Moabitess, you choose to follow the Lord.) 

Now, Eliashib, the high priest (by now an elderly man, Ezra 10:6), had given guest quarters in the Temple complex (v. 4-5) to no less than the infamous Tobiah the Ammonite, the enemy who had threatened war on Israel for rebuilding the wall! Eliashib’s granddaughter had married Tobiah the Ammonite’s son. 

It was a common ancient practice to store valuables in a temple complex. It is the origin of banking in the ancient world.



Sermon Points:

1. Reform the way money is spent in the church (Nehemiah 13:7-9).
2. Continue giving regularly – don’t stop tithing, or work of the Kingdom will suffer (Nehemiah 13:10-12).
3. Select trustworthy persons to handle money (Nehemiah 13:13).
4. Cover all giving in prayer and viewpoint of eternity (Nehemiah 13:14).

INSIGHTS

1-Reform the way money is spent in the church (vv. 7-9).
Some people don’t like a preacher to talk about money from the pulpit. In the Bible, there are 40 verses on "baptism", 275 verses on "prayer", 350 verses on "faith", 650 verses on "love" -- and 2,350 verses that relate specifically to finances and material possessions.

• Two men were marooned on an island. One man paced back and forth worried and scared while the other man sat back and was sunning himself. The first man said to the second man, "Aren’t you afraid we are about to die?" "No," said the second man, "I make $100,000 a week and tithe faithfully to my church every week. My Pastor will find me." 

• Nehemiah’s action is a foretaste of Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13)
• We must spend funds on Kingdom priorities. We will be audited at the Judgment. 

• Indulgences to pay out of purgatory. When the Catholic Church needed money for building projects re: rebuilding St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Pope Leo X came up with a great funding strategy. In 1517, they began selling indulgences, certificates which cut your time in purgatory, a pre-Hell holding pen of fire and torture in which you can get a second chance at heaven. Want to pay your way out? Want to pay Mama’s way out? Want to pay your wayward child’s way out? Buy Indulgences! Various indulgences would pay you out from several years to 10,000 years. The aggressive marketing practices of Johann Tetzel in promoting this cause provoked Martin Luther to write his 95 theses, protesting what he saw as the purchase and sale of salvation. According to tradition, he nailed these theses to a church door in Wittenberg.Martin Luther went back to Scripture and found that we are justified by faith alone, not by paying our way out of an imaginary purgatory. From this controversy the Protestant Reformation was launched.

• The Church’s Squandering of Resources
  In 2000, 97 dollars of every 100 of the entire income ($269.61B) of all Christian organizations was spent on, and primarily benefited, other Christians at home or abroad: spent on ministering to Christians, $2.90 ($7.8B) on already-evangelized non-Christians, and 3 cents ($0.81B) on unevangelized non-Christians.

2-Continue giving regularly – don’t stop tithing, or work of the Kingdom will suffer (vv. 10-12).
Services at the Temple had been abandoned. Levites and priests had to feed their families, so when the people stopped tithing, the funding ran out, and they had to find other work farming or otherwise. (v. 10)
From generousgiving.org:

• The Church’s Great Storehouse of Wealth
  In 2000, American evangelicals collectively made $2.66 trillion in income. Total Christian [including nominal] income in the United States is $5.2 trillion annually, nearly half of the world’s total Christian income. The average donation by adults who attend U.S. Protestant churches is about $17 a week.

• I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on and on, complaining about virtually everything. Finally, his very observant son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.”

• When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing.

• Among church members of 11 primary Protestant denominations (or their historical antecedents) in the United States and Canada, per-member giving as a percentage of income was lower in 2000 than in either 1921 or 1933. In 1921, per-member giving as a percentage of income was 2.9 percent. In 1933, at the depth of the Great Depression, per-member giving grew to 3.3 percent. By 2000, after a half-century of unprecedented prosperity, giving had fallen to 2.6 percent.
• Overall, only 3 to 5 percent of Americans who donate money to a church tithe (give a tenth of) their incomes though many more claim to do so.
• Thirty-three percent of U.S. born-again Christians say it is impossible for them to get ahead in life because of the financial debt they have incurred.

• The Potential for Funding the Harvest
  If members of historically Christian churches in the United States had raised their giving to the Old Testament’s minimum standard of giving (10 percent of income) in 2000, an additional $139 billion a year would become available.
• Eighty percent of the world’s evangelical wealth is in North America—and the total represents much more than enough to fund the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

• Tithing as a practice continues to decline. “The proportion of households that tithe their income to their church—that is, give at least ten percent of their income to that ministry—has dropped by 62% in the past year, from 8% in 2001 to just 3% of adults during 2002. Born again adults, who represent 38% of the nation’s population, also sustained a decline in generosity during the past couple of years. In 2000, 12% of all born again adults tithed. The percentage rose to 14% in 2001, but dropped to only 6% in 2002. The Barna study discovered that several people groups are more likely to tithe than are others. Groups with the highest proportion of tithers were people 55 or older, college graduates, middle-income individuals, Republicans, conservatives, residents of the South, evangelicals, Protestants, and those who attend mainline Protestant churches. The group that had the highest proportion of households tithing was evangelicals. While that group represents just 6% of the public, nearly 9% of the group tithed in 2002 roughly three times the national average.” Reasons for this decline include concern about financial security, fear about terrorism, failure of parents to pass along this practice to their children, the Catholic church’s pedophilia scandal, the rise of para-church ministries and the rapid growth of Hispanics, very few of whom give generously to their churches.8 11
  From www.kluth.org
• 20-35% of church attendee giving records are blank ($0 of recorded offerings given). Source: CSA
• In 1999, ~$3 billion was given to 600 Christian mission agencies. Compare this to $58 billion for soda products, $24 billion in jewelry store sales, $8 billion for movies theaters, $13 billion for chocolate products, $38 billion in vending machine sales, $11 billion for comp/video games, $7 billion greeting cards, $23 billion for toys, $91 billion in lawn/garden industry, $23 billion for pets. Source: Empty Tomb Research

3-Select a trustworthy plurality of persons to handle money (v. 13).

No one person without accountability should ever have control of the finances in a church. There must be checks and balances. There must be accountability. Trustworthy saying: The one who controls the pocketbook runs the church.

It seems sometimes like the church has a hard time spelling the word prophet/profit.

· John G. Bennett, Jr., head of the bankrupt Foundation for New Era Philanthropy, was been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for carrying out what many believe is the biggest charity fraud case in American history. Bennett defrauded donors and charities of $135 million by means of a pyramid scheme, promising to double the amount of a donor’s gift in six months with funds from anonymous wealthy benefactors. In reality, Bennett used incoming donations to pay off his outstanding double-your-money pledges, all the while diverting substantial amounts to personal use and his for-profit companies.

· Mark Murnan, a criminal defense investigator, says that many Christians fail to heed Jesus’ admonition to be “wise as serpents” (Matthew 10:16). As a result, scams such as Financial Federated and Baptist Foundation of America have swindled Christians of billions of dollars. Using examples of past religion-based scams, Murnan points to five common elements of fraud: promises of high returns over a short period, recruitment of fellow church members, appeals to Scripture, complicated explanation of the investment, and suspect phrases and tax strategies.

· Editor J. Lee Grady writes of his growing sense of alarm over the financial practices of some within the charismatic circle. Citing examples of faith preachers with extravagant expenses and televised preachers who promise miracles and blessings for donors, Grady says “we've been taken hostage by what I call the charismatic cartel.” A “small group of people in our circle” are blackening the good name of charismatics. He asks his readers to “boycott those who are turning God's house into a den of thieves.”

4-Cover all giving in prayer and viewpoint of eternity (v. 14).

Ann Landers had an interesting letter in her column. It was from a girl who was writing about her uncle and aunt. She said, "My uncle was the tightest man I’ve ever known. All his life, every time he got paid he took $20 out of his paycheck and put it under his mattress. Then he got sick and was about to die. As he was dying, he said to his wife, "I want you to promise me one thing." "Promise what?" she asked. "I want you to promise me that when I’m dead you’ll take my money from under the mattress and put it in my casket so that I can take it all with me." The girl’s letter went on with the story. "He died, and his wife kept her promise. She went in and got all that money the day he died and went to the bank and deposited it, and wrote out a check and put it in his casket."

Remember: Heb zakar – not only mental activity but behavior appropriate to memory. Nehemiah asks God to remember him not b/c God forgets, but instead to request Him to respond in an appropriate fashion. He is expressing faith that God will reward him.
Nehemiah turns in prayer to God, his signature leadership characteristic, not seeking glory for himself, but rather seeking to serve God with all his heart.

INVITATION

Click here for a funny baby video

Jerry Rankin in chapel

Dr. Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board, SBC, issued a stirring call to missions today in chapel at Southeastern Seminary.

Dr. Jerry Rankin
President - International Mission Board
Global Missions Week
[Download Listen Now]

Just confirmed! Marian Wilson for Amis Chapel Women's Conference!

Just confirmed by phone!

Mrs. Marian Wilson, Rhett's mom, from Greenville, SC, formerly of First Baptist Church, Henderson, NC, has agreed to lead Amis Chapel's first Women's Conference May 6, 9am-3pm! She is planning on teaching three sessions, one on Psalm 63, one on developing intimacy with the Lord through the Word, and one on prayer. The Men on Mission are planning to cook lunch for the ladies for the conference.

We are hoping to have Tracey Wilson, Marion's daughter-in-law come to lead worship and sing during the Women's Conference as well.

We hope to have women from throughout the Flat River Association come to it. I would be satisfied with 25 women, but the Amis Chapel ladies predict forty.

Justa Swangin'

This afternoon was so pretty outside, so Luke and I went to the playground (He can walk all the way there now!) and slid down the sliding board forty-eleven times and swang!

Jim & Gail Warren

It was great to have some "home folks" in the house last night. We had a delightful supper visit last night from Jim & Gail Warren from Clinton, SC. They are originally from Davidson St. Baptist Church, but Jim most recently pastored Highland Home BC in Gray Court, SC. Jim also works at Belk in Laurens while Gail has about a year and a half left to retire from Whitten Center in Clinton. Jim has been interviewing at churches in this area so that he can move up here and complete his M.Div. at Southeastern.

In the South, we tell stories about people in order to talk about issues. That's the way we have always done it. And that's what we did last night. We talked about people Jim and Amanda knew from Belk in Laurens. We talked about people and churches back home. We talked about friends and neighbors. We talked about folks I hadn't thought of in years. We talked about folks from Clinton as if we saw them yesterday who have been dead for ten years or more.

It was a great South Carolina, Laurens County evening, and Jim & Gail are wonderful, down-to-earth friends.

Search Committee recommends us to church

The chairman of the Amis Chapel Baptist Church search committee, Thurman Brewer, announced today that the search committee is recommending our family to the church for the permanent pastor position. The committee did a phone interview in October, but we heard nothing back from them, so we had assumed they had moved on. Then on February 5, the committee interviewed us at our home in Wake Forest. Next, we had a second interview on February 12 at the church. The committee will host a hamburger/hot dog social on March 4 so that everyone can meet us, then the church will vote on us on March 5.

A shout out to everyone at Amis Chapel who heard about this blog today and actually found it! If you did, please click the comments below and say hello so I'll know you found your way here.

Luke 16:19-31 - Hell: That Theological Place of Permanent Punishment

The Rich Man Being Led to Hell, David Teniers the Younger, 1647. National Gallery, London.

Hell is one of those subjects that makes people uncomfortable. We hear stories of hell being a place of fire, demons, and endless torment. Throughout history many authors have written about it, Dante's Inferno for example. Western culture is very familiar with the concept. Even Hollywood has made it the subject of many movies. 

Lazarus and the Rich Man, Das Plenarium oder Ewangely buoch, 1516. Pitts Theological Library Digital Image Archive.

Whatever the context, whatever the belief, hell is definitely taught in the Bible. But even the doctrine of hell is not without its controversy. Some say it is only the grave with no consciousness. Others say it is a place of correction and punishment that is not eternal. Others say it is an endless agonizing punishment in fire. Whichever it is, hell is the total absence of the favor of God.

Read Luke 16:19-31 Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Textual Notes
Here is a parable about a rich man and Lazarus, a poor man with elements of symbolism about their ends after death. Morals of story: (1) Those who value riches more than God will be rejected (12:31-21) and (2) God demands a heart of love and justice for poor and lowly (14:12-14). Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. (3) There will be ultimate justice in the afterlife (16:27-31). We want to focus on that third moral today.

Rich man fits description of Pharisee or Sadducee. Purple the color of royalty. Fine linen refers to undergarments – best underwear money could buy.

Lazarus – only person named in a parable (Grk for Eleazar, “God is his help”). Hungry, dogs were detestable animals scavenging off his sores.

Abraham’s side – image derived from reclining at meal on couches. Lazarus finally got to enjoy that meal that he had longed for (v. 21) so long. Cf. John 13:23. Lazarus is next to the host, the place of most honor.

Hell – Hades. Pre-resurrection abode for dead.

Great chasm – v. 26 indicates Sheol had two sides for righteous and wicked with a great gulf between.

INSIGHTS

1. Sinners will occupy hell. God created each person for a loving, intimate relationship with Him. We have all sinned (Rom 3:23), and therefore condemnation falls on all of us (John 3:18) – unless we have faith in Jesus (Romans 8:1). Such sinners under condemnation could be nice, religious people (Matt 23:33) to those failing to help the poor (Mt 25:31-46; Luke 16:19-31) to the vile and murderous (Rev 21:8).

2. There is a finality of death in regard to human destiny (Luke 16:25).
The state of a person after death is irrevocably settled during his/her lifetime (vv. 27-28). (Matt 25:31-46; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:12) Not a single suggestion in the Scripture that this can be reversed. No reincarnation – Hebrews 9:27

3. After death, the righteous will enjoy happiness; the lost will endure indescribable distress (Luke 16:22-23)
Each person will be in one of two places after death. Jesus’ teaching goes along with Daniel’s (Daniel 12:2).
Each person is conscious of either happiness or distress (vv. 24-25). (Rev 14:10)
Memory of this life and its lost opportunities exists beyond the grave (v. 27-28). (Mark 9:48)

4. Everyone has a sufficient guide to happiness in the Scriptures (Luke 16:29-31).
Foreshadowing of the rejection of Jesus’ resurrection.
Evangelism is “snatching others from fire” Jude 23

 
THE DOCTRINE OF HELL
Place of permanent punishment for ungodly

Final judgment In OT, hell is a place of final retribution for evil deeds (Psalm 21:10; 140:10; Mal 4:1-2). In NT, it described as a furnace (Matt 13:42, 50), a lake of fire (Rev 19:20; 20:14-15: 21:8), and a prison (Rev 20:7). The wicked are imprisoned here (Matt 5:25-26; 13:42, 50; 18:34; Jude 6; Rev 20:14-15)

Hell exists for retribution of evil deeds (Matt 16:27; Luke 12:47-48; 2 Peter 2:13; Jude 15; Rev 14:9-11; Romans 1:18-32) and the righteous rule of God (Matt 25:31-46; Rom 12:19; 1 Cor 15:24-25; 2 Cor 5:10).

Characteristics of Hell
Key Words
i. Sheol (OT word Gen. 37:35; Num. 16:30,33; Psalm 16:10, thought to be below ground Ezek. 31:15,17; Psalm 86:13).)
ii. Gehenna – 'ge-hinnom' meaning "Valley of Hinnom." It was a place to the southwest of Jerusalem. City garbage dump, constantly burning, rotting, piling up, stinking, bodies of poor buried, flies, maggots, history of child sacrifice, mass graves from battle, and idolatry. Job 10:21; 2 Chron 28:3; 33:6; Ps 88:12; Eccl 9:10; Isa 14:10; Jer 7:31-32; 19:2-6; Isaiah 66:24; Josiah defiled the valley to stop idolatry 2 Kings 23:10) In NT, used as condition, not a place.
iii. Hades (NT words used 10X in NT, 4X by Jesus: Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; other 6X Acts 2:27,31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14).

Fire
i. Fiery Hell -- Matt. 5:22, 29,30; 18:8-9
ii. Unquenchable -- Matt. 3:12
iii. Eternal Fire -- Matt. 25:41, 46; Jude 7,
iv. Lake of Fire -- Rev. 20:15,
Weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt 13:42, 50; 22:13)
Darkness – (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 13; Mt 8:12)
Separation from God in chaos – shut out of God’s presence, favor, goodness, creation (light from darkness) (Gen 1:1-3; Psalm 9:17; 34:15-16; 2 Thess 1:9; 1 Jn 1:5). Supreme penalty of sin is unquestionably the loss of God’s life and love.
Continuous and eternal Torment (Mt 3:12; 25:41; 2 Thess 1:9; Jude 7)
Conscious agony of body and soul (Mt. 10:28; Rom 8:29; Jude 7)
There appear to be degrees of punishment (Mark 12:40; Luke 12:48)
Many details are left to the imagination b/c human language cannot do justice to the reality.

Jesus defined hell more than any other person in Scripture, and forcefully spoke of need to avoid hell (Mt 5:22, 29-30; 7:19; 8:12; 10:15, 28; 11:22, 24; 13:40-42, 50; 18:7-9; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30, 46; Mk 9:42-49; Lk 12:46-47; 13:28-30; 17:26-29; John 15:6)

After crucifixion and at resurrection Jesus emptied the good side of Sheol into paradise (presence with the Lord) when he rose from the dead (Ephesians 4:8-10; 2 Cor 5:6-9; 12:2; John 3:14-15; Phil 2:9; 1 Peter 3:19-20)

In Revelation 20:14-15, Hades/Sheol will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity, and the smoke of punishment will rise forever.

Objections to the doctrine of hell.
Hell is a dreadful reality that we don’t enjoy thinking about. Christ wept over Jerusalem, and believers are troubled over the destiny of the lost.
Once the doctrine of hell slips out of belief, others follow.

Universal Salvation – eventually everyone will be in heaven. Isn’t God a loving God who would never allow anyone to suffer (1 John 4:8)? This is only a false “hope,” to which proponents must resort. No Scripture backs them up. God is also just (Neh. 9:32-33; 2 Thess. 1:6), and eternal (Psalm 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17 ). God punishes the evil doer (Isaiah 11:13) Further, question that God would not reject forever his creature, assumes that the creature is the highest intrinsic good, but the highest good for God is not humanity. Humanity was created to for God, to glorify Him (Psalm 73:24-26; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 10:31; Col 1:16). This is why Jesus insists it is idolatrous to make God humanity’s servant (Luke 17:7-10). Yes, God is love. Yes, He loves us. But God and His love existed in completion for an infinity before humanity was created.
Salvation – The whole idea of being saved – saved from what? If not from something undesirable, then what? (Luke 19:10)

Annihilation – (General Baptists (1660), Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, John Stott) idea that those who reject God cease to exist at death. Scripture teaches the soul’s survival after death (Luke 16; Num. 16:30; Rev. 14:9-11) Why are sinners eternally kept in existence to suffer? At issue is the punishment due sin. We see things from a human point of view and not God’s point of view and the nature and terror of sin. Look at the deep sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He made a way for us (Romans 3:26; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Cor 2:8). The penalty for sin was that the Infinite God die. How can we think that the penalty for sin would be anything less than infinite?

Purgatory – everyone gets a second chance after paying their dues on sin. Doctrine found nowhere in Scripture and developed to raise money for Catholic Church in Middle Ages. Luther, other reformers railed against this doctrine.

Jesus talked about hell more than any other person in Scripture, and his testimony should validate its reality more than anything else.

Henry Oxenham, 19th C English theologian[1]: “If Christ intended to teach the doctrine of eternal punishment, could he possibly have taught it in plainer terms?”

INVITATION
Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke more of hell than heaven and spent so much time warning people not to go there. After all, if people just stopped existing, why warn them? If it was temporal, they'd get out in a while. But if it were eternal and conscious, then the warning is strong.

Not all questions answered, but we know enough to know that Jesus is the answer to Hell. He provides an escape. He provides eternal life in Paradise in His Presence. The doctrine of Hell caused me as a seven-year old to come to Christ. Won’t you come to Christ today for yourself?
[1] ISBE, Vol IV, 2502, 1956.

Related articles

• Luke 20:27-21:4 - Jesus' Questioners Questioned (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 16:19-31 - The Rich Man and Lazarus (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 16:19-31 - The Uncomfortable Reality of Hell (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 8:16-39 - Listening Faith (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 6:17-36 - Sermon on the Plain (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 5:12-26 - Up on the Housetop (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 7:11-17 - The Widow's Faith (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 7:1-10 - The Centurion's Faith (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 5:27-39 - Common Sinners & New Wine (genebrooks.blogspot.com)
• Luke 10:25-37 - The Good Samaritan (genebrooks.blogspot.com)

Jefferson Davis Inaugurated Feb 18, 1861

Today is the 145th anniversary of the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as Provisional President of the Confederate States of America, at Montgomery, AL. William Lowndes Yancey said, "The man and hour have met." Davis' inaugural address.

And today is also my thirty-sixth birthday. I can't mark surveys in the 24-35 group anymore. Now I have to mark the middle-aged group of 36-49. O boy. But on the bright side, as Amanda reminded me, I have a 26 year old wife and a one year old son!

Bible Literacy

There's a new public school textbook out to promote Bible literacy. The Bible and its Influence is being hailed in nearly all camps.

Officially laid off from Just Tires

Well, neither store wants someone who cannot work Sundays, and obviously, I cannot since I have the interim pastorate at Amis Chapel Baptist Church.

He said, "You can't work Sundays, right?"
"I have another job," I replied.
"Yeah, I heard you were a ---, a preacher," he spit.

Therefore, the new manager officially laid me off. I've already applied online for unemployment benefits. I'll have to say that I enjoyed working for Bobby Burns and learning about tires.

By the way, a shout out to our Louisville, KY, Southern Seminary friends who graciously sent us "out of the blue" $100 last week.

Job cut at Just Tires-option for another store

Last week the new leadership of Just Tires, a market owned by Goodyear, cut hours across the board to 30. On Monday, they came in and moved our good manager, Bobby Burns, out of our store, the #1 store and one of the 3 of 15 stores making money. Yesterday the new manager called the house and informed me that I was also being cut from the Capital Blvd Raleigh store along with three others, three part-timers (1 sales, 2 in shop), and me, the newest salesman. I was given an option to move possibly to a store in Clayton, an hour away in good traffic, or Durham on15/501 University Drive, also an hour away.

Later in the day I headed over to Duke Hospital to attend the open heart surgery of one of Amis Chapel's parishioners. He came through it well, and I think he'll be back involved at church in a few weeks.

Phil Thrailkill coming to Amis Chapel BC, Oxford, March 10-12

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Rev. Phil Thrailkill will preach revival at Amis Chapel Baptist Church north of Oxford, NC, March 10-12, 2006.

He will speak at 7pm on Friday March 10, lead a Saturday morning March 11 seminar on Acts beginning at 9:00am and speak again that same night at 7pm. He will then lead the Sunday School hour on Sunday morning March 12, at 10:00am and the worship service at 11:00am.

Rev. Phil Thrailkill was born July 26, 1953, in Florence, South Carolina. His father is a retired Family Doctor and his mother is a homemaker and a nurse. He is the oldest of three brothers and one sister. A lifelong United Methodist, he married Lori Furches, his college sweetheart, on August 7, 1976. Lori is a Master's level and Nationally Board Certified second grade teacher with sixteen years experience. They have two adult children, Daniel and Ellen.

Rev. Thrailkill received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wake Forest University in 1975 and his Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 1979/84, both with honors. He became an Ordained Deacon in June 1977 and an Ordained Elder in June 1984, both in the South Carolina Annual Conference.

He has served in the following pastorate position: Youth Minister at Chamblee First United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA, 1977-1979; Pastor of the Fairfield Circuit, Winnsboro, SC, 1979-1984; Founding Pastor of Northeast United Methodist Church, Columbia, SC, 1984-1994; Pastor of Saint Mark United Methodist Church, Charleston, SC, 1994-1998; and Pastor of Duncan Memorial UMC, Georgetown, SC, 1998 to present. He was elected as delegate to Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference in 2000 as an alternate and in 2004 as a full delegate.

Rev. Thrailkill also serves in many ministries beyond the local church. He currently serves as the Chaplain for the City of Georgetown Police and Fire and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. He also serves on the Ecumenical Advisory Board for Episcopal Spiritual Directors Training Program and the Chairman of the Georgetown Ministers Association.

Rev. Thrailkill is a member of the board of the Confessing Movement of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Thrailkill is also very involved in foreign missions including currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Mission Society for United Methodists. He served as the Chairman of the Board from May 2001 until December 2004. Duncan Church has a yearly foreign missions conference and has sent teams to Honduras, Costa Rica, and Peru. Rev. Thrailkill has numerous professional certifications, awards and special achievements including being the Co-founder of Trinity Prison Ministries which won both governmental and church awards for effectiveness. He is a highly sought after speaker and teacher at the church and conference level and beyond.

Rev. Thrailkill list the following as mentors and key influencers in his life:
Dr. J.C. Thrailkill, small-town doctor, who taught me about serving people, rich and poor.
Dr. Charles Talbert, New Testament scholar, who taught me to study the Scripture and ask good questions.
Dr. Betty Talbert, Spiritual Director, who taught me that every pastor needs a pastor.
Dr. George Morris, Candler Evangelism Professor, who taught me to do evangelism with integrity.
Dr. Don Saliers, Candler Worship Professor, who introduced me to riches of Christian worship.
Pastor John Wimber, Vineyard Churches, who taught me to pray for the sick and expect spiritual gifts.
Dr. Thomas Oden, Professor at Drew Seminary, who rooted me in the classic early Christian consensus.
Dr. Billy Abraham, Outler Professor at SMU, who believes that classical faith can be taught in local churches.
Danny Morris, Upper Room, who taught me that consensus is a possibility for local church decision making.
Dr. Al Vom Steeg, Mission Society for United Methodists, who keeps my passion for world missions alive.
Rev. Rob Dewey, Police Chaplain, who gave me a heart for the streets and for those who work there.
Dr. Ira Galloway, who takes delight in mentoring younger Christian leaders.

The Lord's Prayer

"Our Father which art in heaven."
--- Yes?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
--- But you called me
Called you? I didn't call you. I'm praying. "Our father which art in heaven."
--- There you did it again.
Did what?
--- Called me. You said, "Our Father which art in heaven." Here I am. What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like getting a duty done.
--- All right. Go on.
"Hallowed be thy name."
--- Hold it. What do you mean by that?
By what?
--- By "Hallowed be thy name?"
It means. it means. Good grief, I don't know what it means. How should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
--- It means honored, holy, wonderful.
Hey that makes sense. I never thought about what "hallowed" meant before. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
--- Do you really mean that?
Sure, why not?
--- What are you doing about it?
Doing? Nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there.
--- Have I got control of you?
Well, I go to church.
--- That isn't what I asked you. What about your temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kinds of books you read and what you watch on TV?
Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as the rest of those people at church.
---Excuse me. I though you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones you are praying for it. Like you, for example.
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.
---So could I.
I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I'd really like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
--- Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together, you and me. Some victories can be truly won. I'm proud of you.
Look, Lord, I need to finish this up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. "Give us this day our daily bread."
--- You could cut out the bread. It would help you lose weight.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this, "Criticize me day?" Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
--- Praying is a dangerous thing. You could wind up changed, you know. That's what I'm trying to get across to you. Keep praying. I'm interested in the next part of your prayer. (Pause) Well, go on.
I'm scared to.
--- Scared? Of what?
I know what you'll say.
--- Try me and see.
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
--- What about Ann?
See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories about my family. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her.
--- But your prayer? What about your prayer?
I didn't mean it.
--- Well, at least you're honest. But it's not much fun caring that load of bitterness around inside, is it?
No. But, I'll feel better as soon as I get even. Boy, have I got some plans for that neighbor. She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood.
--- You won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. Think of how unhappy you already are. But, I can change all that.
You can? How?
--- Forgive Ann. Then I'll forgive you. Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours. You will have settled your heart.
Oh, you're right. You always are. And, more than I want to get revenge against Ann, I want to be right with you. (Pause).(Sigh) All right. I forgive her. Help her to find the right road in life, Lord. She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it. Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it. Some way, some how, show her the right way.
--- There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?
Hmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all. I feel pretty great. You know, I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember. Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest.
--- You're not through with your prayers. Go on.
Oh, all right. "And lead us not into temptation, but delivers from evil."
--- Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
--- Don't turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be picked up. Also, about the time you spend with your friends, if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should re-think the value of those friendships. Another thing, your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for "keeping up." And please don't use me as an escape hatch.
I don't understand that last part.
--- Sure you do. You've done it a lot of times. You get caught in a bad situation. You get in trouble and then you come running to me: "Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again." You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?
Yes and I'm ashamed. Lord, I really am.
--- Which bargain are you remembering?
Well, there was the night that my husband was gone and the children and I were home alone. The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out. I remember saying, "Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again."
--- I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?
I'm sorry, Lord I really am. Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day, then I could do what I liked. I didn't expect anything to happen like this.
--- Go ahead and finish your prayer.
"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen"
--- Do you know what would bring me glory? What would really make me happy?
No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you. I can see what a mess I've made of my life. And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers.
--- You just answered the question.
I did?
--- Yes. The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me. And I see that happening between us. Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way, there is no telling what we can do together.
Lord, let's see what we can make of me, OK?
--- Yes, let's see.
~Author Unknown~

Cole on Isaiah 7

Dr. Cole's Old Testament class today was awesome. He brilliantly demonstrated from the text of Isaiah that the "woman of marriageable age" in Isaiah 7:14 was in fact thought of as a virgin by the writer! See his class notes on The Book of Isaiah and scroll down to the section indicated by "The Placement of Chapter 7."

Saint Valentine

From historychannel.com:
Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.

Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Prayer answered

A shout out to the prayer answerer this evening!

I work 8am to 8pm on Mondays at Just Tires. Amanda called to tell me about an answered prayer. We received an anonymous check in the mail for $200 postmarked "Upstate SC" today.

This gift from someone will help so much toward the cut in hours at work. Praise the Lord! If you sent this and are reading this blog, thank you very much.

My manager gone

They came in today and removed my manager at Just Tires #2375. They switched him to the store in Holly Springs and brought that manager to our store, the #1 store in the Triangle.

I really liked working for Bobby. He taught me a lot and was very patient. He also knows how to diffuse a tense situation with a joke. He is a former Navy SEAL who was in 26 nations on secret missions. He has been having a hard time lately with job stress, the responsibility to family, and shingles. I will not get to see him because I'll not be back at work until Friday. Everyone, including me, hopes we still have a job with the new manager.

Happy Valentine's Day

You'll want to right click on this one and save it to your computer to read the Redneck Love Poem in its entirety.

Revival again at Asbury College

It appears that last Monday's chapel (Feb 7, 2006) at Asbury College ignited something similar to the Asbury revival of February 1970.

“Following the morning chapel the altar was crowded with students seeking the Lord -- two and three deep, with people praying in groups around the auditorium,” Asbury President Paul Rader said. “Throughout the day there has been a beautiful awareness of the holiness of God.

Many students took off their shoes with a sense of standing on holy ground.“God is answering the passionate and persistent prayers of committed students who have been fasting and praying for weeks for this kind of spiritual breakthrough. We are all rejoicing in it,” he said.

Monday's Chapel Continues at Hughes Auditorium
Another article
From the Asbury College website Feb 7, 2006

Chapel Continues Today (Feb 8, 2006)

Chapel continues into Friday (Feb 10, 2006)

Rumblings of revival on college campus (Baptist Press)

Picture from asbury.edu

God bless y'all real good!

A shout out to Euell Elliott whom I saw at the Valentine Banquet. He told me that this blog was announced at the Associational deacon training at FBC Butner today. And a number of people now have seen it. Well, I hope it's worthwhile and edifying. Welcome to all y'all, whoever you may be. Drop me a comment and let us know who you are.

Wade Burleson's blog

Here's a link to the blog by Wade Burleson, the Oklahoma pastor and International Mission Board trustee whom the board has asked the Southern Baptist Convention to remove because he openly opposes the board's decision barring private tongue-speaking for all new missionary candidates.

Hours cut at work -- $300-400 lost

They've cut everyone's hours at Just Tires to 30 for the next 3 weeks so that the new management can recover a better bottom line. That means that our family, which lives within $50 a month on a budget, will lose conservatively about $300 - 400 in the next three weeks. At the same time, they had Jay Leno speak at a gathering last week and paid him $600,000.

Dr. Black's homework

The following are websites assigned by Dr. David Black in our Textual Criticism (Greek) class. This class is over my head, but the first article helped.
The Development of the New Testament Text

Here, a remarkable website cataloging for us every reference in the Early Church Fathers to any Scripture. Often the Fathers quote a passage of Scripture earlier than we have copies of that Scripture, so we can get closer to the original text.
Compiled Allusions to the NT in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

Below is our homework for today. We had to translate this passage from 1 Corinthians 9:8-12 in a minuscule manuscript, noting the textual differences between it and the United Bible Society 4th edition Greek NT and/or the Nestle-Aland 27th edition. Scroll down about 3/4 down the page and see the script we were given.
The Textual Critic's Corner

Major Variant Readings in the NT

I think I've bit off more than I can chew.

Complete obedience

Thomas Kelly

Thomas Kelly: (Testament of Devotion, pp. 70-72) – “Meister Eckhart wrote: ‘There are plenty to follow our Lord half-way, but not the other half. They will give up possessions, friends and honors, but it touches them too closely to disown themselves.’

It is just this astonishing life which is willing to follow Him the other half, sincerely to disown itself, this life which intends complete obedience, without any reservations, that I would propose to you in all humility, in all boldness, in all seriousness. I mean this literally, utterly, completely, and I mean it for you and for me–commit your lives in unreserved obedience to Him.

If you don’t realize the revolutionary explosiveness of this proposal you don’t understand what I mean. Only now and then comes a man or a woman who, like John Woolman or Francis of Assisi, is willing to be utterly obedient, to go the other half, to follow God’s faintest whisper.

But when such a commitment comes in a human life, God breaks through, miracles are wrought, world-renewing divine forces are released, history changes. There is nothing more important now than to have the human race endowed with just such committed lives.

To this extraordinary life I call you – or He calls you through me – as a lovely ideal, a charming pattern to aim at hopefully, but as a serious, concrete program of life, to be lived here and now, in [information] America, by you and by me.”

John Gill on Salvation

John Gill on Christ and salvation: “He is the spring of it; it arises originally from him; it was purposed in him; it was promised by him; it was hid in him; it was given by him; he is the fountain of it; and therefore the saints can never perish, nor need they fear any enemy.”
John Gill's Commentary on Colossians 3:3

Preaching the glories of Christ

AW Tozer: (Ch. 1, Jesus Our Man in Glory) – “All of those intellectual preachers are busy reading the news magazines so they will be able to comment on the world situation from their pulpits on Sunday mornings. But that is not what God called me to do. He called me to preach the glories of Christ. He commissioned me to tell my people there is a kingdom of God and a throne in the heavens. And that we have One of our own representing us there.

That is what the early church was excited about. And I think our Lord may have reason to ask why we are no longer very excited about it. The Christian church in the first century was ablaze with this concept of the risen and victorious Christ exalted at the right hand of the Father. Although it worshipped no other man, it urged the worship of this glorified and exalted Man as God, because He had always been the eternal Son, the second Person of the Godhead.”

Reckon yourselves dead to sin

Watchman Nee, (Ch. 4, The Normal Christian Life): In ref. Rom 6:11: Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin.”

"For years after my conversion I had been taught to reckon. I reckoned from 1920 until 1927. The more I reckoned that I was dead to sin, the more alive I clearly was. I simply could not believe myself dead, and I could not produce the death. Whenever I sought help from others I was told to read Romans 6:11, and the more I read Romans 6:11 and tried to reckon, the further away death was: I could not get at it. I fully appreciated the teaching that I must reckon, but I could not make out why nothing resulted from it.

I have to confess that for months I was troubled. I said to the Lord, “If this is not clear, if I cannot be brought to see this which is so very fundamental, I will cease to do anything. I will not preach any more; I will not go out to serve thee any more; I want first of all to get thoroughly clear here.” For months I was seeking, and at times I fasted, but nothing came through.

"I remember one morning – that morning was a real morning and one I can never forget – I was upstairs sitting at my desk reading the Word and praying, and I said, “Lord, open my eyes!” And then in a flash I saw it. I saw my oneness with Christ. I saw that I was in him, and that when he died I died. I saw that the question of my death was a matter of the past and not of the future, and that I was just as truly dead as he was because I was in him when he died. The whole thing had dawned upon me. I was carried away with such joy at this great discovery that I jumped from my chair and cried. “Praise the Lord, I am dead!”

I ran downstairs and met one of the brothers helping in the kitchen and laid hold of him. “Brother,” I said, “do you know that I have died?” I must admit he looked puzzled. “What do you mean?” he said, so I went on: “Do you not know that Christ has died? Do you not know that I died with him? Do you not know that my death is no less truly a fact than his?”

Oh it was so real to me! I longed to go through the streets of Shanghai shouting the news of my discovery. From that day to this I have never for one moment doubted the finality of that word: “I have been crucified with Christ.”

"I do not mean to say that we need not work that out. Yes, there is an outworking of the death which we are going to see presently, but this, first of all, is its basis. I have been crucified: in Christ it has been done.

New personal tire sale record

I work full-time at Just Tires/ Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. on Capital Boulevard in north Raleigh across from Triangle Town Center. On Friday, I sold thirty-five tires, my personal new one-day record.

Raleigh Rainbow

There was the brightest rainbow this afternoon over north Raleigh after the rainstorm. This picture from my cell phone is at Neuse Baptist on Capital Boulevard above Durant Road.

New booster seat

Luke graduated today from the Carolyn Ridlehuber intermediate baby car seat to the Loraine and Shannon Long Family car booster seat. He looked like such a miniature little boy in it today when Amanda picked me up from work.