Happy 4th of July

I want to wish the church family a happy 4th of July. Travel safe and enjoy the holiday! We have a wonderful country and none of us should take it for granted.

One of the things that has made this a great country has been the powerful and convicting preaching of the Word of God. We need the Lord to raise up a mighty army of faithful preachers who will declare the whole counsel of God to our generation.

As a pastor I am always examining not only my life but the fruit and the actions of those who sit under my ministry. Here are some of the things that we all need to practice in our lives. If we are a holy people then this nation will have the kind of citizens that will lead it forward in this century.

1. We need to be spiritual people who display the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Gal. 5:22-23.

2. We need to be a people who walk with God in our daily lives.

3. We need to be prayer warriors for our families, our church and our nation.

4. We need to be committed to being honest, faithful, dedicated and compassionate in our dealings with our neighbors and friends.

5. We need to fear God and not man.

6. We need to live for the glory of God.

7. We need to practice the presence of God in our lives.

8. We need to abhor all that is evil and to love all that is good and pure.

9. We need to forgive our enemies and those who have hurt or disappointed us.

10. Most of all we need to love the Lord Jesus Christ supremely.

On this holiday may our blessed Lord have all the glory! In spite of all the concerns that we have as Americans let us never forget that as my late brother in law Del Fehsenfeld used to say, "As long as God is on the throne revival is as possible as the sun rising tomorrow morning!"

Keep the faith, and keep your eyes on Christ!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dickie

Filling the earth with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea!

Last January I had the privilege of preaching in South Africa at an African Pastor’s Conference (APC). I have been invited to attend once again this coming January. While I am still praying and seeking the Lord’s will in this invitation I would ask each of you to pray with me that the Lord would continue to bless the conferences and raise up an army of godly men filled with passion and love for Christ.

We have been supporting conferences in South Africa, Brazil, Europe and Great Britain. My prayer is that the doctrines of justification by faith alone and the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace will be spread throughout the earth for the glory of the Lord.

Below is a report of the African conferences that I was able to attend and which we supported financially. I trust you are all encouraged by reading this report.

A Report on the APCs During January 2009
A report by Gary Morrison

Six African Pastors’ conferences were held in South Africa during January. My portfolio was to see that these conferences ran smoothly and that included organizing the display of the books which are sold at subsidized prices thereby bringing very considerable advantage to the pastors. This latter responsibility was made a pleasure by diligent workers at each conference who know the book trade. Cornerstone Baptist Church, Bolton, generously and whole-heartedly supported me in these travels in sunny South Africa. My first pastorate was in Mandini, Kwazulu and with that background I have great sympathy for the needs of African pastors who live in an economic climate very different to ours.

The first conference was held at Mseleni near the border between Mozambique and South Africa, Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa (Central Baptist Church, Chingola, Zambia) spoke very challengingly on ‘The marks of faithful ministry’, and Pastor Raymond Zulu, with the advantage of preaching in his mother tongue, soared wonderfully on the theme, ‘The Word of God as our sure foundation’.

Our second conference at Koinonia Conference Centre was nearby the town of Hillcrest which in turn is not that far from the city Durban. The Speakers included Choolwe, Raymond, Dennis Hustedt (Utah, USA) and myself. The response was encouragingly very positive. Such is the increasing interest and edification that the pastors are calling for an extension to this work to reach the youth and from them so seek to build up a future body of able ministers of the Gospel. We will have our work cut out to wrestle with this challenge and act positively.

Our third stop was in the Eastern Cape in at the city of Port Elizabeth, where Dr Paul Stoltz organized the three day conference. Pastor Bob Dickie (Berean Baptist Church in Flint Michigan USA) also expounded the awe inspiring subject of Worship. We also had an outstanding Q & A session. Some interesting topics were discussed including the role of women in ministry. This cropped up at most of the conferences. It seems to be a recurring theme that may need to be addressed sensitively in the future.

The fourth conference was near the beautiful city of Pretoria. This time the speakers included Pastor Irving Steggles (Birchleigh Baptist Church, Kempton Park). He spoke on revival and delivered the conference sermon (’Motivation in the Ministry’). The conference was a tremendous success under the very capable leadership and organizational skills of Irving Steggles. The Book table ministry was also a great blessing here. The three days and two nights, including six meals cost each person the equivalent astounding sum of 70 Rand (£5.00). This is an admirable demonstration on just how far money given by churches in both the USA and the UK can go towards financing more APC’s in future years.

The fifth conference was in the large Free State town of Welkom. This once rich gold-mining town is now not far from poverty. Even the local fire engines have been repossessed by the manufacturers. The local CESA (Church of England in South Africa which is a reformed denomination) minister, George van der Westhuizen, acted as host to the conference at his church building. There was tremendous response to the preachers Choolwe and Raymond. On a personal note heartbreak and challenge came to me the next day when the three of us visited Morning Star, a crèche for 85 local HIV positive children. What an inspiring work is done by the ladies there, especially Joan Adams who is responsible for running it.

Finally the last of the conferences took place at Newcastle. This was a first time event and was capably organized by pastor Paul Jacobs. Here we saw demonstrated what can be done when a whole church supports a conference like this. This practical backing came from the Newcastle Baptist Church. Apart from the books hardly any subsidy is needed when this takes place. Some were disappointed inasmuch that they did not have enough time to secure enough money to purchase more of the discounted books that were available. In Newcastle they all wanted us to stay on for a second day. Lord willing next year we will.

Happy Father's Day!

This Sunday is Father's Day. I want to wish all of the men of our church a happy and wonderful Father's Day. Not all of us have children but all of us have a father. Whether your father is living and has passed away this is a day to pause for a few moments and to thank the Lord for the wonderful gift He has given us in the Fathers that He placed over us. Yes, I believe that every father is a gift from God. Even if the father you have did not or does not know the Lord. The Lord is wise and knows exactly what He is doing. When He gave you your father He knew what was best for you. May we all show our gratitude to the Lord for the wonderful gift of life that came to each of us through the biological father that brought us into life.

I was reading a column by Cal Thomas on his love and respect for his father and it brought tears to my eyes. It caused me to think about my father who passed away back in 1989. The years have come and gone but the void and pain that I still feel at times haunts me. I trust this column by Cal Thomas will be a blessing to you all.

A Father's Day card

Cal Thomas

Thursday, June 12, 2003

He's been gone 20 years this month. Funny how when I write this, I wonder if some readers might think he walked out on us, as many do. No, Dad left us the only way he would. He died in June, 1983.

I still miss sending him a Father's Day card and finding a present beyond the predictable tie he might like. Shopping for a card by an anonymous rhymer that expressed the right sentiment was always a challenge, so I wrote notes and eventually a letter telling him how much I loved him and what he meant to me. He framed it and hung it in his office.

People of a certain age think he was Lowell Thomas - the famous newscaster and Fox Movie tone newsreel narrator of another era. That's because Lowell and I share the same last name and the same profession. But, no, Clinton Samuel Thomas was nothing special to the world, only to his family. And he was special to my brother, Marshall, who was born with a defect diagnosed as mental retardation. How Dad treated my brother taught me a profound lesson. He spent a lot of money on doctors and in search of the right environment for my brother after keeping him at home for years when many suggested institutionalization.

My father survived the Great Depression and World War II, and these experiences burnished his character and honor and made him realize that things are less valuable than people, family and relationships. We never lacked the essential things as I grew up and did not miss luxurious things.

I remember when he took me to buy my first suit and told me, at age 12, how I was becoming a man. I recall the baseball games and the smell of hot dogs and real grass and how good it felt doing guy stuff with him. I inherited no money but got his fishing tackle box. Priceless.

Are too many men too busy to be much more than biological fathers today? Have they convinced themselves that more hours on the job in order to buy more stuff is of greater importance than inhabiting their place in the home and their position as father in the hearts of their children?

My recent high school reunion concluded with a tour of the old building. When we arrived at the gymnasium - where I had played basketball - a classmate asked me what I remembered most about those games. I said that while I recalled a few shots that actually went in, what I remembered most was that my Dad attended every home game. I pointed to where he sat on the upper row. It is an image burned into my heart and mind. One year he promised a steak dinner to the entire team if we beat our arch-rival. We did, and he came through. On that night, my teammates seemed to love him as much as I did.

My father treated my mother with honor and respect. He never let me call an adult by his or her first name and demanded I show respect to my elders. When he let me drive shortly after my 16th birthday, he made it clear he had rules for using his car, just as there are rules of the road. When he said he wanted me back at a certain time, if I wanted to drive again, I returned at the appointed hour until I was able to buy my own car (with his help on the bank note).

Times change, but standards don't. Not a family on my boyhood street experienced divorce. Now divorce is common. Then, a battered woman was a rare occurrence. Now it is far too frequent. Boys were taught by their fathers to respect women. Most guys I knew in high school were virgins, though many lied about it. "Safe sex" meant saving it for marriage.

My favorite picture is of Dad feeding me a bottle when I was 6 weeks old. He is dressed in a suit and a large smile. His right hand holds the bottle, while his left hand is cupped around my shoulders. It is a picture of security and serenity. I wish more boys had fathers like mine. I wish even more that mine was still with me.

Dr. Edgar Andrews will be with us this Sunday. Dr. Andrews is the former chairman of the science department from the University of London, England. Professor Andrews has been recognized as one of the top physicists in the entire world. We are very privileged to have him as our guest speaker once again. I have been greatly blessed over the years for the deep and personal friendship that Dr. Andrews has given to me. Much of my ministry has been shaped and inspired by his spiritual mentorship. I trust that all of you will be blessed by his ministry with us this weekend.

Our office staff is taking a trip to Tawas for a dinner cruise out to Charity Island. Dr. Andrews will be our special guest and will speak to the staff on Saturday morning.

Last week I spoke at a Leadership seminar for the Team in Louisville, Kentucky. I quoted a poem in my Sunday message and was asked to put that poem on the blog. I trust that you will all be blessed by the words of this poetic rendition of a revival that was recorded many years ago in Texas.

The Ninety Men In The Marshall’s Den

“I’m going to preach and I’m going to teach, to the ninety men in here, (while a storm was raging outside). Of the words of love, from the throne above, and his words rang out loud and clear. I’ll preach for you of a Savior true, and a happy home on high. Where the angels dwell, where all are saved from Hell, and where the righteous never die. And he said a prayer in the prison there, as the ninety bowed their heads, to the old Choctaw and the Chickasaw, to the whites and the blacks and the reds. He prayed for the chief in his unbelief, and the dark highwayman bold, to the robber crew and the bandits too, to the criminals young and old. And he sang a hymn in the prison grim, he sang, “Turn sinner, turn.” “It’s not too late to reach God’s gate while the lamp holds out to burn.” And then from his bed, from the black and the red, a broken outlaw too. With trembling steps to the parson crept, and he shivered as all in the cold. As the lightning’s flashed, and thunders crashed, showed his features pale and stern, as he bowed his head he solemnly said, “I am resolved to turn.” And it seemed to me I will never see, a scene so great so grand, as the white and the red and their darkened friends around that Christian one did stand. While the light came down, like a silver crown, for the promise came to all. For the ninety men in the marshal’s den heard only the Savior’s call. And the lightning’s flashed, and the thunders crashed, showed their features pale and stern. As they all bowed their heads they solemnly said, “We are resolved to turn.”

Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God

I spoke at a conference last weekend in Orlando, Florida. One of the topics that I spoke on was the subject of why I believe the Bible is the Word of God. Here is some of the material that I covered. I trust that this encourages you and helps you in your defense of the gospel.

Five Ways To Prove That The Bible Is The Word Of God

Text: II Timothy 3:16,

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Introduction:

A few years ago I went to Mississippi to watch the Southeastern Conference track championships. Mary and I had dinner after the meet with the team from Tennessee. Some of the female athletes were telling us about how several of their friends tried to sneak into a movie. They told us that as these students were attempting to sneak in, an attendant approached them and asked, “Excuse me, do you have tickets?” And one of the students replied, “No, we’re looking for the restrooms.” But the other student responded and said, “I can’t lie. We are trying to sneak into the movie.” I thought to myself, “Ah, an honest thief.” This is an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that contains two words or phrases that are seemingly contradictory. It is like saying a “tiny giant,” or a “good serial killer,” an “angelic devil,” or “an honest thief.” Here was a student that could not lie but had no scruples about stealing. The problem with all men is that we have these glaring inconsistencies about our ethics and morality.

The Law of God is like a net, a mirror, and an umpire!

The law of God is like a net, has a way of catching all of us in its meshes sooner or later. The law of God is like a mirror that sooner or later will show us our moral failures. The law of God is like an umpire in the soul that sooner or later will cry, “Your out!” Whether we understand the letter of the law or the spiritual nature of the law with its broader applications, sooner or later we are all crushed by its condemning power. The Bible teaches us that by the works of the law no flesh (person) shall be justified (that is made acceptable to a holy God). The Bible is relevant because it tells us of our sins. The Bible tells us we have offended a holy God who will hold us accountable for our sinful actions. The Bible, with its laws, convicts us of sin and shows us our need of a Savior. But when people reject the Bible, they we won’t listen to its message for their lives. This is why it is so important to believe in the Bible and to trust its contents.

The English word Bible comes from the Greek word biblia, biblia, and means books. The word Scripture comes from the Latin word scriptura and means writings of a sacred nature. Jesus Christ referred to the revelation of His Father by two different phrases:

1. The Scriptures
2. The Word of God

In this text, the word inspiration comes from the Greek word “theopneustos”, and means God-breathed. What the apostle is telling us here is that the Word of God was given to us by the Lord and is His Word that was breathed into the minds of those who were used to write it. This is a very special book that we have in our hands today. Let us never take the Bible for granted. It is a God-breathed book.

There are many different world religions and so-called sacred writings. But I believe that the Bible alone is the Word of God. If someone was to ask me why I believe the Bible, one answer is because the Bible claims to be the Word of God. Jesus Christ taught that the Old Testament was the infallible Word of the living God, and He promised and predicted the coming of the New Testament. John 14:25-26. 16:13. Some people might respond that to believe that the Bible is the Word of God because it claims to be is circular reasoning. They may say this is simply nonsense. Just because a man claims to be a pumpkin does not make him one. Just because I claim to be a basketball and was dribbling sown the street and came in here tonight does not mean that I am really a basketball. In philosophical terms, this is called an informal fallacy, (an informal fallacy is an argument whose stated premises fail to support the conclusion). But in the case of the Bible, the Bible not only claims to be the Word of God, it authenticates it’s own truth claims, i.e. it proves itself to be the Word of God. For example:

1. The Bible claims to be the Word of the eternal and living God

more than 3000 times. (it contains the phrase, “Thus saith the
Lord”)
2. The Bible is self authenticating, i.e. it has its own intrinsic
authority.
a. The Bible has one theme from beginning to end.
b. The Bible has no contradictions within its pages even though it was
written over a period of 1500 years by 40 different authors.
c. The Bible contains both internal and external evidence
to authenticate and prove its divine message and truth claims.
d. There is no evidence that the text of the Bible has been corrupted
after 2000 years of being copied and passed on to each new
generation. The ancient Jews kept tabs on every letter, syllable,
word, and paragraph. The science of Textual Criticism demonstrates
the accuracy and the reliability of the Bible.
3. When the Bible was written, it was the only book at that time
that claimed to be the written revelation of the eternal God. Since then
there are two other books that also claim to be the Word of God, The
Koran and the Book of Mormon. But do these books have any
supporting evidence to verify their truth claims?

There is a wonderful old poem entitled--

“The Bible”

Though the cover is worn, and the pages are torn,
And places bear traces of tears,
Yet more precious than gold is this book worn and old,
That can shatter and scatter my fears.
When I prayerfully look in this precious old book
As my eyes scan the pages I see,
Many tokens of love from the Father above,
Who is nearest and dearest to me.
This old book is my guide, tis a friend by my side,
It will lighten and brighten my way.
And each promise I find, soothes and gladdens my mind,
As I read it and heed it today.

How do we know that this precious book is the Word of God? By this question we are trying to discover if the Bible is reliable, God-breathed, trustworthy, inspired, and indeed the living Word of God.

There are many skeptics who tell us that this precious old book cannot and should not be trusted. Skeptics such as:

1. Voltaire- a pseudonym of Francois-Marie Arouet a French skeptic.
2. David Hume- a Scottish empiricist philosopher and agnostic.
3. Karl Marx- a Jewish atheist who was a communist.
4. Sigmund Freud- an Austrian psychologist and atheist.
5. Friedrich Nietzsche- a German philosopher and atheist.
6. George Santayana- an American philosopher and poet and atheist
who held to the notion that to believe in anything, including self is irrational.

7. Richard Dawkins- British atheist and author who is making an all out attack on the

Bible and Christianity.

If I was asked to defend the Bible, or to explain why I believe that it is the Word of God, I would use five basic arguments. If, after considering these five arguments, you are convinced that the Bible is the Word of God, then you must also accept that the message of the Bible is to be trusted and believed.

Our Theme: Five Ways To Demonstrate That The Bible Is The
Word Of God

Our Outline:

I. Prophetically
II. Historically
III. Scientifically
V. Morally
V. Dynamically

If you would like to hear the full message on this text I plan to preach on this point this Sunday at our second service. You can listen to the message by clicking on our online sermons at Allgrace.com

Answers In Genesis Conference

At Berean

Was A Great Success!

I want to praise the Lord for the wonderful conference that we had at Berean Baptist Church this past weekend of May 17th. We were privileged to have had with us Ken Ham from Answers In Genesis. The conference was a tremendous blessing to all who attended. I was told we had well over 700 people in attendance! Not everyone could stay for all the services, but with many coming to the different services we probably had nearly a thousand different people throughout the day.

The important thing, however, is that those who came were given some tremendous materials and inspiration to help repair the foundation of the Christian faith that has been so badly eroded in our day. Ken Ham set forth the proper presuppositions that believers need to know when defending their faith to this Post-modern generation. The messages will be posted on our web sight at allgrace.com. You can listen to them by clicking on online sermons.

The one challenge I want to leave with our Church family is that we must not treat Sunday's like this one as a form of Christian entertainment. We need to be doers of the Word and not just hearers of the Word. This conference will be a great success if we each absorb the material and if we share what we have learned with others. This means keeping the information flowing, and continuing to invite people to Church and sharing the gospel with others. Ken Ham's messages were powerful and convicting. If you did not attend please listen to them.

I would also like to thank all the office staff that worked so hard to plan, organize, and to make sure that this conference was a great blessing to our Church family. We had a small army of volunteers and workers at Church on Sunday morning that did a marvelous job as well in serving around the Church. A special word of thanks goes to several of our elders who gave several thousand dollars to pay for all the expensesof the conference. Sacrificial giving for the glory of the Lord is laying up treasures in Heaven! From my heart I thank all those who served, who came, who gave offerings, and who invited others to join us for this special day.

Next fall we are hoping to have Dr. John Blanchard back with us. This AIG conference will be an inspiration for the upcoming conference with John Blanchard!

God bless you all.

In Christ,

Pastor Dickie

Please be praying for our upcoming meeting with Ken Ham from the Creation Museum in Kentucky!

Answers In Genesis Conference At Berean Baptist Church, May 17, 2009.

Ken Ham will be with us at Berean Baptist Church to share with our congregation and friends a seminar that will help us to bring reformation to our land by reclaiming the foundations of our faith which are based in the Bible. Ken Ham is one of North America's most popular speakers, best-selling authors and radio host. I want to invite all of you to attend and if possible to bring at least one person with you to hear this seminar.

The purpose of this conference is to help you to be able to answer some of the most-asked questions about the Bible! You will discover biblical truth and the reliability of the Scriptures. In this Post-Modern age, where the Bible is continually under attack, you will find your faith in the Word of God strengthened and enriched. Please plan to attend.

The topics of Ken's messages are:

1. "The Relevance of Genesis in Today's World."

2. "The Loss of Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth."

3. "Defending the Christian Faith in Today's World."

4. "How to Reach the Secularized World with the Gospel."

See you all on the 17th of May!

In Christ,

Pastor Dickie