The value of ONE Soul

Earnest Andrew Posted: 21 Apr 2013 12:01 AM PDT Your weekly dose of Spurgeon The PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from the lifetime of works from the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  The following excerpt is from Words of Counsel for Christian Workers, pages 8-9, Pilgrim Publications. "If Andrew had not been the means of converting his brother, the probabilities are that he would never have been an apostle." Christ had some reason in the choice of His apostles to their office, and perhaps the ground of His choice of Andrew as an apostle was this: “He is an earnest man,” said He, “he brought me Simon Peter; he is always speaking privately to individuals; I will make an apostle of him.” You must have some talent entrusted to you, and something given you to do which no one else can do. Find out, then, what your sphere is, and occupy it. Ask God to tell you what is your niche, and stand in it, occupying the place till Jesus Christ shall come and give you your reward. Use what ability you have, and use it at once. Andrew proved his wisdom in that he set great store by a single soul. He bent all his efforts at first upon one man. Afterwards, Andrew, through the Holy Spirit, was made useful to scores, but he began with one. What a task for the arithmetician, to value one soul! One soul sets all heaven’s bells ringing by its repentance. One sinner that repenteth maketh angels rejoice. What if you spend a whole life pleading and labouring for the conversion of that one child? If you win that pearl it shall pay you your life worth. Be not therefore dull and discouraged because your class declines in numbers, or because the mass of those with whom you labour reject your testimony. If a man could but earn one in a day he might be satisfied. “One what?” saith one. I meant not one penny, but one thousand pounds. “Ah,” say you, “that would be an immense reward.” So if you earn but one soul you must reckon what that one is; it is one for numeration, but for value it exceeds all that earth could show. What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lost his soul? And what loss would it be to you, if you did lose all the world, and gained your soul, and God made you useful in the gaining of the souls of others? Be content, and labour in your sphere, even if it be small, and you will be wise. reprinted from Pyromaniacs...

Family Integrated?

There are a lot of questions about churches that are purposely integrating the family back into the full activity of worship on the Lord's day. But it affects more than just Sunday. Here are some free messages that touch on those subjects. Enjoy!
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The gate

Gen. 19:1 "and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom"
There are so many thoughts that come to my mind as I consider Lot sitting at the gate of Sodom:

I wonder how he ended up there.

I wonder how he felt the first time he walked through the gate he was sitting at that day.

I wonder how he could have left the comfort of the country side, the fresh smells, the clean air and what lie he told himself that convinced him he needed to move into the city of Sodom itself.

I am of the opinion that it was not overnight.

In fact, for me the progression into sin is not that one day I am fine and the next I am sitting in the gate of Sodom wondering how I got there. Rather, it is slow, calculated, laden with excuses and reasons that all seem harmless and innocuous at first.

A man in our family Sunday school class pointed out that when we sin we have made provisions for it. Like a man getting ready for a trip, he packs all the things he needs, all the things he will want, and all the things for a "just in case" emergency. In other words, he "provides" all the things he might have occasion to use.

Making provision for the flesh is no different, only dangerous. Instead of providing for good and for right, we start putting things into our nap-sack that will hinder us, and cause us to stumble, and then occasion our fall.

He went on to say, we subscribe to things that do not direct our passion toward Christ but toward the flesh.

I think Lot hardly ever expected to lose his family as a result of moving to Sodom. I don't think that the day he pitched his tent "toward" Sodom that he thought, "Hey, this is great, soon my wife will fall in love with the wicked generation of Sodom, and my daughters will want to commit incest!"

That is hardly the way we find ourselves sitting in the gate. Rather it is so subtle, so slow and progressive that we actually think good is coming from it.

Pointing our tent toward Sodom gives us the opportunity to see the trade routes in and out of the town. We can see how often the flow of wool and produce move in and out as well. That will help us to know when to better time our deliveries.

We don't know the progression that Lot took to get to Sodom, but we know in Genesis 13 he pitched his tent toward it. Then just a couple of chapters later, with no word as to what happened, we see him living in Sodom, and the next time he is apparently an Elder, sitting in the Gates of the City.

Often I ask people when they are in counsel with me, "What happened?" Wanting to know how they came to the sad position they were in. Their answer many time is, "I don't know what happened, just all of a sudden..." And they are right. We don't plan for our marriages to fail, we just don't plan for them to succeed. We don't plan for our lives to become absorbed with sports, hobbies, excess, but then, we don't plan to avoid the snares that those things by nature are prone toward.

The afternoon sermon was from 2 Chronicles and Brother Joshua Miller pointed out that several people purposed in their heart to follow the Lord. But there were many who did not. The result of each persons decision was directly related to what they purposed to do, what they set their heart to do.

Let us plan NOT to sin. Let us plan to obey the Word of God and be found somewhere other than the gates of Sodom, unless it is to rescue the perishing.

Flat Toes

In our congregation we have more than one elder, and yesterday, as in typical fashion, Elder Joshua Miller spoke from Galatians 4:11. " I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."

By the time he was finished with the message, I was convinced I needed to re-examine my calling in the ministry. I was challenged to examine aspects of my shepherding that I had not considered in some time.

I consider myself very careful in my watch-care over the flock that God has entrusted in my care, however, I came to see myself as full of fault, and was convicted over various areas of service.

When I stand before the Lord, I want to hear the words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant..." I must always remember that I am dealing with the Bride of my Saviour Jesus Christ when I deal with each person in the congregation.

I have always said, "I could preach to 10,000, but I could only properly pastor about 200..." After yesterdays message, let us make that 100...To truly feed, to truly care, to truly watch must take my whole being. I don't want a soul to fall through the proverbial cracks at Emmanuel. We do not labor as ministers of the Gospel to see the work be in vain. Let us labor for the Glory of God, the good of the saints and the future reward that awaits the faithful minister of God.
Live Simply. Live Godly

The Lord's day

Much has been said about the Lord's day, or Sunday. Many argue for, or against it. Many simply react traditionally to it. (What ever mom did, that is what I will do.) Throughout the years, Baptist have re-established their position on where they stand on the Lord's day as to its observation. Two that are notable, are worthy of mention here, but unfortunately are rarely practiced. We are a nation bent on entertainment, pleasure and self-seeking satisfaction. Listen to these documents of the past and notice the grave differences we see today:

Concerning the Lords day

When the original charter of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was adopted in 1858 it contained the following statement which continues as a part of the "fundamental laws." "Every professor of the institution shall be a member of a regular Baptist Church; and all persons accepting professorships in this Seminary shall be considered, by such acceptance, as engaging to teach in accordance with, and not contrary to, the Abstract of Principles hereinafter laid down, a departure from which principles on his part shall be grounds for his resignation or removal by the Trustees."

Here is what it says concerning the Lord's day:

XVII. The Lord's Day.

The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.

Then, we move to an even older document, one accepted by Baptist and held to today by many (including myself) Spurgeon made it his churches official position on each item it addresses as he felt it best reflected a summary of his views. It was called the London Baptist Confession of 1689. It is in Chapter 22 that the issue of the Lord's day is addressed. Here is a portion of it.

7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.
( Exodus 20:8; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10 )

8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
( Isaiah 58:13; Nehemiah 13:15-22; Matthew 12:1-13 )

Nowhere in either of these documents can we find listed the myriad of distractions that are available to us today. But none of us are blind to all that is offered on the Lord's day as a means to pull us away from our first duty. In fact, we see a sober approach to the Lord's day that should not be translated as cultural, or otherwise. These men of old had their reasons for what they stated, and I am of the opinion that their reasons warrant our careful consideration.
I don't think we are to be solemn, frowning, sad, depressed individuals on the Lord's day, and that is not even what is being suggested in either of the documents. Rather, This day is different, to be set aside for something better than the rest of the week. Common affairs are put away, recreations that might fall on another day must be examined under the light of what the day is all about.
We are a different generation to be sure, but have we improved our holy walk? We need to be removing excuses from the lips of men who can't make it to church on Sunday rather than participating ourselves in the very things that keep them away. Our godly walk should convict, or convince men that the Lord's day is in fact a special day, given to us by our gracious Lord.

Years Spent in Vanity and Pride...

Dwight Moody believed a college dedicated to teaching Bible truth was critical. It was D.L. Moody who realized the importance of raising up the next generation to carry the gospel and thus founded this school. Moody chose his friend and co-worker, Dr. R.A. Torrey to be the first president of the Institute. In 1905, Dr. Torrey shared a story about a rebellious teenager who eventually became the inspiration for the writing of that grand old hymn, At Calvary. The story goes like this:

When I was president of the Moody Bible Institute, I received a letter from a very concerned pastor who told me of a son who was causing himself and his family a great deal of trouble. His life was really mixed

And the father felt that attendance at Moody would help. I advised the father that even though I sympathized with him, for I was a father; yet, because I was running a Bible school and not a reform school, I had to deny his request. After many letters of pleading his cause, I finally gave in with the stipulation that the rebellious teen must see me each day and make every effort to abide by the rules and requirements of the Institute.

Torrey went on to say that the boy faithfully visited his office each day; and with wisdom from God’s word, he answered the questions that had been keeping the boy from God. Finally, after many months of counseling, the prayers of the boy’s father were answered when young William R. Newell received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

Thirty years later, as a teacher at Moody, Mr. Newell was recounting those turbulent years as a rebellious teen; and as he was rejoicing in his salvation, the words of a poem flooded his mind. His mind was filled with a word picture of what had happened in his life and also in the lives of all those who surrender to Christ. The new man in Christ could now write:

Years I spent in vanity and pride

Caring not my Lord was crucified

Knowing not it was for me He died

On Calvary

O the love that drew salvation’s plan

O the grace that brought it down to man

O the mighty gulf that God did span

At Calvary

The world's accolades...

"The world pays scantily indeed. What will it do for those it loves best? When it has done all it can, the last resource of the world is to give a man a title and what is that? And then to give him a tall pillar and set him up there to bear all weathers, to be pitilessly exposed to every storm; and there he stands for fools to gaze at..." Charles Spurgeon

Let us be careful of desiring accolades from the world. The best they can give is not near the least that God can render to man. Our hopes and treasures should be laid up somewhere else, other than here. Once we amass all we can, stand back and look at it and count it as ash. For dear one, it shall be ash on that great day. The only thing that will survive will be what was done for Christ.
May God be glorified. Soli Deo Gloria

Preaching, Muller Style

When one thinks of preaching, George Muller might not be the first on your list. He admitted he was not so grand a preacher. Those who heard him agreed with him. However, one could not escape the fact that it was evident the man had spent time with God. However simple his messages may have been, they appeared to be filled with power from God. His suggestions on preaching is timeless and very profitable for all who desire to preach, or to understand the preacher. So it is good for everyone. Notice the following from his works:

"That which I have found most beneficial in the public ministry of the Word, is expounding the Scriptures." He goes on to explain that "Expounding the Word of God brings little honour to the preacher from the unenlightened or careless hearer, but it tends much to the benefit of the hearers in general. Simplicity of expression, whilst the truth is set forth is of the utmost importance. It should be the aim of the teacher so to speak, that children, servants, and people who cannot read may be able to understand him, so far as the natural mind can comprehend the things of God."

Muller seemed more desirous that everyone under the sound of his voice might hear a clear trumpet call, rather than be impressed with lofty exhortations of grandeur. He was concerned for every hearer, hoping that when they walked away from his messages, they could take truth that was clearly understood.

When we preach today, we should desire to be a vessel meet for the Master's use, "fit to be employed both in the conversion of sinners and in the edification of the saints."

College with a Purpose

College with a purpose
We have a college at our church. That is no new revelation to most of the folks reading this blog, but it might be a revelation to many that the college is open to anyone who would like to know more about the Scriptures and the Christian faith.
We don’t want to limit it by age, in fact, if your child can sit still without disturbing the other students, that child is welcome. If you have a small child, sit near the door, and if need be, take the child out when the disturbance becomes evident. We don’t want to limit anyone who would like to sit and learn.
It is not a floor for open debate, but honest questions are certainly welcome. It is not a church service, it is a college class. However, we bathe each class with prayer, we open with prayer and close with prayer. The Scriptures are held up as our final standard for all discussions.
The teachers are men educated in the Scriptures, not novices. Some have been Pastors of churches, some are deacons, others, faithful members of a local assembly that holds to the Scriptures as their final authority. All are born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and profess this in both word and life.
The cost is relatively inexpensive. In fact, if a person wants to attend and honestly cannot afford to attend, we will work with them in any manner that is reasonable to insure that they can continue their studies. If you would like to sit in on the class and just listen, that is free. Come as often as you like. All semester if you would like. We want the Word to be taught to all who wish to receive it.
Yes, it is a Baptist College. We make no apology for that either. We are not an arrogant group that says, “if you are not Baptist, you cannot attend”, but rather, if you can handle a baptistic lean on certain subjects, you are welcome as well. For instance, if you sprinkle, and call it baptism, you are welcome. However, don’t come to class expecting to use that class time to indoctrinate the rest of the students on covenantal theology.
Yes, we are Sovereign grace, or doctrines of grace. Again, if you are an arminian, and pleased with your position, you are welcome to attend as well. “No, Servetus, you will not be taken out and burned. We stopped that almost two semesters ago, so relax.” However, again, you will not be allowed to take the floor and filibuster for your position on election.
We want you to enjoy the class, learn, and go away challenged to take the Word of God and see if the things that have been taught are in fact scriptural. Study to show YOURSELF approved.
If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you concerning any interest. I can mail you a catalogue and application as well, just send your address and specific request.

When Method matches the Message.

When Method Matches the Message


The pulpit was ablaze and one could almost feel the emotions being poured forth from the podium. Bible open, hand uplifted, the message was solid, the words were pure, and no man dared dispute him. When we attend conferences and revivalist meetings, often times we come away with more than a strengthened resolve and encouraged heart, we come away with a false sense of methodology. Here is how this works: The preacher preaches a strong line on the family, the importance of the Scriptures and loyalty to church. We see the size or we perceive that the size, of the ministry he is involved in to be large. One leaves believing that preacher is a family integrationist by the great importance he places on the family unit. He even says, "I am a husband first, a preacher last." That sounds so good, in fact we begin to repeat the mantra, (even though we may have not been living it out in our own lives.) That is the conundrum. When does our method match our message.


For what it is worth, I have committed to making sure the church I pastor does not fall into the trap of fluff. I know, one man's fluff is another man's ministry. What one preacher calls fluff, another calls "useful method". Whether it be preaching, music, bus ministries, awana clubs or basket weaving, we tend to spiritualize the acts and suggest that in and of themselves, they are fine, as long as the end justifies the means. "Hey, the fact of the matter is evident: we are trying to get people to come to church, right?" Wrong. We are trying to preach Christ and Him crucified. Those who come to church ought to be the ones who Christ has already called to himself. Only the Saved can worship in Spirit and Truth. Yes, the world can worship, no doubt. But they cannot enter into the holy of holies and worship the one true God. Without the Spirit of God, there is no true worship. Yet, we bend all we do in the church many times to accommodate those "without the Spirit." We put fluff in place to make them comfortable, and hope they stick around long enough to "get saved." The church no longer goes, but rather sends out invitations.


What am I wanting in Worship? I am wanting what God wants in worship. Not what I want. If I got what I wanted, and if I were pleased with what I had, without regard to God's direct desires, I am only worshipping my own self-interests.


It is a hard thing for a preacher who loves to preach, to know that he could amp up the music just a bit, change the format to be a bit more man centered, and provide a few more "community based" activities to draw in a crowd. "Hey, I have never stopped preaching the same message!" But when, dear preacher, does the "Method match the Message". If you say you love families, why do you divide them? If you say you love the Word, why does it get supplanted by the emotionalism of the music ministry? If you say that Preaching is the primary activity in a church, why then is the pulpit secondary, or even further down the list of what is promoted in the church? Because we know, the lost world will not say, "Hey, I hear that they have a great pulpit ministry down there at Emmanuel, lets go check it out!"


Dr. Bruce Bickel states in his book Light and Heat"With the increase of communication equipment and an emphasis on communication skills, Bible studies, small groups and sharing are increasingly sought as the route to revitalizing the church, while faith in the pulpit fades and grows dim. Consequently, more emphasis is being placed on methodology and less on the message." Again, When does the Method match the Message? The answer is clear, "When it brings people in, and not before."


So, preachers fill their pulpits each week and proclaim, "I will not compromise the message from this pulpit, you can boot me out, but I am standing on the word!" The congregation shouts "AMEN!, but don't you dare allow your message to affect the methodology we practice here." The message, some suppose belongs in the pulpit, along with the messenger, but the method belongs to us, the people, "Why, that is the whole reason we are here!" I know Emmanuel has not arrived, but I want to be on the correct train, heading in the right direction.


Let us have a strong defense of the Word of God, but let us be careful not to diminish that with a low esteem of the message. We show a disregard and low esteem of the message, when it does not translate from out of the pulpit, to the methods practiced in the church. Crowds or not.

“Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?”

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834-1892
An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it during the past few years. It has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.
From speaking out as the Puritans did, the church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). That is clear enough So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to him.
Then again, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers .., for the work of the ministry" (Eph. 4:11-12). Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no martyr roll.
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all his apostles. What was the attitude of the church to the world? Ye are the salt" (Matt. 5:13), not the sugar candy---something the world will spit out not swallow. Short and sharp was the utterance, "Let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:22) He was in awful earnestness.
Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into his mission, he would have been more popular when they went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching. I do not hear him say, "Run after these people Peter and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it. Be quick Peter, we must get the people somehow." Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them.
In vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of this gospel of amusement! Their message is, "Come out, keep out, keep clean out!" Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.

Submission 101: The class of "living with other humans"

From time to time we are brought to a point of conflict with those around us. Realistically, any time we are in contact with others of the human race, we run the risk of conflict. There are very few, if any, times that I deal with others that I do not find myself, on one level or another, in disagreement with them. It is not that they are fundamentally wrong, or that I have a backwards view of the subject. They may simply like salty, and I like sweet. Or blue is preferable over orange. There are many times we see subjects from different perspectives as well. Politics, automobiles, sports teams, even grocery stores all serve as potential points of conflict. In the local church, we find many areas that differences are equally evident. Whatever the matter may be concerning the church, administration, or even dealing with personalities, we must remember what Jesus told us: He reminded us that even the heathen love those that love them in return. But we are called to love our enemies. So it is with that note, we see it is easy to submit to someone when we are in exact agreement with them. Submission only really becomes full orbed when we disagree with those in authority over us. Then what? Well, this is what true submission really is: Someone saying, “I am in authority, I want it this way, now do it.” Then we do what we are asked. Most people never have trouble with Bible submission until they are asked to do something contrary to what they desire. Let us labor to live peaceable with all men, particularly those of the household of faith. While things may not be just as we would like it in our assembly, most likely our homes and our places of employment, and even our country is not being run exactly as we would choose, but we would never want to leave any of them! Labor therefore in love, one with another!

To go where no man has gone before...

The scary part of this title is that while it is a throw back to an old TV show, it almost describes most believers concerning the work of Evangelistic outreach. One would almost wonder how the lost will hear without believers carrying the gospel. Yet some do. I am thankful for the one who reached out to me and gave a clear understanding of salvation from the Scriptures. When are we going to "go where we have not gone before?" Sadly, many have never gone into the realms of evangelism. What would prevent it? Not enough government funding? Soul-winning program was canceled at your church? Your new testament was left in the other car? So many empty excuses, and so, no one goes! Think about it...are you glad your pastor left the comforts of home and came to your house, or, climbed into the pulpit and proclaimed the message of salvation into your ears? Or was it simply that prayer warrior that kept taking your name before the throne of God? Either way, are not you thankful? I know I am...

Why The Puritan Dilemma?

My son convinced me to read the book, "The Puritan Dilemma" by Edmund S. Morgan. This book is about the puritan John Winthrop. I took my time in getting around to it. My son has such an appetite for reading in the first place, I could hardly keep up with him. Finally, I took up the pages of this provocative book. I suppose one of the most critical lines is found in the Editor's Preface "The Puritans thus found it necessary, almost at once, to begin to delineate the lines between the freedom of the individual to follow his own dreams and the responsibility of the society for maintaining order." Who then is to decide where those lines fall?Winthrop, one of the most influential movers and shakers of the Puritan development on the shores of New England certainly had no trouble determining when and where those lines were to be drawn. Was Winthrop a dreamer of a Utopia that could never be? Is it possible today to have what Winthrop dreamed of? Is it something that we should even desire?