Voice Two

Voice Two


				*Voice Two*

			Go to Rankin FileLINKS for other exciting pages or Return to ENTRY PAGE This Site is a member of Read VOICE THREE This page updated on March 11, 2008 Reserve pulpit for preaching the Gospel by Troop Hays It is unfortunate that precious pulpit time should be used to wallow in the subject of gay marriage and the like. My belief is that most people attending a worship service are looking for a parcel of bread as they trudge through their daily struggles and hardships. The "bread of life" should be broken for these sojourners without having the burdens and sins of the world tossed upon them. I suspect that people attending a worship service come for an uplifting experience and not to rehearse these issues. They experience this sufficiently in the market place or by watching television. Do I believe that the church should be heard on these issues? You bet I do. The church should make its opinions known to our lawmakers -- local, state and federal. Further we should support the legal entities out there which confront these issues in court. There are numerous such organizations doing a great job at this and need our prayer and financial support. A list of phone numbers of lawmakers and organizations should be made available in the church bulletin or newsletter. The pulpit should be reserved for the preaching of the Gospel. Only then can the saints be better equipped for the battle against the forces of evil. The Book of Proverbs says, "Where there is no vision the people perish." Double Dribbling in the Newsprint or, just standing on the rim, not knowing what is best by Troop Hays Note: The Baptist Paper and Editor is not being revealed. To bring out the point Troop makes here is the objective. Mr.--- . I know you are a good man and I won't quibble with you. You missed it. We are followers of Christ. Our mandate is to live for Him, not follow some legalism that has been established years ago.Those who continue to engage in this legalism will continue to erode their own organizations and churches. I don't know why that is hard to understand. When I think of the BP report of the Buckner relationship with a family planning group - which has as an option, abortion - I have to be concerned. This kind of reporting doesn't seem to be acceptable to those of the ------. The article did not attack anyone - merely reporting a meeting and those who participated. It also included comments of those who had concern about the meeting. I find the SBTexan much more edifying. Ditto for the OK Baptist Messenger and the Louisiana Baptist Message. These papers meet the criteria I see for a well informed approach to reporting the news for the followers of Christ. News is not a picture of a Sheriff scrathing his behind (depicted during the civil rights days in Mississippi by LIFE Magazine). It is my belief that we are bond servants of Christ and not mere puppets of a legalism of a so-called free press. In this majestic servanthood we have real freedom without the ball and chain of traditions, charters, and so- called mandates. Those you support referred to Southern Baptsts as being equal to the Taliban. This is really going over the edge. Please don't take this as a personal put down. It is a concern about legalism. May God bless you and yours.--Troop Stay with the Word by Troop Hays I have noticed . . . that growing churches appear to have a teaching and preaching outlook which reinforces the Christian faith and builds discipleship. They teach and preach the Word without reservation but with what some call an expository preaching. Adherents seem to identify with this method as they get a great deal of application for their day-to-day lives. They also come to a greater personal relationship with the Christ of our salvation. What often takes place because of this positive breaking of the "Bread" is a growing church with parishioners being fed. There are those . . . preachers and teachers who spend much of their time criticizing others. Even their publications, i.e., state papers reflect this combative stance. I often try to tell these perpetrators that criticizing their fellow believers lacks an edifying quality that tears down rather than builds the Kingdom of God. My advice falls on deaf ears and "gotcha" journalism roars on with no thought of a Christian perspective. And then others . . . want to dwell on the evils of the times. In a recent discussion a family member concluded that we are in very perilous times. One only has to read the Bible to understand that neither nations nor individuals have changed much, if at all, through the years. We can not base our forward movement with Christ on the hopes that all of mankind will act differently. Shouting and complaining won't inspire others to holiness, Dean Merrill says. Following Daniel's biblical example, we can bring a little piece of Heaven to earth by confidently and boldly obeying God's commands by serving the community around us. Our priority is to go forth with the message of hope found in God's word. We can leave the rest to Providence. Thus, what will result is a growing of the Kingdom. -- Red quoted portion from Gary Genet, managing editor of Men of Integrity Go to: Men of Integrity
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