(HT: SBC Today)

Article Link: PDF

Back in January of 2006, I had the  privilege of sharing Christ with the man in this photo.

My prayer is that he has come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

May this image be a reminder that we probably have more opportunities than we take to share Jesus.

We wholeheartedly recommend the resources published by Crossway Books and we encourage you to consider their many titles, old and new alike. One of Crossway’s crowning achievements is their publishing of the English Standard Version Bible.

Living Waters

I do not consider myself to be a Calvinist, but I do share Pastor Jeff Noblit’s passion for the inherency and sufficiency of scripture for all faith and practice. I share a high view of God and His sovereignty. I share a passion for the preaching of God’s word and a biblical presentation of the Gospel. I hold to the need of preaching law, judgment, hell, wrath, grace, heaven, sin, regenration, justification, etc. I share a passion to reach the world with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I mention Noblit because I have listened to his message, Calvinism: A Cause for Rejoicing, A Cause for Concern from this conference and it was an awesome message. It’s a message not only for the Southern Baptist, but for everyone in Christ’s Church.

Stetzer_Calvinism_and_SBC_Leadership_hi.mp3

Ascol_Working_together_hi.mp3

Akin_Working_together_hi.mp3

Finn_Theological_stereotypes_hi.mp3

Yarnell_Calvinism_a_cause_for_rejoicing_and_concern_hi.mp3

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3).

Christ died for our sins. The gospel is the solution to our sin problem.

In 2008 we will post more on the topics of the gospel of Jesus Christ, missions, evangelism, apologetics, preaching, and discipleship. As the Holy Spirit leads, we will continue to address false teaching and those who teach it, but we are most interested in glorifying God by knowing Him and making Him known.

In August, the World Evangelical Alliance joined the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Pontifical Council in a dialogue at Toulouse, France, aimed at creating a code of conduct targeting “undue pressure” on people to change religions.

While the initiative affirms the “fundamental, inviolable and non-negotiable right” to spread one’s faith, delegates to a May 2006 gathering of the study group also called for religious people to “heal themselves” of the “obsession of converting others.”

Read complete Baptist Press post here.

We reported on this issue back in August, read it here.

Although we are very thankful that the Baptist Press is bringing this story to their readers, we think the response should be a little stronger.

Here is our Response:

World Evangelical Alliance, World Council of Churches, and Roman Catholic Pontifical Council lend us your ear. We do not recognize any of your efforts to stop the Gospel of Jesus Christ from being proclaimed to every tribe, tongue, nation, and kindred. If your gospel is the true gospel you have nothing to fear from others sharing theirs. However, if you are preching another gospel, be warned, Galatians 1:6-9 is upon you.

Galatians 1:6-9 (ESV)

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (emphasis ours).

We, like the apostle Paul, by necessity preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone we can.

1 Corinthians 9:16 (ESV)

For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Visit Westminster Books for great deals on Christian books.

Take this story and multiply it, and we are still only seeing just a small bit of all that God is doing in Asia. The prayers and financial support of believers like you are changing lives for eternity, and those who have never heard Jesus’ name are now worshipping the one true God.

Visit Westminster Books for great deals on Christian books.

poem

Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine,
after the rain ….
Perhaps you may stumble,
perhaps even fall,
But God’s always ready,
To answer your call …
He knows every heartache,
sees every tear,
A word from His lips,
can calm every fear …
Your sorrows may linger,
throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish,
in dawn’s early light …
The Savior is waiting,
somewhere above,
To give you His grace,
and send you His love ..
Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
“God always sends rainbows ….
after the rain … “

From Answers In Genesis

Transformed – Dallas TX – September 15th

Transformed Event Page

The Way of the Master–Book and CD By Ray Comfort / Bridge-logos Publishing The Way of the Master is the flagship work of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron’s organization. It anchors their award-winning television program as well as their radio show and website. Considered by many to be the definitive text on evangelism, this book has been updated, expanded and illustrated with photographs for this edition. It is anecdotal, loaded with commentary that is more conversational than academic. It’s an easy read with a hard message that has already changed the face of sharing faith. Includes complimentary audio CD, “Hell’s Best Kept Secret”.

Read the complete story here.

With Evangelical and Pentecostal representatives joining in at an 8-12 August consultation in Toulouse, the joint Vatican-World Council of Churches study process on religious conversion gets one step closer to its goal of a common code of conduct in seeking converts to Christianity.

Did you get that, … a common code of conduct in seeking converts … What on earth are they talking about, I had this strange notion that the bible was clear on how we should reach the lost. Why is this group wasting so much time, energy, and money on something that is already clearly addresses in scripture? (Shane Trammel)

Please share your thoughts on this topic with us.

You can read the complete post here.

Related Link:

Report from inter-religious consultation on “Conversion – assessing the reality”

Evangelism: Not Willing to Take Contempt

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. –Acts 20:24

We are 20th century Christians. Some of us are Christians only because it is convenient and pleasant and because it is not costing us anything. But here is the truth, whether we like it or not: the average evangelical Christian who claims to be born again and have eternal life is not doing as much to propagate his or her faith as the busy adherents of the cults handing out their papers on the street corners and visiting from house to house.

We are not willing to take the spit and the contempt and the abuses those cultists take as they knock on doors and try to persuade everyone to follow them in their mistaken beliefs. The cultists can teach us much about zeal and effort and sacrifice, but most of us do not want to get that serious about our faith–or our Savior. Jesus Is Victor!, 114,115.

“Lord, let me pray with Paul, that I might not ‘count my life dear to myself.’ I pour myself out today as Your servant, no matter the cost. Amen.”

(HT: Symphony of Scripture)

From The Christian Post we read these words from Palmer:

Are you just a little bit sad? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is out, and it really is the end of an era. If you’re one of the 325 million people who has purchased at least one of the books in this series, like me you’re sensing the finality of a famous fantasy that magically whisked people into a previously unknown world of muggles, mythical creatures, and missing noses.

Palmer goes on to share:

did you notice that many of the key plot points in the Harry Potter series begin with the letter “H?” Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, Half-Blood Prince, Hallows, Halloween, Horcruxes, etc. And so it is with our story as well, because when the last chapter of our life takes place and the back cover of our lives is shut, there are only two destinations possible for us:

And they both begin with “H”…

Palmer goes on to talk about Hell and Heaven. That is all well and good I suppose, but what about the danger of watching or reading material with witchcraft as a major theme.

It’s obvious we can not expect this kind of advice from Lane Palmer since he seems to be a fan of Harry Potter himself. Obviously, Palmer is of the opinion that Harry Potter is harmless entertainment for all.

I suppose it is in the name of being relevant that Dare2Share uses movies like Harry Potter, The Simpson, The Bourne Ultimatum, Transformers, Evan Almighty, and Ocean’s Thirteen as ‘ministry tools’. At the Dare2Share web site you can find articles on ‘How to Share Your Faith Using _____’ place a movie from above in the blank. Does this not actually help our kids justify going to watch many of these movies?

Let me end it by saying we don’t need to use movies to share our faith. We need to teach our kids the sufficiency of scripture and the power is has when it is proclaimed.

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. — 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. – Romans 1:16

I would encourage anyone who has a heart for our younger generation to send a strong rebuke to Dare2Share for some of the methods they are using. You can contact Dare2Share via email using this address information@dare2share.org

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The trouble with all false evangelism is that it does not start with doctrine, it does not start by realizing man’s condition. All fleshly, carnal, man-made evangelism is the result of inadequate understanding of what the apostle teaches us in the first ten verses of this second chapter of Ephesians. If you and I but realized that every man who is yet a sinner is absolutely dominated by ‘the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience’, if we only understood that he is really a child of wrath and dead in trespasses and sins, we would realize that only one power can deal with such an individual, and that is the power of God, the power of the Holy Ghost. And so we would put our confidence, not in man-made organizations, but in the power of God, in the prayer that holds on to God and asks for revival and a descent of the Spirit. We would realize that nothing else can do it.

We can change men superficially, we can win men to our side and to our party, we can persuade them to join a church, but we can never raise the spiritually dead; God alone can do that. The realization of these truths would of necessity determine and control all our evangelism.

Originally found at Oldtruth.

China’s intelligence is reportedly compiling a list of potential troublemakers at next year’s Olympics Games in Beijing that includes human rights activists, non-governmental organizations, and evangelical Christians.

Read complete report here.

Saints
I don’t when you last thought about this or even heard this…..but I just wanted to remind you all that JESUS CHRIST is coming soon…….we all know that there’s not a single person who knows the day nor the hour in which the LORD will come…….but who cares if HE comes or not any way?……..Have you ever told someone that JESUS is coming soon……you ought to try it someday…….I believe that you would be shocked at the answers you will get………people don’t care about JESUS coming back because neither does the church……..as a matter of fact…..why don’t you think about this for a moment……….when was the last time you heard anyone preaching about the return of CHRIST……..you see today most Christians really aren’t ready for JESUS to come back……..don’t believe me…….then think about this…..when was the last time you and your friends sat down and talked about the return of our LORD?……..we are truly living in the last days…….my mentor and Pastor Brother Van Meter once told me……”Don’t look to the world to see if the end is near….keep an eye on the Church…..when the Church starts looking like the world…you will know that the end is near”………Now let’s be honest here…..what is the most important thing in your whole life?………Is it your family?……..Your job?……..your house?……..your degree?………your spouse to be?……..ask yourself What is the most important thing in my life?……what’s your answer?……When was the last time you thought about the end of the world?…….If JESUS came back this weekend where would HE find you?………watching Spiderman with a bag of popcorn on your lap?……..fishing?………having a BBQ with your friends?…….having coffee at Starbuck’s?………going out to the lake house?……Or is HE going to find you out in the harvest fields where HE commanded us to go………I don’t know if you know this…..but here in our city of about 120,000 people…..there are only 8 mormons out on the streets……..it seems like there’s a 100 of them……the difference is that these cult members believe in what they are preaching…….they even have a cult member running for president……and all the while…..the Church is caught up with all these activities……and the true work of reaching out to the lost is a thing of the past…or it has been reduced to one or two weeks out of the year……….please think about these things…….JESUS is coming back! and our prayer is that HE finds you doing HIS work……..warning the lost that Judgment Day is coming!……that’s right our loving GOD is coming back to damn people to everlasting torture……that’s right our GOD of love is coming to judge the world in righteousness…

Psalm 96:13 (KJV)
Before the LORD: for HE cometh, for HE cometh to judge the earth: HE shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with HIS truth.

Acts 17:31 (KJV)
Because HE hath appointed a day, in the which HE will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom HE hath ordained; whereof HE hath given assurance unto all men, in that HE hath raised HIM from the dead.

Luke 10:2 (KJV)
Therefore said HE unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the LORD of the harvest, that HE would send forth labourers into HIS harvest.
About 2,000 years ago JESUS said this……..and HIS word is still saying it to this day………What’s on your schedule this weekend?
Mission Trip anyone?…….There’s lots of lost souls at the Mall, The Skate Park, The Club!

Luke 12:31-40 (KJV)
But rather seek ye the kingdom of GOD; and all these things shall be added unto you. [32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your FATHER’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. [34] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [35] Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; [36] And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their LORD, when HE will return from the wedding; that when HE cometh and knocketh, they may open unto HIM immediately. [37] Blessed are those servants, whom the LORD when HE cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that HE shall gird HIMSELF, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. [38] And if HE shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. [39] And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. [40] Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

So……want to come out to the Harvest fields!…..we’ll be out this weekend…….and it’s free……all it cost is your time
love you all

Listen to it here and read the lyrics below. I hope this song blesses and moves you like it does me.

Find Asleep In The Light on these Keith Green Albums:

	The Ultimate Collection, Compact Disc [CD] By Keith Green / Emi Cmg Distribution Rediscover Keith Green’s music for the first time. It’s been over 20 years since the tragic death of Keith Green. But the impact of his career lives on. Now for the first time, all of Keith Green’s greatest songs are available on one album. Share Keith Green’s passion for Christ by passing along his music and this 1 hour DVD (free with purchase) along to a new generation that is passionate about Christ.
	The Ministry Years, Volume 1, Compact Disc [CD] By Keith Green / Emi Cmg DistributionIntroducing the re-release of a classic! New liner notes and the electronic text of Green’s best-selling biography, No Compromise, accompany 38 songs from the pioneer of contemporary Christian music. Highlights include “Asleep in the Light” and “Thank You, Jesus.” Two-CD boxed set.
	No Compromise, Compact Disc [CD] By Keith Green / Emi Cmg Distribution

Asleep In The Light — Lyrics

Do you see, do you see,
All the people sinking down?
Don’t you care, don’t you care,
Are you gonna let them drown?
How can you be so numb,
Not to care if they come?
You close your eyes
And pretend the job’s done.

Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord,
You know it’s all I ever hear.
No one aches, no one hurts,
No one even sheds one tear.
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds,
And He cares for your needs.
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in.

Oh can’t you see it’s such sin?
‘Cause He brings people to your door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
“God bless you be at peace.”
And all heaven just weeps
‘Cause Jesus came to your door
You’ve left Him out on the streets

Open up, open up,
And give yourself away.
You see the need, you hear the cries,
So how can you delay?
God’s calling, and you’re the one,
But like Jonah, you run.
He’s told you to speak,
But you keep holding it in.

Oh can’t you see it’s such a sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark,
That the church just can’t fight,
‘Cause it’s asleep, in the light.
How can you be so dead
When you’ve been so well fed?
Jesus rose from the grave,
And you you can’t even get out of bed!
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead,
Come on get out of your bed!

How can you be so numb,
Not to care if they come?
You close your eyes,
And pretend the job’s done.
You close your eyes,
And pretend the job’s done.
Don’t close your eyes,
Don’t pretend the job’s done.

Come away, come away, come away,
With Me my love.
Come away, from this mess,
Come away, with Me my love.

By: Keith Green

Todd Friel and Brian Sapient continue to talk after the NIGHTLINE FACE-OFF Debate on ‘Does God Exist?’

Find out more about the debates here.

Part 1

[google 1229854964003619354&hl Video Part 1]

Part 2

[google 6382436755066123640&hl Video Part 2]

When leading Lutheran theologian Richard John Neuhaus converted to Catholicism in 1990 the move sent shock waves through Lutheran circles in the United States because of his prominence in that Church. Neuhaus was ordained a Catholic priest by his bishop, Cardinal John O’Connor of New York.

Charles Colson and Fr. Richard John Neuhaus authored the ecumenical documents Evangelicals and Catholics Together and Evangelicals and Catholics Together II. The approval for the wording was required to come from Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity. Other noted Evangelical Protestants who have signed this document include (Dr. Bill Bright, Os Guinness, Max Lucado, T. M. Moore, J. I. Packer, Pat Robertson)

Recently Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted a conference ‘20/20 Collegiate Conference – Sex and the City of God’. Fr. Richard Neuhaus and Dr. Peter Kreeft, both Roman Catholics, where Plenary speakers at this conference.

Dr. Peter Kreeft also spoke at a conference sponsored by Prison Fellowship (Chuck Colson).

Dr. Peter Kreeft wrote a book Ecumenical Jihad — consider the following from Southern View Chapel

This book could be quickly dismissed as a good example of pluralism (the view that all religions are legitimate ways of worshipping God), which is so foreign to Scripture as to deserve little attention. What makes Ecumenical Jihad worthy of notice are the endorsements by Chuck Colson (”Peter Kreeft is one of the premier apologists in America today, witty, incisive and powerful. On the front lines in today’s culture war, Kreeft is one of the most valiant intellectual warriors.”) and J.I. Packer (”This racy little book opens up a far-reaching theme. With entertaining insight Kreeft looks into the attitudes, alliances, and strategies that today’s state of affairs requires of believers. Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox alike need to ponder Peter Kreeft’s vision of things – preferably, in discussion together. What if he is right?).

Must I continue …

There is no question that the Roman Catholic Church is making inroads into Evangelicalism like never before. If you understand the apostacy of the Catholic Church, this should cut you to the core. Those in the true Church (all true followers of Christ) must wake up and begin to pray for direction and wisdom in this hour. We must proclaim the truth like never before and begin to expose this infiltration to those we know and influence.

The Roman Catholic Church represents a mission field of over 1 Billion souls. Does this concern you? It concerns me more than I can express. It is a problem that most of the Church doesn’t even understand.

May God expose the darkness and bring forth His marvelous light.

One such ministry is StreetReach. Founders Michael and April McGrath have a passion to reach the lost and equip the Body to do the same. What makes StreetReach unique is their biblical approach to evangelism and evangelism training. There are many ‘methods’ out their but most are ‘man centered’ rather than Word centered.

StreetReach also offers a unique and original variety of gospel tracts to the church body. They also offer tract customization to meet your specific needs.

We need to begin to ask ourselves ‘What Did Jesus Do?’ not ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ The first question can be answered by Holy Scripture; the other is just our own thoughts. StreetReach is helping the Church answer the first question rather than spending time on the second.

I encourage all readers of blog.shanetrammel.com to pray for and financially support the ministry of StreetReach. If you are a pastor or church leader, I would also encourage you to contact StreetReach about equipping your church to reach the lost, simply, biblically, the way Jesus did.

The ‘best-selling’ author is Ray Comfort and you will not want to miss this debate.

Read full story here.

Related Links:

• Way of the Master News Blast
• http://www.livingwaters.com/
• http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
• http://www.wayofthemasterradio.com/

My pastor did say that religion would not save you and it is only through Jesus. The unfortunate thing about his statement is that Catholics will say the same thing. There is an intentional deception in the Catholic Church that says, we share Jesus with the non-Catholic churches. They will say that Jesus is the only way, but their theology, doctrines, dogmas, and actual practice and beliefs tell a different story. Catholics do not hold that regeneration/salvation/justification is by faith alone, from Jesus alone, through His grace alone. This is the truth of the Gospel. All other gound is sinking sand.

Church, wake up, and hold your pastors accountable to the truth of the Gospel. The truth is the Roman Catholic Church is a massive mission field. Over 1 Billion (yes, that’s B) people in the world claim to be Catholics. For many in our churches today Catholics are considered brothers and sisters in Christ rather than people lost and in need of a Savior. It’s not a matter of love. What greater love can we express than to share the truth with those who don’t have it?

I am pleading with the church, understand that Catholics need the truth just as much as the Hindu, the Mormon, the Buddhist, the Muslim, and all other lost souls who live without Jesus and a life seperated unto Him.

Read here what Pastor Ken Silva has to say about the Church of Rome.

Google Video Link Here

HT: Ben Davis, Symphony of Scripture

At Symphony of Scripture, Ben Davis has taken the time to provide some great notes to go along with this video. Enjoy.

Kirk talks with O’Reilly about his conversion to Christianity and what he is doing now.

[odeo="http://odeo.com/audio/11166663/view"]

Download MP3.

About a year ago I was listening to a CD from Jason Upton called Remember. The whole CD is awesome, but there is a song on it titled “We Are One In The Spirit“. As I was listening to that song, something occurred to me, our love for one another is a great evangelism tool. If the Holy Spirit truly resides in us, we have the capacity to love each other in a way the world has never seen. The world wants that kind of love so much. Many in the church do to. It is sadly missing in many, if not most churches today. I am talking about authentic, true, real love for one another. The kind of love expressed in John 15:12-15

Can you imagine all the other expressions of love we would have for one another if we where literally ready to die for our friends.

So, back to my original point, to the extent that Christians can truly express love for one another, they will draw the world to them. John 13:34-35 This is where love becomes a tool. As the world is drawn to us, we give them Jesus. We share, in love, the complete Gospel. That is, we share sin, judgment, death, eternity, repentance, hell, the blood, faith, love, grace, forgiveness, and heaven. We give the Law to the proud and self-righteous but we give Grace to the humble. In all this we should consider the direction Paul gives in Colossians 4:5-6

So, in your prayer time, ask God to fill you with love for one another that only he can give us. I know this is my prayer. This is the prayer I pray with my five and six year old boys.

Lord, give us love for one another like we have never had before. May this expression of love draw people to us that we may share You (Jesus) with them (the world)!

Here is the song from Jason Upton and the lyrics below as well. I pray this will move you as you listen.

[odeo="http://odeo.com/audio/11161233/view"]

We Are One In The Spirit

Written by Peter Scholte
Friday, 04 March 2005

We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord A
nd we pray that all unity
May one day be restored

And they’ll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians
By our love

We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news
That God is in our land

We will work with each other
We will work side by side
We will work with each other
We will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity
And save each man’s pride

All praise to the Father
From whom all things come
And all praise to Christ Jesus
His only son And all praise to the Spirit
Who makes us one

Make us one, Lord!

Make us one, Lord!

© copyright 1966 Peter Scholte

Former President Jimmy Carter is at it once again. In a recent interview with Beliefnet.com, Mr. Carter stated once again his belief that there is salvation outside of faith in Christ. But this time he seems to have gone even further, suggesting openly that all persons will be saved.

Here is the relevant exchange at Beliefnet.com:

Do you believe that grace ultimately applies to people who don’t presently believe in Jesus?

Yes, I do. I remember two things. One is that in John 3:16, which is probably the best known verse in the Bible – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” And Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, said we should love our neighbors, but also love those who despise us and hate us and our enemies. So, the opportunity for everyone to be saved through the grace of God with faith in Christ applies to everyone.

And I have been asked often, you know, in my Sunday School classes, which are kind of a give and take debate with people from many nations and many faiths – what about those that don’t publicly accept Christ, are they condemned? And I remember that Christ said, “Judge not that ye be not judged.” And so, my own personal belief is one of God’s forgiveness and God’s grace. That’s the best answer I can give.

Well, that’s not good enough. The former president’s answer is a confused mash of out-of-context biblical citations set to the music of universalism. For some time Mr. Carter has been arguing that explicit faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not necessary for salvation. Now, he takes this argument further, and the inescapable conclusion a reader of his latest comments must reach is that President Carter evidently believes that all persons will be saved.  This, in fact, is how Beliefnet.com characterized his position.

But Mr. Carter’s argument, if one can call these sentences an argument, is also self-contradictory.  In one sentence, he argues that “the opportunity for everyone to be saved through the grace of God with faith in Christ applies to everyone.”  Does the opportunity apply to all, or does salvation?  If he means the former, how do all persons confront this opportunity?  The tragic reality is that millions of persons have never heard the Gospel of Christ. As the Apostle Paul makes clear, this is the central thrust of the missionary mandate.

The apparent contradiction in Mr. Carter’s argument comes with the second paragraph of his answer, in which he argues that God’s grace and forgiveness is extended even to those who do not profess faith in Christ.  He goes on to suggest that when Jesus taught love of neighbor and the limitations of human judgment, He was teaching universalism.  This is nonsense, of course, since those texts mean nothing of the kind.  Beyond this, Mr. Carter’s interpretation would mean that Jesus contradicted himself when He warned of Hell and condemnation for sin.

The Bible is clear that not all persons will be saved.  Jesus contrasted the wide gate that leads to destruction with the narrow gate that leads to salvation.  As the Lord said in Matthew 7:13:

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

The fact is that many persons are embarrassed by the Gospel as revealed in the Bible and taught by Christ. The central issue of offense is the exclusivity of the Gospel of Christ,  And yet, Christ left no doubt about the matter.

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  The first sentence is not the ground of offense.  The second sentence is.  The “but by Me” statement leaves no room for confusion.

In recent decades, some have attempted to argue that faith in Christ is indeed necessary for salvation, but this faith need not be explicit faith in Christ.  This position, known as inclusivism, suggests that persons may know nothing of the Gospel, and yet be saved.  This argument is often used to claim that adherents of other faiths and belief systems will be saved through the work of Christ, even though they may not hear of Him in this life.  Many Roman Catholic theologians have adopted this argument.  The late Karl Rahner put an interesting twist on the theme by suggesting that some persons are “anonymous Christians.”  These would be persons who now think themselves devotees of other belief systems but who are actually Christians who have no explicit faith in Christ. This argument cannot be squared with the biblical witness.

Universalists take the argument even further, with most arguing that all persons will be saved, completely without regard to faith in Christ.  With this latest interview, Mr. Carter appears to join these ranks.

The Apostle Paul refuted both inclusivism and universalism in Romans 10, where he insisted that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  Paul explained that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ — which means explicit knowledge of the Gospel.  He explained that salvation comes to all those who confess with their mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead.  Then, just in case we missed the obvious, Paul explains the missionary mandate — a mandate completely undercut and contradicted by inclusivism and universalism (and by President Carter’s comments):

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. [Romans 10:13-17]

The logic of Paul is clear.  If they hear they may believe, but if they never hear they will never believe.  And, if they never hear and believe, they will not be saved.

In a series of books, interviews, and comments, Mr. Carter has dismissed biblical inerrancy and once suggested that his faith would not be shaken, even if Jesus did not perform some of the miracles attributed to him in the New Testament.  He has adopted liberal positions on a host of issues and once identified liberal theologians such as Paul Tillich as major influences in his life and thought. 

Nevertheless, it is tragic to see this man of influence, now releasing another published set of his recorded Sunday School lessons, set himself so clearly against the Bible and the historic faith of the Christian church.  This, like all demonstrations of theological error, is both sad and deeply dangerous.  What could be worse than getting the Gospel wrong? 

Wed, Mar. 28, 2007 Posted: 12:35:52 PM EST

A street evangelist in Goldsboro, N.C., about 200 miles east of Charlotte, recently won a lawsuit solidifying his right to spread the gospel to anyone he chooses while he is in public.

Anthony Denham, a proud public evangelist in his local town, was given full permission on Tuesday to continue on his Christian work when his lawsuit against the city of Goldsboro passed. Previously, he had been told by a city police officer that he would need a permit to express his religious beliefs in public.

“No one should have to obtain a permit in order to talk about their beliefs in public,” said Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) Senior Counsel Nate Kellum in a statement. “The city is to be commended now for agreeing to correct this and no longer apply the law in a way which violates the First Amendment rights of its citizens.”

The contested incident occurred when Denham was handing out religious publications while on a street corner. He was then approached by a police officer who told him that he would need a permit to hand out Christian literature. After speaking to a major at the police department, the evangelist was told that it broke the city’s ordinance on picketing.

When nobody could explain on what grounds the assertion was made, Denham went to ADF, a legal alliance that defends the right to hear and speak the “Truth,” which immediately filed a lawsuit on Jan. 10.

Goldsboro court officials ultimately supported the evangelist’s First Amendment right to share his faith publicly without obtaining a permit.

ADF feels the Denham v. City of Goldsboro case has more than an individual impact, but that many Christians will gain much from the case.

“Speech is protected under the First Amendment and cannot be restricted only to those who have a permit granted by the city. The First Amendment was created to keep speech free and protect speech that may be unpopular,” added Kellum in a statement. “This settlement demonstrates that Goldsboro officials understand that and will no longer require permits for people to simply exercise their constitutional rights.

“That’s good for the entire Christian community and, incidentally, for those of other viewpoints as well.”

Doug Huntington
Christian Post Reporter

Here is the contact information for the ministry of StreetReach.

Michael and April McGrath – StreetReach Founders     
michael@streetreach.com     
april@streetreach.com       
P.O. Box 9535 Longview, TX 75608     
Phone: 903-241-2980

By Ray Comfort / Genesis

What Did Jesus Do? examines the biblical use of God’s Moral Law (the Ten Commandments) in witnessing, showing that not only did Jesus use the Law evangelistically, so did Peter, Paul, James, Jude, John the Baptist, and Stephen. So did Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, and many others through the ages. Each of these men of God did what Jesus did: they used the Law to reach the lost. In a day in which many crucial truths are neglected, Ray Comfort calls the Church back to the way of the Master Evangelist, to consider “What did Jesus do?” and then to go and do likewise.

Get a free PDF of the book HERE!

Link to the Mar 19, 2007 Archive Page: Mormonism/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Direct link to the MP3.

The Bible tells us that Judas led a “multitude” to Jesus. His motive, however, wasn’t to bring them to the Savior for Salvation. Modern evangelism is also bringing “multitudes” to Jesus. Their motive may be different from Judas’s, but the end result is the same. Just as the multitudes that Judas directed to Christ fell back from the Son of God, statistics show that up to 90% of those coming to Christ under the methods of modern evangelism fall away from the faith. Their latter end becomes worse than the first. They openly crucify the Son of God afresh.In their zeal without knowledge, those who prefer the ease of modern evangelism to biblical evangelism betray the cause of the gospel with a kiss. What may look like love for sinner’s welfare is in truth eternally detrimental to him.

Like Peter (v.51), our zeal without knowledge is actually cutting off the ears of sinners. Those we erroneously call “backsliders” won’t listen to our reasoning. As far as they are concerned, they have tried it once, and it didn’t work. What a victory for the prince of darkness, and what an unspeakable tragedy for the Church!
- Ray Comfort
the above post comes originally from www.symphonyofscripture.com

These pictures where taken in New York, Atlanta, Austin, LA, Orlando, Dallas, and other cities around the US. The photos capture moments where people from all over the US and even the world are sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone they meet.

Photography by Shane Trammel

[odeo=http://odeo.com/audio/24498/view]

Check out these web sites:

Way of The Master
Livingwaters

The Amazing Change Campaign

William Wilberforce’s work is far from finished. There are still an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. Modern day slavery can come in many different forms. Entire families may work long days in rice-mills, brick kilns or on plantations. Children may be abducted and forced to fight in a rebel’s army. All of the people in these examples are slaves—they cannot come and go as they please and are often beaten or threatened with violence. They have no autonomy in their day-to-day lives and deserve the right to be free.

In conjunction with the release of the film Amazing Grace, we have launched a campaign to abolish modern day slavery and allow children and adults around the world to live in freedom. Through this campaign we hope to motivate students and communities to make their mark on history by speaking out against modern day slavery.

At theamazingchange.com, you’ll learn about the “two great objects” that were central to William Wilberforce’s Life:

- The abolition of slavery

- The reformation of manners (society)

Visit The Amazing Change and learn more about what efforts you can take to make these two great objects a part of your life. Educate yourself by reading stories about modern day slavery, learn how to start your own Clapham Circle, and sign the petition to end modern day slavery. Here you will find all the tools you need to take action against social injustice.