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Category Archives: Pastor’s Pen

The Baptist Rosary

October 26, 2019
  · by Pastor Wynn
Sinner's Prayer graphic

Does saying a prayer produce salvation?  If I say, “Lord, I know I am a sinner and I believe you died for my sins, and I want you to save me,” does that save me?  I realize that I am treading upon ground that can be very volatile and, yet, this is an issue that must be addressed among those who care about the souls of men.

It is my belief that my early ministry left many people more lost than I found them.  As I would go out door-knocking, I would apply the principles I had been taught in soul-winning class.  You know the drill. . .Knock the door. . .slide your foot into the door opening so they could not close it again. . .lead them down the Roman’s Road. . .and, ultimately, lead them in the Sinner’s Prayer.  The number of people that I lead through the “Sinner’s Prayer” is many.  Yet, they did not experience the changed life that Second Corinthians 5:17 speaks of.  They never darkened the door of the church.  They never forsook their wicked lifestyles.  Yet, if you asked them today if they were saved, they would probably say, “Yes I am. . .I prayed a prayer years ago when a preacher came by.”  Thus, they were left more lost than I had found them.

The problem is that the “Sinner’s Prayer” has become nothing more than a Baptist Rosary.

I know a man that had such an experience.  Yet, his lifestyle of drunkenness and immorality are clear evidences that he has not be saved.  However, he insist that he has “done all I know to do!”  He is depending on a day when, after hearing J. Harold Smith preach “God’s Three Deadlines,” he went forward and said a prayer.  Like so many, he is depending on a day when he “said a prayer.”  Oh, that he would realize that saying a sentence of words is not salvation.  How many people, who “said a prayer,” will find themselves being sentenced to eternal damnation?  Oh, that people would realize that one must come to Christ, by faith alone.  Too many have made the “Sinner’s Prayer” nothing more that the Baptist Rosary.  If praying prayers saved a person, then a faithful Catholic person would assuredly be saved.  Yet, it is not mere mouth confession that produces salvation (James 2:17-18).  Salvation begins within the heart, and then proceeds to the confession of the mouth (Romans 10:10).  I pray for this man’s salvation.

The problem is that the “Sinner’s Prayer” has become nothing more than a Baptist Rosary.  To have a sinner “pray,” when there has been no conviction, is unbiblical.  Salvation is not merely an mental acceptance of the facts of salvation (cf. James 2:19).  Satan believes that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died and rose again.  Satan was there when it all happened.  Yet, Satan will not ever be saved, even though he mentally agrees with the facts.  There must be a conviction of one’s lost and sinful condition, before they will ever believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we must get back to presenting the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, as Paul set forth in First Corinthians 15:1-6.  It is this gospel that will produce conviction in the hearts of sinful men, and then genuine confession and conversion will take place.  When the man who is convicted of his sinful state prays,  it will be his prayer to God, and not a rote “Sinner’s Prayer.”  It will be from his heart and not merely his mouth.

What are your thoughts on this issue?  Please feel free to comment below.

Posted in Pastor's Pen · Tags: Prayer, Salvation · 8 Comments ·

Making the Right Decision

September 23, 2019
  · by Pastor Wynn
Image of Christ calling disciples

Making the Right Decision in Choosing Workers

Some time ago, as I was preaching through Matthew’s gospel, I came to chapter 10. I began to study the selection of the twelve.  It is proved to be a fascinating study.  I thought this particular section, concerning their choosing, may be an encouragement or help.  It was to me.

How were these men chosen? What were their expected qualifications? As we examine this issue we are reminded of Paul’s statement in First Corinthians chapter one.

“For ye see your calling, brethren; how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to con-found the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1 Cor. 1:26-29)

Although He is the King of Kings, the Savior did not select those who ranked among the social or political elite. Even though He is God, neither did He choose them from among the religious leadership. When selecting those who would change the course of history and impact the world, He chose the common, the ordinary, the unassuming of life. What a joy and blessing it is to know that God uses those who see themselves as unusable. He uses the humble, the despised of this world.

Even though Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man. Thus, He did not use His omniscience to call the twelve. As a man, He demonstrated the biblical process for making decisions. A careful examination of the selection process will reveal three important truths.

First, we see the principle of prayer. Luke records the events prior to the selecting of the twelve. He writes, “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles” (Lk. 6:12-13, emphasis added). Before the Savior chose the twelve, He spent the night in prayer.

How often do we make poor decisions because the decision was not bathed in prayer? Jesus could have used His omniscience and simply picked the twelve. Yet, as a man, He demonstrated the importance of seeking the mind and will of God in our decision-making processes.

It has been stated that prayer is the most neglected resource of the believer. Joseph Scriven, the hymn writer, understood this neglect when he wrote, “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer” (What a Friend We Have in Jesus). How often are the decisions of life made with little or no prayer? Yet, in His selection of the twelve, our Lord demonstrated that absolute necessity of diligent prayer.

Next, we see the principle of work. The chosen twelve were not men who had no purpose or passion in life. They were not the slothful or loafers of their day. They were not men who could find nothing else to do. These were men who arose each morning with a purpose for their lives.

As Jesus walked by the seashore, He called Andrew, Peter, James and John. These men were fishermen. It was not their recreation or an occasional sport, but it was their livelihood. These men were hard workers. Commercial fishing, in the biblical era, was not equipped with the modern tools of our day. A fisherman’s life consisted of days of hard manual labor. The ships had to be put in motion by the manual pulling of the oars. Once the boat was launched into the deep water, the sails required the manual hoisting up the mast. The heavy nets required the manual tossing over the side of the boat and, when full, to be hauled back into the boat with all the weight of its catch. Their work for the day was over once the catch had been processed, the nets cleaned and mended, the boat deck cleaned, and the boat safely anchored along the shoreline.

Jesus called Matthew from his labor at the tax collectors office. Although we know little about the others, we can be assured that they were men of like purpose and passions. Jesus called those who were busy. This principle can also be found in the Old Testament. When the Lord selected a man, it was never an idle man. It was always someone who was already busy. For the first king of Israel, the Lord chose a man who was busy doing the work of find lost donkeys (1 Sam. 9). When God chose Gideon as a deliverer for Israel, he was busy threshing wheat (Judges 6:11).

Although God uses the weak and the despised, He does not use the slothful or the lazy. He choses those who are purposeful in their lives.

Finally, there is the principle of commitment. Mark’s account provides further insight into the selection process. He picks up the account after the night of prayer, as recorded by Luke. Mark writes, “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mk. 3:13-14, emphasis added).

It is in Mark’s account that we discover the qualification for being chosen by the Lord as one of His apostles. It is the willingness to commit to being with Him. Only one requirement––Be With Christ! For three-and-a-half years, these men would walk where He walked, hear what He spoke, see what He did, eat what He ate, and sleep where He slept. They would be trained by life-on-life mentorship by the Master. After they were trained, they may still be labeled as “unlearned and ignorant men,” but people would also know that “they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). The ensuing mentorship program would forever change their lives, but they had to be willing to be with Him.

I remember sitting in Church Leadership class back in my college days. The professor spoke with passion and warned us aspiring pastors to “Never get close to your people. It will hurt your leadership.” The well-meaning professor was simply echoing the leadership principle of the day that said, “Let them know that you have feet of clay, but never let them see your feet.” While such a philosophy may sound good, and may be the world’s idea of leadership, it cannot be supported with biblical substance.

Jesus demonstrated that disciple training cannot be done at an arms length. Jesus drew the twelve close to Himself. These twelve were to be with Him. As stated previously, they were with Him 24/7. They saw Him when He was demonstrating His power, as in the feeding of the five-thousand (John 6). Yet, they saw Him when He was tired, as at Jacob’s Well in Samaria (John 4). They saw Him sleeping during a storm (Matt. 9:24). Although, it is not my desire to be irreverent, it is true that they even heard Him when He burped. They saw His deity and they saw His humanity.

The prevailing argument of our day is that such training is not possible because, as the old adage states, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Yet, the life of Christ disproves that adage. The truth is that hypocrisy breeds contempt. The disciples were intimately taught and trained by the Savior and, yet, they did not develop any contempt for Him. The reason those, who get close to us, begin to contempt us is because they see our frailties and hypocrisies. Jesus had no such hypocrisies. He was consistent in all the He did.

Thus, these men were prayerfully chosen by Christ to be the ones who would eternally impact the world by the lives and ministries.   These are the men that were chosen by God to impact the world.  As stated previously, these are not the elite or the educated, but they are the called and commissioned.  These men lived over two thousand years ago and, yet, their ministry is still being felt today!

Are there other biblical principles you might add to these three?

Posted in Pastor's Pen · Tags: Decisions, Leadership · Leave a comment ·

I Am a Pastor…Not a CEO

September 18, 2019
  · by Pastor Wynn

Please bear with me as I share a brief thought that has occupied my mind and heart for a while. It is the thought of being a pastor and not a company CEO.

This year marks the 30th year of full-time pastoral ministry for me. For the majority of those years it has been my privilege to serve as the lead pastor of a church. The last fifteen years have been in the church where I currently serve. During the past thirty years, there has been a dramatic shift in pastoral philosophy. Actually, there have been multiplied shifts in different areas of pastoral ministry.

One of those shifts is how the pastor is perceived and how he perceives himself. Historically, the biblical position of the pastor has been that of a caring shepherd and an able proclaimer of God’s Word. The pastor tended to the care and provision for the sheep of the flock over which the Holy Spirit had made him overseer (cf. Acts 20:28). He labored in the Word so that he might feed the sheep when he stood behind the pulpit. When a sheep strayed, he diligently sought to reclaim that sheep. Yet, it seems that much has changed. Many of today’s pastors tend to see themselves as the CEO (Chief Executive Office) of the business. The shepherd has been replaced by an administrator. The sheep have become customers to be marketed to and entertained.

Also, the CEO mentality is seen by the way the pastor deals with those who leave the church. Often have I heard pastors speak of having a “back door revival.” By that he means it was great that some member has departed from that local assembly. Yet, the caring shepherd will never have such thoughts. Rather, it will grieve his heart when a member leaves.

How many times have I had a person in my office to announce their leaving. They have asked for a meeting, and have not stated the purpose. They arrive at the appointed time and the conversation begins awkwardly. They often say, “Pastor, we love you and don’t want to upset you or hurt you. However, we are leaving the church.” Somehow they feel their disclaimer of “we love you and don’t want to upset you or hurt you” should make it not hurt. Yet, it never does! As a caring shepherd, my heart aches and breaks. If I were simply a CEO, I would express my disappoint in their leaving, but it would not hurt. Rather, I would simply go after another “customer” to fill the pew. Yet, I am a pastor. I am a shepherd. I have a responsibility for this portion of God’s flock. The members are not “customers” to me, but they are precious sheep. They are dear souls for whom Christ died. I have labored in the Word to feed them properly. I have invested my life and soul into them and their families. Often, I have been with them in the darkest hours of their life, and shared their grief and tears with them. Yet, “we love you and don’t want to upset you or hurt you” is supposed to make their leaving not painful? There are times when, as a human, I wish I could adopt the CEO mindset. Yet, that is not what the Lord called me to.

As stated at the beginning of this article, there has been a philosophical and cultural shift. Not only do many pastors see themselves as CEO’s, but the church members see them the same way. The days of commitment and loyalty to God, His Word and each other seem to have departed. Members are quick to leave over things that could be easily worked through, if they would simply let the shepherd do his work of caring for them and praying with them.

This article is not meant to sound critical of people. It is understood that culture has dramatically influenced how people perceive their church family relations. Will I give up? NO! There are also joys in the ministry of shepherding. Yet, that is not what keeps a pastor going. It is the definitive call of God upon his life, and the knowing of one day he will stand before Christ and give an account of the stewardship of that calling. May the shepherds of God’s flock shepherd on. Ron DeMarco’s poem best concludes this article…

I’ve Dreamed Many Dreams
Ron DeMarco

I’ve dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I’ve seen them vanish at dawn.
But I’ve realized enough of my dreams thank the Lord,
To make me want to dream on.

I’ve prayed many prayers when no answer came,
Though I’ve waited patient and long,
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I’ve trusted many a friend that failed,
And left me to weep alone,
But I’ve found enough of my friends that are really true,
That will make me keep trusting on.

I’ve sown many seeds that have fallen by the way,
For the birds to feed upon,
But I’ve held enough golden sheaves in my hand,
To make me keep sowing on.

I’ve drunk from the cup of disappointment and pain
I’ve gone many days without song,
But I’ve sipped enough nectar from the Roses of Life
To make me keep living on!

Have you seen this trend of CEO pastors, or am I missing an important truth?

Posted in Pastor's Pen · Tags: Church, Pastoring, Shepherd · Leave a comment ·

No Exception Clause

September 11, 2019
  · by Pastor Wynn
Honor Parents graphic

The Scriptures command that one is to “Honor thy father and thy mother.” That command has no expiration date or exemption clause. It is sad that so much of modern culture has seemed to cultivate a disrespect for parents today. While there are the ones who do continue to honor their parents, there are scores who think they have outgrown their need for their parents, and their parents are a burden to them.

Proverbs reminds us that wisdom is evidenced by a learning heart and listening ear, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:5). Three verses later, Solomon writes, “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” In other words, the wisdom of parents should not be discounted or disrespected.

Sadly, too many of us realize the wisdom and knowledge of our parents too late. They have left this world, and they are no longer available counselors. The strength of youth is physical. The strength of the gray head is wisdom. That is a biblical teaching. I wonder how many mistakes and bad decisions I could have avoided in my younger days, if I had given more attention to being taught and trained by my parents.

Never take your parents for granted. For those who have (or had) good parents, be grateful. Let them know they are appreciated and that you still need their thoughts, insights and wisdom.

For those who have (or had) bad or abusive parents, just remember that the command to honor them has no expiration or exception clauses. Therefore, by God’s grace, seek to honor them by showing respect, even when undeserved. The sowing and reaping principle is always true.

Just some mental wondering in a late night hour. Any thoughts?

#TheValueOfParents

Posted in Pastor's Pen · Tags: Family, Parents, Pastoral · Leave a comment ·

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Physical Address
7909 Fortson Rd.
Columbus, GA 31909
Phone: 706.322.1958

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 757
Fortson, GA 31808

PLEASE NOTE: We do not receive mail at the building location. We have no mailbox on campus.

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Our Location

Physical Address
7909 Fortson Rd.
Columbus, GA 31909
Phone: 706.322.1958

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 757
Fortson, GA 31808

PLEASE NOTE: We do not receive mail at the building location. We have no mailbox on campus.

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