March 30, 2017, He realized he was through a door along with his spiritual journey and on a critical path; the road of holiness to Heaven. On April 17, 2017, he realized that not only was God real, but He is the God of miracles and revival, even in this day and age. On April 30, 2017, he came to understand the answer to the question “how to accept Jesus Christ,” why one must believe God, know and be known by God, and how to know that one is complete in Christ. Marvin asks, “If we are taught the true historical, biblical Christian conservative, evangelical theology of the Living Bible in the first place, why then would we need reformed theology for being complete in Jesus, which is at the center of true Christianity?” Yielding to God is vital. Every other theology has something or someone else to assure, supposedly, allowance into Heaven. That is not true. For example, Mormons do not need the book of Mormon, just Jesus and His work on the Cross, alone, for them to have eternal life in Heaven.
If you and others are interested in knowing and being known by God, you better understand what Biblical salvation is, which is central to knowing one is redeemed, and for good soul-winning for leading other souls to the real assurance of a place in Heaven for eternity. Every individual, couple, family, social group, church, educational system, legal system, political system, nation, and country must heed the Call of Lord God Almighty (Elohim, Jehovah), who says "Return To Me," to escape the collision course to an imminent catastrophic event.
Are you sure that the spiritual leader whom you are following is not leading you to Hell?
CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Many books have been published on theological foundations for pastoral ministry, biblical vision, statements of faith, missions, church leadership, church administration, management, staffing, formation of pulpit committees, and church growth; yet in the church there is false teaching presented, in the name of the Lord, and therefore a decline in attendance at some churches. People are being misled, and steady church growth is on the decline. Many people who come to attend the author’s services have been deceived in their churches and find the pure Gospel message refreshing. Of many pulpit committees, Dr. James W. Thompson writes that some pulpit committees operate without a sound theological foundation; the minister selected becomes the one in support of consumer religion where the pulpit ensures the church’s competitive edge in the marketplace of consumer religion. He says that the goal of the Church is the transformation of a community shaped by the love and self-denial of Jesus and that evangelism is the Gospel method. ¹ Pastoral leadership, in some cases, is not selected on solid biblical, theological foundations. Pulpit committees choose their pastor for their pulpit and take pride in that he is a combination of, for instance, Jay Leno, Lee Iaccoca, and Dr. Phil (all now replaced in stature and popularity with Jimmy Fallon, Sergio Marchionne, Dr. Travis Stork, and Dr. Andrew Ordin.² Dr. Thompson, in writing, on pastoral ministry, turns attention to Paul. He takes a reader to the theological foundations for pastoral ministry. Search committees desire that their church grows, but that usually means regarding numbers of religious consumers and numbers in the offering plates. This attention drawn by Thompson is skewed, even though viewed as scholarly. Church leadership needs to point to ‘God’s Word,’ and ‘Jesus,’ not Paul, Timothy, or John, who said, and not what God said, though it may be implied. A misunderstanding of what ‘God’s Word’ could be the result. In soul- winning, people are looking for what God says, and what He says, especially, about His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, their forgiveness of sins and, eternal salvation, as a gift of grace from God, not Timothy.
D. P. Thompson led camp ministries in Glasgow, Scotland. He possessed a deep respect for D. L. Moody and Billy Graham. He founded the Church of Scotland Fellowship in Evangelism and said, “Evangelism is at once the primary work of the Church and the most urgent need of the hour. It is hardly possible to exaggerate its urgency or to estimate its importance…. If the Church fails to display a living, vigorous evangelism, she has failed in her essence and ultimate mission and, the days of her influence are numbered.” 3
What seekers believe and whether they agree with God may be influenced by how we as pastors and spiritual leaders represent God, to them. They are looking to find Jesus and who Jesus says He is, why they need Him, and what He has done and means to do for them, both now and for eternity. Two ladies had left a church because, as they said, “you cannot find Jesus there;” that is the preacher’s and teacher’s accountability. In soul-winning, not all seekers are seminarians or academic scholars. Jesus came to save lost sinners, and it is He that is building His Church, not seminarians, academics, nor church leaders. Effective pastoral ministry needs to have such a focus on God’s business for true church growth. Sometimes, we as pastors need to be reminded of that fact. Yes, we will need to answer to Jesus for our words and actions or lack thereof. As Jesus said of His authority over the Church, “… I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,” (Matt 16: 18). Also, Jesus will sit as Judge in Judgment Day. We as pastors need to get behind Jesus, our Head and are being about what He is doing, not what we are doing. Lives are at risk for eternity. We need not be concerned only about ourselves as true Christians, but about others and their need to have Jesus Christ and. Be in Him; “He is the true God and eternal life,” (1 Jn 5: 20). To God (Elohim), for one to be effective in pastoral ministry and management, we need to believe and agree with Him. We as pastors and other Christian leaders, need to be alert to anything drawing us or others away from the preeminence of Jesus Christ, especially in our preaching and teaching. Pastors face an age that makes pastoral ministry a complex task and an even more difficult task for seminary professors in preparation and edification of God’s called servants. All more to believe and lean on Jesus Christ, take His yoke upon ourselves, “and learn of Me, (He says), for He is meek and lowly of heart,” for He wants His friends to go out and make disciples of others in every nation, (Matt 28: 18-20). When you engage in soul-winning, and a new convert is born, you have no idea to what part of the world God may take that person and thus influence the extent of your God-given ministry, of those saved, faithful and loyal to Him.
The author does not mean to belabour the point but is concerned with the leaders of leaders, who teach aspects that must grieve God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Examples include: ‘You may be saved, but you do not have the Holy Spirit in you?⁴
Pope Francis addresses the world from the US and says, “Jesus failed on the Cross.”⁵ A leading pastor in the Western world says that Christendom must remove the Cross from the churches, lest a certain member of a non-Christian world religion is offended. Remember, the Cross and the Resurrection are central components of the faith of true Christians. These pillars of the faith cannot be compromised, and Christianity remains Christian. A pastor of an evangelical church says that we are in the Post Christian, Post Evangelical age and anyone who preaches the Gospel and expects a hearer to receive Christ is presumptuous.’⁶ What? The task of evangelism will be complete when Jesus comes in His return, and His true children are raptured (caught up to be with Christ). Until then, Jesus is still building His church, and all Christians are called, still, to be faithful in the ministry of reconciliation. When a pastor in a Presbyterian church hears “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God,” (1 Jn 5: 1), and replies that it sounds like mystical paganism, and that salvation also depends on church membership, then, we have a problem with his message. The Ignatius Christos church, in the Edmonton region, teaches that the ‘Administration’ is the final authority on what is the Word of God, which includes for them, any writings of any philosophy they approve.
Another pastor of a supposed evangelical church allows sin to prevail. In that church, one individual speaks to a group that he has learned how to have an affair with a different lady every week and not lose his salvation. He makes allegations against true Christians, who do not support his singles club in the church, and the pastor did nothing as the Scriptures require in church discipline. The pastor argues that they have an open door policy for all people. Should the system not restrict the teaching of false teachings by anyone entering their door. The church has become known as the politically-correct, culturally-sensitive, cappuccino church, where anything goes. No wonder the world sees the supposed Christians as no different
