DEACON DAVID KELLY

1913 - 2009

David Kelly left this mundane shore to enter his eternal rest on February 16, 2009. We were blessed to have him with us for 95 years. He left us a rich legacy of faith and a constant reminder that God is in charge of all things.

Deacon Kelly became a Christian in 1928 and subsequently served faithfully as a deacom for over 60 years.

He was an encourager. I often tell others that he was my "Barnabas." He encouraged me each time I had the pleasure to speak with him. I always felt more confident after leaving his presence. I became his pastor during the twilight of his years and benefited immensely from his words of wisdom.

I look forward to seeing him again in the life to come.

THE TRUTH WILL STAND ON ITS OWN

I thought I'd share with you an interesting post by Phil Johnson, Executive Director of Grace To You. In the post, Phil Johnson is responding to someone's question who asked what is the appropriate response when a non-believer is not intellectually satisfied with a biblical answer given in response to a biblical question. Here is his answer.

I totally agree with his answer for three main reasons.

1. A non-believer's anticipated response to Biblical truth should never diminish our resolve to boldly proclaim it.
   
2. When we hold back from sharing truth because of the anticipated response of the non-believer, our reluctance could be an indication that we are ashamed of the Gospel.
   
3. We must keep in mind that Biblical truth is big enough and strong enough to compete and stand on its own against competing world views.

What do you think?

PICTURES OF THE FAMILY

The whole crew - Our kids (Twila, Kyle, Carlos and Kent Jr.) Me and My wife, Alesia

Is that me on the left or the right?

My wife, Alesia; daughter, Twila; sons, Kent Jr and Carlos
(Taken at Six Flags Over Georgia - Atlanta)

Kent Jr. - ready for church

THE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS ON THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH - Part 2

FIRST EFFECT - THE MOVING TARGET OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH: A CONVENIENT OXYMORON

In my previous post, I mentioned that political correctness (PC) has had four key effects on evangelicals. I earlier defined PC as the social pressure to influence the thinking, words and actions of a person or group by convincing them that historical, cultural norms are insensitive, intolerant and divisive. Before I dive into the first key effect PC has had on evangelicals, I want to first answer the question, "What is an evangelical?"

The definition of an evangelical has changed over the years. It is not unusual to find that evangelicals themselves have difficulty defining the word. Some in the news media have given it a definition that does not even remotely hint at its original meaning. In a recent article in WorldNetDaily, Michael Youssef, pastor of The Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, mentions how political commentators ignore the theological origin of evangelicals and simply use it as a term to describe the politically conservative. Youssef goes on to give, what I believe is the purest definition of the term, when he says the name is applied to a person or group who believes that salvation, redemption and justification come through Jesus Christ and Him alone. He further adds that a belief in the authority of the Bible also defines evangelicals. In other words, being an evangelical is ideally about the exclusivity of the Gospel and the authority of Scripture. With this definition in mind, one has to conclude that the foundation of evangelicalism is biblical truth - truth about the Gospel and the authority of Scripture.

A key effect of PC has been its assault against truth. PC sees truth as a moving target. However, pure evangelicals see truth as fixated, ageless and never evolving. Truth can be newly discovered, but it can never newly exist. When Jesus said, "I am the Truth," (John 14:6) He was in effect saying, "I can be newly discovered, but I can never newly exist."

Modernism rejected absolute truth outright, while postmodernism does not. Postmodernism seductively allows for a truth that is a moving target and constantly evolving. This notion of an evolving, absolute truth is oxymoronic and stealthily dangerous. How can truth be absolute and evolving? Both postulates are mutually exclusive. PC takes this postmodern definition of truth and seeks to make it mainstream. Moreover, the engine that drives this vehicle - the postmodern definition of truth - is PC. In fact, it is being driven down the aisles, through the pews and into the pulpits of many evangelical churches.

When evangelicals make truth claims about salvation and the authority of Scripture, we are exercising what I refer to as sacred audacity. Sacred audacity is the freedom to boldly make a truth claim that is solely unique to one's theology or belief system, such as the exclusivity of the Gospel. If evangelicals continue to kowtow to the pressures of PC, we will relinquish our sacred audacity to proclaim our long held beliefs and become more indistinguishable from other faiths. We have to keep in mind that truth separates us (II Cor. 6:17); truth sanctifies us (John 17:17); truth saves us (John 8:32).

Sadly, a recent report from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that many evangelicals are drifting away from a belief in the exclusivity of the Gospel. According to the report, 52% of American Christians believe that some non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life. This disturbing statistic is clear evidence that postmodernism, through the apparatus of PC, has made significant inroads into the very fabric of American evangelicalism. PC has discouraged truth thinking, truth speaking and truth acting among evangelicals. There are a myriad of polls and surveys that show this - USA Today, Barna Group, and Association of Religious Data Archive (the ARDA), to name a few.

Only sound Biblical preaching can stem the tide of the PC assault on truth. God give us preachers with the sacred audacity to herald the truth claims of our faith without fear or compromise.

Next I will deal with the effects PC has had on gender roles in the church.

THE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS ON THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH - Part 1

Over the past several decades there has been a gradual erosion of Biblical truth from the pulpits of evangelical churches and the theology of its members. I strongly believe that one of the reasons for this erosion is due to the subtle and dangerous effects political correctness (PC) is having on the church. According to WordNet, political correctness is defined as the "avoidance of expressions or actions that can be perceived to exclude or marginalize or insult people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against." My running definition of political correctness is the social pressure to influence the thinking, words and actions of a person or group by convincing them that historical, cultural norms are insensitive, intolerant and divisive.

Many have written and spoken out on the effects of PC in our Western culture and in other parts of the world. However, there has not been nearly as much outcry regarding PC in the church. This lack of outcry is evidence that PC has had influence. A politically correct church is a silent church. A politically correct church is a church with a muted message. It is preoccupied with the idea that the worst thing it can do is to offend the churched, the unchurched and all those in between.

The Bible is offensive and intolerant. It does not pass the PC smell test. The writers of Scripture make no apology for its claims. Paul concluded that the message of the Cross was offensive to many. He knew that if he excluded the Cross from his preaching, the offense would cease. (Gal. 5:11) In fact, Jesus is called a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense! (Rom. 9:33; I Pet. 2:8)

Over the next few weeks, I want to focus on four effects of PC on the thinking, words and actions of the church.

These four effects are:

The Moving Target of Absolute Truth - A Convenient Oxymoron

The Blurred Line of Gender Roles in the Church

The New Tolerance of Sexual Orientations

The Drifting Away from an Exclusive to an Inclusive Gospel

GOING THROUGH A DRY SEASON IN YOUR MINISTRY?

Are you in a rut? Does it seem like God has put your ministry on the shelf? Are you facing a dry season in your ministry? You have set goals, devised a strategic plan and implemented initiatives to reach milestones, yet it all seems to be moving along at a snail-like pace or not at all. Has finding the traction to move forward been difficult for you recently? Does any of this describe where you are right now, or does every word of it describe your situation precisely?

Well, welcome to the Dry Season Fraternity! You are a part of a company of notorious nincompoops, who sometimes labor in obscurity but never in vain. Every serious preacher I know will at some point join this exclusive fraternity. Having preached the Gospel for over twenty years now, I have experienced a few dry seasons myself. Here are a few things I have learned over the years that have helped me persevere:

1. God places His emphasis on the worker and not the work. We are His workmanship, not our ministry.


2. Many times our disappointment is His appointment.


3. Genuine faith never functions in a vacuum. It can only function in a hostile environment.


4. Applying simple truth sustains us during difficult times. His remedy for bringing us out is never complex.


5. A quote from General George S. Patton, "The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war."

The reassuring part about going through a dry season is that we go through it. Our sovereign God provides the faith to sustain us, the season to mold us and the strength to help us bear fruit despite our circumstances. So embrace, not shun every dry season in your life and ministry. Hear the words of Paul, "For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:11-13, ESV)

PREACHER, BEWARE OF THE THREE G'S

Why do some preachers fall? I don't mean failing to please the Lord in some area of our relationship with Him. Generally speaking, we all stumble and miss the mark as we try to live according to the truth we have embraced. Sometimes, we may even fail in the areas of our strongest convictions. However, I am referring to devastating moral failures that leave a trail of ruin and wreckage. The kind of failures that wreak havoc in the preacher's life, his family and in the lives of those to whom he ministers. There are three danger areas for preachers. I'll refer to them as the three G's - the Girls, the Gold and the Glory.

Simply put, the preacher must maintain appropriate relations with the opposite sex, avoid the temptations of money and materialism and no matter how God uses him; he must not glory in himself but rather give glory to God. Just a brief perusing through Scripture reveals that a careless approach to the three G's has caused more men of God to fall than anything. We can mention Jacob, Samson, David and Solomon as examples.

First Timothy, chapter three, lists fourteen qualifications for the church elder or leader. Of the fourteen, only one has to do with gifting or skill (able to teach). The rest deals with private character and public integrity. Character and integrity are the most important assets of the preacher. He must guard them with all his might, trusting in the Lord. Carelessness toward the three G's can ruin the character of any man of God. None of us are immune.

Preacher, beware of the three G's.