Australian
Independent Baptist Newsletter
October 2002
Dr. David C. Bennett Editor
Purpose:
To inform and warn God's people of religious, social, and political events
in today's world.
Have
you ever wondered how we can win young people to Christ and keep them in the
church today?
One
of the churches in Dubbo has the answer or so they think. A letter recently came
from the Dubbo Community Church (Church of Christ) in the mail. The letter
advertised an "up-coming exciting youth event" called "Live in the Shed". The
letter said "Many of the bands have featured prominently at ‘Black Stump’ and
other Christian rock fixtures." The enclosed flyer mentioned the local band "GHER"
and that there would be sumo wrestling! The letter continued with "We would like
it to become an event which is supported and presented by the churches of Dubbo
as a whole, as an outreach to all youth."
*Editors’
Comment: This type of an event is not Christian and
is not honouring to the Lord of heaven and earth. This is not how we win young
people to Christ or develop godly young people! Godly young people are saved by
God’s Spirit through God’s Word. Born again young people go on for Christ by
reading and obeying God’s Word!
2 Timothy 3: 12- 15
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being
deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Sydney Morning
Herald (SMH hereafter) 24 September 2002
A
GARDEN OF PEACE AND CULTURAL TOLERANCE
There
is "Diversity and harmony" with the students at Cabramatta High School "in their
peace garden. Each river pebble represents every student and teacher."
"A
truck has just arrived carrying another one-tonne load of pebbles. And more than
a dozen children, some wielding pick axes, are digging holes in which to plant
lillipillis."
Cabramatta
High’s "new Peace Garden is due to be opened - with the release of white doves,
the reading of poetry and the blessing of local leaders from 17 different
religions - tomorrow morning." 25 September, 2002.
The
school counsellor, said "Working on the garden" was a "part of the healing
process for many of our students who have been traumatised by their
experiences."
One
of those students is "Iraq-born Moshen Alflouji, a Shi'ite Muslim, who came to
Australia via Iran and Pakistan. Moshen said the garden stands "for peace and
for religious toleration." Moshen’s father is "a local mullah, though most of
his family remain in Iraq, under threat of more war."
Of
the 950 students at the school "97 per cent come from non-English speaking
backgrounds."
*Editor’s Comment: John 14:27; 16:33 "Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. These things I
have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
From the Saddleback
web site: Issue #69 9/25/2002 - MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK: EVALUATE AND IMPROVE
YOUR WORSHIP SERVICE
Rick
Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback wrote "In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul concludes
his instructions on seeker-sensitive services by saying ‘But everything should
be done in a fitting and orderly way.’ (1 Cor. 14:40)"
*Editor’s Comment: Honestly, to imply
that Paul the Apostle is making reference in 1 Corinthians 14 to
seeker-sensitive services is certainly reading between the lines!
Anglican Communion
News Service (ACNS hereafter) - AUSTRALIA - 26 September 2002
Interview
with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey - For broadcast on "The
Religion Report", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 25 September 2002
SC is the interviewer and GC is George Carey:
SC:
On the theological side of the issue, same-sex marriages have been introduced in
a number of countries in northern Europe - perhaps they're even on the cards in New Zealand. Here
in Australia, two of our four political parties at a federal level are now led
by gay men. Even the military seems able to come to terms with same-sex
relationships. Is the church basically holding out against an unstoppable tide?
GC:
What I'd say about that is that we must respect homosexuals in the church. I've
got many homosexual friends, the issue is not in any way a homophobic reaction on my part. There's a tenderness,
a deep desire to understand, and to draw them into the fellowship. What I think
is that we in the church - and especially I as an Archbishop - I'm responsible
for maintaining our rules, and making sure we hold to unity in the Body of
Christ. Now, I'd want to put it this way: If a person says to me, what is the
largest mammal in the world - it's got big ears and a long nose? I would say it
sounds very much like an elephant to me. If someone talks about union, fidelity,
a monogamous relationship, love, blessing, I would say it sounds like marriage
to me. And blessing, you see, I think is undermining our sacrament of marriage.
That's why the issue is a theological one, and it's not a minor matter in the
hierarchy of Christian truth. That's why it's important. But that's why, also,
we must listen to one another. Homosexuals matter. We want to hear their voice
in the church - that's what the Lambeth Conference said in 1998 - and I'm
anxious to maintain that unity while we listen to one another. But what we
mustn't do is to rush ahead of a decision that belongs to us all.
*Editor’s Comment: The leaders of the
Greens Party and the Democrats are homosexuals and both are from Tasmania. The
homosexual issue is just one of the many reasons not to vote Green or Democrat!
1 Corinthians 6:9 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind."
Strong’s Greek Dictionary says these "abusers of themselves with mankind" are
sodomites. "The scum of the earth are no ways fit to fill the heavenly
mansions." so wrote Matthew Henry.
ACNS Media Release No
13-25 9/02
INTERFAITH
WORK AND CONCERNS SHARED AT ACC12
"The
world's great religious traditions should be seen as on the same side fighting
for peace and justice, said Bishop Kenneth Fernando of Colombo Sri Lanka, in
making his presentation to the ACC on interfaith issues. ‘We all condemn
violence and are striving to remove the causes of terrorism.’"
Fernando
said "we should try to become more familiar with the texts of other religions
and to learn from them’ where appropriate."
*Editor’s Comment: Rather than becoming
"more familiar with the texts of other religions" God’s Word says to "Study to
shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15.
Des Moines Register 14
September, 2002
HIS
FAITH TAKES THE LEAD
"Quarter
horse trainer Wendell Iams has only five horses racing at Prairie Meadows. But
he has a barn full of friends who know what counts in the measure of a man is
the size of his heart, not the size of his stable."
Iams
is a man of faith and good works. It is those "good works" which have "earned
him Prairie Meadows' first Racetrack Chaplaincy Good Samaritan award."
Racetrack
chaplains Dennis Luft and Ed McIntosh chose Iams "because of his many years of
humanitarian deeds."
"Iams
doesn't preach to others about the Christian beliefs that lead him to help
others. Instead, he lets his horses signal that his stable is faith-based.
Before
they go to the track, Iams slips purple blinkers embroidered with a big gold
cross over their ears. And the jockey's racing silks are adorned with a cross."
According to Iams "there is power in the religious symbolism his horses display
as they sprint down the track."
"A
few years back, Iams had a horse entered in the Pit Run Quarter Horse Breeders
Futurity at an Illinois race track. As he was walking to the barns, sunlight on
the blinkers he had hanging over his arm reflected the image of the cross on the
wall of a nearby glass-walled security shack. The guard on duty saw the
reflection and was shaken by it.
At
first the guard took the sign of the cross to be an omen that Iams' horse would
win the race, and it did, setting a new track record. But what pleased Iams even
more was how the incident affected the security guard. The man began attending
church and quit drinking, which changed his life."
*Editor’s Comment: I remember as a boy
growing up in Iowa the nearest race track was in Nebraska. Sadly that is not
true today. Horse racing as with other forms of gambling is seeking to gain
wealth from another’s financial loss. Horse racing, lotto and all other forms of
gambling are not for the born again Christian. Proverbs 13:11 "Wealth gotten by
vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase."
Matthew Henry wrote "that which is got by gaming or by the stage, may as truly
be said to be gotten by vanity as that which is got by fraud and lying, and will
be diminished."
SAYINGS
OF SPURGEON: from the book AN ALL-ROUND MININSTRY.
This book contains a selection of Spurgeon’s addresses at the annual conferences
of the Pastors’ College. "Even fanaticism is to be preferred to indifference."
"Personal godliness must never grow scanty with us (preachers)." "Men are not
cast in moulds by the thousand; we are each one distinct from his fellow." "Be
yourself, dear brother, for, if you are not yourself, you cannot be anybody
else; and so, you see, you must be nobody." "No man should ever dream that his
education is complete." "When we preach and think nothing of it, the people
think nothing of it, and God does nothing by it." "We must, in fact, live to
educate a race of saints, in whom the Lord Jesus shall be reflected as in a
thousand mirrors." "Ministers are for churches, and not churches for ministers."
"Ministers are servants: they are not guests, but waiters; not landlords, but
labourers." "The idol of yesterday is the butt of to-day." "Even to those who
reject our gospel, we must display unbounded tenderness."
Yours against apostasy and for Biblical Truth,
David C. Bennett, D. Min.
