The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
Download Your Copy
Now In The Strong Man Store!
The Lord’s call to passionately return to the work He originally commanded His disciples as one of the major outcomes of repentance and revival is to guilty Christian leaders too so they can get out in front and lead the way! For it has been the failure to faithfully lead God’s people by biblical precept and example that has brought them, the churches and the nation to the present crisis.1 Passivity on the one hand and the pursuit of selfish ambitions on the other in satanic captivity to religion has caused these leaders to stubbornly resist God’s longsuffering call to repentance and revival until now as I have seen and is historically displayed by ancient Israel’s leaders in His Word.
Generally speaking, intense enthusiasm or passion for a cause is a common trait among men from ancient times and certainly the majority of godly men in the Bible to include, of course, Jesus Christ, the Strong Man of God they unknowingly or knowingly sought to emulate (John 2:13-17)! To lack zeal for the Lord’s cause is one of those clear indicators of being devoid of the Holy Spirit in either never having had His indwelling presence or in quenching His fire through unbelief and disobedience (John 3:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Both cases exist among professing American Christian leaders because the Holy Spirit is largely irrelevant to the existence and activity of manmade Christianity the religion.
As I have witnessed and found validated by research, the typical American church is led and attended by men that can only be described as passive. Passionless leaders routinely go through the motions of conducting services and presiding over the traditional annual whatever activities mostly women enjoy, while the relatively few men that attend or participate mimic their disposition. David Murrow calls the situation a “leadership crisis” and cites a 2002 George Barna survey that showed that while 92% of 2,400 Protestant pastors called themselves leaders, a specific definition of leading and having spiritual gifts tied to it or a vision dropped the percentage down to the single digits.2
I have also witnessed and read the statistics many times over of Christian pastors that are filled with energetic passion to fulfill their visions of achievement and greatness in raw selfish ambition. Not souls for the Kingdom, but warm bodies to fill seats and offering plates to enable these men to realize their definition of success (which is typically to gain recognition and a brick and mortar legacy by exceeding the congregation size and empire expanse of another pastor) is their priority. Never mind there is no divine mandate whatsoever for pastors to do this in the New Testament, though this sinful ego pride of leaders is portrayed in Scripture (1 Samuel 15:10-12; 2 Samuel 18:18).
Both passive dispassionate and energetic selfishly ambitious pastors have equally resisted the Lord’s call to repentance and revival through me because many say, “the Lord has not said anything to me.” Of course, historically, the prophet comes mostly after God cannot get through to the people and their leadership because they have resisted Him first (Ezekiel 2:1-5, 3:4-7)! The leaders do offer guidance that is supposed to help me gain their ear such as abandon the Lord’s futile calling and carry on as they do to have success. But if I do that, would I not foolishly become guilty of the very things the Lord sent me to cry out against and warn about the consequences (1 Kings 13:1-32)?3
Indeed, it is for the Lord today among church leaders that are guilty as it was in days of old among Israel’s flesh driven religious leaders. Those weak and passive leaders too caused the people “to err” (you consider it a good thing that women rule over men, but the Almighty regards this as utter weakness--Isaiah 3:12, 9:13-17, NKJV) and looked upon their service to God with contempt (Malachi 1:6-14). The selfishly ambitious back then as well were always seeking for a way to fulfill their desires for success and wealth by laying out self serving visions and protecting evil rulers in their sin to be king makers and for gain. They also schemed to bilk the people and profaned God and His service as though He was unable to see any of them (Psalm 94:4-9; Ezekiel 13:1-7, 22:23-29).
The failure to lead as Holy Ghost gifted and called visionary leaders with ambition to fulfill the divine cause in the churches is truly a long standing crisis that has now brought the whole nation to the brink of sudden, catastrophic judgment! Therefore, professing Christian church leaders that are guilty must lead the way in all heartfelt repentance and plea for revival (Joel 2:12-14). Those that do not will suffer with all and endure complete humiliation in their experience of God’s wrath when it falls upon the nation (Ezekiel 13:8-16). You were given the opportunity to “stand in the gap” when God called, but you refused bringing not rapture, but wrath to yourselves (Ezekiel 22:30-31, NKJV). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the September 20-November 1, 2015 blog posts addressing pastors, other church and wider leaders.
2 David Murrow, Why Men Hate Going To Church, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 71.
3 Related snares set out by these leaders include the counsel to “get to know” each one personally so that supposedly they can discern my authenticity (which in the
end, does not seem to matter since they still refuse to repent or support the Ministry) and using the old adage, “you catch more flies with honey than you do with
vinegar.” To both the Lord’s Word shows neither He nor any of His faithful prophets in any generation ever sought the approval of men for the privilege of communi-
cating the divine message or softened it for the sake of acceptance. Truly, their harshest words were reserved for Israel’s religious leaders (Matthew 3:1-10, 23:27-
33). God validates His sent ones and with His Word, confirms their message to be either accepted or rejected! Yes, I painfully know this means a hard road for
the faithful prophet to the shame and condemnation of unrepentant, professing Christian religionists and their leaders.
I took my stand at the outset of 2017 as commanded by the Lord and empowered by the Holy Spirit to “wage war against and pull down strongholds of deceit” in arguments raised up to redefine and marginalize men.1 After this, I held up Jesus, Son of Man and declared the value of men.2 Continuing now in steadfast resistance to deceitful, worldly feminism and compromising churches attempting to placate and accommodate it, I again hold up Jesus Christ and show the value of men at this moment in 2018. Beginning with this edited 2011 Commentary and posts to follow leading up to Resurrection Sunday, I declare with clueless Pilate: ‘“Behold, the Man,”’ (John 19:5, NKJV)!
None of this is about marginalizing women as some mistakenly surmise. But in the face of a world defying and many in the churches corrupting and even wickedly rewriting Scripture to sustain deceitful feminism, God Almighty seeks to fully portray the truth of His salvation and restoration that is both corporate for His creature “man” as well as individual among mankind that are willing to embrace them through faith in Jesus, Son of Man! Because of what man the creature by divine design is embodied in the first and second Adams, delightfully known to Satan, but unforeseen to human rebels are the many ruinous consequences of marginalizing men in the wrap up to this present age.
Originally Published November 2011
The rebellious attempt by radical feminist besieged Western cultures to eradicate gender distinctives in mankind is leading to a severe, unintended consequence. Short of this severe consequence is the unfolding lack of employment for men in jobs that capitalize on their divine design to envision and boldly embark on the risky venture to construct or accomplish what they saw in their minds. Such men sit on the sidelines while what jobs are available in the service sector, for example, go to women in the name of a twisted, worldly brand of equality. Without a change of some kind soon, distraught unemployed family men that understand their responsibility to provide will revolt.
The phrase in Genesis 1:26a is brief, but thoroughly pregnant with instruction: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,'" (NKJV). God, Creator of the heavens, earth and all they contain, on purpose made only one creature specifically named to be man in the image and likeness of God. Among the many transmittable attributes of deity man was to enjoy from the stated intent of God is the visionary leadership of his Creator. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a visionary is one marked by foresight and has visions. His visions are of fantasy and dreams; existing only in the imagination and not very practical or I might add, always doable.
How do we know God is a visionary leader? From cover to cover the Bible declares the visionary leadership of God! For example, Isaiah the prophet writes, "For thus says the Lord Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: 'I am the Lord, and there is no other,'" (Isaiah 45:18, NKJV). When and where did God envision His creation along with His purposes for it? From eternity where He dwells and in His own mind which He has gladly revealed to His sons in Christ (Psalm 90:2, 93:2; Isaiah 57:15a, 64:4; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
Genesis 1:1 is the declarative statement of God acting to bring His creative vision to fulfillment. For while men may have many great visions and dream fantastic dreams, only God can and has brought all of His to pass. Even so, God has willed to impart His visionary leadership ability to man and particularly in this age, men. As I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, men and women are different by divine design with men made to prominently display God’s ruling function.3 Men are wired in every part of their existence right down to hormones to fulfill this function. This important ruling function in the image and likeness of God includes visionary leadership.
The history of mankind cannot be revised on this score. It is the visionary leadership of men from Adam to this hour that has conquered lands, built civilizations, dared to walk on the moon and pushes the boundaries of cyberspace. This historical reality is so in spite of the presence of sin in men. Rather than limiting a man's desire to dream and bring to reality, sin with the help of Satan has only corrupted and deceitfully influenced his imagination. As a result, God has stepped in at times to judge the vision inspired works of men and redirect their efforts such as at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).
The point is that while in general women by divine design are excellent managers of what exists, men have been the historical practitioners of visionary leadership that dreams and brings what does not exist into reality. Properly informed by the Holy Spirit an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ exercises his visionary leadership first in the home, then the local church and beyond. What is the "Great Commission" of Jesus Christ first given to 1st century men but the continuing fulfillment of God's vision to finally have saved mankind dwell with Him forever (Matthew 28:16-20; Revelation 21:1-8)? Truly, wired for visionary leadership mostly men from that time until now have bought into and risked their lives to fulfill God's vision to the ends of the earth!4
Certainly to unemployed men the truth of God given visionary leadership should inspire a turning to Him for an entrepreneurial vision that will enable you to support your family. But soberly, this truth is also a warning to our rebelling nation: stop the evil experiment of redefining men and women! Not only is this leading to an eventual revolt by beleaguered men, but the severe, unintended consequence of our nation's economic ruin in the shadow of God's coming wrath (Proverbs 29:18; Isaiah 3:12, 24:1-13; Revelation 6:5-6). Professed Christians and their churches that have supported this feminist led rebellion against God will not escape (1 Peter 4:17-18). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the January 22, 2017 Blog, In God’s Revival Men Are Restored, Pt. 3, under the category, The Cause.
2 Read these series of posts under The Cause category January 29-February 12, 2017 and June 4-25, 2017 respectively.
3 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man
Store.
4 Such a man in modern times was Dr. Billy Graham who departed home to the Lord this past February 21, 2018. Read my November 4, 2016 post honoring him.
As the Lord led, I wrote this edited 2010 Commentary in commemoration of serving Him in this Ministry He led me to found. In that mindset, I post it now to praise the God who saved and called me to His service through what have been many adverse circumstances since 1985 and to serve as yet another witness against the success mongers that have falsely made compromise of God’s Word a necessity of Christian service. I joyfully fear God and in it have led this Ministry to stand for the restoration of men to the ordained roles of headship He designed for them in this mortal age; the glorious destiny that belongs to all Christians who will let God conform them to the image of Christ!
Originally Published August 2010
In our success mad world that always judges it based on numbers, size and favorable outcomes, many of the Bible's most important figures would be deemed failures. Yet, time has proven their calling and service to God--where they many times stood alone against the tide of their day--was truly very successful as it concerned faithfully doing His will. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary since I was blessed by God to found Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. August 12, 1985, I have faced the fact a later to be seen faithfulness as success may be my own spiritual legacy as also the majority of aspiring strong men of God in the image of Jesus Christ!1
Since the success model of the world has also firmly established itself in most of our churches and para-church ministries today, numbers, size and favorable outcomes determine whether a man or his ministry are successful. As a pastor, folk constantly want to know, "how large is your church" as if this one factor can really determine success or if God is involved. Many certified false teachers have followers in the millions. With Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. the question is "what is your income?" In fairness, we report numbers small and large from events we sponsor in our monthly newsletter. But we give God the glory because His work is the point!
The God of the Bible does not often set numerical goals especially for work to be done with a prophetic emphasis. The question, “how many support your cause” asked in their times would have surely made the responses of men like Noah, Lot, Elijah, Jeremiah, the Lord Jesus and His apostle, Paul, failures in the eyes of their inquirer. Noah was called of God to build an ark for what turned out to be just for his family of eight out of millions of human beings. God gave this cause to Noah after announcing He would destroy the world with a flood. Yet, Noah preached righteousness while he worked a lengthy time building the ark, but none sought refuge until too late (Genesis 7:11-23; 2 Peter 2:4-5).
Righteous Lot lived in a wicked city like many in our nation today in which he had continually appealed for their restraint from evil. God sent angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah sparing only Lot, his wife and daughters for his sake. But even his wife perished after disobeying the command not to look back (Genesis 19:12-26; 2 Peter 2:6-8). Elijah the prophet stood alone to face down 450 false prophets of Baal and though he prevailed by the Lord, he felt abandoned by the people of Israel because they feared wicked Jezebel who had put a death sentence upon him (1 Kings 18:20-19:10).
The prophet Jeremiah warned of God's coming judgment and called the people of Judah to repentance for over 40 years. He was beaten, imprisoned, kept in stocks, dropped down wells and opposed by priests, false prophets and most of the kings. He stood virtually alone until the end when the judgment God had been warning of through him came (2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Jeremiah 40:1-6). After having the multitudes of Israel follow Him and enjoy His instruction and ministry of power, the Lord Jesus stood alone against His accusers and in His cause that led Him to the cross (Luke 23:33-49). Later, Paul, His apostle knew a similar experience (2 Timothy 4:9-16).
Thus, limited numbers and standing alone against the crowd typically in rebellion and apostasy is not new for God’s faithful. Indeed, every professed Christian man must decide if he needs a crowd or will he stand alone if necessary to do God's will? I made my choice 25 years ago and suffer the consequences. This Ministry is still small and I have never had a salary.2 I am scoffed at and ridiculed because I refuse to corrupt God's Word for the sake of success. Even so, the Gospel is preached, lives are being changed and souls are being warned! Like all of the Bible’s aspiring strong men of God, I have stood at times and will stand alone to faithfully do His will to the end (Ezekiel 33:1-9). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 As a result, my sole focus is on finishing well (pleasing to God--2 Corinthians 5:9) and to let legacy take care of itself! Learn more about the aspiring strong man of God
in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the
Strong Man Store.
2 With all praise and thanksgiving to God, this changed in 2014 with the sale of property the Ministry received. I am trusting the Lord for what follows the exhaustion of
this diminishing provision and invite any faithful Christians looking for men of biblical truth and faithfulness to support to consider me through this Ministry. Contact the
Ministry for more information.
With this edited 2013 Commentary, I launch the New Year by connecting back into the one just ended to wrap up the Lord’s charge to pastors for now, while also speaking to men in the pews. Of my saddest experiences serving the Lord in local churches over the years has been the countless times I have witnessed professed Christian men fail to accept calls to leadership; instead, letting our sisters (some sensing the inappropriateness of this; others like Eve caring nothing about divine order) take them. Worse, naturally, has been seeing men be purposely overlooked for leadership in favor of women by pastors for any number of reasons to include rewarding faithfulness to them, not God.
Originally Published January 2013
A pastor friend recently suggested that perhaps a reason many women are more visible in church leadership roles today is because they are eager to step up while the men lay back. In a complicated mix of sound reasons including rank rebellion against God's Word, no doubt, my friend is right. Indeed, as the Lord has led, I have spent the last two Commentaries speaking to pastors and Ministry leaders about our stuff.1 But make no mistake about it; the men in the pews are the objects of God's concern too. Surely, our God is not pleased that professed Christian men are refusing to step up and take hold of leadership responsibilities in the home and local church.
In support of faithful pastors everywhere and the righteousness, instruction and truth of God’s Word, I am challenging the professed Christian men reading this who are guilty to repent from every self-permitted reason in disobedience for not stepping up to lead as God has called you. For our Creator made the divine intent very plain from the beginning in Word and deed that men are purposely chosen to lead among equals (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:7-3:21; 1 Timothy 2:13). To refuse to lead as God has ordained is sin as seen in how the Lord spoke to Adam at his fall and because it is the creature rejecting his Creator’s will to His face (Genesis 3:17a; Isaiah 29:16, 45:9-10)!
While it is evident women are also eager and ready to lead, God has elected men to do so in this present age beginning in the home. After this, men are to lead at every level of human social organization and exclusively of those who approach to minister to God in leading public worship (Genesis 8:20; Exodus 28:1; 1 Chronicles 23:13; 1 Corinthians 14:26-40; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; Hebrews 5:1-6).2 Why God has done this is bound up first in His sovereign will that none of us creatures has any standing to challenge (Romans 9:20). As well, He has done this because the leadership of men is tied to the eternal destiny of man as the highest creature of God and ruler over all the works of His hands (Hebrews 2:5-13).
No secular or religious authority on earth has the right to change God's election of men to lead. Therefore, those that have undertaken to do so have put themselves on a collision course with the already simmering wrath of God. Pastors and elders, this means every one of you also no matter how much you call yourself after the rebellion of this world system "setting things right in equality and fairness." As I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, you have no authority to ignore or change God's Word.3 You must obey it as supposedly you are teaching others to do or like all of the disobedient, suffer the consequences too (Isaiah 24:1-6; Jeremiah 25:30-38; Romans 2:5-11).
I fully feel your pain as it concerns the tug and pull of the hostile world culture surrounding us that is constantly calling into question the will, way and Word of our God. They may say His Word is outdated, but you, man of God and faith, shepherd under Christ of His flock are to stand faithful. Or did you not know from the beginning that you were called to war and the rank of a captain in God's army at that (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 4:7-16, 6:10-20; 2 Timothy 2:3-4)? Certainly, you are not ashamed of Christ and our peculiarity as the people of God are you (Mark 8:34-38)? Therefore, you capitulate and surrender ground to the enemy every time you pass over a man reluctant to lead and instead call on the eager woman causing both to sin (Matthew 18:6-9).
As for the professed Christian men in the pews, do not wait, but hasten to your pastor and elders seeking assignments of leadership responsibility; being willing to train appropriately as preparation.4 No more laying back in fear like the men in Deborah's day when it was time for war; step up boldly to read Scripture or pray (Judges 4:4-10). A pastor should be overwhelmed with the ardent response of men aflame, ready to serve for Christ! Woe to him if he does not call upon or permit such ones to serve that seek to obey God in motive and gifting (1 Corinthians 12:18-21; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11). Also men, no more passive labor in the Gospel cause of Christ, but diligent effort to witness and win souls because the Holy Ghost empowers your own (John 20:19-23; Acts 1:8, 2)!
Your experience then, sir, should be like that of Job's reflection of his own in Job 29 before his trials. In the grace and strength God supplies to your life, you are blessed above all of the unsaved. In your irrefutable standing as a godly leader, you are respected in the public square and looked well upon by the less fortunate whose cause you have served. As a man of royal command possessing God's wisdom, your counsel is sought and your words are waited for. Such men aspire to be strong men of God in the image of Christ (Matthew 4:23-25)! Oh, that this were so! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Refers to the December 3, 2017 post, Pastors And Developing Men, under the category, The Cause originally published as a November 2012 Commentary and the
September 27, 2015 post, Empire Building On God’s Program, under the category, Call To Repent originally published as a December 2012 Commentary. For the
point being made, the December 2017 blog reposts directed to pastors, Developing Men: The Equality Trap and Pastors As Developing Christian Men both under the
category, The Cause, are also now included in this reference.
2 Read the three part January 2015 blog series, Worshipping God Without God and the post that follows it, Final Considerations On Worshipping God all under the cate-
gory, Call To Repent.
3 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the
4 This statement is made with the presumption that Kingdom activity and ministry is involved. Frankly, I do not blame men for not being interested in leading some of the
self-serving, non-Kingdom related programs and activities the churches of manmade religion come up with.
Without equivocation or apology for over fifteen years I have stood and stand on God’s Word as it is written to call all professed Christians that are guilty and assemble weekly ostensibly as His house to recognize and repent from the satanic stronghold of deceit embodied in worldly feminism they have welcomed in their midst. As the Lord has graciously directed, since July 2011 at the end of my last pastorate I have been winning men and boys to Christ, teaching and urging them with others to go or return to local churches as I wrote in a March 2019 repost.1 I knew in the grip of Satan’s feminist stronghold many would tear down what I had biblically taught as well as spiritually emasculate them! However, I was hopeful with the Lord for repentance as I was in this edited 2011 post (Luke 13:6-9).
Now, I have heard from the Lord that it is enough (Revelation 2:18-29)!2 I am announcing this day that in obedience to the Lord I will no longer send men and boys I reach for Him and teach to churches that are in willful rebellion with the world against the plain teaching of His Word from Genesis to Revelation on the roles, rank, responsibilities and order of mankind. By the express will of Christ I am also again adding to my ministry responsibilities shepherding of willing men I find anywhere in the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan area that are disconnected from Him, disaffected from Christianity and discontented with hypocritical and disobedient local churches; pastors and elders that do not truly care about them as men (Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 19:1-10).
Therefore, if you live in the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan area and what I have written resonates with you, I am seeking at least five men to start meeting with me to be taught, mentored and equipped to join me in the work of fishing for and restoring men, their families and communities! Write to info@thestrongmanofGod.org by November 17th to express your interest; arrange to meet with me at a time and place we by consensus agree on to hear my vision and learn more.
Originally Posted October 16, 2011
At the risk of overdoing it, I must make a final application of the truth I have presented over the last two blogs specifically concerning fathers to the broader role of leadership men have assigned to them by God beginning in the home. It is very clear in this 21st century that our secular society is on a quest to totally destroy God’s order for the family through the implementation of its version of equality. Re-define a man here, a woman and a family there and presto, it’s done! The only problem is the social experiment is not working so well. I cite statistics in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics that reveal just how badly the experiment is failing.3 But that is not the worst of it.
I see and hear of churches all of the time proclaiming the responsibility of men to be the heads of their households. But then, they turn right around and trample upon that responsibility by putting women over them in God’s house in clear disobedience to His Word. If God is the One that made men leaders in the home, it stands to reason in consistency that He would require their leadership in His own house too. Indeed, the apostle Paul shows how the home is even the first stage of leadership training for men as they prepare to serve God in His house (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
The local church is not a worldly institution which mimics and reflects the world’s values. It is the redeemed of God assembled together on purpose to honor Him, His will, way and Word! You cannot call a man to biblical leadership in his home and then disregard what the same Bible teaches about his place of leadership in God’s house. There is no one without the other as so many churches are attempting to accomplish. The result is that those churches are sending mixed and confusing messages to their men and boys as well as teaching there is a place to disobey the plain teaching of God’s Word.4
In my book, the Lord uses me to call pastors and their churches to repentance from their partial obedience reminding them of how He responded to king Saul for the same sin (1 Samuel 15:1-23).5 What hope is there for restoring men and their families if the folks with the right answers from God’s Word do not honor it themselves (Luke 14:34-35)?
1 See the introduction of the March 10, 2019 repost, Appeal For Incarcerated Christians, under the category, The Cause.
2 Jesus Christ is Lord and Judge of the churches! Like Father like Son, so, the Holy God who judges sin does so now because there is no repentance! Before He
fully judges the world, He judges the churches already in progress (1 Peter 4:17-18). Read my June 10, 2018 post, God’s Judgment Upon His House, under the
category, Bible Prophecy. Unless you do defiantly share in the sins of the guilty church without opposition, I suggest you depart so as not to also share in its judg-
ment (Revelation 18:1-8). Yeah, that is how serious it all is at this late hour!
3 The book is available in print or digital download formats at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also get the Hard or Soft Cover print versions of the book in the Strong Man Store.
4 See the July 20, 2014 post, Confused Men, Compromised Sons, under the category, Call To Repent.
5 Additionally, read the series of blogs the Lord led me to write on the topic of obedience and addressing the sin of partial obedience beginning September 7-October 5,
2014.
Having conducted the work of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. faithfully with the leadership, grace and power of Christ since 1985, I painfully know well the worldly size and majority rule that has caused many to dismiss it. I confess coming to the end of a bit of wound licking when I originally wrote this edited 2010 Commentary as a wrap up of three that came before in consecutive order wherein I also lamented some other worldly tenets held and practiced as well by many professed Christians throughout all facets of American Christianity.1 Indeed, worship of the idol of success is fully displayed in the nearly unanimous deference given to big over small and the many over a few among most professed American Christians practicing the size and majority rule. This Commentary presents a sobering warning to the guilty.
Originally Published October 2010
The recent global flap caused by the Florida pastor that threatened to burn the Koran2 revealed a telling flaw in the democratic mind set of our nation as a whole and the many professed Christians that put worldly values over those taught by our God in His Word. Let me be very clear before proceeding. I do not believe this pastor was in the will of God nor is any Christian that burns a Koran or any other religious book. The Lord has not called Christians to physically tear down other religions. We are called to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ letting it and every biblical truth in His mighty power pull down spiritual strongholds lifted up against "the knowledge of God," (Acts 17:22-34; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NKJV)!
All of the foregoing said, I was amazed as official Washington, secular and Christian media personalities ridiculed the Florida pastor’s threatened act not simply on its inappropriateness, but also based on how small his church was. What did the size of his church have to do with anything? Would his threatened act have had more credibility and acceptance if his church were larger? Over and over again this pastor's threatened act was denounced and wonder expressed at all the attention he had received because his church had only fifty members. In short, this man was disqualified from attention because he was too small.
Regular readers will know that I am touchy on this subject of late because our 25 years of service to the Lord has been dismissed by some on the similar basis of being too small to be heard or taken seriously. The revered size and majority rule is not a reliable standard of judgment though it is the way of our post-Christian, secular nation from politics to business. However, those that fear the Lord had better be very careful about living by this rule since He does not bind Himself to it and never has! Examples abound in the Bible of how size did not deter God--remember Gideon's 300 (Judges 6:11-7:22) and a teenaged David that killed the giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17)?
Consider also of the twelve men sent to spy out the Promised Land for Moses, ten--the majority--returned to give a bad report that the people believed and as a result, wandered in the wilderness for forty years (Numbers 13-14:38). The majority also cried out "Crucify Him" so that the Lord Jesus Christ should be condemned to the cross (Mark 15:6-15, NKJV). Were they right because they were the majority? The majority of this nation's white citizens were once okay with the forced oppression of blacks in the bonds of intended perpetual servitude. Were they right because they were the majority?3
If every truth is established by whether or not somebody with a large following or a huge majority endorses it, then the truth of God's Word will continue to be cast aside by the world and many professed Christians as increasing numbers reject a biblical worldview. But wisdom asks, does the truth "Jesus is Lord" really become true because the pastor of a ten thousand member church says it versus one with just fifty members? Or is the statement true based solely on whether a majority of persons hearing it accept or reject it?4 From Christ's perspective, the answer is a resounding no since He has been exalted as “Lord” by His Father as it is written apart from what sinful men say (Psalm 2; Philippians 2:8-11, NKJV)!
As Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. launches out into our 25th year of operations with the Lord’s leadership, let me assure our readers this will be the final time in this setting I address the size and majority rule. Aspiring to be a strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ, I have heeded His counsel not to despise the day of small things as we go forward in the Spirit to finish the assignment He has given (Zechariah 4:6-10)!5 My primary concern has not been all about me anyway. It has also been about spurring professed Christian men that follow (and will follow) the large crowd in rebellion rather than Christ to repentance, lest they be eternally destroyed (Revelation 13, 14:6-13). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Those commentaries in order of original publication were Living The Faith In Real Life (July 2010; posted October 7, 2018), Standing Alone Is Not Failure Or New
(August 2010; posted November 4, 2018) and Justifying The Means By The End (September 2010; posted September 16, 2018).
2 Search “2010 Florida Pastor, Terry Jones” to learn more.
3 Western Europeans or their descendants in size and majority anywhere on the planet are not the final authority or express, singular arbiters of truth, but God
through His Word rightly divided is (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 2:15)! A long history of their religious Christian corruptions include the guilty in the majority that wickedly
reduced the Protestant Bible down from 66 to 14 books to keep slaves that might learn to read from reading about God as a Deliverer from bondage (Exodus 3:7-8)
among other hope building truths. This is one of the most heinous exhibits of Bible corruption ever (learn about the “Slave Bible” on display in the Museum Of The
Bible on loan from Fisk University through September 1, 2019) and why sinful mortal flesh cannot finally be looked to as truth authorities, but only bearers if they will
be faithful to God’s Word. Sadly, Bible corruption continues to this hour as various versions are produced and sold featuring the language translation preferences,
theologies and interpretive slants in notes printed within of large denominations, church pastors and teachers as media stars. Arrogant racism continues too, as still,
at this moment in the 21st century a white preacher’s teaching carries greater weight and is trusted more than one of color no matter how biblically sound. But praise
His name; God who vindicates His faithful servants will have the last Word (Psalm 26; Zechariah 1:1-6)!
4 This is the deceitful trap and bane of relying on the likes and dislikes of those that vote their feelings on social media to determine good or evil, right or wrong. Watch
out, professed Christian: we do not live by what is popular even within professing Christianity, but by God’s “every” Word (Matthew 4:1-4, NKJV)!
5 Learn more about the strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics available at all major internet booksellers,
by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
Of the greatest sins manifested among many church leaders today is the arrogance to believe that they can somehow improve upon and expedite God’s program for making and teaching disciples of Jesus Christ! Though ancient now, the methods Christ and His apostles empowered by the Holy Spirit used to make disciples (preaching the Gospel) and teach them to obey God’s whole Word were effective (Mark 1:9-20, 3:13-19, 4:10-12, 33-34, 8:27-38; John 20:19-23; Acts 2:1-16, 36-47). Even so, 100% of the people who heard their preaching and teaching did not accept it (John 6:60-71; Acts 4:1-4). Our problem is we want that 100% even if it means doing stuff in the flesh to get them!
The Lord’s approach and example to teaching men as disciples was Self-denying, labor intensive and time consuming. But these are the inescapable realities of spiritual fathering our Lord embraced as well as called, equipped and charged His disciples turned apostles to also do. Church pastors are imperative in the work (John 21:15-17)! Having been a pastor and mentor of boys and men I fully understand the demands especially of time spiritual fathering make on one’s life. However, this is why a pastor equips those he spiritually fathers to do as he does. If he is too busy to do what the Lord has commanded as his priority, then he is too busy! As the Lord leads me to point out in this edited 2013 Commentary, men are being hurt because of disobedience to His commands.
Originally Published September 2013
While our Ministry celebrates every brave incarcerated man that steps out before our Strong Man Of God Rally assemblies to publically pray to receive Christ or rededicate to Him, it saddens me personally to see the great numbers that rededicate. Most of these rededications are men that were Christians before their incarceration for a second or third time. It is certainly true Christians that commit crimes must take personal responsibility for their actions. However, after talking to many of these men it becomes clear that they are not getting the one on one mentoring of a “spiritual father” needed to deepen their walk with Christ in the churches they are members of as I did not early on.1
To be sure, the failure to make committed followers of Christ is a wide spread problem in the churches. Spiritual infancy dominates today in a Western church culture that is more concerned with the numbers than whether members are maturing in Christ. This lack of emphasis on the slow process of making disciples as our Lord commanded is hurting men the most since they are God’s chosen leaders in the home and churches. Many sit and the relative few that serve largely do so as babes in Christ with no intentional plan to disciple them. Once a month meetings and the annual golf tournament are not enough to turn baby Christian men into fiery, maturing disciples of Christ!
As I write in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, teaching his family is a responsibility God assigns every man.2 As the head of the house, a man teaches his wife and children. As a father, he teaches all of the children, but with a special duty to mentor and guide his sons into manhood; his wife, their daughters into womanhood. Beyond their families, aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ imitate Him in taking newborn Christian men under their wing to spiritually father them into maturity. We know this process is slow because our Lord spent more than three years of intensive time with His twelve disciples, then the rest of the lives of those who became faithful apostles (Matthew 4:18-22; John 14:18, 16:12-15).
In the Lord’s “Great Commission,” He commands His disciples to make, baptize and teach new disciples from all of the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). As it concerns teaching, veteran disciples are to teach the new “to observe all things that” Christ had commanded them (vs. 20, NKJV). Teaching what Christ “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV) commanded entails more than just important doctrines, but also all of the thinking, attitudes and behaviors of Christ-likeness we are also to possess in pleasing God the Father as He did (Philippians 2:5). To this end, the apostle Paul also instructed his spiritual sons to teach and pass on what they had learned to men who would do the same with other men also (2 Timothy 2:1-2; Titus 1:1-9, 2:1-5).
To their shame, not only do many pastors and churches not encourage spiritual fathering or mothering in their ranks today, but too many have no formal discipleship instruction at all much less for newborn Christians in the pews who need the “pure milk of the Word” not the philosophical musings of men (1 Peter 2:1-3, NKJV).3 And for the churches that pride themselves on offering lofty sectarian seminary level courses such as Systematic Theology as sufficient to fulfill Christ’s command to teach especially babes, repent! You are causing them to gag and choke in confusion on what is not even biblically organic, but sinful humanly processed and genetically altered meat (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:14-16, 3:14-17).
Shame too on you guilty pastors that look down on my work in the prisons as though it were inconsequential when Christ your Judge is recording for Judgment Day how many of the Christians I find there that are members of your churches (Romans 14:10-13; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11)! We salute all of our fellow workers in the prisons filling in what lacks in the churches. To the pastors that need help setting up a discipleship plan for new believers or want to know more about teaching biblical manhood to and spiritually fathering men contact this Ministry.4 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Read Part 1 of the August 21, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, instruction. I lament the early lack of spiritual fathering that potentially
could have saved me from many painful failures and shortened the inordinate length of my infancy in Christ in the opening of this post and also that of the October 2,
2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 The book is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
3 See the September 25, 2016 post, A Leadership Caused Failure and Pastors As Developing Christian Men posted on December 17, 2017 both under the category,
Call To Repent.
4 Get contact information for Strong Man Ministries and learn about for example, the Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study as an important help in making disciples of
men and teaching them biblical manhood on our Web Site.
Join The Strong Man Of God Resources Conversation!
Get Your Copy Of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics Today!
Your purchase supports restoring men, families and communities through Strong Man Ministries!
Purchase It Now