John Young

Glad to hear about your first sunday. I'm looking forward to hearing more future updates about the church and your ministry there.

Amen. I was saved at a similar age as well but not baptized until 16. At five I had no doubt that Jesus Died for me and would take me to Heaven if I trusted in him. I would even witness to others about What Christ did and their need to trust in Christ. It was only the doubt of others that could not believe such a young child could have genuine faith that caused me to struggle and doubt my salvation.

Hell is an English word, Sheol is an Hebrew word, and Hades and Tartarus are Greek words. It would not be wrong to translate them from the native language to the English equivalent. Many modernist try to uses the foreign words as a way to teach concepts not actually used in the Bible but the pagan cultures the word came from. Sometimes they are used spimply to convey particular aspects of Hell but it can run the risk of adding the pagan ideas of hell that the bible does not actually teach.

Is that the one in Rosalia, Wa? I know it well and have been praying that they would get a pastor. I'll be praying for your church and that the lord will bless your work there.

We had originally wanted to start a church out of a house a few years ago but we lived with relatives and could not afford a house in the area we were called to at the time. So we rented a small 250 SQ office space with our tithe and then started soul winning and inviting. From there as we grew, we would move to larger offices in the same building. Starting in an office was a blessing because we could expand our space without constantly moving and changing the church information and only paying for the space we needed. Two years into it we made a quick video for our sending church's missions conference. Unfortunately we ended up having to move back to Michigan but God was able to open up for our congregation to merge with another church in town that needed help and we were able to help them start a soul winning program with our former members. It was also worked out so that we did not have to worry about the church property that we had in the offices because the office owner was contacted by an other Baptist group that wanted to start a church in the same location after our contract was up and they ended up being able to use it all to start a new church in the same space.

I suppose in regards to the Christian, towards other men, fear is on the part of the servant who has not been perfected by love. We see fear from young Christians towards Paul and Timothy when they had to be corrected and also when the servant was instructed by the Apostles to fear their master or men the government in general. However I do not see fear of any man as being a good attribute in scripture. For the perfected Christian, who is not motivated by fear of man but rather only of God. Some verses that come to mind would be... Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 2 Corinthians 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 1 John 4:17-18 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Due to the health of our current pastor we are in the process of looking for a Fundamental Baptist, KJV using, Man, willing and able to help lead and grow the church. The church currently has six faithful tithing members with average of 10-15 each week. The church is paid for, well maintained, and all bills are being paid with a savings account and healthy budget but is not yet able to provide a salary, so the man will need to be self supported. (we are working towards a Pastor's salary and supporting missionaries but need more tithing members). Church can remodel a few rooms and restroom into a parsonage if needed. It is a country church but Portage, Kalamazoo, and several smaller towns are nearby within a half hour drive. You can contact us on our Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/Maranatha-Bible-Baptist-Church-of-Fulton-MI-852512551792430/

You said enough in the first sentence for me to know not to waste my time replying, except to say its clear from your replies that you already have enough information to make a decision one way or another. You just need to make it. 1 Kings 18:21a And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him:...

Sentences within a paragraph carry on the same thought. New Paragraphs carry on a related but new thought. 1st paragraph is about Bishops being a reflection of Christ and that their infidelity or loyalty towards Christ and how that carries over to their own wives. Second is about the "Abandonment" argument being a sign of a hard heart and a reason many lack power. The third is my general opinion that GENERAL disregard for the qualification (not just divorce) is the reason our churches lack the power of God. The qualifications for the OFFICE are there for a reason and all I am saying is that churches should strive to get and hold men to the Highest standard of those qualifications that they can for the sanctity of the OFFICE and not make excuses for getting minimally and questionably qualified men for the OFFICE. To make this about us "not forgiving men" or about "how well" God used men in other capacities who were not qualified for this office, is wrong, and are false arguments.

I heard the first are actually going to be last so does that mean the one who started this thread is the real winner? lol

Wow. It is not Pharisaical to give God our best and to be Qualified. To say that it is Pharisaical to hold men to the NT qualifications of a church office is certainly not right. No one ever said they could not serve or be very valuable to God. Nor that "we are better than they" or that they have no forgiveness. Only that they should not hold on to an office to which they are not qualified.

In regards to Brother Anderson, I am neither a supporter or a detractor. I consider him a Christian Brother who holds to errant doctrine. I do not recommend him, his church, or his errant Covenant doctrines to anyone and I think he and his followers should be corrected when they try to promote those doctrines. (My attitude toward recommending him and his camp is the same that I have for Ruckmanites or contemporary Baptist groups). However, I also am not interested in promoting lies about him (or any fellow Christian) and these lies should also be confronted as well. To be sure, many people on either side of this want me to go further than his doctrine and take a stronger stand on him as a person. They want me to either say he is an "unsaved false prophet" and partake in condemning him, beyond what I believe there is actual evidence for, so they can label me friend or foe as well but I'm not really interested in being an enemy to any Christian but instead to correct and help them and if I can, give them the benefit of the doubt.

Mainly because both men's video's speak for themselves and the people who frequent "online baptist" are capable men who have already decided the matter for themselves one way or the other. Additionally I have made my feelings on the matter clear in previews post. So I don't feel the need to qualify my statements other than to say the accused has a right to be heard and give an account of himself. Whether people accept his defense or the accusations is up to them.

It is precisely because I follow Christ that that I'm speaking out against misrepresentation and false narratives regarding Anderson. If you see this as my defending him, then that is what you chose to see. But if you look closer, and consider what I have been saying all along, then you will see that I have been trying to defend my brothers from getting caught up in believing and sharing lies to "defeat" a errant/false teacher. We should not and cannot overcome lies with lies but rather only with truth.

My problem isn't so much with wanting to defend Brother Anderson and his errant doctrine so much as it is with, supposed Good people trying to discredit him with equally false lies and misrepresentation. If people must spend their time speaking out against him beyond the basic warning, they should at least try to do do it with with verifiable and factual information and address his errant covenant theology rather than, Straw men menial arguments, assumptions about his motives and character and the promotion of equally bad teachers (from their pulpit), simply because those people they speak against him, etc.