Volume 28 Issue 3
A publication of Focus Evangelistic Ministries, Inc
Fall 2018
THE COMMUNICATOR
Focus Evangelistic Ministries, Inc. PO Box 498 Danielsville, GA 30633
Fixing the Problem
Recently someone asked a question, “What do you think is the biggest problem in the local churches?” That is a great question; it deserves an answer.
A General Observation
The question assumes that there are problems in the churches. This is correct; the Church has always had problems, since churches are made of people. But there is a sense among us that today there are seismic problems so threatening that the church is sinking beyond repair. Are we living right now in the day that Paul foresaw when he wrote his final letter?
Surveys are not encouraging. Church attendance is down and the pool of qualified pastors is down. Surveys that measure theological conviction or basic Bible knowledge show that people are increasingly less knowledgeable about what the Bible says. What is happening to church?
Moral Struggles
Society is morally challenged, no doubt. But the Church is slip sliding also. Every year, I converse with kids who know less and less about what behaviors are wrong or, more importantly, why anything might be wrong. They have less comprehension concerning marriage, male and female uniqueness, and sexuality than I’ve seen before. Open a newspaper and likely find a churchman accused of a moral failure. Watch t.v. and a money grabber might be seen, using the Lord to pocket excessive cash. But moral failure is not the biggest problem in the Church.
Gospel Ministry
I’m an evangelist; I care deeply for both preaching the gospel and for stewarding the very words of gospel presentations. Churches often miss the mark of presenting a clear gospel message. This is a huge problem.
A youth pastor asked if I could train him how to share the gospel. He said, “No one has ever shown me that.” He was serving in his third church and had a seminary degree!
How often do people go in and out of our churches without hearing saving sound?
(continued below)
Pastor Appreciation Day is
October 14th
If you have a faithful pastor, holding forth the Word and the pure gospel of grace…
Speak up! Let him know you appreciate him for upholding God’s Word.
CIRCUIT RIDER
by Benjamin Coile
7th Grade, Coile Home School
His legs ache,
From riding the horse barely broke.
Leaving his cabin, the man sees last,
His chimney smoke.
Through Indian dangers, and a riding cramp,
His spirit he never lets get damp.
The gospel he preaches strong and clear,
The gospel they come from miles to hear.
Knowing not the people’s hearts,
Riding throughout the country parts,
Little or none is his pay – his comfort spent for
Heaven’s sake.
When his thin head is turning gray,
Still he rises every day,
Morning to dusk he’s riding hard,
While others make fortunes by holding a card.
His wife weary and children sick,
But to his job he must stick.
Never a meaningless message from him,
Yet little’s the copper in the tin.
Dust is common in his mouth,
Still he rides farther south.
He does not mind dust and danger;
His Lord the Christ was born in a manger.
His legs ache,
From riding the horse barely broke.
Will he see first the chimney smoke?
Or will his wife and baby first be seen?
Or his son, grown from child to teen?
Coming home, to rest awhile,
But soon he’ll start another mile.
“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel. even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God…” – I Thessalonians 2:4
F.E.M.I. is a non-profit organization. All gifts are tax deductible. Freddie is supported through the financial support of churches and families who love him and believe in the ministry that God has entrusted to him. All bookings are handled through the ministry office on a first come basis. Freddie does not charge a fee for his speaking ministries but trusts the Lord’s people to care for and support him.
Gifts or Contact by mail: FEMI PO Box 498 Danielsville GA 30633 Phone: 762-218-3060
Fixing… continued
After the gospel was absent in a large church on Sunday, a man explained. “Sunday church is our living room. You get the gospel in our kitchen, our cell groups.” This made me wonder, “What if an unsaved person sat right in your church and died without going to the cell group?”
I hope your church shares the gospel in the living room, the kitchen, the front porch, and all over the place! Shout it from the rooftop! The gospel is why we are here! We’re called to go into all the world with the gospel; why not preach it in church on Sunday?
But this failure is a symptom of an even larger problem.
The Authority of The Bible
Paul nailed it. His words are the answer to the biggest problem in American churches.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
– II Timothy 4:3-5
The Bible’s authority has been under attack for a long time. There is blood in the water. The biggest problem in our churches is failing to uphold the authority of scripture. If we don’t hold the scripture, all is lost, including the gospel, discipleship, and true fellowship.
- Preaching the Word saves the Lost.
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” – I Corinthians 1:21 - Preaching the Word nourishes the Saved.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby…” – I Peter 2:2 - Preaching the Word unifies the Body.
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” – Ephesians 4: 14, 15
Our calling is not to make church fun, nor to entertain. This is a trap. Yes, church has its fun times, and should be exciting, but church was not meant to be a production put on by big personalities with pithy quotes. Stop following men! The Church is a called out assembly of believers carrying Bible truth to the world. Without scripture, what shapes us? Feelings and twitter feeds? Our beliefs would be opinions, no better than others.
Preach the Word. This is paramount. If we don’t uphold scripture, gospel urgency is lost, and our positions on everything are weak. Others will dismiss our Creator, define marriage for us, and dupe us into caring more about social justice than saving the Lost.
Be encouraged; we have everything we need to solve the Church’s problems. The answers are in the Word.
Gospel Means Go!
