Stay the Course, Night Three

Today marks the end of the 2006 North Baptist Church Spring Bible Conference. Dr. Heller preached three times for us today, each message a blessing. Here are the outlines.

Sunday School:

How We Can Stay on Target
Matthew 6:19-34

I. Accept Reality
II. Appropriate the Certainties
III. Allocate Your Priorities
IV. Anticipate Necessities

Sunday Morning:

Persisting in Good Works
Galatians 6:1-10

I. A Task Assigned
II. A Time Alloted
III. A Trophy Awarded
IV. A Test Allowed

Sunday Evening:

Don’t Move Away from the Simplicity of Christ
II Corinthians 11:1-4

I. A Solicited Spirit
II. A Servants’s Heart
III. Satans’ Seductions

It was a great pleasure getting to know Dr. Heller this weekend. After the services tongiht, Dr. heller agreed to sit down for an exclusive Delve into the Depths interview. You’ll be sure to want to hear that once it is posted. This followed by an wonderful time of fellowship and discusion.

This conference was a blessing to my heart and a challenge to my soul.

Stay the Course Night Two

I will first have to apologize for the pictures this evening. For some reason, they did not come out very well. But, I will post on here what I have that is at least somewhat clear.

This afternoon kicked things off with a teen Bible Quiz. A number of different churches met here at North Baptist to compete in the quiz covering Hebrews Chapters 10-13. Yours truely was honored to be one of the quiz masters. Unfortunately, because these rounds were timed, I could not get away with a good Regis Philbin/game show host inpersonation. Brian Reid was our host. He and his father Richard were the ones responsible for bringing the quiz to NBC and making it all come together. They both did an excellent job as things ran smoothly. Well, there was one wrinkle, the NBC teens didn’t do as well as we had hoped… Instead the winners of the day were the teens from First Baptist Church of Groton, MA.

During the quiz, Dr. Heller gave the teens a challenge out of I Corinthians 9:24-27 concerning “Running A Race.” The outline, though rushed for time, gave practical points and was as follows:

1. Work Hard
2. Prepare Today for Tomorrow
3. Pick Wise Companions
4. Plan to Be Accountable to A Mentor
5. Provide Leadership for Others
6. Understand Your Gift
7. Forget the Past
8. Press Toward the Future

After the quiz was a fine dinner prepared by the ladies of North Baptist. We had all had a long day and the meal was exactly what we needed. Maybe a little too much, for we had another service following. I have to admit, with all that found inside of me, staying awake was difficult. Yet, Dr. Heller helped us out be delivering another excellent message. This sermon was entitled, “What the Lord Wants to See” and based in John 17:11-26

I. The Truth Lived Out (vs. 14)
II. A Transformed Life (vs. 15-16)
III. A Testimony before the World (vs. 17-20)
IV. A True Unity (vs. 21-26)

Visiting with us at the conference tonight was veteran pastor Dr. Wendell Mullen. Dr. Mullen first began his ministry here as a church planter in Hartford, CT back in the late 1950’s! He’s considered by many to be the dean of New England pastors.

Well, it was a very eventful day and my bed is beckoning me. I’ll see you here again tomorrow night was the final blog of the conference.

Stay the Course – Night One

Tonight was South Shore Christian School Night! We were excited to see many of our students come out to hear the preaching. Above is a picture of Dr. Heller with some of our staff and students. In accordance with the SSCS night, our faithful school staff were more than willing to lend their voices in song. Ok, so it was more like pulling teeth… But, as principal, I put my foot down and forced them all to join in… Ok, so it was more like them forcing me to join in… Either way we sang “I Will Follow” by Mac Lynch.

The message from Dr. Wendell Heller was excellent. The sermon entitled “Stay the Course” was the introduction to this week’s conference. Here is a brief outline:

II Timothy 3:1-7

I. Misguided Love (vs. 2-4)
II. Meaningless Religion (vs. 5-6)
III. Miscaculated Conclusions (vs.7)

I’ll see you back here tomorrow night for another recap!

Stay The Course – With Dr. Wendell Heller

The 2006 North Baptist Church Spring Bible Conference starts tonight! We are pleased to have Dr. Wendell Heller as our guest. “Dr. Heller is president of Global Baptist Missions, a member of the board of Bob Jones University, and has served on a number of educational and mission boards. His current ministry involves speaking at Bible conferences, missionary conferences, and evangelistic services.” (Summary as found on sermonaudio.com) If you are in the area, you won’t want to miss this!

Friday April 28 —
- 7:00pm Conference Begins
Saturday April 29
- 4:00pm Conference Banquet
- 5:30pm—Conference
Sunday April 30
- 9:45am Sunday School
- 11:00pm Conference
- 6:00pm Conference Finale

For those of you who cannot make it, don’t worry – I, your faithful blogger, will keep you up to date right here each night. Please be praying that the Lord will work mightily!

Thank You, Dr. Panosian

Just recently, I have finished reading The Dividing Line by Mark Sidwell. I heard a lot of great things about the book, and it was not disappointing. The book sets forth an excellent defense of the doctrine of separation. It is this very issue that distinguishes fundamentalism from every other movement.

Yet, in this blog update, I want to focus on small quote found toward the back of the book. The quote is from Dr. Edward Panosian and states, “that the often-suggested exception of ‘a good Christian in the Roman Catholic Church’ is a misnomer. Such a person is either ignorant or disobedient – ignorant of what Rome teaches or of what the Bible teaches, or disobedient to what Rome teaches or to what the Bible teaches. None of these conditions fits either a ‘good Roman Catholic’ or a ‘good Christian.’”

Thank you, Dr. Panosian.

I was raised here in New England, a region entrenched in Roman Catholicism. Most people here are Catholic. I grew up right down the street from a large RC Church and half my family is still Catholic. Most Christians I know around here also come from heavy Catholic families. They have a stronghold in New England.

Perhaps because of this truth, every sermon I have ever heard preached against Catholicism has begun with the familiar disclaimer, “I know there may be Christians who attend the Catholic Church…” Or perhaps it would sound something like, “I know there are some good Christians still in this church who don’t agree with everything they hear… They’re trying to change things…” How sad. What the seemingly sympathetic preacher has done was discredit the rest of his message. Now we have opened up the mighty door of exception, through which many want to rush through. Now we hear from the folks in the pew, “Oh, my mother is one of those saved Catholics…” or, “My friends don’t agree with everything going on in the church, so they must be ok…”

The doctrines of Rome lead to hell. It must be said. Anyone who adds works to grace will find their place in the pit. Anyone who denies the absolute authority of Scripture alone, is a false teacher. These are dangerous doctrines that must be preached against and warned against at every opportunity that presents itself. Those who are in this church under these doctrines are in direct disobedience to Christ. In fact, they are still killing our savior each day during the mass they often attend. How can we allow them to continue in heresy?

A compassionate preacher is one who makes a difference. He is one who loves his people enough to not allow them to enter the gates of hell without a fight. He is not one who will allow his listener to continue to drink the poison of false teaching. Thank you, Dr. Panosian, for saying what needed to be said.

New England Baptist College

On Thursday of this past week, I had the privillege to drive down to Southington, CT to visit the fine folks down at New England Baptist College. NEBC is a ministry of Central Baptist Church. I have always enjoyed my times at Central and have been greatly blessed by Pastor Jim Townsley. He is doing a fine work over there.My appointment was with Dr. David Blazer, the Executive Vice President of the college. I have only known Brother Blazer for a short time, but in that time he has certianly earned my respect. Blazer has not only helped NEBC off the ground, but had also had a hand in helping Oklahoma Baptist College and Crown College get their starts. Christian Education is what this man is all about.

Before our interview, I had few moments to speak with a precious woman, the widow of the late Dr. Bob McKeever. I never had the pleasure of meeting Brother McKeever, but have heard him several times on tape and mp3. The interesting thing about him is that everyone I know that knows him, raves about him. I never heard a negative word spoken of him, only high praise. I shared that with Mrs. McKeever. She shared with me some early memories she had of just starting out in the ministry. They didn’t have much back then, but their strong faith in Christ gave them more than they could have ever imagined. She was a great encouragement to this young preacher.

The interview with Dr. Blazer went very well I thought. I won’t say much here about it – you’ll have to listen in to the podcast to find out about that! But, he is always a pleasure to speak with. We’ll make sure to make his book on education available to you, that is, once he is finished writing it!

Speaking of books, Dr. Townsley has just released two of his own: Beyond A Shadow of A Doubt and Search Me O God. Dr. Blazer was nice enough to give me a copy of each, and I’ll give you a report once I have read them. I’m sure they will be a blessing. Of course, you don’t have to wait for me, you can have your copy of either one for the price of only $3. You can write to

New England Baptist Press

1505 West Main Street

Southington, CT 06489

Or call at

(860) 621-6701

…to get copies for yourself. You can also ask what other materials they have available. See the lesson here, everyone? Give me free books, and I’ll advertise anything you’ve got…

Those Old Words…

How familiar with Baptisms have we become? How many of us can quote with the pastor the words to that famous formula, “…Buried in the likeness of His death, and raised to walk with Him in newness of life.” They have almost become trite… Yet, the truth that rings through ought to grip the heart of every believer.

In Romans 6, we find the source to these familiar words. Romans 6:4 declares, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Once we have received the cleansing atonement of Christ, we are forever dead to our sin and alive in His presence and His person. We are truly new creatures. Baptism symbolizes your new relationship with Christ.

But let us not overlook the great truth found here. We too have taken part in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. First, we have died to our old lives and sinful habits. Verse 6 tells us that our old man has been crucified. Death is the ultimate act of separation. That is what our new life demands of us – a complete separation from our past.

Second, we are “buried with Him by baptism into death.” The act of Baptism ought to symbolize the burial of our Lord. This is why one is immersed rather than sprinkled. Immersion shows us this truth, while sprinkling does not correctly portray what is meant by this act. Baptism is what places one in the body of Christ, otherwise known as the church. It is through the church that our Lord works and moves. He is the head of His church. How can one have any sort of life without a head? It is in the local church that the Christian life thrives.

Third, we take part in the Lord’s resurrection. Death has been defeated and a new life has been given to all those who come to Him. Death has died and no longer should reign in our mortal bodies. Instead, we are free indeed. We are not free to do what we were always intended to do, serve our Master.

Perhaps while we witness our next Baptism, we will ponder exactly what is being depicted before our very eyes. Our old life is washed away, we have been placed in the Body of Christ, and are free to live as the Lord created us to live. How fitting for a newly-saved Christian to hear, and a seasoned Christian to be reminded of…

What is Preaching?

In an age characterized by compromise and watered-down orthodoxy, it is no surprise that the art of preaching has greatly suffered. In some churches, preaching has been sadly reduced to a fifteen-minute lecture on practical living. However, the question before us is, what is preaching? I believe preaching is the presentation of scriptural truth in a clear and systematic manner.

First, preaching is the presentation of scriptural truth. The Word of God is the foundation of any true and worthwhile sermon. Preaching is not a mere opinion on current events nor is it a philosophical discourse on age-old questions. At the center of good preaching lays the key doctrines of the Bible. Sin, redemption, sanctified living and the wonders of Almighty God are found in true preaching.

Secondly, preaching is clear and systematic. Truth presented in uncertain and ambiguous terms is of no use to a congregation. God’s Word must be given in such a way as to give the hearer a full understanding of eternal certainties. The message is of the utmost importance; therefore the delivery must be made effectively.

Preaching may be a lost art in many churches, but is still God’s chosen method of delivering His gospel to those for whom He died. The truth must be boldly proclaimed. Yet, the proclamation must be made clear for all to hear and apply.

Jesus, Billy, and Don Imus

Finally, a morning off! And how do I spend this Good Friday morning? Flipping channels on the TV. As I watched the stations fly by, I paused for something interesting – A picture of Billy Graham came on the screen. I’m always interested to see what the secular society thinks of anything religious, so I stopped. What made this even more interesting was this picture was shown on the Don Imus program, MSNBC. I wondered what the often-times vulgar radio host had to say about Graham. It was thought-provoking.

In an apparent attempt to be relevant here on Good Friday, Imus was interviewing the managing editor of Times Magazine John Meachum. Meachum has also authored the American Gospel. Imus and Meachum were discussing all thing religious on this holy day… Somehow the conversation turned to Billy Graham. The question was asked – who can replace such a great man? Graham has many times been referred to as “America’s Pastor” due in part to his great influence on every president since Eisenhower, and his prominent appearances in great tragedies such as 911. How can such a great man be replaced?

The first name immediately thrown away was Franklin Graham. Why? As Meachum put it, because of his “attacks on Islam, and stupidly so.” Imus and Meachum agreed that Graham had been very careful not to attack any other religion and to promote non-offensive form of Christianity. Imus then asked, how in this day could do that? Preachers have become so politicized and wrapped up in their own dogma, he explained. Someone needs to be able to stand up for his faith without upsetting others. To my shock Imus then added, “Not even Jesus could do that.” Imus and I agree.

Jesus offended many people many times. Not out of shock value, nor out of ego, but it is the natural reaction darkness has to light – offense. If we are to be a light in this dark world, people will be offended because their deeds are evil. What a telling comment about Billy Graham. For all his many accomplishments, where is his light?

On A Personal Note…

Some of you may have noticed that I have not updated this blog in a few days. I can hear your thoughts now:

“Is he sick or in the hospital?”
“Should we be looking for Kevin to appear on Al Jezera requesting an immediate US troop withdrawal from Iraq?”
“Have the neo’s brainwashed him into stopping the blog, fundamentalism’s frontline in the war against compromise?”
“Is the guy just plain lazy!”

No, no… None of the above. Actually, I have had the great pleasure of spending the past few days with the most beautiful woman the Lord placed on planet earth, or on any other planet for that matter. She is the one whom the angels call, “Jill.”

Jill arrived on Friday night bringing joy and bliss into the heart of this young theolog. Arriving late at night, the trip didn’t start out exactly as I had planned… Having met on the internet a few months ago, this is the first time we had ever actually met in person. As you could imagine, my nerves were working overtime. I took the wrong exit going into Logan Airport (I blame my roommate co-pilot for that of course) and then we got lost finding the car in central parking! I was not making the best first impression… Then there were the detours coming into Boston… Oh boy! But, as the night went on, things got much better. The “chemistry” began to appear…

The next morning we were back out to Boston to see the sights. We took the T in and visited Boston Common, Faunal Hall, Quincy Market, The State House, and of course, the famous (infamous) Park Street Church. And no stop at the Park Street Church would be complete without a Kevin Thompson lecture on Harold J. Ockenga (former pastor at Park Street) and the beginnings and dangers of New Evangelicalism. Yes, I am a geek.

The weekend was packed with all the big meetings. Jill met with my pastor and his wife (Pastor and Mrs. Peter Laitres) and even with my old pastor and his wife (Pastor and Mrs. James Wilkes). Combine that with meeting my parents and my church and I even put her to work in our school! What a jerk I am to put her through all that in one weekend! But she “passed” with flying colors. Everyone loves Jill (including me most of all!).

I wish I could write much, much more. I could fill a few books going on about my Jill. But, I don’t want to embarrass her or bore you. If you would like more details, drop me an e-mail and I would love to go on for hours about my favorite person in the world. I praise the Lord everyday for bringing us together. I have found my Proverbs 31 woman.