Women "Prophets" and Abortion Clinics

Below we hear a sister from Shepherd's Fellowship preaching the gospel in compassion to abortive parents and clinic workers outside an abortion clinic in Raleigh, NC.  I have always believed that outside an abortion clinic is the prime place for a "woman prophetess" (i.e., a woman who speaks God's truth by the leading of the Holy Spirit).  Would to God that His Spirit would breathe upon the dead bones within the professing Christian church and cause them to prophesy like this woman.

"'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, . . . EVEN ON MY SLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:17-18)

HT:  ForLifeandEternity

Outreach Report for NCSU, UNCC, Pomona Clinic 11-12-2010

A great shot of the group sans moi

This has been a great week of missionary activity for Shepherd's Fellowship as we teamed up with our dear saints Bill Adams and Scott and Patte Smith as well as Justin Edwards and his crew from Charlotte's The Speak:Truth Project.  We did outreach Tuesday at UNCG, Wednesday at NCSU, Friday at UNC-Charlotte, and Saturday at A Woman's Choice abortion clinic in our hometown, Greensboro, NC.  These evangelists are so encouraging to us and it is always a blessing to serve and fellowship with them.  If you were unaware, Bill and Scott help plant evangelism teams in the southeast by traveling to cities to assist local evangelists in networking believers for the proclamation of the Gospel.  The regional network of evangelists they are establishing has been a great blessing to us at Shepherd's Fellowship and they extend our influence in preaching the gospel throughout the southeastern United States.  What follows is a video of brother Scott Smith preaching at NCSU:

 

Here's a snippet of brother Justin Edwards, Shawn Pander, Scott Smith, and myself preaching in the "free speech" section of the UNCC campus:









Saturday morning we preached at A Woman's Choice abortion clinic in Greensboro, NC.  The young man below, who after being initially angry, then became tearful, respectful, and listened well to the gospel.  We pleaded with him to quickly get his girlfriend out of there and as we were doing so, the abortionist drove up.  The young man came out later, wiping tears from his eyes because his girlfriend chose to murder their child.  We ministered to him even more by pleading with him to repent, gave him gospel literature and our contact information, and invited to him to church.  He desperately needs our prayers.  Note:  This young man used profanity, thus the following videos aren't suitable for children. 

Showing God's Grace Includes Giving to Believers in Need

In preparation for teaching on 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, I came across these gold nuggets of gospel truth:

16:1 – “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.” (1 Cor. 16:1 NAU)  The idea behind “the collection for the saints” is an economy of abundance (2 Cor. 8:9).  In other words, since God in Christ has given us everything for life and godliness, which includes giving of our resources to help believers in need.  Listen to what Anthony C. Thiselton says about the word “collection” in v. 1,

“. . . it is theologically entirely appropriate to speak of the collection not as a mundane chore of ‘maintaining’ the church in any routinized mechanistic sense, but of ‘maintaining’ (in the sense of nurturing) others by passing on freely received grace . . .; by tangibly and publicly expressing mutuality and reciprocity in koinonia or partnership; and by serving (diakonia) others, even as Christ has yielded up his riches to serve.  All of this brings blessing (eulogia) alike to the one who gives and to the one who receives, “for it is more blessed (even) to give than to receive.”[1]

This is exactly what Paul communicates when he speaks of giving to the poor saints in 2 Cor. 9:6-12,

“Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each person should do as he has decided in his heart-- not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. ⁹ As it is written: He scattered; He gave to the poor; His righteousness endures forever. ¹⁰ Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. ¹³ They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service. ¹⁴ And they will have deep affection for you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” (2 Cor. 9:6-15 HCSB)

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[1] Anthony C. Thiselton, NIGTC The First Epistle to the Corinthians, (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2000), 1319.

Dr. James White: Islam A-Z

Islam A to Z: Session 1 and Q&A from Lakeview Christian Center on Vimeo.



Islam A to Z: Session 2 and Q&A from Lakeview Christian Center on Vimeo.

HT:  Answering Muslims

UNCG Journalism Student Reports on our Ministry

I was interviewed by a pleasant journalism student last Thursday afternoon after preaching in front of the Educational building at UNCG.  Here's the report of that interview:

My feature from this week’s Carolinian, only I put back in the funny parts I had to take out in order to be, like, journalistic or something:

It’s mid-afternoon Thursday, and on the sidewalk outside the School of Education building a man in a fishing-hat sermonizes from a pedestal to anyone who will listen.  Most people, whether spiritually full or pressed for time, pass quickly and miss Dustin Segers discredit “rational” arguments against God: “You’re telling me that only marbles exist, and yet you’re appealing to non-marble entities to do so,” he challenges Spring Garden Sreet. Spring Garden Street offers no response.

For another twenty minutes Pastor Segers preaches his logical gospel, appealing to historical texts, making philosophical arguments for the Lord. Because everybody else keeps walking away, he starts speaking directly to me, taking notes. Of course, there is some admonishing of homosexual activity, as well as of effeminacy (look out, metros!), but all delivered in a “love the sinner, hate the sin” attitude that at least attempts to avoid alienation For example, he explains that “the bible doesn’t single out homosexuals — nor thieves. Things only get awkward when he starts inquiring about specific sins: “You like drinking, my friend?” he asks his audience (still just me). “Like chuggin’ on the bottle? I did.” His audience shrugs. His job seems pretty hard.

As two campus police arrive for a word, Dustin announces he’s going to give his voice a little rest, and I take the opportunity to speak with Scott Smith, coordinator behind the day’s mission. “Sometimes the police say we can’t use amplification,” he says, waving a hand at Dustin and the officers. Smith has just returned to the States from Auckland (“we were preaching rugby matches,”) and now he’s midway through a tour of the Southeast. Once founder of a preparatory school, now self-funded evangelist with ties to Presbyterianism, Smith travels year-round under the banner of Schoolmaster Ministries, contacting local preachers like Segers to help him spread the Word to college campuses, sporting events, festivals etc…

“What I love about colleges is that the kids have time, they’re open to listen, they’re still open to learning,” he says, undaunted by the spare response he’s had today. Often people are turned off at the mention of street preaching, which calls to mind apocalyptic accusations and extreme-right opinions. Aware of these perceptions, Smith does his best to preach positively—though many street-preachers rely on “shock and scare” tactics, when Smith comes to town, he calls on “[preachers] with degrees in philosophy or theology,” hoping to appeal to people’s higher sensibilities.

Whatever one’s opinions on Pastor Segers’ program, his method certainly advocates dignity. Smiling as he shakes hands with the police, then joining Smith and I, Segers explains that both officers are Christians, and have indeed asked him to cut his microphone. While Smith moves the pulpit (to his joy, the police have permitted them to preach from the shade!) and begins his sermon, Segers explains his approach a little further to me.

“The last thing we want is to be associated with the Westboro Baptists,” he states—a fairly universal sentiment, but one which here expresses fundamental disapproval for fanatical methods. Segers and Smith see themselves not as dogmatists but apologists, who want to “engage [people] in a loving, respectful way to answer intellectually their questions.” Clearly the Word will need selling, but they accept the job out of compassion. “We want to get through [folks’] intellectual smokescreens… or we’re all toast before God,” Segers explains, kneeling, grinning, while over his shoulder Smith declaims to smoking students, “1,000 trips to McDonalds won’t turn you into a fish fillet” (think about it).

What does the future hold for Schoolmaster Ministries? Dustin Segers will stay in Greensboro with the Shepherd’s Fellowship, but Smith, having already come from the University of Tennessee and Western Carolina, will see NC State next week, then “go up North and work around D.C. for a while.” And in the Winter? “We usually go down to Florida, preach FSU, get the Daytona 500,” Smith reports. “People are usually more receptive down South.”

 Though its a tad snarky, that's not too bad!

HT:  http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/schoolmaster+ministries

Appreciating the honesty of Richard Dawkins

JB: When you make a value judgement don't you immediately step yourself outside of this evolutionary process and say that the reason this is good is that it's good. And you don't have any way to stand on that statement.

RD: My value judgement itself could come from my evolutionary past.

JB: So therefore it's just as random in a sense as any product of evolution.

RD: You could say that, it doesn't in any case, nothing about it makes it more probable that there is anything supernatural.

JB: Ultimately, your belief that rape is wrong is as arbitrary as the fact that we've evolved five fingers rather than six.

RD: You could say that, yeah.

http://www.bethinking.org/science-christianity/beginner/the-john-lennox-richard-dawkins-debate.htm

Noble Purpose? Ignoble Methods

In the past, I've spent a significant amount of time listening to Pastor Dustin S. Segers defending the Christian Worldview to atheists. His recent efforts with Brother Sye Tenbruggencate and Brother Eric Hovind have demonstrated, for the most part, "The Noble Purpose" and contrasted "Ignoble Methods" of the atheist hosts of Fundamentally Flawed "in which Alex gets quite annoyed, and Jim calls Eric a 'liar for money' " (FF quote that describes their podcast episode).

I know better than to listen to this type of broadcast late at night,...

On my way to work this morning I heard a great quote that reminded me of 1 Peter 3:13-18 wherein the Christian is exhorted to respond gently and reverently. Ravi Zacharias (RZ) was recounting an opportunity to speak to a turkish "movie star" who thinks he is not welcome in the USA due to his acerbic comments and activities outside the White House, wherein he had resorted to screaming threats and gesticulating in a threatening manner. RZ asked him "is your position concerning the President of the United States of America a NOBLE position?" to which the entertainer responded; "Certainly!". RZ then demanded consistency with the following statement: " Then why do you employ IGNOBLE methods to represent your NOBLE position?" There was a long silence from the entertainer.

RZ was appealing to the Christian Worldview that is expressed in 1 Peter 3 where the Christian explains the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone who he engages. The issue for the Christian is not only the TRUTH but the manner in which he DELIVERS the TRUTH. Pastor Dustin, Sye and Eric have, for the most part, honored Jesus Christ with their gentle and reverent speech and behavior. This stands in STARK CONTRAST to the bombastic, angry steamrolling of Alex and Jim.

Alex and Jim interrupt regularly the Christians with raised voices, potting down the Christian feeds, steamrolling behavior, straw man constructs, insults (Ad Hominem attacks) and rude behavior. When called upon to STOP (PD repeats; "hold on, hold on...ho,.. ho,.. ho,..") and they (Alex and Jim) feign common courtesies and soon return to their overpowering, self-serving behavior.

It is reasonable as Christian gentlemen to demand a change in behavior, change in venue or to move on from "fundamentally flawed". If the FF Hosts cannot or WILL NOT stop their sophomoric behavior, they need to submit to a MODERATED debate where there is an authority outside themselves that will not permit them to embarrass themselves and , . . enable the listener to not only hear both sides, but to be able to weigh the merits of each.

I will guarantee that the listener will be exposed to the futility of the Atheist Worldview when their anger and tactics are mitigated. For my Christian Brothers: Well done,. . . continue to honor the Spirit of God who has made you able to respond gently and reverently, and demand a venue where you may Proclaim the Gospel!

and,.. one more thing,.. thank you Alex and Jim for not resorting to the same profanity that your remaining FF atheist participants employ. Their reprehensible behavior makes the remainder of the FF Podcast not fit for human consumption.

Profanity is a tool that conceals a weak vocabulary.

PS

* fine artwork by Jesse Riggle