Responses to My Warning About Lancaster's Music - Part 4
March 30, 2011 David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)
.Proverbs 27:5-6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Galatians 4:16 “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
Psalms 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”
Psalms 119:128 "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way."
Following are some more of the positive e-mails I received in response to the February 18 Friday Church Notes article “Lancaster Baptist Shouting to the Lord” and subsequent articles on that subject:
“I just wanted to write and tell you how much I appreciate the material you produce and how much it has helped me in my Christian life. I have used much of your material now for several years in my personal Bible study, jail Bible studies and sunday school lessons and sermon preparation. I have several of your books on my kindle and am glad that you are putting your material into the kindle format. I also have many of your audio sermons downloaded to my ipod and am able to to listen to them while I work. ... I regard you as one of the most balanced men I have ever read or heard and I don't say that as empty flattery but simply this is what I perceived from reading and using your material over many years. You have dealt with a lot of hard issues in your warning ministry like the Lancaster Baptist Church’s use of CCM music (which you are totally right about) and many other hard things but every time your heart of compassion is very evident and I believe that shows true balance. I believe it is totally unbalanced to keep quiet about serious issues which go against the Word of God just as it is to blast others for their errors in a mean and unfeeling way. You do neither of these things but instead warn out of a heart obviously concerned with right doctrine and a love for the Lord and a love for God's people and his churches. So Bro. Cloud, I want to thank you for allowing God to use you in this ministry. I am praying for you and that the Lord will continue to use you and the material you write to strengthen churches and believers everywhere.”
“How I would love to see Chappell or Horton at PCC stand up ... and say to one and all, ‘We have sinned against God in our compromise in the music we write, play, sing and record, and we repent of our compromise. We renounce the following songs (and list them!) and will no longer market the following CD's and printed music. If we starve to death because of our stand we will do so with a clear conscience. We ask all whose worship and service for Christ has been weakened to forgive us. By God's grace, we will from this point forward seek to abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. Brethren, pray for us!!!’ That is what David did when Nathan the prophet confronted him with his sin.”
“In my opinion, West Coast Bible College is heading in the wrong direction musically and has been for some time and if it continues in this direction it will pay a high price for not listening to the musicians, the prophets, the men of God who have been warning God’s people about these things for 20 and 30 years. I plead with you to open your minds to this. Could it just be that Satan, the master musician and the master of subtlety, has used both to infiltrate the church of the last days to rob it of its glory and spiritual power?”
“Bro. Cloud, I would like to send some encouragement to you in the midst of this issue. I appreciate the call the Lord has put on you to warn His people. We are a navy family living [and we lived] in California [for a few years.] ... Please don't be deterred by some people who are making judgments based on their preferences rather than the word of God. You wrote, ‘Many independent Baptist churches that still have any sort of conviction against CCM are adapting it by using the words while toning down the rhythm. They are trying to take the rock out of Christian rock. They think they can tame the beast and turn Charismatic praise music into fundamentalist praise music.’ This made me think of Ezekiel 22 where it says they profaned my holy things and did not put difference between the holy and the profane nor the clean and unclean. And then you represent in a way Ezekiel 44 where the Lord says the priests of Zadok will teach His people discernment and make judgments according to His word. ... I just want you to know your emails are appreciated and I pray the Lord continue to bless your ministry and keep you bold in it. Thank you.”
“I just wanted to send you a note of encouragement. I am training in my local church to be an evangelist in Canada. ... In the years that I have subscribed to your FBIS letters, there have often been times that I have been uneasy reading, unsure if the topics discussed were too ‘extreme.’ Over the last few years I have come to really appreciate your ministry. There are very few men out there who stand for the truth, and are willing to take the abuse that comes because of it. I have noticed that many of those who accuse you have being harsh or to critical, have often, themselves, been so to you. I just want to encourage you to continue going on. Young preachers such as I need older men to bring to light the things we do not see. I for one want to be one that will stand for the truth, and I hope to be a man for my generation who will, without compromise, be faithful. Thank you again, and if you have any particular insight or suggestion of things I could or should learn, please let me know.”
“It's the usual thing...if people don't like the message, they find some fault with the messenger, or the way he delivered the message. This way, they can change the issue and don't have to acknowledge the message. It's a really convenient tactic that many people use. People are trying to change the issue from the matter of adapting CCM for use in IB churches, to the way Brother Cloud dealt with it.’ I wonder, has anyone that has written to criticize you really taken your message in a truly positive way? Have the people who really agreed with what you said about this specific issue criticized you or the way you brought your message out? Or is it only the people that didn't like what you wrote about West Coast, that actually criticized you or the way you wrote about it? (I expect there will be a few who will disingenuously claim that they agree with you on the issue, but ‘you just didn't deal with the matter in the right way,’ and then spend the greater part of their reply to you just criticizing you). I think that if someone wanted to criticize you or the way you wrote about West Coast music practices, they should at least state what is wrong about your message before they get personal about you, or how you wrote about it. I would like to challenge everyone that has an issue with you to first contemplate the real issue, i.e., the matter of adapting CCM for use in IB churches, before they even bother writing you about "the way you dealt with it.’ Those that don't focus on the real issue first probably don't even deserve a reply.”
“Thank you so much for your Biblical stand. These days are lonely days for the OLD Fashioned preacher, and I look forward to every email that I get from WAY OF LIFE. The updates are encouraging to me and my ministry. Hold fast. Keep on Fightin.”
“I appreciate the music warnings you have been publishing. As a person who was saved in a ‘non-denominational’ church (that now preaches a wealth/health/prosperity ‘gospel’), I was completely wrapped up with this type of music. Fortunately the Lord led me out of this and I have learned a lot from your writings. As a young (28) man, the best warning I can give for anyone else my age is to leave it all alone. Most of it is so vague you could worship any god of your imagination, and the rest of it is a bridge to things that will take you away from God. It is not worth the price you have to pay to listen to it. Music with pseudo-Christian lyrics mixed with the worlds music style is the world's music and should be avoided. I thank you again for publishing this.”
“While you are ‘at it’ you might want to delve into PCC's use of CCM over the past several years. I would guess that they have influenced multitudes with their sensual music, and it is an observable fact that their dress standards have gone downhill with the music. Over the past few years I have seen three young men (my age and younger) that used to be my friends, men I have preached with, start down this trail. Two are outright emergents now, and admit it. The other one is on the path to emergent, though I doubt he would admit it. No doubt, part of their compromise is a result of the ‘big-shots’ who won't publicly stand and who have taught them that bigger equals better, ‘we can learn from these Rick Warren types without accepting their wrong stuff,’ etc. If you want to delve into the world of compromise, just spend some time looking at the Twitter sites of IB preachers. Look at who they follow and quote on Twitter. Notice how the young men that are actively engaged in compromise and mocking of Biblical separation are linked to, conversed with, but not rebuked by the older IB preachers. Social networking is one place where apparently separation does not apply at all. Also, the emergent mindset is show to exist strongly in places like Twitter. Without that mindset how in the name of all that is reasonable and sensible could men ‘follow’ Rick Warren, Jack Schaap, Johnny Pope, Mark Driscoll . . . all at the same time? I am convinced that the IB movement of my youth is gone, over, done, buried. ... The Lord, the Bible, and the local NT church (‘pillar and ground of the truth’) -- that is the place to find pure faith and practice. If it weren't for those three, I'd be a very discouraged man. I think I've been on the outside of the mainstream of the IB movement for years, but it is still sad to see it become such a pathetic joke while it claims to be what it is not.”
“People no longer want to here absolute truth. They call it divisive and those that stand for absolute truth as being troublemakers and the like. I personally want to thank you for standing for truth. For also being willing to stand against Bible Colleges that are compromising even when I personally know this alienates you from others. I am proud of you and the work you are doing for the Lord. God Bless you Brother and we will be praying for you.”
“What a breath of fresh air. I have been saying this over and over and over and have been endlessly bashed. I have taught against traditionalism for tradition’s sake , good old boys networks, and our own ‘program’ driven churches. I have harped about sin outside the camp being visible, yet inside the camp being invisible. Through all this I have been bashed time and time again. I Just wanted to encourage you, as I know how much I could have used the encouragement during those times. I chose to do what is right because it is right. I do not want the invitations to pastor’s fellowships or honorary doctorates. I only desperately want to hear “well done my good and faithful servant.’”
“Amen to the FCN piece on THE IB HYPOCRISY ABOUT WARNING. You hit the nail on the head. I am grateful the you are drawing attention to this.”
“I’ve been following the discussion on Lancaster’s music on the website. I deeply appreciate your position concerning the great double standard existing in much of the Independent Baptist Church leadership. I believe it goes far beyond them as well. When Jerry Huffman wrote The Calvary Contender, I had some long conversations with him about disclosures outside of where he and his church were, but never within the group or schools with which they were associated. It is the spirit of denominationalism – protecting the ‘system’ above the Word of God. You see it in many places. People profess to be saved and go along with the flow, and then some test emerges in their face and the easy, if not unscriptural and false way is chosen because it is easier, and they reason or are told that it really doesn’t seem to matter to God. Actually, it does matter to God. It is these people to whom it doesn’t matter. It is an indictment on them and their abandonment of the authority of the Word of God on their lives. ... Keep up the work that the Lord has given you to do – the end result is at stake, and you nor I have a corner on what happens in the end.”
“I want to say thank you for being willing to take a stand for truth even if the elites of the IB movement don't like it! I was brought to a place many years ago where I had to make a choice either follow men and the peer pressure of a fellowship or the Holy Spirit. I chose Christ and have not had the fellowship with many since but the fellowship I do have is centered on truth. I have never met you but your writings have encouraged me in knowing that though we are a minority we are not alone. You are on the mark with both CCM and West Coast. There are other colleges and movements in the IB circles that are on slippery slopes as well. I am reminded of the prophetic parables of Math 13 and the words of Jesus when HE said would he find any faith when he comes again. The closer we get to the end of this Age we will become more of a minority so we must determine to just stay with the stuff and stand on the truth.”
“Dear Bro. Cloud, I have read with interest these articles about West Coast Baptist Collage. I have found the music you object to and that I once listened to and sang slowly at first, then with great speed being cast aside as I have learned more about the writers and performers of this music. I see God continuing to answer a prayer I prayed when I surrendered to his call to preach. Dear Lord, keep me out of stupid. And my grandfather had a saying that describes those who complain about you warnings about CCM and it association with rock music and CWM. ‘The poked pig done squealed.’”
“We agree with you taking this stand and pointing out the CCM at Lancaster. I just listened to ‘Sing to the Lord’ YouTube. It makes me feel ‘uncomfortable’ just listening to it.”
“ We as a family have followed your posts on the ccm music over the past two weeks. We totally agree with you on all points. We have known for a long time that the music in some of our IB churches in Australia is going the same way. ... Thank you for your ministry, it is not just my wife and I that appreciate it but our three oldest (teens) also appreciate what you are doing as well.”
“The more I read about those who have found fault with your warning and challenge to Pastor Chappell about CCM and the philosophy that comes with it, it really concerns me. This is obviously the last days. 2 Timothy 4:3, ‘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.’ But the fact that folks in IB churches are disagreeing with your warnings of CCM is very saddening. That has been a mark of who IB bible believing Christians are. We are to sound the alarm when compromise or worldliness creeps into our churches and mark things that are contrary to sound doctrine or practice in churches. If there is growth in a church (in number or size of ministry), and CCM is in that church, that is not the Lord's blessing. ... I have attended three ... churches before that started to use CCM and the result is all the same. It is a steady downward spiral in spiritual and moral standards, whether clearly taught in the pulpit or not, it is through practice. Dress, separation from worldly behaviour and standards and activities and even doctrine are all affected - especially, the ‘judge not’ attitude. If we can not warn and flag dangerous trends and especially something so infiltrating, yet subtle at first and deceivable as CCM, then what can we warn of? Paul said in Acts 20:31, ‘Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.’ When we bring in the devil's music, how ever harmless it may sound to us initially, we bring in the devil to the church. We won't see God's work and conviction in souls if the devil is in the church. We will see false growth, and superficial success and deception. CCM is not a small or insignificant matter in the church, it is at the very helm. The more that folks are saying that you were wrong in your warning, the louder and clearer the warning needs to be, in my books. We are in the battle for the Bible, the genuine conversion of souls by sound scriptural teaching and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and for separation from all worldliness, including CCM. When CCM is allowed to come into the church, all these battles and many others are, or will eventually be lost. Keep on warning about CCM, no matter what folks say about you.”
“Excellent and correct response [‘What If Brother Cloud Is Wrong about the West Coast Thing’], I too have experienced being in the minority on many things since I was saved, most often I have found that the minority view squares with Scripture, stay humble before the Lord and keep doing what you are doing.”
“I just wanted to tell you that what you are doing is a blessing! Just keep on preachin' brother! God called me to preach in 2008 and I love to read your material. I'm glad that you keep us updated on the current events that are leading toward the one-world government. You have my prayers brother Cloud. May God bless you and keep you in His will.”
“The music drift at West Coast saturates every part of their ministry. Here is another Darlene Zschech/Hillsong Contemporary worship song on YouTube and the LBC high school graduates giving their version of it at the graduation. I wonder if they practiced using this on their Ipods before the performance? I sat down with my assistant/youth director and had a long and thorough heart to heart on just how clear our church's position on music is going to be. Not only is the Bible text issue going to be a defining and dividing issue in the Independent Baptist movement, music is as well. IFBs may have lost the current generation to CCM, through their apathy in supporting supposed separatists colleges, but maybe this generation can be rescued by clear teaching and preaching on sacred separated Christ-honoring music doctrine.”
“You would give God the glory and prayer the credit for your success in missionary work. Did you ever stop to think that your success has some small thing to do with the fact that you make the hard calls and stand where fewer and fewer men would stand. Keep up the pressure on the brethren, someone has to. I am proud (in a good way) to call you friend.”
“Thank you for stalwart stand against Satan's subtle ways to destroy churches. I think of the tears shed by that great man of God, Nehemiah, and his love for God's people. I think of his spiritual battle to rebuild the wall of protection, even though the enemy had already moved in and fought against it. As the spiritual walls against the world are being torn down as God's people are sung to sleep, may we all wake up out of our slumber, for the hour is late. Thank you for you love for the lost AND God's men. Keep keeping on for Our Savior's sake.”
“Be of good cheer, a multitude of people are behind you. Just because they don't all speak up does not mean you are alone. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND CONTINUE BEING A MOUTHPIECE FOR GOD.”
“Keep preaching the truth, Brother. As a Baptist Pastor, I have witnessed the devastating effects of CCM in my own family. My own oldest son was influenced by his new father-in-law in CCM music and started a downward spiral leading to many earthly pleasures that has caused a broken family with children. Obviously there are many factors that go into a backslidden or lost person’s life, however we can see the change dating back to the introduction of CCM in His life, that now has turned into all sorts of demonic music and lifestyle. Once the devil pushes open the door and sticks his foot in, it is so much easier for Him and His demons to come marching in. I praise God for your ministry and the stand you have taken. I believe from the Word of God, you are on the right track in this area.”
“Appreciate both your humble spirit as well as your Bible stand on the subject matter at hand. As a pastor I too battle the desire to stand straight and speak forth the truth knowing full well that doing so will probably lead to a negative response rather than a positive one from a few of my people. I know that you know these things but we all need to be encouraged from time to time that we are doing the right thing. In this matter with Bro. Chappell you have. Galatians 1:10 MUST be a reality in our lives if we are to be what the Lord wants us to be as preachers. At the same time I've seen some of my preacher friends boldness turn into prideful arrogance. Keep standing ... and keep that humble spirit.”
“I appreciate your ministry and the warnings that you give.”
“Good spirit and heart, Brother!”
“Thank you, Bro. Cloud, for the example of courage and humility that you exhibit through your ministry. God is so good to us. He saves those that will come to him. He helps us along this Christian journey. He makes no mistakes; He is the Lord of all! I can’t thank him enough!”
“Thank you for showing us how careful we must be with the music in the church. Also thank you for taking a stand on the music issue. Please keep the faith, remain strong in the Lord and we are praying for you for strength.”
“If you allow ccm in the Lord's Church then you are the blame there. If we as God's people cannot handle a rebuke when are wrong, then we are to self centered. I really doubt we are protecting God's people as the Lord would have us do. I would not budge an inch here. I believe in hammering and hammering and hammering home until the shell cracks. Then we can have Church. I cannot tell you how many years I have had to put up with soft Preachers. I am tired of having higher standards than most Preachers. We act like it is us at stake. I know you like men of God, and want to see IB Churches flourish.We are to soft today. We are losing this battle due to the lack of backbone in the pulpits!!! This is not rocket science. I just refuse to listen to a Preacher preach if I know he is into southern gospel music. I am tired of wasting my time on powder puff Preachers. West Coast needs to step it up, Or step down! I wonder if the saying SLEEP ON has rested on out IB churches today!!! Keep the shell hammer going Brother!”
“Brother Cloud, I don't always agree with you, but I know there are many enemies of Christ who would be delighted if you would silence your pen. Don't! You were a strong anchor for me at a time when our church was going seeker-sensitive and I didn't know what that was; I just knew what was happening was wrong. Since that time several years ago, the church has gone further down the apostate road. Thank God for godly men like yourself who helped us remain strong! I watched your dvds on music. Well done and thank you.”
“Brother Cloud, thank you for sending this my way this morning [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart - My Warning about West Coast in Perspective’]. As my eyes traveled through the sentences, I felt the Power of God and His wisdom in your humble statements. Hopefully, after giving this email to my own pastor and assoc pastor, the resistance that has been there to the truth that you have so earnestly been shedding will melt away. We have been hearing a lot in our preaching lately about revival and God’s power in our church and I feel the Lord is trying to show us that these things aren’t going to come to us without some travel. We must be doers and not hearers only. It will be wonderful one day when our faith becomes sight and this old flesh is no longer such an opponent unto us.”
“I have no doubt that you did what you thought was right, concerning the West Coast thing. You bore nothing malicious toward the pastor, church or college. If people knew your heart, they would realize that there is a measure of compassion in what you do. It is easy to overlook that element in your ministry. Keep on ‘speaking the truth in love.’”
“Thank you so much for the courage you have taken in writing against the infiltration of CCM into the churches of independent Baptists. I have seen first hand the destruction of our former church after the pastor first allowed and continued to allow CCM at deafening proportions into a youth program at our church which started after the evening service, and went until 10.30pm every Sunday. It was called MADD - ‘making a difference.’ It sure did. Even though several members begged our pastor to reconsider the implementation of this program, he claimed that many young people were being drawn to the church and ‘saved.’ In reality, the lure of such worldly music was drawing youth from many other churches in the area, many to the despair of their parents. Even though the numbers were large, I do not know of any young people ‘saved’ at MADD who are faithfully serving the Lord today. Our church continued on the downward New Evangelical slope, started an extravagant building program and as far as I know is heavily in debt today. It was during this awful time that I came across your website which has been such a help to me in understanding what is happening in the churches.”
“Dear Brother Cloud, I have been reading your emails of the past several weeks regarding WCBC and LBC with praise for your warnings and with sadness regarding this compromise and those who defend the compromises. I have seen much more compromise than I have anticipated in my day but it is here. THANK YOU so very much for your earnest and humble desire to stand by the truth no matter what it costs. I do greatly appreciate you. I pray for you AND your wife daily.Your preaching and your stand has been a blessing and a challenge to me. Please stay on the front lines helping to defend the truth and sound a precise warning.”
“And this is way you are used of God in my life [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart’]. And why I have ordered material from your ministry. Iron shapeneth Iron, you have help me in many areas as well as I believe you have help many in the music area in the last few weeks. Bro Chappell, I believe, will hold you in good regards as to one who is striving to do right. Please do not stop and please let the Lord guide you. You have been a BLESSING and will continue.”
“Great response to any critics and anyone who has doubt about this issue [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart’]. But don’t ever apologize for speaking the truth in love.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that you were right in the way you presented your warning. Having said that, whether you handled it in the best possible manner or not, the fact that this great institution is heading down the slippery slope of CCM compromise is still a fact (and one that needed to be revealed). Some representatives from West Coast called me, only days before you gave the initial warning concerning their music, to request that my two daughters consider attending college there. My pastor has promoted their college, and I had no idea that their music was going the way of the world until I read your article and reviewed the video you referred to. There is no way that I would send my daughters to a college that approves of what I both read and saw. Your warning will undoubtedly go to help inform pastors and parents of the dangerous path that this school is on, and may be instrumental in saving many young people from being swallowed up in the worldly, ecumenical movement, and CCM. I thank God for your warning, sir, and want to encourage you to keep warning others of the dangers you see within the IB movement. The world is quickly moving into our IB churches, and we need to be alert to the dangers that are all around us.”
“Like many others, I thank you for your stand on all of the major ‘hot topics,’ especially music. I first noticed this problem after two things. First, I noticed that the ensemble groups from West Coast, although modestly dressed and not gaudy, had no music that ministered to my heart as a simple hymn could. ... I knew that there was something wrong after hearing other IFB (independent fundamental Baptist) Bible colleges using the same kind of back-beat, jazzed-up piano accompaniment with their music. A music evangelist friend of mine told me, with a very sad expression, that ‘people are never standing still, but are moving (even if slowly) one direction or another.’ This man is conservative and has had problems booking meetings, because of this trend.”
“[The adaptation of CCM has been going on at West Coast since the early 1990s] I do believe that your exposure of these things will result in Lancaster's good!! It will at least cause the Pastoral Staff to think! It could very well be that you may have spared, what is arguably the most influential IB ministry in America, from sliding irreparably down a slippery slope from which there is no return.”
“Thank you so much for writing the article on ‘Musical Association and CCM Adaptation.’ I believe that CCM music is the present day ‘Trojan Horse’ that will destroy the Bible Believing Church from within. So many Pastors, that I know, believe that it is necessary to have a ‘Worship Team’ in order to bring in the youth. The parents are told that we have to change with the times or we will lose our children. The parents do not wish to lose their children, so they go along with the contemporary music ... We would like to say a hearty ‘Amen’ to your statement as follows.’I am 100% convinced that God hates rock & roll and everything about it. I am convinced that it is one of the major factors of end-times apostasy and it plays a major roll in the spiritual downfall of formerly sound churches. The problem is that many who would agree with me on this don't understand what rock & roll really is. They think that if it doesn't have a heavy bass guitar and drums pounding out the back beat it isn't rock, but that is naive and ignorant. And it is ignorance that is destroying churches as much as carnality and willful apostasy.’”
“I've written you before, but want to thank you again for your stand for the truth. As I've received your emails for the past couple of years, I've been helped tremendously by them to be aware of potential dangers, to be edified, and to minister to others. I've also been blessed by your available materials. I certainly appreciated your exposure of the music at LBC. I found an old CD of theirs not long ago that I remembered having enjoyed when a former boss would play it while we worked. I downloaded it onto my computer, then discovered that one song—a beautiful song—had been written by Geron Davis, who you pointed out to be a heretic regarding the Trinity. I ended up deleting several of the songs. My mom had previously pointed out to me the lower music standards of many WCBC students we personally have known. Thanks for your courage in standing for the truth.”
“Thank you for standing strong! I wonder if they realize those in the CCM/C-rock crowd exhibit the same unChristian behavior attacking with name calling like this? I have had profanities thrown my way in a number of e-mails from so called professing Christians defending this sacred cow of theirs. ... I have often wondered for those responding in such a very negative way if they are under a degree of conviction by the Holy Spirit, the danger is most appear to harden their hearts versus turning from their sin.”
“Good morning, Brother Cloud. Over the past several weeks I've been reading the correspondence along with the responses you've received in regards to you speaking out against West Coast Baptist using CCM. I just wanted to tell you I appreciate your ministry and I'm praying for you. Be encouraged brother - Christ is coming soon!!!”
“I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for your ministry. I have been meaning to write for some time, especially after the criticism you got for the Lancaster report. I agree with all that you said and I know it took great courage for you to say it. Thank you. I'll bet there are quite a few others that are with you that just haven't written you yet. Your reproofs in the past reinforced many things that God was already speaking to me about, i.e. repentance, separation, etc; things that I really needed to nail down, having spent many years at Hyles-Anderson. I really appreciate your sincerity to speak up on these issues.”
“I thank you for your impactful ministry of presenting what’s black and white and avoiding the gray. Your recent expose on WCBC has made me more careful of what I listen to personally, and to carefully discern what I sing especially at church.”
“I believe it is reprehensible how these Independent Baptist brethren are treating you for exposing error and wrongdoing in our ranks. They don't mind if you expose the liberals or new evangelicals, but don't you dare cross their path. I reckon you have touched one of their sacred cows! I for one am very thankful for you being a watchman on the wall to keep me informed as a Pastor! May our precious Lord bless and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you. Keep pressing on!”
“From my home in Ireland, I have followed with interest the debate that you initiated on the dangers of contemporary Christian music. In particular, I was struck by the strong negative reaction that you received from many Christian pastors. Frankly, this was astounding to me. Through His grace and mercy, I came to Christ after 33 years in the New Age. I expected to find strong healthy churches all over America, but instead I discovered that the vast majority are shallow, people-pleasing, backslidden social clubs with a veneer of Christianity. Instead of preaching repentance and heartfelt obedience to the Word of God, they have drifted far into the world, with all that such reckless disobedience entails. ... Keep up the good fight, dear Brother! Please continue to speak loudly, plainly and boldly against the hypocrisy, pride and apostasy that are doing so much harm to true-Bible-based Christianity.”
“I just want you to know that I fully support the public stand that you took against the subtle infiltration of the CCM music at West Coast Baptist College. My husband and I have suffered similarly from our children and grandchildren over these same kinds of issues, and at this time there is a division in our family relationships as a result of the stands we’ve had to take. The emotional pain is indescribable, but we are committed to pleasing God rather than man. I believe God is using these issues today to separate the sheep from the goats and to reveal ‘who is on the Lord’s side.’ Thank you for your faithful defense of God’s Word and God’s honor and glory.”
Proverbs 27:5-6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Galatians 4:16 “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
Psalms 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”
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