Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:25:41 -0700WeeblySun, 26 Jun 2016 02:01:13 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/sinners-and-repentanceSINNERS AND REPENTANCE
Luke 5:31-32
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
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The Lord is clear that for a sick person to be healed and for a sinner to be saved, repentance is necessary. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of behavior.

An unsaved, unforgiven sinner must do the same thing that a sick patient must do if he wishes to be saved. What does a sick person do to get healed? 

He has to recognize his condition, that there is something wrong  with him. A man with a pain in his chest may not know what is wrong, but he recognizes something is wrong. A man with a pain in his sinful, desperately wicked heart may not know what is wrong, but he knows something is wrong. Holy Spirit conviction makes a person feel bad in his heart and soul; he may not know what the problem is, but he recognizes he has a problem.

He has to admit his need, that he needs a doctor. The man with the symptoms of a heart attack cannot fix himself, but requires a competent physician. An unsaved man or woman has to admit they need help outside of themselves. They must admit to God that they are a sinner in need of His forgiveness, just like the sick man needs to admit he is in need of healing. 

He has to submit his case to the expert, to the doctor who can help him. He must let the doctor do the work. Even so the unsaved person has to submit his case to the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has to take his hands off his life and place his life and soul and eternity into the hands of Dr. Jesus and let Jesus save him and forgive him and give him eternal life. 

Have you recognized your sinful condition? Have you admitted to God that you need Him? Have you submitted your case to Christ and have you let Jesus save you? If not, why not receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today?


Pastor David Martin
Solid Rock Baptist Church
Bartlett, Tennessee

]]>Thu, 14 May 2015 05:56:17 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/i-disagree-but-dont-want-to-discuss-itHere is the typical conversation between a Bible Believer (me) and a professing Christian who doesn't really know what he believes about the Bible.....


One man writes: "I have a problem with saying the KJV is the 'only' bible we should use. I have been using the NASB for 22 years and in my opinion have gotten all of God's word. I have had discussions on forums on the net about this. The claim is that parts or all of some verses are missing. That of course is compared to the KJV, but how do you know that what is written in the KJV is exactly what the writers of the NT and OT actually wrote. My contention is that can't be proven since no originals exist. There is no compromise of essential Christian doctrine in the NASB with those supposed 'missing verses'. I don't have any problems with the KJV. It is better than most, but it is still a copy or translation. I happen to like to read today's english."     [Ken]
                                                                  
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MY REPLY to Ken is as follows: I'm glad you asked about the KJV. It is an interesting subject. You say that there are no originals of the Bible in existence. That means you know more than most about the issue. Usually people say that their particular version is based on the "original" manuscripts, and of course that is a misconception based upon misleading information - usually put out by preachers, none the less, whether intentional or in ignorance. All we have are copies of copies of copies of the non-existent originals. Of course there are a lot of good materials on the Bible manuscripts and their preservation and evidence. One of the best summaries is one of Josh McDowell's books (I have it but can't remember the title now).

The controversy is primarily over the best translation/version of the Bible for the English language. My position of course is that the KJV is the word of God preserved without proven error. Other versions may 'contain' the word of God in them, but where they depart from the KJV I believe they are wrong. When it comes down to a contradiction between the KJV and another version, I go with the KJV. There are places where the words have been updated/modernized, which is not a problem so much as when the words themselves have been changed. When I say 'changed,' the reason for that is because most everyone is under the impression that the modern versions are simply updates of the KJV. This is not true. To answer your question about the differences between the KJV and other versions……….

Most, if not all, modern versions are going to agree with each other against the KJV when there is a difference. The reason for this is because of the underlying manuscripts. A falsehood is perpetuated by the Bible publishers and translators when comparing the KJV and other versions.

As an example: If you have an interlinear Greek New Testament that contains the KJV and the NIV or NASV or whatever, you will see how people are misled. At your local Christian bookstore (if you don't have one yourself), look in a Greek-English interlinear NT and you will see that the GREEK probably agrees with the modern version and the KJV is completely different (look at Luke 2:33 for a good example). The average layman will see that the GREEK matches the modern version, not the KJV - so he assumes that the KJV is WRONG in that place because it does not match the GREEK. Therefore he concludes that the modern version is closer to the GREEK - because he just read it in the interlinear NT he is looking at. BUT - here is the crux of the matter - WHICH GREEK TEXT IS THE VERSION BASED ON? Look in the introduction and it is probably ALAND-METZGER or NESTLE'S Greek text. If you look at an interlinear NT based upon what is called the TEXTUS RECEPTUS Greek manuscripts (mss.), and compare the KJV with modern versions, then the KJV will match the GREEK and the modern versions won’t.

The majority of mss. (i.e., 90 - 95 percent of them) match the KJV. When there is a different reading in the modern versions, most of the time they use that of the minority of Greek mss.; sometimes the reading is only found in a few, even two or three, mss., as compared to the KJV reading found in 90%or more of the mss.

So, really, the question is: which Greek manuscripts are the best and closest to the orginals? And 'best' does not mean the 'oldest' which is what some 'scholars' would have us believe.

Let me clarify something. There are two kinds of 'changes' in the new Bibles. They are due to 1) translational issues and 2) textual differences.

Translational issues are like 2 Thessalonians 2:7, where the word in the KJV is 'letteth' - in the new versions it may be translated as 'hinders.' The Greek word is the same, but the translation is different, but the Greek word and the English word mean EXACTLY THE SAME THING. Not a real problem here, and no doctrine is affected. But the KJV did not 'mistranslate' the word. (And, by the way, the word is used today in tennis and means 'hinder.' When the ball hits the net during a serve at Wimbledon, the announcer says it was a "let" serve.)

Textual differences are like Luke 2:33, where the KJV refers to Mary's husband as 'Joseph' and the new versions call him 'father.' BIG DIFFERENCE. This is definitely a problem. The Greek word for 'father' is 'pater' and the Greek word for 'Joseph' is not (can't find the font for it). If you have a Greek-English interlinear using the Textus Receptus Greek mss., the KJV will be correct and the NASV will be wrong. If you have one that uses a different Greek text, the KJV will be wrong and the NASV will be correct. So - which is right and which is wrong? This goes to the heart of DOCTRINE - was Joseph the literal "father" of Jesus Christ? Your answer will determine what you believe about the virgin birth of Christ. If He wasn't virgin born, then He can't save anybody. The KJV makes the distinction doesn't call Joseph his 'father.' (Some would object and say that other places Joseph is called the father of Jesus, but that is where the people are saying that. In Luke 2:33, Luke is writing what he knows, not telling us what people say of him in conversation. Luke, a medical doctor, knows that Joseph is NOT the 'father' of Jesus. ) So, now the question is not just which Bible is the correct reading, but which Greek mss. is the right one. The answer is determined by what your DOCTRINE is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, His deity and virgin birth.

There are places where EVERY fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith is affected by the Bible you use and the Greek mss. it is based upon. 

And then it goes deeper, into the motives of those who produced the Greek mss. and Bible versions, that would affect Christian doctrines.

What think ye? I will be glad to answer any more questions or clarify what we have already discussed. 

Just a back-woods, Bible-thumping, KJV-only kind of guy……….   [BroDa]

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Ken writes back in reply:  Thanks for your insightful reply. You probably gave me more than I needed. Still you won't change my mind.  I don't want to get into a long discussion on this. I don't do it anymore on KJV. I have not done much research on this, but I have been around long enough to see this KJV issue as not something too important, to me anyway. It is not an issue to divide over.  I actually like the KJV. It was the first bible I had.    [Ken]

PS: "Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven" (Ps 119:89)  --- Not on the pages of the KJV or any bible.

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MY COMMENTS: If the words of God are in heaven only, then what in the world do we have down here? I've got all the words without a doubt, and they match what's up in heaven.   And how can someone be so opposed to a view and yet not be interested in understanding the issue, particularly when it comes to the Word of God?   [BroDa]]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2014 12:29:39 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/spiritual-deserters CHRISTIAN DESERTERS

We’ve all heard about Sgt. Bowe Berghdal and his release after 5 years of being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The US Government spokesman said he had served his country with “honor and distinction.” But it wasn’t long before his fellow Army team members, who were there with him, began to tell how Sgt. Berghdal had DESERTED his post while he was on guard duty, and crippled his unit and placed them in danger. According to those who were there at the time, Berghdal left his gear and simply walked away from his fellow soldiers, and left them vulnerable and weakened. He was no hero, and he didn’t serve his country with honor and distinction. He was and is a deserter who betrayed his country and his fellow soldiers, and he will be investigated and face the consequences of his decision.
 
As a Pastor of a local Baptist church, I see this all the time in the Lord’s Service, and so do you. How many churches are weakened by those who do just what Sgt. Berghdal did? How many professing Christians – who voluntarily signed up, and joined the Lord’s Army, and followed their Captain’s directions, and partnered with a good church – have left their post of duty?  

You know the Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25 that there are “some” who have FORSAKEN the “assembly.” That word ‘forsaken’ means to ABANDON or to DESERT. If you are a Christian who has FORSAKEN your church and ABANDONED your post and DESERTED the Army of the Lord, SHAME ON YOU! I call on you, in the Name of the LORD of HOSTS and the CAPTAIN of our SALVATION, to REPENT of your SIN and SEEK God’s FORGIVENESS, and GET BACK TO YOUR STATIONS!  

God needs you and wants to use you. Your fellow believers need your company and moral support. The world and our neighbors need to see that we stand together and believe in the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

God is looking for men and women to STAND IN THE GAP and FIGHT for the cause of Truth and Right. Will you heed the call? Christian, PICK UP YOUR “SWORD” (the Bible) and GET BACK IN CHURCH this week and STAY IN CHURCH until Jesus comes again or until you are physically unable to attend!  

If you have fallen by the way side in your spiritual life, I hope that you will DO YOUR DUTY and DECIDE and DETERMINE to BE LOYAL to your LORD and TRUE to your LOCAL CHURCH.

-- Pastor Martin



]]>Sun, 22 Sep 2013 01:20:18 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/preaching-and-teaching-scheduleHello Everyone! I wanted to mention what the preaching and teaching schedule is for our Sunday Afternoon and Wednesday Night Services.

During our Wednesday Night Bible Study Time, we have begun a series of lessons teaching on the subject "Dangerous Doctrines." The Bible warns us of false teachers who introduce "damnable heresies"(2 Peter 2:1)  and "doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1). In our Wednesday Bible Study Hour we are going to examine a number of false teachings that are prevalent in churches today. The word of God tells us to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3) and we want to inform and equip Christians so that they can "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12).

In our Sunday Afternoon Services we are preaching alternately through two books of the Bible. The church is going verse-by-verse through the Old Testament book of GENESIS and the New Testament book of LUKE. 

• The book of Genesis is the book of "beginnings" that tells us the origin of the earth, of the human race, of sin, of civilization,  of human government, of the nations, and so many more things that are relevant to us today and will be until  God creates the new heavens and the new earth.
• The book of Luke is the Gospel of the Son of  Man. Each chapter contains some interesting  parable or event or account that is full of spiritual truth and practical application and shows the compassion and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Many of the stories people are familiar with and hear sermons preached about them, but we are preaching through the entire book and attempting to glean as much from each chapter, passage and verse that we can.

We hope that you will consider visiting with us if do not regularly attend at another Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching church.


]]>Wed, 17 Jul 2013 03:07:44 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/remember-when-church-preached-the-bibleREMEMBER WHEN… churches actually preached the Bible? 
AT  Solid Rock Baptist Church WE STILL  DO!
 
I   have always referred to our church as a Bible-believing church, one that holds  to the King James Version of the Holy Scriptures. But more than just that, we  are a Gospel PREACHING and Bible TEACHING church. And we don’t just proclaim the  cover of the Book, but we preach the content of the Book. We don’t just talk  about the Bible, but we actually use the Book as our textbook for doctrine and  daily life.
 
Currently  this is what our church is doing when it comes to Bible teaching and preaching  in our services.
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL  classes:
 ·   Mrs.  Martin is teaching the pre-K children. She is going through basic Bible stories   to familiarize them with the simple stories of the Bible. 
 ·   Bro.  Randy Brou recently started teaching the adult class. He is going through the   Pauline Epistles, and has just begun a verse-by-verse study of the book of   Romans. 
·   The  Pastor (Bro. Martin) began a Teenage Sunday School class this month. He is  leading the young people in a study of “Nine Steps to Christian Maturity,”  using the Chick Publications book “The Next Step.” 
  
SUNDAY MORNING  services: 
·   We   are singing the old time hymns from out of the church songbook, led by our song  leader and accompanied by our church pianist. We occasionally have someone sing a "special" usually aided by the piano or a guitar.
 ·   The  Pastor is preaching whatever Bible-based sermon he feels led by the Lord to  bring before the people in the worship hour for that  day. (Bro. Randy conducts a "Junior Church" for the little ones during this time 3 times per month.)
 ·   The  invitation time at the end of the service gives those in attendance the  opportunity to come to an old fashioned altar. It is a time to present the lost with the chance to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and  for those with burdens to come and pray for their needs and the needs of  others.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON  services: After  the morning services, we break for a church luncheon held in the fellowship  hall. We partake of a light lunch, some Christian conversation, and then start  up our second service at 1:30 PM. We sing a few songs, and then the Pastor  preaches a short message before we dismiss. We usually finish the afternoon  service no later than 2:15 PM.
 
The  Pastor has been preaching through the Old Testament book of Genesis and this  week he will be in the last part of chapter 8, dealing with the faith of Noah  and how it applies to us today.
 
WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING  services: 
·   We  meet at 7 PM on Wednesday nights for our Prayer Meeting and Bible Study and are  usually done between 8:00 or 8:15 PM. We understand that people are busy, and  have work and school and children to tend to, so we don’t keep people late  (although some of our folks have been known to stay after the services just to  fellowship).
 ·   The first half hour is dedicated to prayer. We open with a couple of congregational  songs, and then we take up prayer requests, which we then take time to pray for  as a church.
 ·   The  second half hour is dedicated to Bible study. The Pastor is preaching through the New Testament book of Luke. We have just begun chapter 10 in this great book of the Bible.
 
SATURDAY MORNING  OUTREACH:  Those interested in evangelism and church growth meet at 9 AM on Saturday mornings. We basically canvass the surrounding neighborhoods and distribute Gospel literature and Church brochures. We speak to those we can, and leave tracts and invitations on their doors. 

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If  you are interested in being part of a Bible-believing, Gospel preaching church, please consider trying out Solid Rock Baptist  Church.

]]>Sat, 06 Jul 2013 01:16:25 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/mens-bible-fellowshipMEN'S BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP: Spring 2013

We just recently finished a 12 week Men's Bible Study here at the church.  We met once a week on an "off" church night to study "The Abundant Life" Discipleship Course. It is an excellent book written by Ray Baughman back in 1959 and published by Moody Press. The book covers 12 important areas of Christian discipleship. Each chapter ends with questions and additional information with plenty of Scripture references. It is the best little book I know of for instructing new Christians and discipling older Christians who need to grow and for instructing Christians in how to disciple others. The book deals with the simple, practical, daily Christian life.

There is so much information in each chapter that we were not able to cover everything in a chapter in one night. What we did was have each man read the chapter and answer the questions at the end (on his own 'recognizance' ;), and then when we met, I highlighted the chapter and had handouts based upon that chapter. It worked out well, and everyone said it was helpful and held their interest. We started at about 7:15 and finished about 8:30, and no one was "in a hurry" to be done.

If you go through this book, you will grow spiritually, and it will give you the tools necessary to disciple someone else, which is what  we are all supposed to be doing. In addition to our church's men, we had regulars from several churches in the area. The average attendance was 6 or 7 each week for the duration of the 12 weeks' Bible study.  (We opened the Bible study  up to any man who would come, and encouraged each to invite others, whether saved or lost.  Several visitors did come. )

The purpose of the Bible study was to strengthen our men, and to use it as an outreach to get other men in who, though they might not come to a church service, might come to an informal Bible study where we sit around a table with an open Bible, and where questions are welcome. I think it went well, and there is interest in having another Men's Bible Study Fellowship in the future.

Lord willing, I would like to have a 12 week Bible study each Spring and Fall. Please pray for us in this matter, that God's will be done, and God's' men be edified, and lost men saved.

-- Pastor Martin]]>Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:10:11 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/fathers-day-at-srbcFATHER'S DAY at SOLID ROCK BAPTIST CHURCH

The Church had a great day yesterday as we celebrated Father's Day at the Father's House. What better thing could Christians do on Father's Day than to honor their "heavenly Father" by going to church to worship Him? Amen.

We also honored our earthly fathers. Each of the fathers present received a little book called the "Bible Prophecy Handbook" published by Barbour Books. It is a great little book that I found this week. The book is set up to read just a short article (about 1 to 2 pages) for 90 days. It covers a different topic of prophecy each day, and at the end of 90 days the reader can be an amateur prophetic scholar!

The pastor preached from Genesis 18:19, where God said that He knew Abraham and his character, and that he would lead his family in the ways of God. What a great text for Father's Day. The title of the message was, "Old Fashioned Advice for an Old Fashioned Christian Home." If dads would heed the advice, America would change in one Sunday. The altars of America's churches really should be full of men seeking God's blessing on them and their families and their churches and communities. What a difference it would make if AmericaN dads would not be indifferent to their spiritual needs. God help each of us to be godly fathers in an ungodly time and place. I pray that Christians would get a burden to lead their families and live their personal lives in light of the fact that God knows us inside and out, and is looking for us to step up our games, and be what He wants us to be and knows we can, by His grace.

After services, we had some great Memphis B-B-Q with all the fixins, followed by an afternoon of volleyball on the church grounds. All had a good time.




]]>Wed, 01 May 2013 07:15:39 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/doing-what-you-like-and-enjoying-what-you-love“Doing  What You Like and Enjoying What You Love”

What do you love?  Who do you love? The Bible and Jesus Christ are clear that our greatest love is to be reserved for our Creator and Redeemer, and that we are to love Jehovah-God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. A Bible reference is not even needed to prove that point to most people in the world. (But here they are anyhow – Deuteronomy 6:4-5;  Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30)

Do you love God? Do you love the “things of God”?

Yesterday, I worked an all-night shift, then came home and went to bed. Six and a half hours later I woke up, tired, and with a combination migraine/sinus headache. That was about 4:15 in the afternoon. I had joined a local sports league recently, and was scheduled to play a singles tennis match at 6:30 that evening. So I had less than two hours, really, to get ready to head for the courts and meet my opponent. But I had this pounding headache. Well, I ate something light to see if that would help, and it didn’t really. So I took a sinus pill with a “D” in it to try and relieve the pressure. Then I decided to help alleviate the migraine part, too, so I took two Excedrin migraine tablets. It was then I remembered also that my right elbow would have bursitis flare-ups when I played sometimes, and it would hurt so bad that I couldn’t hit the ball very well, or sometimes even at all, when it did that – so to hopefully avoid that, I took two Aleve pills. As the time approached to go the courts, my head still hurt some. But I thought to myself: just go on, you know you want to, and give the medicine time to start working, and who knows, you may feel up to playing and do alright, even if it just works a little bit. So I changed my clothes, grabbed my gear, got in the car, and went to meet my tennis buddy for that week’s match.

(BTW, tennis is not an expensive sport, and it is better for your health than that lame golf game that most preachers play at. For tennis, most courts are public and free, and all you need are a pair of good shoes [$35 to $50] and a racket [for the serious player, about $120 to $150]. The only thing you have to put out for each week is a can of balls [$2.18 at Wal-Mart]. It is much cheaper than golf, and you can get a better workout in less time. Golf takes at least 3 hours, not counting the before and after formalities; for tennis – no formalities, just warm up for 10 minutes, play for 60 to 90 minutes, and you are done.)

Now, why did I go through all this, when I could have called and cancelled and rescheduled this weekly routine? Because I need the exercise, because tennis is fun, and most of all – because I LOVE it. I love the courts, the rackets, the feel of the racket making contact with the ball, the sound of the ball coming off the racket, the challenge of getting that first serve in, the rush of a clean cross court winner low over the center of the net, and of course, popping open the new can of balls, hearing the air hiss as the pressure is released, and the smell of those fresh new tennis balls. Oh what joy, oh, what delight! Tennis bliss at its best.

I like the game of tennis and I’ll watch it on TV. I really like watching it in person, if I have the time and get the chance – but I LOVE to play the game itself. That is why I went through the trouble described above: because I LOVE the game of tennis with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Now, what is that you love that much? There is bound to be something in your life that you enjoy, and you are motivated to do whatever you can to participate in it. There are things and activities and people that you love, and you love to engage in them and be around them.

Now here is the point of all this. If you LOVE the Lord God Almighty as you should (and we are commanded to do so) then you will make every effort to worship and serve Him with all your ability. You won’t find reasons or make up excuses to “get out of” worshiping the Lord. Instead, you will do your dead-level best to overcome the obstacles to Christian worship and service so that you can participate. That means that you will read your Bible, you will do some praying, and you will definitely attend a Bible-teaching, Gospel-preaching church where God is honored and Jesus Christ is exalted – all on a regular, consistent basis. A little sniffle, a slight headache, a stiff joint or two, aren't going to stop you – not if you can help it, BECAUSE you LOVE the LORD.

I have learned that people do what they like to do, and that they enjoy what they love. Do you love God? Do you enjoy worshiping Him? Do you like serving the Lord? Do you desire to be around others of like mind and faith? Do you want to please your Savior? Do you love the “things of God?” If you don’t, I’ll tell you from the Bible what your problem is: you don’t LOVE God, because you love the world too much (Matthew 6:24.) The solution is to “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

The apostle John said in his epistle in 1 John 2:15 – “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” What he meant is that if your heart is full of love for the world, your heart won’t have room to love God. It doesn’t mean that you are not saved, or not a child of God. It simply means that you don’t love your heavenly Father as you should, because the world has gotten hold of your affections. If that is your case, you need to repent and return to your first love – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 2:5). You need to start loving God again. And the way you do that is to quit spending so much time with the world, and start spending time with Him – by reading His word regularly, by talking to Him in prayer every day, and by hanging around His house (church).

One wise preacher gave good advice when he said: “Now that you are saved, be sure to stay in the Bible, stay in prayer, stay in church, and stay in love with God.”

I hope that you will resolve to love the Lord and enjoy the things of God.

]]>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:55:33 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/the-preaching-momentThe Preaching Moment
-Copied and slightly edited from The Disciple Maker

 Isaiah 48:14, 16 – “All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear… Come ye near unto me, hear ye this...”

God has ordained the local church for what we might call the preaching moment. The preaching moment involves the culmination of all of a week's events and trials of life into one moment's time where the congregation will be confronted, encouraged, challenged, and strengthened by the preaching of the Word of God.

I have come to believe that God has prepared something special for every person in a local church at every preaching moment. If the preacher lives a Spirit-filled life during the week, God will bring forth a special miracle that touches every life in a local church during the preaching moment.

However, Satan's minions do not want the miracle of that preaching moment to take place. Some people will be kept away from the service. Others will not hear because of distractions within the church service. Many others will not hear because their attention is elsewhere. May God help us to escape the apathy that results in the unheard sermon.

If it were not for the "dispensation of grace" (God's supernatural enabling through the ministry of His Spirit) operating through the preacher's life through the week, the preaching moment does not occur the way God intends. If it were not for the "dispensation of grace" (God's supernatural enabling through the ministry of His Spirit) operating through the lives of individual believers throughout the week, the preaching moment does not occur the way God intends.

It is through this supernatural spiritual dynamic that God makes "known" (Ephesians 3:3) to the preacher what it is that the believer is to be brought to "understand” concerning the “knowledge in the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:4).

If believers do not understand this supernatural spiritual dynamic in which they are to be involved, they will fail to take the gravity of the preaching moment seriously. They will fail to understand the warfare waged against them as mentioned to us in Ephesians 6:10-18. They will fail to understand the critical importance in praying for their preacher in the way he prays for them during the week (Ephesians 6:19-20).

Again, may God preserve our congregation’s preaching moments and save us all from unheard sermons.

Romans 10:17 – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

]]>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:45:33 GMThttp://www.solidrockbaptist.net/srbc-blog/20th-church-anniversary-as-pastor

MAJOR MILESTONE: 20 Years As Pastor of Solid Rock Baptist Church

This past Sunday I celebrated my 20th Year Anniversary as Pastor of Solid Rock Baptist Church. It is hard to believe that it has been that long, and then again, it seems like such short time.  I thank God for His goodness towards me and my family and the church over these many years. 

We have seen souls saved and baptized; Christians taught in the Word and growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ; couples married and Christian homes established; foreign missionaries supported; revival meetings with some of God’s best evangelists. 

There have been many souls come through our doors over the years, and we thank God for each person we have had the opportunity to minister to. 

I want to thank the Lord for the family he has blessed me with – especially for my faithful wife of 30 plus years who has stood by my side in the good times and the bad times. 

I appreciate every faithful church member who has prayed for me and offered a timely word of encouragement; who has invited, made visits, and supported the ministry here. 

One of our men reminded us that Church is a “team effort,” and I count it a great privilege for the people of God to entrust me with the honor of being the “team leader” as the Pastor of our congregation here at Solid Rock Baptist. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace.

Bro. David Martin

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