Holding Fast The Faithful Word

We had a great time teaching this week in our Seminaire Baptiste Evangelique d’Haite.  I was joined by Pastor George Warren of New Hope Baptist in Pascoag, RI  andRick Paquette, from Pennsylvania.  Both of them were a wonderful asset to the module.  George taught Bibliology all week, teaching all the importance of the Word of God.  Rick Paquette did a great job teaching a wonderful session on Christ in the Psalms.  I taught all week from 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus chapter 1 on the qualifications of a pastor.  I taught on the personal, public, paternal and pastoral qualifications necessary for pastors.  Our students were faithful, prompt, attentive and very responsive.  Many had interesting questions and all seemed to soak up the teaching like sponges.  We praise the Lord for the opportunity to teach 30 plus pastoral students that will have an impact on many churches and the work of the Lord in Haiti and beyond. 

Please pray for us as we train leaders for the churches in the Caribbean basin and beyond.   More than 60 students are enrolled and attending training in Florida, Cuba, Guatemala and Haiti.  This coming month we will be working with our churches in Cuba.  For the next couple of months we have camps planned for several locations as well as our training.  We appreciate your prayers as we serve the Lord to reach souls, plant churches and train their leaders.

To The Heart – Great Words For Great Works

EVANGELISM is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. –D. T. Niles

If your Gospel isn’t touching others, it hasn’t touched you! –Curry R. Blake

We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God. — John Stott

The greatest hindrances to the evangelization of the world are those within the church. –John R. Mott 

The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed. –Hudson Taylor

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. –Jim Elliot

People who don’t believe in missions have not read the New Testament. Right from the beginning Jesus said the field is the world. The early church took Him at His word and went East, West, North and South. – J. Howard Edington

The Holy Spirit can’t save saints or seats. If we don’t know any non-Christians, how can we introduce them to the Savior? –Paul Little 

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. — John Piper

Evangelization is a process of bringing the gospel to people where they are, not where you would like them to be. When the gospel reaches a people where they are, their response to the gospel is the church in a new place… –Vincent Donovan

The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become. – Henry Martyn

How you believe God perceives people will determine how you respond to them. –Jacquelyn K. Heasley

Life is too short and hell is too hot to just play church. –Larry Osborne

Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell. — C.T. Studd

It is possible to do evangelism without planting churches, but it is not possible to plant churches without doing evangelism. –unknown

God’s plan in these last days is revival in His worldwide church and through the revived church the reaping of a final great harvest of souls. –N. Grubb

The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. –C. S. Lewis

We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first. – Oswald J. Smith

We Christians are debtors to all men at all times in all places, but we are so smug to the lostness of men. We’ve been “living in Laodicea “, lax, loose, lustful, and lazy. Why is there this criminal indifference to the lostness of men? Our condemnation is that we know how to live better than we are living. –Leonard Ravenhill

Being an extrovert isn’t essential to EVANGELISM–obedience and love are. –Rebecca M. Pippert

It is now possible to live a “christian life” without doing the things that Jesus commanded us to do. We have hired people to go into all the world, to visit those in prison, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to care for widows and orphans. The average Christian doesn’t have to do it. –Cal Thomas

Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love. – Roland Allen

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. –John Wesley

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” Spurgeon

Some that concern the life we need to live for the world that needs a witness:

“Live simply so that others can simply live.” unknown

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot

Trust and obey not think and decide.

Never doubt in the dark what God has revealed in the light.

Thanks to Guy Muse Missionary to Ecuador for the compilation of the above quotes on his blog.

Preacher In Jail

Funny how those words can capture our interest and imagination.  But it is, I hope, a good way to increase readership.  The truth is several years ago I spent a short time in a Cuban jail.  Short as it was, I have had some jail time experience.  The short story on my experience is this:  I had run afoul of the Cuban authorities while planting churches in that communist island nation.  In all, I have been arrested and deported from there three times, twice restricted from re-entry for as long as two years.  However, by God’s grace we continue to do what we can in Cuba.

The purpose however, of this post is not to talk about my jail time, but another, much more interesting preacher: the Apostle Paul.  From the time of his arrest, transport and prison times Paul probably spent as much as seven (7) years incarcerated.  However, we do not find him bitter and frustrated as a prisoner, instead we find a man impassioned and extraordinarily useful during his imprisonment.  In fact, we find this preacher in jail to be quite prolific as he pens letters to the churches of the Ephesians, the Colossians, the Laodaceons, the Philippians and also to Philemon.  How insightful and pregnant with prayers, doctrine, and powerful instruction are these epistles.  Every reader of these epistles are blessed and helped.  Even though he was in bondage the Word of God was not bound!  “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.  Therefore I endure all thisgs … “  Yes, even imprisonment! 

Letter writing was not Paul’s only ministry.  Several other tremendous benefits come to us because of this preacher in jail.  He didn’t allow his imprisonment to hinder his missionary activity.  God allowed his cell time to be tremendously useful, in fact Paul writes to the Philippian church; “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethern in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”  (Philippians 1:12-14)  From his notoriety as a prisoner, his public defenses before officials and leaders, his prison letters sent to churches, his witness to his guards, and his special liberties to welcome and minister to all visiting guests Paul utilized his prison time to maximize the effectiveness of his continuing missionary impact.  He was continually asking others to pray for him so that he could have the divine help to make use of all of the above opportunities always asking for prayers of open doors (Colossians 4:2-4) and emboldened possibilities for witness (Ephesians 6:19-20)!  He seemed unembarrassed to proclaim himself as an ambassador in chains.  Instead of whining or becoming depressed in the face of this adversity and persecution, he in fact, seemed to rise to the discovery of every benifit to the furtherance of the Gospel as a prisoner.  “What then?  notwithstanding, everyway, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therefore rejoice, yea and will rejoice.”  (Philippians 1:18)  What awesome testimonies by a preacher in jail. 

I would like to end this post by mentioning that I believe there are many, many preachers and yes many Christians in jail.  Not literally behind bars, but they have been imprisoned, fettered, and hindered in the ministry by many things.  The excuses for the limitations in our ministries are legion.  I believe the lessons we can learn from Paul’s incarceration can help us to overcome anything that might be hindering the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach our world in this generation.  There is a world waiting to hear of Him.  There is much ministry to be done.  Letters written, witness given, disciples trained, Christ exalted.  What are you waiting for?  Let us do all we can to take the Gospel into the next towns.  www.baptistevangelism.org

Job, Jude and Jesus

During this past week I preached from the book of Job, the book of Jude and did all I could to exalt Jesus!  It was fun!  I love preaching!  I am just finishing up a great week in New England preaching in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  A week ago on Monday I flew in from Guatemala, stopped one night at home and then flew to Providence, RI.  Pastor Mike Sokoll and his wife Patti were my super hosts as I enjoyed helping them celebrate the 20th anniversary of Providence Baptist Church.  Frances, Victoria and I moved to Rhode Island to plant this church in 1989.  Ransom came along the next year.  Our years in Providence were wonderful!  With the good help of Mike and Patti (who were with us from the beginning) we not only planted PBC in the inner city but we led a church planting movement in the northeast.  Over our seven plus years in Providence we worked through our Baptist Evangelism ministry to plant many other churches throughout New England, the northeast and even as far away as Arizona and Utah.  Had it not been for the faithfulness of the Sokolls we could not have carried this work on.  I like to think that I taught Brother Mike a few things while we worked together.  He was always my faithful right hand.  Now, even after 20 years he and his wife are still there.  The work is still going, growing and being used of God to win souls.  Several were saved during this anniversary meeting under the big tent on the church property. 

During my time in New England I was also invited to preach for New Hope Baptist in Pascoag, RI and Hillside Baptist in Spencer, MA.  Both of these churches are pastored by good friends of mine.  The pastor of NHBC is Pastor George Warren.  Recently he helped us with a seminary module in Haiti.  This pastor and his church are a real blessing.  Hillside’s pastor is Ralph DiChiara.  They are nearing 20 years in Spencer.  I had the opportunity to help him when he was first starting Hillside.  We recalled going door to door to find some of the first contacts for the church.  They now have an absolutely awesome building and I believe God will bless them as they continue to serve him.  What a joy it is to serve the Lord.

Just Back From Guatemala

Actually I have been back since Monday, but things have been moving so fast that I have not had time to post anything.  I had a great time in Guatemala visiting with our young pastors, preaching in the churches and doing some leadership training.  God is good!

Tzisbaj

I was picked up at the airport by Pastor Salomon and Duglas.  Duglas had just returned to Guatemala after being in our church in Jupiter for the past 8 years.  He had sent a Ford Explorer down so he provided our transportation.  We left the airport and drove about 6 hours north to La Democracia.  It was late so we spent the night there.  The next morning we drove on to Tzisbaj.  It was great to see Edmundo again.  He had been alone since February working to forge out a work in this very hard area.  He has been meeting each week with a handful of people.  I know it had been a discouraging time but he has remained faithful to God.  We visited all day and that night over 30 first time visitors came into the service.  I preached from Acts 17 about the “unknown God”. 

The next day we again visited all day and were blessed with another great crowd.  I believe there is great hope for a wonderful work for the Lord in this place.  Brother Edmundo is a dedicated servant of the Lord. 

Xejeyup and Panacanal Dos

On Thursday we drove to Mazatenango and found a hotel.  The next morning we got up early and returned to the airport to pick up Chris and Andy from Thomas Terrace Baptist.  We traveled through Antigua and back to Mazate.  Early the next morning we traveled up to Xejeyup to begin an 8 AM leadership training.  We were just a few, but we carried on endeavoring to help prepare whoever was present.  God blessed. 

On Saturday we drove on up to Panacanal Dos and held a service in the church there.  This is the rainy season in Guatemala and we were not disappointed.  It was pouring.  Thankfully some braved the downpour and I preached on Colossians chapter 3.  On Sunday we were back in Xejeyup for 4 more hours of leadership training and their regular Sunday afternoon church service.  It poured again.  Chris said he had never seen it rain so hard.  Again some braved the elements and Chris preached on “blind Bartimaus”.  Later after we left a woman named Manuela trusted Christ. 

Please pray for the work in Guatemala and our two faithful men.  Salomon and Edmundo were both trained in our work in Florida – sent out by our church and planting churches. 

Mission Trips To Guatemala

P. S.  Plan to join us for future mission trips to Guatemala.  We have some coming up.  E-mail me at rmaggard@juno.com  Plan to join us also to help us build our first building there January 2, 2010. 

www.baptistevangelism.org

 

A Great Reversal

In 1910 there was a great missionary conference held in Edinburgh to emphasize the need to reach the world with the Gospel.  More than 1200 delegates, mostly from Western churches met there together to strategize and mobilize to reach out globally.  Today, 100 years later, there seems to be a great reversal in world missions. 

Years ago while I was preaching in the British Isles I had the opportunity to visit Wesley’s Chapel and home, Spurgeon’s, Metropolitan Tabernacle, and many other famous sites.  While there I wrote an essay called “Great Britain, Museum of Christianity”.  The basis of the essay was that while many great men and movements had come from Great Britain in the past, in these present days most of what you find in Great Britain are the museums, statues and relics of these men and movements.  Not much is happening on the positive side biblically speaking.  The new president of the Baptist Union in Great Britain recently said, “the church has almost been taken captive.”  This is true – but not only in Great Britain – here in the United States it is true as well.  Anything Christian is seen as offensive and could soon be designated as a “hate crime.”  Along with the global economic crisis, there is truly a recession in orthodox Christianity that will fearlessly stand and boldly proclaim God’s Word while doing everything possible to evangelize. 

What are we to do?  We must acknowledge where we have fallen, repent and do the first works.  Instead of this ”if you can’t beat them, join them” philosophy that is dominating most of our ministries, missions and movements, we must get back to the straight forward, hard preaching of the Word of God.  The luke warm, compromising, let’s all get along together plan has not worked.  The facts are in!  Several nations have already resigned to the fact that they will be over run by Islamic majority soon.  It is code blue time for France and Spain.  England is on spiritual life support!  America is crashing!  The unreached are waiting!

Time is running out!  The heart for missions is beating erratically.  Time to apply a spiritual defibrillator.  The heart of many of our churches needs to be shocked back to life.  Some have very weak pulse.  Some are barely breathing.  Some are unconscious.  Most need a jolt to shock their hearts back into right rhythm with the Word of God for the work of God.  Apply both defibrillator paddles now!  The Word and Prayer!  Through these the power of the Holy Spirit can bring the surge of life needed to rescue us from this sad emergency.  “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. “

Seminary Growing

 Last week we had another module for our Seminary in Haiti.  Pastor Bob Cote and I taught primarily on Soteriology with a minor in Old Testament personalities and pastoral theology in the mix.  We had a great time with the men and we are seeing and hearing how this is a blessing in the work in Haiti. 

The weekend before the module started I traveled to visit with several churches.  It was a blessing to see the dedication of men who are willing to work under the hardships that they must face in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.  Then each night after the classes we traveled to other churches to preach and try to be a blessing where ever possible. 

Each day new men try to come into the class after hearing about our seminary.  We were trying to limit it to 25.  Last time we opened it for 5 more.  But more keep coming and I felt so bad about turning them away.  The place we meet is already crowded so we decided that we will have to divide the classes morning and evening and it looks as if we will double the number of students to between 50-60.  It is a big project but we are trying our best to honor the Lord in this opportunity.  Pray for us.

Probably Some Kind Of Cult

This past Sunday turned out to be an interesting day for a couple of ladies in New Jersey.  They had recently purchased Bibles thinking that they needed something new, different in their lives.  They went back to their old church Catholic last Sunday but when they left felt that it offered nothing to fill the need of their lives.  A few blocks from their home they had seen a sign for a Baptist church.  While at work one of the ladies decided to check it out on the Internet.  She looked at the church’s web site.  She thought it was a little “stern and old fashioned” but they decided to visit. 

Arriving at the church a bit late they saw a couple of emergency vehicles in the parking lot, lights blazing.  Amazingly they still came inside.  As they entered, one said to the other, “this is probably some kind of cult.”  They were helped to their seats by an usher, but the service was temporarily halted while the emergency crew helped a man who had passed out with a medical problem.  Had this not happened they likely would have missed most of the message.  Soon the service resumed and I began preaching about ten minutes to noon.  I preached quickly knowing that we had lost some time.  I promised if they listened fast, I would preach fast.  They did.  I did.  I announced my text and mentioned it might not be your typical mission message text as I began to preach from Exodus 20:3 on the first commandment.  “No other gods.”  Ten minutes past noon I gave the invitation.  A number of people responded including one of the visiting ladies.  As the service ended she and the other lady were taken aside by two from the church and they both with tears in their eyes and joyful hearts accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. 

They stayed around to fellowship after the services.  They were so joyful.  They told us how they had decided to come to church that day.  We all realized had the medical incident not happened they would have missed most of the message.  Even with their fears that they might be entering “some kind of cult”, they came inside.  It was their divine appointment.  God is good.   ”The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Carelink International Clinic

OUR NEW CLINIC SITE

This week we are opening our CARELINK CLINIC in a new office space.  One of the local doctors has graciously provided us with space.  We had been looking and checking everywhere we could to try to find another space.  We had been in our previous space for 7 years.  It was a small house located on property that the Beacon Baptist Church purchased to provide more parking.  One of the houses was razed but they allowed us to use the other one for our Spanish ministry.  For a couple of years we held services there until we outgrew the space.  By then we had started the clinic.  Though the space was tight it was a blessing and we have been able to see many wonderful blessings as Carelink Clinic grew and our services expanded. 

Our new location is at 210 Jupiter Lakes Blvd, building 4000, suite 103, next to the Jupiter Medical Center, our local hospital.  We are on the ground floor in a medical office park complex that houses scores of other doctors offices.  It is very accessible and we have more than doubled our space.  We have a waiting room, two office areas, a staff break room, a lab area, 3 exam rooms, a file room and storage room.   We are not sure how long we will be able to stay in this location as we have no contract, but for the time we are up and running, seeing patients and having many opportunities to give the Gospel of Christ. 

We are working on several new projects through our ministry.   We have been training and preparing our members here to be ready to serve in them.  We have began a drug, alcohol and addictions program that is meeting on Friday evenings.  Pastor Jorgeand Manuel Chum are overseeing this program.  Through our TechLink Institute we are also teaching several other classes on the weeknights that include ESOL (language), family enrichment, financial planning, and others.  Various volunteers are involved to help us with these wonderful additions to our ministry outreach.  The bottom line is to bring people into proximity to hear, learn, and believe the Gospel. 

(A Baptist Evangelism ministry.)

The End Of A Movement

Early last Sunday evening I was speaking with our pastoral students about Easter.  From their backgrounds, cultures and traditions Easter has not had the same significance in there lives as it has had here in the United States. I tried to emphasis to them how important it was for all to understand the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This season is the perfect opportunity to teach and preach to help people know these truths.  If we fail to teach that Christ is risen we bring about the end of a movement. 

So, this week my mind is on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When he died everyone thought that was the end of the movement.  It was short lived.  He had only come upon the scene some three years earlier.  He had gathered around him a rag tag group of fisherman and other commoners who followed with him and listened to his sermons and lessons.  They had grand ideals.  Sometimes great crowds had gathered but mostly for the wrong reasons.  The bread and fish had been good.  But soon these crowds left when the teaching became harder.  Only the most loyal remained. 

Then one of his own disciples betrayed him.  Jesus was arrested and taken away.  In Mark 14:50 we read these truly sad words.   “They all forsook him, and fled.”  Another close disciple denied him.  All were fearful and in hiding.  When he hung his head and died.  The movement was dead. 

But wait!  That wasn’t the end!  On that first Easter morning he had gotten up.  The soldiers that guarded the tomb lay around the outside as dead men.  The stone that had been in front of the tomb sealed with the governmental seal was rolled away.  The burial wrappings were laid aside and the linen cloth that had been upon him was folded and left.  Some coming to anoint his body were startled to find the empty tomb.  The message began to circulate.  Go and tell!  He is risen!  He is risen!  The movement is not dead! 

“If Christ be not risen…”  the movement is dead!  Our preaching is vain!  Our faith is vain!  Because everything that we believe depends on this vital truth: a risen, living Savior!  “But now IS Christ risen from the dead”  (1 Corinthians 15:20).  That changes everything.  And so this Sunday, as we do every Sunday and especially Easter Sunday we sing about and we preach about and we worship a risen, living, saving and soon coming Jesus Christ.  The movement is dead?  Not at all!  Celebrate Him!