July, 2011
Greetings brothers,
‘The devil considers it a complete triumph if he can strip away the saint's armor and bribe him away from steadfast in his holy profession. The devil would rather see Christians defiled with sin and unrighteousness than defiled in blood and pain, for he has learned that persecution only trims the church, which soon comes back up all the thicker, it is unrighteousness which ruins it. ‘ William Gurnall
We are in a great dilemma these pressing months. I know that there was much accomplished for ’your agenda’ at the convention. But I continue to hear and read of more dissent and rejection to leadership. The above statement of our unrighteousness as a body of believers in Southern Baptists, is more pleasing to Satan than our successes. I believe these things must be put right before moving ahead with agendas.
I see 3 areas that need to be addressed immediately:
1. The lack of prayer; You have heard me on this before, if you have given any heed to my letters, emails and phone calls. But prayer has continued to be systematically removed from all areas of SBC life as I see it. Brothers, we cannot continue without prevailing prayer. I am not talking about those that ‘say prayers’. I am talking about those that intentionally pray and prevail. TW Hunt has always reassured me, ‘That God always has His remnant.’ Praise His Name for this truth! But when I look about some of the great prayer warriors of old, like Bertha Smith, Culpepper, TW Hunt, Henry Blackaby and such like, I see those that have died, and those that are getting older and very frail. This generation has yet to produce the like to match their caliber of prevailing and seeing the same results as they saw. As was shared at the SBC with all the many needs for 1. Reaching the unreached people groups; 2. Money for supporting missions; 3. Unity among Southern Baptists; and 4. New church plants across North America. Where was the time given to pray over such things?
At the SBC convention, when the video was shown about Joplin and other ravaged areas for disasters, and the program was running ahead of schedule. I went forth to the stage and sent a message that instead of just saying, ‘Pray for these areas and relief workers. Since we are ahead of schedule take the time to pray.’ Bryant, I don’t’ know whether you did that on your own, or whether you responded to my message, but you did take time to pray in small groups for a few minutes.
But considering the enormous tasks ahead for us, more time should have been spent in prayer together. I would like to show you in our history, almost 100 years ago, time was made and spent in prayer at the SBC convention: (forgive me for the length of this but it is important)
Culpepper’s book, ‘In April 1923, we applied to the Foreign Mission Board. The Southern Baptist Convention met in Kansas City in May of that year. Dr. J. F. Love, the Executive Secretary of the Board, reported to the convention there were seventy-five candidates to go, but the Board did not have funds to send anyone. The news shocked the entire convention. The leaders of the convention realized that they could not afford to send the volunteers that year. They called the convention to prayer. The strongest leaders, such as Dr. Truett, Dr. Gambrell and Dr. Mullins, spoke in very strong terms the absolute necessity of sending missionaries. In this prayer meeting, which lasted until nearly midnight, individuals and churches subscribed enough funds to send ninety-two missionaries.’ They prayed, they stayed and God provided. Is not all our hope found here in this truth? When God’s people pray rightly, God works wondrously for His glory!
2. The lack of discipleship that keeps new believers strong and sure in their faith and walk with the Lord. I don’t know how much to go into this, except to say, that Lifeway is at the root of this. They have removed most of their discipleship literature and programs. We want spiritual churches, families, evangelistic and mission minded, yet we strip away the very formation of spiritual discipleship. Henry Blackaby has said often, ‘This is the most biblically ignorant generation that has ever been.’ WE have more of everything but depth in Christ.
One of the products of real Revival is that God’s people feast on God. They cannot get enough of His Word. They cannot get enough of His people in church fellowship. They cannot get enough of prayer. I don’t know whether you agree with Finney on this or not, but his conclusion is that the church can be brought closer to the place of sustaining revival when these ‘spiritual disciplines’ are maintained. But if we remove and lose these things then we are removing ourselves from His Presence. The Assembly of God denomination has taken our products of discipleship from the 1970’s and 80’s and incorporated them into their mainstream. And that is why they are growing and we are declining. We must ‘repair the breaches’ of spiritual discipleship among our convention.
3. WE need to have a time of corporate repentance. WE are in July and have adequate time to approach the state conventions for such a prayer time. Act now; to seek for reconciliation, forgiveness and restoration among our own. WE need to have a time to call upon the Lord in repentance for our neglects, missed opportunities and squandering of time and money to reach our nation and the world. Have a time to repent of sins in our nation, our churches, our families, and our own personal lives.
I continue to read and hear of these states that, in their fall state meetings, they are heading for fracture and conflict. NAMB’s approach to DOM’s to be done by the end of the year. In essence, you have six months till you are out, is not a show of love and respect in any fashion. It is much in comparison when Abraham was forced by Sarah, to give Hagar and Ishmael a bottle of water and sent out into the wilderness. Yes, God said, ’Do it’; and God provided for them. But is this the best way for us to act and do this?
*Deleted Section for Frank Page only;
Jonathan Goforth, 'At the breakfast table, on the sixth morning, Dr. A------ told me that that night two of the Chinese leaders, one of whom was the evangelist already referred to, had wakened him up long after midnight to get him to pray with them. 'Mr. Goforth has been here five days already,' they said, 'and yet there has been no real sign of revival. We're so troubled by the thought that the Lord might pass us by that we can't sleep.' When I heard that I was greatly encouraged. I felt sure that God's time for favor was close at hand.’
In conclusion, I think there is much urgency beginning to arise among us. This is very healthy that God is stirring us for His work. I know a few that match this comment of Goforth’s, ‘We’re so troubled by the thought that the Lord might pass us by that we can’t sleep.’ God is working and moving. But let us be sure we are where we are supposed to be; doing what we are supposed to do; in the right way. Let us be sure that holiness is our objective and not self-agendas, with humanism at its helm. ‘There is a way that seemeth right unto man.’ But God says, ‘Here is the path, now walk in it.’
There are two things in which I am asking of you.
1. First, I am asking you to respond to this. Some of you are quite offended by my writings, that I am ‘too accusing of the brethren’ and judgmental. I have tried to express to you that I am simply trying to state the reality of our situation. We are not a spiritual people, as would seem. These are simply suggestions and ideas that would elevate our pursuit of holiness. The song says, ‘Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city’. These are to be done by ‘growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord’ through these 3 suggestions. Please, don’t take my words as leveling condemnation but merely seeking to raise standards of holiness among us.
2. Secondly, I am asking for a plan and simplistic purpose of agenda to present to the state conventions to fulfill these things. Is it possible? Is it right? Should we not expect some attention to these things to pursue righteousness? If the states, associations, churches, entities and schools reject it - so be it! But at least make the effort to apply these spiritual truths to our daily living for Christ. That in all ways we may be like Him, our blessed Lord and Redeemer and Savior. That we may know Him and learn of His fullness.
This is written with my burden to prevail in prayer; to see real revival in our day and to know that ’God has come down.’
Until,
Dan Biser
Rdbiser@live.com
http://dbiser.blogspot.com
http://danbiser.blogspot.com
http://www.brokenbeforethethrone.com
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