Text: "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach: Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how, shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Likewise must the deacons be..." (I Tim 3:2-8)

During a class I once attended, a visiting pastor from a prominent, "successful" church addressed the class on the subject of "Youth Pastoring." During the question-and-answer time I asked whether today’s emphasis of youth-teaching-youth was as scriptural as having the elderly teach the youth. His answer will never be forgotten -- "Well, society has pushed aside the elderly and just wouldn’t accept them today." I concluded from his answer that he too had pushed aside the elderly, to be accepted by society.

Of course, everyone knows that a church cannot have a thriving youth group without a young, vibrant, dynamic "leader" who can "relate" to his class, reach them at their level; one who can "meet their needs"; one who knows what they are facing in a fast-paced society; one who can play their games with them; one who is not as far removed from them as the old-fashioned, out-dated, weak and feeble elderly - After all, what do old people know anyway?

The odds of finding a young man who is sober, vigilant, of good behavior, apt to teach, not greedy or covetous, patient; one who is married to one wife with his children in subjection, one who is not a novice, but has from a child been brought up in the Holy Scriptures, and has a good report before the saints—are much less than finding a seasoned old man who has much more experience, understanding and wisdom.

Such a young man probably wouldn’t be accepted as a "Youth Pastor" in most churches today anyway. They are looking for one who can give good jokes and make the people laugh and have fun, not too serious-minded but casual and easy; one who has been in the struggles that the youth ate now facing; one who is apt to play, knows how to dress and isn’t offensive; one who is interested in good business investments; married or not: preferably one whose life was known to be in chaos and turmoil but recently walked the aisle and got right with God; one coming from afar off-- perhaps a good school.

The scriptures give clear guidelines for the office in the church and the requirements for each, and "Youth Pastor" is not among them. The two offices are Pastor and Deacon. How has the Devil craftily taken the little lambs away from scripturally qualified Pastors and led them to be taught and trained by novices! If young people need anything today it is good sound, straight, Bible preaching and teaching from an experienced, seasoned man of God who rules well his own house and has his children in subjection!

II Chronicles 10:1-19 records the story of another man who pushed aside the elderly -- Rehoboam. "But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him" (verse 8). The result was a split in Israel -- "And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day" (verse 19).

A good young man is fine, but a good old man is better. An old man has more experience that a young man could ever have. A good old man has been through more trials, troubles and afflictions and seen the hand of God deliver him out of them all. A good young man has mostly talk; he says that he will be faithful to God, but a good old man has a life to prove it. A good young man can give the best counsel he has learned in a short space of time, but a good old man can give counsel that has already been proved on others.

A good young man is known for strength, but a good old man is known for wisdom which is "better than strength" (Prov. 20:29). A good young man is usually still in school, but good old man is usually his teacher and knows a great deal more (Job 15:9-10). A good young man may have a good strategy in war, but a good old man has a record (Ecc. 9:13-16). A good young man is making himself a good name, but a good old man already has a good name (I Sam. 12:1-5). A good young man can run to God’s Word for hope, but a good old man can show a life of God’s Word never failing once (Psalm 37:25). A good young man deserves honour for being so (Rom. 13:7) but a good old man, double honour (I Tim 5:17). A good young man is closer to being a child, who can easily be deceived and carried about by various beliefs (Eph. 4:14), but a good old man is closer to being grown up, settled and established (Eph 4:15).

Which is a better teacher for the youth today? Someone who has just been converted, is still being trained and closer to being a novice, or someone who has from a child known the Holy Scriptures (II Tim. 3:15) who is now old, wise and has not departed from them {Prov. 22:6)?

Professional Businesses could teach a weak and helpless church that Experience does pay. While the world is killing off its elderly as useless and too costly, churches should be treasuring their elderly as truly valuable and beneficial-- instead of giving an uncertain sound" (I Cor. 14:8) by "pushing them aside."

(that is if you have your eyes open)

1. The piano player—"After all, I give the mood!"

2. The preacher – "Someone has to give the plea!"

3. The ushers – "What would happen to the order of service?"

4. The administration – "It isn’t for us; it’s for them."

5. The deans – "We don’t need to repent."

6. The faculty – "We would tarnish our reputations."

7. The Soloist – "Since I have a beautiful voice, I must be gifted by God, under control of his Spirit and thus don’t need to respond."

8. The coaches – "We don’t need this."

9. The treasurer – "What would the people think I’d done?"

10. The counters – "We need to stay and get an ides of the moving of the Spirit."

-- Yet the preacher motivates the people, "Have you ever noticed that it is the most spiritual people that come forward?"

-- With all the appeal given at the end of the service, and the urgency to move when the Spirit stirs (after all, "your just one heart-beat away"), have you ever wondered why these people never move during the service (several heart-beats earlier)?

In every true, God-sent revival, people from all categories not only "respond" but also get saved by the Spirit, when He moves, nor must they crawl on their hands and knees to earn their salvation.

Many of the most popular "praise songs" today were composed by men and women involved with the Oneness Pentecostal movement, which denies the Trinity and which baptizes only in the name of Jesus. A recent article in Charisma magazine (June 1997) noted that "most popular praise anthems sung in charismatic and evangelical churches today were composed by Oneness believers." the article gave these

examples--

* DOTTIE RAMBO, who was raised in a Oneness church, wrote "Behold the Lamb" and other songs.

* JOEL HEMPHILL wrote "He’s Still Working On Me."

* LANNY WOLFE wrote "Greater Is He that is in Me."

* Songwriter GERON DAVIS wrote "Holy Ground" and "In the Presence of Jehovah."

* The contemporary Christian recording group PHILLIPS, CRAIG AND DEAN is composed of three Oneness ministers.

* The song "Mercy Seat," which is sung nightly at Brownsville Assembly of God "revival" in Pensacola, Florida, was written by United Pentecostal Church (a Oneness group) worship leader MARK CAROUTHERS.

We do not believe God is the author of the charismatic movement, with its ecumenical goals and its strange unscriptural phenomenon. The Bible tells us He is not the author of confusion. We believe there are saved people within the movement, but the movement itself is unscriptural. We believe, in fact, that this is part of a movement prophesied in Scripture as the end-times apostasy which will result in a one-world harlot "church." This is described in many New Testament Passages (i.e.. Matt. 24:3-4, 11, 24; I Tim. 4:1-4; II Tim. 3:1-13; 4:4-6; Jude 3-16; I John 2:18-19; I John 4:1; etc.), culminating in the description given in Revelation 17-18. That there are genuinely saved people in this movement is implied in Revelation 18:4, which says: "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." God calls His people out of the end-time apostasy.

We, therefore, reject the charismatic movement AND ITS MUSIC.

We witnessed the worldliness associated with the charismatic movement when we attended New Orleans ‘87 with press credentials. The leaders of that massive conference (more than 40,000 in attendance) brought in secular jazz artist Pete Fountain to entertain the crowds. In introducing Fountain and his band, fresh from their performance on wicked Burbon Street, the chairman had the crowd of charismatics "give Pete a hand." Synan then had the crowd "give Jesus a hand." What the holy Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible had to do with this worldly mess, we have yet to figure out. The formalities over, the band proceeded with its concert of secular jazz while the charismatic crowd danced in the streets, the fact is that Fountain was playing exactly the same type of music that the charismatic groups were performing throughout the conference.

We reject the philosophy which suggests that the music which stirs up lust and wickedness at a rock concert or in a bar room can be sanctified for the Lord’s use. We believe worldly music produces worldliness. Most Contemporary Christian Music does not produce holiness of life and separation from the world. In the 1980’s, Pentecostal preacher David Wilkerson changed his position on jazzy music and began to lift his voice against Christian rock. In his book, Set the Trumpet To Thy Mouth, in 1985 he said: "One of the reasons God’s Spirit was lifted from the Jesus Movement of the last decade was their refusal to forsake their old music. They gave up pot, heroin, alcohol, [fornication], and they even gave up perverted lifestyles. But they refused to give up their beloved rock...Amazing! I say its hold is stronger than drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. It is the biggest mass addiction in the world’s history.... Rock music, as used and performed in Christian circles, is of the same satanic seed as that which is called punk, heavy metal, and is performed in devilish rock concerts worldwide."

In 1991 Wilkerson gave the following warning: "About five years ago I became disheartened when many pastors opened up their churches to rock concerts. Teenagers went wild, dancing in the aisles, going straight out of the church [to commit fornication.] Parents wrote to me brokenhearted, saying, ‘My teenager was on fire for God. Then our pastor and youth pastor brought in these wild groups, and I lost my son. He is backslidden. He got an appetite for occult music, right in our own church.’"

We agree with this assessment, and we would urge our readers to avoid the worldly Contemporary Christian Music which incorporates the same rhythms one can hear in a bar room. Worldly music will produce worldliness.

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6: 7-8).

"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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever" (I John 2:15-17).

Further, we are convinced that music which is produced by ecumenists and which is used to promote charismatic experience and ecumenism, cannot be used to produce sound Biblical faith and practice. By the laws which God put into this world, Contemporary Christian Music will produce in kind. Like produces like. The Bible warns, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Corinthians 15:33). If we associate closely with those who are disobeying the Word of God, we will be infected with their disobedience. Be not deceived. The church which gravitates toward ecumenical charismatic music will be moved away from a strong Bible stand. There is a spiritual power behind the Contemporary Christian Music.

----Copyright 1997, David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist News Service, 1701 Hams Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277

http://wayoflife.org/~dcloud/   E-mail:  dcloud@whidbey.net

Is it not quite interesting that most "Christians" will move anywhere for a good job, and of course, when they get there, find a good church? -- as if good churches were easier to find than good jobs, and finding a good job were a man’s most important responsibility?__________________________________________________________________________

Due to the tremendous red-tape the United States Postal Service has wrapped around "second-class" mailers; Due to the ever-increasing regulations to which "second-class" mailers must adhere and comply; Due to the fact that when this publication, The Angelus, was first mailed twenty-four years ago, each copy cost one-fifth (three cents) the price of a regular postage stamp (fifteen cents), while now each copy costs one-half (sixteen cents) the price of a regular postage stamp (thirty-two cents); Due to the fact that we now have to do the entire sorting for the Post Office to the point we must separate each piece into different regions of the country; Due to the fact that what we used to carry to the Post Office in two, rugged, plastic trays, we now must sort into forty-five different cardboard boxes, each which with its own cover and strapping which cannot be obtained at the United States Post Office; Due to the fact that each individual copy weighs one-fourth the allowance for a first-class, regular, thirty-two cent, postage stamp; We hereby resolve the following:

The Angelus will continue to be printed monthly; however, it will be mailed "first class" every two or possibly three months.