One thing that has helped me.

One thing that has helped me as a young preacher has been listening to other preachers. I have been thinking about some things that been beneficial to me and to my surprise one of the best have been listening to other preachers. This has been one thing that has pumped me up about bring Gods word to my folks. I say that it is surprising because I used to hate setting down and listening on tape or on the radio to some preacher probably because God was calling me to preach and I didn't want to. That being said when I first started here in Ketchum I didn't have internet access and I really missed hearing my good friend and pastor Doyle Pryor at FBC Sapulpa preach. When I did get hooked up I listened to the pastor at FBC Tulsa Deron Spoo my wife then told me about Johnny Hunt in Woodstock so I started to watch him (they have video) I also saw Mac Brunson at our state evangelism conference and have both listened and watched him (not lately since he moved from Dallas to Jacksonville) this year I have found another one that I saw at the EC he is form north Jacksonville his name is Herb Reavis. The reason why I listed these guys is you should check them out they are really good their I am sure many others please fill free to list your favorites I would love to listen to others also just one more thing do they (for those of you who have gone) have preaching at the SBC conference? I sure hope this helps others it sure has kept me looking at Gods word and hearing it form other men of God In Him Kevin

I wonder if I know what I am doing. Have you ever felt that way? Last post I asked is any one listening and someone was they e-mailed me and said turn your comment on. (Thanks Wes). But I don’t know how. I hope I fixed it but I am not sure. This little problem got me to thinking. What kind of other "little things"do we allow to get in front of not only our walk with Christ but also the ministry that He has given us? Sometimes I think this IMB issue is doing just that. Taking our sites off of other important things. Don't get me wrong I know we should do something about the additions to the blue book (or did it replace the blue book I don't know apparently the trustees don't either) and also the leadership of the BoT. We cannot let it consume every thing we do. There are a lot of good things that have come out of this one of which is the young preachers are standing up and saying "I might not have a Doctorate and I may not be at a church which run at least 500 plus but I will take a stand on what I believe". 2nd. Missions has been brought to the fore front and not only what the IMB and the NAMB are doing but what the local church can do on it’s own you can see that in Marty Duren post "Missional church" and the comments made by Wade Burleson on the post "My Thoughts Toward My Fellow Trustees" much of which was the answer to the post by Steve McCoy on his site "Missional Baptist blog" and the post “Churches Louder Than Blogs”. It made me stop and think about how can I get the folks God has trusted me with to be more mission minded. That’s when I thought I wonder if I know what I am doing? I started posting hoping to help young preachers find answers to these issues most of the times my questions were not answered but they at the very least got me to start seeking answers form smarter guys than me. I have been seeing a change in how we do missions and some of it is because the politics of the SBC, and IMB as well as NAMB are distasteful to many of the younger generation. I hope that we can work in changing some of this and that all of these great organizations will be better off for it. I also hope to see men like Marty and Wade (not saying that these 2 are or should step up only that men like them in their local areas should) step up to help train young preachers in how to make the church they serve be mission minded. I hope I fixed the problem with my comments if I haven’t e-mail me and explain how to in simple English. IN HIM. Kevin Lancaster

My thought on Greensboro and the SBC

Well I haven't really hade anything to talk about lately. But it,s 2:42AM and I couldn't sleep so I have been praying and re-reading my sermon for in the morning (wait it is morning already) the title is "Tried by Fire" talking about Joseph and all that he went though to get him were God planned for him to be. I have been keeping up with the events in Tampa Bay and as I have read many things I am still wondering were I and many other young preachers fit into all of this. I am going to Greensboro and hope to find out a little more from fellow Okies like Wade and Rick both trustees at the IMB. I plan on being at the YPC and my hope is to talk about how we can re-focus on getting the very best young and old missionaries to go and attack the gates of hell as a friend of mine once said with a water pistol if needs be. I know that the IMB is doing a lot of good, but some in the leadership are going down a path of control that was never meant to be the SBC is as my DOM says a upside down pyramid were the largest part controls the smaller part i.e. the churches control the SBC this is in most cases a recipe for disaster. It has worked because our focus is on winning people to Christ through cooperating with each other though the giving of money and placing leaders to do what is best for the Kingdom not THE SBC. One of the things I have read is that the churches in other countries don't look like SBC churches can I say there are no SBC churches only Kingdom churches. We might be associated with the SBC but we are His church and I venture to say few are alike. We are different because the people in the churches are we are not all the same but we are all family. The other reason I haven't blogged is because I am not real sure anybody is listening I don't have a desirer for power I just want to learn how to be the best Pastor/Elder for the folks God has placed me with and I thought this would be one way to squeeze out some information it has had some success so it has been worth it. I will continue to post as long as I feel that it is of benefit iether to me or someone else.

IN HIM

Kevin

Yes I am a Eagles Fan! 

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I have been reading and really praying about some important things. One being if God wanted me to go to Greensboro and the SBC conference. God answered that and also though a lady from Kentucky paid for not only me but also my wife. I cannot even begin to tell you how blessed I am. I also have been asking God how young preachers can be involved in the SBC with out offending or making others angry. You are probably wondering how that can offend or make someone angry? I still don’t have that answer but I know it does. I have been reading Wade Burleson post on The Point Is Being Missed Yet Again and it is worth reading as is all the articles that are with it. Here is my comment to his post. In Him Kevin Wade I took a little more time to read and re-read all the information in your post today I hope that is the reason that you don’t have as many comments as of this afternoon. To be honest on the most part the 2 articles on baptism and tongues I agree with, but it seems vague to me when I compare the policy on the 2 issues. For instance in my opinion all but that last point on baptism I completely agree with. The issue is inside the church and who can “legally” baptize. If that is the case I know that two of my daughter’s according to my understanding of the policy would not be allowed to be a missionary. (Since I baptized my youngest as an elder and not an ordained Pastor. And if I am reading the policy right also my oldest daughter was baptized by my dad who is an ordained pastor but not the pastor of the church we were members of.) If I am reading it wrong what would prevent others from doing the same? According to the article on tongues it simply placed the personal prayer languages with that of the “Unknown Tongues”. I don’t agree with that opinion of scripture does that make me unfit to be a pastor of a southern Baptist church? I believe that will be the direction this will eventually take then as has been said the non-essential doctrine will now be right there with salvation. My question then is this what can be done? I agree that going to Greensboro is a start but at the same time to effectively make changes we will and must as the Young Baptist get involved with the SBC and also become leaders.(Which in my opinion is the reason many of the older leaders a saying we are just after the power.) You can’t make a change with out getting involved. My biggest issue is that the IMB is trying to be some kind of prayer and baptism police. When will that kind of thinking end? I like the explanation given by Dr. Storm on the tongues issue But wait a minute,” responds the cessationist. “The crucial issue with Paul isn’t whether he speaks in tongues, but what is appropriate in the public assembly of the church. Paul is determined only to do what is cognitively rational and thus edifying to others in the meeting of the church.” So, how do we resolve this problem? It’s really not that difficult. Paul has said that tongues-speech in the public gathering of the church is prohibited, unless there is an interpretation. Since the purpose of such meetings is the edification of other believers, Paul prefers to speak in a language all can understand. Consequently, he rarely speaks in tongues in a public setting. However, if Paul speaks in tongues more frequently and fervently than anyone else, yet in church almost never does (preferring there to speak in a way all can understand), where does he speak in tongues? In what context would the affirmation of v. 18 take shape? The only possible answer is that Paul exercised his remarkable gift in private, in the context of his personal, devotional intimacy with God. Again, the only grounds I can see for objecting to this scenario is the reluctance that many cessationists (such as the majority on the IMB board) have for spiritual experiences that bypass or transcend the mind. If I am off base on these Questions I would love to be corrected. I believe as Wade does that I can work with men who disagree in these matters as long as the Salvation doctrine is not add to or taken away from. Kevin