Wikipedia

This is a post I place at a Wikipedia site about Missionary Baptists. I'm amazed at the rumors and misinformation that is daily passed off as fact.

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A non-prejudicial look into Missionary Baptist history will quickly demonstrate that pre-millennial teaching had been unprecedented until very modern times. Pre-millennialism has crept slowly into Missionary Baptist eschatology in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Southern Baptists, who are made up of what were originally Missionary Baptist churches, were devoid of such teaching until very recent years. Many Baptist "Associations," upon witnessing the onslaught of what had been a completely foreign teaching, even went so far as to write into their by-laws that should a local church hire a pre-millennial pastor, fellowship would be removed between the offending church and the local Association.

The point being, this teaching has not been a traditional part of Baptist orthodoxy. I understand that this doesn't necessarily address whether or not this view is true, but it, hopefully, sheds some light on the common assumption today that as it is now, is how it has always been.

Change can be good, but not just for the sake of change. If you change what you or your fellows believe and have believed for a very long time, make sure that this new direction isn't just enticement, but enlightenment.

Sponges

Sponges are absorbent. They soak up any liquid they touch and will retain it until it is squeezed out of them.

Now, a sponge will consume water, alcohol, petroleum or most any other liquid. Some of those liquids are good; some of them are bad.

To get a sponge to imbibe the most liquid, you squeeze it tight, immerse it and let it expand naturally. To remove the liquid you simply apply pressure.

Sometimes, the only way to find out what's in a sponge is to squeeze it. Then, it is too late. Whatever is in it is coming out.

People are very much like sponges. They swallow most anything that comes their way. This is especially so when under pressure. When the compression appears to be released, they naturally grow and expand, consuming whatever "liquid" fills the environment in which they are placed. When, once again, life squashes them, then whatever is in them comes out of them.

So, what is the point? The point is the question: What are you absorbing? What you take in will, sooner or later, come out of you.

Water Boarding

I hear a lot of debate about the legality and morality of water boarding. Some say it's torture; some say it's not. I say it's one of the best things to ever happen to me. Yes, I have been water boarded.

It happened to me when I was about eight years old. I gave my life to Jesus and my dad, my pastor at the time, dunked me good. He put me under all the way. I came out clean and fresh and rejoicing.

I know what you're thinking: "Water boarded! Don't you mean baptized?" Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.