Wanna get a lot of people for your church?

Here is an interesting video courtesy of Bro. and Sis. Manalastas, members of our church, that shows how and why a church may grow. Too often pastors are so afraid to preach the gospel, in fear of losing the goats, they will say and do anything, which leads to starving the sheep.

PRAYER the greatest tool in the Christian life

Guess what? Most Christians have horrible prayer lives. And unfortunately I must say, my prayer life needs a lot of improvement. Often people say prayers, but they do not engage in praying. Well I have to warn you, I have to say something that is hard and unfortunately sad to say, but many Christians don't even know HOW to pray. Until prayer is emphasized in a believers life, most will live defeated and powerless lives; carried out in pain and frustration. However there is hope! Here I have an interesting link on HOW TO PRAY. So you can read, learn and use the most vital and powerful weapon for all Christians. See, there is always hope in prayer because God is always listening.

This is why being relevant is irrelevant

Here is a video that depicts why the church has become less and less authentic in its message and existence. It has become so much like the world that it can’t be distinguished. Here is a great suggestion: Be what you are supposed to be…a church.

Modern Church Growth

Getting people to come to a church is often very hard for pastors. So many attempt to use various methods and means to get people. But does the end result justify the means????

Wanted: A Revival of Christian Dogma

Unfortunately today basic Christian dogma is neither preached or known in most churches today. Most people have minimum scriptural knowledge in applying Christian thought and belief. One of the myths that has been thrown around in religious circles is the universalism of mankind and the overall belief that all people are generally good and God will one day save everybody. However the word of God says something very different. The nature of man is not only depraved but scripture says it is “desperately wicked “. The belief that God LOVES Everybody is neither scriptural nor philosophically logical. Here is an interesting video I thinks that makes the point

Baptism by Immersion

I feel that the only people that have it right when it comes to baptism are the BAPTIST! (well, some other folk too) But I believe that scripture clearly teaches that those who have professed faith in Christ are the ones to be baptized. Which is Credo-baptism as opposed to Paedo-Baptism (infant baptism). Dr. MacArthur has a great article pointing out the validity of Believers Baptism in this BAPTISM ARTICLE. This Saturday we will be baptizing our dear Brother Kevin Manalastas a believer at Cabrillo Beach which is located in sunny Southern California! Come on out and enjoy as we celebrate this joyous occasion for all.

The New Trend: Christian ADVISE

Dr Horton presents an interesting trend that moving through a lot of churches its called "Religion" and not the GOSPEL through the person of Christ. Unfortunately most churches are now giving biblical tidbits on living, to make the members of their congregations lives better. They do this by bringing the parishioners each Sunday, biblical steps to help them see mistakes in their lives and what they need to do to "get better" and "do better". What the churches are becoming are " pit stops" each Sunday that provide self-help fueling for the rest of the week. Therefore Christ really is not needed in the message on Sunday mornings because snapshots of scripture references, and biblical jargon about "doing stuff" are substituted for the person and work of Jesus Christ. The announcement of the gospel is replaced by the law of "what to do" to get favor and blessing from God and if you "do" what you are supposed to "do" then God will begin "doing" in your life. HELLO!!!! He has ALREADY done something it is called Calvary, the empty grave , and the Holy Spirit.

Oh No... Another Article on Preaching!!!

Yeah its true. Another article on preaching. This one was sent to be from a young lady in our church and I think that it's pretty interesting. Preaching all over is in pretty dire straits unfortunately, and any and all help is needed. As powerful as preaching is in reformed circles, sometimes sermons occasionally can be dry at times; and I think that this is because of, believe it or not, EXPOSITORY preaching ( I know I said it...bring out the stake and burn me- its heresy- I know I know.) Well with that said let me explain before I introduce the article. There are times when topical sermons fit the text much better than an exegetical verse by verse sermon. However one of the problems that I find in preaching and in many speeches for that matter, is the inability of most people to WRITE. Writing on a well organized thought, bringing out the main idea of what you want to say, or what the biblical text is saying, is a serious problem for most speakers. I believe that trick is following a well organized idea in essay form, developing the body and bringing it to conclusion for the hearers. I believe this is the foundation for the sermon and from this other aspects are added -even in expository sermons. The article points out some interesting tidbits that are relevant to preaching effectively to the congregation. I think how the preacher is able to convey information to an audience is vital, as well as, how the audience is able to understand and be moved by the information received by the preacher. Click HERE to read the article....enjoy.

The Rising of the REFORMED!

Guess what? Calvinism is back, on the rise, and getting stronger. The modern church is now embraced in capturing the teaching of Reformed Christianity. Shocked and confused? Don't be- the theology of Calvin is basically biblical Christianity recaptured during the reformation that the Catholic church just about completely abandoned during 16th century. However there is a new movement that is on the rise. According to a recent article in Time Magazine , Being starved at mega churches, young people are now hungry for deeper theology and more complex scriptural thinking and the biblically based Reformed Theology of Calvin fits the bill. The movement of the protestant reformation came about because the church in medieval times, had pretty much become a political and economic behemoth that ignored Holy Scripture and instead implemented traditions of the pope and the European culture at hand. The Reformation, with men like: Luther, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli and the like, recaptured much of the biblical church doctrine and reformed the church and its teachings to its original purpose and position. Unfortunately most modern day Christians have very little ability to think analytically, philosophically or logically in a biblical framework, therefore people dismiss or ignore the tenets introduced by such thinkers as Augustine, Luther or Calvin. Not to mention that biblical illiteracy is at an all time high in our culture, so developing a systematic paradigm to see scriptural connections is often difficult for most in our modern times. Although reformers such as Calvin, Luther, Knox, etc. had their flaws, as well as theological points I disagree with, their exegesis and exposition of biblical text was fantastic and still helpful to the modern church of today.

Claremont School of Theology Goes Off The Deep End

It turns into Claremont School of Theology. Claremont, a Methodist affiliated seminary, is now training graduates in multiple faiths other than Christianity. In a recent Los Angeles Times Article Claremont, which is located in Claremont California, a suburb of Los Angeles, is now training clerics for Islam and Rabbis for Judaism. Which simply means they are training people to present multiple ways to God. However if you are a Christian school, or call yourself a Christian school, and your job is to train men and women in your institution to properly preach the gospel, this is a contradiction. Because the gospel presents Christ as the only way and there is no other way. If the false teachings of Islam and Judaism will one day send individuals to hell, why would you promote those as legitimate teachings in an institution that is Christian? This is what happens when a seminary is interested in becoming "academic' and known, rather than orthodox and authentic. Theological liberalism is invading seminaries like a plague and Claremont is just one example of what a school will do to be anything but biblical. When a seminary tries to be relevant chances are it will be at the expense of being Christ centered and biblical. That is why we are to be in the world but not of a world that neither friendly or accepting of us.
Even though many seminaries are bastions of questionable theology it seems that some have gone even further off the deep end. For example, what happens to a seminary when it abandons the faith handed down from scripture?

Powerful Preaching

___I don't always hear that much powerful preaching for today but when I do I try and post clips once in a while. Most of the modern sermons of today are fairly weak and self centered (Unfortunately that goes for my sermons too some of the time) so to hear one with a punch, is a treat for me and I hope for you too.- Enjoy!

Holiness vs. Pentecostalism a Difference? Yes There IS!

it is virtually impossible to tell them apart. Churches are so eager to fill the building with people that they forget about filling the people with the Holy Spirit needed for holy living. The high levels of sin, sexual immorality, doctrinal error and heresy that is rampant in the church today, is evidence that the person and work of The Savior is not preached, the message of the new birth is unknown, and that self help pragmatism has become the norm on Sunday mornings. Until the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached faithfully, and the sacrificial discipleship of the cross is implemented, a dim and fading light of influence of the church in the world is inevitable. ______ Today the cross is neither preached about nor known about. Men and women instead are looking for a Christianity that is diluted and un-sacrificial. In this video Dr. Ravenhill talks about the Pentecostal movement of old; however I believe that the modern Pentecostal movement is far from the holiness movement that began in England with great men such as Wesley. Although I am a Calvinist, I'll take one John Wesley over 100 modern Calvinist any day of the week. The immorality that exist in the modern church is appalling to say the least and the church today mirrors the world to such an extent that

Rick Warren and John Piper Together....WHAT ????

is puzzling . I met Dr. Piper at this conference in Los Angeles for African American Pastors and he seemed to be a nice man very humble and an extremely gifted preacher and speaker. In this clip he attempts to explain why he invited Warren to his conference. He mentions something about "picking his brain" I'm not sure what that means or if it's relevant. However I suspect that Rick Warren does provide an element of publicity to the Desiring God Conference and I reckon that some feel that any publicity- no matter what it is or how it comes about- is better than none. However Warren has very little in common with orthodox Christian thinkers, conservative Evangelicals, Reformed Pastors, and Calvinist proponents. He neither believes what most of the guest speakers at the conference believes nor does he adhere to most of the basic doctrines of grace as understood by basic protestant dogma via the reformation. The time alloted at the conference to someone like Rick Warren I feel, could have been given to someone in Reformed circles that would have edified the body of Christ more sufficiently, but I guess it wasn't practical.

Rick Warren is obviously a controversial individual within mainstream evangelical circles. Although popular with the laity and some in the Christian community, among knowledgeable leaders, he is a man of somewhat questionable ideas, beliefs and methods. As a pastor and author, he has made some strange statements about the social and cultural world we live in when confronted by mainstream media. Why John Piper invited such a polarizing figure as Rick Warren

Not a Calvinist? Watch this and you will be.

Many Christians unfortunately don't know the doctrines of grace, often called Calvinism. However it is basic orthodox Christianity. Because very few individuals know classical church history, they often ignore or dismiss the teachings of the great theologian John Calvin- which when examined carefully are the fundamentals of basic Christian dogma. As Baptist we do have some disagreements with some of the tenants of Calvin-no man is perfect- but all in all Calvin is tops in my book!



Here is an interesting video from Sis. Lizel (I'd love to take the credit for it but I can't) that's a new cool substitute for the Acronym TULIP called "STUDIO". It's short, but I think you'll enjoy. Calvinism is often a little hard to swallow for most folks, but then again the truth usually is.

Benny Hinn: apparently not enough faith to heal his marriage

he is "neither a prophet or the son of a prophet" (as Amos would say). Benny Hinn has been thought of by many as a counterfeit for years so it is no surprise that his wife has decided to leave him. The question is why did it take so long? The reason is money. She, like all the rest of the crew that works with this man, has been reaping off the funding that a ministry like this provides. This then is the reason why she went along with the game he was running for almost 30 years. Unfortunately people are always attracted to the idea of getting healthy and wealthy through religion. The nature of human beings is instantly attracted to anything that appeals to the flesh rather than the Spirit. That's why a man like Benny Hinn will continue to strive amidst this controversy. Until people are willing to look to a Savior who died on the cross for their sins and that is "able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of God with exceeding joy", they will continue to look to the likes of Benny- a man that is as phony as a three dollar bill.


The so called "faith healer" Benny Hinn could "heal" anything but his marriage. Here is a man that has been investigated as some kind of " anointed healer" and there is yet to be found one legitimate healing in his so called "ministry". Simply because

Divorce Battle: Joseph Reyes Faces Jail Time for Taking Daughter to Church - ABC News

Divorce Battle: Joseph Reyes Faces Jail Time for Taking Daughter to Church - ABC News

people of darkness. No matter what religion they are or even if they are not religious. If they are not followers of Jesus Christ they have not come into the light therefore they are "children of wrath" doomed for eternal judgment. Christians are to flee from and not marry non-Christians because this is in violation of the word of God. We should never apologize to the world for what we believe because we answer to God, Him alone and His church. The idea that believers are so desperate to marry, that they will marry un-believers is not only ludicrous but also sin. A Jew, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, etc. are un-believers. Because they are religious is meaningless if they have not given their lives to Christ and become His followers. Christians are a redeemed people, called out of a world of darkness into the marvelous light by the power of the gospel. The gospel of a Savior who has died to set us free from the bondage of the world, the flesh and the devil. So click on the blue link above and see the sad consequence of ignoring the demand of scripture and what happens when we "lean to our own understanding" rather than the word of God.
WHY CHRISTIANS ARE NOT TO MARRY UN-SAVED PEOPLE
This story of child custody ,is a prime example why believers are forbidden to marry unbelievers. Because un-believers are not people of light they are...

The Church is Now Using Kung Fu to Draw Men Because They Think Exalting Christ Won't Work

the god of American pragmatism is used rather than the gospel for bringing people to Christ. A New York Times Article , reveals what some churches are doing to get people to come to church. Today's church is not only confused about what it means to reach the lost for Christ, but they have no idea of what to use to reach them. This is because they do not believe in the Power of The Gospel (Romans 1:16) and it's ability in rescuing depraved sinners. So they resort to the buffoonery of men in tights whacking and kicking each other. This reveals how far humans will move themselves: from the preaching of the cross and atoning work of Christ, to the clown tactics of wrestling and hitting one another. Entertainment then becomes a vice of the flesh that some churches feel they need to lure people to a worship service in order to rescue men from the judgment of God. However people need more than just "coming to church" incentives, they need deliverance. In fact they need to be saved from their sins and not from boredom. Therefore the gospel is the only thing that will work in capturing men who are lost, confused, and "dead in trespasses and sin"-not "marketing techniques" of people fighting. It is the belief in Christ, his death, and resurrection that humanity must be interested in rather than martial arts. For Jesus himself states: "He that believes in the Son has eternal life but he that believes not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abiding on him" (John 3:36) . Now that's a "wrestling hold" you can't get out of.


"If I be lifted up I'll draw all men unto me" are the words of Jesus Christ, God incarnate; but the modern church has said "no thanks, we'll use ultimate fighting". Surprised? Don't be- because this is precisely what happens when

Yes we have a few "Kooks" in the Christian faith

The ENTIRE universe is cursed because of the "fall" and that the "whole creation groaneth" (Romans 8:22). Tragedies unfortunately happen to the "just and the unjust". These disasters in Hatti, as well as other places, represent a sin infected earth that is waiting it's redemption as well as human beings in cursed bodies which are dying and decaying, as we wait for our own redemption. As far as Hatti making a "pact with the devil", well, the Haitians are no more under the control or "pact with the Devil" than a Wall Street executive, a teacher, a soccer mom, a dentist, a auto worker or any other person that has not been saved by Jesus Christ. In fact, all who are not covered by the blood of Christ and saved by faith in Jesus Christ, are by nature, "children of wrath"(Ephesians 2:3) - without making a "pact". They in fact, obey "the god of this world", and are "serving divers lust" under the dominion of "principalities and rulers of darkness" (Ephesians 6:12). And this goes for people of every nation: rich and poor, developed and non-developed, third world and first world, because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"(Romans 3:23). And unless the people of Hatti- and any other people groups as far as that is concerned- are under the control and power of the Holy Spirit, they and all people, regardless of nationality, are under the bondage of the evil one. And until they and mankind in general are free, all will need salvation, deliverance and redemption from Jesus Christ, the only one who can rescue them from something much greater than an earthquake: the wages of sin.


Listen as Televangelist Pat Robertson rambles off some non-biblical gibberish that sounds as if he's making it up as he talks. If Pat Robertson would read his bible instead of mouthing off nonsense, he would see how scripture relates to the Hatti disaster when it says...

Being "Nice" a myth and tool of demonic proportions

SINFUL. Not only is it not a virtue but instead is form of manipulation- he points out this in a recent interview and you can read it in this article

The idea of being "nice" for men- and in fact for anyone- but in this case men, is a complete farce. Nice people are usually walked on, weak and passive and this is a death trap for most men. However there is a reason for this. In a fabulous book, by author Paul Coughlin, No More Christian Nice Guy he outlines the fallacy of being nice as a Christian and points out that it is neither biblical or ethical instead it is

Can Christians Say 'Allah'? In Malaysia, Muslims Say No

"If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. He that hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." (John 15:22-25)


Here is a clear example of what Jesus Christ talks about when He mentions that "the world will hate you because it hates me." Muslims burn down churches and persecute Christians in Malaysia simply because they use the word Allah.Here is the article that points this out:Can Christians Say 'Allah'? In Malaysia, Muslims Say No
Although the article is interesting, however Jesus gives the answer and the real reason why when He says...