WEBVTT 00:00.210 --> 00:03.170 All right, well, it's great to be here 00:03.170 --> 00:04.810 at Steadfast Baptist Church. 00:05.150 --> 00:08.150 And I've actually preached here a couple of times before. 00:08.670 --> 00:10.990 And for those of you that have been here for a long time, 00:11.090 --> 00:11.910 you might remember that, 00:12.010 --> 00:15.230 but it was actually way before Pastor Shelley 00:15.230 --> 00:16.230 was actually the pastor. 00:16.690 --> 00:20.770 And so going back like nine years, 10 years, 00:20.970 --> 00:21.970 a really long time ago. 00:22.430 --> 00:25.170 And it's great to see some of the same faces 00:25.170 --> 00:27.690 and just seeing a lot of new people as well. 00:27.950 --> 00:29.430 I mean, the church has really grown since then. 00:29.430 --> 00:32.110 And I just want to thank first Pastor Shelley 00:32.110 --> 00:34.430 for just giving me the chance to be here today. 00:34.830 --> 00:36.270 But not only just that, 00:36.610 --> 00:39.770 I think most of you are kind of aware of my story 00:40.270 --> 00:42.370 and everything that happened at Verity Baptist Church. 00:42.810 --> 00:44.650 And the thing is when you become a missionary, 00:45.390 --> 00:48.190 you know, you're going away from secular work, you know, 00:48.350 --> 00:50.190 and the thing is I didn't go on deputation. 00:50.410 --> 00:53.110 I didn't go around to a hundred churches begging for money. 00:53.490 --> 00:57.310 And so when everything blows up at your church 00:57.310 --> 01:00.170 that is sort of helping you or kind of not really, 01:00.970 --> 01:03.330 it kind of leaves you in a pretty desperate situation. 01:04.190 --> 01:06.090 And you know, honestly, Pastor Shelley and I, 01:06.530 --> 01:07.990 honestly, we didn't meet each other 01:07.990 --> 01:09.870 or know each other that well from the U.S. 01:09.930 --> 01:12.130 I mean, one time I think in Sacramento we met 01:12.130 --> 01:15.490 and talked just very briefly, one time in Arizona. 01:16.450 --> 01:18.730 And, you know, but he really reached out to me 01:18.730 --> 01:19.690 to be a friend to me. 01:20.030 --> 01:22.430 And the thing is everybody will say that you're, 01:22.450 --> 01:23.750 they're your friend, but you know, 01:23.850 --> 01:25.290 actions speak louder than words. 01:25.850 --> 01:28.550 And quite honestly, he reached out to be my friend 01:28.550 --> 01:30.790 and I just want you to know what kind of pastor you have 01:30.790 --> 01:32.690 because honestly, a lot of people are gonna say 01:32.690 --> 01:35.370 a lot of things about your pastor and they already have, 01:35.590 --> 01:37.670 they already do, they criticize this church, 01:37.770 --> 01:39.250 but it's like on a personal level, 01:39.550 --> 01:41.170 he reached out to me to be a friend 01:41.170 --> 01:43.390 when honestly I just didn't have anything to offer. 01:43.790 --> 01:45.650 And that is the kind of pastor you have. 01:45.890 --> 01:48.030 So you should be very thankful for this church, 01:48.490 --> 01:51.770 stay dedicated, stay faithful, you know, 01:51.810 --> 01:53.450 because you do have a great church, 01:53.450 --> 01:55.750 you have a great pastor and a lot of people here 01:55.750 --> 01:56.790 that love God. 01:57.370 --> 01:59.730 Now, we're here in Matthew chapter 16 01:59.730 --> 02:01.770 and the name of the sermon is 02:01.770 --> 02:04.570 Three Ways to Destroy a Great Church. 02:04.910 --> 02:07.210 Three ways to destroy a great church. 02:07.350 --> 02:09.450 Notice what it says here, verse number 13. 02:10.790 --> 02:13.510 When Jesus came into the coast of Cesarai, Philippi, 02:13.890 --> 02:15.150 he asked his disciples saying, 02:15.270 --> 02:17.770 whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? 02:18.250 --> 02:20.810 And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, 02:21.370 --> 02:24.470 some Elias, and others Jeremiah's are one of the prophets. 02:25.070 --> 02:28.110 He sayeth unto them, but whom say ye that I am? 02:28.430 --> 02:29.750 And Simon Peter answered and said, 02:29.990 --> 02:32.350 thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. 02:32.770 --> 02:34.310 And Jesus answered and said unto him, 02:34.470 --> 02:36.190 blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, 02:36.710 --> 02:38.990 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, 02:39.110 --> 02:40.530 but my father, which is in heaven. 02:40.930 --> 02:42.990 And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter, 02:43.170 --> 02:45.050 and upon this rock I will build my church. 02:45.530 --> 02:46.710 And notice the next phrase, 02:47.330 --> 02:50.730 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 02:51.370 --> 02:53.550 Now, I think oftentimes we're kind of reading the Bible 02:53.550 --> 02:55.270 and there's a lot of language, 02:55.470 --> 02:56.730 we kind of just read over it 02:56.730 --> 02:59.150 and don't really stop to think about it. 02:59.630 --> 03:01.830 I mean, that's kind of a strong statement, isn't it, 03:01.890 --> 03:02.930 that the gates of hell 03:02.930 --> 03:04.810 will not prevail against the church? 03:05.450 --> 03:08.010 Now look, we don't believe in one universal church, 03:08.090 --> 03:10.390 what we believe in is local churches. 03:10.910 --> 03:13.770 So this is a promise given to a local church 03:14.230 --> 03:16.030 like Steadfast Baptist Church. 03:16.450 --> 03:19.450 What the Bible is saying is that when you're serving God, 03:19.850 --> 03:22.970 you will have persecution, you will have fights, 03:23.270 --> 03:25.770 yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus 03:25.770 --> 03:28.810 shall suffer persecution, not just the individual, 03:28.910 --> 03:31.150 but also the churches that are doing something for God. 03:31.590 --> 03:34.010 But the Bible promises the gates of hell 03:34.010 --> 03:36.090 will not prevail against that church. 03:36.750 --> 03:39.110 Look, this church has been protested. 03:39.510 --> 03:42.750 I mean, this church has had bank accounts shut down. 03:42.750 --> 03:46.250 I mean, it's like I always give the wrong location 03:46.250 --> 03:46.930 for this church. 03:47.070 --> 03:49.690 I always say, Hearst, Texas, you know, 03:49.710 --> 03:50.550 I'm living in the past. 03:50.690 --> 03:52.390 I mean, you were like all over the place, 03:52.470 --> 03:55.130 going from area to area, taking off YouTube, 03:55.750 --> 03:57.690 taking off all these social media platforms. 03:57.930 --> 03:58.830 I mean, there's persecution. 03:59.770 --> 04:02.390 There's a fight, but I look around 04:02.390 --> 04:04.290 and it seems like the church is still going strong. 04:04.630 --> 04:06.910 It seems like you're still soul winning. 04:07.110 --> 04:08.930 I mean, and the salvation numbers, 04:09.230 --> 04:10.430 let me just check here. 04:12.130 --> 04:14.850 Year to date, 6,698. 04:14.970 --> 04:17.250 I'm not sure if it's that state side here or is that? 04:17.850 --> 04:19.230 I mean, that is a lot of salvation. 04:20.850 --> 04:24.990 I mean, we're talking like 700 salvation per month. 04:26.390 --> 04:27.870 I mean, it seems like the gates of hell 04:27.870 --> 04:29.150 are not prevailing against it. 04:30.310 --> 04:32.550 But unfortunately, if you are a church 04:32.550 --> 04:34.230 that is doing something big for God, 04:34.430 --> 04:35.250 you are one of the few. 04:36.290 --> 04:39.090 And what that means is Satan will greatly attack 04:39.090 --> 04:41.550 those churches that are doing something big for God, 04:41.730 --> 04:42.530 because quite simply, 04:42.830 --> 04:44.850 there's just not a lot of great churches out there. 04:45.350 --> 04:47.610 And this is one of the great churches 04:47.610 --> 04:49.010 that exist in this world 04:49.010 --> 04:50.570 where there is gonna be a battle 04:50.570 --> 04:52.970 every single day until the end. 04:53.490 --> 04:55.210 Now go to your Bible to 1st Corinthians chapter 10. 04:56.490 --> 04:58.170 1st Corinthians chapter 10. 05:00.630 --> 05:02.290 Now look, a sermon like this 05:02.290 --> 05:05.350 is always important at a great church 05:05.350 --> 05:08.430 because honestly, great churches come 05:09.150 --> 05:10.590 and great churches go. 05:11.610 --> 05:14.370 There can be churches that are great churches 05:15.030 --> 05:16.470 and they last for a while 05:16.990 --> 05:18.770 and then they just fall apart. 05:18.990 --> 05:21.750 I mean, in fact, I believe my sending church was like that. 05:21.870 --> 05:23.410 I believe they were once a great church. 05:24.970 --> 05:26.670 I think they once really stood 05:26.670 --> 05:28.070 for their name Verity of Truth. 05:28.870 --> 05:31.510 But I wouldn't say that in 2026. 05:32.470 --> 05:35.330 Now the thing is that church still has a building. 05:36.030 --> 05:38.050 They still have people that show up, 05:38.890 --> 05:40.590 but they're not like they used to be. 05:41.670 --> 05:46.270 And the thing is there is only a small minority 05:46.270 --> 05:49.030 of truly great churches in this world. 05:50.030 --> 05:53.110 Now look, I'm thankful for all of the Baptist churches 05:53.110 --> 05:55.970 throughout the world that have a soul winning program 05:56.430 --> 05:58.570 and they do a little bit of soul winning every week 05:58.570 --> 05:59.130 and that's great. 05:59.650 --> 06:01.130 Because if I lived in that area, 06:01.130 --> 06:03.470 I'd be happy to have a church that was right on the gospel 06:03.470 --> 06:04.970 and I could join for soul winning. 06:05.210 --> 06:07.490 You know, there's a difference between, you know, 06:07.650 --> 06:09.210 seven or eight people out of a church 06:09.210 --> 06:10.830 this size going soul winning weekly 06:10.830 --> 06:13.070 versus most people going soul winning. 06:13.690 --> 06:15.070 There's a huge difference. 06:15.230 --> 06:16.730 It's not the same at all. 06:16.830 --> 06:19.930 There's truly a small group of great churches 06:20.490 --> 06:21.890 that exist in this world. 06:22.550 --> 06:24.590 The Bible says here in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12, 06:33.010 --> 06:35.730 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted 06:35.730 --> 06:36.730 above that you are able, 06:37.150 --> 06:39.930 but will with the temptation also make a way to escape 06:39.930 --> 06:41.710 that you may be able to bear it. 06:42.010 --> 06:43.430 Now on the direct context, 06:43.630 --> 06:45.270 we're talking about the individual 06:45.270 --> 06:48.610 and the Bible is saying take heed lest ye fall 06:48.610 --> 06:50.550 because many people do fall. 06:51.310 --> 06:53.470 But you could also apply this to a church 06:53.970 --> 06:55.630 and you could say to a great church, 06:55.850 --> 06:56.690 hey, you know what? 06:57.050 --> 06:59.710 We've seen other great churches kind of fall apart. 07:00.570 --> 07:02.510 So take heed lest ye fall. 07:03.430 --> 07:05.930 Make sure that this church doesn't fall apart. 07:06.870 --> 07:08.330 Now the great thing about this 07:08.330 --> 07:10.430 is God does give us a template 07:10.430 --> 07:13.190 on what you need to do as a church 07:13.190 --> 07:16.030 to stay strong, to stay zealous 07:16.030 --> 07:19.450 and still be a great church five years from now, 07:19.950 --> 07:22.590 10 years from now, 20 years from now. 07:22.870 --> 07:24.310 The Bible actually tells us. 07:24.330 --> 07:27.590 Now go to Revelation chapter two, Revelation two. 07:32.270 --> 07:34.210 Now, you know, part of why I'm preaching this sermon 07:34.750 --> 07:36.770 is, you know, when I went to the Philippines, 07:37.130 --> 07:39.470 it was only a couple months after that 07:40.030 --> 07:43.570 that this church went through a pretty big trauma, right? 07:43.690 --> 07:44.910 I mean, there's just no other way to say it, 07:44.910 --> 07:47.370 but the old pastor was just with prostitutes 07:47.370 --> 07:49.470 and honestly, you probably know more details than me, 07:49.510 --> 07:51.270 but pretty major and grievous sins. 07:51.890 --> 07:54.950 Not just small sins, but major sins. 07:55.910 --> 07:57.290 And you know, here's the truth. 07:57.950 --> 08:00.010 Outwardly, everybody was trying to encourage 08:00.010 --> 08:01.170 this church to keep going, 08:01.470 --> 08:02.990 but you know what a lot of people were thinking, 08:03.070 --> 08:03.910 including myself? 08:04.450 --> 08:06.330 I don't know if this church is gonna last. 08:07.610 --> 08:09.170 I'm just being honest to you. 08:10.090 --> 08:12.010 I was like, I mean, is everyone just gonna move away 08:12.010 --> 08:15.130 from this church because it was so bad eight years ago? 08:15.710 --> 08:16.630 I mean, it was horrible. 08:17.550 --> 08:19.810 It's like, is this church even gonna last? 08:20.270 --> 08:22.570 And of course publicly, everyone's trying to encourage, 08:22.750 --> 08:25.170 but I'm just saying, this is what people thought 08:25.730 --> 08:27.150 about this church eight years ago. 08:28.110 --> 08:30.010 And so I wanna show you what the Bible actually says 08:30.010 --> 08:32.010 about what actually destroys a great church 08:32.010 --> 08:34.970 because that was major sin, major problems. 08:35.390 --> 08:37.670 And then afterwards, I mean, people are getting kicked 08:37.670 --> 08:38.990 out of this church left and right. 08:40.910 --> 08:43.310 It's like from an outsider's perspective, 08:43.550 --> 08:45.290 it's like, what is going on there? 08:46.610 --> 08:47.870 See, one thing you gotta understand 08:47.870 --> 08:50.710 is if a leader becomes very corrupt, 08:50.930 --> 08:52.750 that means there's gonna be a lot of issues 08:52.750 --> 08:53.570 within the church. 08:54.630 --> 08:56.950 And see, the one great thing this church did 08:56.950 --> 08:59.710 is actually just put all the information out there, 09:00.210 --> 09:03.990 hit rock bottom, don't hide anything, let it be known. 09:04.110 --> 09:04.630 You say, why? 09:04.990 --> 09:07.110 Because then you can start to rebuild. 09:08.170 --> 09:10.350 When churches hide information, 09:10.730 --> 09:12.850 it's just gonna make it a million times worse. 09:13.030 --> 09:14.170 You're never gonna recover. 09:15.370 --> 09:17.250 It's like, you can just hit rock bottom, 09:17.510 --> 09:20.670 it's embarrassing, it's horrible, just admit it, 09:20.670 --> 09:23.630 just let it out, and then you can start to rebuild. 09:25.030 --> 09:27.230 But unfortunately, a lot of churches don't do that. 09:28.230 --> 09:29.790 This church did it correctly 09:30.380 --> 09:32.810 and started the process of rebuilding. 09:33.170 --> 09:35.250 And honestly, I remember just being shocked years ago, 09:35.390 --> 09:37.390 it's like, whoa, the church is like twice as big. 09:38.950 --> 09:41.250 Cause honestly, I was not sure 09:41.250 --> 09:43.030 this church was actually gonna last back then. 09:44.170 --> 09:46.190 Now in Revelation chapters two and three, 09:46.870 --> 09:48.910 the Bible gives us seven different churches 09:49.430 --> 09:50.830 and five of these churches 09:50.830 --> 09:53.890 have at least one thing negative mentioned about them. 09:54.430 --> 09:57.770 These five things mentioned in Revelation chapters two and three 09:57.770 --> 10:01.850 can kind of be categorized in three different ways. 10:02.370 --> 10:02.790 Okay? 10:03.590 --> 10:07.730 And the first one is with the outward focus, okay? 10:07.910 --> 10:09.970 Referring to preaching the gospel 10:10.350 --> 10:11.370 and getting people saved. 10:11.470 --> 10:13.230 Here's what it says in Revelation two, verse one. 10:13.910 --> 10:16.390 On to the angel, the church of Ephesus, right. 10:16.390 --> 10:17.450 These things say, 10:17.530 --> 10:19.850 if he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand 10:20.190 --> 10:22.670 who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, 10:23.150 --> 10:25.950 I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience 10:25.950 --> 10:28.150 and how thou canst not bear them which are evil 10:28.630 --> 10:30.630 and thou has tried them which say they are apostles 10:30.630 --> 10:33.070 and are not and has found them liars 10:33.070 --> 10:35.230 and has borne and has patience 10:35.230 --> 10:39.770 and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted. 10:40.150 --> 10:43.670 Now this is referring to a legitimate and real church 10:44.270 --> 10:47.250 and it's not just a legitimate and real church that existed 10:47.250 --> 10:48.770 but this is a good church. 10:49.410 --> 10:50.890 It's not a Pentecostal church. 10:51.650 --> 10:53.150 It's not a Catholic church. 10:53.730 --> 10:55.850 It's not a church preaching a work salvation. 10:56.510 --> 10:57.670 According to the Bible, 10:57.890 --> 11:00.330 this is a legitimate and bona fide church 11:00.330 --> 11:02.450 and it's not an old bad church. 11:02.590 --> 11:03.870 I mean, there's good things about it. 11:04.490 --> 11:05.750 He compliments it 11:06.570 --> 11:09.330 but then he's gonna criticize it in verse four. 11:11.190 --> 11:13.470 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee 11:14.190 --> 11:15.810 because thou has left thy first love. 11:16.310 --> 11:18.910 So he rebukes them for leaving their first love. 11:19.810 --> 11:20.970 You say, well, what's the first love? 11:21.150 --> 11:22.730 Well, verse five, remember therefore 11:22.730 --> 11:24.550 from whence thou art fallen and repent 11:24.990 --> 11:27.030 and do the first works 11:27.550 --> 11:29.170 or else I will come into thee quickly 11:29.170 --> 11:31.650 and will remove thy candlestick out of his place 11:32.370 --> 11:33.190 except thou repent. 11:33.630 --> 11:36.110 So the Bible mentions the first love in verse four 11:36.490 --> 11:38.870 and it mentions the first works in verse five. 11:38.870 --> 11:42.610 So there is a connection between the works and the love. 11:43.470 --> 11:45.230 Now look, when a church starts, 11:45.790 --> 11:48.270 it's often gonna start with very few people. 11:48.550 --> 11:50.250 Maybe the pastor and his family, 11:50.710 --> 11:53.270 maybe 15 people, maybe 20 people. 11:53.570 --> 11:55.290 So what do you have to do when a church starts? 11:55.850 --> 11:58.270 You have to go out and bring people in. 11:59.110 --> 12:01.830 Even churches that are not fundamental Baptist churches 12:01.830 --> 12:05.090 are gonna have some form of evangelism or outreach 12:05.090 --> 12:07.950 or whatever they call it to bring people in 12:07.950 --> 12:09.450 because they don't have members. 12:10.190 --> 12:11.630 And of course a church like this, 12:11.830 --> 12:14.210 I mean, they hit the ground running soul winning, 12:14.430 --> 12:15.230 soul winning, soul winning. 12:15.790 --> 12:17.750 You know, we started a church in Melbourne, Australia 12:17.750 --> 12:19.870 and we've been going for about four months 12:20.470 --> 12:23.330 and they had soul winning events before that going on. 12:23.610 --> 12:25.570 They're not a big church at this point, 12:25.570 --> 12:30.090 but they're at 152 salvations for the year so far. 12:30.870 --> 12:33.570 And of course, you know, Australia's not the Philippines 12:35.230 --> 12:37.950 but I'll tell you, man, they are dedicated out there 12:38.870 --> 12:41.530 and they're going soul winning every Saturday, every Sunday. 12:41.670 --> 12:43.030 I mean, they are hitting the ground running, 12:43.090 --> 12:44.810 doing whatever they can, going to malls, 12:44.850 --> 12:47.030 doing, going to parks, doing everything they can 12:47.030 --> 12:48.370 to preach the gospel. 12:49.150 --> 12:50.930 And the thing is when you see churches 12:50.930 --> 12:53.290 that maybe aren't as big as Steadfast Baptist Church 12:53.750 --> 12:56.170 or maybe are not as receptive of areas 12:56.590 --> 12:58.270 if they're zealous for soul winning, 12:58.350 --> 13:00.330 we're like, man, that church is awesome, isn't it? 13:00.330 --> 13:01.210 Right now, yeah. 13:01.470 --> 13:04.470 Because your love is shown by the works that you do. 13:05.010 --> 13:08.210 And what is the big work that comes to serving God 13:08.210 --> 13:09.510 and at a local church? 13:09.770 --> 13:11.970 It's going out and preaching the gospel. 13:12.610 --> 13:14.410 See what the Bible is saying about this church is 13:14.410 --> 13:16.230 they used to love soul winning, 13:16.890 --> 13:18.590 but they've left their first love. 13:19.510 --> 13:21.530 That doesn't necessarily mean 13:21.530 --> 13:24.530 that they don't have any soul winning at all. 13:25.210 --> 13:27.750 But it means it's no longer their first love. 13:28.590 --> 13:29.630 Do you understand the difference? 13:30.750 --> 13:33.750 Because a church can have a soul winning program every weekend, 13:34.250 --> 13:36.950 but their main focus is on the children's program, 13:37.730 --> 13:40.990 on Sunday school, on the Christian school, 13:41.410 --> 13:44.630 or on activities, or on the music ministry. 13:45.330 --> 13:47.110 I mean, there's plenty of Baptist churches 13:47.110 --> 13:48.210 that exist in the world. 13:48.510 --> 13:50.070 They have a soul winning program, 13:50.470 --> 13:51.870 and I'm thankful for that, 13:52.170 --> 13:53.990 but that's not their first focus. 13:54.750 --> 13:56.450 It's not their first love. 13:57.950 --> 14:00.890 They would pour their energy and time into other things, 14:01.150 --> 14:02.630 but not into soul winning. 14:03.270 --> 14:06.190 Look, you don't reach 6,000 plus salvation 14:06.950 --> 14:08.950 unless your first love is soul winning. 14:10.410 --> 14:12.250 And it's like other money this church has been blessed 14:12.250 --> 14:13.710 with this church is like, hey, you know what? 14:13.830 --> 14:15.030 Let's just support missionaries 14:15.030 --> 14:15.970 to get a lot of people saved. 14:16.910 --> 14:17.190 Why? 14:17.650 --> 14:19.750 Because the first love of this church 14:19.750 --> 14:21.470 is wrapped around the first works 14:22.010 --> 14:24.210 referring to soul winning. 14:24.330 --> 14:25.390 Go in your Bible to Matthew 28. 14:26.490 --> 14:27.450 Matthew 28. 14:36.060 --> 14:38.360 And I want you to understand a difference 14:38.360 --> 14:40.320 because I don't know, 14:40.400 --> 14:42.900 I feel like people just don't think about this sometimes, 14:43.720 --> 14:46.640 but people could compare two different churches. 14:47.620 --> 14:50.140 Church A and Church B, okay? 14:50.320 --> 14:52.440 And Church B would be steadfast in this example. 14:52.560 --> 14:55.980 And Church A is just a normal IFB church. 14:56.900 --> 14:58.880 And look, I've been IFB 14:58.880 --> 15:01.000 since before the new IFB existed. 15:01.220 --> 15:02.980 I got saved from someone from the IFB, 15:02.980 --> 15:04.900 so I have a lot of love for the IFB. 15:05.520 --> 15:07.820 And when I'm in town traveling or whatever, 15:08.140 --> 15:10.000 I will look for an IFB church to go to. 15:10.660 --> 15:12.560 And there's a lot of good churches in America. 15:13.100 --> 15:14.080 Yeah, yeah. 15:14.760 --> 15:16.040 Look, you go to other countries, 15:16.340 --> 15:20.220 there's just not a lot of adequate churches. 15:21.700 --> 15:23.640 There's not a lot of churches that are right on salvation. 15:24.940 --> 15:27.360 The Philippines is one of the most saturated countries 15:27.360 --> 15:29.400 with missionaries, but you know what? 15:29.480 --> 15:30.360 When you talk to our members, 15:30.520 --> 15:31.840 they'll say we can't find a church 15:31.840 --> 15:33.240 that's right on the Gospel in our area. 15:34.200 --> 15:35.160 It's crazy. 15:36.040 --> 15:39.240 But in America, this is really the one country I would say 15:39.240 --> 15:42.320 where there's solid churches anywhere you go. 15:43.280 --> 15:44.240 There's other churches. 15:44.340 --> 15:46.060 I'm sure in the Dallas, Fort Worth area, 15:46.200 --> 15:48.120 there are probably other churches that are solid 15:48.120 --> 15:50.600 and decent churches that are right on salvation 15:51.240 --> 15:52.480 and have a soul winning program. 15:52.720 --> 15:54.100 But the way I'm defining it, 15:54.180 --> 15:56.780 I wouldn't label that necessarily as a great church though. 15:57.480 --> 15:59.740 I do think the amount of great churches 15:59.740 --> 16:01.140 is a very small amount. 16:02.080 --> 16:03.040 And people say, well, you know, 16:03.100 --> 16:04.560 church A is a soul winning church 16:05.500 --> 16:07.500 and steadfast is a soul winning church. 16:08.260 --> 16:09.860 But church A is nice. 16:10.960 --> 16:12.620 They don't fight with anybody. 16:13.640 --> 16:15.580 They get along with everybody. 16:15.800 --> 16:17.320 They never preach against anyone. 16:17.700 --> 16:20.380 So therefore, both soul winning churches, 16:20.800 --> 16:22.000 church A is nicer, 16:22.140 --> 16:23.900 therefore A is greater than steadfast. 16:24.060 --> 16:25.480 Isn't that kind of the logic people use? 16:26.900 --> 16:27.460 But wait a minute, 16:27.460 --> 16:29.180 isn't there a difference between getting 16:29.180 --> 16:32.300 10 salvations in a month versus 500? 16:33.880 --> 16:36.020 Look, I'm thankful for the churches 16:36.020 --> 16:38.100 that get 10 salvations in a month. 16:39.560 --> 16:40.660 I think it's great. 16:41.000 --> 16:44.260 But let's not act like these things are equal or the same. 16:44.960 --> 16:47.220 There's a huge difference between going out 16:47.220 --> 16:49.440 and just spending your time on missions trips 16:49.440 --> 16:50.700 and supporting missionaries 16:50.700 --> 16:52.120 and soul winning every single week 16:52.120 --> 16:56.060 versus about an hour once a week on Saturdays, 16:56.060 --> 16:57.720 more focused on visitation 16:58.380 --> 16:59.980 than actually preaching the gospel. 17:00.980 --> 17:03.400 And look, if churches are super zealous on soul winning, 17:03.560 --> 17:05.280 even if they're wrong on a lot of doctrines, 17:05.400 --> 17:06.340 I say, hey, you know what? 17:06.440 --> 17:07.460 That's a soul winning church. 17:08.020 --> 17:09.000 Praise God for that. 17:09.660 --> 17:12.500 Because that is the number one sign 17:12.500 --> 17:13.700 we can see for a church. 17:13.900 --> 17:15.240 Is it a great church? 17:15.860 --> 17:17.760 How many people are they getting saved? 17:18.960 --> 17:22.280 Imagine you had a church that was right on the rapture, 17:23.000 --> 17:25.420 right on all end times prophecy, 17:27.160 --> 17:29.720 against Zionism, right on everything. 17:30.740 --> 17:32.740 But they didn't really do any soul winning. 17:33.420 --> 17:34.600 Is that a good church? 17:35.580 --> 17:37.980 No, and in many ways that might be a really bad church 17:37.980 --> 17:39.320 because it's gonna gather together 17:39.320 --> 17:41.440 a lot of people that love God to do nothing. 17:43.440 --> 17:46.280 See the number one most important thing 17:46.280 --> 17:47.920 is going out and getting people saved. 17:48.040 --> 17:48.940 And what the Bible said is 17:48.940 --> 17:51.300 your first love and first works are connected. 17:51.300 --> 17:53.320 So who are the greatest churches in the world? 17:53.660 --> 17:54.900 The ones doing the most work. 17:55.780 --> 17:57.620 Who are the greatest Christians in the world? 17:57.860 --> 17:59.360 The ones doing the most work. 18:00.220 --> 18:01.280 Who has the most love? 18:01.580 --> 18:04.120 The ones that are doing the most work. 18:05.060 --> 18:06.960 And the problem in Revelation two, 18:07.620 --> 18:09.640 this church, it's not a bad church, 18:10.240 --> 18:11.860 but it's lost its first love. 18:12.520 --> 18:14.460 It's lost its main focus. 18:15.500 --> 18:17.740 This can happen for a lot of different reasons. 18:18.200 --> 18:20.620 One reason is simply because as time goes, 18:20.620 --> 18:23.140 your church grows and you know, 18:23.220 --> 18:25.520 you start just putting focus on other things you never did. 18:26.520 --> 18:27.520 And then all of a sudden, 18:27.600 --> 18:29.500 your focus is no longer on the first works. 18:30.640 --> 18:32.400 Or churches can backslide. 18:32.560 --> 18:34.500 I mean, whatever, there's a lot of different reasons. 18:34.860 --> 18:36.340 But what the Bible's saying is, 18:36.420 --> 18:39.780 hey, your outward focus is the number one thing 18:39.780 --> 18:40.840 you gotta make sure is correct. 18:41.540 --> 18:42.920 It's the most important thing. 18:43.020 --> 18:45.140 It's the first thing mentioned in Revelation chapter two, 18:45.900 --> 18:49.100 leaving your first works, leaving your first love. 18:49.100 --> 18:51.320 Bible says in Matthew 28, verse 18. 19:10.720 --> 19:14.160 Now here the Bible speaks about teaching all nations. 19:15.040 --> 19:16.140 Now when this was written, 19:16.140 --> 19:18.700 the idea of a missions trip was pretty different 19:19.300 --> 19:20.180 than it is today. 19:20.460 --> 19:22.520 I think the primary application here 19:22.520 --> 19:23.900 is getting churches started. 19:24.360 --> 19:26.420 And of course, we want great churches started 19:26.420 --> 19:27.580 all throughout the world. 19:27.920 --> 19:29.040 But in our modern day, 19:29.260 --> 19:31.580 we can reach all nations via different methods. 19:32.440 --> 19:33.960 You reach it via social media. 19:34.140 --> 19:36.780 You reach it via OM or however you pronounce that TV. 19:37.800 --> 19:40.220 OM, OME, OME, I don't really know, 19:40.600 --> 19:43.360 but you reach it via doing missions trips. 19:43.920 --> 19:46.100 Right, I mean, there's many ways that you can reach. 19:46.440 --> 19:47.620 But what the Bible's saying is that, 19:47.780 --> 19:49.360 hey, you know what, all of us, every church, 19:49.540 --> 19:52.760 every person, our focus ought to be to go out 19:53.260 --> 19:54.100 and get people saved. 19:54.220 --> 19:56.500 Go to Mark 16, Mark 16. 20:08.150 --> 20:10.250 Bible says here in verse number 15, 20:11.470 --> 20:12.510 and he said onto them, 20:13.090 --> 20:14.950 go ye into all the world 20:15.650 --> 20:18.570 and preach the gospel to every creature. 20:19.490 --> 20:20.290 And the Bible says, 20:20.290 --> 20:24.090 hey, you know what, first go ye, ye being plural. 20:24.870 --> 20:28.630 This is a command given to every single Christian, 20:29.010 --> 20:31.030 every single saved person in the world. 20:32.190 --> 20:34.250 Now look, are there rare exceptions 20:34.250 --> 20:36.490 where people might have health situations 20:36.490 --> 20:38.430 and they cannot go out soul winning? 20:38.970 --> 20:39.810 Yeah, absolutely. 20:40.710 --> 20:42.310 You know, we have people at our church that are elderly 20:42.310 --> 20:44.170 and the idea of them going out for hours 20:44.170 --> 20:46.550 is not really something that they're gonna be able to do. 20:47.110 --> 20:49.130 And you know, obviously there's exceptions, 20:49.130 --> 20:50.490 but look, those are exceptions. 20:51.190 --> 20:53.050 Most of us in this room looking around, 20:53.230 --> 20:55.150 you have the health to go out and preach the gospel. 20:55.530 --> 20:58.210 You have the ability to go out and preach the gospel 20:58.210 --> 20:59.270 and get people saved. 20:59.490 --> 21:02.550 And the Bible's saying, hey, go ye into all the world 21:03.030 --> 21:05.390 and preach the gospel to every creature. 21:06.910 --> 21:07.870 You say, well pastor, 21:08.090 --> 21:09.530 when can I retire from soul winning? 21:10.710 --> 21:12.050 Well, I mean, you can retire 21:12.050 --> 21:13.590 when every single person has heard 21:13.590 --> 21:15.010 a clear presentation of the gospel. 21:16.970 --> 21:18.990 No, this church has reached a lot of people, 21:19.150 --> 21:20.590 but do you honestly believe 21:20.590 --> 21:22.610 that everybody in this area has heard the gospel? 21:25.370 --> 21:27.870 And look, I would say keep going soul winning 21:27.870 --> 21:29.890 until everybody saved, which is never gonna happen, 21:30.370 --> 21:31.850 but at least looking at this verse, 21:31.990 --> 21:33.650 until every single creature, 21:33.870 --> 21:35.390 every single person has heard the gospel. 21:36.130 --> 21:38.050 And until that happens, we're not done. 21:40.030 --> 21:41.390 Then the Bible says in verse 16, 21:41.630 --> 21:43.770 he that believeth in his baptized shall be damned, 21:43.770 --> 21:44.930 but he that believeth not, 21:45.370 --> 21:47.290 or he that believeth in his baptized shall be saved, 21:48.450 --> 21:52.810 my bad, accidental heresy coming out. 21:55.270 --> 21:57.790 He that believeth in his baptized shall be saved, 21:57.970 --> 22:00.370 but he that believeth not shall be damned. 22:00.470 --> 22:03.550 Now, a lot of times people can get confused by this verse. 22:04.050 --> 22:06.410 Obviously people that believe in baptismal regeneration 22:06.870 --> 22:07.990 would use this verse. 22:08.370 --> 22:09.730 Well, notice, it does, I mean, 22:09.850 --> 22:11.690 the Bible says he that believeth in his baptized 22:11.690 --> 22:12.530 shall be saved. 22:12.530 --> 22:14.690 The thing that damns you is not believing, 22:14.790 --> 22:15.710 it says at the end of the verse. 22:16.330 --> 22:19.350 It could literally say he that believeth in his baptized 22:19.830 --> 22:21.970 and goes to McDonald's later today 22:22.570 --> 22:24.910 and reads the Bible 50 times shall be saved. 22:25.050 --> 22:26.150 That's not a false statement, 22:26.810 --> 22:29.450 but that's not saying you have to do all of those things 22:29.450 --> 22:30.710 in order to be saved. 22:31.690 --> 22:32.690 So the question would be, 22:32.990 --> 22:35.110 why does Jesus word it this way? 22:35.210 --> 22:38.570 Cause it is a bit different, right? 22:38.910 --> 22:40.030 And I believe the reason why is, 22:40.030 --> 22:43.430 number one, he's not trying to teach his closest followers 22:43.430 --> 22:44.310 how to get to heaven. 22:45.950 --> 22:46.910 They already know it. 22:47.690 --> 22:50.590 I'm not coming here today preaching a salvation sermon. 22:51.630 --> 22:53.310 I assume you already know that. 22:53.810 --> 22:55.370 I assume you're already saved. 22:56.010 --> 22:57.830 What he's doing is reminding them, 22:57.990 --> 22:59.950 hey, you know what, let's get him saved and baptized. 23:00.950 --> 23:02.290 Let's bring them in, why? 23:02.470 --> 23:03.850 Because you want a church like this 23:03.850 --> 23:06.230 to not just be 200 people or 300 or 400, 23:06.470 --> 23:08.630 but just grow and grow and grow and grow. 23:09.280 --> 23:11.530 And honestly, that's something all of us can be reminded of 23:11.530 --> 23:12.690 because when we go soul winning, 23:13.050 --> 23:14.590 it's hard to bring people in. 23:15.630 --> 23:16.550 It takes effort. 23:17.010 --> 23:18.230 It takes energy. 23:18.490 --> 23:19.170 It's not easy. 23:20.090 --> 23:21.370 Now, the great news about this 23:21.370 --> 23:24.270 is we're not doing this in our own power. 23:24.770 --> 23:25.910 It says in verse 20, 23:27.090 --> 23:29.290 and they went forth and preached everywhere, 23:30.350 --> 23:34.750 the Lord working, notice this, with them. 23:36.030 --> 23:38.910 See, the Bible says that when you go soul winning, 23:39.250 --> 23:40.850 the Lord works with you. 23:41.950 --> 23:43.970 And look, a lot of people would be offended by this, 23:44.110 --> 23:46.930 but the Lord does not work without us though. 23:47.890 --> 23:49.510 The Lord works with us. 23:50.350 --> 23:52.010 God doesn't get anybody saved 23:52.010 --> 23:53.790 without us going out preaching the gospel. 23:54.890 --> 23:58.370 We go out, we don't get anybody saved in our own power, 23:58.610 --> 24:00.510 but you know what, God's not gonna get anybody saved 24:00.510 --> 24:02.950 without us going out and preaching the gospel. 24:02.950 --> 24:05.730 He's given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 24:06.150 --> 24:09.130 It is our job to go out and preach the gospel 24:09.130 --> 24:10.390 and get people saved. 24:10.670 --> 24:13.890 And when we do that, the Lord works with us. 24:13.970 --> 24:15.830 Go to Acts chapter one, Acts one. 24:27.360 --> 24:29.300 Why didn't this church fall apart eight years ago? 24:30.640 --> 24:33.800 Because this church stayed very zealous with soul winning. 24:35.280 --> 24:37.820 The one thing that I am thankful for about this church, 24:37.940 --> 24:39.420 even with all those problems, 24:39.600 --> 24:41.480 there was definitely a soul winning attitude 24:41.480 --> 24:42.300 at this church though. 24:42.300 --> 24:43.860 You know, when I visited, it seemed like people 24:43.860 --> 24:46.660 were really into preaching the gospel and going soul winning. 24:47.080 --> 24:48.080 But it's like, here's the thing, 24:48.200 --> 24:50.720 if this church had stopped going soul winning 24:50.720 --> 24:52.480 or stopped making it the main focus, 24:53.200 --> 24:54.700 this church would have fallen apart. 24:56.240 --> 24:58.200 Now it doesn't mean that it wouldn't exist. 24:59.280 --> 25:00.520 I mean, you could have a church 25:00.520 --> 25:02.040 where the sign and the name 25:02.040 --> 25:03.460 is just not accurate for the church, 25:03.600 --> 25:05.140 like I don't know, Verity or whatever. 25:06.220 --> 25:08.700 I mean, you could have been called steadfast 25:09.140 --> 25:10.900 and not have really been steadfast. 25:12.620 --> 25:14.600 There could have been 30 people showing up 25:14.600 --> 25:15.960 or 40 people showing up, 25:16.000 --> 25:17.460 but you know what, it wouldn't have been the same 25:17.460 --> 25:18.200 as what you have today. 25:19.980 --> 25:22.000 Bible says here in Acts one, verse six, 25:22.860 --> 25:24.000 when they therefore were come together, 25:24.100 --> 25:25.300 they asked of him saying, Lord, 25:25.620 --> 25:28.240 will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to, 25:28.360 --> 25:31.740 will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 25:32.200 --> 25:32.800 And he said unto them, 25:32.900 --> 25:36.140 it is not for you to know the times or the seasons 25:36.140 --> 25:38.140 which the Father hath put in his own power, 25:38.740 --> 25:40.000 but ye shall receive power 25:40.000 --> 25:41.960 after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, 25:42.600 --> 25:45.000 and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem 25:45.000 --> 25:47.120 and in all Judea and in Samaria 25:47.500 --> 25:50.220 and on to the uttermost part of the earth. 25:51.500 --> 25:54.260 That Jerusalem here, though it is literally Jerusalem, 25:54.720 --> 25:59.340 the application to a local church is the Cedar Hill area 25:59.340 --> 26:02.100 or Dallas Fort Worth, all the surrounding areas. 26:02.500 --> 26:04.960 That's kind of your Jerusalem that you're trying to reach 26:04.960 --> 26:08.200 that is in driving distance, preaching the gospel. 26:08.660 --> 26:12.100 And then it mentions in all Judea. 26:12.700 --> 26:14.660 So even outside of just this local area, 26:14.800 --> 26:16.580 you could think of all of Texas, right? 26:16.680 --> 26:17.820 Maybe you have soul winning events, 26:18.120 --> 26:20.060 you go to trips and get people saved 26:20.060 --> 26:22.380 and somewhere else in Texas and in Samaria, 26:22.640 --> 26:23.460 you could think of the US 26:23.460 --> 26:24.780 and on to the uttermost part of the earth, 26:25.140 --> 26:26.000 it's everywhere. 26:26.900 --> 26:29.740 Now, obviously one church cannot fulfill this. 26:30.820 --> 26:32.680 This church alone could not do that. 26:33.380 --> 26:35.980 The only way this happens is if we do get churches 26:35.980 --> 26:37.300 started in a lot of locations 26:37.760 --> 26:39.040 and of course in the modern day, 26:39.180 --> 26:40.860 you do missions trips to what was at Barbados, 26:41.000 --> 26:43.420 just a week ago or whatever, Mexico City, 26:43.680 --> 26:45.980 in the last month or so, something like that. 26:46.400 --> 26:49.200 And so you do these things to reach people 26:49.760 --> 26:51.700 and you just kind of slowly spread out. 26:52.160 --> 26:55.100 Look, these are the final words of Jesus 26:56.460 --> 26:58.060 before he goes up to heaven. 26:59.340 --> 27:02.040 Imagine you were saying your final words, 27:02.640 --> 27:05.200 passing on information to your kids. 27:06.400 --> 27:09.280 Whatever you say is gonna be what you consider 27:09.280 --> 27:11.480 to be the most important thing. 27:13.040 --> 27:14.680 I mean, have you ever been with somebody 27:14.680 --> 27:16.980 on their deathbed before, maybe a relative? 27:17.920 --> 27:19.740 It's like they are putting out information 27:19.740 --> 27:22.660 that they consider really important. 27:22.740 --> 27:24.720 One of my greatest memories of my life 27:24.720 --> 27:25.960 is just a couple years ago, 27:26.100 --> 27:29.440 I got to be with my dad just right before he passed away 27:30.000 --> 27:33.420 and just my dad was just giving me valuable information 27:33.420 --> 27:35.400 and just sharing things with me 27:35.400 --> 27:37.340 cause he was mentally, completely there. 27:37.720 --> 27:40.060 And it's like when somebody is on their deathbed, 27:40.300 --> 27:42.980 they're passing on what they consider to be 27:42.980 --> 27:45.920 the most important information that there is. 27:46.380 --> 27:49.200 So what is the information that Jesus passes on? 27:50.240 --> 27:52.680 Preach the gospel, get people saved. 27:52.860 --> 27:54.820 I mean, it's really that simple. 27:55.160 --> 27:58.020 Go out, preach the gospel and get people saved. 27:58.280 --> 27:59.880 Go back to your Bible to Revelation chapter two. 28:11.000 --> 28:12.300 Now here's the thing about this. 28:13.540 --> 28:17.480 IFB churches, pretty much every single one of them 28:17.480 --> 28:22.260 would claim that their main focus is to get people saved. 28:24.440 --> 28:27.160 Well, your actions don't really bear that out. 28:27.980 --> 28:30.360 It doesn't seem like that's really what you believe 28:30.360 --> 28:32.320 because you're not doing that. 28:32.580 --> 28:34.320 But see, they get this mindset, well, wait a minute, 28:34.420 --> 28:36.360 we kind of have this roundabout system 28:36.360 --> 28:38.900 where if we start a Christian school, 28:39.560 --> 28:43.320 if we start a Bible college in a roundabout way, 28:43.440 --> 28:45.620 we'll end up getting more salvations 28:46.420 --> 28:48.360 than just by going out every week 28:48.360 --> 28:49.520 and zealously preaching the gospel. 28:49.580 --> 28:50.240 That's what they believe. 28:51.240 --> 28:52.560 It seems like what they believe. 28:53.740 --> 28:56.520 Now what I believe is by and large, 28:56.680 --> 28:57.940 they're too lazy to go soul winning. 28:58.920 --> 29:00.460 And so they kind of have this excuse, 29:00.680 --> 29:02.920 well, this is just our method to reach people. 29:03.420 --> 29:05.300 But we do have a soul winning program. 29:05.560 --> 29:07.660 We do have a visitation schedule on Saturday 29:07.660 --> 29:08.540 where you can preach the gospel. 29:08.720 --> 29:11.280 Look, I'm thankful for those churches that do that, 29:11.880 --> 29:14.740 but 10 salvations a month is not that many. 29:16.740 --> 29:20.060 I mean, look, our church in Australia is not a big church. 29:20.700 --> 29:23.200 They're in the 20s or 30s on a normal Sunday. 29:24.880 --> 29:26.400 152 salvations, you know what that's called? 29:26.600 --> 29:29.040 A lot of soul winning, a lot of work. 29:30.700 --> 29:32.600 I mean, all the churches that you can think of, 29:32.760 --> 29:34.600 new IFB churches, and some are smaller, 29:34.740 --> 29:36.120 but they're getting a lot of people saved. 29:36.120 --> 29:36.800 If you say, how? 29:37.640 --> 29:39.480 Because they're zealously preaching the gospel. 29:40.380 --> 29:41.200 That's why. 29:42.660 --> 29:45.700 Yet a lot of churches, they go soul winning, 29:46.080 --> 29:48.200 but you can't really say that that is 29:48.200 --> 29:49.240 the first love of the church. 29:49.640 --> 29:53.760 It's not the main focus or the main purpose of the church. 29:54.160 --> 29:57.180 Number one is when you lose your outward focus, 29:57.380 --> 29:58.760 that will destroy the church. 29:59.340 --> 30:01.120 It might still exist in name, 30:01.740 --> 30:03.120 but it's not gonna be the same. 30:03.960 --> 30:05.620 And actually go to 2nd Timothy chapter two, 30:05.620 --> 30:06.480 2nd Timothy two. 30:07.240 --> 30:09.900 Number two though, is your inward focus. 30:10.780 --> 30:14.600 And as a church, you need a strong inward focus 30:15.080 --> 30:18.160 of hard preaching, the right doctrine, 30:18.880 --> 30:20.560 dealing with issues and problems, 30:21.360 --> 30:23.000 kicking people out when necessary. 30:23.420 --> 30:26.600 To be strong outwardly, you need to be strong inwardly. 30:27.900 --> 30:31.240 Here's what it says in 2nd Timothy chapter two, verse 20. 30:34.060 --> 30:35.800 2nd Timothy chapter two, verse 20. 30:36.780 --> 30:38.540 But in a great house, there are not only vessels 30:38.540 --> 30:40.820 of golden of silver, but also of wooden of earth, 30:40.980 --> 30:43.240 and some to honor, and some to dishonor. 30:45.900 --> 30:49.380 If, if a man therefore purge himself from these, 30:50.000 --> 30:51.600 he shall be a vessel unto honor, 30:52.300 --> 30:54.180 sanctified in meat for the master's use, 30:54.460 --> 30:58.720 and prepared on to every good work. 30:59.860 --> 31:01.880 So if you want your first love 31:01.880 --> 31:03.820 and the first works to match up, 31:04.400 --> 31:07.060 it's not just focusing on the outside, 31:07.320 --> 31:09.920 you need to have a strong inward part as well. 31:11.000 --> 31:12.600 Now look, this is true as an individual. 31:13.520 --> 31:14.760 It's also true as a church. 31:15.940 --> 31:18.300 I remember when I first started going soul winning, 31:18.960 --> 31:21.200 and I knew that I needed to talk to people 31:21.200 --> 31:21.960 about the gospel. 31:22.620 --> 31:24.160 But you know, I was a college student. 31:24.620 --> 31:26.500 I had a lot of issues in my life, you know, 31:26.500 --> 31:29.120 by no means was I a super zealous Christian. 31:29.660 --> 31:31.560 And I started to preach the gospel, 31:32.120 --> 31:34.260 and I just thought to myself, you know, 31:34.360 --> 31:36.400 man, I don't really have any boldness. 31:36.660 --> 31:38.120 I'm not doing a great job. 31:38.500 --> 31:41.100 And I just came to the realization that, you know what, 31:41.240 --> 31:42.720 if I was more right with God, 31:43.540 --> 31:44.840 then I would be more effective. 31:45.820 --> 31:48.380 So I was like, man, I don't really want to stop 31:48.380 --> 31:49.200 watching these movies. 31:49.940 --> 31:52.500 I don't really want to stop listening to this music, 31:53.220 --> 31:54.900 but I want to get people saved. 31:55.520 --> 31:58.740 And so going soul winning is what changed me. 31:59.960 --> 32:01.420 See, a lot of people have this attitude, 32:01.620 --> 32:03.400 you know what, I'm going to be a zealous soul winner 32:03.400 --> 32:06.060 when I feel like it, when I'm spiritual, 32:06.700 --> 32:08.920 or I'll start reading the Bible every single day 32:08.920 --> 32:10.360 once I reach that point. 32:10.500 --> 32:11.680 But here's why that's wrong, 32:11.980 --> 32:14.760 because your emotions follow your actions. 32:16.240 --> 32:18.320 Got these churches or people that will say, 32:18.420 --> 32:19.720 just follow your heart. 32:21.260 --> 32:23.560 That's about the worst advice you could ever give somebody. 32:23.560 --> 32:26.120 What in the world, man? 32:26.220 --> 32:28.860 A lot of people marry a bunch of idiots and bozos 32:28.860 --> 32:30.600 because they're following their heart. 32:31.400 --> 32:33.480 They've watched too many Hollywood movies 32:33.480 --> 32:35.860 like the notebook or whatever the recent ones are. 32:37.420 --> 32:38.940 And then people could be married 32:38.940 --> 32:41.380 and they just follow their heart to getting a divorce. 32:42.180 --> 32:44.480 And then they got their friends just cheerleading them 32:44.480 --> 32:46.860 saying, man, you know, dump that zero, 32:47.000 --> 32:48.120 get yourself a hero. 32:49.240 --> 32:50.260 Just as garbage. 32:50.460 --> 32:52.380 Why? Because people are following their emotions. 32:52.380 --> 32:53.500 They're following their hearts. 32:55.520 --> 32:58.160 And see, by going soul winning and just doing it, 32:58.540 --> 32:59.500 that's what changed me. 33:00.240 --> 33:01.440 You might be in this room today 33:01.440 --> 33:03.660 and you're not an avid soul winner or you've never gone. 33:04.000 --> 33:04.780 Well, here's the thing. 33:04.860 --> 33:07.140 Instead of waiting to feel like it, just do it 33:07.140 --> 33:08.120 and that will change you. 33:09.800 --> 33:12.340 But the Bible is showing you to be effective. 33:12.620 --> 33:14.440 You need, be effective outward. 33:14.720 --> 33:15.780 You need to have a strong inward. 33:16.320 --> 33:18.960 Here's what it says in Revelation 2, verse 12. 33:19.100 --> 33:20.520 Revelation chapter two, verse 12. 33:22.460 --> 33:24.960 And in the angel of the church in Pergamos, right, 33:25.660 --> 33:27.980 these things sayeth he which hath the sharp sword 33:27.980 --> 33:31.300 with two edges, I know thy works and where thou dwellest, 33:31.420 --> 33:34.480 even where Satan's seed is, and thou holdest fast my name 33:34.480 --> 33:37.160 and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein 33:37.740 --> 33:40.320 Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you, 33:41.000 --> 33:42.120 where Satan dwelleth. 33:42.740 --> 33:44.340 But I have a few things against thee, 33:44.840 --> 33:47.520 because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine 33:47.520 --> 33:50.640 of Balaam, who taught Baelic to cast a stumbling block 33:50.640 --> 33:52.020 before the children of Israel, 33:52.380 --> 33:54.460 to eat things sacrificed unto idols 33:54.460 --> 33:55.840 and to commit fornication. 33:56.180 --> 33:59.280 See what God is saying here, here's a church 33:59.280 --> 34:01.200 and they're allowing false doctrine 34:01.200 --> 34:03.140 to just creep into the church 34:03.700 --> 34:05.280 and nothing's being done about it. 34:06.140 --> 34:09.540 Now the thing is, you're welcome to attend a church 34:10.300 --> 34:14.460 and have different beliefs, but once you cross that line 34:14.460 --> 34:16.640 and you start trying to teach your beliefs 34:16.900 --> 34:19.420 to people at church against what the church is teaching, 34:20.240 --> 34:21.660 you've overstepped your bounds. 34:23.120 --> 34:24.660 It's not like at this church, 34:24.800 --> 34:27.980 you must believe in a post-trib rapture to attend. 34:29.080 --> 34:30.600 But if you're attending the church, 34:31.140 --> 34:33.580 you can't teach your other version of the rapture 34:33.580 --> 34:34.780 against what the church is teaching. 34:36.560 --> 34:38.300 And what's happening in this church is 34:38.300 --> 34:40.940 they're allowing this doctrine of Balaam 34:40.940 --> 34:42.140 to permeate the church. 34:43.100 --> 34:45.920 And here's the reality about most Baptist churches, 34:46.660 --> 34:50.100 they never deal with any problems, ever. 34:51.020 --> 34:53.940 They never kick anybody out of church, ever. 34:56.060 --> 34:59.640 Look, I wish, I wish you could operate a church 34:59.640 --> 35:02.980 zealously soul winning and never kick anybody out 35:03.660 --> 35:05.940 and never have to rebuke people, 35:06.080 --> 35:08.100 rebuke false doctrine or deal with problems. 35:08.560 --> 35:10.180 Let me tell you something, as a pastor, 35:10.460 --> 35:12.980 you have a lot of issues when you run a church. 35:13.900 --> 35:18.340 And the thing is, every single church will have issues. 35:19.560 --> 35:20.440 Here's the difference. 35:21.420 --> 35:25.020 Some churches will just admit it and deal with it 35:25.720 --> 35:27.340 and some will just cover it up. 35:29.240 --> 35:31.060 I mean, how many churches are there 35:31.060 --> 35:33.160 where there's pedophilia going on in the churches? 35:34.000 --> 35:36.060 And they don't tell anybody about it. 35:37.140 --> 35:38.400 They don't make it known. 35:39.960 --> 35:42.240 It's like, man, if somebody gets kicked out of the church 35:42.240 --> 35:44.520 for some massive and grievous sin, 35:44.780 --> 35:46.560 why would you not warn people? 35:47.640 --> 35:49.160 Because you're embarrassed about it. 35:49.960 --> 35:51.120 You wanna keep your reputation. 35:51.980 --> 35:54.300 It's like just admit it, what took place, 35:54.380 --> 35:55.400 but churches don't do this. 35:56.340 --> 35:58.700 And churches will allow people to be at the churches 35:58.700 --> 36:01.100 and teach doctrines opposite of the church, 36:01.480 --> 36:02.960 but they don't kick them out. 36:03.740 --> 36:04.900 They don't deal with it. 36:06.120 --> 36:07.780 Look, I've been at churches before 36:08.480 --> 36:11.100 where during soul winning time, the pastor pairs you up 36:11.630 --> 36:13.260 and you might get paired up with someone 36:13.260 --> 36:15.560 that believes salvation by grace through faith. 36:16.300 --> 36:17.600 You might get paired up with someone 36:17.600 --> 36:19.620 that believes repentance of sins for salvation. 36:21.320 --> 36:22.200 It's a disaster. 36:23.620 --> 36:24.700 And of course, you know, you're trying to be, 36:24.780 --> 36:26.140 I mean, it's the best church in the area. 36:26.320 --> 36:27.240 You're trying to be a blessing. 36:27.440 --> 36:28.500 You don't wanna cause problems. 36:28.620 --> 36:29.960 You wanna motivate people to go soul winning. 36:30.460 --> 36:32.220 It's kind of a rock and a hard place. 36:33.480 --> 36:36.060 I honestly don't even know what the best advice is. 36:37.300 --> 36:41.440 I mean, at my old church that I went to a while back, 36:42.040 --> 36:43.140 you know, in West Virginia, 36:43.800 --> 36:45.600 there was a guy that grew up at the church 36:45.600 --> 36:46.860 and he was the piano player. 36:47.680 --> 36:51.140 And it was obvious from a country mile away 36:51.140 --> 36:52.220 that the guy was a homo. 36:53.020 --> 36:55.260 I mean, it was super, super obvious. 36:56.220 --> 36:58.420 I mean, when we had people that visited the church, 36:58.760 --> 37:00.620 that's like the first thing they would look at me and say, 37:00.920 --> 37:02.860 you know, is that person a homo? 37:03.040 --> 37:03.620 And I'm like, 37:04.980 --> 37:08.340 I mean, you could tell just based on his profile picture 37:08.340 --> 37:08.840 on Facebook. 37:09.240 --> 37:10.860 I mean, it was super obvious. 37:11.960 --> 37:14.140 And I talked to the pastor about it several times 37:14.140 --> 37:16.660 because I got paired up with the guy soul winning before 37:18.020 --> 37:19.920 and I put up with it a couple of times 37:19.920 --> 37:21.820 and you know, I told the assistant pastor, 37:21.820 --> 37:22.620 I said, hey, you know what? 37:22.840 --> 37:24.620 Next time I need to be in a group of three. 37:25.400 --> 37:26.740 It's like, I don't wanna be alone with this guy. 37:26.940 --> 37:28.860 I was giving the guy a ride because he was a teenager 37:28.860 --> 37:30.440 and it's just like, I don't wanna be alone. 37:30.540 --> 37:32.020 It's like, you can pair me up in a group of three. 37:32.600 --> 37:33.800 I don't wanna be alone with the guy. 37:34.220 --> 37:35.740 And I talked to the pastor about it 37:35.740 --> 37:37.660 and honestly, just see, just see, just see, just see, 37:37.680 --> 37:38.660 just see, just see, just see. 37:42.020 --> 37:43.140 Nothing was done about it. 37:43.960 --> 37:45.020 The guy's no longer the church 37:45.020 --> 37:46.600 and he's come out as an obvious homo. 37:46.700 --> 37:47.620 It's like, well, that's not a shock. 37:49.520 --> 37:50.780 I mean, there's one time. 37:51.180 --> 37:52.760 I mean, I was going soul winning 37:53.420 --> 37:55.280 with his father at the church. 37:56.760 --> 38:01.140 And his father was kind of sympathetic to the homos. 38:02.020 --> 38:03.540 Even though he didn't think his son was a homo, 38:03.800 --> 38:06.020 but secretly he probably realized my son's a homo. 38:06.940 --> 38:08.820 And so we were at the door. 38:09.280 --> 38:12.640 I'm the silent partner and it's obvious to me 38:13.180 --> 38:15.280 that the guy at the door is a homo. 38:16.100 --> 38:17.320 He's clearly a fag. 38:17.440 --> 38:18.240 He's clearly a queer. 38:18.540 --> 38:20.260 It's super obvious to look at him. 38:20.320 --> 38:21.560 And then of course he asked the question, 38:22.020 --> 38:23.700 well, what about homosexuals? 38:24.120 --> 38:25.240 What happens to them? 38:26.120 --> 38:27.480 And I'm the silent partner. 38:27.620 --> 38:28.860 I'm not trying to cause problems. 38:28.860 --> 38:31.840 And the father who actually has a homo as a son, 38:32.360 --> 38:33.960 he kind of gave an answer and he said, 38:34.020 --> 38:37.100 about how anyone can believe on Christ and get saved. 38:37.520 --> 38:39.560 And he's like, that's the way that I stand on it. 38:39.640 --> 38:41.560 But brother Matthew over here, 38:44.460 --> 38:46.640 he has a different opinion about the homos. 38:46.680 --> 38:47.920 Why don't you tell them your opinion? 38:48.500 --> 38:50.420 I'm like, what in the world? 38:52.120 --> 38:54.340 And so of course I'm not ready for this question. 38:54.440 --> 38:55.840 I'm not trying to cause World War III 38:55.840 --> 38:56.720 at our local church. 38:57.680 --> 39:00.660 And I just said, well, there's no example 39:00.660 --> 39:02.940 in the Bible of a homosexual going to heaven. 39:03.240 --> 39:04.440 And I just left it at that. 39:04.580 --> 39:06.440 I was like, I don't know what else to say in this situation. 39:06.800 --> 39:09.000 I mean, I've had 15 years to think about it. 39:09.060 --> 39:10.240 I still don't know what I would have said. 39:12.120 --> 39:13.180 It's like it is what it is. 39:13.260 --> 39:16.160 But see, the thing is churches will have issues at them, 39:16.660 --> 39:17.740 but they don't deal with them. 39:18.720 --> 39:20.280 They will have doctrines come to the church 39:20.280 --> 39:22.300 and people are gonna be teaching other doctrines. 39:22.680 --> 39:23.740 They don't say anything about it. 39:24.880 --> 39:27.360 Other churches just let it be known and deal with it. 39:27.420 --> 39:28.820 And then from an outsider's perspective, 39:28.980 --> 39:31.120 you look at that church like, what is wrong with that church? 39:31.880 --> 39:33.700 They're kicking out people left and right. 39:34.640 --> 39:36.360 The difference is other churches 39:36.360 --> 39:37.900 just aren't kicking people out 39:37.900 --> 39:41.220 when doctrines of Balaam and false doctrines are being taught. 39:42.680 --> 39:43.980 Bible says here in verse 15, 39:44.900 --> 39:46.620 So has though also them that hold the doctrine 39:46.620 --> 39:48.320 of the Nicoladians, which thing I hate. 39:49.300 --> 39:51.000 Repent or else I will come into thee quickly 39:51.000 --> 39:53.660 and we'll fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 39:54.360 --> 39:56.260 So we see that the issue in the church in Purgamos 39:56.740 --> 39:59.420 is they're not dealing with the issues on the inside. 40:01.280 --> 40:04.240 Verse 18, we also see this with the church in Thyatira. 40:04.460 --> 40:06.320 And under the angel of the church in Thyatira right, 40:06.840 --> 40:08.320 these things say at the Son of God 40:08.320 --> 40:10.120 who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire 40:10.120 --> 40:11.400 and his feet are like fine brass. 40:12.120 --> 40:14.800 I know thy works and charity and service and faith 40:14.800 --> 40:16.900 and thy patience and thy works 40:16.900 --> 40:18.600 and the last to be more than the first. 40:19.320 --> 40:21.120 Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee 40:21.720 --> 40:23.980 because thou suffers that woman Jezebel 40:23.980 --> 40:26.480 which calleth herself a prophetess 40:26.480 --> 40:28.520 to teach and to seduce my servants 40:29.060 --> 40:30.480 to commit fornication 40:31.000 --> 40:32.900 and to eat things sacrificed on idols. 40:33.460 --> 40:35.480 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication 40:35.480 --> 40:36.340 and she repented not. 40:36.960 --> 40:38.440 Behold, I'll cast her into a bed 40:38.440 --> 40:39.820 and them that commit adultery with her 40:39.820 --> 40:41.940 into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds 40:41.940 --> 40:43.760 and I'll kill their children with death 40:43.760 --> 40:45.420 and all the churches shall know 40:45.420 --> 40:47.760 that I am he which searches the reins and hearts 40:47.760 --> 40:50.560 and I'll give unto every one of you according to your works. 40:50.820 --> 40:52.200 See, the Bible mentions this woman here 40:52.200 --> 40:54.360 in Revelation 2, this Jezebel 40:54.360 --> 40:57.080 who's just teaching to commit fornication 40:57.560 --> 41:00.100 and to eat things sacrificed on the idols. 41:00.600 --> 41:03.820 And look, in many churches throughout the US and the world 41:03.820 --> 41:07.160 there's women inside the church that are running that church. 41:07.620 --> 41:10.120 They're letting it be known how things are gonna go. 41:10.500 --> 41:12.120 They're going out and giving their opinions. 41:12.600 --> 41:16.180 Look, the Bible says it's one person that leads a church. 41:16.740 --> 41:19.740 It's a man and look, women going in 41:19.740 --> 41:21.900 and just teaching things opposite of what the church teaches 41:21.900 --> 41:23.240 that has to be dealt with. 41:24.640 --> 41:26.360 But from the looks of it online 41:26.360 --> 41:28.340 a lot of churches don't deal with it. 41:28.900 --> 41:30.940 They just let anything take place. 41:32.060 --> 41:35.620 Now there's a lot of topics in terms of problems 41:35.620 --> 41:37.400 inside a church I could focus on. 41:38.160 --> 41:40.560 Go to Matthew 5, let me show you here the first one. 41:41.720 --> 41:43.100 And I'm just gonna show you things 41:43.100 --> 41:45.600 that I see as issues in 2026. 41:46.800 --> 41:49.160 One of them is justifying divorce. 41:52.620 --> 41:54.560 Because the Bible mentions idolatry. 41:54.780 --> 41:56.600 Quite honestly, this is not the Philippines. 41:56.860 --> 42:00.900 There's just not a whole lot of idolatry in America 42:00.900 --> 42:02.140 compared to other countries. 42:02.860 --> 42:03.980 It's like whenever you hear people 42:03.980 --> 42:05.280 preaching idolatry in the US 42:05.280 --> 42:09.420 it's often the symbolic idolatry, the idols of the heart. 42:10.340 --> 42:11.640 It's like, you know, in the Philippines 42:11.640 --> 42:13.460 and in some other countries in the world 42:13.460 --> 42:15.220 you got bigger issues than the idols of the heart. 42:15.320 --> 42:16.820 You got literal idols everywhere. 42:18.360 --> 42:20.100 So let's make it more applicable 42:20.100 --> 42:22.980 because there's not idols around every corner here in Texas. 42:23.780 --> 42:24.180 Right? 42:25.420 --> 42:27.720 But there are pastors justifying divorce 42:27.720 --> 42:29.360 around every corner in Texas. 42:30.840 --> 42:32.580 Here's what it says in Matthew 5, verse 31. 42:33.620 --> 42:34.420 It has been said, 42:34.560 --> 42:35.960 whosoever shall put away his wife 42:35.960 --> 42:37.620 let him give her a writing of divorcement. 42:38.300 --> 42:40.140 But I say in you that whosoever shall put away 42:40.140 --> 42:42.240 his wife saving for the cause of fornication 42:42.900 --> 42:44.320 causeth her to commit adultery 42:44.850 --> 42:46.260 and whosoever shall marry her 42:46.260 --> 42:47.980 that his divorce committed adultery. 42:48.940 --> 42:49.800 Now notice in this verse 42:50.520 --> 42:52.100 there's two different words mentioned. 42:53.260 --> 42:54.940 Fornication and adultery. 42:55.480 --> 42:58.280 It stands to reason if they were the same 42:58.910 --> 43:00.360 it would just use the same word. 43:01.340 --> 43:02.420 But it doesn't. 43:03.260 --> 43:06.020 Because fornication is what you do before you're married 43:06.830 --> 43:08.540 and adultery is after. 43:09.360 --> 43:12.040 So the Bible's saying you can get a divorce 43:12.860 --> 43:14.040 except for fornication. 43:14.140 --> 43:15.680 What it's saying is kind of like the example 43:15.680 --> 43:16.620 of Joseph in the Bible. 43:17.120 --> 43:19.260 Where basically he's getting married 43:19.820 --> 43:21.880 and he finds out that Mary's not pure. 43:23.000 --> 43:24.220 And it's like, well, wait a minute. 43:24.660 --> 43:25.360 It's like, you know, 43:25.440 --> 43:28.740 this is the woman that I want to spend my life with 43:28.740 --> 43:29.720 and she's not pure. 43:29.900 --> 43:31.440 I mean, she slept with someone because she's pregnant 43:32.060 --> 43:33.340 and he says I want to get a divorce. 43:34.160 --> 43:36.280 See that would be except to be for fornication. 43:37.180 --> 43:38.920 But see, after you're married, 43:39.280 --> 43:41.060 if adultery takes place, say pastor, 43:41.180 --> 43:43.240 can you get a divorce if your spouse cheats on you? 43:43.740 --> 43:43.980 No. 43:45.480 --> 43:48.020 And look, don't make a railing accusation 43:48.020 --> 43:49.980 that I am justifying adultery. 43:50.620 --> 43:52.460 It's not justifying adultery, 43:52.720 --> 43:54.920 but the fact is you don't divorce 43:55.360 --> 43:56.680 for adultery taking place. 43:57.660 --> 43:59.160 You stay married according to the Bible. 43:59.900 --> 44:01.640 And the reason you have to preach this hard 44:01.640 --> 44:03.820 is because many marriages have a lot of problems. 44:04.460 --> 44:06.020 Many marriages have a mess. 44:06.880 --> 44:09.320 Many marriages have adultery taking place. 44:10.120 --> 44:11.660 And then of course, you know what people do? 44:11.960 --> 44:14.880 They go from adultery and then they lessen that any form. 44:15.220 --> 44:17.960 You know, if you looked at something dirty online, 44:18.620 --> 44:20.380 you committed adultery in your heart. 44:20.680 --> 44:21.720 So you committed adultery, 44:21.800 --> 44:22.840 therefore you can get a divorce. 44:23.800 --> 44:26.500 It's like, no, the Bible says except to be 44:26.500 --> 44:27.680 for fornication. 44:29.000 --> 44:30.800 Now go in your Bible to Judges 14. 44:32.100 --> 44:32.860 Judges 14. 44:38.640 --> 44:41.920 But honestly, I feel like a bigger problem in 2026 44:41.920 --> 44:47.060 than justifying divorce is justifying separation. 44:49.260 --> 44:52.220 Because the thing is, if you suggest to someone 44:52.220 --> 44:54.100 or say it's okay to get separated, 44:55.260 --> 44:55.920 you know what that is? 44:56.520 --> 44:59.120 You can pretend like you didn't tell them to get divorced, 44:59.340 --> 45:00.920 but you know what's gonna take place 45:00.920 --> 45:02.000 six months down the line. 45:02.920 --> 45:04.620 They are going to get divorced. 45:06.400 --> 45:10.660 Look, every marriage in this world has difficulties. 45:12.240 --> 45:13.420 I love my wife. 45:13.720 --> 45:14.660 I have a great marriage. 45:15.260 --> 45:17.260 I'm blessed with the wife and the kids God gave me, 45:17.480 --> 45:19.260 but I would be lying if I said my wife 45:19.260 --> 45:21.900 and I have never had fights, never had problems. 45:22.580 --> 45:24.760 I'd be lying if I said everything is just perfect 45:24.760 --> 45:25.500 all the time. 45:25.620 --> 45:26.820 That's not the way marriage works. 45:27.480 --> 45:30.660 But when you get married, it's for better or worse. 45:32.000 --> 45:34.340 And look, how many things do you have to add after 45:34.340 --> 45:35.340 for better or worse? 45:36.380 --> 45:37.900 In sickness and health? 45:38.940 --> 45:40.000 Rich or poor? 45:41.120 --> 45:42.820 I mean, how many things do you have to add 45:42.820 --> 45:44.580 until you say, okay, it's forever? 45:45.320 --> 45:48.060 No matter what, you do not get divorced. 45:48.280 --> 45:49.940 And when you justify separation, 45:50.240 --> 45:53.760 it is just going down the line of getting divorced. 45:55.600 --> 45:57.680 Look, there's a lot of verses that have been used 45:57.680 --> 45:59.120 to talk about this idea of separation. 45:59.740 --> 46:00.940 Let me just show you stories. 46:02.060 --> 46:03.520 And look, I understand stories 46:03.520 --> 46:05.060 are more circumstantial evidence, 46:05.220 --> 46:06.980 but I'm not sure if they've necessarily been preached 46:06.980 --> 46:07.560 as much. 46:07.740 --> 46:10.740 Let's just see a few examples of marriages 46:10.740 --> 46:14.060 where they separate and let's see what happens. 46:15.280 --> 46:17.320 The first example is with Samson. 46:18.520 --> 46:20.020 Judges 14 verse 15. 46:21.540 --> 46:23.360 And it came to pass in the seventh day 46:23.360 --> 46:24.640 that they said unto Samson's wife, 46:24.840 --> 46:27.220 entice thy husband that he may declare unto us the riddle, 46:27.220 --> 46:29.760 lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. 46:30.320 --> 46:32.180 Have he called us to take that we have? 46:32.380 --> 46:33.020 Is it not so? 46:33.580 --> 46:35.500 And Samson's wife wept before him and said, 46:35.640 --> 46:37.580 thou dost but hate me and love us me not. 46:38.140 --> 46:40.100 Thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people 46:40.100 --> 46:41.100 and hast not told to me. 46:41.520 --> 46:42.760 And he said unto her, behold, 46:43.000 --> 46:44.940 I have not told it my father nor my mother, 46:45.600 --> 46:47.060 and shall I tell it thee? 46:47.880 --> 46:50.020 Now look, this story does not make Samson 46:50.020 --> 46:50.660 look very good. 46:51.420 --> 46:53.280 He's like, man, if I didn't tell my mom 46:53.280 --> 46:55.260 and my dad this riddle, why would I tell my wife? 46:56.320 --> 46:57.600 I mean, that's what he says. 46:57.980 --> 46:58.960 It's kind of like, wait a minute. 46:59.160 --> 47:01.400 I thought when you got married, two became one 47:01.400 --> 47:04.000 and the closest person in this world ought to be your spouse. 47:04.860 --> 47:07.580 But he says, if I didn't tell my mom and the dad the riddle, 47:07.880 --> 47:09.100 why would I tell you? 47:10.360 --> 47:13.140 Look, there's already problems in this marriage, okay? 47:14.720 --> 47:15.520 Verse 17. 47:16.800 --> 47:18.200 And she wept before him the seven days 47:18.200 --> 47:19.160 while their feast lasted. 47:19.240 --> 47:21.140 And it came to pass in the seventh day that he told her 47:21.140 --> 47:22.820 because she lay sore upon him 47:22.820 --> 47:25.140 and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 47:25.600 --> 47:26.780 And the men of the city said unto him 47:26.780 --> 47:28.280 the seventh day before the sun went down, 47:28.760 --> 47:29.960 what is sweeter than honey 47:29.960 --> 47:31.080 and what is stronger than a lion? 47:31.200 --> 47:32.140 And he said unto them, 47:32.440 --> 47:34.160 if you had not plowed with my heifer, 47:34.820 --> 47:36.160 you'd not found out my riddle. 47:37.580 --> 47:40.700 That's probably more marriage advice there. 47:41.300 --> 47:42.820 Don't call your wife an animal. 47:43.880 --> 47:45.000 Probably not the best thing. 47:45.960 --> 47:48.460 So he's like, I care about my mom and my dad 47:48.460 --> 47:51.700 more than my wife, calls his wife after an animal, 47:52.120 --> 47:53.840 and then it says in verse 19, 47:54.000 --> 47:55.240 and the spirit of the Lord came upon him 47:55.240 --> 47:57.520 and he went down to Escalon and slew 30 men of them 47:57.520 --> 48:00.120 and took their spoil and gave changes of garments onto them 48:00.120 --> 48:02.680 which expounded the riddle and his anger was kindled 48:03.160 --> 48:04.520 and he went up to his father's house. 48:05.460 --> 48:08.360 Translation, he went home to cry to his dad about it. 48:09.480 --> 48:09.840 Right? 48:11.200 --> 48:14.600 Now usually we think of the wife going home to mom 48:14.600 --> 48:17.040 and dad to cry about it, because that's more common. 48:17.760 --> 48:19.480 In this story though, the strongest man, 48:20.040 --> 48:21.540 when it says he went up to his father's house, 48:21.540 --> 48:23.460 is saying he went home to cry and complain 48:23.460 --> 48:24.220 about it to his parents. 48:26.000 --> 48:28.340 But Samson's wife was given to his companion 48:28.340 --> 48:29.620 whom he had used as his friend. 48:30.840 --> 48:32.600 Now look, what happens in the story is, 48:33.040 --> 48:35.300 it's a bad marriage, he shouldn't have married her, 48:35.520 --> 48:36.560 but they did get married. 48:37.080 --> 48:38.900 What happens, they separate. 48:40.040 --> 48:41.460 Doesn't tell us how long, 48:42.260 --> 48:44.500 but it's to the point that her father 48:45.080 --> 48:46.720 gives his daughter onto somebody else. 48:48.320 --> 48:50.120 Look, everybody in the story is bad. 48:51.080 --> 48:53.520 Every single one handled everything horribly. 48:55.540 --> 48:57.140 And look, this is circumstantial, 48:57.180 --> 49:01.080 but you're seeing a story where they separate during problems 49:01.840 --> 49:03.620 which everybody has in marriages 49:04.760 --> 49:06.080 and what ends up taking place. 49:06.200 --> 49:09.080 Well, chapter 15, verse one came to pass 49:09.080 --> 49:11.020 within a while after in the time of wheat harvest 49:12.020 --> 49:14.020 that Samson visited his wife and the kid 49:14.020 --> 49:16.180 and he said, I will go into my wife into the chamber, 49:16.540 --> 49:18.560 but her father would not suffer him to go in. 49:19.140 --> 49:20.440 And her father said, I barely thought 49:20.440 --> 49:22.000 that thou had us utterly hated her, 49:22.140 --> 49:23.680 therefore I gave her to thy companion. 49:24.260 --> 49:26.080 Is not her younger sister fairer than she? 49:26.660 --> 49:28.320 Take her, I pray, instead of her. 49:28.500 --> 49:29.680 I mean, this is pretty wild. 49:31.740 --> 49:33.500 You read stories in the Bible 49:33.500 --> 49:34.920 and it's like, man, some of these cultures 49:34.920 --> 49:38.100 and some of these people, it's like, it's pretty crazy. 49:38.820 --> 49:40.160 It's like, well, if you liked her, 49:40.280 --> 49:42.580 then you're gonna like her younger sister, right? 49:44.560 --> 49:47.820 She's more attractive, the younger sister's fairer. 49:47.820 --> 49:49.100 It's like, okay. 49:49.980 --> 49:52.860 Verse six, then the Philistines said, 49:53.060 --> 49:53.680 who have done this? 49:53.820 --> 49:55.820 And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, 49:55.900 --> 49:58.220 because he had taken his wife and given her to his companion. 49:59.020 --> 50:00.200 And the Philistines came up 50:00.200 --> 50:02.660 and burnt her and her father with fire. 50:04.660 --> 50:06.160 For circumstantial evidence, 50:07.160 --> 50:09.820 does it seem like separation worked out very well 50:09.820 --> 50:10.980 for Samson and his wife? 50:12.620 --> 50:14.420 Did they come back stronger than ever? 50:15.200 --> 50:17.100 Did a couple months away from each other 50:17.100 --> 50:18.060 just fix all the problems? 50:18.980 --> 50:20.800 No, it seems like it's a million times worse. 50:23.280 --> 50:24.900 And the other story you could look at 50:24.900 --> 50:26.340 that I'm not going to for sake of time 50:26.340 --> 50:29.680 is in my opinion, probably the worst chapter 50:29.680 --> 50:32.500 in terms of just worse than Genesis 19, 50:33.300 --> 50:34.800 Judges 19 is pretty violent. 50:36.120 --> 50:36.840 It's crazy. 50:37.400 --> 50:38.560 I mean, Judges chapter 19, 50:39.020 --> 50:41.540 it's like she gets attacked by a bunch of sodomites, 50:41.660 --> 50:44.960 bisexual, LGBT throughout the night and ends up dying. 50:44.960 --> 50:46.960 But how did that start? 50:47.540 --> 50:49.840 It started because she left her husband. 50:50.960 --> 50:54.480 So the two stories that we see here of separation 50:55.140 --> 50:56.180 did it in well. 50:57.260 --> 50:58.380 So why would you think, 50:58.620 --> 51:01.620 besides the verses that tell you not to separate, 51:02.580 --> 51:04.700 why would you think separating from your spouse 51:04.700 --> 51:05.900 would end up making things better? 51:06.060 --> 51:07.260 Doesn't seem to do that in the Bible. 51:09.140 --> 51:11.240 Now go in your Bible to Proverbs 22. 51:12.320 --> 51:13.280 Proverbs 22. 51:13.280 --> 51:25.460 Look, it sucks that a lot of people have miserable marriages, 51:26.360 --> 51:27.660 but it doesn't change the fact 51:27.660 --> 51:30.680 that you made a vow to God forever. 51:32.040 --> 51:33.080 That's what the Bible says. 51:34.780 --> 51:36.840 You get married and you stay married. 51:38.660 --> 51:40.340 Now again, if there are some people that get married 51:40.340 --> 51:41.880 and they want to keep the marriage going 51:41.880 --> 51:43.480 and then their spouse leaves the marriage 51:44.080 --> 51:45.360 and they can't do anything about that. 51:46.740 --> 51:48.960 But what the Bible teaches is you get married, 51:49.100 --> 51:50.720 you stay married and if it doesn't work out 51:50.720 --> 51:52.960 and they leave you, you got to stay single 51:53.620 --> 51:55.840 as long as that person is alive. 51:57.560 --> 51:59.240 Quite honestly, this is an issue 51:59.240 --> 52:00.620 that's actually pretty big in the Philippines 52:00.620 --> 52:02.980 because it is the only country in the world, 52:03.360 --> 52:05.260 unless you consider Vatican City a country, 52:06.080 --> 52:07.480 where divorce is illegal. 52:08.440 --> 52:10.600 And I used to think that was a good thing, 52:10.660 --> 52:12.380 but honestly it just leads to a lot of problems. 52:12.540 --> 52:12.740 Why? 52:13.140 --> 52:14.540 Because people will separate 52:14.540 --> 52:16.260 and just be living with someone else. 52:16.380 --> 52:18.380 It's like, well, we're not legally divorced, 52:18.960 --> 52:20.420 but we've made an agreement. 52:22.020 --> 52:23.580 Well, I'm sorry, but I don't remember 52:23.580 --> 52:25.040 God okaying your agreement. 52:26.860 --> 52:29.540 Now the good thing is I have gone to church members 52:29.540 --> 52:30.580 that were in that situation. 52:30.820 --> 52:32.260 I told them, you got to end this 52:32.780 --> 52:33.780 because you're legally married 52:33.780 --> 52:36.540 and they did end it and they're great members of this day. 52:38.200 --> 52:39.720 But I've also had the other happen. 52:40.300 --> 52:41.340 People that were nice people 52:41.340 --> 52:43.200 and look, it's very common in the Philippines 52:43.200 --> 52:44.580 so it doesn't feel bad to people 52:44.580 --> 52:46.220 where basically they separate, 52:46.220 --> 52:47.440 they can't legally divorce. 52:48.680 --> 52:50.660 And so there's something in the Philippines, 52:50.880 --> 52:51.600 there's an annulment, 52:51.660 --> 52:53.440 but it's not really the exact same thing here. 52:53.600 --> 52:55.540 And to get an annulment, it's just very expensive. 52:56.420 --> 52:58.860 So what happens is when celebrities get married, 52:59.020 --> 53:00.640 they get married in other countries 53:01.300 --> 53:02.580 so they can legally divorce. 53:03.880 --> 53:06.260 Filipino celebrities will often get married 53:06.260 --> 53:07.940 in America or other countries, 53:08.000 --> 53:09.300 simply so they have the option 53:09.300 --> 53:10.420 to get divorced down the road. 53:11.940 --> 53:13.060 But to the common person, 53:13.560 --> 53:15.300 they don't have the money for an annulment. 53:16.220 --> 53:17.300 I don't know the exact price 53:17.300 --> 53:19.400 but we're probably talking more than $20,000. 53:19.780 --> 53:21.860 It's not something that the average person over there 53:21.860 --> 53:23.120 can really pay for. 53:23.920 --> 53:26.460 So basically an annulment in the Philippines 53:26.460 --> 53:28.700 is pretty similar to a divorce here 53:29.220 --> 53:30.740 even though it's called an annulment. 53:31.340 --> 53:34.280 And so what takes place is people get married, 53:34.460 --> 53:35.600 their marriage is a mess, 53:36.320 --> 53:37.660 they leave each other 53:38.260 --> 53:39.940 and then they both hook up with somebody else. 53:41.440 --> 53:43.700 And often people will say that they're divorced. 53:43.700 --> 53:45.500 It's like, no man, you're not really divorced. 53:46.780 --> 53:48.180 I know you made an agreement 53:49.120 --> 53:50.640 but you're legally married. 53:52.300 --> 53:54.120 And of course nobody's justifying divorce 53:54.120 --> 53:56.200 but at least if you get divorced and remarried 53:56.200 --> 53:58.740 it's not something that's perpetual living in adultery 53:59.300 --> 54:00.660 with the person that you're staying with. 54:02.080 --> 54:03.720 And so unfortunately there'll be people 54:03.720 --> 54:05.640 that are living in open adultery 54:06.560 --> 54:08.560 and it's like I've had to come to them 54:08.560 --> 54:09.800 and look, people that were nice people, 54:09.880 --> 54:10.880 people that are even soul winners 54:10.880 --> 54:12.560 that said, hey, this is what the Bible says. 54:13.060 --> 54:15.060 It's like you can't be at our church if you're doing this. 54:15.300 --> 54:17.420 It's like you have one week to get this figured out. 54:17.520 --> 54:18.420 You have to end this. 54:18.860 --> 54:20.900 And of course if somebody's already living with someone 54:21.540 --> 54:22.700 they don't normally end it. 54:23.320 --> 54:24.820 They end up sticking with that person. 54:26.440 --> 54:27.980 But there's no grounds for divorce. 54:28.820 --> 54:30.380 There's no grounds for separation 54:30.880 --> 54:32.540 and plenty of these people in this world 54:32.540 --> 54:34.160 have bad marriages but you know what? 54:34.200 --> 54:36.400 You get married, you stay married. 54:37.720 --> 54:39.180 And here's the great thing though. 54:39.640 --> 54:41.980 When you invest time and energy into something 54:41.980 --> 54:43.660 you know what normally takes place? 54:44.640 --> 54:46.020 It normally gets better. 54:47.400 --> 54:49.620 Look, the first couple years of marriage 54:50.060 --> 54:51.860 are generally pretty difficult for people. 54:52.320 --> 54:53.520 You get married to someone 54:53.520 --> 54:55.440 and look, you got two sinners that are together 54:55.440 --> 54:57.480 all the time and it's like guess what? 54:57.560 --> 54:59.520 Your personalities will get on each other's nerves 54:59.520 --> 54:59.920 sometimes. 55:01.340 --> 55:04.420 And look, if you had a pastor justifying divorce 55:04.420 --> 55:06.360 during those times you could easily leave 55:06.360 --> 55:08.000 that person during a down moment 55:08.560 --> 55:10.300 when if you would just wait it out 55:10.300 --> 55:11.400 it would get a million times better. 55:13.000 --> 55:14.900 And so no, there's no grounds for divorce, 55:15.180 --> 55:16.580 no grounds for separation. 55:17.260 --> 55:19.060 Something I have in my notes but you know 55:19.060 --> 55:22.060 not really going into too much is just this general idea 55:22.060 --> 55:24.220 of taking away the authority from the father 55:24.220 --> 55:26.120 when it comes to somebody getting married. 55:26.960 --> 55:29.320 I'm thankful that I have the authority 55:29.320 --> 55:31.180 when it comes to my daughter getting married 55:31.180 --> 55:32.220 who is still very young. 55:32.460 --> 55:32.880 You know why? 55:33.300 --> 55:35.680 Because I see a lot of women making stupid 55:35.680 --> 55:38.600 emotional decisions when they're in love 55:39.220 --> 55:41.880 at the age of 18, 19, 20 years old. 55:42.800 --> 55:45.500 A lot of people get married to bozos and idiots 55:45.500 --> 55:47.080 and you want if they had a godly father 55:47.080 --> 55:48.640 and they listen to their father 55:48.640 --> 55:50.040 their father would be like hey no 55:50.040 --> 55:51.800 this is not the right person 55:51.800 --> 55:54.700 and God gave you a mom and a dad for a reason. 55:55.500 --> 55:58.380 And yes, fathers do have the right to say no 55:58.380 --> 56:00.060 that is not the person to marry. 56:00.580 --> 56:02.020 It's not a good person. 56:03.140 --> 56:04.680 You know one of the big things I see 56:05.340 --> 56:08.340 is attacking spanking in 2026. 56:08.340 --> 56:10.260 Here's what it says in Proverbs 22 verse 15. 56:11.380 --> 56:13.480 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child 56:14.180 --> 56:18.820 but the rod of correction might drive it from him. 56:20.120 --> 56:21.360 Is that what your Bible says? 56:22.980 --> 56:26.300 The rod of correction used once every six months 56:27.240 --> 56:29.320 but not to the point where it hurts them 56:31.160 --> 56:32.700 shall drive it far from him. 56:33.220 --> 56:34.220 Is that what the Bible says? 56:35.460 --> 56:36.880 The Bible just clearly says you know what 56:36.880 --> 56:39.740 your child is foolish, they need a spanking. 56:40.220 --> 56:41.600 They need the rod of correction. 56:42.600 --> 56:44.460 Now I don't necessarily think it matters 56:44.460 --> 56:45.560 what you use to spank. 56:45.800 --> 56:48.480 I mean obviously for men we're a lot stronger 56:48.480 --> 56:52.220 than our wives so I use my hand to spank my kids 56:52.900 --> 56:54.680 but I know with wives with my wife 56:54.680 --> 56:57.640 sometimes just having an actual object is helpful 56:57.640 --> 56:59.920 because the fact she's not as strong as me. 57:00.440 --> 57:03.660 And so that object can put the fear into those kids 57:04.140 --> 57:06.240 where it's like once they see that spoon or whatever 57:06.240 --> 57:09.360 they're just like I'm sorry, let me make it right 57:10.500 --> 57:11.580 because they're afraid. 57:12.040 --> 57:13.680 They don't wanna get spanked. 57:14.120 --> 57:15.760 The Bible is very clear here that guess what? 57:15.960 --> 57:16.820 You know when you're raising your kids 57:16.820 --> 57:18.860 when they act bad you need to spank them. 57:19.460 --> 57:21.420 Now it's crazy to me because when it came 57:21.420 --> 57:23.920 to just our church getting things taken offline 57:24.340 --> 57:26.400 the biggest reason I've had videos taken down 57:26.400 --> 57:27.680 is just things about spanking. 57:29.460 --> 57:31.340 I couldn't believe it I was like what in the world? 57:31.960 --> 57:33.820 It's like they got very offended when it's like 57:33.820 --> 57:36.460 I mentioned a story when I was a kid 57:36.460 --> 57:38.160 and I was acting up at church and I said 57:38.160 --> 57:40.480 my dad took me out and gave me the worst beating 57:40.480 --> 57:41.620 I've ever had in my life. 57:42.600 --> 57:44.900 And then it's taken down off Facebook, 57:45.460 --> 57:46.920 taken down off YouTube. 57:47.680 --> 57:49.800 It's like this is like hate speech or whatever they said 57:49.800 --> 57:52.740 it's just like the Bible says beat them with a rod. 57:54.200 --> 57:56.100 And obviously the way people use that today 57:56.100 --> 57:57.800 might be different but it's like yeah 57:57.800 --> 57:59.360 my dad gave me a pretty bad spanking. 58:00.140 --> 58:00.660 It hurt. 58:01.800 --> 58:02.920 And I said you know what? 58:02.920 --> 58:04.020 I never disobeyed again. 58:05.600 --> 58:07.260 Ever since that day you know what? 58:07.320 --> 58:09.060 And look I grew up in a Protestant church 58:09.060 --> 58:09.780 so it's pretty boring. 58:11.360 --> 58:14.300 You know it's kind of like Catholic light you know? 58:15.260 --> 58:17.540 But it's like I was sitting in church you know 58:17.540 --> 58:19.480 and I was bored you know I wasn't saved 58:19.480 --> 58:21.380 and you know obviously the church is just 58:22.000 --> 58:24.880 you know not that exciting right? 58:25.100 --> 58:26.600 And so I remember I was just 58:26.600 --> 58:28.580 I don't remember this I just remember the spanking 58:28.580 --> 58:29.920 but I guess I was acting up 58:29.920 --> 58:31.240 and just making noise or whatever. 58:31.240 --> 58:33.100 And of course you know in a Protestant church 58:33.640 --> 58:35.760 or a Catholic church it's super quiet. 58:37.620 --> 58:38.800 There's no noise at all. 58:39.400 --> 58:42.340 So just acting up a little bit was making noise. 58:42.520 --> 58:44.420 My dad took me outside during the service 58:44.980 --> 58:46.220 and gave me a real beating. 58:46.760 --> 58:47.620 Gave me a real spanking. 58:48.260 --> 58:50.140 Man I'm thankful I had a dad that did 58:50.140 --> 58:52.860 what only a very small minority of dads would do. 58:54.120 --> 58:55.700 Because you know most parents that I see 58:55.700 --> 58:56.560 when they deal with these issues 58:56.560 --> 58:58.120 and all of us deal with it you know what they do 58:58.120 --> 59:00.640 they just you know try the candy solution. 59:01.820 --> 59:02.820 Or try whatever. 59:03.840 --> 59:05.800 And it's like I'm not saying every single time 59:05.800 --> 59:08.060 your kids act up you immediately spank them 59:08.060 --> 59:10.220 that's your decision to make with your kids. 59:10.440 --> 59:11.940 I'm not their parent you are. 59:12.420 --> 59:14.320 But I am saying you see a lot of times 59:14.320 --> 59:17.380 where parents you wonder do they ever spank their kids. 59:19.000 --> 59:23.220 Or they give spankings but it doesn't hurt the child. 59:24.000 --> 59:25.260 So it's like what are you doing? 59:26.300 --> 59:28.880 It's like you know you're it's just like 59:28.880 --> 59:31.240 if you're not causing any pain why would that stop them 59:31.240 --> 59:31.920 from acting up. 59:33.060 --> 59:35.660 Look folks when you spank your kids guess what? 59:36.080 --> 59:37.860 They're not gonna die as the Bible says. 59:39.200 --> 59:41.340 You spank them it doesn't kill them. 59:42.300 --> 59:43.840 But it should hurt them. 59:44.780 --> 59:46.740 And I get it your kids will cry 59:46.740 --> 59:48.700 like it's the worst thing ever. 59:50.060 --> 59:52.140 And yet two minutes later they're running around 59:52.140 --> 59:53.520 like nothing happened is that not true? 59:55.260 --> 59:57.140 And look if you give in to your kids 59:57.140 --> 59:58.380 you're basically teaching them 59:58.380 --> 01:00:00.640 hey every time you don't get your way 01:00:00.640 --> 01:00:03.300 just cry about it, whine about it 01:00:03.300 --> 01:00:05.800 and then nothing will happen. 01:00:06.180 --> 01:00:08.240 It's crazy but see the Bible says 01:00:08.240 --> 01:00:10.420 hey you know what your kids act up 01:00:10.420 --> 01:00:12.820 they need the rod of correction. 01:00:13.940 --> 01:00:16.480 Got a first Corinthians five, first Corinthians five. 01:00:30.660 --> 01:00:32.380 You know one of the big issues with churches 01:00:33.760 --> 01:00:35.980 is they don't practice church discipline. 01:00:35.980 --> 01:00:39.940 Their church becomes a mess it'll be filled full of 01:00:39.940 --> 01:00:43.140 railers and bad people and people teaching other doctrines 01:00:43.140 --> 01:00:46.700 and they never kick anybody out for any reason 01:00:46.700 --> 01:00:47.420 no matter what. 01:00:48.620 --> 01:00:50.020 First Corinthians five verse six 01:00:50.020 --> 01:00:52.240 your glorying is not good know you not 01:00:52.240 --> 01:00:55.340 that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 01:00:56.700 --> 01:00:58.520 See the Bible saying here in first Corinthians five 01:00:59.220 --> 01:01:00.820 when you got problems at the church 01:01:02.260 --> 01:01:04.060 it's gonna spread like a cancer. 01:01:04.820 --> 01:01:06.860 It's gonna spread like a virus. 01:01:07.920 --> 01:01:10.020 Look when you have churches that start getting filled 01:01:10.020 --> 01:01:12.940 full of railers eventually everybody at that church 01:01:12.940 --> 01:01:16.260 becomes like that and nothing's done about it 01:01:16.260 --> 01:01:19.960 and so it just gets worse and worse and worse and worse. 01:01:21.200 --> 01:01:24.660 And the problem is our end goal is to get people saved 01:01:24.660 --> 01:01:26.700 but here's the thing if you don't fix things 01:01:26.700 --> 01:01:28.720 on the inside of the church that will affect 01:01:28.720 --> 01:01:29.860 your ability to get people saved 01:01:30.440 --> 01:01:33.140 and it will drastically decrease how many people 01:01:33.140 --> 01:01:34.540 you end up getting saved over time. 01:01:35.760 --> 01:01:39.240 Go to your Bible to Revelation three, Revelation three. 01:01:47.960 --> 01:01:50.100 Why did this church last eight years ago 01:01:50.100 --> 01:01:51.060 when it went through the transition? 01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:54.060 Because your pastor was willing to kick people out. 01:01:55.700 --> 01:01:57.880 He wasn't hiding all the issues at the church 01:01:59.060 --> 01:02:01.200 and quite honestly there were a lot of weirdos 01:02:01.740 --> 01:02:03.020 at this church at the time. 01:02:03.820 --> 01:02:05.400 And it's not like I knew them that well 01:02:05.400 --> 01:02:07.100 but just from the things they posted online 01:02:07.100 --> 01:02:09.640 it's like what in the world kind of people are here. 01:02:11.520 --> 01:02:13.080 I mean it's like the church had grown 01:02:13.080 --> 01:02:13.880 there's people at the church 01:02:13.880 --> 01:02:15.280 and look there's people that are here 01:02:15.280 --> 01:02:17.420 that were there then and you're great people, 01:02:17.540 --> 01:02:18.760 great members and you love God. 01:02:19.060 --> 01:02:20.760 Yeah there's also a lot of weirdos at the church. 01:02:21.300 --> 01:02:22.380 A lot of weird people. 01:02:23.240 --> 01:02:25.460 And the thing is if you don't deal with those problems 01:02:25.980 --> 01:02:28.080 and not even just weirdos at the church 01:02:28.080 --> 01:02:30.920 just bad people at the church. 01:02:31.740 --> 01:02:32.580 You say what do you do? 01:02:32.900 --> 01:02:33.880 You gotta get rid of them. 01:02:35.440 --> 01:02:37.420 It would have been very easy for your pastor 01:02:37.420 --> 01:02:39.360 to just give an okay to the evangelist 01:02:39.360 --> 01:02:40.860 because that's really embarrassing 01:02:40.860 --> 01:02:42.460 that the evangelist turns out to be bad. 01:02:42.940 --> 01:02:44.120 And just biologists ordain you 01:02:44.120 --> 01:02:46.700 and just your own separate thing and just cover it up. 01:02:48.040 --> 01:02:49.540 Isn't that probably what most churches would do? 01:02:51.380 --> 01:02:54.020 Look you must deal with the problems on the inside. 01:02:54.720 --> 01:02:56.940 Point number one you see in Revelation chapters two 01:02:56.940 --> 01:02:59.000 and three is just losing your outward focus. 01:02:59.660 --> 01:03:02.280 Point number two is losing the inward focus. 01:03:03.340 --> 01:03:06.280 But point three is losing your upward focus. 01:03:06.960 --> 01:03:09.260 And I think that the Bible designed these churches 01:03:09.260 --> 01:03:11.220 in this way so we can kind of remember it, 01:03:11.300 --> 01:03:12.860 the outward, the inward, the upward. 01:03:13.040 --> 01:03:14.700 Notice what it says in Revelation three verse one. 01:03:16.360 --> 01:03:17.960 And on the angel of the church and sardis write, 01:03:18.160 --> 01:03:20.040 these things sayeth he that hath the seven spirits 01:03:20.040 --> 01:03:21.220 of God and the seven stars. 01:03:22.080 --> 01:03:25.040 I know thy works, that thou hast the name 01:03:25.040 --> 01:03:28.440 that thou livest and art dead. 01:03:29.820 --> 01:03:31.900 So the Bible's referring to a church 01:03:32.660 --> 01:03:34.160 that has a good reputation. 01:03:35.300 --> 01:03:39.040 They have a name, they're kind of alive, 01:03:39.500 --> 01:03:40.860 they're kind of doing some things, 01:03:41.540 --> 01:03:42.720 but they're actually dead. 01:03:43.480 --> 01:03:44.160 They're not the same. 01:03:44.880 --> 01:03:46.160 So the Bible's basically talking about a church 01:03:46.680 --> 01:03:49.220 that would still be considered a great church 01:03:49.220 --> 01:03:52.240 and have a good reputation, but they're falling apart. 01:03:52.960 --> 01:03:55.120 I can't help but just think of Verity Baptist Church. 01:03:55.480 --> 01:03:56.740 I just can't. 01:03:57.740 --> 01:03:58.840 It just is what it is. 01:03:59.420 --> 01:04:01.740 Because they still had the Red Hot Preaching Conference. 01:04:02.280 --> 01:04:03.360 They still had a name. 01:04:03.360 --> 01:04:04.820 They still had a reputation. 01:04:05.520 --> 01:04:08.020 I can say today that all the zealous people 01:04:08.020 --> 01:04:09.920 that were a Verity Baptist, they're not there anymore. 01:04:11.520 --> 01:04:13.720 Now look, most people stayed at that church, 01:04:14.620 --> 01:04:16.840 but why is it all the zealous soul winners left? 01:04:17.800 --> 01:04:19.640 It's kind of like before that took place, 01:04:19.800 --> 01:04:21.240 I'm in the Philippines, so I don't really know 01:04:21.240 --> 01:04:21.820 what's going on. 01:04:21.920 --> 01:04:23.780 And there's a lot of great people that left that church 01:04:23.780 --> 01:04:25.240 over the course of a couple years. 01:04:25.660 --> 01:04:27.000 And I'd be like, man, that's crazy. 01:04:27.140 --> 01:04:28.120 And every time I was told, man, 01:04:28.180 --> 01:04:29.600 they just started to backslide. 01:04:29.900 --> 01:04:31.420 They got covetous or whatever. 01:04:31.900 --> 01:04:33.380 But as it starts really adding up, 01:04:33.480 --> 01:04:34.820 you're just kind of wondering what's going on. 01:04:35.820 --> 01:04:37.540 Because there are people that were great members. 01:04:38.800 --> 01:04:40.500 And then they just kind of slowly leave. 01:04:42.180 --> 01:04:43.340 And here's the thing, I mean, 01:04:43.640 --> 01:04:45.840 when everything happened six months ago or whatever, 01:04:46.140 --> 01:04:47.640 I mean, there were still great people at the church, 01:04:49.100 --> 01:04:49.900 not today. 01:04:51.200 --> 01:04:51.840 They all left. 01:04:53.740 --> 01:04:55.420 It says in verse two, be watchful and strengthen 01:04:55.420 --> 01:04:57.120 the things which remain that are ready to die 01:04:57.120 --> 01:04:59.220 for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 01:04:59.680 --> 01:05:02.520 Remember therefore, how thou hast received and heard 01:05:02.520 --> 01:05:03.480 and hold fast and repent. 01:05:03.960 --> 01:05:05.320 If therefore thou shalt not watch, 01:05:05.540 --> 01:05:06.400 I'll come on thee as a thief 01:05:06.400 --> 01:05:08.940 and thou shalt not know what hour I'll come upon thee. 01:05:09.620 --> 01:05:11.220 That was a few names even in Sardis 01:05:11.220 --> 01:05:12.740 which have not defiled their garments 01:05:12.740 --> 01:05:14.560 and they shall walk with me in white 01:05:14.560 --> 01:05:17.100 for they are worthy. 01:05:17.380 --> 01:05:18.640 See the Bible says here in verse four, 01:05:19.080 --> 01:05:21.720 when a church goes through this process of falling apart 01:05:21.720 --> 01:05:25.040 and becoming a bad church or just an ordinary church, 01:05:25.480 --> 01:05:28.920 there will still be great people that will remain 01:05:28.920 --> 01:05:30.040 because you're kind of wondering, 01:05:30.220 --> 01:05:31.800 is there a better church in the area? 01:05:32.240 --> 01:05:35.580 I've invested years, I've invested time. 01:05:35.880 --> 01:05:37.640 Look, if this church fell apart, you know what? 01:05:37.680 --> 01:05:38.720 There'd be people that would leave 01:05:38.720 --> 01:05:40.080 over different time periods 01:05:40.080 --> 01:05:42.620 and there'll still be great people years from now 01:05:43.320 --> 01:05:44.140 because you're kind of wondering, 01:05:44.260 --> 01:05:45.620 is there a better church in the area? 01:05:47.640 --> 01:05:49.820 And what the Bible said here in verse one is, 01:05:50.220 --> 01:05:51.360 they have a name. 01:05:51.820 --> 01:05:53.000 They have a reputation. 01:05:53.920 --> 01:05:56.900 See once you reach a level of success, 01:05:56.900 --> 01:06:00.000 it's very easy to kind of stop focusing on God. 01:06:01.540 --> 01:06:03.280 This is how I want you to understand this 01:06:03.280 --> 01:06:04.560 because honestly this is the main one 01:06:04.560 --> 01:06:06.120 I've thought about over the last year 01:06:06.120 --> 01:06:08.620 and I can say this that as a pastor 01:06:08.620 --> 01:06:10.000 who preaches very regularly, 01:06:10.280 --> 01:06:11.960 I just don't really get nervous 01:06:11.960 --> 01:06:13.640 when I get up to do public speaking. 01:06:15.100 --> 01:06:17.420 And it's not because naturally I don't get nervous, 01:06:17.580 --> 01:06:19.560 it's just because I've done it a lot of times 01:06:20.660 --> 01:06:21.920 and so you get used to it. 01:06:22.900 --> 01:06:26.120 When you first start preaching, you're very scared. 01:06:26.980 --> 01:06:29.160 You're like, God, please let lightning 01:06:29.160 --> 01:06:30.400 strike this church building. 01:06:30.560 --> 01:06:31.940 I don't want to get up there to preach. 01:06:33.060 --> 01:06:34.880 And then all of a sudden you gotta get up there and preach. 01:06:36.460 --> 01:06:38.380 And so you're really relying on God. 01:06:38.600 --> 01:06:39.980 You have a strong upward focus 01:06:39.980 --> 01:06:41.980 because you know you have to rely on God. 01:06:43.240 --> 01:06:45.660 But as you start to get some success and experience, 01:06:45.840 --> 01:06:48.420 it can be very easy to stop relying on God as much. 01:06:49.280 --> 01:06:50.960 The same is true for a church. 01:06:51.960 --> 01:06:53.720 See, when a church is not going great 01:06:53.720 --> 01:06:55.240 or when a church is starting out, 01:06:55.540 --> 01:06:56.480 man, you are praying to God, 01:06:56.620 --> 01:06:58.120 God, please send me more people. 01:06:58.520 --> 01:06:59.700 God, please help us. 01:07:00.180 --> 01:07:02.580 But as a church reaches a certain level of success, 01:07:02.880 --> 01:07:06.540 it's kind of easy to stop focusing on God 01:07:06.540 --> 01:07:09.280 and just thinking that you got it covered. 01:07:10.200 --> 01:07:11.240 That you're perfectly fine. 01:07:12.580 --> 01:07:14.120 Now it's not just here in Revelation 3 01:07:14.120 --> 01:07:14.980 and verses one through four. 01:07:15.060 --> 01:07:16.320 Notice what it says here in verse 14. 01:07:16.320 --> 01:07:18.880 Verse 14. 01:07:20.860 --> 01:07:22.980 And on the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 01:07:23.160 --> 01:07:24.260 these things say at the amen, 01:07:24.500 --> 01:07:25.380 the faith, one true witness, 01:07:25.560 --> 01:07:26.760 the beginning of the creation of God, 01:07:27.480 --> 01:07:29.620 I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot, 01:07:29.760 --> 01:07:31.140 I would thou work cold or hot. 01:07:31.600 --> 01:07:33.120 So then because thou art lukewarm 01:07:33.120 --> 01:07:34.000 and neither cold nor hot, 01:07:34.100 --> 01:07:35.300 I will spew thee out of my mouth. 01:07:35.780 --> 01:07:37.060 Because thou sayest, notice this, 01:07:37.200 --> 01:07:38.740 I am rich and increase with goods 01:07:38.740 --> 01:07:39.940 and have need of nothing. 01:07:41.680 --> 01:07:43.540 You've had it perfectly figured out, church. 01:07:44.140 --> 01:07:45.780 And notice not that thou art wretched 01:07:45.780 --> 01:07:48.680 and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 01:07:48.860 --> 01:07:51.460 Just this attitude, hey, I'm rich, I'm powerful. 01:07:51.620 --> 01:07:52.500 I have need of nothing. 01:07:53.640 --> 01:07:55.800 See a lot of churches could be focusing 01:07:55.800 --> 01:07:56.960 on getting a nice building 01:07:56.960 --> 01:07:58.700 and once they get it, it's like I've reached, 01:07:58.960 --> 01:07:59.780 I've reached the point. 01:08:00.620 --> 01:08:01.300 I've arrived. 01:08:02.840 --> 01:08:06.320 I've said this to people over the first seven years 01:08:06.320 --> 01:08:08.220 of our church in the Philippines in hindsight, 01:08:08.460 --> 01:08:10.980 I'm actually thankful for everything that took place 01:08:11.540 --> 01:08:14.100 because when I started, I felt like I had to scratch 01:08:14.920 --> 01:08:18.560 just to survive, scratch and claw just to keep going 01:08:19.220 --> 01:08:21.480 and just say, man, God, I'm just gonna keep going 01:08:21.480 --> 01:08:23.580 and trust in God and God did bless the church. 01:08:25.420 --> 01:08:27.120 And you know what, I warned our members 01:08:27.120 --> 01:08:28.720 and things are going better 01:08:28.720 --> 01:08:30.220 than they ever have at our churches. 01:08:30.940 --> 01:08:32.420 But it's like, as I said to my church, 01:08:32.580 --> 01:08:34.620 I said money can be a big blessing. 01:08:35.620 --> 01:08:37.060 It can also be a big curse 01:08:38.380 --> 01:08:40.020 because that could be the beginning 01:08:40.020 --> 01:08:41.120 of the downfall of a church. 01:08:41.900 --> 01:08:44.100 You can never lose this attitude 01:08:44.100 --> 01:08:46.800 just trusting in God to build your church 01:08:47.800 --> 01:08:50.300 because once you do, I mean, the church might exist in name, 01:08:50.420 --> 01:08:51.300 it's not gonna be the same. 01:08:52.880 --> 01:08:54.860 I mean, we've seen this with people as individuals, 01:08:55.160 --> 01:08:56.300 they might start going to church, 01:08:56.400 --> 01:08:57.780 they have a lot of problems in their life, 01:08:57.960 --> 01:08:59.200 they're trying to rely on God 01:08:59.200 --> 01:09:01.240 and then all of a sudden they get a job 01:09:01.240 --> 01:09:02.640 and then they quit going to church. 01:09:04.480 --> 01:09:06.420 I remember somebody I brought to church in Sacramento 01:09:06.420 --> 01:09:07.700 and they were not working, 01:09:08.460 --> 01:09:10.040 the mom and their kids are just kind of 01:09:10.040 --> 01:09:10.820 living off the government 01:09:11.300 --> 01:09:12.880 and I got the son saved 01:09:12.880 --> 01:09:14.680 and the mom eventually got saved as well, 01:09:14.740 --> 01:09:16.040 they came to church, they got baptized 01:09:16.420 --> 01:09:20.140 and then I'm trying to get them to start working, right? 01:09:20.320 --> 01:09:21.320 Cause they've learned a little bit, 01:09:21.500 --> 01:09:22.500 they're there for a couple of months, 01:09:22.600 --> 01:09:23.220 they're reading the Bible 01:09:23.660 --> 01:09:25.080 and I would give them a ride to church 01:09:25.080 --> 01:09:26.020 and I was just talking to them about 01:09:26.020 --> 01:09:27.100 you need to start working, 01:09:27.340 --> 01:09:29.460 stay faithful to God, start working. 01:09:30.280 --> 01:09:32.420 And I remember the mom got this job interview 01:09:33.140 --> 01:09:34.280 and she's just like saying, 01:09:34.340 --> 01:09:35.940 hey, can you pray that I'll get this job? 01:09:35.940 --> 01:09:37.620 I said, sure, you know, pray for you to get the job. 01:09:38.820 --> 01:09:41.600 And she calls me, she got the job, she's super excited. 01:09:42.760 --> 01:09:46.240 Never saw her ever again at church 01:09:47.220 --> 01:09:49.720 because of course the job said you gotta work Sunday 01:09:49.720 --> 01:09:53.120 and it's just like, you stop relying on God. 01:09:54.720 --> 01:09:56.680 And look, when you stop relying on God, 01:09:57.480 --> 01:09:58.600 everything can fall apart. 01:10:00.660 --> 01:10:04.780 Now go back to Matthew chapter 16, Matthew 16. 01:10:04.780 --> 01:10:17.610 Look, I believe steadfast Baptist church is a great church. 01:10:19.370 --> 01:10:20.470 I think it's an awesome church. 01:10:21.550 --> 01:10:23.410 I mean, honestly, I didn't know what the salvation numbers 01:10:23.410 --> 01:10:24.370 we're gonna be, but I'm like, man, 01:10:24.470 --> 01:10:25.550 this is bigger than I expected. 01:10:25.750 --> 01:10:26.910 I mean, this is a lot of salvations. 01:10:29.070 --> 01:10:30.350 And you say, well, pastor, you know, 01:10:30.470 --> 01:10:31.090 what about everything else? 01:10:31.230 --> 01:10:32.910 Well, there's a lot of great things at the church, 01:10:33.010 --> 01:10:34.290 but you know, the number one thing I focused on 01:10:34.290 --> 01:10:34.770 is salvation. 01:10:35.050 --> 01:10:38.530 So whatever you want, it's all about the fruit. 01:10:39.670 --> 01:10:41.730 That is the proof of how great of a church you are. 01:10:41.770 --> 01:10:43.130 That is the number one proof. 01:10:43.650 --> 01:10:46.030 And you can look at it at total salvations, 01:10:46.210 --> 01:10:47.510 salvations per person, 01:10:47.710 --> 01:10:49.470 percentage of the people going soul winning. 01:10:49.910 --> 01:10:51.090 All those metrics matter, 01:10:51.130 --> 01:10:52.490 but they're all centered around soul winning. 01:10:53.410 --> 01:10:54.730 That's what matters with the church. 01:10:55.790 --> 01:10:58.810 But a great church is not guaranteed 01:10:58.810 --> 01:11:00.910 to be a great church 20 years from now. 01:11:01.890 --> 01:11:04.150 Because look, these churches in Revelation chapters 01:11:04.150 --> 01:11:06.970 two and three, are they great churches today? 01:11:07.890 --> 01:11:10.390 Well, obviously along the lines, it just stopped, right? 01:11:11.170 --> 01:11:12.710 They're not great churches now. 01:11:13.430 --> 01:11:14.650 They weren't one time. 01:11:16.030 --> 01:11:16.950 And two of these churches, 01:11:17.110 --> 01:11:18.290 there's nothing negative about them, 01:11:18.310 --> 01:11:20.310 but it doesn't mean that they just kept going strong. 01:11:20.570 --> 01:11:22.210 Here's the thing, the Bible's promise is 01:11:22.210 --> 01:11:25.290 the gates of hell will not prevail against a great church. 01:11:26.010 --> 01:11:28.190 No matter how many protests, 01:11:29.250 --> 01:11:31.850 no matter how many bank accounts you get shut down from, 01:11:32.450 --> 01:11:34.530 no matter how much social media blocks you, 01:11:35.270 --> 01:11:38.050 a great church is not gonna be stopped 01:11:38.050 --> 01:11:39.030 due to persecution. 01:11:39.870 --> 01:11:41.830 The only thing that's gonna stop your church 01:11:41.830 --> 01:11:44.510 is if you allow things to stop your church. 01:11:45.590 --> 01:11:49.150 Now honestly, this sermon kind of has two main ideas, 01:11:49.550 --> 01:11:51.310 and that's kind of the first idea, 01:11:51.430 --> 01:11:53.150 but honestly the reason why I'm preaching it, 01:11:53.270 --> 01:11:54.070 that was all introduction. 01:11:57.270 --> 01:11:59.230 I don't have much left to preach, 01:12:00.450 --> 01:12:02.330 but that's not the main point of the sermon. 01:12:02.890 --> 01:12:05.110 You know, something I've heard a lot 01:12:05.110 --> 01:12:08.290 over the last year or two years. 01:12:09.590 --> 01:12:11.230 And a lot of it came from Verity, 01:12:11.910 --> 01:12:13.370 but other churches as well, 01:12:13.950 --> 01:12:17.050 where they had all these problems at their church 01:12:17.690 --> 01:12:20.990 and people leaving, and you know whose fault it was? 01:12:21.890 --> 01:12:25.270 Pastor Anderson, Pastor Shelley, 01:12:26.990 --> 01:12:29.770 sometimes me, kind of rising the charts 01:12:29.770 --> 01:12:30.330 of being a villain. 01:12:32.590 --> 01:12:34.530 But it's kind of like these churches 01:12:34.530 --> 01:12:36.190 are trying to destroy us. 01:12:37.530 --> 01:12:39.090 It's like man, you know, and look, 01:12:39.210 --> 01:12:43.370 I was told to me that by going public with the information 01:12:43.370 --> 01:12:44.810 before I'd actually gone public, 01:12:44.870 --> 01:12:47.410 it was gonna cause people to leave churches. 01:12:48.350 --> 01:12:50.330 It's like, well, how is that my fault? 01:12:51.210 --> 01:12:52.450 Like what in the world? 01:12:54.470 --> 01:12:57.490 But here's the thing, if the gates of hell 01:12:57.490 --> 01:12:59.050 will not prevail against the church, 01:12:59.630 --> 01:13:00.870 that's doing something for God. 01:13:01.070 --> 01:13:03.070 Do you really think one sermon preached against it 01:13:03.070 --> 01:13:04.850 is gonna cause everybody to leave 01:13:04.850 --> 01:13:05.750 in the church to fall apart? 01:13:07.350 --> 01:13:09.050 Look, if a church is right with God 01:13:09.050 --> 01:13:11.670 and there's no problems, it doesn't matter what comes at it. 01:13:12.330 --> 01:13:13.270 It's gonna keep going. 01:13:14.770 --> 01:13:16.910 Look, I wish, I wish I had the power 01:13:17.350 --> 01:13:18.810 to get people to quit going to churches. 01:13:20.290 --> 01:13:21.590 That would be a pretty cool power. 01:13:23.350 --> 01:13:24.890 I mean, I would use that power. 01:13:26.190 --> 01:13:27.610 I don't have the power to do that. 01:13:28.650 --> 01:13:30.070 And honestly, one sermon 01:13:30.070 --> 01:13:31.690 doesn't have the power to do that as well. 01:13:33.830 --> 01:13:36.150 Look, you know, if five years from now, 01:13:36.430 --> 01:13:38.130 Pastor Stanley and I hated each other's guts, 01:13:38.210 --> 01:13:39.590 but we're still doing the same work 01:13:39.590 --> 01:13:41.270 and still zealous for soul winning and heart preaching, 01:13:41.630 --> 01:13:43.050 nobody would leave this church 01:13:43.490 --> 01:13:45.570 and nobody would leave soul winning Baptist church. 01:13:46.230 --> 01:13:46.990 Nobody would. 01:13:47.750 --> 01:13:48.090 Why? 01:13:48.270 --> 01:13:49.210 Because it's the best church? 01:13:51.310 --> 01:13:53.650 Somebody preaching a sermon against you 01:13:54.130 --> 01:13:55.550 is not gonna cause people, 01:13:55.630 --> 01:13:57.370 and that's not why people left your church. 01:13:58.070 --> 01:14:00.210 It's not because somebody exposed the problem. 01:14:00.210 --> 01:14:02.850 How is the person exposing the problems 01:14:03.670 --> 01:14:04.770 the one causing it? 01:14:05.130 --> 01:14:06.230 No, the problem is the problems. 01:14:06.570 --> 01:14:10.210 I mean, church is the pillar and ground of the truth. 01:14:10.470 --> 01:14:12.230 So by preaching the truth, 01:14:12.690 --> 01:14:15.290 how can you blame someone if it's true? 01:14:17.230 --> 01:14:19.650 No, what's wrong is when your church changes. 01:14:20.710 --> 01:14:23.190 When your church stops being zealous soul winning, 01:14:24.050 --> 01:14:26.790 it stops dealing with the issues inside the church. 01:14:27.070 --> 01:14:28.970 It stops relying on God. 01:14:29.630 --> 01:14:31.070 That's what destroys a church. 01:14:31.850 --> 01:14:35.110 But what I did not read in Revelation chapter two and three 01:14:35.890 --> 01:14:38.850 is a blame on the new IFB or some pastor 01:14:38.850 --> 01:14:40.050 for people leaving your church. 01:14:41.990 --> 01:14:43.630 What's the issue of the church of Corinth? 01:14:43.970 --> 01:14:45.450 Oh, some of the pastor preached against 01:14:45.450 --> 01:14:46.210 the sin in the church. 01:14:47.270 --> 01:14:48.210 Isn't that ridiculous? 01:14:49.410 --> 01:14:51.190 What's the problem in the church of Glacier? 01:14:51.530 --> 01:14:52.890 Well, because somebody pointed out 01:14:52.890 --> 01:14:54.550 they're allowing work salvation in the church. 01:14:56.370 --> 01:14:58.070 Is that person to blame for that? 01:14:58.890 --> 01:15:01.050 No, I'm pretty sure what's to blame 01:15:01.050 --> 01:15:02.790 is the fact that you're allowing work salvation. 01:15:04.430 --> 01:15:05.830 And look, there's a lot of churches 01:15:05.830 --> 01:15:07.270 that have lost a lot of members. 01:15:08.130 --> 01:15:08.810 And by the way, you know, 01:15:08.850 --> 01:15:10.650 even great churches lost members as well. 01:15:11.470 --> 01:15:12.510 But the thing is, you know, 01:15:12.570 --> 01:15:14.050 great churches lost a lot of members 01:15:14.050 --> 01:15:15.870 that honestly in a way is a blessing. 01:15:17.170 --> 01:15:18.890 Cause honestly, you see a lot of these people online 01:15:18.890 --> 01:15:19.890 it's like, man, you know, 01:15:19.930 --> 01:15:21.110 they can go start their own church. 01:15:21.110 --> 01:15:24.610 It's like, we don't necessarily want them at our church. 01:15:26.050 --> 01:15:28.030 But you can't blame somebody 01:15:28.030 --> 01:15:29.570 preaching a sermon against you 01:15:29.570 --> 01:15:31.050 for why your church is falling apart. 01:15:33.210 --> 01:15:35.170 I mean, if there's truth to what they're saying, 01:15:36.070 --> 01:15:37.230 then fix the issues. 01:15:38.550 --> 01:15:39.570 That's why people are leaving. 01:15:40.950 --> 01:15:42.530 It's not because of some pastor 01:15:42.530 --> 01:15:43.330 that preached against you. 01:15:43.930 --> 01:15:46.050 But I'm telling you, I've heard this, you know, 01:15:46.150 --> 01:15:48.270 just many times just inside people 01:15:48.270 --> 01:15:49.970 that were at the church and ended up leaving 01:15:49.970 --> 01:15:52.370 how literally after services, 01:15:52.590 --> 01:15:54.330 they'll sit around at some sort of fellowship 01:15:54.330 --> 01:15:57.610 and just complain and criticize 01:15:58.270 --> 01:16:02.070 the new IFB, Pastor Anderson, Pastor Shelley, 01:16:02.230 --> 01:16:04.210 and they are to blame for their church falling apart. 01:16:05.310 --> 01:16:07.890 I mean, I'm dead serious in this. 01:16:08.090 --> 01:16:10.370 You know, honestly, I've lost a lot of friendships 01:16:10.370 --> 01:16:11.910 over the last six, seven months. 01:16:13.730 --> 01:16:15.530 I keep trying to remind people, 01:16:15.670 --> 01:16:18.390 you realize I'm not the one that stole money, right? 01:16:20.910 --> 01:16:22.450 I'm not the one that stole the money. 01:16:22.650 --> 01:16:23.890 So why are you mad at me? 01:16:25.610 --> 01:16:27.570 You're not mad at the church that covered it up. 01:16:28.250 --> 01:16:30.490 You're not really that mad at the pastor that was doing it, 01:16:30.530 --> 01:16:31.370 but you're mad at me. 01:16:31.530 --> 01:16:32.710 It's like, what in the world? 01:16:33.630 --> 01:16:34.690 And what you realize in life, 01:16:35.670 --> 01:16:37.590 people believe what they want to believe. 01:16:40.350 --> 01:16:41.450 It's sad, but it's the truth. 01:16:42.710 --> 01:16:44.050 People believe what they want to believe. 01:16:45.290 --> 01:16:46.010 And look, you know what? 01:16:46.110 --> 01:16:47.330 If you want a great church 01:16:47.330 --> 01:16:48.730 that will actually deal with problems 01:16:48.730 --> 01:16:49.910 and be zealous on soul winning 01:16:49.910 --> 01:16:52.610 and give you good doctrine and pre-chart against sin, 01:16:53.130 --> 01:16:54.990 this is the church to be at in Texas. 01:16:55.630 --> 01:16:57.010 It's an awesome church. 01:16:57.190 --> 01:16:58.250 It's a blessing to be here. 01:16:58.370 --> 01:16:59.690 And look, I want this church. 01:16:59.910 --> 01:17:02.090 I hope to be able to come here more often in the future, 01:17:02.350 --> 01:17:05.490 but I want this church to be here five years from now, 01:17:05.910 --> 01:17:10.270 10 years, 20 years, going stronger than it is today. 01:17:10.450 --> 01:17:11.110 Let's close in order prayer. 01:17:11.890 --> 01:17:12.490 Dear Heavenly Father, 01:17:12.750 --> 01:17:13.870 thank you for allowing us to be here today 01:17:13.870 --> 01:17:15.330 and ask you to help us to apply this sermon 01:17:15.330 --> 01:17:17.790 to our lives, God, and help all of us as individuals 01:17:17.790 --> 01:17:20.010 at this church to be a blessing and help this church, 01:17:20.530 --> 01:17:22.170 ask you to help this church remain strong 01:17:22.170 --> 01:17:24.390 and all great churches around the world, God, 01:17:24.790 --> 01:17:26.790 help us just to deal with issues at the church, 01:17:27.110 --> 01:17:28.090 be zealous for soul winning, 01:17:28.510 --> 01:17:30.970 but always remember to rely on you. 01:17:31.110 --> 01:17:32.090 We pray this in Jesus' name. 01:17:32.450 --> 01:17:32.550 Amen.