The NYC schedule is online at www.fwbnyc.com.

A pdf can be downloaded here.

Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, presented a live video webcast addressing the current spiritual state of our nation.

It is available online at www.creationmuseum.org.

The competition schedule will be posted by July 1 at www.fwbnyc.com. We do not receive all the competition entries until all state competitions have been held, which will not happen until mid June. It takes at least a week to compile and organize all the details to produce the schedule. We will post that information as soon as we have it.

The 60 Minutes With God lesson outlines are online now. You can access them at www.fwbnyc.com in the download section or go to this direct link.

The teen lessons are more fully developed. The elementary outlines will need to be developed more by the teacher. All three age groups follow the same daily sequence of study, which challenge students to spend time with God to have His power in their lives. Seek the Lord and His Strength (Psalm 105:4).

We shouldn’t be surprised. Scripture warns of such blasphemy (2 Peter 2:1-2. 2 Timothy 3:1-8). Still we are shocked and disturbed when it happens. A modern-day Jannes or Jambres presumes to oppose the truth in a painting that depicts President Obama with outstretched arms wearing a crown of thorns. The allusion to Jesus Christ on the cross is unmistakable.

The artist illustrates his disrespect and ignorance of the suffering of Jesus Christ. It is a colossal inequality and injustice to compare the political opposition of any individual to the personal suffering and death of Jesus Christ. This is offensive to Christians and brings no compliment to President Obama. Barack Obama himself should be denouncing this painting.

Christians, however, should be careful how they respond. The fact that a preview of a painting is being publicized before its “unveiling” appears to be a calculated move designed to draw more attention to the artist. According to the popular adage, “any publicity is good publicity.” Christians should not take the bait. Don’t play his game. It is appropriate to speak out and voice our disapproval and repulsion that Jesus Christ would be mocked in such fashion. But on the day of the unveiling, ignore him, and pray for rain.

Elements Children’s Church program is in the development mode.

The first 100 children’s workers to contact katie.greenwood@randallhouse.com will have the opportunity to be a part of the development team and will also receive 25% off of the first year when Elements releases this fall.

As a part of the development team you will be invited to:
·     Draw from your own experiences and make suggestions
·     Share insight and feedback
·     Test a sample in your own local church context
·     Help shape the product to fit the needs of today’s kids

Don’t miss this opportunity. This special offer will be extended to the first 100 responders.  Contact katie.greenwood@randallhouse.com.

The Spring edition of the Direction and Horizon devotional study material is online at the download section of www.fwbnyc.com or click here.

Discovered a handy Bible study resource today: Tyndale Toolbar

This installs a toolbar in your browser that offers a variety of Bible study tools. It works on IE & Firefox for both PC and Mac.

George Barna has provided information about the beliefs and trends of the Christian church and American culture for 25 years. His recent book, Revolution, has raised some questions regarding the local church. His interpretation of the current direction of the church is at best an “informed guess.” But even if he is correct, that does not mean it is the right and best action.

If people do not properly implement the local church, it is not the fault of the local church concept. If a cook fails to properly follow a recipe, it is not the fault of the recipe if the dish does not taste right. The Scripture defines what the church should be. It is not the fault of the church if the recipe is not being followed.

Those who are dissatisfied with the church are discontent with a poor substitute, not the real thing. At other times in history believers have been dissatisfied with circumstances in the local church. This frustration and disappointment has served to bring revival and reformation as believers move closer to the New Testament model.

Could the Revolutionary trend Barna has identified be the early stage of a new revival or reformation in the church? Historically, it is common for believers to become dissatisfied with existing conditions in the organized church that are inconsistent with the NT ideal. When this occurs we first see efforts to adjust and correct the errant practice. Invariably, leaders of this “revolution” are raised up from within the existing church (often from obscurity) and call for reform. When the course correction is resisted, the leaders of the reform movement eventually are forced to separate from the existing structure.

For a while it appears that the separatists are radicals who oppose the “church.” But in reality they are opposing the practices that have developed in the structure of the church that have moved the church off course or hinder its progress.

As others hear the message of the reformer, they will go through a similar process of reform and attempt to correct the existing structure. If this fails, they too will become separatists and join the ranks of the reform movement. Eventually, these reformers form new congregations and develop a new structure that emphasizes the ideals that birthed their separation.

Elements of this progression can be witnessed throughout the history of the church, even at its very birth. John the Baptist was one such reformer. His call to repentance produced a following that prepared the way for the coming of Christ. Of course, Jesus brought much more than reformation to the existing religious practice, but the effects on the organized structure are very similar.

The followers of Christ first attempted to incorporate the teachings of Christ within the organized Jewish faith. Initially, there was good progress, but eventually resistance developed and the new movement was forced to separate. In fact, they became the “called out” assembly–the Church. The missionary efforts of the Apostle Paul followed a similar pattern.

In later centuries other separatists followed this familiar practice. The Novatians, Donatists, and others in the ancient church challenged popular errors that had crept into the organized structure. Eventually, the points of disagreement became so sharp they separated from the larger movement, much of which devolved into the Roman Catholic Church.

It is important to understand, throughout the Middle Ages groups of faithful believers existed separate from the Catholic Church. John Wycliffe and others prepared the way for Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.

The Holy Club, established by John and Charles Wesley, was a reaction to the stale formalism of the existing organized churches. The Methodist churches developed from this movement that emphasized holiness and Christian ideals.

Even the revivals of the Great Awakenings in America show the marks of reform and revolution. These revival preachers were met with varying degrees of acceptance and rejection by the established churches. In their wake new churches were organized. As the old denominations departed from the NT ideals, new groups emerged to carry on the ancient faith.

One such example is the Free Will Baptist movement. Benjamin Randall disagreed with the Congregational Church and was forced to separate from the organized denomination that populated New England. For a while he preached in the open fields to those who would listen. In time, new churches were established and a new denomination was born.

The second Great Awakening in America followed the first by 100 years. Many have hoped that a third would take place in the next century. It is later than anticipated, but it may finally be upon us. If this reformation follows the historical pattern, new churches will be birthed, some existing churches will be revitalized, and some churches will fade away.

Barna has identified the emphasis of the new reformation, but perhaps he misinterprets the meaning of the separation. The organized local church will not become insignificant, it will just be different.

This is perhaps the first time in history we have had such freedom of travel and such proliferation of information to be able to witness the micro-development of a Reformation or Great Awakening as it happens. Historians have identified previous events after the fact. Barna’s research may be showing us what it looks like while it is taking place.

The Revolutionary separatists will likely follow the same pattern as their ancestral counterparts. Some are working within the local church, some are outside the structure of a local church–but only until there is a sufficient assembly to form a new local church.

While we agree that Jesus calls us to Be the Church, the only way to fulfill the New Testament example is through a local gathering of believers. The ordaining of elders, commissioning of missionaries, shepherding the flock, discipline of erring members–these practices cannot be accomplished without some kind of organized structure. Throughout Acts and the epistles we see local gatherings of believers. They gathered together on the first day of the week. That is the norm.

We should avoid the tendency to identify the American church as The Church, as if what happens here defines all of Christianity. American churches have had a significant role in world evangelism, but only for this time and place. The story of the Christian Church is much older than America and will continue regardless of what happens in this country.

If every church on this continent closed tomorrow the Church of Jesus Christ, including local gatherings of believers, will remain somewhere until Jesus returns.