PLUMBLINE -- Editor, Wayne Coats

Vol. 4 No. 10,    May 2000


THE GRAHAM-SHELLY CRUSADE

A lot of hustle and bustle has been made due to the Billy Graham weekend at the Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville. There were 72,000 people in attendance on Saturday night and the total attendance reached 227,000. There was a total of $2.65 million dollars given. There were 9,545 people who "came forward" during the bally who.

When Billy thanked the different churches who helped in the campaign, he got a big ovation when he mentioned the "Church of Christ." He had reference to Woodmont Hills, Hendersonville Community Church, Otter Creek, Western Hills, Smith Springs and Harpeth Hills. These six religious groups provided assistance for Graham to present his false doctrine.

Rubel Shelly reported that he counseled several hundred who came forward. Just what did Shelly tell those poor, benighted deceived people? Counselors were not allowed to mention points of doctrine. Did Shelly orate on, "How to skin a skunk?"

According to the report of Dale Jenkins who preaches for the Granny White Church of Christ and who went over to sign up as a counselor, there were certain stipulated requirements made of the counselors. A board of pastors would have to approve those who desired to counsel. Try to imagine a board of pastors telling a faithful Christian what to say. Please read carefully the Jenkins article below entitled "I Want To Help." Pay particular attention to Number 18, which declares in part, "...I am not to advocate a particular doctrine beyond Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or proselytize for my particular denomination or church."

Dale states that the "somewhats" considered baptism as a "particular doctrine."

Rubel Shelly has had more than a mite of palaver in his church bulletins urging his followers to volunteer as a counselor. He wrote, "Dr. Graham does not end his lessons with a call to baptism." Since Graham does not teach the truth about baptism and since baptism is "a point of doctrine" which counselors are forbidden to mention as per brother Jenkin's article, just what could Rubel and his liberal helpers say? Do the elders from the six aforementioned churches agree for their sheep to be mum about baptism and the church? Did all those helpers from the six churches sign their names agreeing to refrain from any and all points of doctrine? If the apostate counselors agree to refrain from mentioning any point of doctrine at the crusade, will they refrain from mentioning any points of doctrine back with their home gang? The popes of Rome have had gullible dupes for centuries who have been told what to say and not say. The Graham-Shelly dupes are not any different.

We have taught for long decades that Christ purchased the church with his blood (Acts 20:28). When a false teacher comes to town, a number of heretics agree to sign a form and thereby refuse to even mention the church. For shame! Such is the absurdity of following a multitude to do evil.

Rubel opines that Billy will take his hearers to a certain point; and from that point, we need to be there and tell them the importance of baptism, and we need to be there and tell them about the church. Can Billy not tell people about baptism and the church? Should some Nashville elders compromise with a false teacher who refuses to tell dying sinners about baptism and the church?

The newspaper reported that Billy Graham suffered from back problems. Such misery is terrible, but it is not as bad as brain problems. There is a sad day coming.

The Graham-Shelly fiasco is a clear-cut case of spineless compromisers striving to please men instead of God (Gal. 1:10).

--Wayne Coats - Editor

 


I Want To Help

It's no secret by now; Billy Graham is bringing his crusade team to Nashville. I did not come to Nashville to fight my brethren, but the fact exists that at least six congregations that carry the name church of Christ are publicly participating in the campaign. And while I believe in congregational autonomy, I have a question.

We love the souls of men and women, boys and girls, and support any effort that will bring a person closer to the kingdom of Heaven. Several weeks ago we wrote a couple of articles explaining why I could not be a participant in the campaign.

Since then I have had several people who have given me their justification for their involvement in this big event. It seems two comments have caught the emotional ear of those who wish to see lost souls saved and that, frankly, sound very convincing. One is that Dr. Graham will take them to a certain point, and that we need to be available to reach them from that point. He will bring them to faith in Jesus, and we will take over and tell them of the importance of baptism. It's been called a "unique evangelistic opportunity." The other is that some will check "Church of Christ" as their religious preference, and we need to be there to teach them about the church. It's stated: "What a shame if no one was there to talk to them about their soul."

These sound very good and seem to be difficult to argue with, but what if those two things were impossible? If one questions the sensibility of participating in this effort they heard the cry: "Don't you care about the lost?"

I have personally attempted to be a counselor with the crusade that is coming, having attended a number of meetings. What an opportunity if one could counsel the hundreds that will come forward during the crusade or even a few of them!

At each meeting, I have expressed my desire and asked what I had to do to serve as a counselor. I have been told repeatedly that in order to be a counselor, I had to be at least 12 years old, have a letter from my "pastor" stating that I was a member in good standing with my church, take some courses, fill out an application to be a counselor and be approved by a board of area "pastors." I have been asking for a copy of the application for three months now, and last week I finally received one.

It is a two-page paper requesting pretty standard information: name, age, address, etc. But Number 18 is very revealing, it says: "I understand that by signing this application I am obligated to simply share the basic Gospel of Jesus Christ using the My Commitment folder and Living in Christ with an individual that comes forward during the Crusade. I am not to advocate a particular doctrine beyond Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or proselytize for my particular denomination or church." I've read both of those and not a word is said about baptism. I was confident that the crusade would consider "baptism: as a particular doctrine," but just in case, I called. They do.

So for a Christian to sign this form planning on teaching an individual about the necessity of baptism or planning to teach one about the church of Christ would be a lie or deception. Or for a Christian to attempt to justify their wanting to participate in this event by making the two arguments mentioned above would be to lie to those they are making the statement to, for they know they cannot in good conscience do that. As important as it is to lead the lost to Jesus, it is wrong to even attempt to justify winning souls by lying.

I see NO way a Christian can participate in this campaign. If you do, I want to hear from you. I seek unity, not division: I want to help.

Dale Jenkins, Nashville, TN


 

Grief, A Test Of Faith

Dear friends, we have all confronted tragedy, disease, and heartbreak of every description. Many feel they alone have confronted such episodes of grief, but such are simply untrue. We can always look around and see that someone else has more serious difficulties than we could imagine. During the course of one year this writer lost his beloved mother, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, four days later our sixteen year-old daughter suffered a fatal automobile accident, and my ministry of thirty years came to a halt. Numerous other hurting people have faced such anguish and misery, but we are not alone in coming to grips with this spiritual challenge.

This writer is a grief survivor, but one should not think he is totally immunized from such adversity. We have seen over a period of time, through our painful experience, that six (6) steps exist in the grieving process. 1) Shock - one is stunned beyond feeling; 2) Denial - a rejection and total defiance of the event via "it did not happen." 3) Disbelief - rejecting the fact of the occurrence by refusing to let it become a reality; 4) Blame - the traumatic incident causes the grieved to blame self, others, and even God; 5) Momentary management - the process of coping with occasional relapses. 6) Adjustment - having reached a state of acceptance, yet occasional slips frequently occur.

The Old Testament character Job was put to the test when he lost his sons, daughters, sheep and oxen, and all his lands were taken from him (Job 1:13-22). Normally a person would blame God, accuse others, and even reprimand oneself in the face of such an enormous calamity. This was not the attitude of Job, but rather "in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly" (Job 1:22). Job's wife spoke once in the Bible and said, "Curse God and die." Job responded to her "thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh" (Job 1:9-10). Regardless of the horrific episodes and adversity in his life, he never once blamed God, nor anyone else. Job the patriarch serves as a prolific example in this regard.

A number of positive things can be done to aid us in conquering such a loss. One should immediately engage in powerful prayer. Dealing with adversity is impossible without having a connection to our eternal God. Paul in a concise way said, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). Therefore. we should have a continuous prayerful attitude. Prayer is our way of communicating our innermost thoughts and feelings to the Creator above. A very therapeutic way of overcoming grief is spending as much time with God as possible, which is through His word. David said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto our path" (Psalms 119:105). A steady and constant perusal of the Book of books can sustain us when we walk through the darkness of despair. David once again said, "uphold me according to thy word, that I may live, and let me not be ashamed of my hope" (Psalms 119:116). The test of surviving grief is dependent upon the degree of faith we possess. We previously stated that prayer is our means of communicating with God. Conversely, reading the Bible is God's way of communicating with us. The Bible is a road map, and if followed well, we will be able to cope with the challenges of life.

--Bob Spurlin

PrchTeach@aol.com

Somerville, AL


 

The Devil Returns After A Season

When Steve Flatt and his Madison cronies huddled together and conceived the unlawful, unscriptural, sectarian, denominational, notorious, Nashville Jubilee, those of us who had given in-depth studies to the structure of the old American Christian Missionary Society, the Louisville Plan and similar concoctions of the devil, we could pin-point the exact similarities in several instances between the two entities.

I immediately wrote and sent forth some warnings about the unscriptural structure of the Jubilee all over the nation. Printed materials were prepared in an effort to get blind brethren to see what was being pulled over their eyes. I was as a mere weak voice crying in the wilderness. Who would be so obfuse as to object to the great Madison/Goliath? It has been heart breaking to see the gullibility of well-meaning brethren who have been duped into supporting the Jubilee affair. The very structure of the Jubilee as set up by Flatt and his co-horts precludes any faithful child of God from supporting, promoting, and participating in the wicked thing. I do my homework.

PLEASE, Please, please tell me how you (anyone) can participate in the Flatt Jubilee and also oppose the old Missionary Society? It would be interesting to learn how you would oppose the Missionary Society of the Digressives which was spawned in 1849. The devil finally split the Church in 1906 by the liberal forces. Satan is merely changing his terms a mite.

After Max Lucado (special speaker at the Jubilee) delivered his fiasco at the Jubilee when he decreed that baptism does not save, would you believe some Nashville brethren wiggled a little bit? You would have thought Max had killed a Nashville Holy Cow. The Granny White bishops afterward borrowed Steve Flatt to breathe forth on water baptism. Remember it was Steve who sired the Jubilee. Have you heard as of this date of any bishops getting antsy about the unscriptural structure of the illegitimate make-up of the Jubilee? No, and I do not think you will. Have you heard of any of the Nashville editors, bishops, board members, presidents, preachers, and hand-clappers becoming disturbed due to the framework of the Jubilee? No, and I am not sure you will. The devil will be happy if he can keep a few complainers, such as myself, mouthing about the way the New Missionary Society is built. "Just do not oppose the structure," he says.

I have begged any of the Jubilee supporters to step forth and defend The Jubilee. Not one soul has offered to do so. I have not put much emphasis upon the modernistic rot and cultic teaching which has occurred at the Jubilee. I want to see the person who will have the courage, conviction, integrity, and love for the truth who will take Steve Flatt's taped speech about the birth of the Jubilee, and attempt to justify the outfit by the Bible.

Hear this please! The Jubilee has been adopted by Rubel Shelly and the Woodmont Hills Church. From Shelly's Church, a page is sent out titled, "Jubilee 2000, in the Strength of the Lord." When it comes to defending the pure word of God brethren, there is not anything on the face of God's earth as weak as the Jubilee 2000. People know Rubel Shelly will run around over the country and make fun of the Church of Christ, compromise with false teachers, support denominational preachers such as Billy Graham, but he runs like a scared rabbit when faced with a logical, scriptural, proposition for debate with some faithful legitimate brother.

Mike Cope, heretical preacher of Highland Church in Abilene, Texas, has been challenged to meet Texas brethren in discussions, but he had rather mumble something which seems like "dying gasps" to him. Cope will be the keynote speaker for Shelly's Jubilee. He will be a good choice for those who can slurp on the "Wineskins" contents. Cope helps Shelly with the bloated Wineskins. The worship leader each evening will be Brandon Scott Thomas from the Otter Creek Church in Nashville which is helping Billy Graham with his false campaign in Nashville. Do the folks at Otter Creek including Thomas, know the difference in Rubel Shelly and Billy Graham? Then there is the ZOE worship group and Randy Gill the worship leader at Woodmont Hills, Shelly's Church.

It has been a foregone conclusion since day one that the modernist liberals have been determined to ignore any semblance of opposition to their nefarious schemes. This is exactly the plan followed by the old digressives after they learned better than try to defend their missionary society and mechanical music in worship. They had some real warriors early on who could draw their swords, but Restoration students know how they withdrew their heads in tortoise fashion after a few scrapes. It takes no conviction to be afflicted with lockjaw.

As speakers for Shelly's Jubilee 2000, one can be enthralled with speakers such as Ken Dye, Gary Holloway, Mark Black, Doug Foster, Wesley Jones, Mac Lynn, John Mark Hicks, David Slater, and Jeff Walling.

There are more but I just cannot fathom what sort of nonsense has to be in operation for poor Doug Vanardo to exit Lipscomb University due to the "infamous box" and become full-time with the Hendersonville Community Church, yet Black and Holloway of Lipscomb are joining the Jubilee. I need help for certain. Does Steve Flatt lay hands on Black and Holloway as they journey to join with Shelly?

According to the Nashville paper, Ken Dye was fired as the preacher for the Hendersonville Church of Christ and he started the Community Church. He has now moved to the West End Church in Nashville.

Mark Black teaches at Lipscomb and also preaches for the far-out left-wing liberal Donelson church. That will pull in some more dollars for Shelly's circus affair.

Jeff Walling is as much at home among the denominations as he is among the liberal crew. I have listed several of the speakers for Jubilee 2000. I am considered completely insane when I question any of the "Strength of the Lord" being present at the notorious Jubilee affair.

The church is in a horrible mess in Nashville. Who will deny it? Who is the cause of the problem? Sensible people know the root of the problem. Honest folks will admit the cause of the problem. Concerned people will not be afraid to address the problem. Cowardly folks will seek refuge among the compromisers.

--Wayne Coats, Editor

 


 

Truth Is Not For Sale

Marvin L. Weir

We live in a society that has a growing disdain for truth. Those who are graduates of the school of worldly wisdom, pride themselves in practicing the art of deception. From the president of the United States to the teenage student, one has come to expect a dishonest answer.

The Bible, God's word of truth, has been ridiculed and ignored ever since the Holy Spirit revealed it. For decades, modern man has been an advocate of the theory of evolution. It matters not that science cannot prove the theory! Neither does it matter to most that God's word says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." In fact, worldly wisdom will seek to convince folks that neither God nor the Bible is to be taken too seriously.

Who or what do we take seriously? Should we accept as absolute truth that which is spoken by a judge or president that is motivated and driven by the "politically correct" agenda? Can we rely upon the newspapers and the tabloids to present absolute truth? The answers to the above questions are more than obvious to all who are not blinded by their love for the world (cf. 1 John 2:15-17).

The Bible declares that God's word "is truth" (John 17:17, emph. MLW) and that "the truth of Jehovah endureth forever" (Psalm 117:2). Surely one who is honest and noble would never declare that we cannot know the meaning of "is." Solomon, speaking by inspiration, said, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Prov. 23:23).

The Bible purposely avoids the political correctness that the majority now craves and endorses, and reveals the absolute truth that so many spurn and hate. Although truth is not for sale, most folks will sell truth in a heartbeat when it comes to family, friends or self. People need to begin doing some serious thinking and wean themselves from being "spoon fed" by those who covet their unprovable theories and personal agendas.

The selling of religious truth has been popular in every dispensation--Patriarchal, Mosaical, and Christian. God told Adam and Eve if they ate or touched the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden they would die (Gen. 3:3). The couple chose, however, to sell truth and believe Satan's lie that they would not die from touching and eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:4). Nadab and Abihu knew the type of fire required by God in making sacrifices, but chose instead to offer "strange fire before Jehovah" (Lev. 10:1). They sold truth in offering what was not commanded and it cost them their lives. Ananias and Sapphira chose to sell truth and lie to the apostle Peter regarding the amount of the transaction. A high price was again paid for the selling of truth as it cost Ananias and Sapphira their lives (Acts 5:1ff).

Today, there are many congregations of the Lord's people who are in the process of selling the truth. As truth is being sold, multitudes of members sit silently, thereby giving their consent. But why is truth for sale? It is because the liberal change-agents know that truth must be sold (discarded) before they can implement manmade innovations and denominational practices. You see, even the liberals know that God's truth will expose their scheme to restructure the church. Thus, truth must be sold before they can accomplish their devilish goal.

There is an article now being circulated among some churches of Christ in the D-FW area entitled "Behold the Pattern" that seeks to compare a man-made dress pattern to God's pattern for the church. Brethren, design and intent keep such a comparison from being valid. A dress pattern is designed to be adapted to satisfy certain needs. God's singular pattern for His church was not intended to be adapted to accommodate man's whims and wishes.

The article further suggests that Jesus and not the New Testament church is our pattern. Is not Christ the head of the church, which is his body (Eph. 1:22-23)? Are we to understand there is a pattern for the head but not for the body? Efforts have been made for years to sever Christ from the church but such cannot be done. The results of a "patternless" body is a "have it my way" religion. Such is the goal of those who are anxious to sell the truth. But truth is not for sale!

5810 Liberty Grove Rd

Rowlett, TX 75089


 

Letter From A Mother To Her Son

Dear Bo,

I am writing this letter slow because I know you can't read fast. We don't live where we did when you left home. Your father read in the paper that most accidents happen within 20 miles of your home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last family that lived here took the house numbers when they left so they wouldn't have to change their address.

This place is real nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well though. Last week I put in a load of clothes, pulled the chain and haven't seem them since. The weather isn't so bad, it only rained twice last week. The first time it rained for three days and the second time it rained for four days.

The coat you wanted me to send to you-well, Laverne said it would be little heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets. Your uncle Jim locked the keys in his brand new car yesterday. We were worried because it took him 2 hours to get Wanda and the twins out. Your sister Carol had a baby this morning. I haven't found out what it was yet so I don't know if you are an aunt or an uncle.

Your Grandpa Bill fell into the wine-making bin last week. Some men tried to pull him out, but he fought them off and drowned. We had him cremated and he burned for three days.

Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pickup truck. Alvin was driving, and Cleon and Eddie were riding in back. Alvin got out through the window and swam to safety but your other two friends drowned because they couldn't open the tailgate. There isn't much more news at this time, nothing much happened.

Love, Ma

P.S. I was going to send you money but the envelope was already sealed.

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NOTE: Go ahead and ask. You wonder why such a trite piece is in the Plumbline? Simply because it is reminiscent of some of the dull normal characters to whom I have attempted to preach. If a good, sound, cogent, logical, argument entered their brain, no doubt a concussion would result. Such people are beyond help.

--Editor


 


 

The New School Prayer


Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule.

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple or orange or green,

That's no offense, it's the freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise,

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the State.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They've outlawed guns; but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the unwed daddy, our Senior King.

It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No Word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess.

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot, my soul please take.


When you move, you MUST send us your change of address. The Post Office will not forward the Plumbline. They will simply throw it away. Look at your label carefully and send us any corrections that need to be made. Check your expiration date to see if it is correct also. We strive hard to not make any errors, but occasionally, some get by us. Please help us as we strive to "fight the good fight of faith."


 

People, Places, Things

A debate is scheduled July 17-18 and July 20-21 out in Spring, Texas, between brother David Brown and Daniel Callam. The subject discussed will be centered on religious authority.

Brother Brown is the faithful preacher of the Spring church of Christ and Callam is a Catholic priest who teaches in the University of St. Thomas in Houston. We pray for brother Brown and the triumph of truth.

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I believe that I am in arrears in sending out a few book orders. Please let me know if you have requested materials and have not received them. You may wonder how I could misplace letters, articles, book orders, etc. Due to so many physical problems accumulating in rapid succession, I have been too weak to work at times, so the mail gets neglected and boxed. The cords and bonds of illness continue with me. There are good brethren who care very deeply about my problems, but there are a few "nuts" who continue to "...add affliction to my bonds" (Phil. 1:16).

Two faithful brethren have constructed a 24' x 28' log cabin behind my house which serves as my library. My sweet daughters have been involved in moving my books and papers into the library shelves. This explains how some things get lost. Hopefully, I can regain sufficient strength to spend time in the library. Thus far, I have not been well enough to be amidst my books beyond a couple of hours. I pray without ceasing to be able to resume work.

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Since we began publishing the Plumbline, an effort has been made to keep brethren informed about the damaging inroads of liberalism among so many congregations. It has not been my purpose to butt-in or interfere in the efforts of any congregation or try to run their affairs. I have tried to be exceedingly careful to confine my efforts to the exposure of liberalism. What a congregation does otherwise is none of my business. The plague of liberalism just about destroyed the church around the turn of the century. The same thing is happening again. We have tried to warn brethren, but a head and heart as hard as concrete will hardly receive any truth or word of warning.

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I heard a good elder from Paris, Tennessee, describe how the Acapella Band members split the church in Paris. He described the wreck and ruin of that crew. We know how the Band has performed among the denominations and displayed their contempt for faithful brethren.

Down at the Mayfair church in Huntsville, Alabama, the Band is to give a concert and Buddy Bell is to be the guest speaker. I distinctly recall when the Mayfair congregation began. Brother A. E. Hobbs held the first Gospel meeting there, and I led the singing. Such marvelous lessons will never be forgotten as they fell from the lips of that dear brother.

The Crossroads-Boston cultic groups introduced the House-Church concept. Many of the large affluent churches including Mayfair have introduced the "Small Group Meetings" in homes. Such is different to be sure.

The Acappell Vocal Band is to perform at St. John, the Baptist Catholic Church, Argyle Bible Church, and also Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ. There are enough ear ticklers running around loose to keep all the liberals entertained. Whatever happened with common sense and conviction?

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A deep sense of sadness wells up within me as I reflect upon the great loss sustained by a forelorn and spiritually impoverished brotherhood. I cannot help weeping within while thinking about the great and good men with whom I have been involved in proclaiming the word of God during lectureships in so many places all over the nation. Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul.

We studied, researched, wrote manuscripts for books, traveled near and far, lost sleep and sacrificed occasionally in our efforts to sow the seed of the kingdom. There were fellow soldiers such as Winfred Clark, Andrew Connally, Bobby Duncan, Thomas Eaves, Joe Gilmore, J. A. McNutt, Noel Meredith, Foy Smith, E. L. Whitaker, and others. The grave has closed above them, and we linger on in our feeble efforts, praying, working, and hoping that we may be allowed to live eternally with those faithful brethren in the land where separations will never come.

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Unity and harmony existed among brethren and there was tremendous growth numerically until the modernists, liberals, and digressives introduced the Missionary Society in 1849 and mechanical instruments in 1851. A united brotherhood became a divided disgrace, but this did not bother the liberals. So what, if God hates the sowers of discord among brethren (Prov. 6:16).

The writers of the Gospel Advocate began to deal with the innovations, and they were relentless in their efforts. The Advocate began in 1855 and a constant effort was made to point people back to the ancient order of things. There was no dearth of sound writers who wielded their pens as ready scribes. I believe the situation is different today. Too many preachers are willing to compromise the truth and be silent. We need a thousand pens to be dipped in the inkwell of truth and refute the claims of the liberals, but that involves controversy. The Plumbline would welcome good, sound, sensible manuscripts, but such takes effort and conviction.

According to the Associated Press release, "Britain's Church of England is fading." In the period from 1979 to 1998, Sunday attendance at England's Catholic churches fell from 2 million down to 1.2 million. Sunday attendance at the Methodist church fell from 621,000 to 380,000. One report states religion is dying out in England. What is happening in England is true of America, especially with the tremendous growth of the liberals and the compromising spirit of conservatives.

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Brother Steve Barnes of 115 McBride Street, McMinnville, Tennessee, 37110 is suffering from severe cerebral palsy after experiencing the horrors of cancer. Would you please send this dear brother a note?

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I doubt that any readers of the Plumbline would get excited about helping in the Billy Graham Crusade which came to Nashville in June. The bulletin from Rubel Shelly's Church has an article titled, "Graham Crusade Training," in which a special, "Evangelism and Discipleship Seminar" will be held to train counselors for the affair. How does one train to be a counselor during a Revival conducted by a Baptist preacher? Shelly says, "As Billy Graham preaches each night during the June 1-4 crusade, people will be invited to "make a decision for Jesus Christ" or to "accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord."

Shelly writes that trained counselors will be needed to help people "put specifics to their response." How will Rubel train, "scores of our members for this task?" When Billy preaches hereditary total depravity, how will one of Shelly's clones respond to one who responds? When Billy preaches salvation by faith only and calls for folks to, "make a decision for Jesus Christ," what kind of training will a counselor need in order to teach such misguided souls the plan of salvation? To think that Billy Graham will teach the people how to go to heaven is pure nonsense equal to that of Shelly's folly.

Is anyone so demented as to think that Billy will preach on the New Testament church in order to help people learn the truth? Will Billy and Rubel teach people the plan of salvation? Shelly says, "No we are by no means the only Church of Christ helping with the project." Is Rubel's Church the church of Christ? The bulletin heading lists, "The Family of God at Woodmont Hills." In previous bulletins Rubel discredits the name, "Church of Christ." Oh yes! That term turns people off, but it will come in handy for a crew of compromisers who may want to "join the Church of Rubel" or some other Church.

It looks like Shelly might be aware that Billy will preach for people to "make a decision for Jesus Christ," or "accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord." BUT those who decide and accept will need a counselor of the Shelly (ilk and stripe-I borrowed this from Rubel) "to encourage them to be baptized into Jesus...." Will Billy not encourage the poor, deluded, dumb, characters to "be baptized into Jesus" before they get to one of Rubel's brainwashing counselors? Will Billy Graham not preach for the people to be "baptized into Jesus?" Are the folks in Shelly's Church so ignorant and blind as to not see that Billy Graham and Shelly are false teachers?

I desperately need someone to furnish me with information about those other "Church of Christ" helpers. This information needs to be a part of recorded history. It is sickening to know that the Woodmont Hills shepherds wrote to Billy Graham and invited him to come to Nashville for the crusade. Who were the Shepherds from Rubel's Church who wrote to Billy Graham inviting him to Nashville? Can anyone find out?

Indeed, liberals never make any sense.

Shelly and his crew are making a lot of noise about Jubilee 2000. Will there be any Baptists so naive, two-faced, spineless and desperate as to make the news by helping Shelly with his gala affair? Will any of the Baptist pastors condescend to preach in the congregations of Rubel's buddies?

Will Baptist pulpits be open to the proclaimers from Woodmont Hills, Harpeth Hills, Western Hills, Smith Springs, Otter Creek, Community Church and the Lipscomb professors?

Years ago when Nashville preachers abandoned the truth and turned aside to serve the devil, there were Nashville writers who opposed and exposed such tommyrot. Such efforts are extremely limited to a very few precious souls today. It is still in order to say, "show me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18).

 

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