NASHVILLE (BP) — Responding to concerns about the speakers’ lineup for the 2020 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, the SBC Executive Committee voted Tuesday (Feb. 18) to allocate meeting space for the event provided changes are made to the proposed program.

According to the action, the Executive Committee believes “multiple aspects” of the proposed program for the pastors’ conference “are sufficiently beyond the parameters of the faith and practice of Southern Baptists in accordance with The Baptist Faith and Message.” The action calls for “amendments” to the program to be made by Monday, Feb. 24, and approved by officers of the Executive Committee. (Full text of the action below.)
Since the program was announced earlier this month, many have voiced concerns that not all speakers were Southern Baptist and that scheduled performer Hosanna Wong, a spoken word artist, is also a teaching pastor at her non-Southern Baptist church.

Others have also been critical of the inclusion of David Hughes, pastor of Church by the Glades, a Southern Baptist congregation in Coral Springs, Fla. The church has received attention for various performances in its services, as well as sermon series with sensual themes.

Mike Stone, chairman of the Executive Committee, said the decision was reached after “lengthy deliberations” in the days since the Pastors’ Conference lineup was announced Feb. 10.

“My desire would be that there would be a change in the lineup so we can proceed in keeping with who we are as Southern Baptists,” Stone said. “I would love for that to happen.”

Pastors’ Conference president David Uth, pastor of First Baptist Orlando, has thus far declined to make lineup changes.

“My goal, my prayer was that we could open ourselves up to hear from people that maybe were good friends of ours, but not in our Southern Baptist Convention,” Uth told Baptist Press Feb. 11, in responding to initial concerns raised over the event’s lineup. “I feel like they have a message for us. I feel like God wants to speak to us through them. So my goal and my hope was that we could hear their message, we could learn from them, and we could embrace it.”

While the Executive Committee does not have oversight of the SBC Pastors’ Conference, it makes space available to hold the event each year — this year, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., where the 2020 SBC Annual Meeting will be held in June — and requests the conference to reimburse the Executive Committee for a portion of the cost to use the meeting hall and facilities. Currently, that reimbursement totals $100,000.

Source: Baptist Press

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A Christian-oriented theme park in central Florida that describes itself as “bringing the Bible to life” is laying off most of its workers.

The Holy Land Experience last week filed notice with the city of Orlando and state officials announcing it would be eliminating 118 positions. That represents most of the jobs at the theme park in Orlando’s tourist corridor.

Holy Land Experience officials said in a letter that they were shifting focus from entertainment and theatrical productions to the park’s Biblical museum. The decision will allow them to continue to receive tax breaks signed into law by former Governor Jeb Bush.

The theme park was launched in 2001 as the ministry of a Messianic Jewish church. Trinity Broadcasting Network took ownership in 2007. IRS records show a sharp decline in revenue, from $42 million in 2010 to $8 million in 2017, the most recent year available.

Theme parks officials said the layoffs would take place by mid-April. Employees will get a severance package based on their length of employment.

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Welcome to The Reasons to Believe podcast, episode #165. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International.

Our Reasons to Believe Scripture Passage for today is John 11:25-26. It reads, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Our Reasons to Believe quote for today is from C.S. Lewis.

Our Reason to Believe powerpoint today is titled “The Resurrection, Part 18” from “The Handbook of Christian Apologetics” by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli.

The authors continue with the sixth part of this chapter subtitled, “Refutation of the Myth Theory: Six Arguments.”

3. The myth theory has two layers. The first layer is the historical Jesus, who was not divine, did not claim divinity, performed no miracles, and did not rise from the dead. The second, later, mythologized layer is the Gospels as we have them, with a Jesus who claimed to be divine, performed miracles and rose from the dead. The problem with this theory is simply that there is not the slightest bit of any real evidence whatever for the existence of any such first layer. The two-layer cake theory has the first layer made entirely of air—and hot air at that.

Augustine refutes the two-layer theory with his usual condensed power and simplicity.

The speech of one Elpidius, who had spoken and disputed face to face against the Manichees, had already begun to affect me at Carthage, when he produced arguments from Scripture which were not easy to answer. And the answer they [the Manichees, who claimed to be the true Christians] gave seemed to me feeble-indeed they preferred not to give it in public but only among ourselves in private-the answer being that the Scriptures of the New Testament had been corrupted by some persons unknown…yet the Manicheans made no effort to produce uncorrupted copies. (Confessions, V, 11, Sheed translation.)

Note the sarcasm in the last sentence. It still applies today.

Craig summarizes the evidence—the lack of evidence:

The Gospels are a miraculous story, and we have no other story handed down to us than that contained in the Gospels…. The letters of Barnabas and Clement refer to Jesus’ miracles and resurrection. Polycarp mentions the resurrection of Christ, and Irenaeus relates that he had heard Polycarp tell of Jesus’ miracles. Ignatius speaks of the resurrection. Puadratus reports that persons were still living who had been healed by Jesus. Justin Martyr mentions the miracles of Christ. No relic of a nonmiraculous story exists. That the original story should be lost and replaced by another goes beyond any known example of corruption of even oral tradition, not to speak of the experience of written transmissions. These facts show that the story in the Gospels was in substance the same story that Christians had at the beginning. This means…that the resurrection of Jesus was always a part of the story. (Craig, Apologetics, chap. 6)

Lord willing, we will continue this topic in our next episode.

—PRAYER—

Now, if you are listening today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Until next time, my friend, please keep in mind these reasons to believe. God bless!

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This is Daniel Whyte III with the Second Coming Watch Update. This is update #906. Let’s take a quick look at today’s prophecy-related headlines which point towards the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world as we know it.

First, today, under the Sign category of FAMINES — According to The Guardian, Swarms of locusts ravaging crops and grazing land across east Africa have reached South Sudan, already reeling from widespread hunger and years of civil war. Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti [JI-BOO-TEE] are battling the worst locust outbreak in decades, and swarms have also spread into Tanzania and Uganda. Desert locusts can travel up to 95 miles in a day and eat their own body weight in greenery, meaning a swarm just one kilometre square can eat as much food as 35,000 people in a day. The invasion is worsening food shortages in a region where up to 25 million people are suffering after three consecutive years of droughts and floods.

Second, today, under the Sign category of WARS & RUMOURS OF WARS — According to The Jerusalem Post, Iran’s Amir Ali Hajizadeh [HAH-JIH-ZAH-DAY], commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s elite Aerospace force, has said that the region must unite to expel “Zionists” and Americans. In what have been daily statements by Iran’s leadership, the regime is claiming it will destroy Israel and get the US to leave Iraq and Syria. Hajizadeh [HAH-JIH-ZAH-DAY] was speaking to pro-Houthi media in Yemen, which means that his comments were also directed at Saudi Arabia. Iran has sent technology – such as cruise missiles, drones and ballistic missiles – to the Houthis to aid their fight against Riyadh. Hajizadeh’s [HAH-JIH-ZAH-DAY’s] comments matter because his units are involved with missiles, drones and air defense, and have been involved in attacks on US forces using ballistic missiles and the exporting of Iran’s technology that can target Israel.

Third, today, under the Sign category of MOVEMENT TOWARD A ONE-WORLD RELIGION — According to Breaking Israel News, At an address to Vatican diplomats last month, Pope Francis announced that the Vatican will be hosting a global event titled, “Reinventing the Global Compact on Education.” The Pope said when he first proposed the summit, “A global educational pact is needed to educate us in universal solidarity and a new humanism.” The education initiative is a continuation of the Pope’s global vision as laid out in his Document on the Human Brotherhood for World Peace and Common Living Together signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Fourth, today, under the Sign category of THE RISE OF GOG AND MAGOG — According to SpaceWar.com, The Russian capital’s air and missile defence system is one of the most sophisticated in the world, and includes a dense layer of anti-aircraft missile launchers, interceptor systems, and a unique tetrahedral truncated pyramid radio-radar station so powerful it can detect space debris. Missile defence forces commander Maj. Gen. Sergei Grabchuk [SER-GEY GRAB-CHUK] has revealed in the event of an enemy attack, Moscow’s air defences would intercept and destroy enemy missile targets in the space of less than a minute. The officer explained that, in the first place, Russia’s global missile launch detection network would calculate enemy missiles’ projected targets, taking account of warheads and potential dummy warheads. When all is said and done, Grabchuk [GRAB-CHUK] noted, “the missile defence battle is short-lived, and can last less than a minute.”

Fifth, today, under the Sign category of PESTILENCES & FATAL EPIDEMIC DISEASES — According to New York Post, the director of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention said coronavirus can be spread through people who aren’t exhibiting symptoms of the illness, Dr. Robert Redfield confirmed reports out of China that the virus can spread when the person is still asymptomatic. Redfield said, “There’s been good communication with our colleagues to confirm asymptomatic infection, to confirm asymptomatic transmission, to be able to get a better handle on the clinical spectrum of illness in China.” Redfield said it’s not known how much the asymptomatic cases are contributing to the spread of the virus — which has sickened more than 60,000 people worldwide — but the discovery is concerning.

——–

The prophetic passage of Scripture that we are looking at today is Ezekiel. Ezekiel 1:1-3 reads: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar [KEY-BAR], that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s [JEH-HOY-AH-KIN] captivity, The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi [BU-ZEE], in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar [KEY-BAR]; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.”

Allow me to share with you some commentary on this passage from Exploring Bible Prophecy from Genesis to Revelation, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Hindson.

In both divisions of Ezekiel, the Jerusalem temple figures prominently as the sign of God’s relationship with national Israel. Therefore the first division, which deals with the Lord’s judgment on Israel, is displayed in terms of the nation’s desecration of the temple and its destruction by foreign nations under the terms of discipline announced in the Mosaic Covenant. The second division deals with the reversal of the condition of exile and foreign domination of the land imposed as the result of the discipline. Return to the land with the ultimate restoration of national sovereignty and national spiritual rebirth is the promised blessing of the New Covenant, whose conclusive sign is the rebuilding of a temple to which God’s own presence has been restored.

If the Lord tarries His Coming and we live, we will continue looking at the prophetic passages of the Bible in our next broadcast / podcast.

Our Second Coming quote for today is from A. W. Tozer. He said, “The crux of the whole matter is this: our wonderful, created world will be restored to its rightful Owner. I for one look forward to that day. I want to live here when Jesus Christ owns and rules the world. Until that hour, there will be conflict, distress and war among the nations. We will hear of suffering and terror and fear and failure. But the God who has promised a better world is the God who cannot lie. He will shake loose Satan’s hold on this world and its society and systems. Our heavenly Father will put this world into the hands that were once nailed to a cross for our race of proud and alienated sinners. It is a fact. Jesus Christ is returning to earth.”

Let’s Pray

***

If you are not ready for the return of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to get ready today by receiving Him as your Savior. Here is how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here is the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh. Let us join in the prayer of John the Revelator — “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” God bless you.

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This is Daniel Whyte III president of Gospel Light Society International with The Scripture & the Sense Podcast #419, where I read the Word of God and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as the Bible Knowledge Commentary or Matthew Henry Commentary. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.

Today we are reading Amos 2:4.

4 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:

________

That was Amos 2:4. Now here is the sense of it.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary reads:

The Gentile nations had rebelled against the “everlasting covenant” God made with them at the time of Noah. But Judah’s sins were against the Mosaic Covenant. They had rejected the Law of the Lord. They had not observed the decrees, or stipulations, of His unique agreement with them. Instead of holding to His objective truth, they let themselves be led astray by the same false gods which had deceived many of their ancestors. The word for false god is kā=zāḇ, “a lie or something deceptive.” The idols were deceptive for they were unable to help the people. In Deuteronomy God constantly warned the Israelites not to follow false gods.

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Thank you for listening to the Scripture & The Sense Podcast. Remember to read the Word of God each and every day and pray without ceasing to God for wisdom to understand it and apply it to your life. Most importantly, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Please stay tuned for a complete presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can get your soul saved from Hell to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer.

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