Posted 4:32 PM by Gene

"Rebuke Them Sharply" In Titus 1:5-13, Paul the Apostle is in the midst of a letter to Titus, whom Paul left in "Crete" (vs. 5) to "ordain elders in every city." Crete is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, and there are those on this island preaching false doctrine who "subvert whole houses" (vs. 11). Paul tells Titus to "rebuke them sharply" (vs. 13).

An observation I've made in my own ministerial work is how often I find clearly false doctrine (wrong focus) among Christians. When I address these problems, I'm often told how I'm not a man of God because "a real man of God would be more kind spirited," etc., etc. You get the idea. It is as if any minister who is not drowning people in honey and affection every second of every day suddenly fails the test of ministry in the minds of these folks.

In fact, Paul feels very different. "Rebuke them sharply," he says.

Jesus, as another example, tears into a bunch of Pharisees in Matthew 23:27: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." Now Jesus just called a bunch of religious leaders 'painted up graves.' The e-mail from those Pharisee wives to Jesus must have been something to read.

One probably read: "Dear Mr. Christ, I want you to know that you are not a man of God. A real man of God would be kind and polite, even if he did not agree with my husband's point of view. I knew that first time I met you that you were a scam artist. In fact, all the wives of the Pharisees are getting together tomorrow to talk about getting you nailed to a cross. Mrs. Pharisee, Chairperson of the Pharisee Wife Council."

The reality is that a well studied 'real man of God' will "rebuke them sharply," if he discerns that somebody needs it. Sometimes, he will even tag somebody with an unkind name, like Jesus did in Matthew 23:27. I'd be worried about a preacher who never called somebody on the carpet. That would mean that he was better able to deal with people than Paul the Apostle or Jesus Christ.

I'll leave you with something to muse over: "[T]he time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap unto themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (II Timothy 4:3-4). Be careful about preachers who would drown you in 'honey and kisses,' but no rebukes ever come. Either you are the greatest Christian who ever lived so that your pastor has no need to ever jump on your sin, or you are an ear scratcher and your preacher is a teller of "fables." That's the cut and dried of it all.

Most respectfully,

Gene Chapman,
Minister of Christ

Posted 6:52 AM by Gene

It looks like Montgomery, Alabama is the logical place for the Gentle Love Christian Fellowship Church to be built. As I crossed Alabama in the TAX MARCH, I found many black families in gross poverty. Among the black church members I visited with, I found a strong pro Socialist/ Communist bent in their thinking. I think the issue of slavery reperations is central to the strength of the Socialist/ Communist position. In order to undermine this view, I feel strongly that the church in Alabama needs to carry this burden the second mile, even if some of us feel that no reperations are needed. Jesus wants us to make peace, and anything with "reperations" on its name will work toward that end. With this in mind, I contacted Dell Computer in Round Rock, Texas yesterday, and they agreed to sell us refurbished computers for $319 each for distribution to the black families in Alabama in the "Alabama Christian Reperations Project." This will be a ministry of the Gentle Love Christian Fellowship Church. Building literacy is the fastest way to help the black community in Alabama reach economic equality, I feel. My plan is to put a computer in every home of every black family in Alabama that is not financially capable of buying one themselves. A church has many ministries, and this will be funded directly by donations given to this cause or by 10% of general donations to the church. I'll be handing out the first computer in Alabama within the month, I expect. Please pray about joining this effort to resolve a long standing conflict in Alabama with God's methods at work.

The funding for the Church is set up as follows:

10% Prison Ministry:
5% Dick Simkanin Legal Defense Fund.
5% Fans for indigent prisoners.

10% Christian School/ Home School Funding of Children

10% Feeding and Housing of Poor/ Homeless.

10% Widow and Orphan care.

10% Alabama Christian Reperations Project.

10% Gene Chapman TV/ Internet.

10% Billboard Ministry/ Advertising for the Church proper.

30% Property Purchase Account for Montgomery, Alabama Location.

We will take no public funds for any of our work. respectfully, Gene.

Posted 6:51 AM by Gene

"What Doth Hinder Me To be Baptized?" In Acts 8: 26-40, we find the story of Philip's baptism of the 'Ethiopian Eunuch' (vs. 27). Philip is told by the angel of the Lord to go south from his location in Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert (vs. 26). As real men of God are always to do, he obeys the Spirit of God and goes (vs. 27). Philip comes across the eunuch (ie. A eunuch is a castrated man; Probably, it was done to him to keep him from ever having the opportunity of impregnating Queen Candace (vs. 27) in a weak moment when the king is away). Philip sees that the eunuch is reading the Bible and goes over to the chariot where the eunuch is to talk about the Word (vs. 29). Philip says, "Hey there, Mr. Eunuch, Are you understanding what you are reading there in Esaias' work?" (vs. 30). The eunuch replies, "Man this stuff is deep; I can't understand a word. I need a teacher to teach me what it all means" (vs. 31). The Scripture where the eunuch was reading was Isaiah 53:7: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth" (vs. 32). Isaiah is the same person as Esaias, just for your information.

Well, it all moved along in study and conversation until Philip started laying out the story of Jesus (vs. 35). Now we get to the baptism. In verse 36, the eunuch finally asked Philip "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" What is interesting to note here is that they probably had drinking water on their person, so baptism involved more than just sprinkling a canteen drop or two over the head of the eunuch. They were in the desert (vs. 26), and they came upon water in the desert (vs. 36). It was enough water to do a baptism, which seemingly required more water than a canteen could carry.

Philip says to the eunuch, "If you believe in your heart what I've preached to you about Jesus, then you are ready to be baptized" (vs. 37). The eunuch replies, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (vs. 37). Notice that Philip did not lay out a big long list of things that had to be done before the baptism. The eunuch made a confession with his mouth that Jesus is the Son of God after a bit of solid Bible preaching from Philip, and he was ready to be baptized. The chariot is commanded to stand still, meaning that the horse was either very obedient or that the eunuch had a driver holding the horse for him (vs. 38). Philip and the eunuch go down "into the water" (vs. 38) where the baptism takes place. Then they come up "out of the water" (vs. 39) and the baptism is done.

Baptism is a quick act of obedience that doesn't save you from anything. It simply is a test to show you and those around you that Jesus is running your life now. The act will now open the door for the eunuch to be taken into any other group of Christians and given full fellowship. If you don't have the faith to get baptized, however, you probably don't have the faith to call yourself a Christian/ "saved." That's what it comes down to. Most respectfully, Pastor Gene Chapman, Minister of Christ.

Posted 3:08 PM by Gene

"Remember Me"

In the book of Luke, we find a short dialogue between Jesus Christ and another man who made a simple plea to him, as they hung next to each other on crosses waiting to die: "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42). If there were no other sermon I could live to preach beyond this first one to the people of Gentle Love Christian Fellowship, I'd want it to be this one, for here we find the most simple example of what it takes to be saved. A lost man in need of eternal options, as his life is ending, asked the right thing of the right person.

The Bible teaches that all people are sinners, just like this man on the cross next to Jesus Christ that day. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." You don't have to steal anything to be worthy of Hell. We are all just sinners and all in need of salvation from our sinful nature.

The man there on the cross had no time to jump into a river to be baptised in water; however, I'm sure he had the faith appropriate to get him into the water to be baptised in water, had he been given the option to get down off the cross and do so. He had no way to go do good works to prove his commitment to God. He is just a sinner recognizing that he has no hope for life beyond the next ten minutes, and his focus becomes an authentic recognition of Jesus Christ as "Lord" and his only option for life eternal.

Jesus responds, "Today, shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). 'Paradise' is a Greek word that means, "Eden." The idea is that Jesus offered eternal goodness to this man for nothing other than authentic recognition of Jesus as both "Lord" and his only hope.

Perhaps you realize that you are a sinner, right now, and you need to say to Jesus, as you hang on your sins not knowing where you will spend eternity were you to die tonight, "Lord, remember me." That's all it takes to be saved from Hell, according to the presentation here in Luke 23. Once you recognize Jesus as "Lord" and your only option for life beyond this life, you're ready for water baptism. And don't worry about dying before you hear me explain it; the man on the cross made it to paradise without getting the chance to be water baptised, so you'll be fine until we talk again. I'll discuss water baptism next time. respectfully, Gene Chapman, Minister of Christ.