Watchmen Guarding

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ, based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the Apostle Paul said, �But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

In short, if you like smooth, watered-down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn�t for you. By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we�re called by the Divine Trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her King.

Here�s our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth.

Spurgeon, Watchmen, and the Need for Sentinels

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry. My name is Mike Abendroth and today�s show three for me. I�m going to tape three shows, making some organic juice, eating an apple and having some nuts. I�m starving like a madman.

This is bad. Woo! Well, to start off the show, we�re going to do a little random moment. Sometimes we have a Kooks and Barney�s Award. Kooks and Barney�s. Sometimes we�ll have a message moment with Pastor Steve, and sometimes I just like to open up my barbed arrows, Reverend C .H. Spurgeon.

See? Good theologian, C .H. Spurgeon. I just like to open it up randomly�that one�s too big of a quote�open it up randomly and then read it and see if it applies. See if it makes good radio. God�s Watchmen, Christians, and I honestly, for God and my country, we below pledge�Boy Scout pledge.

What is we below? We below Cub Scouts and over Boy Scouts. In times of war, Spurgeon said, every fortified city had upon its walls certain watchmen so as to see eye to eye, that is to say, the eye of one sentinel reached to the eye of another.

And so they encompassed the city roundabout. Whoever passed that way by day or night, they challenged him. And if he turned out to be foe, they gave him an alarm. They gave an alarm. And straightway men at arms came forth from the guardroom, and the city was protected against a surprise.

God�s people, and especially the stronger, the more instructed, and the most experienced of them, should act as watchmen on the walls for Christ�s sake. Spurgeon Barberos, page 89. Now I honestly did not know what that passage was going to say, but it is quite apropos for our show because the show is entitled No Compromise Radio Ministry.

And I know I compromise, but we point you to the one who does not compromise, who does not accept compromise. And our slogan is always biblical, always provocative, always in that order. And so I want it to be biblical, and I want to push a little bit.

And so I push in ways that I get some push back, which is fine. And I try to get underneath your proverbial skin at times, on purpose. I don�t want to be mean about it, but I want to�did I just say �wanna�, W-A-N-N-A?

I don�t wanna. Somebody said the other day when I was talking about the pure milk of the Word, they said I said �milk. I said that�s what I said, �milk and it�s supposed to be milk. So pure milk of the Word, not �milk M-E-L-K.

The pure milk of the Word, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 1 Peter 2, verse 2. So back to the topic at hand, Spurgeon says you�ve got to have the sentinels.

And so think about it. If I lived in Maine, oh, 200 years ago, 100 years ago, the influence of false teachers would pretty much be negligible. The Unitarian pastor, it would happen to be a man at the time.

These days you probably can�t find many men at Unitarian churches, but maybe some. Maybe I just don�t know about them. And the men that are men have theology like immature women, and so that always works out perfectly for them.

And then you would have the Roman Catholic Church, and you would have to guard from the Unitarians and the Roman Catholics. Maybe if you were in the West someplace in Utah, there would be a Mormon place there.

I don�t know, was that 200 years ago or was that 150 years ago? And so that�s what you would have to do. It�d be hard for your congregants, in other words, to come up with some kooky doctrines because they had been influenced by someone else.

Oh, they had letters. Maybe there were some letters that they would receive. But they didn�t have the total, full, frontal assault and blitzkrieg that false teachers now can give. Not just mail, not just TV, not just print, but the Internet.

It can bring in every single false teacher known to man, dead or alive, into the person�s living room, straight in. You might get something for your computer to filter out pornography, some X-stop deal.

But as bad as pornography is, and I think it�s bad, it is bad. It is worse. It is just as bad. It is almost as bad. Let�s just say it�s bad. For theological error to come in because not everyone is mature.

Well, not everyone is immature either. And so here comes the stuff in the Internet. And all you have to do is say, John MacArthur critique, and there�s some wingnut out there who�s got a MacArthur critique and calls him some false teacher.

Critique John all you want if you�re a Christian and you disagree with his view on something. I�m not against that. But you can get any substantiation for what you believe. And I�ve noticed that as a pastor over the years, people will believe something really weird and they found out more corroborating evidence to their hurt on the Internet.

And so you can have a fancy website on the Internet and come across as a medical doctor and get a bunch of patients, and you have no degree, and you�re a quack. We have a lot of theological quacks out there, and there need to be some sentries who see eye-to-eye with the other sentries to say, �This isn�t good.

This isn�t good for your soul. This isn�t good for you. And so when you listen to 2 Peter chapter 4, �I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word.

Now listen to this military language. �Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming. Listen, that time�s now. We had warnings in 2 Peter of false teachers who were going to come, and Jude puts down his pen in verse 3 and says, �I�ve got to change topics here.

I was going to write another little mini-Romans, but the false teachers are here. Those that Peter prophesied of are now here, and I need to contend earnestly for the faith. For the time is coming when the people will not endure sound teaching, but will have itching ears that they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Verse 5,. �As for you, Timothy, any pastor, any elder, any leader, always be sober-minded in this drunken culture of drunken ideas and real drunkenness. Seems like you�re drunk if you believe that about the Bible.

Endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. And then Paul says, �For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my exodus, or departure, has come. I�ve fought the good fight, I�ve finished the race, I�ve kept the faith.

Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all those who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy chapter 4. So when I just open randomly up to such a passage in Barbed Arrows by C .H. Spurgeon, that really is the theme of No Compromise Radio Ministry. I don�t always act like this at home, maybe sometimes I do.

I�m not always trying to get in people�s grills. I try to have some encouraging things on the radio. I try to have some no-compromise show type of things. If you like soft, watered-down worlds that simply make you feel good, this show isn�t for you.

And I think you pretty much get that. I think you get that now, and you understand what we�re trying to do. I�m not out to try to show you every possible theological error in every single theologian out there.

We�re all men. We are all humans. We have sin, and so our doctrines will reflect that. R .C. Sproul was right. No mere man can have more than 80 percent of his doctrine correct, and so this show is not a platform to launch on R .C. Sproul and to launch on D .A. Carson and to launch on John MacArthur and to launch on James Boyce and to launch on Martin Luther.

Every one of those men have blind spots theologically. Not one of those men was and or is currently omniscient. And I�m not either. But we need to have, in light of how many ways false teachers can enter your mind, we need to have some shows that say, �This is the faith.

Let�s teach you imputation. Now, when�s the last imputation sermon you heard in your life? So, No Compromise wants to offer some of those imputation messages. When�s the last time you heard a covenantal representation sermon?

Both positive, encouraging, K-love kind of shows. But there also needs to be some, we�ve got to watch out. There are people attacking the church, attacking Christ�s church. And Paul was ready to die for it, and he did die for it.

He died for her. And so, the people are turning away because there�s so many ways to get in the brains. And so, the ministry that the Lord has allowed me to have is, well, first, started off with a Bible study with four people.

My wife and I, and one other couple, Grady and Grady Burt. What was Grady�s wife�s name? Grady, if you�re listening, you got to email me and tell me your wife�s name. I can�t believe I forgot. That was 23 years ago.

Whether it�s two people, Grady and Carolyn Burt, whether it was two people, are now more here at the local church, are more through the websites, and No Compromise, and who knows who listens, you know, around here in Worcester.

Then you have to warn people. You teach sound doctrine, Titus chapter 1, and you refute those who contradict. It�s what Paul did in Galatians. That�s just what happens. It�s just part and partial. And for those of you that believe in the weak, emaciated, feminine idea, weakly feminine idea, that men should be standing up for what they believe and what they�re for and never stand against what they�re against, then you need this show.

Then you need to say, �You know what? I don�t really like that guy. I don�t think I�d like to meet him at the store, but that�s something I need. I need to know that. I�m sorry that we�ve got some whacked-out idea, Pat Robertson teaching about adoption or something else, and I just need to be warned, because if I�m not careful, I�m going to turn on CBN or whatever his deal is.

I think it�s KBT, and Kooks and Barney�s Theology Network, and I need to be warned. Warning, right? Warning. Tim Keller believes in theistic evolution and thinks Genesis 1 is poetry. Warning. Now, there are things that I teach that you might want to warn people against, and I�m not putting Tim Keller in the same category as Pat Robertson.

Robinson? Didn�t he play basketball for the San Antonio Spurs? Wasn�t he called the captain? No, Robertson. So I�m not trying to do that. I�m saying we have to do these kind of shows, or at least I have to do these kind of shows.

I want to teach you the positive things, and I want to encourage you to stand up against false teachers. Why? Because I�m mean? Well, maybe. I don�t want to be mean, but when my kids put a marble in their mouth at two years old, one years old, I have to say, �Excuse me, you can�t do that.

No. Here�s what I would say. That�s a no-no. That�s what I would say, and I would rush over there. Don�t put that in your mouth. There�s no discretion, no discernment. I just put it in my mouth, and it doesn�t really matter.

We all get there anyway to the same place, and we�ve got to love one another. They�ll know we�re Christians by our love, and a lot of times I go out preaching. Sometimes I even have to use words, �Francis of Assisi.

You know what? That isn�t going to fly. A kid�s got something in his mouth. No. Stop it. I remember driving down the street, Kim holding Luke upside down. I�m speeding down the street to the fire department because I�ve got a kid who�s a year and a half old, and he�d put something in his mouth that was on the floor I must have overlooked, and he�s choking on it.

I can�t get it out, choking to his peril. Thankfully, before we got to the fire station down the street, because my hospital�s farther away, it dislodged itself. He swallowed it. He probably still has it.

It�s a gizzard. That would be a gizzard is a gizzard and a gullet put together. That�s what that is. So that�s one of the things that we do here is I want to teach you positive things, and I want to warn you.

I want to warn you and say T .D. Jakes is a modalist. He does not believe in one God subsisting in three eternal persons, the Father not being the Son, and the Son not being the Spirit, and the Spirit not being the Father, yet all co-equal, co-eternal, one God.

Some people, though, actually like some of the teaching, and actually, I have to tell you, I got an email from Jonathan Caswell, and he wrote a poem from one of the shows. Now, I�m not laughing at Jonathan.

The poem is called An Edifier, Not a Fighter, developed from a teaching by Pastor Mike on a recent broadcast of No Compromise Radio, 760 WVNE, 330 to 4 p .m., weekdays concerning the latter half of Romans 14, weak and strong in the faith.

So I want you to know, sometimes I�m not a fighter, I�m a poet. It�s a Jack Kerouac kind of thing or something. I don�t know what�s going on. How cool is that? Poetry Corner, Jonathan Caswell, An Edifier, Not a Fighter.

Now, I don�t usually read poetry out loud, but I�m going to try just for fun. If this show�s a bomb, you know, it�ll only cost us 60 bucks and 24 and a half minutes. I think of Romans 14, weak and stronger faith, in the church each has a place, so both may grow.

Each should know it isn�t the time to save face. Instead of a battle cry, God calls us to edify, each other with love, not a boxing glove, criticizing the other guy. Now, you�re going to say, �Mike, you just did this whole intro, and this seems to contradict what your intro is.

No, it doesn�t. It works perfectly because false teachers I need to fight against, and Christians here in the local church we need to love regarding Romans chapter 14. In Romans 14, Paul emphasizes Christian love over all.

There�s a difference between a theological wean, W-A-N, and purposely making one fall. The weak in faith may glower, but should not have the power to manipulate. The stronger to straightjacket their personal flower.

Likewise, the strong, in parentheses, in quotation marks rather, needn�t be lording over the weaker one�s creed, for consideration too, by teaching what to do to minimize a sinful spree. For both faith types have grown when discord isn�t sown.

Personal convictions need not be shotguns. Hey, I think I remember that from the sermon, Winchester, or excuse me, Remington 870, that make congregations grown. So, each must live with the other, loving that different, not different, different.

I want to shout out to my friend in Kansas. Like in a marriage, learning not to disparage these non-essential differences of the other. Jonathan Caswell. So, I just want you to know here in No Compromise Radio Ministry, sometimes I even read poetry.

So, I don�t think anybody could be mean and fight when they read poetry. It�s like playing a banjo and trying to sing the blues on a banjo. You just can�t do it. For all those that are thinking back to Steve Martin�s skit in 1976, you�re bad.

All right. Info at No Compromise Radio. What else do we have here today? I have in front of me a whole stack of stuff. Let me talk to you about this book called The Juvenalization of American Christianity.

Growing Up Instead of Juvenilizing the Faith

Juvenalization of American Christianity by Thomas Bergler, B-R-G-L-E-R. I saw the title and thought I�ve got to get it. Now, the book, it was rough going, so I don�t know if I would read the book.

I�d just get a summary of the book if I were you. You can go to Michael Horton. After I bought the book, I saw that Horton interviewed the guy, Erdman�s Publishing Company, The Juvenalization of American Christianity.

And so what does Thomas Bergler say? I want to read to you 1 Corinthians 14, not the whole thing, but just something that Paul says to the Corinthians about growing up and not being infantile. There�s only one way, in one area, in one realm you should be infantile or infant-like, and that is in the realm of evil.

But Paul says in the context of spiritual gifts here in 1 Corinthians 14, �Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. He could just say, grow up, you�re a baby, but he�s a little more nuanced than Abendroth is, Abendraft.

�Do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In your thinking be mature. And I could not help but think of this book, The Juvenalization of American Christianity, where Bergler makes this case, and I think a good job, he does a good job at it as well.

You know, a generation or two ago, world�s bad, America�s on the downswing. What do we do about it? Well, let�s go after the children, let�s go after the youth, because they soon will be the leaders, and if you can get the youth, then you can get the leaders.

So, youth for Christ, youth with a mission, YWAM, a variety of these different parachurch programs, good motives, I�m sure. Let�s reach the youth. Well, what do youth like? Youth, they like rock music and fast and hip and peppy, and so let�s get an audience that way and teach them the Bible.

And then eventually, what was done in youth programs, in youth ministry, got moved into the local church. Hey, let�s give them that. And so, it�s interesting to see how American Christianity, adult groups are now doing what the children�s group would do, methodologically very similar.

And so, we have film clips for church, we have dramatic presentations and drama, we have all kinds of songs that are filled with words, �I, You, and Love, and Authenticity. He says on page 3, �Leaders are supposed to encourage people to discover the truth or decide for themselves what to believe.

Lecturing and rote memorization are out. Informal discussions are in. The church is concerned about mission, but in a way that its members might describe as relational or incarnational. Church people pride themselves on emphasizing people, not programs, and want their activities to benefit others holistically, including their bodies and relationships, not just their souls.

For example, when it comes to evangelism, members will be quick to tell you that they no longer use aggressive tactics and canned gospel presentations. They prefer to build friendships, serve others, or just live a godly life that will speak louder than words.

�Juvenilization, page 4, is the process by which the religious beliefs, practices, and developmental characteristics of adolescence become accepted as appropriate for Christians of all ages. It begins with the praiseworthy goal of adapting the faith to appeal to the young.

I wouldn't say that's praiseworthy. �But it sometimes ends badly. I think a lot of times it ends badly, Thomas. �With both young and adults embracing immature versions of the faith. And that's what's going on today in churches.

You know, why do I wear a suit and Western culture here on Sundays? Because I'm not a kid. I don't wear a Mickey Mouse shirt and skinny jeans because I'm an adult. We don't have acid rock on Sunday morning because I'm not 17.

We don't give them a dumbed-down felt-need message for 20 minutes as a pick-me-up with sappy felt-needs-oriented messages because I'm an adult, and I'm preaching to adults, and I don't want the people to be immature.

Unless you're a brand-new Christian, you don't want to be immature. And actually, even if you are a brand-new Christian, don't stay immature. Right? Grow. And so this is very interesting to listen to what he says.

�The story of juvenilization is a story not of a sinister plot or a noble crusade, but of unintended consequences and unquestioned assumptions. That's exactly right. Bad theology leads to bad methodology.

Consumerism in the church. �Seven deadly sins Thomas says, �have been redefined. Pride has become self-esteem. Lust has become sexuality. Envy is now channeled into initiative and incentive. And sloth has become leisure.

Let's just all stay teenagers for life. Peter Pan Church. Let's have junior church for real church now. That's what's happening. If you play videos in the PowerPoint deal with all these different slides, and you've got the rock music, and you've got dress casually, do whatever you want.

I just think that's taking the worst of adolescence and saying, that's good for everybody. So you might want to read this book. My name is Mike Abendroth, No Compromise Radio, The Juvenilization of American Christianity.

How many syllables is that? Thomas E. Bergler, Erdman's excellent insight. Let's grow up for God's sake.

No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church, firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 1015 and in the evening at 6. We're right on Route 110 in West Boylston. You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.