TRUTH, TOLERANCE AND TOGETHERNESS

29 December 2013 Pastor John Hadley, Tay Street Baptist Church http://www.taystreetbaptist.org.nz Intro: I am going to try to build on the relationship we have built up over the past seven weeks to address what I feel are basic needs for this church and for all churches. Of all the messages I bring, this may be the most significant to your future growth and progress. As I make these observations, Iope that you will think about the fact that I bring these thoughts from nearly 51 years in the ministry, and all of them in Bible believing Baptist churches. A. The source of my observations. A. I have observed your strengths and weaknesses in this brief time. B. I have observed other churches across the United States to see what they have accomplished and why. C. I have talked with pastors and laymen to hear their concerns. D. I have observed churches and pastors that ignore the truths that I am about to share and I have seen churches die. B. This church has been here for 20 years. A. It is a mission church, but it has been here long enough to be an established church with history and traditions. B. We must remember that we are here to minister to THIS generation. C. Please understand that I am speaking from a few years of experience. C. There are issues that we all need to face and face squarely, if we are to be a driving force in this community. I. TRUTHWe must teach and practice the Truth. a. This church is founded on the commitment to the reality of absolute Truth. i. That God is its source. 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ii. The Bible, through the historical, grammatical study, can give us doctrines that are unchanging. iii. That Biblical doctrine should not change from generation to generation. iv. Truth is Truth! It cannot change! b. There needs to be a careful, loving, systematic re-statement of the long held doctrines of the Bible. i. Careful1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. ii. LovingEph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: iii. Systematic..All doctrine, from the character of God to the 2nd Coming of Christ; from Salvation to SeparationWE MUST EXPOUND THE TRUTH! c. There needs to be a loving, prayerful exposure of slippage that is occurring in churches and denominations that have accommodated culture at the cost of Truth. i. In those who surround us. ii. In our own fellowship..In our own schools.

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TOLERANCE..We must learn and practice tolerance of cultural preferences that have no bearing upon the Truth. 1Co 9:19-22 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And
unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

a. Every missionary faces the problem of discerning what is Biblical Truth and what is cultural practice that has no bearing upon the Truth. i. It is seen in styles of dress; 11AM-3PM Siesta; food marketing times; and the list goes on. ii. A missionary who sets his services at the time women go to market to buy fresh meat will have very few women in his services. iii. A missionary who tries to force Latin American cultures to ignore Siesta will have real struggles. iv. There are very often practical reasons why people dress as they do in a given culture. v. The same thing is true of their music. These things have little to do with doctrine, unless they touch on matters of modesty, or practices which counter clear Bible teaching. b. We have as clear a cultural conflict in our society as they do in foreign lands. i. Music styles. ii. Worship patterns..Hymns or choruses; Hymnbooks or Powerpoint; Organ or keyboard; Pulpit or lectern;. iii. Dress patterns and social practices. iv. Work patterns and social life. c. The key word is tolerance, of those cultural changes that do not affect the clear teaching of Scripture. i. Who must demonstrate tolerance? The mature, the older. ii. For whose sake? The young. The unsaved. Mostly, for Christ. III. TOGETHERNESS..We must break down the barriers that separate people and have genuine unity. a. Every church has groups in the it. b. Groups are normal and acceptable. Cliques are not. i. Cliques form from exclusiveness and distrust. ii. Cliques kill any church, and have been Satans tool to divide and conquer. c. We must develop tolerance and trust that unites into a single, undivided family unit, led by your pastor and supported by every member of the congregation. i. Family groups are not a serious problem. ii. The issue of older and youngerAh, theres the rub! iii. New ideas! New methods! Dissatisfaction with old ways. iv. Every church must be in a constant state of transition to accept new and temper it with maturity. d. We must be careful that we do not get stuck into a small church mentality. We are already well into that mode of thinking.

CONCLUSION: TRUTH, TOLERANCE AND TOGETHERNESS! If this church is going to succeed in these closing days of this age, ALL THREE MUST BE PART OF ITS LIFE AND WORKINGS. A. YOU MUST STAND FOR THE TRUTH! i. Discern what that means and how it is revealed. ii. Dont mistake being rigid for being spiritual. B. YOU MUST DEVELOP, FOR YOURSELF, TOLERANCE! (Not for error!) But for i. For music styles. ii. For worship patterns. iii. For differences of opinion. C. YOU MUST DEVELOP TOGETHERNESS! i. A oneness between young and old; ii. Between racial differences. iii. Between pastor and people. TRUTH, TOLERANCE AND TOGETHERNESS! THE HOPE FOR THIS CHURCH!