Friday Church News Notes
June 21, 2024 - Volume 25, Issue 25
The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, though this does not imply an endorsement.
A NEW FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST MAGAZINE THAT FAILS THE SPURGEON AND PAUL TEST (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Recently I was informed of a new fundamental Baptist publication, and after perusing the first issue, the following are my thoughts: There are some excellent articles here on pastoring, the family, evangelism, and missions. But this is going to be a weak magazine overall. In an hour when large numbers of independent Baptist churches are wishy-washy evangelicals at best, biblically ignorant to a frightful degree, grossly uneducated in the great issues facing the churches and homes, mostly foreigners to a holy pilgrim lifestyle and biblical separation, lukewarm if anything, pastored by men who know next to nothing of a warrior spirit, tradition bound more than Scripture bound, men followers more than Christ followers, failing to maintain a regenerate membership, entertaining the goats more than feeding the sheep, tolerating worldly families, exalting worldly youth to positions of ministry--in such an hour we don’t need another non-judgmental, no warnings, no call to separation, “stay on the positive” publication. Charles Spurgeon said, “A Magazine which is not outspoken, and is destitute of principle, is a literary nuisance.” What would he say today about the preachers who are silent in the face of compromise and if they speak at all, speak only in “private”? Spurgeon named his paper The Sword and the Trowel. He aimed to build up, but he also aimed to fight! And he put “the sword” first. The magazine was subtitled “A record of combat with sin and labour for the Lord.” Sure, we need good teaching on the family and exhortations about evangelism, lots of it, but we need more than that. We really, really need more than that! What we need is what Paul patterned--warning and teaching, and he emphasized the warning part by putting it first (Col. 1:28). If that was the need 2,000 years ago, how much more today!
THE VERY WICKED GOSPEL OF THOMAS (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The earliest fragment of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas was recently discovered in the Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky State and University Library in Germany. Scholars date the 13 lines of fragmentary Greek text to the fourth or early fifth century, the earliest portion of this false gospel extant. There were two non-canonical texts called the Gospel of Thomas: the Infancy Gospel which describes mythical events in Jesus’ childhood, and the Coptic Gospel of Thomas containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. Spurious gospels proliferated in demonic competition with the true Gospels. They included the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Gospel of Eve, the Gospel of the Twelve Apostles, the Gospel of the Nazarenes, the Gospel of Nicodemus, the Wisdom of Jesus, the Gospel of Judas, the Acts of Peter, the Apocryphon of John (giving a gnostic account of the origin of the universe), the Shepherd of Hermas, the Gospel of Truth, the Gospel according to Philip, and the Revelation of Adam. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was translated into Latin, Syriac, Ethiopic, Armenian, Georgian, Arabic, Gaelic, and Slavonic. It “depicts Jesus as an extraordinary but by no means a lovable child. Unlike the miracles of the canonical Gospels those recorded in this gospel are mainly of a destructive nature and are whimsical and puerile in character. It rather shocks one to read them as recorded of the Lord Jesus Christ. ... Instead of being subject to His parents He is a serious trouble to them; and instead of growing in wisdom He is represented as forward and eager to teach His instructors. The parents of one of the children whose death He had caused entreat Joseph, ‘Take away that Jesus of thine from this place for he cannot dwell with us in this town; or at least teach him to bless and not to curse’” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). In one scene, the child Jesus allegedly makes birds from clay on the sabbath, and when reproved by Joseph, Jesus claps his hands and the clay birds come alive and fly away. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is Satanic on its very face. First, Jesus was sinless from conception. He “did no sin” (1 Pe 2:22). Second, Jesus did His first miracle at the wedding in Cana (Joh. 2:11). As for the Coptic Gospel of Thomas, it, too, is full of heretical nonsense. Consider saying 114, “Simon Peter said to them, ‘Mary should leave us, for females are not worthy of life.’ Jesus said, ‘See, I am going to attract her to make her male so that she too might become a living spirit that resembles you males. For every female that makes itself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Perhaps this is where Peter Ruckman got his doctrine that every woman will have a male body in heaven. He certainly didn’t get it from the Bible!
WHY IS ISRAEL SO HATED? Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Why are there loud demonstrations against Israel in many parts of the world, including American university campuses and the streets of major cities? Why is a thieving, murderous organization like Hamas acclaimed, an organization which does no good for its own people, which cares nothing whatsoever about “human rights” or “civilian casualties” or “collateral damage,” which celebrates rape and pillage, which in a most cowardly manner conducts military operations out of schools and hospitals? Hamas’s one grand objective is Israel’s destruction. The Bible gives two reasons for these strange things. First, Israel is hated because Israel is God’s chosen nation, and this world is controlled by God’s enemy, Satan. He is called “the god of this world” (2 Co, 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). God’s Word says, “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure” (Psalm 135:4). An age-long spiritual war is raging in this world, and it is approaching the final engagements. Second, Israel’s endless trouble is because of God’s own chastening hand. The bottom line is that Israel is not right with God, and her troubles will continue until she repents. Israel’s 2,000-year old trouble was prophesied in great detail by Moses in Deuteronomy 28 before she even entered her own land. Consider some excerpts from this great prophecy that was given 3,450 years ago: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. ... And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. ... And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other ... And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see” (De. 28:15, 37, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67). This prophecy continues to be in effect today. Israel is not right with God. The Supernova Sukkot Gathering near kibbutz Re’im that Hamas attacked on October 7 was a “psychedelic trance festival” in celebration of “friends, love and infinite freedom” (Washington Post, Oct. 8, 2023), referring to the freedom to live as one pleases, which is brazen rebellion to God’s holy law. It was held during the feast of tabernacles (booths, sukkot) which is one of the major holy festivals that God commanded Israel to keep (Leviticus 23:33-36). The evening of October 6 was the beginning of Israel’s holy sabbath, which is God’s special sign to Israel (Ezekiel 20:12). The Supernova rave that night was anything but holy. Instead, it was an occasion of “dancing and revelry” powered by alcohol and drugs, which brings to mind Israel’s idolatrous golden calf festival in the wilderness. On that occasion, too, the people were naked and danced to loud music (Exodus 32:17-19, 25). The prophecy of Deuteronomy 28 culminates in Deuteronomy 30 (there are no chapter divisions in the original Hebrew text), with Israel’s repentance and spiritual conversion and obedience and blessing. The time for this is near, but it will be preceded by “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7).
MICRO-SCHOOLS GROWING IN POPULARITY (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In our perspective, anything that reduces the power of America’s public school system, which is a totalitarian, hyper-leftist, ungodly brain-washing institution, is probably a good thing. The following is excerpted from “The Rise of ‘micro-schools,” Fox News, June 16, 2024: “Dwindling confidence in public education across the United States has pushed some parents to enroll their children in ‘micro-schools,’ an alternative learning center that gained steam following the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Micro-schools, also known as learning pods, offer students schedules and curriculum tailored to their individual needs. These schools are often viewed as a middle ground between traditional schooling and homeschooling. Academic Influence Senior Vice President Dr. James A. Barham, who has worked closely with public and private schools, said micro-schools’ choice and flexibility are a big reason for their growing popularity. Families are increasingly interested in options that go beyond standardized testing and the one-size-fits-all model. While many micro-schools are parent-led, some are affiliated with a micro-school network. Some are tuition-free, while others are fee-based, like a private school. ... ‘Their close-knit approach proved very conducive to virtual learning and addressing students’ social-emotional needs. I expect their student-centered philosophy will continue drawing more families who want education optimized for every child,’ Barham noted.”
WEST COAST STILL PUMPING OUT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COVERS Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Lancaster Baptist Church, Lancaster, California, and its West Coast Baptist College, are still adapting music from contemporary worship and thus building bridges to the exceedingly dangerous world of the end-time “broader church.” The latest example is West Coast Choir’s performance of “Speak Jesus” by contemporary worship rocker Charity Gayle. The West Coast version was posted to YouTube in June 2024. You can be sure that most of the West Coast singers are listening to Gayle’s full blown rocking edition in their private lives. That is how they find these things. Lancaster has had a vast influence in this business and will answer to God for the churches that are spoiled spiritually and doctrinally by the bridges they have built. For more on this see the video “Lancaster’s Role in the Downgrade,” https://www.wayoflife.org/s3/satanic_attack_on_sacred_music.php
ENGINEERING JOINT LUBRICATION (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, June 13, 2024: “In our rapidly modernizing world, engineers are kept busy solving problems. Take, for example, all of the various kinds of transportation. There are millions of problems in this area alone that keep engineers busy inventing better solutions. Freight trains carry enormous loads in huge freight cars, each one capable of carrying the weight of the average home and everything in it, plus an automobile. Yet the axles must be able to swivel easily beneath the car as the train moves along tracks that swerve left and right. Consider the problem of setting 100 tons or more on a swivel without hindering the free movement of the swivel. Engineers at Shell Oil finally designed a disc that is placed beneath the body of the car to lubricate the axles for swiveling. Whenever the disc is squeezed by the weight of the load above or from too much friction in swiveling, lubrication automatically squirts out of the disc. It is this same ingenious system that lubricates certain joints in your body. When additional lubrication is needed in a joint, tiny discs release lubricant into the joint. These discs are called bursae. And if you have ever had bursitis, you know what happens when the discs aren’t working properly. It’s not science but faith in evolution that leads people to believe that this well-engineered system could be the result of accidental mutations.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
THE VERY WICKED GOSPEL OF THOMAS (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The earliest fragment of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas was recently discovered in the Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky State and University Library in Germany. Scholars date the 13 lines of fragmentary Greek text to the fourth or early fifth century, the earliest portion of this false gospel extant. There were two non-canonical texts called the Gospel of Thomas: the Infancy Gospel which describes mythical events in Jesus’ childhood, and the Coptic Gospel of Thomas containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. Spurious gospels proliferated in demonic competition with the true Gospels. They included the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Gospel of Eve, the Gospel of the Twelve Apostles, the Gospel of the Nazarenes, the Gospel of Nicodemus, the Wisdom of Jesus, the Gospel of Judas, the Acts of Peter, the Apocryphon of John (giving a gnostic account of the origin of the universe), the Shepherd of Hermas, the Gospel of Truth, the Gospel according to Philip, and the Revelation of Adam. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas was translated into Latin, Syriac, Ethiopic, Armenian, Georgian, Arabic, Gaelic, and Slavonic. It “depicts Jesus as an extraordinary but by no means a lovable child. Unlike the miracles of the canonical Gospels those recorded in this gospel are mainly of a destructive nature and are whimsical and puerile in character. It rather shocks one to read them as recorded of the Lord Jesus Christ. ... Instead of being subject to His parents He is a serious trouble to them; and instead of growing in wisdom He is represented as forward and eager to teach His instructors. The parents of one of the children whose death He had caused entreat Joseph, ‘Take away that Jesus of thine from this place for he cannot dwell with us in this town; or at least teach him to bless and not to curse’” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). In one scene, the child Jesus allegedly makes birds from clay on the sabbath, and when reproved by Joseph, Jesus claps his hands and the clay birds come alive and fly away. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is Satanic on its very face. First, Jesus was sinless from conception. He “did no sin” (1 Pe 2:22). Second, Jesus did His first miracle at the wedding in Cana (Joh. 2:11). As for the Coptic Gospel of Thomas, it, too, is full of heretical nonsense. Consider saying 114, “Simon Peter said to them, ‘Mary should leave us, for females are not worthy of life.’ Jesus said, ‘See, I am going to attract her to make her male so that she too might become a living spirit that resembles you males. For every female that makes itself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Perhaps this is where Peter Ruckman got his doctrine that every woman will have a male body in heaven. He certainly didn’t get it from the Bible!
WHY IS ISRAEL SO HATED? Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Why are there loud demonstrations against Israel in many parts of the world, including American university campuses and the streets of major cities? Why is a thieving, murderous organization like Hamas acclaimed, an organization which does no good for its own people, which cares nothing whatsoever about “human rights” or “civilian casualties” or “collateral damage,” which celebrates rape and pillage, which in a most cowardly manner conducts military operations out of schools and hospitals? Hamas’s one grand objective is Israel’s destruction. The Bible gives two reasons for these strange things. First, Israel is hated because Israel is God’s chosen nation, and this world is controlled by God’s enemy, Satan. He is called “the god of this world” (2 Co, 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). God’s Word says, “For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure” (Psalm 135:4). An age-long spiritual war is raging in this world, and it is approaching the final engagements. Second, Israel’s endless trouble is because of God’s own chastening hand. The bottom line is that Israel is not right with God, and her troubles will continue until she repents. Israel’s 2,000-year old trouble was prophesied in great detail by Moses in Deuteronomy 28 before she even entered her own land. Consider some excerpts from this great prophecy that was given 3,450 years ago: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. ... And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. ... And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other ... And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see” (De. 28:15, 37, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67). This prophecy continues to be in effect today. Israel is not right with God. The Supernova Sukkot Gathering near kibbutz Re’im that Hamas attacked on October 7 was a “psychedelic trance festival” in celebration of “friends, love and infinite freedom” (Washington Post, Oct. 8, 2023), referring to the freedom to live as one pleases, which is brazen rebellion to God’s holy law. It was held during the feast of tabernacles (booths, sukkot) which is one of the major holy festivals that God commanded Israel to keep (Leviticus 23:33-36). The evening of October 6 was the beginning of Israel’s holy sabbath, which is God’s special sign to Israel (Ezekiel 20:12). The Supernova rave that night was anything but holy. Instead, it was an occasion of “dancing and revelry” powered by alcohol and drugs, which brings to mind Israel’s idolatrous golden calf festival in the wilderness. On that occasion, too, the people were naked and danced to loud music (Exodus 32:17-19, 25). The prophecy of Deuteronomy 28 culminates in Deuteronomy 30 (there are no chapter divisions in the original Hebrew text), with Israel’s repentance and spiritual conversion and obedience and blessing. The time for this is near, but it will be preceded by “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7).
MICRO-SCHOOLS GROWING IN POPULARITY (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In our perspective, anything that reduces the power of America’s public school system, which is a totalitarian, hyper-leftist, ungodly brain-washing institution, is probably a good thing. The following is excerpted from “The Rise of ‘micro-schools,” Fox News, June 16, 2024: “Dwindling confidence in public education across the United States has pushed some parents to enroll their children in ‘micro-schools,’ an alternative learning center that gained steam following the COVID-19 pandemic. ... Micro-schools, also known as learning pods, offer students schedules and curriculum tailored to their individual needs. These schools are often viewed as a middle ground between traditional schooling and homeschooling. Academic Influence Senior Vice President Dr. James A. Barham, who has worked closely with public and private schools, said micro-schools’ choice and flexibility are a big reason for their growing popularity. Families are increasingly interested in options that go beyond standardized testing and the one-size-fits-all model. While many micro-schools are parent-led, some are affiliated with a micro-school network. Some are tuition-free, while others are fee-based, like a private school. ... ‘Their close-knit approach proved very conducive to virtual learning and addressing students’ social-emotional needs. I expect their student-centered philosophy will continue drawing more families who want education optimized for every child,’ Barham noted.”
WEST COAST STILL PUMPING OUT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC COVERS Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Lancaster Baptist Church, Lancaster, California, and its West Coast Baptist College, are still adapting music from contemporary worship and thus building bridges to the exceedingly dangerous world of the end-time “broader church.” The latest example is West Coast Choir’s performance of “Speak Jesus” by contemporary worship rocker Charity Gayle. The West Coast version was posted to YouTube in June 2024. You can be sure that most of the West Coast singers are listening to Gayle’s full blown rocking edition in their private lives. That is how they find these things. Lancaster has had a vast influence in this business and will answer to God for the churches that are spoiled spiritually and doctrinally by the bridges they have built. For more on this see the video “Lancaster’s Role in the Downgrade,” https://www.wayoflife.org/s3/satanic_attack_on_sacred_music.php
ENGINEERING JOINT LUBRICATION (Friday Church News Notes, June 21, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, June 13, 2024: “In our rapidly modernizing world, engineers are kept busy solving problems. Take, for example, all of the various kinds of transportation. There are millions of problems in this area alone that keep engineers busy inventing better solutions. Freight trains carry enormous loads in huge freight cars, each one capable of carrying the weight of the average home and everything in it, plus an automobile. Yet the axles must be able to swivel easily beneath the car as the train moves along tracks that swerve left and right. Consider the problem of setting 100 tons or more on a swivel without hindering the free movement of the swivel. Engineers at Shell Oil finally designed a disc that is placed beneath the body of the car to lubricate the axles for swiveling. Whenever the disc is squeezed by the weight of the load above or from too much friction in swiveling, lubrication automatically squirts out of the disc. It is this same ingenious system that lubricates certain joints in your body. When additional lubrication is needed in a joint, tiny discs release lubricant into the joint. These discs are called bursae. And if you have ever had bursitis, you know what happens when the discs aren’t working properly. It’s not science but faith in evolution that leads people to believe that this well-engineered system could be the result of accidental mutations.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
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Distributed by Way of Life Literature., publisher of Bible Study Materials and reports for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY (REPORTS AND FRIDAY NEWS) IS NOT DEVOTIONAL. IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR.
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The Way of Life Literature preaching and publishing ministry is based at Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. A mail stop is maintained in Port Huron, Michigan.
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