Friday Church News Notes
September 5, 2025 - Volume 26, Issue 36
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.
William Lane Craig
BEWARE OF EVANGELICALISM, PHILOSOPHY, OPEN THEISM, AND WILLIAM LANE CRAIG (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Evangelicalism has been deeply corrupted since it renounced “separatism” in the 1940s, began to blend and merge with theological liberalism, and determined to pursue intellectualism and scholarship in the place of simple biblicism. If Peter and John were to appear on an evangelical seminary campus today, they would be considered “unlearned and ignorant men” (Acts 4:13). In pursuit of a Ph.D. with the proper accreditation, the evangelical ignores plain warnings (such as Psalm 1:1; Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11; Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-18; 3:5; 1 John 4:1; and 2 John 1:8-11) and is unwittingly corrupted by evil associations. He is not careful enough about where he studies, what he reads, what podcasts he hears, who he associates with, etc., because he doesn’t believe in biblical separatism and vaunts his “liberty.” He doesn’t understand end-time apostasy and doesn’t earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints (except perhaps a couple of “fundamentals”). Thus, evangelicalism is extremely dangerous. It is a bridge to every sort of heresy that exists in end-time Christianity. The same is true for Contemporary Christian Music, which is the soundtrack of the one-world “church.” Consider William Lane Craig, who is promoted as an American analytic philosopher, Christian apologist, and theologian. He studied at Wheaton College, worked with Campus Crusade, has taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) and Biola University, and served as president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Christian philosophers interact more with the church fathers and Bible critics than with the pure Word of God. While Craig has defended the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ in two books, he loves to dwell in the never-never land of philosophical nonsense, such as this: “Stating that the Quine–Putnam indispensability argument is the chief support of platonism, Craig criticizes the neo-Quinean criterion of ontological commitment, according to which the existential quantifier of first order logic and singular terms are devices of ontological commitment” (“William Lane Craig,” Wikipedia). Swimming in dangerous waters and unafraid to delve into forbidden realms (Deut. 29:29), Craig has shipwrecked on the shoals of rank heresies. He holds Genesis 1-11 as “figurative” and “mytho-history.” He claims that God existed in a timeless state prior to creation but has existed in a temporal state since creation. Recently he made the following statement of Open Theism: “One might think that if God is omniscient, then he can’t learn anything new, because to be omniscient is to know all truth, it’s to know all the facts there are. But in fact, an omniscient being can learn things that are new if he is in time. If God is in time, then at any particular moment of time, he knows all the truths that there are at that moment. But if truth changes over time, then God’s knowledge will change over time as well. ... So if God is in time, even though he knows all the truths that there are at any moment of time, because truths change over time, God will in fact learn new truths, new facts as time elapses” (Disntr, July 24, 2025). Yet the Bible says God’s understanding is infinite (Ps. 147:5); He “knoweth all things” (1 Jo. 3:20); He declares the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:9-10). As for the early chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve are mentioned in eight books of the New Testament, always as historical figures (Mt. 19:4-6; Mr. 10:6-8; Lu. 3:38; Ro. 5:12, 14; 1 Co. 15:22, 45; 2 Co 11:3; 1 Ti. 2:13-14; and Jude 1:14).
POOR IGNORANT CHURCH MEMBERS (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We are witnessing a great collapse of independent Baptist and fundamentalist Bible churches. For the large part, they are either dead, dying, barely hanging on, or making dramatic changes in character by either gradually or aggressively pursuing a contemporary agenda. There are many reasons for this, not least of which is Quick Prayerism and the failure to maintain a regenerate church membership. But another major reason for the collapse is the prevailing ignorance. As far as we can tell, the average church member is ignorant, first of all, of the Bible, not being a serious and effectual Bible student. And the average church member is ignorant of the pressing issues facing the churches and homes: ignorant of the music issue, ignorant of the Bible version issue, ignorant of the true character and danger of evangelicalism, ignorant of the doctrine of apostasy, ignorant of the doctrine of separation and contending for the faith, ignorant of the design and threat of social media, ignorant of the modesty issue, ignorant of the character and danger of evangelicalism, ignorant of the prevalence and power of pornography, etc. The chief culprits of this terrible situation are ineffectual pastors and teachers.
GOD GIVE US MEN (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership, and this is difficult to gainsay. Where are those strong churches that lack strong, godly, biblical pastoral leadership? Scripture emphasizes this with not one but three lesson-packed epistles devoted to the training of pastors and preachers (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus), plus Paul’s amazing message to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:17-35).
God give us men the time demands;
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, willing hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill,
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy,
Men who possess convictions and a will:
Men who have honor; men who will not lie.
Men who can stand before a demagogue,
And condemn his treacherous flatteries without winking:
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog,
In public duty and in private thinking.
For while the rabble with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large profession and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, Lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps.
--Josiah Holland (1819-1881)
PRAYING FOR 1,000 MEN (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Knowing the importance of sound, life-changing, New Testament churches, and knowing how essential the right leaders are in that objective, for many years I’ve prayed that God will raise up 1,000 special preachers. I am referring to God-called men; biblically-qualified men; Christ-centered men of good Christian character and testimony; men who are both holy and compassionate; men who are the spiritual leaders of their homes; men who love their wives and train and disciple their children; well-educated men (in the Bible and in all other issues facing the churches); studious men; men who are committed to God’s Word rather than human tradition; men to whom the Bible is truly the sole authority for faith and practice; humble men who can work with a team of men as we see in the book of Acts; men of faith; men of Spirit-wrought courage; men who fear God more than man; men who are Christ-centered, not man-centered; men who are not intimidated by any old boy’s network or preacher’s association or school or “camp”; men who are willing to walk alone if necessary for the truth’s sake; men of spiritual wisdom and discernment; men of passion for the truth, who esteem God’s precepts concerning all things to be right and hate every false way (Ps. 119:128); men who live a pilgrim lifestyle separated from the world; men of large vision and zeal for gospel preaching and world missions and church planting; men who are wise about salvation, understanding the gospel and repentance and knowing that saving faith is always accompanied by a Spirit-wrought change of life; men who are careful to maintain a regenerate church membership; men who reprove and rebuke sin and error in a plain way; men who warn and protect the churches from error; men who are ready and willing to exercise biblical discipline when necessary; men who are hard workers; men who multiply themselves by training preachers and training them well; men who hate religious pragmatism for the evil thing that it is in God’s sight (e.g., making decisions about the ministry based on what “works” to produce a desired goal as opposed to making decisions based strictly on Bible truth). Such men are the product of God’s grace and power. We see such men in Scripture, and we see them here and there even in this day.
THE PORNOGRAPHIC AGE AND VICTORY IN CHRIST (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - This is a new book for reading or a complete Bible course consisting of the textbook, video classes, a memory verse program, student assignments, review questions, and tests. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is designed to fortify the New Testament church and the Christian home against the particular dangers of the internet age. The victory is not one or two things; it is not an addiction program; it is the full-orbed Christian life that we see in the New Testament Scripture. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is for those who have become entangled in pornography. It is for those who have a habit of feeding sexual lust by any means: television programs, movies, social media, sports magazines, women’s magazines, video games, etc. Sexual lust is sin, and it doesn’t matter the channel, it is still sin and it is still habit forming. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is for all of God’s people at any age and level of spiritual maturity. We live in an evil time, and prevention is the best medicine. It is far better that all of God’s people be fortified against evil addictions by life-changing salvation and a zealous biblical lifestyle. It is far better that the children grow up knowing the holy Scriptures, becoming wise unto salvation, surrendering their lives to Christ, and learning how to walk in the Spirit and become diligent servants of Christ, and thus avoid the corruption of surrender to the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is very practical. It aims to help the student to be sure of his salvation, to recognize the characteristics of a sound church, to be plugged into a New Testament church, to establish an effectual daily Bible study habit, to pursue a life-long Bible education, to become a teacher in order to help others, to walk in the Spirit, to put off the old man and put on the new, to have a biblical testing mindset, to put on the whole armor of God, to unplug from temptation. There is a chapter on accountability that describes accountability tools and an accountability program for churches.
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; Mt. 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” (Ro. 13:11-14).
POOR IGNORANT CHURCH MEMBERS (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We are witnessing a great collapse of independent Baptist and fundamentalist Bible churches. For the large part, they are either dead, dying, barely hanging on, or making dramatic changes in character by either gradually or aggressively pursuing a contemporary agenda. There are many reasons for this, not least of which is Quick Prayerism and the failure to maintain a regenerate church membership. But another major reason for the collapse is the prevailing ignorance. As far as we can tell, the average church member is ignorant, first of all, of the Bible, not being a serious and effectual Bible student. And the average church member is ignorant of the pressing issues facing the churches and homes: ignorant of the music issue, ignorant of the Bible version issue, ignorant of the true character and danger of evangelicalism, ignorant of the doctrine of apostasy, ignorant of the doctrine of separation and contending for the faith, ignorant of the design and threat of social media, ignorant of the modesty issue, ignorant of the character and danger of evangelicalism, ignorant of the prevalence and power of pornography, etc. The chief culprits of this terrible situation are ineffectual pastors and teachers.
GOD GIVE US MEN (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership, and this is difficult to gainsay. Where are those strong churches that lack strong, godly, biblical pastoral leadership? Scripture emphasizes this with not one but three lesson-packed epistles devoted to the training of pastors and preachers (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus), plus Paul’s amazing message to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:17-35).
God give us men the time demands;
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, willing hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill,
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy,
Men who possess convictions and a will:
Men who have honor; men who will not lie.
Men who can stand before a demagogue,
And condemn his treacherous flatteries without winking:
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog,
In public duty and in private thinking.
For while the rabble with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large profession and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, Lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps.
--Josiah Holland (1819-1881)
PRAYING FOR 1,000 MEN (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Knowing the importance of sound, life-changing, New Testament churches, and knowing how essential the right leaders are in that objective, for many years I’ve prayed that God will raise up 1,000 special preachers. I am referring to God-called men; biblically-qualified men; Christ-centered men of good Christian character and testimony; men who are both holy and compassionate; men who are the spiritual leaders of their homes; men who love their wives and train and disciple their children; well-educated men (in the Bible and in all other issues facing the churches); studious men; men who are committed to God’s Word rather than human tradition; men to whom the Bible is truly the sole authority for faith and practice; humble men who can work with a team of men as we see in the book of Acts; men of faith; men of Spirit-wrought courage; men who fear God more than man; men who are Christ-centered, not man-centered; men who are not intimidated by any old boy’s network or preacher’s association or school or “camp”; men who are willing to walk alone if necessary for the truth’s sake; men of spiritual wisdom and discernment; men of passion for the truth, who esteem God’s precepts concerning all things to be right and hate every false way (Ps. 119:128); men who live a pilgrim lifestyle separated from the world; men of large vision and zeal for gospel preaching and world missions and church planting; men who are wise about salvation, understanding the gospel and repentance and knowing that saving faith is always accompanied by a Spirit-wrought change of life; men who are careful to maintain a regenerate church membership; men who reprove and rebuke sin and error in a plain way; men who warn and protect the churches from error; men who are ready and willing to exercise biblical discipline when necessary; men who are hard workers; men who multiply themselves by training preachers and training them well; men who hate religious pragmatism for the evil thing that it is in God’s sight (e.g., making decisions about the ministry based on what “works” to produce a desired goal as opposed to making decisions based strictly on Bible truth). Such men are the product of God’s grace and power. We see such men in Scripture, and we see them here and there even in this day.
THE PORNOGRAPHIC AGE AND VICTORY IN CHRIST (Friday Church News Notes, September 5, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - This is a new book for reading or a complete Bible course consisting of the textbook, video classes, a memory verse program, student assignments, review questions, and tests. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is designed to fortify the New Testament church and the Christian home against the particular dangers of the internet age. The victory is not one or two things; it is not an addiction program; it is the full-orbed Christian life that we see in the New Testament Scripture. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is for those who have become entangled in pornography. It is for those who have a habit of feeding sexual lust by any means: television programs, movies, social media, sports magazines, women’s magazines, video games, etc. Sexual lust is sin, and it doesn’t matter the channel, it is still sin and it is still habit forming. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is for all of God’s people at any age and level of spiritual maturity. We live in an evil time, and prevention is the best medicine. It is far better that all of God’s people be fortified against evil addictions by life-changing salvation and a zealous biblical lifestyle. It is far better that the children grow up knowing the holy Scriptures, becoming wise unto salvation, surrendering their lives to Christ, and learning how to walk in the Spirit and become diligent servants of Christ, and thus avoid the corruption of surrender to the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ is very practical. It aims to help the student to be sure of his salvation, to recognize the characteristics of a sound church, to be plugged into a New Testament church, to establish an effectual daily Bible study habit, to pursue a life-long Bible education, to become a teacher in order to help others, to walk in the Spirit, to put off the old man and put on the new, to have a biblical testing mindset, to put on the whole armor of God, to unplug from temptation. There is a chapter on accountability that describes accountability tools and an accountability program for churches.
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; Mt. 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” (Ro. 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, BUT 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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