Friday Church News Notes
May 15, 2026 - Volume 27, Issue 20
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.
TURNING POINT USA REVISITED (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In last week’s Friday Church News Notes, we warned of Turning Point USA’s radical ecumenism, which is potentially harmful for Bible-believing homes and churches. Turning Point USA is a bridge to every heresy in the “wider church” today, including papal supremacy, a sacramental gospel, Mariolatry, priestcraft, theistic evolution, process salvation, universalism, new Reformed Calvinism, cultural liberalism, and contemplative prayer. “Kirk’s wife is Catholic and for the last few months of his life he had been attending Mass with her” (The American Catholic, Sept. 14, 2025). The Catholic News Agency said “Charlie Kirk was ‘this close’ to becoming Catholic” (Sept. 19, 2025). There is a photo online of him attending mass (Catholic Vote, Sept. 11, 2025). In the previous Friday News, we described a video clip on the Turning Point Facebook page that features a 10-year-old boy at a Turning Point forum addressing Turning Point leaders Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh, both Roman Catholics, and being praised for his aspiration to be a Catholic priest. The Turning Point leaders respond with clapping and double thumbs up, saying, “That’s great news. ... It’s a wonderful thing. ... Awesome! Awesome! That’s beautiful. This is really great. ... This is exactly what TPUSA is about. It is exactly what Charlie [Kirk] was doing. It’s one of the most beautiful answers I have heard at any event” (Turning Point USA’s Facebook page). At that same Turning Point USA forum, an attendee actually preached a sound gospel to the heretical Turning Point leaders! www.facebook.com/share/v/1ENhfwazHF/?mibextid=wwXIfr. Scripture warns of the growth of apostasy through the church age with an explosion of false Christianity at the end of the age, which is exactly where we are and exactly what we see. God’s Word forbids God’s redeemed people to join hands with false Christianity for any purpose, not for evangelism, not for anti-abortion crusades, not for defense of a six-day creation, not for politics. In a major passage describing and warning of the apostasy (2 Timothy 3-4), the apostle Paul said, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Ti. 3:5). If you encounter professing Christians who don’t hold a sound gospel, don’t hold to infallible Scripture, add tradition to the same authority as Scripture, etc., God’s Word says turn away from them. See also Acts 20:28-31; Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 11:1-4, 12-15; Philippians 3:17-19; Ephesians 5:8-11; Colossians 2:8, 18; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:16-21; 3:5; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2; 1 John 1:8-11; Jude 1:3-23; and Revelation 2:2, 14-15.
FOREIGN INFLUENCES ENTERING BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCHES THROUGH UNSCRIPTURAL ASSOCIATIONS (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - I received the following communication from a missionary recently: “Another influence that Charlie Kirk [Turning Point USA] has brought to the table is a renewed emphasis on Sabbath keeping. I have run into some independent Baptists who are starting to question why we are not having church on Saturday, pointing to the verses in the Old Testament where God said the Sabbath is holy. It is alarming to me that our independent Baptist churches are more characteristic of the Galatian churches, instead of the Ephesian congregation when it comes to being steadfast in our beliefs and practices.” This is one small example of the foreign influences that are entering a great many fundamental Baptist churches because of unregeneracy, spiritual lukewarmness, biblical shallowness, ignorance of sound doctrine, lack of education in issues facing the churches, and failure to practice biblical separation, resulting in corruption by heretical influences from the internet and social media. The root problem is the pastors who are following independent Baptist tradition rather than the Word of God. The common thinking is that if a church holds to the King James Bible, has a sound doctrinal statement, has “standards” for workers, maintains door-to-door evangelism, and uses a hymnbook, it is in good shape, but this is not a scriptural viewpoint. What is typically lacking even in such a church is a regenerate membership (biblical soul winning rather than Quick Prayerism, expecting and requiring evidence of supernatural salvation), a strong expository preaching/teaching ministry, the goal of building up every member to be a real Bible student and an effectual minister of Christ, the building of godly families that can raise a godly seed (Mal 2:15) with the fathers the heads of the homes and the mothers the keepers of the homes, serious discipling of youth, effectual, thorough-going separation from the world, protection from rampant immorality (such as dealing with the pornographic issue), and real education in the issues and dangers facing Bible-believing churches today. It’s time to forget “getting back to the old paths,” meaning the old paths of traditional independent Baptists, and instead getting back to the Bible itself. Baptists of the 18th and 19th century were much stronger than Baptists of the 20th and 21st, but even they were not strong enough. A majority of fundamental Baptists are rapidly becoming evangelical. To understand what this means and how wrong and dangerous it is, we recommend EVANGELICALISM AND THE GREAT APOSTASY. An accompanying 700-slide PowerPoint set is a pictorial study on the dangers. We also recommend FUNDAMENTAL BAPTISTS: HISTORY, COLLAPSE, AND REVIVAL. These are available from the Books and PowerPoints sections of www.wayoflife.org.
A PREACHER REVIEWS BRO. CLOUD’S BOOK FUNDAMENTAL BAPTISTS: HISTORY, COLLAPSE, REVIVAL (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “I just finished reading your book, Fundamental Baptists: History, Collapse, and Revival. First of all, the book demonstrates your broad and precise knowledge of, as well as your experience with, the men and movements within Independent Baptist Fundamentalism (I found myself saying, ‘I didn’t know that’ often). You were fair and honest in your assessments and evaluations of the former and founding leaders within the IFB movement, and you were candid and correct in pointing out the collapse within these movements stemming from poor leadership transitions and/or from a second-generation mentality similar to the generation ‘which knew not the LORD’ (Judges 2:10). You covered so many errors and blunders, both in doctrine and practice, that it is impossible for the reader to miss the three major themes of the book: History, Collapse, and Revival. I sense your burden and concern for the Lord’s churches throughout the work. One especially powerful quote was: ‘Warning is difficult. It is hard to give and hard to receive’ (p. 56). With this book, you have undertaken the difficult task of giving warning, in fact, several warnings--which is what every biblical preacher should aspire to do. Thank you for caring enough to point out the problems, but also for pointing readers to God’s words as the very solution to those problems. As with anything and everything else--there are some very minor areas of disagreements but nothing major as to reject the main thrust of your book. In particular, I appreciated the eight Scripture passages you expounded in an effort to provide a biblical framework and standard that calls men back to the Bible rather than to the traditions of men. The concept that ‘every member’ is to be a serious Bible student--is amazing, true, and revolutionary--AMEN! and Why not? This is one of those powerful ideas--and I am burdened and grieved about this.”
GOOD MEN ARE FALLING! DON’T YOU BE NEXT! (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from Pastor Simeon Western, the Baptist Expositor, Northside Baptist Church, Adelaide, Australia: “This week, I heard the sad news of another well-known Independent Baptist Pastor in the USA who has been disqualified and dismissed from the ministry due to the sin of adultery. Recently, I preached two sermons on the theme ‘Take Heed Lest Ye Fall’ from 1 Corinthians 10 as a part of our verse-by-verse series through 1 Corinthians. What a timely reminder for us all! No believer is exempt from the warning, no matter how strong he/she may feel! I trust these messages will be a help to you as we seek to guard our hearts and lives from sin, error and compromise. ‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall’ (1 Cor. 10:12).” See BaptistExpositor.com.
YOUR PORTABLE FIRST AID KIT (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, April 28, 2026: “Ouch! You’ve just gotten a paper cut on your finger. What’s the first thing you do? If you’re like most people, you’ll probably put your finger in your mouth. If you think about it, you probably have no idea why you put your finger into your mouth. Actually, when a dog licks its wounds or when you put your paper cut-ravaged finger in your mouth, you are beginning medical treatment. Medical science is only just learning what God knew when He built this reaction into us. The saliva of mammals and human beings contains epidermal growth factor. Studies show that when epidermal growth factor is applied to wounds, healing takes place much faster. Epidermal growth factor increases the number of cells available to grow new skin over a wound. It also encourages capillaries to form near the wound to increase blood supply. Epidermal growth factor doubles the amount of new DNA at the wound site. Finally, it increases the amount of collagen in the wound to give the new tissue the strength to close up and remain closed. Researchers have little idea how epidermal growth factor works. They are still researching this powerful medicine that’s found in our saliva. Only our wise and loving Creator could have provided us with this convenient and powerful medical treatment. Only He could have built into us the natural reaction of putting an injured finger into our mouth. Like so much else in the creation, this blessing is too well designed to be nothing more than a series of unrelated coincidences. REF.: ‘An Aid to Healing that Simply Can’t be Licked,’ Discover.”
FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF EVILDOERS (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Psalm 37 - “A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
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)
FOREIGN INFLUENCES ENTERING BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCHES THROUGH UNSCRIPTURAL ASSOCIATIONS (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - I received the following communication from a missionary recently: “Another influence that Charlie Kirk [Turning Point USA] has brought to the table is a renewed emphasis on Sabbath keeping. I have run into some independent Baptists who are starting to question why we are not having church on Saturday, pointing to the verses in the Old Testament where God said the Sabbath is holy. It is alarming to me that our independent Baptist churches are more characteristic of the Galatian churches, instead of the Ephesian congregation when it comes to being steadfast in our beliefs and practices.” This is one small example of the foreign influences that are entering a great many fundamental Baptist churches because of unregeneracy, spiritual lukewarmness, biblical shallowness, ignorance of sound doctrine, lack of education in issues facing the churches, and failure to practice biblical separation, resulting in corruption by heretical influences from the internet and social media. The root problem is the pastors who are following independent Baptist tradition rather than the Word of God. The common thinking is that if a church holds to the King James Bible, has a sound doctrinal statement, has “standards” for workers, maintains door-to-door evangelism, and uses a hymnbook, it is in good shape, but this is not a scriptural viewpoint. What is typically lacking even in such a church is a regenerate membership (biblical soul winning rather than Quick Prayerism, expecting and requiring evidence of supernatural salvation), a strong expository preaching/teaching ministry, the goal of building up every member to be a real Bible student and an effectual minister of Christ, the building of godly families that can raise a godly seed (Mal 2:15) with the fathers the heads of the homes and the mothers the keepers of the homes, serious discipling of youth, effectual, thorough-going separation from the world, protection from rampant immorality (such as dealing with the pornographic issue), and real education in the issues and dangers facing Bible-believing churches today. It’s time to forget “getting back to the old paths,” meaning the old paths of traditional independent Baptists, and instead getting back to the Bible itself. Baptists of the 18th and 19th century were much stronger than Baptists of the 20th and 21st, but even they were not strong enough. A majority of fundamental Baptists are rapidly becoming evangelical. To understand what this means and how wrong and dangerous it is, we recommend EVANGELICALISM AND THE GREAT APOSTASY. An accompanying 700-slide PowerPoint set is a pictorial study on the dangers. We also recommend FUNDAMENTAL BAPTISTS: HISTORY, COLLAPSE, AND REVIVAL. These are available from the Books and PowerPoints sections of www.wayoflife.org.
A PREACHER REVIEWS BRO. CLOUD’S BOOK FUNDAMENTAL BAPTISTS: HISTORY, COLLAPSE, REVIVAL (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “I just finished reading your book, Fundamental Baptists: History, Collapse, and Revival. First of all, the book demonstrates your broad and precise knowledge of, as well as your experience with, the men and movements within Independent Baptist Fundamentalism (I found myself saying, ‘I didn’t know that’ often). You were fair and honest in your assessments and evaluations of the former and founding leaders within the IFB movement, and you were candid and correct in pointing out the collapse within these movements stemming from poor leadership transitions and/or from a second-generation mentality similar to the generation ‘which knew not the LORD’ (Judges 2:10). You covered so many errors and blunders, both in doctrine and practice, that it is impossible for the reader to miss the three major themes of the book: History, Collapse, and Revival. I sense your burden and concern for the Lord’s churches throughout the work. One especially powerful quote was: ‘Warning is difficult. It is hard to give and hard to receive’ (p. 56). With this book, you have undertaken the difficult task of giving warning, in fact, several warnings--which is what every biblical preacher should aspire to do. Thank you for caring enough to point out the problems, but also for pointing readers to God’s words as the very solution to those problems. As with anything and everything else--there are some very minor areas of disagreements but nothing major as to reject the main thrust of your book. In particular, I appreciated the eight Scripture passages you expounded in an effort to provide a biblical framework and standard that calls men back to the Bible rather than to the traditions of men. The concept that ‘every member’ is to be a serious Bible student--is amazing, true, and revolutionary--AMEN! and Why not? This is one of those powerful ideas--and I am burdened and grieved about this.”
GOOD MEN ARE FALLING! DON’T YOU BE NEXT! (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from Pastor Simeon Western, the Baptist Expositor, Northside Baptist Church, Adelaide, Australia: “This week, I heard the sad news of another well-known Independent Baptist Pastor in the USA who has been disqualified and dismissed from the ministry due to the sin of adultery. Recently, I preached two sermons on the theme ‘Take Heed Lest Ye Fall’ from 1 Corinthians 10 as a part of our verse-by-verse series through 1 Corinthians. What a timely reminder for us all! No believer is exempt from the warning, no matter how strong he/she may feel! I trust these messages will be a help to you as we seek to guard our hearts and lives from sin, error and compromise. ‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall’ (1 Cor. 10:12).” See BaptistExpositor.com.
YOUR PORTABLE FIRST AID KIT (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, April 28, 2026: “Ouch! You’ve just gotten a paper cut on your finger. What’s the first thing you do? If you’re like most people, you’ll probably put your finger in your mouth. If you think about it, you probably have no idea why you put your finger into your mouth. Actually, when a dog licks its wounds or when you put your paper cut-ravaged finger in your mouth, you are beginning medical treatment. Medical science is only just learning what God knew when He built this reaction into us. The saliva of mammals and human beings contains epidermal growth factor. Studies show that when epidermal growth factor is applied to wounds, healing takes place much faster. Epidermal growth factor increases the number of cells available to grow new skin over a wound. It also encourages capillaries to form near the wound to increase blood supply. Epidermal growth factor doubles the amount of new DNA at the wound site. Finally, it increases the amount of collagen in the wound to give the new tissue the strength to close up and remain closed. Researchers have little idea how epidermal growth factor works. They are still researching this powerful medicine that’s found in our saliva. Only our wise and loving Creator could have provided us with this convenient and powerful medical treatment. Only He could have built into us the natural reaction of putting an injured finger into our mouth. Like so much else in the creation, this blessing is too well designed to be nothing more than a series of unrelated coincidences. REF.: ‘An Aid to Healing that Simply Can’t be Licked,’ Discover.”
FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF EVILDOERS (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Psalm 37 - “A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
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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