01.24.07
Posted in All at 3:24 pm by Pastor Bill
I have already corrected the information in my prior post regarding cursing in the pulpit. I had related a speakers phrase which contained an obscenity, but have since been contacted by someone associated with the conference who said that what was said was an unfortunate slip of the tongue, and not a conscious use of an obscenity.
I deleted my remarks because my intent is not to bash people or to falsely condemn. This man has a great ministry and is being used of God. My intent in the post below was to stimulate thought and discussion in regards to those who purposefully use coarse language in their preaching and speaking.
I will continue to listen to and learn from John Piper, and Lenny Ravenhill, and others who are ministering for the kingdom. I just don’t want others to follow their example of swearing, just because they do. If you are going to speak a certain way…do it on purpose!
What do YOU think????
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01.23.07
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology, Controversy, In The News... at 8:40 pm by Pastor Bill
Please let me begin by stating that I am not coming down on other preachers from a ‘holier than thou’ position, or trying to be legalistic about this. But I have some honest questions, and a lack of understanding how profanity used in the course of a sermon can be God honoring and an example of godly self-control that we pastors are supposed to model to the flock.
You may be aware of John Piper’s use of the phrase ’sometimes God kicks our a**’ in one of his conferences recently. He has issued a ‘kinda’ apology for it, which you can read here…but this is not the first time he has cursed from the pulpit. He mentions his tendency to do that in his apology letter. So why has it suddenly become ‘hip’ or ‘cool’ to use profanity from the pulpit to try to make your point? Does profanity exude the image of being ‘with it’ or ‘relational’ to our generation?
There is another preacher of old that I have been enjoying reading and listening to lately, Len Ravenhill. His sermons are fiery and confrontational to pastors and believers that have become worldly and left their first love. He calls us back to revival and total commitment to our Lord and Savior. But just recently in a great sermon on Psalm 51, while confronting the false belief that we can live any way we like and still expect to be welcomed warmly by our savior, he told the audience to ‘go to hell’. I’m not sure if he was saying that this would be the natural consequence of a false profession, or if he was pronouncing a curse on those deceived hearers. It was a shock to me to hear him say that but he definitely was not doing it to play up to the crowd, like Piper admits he was.
Why am I making a big deal out of this? I ask myself the trite question…’what would Jesus do?’. And if his words in the scriptures are any indication, along with his personal example, I believe that if I were to resort to this kind of coarse language, at home, in front of my children or coworkers, or in the pulpit, I would be shaming Him and hurting the testimony of His church.
Ephesians 5:4 ‘let there be no filthiness or foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving…’
Tell me, what do YOU think??????
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01.12.07
Posted in All, In The News... at 7:28 pm by Pastor Bill
As we enter 2007, we realize that we live in an uncertain time. Our nation is at war, our city is filled with violence, global warming is proclaimed as an impending threat to our planet, and there are all the daily concerns of life which we all face.
I’m sure that this year will be a year like any other, with all of the typical and normal events that seem to occur every year. Our calendar tells us that we will celebrate the same holidays, our culture will inundate us with the same attractions, and the cycle of birth and death will continue on as always.
But will this year be different than other years in your life? Are you making any changes which will impact your life or the lives of those around you? Some people this year have decided to jump ship off of the ‘technology obsession’. I think they call themselves the ‘tech-no’s, and they are saying ‘NO!’ to email, cell phones, blackberries, text messaging, crackberries, ipods, gps, etc. How weird is that? Apparently they aren’t revolting against the high financial cost of being ‘plugged in’, they have decided that they no longer want to be tied down by the electronic society. And oddly enough, it’s not the older generation who are tech-challenged, this movement seems to be headed by 20 somethings and teenagers. Seems they might be valuing their privacy and cutting the cultural umbilical cords of constant communication. One would only hope they are seeking real communication and the experience of fellowship (though they wouldn’t call it that), they simply want some ‘face time’ with the one they are talking to.
What will be different for you this year? I hope that your relationship with God will be better! I hope that if you have no relationship with Him, you will see your need for salvation and redemption that only Jesus can give. And if you have been a long time Christian, I hope that this won’t be just another year of life for you, but that you will determine that this will be the year that you give yourself totally to Christ, no holding back, complete surrender. If you do, I guarantee that this will be the most exciting and fulfilling year of your life! It may be the most challenging and difficult, but it will be a year worth living. It will be a year of storing up treasures in Heaven, of knowing and experiencing God’s favor and moving in your heart and life like never before!
At Hyde Park Baptist Church in Cincinnati Ohio, we are striving as a church family to make this the best year ever for our church and community. We are pursuing God with all our energy, taking stock of where we are, seeking His will, giving Him our all and doing all that He asks! If you live in the Cincinnati area and would like to make some real strides in your walk and growth with Christ, I encourage you to join us as we serve our Savior. It may be hard, it may seem radical, it will require sacrifice and self-denial, but it will be worth it all- a life worth living!
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12.22.06
Posted in Church Events, All at 6:41 pm by Pastor Bill
We want to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our website and to encourage you to be blessed this Christmas season as you worship Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
If you will be in Cincinnati during the Christmas weekend, we invite you to celebrate our Savior’s birth on Sunday with us. We will have a Christmas message at 11am and also a special Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 6 pm. We hope you will join us as we celebrate and thank our God for His grace to us.
God bless you, and Worship the King of Glory!
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12.05.06
Posted in All, Controversy, In The News... at 8:12 pm by Pastor Bill
Another Christmas season is upon us, bringing with it all the ususal commercialization and secularism we are all too familiar with. For the marketers, the hope is that this Christmas will break all sales records, resulting in record profits. For the justice system, the hope is that churches will downplay the ‘religious angle’ of this holiday, thereby sparing them from numerous legal challenges to free speech in the public forum. The general public hopes for a season of generosity and hedonism, allowing us to enjoy the materialistic aspects of the holiday in a self-gratifying indulgence.
But what does God want from this Christmas season? Probably the same thing He wants from every day of the year (although God wants and wants for nothing). I’m sure that God would be pleased if His creation took some time to acknowledge Him, and His right to be Himself…you know, Sovereign ruler of the universe. He surely wouldn’t be disappointed if we humans took the time to question our values, our importance, our destinies, by seeing what He has to say about these things in His book, the Bible. I’m sure that God would want us each to remember WHY He sent His Son into this world so long ago, and for us to respond to Jesus appropriately. What is an appropriate response to Christ, now or at any time of the year?
Perhaps we could respond to Jesus in the same manner as the Magi who came seeking Him 2000 years ago. They proclaimed to the king Herod, ” Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him”. Matthew 2:2.
What a novel thought, we could worship Jesus at Christmas instead of seeking our own pleasures! I mean, after all, isn’t that what the angels in heaven did on the day of his birth into our world? That is what we read in the book of Hebrews, chapter 1 verse 6, “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him”.
What would a Christmas look like if people worshiped the Son of God instead of spending the holiday indulging themselves and their desires? Less shopping-more singing Christ’s praises? Less parties-more grateful prayers? Less marketing-more ministering to the poor and needy? Less commercialization-more coming together to express our gratitude to God for sending the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins? Less receiving-more giving…giving of ourselves and our worship to the only one who is worthy of all that we are, and all that we posssess…The Lamb of God, who brings light and life into our world!
With all the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s easy to miss the real meaning and purpose of Christmas. Take time today to reflect on God’s greatest gift to you…and help someone else to worship Him also! Recognize that Christ is still on His throne, at Christmas, and on every day of the year….and bow before the newborn King!
God bless you! Pastor Bill <><
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11.21.06
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, In The News... at 3:08 pm by Pastor Bill
Now that our national holiday of Thanksgiving is upon us, perhaps a little reflection is in order. Contrary to what you may have learned in the public school system or heard on the television or radio, our Thanksgiving celebration is NOT a secular holiday. Do a little research for yourself and learn why our pilgrims began this day of ‘giving thanks to our sovereign creator and benefactor’. Hint…they were not thanking the indians for taking care of them, they were expressing their thanks and gratitude to God for taking care of them. Read the original writings and proclamations of the individuals who were at that first celebration, instead of reading the musings of historical reconstructionalists.
Now that that is out of the way, the question is why? Why should we give thanks anyway? Who should we thank for what we have worked hard to achieve or acquire?
The practice of giving thanks is a purely ‘natural’ response when we take off our blinders and see reality. That is, when we see life from God’s perspective. Gratitude comes from knowing the truth…truth about how and why we are blessed. Ingratitude comes from a self-ish worldview.
God tells us in his word why we should give thanks…Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…James 1:17. We must give thanks because everything that we have is from God, not from ourselves. We must also give thanks because ingratitude is sin. We are told in Romans 1:21 that a departure from God’s way showed up as …”For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
To acquire the proper perspective on thanksgiving, it is helpful to go to the book of Psalms in the Old Testament. The psalmists were adept at expressing their gratitude, and the reasons for their gratitude to God. See Psalm 136 which begins with “Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” and there is a repeating phrase throughout the psalm following each reason to be thankful which states “His love endures forever”. THAT is a great reason to give your thanks to the Lord!
The ultimate reality is understanding that you can have all the good things that this life has to offer, yet if you do not have peace with God through Jesus Christ the Savior, you do not have anything of value or true worth. God’s greatest gift to us is redemption and salvation, which he freely gives through his son. As believers, we MUST be constantly thanking God for his reconciling us to himself through Christ’s death and resurrection.
If you are having a hard time being grateful this week, I encourage you to take some time to read and meditate on Psalm 136, and then bow your heart to the Lord in agreement with the Psalmist’s closing words, “Give thanks to the God of heaven, His love endures forever!”
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11.08.06
Posted in All, Controversy, In The News... at 5:39 pm by Pastor Bill
Did the local and national results of the Nov. 7th election bring you depression, joy or confusion? For many Christians, the results of the past election are grounds for concern and pessimism. Many people feel that if ‘their party’ or candidate was defeated, then life will be bleak for the next 2 to 4 years. Others who found that their ‘party’ came into power once again, are elated and comforted, believing that now life in America will finally get back to the way it should have been all along.
Interestingly, our view of politics are often a reflection of our theology. Is God a Republican or a Democrat….or an Independent? Your view probably coincides with your personal political affiliation. Unless of course you realize that God is ‘none of the above’. Although one particular political platform might align more closely with Biblical principles, no political group can claim God, or Jesus, as their own.
It is clear from God’s word that He has established governments and that He is the one who puts people in office, and removes them. We just don’t always understand why. Daniel 4:17…(we) may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men. (Remind your victorious opponent that he is described as ‘the lowliest of men’) God also works through various governmental powers, in various ways. Proverbs 21:1…The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. You see, when we get too worked up or worried or excited about who is in office, we are disparaging the Lord’s work. Our future is not determined according to which party is in control, or who sits in the oval office. Our God works all things out according to his perfect will, and according to the apostle Paul writing in Romans 13:1-2…Let every person be subject to the governing authorites. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
That’s why we cannot bomb abortion clinics or curse the president. We understand from scripture that even if we become a communist controlled nation, that is what God desires for us at that time. This is not fatalism, it is believing and accepting what God tells us about his power and his working in our world.
What do you think about it?
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10.05.06
Posted in Church Events, All, Book Reviews at 3:08 pm by Pastor Bill
Our church family is getting ready to begin a process of intensive self-examination by going through a Bible study entitled ‘Changed into His Image”. My wife and I took this course a few years ago at our last church and it was the single best series we have ever participated in, as far as making real change in our daily living for Jesus. Here at Hyde Park Baptist Church, we just finished up our Autumn Spiritual Retreat with the theme of “Jesus and His true disciples” based on Luke 9:23. Jesus said “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”.
This new series, ‘Changed into his image’ is written by Jim Berg and will be a great follow up to our retreat theme. If you live in the Cincinnati area I encourage you to join us for this journey. We will be starting on Wednesday, October 18th. Please contact the church if you would like to order materials for the course, which include the textbook and a workbook.
The face and impact of Christianity in America would be radically changed for the better if each one of us devoted ourselves to being changed into the image of our savior, Jesus Christ. I encourage you to follow Him closely, and to go where He is leading.
Our church address is…Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3460 Michigan avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208.
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09.28.06
Posted in Uncategorized, All at 1:48 pm by Pastor Bill
Have you ever attended a wasted funeral? You may wonder what I am talking about. In our culture, at least from the Christian perspective, funerals typically serve at least 3 major functions. The first is to say goodby to our departed loved one, to allow our expression of grief, love, sadness, whatever emotions need to be addressed at this time of parting. The second is to allow us to eulogize the deceased, to remember their contributions to society and to us personally. We hear and relive many of their attributes and mannerisms that made them personal and beloved by us. We honor their life achievements and reflect on their impact upon us. It is good to remember how their life intertwined with others, and how we were affected by them personally.
But perhaps the most important reason for a funeral is to remind us of our own mortality, that this life doesn’t last forever, and that we will someday be laid in the ground also, this earthly life ended forever. Funerals remind us that eternity is in store for all of us, and that we need to be prepared. I believe that a funeral is wasted when we do not take this opportunity to present the gospel, to remind the attenders that death is a result of sin, that Jesus is the only provision for salvation, and that salvation is our only hope for eternal life in glory with God.
I attended a wasted funeral earlier this week. A distant family member passed away, a true Christian who urged the pastor to ‘give the gospel’ at her funeral so that everyone would know who and what her faith was in. Her family stressed their urgent desire that the gospel be presented to the attenders, since many would be unsaved. What a tremendous opportunity for the Holy Spirit of God to work as God’s word would be given clearly and plainly for all to hear and consider the state of their own souls….but no. The gospel was NOT given. The lady’s goodness was stressed more than the saving work of Christ on the cross. She was now presented as having wings in heaven as an angel, nudging the heavenly spectators and urging them to look down on earth and to be proud of her grandchildren’s accomplishments. Whatever it was, it certainly was not the gospel. A wasted funeral. Don’t get me wrong, as far as a celebration of her life, it was great! It was a great time for family to say goodby and to remember her fondly! But it was no time for unbelievers to feel that they were in peril of eternal loss, or to hear how they could escape God’s wrath. Because the preacher never gave the gospel. Sin…never mentioned. Judgement…never mentioned. The universal human condition of separation from God because of sin…never mentioned. Forgiveness of sin and restoration to God only through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus…never mentioned.
Only shallow platitudes about how you need to know Jesus…without telling them why and how.
ANOTHER WASTED FUNERAL.
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09.20.06
Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology at 6:10 pm by Pastor Bill
As I looked at the date of my last post, I was amazed to see that over 2 weeks had passed, instead of the few days that it seemed it should have been. What happened during those last couple of weeks? A family vacation, pre-vacation planning and hecticness (is that a word?) and several hospital visits to some of our church members who have had phyiscal problems lately. The last few weeks were a blur, not to mention that it is Autumn already, and I wonder where the first 8 months of the year went. Life has a penchant for passing us by all too quickly. Perhaps that is what the Psalmist meant when he wrote “So teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.”..Psalm 90:12. The writer of Ecclesiastes bemoaned the fact that too often our life passes by without our accomplishing anything lasting or meaningful. Too many people spend all their time working for and accumulating things that they will soon die and leave to someone else. What has your life profited you? What has your life accomplished for the glory of God? What have you done that will last after you die and be an eternal benefit to others?
Ecclesiastes gives us the truth that in living for the here and now, we waste our lives and endanger our souls. The only life that lasts is one that is lived to the glory of God, one that is spent not for our own goals and dreams, but lived to serve Christ. The only way we can serve him is to be first saved by him, saved from sin and eternal death.
It is good to go to funerals and spend time walking through graveyards, reading the dates on the tombstones. It reminds us that soon we will be where they are, no longer among the living. Our destiny is determined by whether we choose Christ, or self.
Take some time to meditate upon your mortality before life passes you by, and evaluate what and who you are living for. Jesus asks you, “what will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”. How will YOU answer Him?
If you have questions about your spiritual relationship with God, please email me at hpbcrillo (at) yahoo (dot) com. I would love to spend some time sharing what God has told us about himself and about our need in His word.
JESUS…DON’T LEAVE THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM!
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