July 2012 Volume 7 #7 Volume 7 #7

Wading River Baptist Church

P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manor Road, Wading River, NY 11792 (631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us office@wrbc.us

Delighting in the Lords House

How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! . . . For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. . . (Psalm 84:4, 10)
Theres something I cant understand, and its not just because I am a pastor. In fact, it goes all the way back to my childhood. I cannot understand why its so hard to convince so many Christians to be faithful in attending church. I suppose that Im of the old school that says you should be present whenever the church doors are open unless providentially hindered (thats the Christian way of saying, unless you have a good excuse!); and as I learned early on, there arent very many good excuses. Thats certainly the example my parents set for me, and as I matured, that example became a matter of deep conviction, even when I have not been in ministry. Why wouldnt a child of God naturally gravitate to the house of God in order to worship Him and fellowship with His people? That only makes sense, doesnt it? Well, if you think so, youre in good company. The author of Psalm 84 was of the same mind! Psalm 84 belongs to Book III of the Psalterthe Leviticus sectionwhere the emphasis is on the exclusiveness of God and the holiness of His people. Holiness means separation from the beliefs and practices of Israels pagan neighbors. The Lord is Israels God; Israel must worship no other, and must obey Him only (Lev 19:2-3, 30). Thats why the Lords sanctuary was to be just thata holy place. Israel was not to defile it. Although we dont know who the writer of this psalm is, he is designated as one of the sons of Korah, who, according to 2 Chronicles 20:19, were a guild of temple musicians. This hymn presupposes that the writer has experienced an extended absence from the temple, and thus the spirit here is very similar to Psalms 42-43, also Korahite anthems. Each of the three sections expresses the delight of the saint of God in loving what the old writers used to call the sacred precincts of Gods house. Lets explore them together. I. Those who love the Lords house enjoy blessedness. Verses 1-4. In the first place, the writer reminds us that the saint of God loves the house of God (v. 1). How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! He has a deep love for the sanctuary undoubtedly the Temple in Jerusalem. Thats because above everything else, the Temple is the dwelling place of God. When he built the sanctuary, Solomon acknowledged that no building could contain God (1 Kgs 8:27; cf. Acts 7:47-50); nonetheless, it was there that the Lord placed the visible manifestation of His presence, the Shekinah glory which hovered over the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Likewise today, there is a unique sense in which God is among His people when they assemble to worship and serve Him. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given when the believers were all together in one place (Acts 2:1). That had been their habit since their Lords ascension (Acts 1:14). Because of this presence, therefore, the saint of God longs for the house of God (vv. 2-3). When prevented from worshipping in the Temple, the psalmist longs passionately (even yearned) for the Temple itself. Thats where he would sing for joy to the living God (v. 2). Even the birds, swallows (or sparrows), build nests in the Temple complex. Theyre fortunate because they actually live there! What a difference this was with some of the Israelites of that same period whose words were recorded by Amos: When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger [i.e. to deal dishonestly] and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat? (Amos 8:5-6). Just like today some people cant wait for church to be over so they can go to work or go shopping! One reason why he loves the Lords house, however, is that the saint of God loves the people of God (v. 4). The psalmist is envious of those who are able to go to the Temple to worship because they have the privilege of continually praising the Lord. He is prevented from doing what they can do daily. Of course, we realize that the church is also by definition a temple of God made up of the people of God (1 Cor 3:16). But theres another advantage to being faithful to the house of God. II. Those who love the Lords house express steadfastness. Verses 5-7. The psalmist tells us that the Lords strength is their desire (v. 5a). How blessed is the man whose strength is in You. In other words, it is not the sanctuary, but God himself who is the object of the saints love and desire. They long for Gods house in order to commune with God himself, and from that communion draw spiritual strength. Today, when the church gathers to worship, it is in order to meet God and then to draw strength that will fortify our lives in a sinful world. The Lords strength is more than just the saints desire, however; it is their delight (vv. 5b-7). Highways are in their hearts (v. 5b). Within your heart is the potential for various responses to the challenges of life. Passing through the valley of Baca [weeping] they make it a spring; the early rain also covers it with blessings (v. 6). Hence, they turn the experience of sorrow into one of blessing, and then the rain even comes to cover their oasisa way of saying that blessing follows blessing. On the difficult highway of life, therefore, these saints go from the strength the Lord and His people provide in one hardship to the fortification they give in the next: They go from strength to strength (v. 7a). Through the Valley of Weeping, they appear before God in Zion (v. 7b, Jerusalem, the place where Gods glory dwells). There they

delight in the Lords strength to meet each challenge. Can you say that attending the worship services of your church is genuinely your delight? Does being with your brothers and sisters give you strength to meet the difficulties of your Valley of Weeping? The saint who finds his strength in God increases that strength as his relationship to the Lord grows. Consequently, those who are spiritually strong (who love the Lords house) are steadfast and able to cope with the difficulties of life better than those who are not because they have each other, and at the same time, they are enabled to be a blessing to others. Thus we find an important principle: our presence in Gods house, worshipping Him and fellowshipping with His people, is a secret to our spiritual strength and thus our stability and usefulness. We draw strength from each other, which is one reason that neglect of the Lords house is such a hindrance to our spiritual growth and usefulness in the Lords service. III. Those who love the Lords house experience happiness. Verses 8-12. Now it appears that this psalm looks forward to the worship of Messiah in Jerusalems Millennial Temple. Here the writer declares that the Lords house is an important place for his faith. Our worship and fellowship with Gods people in Gods house encourages us actively to believe Him. This leads to a life of happiness we could never have apart from being with the people of God. Where is this happiness found? Our happiness will be found in effective prayer (vv. 8-9). The Lords house is a place of intercession, particularly for divine protection: O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed. The Anointed One, of course, is the Messiah. He

is Israels protection and the praying saint rests in Him. Likewise, the greatest intimacy and the greatest power of the church body will be found in their prayer meetings! Moreover, our happiness is found in godly influence (v. 10). For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. In other words, a day in your courts is wonderfulI prefer it to a thousand days spent elsewhere! I would rather be a beggar at the threshold of the house of God than to spend my time hanging around godless sinners. The company we keep matters a great deal (1 Cor 15:33). The church provides us with a godly environment of fellow Christians which will keep us from a host of temptations offered by the world. Thus, our happiness is found in abundant blessing (v. 11). The Lord promised the Israelites material blessing for spiritual obedience. He is a sun and shieldHe is light, and that light has a sanctifying influence (1 Jn 1:5, 7). He gives His people His grace (undeserved kindness) and shares His glory with them. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. The Lord rewards obedience with blessing, but that blessing takes place in the spiritual environment of the Lords house. Those who love Gods house are therefore happy people. Together they experience the blessing of a people of faith people who trust in the Lord (v. 12). This is one of those psalms where the application to Christians is extremely transparent. Gods people love Gods house. Of course the church today is different from the Temple in Jerusalem. The church is not a building as such, but a body, a fellowship of redeemed people. Still, Gods people love to be with each other; and most often, that fellowship takes place in a church building

where Gods people unite to worship Him. Still, wherever we meet, we are admonished: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Heb 10:23-25). You can tell who loves the Lords house. They are rarely absent. Petty excuses dont keep them away from church. They take advantage of all the opportunities for worship, fellowship, and ministry. They often come early. They sing vigorously, give generously, and listen attentively to the sermon. They dont run off right away after the services; theyre the ones who often close up the building. Theyre present for work days, and sometimes just take it upon themselves to do the things that need to be done, and do so without having to be asked. They want to know where their services might be needed, and often hold one or more church offices. They invite their family and friends to attend as well. In short, theyre enthusiasticeven passionateabout the church, its people, its building, and its ministries. Most of all, they look forward to meeting God there. So would you rather be a beggar at the church door than hanging out with evil Godhaters in places like bars, casinos, or nightclubs? If you havent done so yet, cultivate a sincere delight in the Lords house. Its one of the great secrets of effective Christian faith. I have yet to meet a godly Christian who neglects the church. So, beloved, well see you at church thisand everyweek! Pastor Ron Glass

Missionaries of the Month Joe & Denise Holman

On July 21, 2012, Joe & Denise Holman, missionaries to Cochabamba, Bolivia, will be celebrating 28 years of marriage. They have been blessed with 11 children; six boys and five girls ranging in age from 3 to 23. It is truly an occasion when the whole family is together for a family photograph since the three older boys, Seth, Jacob, and Caleb, are now in the states. Seth, the oldest, is living in Virginia. Jacob, next in line, is living in West Virginia and is a part of a church planting team that held their first service Fathers Day weekend. Caleb, third in line, just finished high school and will be attending Clearwater Christian College in Florida. In June, Denise accompanied Caleb to Florida to help him get situated. Now still in Bolivia with Joe & Denise are 17-year-old Benjamin; David age 15; Joshua 13; Faith 12; Hope 10; Joy 8; Patience 7; Mercy 3. Wonder if it is truly cheaper by the dozen, in their case a bakers dozen. ing six or seven more; their church has grown to over 350 per week; they have baptized nine adults; are now working with two potential church plants; led a marriage conference which was the largest in the churchs history, with 50 people attending; and Joe went on a African adventure with two of his sons, Caleb and Ben. They had gone to Africa to meet with an old friend, one of the foremost microenterprise experts, to learn from him with hopes to start micro-enterprise projects before the end of the summer. During the month of July, 19 people will be coming down from Purcellville Baptist Church in Purcellville, VA, for a short-term missions trip to work with the Holmans. Joe hopefully will be connecting with an orphanage and a childrens camp in order to work with the orphanage and two Bible clubs for the purpose of offering one- or two-night retreats for impoverished children.

So far this year of 2012, the Holmans have mentored five church leaders; started and finished their first house project for the extremely poor in the city with hopes of build-

Joe has a friend that builds sand water filters to provide safe drinking water. He is considering providing these filters to people and/or churches as micro-enterprise projects as a way to get clean water. Joe is now in the process of coordinating schedules for his friend to come and spend a week teaching them how to do this. They will also be doing a community outreach at the church plant site; providing medical and dental care along with lunch, activities for the kids, and a Gospel presentation for the parents. Presently, Bolivia is the only country in Latin America that does not participate in the Samaritan Ministrys Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program. The have begun working with them and the government to see if they can change this. They are looking at a trial run, praying to receive 7,000 boxes for the kids; if it works out, they could become the National Coordinators. A hurdle to get over is the taxes. The government does not allow tax-free anything and they want to tax the value of the goods. A lot of work will need to be done to administer the delivery of the boxes, and prayer is requested for this task.

The Holmans have also been involved with a radio project that is now up and running. It is providing Christian broadcasting in three tribal languages. It is the only radio station available in a large area of the country, and so there is tremendous interest in it. It is also the only station that uses these particular tribal languages. They are hoping to increase the languages to five by the end of the year, servicing a 100-mile radius. The future will hold more ministry opportunities and they are quite excited by it. The Holmans ministry seems to be moving forward without too much bad stuff as Joe calls it. There are the normal inconveniences of life, such as political protests and illness; but for the most part, Joe claims that life is pretty smooth. They do not have any trips planned in the near future, except for their next scheduled visit to the U.S. in 2015. Hopefully WRBC will be on the list of churches to visit, as the Holmans love the WRBC. It is interesting to note that there is a strong Christian influence in Bolivia, and many cities and towns have a Christ or Cross overlooking the city. Cochabamba has the highest Christ statue of the world, even taller

than the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) in Rio de Janeiro. The Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba is a little over 33 metres high, whereas the Redentor is exactly 33 metres high. Cochabamba is also a city many missionary groups from the United States visit regularly. Joe Holman is definitely passionate and extremely energized to do Gods work. Not only does he have a full agenda, but also a large family to take care of. This is where we come along side of the family with prayer and our support as Joe reaches out to all his supporters: We need you to come along beside us and help us make a difference in the souls of men. We need prayer teams. Prayer is the biggest thing that you can do for us! We also need moola! We have had some people on our financial team who have experienced hardship and needed to stop giving. We understand. However, we need to replace them. Will you pray for us and pray about giving to us? May God continue to energize Joe Holman, a man with a heart for the unsaved of Bolivia. Joan Tyska

A Month in Review
Another flip of the calendar brings us into a summer filled with a lot of activities keeping a busy schedule for many at the WRBC. The college students arrived back home; a new baby was born; wedding bells are sounding; and soccer VBS is on the drawing table. Spring was incredible and truly a sweet, sweet gift from our heavenly Father, slowing us down for a moment to thank Him for giving us such a rare and unique few weeks of unusually mild weather allowing Gods landscape to flourish in a most breathtaking way. John Piraino continues to add to the landscape of the church with the colorful summer flowers. May 27, 2012 Memorial Day Sunday was a time to honor those who serve in our military and the sacrifices that they and their families make to keep our freedoms intact. The Sunday bulletin had a special Memorial Day insert, The Price of Freedom, taken from the website of the Family Research Council (http://www.frc.org), providing a great reminder to spend a quiet moment contemplating Americas history and the price that was paid for it. With the service men and women on the minds of those attending church service, appropriate hymns were sung such as Soldiers of Christ, Arise as Carl Chapman, one of the accompanying musicians, provided a patriotic image as he played his trumpet alongside of the American flag. will be future surgeries at approximately ages 7, 10, and 14, the goal is to lengthen three inches each time, eventually achieving equallength legs for Jake. So as we praise God for a new little life, let us also come along side of the Petraske family and Mimi (WRBCs very own Janet Perry) as they all head south this August to support little Jake.

May 30, 2012 Charles & Shawna (daughter of Jim & Janet Perry) Petraske are the proud parents of a new baby boy, Evan Petraske, born May 30th at 11:54 am, weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 19 long. Equally proud are his two big brothers: 4-year-old Jake and 2-year-old Luke. You might remember little Jake from the prayer list as we have been praying for Jake and his need for hip and knee surgery periodically as he matures to correct a condition, PFFD (proximal femoral focal deficiency), in his one leg. This means that his right femur bone is about half the length of his left and he has right hip dysplasia to add to the complications. Let us refocus on 4-year-old Jake as he faces one of his surgeries this August 8th when he will be admitted into St. Marys Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida, for his special surgery. A Dr. Paley will be doing the super hip 2 surgery which is basically like a hip reconstruction to strengthen his hip socket. Dr. Paley will assess the need for knee surgery at that time. The objective is to lengthen his leg a little, 1 inch to 1.5 inches. Being that there

June 3, 2012 - One of the many passions of the WRBC is supporting the missionaries, and WRBCs Missions Committee has certainly stepped up the pace in doing so thanks to Martie Best, Bill Mallman, and Mike & Diane Pandolfini of the Missions Committee, shown here greeting Ralph & Sandra Thompson and their three children. It was with great joy that the Thompsons, missionaries to Mombasa, Kenya, through WorldVenture, were able to be at WRBC for a time of sharing, worshipping, and fellowshipping. Ralph Thompson ministered during the morning church service, speaking on the topic of Declaring the Mystery of Christ, Colossians 4:2-6. Most revealing in Ralphs message was a lesson to know how to witness to every one when sharing the Gospel; a mes-

sage that was received with open hearts and minds.

Dinner was served in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the church service. The cuisine was a well-rounded buffet including American food, Italian dishes, and even a Filipino dish. Thanks to the Missions Committee for organizing the buffet dinner with help from the deaconesses of the church. After dinner and before the buffet of desserts, Ralph Thompson delivered a PowerPoint presentation describing their work in Mombasa, Kenya. He shared with everyone how they walk the streets there in a section of the city called Old Town, praying and looking for opportunities to meet people with whom to share the Gospel. He described it as a Colombo tactic; simply listening to the people, questioning them, gaining an interest and trust before sharing the Gospel. Living there in Kenya is all about relationships; recognizing this, the Thompsons seek to build relationships in order to share the Word. Another way of socializing with the people of Kenya is on the soccer field, sharing the sport as they build relationships. Ralph Thompson also touched on one of Kenyas tourist attractions, Fort Jesus, a fort that looks like a cross when seen from a plane. The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) describes the fort as a fort that was built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 to protect the port of Mombasa. It is one of the most outstanding and well-preserved examples of 16th-century Portuguese military fortification and a landmark in the history of this type of construction. The Fort's layout and form reflected the Renaissance ideal that perfect proportions and geometric harmony are to be found in the human body. June 10, 2012 Rafaella Borzacchiello made a beautiful June bride as she married Michael Heuzey, son of Doug & Bonnie Heuzey. The wedding afforded Doug and Bonnie a special getaway to Beaver Falls, PA, to attend the garden wedding that took place in the gazebo of a lovely park as their other son, Stephen, stood up for his brother as best man. Congratulations to Mike & Raffy as they begin a new life together.

Another couple with a summer wedding planned is Sean Feliciano and Shannon Piraino as they are looking forward to their wedding day on July 27, 2012, at the Wading River Baptist Church. Our prayers are with them for a beautiful blessed day to remember and cherish. June 17, 2012 was Fathers Day; a bit quiet, but never forgetting the many fathers of the church. Within the church there are fathers of special-needs children; fathers supporting their homeschooled children; stepfathers; foster fathers; and some men that offer a fatherly image to those lacking a father with the heart of a Christianand not to forget WRBCs father-to-be, Peter Albrecht. To all these fathers: God bless you for upholding our heavenly Fathers will and desire in being the Father so honored by WRBC. June 19, 2012 was the beginning of a face lift for the front of the church. Thanks to Dennis Tyska for taking on the task of power washing, scraping and painting the triangular entrance to the church. It was a beautification plan taken on in time for the Feliciano/Piraino wedding. Somehow weddings and renovations at WRBC seem to coincide!!! June 24, 2012 The church service included a moment to recognize and congratulate WRBCs two 2012 graduates, Shannon and Linea Piraino. Shannon Piraino graduated from Bob Jones University located in Greenville, South Carolina, with the Bachelor of Music degree in String Pedagogy. Younger sister Linea Piraino received her diploma as a homeschooled student and plans to attend Bob Jones University with a major in nursing in order to possibly pursue medical missions in the future. Linea Piraino also was the 2012 recipient of The English Memorial Award, a WRBC award designed to offer an incentive toward superior accomplishment for a graduating high school senior who has distinguished oneself for excellence in Christian character, achievement, and service. Not only has Linea excelled in her studies and as a violinist and as a pianist, but she has also been a faithful servant at the WRBC. The award includes a

financial gift given to a recipient selected by a designated committee of the church. Following the service was a short coffee hour to honor the two sisters and for all to offer personal congratulations to the two. In support of Shannon and Linea in their moment of excellence were their parents, John & Mina Piraino, their sister, Sarah, and their brother, John Moses. In honoring Shannon & Linea, the church also respectfully congratulates John & Mina Piraino as exemplary parents, earning the respect from the church family in the way they have spiritually nurtured their children.

As we look forward to the summer months, WRBCs calendar is rapidly filling up. First on the agenda was George & Judy Ehmanns Independence Day Celebration with a cook out and fireworks at Eisenhower Park in Westbury on June 30th. The next issue of The Beacon will include its success. On July 7th, a bridal shower is scheduled for Shannon Piraino at 12:30 in the afternoon; all of the ladies of the church are invited. The following day on July 8th, a small group of music lovers have signed up for an outing at the 58th Annual Choir Festival in Ocean Grove, NJ, where they will enjoy a dinner and an amazing choral presentation. For all the seniorsyou have July 14th to look forward to with a Senior Saints Luncheon entitled Saving America. Everybody loves a wedding; and the July 27th Feliciano/Piraino wedding will grace the church at 3:30 in the afternoon. The August agenda is not too far behind, focusing on the plans for the Soccer Vacation Bible School led by Maureen Glass and Vic Perez during the week of August 6-10. The summer schedule is moving forward, so come and join in whether it is Sunday School (9:45 AM) and Worship (11:00 AM) on the Lords Day, Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night (7:00 PM), or one of the above planned events. In the meantime, may your summer be blessed, safe, and most memorable. Joan Tyska

Humanism: Part 2
The A.C.L.U. versus Christianity Modern humanism is somewhat like an octopus. It can change its colors and shape in a way that enables it to fit through areas that are much smaller than the size of its body. In spite of its change in appearance, it remains an octopus. Although they are committed to naturalism, they can instantly transform themselves into a religious organization if it is to their advantage. In the process, they never shed their core beliefs. They proselytize through seduction, misrepresentation, and gradual intrusion into the schools, the courts, and the universities which produce our journalists who have produced the postmodern mindset of the general public. Roger Nash Baldwin offers us a glimpse into the way in which they have transformed our national psyche. Baldwin, who founded the A.C.L.U. in 1920, made the following statement: I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the state itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class and sole control by those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal. Emma Goldman (the Red Queen of Anarchy), together with Baldwins grandfather, who hated and attacked Christianity with a passion, and his aunt, who attacked Christianity in a kind and gentle way, all helped to transform Baldwin into a radical. When the Soviets signed a nonaggression pact with Adolf Hitler, Baldwin wished to purge his organization of anyone connected to, or sympathetic to, the Soviet regime. Baldwin stated the following: The A.C.L.U. is a private organizationAnd a private organization is like a church. You dont take non-believers into the church. We are a church; we have a creed, and only true believers should lead us. Later on, the A.C.L.U. would fight tooth and nail against organizations like the Boy Scouts to deprive them of the right to choose their leadership. Baldwin was a close friend of Margaret Sanger, who founded Planned Parenthood. She was a eugenicist who saw abortion as a means of improving the human species through selective breeding. Hitler shared Baldwins admiration for Sanger. Baldwin described Sanger as: a frail, beautiful, unassuming woman. She never thought of herself as being important, even on the public platform, but she always had a quiet insistence on the rightness of what she was doing. The rightness of what she did resulted in the murder of millions of unborn children. Baldwins A.C.L.U. would bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate our constitution by establishing precedents that were foreign to the intent of our founding fathers. The words separation of church and state are an example of this. Thomas Jeffersons use of these words are quoted from a letter that he wrote to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. He had formerly helped the Baptists halt state funding of the Anglican Church in Virginia. Now that he had been elected president, they wanted to know if he would continue to support their First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion. In reply, Jefferson wrote the following words: Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions; I contemplate with sovereign reverence the act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state. The wall to which he referred wasnt meant to limit public religious expression, but rather to limit the federal governments legitimate interference with that expression. One hundred and fifty years later, in 1947, Hugo Black, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, would give these words new meaning when he stated: The first amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach. The very words that were meant to reassure the Danbury Baptists would now be used by humanists to stifle religious expression. The A.C.L.U. has continued to protect the so-called rights of any individual or group that is opposed to Christian moral values. N.A.M.B.L.A. (the North American Man/Boy Love Association) encourages sexual relations between adult men and young boys. They provide instructions on the seduction of minors, where to do it, and what to do if you get caught. A young boys parents filed a lawsuit against N.A.M.B.L.A. in behalf of their son who had been seduced, raped, strangled, encased in concrete, and thrown into a river. Two men confessed to the crime and they were in possession of materials provided by N.A.M.B.L.A.; the A.C.L.U. defended their right to free speech. In Lafayette, Indiana, the A.C.L.U. defended an alleged pedophile who had been convicted three times of molesting children. The mayor had the city attorney seek a restraining order to keep this predator from cruising the parks for life. The A.C.L.U. defended this pedophile in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals where it was ruled that the city could not bar the offender from the public park. This pedophile had admitted to his vile intentions. The Boy Scouts, on the other hand, have been targeted for years by the A.C.L.U. because of their efforts to enable young men to develop into useful, moral, God-centered adults. Another point of attack by the A.C.L.U. is on the sovereignty of our nation. Two of the foundational precepts of Humanism are: (1) Man must steer his own course and solve his own problems because there is no God, and (2) Man must establish a world government which would be run by humanists. The A.C.L.U. has been working tirelessly to introduce international law into our legal system. Our nation owes much of its character to the prevailing influence of genuine Christianity. As Christians spread across the country, they brought their Bibles with them. They had come to mistrust the religious institutions of Europe, and they found that they could learn Gods will at the feet of Christ through His Word. Without the influence of the Puritans who tried to do Gods will, there would have been no self-restraint. When you fail to restrain yourself, someone will be happy to do the job for you. The godless French Revolution produced Napoleon, while the godless Russian Revolution produced Stalin. When we rejected British rule, we kept the rule of law; when we rejected the Anglican Church, we kept Christianity. Robert Frost said that revolution is the only thing that is done better when it is done halfway. Will we allow humanism to unravel our moral roots and steal our sovereignty? The Unitarian Church In the third century A.D., Arius stumbled over the concept of the Trinity. He was branded a heretic. In the middle ages, those who expressed such disbelief were burned at the stake. During the eighty years of the Inquisition (1420-1498), about 10,000 people were burned at the stake. That would be about 10 a month. To put this into perspective: In Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution over a period of sixteen months (June 1918 October 1919), more than 16,000 people were shotwhich was more than 1,000 a month. This was just a warm up for what was yet to come. Since they had just outlawed the death penalty, the killing spree was rechristened the supreme measureno longer a punishment but a means of social defense. Later, within the Protestant Lutheran Church, disbelief of this kind led to exile. Many of these exiles were sent to England and the Americas. They were mostly from Poland and Hungary. From the 16th century on, their ideas began to spread among liberal Protestants. Their unbelief resulted in the denial of the supernatural, specifically the Trinity, the virgin birth of Christ, the Resurrection, Hell and eternal punishment. They found ways to naturalize all of the miraculous events recorded in Scripture. Social and humanitarian issues were their only concern. John Biddle (1615-1662) is regarded as the founder of English Unitarianism. A num-

ber of their members were worthy of praise for their accomplishments. Allow me to list a few: John Milton, John Locke, Joseph Priestley, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. The first Unitarian building was opened in London in 1773; Kings Chapel opened a decade later in Boston. Darwin and Baldwin were both influenced by Unitarian members of their family. Since God is no respecter of persons and since Unitarianism embraces the

condition of the natural man, lets see what God has to say about all of this. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he

cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:12-16, NASB). Bill Mallman
To be continued in the August 2012 issue.

A Childs Profession of Faith (Part 1 of 2)

Our first child will arrive in November, God willing; this has caused my husband and me to start praying about the salvation of the child. But along with that also came the question of how we would properly discern our childs profession of faith if it occurred at a very young age when we may not have assurance of our childs understanding of the Gospel. My husband found a book online entitled Your Childs Profession of Faith by Dennis Gundersen (Amityville, NY: Calvary Press, 1994). I was very eager to read it as soon as it arrived to see what the authors biblical viewpoint would be on this subject. According to what I read, the main point of the author appears to be that parents should look for fruit as evidence of salvation in the child (as in every adult convert as well) before giving assurance to their son or daughter that he or she is saved. Furthermore, the author warns parents not to pressure their pastor to baptize the child if he is not certain of the childs conversion and would first prefer to see some evidence of fruit bearing. Baptism is a step of obedience and submission for the Christian, but as it has no way of affecting our eternal destiny, the parent has no reason to feel pressured to baptize the child as soon as a profession of faith is made. The author points to some Scriptures that he says may indicate the instability of children. Based on Ephesians 4:14, which says, That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;, he claims that wishes, opinions and commitments of children change quickly, and that as a result, they may not fully understand what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and to accept Him as Lord. In Matthew 13:23 the Bible says But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. In addition, the author also mentions that childhood is a time of seed-planting and preparation. By this he is referring to the fact that children are primarily commanded by Scripture to be obedient to their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3) and that as the parents teach the children about the ten commandments and how God expects them to live, that Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith and 2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus will be the result. Overall, I would say that his position in not erroneous. There are some things concerning childhood professions that I believe have to be taken into consideration very carefully. First, it is important to understand that not every child is identical; as a result, children cannot be categorized as a single group. Yes, there are traits that most children share and I believe that it was not wrong of the author to point out instability as being one of them. But I think it is the parents responsibility to have a very close relationship with the child so they will be able to counsel the son or daughter more effectively. It is also very important not to ever pressure a child into making a profession of faith. When I was about ten years old and ready to leave the Sunday School classroom on a Lords Day, I saw how the Sunday School teacher was insistently questioning an eightyear-old girl as to why it is that she was not saved yet and telling her that if she only prayed what is commonly called, The Sinners Prayer, she would be saved. The first problem with this is that a person should never be forced to pray since this action is then not coming from the persons own will or decision, but rather out of fear of the other person (intimidation perhaps in the case of a child), or simply to get rid of the individual by complying with his or her wish at the moment. So the reason for responding then is not a biblical response on the childs or adults part. The second problem is that the sinners prayer in itself does not safe anyone. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who saves us and through Him we receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But many people have the wrong understanding of salvation and think that if a child or any adult they desire to see come to Christ simply speaks these words in the sinners prayer, then they are saved. As if there would be some kind of magic behind this prayer or the words. Yes, many times when a person expresses in words the repentant state of his soul and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, a prayer similar to what people call the sinners prayer results. But the difference is that in this case the prayer was an expression of what was in the heart, rather than just repeating or saying words without even knowing what one is saying. We can look at examples of conversions in the Bible and see how different people responded. We see in Acts 9:3-6 Pauls conversion experience And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. In Luke 23:39-43 we see the expression of faith of one of the malefactors hanging on the cross next to Jesus. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Silvia Albrecht To be continued in the August 2012 issue of The Beacon. Part 2 of this article will include the conversion of the Philippian jailor, the subject of repentance, the inward assurance of salvation wrought by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), and evidence for salvation which may follow a childs profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

July Bible Quiz Questions

1) How was Sennacherib, king of Assyria, killed? 2) How old was Manasseh when he became king of Judah? 3) What did God change Jacobs name to? 4) Who told Mary that her son was to be named Jesus? 5) Which king built the first temple in Jerusalem? Bonus: Why did Jesus speak in parables? Felix Acerra

June Bible Quiz Answers

1) Revelation 1:10. 2) Bezaleel the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, with the assistance of Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan (Exodus 31:1-7; 37:1-9; 38:21-23). 3) King Ahab (1 Kings 16:29-33). 4) Jezebel (2 Kings 9:32-33). 5) Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-9). Bonus: At Aenon near Salim (John 3:23).

The Birthday Corner

July 5th Mina Piraino July 6th William Kirchberger July 13th Warren Teufel July 17th - Barbara Williamson July 19th Kara Hallstrom July 22nd Dennis Tyska July 31st Maureen Glass July 31st Sue Hart

Congratulations to Dennis Tyska, Mike Pandolfini, and Virginia Sylvester for submitting all five correct answers plus the bonus to the June Bible Quiz!

The Anniversary Corner

July 5th Chris & Nanette Glass July 6th Josh & Julie Brown

July 2012
The Lords Day 1 9:45 AM Sunday School Babylon, City of Man (Dr. Vic Bellard)
11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

Monday Tuesday

Wednesday 4
Independence Day (No Prayer Meeting)

Thursday Friday 5
8:30 AM Ladies Prayer Joan Tyska (727-5998)

Saturday 7 12:30 PM Bridal Shower for Shannon Piraino

Fellowship Hall

9:45 AM Sunday School (Dr. Vic Bellard) 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service 1:30 PM Ocean Grove Choir Festival

10 7:00 PM 11
Board of Deacons Meeting

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 115

12

8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

13

14 1:00 PM
Senior Saints Saving America Fellowship Hall

15 9:45 AM Sunday School (Dr. Vic Bellard)

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service (Phil Ormsby will be sharing)

16

17

18 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 116 25

19

8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

20

21

22

9:45 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

23

24

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 117

26

8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

27 3:30 PM 28
FelicianoPiraino Wedding

9:45 AM Sunday School (Dr. Vic Bellard) 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

29

30

31

PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

Wading River Baptist Church

Our Purpose
1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by Gods sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian education, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching. 3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellowship. 4. To extend our ministry throughout America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions. WRBC is affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

For the Exaltation of God in All Things For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ For the Transformation of Gods People