Straight From Pastor Ey

Once there was a pastor who was baptizing converts. He accidentally stepped on the foot of one of the participants. At that time the poor participant was suffering from an ingrown toenail. When the baptism was over, the pastor was shocked to see the blood in the water. He begged for her forgiveness. “Why did you suffer this pain in silence,” the pastor wanted to know. She replied, “I thought it was part of the ceremony.” Seriously now, there’s no need for blood in the water because the precious blood of the Lord was already poured out on the cross 2,000 years ago. Baptism doesn’t save us. Faith in Christ saves us. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV) But, that doesn’t mean that we put it off or that we undermine its significance. We believe this is an initial, important act of obedience. It’s a public declaration of faith. Faith in Christ alone for sal...

Let me share a story I adapted from “People Sharing Jesus” by Darrell W. Robinson: Once there was a group of fishermen living near a lake teeming with fish. And the fish were hungry. Week after week, the group met to talk about their call to fish, its abundance, and how they might go about fishing. They carefully defined what fishing means and declared that it will always be their primary task. They searched for new and better methods of fishing. They sponsored special meetings called ‘The Month for Fishermen to Fish.’ They built large, beautiful buildings called ‘Fishing Headquarters.’ They loved slogans such as ‘Fishing is the task of every fisherman.’ However, one thing they didn’t do: They didn’t fish. They also organized a board that sent out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. They hired staffs and appointed committees that held many more meetings. They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide conferences to debate, promote and hear about all the ways of fishi...

“Once upon a time there were four men named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody and Nobody did the job that Anybody could have done in the first place.” (Anonymous) In other words, as one writer wrote, “If it’s everybody’s responsibility, it’s nobody’s responsibility.” We tend to assume that others are supposed to be responsible, not ourselves. Sadly, that’s how people view evangelism: “It’s the pastor’s duty, not mine.” But it is our responsibility. I can’t do it alone. You can’t do it on your own. Together we can do it. You and I need to share the Good News of salvation to those who haven’t accepted the Lord Jesus ...

Since the other week, I got a lot of text messages requesting for divine help on the alleged impending execution of Bro. Ferdie Flores, a missionary in East Timor. In fact, I got SMS as far as Canada. Frankly, I’m wary of forwarding text messages like that. So I double-checked it. Well, I learned that there is really a Bro. Ferdie Flores and that he is really a missionary in East Timor. However, the rumor about his execution is just, well, a rumor. It is not true. Actually Bro. Ferdie, Jeannie his wife and their two kids are facing persecution daily. Last week a mob of about 250 people did surround him with stones, sticks, and machetes. But the Lord intervened and the crowd dispersed without incident. As of now, according to his pastor, things are calm yet violence could erupt at any time. Bro. Ferdie needs our prayer. But, contrary to reports, there was never an arrest or an execution. It’s very much like the Gospel. Most people heard the facts about the Lord Jesus Christ. They knew H...