Why Is Patrick of Ireland So Important?

March 17 is traditionally St Patrick’s Day. As a kid, this quasi-holiday was looked forward to and practiced. We all wanted to wear some green and we all wanted to spot the unsuspecting one who had not adorned in the emerald color so we could give them the playful (and sometimes not so playful) pinch. I suppose most of us knew it to be an Irish tradition but, so far as I knew, no one knew or cared for more information than that.

St Patty’s Day is more than an Irish tradition - it is a Catholic one. 

But then, as a young adult, I became a believer and, in my own pursuit of the church that Jesus built, I came to see that the Baptists are the only Christian people whose faith can be traced outside of Catholicism and back to Jesus Christ. I also learned that Patrick was in fact not a Catholic, nor a Protestant, but a Baptist (in practice - Baptist is not a denomination but a distinct kind of Christianity). 

Every March there appear a number of articles and other materials promoting that Patrick was a Baptist. I saw one article this year by Ken Ham’s organization[1]that promoted that Patrick at least wasn’t a Catholic. 

Someone might ask, “Why is it important?”

Patrick was born in Scotland (some say Wales, on the border of Scotland) in the 4th century. By his own testimony, his father was a deacon and his grandfather a pastor. This is a full 2 centuries before the Catholic Church undertook to evangelize the British Islands and 1200 years before the Protestant Reformation.

His grandfather’s ministry could have easily extended back to the 3rd century. This places Christianity in the British Isles very near to the time of the apostles and supports the claims of Welsh believers that their faith extends back to the apostolic age. 

The significance is this; Baptist’s don’t have to trace an “unbroken chain” through Europe to today. I am convinced that there were Baptists scattered throughout Europe - the Cathari, Paulicians, Waldensians and more. But we don’t have to connect them and find their existence in every place and every century. Patrick is but one evidence that Christianity (remember that Christianity in the U.S. came primarily from the British Isles) has existed in England from the time of the Apostles. 

The world is prone to attack Christianity by shoving in our faces the dark record of the Inquisition, the Crusades and the blotted record of the Lutherans, Zwinglians, and Calvinists. England had its own religious upheaval under the Catholics and Protestants as each vied for power in the monarchy. But there has, all along, been this band of believers in the British Isles who were never a part of Catholicism, never a part of Protestantism and never a part of this dark history of Christianity, so-called.

Patrick is important because he demonstrates that.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

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[1]Answers in Genesis

A Baptist Or Just A Fundamentalist

Recently I shared a graphic designed to describe the difference between a fundamentalist Christian and a Fundamental Baptist.[1]

Fundamentalism is a historical event. Christians of several denominations agreed together to battle modernism within Christianity by promoting five fundamental doctrines true of those in the several denominations. These fundamentals are basic and vague enough that Christians in a broad range of churches could agree. It seems obvious that, though a Christian agrees with them, they do not define his specific faith. The graphic I shared is meant to describe, in very basic terms, the position of. Fundamental Baptist. Amazingly, I’ve experienced some push back just from sharing this graphic. 

One who responded is a young pastor.

I don’t think I know him personally. The church I pastored supported his dad’s missionary ministry maybe thirty years ago. Perhaps he visited our church back then, I don’t know. This young preacher has released a music recording I enjoy very much. For these reasons, I reached out to him. Shortly after the connection, I had reason to suspect this young preacher has been influenced by Stephen Anderson and I backed off my connection.

He was the first to respond to the graphic. He felt it was important to point out that the Baptist distinctive does not mention either the timing of the rapture or one’s position on Israel. 

The second response was from an elderly pastor, now retired. 

I know this pastor quite well. I used to visit his church whenever he hosted preachers such as Bob Gray, Jack Hyles, and Curtis Hutson. I met with him for several days, years ago. The result of that meeting was a simple philosophy statement I still hold to, “Salvation, Instruction and Hope”. (I also learned to be content in whatever ministry God gives me by observing his lack of contentment.) In the final years of his ministry, he changed his standards and his convictions, making a public statement acknowledging this change through a book he authored.

His response to the graphic was to ask;

·       Is a church that does not use the KJV Baptist?

·       Is a church that doesn’t have a deacon Baptist? and

·       Is a church that does not hold to Baptist perpetuity Baptist?

In response 

I would like to point out that the graphic is meant to be a basic description of Baptist convictions. Obviously, there are differences among each Baptist church. I would also remind readers, and those who would push back, that the first Baptist distinctive is a desire to be biblical. We don’t view Baptist history as our authority. We view the Bible as the authority for our faith. 

Regarding the timing of the rapture, I propose it is suggested in the fundamental of the second coming of Christ. I understand that Protestants are frequently post-millennialists and that some Baptists have been post-tribulationalists. However, I insist that the Bible is pre-tribulational in its timing of the Rapture.

As to the issue of Israel, the nation of Israel today is not where God will one day have them. Christians today are the spiritual seed of Abraham, the true circumcision of this age. Still, God’s Word is clear, God will once again take up His people and there is a blessing on those who support them. 

As for the question about the King James Version, this issue has no place in the discussion unless it is implied in the fundamental of inerrancy. My position is in favor of the KJV but bringing it into this discussion is, with respect to the preacher who brought it up, baiting and argumentative. 

The question of the deacons is simple, it has to do with the difference in polity between the various churches. Baptists have only two offices, pastors and deacons, as opposed to the presbyterian and episcopal polities. The distinctive does not require deacons. It does require no other offices (cardinals, bishops popes, etc) than pastors and deacons. 

Finally, on the question of perpetuity, my senior preacher is clearly baiting an argument. Perpetuity is neither implied nor proposed in the graphic. For my part, perpetuity is fact. Baptists are not, must not be Protestant. To believe that Baptists began in England at about the same time as Congregationalists, Pilgrims, Separatists, Puritans and etc., is tantamount to identifying as Protestant and not Baptist.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

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[1]I suppose there is also a difference between a fundamentalist Baptist and Fundamental Baptist.

Victim Mentality

I saw a phrase the other day that went something like this, “Nobody knows the pain others are going through, so be nice. It’s that simple.”

At first glance, that sounds profound. It has so much meaning and sentiment and it is so easy to understand. But I think it is evidence of the victim mentality of the millennial generation. 

The reason it resonates is that so many see themselves in it. Almost everyone has some sort of pain. Most of them have pain that is hidden from the eyes of others. They embrace this phrase because they only wish they could let others know of their pain. 

Here we have the first fallacy - “no one knows my pain.” 

This can’t be true if most people know some pain of their own. It is selfish, self-centered and arrogant to think we are the only ones with pain. But pain does that. Pain, if given place, will rule us, draw us in and make us fixate on self. Pain, if given rule, will make us see ourselves as victims. 

Our first response to pain must be to reject the very idea that no one knows, no one identifies, no one cares. We must no yield to the victim role. We must force our eyes outward and see that we are all in this same boat. Our circumstances may not be identical, but we are not alone. 

Then we must see that the people who do best in life are the ones who move forward despite the pain. 

·       George Washington 

·       George Patton 

·       George Bush

Name whoever you wish who has succeeded in whichever field you wish and realize they got where they are despite their pain. They refused to let pain rule them. 

"So be nice." Here we have the second fallacy. 

Of course, we ought to be nice. It’s a simple concept that simply ought to be practiced. The problem is that the millennial defines “be nice” as “agree with me.”

·       Is it nice for a doctor, who knows his patient is ill, to tell him otherwise? 

·       Is it nice for a teacher, who knows his student has not mastered the subject to graduate him anyway? 

·       Is it nice for the Christian, who knows that one cannot go to heaven without Jesus, to keep back the gospel? 

·       Is it nice for a friend, who sees the damage someone’s selfishness is doing them to smile and say nothing?

Proverbs 27:17  

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. 

Sometimes the nicest thing we can do is be brutally truthful. We don’t have to be mean spirited or angry. But out of genuine kindness, we really must be blunt. 

Nothing good will come from letting pain rule you. Yield to God’s Spirit and bring the pain into submission.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

The Biblical Order of the Family

Over the last few years, I have seen this representation of the Biblical order of the family shared many times. (Note, this version contains some personal additions meant to represent more accurately what I understand to be Biblical.) 

Well-meaning Christians keep the picture going and I do not fault them for it. At first blush, it seems to be a fair representation of the biblical order of the family. It is certainly better than is practiced in many homes, even Christian ones. But it falls short in what it does not include. This failure is in what I consider to be the grossest of areas.

It leaves out the protection of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Is it a subtle teaching of modalism?

Is it a propagation of the Jesus only movement?

It is a gross oversight to forget that our family is the heartbeat of all three persons of the Godhead.

It leaves out the function of the local church in the protection of the family

Besides the Word of God, no earthly element is more important to the family than the church. One could make the argument that, without the teaching of the church, a family’s application of the Word of God is severely hampered.

Two key passages are: 

Colossians 2:9 (KJV)

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

In Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead. Jesus is not God the Father and Jesus is not God the Holy Spirit, but Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead.

Ephesians 1:23 (KJV)

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The local church is the fullness of Jesus.

Get that!

• ·       Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead and
• ·       The local church is the fullness of Jesus

Without the local church then, Christ is only an idea. He functions in and through His body; a local organized congregation of believers instituted into a local church.

Marvin McKenzie
In the Fields

The Importance of Holding Services in Foul Weather

Recently a well-known Baptist preaching commented about the shame that some churches were canceling their services due to inclement weather. I got my start as a believer in churches with his attitude and I’m all for it. I understand that certain comments can come off with more of an adversarial spirit than perhaps the author intends. Perhaps the responses to his comment were a reaction to the perceived spirit of his words rather than the sentiment itself. I have to say, I was surprised at the aggression of the opposing comments.

I would never suggest that a person do what they believe to be personally unsafe in bad weather conditions. I personally know of persons who lost their lives and others who are permanently disabled from accidents that happened as they attempted to get to a church service in the middle of a storm. No one should try to come if it is unsafe to do so.

That said, it is important that church services are held even if the weather is terrible.
The testimony of Charles Spurgeon, arguably the most effective preacher in modern times. Spurgeon was just 15 years old when, because of a terrible snowstorm, he ducked into a small Methodist church instead of going to the church he regularly attended. Weather was so bad that only a handful of people were there. Even the pastor could not make it to the service. After waiting for some time, a layman in the church stood up to offer something from God’s Word to those in attendance. He took his text from Isaiah 45:22 (KJV)

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

He made a few comments about the passage:

"Looking is no work. Anyone can look," etc. Then he fastened his eyes on young Charles Spurgeon. He told him that he would be miserable in life and miserable in death if he did not look unto Jesus.

Spurgeon said at that moment he felt like he could look his eyes away.

He looked unto Jesus and was marvelously saved.

All because a handful of people did not let inclement weather, or the smallness of the congregation, or even the lack of their pastor prevent them from holding church services.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Thirty-nine Years Ago

I was baptized December 16, 1979. Thirty-nine years ago this year.

The days of month happen this year to fall on the same days of the week that they did back in 1979.

It was either this week, or next, back in 1979, that I attended the services of an Independent Baptist Church for the very first time.

I made my made a profession of faith that day and presented myself for believer’s baptism. Pastor Scudder came to my house to visit me the following Thursday to confirm my salvation and to plan my baptism.

Cornerstone Baptist Church in Kennewick had only had its first service the Sunday before I attended. They did not have a baptistery so arrangements had to be made at another Independent Baptist Church, Riverview Baptist in Pasco.

That took a couple of weeks[1]and was, as I said, performed December 16, 1979.

I had gotten saved April of 1977 but had not gone to church since then

When Mike Riggs invited me to go to church with him in 1979, I was serious about going to church, but I am not sure how serious I really was about being dedicated to the Lord.

I do remember I wasn’t thinking church would consume my life.

• I was interested in a girl who lived 35 miles away[2]and the weekends were my chance to spend lots of time with her
• I had parents who lived 60 miles away and I still wanted to see them as much as I could
• I had a job as an apprentice ironworker and I LOVED it

It just never worked out that way for me.

As soon as I attended that church, it pulled me tighter and tighter in.

When I got baptized, it was on the birthday of that girl I was interested in. I skipped being with her on her birthday so I could be baptized.

Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesdays – they all got taken over by church.

Even Christmas that year was on a Sunday.

I worked an overtime shutdown on my job, drove up to see my parents Christmas Eve, and then drove back home to be in church Sunday morning.

Once Anita and I were married, we dedicated ourselves quickly to serve the Lord and have never looked back.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

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[1]Explaining why I can’t remember if my first service was November 25 or December 2. I know I was baptized December 16^thbut I do not recall for sure how many weeks it took pastor to make those arrangements.

[2]We celebrated our 38^thanniversary back in September.