Ray Family Update from August 2017

Dear Praying Friends,

I have never been one to worry about what is commonly called a Life Verse, but the above verse demonstrates my greatest need and desire. The charge is to GROW, but the implementation of this growth is to be twofold: (1) in grace and (2) in the knowledge of our Lord. Simplistically, this could be understood as a call to grow in practice and in doctrine. I often wonder if we, as Independent Baptists, haven’t narrowed our focus to growing in doctrine. Growing in doctrine is scriptural, godly, and part of our calling, but only part of our calling. I want to be the type of Christian that grows in his knowledge of the Lord, but I want that knowledge to make me Christlike. All this reminds me that I have a long way to go.

The sad truth is that most of us are experiencing stunted growth. Most men never see it. After all, we have a handful of doctrinal teachings we learned from our mentors and we can parrot those teachings to come out on top of any internet argument, greatly impressing men along the way. In the end, we mirror our mentors. If we learn only from men, we mirror those men, at times in their successes but always in their shortcomings. If we learn from Christ via the word of God, we mirror Christ. If we mirror men, their maximum potential becomes our own. If we mirror Christ, the potential for growth is unlimited. Hence, my desire—I want to grow, but I want that growth to be twofold: (1) in grace and (2) in the knowledge of our Lord.

Reaching the Lost

According to Acts 20:20 (20-20 vision for outreach), Paul’s outreach was both public and private, both collective and individualistic. One of the most difficult things for any church is to maintain the balance of scriptural evangelism. Unlike many in our day, I still believe in knocking on doors. In even smaller company, I still believe in public ministry (i.e., street preaching). Yet, at the same time, I am open to methods unemployed by the apostle Paul. After you recover from the panic of that last statement, consider that Paul never put scripture on a billboard, or entered a parade, or participated in major tract distribution campaigns. All that being said, we want to do all we can, while we can, to get the word of God into the minds and hearts of the people in Knoxville, TN.

In response to this, we often hear the question, “What good is any of this doing?” Another question is, “How many people have you converted with all this effort?” These questions often come from well-meaning people, but people who do not understand this simple truth of scripture—one man plants, another man waters, but GOD GIVES THE INCREASE (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). The results are not up to us, but the ministry of reconciliation is in your lap (2 Corinthians 5:18). What are you doing in your town?

Edifying the Saved

As many of you know, we strive to write and publish Bible-believing materials in hopes of strengthening the saints. We have written two books for children (one in print, one being prepared for print), four books for families, and a handful of other books to strengthen the saints in sound Bible doctrine. Our latest book When the End Begins is now available for preorder at Bibledoug.com. This book, along with its companion Reviving the Blessed Hope of Thessalonians, answers nearly every attack on the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church. Please pray the Lord will use these materials for His glory!