2 SWORD OF THE LORD June 11 , 2021
Summer in Full Swing , Sword at Full Throttle
Full throttle is an expression we all use to say that we are moving forward and making progress as fast as we can . It is somewhat like saying , “ Put the pedal to the metal ,” but there is a difference .
Full throttle is an acceptable speed , whereas pedal to the metal may mean that you are driving recklessly . Although things are very busy with us at the Sword of the Lord , I prefer the full throttle terminology .
It does indicate maximum effort but is not beyond the limits of acceptable protocol .
Frankly , we like being busy b e - cause that means we are helping others .
Fundamental churches look to us for a variety of things that they need and we are privileged to be a help to them .
Pastors , evangelists and mission - aries — God ’ s good men — here in the States and literally around the world are counting on us . We are blessed by their friendship and grateful for whatever partnership we may have with them in the Lord ’ s work .
Families — Christian dads and moms — are also looking to us for materials that will help them in the growth of their marriages and the rearing of their children .
The fact that the Lord has given us the opportunity to assist others of the Lord ’ s workers all over the world gladdens our hearts and urges us to stay “ full throttle ” each day .
Yes , folks , we are here serving our Lord and serving you in what - ever ways we can . I hope you know that what I ’ m saying is , we are excited about it all .
Let me remind you to pray for us and don ’ t forget to stay in touch . Amen !
National Sword Conference , July 19 – 22
Now let me say a word about the upcoming National Sword Conference . We are just about a month out and we are earnestly making a full ready .
If you want to attend in person , call the Sword of the Lord ( 615- 893-6700 , ext . 266 ) and we will reserve a seat for you .
We will be livestreaming the Conference worldwide so that you may watch and listen on your devices . Wherever you are in the world , you should be able to tune us in .
Services ! The morning services will begin at 9:30 a . m . ( Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday ). The evening services start at 7:00 p . m . ( Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday ). ( All times are CDT .)
School of the Prophets ! These sessions will start at 1:30 p . m . ( Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday ) and will be approximately 90 minutes each day , all three days .
Now let me say again how happy I am to introduce and welcome our speakers and those who will be providing the music . These folks are active in the Lord ’ s work . They are faithful servants of the Lord . You will be blessed by their ministry to you .
As we normally do , I am scheduled to be the opening speaker on Monday . Then you will get to hear the following : Mike Allison ( Madison , Alabama ); George Alquist ( Erie , Pennsylvania ); Joe Arthur ( Jones boro , Georgia ); Norris Belcher ( Westminster , Mary - land ); Scott Caudill ( Braselton , Georgia ); Jeff Fugate ( Lexington , Kentucky ); John Hamblin ( Detroit , Michigan ); Dennis Leatherman ( Oakland , Maryland ); Matt Morrison ( Walkertown , North Carolina ); Jerry Ross ( Jasonville , Indiana ); Lou Rossi ( Baltimore , Maryland ); Mike Wells ( Mesquite , Texas ); and Kevin Wynne ( Mexico City , Mexico ).
The music will feature Sterling Walsh leading the singing with David Chamberlain as our pianist . The special music will feature Brother Walsh , Terry Lawson , Chuck Harding , Lonnie Moore , the Barnes Family , the Faith Music Trio and the Marlon Smith Family .
Believe me , you are going to love it , so clear your schedule for
DR . SHELTON SMITH , President , Editor
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July 19 – 22 and don ’ t miss a service .
Vancleave ( Biloxi ), Mississippi Ramsay Hills Baptist Church Blessed Days of Revival
Here on the edge of Mississip - pi ’ s Gulf shores you ’ ll find the well-known cities of Biloxi and Gulfport . Several small towns are also on the outskirts of these popular resort areas . Vancleave is one such town . Just seven to eight miles northeast of Biloxi at 13300 Joe Batt Road you ’ ll find the spacious grounds of the Ramsay Hills Baptist Church .
Pastor Dale Greenwell , an east Tennessee native , came here as pastor in 2018 . He and the church family are busy about the work and happy as they serve together .
They are using the Sword of the Lord soul-winning training to train soul winners . They have their soulwinning visitation on Saturday mornings .
They also have a bus ministry which is starting to open back up .
In recent times , they have started an addictions ministry using the Reformers Unanimous program .
Last year , they started the Ramsay Hills Christian Academy which is off to a good start . Mrs . Greenwell is serving as principal of the school .
During the last year and a half they have adjusted as necessary , but to date they have had only a handful of COVID cases .
I taught the auditorium Bible class at 9:00 on Sunday morning , preached morning and evening as well as Monday and Tuesday nights . This was their spring revival and what a blessed time we did have ! They turned out in a strong attendance and the Lord gave us a wonderful three days .
The church ’ s brochure says they are “ an independent , fundament - al , Baptist church where you will always hear the Word of God proclaimed from the King James Bible .” The front cover says , “ Still preaching the old Gospel and still singing the old hymns .”
Speaking of hymns , they were one of the first churches to order our new Heart-Warming Songs and Hymns and they are loving it .
So , yes , we had a precious and grand time with Brother Greenwell and the folks at Ramsay Hills Baptist Church .
If you live in the area or if you visit the Gulf shores area , be sure you go visit them .
Sword Men ’ s Conference
In the next issue you will see the first ad about our annual Sword Men ’ s Conference . Dr . Dan Carr , Sr ., the pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Gulfport , Mississippi , will join Dr . Mike Allison , Dr . Jeff Fugate and me as the speakers this year .
Because we believe men should take the lead in their families and in our churches and because they need to be successful in their chosen fields of labor , we are committed to helping them learn the principles and gain the skills that will enable them .
So we will have preaching and teaching ( practical workshops ), good music , amazing fellowship and , of course , very special door prizes .
Guys , you don ’ t want to miss this . It will be a delightful time for you .
Thursday Nights in May , Calvary Baptist Church , McMinnville , Tennessee
The last Thursday in May , I drove over to McMinnville to preach one night . McMinnville ( population
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Noteworthy News
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in Bible studies in private homes and singing . With the new permanent statewide injunction , this will never be allowed to happen in California again .
America is not the only place where COVID-19 was used as a pretext to establish harsh and discriminatory measures against religious groups and houses of worship . Bad actors in governments around the world seized upon the cover of the pandemic to discriminate against religious groups .…
The context of an emergency , even a legitimate public health concern , should never be a reason to allow governments to abuse their power in order to target houses of worship or religious institutions . It ’ s a violation of the basic right to freedom of religion and a violation of U . S . law . Governor Newsom just learned that lesson the hard way .
— Arielle Del Turco , WASHINGTON WATCH
Christian Wedding Photographer Sues New York Over LGBT Anti-Discrimination Law
A Christian wedding photographer has filed a complaint against New York over a state law that requires her to service same-sex wedding ceremonies despite her religious objections .…
At issue , according to the litigation , are provisions in state law that … “ forces Emilee to celebrate same-sex engagements or weddings and would require her to promote messages that violate her religious beliefs or require her to participate in religious ceremonies that violate her religious beliefs , something she cannot do ,” stated the lawsuit .…
According to the lawsuit , Carpenter would also refuse to do weddings that include “ irreverent ” themes like vampires or Halloween and would also oppose doing business with entities that promote abortion , such as Planned Parenthood .
— Michael Gryboski , christianpost . com
China ’ s Crackdown on Christians Continues
Chinese officials are detaining Christians in windowless “ transformation ” facilities and using “ brainwashing ” to get them to renounce their faith , Radio Free Asia reported .…
The Chinese Communist Party , which embraces atheism , exercises tight controls over any form of religious practice among its citizens .…
The CCP under Xi Jinping regards Christianity as a dangerous foreign import , with party documents warning against the “ infiltration of Western hostile forces ” in the form of religion .
— Dave Urbanski , theblaze . com
British Politician Apologizes for Visiting Church After LGBT Backlash
Sir Keir Starmer , leader of the U . K .’ s Labour Party , was forced to apologize for visiting a church … that critics have attacked as being “ anti-LGBT ” for adhering to biblical sexual ethics .…
The London-based church has long been attacked by LGBT activist groups and some journalists for refusing to kowtow to secular views on homosexuality , same-sex marriage and sexual orientation .
Following backlash from LGBT activists …
… Starmer said he accepted critics ’ assertions that his visit to the church was a “ mistake ” and stressed that he was “ not aware ” of the church ’ s views on sexuality .
— Ryan Foley , christianpost . com
Sixth Circuit Sides With Christian Professor Who Refused to Call Trans Student by Preferred Pronoun
A three-judge federal appeals court panel has ruled in favor of an evangelical professor who was punished by Shawnee State University in Ohio for refusing to address a transgender student by the preferred pronoun .
Reversing a district court ’ s dismissal of his lawsuit against university officials , the U . S . Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the allegations made by philosophy professor Nicholas Meriwether suggest the university may have violated the professor ’ s First Amendment rights .…
“ Traditionally , American universities have been beacons of intellectual diversity and academic freedom ,” the Sixth Circuit opinion written by Trump appointee Judge Amul Thapar states .
“ They have prided themselves on being forums where controversial ideas are discussed and debated . And they have tried not to stifle debate by picking sides . But Shawnee State chose a different route : It punished a professor for his speech on a hotly contested issue . And it did so despite the constitutional protections afforded by the First Amendment . The district court dismissed the professor ’ s free-speech and free-exercise claims . We see things differently and reverse .”
— Anugrah Kumar , christianpost . com
Gallup Says Fewer Than Fifty Percent of Americans Have Formal Church Membership
While America remains a highly religious nation with seven in 10 claiming affiliation with some kind of organized religion , for the first time in nearly 80 years , fewer than half of them now say they have formal membership in a specific house of worship , according to a new Gallup analysis .…
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