Unregistered Baptist Fellowship

There were twenty Essays entered in the Crisis in the Church Project sponsored by The Trumpet and AVIDD (American Veterans in Domestic Defense). Judges were Pastor Jim Grove, Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Loganville, PA; Wiley Drake, Pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Vista, CA; Judge Roy Moore and staff of Montgomery, AL; and Jim Cabaniss and the AVIDD staff of Houston, TX.

Dr. W.N. Otwell, Pastor of the Heritage Baptist Church in Mt. Enterprise, Texas, and Josh Douglas Smith, a 23 year old free lance photographer and web developer from Berwyn, PA, tied for first place. Joey Faust, Pastor of Kingdom Baptist from Mansfield, Texas, was second. Four entries tied for third place: Pastor John Steven Brown, Everett Ramsey, Jimmie Warren and Alwyn Williams.

This all came about some months ago when Mr. Cabaniss sent one of the most startling e-mails to The Trumpet, with three of the most thought-provoking questions that we had ever considered. Those questions were pertaining to the Lord’s churches after the following statements.

“I am deeply concerned with the obvious erosion of the Christian Church in America. One does not have to be a Rocket scientist to notice that the Lord's Church is experiencing a diminishing image even among the Christian community.

“The news media, Hollywood, the pornography industry, the abortion - Planned Parenthood effort, the "Gay" and Lesbian agenda, the ACLU and certain other organizations are openly showing their intent to destroy the influence of the churches in our society. Even our government is now declaring that there is no God. For example:

“In the final minutes of Former Chief Justice Roy Moore's encounter with the Alabama's Court Of The Judiciary on Nov. 12, 2003, Attorney General Bill Pryor questioned Judge Moore under oath.

“Following is an exact exchange of Judge Moore's powerful witness. The Attorney General asked, "And your understanding is that the Federal Court ordered that you could not acknowledge God; isn't that right?" Judge Moore said, "Yes." Pryor continued, "And if you resume your duties as Chief Justice after this proceeding, you will continue to acknowledge God as you have testified that you would today?" Judge Moore, "That's right." Pryor, "No matter what any other official says?" Judge Moore replied "Absolutely."

“On the basis of that testimony the Alabama Court of the Judiciary removed Chief Justice Roy Moore from office and stripped him of his reputation. Then they removed the Ten Commandments Monument from the Alabama Supreme Court Building.

“It is becoming clear that our Government has taken the position that there is no God, which also means, that to the government, there is no Jesus Christ either, and in the end it will mean no church in America as we have known it.

“Pastor Dixon, this is shocking to my family and me. I personally believe that the Bible believing and teaching Christian Church is the most important establishment of God in the history of the world. Please help me to understand what is going on in our Churches. Please consider the answer to the following questions:

1) What is the problem?

2) What is causing the problem?

3) What is the solution to the problem?”

Jim Cabaniss

Following is an essay by Brook Stockton .

Other essays will be featured in subsequent Trumpets.

Brook Stockton was a Baptist pastor most of his life, and was Dean of Men and Professor of Theology at Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had first-hand experience with the incorporation issue when his deacon board, made up of government workers who feared for their security clearance, pressured him to resign the pastorate after he refused to register Forest Meadow Baptist Church (SBC) with the IRS.

Bro. Stockton, 63, currently leads an unregistered home church in Albuquerque and is involved in helping local Christians who are facing legal trouble due to some government instrusion. He is in the process of writing a book on God and government.

CRISIS IN THE CHURCH

By Brook Stockton

(1) What is the problem?

Following the advice of Statutory, unconstitutional Lawyers uneducated in Biblical studies or the Constitution (Lk. 11:46), the church compromised the Headship of Jesus Christ by becoming 501 c 3 organizations (Col. 2:19-not holding the head). The results are as follows: Legally, the IRS became the head of the church; Constitutionally, the church forsook its First Amendment Rights; Spiritually, instead of being a prophetic church it became a non-prophet or what that not-for profit organization.

(2) What is causing the problem?

A. The church is ignorant of its Biblical authority, the whole discipline of law, jurisdiction, the law of God, and the Constitutional restraints put up on government by WE THE PEOPLE.

B. The church as a whole has a wrong view of Romans 13. 501 c 3 organizations called "churches" erroneously believe it the duty of the "church" to submit its authority to the government; that the passage requires unlimited obedience of Christians to the State; that the State is a god it must obey; that Congress has authority over the church; that the church must obey the IRS no matter what; that it cannot take collections (offerings) if it is not a 501 c 3 organization; that civil law, statutory law, maritime law designed for corporations are binding on all Christians.

3) What is the solution to the problem?

The church/pastors/elders/deacons need to repent for making the IRS the head of the church and compromising the headship of Christ (Rev. 2:5); to break its "unequal yoke" with government (2 Cor. 6:14); Claim its Constitutional rights and to saturate itself in and understanding of the church's authority and JURISDICITION! Finally, a thorough study of the Bible on God and Government; God's law v. man's law; the limited authority of the family, the limited authority of the State; and the limited authority of the church would be a good place to start. If this were done, the Bible-believing church would once again become a tool in God's hand to bring our nation back to the God of the Scriptures.