A Baptist’s Loss Of Salvation

'The Book'
Loved of The Lord, I cannot leave Moldova with out writing about what happened a couple years later. You know how I get into writing about Denominations or the lack of the same!


In the CIS or the former USSR there are two Denominational affiliations. One is the Baptist Union and the other is the Pentecostal Union. Keep in mind that when Stateside Baptists sponsor a mission it would not be to support a Pentecostal Union Church and visa versa.


Probably the mainstay of both Unions over there is neither are what you would call, ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’. In fact, there are minor differences, yet the main one is ‘Talking In Tongues’ and you already know which one does and which one does not. Can you see the smile on my face as I am writing this, knowing some of you have gasped and return to holding your breath?


This is a story (Told to me as being true.) of a Preacher that was Pastoring this little Baptist Union Church made up with a Congregational Government. The preacher was driving the Church Car downtown to take care of some Business. The church and congregation was quite a ways out of town and on his way home one of ‘The Sisters’ had spotted him coming down the street, recognizing the Church Car. She started waving, yelling, while jumping up and down, while the Preacher pre-occupied with the matters before him and windows rolled up, drove right on by, never seeing her.


The next day there was a impromptu Business Meeting called and the Preacher found himself fired, without any income, without a car, without a Church and with out his Salvation. Now even you Armenians have gasped by now and are as incredulous as I was. When I asked how that could be, I was informed that Salvation was held in the Church. Therefore, if you did not belong to A Church you were on your way to hell! I had to throw that in, in case some of you were falling asleep reading the making of ‘The Book’! (Grin)


Until next time … Be Blessed, 1 ©2008

“Thoughts” BrainWashing! In ‘Red China’ ‘In The Church’!

To pick up from my last “Thoughts”:

We all have been conditioned by our customs, culture and rearing to believe what we believe!

For over 25 years I have exhorted all that have been placed in my path; Not To Believe What I Believe! I explained to them then and I am explaining to you now that I would pray for them, To Believe What The Word Of God Teaches Them, thru the Precious Holy Spirit, “In Jesus’ Name!” John 15:26;

And now to continue:

Let me only submit this for your consideration! In Red China, there was, (Allow me this choice of words to only ‘cut to the chase’ …) a ‘Brain Washing’ that was brilliant in its design.

Now what is Awesome, I started this … ‘Thought’ several days ago and just now, in order to have something to back up my premise, by ‘Googling’ I came across this article in yesterday’s TIME. Here is an excerpt from TIME Correspondent Robert Neville’s report:

After about five months of hsueh hsi, a group is called to a "thought mobilization" meeting at which all are urged, one after another, to get up and "cast aside, once & for all, their burdensome thoughts." There are warnings that those who still hold reactionary thoughts or have not yet confessed reactionary deeds will sooner or later regret it. What follows is a kind of political revivalist meeting, or a Buchmanite confessional, at which students cry their ideological sins and profess to see the light of reform.

Read the whole article to have a little more understanding of where I am coming from.

WHALLA! The light goes on! Just writing about my thoughts and I find myself here! Please note that I will tiptoe here because of not wanting to turn you completely off.

I have said over & over again, that each one of us has been uniquely made for HIS Pleasure! Check this out to see if it is not some thing you recognize. Regardless of how much you love somebody, whether it is spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend or even mentor and especially pastor somewhere, some place, somehow you will find something that you disagree with him or her. Now to discuss it with them or not … is another issue. (Which I will address later.) Some of it will be because of that uniqueness and some of it by, our customs, culture and rearing. This subtle mind shaping is good in many ways, as we learn our mannerisms manners and behaviors.

Now, let us address an extreme of this way of thinking.

Starting with a toddler dressed in a belt or vest of mock explosives with family and friends encouraging them with remarks how great they look, and how proud they make everyone feel! This continues through their rearing and education with the ultimate goal is to be a martyr that has eliminated what they are taught to call lowly pigs and monkeys who are in fact other human beings. Joy almost ecstasy dying themselves with No regard for the fact that even others of their own people also die to give their god pleasure and an unrealistic reward for doing so.

A quote from The Making of a Martyr:

On March 24^th 2004, fifteen-year young Hussam Abdu was caught at an Israeli border check point with live explosives strapped around his waist. Physically a dwarf, marginalized by his classmates and considered mentally handicapped by his family, it took only forty-eight hours and twenty American dollars to convince Hussam to violently kill himself as a suicide bomber. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the Palestinian terrorist group that recruited him, did so using two of Hussam's elementary school classmates, each of which they paid one hundred dollars for the job. In an ironic twist of fate, he who had been considered slow and socially inept turned out to be the smartest kid on the block. For at the very last minute, out of fear of death and love for his family, Hussam voluntarily gave himself up to the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and was subsequently arrested. Charged and convicted with attempted murder, Hussam is now serving out an eight-year sentence in the Ha-Sharon Prison, Israel.

This has been going on for over twenty years and accepted as the only way of life. Stop and think that everybody under 40 years of age is a part of this mind set in one way or another. Like the world not being flat, you may take this or leave it!

This keeps on getting longer and longer and I need to post on ‘The Book’, so I will break now before going on with the subtleties of the ‘Brain Washing in and of The Institutional/Traditional Church’

Be Blessed, 1 ©2008

The Complex Structure Of Design! “Thoughts” On Creation!

Loved of The Lord, More on Thoughts, now as it appears that I am on a roll, To God Be The Glory! As I was before the Lord, a couple days ago, I was thinking all the way back to ‘The Beginning’ and the complex structure of even the amoeba. Try to imagine the magnitude of ‘The Thought’ to begin with, let alone the design of humanity, then how uniquely each one of us … created to The Designers desire. A mousetrap needs six different parts to work. Eliminate any one of them and it does not work. Again, the complexity of the lowly amoeba having only one element removed from the millions that make up its form would also cease to be a living organism.

Now how man thinks he is so smart that he is messing with The DNA! I am reminded of derision about Science and God:

The scientist and God are having a conversation and the scientist tells God that mankind no longer needs HIM. And when asked for an explanation, the scientist continues with, “Now that we can create anything, including human life, there is no need for a Creator.” God responds with, “allow ME to see you accomplish this!” Now the scientist gathers all his paraphernalia on his bench and reaches for a handful of dirt. God clears HIS throat, (as if HE needs to) shaking HIS Head and says, “Uh Uhaa, go get your own dirt!”

Praise God! As I write this “Thought” I see where Evolution is under attack this last week. Reading in (The Miami Herald) in Florida and in Texas, (East Texas Review Newspaper) that Evolution is losing support. Nine Conservative Counties in Florida are rejecting the State endorsed Text Books, because of the text is purporting Evolution as an established fact.

Now listen to this!: They do not want it replaced or even that ‘Design” be taught along side of it. They only want it to be a theory and the weaknesses, as well as the strengths pointed out.

The Texas article is from a progressive perspective, badmouthing the State Board of Education and classifying the downsizing of Darwin to be on the same par as replacing condom distribution with promoting abstinence.

Please understand that I know that the ‘Progressives’ and even the ‘Conservatives’ ‘Believe without a doubt’ that they have all the facts and that their perspective “Is The Only Way It Can Be!”

What is interesting is that I KNOW without a doubt … (Do not hold your breath!) … (Here it comes!) … That There Is No Way I Would Be Able to Convince Anyone Of What I Believe! They ( & me too! … Oh Yea! You too!) have been conditioned by their customs, culture and rearing to believe what they … we… do!

For over 25 years I have exhorted all that have been placed in my path; Not To Believe What I Believe! I explained to them then and I am explaining to you now that I would pray for them, To Believe What The Word Of God Teaches Them, thru the Precious Holy Spirit, “In Jesus’ Name!” John 15:26;

Hoping I have your attention now, I am posting this, as is thus far. Watch for the next segment on “Thoughts”. Be Blessed, 1 Posted 080315 www.wonpreacher.com ©2008

Book Burning and Interview!

Loved of The Lord, I have to interject this, Right smack in the middle of The Book, as I am excited about how my writing is not only the bases for ‘The Book’, yet, such an opportunity to Learn More about Spiritual Perspectives and also about Blogging per se. I have a couple other thoughts that have pop up thru this that I will touch on later.

I came across another link of a Spiritual Blogger i.e. ‘Brother Maynard’, and his Blog ‘Subversive Influence’ and I found that I needed to write another ‘News Article’ on one of our Business Sites! Bro. M. interviews Frank Viola and questions him on his position and his republished work ‘Pagan Christianity’. Both of these Believers have come under fire because of their ‘Un-Orthodox Thoughts’ about The Body i.e. ekklesia, (Gk.) and Her Head, The Word Of God Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ!
Bro. M. holds no punches in his five part Review of ‘Pagan Christianity’ and holds Frank to the fire in his three part Interview via E-mail.

You have by now figured out that I do not necessarily agree with every preacher from tit to tat, Nevertheless, these two brothers have stepped out of the ‘Accepted Roll’ that is Demanded from Participators and Spectators of the Traditional / Institutional Church and let their ‘Thoughts’ be known.

Should you be looking for more of The Living Christ in your life, take a gander at my latest ‘Book and News Report’, where you will find out what about the'Book Burning'. Then go have a latte with these two brothers in this “Cyber Coffee Shop Interview”. Afterwards come back Here and tell me what you thought of the coffee!!!

Be Blessed, 1 aka DP

Faith Under Pressure Part 4 (Trip To Moldovia)

'The Book'

Loved of The LORD, I will again back up a paragraph or two to lay out a little more ground work. Remember when I arrived in Minsk I was told that I had two weeks to be orientated and would then find another place to abide. See: Sunday, January 6, 2008. This trip was taken before that first two weeks were up.

The first move was to the flat owned by Olga Korbut (Four Times Olympic Gold Medal Winner)

This is where Patrick’s & ‘my newfound’ friend Rich Lived. He worked for a US Company that was working with the Belarusian Government for Agriculture and I believe something to do; with Toxic waste clean up. Nevertheless, they had offices all over. He became aware of our adventure and mission to Chisinau and said he would do what he could to make a connection down there for us.

When the four of us got off the train, we started to look around for someone who was looking for us and not a hundred feet and we heard this, maybe middle thirties, woman hollering in our direction as she was making a b-line for us. She came right up to me and excitedly started talking fast to me in Russian and before I could get out a ‘Ya ne pony mi yoo Paroskie’ all the way out, (I do not understand Russian.) the boys started explaining that to her.

We found out that Rich’s office there in Moldova had contacted her and had given her a description of us and she spotted me right away. You can see in the last post that I had a full beard and with the topcoat and 'Ushanka' hat. (That is a traditional Russian winter headwear. Ushanka is roughly translated ‘Hat With Ear Flaps’) I was told that I looked like a Russian Gypsy Wood Cutter, but that would be an oxy-moron. Gypsies do not chop wood, … they steal it!

Talk about being blessed … She had a car and a four room flat and she was going to put us up and drive for us in the daytime for a hundred US Dollars. All we had to do was buy the groceries. She took us to the open-air market and we were going to be there about 5 or 6 days, so we bought a few vitals and headed home. She introduced us to her son who was an older teen, and Pat & I slept in a double bed in the guest room, the two boys slept in the son’s room, one in the bed and one on a mat on the floor and the son slept in his mother’s room. As strange, as it was to Pat and me, it must have been the norm in special situations; the boys never mentioned that to us nor we to them.

That evening Pat and I took her to dinner, so we could express our gratitude. The strangeness of our arrangement grew each day, while at dinner she explained to Pat that her husband had been killed a couple years before, not really saying how. He was apparently high military and so were her parents. When we offered her bread, she emphatically refused it, as she emphasized needing to keep her shape. Which I had noticed was in very good condition. Somewhere in the conversation, she let us know again that she would run us in the day time and we would have to make do for ourselves in the evening, as she had business appointments then.

The next day we went looking for Pat’s connection and to make some contacts for the time they would establish a beachhead there latter on. I think it was about two years later Pat had received his teaching credentials during the trips back home and Jamie was administrating in Belarus. Then they accepted the opportunity to open another school in Chisinau. That is another story in itself!

The preacher we were looking for had moved and a neighbor explained where he had started a church and off we went. When we arrived, he was not there, but we met another preacher, who was looking for him, too. Mix as he called himself was a missionary sent out from an established faith church in St. Petersburg. He was looking to see if he could help rent the first preachers place, so he could hold meetings there too. I will write more about Mix Later on.

We finally placed the rest of the books and we had found a few other ministries that we conferred with about the work and the fruition of the same. One was a Baptist from Texas, who had a small congregation of about thirty or forty people. When Sunday came, we made sure that his Church was one we visited. It was an on fire group and we really enjoyed our fellowship there.

More next time. Be Blessed, 1

©2008

Faith Under Pressure Part 3 (Trip To Moldovia)

Pat Took Picture of Gena, Andre and Me

Loved Of The LORD, We paid the porter for our Chi (Tea) then and for the next morning and got comfortable. Pat and I got the bottom bunks and the two young men, Gena and Andre were happy in the top two. There was a fold down table under the window. We left it up all the way, as it was stacked with our provisions for the trip.

We sang to The LORD and laughed about many of the crazy situations and issue involvements that it took to get this far. I have no doubt that they would have made Pat & I hang it up had it happened back home.

We had all just fallen asleep when we made the first border crossing into the Ukraine. The stopping of the train had us almost awake when Immigration banged on our compartment door. Pat understood most of the conversation between the Officer and the … let me just refer to them as ‘The Boys’ for now on. I was catching the gist, by the inflection of their voices and the body language. I knew there was a conflict developing and informed later that the Officer wanted to go thru our bags. This is where Pat put his foot down, because of the effort to exploit a share of anything found as payola to let us pass. Here was a reminder of my several adventures crossing into Mexico again.

After finding out that, we were not to be intimidated and his time to check all the passengers for pass ports and visas running out the Officer move on to the next compartment. It was an hour later after the boys explained everything before we got back to sleep.

Waking up early and taking turns with all the passengers on our car to toilet privileges, the porter had brought our hot Chi and we partook of some of the provisions we had brought. BTW! The bath had a sink with cold water and the toilet itself was a straight hole to the railroad ties below. I took note not to be walking along side of the tracks outside of town when a passenger train was passing.

Later that day we crossed in to Moldova and stopped again for Immigration. Remember that Pat and I did not have a visa for Moldova. The citizens of the former USSR only needed their passports and had access to all the Confederacy of Independent States. i.e. Called the CIS for short.

We opened the door in response to the rap and were in anticipation of anything that could possibly happen. When the, older this time, Officer asked for our passports, he glanced at the other three and when he got to mine he did a double take on mine as he looked back at me a couple times with a smile on his face. My passport picture was of me clean-shaven and now I had a full rap around beard. He wished us all the equivalent of, ‘Have a pleasant trip’, as he handed us all back our passports and then said, Das ve danya, as we closed the door.

The boys were incredulous at Pat and I having skated through that issue so smoothly! Pat & I, aware of the boys un-belief played it for what it was worth and gave everybody the look that we expected it to happen that way. To GOD be The Glory! Later when we were alone, Pat & I discussed how surprised we were too! Nevertheless, we BOLDLY ENTERED Moldova and were inspired to believe GOD for anything. We will talk about some of those things next time. … … © 2008

Faith Under Pressure Part 2 (Trip To Moldovia)

Loved Of The LORD, as you who are following this story know; one of the main reasons for me to make this adventure was to encourage and help the Saws get down to Moldovia (Now called Moldova). We needed to make an explorative trip to see where they would set up a camp to operate. Pat had made a contact in Chisinau the Capitol City and the contact had requested some books in Russian by Word Of Faith authors … Preacher/Teachers for his little Church.
So we started to put “Irons in the Fire” to get thing moving, My experience in my walk with The LORD is that it being a ‘Joint Venture’ that we start finding doors to go thru and HE Will open them before us. (Yet of course knowing that if it was not to be HE would use the Philippian Stop Sign . Php. 3:15)

Because of the conglomerate organization we knew the Brother that was in charge of the ‘Churches Of Faith’ organization and we set an appointment with him. Talk about a Gracious Servant he loaded us down with the latest works of all the well-known Authors. We had to stop him from loading us up anymore, as there were only to be four of us to make the trip and we had to pack every thing by hand.

The next thing was to get Visas for the Ukraine, as we had to travel thru there to get to Moldova. That was won kind of wrestling match, as their Embassy bureaucrats made us labor, getting appointments and then finding out that we needed different paperwork and on and on for almost a week. That in itself was a cakewalk, as we made many trips to the Moldovan Embassy, as they did not have a working telephone and every time we went there … no-body home! Nevertheless, we received the Ukrainian Visa the afternoon before we left on the following day. Oh what a hassle getting the train tickets, as all visiting citizens of other countries had to pay an arm and a leg to ride. We had the two young Belarusian men from the Saw’s Bible study running interference for us all thru this ordeal. They finally bought four tickets for nationals, as they were going with us. Do not believe that we question them how that came to pass, as we did not really want to know.

Not having a Moldovan Visa, we decided to chance it and make the trip anyhow. We had to have the Ukrainian Visa, as we were already aware of all the stories of non-Visa traveling passengers who were thrown off the train at the border and waiting for a returning train to return them to Minsk. We knew that GOD had designed this trip and HE would get it done!

By the way, we had to go on this assignment at this time, as the Pastor of the NonDenom Church was taking his family back to the San Diego area for some R & R and Pat was going to be Pastoring while they were gone. That was only to be for a couple weeks, which developed into several months, which is another interesting story in itself. We smiled many times, about what the Sponsors back home would go thru should they find out what we were doing.

We finally boarded our train the next morning and were off on our twenty-two hour ride to Chisinau. Now what I need to remind you is about when the Saws got to Moscow and said that they were on their way to Moldova, the response was, “It is a long train ride to Moldova!” 12 hours to Minsk and another 22 to Chisinau!
We will pick up on this next week! Be Blessed! ©2008