Do Not Learn the Way of the Gentiles

Trinity Baptist Church Deacon, Stiles Watson has written an excellent piece on the subject of the biblical view of education. He begins with the statement in Jeremiah 10:2

“Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen”

He Explains:
The Hebrew word translated in Jeremiah 10:2 as “heathen” is Goyim. The Hebrew word can be translated as “heathen,” “people,” or “nations” and refers to non-Jewish peoples — the Gentiles or unbelievers. We can understand the passage this way: The Lord commands us not to learn the ways or customs of those who do not believe.Young’s Literal Translation has it as “Unto the way of the nations accustom not yourselves.”

"Do believers really need any other argument to pull their children out of the pagan public school system?"

You can read the whole article here:

http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=117

Creative Christianity

My generation (the baby boomers) valued personal creativity over christian substance. We created a number of popular movements which became destructive influences in the church. After fifty years of "Creative Christianity", now we have a church that is indistinguishable from the world.

Three Inspiring Eighty Year Olds

My son David and I had lunch with three very inspiring eighty year old men who are finishing well. They stand out for many reasons. First, each of them desire the Lordship of Christ in their lives. Second they are leading stunningly productive lives. Buck Bunn (right) still practices law and goes to the office nearly everyday. He had to leave our lunch meeting at 1:00 for a tennis appointment. Bill Henderson (middle) goes to his Raleigh office to work everyday and most Saturdays. Yesterday he closed a 350 acre real estate deal. Bill Brown (left), just finished reviewing four books for me on the trends in modern education in the US (public schools and universities). Each of these men have an active role in teaching their grandchildren.

These men keep on ticking, keep on giving, and keep on producing and keep on teaching… inspiring in every way.

We've Been BrainWashed

My Dad says, “ We’ve been brainwashed”

My father just finished a project on my behalf. He read and reviewed four books about our public school and university system for me. He has written me a letter and a report to brief me. These books are about the trends and statistics for what is taught and what is being learned. Each book is devastating. I recommend them highly.



Here are the books.

Jim Black, Freefall of the American University
Eric Buehrer, The Public Orphanage
Brainwashed, Ben Shapiro
The Harsh Truth about Public Schools, Bruce N Short

My WWII generation father says this of his generation:

“We went to war and won and our leaders then allowed our schools and embassy relations create hatred for this country. We paid professors to teach the same hatred for the US that Hitler and Tojo taught their people.

He quotes twenty year old Ben Shapiro,

“Today’s college classrooms are dungeons of the mind. The professors have traded in their textbooks for pornography and communist manifestos. The graduation march has become an assembly line of raving liberals, mindlessly fulfilling the university’s propaganda… Higher education continues to sink lower and lower into the depths of liberal madness as close-minded professors turn their students into socialists, atheists, race-baiters, and sex-crazed narcissists.”

The Fighting Spirit of the French

“Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion.”
Norman Schwartzkopf

"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.”
General George Patton

French Gov Terror Alert

This just in:
The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from 'Run' to 'Hide'. The only two higher levels in France are 'Surrender' and 'Collaborate'. The rise was precipitated by a recent fire which destroyed France's only white flag factory, effectively paralysing their military.

Enforced Silence Up Ahead?

In light of the current trends aimed at silencing the Christian voice, I was startled to read Alexander Solzhenitsyn's statement in the book, "From Under the Rubble" published in 1975. While living under a more advanced form of secularism than ours, he writes:

"The transition from free speech to enforced silence is no doubt painful. What torment for a living society, used to thinking for itself, to lose from some decreed date the right to express itself in print and in public, to bite back its words year in and year out, in friendly conversation and even under the family roof." p4, "From Under the Rubble"

Are American christians headed toward the kind of enforced suppression that landed so many Russians in the gulags? If so, it would be nice if leaders of churches and households would have the presence of mind to fill the minds of her people with the Holy Scriptures that can sustain them if these times fall upon us?

Stu Epperson’s Talk Show

Thank you to Stu Epperson of Truth Talk, AM 1030 http://www.830wtru.com/
for inviting me to tell the story of the Trinity Baptist Church http://www.trinitybaptist-church.org/ and Vision Forum’s, The National Center for Family Integrated Churches http://www.ncfic.org/. The broadcast was about returning to Biblical order in the church and in the home. Stu is a refreshing brother who understands the importance of the issues on the table. It was a joy to field his questions and to review the doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture and to bring praise to God for His Perfect and Holy Word. My challenge to the listening audience was to remember this important doctrine; to trust and rejoice in the simple commands and precepts and examples in the Bible; and to see that there is no precept or principle or example or command anywhere in scripture that supports the idea of the modern age segregated, youth group dominated, Sunday school driven church that is so common today.

40th Birthday & A Study in Exemplary Friendship

It was Doug Phillip’s 40th birthday and his devoted wife Beall invited people from all over the country to celebrate it in my home in NC.



Lester Barham Cooks North Carolina Pork Bar B Q for the birthday boy


Howard Phillips holding forth at Doug's 40th Birthday party

Doug Phillips is a good friend to all, which makes him a study in exemplary friendship. The words I will use to describe his friendship are as follows: The praises, devotions, benefits, joys, counsels, designs, opinions and affections… of a friend. These descriptive words give a sense of the kind of friendship that Doug offers.

Praises of a friend: Doug praises his friends more than any man I have ever known.

Devotions of a friend: He is fiercely devoted to his friends and defends them with vanquishing passion.

Benefits of a friend: I told Doug on his birthday that I was glad he was given a life, because life is different for me and the Brown family, as a result of his birth.

Who is that young man with the rifle in my home?

Joys of a friend: He is joyful because he has no regrets, no major sorrows from sin and no “clouds” hanging over his life. This produces a freedom and a joy that cannot be had when one is encumbered with major regrets. Every man owes it to his friends to live a pure life without major regrets.

Counsels of a friend. Pr 27:9 says that ‘ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel.” Doug is full of hearty counsel that is much appreciated by his friends.

Designs of a friend: Doug Phillips is a hero maker. He makes heroes of his friends.


Doug with his mother Peggy at his birthday party

Opinions of a friend. Because of the ways that Doug expresses appreciation, I have often felt that he thought too highly of me and I know for certain that his other friends feel the same.

Affections of a friend. Howard Phillips, Doug’s father told me that Doug was one of those boys whom, all his life, had a heart to do what was right. His affections drew him to good boys, good thoughts, good images and good actions. In short, he desired what was good.

I stand in the anticipation, for what I think will be the best years of his life. Generally, men are more productive once they pass forty. I am sure that “we aint seen nuthin yet’ from Doug Phillips in comparison to what we will see in the future. As long as humility and heart for God remain, the coming years will be sweeter than the years before.




Honor Phillips gets a ride from his daddy


Emily Smyth serves my friend Doug Phillips on his 40th... You aint seen nuthin yet!

Memorial Day Picnic Powerpunch

I am always amazed at the people of Trinity Baptist Church who invite the whole community to honor those who died serving our country and those who are still living. It is a herculean effort - a labor of love - a marvel - full service and honor.



Trinity Baptist Families Setting up for the Big Day



North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby Opens in Prayer pictured with Jerry Mestas and Scott Brown



Doug Phillips in vintage form and shows clip from Faith of Our Fathers Project, and told stories gained from his recent trip to Iwo Jima - "The League of Grateful Sons". http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/newsletters/newsletter.aspx?id=04-29-05



Rousing speeches were given by Bill Henderson, Buck Bunn, Howard Townsend, George Nickels and Mark Manney. Howard Townsend noted the shocking realization during the first days of training. ‘It’s not about me, it’s about my country” and affirming the truth that "The greatest battle going on today is the battle for the heart.”

George Nickels said about his time in Vietnam, "God was with me, God took care of me. God saw me and he knew about my weakness… God reached way below the bottom for me.”



A Big Thank You to The NC Brass Quintet who graced us with their amazing Singature Big Bands Sounds



Nathan Pease and Deborah Brown sing "I'll Fly Away"



Theodis Strickland (Korean War) sings of God's faithfulness in the midst of wartime tragedy



Trinity Baptist Members, Laura and Grace Bowen serve home made cake to over a thousand people



Mr. Pulley - Jeep Driver In The Battle of the Bulge Returns



Dan Garner - service with a smile



The Howard Phillips and Arnold Pent Families




Don Hart and Jim Zes - Two of my favorite men in the world



Hugh Kennedy (the guy in the middle in the white shirt) brought his Amphibious DUKW which was like the one his daddy drove in WWII on D Day on Omaha Beach. I think that at least two thousand children were driven around in this piece of living history.



Hay Rides by Dan Horn



Jeep Rides by Nathan Garner



Don Albright coordinates servers... Trinity Baptist families put on the whole event. Average age of workers - probably around thirteen years of age. I am always amazed at the strengths of these families who are raising bible saturated, parent directed, adult oriented (as opposed to peer oriented) self governed children - What a Powerpunch.



Claudia Brown and Sophie Albright deal out the hush puppies



Vietnam era OH 58 scout helicopter landed on Ground Zero. Thank you National Guard for this amazing demonstration.



The Trinity Baptist Parking Crew


Charles Eatman brought his munitions display and Jeep and spent the day educating all of us.



The Pearce Brothers and other comrades "just back" from WWII and the Korean War eating Southern Bar B Q, slaw and Hush Puppies




Neighbor Stuart Bulman making things happen



Matt Chancey in three piece suit looking like he makes things happen.



Mike Thorpe and Nathan Barnes and other Hayriders



The Baker Family Serving Cake



Bill Brown sings "Comin' In on a Wing and a Prayer"



Bill and Mary Brown walking home after a big day - 57 years of wonderful, family strengthening, community blessing marriage.

Memorial Day at Brown Farm Coming Soon

Memorial Day (May 30) is one of my favorite days of the entire year. Our church invites the
whole community to honor veterans. We feed hundreds of people, invite speakers
to tell the great stories of valor that make America great, and give prominence to the
message that God is Sovereign in history and that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the sinners of the world.

Plus, it is an opportunity to honor my own father, Bill Brown who served our country in WWII as a P51 Mustang pilot in the Pacific theatre of the war.

We joyfully serve all who come. It is truly a great experience for all in our church and neighbors like Lester Barham and the Bulmans, who help us. Plus, we load the speakers platform with men who understand the goodness of God Almighty and who are not afraid to speak boldly about Him.



Doug Phillips from Vision Forum will be coming and mounting the speakers platform
to tell stories of heroic fathers and their honoring sons. Plus he will show some footage
from the Faith of Our Fathers Film Project.

The Vision Forum Faith of Our Fathers film team recently returned from a never-to-be-repeated “journey of honor.” From Fredericksburg, Texas to Houston to Los Angeles to Hawaii to Japan to Guam to Iwo Jima to Guam to Japan to the Punchbowl of Oahu to Kauai to Honolulu to Los Angeles to Houston to home — we traveled through the Pacific with one of the most remarkable groups of World War II veterans assembled in the twenty-first century. These are the heroes of Iwo Jima — eighty-seven men in their seventies, eighties, and nineties — in the twilight of their lives — who have returned to the battlefield of their youth on a mission of remembrance



Dr. David Lanier will be singing Robert E Lee, and Jeb Stuart's favorite hymns
as well as Stonewall Jackson’s last requested hymn.



Paul Newby, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice will open in prayer



Bill Brown, Buck Bunn and Bill Henderson will pull out the stops and let the wisdom flow.


Mark Manney, will share his story of service in Vietnam



Theodus Strickland, Korean War Veteran will bring a very touching musical piece



Howard Townsend will come to tell us about one of his great lessons
from the Vietnam War




Joe Wirtz, President of The Cultural Commission," will help us remember the great sacrifices of our servicemen by reading the casualty list.

The North Carolina Brass Quintet, headed this hear by Ben Shaw will bring us the sound of the Big Bands.


Lester Barham, pictured below, will be crew boss for cooking the pigs again this year.
It doesn't get any better than that...



I can hardly wait for this day... Please come and let us get to know you.