30 Influential Evangelicals In My Life

Who have been some of the top influential evangelicals in my life?

1 & 2.  My parents - I heard the Gospel and gained an interest in missions and learned that God provides needs especially from them as well as my siblings. 

3.  John MacArthur - I learned sound doctrine & gained more of a desire to hear it from him.

4.  Dewey Bertollini - I learned some good principles for life from him.

5-9.  Other Sunday School & church youth leaders.

10.  Scott Ardavanis  -  Back to basics.

11.  Donald McDougall - He set an example in his response to attacks & demonstrated joy in the midst of trials (and taught us well too).

12.  Ray Comfort - He gave me an excitement for evangelism.

13-17.  Other evangelists/street preachers.  - They encourage me to keep distributing tracts, pray for outreaches and are a reminder of one of the big reasons why we are still here.



19.  Nathan Busenitz - He gave me more of an appreciation for church history.



21.  Don Green - Not only does he deliver convicting Biblical messages, but he exudes compassionate pastoral care even without having personally met him.

22.   David Forsyth - He gave a pretty good series on being chosen by God years ago that was helpful (sadly I think they took it from the archives from online).  I appreciated being able to sit under his teaching for awhile before moving from CA.

23-27.  Christian Musicians - Yes, they can be an influence, even though over the years I have found I can't wholeheartedly recommend the majority.  There actually have been some songs that had spiritual messages over the years - beyond the overly repetitive and treating Jesus like a romantic figure.  I did learn some from them.

28.  Nate Pickowicz -  It is an encouragement to see how a small church planting pastor can have a passion for Biblical truth, discipleship, etc., and his enthusiasm rubs off - including through his books.   My hope is that there will be more pastors like him even in my small town.

29.  Mike Riccardi - He appears to have a desire to evangelize, teach well, write well, and serve the church well including teaching seminary.  I only hope he doesn't burn out!  

30.  Doris "Granny" Weaver - She went on to Heaven, but she was an example of love for others in a small church that I went to many years ago now.  She encouraged me, and she encouraged many others in the church.  She showed genuine care for many of us, and we would all do well to be more like her.

There are some people who have influenced my life that I am not going to list.

And for my friends reading this, some of you have had a positive influence in my life as well.

Be encouraged.

It isn't just the pastors and the well-known people that influence people.

The servants, the persevering persecuted and suffering, the caring, the truth warriors, the patient, and others who are examples, all can be a godly influence. 

We may not see the impact until we reach Heaven.

Do You Believe Hell Is Eternal?

God is Holy & pure & there is no darkness in Him. 

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5 NASB

It is fully just for God to punish for eternity (Jude 1:7; Hebrews 6:2; Matthew 25:46). 

Every one of us deserves His wrath. The wonder is that He chooses to save any of us wretched rebellious sinners. We are all guilty (Romans 3:10-20).

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NASB

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Romans 1:18 NASB

The problem is that some want to project their own ideas of what is fair onto God by thinking that eternal punishment isn't fair. 

That is making an idol and actually cheapening who God is - to His being less holy than He is. If murdering a man deserves death (and it does), then how much more are we guilty when our sin is against God Himself? 

Some may question that Hell will have fire, but I won't give up the fact that Hell has fire & brimstone. When the plain sense makes sense, we need not seek any other sense.

Even in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:23-24, the man in Hades was in torment and wanting coolness on his tongue due to there being fire.

"Outer darkness" or "black darkness" which is also mentioned in scripture likely refers to being away from/abandoned by God (a kind of spiritual darkness) and judgment because otherwise there is a very consistent description in Scripture of there being fire & torment (and not just in a parable or allegorical setting).

The question is, do people believe in the authority of Scripture? 

Do they believe Sola Scriptura (if someone professes faith in Christ)? 

The Scripture is clear that Hell is as eternal as Heaven. 

Give up the eternality of Hell and you give up the eternality of Heaven.

Scripture is God's Word and is always true, so whether you believe in Hell or not, it still exists.

Every professing believer should examine the Scriptures to see if their church is actually teaching what the Scripture says (about Hell, the Gospel, Creation, etc.).

“If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.

Mark 9:47-48

And these will go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous into eternal life."
Matthew 25:46

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB

Eternal punishment=Eternal destruction

God's wrath is just, but He loved enough to send His Son to die on a cross & take on the sins of any who repent & trust Christ & His death for them. 

Christ Jesus experienced the wrath of God and died shedding His blood. 

He did this as an atonement for those who were His enemies, so that they might be brought near and have His righteousness laid to their account, and they then become forgiven adopted children to receive an eternal inheritance with Jesus (the Son of God/God the Son). It is a mercy undeserved.

Those who receive the Lord receive the Spirit (God is one yet He is revealed in Three distinct Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Isaiah 53:6 NASB

A Message For Strangers

You never know who you might end up communicating with on social media.

Some people may think that it is not worth your time to engage in conversations on social media.

There are many hardened people you will find online, and they are more blatant in their depravity.
Some think that the internet is just a virtual world, yet they do not realize that behind bold personas, there are often genuine people who may be lost sheep.  God is not limited to your view of the internet.

Yes, I believe that God can use social media just as well as in person communication.
After all, Paul wrote a lot of letters inspired by God.  What I write is not inspired by God (unless I'm quoting actual Scripture that has already been handed down), but I do believe the written or typed word is just as valid as the spoken word.

Lately, I had the opportunity to communicate the Gospel to someone supporting abortion, and today to someone who it seems is a homosexual.
In times past, I've had opportunities to communicate with Muslims, and the list could go on.
I'm a nobody, but if God could give me opportunities...He could give many others opportunities to attempt to give the Gospel to those we might never have the opportunity to meet in person!
Please don't limit your world to face to face only.
For those of us with disabilities, it may be that we know people best through online communication.
Yes, there are positive aspects to "in person" meetings and relationships, but we shouldn't discount those we bump into or get to know online.  Sure, they could be a fake.  I've experienced those, but for all the phonies, there are those who actually are no different than those you will meet face to face.

Here is an example of a recent response I gave...slightly edited..to someone on Facebook..  
I hope that it might motivate you to reach out in whatever sphere God has given you!

Only Christ was without sin. Everyone born today is a sinner by nature. It is because mankind had rebelled against God that they have been given over to all kinds of sins. One of those sins happens to be having unnatural relationships with people burning in desire for those of the same gender. Physically it is not natural, and it is not healthy either physically or emotionally as well as spiritually. There are many types of sin, and we are all guilty before God deserving eternal judgment in Hell. Yet, God in His mercy, sent His Son to die for those who were yet enemies, so that they could be reconciled to God as adopted children. Jesus was fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life that we could not. He willingly went to the cross to die a death He didn't deserve...taking God's wrath for sins He didn't commit, in order that those who repent & trust in Him would be forgiven and have eternal life. He rose from the grave in 3 days, and He is now with the Father. He sent His Spirit to indwell those who believe on His name. I urge you to repent and turn to Christ for eternal life.

Are we the only ones?

First of all, I'll state that we believe in the doctrines of grace. 

That is rare in these parts, but even where some may privately agree on that there can be other issues that make me feel we are aliens.

Are we the only ones left who believe women shouldn't preach?

Okay...maybe we are not completely alone on that one, but it is becoming an increasing rarity.

Are we the only ones left who don't believe women should teach men in Sunday School classes?

The list of those who agree is narrowing.

Are we the only ones left who feel women shouldn't lead the congregation in prayer?

Now I'm even more of a rarity. I just saw a lady writing for 9 Marks whose church thinks it's okay, and I've been to churches that allowed it (which I disagreed with). 

The lady posting on 9 Marks' site was writing under the guise of supporting complementarianism of all things!

This really disappointed me to see 9 Marks posting this. 

Their next article that I saw by a woman seemed to be rather instructive to pastors which only exacerbated me in my disappointment.

Are we the only ones who don't believe women should read the Scripture for the church service?

Okay, I know some probably agree on that one, but the number is becoming increasingly small.

Are we the only ones who don't believe a woman should be the main worship leader to lead the congregation?

So many churches want to push the envelope to see how far they can go in putting women in places of authority in the church.

Does anybody care about 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 or 1 Timothy 2:11-15 anymore? 

This is just one of the issues that I have been dealing with lately that has left me discouraged, but I remind myself that others have gone before us who have stood seemingly alone on many Biblically based issues. 

Each generation of believers must hold fast to the Word of God and sound doctrine based on the truth therein.

We may seem like a dying breed, but the truth never can die out. 

While there are many true Christians who give a little here and there, we shouldn't have to go that route. 

I don't want to have to compromise on any truth, yet I want to obey God and assemble with believers. 

It seems we would have to compromise on some doctrine to do this.

This is our dilemma....