Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Modern Day Tetzel???

Well-known Southern Baptist evangelist Bailey Smith has a remarkable "ministry opportunity" posted on his website. He invites individuals to join the SOUL-A-MONTH CLUB. I'll let Smith explain:

Many times a year I will hear someone say, "I'm not in the ministry, I'm just a layman." We all know that Christian lay people are a vital part of the ministry also, in a very important way.

May I share a ministry all can be a part of and I believe, should be, because of its need in this pagan generation? It is the Soul-A-Month Ministry.

I was at Peace Baptist Church in Wilson, N.C. and made the statement that for every $48.00 given to Bailey Smith Ministries someone will get saved. A couple after the service said to me, "Why don't you start a Soul-A-Month club. We would like to send you $48.00 a month." Ministry born!

Years ago, I read of a ship that had gone down in the Atlantic and a part of the cargo was a large cross to be delivered to a new church. It was floating in the water and a crew member of the sunken ship climbed on the cross to save his life and he was reaching out to get others to the cross. Wow!

I asked a graphic artist to draw me a picture of that and here it is - don't you love it? It grabs my heart every time I look at it.

See yourself saved by the cross and with $48.00 a month you are bringing someone drowning in sin to safety. What a privilege and responsibility.

You can email or call our office for a free envelope. Please keep this envelope in an upright visible place. Sandy and I lean our big envelope against the wall at our desk where we write our check. It will bless you just to see it, and then take the appropriate envelope and mail it to see a soul saved each month.

No, don't reach out to touch someone - reach out to save someone by helping them to the cross of the Lord Jesus. Of course, your $48.00 each month to save a soul is tax-deductible.

Yours for souls,

Dr. Bailey Smith

P.S. - By the way with, some churches it cost $100,000 to $300,000 to see one convert.

Please make your check to Bailey Smith Ministry. Some are giving $96.00 a month representing a soul for the husband and wife.
I have to wonder - Just how does Bailey Smith understand salvation? Another has said well that
the new birth is the sovereign work of the Spirit whom, Jesus said, is like the wind that blows wherever it chooses? (John 3:8).

What would Nicodemus think of this understanding as compared to the words of Christ - that the new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit, going as far as He can go on $48.

It appears that the SBC's insatiable appetite for numbers has led us down a very dark path. Pragmatism now reigns supreme - "if it works it's from God." Tom Ascol makes a poignant comment in response to this, saying:
When I read Mr. Smith's letter my mind immediately went back to the 16th century:
As soon as the coin in the coffer rings
Another soul into heaven springs.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, at $48 per soul, if every American were un-saved, we could save everyone for just a little under 11 trillion dollars.

Should we have a bake sale?

Jim Pemberton said...

Hmmmm... protestant indulgences?

Anonymous said...

And I thought $28 a month was a lot to feed Sally Struthers!!

Anonymous said...

Andy, he said Tetzel, not Pretzel.