Pastor Jeff Merrick had planned a God and Country conference to run concurrently with the monthly MOIFBP meeting, so the church was practically filled Monday night. Services began promptly at 7 with a posting of the colors. The Bible, the Christian flag and the American flag were ceremoniously brought in and presented in a very patriotic way. Obviously, the Church was used to doing such. After a short service, Bro. Merrick came to the pulpit to preach the first message of the evening himself, the type of service duly expected that to be the case.
Bro. Merrick took us to Genesis chapter nine and announced the title of his message, "God's Origination of Human Government." He showed that the necessity of human government was evident as Adam and Eve were first faced with God's commandment, "Don't eat..." From that simple beginning the need of government had to increase with each new relationship for humankind developed, and by chapter 9 of Genesis, God got to the heart of the matter, about the shedding of blood.
The boundless wickedness of man can only be controlled by government. But the government of God is a just government. Any government that is allowed to rise to power must conform to the government that is ordered by the Word of God. It is a government that protects the victim from the predator, and does not prey upon the victim itself. A God ordained government will protect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of the individual.
After a couple more hymns, Bro. C.R. Curtman, Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church Wildwood, MO, was invited into the pulpit. He took us to Judges 21:25. He assured us that the text was the base of his message, though he would not be dwelling upon that verse. Israel had no king, and every man did what was right in his own eyes. Bro. Curtman told us that this was the picture of a pure democracy. He then proceeded to describe for us, very effectively, the difference between a Republic and a Democracy. He quoted several statements by our founding fathers at the time of the drafting of our constitution, that they were unhappy with the tyrant rule of England, but were fearful of America becoming a democracy. He showed how America was set on a new course from being a Republic by President Woodrow Wilson. He stated that from that beginning there is a segment of our nation that are determined to destroy the structure of our wonderful nation and bring it under a totalitarian rule in order to develop what they believe to be a perfect world. Bro. Curtman's message left no doubt that we must not sit idly by and allow our nation to be snatched by the socialists and if we haven't woke up yet, we need only to look closer to the current occupants of the White House.
Tuesday morning the theme continued with a smooth entrance into the first message by Bro. Thomas Smith, Pastor of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in St. Clair, MO. He took us to Romans 13:1-6. He correctly concludes that most preachers see that verse as instructions as to how we are to treat those who have authority. But Bro. Smith led us in a closer look. He showed that we are not to submit to elected officials just because they are official! He referred to instances where saints refused to obey officials and in some cases resisted official decrees. Highlighting individual words in Romans 13, he showed that according to the true text, we are to be subject to the higher power, that which comes from God. The highest power in our country lies in our constitution. This document confirms the Bible's command to reward the good and punish the evil, not the reverse.
Separated by a congregational hymn and a solo, Bro. C. R. Curtman returned to the pulpit. His text this time was Deuteronomy 32:7. His theme was The Influence of Baptists in our Nation's founding. Obviously, Bro. Curtman has dealt with this subject extensively, for he was well armed with names and instances where Baptist pastors, preachers and laymen were instrumental in every aspect of our nation's founding. He quoted from and about sermons and writings of Baptists as deliberations were being held before and up to 1776. He spoke of the role of Baptists in the preparations of and the authorship of the declaration of independence, the constitution and by-laws. His second point was the role of Baptists in standing up for and the defense of those constitutional decisions.
Bro. Smith then once more ascended the pulpit with the final message of the morning. We read 1 Samuel 8:4-22. Bro. Smith's message said that government will not work if its subjects do not govern themselves. All of us need to search the scriptures to know how to govern ourselves. This message listed numerous instances of what is happening in our government today concluding that we have allowed a corrupt government to arise, because of a lax attitude of American citizenry including us as conservative christians. We can still make a difference if we step up. He referred to a separate role he now plays in his own county. He has been instrumental in forming a group called Franklin County Patriots, http://www.franklincountypatriots.org/
Bro. Merrick told that he has also done the same thing in his county and it is having positive effects.
Just before the service closed, Bro. Merrick invited the son of Bro. Curtman to the pulpit. Paul Curtman is currently running for the Missouri House in the 105th district, just east of St. Louis. He spoke of his commitment to stay in the race, in spite of a labor supported opponent.
