1 Timothy 3:15, "...that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I have always had a high regard for Bro. Pugh’s preaching and depth since the first time I heard him preach. Then I met the man and all that regard increased. In fact, as a young man, I would often say that I could gauge a young minister’s depth and maturity by what they thought, or said, about Bro. Pugh. Perhaps that was wrong of me, but I must admit that I still think this way.
Listen and let this man’s ministry continue to bless you.
This is my sixth installment on the topic of pamphlets written by Oneness Pentecostal writers. This particular pamphlet was written by the late Nathaniel Andrew Urshan, who was the former General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, International.
Title: Scriptures Decree Modesty In Dress
Author: Nathaniel Urshan
Publisher: Pentecostal Publishing House: St. Louis, Missouri
Year: n.d.
Description: An argument from Scripture for modest dress.
“No person should ever feel that their lack inhibits them from being an influence for the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing: Not a lack of education. Not a lack of Christian pedigree. Nor a lack of money. Not the lack of a polished personality Or being an introvert in a world drawn to extroverts. The evidence is clear. Almighty God uses unexpected people to influence the outcome of human history. You can be one of those He uses. Moreover, you should be one of those He uses.” -Carlton Coon, https://a.co/c4igeQs
Publisher: General Home Missions Dept. – United Pentecostal Church
Year: n.d.
Description: This handbook was written when J. T. Pugh was director of the General Home Missions Dept. (way before they changed it to North American Missions)
Title: The Resurrection of the Dead
Author: G. T. Haywood
Publisher: Christ Temple (Indianapolis, IN)
Year: n.d.
Description: Haywood’s theology regarding the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of the dead.
Title: Judicial Procedure (revised)
Author:
Publisher: United Pentecostal Church
Year: 1973
Description: The steps and procedures available to a minister of the UPC.
Way back in 2008, Timothy A. Main asked me the following question: “What do you think are the three steps to revival?”
He had an interesting list and shared it with me.
At the time I was in a rush and didn’t have time to adequately respond to him. It was later in the day that I remembered something the Lord showed me over a year ago concerning sustained growth in our local churches.
Since this is traditionally the time of year when we prepare for the coming New Year I thought I’d post those thoughts for you all today.
I think that there are four key steps to effective and prolonged growth (what some might call “revival”) in the local Church and its surrounding communities.
The psalmist wrote, “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:6). In this verse we find four keys to
Four P’s of Perpetual Growth
1. Prayer
Prayer sets the stage for the miraculous. Prayer is inextricably tied to spiritual growth, whether it is in the individual’s life or in the Church. People who pray consistently and persistently with passion will see results from their time with the Lord. Prayer takes discipline and consecration (not to be confused with concentration) but it is the conduit through which Heaven is reached. When we pray we not only speak to God, but He speaks to us. Prayer sets the stage for the miraculous.
2. Preaching
Preaching is the anointed message of the miraculous Gospel of Jesus Christ. Truly anointed preaching presents Jesus in such a way that people ask the same question asked so long ago on the day of Pentecost and they receive that same anointed answer: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38).
3. Praise
Praise sets the atmosphere for the miraculous. Those who have learned to praise God in everything eventually attain a level of spiritual maturity found only in praise. There are various methods of praise but only one way to praise. We must praise God with our whole heart. A whole heart is one that’s affections are not divided. True praise is authentic and sold out to Christ alone.
4. Personal Evangelism
Personal evangelism is passion for the miraculous. Personal evangelism is that element of inner passion and expectation that propels people to go and tell others about Jesus and what He’s doing today. It is spiritually mature and excellent practice to be a witness of the oneness of God. It is not something that only new converts should be doing. The longer one is in the Church the more they should be going forth to bring in a harvest of souls.
There is more that I could write about for each of these, but the main point is that as we step out of 2022 and into 2023, let’s strive to be praying, preaching, praising and personally evangelizing our communities. If we follow these steps, I’m convinced (and 43 years of living for God has given me some understanding) that we will experience sustained perpetual growth in our personal lives, our churches, and our communities this coming year – perpetually!
More pamphlets in my grandparent’s library written by Oneness Pentecostal authors:
Title: The Titles of Jesus Through the Bible
Author: Robert Bayer
Publisher: Pen-T-Com, Inc.
Year: 1977
Description: preface by Mark D. Hanby. The pamphlet alphabetically lists the titles and scriptural references attributed to Jesus in the Bible. When you say Jesus. Jesus in every book of the Bible.
Title: Jehovah-Jesus: The Supreme God
Author: C. Haskell Yadon
Publisher: ? (Possibly Yadon)
Year: 1952
Description: in the preface, Yadon credits an R. D. Weeks who evidently wrote in 1876 about “the truth of GOD IN CHRIST.” Yadon then revised those writings and published this book to set “forth in clearer light our LORD JESUS CHRIST as THE SUPREME GOD, SON OF GOD, and SON OF MAN.”
Title: The Hair Question (REVISED)
Author: Murray E. Burr
Publisher: Pentecostal Writers Association
Year: 1965
Description: a pamphlet outlining the biblical teaching on women’s hair.
Title: Preaching With Purpose
Author: Paul Dugas
Publisher: Apostolic Book Publishers, PO Box 03956, Portland, OR 97203
There is a possibility that the Pool of Siloam, and possibly the Bethesda Pool, were locations where 3,000 converts were baptized in Acts 2 following Peter’s answer to this question on that day of Pentecost:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:37-39 KJV).
Are the stones crying out? Are they revealing truth in a manner unthought of before in these days of the endtime?
“For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it” (Habakkuk 2:11 KJV).
“And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12 KJV).
If true, then the recent decision to finally excavate the Pool of Siloam may have far greater eschatological importance than what we may currently understand – https://m.jpost.com/archaeology/article-725901
Northern perimeter of the Pool of Siloam. (photo credit: KOBI HARATI/CITY OF DAVID)
“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40 KJV).
The Bethesda Pool, where Jesus heals the paralytic man in the Gospel of John, is a complex site. It appears to have been a mikveh, or ritual bath. As the spot of one of Jesus’ miracles, the Bethesda Pool was built over in subsequent periods with chapels and churches that are still visible today.
What if God, in these last days, is pulling out all the stops and allowing all disciplines of study to reveal the truth of His greatness and the necessity of obedience to the Gospel just prior to His return for the Church?
“Truth shall spring out of the earth; And righteousness shall look down from heaven” (Psalm 85:11 KJV).
If “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse,” (Romans 1:20) then what excuse is even possible when the visible is right before our eyes?
We are beneficiaries of God’s rebuilding project: “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:15-18).
“…from the beginning…”
Jesus Christ has broken down walls of division between Jews and Gentiles to make of them one people, the Church, and reconciled us to Him making us recipients of His promises and members of the household of God with a foundation built upon the apostles, the prophets and the Chief Corner Stone – Jesus Christ, the Rock on whom the church is built (Matthew 16:18).
Ephesians 2:11-22, “(11) Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
The Pool of Siloam is thought to be less than a mile from the Temple, The Bethesda Pool is a little less than 2 miles from the Temple, and many think that the upper room mentioned in Acts 2 was in the outer court of said Temple. If true, can you see the 3,000 walking to those pools? They are rejoicing, dancing and speaking in unknown tongues “the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:1-11).
It is exciting to think that the excavation of these two places is happening in our day, and also that the Lord may be using these ruins to call people to Himself saying, “Surely I come quickly” (Revelation 22:20).
Our dogma revolves around the great biblical truth that there is One God, also called “monotheism.” In his book, The Oneness of God, David K. Bernard, J.D. defines monotheism in this manner: “The belief in only one God is called monotheism, which comes from two Greek words: monos, meaning alone, single, one; and theos, meaning God.”
Ralph V. Reynolds simply stated that “there is only one Supreme Being who is God; He cannot be multiplied nor pluralized.” He further declared, “There are over fifty passages of Scripture that teach that God is one and that there is no other.”
In fact, the Word of God naturally assumes this universal truth. Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created…” God here is the transliterated form of Elohim, which means “plenitude of might,” or more simply, “one God whose characteristics are many.”
This thought is carried further in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD.”
In Colossians 2:9 we are told that in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (all the characteristics of God) bodily, and we (the Church) are complete in Him (Jesus).
When addressing Timothy, Paul wrote of a mystery, but then he further explained what that mystery was, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). Only Jesus Christ fulfills those six points. Therefore, Jesus Christ of the New Testament is Elohim of the Old Testament, which further explains why we are told that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and that all things exist and consist by him, Colossians 1:12-17.
So, we are dogmatic in our belief that there is only one God and Jesus is His name. He is our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Savior. Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Only Jesus fulfills this messianic prophecy. He is the Father in Creation, the Son in Redemption, and the Holy Spirit in us today. Keep this great truth in mind and heart as you celebrate this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!
Bernard, David K. The Oneness of God. St. Louis: Word Aflame Press, 1983.
Reynolds, Ralph V. Truth Shall Triumph. Hazelwood, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House, 1965.
If memory serves, I was eighteen, my sister was sixteen, my brother was fourteen, and my mother was thirty-eight. We were in Indianapolis for a weekend getaway while my father was working somewhere.
So, we four headed to Indy for some fun. It was a great weekend and filled with all the highs and lows that being with your siblings often exposes.
For example, my brother couldn’t swim, and I…unwisely…tried to help him get his head out of the water by swimming below him, grabbing his feet, and pushing him upward. Now, in my mind he was going to automatically stiffen his legs and would then get the air he needed, but in his mind I was trying to drown him. In fact, to this day, he still believes I was out to kill him, and I’ve given up trying to convince him otherwise. The upshot – he learned to swim.
It was also on this trip that my mother let me drive around I-465 as we traveled to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus being held in old Market Square Arena. We were in my dad’s 1986 white Ford F-150 and I guess I thought that since I was in Indianapolis traveling a circular course (I-465) that this meant I could also drive like I was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So, I did.
To this day, I smile and sometimes even laugh out loud when I remember hearing my mother yell out, “Slow this buggy down!” It was funny then, and it’s funny now, but there’s a lesson to be had here.
It’s during the Christmas season when people become so busy that they forget to slow down and think about what it’s really all about, and we all just need to slow our collective buggies down and ponder, remember, reminisce, and give thanks for the Wonderful child who is the good news of this season.
Martin Luther referred to this kind of deliberate reflecting centuries ago when he wrote about the Christmas Gospel:
The Christmas Gospel is so clear that there is little need of learned interpretation. It is only necessary to ponder it well, to contemplate it, and to take it completely into your heart. None will derive more benefit from it than they whose hearts hold still and who divest themselves of material considerations and concentrate diligently on it. This lesson is just like [the reflection of] the sun: in a quiet and still pond it can be seen clearly and warms the water powerfully, but in a rushing current it cannot be seen as well nor can it warm up the water as much. So if you wish to be illumined and warmed here, to see God’s mercy and wondrous deeds, so that your heart is filled with fire and light and becomes reverent and joyous, then go to where you may be still and impress the picture deep into your heart. You will find no end of wondrous deeds.
It’s during this time of year when Christmas Carols and holiday songs are sung and played all over the place. In fact, we sometimes get tired of hearing them. There’s a beautiful song sung by Tony Bennett and played by the late Bill Evans that I like to listen around Christmas time. It would not really be identified as a Christmas carol or a holiday song, but the words, when thought of in the context of the Christmas season really drive home the beauty of the Christmas Gospel.
So, with all we’re doing and all we’re trying to accomplish with just two more shopping days left until Christmas, take time to go somewhere quiet to think about Jesus Christ and what His birth really means to you, or to quote my mother, “Slow This Buggy Down!”
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 