THE MODERN OLD BAPTIST PULPIT

[Copied from Glad Tidings, July 2020 (Editor Elder larry Wise). Originally from “The GOOD NEWS Newsletter”, Jan., 2008]

The pulpit today should still be the same; however, I do grant that it

SEEMS very different than when I was a youngster growing up in the

Old Baptist Church. It could be that WE HAVE CHANGED “ourselves,”it

being so very gradual, since we daily and year by year grow IN GRACE

and IN THE KNOWLEDGE of Him—2 nd  Peter 3:18. That is, the

PULPIT, generally speaking is a man-made tangible material entity, yet

it REPRESENTS in PRINCIPLES a FIGURATIVE factor of an Office Work

of the Ministry, whether in a building or not. On a mountain, in the

Valley or down by the Riverside, Preaching the Gospel IN TRUTH is the

“pulpit.”

     Now, just, maybe, we have LEARNED MORE, at our more mature

age, and this knowledge has now stifled our innocent attitude toward

the Pulpit of 2007. I believe WE HAVE LOST that humble, meek

and sincere respect for it ourselves. When I was a very young child my

parents taught me to RESPECT the Church, and at the very moment

that we drove upon the grounds, walked through the front door, and

took our seats, there was a DIFFERENT, sacred, humble, reverential

attitude that settled in over me in this special convocation. This

FEELING lasted until the last AMEN. Then upon leaving this sacred

place as we drove back to our secular abode, the lingering feeling of

that Worship Service still prevailed and was an abiding factor in my

memory for the next several days. I could easily tell the difference in

THAT DAY OF THE LORD, and the days back to school or at work.  We

should strive to retain that SEPARATION of Church Worship, and that

of Daily Chores. It SHOULD STILL be our place of refuge, where

light shines in and darkness recedes. The HIGH POINT of the Worship

Service seemed to be that moment that the Minister entered the

Pulpit. Attention was centered upon the WORDS to be spoken from

God’s Word, and not just “on the man.” That was and now is what

the FOCUS SHOULD (STILL) BE, and not be lost in the shuffle of other

distractions. We should always be keenly aware of the difference when

“common language” is spoken and the Holy Divinely Inspired

“Written Word” of the Lord is quoted.

   Sunday morning was then, and still is, a most SPECIAL, consecrated

area of our life. It is not and never should be a place of worldly

attraction and entertainment. It is that SPECIAL concerted

attentiveness of our Souls, and our bodies are to be presented during

this “separate moment” as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to our

Lord. Rom. 12:1-3