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All right, we're here in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 the name of the sermon is an acquired taste an acquired taste and just last month I was talking to some of the men here at church We're talking about foods that are an acquired taste and I was thinking to be an interesting sermon idea So that's that's the name of the sermon. What is an acquired taste? It is an appreciation for something unlikely to be enjoyed by a person who has not had substantial exposure to it It is the opposite of innate taste or natural taste Which is the appreciation for things that are enjoyable by most persons without prior exposure to them So some basic examples of what this is, you know children love things that are sweet. No child says I don't like candy Right, but if you give children something that is sour or bitter or spicy I mean, they're gonna be like, ah, I don't like this, right? I mean kids can't take it because they have not yet acquired the taste for that food just a few weeks ago our son Ezra he's very makulit and There was some vinegar on the table and he ended up getting some in his mouth and he's crying and he hated it And here's the thing when we were kids. We wouldn't have liked vinegar. We wouldn't have liked spicy food. We want the candy, right? We don't want something that's sour or bitter but then as you get older your body starts to acquire the taste for other foods an Example for myself the first time my favorite food in the Philippines If not, my favorite food overall is sinigang. I love sinigang, but I did not like sinigang the first time I tried it I mean, I remember taking a bite and I'm just like, you know, what is this? It's so sour It's like I've never had anything like this before right? I mean if you're gonna have somebody from you know Another place try a food take adobo because every single person in the world likes adobo But with sinigang the reason why you might be like wow because it's such a shock to the system because it's different Right, but now over time, you know sinigang became my favorite food because I acquired that taste Right. Now what I'm doing is using this as an example for our church because our church is an acquired taste It doesn't come naturally to people because we're not the natural man We don't preach the things of the world and so it's something that it takes people time to acquire the taste To enjoy which they might not first enjoy when they come turn your Bible 2 Timothy 4 look at verse number 1 First thing is the sermons the sermons at this church are an acquired taste I get it. A lot of people hear me preaching and they're just like what is that? Right. They get mad at me. They don't like what I have to say notice what it says in verse 1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom Preach the word the instant in season out of season in season means when it's popular Out of season means when it's not popular, right? You think of fruits and vegetables and they can be in season or out of season and they don't taste good out of season But if I was saying whether it's in season popular or out of season unpopular you preach the word You don't change the message due to how popular or how well it's going to be received the Bible says Reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine now reprove is a negative term Rebuke is a negative term Exhort is a positive term and what the Bible is basically showing you is most of preaching ought to be negative not positive You say but I was watching Joel Osteen and he never says anything negative Right you say why would most preaching be negative have you seen what's going on in our world? It's not like the average person's reading their Bible It's not like the average person loves God and because this world is so sinful most preaching ought to be negative I mean look if you're raising kids and your kids do something wrong. Are you gonna say something positive or negative to them? Right they bite another kid good jobs out keep it up Doesn't make any sense They got to be reproved or rebuked because of what they did and the world and that we live in today is a very Sinful and wicked world and you need more than just your best life now You need more than just grace grace grace peace peace peace no matter what you do. God loves you just the same Well, that's not what the Bible teaches the Bible teaches Reprove rebuke exhort verse 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and Shall be turned on to fables. The Bible says there's going to come a time when people do not endure sound doctrine They don't want to hear the truth of what God says now the mindset of non-denominational churches in 2023 is that well brother Stuckey what you're saying is true, but it's it's not proper in this culture or time 50 years ago you could preach like that against the LGBT but look everybody loves vice pongies Everybody's got a cousin. That's a homo So you can't preach against the LGBT because you're gonna offend people But see the Bible is saying here that even though they don't endure sound doctrine how much the more preach against these things So you don't avoid preaching it because it's out of season You preach about the issues of the day that you live in I would love it if I never had to preach about the LGBT ever again but I'm sorry when I walk around I see cross-dressers everywhere and You have to preach about it into that especially here in the Philippines where it is a major major issue Right whether it's popular or unpopular Even though it's not popular in today's world so much the more it ought to be preached because it's an issue turn to Titus chapter 2 Titus 2 But here's the thing this is not what people are used to from church I Mean the church you came to before you came to hear it very Baptist Church. They didn't preach the same way that I do They were much more loving than brother stocky, right? They showed so much more peace and grace than brother stocky Yeah, well they preach love love love and then they force you to give your first fruits offering Everything they really love you They're so obsessed with money, but they say love love love. I mean they just love me so much You got to be kidding me. It's like you are a fool that you can't just trust what people say But what the Bible says is reprove rebuke Exhorts now of course with all long suffering and look when people preach from the pulpit and preach of the authority They do it with patience and long suffering they care about the members they pray for the members But it doesn't change the fact that you preach the truth. I mean in the Old Testament Didn't God say Ezekiel I want you to preach this message, and they will not receive it well, right Jeremiah preaches message. They're not gonna receive it well isn't that with with every single prophet of the Old Testament So why would you think the Word of God would be received well now? I mean they killed the Lord Jesus Christ, and they have tried earlier as well They cut off John the Baptist head, but in 2023 if you're right with God and preaching everyone's gonna love the message Are you insane do you ever see that in the Word of God? Right, but you preach like this, and it's such a shock to the system It's like man I was expecting M&Ms and then brother Stuckey's up there, and it's like synagogue is like man I've never tasted anything like this before Titus 2 verse 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us which is referring to us that are saved teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly Righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed. Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifying himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Look we are meant to be different than the world We're meant to be peculiar wouldn't you think the preaching here ought to be different than what the world is saying? If our preaching was just like CCF or victory or a non-denominational church Then how are people going to be peculiar if it's just like everybody else? If you want people at church to be peculiar and different and live differently the preaching ought to be different And look here's the thing not everybody likes this preaching. I didn't say they did but it's different and Nobody could deny that and the Bible says this in verse 15 these things speak and exhort and rebuke With all authority let no man despise thee well brother Stuckey you can't preach like that in 2023 hey let no man despise thee with all authority I will preach the Word of God whether it's popular whether it's unpopular you say why because that is what God has called me to do Turn your Bible to John 3 John 3 You Ever wonder this question Why is it that I being a member of Verity Baptist Church? I love this preaching But most people don't Why is it that no and you know make no mistake about it? It is not just unsafe people that don't like this preaching There are plenty of safe people in fact most safe people don't like this preaching Why is it that you like this preaching so much and yet a lot of people would never like this preaching? Well one of the major reasons is because people want to live on Godly People don't like this preaching a large reason why they don't want to live for God John 3 verse 19 and This is the condemnation that light is coming to the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made Manifested they are wrought in God and the Bible saying the person that doesn't want to live for God He wants to live on Godly. He doesn't want the light shined on his life You say why because he's guilty It would be like you walk into your house at nighttime and the lights are off man. It looks clean Then you turn on the lights. Oh, man. It's really dirty. Let's just turn off the lights That doesn't fix the problem my friends But people live sinful lives they live wicked lives, and they don't want the light being shined under sin They don't want people to realize that hey, you know what I'm guilty so instead of fixing their problems They just avoid a church like this because they can go to plenty of churches where they're going to pat you on the back and say Everything's okay God loves you no matter what you've done God loves you and you're doing a great job, but that's not this church I don't just pat you on the back and say hey whatever sin you committed. It's okay as long as you give me your tithes We don't do that at Verity Baptist Church. We shine the light on sin We show what the Bible says and here's the truth sometimes that hurts Hard preaching is always great until ouch that saying reproaches me also Right and all of us we hear the preaching that hits a little close to home and our first reaction. It doesn't feel good But you are a fool if you'd rather be lied to and live in darkness because it's the shining the light that is going to Cause you to fix the problems in your life, but one major reason people don't like the preaching is they want to live ungodly They don't want to serve God. I mean if you don't read the Bible you don't want someone saying hey We're there in all the days of our life, or you're not right with God Right if you want to listen to worldly rock music, and I get up here and say hey rock music's of the devil You'd rather just go to a church where they don't say that Why because you don't want to make any changes in your life go to Matthew 21? Matthew 21 See if you like this church, and you like the preaching here, it's because you actually want to serve God But that's not everybody in 2023 in fact it's not most people in fact. It's very very few people Very few people actually want to serve God Very few people actually want to live for God, and if you don't want to live for God Why would you want to come to our church? I? Mean honestly it wouldn't make sense our church does not appeal to as broad of a group of people as other churches I Realize that our sort of church is very specific, but correct me if I'm wrong. We're not really struggling for members There's plenty of people here in Metro Manila and outside that come to this church Because they do want to serve God they do love God and I say hey You know what all the other preaching it's no different than the non-denom And so I'll make the trip here to Verity Baptist Church because it's different than other churches Matthew 21 verse 28 But what thank ye a certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said son go work today in my vineyard Hanson said I will not but afterward he repented and went and he came in a second and said likewise in the answer and said I go sir and went not One of them twain did the will of his father they say I'm only first Jesus saith unto them This I say unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you now Jesus gives this parable about two types of people and he says this man is a son that says I will not do it But he does it and there's another one who says I will do it And he doesn't do it, and then he said which of these did the will of the father which one is the father happy with? What's going to be the person who said I'm not going to do it, but he ended up doing it. You know what's interesting There's a lot of people in this church started They love the new IFB they love this new church But then with the preaching all of a sudden it hits a little bit too close to home and even though they said they want to live For God they didn't actually want to live for God and there's people in this room right now That when you heard the preaching I offended you I Made you mad You say how do you know that I saw your face? You don't like what I had to say But God said be not afraid of the faces I said things that made you upset and you got mad at the word of God But then you repented and did it you did what was right because even though it hurt when it hits you you Actually want to serve God you actually want to do what is right? You see here's the thing when you sit at home and listen to online preaching You know what the amazing thing you can do is avoid sermons that you're guilty of Let me look through all these sermons by Pastor Menace. Why rock musics of the devil? Oh, no, I like rock music I'm not gonna listen to that. Let me just listen to another sermon about the homos Let's see inside of church. You can't really avoid what the topic is It is what it is. And if you're guilty, you just gotta admit it and say you know what? That's what God says. I'm not gonna be stubborn. I'm not gonna be hard-hearted. I'm gonna admit it and make the change Turn your Bible to Ephesians 5 Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians chapter 5 And that's not the only reason why people don't like the preaching here That's the primary reason the biggest reason people don't like the preaching is they just don't want to know the truth I don't understand why you'd want to be lied to But the Bible speaks about it throughout the Old Testament where they want to be lied to Just just say that everything's okay, brother Stuckey and there's people most people that are saved would rather be lied to I don't understand that because I'd rather just get the tough truth to fix my problems, but that's not the way everybody thinks But another reason people don't like the sermons at this church. It's not that they don't want to live for God It's just they aren't yet close to God And so for example, they're walking in the right direction to get to God But they're still so far away that the preaching really hurts when they hear and I'll show this to you in Ephesians 5 verse 11 and I've no fellowship with the unfulfilled works of darkness But rather reprove them for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light For what so ever doth make manifest is light and the Bible says everything that's reproved is made Manifests by the light and what the Bible is saying is the closer you draw to God the closer you draw to God's word All of a sudden you're going to see more problems Doesn't that make sense? The brighter the light is shining the more you can see I Mean if it's dim, you can't really notice but as the light is shining brighter all of a sudden you start seeing more problems Or as you go closer to a mirror you start seeing more problems. It's maybe you didn't see from a long distance away Right. Well, here's the thing some people they do want to live for God But they're honestly not very close to God. And so this preaching is so extreme that it hits the tongue. It's like What is the synagogue? Or it's like what's this wasabi? It's like whoa But I've never had anything like this before Right. Anyway, it hurts because they're not close to God and they don't fully see it. They don't fully get it They think I'm a little bit too extreme on stuff In fact, I'm sure there's people in this room that think I'm a little bit too extreme on certain things But you know, the truth is the more you're here it starts actually that's that's actually what the Bible says, isn't it? Doesn't seem so extreme anymore. And so you might have thought when you first came to this church Well, you know I like the preaching because I learn a lot and I'm motivated but brother stuck is way over the top and now all of a sudden You're just like Actually, I agree with this. It makes sense Well, let me give it here. Here's that the test analysis whether or not you like the preaching if you like the sermon I preached a couple weeks ago. No, it's not yet to the Philippines is destroyed That's the rudest sermon I've ever preached and a lot of people like that's the best sermon you've ever preached brother lucky Because you have acquired the taste of Verity Baptist Church You are now used to the preaching and you realize actually that is what the Bible says. It's the truth It hurts, but that's what the word of God says Right, but some people you know what it's gonna take them time because they're new to this I'll give you my personal testimony of listening to preaching like this now. I've been saved for several years I very much understood the repentance topic already, but I remember the first time I listened to a sermon by Pastor Anderson way back in 2008 I think it was or late 2007 a long time ago And I remember I first listened to a sermon of his and he answered a question on the Bible form about Exclamation points and punctuation in the Bible. So I went to his website in the first room I listened to was John 3 you said why John 3? Because I understood salvation very clearly and I don't want to listen to someone that's wrong about it so I was like, well, let me hear what he says about John 3 and See if he's on the money and I remember I thought I knew John 3 really well And then I listened to the sermon and I learned so much from it and I was like wow You know, honestly when I started listening to his preaching regularly, I was motivated I learned a lot of stuff, but honestly, I thought he was way over the top on stuff It's like why does he hate the homo so much and see some of you you probably think that about me right now And when you first started hearing this preaching you certainly thought that Why does brother stuck he preached about the LGBT so much? Well, actually, you know, I kind of get it now I'm understanding the reprobate doctor now I understand the issues with pedophilia and all this stuff and the dangers is like, okay now it makes sense But as you are further from the light, it didn't fully make sense to you yet But as you get closer now the Sun you're like, hey, you know what synagogue is my favorite food But the first time you try to you're like, well, this is extreme, right? Our church is very much like Wasabi that's why our new name for a church is gonna be Wasabi Baptist Church now I'm just kidding very long on that, right? I looked online out of curiosity yesterday There's no Wasabi Baptist Church in the world. Not even in Japan I was like that'd be a good name for a church, right, but that's not gonna be the name. Okay, but anyways one thing That is an acquired taste about a church. It's the sermons It's very different than what most people here have heard at their old churches and some people like it Some people hate it. I didn't say everybody's gonna like it. I've never said that I've just said our church is different because here's the thing foods that you really like you get the mindset Everybody will love this if they try it enough. Isn't that true? So I remember when I was younger It's like I I hated the game halo when I was young and I'm not for video games, especially shooting games But I never got it and they're like if you play it enough, you're gonna love it. I Didn't like it Lot of games people said this is a greatest game. If you play it enough just 50 hours, you're gonna love it It's like I'm sorry. I don't Right or for example, let me give you a food that I have never acquired the taste for and I try it every two months Faithfully for the last six years kimchi Everyone says it's an acquired taste. I don't like kimchi It's not for me I tried it many times and in this room this is a church split sort of topic some people here Love kimchi. It's one of those foods. It's like foods like durian wasabi kimchi. It's like you either love it or hate it There's no in-between Right. I'm on the anti-kimchi side, but if you're gonna quit the church over that it's like my wife's favorite food So there you go. You can stick in here. Okay But I never acquired the taste for and certain foods You're just never gonna acquire the taste because your taste buds are just not made that way We're designed differently by God and certain things. You're just never going to acquire the taste for now Here's the thing our church some people will never acquire the taste for because they just don't want to live for God they don't want the truth our church is not the church that appeals to the broadest group of people a Food like adobo Everybody likes I have never met anyone that did not like that food now I'm sure there's somebody but it appeals to everybody Grown up with kids every kid loves candy. What kid has an M&M hit their tongue and they're like But here's the thing even though our church doesn't appeal to everyone I'm not trying to appeal to everybody That's not my goal My goal is to preach what God says and I realize it doesn't appeal to everybody we're not gonna be a mega church We're not gonna be the biggest Baptist Church in Metro Manila. I'm okay with that. You say what because we're doing what God says One thing is the sermons Another thing that's an acquired taste about our church are the songs. The songs are an acquired taste Ephesians 5 verse 18 the Bible reads and Be not drunk with wine We're in a success but be filled with the Spirit speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Bible says speaking yourselves in Psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs now Psalms would be like the book of Psalms They had it's a song book that was actually sung in older times And then you've got hymns which would be similar to the hymns that we sing at church Now, of course, they had different songs, but it's gonna be very similar and with spiritual songs I consider spiritual songs something like, you know, follow me and I will make you fishers of men has a good message It's kind of a catchy tune. It's got good words to it. That's what I would consider a spiritual song but songs like that not CCM Christian contemporary music not Christian rock See you say what's the problem because remember what we said about an acquired taste and acquired taste is something that's not innate It's not natural. Well CCM is just like the music of the world. It's the natural music that your flesh likes and So automatically people like yeah, you know, it's very similar to Aerosmith just different words Very similar to the Beatles. I love it Is that the way music supposed to be a church though? Our church is an acquired taste because you hear these songs and a lot of people would say what is that? Give you an example when I was in college I worked at Little Caesars for a little while and at times I was the head manager at Little Caesars and the rule at the company was whoever the head manager is picks the music so when I'm the head person at Little Caesars, guess what we listen to and Can it be? that I Should gain I mean the co-workers hated it They're like, how can you listen to this garbage? How do you like this? I was like, how do you not like it? Right, but I mean they're the natural man. They're unsaved. They're not going to enjoy it They don't even have the spiritual man to understand it Well, here's the thing though the songs we sing in our hymnal you would have never liked that as an unsaved person But now that you're saved you enjoy it why because of the words They have meaning they have impact they're different than the world turn your Bible to Colossians 3 Colossians 3 Colossians chapter 3 Now I will say this and I'm not preaching a whole sermon on music it's been a while I probably should again, you know, it's not just the words of music though The melody itself has an inherent meaning behind it you what a lot of people don't agree with that I'm sorry. It's a fact You can listen to the melody of songs Like for example that are just instrumental from various countries and there's a meaning to it like ancient Egyptian music Or music from India. I mean it has a meaning behind it and here's the thing. It's not like the songs we sing Yeah, it's just like Metallica with Christian lyrics No, the melody is also different and the unsaved man doesn't like that melody but the same man does The same man loves those spiritual songs and the Psalms and the hymns so it's not simply the words You say what's wrong with CCM? We can just take you know, the rock music and put good words to it It would still be garbage because the melody itself has a meaning. I Remember when I was just a young person in college and the you know, the worship leader as they called it at the church I was at because I was at a very non-denominational type Baptist Church He's like check out this song and he's like he took amazing grace And he put it to the tune of the song the house of the rising Sun's anybody know the song the house of the rising Sun God bless you. I see that hand, right? It's like an older song and it was like Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I'm sorry That's garbage Amazing grace is a great song not amazing grace set to the tune of some worldly drug addicts That wrote the house of the rising Sun Because the melody itself also has meanings but it's a shock to the system because wait a minute. Wait a minute my old church I mean the music was you know, very similar to the rock music I used to listen to now I come here and it's like that wasabi. I mean that wasabi Baptist Church their music, right? Colossians 3 verse 16 Let the Word of Christ Colossians 3 verse 16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and demolishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord But I was very clear in this and you know throughout the book of Psalms it talking about praising God praising God praising God Well, how do you praise God? Well, you praise them through the music you play and also with the words that are being said the songs that we sing should be praising God and not ourselves and They should be talking about the things of the Bible Things that are true things that are correct. It ought to teach doctrine So for example with our songs you have songs like nothing but the blood there's power in the blood. Are you washing the blood? What does that teach the blood of Christ is required for salvation? It reinforces what we believe But here's the thing if you sing a song that's that specific. Well, John MacArthur's offended Because whether you realize it or not, John MacArthur says you do not need the blood According to him Jesus could have jumped off a cliff and that would have been good enough. Well, I'm sorry That's not what the Word of God says when you sing songs that have words that have meaning it will isolate certain people from listening or think about the song the Holy holy holy right God in three Persons blessed Trinity doesn't that teach what we believe but what if you're a oneness Pentecostal? What do you do? God is one person Blessed unity you just change the words They're not gonna like the song holy holy holy you say why because it rebukes their heresy And see when you sing songs that have real words what happens it offends a lot of people Because they don't agree The songs we sing are not going to appeal to a Muslim Right, they're not going to appeal to a Hindu They're not going to appeal to a Buddhist. But you know, what song will appeal to a Hindu our God Is an awesome God, I mean hey I agree with that Right some Hindu this worshiping Shiva. I agree. God's awesome Some Muslim I agree. God is awesome That's not the songs we sing in our church You say why because they teach and reinforce what we believe go to Romans 12 Romans 12 Romans 12 I Remember when I got saved and I started to try to live for God and of course, you know When you get saved, you know, you're in dwell with the Spirit of God, but you don't magically change you stop Carnal and sinly, you know sinful desires and you slowly are gonna draw close to God Or at least that's the goal and I listen to the wrong music Right. I loved Aerosmith was my favorite band I love AC DC and Alice Cooper a lot of dark and very sinful stuff and everything and I felt really guilty Because as I was going to these Christian or so-called Christian groups I mean people are listening to Christian rock and I thought man I need to make some changes I remember I went to a Christian rock concert It was free at the university people invited me from campus crusade and I went and I showed up thinking it's gonna be like godly music and all the people had really long hair these men and they're like You know banging their heads is like this heavy metal version of Christian and I walked out After a few minutes because I was like, I thought that people were listening to godly music and I realized actually You know the CCM music isn't godly at all. Now, of course, I didn't justify what I was listening to But I was like, well, that's not the answer As the Bible says I put a new song in your mouth. Well CCM isn't really new. It's the same thing It's not different right Romans 12 says this in verse 1. I Beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service and notice this and be not conformed to this world Look CCM music will say that they're conformed to the world because they want to reach the world. They don't even claim That they're not conformed to the world They're trying to be worldly because how are we gonna reach drunks if we don't play the music they like Isn't that what they say? They are conformed to the world. They claim they're conformed to the world. They don't claim they're not Our music is not conformed to the world. What does that mean? It means the world would not like our music, right? They wouldn't like the songs that we sing. They don't like the sermons. They don't like the songs Bible says and be not conformed in this world But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God turn to Acts chapter 2? Acts 2 And if you don't believe me on that, let me just quote you from a famous Christian singer And I don't know a single song with this person, but I've seen his face a lot of times online So I guess he's very famous. His name's Don Moen if I'm pronouncing that correctly Don Moen, by the way He doesn't exactly look like a manly guy He looks extremely effeminate just from looking at him, but Don Moen is his name I guess he's very famous and here's an interview. He did a while ago and this is an interview It's pretty shocking from before the year 2000 or around that year answers a long time ago But this is what he says in an interview with Christianity today Don Moen of integrity music Said I've discovered that worship music is trans denominational Now the word trans we don't even like saying that now but it's used in other contexts, but hey trans Denominational is also offensive. What is it saying? It's saying hey worship music it appeals to Catholics Just like it appeals to Baptists and Pentecostals and INC and I'm dotting Don we can all it's trans denominational Regardless of what your beliefs are you can enjoy the same music and he said it's trans denominational Transcultural it bridges any denomination He is claiming his music every single person will like it Regardless of what their denomination is and I just say this it's not just trans to not trans denominational It's trans religion doesn't matter what your religion is They won't say that but look that the CCM and worship music it goes across outside of the Christian realm and appeals to everybody says trans denominational bridges any denomination and then he says 20 years ago. There were many huge divisions between denominations today I think the walls are coming down and any concert that I do I love 30 to 50 different churches represented more than 700 San Antonio churches representing over 50 denominations I mean can anyone even name 50 denominations of Christianity 50 denominations? Have joined together for the Graham Crusade referring to the Billy Graham Crusade, by the way Let me explain to you what happened at a Billy Graham Crusade Because it was a trans denominational worship service and preaching service overall So if you walked into a Billy Graham Crusade and you are a Lutheran when you got to the front They would point you to a Lutheran minister to hear a false gospel If you are Catholic you go up they'll point you to a Catholic to give you the Catholic version of the gospel And so Billy Graham was always this organization Let's appeal to the Catholics and Lutherans and Presbyterians And I guess his message was really appealing because he taught repentance of sins for salvation Listen to interviews online. He says Jesus is not the only way to heaven He said that there is no literal hell You can go online and listen out of his own mouth Let me tell you something Billy Graham died and he realized there actually is a real literal hell When somebody gets up and says I don't believe Jesus is the only way to heaven they're not saved I don't care how popular they are. I don't care how prominent they are That's not a bold statement to say Jesus is the only way to heaven I mean as a Christian that's kind of like yes, of course, Jesus is the only way to heaven But at his Crusades, you've got people this worship music and people from all these denominations and it says That their hope to attract South Texas youth with big-name Christian rock acts like Amy Grant DC Talk Charlie Daniels Band Michael W Smith Steve Green and Jason Velasquez now, I don't know who Steve Green and Jason Velasquez is I've heard of Amy Grant and DC Talk and Michael W Smith I don't know a single song by them, but the one that stuck out is the Charlie Daniels Band the devil went down to Georgia, I Mean his famous song the devil went down to Georgia The devil makes a gambling bet with his man over and he's like, I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul so basically if you lose this fiddle playing competition you sell your soul to the devil if you win you get a fiddle of gold and Literally in the song the guys like my boy that the boy said my name is Johnny and it might be a sin But I'll take your bet and you're gonna regret cuz that I'm the best there's ever been you say brother Stuckey How do you know the words to those song because here's the sad thing when you allow stuff to come into your mind? Doesn't really leave I can sing that entire song I haven't thought about that song for over a decade and I saw this preparing for the sermon that Charlie Daniels been Literally, I could rapid-fire sing the song which is kind of the way the song is sung And it's like manual at little kids, you know, you want to hear something important Don't let things come into your mind that are wrong and sinful because you let things come in. It's very hard to get them out People that are adults in this room would say hey, you know what? I hear that old song I used to listen to and I start singing it without thinking about it and you feel guilty about it But you've allowed it in your mind. You can't easily push it out. That's just the way it works I wish I could shove a lot of things out of my head that I learned or I was inundated with from my past But you can't Doesn't work that way but my point is this he's not exactly a Fundamental Christian that you're listening to the devil went down to Georgia And of course one of the most famous acts that performed for Billy Graham was Johnny Cash. I Shot a man in Reno just to watch him die Well, that sounds very godly there. That's the person look. I'm sorry. We're not having Charlie Daniels or Johnny Cash lead the music at our church Someone who through his own music is saying sinful and wicked things, right? Turn your Bible to Acts 2, Acts 2 Acts 2 You Say brother Saki that offends me. Well, we're an acquired taste You might acquire it. You might not that's the way it is that the sermons of this church They don't appeal to everybody. They don't like me being a little bit too truthful The songs of this church, they don't appeal to everybody. I love the songs of this church. I Love the melody and the words behind them Doesn't appeal to everybody The socialization at our church it does not appeal to everybody now, this is very specific if you come from a Catholic background Because here's the thing if you come from a Catholic background, you don't really talk to people at church You kind of show up and you leave Right. I grew up in a Protestant church and I'm not even sure if you're allowed to say anything during the church service Right, but it's like, you know, nobody really talked you just kind of show up Nobody looks happy to be there you sing the songs you get it over with you're out of it And so the Protestant Church is very similar to the Catholic Church, right and probably over half you were brought up Catholic You don't really socialize with people at the church Let's see in a real church Socialization is actually important. You need to get to know the people at the church that you're a member of Baba says in Acts 2 verse 41 then they that gladly receive his word were baptized and The same day they're added on them about 3,000 souls now notice verse 42 and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking a bread and in prayers, so look It's not just the doctrine that matters the fellowship also matters the socialization also matters Look, we're designed to be around people and have friends that you talk to Look, I grew up in West Virginia and I understand the mindset Hey, I just want to have that house up on the mountain where I never see anybody I'll just work and go home and never see anybody but you know in reality if you have that situation you would be miserable because we're designed to be around other people and So when it comes to being part of a church you need to socialize and get to know people and what I found is Once people make that decision to start socializing and they develop friends That's really the key to getting people to stick around at our church. It's not just the sermon It's not just a doctrine. It's not just the songs. It's also the socialization. That is a huge part about a church Growing, I mean it might not seem like much to you it's like people stick around and eat lunch after the sermons, but I think that is a large part of why our church has grown and Even outside of that when you're going so winning you're socializing with the people that you're going so winning with so winning with right? That is a very important part of our church growing go to Matthew 28 Matthew 28 Matthew 28 We're not like the Catholic Church you don't just show up and leave I mean you can do that if you want But you're missing out on a large part of what this church is if you don't get to know anybody at church Because our church is not just brother Stuckey sermons That is not what this church is only that is a part of what our church is and don't misunderstand me the doctrine matters But it's not the only thing that matters at this church the fellowship or socialization is very important and once people get connected with people That is why they're going to stick around the sermons are an acquired taste the songs are an acquired taste the socialization is an acquired Taste the soul winning is an acquired taste Bible says in Matthew 28 verse 18 and Jesus came and spake unto them saying all power is given on to me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever commanded you and lo I'm with you all way even on the end of the world. Amen Now this is known as the Great Commission where you get people say you get them baptized and you teach them to observe all things And it says teach all nations and that is not merely talking about an online ministry or even mission strips What it's talking about is getting churches started in other locations And so here's the thing when it comes to other countries in other locations What they really need is a church in their local area. They can be a part of But what the Bible is saying is the main focus of our church is so winning, right? I mean would anybody deny that I mean Bob says preach the gospel to every creature. I mean that is what our church is about It's like the last two Mondays so winning marathons every Saturday all day. So winning Right me so winning so winning sewing that is what our church is and I would never apologize for it because that's what Jesus left people with Right, I mean even in Acts 1 it's it's talking about reach this area and then spread out onto the uttermost part of the earth I mean everywhere preached the gospel get people saved But here's the thing if you come from other Baptist churches and maybe you're really good at singing You're like but my ministry in my old church was I would sing specials from time to time We don't have specials at our church and we have choir Sometimes but that's it But here's the thing if you want to be right with God you have to go so winning Because follow me and I will make you fishers of men and that's a bit of a shock to the system because it's your own Church are involved in all these ministries you feel close to God and then you come here It's like well, it's not good enough gotta go so winning, right? Of course, it's your free will but that's the reality and then you come to a church like this because look at other Baptist churches It's not like everybody is going so any at those churches 400 members with 15 people involved in any form of evangelism But they have a lot of ministries at the church. It's like I run the basketball ministry You know, I run this ministry and it's just like you feel like you're close to God But here it's like actually you really got to go so winning to really get involved in the real work for God And it's a bit of a shock to the system to people Maybe people like the preaching They like the songs. They like the socialization, but I don't really want to go so winning now Of course, you have free will to do what you want But if you want to be right with God part of that is going so winning That's what the Bible teaches go in your Bible to 1st Kings 19 will close up 1st Kings 19 1st Kings 19 See a lot of churches you show up to it's okay to be a spectator And look we're happy if you're a spectator at a church. We're happy to have you But here's the thing. It's like if you really want to please God, you've got to actually do the work You can't just show up and leave and never go so when he never me and it's like well, you know But I you know, I'm right with God because I go to the church It's like no actually if you really want to be right with God you got to go so winning And here's the thing at our church You might you might feel that urge or that motivation to go and you're like man, you know, I've never gone before Hey, you can be a silent partner and that's perfectly fine. We will pair you up with someone You don't have to worry about being thrown on the spot to start talking You can be silent at first you can learn many people in this room They started at our church being a silent partner and praise God for it And now they're a speaker and they're teaching other people There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I started as a silent partner. Isn't that how everybody starts? You say why because it's not innate. It's not natural. It's an acquired taste to go soul winning It's like randomly go up and talk to people. It's like no, it's not me. I Get it I don't consider myself and out. I'm sure everyone thinks I'm outgoing because I preach the sermons I never consider myself an outgoing person. I Would have never thought I'd randomly go up and talk to people I also when I randomly talk to people sometimes on the inside It's like I try to make every excuse not to talk to them. I'm afraid I'm nervous and I have to work up the courage I also still go through that sometimes Everybody does you say why because the natural man doesn't find it normal to randomly go up to people Because so many is not an innate thing. It's something that by the Spirit of God God gives you the boldness to do so you come to a church like ours. It's like man so winning. I Don't know if I can do that, right? Number one we said the sermons are an acquired taste They don't come naturally because it's not the natural man that I'm preaching to I'm preaching to the spiritual man The songs once again, it's not the natural music you hear of the world The socialization is like we're not a Catholic Church if you come from a Catholic Church It's like you're not really used to socializing with people at the church But that's an important part of church. The soul winning is very unique to people It's not a natural thing going up to people and talking to them Lastly the scriptures and what I mean by that is not just showing up to church to hear the preaching But go home and read it for yourself Read the Bible for yourself Bible says in 1st Kings 19 verse 3 And when he saw that he arose and went for his life and came to Beersheba which belongeth to Judah and left his servant there But he himself on a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree and he requested for himself That he might die and said It is enough now O Lord take away my life for him not better than my father's And by the way on a side point he leaves his servant in verse 3 and then he's really depressed in verse 4 Socialization is important Verse 5 and as he lay and slept under a juniper tree behold then an angel touched him and said unto him arise and eat and He looked and behold there's a cake baking on the coals and a crucible water at his head and he did eat and drink and Laid him down again now in a literal sense Elijah is hungry and thirsty and he needs to rise up and eat food But all scripture is given by inspiration of God and what is God trying to tell us? It's saying arise up and eat the Word of God Read the Word of God Memorize the Word of God then in verse 7 it says and the angel the Lord came again the second time and touched him and said Arise and eat Because the journey is too great for thee and he arose and did eat and drink and went in the strength of that meat Forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the Mount of God see the determination of how long of a journey you can go on in Your spiritual life is directly based on how much you consume the Word of God. I Mean if you never read the Bible you never memorize the Bible You never hear good preaching. You're not going to go on much of a journey for God but if you wake up diligently every day and read the Bible and memorize the Bible and hear good preaching because you consume So much scripture You can go out and do great things for God and it's completely up to you I mean, how much do you want to do for God in your life? You say brother stuck? Yeah, I just you don't want to be a church member. That's kind of half in half out Okay, you don't really have to read a whole lot But if you want to do something great for God, you better rise up and consume the scriptures on a daily basis Now, why is that unique? Because people don't read the Bible in 2023 I Mean someone at my church told me that their old Baptist Church the pastor asked, you know who has read the Bible cover to cover and then He raised his hand and like nobody else raised their hand and then he puts his hand down because he's embarrassed like oh whoops Nobody's raising their hand. That's the reality of Church of hundreds of people and nobody's read the Bible cover to cover. I Mean, it's crazy Because it takes 15 minutes a day to read it once in a year 15 minutes day, but here's the thing if you go to a church that doesn't preach about it You don't really feel motivated to go you already feel like you're right with God because he gave your first fruits You're gonna want to give your first fruits to God, you know what that's called wake up and read the Bible Give your first to God wake up read the Bible pray spend personal time with God. That's what God wants from you But that's not what people normally do in 2023. I mean the average person out there. They've never read the Bible How do I know this because when we go soul-winning people want to argue with us and they're like well The Bible says you must repent of your sins. Where does it say that? I don't know But it's in there Right, isn't that what people say to us Oftentimes, I don't know but it's in there somewhere. I mean, where does the Bible say that if you're really saved, you know You're gonna obey God's will all the time. I don't know But it's in there and then you turn them to James to this is what you're referring to right faith without works is dead So and they're like, yeah, that's it. It's like well, it's saying you can have faith without works Doesn't say faith without works sends you to hell. That's a whole nother sermon. Okay But it's like they don't know what because they don't read the Bible. I Mean even in these calls that claim to know the Bible. Well, they've never had the Bible cover to cover They've just listened to brother Eli a lot It's like well, where does it say that in the Bible? I don't know just listen to brother Eli It's like I'm sorry I'd rather listen to the Holy Spirit of God because as a saved person the Bible says he need not that any man should teach you Because you're in dwell with the Spirit of God in the Holy Spirit is your teacher Now, of course you have church and you have sermons to motivate you and teach you more But everything I teach from the Word of God you can learn yourself We're not a cult where you're dependent on what brother Stuckey says I always say read the Bible for yourself and You decide if what I'm saying is true You wake up and read the Bible and if I'm wrong go to a church you agree with But here's the thing. You know what if you love God and want to know the truth I'm confident that when you read the Bible you're gonna say you know what what brother such you said is correct That's exactly what the Bible says But here's the thing we're in acquired taste I mean, I've seen times where people invite a first-time visitor It's funny sometimes now some people they love the preaching they're like really excited or they're like man, this is great I've never heard this before then I preach something specific that they're guilty of and all of a sudden they're like They get mad I can't do the angry face very well, okay But they go from being very happy and liking the sermons to wait a minute I don't like it very much. I've also seen times where I'm preaching the word of God and Somebody's inviting a visitor and they love the preaching they're laughing and then they look over at the the person they invited thinking They're gonna love the preaching they look over and the person's like Because What you have acquired It's not what everybody has acquired you've acquired the taste You've acquired the taste Why well, the primary reason is honestly because you love God and they don't Now, of course, we hope that as people are new that they start to love God more and get used to the preaching But that is actually the reality and you can think that's arrogant if you want, but it's a fact Because all i'm doing is showing what the Bible says So here's the thing if you like the truth, why wouldn't you like the preaching right? What acquired taste though not everybody's gonna like it so don't get down if you invite a first-time visitor They get say they say they want to come to church. They're excited. They come they don't like it Don't be surprised Now, of course try to bring them back and maybe they'll change their mind over time. Maybe they'll acquire the taste Maybe the synagogue will start to taste better to them or the wasabi, but when they first hear it They might be like what is that? And maybe they'll never acquire the taste you say why because we are not the church that's going to appeal to everybody A lot of people just don't want the truth It is what it is But as I said, we're not really struggling for members I mean, it's great when when people join our church and we've grown quite a bit We started for those that were here in the early days. We started with a small number and we were reminiscing before the service You know, the thought goes through your head. I mean are we going to grow as a church? We're preaching the truth. We're going soul winning and we seem to be very stagnant, right? And now it's like man, we've really grown A lot of people and look there are people around this area that are not even saved we get them saved and you know What they might not at first like the preaching or maybe it's a bit too extreme for them But as they start hearing it, they're going to acquire the taste. Let's go somewhere to prayer your heavenly father Thank you for allowing us to be here today and thank you for just all the blessings you've given to our church And the church growth that we've seen through the years god and I ask you to help us just reach more people with the gospel get more people saved and bring more people to church god and And more people to to give this chance to church a chance and and to hear the preaching allowed to change their lives God help us that are in this room never be resistant to the truth Never be stubborn and get mad at the message of god But help us be willing to accept the truth and be thankful That we have a church that will actually teach us the truth god. We pray this in jesus name. Amen