EMOS ended 2007 with a budget deficit, as well as an actual deficit. We will not carry over the 2007 budget deficit into 2008. While making up the budget deficit would provide a much more solid base for ministry operations in 2008, having on hand the resources and other research materials that were cut would not enable us to reclaim the research time lost. We do not fully understand the Lord’s purpose in this, but we accept His providence. The cuts to the research library in 2007 led to the rescheduling of almost all forthcoming projects and requests, but enabled us to maintain the quarterly book mailing and Bulletin throughout 2007.

      Beginning this month, on Sunday mornings at First Christian Church, A Theology of Prayer will be taught. This study will continue through June 1^st. Called to be Holy will continue on Wednesday nights. Studies in Jonah, the Thursday-night study at EMOS, will continue on schedule (this month on January 3^rd and 31^st) through May.

      EMOS’ financial goals for 2008 are to continue all ministries and move forward with the library expansion. If we fail to meet the budget, cuts will be made as necessary. Our overall purpose continues to be to equip believers to understand, proclaim, and teach biblical truth. This involves assisting Christians who are uncertain about their task and calling in the emerging post-Christian culture here in the West, and grounding new believers in the rest of the world in their understanding of historic, orthodox Christianity, as well as working with churches and missionaries in different cultural contexts around the world to win unbelievers to Christ.

      The first quarter book mailing, Roger Olson’s Questions to All Your Answers: The Journey from Folk Religion to Examined Faith (Zondervan, 2007), is scheduled to go out later this month when sufficient copies for everyone on our mailing list are on hand. The quarterly book mailing goes out in January, April, July, and October.

      EMOS will no longer accept names/addresses for our mailing list from third parties. However, the list remains open. Those on the mailing list receive the monthly Bulletin, Update, and financial statement, the quarterly book mailing, and twice each year six issues of Glimpses of Christian History (published now by Christianity Today).

If you do not want to remain on EMOS’ mailing list, please contact us at our address below, or email us. Copies of the Bulletin are available in Sylvania at Medicap Pharmacy and Screven County Veterinary Services (Dr. Pat Dyar); also online at www.sylvaniachristian.com. The best way to reach EMOS is through our email at cwmartin1@alltel.net. EMOS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 1664, Sylvania, Ga. 30467.

The January 2008 Bulletin

      In his 1987 book, Inner Healing: Deliverance or Deception? (Harvest House), Don Matzat raises this question: “Is the devil willing to trade healing for heresy, deliverance for deception, emotional health for doctrinal confusion?” (Matzat, 140). He affirms, “I believe he is.” We agree. Although the English is somewhat difficult, Jessie Penn-Lewis’ and Evan Roberts’ War on the Saints (unabridged version, Wipf & Stock, 2005) is still among the best resources on this subject, if not the best, which is why it was a past EMOS quarterly book mailing.

      Today there is perhaps more nonsensical theology in evangelical churches than at any previous time in church history. Indeed, that is the rationale for the Sense and Nonsense series of books published by Zondervan: To help readers “sift between truth and error, between common misconceptions held by both Christians and non-Christians on spiritual topics of vital interest, versus what the Bible actually reveals” (back cover, Sense and Nonsense About Angels and Demons by Kenneth Boa and Robert Bowman, Zondervan, 2007). As has so often been the case with heresy, people in general get more excited about nonsensical theology than they do biblical theology. It is often said that half-truths are much more acceptable (believable) than the plain truth.

      In this month’s Bulletin our focus is on “Christian Experience and Truth.” As Matzat observes, one of the issues many evangelicals today have come to accept - concerning judging whether or not something is spiritually true and good - is whether or not it produces results. Never mind the source, what are the results? It is regrettable that Matzat’s book is no longer in print. One of the key observations he makes has to do with methodology or how we do ministry in the church:

I believe that the devil works more intently at methods than doctrines. Within the life of the church, doctrines are usually established and creeds are confessed, but methods are often discerned by results. It is not easy to sneak a false doctrine into a confessional church, but the introduction of wrong methods, especially if they seemingly produce good results, usually goes by unnoticed. Human nature is geared more to results than to methods: “The end justifies the means” (Matzat, 1987, 140).

How many times have we heard that last phrase in one context or another in the church? Many evangelical Christians are willing to argue for this idea, not only in the context of church growth, but in the context of evangelism and missions, and some even in the context of theology. For example, many churches have done away with the cross, because it is offensive and negative. What they do in symbol reflects their theology.

      We encourage our readers to think carefully about Christian experience and truth, especially as the two relate to conversion, assurance, revival, hearing God’s voice, and discernment. It is crucial we understand how deceptive Satan is in his work, both inside and outside the church, and how far he is willing to go in order to accomplish his goals.