COMPLETING STUDIES IN MAY

There have been a total of forty-six students in this semester of the Florida School of Preaching, including our part-time and full-time students in Lakeland as well as our extension classes in selected Florida cities. We are happy to announce that some students will be completing their studies with us in May. We are pleased with their accomplishment and wish them well in God’s service!
Bryon Schultz is originally from Wisconsin, but has lived in Florida most of his life. He worked as a web systems engineer before enrolling in the school. He was a relatively new Christian when he came to school and has been a member of the Springhead church of Christ in Plant City his entire Christian life. He and his wife, Angel, plan to establish a congregation in Souderton, Pennsylvania, following his graduation. If you are looking to support a work in that mission area of this country, please contact Bryon.		David Lee Simonscame to us from the Auburn Hills church of Christ in Auburn Hills, Michigan. He has been a Christian most of his life, having served as a deacon and as a fill-in preacher before coming to school. He retired from General Motors after a thirty year career. He and his wife, Angela, have two grown sons. David plans on working full-time as a preacher. At the time of this printing, he was still searching for a congregation. If you know of a local work in need of a preacher, please contact David.
Logan Summers to us from Monahans, Texas, where he was a member of the Third and Dwight church of Christ. He graduated high school in 2007. While here, he worked with the Eagle Lake church of Christ in Eagle Lake, Florida, as an associate minister, where he regularly preached and taught both adult and teenage classes. He wants to preach full-time and continue his education. At the time of this printing, he was still searching for a congregation. If you know of one in need of a fine young man, please contact Logan.		Christian Torres is originally from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, where he was a member of the church of Christ. He was brought to the United States by the Eagle Lake church of Christ in 2007 to work in their Hispanic ministry. He was recommended as a candidate for this work by former student, Robyn Miller, who worked with him on missionary campaigns in Mexico. He was already fluent in the English language. Following his graduation, he plans on continuing to work with the Iglesia de Cristo at Eagle Lake.

“Things Are Not Always As They Appear”

by Gene Burgett

I often make the journey between Gainesville and Lakeland, Florida. One thing I have noticed through the years is that the area from Gainesville to Ocala is a favorite place for the Florida Highway Patrol to lay speed traps. But one trip has been particularly memorable as three cars lay waiting in the median to pounce on unsuspecting speeders and not one of them was a black and tan cruiser. Two Mercury Marauders and one Dodge Charger were waiting and none of them had any obvious markings or signs to identify them as police cars. Did it work? On my way home later that day a car sped past me and quickly overtook the silver Mercury in front of me. It was not until he completed his pass that the horror of what he had done was made known as previously unseen lights began flashing from the interior of the Marauder. My point is that things are not always what they appear to be.

Satan’s Deception

The Bible teaches that Satan works in a way similar to unmarked police cars (and I am not calling unmarked police cars satanic). Second Corinthians 11:13-14 states, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (NKJ).

This is Paul’s way of saying things are not always what they appear. What looks like an ordinary silver Mercury may be a police car and some who claim to be apostles are actually false apostles, just as Satan himself may advertise himself as an “angel of light.”

Earlier in Second Corinthians Paul spoke of Satan trying to take advantage of people, and he concludes by warning that “we are not ignorant of his devices” (2:11). “Devices” are evil plans, traps if you will, through which Satan seeks to ensnare those who are not paying attention.

Finally, the Book of Hebrews makes the following reference to sin. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). I mean no disrespect to our officers of public safety, but some might say unmarked high performance cars are a bit deceitful when they are really police cars. Sin is deceitful; it is not what it appears.

Possible Solutions

The big question is how do we protect ourselves from getting caught when being stalked by something pretending to be something other than a predator? It seems to me there are three avenues one can consider, and let us keep with our unmarked police cars metaphor as we examine these possibilities. First, there is the I-can-talk-my-way-out-of-it plan. You know how it works. A pretty girl tries to dazzle the lawman with her stunning smile and charming personality. Or there is the, “I’m desperately trying to get to the next bathroom” ploy. Sometimes they work and sometimes they do not. The problem is when they do work they only encourage us to continue in our misdeeds until we are caught by the officer who is not buying it.

The second avenue utilized in one’s effort to not be ensnared by the unmarked police car is the radar detector. A mechanical “Beep, beep, beep” is our signal to slow down.

It is really kind of a funny situation because now everyone is pretending to be what he is not. The policeman is pretending he is not a policeman, and the speeder is pretending he is a law-abiding citizen. The obvious problem with this plan is that radar detectors are not perfect and speed detection technology is always changing, rendering yesterday’s radar detector a dashboard paperweight.

The third, and final, avenue is the one I (and God) suggests. Let us call this the why-don’t-I-obey-the-law plan? The plan has much in its favor. First, it has a proven track record of success. Despite all of the stories we hear about a guy who was minding his own business when a SWAT team suddenly descended on him for no reason, the truth is police officers tend to leave non-lawbreakers alone. That is exactly what God intended (Rom. 13:1-4).

The second thing this plan has going for it is that it is good for one’s health. There are no high blood pressure and tension headaches resulting from continually looking in the rearview mirror to see if there are any flashing lights coming my way. There is the peace of mind of knowing that even if I enter a speed trap I will not spring the trap because I am obeying the law. This plan works in aspects of life other than speeding. When we live in accordance with God’s laws we do not have to be as concerned with the traps Satan may be
laying.

“What Do We Consider Important?”

by Brian R. Kenyon

Recently, while exercising the body, a cable sports network commentator announced the rule changes that will take affect for the upcoming NFL football season. A person in the room visibly and verbally expressed vehement disbelief that the rules committee would have such audacity as to change the rules. After all, the game had been played fine with the current rules. Obviously, this person felt that football was fine as is and the rules should have been left alone.

This person’s reaction reveals that our society as a whole has its view of what is truly important way out of line. NFL football is just a game, a past time whose significance toward an eternity with God is completely irrelevant. Yet, many, far more significant “rule changes” within our culture will lead not only to an America that is no longer a distinct nation of freedom and prosperity, but even more disastrous, an America with even fewer souls who will ever know “the grace of God that bringeth salvation” (Tit. 2:11).

What can we do? The political side of this is not within the scope of this article or, for that matter, the purpose of the school. However, the spiritual side of this is the reason we exist. Since it is the case that “Righteousness exalteth a nation” (Pr. 14:34), and only obedience to the Gospel will make us and keep us righteous (Rom. 1:16-17), the Gospel needs to be taught to as many as possible! Since 1969, the Lord’s work through us has faithfully involved training men to preach the Gospel and preparing souls to better serve the Lord. We thank our supporters for making this possible.

If you are not familiar with this work and would like to know more, feel free to contact the school. Gene Burgett or I would be happy to visit and inform you or your congregation.