In The Master's Service

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THE MODERN OLD BAPTIST PULPIT

Elder Hulan Bass

The pulpit today should still be the same; however, I do grant that is SEEMS very different than when I was a youngster growing up 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 - II Peter 3:18.

That is, the PULPIT, generally speaking is a man-made tangible material entity, yet it REPRESENTS in PRINCIPLE 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 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 being 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. Romans 12:1-3.

Okay?