Acts 20:17 ... from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

Acts 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

Acts 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Tim 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

2 Tim 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Luke tells us in Acts that Paul called the elders of the Church of Ephesus together to remind them of what manner he had been with them. When Paul wrote to Timothy he used the same word (manner) as he described his doctrine and style of ministry.

The word “manner” deals with Paul’s methods when he was with both the church and Timothy.

In this message I want to deal with the subject of methods in the ministry. We will find that methods really portray who we are and what we do as we try to convey God’s thoughts to the saved and the lost.

We are living in a world of change, some good and some bad. Since Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden, humanity has been changing. I am glad for some of the changes. I like to fly across country rather than ride a horse to the next town. I like central heat and air rather than the old coal stove in the center of the house years ago. I like e-mail rather than the pony express. So some changes have been good and enjoyable.

There are changes, which have taken place in the past few years that have been very detrimental to our society. Lifestyles, which use to be hidden in the closet, are now open and even being protected by laws. Murdering children has become legal, we call it abortion. Political liars and cheaters are continually being re-elected to office. These changes are slowly eating away at our foundation as a free and peaceable country.

There are also changes taking place in the religious realm that certainly is making an impression on the up and coming generation. I am glad for some of the changes such as information at our fingertips with all kinds of helps available where we do not have to go to libraries to collect materials for sermons.

I have chosen the title, “My Methods Reveal My Message” for this article. I am convinced what I do in the ministry will reveal the message I preach.

I want us to consider five different areas of ministry in which each one of these will be guided by the method I have adopted in my service to the Lord.

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 “all scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The Scriptures are the very foundation of everything we do in the ministry. Without the Word of God we would have no message to declare to a lost and dying world.

I personally believe the King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking peoples of the world. This method of belief immediately tells one what my message will be.

There is much controversy today over what is the Word of God. There are those which believe that one version is as good as any other version of the Scriptures. There is much difficulty in this system of belief. Those that accept this thought pattern have to accept the idea that the different versions are all the Word of God. The problem with this is, that which is different cannot be the same.

The many versions on the market today have only helped the publishing houses sell another book. All new versions are copyrighted so no one can reprint the words without permission from the publishing house.

The method of using the KJB reveals certain fundamental truths concerning the message that will be preached to the congregation. When the KJB is used, the message is clear.

There are some changes going on which are very dangerous and and destroying the effectiveness of the Gospel. These things are overtaking the modern church and we are seeing the results of changing methods upon us. The line of distinction is being destroyed. There is no difference between the holy and the profane.

For years preacher friends have told me the following statement. “My methods have changed but my message has not.” At first that sounded good but I believe time has proven that statement to be very deceptive. I have found that many who are changing their methods are also changing their message. I believe our methods will determine the message that is proclaimed to people.

A. Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 tell us to speak to ourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord and singing with grace.

MELODY-an agreeable succession of sounds regulated and modulated as to please the ear. To constitute melody, the sounds must be arranged according to the laws of rhythmus measure, or the due proportions of the movement to each other....Webster, 1877 Dictionary.

B. There are many which teach music is amoral or neutral, neither good nor bad. It is how we perceive it in our minds.

C. The following statement is taken from a message preached by Evangelist Alan Ives, entitled “How To Tell the Right Kind of Music.”

D. Statements Concerning Music Styles

1. Anthony Gentes, The Worship Thought, July 2003 says, “We need to stop advocating one music style over another. Our tradition, our style, our renderings have to do with ourselves, not with God.”

2. “God speaks through all different kinds of musical styles”—Bill Gaither

3. Don Butler, Gospel Music Association, “There is no such thing as ‘gospel music.’ Every style and form of music can become gospel, whether it’s jazz, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, or rap.”

4. Jerry Falwell-- “Other than heavy metal and vulgar lyrics, it’s [music] all a matter of taste and has nothing to do with Christianity”.

These are just a few of many statements concerning the neutrality of music.

E. If music is neutral, then WHY does different music create different moods in people?

1. Have you ever watched a silent movie and noticed how the different styles of music played either relaxed you or made you tense, knowing something was going to happen. (Not only in silent movies but modern ones also.)

2. Have you ever wondered why bars and nightclubs play a certain style of music, and grocery stores play another style. A tavern or nightclub owner would never play spiritual songs or hymns because, even without the words, it would produce the wrong atmosphere for his business.

3. If music styles are neutral why did Timothy Leary say, “…don’t listen to the words, it’s the music that has its own language”. (Politics of Ecstasy)

Music certainly is a language all of its own. There are many styles that preach a message contrary to the Gospel.

When Moses and Joshua came down from the mountain with the tables of stone, Joshua concluded that what he heard was not good.

Ex. 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

F. Men from the past understood the power of music.

1. John Calvin— “We know by experience that music has a secret and almost incredible power to move hearts” (John Calvin, Works, Vol. VI).

2. Plato—“Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul” (Fourth Book of the Republic)

3. Aristotle—“Music directly represents the passions or states of the soul, gentleness, anger, courage, temperance...If a person habitually listens to the kind of music that rouses ignoble passions, his whole character will be shaped to an ignoble form. In short, if one listens to the wrong kind of music he will become the wrong kind of person; but conversely, if he listens to the right kind of music he will tend to become the right kind of person.” (From A History of Western Music, 1980, p.8

4. Boethius—Greek Philosopher—”Music is a part of our human nature, it has the power either to improve or debase our character.” (De Institutione Musica)

Methods of singing and styles of music will reveal to those around us what our message will be. Music is a powerful tool that can be used for either good or bad. I pray the Lord will give us courage to stand for truth.

A. The standard, by which people live, is a message without words. Those standards (not rules) will reveal the type message we preach about personal living for the Lord.

B. Our daily talk

C. Our daily walk

D. Our daily dress

Separation, many times, is called legalism because there are things to which must be adhered. The world must see a difference in our daily lives. The differences are part of what the Lord uses to make the sinner begin to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

When our method of separation changes, so does our message. It will effect what we say in our preaching and what we ask other to do in their Christian lives.

A. In the Bible, worship never involves the exhaulting or lifting up of a person.

B. The Lord, and He only, is worthy of our worship.

C. When the Bible speaks of worship, the person goes down in adoration to Jehovah.

E. Even the heathen know to bow to the false gods.

1. In Daniel chapter three the people were commanded to fall down to worship.

Dan. 3:5, 10, 15

2. Of course, this false worship was connected to music, like it is today in our

Religious circles.

F. My method of worship will tell people if I am old fashioned or if I accept the new thought in the way of worshipping the Lord. I will not have to tell anyone because the method used will reveal the message to him or her. When the method is changed so is the message.

A. Ps 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. V6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

B. The Lord Jesus told His church to go into the entire world and preach the gospel. Preaching results in the salvation of souls.

C. Preach repentance and faith not the 1-2-3-repeat after me message.

D. We are to preach the doctrines of Grace so that the sinner may know his standing with the Lord is not good.

1. He is lost

2. He is dead in sins

3. He is doomed

E. When the message is preached, the Holy Spirit will draw the sinner to Himself and reveal the need.

1. He convicts of sin

2. He convinces that he/she is a sinner

3. He converts the sinner into a saint.

F. We are mandated to win souls. The Scriptures tell us “he that winneth souls is wise”.

G. When we change our method of soul winning, our message will change. There have been many preachers and churches that have changed their method of introducing the Lord as Saviour and therefore the message of salvation by grace is polluted.

I believe we have given some good reasons to keep the Biblical, tried and proven, methods in our churches. This will keep the message clear and unchanged in this dark and changing world.