Showing posts with label planting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planting. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Sounding and Grounding New Hampshire


Hello all! My name is Eric Ramseur and I am very interested in your region of the United States. I'm sure I sound like an alien or maybe just a foreigner who has been so bored that New Hampshire sounds appealing, but I am truly interested in your area of the United States. I am planning on planting or rebuilding a church in your state. I am a preacher who preaches for the church of Christ. We are not a denomination, nor are we nondenominational (all inclusive). Rather, we are New Testament Christians who believe that there are to be no divisions among the body of Christ and the Bible is our only authority because it is from God. There are nine total churches of Christ in New Hampshire that are still surviving. Per capita, this is not enough. That is why I am so interested in your area of the United States. In Acts 1:8 Christ said that the apostles were going to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the remotest parts of the earth. Well, there are still some remote parts of the world that are left. The apostles covered those parts in their day, and now it is our turn. While, there are congregations in New Hampshire that call themselves Christians, there are certain aspects of Christianity that these sincere people have to attain to. The truth of the gospel of Christ needs to be spread into all of the world. It is my belief that the spreading needs to start in your own back yard. When Paul and Barnabas set out to preach to the world, they went to Cyprus first, which is where Barnabas was from.
While I am idealistic, I am also reasonable and pragmatic. I understand that this work is not going to be easy in the least. That is why I am training to preach, teach and lead at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver. I am also planning on having other competent men with my family in New Hampshire along with their families. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. It is more than imperative. It is our spiritual obligation of love to do this work. This work is not about numbers. It is not about filling seats and it certainly is not about our wallets or fame. This is about saving souls. I must decrease so that Christ may increase. This will be a labor of love and while this mission is about unity it is also about division. It is about dividing sound doctrine and sound people from the world and denominational teaching. 1 Timothy 2:13-14 says "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." So there is something to be retained- that is the standard of sound words- and there is something to be guarded- that is the treasure which has been entrusted. The treasure is the standard of sound words or the testimony of Christ which Paul over and over tells Timothy that he need not be ashamed because he is not (2 Timothy 1:8; 12, 16; 2:15). We must not be ashamed of sound teaching because Paul, through inspiration, says that it is to be retained and guarded. Christ has guarded (2 Timothy 1:12) and so shall we.
I am excited to meet you all. If you would please respond and let me know what you all think, what your beliefs are, and your willingness to study (yourself and the population as a whole). The truth is very important. Jesus says that He is the way, the life, and the truth. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). So, it is important to have sound teaching and be grounded in the word of God. I love you all and I love your love for the truth. So, if you would get back to me so that we can talk about the future of New Hampshire it would be greatly appreciated.

"Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." 2 Timothy 2:3-4