What Brand of 'Independent, Fundamental, Bible-Believing, Sin-hating, Soul-Winning, KJV-Only...Baptist' Are You?

You know why there is a shoeless man in the Australian bush, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, using nothing but the basic elements provided by nature to survive, making videos and getting millions and millions of viewers on YouTube?  I think it is because people are tired of gimmicks!  They are tired of power tools and fancy products.  It is refreshing to watch someone just get back to the basics...as basic as they can get.
 
Unfortunately, "Primitive Technology" now has tons of followers who are trying to mock his image in an attempt to capitalize on a new "brand!"  So many are selling a product and trying to gain followers to their particular brand of a brand.  It's what our society does, and I'm noticing more and more that my Independent, Baptist friends have been doing this too.  Whether they are the contemporary, "new" Independent Baptists, or the ultra-conservative, Independent, Fundamental, Bible-believing, sin-hating, Soul-winning...Baptists.  Who cares about your brand?! 

There was once a rather strange man.  He was a hairy mountain man who lived very primitively.  He did his best to obey the word of God and he preached hard against the sins of his people.  For this he was hated by all the "religious crowd" and their leaders.  Yet God was pleased to glorify Himself through this man.  He worked great miracles through this man.  This man (Elijah by the way) prayed and God sent a drought.  When challenging the prophets of Baal, he had them pour 12 barrels of water on the altar before praying that God would consume his sacrifice...and God sent down fire.

I've got many preacher friends who share the popular books and visit the popular websites.  They share ministry ideas and join all the groups to ask advice.  They encourage each other to "do what that one guy does."  They ask the people they are supposed to be leading what it is they think would help them be a better organization.

Let's be clear.  If God is going to be glorified, it isn't through our gimmicks!  If He is going to manifest His power, He isn't interested in our "brand."  God wants empty vessels that the world would never expect to amount to much.  It is then that He will pour out His blessings and reveal Himself.  That way all will know that it was God that did it and not Such and Such Baptist Church.

I'm ready to give up the gimmicks and get back to the basics.  I'm ready to give myself to the Lord and watch Him do amazing things.  How about you?

God bless, and may your passion for ministry grow as you addict yourself to it (1 Corinthians 16:15).

RR