Archived Articles By
Matt Jordan
The Founding Fathers on the Divine
Creator
Throughout their writings, our Founding
Fathers affirmed their belief that the
existence of a Divine Creator was the
foundation of all reality. Their conviction
was that this Divine Creator was the
designer of all things in nature and that He
had established all the laws that govern
nature. In his first inaugural address,
George Washington humbly proclaimed that the
people of the United States were bound to
acknowledge the invisible and providential
hand of God in every step that led to the
independence of the colonies. Just as there
are laws that govern nature, so there are
laws that govern human nature. The Founders
believed these laws had been revealed by God
and formed the basis for all other laws
determining right and wrong. The people
believed and acknowledged this as well. This
was the reason they had the highest respect
for the laws of the newly formed government.
Is it any wonder that as men remove
themselves further and further from God,
society becomes more rebellious, immoral and
criminal activity increases?
Revival in the Home
Matt Jordan, pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
“Except the Lord build the house, they
labour in vain that build it.” (Psalm
127:1) Our homes need rebuilding. The
family is in danger. Whether it is new
construction, or reconstruction, there
must be a plan, a blueprint. God has
given us the exact blueprint to follow –
His Holy Scriptures. The Bible gives us
the information we need to form and
build relationships within the family.
Who better to instruct us than the One
who created us? Christ-centered families
are those that follow God’s wise plan.
The philosophy of the world, which is in
direct opposition, tells us to lay up
treasures upon the earth, to seek after
notoriety, and to gain prominence in
every worldly activity possible.
Worldly-minded families become
disconnected and dysfunctional. The
dinner table turns into a fast-food
buffet. Communication takes place over
the phone or through instant messaging.
Instructions are left on the
refrigerator or given by email. And we
wonder why our children become swallowed
up. The family is becoming an endangered
species!
Every building must have a foundation.
Without it, the house will fall. That
foundation is Christ. The relationship
between a husband and his wife is
compared to the relationship between
Christ and His bride, the Church. Each
has a particular role to fill. The life
of a husband is marked by love and
sacrifice; respect and submission
characterize the wife. The purpose in
each role is to magnify Christ the
foundation, not self-satisfaction or
self-gratification. If the foundation is
missing, we can only expect instability;
a house tossed to and fro, swaying out
of control with the philosophies of the
world. With Christ as the center,
husbands can find the confidence to
lead, the strength to protect, and the
wisdom to provide; wives will find a
reason to respect, a willingness to
submit, and a desire to follow. If
Christ is at the center, God will be the
architect of our family and our labor
will not be in vain.
The foundation of the family is being
replaced with worldly philosophies. The
pursuit of material wealth has driven us
away from God’s blueprint for the
family. The quest for financial success
is turning the home into simply a
boarding house. Very little time is
spent together in the den or around the
dining room table. Family entertainment
barely exists in the world, but it is on
the decline now even in our homes. The
self-gratification system of the world
is tearing our families apart. Then,
when trouble comes, we look to that same
worldly philosophy for help, but find
none. In the days of Joseph when Pharaoh
had some perplexing dreams, the
magicians of Egypt were consulted but
none could help. Finally, someone
remembered Joseph, a man of God with a
gift and a message from God. Pharaoh
heeded the message, placed Joseph in a
position of authority and the nation was
spared. Let us not go down to Egypt for
help. God’s word alone contains the
blueprint for our families.
Who is Teaching Your Children?
Matt Jordan, pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
“Thou shalt teach them diligently unto
thy children…” Since the beginning of
time, God has instructed parents to
teach their children in all things, but
especially concerning God and His word.
We see in both Testaments this
responsibility emphasized repeatedly.
There are two primary methods by which
we learn: by word, or instruction, and
by deed, or example. But there are a
countless number of sources from which
we learn outside the parental and family
realm. We, as parents, must filter these
sources to the best of our ability so
that our children are grounded in truth
and morality according to God’s word. In
today’s pop culture, ungodliness
pervades many of the sources influencing
our children: in the media, in the world
of entertainment, in the sports world,
and to some degree even in our schools
and churches. Parents use these sources
but we do so often without caution;
sometimes because we ourselves are too
busy. Even so, we must still be the
filter! Parents – is someone teaching
and influencing your children more than
you are? Since the beginning of time,
God has instructed parents to teach
their children in all things, but
especially concerning God and His word.
We see in both the Old and New
Testaments this responsibility
emphasized repeatedly. God designed the
Church in such a way that both the lambs
and the sheep are to be fed; young and
old alike. While our age is a factor
when it comes to our level of
understanding, human reasoning in this
area should not trump God’s design.
There are two primary sources from which
children should be taught God’s word –
the ministry and parents. One is found
in the Church – the pastor/teacher and
other ministers; the other is in the
home. God has not delegated that
responsibility to others and neither
should parents. God’s design is always
best and it always works when followed.
Human logic leads to confusion and
error. The most important thing we can
teach our children is God’s word. Are
you going to give that job over to
someone else?
“Bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.” Loving our
children requires that we uphold certain
standards and set certain limits. All
too often, we as parents fail to take
enough time to be the filter between our
children and the many influences around
them. Children are sponges! What they
hear, they repeat. What they see, they
imitate. Everything they come in contact
with leaves an impression on them. Do
you really know what your children are
seeing on TV and on the internet? Do you
pay attention to the lyrics of the music
they listen to? Are you involved enough
to know what they are being taught at
school? Parents have been given the
right and the responsibility to decide
what their children are taught and by
whom. When the standards around us do
not meet our own, or when those outside
influences cross the limits, our love
should motivate us to be the filter.
Parents, you can’t be with your children
every waking moment, but you should be
the most influential source in every
area of your child’s life. We parents
pass along a world of knowledge to our
children. But most of this knowledge is
of a worldly nature, right? We teach
them the basics before they enter
school. We help them learn to build on
the fundamentals in school. We teach
them how to play our favorite sport or
instrument and the things we always
wanted to be good at. We teach them
hygiene and help them learn fashion. We
try to teach manners, right from wrong,
and how to make friends. Evidently, we
teach them how to manipulate people. We
even teach them our own brand of
politics and economics. But who is
imparting to our children the most
important knowledge they could ever gain
in life? Who is teaching your children
God’s word?
Moral Principles – Can They Change?
(Part 2)
Seventh in a series...
Without a solid, stable foundation of moral
principles, neither our lives, nor our
families, nor our churches, nor our society
can withstand the destructive forces of sin.
The only stable foundation of morality is
Holy Scripture, God's word, the Bible. It is
the divinely inspired word of our Creator.
It is based upon His perfect righteousness.
He knows the human heart. He knows better
than any one of His creatures the path in
which we should walk. He created us and He
established right and wrong. He has never
changed, the human heart has not changed,
and the unchangeable moral principles He
established should still govern our lives in
this modern world. What He declared to be
sin is still sin today, lies, murder,
fornication, adultery, homosexuality,
cheating, covetousness, just to name a few,
and these will always be sin. We should hate
sin, ask forgiveness, love the sinner,
strive to renew our own commitment, and
influence others to return to the
never-changing principles of godliness
established in God's word.
Moral Principles – Can They
Change?
(Part
1)
Sixth in a
series...
Is ‘right’ always ‘right’? Is relativity
something we should consider when it
comes to morality? With some people, a
subtle bending of the rules seems
justified at times – doesn’t hurt anyone
and it helps achieve the desire goal.
Others try to justify dishonorable
business decisions by separating such
affairs from any convictions they may
have in their personal lives. Still
others will outright deny the notion
that there is a clearly drawn line
between right and wrong regardless of
the situation – with them, it always
depends on the situation. The world
loves any degree and every form of moral
relativism and situational ethics.
Sadly, more and more Christians are
being influenced by this corrupt “value
system”. The erosion of our moral
standards is due in large part to the
erosion of another standard – the
divinely inspired, inerrant word of God.
If the foundation is shaky, everything
you build upon it will be unstable. If
you are building your life upon the
sand, you will never be able to
withstand the onslaught of the enemy.
The Light of the World
Matt Jordan,
pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
Fifth of a
series...
A source of
light can often be attractive to the
eyes. It may be pretty to look at, but
light serves a purpose. It not only
attracts our attention but light gives
warmth. It illuminates, it refreshes,
and it renews. God has made a tremendous
difference in your life. Because you are
different, you draw attention. Jesus
says “ye are the light of the world”
and, in effect, is saying to you, ‘BE
the light of the world.’ Don’t be afraid
or ashamed to be different, but not
different just for the sake of standing
out in a crowd. Oh, you will stand out
and draw attention but direct that
attention upward! Someone may ask you
what (and it’s really WHO) has made you
different from others, and you will have
an open door to share your testimony.
Your most powerful testimony is the way
you talk, your attitude toward others,
and the way you act. Everything about
your testimony should point to Jesus
Christ. You can influence others by your
faith and experience. You can show
others the love of Christ. As light, you
can point them to their source of hope.
The Salt Of The
Earth
Matt Jordan,
Pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
Fourth of a series..
The Salt of
the Earth
God has made a tremendous difference in
your life. You have good reason to
influence those close to you – your
family, friends. As a disciple of Jesus
Christ, you have the responsibility to
make a difference in your little world –
in the workplace, at school, in the
community. As a Church, we are expected
to be an influence for good in the
earth. No doubt, individually and
collectively, we will either have an
affect on the world around us or the
world will have an affect on us. Sadly,
we have allowed more and more of the
world to invade our lives and our
assemblies. As Christians, we are called
on to separate ourselves from the world
and its worldly-minded culture and
institutions. The Church is supposed to
be the pillar and ground of the truth,
which means we are to uphold and defend
the teachings and moral principles found
in God’s word. But the Church is made up
of individuals, and those moral
principles must first be reflected in
the lives of those individuals before
the world will be affected. We must be
the salt of the earth!
The Mind of the
Christian –
a Servant
Matt Jordan,
Pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
Third of a series..
“Let this mind be in you…” (Philippians
2:5) Jesus came into the world as God
manifest in the flesh, but he ‘emptied’
himself to become a servant. He became
what he created but his Deity never
diminished. He had to humble himself to
serve his own creation; so it must be
with us if we are to have the mind of
Christ. Jesus came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister to others. The
world promotes a ‘me first’ attitude and
tells us to reject the idea of
submission and subjection. In his
submission to the will of his Father,
Jesus subjected himself to death on the
cross. What humility! What commitment!
What love! Can we think for a moment
that God does not expect the same humble
submission from us? If you are one of
His, you have been bought with a price
and you are not your own. We need to
recognize that true peace and
contentment comes not from serving
ourselves, but from serving one another.
To the world, life is about ‘me’ but for
the Christian it is peace, joy, and
righteousness in the Holy Ghost, and
submission to God.
The Mind of the Christian –
our Attitude
Matt Jordan,
Pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
Second of a series..
Everyone has an attitude, but to “have
an attitude” is a very unattractive
characteristic. Our attitude is the
result of the focus of our minds, or
where our hearts are. Our attitude is
seen in how we treat others and by our
general outlook on life. For example, if
we are focused on self, we will think
much less of others than we do of
ourselves; we will expect more from
others without thinking of what we can
give back; and every situation will be
about “me” and how “I” can benefit. But
another mark of this “self-centered”
attitude is a pessimistic discontentment
– nothing measures up to ‘my’ standard
and nothing ever will. If you are a
Christian with this kind of attitude,
you are an immature Christian and you
are bringing shame to your Lord. If your
mind is centered on Christ, you will
have a content and positive outlook, you
will enjoy being a servant, and you will
be blessed by thinking more highly of
others than of yourself. This is the
Christian attitude and it is pleasing to
your Lord. Seek to have and maintain the
mind of Christ.
The Mind of the Christian – the Battle
Matt Jordan,
Pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
First of a Series
Our
minds are often a battleground between
the inner man and the outer man. The one
that controls the mind, or has the
greatest influence over it, will have
our talents and abilities at its
disposal to fulfill its desires. Paul
tells us to not yield the members of our
body to unrighteousness and sin, but
rather as instruments of righteousness
unto God. After the new birth, a battle
begins within, a battle between
righteousness and sin, between right and
wrong, between light and darkness, and
one that will last all of our lifetime.
Before the new birth, we were content in
our sins; there was no battle. But now,
we are never completely satisfied. We
see our failures and we know we could
and should do better. We are no longer
content but we despise sin and we want
to get far from it. But alas! Our sinful
nature is still with us, and the warfare
rages within. The control of our mind
gives the victor control of our actions.
Thank God He will preserve us for the
world to come, but oh how we need His
strength to overcome now.
The Sacred Harp
(fa-so-la or
‘shape-note’ singing)
By:
Matt Jordan, Pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
Some see it as a
tradition; others consider it a form of folk
art; others are curious about its unique
sound. But for many across the South, the
sound of “fa-so-la” singing provides a
simple, yet spiritually moving experience of
worship and praise unlike any music
influenced by today’s modern culture. And
now, in parts all across the country, the
unique sound of Sacred Harp singing has
captured the attention of many; folk art
connoisseurs, professional musicians, music
lovers of all kind, and even a few in
Hollywood thanks to the recent movie “Cold
Mountain”.
Sacred Harp is
the strongest survivor of various forms of
a
cappella ‘shape-note’ singing and
derives its name from the oblong songbook
entitled “The Sacred Harp”, a collection of
old hymns originally compiled by Benjamin
Franklin White in 1844. The Sacred Harp has
seen only four revisions since that time,
the latest revision being made in 1991. The
history of Sacred Harp can be traced through
the colonies of New England and
Appalachia. The unique harmony
and style, as well as the message contained
in the words, has its roots in
England,
Scotland, and
Wales,
where the congregational singing of the 16th
and 17th centuries was once
lively and full of spiritual emotion. By the
late 1700’s, many churches in Colonial New
England found in themselves a longing desire
to rekindle such a spirit in their worship
service. Musical and general illiteracy was
a hindrance, so shaped notes were developed
as a form of ‘sight-reading’ to aid the
worshippers.
Jim Carnes, a
noted singer and Sacred Harp historian,
writes:
“The system that
took hold assigned one of four shapes to
each note of the familiar seven-tone scale.
The right triangle was designated
fa,
the oval
sol,
the rectangle
la,
and the diamond
mi.
In the
Sacred Harp, as in its
precursors, the tonic or keynote of any
major scale appears as a fa, with the scale
ascending
fa-sol-la-fa-sol-la-mi-fa.
Correspondingly, all minor scales begin on
la, proceeding
la-mi-fa-sol-la-fa-sol-la.
While the shape notes are positioned on the
staff in the same manner as "roundheads,"
they aid sight-reading by providing an
additional means of recognizing intervals
between notes. The lively part-singing that
the shape-note system supports is sometimes
called dispersed harmony. In this style of
composition…each vocal part--treble, alto,
tenor, and bass--contributes a sort of tune,
occupying its own separate staff, with the
parts freely crossing one another and the
tenor, or third line, carrying the chief
melody. The special typesetting requirements
of dispersed harmony give "fasola" hymnals
their characteristic oblong shape. In as
generous an accommodation to other
traditions as one is likely to hear at a
Sacred Harp gathering, a certain leader
allows that he would gladly sing from "any
book wider than it is tall."”
In a typical
Sacred Harp singing, singers are arranged
around a “hollow square”, where the leader
stands facing the tenor section, the lead
part. To the left of the leader sits the
treble section, an interesting blend of male
and female voices. The bass section is
seated on the right side of the leader, and
the alto sits opposite the tenor section.
Without a doubt, the best ‘seat’ in the
house is the ‘hollow square’, where the
leader is surrounded with the blending of
all four parts, an experience that no
observer can truly appreciate. The singers
appoint or elect a Chairman, Vice-Chairman,
Secretary, and Arranging Committee at the
beginning of the singing, whose duties are
to call the class together, determine the
times for recess and lunch, keep minutes of
the singing, provide each singer the
opportunity to lead, and to generally keep
the singing moving smoothly. And no all-day
singing would be complete without
dinner-on-the-grounds! Sacred Harp singing
carries us back to a time when spiritual
concerns far outweighed the cares of the
world and when even the social activities of
life revolved around fellowship with the
saints.
For more
information on Sacred Harp and Shape-Note
Singing, visit
www.fasola.org or
www.originalsacredharp.com where you can
find more history, audio clips from various
singings, and other links providing
information on singing locations and dates.
|
|
 |
