Epistle for May 27, 2005
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Dr. Curt Scarborough, President FreeWay Foundation
May 27, 2005
HOLY GROUND INTERVIEW: SILAS
Pillsbury Tuition
Curt Scarborough's HOLY GROUND INTERVIEWS
Featuring Today's Special Guest SILAS
CS Brother Silas, you witnessed the heated disagreement
that arose
between the Apostle Paul and Barnabus over whether
to take young
John Mark on their trip. Were you disappointed and
shocked that
two such great Christian leaders could argue like
that and split up?
Silas Each man was absolutely convinced that his position was
correct, and
neither left any room for compromise.
CS Who was right and who was wrong?
Silas Both were right! Barnabus was right in wanting to give
his nephew,
John Mark, another chance; that's grace. But Paul
was also right:
faithful endurance is required of ministers on
mission for the Lord.
Years later, Paul did call for John Mark to assist
him in his work.
CS When Paul and Barnabus separated, why did Paul choose
you?
Silas We had met and worked together several times. When
Paul returned
from his first missionary journey and reported to
the believers in
Jerusalem, I was serving as one of the prophets of
that church.
CS You were a leader there? Along with Peter and the
others?
Silas Yes! After the Jerusalem Council, I was in the party
sent to Antioch
to deliver the church's decision to recognize
uncircumcised Gentiles as
genuine Christians. I remained there to disciple
those new believers.
CS So, when the Antioch church decided to send out a team
on the second
missionary tour, you were there on the scene!
Silas That's right. So Barnabus took John Mark and set sail
for his home, on
the island of Cyprus. Paul chose me, and we headed
overland, north
toward Syria and Cilcia.
CS When you got to Lystra, you did invite another young
man to go along
on the journey with you, I remember.
Silas Timothy had been converted on Paul's first trip through
town a couple
of years earlier. He had been well schooled in the
Scriptures by his
mother, Eunice and his grandmother, Lois. All the
elders highly
recommended Timothy as a faithful believer, so we
decided to take
him with us.
CS After Paul's vision one night, according to Dr. Luke's
ACTS, you turned
away from Asia and instead headed into Europe.
Silas Dr. Luke joined us in Troas; then we sailed to the
Greek city of Philippi.
Almost immediately we were arrested, and in jail I
had the most
exciting and significant spiritual experience of my
whole life.
CS I love this "Holy Ground" story! Give us an
eyewitness account of what
happened that night.
Silas We arrived in Philippi and on the waterfront we met
some women.
CS Lydia, the seller of purple?
Silas Yes. She was a prominent woman of that city. She and
her household
were converted and baptized the first time they
heard the Gospel. We
stayed in her home every night while we were in
Philippi.
CS You and Paul were arrested, you said.
Silas Paul had cast a demon out of a slave girl who was being
used by her
masters as a fortune teller. They had us arrested
for spoiling their
black magic, money making scheme.
CS Both you and Paul were stripped and beaten with many
stripes.
Silas We were literally thrown down into the inner dungeon,
then chained
together, with our feet clamped in wooden stocks.
CS So there you were: bloody, shackled, and in total
darkness!
Silas There was only one thing we could do. We started
praying and
singing praises to God. The other inmates thought we were insane!
CS What happened?
Silas Suddenly there was a great earthquake! That ancient
prison was
dancing up and down in time with our singing! Then
all the doors of
the cells sprang open and every prisoners' chains
fell off.
CS There could have been a massive jailbreak!
Silas That's what panicked the warden, Hector. He drew his
sword to
commit suicide. Roman law required the death penalty for any guard
who allowed a prisoner to escape.
CS He just assumed every prisoner in the jail had run for
it . . .
Silas Paul rushed toward him shouting, "Don't harm yourself!
No one has
escaped! We are all here!"
CS That must have come as a shock.
Silas He couldn't believe it! When he called for torches and
examined the
cells, not one prisoner had escaped.
CS What did he do?
Silas He brought Paul and me out of the dungeon, fell down on
his knees,
and begged us, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
CS Saved from what? Did he still fear the Roman
authorities?
Silas Apparently he had heard about the Gospel we preached,
and he
certainly had heard our singing about God's amazing
grace. We were
singing at the top of our lungs.
CS What did you tell him?
Silas Both Paul and I spoke at the same time: "Believe on
the Lord Jesus
Christ and you will be saved, you and your
household."
CS So your midnight singing resulted in a midnight
baptizing!
Silas Next day, charges were dropped against us, and we went
on our way.
CS You served as a "co-author" of both of Paul's
Thessalonian epistles?
Silas Yes, I was his scribe. I also traveled with Peter, and
helped him write
his second letter. (My official, full name is
Silvanus.)
CS You assisted both Paul and Simon Peter! That's
terrific! So, Silas
do you have any final thoughts you'd like to leave
with our readers?
Silas Trust in the Lord for salvation . . . and every other
spiritual blessing!
Also, when you get down in the dungeon of
depression, start singing
praises to the Lord. I guarantee, a miracle will
happen to your spirit!
Institute of Theological Studies
After more than a year of investigation of Christian higher educational
resources, the administration, faculty, and Board of Regents of Pillsbury
College & Seminary decided to add to our present courses the curriculum
developed by the Institute of Theological Studies of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
We have studied and are in full agreement with the ITS Statement of Faith,
and with its Vision, Mission, and Purpose Statements.
The Institute of Theological Studies is not a school; rather it is the
world's leading network of distance learning theological education
resources. ITS courses meet the highest graduate level requirements of
theological education, and all ITS courses have been developed and approved
by the Dean of 24 large participating schools, including Covenant
Theological Seminary of St. Louis, Missouri, The 58 courses (24 lectures
each) were recorded by a virtual "Who's Who" of evangelical theologians, and
are available on audio cassette, CD-ROM, video, or the internet.
Over 100 Bible Colleges and Theological Seminaries use ITS curriculum.
Among these schools are five Southern Baptist seminaries (Midwestern in
Kansas City, MO, Southern in Louisville, KY, Southwestern in Ft. Worth, TX,
Southeastern in Wake Forest, NC, and Golden Gate in Mill Valley, CA,)
Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA, Wheaton Graduate School in
Wheaton, IL, and many other very prominent schools also use ITS curriculum.
Pillsbury has no intention of entering into competition against these great
theological institutions.
However, these 100 colleges and seminaries that endorse and use ITS
curriculum primarily are on-campus schools which allow students to take only
a few select ITS courses by distance learning. Pillsbury will stand
uniquely as a degree granting institution that offers all 58 ITS courses in
six areas of concentration by distance learning, leading to an accredited
Master of Ministry of Doctor of Ministry Degree.
For more information call Dr. Scarborough at 314-739-1121 or email
info@freewayfoundation.org
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"As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings.
Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight
attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
- Unknown
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