APOSTOLIC TIMES by Howard H. Davis Vol.22 Issue 1
Bishop Howard Davis
It has been a good number of years since I published The Apostolic Times. For approximately 20 years, every month, 3000 copies of the 10 to 20 page tabloid were mailed out to Preachers across the USA, Canada and to Missionaries on the field. I was careful to hold true to Bible Doctrines. When it came to things of Holiness Standards, and my honest heart-felt beliefs, I made it plain. I wasn’t mean spirited in the things I wrote, nor, did I water-down or side step any issue that I felt needed a voice of challenge and response. Sure, I received responses. Some Pro, and some Con, mostly Pro. I can only hope for the same, as I feel led, to once again venture into publishing words of challenge to some of the false doctrines and unholy practices, which are being promoted among us today.
Now, that the dust has settled, the apology made, forgiveness received, and the hurts healed; let’s get back to the battle of the “Culture Changers.”
There are Changes being promoted among UPCI Churches, by young, and some not so young, Preachers. These CHANGERS want to totally change the form and order of Church Services, and are ACCOMPLISHING it in some Churches. I understand they don’t think doing so will do away with Godly, tried and proven Church services. Services which are a breath of Heaven. Services filled with Holy Dignity and Order. Services in which the very presence of the Lord is felt, and the Glory of God comes down with conviction that brings sinners to repentance and Salvation. These CHANGERS seem to be totally unaware that they are catering to rebellious, hippy mind set, drug infested, immoral, street living Worldlings. These Worldlings have been steeped in, and engrossed in the {deafening-hype-noise} music of the World. They don’t need some misguided people trying to save them, by offering the same STUFF, in any kind of a Church Setting.
For the most part, I find that they are men who have inherited a Church from their Father, or, a good Godly Holiness preaching Pastor, that has given his very life to build the Church. These Men have on the most part, inherited good solid Churches. Churches formed and built on solid Bible centered Teaching, and powerful Preaching. That Pastor gave His life fighting devils, false doctrines, and sometimes false brethren, to build the Church. These Changers have never SWEAT-OUT the building of a Church from the ground up. Therefore, they don’t know the worth and preciousness of a real God fearing Holiness Church. A Church that has been taught [hopefully] SEPARATION from the World.
1st John 2:15, “Love Not the World, neither the things that are in the World. If any man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him.” Also, The Holy Ghost said, 11Cor. 6:17, “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” Again, the Spirit of the Lord wrote, Rev. 18:4, “…come out of HER, my people, that ye be not PARTAKERS of HER SINS, and that ye receive not HER plagues.” God in His love, has instructed us, yes, commanded us to COME OUT of THEM. {Q} Who is the THEM? {A} The WORLD, of course. Then He commanded us to COME OUT of HER. {Q} Who is the Her? {A} The last days FALSE CHURCH. The so-called Emerging-Church is right in the middle of the last days False Church. IT IS NOT AN EMERGING CHURCH, they are SUBMERGING. All that go that way are submerging into worldliness and false doctrines. Step {1}, leave Holiness. Step {2}, leave Sound Doctrine. Oh Yes they will! God Himself will see to it. Read II Thess. 2:11-15.
So, our wonderful and lovely Saviour, Jesus Christ, commands us to SEPARATE ourselves from the WORLD and the FALSE CHURCH. He said, don’t love the World, don’t love the Things in the World. Think with me my dear Brethren, if ROCK and HEAVY METAL music {noise} is not a THING of the WORLD, there is no validity to what Jesus commanded us. Also, He commanded us, don’t touch the UNCLEAN THING. If ROCK and HEAVY METAL type music, in an Apostolic Church is not an UNCLEAN THING, there are no unclean things in this world. I believe some of the men who have set out to “change” worship in Apostolic Churches are sincere, but they are so woefully wrong. They don’t know what horrible damage they are doing to their Church, when they infuse this wicked practice into it. Any Church that becomes engrossed, drowned and buried in this practice will find themselves members of the Laodicean False Church, of these LAST DAYS.
If you have the stomach for it, go to Youtube, bring up Apostolic Church Worship, you will be absolutely shocked at what you see being passed off as worship in an Apostolic Church. A pitch black auditorium, loud screaming and yelling, just like a Rock Concert, presumable by Holy Ghost filled young people. Totally ignorant of what they look and sound like. Super loud drums, keyboards, bass, guitars, growing louder and louder, suddenly there is an explosion of blinding and stabbing lights on the performers, lights rolling and oscillating across the ceiling and stage props, all this accompanied by great leaping flames of fire, 3/5/6 feet high on several areas of the stage, guys out on ramps among the kids, swaying and playing guitars. You ask, where did these children learn this stuff? They have been watching it on TV, the Internet, or worse yet, they have been going to Rock Concerts. In light of this, The Beach Boys, and their ilk, will have to hang their heads in shame. Astounding! Disgustingly putrid, to say the least.
Apostolic????????????, Fat Chance.
Unclean, unclean cries the Leper. This practice is to me Spiritual Leprosy. It is the spirit of error and it is, Unclean.
They, the “Changers” have for the most part, paid nothing nor sacrificed their life to bring a Church into being, so, they blindly introduce a Rock Concert with all of its noise and shameful carrying on, and call it Apostolic. Their word is, The Culture! The Culture! They say, we’ve got to work with the Culture. It is a different day and time, they say. Listen to me Brother, every generation thinks it is a modern generation. When I was discharged from the U.S. Navy, in 1946, that was THE modern generation for me. It was just as modern to me, as 2010 is to you. However, let me tell you, when I went to the UPC Church in Fresno, California, where Brother A.V. Kelley was Pastor, I didn’t say to him, this is New Generation, and we young men, I was 22 yrs old, don’t want to have this old Church music and songs. Nor did I say, “Pastor, the Church will have to change so we can reach this Modern Generation.” First, let me say to this pitiful kind of reasoning, HOGWASH! And, let me tell you what the Pastor would have said. He would say, “you see that door you came through? It swings both ways.”
The church of Jesus Christ didn’t change for me, and it’s not changing for you or anyone else. We, of my generation, didn’t display the gall, audacity, insolence and bare faced ignorance to try to change the Church to fit our generation. No, we came in, out of a mod generation, a changing time all around us, we were happy to find refuge in the Church of the Living God. We never gave it a thought, we dropped the worldly music that we danced to, played pool to, went the movies and parties to, yes we dropped the worlds music like a hot potato and loved the Church music, the standards of Holiness and conduct. We were so thankful just to find Salvation. This generation will do the same, if they are taught right, and not catered to, to their flesh. If they are witnessed to by Holy Ghost filled Young People that are not afraid to say, I’m Pentecostal, here is how we dress, here are the songs we sing in Church, thereby giving Glory to our wonderful Saviour.
There will be, no doubt, lewd ungodliness following this Change in the appeal to the Culture. Instead of Godly Church Music; loud stadium twanging, ear splitting sounds. Tinkling cymbals and sounding brass; shock waves of sounds that insult the intellect. Soul and Spirit polluting gyrations of flesh gratifying hard-acid-rock NOISE. Theatrics, instead of a Holy, sincere, heartfelt worship service. Some Churches that were once greatly blessed, have now, because of these CHANGERS, become barren waste-lands of ungodly sounds and practices. There is not even a ghost of resemblance to their past Holiness. If the Pastor, who gave his life building an Apostolic Church were to see his life’s work now, he would be SHAMED, SHAMED, SHAMED.
We are bombarded daily, by politicians yelling about “Political Correctness.” I’m not concerned with so-called political correctness. I am concerned with “Biblical and Holy Ghost Culture, Correctness.”
According to Isaiah 1:2-4, Holiness is the most essential element of God’s Nature. {J.S.}
The direction being taken by these Fellows, will lead to similar conditions, in the House of God.
Away with all the CULTURAL TRASH.
Let’s get back to Holy and modest Church Services, and the preaching of God’s Word. Let’s please the Lord Jesus, by returning to HIS CULTURE.
Amen
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 
Thank God for preachers like Bro Davis who are not afraid to speak out on what they believe! I had an unsaved friend tell me when he visited our church it was more like attending a great rock concert. This has bothered me for so long. We do not need to change what we are doing to save the lost. They are looking for something different, why should be try to give them what they already have access too? At a recent youth conference there was a concert after the last service, in the sanctuary and a crowd surfing incident occured! The participant wasn’t a youth, but someone in ministry!!! What kind of example are we setting for our youth?? Keep preaching it Bro Davis and keep posting the truth Bro Ballestero!
Pamella Lemieux
May 25, 2010 at 1:57 am
Music was originally intended for WORSHIP to the One, True God. Therefore it makes sense that WORSHIP of the One, True God should be the main focus, NOT merely the entertaining of the people. If a song does not prompt spontaneous love and worship to the Lord, if it does not incite spontaneous thankfulness and appreciation to the Lord, if it does not place all focus on the Lord rather than the performers and the instruments, I ask you,… What good is it? Who and what are you really glorifying? Modern songs and music are fine as the Bible tells us to “sing unto the Lord a NEW song”. However, it’s important to remember that music should be used to communicate love, adoration and thankfulness to God, like a prayer to the Lord that is set to music. Sure you can make it sound more modern, if the heart of it is absolute worship, if it prompts people to pray and seek God. We don’t need to raise the volume to crazy high levels! We don’t need ridiculous amounts of repetition! JUST LOVE GOD WITH THE MUSIC like it was originally intended! To those that truly love God, this is not asking too much. Look to the audience. If hands are raised and people are surrendered to the Lord, if the people are spontaneously worshipping and loving God, if praise to God flows freely, you have a song that is a keeper. Those that have a heart for God will hear these words.
Carl Barbaro
May 25, 2010 at 3:59 am
Well said Elder!!! Thanks for saying it! I appreciate every man of God who stands for “the old paths wherein is the good way!” Thank you for your influence, your words and your spirit.
Blessings,
Bro. Connell
Peter F. Connell
May 25, 2010 at 4:07 am
Amen! Thanking God that there are still some true Holiness Preachers and Churches in this world that are not trying to change the gospel of old.
Patsy
May 25, 2010 at 6:47 am
GREAT!
Write on Elder!
Clif Crosby II
May 25, 2010 at 7:43 am
Awesome is the only word that comes to my mind. Simply awesome!!!!
Bobby Ikerd
May 25, 2010 at 8:46 am
Well said Elder Davis. Thank you for sounding a clear sound. Thank you!!!
Buddy Jones
May 25, 2010 at 10:55 am
Really enjoyed reading this. It is so true. Bring back true worship and let it be for God. I am so thankful for a pastor (Rev. Wade Bass) that preaches the Word and Holiness.
Kaye McElroy
May 25, 2010 at 11:17 am
This is a very relevant and needed article. Thank you for posting it.
Rick McGuffey
May 25, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Sometimes I just feel so out of the loop of songs that I hear. They do nothing to make me praise Jesus or even think about him. I must be considered old now. I find myself singing even a new song that matches what I feel in my soul so even my new ones are so much like the so called old songs. I love to feel the Lord during worship where I feel good inside whether I feel like weeping or just praising him in a dance. I don’t want to do just hype I want something that moves my soul and when I go home I am still feasting on his spirit that was there.
marciajune
May 25, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Thank you Elder. True worship is what have kept us and it will take us all the way.
Daniel Ocana
May 25, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Thank you for speaking the truth.. your brother Rev Lee Davis is the reason why my family is in church today. they were under his leadership for 45 years and today they still believe and live hoilness. All over the United States as ive traveled pastors still talk about how Rev Lee Davis had such a huge impact on their lifes. Thank you for clearing this up and for me and many other young men we refuse to go the in the way of the world.. : Crazy rock music, Club Lights, Cutting Hair business.
Nathan Forrestal
May 25, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Praise the Lord,Bro. Davis. I enjoyed reading your blog. I have some wonderful memories of visiting your
church back in the sixties. I remember Bro. Jimmy Davis and Bro. Lee Davis.Such wonderful men of God that help to mold my early years in the church.My grandson lives in Pasadena California.Maybe we can visit in the near future.God bless you. I appreciate you and your ministry.
Jack Reeves
May 25, 2010 at 6:17 pm
This is the absolute truth! I am not as old as Bro. Davis and as much as I hate to admit I have started down on the sunset of life,but I still believe it!
Some may say, “You are just old and foggy”.
The Apostolic movement needs some “Young ‘Foggies’ “. Count me in!
John Scheel
May 25, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Excellent words….I pray that my generation would hear it!
Paul Cooke
May 26, 2010 at 2:28 am
I am so glad my pastor sticks to the “Old time songs & worship” and not following the “TREND” and “FASHION” of this world. I was rescued by the LORD from the trash of rock, heavy metal, pop music of the world with all its way of entertainment. Worship The One True God and watching a performer on a stage are totally two different things; either to cater for God alone (to whom all glory belong) or to cater for the flesh. Thank you for this great article.
surjanto tirtabudi
May 29, 2010 at 2:20 am
Well spoken as always. You have instilled in me Biblical doctrines such as Godly Worship and Holiness to the point that I could never be satisfied sitting as a member in a church that did not preach and teach the CORRECT BIBLICAL teachings that you have taught. Thanks for instilling that in me.
Love in Crist,
Bobby O’Howell
Bobby O'Howell
June 1, 2010 at 2:31 am
I was grieved, while visiting another church, to see an elderly sister trying to sing along to the music. This church has a “Praise Team” who do all the singing AT the congregation, rather than leading in worship, and this poor lady was doing her best to sing along, but she (nor I) could understand half the words being sung. I didn’t feel so badly for myself, since I was soon going home where we know what a hymnal is for, but she is stuck in a church where she will probably live out her days hearing new songs every service.
This is probably irreverent, but what will this generation look back on as the “Beautiful Old Songs” when they are old? I know this isn’t all about music, but music should be the result of an experience. A shallow experience results in shallow music.
LeeAnna Fitzgerel
January 10, 2011 at 2:20 am
I grew up in the church as a second generation Apostolic. I’ve been in the music ministry since I received the Holy Ghost at age 9. I taught a short seminar on the church separating themselves from the World’s music, in AND out of church. Total separation; meaning during worship, weddings, funerals and in the car. I’m in my early 40’s now and that was twenty years ago. Most considered my teachings extreme or out of touch with reality. It really comes down to this: You play with Satan’s fire and you will get burned. Or simply, give the world an inch and it will take a mile.
What is so wrong with showing the world what holiness looks and sounds like, IN THE HOUSE OF GOD? Why should we be so concerned with a sinner’s comfort level IN THE HOUSE OF GOD? There IS a reason sinners don’t have white knuckles on the pew in front of them; there is no conviction if everything around them looks and sounds just like the house of Satan in which they dwell day in and day out.
If we were really more concerned about souls rather than numbers and the offering plate, then we wouldn’t even be considering T.V’s in the home, short pants, cut hair, facial hair, worldly entertainments/sports, secular music and secular styled worship music, etc. Other “Christian” groups who tore these hedges out years ago, are now neck deep in voting in homosexuals into their pulpits, aborting their unborn children to allow for continued unaltered sinful lusts, and long debates and authoring creeds to change the True Word of God to support their own lusts to be like the world. We need to go back to an old prayer, “Lord, build a hedge all around me everyday!” We should desire a sensitivity to the Holy Ghost and allow The Lord to manifest Himself in our midst. This can only happen if we worship Him in Spirit and Truth!
I don’t ever want to create a false presence of The Lord when it is so much easier and beneficial to everyone to allow Jesus to do His Work. He said that when two or three are gathered in His Name, He is in the midst. To gather in His Name is to follow after His Word, His instructions, His guidance, His leadership and hold onto Faith that Jesus will do His part! Only He can save, forgive sins and fill souls with His Spirit!
Who do you want, Jesus or Barabbas? I choose to follow Christ. God bless and keep on keeping on!
Bill Kellum
November 1, 2013 at 10:04 pm