TNG with Paul Blair

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you the truth for a new generation. This is TMG radio. In Proverbs 1434 the word of God says righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. A reproach debasement a devaluing righteousness elevates the people welcome to TMG radio truth for a new to this is Alex McFarland and when I think about that verse about righteousness exalts a nation, I think that's important voices of truth.

Voices of the gospel voices of righteousness. And God has given cultures the church God has raised up for the church pastors. And it's vitally important. We have shepherds of flocks, pastors, preachers of the word of God, but do believe in the truth of Scripture and the importance of righteousness, and with that introduction. I want to tell you I'm so excited about the person you're about to meet because if ever, if ever, this nation had in the pulpit, a champion of righteousness, a preacher of God's truth and just someone who exemplifies what it means to be a Christian leader in the 21st-century. It's the person you're about to meet his name is Pastor Paul Blair is in Oklahoma for many years he's pastored Fairview Baptist Church and he has rub shoulders with people like Tony Perkins of FRC and D.

James Kennedy of reclaim America Del Tackett of the truth project, Josh McDowell, Frank Turk can ham the heroes that have shaped my life as well been my privilege a time or two to come to Oklahoma City and Edmond, Oklahoma, to minister alongside him and I wanted to get him on the program and folks you don't want to miss hearing from Paul Blair because he truly is one of the preeminent Christian leaders of our day and I wanted to have them on TMG radio and it's great to to bring them to the mic just now brother, Paul, thank you for your time today on the program but thank you most of all for what you do for Christ in our country. Alex and so I appreciate your friendship and we always enjoy having you in the Oakland city area and you have been a good friend and I am always happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and serve the Lord together. My brother well will indeed talk about what you preach and what you are doing to touch the state of Oklahoma and beyond little bit of back story is you really do have a fascinating story and and I'm going to let you tell it, but there's a booklet call from the gridiron to the gospel and in in a short booklet form that's kind of the Paul Blair story, but give us that the journey here of how God brought you to where you are well.

I am in the town that I was born and raised in and I actually was somewhat of a late bloomer in high school, but I grew to be a pretty good size young man worked hard and had an opportunity on play college football. I was recruited to play by Jimmy Johnson at Tacoma State University Mall and the board long before Jimmy was coaching the Dallas Cowboys to suitable championships or even the Miami Dolphins. He was with the Miami hurricane and before his with my American electrical estate so I played college football for five years ago, stayed under Jimmy Johnson, Pat Jones played alongside such a greats like Leslie O'Neill who's up for the Hall of Fame.

I believe this year and and the Thurman Thomas Rizzoli already in the Hall of Fame and then in 1986 I was drafted by Mike Ditka and played with the Chicago Bears and was there in the heyday of Chicago's rightness alongside guys like Jim McMahon and and Walter Payton and Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton, and in those Christ is literally a Who's Who of professional football and was privileged to play on that team played for five seasons course football is taxing as discussed and discovered me everything that I have it that bands is broken or has been surgically repaired or needs to be surgically repaired after five years I was forced physically to hang it up came back home and happily married now for almost 30 year year Synod.

I celebrate her 29th compliance ago, and interesting. I grew up in a pastors home. Actually, my father was a bi-vocational pastor made his living as an architect with pastor small churches that really couldn't afford to pay a pastor so I grew up in a very godly home and actually was was called into ministry later in life. I'd been out of football for about a decade and had that was in private business and doing quite well as I shared with you earlier. I've always respected masters, but knowing having lived with one. I didn't want to be one and then at the age of 37. They God called me in the ministry and it was a situation where you like. Lord, I am not qualified and the thing that was most encouraging is the man that God has called scripturally what he said, not us. Were not qualified. Weatherby, Jeremiah, Ezekiel would be Moses got the wrong guy exactly you pick the wrong one is not. I said if I want to be in your will and if this is if this is your will.

Then I will be on my knees in prayer seeking your direction and I can't do it my own power, but in your power, I can and that's where we got started on the first things I did with our congregation but everybody through your Bibles that I discovered that most Christians have never read the Bible. So what we started from there in the quite frankly the early days, and have big sermon plans and all that so we do started on on Sunday evenings we would teach and preach verse by verse. The books of the New Testament on Wednesday nights we go to books the Old Testament on Sunday morning. I've often said he a Sunday morning service or somewhere between a Billy Graham or Billy Graham revival and charismatic hootenanny.

It is however to be a man, but that's kinda how we got started.

Been here now for 17 years, while well will tell me about the culture Fairview Baptist went one of the things I've been very involved in is as you said the culture in general, you know what Christianity has lost its luster to a lot of the younger generation because I don't think it's relevant just about book of fables, role stories, but the reality is is that the Bible is just as relevant for our lives today as it was 2000 years ago.

So we don't just preach and teach how to get to heaven which, of course, of the most important thing Jesus said, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul, but we also teach how now shall we live in. As a Christian you. The Bible has given us ample instruction for every facet of our life, we call it worldview and unfortunately most churches don't teach a comprehensive biblical worldview so as a consequence, most Christians lives look just like the lost world mean we are just as dishonest and businesses the guy down the street, our children, and homes are just as broken as those of unsafe homes. It shouldn't be that way you know if we are truly to live by faith.

The Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God will put living by faith means to put into practice God's instruction God's direction and it's not faith comes by living room by the word of God. I would Lord what would you have me to do. How should I operate my business what your Bible says don't be enslaved that your Bible talks about just weights and measures Bible talks about working six days and our work is an offering unto the Lord. So there's there's things that are relevant about every facet of our lives.

However, the typical Christian has defined living by faith.

This, like they say I'm gonna do whatever I wanted to live life, how I want to do it and then when I've made a mess out of things to get on my knees and pray for God to rescue me that's not living by faith. That's testing God. That's not living by faith. Hold that thought we got away for greatness is truth for a new radio with Alex McFarland on our very special guest today pastor Paul Blair will be right back.

For centuries the Bible has inspired humanity and shape the very world we live in. But how do we know this book is the word of God, not merely the words of man, what we believe about the Bible is based on what we believe about the source, the God who speaks explores the evidence of the Bible's inspiration and authority to some of the world's most respected biblical scholars have essentially a geolocation, so it's true to say that Paul wrote Romans is equally true to say that God's decision. We saw six that sets the Bible apart from everything else in the ancient world and its religious pantheon of gods and goddesses. The God who speaks is a feature-length documentary from the American family Association available now with the God who speaks.all hey if you are anywhere near Cary, North Carolina. You need to join best-selling author and apologist Dr. Alex McFarland.

Christian apologist and talkshow host and founder of stand to reason Greg Coble and the president of heroes of the cross, pastor of colonial Baptist Church Family Court at colonial Baptist Church on Sunday, July 22 for the reasons to believe apologetics conference because apologetics isn't a conversation of one your teams and millennial's will learn how to protect and defend the great truths of Christianity. How to navigate through hostile learning environments in college and high school doing more than just surviving. It's the reasons to believe apologetics conference at colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina, Sunday afternoon, July 22. Doors open at two conference begins at 230 and wraps up by six. Learn more@truthforanewgeneration.com and program before we resume our conversation with Pastor Paul Blair, I do want to remind everybody about truth for a new generation.com with a lot of exciting things that were posting there. And of course, please be in prayer and please come if you can. September were going to be in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The greater Nashville area just about 30 minutes from the Nashville airport got an amazing event with Josh McDowell, Jay Warner Wallace Dr. Michael Brown and many speakers Tina Marie Griffin is going to talk about her time as an actress in Hollywood and some other very special thing.

Special music will be at middle Tennessee State University doing a presentation on Thursday night, September 13. Please pray promote plan to attend October 20 627 will be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with the truth for new generation air and will have Frank turmeric and Michael Brown and Josh McDowell. Please pray promote plan to attend and if you're interested friend. If you're interested.

We are looking at 2020 and beyond, and the next five years, and we believe God is called us to take this apologetics Christian worldview, evangelistic campaign. The theme is save the nation to save the nation tour. We believe God wants us to go throughout this country and if you have an interest in us bringing one of our national conferences to your city. Let's talk reach out to us. You can reach us to the website truth for Nguyen.com. Well, a dear friend that has a vision for America is Paul Blair and I wanted to bring him on. I want to let him continue his story and saga and let me say, dear friend.

What God is doing through Fairview Baptist is what God can be doing through your church and what God is doing to the life of Paul Blair is the very same fire God wants to ignite in your heart and your life.

Your walk. Your witness and pastor Paul not trying to lift you up and I'm not trying to, you know, just stroke your ego but I do admire you and I want to say thank you for what you get your courageous stand for Christ. Your your consistent voice of the gospel in Oklahoma and in the nation and I am just going as I wish there were about a million more like you.

Well Alex, thank you for that and we're trying quite frankly, I think seminaries do a lot of good but I also think seminaries do a lot of damage as they train pastors to be CEOs of competing corporations out there that's not what church is supposed to be, or spoke the modern-day pastor supposed to be a modern-day prophet proclaiming the truth under the people and the culture were supposed to be providing pointing people to the truth of Jesus Christ are also supposed to be standing against wickedness. Unfortunately the modern church wants to avoid controversy at all costs for fear it's going to hurt their attendance and I often chuckle I say where. First of all, who is the most controversial person in human history course that is Jesus and the church was always controversy from the very first active ministry.

When Peter and John went to the temple complex and healed the paralytic man that was major controversy because the high priest at the time was a Sadducees and the Sadducees did not believe in the supernatural. The official position of the Sanhedrin was that Jesus was not the Messiah he had risen from the dead and here comes Peter and John heals a man and was a irrefutable miracle so that kinda blew the Sadducees position of the washer and then he said that we did this in the power of Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, that kinda blew the entire Sanhedrin's position about that. You can converse right and then you follow the church throughout the book of acts everywhere Paul went usually either wound up in jail got chased out of town or a riot broke out, but everywhere there was revivals well so the church is going to be controversy when you stand for truth on unapologetically. You can't help but have opposition that's what were called.

You know over the last couple of days. You and I and several pastors we were talking about things that the Bible says that are not politically correct morals, marriage, human sexuality, the role of faith and Christianity in government, and even things like the age of the earth and and you know my position.

The book of Genesis is clear God created in the word of God. There is no place whatsoever for evolution and let me say I don't believe that the earth is millions of years old.the Bible says God created in six days and I know you know if he's God he could do that. So here's my question, pastor, why have we in the American church become kind of reluctant to take a bold stand for where the Bible speaks well.

I think the biggest fallacy among pastors today is they want to be popular and they want to be liked and we have seen George Barna in his research loosing Barton some of the books that he's written with barn we've seen that. I know that Georgia couple years ago did a survey of I thousand ROI not to correct some 450 unbelievers is the number pastors and there from conservative churches, conservative denominations, any estimation does the Bible address the issues that we face today and over 90% of these pastors from conservative denominations that yes the Bible does speak about every issue of our day, abortion, homosexuality, you name and then the next question was are you willing to preach about these things from your pulpit and over 90% said no we are not willing to preach about these things because we think it will hurt the success of our church and they define success as square footage, the number of programs. The number of staff, the amount of the offering and the number of those attending as Barna said, Jesus didn't die for any of those things that run through that again. They define success is what now square footage of their church. The number of programs they have to offer. The number of staff members. They have the amount of the offering is about money and the number of attendance so it seats such attendance and money is primary issue that so they define success, but biblically what really would be success for the church that seeing radical transformation of individuals in a culture matter fact you think about whenever the crowd was too big. Following Jesus.

He always winnowed them a little bit. He said you don't want unless you're willing to to give up her father and mother you're not worthy of your account the cost before you consider being my disciple, John six he gets and there's a big following and you get some some solid doctrinal issues that they were traveling for the Jewish people to try to digest every time there was a big group that was following for the wrong reason. By the way that he would hit them with a significant truth claim and you find a lot lifted off were talking with Pastor Paul Blair in Oklahoma to 16 G ready we got a break but stating because in the final segment, pausing to tell us of things that are really vitally important for the church to do and the for the sake of the gospel in our nation stating TMG radio is back first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland for the life he answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers.

Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times.

From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come.

864-977-2000 eight and always be ready. Hey, if you are anywhere near Cary, North Carolina.

You need to join best-selling author and apologist Dr. Alex McFarland.

Christian apologist and talkshow host and founder of stand to reason Greg Coble and the president of heroes of the cross and pastor of colonial Baptist Church Family Court at colonial Baptist Church on Sunday, July 22 for the reasons to believe apologetics conference because apologetics isn't a conversation of one teams and millennial's will learn how to protect and defend the great truths of Christianity. How to navigate through hostile learning environments in college and high school doing more than just surviving.

It's the reasons to believe apologetics conference at colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina, Sunday afternoon, July 22. Doors open at two conference begins at 230 and wraps up by six.

Learn more@truthforanewgeneration.com in the offices of Fairview Baptist Pastor Paul Blair has a probable going farther.

How can people find you reclaiming America for Christ is one of the websites are a number four seed.org or you can go to Fairview Baptist Edmund.org both of those websites are part of our ministries find out some personal information about me as a former athlete and in the and some other ministry average your Paul K. Blair.com those are some good websites where you can get on what I've got to ask him and we do José on this, but what's could stick out like I love coach Dick Dick. It was very straightforward, very simple.

He was a tough guy literally and he came across as tough guy know he said he had a three-headed mop motto beyond time pay attention and play like heck. Only then that was it. If you did that for your annuity will and not one set of rules apply to everybody there when the set of rules applied to Payton and McManamon.

Other rules apply to the other guys once the rules by database. We had few rules but he is very fairly find it blind everybody just tough guy loved especially leadership is absolutely absolute.

I still love the man you know you were taught about America's godly heritage tell me what were your thoughts on on the role of Christianity in American life. What did the founders envisioned will just briefly asked as a no. We don't have a lot of time but recognizing and teaching a comprehensive biblical worldview, which we don't do anymore. Most pastors have never been taught. This was really very simple. We think of government. We think of the capital of the reality is biblically God created and established for realms of government.

There's self-government there certain responsibilities that I'm in charge of there's family government there certain responsibilities have been entrusted to the family. There's church government there certain responsibilities of been entrusted to the local called out assembly and then there's civil government which God created, but it's very limited. You read the Bible, whether it's Romans 13 what is Paul's letter to Timothy Wesley peters the letters to the dispersed weather is God talking to the Psalms about the purpose of government whether it's the creation of government. Genesis 96. It's always to punish evildoers and protect well doers that we may live peaceably in all godliness.

It's very limited and very specific and when we get in trouble is when the civil government takes over the responsibilities of the family or charity the church or the individual.

That's when it quickly becomes charity and quite frankly can destroy the other three, which is what Karl Marx intended pastors had such a heavy influence on the formation of our of our founding chair and they recognize that justice primarily your government was not to oppress and tyrannize was supposed to check good and punish the evil and that was the number one foundation and they understood that all government comes from. Obviously from God to the man through the man to the government because if we are in a society where there is no divine right of kings, and by the way the Kings wasn't the first choice for Israel. Israel the first 400 here you chose 12 sovereign tribes. They were to call out from among them, capable man that feared God, love, truth, and hated covetousness DNA were to judge righteously, according to the Constitution, the Torah, the law for Israel.

Amen. But that's what God's original instruction was and but in our day and age are founders recognize that we don't have a divine right of kings so who has the authority to rule well no one. Therefore we the people must constitute a limited general civil government. We the people delegate few and defined powers to that civil government and then we swear to be bound by the law, not by the king, not by the Supreme Court. We are bound by the rule of law so all government comes back is under God through the consent of the individual we lost that we completely lost and that's why were the Mets were what has been the result of the silence of many a pulpit on issues like this. Look at where rent today was seen over 60 million babies murdered in their womb in the United States of America the last 45 years, we've now seen the government will redefine marriage which has no authority to do and the Supreme Court has no constitutional authority to do what they've done in the pulpits of state silently seen the breakdown of the family and quite frankly just as you mentioned with judges look at the condition of the man.

The Bible said twice every man chose to do what was right in his own eyes that led to basically chaos and then from that chaos of Samuel was about to die.

They said we want a king to rule over us. No one in order for us as as as Jefferson said, as Franklin said, as as as Hamilton said off all of the founding fathers of John and made a perfect statement as he was presently set our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

The only way you can have civil liberty and enjoy a lot of freedom is if you are self-governing if the hard disk under control, then you don't need a lot of fences, but when the heart is not under control.

You need a strong arm of the tyrannical government. And that's the path were heading as we have abandoned God in every man is doing what's right in his own eyes.

As you can see with the school shootings alliance of things going on. We are giving every reason for a stronger government to strangle us and there is never been a time in history where you can have civil liberty and still have religious liberty. Paul what you say to the pastor that wants to passionately proclaim truth, but he's a little bit afraid of how the chips will fall.

We are accountable to God ultimately and be accountable to God always do the right thing. You will never regret doing the right thing, go to our website reach out to us. We will try to help you in any way that we can and Alex, let me just share with these pastors overwhelming number of churches in America less than 150 people.

That's what we want to reach our church year runs about 400. That's capacity were pretty full.

We run about 400 on Sunday morning. Yet we have a statewide radio ministry, we have we have a separate facility we bought babe on the college campus with a full-time college ministry. We travel speak across the country so we were literally reaching coast-to-coast. Don't think that you have to be a mega-church pastor of tens of thousands in order to make a difference. You can't. You can be of you can make a huge difference.

Pastoring a church of 75 or 100 or hundred and 50 or 500 so we the individual brothers in arms of the pastors across America and we can join together and we can make a difference in our communities and our states and that if we do that will make a big difference in the country over just about out of time right now. We got up a way that Paul and it will speak again. You'll hear from Paul again, folks, you know, I think that first Corinthians 1558 and this is Paul.

This is in my life I I am thrilled by these words and I want to say this to everyone listening your labor in the Lord is not in vain. The word of God promises what we do in time can count for eternity.

So no Christ and folks for the future of our country help make him known.

I do want to remind everybody to please pray for two for new generation are ongoing.

Save America tour all that were doing. You can find out@mywebsitealexmcfarland.com trees for new generation.com. Thank you for listening.

God bless you and God bless America truth in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exists to equip Christians with the local worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes and the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 10231, Borough, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, North Carolina 27404.

Give online@alexmcfarland.com or truth for a new generation.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TMG radio