Eye Opener
The uncompromising man of God
Priests and pastors who are ministers of God have different styles of preaching the word of God to their congregation. There are those who are 'Pleasing', 'Compromising', and 'Uncompromising'. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 28:18-20: 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them how to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'
The ministers are to teach our churchgoers God Almighty's and Jesus Christ's teachings and instructions as embodied in the Bible. They are expected to teach spiritual standards, dynamic doctrines and practical precepts. Teach also about God and Man, heaven, sin and hell; Christ and His works, Christ-His Resurrection, Faith and Life Eternal.
The 'pleasing' and 'compromising' ministers have their own motives why they don't want to hurt or displease their parishioners if they talk about the mortal sins of some of their members even without mentioning names during the sermon.
I know of a pastor who talks sincerely and frankly about God's gospel. The pastor of course loves all his members and have high regard for visitors in the church. His sermon is not only interesting but he speaks eloquently as well of God's teachings. He does not mince words just to please sinners but nice words to God's truthful believers. When he speaks on Thursday at 6pm at God's Power Fellowship, YMCA Forum Hall, and on Sunday at the Messiah Bible Church Ruby Hall at 10am, Fine Rock Hotel, Jalandoni Street, this city, he rebukes the sinners and their misdeeds not to embarrass them but through the grace of Jesus Christ who forgives sins, they might abandon sins and live a life of righteousness thereafter. When the pastor speaks that liquor is fatal to the health and smoking is dangerous to the lungs, he wants the alcoholic and cigarette addicted members to have no spot nor wrinkle when they approach the Throne of Life in heaven. That's the reason why Rev. Dr. Ben Barredo III always exhorts his church members to be upright and decent when others cannot and will not do the right things. When he speaks that you Christians are wrong when you do the evil things of the world which are abominable to God, he means it honestly not withstanding that some affected church members may be slighted as the saying goes, 'The truth will set you free.' Despite Dr. Barredo's straight-forward sermons, no church members have so far left his church. Some members who are still worldly are aware that the down-to-earth sermon of their Pastor is slowly leading them to abandon their evil practices and will eventually reconcile them with God and become born-again Christians and inherit eternal life.
Rev. Dr. Ben Barredo III started as Exhorter in the Assemblies of God in Bacolod City and was ordained Exhorter at the Bethel Temple, Iloilo City. He was God's worker of the Phil. Baptist Church in Bacolod City in 1980 and in 1982 left for the U.S. He obtained his theological degree at the Moody Bible Institute Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1935. He studied at the Emmanuel Theological Seminary in Georgia, USA, where he obtained his master's degree in 1991 and Emmanuel Theological in Georgia conferred upon him Doctor of Divinity in 1992. At present Dr. Barredo is a theological instructor at the Emmanuel Theological Seminary at Don Francisco Village, Jaro, this city, manage by the South Korean Missionaries. He is also Pastoring God's Power Fellowship every Thursday at 6pm at the YMCA Forum Hall, Iznart St. this city and the Messiah Bible Church Ruby Hall every Sunday at 10pm at the Fine Rock Hotel, Jalandoni Street, Iloilo City. Pastor Barredo and his wife Catherine Gayanilo have four children: Karen, BA Religion at CPU; Richard, BSSW CPU; Christian James, BSN, Iloilo Doctor's College and Charity, senior nursing student at IDC.