In a recent Gallup Poll it was learned that, 45%...only 45% of Americans, nowadays, have any confidence in organized religion—what we call “church.” Fewer than half the people! You go out and knock doors and you say, “Can we come in and study the Bible with you?” You get a “No” answer. Why? Because , less than half the people have any confidence in what we call “Christianity” today.

But, you and I know…don’t we?...that Christianity, even though it was a persecuted Way in the 1^st Century, and Jesus never won any popularity contests and didn’t go out and enroll in any, and the New Testament Christians did not do so, we do know that they were respected. The Bible says that it is a “worthy Name by which you are called,” [James 2:7]—the name “Christian.” In spite of the persecution and the opposition there was to it, the people were respected. But what we’re seeing in the religious world in America today is not respected!

And you and I have an opportunity to come in with sound doctrine and preach something that can be respected. They KNOW we’re not a fake like Swaggart and Roberts and Baker (back yonder) and Bennie Henn. There’s not a bigger show farce on TV than Bennie Henn, celebrated! as a great healer of the day. I watched a little bit of his program the other day; saw a little bit of Jimmie Swaggart this morning. They’ve been a disgrace to what’s called “Christianity” today. You don’t have to have me tell you. YOU know it! If you look at any of it at all, you KNOW what you see on television, hear on the radio and read in the press—you know that’s not Christianity like you read about it in the New Testament.

But if we keep quiet, brethren, nobody will ever know about New Testament Christianity. We…need…to give God a VOICE in America today! We…need…to call people BACK to New Testament Christianity. That is respected. If you read about it in your Bible, you can respect it and give it honor. We need to be there; and we need to be there stronger than we are.

We’d like to do some children’s programs. We’d like to do some live streaming of programs on the Internet [Audio and Video streaming is now on SEARCH web site at searchtv.org—ed.]. We’d like to have a continuous running—streaming—on television, all day long, every day for five days [a week]. We want to do that. But, of course, we have to have the support of people like you. We’re grateful for the support that you do give us as a congregation, and some of you, perhaps, as individuals.

Well, let’s see now, is my time up? It is, huh. I see there are people gathering out there in the foyer for the worship service. You have been very attentive during this Bible class.

I’ve tried not to bore you with my personal background, but I wanted you to know why we’re on TV. I’m not doing it because I thought I could do a better job that Batsell Barrett Baxter, or I could do a better job than Ira North. That’s the farthest thing from my mind. In our area, in our time, we didn’t have access to a program; and I felt some of us should be speaking up, and that’s what we’re doing today—not because I think I can do it better than anybody else. Thank you for your encouragement and support. And here comes John to shut me down for sure.