My version of the fellowship of the unashamed

I do not know who originally said this about the fellowship of the unashamed but, I have revised and adapted it to my own desire. I first presented this at White Rock church of Christ in Dallas and this week at Oklahoma City. Here is my version of this saying:

The Fellowship of the Unashamed Revised:
I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I am strengthened in the Lord and the power of His might. The pattern has been fixed. I have made the decision to call Jesus Lord. I am a disciple and a soldier of Jesus Christ. I am His, body and soul, mind and spirit.

I won’t look up, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. There is a world lost in sin, and only the one true gospel can make a difference.

I’m not all I ought to be, what I want to be, or what I am going to be; but, thank God that by His grace, I am not what I used to be. I have no desire to return.

I am finished with low living, sight walking, blind eyes, smooth knees, lazy preaching, deaf ears, compromised beliefs, politically correct talking, and dwarfed goals.

I am finished with giving in to human religion rather than embracing New Testament Christianity. I am weary of scoffers who believe they have something better than God’s way or God’s will.

I am finished with the notion that the Lord’s church has to change its doctrine or it can’t grow. I have seen with my eyes that the Gospel still works, the blood still cleanses, God still answers prayers, and the promises of God hold true.

I am finished with foolish ways. I will do more than listen to the Lord; I will carefully obey Him. I will do more than speak for what is right; I will speak against what is wrong. I will do more than hold private beliefs; I will preach the truth without fear to anyone and everyone.

I am finished with doubting. I will believe every word of every sentence of every verse of every chapter of every book is inspired--God breathed--and utterly, utterly, utterly trustworthy. And I believe this without apology.

I am finished being wise in my own eyes, I know I do not have a better way. I will not lean on my understanding but will trust God, who knows what I do not know and can see what I cannot see.

I will stand against the compromising of doctrine, the tolerating of human traditions, the offering of false hope, and flirting with popular religion.

I know there is no way to heaven but the narrow way. I am unwilling to endorse any church but the Lord’s church, any way the Lord’s way, any gospel but the Lord’s gospel, any baptism but the Lord’s baptism, or any teaching but the Lord’s teaching.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I have the love of Christ, the grace of God, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, and my mission clear.

I must not be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. There are too many souls at stake, and my Lord deserves better.

I will not flinch in the face of heresy, hesitate in the presence of error, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander to the popular, or meander in the maze of the muddy.
I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I have preached up, prayed up, stored up, and stayed up the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, serve until I drop, preach until everyone knows, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, I pray He’ll say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

May God be with us,

Phil