A Video about Grace

Grace - ITWM.org from Kenn Blanchard on Vimeo.
This is the latest podcast for ITWM. you can find it on http://kennblanchard.libsyn.com/rss

The Message actually comes from   (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves—it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”

In the Bible we find God’s moral law. The only way for me to be saved on my own would be to perfectly obey every one of God’s commands.

And that’s impossible. I’m far from perfect.

“Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10).

“We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin” (Rom. 3:19).

Thank You

Thank you donating and helping me make this dream real. It is my prayer that God bless you for all that you have done and multiply your gift for the Kingdom.

Pastor Kenn Blanchard

video of podcast 83

83 ITWM- Saint's and Ain'ts from Kenn Blanchard on Vimeo.

A Little About Prayer

Prayer is communication with God.  Jesus told us to always pray.  You can tell a spiritual contender from a pretender by their prayer.

The Spirit knows spirit.  Luke 21:36

There are people that stand up in church and start TALKING but they are not praying.  There are people that in their minds they are praying but their words are not going further than a few feet in front of their mouths.

How do you NOT do that?

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

First, you focus on the greatness of God rather than the greatness of the problem.  A good prayer starts off with thanksgiving.  Giving thanks for the greatness of God.  Praising Him for being God.  There are many gods in this world.  Make sure you do as Jesus did when he said “Our Father which art in heaven” (King James Version).  Be specific.  This prayer is actually more about who God is than anything else. Great prayers always are.  When you focus, putting your spiritual aim on the Kingdom of God.  And take your eyes off the world, you can see.

Secondly, pray God's words back to Him.  That is why David said “this words have I hid in my heart”  You have to learn the words of the Bible for yourself.  No priest, preacher or clergy person is needed to pray for you.

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5

The concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. First, the New Testament does not teach that there are to be priests in the New Covenant. Instead, the New Testament teaches that all believers are priests. 1 Peter 2:5-9 describes believers as a “holy priesthood” and a “royal priesthood.” Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 both describe believers as “a kingdom and priests.” In the Old Covenant, the faithful had to approach God through the priests. The priests were mediators between the people and God. The priests offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. That is no longer necessary. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can now approach God’s throne with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). The temple veil tearing in two at Jesus’ death was symbolic of the dividing wall between God and humanity being destroyed. We can approach God directly, ourselves, without the use of a human mediator. Why? Because Jesus Christ is our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15; 10:21), and the only mediator between us and God (1 Timothy 2:5). The New Testament teaches that there are to be elders (1 Timothy 3), deacons (1 Timothy 3), bishops (Titus 1:6-9), and pastors (Ephesians 4:11) – but not priests.

And this is why many people have become disillusioned with God or their faith has been shattered.  They have relied upon infallible man to pray for them or to.

And don’t just repeat the same prayer.  Repeating the Lord’s prayer is a vain repetition.  The Bible says not to do that.  We have adults still saying “now I lay me down to sleep”.  When are you going to grow up from that?

The early believers actually prayed God's promises and God's words right back to Him. We should pray on His promises, too.

Thirdly, pray specifically for your response to the situation.  Consider the model prayer meeting in Acts 4:24.  The powerful council that had arranged for Jesus' crucifixion has now ordered Jesus' disciples to shut up about Jesus or else. Peter and John reported this to the believers a very volatile situation. Here was their response.

"When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord,' they said, 'You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through Your servant David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?' Indeed, Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs...'"

Now, here's the result of their prayer: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God boldly."
Here you go: powerful prayer - explosive results. Let's pray like that if you want to get results like that. We can learn some of the secrets of dynamite prayer from how these early believers prayed under life-threatening pressure.

Here’s the recap:

First, you focus on the greatness of God rather than the greatness of the problem. This prayer is actually more about who God is than anything else. Great prayers always are.

Secondly, pray God's words back to Him. The early believers actually prayed God's promises and God's words right back to Him. We should pray on His promises, too. Thirdly, pray specifically for your response to the situation. They prayed for boldness. The situation isn't what will decide this. It will be how you choose to respond to the situation.

Finally, pray for things only God could do - boldness when you feel like running - miracles to show people God's glory.

Frankly, our prayers are often so small, so predictable, so unworthy of the great God with whom we're talking. When you pray to a very big God for very big things, beginning with big things to happen in you, prepare for something explosive to happen. That will be the sound of your God blowing the lid off things!

You see, I am not a just a preacher of the Gospel.  I didn’t learn this in school.  I learned this in life.  I am a recipient of God’s blessings.  I’m jaded.  You can’t impress me because I know God.  You can say anything you’ve done that I won’t give him credit for.  I know the author and finisher of my faith.

You know it is a sin not to pray.  You can’t represent God as an ambassador without a prayer life.  You can’t really be a real officer of a church without a prayer life.  Don’t fool yourself.  And don’t surround yourself with other fools that agree with you.

Practice makes saints.

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luke 18:1

My Mobile Dream Machine

it might be the most foolish thing I have ever wanted but I have been dreaming of an mobile headquarters like this RV I found online for sale.

It's way over the top to me but where I can see myself witnessing to people, meeting people that travel to DC and the vehicle that I can use to hold revivals, conferences and hold church where ever I need to go. It always boils down to location. Do you have a place to meet? Can we meet personally, privately? This says it all.

I am trying to raise $1000 a month to afford this bad boy. It's cheaper than buying or renting a office space. I can take my senior citizen fishing buddies to the boat in style. It's a used vehicle, and cost $89,000.

Pray for a brother. If it is God's will and it won't be a burden, pray I can get this one or one in good condition to do the same.

Podcast 82

ITWM podcast / Kenn Blanchard Live! from Kenn Blanchard on Vimeo.

Committing to God

One of the most under appreciated things about God is His reliability. He never fails.  He never misses a beat.  We on the other hand leave much to be desired.  

One of the things you can do when you choose to get right with God is to work on your integrity.  

God is Spirit: then let his worshippers give him worship in the true way of the spirit. --John 4:24

 In other words, let your yes be yes and your no be no.  be a man of your word.

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.  -James  5:12

Be honest.  Be truthful.  If you promise someone something, stick to it.  People judge you more by your actions than your words.  If you become a habitual person of trust, that character reflects on your faith.  To paraphrase Scripture:  “how can you claim to love God when you treat your brother like blended crap?” 

But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.    1 John 2:11 NASV

Commitment to God is shown in your keeping of promises to those you can see.  Your integrity reflects your moral compass.  Your compass should be pointing to God. 

Nothing destroys a marriage faster than mistrust.  Nothing gets you between the sheets and other silky things better than trust.  Trusting, and knowing are two words rarely used in sex but they are everything.  Commitment.

Here is the audio podcast with some more points about it I put up last night.  It features a new intro song and in the closing, a singing testimony that says basically that “God is…”

If you are trying to get back in good with God.  It starts with integrity.  Redeveloping yours.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/kennblanchard/81_-_In_the_WIlderness_Ministries.mp3 

"Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1

Joke

A Jewish businessman in Chicago sent his son to Israel for a year to absorb the culture.

When the son returned, he said, "Papa, I had a great time in Israel. By the way, I converted to Christianity."

"Oy vey," said the father. "What have I done?" He took his problem to his best friend, Irving.

" Irving," he said, "I sent my son to Israel, and he came home a Christian. What can I do?"

"Funny you should ask," said Irving. "I too, sent my son to Israel , and he also came home a Christian. Perhaps we should go see the rabbi."

So they did, and they explained their problem to the rabbi.
"Funny you should ask," said the rabbi. "I, too, sent my son to Israel, and he also came home a Christian. What is happening to our young people?"

And so they all prayed, telling the Lord about their sons.

As they finished their prayer, a voice came from the Heavens:

"Funny you should ask," said the Voice. "I, too, sent my Son to Israel ...."

Statement of Faith

“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.  –John 7:16, 17

Inspiration of Scriptures We believe that the Holy Bible is the written Word of the Living God. We believe it was inspired by the Holy Spirit and recorded by holy men of old.  It is infallible in content and a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction, which is truth without any mixture of error.  The Bible reveals the principles by which God will judge us and reveals His great plan of salvation.  It will remain eternally.  We believe the Bible is the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.  Therefore, we believe this Word should go into all the world and should be given first place in every believer’s life as written in 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; and 2 Peter 1:19-21.

GOD (Jehovah) We believe in one God revealed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost…making up the blessed Trinity.   Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 6:4, 32:39,  and  John17:3, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Timothy 1:17

Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior, God incarnate.  Matthew 11:27, John 10:30-33, John 3:16-17, John 16:23-24

Man We believe that man, in his natural state, is a sinner- lost, undone, without hope, and without God.  Romans 3:19-23; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-2,12.

Salvation We believe the terms of salvation are repentance toward God for sin and a personal, heartfelt faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is how the new birth occurs, which we call being “born again.” Salvation is possible only through God’s grace, not by our works.  “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.”  Romans 10:9-12.

Water Baptism We believe that baptism is a symbolic outward expression of one’s faith and must be done by immersion. –Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38. 

Blood Atonement 
We believe in the saving power of the blood of Jesus and His imputed righteousness. -Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-9, 5:1-11, Ephesians 1:3-14.
Bodily Resurrection We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ as it is written in the Bible in the books of Luke 24:39-43, and John 20:24-29.

Ascension We believe that Christ Jesus ascended to the Father and is presently engaged in building a place for us in His Kingdom and interceding for the saints. –John 14:2-3, and Romans 8:34.

Second Coming We believe in the visible, bodily return of Christ Jesus to this earth, to get His church “the Bride” and to judge the world. –Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; James 5:8, and Revelation 1:7.

Ordinances We believe that the two ordinances of the Body of Christ are water baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  — Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26.

Heaven and Hell We believe Scripture clearly sets forth the doctrines of eternal punishment for the lost and eternal bliss and service for the saved — a literal hell for the unsaved and Heaven for the saved.  — Matthew 25:34,41,46;  Luke 16:19-31; John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15.

Holy Spirit We believe the Holy Spirit to be the third person of the Trinity whose purpose in the redemption of man is to convict of sin, regenerate the repentant believer, guide the believer into all truth, indwell all believers, and give gifts to those He wills that they may minister as Christ would to men. We believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 will operate through present-day Christians who yield to Jesus.  –Luke 11:13; John 7:37-39, 14:16-17, 16:7-14; Acts 2:1-18.

Tongues (Languages) We believe that the Holy Spirit has given others the ability to speak other languages for His glory, but it is not some unknown secret language.  It must edify the Church and not the speaker. –1 Corinthians 14

How do you join ITWM?
You can join in person, by email or letter.

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ----Philippians 3:12-14

The Plan

After the Carnival cruise that ITWMinistries had (our first and only to date) I was feeling pretty good about the ministry.  I was serving God without the confines of walls, church politics and crazy people.  That didn’t last long though.  I was called to pastor a challenge.

My heart has always been to those like me.  Men and women that have been through some things but somehow didn’t have the urge to join the traditional church for many reasons.

A couple of years ago, I had the grand idea to raise money via my podcast to get a church van for the elders that no longer could drive or shouldn’t drive.  We raised $2500 for it and the church absorbed it.  I was disappointed in the process and the people.  First, they bawked at the idea, and gave me reasons why it was too expensive to do, too much of a liability.  Secondly, they didn’t want to be picked up (then).  Next I had to find a driver who wanted a salary.  Today, we don’t have a church van.  I am no longer going to ask for donations for our church until a few more hearts are changed.  The church is improving but they are pretty parsimonious.  

The success of my podcasts has introduced me to several brothers that inspire me to continue what I had started. 

A couple of years ago, I was on an RV owned by Blackhawk! and got the idea that it would be great to do the same thing as a mobile office for my type of ministry.  I always have brothers coming into the Washington, DC area that I have only met online and it would be safer, to meet them in my mobile office than bring them home.  

Then the ideas kept rolling in as they do when God is involved and I figured out I could get a choir to accompany me, and my friend the caterer and we could have something close to tent revivals where ever.  I would travel to gun shows, fishing holes, hunting lodges, where ever my peeps were or in the city and stake out a place and fellowship.

So that is the plan.  Working on incorporating as a nonprofit after I get the funds to do that then purchase a not so beat up RV that I can use.  Here’s one I found so far http://www.saffordrv.com/rv/winnebago/classagas/1525/Winnebago_Vectra_Grand_Tour_Diesel_M-35WQ

Pray for our success.

About Pastor Kenn

Rev. Kenneth V. Blanchard, Sr., was born in Suffolk, Virginia but raised in Maryland.  He is the pastor of Historic Berean Baptist Church in Washington, DC where he has been serving since 2006.  He became a licentiate minister at Mount Sinai Baptist Church in 2001.  He was ordained in 2007, and called to pastor in 2008.

He is the founder of In The Wilderness Ministries and the Forgiven Christian riders an international motorcycle ministry that helps churches utilize the motorcyclist in their congregations to evangelize.

His favorite Scripture is from Philippians 3:12-14

He is also a staunch defender of personal freedom.  He was a former federal police officer.  Became a firearms trainer for law enforcement and protective security specialist.  Traveled as bodyguard.  Studied classroom dynamics, facilitation and course design and later became a trainer of new police recruits.  Wrote and published Black Man With A Gun, A Responsible Gun Ownership Manual for African Americans in 1991.  

He created a firearms consulting business called African American Arms & Instruction, (A3i) in 1992. He has lobbied the US Congress.  He has testified in the state legislatures of Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, and Wisconsin.  He was instrumental in the passing of concealed carry reform in 1992 for Virginia and Texas.  He founded the Tenth Cavalry Gun Club, a national pro-gun organization for African Americans.

He has done commercials for TV against racist gun laws and been featured in Michael and Me, Larry Elder,  Dickens in America, BBC/ Scotland Lion Films,  Not Without A Fight 2009 by Max Lemux.  and worked around the country after that to promote safe and responsible firearms ownership. 

In 2000, he created the Black Man With A Gun URL and has been active guest on talk radio and television, on the controversial subject of gun control and minorities since then.  Known internationally as the Black Man With A Gun and blogs regularly on http://kennblanchard.com

About ITWM

In 2002, I started “In the Wilderness Ministries” - Serving the Lord without Boundaries. After becoming a licensed Christian minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but not fitting in with the politics of a large metropolitan Baptist church.  I served at the church as the sexton/janitor, and then after becoming a minister, as the pastor’s aide.  My opportunities to preach the Gospel were at Men’s groups, at pistol ranges and biker rallies that I attended.  It led me to believe that I would always be an outsider.  I learned that God met many, In the Wilderness.  

ITWM has gone through its ups and downs since then.  In its heyday, we  would do meet-ups at parks, the shooting range or where two or three of us could gather to talk about things that mattered, parenthood, divorce, marriage, sex, love, health and the miscellaneous. We were bikers, police officers, blue and white collar guys. There were women too and that was a good thing. As a fundraiser the group even got connected with Carnival Cruises and took a five day cruise to the Caribbean. I got the chance to marry a couple aboard ship.

In The Wilderness Ministries almost became a home church but I was afraid that I didn’t have the qualifications to lead a church back then.  I soon found a church that needed a minister and had hoped that the thirty or so members of our group would join me at this new place but that didn’t happen.  The new place had all the issues that keep churches from growing.  I stayed--- and my friends left.  

Nine years later, I am the pastor of that church and trying to bring the same God I met In the Wilderness to them.  So they can be free.  

Today, my heart’s passion is to pick up the mantle of ITWM again.  This time using all that I have learned on the internet doing my podcast and social media and combine it with a focused effort to reach people where they are.

I would operate a mobile ministry.  The "office" would be a recreational vehicle.  I would travel to homes, malls, conferences, pistol ranges, lodges, outdoor events and meet people where they are.  I am serving the Lord without boundaries.  This would be for those looking to connect outside the walls of a traditional church.

I have a growing number of people that refer to me as the Pastor of Patriots and Pistoleros right now.  All I am missing is the actual legal entity to raise money, travel and do all that I have haphazardly done.

We are the church.  I think I have the gift to pick up where Billy Graham left off when he led a crusade for Christ in colleges and across the nation.  My target audience is national.  We need God now more than ever.

I am in the process of raising money for the incorporation, legal and administrative stuff right now.  

 I could use help though making it happen.

God has given us the tools.  We have to take them and build this community. 

This is In the Wilderness Ministries, Welcome.