“The world is in great need for good men—godly men!” (from Dr. Eldon Martens’ book The Steps of a Good Man)

Dr. Eldon Martens was one of those good men—a man of great integrity. Last night, the Lord directed his final step Homeward. After preaching the evening service for a revival meeting in Fresno, California, he suffered a major heart attack and went home to be with the Lord.

When I think of Dr. Martens, three words come to mind—faithful, fundamental, and friend.

He was faithful.

For over forty years, Dr. Martens served the Lord in full-time ministry, pastoring for many of those years. In his early days of ministry, he served with men such as Jack Van Impe and Dr. Wally Beebe.

Dr. Martens pastored Central Baptist Church in Clovis, California, and he founded the Fundamental Baptist Church in Escondido, California. He pastored these churches for fourteen years each, leading both of them in great spiritual and numeric growth.

In 1992, Dr. Martens stepped out of the pastorate after completely losing his voice from Spastic Dysphonia. During this difficult time, he faithfully served the Lord and never stopped trusting Him. Churches around the nation were thrilled when God restored his voice, even after medical experts said it was impossible.

In 1997, Dr. Martens began a Men’s Conference called the “Master’s Men.” This ministry has touched the lives of hundreds of men and has strengthened and encouraged scores of pastors and local independent Baptist churches.

He was fundamental.

Dr. Martens’ ministry was marked by a commitment to fundamentalism, including a willingness to practice ecclesiastical separation and, when necessary, to refrain from those who employed or endorsed false doctrine.

And yet, he practiced all of that with a gracious spirit and a genuine walk of godliness.

He was a friend.

Dr. Martens has been a friend to hundreds of pastors, encouraging and loving them. He was a faithful friend to me for more than a quarter of a century, and I will miss him deeply.

For the past few years, Dr. Martens and his wife, Martha, have been members of Lancaster Baptist Church and have traveled representing West Coast Baptist College. Dr. Martens’ preaching and wise counsel has been an encouragement to many pastors and young church planters as he has traveled.

Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Dr. Martens walked with the Lord for many decades, allowing the Lord to order his steps. I can only imagine his delight when the Lord ordered his final step—into His very presence.

A memorial service will be conducted at 9:00 a.m. on Friday in the auditorium of Lancaster Baptist Church. Please be in prayer for Mrs. Martha Martens and their children and grandchildren.

I wonder what my spirit would have been like as a fourteen year old boy if I had been abducted by invading conquerors and taken seven hundred miles from home to serve in a foreign country.

I’m amazed at the response of Daniel and his three Hebrew friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—to that very scenario. In every way, these young men responded with excellence.

These four young men were surrounded by heathen influences and commanded to blend in. They were pressured from every angle to compromise their convictions. Apparently, all the other Hebrews around them yielded.

The culture today is no less ungodly. We are inundated with opportunities to conform to the world. In appearance, in activities, even in methods of ministry, pressure abounds to “fit in.” Other Christians do it. We fear losing influence if we don’t. (more…)

A few years ago the Lord laid on my heart to conduct several regional conferences each year for the purpose of spiritual leadership and local church training. These “Striving Together” conferences feature soul stirring messages in the evening services and practical daytime sessions for full-time workers and laymen alike. There is no cost for the Striving Together conferences—each delegate is simply asked to RSVP with the host church so we can prepare a complimentary set of materials and lesson handouts for each family. (more…)

I am an advocate of setting goals before the beginning of a new year. Philippians 3:13 encourages us to be constantly “reaching forth unto those things which are before.” In my experience, setting goals is crucial to this forward achievement.

Yet, we all know (by disappointing experience) that simply setting goals isn’t enough. If we are to see our goals realized, we must be guided by principle. I have found the following five principles to be crucial to success: (more…)

Every January—since 1987—Lancaster Baptist Church has had winter revival services. Each year we’ve had the same preacher—Dr. John Goetsch. And every year God has used this time in a mighty way in our church.

Perhaps one reason God has so profoundly blessed these meetings over the years is because of the intense desire our church family has to see God work in their hearts. At the beginning of January, we ask every able member of our church to join together in a month of prayer and fasting. And every year, hundreds of our members participate. (more…)