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*About RETURN TO ACTS Ministries

In the days of the early church there were numerous Jews in every major city, and the scriptures were read daily in the synagogues. Thus, it was the manner of the apostle Paul to always first go to the synagogues and "reason from the scriptures" to the Jews. He routinely sought to build on the platform of their faith in the scriptures in order to explain "the way of God more perfectly". In the 21st century world Judaism has essentially been replaced by the "churched" of denominational Christianity, particularly those in evangelical and charismatic circles. Their faith in the scriptures opens them to the truth of Acts when it is taught to them the right way. Just as there were many Jews who received the gospel preached by Paul, so it is that there are many sincere people within the world of denominational Christianity who will receive the gospel of Acts when they hear it. RTA (Return to Acts) Ministries has been established for the express purpose of enabling apostolic believers world wide to reach these people with the gospel as it was preached by the apostles of Jesus when the church was first established. The revival that the apostolic movement yearns to see is going to come predominantly through a sustained ministry of personal evangelism- one on one soul winning. While there are many excellent Bible studies for reaching the unchurched, a different kind of tool is needed in order to interface with the unique spiritual dynamics of denominational Christianity, especially those who consider themselves to be “Bible believing”. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM is that tool, and RTA Ministries exists for the purpose of placing it in the hands of those who have a burden for people who love the Lord but are unaware of the discrepancy that exists between conventional denominationalism and the original gospel of the early church.

*About the Author

GH Picture Raised in south Texas, Glenn T. Howard, Jr. graduated from the University of Texas College of Pharmacy in 1966. As a student, he was active with Campus Crusade for Christ and developed a deep hunger for a closer walk with God. When he heard the truth of Acts for the first time in the summer of 1966 it was a turning point in his life and he was baptized in Jesus' name and received the Holy Ghost. In 1971 he was called into the ministry, and, after briefly pastoring in west Texas, he undertook in 1975 to establish a new church in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he pastored Life Tabernacle for over 22 years. During this time he became very involved in teaching home Bible studies, the result of which he was able to win several charismatic Christians. Thus was born the inspiration for THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM. When he resigned Life Tabernacle in 1998 Bro. Howard's ministry had produced several ministers as well as opened a daughter church in Belen, New Mexico. Convinced that there are many sincere people in the denominational world, especially in charismatic and evangelical churches, Bro Howard developed THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM in order to reach these people with greater effectiveness than what was available. He currently resides near Canyon Lake, Texas, where he is developing additional studies to open the understanding of the denominational mind to the truth of the early church, including the keys to abiding in Christ and the full identity of the resurrected Christ. His works will also link the power and message of Acts to the fulfillment of the plan of God for the 21st century.

*Why Another Bible Study?

In the late 60's, there emerged within the ranks of denominational Christianity a religious phenomenon known as THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT, as people began to look into the book of Acts and discovered the experience of becoming "SPIRIT FILLED". This phenomenon has resulted in the formation of numerous congregations of Christians world wide who have embraced the Bible and who are seeking a closer walk with God. It is significant that although these believers have embraced the EXPERIENCE of Acts, they have overlooked the DOCTRINE of Acts and its enormous importance. While denominational deadness has given way to exhuberant praise and worship in tongues, denominational DOCTRINE has retained its hold on the mind of the average church member- even those who consider themselves "nondenominational". Why? Because they simply don't know any better. These people desperately need to move into the full knowledge of the first century gospel in order to confirm their names in the Book of Life. In other words, they need to RETURN TO ACTS doctrinally as well as experientially. Since many of these sincere believers already have a knowledge of scripture and are "turned on" to the book of Acts, a Bible study designed especially for them is needed in order to loose them from the deceptiveness of Calvinism and traditionalism. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM is that study.

With special thanks to the ministry and memory of the late J.T. Pugh

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