Our name
"The Moorings" is a metaphor, intended to suggest that Bible truth is an anchorage in trouble, a haven after long searching, and a place of escape from the storms of sin.

about the Moorings
About the author
Looking for a church or Christian school?
How to send your feedback and questions
Doctrinal statement
How to make a donation
Site statistics
Most popular pages
Our name
"The Moorings" is a metaphor, intended to suggest that Bible truth is an anchorage in trouble, a haven after long searching, and a place of escape from the storms of sin.
Looking for a church or Christian school?
If you are looking for a church that faithfully preaches the Word without compromise, that upholds traditional standards of separation, and that cultivates a genuine love among the brethren, consider moving to Ottawa, Kansas (or to nearby Lawrence, Kansas) and fellowshipping with us at Calvary Baptist Church. We also offer an outstanding Christian school. Write to moorings@themoorings.org for more information. Currently, while officially in semiretirement, Dr. Rickard is serving as principal of the school and filling many other roles.
How to send your feedback and questions
You may e-mail your questions or comments to moorings@themoorings.org. A note of appreciation or encouragement would be most welcome. Also, we are interested in hearing from anyone who is seeking the true religion, or who wants to know how to be saved from sin and hell, or who desires spiritual counsel.
If you do not receive a reply, the probable explanation is one of the following:
Do not expect a response for two to three weeks, or perhaps longer, depending on Dr. Rickard's schedule.
Doctrinal statement
We adhere to the doctrines known throughout the last century as the fundamentals of the faith. Anti-Christian bigotry has debased the term "fundamentalism" so that it now refers to religious fanaticism. But as recently as 1953, the only definition of fundamentalism offered by Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary was "a recent movement in American Protestantism reemphasizing as fundamental to Christianity belief in the inerrancy of the Scriptures, Biblical miracles, especially the virgin birth and physical resurrection of Christ, etc." The "etc." encompasses such doctrines as the following:
As well as taking a stand for the historic doctrines of true Christianity, we hold the following positions, which we feel are necessary to recapture the purity and power of the apostolic church.
Attaching the term "fundamentalist" to extremists in Islam and other religions suggests that they are essentially the same as authentic Bible Christians, but they are not. The Christian world view starts from the premise, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," and the cornerstone of Christian ethics is, "Love your enemies."
How to make a donation
The Moorings has no institutional support and no revenue from advertising. If you wish to help maintain this ministry providing a wealth of Bible study materials, you may make a donation. All donations will be used to defray expenses of maintaining and improving the site, or of publishing Bible study materials.
If the materials on this site have been a blessing to you, remember what Paul said, "The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Tim. 5:18), and what Jesus said, "The workman is worthy of his meat" (Matt. 10:10).
Donations are not tax deductible.
Site statistics
| Year | Pages | Words | Visits | Page views | Hits |
| 1999 | - | - | 10,543 | - | - |
| 2000 | - | - | 28,500 | - | - |
| 2001 | - | - | 48,316 | 71,976 | 203,885 |
| 2002 | - | - | 65,577 | 93,144 | 292,679 |
| 2003 | 199 | 470,035 | 91,670 | 128,472 | 417,839 |
| 2004 | 205 | 502,730 | 134,377 | 215,066 | 654,222 |
| 2005 | 223 | 550,427 | 167,817 | 234,472 | 759,561 |
| 2006 | 231 | 578,505 | 215,441 | 281,226 | 883,228 |
| 2007 | 266 | 682,088 | 199,115 | 273,870 | 928,281 |
| 2008 | - | - | 198,797 | 315,540 | 985,882 |
| 2009 | 310 plus pdf files | 1,002,836 | 215,671 | 316,296 | 1,095,157 |
| 2010 | same | about the same | 278,521 | 430,015 | 1,410,092 |
Accurate statistics concerning country of origin have recently become available. About a third the visitors to this site come from countries outside the United States. For 2010, the countries supplying at least one thousand visits were Canada (9021), United Kingdom (8612), France (6352), Russia (4747), Philippines (4704), Australia (4030), India (3242), South Africa (2163), Singapore (1658), Sweden (1524), and China (1205).
Most popular pages
| Rank | Viewers in 2010 | Title | Comments |
| 1 | 27,573 | The Date of Christ's Birth |
A defense of 6 January as Christ's birthday; presents an original discoverythat in 4 B.C., the probable year of Christ's birth, 6 January was the same as 25 Kislev, a coincidence lending support to both traditional dates of Christmas: 6 January, celebrated in the Eastern churches, and 25 December (the Latin month roughly corresponding to Kislev), celebrated in the Western churches; cites other traditions also pointing to a midwinter birthday. |
| 2 | 10,101 | The Virgin Birth of Christ: Prophecies in Genesis and Isaiah | A penetrating summary of all the reasons—linguistic, contextual, and logicalthat Isaiah 7:14 must be understood as prophesying a virgin birth. |
| 3 | 8,837 | Blessed Are the Meek | A study of the Third Beatitude; shows what meekness is and is not; explains the promise that the meek will inherit the earth; offers a lively discussion rich with examples and applications. |
| 4 | 8,798 | The Crucifixion of Christ: Roman Practice |
A newly revised summary of medical and historical evidence illuminating Christ's experience on the cross. |
| 5 | 7,398 | The Evils in Television: Medical and Psychological Effects |
A thoroughgoing critique of television leaning heavily on research reported in medical and psychological journals. |
| 6 | 7,064 | The Christian Husband: Loving Authority | An experience-based, down-to-earth guide to being a good husband according to Scripture; emphasizes the centrality of love. |
| 7 | 5,664 | On Being Thankful: A Sermon for Thanksgiving Day |
For many years, a strong favorite on the site; doubtless the model of many sermons actually preached on Thanksgiving; warns against taking Nebuchadnezzar's view of our achievements—giving credit to ourselves and not to God; includes a fascinating description of ancient Babylon and an eye-opening comparison of affluence today with the poverty of our ancestors. |
| 8 | 5,030 | The Antichrist: His Religion and Name |
An analysis of Daniel's comments on the kind of worship the Antichrist will introduce; suggests how to test whether any modern figure bears the name with value 666. |
| 9 | 4,799 | The Crucifixion of Christ: Psalm 22 as Prophecy | An examination of the many prophecies in this psalm that were fulfilled at the crucifixion of Christ. |
| 10 | 4,655 | Commentary on the First Chapter of Daniel: Historical Background | The opening lesson in the author's commentary on Daniel, perhaps the most comprehensive and fully researched ever written. |