The announcement that President-elect Obama had chosen Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inaugural ceremonies on January 20 came with formality but no fanfare. However, he now finds himself in a whirlwind, and he will not be the last. Pastor after pastor and church after church will face a similar challenge in short order. No matter how cool you think you are or think that others think you are, the hour is coming when the issue of homosexuality -- taken alone -- will be the defining issue in coolness. If you accept the full normalization of homosexuality, you will be cool. If you do not, you are profoundly uncool, no matter how much good work you do nor how much love and compassion you seek to express.
Albert Mohler "The High Cost of Being and Staying Cool"
Most American religious believers, including most Christians, say eternal life is not exclusively for those who accept Christ as their savior, a new survey finds. Of the 65% of people who held this open view of heaven's gates, 80% named at least one non-Christian group — Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists or people with no religion at all — who may also be saved, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. This means 52% of Christians do not agree with the doctrines many religions teach, particularly conservative denominations. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, calls the findings "a theological crisis for American evangelicals. They represent at best a misunderstanding of the Gospel and at worst a repudiation of the Gospel." Pew's new survey also found that many Christians (29%) say they are saved by their good actions; 30% say salvation is through belief in Jesus, God or a higher power alone, which is the core teaching of evangelical Protestantism; and 10% say salvation is found through a combination of behavior and belief, a view closer to Catholic teachings.
Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY, "Many Beliefs, Many Paths to Heaven?"
What you’re about to see should even be enough to shake awake a Rip Van Winkle or two in evangelical leadership. From the December 19, 2008 CitizenLink from Focus on the Family (FotF), we read where Karla Dial, guest reporter, tells us:
For nearly a decade, Glenn Beck has been spreading the conservative political gospel through his syndicated radio program, The Glenn Beck Show, and has done the same as the host of his call-in television program on CNN since 2006. He’ll move to the Fox News Channel in January. But these days, Beck is hoping to spread a more eternal sort of gospel through his new book, The Christmas Sweater. (Online source)
Note FotF informs us that Beck “is hoping to spread” a “gospel.” Then we’re told:
The story, though not strictly biographical, is Beck’s own. The sweater was a real gift from his mother when he was 13 — the last Christmas before she committed suicide. A brother also committed suicide, and another died of a heart attack when Beck was young. Beck spent several years addicted to drugs and alcohol, coming to the verge of suicide, before turning his life over to God at the age of 35. Now he has a message for readers and viewers about facing life’s storms, and finding hope and redemption… (Online source)
Here we find out that part of this “gospel” Beck “is hoping to spread” is that he turned “his life over to God” where he found “hope and redemption.” And then FotF asks Beck:
2. What message do you hope people take away from The Christmas Sweater?
I think the message that you can’t really escape is (that) the Christmas sweater is the metaphor for me of the atonement for Christ. We’ve all been given a gift. We celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus — but the real point is the death, and why He died. (Online source)
Man, this sounds great, right? Well, it would be except that what FotF doesn’t tell you is that Glenn Beck is a baptized and practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Uh-huh; Beck is a Mormon, and you can hear his tear-filled conversion to the god (read: demon) of Mormonism in the video clip below (see Focus on the Family Link in my "For Fellow Aliens" blog). So now, in addition to reversing the Reformation, apparently FotF is also lining up in lock-step with the spiritually obtuse while Joel Osteen Blesses the Mormon Church as a Christian church. Ya just can’t make this stuff up folks.
Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries
In an interview with Nightline, President Bush discussed the Bible and faith. Although Bush is often perceived as a fundamentalist, some of his comments about the Bible may shock evangelical Christians. When Cynthia McFadden asked Bush whether or not the Bible was literally true, he said "probably not." He also suggested that those of other faiths pray to the same God. Bush was also open to the idea that creationism and evolution were not mutually exclusive. Although Bush is a favorite with evangelicals and conservative Catholics, his Nightline interview depicts him as quite moderate in terns of faith. Videos of the interview are available on youtube.
Tina Molly Lang, www.associatedcontent.com, Dec 11, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) — Neale Donald Walsch, best-selling author of “Conversations with God,” said Tuesday that he unwittingly passed off another writer’s Christmas anecdote as his own in a recent blog post. As a result, Walsch’s blog on the spirituality Web site Beliefnet.com has been shut down. The Web site said in a statement that Walsch had failed to properly credit and attribute material from another author. Walsch had written about what he described as his son’s holiday concert two decades ago in which children were to hold up letters spelling “Christmas Love.” One of the children held the “m” upside down, so the audience got the message “Christwas Love,” according to the retelling.
Author Candy Chand said in an interview Tuesday that she stumbled onto Walsch’s post when she ran “Christmas Love” through an Internet search engine. She immediately recognized her own words, from her story based on her son’s kindergarten Christmas pageant. She contacted Walsch and Beliefnet.
[...]
Walsch wrote on his blog Tuesday he was “truly mystified” about what happened and apologized. He said he had been telling the story for years in public talks and “somewhere along the way, internalized it as my own experience.” “As a published author myself, I would never use another author’s words as my own,” Walsch wrote. “Yet I have apparently done just that — although with no deliberate intent to do so.” Chand, of Rancho Murieta, Calif., said she did not believe Walsch’s account. “It’s pretty difficult for me to believe that someone has a memory lapse that is word for word my story,” she said. “He deleted the first paragraph. That’s it.”
Source: Best-selling “God” author faces plagiarism claim, AP, Jan. 7, 2009 — Summarized by Religion News Blog
Monday, December 22, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul's glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul's glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Operation Rescue Decries Rick Warren
by Ingrid Schlueter
Hats off to Troy Newman of Operation Rescue. Where in the world is the rest of the church? This just came through on Christian Newswire. (For very little, anyone can send out a press release on Christian Newswire. Is your pastor taking a stand on this? If not, you can! Let your voice be heard.)
Washington, DC - Operation Rescue issues the following statement, attributable to Troy Newman, regarding Rick Warren’s role in the upcoming Obama inaugural ceremonies:
Yesterday, Pastor Rick Warren issued a statement attempting to excuse his act of support for Mr. Obama, an ardent supporter of abortion, by saying, “The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders.” However, Pastor Warren’s participation in Obama’s Inauguration is tantamount to placing his stamp of approval on Obama and his policies that stand in direct opposition to Biblical truths.
The Bible clearly states in Ephesians 5:11 that as Christians we should have “nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Barack Obama not only supports the grievous sin of abortion, but has vowed to promote, subsidize, and protect it. The hands that shed innocent blood are among the things God particularly detests. As a minister of the Gospel, it is a betrayal of innocent children and, more importantly, betrayal of the God in whose image they are created to turn a blind eye to the shedding of innocent blood and join hands with those that are responsible for shedding it.
Instead of lending support to a man who clearly stands in opposition to God’s Law on the critical matter of child-killing, we fervently urge Pastor Warren to instead follow the examples of godly men who, throughout the Scriptures, boldly proclaimed God’s truth and exposed the sin of leaders in order to protect the people from that sin.
Just as Elijah rebuked King Ahab and John the Baptist rebuked King Herod, we urge Pastor Warren to have nothing to do with Mr. Obama’s administration, but rather, expose him and his sin to the world, so there might be repentance.
It is possible for Pastor Warren to pray for our leaders without giving his blessing to Mr. Obama’s administration with his participation in his Inaugural ceremonies. We urge Pastor Warren to, for the love of God, honor Jesus Christ instead of taking honor for himself, and decline to participate in Mr. Obama’s Inauguration.
Hats off to Troy Newman of Operation Rescue. Where in the world is the rest of the church? This just came through on Christian Newswire. (For very little, anyone can send out a press release on Christian Newswire. Is your pastor taking a stand on this? If not, you can! Let your voice be heard.)
Washington, DC - Operation Rescue issues the following statement, attributable to Troy Newman, regarding Rick Warren’s role in the upcoming Obama inaugural ceremonies:
Yesterday, Pastor Rick Warren issued a statement attempting to excuse his act of support for Mr. Obama, an ardent supporter of abortion, by saying, “The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders.” However, Pastor Warren’s participation in Obama’s Inauguration is tantamount to placing his stamp of approval on Obama and his policies that stand in direct opposition to Biblical truths.
The Bible clearly states in Ephesians 5:11 that as Christians we should have “nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Barack Obama not only supports the grievous sin of abortion, but has vowed to promote, subsidize, and protect it. The hands that shed innocent blood are among the things God particularly detests. As a minister of the Gospel, it is a betrayal of innocent children and, more importantly, betrayal of the God in whose image they are created to turn a blind eye to the shedding of innocent blood and join hands with those that are responsible for shedding it.
Instead of lending support to a man who clearly stands in opposition to God’s Law on the critical matter of child-killing, we fervently urge Pastor Warren to instead follow the examples of godly men who, throughout the Scriptures, boldly proclaimed God’s truth and exposed the sin of leaders in order to protect the people from that sin.
Just as Elijah rebuked King Ahab and John the Baptist rebuked King Herod, we urge Pastor Warren to have nothing to do with Mr. Obama’s administration, but rather, expose him and his sin to the world, so there might be repentance.
It is possible for Pastor Warren to pray for our leaders without giving his blessing to Mr. Obama’s administration with his participation in his Inaugural ceremonies. We urge Pastor Warren to, for the love of God, honor Jesus Christ instead of taking honor for himself, and decline to participate in Mr. Obama’s Inauguration.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Four Kinds of Universalism
by John M. Brentnall
From time to time the question is asked as to how many shall be saved. Shall all, regardless of their creed, worship, character and life-style? Or is this glorious privilege reserved for only some? The current claim that God gathers up all creation into His loving purpose should make us reconsider the question. For it is argued that if God's redeeming purpose is universal in scope, why should we any longer accept Christianity's arrogant claim to be the one true religion? Since there are many windows onto God', why should we continue to support Christian evangelization of the nations? As we are all 'going to heaven', why may not each of us go there in his own way, and leave others to go there in theirs? Such universalistic claims voiced by religious pluralists call for a Reformed response.
In general, we may identify four kinds of universalism. Three of them are false, while only the fourth is true.
1.RADICAL UNIVERSALISM.
John Hick, the author of such 'give-away' titles as God and the Universe of Faith, and God Has Many Names, argues that as there is only one God, who is accessible to all religions, the universe of faiths must not focus on any particular religion, even Christianity with its superior credentials, but on God Himself.
To some, this view may sound very plausible. Yet clearly Hick can reach such a conclusion only by mis-reading Holy Scripture, removing every distinctive tenet of the Christian Faith and rejecting the unique claims of Christ. Is it not expressly written that Holy Scripture was written to be believed (John 20.31), that Biblical Christianity should regulate all our faith and conduct (John 5.39; Eccles 12.13), and that Christ is the only Mediator between God and men, and therefore the only way to God (1 Tim 2.5; Acts 4.12; John 14.6)? On this ground alone Radical Universalism is to be rejected.
2.LIBERAL UNIVERSALISM.
Under the influence of the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin, Vatican II and the papal encyclical Redemptor Hominis affirm that non- [Roman] Catholic religions reflect 'a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men', and that since Christ redeems mankind by virtue of His incarnation, all men shall ultimately be saved. Karl Rahner and Hans Kung adopt a similar approach, stressing like de Chardin the cosmic centrality of Christ.
Such avowed Protestants as Karl Barth and William Barclay also embrace universalism, one on the grounds that all are condemned in Christ's death but accepted in His resurrection, the other on the basis of the alleged universal Fatherhood of God and the universal scope of the Love of God in Christ.
Suffice to say that Holy Scripture expressly teaches the salvation of only the elect (Eph 1; Rom 9), and clearly implies that few will be saved (Luke 13.23-24; Isa 1.9). Along with Radical Universalism we must therefore reject Liberal Universalism.
3.EVANGELICAL UNIVERSALISM.
Recently some writers who profess to believe in the inspiration and authority of Scripture and to uphold the uniqueness and finality of Christ have popularized a brand of Evangelical Universalism that is more Arminian than Arminius. Clark Pinnock, in A Wideness in God's Mercy, and John Sanders, in No Other Name, are typical. Pinnock claims that certain Biblical pagan saints' (eg Jethro, Rahab and Cornelius) all received salvation through their own religions. For his part Sanders believes that the unevangelized may benefit from Christ's saving work without even hearing of it.
What shall we say to these things?
1] Firstly, Paul clearly states that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God', and that while whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved', yet 'How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?' (Rom 10.17,13-15).
2] Secondly, Peter expressly says of Christ: 'Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.' (Acts 4.12).
3] Lastly, our Lord Himself authoritatively claims: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' (John 14.6). It is therefore impossible to be saved without hearing the Gospel, receiving Christ as the only Mediator and going to God only by Him. At root this Evangelical Universalism is no better than its Radical and Liberal counterparts, and should be rejected as much as them.
4. BIBLICAL UNIVERSALISM.
In contrast to these erroneous forms of universalism, the Bible teaches a true universalism. It repeatedly states that God's saving purpose is universal in scope in that the 'elect from every nation' are embraced by it. As Geerhardus Vos says in his Biblical Theology, even the particularism of the Old Testament merely serves and leads up to the universalism of the New.
Hence John 3.16, both misunderstood and misapplied by Arminians, refers to the truth that God's love for our corrupt world (and not merely for the Jews) is so great that He is willing to save whoever believes on Christ from any and every part of it.
This too is why the apostles went at their Lord's command to 'the uttermost parts of the earth', preaching the Gospel of redeeming grace to all without exception, both Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, old and young. (Acts 1.8; Matt 28.19-20; Rom 10.12-13; 11:11-25).
Finally, when all the redeemed are assembled around the throne of God and of the Lamb, they shall have been gathered, not from this or that particular country, but 'out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.' (Rev. 5.9).
Here is a universalism that is thoroughly Biblical. It embraces all who are sovereignly chosen by God the Father, lovingly redeemed by God the Son, effectually called and sanctified by God the Spirit, graciously invited to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, invincibly made willing to receive Him, freelyjustified and adopted into God's family by His grace, kept firmly by His power till their sanctification is completed, and joyfully welcomed into glory
They shall be brought with gladness great
And mirth on every side
Into the palace of the King,
And there they shall abide. (Psalm 45.15. Metrical Version.)
This is a universalism that leaves nothing to the vagaries of 'chance', the misplaced optimism of religious dreamers, or the 'free-will' of man, but which secures the salvation of God's chosen with absolute certainty. Oh may it be ours!
John M. Brentnall
From time to time the question is asked as to how many shall be saved. Shall all, regardless of their creed, worship, character and life-style? Or is this glorious privilege reserved for only some? The current claim that God gathers up all creation into His loving purpose should make us reconsider the question. For it is argued that if God's redeeming purpose is universal in scope, why should we any longer accept Christianity's arrogant claim to be the one true religion? Since there are many windows onto God', why should we continue to support Christian evangelization of the nations? As we are all 'going to heaven', why may not each of us go there in his own way, and leave others to go there in theirs? Such universalistic claims voiced by religious pluralists call for a Reformed response.
In general, we may identify four kinds of universalism. Three of them are false, while only the fourth is true.
1.RADICAL UNIVERSALISM.
John Hick, the author of such 'give-away' titles as God and the Universe of Faith, and God Has Many Names, argues that as there is only one God, who is accessible to all religions, the universe of faiths must not focus on any particular religion, even Christianity with its superior credentials, but on God Himself.
To some, this view may sound very plausible. Yet clearly Hick can reach such a conclusion only by mis-reading Holy Scripture, removing every distinctive tenet of the Christian Faith and rejecting the unique claims of Christ. Is it not expressly written that Holy Scripture was written to be believed (John 20.31), that Biblical Christianity should regulate all our faith and conduct (John 5.39; Eccles 12.13), and that Christ is the only Mediator between God and men, and therefore the only way to God (1 Tim 2.5; Acts 4.12; John 14.6)? On this ground alone Radical Universalism is to be rejected.
2.LIBERAL UNIVERSALISM.
Under the influence of the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin, Vatican II and the papal encyclical Redemptor Hominis affirm that non- [Roman] Catholic religions reflect 'a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men', and that since Christ redeems mankind by virtue of His incarnation, all men shall ultimately be saved. Karl Rahner and Hans Kung adopt a similar approach, stressing like de Chardin the cosmic centrality of Christ.
Such avowed Protestants as Karl Barth and William Barclay also embrace universalism, one on the grounds that all are condemned in Christ's death but accepted in His resurrection, the other on the basis of the alleged universal Fatherhood of God and the universal scope of the Love of God in Christ.
Suffice to say that Holy Scripture expressly teaches the salvation of only the elect (Eph 1; Rom 9), and clearly implies that few will be saved (Luke 13.23-24; Isa 1.9). Along with Radical Universalism we must therefore reject Liberal Universalism.
3.EVANGELICAL UNIVERSALISM.
Recently some writers who profess to believe in the inspiration and authority of Scripture and to uphold the uniqueness and finality of Christ have popularized a brand of Evangelical Universalism that is more Arminian than Arminius. Clark Pinnock, in A Wideness in God's Mercy, and John Sanders, in No Other Name, are typical. Pinnock claims that certain Biblical pagan saints' (eg Jethro, Rahab and Cornelius) all received salvation through their own religions. For his part Sanders believes that the unevangelized may benefit from Christ's saving work without even hearing of it.
What shall we say to these things?
1] Firstly, Paul clearly states that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God', and that while whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved', yet 'How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?' (Rom 10.17,13-15).
2] Secondly, Peter expressly says of Christ: 'Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.' (Acts 4.12).
3] Lastly, our Lord Himself authoritatively claims: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' (John 14.6). It is therefore impossible to be saved without hearing the Gospel, receiving Christ as the only Mediator and going to God only by Him. At root this Evangelical Universalism is no better than its Radical and Liberal counterparts, and should be rejected as much as them.
4. BIBLICAL UNIVERSALISM.
In contrast to these erroneous forms of universalism, the Bible teaches a true universalism. It repeatedly states that God's saving purpose is universal in scope in that the 'elect from every nation' are embraced by it. As Geerhardus Vos says in his Biblical Theology, even the particularism of the Old Testament merely serves and leads up to the universalism of the New.
Hence John 3.16, both misunderstood and misapplied by Arminians, refers to the truth that God's love for our corrupt world (and not merely for the Jews) is so great that He is willing to save whoever believes on Christ from any and every part of it.
This too is why the apostles went at their Lord's command to 'the uttermost parts of the earth', preaching the Gospel of redeeming grace to all without exception, both Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, old and young. (Acts 1.8; Matt 28.19-20; Rom 10.12-13; 11:11-25).
Finally, when all the redeemed are assembled around the throne of God and of the Lamb, they shall have been gathered, not from this or that particular country, but 'out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.' (Rev. 5.9).
Here is a universalism that is thoroughly Biblical. It embraces all who are sovereignly chosen by God the Father, lovingly redeemed by God the Son, effectually called and sanctified by God the Spirit, graciously invited to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, invincibly made willing to receive Him, freelyjustified and adopted into God's family by His grace, kept firmly by His power till their sanctification is completed, and joyfully welcomed into glory
They shall be brought with gladness great
And mirth on every side
Into the palace of the King,
And there they shall abide. (Psalm 45.15. Metrical Version.)
This is a universalism that leaves nothing to the vagaries of 'chance', the misplaced optimism of religious dreamers, or the 'free-will' of man, but which secures the salvation of God's chosen with absolute certainty. Oh may it be ours!
John M. Brentnall
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Paul Washer on American Evangelism
America is not gospel hardened. America is ignorant to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We have taken the gospel and reduced it to the four spiritual laws or 5 things you should know. The question is not “Do you want to go to heaven?” The devil wants to go to heaven. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but they just don’t want to be there when they get there. The question is: “Since you have heard gospel preaching, has God done such a supernatural work of conversion in your heart through the Holy Spirit that now you hate the sin you once loved? That the god you hated and ignored you now esteem, love and seek?” It’s not “Do you want to pray a prayer/open up your heart and receive me?” John came to Israel preaching repentence. The first words out of Jesus’ mouth were “Repent!” Peter on the day of Pentecost says “Repent”. In America, we think we can manipulate a move of God, coercing people to be saved. Man is a spiritually dead, God-hating enemy of God. In order for that spiritually dead man to respond to the gospel call, it’s going to take a lot more than human manipulation. It’s going to take the supernatural, regenerating, recreating work of the Holy Spirit.
We live in a day where we think that in order to be relevant to our culture, we must be like our culture. We live in a day where we think that in order for the gospel to be relevant, we must somehow adapt it to the culture and nothing on the face of the earth or in the bowels of hell could be further from the truth. We are relevant not because we are like our culture, we are relevant because we are absolutely different. Our gospel has power, not because it is acceptable to carnal men, our gospel has power because is it a SCANDAL to men. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, but his flesh had every reason to be. Imagine for a moment: we are not talking about a man who comes into the context of the bible belt. We are talking about a man that comes into the context of Jewish mythology, to Greek philosophy. Every concept the Jews had about the Messiah, contradicted the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every time the apostle Paul stood up, he seemed to carnal men to be nothing more than a raving madman. And every preacher that's ever been worth his salt, since that day, has had the same label put upon him. G. Campbell Morgan, when he would go up to the tower at Westminster to preach, he always said that he would quote the verse "Like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before his sheerers". Why? He knew that unless God moved on his behalf with this gospel of God's dear son, absolutely nothing would happen. But we don't see power like that today. Why? Because we prop up a gospel with the carnal devices of men. We remove the scandal in the name of love, as though we had greater wisdom than God, to tweak His gospel here and there so it might be more palatable to men. The gospel of Jesus Christ; the flesh has every reason to be ashamed of it, but in that lies the power. Everything about about God's messiah contradicted everything that men beleived about the Messiah. Everything about God's salvation contradicts absolutely everything men believe about how salvation should be won and in what form it should take. And unless we realize that, we'll have no gospel here in this church, we'll have no power and we will see no true conversion. We have to be willing to join our master in being a SCANDAL.
That we preach Christ crucified in such a way as to exhault God almighty and to humble men, so that in learning to despise themselves, they esteem the gospel and are saved. The worst thing that could ever happen to a preacher and the worst thing that could ever happen to a church is to become civilized and respectable, for in that lies no power. We are pilgrims, we are strangers, we are awkward, we are dislocated, we find no home here, no place where we properly fit, because we have a city who's builder and maker is God. Our job is to take a gospel so covered up by the designs of men that it no longer has any power. It is our job to stip away all that faulty dress and to preach the bare bones of a gospel that is nothing more than a scandal, but in THAT we will see the power of God.
We live in a day where we think that in order to be relevant to our culture, we must be like our culture. We live in a day where we think that in order for the gospel to be relevant, we must somehow adapt it to the culture and nothing on the face of the earth or in the bowels of hell could be further from the truth. We are relevant not because we are like our culture, we are relevant because we are absolutely different. Our gospel has power, not because it is acceptable to carnal men, our gospel has power because is it a SCANDAL to men. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, but his flesh had every reason to be. Imagine for a moment: we are not talking about a man who comes into the context of the bible belt. We are talking about a man that comes into the context of Jewish mythology, to Greek philosophy. Every concept the Jews had about the Messiah, contradicted the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every time the apostle Paul stood up, he seemed to carnal men to be nothing more than a raving madman. And every preacher that's ever been worth his salt, since that day, has had the same label put upon him. G. Campbell Morgan, when he would go up to the tower at Westminster to preach, he always said that he would quote the verse "Like a lamb led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before his sheerers". Why? He knew that unless God moved on his behalf with this gospel of God's dear son, absolutely nothing would happen. But we don't see power like that today. Why? Because we prop up a gospel with the carnal devices of men. We remove the scandal in the name of love, as though we had greater wisdom than God, to tweak His gospel here and there so it might be more palatable to men. The gospel of Jesus Christ; the flesh has every reason to be ashamed of it, but in that lies the power. Everything about about God's messiah contradicted everything that men beleived about the Messiah. Everything about God's salvation contradicts absolutely everything men believe about how salvation should be won and in what form it should take. And unless we realize that, we'll have no gospel here in this church, we'll have no power and we will see no true conversion. We have to be willing to join our master in being a SCANDAL.
That we preach Christ crucified in such a way as to exhault God almighty and to humble men, so that in learning to despise themselves, they esteem the gospel and are saved. The worst thing that could ever happen to a preacher and the worst thing that could ever happen to a church is to become civilized and respectable, for in that lies no power. We are pilgrims, we are strangers, we are awkward, we are dislocated, we find no home here, no place where we properly fit, because we have a city who's builder and maker is God. Our job is to take a gospel so covered up by the designs of men that it no longer has any power. It is our job to stip away all that faulty dress and to preach the bare bones of a gospel that is nothing more than a scandal, but in THAT we will see the power of God.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
As One With Authority
by Albert Mohler
In Matthew 7:28-29 we read: "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew takes us through the Sermon and we have heard Jesus set forth a vision of life in the Kingdom of God that transcends our moral imagination and explodes our theological comforts. We thought we knew what God required of us. No murder and no adultery, for example. But Jesus now demands no anger and no lust. "You have heard it was said," he begins, "but I say to you," he concludes.
Jesus refused to act like an argumentative theologian or a speculative moralist. He rejected rabbinical reasoning and moral casuistry. He warns of hell and commands that we love our enemies. He warns us not to trust our bank accounts or retirement plans but to lay up treasures in heaven. He reminds us that we cannot add a day to our lives nor an inch to our height, but assures us that our heavenly Father will clothe us in more glory than the lilies of the field and care for us even more than he cares for the birds of the air.
He tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and promises that all these things will be added to us. We are instructed to judge a tree by its fruit, even as we shall be judged. We are to build our house upon a rock and not upon the sand, for the house on the rock stands while the house on the sand falls, "and great was the fall of it."
Jesus has turned our world upside down. The ones we thought were blessed are now cursed, and the ones we saw as cursed are promised to be blessed. We hear Jesus warn that some who sure look like prophets are false, and hear him say that his judgment will be definitive -- "I never knew you."
Then we hear from the crowd: "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
The radical nature of Jesus' ministry and teaching is on full display here -- and it is all established upon his own authority. When Jesus teaches, he does not cite human authorities, enter into irrelevant debates, or cushion his words. He speaks on his own authority. He will make that authority clear by healing the sick, casting our demons, staring down the religious authorities, and, most clearly, by forgiving sins. At the end of Matthew's gospel, he will announce that all authority in heaven and on earth has been granted him, and he will send his disciples out into the world as ambassadors of the Gospel.
This is all about authority. There would be no Gospel but for the display of this authority. There would be no church, no salvation, no forgiveness of sins, no hope.
Matthew tells us that the crowds were astonished at his teaching -- astonished. They had never seen or heard anything like this. Every teacher they had ever heard cited other teachers as authorities. Their teachers hemmed and hawed, proposed and retracted, pitted one interpretation against another, and left themselves room for qualification.
The crowds recognized that Jesus teaches with an authority that is unprecedented and singular. He was teaching "as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
The scribes were the licensed teachers of the law. They interpreted the law by investigating precedent and tradition. Their rulings were approximate and carefully hedged. Nothing was conclusive. Tradition was placed upon tradition; interpretation laid alongside interpretation.
Jesus has already told the crowd that their righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Now, the crowd sees that the scribes' authority is also just not enough. Once they have heard Jesus, they will never again listen to one without authority -- nor should they.
The situation Fred Craddock described still defines far too many pulpits today. His prescription was inductive preaching -- preaching that leaves the big questions unanswered; that lets the congregation come to its own conclusion. This is not the method of Jesus. Jesus uses induction in his teaching, but he never leaves the big questions unanswered, nor can we. He speaks as God. We speak as His preachers.
The preacher's authority is a delegated authority, but a real authority. We are assigned the task of feeding the flock of God, of teaching the church, of preaching the Word. We do not speak as one who possesses authority, but as one who is called to serve the church by proclaiming, expounding, applying, and declaring the Word of God. We are those who have been called to a task and set apart for mission; as vessels who hold a saving message even as earthen vessels hold water.
Our authority is not our own. We are called to the task of preaching the Bible, in season and out of season. We are rightly to divide the Word of truth, and to teach the infinite riches of the Word of God. There are no certainties without the authority of the Scripture. We have nothing but commas and question marks to offer if we lose confidence in the inerrant and infallible Word of God. There are no thunderbolts where the Word of God is subverted, mistrusted, or ignored.
The crowds were astonished when they heard Jesus, "for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." Congregations are starving for the astonishment of hearing the preacher teach and preach on the authority of the Word of God. If there is a crisis in preaching, it is a crisis of confidence in the Word. If there is a road to recovery, it will be mapped by a return to biblical preaching.
Our hope and prayer is that you will go forth from here to fulfill a ministry of astonishment. To preach and teach and minister so that commas are turned back to periods, and question marks into exclamation points. Congregations long to have the thunderbolts brought down from the attic and loosed in their midst. They are starving for a word from God.
Go and astonish a church. Go and astonish the nations. Go and astonish sinners and saints alike. Go and astonish your generation. Go and astonish those who no longer even believe that they can be astonished.
Go and preach as one who has authority. Just remember always that the only true authority for ministry is biblical authority. May we always be mindful that the only authority that matters is God's authority, and that God's thunderbolts are what we must fear . . . and what we must seek.
If you go out and preach as one who has authority, you will be constantly amazed by what God does through the preaching of his Word. You will see those who hear you astonished -- and no one will be more astonished than yourself.
In Matthew 7:28-29 we read: "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew takes us through the Sermon and we have heard Jesus set forth a vision of life in the Kingdom of God that transcends our moral imagination and explodes our theological comforts. We thought we knew what God required of us. No murder and no adultery, for example. But Jesus now demands no anger and no lust. "You have heard it was said," he begins, "but I say to you," he concludes.
Jesus refused to act like an argumentative theologian or a speculative moralist. He rejected rabbinical reasoning and moral casuistry. He warns of hell and commands that we love our enemies. He warns us not to trust our bank accounts or retirement plans but to lay up treasures in heaven. He reminds us that we cannot add a day to our lives nor an inch to our height, but assures us that our heavenly Father will clothe us in more glory than the lilies of the field and care for us even more than he cares for the birds of the air.
He tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and promises that all these things will be added to us. We are instructed to judge a tree by its fruit, even as we shall be judged. We are to build our house upon a rock and not upon the sand, for the house on the rock stands while the house on the sand falls, "and great was the fall of it."
Jesus has turned our world upside down. The ones we thought were blessed are now cursed, and the ones we saw as cursed are promised to be blessed. We hear Jesus warn that some who sure look like prophets are false, and hear him say that his judgment will be definitive -- "I never knew you."
Then we hear from the crowd: "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
The radical nature of Jesus' ministry and teaching is on full display here -- and it is all established upon his own authority. When Jesus teaches, he does not cite human authorities, enter into irrelevant debates, or cushion his words. He speaks on his own authority. He will make that authority clear by healing the sick, casting our demons, staring down the religious authorities, and, most clearly, by forgiving sins. At the end of Matthew's gospel, he will announce that all authority in heaven and on earth has been granted him, and he will send his disciples out into the world as ambassadors of the Gospel.
This is all about authority. There would be no Gospel but for the display of this authority. There would be no church, no salvation, no forgiveness of sins, no hope.
Matthew tells us that the crowds were astonished at his teaching -- astonished. They had never seen or heard anything like this. Every teacher they had ever heard cited other teachers as authorities. Their teachers hemmed and hawed, proposed and retracted, pitted one interpretation against another, and left themselves room for qualification.
The crowds recognized that Jesus teaches with an authority that is unprecedented and singular. He was teaching "as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."
The scribes were the licensed teachers of the law. They interpreted the law by investigating precedent and tradition. Their rulings were approximate and carefully hedged. Nothing was conclusive. Tradition was placed upon tradition; interpretation laid alongside interpretation.
Jesus has already told the crowd that their righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Now, the crowd sees that the scribes' authority is also just not enough. Once they have heard Jesus, they will never again listen to one without authority -- nor should they.
The situation Fred Craddock described still defines far too many pulpits today. His prescription was inductive preaching -- preaching that leaves the big questions unanswered; that lets the congregation come to its own conclusion. This is not the method of Jesus. Jesus uses induction in his teaching, but he never leaves the big questions unanswered, nor can we. He speaks as God. We speak as His preachers.
The preacher's authority is a delegated authority, but a real authority. We are assigned the task of feeding the flock of God, of teaching the church, of preaching the Word. We do not speak as one who possesses authority, but as one who is called to serve the church by proclaiming, expounding, applying, and declaring the Word of God. We are those who have been called to a task and set apart for mission; as vessels who hold a saving message even as earthen vessels hold water.
Our authority is not our own. We are called to the task of preaching the Bible, in season and out of season. We are rightly to divide the Word of truth, and to teach the infinite riches of the Word of God. There are no certainties without the authority of the Scripture. We have nothing but commas and question marks to offer if we lose confidence in the inerrant and infallible Word of God. There are no thunderbolts where the Word of God is subverted, mistrusted, or ignored.
The crowds were astonished when they heard Jesus, "for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." Congregations are starving for the astonishment of hearing the preacher teach and preach on the authority of the Word of God. If there is a crisis in preaching, it is a crisis of confidence in the Word. If there is a road to recovery, it will be mapped by a return to biblical preaching.
Our hope and prayer is that you will go forth from here to fulfill a ministry of astonishment. To preach and teach and minister so that commas are turned back to periods, and question marks into exclamation points. Congregations long to have the thunderbolts brought down from the attic and loosed in their midst. They are starving for a word from God.
Go and astonish a church. Go and astonish the nations. Go and astonish sinners and saints alike. Go and astonish your generation. Go and astonish those who no longer even believe that they can be astonished.
Go and preach as one who has authority. Just remember always that the only true authority for ministry is biblical authority. May we always be mindful that the only authority that matters is God's authority, and that God's thunderbolts are what we must fear . . . and what we must seek.
If you go out and preach as one who has authority, you will be constantly amazed by what God does through the preaching of his Word. You will see those who hear you astonished -- and no one will be more astonished than yourself.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Continuing in the Word of His Grace
by Bob Hoekstra
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able... Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed"... For this reason I have sent Timothy to you... who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (Acts 20:32; John 8:31; 1 Corinthians 4:17)
God's grace characterizes His word: "I commend you to God and to the word of His grace." This permeating presence of grace in the scriptures is what makes God's word so able to effect godly changes in our lives: "the word of His grace, which is able." This is why the Lord wants us to continue in His word: "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22). Also, continuing in the word allows the Lord to remind us of things pertaining to grace, things we need to hear over and over again.
Jesus called professing disciples to continue in His word. "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide [remain, continue] in My word, you are My disciples indeed'." It is impossible to truly live as a follower of Jesus without continuing in His word. The Christian life is lived by grace. The Bible is "the word of His grace." We cannot follow Jesus by grace apart from hearing regularly of His grace. The natural bent of our humanity (including, the flesh of true believers) is toward human works and law performance. This is one reason why the Lord wants us to hear of His effective grace day by day.
The ministry of reminding is part of this process. The Apostle Paul sent out his ministry partner, Timothy, to remind the saints of matters that he himself had previously expounded upon in all the churches. "For this reason I have sent Timothy to you...who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." Later, after Timothy had become a pastor in Ephesus, Paul wrote urging him to remind the saints of some basic elements of grace (matters pertaining to the faithfulness of God). "This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things" (2 Timothy 2:11-14). Such vital truths need to be considered repeatedly. The Apostle Peter knew that it would amount to spiritual irresponsibility to neglect the import of reminders. "Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you" (2 Peter 1:12).
O Lord of persistence and patience, I confess the need to hear of Your grace day after day. I long to be a true disciple, living by grace. Please remind me of the necessity to be in the word of Your grace consistently, Amen.
The present verses again point us to our current theme, continuing in the word of God's grace. Only the grace of God is able to provide what is needed for the life we are called to live. This necessary grace is held forth for our learning and appropriating in "the word of His grace." This life-giving grace is to be lived in day by day (ideally, from childhood through old age).
Paul urged Timothy to continue in the biblical truth that he had been taught, truth about which he had become convinced. "Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of." God's word not only instructs us in His ways, it also convinces us of their validity. In this process, God uses human instruments: "knowing from whom you have learned them." In Timothy's spiritual training, the Lord used the prophets of old (who were inspired to write the scriptures), as well as Paul (who discipled Timothy). Timothy's mother and grandmother were also a vital part of this process. "I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice" (2 Timothy 1:5). Thus, his spiritual nurture began in his childhood years. "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures." It is the will of God that children be raised upon the scriptures. "Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). If we were not raised upon the word, God wants to begin feeding it to us at new birth. "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). If we have never had a serious diet of the word, today is now the day to begin.
As we are learning the word of God, its ability is unleashed in our lives. Saving grace is the first great matter the Lord wants to bring to us through the scriptures: "which are able to make you wise for salvation." People can be exceedingly foolish concerning salvation, until they are enlightened through the word of God . Some think they do not need to be saved. Others think they can somehow save themselves. The Bible reveals the necessary path for all: "through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Dear God of my salvation, I praise You for Your word, which brought me the wisdom to trust in the saving grace of Christ. I thank You for every person You have ever used to bring me any aspect of Your truth. Please teach me more and more — and please use me to get Your word to others, in Jesus' name, Amen.
Hoekstra, Bob. "Still More on Continuing in the Word of His Grace," Day By Day By Grace. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Mar 2004. 5 Dec 2008.
I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able... Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed"... For this reason I have sent Timothy to you... who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. (Acts 20:32; John 8:31; 1 Corinthians 4:17)
God's grace characterizes His word: "I commend you to God and to the word of His grace." This permeating presence of grace in the scriptures is what makes God's word so able to effect godly changes in our lives: "the word of His grace, which is able." This is why the Lord wants us to continue in His word: "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22). Also, continuing in the word allows the Lord to remind us of things pertaining to grace, things we need to hear over and over again.
Jesus called professing disciples to continue in His word. "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide [remain, continue] in My word, you are My disciples indeed'." It is impossible to truly live as a follower of Jesus without continuing in His word. The Christian life is lived by grace. The Bible is "the word of His grace." We cannot follow Jesus by grace apart from hearing regularly of His grace. The natural bent of our humanity (including, the flesh of true believers) is toward human works and law performance. This is one reason why the Lord wants us to hear of His effective grace day by day.
The ministry of reminding is part of this process. The Apostle Paul sent out his ministry partner, Timothy, to remind the saints of matters that he himself had previously expounded upon in all the churches. "For this reason I have sent Timothy to you...who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church." Later, after Timothy had become a pastor in Ephesus, Paul wrote urging him to remind the saints of some basic elements of grace (matters pertaining to the faithfulness of God). "This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things" (2 Timothy 2:11-14). Such vital truths need to be considered repeatedly. The Apostle Peter knew that it would amount to spiritual irresponsibility to neglect the import of reminders. "Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you" (2 Peter 1:12).
O Lord of persistence and patience, I confess the need to hear of Your grace day after day. I long to be a true disciple, living by grace. Please remind me of the necessity to be in the word of Your grace consistently, Amen.
The present verses again point us to our current theme, continuing in the word of God's grace. Only the grace of God is able to provide what is needed for the life we are called to live. This necessary grace is held forth for our learning and appropriating in "the word of His grace." This life-giving grace is to be lived in day by day (ideally, from childhood through old age).
Paul urged Timothy to continue in the biblical truth that he had been taught, truth about which he had become convinced. "Continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of." God's word not only instructs us in His ways, it also convinces us of their validity. In this process, God uses human instruments: "knowing from whom you have learned them." In Timothy's spiritual training, the Lord used the prophets of old (who were inspired to write the scriptures), as well as Paul (who discipled Timothy). Timothy's mother and grandmother were also a vital part of this process. "I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice" (2 Timothy 1:5). Thus, his spiritual nurture began in his childhood years. "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures." It is the will of God that children be raised upon the scriptures. "Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). If we were not raised upon the word, God wants to begin feeding it to us at new birth. "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). If we have never had a serious diet of the word, today is now the day to begin.
As we are learning the word of God, its ability is unleashed in our lives. Saving grace is the first great matter the Lord wants to bring to us through the scriptures: "which are able to make you wise for salvation." People can be exceedingly foolish concerning salvation, until they are enlightened through the word of God . Some think they do not need to be saved. Others think they can somehow save themselves. The Bible reveals the necessary path for all: "through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Dear God of my salvation, I praise You for Your word, which brought me the wisdom to trust in the saving grace of Christ. I thank You for every person You have ever used to bring me any aspect of Your truth. Please teach me more and more — and please use me to get Your word to others, in Jesus' name, Amen.
Hoekstra, Bob. "Still More on Continuing in the Word of His Grace," Day By Day By Grace. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Mar 2004. 5 Dec 2008.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Free Food, Bath, Clothing and Weapons for the Needy! Tell Your Friends!
by Charles Spurgeon
We know of a place in England still existing, where a dole of bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is the dole of bread for him. Jesus Christ so loveth sinners that He has built a St. Cross Hospital, so that whenever a sinner is hungry, he has but to knock and have his wants supplied. Nay, He has done better; He has attached to this Hospital of the Cross a bath; and whenever a soul is black and filthy, it has but to go there and be washed. The fountain is always full, always efficacious. No sinner ever went into it and found that it could not wash away his stains. Sins which were scarlet and crimson have all disappeared, and the sinner has been whiter than snow. As if this were not enough, there is attached to this Hospital of the Cross a wardrobe, and a sinner making application simply as a sinner, may be clothed from head to foot; and if he wishes to be a soldier, he may not merely have a garment for ordinary wear, but armour which shall cover him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. If he asks for a sword, he shall have that given to him, and a shield too. Nothing that is good for him shall be denied him. He shall have spending-money so long as he lives, and he shall have an eternal heritage of glorious treasure when he enters into the joy of his Lord.
If all these things are to be had by merely knocking at mercy's door, O my soul, knock hard this morning, and ask large things of thy generous Lord. Leave not the throne of grace till all thy wants have been spread before the Lord, and until by faith thou hast a comfortable prospect that they shall be all supplied. No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained.
We know of a place in England still existing, where a dole of bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is the dole of bread for him. Jesus Christ so loveth sinners that He has built a St. Cross Hospital, so that whenever a sinner is hungry, he has but to knock and have his wants supplied. Nay, He has done better; He has attached to this Hospital of the Cross a bath; and whenever a soul is black and filthy, it has but to go there and be washed. The fountain is always full, always efficacious. No sinner ever went into it and found that it could not wash away his stains. Sins which were scarlet and crimson have all disappeared, and the sinner has been whiter than snow. As if this were not enough, there is attached to this Hospital of the Cross a wardrobe, and a sinner making application simply as a sinner, may be clothed from head to foot; and if he wishes to be a soldier, he may not merely have a garment for ordinary wear, but armour which shall cover him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. If he asks for a sword, he shall have that given to him, and a shield too. Nothing that is good for him shall be denied him. He shall have spending-money so long as he lives, and he shall have an eternal heritage of glorious treasure when he enters into the joy of his Lord.
If all these things are to be had by merely knocking at mercy's door, O my soul, knock hard this morning, and ask large things of thy generous Lord. Leave not the throne of grace till all thy wants have been spread before the Lord, and until by faith thou hast a comfortable prospect that they shall be all supplied. No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained.
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Potty Driven Life
by Todd Friel
Mainstream evangelicalism is literally in the toilet.
Christ’s Family Church of Hastings, Minnesota is now using the bathroom as a way to reach out to lost souls. http://cfc.ccbchurch.com/app/
“Our men’s room (decorated in race car motif) gives members a reason to invite people to church. That is what Christ Family Church is all about; reaching those who have become disenchanted with religion but are searching for a relationship with Jesus Christ.”
That’s right. Toilet evangelism.
Somehow, a zoomy bathroom is supposed to save sinful souls. Even the local newspaper wrote an article titled, “Come for the Bathroom, Stay for the Service.” We have moved from John the Baptist proclaiming truth in the wilderness, to using a testosterone designed men’s room to lure people to a building. While there is nothing wrong with a nifty water closet, there is plenty wrong with using it to attract people to Jesus.
We implore people to come to the Savior, not come for the bathroom. We promote Jesus, not the amenities. Church is for Christians, not curiosity seekers. We win them to the Lord, not by being hip. Evangelism is to be done by church members, not the church bathroom.
How could we sink so low?
It all started with money. The prosperity Gospel promised, “Come to Jesus and you will be wealthy.” Then we promised health. “Come to Jesus and you will be healthy.”
Well that was just too “un-Biblical” for a new breed of evangelicals. We would never use cash and a pain-free life to bait people to “make a decision for Jesus.”
Instead, we decided to uncover people’s emotional needs and dangle those as a draw card to salvation. Self-esteem, loneliness, depression, discontentment, emotional scars, disobedient children, wayward spouses, low social status, low employment status, lack of purpose, a wayward golf swing. Gotta problem? Ask Jesus into your heart.
The seeker sensitive/felt needs movement was in business. And business was good.
But, it never takes long for man to grow weary of man-made methods. Just like every other offer from the world-system, it must continually be upgraded and repainted lest we grow bored. So a new, younger breed of evangelicals is cropping up offering to feed the flesh in an effort to attract people to their quarter million dollar sound systems.
Is your sex life crappy (That’s their word, not mine)? Then come to our church and we will help you have the “best sex ever.” http://www.mycrappysexlife.com/ Churches around the country are using the latest “sermon in a box” series, complete with billboards, post-cards and website design with two pair of feet wrapped up in the sheets, all in an effort to get people to visit their church with the promise to put a little zing into their nap time.
You got it. Come to Jesus, and your sex life will never be the same.
Just when you think, “That’s it, we have turned the Savior into a sex-enhancement tool; it can’t get worse than that.” Oh yes it can.
Christ’s Family Church has turned Jesus into a bathroom enhancement tool. If your loved one does not have a desire to be wealthy, healthy or frisky…then invite them to church so they can have a unique experience while taking care of bodily functions.
What twisted hermeneutic was used to rationalize potty proselytism?
“Part of the mission statement at Christ Family Church is to ‘proclaim God’s reconciling love through Jesus Christ to neighbors, co-workers and friends.’ (How does that work? Come to Jesus and be regular?) The men’s room is just one of the many ways this church is trying to accomplish this mission (Nothing says “substitutionary atonement” like a groovy bathroom). As Pastor Paris likes to say: “We are willing to go to any lengths, use any means necessary, to bring people closer to Christ.” (Have you ever seen I Cor. 9 more twisted?)
“Scott Girnau thought it would be a great way to reach out to people who wouldn’t normally be reached (You know, bashful bladder types). Stereotypes need to be broken about churches (That dreadful stereotype that we Christians just don’t know how to go to the bathroom right). Too many people feel like they don’t belong (Nothing says “welcome” like a kitschy toidy). Our hope is that when a person may not necessarily feel welcome, he can walk into the bathroom and say ‘cool.’”
Wow, who knew? Just gussy up your church bathroom and make sure your guests have a steamy cup of coffee to inspire them to use the facilities (Hey, maybe the church Starbucks makes sense after all), and they are just one step closer to saying the prayer and really, really meaning it.
What is the saddest part of all this?
Many evangelicals no longer believe that Scripture is sufficient. They need tools to enhance the Gospel to get regular attenders. They clearly have no idea what the Gospel is. We have gone as low as we can go. Or have we?
Mainstream evangelicalism is literally in the toilet.
Christ’s Family Church of Hastings, Minnesota is now using the bathroom as a way to reach out to lost souls. http://cfc.ccbchurch.com/app/
“Our men’s room (decorated in race car motif) gives members a reason to invite people to church. That is what Christ Family Church is all about; reaching those who have become disenchanted with religion but are searching for a relationship with Jesus Christ.”
That’s right. Toilet evangelism.
Somehow, a zoomy bathroom is supposed to save sinful souls. Even the local newspaper wrote an article titled, “Come for the Bathroom, Stay for the Service.” We have moved from John the Baptist proclaiming truth in the wilderness, to using a testosterone designed men’s room to lure people to a building. While there is nothing wrong with a nifty water closet, there is plenty wrong with using it to attract people to Jesus.
We implore people to come to the Savior, not come for the bathroom. We promote Jesus, not the amenities. Church is for Christians, not curiosity seekers. We win them to the Lord, not by being hip. Evangelism is to be done by church members, not the church bathroom.
How could we sink so low?
It all started with money. The prosperity Gospel promised, “Come to Jesus and you will be wealthy.” Then we promised health. “Come to Jesus and you will be healthy.”
Well that was just too “un-Biblical” for a new breed of evangelicals. We would never use cash and a pain-free life to bait people to “make a decision for Jesus.”
Instead, we decided to uncover people’s emotional needs and dangle those as a draw card to salvation. Self-esteem, loneliness, depression, discontentment, emotional scars, disobedient children, wayward spouses, low social status, low employment status, lack of purpose, a wayward golf swing. Gotta problem? Ask Jesus into your heart.
The seeker sensitive/felt needs movement was in business. And business was good.
But, it never takes long for man to grow weary of man-made methods. Just like every other offer from the world-system, it must continually be upgraded and repainted lest we grow bored. So a new, younger breed of evangelicals is cropping up offering to feed the flesh in an effort to attract people to their quarter million dollar sound systems.
Is your sex life crappy (That’s their word, not mine)? Then come to our church and we will help you have the “best sex ever.” http://www.mycrappysexlife.com/ Churches around the country are using the latest “sermon in a box” series, complete with billboards, post-cards and website design with two pair of feet wrapped up in the sheets, all in an effort to get people to visit their church with the promise to put a little zing into their nap time.
You got it. Come to Jesus, and your sex life will never be the same.
Just when you think, “That’s it, we have turned the Savior into a sex-enhancement tool; it can’t get worse than that.” Oh yes it can.
Christ’s Family Church has turned Jesus into a bathroom enhancement tool. If your loved one does not have a desire to be wealthy, healthy or frisky…then invite them to church so they can have a unique experience while taking care of bodily functions.
What twisted hermeneutic was used to rationalize potty proselytism?
“Part of the mission statement at Christ Family Church is to ‘proclaim God’s reconciling love through Jesus Christ to neighbors, co-workers and friends.’ (How does that work? Come to Jesus and be regular?) The men’s room is just one of the many ways this church is trying to accomplish this mission (Nothing says “substitutionary atonement” like a groovy bathroom). As Pastor Paris likes to say: “We are willing to go to any lengths, use any means necessary, to bring people closer to Christ.” (Have you ever seen I Cor. 9 more twisted?)
“Scott Girnau thought it would be a great way to reach out to people who wouldn’t normally be reached (You know, bashful bladder types). Stereotypes need to be broken about churches (That dreadful stereotype that we Christians just don’t know how to go to the bathroom right). Too many people feel like they don’t belong (Nothing says “welcome” like a kitschy toidy). Our hope is that when a person may not necessarily feel welcome, he can walk into the bathroom and say ‘cool.’”
Wow, who knew? Just gussy up your church bathroom and make sure your guests have a steamy cup of coffee to inspire them to use the facilities (Hey, maybe the church Starbucks makes sense after all), and they are just one step closer to saying the prayer and really, really meaning it.
What is the saddest part of all this?
Many evangelicals no longer believe that Scripture is sufficient. They need tools to enhance the Gospel to get regular attenders. They clearly have no idea what the Gospel is. We have gone as low as we can go. Or have we?
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