Interesting article on the current movement among mainline evangelical Christians to deny the continued spiritual and historical significance of Israel.
Post-Zionist Theology is an Attack on God’s Character
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Seeker-Friendly Way of Doing Church | thebereancall.org
The Seeker-Friendly Way of Doing Church | thebereancall.org
Interesting article on the commercialization and marketing of Christianity..
Interesting article on the commercialization and marketing of Christianity..
Monday, December 13, 2010
The God Hater - Bill Meyers new book
The God Hater
Check this book out at http://www.thegodhater.com/book.html
A cranky, atheist philosophy professor loves to shred incoming freshmen of their faith. He is chosen by a group of scientists to create a philosophy for a computer-generated world exactly like ours.
Much to his frustration every model introduced from Darwinism, to Existentialism, to Eastern beliefs fails. The only way to preserve the computer world is to introduce laws from outside their system through a Law Giver. Of course this goes against everything he believes and he hates it. But even this doesn't completely work because the citizens of that world become legalists and completely miss the spirit behind the Law.
The only way to save them is to create a computer character like himself to personally explain it. He does. So now there are two of him—the one in our world and the one in the computer world. (Sound familiar?)
Unfortunately, a rival has introduced a virus into the computer world. Things grow worse until the professor in that computer world sees the only way to save his world is to personally absorb the virus and the penalty for breaking the Law. Of course it's clear to all, including our real world professor, that this act of selfless love has become a complete reenactment of the Gospel. It is the only possible choice to save the computer world and, as he finally understands, our own.
Check this book out at http://www.thegodhater.com/book.html
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
John F. Kennedy, The Federal Reserve, and Executive Order 11110
On this 47th Anniversary of President Kennedy's murder, perhaps we should move beyond the nonsense promulgated by such establishment shills at Tom Hartman, Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken and Michael Savage and look at the real Power Elite behind the death of Kennedy. By signing Executive Order 11110 on June 4, 1963, Kennedy attempted to give back to the U.S. Government the ability to repay its debt without going to the Federal Reserve and being charged interest in order to create the new money. Had he succeeded, our debt would be nowhere near where it is. Five months after he signed the order he was dead....
John F. Kennedy, The Federal Reserve, and Executive Order 11110
This article was written during President Clinton's administration but it is still timely today.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
If Jesus is a liar.... What a Dilemma!
Who is Jesus Christ really?
The Christan's say that Jesus is God, within the Trinity.
The Muslims say Jesus is a great prophet.
The Hindu's and Buddhists say Jesus is a great and wise teacher.
The New Agers say Jesus is an ascended master
The DaVinci coders say he was a good and holy man who had some great ideas.
But who does Jesus say he is? When his disciples told him they did not know the way to God, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Pretty profound! What he's saying, in case you didn't get it, is that nobody can come to God except through him. He is the way and no other.
Now here is my dilemma. The person who made this statement is either a liar, or he's telling the truth. If he is a liar, then the Muslims, the Hindu's, the Buddhists, the New Agers and all those who say that he is a great prophet, a great an wise teacher, an ascended master, or anything else noble and true are wrong about who he is. He can't be a liar and be what all the other religions say he is. If they are wrong about who he is, what else are they wrong about? And if they are wrong about other things, why should they be believed about anything. There is a famous radio talk-show host who puts forth a theory he calls the "wheel" approach to God.. His idea is that all religions, including Christianity, are simply spokes in the great wheel of life and each one of them will take you to God. But if Jesus is a liar, shouldn't he be removed from that wheel? And if the other religions are wrong, shouldn't they be taken off too?
Here's the other side of the picture. What if Jesus is telling the truth? What if he is the only way to God? If he is telling the truth, that means that all the other religions are still wrong about who he is and not to be believed about anything. And if he is the only way to God, then all the followers of all the religions are condemned to an eternity separated from God. So this is my dilemma: If he's a liar, then everybody is wrong about who he is. If he's telling the truth, then everybody is wrong about who he is. So why should I trust any of those other religions, when they are wrong about who one of the most important figures in history really is, whether he is a liar or not? If Jesus is a liar, then anybody who believes in him is lost - but since the other religions claim he is a great man, if you believe in them, you are still lost. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
It seems like the only winning proposition is to take his word.that he is who he says he is, put your faith in Jesus Christ, and trust that he is telling the truth. All the other options seem to be lose-lose.
The Christan's say that Jesus is God, within the Trinity.
The Muslims say Jesus is a great prophet.
The Hindu's and Buddhists say Jesus is a great and wise teacher.
The New Agers say Jesus is an ascended master
The DaVinci coders say he was a good and holy man who had some great ideas.
But who does Jesus say he is? When his disciples told him they did not know the way to God, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Pretty profound! What he's saying, in case you didn't get it, is that nobody can come to God except through him. He is the way and no other.
Now here is my dilemma. The person who made this statement is either a liar, or he's telling the truth. If he is a liar, then the Muslims, the Hindu's, the Buddhists, the New Agers and all those who say that he is a great prophet, a great an wise teacher, an ascended master, or anything else noble and true are wrong about who he is. He can't be a liar and be what all the other religions say he is. If they are wrong about who he is, what else are they wrong about? And if they are wrong about other things, why should they be believed about anything. There is a famous radio talk-show host who puts forth a theory he calls the "wheel" approach to God.. His idea is that all religions, including Christianity, are simply spokes in the great wheel of life and each one of them will take you to God. But if Jesus is a liar, shouldn't he be removed from that wheel? And if the other religions are wrong, shouldn't they be taken off too?
Here's the other side of the picture. What if Jesus is telling the truth? What if he is the only way to God? If he is telling the truth, that means that all the other religions are still wrong about who he is and not to be believed about anything. And if he is the only way to God, then all the followers of all the religions are condemned to an eternity separated from God. So this is my dilemma: If he's a liar, then everybody is wrong about who he is. If he's telling the truth, then everybody is wrong about who he is. So why should I trust any of those other religions, when they are wrong about who one of the most important figures in history really is, whether he is a liar or not? If Jesus is a liar, then anybody who believes in him is lost - but since the other religions claim he is a great man, if you believe in them, you are still lost. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
It seems like the only winning proposition is to take his word.that he is who he says he is, put your faith in Jesus Christ, and trust that he is telling the truth. All the other options seem to be lose-lose.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
De-Evolving the "MacChurch" Part II
We might as well rename the churches "MacChurch, Burger-Church, Wendy's Church, In and Out Church, Colonel Sanders Church, ad infinitum. Different buildings, same menu. Open the phone book to find a church and every one will offer you the same items - "Contemporary Music, relevant sermons, connecting with God, great Youth group, small groups, missions trips, stewardship classes, How to join the Church," and on and on. Take a look at the ads in your local yellow pages and count the number of times you see the name of Jesus mentioned in the ad copy or even in the name of the church. So we have dozens of churches in each city, all offering the same "menu," all competing with each other for "tithing units." (Part I)
When we look at the contemporary American church, it is very easy to draw a comparison with fast food restaurants. Whether it's a "Whopper," a "Jumbo Jack", or a "Big Mac", the reality is that what the fast-food places are really selling is a slab of beef between two pieces of bread. There is no discernible difference, except in the external packaging, and special additions to the menu that characterize that particular eatery. One burger is square, one is round, one comes with special sauce, but they basically taste the same and have the same nutritional content (which is usually nothing.) So it is with the contemporary church - same current popular christian rock songs, same youth programs, same VBS, same Awana program, same teaching, all flavored with that particular denomination's take on the essential truth's of the Bible. And now we have entered the era of the Mega-church, where charismatic leaders build a huge following apart from a denomination, and then "franchise" their movement to thousands of smaller churches that are desperate for growth and recognition. We have the Purpose Driven Church, Willow Creek, Emergent Church, Contemplative, Dream Center, Joel Osteen, Word of Faith - all with their own group of pastors that download the weekly "Pastor's Toolbox" and follow blithely along with their leader's teaching, even if it is heretical, or makes no biblical sense. So what is to be done? Let me share something from my own pastoral experience that may throw a little light on the problem.
When I was associate pastor at a smaller church in Northern California, our senior pastor announced that he was leaving to go into missions full time. So I was asked to be on an interim leadership team while the Deacon Board started a "Pastor Search." While we were preparing with fasting and prayer, we studied the history of the church. What we discovered was that the church had been led by over 13 different pastors in a 40 year period. Wanting to get to the root of the problem - why so many pastors? - we decided to spend some time trying to find out who we were as a church body and what our calling in that particular city was meant to be. In that process, we uncovered many of our weaknesses as a church and some strengths. It occurred to us that we were wasting a lot of our resources duplicating programs that were being done on a much higher level by other churches around the city. Digging deeper, we found that the churches who offered better programs than ours in certain areas also offered programs that we, or another church were doing better. The outcome was a radical idea. Maybe as a church, we should find our strengths and concentrate on them, and let the congregations who excelled in different areas handle those. We happened to have an excellent worship program and a thriving preschool. Another church down the street had good teaching but no real youth program. Our proposal was to share the work instead of duplicating efforts. What we didn't know was that a certain element on the board had already decided who the next pastor was to be, and had no interest in a radical departure from "church as usual." Needless to say there was a minor church split and many of the regular and old time members of that church left for greener pastures.
Suppose we had actually implemented that plan - what would it have looked like? Let me show you, radical as it may seem:
1. All senior pastors in the city would resign and become simply a member of their flock
2. Set non-salaried teams of elders - and I mean elders - older wiser solid christian men in place in each small group to guide and direct the flock.
3. Congregations in the city meet together and decide what their strengths and weaknesses are.
4. Assign each congregation a particular program to implement - be it worship, teaching, youth group, pre-school. Christian Education, Missions, small groups, Sunday School. etc.
5. Shift the teaching and preaching from topical to Expository - in other words, here's what the Bible says, here's what it means, here's how we apply it to our lives.
5. Give the members of each church the opportunity to move to another body more aligned with their personal gifting.
6. During the week, all members of the city-wide church go to different locations for the different expressions of each body, be it worship, teaching, youth etc.
7. Elders and leaders who are gifted in specific areas such as preaching and teaching form city-wide teams with other leaders and share the teaching. i.e. one teacher takes a series on a particular book and then another teacher follows along.
8. Meet together as a corporate city-wide body on a regular basis. Church membership is determined by the administrative boundaries of each city i.e. the church at Ephesus, the church at Philadelphia, etc.
9. Get rid of the tax free 501c3 non-profit status. Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's and get out from under the controlling thumb of the IRS.
10. Stop demanding tithe of Christians - it's an Old Testament practice detailed in the law of Moses that has to do with taking care of the tribe of Levi under the inheritance laws of the OT and is never, never mentioned in the new testament except in reference to the Jews and their obedience to the Mosaic law. Present needs to the city-wide body and let members give as the Lord leads.
11. Raise up elders and teachers from local congregations. Stop doing "pastor searches" and bringing in hirelings from Alabama or New Yorkthat have no relationship to the flock in Washington state.
12. Limit congregation size to around 50 members - any group larger than that cannot be effectively shepherded by an elder team. If a congregation grows larger, break it up and start two new ones.
13. Stop claiming the promises that were made to the nation of Israel by God and the prophets and applying them to the church. Learn what Paul has to say in his thirteen epistles to the churches and follow those guidelines.
14. Teach members how to share the simple gospel of grace -
16. Prepare the church for the imminent return of Jesus Christ - first to take His church out of the world to a place of safety, and then to deal with the apostate nation of Israel and all those who hate God.
If these "suggestions" strike you as having some potential, please leave a comment. If you have other ideas to add, feel free.
When we look at the contemporary American church, it is very easy to draw a comparison with fast food restaurants. Whether it's a "Whopper," a "Jumbo Jack", or a "Big Mac", the reality is that what the fast-food places are really selling is a slab of beef between two pieces of bread. There is no discernible difference, except in the external packaging, and special additions to the menu that characterize that particular eatery. One burger is square, one is round, one comes with special sauce, but they basically taste the same and have the same nutritional content (which is usually nothing.) So it is with the contemporary church - same current popular christian rock songs, same youth programs, same VBS, same Awana program, same teaching, all flavored with that particular denomination's take on the essential truth's of the Bible. And now we have entered the era of the Mega-church, where charismatic leaders build a huge following apart from a denomination, and then "franchise" their movement to thousands of smaller churches that are desperate for growth and recognition. We have the Purpose Driven Church, Willow Creek, Emergent Church, Contemplative, Dream Center, Joel Osteen, Word of Faith - all with their own group of pastors that download the weekly "Pastor's Toolbox" and follow blithely along with their leader's teaching, even if it is heretical, or makes no biblical sense. So what is to be done? Let me share something from my own pastoral experience that may throw a little light on the problem.
When I was associate pastor at a smaller church in Northern California, our senior pastor announced that he was leaving to go into missions full time. So I was asked to be on an interim leadership team while the Deacon Board started a "Pastor Search." While we were preparing with fasting and prayer, we studied the history of the church. What we discovered was that the church had been led by over 13 different pastors in a 40 year period. Wanting to get to the root of the problem - why so many pastors? - we decided to spend some time trying to find out who we were as a church body and what our calling in that particular city was meant to be. In that process, we uncovered many of our weaknesses as a church and some strengths. It occurred to us that we were wasting a lot of our resources duplicating programs that were being done on a much higher level by other churches around the city. Digging deeper, we found that the churches who offered better programs than ours in certain areas also offered programs that we, or another church were doing better. The outcome was a radical idea. Maybe as a church, we should find our strengths and concentrate on them, and let the congregations who excelled in different areas handle those. We happened to have an excellent worship program and a thriving preschool. Another church down the street had good teaching but no real youth program. Our proposal was to share the work instead of duplicating efforts. What we didn't know was that a certain element on the board had already decided who the next pastor was to be, and had no interest in a radical departure from "church as usual." Needless to say there was a minor church split and many of the regular and old time members of that church left for greener pastures.
Suppose we had actually implemented that plan - what would it have looked like? Let me show you, radical as it may seem:
1. All senior pastors in the city would resign and become simply a member of their flock
2. Set non-salaried teams of elders - and I mean elders - older wiser solid christian men in place in each small group to guide and direct the flock.
3. Congregations in the city meet together and decide what their strengths and weaknesses are.
4. Assign each congregation a particular program to implement - be it worship, teaching, youth group, pre-school. Christian Education, Missions, small groups, Sunday School. etc.
5. Shift the teaching and preaching from topical to Expository - in other words, here's what the Bible says, here's what it means, here's how we apply it to our lives.
5. Give the members of each church the opportunity to move to another body more aligned with their personal gifting.
6. During the week, all members of the city-wide church go to different locations for the different expressions of each body, be it worship, teaching, youth etc.
7. Elders and leaders who are gifted in specific areas such as preaching and teaching form city-wide teams with other leaders and share the teaching. i.e. one teacher takes a series on a particular book and then another teacher follows along.
8. Meet together as a corporate city-wide body on a regular basis. Church membership is determined by the administrative boundaries of each city i.e. the church at Ephesus, the church at Philadelphia, etc.
9. Get rid of the tax free 501c3 non-profit status. Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's and get out from under the controlling thumb of the IRS.
10. Stop demanding tithe of Christians - it's an Old Testament practice detailed in the law of Moses that has to do with taking care of the tribe of Levi under the inheritance laws of the OT and is never, never mentioned in the new testament except in reference to the Jews and their obedience to the Mosaic law. Present needs to the city-wide body and let members give as the Lord leads.
11. Raise up elders and teachers from local congregations. Stop doing "pastor searches" and bringing in hirelings from Alabama or New Yorkthat have no relationship to the flock in Washington state.
12. Limit congregation size to around 50 members - any group larger than that cannot be effectively shepherded by an elder team. If a congregation grows larger, break it up and start two new ones.
13. Stop claiming the promises that were made to the nation of Israel by God and the prophets and applying them to the church. Learn what Paul has to say in his thirteen epistles to the churches and follow those guidelines.
14. Teach members how to share the simple gospel of grace -
- You are born dead in your sins and separated from God;
- This separation is called death;
- This condition was caused by Adam's rebellion in the Garden of Eden; spurred on by the fallen spiritual being once called Lucifer and now known as ha Satan - the accuser;
- There is nothing you can do to resolve this separation;
- God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die as a substitute for you so you could be free to choose to be reconciled to God;
- Jesus died on the cross - it was not the terrible beating and torture that he endured that saves us, but the fact that He actually died - physically and Spiritually in our place;
- Jesus rose from the dead and defeated the power of death over your life;
- Jesus returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit into the world to live in you and work through you:
- If you believe this and turn from following your own will, and place your faith and trust in Jesus, you will be restored to relationship with God and have eternal life.
16. Prepare the church for the imminent return of Jesus Christ - first to take His church out of the world to a place of safety, and then to deal with the apostate nation of Israel and all those who hate God.
If these "suggestions" strike you as having some potential, please leave a comment. If you have other ideas to add, feel free.
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