Random Things

I’ve been quite busy lately, giving much less time to work on my own articles, but I have done my usual habit of collecting links to others’ good articles in the apologetics realm.  So this is another episode of random articles and my associated comments.

Rick Warren and various Emergents and other false teachers are going deeper into apostasy - and rank heresy - as they signed on to a proclamation titled, “Loving God and Neighbor Together.”  [link gone by 12/15/16] I expect this from heretics like Robert Schuller (who is one of the signatories)   and Brian McLaren, but too many supposed evangelicals are going along with this pandering to Islam.  I guess I have to admit that Warren’s involvement is no surprise, considering his previous episodes of sanctioning Islam, but I think it is time for pastors to start warning their sheep about what a dangerous religion Islam really is, and that - as Christians - we have nothing really in common with them.

Then there’s the story going around the past couple of months about churches in Great Britain changing the Ten Commandments.  After all, they needed to be “updated” to “reflect modern values.”  It won’t be long until the Big Ten are referred to as the jokes say - the Ten Suggestions.  “Thou shalt not steal” is now “prosper with a clear conscience.”  I know what you’re thinking - “HUH?!?!”  as Ken Silva asks, “So apparently, as long as I have “a clear conscience,” it’s okay for me to ‘prosper’ by stealing from you?”

Yes, Rick Warren is again a topic.  His “Daniel Plan” is another fad taking off, but Erin has a good question about it: “Does “Daniel Plan” Co-Author Care More About Your Scale Than Your Soul?”  The answer is, apparently, a resounding “yes!”

More on Mark Drisoll’s lack of qualifications for being a pastor comes in the form of a testimony by the wife of a former elder of Mars Hill Church.  Driscoll seems to be more of a cult leader (or just plain dictator) than he does a pastor.  

The goatherds leading so many charismaniac “churches” continually blaspheme God with their false teachings and blatant blasphemy.  Rob Deluca is a name I’m not familiar with, but watching just this one video of part of a “worship” service was enough to disgust any Christian with the abject blasphemy taught to a young girl, let alone the rest of the goats in the audience and the screaming “worship” leader.  I suggest this goatherd read Jesus’ warning at Matthew 18:6.

Here we go again: another Bible version will be released later this summer.  Called the “Common English Bible,” it seeks “to make a bridge between conservatives, moderates and liberals.”  Um, is there really a problem with just translating what the manuscripts actually say rather than making it agree with any particular agenda?  From the article in the Christian Post, one can read of politically-incorrect language being changes to something more palatable for liberals.  Of course it also follows the modern idea of being “gender-inclusive.”  Fuller Theological Seminary, that bastion of liberal Christianity, is adding it to “the NRSV and TNIV as translations that could be required for students doing biblical studies.”  After all, we certainly wouldn’t want them reading an unbiased Bible, would we?  I discovered Ken Silva did an article about this Bible when it was first available in digital format on the Internet, which I suggest you review.  Erin has a good commentary about this latest update.

Almost a year ago I wrote a short article which mentioned the Hebrew Roots Movement.    This led to an e-mail contact from the owner of Joyfully Growing In Grace blog, which reports of this movement.  This week she wrote a very good article about some claims by people in this movement.  I recommend it for your perusal.

Meanwhile, I am still slowly working on an article about the false teachings of mystic Henry Blackaby, but I came across this article last week, which should give you an idea of problems with Blackaby’s teachings!  As the author of this article points out, Blackaby claims that we should all be able to audibly hear God’s voice, and “If you do not hear God's voice, could it be your heart is not ready to respond to what he says? Are you clinging to sin or holding out against what you already know of his will? No matter what the reason for the silence, there is a remedy: repent and return to God. Allow God to soften your heart so you are ready to hear his voice and to respond in obedience. Continue seeking and listening until you have heard him speak to you in his unmistakable voice. When he does, it will change your life."  So my question becomes, “can you demonstrate this from Scripture?”  I like the author’s question:  “Mr. Blackaby...does this mean that you are sinless?”

Sola Sisters blog reports on “Concerns About Kirk Cameron’s Movie ‘Monumental.’”  I like Cameron, but I think he’s getting mixed up with the wrong people and getting some wrong information regarding not only American history, but theology in general

I long ago reported about the apostate condition of the ELCA denomination, especially in regards to their love affair with homosexuality.  Well, they’ve just sunk a bit deeper into that pit by choosing as senior pastor in St. Paul, MN’s largest Lutheran Church a man who openly practices homosexual behavior.  Do they really think this is pleasing to God?

One thing all false teachers have in common is that they seek the approval of man rather than the approval of God.  Ken Silva has a very good article on this subject over at Apprising Ministries.  Unlike most pastors today, Ken isn’t afraid to “name names” of false teachers.

The Cripplegate has a thought-provoking article about worship leaders.  Essentially, they need to remember that they aren’t rock stars.