Put YOURSELF in the Bible?!?!

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes a new Bible “application” by a Chicago pastor goatherd pandering to the self-focused Christian.  This “app” puts YOUR name in the text so the Bible talks directly to YOU.  It gives YOU the promises found in Scripture (whether or not they were meant for the original recipient and no one else).  In this way you can abuse Scripture as much as you like and feel good about yourself!

“While the Bible contains thousands of wonderful promises to be trusted, believed and appropriated in the life of the reader, when these promises are read, they often sound generalized and distant," said [Gregory] Ijiwola. [Pastor of The City Light Church]
Um, did it ever occur to him that perhaps the promises were ONLY for the individual receiving it?  Or, perhaps they ARE “generalized,” which does not mean “distant.”  If they sound “distant,” perhaps the problem is with the reader, which isn’t fixed by making him feel good about what he doesn’t understand to start with!

I have to agree with this guy:

The Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Benek, an expert on Christianity and technology, told CP that he saw "several significant concerns" with the App including questions of biblical context.

"To ignore that context by simply inserting one's own name, and thus one's own cultural context into the text, ignores the purpose for which the text was originally written," said Rev. Benek.  "When we make the Bible all about us as individuals, we miss the focus of the larger relational narrative which tells of God's grace and love being extended to all of humanity. It likewise further sidesteps the reality that it is the work of Christian community, in Christ not just individuals, to work towards mutual accountability and justice."

The “pastor,” of The City Light Church really doesn’t surprise me with what he’s come up with, especially when you look at his assembly’s web site.  The “pastor” claims he was given “a vision” from God for him and his wife, Debo, (who also is a “lead pastor” in contradiction to what the Bible says about women not being in authority over a man in the assembly) “to go out to raise an army of people (lights) within the nation.”  Really? God chose him over all the other pastors in the world to raise such an army?

Oh, and that vision includes “reaching into the social contexts of the community.”  AH, is this the social gospel?  I’m sorry, but I can’t find that in the Bible.  How else do you reach a “social context” with the Bible?  And are we supposed to?  Isn’t the Bible for ANY “social context” as it is?  I’m so confused.

“We are a church of IRRESISTIBLE INFLUENCE for good in our city, eliminating the works of the enemy where they have ruled.”  Really?  Their influence is “irresistible” in the Chicago area? Then how come the crime in that town is so bad?

“We are TAKING OVER our individual spheres of influence through our kingdom purpose.”  Did God really give them “individual spheres of influence”?  How come God didn’t do that for any other assembly?  And what proof do they have that they are “taking over” anything?

“We are SPIRIT-FILLED and walking in the SUPERNATURAL-SIGNS and wonders in our world.”  All Christians should be filled with the Spirit, but he means they are charismatic, making them more spiritual than us lowly non-charismatics.  What supernatural signs and wonders do they have, and what is the proof of them?  I don’t see the Bible telling us that we have signs and wonders to give the world.

“Ultimately we light up every neighborhood with the practical manifestation of God’s love and power and harvest many into the Kingdom.”  What hubris!

“It is the dream of the WORLD IMPACT CENTER which is several acres of land on which will be built the worship facility of the church seating thousands, a bible institute with classrooms, hostels and lecture theaters for students from different parts of the world, a world missionary mobilization tower, a publishing center, a recreational and prayer resort center with rooms for people who come from different parts of the world to rest and seek God in prayer.”  AH, HA - the dream of a market-driven mega-church pastor!

“We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.”  Totally unbiblical, of course, since no where in Scripture does it say speaking in tongues is evidence of the Holy Spirit, and ALL Christians are baptized and in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit.

“We believe in bringing tithes…”  Unbiblical — Christians do not tithe!!! 

“Pastor” Gregory (Lan) “is just about completing his Ph.D in Organizational Leadership at the Chicago School of  Professional Psychology.”  Right there should tell you something about this man’s ideology.  How many times do I have to prove that the psychology field is anti-Christian!!!

So, here’s the bottom line: Mr. Ijiwola says he got a vision from God for his ministry and yet he contradicts what God says in the Bible

1.  Abuses Scripture to assist self-focussed Christians.
2.  Woman lead pastor.
3.  Claims they are reaching “social contexts” when there are no “social contexts” for the Gospel.
4.  Claims “irresistible” influence over a city to eliminate “the enemy” while the enemy is strong as ever.
5.  They have “spheres of influence” they are taking over for “kingdom purpose” (Kingdom Now theology?)
6.  Claims of supernatural signs and wonders which the Bible doesn’t give.
7.  Claim they “light up every neighborhood” manifesting God’s love, yet have no evidence.
8.  Seeking to build a market-driven mega-church appealing to the flesh.
9.  Claim that the speaking in tongues is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, contrary to what the Bible teaches.
10.  Preach the practice of tithing, which is not a biblical principle for Christians
11. Accepts training in the secular anti-Christian discipline of psychology.

So if Mr. Ijiwola got a vision from God, how come he teaches in opposition to God’s Word?

Gregory Ijiwola is just another charismatic, teaching false signs and wonders while promoting the market-driven ideology to make himself a mega-church leader who appeals to the flesh.  His Bible “app” fits right in with his philosophy.