Global Leadership Summit 2016 is not for teaching men to be shepherds in an assembly, rather it is there to lead more into apostasy. Continue reading more here.
Another false apostle and his nonsensical, unbiblical teachings to stay away from.
The false teaching coming out of SBC teachers is becoming the norm, unfortunately.
Interesting reviews of some popular church music. I agree with what the author has said about all of them. I think he is fair and objective.
As a follow-up to that one, here are some more interesting thoughts by the same author, responding to some charges against his reviews. He also has some some explanations of popular charismatic false and occultic teachings which are practice by Bethel Redding. I particularly liked this statement: If a doctrinally sound minister -- John Piper, let's say -- were to favorably quote Rob Bell, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, or T.D. Jakes in his sermon just because one of those false teachers can manage a theologically salvageable thought every once in a while, Piper would not go unchallenged. But for whatever reason we don't hold worship leaders to the same standard. If Bill Johnson is a grave-sucking false teacher, why is Jeremy Riddle not?
A week later, we have another in this series of examining worship songs! Another comment I whole-heartedly agree with (reference “My Chains Are Gone”): Should the song be sung in your church? Why should it not? So long as a church is not replacing the Newton classic. As great as Tomlin and Giglio's version is, there are two verses of the classic hymn that are not in My Chains Are Gone. Let them not be forgotten. The problem is that it HAS replaced Newton’s song; it has been a long, long time since I’ve heard Amazing Grace.
Robert Hotchkin, another false teacher with unbelievable ideas, and yet people listen to him!!!!
No one should ever send another dime to World Vision. Doug Evans makes the succinct point: Millions of dollars has been embezzled from the Christian charity World Vision and funneled into the terrorist organization Hamas. I know I've mentioned this before, but World Vision is standing by the terrorist in their midst. What part of Stewardship are they misunderstanding?
Cautions About Alan Hirsch. WOW — this guy is bad news.
Jews have their own apostates and heretics.
“Jesus Calling” radio “worship” hour?
David Barton seems to think God is a patriotic American Christian who dictates who to vote for. He needs to spend less time with NAR types and more time with Biblical Christians.
You’ve got to be kidding—asking a statue to pray!?!?!
How Hillsong invades and takes over a church.
8 comments:
Glenn, Our church is beginning a series on Peter Scazzero's Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and I was wondering if you have done any research on this man/topic? (see www.emotionallyhealthy.org)
Thank you for all the work you do to educate us on the perils out there! Sometimes it feels like a land mine out there! God bless you.
Hi Mary
Avoid this guy like the plague. Midwest Christian Outreach Journal (to which I subscribe) did an article about him a few years back exposing his false teachings. I found the article on the Internet here:
http://midwestoutreach.org/2013/08/11/emotionally-healthy-spirituality-or-something-else/
I suggest you provide your church leadership with the article and ask that they cease the course. It is not spiritually healthy at all.
Oh, there are spiritual land mines all over the place out there (and be very careful to dodge them in a "Christian" book store!). It can be so disheartening. I just can't understand why so many churches are looking for something to study besides the Bible.
Hi Glenn,
Hybels - I can't believe any pastor listens to that man. He's been so off for so long. His "summit" is just pure rubbish.
Worship - yes, unfortunately, "My Chains are Gone" has replaced the true, full hymn Amazing Grace. I refuse to sing the Tomlin section. My husband is the same way. We want to sing AG AS WRITTEN, all verses. But like you, we haven't heard that in a long time, and apparently our "felt need" for sound doctrine in worship music isn't important to the church. I'm actually sick and tired of contemporary worship.
As for the parallel bw music leaders and preachers, and the standard to which they are held, I disagree. I believe Piper would go unchallenged if he quoted someone off the mark. He affirmed both Driscoll and RW, and where was the challenge to that? It seems the celebrity pastors and musicians can do/say/promote anything.
Barton, ugh.
-Carolyn
Hi Glenn,
PS, in the last of the Gabe Hughes articles, he opens with a quote from Mark Dever (quote about performance music vs congregational music). Honestly, here we go, celebrity Christianity again. I'm a musician, not a professional, but I'm decently competent (yes, I understand a lot of music theory, and am capable of teaching as well). For years, I've been saying exactly what Dever said. But who listened to me? No one. Because I'm a nobody, and probably (especially, frankly) also because I'm a woman. But when Dever says it, oh, everyone now will stand up and listen? Of course. Because he is a celebrity pastor. I'm so sick of this.
Is Dever right? Yes. But should we all be looking to a celebrity to tell us what is right? NO.
Pastors - I am begging you, BEGGING YOU, please disconnect from listening to all the "big name" celebrities. Please stop reading all their books and chasing after all their conferences. It is unnecessary, and honestly, most often unhelpful. Get to know the believers in YOUR assembly. Especially pay more attention to the obscure believers in YOUR OWN assembly, many of whom are just as solid as these celebrities. You won't know what the Holy Spirit has given the saints unless you get to know them.
-Carolyn
Carolyn,
In the assembly, I have the same problem of not being listened to; after all, I have no credentials.
Hi Glenn,
Of course you're not listened to Glenn! You're also a nobody!
It is honestly worse, though, in many assemblies, to be a discerning, intelligent Christian woman.
Thankfully my own husband is a godly, gracious man, whom I hold in the highest regard.
-Carolyn
Hi Glenn,
I want to add a few Scriptures and thoughts regarding what I said...
First, music - we are told in the book of 1 John not to love the things of the world, yet the vast majority of the problems that we see in music ministry is because we are emulating the world's music in order to "attract" people to church. It should bother us that we think we can use music (or anything else for that matter) to "attract" people, when nowhere in Scripture does God say we have to "attract" anyone with anything other than the "foolish" (1 Cor 1) preaching of Christ crucified... Plus we are told in Colossians 3 that music is didactic - teaching and admonishing one another with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. It should go without saying that vacuous songs aren't didactic.
Second, celebrity Christianity - not a new problem. 1 Corinthians 1, and also chap 3, "I follow Paul, I follow Cephas, I follow Apollos"... which is corrected by Paul, who redirects us to follow Christ. Divisions and quarreling occur when believers - including pastors - follow popular teachers instead of searching the Scriptures daily themselves with prayer and the Holy Spirit.
And on this topic - Paul commended the Bereans in Acts 17 for doing just that - searching the Scriptures daily and even parsing what he said with the Word. A popular teacher may be right in something he says, but that is because the TRUTH is always right, because the truth comes from God. Because the truth is CHRIST HIMSELF. John 1. All believers are simply reflecting and repeating what God has already said. Yet believers do idolize celebrity Christians, unfortunately.
Third, on giving honor to the obscure believers - again, 1 Corinthians, this time chap 12, on those we deem less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor. Furthermore, the weaker members are indispensable, says the Lord. The Spirit distributes the gifts to ALL believers, according to His will, including those who are obscure.
Finally, on women... while Scripture is clear that women are not to be elders, nor preachers (1 Tim 2, 3, Titus 3), and husbands are the head of their own household (Eph 5, 1 Cor 11)... women can be deacons as deacons are not teachers (Phoebe)... and yes women can teach men in non worship environments, i.e., Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos. The gift of discernment is not just given to men, either. While men like you, Glenn, are ignored because you don't have "credentials", women with discernment are often dismissed with far more disdain. Example: When Janet Mefferd called out Driscoll on his plagiarism.
Regarding those "credentials" - did not Paul call all his credentials rubbish (Phil 3) compared with the excellencies of knowing Christ?...plus if one has the anointing/unction, as 1 John 2 says, one has no need for a man to teach them... anyone with the Spirit can know the word well, with or without Bible college/Seminary. We are mistaken to only listen to those with credentials.
What makes me ache is how much the church looks like the world. We have the written word from the Lord that tells us how to live as believers. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling (if we are in fact born again), who gives us the understanding of the text and renews our mind daily. We have the Father to pray to through the name of our blessed Savior. And what do we do? We follow men, and look just like the world.
That's what ran through my mind last night.
Thanks, Glenn.
-Carolyn
Excellent set of articles on this post. You are spot on here Glen, and Carolyn, concerning the "state" of our churches here in America. One church down the street is building a gymnasium and is looking more and more like a cultural center. It amazes me how much time, money, and work these individuals put into their buildings, keeping the grounds pristine, and yet, there are the sick, suffering, and lonely believers around us that no one pays attention too.
Jesus doesn't care about the buildings made with human hands, He care about the temples where the Holy Spirit indwells.
Praising our LORD for believers who genuinely care about the suffering and the afflicted, meeting them where they are; most are in their homes, prisons, or care centers of sorts. Glory Alleluia!
Martha
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