Welcome

It would do all well to read the following article posted over at Apprising Ministries today. If you are a Christian, the message that should stand out in this well reasearched and documented writing is welcome to your worse nightmare. It's time to do something....

Click here to read this excellent article about the current state of emergent Christianity.

Is the Gospel Message "Change the World?"

Has it really come to this point? One of two things have happened. Either the church and it's teachers have so let down their guard of the gospel message that Christians are no longer hearing the true gospel message, or the Chrisitans from these churches are either too blind or faithless to realize the lone thing that the gospel message tells Christians to do. Are we so vain that we think that our great God would leave "world-changing" up to mere humans? Here's a thought, let's leave the "world-changing" up to God Almighty. I am pretty sure He is more than capable.

I write this having encountered a Christian movement over the weekend whose justification for their actions is that they believe that through their actions they are going to "change the world." While that is a noble cause that deserves to be commended, what I found in some of these individuals is a level of judgment and dispicable behavior toward those who don't buy into their idea that their actions are going to change the world. When I pointed out that their backing for their relativly new belief system is not in line with scripture and dwells primarily in Old Covenant teaching, their arguments quicky dwindled and mixed into their diminishing pride I was confronted with a level of arrogance that was both new and odd to me.

So, over the weekend I have silently thought and dwelled in Scripture to find if Christ's gospel message, that which He gave His very Life for, was to "go change the world." I of course know the Great Commission (Matthew 28;18-20) but there is a school of Preterist thought out there who believes that the Great Commission was already fulfilled by those apostles to whom Christ was directly addressing. All that being said though, many who would hold that this passage is meant for those of us today can't get past the verb "GO" issued by Jesus Christ and instead change it to "STAY RIGHT HERE," or, in the worse case scenario, make sure you equip someone else to do it later. Not very world changing.

I could write for days on this topic but will stop here. We as Christians are not instructed to "go change the world," and if taken to the root, that is not the mission of many who claim that as their goal. Driven by either socio-political fears, socio-economic worries, or in the worse case scenario, out right fear, people manipulate the gospel to fit whatever cause it is their current non-gospel matching beliefs need. Sadly, when pressed, these indivduals rely solely on law to back their positions and the gospel and faith in a graceful and crucified Savior is diminished to a sidenote. We are instructed over and over by Christ and in the epistles to do one thing in order to please God - teach the gospel. How did the message change from teach repentance and forgivness of sins to "we gotta change the world?" I have my assumptions but will sit on those for this time. There is nothing Christian about changing the world. Can Christians change the world? Yes, if we get our fears, motives, and dogmas out of the way and allow Christ's gospel message to flow from us. The two greatest commandments as pointed out by Christ are love God, love neighbor. How do you intend to "change the world," when you have yet to even knock on your neighbors door to ask if they know the gospel? Let's leave the world changing up to God. Perhaps we will see more of it if we trust in what the gospel can do and stop trying to force God's hand by our own works.

Local Church of Christ Preacher Boldly Questions Relevant Church

I can't remember the last time I read my local newspaper in Hamilton, AL and was surprised by something I read. Word tends to travel fast in this small town. However, as I fingered through the Journal Record today, a commentary, placed off to the side of page three took my breath away. Mr. Todd Clippard, pulpit minster of Burleson Church of Christ in Hamilton, AL has apparently had enough of the relevant movement that has taken place in our little small town and he is ready to do something about it. He has provided the readers of this small publication with a scathing commentary about the wool that many feel are being pulled over the eyes of the residents and children of this little town in northwest Alabama. In a hope that more than just the few who read the Journal Record will get to enjoy this writing, I would like to post his commentary below. Feel free to leave comments as I intend to send a link to this posting to Todd Clippard as well. Enjoy some discernment:

Pentecostal Finger Pointing or,

Not All Ramps Lead Upward

I recently watched some YouTube videos of the foolishness that is passed off as worship at the local RAMP. {find the referenced video below} One young man gave his "testimony" how the Lord had set him free, not from sin or some self-destructive lifestyle, but from (and I quote)"the biggest devil of all... dry, dead, religious tradition & bondage." He went on to rant about how "God wants to act normal again, but God can't act normal because he can't find his church that will act normal."

It must be noted that there is nothing unkind or unbiblical in comparing one's religious faith and practice against the teaching of Scripture. I invite comparisons of my faith and practice with the Scriptures. John warned us not to believe every spirit, but to put them to the test since many false teachers were in the world (1 John 4:1). Paul said Jews had "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge,... being ignorant of God's righteous" (Rom. 10:2-3).

Pentecostals once practiced their traditions privately and were satisfied to leave everyone else alone, though they privately admitted they thought the rest of us were missing out on "real spirituality." But today things are different. There is a belligerent attitude among present charismatics, especially among younger practitioners. Now they openly and loudly point their fingers at us as if we should be ashamed for not acting like fools during our worship assemblies.

While you may find crude or offensive my use of the word "fools," it is actually nicer than Paul's description of those who possessed (unlike today's false practitioners) but misused genuine spiritual gifts. Writing to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 14:22-23, Paul said,

"Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. Therefore, if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your minds?"

I find it beyond belief how today's charismatics jump around, holler, dance and roll on the floor, and then accuse the rest of us of failing to act normally! Such practices stand in direct violation of the very laws Paul laid down for the exercise of spiritual gifts. Modern day charismatic practice has been divorced from 1 Corinthians 14:22-23 for irreconcilable differences!

Lord willing, our examination of the Bible in view of modern pentecostalism will continue in a follow-up article next week. Until then, we welcome your questions and comments.

Todd Clippard

Burleson Church of Christ

END

Here is the video that Todd references in his commentary:

Pilgrim's Map of the Day

Sometimes you see something that you just want to share with others...

* LET'S START WITH THIS CUTE LITTLE FIVE YEAR OLD KID SINGING AND PLAYING JOHNNY CASH'S "FOLSOM PRISON BLUES." I LOVED THIS


* JUST FOR FUN, EVER WONDER WHICH MOVIE MONSTER WAS THE BIGGEST. WELL, SO DID THE GUYS OVER AT GEEKSTIR. ENJOY THIS GRAPH.

What Curses Us?

I love listening to Walter Martin speak. He was a great speaker and defender of the gospel. Please take ten minutes to enjoy this excerpt in which he aims to point out how liberal theology is infesting American Christianity. Good stuff.