Same Tune; Different Verse!

New faces; same propoganda.

New wording & phrasology; same ideas.

The new, hip thing on the market is the emergent church.

"Everything Must Change" they say. Little did the naive Christian Church realize they intended to literally change everything; from doctrine to morals to fundmental understandings of Christianity.

Brian McLaren, I shutter to even write his name, is reminiscent of the early gnostics. What am I saying? Let me be clear: He is a heretic.

Certainly I realize I am not the first to make such a statement, nor will I be the last. For those who disagree with the statement I would ask this: How much of God's Word can you contradict and still be a Christian?

Emergents are the new liberals! I know they claim to be on some plain of existence all their own, but they are just liberals re-marketed. Same tune; different verse.

For example, their spokeman, Brian McLaren does not believe in Hell. (Just a side note: it does exist. I always find it mildly amusing if not troubling that we so readily embrace the reality of Heaven, but reject the reality of Hell.) Mr. McLaren, join the many liberals of 'modernity' who claimed the same thing!

What about his rejection of substitutionary atonement? John the Baptist knew quickly who Jesus was and what he was about when he said of Jesus in John 1:29 "Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (ESV) Mr. McLaren, just join the many liberals of 'modernity' who also felt the need to do away with the reality of sin by first whittling away at the solution to the problem of sin.

What about his unwillingness to take a stand on important moral issues in which our culture is currently ensnared? Homosexuality for example. In an earlier post I dealt with some of the most contradicted passages of Scripture (see #10). In this article by Brian McLaren, McLaren describes his unwillingness to answer the question of homosexuality for 'pastoral' reasons. This is most troubling because it is not a pastoral response, but a deceptive one which keeps those truly earnest seekers from arriving at the absolute truth that homosexuality is sinful and leads to spiritual death.

In our drive for larger churches, extended fame, growing reputation, and preoccupation with the self; we have abandoned the truth! And as we sink lower into the pit of heresy we now re-label heretical beliefs and attack truth as being something fluid and defined by our own beliefs!?

As Christians our responsibility is not to decide our beliefs, but seek out the truth in God's Word and hold to it unflinchingly!

So, I have finally realized what the emergents have "emerged from": the remains of the old fashion liberal!

So, to all the post-modern-labeled-liberals I say: 'Welcome back.' But know this, truth will always prevail, God has already won, and God's Word has not expired!

"I Have a Dream" Martin Luther King Jr.

If you have a few minutes catch everything that Martin Luther King Jr. said that day.

Top Ten Contradicted Bible Passages...

I have not been around very long, but I have noticed that we tend to disregard parts of Scripture that do not rest snugly within our systematic theology.

The following verses are just a few of the many examples of verses that can give us big headaches at times, but ultimately we simply ignore. Many Christians that I come in contact with simply contradict Biblical teaching at these points.

So here are the top ten New Testament passages we 'block out.' (All Scripture is quoted from the English Standard Version.)

**Disclaimer** I would encourage you to read the context as well. The point is, even in their context many 'Christians' would not agree with these Bible passages. I would be interested in other verses/passages you might put on this list.

Anyway, here they are...

#10.1 Corinthians 6:9-10

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

#9. Matthew 10:8

Jesus to his disciples: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay."

#8. Hebrews 12:14

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."

#7. Matthew 10:37
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

#6. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. 'Purge the evil person from among you.'"

#5. Matthew 5:48 (See also James 1:4)
"You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

#4. Ephesians 5:22 (See also Colossians 3:18)
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord."

#3. 1 John 3:8-9
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God."

#2. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
"For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."

#1. Hebrews 10:26-27
"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."

For Those Considering Suicide...

A powerful blog post on another site addressing the issue of suicide.

Disclaimer: I never endorse every post on another blog because I haven't had a chance to read them all.

Here's the link.

Suicide is always a very destructive thing. But then, sin always seeks to destroy us.

A New Year (2008)

God has blessed in 2007.

I have a new family member. Jacob Kevin Henry who was born on January 15 of last year.

I have a wonderful wife who I continue to love.

Greensburg Church of the Nazarene, where I am the pastor, is a loving congregation. I truly believe it is more than just "an assignment" to me it; it is my church home and the people are my church family.

I am blessed beyond measure. I look forward to all that God has in store for me in 2008. I will continue to walk with Him and live a life that reflects his glory & holiness!

I will say like Mary, the mother of Jesus, said in Luke 1:46-47 "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!"