The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter but that all subject matter is presented as entertaining. – Neil Postman
Christ Alone Wyoming
Proclaiming the Truth of Christ-Centered Theology
The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter but that all subject matter is presented as entertaining. – Neil Postman
Christ Alone Wyoming 
Can someone explain to me what the problem with this is? I do have a problem with “youth ministers” and pastors being edgy and entertaining when they should be preaching and teaching. I have a problem with rock concerts taking the place of worship. I just can’t seem to find a problem with what this guy is doing. It seems to me like he is just presenting the Gospel after his show and not trying to replace church. If someone wants to present a biblical reason why what this guy is doing is wrong, Id be more than happy to listen and maybe change my thinking on it.
LikeLike
his “gospel” is not the full gospel. he does not use the Law correctly to convict sinners of their hopelessness. I don’t know what you call it, but what does “making a decision for life” mean?? If there are secure sinners out in that audience, why would they ever want this “life?” What if their life seems good to them? They need to be crushed under the weight of God’s law in order to be brought to a place where God’s Gospel can offer them true life.
LikeLike
Couple observations:
It’s really weird that you would choose a quote from Postman. His book, “Amusing Ourselves to Death”, is the current book of the month for the men in my church; that we would understand how we are changed by our choices of media, etc.
Regarding Mr. Gill: Consider who it is that endorses him – apostates and men pleasers. One is – at least partially – known by the company he keeps. Also, consider his Pelagian gospel – spiritually dead people can choose life. Really? How deceptive of him to proclaim this. Next stop, Lakewood Church with “Pastor Joel”?
He falls in line with the misguided sols who think methods don’t matter.
LikeLike
The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16). With this individual it seems that it is his performance that is the power with a little bit of Jesus sprinkled in at the end. The people who were interviewed at the end of the show didn’t come away singing the praises of Jesus Christ as Lord, they were singing the praises of the entertainer. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of this in the near future.
LikeLike
“The people who were interviewed at the end of the show didn’t come away singing the praises of Jesus Christ as Lord, they were singing the praises of the entertainer.”
That’s a key indicator of what’s really going on. Thanks for pointing that out.
LikeLike
Acts 19:19-20–Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
It seems not a little ironic that this fellow would use illusions for however long his show is–and then expects people to believe when he is telling the truth. Unless at some point he makes some connection between the two.
LikeLike
Scott,
I really like your observation and agree whole heartily. But at the same time, why wouldn’t they walk away praising Brock Gill as opposed to Jesus? At the beginning Gill states he has a “life changing message” and that the purpose of his show is that people will leave with lives completely changed; “that’s what the Brock Gill show is all about.” He goes on, however, to say that “Our heart, our goal, our prayer, our strategy is to make this happen.” As you stated in Romans 1:16; The gospel is the power of God for salvation to anyone who believes but Brock Gill isn’t resting on the power of God, he is resting on his heart, his goal and his prayer and a STRATEGY to make this happen. I do believe in the power of God for salvation and I also take to heart what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6; “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” True salvation is from God saving faith that is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) and the faith that one has comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) so with that I always take comfort in knowing that as long as I deliver the true gospel that God is the one that is doing the saving in spite of all of my inadequacies. I believe that it is possible in spite of Brock Gill’s inept attempts to deliver the gospel that God may allow Gill’s message to sow a seed that may lead to germination later down the road if it is in His will to do so. I do realize that there are a lot of false converts being made in churches today per “making a decision”, etc. and with that they have made a ten fold son of hell but I also believe that God can deliver those people as well if it is in His will. It has just come to me that Jesus says in Mark 9:40 “Whoever is not against us is for us” and also in Matthew 12:30; “He who is not with me is against me”. It appears that Brock Gill is not against Jesus. At the same time, however, I’m not really sure if Brock is for Jesus since its not really clear if he knows who the true Jesus is from the parts of his message I have heard so far. Overall it appears that he is at least making an attempt to proclaim Jesus’ name but then again for all we know, it could just be a clever marketing strategy so that people will come to see his magic show?
LikeLike
Greeetings
The thing that stood out to me was the magic. For my understanding, scripture teaches against magic and therefore magic is not from the spirit of the Lord. So the question is if someone is operating in a spirit that is not from the Lord but “preach” Jesus – what seed is sown to the hearers? The other questions is – if someone preaches a life changing gospel – how can someone continue to do something that the scripture is against – in this case – magic?
From Dictionary.com – magic = the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.; legerdemain; conjuring: to pull a rabbit out of a hat by magic. The art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the forces of nature.
Blessings
kc
LikeLike
Thanks for all the good responses. It gives me a lot to think about.
Brett,
I haven’t heard his full Gospel message, just the stuff on the video. If his full message is “choose life” and has nothing to do with who God is, hell, sin, etc. then it is junk and that is a good reason to stay clear.
Menfred,
I don’t know the company that he keeps. But, if it is a bunch of heretics, then you are correct. I am going to look into it when I have more time. As far as the Pelagian Gospel. If that is what he is doing, then yeah it is junk.
Scott and Wade,
Excellent points! I’m going to have to think on those things.
As far as the magic goes. When I read “magic” in the New Testament. I think of things like sorcery, palm-reading, and other things along that line. I never think of illusions or slight of hand stuff. I take magic to be things of the occult.
LikeLike