We need to examine with double caution any religious views which deviate from the common teachings of the godly Reformers and Puritans. We need not be worshipers of antiquity as such, but we need to regard with suspicion those “broader” interpretations of God’s Word which have become in recent times.
– A.W. Pink
1886 – 1952
Avowed Atheist Penn from Penn and Teller tells of a recent encounter after one of his shows in which a man gave him a Bible. Penn’s take on this may surprise you.
The Roman Catholic Church did not exist when the canon was closed in the first century. How do we know? You cannot find any of the following Catholic traditions in the church of the apostles: priests offering sacrifices for sin, purgatory, indulgences, infallible popes, Mary as a sinless mediatrix, etc.
– Mike Gendron
Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.
– John Owen
1616 – 1683
Your sermon of the week is Improving the Gospel – Exercises in Unbiblical Theology by Mark Dever. When I heard this message I immediately pushed back all my other scheduled sermons for March to make room for this one; I simply couldn’t wait till April to make this available to the readers of DefCon.
Mark Dever–addressing pastors at the 2008 Together For the Gospel (T4G) conference–systematically explains the five major problems facing evangelism today and what we as Christians should be putting first and foremost in our message to the world. One of the problems Pastor Dever addresses in his message is one that I’ve touched on several times on this blog in such posts as:
Priorities Completely Out of Whack
Distractions, Distractions, Distractions
Pastor Dever’s sermon is a must-hear.
The second video below looks strikingly similar to the second video in this post. I guess what works at one mile-wide, inch-deep, entertainment-driven “church” to herd goats, must work at another.
So what could be worse than kidnapping the Easter Bunny, physically battering him, and spitting in his face? Well, the “church” staff performing their own rap video in which they shake their rear-ends for the camera is a close second.
I have two observations:
1). Two thousand years ago a handful of men began to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. How did they possibly achieve this without employing such cool, hip, and relevant means as seen in these videos?
2). I can’t help but think of the man who was just diagnosed with terminal cancer and is about to leave behind a wife and children. He realizes that his life has been one of sin and an affront to a holy God. He thumbs through the yellow pages with a heavy heart as he tries to find a church. He knows that if he died he would go to Hell . . . this much he’s sure of.
He’s a dying man looking for answers. He stumbles across Ridge Stone “church” (the one who produced these videos) and attends the following Sunday. He seats himself at the front as a man desperate for answers with time against him. The lights dim. The video screen begins to light up. The above Christmas Eve promo video is shown with the “church” staff wiggling their butts for the camera and he inwardly asks himself, “Is this what Christianity is all about?” He leaves at the end of the “show” and this is the last “church” service he ever attends.
Now imagine if you will; what if you were that dying man?
This juvenile display of intimacy with the world and its culture is the fruit of an apostate false church, not the spotless, unblemished Bride of Christ. Make no mistake, this social-club masquerading as a church (and those like it) are an abomination unto a holy and righteous God.
Ichabod!
HT: Truth Crossing
A faith that can be destroyed by suffering is not faith.
– Richard Wurmbrand
1909 – 2001
Is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society an inspired prophet of God or not?
Yes: They claim to be prophets of God.
“So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet?…This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses….Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a “prophet” of God. It is another thing to prove it.” Watchtower April 1, 1972 Page 197
No: They deny that they’re inspired.
“However, the Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances nor is it dogmatic. It invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures.” Watchtower August 15, 1950 Page 263
Two Questions.
1). How can you claim on one hand to be a prophet of God, and yet deny being inspired?
2). If the Jehovah’s Witness organization is an inspired prophet of God, then how do you explain the countless false prophecies and doctrinal flip-flops made by a supposed “inspired” organization? If it is not inspired, then what is the final authority for the rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Check out more Contradictions in Watchtower Theology at CARM.
What is faith? Faith is not some force or power that we wield that reaches out and accomplishes things. Neither does anyone “turn his faith loose,” though some false teachers exhort us to do so. Faith is just the opposite of such misconceptions. Justifying faith is not “doing” something; rather, it is giving up on doing anything and simply falling on the mercy of God. . . . we are not saved by faith in general; we’re saved by faith in Christ. Some people trust in a past “decision,” but a “decision” will not pay for our sins! Some trust in baptism, a past emotional experience, or even their supposed “faith.”
– Charles Leiter
Here’s something you won’t hear in most American churches today.
If you want to listen to this entire message you can download it from this post.
Unlike the child that survived an attempted “legal” abortion only to have her life snuffed out in a trash can by a cold-blooded abortion clinic staff member (see here), this latest story ends on a much better note.
In the latest saga of mothers who murder their own children, meet 19 year-old Sarah Tatum, a pre-business sophomore at the University of Arizona.
Finding herself pregnant and certainly not wanting to ruin her future dreams and hopes by being burdened with a baby (or “punished with a baby” as our new president would say), she decided to conceal the pregnancy.
Then the inevitable came . . . the beautiful child expecting to be welcomed into the loving arms of his/her mother actually found him/herself coming into the world in a shower, only to be quickly stuffed into a plastic bag like trash to be discarded; never to be seen again (like the moral conscience of this nation).
Fortunately, in God’s providence, other students intervened when they–simply thinking the bag contained bloody clothes–actually saw the bag moving!
Police had to cut the bag open to save the defenseless human being trapped inside. The child was taken to a local hospital where he/she is still alive.
Read the news article here.
This incident causes outrage from those who hear about it, but we would have never heard a thing had Ms. Tatum went to a professional baby murderer and paid to have them rip the child limb from limb from the safety and sanctity of her womb.
So I scratch my head in bewilderment as Ms. Tatum is now being charged with child abuse and attempted first-degree murder. Why? Didn’t Ms. Tatum simply exercise her “freedom of choice” to kill her own offspring like 4,000 women do every day in this nation?
Had she went that morning to her local Planned Parenthood and paid them to kill her baby no one would have batted an eye. But because she chose to do it herself, she’s now going to be criminally charged. Someone please explain the “logic” of that to me.
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!
– Isaiah 5:20-21
Many object to homeschooling or private Christian schools based on the fact that God has called us to be “salt” and “light” and to evangelize the world. Ironically, this is precisely why we chose homeschooling. The Great Commission states: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I command you” (Matthew 28:19-20, emphasis added). How is this likely apart from Christian education? How can I effectively “make disciples” of my children if I send them off to the government school forty-five to fifty hours per week? The Nehemiah Institute, The National Study of Youth and Religion, and the Barna Report have shown us clearly that our children do not even understand–let alone obey–all that the Lord has commanded. Moreover, how can our children evangelize our government schools if they don’t know what they believe and why they believe it? Not to mention that all of the evidence currently points to the fact that our children are the evangelized, not the evangelists, in our nation’s schools. They are the ones being carried away by every wind of doctrine. . . . The Nehemiah Institute continues to demonstrate year after year that Christian children in government schools who actually retain anything close to a biblical worldview are the rare exception and not the rule. . . . Let me be clear–I applaud men and women whom God has called to teach in government schools. These people are front-line warriors, and they need to be right where they are. However, there is a big difference between sending fully trained disciples into enemy territory and sending recruits [children] to our enemy’s training camp. If we do the latter, we shouldn’t be surprised when they come home wearing the enemy’s uniform and charging the hill of our home waving the enemy flag.
– Voddie Baucham
His grace is not shown at the expense of righteousness, nor do His mercies ignore the requirements of holiness.
– A.W. Pink
1886 – 1952
While we entertain ourselves with stupid little videos to show the Hollywood culture how cool, hip, and relevant we are, this is going on everywhere else.
HT: Saced by Grace
Your Sermon of the Week is For God So Loved the World by Brad Buser. Brad, a long time missionary to Papau New Guniea, challenges you to consider world missions as he smases most of the common excuses people employ to resist going into all the world, including “There are needs here,” “If God wants me there I guess I’ll end up there,” and the infamous but all too common: “I haven’t been called.”
Can someone please tell my why it is so necessary for “churches” in America to mimic the world, its ways, and its culture . . . the very world that’s antithetical to Christ and His Church?
Case in point: For your consideration of the state of the “church” in America today, I’ve posted the following dozen videos produced by a “church” called Waters Edge. I included each video’s own introduction as found on YouTube along with my brief commentary.
Brace yourself.
1). In this video, Jamey shows us the “correct” way to invite people to our upcoming series on love and relationships entitled “Let’s Get It On.”
Is it me or do the words “sexual innuendo” and “double entendre”come to mind after watching this video? Could you imagine being a visitor to this church with your children present when they played this clip? At least they warn us on their website about the content of their “sermon” series: “Parental Discretion is advised… preschoolers and kids should participate in Kid Kraze and WeeWorld.” Can any Church historian please tell me if there’s ever been a time in Christian history when the church had to give a “parental discretion” warning to its congregants?
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2). This video aired on Sunday, November 2nd at Waters Edge. Enjoy!
Kidnapping, physical violence, and spitting in the face of Santa Clause. All in a day’s work for the staff at Waters Edge.
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3). This video aired on Sunday, November 16th at Waters Edge Church. It was our third Christmas Eve promo video on a Sunday and offered the best Christmas Toy idea. It also offered the opportunity to go ahead and order it, to help free people up to attend our Christmas Eve services, since they wouldn’t need to shop on Christmas Eve.
Narcissism and a total irreverence for Jesus Christ. What more do you need to promote your church?
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4). This was one of the videos featured in our first Big Dream Series. Lots of fun!!!
Hmmm. The church mocking the Church. How relevant.
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5). Here it is!! The VIP Rap Video From Christmas Eve 2007 at Waters Edge Church! Starring Lead Pastor Stuart Hodges!!
Introducing the new breed of shepherds of the church.
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6). This Video Aired on Sunday, July 13th at all of Waters Edge’s Services. Enjoy!
So you mean those in each Waters Edge service were subjected to this? How tragic.
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7). This video aired on Sunday, January 11th as a part of our “Crank It Up” series.
No comment.
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8). This video was part of the finale day in our “House” Series in July, 2008. Rob was awesome!!
After watching this video I have a strange burning in my bosom to go to church . . . and not just any church, but Waters Edge.
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9) This video aired on Sunday, January 25th at Waters Edge Church as a part of our “Crank it Up” Series. Enjoy!!
Using a parody of a sexual dysfunction commercial to promote your “sermon” series is so Scriptural. Didn’t the Apostles do this?
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10). This video was part of the finale day in our “House” Series in July, 2008. Rob was awesome!!
If you need to use a product like this may I suggest you reexamine yourself to see if you’re in the Faith? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
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11). This is a video of the Waters Edge Staff Guys performing “Hangin’ Tough” at Waters Edge in June of 2008. This was a part of our “I Love the 80s” Series.
Uh, what part of “Do not love the world . . .” do you guys not understand?
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12). Every year we do an “emmy awards” type event called The WEC Awards to honor say thanks to all of our volunteers. We make a video for each of the teams and this is the one we did for our setup and teardown team. It was a fun video and I thought you guys at PCI would like to see it. It is kind of a big file so that is why I had to post it online for you to download.
Using MTV as their inspiration . . . that bastion of Christian morals and standards. Listen around the 3:20 mark for the quote “These chairs are so comfortable it will make you feel like you’re not even in church.” And once the show service begins that feeling will only increase.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:15-16
People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives . . . and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.
– Nate Saint
1923 – 1956
According to a recent Harris Poll, the following people are the top ten most admired heroes in American:
10. Mother Teresa
09. Chesley Sullenberger
08. John F. Kennedy
07. John McCain
06. Abraham Lincoln
05. George W. Bush
04. Ronald Reagan
03. Martin Luther King Jr.
02. Jesus Christ
01. Barack Hussein Obama
Yes America, Barack Obama is bigger than the Beatles!
The following picture is found on page 126 of the 1972 LDS Family Home Evening Manual to describe to Mormon children “how Jesus was the only begotten Son of God.”
Utter blasphemy!
For more information check out:
Mormon Blasphemy: God and Mary had “natural” relations to conceive Jesus
Redefining the Virgin Birth: Mormonism’s Teaching Concerning the Natural Conception of Jesus
Other LDS related posts:
What do Mormons really believe about Christians?
The top 5 Brigham Young teachings that Mormons desperately try to conceal from you
Mormonism on how spiritual veggies differ from earthly veggies
Thanks to Mormonism, discerning good from evil is as easy as a handshake or a hair color
Requirements for Mormon salvation
The Mormon doctrine of Blood Atonement as taught by Brigham Young
The doctrine of Blood Atonement as taught by the Mormon organization
The Mormon “Jesus” is Satan’s brother
Recognizing the 202nd birthday of Joseph Smith by posting some of his false prophecies
What Mormonism really teaches about the Bible
The Gordon B. Hinckley interview (video)
When is an “everlasting covenant” not an “everlasting covenant?” When polygamy becomes unpopular
Christ Alone Wyoming 