Our holy Lord requires absolute submission and obedience in all things, both in the inward life and the outward, even to “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Alas that this is so little insisted upon in a day when the high claims of the Savior are whittled down in an attempt to render His Gospel more acceptable to the unregenerate.
– Matthew Henry
1662 – 1714
This is the face of a cold-blooded murderer of innocent, defenseless children.
DefCon first reported on this horrendous story here. Now, not only do we have a picture of this evil monster who has the blood of the innocent on her hands, but we also have an update on the story.
Belkis Gonzalez was finally arrested in relation to the murder of a child in 2006 after the baby–intended to be murdered in the womb legally–was born alive and was then murdered outside the womb illegally (if that makes any sense).
The mother of the child was 23 weeks pregnant.
Unfortunately, Belkis Gonzalez is not being charged with murder, infanticide, child abuse, child neglect, or even battery. She’s only being charged with practicing medicine without a license and tampering with evidence. Why? Because:
Authorities were unable to definitively determine the cause of death — and Gonzalez’s role in it — preventing the State Attorney’s Office from charging her with murder or manslaughter, Griffith said.
I think there’s enough reasonable suspicion to charge her with murder based on this quote:
The teenage mother, Sycloria Williams, has filed a lawsuit alleging that Gonzalez knocked the infant off the chair where she had given birth, and then scooped the baby, placenta and afterbirth into a red plastic biohazard bag, and threw it out.
Read more of the update here.
Saving faith and real converting grace will always produce some conformity to the image of Jesus (Col. 3:10).
– J.C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
In contrast to the other videos out there produced by “churches” (like these and these) and especially those produced for youth “ministry,” the following videos are rather mild. However, Ingrid Schlueter really hits the nail on the head with the following quote on the state of perpetual adolescence in church leadership. It begs the question Who’s pastoring the youth pastors?
The problem with a lot of youth “ministry” today is that it is all youth and no ministry. With the collective emotional age of a lot of youth pastors not exceeding 12, it is difficult to know what these youth events accomplish aside from furthering the cause of permanent adolescence. Remember Scripture’s injunctions that the older teach the younger? What happens when there is no “older?” What happens when nobody matures mentally or emotionally past childhood? What happens when the supposed “men” are flabby, undisciplined kids who spend their time posting videos of themselves on YouTube? Here’s what happens.
The above video was produced for an announcement segment plugging the 2010 National Youth Ministry Conference in Chicago.
The following video (produced by the same folks) is definitely catering to the lowest common denominator. Violence, youth rebellion, disobedience to authority . . . all the elements you’d expect to see in a video for youth ministry in American Christianity. And by the way, (at the 39 second mark of this video) does the kid’s shirt on the left say what I think it does?
There’s a name for this type of behavior. It’s called Rejuvenile.
Additional worldly and childish “youth ministry” antics:
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.
HT: Truth Crossing
A faith that can be destroyed by suffering is not faith.
– Richard Wurmbrand
1909 – 2001
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
Christ Alone Wyoming 