When The Minister Makes It Personal

 

The Pharisees Question Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A most troubling experience it is. Your congregants share how much they thoroughly enjoy the  ministry of  the word and affirmingly posture themselves as “happily fed campers” in the house. 

You instruct on the importance of “rebuke” as a means of grace to produce a mature faith.  lovingly but forthrightly you unpack  Matthew 18 to redemptively address times of relational conflict that lead to an offense and show them how to righteously walk it out in a Christ honoring way. 

As their minister, you feel some sense of fulfillment knowing that word-based equipping is common place with the saints you serve. But then it happens. One of the affirming congregants journeys into the realm of serious sin and now integrity calls you to make personal application of the truth that has gone forth.

It’s time to move from public pulpiteer to pastoral practitioner. As the shepherd,you insert yourself into their life and press for authentic repentance from sin. And the unthinkable happens!

                                                                                                        Ezekiel 32:33

“To them you are nothing more than a singer with a beautiful voice who sings love songs or a musician who plays an instrument. They listen to your words, but  have no intention of doing them.”

 

Ezekiel’s words become your reality as  ”the luv” quickly turns into defiant resistance and you begin to endure relational rejection, and slanderous allegations.  What was once hailed  as a ”good word”  is now accused of being abusive,legalistic, or even cultish.  The family leaves the church. How can this be?

Give  Spurgeon a read as he explains the cause for  such uncharactered things to happen.

 rgh

n religion men love far rather to believe abstract doctrines, and to talk of general truths, than the searching inquiries which examine their own personal interest in it. You will hear many men admire the preacher who deals in generalities, but when he comes to press home searching questions, by-and-by they are offended.

If we stand and declare general facts, such as the universal sinnership of mankind, or the need of a Saviour, they will give an assent to our doctrine, and possibly they may retire greatly delighted with the discourse, because it has not affected them; but how often will our audience gnash their teeth, and go away in a rage, because, like the Pharisees with Jesus, they perceive, concerning a faithful minister, that he spoke of them.

http://www.teampyro.org/2012/05/when-preacher-gets-personal.html

Evangelical Apostasy?

A. W. Tozer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is the evangelical church on the brink of apostasy? Are we headed for a time when there will be mass exodus from  “liberalized” Evangelicalism? Can it be possible that the Evangelical house will be left  desolate?

A.W. Tozer (April 21, 1897 – May 12, 1963) would answer yes to each question. Tozer was  known as one of the most perceptive writers in the 20th century. He served as a pastor, conference speaker and widely known to be a prolific author who wrote with biblical insight and prophetic precision. His best-known books, The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy, are perennial best-sellers.

His prophecy  appears to be most accurate and reveals we are in some serious days. Be sober and vigilant as never before my friends.

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“…The Evangelical church in America is facing some serious hazards that threaten to bring it to the brink of apostasy. My prayer is that it is not too late for an awakening that will lead to successful reformation. My use of the term ” Evangelical,” includes churches that are fundamental, full Gospel, holiness, Anabaptist and Pentecostal-all Evangelical churches that believe the Bible and proclaim Jesus Christ to be the only Savior of the world. I have nothing to say to any other church.”

“… Let me go out on a limb a little bit and prophesy. I see the time coming when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit will desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one. The house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God, a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, left among them.”

“…As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of worldly evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But the day is coming when the house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God among them. I would like to live long enough to watch this develop and see how things turn out. I would like to live to see the time when the men and woman of God-holy, separated and spiritually enlightened-walk out of the evangelical church and form a group of their own; when they get off the sinking ship and let her go down in the brackish and worldliness and form a new ark to ride out the storm.”

A.W. Tozer: The Dangers of a Shallow Faith: Awakening from Spiritual Lethargy, Chapter (1)

http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/a-w-tozer-at-the-brink-of-apostasy/

Guarding Against Spiritual Abuse

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Charisma News posted this  great article on the subject of spiritual abuse by Jennifer LeClaire. The abuse  issue is very,very real in the church today. For that reason, it has been our custom to make ”guarding against spiritual abuse” a matter of primary importance by including the subject in our new members classes. 

I have also personally encounted a number of these wolfish practices just since returning to Lagrange.  With that in mind, here are some extracts from the Charisma article they posted this week.

 Also, please consider checking out the other related articles we’ve posted in the past. 

Whenever  you see these traits, may I suggest that you not ignore the signs. In fact, flee for your lives saints!

rgh 

>Power-posturing is a telltale sign of spiritual abuse.

Power-posturing leaders spend a lot of time focused on their own authority and reminding others of it. Johnson and VanVonderen say this is necessary because their spiritual authority isn’t real—based on genuine godly character—it is postured….This leader can never be questioned, and is usually not accountable to anyone. Those around him are usually mere “yes men” who do his bidding in exchange for delegated authority to lord over others.

>Performance preoccupation is a sign of spiritual abuse.

 Johnson and VanVonderen note that obedience and submission are two important words often used in abusive church structures. Don’t get me wrong. Obedience and submission are important. But spiritual abuse often shames or scares people into obedience and submission. True obedience is a matter of the heart. Spiritual abusers apply undue pressure that is not from God. That pressure is usually applied to get you to do the leader’s will, not God’s will.

>Unspoken rules are common in instances of spiritual abuse.

In abusive spiritual systems, Johnson and VanVonderen offer….. “Unspoken rules are those that govern unhealthy churches of families but are not said out loud. Because they are not said out loud, you don’t find out that they’re there until you break them,” 

>The “Can’t Talk” rule is seen where spiritual abuse is present.

Johnson and VanVonderen explain that the “can’t talk” rule blames the person who talks, and the ensuing punishments pressure questioners into silence. If you voice a problem you become the problem. If you question why the church no longer picks up the poor kids in the ministry van but has shifted its focus to more affluent neighborhoods, you are removed from your role as a volunteer driver. Others see your fate and decide they’d better not rock the boat.

>Lack of balance and extremism is often present where spiritual abuse lives.

This manifests as an unbalanced approach to living out the truth of the Christian life. Johnson and VanVonderen explain that in these systems it is more important to act according to the word of a leader who has “a word” for you than to act according to what you know to be true from Scripture, or simply from your spiritual-growth history.

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/32305-spiritual-abuse-christian-cults-and-controlling-ministries

related posts:

http://antagoniz.com/2009/04/14/five-indicators-to-identify-abusive-leadership/

http://antagoniz.com/2010/03/26/signs-that-a-leader-is-losing-it/

10 Ways To Hide Heresy In Plausiblity

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Plausibility in this context  means that error  is being deceptively packaged so that it has the appearance of believability and worthy of approval.

 

Thanks to  SBC Voices, here are 10 functional ways heresy is made plausible today. 

 

Priceless!

 

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1.Put your heresy in a song with a good beat.  It will be sung in churches all over the world.

2.  Put your heresy in a song with some sentimentality.  Many evangelicals like to sing about how mommies, babies, daddies, etc. are the glory of heaven.

3. Appeal to the sinful nature.  ”I want to hear how awesome I am; so, tell me how awesome I am.”

4. Appeal to the idolatry of your hearers. If you live in an entertainment-centered society, make sure you entertain while presenting your heresy.  If you live in a postmodern society, make sure you say nothing absolute while appealing to the only truth you know: “I’m not sure.”

5.Dress it up in new clothes.  Don’t present heresy how previous heretics presented it, instead dress up in new clothes.  Present the heresy like a politician does.  Use catch-phrases that sound biblical. Most people will walk away thinking, saying, and believing your catch-phrases.

6. Change definitions. If you change the definitions of words, you can sign any document or agree with any orthodox doctrine. You know what you mean, just make sure no one else does. Try to please everyone a little bit; for, after all, when it comes to doctrine and evangelicalism, you don’t have to be orthodox, you just need to sound orthodox.

7. Appear cool, sweet, metro, or simply different from other pastors. Spike your hair and dress cool. Say curse words from the pulpit occasionally. Be “edgy,” a type of “shock-jock.”  Be the “Howard Stern” of the evangelical world.

8. Get everyone to like your personality.  If everyone likes you, then you can almost say anything.  Always be positive and encouraging.

9. Grow the crowd numerically. If your methods produce visible numbers, then you can almost say anything.  In evangelicalism, numbers equal success; and success, not biblical obedience, is the goal.

10. Increase giving and baptisms. If you’re bringing in money and numbers, you can about do or say anything. Make sure the world thinks you’re a big deal.  If the world likes you, the evangelical church will like you as well.

http://sbcvoices.com/10-heresy-hiders-in-evangelicalism/

 

Charis-magic Indulgences

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“Reformation Day” is October 31^st and is on the calendar of the historical Church in Remembrance of the Reformation period. In 1517, Martin Luther posted his famous “95 theses” which ultimately “outed the Catholic Church” for the heretical practice of selling indulgences. Protestants and particularly Evangelicals, trace their roots to the movement inaugurated by the courageous Luther.Why was that an issue and what does it have to do with us now?

The  selling of indulgences  provided a source of income  for the undertakings of leaders in the church. In short, peddlers would sell grace for cash. God’s acts of favor supposedly would be dispensed to the people when they paid a fee and received the prepared document that was the guarantee of the grace to be conveyed. Make the payment, receive the item, and by this exchange,  supernatural grace would be mediated through the manufactured item. Thus, the selling of the favor of God pure and simple.

Protestants agreed with Luther that such a practice must be wholly rejected as a worthless and fraudulent money-making scheme that perverted grace for financial gain.

The following ads demonstrate why we need contemporary Luther’s. One is from the well received Elijah List ,the other from a false prophet named Master Prophet Jordan. Finally, charismatic minister  Sandra Kennedy.

What do they all share in common? The selling of Charis-magic indulgences. 

http://www.elijahshopper.com/Anointing_

				The Prophets Mantle Anointing Oil – (5 ml.)
				Our Price: $15.00
				THE PROPHETS MANTLE is blended with pure essential oils. Chosen specifically for those who desire to move in the prophetic.

https://www.sandrakennedy.org/shop-2/healing-collection-linens/

Bandana – Regular

Measures 30 inches across at widest point.

Inspired by a vision given to Dr. Kennedy, each of these linens have been prayed over by the Church and anointed with olive oil from Israel. Many have given testimony to the healing power of God through the transference of the healing anointing.

Color: Blue (Light) Blue (Medium) Navy Green Orange Purple Burgundy Purple (Light) Turquoise Green (Dark) Pink

 $4.50

http://bishopjordan.com/who_we_are/about_jordan.htm

Speciality items

Blended by His Grace, Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, these soaps will cause you to experience the prophetic in a way you would never expect. Click on the various products to see what you’re missing!

Honor To Whom Honor Is Due

My Father was instrumental in my coming to Christ. He transferred to heaven just before I embarked for Bible college. I miss him desperately at times. There have been dreams where I tearfully hug and tell him  how much I love him. 

So please watch this video clip  through to the end. It could potentially evoke  a bit more compassion, patience and sensitivity for those who are aging around us.

 Maybe even your own parents.

May it be so Lord!

Men and Women Communicate Differently

Priceless!

Absolutely Priceless!

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Church Discipline Isn’t A Dirty Chore

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Bobby Jamieson gets it right in this recent article over at 9Marks.

A church that neglects or disregards redemptive church discipline is denying the Gospel to the wayward one. For this reason, the Reformers framed three marks of a true church and included  discipline as an essential identifying trait.A congregation that was absent of this mark was to be excluded from being viewed as an authentic church.

 Here are some excerpts that convey  well-reasoned gospel truth.

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“When it comes to life in the church, I think that many of us treat church discipline as a dirty chore. From private rebuke to public exclusion, we can resent the whole process. We hold our nose and look the other way as we go through the motions, eager to be done with all the mess.

 I don’t deny that dealing with sin in the church can be uncomfortable, painful, and even disheartening. But we shouldn’t treat church discipline as a dirty chore.

Corrective church discipline begins—and, praise the Lord, very often ends—with one church member privately confronting the sin of another member. In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus himself commands us to do this when our brother sins against us. Then Jesus provides further instruction about what to do if the individual doesn’t repent, ultimately culminating, if necessary, in excluding him or her from the congregation.

…When we confront a sinning brother, we should have in hand not only a rebuke but also a blank check of forgiveness. If the brother repents, the check gets quickly written and handed over, and we’ve both won (v. 15).

…Church discipline is the gospel in action. Just as God doesn’t leave us in our sin but comes to us in rebuking grace, so we also extend that grace to others. So, despite the pain and discomfort it can bring, we shouldn’t treat dealing with sin in the church as a dirty chore.

 Instead, we should count it a solemn privilege to imitate the Good Shepherd who left the ninety-nine on the hillside to go after the one straying sheep—which is each one of us.”

http://www.9marks.org/blog/church-discipline-not-dirty-chore

Joel Osteen Embraces Romney’s Mormonism

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Mormonism is definitively a “damnable heresy” that codifies doctrines of demons and stands under the Apostle Paul’s double curse.   ”Whoever tells you good news that is different from the Good News we gave you should be condemned to hell, even if he is one of us or an angel from heaven” [Galatians 1:8]

 The leaders of the cult are straight up deceitful workers of satan masquerading themselves as ministers of light.…such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ..even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, [2 Corinthians 11:12 ].

However, as you can see in this video,  Joel Osteen states on national television that he personally embraces Mitt Romney’s Mormonism as Christian even though its doctrinal tenets are documentably antichrist and cursed of God.

In making this willfully ignorant and heretical statement, Joel imputes regenerative saving power, forgiveness of sins and the  hope of eternal life  to  ”the false gospel” proclaimed by Mormonism. In doing so, Osteen stands guilty of damning millions of people to eternity in a devils hell.

Watch this shocking video first:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MZgsMzmWgjE

Joel should immediately be brought up on charges of gospel heresy before a church court called by the nations most  influential ministers. He must be required to recant publicly and nationally for his damning affirmation of “another gospel”.

 In the event that he refuses such accountability, he then should be publicly  ”excommunicated” from evangelicalism and  ”turned over to satan” Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. [1 Timothy 1:20]

I call upon  the “New Apostolic Reformation” and other national leaders to do their job, and while we wait, every follower of Christ should heed the Apostle Johns mandate which will require turning off the  television or changing the channel when Joel comes on.

“Anyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; …If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching , don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. [2 John 1:9-11]

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Thousands Of Clergy Secretly Abandoning Their Faith?

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The Clergy Project, formed by the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, aims to help clergy who have “seen the light” move beyond faith.

“The Clergy Project exists to provide a safe haven, a forum where clergy who have lost their faith can meet each other, exchange views, swap problems, counsel each other—for, whatever they may have lost, clergy know how to counsel and comfort,” atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins writes on the site.”

Although the Clergy Project launched as a private, invitation-only website in March, it went public on Oct. 7. It started with 52 members and has grown to nearly 100. With the unveiling of the website, the group expects hundreds more.

“We know there must be thousands of clergy out there who have secretly abandoned their faith but have nowhere to turn,” Dan Barker, a former evangelical preacher, said in a statement Friday.

“Now they do have a place to meet, a true sanctuary, a congregation of those of us who have replaced faith and dogma with reason and human well-being.”

http://www.charismanews.com/culture/32165-atheist-support-group-serves-faithless-christian-pastors