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Evangelical Megachurch Pastor Defends Support for Glenn Beck (2,000 ministers attend rally)
Christian Post ^ | 08/27/2010 | Eric Young

Posted on 08/27/2010 7:44:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Around 2,000 ministers and religious leaders are expected to attend Glenn Beck’s “Divine Destiny” event Friday night ahead of the television and radio personality's more publicized “Restoring Honor” rally on Saturday.

Beck will hold Friday’s faith-based event at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington to rally conservatives of different faiths around their shared values, principles and strong belief that faith can play an essential role in reuniting the country.

“Whether we care to believe it or not, our country is in our danger’s hour,” says Beck. ”And there’s only one answer.”

For the event, Beck spent the past year trying to reach out to some of the biggest names in faith – an effort he says “has been extraordinarily difficult because of my faith and because of who I am.”

Beck, a Mormon who had been raised in a Catholic home, has become increasingly popular among social conservatives for his political commentaries but has not been so easily embraced by Christian theological conservatives who regard Mormonism as heresy or, at best, non-Christian.

Before deciding to stand by Beck, evangelical megachurch pastor Jim Garlow said he had to do a lot sorting and watched Beck as closely as he could.

“I have listened and watched very carefully regarding clues to Glenn’s spiritual condition,” said the lead pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, Calif.

“I have interviewed several people who have been with him and have talked very specifically with him regarding his own personal salvation,” he added.

And according to Garlow, Beck has said “unequivocally” that that he relies on the atonement of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness for his sins.

“[A]nd those are almost the exact words,” Garlow recalled in a five-page memo released this past Tuesday. “Few people use the term atonement. Glenn did. “

Garlow also credited Beck for laying out “the clearest explanation of the crucifixion and the resurrection that I have ever heard on national TV” about a month ago.

Even prominent Southern Baptist leader Richard Land was reportedly surprised to hear the Gospel so clearly on secular television.

“I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation – persons extremely well known in Christianity – and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), ‘Glenn is saved,’” Garlow reported. “He understands receiving Christ as savior.”

Still, Garlow made it clear that he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Beck on a number of things, including theology. But the megachurch pastor noted that everyone’s theological understanding is off and that only the most arrogant would say that its 100 percent perfect.

“Here is my question: if your theology is off slightly, but you still trust exclusively in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for your salvation, and in his resurrection, are you still saved? Going to heaven? Yes,” Garlow argued.

“How far off might your theology be – and yet still trust exclusively in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for your salvation, and believe in his resurrection – and still be saved? Is it 10% or 15% or 20%? Or what?”

That said, Garlow expressed his belief that Beck “is being used by God – mightily.”

“Glenn is not perfect. (For the record, neither are you or I.),” he wrote. “But his expose on America’s sins is stellar. I am convinced his motives are pure. His research department is profoundly skilled, checking footnotes down to the last detail.”

So, based on all he knows about Beck, Garlow said he is “proud” to stand with Beck at the “Restoring Honor” rally this weekend.

“It (the rally) is about Restoring Honor. That is the issue,” concluded Garlow, who will also attend Friday's event. “It is much bigger than Glenn Beck and he knows it. And God knows, we need it.”

According to organizers of the “Divine Destiny” event, Friday’s gathering will feature uplifting music and messages from nationally-known religious figures “from all faiths” that will be reminiscent to those given during the struggles of America’s earliest days.

The event will kick off at 8p.m. and be broadcast live on Beck’s Insider Extreme website, www.glennbeck.com/extreme/.

The next day, the "Restoring Honor" event will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The three-hour event is intended to celebrate America by honoring its heroes, its heritage and its future.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: beck; evangelical; glennbeck; lds; megachurch; mormon; pastor; rally; restoringhonor
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To: MHGinTN

Yeah, you’re right!


21 posted on 08/27/2010 9:13:51 PM PDT by netmilsmom (I am inyenzi on the Religion Forum)
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To: SoConPubbie

LOL

Just what he’s talking about.


22 posted on 08/27/2010 9:15:40 PM PDT by netmilsmom (I am inyenzi on the Religion Forum)
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To: SeekAndFind
How far off do you have to be to lose your salvation? Denying the Holy Trinity is a good place to start. These megachurch leaders have little understanding of Christianity, or else they would not make such stupid statements. It is frightening to know that these megachurch pastors have followers. It is the blind leading the blind.
23 posted on 08/27/2010 9:15:51 PM PDT by Nosterrex
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To: Tucker39

>>All this chest beating over how accurate GB’s theology might be brings a question to my little six-volt mind: How accurate was the theology of the thief on the cross when Christ told him, “Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”?<<

That’s BRILLIANT!


24 posted on 08/27/2010 9:17:00 PM PDT by netmilsmom (I am inyenzi on the Religion Forum)
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To: Nosterrex

That pastors have followers at all is frightening.


25 posted on 08/27/2010 9:17:43 PM PDT by FourPeas (God Save America)
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To: Nosterrex

Is this thread going to turn into an anti-LDS thread?

Cause if it is, I’m outta here.

No one gets a better place in heaven by how many souls they preached to.


26 posted on 08/27/2010 9:18:44 PM PDT by netmilsmom (I am inyenzi on the Religion Forum)
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To: FourPeas

Why do you say that? Do you not believe that pastors should be role models for the flock? I do not understand your comment.


27 posted on 08/27/2010 9:22:33 PM PDT by Nosterrex
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To: SeaHawkFan

Amen! How can you say that Jesus cannot save a Mormon. Or say you know what’s in the heart of an individual. I have to have faith that the Lord is willing and able to save across any denominational lines. The Holy Spirit is able to reveal to those who recieve Christ the truth.


28 posted on 08/27/2010 9:27:30 PM PDT by hope
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To: stars & stripes forever

I believe that also. I believe we are right now about to witness a great revival before the Day of the Lord.


29 posted on 08/27/2010 9:30:37 PM PDT by hope
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To: Nosterrex

I believe the only man Christians should follow is the Son of God. All Christians should be role models for those around them, regardless of whether they’re a pastor or a plumber. Christians should point to Christ, not seek people to follow them.

Jesus often said to people, “follow me.” Followers are for those who see themselves as important and worthy of being followed. Christ was the only man who fit that description. Any pastor worth his salt knows this is not him.


30 posted on 08/27/2010 9:34:20 PM PDT by FourPeas (God Save America)
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To: netmilsmom
I would see it more as criticism of those megachurch pastors that know little about Christianity and even less about Mormonism. If someone wants to support Beck because they agree with his political ideology, I have no problem with that. When these megachurch pastors start to justify their support of Beck based upon their evaluation of whether or not Beck is saved, I do have a problem.
31 posted on 08/27/2010 9:41:08 PM PDT by Nosterrex
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To: hope

Mormonism is a cult, but I think some of its members are Chrsitians and just don’t realize that real mormonism is a fraud.


32 posted on 08/27/2010 9:56:25 PM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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To: netmilsmom

As my wife now says, “If it weren’t for the intervention of John Smith in the Mormon religion, she and I would be Mormons” coming from one who has always viewed Mormonism as a cult.


33 posted on 08/27/2010 10:01:54 PM PDT by Stayfree (god help u)
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To: FourPeas

Unless Jesus is personally appearing to you, you are following someone whether you know it or not. You did not come to your views on your own. You learned it from someone. St. Paul says to imitate him, as he imitates Christ (I Cor 14:1). All Christians are role models, but teachers or preachers are held to a higher standard by Christ. They have certain criteria which they must meet. Scriptures also tells his people to obey their spiritual leaders, such as pastors. Obeying necessitates following. You are either following Christ’s shepherds or you are simply following yourself.


34 posted on 08/27/2010 10:10:27 PM PDT by Nosterrex
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To: hope
Amen! How can you say that Jesus cannot save a Mormon. Or say you know what’s in the heart of an individual. I have to have faith that the Lord is willing and able to save across any denominational lines. The Holy Spirit is able to reveal to those who recieve Christ the truth.

I agree. When my Mom met my Dad she was a Methodist (conservative one) and my Dad is a Southern Baptist. She joined the Southern Baptist after they married. Both are saved. When my husband and I moved our membership to another Southern Baptist church after we moved to another county the pastor was questioning me about my family and I mentioned my mother. Before he let me finish explaining about how she is a saved Christian he told me that if she was a Methodist that she wasn't saved because she didn't do it the Baptist way. A lot of Baptists think that of other religions. It's not the religion! Anybody can be saved and it doesn't take a certain religion or a preacher to do it. It's funny that the Baptists teach that in church but then try to say you can only be saved the Baptist way. My grandmother was a conservative Methodist and was one of the most Christian people I know.

If I could find another conservative denomination that followed the Bible I would switch.

35 posted on 08/28/2010 4:29:08 AM PDT by Melinda in TN
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To: Tucker39

“He’s trying to get a maximum number of us in.”
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I seem to have met a number of people who claim to be Christian who see it the other way, some of them were preachers. I prefer your view.


36 posted on 08/28/2010 6:39:09 AM PDT by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a leftist is like trying to catch sunshine in a fish net at midnight.)
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To: Larry Lucido

I like the term that used to be heard in the South often, “Churchhouse”. It showed awareness that the building that houses the church is just a building which was built by the church.


37 posted on 08/28/2010 6:41:45 AM PDT by RipSawyer (Trying to reason with a leftist is like trying to catch sunshine in a fish net at midnight.)
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To: SeekAndFind

C-SPAN will be covering Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally at the Lincoln Memorial this Saturday, with Sarah Palin among those expected to attend. Coverage begins 10amET.

Beck was on the Mall again today (above) taking another walk-through in preparation for Saturday.

http://cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN.aspx


38 posted on 08/28/2010 6:58:20 AM PDT by KeyLargo
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To: SeekAndFind; P-Marlowe; Elsie; Tennessee Nana; greyfoxx39

***And according to Garlow, Beck has said “unequivocally” that that he relies on the atonement of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness for his sins.***

Sorry, but Beck’s Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.

Beck’s god is not the God of the Old and New Testament.

American Evangelicals are so quick to circle the wagon around anyone who utters the name of our Lord.


39 posted on 08/28/2010 9:48:50 AM PDT by Gamecock (To see both the love of God and the wrath of God, look at the cross- Terry Johnson)
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To: Gamecock

And according to Garlow, Beck has said “unequivocally” that that he relies on the atonement of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness for his sins.

“[A]nd those are almost the exact words,”
________________________________________________

ALMOST

Yes I think someone added in “on the cross” without actually hearing Beck use those words..


40 posted on 08/28/2010 10:03:24 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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