Posted on 12/14/2006 11:48:10 AM PST by jodiluvshoes
Many churches make it up as they go along. They think they know better than God. Member churches of the National Council of Churches particularly come to mind. They promote homosexuality and abortion and are socialists and defenders of the Democrat party. Too bad the people sitting in the pews don't know what's going on.
We are FORMER ELCA, now happily LCMS. There is a world of difference.
Well that sounds pretty typical!
weird
ok. (It's also telling that he 'rediscovered faith' in a United Church of Christ, ostensibly THE most liberal denomination out there.
AWESOME. I could listen to Macarthur's teaching for a long time....
He posted a public version of the sermon where he'd showed the Syria video, and it's obviously a response to critics from the pulpit.
http://saddlebackfamily.com/MediaCenter/Media.aspx?site=tcPuWkI2bus=&s=ZWEwQhXMWuo
He posted it because he and Kay were SOOOOOO worried... I mean er... felt SOOO strongly about this issue (according to email received by members). There is an edit right there where he would have shown the video, and he never mentions the countries names in the intro before the edit. But in the members' version, (which I saved, because I fully expect THAT to change/get deleted also) he DOES show the video, and does mention the names. Syria specifically.
To me this is just bizarre. How did he expect this lie not to get exposed when he goes ahead and shows the video?
Tne only conclusion I can come to is that he must think everyone's stupid!
One caveat, though I much agree with you . . .
I believe we all have not only the right but the RESPONSIBILITY, DUTY, OBLIGATION, DEMAND of God that WHEN & IF we observe a brother in the ditch or even clearly headed for the ditch, we go to them.
It does seem to be complicated in large organizations. How can dozens go to a busy leader. And, God did seem to establish a bit of a hierarchy with Moses.
However, Christ leveled the playing field. imho, No leader has a right to be protected from input and feedback by a hierarchy. No leader has a right to avoid responding to legitimate feedback.
There's another bit of a problem with that, however. Kenneth Hagin was a firm believer and convinced that God instructed him not to say a word in reply--that God would be his defense. Many have followed that teaching. Who am I to go against God on that score. IF God says such, OK with me. But generally, I don't believe that God instructs leaders to avoid responding to legitimate feedback. I can agree with it when it's whining of malcontents--of which there seem to be no end in Christendom.
That will change somewhat when the earth starts swallowing them up a la Moses, again.
Much appreciate your persistent wisdom hereon, CyberAnt.
LOL. Love it.
I understand what you are saying. I just know for a fact that it happens. There are some trouble makers that move from church to church, and they need to be exposed. No hypocrisy involved at all.
= = =
Quite true. Much agree.
AND
There are pastors who label anyone who disagrees even slightly over even minor things--as a trouble maker--no matter now anointed the person's feedback is.
Thanks Mia.
Sooooooo Important.
We are FORMER ELCA, now happily LCMS. There is a world of difference.
= = =
And then . . . for the very obsessive compulsive, narrow, rigid, sanctimonious and prissy . . . there's WELS.
He' good on a few things and off the wall on some others, imho.
God will deal with such in His time.
Such a double standard so long supported is exceedingly outrageous.
But it will get worse as the one world religion is trumped up and demanded of all.
Power Corrupts.
thanx, Quix :)
No WELS around here.
They are mostly precious wonderful people who love God and even each other.
But the hierarchy and some of the doctrines are . . . durn near hopeless.
That perspective is based on first hand observation and a careful studying of Acts and the Pauline Letters to determine what a church and individual christians were like. Please note that the church mattered enough then to seize control of the world's major empire at the time without lifting one hand in anger. If you don't like my "biases", you may want to check your own.
I will admit to having pretty darned narrow biases -- God's Word does not leave much wiggle room and sets a pretty clear standard for personal and corporate conduct. As for being "hogwash"; why is it that so few of these huge churches seem to have much of an effect on their communities or a majority of their attendees? The phrase that comes to mind with these outfits is "whitened sepulcures".
I will stack the per capita mission and unpaid ministry participation, donating to foreign ministry, and evangelism efforts of my 150 adult member church against ANY mega church in the country. And yet even my church is not perfect -- after all, they let me go there, be a covenant partner, and participate in ministry.
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