And Now: A Quiz! About "The Little Details"

Here's the quiz: Find the problems with this man's approach to Mormonism. The timer is running. Okay, go!

My Trip to the Christian Bookstore, Part II

I admit it, I get depressed at the Christian Book Store. Why? Because their books are dumb. The three books above are marketed with multiple faces and all over the place!

Books by the kind of authors I think are good for Christians are no where to be found. Where is Piper? Where is Mahaney? Where is Driscoll? Where is Edith Schaeffer? Where is Francis Schaeffer? Lewis is there, but beyond the Chronicles of Narnia, not well represented. Where are the reformers? Where are the Puritans? Where are the great missionary books? Where are the great biographies? Where are books that matter? They are not there.

Look at the Bibles, so I do. What do I find? Trendy, packaged editions made to appeal to this section of society or that. Good study Bibles? Rare. Translations? Well the NIV is always well represented. Not many options in NASB nor ESV. Just a few.

Commentaries? Can I just say the selection stinks and leave it at that?

But if I want my best life now, I can find it in book form. If I want books all about how to live a successful and happy life here in America, they are a dime a dozen (just an expression --they are more like $199.99 a dozen).

Here is the problem: Publishers are concerned about marketing what they think will sell. Retailers are concerned about marketing what they think will sell. Publishing and Retailing is a give-the-people-what-they-want business. It is not concerned with what the people need, nor what God's priorities are. If it is "Christian" in label and sells, then that is what is on the shelf.

The problem is compounded by American belief that consumption validates. IN other words, if a product is popular and sells well, it is considered to be a good thing. So Christians go into the book store, see what is pushed and believe that it must be good. And so, they learn fluff, and law-based living, and even heresy from their trip to the bookstore.

Solution: Thinking Christians realizing that publishers and retailers are not Apostles nor are they their pastors. The pastors are found in the church, the apostles in the Bible. What thinking Christians consume should be based on what the apostles place importance on, and pastors should impress the Bible so often and so clearly that Christians know what the Bible teaches.

The Best place to buy Christian books? Amazon.com. They're less expensive and you don't have to get depressed.

My Trip to the Christian Book Store, Part I

I went to the Christian bookstore last week to buy some Resurrection Eggs for my wife (don't ask). When there, I saw the above two books, by the same author, right next to each other. Mixed message? What do you make of it?

McClaren the Heretic

In my last sermon, I mentioned that McClaren had attacked the atonement (the payment of Christ's blood for sin). Here in this clip, you will hear him not only attack the atonement but the doctrine of hell.

Here's what I want to know: Why is Brian McClaren accepted in Evangelical circles as a Christian teacher? He has taught at Willow Creek. He writes regularly for Leadership Journal. His books are found in Christian book stores.

He is saying that Jesus being punished in our place is akin to someone kicking their dog because they are mad at another. He is implying that Christ did not die to receive our punishment by substitution. Furthermore, he is claiming that the doctrine of hell being a place of punishment makes the cross into false advertising. This man is not only a heretic, but he is denying the central doctrine of Christianity, for Paul said, "I have determined to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified."

McClaren should not be known as a Christian teacher.

Should We Laugh or Cry?

This is Rick Joyner, a self-proclaimed prophet. Read what he wrote below. Does anyone take someone like this seriously? Should we laugh? Cry?


"I then felt compelled to look at those who were sitting on the thrones we were passing. As I did, my gaze fell upon a man whom I knew was the apostle Paul. As I looked back at the Lord, He motioned for me to speak to him.

"'I have so looked forward to this' I said, feeling awkward but excited by this meeting. 'I know that you are aware of just how much your letters have guided the church, and they are probably still accomplishing more than all the rest of us put together. You are still one of the greatest lights on the earth.'

"'Thank you,' he said graciously. 'But you do not understand just how much we have looked forward to meeting you. You are a soldier in the last battle; you are the ones whom everyone here is waiting to meet. We only saw these days dimly through our limited prophetic vision, but you have been chosen to live in them. You are a soldier preparing for the last battle. You are the ones for whom we are all waiting.'

"Still feeling awkward, I continued, 'But there is no way that I can convey the appreciation that we feel for you, and all who helped to set our course with their lives and their writings. I also know that we will have an eternity for exchanging our appreciation, so please, while I am here, let me ask, 'What would you say to my generation that will help us in this battle?'

"'I can only say to you now what I have already said to you through my writings. I would have you to understand them better by knowing that I fell short of all that I was called to do,' Paul stated, looking me resolutely in the eyes.

"'But you are here, in one of the greatest thrones. You are still reaping more fruit for eternal life than any of us could ever hope to reap,' I protested.

"'By the grace of God I was able to finish my course, but I still did not walk in all that I was called to. I fell short of the highest purposes that I could have walked in. Everyone has. I know that some think that is blasphemy to think of me as anything less than the greatest example of Christian ministry, but I was being honest when I wrote near the end of my life that I was the greatest of sinners. I was not saying that I have been the greatest of sinners, but that I was the greatest of sinners then. I had been given so much to understand, and I walked in so little of it.'" (The Final Quest, Rick Joyner, Morning Star Publications, 1996, pp. 131-132.)

Seems Simple Enough To Me

A member of my church in New Jersey once asked me about women in combat. Her dad, a good friend, said it was okay with him. I told her it is a bad idea. I'm against it.

Why? Does the Bible prohibit it? Completely! But, not explicitly, unfortunately. The Bible portrays men and women as different and with differing roles. But further, the Bible shows that men and women being different are to relate to their worlds and each other differently.

With that in mind, I said it was a sad country indeed that would ask it's women to protect it's men or would send its mothers out to do battle. Furthermore, I pointed out that it isn't practical. Men act differently when women are around. They are more apt to show off, flirt,other things (!) which will lead to morale issues. Also, men are more likely to take foolish risks in combat if women are there, for internally they are naturally motivated to protect women. Also, women are not as strong (in general --Martina Navatralova being the exception) or fast, etc. Add to that, God made women to carry babies. What could be more important to our species! We should not send them out to catch bullets. I offered many reasons like this.

Let me add that women in the military and women in combat are two different questions. Women can fulfill certain non-combat duties and be in the army. But they should not be in combat situations.

Now, this is not PC. But who cares. PC isn't very smart.

I happened upon an article today by John Piper that sounded much like my own opinion. I love it when people have opinions that support mine! So I am going to give you a little taste of that article and link to the rest.

I'd love to hear your thoughts also.

Here it is, and here it can be found.

If I were the last man on the planet to think so, I would want the honor of saying no woman should go before me into combat to defend my country. A man who endorses women in combat is not pro-woman; he's a wimp. He should be ashamed. For most of history, in most cultures, he would have been utterly scorned as a coward to promote such an idea. Part of the meaning of manhood as God created us is the sense of responsibility for the safety and welfare of our women.

Along those lines...

here's the beginning of a profile of Kabeel. For the rest of the story, click here.

Like most people, I was a product of my childhood. My parents came to the United States from Nigeria. My dad, who was a Muslim, had a quiet strength. He was a strong, big man, who lived his faith, and had great integrity. He said something, and then followed through. I respected him, and wanted to be like him.

My views of Christianity came from my Dad, who said that Christians didn’t really live their faith. Those views always seemed to be played out by the Christians I knew. It seemed that Christianity was a religion that had no discipline. The professed Christians that I saw, even my mother, didn’t seem to have that same strength and discipline I saw in my dad.

Whenever I had encounters with Christians, I would ask them questions they didn’t have answers for. My goal was to cause them to stumble – to point out the inconsistencies in their faith. I went to chapel at San Diego State even though I was a Muslim just because I wanted to listen. And everything I heard confirmed the views given to me by my Dad – Christians were weak. They said one thing and did another. They were full of contradictions. Even when I started reading the Bible, I did so for one reason – and one reason alone – and that was to prove it wrong. In my pursuit to fault Christians, something else happened…

All along, I was struggling with integrity issues of my own. The very things I was critical of in the Christians I knew were the same things I was struggling with. I thought they didn’t seem to have integrity, and yet I was fighting the same battle inside myself. I did and said all the “right things”, but behind closed doors, I was no different than anyone else. I realized I wasn’t really a man of integrity. . .

Continued here

Highest Concentration of Christians

The highest number of Christians gathered in one place, percentage wise, on a Sunday afternoon is not a church picnic. No, it's the NFL. The NFL and prayer meetings go hand in hand. After every game, and sometimes the cameras catch it and sometimes they don't, there is a prayer meeting in the middle of the field for believers from both teams.

Many men convert to Christ while they are in the NFL. It annoys some announcers when such athletes want to give credit to God for everything, but I find it delightful.

Of course, not all of them live out their commitment to Christ well. Like others they can fall or have setbacks. But unlike everyone else, the whole world sees it.

Some of my favorite players have been outspoken Christians, like Chris Carter, Randal Cunningham, Kurt Warner, the other Curt Warner, Mark Brunell, Reggie White, and on and on. Some of the players I enjoyed watching lose have converted to Christ while in the game, like Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, etc. I still want them to lose, but not be too down over it.

Not just them, but also the coaches. Tony Dungee, Joe Gibbs, Mike Tomlin, Dan Reeves, Tom Landry, Lovie Smith, etc.

Well, it is almost superbowl time. You'll see them. They have a way of popping up everywhere. Maybe I'll profile a few right here on this blog.

By the way, the picture is of Kabeer Gbaja-Biemila. He converted to Jesus while playing for the packers. He also broke the team sack record. IF you don't like the Packers, at least cheer with Kabeer does well on an individual play. He's a brother!

Hookers for Jesus

Here name is Annie Lobert. At one time she was an "escort" or a "call girl." Jesus saved her and now she runs a ministry out of Las Vegas called "Hookers for Jesus." No, they are not prostitutes. The word hooker is used to refer to fishing, as in fishers of men, or in this case, fishers of men and women in the sex-trade industries. She is targeting women mostly, but all in the porn and strip club scene with the gospel. She goes to where they are to meet them and share Jesus with them. (She has a friend who has a similar ministry).

Here's why I like this. Although I'm sure there are many sincere Christians who would object to the name of her ministry and perhaps even the way she goes about it. But she is bringing light into the darkness, as far as I can tell.

We must go to the lost, and very few go to these lost souls and seek to capture them for Jesus. Hats off to Annie -and, of course, we'll keep the rest of the clothing on! :)

Thoughts?