Proverbs Wednesday - April 18

Proverbs Wednesday for April 18, 2018 - Observations and Prayer

Observations:

* Isolation seeks one's own selfish ambitions and opposes all wise judgement.  (The "anthem" of the recluse is "I Am A Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKlSVNxLB-A

* The lazy in work are the ally of destruction.

* "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are saved."

* To interrupt another's speech is foolish and shameful.

* A good spirit will make a sick man well but a broken spirit will kill him.

* The wise heart accumulates knowledge and the wise ear looks for it.

* An offended brother is harder to win than a well fortified city.

* The produce of one's labors brings both life and satisfaction.

* A man of many contacts may come to ruin - BUT - a friend sticks closer than a brother!

Prayer:

Our Most Kind and Generous Holy Father;

All glory, power, and honor to Your most Holy Name!  May we reject isolation and instead embrace fellowship, friendship, and brotherhood in ever expanding hospitality.  May we reject laziness and instead embrace hard work and dedication to our vocation.  May this be always on our lips each day; "The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are saved."  As we speak with others may we cease interruption and answering out of turn for this is both foolish and shameful.  May Your Spirit infuse our souls so that we will live a sustained life here on earth.  May we all continually seek and accumulate knowledge until the day of our death.  May we seek never to offend others and work even harder to win back those whom we might offend.  May we dedicate ourselves to production of goods and services for this brings about profit, benefit, and satisfaction for both others and ourselves.  May we seek and keep real friends and never be satisfied with mere contacts.
Forgive us, Lord, when we fall short of these things.

In the Name of Jesus we pray; AMEN

Ephesians 5 - The Great Mystery Chiasm

Ephesians 5 speaks about marriage, but it is not about marriage.  Ephesians 5 speaks about Christian living, but it is not about Christian living.  Ephesians 5 speaks about singing in Christian worship, but it is not about singing in Christian worship.  If it is not about these things, just what IS it about?

Ephesians 5 is about God's great mystery, the church of Christ.  It is illustrated here by Paul primarily by marriage and "clean" living which includes "singing to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs."

Ephesians 5 tells us primarily about Christ's relationship to the church which is a "great mystery."  Since Paul in several places reveals the mysterious church of Christ (the mystery is that the gospel is for all, not just the Jews) and makes sure by inspiration that the church of Christ remain a mystery no longer!

The Jews organized their writings (including Inspired Scripture) is a way unlike extant Westerners (shocking!).  Instead of lining up arguments in a line with a conclusion at the end, Hebraic literature would often have a thesis in the middle with arguments on the front end descending to the thesis and corresponding arguments ascending backwards to the thesis.  These "chiasms" rendered emphasis without repetition.  There also was an "internal tension" between the various top and bottom assertions.  For example, the "no uncleanness to be named among you" of Ephesian 5.3 - 5 is contrasted by Ephesians 5.31's "For this reason..."  It goes without saying that a faithful monogamous relationship will allow no uncleanness.  This "chiastic" outline gets its name from the Greek alphabet letter "X" (chi) as it looks like a cut in half letter "X."

Here is Ephesians 5 outlined chiastically.  As Paul did not leave us his outlines, this has been organized by me and me alone.  The Word is without error but my outline might not be!  Feel free to construct your own chiasm's to further your study of God's Word!

2        Walk as did Christ in love, sacrifice and offering

          3 – 5  No uncleanness to be named among you      

                   6        Be wary of deception

                             16      Redeem the time

                                      20 – 21        Submit to all with thanksgiving

                                           22 – 23 Christ is the head of the church – LEADER

                                                                     Christ is the Savior of the Body - SERVANT

                                      24a    The church is submissive to Christ    

                             24b    Wives are subject to husbands in everything

                   25 – 26   Husbands, love your wives AS Christ loved the church

          31      “For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and…

32      This is a great mystery BUT see Romans 16.25 – 26 & Colossians 1.26 - 29

This outline was presented to the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 on 11 April 2018 by Russell H McCullough

Our Contrasting Walks - Bible Lesson & Answer Grid for FREE & Public Use

Ephesians

Paul’s Greatest Church Planting Success

 14 March 2018

Archdale church of Christ – Russ McCullough

Lesson # 12 – Ephesians 5.3 – 5.17

1.     How is the word “but” used in transition between vs. 2 and 3?

2.     The phrase “sexual immorality” is better translated F___________________

The Greek for this word is P______________ from which we get our English word P_________________.  It is an all inclusive word that describes A_____ sexual contact of A_______ outside of the marriage of one man to one woman.  This includes all forms of H__________________.

3.     What other two things must be avoided?

4.     How much variance in this decree is noted?

5.     Define, then, what is “proper among saints?”

6.     What 3 things are “out of place?”

7.     Replacing all of these things is T____________________.

8.     Discuss how that when there is thanksgiving that this battles all that is evil.

9.     Who has no inheritance in the Kingdom?

10. How is idolatry considered the same as covetousness?

11. The so-called “Word of Faith” movement is I_______________ for it is based on C__________________.

12. What kind of words deceive?  Give some examples of some of these kinds of words in our society.

13. Why is all of this so vitally important?

14. What does the word “associate” mean in vs. 7?  A better translation might be P________________ which literally means Co P___________________.

15. How does Paul use “Hebrew Parallelism” (C____________) in vs. 8?

16. How are we to walk?

17. How does Paul define this “fruit of the light?”

18. What are we to actively and continually to do?

19. How much darkness are we to allow into our world view?

20. What is a Christian need to do when confronting darkness?

21. How does one go about “exposing darkness” in the public square?

22. What is shameful for a Christian?

23. What happens when the light exposes these sins?  What (who) is the light?

24. The light, then, is actually the S________________ and we are but the V_____________ through which the light shines.

25. We are, therefore, to look C______________, how we W___________, not as U___________ but as W__________.

26. Why?

27. We escape foolishness when?

                                                      ANSWER GRID:

1.     How is the word “but” used in transition between vs. 2 and 3?

It contrasts the walk of the Godly and the un-godly

2.     The phrase “sexual immorality” is better translated F___________________

The Greek for this word is P______________ from which we get our English word P_________________.  It is an all-inclusive word that describes A_____ sexual contact of A_______ outside of the marriage of one man to one woman.  This includes all forms of H__________________.

Fornication, Porneia, Pornography, All, Any, Homosexuality

3.     What other two things must be avoided?

Impurity, Covetousness

4.     How much variance in this decree is noted?

None

5.     Define, then, what is “proper among saints?”

The absence of all the above

6.     What 3 things are “out of place?”

Filthiness, Foolish Talk, Crude Joking

7.     Replacing all of these things is T____________________.

Thanksgiving

8.     Discuss how that when there is thanksgiving that this battles all that is evil.

See Romans 1.21 & Ecclesiastes 12.13 – 14.   A truly thankful person is a God-fearer

9.     Who has no inheritance in the Kingdom?

The Fornicator, The Impure, and The Covetous

10. How is idolatry considered the same as covetousness?

The idol was seen as a kind of ATM machine to get what one wanted.  The idol seemed to offer man a kind of quid-pro-quo “let’s make a deal” religious program

11. What kind of words deceive?  Give some examples of some of these kinds of words in our society.

Empty, Congregational input – Hint: one example: “Missional”

12. Why is all of this so vitally important?

Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience

13. What does the word “associate” mean in vs. 7?  A better translation might be P________________ which literally means Co P___________________.

Partaker, Co-Participant

14. How does Paul use “Hebrew Parallelism” (C____________) in vs. 8?

Contrast.  Darkness is contrasted with light

15. How are we to walk?

As children of light

16. How does Paul define this “fruit of the light?”

All that is Good, Right and True

17. What are we to actively and continually to do?

Proving what is acceptable to God / Discerning what is pleasing to God

18. How much darkness are we to allow into our world view?

None

19. What does a Christian need to do when confronting darkness?

Take no part in it and instead expose it

20. How does one go about “exposing darkness” in the public square?

Congregational response

21. What is shameful for a Christian?

To speak of what evil doers do in secret

22. What happens when the light exposes these sins?  What (who) is the light?

Evil becomes visible for what it is.  Jesus Christ per John 8.12.  Jesus Christ is the Word per John 1.1

23. The light, then, is actually the S________________ and we are but the V_____________ through which the light shines.

Scriptures, Vessels

24. We are, therefore, to look C______________, how we W___________, not as U___________ but as W__________.

Carefully, Walk, Un-wise, Wise

25. Why?

The days are evil

26. We escape foolishness when?

When we understand what the Will of the Lord is

1984 - Shall I be Connected or Disconnected?

LISTEN! right now on SOUNDCLOUD!

https://soundcloud.com/archdale-church-of-christ/sermon-pm-020418-1984-romans-831-acoc-russ-mccullough

One can go to hell by oneself but Heaven is a group destination!  It's "if God is for us, who can be against us?" ...NOT...  "if God is for me, who can be against me?"

A New Perspective on Old

We live in a society that rewards youth and disregards age.  It's been that way for some time.  When we were all growing up in the 50's, 60's, and 70's we all ignored this fact...we were young and in the spotlight.  Now the tables are turning.  WE are now the one's being "shuffled off to Buffalo."

There are, of course, many reasons for this shift in society.  Before WWII, old age was far more rare.  People died much earlier than people do today.  If you were, say, north of 70 during WWII, you were from very deep in the 19th century.  You would have been born 5 - 10 years after the Civil War ended.  You were sort of a "national treasure" to be honored and respected.

Somewhere in our lives collective journeys, something radically changed.  That something is called existentialism.  It is a a philosophy that is self absorbed and sees the present and the future as glorious and the home of all hope, prosperity, and improvement.  It also, at best, discredits everything and everyone from the past.  People from the past were ignorant, inferior, and immoral per the standards of today.  If you are old, you are part of the past and responsible for any and all extant societal problems.  It's time for the old to go.

BUT...what is God's perspective?  The Bible teaches us to "honor our fathers and mothers."  It tells us to respect the "gray head."  It promotes the accumulation of both knowledge and wisdom, the things that the elderly have more than anyone.  Perhaps, though, most importantly when God had a job to do He often would choose the elderly to "lead the charge," so to speak.

Moses was not called until he was 80.  Joshua became prime minister of Israel very late in life.  Abraham reached his heyday as a very old man.  David won a civil war in his old age.  Jacob didn't unite his family until his ancient years.  We could go on. But..just what is the point you might ask?

Archdale is a congregation made up of mainly, older people.  Many of us are retired.  Many of us are on Medicare and Social Security.  Many of us are moving slower these days than in the recent past.  HOWEVER,

...we are a congregation with more collective experience, more Bible knowledge, more wisdom and insight...than most congregations.  

Jesus is calling us to action!  He wants us to begin to use the talents He has been giving us over our lifetimes.  He is challenging us to "charge the hill," and not to "go to the rear."  We know more people - Jesus wants us to speak to more people.  We know more Bible - Jesus wants us to teach more Bible, and do it more often.  We have more time - Jesus wants us to use more time for Him.  We have homes - Jesus wants them to be opened up for fellowship.

We need to cease to think that "life has passed us by."  Zig Ziglar used to call this "stinkin' thinkin' " and said that "people need a check up from the neck up."  In a recent interview Justice Clarence Thomas observed that his late grandfather used to tell him; "Old man "Can't" is dead, I helped bury him."  We must change our perspective!  When companies falter, they turn to experience.  When crisis comes, it is the "old diplomat" that is called our of retirement.  When we are at the "end of our rope" we seek out the sage advise of the ancient one.

We must open our eyes to our blessings, our talents, our opportunities, our wisdom, our knowledge, our experiences, our influence, and our abundance as God has blessed us.

There was a song some time ago that expressed this sentiment: "Don't carry your blessings around as if they are burdens."  Senior citizenship is not a burden, it is a blessing and a vehicle for growth, personal growth and collective growth as well!

God wants Archdale to grow, and He's asking us to roll up our sleeves and get to work!

NOTE: Image courtesy of Bing Images.

Russ McCullough - 2 November 2017 - Mint Hill, NC - Share anywhere, anytime, and with anyone!

Rendering to God by Rendering to Caesar

“Rendering to God by Rendering to Caesar”

“From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel!” *

Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210

www.archdale.org / gospelcall.blogspot.com - Date:  7 May 2017

Text: Mark 12.13 - 17

Thesis:  When We Honor Caesar, We Honor God.  When We Pay Our Taxes, We Honor Caesar Which in Turn Honors God.  We Cannot Play Word Games With God!

1           Introduction

A.    The greater context begins in 11.27 – “…they came again to Jerusalem; and as He was walking in the Temple there came to Him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders…”

1.      The Levites

2.    The Levitical Lawyers

3.     Representatives from The Sanhedrin – The 70 elders of Israel made up of both Pharisees and Sadducees.

B.   “By what authority?” – “Was the baptism of John from God or from men?” – 11.27 – 11.33

C.    The parable of the vineyard – 12.1 – 12.12

D.   Having humiliated these, they (L, LL, S) sent the most unlikely of allies to “catch Him in His words,” the Pharisees and the Herodian’s!

1.      Pharisees – Ultra nationalists who continuously fought against Roman occupation and the influence of Greek culture.

2.    Herodian’s – Pro Roman collaborators, the otherwise enemies of the Pharisees.

3.     Only their common hatred of the Christ brought them together for the very first and very last time!

E.    These delegations singular purpose was to “catch Him in His words,” to “entangle Him in His talk,” and to “take hold of His Words” so they might build a case for His murder.

1.      They proposed to put Christ into a “semantic stew” as it were.

F.    They proposed to do this by a classic “catch 22” move, no matter what His response, He would convict Himself, a classic “between a rock and a hard place” rhetorical trick.  We might call this a “loaded question.”

1.      The Pharisee’s wanted to hear “YES” as this would politicize Christ as pro-Roman and destroy His standing with the people.

2.    The Herodian’s wanted to hear “NO” as this would politicize Christ as anti-Roman and make Him an enemy of the state.

3.     Either way, they thought, Jesus would incriminate Himself and they then could arrest Him.

G.   What they did not know was that they were attacking the King of Rhetoric! 

1.      Jesus Christ is the greatest Rhetorical Power the world has ever seen or will see!

a.    Jesus Christ defeats ALL arguments against Him!

b.    If one wishes to master rhetoric, if one wishes to master argumentation, if one wishes to master debate…study Jesus Christ!

H.   What Jesus Christ is about to do here is to pull a “rhetorical reverse” …it will put the delegation in the vice that they themselves created!

I.       This account is found in 3 of the synoptic gospels: Out Markian text today, in Matthew 22.15 – 22 and Luke 20.20 - 26

2          Mark’s and Matthew’s account are vertically identical:

A.   Pharisees and Herodian’s

B.   “Trap / entangle” Him in His talk

C.    He is called Teacher

D.   “We know You are True”

E.    “You don’t care for other’s opinions”

F.    “You are not swayed by appearances”

G.   “You truly teach the Way of God”

H.   They ask the same question; “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”

I.       Jesus asks the question; “Why test Me?”

J.     Jesus asks for a coin

K.   “Whose likeness and inscription is here?”

L.    Same response; “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

M.The same result; “And they marveled at Him.”

3          In Luke’s account, (Read Luke 20.20 – 26) we discover a wide variety of additional facts:

A.   Luke calls the delegation “spies.”

B.   He says the delegation “pretended to be sincere.”

C.    Their purpose was to deliver up Christ to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

D.    They were unable to do so in the presence of the people to catch Him in what He said.

E.    They became silent.

4         Motives, Questions, and Answers:

5          CONCLUSION:

6         The Meaning of the Text in It’s Theological, Historical & Cultural Context:

A.

7          The Challenge of the Text for Christians Today

A.    

8         “The Gospel Call”

·         My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book of his time; Gaston’s Collections.  It allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.”  Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died prematurely of the measles.  He is buried just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting House Cemetery.”   Uncle Hugh continues to inspire my ministry to this very day.  You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston

Ruins photo courtesy of: ballywillanpci.org.

Existential Philosophy, Evangelicalism & the churches of Christ

Philosophical Background Influencing the Upcoming "InterGenerate Conference 2017" at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN

Exerted from the book: EMERGING TOWARDS APOSTASY by Russ McCullough

The picture to your left is that of the "Meloncoly Dane," Soren Kierkegraard who turned his manic-depression into a self-defined normative philosophy and became the father of what we today call "Existentialism." [1] Existentialism is at the root of our our current crisis that is the "Emerging Church." “Emerging Theology” among churches of Christ, like its denominational cousins, is Post-Modern in thinking, Evangelical in practice and has “reconstructed a new reality” from our common faith and biblical roots. The fully emerged church does not look like, act like, believe like or sound like the faithful church she has left behind. She is so radical as to cause the faithful to wonder if we have more in common with some of our denominational friends than we do with these erring souls who are “going out from us.” Sadly that assessment may be correct, though being “similar” and being “identical” are not the same thing.[2] The church of Christ is not a denomination, it is the singularly established body of called out believers of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18-20)! A head cannot have more than one body and a body more than one head. Denominationalism is a lie and condemned in Scripture in the the strongest of terms (I Corinthians 1, Galatians 1, et. al.).

Evangelicalism, out from which is flowing the so-called "emerging church," is itself existential, chaotic and contradictory. Reformed purists such as John MacArthur find themselves lumped in with "Sinner's Prayer" proponets such as Franklin Graham, Episcopalians who have "priests" rather than pastors and "name it and claim it" proponents of the so-called "Faith Movement." Jesus said that there is ONE WAY to the Father, Paul said that there is ONE Lord, ONE FAITH and ONE baptism. Evangelicalism in paticular, and denominationalism in general, contradict the Word of God claiming MANY ways to God, though there is but one. Such chaos prepared fertile ground for the even more chaotic teachings of "emerging theology." Since the first century, the church of Christ has called people away from denominating themselves in the doctrines of ment back to the Bible only which makes Christians only. Unfortunately, there are some among us who are turning away from the singular revealed gospel to the "myths" and "fables" of extant denominationalism, Evangelicalism, and "emerging theology."

As with other departures since the 1st Century, "Emergent Theology" among churches of Christ is being copied from the outside. As noted earlier, "Emergent Theology" first showed up ca.1992 among Evangelicals who felt disenfranchised by their various denominations. [3] The most noted denominational Emergent activist is a man by the name of Brian McLaren, recently named by Time Magazine as one of the top twenty five Evangelicals in the United States. He has a web site that touts the Emergent view called The Emergent Village. ® [4] In March, 2006, McLaren attended a United Methodist Church conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where he stated the essence of Emergent Theology. He said regarding the movement:

“It feels like the church community in our society today is about a lot of things, but it feels like we’re too often far away from the essential message of Jesus, of compassion for yourself and your fellow neighbor”. [5]

We must grasp the significance of McLaren’s statement in the light of Scripture. Jesus said that the Greatest Commandment is to; “…love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV) Note that McLaren says the essential message of Jesus is to have compassion (self-love [RM]) for YOURSELF first and your neighbor second. JESUS says that we should love GOD first and our neighbor second. Who’s right? I humbly assert to you that Jesus is. McLaren’s view is so brazen regarding the "essential message of Jesus" as to leave God COMPLETELY OUT!

An excellent review on denominational emergent thinking and practices (provided in part by McLaren himself) can be found on a recent PBS ® broadcast on the subject. The reference will allow you to either read or view by link the entire story. [6] [Compare what you find on the PBS ® broadcast with the public statements from the Kinetic Christian Church of Charlotte found in the final chapter of this book..]

From here, things deteriorate further. “IF” McLaren does not promote a neo-Gnosticism, his most recent books are as close to such teachings as one can get. For the first time in 1900 years, significant portions of Gnostic teaching have seen a revival. Since a good portion of ancient Gnosticism is not found in McLaren’s theology, we cannot in good conscience actually call him a Gnostic. However, the Gnostic notion of a “secret gospel” is very much a central part of McLaren’s theology.

In fact, a book I will reference below is entitled The Secret Message of Jesus – Uncovering the Truth That Could Change Everything. [7] Both the title and the contents articulate manifestly this clear Gnostic premise. There is much written about Gnosticism but for the most part it is very technical and difficult to understand. However in May, 2006, the usually Emergent leaning Christianity Today published an editorial entitled “A Faith Tailored Just for You” in which a not so favorable picture of Gnosticism is painted.

Gnosticism taught that some people were special, with the potential to understand spiritual secrets that common folk lacked. Once you were let in on the secrets, it became clear that you were among the special ones. Before an evil demiurge (fancy lingo for "second-rate god") created the material world, a select few were endowed with a unique spark of divinity. This spark could now be fanned into a flame that could be liberated from the flesh and rejoined with all the other sparks to reconstitute the true God.
Gnosticism's attention to the little-G god in the human self feeds the egoism of the American temperament. This sort of thing has long been growing on our soil. Blame Ralph Waldo Emerson for watering the seed. Now, Dan Brown (author of The Divinci Code) and those who hype the Gnostic gospels are packaging it for people who haven't read Emerson. This popularized neo-Gnosticism, says New Testament scholar N. T. Wright, "declares that the only real moral imperative is that you should then be true to what you find when you engage in that deep inward search." The message appeals "to the pride that says, 'I'm really quite an exciting person, deep down, whatever I may look like outwardly.” This endless exploration of the self, says Wright, is in stark contrast to the very Jewish message of Jesus, which focused on God's kingdom. [8]

In The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth That Could Change Everything, McLaren teaches his brand of “plug and play Gnosticism,” something we used to call “universalism,” i.e. there will be people in heaven from all religions, not just “Christians," and that in even the most general definition of “Christian.” Here’s what denominationalist Dr. Gary Gilley had to say regarding McLaren’s “ecumenicalism” in a recent book review:

McLaren is sure the kingdom is populated by people from all religions, not just Christianity. It is open to all but those who actively oppose it (pp. 163, 167). As a matter of fact it is possible that some Muslims, Buddhist and Hindus might “begin to ‘take their places at the feast,’ discovering the secret message of Jesus in ways that many Christians have not” (p. 217). Of course, “there is always hope that we Christians will not be the last to rediscover the truth that could change everything” (p. 217). [9]

If salvation from sin is not the message of the kingdom, just what IS? According, again to Dr. Gilley, McLaren’s idea of the message of the kingdom is vastly different from that found in the Scriptures:

This secret message of the kingdom—what does it look like? In a word, “missional.” It is a kingdom focused on injustice, poverty, education, integrity, the environment, hospitality, medical care, the healing of the earth, pollution, exploitation, greed, etc (pp. 84-89, 111, 141, 222-225). In McLaren’s view this is what the kingdom is all about, not the redemption of souls….In McLaren’s program the spiritual barely gets a nod—the kingdom is all about saving the planet (p. 128). McLaren believes that if enough people catch on to Jesus’ secret message this planet might just be rescued (p. 128) and even war will be no more (p. 160). [10]

The ancient Gnostic heresy taught a “secret gospel.” This “secret gospel” was obtainable by only a few people who had somehow achieved “superior knowledge.” The Bible, on the other hand, teaches us that, “…He has given us [ALL of us!] all things pertaining to life and godliness.” (II Peter 1:3) In addition to his neo-Gnostic leanings, here is what McLaren asserts in his own words regarding other doctrinal concerns:

On Our Ability to Find Truth: “None of us has arrived at orthodoxy.” [11]

On the Final Judgment Day:

The phrase “the Second Coming of Christ” never actually appears in the Bible. Whether or not the doctrine to which the phrase refers deserves re-thinking, a popular abuse of it certainly needs to be named and rejected. If we believe that Jesus came in peace the first time, but that wasn’t his “real” and decisive coming - it was just a kind of warm-up for the real thing - then we leave the door open to envisioning a second coming that will be characterized by violence, killing, domination, and eternal torture. This vision reflects a diversion, a return to trust in the power of Pilate, not the unarmed truth that stood before Pilate, refusing to fight...
If we remain charmed by this kind of eschatology, we will be forced to see the nonviolence of the Jesus of the Gospels as a kind of strategic fake-out, like a feigned retreat in war, to be followed up by a crushing blow of so-called redemptive violence in the end. The gentle Jesus of the first coming becomes a kind of trick Jesus, a fake-me-out Messiah, to be replaced by the true jihadist Jesus of a violent second coming. This is why I believe that many of our current eschatology’s, intoxicated by dubious interpretations of John’s Apocalypse are not only ignorant and wrong, but dangerous and immoral. [12]

Please don’t miss noting that McLaren considers you and I…should we believe that Jesus Christ is coming again to judge the world…as intoxicated, as dubious, as ignorant, as wrong, as dangerous, and as immoral. More importantly, he blasphemes by referring to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as a jihadist. [13] As we point out in other passages in this book, this is the SAME Brian McLaren who lectures at Pepperdine University, who writes regularly for New Wineskins magazine, who often appears at various ZOE conferences and who was honored with marquis lecture slots at the September, 2008 “Summit Lectureship” at Abilene Christian University and the October, 2008 Lipscomb University “Preachers Conference.” As I am writing these words, I remain mortified at even contemplating these watershed events. Peter, John and Jude would weep openly at such an event and so should we! Here are some disturbing McLaren quotes:

Salvation Quote #1: “I don’t think we’ve got the gospel right yet. What does it mean to be “saved?” When I read the Bible, I don’t [emphasis mine, RM] see it meaning, “I’m going to heaven after I die.” [14]

Salvation Quote #2: “Most people think about the Gospel as "how to go to heaven after you die." But, is that really the Gospel?” [15]

Salvation Quote #3: When asked “how a salvation experience” looked to him, McLaren replied;

Very, very rarely does someone have the date-and-time experience of conversion. Typically, a person comes to us because they're spiritually searching. They participate in our services, they get to know some people, build relationships, join a small group or maybe even start volunteering. And at some point, they connect with God. The Gospel makes sense to them. They know that God loves them, and they just say, "I'm in.” [16]

Salvation Quote #4: In 2003, New Wineskins editor Greg Taylor (also at that time employed by the Garnett church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma along with Wade Hodges) interviewed Brian McLaren and asked him to discuss the “salvation experience.” Here is what he had to say:

The fact that there are thousands and thousands of people who can point to an exact moment when they were saved, I wouldn't deny that for a minute. There are millions of people like that. But there are also many, many people who cannot. They either had so many different moments that were significant that they can't pick which one really marked them as regenerated or whatever. I'm just trying to acknowledge that you have both categories. Now in the New Testament, what's interesting, to me, is that the moment that seems to be very, very significant is baptism. So, very often when people talk about accepting Christ or being born again that's always based on an approach to evangelism--that really is pretty hard to find in Scripture. For example, the phrase "praying to receive Christ--I'm not against those at all, but I think we sometimes take an experience that really comes out of nineteenth century revivalism in America and then read it back into Scripture. And I don't think we should restrict the Holy Spirit to our own practices. I think we should just be glad for however the Holy Spirit chooses to interact with people and bring them to Christ. [17]

Note how McLaren in true existential and Post-Modern form can be FOR baptism and AGAINST baptism in the same quote! Not only that, he is PRO Sinners’ Prayer and ANTI Sinners’ Prayer in the very same quote.

We must pause here for a moment and note that such “double mindedness” did not originate with Brian McLaren! The thought process of Brian McLaren is very similar to that of the agnostic educator, John Dewey, of whom Breese has this observation:

The frustration of attempting to categorize Dewey is compounded by the fact that in the large number of books, essays, and magazines he wrote over the course of his life he dealt with topics in such a fashion that he could be quoted on either side of most of the current arguments. For him, nothing was constant, given, or finally true, but rather all things were pragmatic, adaptable, and subject to whatever interpretation seemed appropriate for the day and hour. [18]

Having said that, Dewey did not originate the idea of embracing the darkness of contradiction as truth…that dubious honor goes to a man we have already observed - Soren Kierkegaard.

There is no doubt that Kierkegaard confirmed and denied many of the same things. On one page, he seems to contradict what he has said on the preceding page. One reads Kierkegaard with compelling interest, but the frustrations of attempting to understand him go on and on. [19]

At best, Emergent theology turns ambiguity into an art form, at worst we realize that Brian McLaren has embraced the dark teachings of Kierkegaard and his disciple, John Dewey.
In the July/August 2005 edition of Modern Reformation Magazine, denominational theologian D. A. Carson summarizes McLaren’s points made in his Generous Orthodoxy manifesto, explaining his theological presuppositions:

Accept co-existence with different faiths gladly, not begrudgingly. It is not their fault if they are alive.
• Dialogue presupposes commitment to one’s position, so it is surely not a bad thing to listen well. Dialogue should be congruent with confidence in the gospel.
• We assume that the dialogue takes place in the presence of God, the unseen Presence. In such dialogue we may learn things, as Peter does in Acts 10–11. Similarly, Jesus learns from his interchange with the Syrophoenician woman.
• Missional dialogue requires humility and vulnerability. But that should not frighten us, for when we are weak, we are strong. It is surely right, for instance, to acknowledge earlier atrocities committed by Christians, even as we remain careful not to disparage those earlier Christians.
• Each religion operates in its own world and therefore demands different responses from Christians. Christian witness does not preclude dialogue.
• The “old, old story” may not be the true, true story, for as we continue to grow, and even our discussion and dialogues contribute to such growth. In other words, the questions raised by postmodernism helps us to grow.
• Live with the paradox: we know no way of salvation apart from Jesus Christ, but we do not prejudge what God may do with others. We must simply live with the tension.
The “co-existence,” the “dialogue,” the “paradox” and the “tension” that McLaren mentions is nothing less than the embrace of the dark teachings of Soren Kierkegaard…contradiction is truth. [20]

Brethren, this is nothing short of madness!

You may wonder why I have spent so much time speaking of Brian McLaren and his theology. Here it is:

Brian McLaren has had, and continues to have, expanding influence among “some” members of the church of Christ and he wants to extend that influence even further. He is bringing the dark teachings of the madman Kierkegaard to your congregation and mine unless he is opposed…and opposed now!

NOTES:
[1] Public Domain picture courtesy of: wikipedia.commons.org
[2] See David R. Pharr, “What it Means to be Distinctive,” The Spiritual Sword 39 (January 2008): pg. 31
[3] For a full discussion of denominational "Emergent church" theories see a book: Ryan Bolger & Eddie Gibbs, Emerging Churches – Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005)
[4] See emergentvillage.com
[5] From archieves.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=9040
[6] See pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week845-and-pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week846 NOTE: To view either clip, you must have RealPlayer ®
[7] Brian McLaren and Anne Ortlund, The Secret Message of Jesus – Uncovering the Truth That Could Change Everything, (W Publishing Group, Waco, TX, 2006)
[8] From christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/june/3.22.html; “A Faith Tailored Just for You” [9] Dr. Gary Gilley: svchapel.org/Resources/BookReviews/book_reviews.asp?ID=316
[10] Ibid.
[11] Andy Crouch, op cit. previous post
[12] See www.extremetheology.com/2007/10/mclarens-everyt.html quoting: Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change – Jesus, Global Crises and the Revolution of Hope, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2007), pg. 144 (Emphasis added – RM)
[13] Please join me in prayer: Our Father in Heaven; We thank You and praise You for Your great mercy and patience with us. We pray, Lord, that Brian McLaren will have time and opportunity to reconsider these words, repent of his sins, confess the Name of Jesus Christ and be immersed for the remission of his sins. In Jesus Name, AMEN
[14] Andy Crouch, op cit. previous post
[15] Lynne Marian; “Conversations Count: An Interview with Brian McLaren,” Outreach Magazine,, July/August 2005. See christianitytoday.com/outreach/articles/counversationscount.html
[16] Ibid.
[17] From wineskins.org/filter.asp?SID=2&co_key=507 Greg Taylor interview with Brian McLaren in 2003. 
[18] Dave Breese, op cit, pg. 157, previous post
[19] Dave Breese, op cit, pg. 215, previous post
[20] D. A. Carson, “The Emerging Church.” Modern Reformation Magazine. “Faith a La Carte?” (July / August 2005 Issue, Vol. 14.4. See: modernreformation.org/dac05emerging.htm Here Carson summarized points made by McLaren in chapter 17 of Generous Othodoxy, pg. 256 – 266. NOTE: This is my assessment. With the possible exception of Beowulf and Canterbury Tales, Generous Orthodoxy was the most difficult book I have ever attempted to read. Thinking you have run a great distance, you discover that you have run all day in a circle and wind up where you started, though exhausted and out of breath. Compared to reading McLaren, I am rested and relaxed after mowing my lawn on a 100 degree August day!