Whirled Views with Dan Burrell

Prosperity preachers are, in my opinion, the cockroaches of the clergy.  Many of them (perhaps most) preach a polluted Gospel and a twisted view of God.  The bring immeasurable disrepute upon the testimony of Christ’s church and run completely counter to Paul’s consistent testimony that he would not “profit” from the Gospel.  I do not begrudge a decent living for men like those mentioned in these articles, nor do I resent them benefiting from their own books and other materials.  What I do abhor is the way they have fouled the message of Scripture with their teachings that dumb down the Gospel, ignore the holiness of God, abuse people into thinking that “faith = prosperity” and the superficiality of their theology (in comparison to the sophistication of their business acumen.)  God is far more interested in our holiness than He is our happiness.

These articles (particularly the one on Osteen) are rife with sarcasm and bias, but sometimes it is possible to learn more from critics than sycophants.

Article on Kenneth Copeland.

Article on Joel Osteen.

My long-time friend, Bob Byers, is one of the smartest guys I know.  Over at his blog, Watchman’s Words, he’s written three thought-provoking blogs on presumptive Presidential nominee Barak Obama that raise very important questions and provide interesting insight.  He makes his points by quoting F. Scott Fitzgerald and Isaac Asimov and  parodying George Orwell’s Animal Farm.  You’ll find the posts HERE, HERE and HERE.

Well-known evangelical pastor, author and conference speaker, Greg Laurie, loses his son in Southern California auto accident.

Story HERE.

Well, the waters have pretty much settled from my first “Listomania” entry wherein I discussed why many fundamental churches were growing increasingly irrelevant.  So, with some degree of trepidation, I will now offer a list of “ideas” for your consideration on what we might do to “revive” fundamental churches.  (By fundamental, I mean churches — self-identified as fundamentalist or evangelical or both, who agree on the fundamental doctrines of Scripture and Christian orthodoxy.)  As always, I encourage you to add your thoughts in the comments section.

Things We Can Do to Revive Fundamental Churches

1. Preach the WORD.

Away with preaching on hot topics and trends and get back to sound, straight-forward preaching that exegetes the Word and boldly and practically applies it.  Whether it’s stand-alone exposition or book studies or verse-by-verse series or character studies or some other form or approach of Scripture-focused preaching doesn’t matter, but focusing on the Bible will never fail.  Those who have said that “expository preaching will kill a church” are idiots and time has or will prove the fallacy of such a ludicrous statement.

2. Break out of Denominationalism

Many fundamental churches claim to be “Independent”, but they aren’t.  If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck — it’s a duck.  If it acts like a denomination, fellowships like a denomination, gives like a denomination — it’s a denomination.  Many evangelicals and fundamentalists who claim they are “independent” are members of fellowships — like the BBF, GARBC, FBF, Shepherds Fellowship, Southwide, IBF, WBF, IFCA, etc…, etc…  These “fellowships” have “headquarters”, publish curriculum, have missions boards, hold conferences, issue declarations, have officers, take offerings, own/recommend/start/affiliate/endorse colleges and hold elections — so someone PLEASE tell me how they are different than a denomination.  (And don’t say “control” cuz’ some “fellowships” are more controlling than denominations and some denominations have no control whatsoever over their churches.)  Denominationalism and Fellowship Loyalties (particularly exclusive participation) create camps, conflicts, control, comparison and competition — none of which are healthy for the Body of Christ.

3. Answer the Liberals

There is a difference between answering a liberal and attacking a liberal.  (This would probably be a good time to ask someone to “define” what a “liberal” is in these circles anymore.)  Many of us choose to savage the messenger rather than to rebut a wrong message.  Usually, in the end — both remain intact.  Good scholarly rebuttals to the error that regular flows from genuinely liberal colleges, seminaries, publishing houses, etc… (and those who are drifting that way) will make us part of the dialogue and conversation and will give us the opportunity to espouse Truth from a historical, Biblical perspective.

4. Lose the Attitude

An evangelical brother recently asked me what kind of Baptist church I attend and I reflexively said, “Independent”.  As soon as I said it, I saw the familiar flicker that can only be described as surprise tinged with perhaps a little fear or at least concern.  So I quickly added, “….but not the MEAN kind.”  He laughed long and loud.  I think that’s sad, but I knew it was necessary.  Many fundamentalists were born fighting — we had to fight.  There was something for which the fight was worthy — the Supremacy of Scripture and the Sufficiency of Christ.  Too often the fights we see today are not against theological liberalism, modernism, ecumenicism, humanism or whatever anti-Christ “ism” being promoted.  The fight is over secondary and tertiary matters that are often unique to Western churches in general (American churches specifically), practices, secondary associations, etc…  Too often, we have become mean, angry, bitter, hostile, intemperate, volatile and unkind as we “claimed” to be defending the faith.  But whether we are disagreeing on majors OR minors, certainly the commands to “speak the Truth in love” and “as much as lieth within you live peacably with all men” shouldn’t be ignored.  How much more influence might we have if we could Biblically and intellectually defend our positions with a smile on our face and optimism in our voices.  Or could it be, as cynics have suggested, that our fiery passion and angry rhetoric is sometimes a substitute for a scholarly response?

5. Reach the Needy with Good Works

I am NOT a proponent of the Social Gospel.  NOT at all.  I understand the dangers of “rice Christians”.  I acknowledge the failures of the welfare mentality.  But, in this commentator’s opinion, many of us have grown calloused about things happening around the globe that are gut-wrenchingly tragic.  The genocide in Darfur (much of it against professing Christians), the AIDS orphans of Africa and Asia, the vile sex trade industry, the slavery of Northern Africa at the hands of the Muslims, the imprisoned believers in China, Cuba, North Korea and elsewhere (and their families), the village pastors in India and Central America and the list goes on and on.  While we bicker over inconsequential preferences and traditions, genuine needs that would save lives and reach souls go unmet.  We make excuses and create smokescreens for why we don’t get involved, but honestly, should liberal denominations who no longer embrace the True Gospel be doing a better job of giving and sharing than those who still lay claim to Truth?  Will those who are starving or are naked or are in bondage to chemicals or are homeless be in a position to hear or understand the Gospel?  Might we address their physical needs as we address their spiritual needs as well?

6. Invade the Devil’s Turf

For too long, our belief in separatism has given birth to isolationism.  We are not “of” this world, but we are “in” this world.  We’ve created the Christian ghetto for our own comfort where we enjoy Christian radio, Christian books, Christian music, Christian TV, Christian retirement centers, Christian Entertainment Venues, Christian social circles, Christian recreation, Christian media, Christian education on our massive self-contained campuses.  We really don’t have to venture out of our “safe zone”.  So how do we fulfill the Great Commission if we never interact with unbelievers.  Are even our mature believers so vulnerable that they cannot influence for good and Truth unbelievers without succumbing to the temptation they might introduce? Are our answers so frail that we cannot argue for Truth against those who may never have heard it? Do we not believe that the antidote to poverty, crime, addictions, abuse, violence, pornography, materialism and a host of other sins the GOSPEL?  Then why do we avoid the poor sections of towns, the AIDS clinics, the treatment centers, the areas where “sinners” congregate?  Should we be surprised when non-believers act like non-believers?  Can we not show them a better way?  If so, then we should invade their areas and SHOW them the difference Christ makes.

7. Teach our Children Well

The vast majority of practicing believers today were raised by practicing believers.  Sadly, many of them have a weaker commitment to their faith than their parents because we failed to teach them well.  Teaching isn’t just lecturing, it’s living.  It’s not just explaining it, it’s modeling it.  It’s not just teaching, it’s mentoring.  Discipleship begins in the home.

8. Reach our Children Well

Research says that 80% of kids in evangelical churches do not return to the churches in which they were reared after they leave home.  Many great churches are great for only 1 or 2 generations as the founding generation(s) age and ossify, they forget to make way for those who will fill their seats next.  We’ve turn generational preferences into tests of fellowships and too often communicate to our coming generations that they are not welcome if they want to do things a bit differently than we did them.  We keep our kids isolated from the adults with separate programs, separate leadership, separate services and even separate buildings.  They feel no real connection to the heritage of the church family because they’ve been consigned to “eating in the basement” for years.  Older generations too frequently refuse to reach out to, or interact with or listen to the younger folks creating walls that are simply unnecessary.  We spiritualize traditions and preferences at the expense of teaching principles and expanding outreach.

9. Emphasize Conversions rather than Decisions

For too many years there was such an emphasis on numerical growth, numbers of baptisms, etc… that a mentality and strategy of evangelism developed that was misguided and even heretical.  “Pray the magic prayer” and get eternal life (but can be counted on a tote board) became a form of evangelism that created legions of false “salvations”.  Repentance, acknowledgment of sin, a knowledge of grace, the responsibility of Lordship were left out of evangelism and discipleship and tares filled baskets intended for wheat.  Genuine salvation is a conversion, not a decision.  We’re changed because of the Holy Spirit, not because we “will” it.  We come to Christ because He draws us, not because we had someone present a handy-dandy plan replete with a charming personality and a disarming method of explanation.  Salvation costs us everything while it cannot be purchased with anything we could possess.  Decisionism leads to a false sense of security and salvation and should be rejected.

10. Re-emphasize Discipleship

For too long churches have neglected the third step of the Great Commission — Teaching.  Discipleship sifts those who make decisions from those who simply “prayed a prayer” for quick relief.  To neglect discipleship is the spiritual equivalent of child-abuse.  It is like giving birth to a child and then leaving it on the sidewalk with hopes that someone else might come alone and take care of it.  Our failure to disciple new believers has created a generation of Christianity that knows little of the “what’s” of orthodox Christianity and even fewer of the “whys”.

So those are my thoughts.  Tell me where you think I’m wrong and fill in what I’ve missed.  Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Last Sunday, I preached at the main campus of New Testament Baptist Church and chose a passage from I Peter that begins, “He who would love life…”. We studied the whole section of Scripture which really was a great challenge to all of us to periodically go through an attitude evaluation in light of Scripture and eternity. I’ve been encouraged by the number of folks who have mentioned how the Lord used the sermon.

Have you ever met someone who is just terminally cranky? You know the type. They’re just grim, depressed, angry, frowning, unhappy people. We had an old country saying we used to describe those kind of people that real didn’t make much sense, but I can remember hearing old-timers say of those who were persistently grouchy that they always “looked like the pigs just ate their grandpa.” (I told you that it didn’t make sense.)

Sadly, too many times one can find that churches can look like the official residence for the terminally cranky. After years of sitting on their blessed assurance or because live has thrown them a few curve balls or because they grew up physically, but never spiritually, these bastions of negativity now have the spiritual gift of crankiness. This condition is revealed in the countenance, conversation and conduct. They frown, they criticize and they sulk.

Once, someone in the church I was pastoring muttered to one of our staff that when he didn’t like the music on a particular Sunday, he would withhold his tithe check. My response, in all sincerity and Christian love was, he should find a church where he can tithe with joy and join it. I mean, we live in America where there is a church on every other corner, even if you can’t find one that you like, you’ve got a lot of visiting around you could do! Life is too short, salvation is too sure, heaven is too sweet, sin is too devastating, souls are too precious, death is too certain, god has been too merciful, grace is too wonderful, the Bible is too powerful for one to spend their life muttering under their breath about the minor little irritations of church or life. As for me, I’m not real interested in wasting a lot of my short life hanging around people that are missing the joy of knowing Christ fully and completely in their life while still claiming to be His followers. Frankly, I’d rather hang around nonbelievers — at least there I could be a witness.

But I must also admit that while I don’t think I’m “terminally cranky” as of y et, I have been known to descend into “fits of crankiness” another not-so-pleasant condition in which to live. I’ve also found that I need to be proactive about addressing those times in my life, because frankly, I suspect that the trip from fits of crankiness to the state of crankiness isn’t all that long of a journey.

Thankfully, we know that there is a cure. Remember Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law? Her life certainly went sour for a while. Her husband died, her sons died, there was a famine, she was in a foreign land and she had her widowed daughters-in-law following her around. By the time she moved back to her hometown, she had taken up residence in “Crankyville.” So much so, that she asked her friends to stop calling her “Naomi” and to start calling her “Mara” which means “Bitter”. Gotta’ tell you, if she lived today, someone would have probably been slipping a little Prozac into her goat’s milk.

But we know that things changed for Namoi. Her daughter-in-law met Boaz, they got married and they had a son together who would eventually have a son named “Jesus.” Naomi lived out her life cared for, loved and protected. She didn’t have to stay in her bitter state — God delivered her from it.

God wants to deliver all of us from the things that make us angry, bitter, depressed, discouraged — and yes, cranky. He offers a peace that passes understanding and a joy that’s unspeakable. He grants perspective to some circumstances and the peace to accept other ones. He teaches us in the valleys and He’ll provide a way of escape to those things which run counter to His plan. And even if we should die prematurely or suddenly or violently, we can have the promise of immediately being in His presence with never a problem to face again in our future. To top it all off, He’s paid the bill in full as well.

Now if that doesn’t get you out of a bad mood, nothing will. Maybe it’s good for all of us to occasionally have an “attitude check” or even an “attitude adjustment” so that we can avoid the state of terminal crankiness.

I really don’t like schlocky, kitzy gimmickry in general and at church specifically.  My first impression on seeing this church’s “Jesus for President” campaign was to head for the keyboard and doing some serious venting.  However, after reading how this church is supporting an African village that contains 900 AIDS orphans and is active in trying to stop the human sex trade business, I ended up feeling “rebuked.”  I still don’t like schlock.  But what I really should hate is people kidnapping little girls to become sex slaves and the fact that I’m doing nothing while orphaned kids cry themselves to sleep at night because they are hungry.

Read the full story HERE. 

Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, CA has announced that both presumed Presidential candidates will be at a joint 2-hour appearance at their annual mega-church conference. It’s not unusual for political candidates to want some time at major faith conferences and if you have one, legally, you are supposed to invite the other. You cannot discriminate based on your preference.

However, somewhat more disconcerting is the news, embedded further in the article, that Warren is hosting an “Inter-Faith” conference with Muslims and Jews designed to dialogue with them on matters more than likely to relate to his P.E.A.C.E. initiative which has as one of it’s goals the addressing of “Spiritual Emptiness”. Someone’s going to need to clue me in on how working with people who deny the Deity and Exclusivity of Jesus Christ as Savior promotes filling “Spiritual Emptiness” with Truth.

Read all about it HERE.

A lot of people just go “through the motions” when it comes to going to church on Sundays — if they even bother to go at all.  Here’s some thoughts (and rants) in the form of a list that may help you have a “Better” Lord’s Day this week.

1. Set Your Alarm Clock Fifteen Minutes Earlier

Seriously, if you dragged yourself into work five minutes late every day, somebody would fire your sorry behind, wouldn’t they?  So why is it that coming in to worship halfway through the worship set doesn’t cause most people a pang of conscience?  What does our consistently late arrival to church (verses arriving early or on time to work) say about the importance we place on the Lord’s place in our life?  And don’t even try to call me a legalist about this — cuz’ I’m not buying.  Besides, how do you expect to get a back-half-of-the-auditorium or end seat if you are late?   You’re going to gripe no matter what time the alarm rings, so you might as well gripe and get to church on time.

2. Pray Yourself When Someone is Leading in Prayer

If you are “leading in prayer” and everyone is just listening to you, then you’re really not “leading” cuz’ no one is following.  Besides, the person praying isn’t talking to you, so isn’t it kind of rude to be eaves dropping?  So while the person who is leading in prayer, prays — you go to the Lord yourself with your own prayer.

3.  Pay Attention to the Words

Seriously….this week, look at the words in your hymnal or on the screen like you’ve never seen them before and think about what you are saying.  “Vain repetitions” may not always be about prayers.  It could be about singing the same song for the thousandth time also.  Here’s a twist, if you go to a church that sings praise songs, think about the fact that you are singing TO God and not just “about” him.  That’ll change the way you sing!

4. Take Notes

I don’t mean take copious notes, but have a pen and paper handy to jot down a salient thought or two.  You may never read them again, but it will help you pick out key Truths and remember them by simply writing them down.  The cool thing is that there’s no test later.

5. Search Out Someone that’s New or Overlooked and Engage them in a Conversation

Don’t just simply give them the ol’ Baptist Brushoff — “HiHowYaDoin’GreatToSeeYa,Brother” line, but plop yourself down next to someone before or after church and get to know them.  Ask them meaningful questions.  Be interested.  And don’t just visit your friends or the visitors that look like they’re rich, OK?

6. Sit With Your Family

I know, the kids will pitch a fit that will make you ineligible for the deacon board, but give it a shot.  It does a family good to sit and worship together sometime.  My dad always made us stay within “thumping distance” which meant that he kept us within arm’s length so that he could flick our ears when Sister Beaulah sneezed and rattled the wooden pews simultaneously sending us into paroxysms of laughter.  But there is something special about seeing a family all sit together with their Bibles open listening to the Word.  I particularly think this is important during communion.

7. Don’t Rush Off

Stick around church.  It’s not NFL season yet, so what’s the big hurry?  In fact, why not take one Sunday a month and invite a new or visiting family out to Taco Bell with you after church and connect to someone you haven’t actually known for twenty years?  Fellowship (aka koinania) is more than shaking hands between verses 2 and 4 of the second hymn in a service.

Those are my first seven — why don’t you add your own thoughts?

When I first saw this article on a religious news site, I immediately thought, “I bet Jim Vineyard is involved in this” and I was absolutely right.  Windsor Hills Baptist Church, for years led by the infamous “Dr.” Jim Vineyard, planned on giving a semi-automatic rifle to some “blessed” teenager who attended his church’s youth conference this month.  The give-away was canceled when Vineyard, shot himself in — ooops, I mean INJURED his foot.

For those who haven’t heard of Vineyard, he’s one of the original “give away” clowns of the early church-growth movement and introduced thousands of churches, bus captains and bus kids to the tasteless tactic of “swallowing-a-goldfish/earthworm-for-Jesus” method of cramming a bus full of kids to take them to Sunday school.  I could tell you stories of this egomaniac that would make you think that Fred Phelps (of the Westboro Baptist Church that owns the website “Godhatesfags.com) and he were separated at birth.

I own multiple guns.  I have taught my children how to shoot (and my daughter is excellent at it, btw)  I’m not against guns.  Sadly, this kind of silliness just piles disrepute and unnecessary scorn on churches, Baptists and most sadly, the name of Christ.  How deep does insanity have to run in one’s ministry to have the pastor and youth director think that giving a semi-automatic rifle to a teenager is a “good” idea?  But you’d have to know Jim Vineyard and his ridiculous “macho” braggadocio to understand.  Sadly, I do.

Here’s the link. 

A new video is circulating around the Web featuring the High Priestess of the Church of Oprah herself denying that Jesus is the only way to God. One only has to have read a little of the drivel she spews from her stunningly successful show (Am I the only one who can remember that when she first started her show that she was little more than a female Jerry Springer?) in which she reaches an audience that would make Joel Osteen green with envy. Her pseudo spirituality is a mishmash of “religion”, philosophy pop psychology that has streams of mysticism, New Age tenets, paganism, gnosticism, postmodernism and a potpourri of other religious code phrases of Babylonian proportions.

What has shocked — no, not really shocked, just dismayed, I guess — me is the number of evangelical, Christian women (and no small number of men) who cling to her every over-sentimentalized utterance and episode like she is the female version of Solomon. I’m sure I’ll get some hate mail over this and it will be interesting to see how some professing believers will rationalize listening to one of the greatest spiritual charlatans of our time as if what she says is Truth. But let me be clear, Oprah doesn’t know Jesus if she denies His exclusivity.

Story HERE.