Showing posts with label Avarice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avarice. Show all posts
Friday, November 23, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
WHITEHEADS: Once they fester, they must be popped!
I've been so disturbed by the embarrassment brought about by "Christian" leaders this year and last (Christy, Tester, Haggard, Pearson, Paulks, Whites, Bynum/Weeks), that I promised myself I wouldn't go there again.
Bottom-line, what brought me here again is J. Lee Grady's piece on Pentecostalism's huge White-head! It needs to be lanced before the whole body becomes diseased ... my opinion, not his.
I subscribe to Charisma Magazine to receive Grady's online editorial called "Fire In My Bones" ... always a good, brief read; and Grady is usually a discerning and skilled Christian-writer, but not this time.
His article, There’s a Whole Lot of Shaking Going On, coming from a charismatic leader and and magazine, is not part of the solution, it's part of the problem. At its foundation it's as carnal as "Bishop" Thomas Weeks III receiving a standing ovation from his church after pummeling his wife and being released from jail.
The article is more of the same old Christian-spin and overwrought White-wash. Friends, there is forgiveness, there is self-control, and there is restoration; but there is also condemnation! It is the only thing which will cleanse the pockmarked face of Pentecostalism. Grady even goes so far as to modify Bynum's beating with the politically correct "allegedly."
In reality, Grady is telling us sin is not the problem; he's telling the injured, who lie devastated around the intersection at Avarice and Pride, that its their fault and that THEY need to be careful about how they react to these events. See the following ...Ultimately we must come to a place of humility as we face this crisis. We must admit that we too might stumble into compromise or moral failure if we held a stressful leadership position. How would you act if you had Juanita Bynum’s preaching skills, Randy White’s huge congregation or Ted Haggard’s access to the White House?I am so tired of Christian leaders telling us the stress of the calling to higher position is responsible for their transgressions I could puke! That's tantamount to saying Jehovah Jireh called me but is incapable of providing what I needed to do the job He gave me.Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.The advice offered by Grady is the same-old trinity of secular psychobabble that I'm so sick to death of ...Jude 1:24-25These very public people need to make very public demonstrations of remorse, contrition, and guilt. [Psalm 51] If the church continues to follow the world's methods of discipline the word should be removed from our lexicon.
- It’s OK to be angry.
- It’s necessary to grieve.
- It’s essential to pray rather than criticize.
On the surface there is nothing patently wrong with Grady's advice - in fact, one paragraph sounds more like the true heart of the writer ...Holy anger should boil inside us as we see how the name of Jesus is maligned and misused in today’s church. We must aggressively seek accountability and integrity at a time when we have been compromised by hyper-prosperity preaching, carnal showmanship and self-absorbed charlatans. America’s pastors should lift their voices in this hour and denounce this shameful charade before the false prophets of Jezebel completely hijack the American church. The people of God need bold prophets who are not afraid to draw lines and call down the fire of holiness from heaven.Hoorah! Amen! Preach it brother! But then he intermigles this:For those of us watching this painful drama, it’s tempting to become cynical, discouraged or judgmental.There's that setup word, "judgmental." The reader is warned, "Don't you dare take offense at what these dear brothers and sisters have done, don't you dare show your God given emotions ... for shame, you'll be worse than them."
Folks, this steals the prophetic voice from among us; it diminishes the prophetic office and those who hold it. Discipline becomes an anachronism.But godly people sometimes do ungodly things—and these scandals are a clear indication of deeper issues God wants to address. In this time of unprecedented spiritual shaking we must respond properly.There it is, the spin! The excusing of sin! The adoption of worldliness ... political correctness!
Now a setup phrase, "respond properly." In this context, a proper response would be indignation, outrage, and gnashing of teeth. But that's not what Grady is advising, is it? What in the world does properly mean to a faithful follower, when his leader has betrayed his trust? It means, "You better watch out how YOU respond; your leaders are watching you!"
Friends, the "pewsters" didn't commit these acts, the leaders did.
And this: "godly people sometimes do ungodly things" ... yes, and sometimes ungodly people do godly things. Good grief!Before you say anything negative about Randy White, Bishop Thomas Weeks, Ted Haggard or any other leader who may have disappointed you, pray for them by name and ask God to grant them His loving correction, His amazing forgiveness and His full restoration.Just speaking of their confessions is something negative ... we can't avoid it! Especially when addressing their sins. Does this mean they're "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"? God help us! Unlike non-believers, authentic Christians (to their credit) confess their sins openly. Are we suggesting we cannot speak of their confessions because it's politically incorrect to do so?
I can just hear Isaiah, Amos, Malachi, and Jeremiah confronting the leaders of their day with their disappointment: "I'm angry and you've disappointed me, but I'll pray for you!"
Under normal circumstances, when a leader disappoints you, yes! But not when they've egregiously sinned against God and the church! Cleanse the Temple! Pentecostalism is surely sending the wrong message by leaving these apostates in power and encouraging others to imitate them. Is there no fear of the Lord among them?
Lee, your callers asked you a question, "What in the world is happening to the church?" Tell them, my brother, tell them! Sin and Satan have entered the hearts of Pentecostal leadership and are bringing her down. Period!
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Read this rather interesting take on the White's splitBIG AIN'T BETTA
MEGA CHURCHES: Finally Someone Is Making Sense ... !
MEGA CHURCHES: This Report Reminds Me of Why ... !
PENTECOSTAL FAILURE: My Imagination ... ?
SIN: Call It What It Is!
DIVORCE: Paula & Randy raising the White-flag!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
DIVORCE: Paula & Randy Raising the White Flag!
Both the secular and Christian media are reporting the breakup of the Whites ... no not The Whites the popular Bluegrass/Country musical family ... the Whites, internationally renown MegaBarn co-CEOs, prosperity-gospel proclamators, who've confessed and possessed for over fifteen years.Adding a little emotional context is this ...The married duo pastoring one of the nation's biggest churches is planning for divorce.
Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International in Tampa, Fla., announced their decision to split at their Thursday evening service, shocking most congregants and bringing some to tears. [Christian Post]I agree with Duane at The Black Informant on this one ...Members of Without Walls International Church reacted with tears and a chorus of "Oh, no's" after the Whites' announcement at Thursday night's service.Randy called Paula to the podium about an hour into the service. He was somber; Paula appeared choked up. [MSNBC - Tampa Bay Online]I am a firm believer in scripture and the passage found in Numbers 32:23 is no exception: “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.”But I'm not fool enough to think that these false teachers will just wilt and wither away without vocal condemnation! What but pride and greed can be at the heart of this continuing soap opera in the Pentecostal temple? Sadly there are few voices expressing outrage from within the tent [another here].If this continues, the good people of the excitable-side of the church will be forced to hide for shame and the Pentecostal landscape will be littered with empty MegaBarns from sea to shining sea ... and I plan to be on the sidelines cheering their demise.What I don't understand is how good decent, fairly aware people can continue to be fleeced by so many ... ssssoooooo many?What her forthcoming divorce will mean for Family Praise Center in Northwest San Antonio remains unclear. White plans to keep Tampa as her base and continue preaching there, but she's putting down some roots here. She bought a nearly $700,000 home outside Boerne earlier this month, about the same time she was giving a five-week sermon series at Family Praise Center, founded by Bishop Rick Hawkins. Increasingly, White, Hawkins, his son and the San Antonio church have developed closer links.Without Walls is more about the Whites, showmanship, arrogance, and filthy lucre than it is about the saving of souls. The sooner the wrath of God is poured out on this awful group of filchers and milchers, the better off the authentic church will be.White is a rising TV evangelist who has widespread appeal among evangelical Christians, particularly women. Her "Paula White Today" show is broadcast nationally on major networks such as CMT and BET and her Life By Design empowerment conferences, based in New York City, are spreading to cities nationwide. [My San Antonio.com]
I have no compassion on those who accept a call to teach and line their pockets in the process, ultimately ending in personal disaster and bringing public reproach up on the cause of Christ.
BLOGGERS BLOGGING:Boar's Head TavernRELATED CRIB POSTS
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PJC
Religion News Blog
Spiritual Pathways
Read this rather interesting take on the White's splitBIG AIN'T BETTA
MEGA CHURCHES: Finally Someone Is Making Sense ... !
MEGA CHURCHES: This Report Reminds Me of Why ... !
PENTECOSTAL FAILURE: My Imagination ... ?
SIN: Call It What It Is!
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