Friday, September 28th, 2007
As I wrote about in this entry, the City Church has invited a non-Christian Rabbi to motivate them in getting and giving money. Visit my other article to see why that is extremely revealing of them.
Even more interesting are these articles about Rabbi Daniel Lapin being investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee (sent to me by Cliff). Seems odd to bring him in to a Christian Church to teach. I still wonder how the Apostle Paul would react to such a thing.
http://www.mediatransparency.org/story.php?storyID=164
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002728644_lapin09m.html
http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2005/07/rabbi_daniel_la.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/229692_lapin23.html
As Cliff said: “Hmmm, maybe that’s why he didn’t get invited last year to the ‘Prosperity with Integrity‘ conference.”
And again I will end with a scripture:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Tags: Daniel Lapin, Prosperity With a Purpose, The City Church
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007
Cliff wrote this after reading the book by Wendell Smith called “Prosperity With A Purpose”. It is an excellent commentary on the subtleties used by Wendell Smith to push the false prosperity gospel. I pray for more men in the Church like Cliff who will see the dangers of the prosperity gospel and stand up against its leaven-like spread throughout the body of Christ.
Is Prosperity The Privilege of Every Believer?
I just read Wendell Smith’s book, Prosperity With A Purpose, and I found it to be a mixed bag of truth and error. The chapter entitled “The Dangers of Wealth” was really quite good, and biblically sound. But there seemed to be a logical disconnect between that chapter and the overall message of the book, which is best illustrated by a statement on page 7 of the Introduction: “Prosperity is part of the abundant life provided for every believer.”
Prosperity is defined on p 6 as “having more than enough”, in other words, the abundant life of every believer includes an abundant provision of material wealth. Now, it seems the whole teaching of the book rests on this premise, that prosperity is the privilege of every believer. For myself, I cannot agree with it, because it cannot be established from the Scriptures. Indeed, the Bible gives many examples of believers who were highly regarded by the Lord, who experienced poverty and hardship in this life, as well as examples of those who were righteous and prosperous.
(more…)
Tags: Judah Smith, Prosperity Gospel, Prosperity With a Purpose, The City Church, Wendell Smith
Friday, September 21st, 2007
I have heard several people recently saying “God delights in the prosperity of His people”, so I decided to outline how Jesus defined prosperity. It is way to easy to define prosperity as our culture likes to define it, and we ignore the clear teachings of Jesus.
Here is how Jesus prospers us:
Blessed are you poor,For yours is the kingdom of God. – Luke 6:20
Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. – Luke 18:22
I think these two scriptures teach us that true riches are not as the modern day prosperity gospel defines “blessing”, but on the contrary Jesus says blessed are the poor. The Kingdom of God is the only true prosperity we need.
In Revelation, Jesus addressed a poor and a rich church, and took the opportunity to define what is poor and what is rich. He calls the rich church poor, and the poor church rich. Why did he do that? I think it is because He has a spiritual view of prosperity, not a physical one.
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) – Revelation 2:8
Contrast that with what Jesus told the “prosperous” church.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; – Revelation 3:17-18
Notice how Jesus didn’t tell the poor church they need to seek the fullness and abundance of God. The reason is because they already had it without mammon. The modern day prosperity gospel is not of God…not preached by Jesus Christ.
Once again, Jesus turns our “wisdom” on its head. He said those who we consider rich (even though they are in church) are poor, and those who we consider poor are rich.
If you follow the prosperity gospel, you may need to take heed from the Apostles who warned of such error:
They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 2 Peter 2:14-15
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Jude 1:11
They warn of the error of Balaam, who was a prophet of the living God, but was enticed away by profit. If you look at the story of Balaam, he never denied God and only said what God told him to say (he never cursed Israel), but he obviously wasn’t doing what was right in the eyes of God.
I believe Peter and Jude are talking about church leaders who really desire position, money, power, and notoriety. In their desire to gain followers they are willing to compromise the message of Christ to “tickle ears”. One of the means of “tickling ears” used today is by telling people God wants to help them to prosper financially. It is a very enticing message that I fell into for a few years.
Tags: False Gospel, Jesus Christ, Prosperity Gospel
Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
I was told by a friend that Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle preached about a Rabbi who is teaching at a local church. Because of the passion Pastor Mark showed, the sermon caused my friend to decide to leave the City Church. Thank you Pastor Mark.
I listened to Mark Driscoll’s sermon, and it was excellent. I don’t know for sure, but Mark Driscoll could be speaking about the City Church inviting Rabbi Daniel Lapin to preach about old testament prosperity. In the sermon, he tells about hearing an advertisement on Christian radio to come to the church and listen to the Rabbi teach. He preaches from Nehemiah 13 where the Jews allowed pagans to live and preach in the temple, and Nehemiah came back to kick them out. He then tells the congregation of a local church that is doing that today by allowing a Rabbi (who does not follow Christ) to teach the congregation. The City Church is doing exactly that.
I recommend listening to the whole sermon here: http://media.marshillchurch.org/
Select: Anger and Action (Nehemiah 13:1-14)
You can see a small clip of it on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_MLUuNKjZU
In regards to a church having a non-Christian Rabbi teach your church about money, in my opinion it shows which is more important to the church between Jesus Christ and mammon.
Isaiah 30:9-11
That this is a rebellious people,
Lying children,
Children who will not hear the law of the LORD;
Who say to the seers, “Do not see,”
And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things;
Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
Get out of the way,
Turn aside from the path,
Cause the Holy One of Israel
To cease from before us.”
Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
For more info on having Rabbi Daniel Lapin teach at the City Church “Prosperity with a Purpose Conference 2007″, see this blog entry.
Tags: Mark Driscoll, Prosperity Gospel, Rabbi
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007
I saw Doug Cotton preached a message titled “A Dream Buster – The Expense of an Offense” and chuckled. I kinda knew what to expect, more preaching on “if you are offended, its your fault, your sin, and your problem”. Translation for you laymen out there “Don’t question your leaders – if you do, that is a huge sin”.
I think having Doug preach such a sermon is ironic. If you don’t know why, see this article. The article will explain why Doug doesn’t talk much about the sin of the “offender”, but brings a lot of condemnation on the “offended”.
I listened to the message, and unfortunately found my suspicions were right.
First, Doug started off by reciting a creed about the Bible and had the church repeat after him…
“Today I’m going to receive from God’s word…be who it says I can be…today I can have what it says I can have…today I can do all it says I can do.” Has anyone seen Joel Osteen lately? I digress…
After opening with the Joel Osteen…um I mean Biblical creed, he gives us the Doug Cotton definition of an offense.
Doug Cotton’s Definition Of An Offense:
To put a stumbling block in the way in which another might trip and fall, to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he aught to trust and obey. To see in another what I disapprove of, and what hinders me, listen, once you take up the offense and look at their fault, it will hinder you from acknowledging his authority and to cause one to judge unfairly or unjustly.
When an offense comes, it comes from a grudge. The French word [for grudge] means grouchy.
Right out of the gates, the finger is pointed to the “offended” not the “offender”. If you are offended, then you are caused to judge unfairly or unjustly – or to desert one you aught to trust and obey. To sum up the Doug Cotton’s definition of being offended is “your just grouchy”.
I would like to say, being offended and taking up a grudge are two different things. Being offended is a benign thing. You can be offended for all sorts of reasons, but you can be offended without taking up a grudge.
I could really pick apart the use of scripture and fallacies brought by making the Bible his personal jigsaw puzzle, but I will just say that Jesus didn’t warn those who were offended, but those who brought offenses. Why does Doug spend so much time warning the people who were offended? Seems unbalanced to me…
Matthew 16:23
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Did Jesus have a grudge from the offense? Was the offense a problem for Jesus or Peter? I think it is clear, being offended didn’t bring shame to Jesus.
Matthew 18:7
Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
Luke 17:1
[ Jesus Warns of Offenses ] Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!”
Once again, “woe to that man by whom the offense comes”. After listening to Doug’s sermon I would think it should read “woe to that man who is offended”.
Romans 16:17
[ Avoid Divisive Persons ] Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
Paul taught to avoid those who are offensive, not to avoid those who are offended. We are also to stick to sound doctrine (see my other posts about this one).
After a quick search of the New Testament, I could not find one place where it says if you are offended you are sinning. I believe being offended by itself is not sinful. I think if we become vindictive and hold a grudge then we start to step over the line.
As Christians we need to focus on the things Christ and the Apostles taught us to focus on. In scripture we are taught to be careful to not offend and ask for forgiveness from those we offend. Also, as Christians, we need to pray for those that offend us and seek reconciliation if they are willing to repent. We are to be concerned for the offender because they are going to have a millstone hung around their neck according to Jesus.
Mark 9:42
[ Jesus Warns of Offenses ] “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.
If we relish that thought of them being punished there is a problem. There is nothing wrong with recognizing the offense, and sometime making them public in hopes of repentance. That is exactly what Paul did when Peter was avoiding the Gentiles around Jews. I’ll follow Paul on this one, not Doug.
Jesus said:
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!” shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:22-24
We are not to be angry without cause. We are also to seek reconciliation with a humble heart if we have caused other to be offended.
This type of preaching is commonly used to keep the people who might have questions under control by fear. If you question doctrine, or false teaching then you are labeled as offended, and thus sinning and holding a grudge. I believe the Bible is clear that we are to question what we are taught and to not allow abusive and offending people to be leaders. If this was followed then we wouldn’t have need for such sermons.
Tags: Doug Cotton, The City Church
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