About "the Shack"...

I read the book The Shack twice when it first came out. The book has a great emotional impact, and I certainly felt that, but I also had then and have now grave concerns about the theological errors in the story.

Many readers argued "Hey, it's just a story, not a theology textbook." Since then, William Paul Young, author of The Shack, wrote another book called Lies We Believe About God.  This book is not a story, but a clear presentation of his beliefs making it explicitly clear what he believes about God, free will, eternal judgement, etc., and that those beliefs are embodied in the story of  The Shack.  his beliefs and teachings are most definitely not orthodox. I have no plans to see the movie, although I reserve the right to change my mind. However, I most definitely cannot recommend either the book or the movie as accurate theology, or as good things for anyone to read or watch.

 Tim Challies said it better than I could. I encourage you to read his post  What Does the Shack Really Teach. which covers the relevant parts of the new book mentioned above.

The god presented in the book and movie is not the God of the Bible, and not the God revealed by Jesus. It is a god who is not sovereign, does not punish evil, and whose "love" is a limited generic feeling of benevolence.

If you felt power from the story of the Shack, please know that the God of the Bible is more powerful, more loving, but also more Holy.

To Understand the Times

Lord, Help Us Understand The Times 

High King of heaven,Lord of the years and sovereign over time and history,grant to us such an overpowering knowledge of who You arethat our trust in You may be unshakable.

Grant to us too a sufficient understandingof the signs of the times in which we livethat we may know howto serve Your purposes in our generationand more truly be Your people in our world today.

To that end, O Lord, revive us againand draw us closer to Yourself and to each other.

Where there is false contentment with our present condition,sow in us a holy restlessness.

Where there is discouragement,grant us fresh hearts.

Where there is despair,be our hope again.

For Your sakeempower us to be Your salt and light in the world,and thus Your force for the true human flourishing of Your shalom.In the name of Jesus, Amen.

- Os Guinness, Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times

HT: Trevin Wax

Benefits to Reading Broadly

From 4 Lessons I've Learned From Reading Broadly by Lisa Robinson

It’s comfortable for Christians to read inside our denomination/tradition. People who think like us, who draw the same conclusions make learning fun. But I think we can become too tribal about Christianity, put our stake in the ground to quickly and use it to battle others in the body, often unfairly.

I’m increasingly realizing the value of reading broadly and by broadly I mean works outside of our denominational/doctrinal perspectives. Actually, I don’t think I read broadly enough. But the more I do, I’ve recognized some characteristics about myself have emerged that reinforces the need to get out of the comfy box.

1.  My discernment: or rather lack thereof. There’s something about having to read through work that doesn’t necessarily align with my doctrinal/denominational perspective that forces an examination of what the author is really getting at. I love that in seminary, some profs intentionally assign books for this purpose and even some with troubled theology that sounds really good just so we can decipher what is valuable and what is opposed to historic Christian orthodoxy. But if we only read from one perspective, the tendency might be to oppose anything that doesn’t sound like the gurus from our tribe define it.  Reading broadly on the other hand with the intention of understanding, strengthens discernment.

2.  My arrogance: I can place a great deal of confidence in own investigation. And I have. Of course, there were many instances where I claimed to “fairly” evaluate all sides but in reality didn’t really.  Reading broadly confronts that sense of superiority I feel when I think I have everything figured out. It helps me realize that I can learn from others, even those with whom I disagree. When combined with point #1, I’m increasingly finding some valuable nuggets that a more tribal perspective might suppress…and has. In fact, I can’t even count how many times I’ve dismissed something just because it’s aligned with a certain teacher or doctrinal perspective without giving it a fair shake. Yep, arrogance.

Whatever It Takes, Lord!

Seven Ways to Pray for Your Heart -from Joe Bloom at Desiring God

Over the years, as I’ve prayed for my own heart, I’ve accumulated seven “D’s” that I have found helpful. Maybe you’ll find them helpful as well

With seven you can use them a number of ways. You might choose one “D” per day. Or you could choose one “D” as a theme for a week and pray through these every seven weeks. You’ll also note that I have a verse for each prayer. But over time as you pray more verses will come to mind and you might find it helpful to collect them so they are right at hand as the Spirit leads.

I begin each prayer with the phrase “whatever it takes, Lord” because the Bible teaches us to be bold and wholehearted in our praying, not reticent. I also use the phrase because it tests my heart. How much do I want God and all he promises to be for me in Jesus? Do I really want true joy enough to ask for my Father’s loving discipline to wean me from joy-stealing sin? And how much do I trust him? Do I really believe that he will only give me what is good when I ask in faith (Luke 11:11–13)? “Whatever it takes” prayers help me press toward and express childlike trust in the Father.

Delight: Whatever it takes, Lord, give me delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

 Desires: Whatever it takes, Lord, align the desires of my heart with yours.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9–10)

Dependence: Whatever it takes, Lord, increase my awareness of my dependence on you in everything so that I will live continually by faith.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Discernment: Whatever it takes, Lord, teach me to discern good from evil through the rigorous exercise of constant practice.

“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)

Say Goodbye to the Untouchable Preachers

Here's J. Lee Grady saying the truth plainly again -Say Goodbye to the Untouchable Preachers:

God is shaking His church and removing corruption. But we share the blame for giving charlatans a platform....

...How did these false preachers ever achieve such fame? It couldn't have happened without help from us.

We were the gullible ones. When they said, "The Lord promises you untold wealth if you will simply give a thousand dollars right now," we went to the phones and put the donations on our credit cards. God forgive us.

We were the undiscerning ones. When they said, "I need your sacrificial gift today so I can repair my private jet," we didn't ask why a servant of God wasn't humble enough to fly coach class to a Third World nation. God forgive us.

We were the foolish ones. When it was revealed that they were living in immorality, mistreating their wives or populating cities with illegitimate children, we listened to their spin doctors instead of demanding that ministry leaders act like Christians. God forgive us.

We were the naïve ones. When they begged for $2 million more in donations because of a budget shortfall, we didn't feel comfortable asking why they needed that $10,000-a-night hotel suite. In fact, if we did question it, another Christian was quick to say, "Don't criticize! The Bible says, ‘Touch not the Lord's anointed!'" God forgive us....

,,,if we had applied biblical discernment a long time ago we could have avoided this mess. There is no way we can know how many unbelievers rejected the gospel because they saw the church supporting quacks who swaggered, bragged, lied, flattered, bribed, stole and tearfully begged their way into our lives—while we applauded them and sent them money.

When well-meaning Christians quote 1 Chronicles 16:22 ("Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm," NASB) to cover up corruption or charlatanism, they do horrible injustice to Scripture. This passage does not require us to stay quiet when a leader is abusing power or deceiving people.

Well said, Lee, well said.

The Six D's

Whatever it takes, Lord, give me...

Delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.
Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Desire to know you, be with you, and seek your kingdom above all else.
Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Discernment that comes from a renewed mind that I might know your will.
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

Desperation because when I stop feeling my need for you I tend to wander.
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. (Psalm 119:67)

Discipline to plan for what I discern as your will.

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Diligence to do your will with all my heart.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Quote From Jon Bloom at Praying the 6 "D's" :: Desiring God

Discerning the Voices in My Head

"I’ve learned by experience that many Christians cannot distinguish the promptings of the Holy Spirit from the accusations of Satan. The difference is this: The Holy Spirit convicts us for sins that we have been unwilling to face in God’s presence; Satan makes us feel guilty for sins that are already under the blood of Christ — that is, for sins that we have already confessed. The Holy Spirit reminds us of our sins before we are cleansed; Satan continues to remind us of them after we are cleansed."

~Erwin Lutzer in the December 5, 2009 devotional reading from Our Journey

Quoted at: Voices in My Head: Discernment « Thinking Out Loud

Lakeland Outpouring: One Year Later

It has now been about a year since the Lakeland Renewal - the big thing in Charismatic Circles for 2008 - blew up in a scandal caused by Todd Bentley's moral failings. Here's what the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God says now:

QUOTE: "I don't understand why anyone in their right mind would ever give Todd Bentley a platform again. I believe in redemption, but for some things you forever forfeit your public ministry. This man has proven by his lifestyle to be who he is, and our churches shouldn't be using him, period." —Assemblies of God General Superintendent George O. Wood, commenting on what in many charismatic circles has been one of the most divisive issues in the past year. Bentley left the Lakeland Outpouring last August amid scandal and—in fewer than 12 months—divorced, remarried, entered into a restoration process with Rick Joyner and relaunched his public ministry. [theledger.com, 8/15/09]

From: Charima Magazine Lakeland Outpouring: One Year Later

My previous comments here, here and here.

A Wise Warning to the Prophetic Movement

I believe in the continuance of both prophetic gifts and the prophetic office in the church. However, that belief has been somewhat theoretical at times, because I have seen such poor example and lack of good modelling of prophetic ministry within the current self-described prophetic movement. The general exaltation of gifting over character and integrity, combined with a downplaying sound Scriptural teaching as a limitation and protection for prophetic ministry (and some general "flakiness" in practice) have concerned and offended me.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised this week to see the following material in a newsletter from Matt Sorger republished by Charisma Magazine and entitled Just Show Me the 'Stuff'!

It became apparent that what this church wanted was a charismatic show—the "signs following" with no preaching of the Word. I'm sorry, but I am a Word preacher.

I believe their outlook reflects an alarming trend in the prophetic movement. It seems that we are unintentionally cultivating the idea that the truth of the gospel, which emphasizes the power of the cross and blood of Christ, is no longer good enough. We need signs, signs and more signs. A life transformed by the power of God's amazing Word is not enough.

I want you to hear my heart in this. I am all for supernatural encounters. I have had many myself, and I know of others in ministry who have had some beautiful, real, life-changing supernatural encounters with God. But I am not into charismatic hype or manipulation. Just say it like it is. Don't exaggerate, add to or blow something up just to make a good story or to sell a bunch of CDs.

....I am not being negative. I am seeking to bring balance into a movement I am proud to be a part of—a movement that at one time didn't want to hear just empty words but words backed up with real substance, power and glory.I want the real thing! I want the real manifest presence of God. I want the real miracles, the real signs and wonders, the real angelic encounters (as God chooses to give them to me). I don't want a hyped-up version.

And I don't want to hear something new and different just for the sake of hearing something I have never heard before. I want my everyday life encountered in a real way by God's Word and anointing. I want to hear something that I can apply to my life. I want the fullness of God's Word to renew my mind, change me from the inside out and fill my life with real power and glory.

People who want to hear only something they have never heard before are in serious danger of opening themselves up to a gospel that is different from the one we find in Scripture. If you are running around looking for a new revelation without first putting into practice the hundreds of revelations given to us in God's Word, you are looking in the wrong direction. God has not called us to be flakey. He has called us to be solidly grounded in Him, to preach the gospel in season and out, and to impact the world around us as salt and light.

Please follow the link and red the whole thing. Sorger is right on! I think one of the most healthy things that could happen in the prophetic movement is for prophets to either learn how to balance their ministries with sound Gospel preaching and Bible exposition, or to travel with gifted teachers who can provide that balance. And both the prophets and teachers need to listen to and learn from each other. Churches should be led by prophets and teachers (Acts 13:1-3) working together in unity.

I believe that if leaders and followers of the prophetic movement will heed this warning the movement will be much more healthy and useful to the church as a whole and the purposes of God.

Ministry Monkey Business

J. Lee Grady has posted this follow up to his previous post on disciplining errant Christian leader. the new one is called No More Monkey Business in the Ministry. I think I agree with every word of it.

Misuse of The Gift of Discernment (Part 5)

This is the final section from Straight Up regarding The Gift of Discernment Used in the Flesh

Not listening: I have learned a lot from listening to even the harshest of comments this past week. I learned that there is debate about the term Arab Christians use for Jesus of which I was not aware. I learned that some Christians think that Rick Warren is a heretic??? (Presumably the same ones that have now added me to that list??) I learned that any amount of thankfulness for any thing about our new President is the same as supporting every wrong decision he makes and every evil he promotes. I learned that people who are using the gift of discernment in the flesh will not yield to any point of explanation or clarified intent because they DO NOT LISTEN! They only attack and vilify.

Misuse of The Gift of Discernment (Part 2)

This is part 2 of excerpts from James McDonald's article at the Straight Up blog regarding The Gift of Discernment Used in the Flesh

“The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). Righteous anger directed against specific sin and toward a solution is needed and productive for the kingdom of Christ. Unrighteous fleshly anger throws accusations without reason and attacks people without cause. It refuses to listen to intent and is not moved by legitimate objection or explanation. This kind of anger is common place where the gift of discernment is used in the flesh! I receive more than 10k pieces of correspondence in various forms every month. I read my fair share of criticism, some of it no doubt deserved. Correction, exhortation, even rebuke, have their place. But when it comes wrapped in harsh, angry words it does not edify, it does not build up, and it does not advance God’s purposes in this world. I am not a stranger to the sin of anger, and I know that when I have failed the Lord and others in that regard, my conscience is soon pricked and I must repent of my wrong method even if my message was right. Speaking the truth in love is a biblical exhortation often lost to those using the gift of discernment in the flesh. There was some legitimate dissent in my post about Obama, but more recently just a lot of people venting harsh words, with inflammatory language and fleshly anger. Anger that is justified on the basis of Obama’s support for the wholesale slaughter of countless unborn innocents. Should we be angry about that, YES WE SHOULD, but does that justify attacking imaginary targets or dismissing the the 1Timothy 2:1 passage as though Paul didn’t have godless rulers in mind. Wasn’t Nero the guy who was burning Christians to light his dinner parties? It’s never right to do wrong to do right! Never!

Misuse of the Gift of Discernment

I found this post on Monday by James MacDonald at Straight Up on the subject of Great Damage: The Gift of Discernment Used in the Flesh. I thought it was so good, I'm going to post excerpts throughout this week. He is discussing "five ways to know if you or someone you know is using the gift of discernment in their own strength and not the Lord’s," with particular reference to "watch dog sites" in the blogosphere who seem to feel the necessity to correct everybody else. Here's number one.

Isolation: The gift of discernment, like all spiritual gifting, needs the balancing confinement of the local church. Sadly these watch dog sites are typically led by people who have gifts of discernment, often frequented by others with gifts of discernment. As they begin to write and comment they get themselves pretty spun up. Not because they don’t have legitimate warnings to give, but because they are operating in isolation. Without gifts of teaching and pastoring and mercy (to name a few), discernment gifts can quickly spiral into a tornado of twisted meaning. The idea that a man who has preached and written and funded and marched for and recruited volunteers for pro life causes for 25 years is soft on abortion because he exhorts people to find a basis for thankfulness in a very disturbing election outcome, is insane and could only be allowed to stand when gifts of discernment are boiling in the flesh and in isolation. Sadly these folks are often so harsh and so foolishly confident in their own distortions that mature Christians leave them isolated rather than face their fleshly wrath.

True Revival

I's been awhile since I posted on the late Lakeland Renewal. Check this out- from Crossroads discussing R.T. Kendall and the Lakeland "Outpouring":

...Kendall listed several marks of a true revival. It would have Biblical preaching at its center. He says that the Lakeland meetings seemed to have at it's center "angels, miracles and manifestations rather than to Jesus who died on the cross."

This is a rather strong indictment, but I fear it may have been true. However, I repeat again: Why can't we have the Gospel and the Power? Why can't we preach the Cross and the Kingdom? Why can't we we preach the Bible and "do the Stuff"?

I don't know any reason why we can't! So let's do it! That will be a true revival.

Sufficient unto the day...

The Anchoress has really been hot the past few weeks. All of her stuff is well worth reading. Check out this wise advice on the election - Don’t let the psy-ops throw you. This is only an excerpt; I recommend you read it all.

But then again, folks, you know what I always say - everything happens for a reason. There is a reason that this untried, unprepared, not-especially-glib-after-all man has been thrust into such extraordinary prominence at this time. There is a reason why so much seems to be coming together to work in his favor. There is a reason why world markets are collapsing just before this very important election, and why they will continue to do at least until after the vote.

What that reason is? Who can say? All I know is, stop freaking out. At this point in the election 4 years ago John Kerry was wandering around hearing himself referred to as “Mr. President.” This point in 1980, Jimmy Carter was planning his second inaugural.

My advice: live in the Present Moment and ask God to reveal Himself and His plan for you in that moment. Not in the next moment, not in the past moment. Work on the present moment. If you can get a real grasp of that - and if you can remember that past and future are also constructs, because time itself is illusory - then you have no need to hyperventilate.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Go read Matthew, go read the Sermon on the Mount. It’s all about that.

We Must Clean Up Our Own Messes

Last week J. Lee Grady at Charisma Magazine wrote a good article on spiritual discernment that deserves a lot more attention. I recommend everyone read the whole thing, but here's an excerpt.

...in some charismatic churches, hunger for the supernatural is encouraged while leaders seem reluctant to put boundaries around it for fear of seeming intolerant. We stopped teaching discernment because it forces us to draw lines. We desperately need to return to what the Bible teaches us about this important subject:

1. We are commanded to discern. The apostle John instructed us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The word “test” means to “examine as metal”—the process a jeweler would use to prove authenticity. Metals may look the same; only when you apply heat will you find which ones are fake or of low quality. All that glitters, in such cases, is not gold.

We don’t like to test because it seems harsh. We don’t like confrontation. We want to be nice to everybody. But it is the Lord who tells us to test the spirits. Will we please people, or fear God?

2. Discernment is a sign of spiritual maturity. The author of Hebrews told his readers that they were immature babies who couldn’t handle eating spiritual meat. “Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). The implication here is that those who don’t learn to discern are spiritually stunted.

Is it possible that we in the American church have been so focused on satisfying our own material or emotional needs that we have gotten stuck in perpetual infancy? The Bible offers a remedy: Grow up! We will never come to full adulthood in a spiritual sense if we don’t develop discernment.

3. Discernment is damaged when leaders compromise. The prophet Ezekiel denounced the priests and governors of Israel because they didn’t teach the people to discern. “They have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean” (Ezek. 22:26). Discernment, according to this passage, is shaped by the choices leaders make.

When shepherds don’t build fences, sheep wander into wolves’ territory. That’s why God holds leaders to a stricter standard. In some cases today, leaders have brought their flocks to feed near toxic streams. The gospel has been polluted by false prophecies and poisonous doctrines and, in some tragic cases, by the direct impartation of immorality and greed from the pulpit.

After the tragic end to the Lakeland Revival meetings, all of us who believe in spiritual gifts and the continuing role of the supernatural in the life and ministry of today's churches need to pay a lot more attention to discernment, and to the proper pastoral oversight of renewal movements. Maybe then we can, as the dog in the picture is doing, learn to clean up our own messes.