Parents - Beware!

The past few posts have dealt with an article written by Family Pastor Jarred Kennedy of Sojourn Church in Lousiville, KY.  This article highlights to me the pressing need for churches to make sure they are teaching the Gospel as the Bible teaches it in light of what I call the Gumbo of Theology that is coming out from all corners of theological life today.  Our younger couples in America do not have the background that I was blessed with - many do not come from families with steady spiritual emphasis in the younger years.  There lives have not been filled with Biblical teaching and preaching.  At best, we often see a mix of theological thought when we do see it.

The article appears at a time when several popular speakers and writers launched similar attacks on the "asking Jesus" or "praying the prayer" events that are found common in millions of Christians salvation experience over the years.  These attacks are rooted in the Calvinist approach to Theology and are Reformed in their nature.  They stem from a Protestant background with a disdain for the revival movements of years gone by.  They make huge generic assumptions which seemingly reinforce their idea of how salvation works and the method of.

Young couples void of much background are quick to grasp at this different approach for several reasons.  They have heard of abuse in the past when people were coerced into emotional responses to a sermon or event that said "if you want to go to heaven, do xyz".  I understand that past and have fought to change the damage that a few have done.  I also know first hand that this damage is NOT widespread.  Evangelists have been men of honor and servants of the Lord for years.  Though you can always find a bad one, the good ones far out number the bad!  I personally detest the lumping of all evangelists into a bad category and find the generalizations that do appalling and arrogant; and lacking in Biblical conduct.

Parents who God has blessed with children have a huge spiritual responsibility.  This begins with the sharing of God's plan for the world and the gift of Jesus.  Teaching the Biblical truths of sin and the effects of.  Clearly acknowledging that Hell is a real place and the place where sinners who have NOT experienced God's Salvation in Jesus spend eternity must be taught and reinforced.  In this, parents beg for God to save their children.  We pray and talk.  We place them in vibrant ministry environments so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is heard over and over again.  We desire with all our being for our children to experience salvation in Jesus Christ.  And this we should do!

Enter time warp to NOW.  Suddenly people in popular positions and influence are teaching that which is different than what we have been taught or are currently hearing.  We read articles such as this that without a deep background in the Word of God would make us cringe and fearful.  No where in the article is the "how to" told.  No where is hope given that Salvation will come.  I find this frightening.  With all the complaints of the past ideas and approaches, with all the glory of the so called re-captured Gospel, there is NO plan.  Tell the history.  Just tell the history.

The reason for this is that the author, and those who think like him, actually believe that you are either born being saved or you are born with NO hope of ever being saved.  No decision is required.  It is a settled thing with God and Jesus only died for the elect.  So you are either elect at birth or lost, damned to Hell for eternity.

Parents beware!  The Bible does NOT teach this. 

Jesus repeatedly offers salvation to all who will receive.  John 3:16 is right the way you have heard it; "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believes on Him shall NOT perish, but have everlasting life!" The Bible goes on to say in Philippians 2:12;  that we should "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling". 

Salvation is too serious an issue to be tossed around with ideas that lead people down paths of NOT calling others to repentance; especially their own children.  I know without a doubt that God knows who will be saved and who will not.  He desires all.  Yet He knows some will NOT respond to His Holy Spirit and accept His gift.  But it is offered to ALL!

Our church has overhauled our ministry to children for this very reason.  We do not coerce children into emotional decisions.  We do however teach what the Bible says about sin, Hell, and Heaven.  We teach that without repentance, their is NO remission of sin.  That only Jesus can save you.  We teach that when the Holy Spirit convicts, one needs to respond.  We teach the Gospel from the Gospel perspective and NOT from a Reformed Protestant view.  We give children and all people Jesus and call them  to respond as God leads.  We have two and often three staff members deal with children to make sure to the best of our human ability that the child is responding to the call of God and NOT making a decision out of fear of Hell or "wanting" to go to Heaven.

I cannot imagine the idea of a parent doing anything but the above.  Nor can I grasp a church that would NOT do the same.  I respectfully and emphatically deny that the article critiqued has any validity and I firmly believe it leads parents down a dangerous path, thus their children.  

Parents beware!  Your children's eternal destination is at stake.  Don't put another stumbling block in front them.

Entering into a relationship with Jesus - Part 3

And so we continue:

The author states:

Point 6 - The phrase "ask Jesus into your heart" is neither commanded in scripture nor found as a description of conversion.

Question:  Is the author desiring/communicating that only an acknowledgement of the work is needed?


My thoughts:  This point gets to the core of a major issue with this line of reasoning.  I find it odd that no mention is made of the "what" that is to take place?  As with many today, it appears that the author is leading parents down a path that would have them lead their children to REALIZE they are in the elect.  And thus if no realization occurs, they were then NOT part of the elect.




Point 7 - God only saves those who repent of their sin and delight in His Son.

Question:  Does God save others who are NOT repentant and DO NOT delight in Jesus?

My thoughts:  This is were we see the breakdown in this theology.  The author opens the door for people being in God's family without repenting.  No where in the Bible is this allowed nor shown.  The author uses a verse out of Revelation and the Laodicia church to highlight this.  I honestly do NOT see the connection with the point and the reference.  He also makes a distinction between the church and people.  Yet we know that individuals make up the local churches and all saved are in the body of Christ.  


Point 8 - Leading a child in a "sinners prayer" may give the child false assurance.

Question:  Has anyone, anywhere, even hinted at this idea?

My thoughts:  Assurance only comes via the Spirit of God.  As the Spirit of God relates to the truth of God's Word lived out in our life, assurance flows.  Without the Truth of God's Word lived out in our life, the Spirit has nothing to assure us of.  The real need is for repentance which comes from Godly sorrow over our sin.  And in that sorrow, we call out to God accepting His gift of Jesus in payment for our sins and acknowledging Him as Lord of our life.  This may be the first time I have heard of "false assurance" from praying.  


Point 9 - This presentation robs God of His sovereignty.

Question:  How?

My thoughts:  In this final point we see the real goal motivating the article.  The author is convinced that some are born elect while others are born with NO hope of salvation.  Read that again.  This is what this article is all about.  And the article has as it's goal a two fold outcome:  teach this thought to parents and teach this thought to children.


One is left with a simple understanding from this article.  All we need to do is just realize that we are elect.  In this realization, repentance will come, and faith will be exercised.  But I will leave you with this thought and why this is an issue with me:

2 Cor 7:10
10    For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
(NKJ)

Entering into a relationship with Jesus - Part 2

As we continue this series on the "how" a person enters into a relationship with Jesus, we will pick up with the real reason this article was written and the 9 points the author of the article makes pertaining to sharing the Gospel with children and why another way is bad/wrong.

The author states:

I have come to believe that the phrase “ask Jesus into your heart” can be a dangerous way of calling someone to faith.

Point 1 - This type of figurative language is NOT appropriate for children.

Question:  Since when?  The Bible uses this same type of language.  Are we really at a point where we are going to question the very Words of Jesus?

My thoughts:  This is a straw man if ever there was one.  David Platt has made the same statement.  The real motivation of this statement is to attack the idea that the Gospel/Salvation is available for all/who so ever.  If a person is born elect and has no choice, then their will not be a decision nor a asking into the heart moment in their life.  There will be a moment of "realization".

Point 2 - Salvation does not come from our asking, but from what Jesus has done.

Question:  Do we have to accept it or is it automatic?

My thoughts:  I will add to what I stated above in Point 1 this:  The Reformed/Calvinist thought actually believes that the Gospel is limited and thus some people are born with NO hope of salvation.  People do not need to ask Jesus into their hearts for they were elect from the beginning.  They just need to realize it.  Those who do NOT realize, were not elect, and thus destined for hell with NO hope ever.

Point 3 - The gospel is NOT primarily about Jesus’ work in our hearts, but about Jesus’ work in history.

Question:  Does our heart matter?



My thoughts:  I fully grasp the statement if it were to stand alone, absent an agenda.  However, this statement is another way of restating Point 2.

Point 4 - The Gospel Appeals to more than emotion.

Question:  Who said that emotion is all that the Gospel appeals to?

My thoughts:  The attack here is on Revivalism.  Simply put, Reformed/Calvinist actually think that people over the years who accepted Christ during revival meetings or during an invitation call made a preacher to accept Christ, really did not have it right.  Again, the assumptions made are startling.  Yes there were those who used emotion to get people to walk the isles.  Yes it was wrong.  But the majority did not rely on emotions and to make such an implication is absurd.  The author then states in this point that accepting Christ is "finally resting in Christ".  Again, accept that it is a reality of the elect and NOT a decision that needs to be made.

Point 5 - Over emphasizing a change of heart can actually discourage a child.

Question:  Do you realize that this appears to negate the role of brokenness?

My thoughts:  A heart change is what is needed!  Brokenness allows one to see this need and leads to confession and repentance.  The thought expressed by the author is one derived from the secular counseling side of theological thought.  It is bad theology and the fear does not exist.  It preys on the parents sensitivity which when applied, would lead parents down a path of NOT calling their own children to repent.  This is SAD!

The next post will continue with points 6 - 9.

Entering into a relationship with Jesus - Part 1

While reading articles on ministry and practice in our current day, my Children's Pastor walked into my office and referred me to an article that dealt specifically with the subject of what NOT to do when sharing the Gospel with a child.  The article is written by a Family Pastor at a church that is quite large in attendance.  I was curious to see what his take was on just how a person "gets saved", or accepts Christ, or...?  The article had my blood boiling quickly.  The article highlighted the confusion being created by those of the Reformed ideas of Soteriology and the deep depths of their intentions to take this poor theological system to the world. 

In the beginning, The Editors of the site that published the article had the following disclaimer/embrace:

Sharing the gospel with our children is an extremely critical task and the language we us to communicate the good news to them is also vitally important. This article offers an alternative view to a very traditional method of evangelism.

From this beginning, it is clear that the information to be shared is against what the author and editors know to be "traditional" in relation to how one accepts Christ or becomes a Christian.  I admit that this statement alone had me boiling.  But the reality that someone has now figured out that we have been doing the command of disciple making wrong and that millions who have accepted Christ over the years have also done it wrong leaves one with no other alternative than to boil - a lot!  The arrogance of the mere thought is typical in the modern day Reformed movement known as New Calvinist.  It is this arrogance that is leading to charges of arrogance, and rightly so.

The author seems to somewhat flip/flop on the subject in his opening by stating:

Your child lies in her snugly, warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy.  I want to ask Jesus into my heart.”  You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks.  You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it.  Puberty hits, and you only have more questions.  She turns away from faith.  You spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.  What went wrong?

 And then the author says the following:

Of course, there is no way to guarantee that an early acceptance of the gospel will stick, and parents should not feel defeated when their adolescents question or even rebel against what they have been taught from a young age.  

Is the author saying that the child accepted Christ, became a child of God, and then lost Jesus or left Him?  True there is NO way as a human being to know for certain that anyone other than self has entered into a relationship with Jesus.  I do not question this at all.  What I do raise as a point of theological fact is that the Gospel is NOT a thing that sticks or does not.  Either a person accepts Christ and becomes a Christian, secured by Jesus for all eternity, or they do not, and remain lost needing to accept Christ.

As a parent of two teenage boys, I never once questioned my sons salvation.  I heard from them of their decision to accept Christ and witnessed the brokenness over sin and the effects of it, in their lives.  Maybe some parents do question this, but to present an article on a subject that is as important as salvation, presuming to know something that is NOT general in terms by any means, presents more of the arrogance of this movement and highlights a great problem - what is the Gospel and how does one enter into a relationship with Jesus and know that it is sealed for all eternity?

My next post will deal with the specifics of this article.  At the end of the review, I will share the article and author information.

How times have changed Part 2

Just in case you think that things in America are not as bad as some are saying, the following article sheds a little more light on the subject.  It is ironic today that everything Christians stand for and everything patriotic Americans stand far, when deemed in conflict with a foreign group, is allowed to be disallowed!

An article you can read hear spotlights this incredible movement in America.  At first glance many could reason with premise that if wearing a flag causes disruptive behavior then...!  However, think about it for just a moment.  If being an American and celebrating being an American is disruptive, one might ask to whom?  The answer - those not Americans.

The irony of using the freedom in America that was paid for by thousands of American men and women losing their lives, to prevent the celebration of America over another country and way of life is to much to pass on.  Granted the Judge in this case is clearly NOT America oriented in his thinking.  But more scary is the fact that this judge is NOT alone.

Here is a thought - try going to Mexico and celebrating the 4TH of July openly.  Try going to Cuba and doing the same.  No way!  This would not be allowed. 

But here in America, fear is now the tool being used to trample our freedoms and transform this country into something it has not been. 

Do we really realize how much times have changed?  What if my preaching on Sundays offends.  Will they come after us next?  Mark my words, those days are here.

How indeed have times changed!

How times have changed

I was reading an article this evening about a Florida Pastor who has been praying at school flag poles for some time.  Now he is being told that it is illegal to do so.  He has committed to continue his prayer time, normally surrounded by parents and grandparents, this coming Monday as normal.  It all got me thinking.

In 1991, See You at The Pole was just getting off the ground as a student prayer meeting.  The movement was student led and grew quickly.  I was serving as a Youth Pastor in Louisiana and facilitated our students with accomplishing the Flag Pole prayer meeting.  It was huge.  And it continued to grow.  After the first year of seeing what God was doing I realized that more could be done.  I got with a fellow Youth Pastor from a neighboring town that was as crazy as I was and we started praying.  We asked God specifically to give us a plan for what we felt was swelling up inside of us.  Did we ever get an answer.

The next year we launched a See You at The Pole Rally.  Remember, we were crazy!  We sought to fill up  an entire Worship Center with teenagers and share the Gospel with them.  We encouraged students to get anyone they could to attend that night.  It was gonna be wild.  More crazy was the fact that neither of us budgeted the event (God placed it on our hearts after budget time) and out of the box thinking was going to be needed.

The plan formalized and with both us of us using our churches equipment and people the first rally day arrived.  The morning Flag Pole was huge.  But would they come that night?  Our church was hosting it.  Our adults had to move out of the Worship Center for their Wednesday night time.  Talk about raised eyebrows.  But they did.  Many of our adults agreed to work security and do other things.  They were still questioning just how many we would have and what in the world this event would be like.  I was doing the same thing!

Thirty minutes until start time and only 25 teenagers were on our property.  I was one nervous dude.  Fifteen minutes before start time and still only 25.  Then with five minutes to go - the swell hit.  That night over 450 teenagers filled our Worship Center.  It was beyond belief.  Over 20 teenagers accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.  5 others surrendered to ministry.  God had done a work beyond what we imagined.  Our youth group took off and from that point on we never baptized less than 30 teenagers a year. 

We continued the event and each year God worked in incredible ways.  And yet today I realized just how much times have changed.  Yes their were challenges back then.  Legally I had an attorney and other people making sure we did not cross any lines.  The schools themselves were supportive and many teachers joined in praying outside of the circle that the students would make.  Parents and grandparents joined.  No one from the school board nor the schools legal office tried to intervene.

Not today!  Funny how people demand their freedom while limiting others.  Funny how other religious groups resist legal pressure while enforcing the same on Christians.    Ironic that the Occupy movement can violate laws and actually get public funds applied to clean up their mess and more.  And yet today, a Pastor is told is it illegal to pray at a Flag Pole?

I'm still thinking...! 

Remember Nehemiah?

Living in these prophetic times we often fail the remember the vast truth found in Gods Word. Truth given specifically to encourage and focus us as we seek to live in obedience to God as individuals and His church. In our failing to remember we fall subject to the traps of Satan. Ironically, Satan continues to do the same old things even today.

With the wall near completion and God clearly working a miracle, a few decided to see if they could distract the workers and stop the project. Fear, lies, and threats were used. Nehemiah had warned the people of such and yet when the attacks came some of the people still listened. The warning was heard but soon forgotten just as we find occurring today in so many places of worship.

Why?

Satan loves to play with our emotions. The simple deception of Satan is powerful in the moment. It shakes us. Fear and despair set in quickly. We should remember but often don't. We should know but usually we forget.

A lady shared with me a story this past week that spoke so clearly to this truth. As banks were beginning to roll out their new fees she and her husband were beginning to panic about money. There accounts would be hit with monthly fees and of course the debit card fee. It was not major but the news triggered emotions from out of the nowhere. They had just made a decision to support their church in a huge endeavor and then WHAM - Satan went to work. Doubts began to build and fear was running wild. Negativity set in along with doom and gloom. A simple bank action had sparked forgetting God and losing sight of His vision.

But her story reminds me of Nehemiah. Her husband, of a different faith practice even, held firm and trusted. In the process of re-arranging their bank accounts to avoid the fees they discovered a refinance was available to them. One that they had not even desired nor thought they could get. Suddenly their fear was gone! Out of nowhere God had used the banks to not only get their attention but also to furnish more than required for them to meet their commitment to what God was doing. Tears filled the eyes of this lady as she recalled what God had done with her doubt and fears.

Nehemiah reminded His people when Satan attacked to hold firm. He reiterated to them that God would provide just as He had already done. The people had gotten to the point of even saying they were willing to go back to Egypt and leave the will of God. Nehemiah said NO and God sparked the people to finish the wall in an even more remarkable and smart fashion.

Nehemiah was just a cup bearer. He remembered. The ladies husband remembered. God full-filled His plan in both situations just as He will do for you!

We would do well to remember Nehemiah and not get distracted from the plans that God has for us!

Until next time...Don't Get Distracted!