Oh, this is an easy question! It's the solutions that are hard...
1. We Are Illiterate: American evangelicals are ignorant of the Bible. We have more Bibles, and Bible study material around, than just about any industrialized nation. But I doubt there has there been a time in American history when the Christians were as ignorant of Christian doctrine and moral law as we are today. A massive number of American Christians are obsessed with chasing experiences, rather than attaining faith and knowledge. As a result, the Bible is of little use to the American evangelical, except to retroactively justify whatever cheap, shallow, self-oriented experience we claim we have had.
2. We Are Undiscerning: American evangelicals are brainwashed that it's a sin to "judge" -- meaning, it's a sin to competently tell the difference between truth and error, and right vs. wrong. "Grace" has been corrupted as a doctrine to mean a license for sin, and "love" is so unconditional that we are expected to say nothing against overt transgression. The worst sin in our churches is to be "unloving", which means, to enforce Biblical standards of morality and personal ethics. People who examine the doctrinal integrity of books and movements are attacked as "heresy hunters".
3. We Are Agnostics: American evangelicals don't believe that it's possible to know anything clearly enough to be firm about it. We are as agnostic as our unbelieving neighbors. Even though nature shouts the existence of God at us every day in every way -- even though the Bible claims to be clear -- we don't believe that. We refuse to believe that. We think it's a virtue, and we think it is humility, to be confused and lacking conviction. Our intellectual humility is actual false pride, as we rebel against anything that sounds like confidence or certainty.
4. We Are Irrational: American evangelicals don't believe in God's gift of reason. We believe in mindless intuition, instead, and attribute all our most groundless, unfounded, and lawless impulses to the Holy Spirit. We go around trying to "sense" everything, like psychic telepaths for Jesus. You can blame Pentecostalism and Pietism for this wave of babbling mindlessness in American Christianity.
We American evangelicals are biblically illiterate, ethically amoral, intellectually agnostic, and religiously irrational. As a result, Vince Gill's mistress Amy Grant is still selling inspirational albums, anti-trinitarian T.D. Jakes is a best-selling author in the Lifeway stores, Pentecostal mega-church preacher Ted Haggard goes down in flames while buying meth and getting sodomite massages, 67% of Iowan evangelicals recently polled agree that Mormonism is just another type of Christianity, the sexual behavior of most of our church teens is no better than the sexual behavior of non-Christian teens, liberal-socialist sociologist Tony Campolo has been a lauded "Christian" speaker for decades, and...
...well, you get the point. But what can we do about it? Do we have to wait until some modern "Assyria" attacks? Are we all living in Habukkuk's days?
Monday, December 24, 2007
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18 comments:
Jack,
Generally speaking, you are correct in your anayslis. However, if we see Christianity as being in the extreme minority then Christianity is more healthier. The questions is how to purify the church without making it become a legalistic, graceless institution. Their will always be tares within the church. The key is try not to let them be the spokesmen for the church. Is is difficult today because the church does not get to choose its spokesmen. Communication has completely turned topsy-curvy in that is is based on democratic principles.
-- John C
By the way Amy Grant was never Vince Gill's mistress. And she has every right to sell gospel albums if she has accept Christ as her savior and follows him. Singing about Jesus shouldn't stop and selling songs on cds about Jesus shouldn't stop just because she divorced her first abusive husband.
Name calling IS also un-Christ like. Judging a situation you know nothing about is un-Christ like. The people who love Amy know exactly why she left Gary Chapman. She didn't cheat. She married her second husband after she divorced her first one. They didn't have sexual relations until after they were married and they both have said so. Vince Gill was already legally divorced way before he and Amy dated. The reasons are private and should stay that way. But calling her a mistress is just downright un-Christ like and nasty. Jesus loves her, died for her and we'll all be sharing Heaven with her someday. So let's practice forgiveness and love each other now before we face the One who will call us on our unforgiving hearts. Remember scripture says Love does not keep an account of wrongdoing, but rejoices in the Truth. Good words to live by.
Randy V.
Give me a break, Anonymous. The Chapmans' church disciplined them, and issued a statement that they were both guilty of covenant-breaking. Grant and Gill began their affair after meeting each other during the taping of a Christmas TV special. Janice Gill found a love note from Grant to Gill, stuffed into his golf bag. Then the two of them got onto national TV and rationalized like mad, justifying their mutual infidelity. Your response exemplifies exactly what my post is about -- American evangelicalism has been taken over by the fanboy/fangirl mentality that convinces itself of whatever it is most pleased to believe, regardless of the facts.
No, infidelity is sex outside of the marriage covenant. Pastor Scott Smith said the marriage covenant was broken. He did not give any further details. The only comment he made was that a marriage covenant can be broken other than sexual infidelity. And he stated that adultery was not an issue in the Chapman breakup.
The supposed love note was gossip and printed in gossip rags, the type that are at your local supermarket checkouts. The Gills have denied any sexual affair and Janice Gill made a public apology in a televised interview stating she was just angry that Vince had moved on so quickly after their breakup. (she is now remarried to a man more than 10 years her junior)
Gary Chapman had been dropped by his record label and was ostracized by the music industry for quite awhile after the breakup. Grant was not. It is a well known fact that Chapman badly mistreated his first wife Amy. Gossip? Nope. The testimony of those who spoke up in defense of Grant during the divorce. I saw Grant and Chapman at an appearance more than 20 years ago at a record listening event. He belittled Amy publicly back then in speaking to others. I've never seen a Christian husband treat his wife like that before. I'm sure God has forgiven all the parties involved because he promises that very thing in His word. So should we continue to hold up those terrible circumstances to those people forever? Again scripture says: Love does not keep an account of wrongdoing but rejoices in the Truth. Thank the Lord that we are judged by a merciful God and not by imperfect human beings.
Yea and Sandy Patty admitted to an affair, she divorced her husband and married her lover. It seems everyone is over that and has allowed her to move on, but as for Amy Grant in which details and gossip have become intertwined and repeated as facts which they are not she is still being name called and judged. Nice double standard christians have there. Give your favorites a break but slam those you don't like. And based on no personal knowledge just media reports. Very sad.
*** Lonnie
On September 26, 2006, Nashville Metro Police reported that Chapman had been arrested on charges of drunk driving and drug possession after he was pulled over for speeding. His blood alcohol content registered nearly twice the legal limit, and a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana pipe were allegedly found in his pocket.[1]
He pleaded guilty to drunken driving on March 1, 2007, and has had his driver's license suspended, and he will attend an alcohol safety class.
Grant had had enough. Chapman's drug and alcohol issues were too much for her and her children.
I think almost 20 years have trying to get him to straighten out was a fair portion of time for Grant. I guess he hasn't changed even with a new wife.
love Gary Chapman - incredible voice. Seems like this habit that Gary has is not a new habit - that being drugs and alcohol.
I read that he's in Bankrupty Court and being accused of fraud. I also read that his second wife - Jennifer Pittman Chapman has filed for legal separation - after 6 1/2 years of marriage. She couldn't put up with this - and everyone chastized Amy Grant for putting up with it for 17 years and finally seeking divorce.
What I saw in Gary Chapman was a man that liked having 'toys'. A helicopter? A Harley Davidson? An extensive musical instrument collection.....a recording studio. None of these things are bad, in of them themselves, but he used to flaunt these items.....I never saw that from Amy Grant.
At Chapman's reception to second wife Pittman, I read that Tom Arnold (once married to Roseanne Barr) gave some sort of toast. Well, I don't know about you, but I have always thought that Mr. Arnold was a bit risque and borderline raunchy and never. Why is he so close to Chapman? Just asking....not making a judgement call.
You'll notice that Amy Grant continues to work with the people she and Chapman once worked with in their marriage. Michael W. Smith, her agents, and so forth.
I say - where there's smoke, there's fire....
Pray for Mr. Chapman......
This is exactly what I mean. I write a post about the spiritual illiteracy and shallow-mindedness of American Christians, and the comments page turns into a fangirl attempt to justify the past actions of Amy Grant, which proves my thesis.
Nobody owes Amy Grant a career in Christian music. Her former husband was (and is, apparently) a total foul-up. I can believe it, I've read about his drug record in the past. But Gary Chapman being a loser doesn't make Amy a winner. In all this time, Grant has never admitted having done something wrong; insyead, she and Gill went on 20/20 and wove this fantastic tale of rationalization. Kudos to Sandi Patti, who says right out that she sinned (more than once), and was repentant.
Chapman's immorality and intoxication doesn't change the laws of God. Grant had freedom to separate from him but remain single in the hopes of reconciliation (1 Corinthians 7:11). Chapman should have come under church discipline. If he'd been put under discipline, he would have entered the status of a heathen and a tax-gatherer (Matthew 18:17), and Grant would have had the freedom in God's eyes to divorce him -- since he would have occupied the position of an unbeliever who was making it impossible for them to stay married by his criminal, dangerous actions (1 Corinthians 7:15). He would have, in effect, driven her away with his (alleged) womanzing and incessant drug use.
But nothing justifies Gill and Grant having an affair; and it's a lie that Gill and his wife were separated at the time. And even if they had been, it still would have been a sin for Grant to enter into any sort of romantic relationship with Gill. God's will would have been for Gill and his wife Janice to reconcile, according to 1 Cor. 7. So don't make excuses for Amy Grant and Vince Gill's infidelity by pointing at Gary Chapman's idiocy. None of us are freed from the obligation to fear God and keep His commandments because somebody else is sinning.
From what I've read Janis and Vince Gill were already divorced by 1997. Not until 1999 did Grant file for divorce from Gary Chapman. And they had been separated numerous times while in counseling. So maybe Gary didn't repent. It may very well have played out the way you said it should have. I consider an affair of a physical sexual nature. If Grant and Gill did not sleep with each other but dated and married after their divorces and it seems Gill was divorced quite awhile before Grant then maybe it's their timing and not telling all. But then should we the public be privy to any of that? They have kids to think about. And they don't owe the public anything. Just the others involved and that may be what they did. It may be resolved with their minister, the very people involved and whatever. No one owes Grant a career and I don't think anyone is saying that. She has the right to sing about the God she loves so much. Just like the rest of us. But we also can't make up what we believe is the truth or a scenario that we believe to be true and state it as so. If people don't want to believe Grant and Gill's version then that's up to them but the only ones who know what really happened are the ones directly involved. So in light of that we move on, pray for those involved that God will heal them and use them to further his kingdom. Just like us when we fall. God extends his hand when we repent to him and pulls us up and helps us back on our path.
Blessings to you!
Bizarre that everyone is trying to figure out who sinned and caused Amy and Gary to divorce. What would Jesus say? "Go forth and sin no more." I agree that we need to be discerning as Christians, but I doubt that a "Christian" book store has a God-give mandate of discernment. If they only sold music or books authored by non-sinners, the shelves would be empty. What Christians today seem to have difficulty with is differentiating between being judgmental or condemning and making judgment calls (being discerning). We have no reason to condemn, but we need to understand that we do not need to condone sin in accepting sinners.
Could we go back to Sandy Patty here? Is it just me or does it seem morally wrong that she can say she's 'repentant' yet leave her covenant husband, marry her adulterous lover, take her kids from her covenant and take his kids from his covenent and now they're both 'sorry' so God is blessing them? I agree we have gotten so far away from biblical truths and morals that we don't even know where the lines are any more.
In Patty's case, she'd already left her husband and married the other man before she got back with the Lord -- or so I understand.
It's telling to me that this post comment thread into a "Amy Grant Is Great!" debate. Which itself is a symptom of exactly what's wrong.
Wow, really loved the comments. Jack you are so right. I read the Bible everyday. I live and breathe to know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit on a daily intimate and personal level. I have no formal or traditional theological background but I know God very well (Heb 11:6). I diligently seek God daily and He is my rewarder. I have read the Bible through many times. Every year I usually get through the entire Bible. Of course, one year I did not because I read a commentary along with my Biblical reading. It took me approximately 17 months to get through the Bible that year.
We are illiterate. We have forgotten our first love. We are to love God. That does not mean we show love to God by loving others. We have forgotten to love God. We dont use the five love languages for God
1. Words of Affirmation
a. Thanksgiving- gratefulness for God’s generosity and kindness
b. Praise- for His wonderful, perfect character
2. Ways to spend Quality Time with God
a. Study time in the Bible
b. Quiet time – giving God the opportunity to speak
c. Prayer Time
d. Praise/Worship Time
3. Acts of Service for God
a. Obedience- complete and instant obedience. God does not always ask us to do for others. He sometimes wants us to do something just for Him.
b. Respect and Fear of God
4. The Gifts that God would like to receive from us
a. Our life
b. Our family
c. Our possessions
d. Our ambitions or goals
e. Our Jobs
God deserves to be the center of our whole world. He should have the final say in everything that we do and say. We should all be willing to give ourselves to Him and His will.
5. How do we Physically Touch God
a. Lifting our hands to God in the Spirit
We are undiscerning. I recently encountered a Christian who says they repented of their sin but the choice or sin they had done was the "right" choice. I was completely blown away. Wrong is wrong and right is right. She was attempting to say that the wrong choice was the only right choice this would make I Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape", that ye may be able to bear it" a complete lie. I know that God gives a way of escape and I was able to quickly see the escape in her situation but she did not want that way. Also, I loved the words you used that reveal the heart of the matter. "Unconditional love" which is a complete lie. God has conditions. You must believe and accept His love so it has conditions. I can look at a gift and if I don’t accept or take the gift it means nothing. The gift cannot be mine if I don’t accept the gift.
I love the words of "grace" as a license for sin. I have heard a pastor tell me that when approached on obeying the Ten Commandments. He was covered by grace because he knew he was sinning. Wow! I was amazed.
You are right it is not a mystic feeling or a "sense" it is a book of complete truth and direct evidence of what is right or what is wrong. I want to add one more thing to our irrationalism in Christianity. It is extremely difficult to find a church that just has a Biblical standard. This eliminates even the possibility of upholding this standard. They have not developed a standard to uphold.
They base a doctrine on what will people live with and accept. Who are we to decide how to judge? God is the judge and He has a standard. We are to always uphold His standard and His commands. This is not judgmental this is obedience and if we truly love God we will obey. In John 14:15-31 (a) Jesus says three times that if you love Him you will obey Him. The fourth time He states that if you don’t love Him you will not obey His teaching. Jesus finishes with this final note in the chapter; he declares that He does what the Father commands Him to do. He informs us that He is setting the example that we should follow. Jesus loves the Father and shows His love through obedience. I really loved this piece of writing. Thank you so very much. It is refreshing and wonderful to hear wisdom, knowledge and understand of God and His holy, wonderful, and awesome standards that need to be applied daily to our lives. Thanks again
I agree with you Jack. I think most people are missing the point. You are judging people by God's standard and as Christians that is our duty and responsiblity. We are to judge using the Bible as the example of God's commands because He is the judge.
I am tired of hearing how they think God judge's. Read the Bible and you will KNOW. Great article.
If God's commandment lays down a law, and we break it, we're in the wrong, even if the emotional stresses that pushed us in that direction might have been very great, and other people (including me) can sympathize with why and how someone reaches that point.
Biblical illiteracy doesn't know what the New Testament teaches about divorce, and just stupidly staggers along in line with whatever the culture currently says is right. Liberalism doesn't care what the New Testament teaches about it, and tries to excuse that attitude by getting us to "feel bad" for someone (such as Amy Grant) who breaks God's law.
Jack, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am a mother of 4 sons and spend hours reading and teaching my children the WORD. I am from a messianic background so the OT comes into our teachings as well as the NT. I am appalled at the mainstream churches of American. I am constantly having to take to task youth pastors promoting movies and various other types of so called worship music (screamo). Last week a youth pastor from the Free Evangelical church taught a youth lesson that you could watch movies, take the good out of them, throw out the evil because that's what the Holy Spirit provided you this ability. I called him to confront him and he said yes, that's what I believe. I said what about "Be Ye Holy As I am Holy" verse. He proceeded to call me legalistic, etc. I am a regular mom with my kids. They dress modestly, but not so different they stand out. They listen to some contemporary worship music, but I can't believe what the churches in America are coming to. I spend more of my time fighting the teachings of these churches. Do they not realized that God sent Israel into captivity for sexual impurity and idoltry, which I pointed out to him. I feel like we are doomed in America and do deserve judgement. Our churches refused to preach the whole gospel just sermonettes to inspire and motivate us. What happen to taking up your cross daily to suffering for the gospel. Oh...I forgot those aren't popular...make you feel good messages. According to today's churches and preachings (Olsten, etc). Jesus would be a failure and pretty unpopular. I know there are some churches that are doing the job right. It is just so sad to see a generation (my kids included) being so mislead by churches. I remember when I was saved in the 80's, churches having discipliship program, speaking of personal quiet times, and family devotions. I seems like everybody wants the church, or the Christian school to do their job (parents), but they don't want to teach their children themselves or investigate what these Youth Groups are teaching. Thanks for letting me vent. I pray for America and the sad condition of our churches. Blessings
The vast, overwhelming bulk of Hollywood product is poisonous trash. Not just the overt stuff like porn, the gore, the bad language; I'm talking worldview. In the more sophisticated films, you bathe in the atheism, the nihilism, the amorality, situation ethics, perversion amusingly portrayed with laughter, misery disguised as touching poignancy. A youth pastor who says such a thing has his worldview filters barely turned on.
If the omelet is full of broken glass shards, poison toadstool slices, and rusty nails, and then boiled in urine, you don't eat it for the sake of the really good grade of ham slices the cook used.
Les McFall has an interesting way to deal with the exception clause in Matthew 19:9. He has written a 43 page paper that reviews the changes in the Greek made by Erasmus that effect the way Matthew 19:9 has been translated. I reviewed McFall's paper at Except For Fornication Clause of Matthew 19:9. I would love to hear some feedback on this position.
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