THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part VIII: What Can We Do?
In this blog series we have touched upon some of the major issues concerning Christianity today. These include bad Bible versions, seeker-sensitive churches, the Prosperity and Word of Faith movements, the New Apostolic Reformation and charismania, religious traditionalism and legalism, the embracing of abominations, CRT and social justice, and Progressive Christianity. We only […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part VII: And the Messed-up Church Goes On and On…
So far in this series we have learned of corrupted Bible versions, eartickling church “theaters”, flock-fleecing preachers, blab-it-and-grab-it gurus, NAR and circus/WWF Christianity, and in Part VI, the deathly legalism of morguelike churches. Now we leave the glacial religious wastelands of “the frozen chosen” and venture out into the swamps of today’s Church, […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part VI: Dead, Dull, Dry Religion
There are some churches that seem more like circuses or theaters, and there are others that seem more like mortuaries. I am talking about those churches which are legalistic, religious, and bound up in traditions. Even the more energetic, Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations have them, especially when it pertains to women having to wear dresses […]
GOD’S PLUMB LINE –by James Burch
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a plumb line, also known as a plumb bob or a plummet, is a string with a small weighted “bob”, usually made of metal, on one end. The weight of the bob stabilizes the string, enabling the person using it to make sure that whatever he or […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part V: NAR and Other Forms of Charismania
Some believers have not even heard of NAR (the New Apostolic Reformation) while others have, and still others have been tricked into believing that it is actually Biblical. Also, there are other variations of the Pentecostal/Charismatic side of things which, quite frankly, are an embarrassment to those of us who embrace a Scriptural […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part IV: The Prosperity and Word of Faith Movements
One thing which makes deception so dangerous is the fact that it is usually mixed with just enough truth to make it believable. This is so with the prosperity and the word of faith movements. In and of themselves, these are Biblical concepts as you can see here: Deuteronomy 8:18: “And you […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part III: The Seeker-Sensitive Church Movement
Among the issues which have worked to weaken the Church is the seeker-sensitive church movement, also called the seeker-friendly church movement. This is not exactly new. As long ago as the 1960’s the late Robert Schuller was operating in one of the hallmarks of this movement: emphasizing the positive aspects of Christianity. While […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part II: The Word of God Under Fire
The Bible is the Word of God. This has been known and understood by believers both in the Old Testament era and in the Church Age. These two Scriptures are but a tiny sample of how the Word is a sure guide to those who live by it, and that it is inspired (God-breathed) in […]
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHURCH, Part I: An Overview
A. Introduction Attacks against the Church are nothing new. Ever since its inception, the Church has been assaulted many times and in various ways by the kingdom of darkness. A lot of the attacks have been, and are, from the outside. We have heard of various forms of persecution. However, there is another form […]
FADING FRAMES OF REFERENCE
In the wake of the covid pandemic (or plandemic), we have often heard it said that “Normal isn’t coming back.” I think of those things with which we have become familiar: Most folks not wearing face masks, no news of a pandemic, persons going to dine in at restaurants or reporting to work […]
MOTHER’S DAY
Mother’s Day is celebrated in different ways, for different reasons, some of them religious, and at different times of the year in many parts of the world. Some of these have been observed for centuries. I will be dealing with Mother’s Day as it is celebrated in the United States, along with some Scriptural […]
THE LOVE OF MONEY
As far back as antiquity, in man’s very earliest beginnings, there have always been systems for purchasing things and for measuring wealth, whether it was in such ways as, for example, trading goods (bartering), accumulation of possessions such as cattle and livestock, weighing precious metal coins, or using coins and paper currency. Another time-tested […]
THEY CAN’T BE BOTHERED
There are many people who are marginalized in society or are otherwise on the fringes, such as the homeless; the widowed; those in jails, prisons, and mental health institutions; people in nursing homes; even those who because of serious health issues spend a lot of time in the hospital. Here are several Scriptures to […]
LEST A WORSE THING COME UPON YOU
John 5:14: Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” At the beginning of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, we see a pool in Jerusalem called Bethesda. The name Bethesda is […]
NO HUNGER FOR GOD
We live in a very busy age, in a world full of distractions. There are so many places to go and things to do, the allure of the internet and entertainment, and so forth. None of us is immune to distraction, which is why we have to make time for God and for the […]
EASTER: RESURRECTION DAY
Every year much of the world sees the observance of Easter, which is normally in April but sometimes falls in late March. The origins of the name “Easter” are much more obscure than many realize. According to a Got Questions article (retrieved 4/13/2022): “and paraphrased” [Bede, a monk and historian who lived in the […]
ABOUT THE INTERNET
Daniel 12:4: “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” These words were spoken by the angel Gabriel to Daniel, a Jewish man who lived most of his life in Babylon and then Persia, […]
FELLOWSHIP, ANYONE?
Acts 2:42-47: And they continued steadily in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, […]
HEAVY BURDENS
In my blog, “The Carnal Christian”, one of the Scriptures I shared was 1 Corinthians 10:13. Before proceeding into the subject matter in “Heavy Burdens,” it is necessary for me to revisit that Bible verse, but for a different reason: 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common […]
THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN
There is a term we hear sometimes in Christian circles—lukewarm. That comes from what Jesus said to the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. There is another term we may hear sometimes: the carnal Christian. For those of you who are not familiar with the Bible, yes, it’s in there: 1 Corinthians 3:1-4: […]
