Dear Readers of Shellfish:
What is the absolute worst thing? Well, that would depend on who you are. If you are called into the ministry, the worst thing you could become is an advocate of a false gospel.
If you are a shepherd, becoming a wolf is the worst thing. It would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and to be tossed into the sea than to lead one of the sheep astray.
But that is precisely what is going on today in mass scale. If you are a minister in a denomination that is asked to consider voting on something that is in direct conflict with Scripture you simply must make a decision. You simply must look at the evidence.
Today the evidence to consider is a sermon broadcasted on Day1. Here the preacher plainly advocates not only for a different gospel, he is promoting a different Jesus. This fellow is a great ethical teacher, not someone who became flesh, was crucified for our sake. Look for evidence in the sermon that Jesus laid down his life for the sheep. I don't think you will find it, rather the listeners are asked to turn their back on the doctrine of original sin and the understanding that Jesus died for your sins.
Let's be clear. Deciding to ignore the issue of an active homosexual lifestyle is not the worst thing a preacher can do. Coming to believe in a different gospel so you can make the church more relevant is the worst thing. Preaching a different gospel for any reason is simply not permissible, and doing so in order to feel good about yourself in front of your peers or present yourself well when you meet people is pitiful. When denominations promote radio ministries such as this and do so with the tithes and offerings of unsuspecting members, they are de facto promoting the very thing that they are sworn to not do.
Listen to this sermon at Day 1. What is Day1? It used to be called "The Protestant Hour" but changed its name to be more culturally relevant.
Get back to us and tell us what you think. Have I oversold it? Look forward to your conversation.
Cap'n Bill
PS. Come to think of it, perhaps the next-to-worst thing is having a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing praying that you become one too--that is exactly what this preacher says in the end of the sermon, in my opinion (we all have one, and for the time being we preachers can still express it).
PPS. Yes, we try and use humor here at Shellfish in the same way Samuel Clemens did, but this issue is just too serious for me to put on the pirate schtick.
4 comments:
Dear Anonymous; I'm sure your comment made sense to you when you made it, so could you try and explain it (beyond that you found what I wrote to have prejudice, bigotry, stereo-typing.
I didn't attack anyone, but made some specific points about this sermon and how it is presenting a different Jesus and a different gospel.
Make your point. Accusing people of bigotry is not making a point, it is merely registering an opinion.
BTW, we are not trying to "be enlightened" here. That is so 18th and 19th Century.
I thought Anonymous was making the reverse point -- that revisionists like this Methodist preacher fellow claim to be fighting what they see as prejudice in orthodox Christianity, but in doing so they reveal themselves to be prejudiced bigots themselves (ie asserting that anyone who doesn't see the wisdom of "progressive Christianity" is a homophobic fundamentalist bigot).
Clam
Clam is correct. I was reacting (angrily) to the sermon that I found on the other end of the link, which contained quite a bit of bigotry and stereo-typing directed at those Christians who are not a progressive as he.
Well, shiver me timbers and blow the man down. I be scuttled by my own petard, hardee, har, har. I've been out to sea so long on with only sea gulls, pelicans and me trusty dead parrot to talk to I can't understand ye human sarcasm.
Why I got ye here, let me tell you a joke I found on yahoo kids.
Why wouldn't the parents let their child watch the documentary move on the ELCA? Because it was rated "Har".
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