Honestly, how does the woman find the time to get a radio show done. Evidently, Dave A.K.A. movie pastor wrote an offensive post. What was his offense? Well he said his wife of 25 years was “hot.” He also used the word dude, and calls his post “mind dump.” She actually has three different posts up dedicated to this guy. You can find them all at her site with a little research. Here’s some of my favorite quotes from the mad commenters she sent his way.

I can’t see Abraham referring to Sarah about how HOT she was over and over…she was beautiful but he did not need to say it over and over to boost his ego

WOW! I never thought a paster would resort to saying “dude”, or saying his wife is “hot”.

Dude, mentioning Jesus was like 15th or 16th on your list of the coolest things that pop into your head? That’s cool. Your like some kind of pastor dude, so you probably had to fit Him in somewhere, right?

And then my favorite quote is obviously not a follower of Ingrid

Dang Dude, I don’t check your blog for a couple of days while you’re out of the country and I’ve missed all the fun. Where in the world did you post that attracted all of these people? Kind of reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon where the guy steps in a “nest” of wiener dogs. I don’t know why I bother to associate with such a liberal, childish, emergent, Satan pleasing, and without moral compass pastor.As far as your wife goes I think it would be best if you just followed Abraham’s example in scripture and introduce her as your sister. LOL

For an even better time read the comments on Slice. I know Chris L. doesn’t like the term but how can “fightin’ fundie” not apply? Somehow I failed to put a link up to Dave. Here it is.

Ok, I made that up. But that math isn’t all that different from this math. A guy named Eric Bramlet went to a movie with his wife and he “loved it.” Ingrid reports to us about this pastor and the road that he’s on. Ken then takes that post and somehow links it to Molech and somehow blames Rob Bell.

Anything to get the ole hits up, I guess.

Thanks Ken

In a bizarre twist, which doesn’t surprise anyone actually, Ingrid criticizes a church for hiring a senior woman pastor. Issues aside, Ingrid often acts as an authority over Christian men. Before anyone points out that she only attacks “unregenerate”, let me remind us all that we don’t know the state of anyone’s soul, only God knows that.

Perhaps she should stay at home and consult her husband before she blogs.

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

As our executive pastor, Eric Bryant, spoke on this passage last night I began to think about how it applied to much of what we discuss here.  I don’t think people need to be reminded too often that God is wrathful.  In fact, I would say that the majority of people in this world think of God as an angry dictator in heaven, just waiting to strike someone down dead for their sins.  This is a huge reason why people do not get involved with spiritual life.  They are either too guilty or repelled with their notion of who God is.

However, the scriptures tell us that it is God’s kindness that leads people to repentance.  Paul actually is addressing people who dislike the notion that God is tolerant with people.  And yes, the scriptures say that God is t-o-l-e-r-a-n-t.  How much more should we be patient and tolerant of people who are not where we are on our spiritual journey?  If it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance, than should we not be known for our love?  However, so often the Christian world is known for what we are against.  I wonder what would happen if we were known by our kindness, tolerance and patience rather than our hate, divisiveness and pride.

So often I hear that love is telling the whole truth, which includes that which hurts.  That is so true.  However, that kind of truth can only come in relationships, not machine gun style spreading of truth.  Could you imagine me walking up to a dangerously overweight stranger and saying, “You are really unhealthy, and it’s pretty socially awkward to have you in public.  And because I love you, I felt that I need to say that.”  I have to first bring that person into my life, and develop credibility and permission to speak this truth.  However, people on the watchdoggie blogs and elsewhere do this very thing everyday.  Does the whole truth need to be shared?  Yes!  But it is always done best in trusting relationships.

I dare all of us to allow the people that Christians love to hate into our lives.  What would happen if we, rather than writing hate truth blogs about people, we went out into our communities and actually befriended gays, Catholics, minorities, Muslims, and even Baptists.  And not befriending them as a “project”, but authentically loving them with the love of Christ.  If every follower of Christ did this, then a lot more people would see the kindness, tolerance and patience of our God, and be drawn to repentance.

shameless plug:  Eric Michael Bryant’s new book, Peppermint-Filled Piñatas (Zondervan) is out in stores everywhere.  It is an excellent resource on this topic.  You can check out some of it on his blog here, or purchase it here.

Ok people some ground rules: No bringing up the different sites.  No name calling, and no debating election/free will or any of that stuff. All such comments will be deleted with extreme prejudice. Now, that we have that out of the way, here’s the question:

Why is God so angry with Job’s friends. He says they did not speak what is right of him. But in your opinion what did they say that was wrong? I hear a lot of what they said from “good God fearing” people. In other words, give me your opinion or take on this whole  scenario.

Job 42

Ken Silva says we don’t need the teachings of Jesus today! Ken offers us this quote of one Rob Bell,

“What we need now more than ever is the teachings of Jesus.”

Ken follows this with this statement in response to Pastor Bell…

No Rob.

What kind of Bible is Ken teaching if he believes we don’t need to teachings of Jesus. What kind of morally bankrupt doctrine does he hold? Certainly a gospel which does not include the teachings of Jesus is no gospel I want to be apart of.

**Editors note*** This is an exact word for word quote of Ken’s. I even took a screen picture in case it changes. No, I don’t for a minute believe that Ken is espousing that we don’t need Jesus but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to accurately misquote Ken as he done to many–be it Bell, McManus, or whoever. Now, whenever Ken says he believes we do need the teachings of Jesus we can pull this quote up and ask how the two can be true.

Jill Martin Rische, a substitute for Ingrid at Slice while she is away, is the eldest daughter of Walter Martin. She parts ways with Silva in this statement about the Catholic Church (and agrees with her father):

“I take the same position my father did on Catholicism. I strongly disagree with some of their doctrines, but they have the right Jesus, the right Trinity, the right God and Father of us all. There are believers within the Catholic Church and they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what my father taught and after much thought and prayer, this is what Kevin and I believe.”

Go up the comments page and you have Silva’s thoughts on Catholicism:
“Apostate Roman Catholicism is actually bigger than a cult. As Dr. John MacArthur rightly says it is another religion entirely. So the RCC is not a cult but should be classified with false world religious systems such as Islam.”

I totally agree is Rische on this point. I have serious issues with Catholic doctrine but I believe there are active, strong, growing, regenerate Christians within this denomination. And I would agree with Silva in that there aren’t Christians within Islam.

What do you think?

I am at the Willow Creek Arts Conference.  It is appropriately themed Hallelujah: What’s Right With the Word.  So many times as  followers of Christ we look at all the bad in the world.  We often fail to see the beauty and good that God is bringing to so much in the world around us.  I have had the opportunity to hang out with Donald Miller and Brian McLaren.  They are two incredible people.  I have to say that some of my opinions about McLaren have definately changed after this weekend.  it’s amazing how that happens when you actually have a conversation with the person.

I will write more when I return home.  Pray for us at Mosaic as we are communicating the truth of the scriptures on the main stage tomorrow with dance, poetry, drama and film.

Mike Corley interviewed Mark Driscoll last week and you can listen to the show here. It’s interesting that, for the most part, Corley and Driscoll agree. What is even more interesting is that CRN and Slice are silent in regards to this interview. Where is Ken and Ingrid?

Here’s part of Steve Camp’s response:

1. The issue with Mark’s scatological speech isn’t so much with cussing; but that it is what Paul refers to as being “unwholesome speech.” His humor even extends to using the Lord as a punch line for his jokes. THAT goes way beyond cussing…

2. Mark has recently shared the platform with T.D. Jakes – a known heretic due to his anti-Trinitarian beliefs. Jakes denies the One Triune God of the Bible and therefore worships a different god. Driscoll knows this and agrees that he is a heretic; but yet, still had no problem sharing the pulpit with him at a pastors conference held in Dallas, TX just a few months ago. There is no justification for this kind of partnership in ministry. Mark never even confronted the issue in his preachment.

Just a few years ago he went and ministered at Robert Schuller’s church as well and spoke glowingly of him and his ministry afterwards. If you have ever heard Michael Horton’s interview with Schuller, you will hear him clearly not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why would Mark knowingly partner with known heretics against the gospel he says he loves so very much?

3. Mark’s PR strategy is to position himself as being Reformed. That really isn’t the case. He is pragmatic to the core (his emerging missionality is nothing more than seeker-sensitivity with an edge–audience driven and contextualized); he is Amyraldian in his view of the atonement; and as MacArthur rightly labeled it – his kind of Christianity is grunge Christianity.

4. Lastly, Here is quote from Driscoll’s recent message at the C3 Conference where he shared the pulpit with heretic T.D. Jakes: “In that moment when God made Him who knew no sin to become sin, that though Jesus was sinless and pure a Lamb without spot or blemish, on Him was laid sin; He became a pedophile, a homosexual, a fornicator, a pervert, a thief, a liar, an alcoholic, a drug addict, He became that. He became the most despicable, ugly, disgusting, accursed thing in all creation—in that moment on the cross. Because He took our place and He became our sin; and He died to pay the penalty for our sins.”

That is blasphemy my brother and certainly is not representative of biblical Christianity or the Reformed faith.

These are issues that Mark should be required to answer at some point.

My response:

1. Camp is splitting hairs. Driscoll has sworn and has repented. His language is edgy at times but it doesn’t offend me and certainly wouldn’t offend any non believer. Just because it offends someone who has a bad haircut and wears homemade clothes and sings all four verses of the hymns doesn’t mean that it is in fact offensive to God.

2. Driscoll says that he is friends with heretics and wants to see them repent. He preaches anywhere and says that he doesn’t get asked back to speak at conferences because he isn’t afraid to preach the gospel. He doesn’t partner with those he considered heretics.

3. Ask any Arminian, Driscoll is reformed. He believes that many are a part of the elect in Seattle, they just need to hear the gospel.

4. Can someone explain why this is blasphemy?

What are your thoughts?