I will be slowly getting the blog up to speed with what’s been happening on the YouTube channel lately. Here’s what I posted prior to the Pope video suddenly turning from a National Mall greeting into just an invitation. More to come in the next few days or weeks.
Rick Warren and his scriptural chef Lizzie prepare a recipe straight from the bible, but Rick comes to regret his failure to read the context. Will Rick be forced to taste his own medicine?
Featuring a guest appearance by my wife!
Originally published on October 9th, 2015, there was nothing so recent that precipitated this video. The original protagonist, however, was Brian Houston, and the title was “Hillsong Cooks.”
This originally started as a FB update. I guess it should go here, too.
Brian Houston has issued a clarifying statement that will placate many, but the problem here hits closer to the Gospel. Brian Houston and Hillsong have consistently preached cheap law, relegating our helpless, sinful state that we inherit ultimately from Adam to just having had some earthly oopsies. With cheap law comes cheap gospel of earthly recovery from oopsies by using the name of Jesus as a magic incantation rather than the Gospel that proclaims repentance and the forgiveness of sins. If he only makes statements like these when he’s under the heat of bad PR rather than from the pulpit, he is not preaching the Gospel that forgives sin, places us in right relationship with the living God, and secures eternal life.
Sinners, all sinners — not just one type that gets media and cultural attention, need to hear that Christ was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life. He was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures. In doing so, the right penalty for our sin was laid on him; his righteousness is imputed upon all who believe.
How then does the above confession make any sense unless one properly identifies what our sin is?
“Always preach in such a way that if the people listening do not come to hate their sin, they will instead hate you.” — Martin Luther
I’ve intended to do work like this, but it looks like Jorge over at Faithful Stewardship has done the job for “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” for us already. I’m 100% in agreement here. Go check it out.
Stand by for song reviews here, but I will likely focus on music that it intended (supposedly) for corporate worship rather than the radio listening type.
Today is “Discernment in Music” day here at Faithful Stewardship.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (ESV)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Today, rather than wait for a song to play on the radio, I thought I’d start by looking at whatever was trending as a “top Christian song” on the radio today. According to Billboard Music, the top contender is clearly “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United. In the interest of full-disclosure, I am not a fan of Hillsong Church. I disagree with their theology (Dominionism, Chrislam, Presence, etc) and their ecclesiology (emergent, seeker-driven, leadership model, mega-church). I will do my best to…
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Dallascernment 