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Revivalism

Tue, 08/21/2007 - 14:55 — Matt

Michael Spencer, aka the iMonk, has a great post today on what's wrong with Revivalistic Evangelism. I couldn't agree more with his sentiments. I've seen the very crimes he describes many times. Just this past Sunday, we visited a charasmatic church where the guest pastor sang the praises of Benny Hinn in between screams for revival. It was all they hype your money can buy, but his message was severaly lacking in content. I could have given the same 90 minutes sermon in 10 minutes.

More more more more more more more more of you Jesus. Somebody say Fire!

Can anyone tell me where the bible commands, deomstrates, or even hints that we ought to pray ot the Holy Spirit? I get that he's God and all, but didn't Jesus teach us to pray to the Father?

The previous week, I was visiting John MacArthur's Grace Community Church. Quite the contrast. John gave us a vitriolic promo for his evening sermon, What God thinks of Homosexuals. Apparently Grace Community doesn't have much grace for them, judging by the tone of John's intro. John also taught us that jesus was an expositor. Go figure. Was is Derrida who said that whenever someone speaks of God, they're really talking about themself?

Maybe John just needs more fire.

More more more more more more more!

Eck.

Comments

Fri, 09/21/2007 - 12:52 — Sidney (not verified)

matt the cognoscente

  Matt, You are supposed to find a like-minded person and you and  that person or persons are to share and worship with God your experience, that  should be your church. Finding a church with a presence that meets your need. This is going to be a leap for someone as yourself. There are going to be 'few and far between'  those who share your  love,  your interestedness  in the  cognition of Christ. People today go to church as a 'ritual' or a habit out of guilt for their position with Christ,  not to actually acquire knowledge of and become more acquainted with the all mighty  as you want to do. Face it. You are a Cognoscente, a connoisseur, a sponge out there in a dry lake of humanity. You can talk to yourself and get a favorable return in that church but otherwise we're talking limited coinciding for the Mattster my friend.      
Fri, 09/21/2007 - 13:13 — Matt

Your flattery will get you no where

Switching Tactics: Now Sidney is trying to use flattery to lure me into his cult. Unless he's being sarcastic, which he might be. I'm honestly not sure.

Either way, it won't work, because unlike Sidney, I do not believe that communion with Christ is obtained by some secret key which will be discovered by only an elite few. I believe all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

And I think the requirements for what it means to 'call upon the name of the Lord' are pretty minimal, and do not necessarily include all who say, "Lord, Lord."

Now, some saved people are still annoying, but that doesn't make them any less my brother or sister in Christ.

Even fundamentalists experience some form of communion with Christ. I just happen to think they're missing out on a lot of the beauty, truth, and freedom that he enables us to enjoy.

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