Posted on 08/12/2007 1:54:59 PM PDT by mountn man
Yesterday, I received a promotional mailing for the Leadership Summit at Willow Creek. I quickly opened the slick marketing package to learn about this year’s list of speakers and the other pertinent information. Then, like an unexpected punch in the stomach, I saw that former President Jimmy Carter was listed as a speaker, about leadership.
I have long respected Bill Hybels; his seemingly innate ability to reinvent himself, find a new path, and expand his universe is something rarely seen, especially in the Christian community. However, I am disappointed that he chose the former president to speak to a group of Christian leaders whose thirst for encouragement and knowledge leads them on the pilgrimage to Willow Creek every year.
In recent weeks, Carter has caused a rift in the Baptist Church over the liberal gathering at the New Baptist Covenant. This event, aimed at bringing faction of Baptists together, has turned out to be a divisive regret. Carter has also been a vocal critic of the Faith-based initiatives of the current administration, saying, “ As a traditional Baptist, I've always believed in separation of church and state and honored that premise when I was president, and so have all other presidents, I might say, except this one.," Additionally, Carter has also been criticized by Evangelicals for his book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, where he wrote, “It is imperative that the general Arab community and all significant Palestinian groups make it clear that they will end the suicide bombing and other acts of terrorism when international laws and the ultimate goals of the Roadmap for Peace are accepted by Israel.” Critics of this book also took issue with the former president’s choice of the word, “apartheid”, in the title. Carter maintains he did not mean to “equate Zionism with racism.”
Shortly after the release of the book, 15 members of the board of directors resigned from the Carter Center in protest over the book’s content. After the book release, it was clear that facts were wrong, maps were misconstrued and the book was labeled as a slanted attack against Israel. Shortly after the resignations, it was revealed that Carter had received major funding for his center from anti-Israel oil tycoons in the Middle East. According to published reports, some of the major donors included, the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, OPEC and even the brother of Osama bin Laden.
Of course, the above mentioned activities took place after his presidency. Given the turmoil caused during his presidency: the Iranian hostage standoff, gas rations, inflation, et al, I am left wondering why Willow Creek chose Jimmy Carter to address their forum on leadership.
What does Jimmy Carter know about leadership?
Is there such a lack of true leadership, that WCCC needs to bring in Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, to speak at so-called leadership conferences?
Darn!I was enjoying a Carter-free weekend and then this gets posted.
-JoA
Relax.
I thought when you mentioned Jimuh bin Qarter and Wili bin Qlinton in connection with the WCCC that you meant World Council of Christian Churches, then I realized that WCCC actually stands for Willow Creek Community Church. Under the circumstances, you can understand why I would get that impression. That Hybels would have this wicked old Marxist and America/Israel hater speak is inexplicable, unless the man is totally lacking in discernment.
What next? Pee Wee Herman for the movie reviews?
World Council of Christian Churches, thats the WCA (otherwise known as the Willow Creek Association)
Well, I was just sitting down to a nice cup of Boca Java when I almost spewed at the sight of your headline.....
Some kind of vision protector needed.......
BAD choice. This former president is no friend of Christ
Fairly credible message?
No offense, but why pay for Truth Lite?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
As though OBL has only one brother! LOL! He's probably got at least 20!
Lead them exactly where, down the drain to rack and ruin? What Jimmah did with Iran is a crime we are still paying for.
No, there's a lack of good and unbiased judgment.
These two names are bound to draw a crowd. Just ask PT Barnum.
further proof that once you disconnect from the Church you drift hopelessly, aimlessly, everywhere except where the Church is going.
I was so surprised when I saw that he was a speaker. Had I been planning to go, the simple fact of Carter’s involvement would have made me change my mind. Not only is that man responsible in no small way with what’s going on in the Middle East today, he has also proven himself to be small minded and mean spirited. I’m not going to make any guesses about his salvation, but his fruits need a little work.
susie
What we have with Iran today is much worse than what we had during the hostage crisis.
Chances are that the threat of Iran , not only to the US, but the entire world, would not exist if Jimmy wouldn't have betrayed the Shah.
Whatever he did or wants to do, do the opposite and you’re almost 100% guaranteed to being making the wisest and most successful choice as a leader.
Carter was the president of “The Purple Thumb Society”, a group of wana-bee carpenters. After he hammered both thumbs purple, he was impeached from the club.
Jimmy has always been about "his" fruit.
Seeing him and others, and even myself, doing "good works", I question the REAL motive doing good things.
Do we feed others because of our true love for God, or to make ourselves feel better? Do we do "ministry" for God, or ourselves.
How much of what we do is inspired by God? Or how much do we do to impress ourselves, or others, or even impress God?
How much do we do as humanism that we put under christianity.
How much of our "good works" will be exposed for what they really are, when we get to heaven? As chaf blown away.
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