Posted on 08/06/2023 2:35:17 PM PDT by lightman
The Essential Church opened in theaters nationwide last weekend. The documentary reminds me that many individuals throughout history fought state-mandated interference in how Christianity could be practiced, often sacrificing their lives. As I watched three pastors whose churches reopened in May 2020 shepherd their flock, I was encouraged by their faith but also reminded of all the leaders who failed me.
Most pastors and Christians...allowed the state to deem church services "non-essential" and adopted the false morality touted by public health officials, where the virtuous treated his fellow man as a biohazard, with keeping him at six feet's distance as the loving thing to do...
Some churches echoed the lie that churches should close (and people enter lockdown) for our safety and health while denying the importance of mental and spiritual health..
...Some churches became the vehicle for communicating public health lies — faith leaders, including Pope Francis, called getting the COVID shot "an act of love" and used the pulpit to persuade parishioners to get vaccinated. Some churches held vaccine drives or required vaccination for attendance, like in Vatican City. Standing up against the government narrative was costly, resulting in censorship or ostracization, and the silent chose self-preservation over protecting the vulnerable. God knows our heart and asks us to love our neighbor, speak the truth, and stand up for the vulnerable...
Adopting inverted morality, echoing worldly values, and self-censorship all stem from what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls "cheap grace." When Martin Luther said acceptance into the kingdom of heaven requires "faith and not works," people readily declared their faith on Sundays. They failed to understand that true faith requires trust in God. Either God is the Creator of the universe, the author of your salvation, and has a plan for your life or not. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
I lost a great amount of respect for the elders of my church. The went all in following the atheist governor and county executive’s unconstitutional orders.
When I sent them a long letter showing that we didn’t have to follow illegal edicts.
I was flat out told they didn’t want to risk their tax exemption.
Since absolutely no church leaders near me have any balls, men without chests as cs Lewis called them, it’s not worth leaving.
One of them is particularly obnoxious. We stay home whenever he’s speaking.
In many cases the mis-leaders were following the directives of the liability insurance underwriters who feared claims (rivaling or exceeding the sexual abuse claims) if people brought suit for allegedly catching the China-cooties in church.
I never even heard of this documentary. Thanks.
I live near DC. Moved here 14 years ago. Most of the natives have no real concept of actual liberty. They grew up under the almighty thumb of government and the false belief that Romans 13 demands dearly to every single government demand.
Our Church in Kansas City was never closed.
We had just called a new Pastor.
He called me and asked what I thought we should do, I said follow the Lords Word in Hebrews 10:25.
Nothing at our Church changed one iota.
I would have left a Church that closed for the scamdemic.
Timely. Wine shared as part of Holy Eucharist for first time today since 2020. The USCCB should be deeply ashamed of themselves. I hope we learned something from this. But I doubt it...
When I sent them a long letter showing that we didn’t have to follow illegal edicts.>>>. Good for you. And Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham jail” should have been required reading from every pulpit. It was directed at pastors who thot he was wrong in defying the Jim Crow laws.
good they fought covid
but avoid john macarthur
Earlier I posted some links about #JohnMacarthur that people tried to respond to, not knowing the trail of links to comment accurately.
This thread is an attempt to correct that
John Macarthur supports rock music in Church
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/separate/macrock.htm
What is Godly music and how does that apply to modern CCM style music?
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQjeG8paREoqRlXx4AYNgeGGBKlDVxZXP
The use of drums in music, outside of military marches or perhaps a king’s coronation, has almost always been associated with ungodly music and does not belong in Church music:
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The dangers of CCM in a powerpoint style slide show
https://web.archive.org/web/20120813074840/https://data.bereanwife.com/ccm_pdf.pdf
Rock beat and its influence on people
https://www.wayoflife.org/database/opposedtoccm.html
THE DEVIL’S MUSIC: HOW CHRISTIANS INSPIRED, CONDEMNED, AND EMBRACED ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
(not written by a Christian)
https://religiondispatches.org/the-devils-music-how-christians-inspired-condemned-and-embraced-rock-n-roll/
John Macarthur is not the Christian you think
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqOzI1137pUjmjC16ygHL4j6JIGZXGJYX
John MacArthur’s Position on the Lordship of Christ and lordship salvation
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/salvatio/lordshjm.htm
Dr. MacArthur is nationally known for his position in support of Lordship Salvation. For a Biblical response to Lordship Salvation, see Saved By Grace Alone.
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/sbgrace.htm
Dr. MacArthur’s teaching on the one nature of the believer is related to his teaching on Lordship
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/1natjm00.htm
MacArthur’s Denial That Christ Died for all Mankind in His Public Tapes
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/macatone.htm
John MacArthur’s Position on the Extent of the Atonement (for all mankind or only for those who believe?)
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/macatone.htm
Macarthur teaches that if a person takes the Mark of the Beast, they can repent later, which directly contradicts scripture
https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/john-macarthur-grace-to-you-says-ok-take-mark-of-the-beast-tribulation-period-but-dont-do-it/
John MacArthur Shock Claim: Take the mark of the beast and go to heaven!
https://youtu.be/iQKxbUamUno
WE ARE SAVED BY THE SHEDDING OF CHRIST’S BLOOD AND DEATH: BUT JOHN MACARTHUR SAYS OTHERWISE
https://lloydstreeter.net/2016/08/08/we-are-saved-by-the-shedding-of-christs-blood-and-death-but-john-macarthur-says-otherwise/
John MacArthur’s Position on the Eternal Sonship of Christ
13 Scholarly works presenting Macarthur’s own words
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/sonship/sonjm00.htm
John MacArthur and Dispensationalism
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/dispen/jmacdis.htm
An examination of the Macarthur Study Bible
https://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/jmstudyb.pdf
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1659705244966584323.html
Eric Metaxis’s book Letter to the American Church came out a year or so after I wrote my letter.
The book followed many of the same ideas as my letter.
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