[HiTech RedNeck]

Perhaps YOU would like to include an example or two with your laudations. Of how Dobson makes the gospel anything but a small secondary affair at best.

[Sci Fi Guy]

Perhaps YOU would like to include an example or two with your laudations. Of how Dobson makes the gospel anything but a small secondary affair at best.

First of all the question was are we showing the world the good side of the Church? Dobson has done that by his many years of service as a counselor and through his counseling ministry "Focus on the Family." I listed many of the areas where his ministry helps people. I didn't say that his ministry was perfect, or that I agreed with all his positons. I just said that his years of helping people has presented the Church in a positive light.

You called his actions "token service to the Gospel". But you didn't explain what you mean? What is your standard of a good ministry? I am forced to assume that you expect Dobson to be an evangelist? Do you think that the only good ministries are evangelistic? (I would agree that evangelism is the most important mission of the Church. But I would not attack other Christians because they are called to charity work, or teaching, etc.)

Are all the other ministries giving "token service to the Gospel" because they focus on other needs? Is it wrong for a ministry to focus on meeting a specific need, other than evangelism? For example, we have pro-life ministries whose main focus is providing an alternative to abortion. Would you say that they are only giving token servie to the gospel, because their main focus is not evangelism? Or would you say that they are demonstrating the Gospel, by showing their love for the unborn?

You accused Dobson of making the Gospel a secondary affair. How? What would you expect from him? Dobson is not an evangelist, he has never claimed to be an evangelist. He's not even a minister. He is a layman, a counselor. He has a counseling ministry. He is primarily trying to help Christians. He does support evangelists, so that they can do the evangelism. For example, Tony Evans has thanked Dobson for his support.

I went to oneplace.com to see the topics of Dobson's radio show. In the past 2 weeks he has had some shows dealing with emotional needs. But he had shows dealing with prayer, the old testament, a salvation testamony, how to raise Godly boys, homosexuality, trusting God, and the need for Christians to engage the culture. It would seem that he is addressing some important topics on his show.