Posted on 01/10/2006 10:06:56 AM PST by Terriergal
"So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with them. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods."They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection." (Acts 17:17-18)
And please note how Paul addresses your alleged cultural reference here:
"In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof by raising him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31)
If this is the culturally relevant preaching that Purpose-Driven pastors preach, then I wouldn't have a problem!
But Paul's preaching on Mar's Hill is nowhere near the model that they use.
Given this fact, I find it ironic when proponents of the Purpose-Driven model reference Act 17 as their justification for felt needs/culturally relevant preaching...not only is it not demonstrated in the passage; the passage is an example of just the opposite - the kind of "Hell-fire and brimstone" preaching that they cite as ineffective, offensive and irrelevant.
Gosh, I'm sorry you went to that trouble. I moved out of New York in 2004 when I got married. I kept my FR state flag because I wanted to keep getting the state board's messages (and, frankly, because I still can't believe I live in Maryland :D).
I did find a couple of nearby possibilities from the link you posted before. I'll check them out. Nervously, and poised for flight, but I will check them out.
It wasn't any trouble at all!!
Bro. Cloud is someone I have met, he is a good friend of a good friend, so I am on his page often.
My sister and Bro. in law live in Maryland! He's with NIH.
Can you please explain to me who you are referring to?
"That's why you should do some more research before supporting this Sojourners/Jim Wallis mentality clothed in pseudo-Christian garb."
By this do you mean Rick Warren?
Can you please explain to me who you are referring to?
"That's why you should do some more research before supporting this Sojourners/Jim Wallis mentality clothed in pseudo-Christian garb."
By this do you mean Rick Warren?
Yes, every presentation is different. But every presentation contains all the aspects of the gospel, not just the feel goody ones. Here is a portion of what he said at Mars Hill:
Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
I am curious to know how many times the words repent and judge are found in PDL and seeker service sermons, including synonyms. I don't know about the sermons, but I am willing to stick my neck out and say that it is found in PDL but a very few times. Consider that Paul said it when he was explaing what really seeking God meant. Because seeking God means also that we are willing to turn from our sins with a repentant heart in order to truly believe in Christ Jesus.
And if Paul's sermon on Mars Hill is about 1 page in our bibles, and Warren's PDL has about 5 pages per daily "sermon" x 40, then we should expect to see it, oh, about 20-40 times bare minimum which would only be once per sermon or every other sermon or daily reading. Perhaps if I have the time in the next week or so, I will check up on that, unless someone else wants to.
Oops, I didn't see your response when I also responded to the same post with the same though! I agree with you. I also wonder how many time words like repent, sin, righteousness, blood, crucify, and the like are found in PDL compared to how many times it talks about how man is made to feel good by what he does or say. I think it would be very telling about what the real point of the PDL story is.
mark
Blood? Did you say blood?
I just can't imagine the words every crossing the lips of Rick Warren.
The point is worth repeating!
rl
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