[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Prayers up for every pastor, may the Word be preached faithfully!

Amen

[vladimir998]

Sad that sola scriptura doesn't seem to help these things any, huh?

[LiteKeeper]

"he couldn't understand why a loving God would consign his children to eternal flames"

Constantly, the holiness of God is forgotten. The critics point to His love, and neglect His holiness. The two are both true of God, and cannot be separated!

[ladyinred]

"Even when I speak, some of what I say is opinion and confusion and error," says Smith Jr., 55, who wears shorts and flip-flops as he welcomes a visitor to his church. "I'm more in a place of learning than I am in a place of certainty."

Ah yes, the Church of what's happenin' now!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I have been to the Capo church and met Chuck Smith Jr. His sermons were bible based and sound. We all had an enjoyable Saturday evening service. That was in 2000, 2001 and 2002. I haven't heard from my friends there in several years. I guess things have changed there.

[truth_seeker]

Chuck Sr. is a really big cheese, in the modern era born again Christian community. Costa Mesa, CA

Costa Mesa also home to Trinity Broadcating Network, TBN on your dial

Also nearby Rick Warren of book fame, and also Greg Lurie of Harvest Crusade.

Heard once Benny Hinn had a mansion in Cote de Caza.

A hotbed of born again Christianity, this old Orange County, CA.

[xzins]

This is a real hit piece against Calvary Chapel.

To call Smith a pentecostal is sheer theological ignorance.

They must be leading too many to Christ that the devil needed a full frontal assault.

[Jmouse007]

The reality is this: "God has no grand childred... only children. Just because Chuck Smith is a born-again child of God, does not mean that his son is a believer.

Jesus said: "By their fruits you shall know them." From the sound of it, there is some serious problems with Pastor Smith's son's fruit.

My prayers go out to Pastor Smith senior; God used his ministry and that of Calvary Chapel to make an impact upon my life in Southern California in 1970. This must be heartbreaking for him.

[Cvengr]

He (Smith, Jr.) is now taking an extended hiatus from the pulpit, explaining that counseling congregants about their personal crises is emotionally depleting. He is considering whether to open a remote spiritual retreat as a harbor for Christian leaders "who are burned out."

If this is true, then I would encourage him to reconsider such a worldly and perhaps false spiritual perspective.

I've studied some doctrines on Christian counseling which place it in the same category as Christian Activism, Do-gooder-ism, and moreal degeneration in general, all as being inappropriate behavior for Christian thinking.

I've also observed that when we remain in fellowship with Him and are tested, he provides for our edification. That might come from our remaining quietly in submission to Him, but if ill effects are found from what we perceive as remaining in fellowship with Him, the alternative is far worse.

We don't want to turn our blesings into cursings, but our cursings may be turned into blessings, by remaining in fellowship with Him in all things.

My first thoughts when reading the above passage, was that perhaps his focus on emotional drainage is an indicator of counseling based upon his personal involvement independent of God, rather than an encourage ment of fellow believers through faith in Christ. On the other hand, perhaps God is using this as a method of Provision, so that in the future some other believer who needs to return to Him is led more easily to an environment where that believer in the future does return to Him.

IMHO, best left up to the Lord and His Provision.

BTW, doesn't the term 'spiritual retreat' seem to be a misnomer, if the environment is used for its intended purpose? Perhaps 'spiritual rejuvenation' is a better term?