Tag Archive for: Christianity

Is Your Church A Personality Cult, Part 2

In part one, we looked at how “cult” can refer to a group’s heretical theology (“theological cult”) or to its dangerous practices (“sociological cult). A personality cult is the second type, with personality-driven problems centering on central leader. To discuss the signs of a personality cult, we used the name named Al, as he sees himself as the Alpha, the #1, the head-honcho. And depending on how narcissistic he is, he might honestly believe he’s the only hope for this church’s success. Then we looked six signs of a personality cult:

1. One Charismatic Leader Is THE Face Of The Church

2. Narcissistic Leader

3. Authoritarian Leadership-Model

4. Other Leaders In The Church Are “Yes Men”

5. “Lone Wolf” Approach To Decision-Making

6. Vindictive Church Discipline

Now let’s look at 6 more signs of a personality cult.

7. NO CRITIQUE IS ALLOWED INSIDE THE CHURCH

Another common element in personality cults is how they cannot handle healthy critique. There is no tolerance for members critiquing Al’s theology, teachings, or vision for the church. He wants agreement, solidarity, even uniformity, and he can exert a tremendous amount of pressure to that end. Church members don’t necessarily have to dress alike and live in a commune. But they are strongly encouraged to support the leadership no matter what. Any questioning, disagreement, or failure to cooperate is treated like a malicious power play or as a personal failing. Critics are either villainized or treated as immature, selfish, doubters tangled up in private sin. A bevy of Scriptures can be cited (out of context), supporting this stifling uniformity culture too. “Do not grumble against one another” (James 5:9, NET). “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1). “Do everything without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14). And of course, “Don’t touch my chosen ones! Don’t harm my prophets!” (Psalm 105:15).

Those verses are not talking about a principled and gracious critique of false teaching or wise critique of a foolish decision. And we could just as easily cite Scriptural evidence about how we should “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3), “expose” works of darkness (Eph 5:11), and “fight the good fight with faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:18-20). Plus, the Apostle Paul himself models righteous critique of church leaders when he rebukes St. Peter over a church matter (Galatians 2:11-21)!

8. There’s NO ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

Personality cults have little room for critique from their members and even less room for accountability from those outside the congregation. Personality cults may have strained and broken relationships with their parent churches or they may just have a lot of defenses in place to keep denominational authorities in the dark. As for Al, he doesn’t go out looking for accountability partners either. He doesn’t like to have his ideas challenged, and he has no interest in having anyone call him on the carpet. He may have several layers of defense mechanisms to keep people from getting that close to him, yet ironically, he can probably name a half-dozen people whom he claims “hold him accountable.” If he has anything close to an “accountability partner” that person is wrapped around his finger, having long-been manipulated into compliance. Or he just keeps them at arm’s length, never letting them know enough gritty details to have an informed opinion about his personal life or sin-struggles.

9. CULTURE OF SILENCE

Cultures of silence stem from our self-serving biases. We all try to protect our reputation. We all want to be seen in a positive light. We all have this self-serving bias. But personality cults take it way farther than healthy people and churches would. People normally try to hide embarrassing and incriminating details. That’s just how we are. But personality cults take that self-preservation to another level by assuming the best of their leaders, denying all allegations, blaming the victims, and (sometimes) covering up their crimes.

Cultures of silence emerge in personality cults, in part, because Al isn’t humble or willing enough to endure correction. He can wander way off course without any serious accountability pulling him back on track. The further he veers into authoritarianism, and narcissism, the more likely he is going to do something grossly immoral or even criminal because he now thinks he can get away with anything. In many cases, he can. Wicked and criminal behavior goes unchecked because he built a framework of suppression in the church that disciplines whistle-blowers into silence and hides dirty laundry to “protect the ministry” and “preserve unity.”

Group leaders, staff, and leadership boards all have to report to Al before they say anything publicly. Al treats church resources like propaganda, using social media, rumors mills, bulletins, newsletters, and sermons to “get ahead of the narrative” and dictate the “official” story to the church. Members are discouraged from reporting any mischief to outside authorities (unless it benefits Al). Any investigations are conducted in-house often through yes-men that Al hand-picked. Al and his staff are not trying to make things right so much as they are trying to control the narrative and save face.

10. SECRETIVE FINANCES

Another bad sign for churches is when they hide their finances. Healthy churches recognize the need for financial transparency if for no other reason than that they need accountability to reduce temptation. Many churches have crashed and burned because someone was skimming money, or because they just didn’t handle their money wisely. Churches should have nothing to hide with their budget and financial records. In personality cults, Al might never let the congregation see the real budget. Or worse, there might not be a budget because he expects everyone to trust him to make all the financial decisions directly. When financial matters are cloaked in secrecy, it often means the leaders are hiding something. For example, they might be way over budget, have too much debt, Al might be paid too much, or other staffers paid too little. Or perhaps the budget just doesn’t reflect the values of a healthy church.

11. NO SHARED PULPIT

Another bad sign is when the pastor rarely ever shares the pulpit or any related teaching opportunities. He is okay with letting people cover responsibilities that don’t interest him. For example, he may have no interest in the children’s ministry, or in public works projects. So, he might happily share those teaching and leadership opportunities with others. But when it comes to visibly leading the church, from the front, through sermons, vision-casting, and overseeing important meetings, he always takes the head seat at the table. He does not share the pulpit often, but whenever he does, it is either in very small doses or it’s with close allies who are wrapped around his finger.

Al might even let another leader in the church preach, especially when it’s an unpopular topic. For example, it could be about disfellowshipping someone, or fund-raising for the building campaign, or announcing some bad news. The charismatic leader isn’t sharing the pulpit graciously, but out of self-interest. He’s having someone else do his dirty work, so he can keep his hands clean. If he wants the church to double their giving toward a new sanctuary and raising his own pay, he can use the head of the deacon board to preach, heavy-handed, on “sacrificial giving.” When people complain, predictably, they will to the pastor but about the head deacon. Effectively, he’s directing the complaint department to someone else’s desk. Generally, personality cult leaders don’t like sharing the pulpit, and when they do there are strings attached.

12. ABUSE

At this point, it almost goes without saying that personality cults are prime candidates for abuse whether physical, verbal, spiritual, or emotional abuse. When a narcissistic charismatic authoritarian leader is in charge, abusive behavior isn’t far behind. He may not start out abusive. He may have been an innocent, ministry-minded man-of-God in the past. But he now enjoys power and attention a bit too much, and like an addict, he molds his environment and manipulates his relationships to protect his addiction. Also like an addict, he is liable to escalate things resorting to more and more aggressive measures to exert his power, feed his ego, or silence his critics. And that can mean abuse.

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If you have gone through this list and you think your church might be a personality cult then you don’t have to just roll-over and take it. Awareness is the first step. If you are in a safe and stable place spiritually, and you have the freedom to pull-away then you may just need to transfer to a healthier church or perhaps alert the proper authorities, like the police or presbytery. If, however, you have struggled and suffered in a toxic church then you may need more than a new church.

 

Resources for recovery:

Spiritual abuse? – Spiritual Abuse Resources (SAR)

Sexual abuse? – Lydia Discipleship Ministries

Substance abuse? – National Association for Christian Recovery (NACR)

Want More Resourcs on Abusive Churches?

David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse [Book]

 

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide

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Dr. John D. Ferrer is an educator, writer, and graduate of CrossExamined Instructors Academy. Having earned degrees from Southern Evangelical Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he’s now active in the pro-life community and in his home church in Pella, Iowa. When he’s not helping his wife Hillary Ferrer with her ministry Mama Bear Apologetics, you can usually find John writing, researching, and teaching cultural apologetics.

 

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What Babylon Teaches The Church About Discipleship

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When you hear the word “disciple” does your mind go back to the first century where a group of twelve men followed Jesus and helped him pass out baskets full of loaves and fish? The word “disciple” is often associated with Christianity, and for good reason. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 commands every Christian to “go out and make disciples of all nations.” It’s no wonder that people’s idea of discipleship is linked only to religious groups.

My goal isn’t to change your mind that discipleship is a must when it comes to Christianity. My goal is to get you to think more deeply when it comes to what it means to disciple and be discipled. I’ll start with the claim that discipleship is not isolated to Christianity. And I’ll prove this by using an unconventional source – Babylon. In fact, I am going to make the case that Christian or not, you are somebody’s disciple. Your neighbor is somebody’s disciple. That person going through the Starbucks drive-thru? Yep, they’re somebody’s disciple too.

We can learn a lot about discipleship from Babylon.

Some might say Babylon is one of the most unconventional sources to teach us about discipleship. I agree, but when it comes to discipleship, Babylon had it down. They knew how to disciple and they did it well. Before we go any further, we first have to define what it means to be a disciple. A disciple is a follower or student of a teacher or philosopher. That means we are all somebody’s disciple because we all follow the ideas and beliefs of someone else. In essence, we have been and are being discipled in order to have arrived at the beliefs we hold.

In order to understand the Babylonian influence and culture during the time of Judah’s exile, let’s visit Daniel, chapter 1.

Babylon was under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar from around 605-562 BCE. It was a thriving city in Mesopotamia located on the Euphrates. Babylon is one of the most famous cities of antiquity, known for its symbolism of wickedness from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis, Babylon is known as the location for the Tower of Babel. In Revelation, we see Babylon suffer the final judgment and wrath of God. So if you’re thinking, “What can Babylon possibly teach us about discipleship,” let me remind you – discipleship is not a word isolated to Christianity.

Babylon was intentional.

What does it mean to be intentional? It means you do things with and for a purpose. Babylon was intentional. Take a look at Daniel 1:1-4 and you’ll see that Nebachudnezzer strategically chose the young men of Judah. These weren’t just ordinary teenage boys. They were of royal descent; they were nobility. They were wise, good looking, and teachable. Babylon did not target the older population to serve the king. Babylon knew the minds of the young were moldable, impressionable, and these young men could be trained to learn the ways of Babylon.

Babylon understood the optimal time to make disciples and they pounced on it. The intent of Babylon was to win the minds of the young for greater service to the king.

Babylon was immersive.

Immersive means to be surrounded by. The training Babylon put these young men through was immersive with no room for flexibility. Verses 4-6 of chapter one gives us insight into this immersive discipleship training when it tells us the young men had to learn the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Not only did they learn to read and speak the language, they ate the food and wore the clothes. This immersive experience lasted for three years before they could even step foot into service to the king.

Babylon was not neutral.

Babylon left no room for neutrality. Discipleship is never neutral. Babylon proved this when they changed the names of the young men from their given Hebrew names to a new Babylonian name that gave tribute to the gods of the culture. For Babylon, it was not enough that these young men lived among them. They had to become one of them. Babylon forced the young boys to conform to the culture and forget the ways of their parents. But isn’t that the whole goal of discipleship – the student follows the teacher until the student becomes the teacher? Really, you can’t blame Babylon for their tactics. That’s just the way of discipleship.

What is Christian Discipleship?

I can go on and on about what Christian discipleship is, but I’ll spare you the details and make it short: it’s intentional, immersive, and it is not neutral. Yes, you read that right. Christian discipleship looks like Babylon’s discipleship. In fact, all discipleship does. Yes, Jesus commands us to go out and make disciples, but doesn’t that make you wonder what Christian discipleship actually entails and what makes it different from Babylon? In all four gospels, we see where the discipleship of the twelve was intentional, immersive, and not neutral.

Intentional and Immersive

 Jesus intentionally chose the twelve (John 6:70). The twelve lived with Jesus, followed Jesus, and was part of His ministry for three and a half years. They witnessed storms ceasing at His word, blind men seeing, dead men rising, religious men trying to trap Him in His words, and the correction of their hard hearts and closed minds (Mark 8:21). They were privileged to get the inside scoop because after Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds they received special instruction behind the scenes (Mark 8). The timing of their training was intentional and so was the method of their training.

Jesus was not neutral. He watched many disciples walk away when they could not fathom the thought of eating His flesh and drinking His blood (John 6). He said He was the only way to the Father, calling all other religions and belief systems false (John 14:6). And Jesus told His disciples they could not have more than one master (Matt 24-26). In other words, He wasn’t neutral and neither was their discipleship training.

You are somebody’s disciple.

Since discipleship is not isolated to Christianity, that means discipleship can come from anyone passing on information and knowledge from one mind to the other. All discipleship involves education, and education is indoctrination. We must reconcile that in order to launch into the most important question that comes after it: who is discipling you? Who is discipling your kids? Because you are somebody’s disciple and so are they.

The days of Babylon might be a thing of the past but Babylon is still a representation of the secular culture and its wickedness today. Babylon is anything that sets itself up in the stead of God and no one understands discipleship better than Babylon, not even the twenty-first century church. If we did, we would understand that in discipleship, there is no room for compromise.

Who did it better?

After all of this, I bet you’d expect me to say we should follow Babylon’s lead in making disciples. I’m not. Although the plan of Christian discipleship looks the same as Babylons, the doctrine makes it different. Christians share the one true God, whereas Babylon does not. The goal of Christian discipleship is so that the good news of the gospel may reach the ears of all people in every nation. The goal of Babylon’s discipleship is so you will serve the god of the age and lose yourself in service to the king.

No, don’t follow the lead of Babylon. The answer to discipleship is found in the response of Daniel and his friends when faced with the temptations of the Babylonian culture. The text reads, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies.” Daniel remained committed to the one true God. He did not waver in his traditions and customs, although I’m convinced the temptation was overwhelming.

One might wonder why. Why would Daniel and his friends resolve not to compromise? How could they withstand the temptation of Babylon and not crack under the pressure? I can tell you why – they were already somebody’s disciple. Before they left Judah, under the intentional, immersive, and unwavering training of their parents, they learned how to be a disciple of the one true God. How do I know? Because we are all somebody’s disciple. Even Babylon knows this.

Sign your kids up for the next round of Let’s Get Real: Examining The Evidence For God that begins in January, 2024.

Recommended resources related to the topic:

Intellectual Predators: How Professors Prey on Christian Students by Frank Turek (mp4 Download) (mp3) (DVD)

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)      

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD) 

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Shanda Fulbright is a credentialed teacher and has a certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, a certificate from the CrossExamined Instructor’s Academy as well as several certificates from Online Christian Courses. She hosts Her Faith Inspires podcast where she takes cultural issues and aligns them to biblical truth. You can read her blogs and find out more about her at shandafulbright.com.

 

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Soon vs Suddenly: An Important Distinction on Jesus’ Return

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The word “soon” can be quite ambiguous, if not misleading. When asked about homework, a teenager might reply that they expect to finish sometime soon. In my family, that word could equal 30 seconds for one child or 30 minutes for another. But despite these variations, the word “soon” still conjures up an idea of an approaching realization, like a progress bar on your phone that reads 99% complete.

We’ve all seen the signs that read, “Jesus is coming soon.” Taken straight from the Bible, we see no less than three times in one chapter when Jesus mentions “I am coming soon” (Rev 22:6-7, 12, 20). To some readers, this is a source of great hope and encouragement, but to others it is a source of mockery since it’s been nearly 2000 years since His statement was written down. So what gives?

To clarify confusion, we must take a closer look at the translation of the word tachos from Greek to English. Rather than an “almost there” connotation, the meaning behind the word has more to do with the speed or quickness of an event. Most of us have experienced the heart-stopping feeling when a bolt of lightning suddenly strikes nearby. One moment it was one way, and the next moment your hair was looking like Marv on Home Alone 2.

History is not much different. In the famous feast from which the phrase “writing on the wall” was coined, we see how the kingdom of Babylon was suddenly overtaken by the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5). All appeared to be normal and fine and then suddenly BAM! It all changed in an instant.

In light of this, the reader of Revelation can appreciate how God utilizes tachos similarly in His appeal to readiness. Rather than happening “soon” as many texts read, listen to how it sounds: “A revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His bondservants what must happen suddenly” (Rev 1:1). See the difference?

Doug McIntosh in his preaching commentary on Revelation notes, “Casual believers will miss much of what is revealed here as the truth of this book describes things that must happen suddenly. Suddenly translates a Greek prepositional phrase that often means quickly or in rapid succession. The exact phrase used here also occurs in the Greek Old Testament or Septuagint (abbr. LXX) rendering of Psalms 2:12, which warns, “Seize upon instruction, lest the Lord be angry, and you will perish from the righteous way, when his anger suddenly blazes out.” Clearly Jesus Christ did not see any contradiction between avenging His servants’ mistreatment suddenly and the lapse of a long period: “Shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them suddenly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8).[1]

The idea seems to be that most of the events that are predicted in Revelation will happen unexpectedly and quickly once they begin.

Consider the pattern in other parts of Scripture.

  • Isaiah 29:5-6 “Suddenly, in an instant, the Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.”
  • 1 Thess 5:1-4 “Now brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.”
  • Rev 22:12 “Behold, I am coming suddenly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

McIntosh further amplifies, “The voice of the Lord Jesus interjects a dose of reality: “Behold, I am coming suddenly.” After the conflagrations begin it is too late. When death may ensue at any second it is not the right time to reflect on the gravity and truthfulness of the message. For those who are faithful, the Lord holds forth a lovely promise: “My reward is with Me.” The words echo Isaiah 40:10, where the prophet proclaims, “Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him.”[2]

Just as God judges unbelievers on the basis of their works, so He will judge believers at the judgment-seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:10-15). Good intentions and good theology are irrelevant. Only actions count: to give to everyone according to what he has done. Jesus can do this not only because He is the perfect Man but also because He is the “Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 22:13).

The question for us all is not so much, “How soon before He returns?” but rather, “Am I right now ready for Him?”

 

Footnotes:

[1] https://dougmcintosh.org/pdf/CommentaryNT/CommentaryNTRevelation.pdf page 12.

[2] Ibid., page 172.


Recommended resources related to the topic:

How Can Jesus be the Only Way? Mp4, Mp3, and DVD by Frank Turek

Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)     

 

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Kent Suter was raised in Atlanta, GA and earned his Bachelor’s degrees in Biblical Studies and in Christian Education from Bryan College in Dayton, TN (2002). From there he attained a Master’s degree in Christian Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary (2008) where he served as student assistant to his late mentor and friend, Dr. Norman Geisler. Following his time at SES, he moved back to Atlanta and served as Youth Pastor for middle and high school students for 15 years at Cornerstone Bible Church. Today he and his wife of 20 years, Brook, and their four children reside in Orlando, FL.

 

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The Danger of Promising Universal Salvation

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If you’re going to contend that universalism is true, i.e., the belief that everyone will eventually end up in heaven, then you best beware of the consequences of doing so.

Evacuating a Dying Planet

To illustrate. Imagine you live on a planet called Elpis (in Greek this means “hope” or “expectation”). You have been tasked with evacuating your entire civilization to another planet because of a life-threatening emergency. Due to an increasing level of CO2 in the atmosphere, ELPIS has limited time before there’s not enough oxygen to sustain life. So, you are developing a plan to transfer your fellow residents, via spaceships, to a safer environment. You’ve chosen a planet called Earth as your destination and have already been in touch with the humans there. The earthlings are happy to accommodate the immigrants from Elpis.

The people of Earth, like the residents of Elpis, cannot exist without air. And experts on both planets have stressed to you that, in transit from Elpis to Earth, there is no air in outer space. So, you have naturally acquired a large supply of pressurized air tanks for use in the passage to Earth. Your preparations seem to be proceeding smoothly, and you think you’re just about able to breathe a sigh of relief.

The “Myth” of Airlessness

But then a new emergency arises. Just days before your planetwide launch to remove your fellow citizens from Elpis, a new book comes out entitled Relax, There’s Room to Breathe: Deconstructing the Myth of an Airless Outer Space. The book skyrockets to the top of the planet’s bestsellers lists. By the thousands, Elpis residents toss away their air tanks as they prepare to leave for their new environment.

Lives are on the line. The deception is costly. You must respond. What will you do?

Would it not be unthinkable to say nothing?

Awake yet?

Let’s wake up from our dream. This is not Elpis. This is worse. We face a life-threatening situation. We’re not running out of oxygen on Earth. In fact, the crisis is even more serious. Today we’ve got people inside and outside the church ready to hold out an offer of universal salvation. Not only are the consequences of doing so catastrophic, but there’s not a scintilla of biblical evidence to back this claim up. Any attempts to do so is to reject the broader overall context of Scripture. When it comes to heaven, everyone will not end up there and neither are there many pathways leading to its destination. No, the way is narrow. We need air to breath there. And Jesus is the Air we must all inhale to arrive in heaven someday. To promise any other way, besides the Jesus way is to hold out false hope. In the end, Jesus is our only Elpis.

“Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven
given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (NIV)

 

Recommended Resources Related to this Topic

Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Hell? The Truth about Eternity (MP3 Set), (DVD Set), and (Mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Short Answers to Long Questions (DVD) and (mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Was Jesus Intolerant? (DVD) and (Mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek

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Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

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The Shocking Effects of Grace

In his book Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey shares how Nelson Mandela, after coming into power as president of South Africa, took drastic measures to heal his apartheid-torn nation.

Mandela appointed Archbishop Desmond Tutu to head the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission’s hearings were designed to bring together accusers with those who had allegedly committed atrocities in the hopes of an eventual mending of the relationships. Mandela insisted that if a guilty party would face his accuser and admit his wrongdoing, he would be released scot-free. To many, this seemed unjust, even outrageous, but Mandela knew that this was what his nation needed for true reconciliation.

What’s So Amazing About Grace?

In many cases the effects of Mandela’s policy were extraordinary. Yancey writes of one such situation:

“At one hearing, a policeman named van de Broek recounted an incident when he and other officers shot an eighteen-year-old boy and burned the body, turning it on the fire like a piece of barbecue meat in order to destroy the evidence. Eight years later van de Broek returned to the same house and seized the boy’s father. The wife was forced to watch as policemen bound her husband on a woodpile, poured gasoline over his body, and ignited it. The courtroom grew hushed as the elderly woman who had lost first her son and then her husband was given a chance to respond. ‘What do you want from Mr. van de Broek?’ the judge asked. She said she wanted van de Broek to go to the place where they burned her husband’s body and gather up the dust so she could give him a decent burial. His head down, the policeman nodded agreement. Then she added a further request, ‘Mr. van de Broek took all my family away from me, and I still have a lot of love to give. Twice a month, I would like for him to come to the ghetto and spend a day with me so I can be a mother to him. And I would like Mr. van de Broek to know that he is forgiven by God, and that I forgive him too. I would like to embrace him so he can know my forgiveness is real.’ Spontaneously, some in the courtroom began singing ‘Amazing Grace’ as the elderly woman made her way to the witness stand, but van de Broek did not hear the hymn. He had fainted, overwhelmed.” (Yancey 2003, pgs 222-224)

This lady’s forgiveness caused van de Broek to literally fold into a faint as he heard her words of outrageous grace. Similarly, every one of us has sinned greatly against God. Our sins took God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, all the way to the cross, where He was left to die an excruciating death for our sins. Powerfully, Jesus revolted against all adversity, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Though we (like van de Broek) deserve the worst of all punishments, Jesus (like Mandela) says that if we will only admit our guilt and own our sin, we can be forgiven.

Your Invitation Awaits

Check it out, friends. A worldwide invitation of reconciliation and redemption has been offered to people ready to acknowledge Christ Jesus as Lord. If anyone ever asks, is there anything more shocking than the punishment we deserve? Is there anything more shocking than God’s justice being poured out on sinners? Is there anything more shocking than hell itself? Yes. It’s called grace!

 

Other Recommended Resources On This Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Was Jesus Intolerant? (DVD) and (Mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide)
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)


Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

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A Crash Course in How to Study the Bible, Part 2

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NT Greek Scholar, Dan Wallace stated, “As a Protestant I cherish the NT teaching on the priesthood of believers—that each Christian has the right to his own interpretation, but also that each Christian has the responsibility to get it right.” Well said. But how do we do that? Here is a simple acrostic that can help you remember some key principles when seeking to decipher the proper interpretation: I.N.T.E.R.P.R.E.T.A.T.I.O.N.

Inspect other translations to discover textual difficulties

By comparing different translations you’ll notice textual variants amongst the translations that will reveal problems to sort out. Take for example 1 John 5:7-8 where debate exists regarding the Comma Johanneum which refers to the addition discovered in the KJV/NKJV. Critical scholars tend to view this passage as an addition to those texts to reinforce trinitarian theology. I won’t solve the debate here but only use this as an example of the types of resolutions you’ll be left to sort out when comparing translations.

Never impose current definitions and cultural customs on ancient definitions and customs

That’s because words may vary from context to context. You don’t want to consult Webster’s English Dictionary to learn what the Hebrew word for covenant means, but instead you’ll want to consult a Bible dictionary.

Tease out the main viewpoints for the passage you’re studying

You can do this by exploring various commentaries from authors holding to different interpretative positions. If you’re studying Judges 11:29-40, you’ll soon discover that there is a debate on whether Jephthah literally sacrificed his daughter or whether her virginity was sacrificed. By weighing the options, you can make a better-informed decision even if in the end, you remain unsure.

Evaluate and be able to critique heretical intepretations

Perhaps the best example of this is found in John 1:1. Jehovah’s Witnesses notoriously have butchered this verse in their New World Translation by translating the logos, i.e., the word, which refers to Jesus, as “a god.” Ironically enough, they argue that since the Greek lacks an article before the word logos that it can’t refer to God. And yet, in the same chapter they ditch their own rule of thumb when the article is missing in other cases, e.g., as in the case of John the Baptist, there’s no article, but they don’t translate the verse as saying, “There was a man sent from a god” (1:6). The problem is Jehovah Witnesses have forced their theology on the text instead of deriving their theology from it.

Recognize the time frame in which your passage was written

It’s important to remember this, especially when it comes to the application stage. If you fail to understand what commandments hold today versus those that no longer do you may find yourself applying parts of Scripture that are no longer necessary, like avoiding bacon when under the New Covenant you’re free to feast on that BLT (see Acts 10:15).

Purchase a good Bible software program to assist you in your studies.

Personally, I use Logos. What’s so great about having a Bible software program is the speed by which you can track down information. Gone are the days when I was preparing for ministry where the serious Bible student had his desk covered with all his various tools for study. Now at the tips of my fingers I can have a report produced within seconds of endless research.

Review various tools such as a Bible dictionary, commentaries, and word study aids

A good Bible software program will have all these resources, but if you opt out of that route you will at least want the tools listed above. Each is designed to help you faithfully interpret Scripture.

Evaluate the meaning behind metaphors, parables, apocalyptic imagery, and other figures of speech

This is where you’ll really sharpen as a student of Scripture. As you learn to distinguish various figures of speech and not just interpret them in an overly wooden sense, you’ll acquire a finesse regarding the use of biblical language.

Tap into the Spirit of God for wisdom to interpret accurately

Fortunately, when it comes to studying the Bible, we aren’t left to ourselves. No, as believers, the Holy Spirit is there to assist us in grasping spiritual truth (Jn. 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-14).

Aim to align your thoughts and feelings with God’s Word

It’s not surprising given the context we live in that there are some things in the Bible that are hard to relate to. When that happens, it’s important not to grant a favored status to our current way of doing things. But rather it’s our duty to understand the Word in the world it was crafted. If our thoughts and feelings struggle to absorb the truth of God’s Word, it can help to do more background work so we can better understand the original intent. What we don’t want to do is impose an alternative meaning to the text all because our thoughts and feelings couldn’t stomach the original point.

Trust that you’re dealing with God’s word

Here we’re reminded that as believers we are committed to biblical authority (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pt. 1:20-21). That means when we study the Bible, we recognize the difference between a ministerial and a magisterial approach to Scripture. The former approaches the Bible as a servant who sits under the authority of Scripture whereas the later approaches the Bible as one who stands in authority over it. The former is what we’re after when it comes to interpretation as believers.

Interpret difficult verses in light of clearer verses

Another way of stating this point is to interpret Scripture with Scripture. At least as much as you can without forcing various unconnected parts to fit together. Sometimes it’s helpful to interpret verses that are less clear with verses that are clearer. Take Acts 2:38. Many have interpreted this verse to mean baptism is necessary for salvation. But given clearer passages like 1 Corinthians 1:17 how might we avoid that conclusion?

Oppose building major doctrines on isolated unclear verses

A classic example of this is 1 Corinthians 15:29 which states, “…If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?” This is one of those verses which boasts many interpretations, and it is so isolated without other proof texts to back it up we’re left basically in ignorance this side of heaven. And yet, the Mormon Church has built an entire salvific industry on baptizing people for the dead by featuring massive Mormon ancestry databases. To build such an elaborate doctrine on one isolated verse with no clear interpretation should be avoided at all costs.

Nail down the author’s intended meaning by summarizing it into an interpretive sentence

Having worked through both the observation and interpretation acrostics you should now be ready to identify a working interpretation of your chosen text. In many ways both acrostics are simply observatory tools aimed at arriving at a faithful interpretation. Once you’re ready you can capture your interpretation by boiling it down to a digestible sentence. Space prohibits me from writing out examples, but you’re essentially answering the question, “What is this passage talking about?” Your answer is hopefully a sound interpretation of the text.

Now that you’ve arrived at an interpretation, you’re ready to answer the application question, “How does it work?” To assist you with an answer, in my next blog I will walk you through our third and final acrostic—application.

  • Inspect other translations to discover textual difficulties
  • Never impose current definitions and cultural customs on ancient definitions and customs
  • Tease out the main viewpoints for the passage you’re studying
  • Evaluate and be able to critique heretical interpretations
  • Recognize the time frame in which your passage was written
  • Purchase a good Bible software program to assist you in your studies
  • Review various tools such as a Bible dictionary, commentaries, maps, and word study aids
  • Evaluate the meaning behind metaphors, parables, apocalyptic imagery, and other figures of speech
  • Tap into the Spirit of God for wisdom to interpret accurately
  • Aim to align your thoughts and feelings with God’s Word
  • Trust that you’re dealing with God’s Word
  • Interpret difficult verses in light of clearer verses
  • Oppose building major doctrines on isolated unclear verses
  • Nail down the author’s intended meaning by summarizing it into an interpretive sentence.

Recommeded Resources Related to this Topic

How to Interpret YourBible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (mp4 Download)
The Top Ten Reasons We Know the NT Writers Told the Truth mp3 by Frank Turek
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? Is the Bible Historically Reliable? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, Mp3 Download.
Living By the Book by Howard Hendricks (Book, Full DVD set, and Condensed DVD set)
How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Doug Stuart (Book)
The New Joy of Discovery in Bible Study by Oletta Wald (Book)

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Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

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A Crash Course in How to Study the Bible, Part 1

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Imagine arriving at the lake each Sunday at 10AM to capture the mad skills of a gifted fisherman as he captures your lunch for the day. In doing so, do you think you’d learn to fish for yourself by simply marveling at his skills? Not likely. Sure, you’d learn some ins and outs about the sport, but you wouldn’t learn to fish for yourself. That’s because fishing is learned through participating not mere spectating. As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day but teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.” It turns out that fishing is not only caught but taught. Similarly, when it comes to studying the Bible, many of us are like the spectator discussed above. We show up each week at 10AM for church, we marvel at the expositional skills of the pastor as he unpacks for us the weekly Word, yet we leave, bereft of our own skills to study the Bible. In many ways, Bible study methods should be discipleship 101 and yet there’s no shortage of Christians who’ve attended church for years without a single crash course on how to study the Bible. So here it is. A three-part crash course designed to equip you to study God’s Word on your own. To do this, I will devote three blogs to help you develop an approach to Bible study by using three words every serious student of the Bible is familiar with, namely, observation, interpretation, and application.

When it comes to Bible study, observation asks the question, “What do I see?” Interpretation asks the question, “What does it mean?” And application asks the questions, “How does it work?”

Observation: What do I see
Interpretation: What does it mean?
Application: How does it work?”“

It’s been said, “The difference between a good Bible student and a great one is the great one simply sees more. In this blog series I’ll introduce you to three acrostics using these key words to hone your Bible study skills. Beginning with observation, here’s how it looks, acrostic style: O.B.S.E.R.V.A.T.I.O.N.

Observe Prayerfully

The Psalmist captures this idea nicely when he writes, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18).  Similarly, as we delve into God’s Word it’s good to ask the Lord to open our eyes to accurately understand Scripture.

Begin by Seeing the Big Picture

You can do this by reading the passage you’re studying several times to get a feel for the lay of the land. What you’re in search of is the overarching idea. The point of the passage. The big idea.

Select the Style of Literature

This is important. Not all Scripture is to be approached in the same manner. That’s because the Bible is comprised of various genres such as narrative, history, law, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, gospel, epistle, and apocalyptic. If you approach historical sections as metaphorical or apocalyptic portions as overly literal, you’ll soon find yourself in theological trouble when you arrive at the interpretation stage.

Explore any Commands to Follow

It’s helpful to know if the passage before you has any commands to follow, but also crucial to remember where you are in the Bible as it relates to the given command. That’s because some commands no longer hold. If you aren’t careful, you may find yourself feeling bound to commands that already served their purpose but are no longer required. This is especially true as it relates to the Old Testament dietary law that was clearly eradicated with the inauguration of the New Covenant.

Record any Warnings Given

Warnings are evident throughout Scripture. All the way from Adam’s warning in the Garden of Eden to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17) to the warning in Revelation to not add to God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). When the Bible issues a warning, observe it. Warnings are God’s way of trying to protect us. Therefore, stay alert.

Venture to Find Promises Proclaimed

This can be tricky, so be careful. Not every promise is recorded directly for us. We’ve all seen the abuse of Jeremiah 29:11, which refers to God’s promise to prosper His people after their time in captivity is fulfilled. Many of the people who would’ve heard this original message died in Babylon never to see it come to fruition. Knowing how to apply promises is crucial, especially to protect people from being disillusioned by God all because they claimed a promise that wasn’t intended for them.

Ask and Answer Questions of the Text

Perhaps you remember your six interrogative friends from grammar school. If not, no worries. These friends of old are Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How? We want to ask those questions of the passage we are studying. Who is it talking about? What is the big idea? Why was it written? How does it apply? You get the point.

Target Key People and Places

Here you’re looking to discover who the author is, who the recipients are, e.g., are they Jews, Gentiles, or both? You also want to discern the place from which the book was written and the location it was written to. Identifying key people and places will help you put the pieces of the puzzle together so you can capture a clear picture of the passage before you.

Inspect for Contrasts, Comparisons, and (Apparent) Contradictions

The contrasts may be between light and darkness, or sin and holiness, or truth and error. Comparisons might be between the rich and the poor, or the wise and the foolish, or a leader and his followers, or perhaps between heaven and hell. Regarding apparent contradictions, there are lots of them, but none of them lacks an explanation, so be encouraged.

Overview your Discoveries in Light of the Context

Here it’s important to remember that every text has a context. For example, consider Proverbs 5:15 says, “Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.” Absent of context we’d never know that this is talking about enjoying sexual intimacy with one’s own spouse versus drawing sexual satisfaction from another person’s spouse. Wells in the ancient world were privately owned. You weren’t to steal another person’s water, but drink from your own well. So too in marriage, we’re to stick to our own spouse. Enjoy our own well. You see, context is key.

Note Words that are Repeated and Emphasized

Doing this will help you unlock what the passage is about. For example, turn over to Psalm 150 for a quick read and you’ll see what I mean. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize that the key word is praise, which clearly indicates the theme of the Psalm.

If you want to practice your observations let me encourage you this week to take this acrostic and read Philippians once a day over the next week, while jotting down your observations. You’ll be amazed at what you discover. And more importantly, you’ll be ready for the next stage, which is interpretation. But for that acrostic you’ll have to wait for the next blog. Till next time.

O.B.S.E.R.V.A.T.I.O.N., in review:
Observe Prayerfully
Begin by Seeing the Big Picture
Select the Style of Literature
Explore any Commands to Follow
Record any Warnings Given
Venture to Find Promises Proclaimed
Ask and Answer Questions of the Text
Target Key People and Places
Inspect for Contrasts and Comparisons & Apparent Contradictions
Overview your Discoveries in Light of the Context
Note Words that are Repeated and Emphasized

Recommended Resources Related to This Topic

How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (mp4 Download)
The Top Ten Reasons We Know the NT Writers Told the Truth mp3 by Frank Turek
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? Is the Bible Historically Reliable? by Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, Mp3 Download.
Living By the Book by Howard Hendricks (Book, Full DVD set, and Condensed DVD set)
How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Doug Stuart (Book)
The New Joy of Discovery in Bible Study by Oletta Wald (Book)

Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

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5 Fatal Flaws in Transgender Ideology

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Many people who support transgender surgery and cross-sex hormones may be well-intentioned, but the transgender ideology behind those intentions is fraught with fatal flaws. Here are just five of many. Contrary to transgender ideology:

1. The Design of the Body Proves There are Only Two Genders

Transgender advocates insist there are multiple genders. However, the design of the human body shows there are only two genders. Humans can either produce sperm or eggs. There is no third reproductive output in humans or mammals. Of course, there are humans who cannot produce either due to biological deficiencies, but that is an incapacity, not a thirdcapacity to produce something else. Thus, the claim that there are more than two genders can only be entertained if one detaches the concept of gender from biological sex.

However, insisting that gender is completely different from someone’s biological sex doesn’t work either. If gender and biology were completely different things — if there’s no relationship between the two — then why would anyone advocate for cross-sex hormones or sex change operations? Which leads us to flaw two.

2. Transgenderism Must Presuppose Fixed Genders

While transgender advocates deny that there are only two genders, they must unwittingly presuppose two genders for transgenderism to be possible. Why? Because if I’m a biological man but think I’m a woman, I must have some idea of what a man and woman are to recognize my problem. I must also know what a man and woman are to make the so-called “transition.” If genders are completely fluid with no fixed reference points, there would be no way to recognize the mismatch between my biology and psychology and no destination for my transition. In other words, “gender dysphoria” could not exist without two known, fixed genders.

The denial of fixed genders has sparked a bit of a civil war among some identifying as LGBTQ, because if the T’s get their way, the L’s, G’s, and B’s don’t exist (search for #LGBminustheT). How can one be lesbian, gay, or bisexual if there are no fixed genders? Each of those identities rely on fixed genders. Likewise, some feminists are unhappy because, without fixed genders, there are no women and therefore no women’s rights.

This is one reason why Matt Walsh’s documentary, “What is a Woman?,” has so many transgender advocates and Leftwing academics stumped by the question, “What is a woman?” They are caught in a dilemma. If they say a woman is a biological female, then transgender ideology is false. If they refuse to define a woman, transgenderism is not possible. Who is transitioning to what? And what happened to women’s rights?

3. You Can Change Your Mind But Not Your Biology

When biology and psychology are mismatched, why do we think changing the body instead of changing the mind is the way to fix the problem? We don’t do this for other conditions.

When anorexics falsely think they are overweight, we don’t say, “You’re right. Let me get you some liposuction.” For people who honestly believe they should have healthy limbs cut off (a condition known as “trans-abled”), we don’t say, “You’re right. If you think you should not have a right arm, we will cut if off for you.” When your daughter insists she’s a mermaid, you don’t take her off the coast and drop her in the ocean. So, why do we think we should cut off healthy sex organs instead of helping people change their minds?

While you can change your mind, it is literally impossible to change your biology. You can mutilate your body, but you cannot change the DNA of your 100 trillion cells or the many thousands of biological differences between men and women.

Any attempt to “transition” between the sexes implicitly admits these differences and affirms the binary nature of gender. Otherwise, there would be no use for hormones or puberty blockers. In fact, if there were no differences in the physical and biological designs of men and women, transgenderism would not only be impossible but unnecessary. If men and women were the same, there would be no need or desire to transition. So instead of me thinking I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body, why not think I’m a man with a woman’s mind? That way I can actually fix my problem with good mental health care.

4. Sex Is Not Assigned At Birth

For transgender ideology to succeed, people must come to believe that gender is arbitrary and is “assigned” at birth. But everyone knows that gender is not “assigned” at birth — it is discovered at birth (or sometimes before). It’s not like people vote at gender-reveal parties, or that doctors arbitrarily decide the sex of a newborn. No, they discover and state the baby’s sex because there is no ambiguity.

In the extremely rare cases where genitals are ambiguous (intersex), tests are done and choices are made to correct the problem. Most patients end up male or female rather than assuming a non-binary status. This is not the same as transgenderism where people with fully formed and healthy sexual organs attempt to transition to the opposite sex. Intersex is a biological condition; gender dysphoria is a psychological condition. The existence of intersex conditions does nothing to support the claim that sex is “assigned” at birth. Birth defects do not disprove the norm. In fact, they would be impossible to identify without the norm.

We live in a fallen world. All of us are born with deficiencies and defects. That doesn’t mean we are less human or less worthy of respect.  But that also doesn’t mean we should mandate that everyone else live according to such deficiencies or defects.  When someone is born deaf, we don’t tell the rest of the world they can never speak or listen to music because it might offend the deaf. Yet that is precisely what transgender activists and the rest of the woke world are trying to impose on our entire society.

5. There is No Basis for Transgender Rights

We seem to be inventing new “rights” in America every 10 minutes. But where do rights come from? They can’t come from the government because a right is something you have regardless of what anyone else says about it (including your government). Rights can only come from God (“our Creator” as the Declaration of Independence puts it). Without God, every moral issue is reduced to a matter of opinion.

What evidence do we have that God wants anyone to amputate perfectly healthy sex organs? There is none from natural law, the Bible, or any other supposed revelation that claims to come from God.

People can demand that their government legislate or declare certain behaviors as “rights,” but that doesn’t make them rights any more than a government can legislate that a biological man is a woman. That doesn’t make him a woman. Instead of trying to change reality to fit our thoughts, we should be trying to change our thoughts to fit reality. As I document in the new third edition of Correct Not Politically Correct (from which this column is adapted), there are several more fatal flaws in transgender ideology, including the evidence showing that transitioning doesn’t fix the underlying problem. But that’s for the next column.


Recommended resources related to the topic:

4 P’s & 4 Q’s: Quick Case FOR Natural Marriage & AGAINST Same-Sex Marriage (DVD) by Dr. Frank Turek
Correct, NOT Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone (Updated/Expanded) pdf, PowerPoint by Frank Turek
Does Love and Tolerance Equal Affirmation? (DVD) (Mp4)  by Dr. Frank Turek
Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek (Book, DVD, Mp3, Mp4, PowerPoint download, PowerPoint CD)
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3

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Dr. Frank Turek (D.Min.) is an award-winning author and frequent college speaker who hosts a weekly TV show on DirectTV and a radio program that airs on 186 stations around the nation.  His books include I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, Stealing from God:  Why atheists need God to make their case, and is co-author of the new book Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God. 

Original Blog Source: https://bit.ly/436g5Yq

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Ever Heard of the Kezazah Ceremony?

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We’ve all heard the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The boy cashes in early on his inheritance only to squander it all away. Eventually he comes to his senses and returns home. And yet, what we read is the shocking celebration of grace personified through the father’s response. In the distance, this long awaiting father, captures a glimpse of his broken son. The son left in a rich man’s clothes. Now he returns in rags. He left with his chin in the air, prideful and arrogant. Now his head is hanging down in sorrow and shame. He left rejecting his father. Basically, wishing him dead, for the sake of receiving an early inheritance. And now, when he sees his son returning, what does the father feel? Compassion.

The root of this word compassion literally means “innards.” What the father felt, he felt so deeply that even his innards, his intestines, registered it. He agonizes on the inside at what has become of his son. He’s viscerally moved not with anger, but shockingly, compassion. We’d understand if the father stuck his head out the door and yelled to shame him, “You sure you want to come back here, boy?” But no. The father is stirred in his innards with compassion.

The Kezazah Ceremony

According to Kenneth E. Bailey, author of The Cross & The Prodigal, explains how on returning home, the prodigal son likely faced the prospect of something called the Kezazah ceremony. The Kezazah was a ceremony that a Jewish village would have in exactly this situation: someone had left home, rejected the community’s principles, lost all his or her possessions to the gentiles, and then returned. The villagers would break pottery at the feet of the individual, symbolizing that they were no longer in community with the returning person. They were breaking relations with him. It was a way of shaming the individual, of making him feel completely empty. Importantly, the ceremony would take place on the outskirts of the village before the individual could make his way back home.

A Running Embrace?

With this picture in mind, look what happens when the father sees his son. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20, NIV.) He doesn’t just run. He races. That’s what the word means there. Why is this significant? Because an older man in this Middle Eastern culture, especially the head of a wealthy household, would never run. To do so would be shockingly undignified. To run, a man would have to take the long robe that he was wearing and tie it up above the knees. His legs would be exposed, making him look utterly shameful. Even today in the Middle East men will not expose their legs this way. But here is this father figure, this royal figure, who takes his robe and ties it up, and he runs through the village to the outskirts, exposing the nakedness of his legs and shames himself for the sake of gracing his son.

Editor’s Note: From an apologetics standpoint, this Kezazah ceremony is remarkable. It’s a known feature of ancient Judaism, tracing back to the Talmud (Ketubot 28b). In the story of the Prodigal Son, this insight gives one more line of historical evidence testifying to the historicity of the Gospels, the teaching value of this story, and the Jewish cultural context for interpreting the Bible. – John Ferrer

Why Did His Father Run?

And why would the father risk his reputation by running to his son? To protect him from the Kezazah Ceremony! He runs to get to the son before the rest of the community gets to him. He wants to protect him from the broken pottery, the rejection, and the statement by the community that it has broken relations with the son. He wants to show his son that he is not rejected, that the father will heal the son’s shame, and that he can return home. On reaching his son, the father “embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20b). In unimaginable grace he embraces and kisses his son. He doesn’t care that the son smells like pig manure. He throws his arms around him and welcomes him home.

Perhaps like this runaway, you’ve been a bit of a prodigal yourself lately. If so, don’t you think it’s time to come to your senses? Return home, my friend, because a compassionate Father awaits you. While many churches are happy to further shame the sinner through their own version of the Kezazah ceremony, we can rejoice knowing the heartbeat of God is for His church to be a healing center, not a shaming center.

 

Other Recommended Resources On This Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Paperback), and (Sermon) by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
Was Jesus Intolerant? (DVD) and (Mp4 Download) by Dr. Frank Turek
Jesus vs. The Culture by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4 Download, and Mp3
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).


Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

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Is Scientology Compatible with Christianity?

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By Bobby Conway

I’m often surprised to hear some of the beliefs that Christians contend are compatible with Christianity. One such belief is Scientology. As Christians we are expected to remain discerning about the various beliefs that come our way. That’s why it’s worth asking, “Is Scientology compatible with Christianity?” To all those Christians who’d say, “yes”, I’d respectfully disagree, and here’s why.

First, the Auditing Process Contradicts Scripture

Unlike scientologists, Christians don’t believe they existed as immaterial souls before their bodily existence on earth. Auditors hook adherents up to an E-meter, leading them through a process called auditing, which is supposed to connect them to their pre-existent lives by addressing the traumas they accumulated, which are now apparently blocking them from being CLEAR of these traumas called engrams. A Christian can’t go through auditing to come to terms with a life he never had to discover freedom. Scientologists assume the narrative the E-meter confirms through the auditing process reflect the reality of one’s past lives.

Second, Scientologists Require You to Purchase Your Salvation

Why pay potentially tens of thousands of dollars to get CLEAR from an existence you never had when grace awaits you for free at the table of Christianity?

Third, Scientologists Teach Reincarnation

Scientologists deny heaven and hell, rather teaching reincarnation, a concept foreign to the Bible. As Hebrews 9:27-28a says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” (NIV).

Fourth, Scientology Reveres L. Ron Hubbard Over the Biblical Jesus

The Church of Scientology denies the Bible and magnifies its founders works as the be all end all guide to truth. As Christians we can’t put the works of a science-fiction writer on par with Scripture unless we’re willing compromise the truth of God’s Word.

Fifth, Scientology rejects the Trinity and the Biblical Jesus

Scientologists deny the Triune God and reduce Jesus to a good moral teacher. For that reason alone, why would we want to tinker with an auditor on an E-meter to the tune of L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings?

Sixth, Scientologists Misrepresent Our Sin Nature

Scientologists deny human depravity, contending our real issue is we’re not clear of past traumas (engrams). While we may have trauma it’s not trauma collected from some past life. And our ultimate issue is not that we need to be saved from the trauma of a pre-existent life we never had, but from the trauma of sin.

Seventh, Scientologists Deny that Jesus Is the Only Way to Salvation

They reject John. 14:6 where Jesus says he is “the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” For Scientologists, freedom comes through being freed from the cycle of reincarnation. Jesus as the only way can be circumvented the L. Ron Hubbard way, so they think. Therefore, comparing the teachings of Scientology with the Bible, we see that the two have very little, if anything, in common. Scientology is a sure path to lead one away from the Gospel of Christ. Scientology, while sometimes disguising its beliefs in Christian-sounding language, is diametrically opposed to Christianity on every core doctrine. The only thing we need to be CLEAR about is this. Scientology is not Christian.

Recommended Resources Related to This Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Is Original Sin Unfair? (DVD Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (MP3 Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Macro Evolution? I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be a Darwinist (DVD Set), (MP3 Set) and (mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)

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Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.

 

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