July 29, 2006 by iMonk
Let’s start out the weekend with good news. Very good. Ken Myers is taking the Mars Hill Audio site to podcasting. That means you will be able to hear a monthly version of MHA, featuring archival interviews, some new things and more. Long overdue, and a great addition to the blogosphere. Here’s the link, though I hear there will be a new one soon. [Continue reading]
May 6, 2006 by iMonk
I haven’t done a weekend file in months. Seems like a good time.
Mark DeVine is a professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His blog impresses me, his book looks great, and his post on the emerging church good guys in the SBC is a home run. Let’s hear more from the professor. He seems to have good things to say.
BHT fellow Joel Hunter takes on the Together For The Gospel Manifesto. Joel is finishing his Ph.d in Philosophy at the University of Kentucky and is an elder in the PCA. UPDATE: Joel has added Part II. [Continue reading]
March 12, 2005 by iMonk
A story on franchised churches, a personal question that is really troubling me, and a few thoughts on “What is Faith?”
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February 26, 2005 by iMonk
Some thoughts on legalism, spurred by a rather amazing Bible Study on why earrings are wrong….and more. It’s especially amazing since Jesus so directly addressed these matters so clearly in Mark 7.
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February 20, 2005 by iMonk
If you are concerned about my views on the Bible, please read this:
Setting aside general revelation (creation, nature) and experience, everything we know about the Good News of God in Jesus Christ, we know from the Bible.
In fact, it is entirely right to say that the Bible’s theme- its message- is the message of Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
When I speak of the inspiration of the Bible, I am not usually talking about some general idea of the Bible’s truthfulness, but I am speaking about its truthfulness in presenting all things necessary for salvation and life in Christ. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism teaches:
Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach? A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
Now there are a number of theories of inspiration, but Christian confessions have not required that a specific theory of inspiration be endorsed beyond the result of that inspiration. The Second London Confession, for example, says
Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church…to commit the same (i.e. himself and his will) wholly unto writing; which maketh the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary…The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.
Even the New Hampshire Confession- which uses the word “perfect” to describe the Bible- CLEARLY teaches that Salvation and the principles or eternal judgement are the message of scripture.
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
Therefore, I believe that confessional Christianity wisely focuses on the ultimate, final purpose of the Bible, and not on the mechanism used to achieve that result.
This is wise, because there will always be vast disagreement over the nature of the Biblical material, and what kind of books they are. This diversity of views has always been true, and will continue as the Bible is studied.
What must be noted, however, is that those who see, for example, the Gospels as exact reports of conversations and events, and those who see the Gospels as literary creations drawing portraits of Jesus for theological purposes, will both sit under the teaching of the Word, with open Bible and open hearts, listening for the Spirit to illuminate the Word so that Christ may be known, worshiped, obeyed and loved.
We may disagree on whether the Bible meant to tell us the age of the earth in scientific terms. We may disagree about dinosaurs on the ark. We may disagree over why there are two temple cleansings by Jesus at two different times in his ministry. We may disagree over whether there are multiple authors to Biblical books. We may disagree over whether all of Jesus’ exorcisms were demon possession rather than physical/mental conditions unknown at the time. We may disagree on these things and still say:
All we know about Salvation by grace through faith by Christ comes from the Bible. That is what I believe. I have a view on Genesis, and a view on Job and a view on the Gospels. My views are, as best I can understand it, in line with what I believe these books are, and what they were written to be. I want to understand these texts so I can clearly hear their message. But at the end of the process, I read the Bible as God’s Word to me about the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. I come to scripture to know Jesus, and to hear the Word of my salvation.
February 18, 2005 by iMonk
I’m bringing over some BHT posts for this edition of the weekend file. First, some honest thoughts about how the “inerrancy” debate intersects with my own experience as a Christian. Then, a story from the Spencer Family Hall of Fame. Let’s just say that our Valentine’s day was….uh….memorable.
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February 6, 2005 by iMonk
The Internet Monk asks for a favor from long-time readers.
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February 5, 2005 by iMonk
Should I say I have been O-verblogged with O-pinion about O-steen? Has my blog become the “Story of O?” ‘Tis true. The many deeds of Prosper-O hath made my island a regular traffic jam this week. But I press on, even if J-O can’t be distracted, and the O-Dogg still be rappin’, yappin’ and clappin’ ’bout dem postive confessions.
Join me inside for this week’s Internet Monk Weekend file, first weekend of February edition.
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January 29, 2005 by iMonk
Before you read this post, I want to ask you to read two interviews with Joel Osteen and the first part of his book.
The first is at Beliefnet.com. The second is at FaithfulReader.com.
Here is the book excerpt at Amazon.
Here is a long excerpt from the first chapter of Your Best Life Now at Parable.com
Here are Osteen sermons. (Check dates. More recent ones reflect the concerns of this post.) Also, this is the closest thing we can find to a Confession of Faith.
Update 16: Here is Osteen’s recent apology for his interview on Larry King, where he did exactly what I told you he does. Included are my recations. And here is a long letter from Bob Ross at Pigrim Publications, who says Osteen is personally committed to the Gospel. I have no trouble with that. It’s his books, sermons and STATUS that are the problems.
Update 15: Here’s a commenter at the BHT defending Osteen and calling me out as too rash.
Update 14: The Detroit News Feature story. They are right on target: A New Age Gospel of Motivational Messages.
Update 13: Best Osteen post ever. Alex Arnold. Thank you, Alex.
Update 12: 2/7/05 I have decided to close the comment threads on the Osteen posts. Thanks to all who have commented, and I hope raising this issue has contributed to a better understanding of Mr. Osteen and what he represents in American Christianity.
Go directly to the “Outing Osteen” post.
UPDATE: The Faithful Reader site went down for a while. So just in case that interview may disappear, here’s the cached copy of the page.
UPDATE 2: I have made a list of all the current Osteen resources I could find in 20 pages of googling. I will add to the list.
UPDATE 3: Should I be seeking personal reconciliation with Osteen according to Matthew 18?
UPDATE 4: My response to some BHT questions, including my speculation about why Osteen won’t name books or influences in interviews.
UPDATE 5: It’s been quite a weekend. Record traffic. Biggest month in IM history, mostly off the last two days. Some wonderful blog posts have been forwarded to me. Thanks to everyone. This post on the Sacraments at Lakewood is a good one. (I am not about debating theology with Osteen. I don’t hear any theology from him. What is said at his web site or from the phone center is not what you will read in Osteen’s book.) Things are happening. Stay tuned.
UPDATE 6: My response to the objection “You should never criticize people who are winning others to Christ.” From a longer IM essay on Criticism.
UPDATE 7:Here’s another answer to a commenter: Is Osteen Ok for those who already know the Gospel, and just need a lift?
UPDATE 8: A MUST READ! Tim Challies does the grunt work of comparing the rhetoric of New Ager Marianne Williamson and motivational speaker Tony Robbins with Rick Warren. Why post that here? Do you need to ask? I said it at the BHT: There is a reason Osteen doesn’t name books and influences. Could this be why?
UPDATE 9 Osteen on MSNBC 2/1/05. He’s ok with being called a motivational speaker. Meanwhile, Michael Horton says what Osteen’s message really is: Fortune cookies.
UPDATE 10: Relevant scripture, and a story where “There really is a cliff!”
UPDATE 11: Amazon.com reviews of Osteen’s book, compiled by Byron Harvey. Also, Get Religion’s Osteen piece.
And for those who don’t care for what I am up to here, try this and this. Someone asked me if I wanted to pastor 30,000? Any church that cannot provide a meaningful interaction between pastor/elders and the entire congregation, in the homes of the members, regularly, personally, is too big. Megachurch numbers don’t represent churches, but denominations that gather in one room occasionally. I say this to everyone from Piper to whomever: Keep it small enough for shepherds to know the sheep.
UPDATE 12: Many excellent posts are out there, but few better than the BHT’s Richard. Updated: Tim Challies does a 5 star post on Osteen. Thanks, Tim. Updated again: Razorkiss has one of the best posts I’ve read. Very good information and quotes.
This is the pastor of America’s largest church. This will soon be the leading spokesperson for evangelical Christianity. This is the face and voice that will be heard speaking for the heirs of the Reformation. If you missed Jesus and the Gospel entirely, it’s because they weren’t there.
I want to know if anyone thinks we ought to try speaking up about this, at least once.
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January 28, 2005 by iMonk
Put down that remote, don’t touch that dial. It’s what every blogger envies: The iMonk Weekend File. (Otherwise known as taking a break from blogging about homosexuals and James Dobson to chase and shoot a few other rabbits.)
This week’s program: My Beef with Mac recipe, Christianity’s problem with politics, and the books I bought with the money for the kid’s shoes.
There will be an offering, and I’m selling CDs at the door.
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January 24, 2005 by iMonk
When I was a little boy, we lived in a very small house, and my bedroom was connected to the living room by one door. My bed was in the corner of this big bedroom, and I would go to bed- depending on my age- at 8 or 9 or 10. And I would lay there in the dark, listening to my parents watching television. A big black and white set in the corner, with three channels from Evansville, Indiana. CBS, 25. ABC, 7. NBC, 14.
Beyond that door, beyond the barrier, was the adult world, and the sound of it was the sound of Johnny Carson and my father’s laughter.
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January 22, 2005 by iMonk
I’ve got three topics running around in my head. All are important and deserve some ink. I’ll call it the iMonk’s Weekend File. Nothing too long and complex, but enough to say things that need to be said. Maybe they will reappear later as actual IM essays or BHT discussions. Would love your comments or emails. Here we go…
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