Shut Up Rick, And Preach the Gospel

On August 24, 2005, I wrote a blog titled "Shut up Pat, and Preach the Gospel". This blog was written as a response to Pat Robertson's remarks on Hugo Chavez. Robertson called for the assination of Hugo Chavez. The truth of the matter is that it probably wasn't a bad idea. However, it should not come from the mouth of an evangelical Christian. Pat did damage to the church and to the country because he decided that his opinion on foreign policy matters needed to be said.

Today, I blog about another evangelical Christian that should shut up and preach. Rick Warren has done a lot of good in his ministry. He has grown a great church. His book, "Purpose Driven Life" was a huge. It has helped many people find God's purpose in their life. However, lately Pastor Warren should shut up and preach.

Rick Warren has decided to take on two global initiatives. I guess he doesn't have enough to do in California. Pastor Warren has decided to serve the world like Jesus would, and he has decided to take on AIDS. I have no problem with either of these things. However, I am not certain that Pastor Warren is the man to do it.

Pastor Warren made a terrible mistake last week by going to Syria. I listened to a statement that he made about Syria while walking the streets. His church removed this statement from their UTUBE site after it was called into question. However, a recording of it is at www.worldnetdaily.com.

Pastor Warren calls Syria a moderate state, and he spoke of how Christians and Muslims live together in peace. He said Syria was an example of a moderate Muslim state.

The truth about Syria is that Christians are allowed to live there but they are not allowed to evangelize. They are watched carefully, and do not have the same freedoms as Muslim. Certainly, Syria i not as harsh on Christians as the Taliban, but to call them a moderate nation is flat wrong. Rick Warren should not have gone to a terrorist supporting country. He should have done nothing for Syria except call them out for their evil deeds.

The second mistake Rick Warren has made this week is that he invited Senator Barack Obama to speak at his church. Pastor Warren has decided to take on the AIDS epidemic. He believes that everyone must work together to get this done. Senator Obama is one of the most socially liberal members of congress. Rick Warren has invited an abortion rights advocate to speak at his church.

By the way, Senator Obama will not be supporting abstinence as the way to stop AIDS. He believes in condom distribution.

Pastor Warren has a good heart and a great ministry. However, he is biting off more than he can chew, and he is beginning to look like an amateur. He should shut up and preach. I hope some leaders at the SBC give Pastor Warren a call and let him know that he is getting in over his head.

What I Learned At The State Convention of Baptists In Ohio

Last Week, I did not write my normal post. I was at the state convention. I really do not like going to the state convention, but I consider it a lot like voting. If you do not vote then you lose your right to complain about what you don't like. I want to have a say in things, and I also want to have the right to express my opinion. Thus, I go to the state convention. This is what I learned.

First, I learned that we are not growing. The State convention has averaged a growth of 38 churches a year over the last 10 years. However, that doesn't take into account the amount we lost. I would be thrilled with this number if all 38 were church plants. However, the truth is that very few of these 38 our church plants. The majority of them are existing churches leaving their denomination for ours. This is not real growth. Many times we like to put a smiley face on something that deserves a frown. I refuse to celebrate mediocrity. I hope that the leaders of the state convention would look at church planting and make the necessary changes to make our convention grow in real numbers.

Second, I learned that there is one guy at Liberty University that is smart. I was extremely tired Wednesday night, and I felt the need to be away from the main meeting. I ended up having a two hour conversation with the guy who Liberty University sent as a recruiter for our state convention. I don't remember his name, but he was a professor in theology and philosophy. We discussed everything from Aristotle to Ethics. It was the most enjoyable two hours I spent at the convention.

Third, I learned that being on the mission council is over rated. I am on the state mission council. This means that once a quarter I am to go to a meeting and discuss state matters. The biggest problem that I have is that I don't think I need to be there. We don't have time to discuss things. We are given proposals by the executive board just minutes before we are to vote. Last week we agreed to support an Associational Missionary that I don't think had any church planting experience. I am sure he is a great guy. I don't know him, but he seemed friendly enough. However, we really do not get to examine anyone and many thing take place by a rubber stamp.

Fourth, I learned that just because we vote for something doesn't mean we support it. Our convention voted to approve a capital fund raising campaign. We were supposed to raise 6 million dollars to help build a state building and to support Seneca Lake camp. I think I saw that we have about 30,000. By the way, if you haven't figured it out, no one is supporting this. It was something that we all approved because that is what we do. However, very few churches are even considering it worth wild.

Fifth, I learned that fellowship with pastors is a lot of fun. I don't think most laypeople will ever understand what a pastor goes through. Cliff Coleman, a former Associational Missionary and President of our convention, once said to me that some of the meanest people he has ever met our church members. I don't disagree. Pastors need to fellowship and share with one another. It is healthy and it is good. I found myself listening and sharing a lot last week.

Sixth, I learned that I needed to hear a good sermon now and then. I preach a lot. I believe I do a good job. I spend a lot of time developing my messages. I grow every time I preach. I am fed spiritually while I feed others. However, I need to hear a good sermon every now and then. I need to listen without criticism. I need to soak in the studies of another man of God. I heard a couple good messages at the state convention. I needed that.

So that is what I learned. It isn't much, but I guess six things is better than none.

Church Music Part II

If you read my last post, you would know that the style of church music is not all that important to me. If you can understand the words then you can worship. However, the words are what I want to focus on in this post. Words mean things. Many of our most loved worship songs are just plain theologically incorrect. We should be very careful what we sing to God.

One problem I see in some of our music is a growing movement of individual thought. Worship is to be a communal act. The church is to sing together to worship God. If you look at our oldest hymns, you will find that the entire hymn is directed to God. The entire church as a community is singing a worship hymn to God. Today, many of our hymns are very individualistic instead of communal. I see a lot of songs with the word "I" in them instead of the word "We".

This doesn't bother me all that much if the song is saying what everyone should be doing. "I Have Decided TO Follow Jesus" isn't a great communal song, but it should be the desires of everyone worshipping. However, there is one contemporary song that drives me nuts when I hear it. I believe I hear this song every time I go to a big event. I do not know the title of the song, but there is a line in the song that says, "Lord, I feel like dancing. It is foolishness I know." Now I run in Baptist circles. I do not believe that the majority of people in our state convention actually feel like dancing during the service. Nevertheless, they all sing it to God as if it is true.

There is a place for individualistic hymns and songs. I believe home worship is very personal. However, public worship is what it is. It is for the entire Church.

The worse thing a hymn could be is theologically unsound. My least favorite hymn is "Love Lifted Me". First, the music is all wrong. The piano in this song sounds like a carnival, but the words are about sin. Second, and most important, you are not sinking in sin. You were already sunk in sin. You were not on top sinking down. You were on the bottom dead in your trespasses of sin. God did not hear your despairing cry. He quickened your spiritually dead soul that you might be saved. This teaching is called Pellagianism. It was called heresy in the 4th century and it still is today.

The place in the worship service where we sing the worst hymns is during our invitations. First, most of our invitation hymns are individualistic and not communal. However, I can understand this because we are offering an invitation. Second, Man, some of the things we sing are just wrong.

"The Savior is Waiting" is a very popular invitation hymn. However, the chorus should make anyone who believes in a sovereign God want to vomit. "Time after time he has waited before and now he is waiting again. To see if you're willing to open the door, Oh, how he wants to come in." Poor Jesus' He just can't do anything unless we let him. Poor Poor Jesus. He is just incompetent.

"Softly and Tenderly" sings to us and not God in the 3rd verse. "Death Beds are coming, coming for you and for me". Boy that is pleasing God. I feel so woshipful. How about "Pass Me Not". In this song God is up in Heaven and he is passing people by that are earnestly calling on him. Since lost people don't call after God, then God must be passing over his children.

The purpose of this blog is not to mention every song that has a problem. The purpose is to get you to read what you are singing before you sing it. If I cannot preach it, why on earth would I sing it. Think hard before you say something to God in worship.

By the way, I will be at the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio next week. My next blog will be the following week. I will write and tell you all that I learned at the State Convention.