Podcast: Matthew Gallatin and Predestination Part 2

In this episode, we continue our examination of Eastern Orthodox author and speaker Matthew Gallatin's explanation of whether or not the Bible teaches predestination.

Green Dollar

The following is a satire of "Hellfire" from Disney's version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

O human sophia
You know I am a learned man
Knowledgeable greatly of God's word
O human sophia
I do know what the scriptures say
Unlike what's thought by those sad Bible nerds

But tell me, sophia,
Why he makes me take a zig
Why this witchcraft makes my sins unfurled
I see him, I want him
That smug look and that powdered wig
Emboldens me to make friends with the world

This dollar, green dollar
Like fine delicacy
I forsake the scholar
And embrace relevancy

It's not my fault
Don't give me blame
It is society
They love to get inflamed
It's all God's fault!
He made the youth
To find a falsehood so much hipper
Than the truth!

O guide me, sophia,
I promise you I won't preach hell
I'll give lost men what they want to hear
Bring in all the cool peeps
And let my numbers start to swell
I'll even serve communion with draft beer

Associate Pastor: "Pastor, we finished the outdoor skating rink."

Pastor: "...what?"

Associate Pastor: "The one we were building right next to the basketball court. It's finished."

Pastor: "But I wanted an indoor...whatever. Get out, you idiot! I'll just build another one! And then, I'll buy an indoor wave machine!"

Green dollar, sweet dollar
Do not, world, my church spurn
Love me or I'll holler
Help me a profit turn
Men are saved by the Spirit
It doesn't depend on me
But for gain I'll teach what lost men yearn!

Podcast: Matthew Gallatin and Predestination Part 1

This episode begins our examination of Eastern Orthodox author Matthew Gallatin's review of whether or not Ephesians 1 really teaches predestination.

The Legacy of Fred Phelps

At the time of this writing, Fred Phelps is in a hospital due to what his Westboro Baptist Church calls "health problems," though rumors are that he may be near death.

Some people are rejoicing in this. For my own part, let me clarify I don't glory in anyone's death, be it Osama bin Laden or Jim Henson. Fred Phelps' family need our prayers - not only for the grief they will no doubt go through, but so that they will eventually repent of their warped teachings, and follow Christ and His true teachings.

I think there are two obvious things that need to be said:

First, Fred Phelps group was what amounted to a cult. They were centered around his teachings and beliefs, and centered their understanding of reality and the Bible around the thinking of Fred Phelps. It was not Christ speaking out of the mouths of those people at those protests, but Fred Phelps and the top leaders of the Westboro cult.

Second, there can be no doubt that Fred Phelps caused irrevocable damage for other Christians hoping to witness to homosexuals, and he set back the ability to witness to homosexuals and speak to even non-homosexuals on the matter by perhaps about ten years. Especially in the realm of social media, anyone who has some form of contention against same sex marriage or homosexuality is often compared to a Westboro crazy. Sometimes, even when the subject wasn't homosexuality, anyone expressing strong religious beliefs was put on the same level as Fred Phelps and his ilk. They became the icon of any group - homophobic or not - that opposed same sex marriage and the sin of homosexuality. Some will contend here that those who appeal to the Westboro cult in the face of any opposition to homosexuality or same sex marriage are committing a straw man or genetic fallacy would, of course, be absolutely right - but there is no denying that Fred Phelps did much damage to those who would witness to their homosexual friends and acquaintances out of love rather than hatred.

If he is to pass away (and I do not write this post hoping he does so), Christians will need to ask themselves how they will gradually recover in the days following. We should pray that Westboro, as an organization, eventually dies off in the wake of less charismatic or firm leadership, and that it becomes simply an embarrassing memory in the issue's history. We should likewise pray that God will open up possibilities for us to witness to those homosexuals struggling under their sin, and offer them hope in the light of the Gospel of Christ, and not the Gospel of Irrational Hatred.

Podcast: Morality and Same Sex Marriage

In this episode we discuss the topic of same sex marriage and the moral standards surrounding it.

A Simple Review of "Flywheel"

I've written in the past that I'm not a huge fan of "Christian" movies. This doesn't mean I don't like movies about stories from the Bible (I adore films like The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Passion, and The Robe), but rather I mean films targeted towards a Christian audience. Oftentimes, they have too many cliches (you almost always have the "born again" scene with Christian pop music in the background), and oftentimes all they end up being like are mediocre secular films with Christian references or "themes" thrown in.

However, through my wife, I was introduced to the films of the Kendrick brothers, Alex and Stephen, most of which were produced out of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. Together, my wife and I watched Fireproof, followed by Courageous, Facing the Giants, and finally Flywheel. What I found amazed me: the stories were consistently good, the characters well developed, and the theological messages strong and uncompromising. Unlike most Christian films, where you have people living normal lives with an occasional "God has a plan for you" thrown in, I actually felt edified watching these films. That's not to say these movies are perfect (no movie is), nor am I saying I find them more edifying than scripture, but they provided a film experience so rare in a film about Christians.

Flywheel is centered around Jay Austin (Alex Kendrick), a used car salesman who is corrupt both in business practices and in his personal life. Over time, he begins to see that his lifestyle is not being profitable, starting with a scene where he hears his son say to a friend that he doesn't want to be like his dad. Later on, when he gives his own pastor a bad deal on a car, and he hears his pastor pray to God, "Lord, I ask that you treat Jay just the way he treated me in this deal," it begins to hit him even harder. Realizing that he is not living with integrity, and in a lifestyle opposed to God, Jay repents and submits to the Lord, vowing to do business in a way honoring to Him.

Going on at the same time, Max, the car lot's mechanic, is working on an antique car Jay had bought recently. He tells Jay that it is missing a flywheel, without which the car will not be able to run. As the car is fixed, it begins to mirror the problems and resolutions in Jay's own life.

Flywheel was the first film made by the Kendrick brothers, and was initially meant to simply edify church members and those in their local area. It was made on a budget of $20,000...and there are times when it shows. The camera and sound quality show this, especially when it becomes clear what footage is digital and what isn't. The acting is hit-and-miss, with some performances done well and some performances going terribly. The most surprising performance is by Richie Hunnewell, the young boy who plays Jay's son Todd, and does a good job for someone of his age: he only has a few lines, and most of the time he is showing expressions, but he gives a convincing performance.

However, when I speak on a film being low budget, it should be understood I've never hated a film simply because it was low budget - rather, I'm more interested in what a film did with it's low budget. I've seen films that looked like they were done with a home camcorder, but had a good story and capable directing, so that I could overlook all that. The same can be said about Flywheel. Though not quite as polished as their later films, the Kendrick brothers present a film that still carries a strong message in a way more capable than many bigger budget films. If you've seen the Sherwood movies that came out after Flywheel, you'll probably notice all the morals from those films peppered throughout this one: you have the issues of marriage and the relationship between husband and wife (Fireproof), how to be the best father your children need (Courageous), and dealing with faith in God during difficult times (Facing the Giants). The subject matter is treated with dignity and in a way that can make the viewer stop and ponder, "Is that me?" Even now, having rewatched the movie to write this review, I felt convicted to ponder if I am truly a good husband to my wife, or if I take the easy way out and only "act" Christian.

Some have criticized the film by saying that it presents a scenario where a guy becomes Christian and things get all better. I wouldn't say that's necessarily the case. For one, the Kendrick have said in other commentaries that their goal is not to say, "You start praying, things get better," only that God is faithful to His own. Their films are meant to represent ideas, not necessary realities. For certain, life for Jay Austin is not immediately easy when his relationship with God is restored: his two salesman walk out on him, he gets closer and closer to the bank taking the lot from him...things aren't always happy. Even when things turn around for him near the end, he still has an obstacle or two.

The focus on the film is not so much "Can God make your life hunky dory?", but rather it's "What does living a life devoted to God look like?" Jay has to spend much of the movie restoring the relationship with the rest of his family. Half of the film has him and his wife being snarky and yelling at one another, including an infamous scene where Jay slams his hand on the table and says, "Why don't you shut your mouth and don't open it again except to eat?" (which actually struck me as way harsher than anything said in Fireproof) Jay also ignores his son, and isn't there for him when he would like to be (one of the early scenes shows Jay's son giving his dad a drawing he made, only for Jay to casually throw it away while busy on a phone call). As Jay realizes he has not lived a life devoted to God, he begins to review his business practices, and is further convicted when he sees his salesmen repeating the exact same tactics he himself taught them. All these things need to be overcome, and eventually are in one way or another. Again, the point of the movie is not "Can I live a better life now?", but "I've been living in sin - how can I restore my life to glorify God?"

As far as I know, they haven't released the film on Blu-Ray yet, but it is widely available on DVD. I would suggest getting a copy and watching it with your family. If you can remember the film was made on a low budget, and was the first film made at Sherwood, you will definitely be able to enjoy it and find it not just empty entertainment. It is definitely worth at least a one time viewing.

Podcast: Joyce Meyer and Authority

In this episode, we examine Joyce Meyer's theology, demonstrating she still adheres to the teachings of the Word of Faith heresy.

IHOP-KC and the Bethany Deaton Murder

Some time ago, a murder occurred involving those had had been attending the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, and it involved what was ultimately a mini-cult. Initially, I hadn't written or said much on the Deaton murder case, partially because the initial reports seemed to suggest IHOP-KC was completely separated from it, and I was awaiting until the "dust had settled" (so to speak) and had a clearer picture of what had happened. Recently, some interesting articles had come out that shed a big light on the Deaton murder: not only on what happened, but what implications it reveals regarding how IHOP-KC operates.

Love and Death In the House of Prayer - The Rolling Stone article on Tyler Deaton's cult and the murder of Bethany Deaton.

What Rolling Stone Didn't Tell You About Tyler Deaton - This article presents some insider information regarding IHOP-KC's dealing with the Tyler Deaton affair. Most importantly, it discusses how the environment at IHOP-KC bred such a group as Deaton's cult.

Excerpt:

Herrington tells a story of being rebuked for questioning Deaton. “Tyler is the apostle of Southwestern,” he was told, “you need to do whatever he tells you!” Yet I could tell countless stories of how students who voiced disagreements with teachers at IHOP’s Bible school, my alma mater IHOPU, were treated in similar fashion. Many were reduced to tears; I was compared to heretics; a friend was told, “I’m fighting on the Lord’s side, whose side are you fighting on?” and most pointedly one teacher said, “The angel came to Mike, not you; who do you think we are going to listen to?”

“Mike would never say this,” Greaves said to a room full of students, “but I’m telling you, Mike Bickle is an Apostle.” At an August 2013 staff meeting, Bickle warned staff and students that God would judge them for how they responded to the prophetic encounters he and others leaders had about IHOP and the prayer movement [...]

 See also this blog post I made with some transcripts from IHOP-KC (by a member of the "underground church" there) that showcases more of what was discussed in that last paragraph.