Church Politics for Politics Sake

Recently the Western Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church, elected Rev. Karen Oliveto of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco to serve as a bishop of The United Methodist Church. Rev. Oliveto has been described as “an openly lesbian clergyperson.”

“An openly lesbian clergyperson” is a bit of an understatement as she is married to a woman. In my little town out on the prairie our local Methodist church sent a letter to their parishioners telling them of Ms Oliveto's election and asking for calm. What the letter did not do was address my biggest question: is she qualified for the position? Her qualifications are what must be addressed first, everything after that comes down to personal opinion.

Is she academically qualified? Personally I don't know simply because I'm not familiar with the academic requirements of a Methodist bishop. She has a Masters of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion and a  Ph.D. in Religion and Society from Drew University, she's an  adjunct professor of United Methodist Studies at Pacific School of Religion where she recently served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. So yeah, I suppose she's got all the blocks filled out for educational requirements. 

Random Bits

"I walk through this sinful world as a 

pilgrim in a foreign country" - CH Spurgeon

It's been a pretty busy week here in the high country. A co-worker was in town from his location in Florida and was impressed with the lack of oxygen up here. We got a lot of work done and I was able to give him a bit of a tour of the mountains in the Denver area. We even got to visit a couple of ghost towns; Nevadaville and Russel Gulch. It was his first trip up there and my first trip above 6,000' since May.

The brightest part of this past week is the fact that I had no dealings at all with the presidential race. No news, no news papers, and when scouring the internet for Random Bits I completely avoided anything to do with the election. I even avoided my favorite radio talk show, Red Eye Radio. (It was easy, the main hosts were both on vacation and I'm not a big fan of their fill-in host.) My bride is not a big news fanatic either which made it even nicer. If I can do another week like this, that will take me up to vacation and I know I'm not going to bother with the news at all then, unless I-70 is blocked by a huge glowing crater. Then I may turn off Audible and turn on the radio. I suggest everyone try this, because with those two running for office, you can loose a lot of sanctification

Daesh* is not the problem, it's Islam.

Of course it's a gift from Heaven, Mark. Welcome to God's country.

The Reason Rally, a big atheist get together and celebration of self worship was canceled. I guess they didn't believe in it

Spurgeon Thursday - Spurgeon on the "Christian" Left

The term "Christian" Left had yet been invented, but the idea existed back then, it was called "Christian Socialism." The goals of Christian Socialism were Government control over all (health) insurance, elimination of the significance of the family, elimination of the significance of religion, justified use of force if necessary to attain socialistic goals. and a universal system of pensions. Sound familiar? Spurgeon’s comments against socialism appear as early as 1878, but pick up more frequency after 1886. A group known as the Fabian Society organized in 1884 for the purpose of advancing the ideas of Karl Marx and establishing England as a socialist state, exactly the same thing that the "Christian" Left is doing to the United States right now. Spurgeon was not a fan of Christian Socialism:

Some of us may have passed away, but you who are younger may live to see modern thought obtain supremacy over human minds: German rationalism which has ripened into Socialism may yet pollute the mass of mankind and lead them to overturn the foundations of society. Then “advanced principles” will hold carnival, and free thought will riot with the vice and blood which were years ago the insignia of “the age of reason.” I say not that it will be so, but I should not wonder if it came to pass, for deadly principles are abroad and certain ministers are spreading them. (“The Headstone of the Corner,” Sermon No. 1420, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (MTP) 24 (1878), 452–453)

If it ever should be so, do not, o believers, for a single moment despair, but rest certain that the Lord is about to do a marvellous thing in the earth, and that he will lift up once again the stone which the builders have again refused, and cause it to become more than ever the headstone of the corner. Never dream of defeat. Be calm amid all the din of controversy, for the hand which holds the gospel must win the victory. This is the Lord’s doing and we shall see it. (“The Headstone of the Corner,” Sermon No. 1420, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (MTP) 24 (1878), 452–453) 

WWUTT Wednesday - What "Jehovah" Is and Isn't

It's been a while since I've had the Worshipers of the Watchtower come banging on my door, I think they put a secret mark on my house: Beware! This One Knows the Gospel! and they kind of avoid my house lately. Usually doomsday cults don't annoy me, but the Jehovah's Witness cult is particularly heretical.

The Doomsday Cult of the Watchtower gets their understanding of God from the New World Translation. The NWT is the first intentional, systematic effort at producing a complete version of the Bible that is edited and revised for the specific purpose of agreeing with a group's doctrine.

The Jehovah's witnesses believe that Jesus is not God but just Michael the Archangel. Their proof? They don't really have any, but they do fire off few bible verses that mention Michael as a prince and claim they are proof that Jesus is an angel. I'll ignore the fact that according to their teaching the earth is going to end in 1874 1878 1881 1914 1925 1975 you get the idea. They even gave God a name of their own making

Emergent Monday - The NAR’s Infallible Prophet Rick Joyner (and the New Breed)

The controversial New Breed doctrine goes under many 

different names, although it is often called ‘Manifest Sons 

of God’ theology by discernment ministries in the 1980s.

This was posted on May 24, 2016 at Churchwatch Central, and I'm sure you'll agree with me that it is an excellent expose of narcissistic psudotheology gone wild. All emphasis is from the author, minor corrections in spelling and grammar have been made because I'm an English major with OCD.

The problem with cults is that it is hard to convince people that they actually teach really bizarre or far-fetched doctrines. It’s hard to reconcile that they push such illogical concepts on people contrary to human reason or biblical truths.

THE NEW BREED DOCTRINE

One such cult is the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) who believe they will raise raise up a generation known as the New Breed. This New Breed doctrine teaches that a generation of Christians will become “divine” or “God in human flesh” and will manifest Christ here on earth with powerful signs, wonders and judgments to cleanse the church and the world of all sin so Christ can return.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT THIS NEW BREED NONSENSE?

The reason why it is important to familiarize yourself with this teaching is because it is EVERYWHERE. You will see this theology emerge again and again in NAR revivals or in their attempt to promote conferences. You can detect it behind the theology of very popular movements that try to hide their theological ties to the NAR: