Emergent Monday: Burn Down That Shack!!!

“Burning Down the Shack” exposes the greatest deception to blindside the church in the last 200 years!

By James B. De Young, ThD

My wife and I recently enjoyed an evening together in our home viewing “Anne of Green Gables,” produced on VHS in 1985. There is a scene in which Anne Shirley rehearses the Highway Man before a literary society. Anne’s dramatic presentation earns an encore. As this scene drew to a close I turned to my wife and said: “This is what people did before there was TV and the movies.”

We may smile at the simplicity of those days-around the turn of the 20st century.It seems that the older I get the more I am moved by a film like “Anne of Green Gables.”Why is this? I think that it is because our life experiences have identified with the values expressed in this film. Or, rather, this story has reinforced the values of mainstream Judeo-Christian America.

The issue I want to address is how the media influence our understanding of God and how this impacts ideology. In “Anne of Green Gables” there are at least a dozen references to God. The most powerful line is when Anne departs for college and Marilla and Matthew are left standing alone on the train platform after saying goodby, and Marilla says: “Providence knew we needed her.” She was referring to how their orphan girl had impacted their lives for good, for kindness, for love. Themes of judgment, accountability, confession of sin, forgiveness, and innocence prevail in the film. We understand that God holds us accountable for our sins; but we also experience the cleansing of conscience and guilt that confession brings. The name “Jesus” is even used with reverence.

So what media influenced the author of “Anne of Green Gables”? Certainly there were no radio, TV, films, CD’s, DVD’s, IPods, etc., etc. Certainly the number one source would be the Bible, since the concept of God in “Anne of Green Gables” parallels how God is presented in the Bible. All Christians would agree. 

Random Bits

"I walk through this sinful world as a 

pilgrim in a foreign country" - CH Spurgeon

While ISIS rapes, sells, tortures, and executes Christians, Obama chooses to do absolutely nothing

Yes, our border security is a joke, but Mr. Pope wants to be the punchline by entering the US through Mexico.

About that lying “prophet” that rebuked John MacArthur

Christians living in persecution can now print bibles in their own language and distribute them discretely thanks to Wycliffe

Deception in the Bookstores. A handy list of  unGodly writings to avoid if you find yourself perusing the local LifeWay store.

Hilton Hotels and Resorts will phase out on-demand pornography in all guest rooms by July of next year. Praise The Lord!

Religion of Peace Update #1- Pakistani Christian flood victims are forced to renounce Jesus Christ or become slaves to muslims in order to receive aid

Religion of Peace Update #2 - A Nigerian Pastor says that muslims have killed 70% of his church

Islands in Isaiah

During my vacation I took some summertime reading along with me, I chose Isaiah. Or maybe I should say Isaiah chose me. Every time I read Isaiah something new strikes me. This time it was the mention of islands, over and over. I didn't remember seeing a plethora of islands like that anywhere else in the bible. Isaiah is a veritable archipelago right there on the pages of the bible. 

I found this to be quite odd for a desert people to be writing about islands, so I filed that away for further inquiry. When I got a break I opened up my study bible and was surprised to find that almost all of the islands had disappeared. I was sure I saw them but now they're gone. That evening when I went out to read in the cool of the evening (yeah, like there's a cool anything in a Florida August) the islands were back.

The fact that islands are mentioned at all was a mystery to me - the ancient Jews were a desert people, they didn't like the ocean. To them sailing was something that happened to other people and and I'm sure after the exploits of Noah and Jonah the ancient Jews never considered a yacht club. In fact when they got to the Red Sea they ended up walking. Even though they lived just a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea the ancient Jews were landlocked.

C. H. Spurgeon on Prayer

Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ.

(I am on vacation this week, filling in for me is Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and that is my favorite prayer spot - sunrise on the east coast of Florida)

C. H. Spurgeon on Serving

(I am on vacation this week, filling in for me is Charles Haddon Spurgeon)