Lost Gospel of Evangelicalism

[presidente]

Has anyone else noticed this-- there are a number of pastors of churches and preachers on TV who do not preach about the cross, the atonement, or the resurrection of Christ, then tag a little schpeel on the end of their sermon that religion is a bad thing and we need a relationship, and declare people saved for repeating a prayer.

The prayer may involve people 'asking Jesus into your heart' without any explanation of Who Jesus is or what He did prior.

There is also this idea that 'receiving Christ' means to repeat a prayer after a preacher?

From what I have studied, the practice of confessing faith by means of a prayer either goes back to Billy Graham or wasn't widely practiced before his crusades. I have heard the assertion that if someone has not done this, he is not saved.

I recall decades ago, prayers based on Romans 10:9-10 where people would confess Jesus is Lord and their faith that God raised Him from the dead. Now a lot of these sinner's prayer rituals and the sermons that precede them often seem to be missing the Gospel message.

Sometimes the preacher tells the audience those that repeat the prayer that they are saved without telling them that Christ died for their sins or that He rose from the dead.

Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Blik]

I certainly have, for I was one of them. I live in an assisted living facility. One of my tablemates told me she couldn't understand why we made such a fuss over Jesus giving His life for us when many soldiers do the same and such a fuss wasn't made over them. I did not explain it to her, and now it is too late, she has passed on.

It wasn't only me who let her down, she was raised in the Catholic church.

 

[notuptome]

Has anyone else noticed this?

I don't watch religious TV. It is apparently common practice in many denominational church councils and the pulpits they control. When women and sodomites are ordained to pastor churches it is impossible to have a genuine gospel declared from the pulpit.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Corban]

Has anyone else noticed this-- there are a number of pastors of churches and preachers on TV who do not preach about the cross, the atonement, or the resurrection of Christ, then tag a little schpeel on the end of their sermon that religion is a bad thing and we need a relationship, and declare people saved for repeating a prayer.

The prayer may involve people 'asking Jesus into your heart' without any explanation of Who Jesus is or what He did prior.

There is also this idea that 'receiving Christ' means to repeat a prayer after a preacher?

From what I have studied, the practice of confessing faith by means of a prayer either goes back to Billy Graham or wasn't widely practiced before his crusades. I have heard the assertion that if someone has not done this, he is not saved.

I recall decades ago, prayers based on Romans 10:9-10 where people would confess Jesus is Lord and their faith that God raised Him from the dead. Now a lot of these sinner's prayer rituals and the sermons that precede them often seem to be missing the Gospel message.

Sometimes the preacher tells the audience those that repeat the prayer that they are saved without telling them that Christ died for their sins or that He rose from the dead.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I certainly have, for I was one of them. I live in an assisted living facility. One of my tablemates told me she couldn't understand why we made such a fuss over Jesus giving His life for us when many soldiers do the same and such a fuss wasn't made over them. I did not explain it to her, and now it is too late, she has passed on.

It wasn't only me who let her down, she was raised in the Catholic church.

According to the scriptures, a person's conversion needs three steps.

1. The Holy Spirit must work inside them to convince them of "sin and judgment" (Jn.16:8)
2. When the realization of their sins and impending judgment have worked, somebody has to tell of the way out (Rom.10:13-14)
3. When they believe, they must also confess what is in their heart (Rom.10:10-13)

The Holy Spirit convicts, and gives faith. The way out is told by a Christian. The person themself must believe and confess. If just ONE of these three are missing, there is no conversion (this time). Blik's table-mate seems to me not to be convicted. Whether you told or not, I judge that you would not have made a difference. This does not excuse a Christian from preaching the gospel, but an obviously aggressive, dismissive and/or abusive person is unlikely to have been convicted, and less likely to confess.

 

[Corban]

I don't watch religious TV. It is apparently common practice in many denominational church councils and the pulpits they control. When women and sodomites are ordained to pastor churches it is impossible to have a genuine gospel declared from the pulpit.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

I like things told straight forward - told as they are. There is also the matter of God's omnipotence. He once used a donkey to prophesy.

 

[presidente]

I like things told straight forward - told as they are. There is also the matter of God's omnipotence. He once used a donkey to prophesy.

The donkey spoke. It does not say it prophesied. Do you think the donkey was asking Balaam why he hit God?

 

[SophieT]

Has anyone else noticed this-- there are a number of pastors of churches and preachers on TV who do not preach about the cross, the atonement, or the resurrection of Christ, then tag a little schpeel on the end of their sermon that religion is a bad thing and we need a relationship, and declare people saved for repeating a prayer.

You mean you just noticed that lately?

 

[Corban]

The donkey spoke. It does not say it prophesied. Do you think the donkey was asking Balaam why he hit God?

1 Corinthians 14:3. "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

I was on your side with your truthful posting. But since you would prefer a debate, do you not think that Balaam's ass "spoke" to "exhortation"? Was not it a "comfort" that the donkey was not only loyal to his master but saved his life?

What is your definition of prophesy?

 

[Magenta]

What is your definition of prophesy?

A prophet speaks as God leads

 

[Dino246]

I don't watch religious TV. It is apparently common practice in many denominational church councils and the pulpits they control. When women and sodomites are ordained to pastor churches it is impossible to have a genuine gospel declared from the pulpit.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

It is sick that you conflate an inadequately-presented message with "women and sodomites", as though straight men are incapable of presenting an inadequate message. That you even bring it up is a testimony to your confusion regarding the nature of biblical truth.

Further, despite your closed-minded sexism, women are fully capable of presenting the whole gospel.

 

[Nehemiah6]

From what I have studied, the practice of confessing faith by means of a prayer either goes back to Billy Graham or wasn't widely practiced before his crusades.

Why don'y you go back to the Bible itself for a precedent? And let's have the true and full Gospel presented (as understood by you).

 

[Corban]

A prophet speaks as God leads

Amen!

2nd Peter 1:21: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

 

[eternally-gratefull]

my Church had a strictly evangelical pastor once, I had just gotten out of the military. And was looking forward to getting back with my church, one thing I noticed is all the people there I knew had been there for well over 10 years. Yet all I heard was the gospel being preached, no new people, the people there should be well versed in the gospel. Yet that is all we heard.

sadly I could not join the church, it was a dead church, the church should be feeding the flock as it’s mission, the member should be out evangelizing, and if we got some new members, what most churches I have been to did was give classes. So they would have a better understanding of what they have done.

evangelism has its place.

as for on tv. I would not go to listen to DR jeremiah if all he did was the gospel. I go to be fed, as does his church members. the body of christ should be involved in a local church anyway, that is what it is for,

one of Billy Graham’s regrets is that all these people he led to Christ were never introduced to churches, yes they got saved, then were sent back in the world which hated them with no help.

be careful what you wish for

 

[presidente]

Why don'y you go back to the Bible itself for a precedent? And let's have the true and full Gospel presented (as understood by you).

Still waiting for explicit scriptures about going to heaven at death.

 

[presidente]

1 Corinthians 14:3. "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

I was on your side with your truthful posting. But since you would prefer a debate, do you not think that Balaam's ass "spoke" to "exhortation"? Was not it a "comfort" that the donkey was not only loyal to his master but saved his life?

What is your definition of prophesy?

I meant no offense, just to discuss.

Prophesying speaks to comfort, edification and exhortation but not all words of comfort, edification and exhortation are prophesying. That verse tells what prophesying does not what prophesying is.

Peter described prophesyin as 'spake as moved by the Holy Ghost'.

 

[notuptome]

It is sick that you conflate an inadequately-presented message with "women and sodomites", as though straight men are incapable of presenting an inadequate message. That you even bring it up is a testimony to your confusion regarding the nature of biblical truth.

Further, despite your closed-minded sexism, women are fully capable of presenting the whole gospel.

Sodomites are an abomination to God. Women are never called by God to pastor a church. Those who impose their sense of moral superiority over that of God's are in rebellion to God.

You continue to reject the plain teaching of God's word. There is no counsel that can stand against God.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Blik]

According to the scriptures, a person's conversion needs three steps.

1. The Holy Spirit must work inside them to convince them of "sin and judgment" (Jn.16:8)
2. When the realization of their sins and impending judgment have worked, somebody has to tell of the way out (Rom.10:13-14)
3. When they believe, they must also confess what is in their heart (Rom.10:10-13)

The Holy Spirit convicts, and gives faith. The way out is told by a Christian. The person themself must believe and confess. If just ONE of these three are missing, there is no conversion (this time). Blik's table-mate seems to me not to be convicted. Whether you told or not, I judge that you would not have made a difference. This does not excuse a Christian from preaching the gospel, but an obviously aggressive, dismissive and/or abusive person is unlikely to have been convicted, and less likely to confess.

If she hadn't listened to me, it would be her who rejected it, I feel it was sinful of me to be given the oportunity to tell her the facts of life and fail to do it. In her 75 years of living, she had never really heard these facts. It points to the need to get this information our there in the world, even our churches are not making it clear.

Bless our Savior for forgiving me, I'll not let that happe again.

 

[Corban]

I meant no offense, just to discuss.

Prophesying speaks to comfort, edification and exhortation but not all words of comfort, edification and exhortation are prophesying. That verse tells what prophesying does not what prophesying is.

Peter described prophesyin as 'spake as moved by the Holy Ghost'.

And you don't think that the donkey was moved by the Holy Spirit? See your posting # 6.

 

[Corban]

If she hadn't listened to me, it would be her who rejected it, I feel it was sinful of me to be given the oportunity to tell her the facts of life and fail to do it. In her 75 years of living, she had never really heard these facts. It points to the need to get this information our there in the world, even our churches are not making it clear.

Bless our Savior for forgiving me, I'll not let that happe again.

Yeah. We've all got regrets. Go well.

 

[presidente]

And you don't think that the donkey was moved by the Holy Spirit? See your posting # 6.

Exodus 4:11
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

The LORD gives men the ability to speak. That does not make every word every man speaks into prophesying. Some people say some rather foolish things. We also speak words that aren't foolish, but aren't prophesying either. The donkey asked Balaam why he struck her. It does not say that the donkey spoke a 'thus saith the LORD' type message.