I am late with this. My pastor retired at the end of June. My televangelists of the past mocked the idea of pastors retiring. I don’t think any of them really retire from ministry. Their ministry just takes on a different kind of practice, so I don’t begrudge them their retirement. I have been in churches all my life, but I think this was the first time I was there to see a pastor give his or her final message before retirement.
What I’m doing here, though, he might question. He said he sent all his old sermons to…
You say things so well. Couple of questions: That photo with the plane reflected in the puddle is eerily reminiscent of 9-11. Was that deliberate?
Also, a friend recently told me his son has bipolar disorder and how hard it was to watch him suffer. I said, "That's rough. I can't offer any advice, just that I'll pray for y'all." He seemed to appreciate it, but I see I hit on both the good and bad lists. It felt like the right thing to say, because really I don't know what to do about it. How would that have landed with you?
I appreciate what you do here.
There’s a video on YouTube called “The Church and Mental Health.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16bcJp6GucI
I am recommending this video, not necessarily the channel. I haven’t watched every video on the channel, so don’t go hunting some video that I never saw, and that I never recommended and say, “Why did you recommend this when this channel has (blah blah blah)?” No, I recommend this particular video. That’s how it always is. But if you want to know, the channel is Belief It Or Not. I don’t know enough to recommend it, but I will probably be watching more of their videos.
Okay…
In my last post, I talked about the claim from some preachers that if you are born again, you are a “little god.” I argued that is not true, first by pointing out that when the Bible says we were made in the image and likeness of God, that is not the same as being a god.
I’m sure some of them will say, “Well, what about Philippians 2:5–6?”
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
(KJV)
…
This is an argument I hear a lot from Prosperity preachers. When the Bible says that God made man in his own image, that meant Adam was made equal to God but lost it in the Fall. That thinking gives rise to something I call the “little gods” doctrine. This says humans were first created not just human but little gods. They lost their god-status in the Fall, but Jesus came to restore that to us. When you are born again (give your life to Christ), you are born again out of the human class into the god-class of beings…
How do you know if a religion, sect, or organization is a cult? I posted earlier about the time my sister thought I was in a cult. This was in reference to the Word of Faith (aka, Prosperity Gospel), which I believed in for several years. I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t fully a cult, but it wasn’t healthy either.
An organization called International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) has an article on their website called “ Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups “ that lists a number of patterns that are consistent throughout all cults. …
When I started college, one of the first things I did was rededicate my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I had a couple of friends from high school at that college. Hanging out with them led me to a fraternity. I pledged and made it through. One of my fraternity brothers, Dave, was an atheist. He respected my faith but made it clear any efforts to convert him would be wasted, except he made this challenge. Another fraternity brother (Paul) was legally blind. Dave said if I healed Paul, he would believe.
Most of us have at least heard…
Why did she think that? I’m not sure. I know it had something to do with the Word of Faith movement. At the time, I had a great uncle who had Alzheimer’s. Everybody was saying there was no cure, which medically was true. If you’re in the Word of Faith, you don’t accept no cure. Your answer is, “Oh yes, there is. Faith in Jesus Christ.”
One of my word of faith teachers preached on using fasting to increase the power of your prayer. The text came from Isaiah 58. By the way, that’s not what Isaiah 58 says when…
In case you did not know, March 8 of each year is designated as International Women’s Day. The purpose is not to denigrate men but to honor women and promote gender equality. As the website says,
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.
-About page
Studies have shown countries that do best on women’s rights and equality do best on…
Brother B is replaying his interview with me from December 6 as a “Best of” episode on his show, “This is the Situation,” on 100.9 FM in Muskegon, Michigan. He said he chose this episode because he got a lot of positive reviews for it, and he feels it speaks to a lot of what is happening now in this country. And I would say around the world as well. What we have been through the last year has taken a toll not only on physical health but mental health as well.
Brother B interviews me about my book Dark…
