Comments on: This Fad, That Fad http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/ Scriptural teaching, Bible Answers, Christian Advice Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:19:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: brentriggs http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-2009 brentriggs Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:49:12 +0000 http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2544#comment-2009 I'm always grateful and amazed that God uses our flawed human efforts, especially mine. I don't hold any man-written book to the standard as Scripture. Depending on how far I feel like it strays from Scripture or misuses Scripture dictates how much of a public opinion I state. As well, sometimes the popularity of a book or trend causes me to respond because I get truckloads of questions about it. PDL and The Shack are two examples of that. Those books are so pervasive in the Church today that I can hardly avoid the endless inquiries about them. So I present my honest assessment as a Bible teacher then I take my lumps which never fail to materialize. I applaud and give credit to any genuine good that comes from these books. As I said, PDL is a decent self help book with some good life application tips and thoughts. My objections come from the implication that the Scripture used in it actually is what the Scripture is teaching in those verses. Too often it is not. As a Bible teacher it's my duty to point out prooftexting not necessarily to categorically declare you should NOT read that book, but just so a Christian is armed and alert. Most Christians do not study the Bible enough to know prooftexting when they see it. So when Rick Warren, or Brent Riggs, jerks verses out of context to prove a point, most people simply accept the implication that "this is the meaning of that verse". If more people knew their Bible's, there wouldn't be a need for a Brent Riggs to point out the obvious. Thanks Lorraine... love you guys... appreciate your family... can't wait to come visit some time... hey, you need to just write some blog posts for me... your comments are better than my post. I’m always grateful and amazed that God uses our flawed human efforts, especially mine. I don’t hold any man-written book to the standard as Scripture. Depending on how far I feel like it strays from Scripture or misuses Scripture dictates how much of a public opinion I state. As well, sometimes the popularity of a book or trend causes me to respond because I get truckloads of questions about it. PDL and The Shack are two examples of that. Those books are so pervasive in the Church today that I can hardly avoid the endless inquiries about them. So I present my honest assessment as a Bible teacher then I take my lumps which never fail to materialize.

I applaud and give credit to any genuine good that comes from these books. As I said, PDL is a decent self help book with some good life application tips and thoughts. My objections come from the implication that the Scripture used in it actually is what the Scripture is teaching in those verses. Too often it is not. As a Bible teacher it’s my duty to point out prooftexting not necessarily to categorically declare you should NOT read that book, but just so a Christian is armed and alert.

Most Christians do not study the Bible enough to know prooftexting when they see it. So when Rick Warren, or Brent Riggs, jerks verses out of context to prove a point, most people simply accept the implication that “this is the meaning of that verse”.

If more people knew their Bible’s, there wouldn’t be a need for a Brent Riggs to point out the obvious.

Thanks Lorraine… love you guys… appreciate your family… can’t wait to come visit some time… hey, you need to just write some blog posts for me… your comments are better than my post.

]]> By: Lorraine Patterson http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1954 Lorraine Patterson Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:18:23 +0000 http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2544#comment-1954 Brent, I agree entirely with you that there is NOTHING to substitute for The Bible. I agree that prooftexting can lead to serious false teaching. That is why it's so important to compare every message given (in all Scripturally-based messages, including sermons) directly with His Word. It is only when we dig deep for ourselves in His Word that we are able to discern false teachings from Scripturally sound messages. If we do not compare Scripture-based messages (in books, sermons, conversations, etc.) directly with His Word, we will never know if we're being led astray. I personally feel that there are many excellent points made in Purpose Driven Life, some points that are of Tozer quality, some of CS Lewis quality, others that are slanted and twisting of His Truth. I believe almost all man-interpreted, man-breathed messages will always be lacking in atleast one area, if not more, and that is why it's so important to dig deeper into His Word for His truth. I also believe that many Scripturally-based books can be used quite successfully as a means of study, when we use The Bible as the main reference to compare and contrast man's messages. In my opinion, Purpose Driven Life has many messages that many of America's selfish citizens need to hear. Their eyes need to be opened to how we're living our lives, for self. Unfortunately, many of these people are the way they are BECAUSE they do not study God's Word. Therefore, one is more likely to convince them to read a Christian book than to get them to delve deeply into God's Word. Our lives were created for God's purpose, and the majority of people today are missing that purpose. We have fallen into the trap of living selfish lives. Our lives our not our own, and I believe that Purpose Driven Life can be used as a means of removing the scales from our eyes. It is always our ultimate desire to have every person deeply studying God's Word, but the reality is that too many people rely on others to teach us. God was able to use The Purpose Driven Life to bring much healing to our hurting daughter, who was adopted at age 11 after suffering a childhood full of trauma beyond our imagination. God told me to use that book with her, after Christian counselors and other Christian books, including Bible studies, were not able to accomplish God's desire. God used PDL to breathe hope into our daughter, to confirm for her that she was created for a Purpose, His purpose, and we have been able to use the teachings from PDL to dive deeper into God's Word, together, to see what Scripture actually says in context, what His message truly is, etc. It's been an amazing tool of healing for our daughter, and it has been a good springboard of conversation, Bible study, and prayer for our entire family. We love comparing and contrasting Scripture quotes and messages from PDL with our favorite personal Bibles, and asking God to reveal His Truth to us individually and as a family as we meet for family devotional time every evening. On several occasions, we have found that we could spend an entire week chewing on, tearing up, picking apart, comparing and contrasting just one day's message of PDL to God's Word, which is a wonderful way to study His Word and for Him to reveal His Truth and His message to us regarding a specific subject. I think Purpose Driven Life is an awesome teaching tool, when used MERELY as a tool for deeper Bible study, and not as a substitute for The Bible. Brent, I agree entirely with you that there is NOTHING to substitute for The Bible. I agree that prooftexting can lead to serious false teaching. That is why it’s so important to compare every message given (in all Scripturally-based messages, including sermons) directly with His Word. It is only when we dig deep for ourselves in His Word that we are able to discern false teachings from Scripturally sound messages. If we do not compare Scripture-based messages (in books, sermons, conversations, etc.) directly with His Word, we will never know if we’re being led astray. I personally feel that there are many excellent points made in Purpose Driven Life, some points that are of Tozer quality, some of CS Lewis quality, others that are slanted and twisting of His Truth. I believe almost all man-interpreted, man-breathed messages will always be lacking in atleast one area, if not more, and that is why it’s so important to dig deeper into His Word for His truth. I also believe that many Scripturally-based books can be used quite successfully as a means of study, when we use The Bible as the main reference to compare and contrast man’s messages. In my opinion, Purpose Driven Life has many messages that many of America’s selfish citizens need to hear. Their eyes need to be opened to how we’re living our lives, for self. Unfortunately, many of these people are the way they are BECAUSE they do not study God’s Word. Therefore, one is more likely to convince them to read a Christian book than to get them to delve deeply into God’s Word. Our lives were created for God’s purpose, and the majority of people today are missing that purpose. We have fallen into the trap of living selfish lives. Our lives our not our own, and I believe that Purpose Driven Life can be used as a means of removing the scales from our eyes. It is always our ultimate desire to have every person deeply studying God’s Word, but the reality is that too many people rely on others to teach us. God was able to use The Purpose Driven Life to bring much healing to our hurting daughter, who was adopted at age 11 after suffering a childhood full of trauma beyond our imagination. God told me to use that book with her, after Christian counselors and other Christian books, including Bible studies, were not able to accomplish God’s desire. God used PDL to breathe hope into our daughter, to confirm for her that she was created for a Purpose, His purpose, and we have been able to use the teachings from PDL to dive deeper into God’s Word, together, to see what Scripture actually says in context, what His message truly is, etc. It’s been an amazing tool of healing for our daughter, and it has been a good springboard of conversation, Bible study, and prayer for our entire family. We love comparing and contrasting Scripture quotes and messages from PDL with our favorite personal Bibles, and asking God to reveal His Truth to us individually and as a family as we meet for family devotional time every evening. On several occasions, we have found that we could spend an entire week chewing on, tearing up, picking apart, comparing and contrasting just one day’s message of PDL to God’s Word, which is a wonderful way to study His Word and for Him to reveal His Truth and His message to us regarding a specific subject. I think Purpose Driven Life is an awesome teaching tool, when used MERELY as a tool for deeper Bible study, and not as a substitute for The Bible.

]]> By: Lea Culp http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1942 Lea Culp Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:26:06 +0000 http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2544#comment-1942 Thanks for telling it like it is! You are right on in this article and I so appreciate your sharing with us. Thanks for telling it like it is! You are right on in this article and I so appreciate your sharing with us.

]]> By: monica http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1941 monica Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:37:44 +0000 http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2544#comment-1941 WELL SAID! I agree completely! Thanks for writing this. Monica WELL SAID! I agree completely! Thanks for writing this.

Monica

]]> By: Helen Sneed http://www.seriousfaith.com/2010/01/this-fad-that-fad/comment-page-1/#comment-1938 Helen Sneed Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:18:42 +0000 http://www.seriousfaith.com/?p=2544#comment-1938 I am sorry some folks lambast you for speaking the truth when your answer does not agree with what they think. But you are right on with this one (and many others). You can't pull scripture out of context and expect it to mean the same as the Lord's inspired writting was ment to be. Your right about the "message" also. It is not a translation but a paraphraised (man inspired) writting. Keep up the annoited teaching my brother, God will bless you at the "Great White Throne" Prayers, Strength and Blessings Helen Sneed (sister in Christ) I am sorry some folks lambast you for speaking the truth when your answer does not agree with what they think. But you are right on with this one (and many others).
You can’t pull scripture out of context and expect it to mean the same as the Lord’s inspired writting was ment to be. Your right about the “message” also. It is not a translation but a paraphraised (man inspired) writting. Keep up the annoited teaching my brother, God will bless you at the “Great White Throne”
Prayers, Strength and Blessings
Helen Sneed
(sister in Christ)

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