Biblical Christianity vs. American Evangelicalism
Heart of the Matter Broadcast
Live from the Mecca of Mormonism (and the Factory here in Salt Lake City, Utah) this is Heart of the Matter, where . . . Biblical Christianity meets American Evangelicalism Face to Face . . .
Show 11 Bigger is not always better May 14th 2013
And I’m your host Shawn McCraney. We praise the True and Living God for allowing us to participate in this, His ministry. We pray His Spirit upon you – and us – tonight.
Hey, if you are in the Salt Lake City area and are seeking to belong to a unique church family we invite you to www.C-A-M-P-U-S.com. We think our approach to doing church has value and if you are interested here is the website address where you can get more information like times and location. That’s www.C-A-M-P-U-S.com.
Investigation into LDS and JW's Claims
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Emails
From: Shellie
I am not a Mormon just to let you know; I love researching LDS and JW’s, anyway I always am trying to better by defenses and info against these religions. I was looking up archeology for Mormonism and came across this video by Wayne May who talks about the Hopewell people being the Nephites.
Do you have any info on this subject? I was watching – The Bible vs the Book of Mormon and they were saying that there is no archeological evidence, but I remember a Mormon missionary telling me that there was, so I dug a little. Anyway, any info would be great 🙂
Okay, first of all, like all things LDS, they play off a line that says: “Isn’t it possible?” and then use the information presented as possible as proof. For example, a group of LDS might take a trip to the Mexico City pyramids and let’s say they discover a mound with a few arrowheads around it. The faithful LDS guide, twinkle in eye, might look up and say, “Is it possible this was from ancestors of Nephi (a BOM character) if not from some Nephites or Lamanites themselves?” When the stake members return to their homes some of them will actually teach that they have seen proof that the Book of Mormon is true.
That is the extent of the Hopewell Indian ties to proof of BOM claims – nothing more. What they omit are facts that discount the Hopewell Indians being proof of BOM claims. For instance, the Hopewell did not grow corn, it came later. They did not grow wheat either. They grew crops that were domesticated in the Eastern U.S., independent of the plant domestications in Meso-America and South America. In other words the plants were already domesticated before the fantasy of Lehi's arrival is presented.??Read about this at:?http://www.pnas.org/content/103/33/12223.full??The DNA studies do tie the Hopewell to living people, most closely to the Eastern Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho but that has no bearing on Book of Mormon proofs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS CHECK OUT: http://ohiohistory.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/new-study-of-ancient-dna-reveals-population-history-of-northeastern-north-america/??In these links you will also read proof that the Hopewell were not a tribe but an amalgamation of tribes who got together to trade. You will also find that the Hopewell culture did NOT disappear at the hands of another invading tribe. Finally there is a doctoral dissertation from Ohio State University called: Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of the Ohio Hopewell of the Hopewell Mound Group?http://etd.ohiolink.edu/send-pdf.cgi/Mills%20Lisa%20Ann.pdf?osu1054605467? Which will put to bed most of the LDS who play the, “But is it possible,” game with the history of the Hopewell Indians.?Also, by the way, The Book of Mormon fantasy of “large wars” ending a civilization does not agree with reality. It seems climate change had as much to do with the disappearance of the Hopewell as anything else.
Bottom line: Just because there really is a North Pole does not mean there’s a Santa Claus.
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Critique of Christian Church Practices
Before we get into tonight’s program I think some things needs to be clarified. This year’s focus in on what I believe are mistakes, misdirections, and even sinful practices found in Christian churches today. You may or may not agree with my assessment and that is perfectly acceptable.
I receive feedback from people face to face and online who often wonder by what standard I base my opinions. In other words who am I to take churches to task that are run by well-trained men and women who also love the Lord, or who have Ph.d’s from Harvard Divinity School, or who have pastured churches for decades on end? I’m nobody. I’ve no degrees to support my views nor have I decades upon decades of experience pasturing a church. This is what I have to offer – take it or leave it – a desire to live.
Pursuing Truth in Faith
A life as sold out for God as my flesh will allow. I say a desire because I often fail and only serve myself in spite of my desires. Additionally, I have spent somewhere around ten to twenty hours a week since 1980 in search of absolute truth. Prior to 1997 this search included examining principles of existentialism, communism, and dabbling in world religion. Once I found the Lord and received His offer in 1997, I have spent no less than nine to ten thousand hours in His word.
The other day I explained to a friend of mine how I “see and/or examine” truth claims and practices that are presented. I have a field in my head, so to speak, that might represent a giant blackboard. On it all the data presented by another arranges itself relative to the Word of God (and other information I use to qualify standards, presentations, practices, and ideas relative to God, church, sin and the like). This process is faulty as I am faulty, and my experience and knowledge limited.
But if I see, read, or am told about some fact or another, and it doesn’t compute with established data present in the field, a red flag goes up. When enough of those red flags have popped up relative to the claims people make (especially in the name of God) I am not afraid to call them out. This is the exact process I experienced in Mormonism. I searched, studied, examined and once there were more red flags raised than white, I knew there was no question about needing to walk – no matter the cost.
Scrutinizing Christian Truth Claims
One final thing: I really don’t care how valuable or how much of a sacred cow is being examined – if it (or they) fail the standard of truth available to all of us, and raise enough red flags that go against the standard, they are game. I personally do not know of any other way to live or experience a valuable life. I’m NOT expecting perfection of any system, institution or person – in fact, personal failures don’t really have much of an impact on how I assess them. It’s: “How does a person or institution stand up to biblical truth and what is their justification for the stance they have taken.”
Finally, we must remember, we are examining Christian truth claims and how they relate to practices and beliefs relative to the Christian faith and church. I am personally convinced that of all things Christian truth claims ought to come under more scrutiny than ANY other . . . whether they be in financial fields or medical, legal or even governmental. Why the fanaticism? Because Christian truth claims (at least to believing Christians) pertain to eternity (don’t they) to God and His desires and that is some important stuff – stuff that ought to be critically tested and examined from as many biblical points of view as possible. These points are important to remember as we address some of the topics before us tonight.
Financial Challenges and Support
Before we have a prayer I have to let you all know of a situation. From 2006 until 2009 my wife Mary and I got ourselves into financial trouble because I refused to let people know we had financial needs in the ministry. In 2009 things got really bad primarily because most people were under the impression that because we were on television everyone and their brother must be supporting us . . . but this was not so. Quite frankly, this has never been so. I was advised at the time that letting people know of a need is a very different thing than hitting them up for money all the time.
So in 2009 we started a financial support program called “Partners” and it was of great benefit in sustaining us. In fact it still is, and those of you who are our partners we thank you so much for your commitment to supporting the ministry each and every month. Our problem now is more than half of our annual budget came from non-partners who would see us on television here in Utah and Idaho and would want to help us out. This five and ten and twenty dollars went a LONG way in keeping us alive. Last January, when we were taken out of these local state markets we lost the financial support of most of these people not because they…
Fundraising and Financial Challenges in Ministry
dislike us, but because “out of sight, out of mind.” Admittedly this has hurt the ministry.
Mary’s mom passed away and left her surviving children some money. We’ve used a great deal of it to get the new studio up and running, get the streaming in place, and pay for all the things that were once paid for through TV20. But these funds are limited and we personally see ourselves heading back to the place we were in 2006 if something doesn’t change.
I am not asking you to give the ministry money. I am not trying to guilt you into giving. I know most of us don’t have any money to give – so don’t ever think I am placing this is on your back. I am simply letting you know, as I have been advised over and over, that we have a need and if you are lead of the Lord AND in a position to help you might consider this ministry.
The beautiful thing about our situation is we have a lot of viewers and so if just some are lead to help us through this time the burden ought to be light. Please do NOT give if you are on a limited fixed income. God has and will always provide and let me tell you something – if He doesn’t then it’s NOT meant to be. We wholly stand by this.
So while I cannot tell you that God will bless you for choosing to help us out I can tell you we will use the funds supplied to do all we can to reach out (in Spirit and in Truth) to those seeking to worship our God in the same way. On your screen are the avenues to give if you are so inclined. Thanks for hearing me out.
Perspectives on Church Growth
And with that bit of happiness, let’s have a word of Prayer.
PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER
PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER
The problems and issues we are going to discuss tonight all relate to an error in judgment when it comes to “doing church” – it’s an error that existed within a few hundred years of Christ establishing His church and it thrives today like no other. The error? Leaders in the church embracing the notion that when it comes to Christianity, “bigger is better.”
Now, I know I just said that one of the beauties of this ministry is that it reaches a large number of people and if only a portion of them responded to our situation things would level out. Am I being hypocritical? You may or may not agree with me but I think ministries (you know, the ones seeking to reach the LDS or Muslims with the Gospel, or that feed the starving in Zimbabwe, or to put shoes on the feet of orphans in Jesus name) serve a very different purpose than the local congregation and therefore operate under very different rules.
For example, reaching large numbers of supporters is very important to a downtown rescue mission but a church downtown (according the Bible and NOT what people think downtown churches ought to do) serve a very different purpose. So it only stands to reason when you operate a ministry to reaching Muslims across the world through apologetics or the dissemination of information that bigger IS in fact, better. But when it comes to doing church at the local level (which is the level church is properly done) the mandate is NOT that bigger is better but actually proves that bigger is antithetical to almost every model the Bible offers.
Biblical Support for Small Congregations
So allow me to sort of take a casual walk through scripture as a means to “build a foundation” for my case for limited local congregations. Next week, we’ll look at some of the problems that arise when pastors ignore the biblical directions and seek to “get big,” and then the following week I am going to drop a bomb on you like you won’t believe – I’ll tell you who (in my opinion has the BEST system of church governance, all things considered, on earth today.
So let’s first lay a biblical case for “small things” when it comes to God and His church. Generally speaking, the Bible presents us with a God who enjoys overcoming the world through small means and rarely is there a case made for strength in numbers (of men). All through the biblical narrative we find God wanting there to be less (of Man and men) and more (of Him) – whether it be
The Use of Insignificant Means in Scripture
Man is constantly appealing to his own strength, His own ideas, and His own wisdom on how to do things – including church – but the Bible (as a whole plainly details for every seeker how God wants His church to be run). In light of this, it is significant that all through the Bible God uses seemingly INSIGNIFICANT means to bring about great results – which show His power and ability (not ours). For instance, He took and used a simple wooden rod in the hand of Moses to lead and inspire millions. He took the jawbone of an ass in the hand of Sampson’s hand and smote thousands, and he used one (of five) smooth stones in David’s hand to drop a monster of a man to the ground dead. In Elijah’s case, He took a handful of flour and oil and made it last for years, and in the case of His only begotten Son, He healed a blind man with spit and mud and fed thousands with only five barley loaves and a few small fishes. God seems to love and use small, insignificant means to accomplish great wonders among men. It’s a biblical theme.
Examples of Small Beginnings
Recall that in the book of Judges (chapter 7) that Gideon was preparing to go to battle against the Midianites and had tens of thousands of the Children of Israel show up for the fight. But what does the Lord say to him?
Judges 7:2 “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.”
So he whittled Gideon’s army down to 300 . . . and they went on to victory. Throughout His life’s teachings, Jesus likened the true believers in the true Body to “small things” not to the great and mighty. Remember Him saying that “Straight is the Gate and Narrow is the way and few be there that find it?”
Looking around at modern American Evangelicalism a person would think Jesus is American, that He’s political, that He’s materially powerful and wealthy, and that He expects His church to be the same. Not so. Not biblical, at least. I mean look at the individuals God has used and chosen to lead. Describing Moses the Word says:
Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.
David was but a sheepherding boy when he was anointed King . . . ultimately replacing the tall, handsome, people’s choice, Saul.
God's Choice of Humility
And when it came time to providing himself with His own physical body – you know, His own physicality – did Jesus create for Himself a body of flesh like unto a Greek Adonis? Not at all. Isaiah described our King well, saying:
Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Now, ask yourselves, if our King, whose church this is, chose to take on flesh like this, and to live a life of “humble indifference to “BIG things of this world,” and if God loves to overcome this world through small means, what do you suppose His earthly churches ought to look like – large, strong, gold and marble, luxurious, and powerful . . . or would you think limited, humble, meek, unassuming, and even struggling? Somewhere (especially in America) many pastors (or at least those who seem to draw the biggest crowds) have lost sight of these factual biblical pictures. Have they changed because times have changed or have men, who have forgotten how God works, replaced His ways with their own?
Moving from the numbers of men and the appearance of our king, listen to how Paul describes how God approaches managing the affairs of his church –
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not,
Understanding Power and the Church
to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Based on these principles alone… believers ought to be HIGHLY suspect of “mighty churches,” “mighty religious men, and the mighty religious edifices they erect.
Okay, now, I have to explain a few things before we go on. Included in my explanation you will hear some apologies, some recantations, and some changes of mind on my part. I would LOVE to cling to all the former opinions I’ve shared on the shows over the years but I can’t honestly do that. Why? Because I have come to see and understand the Bible far more clearly than when I began doing this in 2006.
My Personal Journey
So some quick history. Most of you know I was raised an active Mormon. What you might not know is Mormonism is quite legalistic in their approach to doing religion and all but completely ignores spiritual rebirth as the horse before the Christian cart. Leaders of Mormonism in the past have actually said that if we are going to lay things out, the battle between which church is true lies between the Catholics and the LDS – that the Protestants don’t have a leg to stand on and they base this all on claims of priesthood authority. Once I came to understand what Mormonism was all about historically, and relative to the Bible, I walked. Now where I wound up was a Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa Ca.
Reflecting on Change
Before we go to the phones –
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Why don’t we take a moment and share with you a little insight on the Ministry.
Run Spot.
