Heart of the Matter: Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth

Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the Matter where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraney, your host.

Narcissistic Supply

If you are a Christian and you are seeking to know God in Spirit and Truth but are confused by modern Evangelical approach to Him through Religion and the Bible, I think this book is for you. We have prepared it in a number of ways so you can get ahold of a copy. Paperback – for free, Paperback – at a suggested retail price, Audio – for free! Ebook – for a nominal cost. Get the book and read it. Challenge it. Think about its propositions and test the hell out of them. They are viable and need consideration. We think it’s a very important book for this day and age of bible worship.

From: Jacs

Shawn and Seth- Thank you for making the audio book Knife to a Gun Fight available for free. Since I have no way to do e-commerce it makes having access to this book via the free audio immensely helpful. Thanks again, Jacs

That’s Knife to a Gunfight – misinterpreting the purpose and place of the New Testament.

Go to HOTM.tv for access.

Verse by Verse Teachings

Also, as a plug for our verse by verse teachings through the New Testament, you can find them online at www.campuschurch.tv. Presently we are working our way in Meat Gathering through the Book of Revelation. We have done a three-part introduction and covered verses 1 and 2 of the first chapter last week – all of which you can watch from our archives by going to www.campuschurch.tv. We are learning together and instead of coming and teaching it from one of the five positions we are asking ourselves about the potentiality of each.

We also gather at 10am in our Milk gathering. In either case, people can make us their church until they find one that suits them locally. Tune in when you want. Watch as long as you want. Tune out and go and be a Christian. Nothing more demanded or expected. We’re here to serve.

Music Ministry

We also offer the word set to music through our ministry. More and more people are getting the benefit of this approach to doing music and without tooting the family horn I want to share something with you that tells he God is behind these four CDs. Our oldest daughter Mallory (who has been on the show before – even as an atheist) has long been into music, graduated from college in NYC in music, and has even taught music in school.

Anyway, prior to knowing the Lord one of the distinguishing characteristics of Mallory’s compositions – and she had a number of them many outstanding – was the fact that she crammed a lot of words into each song. She wasn’t a hook song writer, looking to seduce you with a pop phrase like, We will Rock you, but instead had a God-given knack for speaking her mind through song in sort of a stream of consciousness fashion. Anyway, when she came to know the Lord and I asked her to apply her skills to putting scripture to music (not easy because scripture isn’t hooky or poppy either but often a lot of words) she took to it like duck to water – and voila – we have the word of God set to music. All of it's available at www.hotm.tv.

A Mormon President After All?

Look the heck out! Apparently there is a movement afoot here in the great state of Utah to get one of their own in the Oval office. This is how it could . . . possibly . . . work out.

Now, I want to point something out. In the very rare chance that this loop-hole election could actually be worked out by the Utah Mormons and this McMullen character could actually win the Oval Office remember this: When Orin Hatch and Mitt Romney were after the same goal through established channels there was a very public denial of there being any official white horse prophecy around. This idea was explained away as folklore and the public voices pro-LDS tried to say that it was never ever really a formal belief or teaching of the church. They did this so as to not frighten the general public who might have refrained from electing Romney or Hatch so as to not help validate the so-called prophecy. But I GUARANTEE you here and now that if this McMullen back-door ploy works you will hear Latter-day Saints around the world citing

The Mormon Church and Unusual Correspondence

This white horse story as if it were canonized. This is how the Mormon Machine works – deny, deny, deny – until whatever that is being denied becomes useful, popular or accepted – then promote, promote, promote to the benefit of the church and its popularity. For instance, if for some reason, due to the discovery of some ancient manuscripts, Brigham Young’s Teachings on Adam/God were proven true and were accepted by Christianity worldwide, you would see the LDS church turn from its position against Young’s statements and doctrinal position and resurrect it as true, and right. Just a little heads up – just in case.

A Mysterious Letter

From: Joseph S
Subject: Letter from Mormon Church

I have a serious question. I'm an inactive member of the Mormon Church. I left the Church years ago and just avoid them like the plague. I've been a big fan of your show for years. Today I received an official envelope from the Church. Inside was just a plain black piece of paper. Like a piece of paper that had been colored all over to make black. It freaked me out. I'm not kidding. You can call me or email me if you have any questions. Joseph S.

I called him. He sent me a picture of both the envelope and the rectangular paper colored in with a black marker. He added another item in an email, saying:

Another thing that I noticed is on the envelope, the "return service requested" has two arrows in red ink. And it is underlined three times. I'm sure that is no coincidence and I just called the post office and they didn't do that.

We concluded that it was a letter that was machine sent and somehow a piece of overprinted black paper was stuffed into the envelope instead of the intended letter OR someone from the local ward decided to send him a non-verbal threat . . . OR less likely, perhaps this is a new church-wide approach to get inactive members back – fear.

You might think this last possibility is really a stretch but as a matter of fact, the church does use a universal fear tactic with people in the letter they presently send out when someone chooses to take their name off the roles of the church. Just read one of those letters. In all likelihood, we will never know but it seems to me it was generated by someone at the local level – someone zealous.

If any of you have received similar black mailings – please write us and tell us about it: Shawn@alatheamedia.com

Christian Art and Preterism

Listen – once I spoke about Christian Art and Christian Artists a few weeks ago we’ve had a number of people write and actually submit things – poetry and short films – to the archives. The following three and a half minute short film was put together by _________________________ and its subject matter is addictions in the flesh – especially porn and drinking. Take a look:

RUN SHORT FILM CLIP.

I want to congratulate ____________ for his efforts in this medium. I know from Cassidy how much work film is and encourage him to keep putting material out there from his heart. __________________ can be contacted at:

As an FYI . . .

Matt Slick from CARM will be here next week – Tuesday, October 25th, 2016 – so get your questions ready to call in or submit online. I’m hoping that this will be more of a streaming conversation between the two of us where Matt can help me understand whatever it is I am missing from this thing called Christianity today. That’s next week – here on Heart of the Matter.

The Preterist Movement

Had a conversation with a man a year or so back. He is a preterist and was trying to get more people to understand preterism. He had a good goal. Liked the man personally. But while we talked he mentioned debating other believers – something he enjoyed doing. I recently received an email from him. Here is part of it:

Blessings in Christ. We have been developing a lot of exciting things within the "Preterist Movement" lately. If you are on Social Media, you have probably been keeping up, however, this email is for those of you not Facebook savvy.

We have launched #TeamPRETERIST, which you can watch a short video and read about, as well as SIGN UP to be on the network list and be "in the know. http://www.powerofpreterism.com/updates.html

Also, there is a YouTube video talking about "Building Our Team", you can watch at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjEpO8Wo-tQ

Tonight, there will be a LIVE #TeamPRETERIST Strategic Conference Call @

The Challenges of Ego and Narcissism in Religion

8PM EST/ 7PM CST. The information will be attached to this email through a graphic. If you cannot call in, the call will be podcasted and sent to those on the #TeamPRETERIST network list. Also, it will be posted at the The Power of Preterism blog, http://www.powerofpreterism.wordpress.com/

The "Strategic Conference Call" will be aimed at explaining how #TeamPRETERIST seeks to bring forth CLARITY, HEALING, & STRATEGY in regards to the "Christian Preterist Movement". May God be glorified through all that we do. #TeamPRETERIST

In Christ We Trust

And he signed his name.

I share this with you to show how EASY EASY EASY it is to institutionalize and organize and make our goals and dreams THE THING. The power of Preterism? Team Preterist? “Bringing forth clarity, healing and Strategy” to the Christian preterist movement?” Automatically we have division, power-plays, and other people who are setting up an “ISM” as the power.

Personal Reflection on Ego and Narcissism

I want to share something with you from my life. I believe all the principles in the illustration to be true. Over the past month and a half I have experienced a severe bout of malaise – some might call it depression. Pretty extreme. It’s taken a lot to get work done, to resist apathy, and to find encouragement in life.

“What the heck is wrong with me?” I demanded. “I’ve been greatly blessed, have the Lord, a wonderful family, health, friends?” But all these realizations wouldn’t drive the depression away. What was happening? After a couple of months the clouds broke and it all became apparent to me the other day.

Counter to the call of true Christianity, all human beings are born to some extent ego-centric. Self, self, self. In my particular fleshly make-up I was born more than ego-driven, I was (and still am if I let it reign) a narcissist. In modern-day psychology I would be diagnosed as having NPD along with anti-social behaviors. Psychologists today say that this particular disorder is one of the most difficult to ever treat or deal with because a person with a narcissist personality disorder cannot see or believe themselves to ever be wrong.

Characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

In addition to this special little trait the person with NPD combined with anti-social behavior traits also have a number of others deviant characteristics, including:

• A grandiose sense of self-importance.
• A pre-occupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty or love.
• A belief that they are “special” or “unique” and can only be understood by other special people of a high social status.
• Require excessive admiration
• Has a very strong sense of entitlement
• Is exploitative of others
• Lacks empathy
• Is often envious of others
• Shows arrogant haughty behaviors or attitudes.
• Very, very, very controlling.
• Always need to be right are never wrong

Add in the anti-social combination and we might describe such a person like this: “A man who has a childhood history of repeated instances of torturing animals, setting fires, stealing, running away from home, and school truancy beginning at nine years of age. As an adult he has a repeated history of lying to others; engaging in petty thefts, con games, and frequent fights (including episodes in which he used objects in hand to injure others). He uses aliases to avoid paying child support. He is dressed in expensive clothing and displays and expensive wrist watch for which he demands admiration; he expresses feelings of entitlement – which leads to exemption from ordinary rules; he has feelings of anger that his special talents have not been recognized by others, devaluation, contempt, and lack of empathy for others are present. There is a lack of remorse for his behavior. He has no signs of psychosis.”

Again, most psychiatric professionals believe that there is no real cure for a person with NPD. And many agree that the place many of these sorts land is in religion because religion plays to their every need to control, for admiration, to be right, and fulfils most of the other dimensions of their condition. Now listen carefully – I openly admit that in my flesh most of these traits – as well as some traits of being a sociopath – thrive. I have long said that, “Jesus, the best of the best,” has saved me, “the worst of the worst.” And this was not hyperbole. And while I agree with how modern psychology defines and describes the character of a person with NPD I completely disagree that there is little hope for a cure.

Understanding Narcissistic Personality Traits

Maintain that there is a cure. Truly. Jesus. Look at someone who possesses all of the characteristics of someone with NPD. What do we honestly have a written description of? The Prince of Darkness, right?

I mean look at the traits!

• A grandiose sense of self-importance.
• A preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or love.
• A belief that they are “special” or “unique” and can only be understood by other special people of a high social status.
• Requires excessive admiration.
• Has a very strong sense of entitlement.
• Is exploitative of others.
• Lacks empathy.
• Is often envious of others.
• Very, very, very controlling.
• Always need to be right are never wrong.

So we know that as we look at these traits scripturally all we are really talking about is the epitome of the flesh, right? Self, right? If this is the case, then the cure, the solution, the way a person can actually overcome themselves and these diabolical traits is to… that’s right, have Jesus in them. To be born from above. Live according to the New Man. To let the Spirit Reign over the flesh.

Transformation Through Christ

When this occurs the exact opposite traits are able to first present themselves to the narcissist, then abide, then thrive, then abound. All because Christ – Christ – Christ is permitted to live in us and the former man dies to His will and ways. Here’s the deal. When we come to Christ we are free to continue to thrive or feed the flesh of our former selves OR to allow ourselves to really change. It’s a day to day minute to minute choice. Live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit.

The way I see it we all have some options once we become Christians:

The Christian Pathway

At Birth: All Narcissists (to some extent)
Born Again: Rebirth, saved, New life, New Creature

1. Embrace Religion
   Relinquish New Creature over to the controls of a religion of Man.

2. Retain the Self
   Continue (in God’s name) to establish your dream or your empire. Let men in religion define and direct you and transfer your narcissism to the religion. Let it be famous, let it be powerful, controlling, famous, wealthy, and by giving it your allegiance you too are powerful, famous. Build your empire upon the principles of ego and continued narcissism by implementing the same approaches but justifying them in Jesus' name. These principles of ego include Fame, Fortune, Power, Control, Self, Wealth.

3. Totally Die
   Refuse any and all appeals to any form of Fame, Power, Control, Glory, Wealth, Self, Empire building. Die daily. Accept the pain of your narcissistic self fading. Accept the death of your empire. Embrace complete social marginalization.

And it came to me – why I was depressed. It was the pain of knowing I had become obsolete. In a good way. It was realizing that what I once had around me – which were the things that fed the empire created in category number 2 – were over and I was about to lose more of what psychologists call “our narcissistic supply.”

I openly – humbly, brokenly – accepted my fate – there’s no other choice – it’s what our King did – except a trillion times over. What I am about to tell you happened exactly as I will tell it. Within 24 hours of realizing this – of understanding why I had been depressed and how loss of self and my narcissistic supply was causing me pain – I was given a sign in living color that, out of the blue, cemented my conclusions into reality.

I was working in a faster-food place and a group of people came in. An older couple, a younger couple, and a baby – probably grandparents with their child, son or daughter-in-law, and grandchild. They sat in the booth next to mine. Several times the matriarch of the group got up and looked at me. Finally, she said, “I like your cross.” I thanked her and asked if she was a believer. She voluntarily launched into a story on how she and her family had just left Mormonism.

“Ah, I thought, right up my alley.” Did you catch that?

Understanding the Challenges of Finding a Church

“I thought, right up MY alley.” Except it was not part of my alley in her world. She explained how she and her husband (who turned around and said hello then turned back to his meal) had come out of the church and she proceeded to tell me all about the problems with the church. I listened, my narcissistic supply widdling down with her every revelation. “Did you know that the LDS church has been producing papers that reveal all sorts of things about the church?” she asked. I told her I knew that. “Well, Joseph Smith was philander and a polygamist.” And on and on and on she went. I listened. Then she said, “We have gone to a lot of Christian churches since leaving but they all keep trying to get us to join them, and they really treat us like we are second class citizens so we don’t know what to do . . .”

The Importance of Acceptance in Churches

At this break in the conversation I decided to try and help her and I said, “well, we have a church not too far from here where we try and just let people be.” She said, “we’ve studied a lot. Have you ever heard of Doris Hanson?” I said that I had. “We love her. And Bishop Earl. We learn so much from them. How about Adam’s road?” I nodded that I knew them. And the list went on and on – Sandra Tanner, the Bakers, the Higleys.” She returned to her complaints about not being able to find a church that was suitable forgetting what I had mentioned to her about CAMPUS.

Without saying anything I presented the table with a copy of Born Again Mormon and A to Z. They took them, thanked me, set them aside and asked: So you have or haven’t ever heard of Dave Bartosiwitz? I told her that I had. She ranted. She raved.

The Role of Selflessness in Faith

And I witnessed first hand my narcissistic supply falling. But instead of this depressing me further, I rejoiced in the fact that I was experiencing what millions of people who seek to serve God experience everyday – if they allow it. It was the exact same end-game for Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, all of Jesus apostles, and the King Himself. God grants all of us our place – large and small – in the sun. We are given our roles to play and asked to play them well. But they can NEVER be about us – our dreams, our goals, our ambitions, or maintaining our narcissistic supply.

If our when we justify Fame Wealth Control Our dreams Our Goals To thrive in the name of God while simultaneously lacking in Epathy Love Patience Consideration Fairness and a heart for others It is a clear manifestation that the Self is reigning and we are really not one bit different than from where we began. I want to wrap tonight’s show up by reshowing one of my favorite spots created by Cassidy. Let her rip. Open phone lines here Emails