Comments on: What Sort of Gospel Are We Preaching? http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/ Bill Muehlenberg's commentary on issues of the day... Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:57:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Stephen Lewin http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158778 Stephen Lewin Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:28:54 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158778 Garth, I was at the meetings Rebekah spoke about and that message was the same in Orange NSW and Barossa Valley this month also. Speaker in every instant was Suzette Hattingh of Voice in the City (a Christian ministry based in Europe) an intercessor and evangelist who ministers in UK, Europe, Asia, Death row, prisons, Africa, etc - she apparently is the only female preacher that speaks to men and women on death row in America. She was invited to Blacktown Showground to preach the gospel in partnership with the Blacktown ministry Network (which is made up of large number of churches and ministries in Blacktown City). The meetings were called the Jesus All About life Sydney Celebration, and was possibly the only combined church event in Sydney where the gospel was preached during the Jesus All About Life campaign so far. I was also impressed in Orange at the deep conviction of sin that came upon many people during prayer for repentance and forgiveness of sin at completion of preaching on each occasion. On the 50th Anniversary of Billy Graham's great Sydney Crusade, this timely gospel preaching, was very moving. To hear such preaching in Australia in these deceptive times is a breath of fresh air. I hear gain Paul's challenge to Timothy-- Preach the Word! I believe a large of the fall way rate can be mostly attributed to a defective gospel shared in first instance- with our largely defective gospel being shared we have at best a retention rate of 6%, whereas preachers ministering a more correct gospel the retention rate is 80-90% or more. This difference in retention is often put squarely on follow up, and though this is important, more important is the right message up front so people have a fuller encounter with Christ and from a better connection coupled with an understanding of difficulties and the challeges ahead. The closure to old life is much more complete, producing a better beginning to the new life with Christ. Stephen Lewin Garth, I was at the meetings Rebekah spoke about and that message was the same in Orange NSW and Barossa Valley this month also. Speaker in every instant was Suzette Hattingh of Voice in the City (a Christian ministry based in Europe) an intercessor and evangelist who ministers in UK, Europe, Asia, Death row, prisons, Africa, etc – she apparently is the only female preacher that speaks to men and women on death row in America. She was invited to Blacktown Showground to preach the gospel in partnership with the Blacktown ministry Network (which is made up of large number of churches and ministries in Blacktown City). The meetings were called the Jesus All About life Sydney Celebration, and was possibly the only combined church event in Sydney where the gospel was preached during the Jesus All About Life campaign so far. I was also impressed in Orange at the deep conviction of sin that came upon many people during prayer for repentance and forgiveness of sin at completion of preaching on each occasion.

On the 50th Anniversary of Billy Graham’s great Sydney Crusade, this timely gospel preaching, was very moving. To hear such preaching in Australia in these deceptive times is a breath of fresh air. I hear gain Paul’s challenge to Timothy– Preach the Word!

I believe a large of the fall way rate can be mostly attributed to a defective gospel shared in first instance- with our largely defective gospel being shared we have at best a retention rate of 6%, whereas preachers ministering a more correct gospel the retention rate is 80-90% or more. This difference in retention is often put squarely on follow up, and though this is important, more important is the right message up front so people have a fuller encounter with Christ and from a better connection coupled with an understanding of difficulties and the challeges ahead. The closure to old life is much more complete, producing a better beginning to the new life with Christ.

Stephen Lewin

]]> By: Tom Wise http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158358 Tom Wise Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:05:53 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158358 God's ways are not our ways. People have to be prepared to give their LIVES to Christ. I was a nominal Christian in my mid-forties and quit because no one could tell me that God existed. When I was finally told the Gospel my life changed. My wife and five children all committed their lives to Christ. He took most of my money away, but we have never wanted. Our needs have been met in most amazing ways. I am now forty years older, my children are committed Christians, and the Lord called my wife home, but I am blessed every day. And it is my observation that the churches that are preaching the Word and the Righteousness of God are the ones that are growing. Tom Wise God’s ways are not our ways. People have to be prepared to give their LIVES to Christ. I was a nominal Christian in my mid-forties and quit because no one could tell me that God existed. When I was finally told the Gospel my life changed. My wife and five children all committed their lives to Christ. He took most of my money away, but we have never wanted. Our needs have been met in most amazing ways. I am now forty years older, my children are committed Christians, and the Lord called my wife home, but I am blessed every day. And it is my observation that the churches that are preaching the Word and the Righteousness of God are the ones that are growing.
Tom Wise

]]> By: Bill Muehlenberg http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158230 Bill Muehlenberg Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:03:08 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158230 Many thanks indeed Dorian Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch Many thanks indeed Dorian

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

]]> By: Dorian Ballard http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158227 Dorian Ballard Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:51:31 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158227 Hi Bill, I was forwarded your article by an associate it was titled 'others seem to be catching on' we are very pleased that others are also striving to balance up the body of Christ from its either 'legalistic' spirit to what we are seeing today being a serious error falsely labelled 'love and grace'. Your article was solid and scripturally sound as well as culturally relevant for the majority of Western Christianity today, look forward to reading more outstanding and truthful articles such as this, appreciate your forthrightness, boldness, zeal and honesty, keep it up for Jesus. God Bless, Rev Dorian Ballard, Miracle Christian Center Inc. Hi Bill, I was forwarded your article by an associate it was titled ‘others seem to be catching on’ we are very pleased that others are also striving to balance up the body of Christ from its either ‘legalistic’ spirit to what we are seeing today being a serious error falsely labelled ‘love and grace’. Your article was solid and scripturally sound as well as culturally relevant for the majority of Western Christianity today, look forward to reading more outstanding and truthful articles such as this, appreciate your forthrightness, boldness, zeal and honesty, keep it up for Jesus.
God Bless, Rev Dorian Ballard, Miracle Christian Center Inc.

]]> By: Bill Muehlenberg http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158049 Bill Muehlenberg Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:14:56 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158049 Thanks David Great quote. Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch Thanks David

Great quote.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

]]> By: David Skinner http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158048 David Skinner Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:09:02 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158048 C.S. Lewis, talking about the Christian message, said: “It does not begin in comfort; it begins in dismay…and it is no use at all trying to go on to that comfort without first going through that dismay. In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end. If you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth - only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.” David Skinner, UK C.S. Lewis, talking about the Christian message, said: “It does not begin in comfort; it begins in dismay…and it is no use at all trying to go on to that comfort without first going through that dismay. In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end. If you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth – only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.”
David Skinner, UK

]]> By: Bill Muehlenberg http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158004 Bill Muehlenberg Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:02:15 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158004 Thanks Keith Yes it is easy to lose the biblical balance and head off into extremes here. Some are into a legalistic extreme, where it is all law and no grace, eg. But the answer is not to rush to the other extreme, where we end up with a sappy, sentimental notion of love, and become antinomian. We must hold the biblical components together, as hard as that might sometimes be. The same with God’s attributes. It is a package deal, and we cannot pick and choose which attributes we prefer. God is fully a God of love, but he is also fully a just and holy God. All these attributes go together, and we dare not emphasise some, while ignoring or minimising others. Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch Thanks Keith

Yes it is easy to lose the biblical balance and head off into extremes here. Some are into a legalistic extreme, where it is all law and no grace, eg. But the answer is not to rush to the other extreme, where we end up with a sappy, sentimental notion of love, and become antinomian. We must hold the biblical components together, as hard as that might sometimes be.

The same with God’s attributes. It is a package deal, and we cannot pick and choose which attributes we prefer. God is fully a God of love, but he is also fully a just and holy God. All these attributes go together, and we dare not emphasise some, while ignoring or minimising others.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

]]> By: Keith Jarrett http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-158003 Keith Jarrett Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:52:41 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-158003 I like what Andrew had to say about the Gospel being 'good news'. When the reality of my sin and depravity was revealed to me I felt like I was in a terrible state, how could this be good news? Getting back to the Gospel and seeing what Christ did to fix the problem (which is the bad news you refer). One thing I notice with a couple of Christian friend's that I have, they come from a legalistic background and seemingly have gone in the opposite direction and only preach Christ's 'love', which doesn't seem to make sense unless in the context of God's holy anger at sin. A timely article! Keith Jarrett I like what Andrew had to say about the Gospel being ‘good news’. When the reality of my sin and depravity was revealed to me I felt like I was in a terrible state, how could this be good news? Getting back to the Gospel and seeing what Christ did to fix the problem (which is the bad news you refer). One thing I notice with a couple of Christian friend’s that I have, they come from a legalistic background and seemingly have gone in the opposite direction and only preach Christ’s ‘love’, which doesn’t seem to make sense unless in the context of God’s holy anger at sin. A timely article!
Keith Jarrett

]]> By: Leon Brooks http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-157924 Leon Brooks Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:01:59 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-157924 I like Ewan's response. My own is that in so many places, in so many ways, Jesus' message amounts to "actions speak louder than words." Why? Because actions are <i>necessary</i>. If all you're getting, all you're giving is words, that ain't the Gospel. Leon Brooks I like Ewan’s response.

My own is that in so many places, in so many ways, Jesus’ message amounts to “actions speak louder than words.” Why? Because actions are necessary. If all you’re getting, all you’re giving is words, that ain’t the Gospel.

Leon Brooks

]]> By: Garth http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/comment-page-1/#comment-157836 Garth Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:29:47 +0000 http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/16/2022/#comment-157836 That's rare Rebekah, may I ask who organised/spoke at the evangelistic crusade? Garth Penglase That’s rare Rebekah, may I ask who organised/spoke at the evangelistic crusade?
Garth Penglase

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