Comments on: Combating Christian Paganism

By: Vicki Haigh

Vicki Haigh — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:17:15 +0000

I got this out of A.W Tozers book “Of God and Men”
Some of it is from different pages, but I put it together & I pray that God will raise up Men of God like this.

This man of God will not be frightened by threats of death because he has already died to the allurements of the world. He will make no decisions out of fear,
Take no course out of a desire to please,
Accept no service for financial consideration,
Perform no religious act out of mere custom,
Nor will he allow himself to be influenced by the love of publicity or the desire for reputation.
This man has learned to hear God’s voice & dared to obey it, This is a free man who has nothing to protect, no ambition to pursue, no enemy to fear.
For this reason he is completely careless of his standing among men.
If people listen to him, well & good, if not, he loses nothing that he holds dear, but weather he is accepted or rejected he will go on loving God’s people with a sincere devotion for them.
This man will be fully convinced that his own efforts will only result in mistakes.
This man will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking smooth civilization holds dear.
He will contradict, denounce & protest in the name of God & will earn the rejection & opposition of a large segment of Christendom.
He will preach messages that will be alive, alarm, arouse & challenge, it will be God’s voice to a particular people concerned with the state of their hearts than with the state of their feelings.
Undoubtedly the will of God brings final happiness to those who obey, but the most important matter is not how happy they are but how Holy.

Vicki Haigh

By: Bill Muehlenberg

Bill Muehlenberg — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:07:43 +0000

Thanks Danny

Since it can be quite risky to splash one’s personal email on a public website, for your own protection I have removed it from your comment. But if people want to learn more, they can send in a comment here (which I won’t publish) but I will send their contact details over to you. OK? Otherwise, if you have a website link we can refer people to, let me know as well.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

By: Danny Saunders

Danny Saunders — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:47:25 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with Jamie, he’s looking for passion and raw energy married to a reformed theology. Hard to find! However, Acts 29 churches are seeking to do this world-wide and are looking to start something in Melbourne. Let me know if you want to hear more.
Danny Saunders

By: Chris Strahan

Chris Strahan — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:48:56 +0000

Great article. You are spot on.
What are we? the Church of Jesus Christ or mere entertainers? Where is the Holy Spirit? You know, the one that came at Pentecost. The Spirit that empowered believers, set them apart from the world.
Thank you Bill. The truth is needed now more than ever. We need revival!
Chris Strahan

By: Mansel Rogerson

Mansel Rogerson — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:54:04 +0000

Hi Tas,

You write: ‘Packer has written a much needed message. I would be interested to know if he would insist that God created the world in six-days about six thousand years ago.’

Based on Packer’s praise printed on the cover of prominent theistic evolutionist Denis Alexander’s book: “Creation or Evolution, Do we have to Choose?” I can confidently say that he doesn’t believe this part of the Bible.

I agree with a lot of what Packer writes, but like many western Christians, he is blind when he, in effect, gives the authority of scientific consensus greater weight than that of God’s Word.

www.amazon.com/Creation-Evolution-Do-Have-Choose/dp/0825462924/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264544580&sr=8-1

Mansel Rogerson

By: Ewan

Ewan — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:23:16 +0000

I totally agree with you Garth re the inappropriateness of having Santa at any church function. I have been in similar situations as the one you describe. It is drawing a very long bow indeed to justify it on the basis of being “relevant to the community”. I say “cobblers” to that and say it is more a demonstration of just how compromised and worldly some churches have become. The best way to be relevant is to proclaim Gospel truth, not indulge in myths that obscure and detract from the true meaning of Christmas. Are we going to have the Easter bunny at Easter church services next? (No doubt this already happens.) It is a classic example of Christian paganism.

Ewan McDonald.

By: Garth

Garth — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:44:41 +0000

It was a church carol’s service at the church. I must admit I probably read too much into this, but I wasn’t the only parishioner to express surprise and question their attendance and involvement and, in a couple of cases, request to be serving in other ways than being a Santa’s elf or similar. I get the point that the pastor makes in that we want to be relevant to the community at large but I guess I see it as pandering to worldy conventions and not really truthful or Christ-centred which I think a Christian outreach such as a carols service should be – I’m sure there are good arguments for either side. But it would have been good for it to have been discussed in the leaders meeting so that we could have our input before it was arranged, particularly since we were expected to be supportive with it. I’m still not convinced it’s a valid thing to be involved in though.
Garth Penglase

By: Bill Muehlenberg

Bill Muehlenberg — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:25:49 +0000

Thanks guys

I am not overly fussed on all this. When our kids were young we went through the Santa stuff, but also made it clear about the reason for the season, and that there is no Santa. But allowing Santa in churches seems to be more of a worry.

But was this done at a outdoor public carols service put on by a church? I presume they did it to keep the kids entertained or something, and I think our church might even have done the same if I am not mistaken. But I don’t think it is necessary at all within churches.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

By: Daniel Kempton

Daniel Kempton — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:16:03 +0000

Hello Garth
Great question bcoz i was thinking the same thing. I suppose the idea of giving is good, though my thoughts giving in the name of Jesus would be closer to the mark?
Some insight Bill please?
Daniel Kempton

By: Garth

Garth — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:23:21 +0000

So what does everyone think about having Santa show up on Carols night to distribute presents to the kids? I was a bit shocked when I heard that the church I attend was doing this as I see Santa as a worldly, commercialised, and counterfeit figure not in keeping with a conservative church outreach, and was more so when I learned that as a leader I was expected to be supportive of it. Am I over reacting?
Garth Penglase