This is where I work out God’s truth in Scripture and His progressive revelation that refines my understanding of His will.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The Effect of Supposed "Christian Pastors Who Deconverted"
Yesterday, while experiencing the joy of seeing several candidates for the ministry come forward and share their Christian testimony and call to service, not only was it a pleasure to hear the repeated accounts of how God worked in the lives of those who were seeking to establish their own righteousness leading them to understand, believe and place their hope in the righteousness that God himself provides, and to commit their very lives based on this hope; but I was reminded of how in comparison to the numbers of men such as this, who routinely continue to come forward, not just by the ones or tens, but those from nearly every tongue and tribe and nation who not only declare the gospel of Jesus Christ but continue to abide in that gospel, how much impact those relative insignificant few on blogsites like Debunking Christianity and perhaps others like it, who ban together under the auspices of being "ex-Christians..ex-ministers, and even ex-apologists for the Christian faith...[who].. are now freethinkers, skeptics, agnostics, and atheists ...[who]...seek to debunk Christianity" can and should really have.
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I recognize some seekers may be impressed and even perhaps pursuaded to differing degrees by sites such as this, but when one looks at these claims not just in staring at the blogsites where it is posted, but in light of the greater perspective, not only numerically, but across both globe and generation, not only do I believe it becomes more evident how little such statements and alliances should really influence, but also greatly increases the skepticism seekers should have as to whether these few really did know the Christian gospel and faith to begin with, and what weight they should give to their words.
Note, I am not here suggesting there is anything wrong with their speaking or banding together in order to do so, but rather drawing attention to the overinflated impression and/or influence that such sites not only potentially but probably do have on unbelievers as well as the uneducated and undiscerning. Praise be to God though, not only for the powerful witness that daily points to him, but that all those who belong to him, will come to him, and look upon Christ, and grieve their sins, and be saved, in spite of all the ways of those who oppose him.
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John,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the invitation and glad to see you still reading and participating.
While I would limit my commitment and time for "full blown" debates to more central and substantive subjects, I'd be more than happy to respond to any points you or others wish to comment on.
Feel free to bring or attract whatever audience you like. As you know, we appreciate the readership.
While most people probably passed by this particular post as a somewhat periphery subject, it doesn't surprise me that this one caught your attention. I imagine it smacked right at the heart not only of what you are trying to accomplish and the manner by which you have gone about it, and even spoken to some of the ill advised success you have experienced, but spoken right to the heart of who you are. The Apostle John writes "...They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood."
It will be interesting to see the approach you take.
Swordbearer