The “That’s Cool!” Hermeneutic and Discernless Christianity
The above video is all the rage among Christians on the net and Facebook. “Cool!” “Awesome!” “Beautiful!” And of course, theological commentaries that cannot be backed with Scripture in the least. At last weekend’s Crowns concert, they thought it would be “cool” to do the same thing. Is this not the standard for truth in our day? Coolness. Oh, and I have a problem that maybe someone can help me with: there is a verse of Scripture in either Psalms or Proverbs that speaks of the mind that is an open door to everything. The person just opens the door and invites in everything that knocks. Got to find that verse! (free book for anyone who finds it).
While the talent can be appreciated, I just don’t know what part of Exodus 20:4 Christian’s don’t understand. By the way, Church on the Rock in Monroe, OH is in the process of rebuilding the giant Jesus that is the laughingstock among unbelievers in Ohio (according to unbelieving locals, God struck the first one with lightning and burned it down). Christians need more focus on what Jesus said and not what he supposedly looked like. Sorry to be a party-pooper.
”In the form” and “anything” seems clear to me. But of course, Moses was talking about idol worship, right? So, shouldn’t Jesus always be the focus of our worship? Or is the exception when we make images of Him? Idol worship isn’t idol worship when we make a form of Jesus? But He is in heaven, right? I’m I just putting too much stock in nouns, verbs, and prepositions?
Also, in a contemporary Christianity that is falling all over itself to “make much of Jesus,” do these drawings really exemplify His glory? Why would we want to lower Him to such images? And drawing Him upside down? Geez, what’s that all about?!
”To exemplify the artist’s talent.” Exactly.
And at the end where he throws and splatters paint all over the finished product, which is Jesus—I know that’s accent, but dunno, makes me uneasy.
And by the way, why are all of these pictures ALWAYS of a suffering Jesus looking down with a crown of thorns on His head? What about the Jesus that returns on a white horse dressed in a vesture soaked in blood and a sword that He will use to smite the nations? Still waiting for that one.
paul
Crowns Lexington Concert: Mark Hall Sends Mixed Messages About Truth
Susan and I just returned to our home in Xenia, Ohio from a weekend getaway to attend the Casting Crowns concert in Lexington, Kentucky. We have both attended their concerts on multiple occasions (a total of eight between us). My prior reviews have been 100% positive.
The concert was part of a 40-city tour with three other acts: Sanctus Real, The Afters, and upstart Lindsay McCaul. Among the warm-ups, I enjoyed McCaul most who was indicative of the sincere humbleness that embodies those who can’t believe where God has brought them. Besides that, she is mega-talented—I will definitely buy her CD. Sanctus Real and the Afters employed worldly openers that were a real turn-off; the lead singers opened by mingling among the crowd with a wireless microphone. Gag. It’s kinda like, “Look at me, I’m a big star willing to mingle among the common folks. Or, “I think I will give the peasantry a thrill by actually walking among them.” Could my reaction be biased because this concept was started by God- rejecting rock stars? Probably. Moreover, I think these acts have too much separation in talent; McCaul seemed to be a perfect fit while the other two pale in comparison to the Crowns’ phenomenal song writing ability. However, I get the idea from this concert that Crowns lead singer and song writer Mark Hall would say that Jesus writes all their songs for them. Maybe the other two bands need to start letting Jesus write for them more than they do.
That bit of sarcasm brings me to the theme of this review. Christianity needs to start being honest about the silent debate going on and the importance of truth in general. Is the new birth part of the gospel or not? And if it is—is the new birth a mere display of what Jesus does, or are we working also? And don’t give me that separation of music and preaching load. These concerts impart spiritual ideas through music, and in a very strong way. In our day, how many pastors who are responsible before Christ for the souls of His sheep critique the contemporary music their parishioners listen to? They don’t, probably because of something like Hall proclaimed during the concert: “[paraphrase] the world needs to hear more about how we are just train wrecks receiving mercy than what we are against.” Oh really? First, the apostles did not describe Christians as anything like “train wrecks” and they had plenty to say about what they were against. In fact, of the seven letters Christ wrote to the churches named in Revelation, He was against things going on in six of the seven churches. I also have some news for Hall: Christians couldn’t be that hypercritical if one of the most popular Christian songs of our day is the blasphemous “More Like Falling in Love” by Jason Gray which is nothing more than an antinomian anthem.
Today’s Christianity is saturated with Gospel Contemplationism as a primary means of spiritual growth. Let go, focus on the gospel, and let God. The so-called new birth just refers to the new obedience produced in us by Christ as we contemplate the gospel. We don’t participate and colabor as born again new creatures—we are the prepositions in the gospel narrative, and verbs like “obey” are truly four-letter words because they imply participation on our part. And how do we know if Christ is obeying for us, or if we are trying to obey “in our own efforts and talents”? Well, as Jason Gray says, it will feel like love. Likewise, in a book that is all the rage in Christian circles, Francis Chan tells us that when we are working in our Christian walk, “it feels like work,” but when we are loving, “it feels like love” (Crazy Love p. 110). Do we really want to be teaching Christians that biblical love is validated by good feelings? And is Mark Hall any different? I wonder. In his new song, “The Well” he states: “And now that you’re full of love beyond measure, your joy’s gonna flow like a stream in the desert.” Hall wrote the lyrics with Matthew West who also wrote the song, “Strong Enough” which implies that Christ doesn’t work through us until we give up: “I know I’m not strong enough to be everything that I’m supposed to be, I give up, I’m not strong enough.”
Though Casting Crowns’ lyrics are far more substantive than the vast majority of Christian songs heard today, they seem to be playing both sides of the fence. While “Courageous,” the song they opened with, presents a robust participation by Christians in the sanctification process, other songs by them are indicative of the let go and let God theology that saturates contemporary Christianity. Implied in other lyrics by Casting Crowns (and comments by Hall at the concert) is the idea that the only difference between the regenerate and unregenerate is that believers are privy to how helpless we are in being anything, or doing anything for God.
Therefore, if that’s the route they want to take, and in regard to truth in general, let me suggest where their concert planning could use more Jesus in two particular areas. In all three concerts I attended, Hall makes light of the fact that he has (if you believe it’s a valid label) Attention Deficit Disorder. ADD is far from being a laughing matter. Besides the fact many doctors think it’s a fraud, Christian doctor Larraine Day states the following:
“Attention Deficit Disorder and Ritalin have become almost synonymous. Up to 90% of children who are first diagnosed with ADD receive a prescription for Ritalin. At least a dozen other drugs are prescribed for these symptoms as well. There has been a 500% increase in the use of Ritalin alone since 1991.”
And:
“The adverse reactions (side effects) for Ritalin include nervousness, insomnia, joint pains, fever, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, headache, dyskinesia, drowsiness, increased blood pressure and pulse, rapid heart rate, angina, cardiac arrhythmias, abdominal pain, actual psychosis. And there is a major warning in the Physician’s Desk Reference regarding drug dependency.”
And:
“The Physicians’ Desk Reference of Drug Side Effects notes that, regarding the pharmacology of Ritalin: “The mode of action in man is not completely understood.” And this is what you’re giving your child! The pharmaceutical manufacturers admit that they don’t even know how it works. They’re just experimenting — on your child!”
And:
“Does the public school system have the right to force parents to accept the drugging of their child? They do in America. But the drug’s side effects, according to vocal opponents of Ritalin, include: zombie-like behavior, growth suppression, behavior or thought disorders (exactly what it is supposed to treat) seizures; headaches, blurred vision, scalp hair loss, barking like a dog and babbling profanities. It can also result in mood swings, depression, drug dependence and inclination for criminal activity.”
And:
“Ritalin has effects similar to other stimulants including amphetamine, methamphetamine and cocaine. There are 6 million prescriptions for Ritalin filled annually. The U.S. pharmacists distribute five times more Ritalin than the rest of the world combined. No other nation prescribes stimulants for its children in such volume. In fact, the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board has on two recent occasions written to U.S. officials expressing concern about the sixfold increase in Ritalin usage since 1990.”
And:
“The American Psychiatric Association describes a hyperactive child – the target child for this drug–as follows:
‘One who exhibits behavior such as fidgeting, squirming, answering questions before being called on, difficulty playing quietly, engaging in physically dangerous activities such as running into the street without looking, or one who has difficulty following instructions.’ That sounds like a normal kid to me!”
Hall needs to stop giving credibility to ADD because medical doctors disagree on its validity and Hall is not a doctor, and at the very least—he needs to stop making light of it.
Secondly, regarding the practice of having an artist create an image of Christ during a song, what part of Exodus 20:4 does Hall not understand? And exactly how does such an image edify? What is that image intended to invoke in the minds of the audience? What’s the purpose?
I see a progression in the Casting Crowns concerts. More confusion with each concert. Is it let go and let God, or the able and courageous Christians presented in the movie that they wrote the theme song for? Truth is both negative and positive. Both have been stated here as I see it. When Christians go to a concert they should interpret what’s being taken in, and what’s being taken in is either truth or not truth. 2 Corinthians 10:5 will be taken seriously or not taken seriously. Taking every thought and opinion captive and bringing it into submission to Christ does not stop at a concert. With all the talk about Jesus at these events, His wish to have every thought brought into submission to His truth seems to be last on the list.
Frankly, that’s all I care about, and I will not be dissuaded by good music, and Hall does write some great music, but truth is waaaaaay more important.
paul
An Open Letter to Dr. Lou Priolo
To Elder Lou Priolo, Eastwood Presbyterian Church
Mr. Priolo,
I am writing you this letter to ask that you stand for the truth and families. As you know, standing for families and truth means more than writing books about it. At issue is your planned teaching engagement at Clearcreek Chapel’s “Family Enrichment Conference” in January of 2012. At issue is the fact that such appearances by teachers of your stature lends unwarranted and dangerous credibility to men who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many people through their unbiblical counsel and cult-like behavior.
This is an open letter because the likes of Robert Jones and Stuart Scott have ignored my pleadings in the past. Scott’s response was typical of those in our day who claim to love the truth—it went something like this: “Not my problem.” Robert Jones, whose claim to fame is a “peacekeepers” ministry, also ignored the pleadings of this ministry and stood with Clearcreek Chapel though that church has a very lengthy list of unresolved conflict with many, many Christians. If I didn’t know better, I would say that there is a mode of operation among the visible leaders of our day that automatically dismisses the evangelical peasantry they are selling books to, but maybe my doubts on that are naive.
Among those, at least two families chose to move to other states to get as far away from the Chapel as possible. Not my choice. The Chapel’s outrageous and unbiblical behavior towards my family can be observed here: How PPT Came About. They have been confronted on numerous occasions and refuse to repent. Therefore, they need to be treated like any other “believers” who refuse to repent according to Matthew 18.
If you choose to question them about this matter, let me send you court documents from the divorce proceedings and the Guardian ad Litem—people tend not to tell the same stories under oath that they do in church. You may also want a copy of a letter they sent me explaining away a false accusation they were caught in: they supposedly thought they had brought my bogus church discipline to a second level because of a mistake made on the minutes of an elder’s meeting. A church of less than 300 people, eight elders, and they thought I was in the second step of discipline because of a mistake in the minutes of a meeting? Right. Actually, the lie was told to try to cover for other documented behavior after I sent a letter to the fellowship of churches they belong to.
Dr. Priolo, I recently had a discussion with a pastor who has noticed a trend in Christians being reluctant to join churches or enter into formal biblical counseling with pastors. That shouldn’t surprise us. When the chips are down, parishioners will be on their own and they know it. It’s time for the professional courtesies to stop. You men are not doctors and lawyers, you’re pastors—your allegiance is to Christ for the sheep—not each other.
Be different. Send the right message. That’s my plea to you.
Paul M. Dohse
What to Do About Fear
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Mark Cline: A Servant Remembered
It was 1981 when he came walking through the door at Car Craft Car Audio Workshop located in Dallas Texas. A divine appointment near closing time. He introduced himself as Mark and explained his predicament in his usual cool manner. Like many twenty-something individuals of that era, he became interested in a high powered car audio system for his Toyota truck.
However, his model was not well suited for the system he wanted and the attempted installation by another shop did not go well. I followed him out to his truck and the scene was self-explanatory, the oversized indash unit protruding out with an equalizer unceremoniously crammed underneath. Markings around the dashboard suggested tools from the stone age might have been used in the attempted installation as well.
Mark and I were truly a study in contrast. My reaction was not unusual for me at the time. I passed an unmerciful verbal judgment on the perpetrators that cannot be repeated here while Mark suggested unqualified good intentions were to blame. As we sat in the cab, it was decided that I would do the installation. Therefore, I investigated further by pulling the units out of the dash only to reveal wiring that looked like monkeys had stuffed scrape wiring behind the audio units. I don’t know exactly why (back then who would know other than God himself why I did anything), but I began grabbing the wiring and ripping it out of the dashboard. Mark’s reaction was hysterical laughter. That might be when he decided I was his next mission.
I informed Mark that my social schedule was empty that night and I would stay late to work on his Truck. He requested to stay as well. As I worked on his Truck, his parents showed up with various snacks and beverages. “We” worked on his truck all night long and a friendship was born.
Mark was a member of a large singles group at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. He invited me to many of their functions. Over the next two years, I would except one invitation out of ten as hanging out with Christians was far from my preference. In other words, he dogged me with unrelenting tenaciousness. I was his mission and Mark was faithful. Over that time, his counsel and testimony convinced me that there indeed was a Holy Creator God who died for our sins. Concerning his walk with God in front of others: impeccable. As a matter of fact, Mark invited me out to lunch one day. It seems that he had something that he wanted to inform me of, an announcement of sorts. He would be removing the radar detector from the dashboard of his truck, God had convicted him that it was wrong to use it. Another thing I might mention about Mark: he had a long long line of “I want to be married to Mark” wannabes. But I think Mark may have had the gift of singleness, or so it seemed anyway.
However, I was not about to give my life to the Lord at that time. I had it all planned out. I would live my gleeful life of sin until I was old and then sign up as an elderly person who could no longer have fun. That’s when Mark’s helper, the Holy Spirit, started to become evident in the situation. One day as I was looking for a replacement for a technician who was caught stealing, I called a young man who had applied by the name of Joe. A woman answered and at first seemed agitated that I had called him. The woman was his mother and Joe had been killed in a motorcycle accident two weeks prior. Of course I felt terrible, but she then told me how all was well because he had given his life to Christ two weeks prior to the accident. As I hung up the phone, I must have sat there in a stupor for at least 10 minutes, another grand scheme of life by Paul Dohse laying in pieces on the floor. Over the next several weeks, God would bring several other such testimonials into my life, the heat was on but the grand event was yet to come.
Meanwhile, I met a lady while doing volunteer work at a runaway shelter, Shirley Anne Lay. Later, we decided to wed in a private ceremony as I had a phobia in regard to being the focus of crowds, something I still struggle with till this day. Mark nor any of his friends knew, but somehow Mark found out and called me about it. I pretty much told him he wasn’t invited. However, he insisted, offering to take the pictures for free. I reluctantly agreed. Besides, it was evident he was not going to take no for an answer. Afterward, he assumed he would be invited to the reception as the official wedding photographer. There he was at the reception, his favorite place, sitting in the midst of his calling with drunks and scoundrels. I will never forget the way he studied each of them with the mind behind those eyes whirling and calculating. Afterward, he invited me to a yearly event of epic proportions at that time in Dallas Texas, Cowboy’s / Redskins. We were to go after Shirley and I returned from our honeymoon and a reception by my family in Dayton, Ohio.
After our return, the call came at 3:00 am sharp, one of Mark’s suitors, a lovely oriental girl full of godliness named Karen. Mark had gone into minor surgery for his sinuses and was accidentally struck down by a surgeon who had worked 18 hours straight. The gig was up, If I didn’t give my life to Christ at that time, what else was God going to do? I had an overwhelming sense that God would not call again. A short time later, I called one of Mark’s Christian friends, Larry, wanting to officially profess my commitment to Christ. Larry could not make it that day, but I insisted, informing him that it was obvious to me that Christians didn’t live long and I didn’t know how much time I had left. Larry conceded and came over right away, somewhat humored by my concern. Larry would then go on to disciple me in Mark’s stead. Larry was a true Texan and not lacking in colorful demeanor. Our friendship is a whole other story full of awesome memories. Larry felt obligated and delighted to continue Mark’s work in my life, and was more than faithful in doing so.
The funeral was at a large Baptist Church in Dallas. There was standing room only in the lobby. The funeral and reception afterward was Mark’s coming out party. In other words, it was revealed that there were many many many Paul Dohse’s in Mark Clines life. His life is a testimony to God’s complex tapestry of life. My training in Car Audio, bungling technicians, a Toyota truck being assembled in a factory, my decision to move to Dallas, it all works together according to God’s plan.
Secondly, though at home, his work lives on. After my conversion, came my wife, my father, my grandmother, my grandfather, my daughter and others. Through God’s family tree and my daughter, a remnant of Mark’s work lives on, even in Kenya. But wait, multiply that by all the other branches revealed at his funeral. One plants, one waters and another reaps. Only God knows the extent of Mark’s planting.
Thirdly, Mark’s testimony reveals the simplicity of following his example. Two easy steps: Make time for others and get involved in their lives. Teach them as you learn and simply show them and tell them what God has done in your life. Mark was by no means a deep theologian. Christ healed a demoniac who understandably wanted to follow him to the death. But unlike what Christ demanded of others, he said no, you stay here and “tell them what I have done for you.” Any man or woman who sends the message that one needs a seminary degree or a counseling certificate to impact the lives of others with God’s wisdom stands to be shamed by Mark’s testimony.
I once saw a wall placard with this poem written on it: “I shall pass this way through life but once. Any good I can do, any happiness I can bestow, let me do it now, for I shall never, never, pass this way again.”
I don’t know who the author is, but those words are burned into my mind with Mark’s memory. The kind of works he did are the only works we will take with us.
paul
leave a comment