What’s in a Video? Part Two: Rick Holland as Sectarian
“For the most part, these are the most influential pastors in the country being challenged with an exclusive gospel. How can that not send cold chills up the backs of discerning Christians?”
My YouTube page is not something that I promote; it is really just a workshop for my videos that are used on PPT. So, any hits on them directly on YouTube are just incidental from web surfers. However, the amount of hits on the 2012 Resolved promo clip, even in the short time that I have had it uploaded is astounding, not to mention my surprise that incidental surfers are also commenting on the video. The video has received nothing but negative comments, zero likes, and to date, 12 dislikes. Apparently, the promo clip doesn’t play well with the world in general. Keep in mind that these videos are not posted on YouTube in any particular context.
But that’s no big deal with this bunch; as others have aptly pointed out, they do not target individuals, unregenerate or otherwise, they are targeting churches, and rich ones. Note the locations of their conferences; even if many could afford the entry fee, most folks can’t afford to take one step in Palm Springs. Of course, a lot of this is being funded out of church budgets; i.e., churches (and the hard working average Joes that support them) are paying for their leaders to learn a false gospel, and to come back to take over their church with it.
Since Grace Community Church has been the promoter of this conference for nine years, the order of the pontification in the promo clip by the enlightened ones are of logical order. First, the big cheese, MacArthur; second, former GCC staff member and primary promoter Rick Holland; third, Al Mohler; fourth, Steve Larson; lastly, CJ Mahaney.
The words used by Holland are very specific and telling. The conference is very “serious” about, “God,” “sin,” “commitment,” and “the gospel.” The clear implication is that most churches don’t really know God in a significant way, what sin really is, or what the gospel really is. Farfetched? Well, words mean things. Holland states in the clip that the conference is an “opportunity” to “INTRODUCE” how to “experience” God in an “intimate” way. The clear assumption is that attenders don’t already know that. For what other reason would there be an introduction? For the most part, these are the most influential pastors in the country being challenged with an exclusive gospel. How can that not send cold chills up the backs of discerning Christians?
The biblical definition of “heretic” in the Bible is really “sect.” The word primarily refers to groups that promote false doctrine, or individuals who belong to such groups. Specifically, they are groups that divide the church with false doctrine. That is the specific biblical definition of heresy, and it is always linked to division in the church. Quibbling about the color of the carpet may cause divisions in the church, but the Bible never mentions it. Again, division is always linked to sectarianism.
Hence, churches might as well be efficient and hire Dr. Kevorkian to come in and do the job forthwith. It’s cheaper, faster, and far less painful. Congregants can also get a head start with “moving on with their lives.” And also, they won’t have to be offended by hearing about how all the sacred sacrifice that built their church was for naught, and performed by people who didn’t even know what the gospel is.
Ya, pay for your pastor to go to the 2012 Resolved Conference. Do that, great idea.
paul
By Their Fruits You Will Know Them
Transcript of Phone Conversation between C.J., [Mahaney] Doris and Larry Tomczak on October 3, 1997 [pp. 10-11]
C.J.:
Doctrine is an unacceptable reason for leaving P.D.I. [now SGM].
Larry:
C.J., I‘m not in sync with any of the T.U.L.I.P., so whether you agree or not, doctrine is one of the major reasons I believe it is God‘s will to leave P.D.I. and it does need to be included in any statement put forth.
C.J.:
If you do that, then it will be necessary for us to give a more detailed explanation of your sins.
Larry:
Justin‘s name has been floated out there when there‘s statements like “revealing more details about my sin.” What are you getting at?
C.J.:
Justin‘s name isn‘t just “floated out there” – I‘m stating it!
Larry:
C.J. how can you do that after you encouraged Justin to confess everything; get it all out. Then when he did, you reassured him, “You have my word, it will never leave this room. Even our wives won‘t be told.” I repeatedly reassured him: “C.J. is a man of his word. You needn‘t worry.” Now you‘re talking of publically sharing the sins of his youth?!
C.J.:
My statement was made in the context of that evening. If I knew then what you were going to do, I would have re-evaluated what I communicated.
Doris:
C.J., are you aware that you are blackmailing Larry? You‘ll make no mention of Justin‘s sins, which he confessed and was forgiven of months ago, if Larry agrees with your statement, but you feel you have to warn the folks and go national with Justin‘s sins if Larry pushes the doctrinal button? C.J., you are blackmailing Larry to say what you want!
Shame on you, C.J.! As a man of God and a father, shame on you!
This will send shock waves throughout the teens in P.D.I. and make many pastor’s teens vow, “I‘ll never confess my secret sins to C.J. or any of the team, seeing that they‘ll go public with my sins if my dad doesn‘t toe the line.”
C.J., you will reap whatever judgment you make on Justin. You have a young son coming up. Another reason for my personally wanting to leave P.D.I. and never come back is this ungodly tactic of resorting to blackmail and intimidation of people!
C.J.:
I can‘t speak for the team, but I want them to witness this. We‘ll arrange a conference call next week with the team.
Doris:
I want Justin to be part of that call. It‘s his life that‘s at stake.‖
C.J.:
Fine.
C.J. never spoke with us [Larry and Doris] again. He was not a participant in the critical phone meetings that followed.
Abused Congregation Pioneering Exodus From New Calvinism
A group of embattled, ravaged parishioners have ultimately lost the fight to save their church from a business as usual New Calvinist hostile takeover. Per the usual, their pleadings to other churches and ministries for help fell on deaf, indifferent ears. Authority = truth; game over. The teachings that these Christians endured for the better part of two years was hyper-antinomianism on steroids. The pastor’s sermons were so outrageous that a visiting adolescent was disturbed by the idea that she couldn’t do anything to please the Lord that she loves. Got millstone?
However, I must say, they put up one heck of a fight. But what they are seriously considering next is phenomenal, and will be the wave of the future—they are starting their own church. If the leaders that comprise their fellowship of churches will not stand with them when wolves attack, what else is left? As author John Immel aptly states it:
When the sheep figure out that the shepherd only defends against the wolf because he wants the same wool and mutton. When it dawns on his herd animal mind that he will be eaten either way, he finally stands up like a man and argues against the definition of “God’s Glory” equaling being served up for dinner. In that moment, the howl from the wolves and the shepherds is the same.
I received this news along with a request for some suggestions on what should be the primary focus of a new church, but first, there has been an ongoing request from the same folks for remarks on Transitioning: Leading Strong-arming Your Church Through Change by Dan Sutherland. So, I will kill two birds with one stone here.
The book was one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. Not because of its wicked protocol for taking over churches, but rather its lifeless outline form with worn-out clichés and churchy truisms making up the points and sub points. The whole book can be summed up the same way:
1. Vision.
A. Sell a group of leaders on your vision.
B. Find a way to eliminate any mere sippers of the Koolaid from the leadership team.
2. Divide the congregation into small groups.
A. Put the groups under the authority of the Kool-aid guzzling leadership team.
3. Mark those who dare think for themselves.
A. Begin process of neutralizing thinkers.
4. Totally depraved zombie sheep resist change only because its change and would
wonder aimlessly about without the strong guidance of the enlightened ones.
5. Totally depraved zombie sheep cannot handle change because:
A. They think they only need grass and a pond.
B. They don’t like new stuff.
C. They think more sheep equals less grass for them.
D. They are afraid the Shepherd won’t have time to find them if they get lost.
E. If too much is going on, they will forget where the pond is.
Now, for suggestions on starting a new church. First, broadcast the idea that you are Bible centered, and make the Bible your sole authority for everything. I see God’s people becoming very hungry for this. Second, focus on Christ’s mandate to make disciples. Third, the leaders should equip, and the congregation should minister. Fourth, unity is measured by agreement on truth, and nothing else. Fifth, elder led, and elder/congregational rule. In our day, do I really have to sell that? Sixth, Jay Adams has done most of the heavy lifting on sanctification stuff. Invest heavily in his material. When word gets out that real help can be found there from the word of God, trust me, people will come. The gospel is problem-centered. Seventh, don’t let cowards into leadership. Eighth, don’t let anti-separatist into leadership. Ninth, never forget what you have learned from your wounds. Tenth, don’t over-react to your wounds in planning for the future.
And lastly, you have no idea how much freedom and joy in the Lord you are going to experience if you do this.
God’s speed my dear friend,
paul
Passing Thoughts on the Calvin Institutes
Throughout the Calvin Institutes, one asks, “Is he talking about justification or sanctification?” Yes. Like the “New Calvinists” of this day, Calvin used ambiguous pronouns that could refer to mankind in general or Christians. And I think deliberately so. This is a communication technique that New Calvinists learned from Calvin himself. It is a way to say the two are the same thing without stating it plainly.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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