An Elijah Moment and Green Day
In 1 Kings 19, after Elijah had called down fire from heaven that burnt to a crisp the false prophets of Baal, he cried to the Lord about Israel:
Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.
The usual discourse on this prayer is that Elijah morphed into some kind of metrosexual, was terrified of Jezebel, and feared for his own fanny. That is an urban myth. Elijah despaired because after all of those amazing demonstrations of God’s power, Israel’s heart still wasn’t repentant. Elijah despaired of Israel’s sin and thought that he was the last man standing (if he was killed, what of Israel then?).
Since our friend, Kutztown, wrote that he was considering hanging up the blog (thankfully, he has since decided to keep it going), I’ve had the same thought lingering in my mind. Writing is difficult and writing on scripture week after week is doubly so. As of today, I’ve written over 395 blog posts of which I’d estimate at least 325 of them are substantive - presenting the Gospel on various scriptures.
The reason why the thought of hanging it up comes down to Elijah’s exasperation (and the song, War) - what is it good for (absolutely nothing?).
Here is a recent email that I received just a few days ago:
Quick background so you know where I am coming from:
*Spirit-filled and pray in tongues.
*Spent many years in a Rhema church.
*Moved to Tulsa to go to Rhema 10 years ago.
*Lived there for a year, went to RBC, and lived among many students.
*Have read all of Hagin’s material.
*Highly knowledgeable in all things Christianity.Having said that, to elevate Hagin to the place you have in your writings is not based on truth. Hagin blew it. He is the father of this mess. He had EVERY opportunity to preach and teach the WHOLE council of God and to teach on every subject the Bible touches on. He failed.
He placed an enormous emphasis on health and wealth to the detriment of the whole movement. Holiness, godliness, sacrifice, sexual purity, integrity, and perfect adherence to New Covenant Apostolic doctrine is an overwhelming emphasis of the New Testament. That was not the overwhelming emphasis of Kenneth Hagin. What has happened with the Word of Faith/Rhema movement is ALL at the feet of Hagin. He blew it.
So this ex-Rhema student has a beef with Kenneth Hagin presiding over some unidentified “mess.” What in the world does that have to do with this site? While I’ve written that I respect Kenneth E. Hagin’s ministry and legacy, I’ve written several articles that cut against some of his teachings, tithing being a recent example.
Here is part of another recent comment:
Furthermore, Mr. Smythe is cherry picking his facts. This same Mr. Copeland, after all, declared that he (or anyone else) for that matter could have redeemed mankind on the basis of being born again.
This comment is in reference to a short videoclip of Kenneth Copeland speaking about Jesus being reborn in hell that I tied to 1 Timothy 3.16. There is nothing in the clip whatsoever about somebody else besides Jesus redeeming mankind. This anonymous commenter (I don’t take “Mr. Brown” to be his real name) also called for some kind of debate or cross-examination.
The element common to both of these comments is that their authors haven’t bothered to read my material. These guys don’t refer to any misquotations of scripture, butchered analysis of the Greek, or even point to some kind of failed reasoning in any of my articles. They’re not searching for scriptural truth, but just wanting to pick a fight about some other preachers’ credibility. And the call for debate or cross-examination is so patently absurd and ill-conceived that it’s not even worth addressing.
In addition to comments like these (there were more than just these two), a ministry-friend of mine just published an article that basically says that if you believe that Mark 11.22 speaks of the “God-kind of faith” or “faith of God” that you are an theological ignoramus. Oh, and not only that, but you’re also playing outside the scriptural sandbox (yet another rehash of McConnell’s “A Different Gospel”). It doesn’t matter that I could effectively rebuff 80% of the article in less than ten minutes (see my post, The Faith of God (God-kind of Faith and the rest of the Mark 11.23 posts).
This past weekend, as my wife and I were working out in our neighborhood gym, Green Day came on the radio (no, we’re not Green Day fans) and we couldn’t help but think at how the first verse of their song resonated with the work on this site.
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don’t know where it goes
But it’s home to me and I walk alone
(Green Day - Street of Broken Dreams)
We’ve spent more than a year and a half addressing some of the half-wit arguments (that might sound acerbic, but that’s what a lot of them have been) that have been fostered against basic Word of Faith doctrines, such as faith, the redemption narrative, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, tongues, identification, the authority of the believer, spiritual gifts, and the like (I didn’t strike out to be a Word of Faith apologist, but over time I’ve seen that the old-timers had it right.). In light of these comments, my friend’s article, and the various but-my-favorite-preacher-says-this comments that we see on a daily basis, it seems as if we haven’t made a dent.
On top of all this, my family and I walked out on our church’s Sunday service this week. A couple of years ago we had been attending a nationally-known “Word” church and debated whether to hit the road for its failure to live up to its all-too-popular moniker. Just before we put on our Timberlands, we were notified that another pastor was going to start a “Word” church on the other side of town (the DFW metroplex - big town). Hearing that, we quickly laced up the Timberlands and trekked over there. Immediately we were christened as “core” members and numbered with the remnant, other “Word” refugees who were despondent about their own “Word” churches.
For the past six months, however, we’ve debated whether or not we should begin looking at other churches. If spiritual food were any measure, we’d be well over the yellow line on NBC’s The Biggest Loser. This Sunday we just couldn’t bear it anymore. The pastor started out his “God of the Impossible” message preaching about Lance Armstrong, a 92 year-old Chinese man who runs the mile in less than 6 minutes, and Michael Jordan. Ten minutes into it, when he got to Rosa Parks, we bolted up and out (no disrespect to Rosa). As we headed to the car, my son asked, “Why are we leaving?” My wife answered:
When you go to church you expect to hear about the Lord. We come to church to hear about the Lord and how he saved us. We come to hear about scripture. We do not come to church to listen to success stories or about historical figures that may or may not have been Christians. That is not the reason why we come to church.
My eleven year old son responded, “Yeah, it sounded like a social studies class and I don’t like social studies.”
While I could put my nose to the Samson wheel and keep it up, I have to ask myself: What is it good for? While I certainly believe our bio about the start of this whole thing, it may be that the brook has dried up (Lake, Finney and others Holy greatly despaired over believer apathy) and we need to head somewhere else.
It’d be much easier to just walk alone.
We are leaky vessels. The Spirit fills us, but as we walk in this fallen world that Spirit flows from us and we need to be refilled constantly. We look to our Churches as a source for that filling, but that happens less and less in todays world. It is a sad commentary.
We are not responsable for our impact on this world. We are responsable to Jesus who changes the lives and destinies of men who would follow Him. Our walk with the Lord is solitary. Jesus wants to express Himself through individuals. Gathered individuals are the Church where Jesus is specially present because He is able to express Himself uniquely in each person there. If the Church does not focus on Jesus, then it no longer functions Spiritually.
I have the sense that Christians are abdicating their called role to witness to Christ in the public square. We have grown timid and shy and far too politically correct. We are loosing a spiritual battle. Christ will win in the end, but in the meantime life on this planet will be more and more harsh.
You are not alone in your feelings, nor are you alone in your witness to our risen Lord. I pray the Lord will give you the fellowship and support you need. More than that I pray for a filling of the Spirit beyond any you have ever known. It is the only way we will survive this fallen world.
I have heard it said that when things are darkest, that the sun is just over the horizen. Spiritual battles ebb and flow. The darkness is a sign that great miracles are coming.
Peter, I have been reading your writings for some months, now, and you are well aware I do not agree with you on all issues. But I have continued to read because you dared to answer your call and your essays are anointed. Mr. Dudley said it well… how we need each other. It is often a lonely road and our predecessors have well-documented that fact. I think one of the most important parts of this Christian life is fellowship and communion with those of like precious faith. It was even difficult for Jesus in his personal life…never easy for him, as a man, our Savior, anointed of the Holy Ghost. Of my 59 years, 43 have been as a believer. It often has been, “blood, sweat and tears.” If there is one thing I have learned, it is the faithfulness of God through the toughest of times. Even though you are in the legal business and have a thickness of skin, you are still a person with a spirit and a soul of emotions that cares.
Instead of participating in our life groups (local church), we received an invitation to attend some Friday night meetings of a dear friend of days gone by. We accepted. It has been refreshing and rich just to sit at Jesus’ feet and partake of the living Word with kindred spirits. God knew what we needed.
Somehow…I think he knows just what you need and in all things will grant the desires of your hearts.
Peter,
I feel for you, brother.
I read somewhere (I don’t remember where) that only about 2% of blog readers are ever likely to comment. One of the difficulties in blogging is that with so many “lurkers” out there, silent but perhaps helped, encouraged, enlightened, inspired, challenged, sharpened, it’s hard to gauge whether or not the time and effort are well spent.
If you said the things you’ve said anonymously, or without reference to the hot-button names, or even just inquisitively you probably wouldn’t face as much naysaying, finger-pointing, or other negativity. But you’ve been labeled (WOF), you argue strongly and effectively for positions settled in your own mind. You do your homework (substantive is certainly an accurate description for the bulk of your posts). As such, and despite the fact it has no place in Christianity, you are bound to be treated with animosity or dismissively. All I can say is don’t let the turkeys get you down.
The only thing about your church situation I can say to you, is find one, don’t go the easier route and go it alone, that just would not be scriptural. Some unsolicited advice (forgive me): when you do go searching, do so without regard to label and look for solid, stable admirable people first, before taking the preacher into consideration. Above all, let the Holy Spirit guide, for it is God who appoints the members of the body to their place.
God bless, Peter, I hope your site continues to pop up when I hit your link.
I went through some very bad experiences in various churches and
ministries. I am thankful for the good
teaching I was exposed to, which I
aquired mostly by buying books at the
book table and pursuing good teaching on my own. There came a time when I felt I could no longer attend our wof
church. My h was unwilling to explore or visit any other churches. So I stayed home for awhile. I have sinced returned to a different wof church
with my h. I still disagree with some
teachings, such as tithing, but I
do appreciate the people and the
pastor seems to have a good heart.
I personally believe the Lord will lead you when it comes to church attendance. Some people also find home groups that are OK. Some people find fellowship via home groups and Bible studies. I feel there are many
potential problems with not having
a local church, including the obvious
ones of lack of accontability and the
lack of exposure to the other gifts in
the body. On the other hand, due to
lots of abuse and strange teachings
going on, combined with shepherding
type of practices and various fads,
and simple immaturity, there are times when attending a church can be doing more harm than good. I would also suggest reading “The Sublte Power of
Spiritual Abuse” by Jeff VanVonderan
and “Churches that Abuse” by
Ron Enroth. Reading books like these
helped me enormously to understand
the dynamics of what was occurring
to me. In time, I have been able to
heal and learn to deal with various
factors better, including learning to
deal with boundaries and the fact
that other people don’t “have” to
appreciate me or my gifts. I appreciate
your writings. You are on the right
track to look solely to the Lord and
His Word…..realize other people have
a lot of limitations. Also it helps to
realize that other people are not
necessarily “wrong” or “less spiritual”
when they differ from us in approach.
Some thing are not black and white
issues. For example, if a pastor will
not allow me to minister in a certain
area, which I feel God has gifted me
in, that is not necessarily wrong. I
have friends who believe a woman cannot preach to me. This is a complex
issue and there are various beliefs
about it. I had to realize that if I
continued in this church and with these
friends I would end up badly hurt and rejected sooner or later if the Lord
asked me to preach. I realize my
relationships with other Christians
are going to have limits. This does not have to be depressing. It can be
liberating. I am not saying you should stay in your church. I am saying give
them as much grace as possible, pray
for them. Perhaps you have matured
beyond what they are able to offer
you, or perhaps they are ministering
to another group of people who
need to hear other things. Or perhaps
they are missing what God wants.
As long as we love people, and pray
for them, it is OK that we don’t agree with everything….it’s how we handle
our disagreements that either turns into strife, unlove etc or just helps
us to grow. I don’t see any Bible verse commanding us to always agree with
everything other believers believe or
teach. You do well to compare and test everything, every move of the Spirit,
and everyone’s character, by the Word
of God…..there is nothing wrong with
that. I think we should just avoid
pride and an attitude that everyone
else is wrong but us and we know more than others. If we do know more, then
we are expected to help others
and not look down on them or condemn them. At the same time, God
doesn’t expect us to not notice things
or to just go along with things that are
false or wrong. I have heard many teachings about “unity”. Unity is
not uniformity. The only real and lasting unity we have as believers is
that of Christ and His word. We need
to be fed, to grow, to go on. It is
difficult to do this when in a church
atmosphere where you are not hearing
the Word. God will lead you, and your family as to what is best for you.
As a member of the body of Christ,
your committment is above all to
Him, and to the needs of your own
family, above any other local church
committment. Be encouraged. God
bless you.
I add my loud “AMEN” to what SLW has written.
Peter,
Strange or anointed? I started this comment without looking at what others have already said>>>
i just recently started looking at your blogs…reading and dissecting with the light of what I believe to be true about God, Jesus, The Word, The Holy Spirit, etc…
Your tithing messages are what caught my eye… a lot of what you say is right, but I am still looking at it under the Holy Ghost microscope… you are going against the grain, therefore expect some resistance…
But your article here on Elijah and Green Day (I confess I don’t know who Green Day is…) is enlightening. I’d like to encourage you — from past experience with people in general, a lot of us read but never respond. So the feed back you get is not a true picture of the effect of your preaching/teaching. Only heaven knows the eternal affect you have on the kingdom of God. (I remember the last church we attended in Keller, TX when we started putting the audio up on the website, our web guru could track the individual “hits” to our site and locate the origin of that seeker…strangely we had several “hits” from Saudi Arabia.)
As far as walking alone…you like Elijah are not alone. I am sure Kenyon at some point thought he was alone. And Oral Roberts and anyone else who has an eternal impact on the body of Christ. But if God is the one who instigated this ministry you have and motivated you to do so (2 COR 5:14 Message — “Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.”) then do as Paul said in GAL 1:16 KJV — “… immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood”.
As far as a good church to attend to: my thoughts are (1) look for one that ministers to your son, (2) look for one that feels like home — the people are real and not got their “masks” on, irregardless of their spiritual maturity. There is no perfect church. (3) look for one that the pastor(s) reverberates with what you know/believe to be true. Sometimes God will lead you to a church in order to help out/give input to them, as well as receiving all the time. (4) Those called to ministry, even part-timers, must be able to keep their own cup filled with an occasional refill from another minister.
God’s blessing and anointing be upon you, brother. Keep up the good, honest and faithful work… EPH 2:10 KJV — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”