Friday, August 28, 2009

Thursday, August 27, 2009

RICHARD BENNETT: The Mindsets of Catholicism Permeating Evangelicalism (ENCORE PRESENTATION)

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MP3 Available Here

RICHARD BENNETT, a former Roman Catholic priest for over 20 years who is now a believer in the Gospel of Free and Sovereign Grace and a Bible-believing Christian apologist, author and popular conference speaker, will address the theme: "THE MINDSETS of CATHOLICISM PERMEATING EVANGELICALISM".

Many Evangelicals in our day know little of what the true Gospel really means. As a result, many New Evangelicals have embraced Roman Catholic ways of thinking. On May 30, 2004, the New York Times carried news of the alliance called “Evangelicals and Catholics Together” (ECT) showing it as a movement that is changing the face of Christianity.

This movement has embraced the Mindsets of Catholicism. The frame of mind is permeating other movements such as “Christian Churches Together,” the “New Perspective,” “The Coming Home Network,” and “The Emerging Church movement.” Since these movements are affecting Christians in the USA and across the world, Richard Bennett believes our topic today is a most important one to discuss.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

TOM BROCK: Sodom & Gomorrah Come to Wittenberg: The Conservative-Liberal Battle over Same-Sex Marriage in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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MP3 Available Here

TOM BROCK, Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN , will address: "Sodom & Gomorrah Come to Wittenberg: The Conservative-Liberal Battle over Same-Sex Marriage in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America".

According to a recent Washington Times article, "Conservatives at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's churchwide assembly here [Minneapolis, MN] were still reeling Thursday from losing -- by one vote -- their battle to defeat a new social statement that gives validity to same-sex relationships..." (
Read complete article here).

Our guest today, Tom Brock, is a former ELCA pastor who, along with his congregation at
Hope Lutheran Church of Minneapolis , pulled out of that denomination and joined the more conservative and more faithfully Lutheran AFLC (Association of Free Lutheran Congregations).

Pastor Tom Brock was born and raised in Omaha Nebraska. He graduated from Bethel College in Biblical Studies and has a Masters of Divinity from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota. He has served as pastor of Hope Lutheran Church since 1981. Pastor Brock has been a board member of the Fellowship of Evangelical Lutheran Laity and Pastors and the Great Commission Network, both of which were reform groups working for Biblical renewal in the Lutheran Church. He has a television preaching ministry in Minneapolis which has been telecasting since 1988 and a radio ministry broadcasting since 2004. Pastor Brock is an evangelical, theologically conservative pastor who believes that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. He believes the Bible alone is our highest authority and that the Church today needs to reaffirm the authority of Scriptures in all matters of faith and life. He believes the Church today needs to follow the Word and not the world.

Monday, August 24, 2009

The Jerry Marcellino Testimony

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MP3 Available Here

JERRY MARCELLINO, pastor of Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel, Mississippi will address: "The Jerry Marcellino Testimony".

Our guest today is the son of the
renowned music producer, also named Jerry Marcellino, who is probably most well known for his work with "The Jackson 5" and Michael Jackson's solo career.

Jerry Marcellino has been a full-time pastor since 1988 and has been the pastor of Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel, Mississippi, since 1993. He and his wife of 26 years, Dawn, are the blessed parents of seven children (Joshua [is a US Marine and a Belhaven College Junior], Elyse [is a 23 year old Belhaven College graduate and presently works on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC], Cassie [is a 20 year old Belhaven College Junior], Johnson [is an 18 year old Belhaven College Freshman], Jeremiah [is a 15 yr-old Laurel Christian High School Freshman], Josiah [is a 12 yr-old Homeschooler – 7th grade], and Joel [is a 9 yr-old Homeschooler – 4th grader]). Jerry is a graduate of the University of Hawaii - 1980 (B.A. in Communication) and Capital Bible Seminary in Lanham, Maryland - 1988 (M.Div.). He is the author of Rediscovering the Lost Treasure of Family Worship, Should Christians Have A Heart For Israel? - A Biblical Perspective, Should The Church Have A Heart For Israel? - A Historical Perspective and Should the Nations Have A Heart For Israel? - An Eternal Perspective. He has contributed many articles to such publications as: Reformation Today (UK), Reformation Africa South, Table Talk, Pulpit Helps, The Toronto Baptist Seminary - Gospel Witness and The Journal of Modern Ministry. Jerry has contributed chapters to the following books: Reforming Pastoral Ministry: The Christian Ministry in Post Modern Times (Crossway Books, 2001) and A Foundation For Life: A Study of Key Doctrines and Their Application (Joshua Press, 2002). He writes a regular column for two local newspapers: The Laurel Leader-Call and The Meridian-Star.


He is also a frequent speaker at Church Leadership, Family, Youth, and Christian School conferences throughout the United States and abroad. He has been the Director of Audubon Press and Christian Book Service since 1995, and is a co-founder of The Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE) presently serving as a member of its National Executive Board. He has served for the past twelve years on the Laurel Christian School Board of Directors and is also on their part-time faculty (He served previously in the same capacity for three years at a Christian High School in the Baltimore, Maryland area, where he was also a pastor). In addition, Jerry serves on numerous other ministry-related boards located in both the US and abroad.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

THE SHACK: A Critical Examination (Encore Presentation)

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MP3 Available Here

AL STEIN, pastor of the Neighborhood Assembly of God in Bellmore, Long Island, NY, & KEN SILVA, pastor of Connecticut River Baptist Church & president of Apprising Ministries in Claremont, NH, will address the theme: "THE SHACK: A Critical Examination".

The above-mentioned book, "
THE SHACK", by William Paul Young, has apparently been flying off the bookshelves of many retail outlets and the stockrooms of Internet booksellers. It reached #6 on Amazon's religious fiction book sales list and the New York Times Bestseller list. Pastor, scholar, author, and poet Eugene H. Peterson, who wrote the Gold Medallion Book Award winner "The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language", said of "The Shack":

“This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ did for his. It’s that good!”

But should Christians spend their valuable time and hard-earned money reading this book?

Our guests today, Al Stein & Ken Silva, answer that question with a resounding "NO!" Learn why this very popular work of religious fiction is poison for the mind and soul, and how it heretically and dangerously distorts the person and work of all three members of the Godhead, the very nature of the Gospel and the innate spiritual condition of mankind.

Stein & Silva also hope this disturbing quote (below) from "The Shack" will cause all who profess to know and love Christ and His Holy Scriptures to wholeheartedly reject Eugene Peterson's previously quoted astonishing claim about Young's vision of the Gospel and will trump his recommendations to read it:

“Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims…. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters.”
-–The Shack’s “Jesus.” [1,p.182]

Monday, August 17, 2009

Ken Silva: Jay Bakker, Radical Love & Homosexuality

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MP3 Available Here

Ken Silva, pastor of Connecticut River Baptist Church & president of Apprising Ministries in Claremont, NH, will address the theme: "Jay Bakker, Radical Love & Homosexuality".

A recent blog post of our guest Ken Silva regarding the ministry of the son of well-known fallen televangelist Jim Bakker, and the encroachment of the Pro-Homosexual Movement into "Evangelicalism", explains the content of today's broadcast:

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 3-4)

For Whatever Reason Such As These Are Playing For The Wrong Team

If nothing else it can be very interesting being involved in online apologetics and discernment ministry along the Internet Front of the Truth War. The point of this piece is to demonstrate, once again, that
The Tolerant Ones Really Aren’t So Tolerant. No doubt such as these in the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church aka Emergent Church—currently morphing into Emergence Christianity—(EC) love to talk about “dialogue” and to portray themselves as the epitome of God’s grace and love.

However, having had “conversation” with many in the EC over the past four years I have found the majority of them to be no different than so-called ”ODMs.” Just slap that label, or “hater,” on someone and we instantaneously become their new lepers. But many a Bible-believing Christian who’s also tried to dialogue with people around the EC have found this out the hard way. If we’re honest, like most of us, those in the EC have their point of view and quite understandably are trying to argue (in the debate sense) others into it.

It reminds me of the time a few years ago when I would have discussions with Mormon Missionaries in my home. I don’t recommend you do this unless you feel called to counter-cult evangelism, however, one time I actually had a couple of them who’d come over once a week. Because I know the Mormon Church questions the verbal and plenary inspiration of Scripture I’d told them I would be willing to study together the origin of the Bible itself; and in doing so, I said they can also teach me the LDS views.

Well, this went on for a couple of weeks until one day I noticed one of them becoming red in the face as we discussed the actual Gospel of Jesus Christ. So I paused and told him that to me he looked very upset. He confided that he was because he felt like I was telling him he was going to Hell. I explained that I don’t know what his future holds, but because he was rejecting the Gospel at that moment, I said, “You’re correct in that I am saying, if you were to die right now, you are still on the broad path that leads to Hell.”

And then I asked him, “because I am consciously rejecting the Gospel Principles of Mormonism after having you explain them to me, aren’t you telling me that I’m a ’son of perdition’ who’s on my way to Hell?” He quietly nodded that this was true; so I said to him, “I can live with that.” The point being, I was intellectually honest with him that, of course, I was trying to convert him; but I also explained to him that I expected nothing less from someone believing as he did. These Mormon Missionaries understood that; and our study went on just fine from there until they ended up rotating out.

People have heard me say that on the playing field of ideas my function here at AM, and the Lord knows I’m involved in a lot more ministry than this website, would be somewhat like a middle linebacker on the defense of a football team. They often aren’t very fun guys to have to go up against during the game; but off the field, many times they are quite different. No, if one simply reads the articles of aggressive criticism I am often writing, I am well aware that they’d think I was some kind of angry narrow-minded fundamentalist bigot.

Well, I’m not here to win a popularity contest; and if evangelical leaders—whose forums dwarf anything of mine—would stand up and be counted during this apostasy there wouldn’t be any need for AM,
Christian Research Net, Slice of Laodicea, etc. But they aren’t; and I don’t have the luxury of sitting on the sidelines while The Emerging Church Is Highjacking Evangelicalism. But back to the so-called loving and grace-filled tolerant ones of the EC; today gay affirming “pastor” Jay Bakker gives us this quote from the quasi-Reformed Tim Keller:

When your self-image is based on having correct doctrine, you will loathe people who disagrees with you.” ~Tim Keller/// BAM! (
Online source)

Really; “BAM!” Apparently Bakker sees all of this as some kind of a contest. The problem he has, especially after his recent “sermon”
Radical Love, is that he contradicts his own message of love when he aims this at people like me. In my case self-image has zero to do with correct doctrine. It has to do with, even though I could never merit the salvation by God that Jesus gave me, I am now His child; esteem doesn’t get any higher than the grace God shows to His adopted children. Speaking for myself, in gratitude for Christ’s gift and Because I Love Jay Bakker And GLBTQ People, I do what I do.

The question is: Why doesn’t Bakker, whom some say is a scholar, actually address the Biblical texts concerning homosexuality instead of simply trying to marginalize his critics as “haters?” Just yesterday I was talking with my good friend Chris Rosebrough of
Pirate Christian Radio who told me again that he’d be more than happy to have Bakker come on his program to do so. And yet Bakker was pretty excited today as he shares:

confronting the slippery slope against homosexuality: by @
dtatusko http://twitter.com/dtatusko (Online source)

That link within takes us to an article entitled
confronting the slippery slope against homosexuality from:

Andrew (Drew) Tatusko is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (1999, 2000) from which he earned an M.Div. and Th.M. There he focused on philosophical theology, philosophy of education, and postmodern theory. (Online source)

Exposing The Fleshly Rot Underneath The Phony Veneer Of Love And Tolerance

And of course it’s probably just a coincidence that Tatusko lovingly announced today concerning that piece:

trying to pick a fight with ken silva:
http://bit.ly/16pSkB (Online source)

@
zachtroberts i am not shooting so high to think i can fill a black hole. just taunting a caged rat with a stick a little… (Online source)

Yes, “trying to pick a fight,” and a reference to me as “a caged rat,” I sure do feel the EC grace, love, and tolerance. And interestingly enough, this is the type of conduct the loving folks ’round the tolerant and inclusive (as long as you agree with them) EC often accuse those nasty ol’ “ODMs” of employing. But unfortunately for Tatusko, he isn’t going to get his fight with this particular caged rat because what he says in his article has absolutely nothing to do with my correct Biblical position on the sin of homosexuality.

He begins by saying:

Albert Mohler makes a
fantastic slippery slope assertion against same gender relationships. The next thing is…polyamory! Those who oppose same-gender love assert under the presumption that a reasonable secular argument exists to which they can make appeal. After all the arguments against same gender love are not just about the Bible and Christianity, they are about the ‘’sanctity of marriage” or “pro-family” which is the “bedrock of American civilization.” (Online source)

Tatusko then later inserts me into the mix:

While the comical anti-everything-but-the-sound-of-my-own-conviction Ken Silva is
absolute in his utter rejection of homosexuality and all those who affirm it, the evidence is scarce both on his site of condemnation and in the scripture istself that polygamy is to be rejected in the same way. Curious position to take when all is so crystal clear and the progressive revelation of God among God’s people is seemingly complete and without contradiction. (Online source)

Now please understand that I have no problem with Tatusko running the ball at me, so to speak, I’ll admit that Tatusko—who has far more formal education than I—sounds impressive; that is, until it comes to my actual
utter rejection of homosexuality. You see, I’ve not appealed to secular argumentaion in my confronting the issue of people—like Jay Bakker—affirming those having sexual relations with another of the same sex i.e homosexuality are not in sin. But I’m also not that big a fan of Dr. Al Mohler.

Yes, in the article
Sadness For “Gay Christians” I do quote Mohler, but I personally said exactly nothing about slippery slopes, polyamory, or polygamy. As a pastor-teacher I am to hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict (Titus 1:9, NASB). Whatever Mohler does is between him and Jesus, but my particular call is to defend what the Bible says about marriage and homosexuality, which is exactly what I have done.

I really couldn’t care less what the culture decides; whatever the laws of the land may be I will do my best to abide by them, but anyone familiar with AM knows that I labor to present arguments based upon Scripture. So, for those who may have missed it, my definition of what marriage is according to the Bible can be found in
The Sin Of Homosexuality Is Different. And as far as homosexuality, which is to commit sexual immorality with a member of the same sex, I heartily recommend Rosebrough’s PCR program here in An In-Depth Look At What The Bible Says About Homosexuality.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

CHRIS BRAUNS: HOW TO PICK A PASTOR: Guidelines For Pastoral Search Committees

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MP3 Available Here

CHRIS BRAUNS, senior pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, IL, will address the theme of his doctoral thesis: "HOW TO PICK A PASTOR: Guidelines For Pastoral Search Committees".

Dr. Brauns describes his guidelines for Pastoral Search Committees this way:

"Arguably, the most strategic decision that a local church makes is calling a preaching pastor. When a local church calls a lead or senior pastor, they almost always want a pastor who will preach with excellence. Yet, often pastoral search committees do not know how to go about achieving that goal.

"Unfortunately, there are essentially no resources available designed to help pastoral search committees / pulpit nominating committees succeed in calling an excellent preaching pastor.

"Books and resources designed for pastoral search committees / pulpit nominating committees focus on areas other than preaching, and these areas are important. Yet preaching is the center of what their next pastor will do, and there is nothing available to help churches call a pastor who will preach with excellence...

"...The purpose of this thesis-project is to develop a manual to motivate and equip pastoral search committees to call a pastor who will preach expository sermons. The manual will target churches where a search committee either chooses a new pastor or makes a recommendation to the congregation. The manual will define expository preaching and attempt to persuade readers that it should be a central objective of their pastoral search to call an expository preacher. Having argued for expository preaching, the manual will seek to equip pulpit committees to evaluate sermons. It will first conceptually describe the process that a preacher must go through in order to preach an expository sermon. It will also provide and defend a sermon evaluation form that will equip pastoral search committees to evaluate sermons. This teaching will also equip a pastoral search committee to interview candidates about preaching..." (
Read entire article here).

Dr. Brauns earned his MBA from Northern Iowa University, MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and DMin from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of his recently published controversial book "UNPACKING FORGIVENESS: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds", and has studied and spoken extensively on the topic of forgiveness. You can hear a two-part "Iron Sharpens Iron" interview with Dr. Brauns on forgiveness by clicking Here (Part One) and clicking Here (Part Two).

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

RICHARD BENNETT: THE MINDSETS of CATHOLICISM PERMEATING EVANGELICALISM

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MP3 Available Here

RICHARD BENNETT, a former Roman Catholic priest for over 20 years who is now a believer in the Gospel of Free and Sovereign Grace and a Bible-believing Christian apologist, author and popular conference speaker, will address the theme: "THE MINDSETS of CATHOLICISM PERMEATING EVANGELICALISM".

Many Evangelicals in our day know little of what the true Gospel really means. As a result, many New Evangelicals have embraced Roman Catholic ways of thinking. On May 30, 2004, the New York Times carried news of the alliance called “Evangelicals and Catholics Together” (ECT) showing it as a movement that is changing the face of Christianity.

This movement has embraced the Mindsets of Catholicism. The frame of mind is permeating other movements such as “Christian Churches Together,” the “New Perspective,” “The Coming Home Network,” and “The Emerging Church movement.” Since these movements are affecting Christians in the USA and across the world, Richard Bennett believes our topic today is a most important one to discuss.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Jerry & Fern Hill: Timothy Hill Children's Ranch

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MP3 Available Here

JERRY & FERN HILL, co-founders of Timothy Hill Children's Ranch in Riverhead, Long Island, NY (see this link)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

DAVID CHANSKI: HYPER CALVINISM: Contrasting Historic Reformed Theology with its Counterfeits

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MP3 Available Here

DAVID CHANSKI, successor of Albert N. Martin at Trinity Baptist Church of Montville, NJ will address the theme: "HYPER CALVINISM: Contrasting Historic Reformed Theology with its Counterfeits".

Many if not most Evangelicals who are NOT themselves "Calvinists", or, believers in the doctrine that God has total, sovereign control over ALL things, including the salvation of men, frequently erroneously apply the disparaging term "HYPER-Calvinist" to EVERYONE who believes in the Doctrines of Sovereign Grace. Pastor David Chanski, who strongly affirms ALL "Five Points of Calvinism", will set out to prove that this improper use of a derogatory label is reckless behavior, and reveals that those who do so are uninformed or misinformed (and so-called scholars who do so have no excuse). Today's broadcast is also intended to steer those professing to be Calvinists away from the deadly cliff of genuine Hyper-Calvinism.

When he graduated from Trinity Ministerial Academy, our guest Pastor David Chanski moved from the northern New Jersey area. Since 1989, he has served the Lord as Pastor of the Providence Reformed Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Now, nearly 20 years after his departure, Pastor Chanski, with his wife and two of his children, has returned to Trinity Baptist Church to serve as one of their elders.

Trinity Baptist Church of Montville may be the most well known Reformed Baptist congregation on the globe. The church first organized in March 1967. They embrace the great biblical doctrines of the Protestant Reformation, sometimes referred to as the doctrines of grace and most fully expressed in the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.

Their purpose as a church is "to glorify the God of the Scriptures in promoting His worship, evangelizing sinners, edifying saints, planting and strengthening churches, and showing benevolence to the needy. We are committed to the proclamation of God's perfect Law and the glorious Gospel of His grace throughout the world, and to the defense of the 'faith which was once for all delivered to the saints'."

Monday, August 3, 2009

ERIC C. REDMOND: SOVEREIGN GRACE & THE BLACK CHURCH (Encore Presentation)

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MP3 Available Here

ERIC C. REDMOND, author, sought-after theologically Reformed conference speaker and founding pastor of Reformation Alive Baptist Church in Temple Hills, MD, a new church plant in the suburbs of Washington, DC, will address the theme: "SOVEREIGN GRACE & THE BLACK CHURCH".

Pastor Redmond served as the Second Vice-President of the
Southern Baptist Convention from 2007 to 2008, and has served as the Theology Editor for "NAAF Outlook: Newsletter of the African American Fellowship of the SBC". He has also served on the Trustee Board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary . He is a gifted expository preacher and teacher of God's Word. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary , his passion is to see lives transformed by growing in love and understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Redmond’s ministry emphasis lies in expositional preaching and teaching of the Scriptures, development of godly male leadership, and the cultivation of Biblical community within the local church. He has a burden to encourage academic theological studies at research levels among young African-American church leaders, and to see the rearing and sending of African-Americans into international missions work.

Pastor Redmond's book, "
Where Are All The Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men's Questions About the Church", is one of Pastor Redmond's attempts to help strong men give Christ a second look by addressing some of their modern day concerns. He also contributed to "Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity".

Currently, Pastor Redmond also serves as an Assistant Professor of Bible & Theology at
Washington Bible College in Lanham MD . He feels a burden to reach all generations for Christ, so that a generation yet unborn might be raised up to know and love God. On his blog, "A Man from Issachar", Pastor Redmond again attempts to point his readers to Christ through an examination of current events.

Pastor Redmond and his wife Pam will have been very happily married for 18 years this July. They have five children – Charis (17), Chloe (15), Candace (11), Calvin (9), and Codell (8) – and they reside in Lanham, Maryland. The heart of the Redmond’s ministry partnership is strengthening families.

A controversial and refreshingly honest article by Pastor Redmond that is highly recommended, "Living Soli Deo Gloria Under Obama",
may be read here.

Pastor Redmond was also one of eight featured speakers at a special event of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals: "
The Sovereignty of God Conference", held this past June in Haledon, New Jersey.
Iron Sharpens Iron 30 Day Archive

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend"- Proverbs 27:17