PREVIEW: EXPOSING "THE CODE" OF THE CROSSING CHURCH-PART ONE

Please take the time and effort to get the Gospel right: your eternal destination depends on it!

EXPOSING "THE CODE" OF THE CROSSING CHURCH 

My next project will be a major undertaking. The unbiblical content of "THE CODE"  and Eric Dykstra's insistence  that Crossing attenders strictly adhere to it is the  catalyst that makes The Crossing an abusive and dangerous  place. I want to make sure I support my arguments with Scripture, so I will "roll out" my biblical critique of THE CODE over several months. Hopefully I can address one point of THE CODE each week.  

 Also, I don't want to ignore other important features of this blog, so each week I will also provide a smorgasbord of biblical insights and teachings to consider for your spiritual feeding and edification. 

 PREVIEW: EXPOSING "THE CODE" OF THE CROSSING CHURCH\

I want to start out with a comparison of sorts. I have posted the mission and vision statements of both my church home, "Redeemer Bible Church" and that of The Crossing. Read them in whatever order you want, Redeemer first or Crossing first, doesn't matter.

What does matter is the content of the values of each particular church. And what I want to ask you is, does each church's vision statement have solid biblical support for each particular point they make? Over the next few months I will focus exclusively on The Crossing's values a.k.a. "THE CODE". 

I welcome any and all critics, including Crossing pastors, to point out where in the Bible, you find support for each particular point in THE CODE. I also invite the critics to biblically scrutinize Redeemer Bible Church's vision statement. You see, both vision statements communicate different things, and what I want to do is point out the serious errors in THE CODE.  

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THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CROSSING CHURCH

                         "The Crossing exists to thrill believers with spiritual truth and
                             move seekers one step closer to a relationship with Jesus." 

 THE VALUES OF THE CROSSING CHURCH AS EXPRESSED IN "THE CODE"

Because I had problems loading the actual document on this post and making a good fit, I chose to provide the link. This link to The Crossing  "What We Believe" page also contains their doctrinal statement, or "Statement of Faith". This looks orthodox on paper but in reality a critical part of their Statement Of Faith directly contradicts a point in their values as expressed in THE CODE. I have posted about this earlier, but I will revisit this contradiction as I rough all of the points in THE CODE.

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THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CROSSING CHURCH

                         "The Crossing exists to thrill believers with spiritual truth and
                             move seekers one step closer to a relationship with Jesus." 

 THE VALUES OF THE CROSSING CHURCH AS EXPRESSED IN "THE CODE"

Because I had problems loading the actual document on this post and making a good fit, I chose to provide the link. This link to The Crossing  "What We Believe" page also contains their doctrinal statement, or "Statement of Faith". This looks orthodox on paper but in reality a critical part of their Statement Of Faith directly contradicts a point in their values as expressed in THE CODE. I have posted about this earlier, but I will revisit this contradiction as I go through all of the points in THE CODE.

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THE MISSION AND VALUES OF REDEEMER BIBLE CHURCH

Our Mission

To proclaim, embody, and enjoy the gospel of Jesus Christ so that unbelievers are convinced of the gospel, believers are built up in the gospel, and culture is transformed by the gospel, to the glory of God.

Our Values

1. The Gospel : The gospel changes absolutely everything.The gospel is the good news that the reign of God (his kingdom) is at hand by the person, work, and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. It (He) is the solution to all of the effects of sin in our hearts and in the world. We are committed to bringing everything we do in line with the gospel (Gal 2:14).
2. The Word of God: The gospel opens our eyes to the truth.People need to know the liberty that only the truth of God can bring. We will faithfully teach and preach and apply the word of God to our hearts and our circumstances. We will demonstrate by the way we engage in ministry that our only hope for a change of heart is by the Spirit of God ministering through his word.
3. God-centered Worship: The gospel makes us worshippers of the true and living God.Through the gospel, the Father seeks to make people true worshippers – people who worship God alone through Jesus Christ alone. We will be committed to a public worship with God- and gospel-centered song lyrics, with attention to the reading of Scripture, prayer, giving, and the sacraments. We will encourage believers to have a robust life of private worship.
4. Commitment to the Local Church: The gospel is aimed at creating local Christian communities.We will be committed to teaching Christians the centrality of the local church, understanding that like salvation, Christians today come to see the importance of the local church in a process. We will acknowledge this process by providing opportunities for believers to increase their level of commitment over time – through social events, retreats, conferences, and getaways.
5. Relational Depth: Through the gospel we become the people of God,
   a new community in which worldly distinctions no longer separate us from one another. The gospel makes us hospitable, forthright, and helpful. The gospel decimates pride and engenders humility so that we are free to serve one another through love. We will be open and honest about our lives. We will be a community where we receive help and offer help to those in need; a community where we can fight our sin together; a community where people are accountable to others and aren’t getting left behind.
6. Spiritual Renewal: The gospel brings ongoing spiritual transformation.It is all too typical for Christians to think that although their justification was by grace, that somehow their sanctification (becoming more like Christ) is by works. Nothing could be further from the truth. What believers need to realize is that all their fruitfulness ultimately springs from the soil of the gospel…and the gospel alone (see especially 2 Pet 1:2-9). We will help believers to understand this reality by the way we preach, teach, and counsel.
7. Leadership Development: The gospel calls men into ministry.Through the gospel, the church has been granted gifts for its edification, officers in the church to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph 4:7-16). We will not micromanage ministry, but be committed to leadership development that encourages imagination, ingenuity, and self-starting initiative.
8. The Suburbs: The gospel changes our attitude toward where we live.God loves the suburbs. We will teach people to celebrate God’s common grace that we experience in the suburbs as well as to challenge the idolatries of suburban life.
9. Personal Evangelism: The gospel makes us a church for others.Second Corinthians 5:15 says that Christ died for all, therefore all died so that we who live might no longer live for ourselves. We are persuaded that this is not simply an individual living for others, but a corporate, church-wide living for others. We will teach people that the church is not for ourselves alone. The gospel frees us to live for the good of the suburbs, to live for our friends, neighbors, and colleagues who do not yet believe. We will actively cultivate gospel relationships with non-Christians and invite them to church. We will be conscious of and welcoming to non-Christians in our midst without compromising the message. After all, since it’s the gospel that transforms the way we relate to those around us, we cannot leave any of it out. We will also be sure to communicate in such a way as to invite dialogue, understanding that the way people typically come to Christ is through a process.
10. Concern for Justice: The gospel produces social healing.Therefore we will be a community that vigorously pursues justice for everyone through a vital ministry of mercy. The gospel makes us generous (2 Cor 8:9) and unafraid to part with our material possessions in order to meet the needs of those who lack. The gospel also gives hope to the poor, empowering them to work to earn bread. Jesus became poor in order to share his riches with us; we will seek to do the same first with the household of the faith, and then with the suburban poor, and finally with the urban poor of Minneapolis.
11. Cultural Renewal: The gospel produces cultural renewal.The gospel reminds us that all our work matters to God. When the gospel clears out religiosity, which makes religion and service in the church an idol by which we may sinfully compare ourselves with people who don’t “put God first,” then so-called “secular” work is seen for what it is – as valuable and God-honoring as service in the local church. The gospel also shapes the way we work. It affects the motives, manner, and methods of our work. The gospel enables Christians to work in their vocations with excellence, diligence, integrity, and Christian distinctiveness, thus transforming culture from the inside out.
12. Global Christianity: The gospel is good news for all the peoples of the world.The gospel motivates us to plant churches around the world among every tribe, nation, kingdom, and language both where we are and extending outward to all the unreached peoples of the earth. We will aim to plant churches with the same gospel-centered core values into every city and people group within the Twin Cities Metro, the United States, and the world.
13. Cooperative Mindset: The gospel cannot be managed.We will not be territorial with respect to other churches that are doing their part to reach the community with the gospel of grace. The diversity of spiritual gifts within churches applies between churches as well. God desires to use all of the local churches in a region according to their giftedness for its transformation.

Blog Reconstruction Complete/Update on "God's Gift To You"/NT Scriptures

Please take the time and effort to get the Gospel right: your eternal destination depends on it!

RECONSTRUCTION OF BLOG COMPLETE
Thanks to the suggestion of a friend (can I name names on this blog? First names only) of "Back Door Ministries Support Group", I have done a reconstruction of my blog, making it easier on the eyeballs and is less distracting. Personally, I really like it! So thanks for the suggestion! I reverted every post and page to black letters, but if you find something that I missed, please let me know so I can fix it.  You can take the poll and give me your feedback on the new layout of my blog.


"GOD'S GIFT TO YOU" UPDATE
Since I am not getting much response to this feature, I am expanding the participants to include any member of the "Back Door Ministries Support Group". That way you can share the resources among the group, or give to a loved one you know is involved in The Crossing.


NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES TO READ...
If you are a member of The Crossing, please read the following New Testament Scriptures and see if you can spot the common thread that weave together a particular point. This is a large body of Scriptures, and it is not a comprehensive list by any means. That ought to tell you that the biblical authors, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had something very, very important to communicate... 

•  ¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

• (Jesus speaking) ¹⁵ “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves". (Matthew 7:15)

• For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light". (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)  

• "'I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31).

•  ¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves...

• ...² Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; ³and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3) 

• ¹⁰ For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain. ¹² One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”.....

• ....¹³ This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. ¹⁵ To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. (Titus 1:10-16)

• ³ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. ⁴ For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)

• ⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷ which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ...

 

• ^...8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! ⁹ As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:-6-9)

• ¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. ¹⁸ For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own^]appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. (Romans 16:17-18)

 

• ¹⁷ Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. (Philippians 3: 8-19) 
•  

• ²⁴ "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:24)

• (The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy) ¹ I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction...

• ^...3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:1-4)

•  ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

• If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. ⁹ But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:8-10)

• ⁵ Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 15:5)

• (Jesus speaking) 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Now, let me ask, what is God clearly communicating to you?
Blessing Casey

under construction

trying new layouts, colors etc.It will be a mess for a while, Casey

Something Old/Something New: 9/14/11

Please take the time and effort to get the Gospel right: your eternal destination depends on it!

Since I am getting a lot more traffic on my blog, I am starting up another feature that will help newcomers read some of the important points I have made in the past: I will be "recycling" old posts under the heading, "SOMETHING OLD". Since this weeks gift deals with Doctrine/Theology, I want to stress the importance of a proper, biblical understanding of it through a couple posts I have made. I may make some minor changes to the actual posts as necessary. If you have already read this recycled post, then skip ahead to the new material for your spiritual feeding at the bottom under the heading, "SOMETHING NEW".

SOMETHING OLD
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 The ABC's of Doctrine...
In my prior post I talked about Christian "doctrine"; doctrinal statements and specific points of doctrine. Churches, good and bad, usually have some kind of doctrinal statement on their website or in the literature they offer to visitors under the heading , "Statement of Faith", or "What We Believe". Christian doctrine is one of those terms that can intimidate you if you don't understand it's meaning. 

Doctrine, in the Christian sense, are the teachings that have been  revealed by God in the Holy Scriptures as Truth. Doctrinal statements summarize what a particular church believes. Some church doctrinal statements are better written than others. There are some church doctrinal statements that are incoherent, misleading, confusing, inconclusive, and patently unbiblical; these are churches you want to avoid.  


And just to be clear, many Bible believing, Gospel preaching churches disagree on minor points of doctrine, or those points of doctrine that are not essential to the salvation of one's soul. For example, on the doctrine of "Creation" some Christians believe  that the universe is only thousands of years old, while others, like myself, believe it is billions of years old. Bible believing, Gospel preaching Churches also commonly disagree on the doctrines of eschatology, the extent of man's sinful corruption, and man's free-will versus God's sovereignty; these doctrines are not essential to salvation, and there is greater latitude allowed for disagreement. 


On the other hand, it is of utmost importance to be correct on certain Christian doctrines, for example the doctrine of Justification. A good doctrinal statement should make every attempt to communicate Truth; it should be clear, concise, and constructed with carefully measured words in order to communicate the essence of a particular doctrine with precision. A good doctrinal statement also ought to have Scripture references that support that what the church believes is in accordance with Scripture.

Now you might be thinking, "I don't care about all this doctrine stuff, it sounds boring and it's not my thing. I just want to follow Jesus and live the way He wants me to live". Look, if you go to a church or profess to be a Christian, then it is impossible to escape doctrine, because the moment you  mention the name "Jesus", you must think in terms of what is true and what is false about Jesus; that's doctrine, and Scripture explains what is True about Jesus. 


Who is Jesus? Was Jesus just a human teacher with brilliant spiritual insight? Or was Jesus God in human flesh?  What did Jesus teach about how you are to live your life? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? It is apparent that doctrine is inescapable. 


Another example. The word "God" means many different things to many different people. Some people think of god as nothing more than some kind of cosmic life energy. Others think god is akin to a kindly old grandfather who just ignores the naughtiness of his children and welcomes everyone into Heaven. And others view god as a cruel and abusive deity, a cosmic killjoy with oppressive rules and regulations. Hindu's believe there are many gods and Muslims believe in a god unlike the Christian God named Allah. Pantheists believe god is all and all is god. And then there are some people who don't even believe in God at all. According to Scripture, these are all false doctrines of god. In biblical language these false gods are idols. 

But what does the Bible specifically teach about the one True God, the Christian God? A good doctrinal statement will clarify what Scripture reveals to be true about the Christian God. 


Other doctrinal points that are commonly addressed in a church's Statement Of Faith besides God, Jesus, and justification, include Scripture (what does the Bible teach about the Bible),  creation, the Trinity, man, sin, redemption, sanctification, The Great Commission, the Church, the ordinances of the Baptism and Holy Communion, Satan and demons, the Last Judgment, Heaven and Hell, and Eschatology, which is a theological term pertaining to "end times". 


So you see, when I mention  the word "doctrine"  there is nothing to fear. Christian doctrines are simply teachings that are True about ultimate reality as revealed in the Scriptures. Doctrinal statements posted on church websites and in handout literature explain what that particular church believes in, usually in brief, bullet point sentences that are easy to understand. 

Now for some examples of doctrinal statements so you know what I am getting at.

• This first example I found on the Internet. It is First Calvary Baptist Church in Eagan, Minnesota. Notice that each doctrinal point is clear and concise, with relevant Scripture references available to look up in your Bible. I disagree on a few minor points of doctrine related to creation and eschatology, but overall, this looks like a pretty solid church, on paper anyway. I would give this church a "test drive" per my previous post.

• The next example is from Redeemer Bible Church which is my church home. Now at first glance, it doesn't seem to measure up to the doctrinal statement of First Calvary Baptist Church. It is not as comprehensive in regard to the number of doctrines covered. That, and there are no Scriptures on the website to support their particular doctrinal points. But notice right under the banner, "What We Believe". it says,
  
  "This is just a brief overview of our beliefs. If you want a full statement of our beliefs, please contact us.

• The full doctrinal statement of Redeemer Bible Church is a document titled, "Creeds and Confessions". When my wife and I applied for membership, we reviewed the entire document in our membership class. It is forty one pages long, and it will absolutely blow your mind as to how detailed this document is! Check out the link here: Creeds and Confessions of Redeemer Bible Church. This page includes all the footnotes and Scripture references at the bottom of the document. . 

• Here is a link to a cult church called "A True Church" whose leader is a man called Darwin Fish.  Check out their beliefs here: A True Church: Statement of Faith Look it over and then look at the other goodies they have on their website. He sounds very religious, he exposes "false teachers,", he quotes a lot of Scripture. Does this sound like a true church to you? Darwin Fish is false teacher. 

• Read a critique of Darwin Fish and his church. Darwin Fish: The FAQ . 

•  Now let's try a link to the Mormon Church: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, official website and their  Articles of Faith. Do they preach a false gospel? After all, their website does offer a doctrinal statement that affirms things that sound very orthodox...or do they? Discernment is key in answering that question. 

•  Now read this link, challenging the beliefs of the Mormon Church. Does their doctrinal statement accord with what Scripture teaches? I would say "no".

• And I can't avoid including the "Statement of Faith" of The Crossing. For the most part, this "Statement of Faith" is biblical. It appears that, on paper, The Crossing is a Church that teaches the historic Christian faith.

There is a valuable lesson to be learned here. Just like the cute science fiction story in my last recycled post, "A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away..."  you can't judge a used car by looks and feelings alone; you have to actually take it out for a "test drive". And that's what you have to do when church shopping. Give it a try, talk to the pastors, ask lots of questions, and look for fruit. Is it good fruit, or is it bad fruit? That will help you be more discerning when it comes to understanding what a church says they believe and what they actually teach and practice.

SOMETHING NEW 

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If you have never had the opportunity to listen to John MacArthur, here you go. This man has preaches thousands of sermons and is widely recognized as a solid biblical teacher. I disagree with him on matters of Echcatology and the Day/Age controversy regarding the age of the earth (minor points of doctrine), but I agree with everything else he treaches on essential Christian doctrine; he is a gifted bible teacher whose messages are crystal clear and brutally honest. This is a sermon as about 45 minutes long titled, "The Humbling Gospel"

God Bless, Casey  

    

Audio Available From THE CROSSING "Church" Conference Held 9/9/2011

Please take the time and effort to get the Gospel right: your eternal destination depends on it! 

THE CONFERENCE

I would like to make a few comments and observations on the conference on 9/9/2011 at the Elk River High School "DOUBLE CROSSED BY THE CROSSING "CHURCH" . This event was hosted by Chris Rosebrough of the radio program Fighting For The Faith broadcast by Pirate Christian Radio. 

First of all, Chris Rosebrough has the intellect, the experience, the educational and theological credentials, and the biblical discernment necessary to publically challange Eric Dykstra and the teachings of The Crossing church.   

This was evident in the introduction of Chris Rosebrough as former Crossing member Jeremy Rogahn of "Back Door Ministries Support Group" listed his qualifications (Sadly this intro is not part of the audio clip, probably due to time restraints). Then Chris himself reinforced his credentials and interest in exposing false teachers and false prophets.  

Chris Rosebrough basically said, (I'm paraphrasing here) that the term "cult" is one that is difficult to define, so he likes to use the term "Spiritual Predator" to define false teachers and false prophets who purposefully twist the Scriptures and lead people astray for their own selfish gain. 

Chris Rosebrough reveals that he himself was once the victim of spiritual predation many years ago; he and his wife were part of a cult for about a year and the leader controlled all aspects of their lives. Therefore, I can sympathize with him as to why he is so adamant about exposing spiritual predators and their phony baloney christianity that they pawn off as the real thing to unwary, biblically illiterate victims. 

Using the Scriptures and video clips, I thought that Chris Rosebrough made a solid (and dare I say irrefutable) case that Eric Dykstra is a spiritual predator and false prophet, and teaches how to use the Bible to spot spiritual predators and false gospels.  

The audio clip begins in studio, post-conference, and he explains a few things about the conference, and comments about the people who organized it, so it takes a few minutes to get into the actual lecture. Overall this is an excellent expose' and I would encourage all who attend The Crossing to listen to the audio clip.  

"GOD'S GIFT TO YOU" 

While at the conference, I met up with a former Crossing member who has been following my blog. He requested entrance into last weeks givaway, The Holiness Of God" by R.C. Sproul. Since I had not received any other emails of those willing to participate I gave it to him at the conference.

There are still no participants to this weeks giveaway, "DRIVE BY THEOLOGY" . See link for details on this 11 cd series. Crossing Attenders, this is an opportunity for you to sink your teeth into some real biblical meat and make comparisons to the canned dog food gospel you have been munching on at The Crossing.   

  

Something Old/Something New: 9/12/11.

Please take the time and effort to get the Gospel right: your eternal destination depends on it.  

Since I am getting a lot more traffic on my blog, I am starting up another new feature that will help newcomers read some of the important points I have made in the past: I will be "recycling" old posts under the heading, "SOMETHING OLD". Since this weeks gift givaway deals with "doctrine/Theology, I want to stress the importance of a proper, biblical understanding of it through a couple posts I have made. I may make some minor changes to the actual posts as necessary. If you have already read this recycled postpost, I will supply some new material for your spiritual feeding at the bottom under the heading, "SOMETHING NEW".

SOMETHING OLD...
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"A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY...."
Imagine, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, on a bright Saturday afternoon on the planet Zexbu, you are taking a nice, relaxing drive around Methane lake. You are so absorbed in the beauty of the Qavunka trees and the sparkling, olive-green waters of Methane lake that you don't notice the fast approaching car on your right side; it blows a stop sign and T-bone's your car!  Fortunately, you and the guy who hit you are not injured, but your car? Well, it's a complete wreck! And according to the insurance company it is totaled. You will need to buy another car.

You can't afford a new car, so you start looking for a dependable used car. You try Methane Motors, a used car dealership that just opened about a month ago in the town of Ix. It's a good thing you  know something about buying used cars; ask a lot of questions, examine the condition of the car, and then take it out for a test drive.

As you stroll down the rows of cars, a striking orange 673 Xizanpf catches your eye. It is a beautiful car! And at .503000 vaxokla, it's a steal! You notice that the car dealer is aggressively approaching, with his large, black,  bulging eyes, and his articulated antenna twitching like mad (he has a head that looks something like a praying mantis!).

"I just got this one in last week, are you interested?". You reply, "Yes I am". Zarfax (that's the car dealer's name!) confidently tells you that his trustworthy mechanic thoroughly examined the car and then took it out for a test drive. He goes on to tell you how mechanically sound and dependable this particular 673 Xizanpf is.

But you don't want to just take his word for it, after all, you met him only ten minutes ago. So you  start asking lot's of questions. "How many owners has this car had?", "How many Kilometers are on it?", "Has it been well maintained?", "Do you have complete service records on the car?", "Does it get good fuel mileage?" "Has it ever been involved in an accident?", "When your mechanic test drove the car, did he notice anything wrong with it?"

He confidently answers your questions one by one, but you notice he is a slick talker whose answers lack clarity, and when you ask him some tough questions, his overall demeanor is defensive and evasive. I mean really, the only service records available are just a couple of hastily scribbled pages? You suspect that Xarfax is not telling you the whole story and is withholding details of the car on purpose. Maybe this car isn't such a good buy after all. But you still want to check things out, just in case your instincts are wrong.  

Now you examine the condition of the car yourself. You crack open the hood and check out all the components of the engine compartment. it all looks clean and mechanically sound. Then you peer at the underbelly of the car; everything appears to be in place, and there are no signs of leaking fluids.

Now you take the car out for a test drive. Right away you notice an unusual noise coming from the engine.  "That's not good." Then you notice that at high speeds the car shakes, and has a tendency to veer to the right. "Alignment issues, and maybe chassis problems." You also notice that the dashboard lights don't work, and now, you detect an acrid, burning odor on the inside of the car; as you become more and more irritated you cry out, "Now what!".

You finally get back to Methane Motors, park the car and once again peer underneath; sure enough, there is a steady "drip, drip" of a brown, viscous fluid coming from the engine area, puddling on the pavement.

You conclude that Zarfax is a cheap, smooth talking, good for nothing used car salesman trying to sell you a lemon. You will never go back to Methane Motors again, and if anybody ever asks you if Methane Motors is reputable, you will tell them to stay away because Zarfax can't be trusted.

You tell Zarfax what you think, but he interupts and says he can explain everything. But before he can say another word, you jump into your loaner car and start looking for a car elsewhere. So much for Methane Motors!
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And such the way it is if you ever go shopping for a used car. If you can tell the difference between a dependable car and a worthless piece of junk like you did in the story, then you will be much less likely to end up with a lemon for a car.

However, if you go used car shopping and you are totally clueless on what questions to ask the car dealer and how to inspect that car for mechanical problems, then you run a far greater risk of getting fooled into buying a lemon; after all, you only have the car dealers word that what he is telling you is the truth.

The same principle applies to anyone who is looking for a new church home, that is, "church shopping" to keep the metaphor intact. Remember the Bible is Truth (Psalm 119:160). It is objective reality. In other words, it says things that are True about God, creation, man, sin, redemption, heaven and Hell, and so on, whether you believe those things or not.

When it comes to finding a new church home, Truth is of utmost importance, after all, who really enjoys being lied to? We feel betrayed when someone deceives us, don't we? Christians are people who defend the Truth and point out error because God fiercely opposes error, and people can get hurt, and damned, by believing errors.

The problem with heretical, abusive, legalistic, non-gospel preaching churches like The Crossing is, they don't just come right out and say that they teach a pack of lies. (Matthew 7:18-20). They want to seductively lure people in, not scare them away. False teachers are often confident, charismatic leaders, experts at sounding very Christian-like, they quote Bible verses and pray, and are very articulate at peddling a gospel lemon to undiscerning, church-shopping victims.

That's why it is so important to study the fundamentals of the Christian faith, that is, doctrine (2Timothy 3:16-17). Use that knowledge as the foundation to examine a church's doctrinal statement; is it in line with what the Bible teaches? Can each statement of faith be backed up by Scripture? Does it lack clarity and definition? Is the language fuzzy and confusing? Are there doctrinal points that should be included in their statements but are suspiciously absent?

When you start attending a heretical, abusive, legalistic, non-gospel preaching church, it really appeals to you. The people there are usually helpful and friendly, the building is warm and inviting, and the preacher has lot's of character and charisma, his message is always interesting; he certainly seems to know what he's talking about. Things feel right and you believe that you have found a church home that is perfect for you.

But once you take the church out for a two month "test drive", things don't feel right anymore and you begin to ask, "Is that what the Bible really teaches?", "Are they conducting their ministry and vision in unbiblical ways that are abusive and controlling?" Sadly, people who  become devoted followers of their church leader and live for his mission don't understand how far from the Truth they are; they are spiritually blind, deceived!

They adopt the unbiblical idea that they are to trust and obey their leader and not ask questions that would challenge the leaders theology or practices. They live under the false assumption that what they believe is true, and tragically, their entire faulty worldview affects the particulars of how they live their life: a life in bondage to a non-gospel preaching church and exlusive devotion to it's influential leader and his burdensome, all-consuming demands.

If you are church shopping, or belong to a church and you don't really know what they believe, then ask for a doctrinal statement that describes what that church believes about the Christian faith. Ask lot's of tough questions and have leadership back up all they believe and practice with Scripture. Scrutinize your leaders and see how skillfully and biblically they answer you. Arm yourself with the Truth of God's Word and you won't be sold a gospel lemon.

If you are a member of The Crossing Church and are curious to find out if what they teach and practice is biblical, then I encourage you to follow my blog. Check in every day or so and I will provide material as to why The Crossing is a dangerous church to attend. I will also bring you Gospel Truth in the way of sermons, Christian bloggers, and articles. Christ will release you from your bondage to legalistic rules and spiritual abuse and beckon you to to find perfect rest in Him.

SOMETHING NEW 9/12/2011
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Tullian Tchividjian|10:21 am CT

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

The gospel liberates us to be okay with not being okay. We know we’re not okay—though we try very hard to convince ourselves and other people that we’re basically fine. But the gospel tells us, “Relax, it is finished. The pressure’s off.”
Because of the gospel, we have nothing to prove or protect. We can stop pretending. We can take off our masks and be real. The gospel frees us from trying to impress people, appease people, measure up for people, or prove ourselves to people. The gospel frees us  from the burden of trying to control what other people think about us. It frees us from the miserable, unquenchable pursuit to make something of ourselves by using others.
The gospel frees us from what one writer calls “the law of capability”—the law, he says, “that judges us wanting if we are not capable, if we cannot handle it all, if we are not competent to balance our diverse commitments without a slip.” The gospel grants us the strength to admit we’re weak and needy and restless—knowing that Christ’s finished work has proven to be all the strength and fulfillment and peace we could ever want, and more. Since Jesus is our strength, our weaknesses don’t threaten our sense of worth and value. Now we’re free to admit our wrongs and weaknesses without feeling as if our flesh is being ripped off our bones.
The gospel frees us from the urge to self-gain, to push ourselves forward for our own purposes and agenda and self-esteem. When you understand that your significance, security, and identity are all anchored in Christ, you don’t have to win—you’re free to lose. And nothing in this broken world can beat a person who isn’t afraid to lose! You’ll be free to say crazy, risky, counterintuitive stuff like, “To live is Christ and to die is gain”!
Now you can spend your life giving up your place for others instead of guarding it from others—because your identity is in Christ, not your place.
Now you can spend your life going to the back instead of getting to the front—because your identity is in Christ, not your position.
Now you can spend your life giving, not taking—because your identity is in Christ, not your possessions.
Real, pure, unadulterated freedom happens when the resources of the gospel smash any sense of need to secure for myself anything beyond what Christ has already secured for me.

Free Gospel Resources: 9/10/2011

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO GET THE GOSPEL RIGHT: YOUR ETERNAL DESTINATION DEPENDS ON IT!

This weeks givaway, beginning 9/10/2011 is an 11 CD set of 48 short, twenty minute Systematic Theology lessons, hosted by Todd Friel with pastor "smarty-pants" R.W. Glenn of Redeemer Bible Church, supplying his astute theological insight.  When these two get together it's great fun AND great biblical teaching!

Crossing attenders, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn what the Bible actually teaches about all the major doctrines set forth in Scripture; unlike pastor Eric's subtle, yet convincing Scripture twisting and false gospel which will only get you to Hell.   

 

THIS IS HOW IT WILL WORK

•  Roughly once a week I will post a picture and description of  "God's Gift To You" that I intend to give away; for example a book or CD, or CD series. hen anyone who wants to participate can e-mail me at casey.nygren@parknicollet.com About a week later I will select and contact the person who will receive the gift. 

• I would encourage you to provide your spiritual background, whether you think you are a Christian or not, on what grounds you think you are or are not a Christian, and why you would like to receive that particular gift. I may use this information in making my decision, or I might just throw all names into a hat and pick one.

A FEW POINTS TO CONSIDER

• I will contact you either by e-mail or cell phone if you are the winner. You can then give me an address where I can send your gift.
• I may send an additional gift that applies to your current spiritual condition, circumstances, concerns, or questions regarding any point of doctrine that is a stumbling block to you.
•  I will not post any of the winner's personal information on my blog to protect the winner from spiritual abuse.  
• The "God's Gift To You" feature only applies to those who attend The Crossing or any other member of a church that they suspect is abusive, legalistic, or preaches a false gospel. The gift will also apply to anyone who doesn't understand the Gospel, does not know if they are are a genuine Christian, know they are not a Christian, but are interested, or they want to know more about the character of God. . 
•  If you are a Christian with a solid understanding of the Gospel and everything that it entails, then please refrain from entering; I would rather give gifts to those who need it most.
• You can be confident that I will not use your e-mail address for anything other than collecting information and receiving an address or cell phone number to send off your gift.  We could also to agree to meet in person. I will not forward your information to any other enterprise, and I will not contact you for any other reason, unless you give me permission. However, you are free to contact me at any time.  
• I would be happy to meet with you or talk with you on the phone if you have any concerns or questions.
• If you did not win the gift but think that you would benefit spiritually by receiving it, contact me and I will see if I have the resources to get you the same gift.
• Your feedback on what you thought of the gift is welcomed and encouraged.