TobyMac’s Artist Talkback

So, at Carowinds on Sept. 29, I had the opportunity to join with several other pastors and youth leaders at an Artist Talkback with TobyMac.

He shared with us his testimony – how he was saved at a youth camp when he was a teen. He shared with us his passion for music and God. He said that he likes to surround himself with others who love Jesus more to encourage him to love Jesus more. He also said that his prayer is always to be emptied of everything (pride, selfishness, etc) and be used by God.

He really got his start with Mike Tait and Kevin Max in the group DC Talk. In the years since they separated, Michael Tait has joined the Newsboys as their lead singer and Kevin Max just joined Audio Adrenalin as their lead singer. Though there are no plans for a DC Talk reunion, TobyMac has attended some of the concerts of his former band members and is very supportive of them. He was asked if a joint concert of Newsboys, Audio A and himself was planned. He said no, but he would not be against it.

He is a devoted family man with a wife and 5 kids. He actually was at one of his kid’s games that morning before he hopped a plane to be at Carowinds that evening.

As for his plans, he’s thinking about getting a tour together that would feature 1 backup band, but several artists with each one doing a couple of their greatest hits.

Is the Bible Scripture?

Rev. Don Welch wrote an article in the recent Seven Lakes Time, a local mini-newspaper in our area. In his article, he makes the claim that the Bible contains the Word of God and is limited by the knowledge of the "fallible human beings" who wrote it. This was my refutation of that article:

Rev. Welch,

While I admire your honesty regarding your view of the Bible, I must also say that I disagree with it.

First, you state that the Bible contains the Word of God. This seems to indicate that it is up to scholars to determine which parts of the Scriptures are the Word of God and which parts are not. Instead, I choose to believe 2 Timothy 3:16 which literally says that “All Scripture is God-breathed...”

Secondly, though the Bible was recorded for us by “fallible human beings,” they were writing as the Holy Spirit moved them (2 Peter 1:21).

Thirdly, you mentioned that the Bible is not scientifically accurate. Galileo lived when science and the church believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Galileo showed scientifically and Biblically that the earth moved instead. He was dismissed by the church with the statement, “The Bible was written to show us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.” Long story short, science was wrong and had to catch up to the accurateness of the Bible.

Replaced this with:
Thirdly, you mentioned that the Bible is not scientifically accurate. Did you realize that the ancient world believed that the earth rested on something else (i.e. pillars), but the Bible said it hangs on nothing (Job 26:7)? Also, many believed that the stars were a finite number, but science and the Bible agree that they are too numerous to be counted (Jeremiah 33:22). These are just a couple of examples. Many still believe the old line: “The Bible was written to show us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.” However, oftentimes science had to catch up to the accurateness of the Bible.

Fourthly, though parables could be fiction used to make a point, nothing says that Jesus’ parables were not true stories. I’m not sure about you, but I will oftentimes use true stories to illustrate a point of a sermon.

I am thankful to God that He gave us the Word of God, all of which is Scripture, true and accurate.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Bill Cooper

Calvary Baptist Church

We cannot steal signs!

A while back, our church had a couple of the “Vote For Amendment One” signs stolen from our grounds. After some quick searches online, I discovered that there were/are several churches in North Carolina who had their signs stolen or vandalized.

Soon after, I saw a story in the local paper about a lady who was charged with stealing signs. She had stolen 3 of the “Vote Against Amendment One” signs.

She has claimed 2 different reasons: First that it was the will of God to take the signs (which we’ll see in a minute is inaccurate). Second, that it was a great idea that her daughter had.

She then exercises her right to voice her opinion by writing a letter to the editor defending her actions. She even compared herself to Daniel or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the Bible. However, she was not ready for others to exercise their right to voice on opposing opinion in the comments section of that letter to the editor. In fact, she went to the newspaper complaining that they allowed such comments to be posted.

Here’s the long and short of this matter. The Bible says that stealing is wrong (I do believe it’s in stone somewhere – oh, yeah, in the 10 commandments). Secondly, she cannot compare her situation with that of Daniel or his 3 friends. They chose to worship and serve God only (which is what the Bible says) rather than obey man’s laws to worship someone else. I do not see any law in the Bible that says that stealing is okay in certain situations.

Also, let’s not forget what 1 Peter 2:20 tells us: For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. If we are doing something that is wrong (like stealing) and we get in trouble for it (like this woman), it is not for our credit, or in other words we cannot throw the “Christian persecution card.”

Both sides have stolen signs, but neither is right in doing it. Plus I don’t know of anyone who has changed their mind or their position due to signs being stolen or vandalized.

No one comes to the Father...

I was recently handed a newspaper that contained the following question and answer:

Question: "No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. I can't believe that the Jesus I accept as the hope for all humanity would even entertain such a thought. What are your thoughts on the matter?

In the pastor's response, he outright claims that the words of Jesus recorded for us in John's Gospel were not Jesus' actual words. He states that John and others scribed Christian words to Jesus. He even stated that John and others did this to ensure that people saw Christianity as the only way to God.

He concluded with:

"I agree with you that the Jesus through whom I found the way to God and the Jesus you see as the hope for all humanity would not exclude Jews or Muslims, Buddhists or Hindus who have found their way to God and seek to lead a life of love and justice. My salvation as a Christian does not depend on the damnation of others."

Although He is an ecumenical protestant minister, I was surprised that his answer went beyond ecumenicism to universalism (or at least a multiple religion stance).

Secondly, he seemed to take the Holy Spirit's preservation of Scripture out of the equation. In calling into question parts of the Bible like this, one could then reason that perhaps the verses we base our salvation on may not be accurate. I hope for our sake, they cannot.

Thirdly, he concluded that Christianity may not be the only way one can get to God and that the other religions can also lead one to God. His stance seems to be that Christians shouldn't be closed minded in regards to how one can get to God. However, the Jews believe that their way is the only way to get to God. Likewise, the Muslims and Hindus. Oh, and last I checked, Buddhists don't believe in God.

Unfortunately, each religion seems to want to conclude that their way is the only way or that all roads get us to God. However, from my study of the Scriptures, the only way is through a love for God and a relationship with Him (by believing in Jesus), thus the Judeo-Christian way.

North Carolina Marriage Amendment

Here's my letter to the editor, published on March 28, 2012 on the amendment:

On May 8, 2012, we will have the opportunity to vote for or against Amendment One regarding marriage.

In the article “Two Sides Harden on Marriage Amendment” (March 20), Jane Postlethwaite stated that the amendment, “takes away rights.” In a letter printed the same day, Chas Griffin posed the following: “North Carolina already has a law banning same-sex marriage, so why are some of you folks so determined to amend the constitution?”

If there already is a law, how would this amendment take away any rights? Would it not just solidify those laws?

Voting down the amendment will not overturn those laws banning same-sex marriage.

Also, a column by Bernard H. Cochran was printed on March 21. Although I disagree with some of what he wrote, he does make the valid point that there are things that the Bible forbids which we do not have laws against. However, this does not mean that we shouldn’t make laws forbidding what the Bible forbids.

Finally, let’s remember that before the amendment came to be on the ballot, it had to pass the General Assembly. It passed the House by a vote of 75 to 42 (64 percent) and the Senate by a vote of 30 to 16 (65 percent).

So, when you go to vote on May 8, you should consider if you want to vote for the amendment, which upholds what is already law, or vote against it, voicing your opposition to our current law.

What are your thoughts?

Jesus and Horus

I have found that we cannot argue someone away from their religion any more than someone can argue me away from Christianity. Also, one cannot argue for the validity of the Bible using internal proofs (i.e. Bible verses). Nor can other religions argue for the validity of their holy books using internal proofs. That would be like me writing a fictitious story but prefacing it with the statement, “Everything I have written in this book is true.” That statement alone doesn’t make it true.

So, how do we answer skeptics and those who don’t believe in the Bible and Jesus? We do so by using external sources and proper argumentation.

Recently, a man posed the following to me:

“what makes you think any of it [the Bible] is true? The similarities between Jesus and other mythological beings (ie Horus) is undeniable.”

Let’s look at that argument:

Statement:                         Jesus is similar to mythological beings                     P is similar to Q

Correct Presumption:        mythological beings are not real                               Q is not real

Conclusion:                       “What make you think it’s true?”                              Therefore P is not real

First, the similarities do not necessitate equality. A 3x5 card has similarities to a square (90 degree angles, parallel sides, etc), but does not mean it is equal to a square.

Second, the argument will unravel if the conclusion is proven false by some other authority. The authority in this case could be historians, non-christian historians at that. Are there any non-christian historians writing in and around the supposed time of Christ (or writing about His time) mentioning Him as existing? Yes. These include Josephus, Pliny the Younger, and more.

My reply:

“There are some Historians (Pliny the Younger, Josephus, etc) outside of the Bible who wrote about Jesus.”

His response:

“right. but what about the undeniable similarities between Jesus and other mythical beings, ie Horus or Mithra?”

So, he agrees that Jesus is a real person. However, he goes on to argue for the similarities between Jesus and mythological beings. So, let’s take an honest look at this:

He writes:

“Horus was born to a virgin, walked on water, performed miracles, crucified, rose from the dead. Familiar, hey? Explain?”

After a quick search on Google, I have found the following:

1. There is some debate, even among atheists, in regards to Horus’ virgin birth, his walking on water, crucifixion, and resurrection.

2.  Many, including atheists agree that Horus performed miracles, but they were different in scope and nature. Let me add that even in the Bible, Jesus is not the only one to perform miracles. The Egyptian Magicians did, the disciples did, etc.

Yet, my reply was simply this:

“I agree there are some similarities between Jesus and mythical beings.”

“You also agreed that non-Christian historians wrote about Jesus, showing he existed. #atheism”

In closing, let me offer an argument of my own:

Historians have proven that Jesus existed.

Historians even prove some of the claims of the Bible about Jesus.

So, do you therefore conclude that all the claims of the Bible about Jesus are true? And thus you must believe or not believe?

Or do you conclude that the entire Bible is not true, and therefore you don’t have to believe?

The choice is yours.

What's Wrong With Being Holier-Than-Thou?

The previously mentioned gentleman who I’ve had Twitter conversations with has inspired me once again to write a blog post. My intention is not to tear him down, but to make sure that others are not of the same faulty mindset.

He has written: “God's word is communicated by preaching and by writing. His preferred way is reading and writing. That's why he gave us His Word-the Bible. So if we have a different idea we can check it against what He says. Preaching and speaking is for those around us. Writing and reading is for anyone.”

In some aspects, he is correct. However, let’s also keep in mind the power and need of preaching. Romans 10:14-15 state, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" I see nothing here about giving someone a written word, but I do see the need for preaching.

Secondly, he said that the New Testament writers each claimed to be “full-on” followers of Jesus and that we cannot find much about their personal bios in their writings.

I agree that they didn’t shy away from claiming to be followers of Christ, but they also shared about themselves openly. Paul himself wrote at length in Philippians 3:4-6 that, “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” He states all of that before mentioning Christ in verse 7.

The afore mentioned gentleman also insinuates that by me not mentioning that I am a follower of Jesus in my bio, that I am watering down and/or removing His name and therefore “our opportunity to spread that name is lost.” Later he asks me, “Why do you not like holier than thou Christians? You just said that we are to love everyone. What does it matter if you get a bad name? It's not about you. “

Well, let’s think about this. If a non-Christian encounters a “holier-than-thou” Christian, they may paint all Christians as that way. That can have a negative impact on my ability to share Christ with that non-Christian. Even though Jesus had the right to be “holier than thou”, He wasn’t. If we are Christians [like Christ] than we shouldn’t be either.

Remember two things, my friends:

First, we need to make sure that what we say and proclaim is what God has said in His Word.

Second, just as Jesus Christ lovingly led others to the Truth, we must lovingly lead others to Jesus.