Showing posts with label bill johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bill johnson. Show all posts

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Why Passion 2013 Is Such A Big Deal

Posted by Christine Pack


It's a big deal because come on, we've all been to conferences. You know the drill. You buy your ticket, and then wait for weeks, maybe even months, and then, with your ticket clutched in your sweaty hand, and maybe even all geeked out in a conference t-shirt, you carpool to the event with 6 of your best friends. When you get there, the stage is worthy of a John Mayer concert. The lighting and sound are ridiculously professional. And this is what happens: after each session of being whipped into an emotional frenzy by sing-songy speakers or repetitive musical cords or both, you and your friends rush out to the lobby in your semi-trance to buy all the books-sweatshirts-CDs of whoever was just on stage.

That's why it matters. Because guaranteed, a large percentage of the 60,000 attendees at Passion 2013 went home with Jesus Culture CDs. Still don't know who Jesus Culture is? what they believe? where they come from?
"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Eph 5:11
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" 2 Cor 6:14
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Tim 4:3-5

 What they believe 




 Where they come from 



photo credit: marfis75 via photopin cc

 Additional Resources 

"Christian Fascism" Targeting Our Youth? (Sola Sisters)

Has John Piper Lost His Mind? (Sola Sisters)

Problems at Passion 2013 (Sola Sisters)

Resistance Is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated Into The Community
 (Fighting For The Faith)

More Problems at Passion 2013 (Fighting For The Faith)

Even More Problems at Passion 2013 (Fighting For The Faith)

Jesus Culture - You Sure It's The Real Jesus? (Apprising)

Louie Giglio, Passion 2013 and Jesus Culture (Apprising)

More About Jesus Culture (youtube)

Those Who Received His Word (Pyromaniacs)

Saturday, January 5, 2013

"Christian Fascism" Targeting Our Youth?

Posted by Christine Pack

"God is a community, so He wants us to live in community....
The world will not see God without community." 
(Judah Smith, teaching at Passion 2013)


Why is "Community" so critically important to this new crop of idealistic young pastors (like Judah Smith, quoted above from the recent Passion 2013 Conference in Atlanta, GA)? Christian apologist Chris Rosebrough has put forth a compelling argument that it is because they misinterpret that, since God reveals himself in a Trinitarian way as Father-Son-and-Holy-Spirit, this means that God is a God of Community, and that Community is therefore what every Christian must strive for. Community becomes some kind of holy ideal. But Christians are called to live in unity, not community, and there is a distinction. A Utopian community is what the Soviet Union and other high-minded Marxists have long sought to enforce through Communism. But does this really work on earth? And more importantly, is that what God commands of us?
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3
Parents, you need to be aware that, in varying degrees, Communitarian Groupthink was being taught at the Passion 2013 Conference, which just wrapped up in Atlanta, GA. Modern day "Christian Fascists" target our youth because they know that youth are particularly vulnerable to such high-minded communitarian talk. It's very enticing, this language they use, about the youth being a part of The Next Big Thing or The Cause That Will Change The World. After all, who believed, when they were younger, that they could slay all the world's dragons? I know I did. It's only when you have left your youth behind that you can begin to grasp certain verses: life is but a breath (Job 7:7, Psalm 144:4), a vapor (James 4:14), and it actually becomes a comfort, knowing that only God's works are great and will prevail (Psalm 92:5, Prov 19:21, Psalm 33:11). But this Christian Fascism movement, with its communitarian ideology, is fast moving, fast growing, and is actively engaged in capturing our children's minds.

To learn more about Communitarianism, what it is, where it comes from, etc., you can listen to an excellent program by talk show host Chris Rosebrough of Fighting For The Faith radio. In his show entitled Resistance Is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated Into the Community, Rosebrough makes the case that Communitarianism is basically fascism rebooted for a new generation. He also explains why we can't just dismiss this ideology as something antiquated and out-of-date, since its language and ideals are actively being employed in seeking to shape the worldview of our children. Listen as Rosebrough explains why parents MUST understand these ideologies, and how and why these ideologies capture our children.


 Additional Resources 

Resistance Is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated Into The Community

Has John Piper Lost His Mind?

Problems at Passion 2013

Mark Driscoll Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Rick Warren Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Lectio Divina Lite At Passion 2012 Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Jesus Culture Gets Dr. Piper Stamp of Approval

More About Jesus Culture

Friday, January 4, 2013

"Has John Piper Lost His Mind?"

Posted by Christine Pack

So said my sister in a phone call shortly after the start of this year's Passion Conference, taking place now in Atlanta, GA (Jan 1-4). I'm sure she said this with all due respect to Dr. Piper, who has long been looked to as a solid teacher of the Reformed tradition. And yet in recent years, Dr. Piper has gone about giving his stamp of approval to various and sundry teachers, many of them solid and trustworthy, but some of them quite dangerous.

This stamp of approval first reared its ugly head when Dr. Piper brought out a young whippersnapper named Mark Driscoll as his keynote speaker at a Desiring God conference, years ago. In 2006, to be exact. This was the same Driscoll who went on later to shock us with his pornographic divinations and his fascist like handling of church members.  And yet, no public rebuking or distancing has gone on, that I know of, between Dr. Piper and his protégé.

Then Rick Warren got Dr. Piper's stamp of approval at the 2010 Desiring God Conference. Yes, that's right, Rick Warren. To paraphrase my friend Pastor Bob DeWaay, what made this particular alliance so very shocking was that Dr. Piper, who has long been regarded as one of the faithful few guarding the flock against false teaching was the very one who had opened the pen gate and ushered the wolf (Warren) right into the fold of his Desiring God conference.
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15 
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" Gal 1:8 
"Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what wea have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." 2 John 1:8-11
"I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." Romans 16:17
Then, out came the approval stamp again at last year's Passion 2012 Conference, when Dr. Piper stood benignly by on stage as Louie Giglio exhorted the audience members to "(hear) the voice of God speak," during a Lectio Divina-ish type mystical prayer exercise.

And now we have this year's Passion 2013 Conference, currently underway in Atlanta, GA, at which John Piper is sharing the stage with false teachers Jesus Culture. Don't know who Jesus Culture is? Oh well, let me fill you in: Jesus Culture is an offshoot group out of Bill Johnson's heretical Bethel Church in Redding, CA. That's right, the same Bill Johnson of the glory dust and the angel feathers fame.


So why doesn't Dr. Piper storm out on the stage at Passion like a man on fire and rebuke this madness? Or, he could leave the conference and write an eloquent and heartfelt apology for his part in confusing the flock in his care by knowingly linking with false teachers.  I'd be all for that. And yes, I get that he's just a man, and no man is perfect. I'm not expecting perfection, but what I do desire to see is him seriously taking to heart the admonition in Scripture that not all should teach because those who do are judged more strictly (James 3:1). BUT, if Dr. Piper is unwilling to repent of going around giving false teachers his stamp of approval, then maybe one of our Godly pastors could fly to Minneapolis and wrestle the stamp away from him to keep him from further harming the flock. Just a thought.
"For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." Titus 1:7-9
photo credit: SeattleClouds.com via photopin cc
photo credit: jjay69 via photopin cc

 Additional Resources 

Problems at Passion 2013

Mark Driscoll Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Documenting the Problems with Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll [UPDATED]

Rick Warren Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Lectio Divina Lite At Passion 2012 Gets Dr. Piper's Stamp of Approval

Jesus Culture Gets Dr. Piper Stamp of Approval

More About Jesus Culture

Problems at Passion 2013

Posted by Christine Pack


Do you know any youth currently attending Atlanta's Passion 2013 Conference (Jan 1-4)? If so, you need to read this article and follow the links below, because apparently Passion leaders John Piper, Beth Moore, Louie Giglio and Francis Chan want to introduce your teenagers to the Jesus Culture band (who are out of Bill Johnson's church in Redding, CA, he of the "glory cloud" infamy) and Judah Smith (whose wife is an ordained pastor in rebellion to God's word which states that women are not to teach men). Still think it's okay? Read on.

This year's Passion Conference features a mixed bag of teachers, from those perceived to be very solid to the very questionable, doctrinally speaking. Below are a few articles and talk shows about this year's conference, and I will add more as they become available:
Louie Giglio, Passion 2013 and Jesus Culture 
Jesus Culture - You Sure It's The Real Jesus? 
Problems at Passion 2013 - Louie Giglio at Session 1 
Jesus Culture (of Bill Johnson's Bethel Church) and Raising The Dead? 
Chris Rosebrough Discusses the Problems at Passion 2013 
Jesus Culture and Judah Smith to Join Piper, Moore, Chan and Others at Giglio's Passion 2013

 Additional Resources 

Has John Piper Lost His Mind?

Beth Moore and John Piper Lead "Lectio Divina Lite" Prayer at Passion 2012 Conference

We're Really Not Out To "Get" John Piper and Beth Moore

John Piper Encouraging Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina and "Hearing God's Voice"

On John Piper and Lectio Divina