Explain, please

Everyone is talking about the Coronavirus this week. So I guess we will, too.

Everyone has an opinion, an option, an angle.

I’d like to talk about the opportunities we have for evangelism, highlighted by the “tool” of Bible prophecy. People are afraid of this global crisis, much like 9/11. Remember that? The churches were full for weeks.

Then, it dissipated.

I have noticed an interesting thing in the last few days: the Bible prophecy mockers are back out in force. Many of them target Millennials.

The other day, Dean Inserra tweeted:

“These last 3 days are an Ed Hindson sermon at Liberty on a platter.”

The left wing former evangelical writer Jonathan Merritt “liked” the tweet.

Of course he did; he is a major mover and shaker in the drive to push people away from the Bible. His buddy Inserra is “lead pastor” at City Church, in Tallahassee, Florida. He also graduated from Liberty and, tellingly, he is “an advisory member of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s Leadership Council with the Southern Baptist Convention.”

(The ERLC, as I’ve written many times, is headed by Replacement Theology-guy Russell Moore.)

Inserra’s dig at Ed Hindson is unfortunate. I’ve met with Hindson several times and he is a grounded, godly minister of the Gospel, and a leading light in the Bible prophecy community. How sad that Inserra (and Merritt, who truly loathes conservative Christians) uses this moment to take a shot at Bible prophecy teaching.

It is this very moment—when people are trafficking in fear—that lends itself to witnessing for Christ, using the Bible’s predictive prophecy to help people make sense of life, and their lives.

For example, you will be having LOTS of conversations in the next several weeks. Opportunities will come for you to tell people that God is in control, and that He offers peace in the storm.

What better way to do that then, for example, talk about Israel in modern history? I have had the privilege (really!) of talking to many of Israel’s critics in the Church; these people of course also have a particular hatred for Bible prophecy in general.

I’m always able to say at some point: “How do you explain the existence of Israel, apart from God’s promises to them in the Bible?”

Not a single time have any of these critics been able to articulate a coherent reason (understanding of course they reject Bible prophecy).

Not a single time. So, I say, “Explain, please.”

Ed Hindson can answer correctly, Dean Inserra cannot. Jonathan Merritt cannot.

Ultimately, there are legions of fear-mongers out there. I count Inserra and his friends among them, because they will not use the extraordinary, majestic example of God’s ability to know all the future.

So, your assignment the next few days or weeks is to stand-in for the Dean Inserras of the Church world. Take your opportunities to calm fears by pointing out that God knows all, forever, and He has promised to keep His people.

Serve up some hope on a platter.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Churches Against Israel

One of my favorite topics—unfortunately—is the erosion of support for Israel among American Christians, particularly churches and ministries. Many don’t want to hear it, or dispute my findings, but I stand by it all. As the American Church edges closer to fulfilling the New Testament prophecies about apostasy in the Church, one inevitable outcome is an abandonment of God’s Chosen People.

I would go so far as to say that the discernment level of most of the nationally known ministry leaders is so low, they can only look up. The astounding naivete of yesterday’s powerhouse denominations is mind-boggling.

Witness the recent event at North Carolina State University, in which Southern Baptist Convention President JD Greear (pastor of The Summit Church) dialogued from the stage with Omar Suleiman, an SMU professor and founder of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.

I was alerted to this by a tweet from radio host Janet Mefferd.

Titled “Hope in the Current Age: A Conversation on Christianity and Islam,” the event was ostensibly a friendly chat between representatives of the two religions. Sadly/infuriatingly/tragically, Greear relegated himself to dhimmi status in the presence of his Muslim chum. He also didn’t miss an opportunity to bash President Trump and his supporters.

“We need to be able to not only get along with, but to cherish, stand alongside and even fight for people that believe different things than we do,” Greear said.

Greear also said that Christians operate from a “posture of fear” (a common talking point among Leftists; it’s false propaganda designed to put conservatives on the defensive)

According to a compliant Baptist Press report, Greear said some Christians “To look upon outsiders with suspicion and ‘rationalize the faults’ of politicians offering political protection to the Christian community.”

That last dig is aimed at Trump and his supporters. Astonishing that the head of the SBC would do such a thing.

The deeper question though is, just who is Omar Suleiman?

(Years ago, I attended a lecture by Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy, one of the brightest patriots in America today. Gaffney explained how documents captured by the FBI showed clearly that the Muslim Brotherhood intended to harm America in part by fostering dialogue with dupes in the Christian leadership community. This came under the heading of “Interfaith Dialogue,” exactly as presented at North Carolina State this past Thursday.)

Suleiman is dangerous, and it’s horrifying that Greear would give him space within Evangelicalism.

During one of the Gaza wars, Suleiman said:

“How befitting that the 3rd Intifada starts on the 27th night of Ramadan.…“God willing on this blessed night as the 3rd Intifada begins, the beginning of the end of Zionism is here. May Allah help us overcome this monster, protect the innocent of the world, and accept the murdered as martyrs. ameen.”

He has also expressed his opinions about the moving of the US Embassy to Jerusalem:

“Your recognition means nothing to us……Your maps mean nothing to us, your embassy is as illegitimate as the occupation it seeks to legitimize. Our land is our land, our dignity is our dignity.”

Just so you’ll know, it’s a waste of breath to ask questions of people like Greear. He is insulated from answering the rank-and-file. One could ask members of the SBC’s Executive Committee just why the denomination’s president is appearing with such a dangerous individual, a person so hate-filled when it comes to Israel and Jews. And make no mistake: Suleiman also hates you as a Christian. He was no doubt thrilled to share the stage with a useful idiot (Lenin’s term for those who unwittingly help totalitarians dupe free populations) that has now mainstreamed Islam’s hate-rhetoric among evangelicals.

Israel has many enemies. It’s important to realize a good chunk of those come from the leadership within American Evangelicalism.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com