What does your faith cost you? It’s value is as high as the cost you have paid for it.
This is a message of Rev. Steven Lawson, from Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile Al.
I must confess there is a certain tone and certain accents and statements in this message that I do not condone (I mean the typically western overemphasis on God’s justice, without a sufficient emphasis on his love), but I think the general idea of this message is one that needs to be heard.
What do you think?
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Ewwwwww!!!! What is this: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God 2011?!?
By: Lisa Mondori on 24 June 2011
at 6:17 pm
Seriously, does this guy really hate HIS mother and father? Has HE ever lost a promotion for being a Christian? Obviously he has not died for his faith, and the church website does not indicate that he has suffered for his faith in any way beyond having to go through life wearing a particularly smarmy smile. What a bunch of cr***ola, especially when preached by an American who enjoys the privilege of living life in all its MATERIAL abundance and surrounded by a lot of people just like himself.
Let’s hear from a real victim for a change!
By: Lisa Mondori on 24 June 2011
at 6:25 pm
Lisa, I share your feelings, although, I am surprised to see at you a sort of ad hominem argument. It is obvious that the guy upset you a lot.
My purpose with this was to stir up the conversation. And it seems it worked.
By: DanutM on 25 June 2011
at 9:32 pm
Si tu veux une réponse en française je peux dire simplement que c’est nul. But since your not is in English you probably expect an answer in English. Well, I don’t hear the Gospel in this message nor do I see the spirit of Christ.
This seems to be rather a message of fear and threat and not one of love and hope. I believe Christ came with a message of love and hope. It might not be the love as we see it today but it is love and hope, and freedom and unspeakable joy. The tone of his voice reminds me of people who manipulate their public. Désolée……..
By: maria on 24 June 2011
at 11:47 pm
Maria, I share your views completely on this. I have rarely seen a more necessary message clothed in less adequate garments. But, unfortunately, this is charactyeristic of much American Evangelicalism, especially of the (neo)Reformed persuasion.
By: DanutM on 25 June 2011
at 9:35 pm
Hmm. Certainly an overemphasis on the heresy of God’s judgement (may I be so bold?). Surrender is required, though. Handing over our possessions, gifts, talent, relationships to God, For sure. But where is the JOY in surrender? Those who come to Christ out of FEAR of his judgement will not find joy and peace. And those who come to him with joy and a sense of the privilege of being invited into his work in the world, will find joy. Then sacrifice doesn’t feel like sacrifice. And it only looks like sacrifice to the external observer – for whom, of course, it might be!
By: Philip Hunt on 25 June 2011
at 6:17 am
Philip. I guess you need to unpack a bit the matter of the heresy, for some of the readers who do not know where are you coming from.
As for the rest of it. I cannot agree more. We worship a God of love, not a god of fear. And finding joy in service and the (unassuming) self-sacrifice of carrying the cross is the real test of the health level of our faith.
By: DanutM on 25 June 2011
at 9:40 pm
Je revins, I believe that PH said the things so well. Serving God out of love is Christianity, the rest…. What I find regretable is the fact that he uses a tone of voice that in my estimation is absolutly unadequat and at the other end of the spectrum are the prosperity Gospel Heralds. These people might not realize they are doing a deservice to Evangelical Christianity. Today in a meeting about the persecution of Christian in the Middle Easte some one mentioned the Prosperity Gospel preacher and how much damage their message brought to Christianity. It acctually hurts to see that because of some of these extremists we are often looked at here in France as being a cult. So I had to say we are not to be all identified with these type of extremists.
Just as a reminder. Prayers are needed for the Christinas in the Middle East and particularlly in Iraq. Almost all of them left Iraq and it is true that most of them are coming to France because the French church (Catholic) promise them help. It is sad to see a country where there once were Christians and were able to parctice their faith under a dictator and now…..
By: maria on 26 June 2011
at 11:28 pm
Yes, Maria, indeed, let’s pray for the Iraqi Christians.
I have ordered some time ago a study on Iraqi refugees in Jordan and I awaiting the report soon. The situation, anyway, is tragic.
By: DanutM on 27 June 2011
at 12:14 am
Si tu veux une réponse en française je peux dire simplement que c’est médiocre. But since your note is in English you probably expect an answer in English. Well, I don’t hear the Gospel in this message nor do I see the spirit of Christ.
This seems to be rather a message of fear and threat and not one of love and hope. I believe Christ came with a message of love and hope. It might not be the love as we see it today but it is love and hope, and freedom and unspeakable joy. The tone of his voice reminds me of people who manipulate their public. Désoléeeeee…
It is true there is a cost and for some it is the cost of their lives. We need to be reminded of what is happening in the Middle East where Christians are disapering because of persecution leading oftne to death. And the question is what are we the Christians of the West doing about that? Tomorrow morning there will be a discussion about that at Saint Germain des Près regarding the matter and Monday at the Senat. I will try to attend both.
It is also true that the mentality of the West is that we deserve and we should have it smooth and it is good to be reminded of some of the things he says but the way he says them is questionable.
By: maria on 25 June 2011
at 8:44 am
avem o prietena in mobile.
greu sa pui si cealalta fata a monedei in aceiasi predica dar nu imposibil. costul insa ramine.
By: pasareaphoenixremixed on 25 June 2011
at 10:17 am
Cred ca nu poate altfel decit tinind ambele part impreuna. Altfel avem, ca in acest caz, imaginea unui soi de Dumnezeu pe post de bully.
By: DanutM on 25 June 2011
at 9:20 pm
Danut, you say: “is charactyeristic of much American Evangelicalism, especially of the (neo)Reformed persuasion” this is not true at all. He sounds more like a Romanian pastor that is more into a legalistic mindset. I am surprised you do not see this fact
Letter killeth and the Spirit gives life!
Listening only to this message I can say that I disagree with many things, with the way he presents and his lack of explanation. Thanks for posting. Your friend, Costica
By: Constantin Sfatcu on 26 June 2011
at 6:29 am
I agree with you. Romanians do that all the time, even without talking about the cost of discipleship (a virtually neglected, if not unknown, doctrine and practice among Romanian Evangelicals).
By: DanutM on 26 June 2011
at 9:03 pm
Nu stiam ca s-au postat doua comentarii pentru ca eu am adaugat nestiind ca primul s-a postat. Sigur prefer cuvintul mediocru decit nul cee ce nu folosesc desi frantuzi il folosesc
By: maria on 26 June 2011
at 10:37 am
J’ai fait une faute, ce n’est pas en française mais en français. And to add that a very good book on the subject, but I am sure the visitors of this blog know about it, is The Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoffer.
By: maria on 4 July 2011
at 11:24 pm