[Keith Sedillo]

Arlene,
The audio was very informative. I know a lot about most religions but Islam not so much. After listening to the audio I definitely felt like I need to learn more in evangelism with Muslims and about the belief in general. I know mostly surface information from the news or little things pastors say in sermons. I was shocked the most when he discussed the rate at which Islam is growing. “In 2020 Islam will be the largest religion in the world.” It seems like we don’t have an effective foothold of holding this at bay.

Thanks for the resource!

Keith

[Keith Sedillo]

Chris/Arlene,
Thank you! Excellent information. I didn’t know of some of these teachers that you shared. I also didn’t know the laughter movement was a movement. I have seen the videos at Bethel Church and IHOP where they do the fire tunnels and the laughter stuff.

An issue I take away from my experience with Christianity is that we as Christians or even Christian organizations are sometimes too afraid to draw a line in the sand. I feel like there are 3 categories. You have guys like MacArthur who will lump everyone into one category because they aren’t Calvinists and call them false. Then you have the people who follow guys like Joel O’Steen and the like. They will pretty much listen and accept anything even when it is plain to see the false teacher teaches and represents false doctrine. The third category is I guess where I am struggling because that’s where I find myself. We like to say “take the best and chuck the rest.”

The problem I find with this is that it may lead to unforeseen future problems. For example, rat poison contains a small amount of poison but it does the job. At what point do we draw the line and say “I will not LISTEN to or ENTERTAIN this teacher?” We can all go to a junkyard and find something we could use. It might take a while but we could, so why not chuck certain teachers and call them out and not entertain them? We can get better information somewheres else besides the rat poison and the junkyard?

Many times people use the defense that they have strong discernment. Perhaps they don’t if they are entertaining the false teacher?

Arlene,
Thanks for sharing CARM with me. I use to use that page all the time, I will look into it. I have never heard of Jay Smith but I will check him out and the link.

Am I missing the boat?

Keith

[Keith Sedillo]

Chris,
Thanks for the article. I enjoy reading Matt Slick and I do go to carm.og periodically. I didn’t think to go there for this particular question. I am struggling with this topic because of a doctrine that I have heard over the last four years that pretty much condemns all things charismatic. This topic in particular, is difficult for me because I feel as if it is added to or interpreted with extra emphasis on a particular charismatic belief. I wish it was named something different besides baptism with the Holy Spirit. Personally, when someone receives salvation and come to know the Lord they are baptized with the Holy Spirit, this is my interpretation from Ephesians 1: 13-14. So when someone says be baptized with the Holy Spirit, I feel as if they are saying do it again, kind of like an Arminianism view that somehow I lost my salvation or the Holy Spirit. I feel as if the naming should be different. Almost like be renewed with the Holy Spirit or rededication, something of that sort. I will continue to look into this topic and pray about it.
Thanks
Keith

[Keith Sedillo]

Michael,
Thank you for the clarification. Can you give me a few scriptures so I can study this topic a little further?

Keith

[Keith Sedillo]

Michael,
Thank you for the follow-up. I have been running across lots of different Christians who consider John Hagee and Joel Osteen as solid Bible teachers. It’s hard to tell our brethren that some of the people they listen to are false. Especially when the false teacher has a generic one size fits all doctrinal statement, but their writing and teachings don’t match. What I find even more difficult is confronting those who we respect and who we consider brothers.

I found great comfort in the Norm Geisler teachings about the New Age and the other teacher on Post Modernism. I see where my Christian brothers are falling into the trap because the underlying scheme of satan is very clever. I will continue to pray for my Christian brothers.

Thanks Again!
Keith

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