Will Graham Shares Hope on Indian Reservation in South Dakota

 

My colleague Erik Ogren writes about BGEA's ministry in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation . . .

"Among those who responded was an elderly lady, sitting quietly off to the side. As she visited with a counselor, who shared more about how to grow in her newfound relationship with Jesus, her adult son Jonathan offered his story.

Born in 1960, Jonathan was just eight years old when his mother—the woman who was now accepting Christ as her Savior—gave him his first can of beer. He quickly devolved into alcoholism, and by 12 attempted to commit suicide for the first time. Jonathan realized at the last second that he didn’t want to die and did his best to hold himself up by his toes as the noose tightened around his neck, but it was too late. He passed out, and came to at some point later in the back of a cop car.

His painful journey was only beginning: another adolescent suicide attempt, two accidents (one with a tractor and one with a truck) that nearly claimed his life, a broken marriage, and decades of alcoholism that resulted in three stints in jail for DUIs. Anger from his childhood bubbled up into raging fistfights that left him with a scarred face.

'1986 is when somebody came up and preached Jesus Christ to me, but I didn’t know Him. I really didn’t know Him. I just played the game. I didn’t read the Bible or nothing,” said Jonathan, who then shared that during his second visit to prison (in 2000), he read the entire Bible. He knew he had to change, and God was working on his heart, but alcohol still owned him.

During his third stint in prison, from 2008 to 2010, it was time. “I gave myself to the Lord. May 16, 2008. I talked to a preacher in the jail. He prayed for me, and ever since then I’ve committed myself to Him.'

God broke the chains of addiction in Jonathan’s life, as Jonathan went on to read the Bible two more times during his final incarceration. He has been a faithful student of God’s Word ever since.

'I know for a fact that I’m walking with God and I’m walking in His Word. Sometimes, I might drift off a little bit, but I know I have to pray and get back on track,' Jonathan said. 'Spending time in the Word gives me the faith and strength and courage to stand strong.'

Jonathan’s mother—a Lakota traditionalist—quickly noticed the change in her son.

'I’ve been talking with my mom, ever since I’ve become a Christian. I’ve been telling her what I’m doing,' said Jonathan. 'Ever since I got out of prison, she’s noticed a change in me. She noticed the people I was hanging around with were Christians. She knows that there was something positive there.'

Years after Jonathan’s salvation story, his mom came at his invitation to hear Will Graham this week, and Jonathan couldn’t contain his joy."

Read the entire story here.

Picture used from BGEA.

Room at the Table: Beth Moore and John MacArthur

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

- Mark 9:39-41 (NIV)

I’m grieved this week to see Christians buzzing on social media with disagreements about John MacArthur and Beth Moore. I often think if I were not a believer, the vast disparities among believers – and how vocal and divisive they become with one another – might keep me from exploring Christianity.

The critical, caustic spirit of our day and the unfortunate ease at which opinions can be shared on social media keep becoming the norm for how believers relate to each other.

Two issues divide Bible-believing, conservative evangelicals more than any other: the issue of divorce and remarriage and the role of women in ministry.

Controversial Pages

During my doctoral studies, we had to read about 1000 pages on a controversial topic. I chose women in ministry, reading hundreds of pages and books from both egalitarians and complementarians. 

Here were my conclusions:

In their best forms, both sides take the Bible seriously, affirm the authority of the Scriptures, and attempt to understand what the Bible actually says about the issue.

In their best forms, both sides believe in the divinity of Jesus, the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus, and give themselves to the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Cultural Mandate.

When they approach the difficult passages – like 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 – both sides attempt to be faithful to the Scriptures. But both sides also use a different hermeneutic.

Both sides, in their best forms, believe they are being faithful to the biblical text.

Both sides accuse the other side of being unfaithful to the biblical text and of selling out to the culture.

For the complementarian side, there is wide agreement that God has given us different roles and that the sexes complement each other in their differences. 

VAST Disagreement in Practice

However, there exists vast disagreement among complementarians in how to apply their views practically. I hardly know anyone who thinks a woman is supposed to wear a veil to church today. Complementarians flesh out these views  many different ways in the local church. Here are just a few examples:

·      Can a woman teach a man in Sunday School or small groups? What about lead a prayer group where men are involved? What about directing Vacation Bible School with male volunteers? Can she lead a committee or ministry team at church that includes men? The questions could go on and on.

·      Can women teach teenage young men?

·      Can a woman serve on a church staff as a Minister of Music, Children, Missions, etc? My wife, for example, serves on a Baptist church staff as a Minister of Worship – with my full blessing. In some theological camps, this would be “unbiblical.”

·      Can a women teach? Only to women? To youth? To men? Should someone like Kay Arthur teach a Precept Upon Precept Bible study if men are involved? Or should she sit quietly? 

·    If a woman teaches the Bible and speaks publicly, is that preaching? Some pastors are happy, for example, to have Anne Graham Lotz speak/teach/preach/whatever they call it on Sunday mornings in their pulpit. I've said for years that Lotz is the best preacher in the family. Some, like John MacArthur, would say this is “unbiblical” and there are no biblical grounds for that whatsoever - “end of discussion.” At the evangelistic association where I am employed, different employees lead group devotions on different days. Women share many days. In some complementarian circles, that would be taboo or “unbliblical.”

For people who take the Lord and the Bible seriously, there will be disagreements until Jesus comes. We are wise in matters that divide Bible-believing Christians (like the role of women in ministry, the issue of divorce and remarriage, the current role of the gifts of the Spirit, whether or not God speaks today, church government, soteriology, eschatology, etc.) to give lots of grace with those brothers and sisters whose theology and practice differ from ours.

After years of study and prayer, I have my own theological convictions about each of the aforementioned areas. I also know that within the broader world of evangelical Christianity, other brothers and sisters - who affirm the foundations of our faith and historic orthodoxy - come to some different conclusions. 

Morgan Lee's article at Christianity Today explores this idea further and attempts to share a non-inflammatory view into MacArthur's practice and theology: John MacArthur is No Stranger to Controversy. The article includes an interview between Christianity Today editor Mark Galli and Master's College graduate Jonathan Holmes.

In it, Holmes shares, "I think one of the downsides of the environment, or the ethos, that particular theological viewpoint can produce would just be this sense of we're the ones who have it right because we can always default back to 'this is what the Bible says.' Somebody might have an opposing interpretation that they've gleaned from scripture and it would be invalidated.

And so basically, if you have a different interpretation, those are not very welcomed at all within that culture. It's can breed a pridefulness and an arrogance of seeing yourself as the holders of Biblical truth here. If you don't agree with them on every single point of doctrine that they would say is essential, then you don't have a high view of scripture or you're not interpreting scripture correctly."

(Read what Bob Jones, Sr., said about Billy Graham when Jones forbade his students to attend the Graham Crusade in their city. The fundamentalist college president said Graham was "doing more harm in the cause of Jesus Christ than any living man.")

Our Theological Tribes

We are wise to remember the words of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the English Reformed preacher, influential in the English evangelical movement, who pastored Westminster Chapel for years in London. Here is an excerpt from Tim Keller, commenting on Lloyd-Jones’ sermon, “Knowledge Puffeth Up.”

“Martyn Lloyd-Jones identifies the marks of someone who has learned to master the Bible as a set of mere information, not extraordinary power. One mark is that you become a spiritual crank. A spiritual crank is someone always complaining about relatively fine shades of doctrinal distinctions, always denouncing others in arguments over Bible translations or denouncing people on the wrong side of the latest theological controversy. A spiritual crank treats the Word of God as something you use, not something that uses you. He’s puffed up on intellectual pride and his theological tribe.”

I’ve benefitted from the ministries of both John MacArthur and Beth Moore. I have books from both writers on my shelf, and I've recommended books from both authors. My mother has done probably every one of Moore’s workbook studies and taught several of them. I have MacArthur’s complete New Testament commentary set in my library and use it regularly.

I don’t agree with all of MacArthur’s theology, and I don’t agree with everything Moore has ever said or done. That’s ok, I’m sure MacArthur and Moore wouldn’t agree with all of my theology or practice. 

I’m following Jesus, as I believe they both are. I don’t need the safety of a theological tribe. I can learn from a vast array of Bible-believing, Jesus-loving, Spirit-filled teachers, writers, and practitioners (both men and women, dead and living, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Catholic, Reformed, non-Reformed, and folks with many other labels). If they believe in the divinity of Jesus and the authority of the Scriptures, and they belong with Christ – to whom I belong – then we’re a part of the same family.

Let’s treat each other that way. And in any healthy family, there's room at the table to disagree.

I’ve written more about this earlier. Check out my article, Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer, and Spiritual Policemen here.

Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer, and Spiritual Policemen

Before I went to seminary, I naively thought the Christian world would band together in praise of the people I admired. In the South Carolina Southern Baptist world of my youth, we cherished people like Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, Henry Blackaby, Kay Arthur, and the then up and coming Beth Moore.

What a shock to me in seminary when I began learning how much learned men and women criticize other people in the body of Christ who don't interpret the Bible or practice Christianity according to their particular brand, theological camp,  tribe, interpretation, or tradition.  

Through the years, I've heard numerous reasons why all of the five aforementioned Christians are bad representatives of Christianity and why I should not pay them any attention - and all of this from other Christians. Graham preached too simply and manipulated people emotionally. Stanley was divorced and not biblical enough. Blackaby shouldn't teach that God speaks today. Arthur and Moore should never teach men.  And Graham, Arthur, and Moore all dare to suggest that a Catholic could actually be a Christian! And that is just for starters!

Shocked and Grieved - Again

Though I probably should not be at this point in my life, my spirit grieved recently when I came across a few articles this year by a so-called "discernment ministry" called Pulpit and Pen severely criticizing and condemning Bible teachers Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer. The tone of the articles is arrogant, the stance of them is another Christian soapbox, and the conclusion of them is that Moore and Meyer are "false teachers" and are not really Christians. 

The posts included edited videos of Moore and Meyer's teachings, including many pithy, inserted remarks from the blog author. The remarks attempted to correct, rebuke, and put down the two women. The spirit of the article is not simply disagreeing over some theology. The spirit is a vicious attack, damning the women.

It both saddens and angers me to read blog articles like this one.  I disagree with about every point the author tries to make and see no need to be a policemen to other Christians and ministries.  One of the videos made the ridiculous assertion, “True Christians do not serve the same Jesus as Joyce Meyer and Beth Moore.”  

Good grief. I listened to the M&M video, and I would take their spirit any day over the one exemplified in that article.  

My godly mother has done almost every Beth Moore study for 20+ years – and taught many of them herself.  Moore has helped her and 1000’s like her to dig into God’s Word. I can't imagine Moore or Meyer stopping so low as to waste their time publicly ridiculing and and mocking another ministry that tried to point people to Christ and teach His Word.

Joyce Meyer has never been on my top 10 favorite list of Christian authors or speakers. My including her in this post is not a blanket endorsement on her teaching. For that matter, In almost 1400 blog posts, I think this is the first time I have ever mentioned her name. So it's not like I'm a Joyce groupee. It is a response to an article I read that groups Moore and Meyer together.

I do believe Mrs. Meyer is a Christian, loves the Lord Jesus and His Word, and tries in her own way to serve Him and fulfill the Great Commission. She shares practical, motivational speaking and writing with millions on a weekly basis. In my estimation, I would call her a Christian motivational speaker. And I say, "God, bless her!"

I learned years ago that if someone is not against you - they are for you! And who am I to sling mud on my brother or sister in Christ?

The Bible also says, in matters of disagreement, to not let what you think is good be spoken of as evil.  In every day there are some, who in zealous pursuit of “doctrinal purity” or in the name of “discernment” or “holiness,” become policemen of other Christians and ministries.  They “warn the brothers” of what preachers to listen to, what Bible translations to read, what music is acceptable, ad nauseam.  

Simply put, it is a form of “spiritual bullying.”  And it comes from what Richard Blackaby calls "self-appointed orthodoxy police."

That Awful False Teacher Billy Graham

Billy Graham received much of this in the 20^th century from the ultra-fundamentalists, particularly from Dr. Bob Jones and Bob Jones University.  They severely criticized the evangelist because he “hung out” with people who were liberal and did not have correct theology.  He preached with and befriended liberals, Catholics, Pentecostals, etc.  His approach was much like Jesus’ and Paul’s: he would go wherever her had an opportunity so that he could preach Christ.  Some of them even said that Graham was Satan’s greatest tool of American Christianity – and more self-righteous nonsense.  

Here is one example.  Graham announced he would hold a crusade in Greenville, South Carolina, home of BJU, at the new Textile Hall.  In response, Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., ordered the students to not attend the meeting (they were not allowed to attend my home church either in the 1980’s), and he wrote “The Position of Bob Jones University in Regard to the Proposed Billy Graham Crusade in Greenville, A Chapel Talk by Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., on February 8, 1965. ” 

It proclaimed, “The Bible commands that false teachers and men who deny the fundamentals of the faith should be accursed; that is, they shall be criticized and condemned. Billy approves them, Billy condones them, Billy recommends them… I think that Dr. Graham is doing more harm in the cause of Jesus Christ than any living man; that he is leading foolish and untaught Christians, simple people that do not know the Word of God, into disobedience to the Word of God.”  

The fundamentalists “warned the brothers” about the deception of people like Graham, calling him everything from a tool of Satan, to a false prophet, to someone deceiving others – blah, blah, blah.  

When I was first in ministry, the fundamentalists were trying to tell Christians what music was “really of the Lord” – and which was of Satanic origin (like, according to them, Steve Green, Truth, Sandi Patti, Larnelle Harris, etc.).  One well meaning lady told me any music besides hymns should not be used in church. One of the reasons was that people can move their bottom and sway their hips to non-hymn music, and that can make people think sexual thoughts. (I kid you not.)

It is a symptom of what Charles Swindoll calls, in his excellent book The Grace Awakening, “grace killers” – the drive to criticize or control other Christians whose convictions, methods, preferences, or doctrines differ from mine or my camp’s – and to stand in judgment of them – instead of having the grace, as Swindoll says, to “let them be.”

Jesus encountered this attitude: “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us. Do not stop him, Jesus replied, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”   (Luke 9:49-50).

Henry Blackaby, an influential Christian well-accustomed to sharp criticism from certain parts of Christianity, writes, "Jesus' response to His disciples must have surprised Him as He said, 'Don't stop him" (Mark 9:39). He assured them that 'whoever is not against us is for us' (40). Have you learned this vital lesson? Are you able to genuinely rejoice in the spiritual victories of others? Are you encouraging those who serve the Lord in a different way or who belong to a different group than you do?" i 

Same Song, Third Verse

Today it is the same song, third verse.  This tendency can arise from any Christian camp. Today It seems spiritual policemen keep coming up in the ranks of some ultra-Reformed folks (what I call folks in the Reformed camp whose zeal over their Reformed theology seems to rank converting other Christians to Reformed theology right next to the Great Commission), or what some people call hyper-Calvinists.  I first encountered the mindset at seminary.  

I remember some ultra-Reformed guys having a long talk with me, explaining how Billy Graham was the worst thing that happened to Christianity in the 20^th century, how horrible was the practice of the altar call, and how parachurch ministries were not “biblical.”  These people and practices were not “doctrinally pure” and needed to be “resisted.”  They told me, “If James Dobson wanted to serve the Lord, he should have been a pastor.  God does not recognized ministries like Focus on the Family.” Thankfully, when I questioned one of my professors about such things the following week, he told me, "They do not represent the majority of our students."

These sincere, but very misguided opinions, are often self-serving.  

Today we have more people under the name of “discernment” serving as self-proclaimed policemen.  

No thank you.  I would rather have the spirit exemplified by Paul in Philippians: “It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice” (1:15-18). 

Paul recognized a false teacher by two characteristics:

(1) they did not teach salvation was by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and 

(2) they promoted sexual immorality.  

Apart from these qualities, if the Word was shared and the gospel preached in some way, even by someone with false motives, he rejoiced that the gospel went forth!  

Critical Thinking

For years, my wife and I have been proponents of classical education. And much of Christianity the past 200+ years has valued such an approach to education. One of the goals of classical education is to develop critical thinkers - ones who learn how to truly practice discernment as they wade through complex, and sometimes opposing, information.

I believe it much wiser to raise up people who learn to think for themselves with a biblical framework (Ro. 12:2) than it is to tell people in blanket statements who to listen to and who to not. Baby Christians need to be spoon-fed and guided closely. However, as Christians mature, we should be able to stand on our own feet and apply our critical thinking skills - for ourselves - to the wide range of material out there in our information age.

I learned years ago that I could learn positive things from people with whom I do not agree on everything. And having a solid, biblical foundation, I can read people who are not necessarily in my theological camp and still benefit.

And I don't think it wise to try and be the Holy Spirit for other believers.God is a whole lot bigger than me.


Reformation Adversaries

Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, two great Reformers, were adversaries who had a historic and bitter feud over theology.  One of their differences was what actually took place at the Lords’ Supper, the Eucharist. I read one account when Luther actually used profanity to describe Zwingli’s view.  To Luther, the doctrine, or idea, of sacramental union  was essential and critical.  He labeled Zwingli a fanatic, grouping him into a “camp” with other people with whom he disagreed.  I can imagine today these two great Reformers, setting up websites to warn the brothers of the false prophet.  “Use discernment, brothers.  Don’t be deceived by this false teacher Zwingli!  He denies the essentials of Christ.  What a fool!  Remember the words of Jesus!”  

No doubt they would have tried to be policemen, warning Christians of the other.  They placed each other in “camps” based on certain tributaries of their doctrine and practice.  And they warned people of the “other camp.”  That is called majoring on minors and missing the point.  It is an overzealous lack of perspective.  One church history professor writes, “How ironical that the service of communion, which most dramatically depicts Christ’s prayer for Christian unity, would be the one point on which Luther and Zwingli would bitterly divide. But, that was unfortunately not the first, nor the last time for such division among Christians.”  

Luther and Zwingli would have been perhaps wiser to take to heart Paul’s admonition, “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?  It is before his master that he stands or falls.”

Zeal is a great thing.  But zeal misfires and wounds unless combined with wisdom, maturity and love.  

People who love God's Word are wise to remember that the apostle Paul shared that the goal of good Bible teaching is to produce the most mature quality of all within us - love.

[T]he goal of our instruction is love (1 Timothy 1:5).


Read my related articles, Room at the Table: Beth Moore and John MacArthur, and Grieved: Review of Pulpit and Pen.


i - Experiencing God Day by Day, February 25


Pictures used by permission from Pixabay.