Hamas Leaders Son Converts to Christianity August 26, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger
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Every now and then you hear about a surprise conversion. Today was such a day. One of the most revered leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian terror organisation has moved to America and converted to Christianity.
His father, Hassan Yousef, a highly respected sheik born in al-Ghaniya near Ramallah, is a founding member of Hamas, whose military wing has instigated dozens of suicide bombings and other attacks against Israel since it was formed in 1987.
Read more from the news.com.au site or an interview on this blog. Whilst I’m thinking about it you may want to pray for his protection as well!
Tabloid T.V. getting ready to shake our Planetshakers August 25, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Worship.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Worship industry
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If you want a considered, balanced, and constructive coverage of a church scandal covered on t.v., the last people you sign a contract with is a tabloid t.v. program. That’s if you feel the public airing of a church scandal belongs on t.v. in the first place. I don’t. Enough damage has been done without airing this issue on prime time tabloid t.v.
Regardless of my feelings, Michael Guglielmucci [and presumably those close to him] have agreed to appear on Channel 7’s Today Tonight. Those wonderful people who specialise in harassing ambush interviewing of shonky businessmen, layabout dole yobs, marriage cheats etc, are getting ready to deliver their version of a considered handling of the Guglielmucci train wreck.
I can only put my head between my legs and wait for the crash. I sincerely hope that I am wrong. The real issue is wider than MG and his particular issues. I would prefer for the focus to be on deconstructing the celebrity culture surrounding worship artists and pastors, and pulling back the reign on the multi million dollar worship industry.
Charismatic Cleansing August 25, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Theology.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Third Wave, Revival, Revivalist, Charismatic
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Out of the carnage of last week’s revelations involving the Lakeland ‘Outpouring’ some significant statements are emerging showing that lessons are being learned.
Whatever non-Charismatics say is pretty much neither here not there to people inside the movement. It’s when respected insiders, or at least commentators within start talking straight that those on the inside sit up and listen. Following on from Dutch Sheets frank and brutal apology to the body of Christ on behalf of Charismatic leaders this piece from Dan Edelen of the Cerulean Sanctum blog echos much of what Dutch had to say:Something is amiss in the charismatic movement: (more…)
Dutch Sheets calls a spade a spade August 24, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Whilst in Australia the Pentecostal scene has been rocked by the Michael Gulglielmucci revelations, over in the USA those place any stead in the revival/outpourings surrounding Lakeland and Todd Bentley in particular have been rocked by news of his marriage break up and involvement with another staff member.
In the midst of it all Dutch Sheets as placed a statement on his website that makes some unusual but very pleasing admissions. He does this on behalf of the Charismatic movement. It addresses some of the concerns I have [being an ex AOG'er]. (more…)
Worship has its Planet Shaken August 24, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Worship.Tags: ACC, Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Michael Gugglielmucci, Worship, Worship industry
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The shock story emerging from Planetshakers this week of the double life of one of its stars Michael Guglielmucci has generated an unprecedented level of online debate within a community that doesn’t usually debate. The result is that critical issues are being addressed by the grass roots of the worship scene. Issues that are long overdue.
The multi million dollar worship juggernaut, birthed within Australia’s multi million dollar mega churches, run by a few powerful untouchables has hit a major obstacle and is damaged. Whether this proves to be an opportunity to face critical issues and learn is open to question, and only time will tell. (more…)
Mega Church Finances August 22, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Leadership.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, mega church, church finances
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Whilst checking out the website of The Edge Church in Adelaide yesterday [off the back of the Michael Guglielmucci story] I was pleasantly surprised to find a mega-church that puts their annual report on the Web for all to see, including their financials. This is very unusual. Large mega-churches, especially of the Pentecostal type don’t do accountability very well. So I hereby award The Edge Church a prestigious Neobaptist Special Commendation Award [the first ever awarded], in the category of ‘Mega Church Financial Accountability’.
Unfortunately, that’s where the award stops. It is limited only to a commendation for publishing the financials. It is not to be construed as an award for how they spend their money, because that part blew me away. Now I know where these churches get the money to send those expensive glossy conference invitations that flood our mail box and Koorong catalogue. They have an events budget that could buy out a small country! (more…)
Planetshakers have their Planet Shaken August 21, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Worship.Tags: worship music, Baptist blog, Baptist blogger, Planetshakers, Michael Guglielmucci
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I’ve always thought the title ‘Planetshakers’ was a big call. Yes the church and the albums and the conferences are popular and they have spread their brand internationally, but the planet has never been shaken. It’s a name that reflects the typical hype that surrounds a lot of the branding and marketing within the Pentecostal youth scene. They are world class when it comes to hyperbole.
In this world there’s no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘great’, rather its “like so totally awesome and like incredibly mindblowing man! It’s like this wave of revivial that is like lighting a RAGING FIRE across this NATION! dude!!!!”
Well I’m not sure if you could use enough hyperbole to describe the revelation about one of Planteshakers biggest stars, Michael Guglielmucci. (more…)
The Invisible Suburban Radicals #2 August 21, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Missional.Tags: Baptist blog, Baptist blogger
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Jake is on the surface the ideal candidate for the much caricatured institutional anachronistic and dying suburban church. He comes from a middle class family, grew up in the church, dresses sensibly, drives sensibly, eats sensibly, has moderate music tastes, wears short hair and he shaves as well.
Under the surface, like many suburban churches, he is radical. He may not look like it, but he is a university drop out. The reason he dropped out is quite unlike the usual drop out story, which is filled with lame excuses and evidence of an unforgivable squandering of a chance at getting an education most people on the planet would die for. The reason he walked out of his engineering course one year out from finishing was mind blowing. (more…)
Christian Emoticons August 13, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Humour.Tags: Christian humour, Baptist blog, Baptist blogger
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Another classic find over at Stuff Christians Like: Christian Emoticons. This is my new funniest site on the web. Here’s some examples: (more…)
The Invisible Suburban Radicals August 11, 2008
Posted by Gordon in Missional.Tags: emergent, Baptist blog, Baptist blogger
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The typical suburban church is a now a much maligned entity. The emergence of the emergents and the new cool crew of Christianity have caricatured the typical local church as an ‘institution’, one whose sell by date has long since expired and needs to be replaced by a new expression of ‘church’. In its place are cool ventures accompanied by even cooler websites.
Meanwhile, back in the burbs, these little outdated institutionalised remnants of a bygone era continue to exist, and within their midst are an army of hidden radicals, who will never be immortalised on a website, a cool new book, or at a cool conference. (more…)
