Understanding how the Lordship of Jesus Christ extends to all areas of life.
Founder of Calvary Chapel movement, Chuck Smith, stuns church, announces he has lung cancer
By Dan Wooding
Chuck Smith
The congregation at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California, were stunned today (Sunday, January 01, 2012) when Pastor Chuck Smith, its senior pastor, announced during his Sunday morning services that he has lung cancer and will have a biopsy on Tuesday and surgery the following week.
Chuck Smith, now in his eighties and the father of the Jesus People Revolution in Southern California, said that he has never smoked in his life.
At at the end of the third service that was broadcast on KWVE 107.9 FM, his son-in-law, Brian Brodersen, joined with other pastors at the huge church and anointed him with oil and prayed for his healing.
Karl Corcoran, evangelism pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, posted on Facebook, “Update: Pastor Chuck Smith having surgery this month for lung cancer after a series of tests this week. Estimated recovery time is 3 weeks.”
In response to the posting, Kathy Buckley Keys said, “We were stunned with the news of Pastor Chuck. His ways are higher than ours and He is able to keep that which is committed to Him so we commit Pastor Chuck and all that is related to him, family, doctors and treatments to the Great Physician who knows Pastor Chuck intimately and ask for His guidance, favor, love and support through this time.”
Shortly after the announcement, the KWVE Facebook page was flooded with goodwill messages for Chuck Smith.
Joni Barger wrote, “I’m praying for a miracle. I’m an avid listener to the radio program. Pastor Chuck I’ve learned so much from you. God is with you Sir.”
Kim Krabbenhoft-Ancora posted, “Oh I am so sad…tears…we will be lift him up in prayer…but as said above, Pastor Chuck of all people will use this to bring Glory to The Lord!!!”
Adrianna Kneefel added, “We love you Pastor Chuck…the Lord uses your life daily to feed thousands of His sheep. Praying that much fruit would come out of this and that the the sickness would be removed in Jesus name…we speak words of life! Lord let your servant live and continue to bring the Word. Chuck is a bright light in a dark age…Lord let his light shine!”
Rachel Fret said, “I was floored when I heard the news this morning. Praying for Papa Chuck and his family. .. my husband had an aunt who died of lung cancer a few years ago. She never smoked in her whole life. Doctors assumed that it was due to where she was living…Redlands, Ca…air pollution. Don’t know but yeah, we found out then that it’s not a cancer caused by smoking.”
And Cassandra Voight Estes posted, “Praying… Please Lord keep Chuck with us so that others might hear your precious word. You have blessed Chuck all these years. I know he will not waste his cancer and you will use it for you glory.”
In a previous tribute to Chuck Smith, ANS correspondent, Brian Nixon, who for several years co-hosted Pastors Perspective with Chuck Smith, wrote: “Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of the Calvary Chapel Movement and one of the key figureheads of the Jesus Movement, has touched the hearts and lives of countless of people in his six decades of ministry.
“Not to mention his influence upon the fabric of Christian culture: from the 2,000 plus Calvary Chapel churches spanning the globe to the praise-and-worship phenomena initiated in the 1960’s. His impact looms large in the halls of modern Christian history.
“Sadly, however, Pastor Chuck had a brief setback, suffering a couple of what were described as ‘mini-strokes’ at his home on December 27, 2009.
“I was blessed to have worked side-by-side with Pastor Chuck for almost eight years, covering numerous fields: education, publishing, radio, and television.
“Not only was I able to glean from his words, thoughts, answers, and actions, on a weekly basis, but I was also able to watch him in a variety of situations: answering questions on a radio program we hosted together, cooperating with him on books, brainstorming and praying with him through tough educational situations. And, most special of all, to watch his interaction with other human beings.
“Let me say that … Pastor Chuck is a true gentleman. He is a man who understands God’s grace and the need for people to experience that grace in the love of Christ.”
I ask all of our ANS readers to pray for a swift recovery for this great Man of God, that he may be able to continue his amazing ministry for many more years to come.
I received this via email and am re-posting it here for people to pray.
Matisyahu
World-famous Reggae / Hip Hop artist, Matisyahu, shocked his fans recently by posting a picture of a freshly shaved version of himself on Twitter. Most people don’t make news when they shave, but this iconic pop star has become known for his close ties to Hasidic Judaism, and his traditional, almost Orthodox garb.
His explanation on his website said:
“No more Chassidic reggae superstar. Sorry folks, all you get is me…no alias When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey :to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality—not through books but through real life. At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity…to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules—lots of them—or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.“
He told Rolling Stone magazine:
“The group I was heavily into said you can’t cut (your beard) even if you want to. Besides, it’s a representation of God’s mercy. If you cut that off, you’re like, cutting of God’s mercy. So I bought into that, for a long time…Then I realized that some of my ideas, at least for me at this at this point, were not true anymore. I think it’s a symbol, and symbols aren’t the thing itself. If I’m connecting with God internally, if I believe in my own goodness and God’s goodness, than that idea (not cutting his beard) just didn’t resonate with me anymore.”
In an interview with WNYC Radio, he said:
“What happened was that I recently realized that God’s mercy can’t possibly be connected to me shaving or not shaving. Over the last few weeks I went through a pretty major transformation, probably bigger than any in my life, due to several things, but a lot of revelations and a lot of realizations starting coming clear to me. The idea that God’s mercy is connected to whether or not I shave, is ludicrous. I need to just trust myself. If I’m deserving of God’s mercy, I’ll get it.”
From my point-of-view, I’m glad to hear that Matisyahu is wrestling and grappling with his faith. I think it is important for all of us to continue to grow, to reexamine, and to struggle. A faith that can’t handle such searching certainly is a crippled and impotent faith.
For me as a Christian, I feel that Mayisyahu is getting very close to the truth. He is sensing the inadequacy of law-keeping as a means to making you holy. He realizes that it is not his outward expressions of devotion or worship that makes him right with God, but rather his heart.
“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)
“Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)
My hope for Matisyahu is that he will recognize the logical contradiction in his view of God. Indeed, if we can deserve God’s mercy, then it is no longer mercy. I hope he will discover, as did the radically Orthodox Jew, Saul of Tarsus (who became Paul the Apostle), about two thousand years ago:
“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” (Romans 9:16)
We are unworthy on our best days, and unworthy on our worst. But thankfully, for our sakes, God has shown mercy on us, not because of our merit, but because of the sinless life of His son, Jesus Christ, and our trust in His payment for our sins. When Paul came to grips with this, he wrote:
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:15-17)
“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:2-4)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker who works with Wisdom’s Gate Ministries.
Muammar Gaddafi
In the recent news of the reported death of Libyan dictator Muammar Gadhafi, I was able to catch up with a couple of well-known Bible scholars to get their perspectives on this situation. First, King Solomon had this to say:
King Solomon (c. 1011- c. 931 B.C.)
“Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house, do not raid his dwelling place; for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity. Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?” (Proverbs 24:14-22)
When I asked Matthew Henry to comment on Solomon’s perspective, he added this:
Matthew Henry (1662 – 1714)
1. The pleasure we are apt to take in the troubles of an enemy is forbidden us. If any have done us an ill turn, or if we bear them ill-will only because they stand in our light or in our way, when any damage comes to them (suppose they fall), or any danger (suppose they stumble), our corrupt hearts are too apt to conceive a secret delight and satisfaction in it-Aha! so would we have it; they are entangled; the wilderness has shut them in-or, as Tyrus said concerning Jerusalem (Eze. 26:2) I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste. “Men hope in the ruin of their enemies or rivals to wreak their revenge or to find their account; but be not thou so inhuman; rejoice not when the worst enemy thou hast falls.” There may be a holy joy in the destruction of God’s enemies, as it tends to the glory of God and the welfare of the church (Ps. 58:10); but in the ruin of our enemies, as such, we must by no means rejoice; on the contrary, we must weep even with them when they weep (as David, Ps. 35:13, 14), and that in sincerity, not so much as letting our hearts be secretly glad at their calamities.
2. The provocation which that pleasure gives to God is assigned as the reason of that prohibition: The Lord will see it, though it be hidden in the heart only, and it will displease him, as it will displease a prudent father to see one child triumph in the correction of another, which he ought to tremble at, and take warning by, not knowing how soon it may be his own case, he having so often deserved it. Solomon adds an argument ad hominem-addressed to the individual: “Thou canst not do a greater kindness to thy enemy, when he has fallen, than to rejoice in it; for them, to cross thee and vex thee, God will turn his wrath from him; for, as the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God, so the righteousness of God was never intended to gratify the wrath of man, and humour his foolish passions; rather than seem to do that he will adjourn the execution of his wrath: nay, it is implied that when he turns his wrath from him he will turn it against thee and the cup of trembling shall be put into thy hand.”
Here are the Top Ten Utopian Myths, in no particular order:
1. Life would be better if everyone had the same income and/or resources.
Truth: A totally classless society is impossible, and all attempts have resulted eventually in collective poverty.
2. If we could only communicate better, then we would understand each other, and we would all get along.
Truth: If we truly understood what everyone else really believed, we might like each other less!
3. We can legislate our way to a perfect and peaceful society.
Truth: All law is an imposition of an external standard on someone who doesn’t want to embrace it. The problem is not a lack of legislation, it is that many people desire to do things that are harmful to others, and they always will. In case we haven’t noticed, criminals do not obey the law.
4. If would could get rid of all guns and nukes, we would have world peace.
Truth: There wasn’t world peace before the invention of guns and nukes.
5. Saving the environment will save our species.
Truth: Environmental crises are only a reflection of people’s hearts. Cleaning the environment, as important as that may be, does not intrinsically address the problems of greed and carelessness that cause ecological problems.
6. Everyone should have the right to do anything they want to do as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else.
Truth: Self-destructive behaviors always hurt other people, even in indirect ways.
7. Giving people maximum freedom (or liberty) will result in maximum happiness.
Truth: You need to have a moral framework to know how use freedom responsibly (Individual Self-Government) or else that “freedom” will simply result in anarchy.
8. Words are tools of oppression used by the stronger elites to subjugate and control the weaker masses. The deconstruction of language will lead to egalitarianism and equal opportunity. (Postmodern argument)
Truth: Postmodernists are using words to convince of this supposed truth. Do you think they are hoping to control us?
9. We should embrace either all religions as equal and valid, or no religion at all.
Any worldview or philosophy answers (or seeks to answer) some fundamentally religious questions?
All religions (including Atheism) answer these questions, but in fundamentally different and oppositional ways. The Law of Non-Contradiction (in forma Logic) requires that these contradictory truth claims cannot all be true in the same way in the same sense. It is impossible for us to simply ignore these inherently religious questions.
10. If we can just get a president elected who espouses our views, then everything will improve.
Truth: In a Representative Republic, the elected leaders are a reflection of the people of that nation. If the people cannot effectively govern themselves, then an elected official will only reflect that inability of the people to be self-governed.
Copyright 2011, Israel Wayne.
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker.
Our church received a resume recently from a man who, in his words, wanted to be the “Head of our church.” I thought I would pass this on to you as it was too good to keep to ourselves!
Age: Early 30s.
Marital Status: Single.
Political party: None.
Denominational affiliation: None.
Educational Background: Homeschooled.
College / Bible College: None.
Seminary: None.
Previous Church Experience: None.
Previous Employment: Carpentry.
Current Employment: Unemployed / Street Preacher.
References: We were unable to obtain any positive references from this guy. His neighbors don’t like him. Apparently he grew up in a poor, backwards community that has a reputation of nothing good ever coming from that area. We were told by his neighbors that he was homeless and that he has been seen leading what is considered to be a Zionist gang comprised of a bunch of uneducated teenagers and young men from questionable backgrounds (including one former Militia member with ties to some anti-government, terrorist organizations). We were also told that he is an alcoholic, a glutton and has been seen visiting prostitutes.
He has a bad habit of name-calling when he disagrees with people. At one point he called some church leaders “snakes” and “rotting corpses.”
Theology: He seems to have some extremely heterodox theology that doesn’t fit with mainstream thought or practice. At several previous churches, he was asked to leave for causing division among the members.
Family: When we called his family, they said that he is “out of his mind.” Apparently at one time when they tried to talk some sense into him, he even denied to some of his friends that they were his family. He has a cousin who is a self-made religious leader who lives alone in the wilderness on a very strange diet. His cousin seems to look up to him.
Psychological Evaluation: Has a Messiah Complex coupled with Grandiose Delusions. We have heard that he vacillates between being a loner and wanting to be worshipped by the masses (Bi-Polar?). Seems to have a very co-dependent relationship with his dad, whom he references often.
Criminal History: While charges were never formally pressed, at one former church he didn’t like how things were being handled, so he vandalized some of the church’s furniture and physically assaulted some sub-contractors who worked for the church.
So, as you can see, it seems highly unlikely that this man will EVER be the head of ANY church! I mean, would you let him lead yours?
Written by Israel Wayne, Copyright 2011.
Israel Wayne is an Author and Conference Speaker with Wisdom’s Gate Ministries. He is also the Site Editor for www.ChrisitanWorldview.net.
Michael McHugh
Michael McHugh is a man that I have wanted to interview on my blog for quite some time. Mike is a humble and unassuming guy who has worked for many years behind the scenes with little-to-no fanfare or applause. He has served as an Editor for Christian Liberty Press and has edited literally thousands of pages of quality literature and curriculum for Christian students.
Very few endeavors are as important as Christian education for children, and Mike has been on the front lines of that battle for over three decades. He is dedicated to promoting the Kingdom of Christ and expanding a Biblical worldview into all areas of life. As a young teenager I was influenced by a number of articles that he wrote for the Home School Digest magazine in the late 1980s and early 90s. His writings helped to shape my understanding of the Biblical basis for Parental Rights, the need for understanding proper governmental spheres (i.e. The Individual, The Family, The Church and The Civil Magistrate), and recognizing the importance of viewing each subject area from a definitively Biblical perspective.
For several years as a homeschooled student I was enrolled with CLASS, a distance learning program offered by Christian Liberty Academy, so his work through them influenced me indirectly as well.
Israel Wayne: How did you get involved with the Christian education movement?
Michael McHugh: In early 1978, I began to ask the Lord to set me upon a new career path. A few weeks later, the pastor who ran a small local church school in the suburbs of Chicago called Christian Liberty Academy offered me a position on staff with their new “home study program“. I came on staff in the spring of 1978, just as the home school movement in the US was beginning to grow rapidly.
Israel Wayne: Who were some of your most influential mentors regarding Christian education (even through books)?
Michael McHugh: The man God used in my life to give my work direction and biblical focus was Dr. Paul Lindstrom. I was saved by the grace of God as I sat under the preaching of Pastor Lindstrom in 1976, and I had the privilege to work closely with him for many years. Other key mentors included the writings of Rousas Rushdoony, Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, Francis Schaeffer, and Abraham Kuyper.
Israel Wayne: What does it mean to teach a “Biblical worldview” to students?
Michael McHugh: Teaching a “biblical worldview” means helping students to recognize the crown rights of King Jesus in every area of life, so that they might be able to bring every thought captive to the Lord Jesus Christ. As many faithful Christians have observed over the centuries; Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all. To succeed in the task of training students to embrace a biblical world and life view, means that they come to the place of understanding that their whole existence is centered upon the task of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.
Israel Wayne: What do you see as being some of the most successful elements of the home education movement?
Michael McHugh: I am encouraged that many Christian home educators have resisted the temptation to adopt secular curriculum standards and textbooks. I am also encouraged by the level of respect and cooperation that home school parents have generally received from their local communities.
Israel Wayne: What are some trends in the Christian world that encourage you right now?
Michael McHugh: I am encouraged that a growing number of professing Christians are expressing a great interest in the subject of creation science based upon a literal six day, young earth model. Also, many believers are beginning to move away from secular approaches to family relationships, counseling, and psychology. Finally, God’s people seem to be more open to praying for and supporting persecuted Christians around the world.
Israel Wayne: If you could give a word of challenge (or even warning) to homeschoolers and Christian school teachers, what would it be?
Michael McHugh: My challenge to them, would be that they not grow weary in well doing, and that they remain steadfast and unmovable in their mission to train God’s little lambs.
Israel Wayne: What do you hope will be your legacy 100 years from now?
Michael McHugh: My only desire 100 years from now, is that when my grandchildren learn something about my life, it will be an encouragement for them to think more about Jesus Christ.
Daniel Gardner
What is Community?
Written for HSA National Reunion 2011 by Daniel Gardner
Deep within us burning
like a fire strobe of light
Is a need to keep on learning
to keep up the good fight.
And as you live life’s moments,
somewhere along the line,
You discover what makes life meaningful
are the meaningful friends you find.
Community is what keeps you laughing
Even when you’re miles away from home,
It’s the sense that you are new here,
but in no sense alone.
Community is the GLUE that binds the paper,
it’s the voice that rises from a choir
It’s the WIND beneath our wings
That bid our dreams fly that much higher!
Community CALLS people from every tribe,
It draws people from every coast,
It bids the young & and old together
discover what they cherish the most!
It’s that SWELL in the music,
it’s the BEATING in your heart,
It’s the fact that we are stronger
than anyone of us apart.
Truly it can be said:
You can break us or beat us,
You can conquer or leave us,
But you shall not break down
You shall not beat back,
our beating hearts as one!
It’s this group of common people
who stick together through best & worse.
Who define community
and inspire this last verse
Was it not Patrick Henry who said, in 1799,
“United we stand, divided we fall?”
I read in a small child’s story book
On another man’s shoulders, I am twice as tall.
We know that people are precious
and we know that life is short,
So we cherish those moments of togetherness
Because their made of the happiest sort.
Community is SO beautiful because of the
people we hold SO dear,
It’s the unity in community that makes it worth it,
I think you’ll agree:
That’s what brings all of us
each one of us
here!
Note from Israel Wayne:
Daniel Gardner is a missionary, media professional, comedian, superhero and down-to-earth guy who loves Jesus. He is the author of the excellent blog: www.lifeschooled.com. I highly recommend that you subscribe to his blog. He has a great heart for others and as a young man is a bright light for our Savior in this very dark world.
