Monday, May 14, 2012

Dennis On: "Foolishness of Preaching or Preaching of Foolishness?"




Foolishness of Preaching or Preaching of Foolishness?


1 Corinthians 1:21
For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.


Dennis Diehl - EzineArticles Expert AuthorI have to say that I do miss teaching an attentive group of people who simply want to know the truth of the matters placed before them.  Alas...it is what it is.  In my earlier years I gave many a sincere sermon that now makes me cringe knowing the information was less than accurate and the truth of it all was less than true.  But it's a journey, at least for me, and the key is not in what one used to preach or teach but what one has learned through the years and the personal growth in "grace and knowledge" one has actually accomplished in life.  "Growing in grace and knowledge" is not actually one of the positive traits of most churches most of us know.  Grace is only extended when not really needed or just needed for the self and knowledge....well forget that.


Ministers surely do say some incredibly stupid things in the name of preaching.  I suppose this could be easily illustrated by the last three years of sermons given by Ronald Weinland, but I spare us.  This should end or get substantially worse in the next few weeks.


I was never personally comfortable giving sermons on such things as The Place of Safety, British Israelism and tithing.  The first two seemed irrelevant to actual religious belief in the real world and all of the NT message, and I hated reminded people of what we already knew.  It takes money to do "the Work."  I don't recall many times where those over me reminded the brethren to give as they were able.


The concept of the Place of Safety was not only annoying but at times terrifying when I thought of how few thought HWA would die before the time.  I always hoped he would so that would end the idea of "HWA says it's time to flee."  Most of you know that the visits of Gerald Waterhouse , to me, were exercises in the exact art of preaching foolishness.  I felt that back when I was in my 20's.  I was right.


The COGs have many foolish teachings and they usually center around on just how do we "do things," like putting leaven out or eating out on Sabbath.  Some groups become experts in foolish preaching and never get around to the core message of the NT.  Mixing the OT and the NT has been raised to an art form by some.  You know, old wine in new wine skins...kaboom!  


There are foolish preachings about "science falsely so called."  The facts of evolution and a 4.5 billion year old earth are just too much handle.  Human origins as opposed to the Adam and Eve myth are way beyond their comprehension or the fact that those OT stories were never written to advance true scientific discovery.  They had meanings, but not the ones foolish preaching assigns.


Somehow the tithing admonitions are dredged up from the Old Testament, but the ones advocating stoning rebellious children or sabbath breakers are listed as "the old ways."  Men can't have long hair because Paul aid nature tells us it is wrong, but far as I know, lions have the best manes in town and the lioness seems rather bald.  I have never figured out just how Paul's foolish comments about that were to be understood.  "Time is short," was also one of Paul's more foolish preaching concepts.


I am sure the more recent "foolishness of preaching" topics are endless in the COGs.


Some include:


  • Me and my wife are the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11
  • Jesus is coming back in a couple weeks
  • Revelation 11 is about the WCG apostasy
  • Man is still 6000 years old
  • Send it in
  • "And yes brethren, I am an Apostle..."
  • God needs a new college
  • God needs a new house
  • God needs us to give him money (He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Can't He sell some?)
  • Fatima is somehow relevant to us today
  • Revelations and the Mayans are right!
  • The Mayans and the Wiffenpoof Indian prophecies are meaningful
  • Women are still less important than men
  • Men are the leaders  (wow...pretty well proven false by those with eyes to see)
  • There is a place of safety still  (Resurrection avoidance?)
  • God's puzzle has been solved!
  • Noah's flood accounts for all world geology
  • The story of Noah is really really true and it could happen
  • All language started at Babel 
  • If I came from a monkey, how come we still have monkeys around today!
  • We are not to wear sunglasses because the eye is the light of the body... (one of my personal favorites I was personally told.)


and so on...


What foolish preaching have you heard over the years?  What nutcase personal opinions are stuck in your mind to this day?  Why do people listen to such stupid and ignorant teachings from the pulpit and never speak up?  Will the congregants or followers of the lone wolf preacher of foolish things ever stand up for themselves and call the man out on it.


Foolishness of Preaching...or Preaching foolishness?   

Dennis C. Diehl
DenniscDiehl@aol.com


Another Worldwide Church of God Property Sold to So Called Christians! Gasp!



More shocking news from the real estate division of the Worldwide Church of God.  First they disposed of the Big Sandy Campus to Alert Academy a conservative Christian "humanitarian" organization.  Then Pasadena went to the Harvest Rock personality cult and Maranatha High School.  Now the Australian Feast site in the Blue Mountains of Australia  has been sold to MORE Christians! Gasp!  Protestants or so-called "Christians" as Bob Thiel like to arrogantly label them. Imagine that, Christians using a COG facility. Shocking, I know!

This is the site of the old WCG Feast of Tabernacles in the Blue Mts, Australia - http://www.mountainscc.nsw.edu.au/ - sold to another organisation some years ago. It has since been re-sold and now a protestant college.


E W King and His Persecutors



God's mightiest man on earth is now traveling to various locations to deliver his inspiring sermons.  He was in California recently give  one of his mind expanding talks.  Even the Hare Krishna's were in awe of him. 

Recently Mr. E.W.King gave a public talk in down town San Jose California. In this talk Mr. King addressed the problems with what he called “modern Christianity”. He addressed issues such as syncretism, paganism, occultism and then addressed issues regarding the worlds numerous religion. Mr. King’s knowledge regarding world religions helped him answer many questions.

The talk gathered many people including some Hare Krishnas. The talk lasted a little more than an hour and was fruitful. Mr. King promoted his current booklet regarding the Seven Seals Prophecy. Mr. King addressed many issues regarding the subject of the Seven Seals. This included talk of UFO’s and current New Age thought.
 Then he was asked a question about those of us who mock him.  He responds:


Finally, Mr. King was asked about certain bloggers who attack his teachings. Mr. King addressed this issue with Scripture. Mr. King said that; “These bloggers who attack me and what I teach are simply fulfilling prophecy…Jesus said that His true followers would be persecuted.” He then went on to say that nobody is persecuting them and that all should pray for them and show Christ’s love.

I don't think he really needs to worry about us making fun of him when he preaches sermons on UFO's and failed prophecy.  He makes an ass of himself all by himself!

Mr. King gives talk about those attacking his teachings

Apparently Mr. King is like Mr. Pack, who also likes to refer to himself as Mr.

Have No Fear! HWA Is Here!






Herbert Armstrong has been resurrected!  
Our salvation is secure!  
He has come back to put the church BACK ON TRACK and to prepare us for Petra and into glory!  

He cares so much for us all that he has set up a Facebook page to gather in all the wayward backsliders.  His vital end time message will soon be going out to all the world. Again....

Word has it he was none to happy when he came back onto the campus in Pasadena.  
He found a tongues talking personalty cult in the auditorium, so called Christians running a school, and the Health Center torn down and condo's going up.  Non COG people are living in in Manor Del Mar and Mayfair and a company using his house as a business adventure.  

The biggest blasphemy of all was seeing a cross in the gymnasium amphitheater.  He had previously banished crosses from the Auditorium when an opera company was using them for a Tosca production and now this!

Since he set this page up on April 28th, he obviously had to have been resurrected prior to this. 
 Maybe Easter?