GodThoughtsWired! Archives

Friday, October 20, 2006

America's Only Hope!: Part 1

America's Only Hope!: Part 1
Brad Reiches
Oct 20 2006 11:20AM

October 20, 2006

GodThoughtsWired!

The following series of messages is based on George Barna's most recent research on the American Church: "The State of the Church: 2006, A Report from George Barna." All statistical data has been taken from this 62 page report, available to the public at www.barna.com.

"America's Only Hope..."

THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY
INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH

Part 1

"Many will think they are saved...but are not."
(pastor Brad, paraphrase)

In reference to the 84% of people in the United States of America who call themselves "Christians:"

-54% of these self-defined Christians identify themselves as "mentally committed" to the faith. -The Bible knows nothing of half-hearted Christianity.

-48% of these self-defined Christians believe that "The Bible is totally accurate." This is only a nominally higher percentage of non-christian faiths (34%). In other words, today's "Christians" don't esteem the Bible much more than non-christians.

-62% of these self-defined Christians sense no responsibility to share Christ with others. In other words, roughly two-thirds of today's "Christians" have no commitment to "The Great Commission."

-69% describe their faith as "very important," however, age plays a major role in the understanding of this data (the 69% breaks down in the following manner: 80% - Elders; 70% - Boomers; 60% - Busters; 50% - Mosaic (today's youngest generation). The pattern is clear: The role of faith is significantly decreasing with each successive generation.

-69% of these self-defined Christians believe that works get you to Heaven.

-71% of these self-defined Christians do not believe that Satan is a literal, living being. They view him as a symbol of evil. This then, is one of the greatest challenges that Church leaders face today. Nearly three-fourths of their constituency have an enemy seeking to destroy their lives that they don't even acknowledge as real (see 1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10; James 4:6-8). It is precisely as I wrote in the September 11 edition of GodThoughtsWired! (9/11, Hmmm...). -Incredibly, this is also saying that 71% of these self-defined "Christians" disagree with the Bible.

Satan's greatest "scheme" is to get people to belief that he doesn't exist;
that he's not real; that he exists only in the imagination of horror-film makers.
-see www.injesus.com, GodThoughtsWired!, archives, September 11, 2006

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Hospital Stories 1

Hospital Stories 1
Brad Reiches
Oct 19 2006 01:13AM

Several subscribers have asked me to share some of the highlights of my recent "surgical journey." So once a week, for the next several weeks, I'll share some of what God shared with me. And let me take this opportunity to say THANK YOU once again, to those who have prayed, and are continuing to pray for me. Your prayers are DEEPLY appreciated!

Pastor Brad

Thursday, October 19, 2006
GodThoughtsWired!

"Hospital Stories 1"
HELPLESS!

"Be quick to hear..."
James 1:19

I awakened from anestesia at 4:30pm. For the next ten and a half hours I was HELPLESS...completely helpless (Finally, at 3am, I learned how to maneuver the mechanical bed with my finger in such a way that I could begin to help myself). Have you ever heard the question, "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" Well, this surgery has provided me with a veritable plethora of FIRST TIME EXPERIENCES.

The only other time that I was ever COMPLETELY helpless was when I was an infant, and I don't remember that at all. So this was the first time in my life to consciously have such an experience. Throughout the course of my five days in the hospital, I had seven total nurses - five were fine/ok, one was an angel and one was...NOT.

During those ten and a half hours of helplessness, it meant EVERYTHING TO ME for the nurses to listen. Because the only way they could help me was to understand my need. And the only way to understand my need was to listen. The ONE nurse who sincerely listened was truly like an angel. In my time of need - IT MEANT EVERYTHING TO ME! I couldn't help myself, and I was often in need of significant help during those ten and a half hours.

NOTHING IN MY LIFE AT THAT TIME
WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOR
SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO ME...NOTHING!

The nurses who listened to me brought me INCREDIBLE RELIEF for which I was INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL! The one nurse that didn't listen because...he was either too busy or too inconvenienced or didn't care or just figured he knew what I needed when in fact HE DIDN'T, caused me one of the most traumatic experiences of my life.

Which I will share with you next week.

He who has an ear to hear...let him hear.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

America's Only Hope!: Addendum to the Conclusion to the Introduction

America's Only Hope!: Addendum to the Conclusion to the Introduction
Brad Reiches
Oct 18 2006 01:42AM

Wednesday, October 18, 2006
GodThoughtsWired!

"America's Only Hope!"

THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY
INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH

ADDENDUM TO THE CONCLUSION TO THE INTRODUCTION

"Many will fall away...will mislead many...
will mislead many...And then I (Jesus) will
declare to them (the many), 'I never knew you...'"

Matthew 24:5,10,11; 7:21-23 (bold mine)

In reference to yesterday's conclusion to the introduction to, "American's Only Hope!," one Mormon subscriber "cursed" me, and then expressed the following concern:

"Your comments regarding the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints are a most unfortunate disappointment…
I think you would do very well to examine what right you have
to call one group of worshippers of Christ Christians
and another group of worshippers of Christ non-Christians."

The admonition to "examine" myself is always one I take very seriously. The question raised is, "What right do I have to call one group 'Christians' and another group 'non-Christians?"* THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION! First of all, according to the following scripture, it is not only my "right," but my responsibility!

"Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness,
but instead, even EXPOSE THEM...Whaever is contrary
to sound teaching...point out these things...Exhort in
sound doctrine and refute those who contradict...Be on guard
for yourselves and for all the flock."
Ephesians 5:11; 1 Timothy 1:10; 4:6; Titus 1:9; Acts 20: 28-31 (bold and caps, mine)

I'm hopeful, of course, that most of you recognize these scripture references from yesterday. The second point is well taken. ANYONE, especially in The United States of America, can label themselves as "Christian." However, the purpose of GodThoughtsWired! is to examine and understand what the Bible teaches. We are therefore committed to BIBLICAL DEFINITIONS ONLY.

The Bible tells us that, "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch" (Acts 11:26). They were called "Christians" because they followed the "Christ" of the Bible, in accordance with biblical definitions.

I am a human being based on some specific, rational criteria. Now, I'm free to call myself a dog or a cat or a mouse or a martian or anything else I might choose. However, PLEASE, PLEASE UNDERSTAND...: "JUST BECAUSE I CALL MYSELF A MOUSE, DOESN'T MAKE ME ONE!"

*For an in-depth study on this subject, please click on, Is It Right to Expose Error?

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

America's Only Hope!: Conclusion to the Introduction

America's Only Hope!: Conclusion to the Introduction
Brad Reiches
Oct 17 2006 12:37AM

Tuesday, October 17, 2006
GodThoughtsWired!

"America's Only Hope!"

THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY
INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH

CONCLUSION TO THE INTRODUCTION

"Many will fall away...will mislead many...
will mislead many...And then I (Jesus) will
declare to them (the many), 'I never knew you...'"

Matthew 24:5,10,11; 7:21-23 (bold mine)

In reference to yesterday's introduction to, "American's Only Hope!," one GodThoughtsWired! subscriber wrote:

"YIKES! Those odds are terrible! I like to think of myself as a Christian
with a personal relationship with Jesus, but now you make me wonder.
You're gonna' have to break this down really simple for those of us
who may fall into this category...This GT has me a little concerned..."

"Now you make me wonder..." FABULOUS! That's precisely the purpose! To challenge you to "examine" your Christianity just as the Bible admonishes us to do. To get you to ask yourself, "Where do my beliefs come from?" "On what do I base my beliefs?"

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;
examine yourselves!...Pay close attention to
yourself and to your teaching."
2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Timothy 4:16

In light of the above scriptural admonition to "examine yourselves," I think that "YIKES!" is a pretty good response. That is certainly my response. As we will see from Barna's research, really, the "bottom line" question is, "From where do you get your definition of Christianity?" If it's from anything, or anyone* other than the Bible, you're in BIG TROUBLE!

If it's from ANY OTHER SOURCE (even when that source CLAIMS to get their definitions from the Bible*), then you're VERY LIKELY deceived. The sad part about this study is that it RADICALLY CONFIRMS the biblical prophecy that reveals the majority who call themselves Christians despite getting there definitions of Christianity from sources OUTSIDE of the Bible (i.e. Mormons call themselves Christians, Moonies call themselves Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses call themselves Christians, etc.) The problem, of course, is that, with ALL of these examples, their beliefs are RADICALLY different than that which the Bible teaches.

"At that time many will fall away...
Many false prophets will arise and mislead many."
Matthew 24:10-11

INDEED.

*For a classic example of someone who claims to preach Biblical Christianity..but actually doesn't, please Click on and read: Joel Osteen: True or False?
Also, for the complete transcripts from which this article is derived, click on CNN.com.