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Beware of Michael Pearl's No Greater Joy Ministry


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Enlarged August 25, 2010 (first published September 5, 2005) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

Over the past few years a number of people have asked me about Greater Joy Ministries operated by Michael and Debi Pearl, and as I have traveled on preaching trips I have found that many families in good fundamental Baptist churches are using their materials.
The following is a report on my investigation into this ministry. I have read two of Michael’s books as well as issues of No Greater Joy magazine, and I have looked carefully through the material available at their web site.

There is much to praise in Greater Joy Ministries. The Pearl’s book
To Train up a Child contains many very helpful things (though it often goes beyond clear biblical precepts and enters into a legalistic “Pearlosophy,” which is presented as dogmatically as the parts that are supported directly by Scripture, such as some of his teaching about education and other things that almost require an Amish-like lifestyle). The Pearls rightly avoid “Christian” psychology. They promote godly husband-wife relationships. They teach parents how to reach the child’s heart rather than enforcing mere externals. They focus on how crucial it is for the parents to live what they preach, to avoid hypocrisy. They teach a biblical approach to corporal punishment without apology. They teach parents how to jealously and carefully protect their children from evil influences. They give some excellent and timely warnings about the danger of the average church youth group that throws young people together in a secular fashion and thus allows strong but worldly personalities to corrupt heretofore innocent youth (which is exactly what happened to me as I grew up in a Southern Baptist congregation). They are clear about parental responsibility, that the “buck stops here” with Christian parents in regard to child training.

I am sure that the Pearls are genuine salt-of-the-earth people who try to practice what they preach, but I want to mention some serious errors that those who use their materials should be aware of.



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Enlarged August 25, 2010 (first published September 5, 2005) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

Over the past few years a number of people have asked me about Greater Joy Ministries operated by Michael and Debi Pearl, and as I have traveled on preaching trips I have found that many families in good fundamental Baptist churches are using their materials.
The following is a report on my investigation into this ministry. I have read two of Michael’s books as well as issues of No Greater Joy magazine, and I have looked carefully through the material available at their web site.

There is much to praise in Greater Joy Ministries. The Pearl’s book To Train up a Child contains many very helpful things (though it often goes beyond clear biblical precepts and enters into a legalistic “Pearlosophy,” which is presented as dogmatically as the parts that are supported directly by Scripture, such as some of his teaching about education and other things that almost require an Amish-like lifestyle). The Pearls rightly avoid “Christian” psychology. They promote godly husband-wife relationships. They teach parents how to reach the child’s heart rather than enforcing mere externals. They focus on how crucial it is for the parents to live what they preach, to avoid hypocrisy. They teach a biblical approach to corporal punishment without apology. They teach parents how to jealously and carefully protect their children from evil influences. They give some excellent and timely warnings about the danger of the average church youth group that throws young people together in a secular fashion and thus allows strong but worldly personalities to corrupt heretofore innocent youth (which is exactly what happened to me as I grew up in a Southern Baptist congregation). They are clear about parental responsibility, that the “buck stops here” with Christian parents in regard to child training.

I am sure that the Pearls are genuine salt-of-the-earth people who try to practice what they preach, but I want to mention some serious errors that those who use their materials should be aware of.



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"My friends, the error with Michael Pearl’s ministry is subtle but I believe it is dangerous. "

Excellent article! Thank you, for posting the link!
Everyone needs to be warned of this deceiver and his wicked, false teaching!!!!!!!
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Thanks for the article/warning. All I can say is........YIKES!! The name was familiar to me, and I have not read their material, but I'm bound to come across it sooner or later, and now I I feel that I could give an answer if someone were to ask me about it.

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I enjoyed the book "Created to be His Helpmeet", of course not agreeing with everything....its too bad IFB's aren't putting out this type of book.

Otherwise I disagree fairly strongly with the Pearl ministry for all of the above reasons including the strange dreams.

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How can you trust a book that can't even get the title right? There's no such word as "helpmeet," so if the author doesn't even know the proper word, how can the author explain it correctly?

"Helpmeet" is a grammar pet peeve of mine, and, yes, sarcasm is abounding in this post.

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These sorts can be the most dangerous. Those who are rather outright wrong tend to be easy to notice, but those who put forth so much good and then mix in that which is wacky or wrong can more easily lead some astray.

I've read some good material from folks before and then later down the line read something from them that's way out there and it makes me go "huh?"! Several good things I've read I wouldn't recommend to others simply because of the risk they will seek more from them and be taken in by the bones elsewhere.

It would be good to see IFB writers broaden their writings and putting forth more material. It seems so much of IFB origin is similar and tends to be about the same sort of topics.

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How can you trust a book that can't even get the title right? There's no such word as "helpmeet," so if the author doesn't even know the proper word, how can the author explain it correctly?

"Helpmeet" is a grammar pet peeve of mine, and, yes, sarcasm is abounding in this post.


LOL
Saw it, all the way in Summerville!
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These sorts can be the most dangerous. Those who are rather outright wrong tend to be easy to notice, but those who put forth so much good and then mix in that which is wacky or wrong can more easily lead some astray.

I've read some good material from folks before and then later down the line read something from them that's way out there and it makes me go "huh?"! Several good things I've read I wouldn't recommend to others simply because of the risk they will seek more from them and be taken in by the bones elsewhere.

It would be good to see IFB writers broaden their writings and putting forth more material. It seems so much of IFB origin is similar and tends to be about the same sort of topics.


As one feller used to say, "rat poison is 95% corn!"
Yes, there is a lack of solid writing, on a lot of subjects, out there! I think Local Church Publishers and some IFB preachers, are trying to fill the void! Of course, they can't do it, alone!
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The trouble is to many people are cashing in on the demand for such literature and anyone and every one seems to be writing books for Christians to buy, when actually they should be setting under a good SOLID teacher studying instead of putting out books.

One thing I've really noticed that many writers of Christians literature, TV preachers to, seems to be leaving the local church out, perhaps they hope many will send them money instead of attending and being a member of a local church and placing money in their collection plate.

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The trouble is to many people are cashing in on the demand for such literature and anyone and every one seems to be writing books for Christians to buy, when actually they should be setting under a good SOLID teacher studying instead of putting out books.

One thing I've really noticed that many writers of Christians literature, TV preachers to, seems to be leaving the local church out, perhaps they hope many will send them money instead of attending and being a member of a local church and placing money in their collection plate.


Those putting out "Christian" books for the sake of selling books rather than for the sake of teaching solid biblical teachings, are a major prOBlem. So many of these books are filled with fluff and worse are those filled with pop-psychology disquised as Christian teaching.

We would be far better off with over half the books on "Christian" bookstore shelves not having been written. I'd rather have a small library of solid biblical books than what is to be found in most "Christian" bookstores.

If these writers were truly seeking to glorify Christ with their books, CDs and DVDs they would be biblically sound and they would not sell them at such inflated prices.
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People *do* deserve to be paid if they worked hard enough to write a book.


I agree with that. No prOBlem with setting a fair price upon ones work. What I was speaking of is those who set inflated prices for their works. This is especially a prOBlem with those selling CDs and DVDs, but also applies to some regarding books as well.

If bulk CDs of a sermon or teaching series can be made for a total cost of one dollar per CD, is one really trying to honour God or line their pockets by selling these CDs for 25 dollars?
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People *do* deserve to be paid if they worked hard enough to write a book.


Who said they did not deserve to be paid.

With that said I have to say this, many who are writing Christians book nowadays do not deserve to be paid one cent for their effort, for they should not be writing such books, they should be setting under a good Bible teacher instead of writing books that is littered with false teachings.

Only those who actually knows what its about ought to be writing such books. And as any honest person knows, there be many writing books filled with much heresy.

I might add, many of these books are being written by lost people.

Wow, at the number of people that are trying to live off of God.
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The trouble is to many people are cashing in on the demand for such literature and anyone and every one seems to be writing books for Christians to buy, when actually they should be setting under a good SOLID teacher studying instead of putting out books.

One thing I've really noticed that many writers of Christians literature, TV preachers to, seems to be leaving the local church out, perhaps they hope many will send them money instead of attending and being a member of a local church and placing money in their collection plate.


Brother, you're right on target! Can't remember where the scripture is, but (I believe) Paul says something like, (notice I said "something like") you want to teach, but you have need that someone teach you! Man, I wish I could remember where that's at and correctly what it says! You know what I'm trying to say, right?
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