Creation Science Ministries

[Jerry]

This is an interesting article about how Creation Science Ministries fall short of teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God's Word, how they are typically ecumenical, don't separate from error and false teachers. I thought it was worth passing on. Elsewhere on these boards, it was pointed out that ICR, though it uses the KJV in some articles (such as Days of Praise), they are often guilty of questioning and correcting it - something to be aware of.

Creation Science Ministries: Why the New Evangelical Principle is Dangerous (wayoflife.org)

[TheGloryLand]

If you’re a evangelist, you’re a evangelist, if you are a creation science teacher, you are for creation. Everyone has their purpose and we’re not to go into other churches to criticize them, but to teach them. If I go to your church to preach, and members  start dancing in the spirit. I will remain silence, that is between them and the Lord.  Sharing the word on creation and salvation doesn’t matter where you are, at the moment. We all should be king James Bible preferred, but not only.

This is in my humble opinion.

[Jerry]

1) If you truly believed that charismatic junk was not of God, you wouldn't be preaching or associating with a church that suddenly started dancing in the Spirit.

2) Many on these boards - and the position of this site itself - is KJVonly, but that was a point I made in addition to the article because of prior conversations on this topic. That is not one of the points the article makes.

3) A sound evangelist has a right to preach on the whole counsel of God, and should do so. If they are unsure where a church stands, they should find out before preaching or teaching there. If they cannot agree with their main positions, maybe they should not go there or associate with them - that is certainly better than being muzzled and having your teaching curtailed by the church you are going to. If the Lord has called a preacher to cover certain things in His Word and that preacher refuses to do so because it will rock the boat in a certain church, that is called compromising and even being rebellious to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

4) Regardless of where other churches stand, these ministries should not be associating and preaching at cults and apostate organizations. Basically, to the world and Christendom, it is like putting your stamp of approval on them. The New Testament tells us not to do that in several passages (usually in reference to individuals - but the principle certainly applies here), otherwise we are sharing in their sins, in the fruit of their false teachings.

[HappyChristian]

The article is interesting. Far too many Christians forget that separation is a biblical doctrine. 

 

[TheGloryLand]

20 minutes ago, Jerry said:

1) If you truly believed that charismatic junk was not of God, you wouldn't be preaching or associating with a church that suddenly started dancing in the Spirit.

2) Many on these boards - and the position of this site itself - is KJVonly, but that was a point I made in addition to the article because of prior conversations on this topic. That is not one of the points the article makes.

3) A sound evangelist has a right to preach on the whole counsel of God, and should do so. If they are unsure where a church stands, they should find out before preaching or teaching there. If they cannot agree with their main positions, maybe they should not go there or associate with them - that is certainly better than being muzzled and having your teaching curtailed by the church you are going to. If the Lord has called a preacher to cover certain things in His Word and that preacher refuses to do so because it will rock the boat in a certain church, that is called compromising and even being rebellious to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

4) Regardless of where other churches stand, these ministries should not be associating and preaching at cults and apostate organizations. Basically, to the world and Christendom, it is like putting your stamp of approval on them. The New Testament tells us not to do that in several passages (usually in reference to individuals - but the principle certainly applies here), otherwise we are sharing in their sins, in the fruit of their false teachings.

If they don’t ever hear the proper teaching of creation, how would they learn. If you have a prison ministry and you go preach, are you going to preach to yours only. When you go to teach them, they may be Catholics, protestants, Jehovah witnesses, even Muslims. I believe we need to do our job even if it may be at the wrong location. 

[Jim_Alaska]

4 hours ago, E Morales said:

If they don’t ever hear the proper teaching of creation, how would they learn. If you have a prison ministry and you go preach, are you going to preach to yours only. When you go to teach them, they may be Catholics, protestants, Jehovah witnesses, even Muslims. I believe we need to do our job even if it may be at the wrong location. 

That is like saying it is okay to go to a barroom to preach. Scripture says to not cast our pearls before swine. Wrong is wrong, and if you associate with wrong you are wrong.

[HappyChristian]

7 hours ago, E Morales said:

If they don’t ever hear the proper teaching of creation, how would they learn. If you have a prison ministry and you go preach, are you going to preach to yours only. When you go to teach them, they may be Catholics, protestants, Jehovah witnesses, even Muslims. I believe we need to do our job even if it may be at the wrong location. 

Yes, it is important to know about creation. But simply put, a one-issue ministry is not balanced (especially one that is para-church). God is a God of balance. Sadly, the problem can become one of pride as single issue ministries begin to believe that they and only they have the answers (I am not saying AiG or ICR do, just generalizing). 

I know of preachers who began (back in the 70s, 80s) devoting their preaching to one topic and one topic only...and EVERY ONE of them developed issues - some went the way of the world, and some just went crazy (there were a couple who were immersed in "teaching" about the evils of witchcraft, satanism, and demon possession). 

I think that things would be different if the creation ministries were local-church based rather than para-church. God says in His Word that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Not single-issue ministries. The church. And the church has been commanded to teach and preach the whole counsel of God.

Don't get me wrong, E. I think the teaching of creation is absolutely vital. Especially today since so very many don't even know who God is. And this article in no way denigrates the teaching of creation, nor even the ministries. Rather, it points out some of the weaknesses of which Christians who use their materials need be aware.

And, BTW - if it's the "wrong location," then it's wrong...else it wouldn't be a wrong location.

[TheGloryLand]

4 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

Yes, it is important to know about creation. But simply put, a one-issue ministry is not balanced (especially one that is para-church). God is a God of balance. Sadly, the problem can become one of pride as single issue ministries begin to believe that they and only they have the answers (I am not saying AiG or ICR do, just generalizing). 

I know of preachers who began (back in the 70s, 80s) devoting their preaching to one topic and one topic only...and EVERY ONE of them developed issues - some went the way of the world, and some just went crazy (there were a couple who were immersed in "teaching" about the evils of witchcraft, satanism, and demon possession). 

I think that things would be different if the creation ministries were local-church based rather than para-church. God says in His Word that the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Not single-issue ministries. The church. And the church has been commanded to teach and preach the whole counsel of God.

Don't get me wrong, E. I think the teaching of creation is absolutely vital. Especially today since so very many don't even know who God is. And this article in no way denigrates the teaching of creation, nor even the ministries. Rather, it points out some of the weaknesses of which Christians who use their materials need be aware.

And, BTW - if it's the "wrong location," then it's wrong...else it wouldn't be a wrong location.

I was thinking that it was more of not everyone is a pastor, not everyone is a teacher, one plants the seed and another water. Thanks, I guess my version doesn’t apply here.

[HappyChristian]

8 hours ago, E Morales said:

I was thinking that it was more of not everyone is a pastor, not everyone is a teacher, one plants the seed and another water. Thanks, I guess my version doesn’t apply here.

I totally agree that we all should do what we can, whether pastor, teacher, or layman. But the article addresses a specific concern - the lack of presenting the whole counsel of God by ministries that do a good thing. Your version (I'm guessing you mean your opinion?) does apply as we are discussing things, and via our discussions we can all learn and grow. But even as an individual, we ought not be in "wrong" locations. It's never right to do wrong in order to do right. 

 

[Jerry]

Here is a good related article:

https://www.wayoflife.org/database/usingcreationmaterials.html