Vision Forum Ministries Closing After Doug Phillips Admits "Inappropriate ..."

[Holy Mole]

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[Holy Mole]

My point previously expressed is invalid by his clarification of resignation that I missed:

http://www.visionforumministries.org/issues/news_and_reports/clarification_on_resignation.aspx

My friends opinion of this is that it just illustrated for him that there was a sin problem outside the IFB as well.  For me, this far from parallels the mess in the IFB (though my friend had no intention of such) but rather distinguishes from much of the IFB as a proper and more honorable way of dealing with sin as compared to a Schaap, Winniger, Gray or suchlike.

 

[Holy Mole]

FSSL said
Below are some good lessons raised on a blog:

Is defending the doctrine of justification your big thing? That’s where the devil will attack.

Has the Lord given you a passion against Internet porn? Be sure the devil has targeted that area of your life.

Do you preach against materialism? Know that the devil is planting seeds of discontent, greed, and covetousness in your heart.

Do you protest against the promotion of homosexuality? That’s right, the devil’s set his sights on kindling that lust within you.

Is gospel-centeredness your “thing?” Watch the devil turn that into a new “law” to forcefully impose on others.
Do you major on humility and service? The devil has pride and tyranny lurking just round the corner.

“Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

That is the best Comment I have ever seen on this site.

I've thought about this for some time and something partially doesn't sit right so I am going to take a contrarian view. Perhaps, it's all the narcissists that I've sat under but I cannot tell you how many times that I've heard pastors justfying the fall of pastors because they Devil hates them more because "they are doing more for God". I see a danger in too much of this thinking. My thoughts:

1. We dont really know who is doing what for God.
2. God really does the work through vessels of His chosing.
3. We are all created in the image of God and are therefore hated and wanted to see fall.

Yes we should "take heed lest we fall" yet let it not be our pride(which preceeds destruction) that lets us justify our sins, shortcomings and falls based on our attacks based on our zeal.

 

[FSSL]

Perhaps, it's all the narcissists that I've sat under but I cannot tell you how many times that I've heard pastors justfying the fall of pastors because they Devil hates them more because "they are doing more for God". I see a danger in too much of this thinking.

I am not sure your point is contrary. You make some great points that complement the above. You are very much correct in your assessment about the narcissistic pastors who look for excuses.

I have taken the above to be a warning to both the preacher and those who follow them. If you are in a ministry where the pastor is ALWAYS talking about sexual sin... be wary. You can tell more about a ministry by its hobby horses than its doctrinal statement.

It is absolutely true that Satan is working to "sift" all believers.

 

[prophet]

And some people reject church "stars" in favour of home-church-movement ones.

The church I attended in North Carolina was not a home church.  They had a handful of elders who took turns preaching a message.  I don't recall if they had anyone performing pastoral duties, but I assume so.  But there was no "pastor" or single leader of the church.

In other words, you don't need to be a home church to avoid the pitfalls of star pastors or single leaders.

No you don't need to be a home church, but you need to actually believe the scriptures, and let them generate what you accept as doctrine.
Recently, I taught that their wasn't a single shred of evidence in the NT to support the idea of a lead pastor. 
The 1 time it appears in the NT, the word is pl...Eph.4:11, and is listed as a part of a subset within a set:"pastors and teachers".  The previous gifts in the set were set apart from each other.
I showed numerous references to churches with multiple elders: Acts20:17 describes Timothy's church.
Multiple bishops: Phillipians 1:1
But not one reference to a church with a single 'top man'.
Needless to say, the result was the typical emotional rant, and shunning by the star power crowd.

Anishinaabe

 

[BALAAM]

And some people reject church "stars" in favour of home-church-movement ones.

The church I attended in North Carolina was not a home church.  They had a handful of elders who took turns preaching a message.  I don't recall if they had anyone performing pastoral duties, but I assume so.  But there was no "pastor" or single leader of the church.

In other words, you don't need to be a home church to avoid the pitfalls of star pastors or single leaders.

No you don't need to be a home church, but you need to actually believe the scriptures, and let them generate what you accept as doctrine.
Recently, I taught that their wasn't a single shred of evidence in the NT to support the idea of a lead pastor. 
The 1 time it appears in the NT, the word is pl...Eph.4:11, and is listed as a part of a subset within a set:"pastors and teachers".  The previous gifts in the set were set apart from each other.
I showed numerous references to churches with multiple elders: Acts20:17 describes Timothy's church.
Multiple bishops: Phillipians 1:1
But not one reference to a church with a single 'top man'.
Needless to say, the result was the typical emotional rant, and shunning by the star power crowd.

Anishinaabe

Mikey, for this I shun you.  Shun, shun, shun.

 

[Just John]

I was informed today that ALL facets of Vision Forum will be shutting down.