Phil Johnson: Jesus Calling

CCM Needs Reform - Part 5

As I mentioned in a previous post, I attended church with a Contemporary Christian musician during my years in Houston, TX. For those wondering who it was, it was Wayne Watson known songs such as Watercolor Ponies, Giants in the Land, and Home Free. Whenever Wayne was not on the road, he would be in church with his family. At times, he would sing with the church choir or one of his songs as a solo. He performed a concert for the Youth Ministry. 

Not many in the CCM industry are involved in church. Thankfully, we do have some who are regularly part of a local church, but a lot of them do not even mention their church life. 

I truly believe that those in the CCM industry really needs to commit themselves to a local church not just for their family, but for their own spiritual growth. These singers need the preaching of the Word as much as the business executive who desires to glorify God in their place of business. 

Being part of a church gives a CCM artist and anyone in the industry access to other believers who can hold them accountable, pray with them, serve with them, and have fellowship. 

Pastors can be a really be helpful to those in the CCM industry to equip them and help them have resources as they engage their listeners. 

Those in the CCM industry should be in the church because of they are part of the body of Christ, and we need each other. Those in the CCM world are not exempt from being part of the church just because they tour all over the world singing about Jesus. 

CCM Needs Reform - Part 4

For nearly 40 years, I have been a fan of the legendary Christian rock group Petra. I have enjoyed listening to their music whether I was sitting in my room or in the car. My youth group played them from time to time before our midweek service. 

One thing that I admire about them was their commitment to make their songs based on scripture.  I remember reading the lyrics to their songs and seeing scripture references to those songs. The same can be said of Steven Curtis Chapman. Almost every song he wrote, has a scripture reference attached to it. 

Commitment to the Bible and being Biblically literate is another area that need reform in the CCM industry. If these singers are going to be singing songs about God, they need to know who He is as He revealed Himself in His holy Word. 

Sadly, there some singers who cannot even answer basic questions about God and even what His Word has said about certain areas of life. When CCM singer Lauren Daigle was asked on iHeart Radio if homosexuality was a sin, her answer showed how Biblically illiterate she is. Her answer was, "I don't know. I am not God." Yes, she is not God, thankfully, yet God has shown us in His Word that homosexuality is a sin. 

For reform to happen in the CCM industry, we need people in the Word.

CCM Needs Reformed - Part 3

What needs to happen for Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) to have reform. As we have seen in the last post that Christians should be the ones singing these songs which made me realize that that it's not just the singers who need to be Christians to be in CCM, but also the writers of these songs and those who produce their albums. 

I mentioned in the last post about a comment Alisa Childers made that there some songs in the CCM industry that are written by non-Christians. It makes me wonder how anyone can, who is not a Christian, write a song about a God they do not even know. Why write about songs that is contrary to what they believe? Do we expect Muslims to write a Christian song about Christ? The same with Mormons and any other world religion.

The CCM industry should be one where God is glorifies as His people use their gifts for His glory and edify the church at large. We cannot and should not expect this from those who do not know Christ. They will be focused more on image and making songs that sound like something you will hear on any non-Christian music station, if you still listen to the radio rather the streaming music on your smart phone. 

Christian record labels need to have people who profess Christ as Lord and seek to honor Him.

CCM Needs Reform - Part 2

What needs to change in the CCM world? That is the question we will explore. I know there are a lot of opinions on this issue. I know there are some that have expressed their desire to see change in the CCM world while others want it to die. I truly believe the CCM industry can be salvaged only if certain changes can be made. 

Before I go any further, I want to say I am not talking about worship music. There have been many posts and podcast addressing the issue of worship music in the church today, but this is not what I am talking about. I am addressing a genre of music as an alternative for Christians to listen to and have their kids listen to as well. I am not saying abandon all of those non-Christian artists you have been listing to. That would be legalism. There are some decent musicians that are not in the CCM world that make good songs that are fun to listen to although you should use discernment and exercise caution when listening to non-Christian music and other forms of entertainment. 

With that being said, the first area that needs to happen to bring about change in the CCM is this, CCM stands for Contemporary Christian Music, therefore Christians are the ones that need to be singing Christian music. I heard Alisa Childers say that is astonishing that many who write Christian songs are not Christians themselves. I remember hearing someone saying about a singer for a Christian band, who was arrested for hiring a hitman, saying 9 out of 10 bands he toured with were not Christians.

It boggles my mind that those who sing the name of Jesus in song do not believe in Christ. Then again, how many artists sing Christmas songs proclaiming Christ's birth, yet their albums talk their immoral lifestyle? Why would any non-Christian sing songs about Christ if they are not living for him? Remember, CCM is a money-making industry. They may not make as much as those in the mainstream world, but they make money.

We need Christians singing songs about Christ on the radio, streaming service, and arena all over the world, not those who only want to make a buck. 

CCM Needs Reform

The situation with Michael Tait has many people talking. Some are expressing sadness while others are expressing confusion and, for some, anger. Some non-Christians hope that this kills Christian music. 

I have loved Christian music for years. I even attended church with a Contemporary Christian musician, who would do solos at church from time to time. Christian music has been a way for me to hear music that was not worldly or even had to worry about the lyrics.

Christian music is not immune from scandal, and it is not just Michael Tait. I will never forget when Michael English, who we dubbed at my church, the Michael Bolton of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) world, confessed to an affair with one of the female singers of a group named First Call. English only had two CCM albums released at the time and his music played on Christian radio. After the affair was confessed, his albums were pulled from Christian Bookstore shelves, and his songs were never played on the radio again.

While this along with recent scandals in the CCM world, many have wondered what needs to change for CCM artists. Let's face it, CCM is a money-making industry. I get it. A worker earns his wages. However, record labels care about image and what sales. Just watch the movie "Unsung Hero," and you will see how true that is. 

Granted, there have been many great CCM artists and songs over the years, but there needs to be a change. There needs to be reform if artists want to magnify Christ and encourage its listeners. Not trying to sound like K-Love, but I remember songs encouraging me during my teenage years. I am still encouraged by some of them to this day although there are some songs I have issues with theologically that I would not even recommend today. 

I do not want to give up on CCM. I still think it can be used by God to magnify His name, but there needs to be reform. There needs to be a change. I know some of you might not agree with me and that is fine. Some of you might want to see CCM go away. Granted, there are some CCM artists that I wish did not make music because of their links to false teachers, but CCM needs solid artists who are not ashamed of the gospel and long to see people come to faith in Christ. 

Over the next few posts, I will be sharing my thoughts into what changes need to happen in the CCM world. 

A Revoked Honorary Doctorate That Should Never Have Happened

In the Spring of 2023, I received news that my alma mater, East Texas Baptist University (ETBU), gave an honorary doctorate to Robert Morris, the former pastor of Gateway Church. Obviously, this took place before the scandal broke over allegations of sexual misconduct. 

When the news broke out, I took my concern on X a.k.a Twitter for Morris's honorary doctorate to be revoked. Before, I go any further, an honorary doctorate can be revoked based on moral and ethical reasons. An honorary doctorate is something that someone did not earn. If Morris did earn his doctorate at ETBU, it could not be revoked. 

I have tagged ETBU numerous times on this issue and never received word until recently. Although, I was not mentioned in a comment on X, I did find the following on ETBU's website dated August 25, 2024:

In August 2024, the East Texas Baptist University Board of Trustees members unanimously voted to revoke the honorary doctorate previously awarded to Robert Morris. The action was taken following the discovery of Morris’ past abuse of minor Cindy Clemishire. The honorary doctorate was originally conferred upon Morris during the University’s Spring 2023 Commencement.

"Our institution prides itself on recognizing individuals who exemplify excellence, Christian servant leadership, and a commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ," President J. Blair Blackburn said. "The Board of Trustees made the decision to rescind Robert Morris’ honorary doctorate after learning of his actions that directly oppose ETBU’s Christ-centered mission and core commitments. We remain dedicated to standing firm for God’s truths that guide our Kingdom work. ETBU strives to ensure that institutional honors and awards reflect those who truly embody our mission. The ETBU Family extends our prayers for Cindy Clemishire and her family.”

I am thankful this did happen because ETBU would have faced massive media backlash if this was not addressed. However, I wished I have found out about this sooner because I was never given this information when I mentioned this on X even though I searched numerous times online. I care for ETBU a great deal and still thankful to God for my time there even though it was not as glorious as it could have been. 

While I am glad Morris's honorary doctorate was revoked, it should not have happened in the first place. Morris is a word-of-faith preacher. He has led people astray and a Southern Baptist university gave him an honorary doctorate. However, I am not surprised because they gave an honorary doctorate to Beth Moore in 2019. This has shown the continuing lack of discernment among Christians regarding false teachers.

Our Christian Colleges, Universities, and Seminaries are suffering from a lack of discernment. We must pray for all the students attending these institutions that they will recognize truth from error and the faculty to repent from these false teachings and be on guard against the wolves wanting to come in so they can get into the church.  

Jellyfish Christianity

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires (2 Timothy 4:3).

The consequences of this widespread dislike to doctrine are very serious in the present day. Whether we like to allow it or not, it is an epidemic which is doing great harm. It produces what I must venture to call, if I may coin the phrase, a jellyfish Christianity in the churches. A Christianity without bone, or muscle, or sinew, without any distinct teaching about the atonement, or the work of the Spirit, or justification, or the way of peace with God—a vague, foggy, misty Christianity, of which the only watchwords seem to be," You must be liberal and kind. You must condemn no man's doctrinal views. You must think everybody is right, and nobody is wrong."

A jellyfish, as everyone knows who has been much by the seaside, is a pretty and graceful object when it floats in the sea, contracting and expanding like a little, delicate, transparent umbrella. Yet the same jellyfish, when cast on the shore, is a mere helpless lump, without capacity for movement, self-defense, or self-preservation. Alas! It is a vivid type of much of the religion of this day, of which the leading principle is, No dogma, no distinct tenets, no positive doctrine." We have hundreds of jellyfish clergymen who seem not to have a single bone in their body of divinity. They have no definite opinions. They belong to no school or party. They are so afraid of "extreme" views that they have no views at all. We have thousands of jellyfish sermons preached every year, sermons without an edge or a point. They are as smooth as billiard balls, awakening no sinner, and edifying no saint.

They are tossed to and fro, like children, by every wind of doctrine! They are often carried away by any new excitement and sensational movement. They are ever ready for new things, because they have no firm grasp on the old Scripture truths! 

Adapted from Our Great Redeemer: 365 Days with J. C. Ryle

A Critique of Reformed Catholicity from Jesse Randolph

In this video, Jesse Randolph gives an overview and critique of Reformed Catholicity which has been affiliated with theological retrieval movement.

Major Concerns About Christian Music

In this video, Alisa Childers addresses concerns over Christian music:

The Truth about Many So-Called Christians

The following video from The Bible Sojourner:

Book Review: Let Men Be Free by Brandon James Crawford

Christians have said that America is a Christian nation. To be honest, it is really not. Yes, this nation was found on godly principles, but it does not mean we are a Christian nation. America did not enter into covenant with God like Israel did. 

There has been great discussion about Christians and politics these days to the point where there are huge disagreements especially on the topic of Christian nationalism. Should Christians be involved in politics? Should Christians be involved in anything when it comes to the laws of the land?

Brandon James Crawford looks at a healthy balance of Christianity and politics as well as an alternative to Doug Wilson and Stephen Wolfe's ideals for Christian nationalism in his book, Let Men Be Free: A Christian Vision for Ordered Liberty

This book begins with a look what Crawford states a better way in system of government that reconciles public order and personal freedom. he dubs it "biblically-ordered liberty" where the church and state are "regulated and relating to one another in the ways prescribed by the Lord Jesus Christ as articulated in Holy Scripture." This is must different from what Stephen Wolfe was considering because he based his case for Christian nationalism on philosophy and Thomism. 

Crawford goes on to remind his readers that Christ is King. He still rules even when the governments of the world do not seek to honor Him as Lord. He continues to state that every man in a nation with a balance of government and church working together has basic fundamental rights such earn a living, be a family man, and also equal rights under the law.

Crawford then addresses the mandates for the state and the church. The state is to be as God intended. The state is to make laws where evil is punished, and everyone is protected. The church is to do what Scripture dictates and that is to worship God and be salt and light to those who are lost. The church is not to go back in the days where the Roman Catholic church did where they ruled the land and was extremely involved in the government which included the punishment of those who were not part of the church, which is something, according to Crawford, Christian nationalists want to return to. 

At the end of the book, Crawford reminds his readers there will be a day when the King of Kings will rule this world, and His laws will be established everywhere which there will be no debate. That will be a glorious day from all Christians to witness. 

I will confess this is a tough book to review because I want to be fair and make sure that I have communicated what this book does communicate. I will say that I found this book more Biblically based over Stephen Wolfe's book on Christian nationalism where he gave no biblical support for his claims. You may not agree with Crawford's writing, but I challenge everyone to grab a copy and see for yourself.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

A Conversation Regarding MLK

In this video, Justin Peters speaks with Darrell B Harrison and Virgil Walker on whether or not Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian:

Book Review: The Wood Between the Worlds by Brian Zahnd

The message of the cross is an important message. It is the message that God has entrusted the church to proclaim. We see the Old Testament pointing forward to Jesus and the New Testament pointing back to what Jesus has done while pointing forward to His Second Coming.

The message of the cross is a message we must get right and proclaim it properly. There are times when the church gets it right while there are some within the church that get it wrong and add beliefs that are lined up with the Word of God. This is where Brian Zahnd's latest book, The Wood Between the Words, comes into play.

What is sad about this book is Zahnd had some things right in this book, but I dug deeper into this, he is completely off tracks. He does proclaim that the gospel is the heartbeat of the Christian message which I think most evangelicals will agree. The message of cross is good news and the most important message we will ever carry.

However, he goes right into a lot of his liberal theology which is what he is known for. One of the examples is his belief in penal substitutionary atonement. This doctrine is Jesus die on our behalf to receive the penalty for our sins from God on our behalf. Zahnd does not believe in this. He believes Jesus died an example for us to follow. 

He states that viewing the cross as Jesus appeasing the Father is looking at through pagan lenses. He quotes N.T. Wright stating that Christ appeasing God is "the paganizing of atonement theology." Jesus did not save us from God, Jesus reveals God as Savior according to Zahnd. I am sure Romans 5:9 has something to say about that.

Now this book was supposed to helps us see how the cross saves the world which every Christian believe that the message of the cross tells us how God placed His Son on there in our place for our sins which is not the message Zahnd communicates at all because it goes against his liberal theology. He kind of writes like Rob Bell where is he just go around in circles and then throws in a nugget of liberal nonsense such as using the Old Testament to support the death penalty as proof texting.

Zahnd even had a chapter on Mary which I found out of place. What does the mother of Jesus had anything to with the subject matter of this book? To be honest, this chapter seems to be worshipping Mary more than anything. The chapter even ended with the "Hail Mary" prayer. Does this mean that Zahnd is going more Roman Catholic in his theology? Only time will tell. 

This book was glorified mess and really hard to follow at times. If you are not careful, you will pass by some of Zahnd's liberalism and theological confusion. 

I recommend avoiding this book. 

I received this book from InterVarsity Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Making Biblicism Great Again

I have never heard the term "biblicism" until recently. At first, I had no what it meant. There are a couple of definitions for it. The first is the Bible is the only source of truth for the Christian. The Christian is not allowed to have books, commentaries, or even further teaching. Some have described biblicism as going under the tree with your Bible and sitting there. Others have used this definition to describe Solo Scriptura rather than Sola Scriptura meaning the Bible is our only authority.

The other definition of biblicism is where the Bible is our final authority for faith and practice. It is not the only authority, but it is our final authority. For example, as we sit under a pastor preaching the Word on any giving Sunday, he is exercising spiritual authority over us yet, as the Bereans did with Paul in Acts 17, we check the scriptures to see whether or not he is preaching truth or stepping out of bounds with his authority. These Biblicists practice Sola Scriptura and use commentaries and books in their study of the Bible. 

Obviously, I fall under the second definition of biblicism because I do believe the Bible is our final authority for faith and practice. I also do believe the use of commentaries, books, and even sermons in studying the Bible are beneficial. As I mentioned, the Bible is not the final authority in our walk with Jesus. If I want to learn how to change the toilet fill value in the bathroom of my house, I am going to seek advice or consult the "all-knowing" YouTube (Please note I do not believe YouTube is all-knowing).

The reason why biblicism is getting a bad rap is because many think Biblicists are the only ones who can interpret the Bible or saying we should not be using terms not necessarily found in the Bible such as Trinity, which is a word not in the Bible, but it helps us describe the triunity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Others have said it will lead to heresy or will lead us to the Roman Catholic Church because there is only one opinion for Biblicist, their own, which for those in the first category that is true, however for those under the second category, that is not true.

True Biblicists seek to make the Bible the standard for which Christians live by. I am not advocating in not using commentaries, books, study Bibles, or even Bible software. I mean I have dozens of book quotes on social media and do book reviews so I cannot be under the first definition of Biblicism. Do I believe we should look at what others have said regarding the passage you are studying? Yes, but the Bible has the final say. What the theologian you are reading may not line up with the Bible so Scripture trumps what you are reading. The same can be said for the Bible you are listening to whether it is your local church pastor or one you are hearing online. By the way, it is okay to use creeds and confessions because they are expressions of our faith. If the creed does not align with Scripture, to paraphrase Charles Spurgeon, do away with it.

As I mentioned earlier, there are some who believe Biblicists will not use terms such as Trinity and omnipresent. These terms help us in our theology to understand what God has revealed about Himself in the Bible. I actually have known people that refuse to use the word "Trinity" because it is not in the Bible. Some understand the concept, but they won't use the word. What's ironic is some of these guys will say "Rapture" yet that word is not in the Bible. When studying the attributes of God, we use words that are not necessarily in the Bible, but we use them for our benefit. 

So now comes the questions, how do we make biblicism great again? Jeffrey Johnson, in his book, The Revealed God, answers that:

If biblicism is the refusal to use non-biblical words to define concepts, then we need to stay clear of biblicism. But, if biblicism is the refusal to incorporate extra-biblical and contra-biblical concepts and ideas into Christianity, then let’s make biblicism great again.

Let us also make biblicism great again by letting the Bible be our final authority. Johnson continues:

The world’s wisdom may seem scholarly and impressive, but in the end, it’s merely a complicated way to suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness. It leads its disciples into an endless maze of ever-changing beliefs from one fallible philosopher to the next. 

Those who become mesmerized by its lure are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. It is one thing for pagan philosophers to craft their conceptions of reality in their rejection of God. Still, it is another thing for the church to be deceived into thinking worldly philosophies are reliable handmaidens to theology. 

If rationalism, empiricism, and existentialism are of no value to unbelievers, why would they be of any value to believers? Oh, that the church would learn not to look to man but to God alone. May the church not seek to build its worldview on the faulty foundations of rationalism, empiricism, or existentialism, but upon foundational truths of divine revelation — alone!

Ascol and Baucham address Christian Nationalism

Seems over the past couple of years, the term Christian Nationalism has been tossed around in various blogs and social media posts. It is also the subject of a book, which has been gaining a lot of attention. To be honest, I have not heard the term until the last few years, but it seems to be increasing in various discussions.

In these three videos, Tom Ascol and Voddie Baucham address the issue of Christian Nationalism. These messages took place at the Institute of Public Theology Pre-Conference prior to the 2023 Founders Conference:

Thoughts Regarding "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill"

In recent months, one podcast that has been the talk among Christians has been "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill," which is published by Christianity Today. This podcast looks at how the church formally known as Mars Hill began and what caused it to be non-existent. Most of the episodes deals with the former pastor of that church, Mark Driscoll, who has been a controversial figure in the evangelical world.

I have to admit, I did not want to listen to this podcast at first because of certain reviews I have read and heard regarding the content. So about a few weeks ago, I started listening to the podcast. I have to say the first few episodes were put together really well. It was almost like watching a documentary series on TV without the pictures. However, after the first episode, I began to wonder what is the agenda of Christianity Today making this podcast. 

As I continued listening more and more of what I heard backed up a lot of the critics of this podcast. First, it attacks complementarianism. Complementarianism, simply put, is the belief that men and women have been created by God equally yet have different roles in different areas of live. One example would be church leadership. Complementarians believe that men and women can be used by God in ministry, however, church leadership, such as a pastor of a church, as directed from Scripture, is for men only. 

The second thing that is made clear about this podcast is the lack of clarity from the Bible. I cannot recall anyone being interviewed, nor from the narrator of the podcast, Mike Cosper, quoting Scripture to rebuke anything Mars Hill did. If there was any Scripture references, it most likely from a sermon by Driscoll himself. We all have opinions why a church failed or succeeded, but we should always look to the Bible as it pertains to what God expects out of His church. It seems a lot of the interviews was more philosophical than Biblical.

Finally, some of the episodes have nothing to do with Mars Hill. Up to this point, the episode I have finished listening to "I Kissed Christianity Goodbye." This episode deals with Joshua Harris's deconstruction story as he walked away from the Christian faith and admits that his book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, has hurt a lot of people as they tried to apply it to their lives. Harris has requested the book to be not longer in print by the publisher, which they granted his request. As I was listening to Harris's story, one question came to my mind: what does Joshua Harris's deconstruction story have to do with Mars Hill? Absolutely nothing. I do not even recall Mars Hill or Mark Driscoll even being mentioned in that episode. 

As I write this, there are three more episodes that I have yet to listen to, which I plan on shortly. I am sure most of the concerns of this podcast will continue as it comes to a close in the near future. I am sure many of you are wondering if this is a podcast that I should be listening to. That is your choice, but, if you choose to do so,  I invite you to listen with an open Bible and a discerning heart, which we all should be doing with any podcast we listen to no matter the content. We should always have our Bible opened when listening to a sermon or a podcast so we can examine the Scriptures for ourselves. We also must practice discernment because the people on this podcast speak really well, but, regardless of who is preaching or speaking, we must be alert. 

John Cooper and Alisa Childers on the Current State of Christianity

John Cooper, lead singer of Skillet, joins Alisa Childers to discuss what is going with Christianity

R.C. Sproul on What Parts of the Law are Still Relevant Today

Should Christians Be Superstitous?

Today is Friday the 13th so I guess you can imagine there will be a lot of references to the horror movie franchise where the main villain is a zombified man who wears an old school hockey mask killing anyone he comes into contact with. Besides the movie, this day holds a lot of superstitious beliefs to many in society.

Many cultures consider Friday the 13th bad luck. There is even a "Christian" version of it:

According to biblical tradition, 13 guests attended the Last Supper, held on Maundy Thursday, including Jesus and his 12 apostles (one of whom, Judas, betrayed him). The next day, of course, was Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.

The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to a longstanding Christian superstition that having 13 guests at a table was a bad omen—specifically, that it was courting death.

Though Friday’s negative associations are weaker, some have suggested they also have roots in Christian tradition: Just as Jesus was crucified on a Friday, Friday was also said to be the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.

I am sure there are some that may believe this and many other stories regarding Friday the 13th. What is amazing is other superstitions our culture holds such as not walking under a ladder, throwing salt over your shoulder, what happens when a black cat crosses your path, and, my personal favorite, stepping on a crack will break your mother's back (sorry mom).

I don't know many Christians who hold these superstitions. Not walking under a ladder is more common sense than just avoiding bad luck. However, there are some Christians that are superstitious. Should Bible believing Christians be superstitious?

To help us out, I invite you to listen to Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker from the Just Thinking Podcast that address why Christians should not be superstitious:

Just Thinking episode: Superstitious Christianity