So a few weeks ago I was having a chat with a friend and the subject came up about why there are so few comments left on my blog.
Something you may not be aware of, is this site has a quite large and steady readership.
Believe me, nobody is more surprised than I am! :P
The most interesting thing, is I get quite a large number of questions and comments emailed to me, it's just that online comments are almost non-existent.
Another thing you may not know, is that I have been quite active at trying to partner with other Pastors and Evangelists. The funny thing about that, is while these other Pastors and Evangelists have a quite small online presence, they hold my lack of commenters against me. LOL.
So I have a request.
If it's not too much trouble, please leave some comments.
Who knows, maybe if some of the activity from my inbox gets shifted into the Blog.....
Maybe the second season of "Biblically Speaking" will get kick-started into motion!
For those of you who are privacy minded like myself, I'm not asking for you to get involved with social networking, not in the least. I'm just talking about starting a conversation, except instead of you emailing me, click the little box to leave a comment.
So I've been coming to this blog for the last year and a half or so (oddly enough from a comment section of a news website). I always find it interesting your take on the Bible. It's a fearless presentation that I think does lack in churches now.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I'd love to read your take on is all these high-profile Christian's coming out questioning/abandoning their faith. My wife and I were baffled with how these people could be so strong in their faith one day, then start questioning such simple things (the "milk" of the teaching, as it were).
James,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you so much for your comment.
Next, you're not alone. There are 1,000's of people who've been reading this blog every month for years! We're still struggling to figure out why the less "Biblically accurate" sites have lots of commenters, yet this site has yet to take off.
As for my fearless presentation, I never really thought about it in that way, but I suppose the reason it's done that way is simple. If I saw you crossing the street and a car was about to run you over, I would spring into action to try to push you out of the way. If I saw you about to eat a chicken wing and there was a bug on it, I'd grab your arm and stop you from putting it into your mouth. When it comes to basic "Bible 101", there's really only one "take" to be found in scripture. God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 - "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD", so any time I see people trying to turn what God said into something that makes them feel good, or trying to make what God said into something that helps them justify their sin-filled life, I again spring into action and call it out for what it is. I call that LOVE, while I'm sure the social justice warriors would call it hate. Go figure. ;)
And please don't misunderstand what I mean by "one take". There are 1,000's of things we can't answer in Scripture, some by design, some that are just ridiculous. We don't know the day or the hour of the Rapture, God says we're not meant to. Likewise, we don't know what color sandals Jesus wore. Neither of those are issues for me, but there are some who lose their minds over them. But when it comes to the nuts and bolts of Salvation and Discipleship, it's far, far easier just to take the Bible literally than to INTERPRET what God said. I have no problems with EXPLAINING the Bible, I have no trouble with TRANSLATING the Bible either. The thing that I take exception to, is the non-stop and millions of INTERPRETATIONS of what God said. I've said it before and I'll probably say it another 1,000 times before I'm done, "If you take the Bible for what it SAYS, it reads like a Children's book! (as long as you read it in your own language) Every time someone comes up with their own interpretation of what God said, that's when confusion crops up and inevitably causes the weaker or the seeker to fall away.
I have 2 requests:
1. Please point me in the direction of these "high-profile" people you're referring to. I'm thinking perhaps you're here to show me something I'm not aware of.
2. If you remember, I'd really love to know what news website's comment section lead you here.
Thanks again for your comments, your readership and your question. :)
I hope you didn't take "fearless presentation" as an insult, like you were being a provocateur. I have just stuck around because I find your thoughts as genuine and unashamedly faithful to the Word.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading your article on how the Bible reads like a children's book and laughing at first because of how much effort I put into reading the Bible and various versions. Then afterwards, I just stuck with my first Bible, and then it just clicked.
As far as your requests:
1) https://www.dailywire.com/news/50606/hillsong-united-songwriter-marty-sampson-announces-paul-bois
The two guys mentioned in the article I never followed (though I have heard of Hillsong), but my wife was familiar with them and they led millions to Christ.
I
was about to say that it's odd they got this far on their walk and then had doubts, but I guess they were just standing still and not really growing. In the end, it SHOULDN'T effect us, but I know it's still going to have some impact in the Christian world.
2) As far as the website that I was on, it was LouderWithCrowder.com. Which article, no idea.
While I'm thinking of it, I have trouble with accessing the biblically speaking shows, is there a different format? I'd like to listen to them, or if there are transcripts somewhere that would be great.
James,
ReplyDeleteI 100%, without a doubt, no questions asked, did not take what you wrote as an insult. As a matter of fact, it was taken with great reverence and processed with gravitas. Fact is, I saw it as the compliment it is, and I wanted to be sure I explained why it is that what I do manifests itself as "fearless presentation". So thank you for the compliment! :)
I really try to never miss an opportunity to remind people about how simple Bible reading can be IF and ONLY IF you take the parts that are meant to be taken literally, LITERALLY! I think a great majority of people these days don't know HOW to "read". I originally thought it was tied to a specific age-group, but I've since discovered it isn't. People don't know HOW to take things that are serious, seriously and don't know how to take sarcasm AS SARCASM. As if there aren't already enough reasons, it's really no wonder there is such a dire falling away taking place. :\
Thank you for the reference to Hillsong, BTW. I really hadn't heard about it. To be honest, I guess I really shouldn't be too surprised. In case you're not aware, Hillsong is UNIQUELY RESPONSIBLE for the millions of SEEKERS that "came to the lord" (notice the lowercase). Any Pastor worth his salt knows full well, that the majority of seekers will not be among the inheritors. So the fact that some members of the band feel just like the majority of their fans is no wonder. I'll read the article later this evening.
Steven Crowder, I've heard his name before as a B-List comedian. I remember several years ago reading something about him and Amy Schumer. I'd love to know how/why my name came up over there! Not that I mind! I would love it if somehow my ball started rolling. I've got such a heart for Christ that I really would love nothing more than to be able to get out the message I bring to as many people as the Lord will let me.
As for you having trouble accessing the shows, this is the first I'm hearing about it. Let me look into it and hopefully I'll have a solution by this weekend.
James,
ReplyDeleteSo I took the time to read that interview with Hillsong... (facepalm)
Need I say more?
It's thanks to people like Marty Sampson that people like Bill Maher and Penn Jillette go out of their way to make fun of Christians or even worse, think we're all crazy. Now it's true the Pentecostals, Catholics & Episcopals are responsible too, but when it's isolated down to 1 specific person for them to focus on, it gets really bad.
As for the problem with the Radio Show... (whew)
Thanks to you.... (said with heavy doses of sarcasm and smiling face)
Thanks to you, I am now on YouTube. Blessing or Curse, who can know?
I have created YouTube VIDEOS (because everything on YouTube is a video) for every single radio show. I re-edited all the audio, levelated everything, uploaded everything, set about 1,000 settings in YouTube's system, edited all the radio show pages and you can now casually click on any show you'd like and BOOM, Bob's your uncle, you can now watch (listen) on any device you'd like to. You know, cause it's YouTube!
And it's all your fault! (still sarcasm, still smiling)
As punishment for bringing this all to my attention, and causing me 20+ hours of work (seriously), I would like to give you a copy of my truly limited edition, personally signed and numbered, yet to be released book, But is it Biblical?
Since the comments on my blog are moderated (meaning nobody will see it but myself or my assistant), I would request that you leave me a comment with your full and correct mailing address and I'll drop a copy in the mail for you next week.
The nerve of some people... ;)
Oh yeah, and let that be a lesson to you...
Crime doesn't pay! (wait)
A stitch in time saves nine! (ummm)
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? (...)
I remember now....
No good deed goes unpunished!
Thanks again James! (that I meant)
If you want to leave a public comment, please leave it separate from your mailing address and I'll make the 1 public and the other I'll delete.
Excellent! Hope it wasn't too much trouble to convert those to YouTube. I know what I'll be bringing through in the coming weeks.
ReplyDeleteI was always curious if your book got released, I'd try to look through Amazon every so often. So I'm humbled to get a copy. Thank you.
You're very welcome, it's my pleasure.
ReplyDeleteI really had no idea the shows were offline.
I get so many messages from people, but nobody ever mentioned a thing about the show...
Nope, book hasn't been "released" yet. All copies are essentially "galley copies". I had a small amount made up and decided to give them out sparingly. Most went to proof-readers & fact checkers. The rest have been given out as gifts to people who are either intimately important to me, or in your case, someone who helped me out BIGLY! :P
I got your address, if you also shoot me your email, I'll give you the tracking number what I get it.
Thanks again my new friend. :)
I hope you enjoy the book!