I have written down my words today as I want to be sure I communicate what I want to say in a precise and full way, so forgive me for any sense of formality or any sense of being impersonal for that is surely not the intent. For those that are interested, I will be posting these thoughts on my blog site at the end of the day.
An important documentary/movie is scheduled for release in the near future entitled, Enemies Within the Church, conceived by a good friend, Pastor Cary Gordon of Cornerstone World Outreach in Sioux City, Iowa. To understand the purpose of the film in greater detail you may wish to watch a sneak peek at http://enemieswithinthechurch.com . The synopsis of the film is to produce the evidence which will expose and critique the burgeoning problem of heresy, false teaching, and error being disseminated through the Church. It will bring “light” to an agenda which should be of concern to every faithful Christian. This evidence, by its very nature, will expose teachers, pastors, and ministries which have embraced this heterodoxy, many of whom are incredibly popular and influential. It’s a documentary that needs to be done.
I listened, with no small sense of interest, to the recent interview of Grace Community Church Senior Pastor and author, John MacArthur, by equally notable conservative media analyst and apologist, Ben Shapiro. The interview revolved around MacArthur’s views concerning Western Civilization, American culture, Christian Worldview, and political engagement. The responses from the interview have ranged anywhere from excited affirmation to disappointed denouncement. For me, I found segments deeply troubling especially concerning his views of pastors and churches engaging the civic arena, while simultaneously appreciating his clear articulation of the Gospel. The last few minutes of MacArthur explaining the differences of Christianity to Judaism to a practicing Jew (Ben Shapiro) by using the Old Testament was powerful. I can’t help but think that this presentation made Shapiro think and potentially opened the door for God’s grace to reach his heart. That being said, the earlier interview segments were clearly out of his scope of understanding.
As many of you who are reading this blog know, I am about to embark on a new journey that is full of both excitement and anxiety. I resist using the term “fear”, because God is not the Author of that spirit. However, to be perfectly candid, the steps of faith and the inherent risk they almost always produce can at times be fraught with a number of human emotions. So to say there isn’t some appropriate anxiety in these days would be a lie, but those emotions are certainly restrained in the confidence that I am stepping into a new season of the Will of God for my life.
What is this “new” journey?
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What I am about to share constitutes (at least for me) a big announcement. After 35 years of almost non-stop pastoral ministry, and currently entering into the 60th year of life, the moment has arrived for Tracie and me to transition into the next phase or season of ministry assignment. Beginning January 1, 2019, I will no longer be the Lead Pastor of Legacy Church in Charleston, SC. After months of prayer and earnestly seeking of the Will of the Lord, along with the input of those who know me best, the time has come to bring closure to this season and walk into our future purposes the Lord has ordained.
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