The Shack - Is this what God is really like?

I originally posted this blog on The Shack on 9/27/08 but decided to repost it because of the number of Christians I have recently encountered having questions on it.... Have you heard about or read the new bestseller, The Shack by William Young? Has it transformed or challenged the way you think about God? Have you compared its teaching with a balanced and holistic handling of what Scripture teaches? Gotquestions.org continues to be my favorite website as it answers difficult questions in a Bible-based manner. Although they do not usually do book reviews, they have chosen to do one in regard to the false teachings concerning God found in The Shack. I highly suggest reading the entirety of the review available HERE, as it interacts with and presents portions of the book...here are some excerpts from the article.

• The Trinity - God the Father is portrayed as "'a large beaming African-American woman' who introduces herself as Papa," "Jesus, a Middle Eastern man dressed as a laborer," and "the Holy Spirit, a woman of 'maybe northern Chinese or Nepalese or even Mongolian ethnicity' named Sarayu."
• The author "wants desperately to show us the God of love as found in Scripture (1 John 4:8), but he ignores the other side, the God of utter holiness (Isaiah 6:1-5) and, ultimately, the final Judge (Revelation 20:11-15)."
• "By emphasizing only one part of God’s nature, The Shack actually leads readers astray with regard to God’s attitude towards sin."
• "The words Papa speaks are a form of the ancient heresy of subordinationism, which puts Jesus in a lower rank within the Trinity. Scripture teaches that all three persons of the Trinity are equal in essence."
• "The Shack also teaches a form of patripassionism, another ancient heresy that teaches that God the Father suffered on the cross. "
• "The Shack wants to make God accessible to a hurting world, but its author also has a very low view of Scripture; in fact he mocks anyone who holds that there is such a thing as correct doctrine."
• "If one is to teach error, it is important to do away with Scripture, either by adding to it (Mormonism), mistranslating it (Jehovah's Witnesses) or simply mocking it (The Shack and some others in the "emergent church”). "

I have heard many people in recent months get very excited about The Shack, sharing its "impact" on their understanding of God and how it is transforming their lives. If human books have more impact on our understanding of God than Scripture, we cannot help but to be led astray, little by little.

2 Timothy 4:3-5 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."

Quote - John Piper

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." John Piper

I Am Second - Powerful Video Testimonies

This is a powerful website that presents short video testimonies of actors, athletes, musicians, business leaders, and everyday people.

Some recognizable names are: Darrell Waltrip, Stephen Baldwin, Jason Castro, Tony Evans, Josh Hamilton, Brian Welch, Joe Gibbs, & Jason Witten.

It categorizes the testimonies by names as well as struggles and temptations. It also contains short video answers to some common questions people may have and answers the question, "Why is Jesus first?"

Consider sharing this website with someone today...it may make an eternal difference! Beyond sharing this website, are you prepared to share your own testimony about how Christ has worked in and through your life?

Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

1 Peter 3:15-16 "15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

Here is Brian Welch's (from Korn) testimony about coming to Christ.

Prayer Verses

I have blessed with some incredible times of prayer with my Lord Jesus Christ this past week.

Here are some verses I feel led to share on prayer:

Matthew 18:19-20 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

Matthew 21:21-22 "21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

James 4:1-3 "1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. "

Sexting - Protect Your Teens

Do you know what your teenagers are accessing on their phones? Did you know that 22% of teenage girls and 18% of teenage boys have taken nude or semi-nude photos of themselves? That 33% of teenage boys report seeing such photos?Are you aware that 39% of teens have sent naughty texts as a means of flirting? As texting, camera phones, and internet-based phones ("smart phones") increase in use both new dangers and benefits must be acknowledged and dealt with. http://www.ilivevalues.com/ provides a helpful resource titled "Sex and Cell Phones: Protect Your Teens." Here are some excerpts and benefits of this resource:

• "79% of all teens (17 million) have a mobile device"
• "We believe every child and grandchild you know and love will be impacted, directly or indirectly, by sexually explicit content delivered over the Internet by computers and wireless technologies. "
• "90% of young people’s first exposure to pornography on the Internet is unintentional; the second exposure rarely is."
• "each child will have peers accessing pornographic Internet content through a wireless device "
• This resource contains a chart that shows how parents can protect their children through controls & features of some national cell phone networks

Statistics from http://www.nationalcoalition.org/

• "A survey of 600 households conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children found that 20% of parents do not know any of their children’s Internet passwords, instant messaging nicknames or email addresses"
• "The average age of first Internet exposure to pornography is 11 years oldInternet Pornography Statistics. Internet Filter Review, 2004"
• "The largest consumer of Internet pornography is the 12-17 age groupInternet Pornography Statistics. Internet Filter Review, 2004"
• "Only 5% of parents recognized the acronym POS (parent over shoulder) and only 1% could identify WTGP (want to go private?), both of which are used frequently by teens when instant messagingAds target online victimization of children. USA Today, 20 May 2004. "

Additional resources available below:

• National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families (http://www.nationalcoalition.org/ )
• Become educated about the new technology and its capabilities through the iCare website at http://www.icarecoalition.org/
• Text Messaging Language Chart

Quote - C.S. Lewis

"Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms." C.S. Lewis

Parenting and Media

Have you ever wondered how our media-saturated society will impact children and youth over the long run? How should we react and help protect our children while equipping them to make wise decisions in the midst of an increasingly depraved world? Dr. Al Mohler has shared a helpful article on http://www.crosswalk.com/ titled "A Generation Immersed in Media." Check out the below excerpts:

• "A new report indicates that the average child in America now spends 45 hours a week immersed in the media -- a multiple of the hours spent with parents or in the classroom."
• "80% agree that heavy media exposure increases the risk of harm, including obesity, smoking, sex, drug and alcohol use, attention problems and poor grades."
• "Today's children, equipped with iPods, cell phones, laptops, and portable video players, are seldom more than a few feet (if not inches) separated from media technologies."
• "we must be concerned with the effects of media exposure on the soul"

Here are some highlights from Dr. Mohler's suggestions for parents of today's generation:

1. "Limit the total media exposure experienced by your children"
2. "Do not allow children and teenagers to have televisions and Internet-connected computers in the bedroom"
3. "Make entertainment media a family experience."
4. "Parents have to do the hard work of actually knowing what their children and teenagers are watching, playing, hearing, and experiencing through media exposure."
5. "Realize that a revolution has taken place in the lives of children and adolescents. "
6. "Take a regular look at what your child is posting and what others are posting on his or her social media sites."
7. "Remember that saying "no" is a legitimate option. "

Quote - Hudson Taylor

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies." Hudson Taylor

Quote - Hudson Taylor

"The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, is the right fruit found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus.” Hudson Taylor

Quote - Leonard Ravenhill

"Today Christians spend more money on dog food than missions." Leonard Ravenhill

Quote - Sameul Zwemer

"I feel now, that Arabia could easily be evangelized within the next thirty years if it were not for the wicked selfishness of Christians." Sameul M. Zwemer

Quote - Oswald Chambers

"We are not built for ourselves, but for God. Not for service for God, but for God." Oswald Chambers

Quote - William Townsend

"The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue. It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner." William Townsend

Quote - Charles Wesley

"Keep us little and unknown, prized and loved by God alone." Charles Wesley

Marriage Questions - Gotquestions.org

Here are some good, biblical responses to more marriage questions:

• What does the Bible say about marriage?
• Is it right for a Christian to date or marry a non-Christian?
• Does a wife have to submit to her husband?
• What is/isn't a Christian married couple allowed to do, sexually?
• How often should a married couple have sex?
• What does the Bible say about divorce and remarriage?
• What does the Bible say about engagement?
• Where should we, as Christians, stand on gay marriage?
• What does the Bible say about prenuptial agreements?
• What does it mean to be one flesh in a marriage?
• How can I restore my marriage?
• Is it wrong for a married couple to have sex just for pleasure?
• Does marriage hinder your relationship with God?
• Should a married person have a close friend of the opposite sex?
• What should a Christian do if he or she is married to an unbeliever?
• What should be the Christian view of romance?
• Making marriage last - what is the key?
• What does the Bible say about the concept of a common law marriage?
• What does it mean to leave and cleave?
• Does the Bible support the Catholic practice of a marriage annulment?
• What does the Bible say about sex before marriage / premarital sex?