Donald Miller

[RyanMac]

Hey have any of you read books by Donald Miller? I really enjoy his writings and wonder if anyone else here does too.
I have Blue Like Jazz, Searching For God Knows What, and Through Painted Deserts. I love his writing style and how he can make great points while keeping it simple to read. Blue Like Jazz is geared more for a newer Christian, but Searching For God Knows What was a great, interesting read about our relationship with Christ and Through Painted Deserts was a fun narrative about a road trip where he learns about life and God.
Any fans?

[mattfivefour]

OK, now you have lost me. You are promoting as good an author who is not only emergent church but held in high regard by its leaders such as Rick Warren, Brian MacLaren, Bill Hybels. et al. The "christianity" that Miller espouses is a new age neo-mystical christianity which is at odds with the plain statement of Scripture. He is both Pelagian and Antinomian. There are many, many articles dealing with his beliefs and why his "Christianity" is false and apostate. Perhaps one of the best is "Green Like Envy: An Ex-pagan Looks At Blue Like Jazz. It's written by Richard and Linda Nathan who are articulate spokespeople for the fight against apostasy, including especially t"he emergent church".

[RyanMac]

He is more liberal than I am no doubt, but I never questioned his love for Jesus because of it. There is absolutely nothing new age or mystical in the books I have read. If there was, I wouldn't have bothered reading them.

[mattfivefour]

Maybe you do not understand what is meant by mysticism in the biblical context. Or perhaps you do not understand the subtlety of error. Read the Green Like Envy article. It will at least give you an understanding of the arguments against Miller's theology and why he is so loved by the apostate church.

[RyanMac]

I'll check it out.

[Ruth]

You may want to do some reading at this site as well to learn from some expert Christian researchers on various false teachers / teachings that we find in our midst today.

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch....uelikejazz.htm

[bghtnpd4]

I'm with Matt. And, I am concerned about a lot of your "liberal" ideas you're posting on the forum, Ryan. This is a very conservative board because it adheres to scripture, and we like it that way because it keeps us on the narrow path and saves us from a lot of heartache and pain. "Liberal" in ANY sense of the word is NOT what this forum is about. With that said, I've sent this thread to the mods so they can give their input also...

[RyanMac]

Stop telling me I do not adhere to Scripture.

I didn't know these things about Miller and I've been reading what has been posted. I've never been called a liberal in my life until now, and thanks to your report, I got a PM from Chris calling me one in the subject line.

[Ruth]

Personally Ryan, I think you are just young and have not spent nearly the years we have studying and defending the gospel.

I think sometimes we get jumpy because the attack on the true gospel is a steady stream that just seems to never stop.

I hope you can forgive us if we have not handled our apologetic stance in the best frame of love at the same time.

After all, our Lord tells us in

1 Cor 13
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

Please forgive us and keep asking questions.

[RyanMac]

The truth is I am not solid in every belief I currently hold. I am committed to Christ, but I have a fluid worldview when it comes to non fundamental issues, if that's the best way to describe it.. I strive to keep to the truth while keeping an open mind. Hmm..

Perhaps I should have posted in the testimony forum so you can see where I'm coming from.

[Ruth]

The truth is I am not solid in every belief I currently hold. I am committed to Christ, but I have a fluid worldview when it comes to non fundamental issues, if that's the best way to describe it.. I strive to keep to the truth while keeping an open mind. Hmm..

Perhaps I should have posted in the testimony forum so you can see where I'm coming from.

It may not be a bad idea to post in the testimony forum so we can fully understand and not jump to conclusions.

But, have you ever considered why Jesus said the path is narrow?

What did He mean by most people follow the wide path that leads to hell?

We have all been where you are and have learned that it is not possible to have your feet on both sides. You must be firmly on the narrow path.

What many here have tried to show you is when we see you trying to have feet on both roads and it cannot last. You will have to choose.

Being a Christian means repenting, which means changing direction.
It means to turn around and follow Christ. It means to no longer be a part of this world but simply traveling through.

We die to self and are born again through Him. We seek to only please Him and not ourselves.

Maybe the parable of the seeds will help you to understand where we are coming from a little better.

Matthew 13

[Suzanne]

It may not be a bad idea to post in the testimony forum so we can fully understand and not jump to conclusions.

But, have you ever considered why Jesus said the path is narrow?

What did He mean by most people follow the wide path that leads to hell?

We have all been where you are and have learned that it is not possible to have your feet on both sides. You must be firmly on the narrow path.

What many here have tried to show you is when we see you trying to have feet on both roads and it cannot last. You will have to choose.

Being a Christian means repenting, which means changing direction.
It means to turn around and follow Christ. It means to no longer be a part of this world but simply traveling through.

We die to self and are born again through Him. We seek to only please Him and not ourselves.

Maybe the parable of the seeds will help you to understand where we are coming from a little better.

Matthew 13

Ruth: That was very well put.

Ryan: You do have to choose between the world and Jesus Christ. If you don't cling to God, you'll end up serving the world.

[bghtnpd4]

Ruth said it waaaay better than I ever could. Since truly committing my life to Jesus, I just don't waver. Scripture is clear on any and all topics we humans could come up with and the world has absolutely nothing to offer me in any of their beliefs or ideas, period. I do not and will not have an "open mind" to anything that is not based on scripture. That, like Ruth said, I've learned through being where you are and getting kicked repeatedly in the teeth by what those beliefs and ideas bring. Having an open mind (the way the world says it) is the LAST thing we Christians need to have at this moment because of all of the deception going on. So, I suppose that I may just need to not respond to your posts, Ryan. Because I know how distructive your views are and I don't have the patience needed (like Ruth and Suzanne for example) to help walk you out of them. So, with that said, I'm going to do just that....

[bghtnpd4]

Stop telling me I do not adhere to Scripture.

I didn't know these things about Miller and I've been reading what has been posted. I've never been called a liberal in my life until now, and thanks to your report, I got a PM from Chris calling me one in the subject line.

Chris knows his stuff and this is his board. I have the right and responsibility to report any and all posts to the administrators of this board and will not cease doing so out of fear of offending someone. Like I said, those of us who've been here from the inception of this board, love coming here because it's safe and comfortable because of the strict adherence to scripture by the moderators. This may just be one of MANY boards that you peruse, but this, Ryan, is our HOME and we take that seriously~ALL OF US. We have all (especially the admins) worked long and hard over the years to ensure that this board remains a safe haven for us. A place where we don't have to justify this or argue about that or debate what the majority of other boards are doing...I could go on and on. So, you'll have to excuse me and others, I'm sure, if we get a little testy when people start bringing liberal ldeas here and expect us to take it and not say anything. That's not how it works here. I would recommend that you listen to those of us pointing out the fact that your ideas are liberal and check them against scripture to see if we're right. Your problem, ultimately, does not lie with us or our views. Your problem is with the author of the book we try to strictly follow...

[bride_of_christ]

Chris knows his stuff and this is his board. I have the right and responsibility to report any and all posts to the administrators of this board and will not cease doing so out of fear of offending someone. Like I said, those of us who've been here from the inception of this board, love coming here because it's safe and comfortable because of the strict adherence to scripture by the moderators. This may just be one of MANY boards that you peruse, but this, Ryan, is our HOME and we take that seriously~ALL OF US. We have all (especially the admins) worked long and hard over the years to ensure that this board remains a safe haven for us. A place where we don't have to justify this or argue about that or debate what the majority of other boards are doing...I could go on and on. So, you'll have to excuse me and others, I'm sure, if we get a little testy when people start bringing liberal ldeas here and expect us to take it and not say anything. That's not how it works here. I would recommend that you listen to those of us pointing out the fact that your ideas are liberal and check them against scripture to see if we're right. Your problem, ultimately, does not lie with us or our views. Your problem is with the author of the book we try to strictly follow...

Couldn't have said it better myself!