News and Notes Update: December 23, 2020

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Before taking a few days off to celebrate our Savior’s birth with family and friends, I wanted to provide an update on things. Some of these are not necessarily “news” but they do fall under “notes” so I’ve included them.

Quick Prayerism
This is a subject that should be discussed more throughout Christendom. Sadly, it’s not. It’s simply accepted by too many as THE way to bring people to the Lord. The problem is that it is not Scriptural. It is not in Scripture in any way, shape or form, yet too many pastors and evangelists continue to use this contrived, manipulative, unscriptural method to pronounce people “saved.”

Having just finished reading David Cloud’s book on Quick Prayerism (click link at end of article to download a free PDF or purchase your own copy), I can tell you that this book is a breath of fresh air for me personally.

Note what David Cloud says about quick prayerism:

Quick Prayerism is an evangelistic methodology that is quick to get people to pray a sinner’s prayer after a very shallow gospel presentation and usually without any hint of the necessity of repentance. It is quick to pronounce those people saved and give them “assurance” and to try to baptize them even if they barely show any interest in the presentation and even if they give no biblical evidence of having been born again. Frequently, Quick Prayerism incorporates psychological salesmanship manipulation. In Quick Prayerism, an empty “sinner’s prayer” has too often replaced Holy Spirit conviction and miraculous regeneration. Quick Prayerism is characterized by soul winning reports that are grossly exaggerated, since the number of real conversions (as evidenced by changed lives) are minute compared to the overall statistics. [1]

We don’t see quick prayerism used at the end of Peter’s sermon the day the Church was born in Acts 2. We don’t see it evidenced in the way Jesus interacted with people. We do not see it in any of the epistles of Paul or any other book in the Bible for that matter, yet the “repeat after me” prayer has become a staple within too many churches and parachurch organizations.

Cloud traces the roots of quick prayerism back to Jack Hyles and comes forward from there. It’s worth a look, a serious look. In fact, I find it fascinating that quick prayerism is often utilized without even a cursory mention of the need for repentance or the fact that we are naturally not only estranged from God but because of our inherent sinful condition, we are actually enemies of God. Yet, quick prayerism offers a humanistic, pragmatic solution to how one becomes saved. Does your church do this? Mine tends to and I abhor it.

The biggest problem with quick prayerism is the fact that many believe using it produces great results. Yes, you hear the “I want to go to heaven” responses constantly because who does not want to go to heaven? The problem is we are asking questions that no one in the Bible asked. People need to be faced with their lost condition and know why they are lost. They also need to know what the only solution is for their lostness. They must be given opportunity to understand what the Bible teaches about our condition and the “Roman’s Road” is often painfully truncated, at least considering how it is often used by “evangelists.”

Cloud believes that due to quick prayerism, we have churches filled with people who although professing to be Christians may well not be at all. I’ll take it one step further and suggest that this situation may deteriorate and become a huge part of what Paul calls the “falling away” in his letter to Timothy.

Evangelism shouldn’t be about entertainment and certainly not about manipulating people into a rushed decision that moves them to the end of the line so that the evangelist can “chalk up another one.” True salvation comes when we take the time to present the reality of the Gospel message – all of it – and the Holy Spirit works to open the eyes of the person. As their eyes open, they begin to see the truth. Once seen, they have opportunity to embrace that truth if they understand their absolute need for it. Apart from this, there is no salvation.

Election & Relief Package
Are you puzzled about the election? Don’t be. Trust the Lord. What I mean by that is trust the Lord. Whoever becomes the duly elected president of the United States will be so because the Lord allows or directs it. Frankly, I’m not putting much faith in anyone.

If you judge by conservative sites, Donald Trump is going to pull a huge surprise on January 6th to remain president for a second term. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is getting ready to move into the Oval Office. I have no clue what will happen, but I am trying my best to focus on what God is accomplishing. He has not told me what His plans are and I don’t need to know ahead of time.

Congress just voted on a “relief” package for the American people that includes about $600 per person (though not everyone is slated to receive that). However, it is fascinating that millions are apparently going to be sent overseas to numerous foreign countries. Beyond that, those illegally here in the USA are slated to receive $1800 so that tells us what Congress thinks of actual American citizens and others here legally.

Chances are good though that all the money being sent overseas will come back to Democrats as “laundered” money, which will be untraceable. Who knows? It simply confirms in my mind that there is a tremendous amount of corruption in Congress and with too many politicians in general.

President Trump wants Congress to go back and give Americans $2,000, not $600. He also wants Congress to remove the “pork” from the bill or he’ll veto. Interestingly enough, Mitch McConnell is working with Chuck Schumer to come up with ways to overcome should Trump follow through on his threat to veto.

Folks, these people are paid by Americans, but they really work for globalists and global interests. That should be obvious to everyone by now. What will happen? Not sure and frankly, I don’t think I’ll waste more time thinking about it.

Moving On
It’s December 23, 2020. This year is almost over. It feels weird. It’s like we’ve been under house arrest for most of 2020 (because we have). Thousands of businesses have gone out of business with millions claiming unemployment benefits.

The world is just a different place today and even though we’d like to look ahead and believe that 2021 will be better, there’s no guarantee. None at all. The only guarantee we have is that God is still on the throne. He controls all things either directly or indirectly because His will is going to be accomplished as it has since the beginning.

I hope you and yours enjoy the time together in the last week or so of December. It’s certainly more somber than other years isn’t it?

My prayer for you is that you will get to know Him better in 2021. This of course is accomplished through the reading and study of His Word. If you’re not doing that, you cannot expect to get to know the Author of that Book.

Take time to read His Word daily. Take time to pray. Determine that you will follow Him wherever He leads you for His glory. Take time to share the message of salvation to those who are lost and dying.

I may be starting a study in Hebrews as a “zoom” weekly meeting and in person. I’ll keep you posted if that happens. I’d like to have it once per week, the same day and time and the videos will likely be posted at our Sermon Audio page.

More to come and God bless you all!

[1] https://www.wayoflife.org/free_ebooks/fbs_and_quick_prayerism.php

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective