M-3 PEOPLE-FILES
- Mychal Massie - Sam Masateller - Doug Mastriano - John Matarazzo - David Mathis - Keith A Mathison - Brian Mattson - Clifford Mayes - Lauren Mcafee - Stephen McAlpine - SA McCarthy - Dan McCartney - Chance McConnell - DaveMcConnell - Scott McConnell - Dan McCoy - Rob McCoy -
==mychal massie======
Mychal Massie is an ordained minister who spent 13 years in full-time Christian Ministry. Today he serves as founder and Chairman of the Racial Policy Center (RPC), a think tank he officially founded in September 2015. RPC advocates for a colorblind society. He was founder and president of the non-profit “In His Name Ministries.” He is the former National Chairman of a conservative Capitol Hill think tank and a former member of the think tank National Center for Public Policy Research. In his official capacity with this free-market, public-policy think tank, he has spoken at the U.S. Capitol, CPAC, participated in numerous press conferences on Capitol Hill, the National Press Club and testified in private session before the Chairman of the House Committee on Resources concerning property rights pursuant to the “Endangered Species Act.” Mychal’s blog is called “The Daily Rant.” He has been a keynote speaker at colleges and universities nationwide, at Tea Party Rallies, as well as rallies supporting our troops, conservative presidents, and conservative causes across the country. He is an unapologetic supporter of our right to own and carry firearms. Mychal is also a nationally syndicated op-ed columnist and former host of the top-rated talk show on the Rightalk Radio Network – “Straight Talk with Mychal Massie.” He is a self-employed business owner of 40-plus years. Mychal is an inspirational / motivational speaker and a regularly featured guest on TV / talk radio programs. The online version of his column is carried by WorldNetDaily.com and enjoys a loyal, supportive readership around the world. Mychal has appeared on every major news-talk television and radio program in the U.S., as well as top international news programs.
==sam masteller======
June 12, 2023: Word & Way: With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth Strategy
Other TPUSA partners have merged anti-liberal rhetoric with political defiance. Freedom Life Church in Christiana, Pennsylvania, has hosted multiple TPUSA-branded events, including a “Worldview Weekend” in April. During the gathering, senior pastor Sam Masteller asked local school board candidates to join him on stage, then urged the audience to support them — a move he suggested defied the IRS’ rule prohibiting nonprofits, including churches, from endorsing candidates.
Other TPUSA partners have merged anti-liberal rhetoric with political defiance. Freedom Life Church in Christiana, Pennsylvania, has hosted multiple TPUSA-branded events, including a “Worldview Weekend” in April. During the gathering, senior pastor Sam Masteller asked local school board candidates to join him on stage, then urged the audience to support them — a move he suggested defied the IRS’ rule prohibiting nonprofits, including churches, from endorsing candidates.
==doug mastriano======
Douglas Vincent Mastriano (born January 2, 1964) is an American far right politician and retired military officer who has served in the Pennsylvania Senate since 2019, representing the 33rd district. A member of the Republican Party, he was also the party's nominee in the 2022 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election. Born in New Jersey, Mastriano served in the United States Army from 1986 to 2017 and attained the rank of colonel. He ran for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district in 2018, where he finished fourth in the primary. Mastriano won the state senate seat for the 33rd District the following year in a special election. In 2022, he won the Republican nomination for governor and lost to Democrat Josh Shapiro in the general election. Mastriano is a prominent figure in fundamentalist Christian nationalism and has called the separation of church and state a myth. He has made social media posts referencing QAnon and has spoken at events that promoted QAnon and 9/11 conspiracy theories. An election denier and self-professed close ally of former president Donald Trump, Mastriano received national attention for his efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election
A Savior Will Arise from Gettysburg and His Name Shall Be Mastriano
Douglas Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, has faced much criticism for his Christian nationalism—the belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that the purpose of politics is to reclaim this supposed heritage. The criticism is justified. Mastriano is a conservative activist and politician who manipulates the American past to promote his God-and-country agenda.
There is perhaps no clearer example of Mastriano’s Christian nationalist view of American history than a recent video of him giving a tour of the murals in the senate chamber of the Pennsylvania capitol building in Harrisburg. In the video, which was filmed on April 13, 2022 and published earlier this month on Facebook, Mastriano is joined by Abby Abildness, director of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, an organization committed to “igniting an intellectual awakening about prayer and God’s role in America.”
(John Fea/Current 7.22.22) READ MORE>>>>>
Douglas Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, has faced much criticism for his Christian nationalism—the belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that the purpose of politics is to reclaim this supposed heritage. The criticism is justified. Mastriano is a conservative activist and politician who manipulates the American past to promote his God-and-country agenda.
There is perhaps no clearer example of Mastriano’s Christian nationalist view of American history than a recent video of him giving a tour of the murals in the senate chamber of the Pennsylvania capitol building in Harrisburg. In the video, which was filmed on April 13, 2022 and published earlier this month on Facebook, Mastriano is joined by Abby Abildness, director of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, an organization committed to “igniting an intellectual awakening about prayer and God’s role in America.”
(John Fea/Current 7.22.22) READ MORE>>>>>
May 29, 2022: Denver Post: Christian nationalism on the rise in some GOP campaigns
The victory party took on the feel of an evangelical worship service after Doug Mastriano won Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial primary this month. As a Christian singer led the crowd in song, some raised their arms toward the heavens in praise.
Mastriano opened his remarks by evoking Scripture: “God uses the foolish to confound the wise.” He claimed Pennsylvanians’ freedom would be “snatched away” if his Democratic opponent wins in November, and cast the election in starkly religious terms with another biblical reference: “Let’s choose this day to serve the Lord.”
Mastriano, a state senator and retired Army colonel, has not only made faith central to his personal story but has woven conservative Christian beliefs and symbols into the campaign — becoming the most prominent example this election cycle of what some observers call a surge of Christian nationalism among Republican candidates.
The victory party took on the feel of an evangelical worship service after Doug Mastriano won Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial primary this month. As a Christian singer led the crowd in song, some raised their arms toward the heavens in praise.
Mastriano opened his remarks by evoking Scripture: “God uses the foolish to confound the wise.” He claimed Pennsylvanians’ freedom would be “snatched away” if his Democratic opponent wins in November, and cast the election in starkly religious terms with another biblical reference: “Let’s choose this day to serve the Lord.”
Mastriano, a state senator and retired Army colonel, has not only made faith central to his personal story but has woven conservative Christian beliefs and symbols into the campaign — becoming the most prominent example this election cycle of what some observers call a surge of Christian nationalism among Republican candidates.
==john matarazzo=====
Mike Winger Says Benny Hinn Is Not a Christian During Interview With Charisma
Christian YouTuber Mike Winger, an ordained pastor who is not currently shepherding a church, recently spoke with Charisma Media’s John Matarazzo about his four-hour video titled “The Victims of Benny Hinn: 30 years of Spiritual Deception.” Seventeen days after posting his viral video, Winger shared in a separate video that Hinn was attempting to get the previous video, which has over 900,000 views, removed from YouTube. In the four-hour video, Winger argued that Hinn was financially and spiritually abusive throughout his years of ministry. Winger’s interview with Charisma comes after the outlet posted a two-part interview with Hinn. Matarazzo said, “We’re trying to platform voices the best way that we can as we see God moving
(Charisma 5/17/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Christian YouTuber Mike Winger, an ordained pastor who is not currently shepherding a church, recently spoke with Charisma Media’s John Matarazzo about his four-hour video titled “The Victims of Benny Hinn: 30 years of Spiritual Deception.” Seventeen days after posting his viral video, Winger shared in a separate video that Hinn was attempting to get the previous video, which has over 900,000 views, removed from YouTube. In the four-hour video, Winger argued that Hinn was financially and spiritually abusive throughout his years of ministry. Winger’s interview with Charisma comes after the outlet posted a two-part interview with Hinn. Matarazzo said, “We’re trying to platform voices the best way that we can as we see God moving
(Charisma 5/17/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==david mathis======
David Mathis is executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at Cities Church. He is a husband, father of four, and author of Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders (2022). He is the author of Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines.
David Mathis
God himself is the source of wisdom. Thus, it is the fool who says in his heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1), and Proverbs gives us the refrain, “the fear of the Lᴏʀᴅ is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7; 2:5; 8:13; 9:10; 15:33). True wisdom begins with God and has its constant source and supply in God. So, says Tremper Longman, Proverbs teaches us that “relationship precedes ethics” (Intro to the OT, 269).
According to Longman, “wise” is the biblical word to “describe the person who navigates life well” (How to Read Proverbs, 13). Wisdom is the skill of living. It is a practical knowledge that helps one know how to act and how to speak in different situations. Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people’s speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us.
Wisdom is not intelligence pure and simple. . . . Biblical wisdom is much closer to the idea of emotional intelligence than it is to Intelligence Quotient. Wisdom is a skill, a “knowing how”; it is not raw intellect, a “knowing that.” (14–16)
The biblical concept of wisdom is, in large measure, analogous with the idea of maturity. The wise person is one who is mature in his knowledge of God — based on God’s self-revelation — as well as his understanding of himself and his surroundings. The wise person is able to “navigate life well,” in the real world, as defined by God in the Scriptures.
According to Longman, “wise” is the biblical word to “describe the person who navigates life well” (How to Read Proverbs, 13). Wisdom is the skill of living. It is a practical knowledge that helps one know how to act and how to speak in different situations. Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people’s speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us.
Wisdom is not intelligence pure and simple. . . . Biblical wisdom is much closer to the idea of emotional intelligence than it is to Intelligence Quotient. Wisdom is a skill, a “knowing how”; it is not raw intellect, a “knowing that.” (14–16)
The biblical concept of wisdom is, in large measure, analogous with the idea of maturity. The wise person is one who is mature in his knowledge of God — based on God’s self-revelation — as well as his understanding of himself and his surroundings. The wise person is able to “navigate life well,” in the real world, as defined by God in the Scriptures.
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How Jesus Met with God
One of the more controversial issues in missions today is speed. How quickly do we expect the lost to be saved? How soon will new churches plant new churches? How fast should a new believer move into a leadership role? How long should cross-cultural missionaries work on learning a language? In our times, we will do well to carefully interrogate our assumptions about speed and pace. Our internal speedometers are being conditioned to the quickening pace of modern life with its rapid flow of technological innovations. So, in our “age of accelerations,” pressing questions relate to speed — not only for effective Christian mission but simply for healthy Christian lives. Will we be driven by the hurried pace of our world? Or, with the help of God’s word and his Spirit and his church, will we find a more timeless (and human) pace for life and mission — a pace that has produced health and fruit across the ages? (David Mathis; Desiring God 2/17/24) READ MORE>>>>> |
Jesus made a habit of withdrawing from the world (and the engagements of fruitful ministry), and then reentering later to do more good. |
David Mathis Files
Jesus made a habit of withdrawing from the world (and the engagements of fruitful ministry), and then reentering later to do more good.
So too, the healthy Christian life is neither solely solitary nor constantly communal. We learn to withdraw, like Jesus, “to a desolate place” to commune with God (Mark 1:35), and then we return to the bustle of daily tasks and seek to meet the needs of others. We carve out a season for spiritual respite — in some momentarily sacred space — to feed our souls, enjoying God there in the stillness. Then refilled, we enter back in to be light and bread to a hungry, harassed, and helpless world (Matthew 9:36).
For Christ, “the wilderness” or “desolate place” often became his momentarily sacred space. He got away from people. He regularly escaped the noise and frenzy of society to be alone with his Father, where he could give him his full attention and undivided heart.
--David Mathis; Desiring God; How Jesus Met with God 2/17/24
So too, the healthy Christian life is neither solely solitary nor constantly communal. We learn to withdraw, like Jesus, “to a desolate place” to commune with God (Mark 1:35), and then we return to the bustle of daily tasks and seek to meet the needs of others. We carve out a season for spiritual respite — in some momentarily sacred space — to feed our souls, enjoying God there in the stillness. Then refilled, we enter back in to be light and bread to a hungry, harassed, and helpless world (Matthew 9:36).
For Christ, “the wilderness” or “desolate place” often became his momentarily sacred space. He got away from people. He regularly escaped the noise and frenzy of society to be alone with his Father, where he could give him his full attention and undivided heart.
--David Mathis; Desiring God; How Jesus Met with God 2/17/24
David Mathis Files
"As young men, two decades ago, so many doors seemed open; the possibilities seemed endless. It was easy to dream, and even expect we might live out some, if not all, of those dreams.
“Rarely, if ever, do our actual lives live up to the grandeur of the great hopes we’re prone to generate in our youth.”But midlife brings a bracing reality check. Far fewer doors are now open. Many of our secret and spoken dreams and aspirations now seem unrealistic, or impossible. What might be has crashed on the rocks of what is. Somehow it got real in the last two decades, and perhaps it took us a while to realize it. Then it dawned on us almost all at once. Our youthful plans are one thing. Then, in time, comes the “answer of the tongue.” That is, what really emerges and is manifest in our lives in the years that follow, to midlife and beyond, is “from the Lord.” --David Mathis; Desiring God; Midlife Clarity
“Rarely, if ever, do our actual lives live up to the grandeur of the great hopes we’re prone to generate in our youth.”But midlife brings a bracing reality check. Far fewer doors are now open. Many of our secret and spoken dreams and aspirations now seem unrealistic, or impossible. What might be has crashed on the rocks of what is. Somehow it got real in the last two decades, and perhaps it took us a while to realize it. Then it dawned on us almost all at once. Our youthful plans are one thing. Then, in time, comes the “answer of the tongue.” That is, what really emerges and is manifest in our lives in the years that follow, to midlife and beyond, is “from the Lord.” --David Mathis; Desiring God; Midlife Clarity
==keith a. mathison======
Keith A. Mathison is a Reformed writer who has published numerous articles and several books on theological topics, including Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God?, Postmillennialism: An Eschatology of Hope, Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper, and The Shape of Sola Scriptura. He was the assistant editor for the ESV Reformation Study Bible and works as director of curriculum development for Ligonier Ministries. Mathison received an M.A. from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and a Ph.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary.
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Oct 16, 2021: Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: "Solo" Scriptura vs. Sola Scriptura: Reply to Keith Mathison
A fashionable Protestant comeback to the merciless beating that sola Scriptura has been taking over the past twenty or so years from Catholic, Orthodox and conservative Anglican apologists alike, has been the claim that present-day evangelical Protestantism - following the tradition of early Anabaptism and other breakaway sects -, accepts a greatly distorted version of the primal, "magisterial" notion of the mainstream early Protestant leaders (or so-called "Reformers"), regarding the principle of Scripture Alone as the highest infallible authority for the Christian. Apr 1, 2015: Keith Mathison: Ligonier Ministries: From a Symbol of Fear to a Symbol of Faith Oct 12, 2014: Orthodox Reformed Bridge: Solo versus Sola Scriptura: What’s the Diff?
Most Evangelicals grew up on what Keith Mathison calls solo scriptura. They were taught that all that is needed is the Bible – no external authority or assistance is needed for understanding Scripture. (See my review of Keith Mathison’s The Shape of Sola Scripture.) This approach can be traced to Alexander Campbell, an American revivalist who lived in the early 1800s. Out of the frontier revivals came the motto: No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible. Sept 8, 2014: Renewing Your Mind: Not A Chance, Interview with R.C. Sproul and Keith Mathison Today Dr. R.C. Sproul and Dr. Keith Mathison discuss their new book, Not A Chance: God, Science, and the Revolt Against Reason. |
April 1, 2001: "The Shape of Sola Scripture" is published by Canon Press: Mathison traces the development of sola scriptura from the early church to the present. He views the Protestant Reformation as a time of recovery of the doctrine that had been under assault from the fourth century. He argues that relativism and individualism permeate present-day teaching on the subject, and that widespread misunderstanding of the doctrine of sola scriptura has been eroding the church from within. This, in Mathison's view, has led to conversions from Protestantism to other religions, and has undermined the relationship among Scripture, church tradition, and individual believers as set forth by the early church and restated by the Magisterial Reformers.
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Feb 16, 2011: Called To Communion: Keith Mathison’s Reply
In November of 2009, Neal Judisch and I posted an article titled “Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura, and the Question of Interpretive Authority.” The article provoked a good deal of discussion, the comments now number over 1,200. Our article was a reply to Keith Mathison’s book The Shape of Sola Scripura, and focused on the distinction Keith makes between sola scriptura and what he calls “solo scriptura.”
In November of 2009, Neal Judisch and I posted an article titled “Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura, and the Question of Interpretive Authority.” The article provoked a good deal of discussion, the comments now number over 1,200. Our article was a reply to Keith Mathison’s book The Shape of Sola Scripura, and focused on the distinction Keith makes between sola scriptura and what he calls “solo scriptura.”
==brian mattson======
Brian Mattson is a theologian, writer, and musician. He was born, raised, and currently lives in the State of Montana. Mattson obtained a B.A. from Montana State University-Billings, an M.A.R. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). He serves as Senior Scholar of Public Theology for the Center for Cultural Leadership.
What the Negative World Framework Gets Wrong
In February 2022, First Things published what became a viral essay, “The Three Worlds of Evangelicalism” by Aaron Renn. Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture is his book-length expansion of that essay. Renn argues that American evangelicals have lived in three different “worlds” over the past 60 years: the first he calls a “positive” world in which Christianity was held in high cultural esteem; the second, a “neutral” world in which Christianity was reasonably tolerated in wider culture; and, finally, the “negative” world in which culture is openly hostile to Christianity. The transitions between these three worlds have necessitated new strategies for evangelical engagement with wider culture, according to Renn.
(Brian Mattson/Gospel Coalition 2/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
In February 2022, First Things published what became a viral essay, “The Three Worlds of Evangelicalism” by Aaron Renn. Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture is his book-length expansion of that essay. Renn argues that American evangelicals have lived in three different “worlds” over the past 60 years: the first he calls a “positive” world in which Christianity was held in high cultural esteem; the second, a “neutral” world in which Christianity was reasonably tolerated in wider culture; and, finally, the “negative” world in which culture is openly hostile to Christianity. The transitions between these three worlds have necessitated new strategies for evangelical engagement with wider culture, according to Renn.
(Brian Mattson/Gospel Coalition 2/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Brian Mattson
I’ve been a big fan of The Babylon Bee (I do, in fact, have a sense of humor) and their non-satire site Not The Bee, but you’d better not get all your cultural commentary from those guys. Because sometimes they have very poor taste, and sometimes they’re just mean-spirited. Here’s a recent post on Not The Bee commenting on a body cam video of two cops arresting a federal ATF agent. I’ve got opinions about the ATF and policing and that video, but leave them aside. The video is a tense standoff in which the agent comes within an eyelash of getting shot, and the police officers wrestle him to the ground and use a taser on him. Here—and I am not kidding—is Not The Bee’s entire “commentary.”
Amazing, right?
Dude was crying like a baby!
Don't tase me, bro!!Wow. Insightful and enriching. It’s gets the “own the libs” fanboys to click and share, but it’s disgraceful. Mock and laugh at a man in obvious distress. Just what Jesus and John the Baptist would’ve done, I’m sure. If this is the kind of thing the “serrated edge” means, and if Facebook posts that launch a dozen personal insults is the new mode of discourse that’s really going to turn the cultural tides, we’re just doomed. Teaching this “theology” of mockery (such as it is) to impatient, immature, arrogant hotheads is like giving a live hand grenade to a toddler. I say it’s better to just stick to the commandments.
“Sitting in the seat of mockers” is what the blessed man of Psalm 1 very conspicuously refuses to do. And the sudden popularity of muscular macho-man mockery among Christians does not spell some kind of coming revival or cultural renewal; it’s perhaps a sign that God is just handing us over to our worldly depravity. And maybe in the end we will be “like the chaff that the wind blows away.”
--Brian Mattson; The Square Inch; The Seat of Mockers; 8.12.22
Amazing, right?
Dude was crying like a baby!
Don't tase me, bro!!Wow. Insightful and enriching. It’s gets the “own the libs” fanboys to click and share, but it’s disgraceful. Mock and laugh at a man in obvious distress. Just what Jesus and John the Baptist would’ve done, I’m sure. If this is the kind of thing the “serrated edge” means, and if Facebook posts that launch a dozen personal insults is the new mode of discourse that’s really going to turn the cultural tides, we’re just doomed. Teaching this “theology” of mockery (such as it is) to impatient, immature, arrogant hotheads is like giving a live hand grenade to a toddler. I say it’s better to just stick to the commandments.
“Sitting in the seat of mockers” is what the blessed man of Psalm 1 very conspicuously refuses to do. And the sudden popularity of muscular macho-man mockery among Christians does not spell some kind of coming revival or cultural renewal; it’s perhaps a sign that God is just handing us over to our worldly depravity. And maybe in the end we will be “like the chaff that the wind blows away.”
--Brian Mattson; The Square Inch; The Seat of Mockers; 8.12.22
==clifford mayes======
Pastors slam Todd Starnes for urging Christians to leave churches if they didn’t preach on Trump attack
And Pastor Clifford Mayes, who didn’t share his affiliation, also disagreed with Starnes’ position. “I am a pastor, and I did not address the assassination attempt, but I did declare Jesus Christ, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and His return. Jesus is my king and He’s the only one who saves….,” he wrote on X.
(Christian Post 7/15/24) READMORE>>>>>
And Pastor Clifford Mayes, who didn’t share his affiliation, also disagreed with Starnes’ position. “I am a pastor, and I did not address the assassination attempt, but I did declare Jesus Christ, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and His return. Jesus is my king and He’s the only one who saves….,” he wrote on X.
(Christian Post 7/15/24) READMORE>>>>>
==Lauren McAfee======
Lauren McAfee
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 (ESV)
...There are lies I have liked to believe as truth. Yet deep down, I know that clinging to a warped sense of reality will only bring me pain in the long run. One lie I’ve liked to believe is tied up in my own sense of control over my life — because life often feels most bearable when I think I have full control.
When Jesus taught His famous Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7, He closed with this analogy: You can choose to build your house on the rock or on the sand. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24).
...I know almost nothing about construction, but when I get the chance to spend a day on the beach playing in the sand with my daughter, it is easy to see why sand makes a poor foundation for a home. Sand is nothing but rock fragments. The grains are easily moved by the waves or even a slight breeze. When I convince myself that because I am putting forth effort, God is going to reward me with all my dreams coming true, I am choosing to build my life on sand. But when I build my life on Jesus, my life has a firm foundation.
This teaching is about much more than my temptation to build my life on a false understanding of God; it identifies a false gospel I want to believe, one where I work to secure my own salvation and put God in my debt. The truth is that if I truly bring nothing to my relationship with God, then there is no limit to what He can require of me. I have no leverage over God. Rather, I must surrender wholly to Him. And in doing so, I find the peace I once sought in my own efforts to control my life.
Pastor Timothy Keller’s teaching on this passage warns against my religious attempts:
“The Sermon on the Mount is not a ladder. It’s not a way to climb up to God by doing certain things. It says there are two ways. One way is to say, ‘Out of my goodness I will seek to get God and other people to give me what I want in my inner emptiness; that is, a feeling of approval or worth.’ Or you can say, ‘I’m going to build my whole life and my approach to God on what Jesus has done for me.’ Be your own savior or let Him be your savior.”
The uncomfortable reckoning in my own life is a constant realization that I am not as in control of things as I would like to believe. My efforts to be in control are an effort to replace reliance on God. I don’t have control over whether or not I have children, whether or not my body faces infertility, or how people respond to me on social media. I also do not have control over when God’s presence feels near. But I can control whether or not I put myself in a place to be near God. I can control whether or not I choose to be involved in my community at my local church. I can control whether or not I prioritize Bible study, reflection and prayer.
When life is challenging, I am often tempted to doubt who God is. I constantly need to remind myself of the character of God and recall that He always does the best thing. Romans 8:28 guarantees it. I don’t always feel like having faith, but as Charles Spurgeon says, “God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
May we trust His heart as our firm foundation today and every day.
Heavenly Father, help me to trust in Your plan for me. Holy Spirit, provide me comfort in the midst of affliction, and provide intimacy in the journey of suffering. I surrender myself to You because You alone are in complete control of my life. Please fill my heart with Your peace that passes understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
-Lauren McAfee; Proverbs 31 Ministries; Lies We Like; 9.6.23
...There are lies I have liked to believe as truth. Yet deep down, I know that clinging to a warped sense of reality will only bring me pain in the long run. One lie I’ve liked to believe is tied up in my own sense of control over my life — because life often feels most bearable when I think I have full control.
When Jesus taught His famous Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7, He closed with this analogy: You can choose to build your house on the rock or on the sand. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24).
...I know almost nothing about construction, but when I get the chance to spend a day on the beach playing in the sand with my daughter, it is easy to see why sand makes a poor foundation for a home. Sand is nothing but rock fragments. The grains are easily moved by the waves or even a slight breeze. When I convince myself that because I am putting forth effort, God is going to reward me with all my dreams coming true, I am choosing to build my life on sand. But when I build my life on Jesus, my life has a firm foundation.
This teaching is about much more than my temptation to build my life on a false understanding of God; it identifies a false gospel I want to believe, one where I work to secure my own salvation and put God in my debt. The truth is that if I truly bring nothing to my relationship with God, then there is no limit to what He can require of me. I have no leverage over God. Rather, I must surrender wholly to Him. And in doing so, I find the peace I once sought in my own efforts to control my life.
Pastor Timothy Keller’s teaching on this passage warns against my religious attempts:
“The Sermon on the Mount is not a ladder. It’s not a way to climb up to God by doing certain things. It says there are two ways. One way is to say, ‘Out of my goodness I will seek to get God and other people to give me what I want in my inner emptiness; that is, a feeling of approval or worth.’ Or you can say, ‘I’m going to build my whole life and my approach to God on what Jesus has done for me.’ Be your own savior or let Him be your savior.”
The uncomfortable reckoning in my own life is a constant realization that I am not as in control of things as I would like to believe. My efforts to be in control are an effort to replace reliance on God. I don’t have control over whether or not I have children, whether or not my body faces infertility, or how people respond to me on social media. I also do not have control over when God’s presence feels near. But I can control whether or not I put myself in a place to be near God. I can control whether or not I choose to be involved in my community at my local church. I can control whether or not I prioritize Bible study, reflection and prayer.
When life is challenging, I am often tempted to doubt who God is. I constantly need to remind myself of the character of God and recall that He always does the best thing. Romans 8:28 guarantees it. I don’t always feel like having faith, but as Charles Spurgeon says, “God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
May we trust His heart as our firm foundation today and every day.
Heavenly Father, help me to trust in Your plan for me. Holy Spirit, provide me comfort in the midst of affliction, and provide intimacy in the journey of suffering. I surrender myself to You because You alone are in complete control of my life. Please fill my heart with Your peace that passes understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
-Lauren McAfee; Proverbs 31 Ministries; Lies We Like; 9.6.23
==Stephen mcalpine======
Hillsong Founders Brian And Bobbie Houston Launch ‘Online Church’ And Ask For Money
Longtime Australian minister Stephen McAlpine, who lives in Sydney, told The Roys Report (TRR) that Christians are concerned about the Houstons’ rapid reemergence in public ministry. “People do find it troubling, but not surprising,” he said. “In a subset of evangelicalism, returns to ministry occur without consideration around appropriate time out or reparations.”McAlpine added that some “deeper questions” remain unanswered. “How do megachurches do accountability outside of their own, self-interested structures?” he asked. “There seems little time to pause and lament. And it doesn’t reflect a biblical approach to church discipline.”
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Longtime Australian minister Stephen McAlpine, who lives in Sydney, told The Roys Report (TRR) that Christians are concerned about the Houstons’ rapid reemergence in public ministry. “People do find it troubling, but not surprising,” he said. “In a subset of evangelicalism, returns to ministry occur without consideration around appropriate time out or reparations.”McAlpine added that some “deeper questions” remain unanswered. “How do megachurches do accountability outside of their own, self-interested structures?” he asked. “There seems little time to pause and lament. And it doesn’t reflect a biblical approach to church discipline.”
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==sa mccarthy======
Z-NOTE: September 8, 2024:
That "Border Wall" Again...
 Zorek Richards
S.A. McCarthy is a Christian Nationalist "for Jesus". He is right winger and has written this op ed for the Christian Post. He writes for other right wing newspapers and magazines. He blames Harris for border problems which is not totally true. In a post published today at the Christian Post, he wrote that "Vice President Kamala Harris is trying to be unburdened by what has been — namely her far-left political record — by adopting MAGA policies. The latest instance of flip-flopping is Harris’s support for the border wall proposed by former President Donald Trump. According to Axios, the vice president is now pledging to spend an estimated $650 million to complete the border wall Trump started, despite having called the initiative “racist” and “un-American” during Trump’s White House tenure."
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==dan mccartney======
Dan G. McCartney (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament interpretation at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas. He previously taught at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia for more than twenty years. He is the author of Let the Reader Understand: A Guide to Interpreting and Applying the Bible and Why Does it Have to Hurt? The Meaning of Christian Suffering. McCartney also revised J. Gresham Machen's New Testament Greek for Beginners.
Dan McCartney
Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! (James 5:3)
James uses an intensified form of the verb “to rust,” in the perfect tense (κατίωται, katiōtai), probably meaning “completely rusted” or “rusted right through” (see Ropes 1916: 285), where no integrity to the base metal remains. James here picks up on the irony, seen elsewhere in Jewish wisdom literature (e.g., Sir. 29:10), that objects made of gold, and to a lesser extent silver, actually do not rust. Gold can withstand corrosion and retain its metallic integrity for centuries, and although silver tarnishes on the surface, it too lasts a long time in harsh environments and does not “rust through” the way iron does. Yet here James declares the material that is, from a worldly point of view, incorruptible to actually be, on the day of judgment, not just rusted, but rusted right through—totally worthless
James uses an intensified form of the verb “to rust,” in the perfect tense (κατίωται, katiōtai), probably meaning “completely rusted” or “rusted right through” (see Ropes 1916: 285), where no integrity to the base metal remains. James here picks up on the irony, seen elsewhere in Jewish wisdom literature (e.g., Sir. 29:10), that objects made of gold, and to a lesser extent silver, actually do not rust. Gold can withstand corrosion and retain its metallic integrity for centuries, and although silver tarnishes on the surface, it too lasts a long time in harsh environments and does not “rust through” the way iron does. Yet here James declares the material that is, from a worldly point of view, incorruptible to actually be, on the day of judgment, not just rusted, but rusted right through—totally worthless
==chance mcconnell======
Pastor Chance McConnell began serving First Baptist Taylorsville as pastor in 2018. Originally from Princeton, Kentucky, Chance has served churches in both Kentucky and Tennessee prior to coming to FBC Taylorsville. Chance is a graduate of Campbellsville University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
2023 REWIND: Ky. Baptists remained faithful to the Bible, made disciples, baptized believers
More than one thousand messengers and guests gathered for the Kentucky Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at Somerset First Baptist Church in November. Messengers elected Associational Mission Strategist and evangelist Randy McPheron as KBC president, Dripping Springs Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Noffsinger as First Vice President and First Baptist Taylorsville Pastor Chance McConnell and Second Vice President.
(Mark Maynard/Kentucky Today 1/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
More than one thousand messengers and guests gathered for the Kentucky Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at Somerset First Baptist Church in November. Messengers elected Associational Mission Strategist and evangelist Randy McPheron as KBC president, Dripping Springs Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Noffsinger as First Vice President and First Baptist Taylorsville Pastor Chance McConnell and Second Vice President.
(Mark Maynard/Kentucky Today 1/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Family thankful for adoption journey, God’s faithfulness
Before Chance and Brittany McConnell even met, God was weaving the thread of adoption into their story. And now, 11 years into marriage, two of their three children are adopted — all three a testament to the Lord’s kindness and faithfulness. “We met on a mission trip to Nicaragua,” said Chance, pastor of First Baptist Church Taylorsville, Kentucky. “In a conversation on one of the bus rides, we were just talking about how (adoption) was something we both wanted eventually in our lives whenever we were married…That passion would be sort of paved through the pain of what was nearly a decade of infertility and struggle to have a family.”
(The Baptist Paper 11/26/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Before Chance and Brittany McConnell even met, God was weaving the thread of adoption into their story. And now, 11 years into marriage, two of their three children are adopted — all three a testament to the Lord’s kindness and faithfulness. “We met on a mission trip to Nicaragua,” said Chance, pastor of First Baptist Church Taylorsville, Kentucky. “In a conversation on one of the bus rides, we were just talking about how (adoption) was something we both wanted eventually in our lives whenever we were married…That passion would be sort of paved through the pain of what was nearly a decade of infertility and struggle to have a family.”
(The Baptist Paper 11/26/23) READ MORE>>>>>
==dave mcconnell======
Mar 8, 2023: Christian Post: 'Orwellian': Street preacher appeals conviction for 'misgendering' man who identifies as a woman
The appeal of Dave McConnell, 42, from Wakefield, who was convicted in August 2022, is scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday at Leeds Crown Court, the group Christian Concern, whose arm Christian Legal Centre is supporting his case, said..
The appeal of Dave McConnell, 42, from Wakefield, who was convicted in August 2022, is scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday at Leeds Crown Court, the group Christian Concern, whose arm Christian Legal Centre is supporting his case, said..
==scott mcconnell======
Scott McConnell has researched the needs and preferences of church leaders, laity, and the unchurched for Lifeway Christian Resources for over 25 years. His in-depth studies and national polls have generated relevant insights on today’s church and culture. Scott received a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree in Marketing and Strategic Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was mentored in sound survey methodology and actionable decision-focused research as an associate project manager at NAXION, a Philadelphia based research and consulting firm. This research included segmentation, satisfaction and product development research for Fortune 100 telecommunications and utilities companies. For 15 years, Scott has led Lifeway Research’s national polling that regularly measures the views of Americans, churchgoers, and Protestant pastors.
May 19, 2023: Only Sky: The Southern Baptist Convention had its worst EVER membership drop in 2022
The director of Lifeway’s research division, Scott McConnell, theorizes that the drop in membership happened because “the record keeping is finally catching up” with long-inactive members. I’m not so sure that’s the reason.
The director of Lifeway’s research division, Scott McConnell, theorizes that the drop in membership happened because “the record keeping is finally catching up” with long-inactive members. I’m not so sure that’s the reason.
==dan mccoy======
Trump campaign touts evangelical support in Iowa as faith leaders endorse him
Pastor Dan McCoy, who leads the First Baptist Church in Urbandale, deemed the announcement a "powerful message that faith communities trust President Trump to lead our nation forward with integrity and moral clarity." (Ben Wedon/Just The News 11/21/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Pastor Dan McCoy, who leads the First Baptist Church in Urbandale, deemed the announcement a "powerful message that faith communities trust President Trump to lead our nation forward with integrity and moral clarity." (Ben Wedon/Just The News 11/21/23) READ MORE>>>>>
==Rob mccoy======
Rob McCoy, the Senior Pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks (California), is the son of a conservative Naval officer father and a Republican activist mother. An All-American Water Polo player and a National Finalist Swimmer, he graduated from California State University Fresno with a B.A. in History and received his seminary training from The Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California. Prior to entering the ministry, he was a Divisional Manager with Unilever and an Area Manager with Chesebrough Ponds, Inc. He has served as the Senior Pastor of Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks for 17 years. He has been a member of the Thousand Oaks City Council since 2015 and is the former Mayor of Thousand Oaks, term starting in December of 2018. He served as a Ventura County Sheriff’s Chaplain for 4 years and on the board of the Conejo Pregnancy Center.
Why Do Christian Nationalists Like Rob McCoy Know So Little About The Constitution?
One of the defining characteristics of Christian nationalist activists is a willingness to misrepresent history, as time after time they spread blatant falsehoods in defense of their right-wing ideology. Often, this is rooted in their own ignorance about the Founding Era and the creation of the Constitution, as right-wing pastor, former mayor and city councilman Rob McCoy demonstrated during a recent appearance on "The Heidi St. John Podcast." While insisting that the United States was created with "a Christian form of government," McCoy rattled off a series of completely false statements. "When they did the Constitutional Convention and they were at loggerheads in 1787 and they broke for three days of fasting and prayer—and [Benjamin] Franklin's prayer is remarkable—but they come back and they come up with a brilliant idea of a bicameral legislature," McCoy said. "And they put the Three-Fifths Clause in there because they couldn't deal with slavery at the time but they had a sunset clause all established to get rid of it, and they did the Three-Fifth's Compromise so the slaveholding states couldn't have representation in the lower house if they weren't going to give Black Americans citizenship and the right to vote. So they were working through this."
(Right Wing Watch 10/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
One of the defining characteristics of Christian nationalist activists is a willingness to misrepresent history, as time after time they spread blatant falsehoods in defense of their right-wing ideology. Often, this is rooted in their own ignorance about the Founding Era and the creation of the Constitution, as right-wing pastor, former mayor and city councilman Rob McCoy demonstrated during a recent appearance on "The Heidi St. John Podcast." While insisting that the United States was created with "a Christian form of government," McCoy rattled off a series of completely false statements. "When they did the Constitutional Convention and they were at loggerheads in 1787 and they broke for three days of fasting and prayer—and [Benjamin] Franklin's prayer is remarkable—but they come back and they come up with a brilliant idea of a bicameral legislature," McCoy said. "And they put the Three-Fifths Clause in there because they couldn't deal with slavery at the time but they had a sunset clause all established to get rid of it, and they did the Three-Fifth's Compromise so the slaveholding states couldn't have representation in the lower house if they weren't going to give Black Americans citizenship and the right to vote. So they were working through this."
(Right Wing Watch 10/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
June 12, 2023: Word & Way: With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth StrategyHis first stop was Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks in California, headed by Pastor Rob McCoy, a former city council member and local mayor who had been a rising star in conservative evangelical circles during the early days of COVID-19. Under his leadership, Godspeak openly flouted California’s pandemic restrictions, holding in-person, maskless services that prompted a series of legal battles with county and state authorities.
According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews.
“We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews.
“We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth Strategy
His first stop was Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks in California, headed by Pastor Rob McCoy, a former city council member and local mayor who had been a rising star in conservative evangelical circles during the early days of COVID-19. Under his leadership, Godspeak openly flouted California’s pandemic restrictions, holding in-person, maskless services that prompted a series of legal battles with county and state authorities. According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews. “We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
McCoy said he encouraged other pastors to host Kirk, who lionized congregations that refused to close as garrisons against “tyranny,” a talking point that still shows up in Kirk’s stump speeches. Eventually, McCoy became co-chair of TPUSA Faith; “We play offense with a sense of urgency to win America’s culture war,” reads a tagline on a pamphlet distributed at TPUSA events.(Word & Way 6/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
His first stop was Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks in California, headed by Pastor Rob McCoy, a former city council member and local mayor who had been a rising star in conservative evangelical circles during the early days of COVID-19. Under his leadership, Godspeak openly flouted California’s pandemic restrictions, holding in-person, maskless services that prompted a series of legal battles with county and state authorities. According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews. “We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
McCoy said he encouraged other pastors to host Kirk, who lionized congregations that refused to close as garrisons against “tyranny,” a talking point that still shows up in Kirk’s stump speeches. Eventually, McCoy became co-chair of TPUSA Faith; “We play offense with a sense of urgency to win America’s culture war,” reads a tagline on a pamphlet distributed at TPUSA events.(Word & Way 6/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
