Yesterday I started getting a lot of tweets from people in the US. They were pointing me to a sermon entitled ‘ashamed of the Gospel’ which it was suggested I listen to. I thought it must be some sermon and so today a bit foolishly I started listening to it. I broke my golden rule – never listen to a sermon by someone called Chuck, especially if its 90 minutes long. I have not listened to it all – after a few minutes it launched into a, at the time of listening (there is more to come), 30 minutes plus diatribe against yours truly. I’m not quite sure how an American preacher of the Word of God justifies spending so much time on an insignificant Scottish Presbyterian minister, but if you can stand it, you may find in interesting – you may even agree with it. You can get it here –
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=82014239523
Just in case you can’t be bothered (and why should you) let me share with you some of the gems of wisdom that this man has gleaned from the bible..
“David Robertson is an enemy of John Knox, the apostle Paul, the Lord Jesus Christ..he is anti-Christ, anti-Christian, anti-Paul,ashamed of the Gospel..ashamed of John Knox,a traitor of Christ and ashamed of the Gospel”
“It’s a fact, not an opinion, a fact. David Robertson would be against the apostle Paul”
“David Robertson insists on going against the commands of God”
You get the picture….what has caused this diatribe? Was I declaring that the Gospel was not the Word of God? Did I deny the Trinity? Hell? Heaven? Salvation by faith alone? The atonement? Nope. I dared to write this –
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/crying.wolf.is.free.speech.being.suppressed.in.the.uk/35363.htm
What can one say? I feel sorry for Tony. He needs to be a wee bit more careful in the friends he chooses. Maybe if he gets a preacher friend called ‘John’ or ‘Sinclair’ or even ‘Dave’…but no more Chucks…! But the sad thing is that men like Chuck are self-appointed prophets who think they can accuse, abuse and yell in the name of Jesus and get away with it. There is a real arrogance in their presentation – they seem to genuinely believe they are on a par with the apostle Paul because they do street preaching (however badly)! This particular sermon, apart from being very long, was ignorant (of Scotland – “You are not allowed in Scotland to tell people why Jesus died”, yours truly and the Word of God – equating a narrow fundamentalist US church culture with the bible). At times this can be a wee bit amusing – often it is just pathetically sad, but sometimes it is actually dangerous.
Take the quote – “He believes in culturally sensitive evangelism” (accompanied by laughter!)…What bothers me about all of this, is not so much the personal attack, or the arrogance but the appalling ignorance of both the Word of God and the people they are supposed to be trying to reach. Yes – I do believe in culturally sensitive evangelism – and I much prefer it to culturally INsensitive evangelism. I read the book of Acts contrary to the accusation of Chuck…and there I find a great deal of cultural sensitivity – whether at the temple in Jerusalem or the Areopagus in Athens. This kind of crass, ignorant, arrogant, immature and wacky evangelism is not telling the good news at all. It is at best a product of immaturity and ignorance, and at worst an example of self-glorying (made worse by using the name of Jesus) and blasphemy – causing the name of Jesus to be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles. I am all for bold proclamation of the Word of God – but not when it is done as a form of macho cultural imperialism, rather than the loving proclamation of the Good news of Jesus Christ.
“A final word on David Robertson….quit being creative in evangelistic rebellion….I did my research on David Robertson…this is not his first defection from a biblical bold ministry of the Gospel..he needs to repent”
With that last phrase I totally agree. I do need to repent. Soli Deo Gloria!
BTW, we Secularists can’t help but notice this is your big concern (who interprets the Bible the “right way”) and not beheadings or stonings around the globe. Yes, it’s all about you; David & Chuck… nothing else is going on… While you make fun of a persons name, who dared to question your piety, people are dying. But don’t worry, God only wants you to repent. That’s all. That’s all he cares about.
Sadly Brent your prejudice is showing again….we just posted a full half hour clip on Gaza and we are constantly referring to wider issues….and yes we could do with a lot more repentance – it would certainly result in a lot less killing!
This man brought a half-million dollar lawsuit against Julie Anne Smith, one of his former congregants. He lost, as he should have.
Excellent Christian Today comment , David . When I was a student one of my lecturers was the Rev Peter Bisset . He was very wise and while instructing us on evangelism said, “Class , to preach the gospel to people you have to earn the right. ” Some may dispute this , but I have found it to be true . If you don’t love those you are preaching to , forget it . You would do less damage hitting them with sticks.!
A sad sign of the times. 2 Tim 3:1-9 comes to mind. Thankfully our hope is in The Lord and not in the approval of man. Keep up the good work David
When the liberals think you’re a fundamentalists, the fundamentalists think you’re a liberal, you’re an evangelical.
Or words to that effect…
Hi David, there are plenty nut cases on the fringes of the church – self-appointed prophets and guardians or The Truth – but I’m not sure it’s always worth taking an awful lot of notice, still less drawing attention to them,. I fully appreciate that personal attacks can be hurtful and difficult not to reply to. I myself have the kind of temperament that tends to home in on negativity. In the end it does me little good. Also drawing attention to the eejits and fruitcakes on the margins of evangelicalism only provides ammunition for those opposed to Christianity in all its forms.
Kind regards
Alex.
Ach I’m sure you have had worse David. After all where is it that the “wee flea” came from and didn’t Dawkins describe you as a nasty little Scottish presbyterian minister who isn’t proper clergyman?
Dear brother, employ the shield of faith to extinguish any evil firey darts, stay strong in Christ,and trust in him alone for any need you have either for correction or affirmation with those around you who enable you in Christ for counsel.
Oh, and don’t feed the trolls!
When the liberals call you a fundamentalist and the fundamentalists call you a liberal, then you’re an evangelical.
When the liberals call you a fundamentalist and the fundamentalists call you a liberal, and evangelicals don’t know what to make of you, then you’re probably a confessionalist.
In either case, having this sort of sermon preached against you is probably a good sign. I agreed with and tweeted the post which got you “blacklisted”, so at least one of us is in good company!
Graham
Hey David, I did not listen to Chuck’s sermon but I would agree with his style of Biblical Evangelism as opposed to yours, even if it is “done badly” as you stated.
The Lord can even use our mistakes for His glory, even when we preach badly.
So I like Chuck’s way of preaching the Gospel in the open air better than the way you don’t do it.
What troubles me more is what I am hearing of your stance regarding Roman Catholicism. As a former Roman Catholic I understand the dangers of following that religion, so to hear of you supporting the pope and calling Roman Catholics Brothers and Sisters in Christ is extremely troubling.
Forgive me if I have been misinformed. (I hope I have)
You say that you are an insignificant minister but I know you were in my neck of the woods recently, teaching at the Keswick Christian Convention as I was also teaching and preaching in the streets of Keswick to confused Christians and non Christians alike.
Knowing a little about the KCC stance on the RCC I am not surprised they would welcome someone with your views to teach at their event, sadly though what you and the KCC are doing is blurring the lines of truth while over a billion Catholics head straight to hell believing a false Gospel, and that is far from loving is it David ?
Kind regards
dale mcalpine (preacher)
David,
I just listened to some of your interview on Justin Brierly show where you clearly call Roman Catholics Bretheren and very clearly say that the pope is not anti Christ.
Now I have heard it for myself I can exhort you to repent from this faulty thinking David.
Also, would like to know why you refuse to reply to my previous comment ?
It’s your blog and you can post what you like but I would have thought you would at least reply privately.
In any case I have voiced my concerns and like Chuck await your repentance.
Sorry – I don’t respond to every post…and I don’t repent to strangers or to anyone other than the Lord. Self appointed judges who set up their own ‘repent’ website need themselves to repent. From a personal perspective I need to repent every day. And can I very clearly say that the pope is not the anti-Christ who by definition is someone who denies that the Christ has come in the flesh (1 John). Can I call on you to repent of your biblical ignorance? And I don’t call Roman Catholics ‘Bretheren’ or even Brethren. I don’t call Protestants brethren either. Unless we are using the terms brothers in the same way that Paul does for the pagan Greeks. My brothers and sisters in Christ are those who have faith in Christ are born again etc – whatever the denomination. I hope you are not saying that anyone who is an RC cannot be a Christian – such works righteousness would not be worthy of a Gospel preacher. By the way I think you should repent of your judgementalism and spreading false witness – in your previous post you accused me of not preaching the gospel – wrong. It seems to me that you have a lot of repenting to do before you go round ordering others to do so! Did someone not say something about beams and motes?!
Thanks for your reply David, just to correct you I was not asking you to repent to me my friend, I am a nobody, what I was attempting to do was encourage you to look again at your very dangerous position of considering the RCC a Christian denomination, and I was exhorting you to repent of that.
Thanks also for pointing out the spelling mistake, I will not return the favour and point out yours.
You see David, the RCC does not preach the Gospel, they preach another Gospel, and Paul says ~ Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
So, when you “buddy up” to the pope and call Roman Catholics *Brethren* which you very clearly did at 4 mins 17 seconds into the interview with Justin Brierly you are going against the direct commands of Paul and the Holy Spirit.
For your instruction ~
The official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church from Vatican 2 states that if anyone says we are saved by faith alone we are anathematized.
In the Catholic Catechism of the Catholic Church (the official teachings of the RCC) it states very clearly that the Muslims worship the same god as Christians.
It also states that we are saved by sacraments and that Mary is another mediator.
Is that enough false teaching for you David or do you require more before you change your position ?
Interesting that Calvin considered the RCC a Christian denomination- accepting Catholic baptism etc.
I recall the Godly McCheyne declaring that he would rather have pastor Martin Boos, preacher of the Church of Rome, preach than some ‘frigid evangelical’ from his own denomination.
I notice that you seem to have dropped your claim that the Pope is the anti-Christ.
As I have pointed out many times I am quite happy to point out where I think the RCC is wrong….and I am quite happy to call our your extremist nonsense as well..
According to 1 John 2/20-23 the pope is very much an anti Christ.
He denies the Father and the Son,
By calling himself ‘Holy Father’ – a title reserved in Scripture for God the Father (John 17/11), he is competing with the Father in a very direct way,
And by calling himself ‘Vicar of Christ’ he is seeking to act in the place of Christ,
‘Vicar’ means ‘in the place of’
And since Christ introduced only one (The Holy Spirit) who would take His place in the hearts of true believers on earth, then he is also usurping the Holy Spirit’s divine ministry,
It is always important for a Christian not to bear false witness. I don’t know about the current Pope but certainly the previous one did not deny that Christ came in the flesh (the mark of anti-Christ) and certainly did not deny the Father or the Son. Your language and logic is extreme and to be honest nonsensical. Whilst I can appreciate the zeal, the rest leaves a lot to be desired and is not really worthy of a professing Christian.