Reformed. Christianity. Evangelism. Modern Culture.
Hullo my name is Michael. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, affirm the Biblical and Christ-exalting truths of the Reformation such as the five Solas, the Doctrines of Grace, Monergistic Regeneration, and the Redemptive Historical approach to interpreting the Scriptures. That is me in a nut shell.
This blog is an ever changing fly on the wall diary chronicling a pilgrim’s journey into exploring the gracious love and sovereignty of God in a wretched sinner’s life. This blog keeper features articles that span from modern culture to church history and the humor in life with a Christian world view. If I had my way I would blog the whole day but most of my blogging is done after all the children are tucked up in bed and before sleep ambushes my tired head like an armed robber. Although due to my busy schedule the kids get to tuck me into bed before I even reach the dinner table.
Some of my friends keep asking, “Why has Michael become a Reformed Christian after several years in prosperity driven and seeker sensitive churches?” Well, this blog is a progressive answer. But what exactly does it mean that I have become “Reformed“?
I have come to believe that Salvation begins with an unfailing work of God in the hearts of all those who will believe. While most churches in our current day believe that you “believe to be born again”, like the Reformers and Puritans I have come to believe the opposite about that; my belief is that you are “born again to believe” (see the change in order?).
Here’s a simple quiz for bible believing Christians. Click the link below and see whether you truly believe that God is sovereign over the salvation of souls. When you say, “God saved me”, do you mean that? Or do you (at least somewhat) feel that you caused yourself to be saved by making a “decision to follow Him”? Do you believe as one modern crusade evangelist said, that “salvation is 99% God, and 1% man”, or instead, is salvation 100% the work of God? How much power does God exercise over our lives and future versus how much does He “leave up to us”? It seems like a minor issue to some, but you’d be surprised to know how many things this effects in the way you live out the Christian life.
Take the quiz, and feel free to leave a comment here afterwards. But make sure you’ve got your bible handy. Here we go:
“If I cannot bend the knees of my body because I am so weak, my prayers from my bed shall be on their knees—my heart shall be on its knees and pray as acceptably as before…If we are so faint that we can only lie still and breathe, let every breath be a prayer!”—C.H Spurgeon
A Twisted Crown of Thorns ® 
I think you should seriously investigate the life and writings of Augustine. For John Calvin to point to him as the “soul mate” he loved speaks volumes of how confused Calvin was, and you, as a follower. The best thing about Warren Wiersbe is that he concedes that there are mysteries in theology known only to God and they are not worth doctrinal conflict. I cannot believe that one that believes in a loving God can ascribe to a thought process that states God creates people destined for destruction despite any belief or faith on their part. To proscribe to individuals a foregone destiny that they have no opportunity to alter is unbelievable to me. This is not to say God could not do this if is was his desire but it is completely contrary to human thinking and we were, after all, created in His image, to believe or understand that, if He wishes none to be lost, He none the less picks people without a humanly understandable reason to be lost for eternity. How can you, as a rationale person, as God created us, believe that?!!
I have nominated you for the “One Lovely Blog Award” 🙂
I would like to say I love your blog and the wonderful and beautiful things you share as well as the inspiration and smiles you bring in doing so! Thank you for being you and I hope even if you do not accept awards you will accept the sentiment expressed as I honor you with one. There is no prize that comes with the award other than my appreciation and being grateful you are part of our world and making a difference by sharing in such a positive way…
I have posted the award and link to it here I hope you will accept it or at least the sentiment behind it!
With love,
Joe
I believe the reformed faith is not biblical Christianity, the doctrines of grace as they are presented by the reformers is false doctrine the tulip is flawed and makes God a tyrant and a respecter of persons which he is not
thank you and God bless
Thank you Clint for passing by. I wonder what aspects of Biblical doctrine you struggle with. Is there something that Reformed Theology gets wrong?
Praise God, what a find your blog is (through The Truthinator). Looking forward to catching up on some of your articles. Nice to see your link to Conrad Mbewe, a mighty man of God and one the preachers I have been blessed by this year. In Christ, Sherryn
WordPress referred me to your website. Just stopped by to read some of your posts and say hello, but I notice that the video on your About Page has been disabled.
While checking out similar websites on WordPress I discovered “Through the Eyes of a Calvinist” (calvinistview.com). The author has ALS (Lou Gherig’s disease). God has blessed him with a whole lot of grace.
I appreciate your efforts to challenge the modern church with its emphasis on a false prosperity gospel. False teachers abound, and many of them can be found on Christian television and radio.
PCR really does cut through the chaff. May I also recommend RefNet (Reformation Radio) a production of Ligonier Ministries.
Keep up the good work, though we may disagree on some points.
Loved the Quiz! Excellent
Hey, just wanted to say, thanks for the post and I’m looking forward to reading your blog. 🙂 Hope you can check mine out every so often as well.
Hey Michael, You linked to an article on my blog about the Fear of God, I myself have just been awakened to the “prosperity Gospel” and in alot of ways I have felt cheated and am somewhat angry. The living waters ministry and the word of God has really opened my eyes to the Truth. And I know its true well first because Gods word says so, and my whole life I always wondered how I could seemingly stray so far, not care about the things of God, but was never told to examine myself, even though I was in church and out and in and out etc. I always felt that there was just something that just wasn’t right about it. I have a deep concern to shed light about this in my church. After listening to Paul Washers sermon Examine yourself, and Spurgeons sermon repentance unto life, and a few others, have completely made me understood that I wasn’t even saved to begin with and then everything seem to make sense. All of this was inspiration for my Fear of God post, because we never hear about the “angry” side of God anymore. Anyway I was wondering if you know of any good books out there that might have information of how the church used to be before all this prosperity nonsense started to take over?
Thee are many books out there on sound doctrine. Unfortunately most corner store book shops and churches don’t stock them but they are available on line. Try visiting monergism.com for starters.
Just found your blog and I really enjoyed your content. I’m getting back into the swing of things blogging on my end and your focus is where I want to get to.
Thanks for passing by Cheryl.
Thank you for your reply! I have definitely been praying for the church. It has seen rapid growth in the last year.
I hate leaving churches and want to be sure that I am taking things one step at a time with God’s guidance on what to do.
About two and a half years ago we changed churches because the previous church we attended went over-the-top emergent and was embracing other religions to share the teaching to the younger crowd with. Universalism, Emergent, Mysticism, Social Justice (as a part of the Gospel) and so on. It even crept in to the Adult side some. That pastor had no qualms about it after we had taken our concerns to him about it several times.
So upon leaving that church I asked the new church’s pastor many questions regarding all of those concerns but not being so aware of the Purpose/Seeker Driven movement. Everything seemed to be on balance for about two of those years and then within the last 6 mos to even a year or so they have changed dramatically. They underwent a building program and rapid growth and now seem to be caught up in filling the seats to support it. Trendy is the the narrative.
I appreciate your taking the time to address my concerns and the article about what to ask of a pastor if we need to find a new church.
We will continue to pray about it and see if we should stay or go. It is hard to leave a church when you have built relationships with others but is also hard to stay when you have children who are also under the influence of these kind of churches.
Much appreciation, Jodie
Hi,
I did not see a place to write to your blog so here I am writing here.
Is there anything about how pastors of the seeker-sensitve movement like to share their teachings with other pastors to reuse? The church I had been (in the process of wondering what to do with this church) attending has leaped over to using other pastors sermons and never mentions it to the congregation that they are really inspired by another. He uses Perry Noble, Steven Furtick, A. Stanley, James MacDonald, Mark Batterson, etc work and then makes it somewhat into his own. I feel like they get paid to be in the Word of God not the Word of another pastor and should be inspired by God on what to preach. I was wondering if there is anything about this? Am I wrong to be critical of this method? They use graphics, music and such materials for the wall projections, bulletins , worship music and such to promote their sermons so they feel led to preach their material too.
I feel this is deceiving and am also now seeing changes from the pastor to preach a gospel light.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Hi Jodie
Well, when you begin to realise some thing’s wrong with the church you are attending the first thing you should do is pray. Pray for the pastors and the people attending. Pray that they would reform and get back to the basics (the gospel and relevance of scripture). Many pastor resort to gimmicks and fancy sermons with the bid that they will keep the numbers up. Most times these pastors have a low view of the gospel and of God and have a high view of man. When you notice things are not right in church (there is no perfect church by the way) It is not alsways an indication that you should leave. No…Not every one is called to leave the church they are in. Some are usually helpful to bring about reform and revival. But that said, some times you will have to realise that you may have to leave the church you are attending. When it comes to this….Pray that God will take you to a church that has a high view of God and a high view of scripture and a high view of the gospel. A good church is usually hard to find unless God opens your eyes and leads you to one. And He surely does! If you have to leave please let your pator know why you are leaving too in christian love. Here is an article that i featured a while ago, i hope it helps you: https://atwistedcrownofthorns.com/2011/03/07/what-to-look-for-in-a-good-church-2/
Michael, you must join our upcoming blog tour for the book “Exploring Prosperity Preaching: Biblical Health, Wealth, and Wisdom” by Debra Mumford. I just found your site and read your posts on this topic, and I know you will appreciate this new resource. Would you be willing to participate with a review of the book or an interview with the author? Let me know if you’re interested!
Kim Shimer – Judson Press marketing director
kshimer@abhms.org
That sounds interesting.
I am a Southern Baptist who has been thinking these thoughts: If I were alone in a dark room and had just lost everything..family, dwellin, friends, my health, and even my senses of sight and hearing and touch and smell. Would I be able to proclaim from my knees, “God, YOU are still ENOUGH”?
Salvation is 100 percent God just as much as life is 100 percent God.
Hi there. I found this site from another link and browsed around (with the intention of doing some more perusing) . Lots of good stuff to read and watch. Blessing to you, my brother in Christ 🙂
you sound like lots of fun… blessings on you!
Thanks for passing by.
I like what I’ve seen and will be back.
God Bless,
Christopher
I’m a bit confused, the blog seems to be just about criticising aspects of modern churchianity – not that I disagree with many of the articles, I just wonder whether that is the aim of whether what you stated here has been thrown out of the window?
Yes, Philip this blog does criticise modern churchianity. It may be critical of some people (especially hypocritical leadership) and may be quite challenging to the average laid back christian. It is done with the hope that my relentless bark however feeble it may be, will awaken somebody to the awareness of God and drive a nominal christian to go back to:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test? 2cor 13:5
been blessed by your blog. thanks for standing for the truth
Hi Evans thanks for passing by. God bless you
i will follow you on facebook
I’m getting a lot of hits that come from this blog and I don’t see any apparent links. Just curious why the traffic is coming my way as I think we come from quite different perspectives theologically.
blessings,
Frank
one of Freedom
Frank, i have no idea why you seem to be enjoying free traffic. Only the Sovereign Lord can explain that. Good to know you are there. Grace to you.
Love your blog. What style do you use and how do you do the “and theres more link”? I use wordpress also.
Thanks for passing by. There should be a section that explains how you can edit afew of the ‘more tags’ search on you tube or help section. if you dont find it let me know.