We often get letters accusing us of being hateful when we post warnings for the church. Especially when we report the news of someone held in high regard. Often these rebukes come with accusations that we have lost our salvation or were never Christians.
We draw more ire from Christians when we’ve shared on the downslide of doctrinal dedication from loved leaders. (Some of the most vitriolic letters I’ve received are from pastors!) This is one of many letters from those who know, love, and follow Calvary Chapel’s Brian Brodersen:
You need to stop your libelous lies. You need Jesus the Christ in your organization as from your post you do not love your brethren. Loving does not mean you have to agree but your post are filled with hatefilled joy. You have been totally hateful and hate filled in your post about Brian [Brodersen]. I do not go to that church but after reading your post and discerned how you go after Brian for a non essential issue I believe that you are not of the Lord as in 1st John it talks about loving one another. You are trying to get people to believe your post since you claim for yourself the name berean.
I have told thousands through the Christian community to ignore you and your hate fill illogical post and sight. Most of them state they already do. Which is fine discernement on their part. It is illogical as it is filled with illogical fallacies which show me that your statements are irrational for all illofical fallacies are irrational, you used an illogical fallacy therefore your statements are irrational – a categorical syllogism and is valid.
I want to take the opportunity to assure our readers that we do not post these things with glee. My heart breaks daily for the direction the visible Church is heading, and for those who are being deceived daily in new and grievous ways. My only role is to report the news and hold these movements up to the light of Scripture. We love and care for the sheep enough to lose friends and readers over what we report.
As for the current story at hand, I also assure you we do not “hate” Brian, nor did I selectively cherry-pick his quotes, but rather included the full transcripts of his video statements as well as his entire letter to the 1,600 CC pastors whom are now facing a decision: Go with Brian’s New Calvary vision, or stick with the original doctrinal distinctives set forth by the movement’s founder. And I do pray that Brodersen and those following in his footsteps will see the damage that is being done – not by those reporting – but by those who are abandoning the sheep.
I share these things not for sympathy or to “build camps.” I don’t mind disagreements, and I don’t mind angry letters. If you think we’ve been unfair in any of our reporting, please do send us mail. But ask yourself first why you are angry and what you are angry about.
Amy, I appreciate your work and the gracious way that you communicate your findings. You have been a help and a blessing to me and to those I teach. Thank you!
I appreciate the effort and thoroughness of the information given through this ministry.
We should not put our heads in the sand but be alert. It is very sad that Pastor Brian, as it appears, did not communicate changes prior to changing a work of the Lord that he never created but was used mightily along the way. The cause and effect is purposeful disfunction and exposing the flock to the enemy to attack. The question of why so abruptly? Why not test the waters with his regional pastors and the leaders of the other CCA regions?
The conclusion seems to “self”. It is heartbreaking, but the good news is, it is out, the agenda revealed and the love of Christ, by faith, can be applied through prayer and staying the course by the teaching of the Word. All the Calvary Chapels should be encouraged to minister as the Lord as directed them. Take our eyes off of man, as they will always disappoint us, and keep it on the Lord.
I have observed many being sucked into “celebrity” blindness – among people and churches I never dreamed would be susceptible. Even though I may not be totally in agreement with you at all times, I am thankful for your heads-up to evil-creep. Christians need to scrutinize all “Christian” authors, speakers, pastors, bible study programs, etc. At the same time, churches seem to ignore tried and true bible teachers, publications and materials from the past, even distance past.
I recently listened to some outstanding, very highly educated science-related speakers on You-Tube at the Answers in Genesis web-site. I was very saddened to see that these videos only had from a few hits to maybe a couple of hundred hits. This is true of many other untainted Christian videos. Yet, go to the “Christian” (unsound) celebrity videos (music and teaching) and some of the viewership numbers are incredible. Also, read the comments below the videos where you often wonder who the object of their worship is. Pretty sad and scary.
Please keep up the great work.
Amen Joel,
“Christian” entertainers get the lion’s share of attention. Pure entertainment for an entertainment driven Churchianity. Feelings over substance, acceptance over truth and replace scripture with the latest fad. Truly as described by the prophets, The Great Apostasy rolls on. Many will come in His name, not only saying they are Him, but saying He speaks through them. My friend we are living in dark days, they’re only going to get worse.
Amy you did post the whole letter but your title was slanderous with a half truth, people don’t read any more. they take the half truth a lie and call it true. You can change, Get off the negative train. Go to the source, not a letter. You are guilty of causing people to sin and leave their Faith and you will have to answer to God. Look who you are attracting to your sight. I am tempted to write Johanah Michelson and ask her to intervene
The source wrote the letter, what else do you expect?
Actually church leaders & pastors who spiritually abuse the sheep cause people to leave the church & sometimes also their faith.
Yes……and I guess Johanah Michelson has authority over all believers?
What is hate: loving yourself more than others.
Amy,
Remember what scripture says, those within the “church” will turn against those that dare to stand up for what is truthful and God honoring. The letter you posted from the person who does not even attend CC is ridiculous and shows how rabid, incoherent and intolerable the followers of these wolves become when you touch their leaders. Expect more of this, their indignant self righteousness will be their witness against them. They forget, discernment keeps us from making their brash and illogical judgements, they on the other hand truly lack discernment and spout off as if they had any, it is sad……….
Keep up the good work Amy and Marsha, this ministry is needed more today than ever! Days are growing darker, and these so called brethren are more concerned with being slighted, than standing up and proclaiming the truth. It’s easier to hurl inaccurate epithets than to say the truth. Remember that Paul said we will be hated for being truthful. God bless you Amy and Marsha keep up the good fight.
Amen to that Manny1962. This is a great site for fair and informative dialogue. Amy and Marsha do a great job of expressing these very touchy issues with grace and poise. I am grateful for what they are doing here. It is definitely of the Lord.
When we find ourselves defending the person instead of the teaching, it shows that we have a problem that causes us to hold the person in high regard regardless of what they are teaching. When we find a person teaching something contrary to what the scriptures actually say, that is exactly the time to call them out on it. In love of course.
Keep up the good work you two:-)
Blessings:-}
When you kick the sacred cow, then expect screaming and hollering. I have been receiving this site for almost a year and have found nothing but helpful information. The professing Christianity of this day is filled with so-called sheep who have little or no discernment. Remember Jim Jones told his followers that what they were to drink was kool-aid and they drank, not knowing or caring that it was poison. Many of these celebrity-laden churches and preachers stand for little but will fall for anything. Just press on and ignore the sniping. If they are at your heels, then you must be in front of them.
We must, as true disciples, point out error, in order to protect people from hell, and believers from harsh reproof when they stand before God’s throne. Refusing to do so is selfish and cowardly. We don’t help anyone by not helping them prepare to meet God in truth, according to his word – and to protect His precious flock. As Paul confronted Peter publicly in Galatians 2, because Peter was in error and that error was hurting God’s people,so must we challenge the teachers of our day. Paul took Peter on without fear and without remorse, because the truth of the living God was at stake…and I am certain that Peter received it with grace because he calls Paul his beloved brother in 2 Peter 3:15. We MUST do the same, and ignore the worldly voices telling us that we are judging. We are supposed to judge, and judge rightly per John 7:24 and many other scriptures.
Amen SS! Amen! Brother the “don’t judge” syndrome has caused more harm to the church than many wolves! People don’t understand that righteous, biblical judgement is required and commanded from us!
This will happen alot. Bereans have to slow these people down and begin to ask them questions to make them think. It is the same way when dealing with cults. Ask questions to make them think and get them to critically think. In time they will understand or they won’t. We have to stay steadfast but also make sure that we are understanding correct teaching as well. Make sure we don’t deceive ourselves.
This is exactly what is wrong with American society, when a person makes a claim, rather than investigating that claim the offended party responds attributes that claim to hate, or racism, or misogyny.
In today’s world if you dare to proclaim Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, that He is the on!y way to The Father and there’s no salvation outside if Him……….at best you will be mocked and called all kinds of slurs, at worst someone will kill you. That is the reality of being a follower of Christ these days on planet Earth.
It has almost become a litmus test, stand up and be berated or shy away and compromise with the world.