Loose Ends

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19 Responses

  1. Dan from Georgia says:

    Great stuff Michael. When I saw the headline on The Christian Post, it said that Francis Chan healed many people. Guess who got the glory? Doesn’t matter what the accompanying article said…the headline proclaimed Francis Chan.

    Also, is it me, or has the Babylon Bee softened? They rarely go after the Sacred Cows of Evangelicalism/Pentecostalism anymore (Trump and Chick-Fil-A for example).

    Oh, and the Super Bowl victors the Kansas City Chiefs? Um…ok. Maybe it was just a football game. Some people just are too hard and stupid to convince otherwise.

  2. Michael says:

    Thanks, Dan.
    There seems no end to the absurdity people will embrace…

  3. Babylon's Dread says:

    Chan?

    Oh yes he forgot hell remembered the holy ghost left the church and embraced house church. Now he heals everyone he touches.

    Woke me when its over.

    Bee Dread

  4. bob1 says:

    I have to laugh about “Elijah’s List.” This was a while ago but I used to go on it to see what the latest nonsense was from these people. But after while I couldn’t take it anymore. 🙂

  5. filbertz says:

    loose ends is more like loose cannons. 🙂

  6. Captain Kevin says:

    Hi filbertz!!

  7. Captain Kevin says:

    Had to check out Elijah’s List. That’s 10 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.

  8. Anchored says:

    There is a world of difference between a televangelist proclaiming themselves to be a healer and appealing for donations and the message that Francis Chan gave. This was not him sending out a press release proclaiming his power, this was a reporter writing an attention grabbing headline. What was the takeaway from this message? Live your life for God’s purposes and glory not your own comfort.

    You may not like the guy, but can you not rejoice in what God chose to do through him? Or do you not believe that God can still heal miraculously?

    As for those quacks who pretend to heal and live lavish lifestyles and whose personal lifestyles are full of sin, fair game. Let ’em have it.

  9. Duane Arnold says:

    While I believe that miracles such as healing do, indeed, take place, do we merely take the word of the person who claims to be the instrument of the miracle? For instance, in the Roman Catholic Church it’s a two-step process to verify such a healing. To even be considered, a potentially miraculous cure must be instantaneous or sudden, complete and permanent, and without apparent scientific explanation. When reviewing such cures the Vatican office that oversees this verification, first turns potential miracles over to the Consulta Medica. This board, established by the Vatican in the mid-1900s, is made up of about 100 renowned Italian physicians and university heads of departments. Traditionally, a panel of five Consulta Medica doctors and experts in the medical field will review the putative miracle, examining any available CT scans, X-rays, and medical reports. They do their research in private and only share the results of that research when they meet. At least three of the five must agree that the hand of God has prevailed where science faltered.

    Anecdotes are interesting, but facts are compelling…

  10. victorious says:

    Re: Chan.
    Yes, Chan and his style of communication and his adolescent level of embracing accountability while welcoming celebrity chaps my hide. And , Yes one day he will be greatly ashamed for his endorsement of Gospel for Asia.

    However, have you read the entire article?
    I did.

    It is a journalist providing snippets and a summary of a message and testimony Chan shared.

    Chan was privileged to share the Gospel in a remote village of Myanmar. Think 10/40 Window needs with enslavement to an Animist/Buddhist worldview with demonic opposition. No believers.

    Chan saw and was blessed to see a breakthrough of the Kingdom in that village which included healing of needy and oppressed people. Chan because of his notoriety shares at conferences. He is processing his experiences out loud as he shares his testimony.

    Praise God and rejoice with the manifestation of the power through Christ’s compassion.

    This was not a self appointed youth rally in an arena.
    This was the gospel of the Kingdom bringing light.

    If you want to legitimately analyze and criticize Chan or others ( which I have done) be specific and accurate .

    I want to see Christ continue to manifest himself in the ministry and community of Phoenix Preacher but it has to be faith working through the love of the Spirit.

    False representations will quench that Spirit.

  11. victorious says:

    Wow! A sub- committee from the Vatican must be appeased before people in darkness can rejoice in their healing along with the instruments God used for that healing?

    Better copy Jesus on that memo. He needs a reprimand from the Vatican for allowing unapproved testimonies to be leaked out to others.

  12. Em says:

    I think a case can be made for God working miracles (healings) in backward areas of the world steeped in ignorance, demonism and superstition … did Chan perform healing miracles in Myanmar? i don’t know, but if the circumstances were what victorious described, it is not out of the realm of the possible. However, it would not be because Chan is so full of virtue that God couldn’t deny his efforts – rather it would be God using an ordinary, flawed person to make Himself known to these people. IMO, of course 🙂

  13. Michael says:

    Vic,

    I’ll be specific.
    I don’t believe a word of it.
    Let me be clear about something…I want to believe in these sort of kingdom manifestations more than anyone.
    Mine is not a skepticism born of scholastic indifference and opposition to the supernatural, it is a skepticism born out of what I believe is a misrepresentation of God and the His ways.
    These “miracles” always happen somewhere that they cannot possibly be verified.
    We make up reasons for this out of whole cloth and baptize them.

    I maintain that Christ’s compassion is not limited to third world countries and places where verification is not possible.
    If Christ still heals and works miracles anywhere, He does it everywhere.
    I further maintain that this Holy Spirit is still at work, but something or somethings are quenching the work of the Spirit here.
    We settle for snake oil and celebrities and refuse to demand that healings and prophecies be subject to holy scrutiny and verification.

    Jesus sent those healed to the synagogue to be verified…

    Now, it’s possible that God affirmed the Gospel Chan preached through signs and wonders…but I believe the day is coming when the church will have to rely upon them for much more than that.

  14. Michael says:

    Now, let me say something else.
    While I was writing that comment a miracle happened in my life.
    I could verify it.
    Those who are closest to me could affirm that it happened.
    Provision arrived at the last possible moment …provision without which I would have been in grave trouble.
    Thank you Lord and thanks to that person for hearing Him…maybe we just need to listen…

  15. victorious says:

    ????

  16. Dan from Georgia says:

    For all the crap the the disciple Thomas gets in sermons, Jesus still showed him his nail-scarred hands.

  17. Catherine says:

    Praise God Michael!!!

  18. Duane Arnold says:

    Vic,

    I spoke of the RCC process as a “for instance”. Surprisingly or not, there is also a good bit of research and writing on this subject in peer reviewed medical journals.

    Looking for verification is not unbelief. It does, however, set a dividing line between what is real and what is not…

  19. JD says:

    Put Chan on the next flight to Wuhan.

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