Berita Mingguan 27 Juni 2009

Sumber: Way of Life Ministry, Friday Church News Notes

Penerjemah: Dr. Steven E. Liauw

Graphe International Theological Seminary

Untuk berlangganan, kirim email ke: gits_buletin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

PEMIMPIN SOUTHERN BAPTIS MENGATAKAN "MISI LEBIH PENTING DARI PERBEDAAN DOKTRINAL"

Berbicara di Konferensi Gembala Sidang Southern Baptis di Louisville, Kentucky, Morris Chapman, presiden dari Komite Eksekutif SBC mengatakan, "misi lebih penting dari perbedaan doktrinal." Ia mengatakan, "Kemenangan- kemenangan iman dalam sejarah hidup konvensi inu bukanlah karena orang-orang mencintai doktrin. Itu semua terjadi karena mereka mencintai Yesus" ("Chapman: Missions Trumps Doctrinal Divides," Baptist Press, 23 Juni 2009). Alkitab tidak pernah mengecilkan doktrin dengan cara yang demikian. Ketika Tuhan Yesus Kristus memberikan Amanat Agung, Ia memerintahkan agar kita memberitakan Injil, membaptis mereka yang percaya, dan lalu "ajarlah mereka melakukan SEGALA SESUATU yang telah Kuperintahkan kepadamu" (Matius 28:20). Rasul Paulus memperingatkan para penatua di jemaat Efesus bahwa ia telah memberitakan "seluruh maksud Allah" (Kis. 20:27). Paulus menginstruksikan pengkhotbah Timotius untuk melakukan perintah-perintah Perjanjian Baru dengan "tidak bercacat dan tidak bercela" (1 Tim. 6:14). Ini merujuk kepada detil-detil. Tidak ada otoritas dalam Kitab Suci yang membagi-bagi doktrin menjadi yang "penting" dan yang "tidak penting" atau "sekunder." Walaupun kita tahu bahwa tidak semua doktrin sama penting, tetapi semua doktrin memiliki arti pentingnya sendiri, dan siapakah kita sehingga kita boleh mengatakan bahwa sebagian Firman Allah adalah "tidak penting"?

SOUTHERN BAPTIST LEADER SAYS “MISSIONS TRUMPS DOCTRINAL DIVIDES” (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Speaking at the Southern Baptist Pastor’s Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, Morris Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said that “missions trumps doctrinal divides.” He said, “The victories of faith in the life of the convention did not happen because men and women loved doctrine. They happened because they loved Jesus” (“Chapman: Missions Trumps Doctrinal Divides,” Baptist Press, June 23, 2009). The Bible never downplays doctrine after this fashion. When the Lord Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission, He commanded that we preach the gospel, baptize those that believe, and then “teach them to observe ALL THINGS whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). The apostle Paul reminded the elders at the church of Ephesus that he had pr eached “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Paul instructed the preacher Timothy to keep the New Testament commandments “without spot” (1 Timothy 6:14). That refers to the details. There is no authority in the Scripture for dividing doctrine into “cardinal” and “peripheral” or “secondary.” While we know that not all doctrine has equal importance, all of it has some importance, and who are we to say that some of the teaching of the Word of God is “peripheral”?

SEORANG KRISTEN DIBUNUH KARENA MINUM TEH DARI GELAS SEORANG MUSLIM
Berikut ini disadur dari ChristianNewsWire. com, 12 Juni 2009: "International Christian Concern (www.persecution.org) telah mengetahui bahwa orang-orang Muslim radikal yang berjualan teh telah memukul mati seorang Krsiten karena menggunakan gelas yang seharusnya untuk orang Muslim pada tanggal 9 Mei. Orang muda tersebut, Ishtiaq Masih, memesan teh di sebuah kedai di desa Machharkay, Punjab, Pakistan, setelah bisnya berhenti di sana untuk istirahat. Ketika Ishtiaq mau membayar untuk tehnya, pemilik kedai itu memperhatikan bahwa ia sedang memakai sebuah kalung dengan salib dan lalu memeganginya, sambil berseru kepada para karyawannya untuk membawa apa saja yang ada untuk menggebuki orang itu karena telah melanggar sebuah tanda di gerobak itu yang memperingatkan orang-orang non-Muslim untuk menyatakan agama mereka sebelum disediakan teh. Ishtiaq tidak memperhatikan tanda itu sebelum memesan tehnya. Sang pemilik dan 14 orang karyawannya memukuli Ishtiaq dengan batu, batang besi, dan pentungan, dan menusuk dia berkali-kali dengan pisau dapur sambil Ishtiaq berteriak meminta belas kasihan. Penumpang-penumpang lain bis itu dan juga para pejalan kaki yang lewat akhirya mengintervensi dan membawa Ishtiaq ke Pusat Kesehatan Rural di desa itu. Dokternya, yang melaporkan kasus Ishtiaq kepada ICC, mengatakan bahwa Ishtiaq mati karena perdarahan internal dan eksternal yang hebat, tulang tengkorak yang remuk, dan cedera otak. Kedai Teh Makah terletak di jalan raya Sukheki-Lahore dan adalah miilk Mubarak Ali, seorang radikal Muslim berumur 42 tahun. Koresponden ICC mengunjungi kedai teh itu dan melihat bahwa ada sebuah tanda berwarna merah dengan simbol kematian yang berbunyi, 'Semua non-Muslim harus menyatakan agama mereka sebelum memesan teh. Kedai teh ini hanya melayani Muslim.' Peringatan itu juga mengancam barangsiapa yang melanggar aturan itu dengan 'konsekuensi yang parah.' Seorang pemilik toko yang bersebelahan memberitahu ICC, dengan jaminan tidak disebut namanya, bahwa semua karyawan Ali adalah mantan murid madrasah-madrasah Muslim radikal. Keluarga Ishtiaq mengatakan bahwa mereka segera melaporkan insiden tersebut kepada polisi dan mengajukan tuntutan terhadap Ali. Namun, para pembunuh itu masih bebas menjalankan kedai teh tersebut."

CHRISTIAN MAN MURDERED FOR DRINKING TEA FROM A MUSLIM CUP (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from ChristianNewsWire.com, June 12, 2009:?“International Christian Concern (www.persecution.org) has learned that radical Muslims running a tea stall beat a Christian man to death for using a cup designated for Muslims on May 9. The young man, Ishtiaq Masih, had ordered tea at a roadside stall in Machharkay village, Punjab, Pakistan, after his bus made a rest stop. When Ishtiaq went to pay for his tea, the owner noticed that he was wearing a necklace with a cross and grabbed him, calling for his employees to bring anything available to beat him for violating a sign posted on the stall warning non-Muslims to declare their religion before being served. Ishtiaq had not noticed the warning sign before ordering his tea. The owner and 14 of his employees beat Ishtiaq with stones, iron rods and clu bs, and stabbed him multiple times with kitchen knives as Ishtiaq pleaded for mercy. The other bus passengers and other passers-by finally intervened and took Ishtiaq to the Rural Health Center in the village. The doctor who took Ishtiaq's case told ICC that Ishtiaq had died due to excessive internal and external bleeding, a fractured skull, and brain injuries. Makah Tea Stall is located on the Sukheki-Lahore highway and is owned by Mubarak Ali, a 42-year-old radical Muslim. ICC's correspondent visited the tea stall and observed that a large red warning sign with a death's head symbol was posted which read, ‘All non-Muslims should introduce their faith prior to ordering tea. This tea stall serves Muslims only.’ The warning also threatened anyone who violated the rule with ‘dire consequences.’ A neighboring shopkeeper told ICC on condition of anonymity that all Ali's employees are former students of radical Muslim madrassas (seminaries). Ishtiaq’s family said that they immediately reported the incident to the police and filed a case against Ali. However, the murderers are still freely operating the tea stall.”

GEMBALA-GEMBALA SIDANG DITANGKAP DI CINA

Berikut ini disadur dari "Lebih dari 30 Pemimpin Gereja Rumah ditangkap," ChristianNewsWire. com, June 12, 2009: "Pada tanggal 9 Juni, lebih dari 30 pemimpin gereja-gereja rumah ditangkap saat sedang berkumpul di sebuah gereja rumah di kota Langzhong, propinsi Sichuan. Tiga belas pemimpin dikenakan 15 hari penahanan administratif, dan lima dari antara para pemimpin itu dikenakan tahanan kriminal. Para pemimpin yang lain dilepaskan. Para pemimpin Kristen tersebut sedang berkumpul di rumah Gembala Sidang Li Ming jam 5:30 p.m., di kota Lanzhou, ketika beberapa lusin petugas dalam sekitar enam hingga tujuh mobil dari Skuad Pelindung Keamanan Domestik lokal mengelilingi tempat itu, lalu menangkap semua orang-orang Kristen dan menggeledah rumah tersebut.... .Kelima pemimpin yang dikenai penahanan kriminal kemungkinan akan mendapatkan tuduhan kriminal resmi atau mendapatkan hingga tiga tahun re-edukasi melalui kerja keras. Mereka adalah: Gembala Gao Guofu, Gembala Li Ming, Zhang Guofen, Gu Lianpeng dan Yu Zhipeng. Gembala Li Ming baru-baru in dijatuhi hukuman tiga tahun re-edukasi melalui kerja keras karena iman Kristennya."

PASTORS ARRESTED IN CHINA (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “More Than 30 House Church Leaders Arrested,” ChristianNewsWire.com, June 12, 2009: “On June 9 more than 30 house church leaders were arrested while gathering in a house church in Langzhong city, Sichuan province. Thirteen leaders were given 15 days of administrative detention, and five of the leaders were placed under criminal detention. The other leaders were released. The Christian leaders were gathered in Pastor Li Ming's house church at 5:30 p.m., in Lanzhou city, when several dozen officials in six to seven police vehicles from the local Domestic Security Protection Squad surrounded the site, then arrested all of the Christians and searched the house. ... The five leaders who received criminal detention are likely to face a formal criminal indictment or up to three years of re-education through labor. They are: Pastors Gao Guofu, Pastor Li Ming, Zhang Guofen, Gu Lianpeng and Yu Zhipeng. Pastor Li Ming was sentenced to three years of re-education through labor in recent years because of his Christian faith.”

LIFEWAY WANTS IT BOTH WAYS WITH "THE SHACK" (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Lifeway Christian Stores, which are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, are selling “The Shack,” a novel that depicts God as a woman who doesn’t judge people. The Lifeway bookstore in Huntsville, Alabama, has a notice that says, “This book may contain thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology. Therefore, we encourage you to read it with extra discernment.” By means of this disclaimer, Lifeway intends to make money from this popular book while avoiding responsibility for its heresies, but it won’t work. The Bible warns that if we do not disassociate strictly from those who preach false christs, we become partakers of their evil deeds (2 John 7-11). Lifeway is not only associating with William Young and his heresies by se lling the book, but they are actually putting funds into his coffers to enable him to promote his wretched heresies. The Lifeway warning says the book “MAY contain” thoughts contrary to sound theology and urges readers to use discernment, but they don’t identify any particular heresies and a large percentage of their customers doubtless lack the Bible knowledge and spiritual discernment required to discern truth from error. This is like serving up a dish contaminated with poison to children and warning them to eat with caution! The Lifeway bookstores are filled to the brim with psychology, self-help, self-esteem, romance novels, ecumenical and charismatic literature, undependable Bible versions, and all sorts of “Christian” rock music. On a visit to a Lifeway store in Huntsville last year I found that they had many titles by emerging church authors, including Rob Bell (Velvet Elvis), Brennan Manning (The Ragamuffin Gospel), Erwin McManus (The Barbarian Way), Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz), and Shane Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution). Lifeway will stand accountable before God for polluting the minds and hearts of their customers with unscriptural material and for refusing to carry sound material from fundamentalist Bible-based publishers that they could and should be stocking but which they refuse to stock because it is “controversial.” (For more information see the reports “What Is the Emerging Church” and “The Shack’s Cool God” at the Way of Life web site.)

AUTHOR OF THE SHACK DENIES SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT AND HELL FIRE (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In an interview on March 13 with Kendall Adams of KAYP radio, William Young, author of The Shack, denied substitutionary atonement and hell fire, two cardinal doctrines of the biblical Christian faith. When asked, “I take it that you wouldn’t agree that the cross was a place of punishment for sin,” Young replied, “No. I don’t; I [don’t hold] a penal substitution point of view.” Young also said, “I don’t think that hell is physical fire and that kind of stuff and it is not an issue of separation from God.” The Shack is very popular among emerging type churches, but it presents a false god. For more on this see “The Shack’s Cool God” at the Way of Life web site.

COUNTRY MUSIC THEOLOGY (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We have warned many times about the moral danger of country music, and the reason is that so many of God’s people even in strong Bible-believing churches listen to this trash. A popular song that hit the charts this year is “People Are Crazy” sung by Billy Currington. The lyrics describe a conversation between an old man and a younger one in a bar. The old man had lived an unrighteous life, drinking, smoking, divorcing, womanizing, but he and his philosophy of life are applauded in the song. It is repeated in the chorus as follows: “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.” The song ends with the younger man putting those words on the old man’s tombstone. Beware of country music. It is of the world, the flesh, and the devil, but its thin veneer of “God and country” makes it palatable to some backslidden Christians. “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

PROMISE KEEPERS FOR WOMEN (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Promise Keepers, which staged massive ecumenical stadium events in the 1990s, is now targeting women. Its one event for 2009 is scheduled for July in Boulder, Colorado, and women are invited for the first time in the organization’s history. Promise Keepers almost went out of business after founder Bill McCartney left five years ago, but he came back onboard as the CEO last fall and plans to rebuild the organization’s influence. He says, “Boulder is going to be the epicenter of an extraordinary move of God. It’s going to go around the world ...we feel like it will relaunch the ministry” (“No Longer for Men Only,” The New Man, June 9, 2009). McCartney’s focus is still on ecumenical unity. He says, “This is the very heart of God, to bring the church together for the difficult days ahead.” In fact, th e heart of God as revealed in Scripture is for the churches to remain true to His Word and to mark and avoid those who teach error (Romans 16:17).

INTERNET CUTTING INTO FAMILY TIME (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - A new survey has found that Internet usage is eroding the time that family members spend together. The Annenberg Center for the Digital Future reported that 28 percent of Americans interviewed in 2008 said they spend less time with members of their household, which is triple the number that said that in 2006 (“Family Time Eroding,” Breitbart.com, June 15, 2009). People are spending more time on cell phones and social networks such as Facebook and MySpace. Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the Annenberg Center, rightly observed: “It can’t be a good thing that families are spending less face-to-face time together. Ultimately it leads to less cohesive and less communicative families.” He said that “the Internet is so engrossing, and demands so much more attention than other technologies, that it can disrupt person al boundaries in ways other technologies wouldn’t have.” Christian families must resist the onslaught of communication and entertainment technology by controlling it in a wise manner rather than allowing themselves to be controlled by it. Who said that children need their own cell phones, televisions, computers, and iPods? The world says that, but God’s Word warns that “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33), and Christian parents must do everything within their power to disconnect their children from the ungodly pop culture and to win their hearts for Christ.

PARENTS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR CHILDREN’S DELINQUENCY BY INEFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE (Friday Church News Notes, June 26, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from Training Your Children to Turn out Right, an excellent book by David Sorenson (Northstar Ministries, 1820 W. Morgan St., Duluth, MN 55811, 218-726-0209, www.northstarministries.com, dhs.northstar@charter.net) -- “As a pastor, I have visited in thousands of homes. I have witnessed the following scenario played out numerous times. ... Mom (or, sometimes Dad) would say to Junior. ‘It’s time to go to bed.’ (Or some other parental directive.) Junior ignored his mother and continued to watch TV. ... After a few moments, she would say, ‘Junior, I told you to go and get ready for bed.’ He replied, ‘Awe, I don’t want to.’ Mom let that go by. A few moments later, Mom became a little hot about the matter. She raised the vo lume of her voice and said, ‘I TOLD YOU TO GET READY FOR BED.’ Junior replied, ‘But Mom, I want to watch my program.’ Mom tolerated that counter for a few more moments. She then announced, ‘THIS IS THE LAST TIME I AM GOING TO TELL YOU. GO AND GET READY FOR BED!’ Junior, by now himself getting exasperated at being shouted at, shouts back, ‘I TOLD YOU, I DON’T WANT TO!’ Finally, Mom shouts, ‘I’M WARNING YOU. MARCH RIGHT NOW, OR I AM GOING TO WHIP YOU.’ Variations of that scene go on by the thousands every single day in America. The real culprit was not Junior. He knew from considerable experience that Mom could be ignored. Mom was too lazy to get up and deal with the situation. she, in fact, was in her own way contributing to the delinquency of Junior. ... One might say, ‘If I handled the situation described above as recommended, there would be a pitched battle.’ Well, you had better get on with the bat tle and win the war while it can still be won. The day is coming when you will not be able to win the battle or the war” (Training Your Children to Turn Out Right, 1995, pp. 69, 70).