No Comment?

Question: DO DENOMINATIONAL CREDENTIALS IMPRESS YOU?

Another question: Does Jesus WANT you to be impressed by denominational credentials? Another question: Are denominational certifications Biblical? Another question: Are you receptive to a perspective, regarding denominational endorsements, that you have never heard before? Another question (this a challenging one): ARE YOU TEACHABLE? (Jesus: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”)

Before beginning this article I knew very little about evangelical seminaries. But I did have plenty of suspicion! Why so suspicious? Because over fifty years of christianity I had become (mildly) acquainted with several credentialed evangelical pastors, and missing in almost every conversation with these brothers was the name of JESUS!

Jesus: “Out of abundance of his heart, the mouth speaks.” (Lk.6:45) What’s in comes out. The spiritual condition of every christian can be determined by the number of times he (she) speaks the name of Jesus. Again, what’s in comes out. Did these pastors mention the name of JESUS when preaching? Yes, but only occasionally. Mostly they preached ‘church’ (‘us’, not Him). In an analysis I did years ago I learned pastors of Kelowna’s largest churches spoke CHURCH three times for every time they spoke JESUS. This is so opposite New Testament writings.

Can you see why I am so suspicious of the spiritual condition of evangelical seminaries? All these pastors were GRADUATES of various institutes; could their lukewarmness to Jesus be attributed to them? And so my search began…

I simply used Google to connect with seminaries. The first one I came across was Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1886. I click through a number of pages on their website used to introduce the reader to their many courses. To determine the quality of this seminary I simply counted the number of time I could find the name JESUS as my mouse piloted me from page to page. As the quality of an individual’s relationship with Jesus can be determined by the number of times he speaks JESUS, the wealth (or poverty) of every GROUP (church, seminary, etc.) can likewise be determined. Make sense?

So I RANDOMLY inspected ten pages, scouting for the name JESUS (or Christ), not only on Moody’s website, but that of two other sizable seminaries as well. Are you ready for this……. ?

Scrolling page one, no JESUS. Two to five, no JESUS. Six to ten, no JESUS. (GOD is occasionally mentioned – even the world speaks God – but there was no JESUS, no FATHER, no HOLY SPIRIT. None!)

Next stop, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Page one, no JESUS. Two to five, no JESUS. Six to ten, no JESUS. (And no FATHER and no HOLY SPIRIT.) Well, what about a pentecostal seminary? Can I find Jesus in their website?

Next stop, Pentecostal Theological Seminary (a Church of God ministry). Page one, no JESUS. (Remember, I am going to pages randomly.) Two, three and four, no JESUS. Page five, one JESUS. Six, seven eight, no JESUS. Page nine, JESUS four times. Page ten, JESUS twice. (On this website the Holy Spirit was mentioned often.)

If this does not startle you, sadden you, anger you, it should. Your entire christianity, and that of many millions throughout the world, have been dwarfed by graduates of seminaries that withhold due homage to your Lord and Saviour and Creator and Teacher and Shepherd and Healer and High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider: Does a baptist seminary produce disciples of Christ? No, baptist seminaries produce baptists. Does a pentecostal seminary create disciples of Christ? No, pentecostal seminaries create pentecostals. Evangelical seminaries create evangelical pastors the same way catholic seminaries create catholic priests.

If all this seems unbelievable, I strongly encourage you to investigate for yourself. It’s easy. Google the mentioned seminaries, and peruse other seminaries. Determine for yourself if Jesus is being exalted in these institutions. And then….

Check out the churches in your city. Visit their websites. Listen to the graduates of their respective seminaries delivering their sunday morning teachings. What are they emphasizing? Is their main focus JESUS or CHURCH? Is Jesus being exalted or is religion being exalted? And then if you have the courage, COMMENT on your discoveries.

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NLT): “I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” This article (and all my NO COMMENT? articles and most of my writings) is to steer you back to “undivided devotion to Christ”. Most evangelicals have had their devotion to Jesus “corrupted”. And you? Have you lost what you once had? Ask yourself, my precious brother, my precious sister, “Am I a follower of Christ or have I become a follower of christians?” Ask the Lord Jesus, “Lord, have I exchanged You as ‘first love’ and allowed evangelical religionists to be seated on the throne of my life?” In my opinion almost every born-again christian would have to respond YES to that question.

Do you understand that salaried pastors are responsible for the condition of their congregations? Who else can it be? And do you understand that since every pastor is a graduate of an evangelical seminary, this verifies that evangelical seminaries are not only incompetent but highly dangerous. The following is my explanation how a naive young christian becomes a salaried pastor….

He was steered toward a reputable seminary by those influencing his christianity and sensing in him an unusual zeal. Understandably, he very much wanted to be accepted, included and welcomed by the school’s personnel and his fellow students. He was investing much money and a large chunk of his life; he cannot fail; he must graduate. His potential as a competent pastor will only be fulfilled by securing that powerful credential that will immediately elevate him from common to exceptional.

To this impressionable young arrival it would be easy to assume that God must be the architect of this denominational school. Everything points to its authenticity; the chapel, the dormitory, the classrooms, the array of salaried teachers, the hundreds of fellow students all combine to shout a huge “AMEN!!” to the authenticity of this spiritual learning center. All these people simply can’t be wrong! The young man quickly adopts a submissive disposition. He may ask occasional questions, but never challenge. Agree, cooperate, comply. And smile! Lots of smiles!

But something terrible is happening deep within. The young man entered this seminary with a small head and a large heart and will graduate with an enlarged head and a diminished heart. His “undivided devotion to Christ” has been altered to an undivided devotion to his denomination. The lordship of Christ has been replaced by the lordship of denominational executives. He now pleases them, not Him. The denomination that trained him is his identity, his security, his guide.

Examine yourself. How has the seminary graduate at your church, Pastor Whoever, affected your relationship with Lord Jesus? Have you allowed this brother to muzzle you, to hinder you from preaching “Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Has he directed your generosity away from Christ’s great commission and into evangelicalism? Do you cherished his approval more than the approval of the “head of the church”?

One more time: DO DENOMINATIONAL CREDENTIALS IMPRESS YOU?
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NOTE: Unlike religionists  – those who advocate various religions – I believe you have a preaching ministry! Male or female, rich or poor, the Lord Jesus has called you to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” to His church and to the world He died for. I invite you to visit my library of books, articles and videos at www.larryjones.ca