The Marriage Mirror by Ed Young, Jr. and Lisa Young (Bad Fruit)
Biblical Resources:
A “Whole ‘Notha Level” of Ed’s Desperation for Money
A Little Coveting Going On with Ed at Lakeland?
Hand Over Your Routing Numbers!
The whole sexperiment thing at Fellowship Church (FC) has been a huge marketing ploy to grow a young audience (pun highly intended). Doing interviews with ABC’s Nightline and Good Morning America, writing books on the subject are all marketing tools to grow FC, which is the purpose-driven/Rick Warren way to do church.
Speaking of coffee from that last video, this is one of Ed’s infamous admonishments to his congregation, “Wake up and smell the Starbuck’s!” I’ve wondered Is this Ed’s phrase for getting right with God? That’s not exactly how Jesus would say the crux of the New Testament. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel,” is more like it (Mk 1:15). This is Ed’s attempt to be culturally correct and to “creatively connect” with the contemporary, hip, youthful generation, which is marked by the trendiness of iconic Starbuck’s. This is, of course, at the expense of preaching the Word (2 Tim 4: 2a). This is an example of mega church preaching. Seeker-sensitve, water-down-the-Gospel, make-your-church-big, earn-lots-o’-cash preaching. This keeps the goats happy and comfortable with their itchy ears tickled and coming back for more while on the path to destruction. It keeps the sheep clueless, unfaithful and unfruitful on the path to eternal life. Does that sound remotely at all like something the devil might have a hand in? Yeppers! Clueless, unfaithful and unfruitful? Would that be any way to present ourselves before Christ and His Bema seat on that day when we meet our Lord and Savior face-to-face? Jesus, Paul, Peter, John and Jude all warned believers to not be mislead! Jesus says, in Mt 24:25, “Behold, I have told you in advance.” Therefore, we are without excuse! We are commanded, in 2 Tim 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. If you’re thinking that moment at the Bema seat will just be an, “Oh, how embarrassing” situation, I don’t think that quite captures it fully for the one who gets called home to be with the Lord and has to give an account (Rom 3:19; 2 Cor 5:10) as to why they stayed at an apostate church (in general), being unfaithful to the Lord and His gospel. Ouch!
As one who was a member and attended Fellowship Church (FC) for almost 2 years while trying to keep up with them and find another church like it (because we were in the fog of his false gospel… more with my testimony) as we moved all over the country for another 12 years, I can verify Ed Young Jr. is not concerned with doctrine or his ever-increasing worldly image. Why is this a problem? Well, this man is a leader in the church, a pastor and son of another prominent leader in the church, Dr. Ed Young. His father is the head pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church. Ed Young Jr. is leading many in their comfortable theater seats, and those who watch or listen to him via TV and radio, down the wrong path. It is preaching the True Gospel that save souls. I will say, there was enough of the Gospel there when we attended in ’00-’02 for someone to hear and be saved. I know of two such men today that have this testimony. However, they would also say along with me, there is “no meat” at this church. Since we attended, Ed is ever-wavering, becoming more and more deceived by the world, while introducing and promoting false teaching. Essentially, he is running ahead (2 Jn 9). He has affiliated himself with TD Jakes, a modalist, Brian Houston and Joel Osteen just to name a few false teachers of the W-F/prosperity and false gospels.
On the subject of “no meat,” it is teaching the Full Counsel of God (Ti 2:1) that feeds the sheep. The teaching that was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 1:3d). Jesus told Peter, “If you love Me, feed My sheep.” If Ed, or any pastor really loves the Lord, they will feed His sheep! Since he is obviously going for worldly gain (Lk 9:25) as seen in the videos and reports above, he is heading toward losing his soul while proving himself to be off the narrow path. Thus , FC is not the best place to be in or has the best example with Ed Young Jr., wouldn’t you agree? If he isn’t being an example of taking up his cross to follow Christ (Lk 9:23-24) one can be sure he isn’t leading and exhorting the people at FC to deny themselves to follow Christ either. He isn’t pleading with his churches to repent and pick up your cross to follow Jesus. Rather, he’s tickling their ears and begging for their banking accounts to make automatic withdraws to his churches! Could it be any more obvious, folks!? He is not preaching that believers need to follow Christ’s commands, like “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Rom 12:2. Of course not! What he wants is money! In fact, I remember Pink Floyd’s “Money” being played in one of the services as a comedic approach, while attempting to be biblical, for not serving that master. What happened Ed? That is the worldly image $$$ (hanging around his neck in the above video) he is going for NOT the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). For money, a pastor will preach to tickle ears as many ears as he/she can (2 Pt 2:3, 2 Tim 4:3)! The teaching of Jn 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” does not exude from this ‘pastor.’ Nor, does any of Christ’s teachings! Rather, he wants your bank account to decrease and his to increase!
I admonish Mr. Ed Young Jr., and his father and two brothers who are also in ministry to reach out to you with loving correction and counsel with the Word, instead of applauding you. I admonish Ed, and all of us, with the words of Jesus,”Repent or you too will perish,” Lk 13:3,5.
-Karla Tadler
Tags: Andy Stanley, Ben Young, Beth Moore, Bobbie Houston, Brian Houston, Christine Caine, Cliff Young, Dr. Ed Young, Ed Young Jr, Ed Young Jr Books, Fellowship Church, Hillsong, Israel Houghton, Jentezen Franklin, Joel A’Bell, Joel Osteen, John Maxwell, Joseph Prince, Judah Smith, Lisa Young, Nicky Gumbel, Phil Duly, Pure Sex, Rick Warren, Second Baptist Church in Houston, T.D. Jakes, The Marriage Mirror
