A Response to Frank Turk’s Open Letter to Ed Stetzer
Dear Mr. Turk,
Intro: Right off, since tone and clanging cymbals has been quite a topic lately, rightly so, I will define my tone as “deeply concerned.” I am speaking as one who was eventually deceived (Mt 24:24) by a different gospel (Gal 1:6-9) after being born again over twenty years ago (1 Pt 1:3). Therefore, I am extremely sensitive, by God’s grace, truth and Spirit, to false gospels and those who promote and endorse them. Rest assured, not in an emotional, feelings frenzie, “get a grip woman,” kind of way. But in a perked ears, all eyes on target, kind of way, when I smell deception duping someone (following it) or being taught by someone (leading it). Which brings me to this: Another unwise, dangerous endorsement noted by Frank Turk’s open letter to Ed Stetzer. Rick Warren, Leadership Network, Piper and now, Stetzer!!?? Yes, I got that this open letter was not the alarming kudos as was the case for your open letter to John Piper. This open letter was a critique of sorts. Really good points made toward this emergent, Southern Baptist Convention guy, except… quote: “I know what kind of person you are. I know Christ is precious to you.” end quote. This lends this open letter to start as a ‘Berean-style’ examination (my fave), but then leads the reader in the end to actually feel quite snug and cozy with Ed (my own bias). How smart! Or would “deceptive” be more accurate?
UPDATE: (02-10-11) To explain “alarming kudos” for anyone who may not be up to speed. John Piper has 1) pronounced Rick Warren as “doctrinally sound;” 2) created a keynote speaker position for him in the Desiring God Conference ’10 line up; AND 3) is holding the West Coast Desiring God Conference ’11(WCDGC) at Saddleback, as confirmed by Ingrid Schlueter. Ingrid then re-confirmed the place and dates with a Desiring God spokesperson on Feb 7, 2011, at 1:03 p.m. central time. To restate, the WCDGC ’11 is scheduled for April 29-30, 2011, at Saddleback Church! That would not indicate a recant and repentance from John Piper’s sabbatical, of one year. Rather, it furthers his promotion of Wolf Warren!
Ed Stetzer, who is Director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway’s Missiologist in Residence, does a decent job (assuming credit here) getting Word-Faither’s off the Lifeway Christian Stores’ shelves, except the ones Lifeway® publishes. However, it is chock full o’ Rick Warren, seeker-sensitive and purpose driven proponents,emergents and mysticism! LifeWay® publishes Beth Moore (Paula White clone) and Priscilla Shirer (daughter of Tony Evans). These are two refined W-F/prosperity gospel con-artists that LifeWay® has sunk a lot of money into to corner the market of Christian women. They unashamedly twist Scripture to pull women in the church into the riptides of false teaching. Turning them from the sufficiency and inerrancy of Scripture, which is idolatrous and blasphemous, to the notion that we can audibly hear God’s voice as well has hear Him in nature. These women are also proponents of new spirituality/contemplative prayer as seen in the Be Still DVD. Ya know, that pagan mysticism stuff the emergents take so kindly to? They pretty much go hand in hand down the wide path to hell! Yikes! Ed Stetzer is in the Acts 29/emergent, seeker-sensitve, missional, mystic, liberal, ecumenical and social false gospels of the Mark Driscoll camp. If Stetzer holds Christ precious to him, why is he broadsiding God’s people into false teaching, while they happily and unsuspectingly enjoy their latte, beer and Hellywood flicks (credit to Marsha West for “Hellywood”)? Is it all those abbreviations behind his name that makes you feel comfortable with him? So, I ask an honest question of teamPyro that deserves an honest answer, “Why are you promoting these guys, giving credence, consideration and encouragement with friendship, or playful interaction with Ed Stetzer and Phil is allowing it at Pyromaniacs?” I am veeerrrrry concerned about this pollution at teamPyro and its potential, poisonous effects on the faithful ministry of John MacArthur, because Phil Johnson is the Executive Producer of Grace to You (1 Cor 5:9-13; Gal 1:6-9).
BTW, as for the video, you said, for The Nines, “… But He (Jesus) didn’t try to remain equal with God. But instead He gave up everything… when He became like us.” What!? That is not the “real Jesus.” That is some pretty tricky HERESY, not a paraphrase of Colossians, which is all about the deity of Christ and our redeemed, steadfast relationship to Him! Christ never gave up “everything.” >>> John 5:18, “For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” Christ is fully God and fully man. He never gave up being God! What He gave up was His fleshly, sinless body and life as a sacrifice, the Ransom for sinners, as the Perfect Lamb of God. And He gave up His to the Father. And by His grace, love, power and holy righteousness He bore our sins, the just for the unjust, once for all, in His body on the cross, paying our certificate of debt. How is this nine minutes going to help out any pastors in their ministries for the full counsel of God? How would a pastor learn about feeding the sheep from that when you said “Jesus gave up everything?” He did not ever give up being God. He was only “like us” in His flesh having lived and having been tempted in every way, as we are, while He was on this earth. It’s almost as if you are putting us higher than Him with, “He became like us.” Or equal with us, “He gave up everything.” “Everything” would include His deity, which He did not!
Not a very gracious comment about “Ingrid and the girls,” either. From what I have seen and been encouraged by, Ingrid does hold Christ and His truth precious. And if I was “one of the girls,” so do I. The clawing of the Body of Christ by its own, which is on the rampage with some, needs to stop. I admonish that it is firm and loving accountability of obeying Christ’s commands that must continue, by God’s grace, truth and Spirit. That is something that I believed you to be standing for in your open letter to White Horse Inn, which I supported, until your endorsement for Rick Warren’s Synagogue of Satan Saddleback Church, Piper, Leadership Network and Stetzer, which I have had to make a disclaimer for. It is the edification of the Lord’s own that needs to continue. It is separating from those who preach a false gospel and from those who endorse those who do, while simultaneously contending and defending the preaching of the True Gospel and full counsel of God, that needs to continue. So, you’re coming off as hypocritical in your endorsements and snide comments. What’s worse, heretical.
”But actually, I wrote to you not to ASSOCIATE with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” ~1Cor 5:11
In Christ, 4HisTruth & People,
Karla Tadler
