Collecting the bad press in one place

One of my favorite sites, thereligionofpeace.com exposes Islamic terrorism. The really cool thing about it is that it is a portal basically into stories that end up deeply buried in the mainstream press. It's sort of a Drudge Report on Islam. Here's a start on the negative press that CC has gotten in the past few years:

* Unaccountable at Calvary Chapel (Christianity Today)
* Day of Reckoning (Christianity Today)
* Calvary Reunion: Skip Heitzig Returns to N.M. (Christianity Today)
* Christian school sues University of California over requirements (Christianity Today)
* Yet Another Painful Calvary Chapel Story
* On the Independence of Calvary Chapel Congregations
* How Your Emerging Church Can Stay in Calvary Chapel, Inc
* Chuck Smith’s view of church history
* (Stand to Reason) Calvary Chapel Rejects Contemplative and Emergent Spirituality!
* Calvary Chapel gives up lawsuit with radio network
* Getting Back To Nurture by Chuck Smith, Jr
* Calvary Chapel Pastor Speaks Out (and shows his ignorance)
* Teen admits role in Calvary Chapel fire
* Calvary Chapel Revisted
* Calvary Chapel and Chuck Smith
* The Chuck Smiths on Emergent Church

I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The other CC BLOGs

There are a couple of even more anemic BLOGs that have risen from the ashes of the Phoenix Preacher. They are all heavily moderated so if you have a comment don't expect it to be posted without moderation. Here's the ones I have found so far:

* http://michaelnewnham.com/ - Michael's stream of consciousness BLOG that has become even more self absorbed than ever before. There are no comments allowed in the new BLOG. The only reason worth reading it at all is to watch his character continue to disintegrate.
* From the Ashes - This one has some occasional points but is so heavily moderated as to be nearly completely useless. It's not just from the ashes, it's all ashes itself.

There may be others. Let us know.

Fleeing the Sinking Ship

Another church chooses to leave Calvary Chapel over the words of Chuck Smith:

http://www.koinoniafellowship.com/independent.htm

For many in the Calvary Chapel movement the poster child for this issue was David Hocking. Check out the Calvary Chapel Wiki entry on Hocking for the story.

Church Discipline is a mark of the true church. What will Koinonia Fellowship do to increase transparency at their church? Or will this be just another division?

Death of the Phoenix Preacher BLOG

It's official. It gives me little pleasure to announce that the Phoenix Preacher BLOG is dead.

Coward?

Let's keep the spirit alive. All are welcome to post here. Note that our committment has not weakened against Calvary Chapel regardless of the reaction of the Phoenix Preacher.

Being an ethical minister

Here's a prototype of an Ethical Standard for Ministers.

Why is this relevant?

1. Apparently CC has no ethical standards.
2. This standard makes it unethical to participate in a church that was formerly pastored.
   

Thinking About Forgiveness

Here’s a way to think about forgiveness that might be a bit challenging to how many of us were taught to think about forgiveness. Personally, I fought this idea tooth and nail until I did a Biblical survey of all of the relevant texts and reached a conclusion that was surprising to myself.

Unilateral vs Bilateral Forgiveness Models
There are two basic models of forgiveness. One is the unilateral model and the other is the bilateral model.

The Unilateral Model
Most of us were raised with the unilateral model of forgiveness. We learned that forgiveness is the responsiblity of the sinned against. In fact, we may have even told people ourselves that if they don’t forgive someone who has sinned against them that they are in sin themselves. We took the words of Jesus about forgiveness in part, because we did not see them in whole. In the process, the people we told to forgive were often revictimized by us when they were unable to forgive their offender.

We said that the person who does not forgive is only harming themselves taking our lead from the pop-psychology movement.

We short-circuited the God given sense of justice that is in the sinned against person. We may even have suggested some sort of secret ritual where suggested forgiving a person without even communicating that in any way to the one who was forgiven. We did not leave judgment to God.

I no longer believe that the unilateral model fits the whole counsel of Scripture. What really fits the Biblical record the best?

The Bilateral Model
The Bilateral model of forgiveness sees forgiveness as an exchange. It involves the repentance of the sinner and the forgiveness of the one who was sinned against. The goal is reconciliation. It recognizes that God has placed in every person a need for justice. Repentance produces works which show the repentance. Repentance is a change of mind which results in a change of actions.

In the bilateral model forgiveness is an exchange. Forgiveness should always be offered by the sinned against. It may not be received by the sinner. As Christians we must be willing to offer forgiveness, but we cannot grant it until the other person repents. Our sin comes if we do not accept their repentance.

God is our Model
God is our model in all of this. God offers forgiveness. Jesus died for the sins of the entire world. But not everyone is forgiven? Why not? Because it has to be received with repentance. If forgiveness with God is the form of an exchange then why should it be different with us?

If we are always to forgiven then why would the Scriptures say this? John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

David Allender's newer book on forgiveness covers this subject quite well.

Phoenix Preacher moves

Phoenix Preacher has been following all things Calvary Chapel. In the recent days that means that they have been concentrating their efforts on Skip Heitzig and the unravelling of Calvary of Albuquerque.

Phoenix Preacher have moved off blogger and onto a different host. Their address changed to here. There's always a lively chat going on in there. Be sure to say hi to my buddy Tundra Man if you go in there.