It is a situation that is becoming all too common. An unsuspecting individual begins to innocently search the internet for information on a particular subject and suddenly finds his or herself faced with the perils of Reformed theology.Hehe. Read the whole article here. It was especially funny to me because I've developed a lot of my theology through internet resources. I grew up in PCA churches, but I really didn't personally take hold of reformed theology until late high school and beyond, as I increased my own theological studies, largely through the internet. My adult Sunday School teacher was also largely responsible for my developing beliefs, but the internet was my main tool for theological study. Net Finney was invented too late to help me. Hehe.
"I was helping my ten-year-old son do a report on American Government." Said Kenneth Lyons, a concerned parent. "We were about to research America's election process, so we went to Google and typed in "election." The phone rang and I stepped out for no more than 5 minutes, and when I returned I found Eric reading some article by a guy named R.C. Sproul about believers being "elected" and "predestined" by God for salvation. I just freaked out! I didn't know what to do."
Lyons' story is not unique. Families and entire churches are discovering daily the theological risks of surfing the internet.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Net Finney
I thought this article was hilarious.
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7 comments:
Um, the article was tongue-in-cheek, by the way. There really isn't a filter called "Net Finney." Guess I should have made that a bit more clear :-).
I was talking to my boss (a Southern Baptist) the other day, and she was telling me how they voted their pastor out because "He got all weird" she said. I pressed her for details, and she said, "I don't know. He started preaching on... Calvinism and stuff like that. I'm so glad he's gone."
Hehe. Don't worry, Zan. I'm as blonde as the day is long, so I have a whole 2 decades worth of blonde stories to tell :-D.
That's really funny, Ashley. Actually, there is a huge Calvinistic movement within the Southern Baptist churches because the SBC seminaries have a lot of professors that preach the Doctrines of Grace, so a lot of the new seminary graduates are Calvinistic.
So, John, you're Presbyterian because you're weird? Funny. I'm Presbyterian because of conviction :-D.
Zan, you crack me up so much! I wasn't for sure after reading the excerpt Susan gave, but I thought it just sounded way too bizarre for a parent to freak out that much over something like Reformed Theology on the Internet. Maybe they should censor their Bibles, esp. Romans 9. ;) j/k
I thought John was referring to being a Presbyterian because that way members couldn't vote him out of a church like the woman that Ashley mentioned said had happened to her pastor.
I can definitely see some advantages to the Presbyterian denomination. The concept that impresses me the most is the formal structure in governing. I have been in enough unstructured, individualistic churches that I can see how having a more structured, governing body would be a real advantage. There's nothing like having some governing men in place with real authority to handle conflict and disputes when it is needed. People can be so incredibly opinionated over the most unnecessary things. It often seems that the "squeaky wheel gets the oil."
I didn't come to accept Reformed Theology until my late teens. In fact, I abhorred the doctrine in the beginning when I first heard it. Good thing God is sovereign and patient. ;)
Now, I am sharing the Scriptural teaching of election with a few friends. I love having deeper conversations with some of my girl friends. They really challenge me with some tough questions about the Scriptures. It's good to be stretched in this area. It always forces me to go back to the Word to support my philosophy.
BTW, has any one read Future Grace by John Piper? I bought the book a couple of weeks ago and it looked really good. I am excited to start but I have so many other books waiting to be read. :(
Hello, Miss Garrison! I found your blog recently, and I thought I better not just snoop.
I doubt you'd remember, but my family went to the Reformation weekend thing at Heritage Pres. last year. I remember wondering where you were the next time we visited there.
Funny stuff. I thought it was a LarkNews article at first.
We Presbyterians know we're a bit weird, Zan, so you don't have to break it to us :-). . . Actually Presbyterians aren't weird, they just have "distinctions." Hehe. It's true.
We had a funny moment in my statistics class last week. We meet in a PCA church, though most of Heritage's students are not presbyterian. Anyway, we had a ceiling fan on to circulate the heat, and it was squeaking horribly. I said something about how a deacon needed be notified, and one of my students said, actually the session needs to appoint a commitee to investigate the problem. She and I started laughing, since we're Presbyterian and "got it." Then we had to explain the nuances of Presybterian government to the other students. Hehe. In all seirousness, though, I think the Presbyterian form of government is really wise. As my pastor likes to say when he explains the basis for a session, rather than just a senior pastor, "We believe that people are depraved. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
I want to know how that John Piper book is, Lydia, after you read it :-).
Hi, Laura! Yes, I remember your family. I think Claire was your sister? I remember your last name too, but I won't mention it online :-). I hope y'all are doing well! I never attended Heritage Pres. regularly, just participated in some extra activities, which is why I wasn't there next time you came :-). And do call me Susan, please :-). I'm not that much older than you :-).
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