Francis Chan, Hillsong United, Pope Francis Will Pray for Revival This Saturday

Amen?

I am choosing to ignore the big and seek out the small. Protestant, Catholic, Pentecostal, whatever that calls itself Christian --- it just makes no sense to me about the bigness of events, names and gatherings.

Let's assume Pope Francis had the same sort of mind as Francis Schaeffer and that he's not Pope Francis. Doesn't help the situation: still big.

There is not a moment in American history where a publicized prayer event turned the course of men, hearts or circumstances. The big worship. The big names. The big men. Oh, God repent of us our bigness! "We are so big we HAVE to be heard, Lord!" "See us Lord? You HAVE to see us now! Look how many of us there are singing and praying and look who this is on the stage, Lord? The POPE is even involved, Lord. Do we not mean anything to you at all?!?"

No, my friends. I know our brother Blaine takes issue with this on the Catholic involvement. I don't disagree. But, it just seems to me that, even without that, this is a performance. Perhaps well intended on some level, so I won't be harsh. But I will be honest. This is not brokenness. This is bigness.

May I tell you what I would ask those who plan this? Did Dallas precipitate this? Are we now in a place where we are calling out to God because there is a frenzy in the nation? Would you even be doing this now over the sinfulness of the church if Dallas had not happened? Are you even doing this now over the sinfulness of the church? Or, are you simply driven by a sense of crisis? What are you praying FOR? What will you ask God to DO?

Brothers and sisters, I submit to you that I think this gathering is more symptomatic of our problem as the church than it is seeking God in truth to awaken her. I hope I'm wrong. But, I see branding and bragging and more of the same.

Replying to myself: :)

This event was planned farther back and I want to acknowledge that.

My assessment is even less hopeful, though. This is all part of the larger darkness of the American Evangelical church as a whole.

Dismantle the big. Unwind the web of success, prosperity and repent of what passes for Christianity in this country. That's something to get together for. As it looks, Together2016 may turn into Together2017 and 2018 and is just another conference with a slate of big names designed to get Christians to spend money on other Christians.

Matthew 7:1, 3 "Don’t criticise people, and you will not be criticised. For you will be judged by the way you criticise others, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive.” "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye’, when there is a plank in your own? You fraud! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother’s speck of dust.”

Read the description of the event again. Taking it at face value what is wrong with it? What, alternatively, should they be praying for? Why always think the worst of people and cast doubt on their motives?

I read it's about unity. I see the Vatican as wanting the Christian believers to be reconciled, to come back home.

Pope Francis recently gave a speech and in it he mentioned the story of Joseph. How the Israelites had money. He said you can't eat money. They had to go down to Egypt to buy corn. They had to be reconciled with their brother in order to eat.

Take a look around and you are seeing food being used as a weapon today. In Venezuela, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and the lists go on. Be reconciled to my way or you want eat is the message today and the one that's coming as food, seed, and water are being bought up.

Kind of like the mark of the beast. Can't buy or sell even though you have money; you have to be reconciled with your brother and take his way or else.

The unity sought for in DC may be something quite different than what it appears. We live in an age of great deception.

Maybe the pope will get saved while hanging out with Francis Chan. Wouldn't that be something. Maybe that's what we should be praying for.

Give me jesus ,,who cares about theoligy ,,bad theoligy ,,lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya,,its not about theoligy who cares what we believe ,the importaint thing is ,giving jesus our heart ???

Brother Todd,

Ha! That would be something:))

Honestly I'd love to just listen to that conversation,...Francis C. really has a way about him that I just can't help but admire and my imagination finds lots to smile about with a Francis C. on P. Francis dialogue;)

You're on the right track Gary!

"Give me jesus ,,who cares about theoligy ,,bad theoligy ,,lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya,,its not about theoligy who cares what we believe ,the importaint thing is ,giving jesus our heart ???

Brother Gary, this statement is wrong and dangerous for many reasons. While I do know that the Pharisees had fairly good theology and missed Jesus with their blind hearts...and I have contended with a man (a supposed minister of the gospel) who said "theology is life"; my response being: "No, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are life," - I would never say that one can just disregard doctrinal purity and truth and go along with anything (this is a false dichotomy: "Theology/doctrine is all" vs. "Theology/doctrine is nothing").

But all throughout scripture we are warned not to be deceived. Jesus Himself does no small amount of warning about false prophets and false christs. Paul, Peter, John, Jude, James, and the writer of Hebrews all warn about error and correct faulty thinking/theology.

Scripture tells us to "test all things" and exhorts us not to be "babes in understanding". Just about all of Scripture exists to teach us the truth of God and prevent us from falling for deception.

The sentiment that says:

"lets all come together for jesus ,,and sing combyya"

is also very dangerous. Scripture is clear: some preach a different Jesus.

The heart *must* be humble and surrendered to Jesus Christ, but the *mind* must also be renewed by the word of God and we must understand Christ/truth in order to abide in Him and stand firm against "every wind of doctrine" and the "fiery darts of the wicked one."

Just think, if you love your wife and someone began to misrepresent her in your presence and to say that she condones things that she really hates, and then claims to be her friend - would you not only stand by and let that go unchallenged, but would you befriend that person and not try to correct them? Now what about when professing sheep do the same with the Shepherd?

Jesus says:

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets...Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."

Who was it that used to mistreat the prophets of God? Who is Jesus referring to here? Not the Egyptians or Babylonians...it was the Jews that hated their own prophets (and loved the false prophets).

Woe to you when all that name the Name of Christ speak well of you, for they often love the false prophets.

We need to walk circumspectly and test all things.

A "who cares what you believe" attitude is incredibly naive and dangerous and likely betrays a spiritual shallowness (for almost every chapter of the bible screams in opposition to such a perilous mindset).

Brother Blaine,
While I agree the Pope is an evil man and not a Christian at all - I exhort you to check your sources. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that your alleged Pope Francis quotes are all taken from a "National Review" article...

The issue is that the National Review is a fake news site. Pope Francis likely never made those statements (at least not publicly). We do need to play by the rules and, "by the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established," (unless you personally witnessed him make these statements in a public speech).

Can you provide references so we can verify the Pope Francis quotes? Thanks brother.

Though I do agree that the whole event in DC is not according to the will of God and find it to be very dangerous (end time) error and deception.

Blaine,
Doesn't it bother you that you may have accused a man of saying what he didn't say? If those alleged quotes you posted are an outright fabrication, don't you find it appropriate to retract your claim that the Pope said them? The specific quotes you posted seem to only appear in the National Review fake news article:

http://nationalreport.net/pope-francis-followers-koran-holy-bible/

Forrests-

Gary's comment, I believe, was made with tongue firmly in cheek.

I am no fan of the Pope or the RCC and I have posted of its evils many times. But I am a fan of people like Francis Chan trying to do something positive.

How do you know it is not his goal to influence the Pope vs. allowing the Pope to influence him?

I think we are all smart enough not to be deceived by any Popic rhetoric that Muslims and Jews and Christians are all one big happy ecumenical family. So I take all such comments with a huge grain of salt.

I do however respect Francis Chan and I have no choice but to trust his motives and involvement. We should pray the Lord will give him supernatural wisdom. If the Pastor of my church was invited I am sure he would go. But his goal would be to glorify and be a witness for the true Jesus Christ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLpGqGDDADdlnDI9ZQY0Fs0sd_hwpEQBhP&v=5G3CdZu38_M

at 17.20 he mentions the desire for communion. At 18:00 he begins the speech on Joseph and money

Bear- what exactly, and i mean exactly, do you find objectionable in the above statement in the context it is given. Quote that portion that troubles you.

All he seems to be saying is that religion, at its finest, can help improve society. I think it is a pipe dream, but that seems to be what he was saying.

Let me put it this way- is it better to hate hindus and muslims or to love them? would it be better if all muslims got along, or is it better that we have shiites and sunnis killing each other?

Saying we should try to get a along with them and that they should try to get along with each other is different than saying their beliefs are 100% correct.

I have long loved Francis Chan. I still do, and said on here not long ago that he has spoken truth to groups where he had been invited. Here is hoping but not really expecting that to happen this go 'round.

Re: Pope. Here is what I know. The man washed Muslim feet. That gesture is reserved for believers in the church to one another. It demonstrates that the one being washed has a part in Christ. This is why Jesus told Peter if He did not wash Peter's feet, Peter had no part in Him. The washee, not the washer, is the one identified with Christ in that moment. Pope Francis perverted it. But, this is no surprise. It is as if an unbeliever was given communion by a believer. Anathema.

If someone would share a platform, an agenda, or whatever with him, that is on them. We would all do well to quit listening to A-list Christian celebrities and conferences.

Bear-

I have fallen under no spell of Francis-- I can honestly state that I have never heard even one of his speeches not have I read any words he has written other than what is written here on SI.

All I am saying is that we should be careful of criticizing genuine brothers like Francis Chan because really and truly we have no idea what his motivations are. For all we know the HS may be commanding him to do this, for His purposes.

Didn't somebody in the the Bible say I will be all things to all men in order to save some? Sounds like a pretty compromised guy to me.

Tmk your right my toung was in my cheak with my first comment ,,but blain seem to miss that one ,,,,,,

I agree with whats being said here ,,but i think lets not esteam the words of any of the catholic saints ,, mother threasa ,,brother larwarnce , these were more then likly decived as well and not truly christians

Hi Bro Gary,

You have brought up a valid point here: How should we esteem the writings of these Catholic "saints" of yesteryear?

I know many esteemed Protestant writers who have quoted from there writings and experiences.

Should we resist the idea of the Catholic Church as an organisation and what it wants to do and still appreciate the few bright lights in its midst? Or is this not possible?

Imput from the forum will be appreciated:)

God bless,

Bear- I was talking about the Pope not Chan.

It may be possable stireditup, but it then becomes a stumbleing block to the weak and unconverted and we sound like hipocreats ,

We cant protest againsts the catholic church and all its serious false teachings in one breath and then quote teachings from Catholics as if thery are fine ,,,one may be able to spit the bones ,but the weak and unconverted will swallow, not noing how to chew , for that reason we should look else where if we feel we need to reiterate some ones teachings .

How would you feel ,telling some one about mother threasa, and then finding out they joined the catholic church , and got raptured up in all the heracy and that remaind there end ,so ti speak all becasuee we planted a weed for a seed

Or because many unsaved no of the hipocracy and child abuses and muders that the catholic church as comited in the name of god ,,they see us or hear us promote some of the sayings of the catholic so called saints, they then become resisent of the true gosple ... Another stumbling block

The bible says we should give no ocasion to stumble jew or gentile .......

We promote christ and him crusafied , and the bible , I f they stumble at the stubeling stone,the rock of offence ,then that is ment to be ....

Thanks brother Gary,

I agree with you 100%.
I think that some of the classical authors from long ago who were brought up and remained within the Catholic church were nonetheless critical of certain things in the Catholic Church and sought to serve the Lord faithfully under the circumstances. You and I won't know because we were not there :)
Remember where Martin Luther etc came from.

Just threw the question in here because I know we may have different points of view from the forum members.

I would like to hear from some more members, just to get their thoughts. I promise I will not judge you members!:)

Then I would stand in judgement of a whole lot of respected protestant authors

I don't shop at Costco. If I want to go to a wholesale store, I go to Sam's Club.

I don't look to Catholicism for truth. If I want truth, I look to Christ and His Word.

If Costco was the only place I could find something and it made sense in the market to go there, I would pop in and buy and say, "I appreciate it. Why don't y'all do this with everything?" If Catholicism happened to be the only place I could readily find a recitation of truth and it makes sense in light of all I can pray, study, read and know from God and His Word, then I would pop in and say, "I appreciate this. Now y'all get saved."