Chris Rosebrough and Fighting for the Faith

[Steven Yeadon]

I figured I should ask a question, because I have found a pastor who seems to explain the Word better than the rest of those with online ministries.

What do you think of Chris Rosebrough and his ministry Fighting for the Faith? This could also be "What do you think of Pirate Christian Media?"

I figured it would be best to ask a group of people who have kept me out of error, before hanging on pastor Chris' every word. He has a way of teaching the bible that helps me understand things, especially as one who deceived myself for so long in Charismatic and Seeker-driven circles. So far his ministry seems to bear good fruit in my life, but I am also wary after running after foolish things so much in my past.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I figured I should ask a question, because I have found a pastor who seems to explain the Word better than the rest of those with online ministries.

What do you think of Chris Rosebrough and his ministry Fighting for the Faith? This could also be "What do you think of Pirate Christian Media?"

I figured it would be best to ask a group of people who have kept me out of error, before hanging on pastor Chris' every word. He has a way of teaching the bible that helps me understand things, especially as one who deceived myself for so long in Charismatic and Seeker-driven circles. So far his ministry seems to bear good fruit in my life, but I am also wary after running after foolish things so much in my past.

Honestly Steve, I don’t know the man.

 

[JonShaff]

He's lutheran if that matters.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

He's lutheran if that matters.

I don't think it does except maybe child baptism, which I am willing to disagree on. He is confessional Lutheran, though, and is super-conservative. So, he seems to have his ducks in a row.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I don't think it does except maybe child baptism, which I am willing to disagree on. He is confessional Lutheran, though, and is super-conservative. So, he seems to have his ducks in a row.

Steve... do you know anything about this Lutheran Church movement? Please do your homework on them.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

Steve... do you know anything about this Lutheran Church movement? Please do your homework on them.

Thank you for the warning. It appears my points of contention with pastor Rosebrough seem centered in his denomination's reliance on the Book of Concord. Luther's teachings are vital, it would seem as much as the bible to Lutheran's. I have a similar problem with the Reformed tradition and its reliance on Calvin's teachings.

That now known, I believe pastor Chris is still a great teacher of the Word as long as he sticks to it over Luther's teachings, which I will listen to with a grain of salt.

Thank you again.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Thank you for the warning. It appears my points of contention with pastor Rosebrough seem centered in his denomination's reliance on the Book of Concord. Luther's teachings are vital, it would seem as much as the bible to Lutheran's. I have a similar problem with the Reformed tradition and its reliance on Calvin's teachings.

That now known, I believe pastor Chris is still a great teacher of the Word as long as he sticks to it over Luther's teachings, which I will listen to with a grain of salt.

Thank you again.

Steve.... Lutheran doctrine is very much like Catholic sacramental theology (if I remember correctly). Secondly they stress their Luther’s Catechisms. Lastly I believed they considered me a heretic because I told them I believe in OSAS.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

Steve.... Lutheran doctrine is very much like Catholic sacramental theology (if I remember correctly).

I do not believe I could be Lutheran because of their loyalty to Martin Luther and his teachings.

I have been very critical of Martin Luther on this board, but I have also discovered his nobility of character early on. Much like Augustine after his conversion but before he persecuted the Donatists. However, the terrible injustices perpetrated against outsiders and Anabaptists by Martin Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli's magisterial reformers is the end of the show to me. That Martin Luther died, along with both Calvin and Zwingli, having persecuted their enemies, leads me to believe they had a terrible amount of explaining to do before Christ and his throne.

I should also mention I am on the fence concerning OSAS, as I have read enough verses to confuse me at this point and not enough to give me a made up mind. For now, I live like OSAS is not true, and leave open the door to it being true. If OSAS is true, then Luther was greatly humbled. Much like Gideon and Jephthah, who both turned on God later on with their actions. If OSAS is not true, then Luther lost his salvation and is confined for eternity to a monstrous fate.

I thank you for the warning, EW&F because I was debating becoming a Lutheran.

However, I just cannot truck with the descendants of the magisterial reformers, unless they have a balanced view of them. As someone who would have been an Anabaptist back in the Reformation, albeit one who disagreed with Menno Simons on pacifism. I will not join with those who are calling out their forbear's sins as evil, but showing little discernment with the writings of men. For me to be at ease, there would need to be an admitting of the truth that many people venerated by magisterial Protestants had to explain barbaric behavior towards their kin in Christ to that very Christ.

I have found this after your warning:
The Reformation Today | Part 1

I will continue to do research.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

Of course, I highly respect pastor Chris' abilities at exegesis, so I will continue to regularly listen to him, but I will not join him in confessional Lutheranism.

-Edit-

Also Missouri Synod calls those that teach believer's baptism false teachers explicitly. Which would mean the Anabaptists who died for Jesus were wolves in sheep's clothing. That shocks me and makes me feel un-welcomed at a Missouri Synod church. The Anabaptists - Lutheran Reformation

 

[JonShaff]

I live like OSAS is not true

Please explain, thanks brother!

 

[JonShaff]

Also Missouri Synod calls those that teach believer's baptism false teachers explicitly. Which would mean the Anabaptists who died for Jesus were wolves in sheep's clothing. That shocks me and makes me feel un-welcomed at a Missouri Synod church. The Anabaptists - Lutheran Reformation

yes, it would behoove you to read the history on this, very disheartening.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Of course, I highly respect pastor Chris' abilities at exegesis, so I will continue to regularly listen to him, but I will not join him in confessional Lutheranism.

-Edit-

Also Missouri Synod calls those that teach believer's baptism false teachers explicitly. Which would mean the Anabaptists who died for Jesus were wolves in sheep's clothing. That shocks me and makes me feel un-welcomed at a Missouri Synod church. The Anabaptists - Lutheran Reformation

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Good, Galatians 5:1 comes to mind.

 

[Steven Yeadon]

Please explain, thanks brother!

Good question. I was living like I was extra-afraid of sin, because God may send me to hell if I get embroiled in it. However, Paul, even to the Corinthians, treats them as those with the promise of salvation despite their sin. I guess the real problem I have is balancing the many warnings in the NT for believers with the verses that extol us to be confident in our salvation. I now see that I have more research to do, hopefully this is a breakthrough.

 

[JonShaff]

Good question. I was living like I was extra-afraid of sin, because God may send me to hell if I get embroiled in it. However, Paul, even to the Corinthians, treats them as those with the promise of salvation despite their sin. I guess the real problem I have is balancing the many warnings in the NT for believers with the verses that extol us to be confident in our salvation. I now see that I have more research to do, hopefully this is a breakthrough.

I think something that will help you in your journey is asking God to reveal the realities of His covenantal love for His People through the Trinitarian aspects of Redemption.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I think something that will help you in your journey is asking God to reveal the realities of His covenantal love for His People through the Trinitarian aspects of Redemption.

Jon please go lightly with Steve, he has been pulled through a keyhole backwards with some of these religious denominations and their taking advantage.. so I don’t want to confuse him any more than he has already has been..

Much of the reason Steve that I have been on BB is that I learn things, IE by debate and sharing of ideas I can use to clarify my path toward God. For example, I’m a committed Salivation by Grace guy. But very deeply I have to claim that above all things, I am really a Radical Christian. Please allow me to explain. Radix is the Latin word for “root.” A Radical is one who moves beyond the liberal and conservative branches of an institution and goes back to a fundamental questioning... a Radical is one who goes back to the root, the source, the root cause. And “Root Causes” has always been what drives me... the sourse of an illness, the source of a pathology, the source of sin, love, hatred, motivation, sickness, etc. So I explore allot in order to learn. We radials not only explore,we also ask a lot of questions like what did Jesus present as essential and all embracing? What is God doing on this earth?

So if you’re exploring a new spiritual teacher I would say that’s healthy as long as you don’t turn him into an idol... only Christ should be that idol.

If I recall you live around the Orlando FL area don’t you? If so, I am envious. See my son just moved to Winter Garden and I was exploring churches there and came upon a Primitive Baptist Church I am particularly excited about... its in Winter Garden and I would love to go there to check it out... it’s everything I’d want a Church to be. You might want to check it out. And if you do let me know because I gotta stay in NJ till my wife gets past this cancer thing we got going on.

wintergardenpbc.com

 

[JonShaff]

Jon please go lightly with Steve, he has been pulled through a keyhole backwards with some of these religious denominations and their taking advantage.. so I don’t want to confuse him any more than he has already has been..

I totally understand, and @Steven Yeadon , I apologize if I come off as rigid or unconcerned. My heart does go out to you and I do desire for you to mature in the knowledge of Christ, growing in a deeper relationship with Almighty God through His Word and the Spirit's illumination.

 

[KateforChrist]

Hi Steven,

I can understand very well why you are cautious about who/what you listen to. I will tell you a bit about my own experience which might help you understand that I, too, am extremely cautious because of past experiences.

I spent 10 years in pentecostal/charismatic, mild word of faith etc churches in the 1990s in Australia (not Hillsong, but we did have some interaction with them). Just before I left we were being encouraged to participate in the Toronto Blessing, about which I felt very uneasy. After leaving I didn't attend church for 20 years because of the experiences I had been through. Recently I found some stories written by people who had left pentecostal/charismatic/NAR/emergent etc churches and reading them helped me to understand my own experience better. Being married to a non Christian and not having any Christian friends outside of my church I was not able to discuss any concerns about things in the church I was attending.

A couple of years ago I started questioning what I believed and started doing a lot of online research and studying, including Biblical geography, church history (Bruce Gore, Brian Borgman et al), philosophy (Bruce Gore), and lots of other basic Biblical things, like getting a solid overview of what is contained in the books of the Bible and how the Old Testament points towards the coming of Jesus. I've now moved to apologetics and evangelism and recently started learning the Westminster shorter catechism, although I will admit that there are some things in it which I disagree with.

Anyway, one of the people that I have listened to and found very helpful is Chris Rosebrough. However, he is a human being like the rest of us and as such is not perfect. There have been a few things which I disagree with him about, some are major and some are minor. However, on the whole I have found his teachings to be mostly very good.

The thing that I found very helpful was listening to his critiques of bad sermons. It has taught me how to be better at assessing what I am listening to.

I hope that helps.

Kate