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Chau is no Jim Elliot

Discussion in 'Evangelism, Missions & Witnessing' started by Edward63, Nov 22, 2018.

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  1. Edward63

    Edward63 Member

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    FoxNews online headline: "American Missionary wrote 'God, I don't want to die' before being killed by remote tribe" (11/22/2018)

    First sentence of the article:

    "John Allen Chau, the American missionary who was killed by an isolated tribe on a remote Indian island, reportedly wrote in his journal hours before his death, 'God, I don't want to die.'"

    On John Allen Chau's Instagram, he describes himself:

    "John Chau
    Following the Way.
    Wilderness EMT.
    PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
    Outbound Collective Explorer.
    Perky Jerky Ambassador.
    Snakebite Survivor."
    John Chau (@johnachau) • Instagram photos and videos


    What is "Following the Way"?

    https://www.followingtheway.me

    Statement from this web page:

    "Years ago, through prayer, study and observing the major faith traditions, I caught onto a pattern that I didn't know existed. I came to realize that the Shema of Judaism, the Great Commandment of Christianity, the Five Pillars of Islam, the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, and The Way of Taoism were common revelations of the same four essential truths. If this was true, I thought, then God must have reached out to us with this same message in every time, place, and culture to reveal to us the meaning of life's journey. What I have found since that time has astounded me."

    Where do we find the "Confession of Faith" of this "Following the Way"? In the link above, you'll find a letter, a statement describing the beliefs, the link is:

    Reclaiming Jesus

    John Allen Chau is NOT a new version of James Elliot, an evangelical Christian missionary killed in Ecuador 1956 by Huaorani people. It is sad that the young man lost his life, and I'll not judge his spiritual state, but there is nothing of the true gospel in this "Following the Way", in the online links. Missing are the idea of "sin", "cross", "blood", "faith in Christ as the only way". This group is a socialist, leftist perversion of the gospel of Jesus Christ as Paul describes in 1 Cor. 15:1-7
     
    #1 Edward63, Nov 22, 2018
  2. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I did a double take when I saw the name of the missionary killed.
    I have a friend who is a missionary in New Guinea by the name of John Allen
     
    #2 Salty, Nov 22, 2018
  3. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    Does the OP have any proof that JC was connected in any way to this "Following the Way" outfit you've dug up on the interweb?
    Other than using the phrase (a common Christian expression) to describe himself on Instagram?
     
    #3 Jerome, Nov 22, 2018
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  4. Jordan Kurecki

    Jordan Kurecki Well-Known Member
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    I know John Allen. I’m he is a BBTI Graduate.

    Don’t you mean Papua New Guinea though?
     
    #4 Jordan Kurecki, Nov 22, 2018
  5. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
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    Acts 9:2

    Acts 19:9

    Acts 19:23

    Acts 24:14

    Acts 24:22
     
    #5 Rob_BW, Nov 22, 2018
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Yes, Papua!

    What school is BBTI? So you all went to School together?

    We attended the same church in Wildflecken, Germany
     
    #6 Salty, Nov 22, 2018
  7. Edward63

    Edward63 Member

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    It is interesting you refer to verses with: "this way", Acts 9:2; "that way", 19:9, 23; "the way", 24:14, 24(?).

    The exact expression or phrase "following the way" is found only once in the New Testament, seen in these two translations:

    "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, FOLLOWING THE WAY of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2Pet 2:15, KJV)

    "forsaking a straight path, they went astray, FOLLOWING THE WAY of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness"
    (2Pe 2:15 LITV)


    Notice, John Chau, after texting "Following the Way"; He five times uses a name, a title, not phrases of action as you are trying to make out of "Following the Way". Try this, in front of all titles write, "Am a Wilderness EMT", "Am an Advanced Open Water Diver", "Am a Perky Jerky Ambassador".... so, "Am a Following the way"... identifying with that group.

    "John Chau
    Following the Way.
    Wilderness EMT.
    PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
    Outbound Collective Explorer.
    Perky Jerky Ambassador.
    Snakebite Survivor."
     
    #7 Edward63, Nov 22, 2018
  8. Jordan Kurecki

    Jordan Kurecki Well-Known Member
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    Not together. But I am a grad of the same school. (Baptist Bible Translators Institute)

    He came by and visited the school last year while I was attending.
     
    #8 Jordan Kurecki, Nov 22, 2018
  9. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Small world, isnt it!
     
    #9 Salty, Nov 22, 2018
  10. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
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    You are quite possibly slandering a dead man over what amounts to a tenuous connection between a passing phrase on his instagram account and some group you googled up on the internet.

    The Way was used to describe the early Christians in the book of Acts. What do you do with a way? You follow it, right?

    I don’t know much about the deceased, and I reckon it is possible he's a heretic, but I'm going to require quite a bit more evidence than what you're presenting.
     
    #10 Rob_BW, Nov 22, 2018
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  11. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
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    “Oral Roberts University alumni have gone to the uttermost bounds of the earth for the last 50 years bringing hope and healing to millions. We are not surprised that John would try to reach out to these isolated people in order to share God’s love. We are deeply saddened to hear of his death.”

    - Dr. William M. Wilson, President of Oral Roberts University

    Statement on the death of John Allen Chau
     
    #11 Rob_BW, Nov 23, 2018
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  12. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    John Allen Chau worked with All Nations Family.
    Their Statement of Faith is HERE. I'm not familiar with this group, but (1) their statement upholds salvation by grace through faith, and (2) they have no connection or affiliation with Following the Way group mentioned in this thread.
     
    #12 rlvaughn, Nov 23, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2018
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