1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Southern Gospel Heresies

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Major B, Jul 4, 2007.

  1. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    The following post speaks for itself. How many of you have someone in your church singing this heretic's songs?

    He has won eight “Dove” awards, he is a Gospel music legend, and he is about to be installed (October 2007) in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He has appeared on the Gaither “Homecoming” videos, he has written dozens of hit Southern Gospel anthems, and he is considered by many to be a Godly man and a minister of Christ. However, the truth is that this man, by his own published admission, is a traitor to “…the faith once delivered to the saints…”. He is a denier of the Deity, the Lordship and the pre-existence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and a purveyor of salvation by works. Indeed, to find so glaring a heresy as this, one would have to look to the Ebionites, descended from the Judiazers, who existed for a brief period 1800 years ago.

    Gospel music singer Joel Hemphill’s tract, “Can You Face Reality?”, is a poorly-written, self-contradictory snippet of a destructive heresy, one just as destructive as those encountered by Peter. 2 Pet 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. He flatly and plainly denies the lordship and deity of our Lord Jesus Christ and sets up a system of salvation by works. In the process, he ignores numerous scriptures, distorts and quotes others out of context, makes patently false statements about the Bible, publishes distortions and lies about history, uses unreliable theological sources, and misquotes and quotes out of context well-respected Christian teachers. His heresy is so far out that he literally exceeds other heresies of the day by denying the Lordship, pre-existence and eternality of Christ Jesus our Lord. Hemphill’s heresy exceeds that of the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, each of which has higher view of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ than Hemphill does, and it is being subsidized by the dollars of born-again believers who do not know nor realize the depth of these heresies.
     
  2. SBCPreacher

    SBCPreacher Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    2,764
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I'd sure like to see the tract!
     
  3. GLipscomb48

    GLipscomb48 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2007
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    Do you have this so-called tract? Can you scan it and share it?

    I have gone to the Hemphills web site and while they do have articles listed that Joel has written, there is no mention of a tract called 'Can You Face Reality?'

    What is your source?
     
    #3 GLipscomb48, Jul 4, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 4, 2007
  4. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    On his website there is an advertisement for his new book, "To God Be The Glory." The document I have is an ad for that book. I am working on the scan now.
     
  5. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    How do I send you this thing? I have it in jpg format...
     
  6. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
  7. GLipscomb48

    GLipscomb48 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2007
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    I pm'd you with my email addy. Please send them.
     
  8. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    you should have them...Most of the pastors in this area received one of these this week.
     
  9. GLipscomb48

    GLipscomb48 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2007
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    What I don't understand is if this truly is one of Joel's tracts, why it is not in his list of products on his website?
     
  10. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    Because this was sent out as a circular announcing his book and summarizing its message. The book, "To God Be The Glory," is on the website.
     
  11. Martin

    Martin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2005
    Messages:
    5,229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Examine the page I have linked here. It certainly has some interesting statements on it.

    http://www.thehemphills.com/God_Glory_excerpt.html

    I will also read Major B's scan when I get a copy.

    Maybe I am reading Joel Hemphill wrong but it certainly "sounds" as if he is rejecting the Deity of Jesus Christ.

    ps...I sent them an email asking about the Deity of Jesus.
     
    #11 Martin, Jul 4, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 4, 2007
  12. GLipscomb48

    GLipscomb48 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2007
    Messages:
    104
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have emailed him, and also tried to call his office number. His office closes at 230 M-F.

    Will call him tomorrow and question him on this.
     
  13. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    If you read the tract carefully, he rejects the pre-existence of Jesus, and he teaches baptismal regeneration. This gets worse every time I read it.
     
  14. Martin

    Martin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2005
    Messages:
    5,229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Thanks for the tract, it was stunning. I am shocked by some of the things he "clearly" states on there. I don't have any of his music and I certainly will stay far, far away from his music. Thank you, Major B, for being alert and obeying 1John 4:1 and Jude 3-4! :thumbs:
     
  15. Major B

    Major B <img src=/6069.jpg>

    Joined:
    May 6, 2003
    Messages:
    2,294
    Likes Received:
    0
    One of the best kept secrets in CCM and Southern Gospel is the number of out and out heretics that are singers.

    Philips, Craig, and Dean are Sabellians (no trinity, only an economic triunity, not an ontological Trinity), and are pastors in churches that not only deny the Trinity, but teach baptismal regeneration.
     
  16. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2002
    Messages:
    7,359
    Likes Received:
    2
    I'm not surprised. You can usually tell something is fishy by the lyrics. I know "praise and worship" songs aren't CCM (they overlap) but there are P&W songs I refuse to sing when they use them at church. The lyrics aren't Biblical at all .
     
  17. SBCPreacher

    SBCPreacher Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 30, 2006
    Messages:
    2,764
    Likes Received:
    0
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Hey, thanks for the tract. This guy is way out there in left field! Or right field!
     
  18. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
    Moderator

    Joined:
    May 22, 2002
    Messages:
    11,541
    Likes Received:
    1,010
    Faith:
    Baptist
    My dad grew up with the Hemphills and I vaguely know them.

    They are Pentecostal. Not everyone who sings Southern Gospel nor CCM is a Southern Baptist, you know.

    Nor were all of the authors of the hymns in the hymnbooks that we idolize so much.

    You can't throw the baby out with the bathwater and condemn all of Southern Gospel or CCM just because you disagree with Joel Hemphill's viewpoints.

    There are people here on the BB that I believe are extremists (both ways) and people here whom I am concerned about their actual salvation. It doesn't make me condemn the entire BB for it.
     
  19. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2003
    Messages:
    11,250
    Likes Received:
    0
    Agreed, but If Joel truly believes that Jesus is not God, I will not promote his ministry... as I am sure you won't either.
     
  20. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
    Moderator

    Joined:
    May 22, 2002
    Messages:
    11,541
    Likes Received:
    1,010
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Yes, you are correct on that. If I find out for certain that Joel Hemphill does not believe that Jesus is God, then I cannot support him.

    Not that I do anyway.....his style of music has never appealed to me.

    And I would certainly bring it to the attention of those here locally who do support him if I am convinced that this heresy is what he actually believes.
     
Loading...