And the hits just keep on comin...Now we have Purpose Driven Poker?

I was directed to this story by Slice of Laodecia. In its desperation to get more and more numbers on the rolls, many churches find no problem in incorporating the world's methods and machines, but this takes the biscuit.

The group calls themselves Poker, Fish and Chips, and on their website they state, "When we first got together, there were 9 guys all feeling (emphasis mine) the same thing, comfort, fun, joy, and most importantly, Jesus. " Also they state, "A true Hand dealt by GOD. Jesus went all in, will you call?".

In their purpose statement they credit none other than Rick Warren , stating, "In Rick Warrens "The Purpose Driven Life" book, he stresses that God intends for us to experience life together. "

What's next in the Purpose Driven scheme?

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 2 Corinthians 6:17

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4

J.I. Packer on the true means of evangelism

This from the J.I. Packer classic "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God".

Evangelism, as we have seen, is an act of communication with a view to conversion. In the last analysis, therefore, there is only one means of evangelism; namely, the gospel of Christ, explained and applied. Faith and repentance, the two complementary elements of which conversion consists, occur as a response to the gospel. ‘Belief cometh of hearing,’ Paul; tells us, ‘and hearing by the Word of Christ’- or, as The English Bible expands the verse, ‘faith is awakened by the message, and the message that awakens by the message, and the message that awakens it comes through the word of Christ’.

Again, in the last analysis, there is only one agent of evangelism; namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ Himself who through His Holy Spirit enables His servants to explain the gospel truly and apply it powerfully and effectively; just as it is Christ Himself who through the Holy Spirit opens men’s hearts and hearts to receive the gospel, and so draws them savingly to Himself. Paul speaks of his achievements as an evangelist as those (things) which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed…in the power of the Holy Ghost’. Since Augustine the point has often made that Christ is the true minister of the gospel sacraments, and the human celebrant acts merely as His Hand. We need to remember the equally basic truth that Christ is the true minister of the Gospel Word, and the human preacher or witness acts merely as His mouth.

Sciptures of the Day

1 Corinthians 1

25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.