(Note from Jan: I wish to add to Heidi's important points that a nation is only as strong as her churches are strong. The enemy has made inroads to such a signficant degree that a solid gospel is not preached in many churches. Thus the saints are really not equipped to deal with this incredible generation in which we live. I would have to add to her points that pastors must understand that this generation requires a strong biblical message week after week, not book reports and fill-in-the-blank sermons. Christians today can only be "salt and light" if they are consistently being fed the pure Word of God, not "happy talk" to make people "feel" better. This is fading quickly from American and other Western pulpits. God is more than love. He also sends judgment and holds us accountable.)
Often to make a point, an incident is "used" that "shocks" or provokes a defensiveness or attitude that creates in us a space to speak some fact or non fact so that we would listen.
The case in point is a "satanic" worshipper, and a anonymous pastor....,
Religious 'Stories' are used frequently by denominational pastors using pulpit commentary, Jokes for Pastors, Web Stories and a variety of "tools" to make things interesting to the reader.
Sometimes they are true, sometimes they are not.
I didn't feel comfortable about this story. It smacked of "shock journalism" a tendency amoung Prophecy scholars to exaggerate or in other cases, not here, create a false fact. When it occurs and I respect the journalist, blogger, ministerial person, or average Joe, I pray, check the sources and when they can't be validated, post as "Rumors" and use the piece to warn others to be careful what you repost unless you check the facts.
Alot of ministries are embarassed over the years to have pieces posted they regret when exposed and todate, rarely, print retractions or apologies.
I respect Jan Markells ministry, I enjoy, though not always agree on conclusions, her stand. I pray for her often. As I do many ministries.
H. Swander I do not know. I have a problem with the stories vagueness and contrivance if it is being used to call to prayer.
Using a bad story to try to string a point on emergent church to get to point of Pray for your Pastor looks and sounds lack hack journalism with no real flow. It's contrived.
If I were the pastor above I would have done this:
When an opportune moment presented itself, he asked her if she was a Christian. Much to his chagrin she said, no, that she was praying to her father, Satan, for the demise of pastor so-and-so.:
Can I pray with you? You pray first.
(While she prayed I would ask God in the quiet of my heart to give me the right words to pray)
As she completed, I would say:
Father, reveal yourself as only you can to your child sitting here and cause the moment to come when she would hear Jesus calling out to her from beyond life, beyond death, from heaven itself and calling to her to come to Him humbly and simply in the Love you have for her and the faith I have in you as Jesus died rose and lives again in me so I could share with her the hope of eternal life.
Let her now be free Jesus to choose fpr herself from this forward, whom she will serve, and if not you today Lord, save her one day by your power to love, to forgive, to intervene and to intercept this life before she passes away.
Thank you Father for hearing me.
Amen
My Story IS contrived, but it is based on what I do, and What I would do.
What you may do, I do not know,
But I will choose to check and prove all things and hold fast that which is good.
When I pray for Pastors, I pray what Jesus said<>
