WHY WE SHOULDN'T JUDGE JOHN PIPER--REALLY

Recently, there's been a huge flap over John Piper's invitation of a false teacher to preach at a conference. I think I jumped the gun a bit. As soon as I heard that Piper had sinned like this I thought he should be censored.

Fortunately, cooler heads reminded folks like me that before we insist that a pastor like Piper obey Scripture we should wait and see if the false teacher might be reformed by the experience of preaching in Piper's conference. Some even suggested that Piper might just have a "plan" and we don't know what that is.


Ridiculous? Well, let me tell you a short story from my past that really is true and plainly illustrates just how a preacher preaching one religion can accidentally convert himself to another religion just so long as we all wait to see:

My Really True Story That Really Happened, Really.
When I was still attending a Baptist church, the board and pastor invited a Big Wig from the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses to preach an evening sermon. AND just as you'd expect, for weeks before the appointed time all the little old busy-body ladies and the men who were self-appointed leaders of the more-biblical-than-thou crowd were in a fit. The pastor told them to wait and see. Fortunately for the pastor, there was no business meeting scheduled before the night the JW guy (Roger was his name) was to speak. I say that's a good thing because they were going to take a vote and they were hoping they had enough votes to fire the pastor or at least cancel the Spring Pastor Appreciation Potluck! And all that without waiting to see.

What a bunch o' bigots!

Well, when the night service came we did all the usual things, sing the hymns, take the evening offering--twice, etc. Under the Baptist facade, though, the tension was thick. I trembled with anticipation, antacids, and apprehension. I looked across the pews and could see that one old guy was ready to take notes to trap Roger in something he said. "What a jerk," I thought to myself. My heart was actually beating so hard I could feel it when Roger walked up to the podium.

He started by saying "good evening" and thanking the pastor for inviting him to speak and explain just why JW's don't believe Jesus was God. Jesus was a great and holy man. He was even a prophet. He just wasn't God. He was created.

That's went it happened.
All Baptist heck broke out!!!!! Four deacons rushed the pulpit area and wrestled Roger to the floor. Mics went everywhere, making electonic squawks and squeeks and thuds. Roger ended up with one deacon on each arm and each leg, carrying Roger to the baptismal. Roger was struggling, kicking, flailing. He had a bloody nose and an electic cord wrapped around one leg.

I heard one of the deacons cuss when Roger bit his hand.

Two other deacons headed for the baptismal tank and opened up the front. The pastor was already inside. The four deacons on Roger tried throwing him in the tank but couldn't. Roger fought hard. He didn't WANT to become a Baptist. The other two deacons headed in and helped. In went Roger, head first, yelling, wiggling, and not really happy. One of his feet hit Pastor in the face, breaking his glasses. Splash! Bang! Down went Pastor.

Water was slopping all over the place! Pastor and Roger came back up, sputtering and coughing. Roger was in better shape than Pastor. Pastor's glasses were hanging off one ear with one lense cracked and the other gone.

But Roger! You should have seen Roger. His face started glowing. He was giggling. Then he stopped giggling. Stopped breathing. Stopped like a statue. Slowly he started feeling his whole body from shoulders to knees as if he was looking for lost keys or checking for wounds. The whole place went silent...... Then Roger started saying something under his breath. No one could hear. Pastor leaned in, straining hard to hear. A fat lady up front leaned so hard the front pew fell over, spilling hymnals, Bibles, and unread-but-scribbled-in quarterlies. It was the only thing heard for what must have been ten minutes. You could almost hear yourself sweat. The deacons stood still, leaned, and listened. Eventually he spoke a little louder and a little louder..."Jesus IS God. Jesus IS God...." over and over slowly until he was shouting at the top of his lungs.

Soon the whole congregation was chanting with him "...Jesus IS God. Jesus IS God..." like they were in a strange sort of political rally. Ladies and deacons were crying. Pastor was speaking in tongues--yes, a Baptist pastor--tongues. The building was shaking, organ wailing "Just as I Am". Teenagers were being slain in the Spirit and small children were promising their parents never to be naughty again.

The next day the whole town was clean and fresh. The Kingdom Hall and the Catholic church were being boarded up and had for-sale signs. The bars were being demolished by wrecking crews and Roger had all the Kingdom Hall folks over at Pastor's door to sign up for new converts class.

So that's why I think we'd better wait and see if John Piper might have a secret plan to convert Rick Warren.

You never know.

WHAT!....why are you looking at me that way?.....it really happened....just like I told you......really.....I'm NOT lying....oh, shut up....you're a fundie, aren't you?......go away......I hate people like you......you could be more loving, you know.........

COMING UP: PART VIII OF THE LOST DOCTRINE. This wasn't planned, but the recent mess with John Piper and Rick Warren is a result of the rejection of the biblical practice of corporate holiness. The doctrine of holiness HAS been abandoned. As a result we can't do what Christians have done historically--get rid of wolves in the sheep.