[email protected] Christian bloggers act like cry babies

There is trend in the blogosphere by some younger reformed emerging sympathetic ecumenical guys that when the discussion they begin gets to real, to honest, confrontational, or challenging they want to tuck tail and run. They will shut down their threads, ignore anyone with a dissenting opinion, or just run away. Mind you, this is on issues that they have started. But instead of standing up and being counted for what they believe, they bail. They check out, they "run home to mommy" complaining that "someone hurt my feelings today - they didn't like what I wrote". Waa, waa, waa. In the words of Don Henley, "get over it."One thing I agree completely with Mark Driscoll on is that there are too many feminized men in the body of Christ today. The issues are tough today and men of courage and conviction speaking from the Word of God are needed to address them--to run to the battle. We don't need those who put on the Potemkin-village face; but to let their "yes be yes and their no be no." Therefore, it is disingenuous for some bloggers to solicit discussion on their own blogs regarding controversial issues and then cry foul because someone might really take them to task on some of their naive assertions.  It is cowardice and insincere to shut down their blogs if the heat gets turned up.  If they begin it, they should finish it. Amen?But some of them are just plain soft; they are weak. They are not men of conviction, but are men of convenience. We could follow them to a retreat, but never to the battlefield to "fight the good fight of faith." We would run the risk of one of them getting their feelings hurt because some out there in the blogosphere are just so mean that they just can't bear it. I have had my share of being told that lately. That's right; I have been labeled by some (and unfairly I think) as the poster child of blogging criticism, saying the hard things, and being just plain mean, etc. :-). But like Rush Limbaugh, people that know me know that I am just a loveable little cream puff; a harmless little fuzz ball armed only with a Bible, hundreds of commentaries, 2,000 years of church history, great pastoral friendships, a blog, and a MacPro G4. I sit in my dining room ("home office" for the geeks) or go to the Good Cup to study, seek the Lord as what to write, and type away. I will speak about some of these things to other pastors before I post. I do a smattering of radio interviews on some of these issues; still travel and do concerts on weekends along with preaching and teaching in various churches; write songs; record; blog, etc. It is a joy to dialogue with so many on key issues pertaining to faith and culture, learn from them, be corrected and encouraged by them.But here is the double standard in the Christian blogosphere these days by a few key bloggers: if I offer constructive criticism in challenging one of these evangelical girly-men (deal with it) and their statements with the truth of God's Word they will consider it out of bounds, mean, and not nice. BUT, if they post something on their blogs that is sweet, supportive and nice of someone and their beliefs, even if they have no theological, doctrinal, biblical or factual footing for their assertions, people will praise them for the godly attitudes. Why? Because it is viewed as being positive and not negative - it was "nice."  

But the test of orthodoxy, beloved, is not nice, it is truth; and that is where I part company with some of these brothers. None of these bloggers I am thinking of have ever had to fight for the truth within evangelicalism; preach the gospel before hostile audiences of unsaved people; or contend for the faith to their own demise, popularity, or station in life. Not one.  We are to speak the truth and do so in love; but speak the truth we must.The Eyes Have ItOne of the very best parts of my day is to be with my five amazing sons and daughters. They are real people, sinners in need of grace each day just like their Dad, in process, loving life, and struggling through it too - just like their Dad is. I love them tremendously and accept them unconditionally. My sons are real young men; and my daughters are real young women. They are not confused about that identity.So when it comes to blogging, in addition to the unceasing eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ to whom we will all give an account, my ministry board, local church, pastors, friends and family, I have five pairs of eyes that I want to be faithful to. They are watching, looking, observing, taking in, conversing, and wondering. I have tried to teach them to know what they believe; to have an opinion; to make an argument and to stand up for what they think and feel. Not to just regurgitate what their Mom and Dad might tell them, say or think. But to really own it for themselves. There is no short cut in that process and I like seeing them trying to work it out on several levels. I am learning with them and from them. It is a great, sometimes painful, but always wonderful adventure.How I wish that some in the Christian blogging community had one ounce of their honesty, courage, strength of conviction, and grace. One that does, is a dear friend of mine, Carla Rolfe. She posted this today to which I was grateful to be included:

While I am grateful for people like John MacArthur, Steve Camp, James White, Phil Johnson, Albert Mohler and others who take the same stand they do, I'm afraid they are in the minority, as our "culture shift" is sliding straight into some sort of wimpy, watered-down, effeminate, group-hugging, Kumbaya-singing version of what the Scriptures say a real church and real leaders should look and sound like.

It's time for courage my brothers and sisters. If you are a blogger and open up the can on a controversial issue on your blog, then may I encourage you to see it through to the end. Play the man. Don't wimp out. Don't run home to mommy because one of us "meanies" actually challenge your Peter Pan assertions with the Word of God. Stand. Stand up and make your case. Plant your feet and say what you need to say. And do so, if you can, from a biblical worldview; say it with honesty, forthrightness, charity and humility. And by humility, I don't mean soft spoken wimpy feminized men who cry at the drop of hat, are introverted, and are tolerant of everything and everyone within evangelicalism because they just heard Bono sing ONE and claim to share the same social agenda.  

What I mean by humility, is someone who is willing to be teachable; submissive to Someone greater than themselves and to each other in the body of Christ; who will love their neighbor as themselves and serve others selflessly for Christ's sake; seeing themselves as small and the Lord and His Word as great; who won't bury the gospel on their blogs or play politics with its truths for the sake of position, prominence or power.  That's humility. 

So have the guts to represent faithfully the courage of your convictions and not write-off others for simply disagreeing with you. Invite their scrutiny; embrace their criticism; cherish the differences of opinion; stay in the discussion; don't bail because it gets a little rough and heated; work towards the biblical understanding on any issue if you are a Christian; and don't shut down, check out and "cry to mommy" if your little feelings sometimes get hurt. You know what I mean Vern?These are serious times beloved that demand serious answers to the hard questions of our generation. If you're not up to the task that's OK. "Go your own way, get out of the way, or just go away." But don't put those of us down who are dealing with ministry issues everyday from the crucible of grace of systematic theology, sound doctrine, church history, and the pages of the Bible.Now, here is the truth of it that one blogger didn't want to discuss at his blog because it was just too much for him to handle on this important issue:  Rick Warren preaches a watered down gospel; his endorsement of Tom Ascol's resolution for a regenerate church membership hurts that resolution severely. You cannot vet your congregation by reading The Message and heralding a watered-down gospel.  Add to this, Warren has partnered with Barack Obama on the AIDS issue and allowed him to speak at his church even though Barack supports abortion, partial birth abortion, and live abortion. That is a fact. IOW, if you're unborn he will support your death if its convenient for the birth mother. But, if you somehow survive abortion and do contract HIV, Barack will fight for your right to live.  Ridiculous, hypocritical, and plastinated.  

But, Warren doesn't mind partnering with the likes of Barack. Rick has forged these ecumenical alliances with nonbelievers on political and social issues for some time on such issues as global warming (which is a myth), ending poverty (which he can't), and AIDS (with any group that shares his views). Mind you there is no biblical support for his unequally-yoked allies. But this is no surprise, for Warren has consistently demonstrated a skewed and unbiblical view of cobelligerence and seems to be oblivious to what the Scriptures actually teach about these things.What do you think?  Let me hear from you. I'm unafraid and welcome your views - even if we disagree.

With grace from one loveable, harmless, little cream puff...Steve2 Cor. 4:5-7