Prophetic statement by Carter Conlon about SermonIndex

That is a very poignant observation from Carter.

I really would like to bump this.

I am certain that Carter Conlon has put his finger on a major conflict on this site. About two years ago I had to repent of this exact issue. May God give us ears to hear.

I do not believe the plague of our day is that people idolize the past but rather people are ignorant of the past, for which reason I appreciate the ministry of Sermonindex.

Are the old days better than these?
Well, depending on the location. God is working today and manifesting His mighty power in place like China, India, and others that used to serve the devil. from that perspective these days are better than the old ones.
But as far as the West is concerned, any casual observer would say the days of the past are better.

Carter Conlon does a lot of travel, and therefore sees God working around the world in great power. From his perspective these days are just as good as the old days.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, LEST AT ANY TIME WE SHOULD LET THEM SLIP. – Hebrews 2:1

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, LEST THOU FORGET the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: BUT TEACH THEM THY SONS, AND THY SONS' SONS – Deuteronomy 4:9

...APPROVE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT... - Philippians 1:10

The works of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) contain a funeral sermon for a civil magistrate and judge in which he lamented that there was no man of similar character to take his place.

The sermon text was Ezekiel 19:11-12 and the message asserted that it is God’s judgment when this man died and his gifts were no longer available.

Books and other writings preserve the words of great and godly men. Sound recordings also preserve the words of great and godly men.

Each person on the planet that I’ve ever met is unique.

As an example, from my POV, there’s been no replacement for
Keith Green for zeal and boldness and vision and leadership in Christian Contemporary Music.

As an example, from my POV, there’s been no replacement for J. Edwin Orr as a historian of revival.

There was only one Charles Spurgeon but what a legacy he left behind!

Pastor Chuck Smith has passed gifts to our generation that from my POV are unmatched by anyone else in pervasive influence.

Almighty God has given gifts to his people in diverse places and times but not every gift resides in every person or in every place or in every time.

The gifts of the generation of the Puritans in men like Thomas Brooks and John Bunyan have had no equal. One man can in one sermon can have an impact unlike that of any other man or any other sermon.

It is good to retain and not forget the words of the great and godly and gifted that Almighty God has provided in the past. Some gifts Almighty God provides only once.

IMHO.

Good word. I think what happens is we read things of the past which engages our minds and we may have a tendency to over exaggerate what we are either hearing or reading of past accounts of revival. We than use that as a plumb line for the things that are happening in the church and it becomes very difficult to see the "now" in light of what we believe the past was. In the OT Israel had to follow the Cloud of Glory/ in the NT Jesus said follow Me. I love the simplicity of The Lord. True revival is simply following Jesus.

This quote reminds of the thing Art Katz mentions many times from My Utmost for His Highest regarding disillusionment. The point being that the role of the Holy Spirit and through Him the Church is to destroy the illusions that we can know reality and life in Christ.

There is a sense in which we can romanticize the “good old days” of colonial America or the "happy days" of 1950’s America or the good old days of past church revivals. Our recall can be selective and the glory of the good old days may not always be so glorious as we recall it to be.

The RCC marked out an All Saints Day to remember the saints of the past but observance of this morphed into Halloween with its celebrations of death, devils and general mischief.

However, remembering is clearly a commanded part of the Christian faith. In the KJV, a search on the word “remember” returns 144 verses and “remembrance” returns another 52 verses.

REMEMBER his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; - Psalm 105:5

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in REMEMBRANCE of me. – Luke 22:19

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your REMEMBRANCE, whatsoever I have said unto you. – John 14:26

REMEMBER therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. – Revelations 2:5

In Philippians 3: 13-14, we do have a mention for Biblical forgetting but it conclusion and testimony is this: pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In consideration of the whole counsel of God, it is good to discern and be biblical in our practice of both forgetting and remembering.

I agree with many here that the good ol days are long gone yet remain as an example for us. But I also agree with Carter that here on this forum we do tend to do too much church bashing in the name of the good ol days. Brother conlon I think encourages us to look at the past for guidance in these days but certainly not too bash the church today. Maybe that's why Greg labeled his statement "prophetic".

Psa_137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

When taken captive by Babylon it is ok to weep for Zion. A heart that has become comfortable in Babylon will not remember or yearn for Zion or have any desire to come out of her.

hi Allboard,
very profound
im singing boney m as we speak!
staff

I agree with Pastor Carter Conlon.

The Church is and will always be the Body of Christ. And the LORD is coming for His Church without spot or wrinkles. Glory!

pq*

REMEMBER the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me. - Isaiah 46:9

BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU TO BE IGNORANT, brethren... - 1 Thessalonians 4:13

You beloved, REMEMBER the words which were previously declared by the apostles of our Master Jesus Christ; How that they told you there would be mockers in the last time, who would walk after their own ungodly lusts. - Jude 1:17-18

Neh 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Neh 8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

What if all the preachers stopped telling cute jokes and stories on Sunday along with their "outstanding" 3 point sermons delivered with perfect elocution and just read the Scriptures? Do you think that would be enough for people that have the Holy Spirit? Or would they fall asleep from boredom?

It seems like two differing opinions are present on this thread.

Carter Conlon does a lot of travel, and therefore sees God working around the world in great power. From his perspective these days are just as good as the old days.

Very insightful observation. We have many African ministers come over and speak, the close relationship we are afforded by this allows us to see first hand some dynamics that exists in their lives that the average Western Christian does not possess. Their prayer and fasting life seems to be very life and death, by that I mean very intense. Here is an example, Pastor peter came over and had no immediate speaking engagements outside of a few we had arranged. He came and did nothing but pray and fast for 3 days straight a 24/7 prayer watch in the church sanctuary calling out to the Lord. What i witnessed after that I could write a book on. That said, the simple devotion by these men and women of God have such a devotion to the Word of God and prayer and fasting it is amazing, many of them are DD's and very well educated, but their preaching is very straight forward and extremely searching. That is just a personal and close first hand account.

Carter Conlon seems to have a focus on the God of the "NOW" who has not changed from the God of Yesterday. God's Spirit is still able to conform men to Christ making men faithful and courageous. We may not see it happening around us but at least we should step up and heed the Lord's call.

Well, if you remember, Carter Conlon rebuked people at the SermonIndex conference in Atlanta for being more concerned about judging the Church, rather than being about the Lord's work.

The Lord used his rebuke to wake me up. I was there at the conference in Georgia, hoping to find a powerful work of God. I was shocked to see that it was no different than the churches that are constantly being judged by people on SermonIndex. I was quite disillusioned, not to mention the fact that I was part of a charismatic prayer group that made prophecies that never came to pass (according to Deuteronomy 18:20-22, these were false prophets).

So, perhaps we need to receive such rebukes with open hearts, recognizing that God accomplishes His work through fallible human beings. They will fail; they will fall. But God nonetheless continues to build His Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it, though the accuser keeps attacking her.

Praise God for His patience and mercy towards such sinners as we are.
In Christ,
Renoncer