Thoughts on Book- Televangelicalism

Greetings

I have been away for a time but have been busy reading and studying the Bible. The latest book that I am reading through is written by Robert Wurtz II and is titled Televangelicalism(some of you may know it)

First let me start off by saying how very much I appreciate the tone and manner in which this book was written. I am a little over half way through reading it and I have been very blessed. In the book he speaks to a subject that has often been on my heart and God has brought it back up again, "Counting the Cost" I do think it interesting that he mentions how during the seventies the televangelists "stripped" the gospel of "counting the cost" in order to reach more people and gain a larger audience. You can see how that has clearly carried over into today's church meetings. Many are unwilling to preach what Jesus and the disciples taught, that following Him will cost you everything. In fact in the Bible we are told that we may loose family, friends, possessions, and be hated to the point of being put to death for following Jesus. This clearly is not relationship that one enters into because they are having a bad day and need to feel better. True converts will in fact "Count the Cost" they will do so and as the disciples and early Church saints they will see Jesus and know it is worth it. They will never settle for a shallow, hollow, half committed walk with Jesus. They will desire to submit to Him in all things and His Kingdom will be their first priority. The idea that God loves so much that He will look the other way, that a sinner can say a prayer and go right back to living as they have before is a lie. In his book the author spends time explaining how we got to the place we are now in and the one theme that I saw was, compromise. As you read you realize that each preacher compromised the Word of God to fit into their program, perhaps without even realizing the damage that would eventually come.

After reading this I find myself again asking some very important questions, "what has it cost me to follow Jesus? Am I willing to lay down my life for others and HIM? Am I willing to give up everything and follow JESUS? Does HIS KINGDOM matter more to me then the life I have here and now?

In opening this thread I hope to hear from others who might have read this book and what your seeing and hearing from the Lord?

I also wanted to give thanks to God for giving me the liberty to post here again. After a time of reflection I have come to understand there is much joy to be found in sharing and hearing from fellow brother/sisters in Christ.

God bless
mj

edit: decided to change the thread title.

Greetings
I was thinking some more on this topic brought up
In the book of counting the cost. I was thinking
how short time is and then in moment we will
stand before God and give an accounting of what
we did with the time given us. I was considering what
will I have to say on that day. I'm not talking about
works as in earning my salvation but rather what have
I done with the time given me by The Lord, how have
I lived and was loving others a part of my life in Him
When I think of counting the cost and following Jesus I
Realize that means surrendering all to Him. Nothing can
be held back as I follow The Lord. Just some further
Thoughts The Lord is showing me

God bless
Mj

Greetings

As I was continuing reading last night another topic that struck me was from what the writer shared about sin, I am quoting here: "Notice a serious error here in Humbard's statement, he says that "confessing our sins" is asking the Lord to "forgive us our sins." It is not. The word "confess" from 1 John 1:9 in the Greek "say the same thing after." It means to "ACKNOWLEDGE." This is the very thing many people will not do. They will ask for mercy, they will make excuses and blame others, but they will not acknowledge that they have sinned against the Lord.________

when I read that I was struck how true that is. There is a difference between seeking to be forgiven and acknowledging ones responsibility for the sin they are in. If I am merely seeking to be forgiven is true repentance taking place? Is my heart really in the place of desiring to "turn and flee" from that sin in my life? As I considered this I have thought about my prayer life recently and Father showed me something, often I have come before HIM and prayed, "Forgive me of my sins," in an very general way. As I examined my heart I realized that I have not been seeing the same kind of victory over some areas of sin in my life as I was did and I began to see it was because I was not being specific with the LORD when coming to HIM. Yes I was asking for forgiveness but it was more an attitude of "Ok Lord I know I sinned today please forgive me." When it should have been a real and sincere desire to deal with this sin in HIM, acknowledge my weakness in this sin, and repent of it with a willingness to turn and flee from it. I realized it had been some time since I had gotten really specific in acknowledging areas of my heart, attitude, and life that were not of HIM. It had been a while sense I had felt deep conviction over my sin and nailed it to the cross. After seeing this I prayed and ask GOD with a truly renewed desire to really see these things in my life that are a stumbling block between us. I prayed and asked HIM to really open my heart and show me those areas that I still hold on to and prayed that HE would help me surrender all unto HIM. I can honestly say I felt deeper conviction over the things I prayed for last night then I have in a while and I greater awareness of how loving and merciful our LORD is to me.

God bless
mj

by sermonindex on 2014/3/13 10:18:06

Would be great to have others contribute their thoughts on this book written by Robert Wurtz one of the moderators.

You can get the kindle and paperback here: http://www.amazon.com/Televangelicalism-Robert-Wurtz-II-ebook/dp/B00F6AF400 _______________

Greetings

I would so love to read the things the LORD is showing others as well. The book as been a real joy to read and very easy to I might add. I am by no means a learned scholar and yet this book is written in such a way I felt able to easily understand and have been gleaning much from it.

God bless
mj

Hi Mary,

Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts on the book. They are much appreciated. Please feel free if you feel led to leave a review on Amazon to help others get a feel for what the book is about. I feel that is is a very important study and it was truly a blessing to do the research over the last many years.

My objective was to share, as much as is reasonable (in one book), how we got here evangelistically. I am reminded of Leonard Ravenhill's interview "A Man of God" and always had it in the back of my mind in finally putting the book together. I agree with bro. Ravenhill that the issue today is an absence of new birth experiences. But how did that come about? We explore that question.

I wanted the book to be a resource for others to continue their study. There are some 300 footnotes to further study. Sermonindex moderator Bro. Mike Compton offered invaluable advice in the multimedia section of the book.

Please pray for me as I am currently working on an audio version of the book that will be available on Amazon, hopefully in the next few months. I am also working on a documentary for youtube that I hope will aid in understanding many of the important issues.

Blessings,

Robert

I have posted this link to my social media friends and want to share it here as well.

Wondering why Christian organizations like World Vision are dropping like flies these days? I have thoroughly traced the history of our current perdicament in my latest book, "Televangelicalism." We are here as a result of a systematic loss of the doctrine of New Birth spanning the last 120 years. Get your Kindle copy FREE beginning tonight at midnight West Coast time until Saturday same time (March 25, 2014 -March 29, 2014). With over 300 footnotes I am confident that no matter what your level of education, you will learn something you did not previously know. I don't like my time wasted, and I wrote from that perspective. http://www.amazon.com/Televangelicalism-Robert-Wurtz-II-ebook/dp/B00F6AF400

Greetings

I have been sharing the wonderful insights in this book with my husband and we are now reading together. I am reading through the chapter on Music and the affects of television on Christian Music. I have to say this has been a really challenging chapter for me to read so far. I have at times really enjoyed some of the more modern music but as I read over the chapter I realize that much of what is being said is true. Many of the songs that I use to love to sing along to where really more about "self" and "worldly things" and did little to point me to JESUS. When the body is gathered together to worship and praise our LORD the music we sing should cause us to glorify and lift HIM up not bring the focus on to self or to any other man.

One of the things I am learning as I read through this book is a common theme so far seems to be that the church must return to its roots, in teaching God's truth, men must repent of their sins, and a very real encounter with JESUS must be a part of that. Men have compromised as they have progressed down through history and this has brought us to a place that we are today, of water down half truths, flesh pleasing religion, and feel good gatherings, that have nothing to do with taking up ones cross and serving CHRIST.

God bless
mj

Thanks for sharing you insights and reflections Mary. I pray the book will be a blessing to many.

greetings Robert

I have truly been blessed reading the book you wrote. I am grateful that FATHER has put it upon your heart to share these things with us. I really do believe there is much that you wrote about that needs to be said and read in this generation to understand how we have gotten to were we are now. Thank you for being faithful in this.

God bless
maryjane

You are most welcome Mary. I appreciate your feedback as well. An undertaking such as this can leave a person wondering if it is comprehensive and meaningful. It's a lot to take in, but I trust it is understandable in such a way that christians and ministers will reevaluate their perspective of evangelism, etc.

Just wanted to bring this up once more before the deadline Saturday evening. The Kindle book will be FREE until midnight Pacific time. After then it will be several months before I can do another promotion. Please feel free to share this offer with your friends. Blessings, Robert

http://www.amazon.com/Televangelicalism-Robert-Wurtz-II-ebook/dp/B00F6AF400/ref=zg_bs_158349011_f_1

You are most welcome, just-in. Reviews are certainly appreciated as they help potential readers know about the contents from different perspectives.