State of the Church 2010: Have the Lines Blurred?

[DAII]

The upheaval and flux in the values and methodological approaches of the apostolic movement continues. Yet so much remains the same.
Take for example this multi-campus church in Arizona, The Epicenter, pastored by a former CLC grad, Joshua Feuerstein, which no doubt would qualify to many as emerging and relevant

http://www.myspace.com/itwillrockyourworld

In a recent promo video, Josh, slams President Obama as pretending to be a Christian and declares America as a Christian nation. (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OGRVHut4As

This same church is welcoming UPCI evangelist, Jason Sciscoe, this weekend. (http://triumphtoday.org/)
http://triumphtoday.org/?feed=gigpress



Not sure what to make of it?

Your thoughts on pastors taking aim at national politics and the President from the pulpit, in this manner, AFFer community?

I giggled to hear Josh appeal to John Adams, a universalist, who thought all were saved and who signed these statements in the Treaty of Tripoli:

"As the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen [Muslims] ... it is declared ... that no pretext arising from religious opinion shall ever product an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries....

"The United States is not a Christian nation any more than it is a Jewish or a Mohammedan nation."

-- Treaty of Tripoli (1797), carried unanimously by the Senate and signed into law by John Adams (the original language is by Joel Barlow, US Consul)

I worry when some seemingly declare that America is an OT reincarnation of Israel. A nation whose founders subscribed to a philosophical soup of Christian values, Enlightenment Ideals and Deism.

Should the Church be "mad as hell" with this "predator", Josh?

Is the destiny of the Church so intertwined with America .... really? The Kingdom of the Almighty, Sovereign God dependent on the Oval Office?

This is the stuff of Irwin Baxter gone charismatic.

This spiritualizing of politics is hurting the credibility of the Church, IMO. Personally I do not want to see it ... but historically the Church has most thrived when she is persecuted while manipulated shamefully when in the hands of those who would seek to institutionalize and legislate it, secularly.

When does the Apostolic church go back to preaching Christ and Him crucified?

The flipside ....

What of org evangelists making rounds to "relevant" churches? Do they have responsibility to say no? or preach holiness? Draw a line in the sand? Financially expedient?


Does anyone else hear the jihadist clamor of a JR Ensey in the wings shouting frenetically, "Choose Ye This Day Whom Ye Will Serve"?

What say ye? Do the more things change, do they remain the same?