Ashamed of Christ's Word

Here is another sad example of a church that would rather preach about movies rather than God's word.

Connection Church in Kyle, Texas has decided to abandon the teaching of God's word and instead exegete the spiritual messages in this summer's movies. (Apparently the Bible's stories are too boring and inadequate for today's discriminating 'seeker' sooooo Connection Church decided they didn't need God's Word this summer.)

It is important to note that the lead Pastor of Connection Church is Cole Phillips and he is a church planting coach for Purpose Driven Planting. (Yep, he works for Rick Warren.) His bio says that he "is guiding other church leaders to start healthy, thriving churches." It is obvious that Cole's idea of a healthy, thriving church is much different than Jesus'. God's word commands pastors to 'preach the word'. Cole thinks he is exempt from that command.

Here is their summer lesson schedule.

June 10th: Shrek the Third - Finding the King
June 17th: Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End - Choosing Sides
June 24th: Ocean's 13 - Breaking the Bank
July 1st: Live Free or Die Hard - Living Free from Addictions
July 8th: Evan Almighty - Trusting God
July 15th: Ratatouille - Winning the Rat Race
July 22nd: License to Wed - Preparing for Marriage
July 29th: The Simpsons Movie - Bouncing Back

Remember the words of our Lord in Mark 8:38:

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Based upon the fact that Connection Church has separated itself from the preaching and teaching of God's Word, they should be referred to from here on out as 'Disconnection Church'. This is exactly the type of preaching that will keep people disconnected from Christ for all eternity.

Comments

[David Dansker]

I have added a link to your very fine website on my website.

Thanks for the excellent post, and the scripture emphasizing those who are also ashamed of the Words of our Lord; it is so prevalent today.

David
TheNewsBeats.com

[sam]

Another PDC "hireling". He preaches sermons that are for sale on Rick Warren's pastors.com. I listened to his series on 24 and it was right from pastors.com sermon by the same name. I followed along with the sermon transcript and listened as he read most of it word for word. How do i know that the sermon series 24 is from pastors.com? Because the former pastor of my church did the same sermon series word for word and worse than that he took the sermon illustrations of the sermon author and claimed to have had the same experiences. Outright rehearsed lying, week after week. Once the pastor was caught plagiarizing and lying, he resigned weeks later. Come to find out, he had been plagiarizing sermons the entire time he was there. Purchasing his sermons from pastors.com and Ed Young Jr's creativepastors.com. Which is an oxymoron. I mean how creative is it to buy a sermon and then try to pass it off as your own.

Pastors like the one at Connection Church and other followers of PDC enable pastors such as my former pastor to plagiarize and encourage them by saying not to worry about being creative but being effective. Effective meaning that you draw crowds nevermind about bringing God's word to His people through the pastor or preaching the full counsel of the Gospel. But pragmatism is the name of the game. Hirelings like the one at Connection church think the ends justify the means. "Nickels and Noses" as one author described PDC's "church in a box" type church "franchise".

I just pray that the flock does not get hurt like what happened at my church. I pray that the pastor at connection church repents and preach the glory of God not the glory of our pop culture.

[david gilles]

How long did you spend on their website. I dug a little deeper and the god on film thing is more of a "branding" to a sermon series. I listened to the spiderman message and some of their 24 messages and everything was biblically sound. They haven't gone against the bible any. The methods change, but the message stays the same. Connection church seems to really understand this. I also read their belief statement and found nothing "off" in there either.

[Val]

David,

Yeah I listened to those sermons too and I was disgusted by them!! My favorite part of the last "24" sermon was hearing Cole talk about his sex life with his wife.

The focus of that sermon was 'experiencing God's best for us'. That is a self-centered and self-focused sermon topic. The sermon was utter pop-psych garbage mixed with just 2 or three verses that were completely ripped out of context.

In that sermon Jesus becomes the 'fix it' guy for curing an 'ordinary life'. THAT IS NOT WHAT JESUS CAME FOR.

Where was the preaching of God's word? (ripping a few verses out of context in order to support a pop-psych sermon IS not what it means to Preach God's Word.)

Where was the message of repentance from sin?

Where was the message that Jesus Christ died for our sins?

Even the 'Gospel' presentation was totally screwed up.

They said "Jesus died on the cross to meet our needs for us." There was NO mention of sins whatsoever. That is NOT the Biblical Gospel!!! That is a different gospel.

These sermons are the perfect example of how NOT to do a sermon.

[JL Pattison]

I clicked on their FREE MOVIE RENTAL link http://theconnectionchurch.org/gof/free_tix.html and left the following info (you too can add your comments):

Name:
2 Timothy 4:3-4

How did you hear about The Connection Church?:
The Slice of Laodicea website. And OldTruth.com (And now A Little Leaven).

Why don’t most people attend a church?:
Because the truth is no longer preached in the “church.” Instead it’s become a circus where every church tries to “entertain” the people instead of teach the truth of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What ever happened to the whole counsel of God.

What do you think people look for in a church?:
The truth (but instead they are getting movie rentals… Lord help us).

What is the greatest need in our community?:
Salvation! Without it the soul slips into hell for eternity… or free movie rentals (since they’re so closely related).

How often have you been to church in the last 6 months?:
Christians ARE the church. Why can’t you church growth people understand that?

How can we pray for you?:
You can’t. But you can repent and pray for yourselves.

Additional Comments:
Are you hot, cold or lukewarm? Really! What are you?

[Dan]

Philippians 1.15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.

[anonymous]

Pharisee.