Comment to 'Reforming this world? What do you think?'
  • Consider with me the saga of two David's.

    One is David Platt. Perhaps as a child he envisioned a life of service in the church.

    As fate would have it, and as time went by, he did indeed become a leader - an international one. His books became best sellers. Next, he became a favorite speaker at the largest conferences. When he preached, his passion was evident - tears often flowed from his eyes. As a young man, he was promoted to oversee the missions program in the nation's largest denomination. 

    Next, a movie was made about him! But the movie was not flattering at all. The movie was a documentary about his destructive behaviour and how others must be warned.

    The damage inflicted upon his church's finances would require paying lawyers over 1 million dollars to sort out.

    Here is the movie trailer if you can stomach it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol2_vywIbcU&t=505s

    Now back to Dave Hunt. Like David Platt, he was destined to leadership. But Dave was faithful in his convictions and beyond reproach in his personal affairs. 

    Nevertheless, a book was written against him regarding the very issue at hand - Christian social responsibility: The Reduction of Christianity: Dave Hunt's Theology of Cultural Surrender by Gary Demar

    Oh my, It has to hurt whenever people write books and make movies against you. The book is from 1988, still in print, and serves as a reminder of how good brothers can disagree on the subject of future things. Decades later, Dave has not changed his prophetic views. Nor has Gary DeMar.

    In the quote above, Dave seems to be concentrating on the former dispensation with his examples. Now, Jew and Gentile are welcomed into the Kingdom. 

    David Platt, by the way, should have never been placed by any church in such an authoritarian leadership role. Because oversight of the church is to be committed to a team of servant leaders. God knew that it was too risky to put all the leadership eggs into a single leadership basket. Such an arrangement will invariably result in the gifts of others being ignored and even silenced.

    The scripture teaches that seniors (elders) should serve as pastors rather than a single "senior pastor".