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The Mission of Vision Forum Ministries
Posted by Doug Phillips on December 22, 2008
Nice ideas. Really, they are. They've got some nice thoughts going on there.
But, uh, see anything missing?
Let me rephrase that… see anyone missing?
That's right.
There’s no mention of Jesus Christ.
Try clicking around on their website… Have you found Him?
He's there…but…only in some passing references.
You could argue that a company relationship to Christ is implied…but why trust only in an implication?
On the webpage of any organization that calls themselves a ministry—Jesus should be easy to find.
But He’s not even in Doug Phillips’ welcome note.
To me, that's a warning sign and a big problem.
The teachings of Vision Forum have become a religion for some families. Religion, as the dictionary tells us, can mean several things. Two of which are: beliefs and worship or a system, an order of doing things. In Vision Forum's case, it is a system. Some systems of religion are nice, if they further the effect of the gospel. But if they do not…they will hinder the gospel. Sometimes to us, that is, the people placed upon this earth, I think that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can seem too simple to us. "There has to be something else, something more complicated," we say, "Give us a set of rules to live by…something that we can work on and for in our Christian lives." But, you see, that's where the simplicity comes in. To be a Christian, all you have to do is believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and confess that God did indeed raise Him from the dead…and you are saved and have become a child of God. We're always trying to inject "works" into the mix. Because, here on earth, if you want something…you work for it; it's never free and love must be earned…not given unconditionally. However, with God, things are different. He is a just God and expects you to try to meet His standards but His love is unconditional and free. I think the people of Jesus' day had trouble with what He said because it was so obvious and simple…and that's not what the religious leaders were teaching or had been teaching for many years. The Law is complicated and it is impossible to not break the rules. That's why Jesus came…to free us from our sin and also from the Law. Back to Vision Forum…that's a nice order of doing things…a nice religion. But unless a ministry is founded and based and immersed in the simplicity of the Gospel…I am not interested in their form of Christianity. I will not buy anything from a company that claims to be a ministry and yet, does not mention Jesus Christ in its welcome. Spreading and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be at the top of their mission statement. No matter what else they stand for, if Jesus is not at the head of their table, at the heart and root of their plans, then not one of their ten "missions" is worthy of consideration.
- Matthew 7:15-29 - New Living Translation -
- A Tree and its Fruit -
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
24“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
24“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
Ingrid
A quick definition...
Bombastic, n. - pompous language; language that is full of long or pretentious words, used to impress others.
