Dave Samford has written a book about losing one’s faith. I don’t know Mr. Samford and I am not trying to attack him personally, I just need to address a couple of things I saw in an article reviewing his book and hopefully clarify some things.
First, in his title:
If God Disappears: 9 Faith Wreckers and What to Do About Them- (the bold emphasis is mine)
God does not disappear. He is always with us, it is we who move away from Him. How do we move away from God?-by not reading our bible, not praying, leaving our churches over small issues.
Second point I would like to address:it’s actually a two parter.
The author noted that he too “experientially” lost his faith a few years back when he encountered a series of unfortunate news, including his daughter being diagnosed with endometriosis – a condition that affects the womb.
“I felt God was pounding and pounding and pounding on me,” he said.
This quote is taken from the article written on May 9 , 2008 by Katherine T. Phan from the Christian Post Reporter.
The bible never says being a Christian puts you on easy street, in fact, it says quite the opposite.
- 1 Peter 1:6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
James 1:2
[ Trials and Temptations ] Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
1 Thessalonians 3:3
so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.
2 Thessalonians 1:4
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
Luke 22:28
You are those who have stood by me in my trials.
Are churches not teaching this? If not, why not? I attended an Evangelical church for many years. Much was taught about prosperity and I am grateful for the lessons I learned while a member of that church, but after 5 years of the same theme, I wanted to hear more about something different. People, obviously, need to hear about the consequence of their actions. We need to hear about how sin effects our lives and that hell is a real place where you could end up. We need to hear about trials and tribulations and how to dig into the word, how to put on our armor, how to turn to God and not see Him as the enemy. God is not the enemy, people. Our actions, and the things we do to ourselves, is what is the enemy. If people are leaving churches because they are losing their faith, churches must take partial responsibility for this if they are not teaching the lessons that are hard to hear. You cannot just go around tickling people’s ears with what they want to hear. If churches/people i n churches want to save lives and souls, they must teach the truth in all things, even if it is not what people want to hear.
Do you feel lost? Are you struggling? When was the last time you read your bible, or prayed? If you are going through tough times, read the book of Job. The book of Job has a great ending! The book of Job can give you hope and at the very least, might make you say, ‘Boy, I’m glad I wasn’t, Job. I guess my problems are so bad. I can get through this.’ Or, if you feel your problems are worse than what Job went through you can gain some perspective and see that there is hope in the midst of a crisis if you turn to God for help.
To read the entire article on Dave Samford’s book, please click HERE to access the link.
Also, good for Joel Olsteen for upholding biblical truths about homosexuality and for not caving under the pressure of those who want their sin to be accepted and celebrated.
UT President, Lloyd Jacobs failed to uphold the diversity policies of the University of Toldeo ( and the First Amendment) when he sacked Crystal Dixon for writing a letter to the editor of Toledo Free Press apparently in response to a column written by the Editor-in -chief, Michael S. Miller in an attempt to dispel the increasingly popular myth (which he bought in to) perpetuated by homosexuals who say fighting for the rights of homosexuals is the same as the civil rights movement. Being born black is NOT the same as choosing a homosexual lifestyle. It is an insult to those who gave their lives for civil freedoms and liberties, to now be lumped into the same category as the homosexual lifestyle. Read more HERE.
Here is the publisher’s shocking response to the fall out over Ms. Dixon’s letter. Clearly he is very one sided inhis opinions.
Dixon, associate vice president for human resources at the University of Toledo and an elder/minister at End Time Christian Fellowship in Toledo, responded to a column by Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller concerning gay rights, with such thoughts as, “I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are ‘civil rights victims.’ Here’s why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black woman. I am genetically and biologically a Black woman and very pleased to be so as my Creator intended. Daily, thousands of homosexuals make a life decision to leave the gay lifestyle …”
I defend Dixon’s right to express her opinions, including and especially her religious beliefs, even if I do not agree with them. Lord knows, there have been plenty of unusual opinions expressed in these pages during the past three years. But as someone who works in human resources for a very public institution, someone who presumably is educated on the importance of diversity in the workplace, Dixon has caused her employer some embarrassment and potentially compromised its mission of inclusion and outreach. She is an official for UT and a minister, and the blurring of her two roles has led UT to suspend her, with pay.
The publisher in me cringes at that breach of her freedom, but the business owner in me understands the message the university and President Lloyd Jacobs were compelled to send.-Thomas F. Pounds
President and Publisher
Bold emphasis mine. Mr. Pounds is painting Ms. Dixon in a very biased and unfair light. Mr. Pounds also writes that the university was compelled to send a message. Well, their message is clear to me, only those who believe what we believe will be tolerated. There is no message of upholding their proclaimed values of diversity or political correctness that I can see. Only one of intolerance to Ms. Dixon’s words and beliefs.
Do you think she should be suspended for what she said? Obviously the right to free speech is not being protected at UT.
