North Point Community Church Senior Pastor Andy Stanley recently explained to popular radio host and Messianic Jewish author Michael Brown why he’s quit using the term “the Bible says.” In an episode of Brown’s podcast “Line of Fire” that aired Monday afternoon, Stanley explained why, although he considers the Good Book inerrant, the term “the Bible says” doesn’t work with those he’s trying to evangelize.
“Once upon a time that was very effective in our country. Those days are long gone. But unfortunately, church leaders still want to leverage ‘the Bible says,’ which is great for people who take the Bible seriously,” said Stanley. “It’s not my audience. … I’m trying to recapture the imagination of people, adults and students who’ve left because of what else is in the Bible or because everyone is one click away from information or misinformation about the Bible.” READ MORE
Since we live in such a PC age nowadays, maybe we ought to eliminate “Old” and “New” from both Testaments, since these terms were NOT placed there by God’s authority, but rather by Catholic Pharisees as Bible book divisions. That original phraseology “Old”/”New” presents a psychological/intellectual problem for non-adherents and evangelists looking to put a renewed fresh edge on spreading the Gospel. Maybe REUNITING the two Testaments in fragmented human minds will bring a fresh renewed understanding of how impactful the WHOLE counsel of the Word of God indeed IS – and as a kicker, eliminate some of those HERETICAL “Christian” denominations out there that are dividing the Body (or House) against itself. That original “Old” phraseology seems to incite a negative throwaway outlook on the original Testament, and over emphasizes the New Testament as if nothing God did in the “Old” Days meant anything – when in FACT, the “Old” Testament set the Messianic stage for the arrival of the TRUE King of Earth and of the Universe – our Lord Yeshua Messiah who clearly came in a body of flesh like ours, lived a sinless miraculous 33-year life, died on the stauros & cross, and rose again by the power of the Holy Spirit. The First Testament OPENED the Door (Jesus, being the Gate) and the Second Testament CLOSED the door to old humanity with the soon 2nd major Coming of Jesus Christ as Bridegroom, King, & Judge of the earth. Let’s instead call both Testaments “First Testament” & “Second
Testament”; or “Book I” & “Book II”; or do this: Call Genesis – Malachi the “Engagement”, Matthew – Acts the “Marriage”, Romans – Jude the “Cleaving”, and Revelation the “Consummation”. Chew on THAT for a bit…