Ingrid Schlueter

This edition of Crosstalk looked at the ramped up persecution in the West when it comes to biblical Christianity from within evangelicalism. Rick Warren’s chief apologist online, Richard Abanes, has publicly likened Ingrid and several colleagues to David Koresh and other cult leaders and claims that they are all marked by:

1. A deep seated ‘us vs. them’ mentality
2. Feelings of persecution
3. Paranoia
4. A kind of xenophobic response to any and all attempts to have a more tolerant/civil approach to various issues.

Ingrid Schlueter and Sarah Leslie (a member of the board of directors of Discernment Ministries and a member of the Discernment Research Group) discuss how and why this attitude has entered the church, others that are promoting it, and how a rejection of biblical eschatology within evangelicalism is helping New Age teachings and Christianity to merge.

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Over at Slice of Laodicea, Ingrid Schlueter writes (emphasis mine):

I would like to authoritatively state at the front of this post that God’s design for procreation and sex within marriage is a beautiful, holy thing. It is precisely because it is beautiful and holy that we shouldn’t be treating the matter lightly, flippantly, or in a fashion that makes it tawdry and cheap as the world does … I submit to you that what we are seeing today is the next phase of the explosion of sensuality in the church today. The article I will be addressing today is further proof of that and much more … More dangerous still, this kind of erotic mysticism entering the church once again (it was around with the medieval mystics, as well) is leading Christians into a spiritual realm where they are open to deception.

This issue is something that seems to have reared its ugly head in recent times, starting with “relevant” churches talking about sex, sex, and more sex (including even sex “challenges” to couples and singles) from the pulpit. In fact, I even came across an article in Time magazine that looks at this “phenomenon” from the world’s perspective.

Click here to read Ingrid’s post on the issue.

WARNING: The post and article might be offensive to some readers, so I am advising caution and a good dose of discernment.

I am very glad that brother Ray has taken the time to respond publicly to the article by Ingrid Schlueter, which you can read here.

As I write this, I remember that another good brother, Paul Washer, also almost does the same thing (or at least he mentioned that he does so in one of his sermons) — if he’s invited to speak, he’ll go, to present the Gospel as it should be.

Certainly, most of us who give our thoughts on this will have in some way much respect for Ray and his ministry, in addition to concern for his reputation which has been impeccable all this while. And, God forbid, we will never want to see Ray join the pack of wolves who are even now ravaging the unsuspecting in the flock.

I’m still mulling over my stand on this issue, having now both sides of the story (so to speak) since the public statement from brother Ray. I can see where he’s coming from, and I can also understand why Ingrid wrote what she wrote. In my opinion, it is, from all angles, an interesting issue up for discussion.

I’ll post further thoughts on this soon as I mull over it some more.

I have great respect for Ray Comfort as a brother-in-Christ though I don’t know him personally. It therefore came as a shock to me when this piece of news came to my attention.

Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries and Ingrid Schlueter at Slice of Laodicea disagree with Ray’s practice of participating in some conferences where he will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with health and wealth heretics on the same stage. The more surprising thing is that this is not the first time that Ray has done this.

Having observed Ray’s ministry, I can say without much doubt that I know that he will strive to preach the Gospel as it is without hesitation. However, the issue here is not whether he will preach the Gospel, but whether Ray, whose radio show has on many occasions decried the practices of such heretics and their errant doctrines, should be seen to be in league with these heretics by his participation in such conferences.

I’m of two minds on this issue, not because I respect Ray and therefore am hesitant to point out that he’s wrong, but because I think there are questions to be answered:

1. Should Ray be seen to be associated with such WoF heretics though we have faith in his motivation to preach the Gospel at such conferences?
2. Will such an approach, i.e. preaching the true Gospel in a heretical conference, be effective?
3. Or is this a case where we can bring up the fact that though Jesus dined with sinners, he didn’t partake of their sinful ways but spoke His truth to them?

What’s your take on this?

Ingrid Schlueter hosted Justin Peters ‘live’ on CrossTalk America just yesterday, Wednesday 25 June, when he talked about his seminar A Call For Discernment which exposes the Word-Faith movement.

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