Sermon Video: Joseph adopts the Messiah, Matthew 1:18-25

 

Joseph of Nazareth was a fairly ordinary man up until the moment he found out that he fiancé Mary was pregnant.  Instead of letting pride or anger rule him, Joseph chose to embrace mercy, he was willing to divorce her quietly.

Having demonstrated this strength of character, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream to tell him that God had chosen him for a monumental task: Adopt the Messiah.

Joseph may have been an ordinary carpenter, living in the unimportant village of Nazareth, but when he obeyed God's command by marrying Mary, Joseph became an example of faith and obedience that we would all do well to imitate.

Why do they think God is a failure? A question for those who think they alone have the true Gospel

 

One of the things that the First Fruits of Zion (HRM), Christian Fundamentalists (KJV Only zealots), and Latter-Day movements (JW, LDS, etc.) have in common is the belief that they alone have the Truth with respect to Jesus Christ.

But what are the implications of such a belief?  What does it say about God if 99% of those who have ever put their hope in Jesus Christ were actually in fundamental error?

The answer is that in their view God is weak, a failure.

But that's not what the Word of God proclaims.

Sermon Video: The Son before Bethlehem, John 1:1-3,14

 

Where was Jesus before Bethlehem?  For ordinary human beings like us that's a question that doesn't go anywhere, our lives began at a definite point-in-time.  But for the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah, that question opens the door to profound theological truths.

The Apostle John explains in the prologue to his Gospel that the Word (Jesus before the Incarnation) was with God in the beginning, that he is, in fact, God.  Not only that, the Word (Jesus), had an equal hand in all of Creation.

That same person, the one who is God and is with God (the wonder of the Trinity allowing such phrases to be true), also came to Earth "in the flesh."  The Word became a man, the man Jesus.  

The wonders and depths of these truths are great, our response is simple: Worship Christ the newborn King.

An opportunity to elevate our conversations as a Christian community...

 

My own frustration as a pastor at the sub-biblical and non-theologically engaged arguments taking place on social media, often by individuals claiming the name of Christ but not acting/thinking/speaking in a way that reflects a connection to a Christian Worldview, was the inspiration for this series.

We can do better, we need to do better.  This is one small step against the avalanche of social media, but every journey has to start somewhere.

Sermon Video: The Ancestors of the Messiah - Matthew 1:1-17

When you are someone as important to history as Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Messiah, curiosity about your ancestry is only natural.  Matthew begins his Gospel by addressing this desire and does so in unexpected and interesting ways: (1) He starts with the titles of "Messiah," "son of David," and "son of Abraham."  Each of these carries weight and adds to the claims about Jesus that Matthew's Gospel will be making. (2) The inclusion of four mothers with strong Gentile connections in a list that otherwise only contains fathers.  In so doing Matthew points toward God's concern for the whole world as well as his willingness to utilize people who would otherwise be overlooked, two key themes in the Gospel narratives.  (3)  Matthew leaves in the list (while some have been left out to form thy symbolic 14,14,14 symmetry) men both good and bad, heroes and villains, making what Jesus will prove himself to be even more remarkable.

Sermon Video: Abraham pleads with God to spare Sodom, Genesis 18:16-33

In a fascinating conversation, Abraham humbly pleads with God on behalf of the soon-to-be condemned city of Sodom. Why?  We know that his nephew Lot and his family live there, but Abraham's concern is broader, including for the fate of people who are strangers to him.

In our world today this reminds us of an acute issue within the Church where far to many now view the Lost as part of the "them" that they would rather destroy than rescue.  Do we desire mercy for those we think of as "the enemy" or only their ruination?

In the end, Abraham's plea with God reminds us of our own necessary mantra when considering those who do evil in our world: There but for the grace of God, go I.

My one powerful conversation with Tony Campolo

 

Today many of my friends and collogues in ministry are sharing wonderful stories of their many interactions over the decades with American Baptist pastor, scholar, and advocate Tony Campolo.  As most of you know, I didn't grow up in Pennsylvania, nor in an American Baptist Church.  Tony's name was not one that I ever heard discussed, in fact I knew little about him until he was invited to speak at First Baptist Church of Linesville (in our French Creek Association) for the Spring Gathering of 2013.  Being new to NW PA and the kind of fellowship that associational events and relationships can offer, I had every intention of attending.  I'll share the text from my 2013 post on the evening next, but after that make sure you read the next portion because there was a lot more to that story that I didn't share back then.

From 2013: This past spring our regional Baptist association invited Tony Campolo to speak at our annual gathering.  The suggested topic for Tony was the problem of complacency among Christians (in other words, what do we do to get people on fire for serving God?).  Prior to going to the event, I received a letter written by one of the pastors of our association and signed by all of his board members that condemned the invitation of Tony and warned us that his teachings were dangerous.  The letter included snippets of quotes from a variety of Professor Campolo's books, many of which seemed to be out of context.  As a former English teacher, seeing quotes taken out of context sends up a huge red flag to me.  I went to the meeting, having heard good things about Tony's presentations from my friends, Pastor Jeff Little (First UMC) and Mother Holly (St. John's Episcopal).

What type of message would we hear?  Would the Gospel be clear or lost in the social efforts that Tony's critics accuse him of replacing it with?

It is amazing what you can learn when you give someone the chance to share what is on their heart.  Throughout his presentation, Tony Campolo gave a heart stirring call to the Church to truly be the servants of Jesus Christ that we have been called to be.  The Evangelical nature of his message was beyond doubt, there at the heart of everything he was preaching was the need for each man, woman, and child to find a relationship with God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and to turn that relationship into a life-altering experience of righteous living.  What more could any believer in the fundamentals of the faith want?

The hype, fodder for television commentators and blog posts, was entirely overblown.  The venom directed at Tony from his critics was a farce.  If this man's commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not genuine, then nobody who publicly declares their faith in Christ can be trusted.  If this man's passion for the Lost is not acceptable to you, then your problem is with the call of Jesus to champion the poor.

Which brings me to his book, Speaking My Mind, which I finished reading today.  I won't claim that everything in the book made me happy, nor am I in agreement with all of it, I will however confirm that the passion for the Gospel I found while listening to Tony last spring is part and parcel of his written works as well.  Are there things in the book that will cause some Christians to write Tony off as a liberal?  Yes.  Are there things in the book that those same Christians need to hear because they echo the words of the Gospel?  Yes.  Do yourself a favor, read the book, think about it, weigh what it says by the scale of Scripture, and then decide what God would have you do about poverty, nationalism, homosexuality, environmentalism, politics, etc.

If you close your mind, you won't be listening to God either.  If you truly are committed to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, don't you owe it to God to admit when you are in error?  Speaking My Mind may not have all the answers, but at least Tony Campolo was brave enough to ask the questions.

Listening to Tony Campolo in-person certainly put to bed any hesitation to think of him as a positive force for the Church today.  He was that and then some.  There are two other aspects of that story I'd like to share now in his memory.  The first is that I went to the gathering at Linesville with Arlene Harrington.  Those from my church remember Arlene fondly, she was the widow of our long-time pastor, John Harrington who served my church for twenty years from 1964-1983.  After his passing she moved back to Franklin and rejoined the church where they had spent so many years together.  Arlene was a pistol.  When I arrived here she told me, "Let me know if you have any trouble with anyone, I lived in that parsonage before you did, I'll handle it."  Thankfully, I never had to take Arlene up on her offer, but I appreciate her passion for protecting me as her pastor.  We had a wonderful conversation on the drive there about how she used to go to French Creek Association gatherings as a child in her parents' model-T.  On our way home after hearing Tony's message we were in the middle of another conversation when I pulled the car over and told Arlene, "I need to go back."  She graciously allowed me to follow what my conscience was saying to me, fifteen minutes later we reentered the church to find Tony still talking with the people that remained.

What made me turn the car around?  During his message Tony had offered up supporting Compassion International as one way in which those attending could make a difference for the Kingdom in this world.  He encouraged us to sponsor a child, holding up pictures of several to inspire us further.  I hadn't responded.  The reason was simple, my wife and I were still massively in-debt from the decade of multiple part-time jobs that I had struggled through in Michigan before we moved here.  The math just didn't work, that's what my mind told me.  We were living without much fluff, I couldn't justify $30 per-month, I just didn't have it to spare.  But God spoke to me as I drove away from the church, it wasn't an audible voice, but it was real, it was a gut-check moment, and I responded to it.

I told Tony this when there was a break in his conversation with the others who remained, and took one of his cards.  I don't remember the words we exchanged 11 years ago, I just remember the impact that his passion for those in need had on my heart.

There is an epilogue to this story.  My wife Nicole told me she was pregnant in the Fall of 2014.  As previously mentioned, we were still trying to claw our way out of debt, perhaps 50% of my paycheck went to that cause each month.  I knew we'd have to tighten our belts even further, and that's what we did.  I didn't want to, but I called Compassion International, told them what we were facing, and let our then 18-month-old sponsorship lapse...Fast forward to 2019.  We had finally put our debt in the past, our beautiful daughter Clara was 4 years old, it was time to find a way to sponsor another Compassion International child.

That's Sonite.  She's the child that my daughter chose to sponsor.  I showed Clara pictures of a dozen or so girls born on the same day that she was, and she chose this precious child from Haiti.  Clara and Sonite exchange letters, our small connection to her life circumstances teaches my daughter valuable lessons about how blessed we are in life and our obligation to share some of that blessing with the many in our world who are much less fortunate.  It is one of the ways that we're trying to mold Clara into the kind of kid whose heart and mind beats like that of Tony Campolo.  

"Well done good and faithful servant."

Sermon Video: Is Anything Too Hard for the LORD? - Genesis 18:1-15

 

Through the lens of God's conversation with Abraham and Sarah about the impending birth of Isaac, consider the question of limitations on God's power: Are there any limits? In fact, there are, but they're self-imposed. Nothing constrains God except his own character and promises.

Sermon Video: Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision - Genesis 17

 

Genesis 17 picks up the narrative 13 years after the birth of Ishmael in Genesis 16.  At this point Abram and Sarai have been in the Promised Land waiting for the miracle of a son and heir for 23 years.  At this point God speaks to Abram, tells him that he will be called Abraham and his wife Sarah, and adds that the promised son, Isaac, is only a year away.  Abraham laughs at this prospect, as Sarah will do in the next chapter.

God also gives Abraham a sign of the covenant that already exists between God and Abraham: circumcision.  This initiation rite wasn't unfamiliar in the Ancient Near East, God chooses something culturally appropriate to set apart Abraham and his descendants as his particular people, the ones he has called into this relationship.

Circumcision functions for Israel in the same manner that Baptism functions for the Church, it proclaims that those involved belong to the larger group, to that they are a part of the people of God.

Sermon Video: God responds to the foolish choice of Abram and Sarai - Genesis 16

 

Abraham and Sarah are heroes of the faith, but they made plenty of mistakes along the way.  One of the most serious of them was the decision by Sarai to offer her slave Hagar to her husband Abram as a 2nd wife in the hopes that a son born to Abram and Hagar could be considered her son by adoption.  This way an effort to "assist" the fulfillment of God's promise.  Here's the thing: God doesn't need immoral help to accomplish his will.

In the end, the plan works in that Hagar bears Ishmael, but is a disaster in all other respects because it spawns a bitterness between Sarai and Hagar.  In the end, God intervenes to protect Hagar and her son, preventing Abram and Sarai's mistake from going further off the rails.

My reaction to the disturbing interview of Dr. Moreno-Riaño, President of Cornerstone University

I'm the author of the Pastoral Letter to the Cornerstone University Board of Trustees.  I'll put that right up front.  I've learned a lot about the leadership of Dr. Moreno-Riaño, and it saddens and disturbs me greatly.  That being said, this interview that he gave paints him as the victim, as someone unjustly opposed because he is doing God's will.  It also portrays the God-honoring men and women who opposed him, most of whom were fired or driven out, as "dross" that needed to be "refined" from the University.  This is both inaccurate (untrue) and highly dangerous.  It is unacceptable.  

In this video I react to the statements of Cornerstone's President, I do so based on both biblical truths about leadership and character, and based upon the testimony of those who have been hurt by the administration.

Why I wrote the Pastoral Letter to the Cornerstone Board of Trustees

This video delves into the passion and concern that inspired and shaped the letter, as well as that of my collaborators in the project, Pastor Noah Filipiak and Dr. David Turner (thank you both).  This is from the heart and deeply rooted in the valuable education I received from 94-98 and 2000-01 at Cornerstone University.

Sermon Video: The LORD and Abraham "cut" a covenant - Genesis 15:7-21

As a sign to offer reassurance about the future to Abraham, the LORD utilizes an Ancient Near Eastern custom involving the cutting-in-two of animals to symbolize the seriousness of the covenant should anyone break it.

In addition, God explains the upcoming 400 years of sojourning in Egypt that Abraham's descendants will endure in part because his wrath against the Canaanites is not yet ready because theirs sins have not yet reached the "full measure."  This has implications for how we understand God's judgment against sin and evil here in this life.

Sermon Video: God credits Abram's faith as righteousness - Genesis 15:1-6

Does faith exclude anxiety and fear?  As it turns out, it does not.  Abraham, the "father of faith" had them.  Abram's promise from God of a son and heir was a LONG time in the fulfilling.  Abram's expressed his frustration with this to God, and rather than getting angry, God offered him reassurance that his promise still stood.  It is Abram's acceptance of this promise, after expressing his anxiety/fear, that God credited to him as righteousness.

A Pastoral Letter to the Cornerstone University Board of Trustees - Fall 2024

 

Pastoral Letter to the Cornerstone University Board of Trustees - Word version in Google Docs

*This letter, with signatures, will be sent to each member of the Board of Trustees after the 1st of December, 2024.*

To the board and administration of Cornerstone University,                             

This letter is written on behalf of the undersigned alumni who have been called to serve in the role of pastoral leadership within the Body of Christ.  

We write to express deep concern, as shepherds of the sheep, about the conduct of Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño as President, the approval of this conduct by the board of trustees, and the transformative vision that has been set forth for the future of Cornerstone University as first and foremost a market-driven career preparation institution with an identity defined by a political agenda.  We believe that on its current course, many pastors like us, and parents, will be unable to in good conscience recommend Cornerstone University.

Our experience at Cornerstone (and/or GRTS/CTS) involved much more than gaining knowledge and marketable skills that would enable us to have a successful career.  We learned these things, certainly, but they were not the heart of our experience.  We were not taught what to think from a singular viewpoint, but how to think critically and biblically in ways that would fortify us for the challenges of ministry.  We treasured as mentors and friends the professors and staff that were a part of our faith journey.  These God-honoring men and women were one of the primary reasons why Cornerstone was a valuable partner to the Church in furthering the gospel.

Our love for this institution and what it has meant to our lives and ministry has led us to react with sorrow and concern to the numerous credible reports of fundamental changes to the university and seminary, and the conduct of its leadership in effecting these changes.  These changes, and how they were made, do not reflect well upon the institution of higher Christian education that we once knew, or upon the reputation of the gospel.

Our concerns are centered around the following areas:

1. Toxic leadership that has manifested itself in repeated examples of the treatment of professors and staff in ways that are unworthy of an organization acting in the name of Jesus Christ.  This includes, but is not limited to, demands for unquestioning loyalty, intimidation of staff and faculty as well as ignoring their concerns, the purging of voices attempting to respectfully express differing viewpoints, and most recently, the abrupt revoking of the signed contracts of eight faithful faculty members, including nearly the entire Humanities Department and the seminary Dean.

2. A lack of honesty and transparency when communicating with Cornerstone’s employees, students, and alumni.  This includes, but is not limited to, the financial status of the university, the way in which professors and staff were terminated, projects and initiatives that were abandoned, and policies that were changed without input from those affected by them.

3. The vision championed by Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño {As expressed in his 7/27/24 Fox News essay} that leans heavily upon more profitable asynchronous online instruction, cheaper adjunct professors, and the purposeful diminishment of the Humanities Department.  We recognize that financial realities must be taken into account, but these realities cannot be the driving force behind what Cornerstone is and does.  Quality instruction for all students in the humanities is essential to the development of a robust Christian Worldview and ethic.  Without this instruction, Cornerstone University is losing one of the pillars of its character. 

4. Significant steps in the direction of aligning the school with one political party and one cultural viewpoint, instead of the Kingdom of God. Politicizing the gospel, by bending it to the right or to the left, is a grave theological error that marginalizes true brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world whose faith and hope are in Jesus, but whose politics or culture may differ.  Like the Church and all of its members, Cornerstone should seek first the Kingdom of God, not any transient human political agenda.

It is our hope that this letter will speak to the hearts and minds of board members, administrators, and Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, and lead to meaningful conversations with concerned students, staff, and alumni in the hopes that the future of Cornerstone University will remain firmly connected to the Christ-honoring qualities that have been its hallmark for generations.

Respectfully submitted in our effort to serve and support the Church and the gospel,

To sign the letter, click on this Google Form link: Signature Page for alumni pastors

To sign the letter if you are a non-pastor CU alum or any concerned CU-stakeholder (parents, non-CU pastors, prayer supporters, former staff, donors, etc.), click on this Google Form link: Signature Page for all other stakeholders

For further information about the issues addressed in the letter: Voice of CU

The Voice of CU website has testimonial and documentary evidence that demonstrates how grounded this wording of this letter is in reality.

Pastor Noah Filipiak's podcast: 

Ep. 99 & 100: Dr. David Turner on Christian Higher Education + Power & Politics at Cornerstone University

Pastor Powell's previous blog posts on this topic:

The Cornerstone University I graduated from is no more, my daughter won't be going there.

"A singular focus on preparing students for meaningful jobs and careers" would be the death of Christian Higher Education - A response to the essay by Cornerstone University's President Moreno-Riaño on Fox News

Sermon Video: Abram rescues Lot, then tithes to Melchizedek - Genesis 14

In Genesis 14 the story of Abram is dragged into the drama of a regional war when his nephew Lot is taken along with the spoils following one of its battles.  Abram responds in faith, boldly moving to rescue Lot.  His success leads to an amazing moment, where the victorious Abram tithes from the plunder to Melchizedek, a "priest of God Most High."  This offers an amazing insight into God's work in our world beyond the scriptures.

Sermon Video: Abram and Lot go their own ways - Genesis 13

After his failure to trust God while sojourning in Egypt, how will Abram react the next time he needs to live by faith in God's promises?  Genesis 13 offers the answer, in it Abram passes the test with flying colors.  When a conflict arises between his shepherds and those of Lot over the available grazing land, Abram offers Lot the first choice of the land so they can part in peace.  This incredibly generous offer from Abram highlights his faith in God, as the chapter unfolds God speaks to Abram reiterating his promises and once more proclaiming that the future of this land belongs to his offspring.

* Apologies that I stepped out of the frame a bit this time, I was trying to tighten up the zoom a bit, but I guess I don't stand still enough for that to work.

Sermon Video: Abram fails to live by faith - Genesis 12:10-20

Abraham and Sarah are heroes of the faith, but their lives had challenges just like our own, and they failed to meet some of them with faith.  When famine caused them to seek refuge in Egypt, Abram was willing to put his wife at risk in order to avoid danger that he feared.  This form of, "Let us do evil that good may result," is wholly unacceptable for God's people.  Our call is to do what is morally upright, circumstances don't change that.

Sermon Video: The Promised Land, Genesis 12:4-9

 

God's promise to Abram about the land of Canaan is the foundation for a conversation about the challenging history and complicated present of this land and its people that leads to two resolutions: (1) The Jewish people have a right to live in this land, (2) everyone else who lives in this land deserves basic human rights and freedoms.

Sermon Video: God's Grace in Action: The Call of Abram, Genesis 11:10-12:3

Following the Tower of Babel incident, when God dispersed a human effort to establish his presence among humanity, the narrative of Genesis turns toward the family line that leads to Abram, the man whom God will choose to begin his relationship with one particular people, and through them bless the world.

God asks a lot of Abram, to leave his homeland and trust that God will make him into a great nation despite the lack of children in his marriage with Sarai.  But God also promises amazing things to Abram, going far beyond what any connection to a God in the Ancient Near East would expect to be by proposing to Abram an enduring relationship.  With God it wouldn't be a mutually beneficially bargain, instead it would be an outpouring of grace.

Sermon Video: The Tower and Israel's 70 neighboring nations -Genesis 10:1-11:9

Sometimes it is difficult for us to connect with the purpose behind why a particular portion of scripture was included in the sacred text.  Lists of names are probably high on that list, and so too is the story of the Tower of Babel given how often it is misunderstood.

These two episodes in chapters 10-11 of Genesis are there to set the stage for God's work in calling Abram in chapter 12.  The 70 nations show the diversity that God had to choose from, emphasizing as always that salvation is God's grace not human effort, and the Tower of Babel illustrates this principle in action.  The builders of the tower, a ziggurat, had hoped to invite God (or a god) to come down from heaven to dwell with them, a stairway from heaven (not a prideful stairway to heaven).  This is a noble thought, but a misguided one.  Humanity cannot solve its own sin problem.  We need a savior, and it needs to be on God's terms and according to God's timetable.

What is happening at Cornerstone University??

For whatever reason, I can't share this link directly to Facebook; it was removed as spam.  So I'll write a quick block post and encourage anyone who clicks on my post to go to the webpage below and look at this long list of unethical and unacceptable behavior on the part of the current administration.

Why does this topic matter to me?  Cornerstone University was deeply influential on my intellectual and spiritual development, it was a major step in the road that led me to where I am today as an ordained minister serving the Church.  As such, watching this institution that I love, that once was something that I was proud of, become something that fits snuggly into the politics and culture war tainted world around us is heartbreaking.

Voice of CU: Documentation and Testimony

Note: I don't know who the anonymous alumnus behind the Voice of CU is, he/she attended the school long after I did, but I understand the desire to remain anonymous given the culture of fear created by a willingness to retaliate against any/all critics.  

To read my previous posts connecting to this current unfolding sad drama:

"A singular focus on preparing students for meaningful jobs and careers" would be the death of Christian Higher Education - A response to the essay by Cornerstone University's President Moreno-Riaño on Fox News

The Cornerstone University I graduated from is no more, my daughter won't be going there.

Sermon Video: Noah's sons choose between gossip and respect - Genesis 9:18-29

In our only glimpse in Genesis into the lives of Noah's 3 sons, a family incident involving Noah being passed-out drunk leads to one son, Ham, choosing to spread the news about Noah (gossip) rather than help him, and the other two, Shem and Japheth, doing their best to show respect to their father even in his current state.

In the narrative of Genesis, this brief story functions as a device to frame the upcoming judgment of God against Ham's symbolic descendants, the Canaanites.  It also reminds us that issues within our families are some of the most difficult moral questions and character moments in our lives.  It may not be easy, but we can rise above the situation and respond with kindness, honor, truth, and the like.

Sermon Video: The sign of God's covenant with Noah, Genesis 9:1-17

Symbols can be powerful, they can evoke love or hate, assurance or fear.  They can be put to righteous purposes, or evil ones.  In Genesis 9 God chooses to make a covenant with Noah and promises that no other cataclysmic flood like the one that had just ended will occur in the future.  In doing so, God begins a pattern of making covenant with humanity, offering promises to help us navigate this life in connection with him.  God also offers a sign of the covenant, the rainbow, a fitting reminder that one can only see a rainbow when the sun is shining in the midst of a storm.

Beginning of Wisdom (Torah Club) lesson #26: End Times speculation based on Young Earth Creationism combined with the Epistle of Barnabas

 

Building an End Times chronology on the pseudepigraphal (i.e. the Apostle Barnabas had nothing to do with writing it so it lacks any genuine authority) Epistle of Barnabas.

Predicting that we are about to be in the last 1/7th of God's redemptive program based on the combination of Young Earth Creationism (i.e. the Earth is 6,000 years old) and the Epistle of Barnabas.

Using brackets, {In the Messianic Era} and {In the World to Come} to change the meaning of the book of Hebrews away from its intended target of comforting the Church today.

Admitting the truth about Acts 15, this flatly contradicts what Lancaster wrote in Restoration and FFOZ's belief that the Jerusalem Council imposed the Law of Moses on Gentile believers by "assuming" they would be taught it in the synagogues (Where, as Acts makes painfully clear, they were not welcome).

I know a lot of pastors and committed Christians, among them friends, relatives, and fellow workers in the field of the Lord, that subscribe to Young Earth Creationism.  When I was a young man I did too.  While my study of the scriptures and the wisdom of teachers like Professor John Walton (the Lost World series of commentaries) have drawn me toward some version of Theistic Evolution because I believe it best explains both what we know of the world around us (i.e. science) and the theological emphasis of Genesis (rather than a scientific one) which doesn't offer information about when or how the universe, earth, and humanity were created but rather the much more important question of why God created.

That being said, given that none of us were there at the time, being dogmatic about an interpretation of Genesis 1 isn't very helpful to the Church, so I certainly have no issue with those who embrace Young Earth Creationism as long as they're not attacking those who also respect God's Word but understand this text differently.

Which brings us to Daniel Lancaster, the Beginning of Wisdom, and what the First Fruits of Zion are teaching about the End Times.  Trust me, there's a connection.  When learning about Boaz Michael and his supposed prophetic vision of God's plan to entice the descendants of Abraham to accept Jesus in this generation by convincing gentile Christians to live like Jews, one might rightly wonder why God would have allowed the Gospel to be deficient for 2,000 years before revealing the truth to only this man and his movement.  Honestly, a healthy douse of skepticism is required when anyone proclaims that he/she understands something in a way that many generations before have not.  For every Einstein who correctly glimpses relativity, there are hundreds of quacks and frauds whose ideas of perpetual motion, transmutation, or eugenics were rightly scorned and rejected by their peers. So, why do Boaz, Daniel, and the rest of the leaders at FFOZ think that God is acting now to finally reveal the true Gospel?  Answer: The End Times are upon us.

Here's the thing, you and I know that, "about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mark 13:32, NIV)  Jesus repeatedly in the Gospels tells his followers that there will be signs pointing toward his return and coming Kingdom, but that by design we aren't supposed to know when that day will come.  Throughout the past 2,000 years of Church history there have been many who have believed they were the exception.  In fact, it was Baptist Pastor William Miller whose prediction that Jesus would return in 1844 started us on the path that led to the 7th Day Adventist Movement, which itself laid the groundwork for the Hebrew Roots Movement and now the First Fruits of Zion.  Ironically, then, erroneous End Times prophecy helped usher the false teaching of the Hebrew Roots Movement (FFOZ) into existence, and now another erroneous End Times prophecy is being used by them to justify their worldview.

In lesson 26 of the Beginning of Wisdom set of Torah Club materials, Daniel Lancaster uses the pseudepigraphal / apocryphal  Epistle of Barnabas as the framework of an argument that in essence is saying that the End Times must happen around the year 2,000 AD because the world must now be, using Young Earth Creationism chronology (there's the tie in), 6,000 years old, and Jesus will return to usher in a "seventh day" 7th thousand year Sabbath era.  Beyond the obvious contradiction with Jesus' words that tell us that all such calculations are a fool's errand, we also have the burning question of why we should put any stock in the words of the Epistle of Barnabas given that this letter has zero connection to the Barnabas found in the book of Acts.  While it is true that some of the Early Church Fathers believed it to be genuine, it was ultimately excluded from the canonical collection of scriptures, a decision we now know was the right one.  

By definition, non-canonical writings are non-inspired writings.  It works the other way too, canonical writings are inspired writings.  This is a circular argument, it can't help being one, but one that has deep implications for the authority of any writing/teaching that isn't included in the canonical scriptures.  The Reformers wished to emphasize this distinction by championing the belief in sola scriptura (scripture alone) as the ultimate authority for faith and practice.  We know that FFOZ considers this idea to be antisemitic (as per: Rethinking the Five Solae - by Jacob Fronczak, First Fruits of Zion's failed attempt to label Protestantism as inherently anti-Semitic), which makes sense given that they want to impose the traditions and teachings of various rabbis, both those who lived before and after Christ, on the New Testament as its interpretive lens.  

So, why FFOZ think they have the Truth when dozens of generations of Jesus' followers have in their view missed out on it?  Young Earth Creationism's timeline combined with a letter written by an unknown 2nd century author using Barnabas' name.  I don't know about you, but I'm going to pass on that line of thinking.

Two other things jump out at me from lesson 26: (#1) The insertion of [in the Messianic Era] and [in the World to Come] into the text of Hebrews 12:22-24.  This follows a pattern of word substitutions and "my translations" used repeatedly by FFOZ in their publications, as the 3rd way in which FFOZ alters the text of scripture to suit their own purposes.  Scripture does indeed need interpretive assistance to be understood in our own time, that is why we have things like commentaries and study bibles, but this level of eisegesis (reading into the text what one wants to find) is extremely dangerous.  

So, why do they insert these references to the future into the text of Hebrews 12:22-24?  It looks like the goal is to shift the emphasis away from the author of Hebrew's intended target, that is, the Church today, toward the upcoming Messianic Kingdom.  It is, then, just another attack on the Church in keeping with FFOZ's stated core belief that Jesus never intended to found a religion, therefore the Church has always been illegitimate.

(#2) The second noteworthy thing in lesson 26 is a candid admission during a discussion about dietary laws that the Council of Jerusalem, "did not foist the whole gamut of Jewish dietary laws upon the Gentile disciples" (p. 19)  While this may not seem remarkable to those familiar with the way in which Acts 15 has been understood for the past 2,000 years, it is a shocking admission from FFOZ given that Daniel Lancaster wrote a whole book built around the false premise that gentile followers of Jesus should be living under the Law of Moses (Restoration by D. Thomas Lancaster (FFOZ): A review - This is "another gospel" built on a foundation of lies).  In many of their published materials, podcasts, and videos, a radical reinterpretation of Acts 15 is a fundamental ploy of how FFOZ hopes to convince gentile Christians to abandon orthodoxy in favor of their version of rabbinic messianic Judaism.  I don't know why they were willing to admit in this one place (while denying it in many others) that the Jerusalem Council did indeed choose to not place the Law of Moses on the backs of new gentile believers, but here it is.

Sermon Video: After the Flood - Genesis 8

 

The literary structure of the Flood narrative in Genesis draws the reader to 8:1 where we read, "But God remembered Noah." Just as the first half of the story highlighted God's provision for Noah, his family, and the animals during the coming and executing of his wrath, the second half highlights God's provision for them during the time of the waning of the effects of God's wrath. Through it all God cares for his people, for the righteous, and through it all Noah demonstrates tremendous patience and trust.

"A singular focus on preparing students for meaningful jobs and careers" would be the death of Christian Higher Education - A response to the essay by Cornerstone University's President Moreno-Riaño on Fox News

 

Here's what American universities should teach instead of activism Industry and moral skills are essential for our students and the future of our country By Gerson Moreno-Riaño Fox News Published July 27, 2024

Honestly, when my alma mater, Cornerstone University sent me an email touting this essay by President Moreno-Riaño and asking me to share it on social media, I don't think they had this in mind.  However, the excellent professors of the Humanities Department, the one that President Moreno-Riaño demolished this year {The Cornerstone University I graduated from is no more, my daughter won't be going there.} me how to think, so that's what I'll do.

{The Fox News essay is below in italics, my commentary will be in brackets [and bold]}

Colleges and universities are failing our country. This seems to be the growing consensus among an increasingly large percentage of Americans and business leaders.

[From the very start this essay bothers me a great deal.  This is being written by the President of Cornerstone University, I had great respect for this university's past presidents, but I have no respect for the attitude of President Moreno-Riaño which in this essay is being derived from business concerns and survey results.  Why?  Because Cornerstone University is supposed to be a Christian organization.  That's why it was founded, that was its mission for generations, and that is one of the main reasons why most of its students chose to go there, it brought me there in 1994.  A Christian organization, be it a church, a publishing house, a homeless shelter, or a school, is not supposed to be swimming with the current of our culture, business world, and politics, instead we are to serve a different master, on a different mission.  As an essay about secular Higher Education this opening line would still be disturbing as it frames the conversation about higher education as an ordinary business, which it is not, but coming from the President of Cornerstone University, it is ominous indeed.]

The recent Gallup and Lumina Foundation report shows that an increasing number of Americans have little to no confidence in higher education. For the first time since Gallup begin to measure the confidence level in higher education, America is "now nearly equally divided among those who have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence (36%), some confidence (32%), or little or no confidence (32%) in higher education."  

This finding represents a seismic shift from 2015, when almost 60% of Americans had a high level of confidence and 10% had little or none. 

[Opinion surveys reflect what the people who respond to them are ingesting, not necessarily what is real.  It isn't a coincidence that Fox News and similar outlets run stories and opinion pieces attacking higher education (and public education in general) on a regular basis.  Perhaps this steady drumbeat of doom and gloom has something to do with the changing attitudes found in the survey?]

Many business leaders equally reflect the growing lack of confidence. In a recent interview, Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO, criticized colleges and universities for the little focus they place on helping graduates find good employment. 

This unwillingness, so argues Dimon, not only places an exorbitant amount of pressure on businesses to train their employees – something pre-employment education should do – but also disenfranchises large sectors of society.  

Kiersten Barnet, executive director of New York Jobs CEO Council – a group of 30 of America’s top CEOs and their companies – was perhaps more direct than Dimon, stating: "When you think about what you need to do a job, it is skills. It's not a degree."

[I don't know Jamie Dimon or Kiersten Barnet, so this is nothing personal about either or them, but is the goal of higher education to please the CEO of a giant corporation or the executive director of an organization representing our nation's largest business interests?  Again, this may legitimately be one of the goals of secular higher education, to bolster the economy by providing workers suitable to what businesses want, but nowhere in this essay is the question asked, let alone answered, "What kind of students ought Christian Higher Education be aiming to form?  What role does Christian discipleship play in the process of educating young people?  How can our professors be mentors to students, not simply teaching them job skills but how to mature into God-honoring adults?"]

America’s growing doubts about colleges and universities are rooted in a list of causes too long to detail here, but it is worth noting that the lack of confidence is connected to certain factors. The most notable of these being what colleges and universities teach and do not teach. 

In Gallup’s report, of the Americans who register little or no confidence, almost 40%, criticize colleges and universities "for not teaching relevant skills, for college degrees not meaning much, or for graduates not being able to find employment."

Indeed, a new survey released this week by Cengage Group found that 55% of recent graduates said their degree programs did not prepare them for the workforce, with 70% saying basic AI training should be taught. These are, in essence, the same concerns of business leaders like Dimon and Barnet.

[Basic AI training?  God help us.  So much for being taught how to think biblically.] 

Gallup’s report goes a step further, however. Slightly over 40% of Americans in this same low to no confidence group think that our colleges and universities "are pushing certain political agendas." In short, many believe that higher education is miseducating our students. Rather than preparing for careers and a productive life, colleges and universities appear to be preparing students to be radical activists.  

[I don't disagree that today's students could use less politics in their lives, so could the millions of adults who spend way to much time engaged in the bashing of "them" and uncritical praising of "us."  Politics is a drug, much of America is addicted, and it isn't healthy.  But is the answer to focus on job skills and give up on the Humanities??  Such a notion would have horrified our ancestors in the faith, men and women who were deeply educated in languages, art, history, philosophy, music, and more.]

Further, the miseducation of our students as it relates to gainful employment – "good jobs" – is a serious problem since it robs from our students the opportunity for a fuller humanity. Jobs and compensation are essential for our humanity. But good jobs and good compensation are even more essential for a flourishing humanity and, by extension, a flourishing society. 

Amid its many laudable goals, higher education must focus on preparing students for good jobs and compensation. To do any less is to perpetrate a great injustice on our students and our future. 

[A good job is better than a bad job.  Is that all higher education should be about?  If people earn more money will they have better lives, will society be uplifted if our graduates have career success?  The answers to such questions aren't simple, at least they shouldn't be.  The university that I graduated from in the 1990's had a much more holistic approach to the flourishing of its students, both while they attended and preparing them for the future.]

When students are miseducated to become radical activists, the injustice perpetrated is even greater and the damage is even more corrosive. Students are duped into believing that radical activism adds value to their own life and to society when in fact it is the opposite. Such pursuits rob from students the exercise of their productive full potential, thus undermining their good as well as that of all society.

[That is a really bold statement, one worthy of a pundit or politician, but one that should be unworthy of a university president.  You know what adds value to life?  Having a purpose greater than earning money.  You know what uplifts society?  People willing to sacrifice for causes they deem greater than themselves.  I'm too young to remember college campuses in the 1960's, but would our country really be better off if students there had focused on job skills and not worried about Civil Rights or the Vietnam War?  Should students stick their heads in the sand and shut up about the injustices they perceive in the world?  You know what else is radical?  Following Jesus.  Not saying that you are a Christian, but really and truly following Jesus, living like him.  Thinking and feeling like Jesus, trying to echo his passion and compassion.  Radical activism, when propelled by truly Christ-honoring worldview, is the stuff of legends.  If you seek to starve the activism you don't like (because it is blue not red, or red not blue), you destroy the activism that the world truly needs alongside it.]

To re-ignite public and business confidence in their work, colleges and universities must have a singular focus on preparing students for meaningful jobs and careers. This begins with implementing industry-ready skills-based educational outcomes for their general education curriculum and all academic majors. 

[A singular focus on jobs and careers is the death of Christian Higher Education.]

Colleges and universities should also require internships or apprenticeships for the honing of soft and industry-specifics skills as well as to create employment opportunities. And colleges and universities should require all academic departments to have industry and business partnerships for the continual refinement of curricula and preparation of students for the market.

While there may be additional market-related refinements that could be implemented, there is no doubt that the above initiatives would go a long way to re-igniting our confidence in higher education.

[I understand why business leaders would cheer this essay, workers ready to do their job is what they want the most, but don't we want more out of education than job skills?  Aren't we trying to foster holistic human beings and not just employees that help keep corporate costs low and profits high?]

 The focus on jobs and market preparation must also consider and integrate the enduring questions and answers to what it means to be human. This is what the humanities used to address.

Today, much of the humanities are characterized by a turn toward a contrarianism and deconstructionism that emphasize moral ambiguity and skepticism. Such an approach has resulted in generations of students who at best are sophisticated critics and at worst are radical activists. These students are too often unable to discern, affirm and defend truth and what it means to be human. 

A case in point are the recent protests in which students were clearly unable to discern good from evil. Some college presidents also fared no better. 

Colleges and universities must develop and implement moral skills educational outcomes for their general education curriculum and all academic majors that prepare all students to discern and affirm what is true, beautiful and good.  

[And how will Cornerstone University's students develop these skills without a Humanities Department and with only part-time adjunct professors teaching these classes??  That President Moreno-Riaño has chosen to publicly rail against the Humanities Departments of other unspecified universities while gutting that of his own, one that had been both high class and high quality for generations, is deeply upsetting to alumni such as myself, truly it is heartbreaking.]

All students should also have a significant service requirement during each year of college that is a prerequisite for graduation. This service requirement would be connected to the moral skills outcomes allowing students to apply and refine their moral reasoning and judgment in preparation for life beyond college.

[One brief moment of agreement.  My cross-cultural ministry experience, a month in Guatemala, was a life-changing positive experience.]

Our colleges and universities must educate students with industry skills that position them for great market contributions. This education must also include moral skills that position our students for living a great life characterized by truth, beauty and goodness.  

[At the end of the essay, the idea of truth, beauty, and goodness as part of education is briefly mentioned, but only after declaring that Humanities Departments are what is wrong with higher education, and only in the context of what has happened to Cornerstone University under his tenure.  It rings hollow.]

Both industry and moral skills are essential for our students and for the future of our country, and a serious focus on these would go a long way in re-igniting the confidence in America’s colleges and universities.

[It is sad for me to say it, but I don't have any confidence in Cornerstone University under its current leadership.  I know that good people remain, although many good people have been fired or forced out since President Moreno-Riaño took over, but this current direction is watching a train-wreck in progress.]

To learn much more about how Cornerstone University has been reduced to a shell of its former glory (I don't say that flippantly) through censorship, firing, and politics, please listen to the podcast of Pastor Noah Filipiak a fellow Cornerstone graduate as he interview Dr. David Turner, former professor at the seminary: The Flip Side podcast

As a disciple of Jesus, do you need to "compensate" for not being able to offer animal sacrifices through a Levitical priest at the Temple? First Fruits of Zion teaches that you do.

 

The Straw Man in action again, these texts are not what prove that Jesus' death and resurrection canceled the sacrifices, but plenty of others do just that.

Three statements on one page claiming the animal sacrifices must continue to be made.

A question that assumes the false premise that there is a "lack" of sacrifices.

God does indeed delight in obedience more than sacrifice, but in the New Covenant nobody needs to "compensate" for not giving the latter with the former.

I think this line of thought will seem rather bizarre to most of the world's Christians.  For those who place their faith in Jesus Christ to save them from their sins through his accomplished sacrifice of atonement (the resurrection proving it was accepted), the idea that the animal sacrifices of the Law of Moses would somehow still play a role flies in the face of what we've been taught from the New Testament.  The following, false, premises are demonstrated as being a part of FFOZ's teachings in The Beginning of Wisdom, lesson 25:

1. That the animal sacrifices of the Law of Moses through the Levitical priesthood and the Temple will never cease.

2. That Jesus did NOT bring the sacrificial system to an end through his own death and resurrection.

3. Therefore, all followers of Jesus "owe" God animal sacrifices, which they cannot make without a priesthood or a Temple, and thus all followers of Jesus must "compensate" for that deficiency with other Torah-observant acts of devotion.

In the end, not a single New Testament author even hints at either of these premises, let alone that outrageous conclusion.  Quite the opposite in fact occurs as Jesus' words in the Gospels combined with the writings of Paul, and especially the book of Hebrews, paint a picture of freedom in Christ over and over again.  Jesus fulfilled the Law, from first to last.  Jesus is the Great High Priest, we need no other.  Jesus is the Holy Temple, we need no building.  Jesus is the Lamb of God, we absolutely need no other sacrifice.  

What is our "sacrifice" as followers of Jesus that is acceptable to God?

1. Our whole lives:

Romans 12:1-2  Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2. Supporting Gospel witness to the Lost:

Philippians 4:18  I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

3. Praise:

Hebrews 13:15  Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

4. Doing what is good, sharing with others:

Hebrews 13:16  And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

5. "Spiritual sacrifices":

1 Peter 2:5  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This isn't a comprehensive list, just the ways in which the Paul, Peter, and the author of Hebrews wrote about sacrifices with respect to what we owe God.  Any mention of Levitical priests, the Temple in Jerusalem, or the blood of animals?  Nope.  There's a reason for that, and it is one that FFOZ cannot accept.

The Hebrew Roots Movement: Analysis by Pastor Randy Powell of the survey conducted by Ben Frostad

 

 

This material was previously published as a simple blog post, now I've recorded it as a YouTube video.

The following analysis is taken from a thesis written by Ben Frostad, by his own account an ardent follower of the Hebrew Roots Movement (or, as he chooses to call it, the Messianic Torah Movement). It was written as a graduation requirement for the Torah Resource Institute (A One Law organization), and was sponsored by Tim Hegg, who until 2009 held a leadership role with the First Fruits of Zion. In other words, this paper and the survey it contains were created by, and overseen by, true believers in the Hebrew Roots Movement on behalf of an organization promoting those beliefs. This is thus NOT the supposition of critics of this movement (which I admit to being in my defense of orthodoxy), but the views of those from within the movement as portrayed by someone within the movement.

Sermon Video: God's plan: A Flood and a Covenant, Genesis 6:14-22

God shares his plan with Noah, giving him instructions on how to survive the Flood that is coming and entrusting him with the care of the animals that are also to be spared.  In that process, God promises to Noah that he will establish a covenant with him, further deepening their already existing relationship.

In the end, Noah did what God commanded.  The narrative never tells us what Noah thought about any of this, we simply learn that he obeyed.

Sermon Video: God's Wrath and Noah's Righteousness - Genesis 6:7-13

 

As the Flood narrative begins, God expresses his intention to pour out his wrath on the human population which had embraced evil, especially violence.  At the same time, we note that Noah is different, his life is characterized by righteousness and a deep relationship with God.  As this re-creation through the Flood unfolds, we will see Noah's faithfulness and note that the righteousness of even one person can change the course of history.

The Only Begotten Son - by Daniel Lancaster (FFOZ) - critical review and analysis (video version)

 To read the original post where I responded to this publication from Daniel Lancaster:

The boldly heretical anti-trinitarianism of Daniel Lancaster (One of the key leaders of the FFOZ and Torah Clubs) in his own words

Or the follow-up that explored what was edited out of the transcript:

The original audio version of Daniel Lancaster's Only Begotten Son is even more heretical.

The following 4 videos combine the information in those two posts in this more accessible format:

Only Begotten Son (part 1) by Daniel Lancaster (FFOZ) - A critical review from Pastor Randy Powell

Only Begotten Son (part 2) by Daniel Lancaster (FFOZ) - A critical review from Pastor Randy Powell

Only Begotten Son (part 3) by Daniel Lancaster (FFOZ) - A critical review from Pastor Randy Powell

Only Begotten Son (part 4) by Daniel Lancaster (FFOZ) - A critical review from Pastor Randy Powell

Sermon Video: God is deeply troubled by human evil - Genesis 6:1-6

Transitioning from the story of the line of Seth that came before it, and the story of Noah and the Flood that follows after, Genesis 6:1-4 is a passage with a wide variety of interpretations throughout its history.  That being said, it continues the story of Genesis 1-11 of God's work at creating order vs. humanity's ongoing introduction of chaos (through rebellion).

Starting in vs. 5, the chapter shifts its focus to God's observation that humanity has become, "evil all the time."  This, we are told, greatly grieves the heart of God, so much so that God regrets having created humanity in the first place.  This startling conclusion will set the stage for the judgment to come in Noah's day as it sets the God of Abraham apart from those deities worshiped in the Ancient Near East in that the LORD actually cares about humanity and evil, having created the former and being wholly apart from the latter.

Sermon Video: The Generations From Adam to Noah - Genesis 4:25-5:32

It might be tempting to skip, or at least skim, the genealogical lists in the Bible. No doubt many people do, but there is wisdom in the words of Genesis that describe the generations between Adam and Noah, especially in the deviation from the repetition that is the (brief) story of Enoch. In the end, this section offers us hope, hope that God was working in and through people even before his covenant with Abraham, that even in difficult times there are those who by faith, "walk with God."

Restoration by D. Thomas Lancaster: A critical review (video version) by Pastor Powell

This is the video version of the work that was previously released in written form: Restoration by D. Thomas Lancaster (FFOZ): A review - This is "another gospel" built on a foundation of lies

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4 

Sermon Video: Cain's descendants go their own way - Genesis 4:17-24

In the first of several explorations of the branches of Adam's family tree that do not lead to Abraham and the 12 sons of Jacob, Genesis takes a look at the descendants of Cain.  In the text they build a city, develops its culture, and even a form of case law.  All this to say, they do what mankind apart from a covenantal relationship is able to do and that's not a small thing because we are all made in God's image.  However, as Genesis will show again and again, the branches that are not a part of the upcoming covenant lack one key and insurmountable thing: a relationship with God.  Without God's grace, they lack the means of redemption, thus this passage serves as a reminder to us all of the necessity of God's grace.

Sermon Video: God is merciful, even to the murderer Cain - Genesis 4:8-16

It is well known that Cain killed his brother Abel, what is less well understood is that God showed incredible mercy to Cain when he confronted Cain afterwards. God could have struck Cain down in righteous wrath, ending his life right there, he had earned that punishment. Instead God chose to show mercy, an act of grace that reminds us that all of us who have come to know Christ as our Savior are the recipients of tremendous grace.

The Cornerstone University I graduated from is no more, my daughter won't be going there.

 

I'll admit, that's a bold title for this post, especially with my daughter only entering the fourth grade this fall, but it is true just the same.  I graduated from Cornerstone University in 1998 (and again in 2001) with majors in Religion and Social Studies, and minors in English, Philosophy, and Greek.  By far the greatest asset of that education were the men and women who taught my classes, professors like Mayers, Smith, Brew, Cole, Fabisch, and Webster, to name a few.  If you attended Cornerstone in the 1980's or 1990's you'd know those names, they were giants in their fields, people of deep knowledge and wisdom and abundant Christian character, I was honored to be their student.

Whomever this generation's version of these fine men and women had been up until recently, they're not there anymore.  In the fall of 2024, there won't be a single full-time humanities professor at Cornerstone University, not one.  Adjuncts, it seems, a much much cheaper option, will teach the few classes that are still required of undergrads, but majoring in the humanities, in any of them, is not going to happen.

At this point, news coverage of the purges of long-term employees is sparce, and the spin from the administration about "market oriented changes" doesn't tell much of the story.  The best article I've been able to find is this: Cornerstone University fires tenured professors and terminates all humanities and arts programs - by John Fea at Currentpub.com, June 16th, 2024 it paints a horrific picture.

From the article: Last Spring, ten Cornerstone faculty, including Matt Bonzo, either left Cornerstone or were forced out by the administration. This is the same administration, led by president Gerson Moreno-Riaño, that received a 42-6 vote of no confidence by the faculty in October 2021.

Last week, Cornerstone made more cuts. The humanities and music programs were eliminated. Seven tenured faculty were fired, including Michael Stevens. As I write, there are no full time faculty in history, literature, writing, languages, philosophy, or theology. If its website is any indication, Cornerstone actually still believes it is a “liberal arts college.”

Current students in the former Humanities Department, received an email this summer with the following:

A small number of majors will be merged into larger market-aligned programs for future students.

A small number of majors will be discontinued for new students even as we offer teach-outs to all current students.

A recent press release from the Board of Trustees highlighted its emphasis on "high demand programs" while offering this crumb:

Cornerstone will also offer new online programs in data analytics, counseling for ministry and Biblical studies.

The full-time professors that I spent hour after hour with during me years of study prepared me to be a pastor by teaching me, not what to think, but how to think.  They rightly didn't care if my thinking was liberal or conservative, only that it was Biblical {meaning derived from honoring and studying God's Word, built upon that foundation}.  Cheaper adjuncts and online classes will not produce the same education, it just won't.  I don't doubt the dedication of the men and women working in those less than ideal conditions, but they are indeed swimming against the stream.  Being an adjunct may work for some of them, but it will be far from ideal for most, especially the students.

I understand the financial pressures that Christian Higher Education institutions are under, but this is not the answer.  Eliminating the Humanities is not the answer, relying upon adjuncts is not the answer.  As someone who taught for ten years without benefits, I can assure you that denying your employees health insurance and other benefits to save money is NOT a pattern of Christian stewardship that we should applaud.

In addition to this bad news, today I learned that in the fall of 2023 Cornerstone University invited the ardent conspiracy theorist and "Christian" Nationalist Eric Metaxas to headline a "wisdom conversation," a mark of a serious lack of wisdom by the administration in making that choice.  In recent years Metaxas has said and done many things which have been not only un-Christian, but anti-Christian.  Had I been in MI at the time, I would not have attended his talk to hear from a "#1 New York Times best selling author," I would have been standing at the edge of campus holding a sign calling upon the administration to repent from the folly of embracing Metaxas' Culture War-fueled abandonment of democracy.  I am ashamed that my alma mater celebrated Eric Metaxas. 

SOLD-OUT WISDOM CONVERSATIONS COMMUNITY EVENT PRESENTED BY CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY SPURS AUDIENCE TOWARD BOLDNESS IN CHRIST NEWS OCT. 10, 2023

My post about Metaxas from 12/20: The downward spiral of Bonhoeffer biographer Eric Metaxas

This has been a rough day, I knew that things were bad at Cornerstone, that the trend line wasn't good, but I had no idea that the University I graduated from had fallen this far.  My prayers will be for the professors, staff, and students who remain, and for the slim hope that the spirit that inspired the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music isn't as dead as it seems.