Attacking the Messenger Does Not Change the Truth of the Message<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Opinion and Commentary
By Brannon S. Howse
Join Our Facebook
This past spring Worldview Weekend contacted some of the leaders of the New Religious Right to lovingly explain to them the unbiblical beliefs of the New Apostolic Reformation and Word of Faith Movement. We also pleaded with them not to unite with known false teachers in a nationally promoted spiritual enterprise that would give these false teachers credibility.
Instead of being teachable and humble about their mistakes, it now appears that some within the New Religious Right have taken it upon themselves to blame Worldview Weekend for their apparent public relations mess that has resulted in their uniting with false teachers. Recently a national radio network e-mailed two Worldview Weekend speakers and informed them that if they continued to speak for Worldview Weekend their programs would be dropped from this network. John Loeffler has informed us that he will not cease speaking for Worldview Weekend. We appreciate John's friendship of more than 20 years and his willingness to stand with us in our defense of truth even when it comes with a price. The other host said he was sorry to withdraw from an upcoming Worldview Weekend but needs to maintain his program on this radio network. We understand he did not ask to be put in this position and wish him well in his important ministry.  In addition, it has come to our attention that apparently some of the members of the New Religious Right are now digging through the speaking schedule of some of our speakers to see if they can in some way tie them to members of the New Apostolic Reformation and Word of Faith. Perhaps they are thinking that two wrongs make a right. However, we can assure them it does not. This week it came to our attention that our weekly radio guest and Worldview Weekend speaker Dr. Jimmy DeYoung was scheduled to speak at a church where the pastor considers himself an "apostle". Dr. DeYoung's staff had booked this speaking engagement for him and he was not aware of this fact until we informed him.  Within thirty minutes of being informed of where he was scheduled to speak, Dr. DeYoung called us back to confirm that his appearance at this church had been cancelled. Dr. DeYoung thanked us for informing him of this fact and stated that in his many years of ministry he has had to cancel a few speaking engagements when it came to his attention that he had been scheduled for a group or church that did not conform to the doctrinal statement of his Biblically based ministry.
It appears that some of the members of the New Religious Right have sought to use this previously schedule speaking engagement of Dr. DeYoung's to somehow embarrass  or discredit Worldview Weekend by distributing this story. The reality is Dr. DeYoung's response is something of which we are very proud and desire to highlight. You see, Dr. DeYoung's actions should be an example to all Christians and all Christian leaders on how to humbly and Biblically respond when informed of such facts.
Worldview Weekend works diligently to be consistent and to schedule speakers that are consistent in how they manage their ministries and organizations. If one of our speakers has or does speak at a conference with someone we would consider a false teacher that does not mean Worldview Weekend has entered into a spiritual enterprise with that false teacher as some of the New Religious Right have reportedly claimed in their desperation to justify their mistakes.
Recently, a man that leads worship for us at one of our conferences came to me at the conclusion of my talk on the New Apostolic Reformation and thanked me for naming a few of the NAR members and their "prophets". I asked him why he was thanking me and he informed me that he had been invited to provide music for a conference and one of the NAR "prophets" I mentioned in my talk had been at this conference. He said he had no idea what this person believed and would endeavor to be more careful in the future.
This is another example of someone that was being humble and teachable. I, and all of us that work together through Worldview Weekend, desire to be gracious because we know we need people to be gracious with us as we come to a fuller knowledge of Biblical truth. There is a big difference between how my friend Dr. Jimmy DeYoung responded and my friend that leads worship responded when contrasted with how some within the New Religious Right have and are responding after being confronted with their direct partnership with false teachers. Attacking the messenger may bring satisfaction to those that are in error but it does not change the truth of the message. Mockingly pointing out the admitted failings of the imperfect messenger and his friends does not taint the truthfulness of the Biblical standard to which they endeavor to conform. Grace should be extended to those that repent but justification of sin and rebellion against God's standard should be met with continued proclamation of God's truth. May we all seek to proclaim Biblical truth in love, humility, and in self-examination that leads to daily repentance in our own lives.