Walking Away From God

This is the Truth Network welcome to man talk to you by T8 W CM is talking and walking Christian men's ministry where they are devoted to breaking down the walls of race and accommodation in challenging and that take their God assigned as our host will Hardy and Roy Jones Junior, a black guy and a white man just like to thank you again for joining us here on the program in Roy, you know, we were talking earlier and I was thumbing through some things on an article on Christian news network and this guy is been like all of the news within the past two months and his name is Joshua Harrison.

He was a pastor but then he just simply walked away from the faith, he just all of a sudden decide to get up and say grow in the faith hat and quit that. That really is on will. I'm not quite sure why anyone would turn her back in totality.

Understand to go through seasons like you have those high moments and how those low moments would just turn totally walk away really is a shock, especially given the success in his positioning early on in his career in support of the gospel and you know he was. He was pastor of covenant life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. If I pronounce that correctly. But in this article, and of course he's the author of several books. One is I kissed dating goodbye and he simply says that when he separated from his from his wife.

He said that I no longer identify as a Christian and you know in this in this age that we're living in now of identity, see identity identification and redefining gender. It's surprising to me that he would use this terminology to send along identifies a Christian makes you question as you say them walking away from Christianity in totality, or is he just say I'm not sure where amount is released my walk with Christ is not very clear no longer identifies a Christian's wording and I don't if that something to do this separation with his wife. That is public knowledge and is not quite sure what the impact is still very perplexing why someone would would say that after space been so many years walking with Christ, exactly. And you know it it I think it begs further questioning examination because I think the word Christian is been so alike diluted down in today's society to know we have all these definitions of things and I think Christian is really no different. So we have we have it being defined differently and as a result, depending on who you're talking to. They may receive it differently than the way that you're saying Christian in the definition and what you are. You're presenting it to them well that's a great point. Often times, in today's society people to equipment Christian, they refer to going to church on a regular basis so therefore there identifies being a Christian, but I think that's why many people in today's time have shifted to the same using the phrase, quality of Christ. Christ follower so that the notes and makes it very clear that they are following Christ.

It's not it's not a social box be checked by being attending church on Sunday exactly I like to term. You know, representative of the kingdom. Yeah, I like that term because your great representative by way and thank you.

I'll give that $10 after the show is over. But you know when we when we talk about someone like this. Walking away, you know, he says in his article, and again I'm quoting this article is taken out of again the Christian news network and he says he has a massive shift in regards to my faith in Jesus again.

I don't understand that.

Yeah, just do not understand that we all have trials and tribulations of life in Scripture tells us that James speaks to the first chapter but consider great joy. I can imagine what this individual's life would be so much of a paradigm shift and what's happened to them what they believe that they they would make that statement. Just your massive shift in regard faith in Jesus. That's just it perplexes me know because when a person says something like this. Of course we know that there's always a deeper meaning. You know behind what they're trying to say but when when you talk about falling away from the faith.

I think you know someone might be asking the question okay. If a person who has written all these many books and has pastored a large congregation mega church to be exact. The end they fall away, then what hope is it for me to maintain my Christianity or my faith in Jesus, if indeed I had it to begin with whelming key point there, do not put your awesome man or woman man in the context of humans because if you do the going let you down. So in this in this particular quote is made about making a massive shift in regard faith in Jesus doesn't say is walking away from it, but it certainly isn't. It makes you wonder where is going so massive shift in the next quote parties so that he said that some people told him that there's a different way to practice faith that he wants to remain open to this.

But I the and I'm not there now you know it again. Did you know that can go to many areas, but when when I see this this different way to practice faith. What practice what faith you know, so if you if you were practicing Christianity, and let's just say that's what he was doing he was practicing Christianity and what you shouldn't be.

You should be a follower of Jesus Christ and doing those things that Christ said right so that we could disciple people and so we can make disciples and go out and fulfill you know the gospel message and try Triton so but when he says this you know about remaining open to some type of different way to practice faith, you have to ask a question what kind of faith. Now do you want to practice and if this faith that you call it some other religion other than Jesus Christ or are you talking about practicing the faith. Put your faith in Jesus Christ and in practicing those things he said in a different way and I don't think it's the latter is probably the former leaves itself a lot of speculation. This is no way to know exactly from this article worries going what is going be doing all we can do is wait and see what the next steps he takes will be but it certainly made for great conversation piece tonight and especially for talk about men while they go to church whether not involve proper in the family since we will get to a little bit later the show with an article. The lady wrote in response to some of this is is quite amazing to see the anger this woman as a result of the man's behavior under the auspices of following Christ.

The spinner Christian will say based on the if everything holds true that she's putting her letter minutes. He said to have a ways to go as far as his discipleship. Maybe a convert, but may not have been his discipleship modes. We talked about the path, exactly, you know, so he says he's lived in repentance and again I'm coming back to the article and according he said I have lived in repentance for the past several years repenting of my self-righteousness, my fear-based approach to life.

The teaching of my books, my views of women in church. My approach to parenting, to name a few. So if we go back and we look at this and he says, repenting up self-righteousness so were the books.

I guess my question him would be were the books you wrote you were basing that on a self-righteous approach that you came up with more were you truly teaching those things from the word of God that people should not operate in self-righteousness well since we just chose to speak with us on the show. I'm not an opportunity to read the book since I can't speak to that and that's a great question. Question when he talks about the self-righteous peace and you have to think he's identified that many more that was coming from his own his own opinion versus maybe be based biblically can't speak to that. But that was that was certain to be what you would assume, or at least go down the line of thinking, based on his commentary exactly the because I think a lot of what he said in all its it's truly off-base when it comes to the things that he said he taught about and now the things that he's repenting of an God is very clear in his word and know he's very clear when sin is sin right and you know we want to call sin sand and not try to make sin soften so that we can draw people into the church will draw them closer because we have to call sin what it is we have to be bold enough to say you know this sin that you are engaged in is something that God abhors and if he does abhor it then we should also yeah and Centerpoint.

Since then so doesn't matter for your committing adultery for stealing for line number.

Any number of things we've all gone food and all the issues in the media today you doesn't matter if you're choosing choosing a path of of of sinful behavior which is out of the will of God. We know we all struggle we all will all break the law will will turn to God's law. We all have fallen short is displayed by the grace of God Jesus blood that we are saved through that if we accepted into our lives so it's important as were talking through this that by no means being judgmental or just curious as to what this this causes men to turn away from the kingdom exactly because we know the truth behind what God said in reference to some of these things and so all we're doing is communicating that truth but but and by no means as you stated, we are out judging anybody because we are all subject to steal sin exactly know if we don't crucify our old man every day. Which goes back to become the disciple that Triton got in order to become a disciple got the crucify the old man and live out life into this world to live out that's right because he wants to resurrect he wants to resurrect himself on a daily basis. And so after we come back from the break we going to continue to talk about this guy, Joshua Harrison some the things that he has simply turned his back on that in reference to Jesus Christ. Stay with us for party back with you shortly to your CMM would love to have you join their community of men for breakfast every first and third Friday of every month and Bible discussions and fellowship after the best breakfast in town meeting location is at their gracious posterior First Christian Church in Kernersville, 1130 N. Main St. encouraged him a hard start at 7 o'clock on a hard stop at 8 o'clock. First time visitors eat for free. Join your host will party Roy Jones Junior, a black guy in a white guy portable chiropractic in High Point might tell from their name, affordable chiropractor, even for the cash. Patient Dr. Jeff Ricky has been caring for patients in High Point for 34 years, physical therapy, such as ultrasound and spinal decompression for disc conditions such as herniation Comprehensive Care for auto accident injury patients with no out-of-pocket expense to remember affordable chiropractic on Lexington Rd. in High Point all 368-851-9872 man talk and we just thank everyone for listening. At this point we are talking about Joshua Harris, pastor of covenant life church who simply decide after his divorce or separation from his wife and ultimate divorce that he said that they would remain friends and he has simply walked away from what he terms Christianity and we're are we reading an article that was written in a Christian news network on and it was published on 726 19 and so Joshua he goes on to say that in his article that I can't join you in your morning. I don't view this moment negatively. So he he saying I'm not looking at what I've done as a negative thing.

And again I think that leaves more questions and answers.

Does this was in response to the court a few of his friends that will be praying for you and they were saddened by his decisions and therefore was trying to make light of not joining in the morning or the feelings they were have about his departure okay and see man DVDs this that Joshua Harris is going through.

It didn't happen overnight so we we just want to make that point that it didn't happen overnight.

This is something that more than likely, some type of seed was planted and it was just over a period of time because no no man wakes up Roy I mean you just don't wake up and say hey, today I'm gonna separate myself from my wife because and and leave the church and go often in a claim to be a non-Christian noted on that savings got that battle started long before the day's decisions when you're exactly right will miss the guess what support for all of us recognizes that these things you guard your heart gorge your mom to point the seed planted and you think I'm okay.

I can process this and I can play around in this area. Whatever the area may be back to the conversation about sins as I got extremely cautious right exactly. I mean, Satan only needs just a little bit of a foothold and that could be that seaplane your mind and all mixing you know you you're going down the path of the trail that you never thought you would ever be on and on and when he says he and his wife will remain friends and ON the day following a separation announcement. Then of course he had an interview and he says on his views on romantic relationship and and dating have change in which he acknowledged that he is tempted, because of his very conservative upbringing with which he repudiated so that again leaves a bit? How were you tempted you know in what way were you tempted now we could say temptation is temptation in any form, but again it's how you tempted and what you submitted to in reference to that temptation right I think will bring you further down the line of exactly what led to all of what we're reading about in this particular article yeah and in the end that statement that you just read wills also to just throw his faith out so that even the author was just assume he's thrown straight outright. Based on the wording there, yes, and you will talk about the author of a kiss dating goodbye which is a very popular book. I think back in the 90s and 2000 think it may still be reasonably popular in young Christians lives closer it's all about dating and what understand and not to stay for the sake of dating being selective about who you date and that sort of thing so you know and and we talk about his conservative upbringing. I don't know exactly what what denomination he was involved with. But I think denominationalism surely plays a part in one's views and you know the associated doctrine that leads one down a particular path in reference to that denomination. So you know denominationalism is, I think, in and of itself, depending on what is taught can be a dangerous thing. Will you notice the hardware missing] on the walls racing and denomination so that we don't have to worry about those barriers between her brothers, because we you.

You are we being you and I will have talked about this many times.

While the Sunni churches in small town USA there be half a dozen churches in small town USA. You can go to any small town in America there's 5678 churches is Accra and most of which are within the 203 out of each other.

If not closer and the amount of the golf professional project but it it just makes no sense when we get wrapped up in these types of things about his conservative upbringing that you never know what that means party was biblically based standards and principles and so your Satan disc expectancy plant. Who knows how the seven may realize that he never had an opportunity to date a lot of different girls and ladies. Maybe that's were to study us what he wants to pursue in his walked away from his marriage walked away from his church because he's been convinced of a lie potentially exactly exactly. And in this article. Toward the end of it. There was an area where one could blog you know and and send in comments so someone was blogging and then you know how you get people just start writing. And so there was an anonymous person who wrote the lady is hazy here, who wrote a response in reference to the subject of you know why she was walking away from church right it sounds like her husband was a major contributor to the reason she walked away.

He was the major I mean he was trying not burn the candle from both ends and so was wild oats.

And you know do all the things obviously that he was going in past life because she she talks about in this article she said he claimed to be a Christian but he did not attend church, much less pay a tie and what's instance it did not work a single day during their tenure mirrors and not words close to slothfulness is just so she put it, without for 10 years.

That's a she was required lady, just a endured that heaven husband never worked a day in 10 years and for the rest of the story.

It sounds like there was she's had a very tough life. As a result of his laziness to her described again. We only hear her side of this, but if all this holds true, then it certainly gives evidence to why she said she's not justification gives evidence to why she's walking where know what she's George Makin was doing so and you know things like this when it happens, I think, again, there's a lot of detail, you know it. That goes along with her response here right on that we don't have privy to. But sheep pretty much laid it out as to the reason why you know.

She believes that she's walking away from the church right what's what's really sad about this will I'm sure you are picked up on this, but is that she didn't.

She didn't really have anyone to did mention anyone's come alongside our and I think that's where we go back to the Fellowship of the need for accountability with the need for support network with any of men and women and we talked about men because our system program for men, but we also share with the fact women need. They need to support network accountability group that could be three or four ladies that meet with them a regular basis and the pursuit of God in Bible study and prayer, and sometimes just hanging out together and talk about things are going rough in her life. You know that's the whole point you go support network there and nowhere in here to. She mentioned that it's almost like she was on her on this journey raise the children.

The husband was sitting off the sidelines and doing things it shouldn't of been going on us outside of marriage, much less within marriage based on biblical principles and so I think I simply distressed men out there, antennae, ladies.

It might be listening. Make sure you get yourself associated with some folks that have got your back is acting in it when you fall over there to pick you up there there to support you there there to pray for you there there to provide whatever you need for this material things will help you get material things have been really bad situation and also for men and women that goes on both sides will really really want to encourage you to do that if you got a part of that. It's a group of folks that you can count on it all because anytime you're talking about relationship you can't talk simply about man. Even though this is a man, shall a man show. He got talk about women to because a relationship is a man and woman rights. Also, invariably, we're going to be talking about women as well, but the think the emphasis what we're doing is we're taking that emphasis of where the man should be and his role within that relationship is the soup is the servant to the family and the wife exactly. So all of the things that she quoted again in her response. Again, if they hold true because again we only see one side of the story. She says that he cheated on her and she was working and she paid off all of the bills and he slept with dozens of women so men if this is you and you have a struggle with sexuality then you need to come to grips to understand that there is simply a matter of time before you know these things, you know they they come up on you and you realize hey you know of my secret is been it's been put out it well and it needs be put out right and thus the other thing typically starts things going on the exposures is will end once the light shone on the darkness then that will use in these types of things because then excitement goes away. Then reality sets in. A good deal for divorce are better deal with making reconciling with my wife.

Now if you even have me back all the sort of thing so yeah, you're exactly right. Willits's is one of things, it was never get yourself in the middle of the goes back to support network at support network. You don't lose don't lose track of what's important in life. What you got to be doing that's following Christ walking out as a disciple and helping lead others to first John chapter 1 and verse seven walk in the light as he is in the life and that you may have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Men darkness is simply the absence of light. So if you are in darkness, you need to come to the light come the light of Jesus Christ and let the light shine on. Thank you for listening again to another episode of man talk radio on. Will Hardy Lloyd Jones Junior and we thank you. Until next time we wrap up today show. Be assured that TA W CMM talking and walking Christian men's ministry is building a community of men Christ followers with a desire to be servant leaders in their homes, communities, churches and work environments. Check out our website for upcoming events of regularly scheduled meetings, drop us a note for topics that you would like to have us visit in the future.

Thank you for joining us on man talk today. Visit us at www.tawcmm.com men walking the talk. This is the Truth Network