By Sarah Taylor
Aug 14, 2019
A note from Pastor Kevin Lea is embedded below.
John L. Cooper, the lead singer of popular Christian rock band Skillet, issued heartfelt advice to Christian influencers who have recently renounced their Christian faith in public.
Two well-known Christian influencers announced recently that they had left their Christian faith.
In July, Joshua Harris, author of the popular Christian book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” and former pastor, announced that he was no longer a Christian and proclaimed that he was now a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ_community.
Hillsong United worship leader Marty Sampson made a similar announcement last week, insisting that he is “genuinely losing his faith,” but that the very idea did not bother him.
What did Cooper say?
In a lengthy Facebook post directed at the influencers as well as the Christian church, Cooper wrote, “Ok I’m saying it. Because it’s too important not to. What is happening in Christianity? More and more of our outspoken leaders or influencers who were once ‘faces’ of the faith are falling away.”
“Firstly,” he continued, “I never judge people outside of my faith. Even if they hate religion or Christianity. That is not my place and I have many friends who disagree with my religion and that is 100% fine with me. However, when it comes to people within my faith, there must be a measure of loyalty and friendship and accountability to each other and the Word of God.”
Cooper explained that Christians and the Christian church at large must stop “making worship leaders and thought leaders or influencers … ‘relevant.'”
“[W]e are in a dangerous place when the church is looking to 20 year old worship singers as our source of truth,” he explained. “We now have a church culture that learns who God is from singing modern praise songs rather than from the teachings of the Word.”
Cooper noted that he is very concerned that the former Christian influencers feel compelled to “make such a bold new stance.”
“I’m perplexed why they aren’t embarrassed? Humbled? Ashamed, fearful, confused?” he asked. “Why be so eager to continue leading people when you clearly don’t know where you are headed?”
“[M]ost shocking imo, as these influencers disavow their faith, they always end their statements with their ‘new insight/new truth’ that is basically a regurgitation of Jesus’s words?!” he mused. “It’s truly bizarre and ironic. They’ll say ‘I’m disavowing my faith but remember, love people, be generous, forgive others.'”
Cooper pointed out that those notions are “not actually human nature.”
“No child is ever born and says ‘I just want to love others before loving myself. I want to turn the other cheek. I want to give my money away to others in need.’ Those are bible principles taught by a prophet/Priest/king of kings who wants us to live by a higher standard which is not an earthly standard, but rather the ‘Kingdom of God’ standard.”
The singer went on to note that Jesus is the truth, and the Word of God is absolute, so to postulate otherwise is a waste of time, and “the words of a madman” to boot.
“It is time for the church to rediscover the preeminence of the Word. And to value the teaching of the Word. We need to value truth over feeling. Truth over emotion. And what we are seeing now is the result of the church raising up influencers who did not supremely value truth who have led a generation who also do not believe in the supremacy of truth,” he reasoned. “And now those disavowed leaders are proudly still leading and influencing boldly AWAY from the truth.”
Pastor Kevin Lea note about this paragraph:
Actually, it is time for the church to return to the preaching of the biblical gospel – the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Apostle Paul warned about elevating people instead of Jesus. If a church makes it their mission to be successful by the world’s standards, then they put talented people front and center without regard to whether they have a testimony of biblical saving faith. Do-gooders who promote biblical values can change on a dime, truly born again people can never deny the Lord Jesus who saved them.
For a season, someone can “teach the word” about pure living etc. without really being saved. There are thousands of Pastors in the country who are “teaching the word”, but privately many have confessed that they don’t actually believe what the “word” says. They are only remaining a pastor because it is a job or because they create a fan base that strokes their ego.
Tragically, the apostate “Church” is rising up influencers who do not supremely value the shed blood of Jesus, nor consider the power of the resurrection. Many people in ministry have never humbly bowed before Jesus to confess their sin and received His saving grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit. They were never born again and are therefore wolves in sheep’s clothing. They always end up taking off their sheep skin at an opportune time as they continue to serve their master (Satan).
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. (1 John 2:18-20) NKJV
To read this article in its entirety, go to: https://www.theblaze.com/news/skillet-lead-singer-warning-after-christian-influencers-renounce-faith