1.) Authority & accountability go hand in hand; the more authoritative the message is, the more it needs to be tested in the light of an objective frame of reference. Circle Maker Matthew 6 Pray in circles with boldness Pray in secret with humility Bind God’s miracles here & now, then they will be forever Do not store treasures on earth, but in heaven 2.) The accumulation of wealth is not the purpose or calling of God’s children. God prospers some, but He places others in humble circumstances. Our attitude toward health and wealth should mirror the apostle Paul’s. Philippians 4:12-13: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 3.) God’s promises for the here and now are different from His promises for the eternity to come. Philippians 3:18-4:1: many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! John 16:33: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. 4.) Promising an amazing life now (which is supposedly gained through adopting the author’s procedures) obscures the hope of the truly amazing life to come, and neglects a true valuation of the fallen world, in which we find ourselves. 5.) The Circle Maker portrays humanistic psychology and consumerism cloaked in Christianese. The author sets up a false dichotomy between right & left brain orientations. If one side is neglected, its neglect doesn’t take away from how God may be honored with the other side. The author is admittedly inspired by (or envious of) how much money other commercial authors have made (i.e. “Chicken Soup For the Soul”). The author’s goals are informed entirely by cliché’ notions of popular culture (i.e. Disneyland, Cruise, Make a movie, speaking at sports arenas, giving to trendy charities, cliff jumping, snow boarding, film festivals, running with the bulls, stand-up comedy routine). The author talks about success and stewardship as one in the same. This logically leads to the idea that worldly goals are equal to spiritual goals. In fact he describes a “discipleship covenant” that he made with his son, where he emphasizes physical & intellectual growth as an equally important part of discipleship, aside from spiritual growth. 6.) Bad exegesis & hermenutics = bad theology. Ex: Joshua & Jericho, quail in the desert, double anointing, red sea, etc. Conclusion: The author may have good Christian intentions, but The Circle Maker has too many faults to be a reliable representation of Biblical ideas. It emphasizes enthusiasm without enlightenment, zeal without knowledge, and psychobabble without substance. It is perfectly suited for an immature culture, looking for an easy fix to their problems, but there is no easy fix. If we really want to change the culture, or the church, we need to get back to the basics of the Christian faith.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 04:21:12 +0000
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