|
Truth in Conviction offers insights related to politics, religion and social happenings in the US and worldwide. The columns' philosophical base is conservative. Regarding
religion, it is evangelical. Concerning social matters, it is grounded in biblical ethics.
Swank has BA and MDiv degrees with graduate work at Harvard Divinity School. Married for 49 years with 3 adult children. Author of several books and thousands of articles in various Protestant and Catholic magazines, journals, web sites, and newspapers. Writer of weekly religion column for PORTLAND PRESS HERALD newspaper, Portland ME. |
Sun Feb 14, 2010
NAZNET PASTOR SCOTT CUNDIFF'S 'DOUBLE-TONGUE' EXPOSED
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
To read the Alvin, Texas Church of the Nazarene web site, one would conclude that Pastor Scott Cundiff ministered in the old-fashioned Nazarene way.
Cundiff states on the site that he cares for his people in the “classic gospel southern style.” His services and daily devotional offerings are characterized in that fashion as well. In other words, to belong to Cundiff’s church family is like being “down home holiness” folk.
“Classic gospel southern style” would convey that Cundiff’s preaching focused on inviting worshipers to be saved. Then he would preach sermons on believers being sanctified. All this is standard in that holiness denomination since its inception in 1908.
Cundiff’s sermons would be based solidly on the Bible as the trustworthy Word of God; that is, if one believed his “classic gospel southern style” of sermon preparation and delivery. The Bible would be considered the Word of God—entirely, without doubt.
One would then assume that Cundiff’s exegesis of Scripture would be carefully focusing on holy writ as divine revelation—no question. That’s the “Nazarene way.” The Bible is God’s infallible, inspired communication.
After all, is not God capable of providing a revelation that is perfect? If God is God, then His Book is without error.
John 17:17: “Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.”
However, Cundiff has lived a theological double life now exposed to his South Texas District colleagues and the General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene.
Also, this exposure has been communicated to his NazNet colleagues for Cundiff is one of founder Dave McClung’s long-time moderators on NazNet. However, these NazNet colleagues have known of Cundiff’s double life all along for they are a part of it.
While giving the impression to his Bible belt congregation that he is an honest biblically faithful preacher, Cundiff espouses disbelief in the Bible on NazNet. He is joined by fellow moderator Hans Deventer from the Netherlands. Both of these NazNet staffers are permitted their heresy push by McClung—over years. NazNet is in fact a prime enemy to the Church of the Nazarene.
Cundiff and Deventer have posted often on NazNet their conclusion that the Bible is laden with errors. Deventer goes so far as to state that he does not believe in the Bible, except for passages related to Jesus. After all, believing the sections about Jesus provide Deventer with salvation and heaven. The rest of the Book can be discarded.
Cundiff holds basically to the same.
Cundiff witnesses on his church site to being a trustworthy biblical preacher and teacher. But in fact on NazNet he is a cavalier theological liberal who shunts the Bible as a take-it or leave-it. In truth, on NazNet Cundiff comes across as being more Unitarian than Nazarene.
Note this on NazNet as posted by moderator Scott Cundiff:
“In a devotional I dealt with the command given by God to wipe out entire people groups as part of the occupation of Canaan. Writing from a devotional point of view my take away is that there’s that about God, an ‘otherness’ that is beyond us and that passages like that are reminders of that fact.
“Van de Beek is right. No matter how hard one tries, it is impossible to reconcile the many commands to kill enemies in the Old Testament with the commands to love our enemies in the New.
“Even more difficult is the portrait painted of God as a violent and genocidal child killer in the Old Testament (Noah’s flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the slaughter of the Canaanites and Amalekites), and in Christ the lover of children in the New.
“Van de Beek admits as much. He confesses that ‘The more one wants to let all of Scripture speak for itself . . . the more unclear the Bible becomes. The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’”
Read that again: “’The more we believe that the whole Word is revelation, the less we know who God is.’” That is provided by Cundiff on NazNet, the latter allowed by NazNet founder McClung.
To the above quotes, Deventer exclaimed his ecstatic approval related to Cundiff’s skepticism concerning the Bible’s trustworthiness.
So there you have it: NazNet moderator Cundiff believes that the more we research the Bible, the “less we know who God is.” At the same time, Cundiff plays “holiness, Bible-believing” preacher to his Texas worshipers.
With all this deception, McClung repeatedly states on NazNet that his web site is a “friend” to the Church of the Nazarene.
Not so.
Read more about Cundiff at NAZNET: STUDY BIBLE, WATCH GOD FADE at http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5187366-naznet-study-bible-watch-god-fade
Read still more about NazNet heresies at NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/
Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at http://www.michnews.com/J_Grant_Swank_Jr/jgs021010.shtml
NAZNET SNUBS GOD'S BIBLE TRUTH
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
John 17:17: “Sanctify them through Your truth. Your Word is truth.”
That is one of the chief verses that the Church of the Nazarene has been based upon since 1908, its founding year in Pilot Point, Texas.
The Nazarenes have proclaimed holiness of heart and life. The Nazarenes have preached without apology that a mortal can not only be saved from sins but saved from the carnal nature—sin.
How can one come to know about this divine grace potential? Through the entire Word of God—from Genesis to Revelation. God’s Word is truth.
The Church of the Nazarene has given forth faithfully the glad tidings that the Bible can be trusted. God’s Word is “truth.” All of God’s Word is “truth,” not just parts of it.
However, NazNet site founder Dave McClung says just the opposite. It states through such staffers as Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer and cheered on by such former staffers as Barbara Moulton that the Bible is error-laden.
In other words, one must be careful when reading the Bible for there are landmines in it that can lead one astray. Therefore, one must be clever enough to pick and choose what is to be believed and what is not to be believed.
Cundiff goes so far as to state that the more one reads the Bible the more God fades. The more one researches the Scriptures, the less one knows about God. Deventer states on NazNet that he concurs.
This is exactly what the NAZNET DISTORTS site exposes about NazNet. NAZNET DISTORTS lays bare the heresies propagated by NazNet and permitted by founder McClung.
Why is NazNet up to this? Who knows? But it is there on the Internet for anyone to research. NAZNET DISTORTS has done much of the homework for the wise and discerning.
Click onto http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/
It is part of the “great falling away” for the Church of the Nazarene to be attacked by its own. The General Superintendents have been informed of this intrusion. What have they done about it? I don’t know but I have at least informed them.
I have also informed the District in which Cundiff’s Alvin Texas Church of the Nazarene resides. What that officialdom does about it is under God’s surveillance. The last move they should make is to turn upon the truth giver—NAZNET DISTORTS.
God’s Word is reliable from cover to cover. Christians have witnessed that to be practical truth throughout their lifetimes.
Now come along doubters McClung, Cundiff, Deventer, Moulton and naïve posters who have lauded their positions on NazNet. It is a shame. It is blasphemy. It must be exposed far and near.
Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/swank/100209
CUT THE LUGAR RUN
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
He was just a youth. He’s now dead.
He should have never “done” the lugar run.
“’He called me before the Olympics, three days ago, and he said, “Dad, I’m scared of one of the turns,”’ David Kumaritashvili said in an interview
“His son, 21-year-old Nodar Kumaritashvili, lost control of his luge on the final turn of the course, the world’s fastest, and slammed into a steel support at 90 miles per hour.
“’I said, Put your legs down on the ice to slow down, but he said if he started the course he would finish it. He was brave,’ Mr. Kumaritashvili’s father said, adding that his son had dreamed of being an Olympian from childhood and could have competed in two more games” per Wall Street Journal’s Samantha Shields.
I wondered when watching the opening ceremonies about the mental and emotional stability of many of those competing.
We know that countless young people are put through such rigorous training because of parents and coaches pushing them to the limit—and for some over the limit.
When they were very young, did they themselves make the choice to enter into such a journey of pain and pleasure? How many did?
How many were put onto the track without their consent? And how many in later years need therapy because of the one-lane lifestyle—train train train with practically nothing but train.
Day upon day. Week upon week. Month upon month. Year upon year.
For those who go back home with no winnings, so it is. They are told that that’s the gamble.
For those who go back home with the winnings, so it is with acclaim. But even they may be scarred.
Naturally we want youth to learn sports and the ups and downs of competition with like-skilled youth. That should not be denied them.
However, with all of life, there has to be a balance in all things. Where is the balance in these competitive games and the training that leads up to the press?
With the Georgian, my heart aches when knowingthat he confided his fears in his Dad just before his death. They were haunting him. The Dad knew that. No doubt that caring Dad would have liked to have traded places with his son; but of course that was impossible.
Thinking it over—all the pathos—I keep wondering what is healthy in sports competition and what is unhealthy and who is responsible for the unhealthy.
Read “Luger Who Died Was Terrified of Track” at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703447704575065492351741522.html?mod=WSJ_olympics_LeadStoryCollection
WHY DOES NAZNET SHUT DOWN SITE TO ME?
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
As of February 14, 2010, NazNet forbids me to get into NazNet. Why?
Every avenue to the site has been cut off to me.
Logic says NazNet Founder Dave McClung and staffers Scott Cundiff and Hans Deventer do not want me to expose their heresies any further.
Moreover, NAZNET DISTORTS http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/ exposes detail upon detail regarding NazNet’s anti-Bible, anti-God postings.
In addition, NAZNET DISTORTS has exposed former NazNet staffer Chaplain Barbara Moulton’s refusal to witness publicly concerning God’s abhorrence of homosexual practice. Moulton stated she would not perform “wedding ceremonies” for same-gender duos but she would not witness publicly to the biblical prohibitions of same either.
Since that exposure, Moulton has left NazNet as a staff member and her name and email address no longer appear on the NazNet masthead; however, she continues to post comments throughout NazNet.
The latest revelation regarding NazNet has been Alvin, Texas Church of the Nazarene Pastor Scott Cundiff’s refusal to accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God. He, a NazNet moderator, has stated that the more one researches the Bible, the less one knows God. Deventer agrees. McClung does nothing to expunge this anti-Church of the Nazarene position from NazNet.
As soon as Cundiff’s lack of faith in the Bible was posted on the Internet on February 13, 2010, NazNet was cut off to me. I have been forbidden access following that exposure.
Nevertheless, as of February 14, 2010, South Texas Church of the Nazarene District officialdom has been informed of Cundiff’s NazNet statements concerning his disbelief in the entire Bible as divine revelation.
One wonders how far NazNet will go in its splintering of the Church of the Nazarene before McClung as Founder will apologize to the Church of the Nazarene for propagating heresies.
Then Cundiff needs to confess at least to his local congregation that he does not have faith in the entire Bible as God’s error-free Word.
Deventer needs to make exit from NazNet for he is exceptionally brash in his forthright denial of eternal damnation. He does not believe the Bible per his own confession on NazNet. Yet McClung permits this moderator to continue posting anti-Scripture opinions.
All the while McClung repeats that NazNet is a “friend” of the Church of the Nazarene. It is not. It is a prime enemy and has been for some time.
Read NAZNET DAVE MCCLUNG IS IRRESPONSIBLE AS ‘CHRISTIAN’ at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P3472
In addition, the denomination’s General Superintendents have been informed all along of NazNet’s heresies push. Specific details have been sent to the Superintendents every time NazNet heresy exposures have been placed on the Internet.
I have sent to McClung, Cundiff and Deventer the following article detailing faith in the Bible as the infallible Word of God; however, NazNet’s power clique continues to hold to the Bible being laden with errors.
Read “Yes, you can believe in the Old Testament God” at RenewAmerica.com http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/swank/100209
Read NAZNET DISTORTS at http://naznetdistorts.blogspot.com/
| PREV page | NEXT page |
Copyright ©2005-2010 by J. Grant Swank, Jr. All Rights reserved