 Good afternoon pastor. Hey John. Good to see you. Welcome everybody to our random moment with pastor David unfiltered and today We're in our mini chapel store. You guys can see the background is a little different Today pastor. I want to speak on what is called the social media profits They could be considered social media evangelists the Facebook prophets I want to open up a little bit with a verse first from 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 And you actually gave this verse last night in your in your Bible study in Job It says let no one deceive himself if anyone among you seems to be wise in this age Let him become a fool that he may become wise, you know last week pastor We spoke a little bit about the vision in the church and how some pulpits can use Can be used as to push an agenda on a different level We still see that there is dissension and unity that's coming From a different but it's coming from one another and not so much from the pulpit. We're seeing that there's a division Among social media with Christians devouring one another We see this on all the social media platforms where brothers and sisters and the Lord are making posts that are caught That's causing division and disunity and can have a tendency to bash one another on personal beliefs making statements that are condemning and condescending and Bringing disunity rather than unity. We call these people social media prophets They're they're behind their social media and they're causing division and I wanted to get your Thoughts on this because they're using this as a place to push their Expertise what are your thoughts on this pastor? I think that they're quite a number of people who profess to be wise and Believe themselves to be instructors Simply because they've attended a church or they've read a few books They've never even done practical ministry themselves. They've never taught Bible studies. They've never been part of Ministry leadership, they don't have a church that even have they even have an allegiance to in terms of them serving They're giving there and and all of those things. They simply are our social media Like you said social media prophets they they've never proven themselves I mean Paul when he was speaking concerning the qualifications of church leadership in 1st Timothy chapter 3 Made it very clear that that the leaders were to be proven that they were supposed to have their ministries Demonstrated over time that they're sincere and these essence is as ministers themselves They were supposed to have good fruit and good fruit takes a while for for it to grow it to be to be seen for what it is And so what we have now is a convenience of people who aren't even committed to a church very often they hop from one place to another Don't listen to the messages that they're given not with a deep degree of Concentration and a hunger to do those things that are being taught and they end up thinking themselves qualify to Rebuke people and exhort people and sometimes judge and even condemn people Because they themselves consider themselves wise and so that isn't new in the book of Acts I'm funny that you know the subject that you're sharing asked me to speak about a little bit of respond to I'm right now preparing that I'm preparing a message for for our mentoring class that I do on Sunday this upcoming Sunday and And Paul is warning the elders of my in my lead us the elders of the Church of Ephesus In my lead us concerning Being on guard for infiltrators and he says you know that they're gonna come in among you They're gonna sneak in and they're gonna begin to undermine He says but even amongst from amongst yourselves There will be men who arise and their intent is to draw disciples after themselves That's what's taking place right now. I mean when you have somebody who doesn't have ministry who's never spent time counseling never spent time You know traveling never spent time Building developing encouraging exhorting But there they are telling people don't take the shot or or you know, you're a coward if you do or whatever To me that is the height of arrogance and it's absolutely wrong And yet we have that and these are people who claim to be Christian who arise from amongst us and draw disciples Paul says after themselves So they're attempting to make people their followers. They come to a church that has been Established and has been used by God for years and the minute they're in there They begin to say it could be better and with my help It will be and if people don't want to to Follow me their carnal and so that's kind of how it happens John And so yeah, I think that social media is is is is a very poor Way for us to actually develop a real a real community It's a fictitious one because there's no there's nobody actually being close to somebody else or knowing more of them other than what they present on on the On Facebook or whatever. I mean, there's so many different platforms now There's one particular individual who I believe his quote-unquote Ministry unnamed but he's made it his special effort to destroy Calvary Chapel to undermine the memory of our ministries pastor Chuck and others calling to question people and turning Pastors, you know some of them friends of mine myself included on occasion Calling to question motives and and things that relate to that and this is a guy You know who has hasn't has no qualifications. He's He's never proven his own ministry. What he does is he sits in his house or his mother's basement almost literally And he just pounds out these missives and has his own web page and and destroys That's that's what he does and he's been doing it for years So, yeah, I think that people who go online To correct others and to teach others, you know, I I don't listen to them Why would I? Because they're not proven. There's no way that I know who they are. I don't know their moral life I don't know Paul said you know what manner of life. I have always lived amongst you What are you telling these a vision elders ball? That I have consistently and Courageously lived out the gospel and you have seen that, you know And she had amongst all of these whom he's speaking to there and my leaders It appears that there are two men that are well known One is Timothy who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus He more than likely Was involved at that time very well may have been the pastor already and another man named Demas You know two men that we know in scripture and And Timothy was a faithful man that Paul wrote two letters to to help him in his ministry and Demas is you know his Epitaph if you will his demons says forsaken me having loved this present age and is departed to Thessalonica and so You have the Demas types who were furiously pounding out their ideas And you have guys like Timothy and it makes it difficult for us to know Which is which and if I can't see how you have lived amongst people Then how do I know that what you're teaching me is something that you practice and so you know You know, God has told us we're to have discernment to test things to prove things Well fast to that which is good, which is true We're to hold fast to the things that that are obviously Aligning with scripture and the other things you just a waste of your time in reading or listening. Yes And then you make a great point with these people trying to Cause this dissension and without being proven they can be considered those jerks for Jesus Who think they have to you know, and you don't see Jesus do where is where did Jesus bully people? Where did Jesus speak down to people? You know the only people that Jesus really got strong with other Pharisees really religious leaders who Jesus himself said are hypocritical and So, you know you traverse the world, you know trying to make a disciple and you make him twice the child of hell That you yourselves are I mean, you know, he he made it very very very clear That his problem was not with the the sinner Who really didn't profess to know God. It was the religious one Who claimed to know him better than everybody else and and John that's what we see today. I think it's unhealthy I think it's a sickness in the church. I Think that people who do that ought to be convicted and stop And if you can't speak the truth and love then don't speak at all because there are too many Christians who are who are really Undermining the work that God wants to do in people's lives John I've been in in service to the Lord for a long time. I've been a Christian for 50 years I've I've taught Bible studies for 47 48 years in in September. I've pastured this church for 40 years In July we we will celebrate our 40th church anniversary. I've been pastoral minister since 1979 so I've ministered to a lot of people over the years and and I've seen a lot of of of Social warriors a spiritual social warriors and and they normally are people who are Paper tigers they can pound out their ideas type them out furiously But there's no accountability and they will not listen to anybody who says to them This was wrong. Your attitude was wrong. Who are you to judge me? so I have to tell you John I think it's a sickness in the church and This COVID thing made it even more possible for more to come out from under the covers and and expose their They're prideful and arrogant self-righteous Proclamations I really don't like it if you can't proclaim the love of Christ and be honest about the things that we need to hear Then please take time to refine your thoughts and speak like Paul said In love for people caring about their souls. How many are returning away because of our angry angry diatribe? So I have a real problem as you know with that. Yes, and and it's infecting the church and Really undermining the love of Christ and yes, absolutely. Well pastor. Thank you so much for that. This was interesting but I think much needed Interview because we do see this going on and and we just hope that People can keep their eyes on Christ. Let's hope that they do You looked right at me when you said that. Yes, I did Thank you pastor so much and you guys for those who are wanting to go to Israel this Sunday after our 1045 a.m service second service We have our Israel information meeting if you're thinking about going to Israel or just want to get some questions answered Come check us out. It's going to be in the sanctuary Immediately following following second service and we do have our services at 8 30 a.m and 10 45 We look forward to seeing you guys speaking this week on revelation chapter 22 Versus 6 through 12 And we're speaking concerning If Christ is really returning how then should we live? Kind of ties in exactly what we're talking about. I think so We look forward to seeing you guys pastor. David. Thank you so much. God bless you guys