MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

Mega-Church Pastor Starts “JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakforMe.com”

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Mon, June 30, 2008
Viewed 93
(40) comments so far

Here’s more…

What does speak for me is David’s psalm celebrating how good and pleasant it is when we come together in unity;

Micah speaks for me in reminding us that the Lord requires us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him;

The prophet Isaiah speaks for me in his call for all to come and reason together and also to seek justice, encourage the oppressed and to defend the cause of the vulnerable;

The book of Nehemiah speaks for me in its example to work with our neighbors, not against them, to restore what was broken in our communities;

The book of Matthew speaks for me in saying to bless those that curse you and pray for those who persecute you;

The words of the apostle Paul speak for me in saying that words spoken and deeds done without love amount to nothing.

The apostle John speaks for me in reminding us of Jesus’ command to love one another. The world will know His disciples by that love.

These words speak for me. But when James Dobson attacks Barack Obama, James Dobson doesn’t speak for me.

You can view the website here...

I’d really love to hear what you think about this one. Do either of these guys speak for you? Should they? If so, which one?

Does Kirbyjon’s political activism in this instance make you a little nervous? If so, why doesn’t Dobson’s?

I’ve got a lot more questions than answers on this one…

Let me know what you think…

In an ironic move, President Bush's 'pastor' Kirbyjon Caldwell has started a pro-Obama website. According to JamesDobsonDoesntSpeakforMe.com, "Dr. James Dobson recently attacked Barack Obama for a 2006 speech that Obama gave on his Christian faith. Does he speak for you?" Here are some of their points on the main page of the website:

James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

He doesn't speak for me when he uses religion as a wedge to divide;

He doesn't speak for me when he speaks as the final arbiter on the meaning of the Bible;

James Dobson doesn't speak for me when he uses the beliefs of others as a line of attack;

He doesn't speak for me when he denigrates his neighbor's views when they don't line up with his;

He doesn't speak for me when he seeks to confine the values of my faith to two or three issues alone;

Comments

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bret on Fri, July 04, 2008

Thank you DA and Keith. It is deeply troubling when topics like sin and Cristian values become “relative”.

I personally beleive Obama’s specific comments on Leviticus versus “The Sermon on the Mount” showed a shallow knoweldge of The Old and New Covenants as well as priestly, theocratic and moral laws, two of which do not exist today, thanks be to Jesus, and one law which will exist forever, God’s Moral law.

While we are to submit ourselves to the rule of earthly law, there are clear examples of Godly men and women standing up to their rulers when man’s law opposed the Word of God (Peter and John in Acts being the most prominent example)..

Remember Peters words: We must obey God rather than Man…Acts 5:29
Jerry A Maddock on Fri, July 04, 2008

We have an expression at our church that “you can be saved without being decipled, but you cannot be decipled without being saved” While I would never try to judge a persons salvation, I am certainly judging the decipleship of anyone that could support a man like Obama ,while knowing his heart on God’s moral laws. As for anyone making a remark about Dr. Dobson sticking to family matters, how much more of a family matter could abortion or gay marriage be? I believe one of the key words here is obomination and because of that I am certainly not for an Obama nation. Thanks you last three for your stand for the Kingdom.
Brian L. on Fri, July 04, 2008

Jerry, PLEASE tell me you are joking about “obomination.”

In case you are not, the word is “abomination.”

And I have to say, I’ve never been a fan of making fun of someone’s name.

He may be your enemy. Fine. I’m not going to vote for him, either. But Jesus says we’re supposed to LOVE our enemies, not make fun of them.

C’mon, guys. Keep this ton an adult level of conversation rather than sliding to childishness.

Brian L.
Dane on Mon, July 07, 2008

“Polarizers” create more problems than they solve. When you demonize the person you oppose on the basis of one or two issues you usually miss God’s heart and drive wedges between masses of people.

During the Civil war that there were revival meetings even in the Confederate camps, where men repented and recieved Christ, and went out and fought for slavery and states rights the next day.

Charles Finney could not recieve this. These meetings and conversions could not be of God. He could only see through the “slavery” lense. But culture and life are always more complex than one issue. The “one issue” might truly be incredibly important, but never is it the only important issue.

I’m not an Obama fan, but I think he was right at least in this: Al Sharpton and James Dobson have this in common, they polarize people around single issues - and it’s not Jesus they are polarizing people around.
mnphysicist on Tue, July 08, 2008

James Dobson made a wrong turn somewhere along the way in my view, as well as many others…. and this is a call for him to repent. 12000+ Christians so far, plus who knows how many more who did not sign, but are praying for him. It may well be the sunset of his ministry, but God can still do great things with him if he will turn and follow Jesus like he did in the early days.

As far as Pastor Caldwell goes… chances are this is not unlike the process outlined in Matthew 18, where issues are brought before the church… albeit radio and internet media coverage do make for an interesting application of such passages.

To let Mr Dobson continue down this path in sin unchecked would be wrong… What I do see is a loving albeit strongly worded call for him to repent, and for his audience to be careful going forward. Many have already approached him by 2 or 3’s.

Whether one agrees with this post or not, (granted some may not be led to that point) prayers for Pastor Kirbyjon, Senator Obama, and Dr Dobson would be great.
DA Purdy on Wed, July 09, 2008

Are you ok mnphysicist? Oh so many words and so few facts. What “sin” are you talking about? So many words and you didn’t say a thing about this “sin” and falling away you are speaking of.
Dane on Wed, July 09, 2008

Al Sharpton and James Dobson are polarizers. They speak to and champion a very limited number of issues/causes. Unfortunately, not everyone has been hurt or offended in the same ways! So everyone does not feel attracted to the same causes.

Focusing on one issue inevitably polarizes. There’s always other people who think some other issue is more important at that moment in history. Here’s a case and point from American history:

During the Civil war it wasn’t just the North that experienced spiritual revivals. Even though Charles Finney was convinced that God’s Spirit would not move among pro-slavery people, he was proved wrong by God Himself. Thousands of even Confederate soldiers came to the Lord during those bloody and shameful times in American history. But how could God save a Confederate sinner without making him turn his back on the Confederate cause? The answer is simple (but not for polarizers): the problem is never as simple as a single issue! You can never truly right one injustice by callously allowing another injustice. But this is what polarizers do. They blindly turn their backs on injustices they have not personally felt, and only promote those causes that they have a vested interest in.
Steve on Wed, July 09, 2008

I would be interested in knowing what Dr. Dobson should repent of.
mnphysicist on Wed, July 09, 2008

Sure… the list of issues requiring repentance is at the top of the article. Granted, there are theological differences amongst all of us, and thats one thing… but after prayerfully considering the petition, before I signed it… this goes way beyond theological disputes.

Now, as Dane presented, differing folks will see this in a different light. To some, perhaps it is appropriate to confine faith to a limited number of moral positions…. ie looking at history, and the slavery deal. And yes, folks did get saved, just as I am pretty sure folks are getting saved with Dr Dobson’s ministry. However, I firmly believe in doing so, he is also putting up stumbling blocks for many. Christianity is defined by Christ…. all of these other issues come after… they are not the primary thing.

And that is what has changed… back in the mid-late 80’s I remember Dr Dobson asking for his listeners to call him out if need be, as his ministry was growing rapidly… and it would be very easy to fall off the path. Sadly that is what occurred imho. Its is beyond theological differences.

Ultimately though…. Christ is being preached, and we can all rejoice in that. Yet, how many more could be reached, if Dr Dobson return to his beginnings, where the focus was on Jesus first, family ministry second, and everything else came from there…. Not politics first as is so often the case in the mailings I get from him. I’m not saying Christians should have no part in politics, as that is an arena of significant dispute… but that in everything we do, Jesus must be primary, whether politically active or not.
DA Purdy on Wed, July 09, 2008

Again I ask: how is Dr Dobson sinning as he speaks his heart and ministers to the family from a Christian perspective in about fifteen different ways: Youth programs, Parenting, Caring for the elderly parents, prison ministries, missionary outreach, on and on and on.

I keep reading many many words but no answers. When a person is knowingly sinning against a known law of God he should repent, but I still have not heard a sin. Please tell us. There was a book written a long time ago called Getting Your Point Across in Thirty Seconds or Less.

There are many ministries I can think of that I really really wish they would return to the techniques they used in their beginnings (Christian Research Institute immediately comes to mind), but I can’t think of anything their leaders should ‘’repent’’ from.