I feel compelled to spotlight a preacher of God's word that the world probably knows little about. He doesn't have a large church congregation, nor has he written any Christian bestsellers. He doesn't ooze with charm and charisma nor does he have a pleasantly melodious voice. What he does do extremely well is passionately preach Christ and him crucified. He has become quite well known throughout the Reformed and discernment spheres of Christian blogdem, and I want to dedicate this post to the outstanding work of God he is laboring hard for each and everyday. His name is Paul Washer and he is the founder and director of HeartCry Missionary Society. He also serves as an itinerant preacher and speaks at churches all over the country. You can read a brief biography of his life and ministry here.
I first became aware of Paul Washer through a message he preached to a youth gathering a couple of years ago. The sermon blazed like wildfire through the blogosphere and I listened to it from a link at Slice of Laodicea. I couldn't believe my ears. He broke every rule of seeker sensitivity without blinking an eye. He shattered the myths of easy-believism 'I said a prayer' evangelicalism without mercy. He preached the hard message of the gospel; that of dying to self, taking up the cross and following Christ. He didn't promise the kids health, wealth and prosperity. He spoke from experience the true reality of facing death on a daily basis for the cause of the gospel while working as a missionary in the jungles of Peru. He then rebuked the youth for thinking a radical Christian as someone who wears a Christian t-shirt!
The message left me in awe. I had never heard such bold preaching, but I knew every word he spoke to be true. My chest burned with a kind of heaviness that was not burdensome, or condemning, but yet convicting. I feel like that every time I hear a Paul Washer message. He challenges me in my sanctification and forces me to examine the authenticity of my justification before Almighty God. Paul leaves no stone unturned in his messages. He does not hesitate to rail against modern Christianity and the teachers who promote a false gospel. He does so with great conviction and always accompanied by the word.
I believe Paul Washer to be a modern day prophet. No, not at all like the Kim Clement's of the world, spouting predictions that more often than not, do not come to pass, nor ever speak of the glory and excellency of Christ. No, Paul Washer speaks as a forth teller of God's word and does so with great forthrightness and fortitude. He never backs down, never spares his audience the hard truth of Gospel message in all its fullness. He is unafraid to tell a person he is lost and headed for hell. But he is just as quick to tell that same person of the saving grace of God found in Jesus Christ, his Son.
To help you know Paul Washer a little bit better I am providing several video clips as a sample of his excellent Christ-centered messages. I will also provide links to a repository of many more of his messages so that you can listen to them at your leisure.
May God give us an army of men like Paul Washer in these last days, that the lost may hear and obey the unvarnished gospel of God, ushering multitudes into God's kingdom.
Sit back and be ministered to today!
Shocking Message to a Youth Gathering
The Meaning of the Cross
Not Ashamed of the True Gospel
Paul Washer sermons on SermonAudio.com
Ouch. That first message....... Well.... I don't know what to say. He's right.
ReplyDelete'Ouch' is a good summary of his ministry. Like John Macarthur, his sermons are often like a punch in the gut. They leave you breathless and hurting just a little bit.
ReplyDeleteWhat he says is 'right on', but it comes out with such anger. I have had students that then become angry and judgmental to anyone else who disagrees. Or if we are willling to share the Gospel with an unsaved person (in sinful lifestyle) & show the love of God, they respond by saying that this is 'cheap grace'. God is angry at sin, and He judges us and condemns us if w/out Christ. But we must balance this with the whole of God's Word. Read 1Jn. Yes He hates sin, but He loves us. Cheap Grace?
ReplyDeleteI think Paul Washer is passionate about Christ and disgusted with the way modern evangelicalism portrays his Lord and Savior - and he has every right to be. An easy-believism gospel sends the multitudes down the broad road of destruction.
ReplyDeleteCheap grace isn't about telling people of God's love, rather it is telling people of God's love and not about the requirements to enter the narrow gate. A turning from sin toward God in faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior teaches us to utterly despair of any hope in ourselves and to solely rely on God's gracious mercy.
I think there is confusion between "anger" and "passion." And of course, there IS a place for righteous anger...especially in relation to the ignorance that is leading millions unsuspectingly into hell.
ReplyDeleteCharley
HomeDiscipling Dad Blog
I was very impressed with Paul's message to the youth conference. It is the message that a lot of believers need to hear. Faith without works is dead. Also there are some people who really respond to that kind of preaching. For those reasons, I posted it on my site.
ReplyDeleteWhile I thought the overall message was very sound and important, the way that message was presented to that particular audience (a youth evangelism conference is probably not a representative sample of American "Christianity") was questionable.
Also I am concerned about the notion of a preacher countering a real or perceived theological excess in the church by presenting his message with theological excess which is intended to counter-balance the first excess. Not saying Washer did that, but I have heard some people say things in connection with Washer that suggest they think that might be justified. No matter how good the intentions are, such a strategy will eventually backfire on the church. I don't believe in my theology and your theology and someone else's theology; I believe in the Word of God, that we should preach it accurately, completely, comprehensively, and let the chips fall where they may.
also another washer teaching and commentary vs. here:
ReplyDeletevideo- Paul Washer Mark of the Beast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ShSs4KvS8
Does “Christianity” really follow Christ?
Youtube channel Ecothearcy
Love your website! Just wanted to say hello and connect with you. We are on a Paul Washer - Ten Indictments - offensive. Check out my recent blog www.time2stand.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteGod bless and keep it up!
Jeremy Strang
www.time2stand.net
www.time2standladies.wordpress.com
Wow. ..hmmm,Me too was very shock about that conference. ..And I understend what Paul Washer says that -"theres no such thing as a carnal Christian". ..Maybe because the environment of American Christianity is different from Philippines. ..In USA,Christianity is very common but what the Scripture says;"You will know them by their fruits". ..Well,I thank God on how He uses you in God's ministry. ..God bless!c'',)mj
ReplyDeleteThank you and God bless!
ReplyDelete25 indictments against Paul Washer:
ReplyDelete1) willfully limiting the subjectmatter of Scripture
2) willfully presenting his own fabricated version of true christianity
3) willfully bringing himself under a cloak of godliness
4) willfully closing the book of Revelation and the Prophets
5) willfully painting the graves of the prophets for his own selfish ends
6) willfully presenting himself since 2002 with remarks that show Billy Graham
to be his brother, although Graham is high in the world and an archdeceiver
7) comparison with the whole of Scripture and the true old paths of the Reformation
show him to be a cloud without water
8) connection in the Netherlands to all false christianity has to offer, even with those
who publicly say calvinism is a complete error
9) presenting himself in 80.000 newspapers in the Netherlands smiling as though
the sins of the churches and the land are no problem to him
10) proclaiming a message of revival that has never come, thereby telling lies in Gods Name.
11) accepting in the core of his message two contradicting systems of doctrine
12) denying the witness of the Holy Spirit in the Reformation against THE antichrist in Rome
13) denying the blood of hunderthousands christian brothers and sisters against THE antichrist in Rome
14) going around the USA and the world to gain one proselyte that he makes a clone of himself
15) being silent about the developements in the outside world, only preaching for his own parish
16) laying burdens on small people, while leaving big names in bibleschools, synods, and gospelmusic
untouched and unmentioned
17) connecting himself to Kirk Cameron, known throughout the world for the message of a future antichrist
with Left Behind
18) himself not being able to go to Wallmart for fear of sinning, yet laying on big burdens on everyone else
19) printing his own material as though it is manna from heaven, yet is only copying a little text everyone
knows with some questions
20) saying he serves the God of heaven, yet he himself is an idolater of the ring on his own finger
21) his minister is Jeff Nobblit who teaches a future antichrist, that gain is godliness, and remains in the
SBC although a complete apostate body with a statue for Billy Graham
22) closing the Kingdom of God for the people by keeping silent about the true contents of the witness of the old paths
23) denying the true witness of the Waldenses, the reformers, the english puritans, the scottish covenanters
24) denying the true witness of Augustine against Pelagius, Luther against Rome, the Westminster and Dordt Synods
25) being a facilitator and manipulator replacing the true religion of the King Jesus Christ with a false one of the new world order
reformatienl - David Stewart...is that you? ;)
ReplyDeleteI will gladly carry the Gospel of Christ, that which Paul preaches, to a lost and dying world.
There is a fundamental difference I see between the indictments Paul Washer brings and the indictments reformatienl brings.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Paul Washer speaks without hiding his face, his name, his voice or hiding from responsibility for the words he says. The person going by the name "reformatienl" does none of that.
Second, Paul Washer's indictments are there to bring conviction and change and to show with integrity where change is needed and why it is needed. His speaking may be hard, but he takes you to the Word of God where you can find salvation in Christ. The person going by "reformatienl" seems to bring harm, contention, and condemnation without sincerity, without courage, without love, without integrity in the spirit of Satan, the accuser of the brethren.
Here we are seeing the differences between godly rebuke and satanic condemnation in full display. One is displayed in love. The other isn't. one runs to the light while the other seeks to hide in darkness. One displays loving courage of Jesus Christ and the fruit of the Spirit. The other displays none of that. One is displayed in humility accepting responsibility, and one is a display of arrogance, subjecting others to his or her judgment and a total hiding from responsibility.
My disagreement with "reformatienl" is not in that he or she criticizes or brings indictments to people I respect. I would expect to receive the same kind of criticism as well, and if it is true and leads to positive change, then I would think Kirk, Paul, and many others including myself would consider the criticism something to be treasured.
I don't want to go on and give too much attention to this foundationless, worthless criticism other than to bring to attention the nature of the devil's form of judging and criticising and how it differs from tough, loving, godly, rebuke that is needed more than a parched land needs water after a fifty year drought. I have to agree with Paul and Kirk that most of American Christianity has not even begun to know what it means to be a follower of Christ, and most of what is thrown out there as salvation is nothing but a lie from the pit of hell. It's based on rattling off the words of a prayer and has nothing to do with surrender and God's saving grace.
Having said all this, assuming we have our own salvation fully settled, how can we avoid feeling absolutely compelled to the utmost to see others saved? Loved ones? Or more than that, Christ's loved ones? Are we prepared to let others fry in hell without a warning after Jesus paid the utmost price for their salvation? If so, then how is it possible to come to the conclusion we ourselves are saved? From what? From lack of love? From apathy? From love for sin? From cowardice? If we would let our own loved ones go to hell without a prayer, without agonizing prayer, without one tear shed, then what can be said of our love for them or for Jesus Christ?
I would ask "reformatienl" do you have loved ones or friends who have never heard the Gospel or have never been prayed for by you? If so, why? What does this say about you? What does this tell about the sincerity or depth of your love? Will you let them burn forever without a prayer? Is that your kind of love? Will you?
I would pray and beg you to surrender your efforts to criticize and bring down men who are serving God faithfully and instead invest your energy into getting your own heart right with God lest you fall into hell as an unloving, abusive liar and coward. And before you take offense at this criticism and become defensive, I would beg and plead for you to take inventory of the salvation and spiritual condition of your loved ones because you cannot lead them to Christ yourself unless you are also saved.
what i meant was this guy!!!!!
ReplyDeletePosted by reformatienl on January 22, 2009 at 2009-01-22T15:03:24+00:002431:03 pm
hey guy above!! YOU ARE FULL OF **** get your facts right and stop trying to down the man!
ReplyDeletehe's just doing what God tells him to do!
goodbye!
I, too, first heard of Paul Washer when I came across the now-famous "shocking message" video. I suppose it is shocking to the millions who have bought into what beaconlight correctly describes as easy-believism. To me, though, what was shocking was how strongly that message spoke to my heart. I don't know what qualifies one to be a modern-day prophet, but I do believe God put Paul Washer here at a time when we really need to hear the message he preaches.
ReplyDeleteThe post by reformatienl isn't the first Washer-bashing I've seen (although his/hers is more imaginitive than most). There are those who think Paul Washer is just an angry preacher with a self-righteous axe to grind, but anyone who truly listens to the man will quickly realize he is simply passionate about the gospel. I think the opening remark in Daniel J.'s excellent reply above is right on the mark....Paul Washer doesn't hide. He's the first to admit he's a sinner, and he's willing to let you see his warts. He boldly proclaims God's word without apology, and yet I sense an immense underlying kindness in him. One thing I'm pretty certain about....public opinion isn't going to deter him for one second from preaching the true gospel.
Paul Washer has been given the gift of preaching. This gift is from God, and what Paul Washer is preaching is from God, Should it, then, be a shock that there are people who want to tear down Paul Washer. Remember..."if the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." Like it's preached, the true gospel is offensive to a sinful world; but to the regenerate, the true gospel is life-giving.
ReplyDeleteI think Paul Washer is truly a man of God. In this day and age when all people want to do is to seek to please other people and say things that will please other people. It takes a lot of Godliness to take this stand and I admire him for it. This world is full of wishy washy christians who go to youth groups and church just to have fun. Especially youth group, I wish youth group leaders would be more bothered about quality than quantity, same of all the churches. These youth are the ones who will go out into the world and possibly lead a church one day!! Imagine what a lousy foundation they have. My heart aches to think that there are qualifications for high positions in secular jobs but none whatsoever for the Lord's church!
ReplyDeletePaul is who he is by the grace of God, and my hope in coming to his defence was not as much to defend his honor as it was to defend the principles Paul lives by and speaks by and to say that it would be my desire not to preach exactly as Paul does because God is creative enough not to need to create two of any given man, but rather that I would be challenged not to put Paul on a pedestal so I can sit back and watch and approve and defend him, but so that I will be challenged to live the life of a real Christian and to challenge myself and others to multiply after our own kind but only after we become true followers of Jesus Christ so that what multiplies is that which should multiply.
ReplyDeleteHow is that for a long sentence?
Am I speaking of five lines of words, or am I speaking of a sentence of surrender to a most loving King for a blessed eternity with Him, or a sentence of an eternity in hell after living a life of self-deceit?
Either way, it is a very long sentence, isn't it?
sorry--I didn't mean to make that "long sentence" posting anonymous, but maybe I should :-)
ReplyDeleteI am very much concerned about an individual who claims to be a prophet. The test of a prophet has traditionally been that those things that he affirms are without error as God himself keeps him from error. However, having visited his website where he affirms the following "wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the manifold evil of his sin". I know of atheists who know the evil of sin. They know the evil of murder, genocide and some even know the evil of abortion. I seriously doubt that it is the Holy Spirit that informs them of these truths. However, the combination of moral intuition and conscience clearly does. Cristian who has the Holy Spirit indwelling in him is no better equipped to know the manifold evil of sin than an atheist and certainly no worse. What concerns me is that Paul is not accurately describing the mission of the Holy Spirit...that of bearing witness to Christ and HIs finished work on the cross. That is the mission entrusted to the Holy Spirit and not pointing out sins of unbelievers to unbelievers who do not possess the Holy Spirit to guide them to start with. Therefore, from what I have seen, I must conclude that this is an error regarding the nature of the duties of the Holy Spirit within the Godhead and in relations to mankind. Since God keeps his prophets from error and Paul seems to have made one here...I am convinced that Paul fails the test of a prophet.
ReplyDeleteCharlie you are right.... people do confuse paul's passion with anger. The fact is american christianity has become so polluted . 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. The fact is Paul preaches the truth and I've seen very few that bring it with the passion paul does. I'm so greatful for a man of god like this that speaks the truth with such boldness and with no apology ..... he inspires me. And I pray god continues to raise such men of faith. I pray that I may be one of them.
ReplyDeleteI also came across Paul Washer in YouTube on a short video where he was speaking about the seeker friendly church. I have been part of that type of church for about 10 year and was the sound and video engineer. The whole service was for the "unchurched" and is "seeker friendly". There is a large stage with an unbelievable band. The only problem was that the band was louder then the people and they wrote a lot of their own music. The message was totally topical with clips from R rated movies and many other props to enhance his message. He usually had a invitation to "accept Christ" as your personal Savior. Just nod your head or put your hand up. Many of those folks knew nothing about Christianity and sins were hardly mentioned. Nothing about repentance. Not even that "sinner's prayer", that Paul Washer speaks about so often. The service was nothing more then entertainment in a theater called "church". The pastor took care of everything, including all the money, a lot of it. No elders, no deacons, nothing. The church grew rapidly, but many that came in soon left out the back. When the pastor bought a lighting computer, that was it for me. No more! Then comes Paul Washer, and he verbalized everything that I had been feeling for so long. All the time that I served in that Church here on Cape Cod, I never grew in my Christian walk. Since watching many videos of Paul, I have grown so very much with my relationship with God, Hallelujah! I am 63 years old and have been all over the world and have heard so many preachers. Never have I heard anything such as what comes out of Paul's mouth. The minute I heard him, I knew absolutely that this was Truth and nothing but Truth. I am from Holland, so it was so neat to watch Paul preach in Holland with a Dutch interpreter. That gentleman above who was yelled at by Paul is a Mary worshiper and probably needed it. It does not matter if he uses parts of his sermon over and over again. Martin Luther did the same.
ReplyDeleteI pray for God to keep this unbelievable servant of God safe. Satan and his followers hate this man and what comes out of his mouth. The United States of Entertainment needs a reformation--and soon. Please pray for revival, please!!
Rene
It sounds as if you are so very jealous of this man.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Holland, S. Africa and Indonesia and always attended the Christian or Dutch Reformed Church. As a youngster we went to the "Young Calvinists", studied the Canons of Dort, the Bible and Reformed Catechism. When I was 19, there was a total change in my life, internally. I went before the elders and deacons and made my public profession of faith. What a difference now. Just nod your head. Do Jesus a favor. Sunday morning in America is scandal, totally.
When I first heard Paul David Washer, especially in Holland with the 3 sermons, I knew that what came out of this man's mouth was Truth and of God. He told so.
Satan hates this man and his followers will try to annihilate him. I knew that the moment I watched his videos. Hence you.
Rene, you couldn't have said it better. This world needs christians who desire to follow Jesus not a religion. To make a difference in the lives of non christians, not evangelists who think they have to have numbers in their churches and will go to any lengths to do it! Most leaders of churches are only bothered about adding to their bank balance and living comfortable lives while leading so many to hell.
ReplyDeleteI recently heard Paul Washer's message before 5,000 youth. I saw no anger, only compassion and passion. I heard the cry of his heart for the lost, especially those who have been conned into believing they are saved with no turning. After hearing his message, I was not only personally convicted but I wept for the church of America of which I am part.
ReplyDeleteIf God calls me to go full time into the ministry as a pastor or evangelist or revivalist I believe God would have me tell the people never to give until they have settled the issue of their salvation, never to give while they regard any iniquity in their hearts or while they have sin they know they have not repented of, and while they have ought against a brother or sister. In that condition, their sacrifices would be an abomination and an insult to God and would endanger their souls by making them feel as though God owes them something. I would want their giving to be a declaration before God and man that they have settled these issues first. And yet we still need to give from a heart of sincere love and faithfulness and surrender to God -- from a heart that is truly repentant. And that is the key: repentance.
ReplyDeleteWhatever I do, I would want the church to be something the Lord builds and not something built with the fear of man or that some faithful word would upset a millionaire and turn the finances of the church upside down.
But, above all, I would want the church built by the Lord on the Word of God.
I dont know what to think about paul washer as of yet.
ReplyDeleteI do think he is self-righteous though, and he needs to realize that it is not our lifestyle or works that saves us but faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul Washer is Biblically a sound preacher except in the area of typical Calvinist beliefs like Limited Atonement. His message to atheists in Holland was given in the spirit of the Apostle Paul. I wish Paul Washer would accept the unlimited, eternal value of Christ's work on the Cross. The doctrine of Limited Atonement runs counter to John 3:16. God so loved the world. God makes a genuine offer of salvation to every human being He has created. There are no eternal decrees of condemnation for any human being. The offer was valid for Hitler, for Sadam Hussein and is valid even for Osama Bin Laden.
ReplyDeleteRene,
ReplyDeleteBerepa lama di Indonesia? (terima kasih untuk sharing!)
I had to grab the opportunity to say something in Indonesian when I read that you lived there for some time.
I appreciate what Paul Washer is doing. It is what a minister of God has to do -- speak the truth and lay it out there to be accepted or rejected at will. You mentioned the clippings from R rated movies shown in church. My wife and I went to a church in the bay area a few weeks ago where the pastor talked about prosperity and how he has his eye on an Aston Martin. They called everyone forward to have hands laid on them in prayer, and as my wife and I were leaving, we saw a friend from another church we attended pull us back down front, and I almost refused and walked out, but I decided to go back in just to observe what was happening there and to be honest, I was not at all pleased. It was something I had seen over and over again, and I experienced something similar in two churches just prior to the pastors of both of those churches falling into an affair and breaking up their marriages to go for another woman.
The problem is how can one minister, and how can one teach others to trust in Christ and obey Christ if they're out there living lives of cowardice, lying, adultery, greed, pride, and such? How can someone lead others to Christ if they're going to hell themselves? Now, that may sound presumptuous and judgmental, but it is one thing to warn of the dangers of hell and another thing to want to send them there. As Paul said, one evidence that we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is that we are still living in repentance, not that we're taking it lightly as though our sins were nothing so we could just continue sinning as long as we keep saying "Sorry", but rather when we see the condition of our hearts exposed to us by the Holy Spirit and by God's Word, when He searches our hearts and answers our prayer by showing us if there be any wicked way in us, we have to let it go, repent of it, seek forgiveness, and continue to seek God. We need to realize that without God's grace we would perish and rightly so.
But, the passion of our heart cannot be for the things of this world, but must be for Christ.
I so agree with Daniel Dick's assessment. I have not witnessed the blatant behavior about which he is talking, but the church I was attending is repeating "warm, fuzzy" Christian tactics already used by many to supposedly draw others to Christ. It's really just a numbers builder. They obviously don't know the practice of the Nicolaitans from Revelation (a theology that Jesus hated). Nicolaitans were all inclusive, went as far as they could in a worldly direction "to win the world for Christ." That was their teaching. While they still talked about Jesus, they became mixed up with idol worship and lowered their moral standard. That seems to fit many of today's churches. The only cure for the blindness of the churches of today is flat out revival. That will only come as we fast and pray toward this end.
ReplyDeleteI see nothing of Paul Washer that would instill anger.............I have to disagree.....if one is feeling anger at hearing a message that is so compassionate w/love for the lost, then I would say that the person feeling the anger may need to think about some serious soul searching. Paul Washer is exactly correct in his summation of what is coming out of today's pulpits. The sheep are not being tended to properly according to the teachings of our Lord.
ReplyDelete