Apparent Danger: The Pastor of America’s First MegaChurch and the Texas Murder Trial of the Decade in the 1920s

~ Bob Hayton ~ 3 Comments

I recently received a copy of Apparent Danger: The Pastor of America’s First MegaChurch and the Texas Murder Trial of the Decade in the 1920s a new book on J. Frank Norris by David Stokes. Being familiar with the history and big figures of American fundamentalism, I knew something of J. Frank Norris’ infamous legacy.

Norris is the embodiment of a brash, fightin’ fundamentalist, and he packed a gun to prove it. I never realized that he actually was on trial for murder soon after the nation was riveted on the Scopes Trial!

Stokes has done his research and brings J. Frank Norris and his era to life. I’ve started reading through this book, but was just made aware of some fantastic news. The book has been grabbed up by a major publisher and will be re-released under a different title next year.

This is good news for those interested in the tale. The books are still available for another 2 weeks, and they are at a fantastic discount.

I encourage you to pick up a copy at this incredible steal of a deal. The book is a high quality, hardback. Take a look around the book’s website: apparentdanger.com for more on the story and the book. Congratulations to David Stokes, this book looks to be a page turner, and a wider distribution will shed light on a fascinating corner of American and church history.

David Stokes writes a weekly column for Townhall.com and is also a busy pastor, and you can learn more about him here or on his blog.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher for review. I am under no obligation to provide a favorable assessment of the book.

“Eye of the God” by Ariel Allison

~ Bob Hayton

The Hope Diamond, a dazzlingly blue and brilliant diamond of tremendous size and worth, is powerful both for its allure and its infamous curse. Fist time novelist, Ariel Allison spins an intricate web of international intrigue, high-tech crime and romance in Eye of the God.

The diamond leaves a trail of ruined lives detailed in the historical flashbacks throughout the book. For Dr. Abigail Mitchell it becomes an obsession. From the setting of the Smithsonian Institute, the reader is taken on a journey to Brazil, South Africa and Paris, not to mention 17th century India and 18th century France.

While the book is part crime/detective story, part history lesson and part romance, interwoven throughout its pages is a tale of redemption. The main characters overcome personal failures, familial disappointments as they find hope in a new life. Oddly the dark reputation of the Hope Diamond works a breaking of the curse in their lives.

The pace of the book keeps one turning its pages, yet at times the historical flashbacks seem too disconnected from the plot to keep your interest. And while the book promises a Christian angle to the story coming from a Christian publisher and all, its Christian message is extremely subtle. In light of this, the list of discussion questions in the back seems out of place. Still the book delivers a well done plot that will certainly merit reflection and personal contemplation.

The book makes for a good read as long as one understands it won’t be overly Christian. It’s generally clean throughout, although some sexual innuendo is present. I recommend the book with these reservations.

Pick up a copy of this book at Amazon.com or through Abingdon Press.

This book was provided by Abigndon Press for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Meditating on Mediator-Types

~ Bob Hayton

Last week, our pastor taught on Noah and the Flood. As we read Gen. 8:20-22, I started thinking about Noah as a type of Christ. This got me thinking and I came up with the beginning of a list of Mediator-Types in Scripture.

The following pattern merits further mediation and study.

God’s punishment and/or wrath for sin > a Mediator > a burnt offering for sin and/or prayer > God stops his judgment and blesses mankind

Flood destroys the earth > Noah > burnt offering Gen. 8:20-22 > a new covenant and pledge to preserve earth

Sodom & Gomorrah’s judgment > Abraham > prayer Gen. 19:27-29 > rescue of Lot

Death of firstborn > Moses > Passover lamb, blood applied to doorposts Exod. 12 > Destroyer passes over

Angel of the Lord destroys 70,000 > David > burnt offerings on the threshing floor of Ornan
1 Chron. 21:14-17, 26-27 > Angel sheathes his sword

Any other examples come to mind? I realize this is just a bare sketch, but it the Mediator theme in the Old Testament is a great study.

Defining KJV-Onlyism

~ Bob Hayton ~ 12 Comments

This post is from is from my newly redesigned, group KJV Only Debate blog.

KJV Onlyism is hard to define. And like any grass roots movement, there are many competing manifestations of it. As a former, self-dubbed “KJV-onlyist” I will try to carefully put forth a definition. I know I’m going to say something wrong here and won’t please everyone, but I hope the end result is helpful for those new to the debate.

Simple Definition

The KJV-only position holds that the only Bible an English speaking Christian should use is the King James Bible. While some KJV-only proponents bristle at the label viewing it as a derogatory term, most don’t hesitate to affirm it. In KJV-only circles, you cannot disavow the label. Rather, you qualify it.

Now, for study, some KJV-onlyists may allow the use of other translations. But for memorization, church preaching and teaching, and general reading, the KJV should be the only version of the Bible one uses.

Why the King James Bible?

Different KJV-onlyists will offer different answers to this question. These are some of the common arguments used by most KJV-onlyists.

The Better Text Argument — The KJV is the only widely used Bible exclusively based on the Textus Receptus Greek & Masoretic Hebrew Texts.

The Better Doctrine Argument — The differences between the KJV and other Bible versions are examined and the KJV’s readings preserve a superior doctrine and more of Jesus Christ’s divine titles.

The Conspiratorial Argument — The manuscripts that support the newer Greek text were only found recently and were found in areas like Egypt where false doctrine was prevalent.

The Historical Argument — The Reformers and Puritans used the KJV and it launched worldwide missions and the Great Awakenings.

The Better Manuscripts Argument — The manuscripts that support the text behind the KJV agree with one another closely, don’t show signs of textual corruption and represent the vast numerical superiority – 90% of the manuscripts.

The Better Translation Argument — The KJV translators were masters of English and knew Greek and Hebrew and multiple other languages far better than translators today, plus they used a literal translation technique instead of the dynamic or loose method in vogue today.

Groupings of KJV-Onlyists

I mentioned before that there are numerous manifestations of KJV-onlyism. Sometimes the different groups are treated like one entity. I want to be careful to distinguish terms and not broad-brush the entire movement by the crazy antics of Peter Ruckman or Gail Riplinger, for example.

Generic KJV Only Position — Most KJV Onlyists find themselves here. They haven’t thought out a more specific position, or just believe the KJV is the only Bible that should be used and leave it at that.

English is Inspired View — This view takes issue with anyone correcting the KJV English. Since the Bible seems to show translations of the OT as being treated like they were inspired, the English is treated like it is inspired. Some versions are more strict than others, but all bow to the KJV as the final authority before they would trust a lexicon or dictionary.

Double-Inspiration View — This view goes further and says the English corrects the Greek. In some sense the KJV was inspired directly by God. People with this view (and some of those in the previous view) would hold that translations of the Bible into other languages must be guided by the English of the KJV.

Pure Seed View — This idea comes from 1 Pet. 1:23-25 and basically claims that the use of the KJV is essential for people to be saved. No one can be saved from an impure seed (the NIV, for instance). Any of the first three positions above could hold to this view as well, but no one in the next three camps would.

TR Only View — This view holds the Greek and Hebrew as superior to the Greek, but also holds that they were word-perfectly preserved. The text behind the KJV usually is the text held to be the word-perfect copy of the original text. The word of God is “intact” in English, and while they would correct the sense of the KJV through scholarship and original language study, they still would not see this as any kind of overt error in the KJV. Few if any, TR-onlyists use the NKJV however.

Ecclesiastical Text — This view places greater stress on church confessions and the historic use of the Textus Receptus by the church of the Reformation period and afterward. Some in this view would hold to errors in either the TR or the KJV, and some would use the NKJV or 21st Century KJV.

Majority Text — This view should be distinguished from the previous views. Proponents of the Greek Majority Text may or may not use the KJV or NKJV. They hold to a textual theory of the superiority of the Byzantine view, but they acknowledge the merits of careful, believing scholarship and textual criticism. As the Majority Text as such didn’t exist prior to 1980, they don’t see adherence to that text as a binding matter of faith for all Christians.

King James Preferred — This view is held by some who see some weaknesses with the King James Only position, but still believe the TR is the best text we have or else use the King James primarily for traditional or other reasons.

“The Apostolic Fathers” (Moody Classics)

~ Bob Hayton ~ 4 Comments

Christians today often have little sense of the past, and a low respect for church history. And they are almost totally ignorant of old books. Not every old book is worth reading, but some shine as true classics of the Christian faith. The Apostolic Fathers is one such work. It remains important for the insight it provides into the world of Christianity in the first generations after the death of the apostles.

As I read The Apostolic Fathers, I was reminded just how far removed I really am from the New Testament time period. I encountered much that was strange or different from my normal way of thinking. But I also found a good deal of continuity. Scripture is often quoted as Scripture. Justification by faith is stressed in 1 Clement, and a call to holy living pervades all the apostolic fathers. Even still, the Bible itself shines out all the brighter when compared with these non-inspired writings.

This Moody Classics edition is a handy sized, attractively presented book. It would fit in many pockets, and makes the task of reading “The Apostolic Church Fathers” much less daunting.

The book begins with a helpful foreword by Mark Galli. An introduction to each of the included works is provided and the merits of reading the Fathers is discussed. After the foreword you jump right into the Fathers themselves. 1 & 2 Clement, The Letters of Ignatius and Polycarp, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, The Didache, and The Pastor of Hermas are the included titles.

I was struck by the very first page of the Fathers, Clement’s first letter opens up with this line: “The church of God, living in exile in Rome, to the church of God, exiled in Corinth–to you who are called and sanctified by God’s will through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (pg. 17) The idea of the church being exiled is also found in the opening of 1 Peter and James. It was special to see that sense of a pilgrim-mindset so clearly in 1 Clement.

1 Clement also showed an early example of typological interpretation. This book written in A.D. 96 already reveals importance placed on the “scarlet thread” of Rahab: “(She) should hang a piece of scarlet from her house… by this they made it clear that it was by the blood of the Lord that redemption was going to come to all who believe in God and hope on him.” (pg. 25)

Polycarp’s letter to the bishop of Smyrna exhorts the careful study of Paul’s letters “that will enable you, if you study them carefully, to grow in the faith delivered to you” (pg. 127). Ignatius’ letter to Polycarp revealed that he believed miraculous spiritual gifts were still to be sought in his day: “But ask that you may have revelations of what is unseen. In that way you will lack nothing and have an abundance of every gift.” (pg. 121)

I must confess the Pastor of Hermas (sometimes called Shepherd of Hermas) was rather intriguing. It is a somewhat strange, allegorical tale of quite some length (around 150 pages in this edition). But even though much of it doesn’t make sense to me, or even seems wrong headed, it contains plenty of good exhortations and admonitions. In fact I even found a statement that echoes John Piper’s “Christian Hedonism” ideas: “Wherefore put on cheerfulness, which always is agreeable and acceptable to God, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does what is good, and minds what is good…” (pg. 222).

The back cover of this little book declares: “What you have in your hand is a modern translation of early Christian bestsellers.” I would recommend you strongly consider putting down today’s bestseller in favor of this convenient edition of The Apostolic Fathers. You’ll be glad you did.

The Moody Classics series includes other great Christian books which have stood the test of time. You can find information about all the books in that series at MoodyClassics.com.

Pick up a copy of this book at Amazon.com or directly from Moody Publishers.

This book was provided by Moody Publishers for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.