[UPDATE: Woman tested negative for Ebola] News Briefs: Woman de-planes at London Gatwick & dies of Ebola; Priscilla Shirer & Beth Moore in Kendrick Brothers' new movie; Platt; "You Twit Face"

[UPDATE]
The BBC is reporting the following this afternoon

The Department for Health said the test on the elderly woman, who landed at Gatwick Airport, came back negative on Sunday afternoon. ... "The correct procedures were followed to confirm there was no reason to quarantine the airplane, the passengers or staff. PHE can confirm there was no public health risk around the sad death of this individual."

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Some news briefs for you-

Ebola terror at Gatwick as passenger collapses and dies getting off Sierra Leone flight
Staff tell of fears as jet from Africa is quarantined after the death of passenger who was 'sweating and vomiting' before she collapsed
Airport staff tonight told of their fears of an Ebola outbreak after a passenger from Sierra Leone collapsed and died as she got off a plane at Gatwick. Workers said they were terrified the virus could spread globally through the busy international hub from the West African country which is in the grip of the deadly epidemic. The woman, said to be 72, became ill on the gangway after she left a Gambia Bird jet with 128 passengers on board. She died in hospital on Saturday. Ebola has killed 256 people in Sierra Leone. A total of 826 have died in West Africa since the outbreak began in February. Tests were carried out to see if the woman had disease. The plane was quarantined as ­officials desperately tried to trace everyone who had been in contact with the woman. Airport workers faced an anxious wait to see if the woman had Ebola. One said: “Everyone’s just ­petrified. “We’ve all seen how many people have died from Ebola, especially in Sierra Leone, and it’s terrifying.”

Yes, its terrifying. Imagine how much more terrifying it will be when billions are dying at once, as Revelation 6:7-8 and Revelation 9:15 and Luke 21:11 tell us. The door to heaven is open to all right now during this Age of Grace. Repent and turn to Jesus as Savior.

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The Kendrick Brothers finish making their fifth movie. The Albany GA brothers are known for Christian movies Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous. Their fifth movie is reportedly about prayer, and includes Priscilla Shirer in a large role and Beth Moore in a cameo role. I dont' ant to jump to any conclusions, because the Kendrick Brothers have a solid grounding in doctrine and their previous movies have been good. However, the combination of the subject of prayer and the inclusion of two women noted for un-orthodoxy in this subject, does not bode well. Both Shirer and Moore engage in and promote contemplative prayer. Further, Moore is known for having unbiblical visions and hearing the voice of God audibly, and explains during her "bible lessons" that this is or should be normal activity for all Christians. Perhaps Moore's smaller role means that any negative impact on the movies direction would be minimal. However it is also true that we should "not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:53.) In laymen's term,s when the glove drops in the mud, the mud doesn't get glovey.

My hope and prayer is that the movie will still be doctrinally solid. When it is released in a few months, please be discerning about it. Here is an essay with more information about Priscilla Shirer.

Here is the press release of information about the Kendricks' new as yet untitled movie:

Kendrick Brothers Wrap Filming on Anticipated Fifth Movie
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 29, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Alex and Stephen Kendrick--creators of hit faith films FIREPROOF and COURAGEOUS--have just wrapped principal photography on their anticipated fifth movie--a family drama with humor and heart focused on the power of prayer and its primary role in the Christian life.... The film features New York Times best-selling author and Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer in her film debut. "I'm honored to be working with the Kendricks, and to be part of a story that encourages people to pray," Shirer said. "Prayer is the most powerful weapon the church has to unlock the activity of heaven on earth."...  "It's time for fierceness in prayer, and I cannot think of a more crucial message for a movie to convey," Moore said. "God waits to see a generation that will take Him at His Word. Let's be that generation."

I have a peeve about teachers claiming that 'we are the generation' to finally get it right. Has no other generation in 6000 years ever taken God at His word? Apparently not, according to Moore. How narcissistic. As if God hasn't used every generation to further His will and plan. If I may be allowed to echo the words of the eminent Dr Craig of the long-departed television drama St. Elsewhere,

"Oh for crying out loud."

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A good word from Pastor David Platt:



Twitter wisdom, and apparently from an 11-year-old no less: ‏@JonathanDLeeman:

A friend's 11 year old boy: they should combine YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook and call it You Twit Face.

I deactivated my Facebook account. The constant drama, me-orientation, superficiality, time-wasters, temptation to sin, and false doctrine abounding finally got to me. And you know what? I haven't missed it.

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If you're struggling financially, living in an urban ghetto, a third world nation, your car, or just barely hanging on, I leave this verse with you-

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)


Comments

  1. Hi Elizabeth, now that you mention it, I haven't seen you on FB lately. I've been tempted to delete mine as well, but I think I will take a purge for a while first. It's amazing how much time I can waste on it.

    Nice quote from Platt! I love my pastor! He stands firm and holds to Reformed Orthodoxy in the face of pressure from all of the other young pastors who are going liberal.

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    1. Hi Brad,

      I deactivated my account but didn't delete it, in case I'm ever ready to go back to Facebook. I was also surprised how much time I wasted on FB, even though I'm careful with my time. It still grabbed me.

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  2. " I dont' ant to jump to any conclusions, because the Kendrick Brothers have a solid grounding in doctrine and their previous movies have been good. However, the combination of the subject of prayer and the inclusion of two women noted for un-orthodoxy in this subject, does not bode well."

    That says it, right there. Oh dear. Must turn the temptation to worry into prayer.

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  3. Did the woman who died in London actually have ebola, or was she being tested with results yet unknown? Either way, what a terrible situation - both the woman who died after de boarding, and also the ebola epidemic in Africa. :(

    I am admittedly disappointed to hear that the Kendricks would have appearances by Shirer and Moore in their latest movie. Like you, "I don't want to jump to any conclusions, because the Kendrick Brothers have a solid grounding in doctrine and their previous movies have been good." This is a wait and see, but already with a level of concern.

    -Carolyn

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    1. Carolyn, the woman was being tested. Authorities believe it was Ebola for the following preliminary reasons

      --The plane carrying the woman came from Freetown in Sierra Leone – a country with the highest number of victims from the disease.
      --“Paramedics arrived to try and help her. The next thing everybody was there… emergency crews, airfield operations, even immigration.

      This tells us that because after paramedics arrived, MORE personnel came on scene, paramedics might have recognized the symptoms and called for backup.

      --“The woman was sweating buckets and vomiting" on the plane before it landed, as I read in another article.

      --The plane was quarantined as ­officials desperately tried to trace everyone who had been in contact with the woman, they even took the name of the man who fuels the plane. This tells us of extreme measures, indicating a contagious virus situation, very likely Ebola.



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    2. Thought:
      “A little leaven leaveneth the whole loaf” or a small drop of poison can kill you, an Ebola trace too - can kill you. Watch out for any mixture of truth with error is my point.


      More than one person under the comment section has stated that the Kendrick Brothers are grounded with solid doctrine’. MAYBE so BUT not in this case! Hopefully they will be warned and lead out of this disaster ready to wreak havoc on families, and others that are looking to them for truth. This sort of thing is what the scriptures have warned us the redeemed about over and over again. It is one of the reoccurring themes of the Bible - that is false teachers/preachers, those doctrines of devils and demons, whom shipwreck the faith of many!

      Even if some see the deceptions in their up coming movie, others won’t - in fact most will be sucked right into the vacuum of deception! A little error will lead to a great cancer! Besides, from what I understand, at least one of them is a pastor and his life and ministry ought to be characterized by discernment! Nonetheless, they still have an audience to influence and to introduce to satanic lies! These same lies are now prevalent in the once faithful SBC Churches, AND the mainstream evangelical Church! BEWARE and BE WARNED!

      David Platt? I have been monitoring here for a few years, and frankly I am skeptical (I Hope That I Am Wrong!).

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    3. Perhaps the interactions of Mrs Shirer and Mors Moore with the Kendrick pastors will be a good thing for these women to return to orthodoxy. We don't know. All I'm saying is, be discerning, but we can't make a judgment yet. The movie isn't even out. We judge a tree by its fruit. The fruit isn't ripe yet because the movie isn't out and we haven't seen what it offers.

      As for Pastor Platt, I'm sorry you're skeptical. He hasn't really done anything to show us any reason to be skeptical. Grace and charity.

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    4. Sorry for the repeated posts, but Anonymous made me think of this, when I read his last post:

      Isn't Sherwood Baptist in the SBC? Surely they must get LifeWay materials. Moore and Shirer are both published extensively by LifeWay; I've noticed these materials in my church's pastor's study--yet surrounded by books from MacArthur, Grudem, Packer, Carson, Chandler, Piper, Lucado, etc. (I know those latter two aren't necessarily as phenomenal as JMac or Matt Chandler, but they've still historically taught orthodoxy).

      It irks me a bit and I hope that if I ask the exec. pastor about it (church is presently searching for a senior pastor), that he'll explain its presence to be in the vein of "knowing thy enemy." Sure hope so. Warren's there, too. Nothing by Osteen, wonderfully, but then again, he doesn't really write stuff that's ostensibly training materials for church leadership (praise God!)

      So my suggestion is that, not to minimize the cause for concern, or to excuse it, but to explain this as an oversight borne in ignorance by the Kendricks, since they may have no extensive knowledge of Moore and Shirer, but their materials may be used by women at their church and someone may have suggested it to them and they didn't carefully scrutinize them first.

      Though, one may hope that by God's grace the directors force these women to submit and that the production cuts out nonsense and makes the final result show only what is orthodox and theologically sound. "Making them behave." Though in the sense of the demon-possessed girl in Acts, making these women look orthodox when they're not could be just as bad as letting them straight up call the shots in directing their own scenes.

      I'm of so many minds on this. :-/

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  4. Interactions with Mrs. Shirer and Mrs. Moore is one thing, and if, the intent is to rescue them from their doctrinal error. To invite them onto the set on anything to do with Biblical TRUTH, or to extend to either one of them any level of credibility is an entirely different issue. Full blown “fruit on a movie that has not be released“…you are right, but even just an announcement of this coming to fruition or not - does in fact extend some level of credibility to them, and the falsehoods that they propagate to the masses.

    II John (ESV)

    Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

    I have seen evidence from you and your work Elizabeth, that you are aware of the deceptions of Shirer and Moore. YOU do work hard to warn others! I am thankful that you see this, and are doing your part for our Lord in coming against it!

    On David Platt - all I care to say at this time has been said.

    Sorry for not including my name on the last reply - it was an oversight…Sorry

    Rick
    Metro Atlanta

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    1. Rick,

      Do you mind posting your concerns about Platt? Maybe you could email me directly if you're more comfortable with that. He's been my pastor for a year now and I haven't heard anything outside of Orthodoxy from him. Do I agree with everything he says or does? No. But that can be said for any pastor.

      brad DOT wise AT outlook DOT com

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    2. I appreciate your concern and links for me to read. I share your thoughts and convictions on Rick Warren. Am I crazy about Platt sharing a stage with Warren? No. But I'm not going to write him off over that. I don't know the circumstances. He was most likely invited to speak. Now, if Platt was hosting an event at Brook Hills and invited Rick Warren to speak, that would be a problem and I'd raise that concern to him myself as a member of Brook Hills. He would, at that point, be promoting his teachings. But I don't think you can make that case in these situations.

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  5. Regarding Platt, he should not be sharing platforms with false and/or unsound teachers, even if he is invited. Part of Platt's duty as a Christian elder and pastor, is to openly refute those who contradict sound doctrine, under any and all circumstances.

    Titus 1:9
    2 Tim 2:24-25
    Romans 16:17
    Titus 1:13
    2 Cor 6:14-18
    2 John 1:10-11
    1 Timothy 1:3
    Titus 3:10

    -Carolyn

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