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Would you invite this man to speak at your church

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Oct 4, 2008.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I recieved the following email today:
    I did "***" his name

    ---------------------------------------------------
    "I am apostle Dirk ***, I work with pastors in the area of church growth and evangelism.Pastor after reviewing the attach file prayerfully consider if i could enhance your vision for church growth.I believe that evangelism and soulwinning is the very heart beat of God.God has equip me to work with you and serve you;your church and your community.If you have a desire to see your church double or triple in numbers,don't wait another moment email me NOW,AND RECIEVE YOUR BLESSING at apostledirk*** @yah
    your brother in christ
    Apostle Dirk ***
    I Also offer specialize training, teaching christian how to defend their faith against cults such as JEHOVAH WITNESSES MORMANS,NEW AGE MOMENT ETC.

    TRAVEL IN HOTEL EXPENSE IN ADDITION TRAINING COST"

    ---------------------------------------------------

    So, would you invite this man to assist in your church growth?
     
  2. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    No, he sounds like a con artist.

    Plus, I would want to know what he means by "apostle."

    This might be some kind of scam where you agree to have him come and he asks you to send money for the trip. Then you never hear from him again.
     
  3. Analgesic

    Analgesic New Member

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    If anyone here says "yes", I sure hope he's not a deacon.
     
  4. sag38

    sag38 Active Member

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    Have one of the original 12 risen from the dead? To be an apostle is to literally speak for God. I'll ascribe to no man, today, that position.
     
  5. puros_bran

    puros_bran Member

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    My Spidey sense started firing at Apostle. Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

    Maybe I'm old fashioned but I was always taught a jobworth having is never advertised and a worker worth having has no need of blindly putting in applications.
     
  6. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    No letters of recommendation from other pastors and churches? No statement of faith or personal testimony of salvation? No physical address or phone number? No samples of his teaching or preaching? No home church to which he's accountable? No way!
     
  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Thanks for all the great replies. Obviously, I would not have that man at my church, I just thought it would be interesting to have a bit of discussion on it.

    Unfortunately, there are too many out there who would go blindly into an unwise predicament.
    Hopefully, a thread like this will alert some before making a very bad decision
    Salty


    PS, I did send a reply - I told him he could advertise on my (secular) radio program - pay in advance - of course!
     
  8. Reformer

    Reformer New Member

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    NO, Never

    Reformer
     
  9. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    If he had that giftedness, I beleive he ought to be doing it in a church somewhere already.
     
  10. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    In addition to his title, another warning flag went up for me when he practically guaranteed to triple our church numbers. I wondered how he could do that.

    Reminds me of the Southern Baptist Evangelist who assured that if he came to a church for revival, his preaching would produce a bunch of conversions.

    I already know how to increase attendance. Get a rock praise band, have clown-led communion and do a six-part sermon series on how to have great sex.
     
  11. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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  12. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    SALTCITYBAPTIST, you, just as I have been although I am not currently active at this, are a professional 'hack' as one form of 'secular employment, and have been so for several years, if I recall correctly. The very nature of that job, carries with it, a certain ability of recognition and discernment, concerning a second language, namely the language of B#!! S&@+. (Pete, as a fellow 'hack' could probably add something here, to this discussion, as well.) That being the case, unfortunately, I really have little that is good to say concerning this, especially if you have "copied and pasted" the e-mail, merely deleting the name of the individual, and partially deleting the 'e-mail address' saving further embarrassment, to the server, in this case.

    Now I am going to assume that you have, in fact, copied and pasted the e-mail you received. There are multiple typos contained, there-in. My own alter ego, Language Cop, would like to list them for you, with them all highlighted.

    1.) - "evangelism.Pastor" There are 7 such instances in the e-mail, by count, where this spacing is omitted, around a punctuation mark. At best, this tells me that the originator of the e-mail is a very careless individual, while at worst, I see a huge 'red flag' here, that, were it flying over the Carrier Dome. could be easily spotted from Tipperary Hill, or seen all the way to Oneida, from the Thruway.

    2.) - "two instances where commas are omitted in the e-mail, plus one where a period is missing"
    Is there no one available to even proofread for the 'Apostle'? :type:

    3.) - "i" [Sigh!] Oh, well!

    4.) - "attach file" Um, no. The file would be "attached."

    5.) - "God has equip me" Oh, really? When is this to occur? (hopefully, soon) It should be "equipped."

    6.) - "RECIEVE" 'Obviussly, Spellin idn't exackly the "long suit" of theis Apostel!' :rolleyes:

    7.) - "your brother in christ " Doncha' just love the respect and preeminence given to our Lord Jesus, here, by the 'Apostle'?? NOT!

    8.) - "NEW AGE MOMENT" And not a 'moment' too soon, either! :tonofbricks: It's "NEW AGE MOVEMENT."

    Thanks, L.C.

    Let me add a few more comments to this list, on my own.

    9.) "TRAVEL IN HOTEL EXPENSE IN ADDITION TRAINING COST
    " For just a small fee, of course! (Cash preferred.) 'Incidentally, for the accommodations, I just happen to prefer Sheraton® and Marriott® over Red Roof Inn® and MOTEL 6®. (I hear the Sheraton® near Syracuse university is a nice place. Oh, did you say that Motel 6®is located right next to the Baptist headquarters in NY? And that I might be able to make contact with all the pastors who are meeting there for the Executive Board next Tuesday? And there will likely be more than 100 pastors there? That would be ideal! Yes, I'm sorry I missed the BCNY annual meeting two weeks ago at Schroon Lake, too. I've heard that is a beautiful place, as well. Maybe I could have set up a booth.)

    Uh, by now you may have observed just a wee little, small bit of skepticism on my part, I suspect, based on what, admittedly little, I know, here.
    Were I to know the individual, perhaps my opinion would be very different, I admit.

    However, I would be very leery of one with such little attention to details as this e-mail shows.

    If one is this deficient, here, can I not reasonably question if that one might be "as loose with the facts" when dealing with various cults and movements, such as the New Age Movement. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." the prophet Hosea writes. (Hos. 4:6a - NKJV) I submit that 'false knowledge' and/or 'incorrect knowledge' only makes "a bad situation" even worse.

    At best, I supect this one to "have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2 - NKJV); At worst, I suspect one who is 'making a "racket" of the gospel,' a la Balaam. (Num. 22) The appeal to 'numbers' is a clue, here.

    I certainly don't claim to be any Gamaliel, but my personal suggestion would to be take a 'wait and see' attitude, a la the excellent advice Gamaliel gave the council in Acts. 5:33-39, where he said this, effectively.

    In the meantime I would simply file this e-mail away (in File 13), by hitting "Delete!" If there is genuine substance, here, you will surely hear further concerning it; if not one has not contributed, in any manner, to something that is less than honorable. :thumbs:

    Peace, Brother!

    Ed
     
    #12 EdSutton, Oct 5, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2008
  13. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    Hmmm! Looks like we have all collectively raised almost enough 'red flags' to cover half of the roof of the Carrier Dome.

    Ed
     
  14. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Paul was an apostle, and he wasn't one of the original twelve.

    As to the OP...this guys is a "false apostle".

    I would reply to him via email telling him you are a wealthy Nigerian king with 12 million that needs to be transferred to an overseas account, and if he only gives you his bank account number and social security number, you will make sure he receives half :laugh:
     
    #14 webdog, Oct 5, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2008
  15. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    I hearda bout him, although I never got any such e-mail! :tonofbricks:

    And I'm sure can find a way to put 6 mill. to good use, too.

    I check this one out, after I finish investing the money (only $4 mill, here, though) that I'm gonna' get, just as soon as I reply, from some long lost relative, of my family, who left a personal fortune (and no close heirs) when he died in India, about three years ago. And I'm gonna' do this, just as soon as their "personal atorney" can spell all of my own name (and his) correctly. ;)

    Ed
     
  16. LeBuick

    LeBuick New Member

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    Ed, you let me down. I think you missed one..

    "I Also offer specialize training..."
     
  17. LeBuick

    LeBuick New Member

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    The English this person uses makes me think he would offer to trade lists of accounts with you...
     
  18. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    I googled "Apostle Dirk" and came up with a lot of hits on someone. Is that the same person?
     
  19. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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  20. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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