The color of the sky in Abanes' world

One positive note before dumpster diving into the realm of Abanes again:

Ken Silva has a delightful sense of humor, a wonderful biting wit which is quite judiciously applied to the areas that need it, and at the same time, an approachability and care for the flock of God that is SO needed in the church today, and all too rare.  He has comforted me when I was struggling, even though, as he is not my pastor, he has no technical 'responsibility' for me.  I thank God for him and his true pastor's heart.  It is men like him, James Sundquist, Bob DeWaay, and others like them, that the church needs more of.  They have a real burden for outcasts, people who have found themselves alone after many years of faithful service to a church - simply because they wanted to continue to be faithful, while their church began to go astray.

I mention those three men specifically because those are the three who have personally encouraged me the most over these last few years as I have dealt with so much heartbreak, frustration and grief over the state of the church in general, and my ex-purpose driven church in particular.  Even Abanes would agree the state of the church in general is worthy of heartbreak and frustration, though he may not agree as to why it is in such a sorry state.

Ken  Silva is a true encourager, and yet isn't about to back down from a wolf who insists he/she is a sheep.  And he isn't going to cajole and sweet talk the wolf into leaving the sheep alone.  But then those who have never been shepherds wouldn't understand how beating off the wolf with your staff is actually the LOVING thing to do.

Back to Abanes.  Oh hang on, time to put on my gas mask...

Abanes, wonder of wonders, is STILL whining and playing the victim.  I wonder how long he can keep Todd Wilken in the dark about just what kind of game he's playing here.  He spent a few minutes at the beginning of his recent appearance on the new Issues Etc talking about how GLAD he was that they were back.  And yet, Richard Abanes, having less (like, ZERO) jurisdiction over Ken Silva than the LCMS did over Issues Etc., is attempting to do exactly what he rightly judged LCMS, Inc., to be in the wrong for doing to Issues, Etc.

I won't hold my breath for his beloved Rick Warren to give him a kindly word of advice (e.g. KNOCK IT OFF, YOU ARE DAMAGING YOUR OWN "REPUTATION") since Rick Warren says he can't be responsible for ANYONE else's behavior... (though he's fine with just letting them run around creating disasters in his name and not saying word one against them).

Here's the passive-aggresive game Abanes is playing.

To Whom Did Abanes Tell the Specifics?

Who did Abanes tell the specifics to and why did he cut out those directly involved out of the information loop? This doesn’t make a bit of sense. Doesn’t a person who has been accused of wrong doing have a right to know what charges they are being brought up on? Of course they do! That is why this whole fiasco is such a farce.

I stand by what I’ve already said. The reason Richard Abanes isn’t giving the specifics regarding his allegations of libel is because he cannot produce any real evidence to substantiate his claims that libel actually took place.

And,

I would submit that Abanes' entire goal is not so much to protect his own reputation (since it's hard to do that when you're shooting holes in your own rowboat...and blaming everyone else in the blogosphere for the resultant taking on of water) but that his main goal, if he were honest with himself and everyone else, is to attempt to destroy the reputation of Ken Silva's.  In harassing his and Rick Warren's detractors, the example he is making of Ken Silva will have the effect of silencing others who wish to critique Warren and Abanes' teachings.  Abanes has to have some hope that some opportunistic attorney will take on such a frivolous case.  After all, a lady made a whole boatload of cash suing McDonalds for damages when she spilled hot coffee on herself.

and from this story: Not So Fast Abanes, Did Ken Silva Really Break Federal Law?

“The form-mail template that I sent to IPOWER has never caused a problem—that is, until Ken Silva decided to blow it up into an issue of astronomical proportions by illegally pasting that PRIVATE email to IPOWER online in violation of federal copyright/privacy laws.

Why is no one complaining about him?

Let me reiterate that point, Ken Silva violated federal copyright/privacy laws by publicly posting my PRIVATE email to IPOWER,

Ah yes, Abanes' did not like that people found out about his behavior... and drat, now the CRN.info post is foiled which libelously suggested Abanes didn't do it and Ken was just creating a publicity stunt all on his own. Let me see, which is worse... posting someone's formal complaint email which was forwarded to him by his ISP (e.g. in effect exposing the deeds of darkness and obeying God rather than the man Richard Abanes), or trying to silence free speech? Hmmm.... I just can't decide!

It seems to me there was one group of people that Jesus talked about 'Straining at gnats and swallowing camels' but... just can't remember which group that was off the top of my head.... hmmm....

Abanes is going to have a hard time keeping friends if they are constantly worried that he may get upset if they repeat anything he has ever said/written.  I feel sorry for him.

Such great Christian behavior from the tolerant, "don't be divisive!" Purpose Driven crowd. Always amazes me how hypocrisy is (in varying degrees depending how much PD koolaid they've swallowed) a way of life for the legalists and moralists who follow the Purpose Driven Pope.  And yet, I shouldn't be surprised.

It's not that PD magically causes good pastors to turn into hypocritical power grabbers.  But PD gives marginal pastors carte blanche to set their own agenda (after all there is no good scriptural exegesis in PDC on figuring out what GOD'S AGENDA is for the church and discerning when YOUR agenda starts to encroach on GOD's) and run with it, accepting no correction.

And yes, Rick Warren CAN be held responsible for this behavior, because he teaches it in PDC himself and in articles he has written.  And he endorses it in Dan Southerland's "Transitioning" book, with his glowing foreword for that book and the Church Transitions agenda, which employs these techniques.  Chuck McAlister wrote a 6 part series on Transitioning the Established Church on pastors.com which also details how to do a hostile takeover in a church.

All of this of course goes unnoticed by Richard Abanes who it seems can only discern between such obvious difference as Mormonism and Christianity, but is too color blind to see the difference between MAN-Centered Christianity and Christ-Centered Christianity.  And apparently because Abanes cannot see it, it doesn't exist.  That's intellectual narcissism.

QUICK ! Rick Warren had better SUE the author of this article (Myles Brand: Why The Capitalism Argument on Pay for Play Doesn't Work) for copyright infringement! They used the phrase "purpose driven!"
(my apologies, it is a link to the Huffington Post... just so you're warned)

Psst---Pastor Ken--- better prepare yourself for... THE COMFY CHAIR!