Feedback April 2010

RECALLING ORAL ROBERTS

I thank God for Oral Roberts’ legacy of faith, love and power (“A Legacy of Faith” by Ken Walker, February). He was indeed a true man of God, regardless of what the critics say. Surely because of his dynamic vision and passion for the kingdom of God the worldwide landscape of the Christian faith has been positively and eternally affected. May his legacy abound and may the good Lord help his family and ministries at this time of grief. Shalom!

Oral Roberts changed my life with his teaching on “seed faith.” I will always be grateful for the encouraging letters he also sent me. I will be so happy to meet with him and Evelyn in heaven. God bless the rest of his family. We rejoice that his promotion to glory has arrived.

HILLSONG CHURCH

Thank you for your interest and care in sharing the story of Hillsong Church (“A Sound From Down Under” by Nicole Partridge, January). My wife, Bobbie, and I are grateful. Reading the article, we felt humbled and amazed at all God is doing in Sydney and around the globe through His church. We certainly feel blessed to have been entrusted with such a great church family. Thank you again for featuring our story.

Rev. Brian C. Houston, Hillsong Church
Sydney, Australia

PRISCILLA SHIRER

Thanks for the article on Priscilla Shirer (“Like Father, Like Daughter” by Carol Chapman Stertzer, February). She is a terrific and dynamic teacher and speaker. I went to a Bible study of Deeper Still. Wow! Other friends have been to the Deeper Still conference the year before and had really liked her. I’m very excited about this young Spirit-filled teacher.

Nadine Childs
via e-mail

ARE TATTOOS TABOO?

“The Dark Side of Tattoos” (by William M. Sudduth Sr., January) gives some real insight into what is behind tattoos and what happens spiritually to some people when they get them—that spirits attach themselves to people through this practice. That is why God warned against it in the Old Testament. I don’t believe everyone with tattoos has a bad spirit, but the devil does use tattooing as a means of gaining access to people. We need to be aware.

name withheld

Just because tattoos have pagan origins doesn’t mean they’re evil. What about clocks, calendars or the names we use for the days of the week? All pagan. Many tribes use drums specifically to conjure demons. Are drums evil? I do, however, see a problem with the reason many people get tattoos: to be defiant, to make a statement, to get attention or to prove themselves. So if anything’s wrong with tattoos, it’s the sinful pride in which we typically seek them—not some evil spirit that mystically comes with the ink.

Art Thomas
via e-mail

How can the writer say, “Anyone who pierces anything but the earlobes needs to repent”? How does that make sense? It’s either no piercings or piercings anywhere you want. Because he doesn’t understand tattoos and body piercings, he just changes the Word of God to support his belief. Where does the Bible say you can pierce your ears but not the rest your body?

Matt Schimmelpenningh
via e-mail

CHURCH DROPOUTS

I agree with John Bliten, who wrote a letter in February Feedback about “The Church Dropout” (by Matthew Green, December). I think people want to be blessed, but they want it on their terms instead of God’s. That would be like a person saying I want to work for an employer but I don’t want to abide by the company standards. That is plumb silly. Yet people treat God the same way.

MARRIAGE UNDER FIRE

The church is not obligated to appease or accommodate the world to attract members (“Groups Say Marriage Battle Is Not Over” by Steve Rabey, February). If gays genuinely want to become a member of the body of Christ, then they must leave their sin at the door. The church, in one sense is inclusive, in that the gospel message is proclaimed to all men. On the other hand, it is exclusive for only those who have genuinely been born again. If gays prefer their lifestyle then they have excluded themselves from the church. The question they must answer is, “Which do I love more: my lifestyle or God?”

Edward Hornbaker
Holcomb, Kansas

We must remember that America is not a theocracy, regardless of whether the country was founded on Christian principles. Gay people are going to continue to form relationships with one another, whatever we believe the Bible may say about them. The issue is not whether these relationships should be given the title of marriage or not; it is whether the people in these relationships should be granted all the same civil rights as heterosexuals. The answer is yes. Civil rights are not the kind of thing that should be put up for popular vote.

Elijah Seymore
via e-mail