I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. – Psalm 26:4-5
What could better describe an “assembly of evildoers” than an ecumenical conference that includes Muslim Sheikhs, Native American pagans, and, I wish I were making this up, a man who will give a presentation on offering spiritual guidance to robots.
The Q Denver conference, in April 2016, will host a multitude of quasi-religious leaders as well as secular experts of various fields, to preach and teach on cultural issues. The website states,
As our culture changes, Christians have an incredible opportunity…we will explore what renewal and faithfulness might look like in society today…From the ideas and current issues shaping society to the truth that transforms the world, you will be informed and gain confidence that God is at work in his mission to renew all things…Education by thought leaders and stories from change-makers will inspire a hopeful way forward.
A thorough search for ‘Jesus’ on the conference’s website left me wanting. Among some of the topics to be presented at the conference include:
- How Can We Teach Robots to be Ethical and Spiritual? – Kevin Kelly
- Do Black Lives Matter to Evangelicals? – Michelle Higgins
- How Do Cultural Platforms Advance God’s Purposes? – Kelly Clark
- How Can Middle East Partnerships be Forged? – Sheikh Mohammed
- How Is Cannabis Saving Lives? – Heather Jackson
- What do Games Teach us About Our Human Drive? – Yu-Kai Chou
- What is Gender Dysphoria and Why Does it Matter? – Mark Yarhouse
- How Can Corporations Benefit Faith? – Curt Richardson
Among the list of topics, I did not find either, “how does Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection give us hope in a broken world,” and, “how does the Word of God give us confidence that God is at work in his mission to renew all things?” In fact, there wasn’t a single topic listed that included the name of Jesus, yet, this conference purports to be a Christian event. Jim Daly, president of the sham ministry, Focus on the Family (FOTF), will be right in the middle of this. It really comes as no surprise, however, since FOTF regularly compromises the Word of God. As a matter fact, FOTF put out a pamphlet on how to have a safe abortion.
Daly will be presenting on the usual ecumenical topic of finding common ground. How Can We Find Common Ground When We Disagree? This is the typical mantra of the new religious-right culture warrior types that proclaim to be Christians, but continually compromise God’s word by partnering with the lost to advance a moralised culture. FOTF, in particular, is very ecumenical, claiming it’s “unchristlike” to consider the Roman Catholic Church apostate while hosting Catholic guests on the show.
Will Jim Daly, a self-described proclaimer of God’s Word, actually preach God’s word at this conference? Will he call the lost to repentance? Will he proclaim Christ’s sacrifice as all-sufficient for conquering sin in our culture? Or will he leave the audience with the impression that “common ground” when we disagree is the solution for peace in our world?
For if he were to preach the Word, he will not leave the event unscathed. There is no common ground between God and sin–except Jesus Christ!
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” – Matthew 10:34-36
[Contributed by Pulpit & Pen]
