YouTube Sensations

YouTube was just named website of the decade. It has changed the way we view media. Some have suggested it will one day replace television. It has also had a profound impact on Christianity. Any time you want you can watch Todd Bentley kick an old lady in the stomach for Jesus or watch Word of faith teacher Robert Tilton preach with fart noises in the background. Seriously there are several Christian teachers who present their messages on YouTube. But YouTube is largely unregulated and anyone can post. This has created a mixed multitude. Let's examine a few of these sensations.

Paul Washer

Paul Washer is a frequent speaker at churches. He is in the reformed tradition and believes in Lordship salvation. He comes off as harsh at times as he rejects easy believism. He rejects conventional wisdom. He hates when people use the verse "I stand at the door and knock" out of context. He once talked about the churches obsession with pop culture which was followed by applause. He responded with "I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you." If you think he is all mean with no compassion he is not. His testimony is full of tears. Before he was saved he lived a life full of sin. When asked why he preaches so forcefully his response is "He saved me." Although he tends to be pretty conservative, he did once speak at a reformed rapper convention.

William Lane Craig

Christan apologist who has debated the Jesus seminar. He is interested in discernment issues. He is opposed to seeker sensitive, word of faith and the emergent church. He has also defended Washer and MacArthur who have been accused of heresy.

Andrew C Bain

He is opposed to Lordship salvation and apparently is opposed to Calvinism. His video's attempt to expose Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, MacArthur, Piper Washer and others as heretics. His videos tend to be very mean spirited. Many do not take him seriously.

Stephen Andersen

He is pastor of the fundamentalist, KJV only church, Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. He is not connected to Bob Jones or Howles Andersen and is opposed to Bible colleges. He opposes Christian rock, president Obama, contraceptives, Billy Graham, lordship salvation and women in pants. He is known to have bad hermeneutics. He takes verses way out of context. He once used a verse about pissing on the wall to speak of gender rolls. He was recently arrested on trumped up charges. He is aligned with Alex Jones. Many of his views I disagree with but he does say some good things.

The Anti-Paul Movement

YouTube has become the home of a pro-law form of Christianity that merges the Jewish law into New Testament Christianity. They believe that Paul is a false prophet who taught a different gospel than Jesus. They teach that Jesus taught faith plus works. There is not an organized anti-Paul movement, but various people would fall into this camp. To them Pauline epistles are not true scripture. They believe Acts was written by Luke to validate Paul's ministry but do seem to accept the gospel of Luke. They say Paul uses too many personal pronouns and they do not like his disregard to the law.

Conclusion

One must be careful when looking at YouTube. Anyone can post on YouTube. We must be Bereans at all times. We must check what is said with the word of God. Many videos on YouTube can be a blessing but all must be taken with a grain of salt. We must be Bereans with everything we read see and hear.