Critical Issues Commentatry grew out of Bob DeWaay's passion to equip the saints for the work of ministry. In the late 1980's Bob met regularly with a group of local pastors, often presenting position papers on timely doctrinal issues. When he found that the messages were accepted by only a few of the attendees and rarely reached the pews, he chose to speak directly to the people by initiating a bimonthly newletter.
Bob DeWaay is teacher and theologian at Gospel of Grace Fellowship in Edina, MN. Gospel of Grace Fellowship can be found on the web at http://www.gospelofgracefellowship.org/ where you can listen to sermons and other teachings.
For more information on Critical Issues Commentary or to read CIC articles, visit Critical Issues Commentary on the web at https://cicministry.org/
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Critical Issues Commentatry grew out of Bob DeWaay's passion to equip the saints for the work of ministry. In the late 1980's Bob met regularly with a group of local pastors, often presenting position papers on timely doctrinal issues. When he found that the messages were accepted by only a few of the attendees and rarely reached the pews, he chose to speak directly to the people by initiating a bimonthly newletter.
Bob DeWaay is teacher and theologian at Gospel of Grace Fellowship in Edina, MN. Gospel of Grace Fellowship can be found on the web at http://www.gospelofgracefellowship.org/ where you can listen to sermons and other teachings.
For more information on Critical Issues Commentary or to read CIC articles, visit Critical Issues Commentary on the web at https://cicministry.org/
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 28 - Conversion, not Contemplation, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We examine Comer's claim that we can be transformed through contemplation. Comer misuses key verses in Ephesians to do this. We must believe what God has chosen to reveal in Scripture and reject mystical contemplation through which we supposedly see God. (duration 00:25:27)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 27 - Reject Transformation Through Contemplation, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. Comer claims that Paul taught that transformation happens as we "look at God, looking at us in love" in Ephesians. We show that Ephesians was written to believers, not every person without distinction, and transformation happens through the gospel. (duration 00:25:27)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 26 - Roman Catholic Mysticism Reworked, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. Comer uses 2Cor 3:18 to support his mystical view of contemplation. In this passage the veil is unbelief, not a failure to learn mystical practices to see Jesus. Comer has substituted faith in Christ with a reworked version of Roman Catholic mysticism. (duration 00:27:39)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 25 - Contrived Religious Innovations, presented by Bob DeWaay. John Mark Comer prescribes contemplative practices that Bob DeWaay calls contrived spiritual innovations. He uses 1Peter 1:8 to show that we must reject contemplative practices, believe by faith though we have not seen Him, and trust the promises of God. (duration 00:25:54)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 24 - A Grand Setup for Deception, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. Comer makes no distinction between those who are born again and religious people in general. He claims that he finds his consciousness going home to God, but home for the unconverted is alienation from God. This is a grand setup for deception. (duration 00:23:12)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 23 - Reality is not a State of Mind, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We discuss the idea that reality is a state of mind and that we become what we contemplate. Believing deception does not make it reality. We need to renew our minds through God's Word and the means of grace to think in reality rather than deception. (duration 00:18:29)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 22 - Spirituality for the Unconverted, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We discuss Comer's false version of abiding. Bob calls Comer's contemplative practices for abiding "spirituality for the unconverted." These practices are Catholic mysticism, not the means of grace. Only those who are born again can truly abide in Christ. (duration 00:22:45)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 21 - The Danger of Spiritual Elitism, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. Comer claims that there are spiritual masters of the Way. We describe the faulty value systems of different groups and show how they are all various versions of spiritual elitism. We discuss Col 3:1-4 to show that it rejects Comer's version of pietism. (duration 00:23:27)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 20 - The Dangers of Inward Orientation, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. Comer claims that the spiritual practice of inward orientation is needed for believers to abide in Christ. We reject the idea that we can journey inward to become conscious of presence. We abide in Christ by believing His promises through the gospel. (duration 00:22:40)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 19 - Dangerous Deluding Practices from Church History, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We contrast Comer's teaching on abiding in Christ and "practicing the presence of God" with the biblical definition of "abiding" as found in First John 4:12-16. Comers practices are appealing to unbelievers, but they aren't biblical means of grace. (duration 00:24:13)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 18 - Spirituality Divorced from Rationality, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. John Mark Comer claims that the most important goal of apprenticeship is being with Jesus - being aware of His presence and hearing His voice. We also refute Comer's claim that we can "live in the moment-by-moment flow of love within the Trinity." (duration 00:24:19)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 17 - Does Jesus Believe in You?, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. In his book Practicing the Way John Mark Comer makes the claim that Jesus believes in us. Bob contrasts that claim with John chapter 2:23-25 and Romans 1, showing that Jesus did not entrust Himself to men because He knew what was in men - sin. (duration 00:22:52)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 16 - The True Gospel is Exclusive, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We discuss Comer's rejection of the exclusive claims of the gospel. Citing key passages such as John 14:6 and Matthew 7:13-14, Comer redefines the terms to support his claim that these passages are about human potential, not salvation or coming judgment. (duration 00:21:23)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 15 - A False Gospel, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. John Mark Comer asks the question, "But what are we saved to?" Bob explains that we are saved out of sin and alienation from God and into forgiveness and sanctification. Comer's false gospel points people to works rather than repentance and faith. (duration 00:24:06)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 14 - What is the Kingdom of God?, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We examine John Mark Comer's claim that Jesus is looking for apprentices, not converts. We start with a definition of the kingdom of God and discuss what Scripture says about it, beginning with Acts 1:6-11. We also discuss Finney's influence on America. (duration 00:24:41)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 13 - The Social Gospel Repackaged, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We show that Comer's view of the kingdom of God has to do with fixing the world's problems through Christian activism rather than proclaiming the gospel. Our biggest problem is the wrath of God against sin, and that is the true mission of the church. (duration 00:22:14)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 12 - Understanding Human Inability, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We address Comer's claims that the problems the world is facing today could be solved if Christians would become apprentices of Jesus and compare it to Charles Finney's Pelagian moral government theory. Both lack an understanding of human inability. (duration 00:22:57)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 11 - Definition by Imagination, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We show that Comer's teaching is based on imagination - what one thinks Jesus would do - not what Scripture calls us to do. Gods moral will is revealed to us in Scripture, and it is true of all believers. "What Would Jesus Do?" is theological liberalism. (duration 00:24:42)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 10 - The Grumbling Heart of Unbelievers, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We continue our discussion of the healing at Bethesda in John 5 and include a brief overview of John 6. These passages clearly demonstrate the sin nature. Though the lame man was healed and the crowd was fed, they grumbled and remained in their unbelief. (duration 00:21:24)
A Critique of Practicing the Way, Part 9 - True Followers of the One True Jesus, presented by Bob DeWaay and Barb Gretch. We discuss how the term "followers of Jesus" is misused in Comer's book and contrast it with the biblical term saint, meaning sanctified one. True followers are those who repent and believe the gospel, and we must determine who the true Jesus is as well. (duration 00:22:01)
Critical Issues Commentatry grew out of Bob DeWaay's passion to equip the saints for the work of ministry. In the late 1980's Bob met regularly with a group of local pastors, often presenting position papers on timely doctrinal issues. When he found that the messages were accepted by only a few of the attendees and rarely reached the pews, he chose to speak directly to the people by initiating a bimonthly newletter.
Bob DeWaay is teacher and theologian at Gospel of Grace Fellowship in Edina, MN. Gospel of Grace Fellowship can be found on the web at http://www.gospelofgracefellowship.org/ where you can listen to sermons and other teachings.
For more information on Critical Issues Commentary or to read CIC articles, visit Critical Issues Commentary on the web at https://cicministry.org/
