Back to the Future

Ok, here is a little quiz to start off the week. See if you can figure out who wrote the following and when they wrote it.

" Scores, perhaps hundreds of young preachers are casting about, finding the old hermeneutic inadequate.....designed only for the polemics of a day that has long vanished, and yet unsure what approach to using the Bible is best. They have a desire to work for the Lord, but the tools they have been handed are unfit for the task. They see futility of preaching unity and practicing division. Many are poised to give up or give in. The best will probably give up, and those who give in will offer a half-hearted, career-oriented loyalty to traditions in order to maintain their livelihood.
Any attempt to move in a new direction must be Biblically informed. I personally have no respect for a movement that does not take the Scriptures seriously. The Bible itself must be restored to its rightful place of prominence in the churches. There is simply no point to changing anything, unless we have the warrant of Scripture. Introducing this need is crucial, for it is no human project, it is nothing less than what God demands of His people.
Jesus had an ongoing controversy with two leadership elements in Judaism. Sadducees and Pharisees. In both cases the problem revolved around their misues of Scripture. The Sadducees were 'clearly wrong because they were ignorant of the Scriptures as well as God's power,' Jesus affirmed in Mark 12: 24. The Pharisees were guilty of substituting their traditions for the Word of God....'You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!' (Mark 7:7-9) In similar ways, we have entirely too much biblical ignorance, a massive lack of confidence in God's power, and the continued affirmation of tradition over Scripture.
Returning to a true reliance on Scripture is the very basis of our adventure of faith. To throw ourselves unreservedly upon the Word of God will require the dismantling of several cherished traditions which have from long usage, calcified not only our progress, but also dulled the very tools which are designed by God 'to demolish arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God'. (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5) "

What is your guess? F. LaGard Smith.....1980's? James Dobson....1990's? Jimmy Allen, 1970's? Max Lucado, any time in the last 20 years? Rubel Shelly in this new Century? Mike Cope on his wonderful Blog? C.S. Lewis in the 40's?

The quote is from brother G. C. Brewer in 1933! I guess it is encouraging to be reminded that those who went before us struggled with some of the same things we struggle with.....but you can't overlook or sweep under the rug the lack of progress in addressing the problems he identified OVER SEVENTY YEARS AGO!!! Is that not PATHETIC? When you stop and think about it, it is even MORE pathetic to think about the fact that Jesus addressed this same problem OVER 2 THOUSAND YEARS AGO, and we STILL won't listen to Him. Have you ever been reading in the Old Testament and thought to yourself, "Man, those Jews just had to be brain dead to keep making the same mistakes decade after decade, century after century. Why couldn't they get it?" Well, as the old saying goes, "we is them, and them is us." Guess what, we wouldn't have gotten it either, cause we don't get it now!

Again, thank GOD for his wonderful patience, mercy, grace, and love!