*Placing my tongue firmly in cheek*

This will probably come as a shock to those of you somewhat familiar with Apprising Ministries but I actually do have a couple of critics. I know, I know, it’s strange but true CRN.(Mis)Info? for you.

Frankly, I simply don’t have the time to answer the growing amount of positive email I now receive on a regular basis, let alone the few nay-sayers. Borrowing an idea from my friend Mike Corley, below I have put together a short composite letter from actual emails containing the “classic” questions I am generally asked by those who *ahem* take issue with me.

So from now on whenever I receive letters along this line I will simply refer them to this piece:

Dear Ken,

I am just curious about the out-lashings in your writings. I am into researching and seeking the Truth in God’s Word as well and I seek to understand where you as a “Teacher/Pastor” are coming from as it relates to any of the other “Leaders, Pastors” you have written about.

Jesus I know, and Rick Warren I know; but who is Ken Silva? All you do is fuss and complain about those who are bringing people to Christ. What are you doing? What ministry do you have that makes a “hill of beans” in the lives of people who need a message of hope and salvation?

Just wondering how you know that the work that they are doing originates in the flesh and they were not called by God in serving Him? How are you judging that? Have you spent time with any of these leaders and teachers of the Word behind the scenes and have spoken to them one on one and have had the chance to get to know them outside of their writings?

I would encourage you to not only read their materials but to meet with each of these individuals and get to know them. Because God looks at their heart, as He looks at our own hearts…doesn’t God only know their hearts?

May I ask your credentials? I am also a member of a SBC, so your writings confuse me, I think mostly in how they are worded and how unkind. We are at war, yes against the ruler of this
world…but Christ has already won it!

I look forward to your answers.

Jody

 

Hello Jody,

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries/Christian Research Net. The noted Christian philosopher and apologist Dr. Francis Schaeffer used to say: “Honest questions deserve honest answers.” I believe this as well and so I will respond from a position of no offense taken and no intention of causing any. Setting this upfront due to the limitations of the written language.

Above you tell me and then ask: “I am just curious about the out-lashings in your writings. I am into researching and seeking the Truth in God’s Word as well and I seek to understand where you as a ‘Teacher/Pastor’ are coming from… May I ask your credentials?”

This would all appear to be sincere and is certainly consistent with Acts 17:11 so I have no problem whatsoever with your asking. I am happy to answer. As a matter of fact, I will say to you what I said to the church where I am pastor when they first called me: I encourage you to test me and what I teach by Scripture. If it is not line with the Bible throw it out; but if it is in line with Holy Scripture then obey God.

Below you also state: “All you do is fuss and complain about those who are bringing people to Christ.” Do you really feel that this was a wise statement? Have you any way to actually know that this is indeed “all” that I do? Um no, you don’t. And then you ask: “What are you doing? What ministry do you have that makes a ‘hill of beans’ in the lives of people who need a message of hope and salvation?”

I hadn’t felt led to discuss the following in public until recently but it would seem that you must not have been aware of this information, which also relates to my level of accountability and “credentials” as one called by Jesus to be one of His pastor-teachers. Apprising Ministries is actually a fully integrated auxiliary of my local church Connecticut River Baptist Church (SBC).

The leadership there helps to oversee it with a separate board of directors which includes three other ministers of the Gospel. In addition to this there are at least four other pastors who are not directly involved with me from whom I also get regular advice as well as counsel. This is all completely consistent with the recommendations in the Book of Proverbs.

Then out of AM itself also comes Christian Research Net with multiple volunteer contributors who are under my ministerial supervision as General Editor, four of which are also pastor-teachers themselves. AM’s leadership and board oversees all of this as well. And then from CRN extends another website Symphony of Scripture, which is a conjunction outreach from my local church with a few 22 and 23 year-old men from some churches over in Sydney, Australia. There I act as a pastoral advisor when needed.

The Lord be praised that through AM I also have the extreme privilege of personally advising numerous pastors from all over the country. You see the Lord has literally been giving me these websites and people to work with because I have not asked for any of it. God knows that my only goal is to simply do whatever Jesus wants me to do and I actually would rather not have any attention whatsoever.

And yet in addition to the above I am so blessed that through preaching, through encouraging, as well as advising pastors and leaders within many churches, I am actually involved with quite a bit of other types of Christian service. The many people who stand with me and guide me are pleased to let you know that my labor in the Lord extends well beyond my more controversial work in Christ here at Apprising Ministries.

You also said above: “Jesus I know, and Rick Warren I know; but who is Ken Silva?” And now that you know all of this I would humbly suggest that you might consider the following as a bit presumptuous for one who is not a pastor themself: “I would encourage you to not only read their materials but to meet with each of these individuals and get to know them. Because God looks at their heart, as He looks at our own hearts…doesn’t God only know their hearts?”

Jody, I truly hope you’ll understand that quite obviously we pastor-teachers who are together involved with all of the above have taken proper Biblical steps long before proceeding with what I have written. I do pray this helps.

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Ken Silva
President
Apprising Ministries
https://www.apprising.org/
Ezekiel 3:7-14

General Editor
Christian Research Net
http://christianresearchnetwork.com/