EMERGING CHURCH PASTOR DOUG PAGITT: POST CNN INTERVIEW COMMENTS CONCERNING DR. JOHN MACARTHUR

Below is a transcription from Apprising Ministries of what Doug Pagitt had to say to an employee of a station affiliated with CNN about Dr. John MacArthur. I’m presenting this right now with no further comment except to say as a pastor-teacher myself this is/was an unacceptable missed opportunity to properly represent Jesus Christ.

Doug Pagitt introduces the audio clip he recorded, which you can download courtesy of Spurgeon.org:

“On Tuesday September 11th I did an interview with Headline News on Yoga and it was with John MacArthur, he’s another pastor and he had an opinion about Yoga not being good for Christians. And I expressed my opinions about it, and we were interviewed–about a four or five minute show–and I’ll put a whole podcast on about the making of that thing. And I’ll ah…”

“But this little piece here is a response of the woman who was recording, or doing the filming, of the…in ‘Mini-apple.’ And I just thought that her response to me after interview–she’s just been very nice and kind–was really interesting. There’s this little part where she says–you might even find it hard to [hear]–she’ll say, ‘That’s the stuff, right there, that keeps younger people from going to church.’ ”

“And she said, ‘That’s just crazy.’ So it’s just kind of a fun little response she was having. I’m not trying to be rude to Dr. MacArthur or anything, but I think her response in just flat out listening to this–I’d never met her before–we just met right there…is really indicative of a lot of things. So this is following–the first bit you hear–is me talking with the people, through the earpiece, in Atlanta.”

“And then she comes in the room and we have a little conversation; about a minute and a half or so. So…here’s that part of it all”:

Pagitt: Yeah, yeah,…well, you’re sure welcome. Ok, so was it on live too, and then be re-aired? Huh; yeah, that’s great. Thanks. Bye-bye.

Woman: [Way to] go.

Pagitt: Well, thanks. It’s just so weird, isn’t it? [background, “Yes.”] To hear people say stuff like that, like what he’s saying?

Woman: [unintelligible] the reason why younger people don’t go to church. You know what I mean?

Pagitt: I do.

Woman: Because everything is so black and white. You know a position has nothing to do with your body and your spiritual th–you kidding me? [Pagitt snickers in the background] Seriously.

Pagitt: Seriously, [mockingly] “if you want to relieve stress go to the Word of God.” [chuckles]

Woman: Yeah.

Pagitt: [snickering] Oh my goodness.

Woman: It’s like, that’s totally separate; how can you even–ah.

Pagitt: Ah, I don’t know; I…

Woman: I’m glad they have you.

Pagitt: Thanks. Thanks, I apologize for him. [laughs]. Ah…

Woman: [sighs] Well, maybe since that was such a nice conversation, they didn’t give us a lot of time, maybe we can see you again–

Pagitt: Maybe we’ll do it again sometime. Wouldn’t that be fun.

Woman: I got your recording so they did go live with it.

Pagitt: Well, that’s nice.

Woman: That’s here… [unintelligible] you have a DVD–

Pagitt: I have a DVD player. Now my phone should start ringing. All my quirky friends calling me.

Woman: “I saw you…”

Pagitt: “You were pathetic.”

Woman: [laughing]

Pagitt: “I told you to sit up.” I can hear it now.

Woman: No, you were great.

Pagitt: Well, thanks.

Woman: And you didn’t sound crazy either.

Pagiit: [laughing] Thanks.

Woman: Like tha’ other guy. But then you get to watch it again, so…

Pagitt: Yeah, watch it over and over.

Woman: An’ wanna make more copies.

Pagitt: Thanks.

Woman: It was cool to meet you.

Pagitt: Yeah, thank you. Good to know you.

Woman: Yeah.

Pagitt: Should I leave the tag with you.

Woman: I’ll take it for ya. Is it easy for you to go out that way?

Pagitt: Go out that door? Yeah, because I’m parked across the street.

Woman: Oh, cool.

Pagitt: Ok.

Woman: Alright, you have a good day.

Pagitt: Thanks so much.

And yet as I showed you in Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (SBC) Openly Embraces Emergent Leader Doug Pagitt this is one of the men they are bringing in to their Wired2Grow: Innovative Ideas for Innovative Churches & Leaders. As one who is in the Southern Baptist Convention I go on record here stating it is an affront to Biblical Christianity to bring in this egregious example of a supposed Christian pastor-teacher.

As each event of lunacy in the Lord’s Name slithers its way into the Slowly Becoming Catholic denomination–case in point Purpose driven Pope Rick Warren openly embracing apostate Roman Catholicism as a viable expression of the Christian faith–I lose more hope this dying denomination will experience renewal.

My friend Jim Lupacchino of the excellent Watcher’s Lamp website rightly refers to this decaying denomination as the Soiled By Compromise. You can read some of Jim’s insightful comments about the NCSBC and Doug Pagitt here. And you can listen to Todd Friel of Way of the Master Radio as he breaks down the above Pagitt podcast here.

And below I show you a recap of the issues between Doug Pagitt and John MacArthur as outlined above:

[mejsvideo src=”https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/MacPag.mov” width=640 height=360]

“[In the Emerging Church] the idea that there is a necessary distinction of…creation from creator is being reconsidered.”

Doug Pagitt (Listening to the Beliefs of the Emerging Churches, 142.)