Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini has warned that some ministries are putting profit, fame, and love of money before God, which leads to failure.

“The Bible tells us that some have served other masters their whole life. It can be parents, your business, your boss, your church, your pastors or a ministry. It can even be your country, like someone who commits themselves to some politicians,” Abedini, the exclusive director at Saeed Ministries, wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“I have seen many people who have masters in any or all these areas of life. Why? The Bible tells us it is for PROFIT,” he continued.

“But the same spirit is still especially working among Christianity in the United States and still seeking PROFIT. We see people get famous from it and lose their fame because of it. Ministries exist for it and get destroyed by it. Competition is a way of business in churches and ministries everywhere.”

The pastor, who has continued his ministry following his release from Iranian prison in January, where he was held as a hostage and tortured for three and a half years due to his Christian faith, used examples from Act 16 and James 4 in his message, warning Christians against selling themselves for attention and profit.

He reflected that people, including churches and countries, all too quickly change their views because of the lure of profit.

“They say this person is amazing and the day after they say the person is terrible. Then we see fights and conflicts and destruction everywhere,” he wrote. … read more

Saddleback Church pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren urges Christians to always keep in mind that their life on “Earth is just a temporary assignment,” and to focus on the things that really matter.

Warren published a devotional Monday that focused on the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 4:18, as rendered by the Today’s English Version.

“For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever,” reads the verse.

The author of The Purpose Driven Life explained that “it’s important to remember that life on Earth is just a temporary assignment.”

“Knowing this truth should radically alter your values and fix your attention on the things that are eternally important,” wrote Warren.

“When life gets tough, when you’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when you wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, remember that you are not home yet. At death you won’t leave home — you’ll go home.”

Critiquing the prosperity gospel, Warren also noted that “a fatal mistake to assume is that God’s goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success as the world defines it.”

“Paul was faithful, yet he ended up in prison. John the Baptist was faithful, but he was beheaded. Millions of faithful people have been martyred, have lost everything, or have come to the end of life with nothing to show for it,” continued Warren.

“The abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance. Faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a career or even in ministry. Never focus on temporary crowns.”

Warren’s statements on the temporary nature of life on Earth bear resemblance to comments he made earlier this year about the enduring nature of God’s family.

In July, Warren explained a devotional that the “family of God” will outlast everything of the modern day, from the United States to Microsoft.

“A thousand years from today, if there’s still Earth here, there won’t be a Microsoft. There won’t be a Hollywood a thousand years from today. There won’t be a United States of America, because no earthly kingdom lasts forever. There won’t be all of the things we think are so great,” Warren said.

“But there will still be the family of God. God’s people last. It’s the only thing that’s going to last. … I make no apology in saying to you that maybe joining a spiritual family will be the most significant thing you do with your life.”

Warren made this point when putting forth the argument that Christians “need to join a local church” for “it’s going to outlast everything else you do.”

“Because what the Church is doing in making a difference in the world is going to outlast your career. It’s going to outlast your hobbies,” Warren continued … read more

There are three important questions to consider when determining whether or not a church is actually a cult, according to the Rev. Billy Graham.

Recently a person asked the famed evangelist his opinion on the possibility that a given house of worship that they were invited to by a friend was, in fact, a cult.

“My neighbor keeps inviting me to her church (although they don’t call it that), but someone told me it’s a cult. How can I know?” inquired the person.

n response, Graham laid out three things to consider, first one being “what do they believe about the Bible? Is it alone the Word of God (as Christians affirm) — or do they add to it, or claim they alone have translated it correctly?”

“Second, what do they believe about Jesus? Is He alone the divine Son of God, sent from Heaven to save us from our sins? Or do they deny this, or claim we must work to save ourselves?” continued Graham.

“Third, what do they believe about other Christians? Do they claim that they, and they alone, have the truth — or do they rejoice that God is also at work elsewhere?”

Graham also commended the person for being careful about whether or not to attend the church and become involved in its congregation … read more