2006-03-30
By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
Popular gospel communicator and TV talk show host Bill Keller calls it
"trash." And of course that’s putting it politely. What alleged
author Michael Baigent has come up with in his "The Jesus Papers" is
utter rubbish of the worst order.
Of course, then again there are many "out there" who have no idea
whatsoever as to the Jesus truth as presented in the Bible. They know
there’s a Bible. They have a muddled idea about Jesus. But don’t mess them
up with the historic detail.
With that for a reading public, Baigent will sell plenty of copies for cash
inflow and then walk all the way to hell with the bank. God bless him.
As to Keller’s opinion of the Baigent brand blasphemy, read him for
yourself:
"Michael Baigent has co-authored numerous books over the years where he
proffers his own personal theories that directly contradict the Bible. He is
the one who first proffered the ridiculous theory 20 years ago that Jesus and
Mary Magdalene were married, a theory Dan Brown carried forth in his book the
‘Da Vinci Code’ where he had at least enough honesty to put on the cover
his book was ‘A Novel’ or a work of fiction."
Then comes along Baigent riding on Brown’s coattails. Is the public thirsty
enough to go to the empty well? No doubt. Another coffee table book. Another
conversational round at the water cooler. Another way to sound religious while
not quite getting there.
Keller states: "The lynchpin ‘theory’ in ‘The Jesus Papers’ is
that Jesus survived the
crucifixion, meaning he did NOT die on the cross, did NOT die for the sins of
all mankind, was NOT God, and was nothing more than a conman. Not only does
the Bible, but contemporaneous historians like Josephus, Pliny, and Tacitus
confirm the death of Jesus, so Baigent’s ‘Jesus did not die’ theory
makes them all part of some grand conspiracy."
When it comes to biblical truth, Keller is not only on top of it, he’s all
over it. And in that his ministry expands because there actually are those out
there who want more then tripe for religious publication. They want to know
what gives eternally. What history really relates. What is God-honest actual.
In that, Keller exceeds. He will not compromise truth but instead will lay
down his life for the eternal verities.
Keller expands his opinion of the new sell: "Baigent’s blasphemous
theory denying the deity of Christ makes this book something the public needs
to be warned about. Michael Baigent is nothing but a tool of satan who will
help lead millions of people to hell for their rejection of Jesus."
True. And now with that covered, Keller gets into what really fires him
up—the giving forth of Truth in Christ who saves the soul from sin and
prepares one for heaven.
Bill Keller, founder of Liveprayer.com, shines quite brightly each night. He
will go national with his late-night talk show, "Liveprayer With Bill
Keller."
Already he has 250,000 viewers in Florida alone. Sixty million prayer requests
flood into his web site. He has more than 2.1 million email subscribers and
climbing. He is said to have the "most successful online Christian
outreach in history."
"The Lord has guided me all along the way," Keller states. Starting
in 1999, working with volunteers, Keller and friends have connected with over
60 million prayer requests globally.
Keller has sought out the forgotten, lonely and stranded. His Christian
ministry particularizes itself to the person on the edge, that individual who
thinks there’s no way out. Keller points them to the gospel in Christ. With
that, he continues to seek divine direction for his expanding audience.
He has a particular burden for the lost who have no inkling of locating a
local church for worship. His aim is to fence in for the Lord those who cannot
find The Way. That’s why he finds the night hours especially inviting. They
are the times when worried persons cannot sleep. Their minds are wandering
thither and yon. In that search, Keller prays to find their souls for
salvation.
Many come upon his ministry by surfing the Internet. They are bored. They are
just putting in time. And then they come upon Bill Keller. "The Holy
Spirit directs them to what we have to offer. And what we have for them is the
old-time story that never grows old. It is the message of Jesus Christ and His
love."
Keller has been ministering through prayer lines over the years. He had
"Live Prayer with Bill Keller," a sixty-minute TV talk show on
select stations in Florida. In that venue, Keller provided intercession for
those seeking spiritual aid as well as offering advice in navigating the
Christian life. It was not long until there were more than a quarter million
viewers per night in Florida alone.
Keller’s ministry style is dynamic while compassionate. "I’m sold out
to what I do. And what I do is for the forevers. I can’t lose with that my
goal. And in that God is blessing. His smile rests upon our work for we are
simply a humble lot doing the business of the cross."
In that kind of heart-reaching-out connecting, Keller comes upon one by one
those who just need someone to listen, to talk to, to hear out, and finally to
point them in the right direction. With Keller, there is no question as to
that direction. It is upward and outward. It is coming to know God in Christ.
It is the Bible Way. It is what the Lord has had for us all along but it takes
some people a long-way-around to find it.
Keller is patient in that long-way-around. And that’s why he’s staying up
nights to make friends for Jesus’ sake. And that’s why the thousands are
listening in, viewing in, and coming to their senses in the Savior. That fires
up Keller all the more to keep on keeping on.
"Nothing like it," he exclaims. And of course that explains what
drives Keller on to the heights with these new ventures.
Then Keller also has a daily devotional to 2.1 million subscribers as well as
more coming on board because of the increased TV exposure. Larry King, move
over.
Keller said. "We are convinced that with our national launch on PAX,
Liveprayer will be one of the most cutting-edge outreach ministries in the
world – and we say that with all humility because it has been God’s
leading the entire way."
Now can you also believe that with his retired clergy assisting, persons
connecting with Keller get their own responses—40,000 each twenty-four
hours? Is there a soul need out there or what? Keller is stunned. How can it
be that he has been marked out for such an awesome ministry?
No time to figure it out. It’s just that the Lord has His ways. And Keller
says he’s praying daily to stay right there in the middle—of God’s
perfect ways.
For more information on the ministry of Liveprayer, visit www.liveprayer.com.
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Grant Swank has authored 5 books and several thousand articles in various
Protestant and Catholic magazines, journals and newspapers. Grant is a regular
contributor to WDC Media News and writes a weekly religion column for PORTLAND
PRESS HERALD newspaper and is a graduate of accredited college (BA) and
seminary (M Div) with graduate work at Harvard Divinity School. Web site
columns appear on MichNews.com, CCNews.com, MosqueWatch.com, NewsByUs.com,
AmericanDaily.com, CAGE.org, Republican and Proud, Canada Free Press,
FaithFreedom.org, TheConservativeVoice.com, ConservativeDiscussion.com,
StuckOnStupid.Us, PostChronicle.com, Conservative Posts.us, Out2.com,
MensNewsDaily.com, Right Wing Conservative, LibertyNews.us, Religious News
Online, among others. He has been married for 43 years and has 3 adult
children. He is Pastor of the New Hope Church, Windham ME.
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