Why Brian McLaren is like my Palm Pilot
Remember the Palm Pilot? I remember how fresh and cool and capable it seemed sitting there on my desk, syncing so beautifully with the red a black circling arrows. I can see it now so sleek and so incredibly in touch with my needs and frustrations. Yep right there on my desk beside my computer and my phone and my little syncing cradle . . . Palm Pilot was the talk of the town. The best and the brightest got one first, who could afford to be without . . . the next best thing, so much promise!!!
Did you have a palm pilot? Remember learning the new letter forms and mastering the use of the stylus. Such an investment of time seemed worth it . . . I mean the Palm Pilot was here to stay. Never had their been a piece of technology so in touch with what was wrong in communication world so completely geared to everything that bothered me about the current and historic ways of managing your life. Dates and schedules and notes to remember, addresses and other stored information, all entered by me, at the tip of my fingers. Wow, no books to carry around, no need to call the office for a number here at this pay phone . . . No more scraps of paper and business cards. Remember ‘beaming?’ You could actually send your contact information through the air !!!!! to another person!!!!!! Ahhhh “I am so lucky to be alive here in 1999, where we have something as cool as a Palm Pilot.” The stock was soaring the company was exploding. There was no limit to the heights they could achieve.
I actually knew a lot of people that worked for 3Com, the company that invented the Palm Pilot. They built this crazy factory/office complex just down just down the freeway from our church. The walls are tilted and slanted at a lot of weird angles and I am sure they broke every rule of orthodox architectural design, but hey, they invented the Palm Pilot, so who were we to tell them they weren’t cool. Their corporate headquarters had to be different, eye catching, a break from the routine, it was a statement about everything they planned to be. Fresh, current, cool and creative!
Maybe Palm Pilot really got off track when they stopped listening to the users and started believing that just because some good ideas had come from their heads, that everything they thought of was equally helpful and in touch with the customers. At the end of the day it’s always the user that determines what is is truly helpful and powerful, isn’t it? The ditches of the information highway are littered with people who started out with some good ideas about what was missing and needed to change. It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the past and the shortcomings of the old information management systems. It’s that they didn’t understand the future and issues like convergence. Now a days you can get all the corrections to the old and all the benefits of the new in a single handheld device. Today you can escape the historical errors of inferior information systems without giving up the power of what they did well, People who wanted change for changes sake may still carry Palm Pilots, there will always be a handful of uncritical young people who get caught up in the cathartic affect of innovation. However people who have lived a little longer and endured a little more realize that change must continue to bring measureable improvement or in the end it is very hollow. Somehow the Palm Pilot guys just missed that. At the end of the day your ideas for improvement are what determine your success as a company. Palm Pilot’s eliminated some of the problems of the past but in the end didn’t continue to generate innovations of substance that impacted our future in demonstrable ways. After a while I started to feel like an idiot carrying that thing on my belt, it just wasn’t nearly as helpful as I was told it would be. What I thought would set me free actually became pretty cumbersome. I began to notice others who were kind of ticked and disappointed too.
I wish you could see the 3Com headquarters now. It’s really kind of pathetic. Hard to believe but it’s become a bit of a laughing stock. People drive by, giggle and point saying, ‘yeah remember those guys, what ever happened to them?’ Yeah, I don’t know . . . I think I’ll get out my Palm Pilot for old times sake, if I can find it.
Categorized as: Christian Life, From James, Video
January 20th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Careful. If you keep dissing guys like McLaren, you’ll never get to be Pastor of Candles.
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I happen to have a palm PDA phone
I find it useful and helpful in organizing my life.
But all joking aside; I get your point
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:19 pm
What a post! This is why blogs should NEVER go the way of the Palm Pilot. Brilliant…
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:11 pm
The saddest thing is that like the Palm Pilot guys some think they are still on top of it all. I pray Lord, help me not be blinded by what I think of myself.
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Very creative – Amen.
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:17 pm
The Palm Pilot is the single greatest 20th century innovation. The iPhone wishes it could be the Pilot.
D Shields
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
I found your comments on the Palm Pilot interesting. I’m old enough to remember when if you had an 8-track player(like I did in my 74 Mustang) you were it !! People do try to innovate and that’s fine. I like my cell phone, but at present I have no need for more gadgets. Thanks
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Or perhaps pastor of socialism, since so many of McClaren’s ilk are big Obama Hussein supporters cause he’s “a friend to the poor.”
The definition of poor meaning those who wont work or take responsibility for their actions and feel they are entitled to everything.
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Thanks for this good reminder about the importance of change. I’m praying for you!
RYAN
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
great post man. I watched one pastor preach from his palm pilot and them forget what book he was preaching from, but he had the gadget in hand.. must have thought he was contemporary – keep up the good insights brother.
What ever happened to enjoying the Bible again ?
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:45 pm
great post. there’s nothing new.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 pm
My fear is that people like McLaren will actually become like the Windows operating system… new versions with the same old problems dressed in a new look. Actually that problem transcends individuals.
On the other hand, I also worry that our current forms of church whave become so near and dear that we think that without them, we can not have church.
Error crouches at every door it seems.
James, I appreciate your willingness to speak truth with conviction and clarity. As I have been looking at the first few chapters of Isaiah, Ezekial, and Jeremiah, I see God spending time showing the men he chose to be his mouthpieces to be very careful about not people pleasing, even telling Ezekial in 1:17 “But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them” The NIV renders dismayed as terrify.
Oh Lord that we would be faithful to love the truth and tell it in love and with passion.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Maybe you should start an underground blog using an assumed name or maybe charge a membership fee for this blog, that way if people want to take shots at least it would cost them something. If you decide on the assumed name I vote for El Conquistador
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
What!! Not about Palm Pilots!! I just threw mine away and ordered a Blackberry because of this blog! You are so confusing James. You owe me a new Palm Pilot.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 pm
My friend Kelly held his Palm and his cell phone together, back to back, on day in ‘99 and said “I’m looking forward to the day I can buy THIS in one piece of equipment.”
McLaren’s breakthrough message of respect has stuck and for that I’m grateful. The grumpy old white evangelical republican male tone of yesteryear is thankfully fading. Their theological moorings hold strong. I believe we are on the verge of a new thing altogether– the fresh new tone of McLaren combined w/the solid foundation of decades of tested orthodoxy.
It will win the day just as the iphone is doing. Oh that I had money to invest in Apple stock three years ago. Thankfully, I’ve been investing in the stock of this rising new voice for quite a while now.
January 24th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Great post. I think you nailed it. I have not been a Christian very long and learned and learned about the emergent church through James article “Why I Am Not Emergent” when I first began listening to WITW.
Anytime I hear someone new, I do a little research to see who critizes them and what they are critized for. I learned of John MacArthur, James MacDonald and John Piper all at the same time and after reading the criticism of each, I had my eyes opened more than I ever wanted to false and subverse teachings out there but also how desperate some are to lead people away from those that preach from the whole bible. McLaren, in my own personal view, seems to have pages missing from his bible. In my interpretation of what he has written in contrast to the red letters, he would have to label Jesus intolerant.
I am grateful for WITW and have been relying on the daily broadcast for nearly three years now.
I must apologize to everyone though, I heard James mention JamesMacDonald.com on WITW and this blog so I wandered over and have begun reading it every Friday night.
I didn’t realize that it was just for pastors. I thought that “A Ministry Blog For Pastors…” meant that it was where Harvest pastors blog.
Does it count if you wished you had been called to ministry?
January 24th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Yeah…
The guy across the street who doesn’t know Christ? I’ll be real sweet to him. (Joh 13:35 ESV By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.)
That lady in my church who is battling cancer AGAIN? I’ll lead the whole church to love on her.(1Th 5:14 ESV And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.)
But the guy preaching damnable heresy? Yeah…not so much.
In fact, as pastors, it’s our JOB to rebuke them.
(Tit 1:9 ESV He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.)
Thanks, James. You’re the man. We’re praying for you.
January 24th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Arrongance? In no way. Here’s why…
1) Is a matter of DESIGN. God as a design for His body. I’m sure glad I have a pancreas…but I don’t want my pancreas attempting to do the job of my heart. It wasn’t designed to do it. And if my heart says, “Hey pancreas…I’ll take of this pumping blood part,” that’s not arrogance. That’s the parts of the body doing what they have been designed to do. God has selected certain men to shepherd his flock(s). HE has called them to discern and call out false teaching.When they do it, it’s not arrogance. It’s the parts of the body doing what they have been called to do!
2)All the glory goes to the DESIGNER. God didn’t call me into the pastorate because of ANYTHING I’ve done or because I was so smart and worthy!! In fact, isn’t it just the opposite? My Bible tells me he calls the foolish and weak just so that HE will get the glory.
January 24th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).
January 24th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
James,
It is clear that you were not talking about Palm Pilots. You are clearing talking about the emerging church movement that everyone is so enamoured with. I encourage people to check out your article. But I couldn’t seem to find when I went to look for it. Since, I have left HBC-RM 16 months ago I have visited many a church down here in TN that is enamoured with the emerging church movement and unfortunately wouldn’t know the Bible if it came up and kicked them in the behind. We are so living in 2 Timothy 3 days, aren’t we?
Many do not know the false teaching involved in the movement. Why do we think that everything new must be better than what the Bible has to say about doing things? I don’t get it. I am praying for you, James. Hope you and Kathy are doing well. Can’t wait to see you on The Price is Right! I took my Mom there a couple of years ago and got to talk to Bob Barker and Rod Roddy when he was alive and the experience was quite interesting. Isn’t everthing alot smaller that it appears on TV? Quite like life in a sense isn’t it?
God Bless you,
January 25th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Getting several comments (some much too long to post)from people offended at the public nature of this challenge, or defending Brian as a brother in Christ and, and . . . That’s a good idea for a post some time. What is the biblical model for rebuking a false teacher. Should it be public or private? Should it be kind or pointed and intense, even harsh? Can the rebuke include the person or just what they teach? What is the difference between confronting religious leaders about their hypocrisy versus about what they actually teach? How did Jesus, or Paul or Peter handle that? These are legitimate questions that need good biblical answers. You’ve got me thinking, hope your thinking about these things too!
James
January 25th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
If this blog is JUST for pastors, then I’m in deep-fried doo-doo, ’cause I’m definitely not a pastor. Heh. I read it, thinking “who is Brian McLaren?” and thinking, as well, how I still don’t even own a cell phone, much less any other gadget. That means I’ve got more freedom than you when I’m out & about, lol! (But if I get a flat, I’m in trouble…)
James, great questions about rebuking. Doesn’t the Bible say to first go to the offender, and then if they don’t listen, to take a couple witnesses with you and go again, and if they STILL don’t listen, to bring ‘em before the church?
It’s not like we can each fly around the country (or world) and personally go up to someone like Creflo Dollar and rebuke ‘em face to face, but we CAN use the Bible to point out false teachings.
Thanks for clarifying things for a girl like me, Pastor James.
January 25th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Please understand, I wasn’t and wouldn’t defend Bryan Mclaren. I believe the whole movement he is a part of is contributing to the population of hell. We must defend the authority of scripture with all our might. I just don’t think we should “hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.” James 2:1b But the Mclaren’s of the world need to be dealt with. When it comes to the gospel, a half truth is worse than a whole lie. These guys are out there spreading half truth all over the place. This is the latest battle front Christian soldiers, lets fight it. Dennis
January 26th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Bryan McLaren is a pied piper who leads those who will listen far from the Word of God and deep into human reasoning. Just as I set aside my Palm Pilot a number of years ago I have done the same with the teaching of Bryan McLaren.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
While I share concern for intuitive theology outside of the framework of Scripture, I do perceive unnecessary derogatory inferences about Brian McLaren, the human being, the man created in the image of God. Love is not rude. I would suggest a follow up post dealing with discernment in judging those inside the church which I am a fan of or perhaps a specific critique of Brian McLaren’s theology (which if you have done, I would love to read your thoughts on.) Love the work of Walk in the Word and Pastor James.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Funny that I ran across this today..I was reading a three part article on Bryan McLaren and the ECM written by Richard Bennette last night. Richard was a Catholic Priest in years past, amazing testimony and has some very insightful thoughts on the ECM.
I think the articles were posted on BibleBelievers.com for those interested.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
This article made my day. Thanks James. I’m starting to think the same way about the whole hype about global warming
.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:08 am
(Shorter this time…) Like a lot of folks who have expressed concern over the nature of this post, I think its central message would be just as effectively conveyed were its title to be changed to “Why the Doctrines of the Emergent Church Are Like My Palm Pilot.” Doing so would still afford you a platform with which to denounce relativistic heresy and would remove from this entry what the above reader rightly called its “unnecessary dereogatory inferences” about McLaren.
Dave: Nice with the abbreviation
You are really improving. I loved what you wrote and how reasoned it was, but it was way too long to post. Problem is that I do not see your position as biblical. From Jesus, in Matthew 23:35 to Paul naming Jannes and Jambres, to John naming Diotrophes, the practice of calling out the person by name is in the best biblcial traditions for dealing with and confronting serious error. I see you struggling with the rights of the individual but the protection of the flock always take precedence over the rights of the wolves. Sorry it makes you uncomfortable, I just want to be biblical. Please don’t bring up Mt. 18 
It’s not an offense, and he’s not my brother. OK 
Love you !!!
james
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:45 pm
i see that back on the 23rd someone (i’ll get you dave jennings) played a little joke on me by posting in my name. just to clear it up, i’m an ardent apple supporter and hate the palm.
that being said, i think there’s value in considering the tone we take when rebuking. you’re right that calling “the wolves” out by name is biblical, but at the same time, i fear for what a watching world will say when they see us use sarcasm as the tool of rebuke. this post is certainly creative, but i wonder if there isn’t a way to accomplish all the same things while still sounding like a loving person. i have no issue with teaching the flock very clearly and strongly that someone is either mistaken or a liar, but i think christ and paul were heart-broken when they had to do so and a little sign of brokenness and humility would do the message well as a lost world watches.
hey there james, hope you’re doing well.
-drew
Hey drew:
Sorry you got pimped by Dave jennings. He’s funny and fantastic. Yeah we just don’t agree about the tone thing. I guess some might say calling people “ravenous wolves” and “white washed tombs” and “whose God is there belly” and calling down a curse on Alexander the Coppersmith etc. has a loving tone from a broken heart. I just don’t see it like that. Sounds like a lot of “trying to win them,” terminology. No where is scripture are we exhorted to try to win false teachers only to expose and rebuke them. I’m fine to agree to disagree on this one. More scripture on this next time if you want to keep the discusson going. God bless friend, good to hear from you.
james
February 7th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Wow. This what an intriguing post and comments. I just laughed out loud, James, that you said Drew “got pimped” by Dave Jennings. That was #2 in the Top 10 things I didn’t expect to read.
Anyway, I think the kickback you’re getting here is partly a result of the general cowardice that has overtaken much of the church. Somehow, cowardice and timidity have replaced boldness as righteousness (Prov. 28:1). It’s righteous to consider our motives and guard our tongues when we speak (Matt. 5:22; Titus 3:2), but let’s not forget that cowardice is an ungodly option (Rev. 21:8).
Many Christians get confused as they sort through these: love, the perception of love, speaking the truth in love, pointed rebuke, and ungodly insults. I’m trying to grow in this for sure. I recently read the Rev. 21:8 passage that clearly shows cowardice as damnable wickedness. I just hope that those who wish to make nice words & a nice face learn to do so from a heart of faith and confidence, not from a place of cowardly avoidance of conflict. Likewise, may the bold-in-speech be only zealous for truth, not callous of heart.
James, praying for your health, brother.
Blessings to you all as you love and serve Jesus.
-Darryl
February 26th, 2009 at 8:53 am
To those who think public rebuke is not right especially in this case because a watching world will see it and possibly think badly of Christians, that is foolishness. First, the watching world I assume means unbelievers. If so, then they of all people need to know the names of apostates and false teachers. Mr. McLaren has written many books some with very clever titles like The Secret Message of Jesus. He wraps his apostasy up in a pretty package with a lovely bow expecting unbelievers and false converts to pick it up and devour his message and then go on to read other emergent gurus like Leonard Sweet, Rob Bell, Doug Pagitt, Donald Miller, and Marcus Borg to name a few. These names HAVE to be mentioned publicly as their material is available to the public. This does not call for private rebuke necessarily and if you did try to rebuke them privately would they listen? Probably not. The public rebuke is for many reasons but most importantly to warn the unsuspecting of the dangers of their teachings. Brian McLaren has certainly greased the skids for so much apostasy we see in the post-Christian, post-modern evangelical church that we need more watchmen to tell us what pits to avoid. If it weren’t for many of the discernment ministry sites I visit warning me of these wolves, I may be trying to defend this garbage instead of warning my family and friends about it.
Thank you Pastor James!
March 30th, 2009 at 10:53 am
A man’s name is in the headline but not in the main post. Nor are there any specific reference’s to the man’s beliefs that warrant such critique. What I would like to see is a straightforward description of the beliefs in question so that I (and others) may be duly informed. Thank you.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
WOW. SIGH
before i comment, let me tell you that i have worked in the area of evangelism here in the chicago area for long time. i am steeped in the teachings of james mac-bill hybels- tony evans- joe stowell-brian mclaren.
i am a very serious disciple of jesus and firm student of the bible, and am a conservative believer.
reading this, i am very embarassed to identify myself with “my leaders” who hurl insults at each other in the name of love. the language used here, james, is unhelpful to anyone, indirect, careless, sarcastic, assumptive, demeaning, attacking, mocking, gossipy and smells self righteous. it seems to go against anything ive heard you or any of the great men i hear on moody radio preach on, and the way jesus tells and shows us to live.
if nothing else, this type of action shows the world an incorrect picture of Jesus and I ask you to please remember that when you communicate.
a family member from down the street, lisa
Lisa: I am gonna post this comment because I believe it is lovingly stated. But I could not disagree more with what you have said. I will address the reasons why I believe Brian McLaren is a wolf in sheep’s clothing based upon the things he is saying, in a blog some time in the near future. The public rebuke of serious false teaching is in the best tradition of 2000 years of biblical Christianity. Paul did it, Peter did it, John did it, and Jesus did it. Fidelity to the truth of scripture is the highest priority of Christ honoring ministry. It is very much part of Jesus’ teaching in the gospels. Thanks for commenting.
james
March 30th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Interesting post.
I find it funny (and strangely appropriate)that i just spent this past weekend with Brian (and 5 other Christians) in a house in a remote part of Ohio talking about what we can do (I’m an HR guy for a wireless company, another guy is a sanitation engineer, another a solar/wind power expert, the last two were serial entreprenuers) to start creating solutions to the sanitation issues that occur in the slums of of the poorest countries on earth (i.e. Nigeria, Burundi, India).
In all the posts above, what is noticebly absent is any reference to the actual heretical teaching you feel Brian is espousing. I, after spending a entire weekend with him, still have yet to discover the source of the controversy & cause for concern. We talked mostly about how to keep innocent children from dying, and a little about what we collectively imagined heaven to be like. Took breaks by walking around and marveling at God’s creation.
What exactly is the heresy you’re exposing? It’s certainly not in your blog above, that one seems to center on style vs. substance claims.
When Jesus took the step of calling someone a whitewashed tomb, he gets pretty specific as to what he considers their offense (”…they do not practice what they preach.”). I did not see that in any of the posts (or the original blog) above. As best I can discern from your post, you accuse Brian of trying to be “fresh and cool and creative” but out of touch with what people really need. To borrow your analogy, what is it that the “users” really need? In this example, who/what is your “iphone”?
April 1st, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I am can’t believe I have never heard of your church or your guys ministry.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
[...] On January 23, 2009, James McDonald posted “Why Brian McLaren is like my Palm Pilot.” [...]
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:12 am
I never saw a Palm Pilot, and didn’t know they had stopped making them. I don’t know the difference between a Palm Pilot and and iPhone, and don’t know if I need to. But what is the similarity with Brian McLaren?
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 am
[...] recently, James MacDonald has done some wolf shooting in a more light hearted vein. He compared emerging church leader Brian McLaren to Palm Pilots. it was funny and it stung because it was [...]
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:43 am
So, in other words, your analogy (if I understand the intent of your article as being a slam on Brian McLaren) is entirely incorrect.
What you meant to do was say “Why Brian McLaren is like 3Com” – where 3Com is the inventor who didn’t keep up and adapt and change to meet new needs.
Of course, that would have been putting substance (and accuracy) above symbolism – which wouldn’t have been as catchy. We couldn’t have that!
Unfortunately, it seems, though, that McLaren is exactly the opposite of 3Com – at least for the time being. He seems to be the one who is adapting, changing, growing based on the situation of the world around him.
Jeff:
Ok, down with subtlety and up with clarity. Sorry for the confusion. My point is not at all as you have stated. (my bad for the confusion, I thought it was very clear) My point is that observance of need to change has to be followed up with improvements of substance. Departures from Orthodoxy often promise alot more than they actually deliver. In the end all denials of the explicit statements of scripture are not supported by God who unceasingly supports his word. Without God’s blessing they prove unfruitful and wind up in the theological dumpster where they belong. Thanks for helping me clarify and for commenting.
james
oops meant to add a response to your other comment and hit ‘delete’ instead. It was good I thought, resubmit if you have it. thanks.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 am
Just in the interest of the tech history side of things…the original Palm Pilot was brought to market by US Robotics ow which Palm Computing was a division…the device is the invention of Jeff Hawkins. 3Com later bought Palm.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
[...] Why Brian McLaren is Like My Palm Pilot [...]
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
[...] a comment » An insightful, subtle piece of satire about the lure of false teachers and why those teachings will eventually fall by the [...]
April 4th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Have you heard of the Palm Pre? This post makes me laugh a bit because when I think of the pastors I used to follow back in 1999 to this day still remind me of palm pilots. Brian, on the other hand, doesn’t even remind me of a technological devise at all, but rather a man of love for Jesus that has moved him to action beyond just the cognitive sphere. With love, Dave.
Dave:
Yes wouldn’t it be alot easier if we could vilanize someone entirely. As I have often said, Brian and the Emergents call for feeding the poor, and social action is needed and biblical. I just wish they did not equate the implications of the gospel with the gospel itself. (Mark Dever gave a great message at Together for the Gospel on that point). Social concern without the true gospel is not alot different than the United Way.
james
April 5th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
[...] Read the entire post, and, for context, his post on Brian McLaren. [...]
September 8th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
God bless you pastor james…
A bright light in a dark world !