Meeting with Steve

[paulespino]

Me and my family met Steve yesterday and I saw the genuineness in his eyes and felt the
truthfulness of his heart he was the exact opposite of me because I have become a self righteous
person ( Hypocrite), although I read the bible, I don't practice it. I was like the Sadducees and the Pharisees . I was not humble. The good news is that I have repented and will press forward in seeking the humility that the Holy Spirit wants me to have.

The truth is last Sunday night I was thinking whether I will call Steve to meet him. I was not sure because as I said I have become a hypocrite. I prayed about it and the message I got from the Holy Spirit is I should call Steve to meet him but it took me a while to make a decision to call him. I could not look at Steve's eyes because I was ashamed of myself of my sins. Imagine, me meeting a man of God. Last night I kept crying because I was embarrassed of my sins I felt like I was going to melt.

I was saved once then I backslide and I am going back to God again because I don't want to be lost forever. I'm like the prodigal son.

In the end before we leave Steve gave me a "BIG HUG", for me this is a sign that he has accepted me back in this bible forum as a family member.

Glory to God forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Suzana]

Hey Paul,

Welcome back, brother. Isn't it wonderful how God loves us His children so much, that He convicts us when we sin instead of leaving us to our own devices, and by repenting we are able to come back into a right relationship.

[steve]

Hi Paul,

It was a blessing to me to meet you, as well as your wife and two children. In the five or ten minutes we spent together, I did not know that you were feeling ashamed, or that you had not been doing well in your Christian walk. I also did not know that you felt ostracized from the forum, or had left it. I am glad you are back, Brother.

While teaching in Toronto, I also met with anothersteve from this forum. I had met him last year, but we spent a day together, as he was my ride to my meeting with Clark Pinnock, in Hamilton. After that meeting, Steve took me to meet his wife and daughter, and we had dinner and fellowship together.

The YWAM school where I was teaching was entirely Korean, and I had to do all my teaching with a translator. However, it came off well and the students were very kind and appreciative. It was a good week. I am back home now.

[mattrose]

Paul,

Praise the Lord for your repentance and new-found commitment!

Steve,

What was the nature of your meeting with Clark Pinnock? Did you guys talk theology? What did you think of him? I don't remember hearing of this meeting before.

[steve]

My hope was to interview Dr. Pinnock for the show on Tuesday. He was not available at the proper time to be on the show, so we just met for coffee at Second Cup (a Candian version of Starbucks). Steve Farr ("anothersteve" here) also sat in with us.

Dr. Pinnock and I just visited casually for about an hour. He lives walking distance from McMaster University, where he taught for many years, but from which he retired in 2002. He is about seventy years old.

I had been a fan of his since the seventies, and had recently been reading a book written about him by Barry Callen, called "Clark Pinnock: Journey Toward Renewal." In the book, I learned that he had studied under F.F.Bruce (his mentor for his PhD program, and another hero of mine), and had been with Francis Schaeffer, at L'Abri, in Switzerland.

He is a lifelong Baptist. Previously unbeknown to me, Pinnock had also been baptized in the Holy Spirit, in the late sixties, and is a charismatic. He was a leading evangelical apologist for the inerrancy of scripture, in the sixties and seventies. In more recent decades, he became one of the evangelical pioneers in the conditional immortality doctrine, and is best known for his controversial move from Calvinism to strong advocacy of Arminianism and Openness Theology. I myself do not embrace Openness, but I really do admire Pinnock for his courage to continually think outside the box and to change his theology when he feels the biblical evidence demands it. Many theologians of his rank would be afraid to change so much, and to place their reputations in such jeopardy among fellow evangelicals. He has contributed chapters to a number of "four views" books, and was kind enough, in 1997, to write an endorsement of my book on Revelation (found in the front of the book).

Pinnock, as all who describe him mention, is a very humble and irenic man. We talked about his theological pilgrimage, about certain Christian organizations, and about some other theologians, whom he knew and I was curious about. Nothing profound occurred in our conversation—just meandering conversation—but I felt very privileged to meet one of my heroes before he passes away (as far as I know, he is in good health).

[paulespino]

Thanks Steve, Suzana, Matt and others for welcoming me back.

[RickC]

Hello Paul,

I also had a backsliding phase...and know how great it is to be back with the Lord...and He with me! I'm glad you got to meet Steve. God bless you, Brother!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Steve,

Thanks for saying a bit about Clark Pinnock and your meeting with him. I was going to ask about how the meeting went, but felt it might be inapproriate on this thread.

He and F.F. Bruce are among my 'theology heroes' too.

I recall reading a book by Clark in the late 70s and loving it! Which one, I forgot....
I'm happy for you, that you got to meet him,

I almost got to meet you in StL....
Well, see ya here, there, or in the air!

[SteveF]

While teaching in Toronto, I also met with anothersteve from this forum. I had met him last year, but we spent a day together, as he was my ride to my meeting with Clark Pinnock, in Hamilton. After that meeting, Steve took me to meet his wife and daughter, and we had dinner and fellowship together.

It was a great day Steve. We all enjoyed being with you.

Pinnock, as all who describe him mention, is a very humble and irenic man.

I completely agree with your impressions of Dr Pinnock. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I met him but I agree with your assessment afterward that “you would never know he was a top theologian and the center of so much controversy”. He is indeed a humble and unassuming man. I was also impressed by how genuinely interested he was in learning more about yourself and your ministry. The delight he showed whenever he learned of any Christian being used or blessed by God showed me he is not a self absorbed person.

I’m happy you had a chance to meet him Steve. I could tell you have a deep respect and appreciation for him. After meeting him I can see why.