Published Monday, July 21, 2025 | | SEND THIS NEWSLETTER TO A FRIEND HERE. | | | BOB LINN KINDERGARTEN KRISTIANITY KILLS TV SERIES CLAIM TO CHRISTIANITY | | I wrote last week about the state of the church and what I called Kindergarten Kristianity. It has produced a two-faced Christianity that pretends on Sunday morning and bears a much different fruit throughout the rest of the week. This perversion manifested recently in a TV series hosted by professing Christians, Chip and Jo Gaines. Their recent embrace of cultural decadence has cost them their claim to historic orthodox Christianity.
This past weekend, Dr. Everett Piper dealt with the hypocrisy of Christians who want to employ fads and cultural trends as the foundation of their new version of the Bible. As Dr. Piper's article displays, TV stars Chip & Jo Gaines are self-declared 21st century cultural theologians. Chip Gaines bristled at those who disagree with efforts to introduce pagan ideology into their new form of Christianity (as Baylor University continues to do). Chip called the Christian rebuke he has received non-Christian and un-Christ-like.
The Gaines' TV series seeks to forge what the Apostle Paul called a “different Gospel” (Galations 1:6-9). In response to the rebuke of the church, Chip Gaines demanded the church bend to his newly formed ideology. Chip called the Godly and Biblical corrective instruction provided him as un-godly hate-speech.
The demise of the imagined Christian integrity of this TV series is a result of what I called Kindergarten Kristianity in last week's article. See last week’s article (Kindergarten Kristianity, Baylor Part Two) here. See False Shepherds & Part One of Dr. Piper's articles on Baylor here.
Here is Dr. Piper’s article from the Washington Times: | | CHIP GAINES JUDGES EVERYONE EXCEPT HIMSELF FOR JUDGING
This week’s major kerfuffle in the conservative Christian world centered around the announcement by Chip and Joanna Gaines, of Magnolia Network fame, that they are now proudly featuring a “family” of two “married” men together with their young surrogacy-purchased boys in an upcoming episode of their show. | | Upon receiving predictable criticism for this decision, Chip Gaines defiantly posted the following message on X:
Talk, ask questions, listen… maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge first, understand later/never. It’s a sad Sunday when ‘non-believers’ have never been confronted by hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian. | | HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?
First, we might want to point out that Chip Gaines’ post is self-refuting in the extreme. Disagreement is not synonymous with hate, and debate is not the same thing as vitriol. If they were, then Mr. Gaines is clearly guilty of both.
Just because I disagree with someone does not mean I hate them, and engaging in debate does not mean I’m being vitriolic. Dare, I suggest that Mr. Gaines needs to grow up a bit and remember the old axiom, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Confrontation is good for the soul.
A healthy debate is supposed to challenge you. Strong words are necessary if we are to become strong men. Like King Solomon once said, “As iron sharpens iron, let one man sharpen another.” Isn’t this what’s implied in Mr. Gaines’ own social media moniker, where he says, “No Pains, No Gaines: The Good Stuff Doesn’t Come Easy.”
Second, when Chip Gaines says we should “listen and learn,” we might rightly ask him if he is willing to do the same. | | For example, is he willing to listen and learn from Becket Cook, author of “A Change of Affection: A Gay Man’s Incredible Story of Redemption,” who responded to Gaines by saying:
Respectfully, Chip, that doesn’t work. You can’t platform a gay family on your show, further normalizing it, and cry foul. You’re intentionally or unintentionally leading many astray... | And is he willing to listen and learn from Katy Faust, founder of an organization called “Them Before Us,” which advocates that “children should have the right to their mother and father and to order their lives accordingly,” when she says, “Chip, you put a gay couple on the flyer to recruit for the show. They intended to ‘normalize’ motherless homes via their participation. The Christian response to child victimization isn’t ‘listen and learn.’ It’s rise and protect. You are in millstone territory.” | | Or how about Allie Beth Stuckey, author of the New York Times best seller, Toxic Empathy.
Is Mr. Gaines willing to listen and learn from her when she responds:
Chip, you can’t out-love God. God is love, which means two things:
First, He gets to define it.
Second, everything He says and does He says and does in love [and Scripture tells us] that love, among other things, “never rejoices in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
You are rejoicing in wrongdoing and rejecting the truth by choosing to glorify that which God calls sin… Thus, you are neither loving God nor loving people by this decision… Sin hurts people, and it angers the God you say you serve.
The least loving thing possible is to normalize it. Remember, the most loving thing we can do in every situation is to agree with God. Disagreeing with Him is no small deal. Encouraging others to do so is an even bigger deal… | | Finally, is Mr. Gaines willing to listen and learn from Christ himself, who explicitly tells his followers that, yes, we are indeed supposed to judge all who claim to be believers (such as Chip & Joanna Gaines) by their words, deeds, and obedience?
“Beware of false prophets,” said Jesus. “You will recognize them by their fruit… Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruit.” | Chip Gaines’ judgment of all the Christians he accuses of being too judgmental is not only the quintessential example of the pot calling the kettle black but it’s also the posterchild of what Jesus likely meant when he said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own?” | | Could it be that it’s Gaines’ brand of “modern American Christianity” that’s missing the mark, rather than those he refuses to listen and learn from in social media?
___________________ | | Thus ends Dr. Piper’s article.
The resurgence of America is dependent upon a resurgence of Biblical Christianity and those who think that accommodating sin as normal human behavior are only working to welcome a coming darkness. The darkness the Gaines duo advocate is the one which overshadowed the ancient church repeatedly in the book of Judges.
The only hope of America's return to cultural sanity is in the growing up of our pulpits and a return to mature theological preaching which trains God's people in the wisdom and admonition of Christ. | | Before you go about your day be sure to sign up for Dr. Piper's free podcast here. It takes only a moment of time.
FROM LAST WEEK: Read Part One of Dr Piper's article on Baylor here. __________
Follow Dr. Piper on his podcast here. Follow Dr. Everett Piper weekly in The Washington Times here | | IN CASE YOU MISSED READING ABOUT OUR SUMMER BREAK:
We were all pleased with our spring finale with Governor Stitt and a number of luminaries. Video clips are below.
For some time, I have needed a sabbatical to catch up on my reading, to reflect, and to think more seriously about my writing. For that reason, we are taking an extended summer break and will resume September 17 at the Oklahoma History Center.
We now have an event team who will assist in our meetings which will oversee the September 17 meeting with Our Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice. Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft will be our guest in November.
In 2026, we will conduct weekly meetings in the spring, from February to May, in an effort to provide meaningful content for our legislators.
See the full details under my picture below: | | SEND THIS NEWSLETTER TO A FRIEND HERE. | | MAY 21 MEETING: GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT | | Kevin Stitt's Full Presentation here
Full Meeting here | | ________
THE ARIA SINGERS Sing God Bless America | | ARIA here
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JESSE LEON RODGERS CITY ELDERS | | Jesse Rodgers here
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WADE BURLESON MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE
BOB LINN SABBATICAL | | Wade Burleson: Oklahoma and WWII here
Wade Burleson: Summer Sabbatical for Bob Linn here
Full Meeting here ________ | | FOR THE FIRST TIME . . . GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT MEETS THE MAN HE PARDONED: NATHAN GORMLEY | | The first meeting: Governor Stitt & Nathan Gormley here
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BOB LINN ANNOUNCES FALL SCHEDULE 2025 | | SEPTEMBER 17 WEDNESDAY NOON Supreme Court Chief Justice Justin Rowe
OCTOBER 1 WEDNESDAY NOON State Treasurer Todd Russ
NOVEMBER 4 TUESDAY NITE 7 PM U.S. Attorney General under George W. Bush
DECEMBER 3 WEDNESDAY NOON Christmas ARIA & the Inspirion Singers Special VIP Guests | | APRIL MEETING Tuesday, April 15, 2025
REMINISCING: GOVERNOR KEATING & SECRETARY PERRY | | Watch the presentation here.
Watch all the meeting here. | | Watch the presentation here.
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RUSSELL PERRY & DR. SWAIN CLOSE MEETING by ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE | | Watch the presentation here.
Watch all the meeting here. | | Watch the presentation here.
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