Category: Warren Throckmorton

Note: When I first published this post, I wondered if K-LOVE had dropped sponsorship. According to Gene Krcelic at McDowell Motorsports, K-LOVE is still racing.
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(Original post)
Radio giant K-LOVE may have dropped sponsorship of car #95 with Michael McDowell as driver. A search of K-LOVE’s website finds a link to the old article introducing McDowell, but when one clicks the link, it goes nowhere. A site search shows several news article relating to NASCAR were once available via K-LOVE news, but they have been removed from the site. An archived page regarding McDowell and K-LOVE is available via the Wayback Machine.
I asked K-LOVE and Michael McDowell for comment but there has been no reply. I have been unable to find any indication from NASCAR sources that K-LOVE will be involved in the 2017 season.
I wrote about the K-LOVE NASCAR connection several months ago as an indication that K-LOVE may not need donor money just to keep stations on the air.
UPDATE: Gene Krcelic with Michael McDowell Motorsports wrote to say K-LOVE is still a sponsor. No word from K-LOVE about why all NASCAR content has been removed.

Last month, I pointed out that dominionist minister Lance Wallnau claimed a doctorate from Phoenix University of Theology. The school grants credits for “life experience” and appears to award entire degrees without any classes or tests. This characteristic alone makes it appear to be a diploma mill (see the federal definition of a diploma mill).
Holding classes would require classrooms and it may be that PUT doesn’t have those either. Recently, reader Dee Holmes went by the address listed on the PUT website to see their facility. It turns out that PUT wasn’t listed among the many businesses which also claim 3420 E. Shea Blvd., Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ as an address. See the photo below (click the image to enlarge it):

An examination of the list of businesses on the directory reveals no address for Phoenix University of Theology. The school did not reply to my question about the location of the school. On PUT’s incorporation papers, 2401 W. Paradise Ln., Phoenix, AZ is listed as the address. This address is a private residence.
Like diploma mill Life Christian University, PUT has a distinguished graduate list. Among them are:

William Boykin – Family Research Council
T.D. Jakes – The Potter’s House
Ben Kinchlow – 700 Club
Lance Wallnau – Seven Mountains Underground
H. Norman Wright – Family counselor, formerly on the faculty at Biola University

The last name surprised me since Wright has taught as reputable schools (e.g., Biola). He apparently is not on Biola’s faculty at present.
I asked Wright twice via his website about how he earned his D.Min. He did not respond.
Although with a slightly different method, PUT appears to be another Christian diploma mill which provides famous Christian people with a means to persuade the trusting masses that they are experts.

Earlier this week, the Indian press reported that 20,000 NGOs had been cancelled by Prime Minister Modi’s crusade against corruption. According to those reports, only 13,000 NGOs remain as approved by the government.
It is unclear if any of the NGOs connected to mission giant Gospel for Asia has been caught up in the crack down. The government’s Home Ministry website provides lists of about 12,000 NGOs which are not now approved and none of the GFA organizations are listed. However, given the reports of 20,000 cancelled, presumably more will be announced in the days ahead.
In looking for information about the drastic measures, I learned that Gospel for Asia in India is now called Ayana Charitable Trust (see this blog post at India Happenings). To my knowledge, this name change was not disclosed to donors outside of India. The Gospel for Asia – India website is not functional and hasn’t been for months. Apparently, donations from America, Canada and around the world are being sent to Believers’ Church as well as a handful of NGOs in India, all affiliated with Believers’ Church.
Apparently, Gospel for Asia isn’t operating as GFA in India.
Recent government filings indicate no foreign contributions to Ayana Charitable Trust. For instance, look at this report filed in the last quarter of FY 2015-2016.

However, in April 2016 the Deccan Chronicle reported robust contributions for 2014-2015 to Ayana Charitable Trust, Believers’ Church, Love India Ministry and Last Hour Ministry, all affiliated with Believers’ Church. This reflects donations from GFA in Wills Point, TX to these NGOs. The Chronicle reported the donations to Ayana and not the old name of Gospel for Asia. However, as noted above, Ayana reported no contributions in the last quarter of FY 2015-2016.
It is unclear why GFA has changed the name in India. Creating multiple NGOs and changing their names does make it harder to track donations. Given the intense scrutiny of GFA’s activities (leading to expulsion from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability), making it hard to track activities might be a defensive strategy.

Here I list the ten most visited posts of 2016. As you will see, this list doesn’t correspond to the top stories of the year.

1. The American College of Pediatricians versus the American Academy of Pediatrics: Who leads and who follows? – This 2011 post became popular again as a means of demonstrating that the ACP is a fringe group compared to the AAP. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I wrote this post to debunk a David Barton claim.

2. Open Letter to Gateway Pastor Robert Morris From a Former Member of Mars Hill Church – This 2014 post has been popular since it was published. When Robert Morris downplayed Mark Driscoll’s offenses at Mars Hill Church, he offended many former attenders of the church including the articulate author of this post.
3. NewSpring Church Won’t Deny Departure of Perry Noble (UPDATED – Noble Dismissed July 1) – After days of speculation, megachurch New Spring Church announced the departure of founding pastor Perry Noble during their regular Sunday morning worship service. Noble acknowledged alcohol abuse and said he would go into a counseling program.
4. Tullian Tchividjian Out at Willow Creek Presbyterian; Majority of Liberate Network Board Members Quit (UPDATED) – Tchividjian’s fall has continued to reverberate. Most recently, he was accused of multiple extramarital relationships and censured by an organization that has his brother and uncle as board members. His publisher David C. Cook is sticking with him.
5. Glenn Beck on Why Ted Cruz Will Win: We Have Almighty God on Our Side – Election 2016 overshadowed everything – real news, sanity, theology, etc. Although Beck is singing a different tune now, he was all in for Ted Cruz during the primaries, saying that God was on his side. Apparently, even God had to acquiesce to the Trump train.
6. Darrin Patrick Has Been Relieved of Pastoral Duties at The Journey – It was a hard year for megachurch pastors.
7. Former Chief Financial Officer at Turning Point Claims David Jeremiah Used Questionable Methods to Secure a Spot on Best Seller Lists – David Jeremiah largely dodged the scrutiny Mark Driscoll received over using deception to prop up their books. However, this post continues to attract reader attention. Jeremiah’s last couple of books haven’t made the best seller lists so he may have quietly put aside the schemes.
8. Mark Driscoll Announces Launch of The Trinity Church (UPDATED) – Rumored since early 2015, Driscoll finally started a church in Phoenix. Displaying his flair for the dramatic, Driscoll’s congregation went on the hook for a mid-century modern building which once housed a drive in church.
9. RICO Lawsuit Filed Against Former Leaders of Mars Hill Church; ECFA Named As Co-Conspirator – Although later dismissed, this lawsuit alleged mishandling of funds at Mars Hill Church, specifically naming Sutton Turner and Mark Driscoll.
10. A Major Study of Child Abuse and Homosexuality Revisited – This 2009 post has appeared before in my top ten lists. This study is often used by those who want to stigmatize LGB people. However, an error in the study report renders it nearly useless for scientific purposes.
Thanks for reading and I hope 2017 is full of blessings. After 2016, we need a breather.
 

We all knew that Donald Trump thought highly of himself.
Now on the day after Christmas, we learn that Trump is responsible for dispelling the gloom and bringing hope to the World.

The world was gloomy before I won – there was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10% and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2016

Made me think of the old hymn: The Father’s Sole Begotten Son
Redeemer, come with power benign,
Dwell in the souls that look for Thee;
O let Thy light within us shine
That we may Thy salvation see.
Abide with us, O Lord, we pray,
Dispel the gloom of doubt and woe;
Wash every stain of guilt away,
Thy tender healing grace bestow.
-Dykes and Pollock, 1889
That perhaps is the most frightening tweet yet.