Pastor Does the KJV-SmackDown on NewSpring

Mar102008 Filed under: Uncategorized Author: Tony Morgan

Not everyone is a fan of NewSpring Church. Here’s a video from Steven Anderson, pastor of Faithful Word Baptist Church, “an old-fashioned, independent, fundamental, King James Bible only, separated Baptist church” in Tempe, Arizona. In case you have trouble figuring it out, Pastor Anderson is in the “not a fan” category.

If you’d like to see the message series that he references, you can watch or download all the NewSpring messages for free. RoseAngela sings “Livin’ on a Prayer” in the January 6, 2008 message. (btw… She rocked.)

You may also want to check out some of Pastor Anderson’s other messages including “Why Billy Graham is on His Way to Hell.”

(Thanks, DJ, for sharing the love.)

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70 Responses to “Pastor Does the KJV-SmackDown on NewSpring”

Allen
March 10th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

And Steven Anderson’s backdrop is a….switchplate.

Rock on dudes!
Joe Case
March 10th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

OMG!!! I never thought I would want to punch a fellow “pastor” in the throat, but I do now…in Christian love, of course. :)
J. Case
Michael Sainz
March 10th, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Oh wow…

Thanks Tony for pointing this out. We need to reach out to them! Seriously…
Kris Sorensen
March 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm

This guy kills me. He’s got to be one of the funniest pastors I’ve ever seen (next to Perry of course). I think my favorite has to be this one… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDxcyqeRc-4

Keeping it real with “J to the Z”

Kris
Robert Pooley
March 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

I heard there is a church in Tempe Arizona where the pastor has the audacity to throw the holy Word of God down on his pulpit as he preaches… unbelievable these new fangled churches… lol
Los
March 10th, 2008 at 10:31 pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That is awesome.
Andy Gill
March 10th, 2008 at 10:36 pm

It is really sad that some people fail to see what God is doing at places like NewSpring. Last time I read the New Testament, Jesus was a man of relevance. Thank God for relevant churches in America, ones like NewSpring.

NewSpring supporter from Charleston SC,
Andy
Jorda
March 10th, 2008 at 10:45 pm

This guy is pretty unbelievable. Does he realize that if he’s reading a copy of the Bible in English…It’s a translation? KJV…NIV…ESV…translations…
Dave Anderson (moviepastor)
March 10th, 2008 at 10:53 pm

He does a pretty good air guitar!
Chad Payne
March 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

Wow.

Ummmm….

Wow. Words fail me. God help us.

I saw this guy before once before when he preached a sermon about those that “pisseth against the wall.” Come to find out, according to him, the editors of the NIV all pee sitting down! (Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDxcyqeRc-4). Now doesn’t that make you want to go pick up a KJV?

The arrogance this guy demonstrates just breaks my heart.
Tim Anderson
March 10th, 2008 at 11:00 pm

Thou Shall Not Fall Asleep In You Living Room Church
Billy Ritchie
March 10th, 2008 at 11:02 pm

Have seen another one with this guy in it that made me laugh and laugh and laugh. Seems like the problem with pastors in America is that they Pee sitting down. We do not have that problem in the UK. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDxcyqeRc-4
Louis from Kentucky
March 10th, 2008 at 11:07 pm

This guy also believes that pastors should not go to seminary. Man, and to think, if I hadn’t gone to seminary, I wouldn’t know that Jesus didn’t speak in Elizabethan English. Scary Scary stuff. Thankfully, he has a tiny church that has no impact.
Anonymous
March 10th, 2008 at 11:15 pm

It took moxie for you to point this out. It was fascinating. Seems like I remember something about he who is not against us, is for us?
Jeff
March 10th, 2008 at 11:17 pm

If dude would preach JESUS 1/4 as much as he does badmouthing NewSpring, in that clip, he might see some fruit. Tony, you and Perry remember what Nehemiah said, “I am doing a great work, and I will not come down.” Excuse me, I didn’t say that in the KJV. NewSpring is an inspiration to those of us who serve in very traditional churches. Be blessed.
Dan Kyles
March 10th, 2008 at 11:32 pm

I was actually surprised when I heard people in the “audience”! I actually thought that he was a comedian (of sorts) taking the mickey (do you have that expression in the US).
I love this… but I feel kinda weird laughing at it, because I actually think that this guy is serious; that breaks my heart too. His mis-understanding runs very very deep.
Patrick Sievert
March 10th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

I love that guy… my favorite was “The editors of the NIV pee sitting down.”
Todd
March 11th, 2008 at 12:27 am

Newspring has no worries if this guy is the competition. Faithful Word Baptist Church appears to be headed for new levels of mediocrity and ineffectiveness with this guy steering the bus. But hey, who on earth wouldn’t want to spend all day Sunday in an “old-fashioned, independent, fundamental, King James Bible only, separated Baptist church in Tempe, AZ?”…Hey Steve, try this: PREACH THE WORD!
Rich Barrett
March 11th, 2008 at 1:06 am

That is AWESOME! How can I get Steven Anderson to mention Access Church in his next message? You couldn’t buy better publicity!

This guy’s message “Real Men Piss Standing Up” is turning him into a Rock Star. You should be grateful he’s sharing his spotlight with you!

Man, getting dissed by Steven Anderson… I’m so jealous.
Ratcliffe
March 11th, 2008 at 1:48 am

I was introduced via YouTube to this guy a couple of days ago, I didn’t realize that he calling out NewSpring.

Still, all I can say is “wow”. So have you guys done any Madonna songs?
michael
March 11th, 2008 at 6:47 am

it’s true…I hear Perry call Jesus “JC” and “JDawg” all the time! :) This guy is a fruitcake.
Lia
March 11th, 2008 at 8:56 am

I was not aware that Jack from LOST was a preacher in Arizona…I knew I loved Sawyer for a reason. Oh crap, LOST is probably a devil-worshipping show…now I’m really in for it.
Elbee
March 11th, 2008 at 9:04 am

Interesting that he talks about respecting the house of God, the Bible, etc. while banging on the furniture & throwing his KJV Bible around like it’s a collection of the greatese hits of the 80’s!
christopher
March 11th, 2008 at 9:06 am

Is this real? Amazing how the church has changed. I guess that they won’t be getting a giving kiosk (www.securegive.com) anytime soon. I think that I will still call them just to see if I can get some free advertising in their area though…..
Adam Gregory
March 11th, 2008 at 9:14 am

Is it just me of does this guy remind anyone else of Jack from LOST. He sounds and kinda looks like him.

As far as his views go, oh well, thats his view, let him have it, just don’t start mocking him or you risk doing to him exactly what he is doing to NewSpring.
trevor
March 11th, 2008 at 9:23 am

This has got to be an elaborate “gotcha.” There really is no other explanation. At some point, this guy is going to walk out in a pair of holy blue jeans and a t-shirt that says “down with the Pharisees” and say all this was a big ole joke. He’s going to say he really is a big fan of the 4 billion people who came to know Jesus through the ministry of newspring last year and that he is the pastor of a new start up church in Arizona who desperately wants to reach his culture by transitioning his church. He’ll say that all he was doing was poking a little fun and drawing more attention to a successful church. I hope…
Abs
March 11th, 2008 at 9:26 am

So, so sad… can’t help but laugh through my tears…
Scott Williams
March 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am

Thanks for my morning laugh; has he mentioned LifeChurch.tv? LOL
Paul T
March 11th, 2008 at 9:36 am

Painful to watch the video, I’m not sure I can finish it.

I’m not sure why the post though, Tony. This does nothing to bring the body of Christ together. Yes, you have been viciously slandered by someone who doesn’t understand. But he is a fellow brother, a weaker brother as Corinthians would say.

We are commanded to love one another, even if our brother doesn’t reciprocate. I don’t sense the love to our brother here.

One day I hope we will all be in heaven together. My guess is that our brother will be quite shocked by what the heavenly choir looks like, but then, that’s just my best guess…
jweaks
March 11th, 2008 at 9:54 am

Ugh… I’ll just skip watching any of that. Truly sad.

jw
Corey
March 11th, 2008 at 10:19 am

Did you see that his vanity plate says “NOFAGS”?
chris
March 11th, 2008 at 10:51 am

Real meat, yet in a 10 minute introduction the only “meat” is a misquotation of Paul’s words to Timothy.

That’s a sad deal. I’d comment more, but I have to go piss against the wall.
justatron
March 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am

I don’t think I can even watch that since I more or less grew up hearing preaching like that. It is truly sad, but there are lots and lots of little churches like that. So wrapped up in the minor details of versions and such. I used to be like that, but thank God he opened my eyes to what is truly important. Preachers like that personify what Rob Bell calls “Brickians”.

However, I do carry a copy of the KJV with me at all times just in case I get trapped in a time warp and sent back to England in the 1600s.
Casie Stevens
March 11th, 2008 at 11:37 am

Eye for an eye, is it? How is this thread ripping on Mr. Anderson any different than Mr. Anderson ripping on NewSpring?
Richard
March 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

This guys needs to get his facts straight and not insult Lee and the band. They weren’t playing guitar hero. They were rockin out the song on real instruments. There was nothing fake about it. And the Lord said “It was good!”
Joseph
March 11th, 2008 at 12:32 pm

I’d be lying if I said I was stunned. Unfortunately I’ve seen much worse! There’s a guy from Australia who does a whole series ripping Rob Bell’s NOOMA videos. Isn’t it amazing that he spends 20 mins of his service ripping to shreds something that someone else is doing of value to the Kingdom yet he, in the same breathe he says that real Christianity is preaching “meat” from the Scriptures. Honestly, as hard as it may appear to be, we must pray for people like this who actually subvert the truth of the word of God believing that they are representing God. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say about a “one word” conference titled “Unleash.” :)
Amy
March 11th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

I think I just peed my pants. Too funny.
josh max
March 11th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

dang liberals!
Terrace Crawford
March 11th, 2008 at 3:10 pm

I’m familiar with this guy. He is most notable for the “No Peeing Sitting Down” sermon–http://terracecrawford.blogspot.com/2008/02/rethinking-kjv.html

Tony, he gave your church like a DDT, Piledriver and a People’s elbow. I don’t get it … he spent the entire time bashing your church. How profitable is that? This is modern day casting stones, for real.
Terrace Crawford
March 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pm

To his credit (as I just checked the website for his church) he has committed over 100 chapters of the Bible to memory. Thats pretty impressive.
Dan
March 11th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

I find it funny that Dude is using youtube and actually knows what DDR and Guitar Hero. Liberal influence, watch out!
Dj Berges
March 11th, 2008 at 4:25 pm

I checked his church website and they don’t watch any tv but he lists many currect tv shows….
they don’t watch any tv….but have internet access….

He even found some errors on the Spanish translation of the bible…
Since I’m from Central-america….I gotta get me one KJV.
scott engbrecht
March 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pm

Is he in the basement of a Moose Lodge? Will Ferrell could do this guy to a tee.
Christine Henry
March 11th, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Okay, the way I see it is this guy is envious that he is not “innovative”. The reality is “GOD’S WORD NEVER CHANGES BUT HE IS ALL ABOUT CHANGE”!!! NUFF SAID!
Chris Williams
March 11th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

Someone should do a word study on “house of God”. It never meant the building, but the sum of the individuals gathered to worship together in Christ.

“love”
jane
March 11th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

I can’t wait to be in Heaven when Pastor Anderson sees Perry and all the lives that have been changed through the preaching at NewSpring!

Got your back Perry! I praise God daily for the teaching at NS!
Tim Chambers
March 11th, 2008 at 6:17 pm

Tony - I was so pissed off by what I heard that I looked him up and sent him an e-mail. Here is what I told him.

“Wow, for someone who claims to be faithful to the word your attack on Perry Noble must have made God throw up. Where was Matthew 18.? How do you justify your blatant attack as scriptural. As a preacher of the word myself, I found your words absolutely sinful and self serving. It’s people like you that drive people from the kingdom of God. I don’ say this as a joke, but you make me sick”.

Last year we had a family from our church move to your town and I am so glad they found your church. Thanks for what you guys are doing.
Daryl Strickland
March 11th, 2008 at 7:48 pm

I just wasted five minutes of my life. Tony you owe me!!
Whitney
March 11th, 2008 at 11:19 pm

What a hilarious way to end my day with a bonus nutrition lesson at the end of the ’sermon’! WOW!
Phil Thompson
March 12th, 2008 at 12:11 am

I always was suspicious of that Billy Graham character too!
Dale Best
March 12th, 2008 at 12:43 am

Sadly, I grew up in a church like this. Granted, the pastor I heard each week wasn’t this incendiary. But many foks in our congregation would come to the same conclusions about the world and our place in it in a way similar to this preacher.

My heart aches for people like this. I long to see mentalities like this be broken by the Holy Spirit so they can experience Jesus and all He has to offer in true freedom, truth, and love.

Before you laugh at this guy, understand he speaking to a crowd of people you can’t see in this video…and know that those people are loved by God and have special places in the Kingdom.
Tony Wheeler
March 12th, 2008 at 6:16 am

Wow.

If I went to that church I would ask for my money back.

It is funny that ‘liberal churches’ never baptize anyone or see any lives transformed. I find it also funny that dude goes off for a bit about how NewSpring has 9000 people coming in South Carolina. He even seems surprised by that…but he isn’t surprised by the fact that 9000 people is 1/3 of the town of Anderson.

Preaching the gospel to people really isn’t love. Showing them the gospel is.

I’m guessing that Tony posted this more as a light hearted thing…I’m also guessing that Perry would probably have Guitar Hero every week just to piss this dude off. Ha. I’d even move to Anderson to be the Guitar Hero Pastor.
AndersonDude
March 12th, 2008 at 7:09 am

Acts 5:38,39 - I seem to recall Perry quoting these verses a couple of times about people attacking NewSpring. Seems you guys can’t do the same when it comes to others. I don’t see what your point was for this except to make fun of somebody else.
Jeremy
March 12th, 2008 at 9:43 am

I love NewSpring, so that means I must piss sitting down.
David Richardson
March 12th, 2008 at 10:54 am

Ha! Ha! Ha! That was just plain funny.

I guess I’d just consider the source and move on.
Scott McClellan
March 12th, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Isn’t it sad when someone’s desire to follow Christ inspires them to hate more than love?
jennifer
March 12th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

Dear Pastor Steven Anderson:

“…You Give Love A Bad Name”

-God
Benjamin
March 12th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

I am shocked that so few have commented about this, why the post? Tony, surely you had to have known just how big of a fire this would have started. Although there are some good things at Newspring, there are definitely faults there too. But that does not mean that I should post videos on youtube bashing your church. At the same time, I shouldn’t put videos out there that bash this guy’s church. It’s not right.

If Steve and Perry are truly saved, then they both belong to the Body of Christ. Why would we want to be hurting the Body by trying to destroy one another’s ministries just because we don’t agree with what they say or think and then get dozens or hundreds of other people upset when the cause really isn’t theirs to take up?

I have read probably every comment on every page that this story is talked about, and judging from the comments, the majority of people are claiming to love Jesus and and their church and want to defend their church by slamming this other guy. But what does an unsaved person/ a person who doesn’t know or love Jesus think when he sees all of this backbiting happening between Christians???? Why would he want any part of Christianity if we are fighting over something as trivial as this? If we keep this up, people won’t want to change their life and love Jesus because we act no different than they do and why should they change?

There are many things that could be said both ways… But I personally think and I believe that the Bible backs me up on this, that continuing on with posts and comments like the ones made today not only hurt the Body of Christ, but they hurt it’s testimony much more than one man preaching (whether it is right or wrong). Thanks for reading and I hope that someone can understand this post!
Nathan Wright
March 13th, 2008 at 12:05 am

“he that standeth up and pisseth and goes to newspring goes to hell…” - Steven Anderson

what a joke. but a sad joke…very sad…
Kenny
March 13th, 2008 at 1:54 am

I especially liked how he had to clarify that it was South Carolina, not New York City. As if South Carolina couldn’t muster up 8,000 people. Hmmmm. Funny stuff.
wonderingfellow
March 13th, 2008 at 12:53 pm

And we have to love this guy. Love him in a way that shows compassion for him. He was raised to to get angry like this. He saw it in the church that he came from. He’s encouraged by the people that he knows and his mentors to think this way. He has a single understanding of what Christ calls us to and it’s tradtion and old-time religion more than love.

Yeah we’ve got to love him. Show him that he may not agree with our ideas but he can’t argue with our love and if he does argue with our love then we know were his heart is.

Maybe we should all send him an email that says “We’re sorry that you are offended by our ideas, but we love you and will honor you.” I challenge everyone to send him an email and simply say that and then sit down and pray for him. His church’s email address is Info@faithfulwordbaptist.org. Lets fill his inbox with love.
Nick
March 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm

I have not watched the video yet, I am in Panera Bread without ear phones, however just from the description I have to say, these kind of people irritate the fire out of me. I was influenced with this kind of bondage in my most impressionable years as a child and a teenager, thank God he freed me! (My wife still reminds me of my folly - KJV word!)

My mom went to a church in Greenville…she had a a parallel Bible, NIV/KJV or something like that, and the preacher’s whole message was about KJV only, he stood at the door shaking the 30 or so people’s hands on the way out…she said she felt like hiding carrying the Bible he just bashed.

My biggest issue from growing up in this junk, is that Satan uses this it to distract from people getting saved. Why spend all of that time bashing New Spring, when he could have been sharing the Good News and leading people to Jesus? Its a shame!
Tom Kluender
March 15th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

it sounds like all three ogf the attenders at his church are in agreement.
Derrick Henslee
March 16th, 2008 at 9:52 pm

My favorite part is when he quoted Paul as if Paul spoke in the Old English vernacular.
P. Lever
March 16th, 2008 at 11:19 pm

As a member of Newspring, this video absolutely infuriated me at first, then I remembered my very first reaction of Perry and of Newspring Church. I too, was raised with “The Rules and regulations of Church”, and the Newspring services are very different. However, God is using Perry in an amazing way to reach people and getting them to accept Christ. I thank God for him. I praise God for including me in the vision Perry has and allowing me to be a part of this wonderful and innovative church! I pray that Steven Anderson will one day see and understand the vision of Newspring Church. Love in Christ be with you!
Steven Grey
March 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm

The amazing thing is..you can watch a NewSpring “one word” service and hear scripture. You listen to this guy’s you tube post..and he just asserts personal preference. He doesn’t even offer biblical evidence of why his view point is superior. I believe he is just spreading propaganda.
Greg Wilson
March 19th, 2008 at 9:05 am

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers

In the face of all this silly, shallow religion, I am grateful NewSpring has chosen to not grow weary in doing good.
Camille Klein
April 10th, 2008 at 7:46 pm

You have SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO missed the boat - And I mean NOAH’S ARK. I was there for “livin on a prayer ” Newspring is NOT just about PERRY ..IT IS ABOUT SAVING LOST SOULS !!!!!!!!!! CAUSE I WAS ONE LOST SOUL . Please don’t be afraid of what is different or what “you hear” CAUSE SHE WAS “THERE” I WAS THERE TOO MAN AND THAT IS NOT WHAT I HEARD - DON’T DIS UNTIL YOU LIVE NEWSPRING FOR YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!! I DARE YOU TO COME TO NEWSPRING YOURSELF AND HEAR THE WORD OF JESUS CHRIST FOR YOURSELF .
Curt Hiott
May 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

This guy needs to read (his KJV of course) Matthew 28: 18-20. Maybe then he will understand that its OK to have more than 17 people in your church….sorry, i’m just one of those liberals
Nathan Shoemaker
May 4th, 2008 at 10:01 pm

I don’t get it… is this his sermon??? If his problem is ‘people watching the pastors play a video game’ and wondering how it constitutes ‘church’, what is this supposed to constitute? A) He’s just complaining from a pulpit about absolutely nothing relevant to salvation, and B) it just sounds like he is rambling… and finally C) I highly doubt this message carries any relevance to his members; I mean, is he afraid they’re going to switch to a ‘liberal church’? I guess I’d just have to sum this up with WOW. Simply, WOW.

Tony Morgan is a pastor and the Chief Strategic Officer at NewSpring Church where he develops creative solutions for communications, technology and NewSpring Ministries--the church's ministry that equips other church leaders.
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