I remember when the news broke last week of Marty Sampson leaving the faith. I am sure I had the same reaction as most. Who the heck is Marty Sampson? Turns out he was a songwriter for Hillsong so the plot thickened. Coming so close on the heels of the Joshua Harris debacle, made people take notice and ask what was going on? Why were prominent Christians deciding they had their fill of Jesus? In Harris' case, he denounced Christ completely on the way out. Despite the early reporting, it appears Marty Sampson has not quite gotten there yet but his faith certainly sounded like it was hanging by a thread. Amidst the various articles from the leaders of the apostate church, one thoughtful response was provided by John Cooper of the Christian rock band, Skillet. It appears this has set poor Marty off again, so let us reason once more through the latest response from Marty Sampson.
'"@johnlcooper Put me on blast in front of all your followers," he says. "Never met you, never spoken to you in my life. I reply to you, on your Instagram page. Your response to me? Silence. @lisabevere reposts. I reply to her on her page. Her response? Silence, and a like for my comment. Many Christian leaders and influencers, all with a blue tick from Instagram, high fiving and back slapping each other.' -- Marty Sampson
I do not know John Cooper and have never heard a "Skillet" song. He does not need me to defend him here and this is not about him, nor even about you Marty. It is about those in the church who will be confused by your recent statements including this attempt to muddy the waters even further. Likewise, I do not know Lisa Bevere, nor do I wish to considering her false teaching. What is at issue here appears to be your level of upset that someone had the temerity to call you out for your personal, yet public, diatribe against the Christian faith last week. Please note the "public" portion of that comment Marty because you chose the path this conversation has gone down, not John Cooper. The reason why this business, your business, is being aired out like public soap opera is you decided that was how you wanted it. You could have bowed out quietly and gracefully and simply refused to offer the why to your what. I am not suggesting you should have only if you were then going to complain about the venue for the conversation, after you chose it, I suggest you grow up, put on your big boy pants and own up to it.
As for your sensitivity here I think it is disingenuous at best. I have seen no high fiving or backslapping amongst what passes for the Christian media. I have seen some over at Charisma speak very highly of you and say they would continue to pray for you. Were there assumptions? Sure, but you did not give them much to go on Marty. Cooper's piece however, had very little to do with you. It had to do with the state of the church and how we deify individual human beings, such as worship leaders when we need to return to the preeminence of the word in our lives as Christians -- to which I say amen. Cooper was saying that we should not make influencers, such as worship leaders, out to be the most influential people in Christendom. I can understand why this hurts since Hillsong taught you the opposite for so many years but your beef should be with them, not John Cooper telling you the hard truth they never would. You are not important Marty, none of us are. Only Christ and His Gospel are important.
"Meanwhile my DM's are FULL of Christians telling me they are wrestling with their faith, the same questions, and commending me for being so brave in speaking out and saying what they wish they had the courage to say." -- Marty Sampson
Yes Marty you were so brave to spit in the face of whom you have made your living off of for decades. Sorry if that is harsh but it is reality. Your stance was not brave nor particularly new since Joshua Harris just took the same stance a month ago. If you read the bible at all during the past 20 years you must know that there is a great end times apostasy and you Mr. Sampson, have just become a part of it. That does not make you nor your situations unique. It does however make it sad because your disillusionment Marty is in following the wrong leaders. You followed liars and heretics like Brian Houston and while he was able to deliver the fame and fortune promises, the christ he sold you was false. Thus, the salvation he promised you were enjoying was equally false. You see, it is no wonder then that your faith failed and quite frankly I give you credit for hanging on as long as you did! So understand Marty that amidst the backslapping you may perceive from the Christian media, those who are in the remnant will pray for you to come to the true Christ, repent, and pick up your cross. There may not be the large concert venues and royalty checks you are used to but there is the solid rock upon which to tether your new-found faith to. He will never forsake you Marty. He will never disappoint you, where I will every single time. Place your faith not in any man Marty.
'All the while, Christian media creates ever more content by writing stories about people losing their faith and doubting, while receiving ZERO backlash for using their megaphones to broadcast those doubts to their audiences. The doubts of one man. Destroying so much good work. Causing so much pain and anguish. Making the lives of faithful Christians so much harder and so much sadder. All this leads me to ask, from a sincere heart: What in God's name is happening to Christianity?"' -- Marty Sampson
Let me answer from a sincere heart Marty. Do not make too big a deal of yourself here. Once again, you chose a public hearing and some have chosen to give you one. Do not be upset since you chose the milieu. What is happening in Christianity is simple. The false teachings of the past forty years have taken hold in the formation of the apostate church, to which you belonged. While many will follow this falseness right up until they stand before Christ and say, "Lord Lord; many others will realize they are chasing a false Christ and seek to extricate themselves from it, as you have done.
You chose to do so in a very public manner. The result is there is a spotlight on you now that simply was not there as a part of Hillsong. Pop artist Andy Warhol once quipped that in the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes. Marty, I do pray that you find the real Christ who can fulfill what 20 years of Hillsong could not possibly give you. I pray you find Him before your life is required of you. I truly do. Until then however, the sand is running low Marty and your fifteen minutes are nearly up.
Rev. Anthony
