J-Mac 2

Posted on by Tom

As with my previous review of Coach Johnson’s book about J-Mac, I’m publishing this book review here and at my other blog, Tom’s Other Topics. I apologize if you received this post twice.

The Game of My Life: A True Story of Challenge, Triumph, and Growing Up Autistic
By Jason “J-Mac” McElwain and Daniel Paisner
New American Library/Penguin, 2008, 276 pp.

Several weeks ago, I reviewed “A Coach and a Miracle: Life Lessons from a Man Who Believed in an Autistic Boy.” The book was written by Coach Jim Johnson, who gave Jason “J-Mac” McElwain, an autistic 17 y/o, the opportunity to play in the last four minutes of a high school basketball game in February 2006. Jason responded by scoring twenty points and becoming an instant celebrity across the country. I wasn’t a big fan of Coach Johnson’s book because of the self-flattery and self-congratulatory praise within (see my review here).

In researching J-Mac’s story, I noticed that he had written (along with co-writer Daniel Paisner) a book of his own and I subsequently downloaded the Kindle e-book version. Ah, this book was MUCH better! J-Mac intersperses his memories of growing up autistic with the details leading up to and including his big game on February 15, 2006. There’s also input from Jason’s parents and older brother to round out the story. I really enjoyed reading J-Mac’s first-hand account compared to Coach Johnson’s problematic version.

The best part about the J-Mac story is fourteen years after his big game, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior through faith alone. Below is a 12-minute video of Jason sharing his testimony with his Faith Bible Church family on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his big game. He relates that he grew up Roman Catholic and never heard the Gospel of grace. I don’t subscribe to Jason’s remarks about the ecumenical National Day of Prayer and COVID denial, but his testimony is a blessing just the same.

He is Risen!

Posted on by Tom

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. – 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Hundreds of millions of people around the globe will be attending church service today to commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection, but many/most of them have not personally accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior through faith alone.

Pray to Jesus. Accept Him as your Savior through faith alone.

Got Questions – What does it mean to accept Jesus as your personal Savior?
https://www.gotquestions.org/personal-Savior.html

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 4/4/26

Posted on by Tom

Above photos, L to R: Catholic bishop Brendan J. Cahill and Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals

The inaugural meeting of the Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration (ECDI) was held on March 24th. The ECDI is being co-chaired by bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Committee on Migration, and Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (photos above). No believer can imagine apostle Paul yoking and strategizing with works-righteousness religious unbelievers on the “social issues” of his ancient era.

MAGA-ism continues to divide over the issue of Israel. The ongoing war with Iran is a point of contention.

Pressure will continue to mount within the RCC to 1) ordain women as deacons and eventually as priests, and 2) to embrace practicing S&G-uals as members in good standing.

In a recent letter to French Catholic bishops, pope Leo encouraged them to be more accommodating of those conservative and traditionalist Catholics who cherish the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). This would appear to be a soft-pause or even possibly a soft-reversal of pope Francis’s policy to limit and eventually eliminate the TLM as propagated in his 2021 Traditionis custodes apostolic letter.

This kind of Gospel-compromising ecumenical “service” event proliferates around Easter time. BTW, the Catholic writer of this article is misinformed about his own religion. The RCC does not view itself as just another denomination, but as the “one true church.”

As the world’s political-economic situation becomes increasingly unstable, a number of people are turning from secularism to the religious ritualism and ceremony of the Roman Catholic church. They are trading one empty hope for another.1

  • Catholic Easter masses will be packed tomorrow

Tomorrow, hundreds of millions of Roman Catholics around the world will attend Easter mass and then return home and continue with their attempts to merit their salvation as their church teaches. Catholics are a mission field and need to hear the genuine Good News! Gospel of salvation by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

  1. Got Questions – Is Catholicism a false religion? ↩︎

Answering “The Catholicism Answer Book,” Question #34: Why did Jesus die?

Posted on by Tom

Thanks for joining us today as we continue our Friday series examining “The Catholicism Answer Book” (2007), written by Roman Catholic priests, John Trigilio and Kenneth D. Brighenti. In this chapter, Trigilio and Brighenti respond to Question #34: Why did Jesus die?

The priests’ response

The priests’ answer is comprised of four paragraphs. I’m presenting the three most pertinent paragraphs below in full and have boldened four statements that I will refer to in my response.

“Jesus died to save us from our sins. Were He only a man and not also divine, then His death would have been tragic but not salvific. The human race could only be saved by a Savior and only redeemed by a Redeemer. Original sin wounded human nature so that everyone born after Adam and Eve was incapable of saving even themselves, let alone the rest of humanity. Mankind needed a Savior. That Savior would have to make the ultimate and supreme sacrifice. Jesus Himself said there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend (John 15:13).”

“Saint Paul says in his epistle to the Corinthians, ‘Christ died for our sins’ (1 Cor. 15:3). Matthew tells us in his Gospel, ‘The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (20:28). Even the prophet Isaiah foretold in the Old Testament before Christ was born, ‘he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed…and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter (53:5-7).”

“God’s love for us is perfect and is truly agape, as He willingly sacrificed His only Son and the Son willingly sacrificed His own life for our salvation. The death of Jesus was not forced upon Him; He willingly embraced it as painful and horrible because of His love for each one of us. This supreme act of sacrificial love atoned for the sin and pride of our first parents (Adam and Eve) and for all our own individual sins which in essence are acts of rebellion against the dominion of God. Jesus’ death opened the gates of heaven which were previously shut when man and woman arrogantly placed their will above God’s will.”

My response

Scripture declares that Jesus Christ, God the Son incarnate, paid the penalty for sin by His sacrificial death on the cross.1 All those who accept Jesus as their Savior through faith alone have their sins forgiven and have eternal life in Christ. Some Christians may read the priests’ response and naively be in agreement, however, I underlined four problematic statements written by the priests, which I will now briefly examine.

1) “Original sin wounded human nature…”

As we saw in previous chapters,2 the priests once again propagate the RCC doctrine that people’s souls are merely “wounded” by sin and are capable of rehabilitation via partaking in the RC sacraments and striving to live upright lives and thereby “hopefully” merit Heaven at the moment of death. Contrary to this works-righteousness false gospel, the Bible declares that we are all depraved sinners with no plea of our own before God the Righteous Judge.3 Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior through faith alone and receiving His imputed perfect righteousness can we be in right standing before God.4

2) “That Savior would have to make the ultimate and supreme sacrifice”

The priests refer to Jesus’s sacrifice on Calvary as “the ultimate and supreme sacrifice” for sin, yet the RCC contends that its priests offer up efficacious sacrifice for sin at an estimated 475,000 daily masses throughout the world.5 In contrast, the Bible declares that Jesus’s sacrifice was once for all time.6

3) “Even the prophet Isaiah foretold in the Old Testament before Christ was born…”

The Roman Catholic church denies the doctrine of Penal (Forensic) Substitutionary Atonement, a basic Biblical and evangelical doctrine, which declares that “Christ, voluntarily submitting to God the Father’s plan, was punished (penalized) in the place of sinners (substitution), thus satisfying the demands of justice and propitiation, so God can justly forgive sins making us at one with God (atonement).”7 Catholic apologists often disparage Penal Substitutionary Atonement as “cosmic child abuse.” It’s ironic then that the priests refer to Isaiah 53 here because the prophetically Messianic chapter clearly teaches that doctrine:

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” – Isaiah 53:4

“Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief.” – Isaiah 53:10

Of course the priests avoid those particular verses. Regarding the atonement, the RCC presents a nebulous interpretation, with Jesus as a substitute, but not bearing the wrath of God for sin.

“‘For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.’ By his obedience unto death, Jesus accomplished the substitution of the suffering Servant, who ‘makes himself an offering for sin,’ when “he bore the sin of many,’ and who “shall make many to be accounted righteous,’ for “he shall bear their iniquities.’ Jesus atoned for our faults and made satisfaction for our sins to the Father.” – CCC 6158

4) “Jesus’ death opened the gates of heaven“

As we encountered in previous chapters, the RCC teaches that by His death, Jesus merely opened the gates of Heaven, and that is up to each individual to merit their way through the gates by partaking of the sacraments, successfully obeying the Ten Commandments (impossible!), and performing meritorious good works.9

⚠️ Here’s our bottom line and it’s extremely important. Roman Catholicism doesn’t actually have a good answer as to why Jesus died. According to RC theology, a person must, in essence, save themselves by successfully obeying the Ten Commandments10 (impossible!). That of course immediately brings to mind the following Scripture:

“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” – Galatians 2:21

  1. Got Questions – Why did Jesus have to die? ↩︎
  2. Answering “The Catholicism Answer Book,” Question #11: What was the original sin? – WordPress post ↩︎
  3. Got Questions – What does it mean that all have sinned? ↩︎
  4. Got Questions – Why does Christ’s righteousness need to be imputed to us? ↩︎
  5. The Unending Liturgy: How Catholic Mass Circles the Globe Every Second – Catholic article ↩︎
  6. Got Questions – What does it mean that Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 7:27)? ↩︎
  7. Penal substitution – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  8. Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 615 ↩︎
  9. “Catholics believe that Christ’s death opened the gates of heaven for us. But we still need to earn graces that cleanse and purify our souls of sin so we can get into heaven. We need to become saints here on earth (sanctified) in order to be justified.” – Catholic writer, Gene M. Van Son, “Predestination and How Sanctifying Grace Justifies Us” ↩︎
  10. A semi-epiphany in a Catholic church vestibule in 1967 – WordPress post ↩︎

Next week: Question #35: What was Jesus’ mission on Earth?

Proclaiming the Gospel to Roman Catholics Newsletter – April 2026

Posted on by Tom

I’m pleased to present the April, 2026 newsletter of the Proclaiming the Gospel outreach ministry to Roman Catholics, directed by evangelist, Mike Gendron. Below is Mike’s lead article in the newsletter:

Are You Engaged in the Battle For Truth?

In an age where the truth of God’s Word is being denied, dismissed or discredited by dishonest and deceitful people who are trapped in religious deception, we must always be ready and willing to defend the truth! To do nothing is to aid and abet the enemies of Christ. Paul and the apostles did not yield in subjection to the opposition for even an hour, so that the truth of the Gospel would remain (Gal. 2:5). Clearly, there is no room for complacency or apathy. It is the God-given responsibility and privilege of every Christian to defend the truth of God’s Word…

To continue reading the article and the entire newsletter, see here.

Roman Catholicism Through the Lens of Scripture, Episode 5: The History of Roman Catholicism’s Drift into Apostasy

Posted on by Tom

Welcome to the fifth installment of our ten-week video series in which evangelical evangelist Mike Gendron examines Roman Catholicism through the lens of Scripture.

In Episode 5 below (41-minutes), Mike discusses the history of Roman Catholicism’s drift into apostasy.

Throwback Tuesday: Balancing blogging with “real life”

Posted on by Tom

Welcome to this week’s “Throwback” installment. I switched the post from Thursday to Tuesday because of scheduling constraints. Today, we’re going to revisit a post that was originally published back on April 17, 2018 and has been revised. It was interesting perusing through my thoughts about blogging from eight years ago. Most of the convictions still apply.

Lately, I’ve seen a few notices from Christian bloggers like the example above, in which the person announced they were disengaging from all social media because they felt like it was overtaking their life.

I don’t have a smart phone1 nor do I have a Facebook, Twitter,2 Instagram, or Pinterest account, but I have posted on the WordPress blogosphere most every day for the last thirty-three months. I view my blog as a ministry from the Lord, providing content that’s getting harder and harder to find in this increasingly ecumenical era. The Lord provides the motivation to research the subject material and write the posts. Oh, if the nuns could see me now. I also enjoy reading others’ postings and I’m regularly blessed by the blogs that I subscribe to. I purposely limit the number of blogs I follow because I actually do try to read the postings and there’s only so much time in the day.

I’ve been very blessed by many bloggers over the past three years, too many to name. I’ve shared personal thoughts and struggles and have been blessed by prayers and encouragement. It’s also a blessing to encourage others and uphold them in prayer. We’ve had some disagreements, but that happens in a family. The Lord has often taught me humility through brothers and sisters who hold opposing views. No, I definitely don’t have the “final word” in regards to secondary doctrinal beliefs. Friends have come and gone over the last three years. Some former blogging friends have abruptly withdrawn from WordPress. With others, the theological (or other) differences turn out to be too wide to bridge. I also realize a blog such as mine rubs many the wrong way these days. As I’ve shared before, when it comes to theology I’m a bit of a square peg in that I’m too “liberal” for fundamentalists and too “conservative” for ecumenists.

So what am I getting at with all of this? Many Christians here at WP also see their blogging activity as a ministry and more than worthy of their time and effort. However, as I’m reminded by these recent “farewell” postings, social media can also easily overtake our lives, drawing us away from our relationships with our family and “non-virtual” friends and even from our time with the Lord. The tail sometimes ends up wagging the dog. Over the past three years, I’ve struggled to properly prioritize the time I spend here at WP as I’m sure some of you have also. We all need to find the proper balance, right? How have you successfully managed your blogging time?

A few more random thoughts:

  • Most bloggers enjoy having their posts read and acknowledged. Most importantly, we pray that our posts might be used by the Holy Spirit to pique the interest of the lost and to be of help to believers. It’s enjoyable to encourage others and to be encouraged, but I realized a long time ago that my subject material by its very nature isn’t going to garner a lot of  followers and “likes.” So my motivation ultimately has to be to please the Lord.
  • Isn’t it amazing when someone “likes” your 700-word post three seconds after you’ve published it? That’s fast reading!
  • Blogging can be profitable if you accumulate enough followers. One of the strategies of becoming a popular blogger is to “follow” a multitude of blogs and hit the “like” button on as many posts as possible and hope for reciprocation. Caralyn at beautybeyondbones has been faithfully “liking” my posts for three years although I doubt she has actually read a single one of them since we’re worlds apart theologically. Damien at mrdparrott was doing the same for awhile.
  • My wife would rather see me working on projects around the house than blogging, so I write most of my posts when she’s sleeping or out of the house. My wife knows I maintain a blog, but has no interest in reading my posts. Well, that’s one way of keeping me humble.
  • Anytime we create something, there’s always the temptation to be prideful rather than giving credit to our Creator.
  • I recently decided to take Mondays off from blogging.3 A second day is a future possibility. I think the break will be a healthy respite. I’m also trying to limit my posts to 500 words for my benefit and the benefit of readers. Whoops! So much for good intentions! I’m already 200 words over!
  • The souls we interact with on the internet are no less “real” than those in the non-virtual world.
  • The following is a Public Service Announcement addressing the widespread misuse of the word, “blog”: A blog is a website where “posts” are published. A post is not a blog and a blog is not a post.4
  1. My wife and I acquired smart phones later in 2018 because she needed one for work at the time. ↩︎
  2. In December 2020, I began re-publishing my posts on Twitter/X, although my activity on that particular platform is less than minimal. ↩︎
  3. My Monday sabbaticals didn’t last long. I’ve been publishing a daily post for quite some time. I have no shortage of topics to post about. Perhaps I’ll begin taking a day off each week at some point later this year. ↩︎
  4. Blog vs. Post: What’s the Difference? – Grammarly article ↩︎

Sunday video shorts with Jonathan Carl, #10: Do Grace and the Holy Spirit come through the Catholic sacraments?

Posted on by Tom

Welcome to our Sunday video-shorts series, featuring Jonathan Carl, pastor of South Fork Baptist Church in Hodgenville, Kentucky.

In this 3:28-minute video-short, Jonathan answers the question, Do grace and the Holy Spirit come through the Catholic sacraments?

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Below is a link to Jonathan’s website, The Catholic Blog.
https://www.catholic.blog/

Welcome to the Weekend Roundup! – News & Views – 3/28/26

Posted on by Tom

Above photo: Multiple Roman Catholic priests officiating at a Catholic mass held at the Museum of the Bible on March 18th

The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., founded and supported by the “evangelical Protestant” Green Family (Hobby Lobby), has cooperated closely with the Vatican in the past in presenting multiple exhibits, but now we see the museum hosted a Roman Catholic mass on March 18th as part of its Ecumenical Forum, the stated purpose of which is to “bridge divisions and create a gracious space of collaboration.” The lack of discernment among so-called “evangelical Protestants” is astounding and dangerous. I wouldn’t set foot in the Gospel-betraying Museum of the Bible.

Catholic apologist and Turning Point USA key speaker, Michael Knowles, addressed the 1,500 attendees at the 21st annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on March 19. In his speech, Knowles praised Catholic contributions to the USA. A letter from pope Leo XIV was also read to the attendees during the ceremonies. Knowles and his fellow Roman Catholics follow their church’s false gospel of salvation by sacramentalism and merit. They are a mission field. Many misguided evangelicals would view this National Catholic Prayer Breakfast approvingly. They have allowed political-religious ecumenism to compromise their loyalty to the Gospel of grace.

President Trump issued official statements acknowledging St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and also recognizing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Joseph (March 19). Trump set the precedent for acknowledging Catholic holidays last year. According to the above article, “In 2025, the first year of his second term, Trump issued statements honoring other Catholic feast days, a rarity for U.S. presidents, including on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, Sept. 29, and on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8.” Despite Trump’s regular pandering to evangelicals, there is zero knowledge of the genuine Gospel at the White House.

Pope Francis shocked conservative and traditionalist Catholics in 2016 when he circumspectly lifted the ban on sacraments for those living in “irregular situations” (i.e., remarried divorcees, unmarried shack-ups) via a footnote in his Amoris Laetitia “apostolic exhortation.” The ruling reversed 1500 years of Catholic teaching on the issue. We see that pope Leo has embraced the controversial “reform” and plans to double-down via a conference in October.

  • Project Hail Mary?

The “Hail Mary pass” is popular in football jargon. It denotes “a very long forward pass…typically made in desperation, with a very small chance of achieving a completion. Due to the difficulty of a completion with this pass, it makes reference to the Catholic ‘Hail Mary’ prayer for strength and help.” 1 The phrase originated with football players at Notre Dame Catholic university in the 1920s. A recent movie, “Project Hail Mary,” is doing well at the box office. It depicts a science teacher-turned-astronaut who strives to save Earth from catastrophe despite overwhelming odds. The film’s title is another example of how far the unbiblical concept of seeking Mary’s help and intercession has seeped into the public’s consciousness.

  1. Hail Mary pass – Wikipedia article ↩︎

Answering “The Catholicism Answer Book,” Question #33: Who killed Jesus: the Romans or the Jews?

Posted on by Tom

Thanks for joining us today as we continue our Friday series examining “The Catholicism Answer Book” (2007), written by Roman Catholic priests, John Trigilio and Kenneth D. Brighenti. In this chapter, Trigilio and Brighenti respond to Question #33: Who killed Jesus: the Romans or the Jews?

The priests’ response

Because of the relative brevity of the priests’ response, I am presenting it below in its entirety. I have boldened two statements which I will examine in my response.

“Throughout the centuries of Christianity, the Jews have often been unjustly accused and vilified as the killers of Christ. Neither the Bible nor the Church has ever made such a statement, but individuals on their own have promoted this horrible lie. Historically, the Roman soldiers were the ones who scourged and crucified Jesus until He died on Good Friday. While it is true that Jewish religious leaders from the Sanhedrin conspired with Judas for thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus so as to easily arrest him, they did not by any means represent the entire Jewish population nor the Hebrew faith. While the Jews in general cannot be blamed, neither can Romans or their descendants (the Italians). Specific persons of the Jewish religious leadership sought the demise of Jesus and falsely accused him in court so as to ensure a death penalty. The real culprits, those who are guilty of the horrible death of Jesus, are every single human being who ever lived or will live. All of us have blood on our hands. We are all guilty. He died because of our sins. It does not matter who was there two thousand years ago. Humanity sinned against God and humanity had to be redeemed and saved through the Crucifixion of Jesus.”

My response

The Bible declares that all people, Jews and Gentiles, are depraved sinners deserving eternal punishment, but that Jesus paid the penalty for sin so that all those who trust in Him as Savior through faith alone are redeemed.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16

Let’s now examine the two statements made by the priests which I had underlined.

RE: “…the Jews have often been unjustly accused and vilified as the killers of Christ. Neither the Bible nor the Church has ever made such a statement…”

In contrast to the priests’ claim, history records that the Roman Catholic church was notorious for vilifying Jews as Christ-killers and Christ-deniers.1 Persecution of Jews increased during the times of the Crusades, the Black Death, and the Inquisition.2 3 The expulsion of Jews from a large number of European Catholic cities and countries began in the 11th century with the approval of Roman Catholic prelates.4 “The Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) is viewed by medievalists as formalizing and enforcing intolerance in European society, both for (non-conformists) and Jews, and thus playing a role in the development of systemic European antisemitism.” 5 Pope Clement VIII expelled the Jews from the Papal States in 1593.6

The Catholic church’s vilification of Jews laid the foundation for the 20th century Holocaust. Adolf Hitler wrote, “As for the Jews, I am just carrying on with the same policy which the Catholic church has adopted for fifteen hundred years, when it has regarded the Jews as dangerous and pushed them into ghettos, etc., because it knew what the Jews were like.”7

RE: “…humanity had to be redeemed and saved through the Crucifixion of Jesus.”

While the Roman Catholic church acknowledges that Jesus’s crucifixion played a role in salvation, it teaches that by His death Jesus merely opened the gates of Heaven and that it’s up to each person to enter through the gates by receiving the sacraments and successfully obeying the Ten Commandments (impossible!).

“Catholics believe that Christ’s death opened the gates of heaven for us. But we still need to earn graces that cleanse and purify our souls of sin so we can get into heaven. We need to become saints here on earth (sanctified) in order to be justified.” – Catholic writer, Gene M. Van Son8

There will be more discussion on this topic next week.

We must also point out that the Roman Catholic church changed its teaching regarding Jews at the Second Vatican Council. Prior to the council, the RCC taught that Jews could not attain Heaven because they were unbaptized Christ-deniers. Influenced by theological progressivism,9 the council declared that Jews were also part of the family of God and were also able to merit Heaven.10

  1. Jewish deicide – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  2. History of the Jews in Europe – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  3. Blood libel – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  4. Expulsions and exoduses of Jews – Wikipdeia article ↩︎
  5. Fourth Council of the Lateran – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  6. Caeca et Obdurata Hebraeorum perfidia (the blind and obdurate perfidy of the Hebrews) – Papal bull – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  7. Reviewed: The Holocaust, the Church, and the Law of Unintended Consequences – WordPress post ↩︎
  8. Predestination and How Sanctifying Grace Justifies Us – Catholic article ↩︎
  9. Nouvelle théologie – Wikipedia article ↩︎
  10. Nostra aetate, October 28, 1965, Second Vatican Council – Wikipedia article ↩︎

Next week: Question #34: Why did Jesus die?