Kerby Anderson
We face significant challenges in this nation. Many of the challenges go back to the 3D’s: disinformation, deception, and discernment. Some of the false information is being spread by people who don’t know the truth. Much more is deliberately deceptive, and that’s why I encourage people to read the new book by Pastor Jack Hibbs.
Living in the Daze of Deception catalogs the deception taking place inside the church and in the society at large. Ten chapters help us recognize deception, and two concluding chapters talk about standing for truth. We need to be prepared. Jesus warned his disciples, “Take heed that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:4).
When he was on my radio program, we talked about the sources of deception. That includes both progressive education and social media. He writes about churches that are not preparing its members to discern truth from error. One section talks about “amusing the church to death.” That recalls the book by Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Many pastors fail to teach God’s Word and promote a theology of “easy believeism.”
We also talked about how words have been redefined. Marriage has been redefined. Gender and sexuality have been redefined. His chapter on “The New Tolerance” reminds us that even the word tolerance has been redefined. I referred to that as the “Princess Bride Myth” – “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
He calls for us to scrutinize the teachings of religious leaders. And he warns us of the growing influence of deceivers in business, education, and the media. We will need biblical discernment in this changing world. That is why I recommend his book so you will not be deceived.