SBC's Lifeway Selling "Gen Z Translation" of Bible That Makes a Mockery of God's Word
Lifeway, the media and publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, has long been known for its proclivity toward placing its bottom line ahead of biblical integrity when it comes to the materials they're willing to peddle to Evangelicals and Southern Baptists for cash. Headed by Thom Rainer -- and formerly, along with Ed Stetzer who now holds the Billy Graham Chair at Wheaton College -- Lifeway has been criticized for its continued lack of concern over the heresy they publish and sell.
Lifeway is particularly dangerous because, being a part of a perceived conservative denomination, it is blindly expected that the store only produce, promote, and sell theologically sound materials. In reality, however, LifeWay’s model requires it to promote heretical garbage to maintain a steady income and it is part of the reason so much heresy has influenced the denomination over the years.
From its in-house Cash-Cow of Bashan, Beth Moore, who regularly fancies herself with silly stories of talking to God face to face who tells her to do silly things which sounds more like schizophrenia than anything biblical, to serial plagiarist, Christine Caine, Hillsong Australia's rebellious version of Beth Moore, and others, such as Priscilla Shirer, Ann Voskamp, and practically any heretical lady-preacher you can think of, along with rank heretic and anti-Trinitarian, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Steven Furtick, and even at one time, "gay pastor," Matthew Vines, the list is practicalkly endless -- Lifeway has made millions over the years peddling this garbage.
But now, Lifeway is taking it a step further by selling what is being dubbed a translation of the Bible -- the Gen Z translation which is part of a new pragmatic approach to millennials called "Sunday Cool" -- which practically turns every verse of the Scripture into a mockery of God by downplaying and stripping the majesty and deity of God by using meaningless words and artificial language that even millennials can't understand.
Darrell Harrison of Grace to You complains,
So, this is how @LifeWay's "The Word According to Gen Z" translates one of the most significant verses in the entire Bible, "Since Day Uno there was Cap G. Big J was chillin with Cap G. And Big J was Cap G." — John 1:1
It is unsurprising that Lifeway would promote such garbage. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, edifying or educational about this. It is nothing more than a sad attempt at attracting more goats into the doors of the church so it can continue to prop up its sales and keep its employees on the payroll.
https://youtu.be/OngIO8itByw
Update, it looks as though Lifeway has removed to the page where it was selling this material. However, for now, the cached link can still be viewed here and below is a screenshot of the original page before it was removed.
Lifeway has released a statement on the removal of this product. Thankfully, they did the right thing -- but, as usual, only after MUCH blacklash from the Evangelical community. This won't be the last time they do something like this, rest assured.
