James Dobson forced out from ‘Focus on the Family!’

Although couched in diplomatic soft-speak, the bottom line of the latest developments at the Focus on the Family ministry is that Mr Dobson has had to step aside from a ministry he founded 33 years ago. The 73-year-old respected espouser of traditional family values and strict biblical moral principles announced he is going to launch a new radio show with his son in March, adding "I cannot watch the world continue in a moral decline without offering guidance."

With a mission of "nurturing and defending the God-ordained institution of the family and promoting biblical truths worldwide," Dobson’s Focus on the Family has built an audience estimated at 1.5 million daily listeners in the U.S. and more than 200 million worldwide.

Taking over from James Dobson is Jim Daly who is said to have a markedly different style and set of priorities. "I don't see evil behind everything," The new set of leaders have made it clear they intend to broaden their agenda beyond abortion and gay marriage and adopt the bridge-building style of such evangelical leaders as pastors Rick Warren and Joel Hunter.

Commenting on this extremely sad, but telling development, Todd Strandberg of Rapture Ready writes: “We are now at the point where it is time to declare that our nation has no moral watchmen. We still have some, but they are so small in number that they don't matter to the general population. Rapture Ready is proclaiming the true gospel message, but our effort only reaches the hundreds of thousands.”

“Most of the moral leaders of my youth are now dead or are too old to be of any service. We're left with preachers who write books that appeal to people’s carnal nature.

“ I can't think of a better example than Joel Osteen. He has the largest church in North America, he is the top-rated pastor on TV, and was named ‘Most Influential Christian in America’ in 2006 by The Church Report. The Houston-based pastor refuses to mention the word ‘sin,’ and every one of his books has the word ‘you’ or ‘your’ in the title. …..It doesn't surprise me that Houston elected a gay mayor and Joel Osteen was the one giving the inauguration ceremony prayer. What shocked me is the silence in the church. (See Another Watchman Falls Off the Wall www.raptureready.com/nm/288.html)

Todd closes with a verse of Scriptures, (1 Tim. 4:1-2):
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some (not all) shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron"