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Can right be wrong? I usually hate reading long winded blog posts but this article was very interesting. Roger Oakland commentary, Proverbs states there is a way that “seems right” to man. [1] However, Jesus said what seems right to man may not be right with Him. [2] For this reason, Christians must be led by the Spirit of God and follow God’s Word. [3] However, as the Bible teaches, it is possible to believe one is being led by God, but instead be misled by Satan. [4] Emerging Church propaganda has created a major controversy within a number of fellowships that were once made up of Bible believing and teaching pastors. Pastors sympathetic to the Emerging Church say Christianity must change or be reinvented if we are going to be relevant and reach the postmodern generation. Change is necessary, they say, because Christianity is no longer relevant for the postmodern era and the gospel can no longer reach young people who are looking for experiences. Recently, a group of pastors debating the pros and cons of the Emerging Church in a private pastors’ discussion group, put forward a number of ideas with regard to the Emerging Church. Some felt that older pastors (even the founder of the movement) were out of touch with today’s youth and therefore no longer relevant. Apparently, teaching the Scriptures verse by verse and pointing people to the soon return of Jesus had its day, but not anymore. Of course being relevant and reaching this generation for Christ is of vital importance. However, reaching people for Christ must be based on the Scriptures which are always relevant, if we are going to hold fast to the faith. [5] Not so, you see, with the Emerging Church. Promoters say that being relevant means augmenting the Scriptures by stimulating the senses with sounds, smells and images. According to Emerging Church leaders, reaching people is often equated with finding ways to encourage people to come to church. This is in keeping with the Peter Drucker church growth model that has been incorporated by Bill Hybels, Rick Warren and others. In order for the sheep to be “driven” the pastor must designate a purpose in order to help focus their faith. While Jesus is mentioned, the main focus of Christianity becomes social action. As well, providing what the sheep like by meeting their spiritual consumer needs also plays a role. Further, since preaching the gospel of Christ requires telling sinners they will end up in hell unless they accept a Savior, Emerging Church promoters often look for ways to make Christianity more acceptable and appealing. Of course not all Emerging Church leaders have ignored the gospel that we find in the Scriptures. If this were the case those who still had some discernment would detect where the Emerging Church movement is headed. Instead, the deviations from the true gospel are more subtle. Rob Bell, who many pastors now are emulating, suggests that people who witness to people about sin and the reality of hell are “bull horn” Christians. “Bull horn” people are not “cool” now that we are in the postmodern era. Instead Bell suggests “for a mind-blowing introduction to emergence theory and divine creativity, set aside three months and read Ken Wilber’s A Brief History of Everything.” [6] Ken Wilber is a New Age guru who promotes an Eastern religious worldview that everything is God and that mankind is in the process of evolving to a higher level of consciousness. [7] Another Emerging Church view is the idea that it is necessary to develop a global community of faith. [8] This idea is based on the view that truth can be found in other faiths, other than faith that is based on the Bible. For example, one emerging leader I know requires that members of his church attend Buddhist meetings to learn about Buddhist beliefs that have the potential to enrich the “Christian” experience. [9] Speaking of Buddhist experiences, monastic disciplines borrowed from Buddhism are becoming very popular as Emerging Church promoters like Richard Foster,[10] Tony Campollo [11] and Tony Jones [12] promote contemplative prayer, centering prayer and the “Jesus prayer”. The idea that spiritual seekers can get into a “silent state” or a “thin state” in order to “hear God’s voice” is now being promoted as “getting closer to God”. All of this sounds very spiritual, of course. However, it is important to understand where these ideas come from. You will find that the Scriptures are silent about using mantras, focusing on objects on the wall, performing breathing exercises, and using beads to count repetitive prayers, in order to get closer to Jesus and be more spiritual. Richard Foster openly acknowledges that Thomas Merton, a Catholic Trappist monk was very helpful in introducing contemplative practices to the Christians of his day. As Foster stated in a book he wrote: Thomas Merton has perhaps done more than any other twentieth-century figure to make the life of prayer widely known and understood… His interest in contemplation led him to investigate prayer forms in Eastern religion. Zen masters from Asia regarded him as the preeminent authority on their kind of prayer in the United States. [13] So what should this tell a discerning person? It seems that getting “closer to Jesus” through embracing Emerging Church practices should be a good thing. It seems right! What possibly could be wrong with getting closer to Jesus? But what if in one’s zeal to get “closer to Jesus”, the person was actually deceived and contacted a demon? Stop and think about this for a moment! Instead of “getting closer” to Jesus, the sincere Jesus-seeking person could contact “another Jesus”. Thus, what was thought to be right would be wrong! [1] Proverbs 16:25 [2] Matthew 15:8-9 [3] Romans 8:14 [4] I Timothy 4:1 [5] Hebrews 10:23 [6] Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005) p. 192 [7] http://bigchurch.com [8] Doug Pagitt, Re-Imaging Christianity: The Spiritual Formation of People in Communities of Faith, Zondervan, p. 28-29 [9] Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger, Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures, Baker Academic (a division of Baker publishing group), p. 132 [10] Richard Foster, Celebration of Disciplines, Harper Collins Publishers [11] Tony Campollo, Letters to a Young Evangelical, Basic Books (a member of the Perseus Group) [12] Tony Jones, The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life, Zondervan [13] Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin, Spiritual Classics, San Francisco, CA: Harper, 2000, First Edition, p. 17 Born Again Christians only need to chew, It's those left behind that have to swallow it. |
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Stop and think about this for a moment! Instead of “getting closer” to Jesus, the sincere Jesus-seeking person could contact “another Jesus”. Thus, what was thought to be right would be wrong! Exactly...... a false gospel equals a false Jesus....and the worship of another spirit. Satan can imitate the holy Spirit...it is called divination. Can come in Christian wrapping...use the name of Jesus....but it is another Jesus that does not line up with the scriptures. Miracles can occur (or drummed up ones) manifestations...particularly demonic kinds, all kinds of occult stuff, so called angelic appearances,angel feathers, gold dust, weird unscriptural trance like prophecies,even false tongues....but it is not God! There is the true anointing and their is the false. I have been in these meetings...makes my skin crawl. How do you discern the true? THE WORD OF GOD...TEST THE SPIRITS....look for deviation of essential doctrine, an unhealthy interest in the supernatural, a false love that does not want to preach the gospel or correct false doctrine, non interest in scripture and more of a focus on social aspects, worldly compromise, unity preceding truth, prophecies that are way too specific and pry into private aspects of peoples lives, Kingdom building...selfish ambitions, secrets sins not confronted and repented of, too much emphasis on the gifts, control of leadership over peoples lives, and don't forget to listen to that check you get in your spirit that something is just not right! Remember that people deceive because they themselves are deceived....but Gods elect will be kept by him and his holy Spirit will lead his beloved ( may be progressive) into all truth. "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted–you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:3‒4). Isaiah 42:8 " I am the Lord; that is my name! And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images."
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Ice Tea Brother, A superb post my friend. Informative, well presented, and thoughtfully laid out. Excellent bible verses without forcing.. I will be back to view it again and will commend it to my friends. JOY, your sis in Jesus, Lisa
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Thanks Lisa, Just a general response: I humbly go to my church every week and there are no pictures on the wall to focus on, no special smells, no staged dog and pony show for entertainment, pastors wear what i do, they drive the cars that they need not what the church can afford, the body is small but the fruit is rich, teaching is verse by verse word for word nothing left out, and after 18 years this humble church provides enough for the pastors to just teach and love. No body is benefiting in the flesh other than the occasional breakfast well cooked on a Saturday morning. Plain and simply put the Holy Spirit works thru these people for God's glory and the church doesn't have it's own ideas of how to attract more people, we reach out to un believers with the truth about their salvation not some new and exciting revelation from above. Just the word and love of God, plain and simple, that's all we need!. -T Born Again Christians only need to chew, It's those left behind that have to swallow it.
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T, sounds like a living, breathing Body of believers to me.. to bless and be blessed, keep on... growing in the place you fellowship Lis
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I'll be back...I need to read the whole article. My eyes are too weary for small print right now. I was given this message from the LORD probably back in 1993 or 94. ( see the post below) Many Are Building Kingdoms Unto Themselves STOPBLAMING GOD....this is a different word, but worth reading Vincit Veritas~Truth Conquers
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Cathoholic, wow. LOL> I see you on others blogs more than your own. I pray you are blessed in your studies and when you have down time. I think its true that pictures, stained glass windows, verses on plaques are helpful and well definitely the Renaissance Art used for Religious purposes is effective. However, it sometimes has a tendency to distract from the truth of the Gospel instead of leading to it. So we , as believers must balance it . I do think the church can become a sanctuary away from the rush and pressure and insanity of the world. We all need a spiritual hideaway in whatever form we use be it inside or outside in nature. I see you are strong about the Catholic Church being the only Church. Well , I guess I tend to disagree as we have differing views. I still consider you my brother and pray for your growth daily. Peace to you, your sis in Jesus, Lisa
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Cathoholic, wow. LOL> I see you on others blogs more than your own. I pray you are blessed in your studies and when you have down time. I think its true that pictures, stained glass windows, verses on plaques are helpful and well definitely the Renaissance Art used for Religious purposes is effective. However, it sometimes has a tendency to distract from the truth of the Gospel instead of leading to it. So we , as believers must balance it . I do think the church can become a sanctuary away from the rush and pressure and insanity of the world. We all need a spiritual hideaway in whatever form we use be it inside or outside in nature. I see you are strong about the Catholic Church being the only Church. Well , I guess I tend to disagree as we have differing views. I still consider you my brother and pray for your growth daily. Peace to you, your sis in Jesus, Lisa It's all about Jesus! -T Born Again Christians only need to chew, It's those left behind that have to swallow it.
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