Worship in the 21st Century
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"The
church that can’t worship must be entertained. And men who can’t lead a church
to worship must provide the entertainment.
That
is why we have the great evangelical heresy here today--the heresy of religious
entertainment."
-A. W.
Tozer
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Several
years after he retired, Dad and I often talked about the growing problem of the
cheap and tawdry entertainment that was taking root in worship in the early 21st Century, all across the
Southern Baptist Convention.
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Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr., wrote the following "Pastor's Pen" article about Music in the Church, for the church paper, "The Messenger," on August 24, 1979:
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While
attending seminary, my father advised me to be sure and study the correct
theological methodology of Apologetics and Hermeneutics in order to properly
interpret and preach the Bible correctly.
It is also important for those who attend a church to have Spiritual
Discernment about what is being proclaimed from the pulpit. For that to happen, it is imperative that
pastors preach the Word as is, without adding or subtracting from it.
There
used to be a day when, historically, you could walk into a Southern Baptist
Church, South Norfolk Baptist in particular, and be assured that what was
preached from the pulpit was sound doctrine.
That, sadly, is no longer the case.
After
retiring from the military chaplaincy, I felt I had awaken from a bad dream:
not just bad Bible teaching, but heresy in our Southern Baptist Churches was
rampant, including the one I grew up in.
It was like the Washington Irving story of "Rip Van Winkle,"
awakening from a deep sleep, and discovering, in this case, much to my horror,
the unthinkable occurring in many of our churches. Indeed, it was happening in the church I grew up in: South Norfolk Baptist. Heresy, Vision Casting, Eisegetical and
Narcigetical Sermons, Entertainment on a platform complete with
"7-11" hymns and Praise Singers; Secular Dancing, Hip-Hop, Rap, and
other sinful Entertainment; Seeker Sensitive nonsense, and the list goes on, ad
nauseam.
It
is probably good that my Father and Mother did not live to see what had
happened in South Norfolk Baptist.....especially in the last several years while David Slayton was pastor; the lower attendance, lower finances, no large choir, no pipe organ in use, over-emphasis on minority youth recreation, and no real growth among the adult age group...... where they previously and faithfully followed the Lord and His Word, and
ministered in His Name.
-Rev.
Joe Hughes,
Revised,
April 2017
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2022 update: After leaving South Norfolk, David Slayton went to Rocky Mount Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, VA and stayed only 5 years. While there, he emphasized 'praise singers' and social work. He left there in 2022 and went to Amelia Baptist Church, Amelia, VA where he had once been a youth pastor.
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Introductory PDFs: based on sound, factual, Bible-based theology and doctrine, properly researched, and not personal opinion. All examples concerning SNBC, have been vetted for accuracy. Films/pictures referred to have been stored for electronic verification.
"Worship in the 21st Century" and "Musical Chairs"
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"Churches
Committing Suicide" was written by the Rev. Dr. H. Edgar Twine (pictured
here to the right of Rev. Hughes), for his website blog, "Broadview
Perspectives," before he went to be with the Lord. He and I had several
conversations about the problems "contemporary worship" was creating
in the church. He was one of the ministerial students ordained at South Norfolk
Baptist Church. (His biography is on the "Pictures" section of
this website.)
It is offered here
without edit.
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Why I have included information about heresy entering a church on this web page:
Because many years ago, sitting in a senior Oscar Smith High School
English class, Miss Margaret West gave some timely advice to us:
to watch who you associate with as young people; you tend to become like
them, perhaps picking up bad habits you will later regret, and you tend
to marry those you hang out with. I never forgot that.
That
admonition was later re-enforced by Dr. Delgado, Academic Dean at Bluefield College,
when he addressed my freshman class in a chapel service, and stated that
we as individuals, are constantly making a record of our lives, not
only in the academic world, but in the social aspects as well. He also
stressed the importance of those we associated with.
I therefore
consider it to be a serious matter when a pastor starts to associate
himself with those who are theologically unsound. It is a very serious
matter when a pastor, who oversees a church website, has allowed
endorsement of "Emergent Churches" and, therefore, the heretics (what else can you call those who don't follow the Bible) who lead
them. And what could be worse, than to preach and teach heresy?
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Where you go to Church will say a lot about your personal relationship to Christ; your eternal destiny.
Dr. Steve Lawson preaches at the "Resolved 2012 Conference" on the subject "Where should you go to Church?"
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Dr. J. Ligon Duncan, preaches on "Worship in Word and Sacrament" at the 2005 Ligonier Ministries National Conference.
Scripture indicates that we are to worship God, yet much of
what passes for worship today is merely a thinly veiled attempt to entertain
men. In this message, Dr. J. Ligon Duncan will explain how a biblical
understanding of the basic elements of Christian worship should inform the way
in which we approach God.
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Dr.
Mark Dever preaches on: “Worship in Spirit and Truth”
What
does it mean to worship the Father in spirit and truth? How do you understand
that instruction from our Lord? In this message, Dr. Mark Dever gives us
perspective on this important issue as he teaches us what it is to “Worship in
Spirit and Truth.”
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If
you’re like most Christians, you probably have a consistent Sunday morning
routine. Maybe you rush to church in time to greet your friends, grab some
coffee, make your way to your regular seat, and settle in just in time for
worship. Your pattern may look different, but it’s fairly certain you have one
you stick to.
But
when it comes to the routine of corporate worship in your local church, do you
think much about your responsibility in your Sunday services? I’m not talking
about stacking chairs and handing out bulletins—it’s a responsibility that every
believer shares. And sadly, today, very few fulfill.
What
is this responsibility? We’ll let John MacArthur explain:
(Courtesy/copyright by Grace to You; used with permission).
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The Greatest Danger Facing the Church
By -- By James Hamilton, Professor of
Biblical Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,
Kentucky:
The
greatest danger facing the church is probably not what most of us expect. We
expect some sort of direct challenge from without, but it probably comes from
within. In our day, it may well come from well-meaning pastors.
How
could well-meaning pastors pose the greatest threat to evangelical churches
today? Do they deny the truth?
No,
the pastors who pose the greatest threat to the church today will confess
belief in the right things. They will confess the authority and inerrancy of
the Bible, that Jesus saves, and that he is the only way of salvation.
So
how can these guys who mean well and make the good confession pose such a
threat to the church?
THE
NATURE OF THE DANGER
They
are a threat because, in spite of their confession, their words and actions
treat Christianity as nothing more than the best form of therapy. They treat it
as self-help. They treat it as the path to better marriages, better
parent-child relationships, better attitudes and performance at work, and on
and on.
Christianity
is about success here and now. That, at least, is what you might conclude by
listening to their sermons and observing how they do church. What “works best”
guides their decision-making.
But
Christianity is not primarily about any of that. Christianity is
primarily about the gospel—about a holy God, rebels who deserve his wrath, a
divine Son who takes the punishment rebels deserve, and the promise of
forgiveness for all who repent and believe.
Christianity
is about telling this true story in the words of the Bible so that, by the
power of the Holy Spirit, people come to see God, the world, and themselves
correctly.
Christianity
is about the triune God and the two natures of Christ.
Christianity
is about the Holy Spirit supernaturally causing people to be born again so that
they love this story and find in it their hope and joy.
Christianity
is about trusting the Word of God with all our hearts and not leaning on our
own understanding—or on our own ideas about what works or what is relevant.
Christianity
is about longing for the return of Christ, who, when he comes, will set up his
kingdom, which means that this is not our home.
Pastors
who present Christianity as therapy and self-help do not present Christianity.
They are like the liberals that J. Gresham Machen denounced. Machen said that
people who don’t believe the Bible should be honest and stop calling themselves
Christians, because they have in fact created a new religion that is not to be
identified with Christianity. Similarly, the promoters of the American religion
of self-help and therapeutic pop-psychology ought to be honest: they don’t
believe the Bible is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training
in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16).
If
they believed that the Bible really does contain everything we need to be saved
and to live lives that are pleasing to God, they would preach the Bible from
their pulpits. Not only would they preach the Bible, trusting that God has
revealed what he thinks his people need, trusting that God knows better than
they do what is relevant, they would organize their churches according to the
dictates of the Bible rather than the dictates of the market and the corporate
world.
AVOIDING
THE DANGER
So
how do churches avoid winding up with a pastor who will harm them by turning
Christianity into the American religion of self-help therapy?
1)
Look at the biblical qualifications for men in the ministry (1 Tim 3:1–7; Tit
1:5–9), and ask pastoral candidates direct questions about whether they meet
these qualifications. Ask the man’s references whether he lives up to these
statements. Do not assume that every candidate will meet these qualifications,
and don’t assume that every candidate understands these qualifications. Ask him
to explain the qualifications.
2)
Since the feature that most distinguishes the qualifications for an elder
(pastor) from the qualifications for a deacon is that the elder be “apt to
teach” (1 Tim 3:2), pay close attention to his teaching. Seek to discern
whether this man “holds firmly to the trustworthy word as taught,” whether he
knows enough theology “to be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and
also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Tit 1:9, ESV).
3)
Based on what you have heard of his preaching, ask yourself these questions:
a.
Was the main point of the text he was preaching the main point of his sermon?
(If he did not preach a text, remove his name from consideration.)
b.
Does God rest heavily upon this man? Is it evident that he fears God? Can you
tell that he knows that “teachers will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1)?
Does he “tremble at the Word of God” (Isa 66:2)? Is the Word of God like a
burning in his bones that he cannot hold in (Jer 20:9)?
c.
Does he think that his main task is the explanation of the Bible, which is useful
and relevant (2 Tim 3:16), or does he think that he needs to organize the Bible
according to his wisdom in order for it to be useful and relevant?
d.
Is the man going to help the church understand and live on the great truths of
Christianity?
e.
Is the man a theologian, or is he a just a gifted speaker with a good heart?
f.
Do you trust this man’s ability to interpret the Bible and tell you what it
means?
4)
Consider also what you understand the calling of pastoral ministry to be:
a.
Is pastoral ministry about “the ministry of the Word and prayer” (Acts 6:4), or
is it about building a large corporation successful by worldly standards?
b.
Is pastoral ministry about the power of the Spirit of God through the Word of
God, or is it about “persuasive speech” and slick presentations? (cf. 1 Cor
2:1–5).
c.
Is the great commission (Matt 28:18–20) about notching “decisions” on our belts
or about making disciples who have been taught all that Jesus commanded?
d.
Are Jesus’ instructions about church discipline (Matt 18:15–18) to be taken
seriously or is he not going to practice church discipline since it might be
bad for business?
e.
Is church membership mainly about a big number for us to report, or should
church members really take the “one another’s” in the New Testament seriously?
f.
Are the main tasks of pastoral ministry prayer, teaching, and shepherding
souls, or is pastoral ministry more about growing the business and managing a
conglomerate of campuses?
g.
What are his plans for doing evangelism?
h.
What are his plans for doing discipleship?
i.
What are his plans for praying for the members of the church?
Paul
told the elders (or pastors) of the church in Ephesus that wolves would arise
from within their ranks to destroy the flock (Acts 20:29–30). Likewise, Jesus
said that the false prophets would be like wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing
(Matt 7:15). It might be hard to recognize these well-meaning pastors as
wolves, but Jesus said we would know them by their fruits (Matt 7:16–20).
Let
me add, not every pastor who doesn’t preach the Bible and who organizes the
church according to a business model rather than a biblical model is intentionally
trying to destroy the flock. Yes, some are evil. Some are in the ministry for
their own advancement. But what do we say about well meaning pastors who
propagate an un-Christian, un-biblical, worldly kind of Christianity? I think
the words that Jesus spoke about those who corrupted the Old Covenant are
fitting: “Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the
blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matt 15:14, ESV).
OUR
CALLING
Let
us therefore heed the words of Jesus about what a good shepherd does—”the good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Only Jesus can lay
down his life for the sheep in the way he did at the cross. But his
under-shepherds can lay down their lives for the sheep as they take up their
crosses and follow in the footsteps of Jesus, loving, teaching, discipling,
evangelizing, praying, and protecting the sheep from the wolves. No servant is
greater than his master (John 15:20).
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Rev. Greg Durel, spoke at the Berean Call 2006 Conference, on the state of today's church:
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Is it Time to Bring Back the Black
Robes?
By News
Division, Pen & Pulpit· Published November 7, 2017 · Updated November 7,
2017
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The vestment,
robe, or cassock used to be all the rage in Protestant evangelicalism. Although
associated with Catholicism in the minds of American Christians, the historical
reality is that the garment was called the “Geneva Gown.” It developed among
the Reformers of Western Europe who rejected the dress of the Papist clergy,
but whose preachers often wore vestments associated with their status as
academic scholars. The point, they presumed, is that people should not be
focusing at all upon their dress, and so they developed the tradition of
wearing the Geneva Gown to accentuate their message rather than accentuate the
messenger.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones,
posing in his Geneva (Pulpit) gown:
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It wasn’t that
long ago that Reformed ministers wore the Geneva Gown when they preached.
Consider, for example, the late Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. Jones said…
…I believe it
is good and right for a preacher to wear a [Geneva] gown in the pulpit…The
gown to me is a sign of the call, a sign of the fact that a man has been ‘set
apart’ to do this work. It is no more than that, but it is that.
Many have
agreed with him over the ages.
French
Calvinist, Richard Paquier, said the following in his book, “Dynamics of
Worship”: It is natural that the man who officiates in the worship of the
Church be clothed in a manner corresponding to the task assigned to him and
expressing visibly what he does. Moreover, whoever leads in the act of worship
does not perform as a private party but as a minister of the Church; he is the
representative of the community and the spokesman of the Lord. Hence, an
especially prescribed robe, a sort of ecclesiastical “uniform,” is useful for
reminding both the faithful and himself that in this act he is not Mr.
So-and-so, but a minister of the Church in the midst of a multitude of others.”
Why might a
Geneva gown not be that bad of an idea? Not only does it recognize that the
pastor is an officer of the organized church, it serves the purpose of hiding
the preacher in a bond of modesty before the congregation. One thing is for
sure; no one will go home talking about what the preacher was wearing.
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I recognize the
sensationalism and seemingly novelty of my suggestion that the clerical robe
may not be that bad of an idea. But, consider what is common today:
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The fellow
above is Carl Lentz, Hillsong New York pastor. If you think he may dress more
manly in the pulpit (to be fair, he doesn’t use a pulpit), this is a photo of
him preaching:
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And this is
popular preacher, Steven Furtick, complete with skinny jeans with manufactured
tears:
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And this is
Mark Driscoll, who apparently has little respect for the 2nd Commandment:
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This is Nadia
Bolz-Weber, a trans-gender former male student at Truett Seminary at Baylor,
preaching, while showing off all of her tattoos:
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Here’s Jeff
Durbin and Luke Pierson, sporting their hipster bedazzle:
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There is zero
doubt that the more serious Christianity is on decline in culture, the less
respect pastors have for decorum and respectability in their appearance. While
we look at pastors who refuse to preach without a tie as being old, stuffy
fuddy-duddies, pastors who preach while sporting their tattoos, face jewelry,
glittered pants and gaudy costume jewelry should at least make us raise an
eyebrow. Is this what has come of the pastorate? This?
Far have we
come from when exposition was seen as so important and indeed, so sacred, that
men tried their best not to stand out by taking upon themselves worldly style.
They would rather hide behind a black cloak than having people talk about what
they were wearing on the way home. Today, Ed Young actually has a website (see
PDF below this article) to teach pastors how to be fashionable.
The magazine,
Fashionista, says that Carl Lentz and Judah Smith are “reaching people” through
fashion. They write, “With millennials leaving the American church in
droves, how do these pastors continue to draw thousands of young, culturally
aware people to their Sunday worship services? The answer is complex, of
course, but there’s no doubt that fashion plays at least a supporting role.”
There is little
doubt that this type of gimmickry is not quarantined to Arminians circles, as
the YRR (Young, Restless, and Reformed) movement is steeped in “coolness,” as
seen in the hipster fashion of its most prominent advocates. Even Reformed
arch-Calvinist, James White, sports tattoos that endear him to the younger,
bearded type of coolness that pervades New Calvinism.
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Is it fair to
say that days of respectable dress among clergy are behind us? Are ties now
taboo? Can ministers just ink up their skin in a way that was once reserved for
sailors, bikers, and felons? Should we just get used to ripped jeans in the
pulpit? Does even asking these questions make us fundamentalist, legalist
Pharisees? Does the Bible really have nothing to say about dress?
In fact, the
Bible has much to say about dress and appearance, in both the Old and New
Testaments. A few basic Scriptural tenets inform our understanding of dress and
modesty.
First, the very
invention of clothes demonstrates theological realities. Clothes exist to cover
man’s shame, which is analogous to nakedness (Genesis 3). People with no shame
wear few clothes. Likewise, people with conscientious shame are modest. Whether
by nakedness or “peacocking” (drawing attention to oneself through appearance,
like bedazzling the butt of your jeans, wearing clothes to get attention,
inordinate jewelry, and so forth), the attempt to make how one adorns their
body a focus of attention is inherently immodest. To engage in immodesty
(whether flesh peddling or peacocking) is to act contradictory to God’s design.
Secondly, the
Bible gives great detail to clothes, eradicating any notion that “God doesn’t
care what you wear.” Exodus 28 and 39 both explain in detail what priests
should wear, and calls their fashion, “with dignity and honor.” While certain
aspects of Old Testament divinely-inspired clothing design were types and
shadows fulfilled in the priesthood of Christ, there’s a definite indication
that God is not altogether fashion-neutral. The tassels mandated for the end of
their garments in Numbers 15:38 demonstrate that God desired his people to
dress in a set-apart fashion from the world, and the general equity of that
now-passed-away law still echoes to us the purpose of God in clothing. Detailed
instructions are given in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:3-5 regarding
limitations on our external adornment.
Third, setting
standards of decency for laymen or expecting pastors to dress respectably is
not bad, just because minute definitions of “decent” and “respectable” are hard
to come by. Every Christian should acknowledge that the Bible demands modesty
of us, but many are raving mad the moment you call something (or someone)
immodest. Their defense is that modesty is impossible to define, therefore
it’s practically futile to aim for it. On one hand, they believe in modesty,
but on the other hand, they refuse to define it under the dreadful fear they’ll
be accused of legalism. In fact, the definition is clear – that which
needlessly draws undue attention to self and that which has clear association
with worldliness is immodest.
Fourth,
assuming that the way these pastors dress may not technically be sinful (if
that’s your position), perhaps we could agree that it’s not helpful. It comes
across, frankly, as a desperate attempt to look cool. They look like a 9th
grader at an under-18 nightclub. If they don’t have a lack of respect for the
pulpit, they certainly look like it. If you’re going to wear jeans you have to
pry off with a shoe horn and draw all over your arms, perhaps those
Geneva Gowns aren’t a bad idea after all.
Perhaps
churches can give their pastors a warning. If they keep dressing like a
primadonna teenage girl, the Geneva Gown will become mandatory.
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The Pastor's Robe in Worship
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"WHY THE PASTOR WEARS A ROBE"
-Michael Brown
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A page from Ed Young's
"Pastor's Fashion" webpage:
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It’s time for
the preachers to look and act like the adults in the room. Quit following the
kids and start showing them proper respect for the Lord’s house, the Lord’s
service, and the worship of the Lord.
Honestly, most
teens are not “turned off” by the preacher wearing a coat and
tie. What they will think–and you may not be able to handle this–is
that he is the adult in the room.
The problem,
of course, is with the preachers.
Even a trained public school teacher knows that you cannot be a pal to the class....you have to be above that....you have to be the adult in the room.
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Does it matter how the preacher dresses? Pastor Joe McKeever answers the question..............
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(I
posted a paragraph on Facebook calling for pastors to dress “to inspire
confidence”–and not look like they’d been out hitchhiking all night. It’s
important to note that I did not say he should wear the uniform of the
previous generation–a coat and tie–but merely to “dress one step in front of
most of the men in the church,” whatever that means. Twenty-four hours
later, we had 245 comments. Clearly, people have strong feelings about
this.)
“If
I see you standing at the pulpit wearing a suit and a tie, I’m out of there.”
I
smiled at that. The fellow who said it is so dead-set on making sure the
church does not put too much emphasis on appearance that he…well, puts too much
emphasis on appearance.
As
I write, the television set in this motel room is running the results
of last night’s Iowa caucuses. At some point I noticed something about
the men candidates for nomination for president.
All
were wearing suits and white shirts and ties.
Why?
Watch
any newscast. The anchormen are wearing suits and ties.
How
come?
This
cannot be accidental. It cannot be because they are stuck in a rut.
Nor can it be because they are trying to flaunt their wealth or impress the
world.
These
people never do anything–repeat, never do anything!–without good cause.
So,
why do the candidates and the anchor people dress up when they go to work?
We
will pause here while you consider your answer.
At
the same time, drop in on the typical church and you may
be stunned to see that the fellow who looks like a hitchhiker just in from
a day on the highway turns out to be the preacher. His jeans
need pressing and the t-shirt he’s wearing looks like he has worn it all day.
His shoes? Sneakers with lots of miles on them.
Some
in the congregation actually take pride in the sloppiness of the preacher’s
attire. They say the object is to make the outsider comfortable on
entering the Lord’s House. They say the preacher is making a statement
against the overemphasis of the previous generation on externals, on “dressing
up” for church.
Now,
if you want to incite a holy reaction against your hypocrisy and
superficiality, say something about how the preacher is dressed. (You’re
not even saying he should wear a coat and tie, but only that he should “dress
up a little.” Watch the reaction to your simple suggestion.)
The
comments will include:
–That’s
why I don’t go to church any more, the emphasis on clothing!
–God
doesn’t look on the outward appearance!
–A
suit and tie would turn off the people we’re trying to reach!
–My
jeans cost more than my grandpa’s entire outfit.
–Only
the heart matters.
–We
want outsiders to feel welcome here.
This
“tempest in a teacup,” I suggest, is ridiculous. We may as well be
championing the outsiders’ lack of musical taste and installing heavy metal
music lest we turn them off. Oh, wait, we’re already doing that.
At
one point, the call for pastors to “dress down” was well-intentioned, I will
grant.
Rick
Warren (with his Hawaiian shirts–remember those?) is probably as much to blame
as anyone.
Because I am white-headed and in my 70s, I have no
right to speak about such a thing. Right?
There
was a time–in the Jurassic past, I suppose–when the seniors among us were
assumed to know a little and were given respect when they voiced their
opinion. Those days are a distant memory. This generation automatically
dismisses the point of view of anyone older than their parents.
My
last pastorate was from 1990 to 2004. To show how completely things have
changed in one decade, it was my practice to give up the necktie during
August. One month of the year, I did not wear a necktie. At night.
Yep.
I wore a tie on Sunday morning every Sunday. But for the evening services one
month of the year, we shucked our ties.
These
days, the tieless preacher is the norm. (In my itinerant ministry–what
some might call “retirement”–host pastors usually send word ahead of time that
no one wears ties. And frankly, I’m not unhappy about that. And
that, I guarantee, is going to make some think I’m contradicting myself here!)
From
the beginning the casual look in the pulpit was a reaction against the emphasis
on fashionable clothing, as people donned persona for Sunday church
different from who we were during the week. As I say, the
change was well-intentioned.
But
that trend has run its course in my judgment. In fact, it has flat run in the
ditch.
I
see preachers entering the pulpit wearing t-shirts that stretch to cover their
paunch. I wonder if they have any idea how ridiculous they look?
Anyone
who knows the first thing about me is aware that I am completely committed to
encouraging pastors. (That was one of three vows I made to God during a
difficult time in my minister over 25 years ago. I vowed to live simply, give
generously, and encourage God’s shepherds.)
Not
long ago, a young pastor friend where I was preaching confided in me that he
would be open to moving to another church if the Lord so led. That’s when
I made a suggestion. “The way you dress in the pulpit fits right in with
your congregation,” I told him. “But a pastor search committee is going
to want a little more professionalism than what you are showing. If I were you,
I’d dial it up a notch.” He took that counsel in the manner in which it
was given, and has since thanked me for it.
I
will admit that finding a young pastor who is open to a suggestion about these
things is refreshing.
The time has come to reverse the trend.
I
urge preachers to turn up the dial a notch, to dress a little better than the
sloppy hitchhiking model they’ve been giving the Lord’s people.
Some
say, “Teens are turned off by overdressed preachers.” My responses are
several:
–No
one is suggesting you “over dress.” Just dial it up a notch. (In many
cases, I suggest starched dress shirts–not necessarily white–and slacks or
khakis, sometimes with a sport coat.)
–Since
when do preachers alter their approach to suit the juveniles in the
congregation?
–Since
when do we let the unchurched or the immature set the direction for anything in
the church? (Answer: We do when we are lost and directionless ourselves.)
–It’s
time for the preachers to look and act like the adults in the room. Quit
following the kids and start showing them proper respect for the Lord’s house,
the Lord’s service, and the worship of the Lord.
Honestly,
most teens are not “turned off” by the preacher wearing a coat and
tie. What they will think–and you may not be able to handle this–is
that he is the adult in the room.
The problem,
of course, is with the preachers.
As it often does, this comes down to the preacher.
Many
preacher tend to be followers, not leaders. They
make decisions out of fear and not faith. Once they learn someone is
criticizing them for preaching on tithing, that’s the last they’ll mention that
subject for a year. Hearing that someone is unhappy over his haircut or
facial hair, the typical preacher will let it grow out or shave it off.
No
one likes criticism, granted. No pastor enjoys hearing that he was the subject
of discussion around a family’s dinner table.
No
pastor who makes decisions from fear of criticism has a right to stand in God’s
pulpit on Sunday.
“Be
strong and of good courage.”
If
clothes do not matter, why such a violent reaction to someone suggesting the
preacher and worship leaders ought to dress up and not down?
A
few years ago, one of the start-up cut-rate airlines had their cabin crew
dressed in short pants and polo shirts. They made a lot of jokes and played
games with the passengers. They thought people wanted that. They
were wrong. What passengers in those death-defying pressurized aluminum
tubes rocketing through the stratosphere want from the crew is competency
and professionalism.
We
do not want airline pilots wearing jeans and pullovers and sneakers. We
like seeing them in their uniforms. It inspires confidence.
Inspiring confidence.
That’s
what it’s all about. It’s why television networks require their male anchors to
wear suits, white shirts, and ties. Even sportscasters wear suits and
ties. Mike Carico and John Gruden do their Monday night games dressed
better than 90 percent of the preachers in the land, all with a goal of
inspiring confidence.
It’s
why the presidential candidates are wearing suits and white shirts and ties.
(Sure, they will occasionally don khakis and polos for a quick bite at a
Laconia, New Hampshire café. But before the day is out, they’re back in the
uniform for a rally somewhere. Inspiring confidence.)
At
the New Orleans airport, I picked up a denominational leader who was to address
our annual gathering that night. It was a hot day and yet he was decked
out in a suit and tie. I said, “Dr. Gary Frost, why are you wearing a suit?
That has to be hot!” He laughed and said, “When the crew is looking for someone
to upgrade to first class, they pick me.” It happens quite a bit, he
said.
Inspiring
confidence.
Argue
with it all you want. The truth is what it is.
|
4 misconceptions about worship music
|
Dr. John MacArthur cautions about preachers with “new
takes” on the Bible
|
Six signs you are not hearing Christian sermons at
your church
|
Is the "seeker sensitive," "emergent" and modern church, Biblical?
|
"Discernment" by a church member can lead to being labeled "Troublemaker"
|
Dr.
Thomas White,
Vice President for Student Services and
Communications
Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary, has written a timely article: "Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches":
|
PowerPoint comes to church................. another "Seeker Sensitive" distraction to the Christian, who has come to Worship God...........................................
|
PowerPointless
By Debra
Dean Murphy is director of Christian education at Fuquay-Varina United
Methodist Church in suburban Raleigh, North Carolina, and is author of Teaching
That Transforms: Worship as the Heart of Christian Education (Brazos):
|
From a British Pastor comes this insightful article:
|
PowerPoint and all it's Works
|
The Perils of PowerPoint Preaching:
|
Putting Scripture verses on a screen, instead of asking the congregation to turn in their Bibles, and read the text for themselves: encourages them not to bring a Bible to church, not learn the location of various books of the Bible, and interrupts the attention of the listener to the preacher.
|
Worship in Word and Sacrament (Lord's Supper & Baptism): Scripture indicates that we are to worship God, yet much of what passes for worship today is merely a thinly veiled attempt to entertain men. In this message, Dr. J. Ligon Duncan will explain how a biblical understanding of the basic elements of Christian worship should inform the way in which we approach God.
|
Worship in Spirit and
Truth:
What does it mean to worship the Father in spirit and truth?
How do you understand that instruction from our Lord? In this message, Dr. Mark
Dever gives us perspective on this important issue as he teaches us what it is
to “Worship in Spirit and Truth.”
|
THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS
There
is a built-in offense to the Good News of Jesus Christ. This message will
explore the reasons for the tension between Christians and non-Christians. Why
are Jews, Hindus, Catholics, and other religious groups offended by our
attempts to evangelize them?
Doug Wilson also explores the flawed "Seeker Sensitive" and "Church Growth" methodology; why it is harming the work and Word of the Lord:
|
Are we fighting the right
battles? Are we upsetting the world because we are Christians or because of our
political positions? Political activism and social ministry are important, but
they are not the Gospel. True reformation occurs only when hearts
are changed.
Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President of Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary speaks on the subject: “Ashamed
of the Gospel”:
|
Peter Jones: Paganism in
Today’s Culture
Many consider paganism a
dead religion that was practiced thousands of years ago. However, paganism’s
ideas still affect us today. In this session, Dr. Peter Jones describes how
paganism continues to be a force in today’s culture. He points out places where
pagan thought affects the world’s way of thinking, and he describes how
Christians can guard against that influence. He also explains ways that
Christians can renew their minds and live as children of God among a twisted
generation.
|
Sinclair Ferguson: Christ's
Message to the Church
The Reformers warned us that
darkness will once again overcome large portions of the church if the gospel is
not proclaimed and defended in every generation. Through the Apostle John, our
Savior issued a similar warning to the seven churches of Asia Minor, calling
them to return to Him lest they fall into darkness and their lampstands be
removed. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson considers what Christ might have said if one of
the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2:3 had been specifically
addressed to the church in the modern West in this message.
|
The Southern Baptist Convention has historically had congregations brought up to believe that what their pastor proclaimed in the pulpit was Biblically true. That, sadly, is no longer the case.
Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, tells what happens to a church, when doctrine is not preached, and, I might add, when the people are fed a continuous diet of heresy as well as liberalism:
|
Dr. Alistair Begg, recently spoke at the 2015 Shepherd's Conference, on the Preacher and his responsibility to the Word
|
The Church is Changing....
What is Emerging
With Dr. Gary Gilley
|
A
Layman in a church writes: "A few weeks back, I learned that I have a brain
tumor. As I was reflecting upon this, I asked the question, "What if an
unsaved person with a brain tumor went into some of the more popular,
influential, or notable churches in America today? What would they see and hear?"
So, I did some basic searching on the web and found that some of these were
some of the most viewed and / or commented videos out there.
"Here are the questions to us Christians: What image are we putting up for the
lost? What are we saying to them? And how should they react when they see and
hear this kind of stuff in our churches today?"
He explains what he found in the following video:
|
Willow Creek Church, the "flagship" seeker sensitive church.....where it all began.....is in trouble. As it turns out, Bill Hybels, the pastor, admitted that the "Seeker Sensitive" methodology doesn't work! This 3-Part Report tells why:
|
Re-defining
the Church
The
Church Growth Movement's Unbiblical Definition of the Church
by Bob DeWaay
|
The Problematic Church Growth Movement:
|
THE CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT:
AN ANALYSIS OF RICK WARREN'S
"PURPOSE DRIVEN" CHURCH GROWTH STRATEGY
|
Purpose is NOT the Gospel
(Todd Friel explains):
|
"We don't preach doctrine...we preach Love":
|
Preaching "Selective Passages" of Scripture = False Converts
|
"SINNER" aka "SEEKER FRIENDLY" CHURCH
|
"Seeker Sensitive" "Church Growth" "Church Planter" pastors are trying to makeover the Church, for the Un-churched or Un-believers. Yes, there are pastors who don't understand what worship is......and it should never be "marketed" for the unbeliever.....and here's why that methodology is un-biblical:
|
"Church Growth" "Church Planter" pastors are being taught to be "leaders" and not "ministers or shepherds of the flock." They are being tutored by, and inculcated with the idea of "Celebrity Pastor":
|
Rick Warren: "America's Pastor" who is the leading proponent of the flawed and unbiblical "Seeker Sensitive" and "Church Growth" methods is exposed for the Heresy he teaches, and the Scripture he twists, by Todd Friel on "The Way of the Master Radio":
|
Rick Warren – Master of Marketing
|
LifeWay, Rick Warren, and the Son of God
|
"Purpose-Driven Preaching" a lecture given March 2015, by Rev. Chris Rosebrough
|
Concerning the "Seeker Sensitive" Heretical methods
|
The Problem with Bringing Secular Music and
"7-11 Hymns" into the Church.......
"Knowing Vs. Believing"..........................
|
Is "Blended" worship the answer? No it isn't, and there is a difference between the modernistic "Contemporary" and the true Worship of God. Here is a recent article in "The American Organist" magazine that illustrates the point:
|
Dr. John MacArthur on the "Seeker Sensitive" Movement
(Courtesy of Grace to You, used with permission)
|
A pastor paying more attention to books like "Sticky Church," and "It," rather than to what Christ taught and commanded, is a formula for doctrinal and theological drift; it is transformed into a church that becomes a mad house of works, rather than a place where you can sit, rest, and be fed God's Word.
No congregation should have it's own separate, unique mission vision statement; that vision has been given to the church as a whole. Individual churches are tasked as a whole to baptize and disciple. Rev. Rosebrough explains:
|
"Vision
Casting" is Employed by Seeker-Driven Pastors, and used by the "Growing Healthy Churches" movement. Dr. John MacArthur answers the question of "What does it mean to cast a vision for your church?" (Source: "Grace to You," go to their website to see the video).
|
Most "Seeker Sensitive" pastors use "Vision Casting" to 'lead' their congregations
|
If you listen carefully, at the beginning of the video, you will hear heretic Mark Batterson, endorse heretic David Yonggi Cho, disgraced 'pastor' of the world's largest megachurch, located in South Korea, (a former Buddhist, who claimed he had a vision from Jesus), and is now serving time in jail, along with his son (who was in collusion), for embezzling $12 million from the church. You'll hear Batterson claim that he heard Cho speak, and got the idea for "Vision Casting" from him.
|
Perry Noble of NewSpring Church, S.C. teaches the false doctrine of "Vision Casting"
|
Perry Noble, pastor at South Carolina’s NewSpring Church, the
largest, so-called, "Southern Baptist" church in America (32,000 people during weekend
services at multiple campuses across the state), is in trouble. On
Christmas Eve, 2014, Noble claimed that God spoke to him directly and commanded him
to tell his congregation that the Ten Commandments aren’t commandments at all.
Many objected and tried to correct the pastor, but he isn’t having it:
|
Southern Baptist Convention response to Perry Noble's Heresy
|
Perry Noble of NewSpring Church, SC, explains, in the sound file below, what true Christian selfishness is. But it's not what you think. Compare (on this page) with Dan Southerland's "Transitioning" methodology and his mantra, "It's so not about you!"
|
The Blueprint for a Vision Casting, Biblically Vacuous
Message
By Rev. Anthony Wade
August 29, 2015
|
Dr. Peter Masters, Pastor, since 1971, of Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, England, since 1970, preached a sermon, "A Church's Dangers and Aims" with the Scripture text Ephesians 4:14,
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive;"
on the need for Discernment in the Church:(Used with Permission)
|
Southern Baptist, Rev. J.D. Hall, and Reformed Lutheran, Rev. Chris Rosebrough, discuss the current problems with churches which do not preach the Gospel of Christ; including reference to heretical churches, the Eisegesis of Scripture, and entertaining worship:
|
THE "TRANSITIONED" CHURCH
|
The root of the problem at many churches
Rev. Chris Rosebrough, who produced and narrates the program, writes: "Below is a
Special Edition of the "Fighting for the Faith" radio program, that exposes the
Cult-Like Hostile Takeover Tactics of Dan Southerland's Purpose-Driven Church
Transitioning Seminar. The list of cult-like tactics employed by Southerland is long. They include:
1. Flat out
lies and manipulative double speak
2. Blatant
Scripture Twisting
3. New &
Direct Extra Biblical Revelation and Visions from God
4. Flat out
intolerance for anyone who questions or challenges these "new" Extra
Biblical Revelations and Visions that are supposedly from God.
All of these
cult-like tactics are exposed and discussed in this special edition of "Fighting for the Faith."
Furthermore, I cannot emphasize enough the fact that Dan Southerland's Church
Transitions company has been the "go to" company used by Rick
Warren's Purpose-Driven businesses to train pastors into Warren's Druckerite
leadership methodologies.
Pastors are taught to preach eisegetical and narcigetical sermons, that subtlety inculcate (to implant by repeated statement or admonition) his "vision" for where he wants to lead the church, and the methods he wants to use. He will often berate the congregation with scripture taken out of context that seems to support his position. Individuals, who do not agree with the pastor, will often find themselves as unnamed illustrations in those sermons. Sometimes he will use illustrations from his own past experience that remain "hot button" unresolved issues, and are verbally expressed with psychological anger and cynicism, in an attempt to admonish the congregation that he is correct about a certain matter.
Some pastors also learn methods that bypass scriptural teaching on church discipline, especially when staff are found to be in serious sin, known among the congregation; with the pastor playing a CEO disciplinarian role.
How a church is "Transitioned," and the techniques used, are discussed in the following audio documentary: (Courtesy of "Fighting for the Faith" radio/podcast).
|
This is the book containing the methods which are studied in training conferences and courses, by those pastors who want to "transition" their churches into being "Seeker Sensitive" and "Purpose Driven." This is the program that lays the foundation for: "Contemporary Praise," "Praise Teams," "7-11 Hymns," "Doing church for the Un-churched Pagan," "Pastor's Vision," "Social Gospel," "Prosperity Gospel," and "Eisegetical Preaching."
A church doesn't need a "vision statement" or "mission statement" cast in stone at the sole direction of a pastor. Long-range planning studied and agreed upon through pastor-church collaboration is fine, but it can be misused, when the document becomes a device used by a pastor to dictate what he wants the church to be. It can be especially disconcerting when there is no document at all, and things move along at the pastor's whim. Of course, the basic "mission statement" of the church has already been given to us; it's found in the Bible.
|
How Dan Southerland takes Scripture out of Context:
|
How to tell if your church is in
the throes of Transformation
(reprinted
with permission)
“Transformation” is the end-goal of a process that moves from
TRADITION through TRANSITION to TRANSFORMATION. This is sometimes called a
“Paradigm Shift,” which means that Transformation shifts one’s worldview
(paradigm) from the old to a new. This is a dialectically unfolding PROCESS in
which the THESIS is continually challenged by ANTITHESIS, evolving into
ever-unfolding SYNTHESES. Transformation is engineered, orchestrated and/or
manipulated. Transformation involves changing over a person’s values, opinions,
beliefs, attitudes, and even their behaviors to that of the new
paradigm/worldview.
How to tell if it is
“Transformation” –
Characteristics of TRADITION:
1. Education (teaching) is
didactic
2. Cognitive
3. Right and Wrong
4. Focus on “what is”
5. “I know” statements
6. Facts, TRUTH
7. Respond to change by standing on THESIS
Characteristics of TRANSITION:
1. Education is facilitation
2. Affective (feelings), psychological
3. Must “determine” right and wrong (up for grabs)
4. Experience (dialogue)
5. “I think” or “I feel” subjective statements
6. OPINIONS
7. Respond to change by adapting to new SYNTHESIS
Characteristics of
TRANSFORMATION:
1. Education is modeling,
spiritual formation, mentoring
2. Esoteric (mystical)
3. No absolutes
4. Common ground, coevolution, collective unconscious
5. Intuitive, “I sense,” imagery, imagination
6. ANTITHESIS supplants THESIS
7. Continual, perpetual change
How to spot the PROCESS of
“Transformation.” Look for:
A. New Language:
1. Newly coined words, terms,
phrases, slogans
2. Old words given new meanings
3. Old definitions discarded
4. Intentional deception, misleading statements, half-truths, ambiguity
B. New Worldview/Paradigm
1. A new way of seeing or
interpreting reality—events, circumstances, history, causes and effects, etc.
2. Creating a new reality using envisioning activities
3. Revisionist history: altering the facts, distorting prior events to fit new
paradigm
4. Creating a new reality through psycho-social change mechanisms
C. New Structure
1. New authority structure,
system of governance, new forms of accountability
2. New physical structure
3. New forms, formulas, formats, formations
4. New liturgies not based on doctrine or Scripture
D. New Mission/Vision
1. Subjective, constantly
changing, relative
2. Strategic
3. Not tied to Biblical absolute Truth or Word of God
4. Subject to continual urgency, crisis, acceleration, etc.
E. New Values
1. Subjective, relational, situational,
abstract
2. Irrational, illogical, irreverent, irrelevant
3. Tolerance for everything but absolute Truth
4. “The end justifies the means”
F. New Methods
1. Bait and switch, marketing,
manipulation, machinations
2. Statistics, census-taking, databanking, assessing, monitoring
3. Orchestrated consensus, common ground, deceptions
4. Peer-driven, compulsive, coercive
G. New Doctrines
1. Man-oriented, culturally
relative, contextualized, programmed
2. Anything that erodes the sovereignty of God
3. Utopian-sounding
4. Authoritarian in implementation
|
Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Church" incorporates the basics of Dan Southerland's "Transitioning." Warren shows how any pastor can use his "Church Growth" and "Church Health" principles, to increase numerical results, without real Christian followers of Christ.
|
How the Church Growth, "Growing Healthy Churches" Movement
Drives the Gospel and Bible truth,
out of Churches:
|
CHURCH TAKEOVERS:
A TRUE VIRGINIA BAPTIST STORY
In the two articles that follow, listen to the pain of some Virginia Baptist church members who have experienced attempts, some successful, and some unsuccessful, by so-called "ultra-conservatives" to take over their churches and move them out of the Baptist General Association (BGAV) of Virginia.
Today's Liberals, were yesterday's Conservatives; i.e., those who perpetrate all the "Seeker Sensitive/Purpose Driven/Pastoral Vision Casting" nonsense, (which is perpetrated by the Purpose Driven philosophy and "Growing Healthy Churches" Network) are Liberal; not Conservative Bible-believing, teaching Pastors.
Many pastors are not telling Pulpit Committees the truth when they are interviewed; they cover up their true feelings, gloss over their theological beliefs, hide problems in their former pastorates, claim to be a Southern Baptist, but support a splinter group like the SBCV, instead of the real Virginia Southern Baptist state group, the BGAV; and what they plan to do in changing the direction of the church under consideration. Many congregations are finding out, much to their sorrow, that they have called a man who has a hidden agenda. Of all the Southern Baptist Seminary presidents I have heard speak on this subject, they have all roundly condemned this "Seeker Sensitive" and "Purpose Driven" nonsense. Why? Because it is not Biblical.
|
SEEKER SENSITIVE METHODS
(for a full discussion, see the webpage: "Seeker Sensitive Heresy")
|
The following film clip
(with Dr. R.C. Sproul, Dr. Douglas Wilson, Dr. John Piper, and Dr. R. Albert Mohler) describe the problem with "Seeker Sensitive" Methods:
|
The detrimental effect of the "Seeker Sensitive" methodology
on the church, is discussed by
Dr. R. Al Mohler, Jr., (President of Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary), Dr. R.C. Sproul, and Dr. Ravi Zacharias:
|
It's not about
"Church Numbers and Growth"
(Mark Dever speaking at City North Baptist Church, Queensland,
Australia
|
Dr. John MacArthur explains "What are the Marks of Real Church Growth?"
(from "Grace to You" used with permission)
|
True ministry is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God. As Pastors, we are not called to pander to the culture of the world, trying to be "relevant." The comfort and the admiration of the unchurched is not suppose to be our paramount concern. We are not called to engage the culture. If we try to engage the culture, the result will be an adjustment of the Gospel. The greatness of God is not measured by the size of the crowd we accumulate.
Rev. Phil Johnson discusses this problem at the 2014 Shepherds' Conference in the following video: (Courtesy of GTY, used with permission).
|
A WORD TO PASTORS...................................
|
“The ways of destroying the church are many
and colorful. Raw factionalism will do it. Rank heresy will do it. Taking your
eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the
agenda will do it-admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as
effectively over the long haul. Building the church with superficial
‘conversions’ and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening
knowledge of the living God will do it.
Entertaining people to death but never
fostering the beauty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will
build an assembling of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the
living God. Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy,
self-promotion, materialism-all of these things, and many more, can destroy a
church. And to do so is dangerous: ‘If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will
destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Cor.
3:17).’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Dr. D.A. Carson, Professor of New Testament,
Trinity International University; formerly Dean, Northwest Baptist Theological
Seminary. A conservative theologian who was written more than 50 scholarly
books for pastors and seminarians.
Education:
BSc, McGill University
MDiv, Central Baptist Seminary, Toronto
PhD, University of Cambridge
|
Ecclesia Immunodeficiency Heresy (EIH)
The Human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an absolutely terrifying pathogen. It’s almost
as if this virus studied the human body and its defenses in order to find
the Achilles heel. And it succeeded. HIV the virus that causes AIDS
doesn’t attack the human body like other diseases, it destroys the human immune
system so that its victims cannot ward of the most common diseases. Those
who die of AIDS don’t die from the HIV virus. Instead, the HIV virus destroys
the human body’s natural defenses and then lets other diseases like the common
cold, or the flu finish off its victims. It’s a manically ingenious pathogen.
The great
adversary of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His church has learned the lessons of
HIV and has crafted an almost identical attack against the Body of
Christ. Since, I am one of the early discovers of this pathogen mimicking
Satanic attack I have named it the “Ecclesia Immunodeficiency Heresy” (EIH).
EIH like the
HIV virus works by attacking the immune system of the Body of Christ.
Once that immune system is effectively destroyed or rendered powerless then
Satan destroys the host congregation by introducing ancient heresies and false
doctrines. With no effective immune system in place to put down these heresies
and false gospels, the host congregation comes under the control of the Devil.
In the final
stages of this disease, the host congregation becomes the breeding ground for
Satanic missionaries who are carriers of EIH. These EIH missionaries are
then sent out to other congregations in order to spread this disease around the
world and thereby silence sound doctrine and the proclamation of the true good
news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone by Christ's work alone.
Does your
congregation test positive for EIH? Here are some tale-tell symptoms of EIH.
1.
The pastor has gone from preaching expository Bible sermons
to giving relevant self-help informational lectures that meet the felt needs of
unbelievers.
2.
You frequently hear the pastor or staff say things like “We
do church for the unchurched”
3.
In depth Bible study and preaching are publicly mocked,
ridiculed or attacked by the pastor and staff.
4.
Home Group Bible study leaders are unqualified to teach the
Bible and end up resorting to asking subjective questions like “what does this
passage mean to you”?
5.
Home Group Bible study leaders are instructed to value
everyone’s ideas about the Bible and that no ideas are to be condemned or
spoken of as if they are false or contrary to scripture.
6.
If you raise doctrinal concerns about what is being taught
in the pulpit or in a Home Group Study you are branded a “pharisee” and
escorted off the Church’s property by security.
7.
The only people disciplined in the congregation are those
who do not give unquestioning allegiance to the pastor’s vision for the church.
8.
When you ask about doctrine the pastor says, “We’re into
deeds not creeds.”
If your church
has one or more of these symptoms then it has tested positive for EIH.
Please, keep in
mind that those pastors and teachers who are carriers of EIH may not personally
be promoting or believing any heresies. Instead, they are promoting new
'innovative' methodologies and church structures that eliminate and/or
effectively neutralize the Body of Christ's immune system. The heresies
that will kill the congregation will be introduced after the immune system
has been neutralized. EIH's primary mission is to render the Body of
Christ defenseless against the coming heretical attacks.
|
Heresy
enters a church congregation when there is no discernment; and people refuse to
judge false teaching.
|
"Heresy and Heretics" -Dr. R.C. Sproul
|
Heresy and false teaching must be confronted, especially that which is
being taught in the pulpit. The people of God need to stand up to any
pastor who does not preach the true Gospel of Jesus and the Bible.
Justin Peters, a graduate of Southwestern
Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.D.) gives Biblical answers to those in the
church, who are not open to discernment, and want to criticize those who are discerning:
|
While auditing Slayton's sermons and his endorsement of "The Circle Maker" concept, I thought about this:
|
From a sermon "The Preacher in his Pulpit," delivered on May 21, 1957, by Rev. Frank Hughes, Jr. The Sermon, was
based on Jonah, chapter 3. He tells, in the above illustration, of a
professor who told a group of young preachers: "Remember that you need
to give to the lost person God's Word, not yours. He has promised to
bless His Word, not yours, and it is His Word, not yours that will not
return void." For the life of me, I cannot understand why a pastor, who
says publicly, that he is trying to win the lost to Christ,
especially young people with all the youth recreation programs he's sponsoring;
yet would teach heresy in the church. That's Hypocrisy.
|
“Now
the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had
made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every
tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1, KJV) (Above photo courtesy of "Museum of Idolatry")
|
"The Circle Maker" (An example of Heretical teaching)
|
Dr.
Randy White, a Southern Baptist pastor, gives an excellent review of "The
Circle Maker" and tells why it is pure heresy:
|
Exposing "The Circle Maker" with Principles of Spiritual Discernment by Dr. Randy White
|
The following video
concerning "The Circle Maker" book is instructive:
|
False Teaching
in the book "The Circle Maker":
|
Dr. Charles
Stanley tells why the "Name it, Claim it" is a false "Prosperity Gospel" theology, and has
no place in the church. This is the basic concept of "The Circle
Maker" book.
Dr. Stanley
responds to this popular view that a believer can name a need or desire, and
expect God to deliver it, in the following video.
(Courtesy of In
Touch Ministries, 2011)
|
More information about heretic Mark Batterson's "The Circle Maker":
|
Author of "The Circle Maker" has changed the scripture:
|
"The Circle Maker" an in-depth review:
|
"The Circle Maker" book: a form of
"The Prosperity Gospel" Heresy
|
More heresy from Mark Batterson
|
(The "student edition" written with his son Parker Batterson)
|
“THE GRAVE ROBBER” BOOK REVIEW
|
If you don’t know the dangerous deception that
invented the words “Missional,” Transformational,” “Spiritual Formation,” "Community," "Having Passion," and
the unbiblical Church Growth model, you need to hear the interview, with Sarah Leslie, who has done extensive research on this heretical
movement:
|
Why I have included
this information about heresies entering the church, the heretical Hillsong Church, and Rick Warren:
Because many years ago, sitting in a senior Oscar Smith High School
English class, Miss Margaret West gave some timely advice to us:
to watch who you associate with as young people; you tend to become like
them, perhaps picking up bad habits you will later regret, and you tend
to marry those you hang out with. I never forgot that.
That admonition was later re-enforced by Dr. Delgado at Bluefield College, when he addressed my freshman class in a chapel service, and stated that we as individuals, are constantly making a record of our lives, not only in the academic world, but in the social aspects as well. He also stressed the importance of those we associated with.
I therefore consider it to be a serious matter when a pastor starts to associate himself with those who are theologically unsound. It is a very serious matter when a pastor, who oversees a church website, has allowed endorsement of "Emergent Churches" and, therefore, the heretics who lead them. And what could be worse, than to preach and teach heresy?
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The Heresy at Hillsong Church
First, we will examine a "sermon" by Judah
Smith (who has "preached" at Hillsong, and whose wife is a co-pastor
in his church) presented at a church in Florida; then we will look at
Hillsong's pastor, Brian Houston; an insider's report on this heretical
megachurch; a review of Brian Houston sermons, (one he delivered at Rick
Warren's Saddleback church); and finally, an indepth look at the millions being
made at Hillsong and the co-pastors' lavish lifestyle.
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Book Review:
Jesus
Is_________, Find a New Way to Be Human, by Judah Smith:
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Hillsong Pastor, Brian Houston, says that Muslims and Christians believe in the SAME God !!
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To dig deeper into the Hillsong movement, here is an insider's viewpoint:
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Rick Warren endorses Hillsong heresy: he invited Brian Houston into his "supposedly" Southern Baptist Church. "Only For a While," a sermon by Brian Houston at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church:
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HILL$ONG: THE MONEY MACHINE:
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HERETICS AT 2013 HILLSONG CONFERENCE
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Rick Warren is now in partnership with "Word of Faith" heretic, Joel Osteen
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HILLSONG's HERETICAL WORSHIP MUSIC: (Much of this music, and that from the heretical Bethel Church, Redding, California, is now being imported into some of our larger Southern Baptist Churches.
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What an Irony: Christians trying to be "relevant" but using music that is:
the heretical music of Hillsong
(Australia) and "Jesus Culture" and "Bethel Music" of Bethel Church, Redding, Calif.); which has infected many large
(mostly "Seeker Sensitive") churches. And the church membership is none the wiser.
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Bethel Music is, unfortunately, currently used by one prominent Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia; as the Chancel/Pulpit Platform is transformed for a "contemporary" night service during the week:
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Being "relevant" and serving up worship "cafeteria style" at one Baptist Church in Richmond: "From Rock to Bach!" or "Going from 'low church' to 'high church' in one day":
One Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, announced in 2015, that they are going to offer a "Choral Evensong" program on Sunday evenings. What???
For the un-initiated, here is the standard definition of "Choral Evensong":
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion
(and other churches in the Anglican tradition, such as the Continuing Anglican
Movement and the Anglican Use of the Roman Catholic Church) and celebrated in
the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as Evensong,
especially (but not exclusively) when the office is rendered chorally (that is,
when most of the service is sung). It is roughly the equivalent of Vespers in
the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran churches, although it was originally
formed by combining the monastic offices of Vespers and Compline. Although many
churches now take their services from Common Worship or other modern prayer
books, if a church has a choir, Choral Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer
often remains in use because of the greater musical provision. Evening Prayer,
like Morning Prayer (Matins) and in contrast to the Eucharist, may be led by a
layperson, and is recited by some devout Anglicans daily in private (clergy in
many Anglican jurisdictions are required to do so).
And if you want the Benny Hinn style of worship-mix, they also offer a "Healing Service."
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"When Something's Done Don't Stop" - by Brian Houston, Hillsong Church (Reviewed by Rev. Chris Rosebrough)
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The Truth Concerning "Growing
Healthy Churches" (GHC)
which
has been endorsed by Lynn Hardaway (of the Norfolk Baptist Association, VA, "Bridge Network of Churches") (who has connections with Paul D. Borden,
one of his mentors while completing his D.Min. thesis at Liberty Seminary,
November 2012).
(Liberty is NOT
connected with the Southern Baptist Convention).
Hardaway seems to have totally endorsed
Borden's "GHC" model, to the point, that in his thesis (which can be
found online), he stated that the
pastor is NOT responsible for Pastoral Care to the Congregation; that
the Congregation is! What
Southern Baptist seminary teaches that unbiblical concept? That's news to me! Southeastern Baptist where I attended didn't teach that nonsense!
He
is also not in favor of using committees in the church.
I
also discovered in that thesis, where Hardaway quotes Borden discussing a
"crippling effect" that results from Sunday morning worship, because
it doesn't focus on the "mission and vision" of the church, viz the pastor. (Whose
"vision is being cast?")
Again, unbiblical: the purpose of
Worship is NOT for the unbeliever; it is for the Christian....look again at the
articles on this page, and on the "Seeker Sensitive" Heresy webpage,
that deal with that basic issue.
Hardaway
even has "advice" in his thesis for changing the church's
interior architecture to be conducive and relevant to the "target
population."
(Full discussion of Lynn Hardaway's connection to SNBC is found in the introductory PDF: "Worship in the 21st Century in South Norfolk Baptist Church.")
(An
analysis by Tim Matsis, Rev. Ken Silva, Rev. Ralph Elliott, and Rev. Bob
DeWaay):
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Lynn Hardaway (who was installed as head of the Norfolk Baptist Association), wrote a D.Min. thesis, which recommended the following, and I
quote:
"There is a great need to train new leadership for the
church. The church will adopt the staff-led, accountable model of
leadership recommended in John Kaiser's book "Winning on Purpose."
That raises the question, "Who is John Kaiser? and what does his book
state?"
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Keeping in mind the background previously discussed earlier on this page: Dan Southerland's Church
Transitions methodology and company, has been the "go to" company used by Rick
Warren's Purpose-Driven businesses to train pastors into Warren's Druckerite
leadership methodologies.
Pastors
are taught (although, not in a Southern Baptist seminary; they learned this in some "Growth" workshop, course, or from a mentor who doesn't know any better) to preach "Eisegetical" and "Narcigetical" sermons, that
subtlety inculcate (to implant by repeated statement or admonition) his
"vision" for where he wants to lead the church, and the methods he wants
to use. He will often berate the congregation with scripture taken out
of context that seems to support his position.
Let me say frankly, that
preaching heresy and tolerating liberalism in a church, should always be
addressed...that is what the Bible says. And preaching heresy always "grieves the Holy
Spirit."
And may I say, that
any pastor who openly preaches heresy......who "doubles down" on the
same heresy with more endorsement of the same, will one day stand before the
Lord and give an account of it!
When
you, as a pastor say, "Thus saith the
Lord," you had better make very sure that it is the Word of God.
Only Scripture is to give us Biblical and Christian doctrine. Anything
else is not on a par with Scripture, such as "The Circle Maker," heresy;
and any pastor who pushes this, will, according to Scripture, stand
before the Lord and give an account of that! And Church Member? You
need
to stand up for what is true and only Biblical! (Emphasis mine).
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Understanding "Narcigesis" and "Eisegesis"
When the Bible becomes about you..........
When the pastor will force the Bible to mean
that he is at the center of the story, and when the congregation are taught that every
teaching, every command and everything God asks His people to do, becomes about the pastor's own personal faith journeys; that is what is known as narcissistic
eisegesis, and it is a type of teaching prevalent in the Seeker Friendly
movement sweeping the United States and the world.
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Rev. Chris Rosebrough
explains the technique that many “Seeker Sensitive” teachers and pastors
use: reading a few verses, then they
launch into stories about themselves; life-stories that seem to be connected to
the Bible; but connected in some torturous manner; usually with no connection
at all.
Beth Moore is a good example
of one who uses this method; and its good at hiding true exegesis of
scripture. These types of sermons are
full of twists and turns.
Many of these so-called
‘sermons’ are allegorizing the biblical text; making the verses say things that
they don’t say. These preachers don’t
pay any attention whatsoever as to what a scripture text really says. They’re more interested in talking about
themselves.
And people who sit under
this type of teaching think that they are being taught sound biblical doctrine;
they think that they are being good disciples of Jesus and are learning what
the Bible says. But they’re not; they’re
not learning what the Bible says at all.
They’re learning narcissistic nonsense; which is exactly what that
is. This is no way to learn God’s Word
and know what it really says. It works
against the goal of teaching sound doctrine and what Christ really said and
taught; what the Bible is really about and what it means.
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JOHN
MACARTHUR ON THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT
By
Rev. Ken Silva, Southern Baptist pastor-teacher, Feb 14, 2012
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Discerning of spirits(v.10)—Satan is the great
deceiver (John 8:44) and his demons counterfeit God’s message and work.
Christians with the gift of discernment have the God-given ability to recognize
lying spirits and to identify deceptive and erroneous doctrine (see Acts 17:11;
1 John 4:1).
Paul illustrated the use of this gift in Acts
16:16-18, as Peter had exercised it in Acts 5:3. When it was not being
exercised in the Corinthian church, grave distortion of the truth occurred (see
v. 3; 14:29).
Though its operation has changed since apostolic times
(because of the completion of Scripture) it is still essential to have people
in the church who are discerning. They
are the guardians, the watchmen who protect the church from demonic lies, false
doctrines, perverted cults, and fleshly elements. As it requires diligent study
of the Word to exercise gifts of knowledge, wisdom, preaching, and teaching, so
it does with discernment. [1]
An important gift for the protection of the church is
that of discernment, the distinguishing of spirits. The basic meaning of
distinguishing has to do with separating out for examination and judging in
order to determine what is genuine and what is spurious. Satan is the great
deceiver, “the father of lies” (John 8:44), and ever since the Fall he and his
demons have counterfeited God’s message and God’s work. All Christians should
judge carefully what they hear and read and “not believe every spirit, but test
the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).
That is what the God-fearing and “noble-minded” Jews
of Berea did when they first heard the gospel from Paul (Acts 17:11). They
tested Paul’s word against what they knew of God’s Word, and because the two
words matched they believed that what he preached was from God and not from
demons. That is what every believer should do with every message that claims to
be from God. No preacher or teacher of the gospel should resent having what he
says judged against Scripture.
Those to whom God has given the gift of discernment
have a special ability to recognize lying spirits, and this gift is the
Spirit’s watchdog. Some ideas that are given as scriptural and that on the
surface seem scriptural actually are clever counterfeits that would deceive
most believers. Those with the gift of discernment are the Holy Sprit’s
inspectors, His counterfeit experts to whom He gives special insight and
understanding. The gift was especially valuable in the early church because the
New Testament had not been completed. Because of the difficulty and expense of
copying, for many years after its completion the Bible was not widely
available.
The Holy Spirit’s discerners were the church’s
protectors.
The gift of discernment is also especially valuable
when the church and the gospel are considered acceptable in society. When Christianity
is persecuted, counterfeit teachers usually are scarce, because the price for
being identified with the gospel is too high. They are much more likely to
appear in times and in places where Christianity is considered respectable or
at least is tolerated. In parts of the world today, evangelicalism is popular
and often profitable. All sorts of teachers, preachers, writers, and counselors
claim to be evangelical and biblical.
Although any thinking person realizes that all the
ideas cannot be biblical, simply because many of them are so contradictory of
each other, it is not always easy to know which are true and which are not.
Most often they are a mixture. Counterfeit teachers used by Satan usually have
some truth in what they say. Unfortunately, many basically sound teachers
sometimes undiscerningly pick up ideas from psychology, philosophy, or popular
thinking that seem biblical but are not. It is the ministry of those with the
gift of discernment to help separate the wheat from the chaff.
The Corinthian believers who had that gift either were
not using it or were being ignored. Otherwise the perverted ideas and practices
that Paul deals with in this letter could not have flourished as they did.
Discernment is the gift, along with prophecy, that the Apostle urges the
Corinthians to use in relation to judging the use and interpretation of
tongues. Those with discernment are to judge even those who prophesy (1 Cor.
14:29).
Obviously, the gift of discernment is valuable to the
church in assisting Christians to settle disputes among themselves rather than
going to court. That seems to be the gift needed by the person Paul speaks of
in 1 Corinthians 6, the “wise man who will be able to decide between his
brethren” (v. 5).
Even praise of the gospel can be deceitful and
misleading. When Paul and Silas began to minister in Philippi, Luke reports
that “a certain slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was
bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. Following after Paul and
us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High
God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation’ ” (Acts 16:16-17). What
the girl said not only was true but seemed to be favorable to the gospel and to
those who were proclaiming it.
But the purpose and motivation of what she said was
exactly the opposite. The demons who controlled her meant to attract the people
and, gaining their trust, then ridicule and undercut God’s Word and the work of
His ministers. In that case Paul could not judge by what was said, because the
girl’s words were true. He knew she was a demonic instrument only because the
Holy Spirit revealed the false spirit that controlled her.
False teaching can be judged by comparing it with
Scripture, but false spirits can be judged only by the true Spirit’s gift of
discernment. That gift may be called the Spirit’s gift on gifts, because God
uses it to reveal to His church whether or not a manifestation of the other
gifts is of Him. All imitation of the gifts is not demonic. Much of it is
simply the work of the flesh, carnal Christians trying to serve the Lord in
their own power and for their own benefit and glory. Summarizing, it can be
said that the gift of discernment is given to tell if the other gifts are of
the Holy Spirit, if they are merely natural imitations, or if they are demonic
counterfeits.
I believe God still empowers some of His people to
unmask false prophets and carnal hypocrites. He gives them insight to expose
imitations and deceptions that most Christians would take as genuine. The gift
of discernment, however, can easily deteriorate into a critical, proud, and
self-righteous spirit. It can be judgmental instead of corrective when it is
imitated in the flesh. But rightly used it is a great protection to God’s
people.[2]
John MacArthur
End notes:
[1] John MacArthur. 1 Corinthians (MacArthur Bible
Studies) (Kindle Locations 1144-1150). Kindle Edition.
[2] John MacArthur, MacArthur’s Commentary on 1
Corinthians, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996], 1 Corinthians 12:11.
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The Accidental Wolves
By Rev. Anthony Wade
December 1, 2014
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Heresy Hunting Is A Biblical Requirement
By
Rev. Anthony Wade
|
Perry Noble Reveals the False Teacher's Playbook
By Rev. Anthony Wade
June 13, 2015
|
Dr. Mohler, discusses why so
many churches hear so little of the Bible:
|
"Modeling Bible Study Through Preaching" with John MacArthur
"Years ago a reporter said to me,
"Do you have a desire to build the church?" I said, "Not really
because Christ said He would build the church and I'd rather not compete with Him."
That's a losing enterprise. So we have been blessed to see the Lord continue to
build His church. We're so greatly thankful for that.
"As you know, this is kind of a reflection, kind of an extended reflection of my
recent trip to Europe where I visited with many of our missionaries. I think I
was in seven, or eight, or nine countries, something like that, and had the
opportunity to be with our missionaries. And everywhere I go, the same things
essentially happen. They preach the Word of God in churches and then they train
others to do the same thing. The emphasis of all of our missionaries around the
world is to strengthen the church. And the church is only strengthened in so
far as its leaders are doing what they should be doing. Strong leaders doing the
right thing make for strong churches doing the right thing. And that all comes
down to handling accurately the Word of God...."
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At the "Liberate Conference," Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Feb 2015, Paul
Tripp spoke on “It is Finished: Good News
for a Worn Out world,” to a
gathering of pastors about how we try to save ourselves by lying to ourselves, and
deceiving ourselves. And I think there
is a lot of that going on here. Rev. Chris Rosebrough introduces this segment from that message:
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Where did Rick Warren get his idea for the book, "The Purpose Driven Life, 40 Days of Purpose," and the other 40 Days' programs he started? You will be shocked by the answer....in his own words, as presented on the "Fighting for the Faith" radio broadcast with Rev. Chris Rosebrough:
|
Rick
Warren
and his Connections
to the ecumenical
"Third Wave New Apostolic Reformation" (NAR) and "Positive
Thinking" Movement:
|
What is the "New Apostolic Reformation"?
|
The "New Apostolic
Reformation" Heresy was investigated on National Public Radio:
|
C. Peter Wagner:
founder of the NAR: "New Apostolic Reformation"
|
C. Peter Wagner on the "Dominion Mandate"
and the Government of the Church:
|
Rick
Warren recommends you follow the top Heretics in the World:
|
"Death of the Mega Church" by Rev. Roger Oakland:
|
Rick Warren's Connection with Peter Drucker:
|
Rick Warren's key mentor was Peter Drucker, who
stated: "I'm not a born-again Christian."
(Revealed by Southern Baptist Pastor,
Rev. Ken Silva):
|
Apprising Ministries
wishes you to know that there’s absolutely no doubt about the effect of
business guru Peter Drucker (1909-2005) upon Southern Baptist megapastor Rick
Warren.
This is quite
clear, e.g. in Rick Warren: Peter Drucker Changed My Life where you can see
video of Warren absolutely fawning all over Drucker while making that
particular admission.
While discussing
this in Rick Warren, Manny Pacquiao, And The Influence Of Peter Drucker, which
I posted last Saturday night, it apparently caught the attention of Rick
Warren.
The reason I say
this, and it possibly have been by mere coincidence, is the next day Warren
would make what I consider to be a tactical error and tweeted:
|
Sarah Leslie wrote the article, "Was Peter Drucker A
Christian?" The Spin Versus The Truth, brings out some compelling evidence while
asking the right questions:
This story that Rick Warren tweeted today is
oft-repeated: “Rick Warren: I asked Peter Drucker how he was saved by Jesus. He
said ‘When I fully understood GRACE, I knew I’d never get a better deal”
Leadership Network has repeated this story many times.
The story, according to Bob Buford went like this:
[Ken] Blanchard, once in my presence, asked Peter
Drucker, “Peter, why did you choose Christianity?” Peter said, “There’s no
better deal.”
Many would question the fact that a well-known New Age
business guru (Ken Blanchard), with a highly questionable Christian testimony
himself, would attribute salvation to Drucker! Do these personal anecdotes from
Rick Warren, Bob Buford and Ken Blanchard (all of whom have a vested interest
in perpetuating the story?) indicate that Drucker was truly saved?
In a recorded interview at Claremont College in 2001,
Drucker clearly denied he was a born-again Christian:
“I am not a born-again Christian.”
Well, now you’re about to see the late Peter Drucker,
who’s had enormous influence upon the Seeker Driven/attractional camp, tell you
this himself in an exclusive video clip from that 2001 interview.
Let me be clear; it’s not a joyful thing to do, this
exposing a man—who by his own admission here—knew not God:
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to
him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his
mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” –John
3:3-7.
Here’s the critical point: Now just consider how much
impact upon the professing Christian church this self-professed unbeliever has
had through people like Rick Warren:
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The Leadership
Network has been a key organization that has now trained an entire generation
of Christian pastors -- particularly the megachurch pastors -- to be
"leaders" in the Peter Drucker corporate model. (NOTE: This is
NOT taught in Southern Baptist seminaries).
Bob Buford was the chief mechanism by which Peter Drucker was able to gain access
to the evangelical realm to implement his model of a "healthy
society," particularly with his faith-based agenda (merging Church and
State). This leadership training taught the men to be "change agents"
using the most sophisticated psychological and sociological tools for
manipulating groups to "transform."
It is noteworthy that the way leaders are being trained in Christendom today is
not truly Scripturally based. However, Scriptures are taken and used to validate the new psycho-social
management training for leaders. The methodologies may be cloaked in biblical
sounding language, but they come straight out of the world's system of
operating.
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Who's
Responsible for the Defects of the
"Knowledge Based Products" of the Druckerite
Companies? by Rev. Chris Rosebrough
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Rick Warren Evicts Jesus from Isaiah 49:
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Is Rick Warren a False Teacher, and is 40 Days the Answer:
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Eisegetical sermons are the
standard fare of Rick Warren. Rev. Chris
Rosebrough examines a sermon Warren preached recently:
|
"The Message" a paraphrase (not a translation) used by Rick Warren, compromises some of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
Dr. Justin Peters, discusses the problems and heresy inherent in "The Message":
|
Pastor Rick Warren and Elton
John hold hands In Congress, Joke about Kissing Each Other
The story:
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Rick
Warren Preaching Heresy at Hillsong 2015 Conference
In “The Pastor's Pen” by
Jeff Maples (July 5, 2015)
At the Hillsong 2015 Conference in
Sydney, Australia, where Rick Warren shared a stage with other heretics such as
Joseph Prince, Warren teaches that he receives extra-biblical revelations
through subconscious dreams. The theme of the Word of Faith conference that
Rick is speaking at is “Speak Lord, I’m listening.” This is fitting since all
of the speakers at this conference are heretical preachers that claim
extra-biblical revelation from God.
He starts out by twisting Exodus 4:3
regarding Moses’ encounter with God, and God commanding Moses to throw down his
staff while God miraculously turns it into a serpent, and then pick it back. He
says that this passage represents that Christians today need to throw down
their income and identity and let God do something miraculously with it. He
says:
“Hearing the voice of God starts with a
willingness to give up his identity, his income, and his influence, for the
global Glory of God. When you do that, you are now in a position to hear God
speak.”
He says that the prerequisites to
hearing from God are “believing that he cares about the details of your life,”
and that you must “believe that God wants to answer your questions, confusions,
quandaries and problems.” He then reads Habakkuk Chapter 1 and 2 and says that
this passage lays out a strategy for hearing from God. While reading, and
holding up his counting fingers while reading, he says the following:
“In Habakkuk, we find the model for
hearing the voice of God…These are the five things you do to hear the voice of
God… [1] I will climb up in my watchtower, [2] and I will wait, [3] and I will
look to see what the Lord will say, then the Lord gave me this answer [4] write
down what I reveal to you, [5] so that you may read it.”
Watch, as he tells the audience that he
often asks God questions before he goes to bed, the Holy Spirit works on him,
then he wakes up with an answer.
While emotionally and repeatedly
restating the conference theme, “Speak Lord, I’m listening,” in an effort to
draw the crowd into an emotionally submissive state of mind, he goes on to say
that these will become second nature to you if you practice all your life. “You
must station yourself,” he says, “you don’t move… God speaks to those who wait
on him.” “You calm your body, you calm your mind, and you calm your emotions…
you relax your body.” He then recites Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I
am God,” as a proof for this. He then teaches taking deep breaths while
stretching and relaxing your muscles, and getting comfortable. His next
statement says it all:
“Until you get comfortable with
silence, you will never, ever, ever, hear the voice of God…the inner-calm gives
me the intercom to God…the inner channel to hearing the voice of God.”
He goes on expounding on this for quite
some time. Then, surprisingly he says that God speaks to us through his Word,
however, he then contradicts himself by saying that in addition to this, God
speaks to us through mental images and visions. This isn’t Christianity, this
is mysticism. Rick Warren has been on a downhill path for a number of years,
but this is outright heretical teaching.
And to the angel of the church in
Sardis [Hillsong, Saddleback, Lakewood, etc.] write: ‘The words of him who has
the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the
reputation of being alive, but you are dead.’ – Revelation 3:1
Rick Warren teaching charismatic, "Word
of Faith," extra-biblical revelations, and mysticism at Hillsong 2015. (FOR MORE INFORMATION about the "Word of Faith" heresy, see the webpage on this site by that name).
(Hillsong took down the entire video of Rick Warren, after this was exposed by several Apologetic websites)!
But here is a film clip of Warren claiming Extrabiblical Revelations and teaching Contemplative Prayer:
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Here is Rick Warren at Hillsong 2015, the complete message in 2 parts:
|
Rick Warren's connection with MUSLIMS is EXTENSIVE, and generally unknown to the average Southern Baptist pastor and parishioner. (More information about Rick Warren's connections to Muslims, can be found on the webpages: "Seeker Sensitive Heresy" and in "Church of Tares" film). Here are 2 short films about those connections:
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Rick Warren promotes the heresy of "Centering Prayer" (More information can be found about this on the webpage: "Contemplative Prayer Heresy")
|
HOW "THE EMERGENT CHURCH" MOVEMENT STARTED: the connection between:
BOB BUFORD, RICK WARREN, and BRIAN McLAREN
(More information on the "Emergent Church" can be found on the webpage of that title).
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THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE PASTORS WHO PREACH A "Seeker-Sensitive Gospel" and a Warning from the Bible:
|
“Sometimes the
immature
Christian
suffers bitter disappointment not because
God failed to
keep His promises, but because well meaning Christians made promises “for” God
that
God Himself
never authorized.” – R.C. Sproul
|
Here is a review of Perry Noble speaking to pastors in a 2009 conference at his NewSpring Church,pushing the "Seeker Sensitive" agenda, and he is caught continually, in outright lies:
|
Some churches cater to felt needs of the unsaved. The "Seeker Sensitive" & "Church Health/Growth" philosophy behind it, examined:
|
Once a pastor buys into Rick Warren and the "Church Health/Church Growth" movement, then he generally looks to, and endorses other anti-doctrinal 'pastors' (some who preside over mega-churches) instead of following Titus 1:9: "Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict."
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