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How to Know When the Emerging Church
Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church
Commentary by Roger Oakland
http://understandthetimes.org/
The world is changing. So is the Christian evangelical church. There was a time— not that long ago—when the Bible was considered to be the Word of God by the majority of evangelical Christians. Now that we are well into the third millennium and the post-modern, post-Christian era, the term evangelical can mean almost anything. What has happened? Why is this happening and what is the future for mainstream Christianity?
For the past several years, I have been speaking around the world on current trends that are impacting Christianity. After these presentations, I am approached by Christians who come from many different church backgrounds. Many are expressing their concerns about what is happening in their churches, troubled by the new direction they see their church going. While they may not always be able to discern what is wrong, they know something is wrong and that it needs to be addressed.
Further, many have told me they have attempted to express their concerns with their pastors or church elders. In almost every case, they were told they had a choice to make—get with the new program or get out of the church.
This move towards a reinvented Christianity (one designed to “reach people”) seems to be here for the long haul. It is not just a passing fad. I am often asked by concerned brothers and sisters in Christ to provide an explanation in order to help them understand what they have encountered. They want to know why these changes are underway and what to expect in the future. As well, they want to know what, if anything can be done, to stem this tide. It is for this reason I am writing this commentary—to provide biblical insight regarding the Emerging Church and where it is heading in the future.
The Gospel According to the Scriptures
Throughout church history, various trends have come and gone. While culture changes from place to place, biblical Christianity has always been based upon the central message of the Bible which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the message never changes.
This gospel message is about who Jesus Christ is, and what He has done. A child can understand the gospel message. This message proclaims that life here on planet earth is finite and that life after death is eternal. The good news is that we can be saved from our sins if we will repent and simply ask for forgiveness and follow Him.
How we respond to the gospel message during the time we have on earth determines where we spend eternity—heaven or hell. Jesus, the Creator of the universe, provided a way and the only way we can spend eternity with Him. It is a matter of making a personal decision whether or not we will accept the plan He has provided.
God’s adversary does not want mankind to understand the simple message. His plan is to deceive the world. If he can blind people from the gospel or convince them that they believe the gospel when indeed they do not, his plan has been successful. Throughout the ages, countless billions have been duped, either rejecting the truth, or believing that they had believed the truth when instead they had been deceived.
The Gospel According to Postmoderism
Times change! However, the gospel must remain the same no matter what else changes. We are now living in the postmodern era. In a sincere attempt to reach the postmodern generation with the gospel, it seems many Christians have become postmodern in their thinking.
Perhaps the term postmodern is new to you. Let’s examine what it means.
First, the modern era was characterized by a time of rational thinking based on factual observation. Many claim the modern era ended in the mid 1900s.
The postmodern mindset moves beyond the rational and the factual to the experiential and the mystical. In other words, in the past it was possible to know right from wrong and black from white. In the postmodern era all things are relative to the beholder. What may be right for you may be wrong for someone else. There is no such thing as absolute truth. The only thing that is absolute is that there is no absolute.
We now live in a time in history that is characterized as postmodern. Professors at universities teach students there is no right or wrong. All things are relative. The gospel message to the postmodern mindset is far too dogmatic and arrogant. They say it is necessary to find a more moderate gospel that can be accepted by the masses.
Many church leaders are now looking for ways to reach the postmodern generation. They believe they can find the appropriate methods to do so without changing the message. However, in their attempt to reach this postmodern generation, they have become postmodern themselves and have changed the message. As the gospel is fixed upon the Scriptures, the gospel cannot change, unless of course it becomes another gospel. I believe this is what is happening in the Emerging Church.
He Didn’t Come
Many have noticed that since the turn of the millennium, their churches have changed positions on Bible prophecy and the Second Coming of Jesus. Many have given up on the return of Jesus. From the ‘60s on there was an excitement about the imminent return of Jesus. The Jesus People were excited about Bible prophecy and could see signs that Jesus would descend from the heavens for His Bride at any moment.
The year 2000 was of particular importance. When Jesus didn’t show up, it seems many were apparently disappointed. “Perhaps Jesus has delayed His coming,” some have said. Others are even taking the position that He may not be coming at all, at least not in the manner we have been taught. They are now convinced that we need to be busy about “building His Kingdom” here on earth by “whatever human effort is required.”
The Gospel of the Kingdom
One of the main indicators that something has changed can be seen in the way the future is perceived. Rather than urgently proclaiming the gospel according to the Scriptures and believing the time to do so is short, the emphasis has now shifted. No longer are “signs of the times” significant. The battle cry is very different. A major emphasis among evangelicals is the idea that the world can be radically improved through social programs.
This concept, while on the surface may sound very good, has some serious biblical implications. According to the Scriptures, there will be no kingdom of God until the King arrives. All the human effort man can muster up will fall short of bringing utopia. In fact, according to the Scriptures, fallen man will lead us further down the road to a society of despair and lawlessness just like it was in the days of Noah.
Thus, this purpose-driven view of establishing global utopia may be a plan, but it is “driven” by humanistic reasoning and not led by the Holy Spirit. While it is of course good to do good unto others, all the goodness that we can do will not be good enough. Pastors and church leaders who get involved in such man-driven programs can usually be identified by certain characteristics:
Sound biblical doctrine is dangerous and divisive, and the experiential (i.e.,mystical) is given a greater role than doctrine.
Bible prophecy is no longer taught and is considered a waste of time
Israel becomes less and less important and has no biblical significance
Eventually the promises for Israel are applied to the church and not Israel (Replacement Theology).
Bible study is replaced by studying someone’s book and his methods
Church health is evaluated on the quantity of people who attend.
The truth of God’s Word becomes less and less important
God’s Word, especially concepts like hell, sin and repentance, is eventually downplayed so the unbeliever is not offended.
Spiritual Formation and Transformation
Much of what I have described provides the formula for a dumbing-down of Christianity that paves the way for an apostasy that will only intensify in the future. This trend away from the authority of God’s Word to the reinvented form of Christianity has overcome all evangelical denominations like an avalanche. Few Bible teachers saw this avalanche coming. Now that it is underway, few realize it has even happened.
However, there is another big piece to the puzzle that must be identified in order to understand what is emerging in the Emerging Church. While biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down and the light of God’s Word diminished, another avalanche of deception is underway that is equally devastating.
This is best described by the Word of God giving way to experiences that God’s Word forbids. The best way to understand this process is to recall what happened during the Dark Ages when the Bible became the “forbidden book.” Until the Reformers translated the Bible into the language of the common person, the people were in darkness. When the light of God’s Word became available, the gospel according to the Scriptures was once again understood.
This trend, which is underway today, shows us that history is in the process of repeating itself. As the Word of God becomes less and less important, the rise of mystical experiences is alarming and these experiences are being presented to convince the unsuspecting that Christianity is about feeling, touching, smelling and seeing God. The postmodern mindset is the perfect environment for the fostering of what is called “spiritual formation.” This teaching suggests there are various ways and means to get closer to God. Proponents of spiritual formation erroneously teach that anyone can practice these mystical rituals and find God within. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is not a prerequisite.
These teachings, while actually rooted in ancient wisdom (the occult), were presented to Christendom post-New Testament and not found in the Word of God. The spiritual formation movement is based upon experiences promoted by desert monks and Roman Catholic mystics – these mystics encouraged the use of rituals and practices, that if performed would bring the practitioner closer to God (or come into God’s presence). The premise was that if one went into the silence or sacred space, then the mind was emptied of distractions and the voice of God could be heard. In truth, these hypnotic, mantric style practices were leading these monks into altered states of consciousness. The methods they used are the same that Buddhists and the Hindus use as a means of encountering the spiritual realm
Such methods are dangerous, and are not sanctioned in the Bible – God gives no instruction for this. On the contrary, he warns severely against divination, which is practicing a ritual or method in order to obtain information from a spiritual source. While proponents of spiritual formation (like Richard Foster) say these methods show that the Holy Spirit is doing something new to refresh Christianity, I would suggest that what is happening is not new and is not the Holy Spirit.
The spiritual formation movement is being widely promoted at colleges and seminaries as the latest and the greatest way to become a spiritual leader in these days. These ideas are then being exported from seminaries to churches by graduates who have been primed to take Christianity to a new level of enlightenment.
As well, these contemplative practices are being promoted by emergent leaders such as Brian McLaren, Robert Webber, Dallas Willard and others. Publishers like NavPress, InterVarsity and Zondervan are flooding the market with books promoting contemplative practices based on Eastern mysticism. Pastors and church leaders read these books and then promote the ideas as if they were the scriptural answer to drawing close to God.
Signs the Emerging Church is Emerging
There are specific warning signs that are symptomatic that a church may be headed down the emergent/contemplative road. In some cases a pastor may not be aware that he is on this road nor understand where the road ends up.
Here are some of the warning signs:
Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.
The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel.
More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.
The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical.
The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.
The teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past
An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.
Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation.
The pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.
While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.
These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.
There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church.
Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.
There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God.
Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.
What does the Future Hold?
If the Emerging Church continues unfolding at the present pace, mainstream evangelical Christianity will be reinvented and the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures will be considered too narrow and too restrictive. In other words, the narrow way to heaven that Jesus proclaimed will eventually be abandoned for a wider way that embraces pagan experiential practices. I call this reinvented, re-imagined form of Christianity that is unfolding—“Christian Babylonianism”.
This new form of Christianity will replace biblical faith with a faith that says man can establish the kingdom of God here on earth. The Word will continue to become secondary to a system of works driven by experiences.
An ecumenical pattern towards unity with Rome will become more apparent. Those who refuse to embrace this direction will be considered spiritual oddballs that need to be reprimanded. Those who stand up for biblical faith will be considered the obstructions to the one world spirituality that is promoted as the answer for peace.
The best way to be prepared for what is coming is to gain an understanding of what is happening now. While there are not many who seem to discern the trend underway, there are some. Without the Bible and the Holy Spirit as our guide, the darkness that is coming would be overwhelming. However, the light of God’s Word penetrates the darkness and there are those who are being delivered from deception and see what is taking place.
I am convinced we are seeing apostasy underway, exactly as the Scriptures have forewarned. This means that this current trend is not likely to disappear. We must continue to proclaim the truth in the midst of deception with love. As Paul instructed Timothy:
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26).
There are still pastors and churches who are dedicated to proclaiming the truth. Find out where they are and support them. If you are in a location where this does not seem to be possible, seek out materials that are available from solid Bible-based Christian ministries and hold Bible studies in your own home.
And keep looking up! Jesus is coming soon.
I was rather surprised by a comment stating that apologetics do more harm than good to the Christian faith. My first thought was, yes, those who do not want their views and positions analyzed against scripture dislike apologetics. False teachers say things like …..”Touch not God’s anointed,” or “Judge not”. While we cannot judge anyones salvation, we can judge what they are teaching against the Word of God. To not do so, is very dangerous indeed.
Here is a thought from CARM in the introduction of their site.
As the Christian faith is attacked more and more in schools, the media, movies, print, etc., it is vital that Christians learn why their faith is defensible, logical, and evidential. CARM stands on the truth of God’s word and God’s truth can easily be defended just as false secular system can easily be refuted.
Here is the beginning of an article:
There are several reasons why we need apologetics.
The first and most obvious is because we are commanded to defend the faith: 1 Peter 3:15 says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
Second, we need apologetics because it helps Christians know their faith. This is something that is sadly lacking among believers. Most don’t know much about their faith, let alone be able to describe the Trinity, the two natures of Christ, His physical resurrection, or even to tell the difference between justification and sanctification. Apologetics helps to define and defend what the truth of the gospel is.
Read Entire Article HERE for all eight reasons.
I have a great deal of respect for godly leaders, teachers, and preachers who say things like , “Compare what I am saying against the Word of God. Check to see if what I claim is true. I am not infallible, but God’s Word is always truth. Interpret a verse in context to it’s passage or chapter.”
Acts 17:11. The Bereans listened to what Paul and Silas were preaching and they “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
Knowing God’s Word takes prayer, commitment and study on your part. These are the times when Satan knows his time is short and is he is burning the candle at both ends to deceive all of mankind, even believers. He is convincing the unbelieving world that God and sin do not even exist. Confessing Christians weak in their faith will fall away because they do not even know what their Bible says. They do not read it! Worse… they think that they are above being deceived.
Put on the armor of Ephesians 6. The armor is God’s truth in His Word. Do you know His Word? Do you know how to deflect the flaming arrows of the evil one? Are you prepared for battle?
There is power in God’s Word but first you must read it. Let God speak to you through it and then actually apply the principles to your life and walk in obedient faith that God will help you conform through the Holy Spirit. This is not something that we can accomplish on our own. If you do not rely on the Holy Spirit you will not be clothed in Christ and you will fall.
There was a flyer on my door yesterday left by a Jehovah’s Witness. It contained a statement, “Each year, Jehovah’s Witnessses mark the simple anniversary of Jesus’ death with a simple ceremony.”
JW’s deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the trinity, the deity of Jesus, and his bodily return. Are not all of these the basic biblical teachings of the Christian faith? If you actually talked with a JW how would you fare handling scripture? Could you explain your faith and then find corresponding scripture to verify your Christian position?
Can you defend your faith to others? If not..why not?
As I studied the entire book of Matthew last year, I was amazed at how much teaching there is about false teachers, false doctrine and false prophets.
Let’s start in Matthew 7 verses 15-21. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ….by their fruit you will recognize them….Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.'”
The parable about the weeds in Matthew 13 explains that the weeds are among believers and that the kingdom of God will have yeast, and the yeast is worked through the dough.
Of course Matthew 24 is full of various end-time warnings to watch for deception. Verse 4 says “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
Verse 11 and 24. “and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people…For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible.”
There many verses in the New Testament, so here is a list…I implore you to take the time and look up every verse and prayerfully read through them. At one time we have all read these verses, but focusing a few minutes on a subject that was obviously very important in the Bible, will give you defense.
2 Corinthians 1:14
2 Corinthians 4:1-5
2 Corinthians 11:4,13-15
Galatians 1:8-9
Galatians 5:7-10
Ephesians 4:6-7
Colossians 2:8
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
1 Timothy 1:3-4, 7
1 Timothy 4:1-2
1 Timothy 6:3-10
2 Timothy 2:17-18
2 Timothy 3:12-13
2 Timothy 4:14-15
2 Peter 2:1-3
2 Peter 3:17-18
1 John 2:18-23, 26
1 John 4:1-3
2 John 1:7-8
Jude 3-16
Paul, Peter, Jude, John. Are these men divisive? Yes they are. They are dividing truth from lies. They are warning us to divide ourselves, to stay away from the false prophets and to avoid and not listen to them. We are told to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness.
Ephesians 5:11 says “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
An interesting aspect to the end times is that good, will be called evil, and evil, good. There will be a reversal of thought. Those who are trying to point out and expose the heresies of today are the ones being accused of division. But in truth it is the false prophet who is being divisive by introducing false doctrine into the church.
Romans 16:17-18 says “I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching that you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
This verse tell us something quite contrary to what many are saying today. Many are saying that we need unity in the church no matter what and doctrine is not an issue. Those who compare the new teachings against the Bible are called heresy hunters and dividers. But this verse tells us that the opposite is true. It is those who are teaching contrary to scripture, that are the dividers, not those bringing it to the attention of the church.
Analyzed, Examined, and Found Wanting
by Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
www.christianresearchservice.com
January 19, 2009
‘Angel feathers’ in their caps
Question: Who made the following statement? Patricia King? Benny Hinn? Todd Bentley? Pastor David Jones? Joshua Mills? Bill Johnson?
Angels often send us little reminders of their presence as angel feathers, which are small white feathers. These seem to appear from nowhere when we are down and in need of comfort. I remember sitting in a café, watching the rain falling on the pavement outside and feeling blue. Suddenly, a small white feather floated down in front of me and landed on my table. I smiled, knowing the angels were around me, with their comforting presence. [emp. theirs]
For the answer to this question read the extensive research done by Bud Press
I first heard this comment or one similar some time ago. I had just taught a lesson in Bible Study in Matthew 13 about the parable of the yeast. With this bible teaching fresh in my mind, the idea of being able to extract truth from false doctrine, rang the alarm bell.
kim
“CHEW THE MEAT;
SPIT OUT THE BONES….”
Lynn & Sarah Leslie
We were astonished when we first heard this statement. In all of our 50-plus years we had never encountered this phrase before. It immediately conjured up graphic images of sharp teeth roughly biting off and devouring a tough piece of meat, and rudely spewing out pieces of bone. Surely there were better table manners than this!
We first heard this retort when we had expressed a concern about a curriculum. Ostensibly this curriculum was a book that would embody the teachings of our local church, and it was written by a man highly esteemed and respected – a man who held many positions of leadership in parachurch groups. Yet embedded throughout his curriculum were heresies. We worried that teaching these heresies could adversely affect families in our church.
Like most material in the evangelical world today, this particular curriculum didn’t teach flagrant and obvious heresies. Rather, it subtly introduced new terms, new understandings, and new ways of thinking about traditional biblical concepts. When we read the curriculum we immediately recognized that it had integrated the teachings of an evangelical leader who is noted for his controversial teachings and cult-like practices. When we looked in the bibliography, sure enough, we found references to this leader – and worse! The writer was clearly influenced by these outside teachings and importing them into our group.
But “chew the meat, spit out the bones”? We were being told that this is the method by which the church members should read this man’s book. Where did this phrase originate and how did it become a catchphrase that so easily dismisses concerns about biblical error? A quick Internet search does not reveal the origination of this expression. But it always seems to be used in the context of justifying the inclusion of error in otherwise biblical-sounding teachings.
Is chewing meat and spitting out the bones a sensible plan for eating meat in everyday life? Is it a biblical concept? We’ll get to the answers later…. First, let us look at how truth gets mixed with error.
The Off-Center Bullseye
One analogy that helps to visualize the trouble with slightly off-base teachings is the shooting of an arrow at a target. A bullseye is in the center of a target. It seems like some leaders purposefully aim their arrows just a little bit off to the side of the bullseye. What they are teaching isn’t quite biblical truth. It contains just a tiny glimmer of untruth, a somewhat off-kilter idea, or a novel interpretation of Scripture that runs a little askew of traditional doctrine. Most of these little “off” statements go unchallenged, as we would like to give the writer or speaker the benefit of the doubt. It could be that we just misunderstood.
But if the slightly off-target statement is repeated, included throughout, or a foundational error, it becomes a matter of doctrinal concern. Below we explain why it is so subtle and hard to identify at first:
TRUTH (THESIS) . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . ANTITHESIS
\ /
SYNTHESIS
Here is what happens: The opposite of Truth (Thesis) is Anti-Truth (Antithesis). A small-appearing lie forms in opposition to the Truth of God’s Word (1 Tim. 6:20). To create a Synthesis, this initial lie must be accepted instead of rejected. To justify the error, man will attempt to merge it into biblical Truth. It usually feels like just a tiny compromise, no big deal. What results, however, is a new “truth” – a synthesized “truth” in which a bit of error has been mixed in. This process is called dialectics; it has been around ever since Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan’s temptation in the Garden of Eden.
Once a Synthesis is established, more syntheses can come about by adding in a New Antithesis to the Synthesis. This creates a New Synthesis, which is even further from the original Truth. It works like this:
NEW TRUTH (SYNTHESIS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANTITHESIS
\ /
NEW SYNTHESIS
The sequential process of adding Antithesis to truth, and creating new Syntheses can go on and on to create progressive “new revelation.” After a while, the original Truth becomes lost. In fact, we sometimes get letters at Discernment Ministries from people who believe we are seriously deluded because we hold to the old biblical Truth. They have only been taught the New Truth (Synthesis) to the point where it is a total Antithesis to the Gospel of Salvation. They believe their false gospel is the true Gospel and that we are the ones who are deceived.
Chewing Meat With the Bones Still In It
How does this Synthesis process happen to the local church today? Very cleverly, deceptively and subtly. New doctrines, practices, and concepts are “sold” to the church as a promising new way to build the kingdom of God, reach the lost, attain personal satisfaction in your Christian life, reach a higher level of spirituality, engage in a deeper walk, acquire psychological health, and even grow in prosperity!
The “sales” routine appeals to the five senses. Here is how it goes: You will “feel” better if you adopt this new theology. It will “meet your needs.” There is an easier way, a bypass that will save you that uncomfortable conviction of heart and dying to self. In fact, the old Truth is dead tradition. It is hindering you; it stifles your self-expression. It is too rigid and restrictive. You don’t need a bunch of dry, dead formulas for dos and don’ts. You can select which theologies meet your needs and discard the ones that seem too legalistic. This teaches you to mix and match doctrines. You can create your own Synthesis to establish your own comfort zone in the faith.
Churches and mission groups are susceptible to this Synthesis process, too. New programs and plans promise more effectiveness through networking, partnering, coalitions, ecumenical councils, joint efforts, etc. Your group must set aside a few of its principles, convictions or beliefs. The ends will justify the means. The other groups can hold to their own beliefs, you can practice yours – this has the appearance of separation. The two of you might even find common ground through aligning your basic core beliefs. This Synthesis particularly appeals to those who are mission minded. You are promised that fewer people will be in poverty, more people will be aided, and you would heighten your evangelistic impact – if only you would overlook a few minor doctrinal discrepancies in your partner’s theology – Synthesis.
Many evangelical leaders today have actually been trained to publicly present solid statements of faith, but in their writings and teachings you can catch a glimmer of another gospel. This is deceptive, but the evangelical world worships its leaders. Some men are placed on pedestals, exalted to icon status. It is not unlike the fervor over rock & roll stars or Hollywood celebrities. These men are so exalted that people flock after them en masse. Their popularity serves as a measure of protection from scrutiny. Who would dare to criticize this man? If you find fault with their teachings, you quickly learn that you are not popular. We get letters daily at Discernment Ministries from people who have been told – He’s such a wonderful man! If everyone else likes him, why are you finding fault with his teachings? He might be off on a few points, but everything else seems just fine. You are just being too picky. What is the matter with you? Perhaps you are just too “fundamentalist.” You are paying too much attention to doctrine. C’mon go with the flow!
What’s the Matter With A Little Bit of Leaven?
In our modern age of Christian bookstores and media, it is outside leaven that begins to weaken good local churches at the foundation. New “truths” come in like leaven. The whole lump becomes permeated with a perverse teaching. It is very insidious. This is also Synthesis. New doctrines can be so integrated and infused throughout a book, teaching or sermon that it is difficult to separate truth from error. One sentence could contain both truth and error! Just as one cannot take yeast out of a lump of dough, one cannot easily extricate the yeast out of a leaven-saturated teaching. We have often been asked, “What is the matter with a little bit of leaven?” as if it were a harmless little annoyance which could be easily discarded.
Several years ago in the Fall of 2004 Sarah performed a “science” experiment for several Discernment conferences. First she tried it in our warm kitchen at home. She mixed up a small recipe of bread dough but left out the yeast. She picked out a walnut-sized lump of dough and added a tiny bit of yeast to it. She carefully set this little lump off to the side of a big bowl. On the other side of this bowl was the big lump of unleavened dough. Soon that little lump began growing. In only a few minutes it got so big that it touched the side of the big lump. Just a short while later it was pressing in on the other lump, forming it into a crescent shape. Within an hour the two lumps had begun to mingle, and by 1½ hours the two lumps were virtually indistinguishable.
When we tried this experiment at the first conference in Niagara Falls, a chilly air conditioner was blowing from overhead in the room. The yeasty lump just didn’t grow. So we tried it again at the Albany conference a month later. Once again, there was a chilly duct above so we took steps to try to keep the dough more protected. An hour later, although the smaller lump had grown large enough to contact the larger lump, there appeared to be no intermingling of the doughs. We thought our object lesson had failed again. But later that night when we went to dump out the bowl we were shocked to discover that underneath the surface, which had become somewhat encrusted and dry, there was a seething, bubbling mass of leavenous dough. Although it appeared to be “separate” on the top layer, underneath the leaven had thoroughly penetrated the entire lump. The Lord had given us a great object lesson!
Likewise, new “truths” often come into churches under the surface, sometimes hijacking a ride on a good-sounding book, idea or program. Increasingly we are hearing reports from people that even the most conservative groups are bringing in these new teachings. New “truths” have been re-packaged in their own denominational garb, piggy-backing on familiar terminologies that are given new meanings. We have even heard reports that churches that wouldn’t have gone “purpose-driven” with Rick Warren’s programs are receiving training in the exact same concepts. This, too, is intentional, deceptive Synthesis.
“Foreign Body in Throat”
At http://www.ncemi.org/cse/cse0313.htm one can read about the medical procedures that must be followed to extricate a fish or chicken bone from someone’s throat. It is not a pleasant description! The patient must endure a series of painful and intricate examinations that can cause gagging. If the bone is not located and fully extracted, pain, fever, bleeding, and breathing and swallowing difficulties will commence. The esophagus can be punctured, and bones could become embedded in the tonsils, the pharynx, and the tongue. Complicated and invasive surgical procedures are the only way to remove the bone.
*update…upper link is no longer active.
Why, then, would anyone suggest that we can “chew the meat, spit out the bones”? Do you eat this way? No one should do this in real life! Especially, no one in their right mind would ever give a child a piece of chicken or fish with small bones in it. How cruel to even think of such a thing! So why would it ever be acceptable to give a young believer in Christ, or a youth, a book that contains heresy? Yet, daily we hear reports from concerned Christian believers that this practice is widespread in the churches.
Hebrews 5:11-14 explains how to eat meat in a biblical fashion. It uses a real life analogy and applies it to spiritual principles:
12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meatbelongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
A baby will put anything in its mouth, both hurtful and nutritious. Similarly, a spiritual babe is unable to distinguish between sound and unsound doctrine and is more vulnerable to being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine”(Eph. 4:14). Solid biblical instruction is an antidote to this. But, negligence and idleness, or apathy towards the Word of God, especially by those entrusted with teaching “the Word of righteousness,” means that even longtime believers can be immature in understanding the most rudimentary doctrines. A babe in Christ is acknowledged to be “unskillful in the Word of righteousness,” but this should not be the case with “them that are of full age.” So what it the matter here?
Just as adults separate meat from bones before putting meat in their mouths, mature believers should be able to discriminate truth from error and separate themselves away from heretical doctrines. But many who should be mature believers by now have not exercised their spiritual senses “to discern both good and evil.” The word “exercised” is connected with the training of athletes. Christians should be well instructed, practiced, prepared and ready for a defense of the Gospel. They should be able to “rightly divide the Word of Truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Sadly, in the evangelical world fulfilling your physical senses has supplanted the “exercise” of your spiritual “senses.”
Hebrews 6:1-2 goes on to say that it is important to understand the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. It is these foundational doctrines which are subtly being twisted and synthesized with new “truths.” Daily we hear reports of how churches and families are being corrupted by an influx of new “truths,” eroding the Gospel of Salvation. Unless one has had “their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” they could easily fall prey to “seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1). The “Word of righteousness” offers daily assistance with the task of exercising your spiritual senses so that you are able to discern error when it comes in. You do not need to be an expert at understanding heresies. If you know the Bible, and study it intimately, you will recognize error.
***printed by permission***
At the Discernment Conference at Spring Hill, Florida, February 2007. Speaking were Lynn and Sarah Leslie, (center and right)
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