So, here what's circling around in my mind. At what point does God's House of Prayer turn into a den of thieves? I've been noticing things happening at churches that are disturbing to me. There have been times when I have been in a church and have been very uncomfortable with the things taking place. Not that the things happening, in and of themselves, are somehow wrong or evil, but in the context of a church they make me uncomfortable. So, where's the line?
What happens if we only allowed Christ-centered, Christ-honoring things to happen in our churches? If we allow things to take place at the church that aren't necessarily "Christian" where does the line get drawn? Is it only God's house on Sundays?
I'm just doing some honest thinking out loud here. I don't have any answers. I am open to hearing other people's ideas here.
I really think it has to line up with God's Word and Character for me to be able feel comfortable with it.
I hope this gets you thinking.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Proceed with Caution! Perilous Times !
II Tim. 3:1-7 "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
II Thess. 2 also speaks of the day of Christ is at hand. The entire chapter is relevant, but let me exerpt a couple of verses. Vs. 3-4 " Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
Vs. 8-12 " And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. "
Vs. 15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
My heart has been heavy for some time, but let me start at the beginning. A few years back, my church started a series called "The Purpose Driven Life". Our pastor told us that MANY churches in the area were also doing this at the same time, and encouraged us to purchase the book "The Purpose Driven Life" so that we could follow along in the series. Now I must say, that my natural personality is to not follow the crowd. But in the interest of not being "unteachable" I decided to at least start out with the crowd and see what happened. I bought the book and began to read. I could not get far before I came across my first issue. I could not get past the MANY VARIOUS translations, and other so-called versions of the Bible that were used. As a girl who was raised in Christian schools and memorized out of the King James version from childhood, I could not read these "other" versions. Most of the time the verses did not even really mean the same thing as in the KJV. So, before the first week was over, I stopped reading the book. No one else was really talking about it, and I didn't know exactly what my beef was, and I didn't want to be "unteachable" so I kept quiet.
(On a side note) I am coming to believe that this threat of "unteachableness" is tamping down people who ask valid questions as to what is going on in the church today. I no longer struggle with being "unteachable" but I have defined what I will allow to teach me. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit. I WILL be a good Berean and search the scriptures daily. I will not take a teaching purely on it's face and allow it to change my personal beliefs. I will not be talked into diluting the truth of Scripture to make myself comfortable in this present world.
As the years went on, my church again brought a new "campaign" to it's congregation. This time it was called "40 days of Community". By now, my feelings about Rick Warren and the "Purpose Driven" movement were clanging alarm bells. I had gone to Barnes and Noble and read parts of "The Purpose Driven Church" and was appalled at what was written in there. I felt that it brought the church down to a business with it's thoughts like.. teach your congregation to read the bulletin and don't make lots of announcements. I just kept feeling like...it's not a formula, it's not a formula. Also, the spiritual growth classes were something with which I had issues. I don't think you need to take a class about your spiritual gifts. I am not a real proponent of the "formula" way to do things. I also don't think that taking some classes can qualify you as "spiritually mature". Anyway, I knew I could not participate in the "community" campaign, but God was leading us away from that church (for other reasons). May I add that my current church adopts the "Purpose Driven" paradigm, and state that they intend to get each one of us on their baseball diamond of classes.
Also during this period, our church adopted the "Celebrate Recovery" program. I knew I wouldn't be on the same page as this either, but when I heard people in the church talking about their "sponsors" I knew something was radically wrong. And the worst part was, no one really seemed to notice! In my opinion, slapping a few verses and "Christian" words onto a secular 12 step program does not make it "Christian". I also don't believe that everyone needs to go through this program, which is how it was presented at our church.
So, I finally decided I needed to know some things about why I am so disturbed about all this. I started by looking up Rick Warren on my computer. I started reading. Reading about Rick Warren led me to read about Robert Schuller, Brian Mc Claren and the "Emerging Church". What I was reading was starting to illuminate many things I'd been concerned about in the churches I've attended.
Interesting this word fables, because that is a hallmark of the Emerging church. The Emerging church tends to deny the inerrancy and authority of the Bible and instead call Authors Matthew, Mark Luke and John, Jesus' editors. They prefer to rely on "experiences" and not Biblical exposition as the means for teaching. Some of these "experiences" are mystic and new age in concept. If you are sitting in a church where you never really need your Bible, beware!!! If the pastor just tells a story referring to the Bible or it seems more like a pep rally than a Bible study pay attention to what's going on.
I cannot accept this theory because I believe that God's Word is TRUTH. I believe II Peter 1:21 when it says, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." I also believe II Tim 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
I believe that more churches are affected by this philosophy than are unaffected. It would be difficult to find a church not touched by these things. At this point in time I do not feel God is leading me to stop going to church. I believe He is leading me to KNOW what I believe, and why I believe it. There was a country music song out many years ago, and I agree with it's main line. "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything!" God has been saying to His people....There is a great time of darkness coming, your way through it is to cling wholly to My Word. People, we have got to know God's Word. I don't get the impression I will leave a church willingly, I feel I may someday be asked to leave a church because of my beliefs. Please know that I am not actively speaking against this at my current church, but through this website, and through other meetings where I am active, I believe that one day I will have to make a choice. Be quiet about what I believe, or be thrown out. I say to you now, I will not be silent. I do not know exactly what that will bring to my life, but I can only hope that it can be said of me what was said of Stephen in Acts 6:15 "And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
There are many websites devoted to writing about these errant philosophies that are infiltrating the American church. I would encourage those interested to look some of them up. Although I cannot vouch for the entirety of these websites, here are some where I've found the truth to be spoken. http://www.apprising.org/
http://ingridschlueter.wordpress.com/
http://www.letusreason.org/
http://www.inplainsite.org/
I leave you today with the words of Paul in Col. 2:6-8 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
II Thess. 2 also speaks of the day of Christ is at hand. The entire chapter is relevant, but let me exerpt a couple of verses. Vs. 3-4 " Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
Vs. 8-12 " And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. "
Vs. 15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
My heart has been heavy for some time, but let me start at the beginning. A few years back, my church started a series called "The Purpose Driven Life". Our pastor told us that MANY churches in the area were also doing this at the same time, and encouraged us to purchase the book "The Purpose Driven Life" so that we could follow along in the series. Now I must say, that my natural personality is to not follow the crowd. But in the interest of not being "unteachable" I decided to at least start out with the crowd and see what happened. I bought the book and began to read. I could not get far before I came across my first issue. I could not get past the MANY VARIOUS translations, and other so-called versions of the Bible that were used. As a girl who was raised in Christian schools and memorized out of the King James version from childhood, I could not read these "other" versions. Most of the time the verses did not even really mean the same thing as in the KJV. So, before the first week was over, I stopped reading the book. No one else was really talking about it, and I didn't know exactly what my beef was, and I didn't want to be "unteachable" so I kept quiet.
(On a side note) I am coming to believe that this threat of "unteachableness" is tamping down people who ask valid questions as to what is going on in the church today. I no longer struggle with being "unteachable" but I have defined what I will allow to teach me. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit. I WILL be a good Berean and search the scriptures daily. I will not take a teaching purely on it's face and allow it to change my personal beliefs. I will not be talked into diluting the truth of Scripture to make myself comfortable in this present world.
As the years went on, my church again brought a new "campaign" to it's congregation. This time it was called "40 days of Community". By now, my feelings about Rick Warren and the "Purpose Driven" movement were clanging alarm bells. I had gone to Barnes and Noble and read parts of "The Purpose Driven Church" and was appalled at what was written in there. I felt that it brought the church down to a business with it's thoughts like.. teach your congregation to read the bulletin and don't make lots of announcements. I just kept feeling like...it's not a formula, it's not a formula. Also, the spiritual growth classes were something with which I had issues. I don't think you need to take a class about your spiritual gifts. I am not a real proponent of the "formula" way to do things. I also don't think that taking some classes can qualify you as "spiritually mature". Anyway, I knew I could not participate in the "community" campaign, but God was leading us away from that church (for other reasons). May I add that my current church adopts the "Purpose Driven" paradigm, and state that they intend to get each one of us on their baseball diamond of classes.
Also during this period, our church adopted the "Celebrate Recovery" program. I knew I wouldn't be on the same page as this either, but when I heard people in the church talking about their "sponsors" I knew something was radically wrong. And the worst part was, no one really seemed to notice! In my opinion, slapping a few verses and "Christian" words onto a secular 12 step program does not make it "Christian". I also don't believe that everyone needs to go through this program, which is how it was presented at our church.
So, I finally decided I needed to know some things about why I am so disturbed about all this. I started by looking up Rick Warren on my computer. I started reading. Reading about Rick Warren led me to read about Robert Schuller, Brian Mc Claren and the "Emerging Church". What I was reading was starting to illuminate many things I'd been concerned about in the churches I've attended.
Here is why I'm having such a problem with all of this stuff. Rick Warren fully admits that he is trying to "grow" churches. He has made comments about fundamentalists to the effect that there aren't many left, and if there are, they aren't big churches. Where does it say in scripture that bigger churches are better? Where does it say that big churches mean that things are going well, and you are doing right in God's eyes? It never says anything like that. In America, we are such a competitive nation, that we have deluded ourselves into thinking that bigger is better. Along with that comes the fallacy that God wouldn't allow something to grow if He didn't approve of it. May I refer you to the parable of the wheat and the tares. Matthew 13:24-30 is where this is taught. Jesus says, "Let them grown together until the harvest." Matt. 7:15-20 talks about how we must beware of false prophets, and that we will know them by their fruits. Directly after this Jesus says in vs. 21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
God makes His standards clear. I think that in this time of "post-modernism" we are in such a hurry for everything that we don't want to take the time to look for fruit in people. In Rick Warren's "ministry toolbox" on his pastors.com website he lists the 5 tools Saddleback uses to develop spiritual maturity. It's issue #325 dated 8/22/2007. Here is his list. 1. Commitment cards 2. Classes based on the purposes 3. covenants 4. small groups 5. campaigns. Not one place in here does it talk of time in God's Word, watching people to see the fruit of God in their lives. I see these 5 things as being very superficial, and not indicative of maturity. The scary thing to me is that these 5 tools are used in the criteria for maturity and the tools are basically putting in some time. I think it would be easy to move through all 5 of these things and never have a heart change, never have a spiritual change in your life. In reading through a lot of the "ministry toolbox" on the pastors.com website, I found a lot of the topics to be very superficial, and very much geared to "growing" a church. It also had a lot to do with targeting the unchurched. I guess I missed the turn in scripture when the church went from being about Christians in I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." to now the church is about the unchurched. He does address this in his toolbox, #257 entitled Develop a Plan to Assimilate Members . Here he spells out that if you are targeting the unchurched, you should make it clear that you must be a believer to join the church. Maybe I'm old-fashioned at age 39, but this seems all backwards to me.
You may ask why am I speaking up about this? Why the Purpose Driven Life and Rick Warren? The answer is this, Rick Warren's programs have affected both churches I have attended in the last few years. When the comment was made "we'll get you on this ball field" which represented the purpose driven paradigm, I became alarmed. The idea that to be in ministry you must complete these classes disturbed me. What do the classes have to do with anything? It only promotes the purpose driven mentality. When I delved further and saw what Rick Warren's philosophy is, and with whom he has ties, it caused me concern. I personally believe that the purpose driven mentality is opening the door to the emerging church movement.
Interesting this word fables, because that is a hallmark of the Emerging church. The Emerging church tends to deny the inerrancy and authority of the Bible and instead call Authors Matthew, Mark Luke and John, Jesus' editors. They prefer to rely on "experiences" and not Biblical exposition as the means for teaching. Some of these "experiences" are mystic and new age in concept. If you are sitting in a church where you never really need your Bible, beware!!! If the pastor just tells a story referring to the Bible or it seems more like a pep rally than a Bible study pay attention to what's going on.
I cannot accept this theory because I believe that God's Word is TRUTH. I believe II Peter 1:21 when it says, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." I also believe II Tim 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
I believe that more churches are affected by this philosophy than are unaffected. It would be difficult to find a church not touched by these things. At this point in time I do not feel God is leading me to stop going to church. I believe He is leading me to KNOW what I believe, and why I believe it. There was a country music song out many years ago, and I agree with it's main line. "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything!" God has been saying to His people....There is a great time of darkness coming, your way through it is to cling wholly to My Word. People, we have got to know God's Word. I don't get the impression I will leave a church willingly, I feel I may someday be asked to leave a church because of my beliefs. Please know that I am not actively speaking against this at my current church, but through this website, and through other meetings where I am active, I believe that one day I will have to make a choice. Be quiet about what I believe, or be thrown out. I say to you now, I will not be silent. I do not know exactly what that will bring to my life, but I can only hope that it can be said of me what was said of Stephen in Acts 6:15 "And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
There are many websites devoted to writing about these errant philosophies that are infiltrating the American church. I would encourage those interested to look some of them up. Although I cannot vouch for the entirety of these websites, here are some where I've found the truth to be spoken. http://www.apprising.org/
http://ingridschlueter.wordpress.com/
http://www.letusreason.org/
http://www.inplainsite.org/
I leave you today with the words of Paul in Col. 2:6-8 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)