Thoughts on the Emergent or Emerging Church and some other thoughts

Lately, I have been increasingly concerned about some of the ideas of the "emerging church". I think this may be part of the message that God was trying to give me in my dream the other night (see previous post). In other words, I think this post applies to all false teaching. First I should try to define this movement as simply as I can. It finds its roots in the Evangelical movement. There is an emphasis on lay leadership, peer-to-peer evangelism, missional living, and wide variation in worship styles. These things I do not have a problem with (they are well-defined Biblically). I have been increasingly concerned with its preoccupation with social justice, political positioning, and acceptance of cultural and worldly ideas. I recently attended a meeting where some missionaries were talking about the work that they were doing in South America. They went on at length about trying to change trade practices and political systems. However, when they were asked by someone if they were sharing the Gospel with the people there, there was dead silence. After a bit there was an answer about not being directly involved with the people there, and they were, "just there to teach church leaders". We can't forget the driving force behind our desire to do good works. That is the grace of our God, shown to us in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ! I am also concerned that this push for social justice has shifted the focus of the local church from community to an emphasis on world missions. How many of your neighbors and co-workers are believers?
I also see a potential conflict of interest, so to speak. We cannot let the negative influences of the world enter the church, no matter how well meaning they may sound. One of those influences is consumerism and branding. I am interested in discipleship, not attendance numbers. I'm not saying that community outreach events should be stopped by any means, but a well-organized, doctrinally sound, and Bible-rooted church will prosper simply by its commitment to those core values. An emphasis on holiness and holy living will attract people to the church simply by example. God desires us to work on a person-to-person basis. The human soul and spirit has been created with a desire to seek God, and only one truth fulfills that desire. Nothing of this world can do that.
In short, I think there is an attempt to reform what is in no need of reform. Jesus did that work for us already. I think we try to push the church into a glossy box that we like to look at and feels good to the flesh. This is something that the Bible strongly admonishes. It's okay to have diversity of humanity in a church, but it's not okay to have diversity of spirit and truth. We should cater to Jesus! We are to be molded into His image, and not to the world's. I find it interesting that the emergent church movement was really spawned out of the same era that started to embrace Eastern Mysticism, pluralism, and the "if it feels good, do it" doctrine. I also worry that this will lead to the rise in "Christian" cults. I could even argue that entities like the Westboro Baptist Church are a product of this type of thinking, they use whatever scripture they like to fit and justify their own thinking. (I think they forgot the second of the two great commandments that Jesus gave). I guess, as usual, my message to everyone is, "READ YOUR BIBLE!". May God bless you and your church, and may it feed you the right food at the proper time.

A Dream, March 5, 2011

I was awoken this morning early by a dream. I think it was a warning to God's people. Now, before you think I've gone off the deep end, I did not see a revelation of end times or new scripture or what-not. In my dream I was in a church. I don't know what denomination or where. The service was reasonably well attended, but there was no life in the congregation. I was struck by the lack of enthusiasm and extreme ritual with which the service was presented. The sermon began, and while the pastor was talking, they started passing out bread for communion. Without a word on why we were eating the bread, the people were just gobbling it down. Not wanting to be out of place, I did the same. It tasted like a doughnut hole. They then started to pass out the "wine". I started to listen to the pastor talk while they were doing this, and got a real shock. He was on the pulpit proclaiming that the resurrection of Jesus was simply a bit of mythology. As he was saying this I looked and I saw that the "wine" was orange fruit punch. I could take no more of this and I interrupted the service. I admonished the pastor, and began to teach in what limited capacity that I had, but from the Bible. I saw life on the faces of the people as I began to speak to them directly from God's Word. I woke up shortly thereafter. I remember talking about rebirth, justification, and sanctification.
I think the warning is this: Beware of false teachers! They are everywhere, claiming to have some new insight on the Word. Read scripture for yourself, know that it is right. Guard yourself against these teachings! I was on a website last night that claimed to know the exact date of the Return (which incidentally was almost four years ago by their measure). It admonished people with scriptures taken out of context and out of time. These are the most dangerous of false teachers. They twist the Word to fit their theology instead of letting the Word shape their beliefs. Jesus warned us this would begin happen in the end times. See Matthew 24: 10-12, and Mark 13:21-23. Yes I know I said I didn't have a dream about the end times, but I believe that we have been in the "end times" since Jesus ascended. The point is, that our culture is starting to embrace a pantheistic and materialistic way of life. A lot of this has crept into the church. We have a "this is the way I want my religion, and can I have fries with that?" approach to living. If nothing else remember that Christ shed His blood and died so that your sins may be forgiven (past, present, and future for those that love Him). He rose on the third day to conquer death and Hell, and to prove that he is the messiah. We are born again of the Spirit (rebirth or regeneration) We get to count our sins to Christ, and take his credit of righteousness for ourselves (justification). And the Spirit will begin to mold us in Christ's image, and that this process will take the rest of our lives (sanctification). Loved ones, read your Bible, hide it in your heart so the enemy cannot have any victories in your life. The Word of God stands true, never forget, and do not stand for teaching (in loving admonishment) that is counter to the Word from anyone claiming faith in Christ. God bless the true church of Christ!