Three years ago, and only three months after I started this blog, I posted this citation from Don Veinot of Midwest Christian Outreach apologetics ministry. I decided this was a citation which needed reposting, with my short thought at the end:
“How to Destroy the Church: Turn Christianity into one of many equal religious options no more or less true than any other. We could incorporate the 'rich heritage' of these various religious traditions into a non-judgmental spiritually affirming setting of contemplative thought and conversation. We can be on a journey in the land of not knowingness and mutually embrace our ignorance while we sneer and jeer those lesser humans who think they can know things. We can de-emphasize sound doctrine and biblical teaching in order to not make those who don't know anything about the Bible feel bad about not knowing anything. Since nothing is really true anyway we can all feel really good that no one feels bad, except of course, those who believe the Bible."
This is exactly what we see happening in today's church, especially with the Emergent Church movement. Again, I have to cite 2 Timothy 4:3-4: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (NIV).
I attend a Bible study class within a larger mega-church that has continually noticed this culture within our own church. Sometimes we feel like the church itself needs to be evangelized just as much as unbelievers. How can we be that city on a hill when we look just like the rest of the world?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great quote Glenn. But you know what? It was happening well before the emergents. They are just the hip version of the liberals of yesterday. I have a 60 something family member who has attended liberal churches (Methodist and Episcopalian) over the years. that quote describes exactly what she would say and believe. Granted they now read the emergents. But they were talking like this before. The emergents have taken it a step further perhaps, but really not much. The emergents just cut their hair differently, wear cool glasses and sport a goatee. They want their message to sound cool by looking cool. But really it is just regurtitated liberalism.
ReplyDeleteNuke, the church DOES need to be evangelized, believe me!
ReplyDeleteWith Al Mohler' diatride regarding the gay and lesbian:
ReplyDelete“We’ve lied about the nature of homosexuality and have practiced what can only be described as a form of homophobia,” Mohler says. “We’ve used the ‘choice’ language when it is clear that sexual orientation is a deep inner struggle and not merely a matter of choice”
I wonder if there are any sane among us.??... The narrow road indeed grows more and more narrow as time grows shorter and shorter - and few there be who find it.!!.
I wouldn't call Al Mohler's article a "diatribe." "Diatribe" is a disparaging description. Mohler's articles are great expositions.
ReplyDelete