Steve writes:
Church Dystopia - What's driving the emerging/emergent movement?
Steve's brief, but absolutely accurate answer to that question?
Ecclesiastical negativity; biblical uncertainty; theological infidelity; spiritual unrest; and the thirst for cultural relevancy.
I found the video astonishing! I didn't realize how dangerous this movement really is until I saw this video. It's "leaders" can be seen and their reprobate views exposed...in an up close and personal way via the video. It's very New Agey...and the "leaders" exude a kind of guru, "touchy-feely" type atmosphere.
Very creepy...
Here is a copy of my comment at Steve's blog:
Thank you for sharing this video. It shows that the "Emergent church movement" is even more dangerous than I had first thought!
I have done several blogposts about this growing heresy, including this one.
The book of Jude warns us that false Christs will be presented and "worshipped" the closer we get to the end times. Heresies will increase and deceive many...even the elect if that were possible. In other words, there will always be a remnant of the faithful who will not be fooled by such "movements" that are blatant errors disguised as Christianity.
Keep up the good work here, Steve, sharing the truth of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter how many heretics try to change such truth; they will be found out and exposed - first through the efforts of the faithful; and, even more importantly, by the plumbline of Scripture that will always refute their errors.
God bless you!
Christine
Went back to Steve's blog to read the comments there. Apparently, there are some pro-emergent church commenters who want to silence those who post negative details about how this movement has been created and the reprobate individuals involved.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the following comment was very educational and excellent. In case it gets deleted over there, I am posting it here:
thank you for loving Jesus said...
Steve you can file all of this emerging/emergent under deception.
I learned all this though researching the links to a PBS series from 2 years ago
To understand the Emergent/ Emerging, Purpose-Driven models you have to research Peter Drucker, Bob Buford, Leadership Network, & TQM. It's the three legged stool... the economic, political, and "spiritual."
Now research dominionism, Kingdom-Now Theology, Apostolic Reformation,and C. Peter Wagner.
Much of it is the New Age occult repackaged as New Age Spirituality. Know the teachings of Barbara Marx Hubbard, Agnes Sanford, Marilyn Ferguson, and theosophist Alice Bailey.
It may include Ancient-Future Worship, Spiritual Formation, the "silence and the solitude", works-based Spiritual disciplines, contemplative prayer,Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Christian mysticism, the Desert Fathers, Thomas Merton, & Brother Lawrence.
Know who is on the board of Allelon and the meaning of the term "missional". Know Leonard Sweet and the term contextualization, Eugene Petersen, and the Message bible
Research all the Emergent leaders and their theology.
Then go to the UN's push for "healthy churches" along with "healthy families", "healthy communities". Study Rick Warren's UN global P.E.A.C.E. plan.
Add in "transformational leadership", LeadNet, Bill Hull's velcro ministries, coaching, and bridging.
Realize too that the Catholic church and the Pope are pushing for all religions to worship the Eucharistic "christ". We have a President that recently stated that we all worship the same god. It is the ecumenical movement and the soon-to-be? One World church.
It's deceptively brought into many youth groups through Youth Specialties and Rob Bell. Christian colleges teach it. Youth Conferences are flooded with it.
Churches sometimes push covenant discipleship where you sign a contract to not complain and leave quietly. If you do ask too many questions, you are labeled "divisive". Beware of the words transitional and transformational and books like, Transitioning Church.
This is interdenominational and global. It is as old as Genesis 3.
Christian publishers are being bought up and the Christian music industry is too. Remove the words sin, blood, repent, and Jesus Christ Lord and Savior. Introduce the cosmic christ.Take away true Bible studies and bring in "stories."
Beware of Reconstruction, de-construction, Rethink, Re-imagine, vision-casting, and the word Shift.
Much of this is follow the $$$.
Acts 29 has ties to Leadership Network. Look into the bootcamp training program.
Always read the index of a book so that you know who influenced the writer.
Be in God's word. Learn to discern.
A Life with Purpose by George Mair
is a pro Rick Warren book that includes many of the names above.
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland, the emerging church... a new reformation or an end-time deception.... is a well footnoted book. Read it.
Those pushing for this new spirituality are serious.
What is deception?
The Bible warns of false teaching and that perilous times would come. The Lord is faithful to uphold His church.
Are you awake? or asleep?
If you are into this repent.
Jude 17-25
My own individual research on the Emergent church movement (and it's branches of cults) has informed me of some of the information shared by blogger "thank you for loving Jesus." However, this comment includes a lot more comprehensive information that I was previously unaware of.
One sentence especially grabbed my attention.
"It's the three legged stool... the economic, political, and "spiritual."
No wonder the Cross of Christ is being pushed to the side or completely ignored by this movement!
"but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." -1 Corinthians 1:23-25
My reply at Steve's blog:
ReplyDeleteTo: Thank you for loving Jesus,
I found your comment most educational, informative and accurate! Hope you don't mind that I "cut and pasted" it to my comment section on this issue at my blog.
It appears that commenter "hayden" didn't like what you wrote. I don't know what the "comment rules" are on this blog, but just in case your excellent comment was deleted for some reason, I wanted to keep a copy of it so that I can read about the "leaders" of the emergent movement and books you have suggested.
My first moment of awareness about this movement was when the church I was attending did a "Purpose-driven bible study." I volunteered to be a leader. When the training video included a prayer that did not instruct people to repent, the alarm bells went off. If you would like to read more, please see my post about it at TalkWisdom.
My own individual research on the Emergent church movement (and it's branches of cults) has informed me of some of the information you have listed here. Thankfully, you have included a lot more comprehensive information than I was previously aware of.
One sentence especially grabbed my attention.
"It's the three legged stool... the economic, political, and "spiritual."
No wonder the Cross of Christ is being pushed to the side or, in some cases blatantly ignored by this movement!
I have a blogging friend, Pastor DL Foster, who created a blog pointing out the heresies of the gay "christian" movement. GCMWatch Similarly, that movement could be labeled as an off-shoot of the emergent one.
What do such "movements" have in common? The fact that repentance at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ is not preached!
It appears to me that the "crossless gospel" is the common thread within each of these heresies!
Why do they deliberately ignore Christ's Cross? Because it convicts them of their sin...sin that they refuse to acknowledge as sin and/or simply refuse to repent of. Therefore, it is their "stumbling block."
"but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." -1 Corinthians 1:23-25
Speaking of disdain for the Cross of Jesus Christ, have you heard about all the ruckus going on in the media because a white "cross" seems to appear in Mike Huckabee's Christmas message ad?
ReplyDeleteHundreds of comments there. This one at the end caught my eye:
P, Robbin
12/19/2007 10:09 AM
Boy, the ungodly will find ANYTHING to keep Christ out of the US! Way to go, Mr. Huckabee - you did a fine job with this ad! Keep it going, I hope you get LOTS of publicity for this!!! also, i think it's a bookshelf, but who cares???? it's making people think of the cross (of Jesus!) whether they realize it or not!!!
Yep...