The Berean Call

Today’s “twenty-something” age group, give or take a few years, has become a targeted generation by the Adversary in ways that are unparalleled in modern church history. This objective is in keeping with the undermining of the Word of God by diluting, even denying, its authority. What makes the strategy particularly insidious is that it’s an inside job, i.e., it’s being perpetrated by those who claim to be evangelicals or who at least have evangelical roots. Referred to as the Emerging Church Movement, it’s a development that is attempting to reach today’s post-modern culture for Christ by “reinventing Christianity,” making it more accommodating to the attitudes of young adults. For example, since the post-modern generation is characterized by a disdain for authority, whatever seems to suggest authority, such as preaching or teaching, is downplayed or revamped as “conversation.” (See TBC 1/08, 3/08, 8/08, 12/08)

Sound doctrine, which 2 Timothy 4:3 tells us will not be endured in the last days, is antithetical to this movement. Its most prolific author, Brian McLaren [often identified as part of The Emerging Church Movement], demonstrates this throughout his writings: “The church latched on to that old doctrine of original sin like a dog to a stick, and before you knew it, the whole gospel got twisted around it. Instead of being God’s big message of saving love for the whole world, the gospel became a little bit of secret information on how to solve the pesky legal problem of original sin.”

The Emerging Church Movement comes closer to fulfilling Paul’s prophetic warning to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20: 28-31) than any other recent trend of which I’m aware. Indeed Emergent leaders are “speaking perverse things” and “drawing away disciples after themselves.” TBC has received numerous letters from parents and evangelical pastors who find their young people seeking out emergent churches for the “new” experiences, which they offer in abundance: religious art (primarily impressionistic images of “Jesus”), “biblical” films, rituals based upon Catholic/Orthodox liturgy, “community,” personal relationships, contemplative spirituality and mysticism (some include yoga), Bible “dialogues,” ecumenical interaction with “people of faith,” a social gospel, plans to save the planet, restore the kingdom, and so forth.

The “Yea, hath God said…?” strategy has been very successful in undermining the critical belief in the sufficiency of the Word of God. Although the Bible claims to be sufficient for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter:1:3), many Christians who profess to believe the Bible no longer regard it as sufficient. This is particularly evident regarding counseling. Many evangelical churches have become a major referral source for secular psychotherapists; shepherds more often than not are committing their sheep to such God-denying hirelings for resolving life’s issues.

This may be Satan’s most cunning scheme in his assault against the Word and the Body of Christ. It is a process of seduction and intimidation. Psychological counseling has been advertised as a scientific endeavor that will help resolve the mental, emotional, and behavioral problems that Christians encounter in their daily life. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is neither scientific nor is it helpful (see Psychology and the Church: Critical Questions, Crucial Answers). Furthermore, its more than 500 psychotherapeutic concepts and methods are contradictory to biblical truth. Yet believers, especially pastors, have been intimidated by the myth that counseling is for professionals only and that only those with academic training are qualified to address a person’s mental and emotional problems. Not only is that a rejection of what the church has practiced for two-thousand years, it is at odds with current research showing that professionals do not possess demonstrably superior therapeutic skills compared with nonprofessionals. Moreover, studies reveal that professional mental health education, training, and experience are not necessary prerequisites in order to be an effective and God-ordained helper.

Comment by Truth Uncensored Afrika:  Please download the E- book on this site called A NEW FOUNDATION?  for more information on the Emergent Church.