Index to The Emerging Church     OR     Section 10A The Contemporary Church

Also See   The Emerging Church And Bible Prophecy [Below]
 

“I meet many people at conferences who come from a wide variety of church backgrounds. They tell me that the church they had attended for years has radically changed. Their pastor no longer teaches the Bible. Instead the Sunday morning service is a skit or a series of stories. The Bible seems to have become the forbidden book. While there are pastors who do still teach the Bible, they are becoming the exception rather than the rule”

The world is changing. So is the Christian evangelical church. There was a time— not that long ago—when the Bible was considered to be the Word of God by the majority of evangelical Christians. Now that we are well into the third millennium and the post-modern, post-Christian era, the term evangelical can mean almost anything. What has happened? Why is this happening and what is the future for mainstream Christianity?

For the past several years, I have been speaking around the world on current trends that are impacting Christianity. After these presentations, I am approached by Christians who come from many different church backgrounds. Many are expressing their concerns about what is happening in their churches, troubled by the new direction they see their church going. While they may not always be able to discern what is wrong, they know something is wrong and that it needs to be addressed.

Further, many have told me they have attempted to express their concerns with their pastors or church elders. In almost every case, they were told they had a choice to make—get with the new program or get out of the church.

This move towards a reinvented Christianity (one designed to “reach people”) seems to be here for the long haul. It is not just a passing fad. I am often asked by concerned brothers and sisters in Christ to provide an explanation in order to help them understand what they have encountered. They want to know why these changes are underway and what to expect in the future. As well, they want to know what, if anything can be done, to stem this tide. It is for this reason I am writing this commentary—to provide biblical insight regarding the Emerging Church and where it is heading in the future.

The Gospel According to the Scriptures

Throughout church history, various trends have come and gone. While culture changes from place to place, biblical Christianity has always been based upon the central message of the Bible which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the message never changes.

This gospel message is about who Jesus Christ is, and what He has done. A child can understand the gospel message. This message proclaims that life here on planet earth is finite and that life after death is eternal. The good news is that we can be saved from our sins if we will repent and simply ask for forgiveness and follow Him.

How we respond to the gospel message during the time we have on earth determines where we spend eternity—heaven or hell. Jesus, the Creator of the universe, provided a way and the only way we can spend eternity with Him. It is a matter of making a personal decision whether or not we will accept the plan He has provided.

God’s adversary does not want mankind to understand the simple message. His plan is to deceive the world. If he can blind people from the gospel or convince them that they believe the gospel when indeed they do not, his plan has been successful. Throughout the ages, countless billions have been duped, either rejecting the truth, or believing that they had believed the truth when instead they had been deceived.

The Gospel According to Postmoderism

Times change! However, the gospel must remain the same no matter what else changes. We are now living in the postmodern era. In a sincere attempt to reach the postmodern generation with the gospel, it seems many Christians have become postmodern in their thinking.

Perhaps the term postmodern is new to you. Let’s examine what it means.

First, the modern era was characterized by a time of rational thinking based on factual observation. Many claim the modern era ended in the mid 1900s.

The postmodern mindset moves beyond the rational and the factual to the experiential and the mystical. In other words, in the past it was possible to know right from wrong and black from white. In the postmodern era all things are relative to the beholder. What may be right for you may be wrong for someone else. There is no such thing as absolute truth. The only thing that is absolute is that there is no absolute.

We now live in a time in history that is characterized as postmodern. Professors at universities teach students there is no right or wrong. All things are relative. The gospel message to the postmodern mindset is far too dogmatic and arrogant. They say it is necessary to find a more moderate gospel that can be accepted by the masses.

Many church leaders are now looking for ways to reach the postmodern generation. They believe they can find the appropriate methods to do so without changing the message. However, in their attempt to reach this postmodern generation, they have become postmodern themselves and have changed the message. As the gospel is fixed upon the Scriptures, the gospel cannot change, unless of course it becomes another gospel. I believe this is what is happening in the Emerging Church. [Also See Postmodernism]

He Didn’t Come

Many have noticed that since the turn of the millennium, their churches have changed positions on Bible prophecy and the Second Coming of Jesus. Many have given up on the return of Jesus. From the ‘60s on there was an excitement about the imminent return of Jesus. The Jesus People were excited about Bible prophecy and could see signs that Jesus would descend from the heavens for His Bride at any moment.

The year 2000 was of particular importance. When Jesus didn’t show up, it seems many were apparently disappointed. “Perhaps Jesus has delayed His coming,” some have said. Others are even taking the position that He may not be coming at all, at least not in the manner we have been taught. They are now convinced that we need to be busy about “building His Kingdom” here on earth by “whatever human effort is required.” [Also See Dominion Theology]

The Gospel of the Kingdom

One of the main indicators that something has changed can be seen in the way the future is perceived. Rather than urgently proclaiming the gospel according to the Scriptures and believing the time to do so is short, the emphasis has now shifted. No longer are “signs of the times” significant. The battle cry is very different. A major emphasis among evangelicals is the idea that the world can be radically improved through social programs.

This concept, while on the surface may sound very good, has some serious biblical implications. According to the Scriptures, there will be no kingdom of God until the King arrives. All the human effort man can muster up will fall short of bringing utopia. In fact, according to the Scriptures, fallen man will lead us further down the road to a society of despair and lawlessness just like it was in the days of Noah.

Thus, this purpose-driven view of establishing global utopia may be a plan, but it is “driven” by humanistic reasoning and not led by the Holy Spirit. While it is of course good to do good unto others, all the goodness that we can do will not be good enough. Pastors and church leaders who get involved in such man-driven programs can usually be identified by certain characteristics:

· Sound biblical doctrine is dangerous and divisive, and the experiential (i.e.,mystical) is given a greater role than doctrine.

· Bible prophecy is no longer taught and is considered a waste of time

· Israel becomes less and less important and has no biblical significance

· Eventually the promises for Israel are applied to the church and not Israel (Replacement Theology).

· Bible study is replaced by studying someone’s book and his methods

· Church health is evaluated on the quantity of people who attend.

· The truth of God’s Word becomes less and less important

· God’s Word, especially concepts like hell, sin and repentance, is eventually downplayed so the unbeliever is not offended.

Spiritual Formation and Transformation

Much of what I have described provides the formula for a dumbing-down of Christianity that paves the way for an apostasy that will only intensify in the future. This trend away from the authority of God’s Word to the reinvented form of Christianity has overcome all evangelical denominations like an avalanche. Few Bible teachers saw this avalanche coming. Now that it is underway, few realize it has even happened.

However, there is another big piece to the puzzle that must be identified in order to understand what is emerging in the Emerging Church. While biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down and the light of God’s Word diminished, another avalanche of deception is underway that is equally devastating.

This is best described by the Word of God giving way to experiences that God’s Word forbids. The best way to understand this process is to recall what happened during the Dark Ages when the Bible became the “forbidden book.” Until the Reformers translated the Bible into the language of the common person, the people were in darkness. When the light of God’s Word became available, the gospel according to the Scriptures was once again understood.

This trend, which is underway today, shows us that history is in the process of repeating itself. As the Word of God becomes less and less important, the rise of mystical experiences is alarming and these experiences are being presented to convince the unsuspecting that Christianity is about feeling, touching, smelling and seeing God. The postmodern mindset is the perfect environment for the fostering of what is called “spiritual formation.” This teaching suggests there are various ways and means to get closer to God. Proponents of spiritual formation erroneously teach that anyone can practice these mystical rituals and find God within. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is not a prerequisite.

These teachings, while actually rooted in ancient wisdom (the occult), were presented to Christendom post-New Testament and not found in the Word of God. The spiritual formation movement is based upon experiences promoted by desert monks and Roman Catholic mystics – these mystics encouraged the use of rituals and practices, that if performed would bring the practitioner closer to God (or come into God’s presence). The premise was that if one went into the silence or sacred space, then the mind was emptied of distractions and the voice of God could be heard. In truth, these hypnotic, mantric style practices were leading these monks into altered states of consciousness. The methods they used are the same that Buddhists and the Hindus use as a means of encountering the spiritual realm

Such methods are dangerous, and are not sanctioned in the Bible – God gives no instruction for this. On the contrary, He warns severely against divination, which is practicing a ritual or method in order to obtain information from a spiritual source. While proponents of spiritual formation (like Richard Foster) say these methods show that the Holy Spirit is doing something new to refresh Christianity, I would suggest that what is happening is not new and is not the Holy Spirit.

The spiritual formation movement is being widely promoted at colleges and seminaries as the latest and the greatest way to become a spiritual leader in these days. These ideas are then being exported from seminaries to churches by graduates who have been primed to take Christianity to a new level of enlightenment.

As well, these contemplative practices are being promoted by emergent leaders such as Brian McLaren, Robert Webber, Dallas Willard and others. [See Leaders] Publishers like NavPress, InterVarsity and Zondervan are flooding the market with books promoting contemplative practices based on Eastern mysticism. Pastors and church leaders read these books and then promote the ideas as if they were the scriptural answer to drawing close to God.

Signs the Emerging Church is Emerging

There are specific warning signs that are symptomatic that a church may be headed down the emergent/contemplative road. In some cases a pastor may not be aware that he is on this road nor understand where the road ends up.

Here are some of the warning signs:

· Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.

· The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel. [See Section on the Church Growth Movement]

· More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.

· The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical. [See The Millennium]

· The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.

· The teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past. [See The Dating of Revelation and The Menace of Radical Preterism]

· An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.

· Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation.

· The pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.

· While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.

· These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.

· There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church. [Also see Another Road to Rome]

· Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion. [See Transubstantiation]

· There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God.

· Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.

What does the Future Hold?

If the Emerging Church continues unfolding at the present pace, mainstream evangelical Christianity will be reinvented and the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures will be considered too narrow and too restrictive. In other words, the narrow way to heaven that Jesus proclaimed will eventually be abandoned for a wider way that embraces pagan experiential practices. I call this reinvented, re-imagined form of Christianity that is unfolding—“Christian Babylonianism”.

This new form of Christianity will replace biblical faith with a faith that says man can establish the kingdom of God here on earth. The Word will continue to become secondary to a system of works driven by experiences. [See Dominion Theology]

An ecumenical pattern towards unity with Rome will become more apparent. Those who refuse to embrace this direction will be considered spiritual oddballs that need to be reprimanded. Those who stand up for biblical faith will be considered the obstructions to the one world spirituality that is promoted as the answer for peace. [See Section on Ecumenism]

The best way to be prepared for what is coming is to gain an understanding of what is happening now. While there are not many who seem to discern the trend underway, there are some. Without the Bible and the Holy Spirit as our guide, the darkness that is coming would be overwhelming. However, the light of God’s Word penetrates the darkness and there are those who are being delivered from deception and see what is taking place.

I am convinced we are seeing apostasy underway, exactly as the Scriptures have forewarned. This means that this current trend is not likely to disappear. We must continue to proclaim the truth in the midst of deception with love. As Paul instructed Timothy:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26).

There are still pastors and churches who are dedicated to proclaiming the truth. Find out where they are and support them. If you are in a location where this does not seem to be possible, seek out materials that are available from solid Bible-based Christian ministries and hold Bible studies in your own home.

And keep looking up! Jesus is coming soon.

The Emerging Church And Bible Prophecy
Commentary by Roger Oakland

“The Emerging Church!” Perhaps the term is meaningless to you. If this is the case, it won’t be for long. Bible-believing Christians are facing an onslaught of ideas and experiences redefining the meaning of Christianity in this post-modern world. The Word of God is under attack. Biblical truths are being replaced by the word of Christian leaders who are claiming the time has come “to do whatever it takes to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth”. [Source]

This new wave that is sweeping the world is powerful. While other waves have come and gone, the present emerging church wave is a tsunami that has the potential of reshaping the very foundation of the Christian faith – the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Consider the following list of changes presently underway in the name of Christ and becoming increasingly more popular on a worldwide scale. No denomination or church affiliation is immune to the changes. The emerging church movement is gaining momentum.

· Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.

· The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods that promote church growth and a social gospel.

· More and more emphasis is being placed on “how can I be more successful in the ‘here and now’”, and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.

· More and more Christian leaders are looking for a kingdom of God to be established here on earth by human effort and deny that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period that is to come.

· There is a growing trend towards replacement theology – the church takes the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance. Proponents say the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past.

· An experiential mystical form of Christianity is being promoted to reach the postmodern generation called the “Emerging Church”.

· The church is being told that Christianity needs to be re-invented in order to provide meaning for this generation.

· Leaders of the Emerging Church say that in order to take the church forward, Christian leaders need to look backward in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people in the door, then reintroduce these experiences into the present. [Also See Church Growth Failures in The Bible]

· While the authority of the Word of God is being undermined, images and sensual experiences are being promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.

· These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.

· Many bridges are being established that lead in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church. While the Roman Catholic Church has an agenda called the “new evangelization” program to win the world to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Jesus, many evangelicals are unaware or don’t care.

· Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.

· There is a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace that claims there are many ways to God.

While the term “Emerging Church” may be new, the ideas being promoted by the Emerging Church can be understood by the warnings we find in the Bible regarding an End Times counterfeit bride that will prepare the way for a counterfeit Christ. Those who take the Bible seriously are not surprised. The following is a list of trends we can expect to see in the future based upon the warnings we find in the Scriptures:

· Apostasy (falling away from the faith) will become worse and worse. Many who once held to “the faith” based on God’s Word, will embrace “a faith” that contradicts God’s Word. This deception will become stronger and stronger as God allows a “strong delusion” to overcome those who refuse to accept God’s Word as the truth (2 Thessalonians 2: 3-11).

· Christianity will be “re-invented” as Christians fall away from the faith and embrace an alternative faith that is inspired by “doctrines of demons” who have a plan to prepare the counterfeit bride for the counterfeit Christ (1Timothy 4:1).

· The Biblical teachings on sin will be replaced by psychological self-help and self-empowerment programs promoting loving oneself rather than loving God (2 Timothy 3: 1-5).

· Sincere Bible-believing Christians seduced by doctrines of demons will lose discernment and embrace ideas in the name of Christianity that are antichristian (2 Timothy 2: 23-26).

· The road to Rome and a one world religion will become more and more apparent to those who study Bible prophecy. Rome's plan to unite the religions of the world for the cause of peace will promote a false security (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5).

· Further, P.E.A.C.E. plans being promoted by purpose driven Christians have the potential of causing believers to depart from the simple gospel for a social gospel. While this social gospel promises answers to the world’s problems, there are concerns. The Roman Catholic peace plan and the purpose driven P.E.A.C.E plan both plan to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth by human effort.

· Deceivers will become more and more effective and many will be deceived. Fewer and fewer Christian leaders will teach the Word and warn about the imminent return of Jesus (2 Timothy 3: 13).

· Faith in God’s Word and a belief in the simple gospel will become a rare commodity (Luke 18: 8).

· Serious Bible-believing Christians will begin meeting in homes and having private Bible studies. Bible-believing Christians who stand on the truth and warn others about the dangers of man-made plans that contradict God’s plan will be viewed as crackpots and dangerous heretics (2 Timothy 3-12). [Also See The Pattern Of The New Testament Church]

· Christian Babylonianism will become more and more popular as Satan’s plans to deceive the world in the name of Jesus Christ continues to unfold (Matthew 24: 3-4).

· This counterfeit gospel can be understood in light of Paul’s warning to the church at Corinth. “Another spirit” will lead the masses towards “another Christ” as “another gospel” sweeps the world (2 Corinthians 11: 3-4).

· False appearances of the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Jesus will become more and more evident. People of all faiths will eventually be attracted to these so called “Eucharistic Miracles”, being attracted to signs and wonders that include healings and the casting out of demons (Matthew 7: 21-23).

· Apparitions of a woman claiming to be the mother of Jesus, also called the “Queen of Heaven” will continue to play an important role in setting up the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus. This apparitional woman will claim to share a role in redemption of mankind and can be understood in light of the Bible as demonic in nature (Isaiah 47: 10).

· However this “Mary” factor will be very instrumental in bringing about unity with Roman Catholics and Muslims and other religions for the cause of peace. Eventually all religions will unify for the cause of peace, seduced by Marian apparitions and false appearance of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist (Matthew 24: 23-26).

· More and more we will hear about the Catholic view of the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus (the Second Coming) as these appearances of the Eucharistic Jesus manifest through the practice of Eucharistic adoration.

There is much more that could be said regarding the biblical scenario of how the Emerging Church will unfold in light of Bible prophecy. One thing is certain. It will not be popular to warn people what the Bible foretells. We can expect that the trend to unify at any cost will continue. Those who refuse to bow their knee to the coming one-world religion for the cause of peace will be singled out as trouble makers.

Finally, I am going to conclude this commentary with a challenge to all serious Bible believers. The only way to understand what is happening and to know what lies ahead is to know what God has said. Many are saying they are no longer able to find a church in their area that teaches the Bible and where the pastor is warning the flock about what lies ahead.

John in his vision provided the solution to this dilemma. He wrote:

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. [Revelation 18: 1-4] Also See The Christian and Worldliness]

The Emerging Church

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