Emergent Church~Jack Kelley~update by Michael James Stone

Emergent Church

I have a question regarding the rapid growth of the emergent church and I wonder if you could explain this movement to me in more detail. I had always thought that the real Church would be the one falling away from the false teachings going on in organized religion today.

Q. Again thank you so much for your knowledge and faith.

I have a question regarding the rapid growth of the emergent church and I wonder if you could explain this movement to me in more detail. I had always thought that the real Church would be the one falling away from the false teachings going on in organized religion today. Not falling away from OUR FATHER, but false religion.Thanks again.

A. The Emergent Church is also known as the Seeker Friendly or Seeker Sensitive movement. It was begun a few years back as a way to bring more people to church on Sundays. The Gospel is de-emphasized in favor of a less threatening message with a focus on entertainment and socialization. The idea is to attract as many people as possible into a church setting thinking that some of them would want to learn more about Jesus on their own.

Although the movement has attracted a great many people who wouldn’t otherwise have gone to church, it’s criticized by traditionalists for not providing clear guidance into a born-again relationship. After all the point of Christianity, they say, isn’t to spend Sunday mornings in a building singing and laughing with a bunch of people, but to secure our place in eternity and learn how to live in a manner pleasing to God while we wait.

The phrase falling away comes from 2 Thes. 2:3 where it’s also called the rebellion. The Greek word it comes from is the one from which we get apostasy, which is the act of abandoning the truth. So it’s not the true church falling away from false doctrine, but the exact opposite.

Tags: False Teaching

Related Posts:

• Great Falling Away
• The Emergent Church
• Emergent Or Emerging?
• What Is The Emergent Church?
• Seeker Friendly Signs

ShareThis

This entry was posted on Monday, November 20th, 2006 at 8:48 am and is filed under Ask a Bible Teacher.

"Sign of the Swine" Alert

It is easy to see "emergent" ideologies in anyone and everyone we disagree with. Whether it be the Jesus Movement when Hippies getting saved were called Cults and were so non-denominational and House or "home bible study" based that we who live it recall being called "Freaks" because we did not fit in the Traditional mold of Pews and Suits and Ties.

We even went barefoot to church....,

There is a false doctrine out there, making it's rounds as False doctrines do. They are meant to happen and do occur to test us, stregthen us, and cause us to reveal our nature:

1. Do We condemn or convince?

One of the biggest splits in the Early Jesus Movement was Vineyard and Calvary Chapel. In a simplified anlysis:

Calvary Chapel put the Word or Bible First over experience.
Vineyard put the Experience of the Holy Spirit First.

We who were there, could have fought tooth and nail to argue fine points of what God was doing, but God used Calvary Chapel......

AND

God used Vineyard.

Eventually God allowed the Toronto Blessing to occur.....it nearly destroyed Vineyard Ministries and aftermath is still around, an Experience that taught the leaders well.

I recall a wise statement Chuck Smith told me once, He said, we will watch and see what you are calling this new blessing and if the Holy Spirit is leading you, then you go, but as we are also Blessed by God, we will continue as God leads us.

I do not know WHO is in fact a bonafide off the wall account of a "seeker friendly" or a User Friendly, or a Emergent Church.

I do know the gospel and Jesus radically shook up established religion by saving the poor, sinners, destitute, prostitute and Tax collectors and he went where they were no matter where they were....

So I say the Doctrine may be off, but until YOU ACTUALLY see for yourself, or a factual texting of a sermon is presented:

1. Be careful who you label
2. Check your facts first
3. Pray First for the people and the ministry
4. Seek to Ask to speak and listen to the Pastor
5. Watch to see if people "are" getting saved.
6. See if they mention the name "Jesus"
   

We can resist the false spirits that are out there, and we can STAND against emerging ideas if they contradict scripture and we know why and how they do, but we do have to be careful as to individuals who often have no idea what you are talking about when you label them something they do not know.

Genuine Miracles actually occur at some of the biggest charlatans in Christendoms History because God will Judge the Minister, but he will Do as He chooses to do as He wills and not our will.

In the Winter, I will go to a Emergent Church and repost back.

On the Doctrine I can find fault, on the presentation, I ahve yet to see.

Michael James Stone