Signs That Your Church is Becoming Emergent

[PrisonerOfHope]

How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church

The following is an Extract from How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church

Commentary by Roger Oakland

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c54.shtml

[emortimer]

I am so glad God lead me and my family to our church...

[wateredseeds]

So true. I don't see any of those things in my church. Even when people speak in tongues(rare) publicly to the church there is always an interpretation. And it's never really regarded as much more than a word of encouragement. I go to an AG church, and i have to say that as long as an AG church abides by the denominational tenets of faith and core doctrine...that it is basically like being a very biblical dispensational baptist...except that the gifts of the spirit are seen. But there are several churches in my community that are the other way around...and either push "kingdom now" theology(which replaces the millenial reign)....or embrace the teachings of bill johnson. It's not always easy to see the signs of it early....but it's easy to see the signs when it's too late. Such as people roaming around on the ground making animal noises...or shaking violently and such. There are some ridiculous practices. Fortunately there has to be a scriptural basis for everything in my church, or it's not allowed.

[PrisonerOfHope]

8.3.2011



What exactly is the Emergent Church Movement?


Nathan E. JonesBy Nathan Jones
Evangelist & Web Minister


Dr. Reagan and I, on our ministry's television show Christ in Prophecy, had the pleasure of asking this question of Christian apologist Eric Barger of Take a Stand! Ministries. He joined us to talk about the greatest threat to the Church today — apostasy, particularly from the Emergent Church Movement.

Truth is Relative

Eric Barger: The Emergent Church Movement has only been around about 15 years, yet there are millions of people who have fallen into it, and many don't even know it.

I want to caution people, don't be hung up on the term "Emergent" or "Emerging Church." We need to know what we believe and why we believe it first, but we also need to be aware that there are a lot of things being called Christian or being called acceptable inside Christianity around us.

The Emergent Church Movement is really based on the idea that we need to present the Gospel in a different way, or present Christianity in a different way to the world because we live in a post-modern society that can't accept what truth is. We also wouldn't want to talk too much about things that divide us. We just want to have an expression of Christianity that feels good to us.

When I say Post-Modernism, it's the idea that truth is kind of a moving target. In the Emergent Church Movement, it's all about Relativism. You make up your own rules as you go along.

As I've examined the Emergent Church leaders, the single thing that I have seen over and over is that they use Christian terms that we can relate to, just like many of the cults do, but they have attached radically different meanings to traditional Christian terms.

Feelings are Authoritative

Dr. Reagan: It seems to me what we are really talking about here is the fact that society went through a period of time when people thought that the answer to all of man's problems was science. Science was going to solve everything. Well, science didn't. In fact, science has made it worse with atomic bombs and so forth. And so, we are in a sort of rebellion where people are claiming, "You know, science really isn't it. We've got to move to a more mystical way of thinking that's non-scientific and based on feelings."

Eric Barger: The Emergent Church and Post-Modernism move hand in hand because the Emergent Church is supposedly a response to Post-Modernism. The people who first came up with these new church concepts, I believe they were genuinely concerned about so many of the 20-something and 30-something people leaving the Church and not coming back. They were trying to figure out how they could draw them back into the churches.

But, quickly the discussions started turning to the idea that maybe we don't need to hold all the doctrines of the Church. Maybe some of those doctrines such as the doctrine of the Trinity or the doctrine of the Deity of Christ or certainly the doctrine of Hell can be done away with. Removing uncomfortable doctrines will draw those people back, they thought. So, it's not just about a new way to present the Gospel, rather it's about a complete change of what people think the Gospel is.

Experience Filters Reality

Dr. Reagan: Nathan, almost on a daily basis you are confronting Post-Moderns out there. Give us a feel for what a Post-Modern mentality is?

Nathan Jones: It is experiential in that truth is what you experience. You filter reality on how you yourself see things. So, if the Bible says that Jesus is the Son of God, well I didn't experience Him in my life like that, so He must be an angel or something else entirely. That is how they come up with their truth. The Bible isn't the absolute standard that is used in the Post-Modern generation.

Dr. Reagan: So, it is really a rejection of the concept of absolute truth. It's more feelings. Your truth is your truth, and my truth is my truth. Actually applied, if you are going to discuss something like homosexuality you wouldn't go to the Bible and ask, "What does God say about it?" You would instead ask, "What do you feel about it?"

Nathan Jones: Yes, it is the ultimate ego trip because you have become God. It is you who decide what is right and what is wrong. You can also live in a reality that totally conflicts with how the world works, and that's fine with you. Everyone is just supposed to get along and tolerate each other's ego trips.

Eric Barger: What you are saying right there also defines the New Age Movement. If you're a New Ager, it's all about you making up your own rules about what you think is right.

The real problem with the Emergent Church Movement is there's a general lack of respect for the authority of the Bible. That's the key problem. The Emergent Church would not be an issue if the Church was willing to have its Bible open and test everything that comes along, including what we say against the Word of God, to see if it matches up.

See video here:

www.lamblion.com/television/programs_apologetics5.php

[northernlight]

I am beginning to wonder, what do you do when all the churches around you seem to be infected with the emergent/seeker driven church teachings?

In my locality, the Baptist, the AoG, the Methodist and even the WCG (Worldwide church of God) and Brethern have all adopted various methods from them, from the 'Purpose Driven Life' course, the Message Bible or the Shack.

1 year ago, I certainly would have had nothing to do with any church that embraced it, but now it seems every church does

So now what? Do I stay home and keep well out of it, or go in and try to combat it? What would you do?

[wateredseeds]

northernlight,

A lot of christians aren't going to church anymore...for that exact reason. If that is truly the situation...then you should pray about it and ask God what you should do. I would suggest maybe though...that you do something along the lines of Setting aside an hour(hopefully us here in this place set aside more than that) to just pray and read your bible...put some worship music on too...and just "have church" at home. And if you believe in any kind of tithing at all...you could set aside tithe money to donate to a good christian charity(Convoy of hope, vision beyond borders etc.) and maybe even find time to pass out tracts on the street(use tithe money for that too).

[northernlight]

Its really sad that the situation is like this, I would have liked to have the physical fellowship of other believers, but I think my presence in such a church would only bring discord to them, and confusion to me.

[maeday5]

""""""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."""""

Read more: harpazo.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=religion&action=display&thread=353#ixzz1XPH3q8ey

I've seen more and more of these type of "worship" rituals, even if Pentecostal, baptist Churches. Going back to Rome and it's perverse ways should frighten the body of Christ.

[shann0]

Yes and part of the Episcopalian church has already reunited with Rome....

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/06/maryland-episcopal-roman-catholic_n_871950.html


Maryland Episcopal Church Will Be First in U.S. To Join Roman Catholic Church

An Episcopal parish in Maryland announced Monday that it will become the first in the United States to join the Roman Catholic Church under a Vatican process designed to bring disgruntled Anglicans and Episcopalians into its fold.

St. Luke's Episcopal parish in Bladensburg will become part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington within the next few months. It will sever ties from its liberal bishop, who has spoken out in favor of same-sex marriage and other controversial issues.

The bishop, John Bryson Chane, said in a statement Monday that he approved the separation. Chane said the decision was made with "mutual respect," adding that "Christians move from one church to another with far greater frequency than in the past, sometimes as individuals, sometimes as groups."

The parish will lease its land from the Episcopal diocese with the option to purchase.

The switch from Episcopal to Roman Catholic comes after the Vatican's Oct. 2009 announcement that Anglicans who were unsatisfied with their denomination could join the Roman Catholic church en masse while preserving certain traditions, such as having married priests. Until the announcement, individual Anglicans and Episcopalians had to switch on their own.

The move was largely aimed at Anglican churches in the United Kingdom, many of which have struggled with the issue of ordaining female clergy. The Episcopal church is the American branch of the Anglican church. It is considered more liberal and it ordains women clergy, but members have been divided over the issue of ordaining gay bishops.

Since the Vatican's announcement, several U.S. Episcopal churches, including the 100-member St. Luke's, have shown interest in becoming Roman Catholic.




Dozens of formerly Episcopal parishes had already left the church in prior years because of disagreements over gay bishops and aligned themselves with more conservative African Anglican dioceses. Unlike Monday's move by St. Luke's, those departures were acrimonious and resulted in court battles over parish property ownership.

The Rev. Mark Lewis, rector of St. Luke's, told The Huffington Post that debates over issues such as homosexuality were not the main reason for leaving the Episcopal church.

"We worship in a very Catholic way," said Lewis about the parish's traditional "Anglo-Catholic" style, which more closely resembles Roman Catholic worship than Episcopal worship.

In a letter to parishioners, Lewis said that debates over social issues "illuminated a more significant issue in Anglicanism...Who speaks for the Church? Where is the teaching authority of the Church on matters of faith and morals to be found?" In the Roman Catholic Church, church teachings are centralized at the Vatican level, but Episcopal and Anglican parishes around the world can differ widely in their practices and beliefs.

In a statement, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington said the archdiocese will "welcome the St. Luke community warmly into our family of faith."

In other nations, special Anglican ordinariates are being created to formally bring Anglican churches and dioceses into the Roman Catholic Church. No such ordinariate exists in the U.S., but Wuerl was named last year by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to look into creating one.

“I am deeply grateful to Cardinal Wuerl and to Bishop Chane for their support throughout this discernment," said Lewis, who is married. "We look forward to continuing to worship in the Anglican tradition, while at the same time being in full communion with the Holy See of Peter."

The parish's vestry, its elected governing body, voted on the decision in January and the church approved the vote on Sunday. Only one family voted against the move. St. Luke's will began courses in coming months to formally teach members aspects of becoming Roman Catholic.