Emergent Church Movement

The word for "fear" in that first Scripture means to use caution on our won part, not that we should, in and of ourselves, strike the fear of God into people's hearts. The Holy Spirit is quite able to do that Himself.

Please understand that I do not advocate a one-sided message of tulips and puppies. Rather, I recoil from this lust so many Christians have for the "Don't you know you're going to Hell" opening line for "evangelism." Eternal judgement is a reality (and one can only interpret the "Lake of Fire" in Revelation in terms of an eternal punishment), and thus cannot be ignored.

It's likely a problem that we Evangelicals are far too interested in fast-tracking the Gospel message into a five-minute Romans Road or Four Spiritual Laws presentation, with little interest in befriending or even getting to know lost people.

Yet this is exactly why we must approach evangelism fearfully and carefully: Christ's ultimate example was that, in order to save you and I, He became like us. This isn't to say, for example, I'm going to go get my earlobes gauged and begin wearing black lipstick in order to evangelize Goths (others have done that with success); yet I am going to spend time with kids who are Goth in order to better relate the life-changing message of the Gospel. I'm going to spend time with athiests, agnostics, Pagans and Wiccans, not to "be cool" or adopt their beliefs, but that, through my patient friendship, these sad and hardened people might see Christ and respond.

Trust me: evey one of these people has heard about Hell. Every one of them is convinced that every Christian on earth has condemned them to Hell. What they don't hear enough of is the voice of hope: that while eternal punishment is a reality, Jesus came to offer us a path away from Hell, and into eternal, joyful, abundant life.

 

tragic pizza.

I believe the problem you are talking about is so miniscule that its hardly worthy mentioning. I was born again in 1982 and can not think of one single persom whom I have have personally know who is like that.

The only people who would be that way would be the most hardend and "seperate from the world" minded "fundamentalist" imaginable.

As I said, I havent personally know anyone like that for 23 years now. And I have known people of just about any denomination imaginable.

God bless,

Mike

 

I hope you're right, Mike.

But then I look at many of the conversations I have here and I doubt it.

 

There is a certain school, and they are a minority, that teach an easy-believism type of gospel. One of their graduates came up here in the early 70's. He had many "professions" but very few of them ever came to church. A profession does not equal a possession, i.e., just because some says a prayer or repeats one, doesn't mean he is sincere about trusting Christ as Saviour. Because the young man was not able to build a "super-church" in the cold north, he got discouraged after a couple of years and returned to the U.S. However the church did continue with the few people that (in spite of the easy-believism tactics), actually did believe, came to Christ, were baptized, and formed a church of a dozen members or so. You are right their are many false professions.
Mike is also right. Those type of preachers/evangelists are in the minority.

I was in the Catholic Church for 20 years and not once heard the gospel. When I did hear from another student on the University Campus it was the first time that I ever heard the gospel message. Perhaps my case is unusual, in that the first time I ever heard the gospel, I got saved. There was no easy believism there. The Lord got hold of my heart and I have never been the same since. I don't doubt my salvation. I know that if I were to die right now I would go straight to Heaven. My sins have all been forgiven by the blood of the Lamb.
DHK

[ April 11, 2005, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: DHK ]

 

Thanks for that sharing DHK and praise God for that university student and the way God has transformed and used you.

 

DHK, I appreciate your testimony, but I weasn't talking about "easy believism." In light of what you and Mike shared, though, I'm going to keep my peace for now and make sure I know what I'm trying to say.

 

There are many people who are officially Christian who have mystical New Age or Eastern views, and de Chardin is one of them. His views were a forerunner of New Age thought. These people influenced the New Age and are quoted by New Agers. I remember reading stuff by him and about him when I was first getting more deeply involved in New Age beliefs in the mid-70's. Others are Matthew Fox, an Episcopal priest (former Catholic, still alive),Agnes Sanford (Episcopal, deceased), Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating (both Catholics, alive), and Thomas Merton (Catholic monk, deceased).

They use Christian terms but mean different things by them, or infuse/merge them with Eastern spirituality. This is one of the hallmarks of the New Age and it's why so many Christians don't recognize it.

I have a quote here, but keep in mind I knew about him having New Age type views 30 yrs. ago.

 

There are many people who are officially Christian who have mystical New Age or Eastern views, and de Chardin is one of them. His views were a forerunner of New Age thought. These people influenced the New Age and are quoted by New Agers. I remember reading stuff by him and about him when I was first getting more deeply involved in New Age beliefs in the mid-70's. Others are Matthew Fox, an Episcopal priest (former Catholic, still alive),Agnes Sanford (Episcopal, deceased), Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating (both Catholics, alive), and Thomas Merton (Catholic monk, deceased).

They use Christian terms but mean different things by them, or infuse/merge them with Eastern spirituality. This is one of the hallmarks of the New Age and it's why so many Christians don't recognize it.

 

I have a couple of quotes here, but keep in mind I knew about him having New Age type views 30 yrs. ago.

 

More on de Chardin:

Matthew Fox has a book, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ , which seems to have been influenced by de Chardin.

 

Your point, Marcia, would be... ?

 

I responded to this...

And said...

I want to clarify. I didnt mean that using a tract...such as the "Romans Road" or "4 Spiritual Laws" ones...is inappropriate. Those sort of tools are just excellant and are many times very beneficial.

What I meant was evangeliclas who show no concern for lost people, wont befriend them, wont follow up the presentation, wont help lost people with food, clothing, etc if their is a need. All the evangelicals I have ever known personally are not like that. They join bowling leagues with lost people, befriend co-workers who are lost, show concern for lost people in a practical way...helping them with food or some other dire need, etc.

Also, evangelicals are generally very good about encouraging new believers to by all means plug into a healthy christian fellowship if they do recieve Christ through a gospel presentation.

Mike

 

I think I forgot now, but someone posted something about Teilhard de Chardin, I thought approvingly - though I could be wrong, and I just thought it would be informative to point out de Chardin's unbiblical thinking.

I am immersed in writing a seminary research paper for my OT2 class and only come here now and then, so cannot follow discussions that closely. I've had supper at midnight the past 3 or 4 nights and tonight it looks the same. It's almost 11:30 now and I have not eaten.

 

Seminary is tough, so they tell me. Too bad in your current denomination you're limited as to how much you can do, unless you;re going to be a missionary.

 

I'm not limited by my denomination! I believe that God has different roles for men and women. I desire the role that God has called me into - I've been a full-time missionary on support since May, 1998, and part-time since '94.

Althought technically I am a missionary, I have a ministry called CANA/Christian Answers for the New Age. I speak around the country (in conservative churches!), on radio (was on a radio show today, in fact), write, and do outreach.