While some Christians still get upset enough with government to contract their congressmen and talk about throwing the bums out of office, it seems that many Christians do nothing about the wolves in sheep’s clothing that have infiltrated their own churches.
The threat comes from postmodern leaders with its redefining of Christianity and the Bible. The threat is also known as the Emergent Church. The Emergent Movement now threatens to subvert once evangelical denominations. The Emergent movement is now a major emerging threat in the Nazarene denomination and is also a big threat in Baptists churches and others.
If you do not know what the big deal is about from this Emergent threat click on the link above and read the articles from Eric Bager and find out. Here is also a fair article that generally explains the Emergent Church movement. Not everything about being relevant with the postmodern people of our culture is bad but we must never compromise on the essentials. The Bible must be the final authority for our faith and practice.
Just to point out one example how postmodernism subtly infects the church, I read an article today by Dave Welch on a conservative Christian website about how the Church should hate. The article was talking about the Church hating the same things that God hates. I agree with what Welch said in the article and I am sure Welch does not believe in emergent teaching at all. However, in the article where it quotes what God hates instead of using the Bible, Welch quotes from “The Message”. The Message might be the most postmodern relevant bad paraphrase of the Bible in existence today but it certainly is not the Bible. Are not the six things that God hates clear enough in a real translation that one has to resort to quoting from bad paraphrases of the Bible? Why would an astute Christian even quote from “The Message” anyway? Eugene Peterson the author of “The Message” has no discernment to interpret the Bible because if he had any biblical discernment he would not have endorsed the cover of the heretical postmodern book called “The Shack” ?
Seems to me that the great apostasy is well underway in our church buildings. The wolves in sheep’s clothing are standing in the pulpits and the sheep sitting in the pews do not have enough biblical knowledge to discern the difference between the true gospel and what these men preach. They just follow and approve of everything their pastors do. After all, these are men of G–O–D.
One example of postmodernism in the seeker movement is Saddleback’s Rick Warren. I guess he has not been wishy washy enough on all his national platform opportunities already, now he is now going to speak at a Muslim convention to forty thousand Muslims. Now, that would be a great opportunity for a real Christian to give the gospel of Jesus Christ but if Rick Warren gives the gospel at that Muslim convention I will repent and send his church a large donation. I wish he would do that but you know that he won’t, so why is he called America’s pastor? Does he reflect the American Church? Why are Christians even following him? What is our great commission? Seems that most Christians no longer know. What would Paul do (WWPD)? If Paul got the opportunity to speak to Muslims and the world would he talk about what Warren will? Warren will probably speak on interfaith cooperation and how we all worship the same God. If that is true then why did millions of Christians die for the gospel of Christ?
If the salt has lost its savior it is good for nothing but to be trampled down and that is why hate speech laws will be passed that will trample down the church in America. “Christians” can only blame themselves.
We need to throw the bums out of our churches and Christian leadership first. Then maybe we will deserve a better government. Don’t expect any grass roots movement to change America if we cannot even get the pew sitters in our churches to install biblical pastors that will preach the gospel of Christ.
One might wonder how this Emergent Church is reaching postmodern young people that they say their programs are designed for? It is not! Churches have lost their youth even with all their postmodern youth pastors and programs. Two thirds of teenagers in Britain now say they do not believe in God. What does that say about how the Church is reaching people with the gospel and the future of Christianity?
It is not that bad in America yet but all polls say it is rapidly heading in that direction. In fact, the majority of church youth that claim to be born again Christians lose their faith by the time they graduate from college. Any astute Christian should know that it is a sin for parents to willing send their kids to our government run schools where they will certainly be brainwashed with godless philosophies of humanistic and demonically inspired men. So why do most pastors not even realize this and teach this to their congregations and suggest alternatives? Could it be because they have become part of the problem with their own emerging postmodern moral relativism?
I agree 100% with what you say Don, but I’ll go one step further. Christians that have fallen for the Message book (it”s not a Bible) and also Rick Warren’s lukewarm beliefs, have chosen. They have made the decision to live ungodly lives and do nothing real for the Lord like put their pride on the line by witnessing. I had one tell me that they thought “raising their kids was serving the Lord.” I replied that raising your kids is your duty as a parent. Even non-believers raise their kids.
There are so many Bible versions because people want a version to fit *their* idea of Christianity. It is sad, but true. Lucifer is working overtime.
P.S. Just discovered your site last week. Love it ! Keep fighting the good fight !
Thanks |Frank, I look forward to your input
The above article is exactly why I read this blog. It is no coincidence that on Father’s Day, one of my relatives was raving about a Bible study, and then mentioned…The Message. These are people who love the Lord, have taught me much about grace, but need more discernment. Here we go again.
From my own experience I know “The Message” is popping up more and more at Bible studies and quoted as if it was God’s word. Not to mention that it is often quoted in evangelical pulpits. In a Bible study when someone reads a passage often someone will read from “The Message”. Bible study leaders need to lay down the law and tell people that paraphrases of the Bible will not be read to the group as if it where the Bible.
Those who quote “The Message” from the pulpit often pick that paraphrase of God’s word because it supports their own message when God’s own words will not. When I hear The Message from a pastor/teacher/author I get the feeling that they are picking quotes from various translations and paraphrases to manipulate or snow me to agree with what they are saying. A prime example is the “Purpose Driven Life” and other teachings of Rick Warren.
Hey Don. Do u know a website that I can go to that gives info about “the message” and Eugene Peterson?
Strangely enough I arrived here via twitter, of all spooky post-modern places! Hate to remind you, but the Bible wasn’t written in English, and it doesn’t give us guidelines re: how to translate it. So what are the criteria you use to judge translations? And on what authority do they rest, if not biblical?
Also, I thought this would be an article about the emerging church, but it’s not–it’s just about some vague “post-modernism” that you are seeing in a wide range of places (and I don’t necessarily disagree with you). “Emergent” is a much more specific movement than the broad, general assessment you’re making. To really understand these things, one needs a bit more precision with one’s terms.
Finally, the study you quoted about teenagers is a BRITISH study! You can’t use it to decry the church in America, that’s absurd. Great Britain has been for a long time a much more secular society than the US, so it’s unsurprising there. I’d be shocked and amazed if even 1/4 of American teens didn’t believe in God.
I can’t decide if you’re serious and intellectually honest or not, so perhaps these critiques are wasted time. But these are important issues, and it’s worth thinking seriously (and well) about them.
Justin try this link
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/themessage.htm
“The Message” is not a translation of the Bible. It is a paraphrase of the Bible even Eugene Peterson says it should not be used as the Bible. The best translations have a team of experts that examine many manuscripts in the original language and try to come up with the best translation possible. A paraphrase is just someone’s opinion on what the verses mean to them.
Am I suppose to care that you thought this article was not what you were looking for? I have little control over the matter.
I did not make a broad general assessment other than I know the problems in the Emergent movement. I gave you a link in the post that explains what the Emergent Church is about and I also said that not everything about the Emergent Church is wrong. Some claim there is a difference between those who identify with the emerging Church and the Emergent Church you might take note of that when you do your research.
Your correct that the study was about teens in Britain. I should have caught that but I did not. I actually added the study to the article after I orginally posted it. I will correct it.
The MESSage is NOT a translation. Even Eugene Peterson says that it isnt. He should know, he is the one that made it! People use the Message to justify living an ungodly life. The “Coming One” is not Jesus Christ.
Thanks for the link Don
The Monergism website has a whole lot of links of articles written by various authors about the “Emergent” church and the “Seeker-sensitive” movement. A great resource for anyone who wants to look into this subject.
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Bad-Theology/Emerging-Church/
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Bad-Theology/Seeker-Sensitive/
As that close relative that you spoke of John, I want to thank you for bringing “The Message”
Bible up to me. For some time I have not been comfortable with The Message Bible. I haven’t used it for awhile now. However, when you sent me that e-mail God was able to show me that I was on the fence with The Message Bible. As I thoroughly investigated Eugene Peterson I realized why I was so uncomfortable. Now I have a stand. The ‘best’ The Message could be called is a commentary. However it is so off the mark and the very “holiness” and “righteousness of God is void that I personally would not want to be Eugene standing before God knowing that I was responsible leading so many astray. He will be accountable before God one day. I personally want to thank you John for pressing through to let me know about The Message. I realize it might have been a bit of a challenge. God is on the throne my friend. God bless you.
The fact that you so quickly applied Scripture to The Message and found it wanting is very encouraging to me. The Message, like The Shack, like Alcoholics Anonymous, is being used to water down our theology and prepare for the apostate church.