If nothing else, a Christian must simply realize that in the best situation, Life.Church will leave its people stuck in a state of spiritual immaturity. My spiritual emptiness was replaced by the abundant life only the Savior can give (John 10:10). Peter has very little to say about compromised teaching, but he gives a litany of descriptions about compromised lives. Groeschel largely embraces cognitive behavioral therapy the idea that our greatest problem is negativity, self-doubt, and destructive thinking. (Hebrews 10:24-25). It is Bavaria's largest city and the third largest city in Germany (after Berlin and Hamburg). This is a basic culmination of everything discussed about sermons up to this point. Heaven is capitalized (meaning its a proper name), but hell is lowercase (meaning its not an actual location). Subscribers receive full access to the archives. However, shying away from a stance on Hell for sake of approachability or gaining favor is problematic on its own. identify and select different instructional resources and methods to meet students' varying needs. However, its exciting to hear, and people are drawn to the idea that they can have everything their greedy hearts desire if they just believe hard enough. The comments would often be along the lines of The sermons may be shallow, but the gospel presentation is clear. And as I listened to my first few sermons, I likewise found myself impressed with how clearly they give the gospel. Fresh Life Church is an egalitarian church. If you watch any television, listen to any radio or podcasts, keep up on the news, or interact at depth with just about anyone in modern society, you are being exposed to some form of false teaching. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. In the Book of Titus, Paul lists Christian virtues like hospitality, self-control, and love of goodness as the foundation for an overseers ability to preach with sound doctrine (1:89). Below are the 10 examples of false doctrines and false teachings you will find in the church today you need to protect yourself from. Beneath their doctrinal error, however subtle and deceptive, we will find ethical compromises in tow. Drawing upon Scripture and the latest findings of brain science, Groeschel lays out practical strategies that will free you from the grip of harmful, destructive thinking and enable you to live the life of joy and peace that God intends you to live. Most false teachers live and die by their stories. Within that goal, they recognize that our holy God has likewise called us to holiness. If we had any doubts at this point, Peter joins the refrain to add another voice: There will be false teachers among you (2 Peter 2:1). I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. But time will tell. They even did a 3-part FAQ series where Groeschel gave answers to several biblical topics including: And in many of his answers, I found myself in agreement. And so it is with ethical compromise. Ill discuss this more down below, but Groeschel and other pastors have demonstrated that they do understand how to do exegesis. But God was condemning them for speaking where He hasnt spoken. There are many pastors who are simply ignorant of exegetical preaching. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Jeremiah 14:14). If removing wrath from the gospel presentation resonates better with the audience, then thats what must be done. To integrate Jesus into this, He must stop being our Savior from sin and instead be our Savior from us not thinking highly enough of ourselves. They frequently have new visitors, their online platform is active, their community is bustling, and many people claim to ask Christ to save them every week. God often brings good things from bad situations, but the good result doesnt mean the bad situation shouldnt be avoided by others. Even when we account for their multilayered historical contexts, its still astonishing to study these men and their indifference to Black suffering and liberation. If you watch a sermon on their website, theres a built-in chat feature with hosts who strike up conversations and even seem to recognize frequent attenders. Here is a list of of the more obvious heretics/false teachers to be marked & avoided: (not exhaustive) Angley, Ernest [Word of Faith] Armstrong, Karen [Progressive] Arnott, John [leader Toronto "Blessing", Latter Rain] Bakker, Jamie [Emergent Church] Bakker, Jay [Emergent Church, neo-liberal] Bakker, Jim [Prosperity Theology] Other False Teachings of the Manifest Sons of God (MSOG), Latter Rain, Five Fold, Apostolic . 8 As the head, Jesus is the one who governs, controls, and provides for His body. "If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. The apostle Peter also warned Christians that false teachers would arise (2 Peter 2:1). 2. The church will refund the money, but they must also admit that God didnt keep His promise of faithfulness. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. The early creeds summarize both the gospel and core Christian doctrine. And those who do are worth his entire church mocking right alongside him. God calls us to give the first 10% of our income back to Him. But, as historian Jemar Tisby said recently, We have to understand that theology is not merely stated but lived., Indeed, relegating Christianity to the realm of doctrinal propositions inevitably leads to, as theologian William Cavanaugh says, limit[ing] the range of Christian faith from the entire body of the believer to the space between the ears.. However, while some churches can have a strong sense of community, they can become so insulated that outsiders feel intimidated. Some may reach the end of this article and be furious because it feels like an attack on a personal experience. A Christian blog and podcast by Ray Burns. The church may excel at creating baby Christians, but the environment does little to help them grow up. The question is whether you can discern which messages are false. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? And we must continue to do so, not in a mouthing-the-words way but in a conviction-of-the-heart-and-mind way. use relevant technology to support instruction. (1 Timothy 2:11-12). I quote this verse to point out one thing: God does not tolerate people using His name for their own ends. "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." ~Colossians 2:8. Craig Groeschel is a businessman at heart. For a pastor who leads Gods people, its completely unacceptable. Often, this is also a sign that the speaker doesnt actually know how to read and understand the Bible. People arent excited about what God reveals in the Bible, but instead live through the stories and experiences of others while dreaming of someday, somehow, having their own experiences. Image:
A typical sermon would begin with a long and entertaining story, the speaker would then read some verses, then launch into more stories or share experiences about what this passage can mean. His warning may sound clear and simple at first, but as we all know, trees dont bear fruit overnight. (Acts 20:28-30). . False teachers take on many forms, custom-crafted to times, cultures, and contexts. It occurred to me that I was filling in certain blanks with my own understanding, possibly because a pastor who gives the gospel in every sermon may not fully emphasize something due to innocent oversight on their part. But today just about every false teacher has a Twitter account. Theres nothing biblical about the entire sermon, even though he abuses Hebrews 11:1 and 2 Corinthians 10:5. He runs a successful leadership podcast, a resource on their website is an ebook called Measuring What Matters which is essentially a how to grow your online business for churches, and in an interview he said they measure success by the number of people participating in various aspects of the church (new visitors, engaging in serving at church, participating in small groups, etc). They talk about eternity apart from God in the same way someone may talk about living through war or working at a horrible job. Standing guilty before a holy God whose wrath is on us because of our willful law-breaking is immeasurably beyond just messing up.. Life.Church seems to recognize this and takes good steps to make people feel seen and free to ask questions or join in the discussions. With articles like this, I try to be balanced in my conclusions. In several instances, I saw a host in the online chat type out a prayer after someone requested prayer for something like healing. We see this most clearly, perhaps, in the history of racism and American evangelicals. While I have many concerns for the ministry, and even Groeschel himself, I havent doubted that Groeschel does love those who are hurting and desires for them to live out his understanding of a successful Christian life. In short, the false teachers Jude warns against are denying Christ not necessarily through their doctrine but through their behavior. One of the phrases on their website is No matter who you are or where youve been, youre welcome here. From what Ive seen, they stick by this. Definition of False Teacher: One who presumes to teach in the Name of the Lord when God has not sent him. The false teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel have contributed to these false assumptions. Life.Church is committing God to something He hasnt committed Himself to. The purifying fire of Gods judgment is for our good. If pressed, the only way I can make sense of this is that their website is available to anyone, and talking about a literal Hell may be off-putting or offensive to newcomers, whereas a full sermon allows them to fully explain their position. However, growing in spiritual maturity isnt something we should gamble on, nor ignore for the sake of entertainment. Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. Exposing Charismatic False Teacher, Jack Hayford Posted by Marsha West May 1, 2021 In Opinion Charismaticism, Church, Ecumenism, False Doctrine, False Gospel, False Teacher, Mysticism, New Apostolic Reformation, Pentecostalism, Purpose Drivenism, Roman Catholicism, Foster Richard, Warren Rick Bookmark permalink If you visit their YouTube channel and sort their videos by most popular, their most-watched video is titled Your Porn Battle Plan. The sermon is exactly what youd expect it to be, and its encouraging to see that a church is willing to speak bluntly to a major problem. Another danger is that anything is justified when the numbers support it. Life.Church wants people to be who God has called them to be. Historically, Groeschel has also supported false teachers like Steven Furtick and Joel Osteen. Emily Hunter McGowin is an assistant professor of theology at Wheaton College. In the 20+ sermons I listened to, I dont think a single one ended without the gospel. They justified their stance with verses from the Old Testament, such as "bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause" ( Isaiah 1:17) and . Theyve discussed some other subjects many Christians wonder about but may struggle to find answers to. The exegetical verse-by-verse teaching like Jesus DIDNT do oh Im sorry, that just slipped out.. When sermons appeal to peoples emotions, rather than appealing to Gods word, theyre equipped to be led by emotion. The rest of the time is spent getting people emotionally invested in entertaining or heartwarming stories, motivating them with clever ideas or saying, and doing anything other than actually discussing what Gods word teaches. This could easily be a red flag, but I will discuss something even more concerning there. While Life.Church may not have such obviously false beliefs that we can make a blanket statement of No Christian should go there, there are several things worth considering beyond the surface level evaluations we hastily make. We all know the Christian lingo of repent and ask Jesus to save you from sin. And many of us may be neglectful sometimes by not fully explaining what exactly we mean. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. This is the idea that because we're saved, we can do whatever we want and God's okay with it. She is the author of Quivering Families and a forthcoming book on the season of Christmas (InterVarsity Press). They tell people to test His faithfulness, set Him up to be a liar, and thus blaspheme His name. The personality on the screen cant shepherd a flock three states away, the local pastors dont fulfill a primary function of teaching, and the church that isnt the pastors primary location becomes more like a franchise than a local church. And heres the thing by all measurements, Life.Church is wildly successful. What happens when someone tithes for three months and their earthly circumstances are worse than they were at the beginning and their faith is weaker? In some sermons, several speakers have taken the time to explain the historical context of the verses they were using. During the gospel presentation, sin is regularly explained as messing up., Describing sin in this way is like telling someone to be afraid of a spaghetti noodle. His life and ministry make clear that what we teach others includes both whats in our heads and what we do with our bodies. This of course contradicts their last sentence that says hell is a real place, but by not capitalizing it they arent committing to a biblical definition of Hell. This was an alarming reality I noticed as I listened to sermon after sermon. Watching a sermon online or chatting on a website may give a sense of community, but not being part of a local body makes the bolded sections of text nearly impossible. This is made evident in books of the Bible such as Acts, Colossians, and 2 Timothy, to name a few. Or, very simply, Follow me (Luke 5:27; John 1:43). If someone fails to provide for the needs of his household, he has denied the faith (1 Tim 5:8). However, we also want to make sure we are in obedience and surrender to Christ as we take part in the redemption of His people. Because of their poor exegetical understanding of Malachi 3:10, they are bold enough to promise that God will bless those who give 10% of their income to the church. But how exactly do we use the label false teacher for those who deny Christ and lead people astray with their lives? For a person in the audience, thats heartbreaking. 9. Sermons like these prove one thing the speaker believes people need their opinion, not Gods absolute truth. However, this discussion is important because Life.Church isnt just a local church, but a church continually creating a global outreach. Winning the War in Your Mind will help you: God has something better for your life than your old ways of thinking. He even has a popular book called Winning the War In Your Mind. Heres the summary from Amazon (emphasis mine): Are your thoughts out of controljust like your life? A false teacher who teaches the false doctrine that you can't be holy do so because they haven't yet experienced the new birth that comes with genuine salvation that brings about the new nature of Christ in a believer to enable them to live a holy life that's free from sin. On its own, that statement may not be inherently wrong, but in the context of everything else said from the stage, it highlights a false understanding that weaves through everything Life.Church does. I wasnt comfortable with using their request prayer feature on the website just to see what would happen, but I imagine someone on the other end truly does pray for the requests that are sent in. (2 Timothy 2:15), All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. We preach the unadulterated word of God. But what exactly does this faith entail? Yes, being a heretic makes you a false teacher. Speakers will regularly call for the online chat to type things in the comments, whether its something fun or proclaiming their new decision to be a Christian. False Teachers Will Arise "If you cannot identify any voices you hear as false, it's not because you aren't being exposed, but because you're falling for it in some way." We begin by acknowledging not just the possibility of false teaching, but the certainty of it. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. But its nonetheless essential to protecting the church from false teachers. Sin is never specifically explained in the majority of sermons unless the sermon topic is about a very specific sin (porn, anger, etc). False teachers usually teach for financial gain or to build their own following. 4:15-16 ). Basically, the conflict between biblical truth and false teaching is a battle over what "source" (authority) is to be trusted. False teachers never say, "hey, I am a false teacher." Jesus calls them wolves in sheep's clothing. At worst, Life.Church actually agrees with the false teachings coming from their guests. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" ( 1 Tim. Without an accurate gospel presentation, or even personal discipleship, its impossible for these thousands of new Christians to truly know if they understand what theyre being asked to do. Jesus says it twice so that we wont miss it: You will recognize them by their fruits. Trying to affix Bible verses to these conclusions feels good, but in the end it still makes us inwardly focused. The example of Mark Driscollwhose story is now being revisited in depth through The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcastis illustrative of my point. Likewise, they describe separation from God as hell, meaning that hell is simply a way to describe the experience. However, the idea of mandatory tithing is deeply entrenched in Christian tradition. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). They promise it. Church leaders in the first several centuries pressed for clarity in worship and proclamation of this one person, the incarnate, preexistent Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Notice the quoted text. My Experiences with False Teachers. Conversely, some believers attend to their actions without caring about the doctrinal commitments that undergird (or contradict) those very behaviors. Heres the clip (it goes from 9:30-10:10): While the whole rant is odd, I still cant believe this part was said (and celebrated): My church is right. The Doctrine Of Limited Atonement. An off-center idea may be way out but not necessarily heresy. I have been crucified with Christ. However, Life.Church is much more likely to weaken, stunt, or even destroy a Christians walk with Christ by replacing it with a selfish, shallow, and even unbiblical substitute. People are empowered to be who God wants them to be. Why, then, for so long was he able to avoid being denounced as a false teacher? As a pastor and professor, for example, I am acutely aware of my weaknesses and failings. So His criticism is that God didnt submit Himself to the context and authority of what was written in His own word (even though Luke 4:16-21 highlights Christs respect for context). In a 36 minute sermon, less than five minutes may be spent actually interacting with Gods word or explaining whats being said. And now, like millions of Christians worldwide, I have everlasting life through my faith in Him (John 3:36; 6:47). When people are told to change out of self-interest, then they believe the Christian life is about self-empowerment and, ultimately, feeding their greed. At best, they are being wildly irresponsible by allowing false teachers to come in and speak with authority and support. secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2 Pet. This clip made the rounds on social media, but I first encountered it naturally while listening to what I assume was just another sermon. I dont say this to be dramatic, but I literally had to pause and rewind to make sure I really heard a pastor say what I thought he did. Of all the themes frequently repeated, purity is one that really stands out. One more reason to avoid Lysa TerKeurst of Elevation Church. 2:1). The headship of Jesus over His church is a truth that is still being assaulted today. Furtick wrote in the post. Verses 1 and 3 mention the generalities destructive heresies and false words which indeed relate to teaching but then, nothing further in this chapter focuses on their teaching. The church is a part of the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination. For starters, well have to consider more than the content of their sermons, conference talks, or books and look also to the shape and pattern of their lives. A low view of the authority of the Bible means that what it says about the severity of sin doesnt matter if it doesnt fit their model on being approachable, motivational, and uplifting. They have LifeGroups for people at all stages of life, and the material I found shows that they emphasize growing together in a community of other Christians. 3 FALSE TEACHINGS in CHURCHES you should AVOID DLM Christian Lifestyle 760K subscribers Subscribe 54K Share 1.7M views 2 years ago In this video, I warn you against 3 false teachings in. Beyond money, a lot of motivation for life changes plays to our selfishness. Even someone who isnt a Christian can sit under the teachings of Groeschel and his guests for years and walk away feeling motivated and empowered to change their lives. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! There are many critiques we can bring against any multi-site church. Instead, its best for a pastor to practice expository preaching. This practice essentially begins with the pastor choosing what they want to discuss, then finding a passage or mixture of verses to support their point. However, the way music is approached feeds into the bigger issue of this church being a means of entertainment. This is weird. Christians can get things out of the sermons just as an adult can get nutrition out of baby formula. From their church beliefs (emphasis mine): People were created to exist forever. (Romans 1:18), Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. If a weaker message gets more clicks, then clearly thats Gods will. Set your standards high. Certainly, when we consider someones pattern of life as part of what potentially qualifies them as a false teacher, then leadership assessment gets very messy very quickly. As someone who wants Gods people to grow in spiritual maturity, I cannot recommend Life.Church under any circumstance. If their goal is to reach certain numbers, or see a certain growth percentage, then they need to not only frequently gauge the success of the gospel by what analytics say, but they must also have the agility to pivot and change tactics when something isnt working. . Consider also pastor-teachers like Douglas Hudgins, pastor of First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi, and one of the most influential Southern Baptist preachers in his day. Heres how Jesus prepares us in Matthew 7:1520: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Messages had to be copied by hand, and teachers had to travel by foot or horseback. To that, I can only ask that people examine what has been said here and decide whether an individuals positive experience negates the clear, objective problems discussed. The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. When the power of a message rests in the personality, charisma, and cleverness of the speaker instead of the power of Christ and the Bible, then people arent changing because of truth. It is worth noting that just because a church has a decent faith statement on their website, does not mean that they teach according to their stated beliefs. And despite the good things that Life.Church may do, there are many more problems that overshadow that good. Thats simply not the case. Overall, Life.Church seems to desire their people to walk together. His post was liked over 18,000 times and had more than 2,500 shares. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Many churches, whether innocently or manipulatively, tell people that God demands 10% of their income. Jude continues: For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (v. 4). Perhaps it makes sense, then, that Whitefield, Hudgins, and others kept doctrine and practice largely divorced from each other. In his head, he might have what many consider to be the right doctrinal content. His charismatic, emotion-driven speaking style has made him popular among many. Someone whos never heard the Bible before can understand nearly anything being taught during a sermon. So it is very important that you know how to recognize a false church. You won't find any glaring errors in the . March 15, 2022 Linda Wright Bible Study & Worship, The Relationship. In the past Ive talked about why watching sermon isnt church as well as whether Christians should take communion at home. My hope is that the church might get better at assessing corrupt practices that qualify a leader as a false teacher, even if that person espouses all the recognizable elements of Christian orthodoxy. Sensuality, which typically means sexual sin verse 2: many will follow their sensuality (also verses 10, 1214, and 19). Its 35 minutes of telling people that they dont see results because they dont dream big enough. Right action is fueled and directed by biblical and theological truth. Either way, a pastor who promotes wolves is not fit to be a pastor. It may seem odd to speak to Christians worldwide about one specific church. I agree that for the three-month period, my household will contribute to God, through Life.Church, a tithe equal to 10% of our income. False Doctrine 4 - The Sabbath Day Abolished. What false teachers throughout history have shared in common is not the specific nature of their doctrinal error, but the inevitability of moral compromise in one of these three general areas.