Let me make this clear to start: I am against movements. Many have come and gone in the church and some more influential and misleading than others: Some even rather harmless, but all wrong and not of God, regardless. There are many so-called movements prevalent today or remnants of old ones remaining: Keswick Movement, Perfectionist Movement, Neo-Pentecostal Movement, the charismatic movement, conservative-right political movement, WWJD, (or even WWJT) known as the "what would Jesus do?" movement [I am not against the imitation of Christ as Thomas a Kempis wrote his famous, widely read book, My Imitation of Christ--this is another ballgame], the "Church of What's Happening Now" movement, the one that isn't defined or named is when believers think God wants them to hang around sinners, like the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing.
Scripture says to choose your friends carefully in Proverbs 12:26 and Paul say that bad company corrupts good morals in 1 Cor. 15:33. The thing you have to look at is who was calling them sinners (the evil Pharisees who were blind) and we are all sinners and if Jesus wasn't our friend where would we be now? But hanging around them is different and Jesus is our friend when we were his enemies, right? We are not Jesus and need to be careful with whom we spend our time; however, this does not mean that we need to fear man ("The fear of man proves to be a snare," says Prov. 29:25).
As an illustration, when you get saved it means you should witness to your circle of friends, not go to the local tavern and hang around expecting God to open the door for you--they will influence you more than you influence them and the devil has you right where he wants you. If you must go there go with a fellow believer for support; Jesus sent them out in groups of two. You are not some one's friend if you don't witness to them and they will accuse you and blame you for all eternity if you don't at least try! Jesus didn't condone sinners in their sin, nor did He get tainted, because He couldn't; you can be!
We worship Jesus because of what He could do as the God-man. Evil company should make us feel uncomfortable and uneasy like it did Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah--don't get callous and insensitive! "Come out from among them and be ye separate, and I will accept you," says the Lord. (I blogged about this Sept. 7, 2014). This was meant to be derogatory but remember: Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He told the woman who sinned: "Go and sin no more." He didn't condone nor participate in sin--he didn't party like one of the guys!
What's wrong with WWJD? Most Christians know their Savior in a very shallow manner--they know the Scriptures a bit, but knowing Christ comes with maturity and the searching for Him is the main business of the Christian life and begins at salvation, not ends (it's better to concentrate on obeying Him than trying to be Him). Firstly, they don't really know what Jesus would do, they just imagine it. They might know what their mother would do if she is a Christian, that is, but they can only guess what Jesus would do. Would he be a teetotaler? Would he ever speed? There are difficult questions and God gives us the liberty to have our own conscience and like it says in 1 Cor. 6:12: "All things are permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything." "Mama told me not to come" is a popular rock lyric. Another: "Mama said, 'You better shop around.'" I've heard it said, that you should always question authority, but never mother!
What's on earth is so bad about the Neo-Pentecostal movement? They teach unsound doctrine for number one, though I admit most of them have their heart in the right place and that is important, but false teachers like to be mostly right and add a little error to deceive and the element of truth makes it palatable. We are commanded to teach a sound doctrine as teachers (Tit. 2:1). This movement is in competition with and even infiltrates other churches and steals sheep or proselytize by impressing them that there is "something more or missing in their experience" just like Paul was admonishing the Colossians to be aware of (mysticism, asceticism, and legalism).
The Perfectionists started with John Wesley who thought you could reach a stage of willful or unintentional sin as a mature believer or that you "have arrived." Even Paul didn't claim such: "I do not claim to have laid hold of it yet..." (Phil. 3:12). The psalmist says he has seen the limit of all perfection in Psalm 119:96. Proverbs 20:9 says: "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'?"
The Keswick movement is still alive via Andrew Murray's writings and devotional classic by Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest." Reading that book, I came across many doctrinal errors and whether you believe this or not, he believed in a second blessing and this is very controversial and not traditional (I blogged about this in "Where is Oswald Chambers Coming From?"). Chambers believes in perfectionism and what's called the "entire sanctification" He believes that tongues are the initial "initial evidence validation" of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The point is that most people are ignorant of his erroneous teaching and fall for his balderdash and pious talk. He makes a dangerous dichotomy between discipleship and salvation and doesn't seem to understand just how to become a Christian in the first place! (I blogged on this March 3, 2014).
What's wrong with the "church of what's happening now?" They have been led astray by Satan's masquerading as an angel of light like the rest and are on side issues away from the Bible. They may be into the latest prophecy rage on the Internet or something else like blood moons that tickles their fancy. J. Vernon McGee was orthodox in that he entitled his study: "Back to the Bible." The devil wants the church to get away from the Bible and doesn't deny that it's important, just not paramount!
It is better to be a "cloistered" church that sticks to the Bible (after all the Bible is all we need for spiritual growth and is not only necessary but sufficient). They may have coffee shops in their church and a bookstore and many extra-biblical activities that get away from the Bible, like overeaters anonymous and whatnot. So what is the latest fad, they wonder.
What's wrong with the Evangelical right? The Pope tries to dictate politics and make members vote according to his understanding! Most black churches are in the so-called Christian left! First of all, not all sincere and knowledgeable believers are in agreement politically: This does a grave disservice to Christ by labeling him politically, when He is beyond description and defies analysis. People are going to judge Christianity by a party and Jesus is not a member of any party! You cannot put God in a box, nor limit God!
The charismatic movement is more subtle in that it infiltrates even the Roman Catholic Church and many denominations while not having one of its own. Basically, if you believe that the gift of tongues is a bona fide gift, you are charismatic! Most churches today are either considered mainline denomination (which is in the state of near heresy and apostasy, losing members rapidly), the evangelical wing (like most Baptists or those who are actively "saving" people and spreading the gospel and not the so-called social gospel (which is a misnomer). The charismatic tend to make a dichotomy among believers and make them think they are missing out; this makes them have spiritual wanderlust and they eventually leave their home church and become spiritually vulnerable.
A true church will get you into the Word and make it paramount; teaching sound doctrine devotedly.
The church is the body of Christ, not the parachurch or the electronic church. Watching TV is no substitute for one-on-one, accountability, and fellowship. I'm not suggesting that we don't need these organizations, because they do serve a purpose; Chuck Swindoll says that if you drink of only one fountain, you lose your perspective: however, there is some pastor out there that is just right for you right where you are spiritual. We need to stay connected and in touch spiritually and not become lone ranger type believers who are doing their own thing.
We are all entitled to opine (to have our own opinions), but not to have our own facts, and fabricate at will. Many preachers have a personal agenda many a church has an extra-biblical program that they want to promote. Causes are not taboo, individuals can do whatever they get called to do: Look at William Wilberforce devoting himself to the end of slavery! We can even have a political agenda that is self-serving, but we do not have the right to label it as "Christian."
The church needs a wake-up call: It's okay to hand out bread, but put the gospel in its rightful place--don't get caught turning stones into the bread like Jesus was tempted to do! "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8). Don't get converted to a cause or movement, but to Christ! In conclusion, the only movement I want to be in is (Christ) the fulfilling of the Great Commission, which ought to be the main business of the church and its raison d'etre--don't forget our Marching Orders! Soli Deo Gloria!
Scripture says to choose your friends carefully in Proverbs 12:26 and Paul say that bad company corrupts good morals in 1 Cor. 15:33. The thing you have to look at is who was calling them sinners (the evil Pharisees who were blind) and we are all sinners and if Jesus wasn't our friend where would we be now? But hanging around them is different and Jesus is our friend when we were his enemies, right? We are not Jesus and need to be careful with whom we spend our time; however, this does not mean that we need to fear man ("The fear of man proves to be a snare," says Prov. 29:25).
As an illustration, when you get saved it means you should witness to your circle of friends, not go to the local tavern and hang around expecting God to open the door for you--they will influence you more than you influence them and the devil has you right where he wants you. If you must go there go with a fellow believer for support; Jesus sent them out in groups of two. You are not some one's friend if you don't witness to them and they will accuse you and blame you for all eternity if you don't at least try! Jesus didn't condone sinners in their sin, nor did He get tainted, because He couldn't; you can be!
We worship Jesus because of what He could do as the God-man. Evil company should make us feel uncomfortable and uneasy like it did Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah--don't get callous and insensitive! "Come out from among them and be ye separate, and I will accept you," says the Lord. (I blogged about this Sept. 7, 2014). This was meant to be derogatory but remember: Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He told the woman who sinned: "Go and sin no more." He didn't condone nor participate in sin--he didn't party like one of the guys!
What's wrong with WWJD? Most Christians know their Savior in a very shallow manner--they know the Scriptures a bit, but knowing Christ comes with maturity and the searching for Him is the main business of the Christian life and begins at salvation, not ends (it's better to concentrate on obeying Him than trying to be Him). Firstly, they don't really know what Jesus would do, they just imagine it. They might know what their mother would do if she is a Christian, that is, but they can only guess what Jesus would do. Would he be a teetotaler? Would he ever speed? There are difficult questions and God gives us the liberty to have our own conscience and like it says in 1 Cor. 6:12: "All things are permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything." "Mama told me not to come" is a popular rock lyric. Another: "Mama said, 'You better shop around.'" I've heard it said, that you should always question authority, but never mother!
What's on earth is so bad about the Neo-Pentecostal movement? They teach unsound doctrine for number one, though I admit most of them have their heart in the right place and that is important, but false teachers like to be mostly right and add a little error to deceive and the element of truth makes it palatable. We are commanded to teach a sound doctrine as teachers (Tit. 2:1). This movement is in competition with and even infiltrates other churches and steals sheep or proselytize by impressing them that there is "something more or missing in their experience" just like Paul was admonishing the Colossians to be aware of (mysticism, asceticism, and legalism).
The Perfectionists started with John Wesley who thought you could reach a stage of willful or unintentional sin as a mature believer or that you "have arrived." Even Paul didn't claim such: "I do not claim to have laid hold of it yet..." (Phil. 3:12). The psalmist says he has seen the limit of all perfection in Psalm 119:96. Proverbs 20:9 says: "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'?"
The Keswick movement is still alive via Andrew Murray's writings and devotional classic by Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest." Reading that book, I came across many doctrinal errors and whether you believe this or not, he believed in a second blessing and this is very controversial and not traditional (I blogged about this in "Where is Oswald Chambers Coming From?"). Chambers believes in perfectionism and what's called the "entire sanctification" He believes that tongues are the initial "initial evidence validation" of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The point is that most people are ignorant of his erroneous teaching and fall for his balderdash and pious talk. He makes a dangerous dichotomy between discipleship and salvation and doesn't seem to understand just how to become a Christian in the first place! (I blogged on this March 3, 2014).
What's wrong with the "church of what's happening now?" They have been led astray by Satan's masquerading as an angel of light like the rest and are on side issues away from the Bible. They may be into the latest prophecy rage on the Internet or something else like blood moons that tickles their fancy. J. Vernon McGee was orthodox in that he entitled his study: "Back to the Bible." The devil wants the church to get away from the Bible and doesn't deny that it's important, just not paramount!
It is better to be a "cloistered" church that sticks to the Bible (after all the Bible is all we need for spiritual growth and is not only necessary but sufficient). They may have coffee shops in their church and a bookstore and many extra-biblical activities that get away from the Bible, like overeaters anonymous and whatnot. So what is the latest fad, they wonder.
What's wrong with the Evangelical right? The Pope tries to dictate politics and make members vote according to his understanding! Most black churches are in the so-called Christian left! First of all, not all sincere and knowledgeable believers are in agreement politically: This does a grave disservice to Christ by labeling him politically, when He is beyond description and defies analysis. People are going to judge Christianity by a party and Jesus is not a member of any party! You cannot put God in a box, nor limit God!
The charismatic movement is more subtle in that it infiltrates even the Roman Catholic Church and many denominations while not having one of its own. Basically, if you believe that the gift of tongues is a bona fide gift, you are charismatic! Most churches today are either considered mainline denomination (which is in the state of near heresy and apostasy, losing members rapidly), the evangelical wing (like most Baptists or those who are actively "saving" people and spreading the gospel and not the so-called social gospel (which is a misnomer). The charismatic tend to make a dichotomy among believers and make them think they are missing out; this makes them have spiritual wanderlust and they eventually leave their home church and become spiritually vulnerable.
A true church will get you into the Word and make it paramount; teaching sound doctrine devotedly.
The church is the body of Christ, not the parachurch or the electronic church. Watching TV is no substitute for one-on-one, accountability, and fellowship. I'm not suggesting that we don't need these organizations, because they do serve a purpose; Chuck Swindoll says that if you drink of only one fountain, you lose your perspective: however, there is some pastor out there that is just right for you right where you are spiritual. We need to stay connected and in touch spiritually and not become lone ranger type believers who are doing their own thing.
We are all entitled to opine (to have our own opinions), but not to have our own facts, and fabricate at will. Many preachers have a personal agenda many a church has an extra-biblical program that they want to promote. Causes are not taboo, individuals can do whatever they get called to do: Look at William Wilberforce devoting himself to the end of slavery! We can even have a political agenda that is self-serving, but we do not have the right to label it as "Christian."
The church needs a wake-up call: It's okay to hand out bread, but put the gospel in its rightful place--don't get caught turning stones into the bread like Jesus was tempted to do! "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8). Don't get converted to a cause or movement, but to Christ! In conclusion, the only movement I want to be in is (Christ) the fulfilling of the Great Commission, which ought to be the main business of the church and its raison d'etre--don't forget our Marching Orders! Soli Deo Gloria!