You will recognize them by their fruits. Beyond money, a lot of motivation for life changes plays to our selfishness. I can't remember all of my missionary lies. How, then, does the church discern true teachers from false ones in a world like ours, where its easier than ever to spread false teaching? [ This article is also available in Essentially, life is about us. However, much of what I encountered made the Bible a guest in the sermon, rather than being the star. This is why 2 Peter 2:9, the apex of this chapter on false teaching, serves as such a sweet assurance the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. The false teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel have contributed to these false assumptions. Listen to people who are truly God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated, Spirit-dependent, who bear the marks in their lives of authenticity. False Prophets in the Church Today. The emphasis on practice continues through the rest of the short epistle, adding further details about false teachers denial of the faith. 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. 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. What we might find surprising both from Jesus and his apostles is how revealing the everyday lives of false teachers are about their falseness. We should not be surprised to find false teaching in the church today. 2 Timothy 2:15 calls for us to know how to handle Gods word well. Weve seen God provide abundantly in our church, and we know He will provide abundantly for you and your family when you put Him first in your finances. Do you long to break free from the spiral of destructive thinking? Its a false teaching that says we speak or believe our dreams into reality (if you remember the popular book The Secret, its the same thing): In a nutshell, its a feel-good story about how his church got a building because they believed they would. 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. There are many critiques we can bring against any multi-site church. Use condemnation sparingly. In brief, a false teacher publicly denies something true about God and Christ and preys on the weak with greed and sensuality (Jude 4; 2 Pet 2:1-3; 2 Tim 3:6; Rom 16:18). 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. In fact, its the one area in the Bible where God tells you to test Him. These pastor-teachers confessed Christ with their mouths but denied him with their bodies. 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. I didnt want to hastily dismiss the church, so I gained a better understanding by: While I havent exhausted everything about Life.Church, I did spend over 20 hours researching important areas so that I can give a fair and measured evaluation for this article. Standing guilty before a holy God whose wrath is on us because of our willful law-breaking is immeasurably beyond just messing up.. That seems harsh, but thats the reality of what Life.Church offers. So the red flag isnt that they dont believe in Gods wrath against sin, but that thousands of people have asked Jesus to save them, and those without a background in Christian-ese likely accepted a false gospel of self-help and positive thinking, which is not a saving gospel at all. Whether or not we try to put a Christian wrapper on it, this worldview says that our greatest problem is that we dont love ourselves enough, and we need salvation from our bad thoughts. They are worldly. Yes, this is talking about false prophets. Churches also find that having them in community with older members and answering their whys help them stay in the church. Following is a list of the false prophets in the Church today that have been critiqued on this site. Life.Church is the largest church in America, according to Wikipedia, and has roughly 100000 attendees and over 35 franchises. Prior to . The question is not whether you ever hear the voice of false teachers. Pastors should be with the people. Is it Gods will that we serve Him with our money? To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. And so it is with ethical compromise. However, this is completely contrary to both understanding Old Testament context as well as what God reveals: Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And despite the good things that Life.Church may do, there are many more problems that overshadow that good. The quote was taken from a sermon Furtick preached on Sunday (Oct. 24) entitled "Yes You!". In the best scenario, a Christian will attend Life.Church and remain spiritually immature forever. Consider, for example, evangelical pastor-teachers like George Whitefield, who not only enslaved Black peoplemany of whom were Christian sisters and brothersbut also fought to secure the institution of slavery in the state of Georgia. Often, this is also a sign that the speaker doesnt actually know how to read and understand the Bible. . Real Christians never miss a church service.". Everything we do is focused on how it benefits us. Jesus described false teachers within the church as "wolves in sheep's clothing" ( Matthew 7:15 ). Conversions credited to women evangelists sharing the good news one-on-one in conversations. Again and again, Peters descriptions relate to greed, sensuality, and pride or money, sex, and power. They take Christs call to make disciples as a call to treat the church like a business. With articles like this, I try to be balanced in my conclusions. For further reading, 9Marks has an excellent breakdown of 22 problems with multi-site churches. God storing up wrath because we mess up makes Him sound like Hes making mountains out of molehills. I would not be who I am today if it wasn't for godly leaders in the church. Church Life Beware False Teachers with Good Doctrine and Bad Ethics Poor leaders proclaim Christ in word but deny him with their lives. False teachers will be known by their ungodly influence . His post was liked over 18,000 times and had more than 2,500 shares. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10 NIV. Emily Hunter McGowin is an assistant professor of theology at Wheaton College. Encouraging false conversion by telling people to just pray a prayer, not even encouraging them to understand or believe what theyre saying, does not honor God. For from within arise the false teachers, the peddlers of error who masquerade as teachers of truth. Of all the themes frequently repeated, purity is one that really stands out. A Christian blog and podcast by Ray Burns. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. They defile the flesh, reject authority, and participate in deeds of ungodliness (vv. The few benefits they may offer are nothing compared to the serious issues faced by the church and its leadership. Not only do they have churches in 12 U.S. states (including a recent church plant in my own state of Iowa), but they have a compelling and approachable online presence. The early creeds summarize both the gospel and core Christian doctrine. One strength of the evangelical movement in the US has been an emphasis on orthodoxy, or right doctrine. If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. Within that goal, they recognize that our holy God has likewise called us to holiness. 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. (See the red flags for the gospel presentation from the perspective of someone who doesnt understand sin or Christs atonement). No one understands God perfectly, so be generous and helpful long before you condemn and cast someone out. We cannot have one without the other. Life.Church follows the modern trend of making the pastor a gender-neutral role. But that is a lie. 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. And if a simple click a button or raise your hand if you want to be saved gets ten times the numerical results compared to biblical discipleship or an intentional, personal gospel presentation that accurately explains what salvation is no businessman in their right mind is going to shy away from the bigger results. His warning may sound clear and simple at first, but as we all know, trees dont bear fruit overnight. The question is whether you can discern which messages are false. 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. Help kids learn the truths (including Bible references) that refute each false message and write them on your list. Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. Consider the ways Groeschel lacks the basic discernment and maturity necessary for a pastor: Im not questioning whether Groeschel is a Christian, nor am I saying that he is a false teacher, because I dont think theres clear evidence for either accusation. It has nothing to do with who we are in Christ, but instead who we can be because of Christ. However, with everything discussed about how Life.Church presents Christianity and the gospel, the vast majority of these people are likely just saying yes to anything that promises to make them feel better. Our Lord preached good news that assumed the total integration of belief and action: If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15, emphasis added to all). I quote this verse to point out one thing: God does not tolerate people using His name for their own ends. Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel understands deeply this daily battle against self-doubt and negative thinking, and in this powerful new book he reveals the strategies hes discovered to change your mind and your life for the long-term. They dont teach such absolute heresy that its impossible to come to a true understanding of salvation through Jesus Christ. What they think matters most, and Gods word must bend to fit that belief. Romans 12:2 reminds us that we can have our thinking molded by the world or transformed by the power of God. The greatest defense against false teaching is a local church community that knows, enjoys, and lives the word of God and holds its leaders accountable. On the one hand, it seems so obvious. History serves as a helpful reference point. Poor leaders proclaim Christ in word but deny him with their lives. Right action is fueled and directed by biblical and theological truth. I am compelled to examine my own life too. Bill Hybels, founding pastor of Willow Creek, resigned in April 2018 after allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power. 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.. 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. But God was condemning them for speaking where He hasnt spoken. False teachers from "among the people [en t la] . As an Anglican priest and theology professor, I have watched these stories emerge with deep sorrow and not a little anger. And theyre so confident that God will keep His promise that they offer a 100% money-back guarantee. Here's what we can learn from their failures. When one accepts false teaching, God's unfailing, infinite wisdom is rejected and the natural, finite wisdom of fallible humans is embraced. Everything else is about their lives. Even in the online chat, I saw several instances of new people being welcomed and engaged. From Life.Churchs website:Tithing is a biblical principle. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (see also Luke 6:4344). However, in every sermon I heard, I dont remember two necessary questions being answered: Why do we need forgiveness of sin, and why did Jesus need to save us sin? 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. They are not just false in their teaching, but also in their living. Sin is never specifically explained in the majority of sermons unless the sermon topic is about a very specific sin (porn, anger, etc). If false teaching, then, is not only about what our leaders say and write, but also how they live, how is the church to recognize and expose false teaching today? 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. If the fruit of someone's life or ministry is not in keeping with the fruit of the spirit, he has denied the gospel. Life.Church was listed on Newsmax's "top 50 megachurches of America", with approximately 100,000 people attending weekly. 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? We need pastors who know themselves first and foremost as sheep, and only secondarily as leaders and teachers pastors who are manifestly more excited to have their names written in heaven than they are to be used as vessels in mighty ministry (Luke 10:20). My spiritual emptiness was replaced by the abundant life only the Savior can give (John 10:10). Sermons like these prove one thing the speaker believes people need their opinion, not Gods absolute truth. Online participants see the concert from multiple camera angles and the event features lighting and other visuals youd expect at a concert meant to entertain, rather than a time of corporate worship. So many Christians, including Groeschel, try to make the interpretations of a secular worldview find harmony with Gods truth, but in the end they weaken both psychology and the Bible. For the past several years, weve watched over and over as famous pastor-teachers go through very public falls from enormous heights. In fact, in nearly every letter, some false teaching or heresy is exposed and dealt with. We are seeing the enormous consequences of this kind of heresy every day, but we dont always name it as such. A sincere but misguided teacher may not be a "false" teacher. While preaching through Luke 5, Furtick . The themes and emphases repeated week after week tell the congregation what is important in life. Blessings and rewards are promised to those who do the right thing.Again, much of what is said sounds like a soft version of the Prosperity Gospel. As far as whether Christians can attend or listen to Life.Church, I can say is that its better than attending something like Bethel, Hillsong, Elevation, or Lakewood that are clearly and unquestionably led by false teachers. The church wants its members invested and part of the church outside beyond just the weekly service. 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