To be eternally separated from God is hell. 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.. David Mathis is executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at. Listen to people who are truly God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated, Spirit-dependent, who bear the marks in their lives of authenticity. A Christian blog and podcast by Ray Burns. Image: Yet Life.Church is more than just a fluffy, come-as-you-are church with motivational sermons. The church wants its members invested and part of the church outside beyond just the weekly service. In fact, its the one area in the Bible where God tells you to test Him. Within that goal, they recognize that our holy God has likewise called us to holiness. Theres a reason so many pastors teaching using that exegetical, verse-by-verse teaching that Groeschel so bitterly mocks. Likewise, they describe separation from God as hell, meaning that hell is simply a way to describe the experience. It doesnt matter what it takes to get someone there, whether its a sermon that preys on someones fear of Hell or a fluffy sermon that makes people want a therapist named Jesus. Even when we account for their multilayered historical contexts, its still astonishing to study these men and their indifference to Black suffering and liberation. But what exactly does this faith entail? False teachings today! It places us in the spotlight, and as a result, people are regularly told that sin simply keeps them from realizing ultimate happiness, with little-to-no mention of how our sin positions us against the holiness of God. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. . Essentially, life is about us. Topical preaching can still heavily feature Gods word. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (see also Luke 6:4344). They were at the starting gate. 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. Heres what we can learn from their failures. Maybe its time we start believing him, and act accordingly. 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. Life.Church is committing God to something He hasnt committed Himself to. 1. She is the author of Quivering Families and a forthcoming book on the season of Christmas (InterVarsity Press). Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. The answer, based solely on the gospel presentations Ive heard, is I have no idea. And if someone were to attend Life.Church with no background in Christianity, they would likewise have no idea. However, Groeschel clearly understands it. But time will tell. 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. Jesus is telling us in advance that the "broad way"no matter how well intentionedis not from Him. For from within arise the false teachers, the peddlers of error who masquerade as teachers of truth. 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. There are many warnings in the Bible that tell us to . In this post, we'll examine a few of the false assumptions held by many in the visible church. The church will refund the money, but they must also admit that God didnt keep His promise of faithfulness. No matter how twisted the teaching, no matter how publicly shamed the church may feel over the expos of an unethical leader, no matter how dark the days become, no matter how helpless we may feel in guarding gospel doctrine and preserving gospel-worthy lives, we have this great sustaining hope: Jesus knows how to rescue the godly. Life.Church is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). Other False Teachings of the Manifest Sons of God (MSOG), Latter Rain, Five Fold, Apostolic . First, look at their motivation. Again, Im not talking about a one-time poor explanation or accidental omission. YouVersion, the Bible app created and supported by Life.Church, also features various devotionals by false teachers such as Kenneth Copeland. 4:15-16 ). However, far more sermons were about what the speaker had to say, then theyd turn to an out-of-context verse to support their point (red flag). (Romans 6:23), Some may have noticed this in the previous point, but it needs to be directly pointed out. 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? Heres a basic example of how people are told to repent of their sin and trust in Christ for salvation (if the video doesnt automatically begin there, its at the 29:40 mark): The number of hands raised or comments written in the chat give Life.Church a sense that so many new Christians are being redeemed by Christ. If we dont have access to their personal lives, or their doctrinal compromises havent yet been manifest publicly in their behavior, we may find it difficult to know whether they are true. 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. However, shying away from a stance on Hell for sake of approachability or gaining favor is problematic on its own. But in this scenario, Jesus is our means to an end. However, in both cases someone who is mature should immediately realize that something is not only lacking, but theyll realize that they need more for the very sake of their health. The first false teaching that you will commonly hear in mainstream Christianity would be the teaching, "faith alone.". 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. Its 35 minutes of telling people that they dont see results because they dont dream big enough. However, I realized I was hearing the gospel as someone already familiar with the reality of sin, Gods law, holiness, and what Christ accomplished on the cross. 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. We can have our systems of accountability (and we should), and we can do our best to watch both the lives and the doctrine of our leaders (and we should), but in the end there is no foolproof human system or effort. This is often given under the banner of irrational generosity, which is the idea of giving beyond what makes sound financial sense (and is beyond the 10% tithe that God allegedly demands). Yes, being a heretic makes you a false teacher. In some sermons, several speakers have taken the time to explain the historical context of the verses they were using. That seems harsh, but thats the reality of what Life.Church offers. Its based on the promises of God in Malachi 3:10, and essentially its a money-back guarantee of sorts. Jesus said that each tree is recognized by its fruit (Luke 6:44). We see this most clearly, perhaps, in the history of racism and American evangelicals. 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? Worse still, many will spend years in Life.Church with no idea that they arent truly saved by Jesus Christ. God is good and can grow His people in any circumstance. 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. 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. Any believer who "correctly handles the word of truth" ( 2 Timothy 2:15) and who makes a careful study of the Bible can identify false doctrine. In a 36 minute sermon, less than five minutes may be spent actually interacting with Gods word or explaining whats being said. In the best scenario, a Christian will attend Life.Church and remain spiritually immature forever. False teachers often distort Scripture to fit their own agenda. The Bible is lightly sprinkled in, but the real feature is stories of incredible things happening. James MacDonald, founding pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, was fired in February 2019 for creating a culture of fear and intimidation and for enabling financial mismanagement. More numbers equal more disciple-making. Christians have believed and confessed these core teachings or doctrines for going on two millennia. Steven Furtick is the pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. 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. 3. Carl Lentz, pastor of Hillsong East Coast, was let go in November 2020 for moral failures, including an adulterous affair, and now stands accused of sexual abuse. 7:15). Peter has very little to say about compromised teaching, but he gives a litany of descriptions about compromised lives. Likewise, Paul warns the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:2931) and his protg Timothy (2 Timothy 4:34) that false teaching is sure to come (also 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2 Timothy 3:16). And so Paul instructs leaders not only to pay careful attention to their people and to their teaching, but also to their own lives (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 4:16). 1:3). Test me in this 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. We should not be surprised to find false teaching in the church today. In particular, 2 Peter 2 is remarkable in how it fleshes out Jesuss warning about the fruit of false teaching. Furtick has a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and 6.3 million followers on Facebook. 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. When you click Take the Challenge, you can read this under the terms: 7. His charismatic, emotion-driven speaking style has made him popular among many. There are several things that will help you spot a false church, so that you will not be deceived. 1. False teaching can come from apostates and deviant teachers within the church. People are empowered to be who God wants them to be. Can Bubble Tea Bring Gen Z into the Chinese Church? 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. 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. But its nonetheless essential to protecting the church from false teachers. (Romans 1:18), Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. False Doctrine 4 - The Sabbath Day Abolished. In the past Ive talked about why watching sermon isnt church as well as whether Christians should take communion at home. Fundamentally, orthopraxy and orthodoxy are inseparable. 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. At best, they are being wildly irresponsible by allowing false teachers to come in and speak with authority and support. Life.Church wants people to be who God has called them to be. FALSE TEACHERS LIST & FALSE PROPHETS EXPOSED + PROBLEMATIC TEACHERS - Exposing the False Teachings of the "Word of Faith" Prosperity Gospel & those who Preach a: Worldly Man-centered Shallow "gospel" that is CONTRARY to God's Word VS the True Gospel of Jesus Christ which is about the Good News of Jesus Christ & "Repentance & Faith" ( Mark 1:15 ). They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. If removing wrath from the gospel presentation resonates better with the audience, then thats what must be done. Although their poor interpretation of Malachi 3:10s relevance is troubling (this command was to the nation of Israel, as was its connected promise), the extreme they take this to is blasphemous. 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. 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. If a weaker message gets more clicks, then clearly thats Gods will. False Teacher - Craig Groeschel The Prettified Gates of Hell Satan, by his gospel, offers an ample entranceway through which you, and all you have, can enter. There were no cars or airplanes, and no printing presses, websites, or Facebook pages. "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. No one understands God perfectly, so be generous and helpful long before you condemn and cast someone out. Pop. 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. And we must continue to do so, not in a mouthing-the-words way but in a conviction-of-the-heart-and-mind way. But this is not the only way to deny Christ. In several sermons, I heard Groeschel appeal to peoples need to stop living for themselves and instead be obedient to God and the holy living He calls us to. Its time to change your mind so God can change your life. 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. With articles like this, I try to be balanced in my conclusions. Thats because messing up only matters when the emphasis is on ourselves and how it affects our lives. #7 Hell is not real and God is too good to send anyone there. 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. Life.Church doesnt present any barriers for its listeners. False religion has "exchanged the truth of God for the lie.". Though the details of the stories vary, all were men who had the right doctrinal content in their books and sermons. 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. The challenge is simple, and I will again quote their website: If youre not tithing already, a great way to start is with the Three-Month Tithe Challenge. Jesus Christ Isn't The Only Way. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. ]. secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2 Pet. No matter how small a minority the church becomes, and no matter how fragile we feel, the very one who is both the subject of true teaching and the model of true living is also our life-and-soul-preserver. But they will come. For further reading, 9Marks has an excellent breakdown of 22 problems with multi-site churches. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. When we say it was hell, we mean that it was a miserable experience. Although I have labelled this as the sabbath day abolished, there are a few differing views and beliefs concerning the sabbath day throughout the mainstream Christian churches. God calls us to give the first 10% of our income back to Him. Im sure people have stories of how God spoke to them or changed their lives through Life.Church. #6 Hyper-grace. Perhaps, if pressed, the various speakers would better clarify their statements. As an Anglican priest and theology professor, I have watched these stories emerge with deep sorrow and not a little anger. I would not be who I am today if it wasn't for godly leaders in the church. They will be known by their fruit not the fruit of ministry quantity and numbers, but quality and endurance and ultimately the quality of their own lives. And a life characterized by ongoing, unrepentant, anti-Christian practiceespecially among leadersresults in denying Christ and the power of the gospel. However, the Bible says that God's name must be used. Use condemnation sparingly. Greed, for money and material gain verse 3: in their greed they will exploit you (also verses 1415). Munich, German Mnchen, city, capital of Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany. However, the idea of mandatory tithing is deeply entrenched in Christian tradition. However, this discussion is important because Life.Church isnt just a local church, but a church continually creating a global outreach. You do probably every day. As they should. Consider, for example, the Epistle of Jude (and its parallel in 2 Peter 2). 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. 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