Posts Tagged ‘postmodern’

Modern Liberalism cannot coexist with biblical Christianity. Another example of placing social justice above Scripture emerged last week, this time from a Baptist church leader in Texas. In a commencement benediction at Baylor University in Waco, left-wing pastor, Dan Freemyer denounced “straight white men” and lobbied for the environment – during a prayer.

Fine. If you disagree with certain aspects of God’s Word and dislike Christian conservatives, this is a free country. But stop being a progressive pretender and admit you’re either following the crowd or creating a god in your own likeness.

Calling evil good, conforming to secular culture, and reinterpreting Christian teachings to fit an agenda is part of the cult of modern Liberalism which masquerades as Christianity.  In their rebellion against God, their values might include hyper-grace, political idolatry, boycotting Israel, feminism, socialism, sexual confusion, environmentalism, and of course, abortion.

In these last days, the Holy Scriptures too often take a back seat to pleasing man. In this case, it’s Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, which proudly states they are: “fully affirming of women in lay and professional ministry roles, and fully inclusive of LGBTQ+ persons.” One Baylor alumnus proudly stated that Broadway Baptist cut ties with the Baptist General Convention of Texas long ago over homosexuality.

Affirming, inclusive. Friends in Christ, don’t be deceived by the modern use of these words. I wrote an entire book about man “Redefining Truth.”

So a few of the remarks from Dan Freemyer at the Baylor University commencement went like this:

“God, give them the moral imagination to reject the old keys that we’re trying to give them to a planet that we’re poisoning by running it on fossil fuels and misplaced priorities — a planet with too many straight, white men like me behind the steering wheel while others have been expected to sit quietly at the back of the bus,”

Misplaced priorities is right, but look in the mirror, Dan. In your rant about poisoning the planet, you missed an opportunity to honor Jesus Christ and the true gospel by encouraging the college grads to seek first the kingdom of God. You could have reminded them about the need for repentance and to walk closely with the Lord every day as they enter a very dark and worldly culture.

By alluding to environmental activism, climate change, and by subtly dissing God-ordained natural marriage, you were exposed as just another religious liberal, also known as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Using your platform and position as cover for a secular, social justice agenda is apostasy.

By appealing to people’s love of this world and taking advantage of their ignorance, plenty of false Christian leaders are deceiving multitudes while true believers in Christ have been placed on the defensive today. The octopus of liberalism now dominates virtually every aspect of culture.

The Left practically controls education, organizations, publications, the entertainment industry, government, and especially the media. The tragedy however, is that liberalism has gained power and influence in seminaries as well as in church pulpits across the country.

The notion too many pastors have today is we must become like the world in order to reach the worldly. Wrong. Where is this in Scripture? Think about it; do unbelievers and liberals ever compromise and become more holy, or do conservatives typically give in, compromise and become more worldly?

One result is Americans are more divided over moral and political issues than ever before, but our greater concern should be Christians are divided as well. Research shows that fewer believe in absolute truth which tells us we aren’t much different from the world after all.

How could this be since God never changes and His Word is eternal? They do a good job of changing public opinion by emotion-driven marketing.

Some call it a revival of post modernism, liberation theology, progressivism, or social justice. Many of these leaders hold to a form of godliness but they deny the power of God (2 Tim. 3:5) and attack those who stand on the inerrancy of Scripture.

So why does all this matter and why is it dangerous? Political liberals are one thing; we know exactly where they stand; radicals on the left like Pelosi, Booker, Beto, Buttigieg, AOC, and Sanders.

But religious liberals have infiltrated churches across America and have deceived many. These men (and women) generally believe many of the same things as extremists on the left, and yet claim to be “Christian.” You will know them by the fruit they produce and by their doctrine. They are masters at twisting Scriptures.

This is nothing new and the emerging church has been gaining converts for decades. Until we acknowledge the enemy within, know God’s Word and combat lies with the truth, people will just keep on buying what liberalism has been selling. Because after all, they have a degree or a title; he’s a pastor, priest, or reverend.

The Bible is full of warnings to discern false teachings, call out deceivers, expose the darkness, and contend for the faith handed down through the ages. Put on the armor of God! The main obstacles to the left’s takeover of America are strong, biblical churches and mature, informed Christian citizens who refuse to be silent.

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There are some bizarre, outrageous, and flat-out unbiblical things going on in lots of churches. One so-called church sells beer, another worships Mother Earth, others use secular music during worship, others ordain gay leaders, and still others offer yoga. People are free to do whatever they want to try and make God fit their ideas and to offer services that cater to the desires of their congregations, but is this what church is supposed to be? 

What happened to the emphasis on teaching God’s word of truth including sin and repentance, justification, God’s wrath, prophecy, future judgment, and sanctification?

Last week I reported on one of the most heart-wrenching stories I’ve tackled in quite some time. The Roman Catholic Church is reeling from the massive scandal involving homosexuality among priests and the rampant cover-up of sexual abuse that has continued for many decades.

But many Evangelical and Protestant churches have leadership problems of their own. This includes the progressive, seeker-sensitive Willow Creek Church in Chicago whose lead pastors and elders resigned in light of the Bill Hybels allegations of sexual harassment.

Countless churches seem to have lost focus and have gotten off track. We have lost our reverence for a holy God, and practically abandoned the once-solid foundation of the teaching of Scripture which is the primary purpose of the church.

Many conferences and church services today barely resemble the early church and what the Bible teaches, let alone point to Jesus Christ. Some people create gods and church services to suit their own interests while others rewrite Scriptures to justify their lifestyles.

Last month in St. Louis, a controversial conference took place calledRevoice,” apparently aiming to normalize homosexuality and affirm those claiming to be “LGBTQ Christians.” Can you say, oxymoron?

Christian talk show host, Janet Mefferd called for the unbiblical movement to be repudiated, saying:

“Revoice is incremental gay activism, designed to eventually lure conservative evangelicals into accepting ‘gay Christianity,’” 

Next, there’s a progressive church in Santa Cruz, California that not only sells beer, but plans to donate proceeds to big abortion business, Planned Parenthood. Maybe the consumption of alcohol helps the pastor’s sermons sound better. This is a guy who preaches that Jesus was a Palestinian “killed by white supremacy.”

And who can forget our expose back in May on the San Francisco church that hosted what they called aBeyoncé Mass?” It was quite an interesting take on worshiping, “Our Mother who is in heaven,” and endorsing Beyonce as a role model for young girls.

Then there’s a church in Atlanta that put a new twist in their Sunday morning worship show by adding scantily-clad aerialists as a regular part of their services. ‘Why in the world?’ you may ask. Self-appointed “Apostle” Bryan Meadows actually said:

“Because they shouldn’t have to go to the circus to use the gifts that God gave them!”

Just one more or we’d be here all day. Serita Jakes, wife of controversial, megachurch minister, T.D. Jakes, gleefully posted photos on social media of women doing yoga at the church during a women’s event on wellness.

Never mind the practice of yoga is a rooted in Hinduism, a 5,000-year old polytheistic religious system. Its purpose is to bypass the mind and yoke or “unite” a person’s spirit with the Hindu god, Brahman.

Heather Clark at Christian News Network reminds us:

 “… Even the traditional Hindu greeting, Namasté, that is said at the end of yoga classes, is spiritual. When translated, it means, ‘The god in me bows down to (or salutes) the god in you.’”

The Spirit of Christ bows down to no one; He alone is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the only true, living God who is worthy of our true worship.

Romans 8:9 states:

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

And Exodus 20:3 states:

You shall have no other gods before Me.

Prior to building one of America’s first mega-churches, author, pastor, and motivational speaker, Robert Scheuller literally went door to door in the 1970s in Orange County, California, and asked people what they wanted in a church. Not what lost, hurting sinners need, but what they ‘want.’ This of course, has led to the “mega-church” and emergent church movement.

Men focused on church growth took a cue from Schueller and the rest is history. This has been a recipe for disaster in the American church, and it has led to well-deserved comparisons with the lukewarm church of Laodicea in Revelation chapter 3, and a better understanding of why Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy. In the last days, men would be:

“treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power…” (2 Timothy 4:4-5)

Rather than be active participants in learning and sharing God’s Word, too many church members have been conditioned to sit back and listen to a program or presentation, and perhaps to a bunch of funny stories or analogies instead of being challenged by sound doctrine and the harder teachings of the Bible. Then there’s the music. Lots of talented praise teams are themselves being praised for performing entertaining, although often heartfelt music rather than leading the people to the Throne in the worship of a holy God.

A.W. Tozer once said:

“The church that can’t worship must be entertained. And men who can’t lead a church to worship must provide the entertainment. That is why we have the great evangelical heresy here today–the heresy of religious entertainment.”

We need to get back to the basics.

True disciples of Jesus Christ in the early church focused on four primary things: teaching the word of God with a focus on Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, prayer, communion, and fellowship with other Christians (Acts 2:42). They made disciples and they went out and shared the good news. They didn’t care about the approval of people – they sought to obey God. Their faith in Christ cost most of them their lives.

Today, too many churches use entertaining concepts and gimmicks to attract people, but then a new problem arises: in order to keep them in the comfy seats (and giving their tithes), you need to avoid controversial issues and often dilute the gospel so they won’t be offended.

What happens when you give people what they want instead of what they need which is Christ and His truth? Rather than being fed and equipped, countless hungry souls are walking out of many American churches feeling empty and unprepared to do God’s work. This must change.