The worst of times: Evangelicalism in critical condition

Pyromaniac ^ | 16 July 2005 | Phil Johnson

[Gamecock]

he worst of times: Evangelicalism in critical condition

With the wild popularity of so many evangelical fads like "Forty Days of Purpose"; the lucrative success of the Christian publishing and contemporary Christian music industries; the growing influence of the "emerging church" phenomenon; and a recent cover story by Time magazine featuring "The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America," lots of evangelicals might be tempted to think these are the best of times for their movement.

My own assessment would be that evangelicalism's spiritual condition at the beginning of the twenty-first century is reminiscent of the medieval church just prior to the Protestant Reformation.

No, I take it back. Things are much worse among evangelicals today than they were in the Catholic Church in those days. Modern and postmodern evangelicalism is just like medieval Catholicism was—only more superficial.

Think about it: Luther was provoked by Tetzel, the charlatan fund-raiser who went through Europe promising people indulgences in return for money so that the Pope could build St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. We've got at least a dozen Tetzels appearing daily on TBN, promising people material prosperity in exchange for money. Jan Crouch uses that money to make the sets of the TBN studios more garish and more gaudy than any room in the Vatican, and she has added so many tawdry pink hair extensions to her hairdo that it now rivals the size of the dome on St. Peter's.

Tetzel peddled his indulgences with trite songs and sayings ("As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs"). Modern evangelicals are experts in writing doggerel and banal platitudes and have even made silly, superficial songs the centerpieces of all their liturgy.

The medieval church was overrun with superstition. We've got people reciting the prayer of Jabez every day who are convinced it's a magic formula that will bring them wealth and good luck.

The Medieval church produced Niccolò Machiavelli, the cynical and unscrupulous political theorist who believed the end always justifies the means. We've got a host of evangelical celebrities with shady reputations, from Gary Ezzo to Benny Hinn. We've also got a thousand church-growth "experts" who insist pragmatism is the only workable philosophy for the church today, and that we will never "reach" this generation until we first study which way the winds of popular culture are blowing and follow along.

Evangelicalism as a movement has bought that lie. That's why we have so many Fad-Driven® Churches and so few where Christ is honored and His Word obeyed. That's why the gospel is not only in eclipse but actually under attack on several fronts within evangelicalism.

We don't need more hype and activity and mass movements. We need the pure light of God's Word—"the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises" (2 Peter 1:19).

The alternative is a postmodern darkness that is shaping up to be worse than the murkiest spiritual gloom of the Dark Ages. We could sure use a new generation of Reformers.

---

[Gamecock]

LOL!

Here is my impression of the PDL: while it is certainly based on Scripture, the verses (or fragments of verses) that Warren uses are based on his presuppositions.

It struck me that he would formulate an idea, and then look for small passages of Scripture that backed his own thoughts. Scripture should speak for itself, not for the writer.

[.30Carbine]

I love you, Clay! (And I got to do it again, to two at once, yesterday!)

[.30Carbine]

Dear One, I receive your sincere apology and tell you I love you! I pray that we are not speaking with opposing purpose, but as one, and certain things occur to me from Scripture and I feel certain that it is very important that I post them:

Romans 10:4 (in the Amplified)

For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him.

Using your example from the Scripture of the two thieves on their crosses next to Jesus, I ask, once Jesus discoursed with him who recognized the Lord (Luke 23:42-43)...

Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingly glory!"

And He answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

...did the repentant man , believe and rejoice, or failing to believe the Word spoken to him did he take up a lament?

How much lamenting over past sin, once forgiveness is granted, is enough? From the other Scripture passage you cite:

"I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted [will EXALT]."

Another passage of Scripture comes to mind (Hebrews 10:16-39):

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was [indeed] sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward! For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

“ For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just
[that is, those who are justified, see Romans 3:26 and 8:32-34]

shall live!

by faith;

But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

The joy of the Lord is my strength!

Colossians 2:6-10

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up! in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

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. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

A reminder to any heart willing to receive the Truth:

The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

PS - You post: "Let me elaborate a little by relaying a story about John Newton. That great Calvinist..."

John Newton was a Christian - that is, he was looking to Christ for his salvation, not Calvin. I state publicly and boldly that he (and every saint!) would choose the name Christian before, above and even excluding if necessary the name "Calvinist." He wrote songs blessing the God of his salvation, not man. The epitaph which he wrote with his own hand:

JOHN NEWTON, Clerk
Once an infidel and libertine
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST,
restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach
the Gospel which he had long laboured to destroy.
He ministered,
Near sixteen years in Olney, in Bucks,
And twenty-eight years in this Church.

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Great quote (sad but true). Thanks for posting it!

CC&E

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

Please ping me when you post it.

CC&E

[Calm_Cool_and_Elected]

I saw Rod Parsley ask people to send in bills (along with a generous donation) and he would "burn their debt on the altar".

CC&E (only watched because my sister loves that guy)

[AlbionGirl]

It is a great quote, and 'welcome :). Here's another one, that I think is great too.

"Christianity is not a religion; it’s the proclamation of the end of religion. Religion is a human activity dedicated to the job of reconciling God to humanity and humanity to itself. The Gospel, however - the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - is the astonishing announcement that God has done the whole work of reconciliation without a scrap of human assistance. It is the bizarre proclamation that religion is over, period. All the efforts of the human race to straighten up the mess of history by plausible religious devices - all the chicken sacrifices, all the fasts, all the mysticism, all the moral exhortations, all the threats - have been canceled by God for lack of saving interest. More astonishingly still, their purpose has been fulfilled, once for all and free for nothing, by the totally non-religious death and resurrection of a Galilean nobody. Admittedly, Christians may use the forms of religion - but only because the church is the sign to the world of God’s accomplishment of what religion tried (and failed) to do, not because any of the church’s devices can actually get the job done. The church, therefore, must always be on its guard against giving the impression that its rites, ceremonies, and requirements have any religious efficacy in and of themselves. All such things are simply sacraments - real presences under particular signs - of the indiscriminate gift of grace that God in Christ has given everybody." -Robert Capon

[Clay+Iron_Times]

I love you, Clay! (And I got to do it again, to two at once, yesterday!)

I thank you so much .30Carbine for that loving response and love you too! God "called" and you answered by laying down your own life. You belong to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. He's doing the work through you:

Jhn 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Jhn 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

1Pet 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:

May God be the Glory

[.30Carbine]

May God be the Glory

He already is...and I may steal that for a tagline! (;

Thank you, dear Clay. Be immensely blessed, as thou hast immensely blessed me this day.

[gobucks]

bump

[.30Carbine]

Good morning! Arise and Shine!

[nobdysfool]

"Don't drink, don't smoke, don't cuss, and don't tolerate those who do." What about the most important part: "don't go with girls who do." ;-)

I always heard it as,

"We don't drink, smoke, cuss, or chew, or run around with them that do"

[kevinw]

As a Baptist, I take issue with what you said about Baptists. Baptists do not hate everything. In fact, Baptists don’t agree on everything. Some Baptists are theologically liberal; others are theologically conservative. Some are amillennial. Some are premillennial. Some are postmillennial. And on and on I could go.

[kevinw]

Amen. Jesus said that He came seeking the lost. The lost didn’t go all over the countryside seeking Him.

[hosepipe]

What is a “christian”.. ?

[kevinw]

The hidden treasure is not Christ. The field is the world. Christ is not hidden in the world. Lost people are the ones hidden in the world. Christ is not hidden in a field. He does not hide somewhere and expect us to go and find Him. Nor does the sinner find Christ and then hide Him again. The sinner doesn’t sell anything to buy the world (which the field represents), in order to gain Christ. The sinner must forsake the world to gain Christ. Furthermore, the sinner cannot buy Christ.

The sinner is therefore not the buyer of the field, nor is Christ the hidden treasure. Jesus is the buyer of the field, and saved people are the treasure for whose sake Christ bought the field.

[xzins]

The kingdom of heaven is what is hidden. That’s obvious from the post and the scripture. However, “unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom...”

[Larry Lucido]

I’ll throw in my usual disclaimer that I don’t have much use for Rick Warren et al, but I always find it interesting to note that MANY folks who rail about “megachurches” come from megachurches (i.e, denominations that numerically dwarf the so-called “megachurches”).