My frustration is not just for the people and communities harmed by these leaders but also for the way these pastors lives contradicted and undermined the gospel they preached. If someone really had faith, they would give beyond what makes sense because they believe God will bless them abundantly for it. History serves as a helpful reference point. Heres what we can learn from their failures. Jesus warned about false prophets from among the people who outwardly come in "sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matt. As I researched Life.Church, I was surprised to see solid Christians giving their (sometimes begrudging) support. If someone fails to provide for the needs of his household, he has denied the faith (1 Tim 5:8). This verse is featured on Life.Churchs 3 Month Tithe Challenge web page. But I should do it anyway. 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. Other things worth knowing for this discussion include: The goal of this article isnt to pick on a random church, but instead to create a resource for those in my area who are becoming interested in attending Life.Church locally. 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). However, Groeschel clearly understands it. And those who do are worth his entire church mocking right alongside him. One of the most damaging things in Christianity is easy believism. Its an approach to the gospel that tells people that if they just pray a prayer, theyll be saved. The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian. They will continue attending and feeling like they were filled, but only because their spiritual maturity is so weak that they dont know any better. But God was condemning them for speaking where He hasnt spoken. If nothing else, a Christian must simply realize that in the best situation, Life.Church will leave its people stuck in a state of spiritual immaturity. 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. 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. In several sermons, examples of ways people doubt God would always include some form of maybe you need to trust God with your money and give. Sometimes it would be giving to those in need, but the implication was to trust God and tithe to the church. It may seem odd to speak to Christians worldwide about one specific church. Groeschel largely embraces cognitive behavioral therapy the idea that our greatest problem is negativity, self-doubt, and destructive thinking. They even did a 3-part FAQ series where Groeschel gave answers to several biblical topics including: And in many of his answers, I found myself in agreement. Eventually, however, the fruit (or lack thereof) will be manifest. Its clear that Groeschel gets part of his worldview from secular psychology, which emphasizes the basic goodness of people while minimizing their wickedness. (Romans 12:2). As an Anglican priest and theology professor, I have watched these stories emerge with deep sorrow and not a little anger. March 15, 2022 Linda Wright Bible Study & Worship, The Relationship. whether Christians should take communion at home, video where Groeschel takes a firmer stance, other than him recently spitting on his hand and rubbing it on someones face during a sermon, The church focuses heavily on creating an online presence, They are the creators of the YouVersion Bible app that many people use for reading and daily devotions, Despite having multiple sites, there is only a single message that is live-streamed from one church to the rest, Craig Groeschel is the lead pastor, but they frequently have other speakers preach the weekly sermon, Listening to over 20 sermons, mostly from Groeschel, Reading and watching all the resources on their website aimed at people who are either new or want to take the next steps, Reading a handful of discussions about Life.Church and Groeschel, both praising and critiquing, Exploring their denominations website to get a bigger picture of the things I may not have seen, Birth control (including calling out those who refuse to have children for faithless and selfish reasons), The pastors words/opinions fall under the authority of the Bible, The Bible falls under the authority of the pastors words/opinions, Let go of negative things and repent of sin (self-doubt, anger, negative thoughts, or whatever the sermon was about), Pray this prayer and ask Jesus to forgive you and save you from your sins, Blends atheistic psychology with Bible verses, Ignores Gods clear teaching on the requirements of a pastor, Seems ashamed of the reality of Gods wrath over sin, Leads thousands into false conversion for the sake of numbers, Chooses not to rightly handle the word of God and mocks those who strive to do so. Topical preaching is so common throughout modern churches that many people may not realize theres anything else. Psychology is based on the interpretations and understandings of people whose worldview is anti-God. Drawing upon Scripture and the latest findings of brain science, Groeschel lays out practical strategies that will free you from the grip of harmful, destructive thinking and enable you to live the life of joy and peace that God intends you to live. To that end, I think it would be most beneficial to look at a variety of things to help people better evaluate if Life.Church is a safe place for Christians to learn, grow, and trust their spiritual health. The basic reason for change at Life.Church is so that we can be the person God wants us to be. Theyve discussed some other subjects many Christians wonder about but may struggle to find answers to. 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? His warning may sound clear and simple at first, but as we all know, trees dont bear fruit overnight. However, I cant end this section without being clear about one thing: Life.Church does talk about Gods wrath when the sermon topic demands it (such as Groeschels specific discussions about Hell). Life.Church isnt blunt or manipulative enough to create a red flag with this (since trusting God does mean obeying the Holy Spirit in our giving), but theres an undertone of Prosperity Theology with how many examples of lacking faith include not giving money to the church. And it is his embodied teaching that causes the weak to stumble, leads many astray, and drives countless others away from Christ. However, the weak emphasis on sin isnt surprising based on everything else discussed. Image: False Prophets in the Church Today. They go together. 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. Here's what we can learn from their failures. Jakes, Paula White, and Hillsong. False teachers never say, "hey, I am a false teacher." Jesus calls them wolves in sheep's clothing. Posted By Marsha West on September 5, 2016 in Discernment, False Teacher Alert, Women and the Church 13. Shepherds should smell like sheep, because they live and walk among the sheep, and are not sequestered from the flock. There are many warnings in the Bible that tell us to . Also, they are grumblers and malcontents; they indulge their own lusts; they are bombastic in speech, flattering people to their own advantage (v. 16). However, much of what I encountered made the Bible a guest in the sermon, rather than being the star. Theres a vast difference between being neglectful during one sermon and having a formulaic gospel presentation that purposely ignores the wrath of God against our sin. That's what Craig Groeschel experienced and offers his hearers. The things they say, do, and believe are outright dangerous. For my whole life, I have loved God's church. But this is not the only way to deny Christ. Watching a sermon allows us to enjoy one aspect of church, but it also denies us the ability to fully take part in a community like God has called us to. And a life characterized by ongoing, unrepentant, anti-Christian practiceespecially among leadersresults in denying Christ and the power of the gospel. You will recognize them by their fruits. Steven Furtick is the pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. The false prophets claiming God said this! were taking Gods name in vain. Lisa associates and partners with many false teachers including Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, Kris Valloton (Senior Associate Leader of Bethel Church/co-founder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry), Bethel Music, Bethel "Church", Joel and Victoria Osteen, T.D. Teaching through experiences, not the Bible. It occurred to me that I was filling in certain blanks with my own understanding, possibly because a pastor who gives the gospel in every sermon may not fully emphasize something due to innocent oversight on their part. And despite the good things that Life.Church may do, there are many more problems that overshadow that good. [emphasis mine]. Speakers will regularly call for the online chat to type things in the comments, whether its something fun or proclaiming their new decision to be a Christian. Theres a reason so many pastors teaching using that exegetical, verse-by-verse teaching that Groeschel so bitterly mocks. At best, they are being wildly irresponsible by allowing false teachers to come in and speak with authority and support. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. Groeschel rightly believes that Christ is God. However, the purpose of any goal is to reach it. 2:1). But its nonetheless essential to protecting the church from false teachers. False teaching no. Its using His name in any way that is disrespectful, false, or misleading. If God desires that only men are in the role of pastor, then Life.Church is functioning and teaching in rebellion to God. Real Christians never miss a church service.". YouVersion, the Bible app created and supported by Life.Church, also features various devotionals by false teachers such as Kenneth Copeland. No doubt, false teachers may be difficult to recognize in the moment. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. During the gospel presentation, sin is regularly explained as messing up., Describing sin in this way is like telling someone to be afraid of a spaghetti noodle. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. It points people to Gods word and draws its teaching from what God has revealed, not the clever words of a motivational speaker wielding a Bible. 1:3). Despite the unstructured nature of evangelicalism, its leaders, churches, and institutions have long sought to teach and worship rightly. David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. The early creeds summarize both the gospel and core Christian doctrine. The question is not whether you ever hear the voice of false teachers. The first reason why elders must rebuke false teachers is because they divide healthy churches. The beloved drink is both an attraction and a generational divide. Do you long to break free from the spiral of destructive thinking? The sermons may bring out a simple spiritual truth, but the delivery is often so light and motivational that any relevance to God can be easily dismissed. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. False teachers take on many forms, custom-crafted to times, cultures, and contexts. The exegetical verse-by-verse teaching like Jesus DIDNT do oh Im sorry, that just slipped out.. 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). The Holy Spirit Is A Force. 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). To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Here is a video where Groeschel takes a firmer stance on Hell. Theyre using Gods name and saying Hes promised something that He hasnt. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. However, if we were to boil sermons down to their bare essence, we could lump them into two groups: In other words, how necessary is the Bible to any given sermon? We should not be surprised to find false teaching in the church today. Transition to "why" 1. 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. 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. However, theres much more to a church and its leaders than whether people have the capacity to be saved there. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. For a pastor who leads Gods people, its completely unacceptable. 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. Pastors rarely use church language or theological terms, instead keeping things approachable for everyone listening.While thats fine, and maybe appropriate for an audience full of new Christians, the problem comes when thats all they offer. 1. While Life.Church may not have such obviously false beliefs that we can make a blanket statement of No Christian should go there, there are several things worth considering beyond the surface level evaluations we hastily make. 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. False teachers from "among the people [en t la] . Munich, German Mnchen, city, capital of Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany. Jesus is not only the greatest and truest teacher who ever lived, but he also is the great rescuer, who has redeemed us from sin and will keep those who are truly his from soul-destroying error. Discernment primarily comes through knowing God through Jesus Christ. Taking Gods name in vain isnt just using it as profanity. It also shows us what the church leaders believe about God and our purpose in life. An off-center idea may be way out but not necessarily heresy. Right action is fueled and directed by biblical and theological truth. 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. Conversely, some believers attend to their actions without caring about the doctrinal commitments that undergird (or contradict) those very behaviors. Romans 12:2 reminds us that we can have our thinking molded by the world or transformed by the power of God. Furtick has a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and 6.3 million followers on Facebook. (See the red flags for the gospel presentation from the perspective of someone who doesnt understand sin or Christs atonement). But how exactly do we use the label false teacher for those who deny Christ and lead people astray with their lives? One of the mysteries of the Christian faith can be found in Jesus' warning that the way to life is "narrow" and that "few" would actually find it. 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. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" ( 1 Tim. From Life.Churchs website:Tithing is a biblical principle. In the best scenario, a Christian will attend Life.Church and remain spiritually immature forever. Is the Bible so prominent that you could remove its use that the sermon would absolutely fall apart? 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. God Isn't A Trinity. ( Romans 10:13, 14) Some religious leaders say that when something terrible happens, it is God's will. This is obviously closely related to community. Jesus Is The Archangel Micah. Jesus speaks about hell as does the closing chapters of . Munich, by far the largest city in southern Germany, lies about 30 miles (50 km) north of the edge of the Alps and along the Isar River, which flows through the middle of the city. 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. They take Christs call to make disciples as a call to treat the church like a business. The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. Its no surprise that Jesus told the apostles before his ascension to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the Triune Name and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you (Matt. Craig Groeschel is a businessman at heart. Life.Churchs content presents a similar problem it goes down easily for everyone, but the natural outcome is that no one is being trained in things that are difficult to chew. Craig Groeschel - Exposing His False Teachings Craig is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Life.Church with 32 Life.Church campuses, but started his ministry in the United Methodist Church according to Wikipedia. 1: Faith alone. In a 36 minute sermon, less than five minutes may be spent actually interacting with Gods word or explaining whats being said. He doesnt need to be mindful of things like the historical context, the original audience, word meanings, or any of that other exegetical, verse-by-verse stuff that helps us understand why things are said. The influence of a false teacher's life and teaching will bear bad fruit in his or her converts. Theres no doubt that Life.Church makes its content easily accessible for people around the world. . (2 Timothy 2:15), All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Fundamentally, orthopraxy and orthodoxy are inseparable. Jesus and his apostles are very clear that false teachers will arise. Everything else is about their lives. There are several things that will help you spot a false church, so that you will not be deceived. We dont teach that feel-good, soft message. There are many critiques we can bring against any multi-site church. Everything we do is focused on how it benefits us. Below are the 10 examples of false doctrines and false teachings you will find in the church today you need to protect yourself from. We all know the Christian lingo of repent and ask Jesus to save you from sin. And many of us may be neglectful sometimes by not fully explaining what exactly we mean. 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. 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. Verses 1 and 3 mention the generalities destructive heresies and false words which indeed relate to teaching but then, nothing further in this chapter focuses on their teaching. He just doesnt care, nor does he want his people to value handling Gods word carefully. Life.Church follows the modern trend of making the pastor a gender-neutral role. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. use relevant technology to support instruction. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! 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