Welcome To The New Christianity
This morning, Merrily and I attended a very popular Community Church on the outskirts of Sarasota, Florida. Before we left the house where we are staying, I asked Merrily if she thought I should take my Bible. Before we left Oregon for Tennessee several years ago, we briefly attended a very popular Foursquare Church in Tualatin that discouraged bringing bibles to the Sunday morning services lest those who attended might be "turned off"... hence, the question.
I decided to carry one of my bibles, hoping I would not be disappointed and in any case, we might hear a good expositional sermon based on a text or passages of Scripture.
As we entered the expansive foyer of the church, where coffee and donuts were being served to a large number of people , we noticed three things: Most of those in the foyer were millennials dressed Florida casual; second, the contemporary music was blaring as if we were at a rock concert; and third, no one was carrying a bible. We decided not to enter the auditorium but to wait until the 'music' was over and the rest of the service commenced.
As we ambled we soon met an engaging middle age lady who offered to answer any questions we might have about the church. After a brief conversation, I asked where we might be able to pick up their doctrinal statement. She had no idea what that was but led us to another lady who she assumed would know. She did not. She asserted they did not believe that it was important, but offered that they had a "core set of values" that revolved around the belief that they should all love one another. What followed was an eye opening conversation that demonstrated she knew virtually nothing of fundamental Christian teaching, not did she think it relevant.
When we entered the auditorium to hear the message, we heard an opening story that was funny and then a message from a buff young millennial male about "discrimination" and "diversity" that was only peripherally based on a passage in the book of James that served his purpose but did not take into consideration or explain the entire context. It was classic "springboard" preaching with the appearance of a biblical basis when in fact, it had far more to do with contemporary and politically correct sociological views than the intent of James, or a biblically based theology. There was no mention of sin, the cross of Christ, or the need to be born anew by the Spirit of God. It was all about being Christian in our own strength, and to be nicer people.
Sadly, that is NOT the Gospel, but it is what is being increasingly taught from many pulpits across America... and believed by the millennial generation. It is NOT based in true biblical theology, exegesis, or legitimate biblical scholarship. In fact, it is heresy.
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