The False Gospel of New Evangelicalism. . .

A great number of you are keenly aware (some of you zealously) of the diluted and false gospel of mainstream evangelical churches today. Here’s something I’ll venture you do not know:

Did you know that between fifteen and twenty percent of all churches in the United States have forced out two or more pastors? Slightly more than ten percent have forced out three or more pastors!

. . . and did you know that over the last ten years, the primary reason for pastors being forced out of their church was because they refused to “get-in-line” with the
"New Evangelical Movement?"

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I Keep Hearing this Word Tolerance . . . And in the same context as Agape Love!

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

Love needs to be based on character, if you know and love God you see He has a lot of character we are in love with. The best thing we can do . . . is to grow in character as listed in 1 Corinthians 13. It’s a love of choice. We choose to love God, He chooses to love us. Love of choice is the most powerful love, God calls that agape love, it’s a love that lasts, we should never settle for anything else between us and God and others. It’s a love that grows. Keep fervent in your love, allow it to stretch and strain as you watch it grow.

~ Wayne Corderio

In I Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul uses the word agape to describe the highest level of love in this world. While it is the kind of love that God expects every true believer to demonstrate in his or her life, the word agape itself describes a love so completely different from what the world offers that it is used in the New Testament only to describe God's love and the love that should flow from the hearts of believers.

In each expression of agape love, we find NO suggestion, reference or insinuation to Tolerance. Rather, we find that agape love underpins and strengthens every other attribute of God, including wrath, mercy, jealousy, anger and righteousness.

But let's back-up to the very beginning of the Chapter . . .

Paul had encountered a group of people in the city of Corinth who were "super spiritual." And Paul was quite unimpressed with them because of their obvious lack of love. Their deficit clearly bothered him and he alludes to this when he writes I Corinthians 13:1:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

The words "sounding brass" are very important. The word comes from the Greek chalkos which refers to metal. But is wasn't just any metal. It was bronze or copper to which a small amount of tin had been added. This tin caused the metal to have a hollow, empty sound when it was beaten. That is why Paul also used the word "sounding."

So when Paul wrote about a "sounding brass," he was borrowing from the pagan world of Corinth to make his point about super-spiritual people who demonstrated no real love. They were hollow and empty.

Q:
Do you think a comparison could be made between the Corinthians of Paul's day and the "super-spiritual" Christians of 2009 who have adopted the Gospel of Tolerance (in the name of Agape Love), so as to appear god-like and loving and accepting while neither understanding or practicing true Love?

Do you think the First Century Corinthians became "tolerant" of the culture (and thereby accepting of it) because they feared the reputation of being intolerant?

Is it possible that these First Century Corinthians were the forerunners of the "emerging church," the "post-evangelicals," the "postmodernists," the attempt to replot New Testament Christianity into a pluralistic and secular world?

Just wondering. . .
Indeed. . . true Love never fails.
But does it tolerate?

. . . if you know and love God, you see He has a lot of character.

It is, however, a dangerous thing to emphasize one attribute of God at the expense of His Full Character. Love is but one of many attributes . To place Love at the top as a supreme or preeminent quality is not Scriptural.

Yes. We can rely upon, emphasize, and live by the words of 1 John 4:16, "God is love," but in doing so, we forget that:

♥ God is also Truth (I John 1:6,8;2;21).

♥ God is also Righteousness (I John 1:9; 2:1, 29; 3:7).

♥ God is also Eternal Life (I John 1:2; 2:17, 25).
♥ God is also Hope (I John 3:3).
♥ God is also Purity (I John 1:7, 9; 3:3).
♥ God is also Confidence (I John 2:28; 3:21; 4:17).
♥ God is also Wrathful (Exodus 32:9-10; Deut. 9:7-8; John 3:36).
♥ God is also Righteous and Just (Deut. 32:4; Isa. 45:19).

♥ God is also Jealous (Exodus 20:5-6; 34:14)

The Apostle John is a desperately needed voice of Truth in today's pluralistic and tolerant culture. His writing is bold. It is very direct. It is very dogmatic. I don't believe there is another New Testament writer that is as authoritative in his writing. John is committed to absolutes. Committed to black and white. I like him. I like him very much.

John does indeed write that God is a God of Love -- that God loved His Son -- that God loved the disciples -- that God loved the world -- that God is loved by Christ -- that Christ loved the disciples -- and that Christ taught that we should love one another -- and, finally -- that love is the fulfilling of the whole law.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

John never slid into sentimentality. John never slid into tolerance masquerading as love. John never tolerated deception. He never tolerated lies. He was always committed to truth. He never tolerated sin of any kind. And in his second epistle (II John), he calls for complete separation from all those people who aren't faithful to the truth. His third epistle says essentially the same thing.

To live the Christian life refusing to acknowledge each and every attribute of God is to invalidate His Divine nature as GOD. To deny the "black and white'ness" of the Gospel is as incompatible in the Christian as it is in God!

To accept that God is loving is one thing. To deny that God is also a God of wrath and anger and vengeance because these qualities just don't match-up with his loving kindness (in our human thinking) is quite another.

No where is Tolerance equated with Love in John's writings. Nor anywhere in the New Testament for that matter!

Yet a great number of Christians have made Tolerance synonymous with Love! A great number of Christians refuse to believe God's Word if/when it contradicts their own rigid belief system. A system rooted in a false understanding of God's Love.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

We choose to love God, He chooses to love us. Love of choice is the most powerful love. . .

Absolutely! But regrettably, there is this growing phenomena in today's churches. It's called Tolerance. It masquerades as Love. It is a choice, but the only "power" it hold, is the power to keep church members from knowing and experiencing God's True, Powerful, and Unconditional Love!

It is the fashion in churches today to tolerate just about anything in the name of Christian love lest we “Christians” gain a reputation of being intolerant. And in doing this we have totally sacrificed the spiritual health and maturity of the Church for years to come.

Q: What kind of things do we tolerate?

I think most of my readers can answer that. . .

. . . But I personally believe that most evangelical churches in America have become completely useless when it comes to sharing the True Message of Salvation and the True Meaning of Agape Love because they have chosen to practice Tolerance.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

. . . agape love, it’s a love that lasts, we should never settle for anything else between us and God and others.

And over the next few posts, I want to address the Apostle Paul’s words in I Corinthians 13:4-8, where he speaks of love because they are powerful, powerful words. Paul lists fifteen points about the love of God and how it behaves. By peering into these verses, we can determine if our lives are indeed a reflection of this highest level of love.

Please come back!

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.
But does it tolerate?

~Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Karen on her blog In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus.

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The Message of the Cross. . .

I love KOHL’s Department Store. I'm especially fond of the sales at Kohl’s. It's good quality stuff and quite regularly up to 60% off!

(Still can't beat the GoodWill, but. . . )

And . . . if you take your [senior citizen] mother on selected days: more $$$ discount. YEA! (Only she has to pay with her credit card and then you have to take her out to lunch at Baker’s Square and write her a check for all your stuff. . . . Not a bad deal though.)

Point: Everyone loves a sale.

Yesterday Laurie at Women Taking a Stand offered the most poignant correlation between Christ's ultimate sacrifice on the Cross and our often neurotic affinity for the much-loved "sale." Here's a portion:

"As much as I love a bargain, I am so thankful that when Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, and suffered, as He bled and died for me, that He did not try to make a bargain. He was willing to pay the full price.

Wouldn't it be great to shop at Kohl's and pull up to the check out stand with a full cart of merchandise and be told "It's been paid for" - "Your debt has been paid". (You know where I am going with this, don't you. . . )"

I was so moved by her thoughts . . . this is surely of the best parallels one could make to convey the Divine act of atonement. It's nothing less that an airtight line of reasoning for the Message of Salvation. The Way of the Master should be so incisive. . . . for where would any of us be right now without the unspeakable and unmatched sacrifice of the Cross.

Yet. . . ministries all over the world have abandoned the message of the Cross for a more agreeable, pleasing and less confronting message that seriously circumnavigates the message of the entire Bible. After all, the message of Salvation starts in Genesis!

In my husband's own ministry, he faces criticism for his emphasis on the Cross and message of Salvation.

Regardless of Mark's sermon subject/topic/theme, he always (always!) brings his message back to the Cross. This is our mandate as Christians! Evidently, the Enemy does not appreciate this. Here's a small sample of an e-mail my Mark received a while ago:

...Honestly, can’t you be more creative and challenge the people? The only thing you know how to preach about is Salvation. I’m pretty sure the people are saved! But maybe you preach it, because you wonder if you’re really saved. I wonder if you’re saved! Are you saved? Good luck in whatever it is you are trying to do to the people... I always thought a pastor’s mission was to save people, not drag them down.

I won't comment too much on this. It's pitifully sad. Only God can judge a person's heart, but a surrendered Christian does not write this kind of hateful, illogical rant. I've never yet met a True Believer who did not welcome, appreciate and express great passion for the Message of the Cross! See I Corinthians 1:18.

Does an aversion to the message of the Cross hinder the life of the Church?

Of course! Salvation is the message of the Gospel. Ignore the message and you may as well use How to Win Friends & Influence People, Consumer Reports or Martha Stewart Living as your "bible."

Does an aversion to the message of the Cross hinder the fruit that Christians are called to bear?

Absolutely! In the life of the Christian there is a law at work which is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:2 says, ". . . because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

There's no getting around it. Scripture clearly states that it was Christ's death on the Cross that set us free.

It's only when we submit to and apply this law in our life (Prerequisite: the Cross!), the Holy Spirit can begin to manifest the fruit of the Spirit within us. Romans 8:4 says, " . . .in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

And here's a poser for ya': What happens to a Christian nation when a potential leader (Democratic Presidential Nominee) believes that the Cross of Jesus Christ is simply "one of many ways to reach salvation?"

(I'll leave that one for Sean Hannity.)

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

~ II Corinthians 1:18

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile

~ Romans 1:16

This week. . .
I witnessed fruit this week - at Laurie's blog. There is a presence of love and peace and kindness and goodness and gentleness there. I also saw a woman not ashamed of the gospel.

I recognize and appreciate just a bit more how Satan works in the life of the Church. He (Satan) has a surely won a prize when he is able dilute and weaken the message of the Cross. He does far more damage to God’s Church when the work of the Spirit and the resulting fruit is in short supply.

I grew in my relationship with God this week knowing that the fruit in my life is completely contingent upon my walking in the Spirit.

~ Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2008 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

Inspiration for Fridays:

Fruit of the Spirit Friday at Heart of Wisdom

God Stop Friday at Girlfriends for God

Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary

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It's Not About Me. . .

This week's Cafe' Chat meme (http://www.internetcafedevotions.com) is:

The catchphrase “It’s not about me” has become quite popular in our current world today. What does that phrase mean to you in your personal life? Explain.

For Christians, this phrase will take on different meaning at almost every turn of one's spiritual walk. As a Christian in ministry, this phrase has taken on a definite and distinct implication for me over the past few years.

Those in ministry (and those who follow and support those in ministry) know that Satan has over and over again used well-meaning church members to tear down God’s Church. Whenever and wherever God is at serious work changing lives, Satan gets nervous and takes his crack at destroying the work. III John 9-11 gives the account of one such individual in the New Testament church named Diotrephes:

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

When those of us in ministry come under attack, the assault becomes -- to a certain extent -- very personal. When an individual in our church (we'll allow her to remain anonymous) sent my husband a e-mail last Spring letting us know that she did not think we were even saved, we took it personally. When my face was scribbled out of our family’s church directory photo and stuffed it in the prayer-request box, we took it personally.

The attacks and assaults previous to this and following were many. They all came from a very small group of troubled and frustrated women who have long been a problem in the church. The attacks were personal. And they continue to the present. Many people have encouraged us to file criminal charges against one particular individual whose identity is known. Law enforcement has defined the actions as “harassing” and “criminal.” To date, we have not filed charges.

You could say – with complete accuracy -- that we were not at peace about the situation.

Isaiah 26:3 says: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

So. . . was my mind on Him? Probably not. Was I making the situation all "about me?" Probably yes. John MacArthur illuminates this verse about perfect peace in a way that really got me thinking: “A fixed disposition of trust in the Lord brings a peace that that the wicked can never know. Such reliance precludes double mindedness and serving two masters.”

Isaiah 48:22 says, “There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked."
The idea is repeated in Isaiah 57:21: "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

James 1:6-8 says, “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

WOW! By refusing to feel peace about the situation and allowing myself to forsake the stillness and serenity of fully trusting in God, was I bordering on “wicked?” Was my reaction to these women -- our Diotrophes' -- and thier immature, wayward and hateful behavior just as imperfect and appalling to God? Was I making it all "about me?"

In two words: Yes. Absolutely!

We all know people who are not “at peace.” We probably don’t use that terminology in describing them. We more likely refer to them as troubled, distressed, anxious, unsettled, etc. Scripture is neither this benign nor benevolent in its description of those who are not “at peace.”

“A fixed disposition of trust in the Lord brings a peace that that the wicked can never know.”

Bottom line: God's Word tells us that if we are not a peace, we are wicked. We are allowing the Wicked-One to rule our thinking, our attitude, and our reaction to circumstances.

Several days ago, I happened to run into one of the individuals who attacked my husband and whose malicious gossip has and will continue to have widespread effects on his ministry and the church’s reputation -- one of our Diotrephes'. To my surprise, I was not bitter when I caught sight of her.

On the other hand, she was obviously taken back at my presence. She made a swift and rushed exit in such haste that it created a slight spectacle in the convenience store. Strangers surrounding us gave puzzled glances, glimpsing at me and then back at her. She did give me a fleeting look and muttered something, but she was unmistakably anxious and uneasy. She was obviously not at peace. It was at that moment, I realized that the personal attacks on my husband, me, our ministry, and the church were no longer “about me.”

As someone in ministry, the phrase "It's not about me" suddenly took on definite and distinct implication and I was taken back to my own personal testimony and call to ministry.

My passion, my calling, my burden, my ministry is and has been for many years . . . women: Christian women and women church-members alike (the two are NOT always mutually exclusive) need a better understanding of God's plan for them. They need to be grounded in God’s Word – to fully understand their place and their role in family, society and church life in terms of what God says. His Word is very clear on the issue. This has become all too important in a time in church history when the "new evangelical" movement has seriously side-stepped God’s Word as the absolute final authority on all things.

How, as a Christian -- and a Christian in ministry with a burden for women! -- could I possibly make Satan's attacks (via troubled women) about ME?

"It's not about me!" It's about God's church. It's about fulfilling our calling to bring people to the Cross of Christ. It's about allowing people to see themselves in the light of God's Word. If this causes Satan to become flustered and attack, we should know we've done our job. And done it well!

"It's not about me." It's about praying for the Diotrephes' in our ministry -- praying that they will see themselves in the light of God's Word -- that they will come to the Cross of Christ -- that they will see their wicked ways -- and that they will find Perfect Peace.

- Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

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A Virtuous Woman . . . Goes to Church

(This is the fourth in a series on “A Virtuous Woman…”)

In starting this topic, and setting the mood for the rest of the article, I’d like to point out something about my background. In doing this, we’ll need a dictionary. Now, look up the word sheltered. Keep going… a few more pages… there. Do you see the picture next to the word? That’s me! My father was a minister, his father was a minister, his brother was a minister. My mother was a church organist. My brother and I were raised in church. Every Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evening, we were in church. As well as assorted weekday evenings for board meetings. We went to all the events, took part in all the ministries. Basically, if the doors of the church were unlocked, we were there. I went to Christian school and on to Christian College and University. One of the potential problems that this type of childhood can bring is what one of my college professors called the real world smack. This is the smacking sound of your hand against your head when you come into contact with opinions and lifestyles in the real world. A lot of sheltered kids have fallen due to this smack, but far more of us adapt and move on.

That said, imagine my surprise when a Christian friend informed me that “Being a Christian does not mean you have to go to Church.” I about fainted. “What do you mean?” I snapped. We fell into a heavy conversation about whether or not Christians were “required” to go to church. We did not agree.

Well, believe it or not, most self-professing Christians do not go to church. In fact, seventy-six percent of the United States claims to be Christian, while only 40% actually attend weekly services. Please also bear in mind that Salvation by Grace and church attendance are not synonymous. This isn’t about Salvation, but about God’s will for us after we’re saved. The whole issue does bring up an honest and very important question: “Is church attendance essential for a Christian?”

The answer is Yes! Why? Well, while whole books have been written on the subject of church attendance, I’m going to leave this at just these two reasons – both straight from Scripture. First and foremost, the Bible tells us to attend church. If you’re looking for God’s will in your life, look no further than the Bible. All of life’s answers are in there. Sometimes you have to look a little harder than others, but they are there. Fortunately for us, this answer is easy to find. Not only is significant space in the Old Testament devoted to the Temple in Jerusalem, and a large part of the New Testament clearly written to specific local Churches, but we are told explicitly in Hebrews 10:25 to not “forsake the assembling of ourselves together.” God wants us to attend church. He spells it out very plainly in Scripture. We’re supposed to get together in public to worship, read His word, and take part in ordinances. Jesus even did it (Luke 4:16). And we, as Christians, are to follow His example (Acts 20:7, 1 John 2:6, John 2:17). Failure to do so is forsaking God. However, that instruction is simply that. He doesn’t ask us to go to the First Church of such and such, or the Saint So and So church with the stained glass windows. He asks that we take part in public worship. If you love God, and God tells you to go to church, why would you even ask if this was necessary?

When we encounter Christians who are not attending church, they usually fall into the ‘I have a chip on my shoulder because of such and such church’ category – or ‘The pastor did this and that….’ So what!!? All churches have problems. Many churches have tons of problems. The entire New Testament (minus the Gospels and the Book of Revelation) was written to churches with problems! There’s no need to think any one problem has never been encountered in the Body of Christ in the last two thousand years. If you don’t like your church for whatever reason, then try a different one. If you don’t like the new one, try another one. Eventually, however, you need to settle into a church.

Secondly, as Christians we are the Body of Christ, and Christ is its head. As this body, and as relational beings, our dependence on each other is necessary for bodily growth (Ephesians 4:12-16). Imagine an otherwise healthy person who has a left leg that stopped growing at the age of four. Can that person keep up with a trained athlete in the hundred-yard dash? The Bible seems to present the body of Christ in the same way. Not that we’ll be running against another more powerful body, but that we can’t function to capacity when members are not growing and spurring growth in others.

If you’re not going to church, and are able to physically go, Go! Don’t stop to examine your life and see where you are. Don’t consult anyone to see if it’s right for you. Wherever you are in life, you will grow spiritually, you will face discouragement far less grudgingly and you will be unable to share in the love, encouragement and accountability that can only be found in constant participation with a local body of believers.

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen

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Blinded "Believers"

My Mark was inspired on Sunday. His words from the pulpit were passionate – they were anointed – and spoken with conviction. If there was a soft heart present, there had to be some recognition of sin and a stirring to turn over to Christ: everything! And my prayer is that there was such an experience. I never limit God’s ability to change anyone!

If a pastor’s wife can live off of her husband’s excitement over preaching God’s Word, I needed no physical food on Sunday. I was touched as we greeted people at the door and moved to hear affirmation from spiritually mature Christians how much they love the preaching! But then. . .

During a brief expedition through the building to find my insubordinate two-year-old, I overheard two precious souls openly criticizing – not Mark’s words, but – the words of Scripture. And in doing so, making their pastor appear as though he is preaching some out-of-step gospel that simply does not apply to the world today – and most especially this church after all it’s gone through. It irritated me – and I know it infuriates God when people disregard His Word as inapplicable!

II Corinthians 4:4 does say, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel. . .” Not surprisingly, the god of this world has also blinded the eyes of so called “Christians.” I wonder sometimes how many people in churches today are even saved! It has to break God’s heart. Lukewarm Christians may fill the pews of churches. They may work like bees to earn their righteousness, but – sadly --they will not populate heaven. There are days I yearn for Christ’s return for no other reason than that He take the true Church away with Him.

This is not a very compassionate side of this pastor’s wife. And without full context of Mark's sermon or the mornings events, I'm sure I seem even more critial. (http://goossengrapevine.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-n-first-three-chapters-of-romans-paul.html) Any other pastor’s wives have these kinds of Sunday morning experiences? I Corinthians 4:1-5 is for us!

“So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Not it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s heart. At that time each will receive his praise form God.”

- Esthermay

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