Windows is a publication of the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas. The title of this article is an observation that the president of this institution has seen regarding modern practices—one with which he agrees. Older, easily identifiable religious denominations have been losing ground, and he is all for the new “street-level look” that is coming into view across the country. He refers to it as “evidence of the expanding visions of the church in our time.” (2).
In his article, “Preparing Leaders,” this same president praises the “church emerging in front of our very eyes” (9). As this reviewer began to consider the thoughts in this issue, an appropriate title suggested itself for all that is expressed in it: Gobbledygook. According to the dictionary, this term means: “unclear, often verbose, usually bureaucratic jargon.” In other words, the language is high-sounding and perhaps well-intentioned, but substance is lacking.
The seminary and its president are supportive of new expressions of worship that take place outside of church buildings, which seems to be the main thesis. One article talks about the “Nones” and the “Dones.” These individuals are “spiritually curious but institutionally suspicious” (10). To be more descriptive, the “Nones” have no religious affiliation (and perhaps never have had) and the “Dones,” referring to those who have left institutional churches. (Do they also have “clones”?) Others are included, such as those who
seek new, reforming visions for their expression. We meet in coffee shops and restaurants to talk about spirituality, life experiences, and the teachings of Jesus. This is sacred, convening ministry. It is certainly holy ground (10).
A better name for it would be shared ignorance. Does any of this remotely sound like what the Bible describes in the pages of the New Testament? Institutions like the Presbyterian Church left the teachings of the Bible when they became man-made institutions. Now they are in a culture that no longer is interested in those old, staid, and disappearing groups; so they are desperately trying to find a way to reach people. Instead, however, of returning to the Scriptures, they are following the tastes and dictates of the current culture in the name of relevancy.
The Church
Jesus established the church (Matt. 16:18), and brethren met without church buildings erected by great architects. Christians understood that the church consisted of those who were saved rather than referring to bricks and mortar. It is not wrong, however, to have a permanent meeting place, but the emphasis on the building itself seems to have displaced the idea that brethren could meet anywhere.
Worse than that was departing from God’s organization for the church. The Presbyterians and just about every other group made the church a man-made institution, which they controlled, rather than the blood bought body of Jesus Christ. The Lord, through His apostles, explained the structure of the church. Jesus is the Head (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). Each individual congregation is subject to Him (as hinted by the fact that He personally had John write letters to seven of His churches in Revelation).
Within each congregation, however, qualified men are to lead that particular group of Christians. These are overseers (bishops), pastors (or shepherds), and older men in the faith (presbyters) (see Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1-4). Deacons serve under these men (1 Tim. 3:1-13). No one, however, serves over these men except the Lord.
In other words, no one is over a region like Seminole County, in which all the churches would be subject to him or them (if it were a council). No individual or group would be over a state or an entire nation. Each group of Christians would be self-contained, autonomous. No national councils, synods, conferences, or conventions would exist if God’s plan in the New Testament were followed. All visitors would find anywhere would be independent churches under elders.
Now people are no longer interested in these old denominations and their unscriptural ways, but their solution is to become “relevant” rather than go back to the Scriptures, drop their denominational (and therefore divisive) names, and find out what the Bible teaches about salvation and acceptable worship.
Some Flaws
Considering some of the things we have seen thus far in the various articles in Windows, they are flawed as well. What are the “expanding visions of the church in our time”? The church’s work is described in the New Testament. Brethren (when persecuted) went everywhere preaching the Word (Acts 8:4). Perhaps old institutions are crumbling because they had a different pattern from what is presented in the Bible. They developed a professional clergy with degrees that qualified them for…what? Many Christians know more Scriptures than these “professionals” do. They may be skilled in procedures, in church doctrine, in their own hierarchies, in history, in musical programming, and in fundraising, but if they were skilled in the Word, they would not be professional clergymen in the first place (Matt. 23:8-10)! The only visions of the church that matter are the ones Christ has for His body of believers. The “church that is emerging in front of our very eyes” is not the church for which Christ died. Is there some reason to think that “Nones” and “Dones” are qualified to know about the church?
“Church” Growth?
Another article deals with “experiments in church growth.” According to an article on this subject, in the 21st century, the three pillars of church growth are: worship, discipleship, and dialogue” (12). These are all Biblical, depending on the way one defines the terms. For example, discipleship is what Christianity is all about. Jesus trained many to be His disciples, but the definition was not coming to worship and sitting in a pew an hour a week, which is the way old institutions have misrepresented it. A disciple was a learner and a follower (Luke 14:25-35).
Worship can be offered to God anytime and anywhere (as opposed to thinking one must have a church building for it to be “official”). But the church must meet on the first day of the week to offer up its collective worship to God. Paul certainly had dialogue—and debates—with Judaizing teachers, as well as pagan philosophers. But what do these people mean by these terms? What Windows means by dialogue can best be described in the following quotation.
We begin by sharing our respective names and belief systems. Tonight we are: an evangelical, a gothic agnostic, a pagan, a couple of mainline Protestants, a self-identifying dual Christian and Buddhist, one religious “seeker,” a Latter-Day Saint participant, and a imam as our special guest….
Tonight an agnostic is selflessly encouraging a young Christian struggling with how to faithfully interpret her Bible readings (12).
Say, what? Can anyone honestly have the faintest expectation that any truth will emerge from this hodge-podge of religious debris? This is not the dialogue we read about in the New Testament. Meetings such as these will not bring anyone to a knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is only religious opinion-sharing with no common ground or basis of authority.
These people are obviously desperate to get anything going—even if it resembles the Star Wars cantina segment filled with spiritually-odd persons. A Christian Buddhist! Really? Didn’t Jesus say, “No man can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24)? And how, exactly, does an agnostic encourage someone in the faith? The really strange thing is that those involved in these programs don’t even see anything unusual.
Here’s the latest idea to reach people. Watch for this one to grow in popularity—a “drive-in prayer” ministry. At certain times a church member stands on a median as traffic drives by in front of the church building. He holds up a sign, asking people to come into the parking lot and pray with them. (At least they’re not asking for money.) They pray for their families, their jobs, for peace (or maybe for the traffic to abate?), and so on (9). This may be good public relations, but it is not evangelism, as defined in the New Testament.
No Biblical Message
The problem with this new approach to society is that it leaves them no distinctive message. The new leaders in the seminary are characterized by its president as being altruistic, passionate about social justice issues, tolerant, and enthusiastic about diversity (8-9). Is this supposed to be better than what Paul charged Timothy with, when he said, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16)?
In fact, one gets the idea that doctrine is passé. The president noted that “they are not interested in perpetuating the divisive churchly arguments and prohibitions that my generation vigorously suited up for….” (8). Does that mean that they will not defend their own teachings? Good, since Calvinism is full of error! But the downside is that they are not interested in doctrine of any kind, which means they are not concerned about truth, which makes it hard to be a disciple of Jesus, since He linked the two concepts together (John 8:31-32).
The president affirms that these new seminary students are “led by the Spirit” (9). This must be some new kind of definition because in the Bible those “led by the Spirit” followed God’s will and taught His doctrine. The attitudes these young people possess and the activities they are engaged in bear no resemblance to what was done in the New Testament. Practically all “Christians” today claim to be “led by the Spirit” when in reality they are only following their feelings.
What is missing in this issue of Windows, which describes what is currently happening in religion are some crucial elements of Christianity. A few Scriptures were cited in its 21 pages—maybe two or three. This precedent by itself shows the lack of emphasis on the Word of God in favor of what feels good or what is the “in” thing. God gave us a book filled with principles which, if followed, will cause people to want to become Christians (Matt. 5:14-16).
Nothing was said with respect to fearing God and keeping His commandments. One will look in vain for a single reference to holy living or forsaking sins or repentance. Are people not interested in “dialoguing” about such matters? The sad fact is that many people want to go to heaven without being part of the church, without worshiping correctly, or forsaking sin.
Comment
A copy of this magazine was sent to me by the Preaching Brother (P.B.) in another state, who has shared some really interesting materials. The magazine was delivered to him by mistake; so he took a look at it before sending it back on its way. He commented that the contents explain “why religions are failing and why they are literally mixing so much they are losing their old identities for new ones.” He believes that if this trend continues, they will become “one massive group of confused people.” Amen.