Emergent cult leaders
D. L. Moody once told us indirectly but specifically NOT to read books by Brian McLaren. Mood said,Â
A great man people say, you must hear both sides; but if a man should write me a most slanderous letter about my wife, I don’t think I would have to read it; I would tear it up and throw it to the winds. Have I to read all the infidel books that are written, to hear both sides? Have I to take up a book that is slander on my Lord and Master, Who has redeemed me with His blood? Ten thousand times no! I will not touch it.
 A cult can be defined as “a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith…” (The Rise of the Cults, Dr. Walter Martin). We can most likely, almost definitely categorize Brian McLaren as a cult leader from this definition. People like these who preach some other Gospel than that of the one true message through which we received Christ–these people should be acursed! This is how Paul put it:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
-Galatians 1:6-9 (emphasis mine)
Recently, Driscoll commented about Calvary Chapel’s statement about the Emerging Church. Calvary Chapel, one of the largest non-denominational Christian movements in the States, has taken a position against the ECM–and the Purpose Driven paradigm also. I think it’s very necessary to make a stand against theological liberalism and pacifists, especially to that of the Emerging cult-church and the un-Biblical Purpose Driven methodologies. We must fight the good fight of the faith, and “contend for our faith that was once for all delivered to us: reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching…always being sober-minded, enduring suffering, to do the work of an evangelist in order to fulfill our ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
I want to apologize here to those whom have received Rob Bell’s “Velvet Elvis” as a gift from me.  After further investigation and research into the contents of this book about “repainting our faith”, I have come to understand that it follows very directly to the ways of the emergent cult. While Bell’s Nooma videos appear to contain good Spiritual food and is seemingly a great medium to reach today’s postmondern culture, his written beliefs about our faith is quite far fetched and reveal that he is one deviation from orthodoxy and the truth of the Gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ. You should not have to or even desire to read such heresy, and I would gladly accept it back. (EDITED: August 6, 2006)
To see what’s wrong with Bell, see this & the other articles linked at the bottom. Apprising Ministries is quite critical with the Emergents, but even though there is a conservative bias, I think they have valid positions supported by Biblical truth and renowned fathers of our evangelical faith. (EDIT: see also this critical review of “Velvet Elvis” by Reformation21. You could infer that this is the position of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals)
In the future, I hope to stringently analyze reviews of any books I give and/or suggest to others, in hope that we will all be edified and not be lead astray to believe in some stupid “secret message of Jesus” which nobody knew about until that guy came along. I need to test the spirits a great deal more before recommending anything to anyone… just cause popular Christian press says a certain book is a best-seller does not mean it contains truth; we must help each other in testing so that we would not cause each other to stumble. (A good website for Christian book reviews I would suggest is Discerning Reader)
1 John 4:1-5 >> Test the Spirits
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Looking forward to any comments you may have about the Emergent paradigm. I don’t pretend to have a firm grasp on it all, but I humbly seek to filter everything I read and hear about through the lens of the Word of God and the doctrinal, propositional truth within which the Holy Spirit enables me to clearly understand. I trying to live out a humble orthodoxy, but not a generous one.
Alex,
The Lord led me across this article concerning Emergent cult leaders. As you may know I am the one who authored the piece re. McLaren as a “cult” leader. As Dr. Walter Martin toward the cults in general, please know that it is my love for young people (I am 51) that compels me to study this EC movement in such depth. I have done much work with kids in sports, I was head football coach at the local high school for years.
Alex you said: “Appraising (actually Apprising - “make aware”) Ministries is quite critical with the Emergents,” you are very correct. However, I do wish you to know that it is not a “personal” issue concerning individuals, but as a pastor part of my job is to defend the Gospel as well as to preach it. I do sincerely thank you for mentioning my ministry, and btw, I am the sole writer there. I also share my views on criticisms etc. here: http://www.apprising.org/archives/2006/08/another_perspec.html
I would also like to commend you Alex, as well as encourage you my brother, by saying not many would have been “man” enough to admit what you have here publicly re. Bell. And you are correct in your assessment over-all of the Emergent rebellion, but when you say: “Bell’s Nooma videos contain good Spiritual food,” inadvertantly you are still leading people in the wrong direction.
If you haven’t, please see: “Rob Bell: A Very Poor Christian ‘Communicator’”: http://www.apprising.org/archives/2006/08/rob_bell_a_very.html I’m not against him, nor as a former professional musician/singer/songwriter/guitarist, do I necessarily think his “style” is a problem. I used to be a street musician in L.A., I’m not easily shocked
But in Bell’s case, since he denies the penal substitutionary atonement (see above piece) we now have reason for serious concern as to whether he is saved himself. Alex, we don’t think that the first century Gnostic teachers condemned within the pages of Holy Scripture itself were mean people. Can we not see them also as plain ol’ “regular” folk of that day, pleasant, and looking like the real deal?
But John and Paul tell us they were counterfeit. They looked like authentic Christians, but inwardly they were spiritually corrupt. Can you see it? Just as the Pharisees in Christ’s time. Surely these men looked “nice,” maybe even “cool” to their own culture. Counterfeit - it must look and act like the real thing to be considered counterfeit. I pray this helps.
What these counterfeit Christians (remember they deny the Reformation) in the EC are actually doing is providing good food laced with spiritual poison and it is helping to warp an entire generation of young people. Man, I care deeply about that and I am investing much time and money to study exactly what they believe and why they believe it so that I might “lay my life down” for them to come back into the knowledge of the Truth.
Alex, please forgive me if I have over-stepped here but I stringly felt the Lord in what I have shared. By the way, I am also contributor/pastoral advisor at http://www.sliceoflaodicea where we do our best to make people aware of various trends within the Church. There’s comments sections for most pieces that you might find interesting as well.
*extending the right hand of fellowship* Please know I stand ready to assist you in any way I can, so please don’t hesitate to ask. It is my honor to be able to serve the Body of Christ in this way. And Alex, if not before - I’ll see you when we get There.