WASHINGTON – The Christian faith is understood as a story by a postmodern generation that sees itself as part of the developing storyline, said an emergent church leader Sunday.
Instead of breaking down the Bible and analyzing it as in the modern era, postmodern believers see the Bible stories as part of a bigger picture and larger story, explained Brian McLaren during the Washington National Cathedral’s Sunday Forum.
The author, speaker, pastor and leader in the emergent church explained that the Bible is seen by postmodern Christians as the chronological stories of God and creation, the story of Abraham, Moses, King David, the prophets, Jesus, Paul and then themselves as modern Christians.
“How we understand the faith as a story … is in some ways relatively new territory because we just haven’t practiced seeing our faith that way,” McLaren observed.
“And then understanding how our story relates to other stories and figuring out the role that we all play in this story – because it’s not finished yet – that comes to me as a very motivating and exciting way to understand our faith.”
Emerging Christian leaders are interested in understanding the shift in culture and how it affects Christianity because it helps them grapple with the problem of making the faith relevant to a younger generation that has increasingly left the faith, noted McLaren.
He contends that the reason the younger generation leaves the faith is not because of superficial reasons such as worship style or preaching style, although those can be factors, but because of the “deeper” issue of the shift in the way they believe and how they believe in the Christian faith and other religions.
“When we move into the postmodern world, people realize there is another way of thinking,” McLaren commented. “Analysis is good, from the whole down to the parts, but there is another way of thinking going from the whole to bigger wholes.”
“We try to understand whatever we’re looking at as part of larger wholes. That shift in thinking has huge implications on how we preach, how we teach, how we evangelize,” said the founding pastor of the nondenominational Cedar Ridge Community Church outside Washington, D.C.
The emergent church leader also gave his opinion of why mainline churches are in decline. McLaren said that while evangelicals are rigid in doctrine but flexible in their methodology, mainlines are more flexible in theology but rigid in their practice.
He suggested that the mainline become more flexible in practice while evangelicals “loosen up” on some of their doctrinal system.
“What I’m noticing is when we stop preaching Christianity as a religion…and we start inviting people to be followers Jesus and present Jesus and His way as part of this beautiful story of the Kingdom of God, a lot of our Christians who have left are drawn back,” he said.
McLaren is currently on a book tour for his new book, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope. He will next hit Dallas, Texas, on Feb. 22-23 and St. Petersburg, Fla. at the end of the month before returning to the Washington, D.C. area to continue the book tour on Mar. 7-8.
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summathetes,
Well said! This truth about who and what role the "Holy Spirit" has in relation to believers is being neglected in this postmodern age. The usurpation of the true Vicar of Christ (the Holy Spirit) is being replaced with men who neglect the Word of God. Lord help us!
Postmodernism has removed the Holy Spirit from salvation in favor of attracting people to the church by implementing a more contemporaneous culture that segregates itself from Orthodox Christianity. To them, they must do this to appeal to a younger generation, but if their methods and concepts are attracting individuals to the church, the question begs "Were they ever really visited by Jesus' grace?"
Has anyone stopped to realize that the Holy Spirit is who brings the salvation of Christ to sinners and its the Holy Spirit by which sinners are sealed to eternal life? They continue to ask How? instead of What? How can we be more relative? appealing? socially attractive? They certainly have forfeited theological education, much like other sects and cults of Christianity from the times of the Civil War when education and doctrine was no longer valued and emotions became the lamp unto their feet. They look around and see a lost world and sincerely want people to "be saved", but at what cost?
Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, and Oneness Pentecostalism did the same thing. Theological education was no longer a requirement for teachers of the Word and all one had to proclaim was that they had been called by God. The majority of Post Modern teachers have a diluted theological education and atand on their business acumen to plant churches and disciple people. The US is gradually become like Europe and the new Christendom is rising in the global south where doctrine and practice are as pure to the New Testament Church than anywhere else.
Nikolai, Big German, and Online4Him: I think y'all should check out another post where sadly people who call themselves brothers and sisters in the Lord are compromising the Word of God in their posts concerning whether homosexuality is a sin or not - again, postmodernism creeping into the church. go to the Christian post article titled: "'Can You Be Gay and Christian?' Poses Conservative Activist", and read some of the posts and what defenders of the faith have been responded to by "so-called brethren". I am convinced we are in the end times and it is only a short while before Jesus comes for His Bride and the wrath of God will be poured out upon a sinful, rebellious and blasphemous mankid who choose to turn away rather than repent. Lord help us.
This is another issue that breaks my heart, as I see many people trying to twist the Scriptures to suit their own view of postmodern society. Let us pray for the remnant of biblical purists within the Body of Christ; that we may be bold and loving in proclaiming the whole counsel fo God to lost and dying world.
Modern,post modern.These are all just phrases being used to spin someones excuse for deviating from the straight path as told in the bible.People don't think any different today than they have since creation.False teachers continually find ways to sugar coat a slightly off gospel to lure and entrap people.Molding a message to fit an agenda rather than asking the Holy Spirit to mold them to a gospel standard.Remember that Paul himself warned of this,and was so concerned about it that he said,if even he were to come to them with another message not to believe it.
nikolai42 & Jesus4me,
Well said!!!!!!!
This is the kind of result we can expect from those who have allowed textual criticism, postmodernism, liberalism, and ecumenicalism into their camp. The Lord will hold "leaders" such as these accountable for their outright rejection of His Word.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it – Jeremiah 6:19.
Look who's preaching now, J4M! Amen!!!!
Nikolai42:
you hit the nail on the head brother. keep preaching the truth as the Scriptures command us to do. Too many today want to re-write the Bible as they have every other piece of historical text. however, this time, they've gone too far, because God esteems His Word above His Own Name. Therefore, when they try to re-write, recontruct, deconstruct, revise, and every other form of liberal translating they can do, they are messing with the Creator God, and His Word, and His plan for mankind. They will also have to answer to the Lord face to face at judgement for leading so many sheep astray after a false gospel which teaches man's wisdom verses God's. May the Lord help us, and keep us in His Word. May He keep us from stumbling, as we are weak, and frail beings. May He grant us biblical discernment like the Bereans that we may search the Scriptures and test all things. That biblical discernment would come to the Body of Christ as a whole, and that we may be salt and light to a dying and lost world that is going to hell in a handbasket like we were if it were not for Jesus Christ the Son of God Our Lord and Savior's Redeeming Blood. May the Lord shed light on all those involved in this heresy of postmodernism. May He have mercy on them and grant them repentance should they decide to turn from their ways. Although I think much damage has been done by these liberal christians with their pseudo social gospel that denies the Whole Counsel of God. This issue really breaks my heart, because the only glimmer of hope that we have is the Word of God and the Gospel of Christ. If the meaning of God's intent is changed for a postmodern revisionist culture, then thik of how many people will continue to be deceived. Lord help us, and forgive us our ignorance. May we pray always that You count us worthy to escape the things which are to come. Come Lord Jesus Come...Maranatha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I should have included the previous paragraph :
"He suggested that the mainline become more flexible in practice while evangelicals “loosen up” on some of their doctrinal system."
His making doctrine and practice unconnected (if not unrelated) is one more indication that the bottom line for him is number of people and acceptability of the message to the most people. Or at least modifying the standard so that enough people can achieve it that people start "coming back".
Quote from story : “What I’m noticing is when we stop preaching Christianity as a religion…and we start inviting people to be followers Jesus and present Jesus and His way as part of this beautiful story of the Kingdom of God, a lot of our Christians who have left are drawn back,” he said.
Even if nothing else is wrong, that paragraph is very telling. MacLaren admits that the whole movement that is pushed today is based - not on truth, but on numbers. Since many people aren't going to church, that must mean there is something wrong. Instead of focusing on the message, it's the target audience that is in view. That is the underlying idea of "postmodern Christianity" - relevance to the hearer, not a primary interest in the Truth. That bears NO resemblance to ANYTHING Jesus ever did, or commanded the disciples to do. And it bears NO resemblance to ANY of the messages ANY of the disciples or apostles are recorded to have given. In short, it is a reconstruction of a belief system to suit as many people as possible. Success is based on popularity, not on adherence to the letter AND spirit of the gospel.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Matthew 10:14 (KJV)
I wonder if MacLaren would rewrite that verse to say this:
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, change the way you teach to gain as many followers as you can.
(PostModern Revised Version?)
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (in Context) 2 Timothy 4 (Whole Chapter)
Brian Mclaren, Tony Campolo, Richard Foster, Rick Warren, Rob Bell, Dan Kimball, Tony Jones, Robert Schuller and many others are part of this emergent church of deceit. Be warned brethren, for we are living in the end times and we are today so much closer to them than when the Apostles lived. The Bibelwarns us that there will come a time when me will gather up for themselves teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. I believe we are in those times wholeheartedly. I can only hope that by the power of the Holy Spirit these men who are being led into heresy and false doctrines of demons will repent and start teaching the Whole Counsel of God. May they preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and may they continue in the Apostles Doctrine as stated in the Book of Acts. I only fear that they have led many astray in their walks with the Lord. Lord Jesus help us, and forgive us our ignorance; I pray that we be counted worthy to escape the things which are to come; I pray that we follow you and only you; not this manmade pseudo christian postmodernism in the church. Please be patient with those who have not yet understodd the truth of the Gospel, and woo them to yo so that they may know Truth and Life as your Word promises all those who are in the Vine of Christ Jesus. We anxiously await for the Lord Jesus to come for His Bride the Church - Come Lord Jesus Come for your church; Maranatha!!!!!!!!!! Amen!!!!!!!!!!
The BIBLE is the truth we need. It does not contain the Word of God, but rather IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. Roger Oakland has an international missionary outreach as well as a biblical apologetics ministry train and equip the Body of Christ into Sound Biblical Doctrine, and to encourage them to stay in the Word. There is another site I want all of you to check out and read. it is www.apprising.org. Pastor Ken Silva has some pretty interesting things exposing the emerging church, and all it's proponents as well as Rick Warren. I'm not trying to be argumentative ok. I just believe that as the brethren in Christ, we need to do the work of God God's way, and the Bible in it's whole context gives us the way to do it. When men take biblical principles and expound on them and create a "new doctrine" or a "new belief", or a "rethinking" that is apart from the whole counsel of God, then false doctrine and teachingss will set in, and they are destructive, because they teach a "form of truth", but when more carefully examined and discerned, they are exposed for what they are.
http://www.apprising.org/archives/rick_warren/index.html
http://www.apprising.org/archives/2007/06/robert_schuller_1.html
Again, I exhort you to study up a little bit more on this seeker-friendly/emergent church of derception and how the Warrens urpose Driven P.E.A.C.E Plan is really nothingmore than a way to unite all religions. The emergent church and Rick Warren are also very much advocates of Bono from U2, Oprah Winfrey, and the COEXIST Movement. If you know any thing about these, or have rtecently followed Bono in particular, you will see their ideas although appealing to the ears of men, they don't line up with what God says in His Word as a whole (Old and New Testament). Bono, endorses the "Message Remix" Paraphrase Bible Translation which has taken out words like homosexuality, nad just contemporarily translated them to the word lust, etc. What they stand for is more in line with what the new age, and unitarian beliefs teach; rather than what Biblical Christianity teaches. We are exhorted in the Scriptures to be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul the Apostle taught was true. I urge you to get acquainted with these movements, and then you yourself can ask questions when you hear a "Bible Teacher" teaching something that sounds like it may be ok because some truth is being taught, but you know something is quirky with it. I hope this helps you brother, and remember, the Word of God is not to be made relative. it is absolute in it's truth about Christ, and the Gospel Witness, and should not be watered down to bring in more hearers, or in this case, more "seekers"..
Continued:
........................"Will the Emerging Church Lead the Church to the Roman Catholic Church?
It is important to keep scripture in mind when we are looking for a method or a means to promote church growth. A Christianity that is not based on the Scriptures is a false Christianity. It may be ecumenical and it may be successful in attracting numbers, but it is not biblical. It could even lead people to believe they believe, but instead they follow false teachers and false doctrine and are deceived.
You know where they could spend eternity, separated from God!
[1] 2 Timothy 3: 16
[2] Revelation 22: 18-19
[3] Warren Smith, "Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church," Mountain Stream Press, Magalia, CA, p. 23, 24.
[4] Dan Kimball, The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for the New Generation, Zondervan, 2003, page 7.
[5] Ibid.
[6] 1 Timothy 4: 1 and 2 Timothy 4:3
[7] Dan Kimball, page 6.
[8] Ibid., pages 7-8.
[9] Ibid., pages 13-14.
[10] Ibid., page 127.
[11] Ibid., page 133.
[12] Ibid., page 143.
[13] Ibid., page 155.
[14] Ibid., page 171.
[15] Ibid., page 185.
[16] John 8: 31-32
[17] John 8: 43
[18] Dan Kimball, p. 185
[19] Ibid. p. 185
[20] www.seminary.edu/aboutnorthern/index.html
[21] Robert Webber, “Wanted Ancient-Future Talent,” Worship Leader, May/June 2005, p. 10
[22] Jordon Cooper interview with Dr. Webber, http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=385, posted December 11, 2003
[23] Ibid.
[24] Robert Webber, "Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community," Baker Books, page 114 "
Continued:
"In order to clarify Dr. Webber’s views, I did some further research. I found an interview Dr. Webber had done posted on a web site called TheOoze.com. Responding to the question: “What do you think the North American evangelical church is going to look like 25 years from now?” Dr Webber responded:
Christianity will be less national, less culturally formed. It will be smaller pockets of communities in neighborhoods. The church will focus on people, not buildings, on community, not programs, on scripture study, not showy worship. [22]
Certainly this view of the future sounds reasonable and acceptable from a biblical perspective. In fact, I could say a hearty “Amen” to what Dr. Webber said. But the next statement adds a whole different dimension to the direction he believes Christianity is emerging towards. He stated:
Biblical symbols such as baptismal identity and Eucharistic thanksgiving will take on new meaning. The church will be less concerned about having eschatology and more committed to being an eschatological community. [23]
Over the past several years, I have observed that Dr. Webber’s prediction regarding the future of the church seems to be accurate. Many who were once anticipating the soon and imminent return of Jesus are now asleep. Some are saying it appears “the Lord has delayed His coming.” Others are saying “we have been misled by pastors and teachers who have taught us that the second coming is a literal return of Jesus to set up His Kingdom.” These same people are claiming the “Kingdom of God” will be established here on earth through Christians during the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus.”
After reading Dr. Webber’s prediction that “Biblical symbols such as baptismal identity and Eucharistic thanksgiving will take on new meaning,” I ordered his book “Ancient-Future Evangelism.” This is what I read on page 114:
A brief glance at the teaching of the Eucharist from the pre-Nicene period provides insight into the early church’s understanding. The Fathers taught that continual spiritual nourishment was provided to believers at this great feast. First it is clear from the writings of Justin Martyr in the middle of the second century that this is no empty symbol. Christ is really present in the bread and wine. He feeds us in the remembrance of His salvation. He feeds us through His presence which is accomplished through prayer. [24]....."
Continued:
"In this article, Dr. Webber stated that “the Spirit is working a new thing in the church” and an “ancient-future worship is being born.” He listed a number of things that he believes are necessary for “talented workers” to discover if they are going to be a successful part of this new movement. Some of these are:
Rediscover how God acts through the sacred signs of water, bread and wine, oil and laying on of hands.
Rediscover the central nature of the table of the Lord in the Lord’s Supper, breaking of bread, communion and Eucharist.
Rediscover how congregational spirituality is formed through the Christian celebration of time in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost.
While I agree with Dr. Webber it would be beneficial to reintroduce the great hymns written in the past by anointed men and women of God that expound sound biblical doctrine, it appears that is not what he means by returning to “the ancient.” In fact his list of things to do in his call for “ancient-future worship talent” mentions a number of terms and ideas that cannot be found in the Bible.
For example, when I hear the expression “sacred signs of bread and wine” or the mention of “Lent” as a means of “rediscovering congregational spirituality” - while these ideas may be ancient, I wonder where the ideas originate. Further, when I hear about “rediscovering the central nature of the table of the Lord in the Lord’s supper, breaking of bread, communion and Eucharist” I am reminded about the “new evangelization” program that is presently underway. Did you know Pope John Paul II has called for a “missionary vision” centered on “a rekindling of amazement focused on the Eucharist” to bring the world to the Eucharistic Jesus?
Could the Merging Church be Reemerging?
Dr. Webber is one of the chief promoters of the emerging church. He has written a number of books on the topic including Ancient-Future Evangelism: Making Your Church a Faith-Forming Community and Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World....."