Life.Church frequently fails to live up to both of these, and as a result, faces problems in many other ways. There are a few key ways to spot a false teacher. The first reason why elders must rebuke false teachers is because they divide healthy churches. 1:6; Col. 2:20; 1 Tim. There were no cars or airplanes, and no printing presses, websites, or Facebook pages. In several sermons, I heard Groeschel appeal to peoples need to stop living for themselves and instead be obedient to God and the holy living He calls us to. To that end, anyone who regularly listens to Life.Church and comes away feeling like they heard a deep or challenging message is almost guaranteed to be either spiritually immature or not saved at all. You do probably every day. It places us in the spotlight, and as a result, people are regularly told that sin simply keeps them from realizing ultimate happiness, with little-to-no mention of how our sin positions us against the holiness of God. So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. God is good and can grow His people in any circumstance. However, the message being preached to thousands of people is that Gods will is for them to make choices that will ultimately lead to their happiness and self-betterment. Church leaders in the first several centuries pressed for clarity in worship and proclamation of this one person, the incarnate, preexistent Son, Jesus of Nazareth. In their greed, they fleece the flock for material gain. They even did a 3-part FAQ series where Groeschel gave answers to several biblical topics including: And in many of his answers, I found myself in agreement. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! (Jeremiah 14:14). Jesus said that each tree is recognized by its fruit (Luke 6:44). Four other congregations with female pastors were also determined to be not in friendly cooperation with the SBC, as well as one removed over its abuse response. As someone who wants Gods people to grow in spiritual maturity, I cannot recommend Life.Church under any circumstance. ,and We begin by acknowledging not just the possibility of false teaching, but the certainty of it. This is a basic culmination of everything discussed about sermons up to this point. At best, they are being wildly irresponsible by allowing false teachers to come in and speak with authority and support. One strength of the evangelical movement in the US has been an emphasis on orthodoxy, or right doctrine. In brief, a false teacher publicly denies something true about God and Christ and preys on the weak with greed and sensuality (Jude 4; 2 Pet 2:1-3; 2 Tim 3:6; Rom 16:18). They are not just false in their teaching, but also in their living. However, in both cases someone who is mature should immediately realize that something is not only lacking, but theyll realize that they need more for the very sake of their health. Theyve discussed some other subjects many Christians wonder about but may struggle to find answers to. 2 Timothy 2:15 calls for us to know how to handle Gods word well. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Thats simply not the case. Another way to see it is that their falseness comes out in sin against themselves, against others, or against God. Life.Church was listed on Newsmax's "top 50 megachurches of America", with approximately 100,000 people attending weekly. They dont teach such absolute heresy that its impossible to come to a true understanding of salvation through Jesus Christ. Pastor and New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel understands deeply this daily battle against self-doubt and negative thinking, and in this powerful new book he reveals the strategies hes discovered to change your mind and your life for the long-term. They were blaspheming the name of God. They will continue attending and feeling like they were filled, but only because their spiritual maturity is so weak that they dont know any better. The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian. False teachers will be known by their ungodly influence . And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Not only do they have churches in 12 U.S. states (including a recent church plant in my own state of Iowa), but they have a compelling and approachable online presence. There is hope. And it is his embodied teaching that causes the weak to stumble, leads many astray, and drives countless others away from Christ. Practically speaking, there are several steps to guarding your kids from false teaching: Identify the false teaching and messages through lots of open conversations. Pay attention to the teacher's ethical and moral behavior. Life.Church wants people to be who God has called them to be. However, this is completely contrary to both understanding Old Testament context as well as what God reveals: Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Groeschel and the other pastors are meant to protect not only themselves but the people that God has given them to care for. Consider also pastor-teachers like Douglas Hudgins, pastor of First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi, and one of the most influential Southern Baptist preachers in his day. The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. For the past several years, weve watched over and over as famous pastor-teachers go through very public falls from enormous heights. But in the end, the wages of messing up is death doesnt really make sense. However, the purpose of any goal is to reach it. But being a jerk also makes you a false teacher. Standing guilty before a holy God whose wrath is on us because of our willful law-breaking is immeasurably beyond just messing up.. Life.Church may not promote this misunderstanding on purpose, but tithing is a major part of their church and it begins with a false foundation. Everything we do is focused on how it benefits us. No one understands God perfectly, so be generous and helpful long before you condemn and cast someone out. Is it Gods will that we serve Him with our money? But how exactly do we use the label false teacher for those who deny Christ and lead people astray with their lives? They are worldly. Encouraging false conversion by telling people to just pray a prayer, not even encouraging them to understand or believe what theyre saying, does not honor God. Even in the online chat, I saw several instances of new people being welcomed and engaged. John Calvin speaks of a "certain charitable judgment whereby we recognize as members of the church those who, by confession of faith, by example of life, and by . They have LifeGroups for people at all stages of life, and the material I found shows that they emphasize growing together in a community of other Christians. They were at the starting gate. Some were small, others grandiose, but all were false and misleading. Steven Furtick is the pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. This is made evident in books of the Bible such as Acts, Colossians, and 2 Timothy, to name a few. The comments would often be along the lines of The sermons may be shallow, but the gospel presentation is clear. And as I listened to my first few sermons, I likewise found myself impressed with how clearly they give the gospel. Sermons are complex, intricate, and complicated pieces of art. As they should. Conclusion: Is Life.Church safe for Christians? Making Life.Church a part of your walk with Christ risks far too much for so little gain. Discernment primarily comes through knowing God through Jesus Christ. Consider the ways Groeschel lacks the basic discernment and maturity necessary for a pastor: Im not questioning whether Groeschel is a Christian, nor am I saying that he is a false teacher, because I dont think theres clear evidence for either accusation. We all know the Christian lingo of repent and ask Jesus to save you from sin. And many of us may be neglectful sometimes by not fully explaining what exactly we mean. In several sermons, examples of ways people doubt God would always include some form of maybe you need to trust God with your money and give. Sometimes it would be giving to those in need, but the implication was to trust God and tithe to the church. James MacDonald, founding pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, was fired in February 2019 for creating a culture of fear and intimidation and for enabling financial mismanagement. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. With help from the Orthodox editors, I have compiled a list of articles, essays, and He even has a popular book called Winning the War In Your Mind. Heres the summary from Amazon (emphasis mine): Are your thoughts out of controljust like your life? Thats because messing up only matters when the emphasis is on ourselves and how it affects our lives. I am compelled to examine my own life too. He obstructed the civil rights movement and vocally resisted integration efforts, leading his church to ban Black Christians from religious assemblies. I would like to test Gods faithfulness by accepting the Three-Month Tithe Challenge. To that, I can only ask that people examine what has been said here and decide whether an individuals positive experience negates the clear, objective problems discussed. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. As Ive discussed in my series on psychology, worldly thinking and the Bible just dont work together. The statement of faith is not very technical and perhaps easy for the unbeliever to understand. This report published on April 19 wrongly states that Stanley's church is Southern Baptist. In fact, in nearly every letter, some false teaching or heresy is exposed and dealt with. The early creeds summarize both the gospel and core Christian doctrine. However, this comes at the expense of people truly being part of the body of Christ. Exposing Charismatic False Teacher, Jack Hayford Posted by Marsha West May 1, 2021 In Opinion Charismaticism, Church, Ecumenism, False Doctrine, False Gospel, False Teacher, Mysticism, New Apostolic Reformation, Pentecostalism, Purpose Drivenism, Roman Catholicism, Foster Richard, Warren Rick Bookmark permalink For my whole life, I have loved God's church. Groeschel largely embraces cognitive behavioral therapy the idea that our greatest problem is negativity, self-doubt, and destructive thinking. Jesus and his apostles are very clear that false teachers will arise. Notice the quoted text. Someone whos never heard the Bible before can understand nearly anything being taught during a sermon. Or in their lust, they compromise sexually (whether fornication, adultery, or homosexuality, which 2 Peter 2 suggests). Jesus described false teachers within the church as "wolves in sheep's clothing" ( Matthew 7:15 ). To share this article with your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. Instead, its best for a pastor to practice expository preaching. Its time to change your mind so God can change your life. Yet Life.Church is more than just a fluffy, come-as-you-are church with motivational sermons. If you watch any television, listen to any radio or podcasts, keep up on the news, or interact at depth with just about anyone in modern society, you are being exposed to some form of false teaching. Life.Church is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). 7:24). False Gospel 2: The Gospel of Social Justice. In the best scenario, a Christian will attend Life.Church and remain spiritually immature forever. Online participants see the concert from multiple camera angles and the event features lighting and other visuals youd expect at a concert meant to entertain, rather than a time of corporate worship. use relevant technology to support instruction. It teaches people to pick and choose verses regardless of their context; it puts the pastors opinion at the core of a sermon; and it doesnt require the pastor to study or grow in understanding because its easy to avoid confusing or difficult passages. (Exodus 20:7). In Colossians, Paul warns against a . I wasnt comfortable with using their request prayer feature on the website just to see what would happen, but I imagine someone on the other end truly does pray for the requests that are sent in. The Who We Are section of their website gives a good summary. Image: However, Life.Church is much more likely to weaken, stunt, or even destroy a Christians walk with Christ by replacing it with a selfish, shallow, and even unbiblical substitute. Lisa associates and partners with many false teachers including Joyce Meyer, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, Kris Valloton (Senior Associate Leader of Bethel Church/co-founder of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry), Bethel Music, Bethel "Church", Joel and Victoria Osteen, T.D. If their goal is to reach certain numbers, or see a certain growth percentage, then they need to not only frequently gauge the success of the gospel by what analytics say, but they must also have the agility to pivot and change tactics when something isnt working. Shepherds should smell like sheep, because they live and walk among the sheep, and are not sequestered from the flock. If youve never heard of this church, or youre only vaguely aware of it, these are some basics of the church, both things that are important to the church and ways it may deviate from a traditional church. Groeschels heart is for his people. It comes as no surprise that God warns us many times in Scripture to be aware of false teaching. Tithing is an Old Testament demand on Israel that isnt in effect today (because we arent Israel). If a weaker message gets more clicks, then clearly thats Gods will. To Keep Gen Z in the Pews, One Singapore Church Lets Them Run the Service, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. If the fruit of someone's life or ministry is not in keeping with the fruit of the spirit, he has denied the gospel. If one reads the writings of the early church fathers and the documents of the church councils it becomes obvious . They contain what Christians were handed onwhat the word tradition meansand also what the church has concluded is essential to preserve and pass down. Its 35 minutes of telling people that they dont see results because they dont dream big enough. Consider, for example, the Epistle of Jude (and its parallel in 2 Peter 2). However, while some churches can have a strong sense of community, they can become so insulated that outsiders feel intimidated. observe and evaluate students' performance and development. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. Though the details of the stories vary, all were men who had the right doctrinal content in their books and sermons. Psychology is based on the interpretations and understandings of people whose worldview is anti-God. Here's what we can learn from their failures. She sits under Furtick's abominable teaching. It also shows us what the church leaders believe about God and our purpose in life. The influence of a false teacher's life and teaching will bear bad fruit in his or her converts. They are divisive 2. Jesus speaks about hell as does the closing chapters of . For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Teaching through experiences, not the Bible. Were on a mission to change that. Its clear that Groeschel gets part of his worldview from secular psychology, which emphasizes the basic goodness of people while minimizing their wickedness. . This is weird. ( Romans 10:13, 14) Some religious leaders say that when something terrible happens, it is God's will. Fresh Life Church is an egalitarian church. Again and again, Peters descriptions relate to greed, sensuality, and pride or money, sex, and power. Christians can get things out of the sermons just as an adult can get nutrition out of baby formula. But you know what? That is, to stay firmly rooted in the passage and draw the lesson from the biblical text itself rather than starting with an opinion and finding whatever verses might support it. But as I listened to more sermons, I realize that those gaps I mentally filled in werent accidental slips, but intentional omissions.Heres the basic layout of a Life.Church gospel presentation: That sounds good because we know that none of these things are absolutely incorrect. Craig Groeschels wife, Amy, is even called Pastor Amy on their own website. Groeschel is famous for integrating secular psychology into his teaching. Or, very simply, Follow me (Luke 5:27; John 1:43). This practice essentially begins with the pastor choosing what they want to discuss, then finding a passage or mixture of verses to support their point. Certainly, when we consider someones pattern of life as part of what potentially qualifies them as a false teacher, then leadership assessment gets very messy very quickly. Is the Bible so prominent that you could remove its use that the sermon would absolutely fall apart? Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" ( 1 Tim. Sin is never specifically explained in the majority of sermons unless the sermon topic is about a very specific sin (porn, anger, etc). secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2 Pet. However, I realized I was hearing the gospel as someone already familiar with the reality of sin, Gods law, holiness, and what Christ accomplished on the cross. They are not interested in teaching the truth. Messages had to be copied by hand, and teachers had to travel by foot or horseback. If removing wrath from the gospel presentation resonates better with the audience, then thats what must be done. This is something God isnt too fond of. Like cancer, it rots beliefs, then character, and ultimately pulls people away from Christ and his church. There are many critiques we can bring against any multi-site church. They frequently have new visitors, their online platform is active, their community is bustling, and many people claim to ask Christ to save them every week. Of course. There are many warnings in the Bible that tell us to . And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Many churches, whether innocently or manipulatively, tell people that God demands 10% of their income. We are seeing the enormous consequences of this kind of heresy every day, but we dont always name it as such. The few benefits they may offer are nothing compared to the serious issues faced by the church and its leadership. For a person in the audience, thats heartbreaking. [ This article is also available in More numbers equal more disciple-making. (Romans 1:18), Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ( Romans 1:25) For example, most religions have not taught their followers God's name. However, the Bible warns us that false teachers hide in the church like weeds among wheat. Use condemnation sparingly. It doesnt matter what it takes to get someone there, whether its a sermon that preys on someones fear of Hell or a fluffy sermon that makes people want a therapist named Jesus. The Doctrine Of Annihilation. False Teacher - Craig Groeschel The Prettified Gates of Hell Satan, by his gospel, offers an ample entranceway through which you, and all you have, can enter. Taking Gods name in vain isnt just using it as profanity. The apostle Paul often condemns and warns against those refuting the gospel through the content of their instruction (see Gal. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Jesus Is The Archangel Micah. As a pastor and professor, for example, I am acutely aware of my weaknesses and failings. He also believes that the Bible is Gods word. In particular, 2 Peter 2 is remarkable in how it fleshes out Jesuss warning about the fruit of false teaching. The church wants its members invested and part of the church outside beyond just the weekly service. With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church. Ill discuss this more down below, but Groeschel and other pastors have demonstrated that they do understand how to do exegesis. The same struggles and deceptions that plagued the early church continue to plague modern-day believers. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The Holy Spirit helps us be the best version of ourselves. If we had any doubts at this point, Peter joins the refrain to add another voice: There will be false teachers among you (2 Peter 2:1). Beneath their doctrinal error, however subtle and deceptive, we will find ethical compromises in tow. Because of their poor exegetical understanding of Malachi 3:10, they are bold enough to promise that God will bless those who give 10% of their income to the church. RICK WARREN, the Pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California: wrote the Lukewarm Watered-Down gospel of the "Purpose Driven Life" Book. The exegetical verse-by-verse teaching like Jesus DIDNT do oh Im sorry, that just slipped out.. Whether or not we try to put a Christian wrapper on it, this worldview says that our greatest problem is that we dont love ourselves enough, and we need salvation from our bad thoughts. So the red flag isnt that they dont believe in Gods wrath against sin, but that thousands of people have asked Jesus to save them, and those without a background in Christian-ese likely accepted a false gospel of self-help and positive thinking, which is not a saving gospel at all. But in this scenario, Jesus is our means to an end. . And if a simple click a button or raise your hand if you want to be saved gets ten times the numerical results compared to biblical discipleship or an intentional, personal gospel presentation that accurately explains what salvation is no businessman in their right mind is going to shy away from the bigger results. Transition to "why" 1. False Doctrine 4 - The Sabbath Day Abolished. However, its exciting to hear, and people are drawn to the idea that they can have everything their greedy hearts desire if they just believe hard enough. The Bible is lightly sprinkled in, but the real feature is stories of incredible things happening. Some may reach the end of this article and be furious because it feels like an attack on a personal experience. Little, if anything, can be done to hold teachers accountable who are far away, but much should be realistic and actionable in the life of the local church. Heres what we can learn from their failures. We preach the unadulterated word of God. Jesus is not only the greatest and truest teacher who ever lived, but he also is the great rescuer, who has redeemed us from sin and will keep those who are truly his from soul-destroying error. The purifying fire of Gods judgment is for our good. First, look at their motivation. And a life characterized by ongoing, unrepentant, anti-Christian practiceespecially among leadersresults in denying Christ and the power of the gospel. (Romans 12:2). Teaching that adds human religious works to Christ's finished work on the cross as necessary ingredients for salvation. But, as historian Jemar Tisby said recently, We have to understand that theology is not merely stated but lived., Indeed, relegating Christianity to the realm of doctrinal propositions inevitably leads to, as theologian William Cavanaugh says, limit[ing] the range of Christian faith from the entire body of the believer to the space between the ears.. The question is not whether you ever hear the voice of false teachers. Theres a vast difference between being neglectful during one sermon and having a formulaic gospel presentation that purposely ignores the wrath of God against our sin. For starters, well have to consider more than the content of their sermons, conference talks, or books and look also to the shape and pattern of their lives. It may seem odd to speak to Christians worldwide about one specific church. In some sermons, several speakers have taken the time to explain the historical context of the verses they were using. Jesus says it twice so that we wont miss it: You will recognize them by their fruits. The personality on the screen cant shepherd a flock three states away, the local pastors dont fulfill a primary function of teaching, and the church that isnt the pastors primary location becomes more like a franchise than a local church. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Below are the 10 examples of false doctrines and false teachings you will find in the church today you need to protect yourself from. Eternal Security By John Calvin. I dont mean for the label to sound sarcastic by saying I think. Their website and online chat have numerous ways for people to request prayer. He is into the Seeker-Sensitive Movement & he finds Common Ground with other Religions despite what their View of Jesus Christ and the Gospel is. This of course contradicts their last sentence that says hell is a real place, but by not capitalizing it they arent committing to a biblical definition of Hell. False teaching can come from apostates and deviant teachers within the church. Emphasis on community He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words . Portugus, So, we should not be caught off guard that false teachers have arisen throughout church history and likely have multiplied in our day. It has nothing to do with who we are in Christ, but instead who we can be because of Christ. Jesus Christ Isn't The Only Way. The false teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation, Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel have contributed to these false assumptions. (2 Corinthians 9:7). Then I said: Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place. And the Lord said to me: The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. The church may excel at creating baby Christians, but the environment does little to help them grow up. Craig Groeschel is a businessman at heart. Why, then, for so long was he able to avoid being denounced as a false teacher? God storing up wrath because we mess up makes Him sound like Hes making mountains out of molehills. False teaching was as much an issue in the early church as it is today. Groeschel rightly believes that Christ is God. Yes, the New Testament speaks of false teachers whose doctrine denies core elements of the apostolic gospel. He also shares ways that God directly spoke to him about these things. In the Book of Titus, Paul lists Christian virtues like hospitality, self-control, and love of goodness as the foundation for an overseers ability to preach with sound doctrine (1:89). Likewise, they describe separation from God as hell, meaning that hell is simply a way to describe the experience. Life.Church seems to recognize this and takes good steps to make people feel seen and free to ask questions or join in the discussions. For most of church history, it took extraordinary energy and effort to influence the masses. (Galatians 2:20). While preaching through Luke 5, Furtick . The reason this is a huge issue right now is that many churches have temporarily begun moving many of their regular "in person" activities to livestream, YouTube, Zoom, Skype, etc., due to COVID restrictions that prevent members from gathering together easily. We should not be surprised to find false teaching in the church today. However, in light of everything, its difficult not to question how fit he is to be a spiritually mature pastor, and by extension whether Life.Church is walking in obedience to Christ. Scrutiny of my life would be difficult and even painful. 28:1920). FALSE TEACHERS LIST & FALSE PROPHETS EXPOSED + PROBLEMATIC TEACHERS - Exposing the False Teachings of the "Word of Faith" Prosperity Gospel & those who Preach a: Worldly Man-centered Shallow "gospel" that is CONTRARY to God's Word VS the True Gospel of Jesus Christ which is about the Good News of Jesus Christ & "Repentance & Faith" ( Mark 1:15 ). identify and select different instructional resources and methods to meet students' varying needs. I will say one thing with certainty: I have no doubt that God has saved people through the teaching of Craig Groeschel and the other speakers of Life.Church. These pastor-teachers confessed Christ with their mouths but denied him with their bodies. Its using His name in any way that is disrespectful, false, or misleading. If God desires that only men are in the role of pastor, then Life.Church is functioning and teaching in rebellion to God. 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