Some Holiness Churches to Ditch the Legalism?

What do these denominations have in common?

Salvation Army, Church of the Nazarene, Free Methodist Church, Brethren in Christ, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, International Pentecostal Holiness, Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), Church of God in Christ, Shield of Faith, and the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

Some are Pentecostal,; some non-Pentecstal fundamentalist. But they are all what are called "holiness churches." And, almost always they were very, very legalistic. Not the current Thrid Wave Charismatic revivalists' version of "you must do this and that" holiness; but the "you can't do this and that" holiness. Cannot smoke, drink, chew or go with boys that do type of legalism.

Some of the churches and leaders in the above denominations want to do something about the legalism baggage without ditching the holiness part. So they have written The Holiness Manifesto.

Kevin Mannoia, who served as chair of the WHSP (Weslyean Holiness Study Project) steering committee, was recently interviewed by Christianity Today about this document. Here are some excerpts from the interview,

We recognize, for example, that in the mid-20th century a lot of what we did was based out of a legalism that was behaviorally oriented and in many cases became judgmental.
And we're trying to say that we all recognize that pitfall. We reject that, and we want to capture the spirit of this message afresh.

For a long time now I've felt that one of the main reasons for holiness in our lives was as an example of "Christ in us the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Instead, many of these churches made holiness a test of salvation. IN other words, like the Roman Catholics, they were getting Justification mixed up with Sanctification. Here Mr. Mannoia talks about this as one of the objectives of the WHSP document,

One characteristic of God is holiness, and at the root of that is his love for humanity. Out of that abundant love then, his otherness, which is essentially his holiness, finds expression in reaching and engaging with humanity for redemptive and reconciling purposes.

So if we pursue becoming Christ-like, which is the essence of holiness, then we will not only be transformed into his holy character, but that love will flow through us and compel us to engage and to transform culture. You can't have individual holiness without social holiness. It's impossible.

To me the most important statement made in the interview was the one quoted below. I've emphasized two words which I consider rather important,

In each case, you can trace their histories [the denominations included in this project] and find that especially in the mid-20th century they struggled with legalism, wherein holiness was described in behavioral terms rather than heart transformation.

The interview ends with,

CT: How can the holiness message change the church?

Mr. Mannoia: As I work with pastors and church leaders, I see a frustration with the flat-lined church in North America. It seems to have set church leaders on a search for a silver bullet to mitigate that decline. Often, they look to methods. They've looked at cell-based ministry, the Sunday school movement—all great things, but they're methods. And lately I have been preaching really hard that the message, not the method, is our mission. We've distracted ourselves by looking at the latest and best, and often allowed the message to go wanting. Let's let go of the methods, and let's zero in once again on the message that God entrusted to us. Let's preach it, let's live it, let's model it, and then let the creative ingenuity of individual leaders in their context figure out how to bring it to bear into their community in unique ways.

And I say, Amen.

If it flies like a bird....

"...fidelity to doctrine and God's Word - was now considered an expression of hatred. That which they believed to be the eternal Truth was now dismissed as ignorance. "*

No, that isn't a description of the emergents' rejection of traditional Scriptual interpretation/doctrine. It's the liberal Protestant's rejection of it. Specifically, it's a description of what's happened recently in the ECUSA (Episcopal Church in America). The same view is also prominent in the PCUSA (Presbyterian), UMC (United Methodist), ELCA (Lutheran) and sadly, more recently, the American Baptist Church.

So, if it looks like a bird and flies like a bird, perhaps it is a bird? Or in this case, perhaps most of the main emergent voices are really liberal Protestants in disguise?

*Source: Exodus: Why Americans are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity by Dave Shiflett

Oh - Those Emergents!-3

I found a very good asessment of types of emergents from a missional "church planter" named Ed Setzer. You can find the entire post here.

He classifies the emergents into three categories, and I have to heartedly agree with his assessment. Here are his categories, my summary of his descriptions of each one, and who I htink belongs in each category.

1) The Relevants
These are the ones who are in essence keeping the church service and organizational structure intact, but are changing some of the ways things are done. For example, the music and outreach - to make it more relevant to whatever culture is in their church's neighborhood. They aren't interested especially with attracting just younger people - but all ages (thankfully). I would put Tim Keller of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church of NY City in this category.

2) The Reconstructionists
They believe "the current form of church is frequently irrelevant and the structure is unhelpful. Yet, they typically hold to a more orthodox view of the Gospel and Scripture. They reject certain church organizational models and embrace a more 'house-church'- oriented model." I would put Mark Driscol and perhaps even Dan Kimball in this category.

3) The Revisionists
These emergents are questioning the actual menaings of what has been considered for centuries to be the orthodox Scriptural beliefs. Such things as the atonement, the teachings of Paul, etc. are not only being questioned, but often changed. It is with these emergents that most of us are having issues. I would put people like Brian McClaren and Edwin McManus into this category.

Setzer then says this about the revivionsists...and God bless him for saying this
as I've written this very thing many times here. Setzer says,

Right now, many of those who are revisionists are being read by younger leaders and perceived as evangelicals. They are not -- at least according to our evangelical understanding of Scripture.

He continues by writing,
We significantly differ from them regarding what the Bible is, what it teaches and how we should live it in our churches.

He goes on to reiterate what I wrote two posts ago - that the Revisionists were asking some very good questions. However, Setzer says that it is to the Bible he goes for answers to those questions. Amen. But the Revisionists, sadly, often go to other places and even to other religions to get their answers. They then infuse and synthesize these ideas and actions into parts of Christianity. And that is exactly what liberal Protestants do today.

I again rest my case..:)

Azusa Street Centenniel - Hijacked!

I am hoppin' mad! This year marks the 100th anniversary of the most imporant event in Pentecostalism - The Azusa Steet Revival in Los Angeles. Since I live within a half hour of the original building of the 1906 revival, and I classify myself as a fairly Reformed (read that Reformational) Pentecostal, I thought I might go to some fo the events. That is, until I read the speaker list. The Third Wave Charismatics and Word of Faithers have hijacked it! This is just unbelievable and a great disservice IMO to the original participants of Azusa Street.

Here are some of the Charismatics - all Third Wave except for Francis MacNutt who is one of the original leaders of the 1960's-'70's Charismatic Renewal
Bill Hamon
Ed Silvoso
George Otis (well..he is kind of 3rd wave)
Che Ahn
Claudio Freidzon
Carlos Anacondia
Cindy Jacobs
Lou Engle

Word of Faith speakers include:

Kenenth Copeland
Fred Price
Gloria Copeland
Jerry Savelle
Creflo Dollar

The women are even luckier. Here is who they are going to hear in the special women meetings:
Judy Jacobs
Juanita Bynum
Paula White
Gloria Copeland

Gloria Copeland will probably be good. She actually teaches a fairly Christ-centered Bible message. But the others? Representing Pentecostals?

Here are some who will NOT be speaking:
Thomas Trask - head of the Assembly of God denomination. This is the denom. that came directly out of Azusa Street. Why isn't Professor Opal Reddin of one of AoG's Bible Colleges speaking to the women?

And where is Gilbert Patterson? He is the president of the largest black Pentecostal denom. - the Church of God in Christ. He is a fantastic speaker - very Bible and Christ centered and doesn't apologize for what true Pentecostals believe.

Okay, I will give space to the Word of Faith people since they will be having their own meetings at Fred Price's church (the Hagin people are noticeably absent...that will be another post). And, they are after all Pentecostal (mostly) - not Charismatic. But Creflo Dolar? Sigh..............

We've done been hijacked!

Oh - Those Emergents -

Below is a parody which IMO captures the essence of how much (but not all) of the emergent movement has gone wrong. Again, we must remember the main questions they are asking the church at large. But, as I said in my previous post, many emergent leaders are coming up with unbiblical and wrong answers.

In The Kingdm Come blog, there is a "rewrite" of Elijah and the prophets of Baal.....emergent style. You've just gotta read this...:)

Oh...Those Emergents!-1

As you've probably guessed by now, I'm not crazy about the emergents. But I do understand the questions they are asking and believe the larger Body of Christ MUST work on answering them fairly soon before our churches are empty. Barna reports that only 31% of evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 30 are attending church. When I read that I went into shock mode and began to understand why the emergent leaders were doing what they are doing.

But, it is what they are doing to the evangelical, orthodox Christian belief system that is so egregious to me as well as to so many others. My secret wish would be that the Brian McClarens and his friends would finally admit they are actually liberal Protestants and go join with those groups. Leave us evangelicals alone please. We will still have the Tim Kellers and Mark Driscolls.

Facts
*The postmodern generation is a deconstructionist one. They question word and story meanings when told it's the only right one.
*They tend to like the right-brained-approach more.

Here are some books and websites you might find helpful on the emergent movement.

PRO

Books
The McClaren Types:
Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McClaren
An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind by Erwin McManus

The more orthodox, gospel types:
The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball
Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll

Websites
The McClaren types
http://www.theooze.com
http://www.anewkindofchristian.com/

Websites
The more gospel types
http://theresurgence.com (Mark Driscoll's site)
http://www.redeemer.com (Tim Keller's church)

ANTI

Websites
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com
http://emergentno.blogspot.com

Books
Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church : Understanding a Movement and Its Implications by D. A. Carson

Two Opposite Poles

At the Christian Carnival this week, one of the posts is from Leo at Diary of a City Parishoner.

He discusses the two opposite poles of the Last Supper in his post, Is Church a Banquet Hall or a House of God?

At one end of the pole is church as a banquet, and at the other end is church as the reverent House of God. I was reflecting as to how these two opposite poles are playing out in today's church. On one end we have the very reverent, somewhat formal church; and on the other end, the hang-loose, happy, dress down, let's party church.

Is it possible to combine the two? How would we do that? Should we combine them? Is there evidence in the life of Jesus for this combining? In the early church?

Your comments are appreciated. Let's think about this for a few days and I will get back to it after I think about it too.

The Experience Factored Emergents

TotemtoTemple has a post entitled Labels. Here is an excerpt from that post. Keep in mind what I wrote in my yesterday's post about the experience factor.

If the emergents refuse to stay on the straight and narrow path after repenting and end up idolizing their leaders to the point of making them icons when they were originally iconoclastic towards the organized church, they are in grave danger of reinventing the schizms and labels that have come forth recently and will really become ‘post-protestant’ in becoming another form, hierachy, and belief system similar to Catholicism” where ritual replaces righetousness, esoterics replaces exegesis, and experiences replaces ecclesiastics.

The Experience Factor

I've just finished reading a most interesting book which would probably be found in the Business section of a bookstore or library. And I'm seeing the ramifications of the book's thought in the church at large. The name of the book is The Experience Factor by Pine and Gilmore.

First, mankind lived an agrarian society. Then some service tasks came into play - small shops; and there were also personal services to the wealthy.

Second, in the very late 18th century European society went into the Industrial Age.

Third, in the middle of the 20th century we came into the Information Age.

Most people think we are still there but these authors say we have now transitioned into a new era - the Experience Age. Walt Disney is a good examle of someone who did this way before it actually was the norm. He didn't just create the usual amusement park where people rode rides and did other things. He gave people an experience. You didn't just ride a boat. You rode a boat around Pirate Island with real-looking pirates. You rode a small car in the autocar park. You visited the House of Tomorrow - you actually were in it yourself -you didn't just see it from afar or on a screen.

Today, as we head well into the Experience Factor in business, a good example would be Barnes & Noble. This chain isn't just a bookstore where you pop in and look for a book among row upon row. You might well spend a long time in their store as they have a coffee bar for you to visit while reading your book; book nooks throughout the store in which to read; book signings to meet your favorite authors and see their new books; information kiosks placed around the stores to help you; and so forth.

Within the Experience Factor the authors have discovered something they call Transitions which they feel might well be the next Age. In Transitions, businesses not only serve you with an experience, but they better your life through personalization and a measured result. For instance, a food company making diet food would give you a personalized experience based upon your requirements for losing weight and would track your progress. They might offer advice, help and encouragement in aiding you with your goal setting .

So, how do I see this in the current evangelical atmosphere? I think it's obvious, especially in the emergent church, but also in the seeker-sensitive ones, that experiences are important. The right music, food courts, coffee bars, lighting, screens, dancing, and so forth. Add to that - discussion during the service, candles, incense, dancing, poetry readings, art and other experiences in the emergent chruch and you have - THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR CHURCH. I'm not saying these might be bad within themselves, but do they add to the gospel or take away from it? I think that is an extremely important question that many of us are asking about these churches. And, in the future will there measurable, personalized Transition churches?

Your thoughts are always appreciated in the comments section. ( If you don't wish to register, feel free to come on in as Anonymous).

Top Number of Workers

I thought this was interesting because almost all of these are low level jobs. Does this mean that the higher ones are being eliminated and outsourced?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the jobs with the highest number of employees. They are also all below $50,000 a year.

1. Retail Salespersons
Number of workers: 4,260,150
Average annual earnings: $22,880

2. Cashiers
Number of workers: 3,451,100
Average annual earnings: $17,200

3. Office Clerks
Number of workers: 2,943,750
Average annual earnings: $24,440

4. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Number of workers: 2,388,930
Average annual earnings: $22,190

5. Registered Nurses
Number of workers: 2,338,530
Average annual earnings: $55,680

6. Waiters and Waitresses
Number of workers: 2,228,950
Average annual earnings: $15,980

7. Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Number of workers: 2,223,820
Average annual earnings: $15,430

8. Janitors and Cleaners (Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners)
Number of workers: 2,119,800
Average annual earnings: $20,800

9. Customer Service Representatives
Number of workers: 2,036,090
Average annual earnings: $29,350

10. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Number of workers: 1,777,320
Average annual earnings: $30,280

11. Secretaries (Except Legal, Medical and Executive)
Number of workers: 1,712,600
Average annual earnings: $27,520

12. General and Operations Managers
Number of workers: 1,704,110
Average annual earnings: $93,580

13. Stock Clerks and Order Fillers
Number of workers: 1,606,180
Average annual earnings: $21,970

14. Truck Drivers
Number of workers: 1,594,980
Average annual earnings: $34,920

15. Elementary School Teachers (Except Special Education)
Number of workers: 1,431,380
Average annual earnings: $46,350

16. Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Number of workers: 1,420,170
Average annual earnings: $37,350

17. Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (Except

Technical and Scientific Products)
Number of workers: 1,403,590
Average annual earnings: $54,500

18. Nursing Aides, Orderlies and Attendants
Number of workers: 1,395,030
Average annual earnings: $21,890

19. Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Number of workers: 1,365,190
Average annual earnings: $44,890

20. Maintenance and Repair Workers
Number of workers: 1,291,030
Average annual earnings: $32,290

21. Teacher Assistants
Number of workers: 1,260,820
Average annual earnings: $20,750

22. Team Assemblers
Number of workers: 1,237,700
Average annual earnings: $25,780

23. Receptionists and Information Clerks
Number of workers: 1,087,330
Average annual earnings: $22,900

24. Managers of Retail Sales Workers
Number of workers: 1,083,890
Average annual earnings: $37,230

25. Secondary School Teachers (Except Special and Vocational

Education
Number of workers: 1,026,050
Average annual earnings: $48,980

Quote of the Day

'Some "movements" are seeking reformation status, but they will not survive unless they are ruthlessly true to the Lord and His Scriptures. All things of worth are tested by truth and time. If anything is of the Lord, time and the Spirit will reveal it. Men and women of God who are true to Him will see reformation in their lives and the life of their particularly church.

The Protestant Reformation was one of grace. What reformation still needs to come?

A Reformation of Holiness and Consecration
A Reformation of Overcoming Faith
A Reformation of Prayer
A Reformation of the Knowledge of the Word
A Reformation of the Lordship of Christ'

Dan Edelen at Cerulean Sanctum.

Why Are Some Churches Too Controlling?

There is only one reason for any control - faulty organizational structure. There are two types of relationships, both of which involve that dirty word that Americans love to hate - submission! Submission, very simply put, is one person or group being led by another person or group. The leaders could be put there by a small group, by a vote, or by coercion/power. Within the submission relationship there is voluntary and involuntary submission.

Examples of involuntary submission would be children, slaves and any others who cannot choose to whom to submit.

Examples of voluntary submission would be churches and other religious institutions (in most cases); social groups and clubs; and relationships, both dating, as well as same-sex/opposite sex friendships. Semi-voluntary submission would be in many work situations where it would be very difficult to find another job but impossible to leave.

For Protestants then, choice of churches is much easier than with other religious groups who much of the time have only one choice in the area or even having to travel far to get to their religious service (i.e. Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. in rural or small town areas).

So then why do people with a choice of churches get under controlling pastors and other leaders? For the same reason they get under controlling spouses and friends as we've examined in prior posts here.

How do these pastors get into their positions? Their organizational structure isn't Biblical. For instance, nowhere in the NT does it say for pastors to start churches with no [bishopric] oversight. I have found generally where there is a lot of control, it's usually independent churches; or churches within a very loose network of churches, such as Word of Faith churches which have little if any oversight. The safest churches usually are denominational ones with good oversight and supervision although at times some could fall through the cracks.

Years ago, many of the Word of Faith churches in my area lost droves of people due to the excessive control (among other things). Many of the members of those churches left and ended up at a large Foursquare church in the area. Although that church was Pentecostal, they had some differences with the WOF teaching. But the former WOF members wanted to go there. Why? The Foursquare church had a balanced, mature pastor as well as oversight from their denomination. I asked several ex-WOF members why they went there and they replied "they felt safe." They also told me they would rather be in a "safe" church than get the WOF teaching. Sadly, there were those who did stay behind in the WOF churches. I would have to classify them as hyper-codependent because God was leading the rest out but these people COULDN'T
couldn't hear God because their codependency got in the way.

The Five Stages of Progression

There is a difference between a cult environment and a cult group. The cult environment begins at the beginning - the beginning of a personal relationship; the beginning of a group such as a church; the beginning of a dictatorship even if it doesn't look like a dictatorship yet. The cult environment goes through five stages of progression, although hopefully most do not go through all five. If that happens, the fifth stage usually ends with the death of some or all involved.

The cult group starts looking like a cult somewhere in the third or early fourth stages. Here then are the stages as they would be seen in a controlling church. However, the same stages could be applied to an abusive relationship, club, or government (think Hitler for example).


STAGE 1
*People feel loved and wanted.
*Prayers are answered.
*Fairly good counsel is given.

STAGE 2
*Fear begins to come.
*Subtle criticism and threats begin.
*The Controller becomes idolized.
*The Controller begins to play the "blame game."
*False prophecy comes forth.

STAGE 3
*Some people are "catching on" to the abuse, so the Controller instructs the rest to avoid them. The Controller often threatens the "uncooperative ones."
*The Controller sends members to spy on "uncooperative" members, or even on those who have left.
*Sexual immorality and financial irregularities begin to appear.

STAGE 4
*Police, Social agencies, and/or Government agencies begin to investigate.
*Most people have left, leaving a super-Co-Dependent group.

STAGE 5
*The Controller begins to act in a paranoid fashion.
*The Controller often tries to take his Co-Dependents away to an isolated place to avoid authoriites and family members.
*At this stage, there is complete brainswashing and total control over the Co-Dependents.
*There is usually death in some or all members. This may be the Controller killing them or a pact suicide.