Perhaps the most toxic fault with Reformed churches is the belief that mainstream evangelistic methods and rationales are fine... demonstrating either a failure to appreciate the ramifications of (double) predestination, or a total disdain for it. I don't think anything apart from the doctrine of seeking (so ably expounded by the late Dr. Gerstner) is consistent with Dordt. Faulty evangelism poisons the source, allowing more tares to be sown among the wheat. These tares become the dominant members, and, in time, elders and pastors are drawn from them.
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The peace that the modern church seeks is the peace of the graveyard.
I'm afraid we are guilty of going
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However, I'm going to respond nonetheless, invoking my Administrator license.
Perhaps another thread/topic on the matter of modern evangelism vs. traditional/biblical evangelism would be a profitable discussion.
Faulty evangelism has been adopted by mainstream "Reformed" churches for several decades. Again, even when I was at WTS in the late '70s, one John C. Miller had begun a work called, "New Life Presbyterian Church" in which he brought in/adopted a contemporary (aka: Charismatic) worship style. He printed and handed out little evangelism tracts which were nothing more than a revamped "Four Spiritual Laws", made popular by Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ; based on semi-Pelagian doctrine. I was shocked to see the open reception of Miller's 'new work' by many of my fellow seminarians. Then James D. Kennedy gained in popularity with his non-biblical, political 'sermons' and Hollywood show business 'worship' at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. His book
Evangelism Explosion, literally exploded in popularity which I accredit to the effective use of the very principle which the book was based on... Madison Avenue marketing techniques, aka: salesmanship via deceptive psychological and emotional manipulation. Consequently, this book and similar approaches which do NOT present the biblical gospel, produce a plethora of alleged professing Christians who are yet dead in their sins and who are openly received as members of the church.
One of the most detrimental consequences or results of this mass of unregenerate "Christians" is a lack of discernment, which only the Holy Spirit can provide. Thus, Arminians/semi-Pelagians are embraced as true brethren who are simply lacking in proper training. In truth, this type of mentality within Reformed churches/denominations, amounts to nothing more than assimilation of the world and the lies of the Devil...!!! But again, anyone who even hints at such a thing is immediately branded as unloving, unChrist-like, uncharitable, intolerant, and a host of other pejoratives. Unfortunately, there are also those who go too far the other way and claim that anyone who believes that Arminians/semi-Pelagians are saved without exception whatsoever are not saved either. Although such people are in the small minority, they are quite boisterous and can be found ranting their castigations and condemnations on many of the social networking groups. Lastly, it must be realized that all of the above isn't restricted to just the laity.
It predominates in the clergy as well who are teaching such things to their respective congregations. And it is also being taught in the seminaries as well.
Heresy of every variety historically comes from the teachers of the church, both in the academic institutions and from the pulpit. Unregenerate 'christians' have no ability nor interest in discerning truth vs. error. And very few true Christians are practicing Bereans (Acts 17:11). So there is a two-edged guiltiness which falls upon those given to feed and guard the sheep (Acts 20:28-30) and every believer to study the Word prayerfully and grow in the knowledge of Christ (Jh 8:31; Heb 6:1,2; 2Pet 3:14-18).
Okay.... I'm done!
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