The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum What Heresy is the Most Dangerous?

Thanks Brad. I just saw your other post on the prayer forum. No need to apologize. Oh yes I considered leaving my church very strongly now over a year ago, but I'm "stuck" there because my husband doesn't want to go yet. And part of it is my fault because I dragged my feet several months in going and talking with our pastors. We have a "pivotal" meeting coming up this Sunday withour sr. pastor. Please pray about this for us because we are discussing with him McLaren and emergent church issues, etc. Thankfully my husband does see McLaren is a heretic. He has said this himself after reading "A New Kind of Christian". Yes it's been hard to "stomach" all of this, but on the up side I have to say to myself there must be a reason for me to be here. It does make me very aware of the garbage out their in Christianity today and the lack of discernment. I've even considered starting my own "blog" site to share my comments on McLaren - however I'm not much of a writer really and I don't know if I really have the time for that. But I am giving my pastors all of the details of things I've seen and read. Maybe they will be turned away from further error. Who knows. All I know is that this has been draining, but on the other hand I am actually reading more Scripture to check on things I know aren't right that I've been reading and so write up some of the comments I've been starting to write against this author and what he's saying in his books. I have the "fools gold" book already and have skimmed through it. There's one of the pastors from his church - Phil Johnson (who also wrote some chapter in 'fool's gold' I think)- who spoke about McLaren, postmoderism and N.T. Wright on their recent (2005) Sheperd's Conference. I order the CDs and they are an EXCELLENT analysis of the error of McLaren. After reading all the books from him I can tell if the criticsm is correct or not. I'm going to give these CDs to my pastors Sunday because they are some of the best criticisms I've heard. I think he and the MacArthur bunch are right on in discerning these errors. I've always liked MacArthur. What I have observed is that authors like MacArthur, Piper, Boice, Packer and such (those I've always liked) are definately in a different boat as all these others (McLaren, et al.) Unfortunatley my church has decided to climb somewhat into the wrong boat.

One interesting about McLaren lately. His latest book discusses hell. I haven't read that one, but in the other books he says he's not sure if heaven and hell are really places like we think they are. He says that our traditional ways of thinking about hell/heaven are probably not right. He elaborates on this in the new book. Crazy huh?? And interestly some of these emergent people out there are even questioning this, but they still won't through McLaren out the window. (this is where our sr. pastor right now). I have a big problem with that.
Should be an interesting "conversation" with our pastor Sunday. I almost cringe every Sunday during the sermon when I hear this words and others - "conversation", "journey", "story",, etc. These are words in emergent that are used a lot. It's almost like a "cult" = with it's own different language. Ok I'll stop now. THanks so much for your support!! I really do appreciate any coming my way. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/coffee2.gif" alt="" />

My kids were just looking at all the funny graemlins. I saw this one and had to put it here. I thought it was appropriate to this post.
Here's what I think of McLaren <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/puke.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/puke.gif" alt="" />

Janean,
I will certainly be praying for you, your husband, your pastor and your church this week. In the meantime, I was wondering if you have read D.A. Carson's book [i]Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church[/i]. I know you have read MacLaren's work, but it still might help you organize your thoughts and criticisms more effectively (it would also be good just to hand to your pastor and ask him to read it, then ask him to answer certain definite criticisms and questions the book raises).
There are also a couple of good audio lectures by Carson that you might find useful in a similar way:


What is the Emergent Church?

The Emergent Church: Its Weaknesses


In Christ,

Brad Hammond

Thanks for the links to the MP3s Brad I've downloaded them and I'll listen to them in my leisure.

Thanks a lot for the additional resources. Yes I am aware of that new book by DA Carson. I have listened to 3 cds from him about McLaren and Emergent. Not sure if they are some of the same ones you have listed. But he spoke against McLaren and I thought he was a little too kind of McLaren, but at least he's addressing this whole emergent church issue. I probably will get to Carson's book some time.

Until recently I thought the most dangerous heresy was the Seeker Sensitive Church (Purpose-Driven, Market-Driven, Felt Needs-Driven, etc) but I am not so sure any longer - I think open theism will have a much greater impact in the long run.

Although my view is purely subjective, I voted for Ecumenism, as in its logical conclusion it leads to many of the other issues stated here.

Hi picked Relativism/Pluralism. Seems this is reaching out to just about everyone.

SDG,
Presbo

Dispensationalism

Don't go there...!

I'm just curious about why we shouldn't "go there"?

John

Well, whether the broad term "dispensationalism" qualifies as a heresy or not is at least fodder for a new thread.

Hi Henry,

I agree with you. I guess I sort of lost sight of the thread topic when I posted earlier. It occurred to me a few hours after I posted that that was probably the meaning of your original post.


It could make an interesting thread, but I'll stick to your advice and "don't go there".

John

I had to go with antinomianism, because alot of people I know think they are Christians when in fact their life proves they are not. Open theism would be second, although it's such an ignorant belief it's hard to fathom how anyone could hold to it.

All are very dangerous, but I chose ecumenism. Many people think here in Hungary that Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Unitarianism, Jehowah's Witnesses etc. are all the same. In fact, ecumenism is a very popular heresy among the leaders of so-called "historical churches" (I mean the Reformed and the Lutheran Church of Hungary). They say, it doesn't matter, what you do - just do it in an ecumenical way!

Hello, Bati80,

You're from Hungary? So are my dogs! I have two Vizslas; both bred here in the USA, but Hungarian Pointers, nonetheless!

I have often wished I knew someone who speaks Hungarian. I would love to know the Hungarian words for Ivy and Eve (my dogs' names)

Can you help me out?

Oh, and Welcome to the Highway!