Emerging
or Submerging?
by Brian
Brodersen
(Note: This is the last
article in a five part series on the Emerging Church)
In the past five issues, we
have looked at some of the beliefs of the Emergent movement. We learned its
leaders, while not denying completely certain foundational truths of
Christianity, do not hold fast to the biblical teachings regarding the Trinity,
the Virgin Birth, salvation in Christ alone, and the inerrancy of the Word of
God. Instead, Emergents say that Christianity must be redefined. In other
words, they reject Christianity as it is defined in the Bible and seek to
create their own, false version. To conclude this series, I want to make a few
final points and observations.
Though they claim to be
Christians with a fresh enlightenment, Emergents are nothing less than
liberals masquerading as Evangelicals, espousing and promoting ideas that were
refuted on the scholarly and academic level decades ago. A close look at their
doctrine reveals that they reject the Bible's authority and the doctrine of salvation
through Christ. This movement is not a new theological understanding, but
rather a new manifestation of old heresies that must be resisted and opposed.
We need to be aware of these aberrant views so we can avoid being sucked into
embracing a false view of the Christian faith and end up shipwrecked.
If there was ever any
doubt as to where this Emergent theology is leading, Brian McLaren's book, A
New Kind of Christian, makes it clear. In the introduction he writes,
"I realize, as I read and reread the Bible, that many passages don't fit
any of the theological systems I have inherited or adapted .... Doesn't the
religious community see that the world is changing? Doesn't it have anything
fresh and incisive to say? ... the old show is over, the modern jig is up, and
it's time for something radically new.''1
In other words, the historic Christian faith, as revealed in the pages
of the New Testament and understood by the saints from the first century
onward, is to be reinterpreted to fit with the politically correct worldview
of the 21st century.
Rob Bell, in his book Velvet
Elyis, and other Emergent leaders call for a reinvention of Christianity
because, they claim, the traditional view has failed to bring about the
Gospel's intended results. This quote from McLaren's book, Everything Must
Change, says it all: "More and more Christian leaders are beginning
to realize that, for the millions of young adults who have recently dropped out
of church, Christianity is a failed religion. Why? Because it has specialized
in dealing with 'spiritual needs' to the exclusion of physical and social
needs. It has focused on 'me' and 'my eternal destiny,' but it has failed to
address the dominant societal and global realities of their lifetime: systemic
injustice, poverty, and dysfunction.”2 Not only does he oversimplify the
Gospel, but he forgets that many Christians do serve the poor, the prisoners,
and the hurting in the name of Christ.
Moreover, we know that
Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things shall be added to you." Seeking God comes first; the rest
of our needs will follow. The Emergents say that Christians need to
"address the dominant societal and global realities ... systemic
injustice, poverty, and dysfunction." What they fail to recognize is that
when a poor person gets saved, they become a child of God and God starts taking
care of them. When a person who's afflicted gets saved, God gives them a
comfort that no human being ever could. When people on drugs meet Christ, they
are delivered. Jesus does all of this for people. That's why our chief aim is
to lead others to Christ.
This is why we need to
hold fast to the “faith which was once for all delivered to the saints"
(Jude l:3b) and keep boldly proclaiming the Gospel, “for it is the power
of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16b) and the
only hope for this world.
I believe time will tell
that this new movement will turn out to be nothing more than a passing fancy
of a few disenchanted men. The doctrines of men will come and go, but God's
Word will stand. As Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but
My words will by no means pass away" (Matthew 24:35).
I believe that these heady
philosophical ideas will sink like a lead balloon. People are looking for
something that quenches the thirst in their souls, that lifts the burden of
guilt from their shoulders, that gives them hope that there really is a better
world to come, something no man could dream up. That something is the Gospel of
Christ: God became a Man, took our guilt upon Himself, died in our place, and
rose again, conquering our greatest enemy--death. He then ascended to heaven
and is at the right hand of the Father, who sent the Holy Spirit to fill us
with His power that we might serve Him until He comes again in glory to
establish His eternal kingdom. And there we shall reign with Him forever and
ever, amen!
1. A New Kind of
Christian, Brian D. McLaren, (San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008).
2. Everything Must
Change, Brian D. McLaren,
(Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2007).