Lighthouse

Lighthouse Trails Inc

  • HOME
  • ABOUT/CONTACT
  • STORE
  • RESEARCH JOURNAL
  • TOPICAL BOOKLETS
  • FREE E-NEWSLETTER
  • RESEARCH ARCHIVE

Letter to the Editor: In Looking for a Good Church, “What’s a Sheep to do?”

Letter to the Editor: In Looking for a Good Church, “What’s a Sheep to do?”

July 10, 2014 by Lighthouse Trails Editors
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Old ChurchTo Lighthouse Trails:

Hello there, I am hoping you can provide some assistance with this question I have. With the influx of the heresies that are being introduced into the church, how am I supposed to go about finding a church that’s not being infiltrated. I keep looking for churches where I have recently moved to. On the outside churches appear okay on the surface but for example visited a church online then I saw a number of books that they are promoting and couldn’t condone. Was with a church for many years that I saw going in the wrong direction; spoke to an elder also to no avail. Where are the shepherds? What’s a sheep to do.

Thanks for listening and hope to hear from you.

Your sister in Christ

OUR RESPONSE:

Here is an article we posted last year. We hope it will give you some ideas on how to find a good church.

“How Do I Find a Good Bible-Believing Church?”

We have  often been asked, “How do I find a good Bible-believing church?” There are many believers who are struggling to find one in their own communities. We usually recommend they make phone calls to potential churches and ask a few concise questions such as:

“Do you have a Spiritual Formation program at your church?” or “Has your church implemented aspects of the Purpose Driven Movement anytime in the past 10 years?.”

Since thousands of churches would answer yes to both or at least one of these questions, they are worthwhile to ask, and it would certainly narrow down the scope of one’s search. Here are a few other questions that could be asked:

1. Is the pastor using The Message “Bible” in his sermons and studies? Because this paraphrase is very often used by pastors and teachers who promote contemplative spirituality or emerging spirituality (as the language in The Message helps support these false teachings), it is another indicator that a church is going in the wrong direction.

2. Is the church affiliated in any way with the Willow Creek Association? Oftentimes, a church has not implemented the Purpose Driven Movement but is, rather, hooked up with Willow Creek. This is as problematic as Purpose Driven. See our article on our website titled, “No Repentance from Willow Creek—Only a Mystical Paradigm Shift.”

3. Ask a potential church if it would mind mailing you a few recent Sunday programs. When you get them, look for some of the key terms used within the contemplative/emerging camp: missional, servant leader, soul-care, spiritual formation, transformation, transitioning, silence, organic, authentic, reinvent, spiritual disciplines, Christ follower (the term Christian isn’t typically liked too well by contemplatives and emergent) Christian formation (or Christian spirituality) (a term often meaning the same as Spiritual Formation). Just using these terms alone doesn’t suddenly make a church contemplative or emerging, but it does show that at least one person in leadership at that church is reading books of that persuasion, and eventually that person’s influence will affect that church adversely.

In addition to those three questions, be sure and visit a church’s website as there you may be able to find the answers to these questions without making the phone call. When on a website, see if there is more talk about “culture” and relevancy than about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can check out the doctrinal and mission statements but be on guard—a church can have a solid-sounding doctrinal statement and be actually going in an entirely different direction. Listen to our CD Beware the Bridgers for some information on that. And by the way, remember who some of the more popular ”bridgers” are, closing the gap between “rightly dividing the Word” and spiritual deception in millions of people’s lives: Beth Moore, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, John Piper, etc.—those who claim to be orthodox biblical Christians but who promote contemplative spirituality and emerging figures.
Also, once your search for a new church has narrowed down to a few churches, a weekday visit to those churches’ bookstores would be important. Look for books by Richard Foster, Gary Thomas, Henri Nouwen, Brennan Manning, and other authors discussed and critiqued on the LT website. Chris Lawson from Spiritual Research Network has an extensive “Master List” of authors who fall within the contemplative, emerging, hyper-charismatic, River, New Age, “Christian” homosexual, etc. camps. It’s an excellent resource.
When all this has been done to find a Bible-believing church, if there are any in your community that have passed the contemplative/emerging/Purpose Driven test, maybe it’s safe to take your family for a Sunday visit. Are many of the people walking in carrying Bibles? Seeker-friendly and church-growth churches discourage that because it might “offend” unbelievers (or as they say unchurched) coming to church. Does the pastor at some point in his sermon talk about the Cross (the atonement) and salvation (and mention of hell)? These are subjects that many churches avoid because of the “offensiveness” of that message. Better to offer an espresso drink and a little rock n roll music during the service and a psychology-based, feel good message that appeals to the carnal senses (sensual)  rather than build up the spiritual man.

Once you have found a church that seems to be sound, you should not stop being discerning. That must be ongoing. That might seem like a  ”paranoid” or overly concerned attitude to have, but if we remember the many verses in Scripture that talk about spiritual deception (right from the Garden of Eden all the way to the Book of Revelation), we will realize it is the responsibility of the Christian to be discerning and watchful.  And the Bible frequently talks about the latter days before Christ’s return where deception will run more rampant than ever before. Roger Oakland gives a list of signs to look for to see if a church is becoming or has become contemplative/emerging. As you begin to attend a new church, this list may be helpful to you and your family:

Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.

The centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel.

More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.

The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical.

The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.

The teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past.

An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.

Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be re­invented in order to provide meaning for this generation.

The pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.

While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.

These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.

There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church.

Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.

There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace—claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God.

Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.

Roger has these signs listed in his Booklet Tract How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging into Your Church. May God bless you in your search. It may seem like an insurmountable task, but we know there are still good churches out there because we often hear from pastors who are staying the course and are aware of the times in which we live. May God lead you to find one of these churches.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural [carnal] man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. . . . For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

 

Posted in: Churches in Crisis!, Contemplative Churches, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Spiritual Deception Tagged: apostasy, churches, good churches, heresy, letter to the editor, sheep, shepherds, spiritual deception

Search the Research

Categories

  • A Global Spirituality (541)
    • Chrislam (32)
    • Ecumenism (173)
    • One-World Religion (87)
  • Book/Film Reviews (595)
    • A Course in Miracles (3)
    • Book/Music Excerpts (266)
    • JESUS CALLING (66)
    • THE SHACK (60)
  • CHILDREN AT RISK! (562)
    • Abortion (55)
    • Child Abuse (79)
    • Children and Homosexuality (21)
    • Children and Meditation (89)
    • Education (51)
    • Homeschooling at Risk (28)
    • Kids and the Occult (19)
    • Transgenderism (74)
  • Christian Organizations (132)
  • Christian Publishers/Bookstores (72)
  • Churches in Crisis! (849)
    • Alpha Course (9)
    • Assemblies of God (26)
    • Bethel Church (Redding) (17)
    • Calvinist/Reformed (103)
    • Charismatic (40)
    • Christian & Missionary Alliance (18)
    • Concerns for Calvary Chapel (192)
    • Free Methodist (2)
    • Mennonites (7)
    • Saddleback (243)
    • Southern Baptist Convention (30)
      • Beth Moore (3)
    • Wesleyan Church (3)
    • Willow Creek/Hybels (59)
  • Conference Alerts (109)
  • Contemplative Spirituality (967)
    • Contemplative Churches (64)
    • Contemplative Colleges (192)
    • Contemplative Denominations (271)
    • Contemplative Organizations (103)
    • Contemplative Practices (239)
      • Enneagram (1)
      • Labyrinths (3)
      • Lectio Divina (67)
    • The Ancient Mystics (76)
  • Defending the Faith (861)
    • Creation/Evolution (59)
    • Discernment (48)
    • Persecution (158)
    • Spiritual Deception (290)
    • The Preaching of the Cross (112)
    • The Word of God (194)
  • General Information (287)
    • RESOURCES (215)
  • Health (187)
    • Mindfulness (43)
    • Reiki/Energy Healing (35)
    • Shepherd's Bible Verse Tea (1)
    • YOGA (88)
  • Hinduism (37)
  • Homosexuality (359)
    • Same-Sex Marriage (163)
    • Transgenderism (82)
  • Interspirituality (187)
  • Israel (142)
  • LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (308)
  • Missions (129)
    • BRYCE HOMES FOR WIDOWS & CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (95)
  • Music (45)
  • Native Spirituality (39)
  • New Age movement (390)
    • Oprah Winfrey (25)
    • Paganism (17)
    • pantheism & panentheism (94)
    • Roma Downey (13)
  • New Evangelicalism (104)
  • On Christian Faith (259)
    • Encouragement (30)
    • The Gospel (68)
  • Publishing News (68)
  • Purpose Driven Movement (272)
    • Rick Warren (133)
  • Remembering Communism (48)
  • Remembering the Holocaust (115)
  • Road to Rome (250)
    • The New Evangelization (93)
  • Signs of the Times (1,002)
    • Canada (48)
    • Dominionism (13)
    • Eschatology (96)
    • False Signs and Wonders (62)
    • FOR MILLENNIALS (18)
    • FREEDOM (169)
    • Hate Crime Laws (67)
    • Islam (70)
    • Politics (330)
    • Pornography/Sexual Abuse (48)
    • The "New" Sciences (25)
  • Spiritual Formation (188)
  • The Emerging Church (491)
    • The New Missiology (33)
    • Universalism (29)
  • The New (False) Spirituality (102)
  • The New Spirituality (210)
  • The Role of Meditation (261)
    • Mystical Practices (103)
  • World in Crisis (181)
  • YEARS IN REVIEW (69)

RSS Recent Posts

  • The New Evangelization From Rome December 11, 2019
  • Ouija Angel Boards December 11, 2019
  • The New Gnostics in Today’s Church December 9, 2019
  • “Despite Common Core Promises, U.S. Kids Repeat Poor Performance On Latest Global Test” December 5, 2019
  • Southern Baptist Convention Adopts “Critical Race Theory”—A Dangerous Marxist “Solution” That Will Not Work December 2, 2019

Lighthouse Trails Writers

  • anita dittman
  • berit kjos
  • bill randles
  • carl teichrib
  • carolyn a. greene
  • caryl matrisciana
  • catherine brown
  • cedric fisher
  • chris lawson
  • david dombrowski
  • diet eman
  • egerton ryerson young
  • gregory reid
  • harry a. ironside
  • jim fletcher
  • john foxe
  • john lanagan
  • judson casjens
  • kevin reeves
  • l. putnam
  • larry debruyn
  • linda nathan
  • lynn lusby pratt
  • maria kneas
  • mary danielsen
  • michael tays carter
  • mike oppenheimer
  • mike stanwood
  • nanci des gerlaise
  • paul proctor
  • ray yungen
  • roger oakland
  • ruth hunt
  • sandy simpson
  • tamara hartzell
  • tony pearce
  • trevor baker (songwriter)
  • warren b. smith

Calendar

December 2019
S M T W T F S
« Nov    
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  

Archives

  • The New Evangelization From Rome
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 11, 2019 at 2:05 pm

    The New Evangelization From Rome LTRP Note: The following is an extract from Roger Oakland’s booklet, The New Evangelization From Rome—Or Finding the True Jesus Christ. By Roger Oakland When Christians speak of evangelism, they are usually referring to efforts to fulfill the Great Commission. Just before ascending to heaven, Jesus commissioned every believer to proclaim the good news when ... [Read more...] The post The New Evangelization From Rome appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • Ouija Angel Boards
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 11, 2019 at 3:21 am

    <strike>Ouija</strike> Angel Boards “While most children in the seventies knew enough truth to place divination in the forbidden realm of the occult, today’s children—who often feel more comfortable with occult games than biblical truth—see nothing wrong with pagan practices.”—Berit Kjos By Lynn Lusby Pratt “Well, would you try to Christianize a Ouija board?” When I’ve asked that question, ... [Read more...] The post <strike>Ouija</strike> Angel Boards appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • The New Gnostics in Today’s Church
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 9, 2019 at 1:29 pm

    The New Gnostics in Today’s Church By Bill Randles(Author of the new release, War Against the Saints) I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:21) The church is undergoing perhaps her final assault from within, as she has been beset with ... [Read more...] The post The New Gnostics in Today’s Church appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • “Despite Common Core Promises, U.S. Kids Repeat Poor Performance On Latest Global Test”
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 5, 2019 at 1:51 pm

    “Despite Common Core Promises, U.S. Kids Repeat Poor Performance On Latest Global Test” LTRP Note: The following news story is posted for informational and research purposes. If you would like to read more about Common Core, see Berit Kjos’ article, “A ‘Common Core’ For a Global Community.” If you know a family whose children are in public school, please consider sharing a copy of Kjos’ article with them. ... [Read more...] The post “Despite Common Core Promises, U.S. Kids Repeat Poor Performance On Latest Global Test” appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • Southern Baptist Convention Adopts “Critical Race Theory”—A Dangerous Marxist “Solution” That Will Not Work
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 2, 2019 at 8:43 pm

    Southern Baptist Convention Adopts “Critical Race Theory”—A Dangerous Marxist “Solution” That Will Not Work On November 25th, Lighthouse Trails received a link to a YouTube documentary titled “The Stain of Albert Mohler”(1) that documents how the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) passed a resolution (Resolution 9) this past summer (2019) which adopts “Critical Race Theory” (a theory that claims to be a solution to ending racism but according to critics ... [Read more...] The post Southern Baptist Convention Adopts “Critical Race Theory”—A Dangerous Marxist “Solution” That Will Not Work appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • Letter to the Editor: Reminder About Study Showing Adverse Effects of Meditation
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 2, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    Letter to the Editor: Reminder About Study Showing Adverse Effects of Meditation Dear Lighthouse Trails: This article came up in a feed, and I thought it might be a useful reminder to your readers. It’s a 2017 shallow academic re-run of what LHT has devotedly and thoroughly covered in depth for years! I imagine a title like: “Study Names 59 Categories of Unexpected and Unwanted Side Effects ... [Read more...] The post Letter to the Editor: Reminder About Study Showing Adverse Effects of Meditation appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • World Leader of Salvation Army Meets With Pope Francis/Vatican to Discuss Ecumenical Plans
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 2, 2019 at 1:50 pm

    World Leader of Salvation Army Meets With Pope Francis/Vatican to Discuss Ecumenical Plans According to a November 2019 posting on the Salvation Army website titled, “World Leader of The Salvation Army General Brian Peddle meets His Holiness Pope Francis,” it appears that the Salvation Army is part of the growing ranks of evangelical organizations in the race toward unity at all costs. The post from the Salvation Army ... [Read more...] The post World Leader of Salvation Army Meets With Pope Francis/Vatican to Discuss Ecumenical Plans appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • A Word About Salvation Versus “the Contemplative Way”
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on December 1, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    A Word About Salvation Versus “the Contemplative Way” By Ray Yungen Knowing Jesus Christ is not merely religion or spirituality but is rather a personal relationship with Him. Romans 10:2 speaks of those who have a “zeal for God but not according to knowledge.” Many contemplative writers describe a spiritual despondency they suffer before turning to mystical prayer as a remedy, and consequently ... [Read more...] The post A Word About Salvation Versus “the Contemplative Way” appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • Being Thankful Through It All
    by Lighthouse Trails author on November 28, 2019 at 8:27 am

    Being Thankful Through It All By Warren B. Smith In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Thankfulness is our attempt as believers to express the inexpressible—the amazing gratitude we feel for the amazing grace bestowed upon us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He not only ... [Read more...] The post Being Thankful Through It All appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

  • Ironside: “If Only I Could Be Sure I Was in the Right Church.”
    by Lighthouse Trails Editors on November 24, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    Ironside: “If Only I Could Be Sure I Was in the Right Church.” LTRP Note: The following is from Harry Ironside’s book Full Assurance. By Harry Ironside A comment put to me: “If I could only be sure I was in the right church, I would feel secure; but there are so many different churches that I get all confused and upset.” My response: The church is not ... [Read more...] The post Ironside: “If Only I Could Be Sure I Was in the Right Church.” appeared first on Lighthouse Trails Inc.

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name [Jesus Christ] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

HOME ABOUT US RESEARCH JOURNAL BOOKLET TRACTS RESOURCES OUR WEBSITES

Copyright 2002-2019. Lighthouse Trails Publishing, Inc.