Warning Signs your Church may be Merging with the Emergent Church

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prism

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Here are some of the warning signs:
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.

https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2019/newsletter20190226.htm
 
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historyb

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

Where is this idea to be found?

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

The Church always did these things until some evangelicals thought they knew better
 

Willie T

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Where is this idea to be found?



The Church always did these things until some evangelicals thought they knew better
*Prism*, like so many others, has simply found yet another "label" they are supposed to hate..... without really even finding out what and who "those" people are.
 
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bbyrd009

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*Prisim*, like so many others, has simply found yet another "label" they are supposed to hate..... without really even finding out what and who "those" people are.
His description of "Emergent church" practices sure is diff from my experience with them? So I think we must be talking about two diff things. I go to an Emergent Congregation in Colorado, and know of a couple others in the valley. Strong Catholic presence in Colo too, that is where I volunteer for catholic charities in fact, but I witnessed no liturgical or candle lighting or ceremonies at all?

Just went back for a visit over Xmas and these Indy Emergent congregations have even like linked up with the others, a hallmark seems to be a meal after services, and the congregation's finances posted on the wall in the foyer, a la Mennonite practice.

felt like a revival to me tbh. We gotta be talking about diff things I guess
 

Willie T

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His description of "Emergent church" practices sure is diff from my experience with them? So I think we must be talking about two diff things. I go to an Emergent Congregation in Colorado, and know of a couple others in the valley. Strong Catholic presence in Colo too, that is where I volunteer for catholic charities in fact, but I witnessed no liturgical or candle lighting or ceremonies at all?

Just went back for a visit over Xmas and these Indy Emergent congregations have even like linked up with the others, a hallmark seems to be a meal after services, and the congregation's finances posted on the wall in the foyer, a la Mennonite practice.

felt like a revival to me tbh. We gotta be talking about diff things I guess
Yes. Unless a person has worshiped with any group, and spent some time with them, to me, detractors here are only blindly parroting what someone else told them to believe.
 

bbyrd009

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"blood soaked" is I guess a reflection of this, ya. Imo it's like "precept upon precept," seems like a good idea at the time, but actually a curse
 

Enoch111

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Where is this idea to be found?
Within Scripture itself. The very fact that Scripture is called "the Word of God" should be sufficient.
The Church always did these things until some evangelicals thought they knew better
The truth is that all of those things were extra-biblical and man-made teachings which should have been rejected the minute they surfaced.
 

historyb

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Within Scripture itself. The very fact that Scripture is called "the Word of God" should be sufficient.[/qsuote]

It's not, that's just a cop out. There should be somewhere that says this and by the way God's Word is Christ not the Bible, the Bible is a word of God.

The truth is that all of those things were extra-biblical and man-made teachings which should have been rejected the minute they surfaced.

Shows you don't know history at all. Each of these things had everything to do with Christianity. Study history get a clue
 

prism

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*Prism*, like so many others, has simply found yet another "label" they are supposed to hate..... without really even finding out what and who "those" people are.
I know what the emergents are, and that list is quite accurate. Who said 'hate'? I feel sorry for ones that play fast and loose with God's Word.
 
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historyb

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I gave the link.

No answer. As willie said your just parroting something to hate without really knowing anything about the historic Church. The problem with the lot of you is you think that anything that is not like how you practice Christianity is false and when in reality it's the other way around.
 

prism

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There should be somewhere that says this and by the way God's Word is Christ not the Bible, the Bible is a word of God.
God's written Word is as true as His living Word, as a matter of fact it is our defense from those who claim 'Thus saith the Lord' and so called 'Church Traditions' when they are found to be contrary to Scripture.
 

prism

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No answer. As willie said your just parroting something to hate without really knowing anything about the historic Church. The problem with the lot of you is you think that anything that is not like how you practice Christianity is false and when in reality it's the other way around.
Are you able to reply substantially to the article without false assumptions and personal attacks?
 
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historyb

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God's written Word is as true as His living Word, as a matter of fact it is our defense from those who claim 'Thus saith the Lord' and so called 'Church Traditions' when they are found to be contrary to Scripture.

Still it doesn't say anything about the Bible being "ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith". That idea is only found in men not in Scripture, in Scripture the Church is the pillar and Foundation of truth.
 

historyb

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Are you able to reply substantially to the article without false assumptions and personal attacks?

Sure the article is nothing but a lie and people should not be so gullible to accept such trash
 

Enoch111

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It's not, that's just a cop out. There should be somewhere that says this and by the way God's Word is Christ not the Bible, the Bible is a word of God.
There are scores of verses which tell us that the Bible itself is the Word of God. And since Christ cannot be the Sword of the Spirit (which is metaphorically shown as going out of His mouth in Revelation), the Word of God is indeed the Bible: And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17)

And just so that you are crystal clear, "Saint" Peter calls the Gospel the Word of God (and he would frown on Catholics dodging this doctrine):

1 PETER 1
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.


Shows you don't know history at all. Each of these things had everything to do with Christianity. Study history get a clue
Actually I have read the History of the Christian Church by Philip Schaff. This history is recognized and respected by Christians as an accurate scholarly work. And what he tells us very plainly is that Christianity was hijacked and sabotaged by Paganism within the church of Rome. Check it out for yourself.
 

prism

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Still it doesn't say anything about the Bible being "ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith". That idea is only found in men not in Scripture, in Scripture the Church is the pillar and Foundation of truth.
So what would you say is the ultimate authority?
By quoting Scripture to establish that 'the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth' instead of Scripture is actually self defeating. (You are using Scripture as that authority).
 

historyb

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There are scores of verses which tell us that the Bible itself is the Word of God. And since Christ cannot be the Sword of the Spirit (which is metaphorically shown as going out of His mouth in Revelation), the Word of God is indeed the Bible: And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17)

And just so that you are crystal clear, "Saint" Peter calls the Gospel the Word of God (and he would frown on Catholics dodging this doctrine):

1 PETER 1
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.



Actually I have read the History of the Christian Church by Philip Schaff. This history is recognized and respected by Christians as an accurate scholarly work. And what he tells us very plainly is that Christianity was hijacked and sabotaged by Paganism within the church of Rome. Check it out for yourself.


Verse 23 - Christ. Try to get your lies straight. For information Christianity was corrupted by people who abandoned historic Christianity