{"id":315,"date":"2008-05-26T10:45:47","date_gmt":"2008-05-26T15:45:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/?p=315"},"modified":"2013-04-17T14:48:03","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T22:48:03","slug":"biggest-church-fad-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/biggest-church-fad-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Biggest Church Fad of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

In complete contradiction to my post from Wednesday,<\/a> and\u00a0in response to\u00a0my blogging friends Helen and\u00a0Bullet<\/a>, I decided to post the following article. I wrote it several months ago, and have wavered about posting it, but never have, for fear of being too critical of those who are critical. So you be the judge:\u00a0Does the following type of criticism need to be said, or are such things better left unsaid? Notice I don’t name any names…but I easily could. Maybe if I said it with more humor? Maybe I should just go back to bed.<\/p>\n

The biggest church fad of all time is carried out by those Christians who take it upon themselves to warn others about all the church fads going around. Every time a new Christian book comes out, these self-proclaimed\u00a0prophets of discernment\u00a0send out a newsletter slamming the book and the author. Every time someone preaches something a little questionable, or does something a little edgy in their service, you can be sure this\u00a0discernment ministry\u00a0will condemn such practices in their newsletter or next book.<\/p>\n

Such “discernment ministries” have criticized\u00a0the seeker-sensitive movement, the purpose-driven church, the emerging church, and every other attempt that some Christians make to reach this world with the love of Jesus.\u00a0 Meanwhile, they’re not really doing much evangelism and ministry themselves. They talk a lot about grace, but don’t actually live or show it. But they are expert finger pointers.<\/p>\n

And I am always amazed at the following that such “truth at all cost” teachers amass!<\/p>\n

On the other hand, I shouldn’t be too amazed at how many people follow along. After all, in the 1980’s millions of us spiked our hair, wore fluorescent green shirts, and tight-rolled our pants. And when we emerged from that fad, most of us scratched our heads and said to ourselves, “What were we thinking?” That is happening today as well, as people come to their senses about such “ministries” whose primary purpose seems to bash every other ministry. We’ve had enough. We want ministries and ministers of love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, who don’t just talk about such things, but actually live\u00a0them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So there I go, bashing other ministries and Christians. I know, I know…Jesus did it (see Matt 23), and Paul (in almost every letter he wrote), and John (see every letter he wrote), and all the prophets (all the Prophetical books), but I’m not Jesus or an apostle.<\/p>\n

So I’m torn.\u00a0I’ve spent so much of my life being critical of others and I\u00a0want to stop, but at the same time, some things need to be said. I suppose it’s an issue of balance. Anyway, thanks for joining me on this schizophrenic post!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In complete contradiction to my post from Wednesday, and\u00a0in response to\u00a0my blogging friends Helen and\u00a0Bullet, I decided to post the following article. I wrote it several months ago, and have wavered about posting it, but never have, for fear of being too critical of those who are critical. So you be the judge:\u00a0Does the following […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28],"class_list":{"0":"post-315","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"tag-theology-general","7":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nBiggest Church Fad of All Time<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/biggest-church-fad-of-all-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Biggest Church Fad of All Time\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In complete contradiction to my post from Wednesday, and\u00a0in response to\u00a0my blogging friends Helen and\u00a0Bullet, I decided to post the following article. 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