By Rev. Ken Silva
One of the emerging Hollow Men and wolf in sheep’s clothing Guru Brian McLaren is set to bring the spiritual poison of the neo-liberal cult of the Emergent Church to Canada once again. Spiritual Director McLaren has been invited to be the featured speaker at the 2006 Conference on Evangelism sponsored by the Atlantic Baptist Mission (ABM) of New Brunswick October 16 through the 19th.
Guru McLaren is a leading advocate of the anti-Reformation practice of Contemplative Spirituality and openly denies the inerrancy and final authority of Holy Scripture. Then as I also point out in Brian McLaren in Denial in addition he denies the vicarious penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the Cross. What follows is the saga of one brother who is doing his best to alert the growing liberal leadership within this denomination to the very grave danger into which they place their flocks by bringing in this heretic.
Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood, And sin as if with cart ropes; Who say, “Let Him make speed, let Him hasten His work, that we may see it; And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near And come to pass, that we may know it!”
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:18-21, NASB)
Alerting The Body Of Christ To The Emergent Danger
I also cover this issue in Brian McLaren: Emergent Infecting Canada. Jim Christian, who is working with The Dangers of the Emerging Churchsection of the website Take Back Canada writes me:
Dear Pastor Ken Silva,
The Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches [CABC] is part of the largest Baptist convention in Canada. They have invited Brian McLaren, one of the chief proponents of the "emerging church" movement to be their feature speaker for their 4 day "2006 Conference on Evangelism", starting on October 16th. Some controversy has recently developed after I wrote a letter of concern to our churches, sent out copies by mail to over 400 of our pastors in Atlantic Canada, and put together a website compiling articles on the subject.
I enclose for your information, a copy of my letter to the pastors, and a copy of another email sent out to every Convention Baptist pastor in our four Atlantic provinces. This second letter, from the Executive Minister and the Director of the Atlantic Baptists, states that "McLaren is theologically orthodox" and that McLaren "will be a breath of fresh air" !
Many pastors have shared with me that they perceive the CABC to have become very liberal over the years. But, this really takes the cake... theologically speaking.
I'm passing this on to you because I know of your interest in contending for the purity of the gospel message. What you do with it is up to you. I am not a pastor or theologian, and feel I cannot take this any further on my own. However, it is a very serious matter, and I pray that more capable men than me will be used of God to accomplish His will.
In Him,
Jim Christian
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax1@eastlink.ca
The Educated Pride Of The Cult Of Liberalism
Being that my late mother was from Sydney, Nova Scotia this immediately caught my attention. My brother in Christ, who is not ordained and thereby almost certianly to be ignored by a spiritually proud ABM leadership, also included the letter he sent to his denomination anyway:
MY LETTER TO THE PASTORS:
October 1, 2006
Dear Pastor,
Last week, we received a copy of the “Convention Connection” in our bulletin. The first item is a full page ad for the 2006 Evangelism Conference, coming up October 16th to 19th, in St. Andrews, NB. As you probably already know, the main speaker for those four days is a very controversial character by the name of Brian McLaren.
Brian McLaren is the foremost promoter of the “emerging church” movement, and has written a number of books on the subject. In fact, the overall theme of the conference is based on one of McLaren’s recent books, “New Kind of Christian, New Kind of Church?”
The purpose of this letter to you is to ask that you will thoroughly investigate this “emerging church” concept before attending the St. Andrews conference. It should become obvious to you quite quickly why so many Christians have become alarmed at the implications of the ECM’s influence in general, and the teachings of Brian McLaren in particular.
I prayerfully urge you to go to www.takebackcanada.com/emergingchurch.html - and read and listen to what some concerned pastors, teachers and authors have to say on the subject.
Since I became a Christian, back in the early 1970s, Romans 10 has always been a very important chapter to me. Especially, the 17th verse, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” It grieves me to see the influence of a movement that denies that Word coming into our Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches.
I would also ask you to pass this along to others who may be planning to attend, and to other concerned Christians you may know for their evaluation. Your response is more than welcome, if you wish.
In His service,
Jim Christian
20 years a member of West End Baptist Church, Halifax
Email: Halifax1@eastlink.ca
www.takebackcanada.com/emergingchurch.html
The Sad, But Expected Response
Now I will share with you the response which came from Dr. Harry Gardner, Executive Minister and Dr. Malcolm Beckett, Director of Atlantic Baptist Mission through a Rev. Bruce Fawcett, Ph.D who is Associate Executive Minister in the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches the missions arm of the CABC. Ethically I cannot publish it in its entirety but I will point out a few salient points from this correspondence. These men reference a letter they “recently” received from “Jim Christian, a layperson from Halifax NS, sent...to many of our pastors.”
Jim explains that Gardner and Beckett informed the Reverend Dr. Fawcett, who works directly with them, that “Mr. Christian identifies our guest speaker for this month’s evangelism conference in St. Andrew’s NB as ‘a very controversial character named Brian McLaren.’ ” And Christian further tells us that Fawcett was then directed by Gardner and Beckett to:
distribute their letter to ALL of the pastors and churches in the CABC. Thus, it went out to counteract my letter to the pastors in essence from the three of them. I see it as an attempt to both marginalize me and my concerns, and to do some rapid damage control. I've never seen them react so quickly! They must be feeling some threat to their authority.
These men flatly deny what Brother Jim had correctly pointed out in that there is “a renewal movement within Christianity called the Emergent Church, supported by Mr. McLaren, [which itself] denies the Word of God.” Then Gardner and Beckett go on to say that in their opinion:
Since this serious charge was leveled in such a public way, and since our Convention has always had the highest regard for God’s Word, we felt a response to his letter was warranted.
So these two officials from ABM continue by making “several observations.” In fairness the first group of “observations” are the typical disclaimers made by all of us involved in Christian ministry. They say: “None of us as ministers may agree with everything guest speakers might say in our churches or at an event we sponsor.” However, what they say next is of great concern and reveals the depth that this Emergent rebellion against the Bible has reached within the evangelical camp of our Lord’s Church. Gardner and Beckett continue that “based on our reading of McLaren’s writings” as well as their personally having “heard him speak in a variety of settings” they are now “persuaded that McLaren is theologically orthodox.”
Sadly, these Christian leaders have been duped by McLaren’s a-logical double-speak and redefinition of Christian terminology into believing that “his creative and innovative approach to ministry in this secular era warrants consideration by the leadership of our churches.” Gardner and Beckett do acknowledge that they might not “agree with all of his conclusions” yet sadly they also inform their brother minister that McLaren “will challenge us to think deeply about how we lead our churches in the future.” In addition Gardner and Beckett show they have been taken in by McLaren’s faux humility as they write that Guru McLaren “himself is aware of criticisms of his writings and has responded to the misunderstandings and misrepresentations with grace and warmth here.
The Awful Price Of Silence
Perhaps you don’t think that weak-willed evangelical leaders refusing to speak out and/or not having the spiritual acumen that “layman” Jim Christian has in calling out Brian McLaren for his heresies hasn’t had an adverse effect. Then consider the tragic words that now follow from Gardner and Beckett:
Second, our opinion of McLaren’s orthodoxy is shared broadly within mainstream evangelicalism where his leadership is widely recognized. He is a Contributing Editor for Christianity Today and a columnist for Leadership Journal. Zondervan has published many of his books. He has written books with Stan Grenz, Leonard Sweet and Erwin McManus.
He has served as a visiting instructor at Fuller Theological Seminary and a variety of other colleges and seminaries. He has spoken at events sponsored by Tyndale Seminary, Vision New England, Calvin College, the Christian Missionary Alliance, and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Carey Theological College, the seminary of our sister Convention, the Baptist Union of Western Canada.
And unfortunately though our brother Jim Christian “made his concerns known” to them, in the end and quite expectedly Gardner and Beckett tell the other director “we simply did not agree with his conclusions about McLaren’s teaching.” No surprise there but I believe the Lord is pleased that at least we have tried to alert the ABM to the reimagined liberalism and repainted social Gospel regurgitated by teachers of counterfeit Christianity like Guru Brian McLaren and Rob Bell, the Elvis of Emergent. Yet in spite of our warnings Gardner and Beckett still go on to say:
It is our view that McLaren will be a breath of fresh air at this year’s evangelism conference and it is obvious from the fact that the event is full with a waiting list that many in our Convention family desire fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to ministry. We ask you to join us in praying that this year’s evangelism conference will serve as a catalyst for renewal and growth within the evangelism ministries of our churches.
May the Lord reward Jim Christian as well as the others who worked so hard behind the scenes whose names are known to me, but more importantly the LORD God Almighty Himself, for trying to get these spiritually obtuse leaders within the Atlantic Baptist Mission to see through the seducing spirits working within the Reformation-denying and Bible-hating neo-liberal cult of the Emergent Church spreading Satan’s doctrines of devils.
A Call To Take Up Your Sword Of The Spirit And Fight!
As I close let me share some words with you that Jim sent to a pastor in an attempt to help him see what these blind men of ABM just wont see:
I exchanged several letters back and forth with Harry Gardner and Malcolm Beckett throughout the summer on this subject. They would not engage in a discussion of the actual teachings of Emerging Church guru, Brian McLaren. They would only say, basically, that he was coming no matter what anyone said, and even though they did not agree 100% with his entire theology, that it would be “beneficial” for attendees to sit under his teachings (for four days) and then “make up their own minds.”
I would agree with perhaps a graduate level class at seminary doing such - as they should have their minds sharpened for such debate. But, to unleash him upon country church Sunday-school teachers and others who look to the CABC leadership for guidance, seeing the ENDORSEMENT they are giving to McLaren, is unconscionable. Four days of his teaching may well lead to the downfall of our convention as a viable Christian witness here in Atlantic Canada.
I commend all of my brothers and sisters in Canada who have tried to make others aware of the seriousness of this matter of Brian McLaren coming to their nation to further infect its evangelicalism. You need to understand that evangelicalism never renounced its humanism in the first place and is already dying from the spiritual poison of the original Cult of Liberalism. But a strong effort was made and though McLaren is still set to appear there’s hope that some will be reached as Jim also tells us:
The website I have distributed gives pastors, and others, the opportunity to see beforehand why so many strong and faithful Christian leaders have great difficulty accepting the full package of the "emerging church" and its primary spokesman, Brian McLaren. The website, and the letter we sent out, is a call for God's people to "research" this issue, to be as the Bereans, mentioned in Acts 17:11. If we love God, His Word and His children we are to contend for the faith. It grieves us that this is so lacking in some churches, today.
And finally here is the sad truth concerning Emergent hypocrites playing at being Christians. As I point out in Rob Bell And Being Arrogant these Emergent leaders put on the front of being so loving and tolerant...that is...until one publicly disagrees with them. But Jim is right when he points out what the methodology of these Emergent wolves in sheep’s clothing is:
At the Evangelism Conference, McLaren will be very personable, humble, tell a few jokes, portray himself as misunderstood, even persecuted. But, behind the mask lies a very intelligent and clever opponent of the gospel of Christ. Please see on the website, his scathing attack on brother Chuck Colson. It is very telling.
I’d encourage you to look at more than one link on the Take Back Canada site. There are many comments from many Christian leaders and are presented in the hope that the Lord will open eyes and bless hearts.
To which I add a hearty amen. If you feel so led I’m sure Jim would be delighted to receive some encouragement from you. But if you are among those who have been following these Emergent fools like Brian McLaren and Rob Bell and Tony Jones who so brazenly dare to deny God’s Word from within His Church then the following admonision is for you. Don’t be fooled. As it is written:
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20, KJV)
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