MBS 101 - New Age Teachings

THE CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT

Christianity has recently seen a rise in the Church Growth Movement within its ranks. This movement can be broken down and explained in four different parts. They can be looked at in regards to "Sciences, Marketing, Surveys, and Demographics," "Business and the New Age," "The Rise of Corporate Babylon in the Church," and "Mosaic’s Eastern Religion Influences."

With regards to the ideas of "Science, Marketing, Surveys, and Demographics," the Church Growth Movement tries to combine these worldly ideals with the things of the Bible. They are attempting to sell Christianity to people the same way a company would attempt to sell a product to the masses. The problem with this is that the Bible tells us to stay away from the things of the world and turn to Jesus for what we need. Christ did not use these tactics when preaching and neither should Christians.

The Church Growth Movement believes that in today’s society, scripture does not contain all the truths needed for success in life. So they turn to ideas like psychology and entertainment to preach to the people. They attempt to create a non-threatening atmosphere to attract believers. Eventually the teaching of the scripture fades away and the services become more like seminars than worship. Instead of a pastor ministering to people, the leader will be called a facilitator. The Church Growth Movement will suggest applications to the membership of the church with strict commitments. Peer pressure will also be used to guide members along with the church’s rules and computers will be utilized to track attendance and tithing.

The demographic studies will then take place with surveys within the community. The surveys will find out what will bring people to church and then The Church Growth Movement may offer those things to the public. Christian symbols will then disappear from the church and the entertainment factor will take over. But the problem is that even believers in The Church Growth Movement knows their techniques do not always work, so they look for sneakier ways to get people in the doors. So it leaves people with the question of why they are actually going church. It is for the entertainment value or to receive the saving grace of the Lord.

The book of Revelation warns us to be aware of slick businessmen who seduce us with the way of the corporate world. The Church Growth Movement draws people in by their business front but teaches new age doctrines along with the scripture. Some of the ministers within these movements do not even realize that what they are told to teach is new age philosophies because they have been packaged so neatly.

The rise of the corporate ideal is becoming more and more apparent in the church and especially in the Church Growth Movement. It is similar to the Babylon of old. In old Babylon, the temples were where people met for business and socializing. Today, businesses are becoming the same sort of thing, and they influence everything from the economy to spiritual needs.

One such example of a Church Growth Movement which incorporates many of these ideals is the Mosaic movement. Mosaic states it is an organization dedicated to making "radical disciples for Christ." It is an exclusive church which requires one to have a membership. Followers are required to tithe ten percent and more if possible. They are required to attend certain meetings and total commitment is important. It is possible to attend without following these rules, but one is not able to be involved in leading any form of ministry.

There are also no paid personnel but everyone who ministers are volunteers. The services are considered "multi-sensory experiences" in that there may be different things going on such as painting, sculpting, or dancing. These are meant to inspire the church goers to hear more of the message being taught.

Several metaphors have also been used to describe this type of movement and the people within it. The pastor has been called a spiritual environmentalist as the Church Growth Movement promotes new age and eastern philosophies. The church is also seen as being part of an ecosystem, as they believe those who do not change will not survive, which is similar to Darwin’s theory of evolution, a concept not in line with Biblical teachings. The Church Growth Movement followers even state a ministry that is entirely text based will fail and visual images are needed if the church is to survive.

Church Growth Movement doctrines teach people to search for the "experiential" and connect with those things that are "primal and natural." We should try to keep up with the culture of the day and strive for the "postmodern journey." All of these ideals are very much like the philosophies of Buddhism, which are not conducive with Biblical teachings.

The discipline of the arts has also become a big part of the Church Growth Movement’s ideals. They believe that art is a "medium for canvassing the soul of the people," as apposed to God being the only thing that we need in our lives. Aesthetics is also stressed, with the idea it can transform people without the need of God.

In summary, the philosophies of the Church Growth Movement do nothing to further the cause of the Lord and only help the ways of the world to increase in popularity. People are taught to "worship" in new ways under the guise of being Biblical while they are actually taking part in new age rituals and promoting non-Biblical philosophies. The Bible tells us that the ways of the world will entice us and it is up to us to read the Word and try to spot these deceptions. Otherwise, we may be led astray from the ways of the Lord and not realize it until it is too late.

VISUALIZATION

Lately everyone has been talking about the doctrine of visualization. It is a concept which began in the East but has since come to the West. It was started for use in the occult and spiritualism but has found its way into Christian circles. It is called Divination in the Bible but yet this practice is taught in mainstream churches.

One of the more common terms for visualization is the phrase "guided imagery." It is a process between a teacher and a student. The teacher will tell the student to imagine a setting and he will be guided there. Then some form of being should be seen and this becomes a guide. The guide then helps the person overcome a problem, which is the point of the exercise.

Christians are being taught this method in a way that can help them visualize Jesus. But the Old Testament calls this practice "divination" and it is forbidden by God. But by calling it by another name and making it seem like a Christian practice, people are being deceived by this idea.

The ideas of Eastern philosophy are slowing creeping into Western Christian culture. Occult terminology is being replaced by Eastern wisdom and by doing this, people see these practices as acceptable. Visualization is being utilized in the New Age Movement and this has its roots in Hinduism and Occultism. It is also being used for people to become one with god or even to try to become a god.

Some in the West who think that visualization is a science do not realize that what they are doing is the same thing that Buddhists have been doing for years. It is also being used in some other organizations, one being WICCA. This is a group of witches who use visualization for good instead of evil. Astral Projection is another group which practices this doctrine. They teach how to have an out of body experience through meditation. This supposedly enables the soul to travel wherever the practitioner wants it to go. Channeling then takes visualization to the next step. It uses the process to channel beings through people so they can be communicated with.

Visualization is also sometimes referred to as "Spiritual Alchemy." In alchemy, the purpose for visualization is to contact a higher intelligence or spirit guide. One tries to transform themselves to become a better being. "Dream Teachings" are also a part of alchemy but at the same time this practice is taught as science and has worked its way into Christianity. Hindu missionaries have even been sent out to teach visualization under the guise of Hinduism and yoga. Sometimes it is referred to as "transcendental meditation."

Within Tibetan Buddhism, the theme of death is spoken about in regards to visualization. A person near death will be taken to an altered state to contact their personal guides to help them in the dying process. In Western culture this could be seen as a self help technique with no reference to religion at all. Zen Buddhism has also spread to the west with its teaching of Zazen, which is a form of sitting meditation. This incorporates a form of pantheism within its teachings and beliefs.

Within the Christian doctrine, the Bible teaches that the practice of visualization is wrong. This doctrine has become "Christianized" but is still wrong in God’s eyes. The book of Deuteronomy 18 states not to be around anyone who uses "divination, witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or one who calls up the dead." New age practices are becoming merged with Christian practices without people realizing they are forbidden by God.

Some have said that visualization does not count in Deuteronomy 18. The definition of witchcraft is "one who practices magic," and visualization is considered magic in some doctrines. A sorcerer is one who casts a spell or practices magic, also similar to definitions of visualization. A medium is also known as a channeler and they try to use visualization to bring forth spirits guides. Also, one who calls up the dead can be seen as someone who channels spirits and uses visualization within his craft.

These practices forbidden by God can be seen taking place in the Bible at different times. Saul sought counsel from a medium so she could call forth the spirit of Samuel to give him advice. For his sin, the Bible says that he died because he sought the counsel of a medium instead of the Lord. In Numbers, Balak hired a sorcerer to curse the nation of Israel. As punishment for this, Balak was killed by the Israelites for his sins. 2 Chronicles tells the story of King Manasseh who worshiped false idols and practiced astrology. God punished him by allowing him to be captured by his enemies. When he repented, God blessed him and returned his kingdom to him.

One of the dangers of visualization is the fact that your mind goes into an altered state. When this happens the person loses a sense of reality and leaves themselves open to be taken over by the "spirits" they are seeking. The "spirits" could also appear when they are not wanted if they have become part of the person’s unconscious mind and this could cause severe personality problems with the practitioner.

In conclusion, the practice of visualization is one that has crept into mainstream society and Christianity in many forms. From its beginnings in the East, visualization has taken the guise of different teachings but in the end they are all basically the same. The Bible teaches us that this doctrine is wrong and should not be practiced by anyone. We should safeguard ourselves against this type of evil and ensure we are not fooled by its promises of getting closer to God or greater spiritual maturity.

MYSTICISM

There has been a recent rise in the evangelical attraction to mysticism. Since the Reformation, the Protestant and Catholic churches have been growing further apart. But more and more there is a subtle mystical movement which is attempting to bring the two parties together.

Mysticism is "the habit or tendency of religious thought and feeling of those who seek direct communion with God or the divine." This idea can be broken down into two separate truths. The first is that the mystic wants to seek a direct experience with God and second is the whole of the religious truth is subjective to the seeker’s experience.

One place where mysticism can be found is within Catholicism. It began around the fifth or six century A.D. with a Syrian monk. He wrote several treatises in which he tried to merge the catholic faith with Neo-Platonism. He believed that through asceticism and meditation, one could know God and His "dark no-thingness." This form of thinking was revived in the 12th and 13th century within the Catholic Church and then up through to the 16th century with writings by popular mystics. But a careful examination of these beliefs shows that this is not Christianity but a version of Eastern mysticism.

Evangelical Protestantism also has its believers in this form of thinking. One such proponent of mysticism was Meister Eckhart, a Dominican priest from the 14th century. He taught that everyone had a divine spark within them and that Christ is in the soul. Eckhart’s teachings were an influence on Johann Tauler, another Dominican from the same period. He taught there were three stages in the life of a mystic: a life of spirituality and virtue, spiritual poverty, and the transition into a divinized life. He did not teach about the atonement of Christ but only about mystical ideas and doctrine.

During the seventeenth century, a pietistic movement began to grow, especially among German Lutherans. It stressed subjective over objective aspects of the religion. Some examples were Philip Spencer, Gottfried Arnold, and Johann Arndt.

Another example of a popular mystic figure is John Wesley. His parents were mystics and they influenced his beliefs. He tried to attain a level of perfection with his beliefs and kept some mystical doctrines but rejected others. His teachings eventually led to Finneyite Revivalism, the Holiness Movement, and Early Pentecostalism. These groups had their own unique mystical experiences and believed it was from God. The mid-nineteenth century saw a rebirth of Wesley’s teachings and great revivalism.

If one looks back it history, one can see the link between Catholic mysticism and the charismatic Christian movements. They both developed from the mysticism which began in the Catholic Church. This movement taught three steps to "deification": The Purgative, the Illuminative, and The Unitive. This is similar to teachings by mystic monk Thomas Merton who said that Pentecostalism is the only way to spirituality and to attain spiritual perfection one must utilize three steps: the Charismatic Way, the Eastern Mystical Way, and the Traditional Catholic Way. Another reference to the similarity between Catholic mysticism and the charismatic movement can be seen in the book The Pentecostal Movement in the Catholic Church. The author Edward O’Connor states that everywhere that Mary has appeared a charismatic movement soon followed.

But even though mysticism has been so prevalent within Christianity, it is not compatible with true Christianity. One such reason is because is confuses God’s image with His essence. The Bible teaches that we are created in God’s image, not that we are God or He is in us. Another reason is that it goes against the need for a structured church environment. The mystic does not believe he needs earthly structure to reach God but the Bible teaches that the church structure is good for the believer. Thirdly, mysticism goes out of bounds when it comes to spirituality. It touches on things of the spirit which God never intended us experience.

Also, mystic experiences divide Christians into different categories. Mystics are sometimes seen as "super beings" within some denominations, but the Bible says we all have equal access to the Lord. Mysticism is a practice which can also be viewed as synergistic. The mystic seeks union with God through his own works and not salvation through God’s grace. This form of doctrine also voids the need for justification. If a person is able to commune directly with God and unite with him, there would be no need for repentance and forgiveness.

Mysticism even denies that Christ died for our sins as a substitute. They do not believe in the atonement and feel they can be made right with God through their experiences. Mystics also deny the fact of the Incarnation of Christ. They do not believe that Christ was God in the flesh that was sent to save the world of its sins. Mysticism also claims to be a selfless doctrine but is in fact very self-centered in its beliefs. The focus is on the mystic trying to find their own experience with God, leaving all others out.

Mystics also base their experiences on subjective results. Their experience with God is determined by how they feel and everyone can experience it differently. This is contradictory to what the Bible teaches. This doctrine can even lead to false church doctrine. If it is left to be subjective then no one will be teaching the same thing, namely the Bible. Mystical experiences can eventually lead to a forum of interfaith teachings. The mystic movement is very much based on Eastern religions and if it becomes blended with Christianity, there would be no recognizable form of Christianity left. Finally, the mystic doctrine is no different than the lie the serpent told to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Both are lies and both will doom mankind.

In conclusion, mysticism has been growing since its inception in Christianity. It has proved to be harmful to the faith, but some do not see it that way. Those who are starved for a religious experience will grasp to this teaching without realizing just how far from Christian doctrine it actually is. Even though there is the notion of bringing the Protestant and Catholic movements closer together, mysticism does nothing more than pervert the true nature of Christianity into a non-religion based on false doctrine and lies.

GODDESS WORSHIP

The mythology of years past is making a comeback in mainstream society. In 1993 a conference associated with the World Council of Churches, some people rejected the atonement of Christ as a necessary part of Christianity and the beliefs of witchcraft were promoted. As well, in modern society there is a movement towards goddess worship in its many forms. The deification of Mary within some churches shows that some believe that Christ is not the only way to salvation. People have visions of her and get messages from the appearances. This is not of God because the Bible tells us there is only one mediator between man and God and that person is Christ. We are also not to pray to any female deity or communicate with Mary because the scriptures states to pray to the Father and no one else.

Also in 1993, a group of people met for the Parliament of The World’s Religions to discuss the topic of unifying the religions of the world within the framework of spirituality. They spoke about everyone tolerating all other religions and trying to find common ground for all religions to agree on. During this conference, different worship services were performed by some of the different faiths. So some Christians participated in ceremonies held by witches, astrologists, and voodooists. But the book of Deuteronomy forbids people to engage in these practices because the Lord says they are sinful in nature and only through him should spirituality be attained. Today, this belief in a unified world religion is commonly known as Goddess Worship,

These conference goers also spoke about tolerance within all beliefs. One issue that was addressed was globalism and the idea of a one-world system of religion, government, and monetary system. This is the same issue addressed in Babel where everyone had the same language and speech and this caused nothing but problems with the people. Another topic discussed was science and how it could be blended into their beliefs. Spirituality in the workplace was also on the agenda, which stated that business should become the new spiritual vehicle of choice for people. These ideas can be seen in the churches of today where the idea of the one true church is becoming more popular.

The Bible teaches us there is only one way to bring churches and believers together and that is through Christ and the scriptures. All believers are under the body of Christ and only he can bring us together. Not all church bodies are under Christ nowadays because they have brought the philosophies of other beliefs into their doctrines. The Bible tells us that this type of belief system will not succeed or last, just as Babylon fell, so will the modern world system of religious beliefs.

The topic of psychology can also be seen as a part of the mythology culture in society today. Carl Jung, an early promoter of psychology, was a believer in myths. He felt that myths were "archetypes" of people’s mind that referenced to the ancient past. As well, both myth and psychology hold power in the world today. Mental attitudes can be changed through myths depending on what one wants to believe. Finally, there is the same occult theme running through both psychology and mythology. Some examples are dreams as symbols, visualization, and the idea of the inner child.

In the world today, one may be taking part in myth and psychology and not realize it. One area which uses both of these doctrines is in the practice of counseling. Some counselors use visualization to help their patients or teach the doctrine of the inner child. Some types of music can also be utilized for mind manipulation for certain types of agendas.

Within some new age circles, there is a growing movement of people who believe that the world is entering into the time of a new myth. This new myth will be followed by all people and a new god will be worshiped. The Bible confirms that this will happen. Jesus says that people would reject him and follow another. The book of Revelation speaks of a beast and anti-Christ which would be followed. This new belief system will use images or psychology to make people follow its doctrine.

As Christians, we should be able to recognize this new world order and preach out against its teachings. Christ tells us to enter through the narrow gates and avoid the wide gates, meaning we should not believe what the rest of the unsaved world is teaching. Some of the characteristics of the new religion emerging are the use of visualization, the belief in mythology, the church growth movement, the ecumenical movements, and the revival movements.

Reference to the earliest myths can be found in the Bible. The story of Babylon appears shortly after the flood recedes. These people attempted to be like gods, so the Lord scattered the people and gave them different languages so they could not keep sinning. Many different cultures had similar stories to this but with different names and the spirituality was the same. The blessing of Abraham also shows the importance of not following false myths. God tells him that the other people of the land would not be blessed because of their false beliefs and religions.

Today, idol worship and believing in signs and wonders are an option for society. People can worship weeping idols, false Gods, or even the "saints" of Christianity. These signs are not of God and we are not to follow them as such. Christians should only follow the word of God and worship Him and no one else.

In conclusion, the myths and religions of years past have crept into modern society and mainstream Christianity. By giving these doctrines a new name and new face, people have accepted these practices as common place and do not see anything wrong with them. As Christians, we should be able to recognize these untruths which are spoken about in the Bible and reject them as unholy and unchristian.

PARACHURCHES

The term parachurch is defined as "any ministry whose organization is not under the control or authority of a local congregation." These types of organizations are often led by someone who may or may not be an ordained minister. Often the people in the group are very zealous and feel that local churches are not offering what they are seeking. The parachurch congregation is often small but dedicated to their group. Because they are not part of a church, they usually meet in a home, a hall, or anywhere they can get space. Sometimes they may be on the verge of cult like status but this all depends on the philosophy of the leader of the group.

The parachurch is often based on a few Biblical doctrines or passages which the leader or members feel is important. This can then lead to ignoring other Biblical ideals which are just as important to Christianity, but often fall to the wayside in the parachurch. Many parachurches seem to come out of evangelical denominations, as these type of churches are often more zealous than other Christian denominations.

The nature of the parachurch is one which presents challenges to the Christian church body. They force the church to promote the Biblical role of the church which was set out by Christ and the apostles. This role should be seen as the means by which people are taught the word of Christ and their hearts are brought to salvation. The parachurch can distort this role by telling people that is what the parachurch is trying to do because the church is not doing it.

The church must also be able to show its value to the people to keep the parachurches at bay. The value of the church is that if it is based on sound Christian doctrine, it will be able to provide Christian leadership in the community while keeping Christianity as it was meant to be. This leadership will enable other believers to spread the word of Christ through Biblical means and by the work of the Holy Spirit. Followers should also be able to trust in the church to back them up if need be and support their ministry if the opportunity arises.

If the community cannot see that the Christian church is promoting its roles and values, this can hurt Christianity in the eyes of believers and non-believers. If the church is not filling people’s spiritual needs and they need to look to other organizations or parachurches to fill this need, then the church is not doing what it was intended to do. Very often parachurches will base their existence on only a few doctrinal points and focus on those issues in their ministries. If these doctrines are incorrect or false, then this could lead the church body down the wrong path spiritually and philosophically.

As well, parachurches which become too popular can take away the networking which exists within the Christian church. This networking often leads to a stronger body of believers which in turns creates a better ministry for Christ. But if the outside influence of a parachurch takes away from a good ministry, this can inhibit the individual’s spiritual growth as well as the opportunity to bring others to Christ.

With the increase in attendance at parachurches and the outreach ministries that often accompany them; this decreases the ministries that the church provides. This can be hurtful to the spiritually naive, as these parachurch outreach ministries could be based on fallacy or false doctrine. For someone who does not know any better, this may lead them to believe this doctrine and become part of the parachurch and the cycle continues. This makes for less people to perform the ministries of the church, which is based on sound doctrine and Biblical principles.

In conclusion, Christians should be wary of the nature of the parachurch. Although it may appear to be a harmless group of believers, it is often full of wrong doctrine and false ideals. Its members may be well intentioned but can be led astray by its elders or leader. Christians should stick with the traditional church as its beliefs have been based on Biblical ideas and have stood the test of time.