Thoughts About Brian McLaren

I'm not very good about keeping up with my Blogs. I do the best I can, but the truth is there's so much going on in my life it just isn't easy to find the time to sit and write something -- even if you do type at 65+ words per minute.

That being said, I think it is time for me to speak about an issue that keeps coming up in my conversations with people when I tell them that the church we are starting is an Emergent Church. Maybe you don't know what Emergent is? I'm not going to take the time to talk about it now, but you can read a lot about Emergent by googling. You can also go here: http://www.ginkworld.net/ for some great information, articles and links related to Emergent and Emergent Culture.

Now, to the point: I don't know Brian McLaren. I have not read his books and most of what I have heard about Brian has been from his detractors and people how have been concerned about what he teaches.

Last year I was invited to participate on a nation-wide radio program to talk about the Emergent Church Movement, along with a pastor who has written a book "warning" people about the "new age" movement called "Emergent".

Most the per-screening conversation that I had with the show's host was asking me -- in one way or another -- whether or not I believed and taught the same things as Rev. Brian McLaren.

I chose not to be on the program.

The reason I chose against doing it is because the program's host made it pretty clear their position that they already believed Emergent was a "new age movement."

For the Record: I have no idea what Brian McLaren teaches. No idea what he writes about. No idea what he believes.

Now that I've said all of this, I need to say the following: I am always willing to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone. I am not one who is willing to be found guilty of judging another man's servant (Romans 14:4), and from all I can tell from browsing Mr. McLaren's website, he professes to be a follower of the same Messiah I follow.

I tell everyone who hears me, "Don't listen to this man speaking to you!"
When was the last time you heard a pastor say that?

The Bible is pretty clear about our personal responsibility when it comes to our Salvation. We are not supposed to whole-heartedly swallow what any teacher, (preacher, pastor, evangelist, etc.), says, without testing it with the Word of God and Prayer. That is why I tell everyone who listens to me teach, "Don't listen to this man speaking to you!"

The Apostle Paul made a firm statement of this fact in Phillipians, chapter 2: 12-16

"12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing"

For these Scriptural reasons I've chosen to be an encourager and NOT a critic. To be a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9), and to encourage people to Test for themselves the validity of what they hear (or read).

You know what I do when Critics start chasing my words?

Nothing at all.

I ignor them. I don't respond. I don't engage. It just isn't worth the trouble and the stress!

I am going to do what God has called me to do. I'm going to do everything He places before me with as much excellence and professionalism, grace and mercy, peace, love and compassion, as I can muster.

Maybe someday I'll have time to read one of Brian McLaren's books. Right now, God has given me so much to do I just don't have the time. I've got a Bible believing church to build, and the Emergent Church Model is the vehicle I'm using to reach people who would otherwise NEVER be reached for Jesus.

--T0V