“There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God’s commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won, not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I love history. It is the story of real people who fought real battles and left a rich heritage of wisdom and example. But, today, history is ignored. I think it was Henry Ford who said, “History is bunk!” That attitude is pervasive for us who live in the 21st century. It doesn’t matter how men and women have lived before us. We are self-made. We insist upon looking inside and shaping our destiny by individual feelings and desires. Who needs old and dead men and women to show us how to order our lives today?
The Bible has a whole different approach to life. Hebrews commands: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” [Heb. 13:7-8] God has given us heroes of the faith as models for us to remember, consider and imitate. Bonhoeffer was a real man, like you and me, who faced inconceivable evil on a national scale. He was one of a few Germans who dared to stand and fight against Hitler and his perverted purposes. The fact that he stood, fought and won in one of the darkest days in history, inspires me to try and uncover the secret of his unbelievable courage and conviction. If we are to create a whole new tribe of heroes for the dark days that are coming, we need to remember men like Bonhoeffer. This leader, although dead, still speaks through his life and through his words.
We need to do more than just remember, we also need to consider their lives. If you study the great men of history, you will probably find that they had their own heroes, men or women whose lives helped shape the direction and destiny of their lives. For us, most of the great men who are worthy of being called heroes are probably dead. That is why the reading of biographies is so important. We do ourselves and our loved ones a great disservice by imitating the “celebrities” of our day. What makes a true hero is character, a life of service and sacrifice that has found something so precious that it is not only worth living for, it is well worth dying for. I want to live a life like that, don’t you? Bonhoeffer lived like that. If we can uncover the secret of this man’s courage, maybe we can have the same kind of influence upon our own world.
One of the ways we can discover the secret of his extraordinary life is to consider words he wrote. Dietrich made a distinction between peace and security. Security demands that there be no pressure, no pain, no loss, no sacrifice and no risk. He would say that in this life there is no such thing. There will always be the possibility of experiencing sickness, betrayal, disappointment and evil. No such guarantees are given in the fallen world in which we live. Risk is woven into the fabric of what it means to be alive.
Of course, it is possible to live your life in such a way that you do your best to avoid all risks. You can put an electrified fence around your house and go out in daylight only when it is absolutely necessary; eat exclusively healthy foods and avoid all chocolate malts; refuse to ride airplanes and walk everywhere you go; play chess and croquet instead of football and soccer; eat every vitamin in the English alphabet, and come home one day, slip on a bar of soap and die in the shower!
Peace, on the other hand, is not the absence of risk but the presence of God. “Peace means giving oneself completely to God’s commandment, wanting no security…” God rules over all. When by faith we see the face of God in the revelation of King Jesus, everything changes. We realize that we live not in a random world but a universe designed with a glorious and eternal purpose. He rules all things comprehensively and meticulously for his glory. [Ephesians 1: 11]
God has chosen to manifest his greatness by saving us and calling us to follow Him into the world in the name and power of Jesus Christ. We are not left to ourselves to carve out a fleeting existence of personal comfort and safety. We are called by God to join Him in changing the world! Faith means we step into the unknown, knowing that even if he leads to the far side of the sea, even there his hand will guide us and his right hand will hold us fast. [Psalm 139:9-10]
Peace means obeying God’s commandment without guarantees of security or success, leaving the “destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct for selfish purposes.” The secret for Bonhoeffer was the conviction that the war he was involved in was right whether the battle ended “successfully” or not. He wrote, “And we simply cannot be constant with the fact that God’s cause is not always the successful one, that we really could be “unsuccessful”; and yet be on the right road. But this is where we find out whether we have begun in faith or in a burst of enthusiasm.”
This reminds me of J. I. Packer’s insight on the Puritans. He wrote, “They accepted conflict as their calling, seeing themselves as their Lord’s soldier-pilgrims, just as in Bunyan’s allegory, and not expecting to be able to advance a single step without opposition of one sort or another.” He then added, “The Puritans lost, more or less, every public battle that they fought….But the moral and spiritual victories that the Puritans won by keeping sweet, peaceful, patient, obedient, and hopeful under sustained and seemingly intolerable pressures and frustrations give them a high honor in the believer’s hall of fame…”
For Bonhoeffer, the die was cast when he met the Jesus revealed in Scripture. He began with granite-like faith and finished with unwavering obedience. Enthusiasm looks good at first but fizzles when the fire flares. He had counted the cost and was ready to suffer for the name of Jesus. His weapon was the power of God and his path was the way of the cross. It makes no sense to those who have not seen the glory of Jesus. But, for those of us who have seen him and experienced his peace, risk, loss and even death will not hold us back.
In 1938, Bonhoeffer presided at the confirmation of three young believers. As the days were getting darker in Germany and the cost of standing firm was becoming more painfully clear, he offered this counsel to those in attendance. “Confirmands today are like soldiers marching to war, the war of Jesus Christ against the gods of this world. It is a war that demands the commitment of one’s whole life. Is not God, our Lord, worthy of the struggle? Idolatry and cowardice confront us on all sides, but the direst foe does not confront us, he is within us. ‘Lord, help thou my unbelief.”
Our greatest battle is not with the enemies arrayed against us, but with the enemies of faith inside us. Whether we are fighting Nazi atrocities or life’s uncertainties, the most important thing a believer needs to be sure of, is this: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” [Heb. 13:7-8] The same Lord who was with Daniel in the lion’s den; with Paul in a Roman prison; and with Bonhoeffer on the gallows of Flossenburg; will be with us whenever we take up the fight for Christ the glory of his matchless name. Like Bonhoeffer we confess, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Through the Spirit of God, we will experience a miracle within. The written words of Scripture will miraculously become living promises of God, welling up within our souls. Then, security will no longer be our desire. Only risk and the presence of Christ and the glory of his name will matter.
We must shake off our fear of this world- the cause of Christ is at stake, and are we to be found sleeping? …Christ is looking at us and asking whether there is anyone left who confesses faith in him. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [Eph 6:10-13]
Wherever a people have turned to faith in Christ, wherever his words provide the principles that give direction to the culture, the Bible is honored. The Scriptures stand as a Rock of Gibraltar, establishing truth in black and white that will not be blown away by fads or popular opinion. If an enemy desires to destroy the influence of Christianity, he must silent or stifle the influence of the Bible.
That was the situation that Hitler and his Nazis faced when they tried to establish their Third Reich on a platform based upon a hatred of the Jews. The Bible just would not allow it. It was written down in black and white. The Jews, like all people, were created in the image of God and deserved to be treated with respect as any other human being. Beyond that, the Jews were God’s chosen people. So, if the Nazis were to win the support of the German Church, they would have to do some pretty clever manipulation and twisting of the Bible’s contents.
It was not just the support of the Jews that made the Nazis hate Christianity. They hated its “weakness” and its cross. One writer wrote concerning the cross, that it came from the “theology of the Rabbi Paul with it scapegoats and inferiority complex.”Such ideas were unworthy of the Aryan race and its destiny of world domination. Hitler bemoaned that fact when he wrote, “It has been our misfortune to have the wrong religion. Why couldn’t we have the religion of the Japanese, who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mahammedan religion too would have been much more compatible to us than Christianity. Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness?”
Many of the leaders of the church became sympathetic with Hitler’s ambitions. They tried their best to work out some sort of compromise that would allow the church to maintain her traditional ties to the Bible and also become a part of the National Socialist movement. Eventually, they stopped turning themselves into pretzels and realized their efforts were doomed to fail. To accomplish their goals they had to attack the Word and neutralize the truth that blocked their nationalistic desires.
In 1937, they determined that the “written word of Scripture was the problem.” They pointed out Jesus never wrote a book. Therefore, they decided that true Germans must move beyond mere written words. They concluded, “A demon always resides in the written word.” Once that principle was decided upon the door was wide open for all kinds of “needed” innovations.
In time it was also decided that sin and grace were a Jewish insertion into the New Testament and too negative a concept to fit the German mind. One writer explained,
A people, who, like our own, has a war behind them that they did not want, that they lost, and for which they were declared guilty, cannot bear it, when their sinfulness is constantly pointed out to them in an exaggerated way…Our people has suffered so much under the lie of war guilt that is the task and duty of the church and theology to use Christianity to give courage to our people, and not to pull them down into political humiliation.
For Bonhoeffer, this was a crucial battle. It was not just an internal struggle over minor issues of doctrine. The very existence of Christianity in Europe was at stake. Although he was well aware of Paul’s admonition to submit to the powers that govern, his devotion to scriptures pressed upon him an even greater weight: speaking out for those who have no voice. The life of Christ as presented in the Bible was a life lived for others. The Church could not remain quiet or inactive in the face of such evil and inhumanity toward victims of hate. He wrote, “It is high time we broke with our theologically based restraint towards the state’s actions- which after all, is only fear. “Speak out for those who cannot speak.” Who in the church today realizes that this is the very least that the Bible requires of us?”
I do not believe it is a stretch to see very real parallels between what happened in Bonhoeffer’s day and what is happening in ours. The details may be different but the dangers and consequences are not. We are seeing a wave of evil sweeping across our nation. Bible knowledge and Christian traditions are barely visible above this mighty surge of paganism. No Christian or Church leader who has maintained devotion to the Bible can ignore this massive tsunami that has inundated every institution that has given support to our society in the past. The question is, “How will we respond to this threat?”
The first thing we must do is recognize the danger. This is not something that will blow over or pass through. We are in a battle and it is a fight for our faith and joy in Jesus. This is not a just political struggle nor is it a cultural phenomenon. Behind these monumental shifts lie “authorities,” “rulers,” “powers in this dark world” and “spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.” [Ephesians 6: 10-19] For Bonhoeffer, the question was, “Christianity or Germanism?” and he added, “The sooner the conflict is revealed in the clear light of day the better.” For us the question is, “Faith or paganism?” It is just that clear, and the sooner we realize it the better we will be prepared for battle ahead.
Therefore, the second thing we must do is get ready for battle. Paul said it like this: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the enemy’s schemes.” There is no way we are going to stand against this flood in our own strength and power. The enemy is just too strong and too clever for us. So, we had better get the armor on and get our hearts ready for war.
Third, we must put off fear and put on confidence. Peter put it like this: “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." [1 Peter 3:14] But, what should we put in fear’s place? Peter tells us: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” [1 Peter 3:15] Remind yourself that it is the Lord Jesus that you serve. He called you and set you apart as his voice in a dark and evil world. He still rules. It is for him that you speak and suffer if needs be. Bonhoeffer exhorts us, “We must shake off our fear of this world- the cause of Christ is at stake, and are we to be found sleeping? …Christ is looking at us and asking whether there is anyone left who confesses faith in him.”
Fourth, it is crucial that we must take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. By that I mean we must get into it. We must devote to it, devour it and declare it. It must grip our minds and guard our hearts and guide our hands. It doesn’t have to be defended. Like a lion, it only needs to be let loose. Again, Bonhoeffer’s counsel is right on. He writes, “Do not try to make the Bible relevant. Its relevance is axiomatic…Do not defend God’s Word, but testify to it…Trust the Word. It is a ship loaded to the very limits of capacity!”
Finally, we must not be intimidated by the accusation that we are too radical and out of step or intolerant. Our enemies, those who hate the word, and even our friends, those who claim to love the word, but don’t like our radical faith, will take offense at us. They will accuse us of being too harsh or unrealistic or unkind. But, we must remind ourselves that we are shaped and held by the words of Christ in Scripture. In the end our sentiments should be with Bonhoeffer when he writes, “Perhaps I seem to you rather fanatical and mad about a number of things. I myself am sometimes afraid of that. But I know that the day I became more reasonable, to be honest, I should have to chuck my entire theology.”
God, give us more radicals like Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Lord, make me a radical like Bonhoeffer, for your glory and my eternal joy!
My calling is quite clear to me. What God will make of it I do not know…I must follow the path. Perhaps it will not be such a long one. [Phil 1:23] But it is a fine thing to have realized my calling….I believe its nobility will become plain to us only in coming times and events. If only we can hold out. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? Luke 9:23-26
The metal of a hero is not made from genetic material. It is mined from a vision of something great; something so exciting that it becomes a life dominating passion. Heroes and martyrs do the radical and unthinkable because they have found something so precious and so satisfying that it lifts them above the rest who prefer the safe and the normal.
My wife and I recently attended the funeral of one of my Marine son’s platoon members. He was killed while on patrol in the dangerous territory of Sangin, Afghanistan. The ceremony was filled with both tears and pride. Cpl. Christopher Singer died doing what he lived for. From the time he was ten years old he knew what he wanted to be: A Marine. So, when it came time to leave wife and daughter and family, with tears, he went to battle. In his heart, he knew that was why he was created. Before he left for Afghanistan he told a friend, 'I want to come home. If for any reason I don't make it back, tell everyone I did my best and I did what I loved.'" We were thankful that Christopher was also a follower of Jesus.
Dietrich Bonheoffer was also a hero. He didn’t catch a vision as a boy. His destiny was set when his heart was captured by the glory of Jesus Christ. He didn’t know where this new passion would lead him, but he knew two things: it would cost him and it would be worth it. To join the army of Jesus Christ was a call so great that it demanded his all. So, he wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
His call to follow Christ meant that he was bound to live like his Master. That meant that he would have to know Jesus and spend time with Jesus and grow in his trust in Jesus. That happened as he learned to hear Jesus speak to him in the Word. He received the words of the Bible not as lines once written but as the voice of Christ speaking. After he learned to approach Scripture in this way, he wrote to a friend,
And, I would like to tell you now quite personally: since I have learnt to read the Bible in this way- and this has not been so very long- it becomes every day more wonderful to me. I read it in the morning and the evening, often during the day as well, and every day I consider a text which I have chosen for the whole week, and try to sink deeply into it, so as to really hear what it is saying. I know that without this I could not live properly any longer.
The words of Christ devoured and meditated upon, changed the way he lived. He felt a call to follow Jesus and knew that it was the highest privilege to do so, but he did not know where that call would lead him. From studying the life of Christ, he knew that it would lead to a life of service and others would be blessed because of his sacrifice. In time, the details of the call would become clearer as the evil and hatred of the Third Reich was gradually exposed. His theological education and degrees would give him a voice in Germany. His devotion to the Lord compelled him to speak and act on behalf of those who had no voice.
The path to his ultimate destiny was determined by a series of choices. First, he resolved to order his life by the Word of God rather than the strong winds of the culture. Hitler was successful, not just because he was ruthless and devious. He was successful because the German masses were dissatisfied and looking for some person who would restore Germany to its lofty position in history. Because he promised them so much they didn’t challenge his character. But, Bonhoeffer looked at the man and his ways, not his promises. He discerned a very dangerous person and very early became an opponent of Hitler.
Second, he not only broke with the culture, he broke with the German Church. The Church of Luther, which was birthed with unwavering commitment to the authority of Scripture, had been weakened by an onslaught of attacks by liberal German theologians. Bible truth simply no longer held sway in the minds and hearts of German Christians. This church went along with the masses, even becoming defenders of Hitler and his anti-Semitism. Bonhoeffer would have none of that. He spoke out against the church and then when her leaders refused to listen, he separated and became one of the leaders of the Confessional Synod. That decision cut him off from his former church and put him in danger from the Nazis. But, his calling demanded that he make a clear and bold protest against all forms of evil, even when it was located within his church. When asked if it would have been better for him to stay in the German Church where he could work from the inside to bring about change, he replied, “If you board the wrong train it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.”
Third, his love for Germany and his identification with her future salvation compelled him to return to Germany even though he was safe in America. His friends urged him to stay rather than face the wrath of the Fuhrer, but he could not stay safe when the soul of his nation was at stake. He wrote,
I have had the time to think and pray about my situation and that of my nation and to have God’s will for me clarified. I have come to the conclusion that I have made a mistake by coming to America. I must live through the difficult period of my nation’s history with the Christian people of Germany. I shall have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people. My brothers in the Confessing Synod wanted me to go. They may have been right in urging me to do so, but I was wrong in going. Such a decision each man must make for himself. Christians in Germany will face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive, or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying our civilization. I know which of these alternatives I must choose, but I cannot make that choice in security."
Bonhoeffer did go back to Germany and he did not play it safe. When a whole race is being systematically annihilated, when prisoners of war are being slaughtered at the command of the Fuhrer, when millions are being persecuted in the most horrible ways without a voice, then words of protest are not enough. It is time to take bold, risky and radical actions. Eberhard Bethge, Bonhoeffer’s best friend explained it this way: “We now realized that mere confession, no matter how courageous, inescapably meant complicity with the murderers.” Bonhoeffer joined a conspiracy of civilian and military conspirators that sought to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
The terrible consequences of such actions did not escape the conspirators. Colonel Clause von Stauffenberg, the leader of the conspiracy, put it like this: “Its time for something to be done. He who has the courage to act must know that he will probably go down in German history as a traitor. But if he fails to act, he will be a traitor before his own conscience.”
The nobility of the call lead Bonhoeffer to a final and radical decision, one that many Christians have criticized in retrospect. They have asked, “How can a believer participate in an assassination attempt?” For Bonhoeffer, the answer to that question was not an easy one but it was clear for him. In one of his letters from prison he wrote, “We must shake off our fear of this world- the cause of Christ is at stake, and are we to be found sleeping? …Christ is looking at us and asking whether there is anyone left who confesses faith in him.” The horrors of the Third Reich and cry of countless victims was a sin against his Savior’s love and his will.
On July 20th, 1944, the plot to kill Hitler failed. The conspirators were quickly identified and rounded up due to torture and ruthless retaliation carried out by Hitler’s Gestapo. Bonhoeffer was arrested and became a personal prisoner of Hitler. Two weeks before Germany surrendered to the Allies, by direct order of Hitler, he was taken from his cell at Flossenberg and executed. He had completed his mission. He had no regrets nor was he without hope. As he was taken from his cell, he said to his friends, “This is the end…for me the beginning of life.” The doctor whose task it was to officiate at the execution wrote later about Dietrich’s final moments. “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer kneeling on the floor, praying fervently to God…so certain that God heard his prayer… In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”
The questions we must ask ourselves are these: Have we sensed the call of God on our lives? Are we following Him without reservation? Are we willing to separate from the world and even our friends when the battle against evil demands it? Are we alert and sensitive to the victims of evil who have no one to fight for their cause? Are we willing to suffer the wounds that always accompany a battle with our Enemy? Are we willing to die for the name of Jesus and the cause of righteousness? Finally, is the joy of our eternal hope the fuel that fires our passion to see the kingdom of God rule here, even if it means our own death? Those who can say yes to those questions know the cost of following Jesus and the incomparable joy of serving him even to the point of death. “He is a prisoner and he has to follow. His path is prescribed. It is the path of the man whom God will not let go, who will never be rid of God.”
My calling is quite clear to me. What God will make of it I do not know…I must follow the path. Perhaps it will not be such a long one. [Phil 1:23] But it is a fine thing to have realized my calling….I believe its nobility will become plain to us only in coming times and events. If only we can hold out. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This Christmas season was a very painful wake up call. We saw just how secularized our nation has become. Removing “Christ” from Christmas was a deliberate decision made without apology by our largest economic entities. Malls and music stations deliberately excluded “religious” songs from their “holiday” music. At the same time, one professional athlete was publicly ridiculed for his open allegiance to Christ and TV comedy shows reached unrivaled depths of blasphemy in their effort to join in poking fun at this young man’s faith. These are just some examples of a growing hostility that is coming against Christianity in America.
What should be our response? What should we do? I have noticed a lot of cynicism, sarcasm and downright antagonism being expressed by Christians on Facebook. One morning, one crusading lady put 14 [!] different political posts that were taking shot at a particular liberal political view. Obviously, this lady and countless others like her, think they are doing something that will help stop the downward slide. But, will this do it? It may make us feel better, but is any of this going to help us fight the battle that is intensifying around us. I don’t think so.
Read more: Dietrich Bonhoeffer #1 Professor, Pastor, Traitor, Martyr
In every age the Church has to contend for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The enemy is subtle and sly. He sometimes launches a frontal attack in the form of persecution. At other times, he creeps behind the lines to lay ambushes. In the first his goal is intimidation. In the second his objective is confusion. I suspect that the first strategy is not the preferred tactic. All it does is remove the weeds and invigorate the wheat. But, the second can cause lasting damage right at the heart of the Church.
I speak of aberrant teachings and perspectives that challenge the confession and conduct of historic, orthodox Christianity. Someone writes a book. She writes with passion, winsomeness and humility. She speaks of helping the church and growing into a more godlike form of Christianity. She writes as a sincere form of protest, claiming that the traditional church is not keeping up with the changing culture. To be the Church God intended, the Church must conform to her new and improved way of doing His work. Before long, you will see several other books being written with the same story line and then national conferences and websites spring up everywhere like weeds after a spring shower.
One of the dangers of such a movement is that the foundations that lie under the edifice often is too often not seen by the rank and file of the Church. The language of love and honoring God in a more effective way is the stated goal. What believer who claims to love Jesus and the world would not want that?
I observed this scenario played out just the other day. I was involved in a rather candid and testy exchange with the proprietor of a religious website. As part of his site’s offerings, he interviews authors of the latest books on the market. The author he was interviewing was from his denominational headquarters and had written a book that was intended to help the church assimilate unbelievers into the church. The innovative idea that this author was promoting was a change in what he saw as a wrong attitude within the church toward the unbelievers. Instead of looking at them and treating them as outsiders, he counseled the church to win them by welcoming and loving them. According to this author, the church too often isolates itself from sinners, preferring to operate like the Pharisees, believing their legalistic righteousness sets them above the pagans.
His key text seemed to be Luke 7:33-37. It is the story of Jesus at the house of Simon, the Pharisee. A woman “who had lived a sinful life,” came in and made a big fuss over Jesus. Simon was ticked. How could this supposed prophet, he reasoned, receive her exorbitant attention without knowing what a terrible sinner she was? Jesus responded by pointing out the significant difference between the two. Simon withheld even the most common of courtesies because of his pride in himself. The woman gave all that she had because she found what she really needed by putting her faith in Jesus. The proud Simon saw no need and remained a sinner. The broken sinner was desperate and left a saint.
From this passage, it was argued that we should be like Jesus, welcoming the sinners, not like Simon, who out of religious pride separated himself from sinners. Although I seriously doubt that the context of the passage was ever intended to teach or correct our way of assimilating unbelievers, the principle that we should extend love toward all sinners like Jesus did is a solid principle that every church should practice. To the extent that this author made this point he was right on.
Unfortunately, the author employed language that has become catch words for a new and dangerous movement within the church. The author stated that “belonging” should precede “believing” and “becoming.” His sincere intent was, I believe, to prioritize loving and welcoming the unbelievers as a first step in assimilating them into the life of faith in Christ. He went on to assert his belief that without love no one becomes a believer. But, what he did not know or did not express, was that the terms which he used and the order in which he placed them is a mantra of the emerging church movement. In the writings of the leaders of this innovation, I and many other concerned evangelicals, detect an ambush, aimed, whether deliberately or unconsciously, at the crucial position Biblical truth holds in the life of the Church.
Trying to get a clear understanding of this movement is like trying to put your finger on mercury. That is because it has no clearly defined set of beliefs. It is an experience and “conversation” that is “emerging” out of the postmodern culture in which we now live. It is a protest against a church that they claim was shaped by another culture, the culture of modernism. That church, they contend, is responsible for an emphasis on the pursuit of truth, linear thinking, rationalism, certainty and the cerebral, which all too often denigrates into arrogance, inflexibility, lust to be right, the desire to control.
Postmodernism, on the other hand, affirms that what we know is shaped by the culture in which we have lived and is only finally understood in the tradition in which it resides. So, to know with certainty is denied and hard and fast declarations about absolute truth are believed to be impossible. Applied to the church, it means that what is truly important is not the absolute but the authentic; not truths but relationships; not sermons but stories; not preaching but dialogue; not separation but inclusion; not belief but belonging. In short, the emerging church claims to be a gentler and truer form of the church than the one that has dominated the Christianity since the days of the Reformation.
What do I see are the casualties of this ambush? Truth and Doctrine. The emerging theologians ask: How can we state unequivocally we have found the truth when we are only interpreting in the light of our place in time and culture? How can we declare to somebody that because they are a sinner they are excluded from God’s family? That is hurtful and not loving. How can we decree that homosexuality is wrong? History shows that the Church has been wrong before doesn’t it? What about slavery? Who is to say that the only way we know God is by accepting truth claims and confessing doctrines? What about experience and feelings?
If you think those issues are minor, in the words of Vizzini in Prince’s Bride, “Wait till I get started!” Once we dismiss the possibility that we can know doctrinal truth truly, there is no limit to the changes we can bring about in the Church. Which Jesus is the right Jesus? Is your interpretation more valid than mine? What about hell? How could a loving God send anyone to an eternal hell? What about the atonement? How can punishing an innocent man make things any better? How could a loving Father pour out wrath upon an innocent son? It sounds like “cosmic child abuse.” The dam is breached and there is no end to the heresy that is gushing forth.
If these proponents of the emerging church would approach the texts of Scripture in a way that allows for it to speak for itself rather than as proof texts to justify their protest, they would find ample examples of “truth” that answers their questions and destroys their conclusion. Jesus made this “modernist” claim: "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [John 8:31-32] He had no reservations about speaking of separation [Matt. 25:32-33] or of a literal hell [Matthew 5:29-30] or confronting a person with their sin [John 4:18] or declaring that he was the only way to the Father [John 14:6]. Paul had no problem with making belief in a set of propositional truths the condition for being saved [Romans 10:9]. And, in spite of all the love and caring evidence in the life of the first church, “No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.” [Acts 5:13]
Believing in Jesus Christ is the door to belonging to Jesus Christ. To belong means to be a “part of” and no one belongs to Christ who has not repented of their sins and turned to him in faith, trusting in what he has accomplished on the cross and the promises he has clearly stated in His Word, the Bible. If words mean anything, and they do, then we must be careful that the words we use conform to the unchanging truth of Scripture. This is not “nit-picking.” This is contending for the “faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” [Jude 3]
So, if your pastor is suddenly reluctant to proclaim what the scriptures are clearly saying; if communion is suddenly declared open to all with no reference to a confession of faith; if during prayer time you are directed to a table in the corner lit with many candles; if you hear much about dialogue and little about declaring; if you see a reluctance to take open stands in regarding moral issues such as homosexuality, adultery, divorce and abortion; if you hear much about acceptance and nothing about separation; if you hear much about love and nothing about truth; you may be participating unknowingly in an emerging church. You need to pray. You need to become a Berean. [Acts 17:11] Test what is being taught or not by words and works. Only your devotion to God’s Word will keep your faith and your witness from being ambushed by modern innovations. That is the nature of the world we now live in. Our only hope is to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” [2 Cor 10:5]
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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92247 USA | 619.829.2390
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Father make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me. Jim Elliot
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. Mark 8:34-35
One of the trends in the modern day church is to depend upon marketing strategies to increase its numbers. It comes from a segment of Christianity that believes that the main barriers that prevent the growth of the Church are more cultural than spiritual. If the church can look more attractive and her message more positive, the theory goes, the Church would see more kingdom growth.
Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace…. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheap jack’s wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices…. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
When a mega-church pastor is asked why his church is growing, the answer you will likely hear is this: “God is blessing us.” But, what should we say about the church that is not growing and even losing members? “God is not blessing them?” What are we to say about the faithful pastor who week after week comes off of his knees and into the pulpit to faithfully preach the truth of God’s Word and there is no growth in numbers?
I wrote in other letters about the pastor who chaired our denomination’s church growth committee and in our first session claimed to be able to build a church any place. I had called this man several years earlier for counsel when my church was going through a growth spurt. I asked him to tell me the secret for his spectacular growth. He answered, “It is prayer, brother.” But, in this meeting, he told us the turning point came when he visited another church and discovered contemporary music. He told us that he went back to his church, cancelled the choir, got rid of the organ, changed the music style, and from that day the church grew.
I raised my hand and said, “But, when I called you, you said it was prayer that made the difference.” He quickly responded, “Well, everybody knows that!”
Do they? Is it possible to build a large church without prayer? I think so. The church has discovered the secret of marketing their product. You find a niche in the marketplace and then design all of your energy to appealing to their likes and preferences, sometimes called “felt needs.” Big parking lots, clean and safe playgrounds, contemporary music, short and entertaining sermons, spiced up with drama, humor, visual experiences and charismatic leadership- are all likely to be part of the mix for success. Those who have the resources and the right situation can build “success”- anywhere. And, the standard of success for any effort is this: numbers.
Now, what I am not saying is that all ministers who have bought into this system do not pray nor am I inferring that the “success” they are claiming is not of God. But, what I am saying as clearly and as forcefully as I can is this, that everything must be weighed and judged by theological rather than pragmatic concerns. I am convinced that many pastors have been sucked up into this “marketing system” without thinking or praying through its implications. The “church growth” seminars are everywhere and you can’t attend a gathering of church leaders in which one of these “successful” leaders is not set up as a model to emulate.
Are numbers and growth the ultimate test of a church or pastor’s effectiveness? If that is the case, then Jesus failed, for all left him. I am convinced we must ask ourselves some serious questions before we jump into this popular current. Here are some: Are the preferences and felt needs of “our market” shaping our message as well as our methods? Are we preaching anything to our niche that is alarming rather than acceptable to our hearers? And, if it came down to holding fast to the truth, would we be willing to see our church shrivel to nothing because we refused to move one inch from our theological convictions?
I am reminded of an incident that took place in one of the largest and most celebrated “success” stories on the west coast. The pastor of this church is known for his positive approach to life and ministry. He is recognized as one of the great motivators of our time. One of my friends went to this pastor to see if he could teach the principles of biblical counseling to his young married class. Many of his couples were desperate and struggling with marriage and family issues. This friend felt they needed to be taught the truths found only in God’s Word. The pastor’s response to his request was totally unexpected. This pastor asked, “How many people will we lose over that course?” He decided it was not worth the risk.
Here is my fear. I believe that one of the greatest dangers to the church comes when she judges her success by her increase in numbers instead of judging her success by her faithfulness to the message. A “gospel” that is shaped by the desires of men, rather than the demands of Scripture, will always fail to produce genuine men and women of faith.
One church in America’s Southwest promoted its ministries by promising its attendees, “stronger family relationships….greater satisfaction at work….And even better sex.” Now, who would not want to go to that church? But, is that what Christianity is all about? Is it just about meeting psychological needs and fulfilling our passion for personal happiness?
I think not. Our greatest need is not psychological but moral. We all stand before a Holy God who hates sin and who judges sinners. Hell and wrath and judgment are part of the gospel message. Jesus began his ministry with these words, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." [Matt 4:17] We must start at the same place. Repentance comes first. But, what are we to repent of? Is it repentance of our ignorance because we don’t know the techniques that produce stronger family relationships, or greater job satisfaction or deeper sexual satisfaction? Or, is it repentance for our sinfulness and rebellion that has cut us off from a Holy God and made us the focus of his terrible and eternal wrath?
The gospel message is not “you can have it all.” It is not a promise that you can have everything your heart desires and Jesus too. He is the Pearl of great price. He is the One who is so precious and valuable that we sell all that we have, all of our desires and wants that we previously could not live without, just to have him. It is a radical, hard, life-changing decision that will not be welcomed by all, or even the majority. In fact, Jesus reminds us that “many are invited, but few are chosen." [Matt 22:14] All of our techniques and our strategies will not convince one soul to believe in Jesus. Only the Word of God, made alive to the heart of the sinner by the Holy Spirit, will convince them of their sin, their need of forgiveness, and open their eyes to the glory of Jesus.
Paul came preaching one message: Jesus Christ and him crucified. [1 Cor. 2:2] He knew that the gospel would be rejected by the wisdom of this world. But, he did not try to make the message more appealing by offering improved marriages, job satisfaction or exciting sex. To have done so would have taken away from the seriousness of sin and the majesty of Jesus Christ. He is the reason for faith. He is the source of our salvation. He is life’s greatest joy.
A recent study of church growth in America has found that 85% of the churches are stagnant or losing members. Is that a sign of the times or a lack of faithfulness to the message? I don’t know. But what I do know is that cheapening the gospel is not the solution. What we need more than ever is the truth, given to us straight without trying to make it cute or entertaining. And, we need men and women, who love the glory of Christ and who trust in the power of His Word. Their faithfulness may not win the masses but it will save their people. May God raise up a whole new breed of leaders who will fight for costly grace, the only grace worthy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Permissions: Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Dr. Gary Rieben. © Give Me That Book. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Website: www.GiveMeThatBook.org. Postal: GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92247 USA | 619.829.2390
© Give Me That Book
Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." Isa 55:5
This new experiment in doing church is rooted, I am confident, as the desire, even the passion, to see the Church grow. What has not been grasped however, is that in the modern world, the means that are available for this task are so effective that we need very little truth in order to have success. Marketing the faith works. At least, it works to the extent that churches can be filled very quickly if the mix between humor, fun, friendliness, music, entertainment and inspiration is right. David F. Wells
History always repeats itself. In every age there have been those within the Church who feared for its survival when faced with hostile forces and changing times. Adapting and the making of concessions were often seen as a pragmatic necessity if the Church was to survive. What the Church was offering and what was needed was seen as two different things was the argument. Consequently, according to this theory, the reason the church was in danger was that it was out of step with the times.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matt 13:45-46
The fact is that as dazzling as the modern world has become, it has never outgrown its need for this kind of truth, never invalidates it, and therefore the liberal [and now seeker-sensitive] fear of becoming outdated is as groundless as the small child’s nervousness about a monster in the closet. David F. Wells
In the last six years, I have had the experience of visiting a great variety of churches across our country and abroad. I have heard music accompanied by pipe organs, acoustic guitars and tribal drums. I have worshipped in churches canopied with steeples, grass roofs and the open sky. I have heard sermons delivered from a pulpit, on the floor and on a screen. Everywhere I have gone people are meeting on Sunday, expressing their belief in God, exhibiting a hunger to know Jesus and attempting to declare the gospel to their world.
