-----------------
We have come to regard Rev. Wade as little more than a curiosity. He has amply demonstrated that he can't be regarded as a serious Bible teacher. In fact, in this missive he doesn't quote a single Scripture other than the one at the beginning. And that Scripture isn't relevant to anything he presents here.
He explains no Scriptural principle, he provides no insight, no clarity, and does no exposition of the Bible. He spends thousands of words railing against people, attacking their motives, their salvation, and their words, without offering a shred of evidence that any of what he asserts is true.
He explains no Scriptural principle, he provides no insight, no clarity, and does no exposition of the Bible. He spends thousands of words railing against people, attacking their motives, their salvation, and their words, without offering a shred of evidence that any of what he asserts is true.
Yet he calls this a devotional. What, exactly, would we take away from this screed to which we can devote our attention? What faith-building principle is contained here? Where does he edify the faith of reader? Where does he spur us on to godliness and maturity of walk?
Lastly, we want to note the author's typical modus operandi:
- NAR is bad
- NAR means (insert weird occurrence or something Bethel Church did)
- (Insert name of unrelated party here) is NAR
- Someone wrote something Rev. Wade doesn't like
- That someone is really saying (insert weird occurrence or something Bethel Church did)
- It's NAR
The reader may think we are exaggerating. But as you read, pay attention the the way Rev. Wade connects disparate elements into a Frankenstein's monster.
-------------------
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. -- Matthew 10:34-36 (ESV)
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. -- Matthew 10:34-36 (ESV)
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has many facets and one of them is experiential Christianity. (Rev. Wade applies the NAR descriptor to experiential Christianity without bothering to explain why.)
The simple understanding of this is that what we experience rises to the level of scripture if not surpasses it. (Now he applies his own definition. Why we should accept this definition is not documented.
Apparently the Christian faith cannot have any aspect of "experience," because somehow that means the experience surpasses Scripture. Why? Well, we don't know, because Rev. Wade will never tell us.
What does the Bible actually teach? Jesus talked about the Whole Man:
Mt. 22:36-37 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’"
Paul tells us to know God by receiving the Holy Spirit:
Ep. 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
And this:
Ep. 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
There clearly is an experiential aspect to our faith, but Rev. Wade wants to quickly connect the idea of "experience" to questionable or evil things in order to disparage Mr. McDaniel directly, and the NAR by inference.
That is what he will do next.)
That is what he will do next.)
What do you mean preacher? (We often ask this about Rev. Wade.
Irrelevant tangent coming...)
Think of the Holy Laughter abomination. When people would go to church and "experience" God by allegedly being made to roll around on the ground and make animal noises. Think of Pensacola and the Kundalini spirit outpouring where people where demonically influenced to spasm without control. (These are offered as examples of "experiential Christianity." That is, the most supposedly extreme/evil/unbiblical/satanic things are named as representative.)
They will swear to this day that this was an experience of God. It was not. The natural enemy of Experiential Christianity is of course the bible because the bible proves it is a fraud. (Where does the Bible do this? Perhaps it does, but remember, we're reading a "devotional." We would like to know from our open Bibles.
Rev. Wade constructs his straw man of "experiential Christianity" and then blows it to smithereens without explanation or erudition.)
Irrelevant tangent coming...)
Think of the Holy Laughter abomination. When people would go to church and "experience" God by allegedly being made to roll around on the ground and make animal noises. Think of Pensacola and the Kundalini spirit outpouring where people where demonically influenced to spasm without control. (These are offered as examples of "experiential Christianity." That is, the most supposedly extreme/evil/unbiblical/satanic things are named as representative.)
They will swear to this day that this was an experience of God. It was not. The natural enemy of Experiential Christianity is of course the bible because the bible proves it is a fraud. (Where does the Bible do this? Perhaps it does, but remember, we're reading a "devotional." We would like to know from our open Bibles.
Rev. Wade constructs his straw man of "experiential Christianity" and then blows it to smithereens without explanation or erudition.)
This is why you have heard people like Bill Johnson marginalize scripture (Irrelevant, undocumented tangent.)
by saying we do not worship the bible. (When have we heard Bill Johnson marginalize Scripture? Does Rev. Wade have a link or a quote?
And, perhaps the author might tell us what Bill Johnson has said he means to not worship the Bible?)
by saying we do not worship the bible. (When have we heard Bill Johnson marginalize Scripture? Does Rev. Wade have a link or a quote?
And, perhaps the author might tell us what Bill Johnson has said he means to not worship the Bible?)
Yet the word says that Christ is His word, (Where does the Bible say this? Maybe it does, but who knows? Rev. Wade doesn't tell us.
And does this mean we should worship the Bible? Why don't you explain some of this, Rev. Wade? You are writing thousands of words, perhaps you can you devote a few of them to giving us some information?)
And does this mean we should worship the Bible? Why don't you explain some of this, Rev. Wade? You are writing thousands of words, perhaps you can you devote a few of them to giving us some information?)
so maybe Bill ought to actually read his bible instead of trying to find ways to minimize it. (Rather than explain what Bill Johnson might have meant, Rev. Wade simply asserts that he is not reading his Bible. Again, no explanation or documentation is offered for any of this.)
Either way it is important to rebuke such teachings as you will find at the above link where Thomas McDaniels suggests that it is time to do away with church as we know it. Let us reason again together. (Oh that Rev. Wade would actually employ reason.)
"The church as we know it has had its day. God has been in a box for thousands of years. The box is the church. This new decade is ushering in new challenges. One new challenge for the church in America is how to stop the bleeding. We have closed out two decades of the contemporary church. Not much has changed. We shifted from paneling to drywall, pews to chairs, Scriptures to stories and well-lit sanctuaries to darker rooms. This worked for a while but ran its course. We dressed it up and made it pretty, only to realize we were doing the same things in a change of clothes. People Want an Experience with God. The same old, same old is not attractive any longer. People are searching for a genuine experience with God." -- Thomas McDaniels
This is the deceptive cry of the NAR experiential preacher. That the problem infecting the church is actually the church but they wildly miss the point. The sad thing here is McDaniels actually highlights part of the problem. (Mr. McDaniels "wildly" misses the point because he's part of the problem because...false teacher...gold dust...rolling on the floor...Bill Johnson...NAR...)
"The church as we know it has had its day. God has been in a box for thousands of years. The box is the church. This new decade is ushering in new challenges. One new challenge for the church in America is how to stop the bleeding. We have closed out two decades of the contemporary church. Not much has changed. We shifted from paneling to drywall, pews to chairs, Scriptures to stories and well-lit sanctuaries to darker rooms. This worked for a while but ran its course. We dressed it up and made it pretty, only to realize we were doing the same things in a change of clothes. People Want an Experience with God. The same old, same old is not attractive any longer. People are searching for a genuine experience with God." -- Thomas McDaniels
This is the deceptive cry of the NAR experiential preacher. That the problem infecting the church is actually the church but they wildly miss the point. The sad thing here is McDaniels actually highlights part of the problem. (Mr. McDaniels "wildly" misses the point because he's part of the problem because...false teacher...gold dust...rolling on the floor...Bill Johnson...NAR...)
The real problem is the purpose driven, seeker friendly models of church (...because purpose-driven...seeker friendly...)
have excommunicated the Gospel from the bride of Christ. (... they don't preach the Gospel...)
The church is metaphorically bleeding because it has removed the blood of Christ. McDaniels says it right here. (...but then Rev. Wade agrees with Mr. McDaniels!!???)
We have replaced scripture with stories. That is the strategy of the purpose driven movement. To replace the Gospel with motivational and self-help stories to meet felt needs of a lost world. The obvious problem is that only helps with the problems of this world and the church was meant to bring people out from this world. The shift from well-lit sanctuaries to darkened rooms is also the NAR strategy of spiritualizing emotion. It has worked in pure carnal terms by creating massive mega-church fiefdoms at the expense of actually saving anyone because we know the bible teaches that only the Gospel has the power of God unto the salvation of man. (If this paragraph makes sense to the reader, we salute you.)
People do not want an experience with God. (What? They don't? Then why does the author say so many are deceived by "experiential Christianity?"
It seems that Rev. Wade continually misses [or evades] Mr. McDaniels' point. It's clear Mr. McDaniels is discussing certain Christians who have grown dissatisfied by the empty ritual and the unvarying routine of a typical dead church service. These people read the Bible, and the Bible describes the gathering of the saints in a completely different way than what they experience in their church. The disconnect between the NT church and the contemporary church is stark.
People do want an experience with God. One does not have to read very far in the NT to discover that the people written about had all had a transforming encounter, an "experience," that changed their lives. These experiences range from salvation to the filling of the Holy Spirit to being healed to speaking in tongues to prophesying.
So many of today's discouraged Christians know there is more to the faith than moldy ritual. It was the biblical church before, it can be the biblical church again.)
It seems that Rev. Wade continually misses [or evades] Mr. McDaniels' point. It's clear Mr. McDaniels is discussing certain Christians who have grown dissatisfied by the empty ritual and the unvarying routine of a typical dead church service. These people read the Bible, and the Bible describes the gathering of the saints in a completely different way than what they experience in their church. The disconnect between the NT church and the contemporary church is stark.
People do want an experience with God. One does not have to read very far in the NT to discover that the people written about had all had a transforming encounter, an "experience," that changed their lives. These experiences range from salvation to the filling of the Holy Spirit to being healed to speaking in tongues to prophesying.
So many of today's discouraged Christians know there is more to the faith than moldy ritual. It was the biblical church before, it can be the biblical church again.)
The bible says all have turned away. (Where does the Bible say this? It's not that we think the Bible doesn't say this, but we want to know because the author never bothers to quote the Bible.)
The Gospel can draw them back but make no mistake about what McDaniels is selling here. Experiential Christianity seeks to supplant scripture with personal experience. (Undocumented claim.)
It is a false gospel. It is anathema.
"Barna research has reported: "While a majority of churchgoers said that enjoying church was a motivation for them to attend (65% of churched adults and 82% of practicing Christians), around half (57% of churched adults and 45% of practicing Christians) said people they know are tired of the typical church experience." Notice that people said "the typical church is tiring." Most churches are so predictable, with three songs, three announcements and a three-point sermon. Even God is tired of that! Is this not what we have defined as insanity? People Are Dealing With Real Problems. This is not the age where chewing gum in the classroom is our most pressing problem. This is the age where our teenagers are getting pregnant or addicted to pornography. Gender issues and suicide are normal struggles for this generation. We must have answers." -- Thomas McDaniels
Enjoying church is a motivational factor? The key verses remind us that Jesus did not come to bring peace but to divide one against one's own family. (Rev. Wade wants to refute the Barna study, apparently.
And why does the Reverend think the divisive nature of the Gospel is relevant at this point? Why does he cite it here, without application or context?)
"Barna research has reported: "While a majority of churchgoers said that enjoying church was a motivation for them to attend (65% of churched adults and 82% of practicing Christians), around half (57% of churched adults and 45% of practicing Christians) said people they know are tired of the typical church experience." Notice that people said "the typical church is tiring." Most churches are so predictable, with three songs, three announcements and a three-point sermon. Even God is tired of that! Is this not what we have defined as insanity? People Are Dealing With Real Problems. This is not the age where chewing gum in the classroom is our most pressing problem. This is the age where our teenagers are getting pregnant or addicted to pornography. Gender issues and suicide are normal struggles for this generation. We must have answers." -- Thomas McDaniels
Enjoying church is a motivational factor? The key verses remind us that Jesus did not come to bring peace but to divide one against one's own family. (Rev. Wade wants to refute the Barna study, apparently.
And why does the Reverend think the divisive nature of the Gospel is relevant at this point? Why does he cite it here, without application or context?)
That is what the Gospel does. It forces you to decide between God and this world. The sadly ironic thing is McDaniels still cannot see that he is the problem he abhors. Think about his logic. (Let's see if Rev. Wade can explain it.)
A few decades ago the church shifted to this prettier version of church. Lights for darkness and scripture for stories. It worked for a while but now people are on to it. Now people see there is virtually no difference between church and the world. They can get the music from the club on Saturday nights. They can get the pep talk from a Tony Robbins podcast. They can get what the church is offering without having to actually wake up on Sundays. So his answer to these problems are not to return to the Gospel but rather to blow the whole thing up? (We do not see where Mr. McDaniels suggested this.)
Never mind that God goes to painstaking details in scripture as to the order and importance of church. (Again our hope for actual Scripture, coupled with exposition, is dashed.
Indeed, Mr. McDaniels' point is God's order for the church. More specifically, the church structure and practice. That's the matter under discussion.
However, the thing that passes for church today, the thing that Rev. Wade presides over and defends as real church, that church is not found in the Bible.
The Reverend's Sunday service, with attentive, docile sheep sitting in pews nodding their heads in amazed agreement to the profundities passing through the lips of the CEO pastor, writing their tithe checks but keeping their heads downand mouths shut, never daring to crack open a Greek dictionary, faithful in attendance but sitting in the exact same place they have sat for 20 years...
This is real church to Rev. Wade. This is what he thinks is biblical. This is what he wants to preserve. This is what he thinks is being dismantled. This is the reason he feels threatened.
CEO Rev. Wade sits at the top of his little pyramid, admired and respected. He likes the adoration. He likes the pedestal. He thinks he's serving God in the only way it can be done, and he's better at it than most everyone else. Nothing much happens in his church, and that's the way he likes it, as long as his parishioner's checks continue to clear and he gets to lead all the prayers and visit all the sick himself.
And this is why he thinks every person who has an idea or a suggestion or wants to change things is a NAR wolf out to destroy the church.)
Indeed, Mr. McDaniels' point is God's order for the church. More specifically, the church structure and practice. That's the matter under discussion.
However, the thing that passes for church today, the thing that Rev. Wade presides over and defends as real church, that church is not found in the Bible.
The Reverend's Sunday service, with attentive, docile sheep sitting in pews nodding their heads in amazed agreement to the profundities passing through the lips of the CEO pastor, writing their tithe checks but keeping their heads downand mouths shut, never daring to crack open a Greek dictionary, faithful in attendance but sitting in the exact same place they have sat for 20 years...
This is real church to Rev. Wade. This is what he thinks is biblical. This is what he wants to preserve. This is what he thinks is being dismantled. This is the reason he feels threatened.
CEO Rev. Wade sits at the top of his little pyramid, admired and respected. He likes the adoration. He likes the pedestal. He thinks he's serving God in the only way it can be done, and he's better at it than most everyone else. Nothing much happens in his church, and that's the way he likes it, as long as his parishioner's checks continue to clear and he gets to lead all the prayers and visit all the sick himself.
And this is why he thinks every person who has an idea or a suggestion or wants to change things is a NAR wolf out to destroy the church.)
He is right of course that people are dealing with real problems. (Again Rev. Wade agrees with Mr. McDaniels.)
Just like they did 50 years ago and a thousand years ago. Sure the cultural context is different but problems? We live in a sinful fallen world so we can always be assured there will be problems. McDaniels cries out that we must have answers but the truth is that God has the answers! (Did Mr. McDaniels suggest otherwise?)
Just like they did 50 years ago and a thousand years ago. Sure the cultural context is different but problems? We live in a sinful fallen world so we can always be assured there will be problems. McDaniels cries out that we must have answers but the truth is that God has the answers! (Did Mr. McDaniels suggest otherwise?)
To all of these problems! It is called the Gospel! Only in the heart of the truly depraved is God not enough. (False choice. The Gospel is not synonymous with God. God is not the Gospel and the Gospel is not God. Thus it is entirely possible that the Gospel [i.e., the Good News that your sin can be forgiven and you can be saved by the blood of Jesus] is "not enough," while simultaneously believing God is enough.
We are quite emphatic. The Gospel is not enough! Getting saved is not enough, and getting saved is not all there is. There is the Christian life of obedience, holiness, and maturity that is yet to be lived, according to the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.
Paul writes of this:
We are quite emphatic. The Gospel is not enough! Getting saved is not enough, and getting saved is not all there is. There is the Christian life of obedience, holiness, and maturity that is yet to be lived, according to the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.
Paul writes of this:
Ph. 3:10-14 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.Despite the many powerful works, despite so many salvations, despite the signs and wonders, Paul knew it was not enough and there was something more.)
"The Search for More. Church people are searching for a real God who handles real problems. The church must show their competence in handling the most difficult of life's challenges. There are legitimate answers in God's Word to the most challenging things in life. People have problems. We go to Walmart because it solves a problem; We drive by Chick-fil-A for the excellent food and the convenience. They solve the problem. The church must solve the problems of its members. Yes, then they will come. Traditions Are Not the Answer. Some traditions have value. Others, not so much. When we perform religious acts from tradition, we miss the experience of the action. To pray because it's tradition is not a great reason to pray. To pray and connect to God leads to life. The Spirit of God is the agent who gives life to our worship and our religious activity. " And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God" (Rom. 8:10, NLT). The Spirit gives life. Many are seeking life. Churches that are offering lifeless traditions will become less effective and less attractive. Attendance will continue to decline, and the church will die or only survive. Many churches are on life support." -- Thomas McDaniels
Churches are on life support because they thought they could do it on their own. (Broad generalization, and undocumented.)
They usurped the role of God in thinking they had to grow their church when the bible makes it clear that only God decides who and how many get added to the number. (Broad generalization, and undocumented.)
Now let's be careful here and cut through the NAR double speak. Churches built on unbiblical traditions, as we see many in the Catholic Church for example, are not what McDaniels is speaking about. Experiential Christianity seeks to do away with church itself as it currently exists. Instead of scripturally based worship music he would replace it with the banal, droning, repetitive chants of today's "worship"; that seeks to glorify oneself and not God. (Broad generalization, and undocumented.)
Instead of telling God how great He is, we now tell God how much He loves us and that is a stark difference between worshipping God and worshipping self. (Broad generalization, and undocumented.)
Instead of the preeminence of scripture, he would replace it with eastern mysticism schemes like soaking and transcendental prayer. (Broad generalization, and undocumented.)
Here is today's deep theology. (Finally!)
The church is not supposed to solve your problems on this earth. It is supposed to solve your eternal problem of going to hell. (Sigh. What a let down. The church solves our eternal problem? Really? Here we thought it was Jesus.
And again we yearn for the Bible verse that makes this point.)
One of the benefits of being saved and having Christ is that you will more effectively deal with your carnal problems but that cannot be the motivational factor. We need a savior not a life coach.
"What Can Church Leaders Do? Stop relying on yesterday. Refusing to change is a step toward death. Singing songs from 2,000 years ago is noble but irrelevant. Yes, they have meaning, and we should preserve them. But we can sing them with cultural relevance to this generation. And we do not need singers or song leaders with talent alone. We need modern-day psalmists with hearts to connect to God. These men and women do not just sing songs; they connect to God in worship. Their goal is to sing songs in the throne room and take others there with them. Our church members need a touch from God. A touch to get them through the week--a tangible moment where God's presence is real. No, not an emotion. But if God is near, our emotions will be unlocked. Emotions are not a sure sign of God's touch. But when Jesus touched people in the Scriptures, they displayed emotions. "One Sabbath day, as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, 'Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!' Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!" (Luke 13:10--13, NLT). Did you see it? She praised God. If you received your healing after 18 years, are you going to praise God? I think you would. Would churches accept this behavior today? Most wouldn't." -- Thomas McDaniels
Wow. Singing songs from 2000 years ago is irrelevant? (He wrote, Yes, they have meaning, and we should preserve them.)
Spoken like a carnal thinking, reprobate and deluded mind. Most of the alleged music today, coming out of Bethel, Hillsong and Elevation is absolute garbage to God. (Rev. Wade again tangents to unrelated issues.)
The date of the song is irrelevant -- only the biblical accuracy matters. (Rev. Wade thinks some other thing is irrelevant.
And once again we are left hanging. Is it really true that only biblical accuracy matters? How about a singable, interesting melody? A smooth flow of thought? God-honoring lyrics? Excellent musicality?)
This esoteric gobbledygook about singing in the throne room is at the heart of the problem with NAR experiential Christianity. We cannot go to throne room beloved. (Undocumented claim. Yet another opportunity for Rev. Wade to expound on the Bible passes by.)
Yes, it is true that Paul was once taken there (Ezekiel [Ezekiel 1:4], Stephen [Acts 7:55], John [Book of Revelation], Peter [Acts 10:10], among many others.)
but the outlier in all of history is not what we base sound doctrine upon. (Now comes an irrelevant tangent....)
Kim Walker-Smith is the worship leader for Jesus Culture from Bethel and she is firmly entrenched in this experiential mess. She tells of a waking visitation she had from Jesus who whisked her away to the throne room where she met the Father face to face. God ripped out a piece of His own heart to mold a miniature version of Walker-Smith to dance and sing for Him while He clapped maniacally. Seriously. This is her testimony she tells everyone, at every concert. Since we know from the bible that she could not have seen the Father face to face and live, we are left in assuming this was a demonic visitation with Satan's emissaries posing as angels of light and she could not tell the difference. That is what happens when you leave the "box" that is the surety of scripture in order to chase your personal experience. So get over yourself. You are not the Apostle Paul and will not be visiting the throne room any time soon.
(Another irrelevant tangent....) If we truly want to experience God then we need to read His word, not chase these fleeting emotional flings. As for accepting healing, I think most churches would welcome it. Yet the fake healings passed off by these rogue churches are transparent.
(Another irrelevant tangent....) If Todd White is so gifted a healer, why not ship him off to China right now and quell this coronavirus outbreak? If Bill Johnson truly fancied himself a healer, why isn't he camped out in the Redding California emergency room? I think we all know the answers to these questions.
"What Was the Bible's Response? But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. "There are six days of the week for working," he said to the crowd. "Come on, those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath." But the Lord replied, "You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn't it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?" (Luke 13:14--16, NLT). Make note that we have progressed little. Jesus would say the same words to us today. Can you see it? Religion says God can't do that. Not today. Religion cannot handle what cannot explain. John Burton said, "The days of predictable, scheduled, ordered church services must come to an end. We have become so enamored with human order in the church that Holy Spirit, biblical order, is completely rejected."' -- Thomas McDaniels
John Burton is as compromised a NAR adherent as Thomas McDaniels is. (Yes, of course. We get it. They all are NAR.)
This example is ridiculous. The point of the rebuke of the Pharisees was that they used the law without understanding the spirit of the law. They had no mercy. McDaniels wants to make a silly point here that they are somehow a "religious" spirit and the NAR position is the found in the role of Christ in this story. Just because Jesus healed on the Sabbath does not mean that God now wants to eliminate church. (Eliminate? No one has used this word except the author.)
The point is beyond vacuously stupid. Listen, I agree that overly formal church services that do not allow for a move of the spirit is not the design found in scripture (Waaiit. "Beyond vacuously stupid," but now Rev. Wade agrees???)
but to abandon all of it (Again Rev. Wade asserts something no one has claimed.)
and replace it with the emotional whims of man, (Which no one is suggesting.)
deluded into thinking something spiritual is occurring is madness. God is not a God of disorder.
(Irrelevant tangent...) Burton and his like have written extensively about church services wildly out of control like we saw in the Toronto demonic outpouring or the Brownsville debacle. No thanks, I think we should stick with what God has already written and stop pretending that it is somehow outdated for this generation. (Rev. Wade backtracks and doubles down, making wild claims about things no one but him have said.
One of the benefits of being saved and having Christ is that you will more effectively deal with your carnal problems but that cannot be the motivational factor. We need a savior not a life coach.
(2Pe. 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.)Even the disciples wanted Jesus to solve their temporal problems of Roman oppression but He came to deliver them from so much more. He came to deliver them from their sins and bondage to Satan. That is still what the Gospel seeks to do. The NAR would prefer to focus on this world because it worships this world. Our standing before God and eternal destination however, is what the business of the church is supposed to be about. (Undocumented statement.)
"What Can Church Leaders Do? Stop relying on yesterday. Refusing to change is a step toward death. Singing songs from 2,000 years ago is noble but irrelevant. Yes, they have meaning, and we should preserve them. But we can sing them with cultural relevance to this generation. And we do not need singers or song leaders with talent alone. We need modern-day psalmists with hearts to connect to God. These men and women do not just sing songs; they connect to God in worship. Their goal is to sing songs in the throne room and take others there with them. Our church members need a touch from God. A touch to get them through the week--a tangible moment where God's presence is real. No, not an emotion. But if God is near, our emotions will be unlocked. Emotions are not a sure sign of God's touch. But when Jesus touched people in the Scriptures, they displayed emotions. "One Sabbath day, as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, 'Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!' Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!" (Luke 13:10--13, NLT). Did you see it? She praised God. If you received your healing after 18 years, are you going to praise God? I think you would. Would churches accept this behavior today? Most wouldn't." -- Thomas McDaniels
Wow. Singing songs from 2000 years ago is irrelevant? (He wrote, Yes, they have meaning, and we should preserve them.)
Spoken like a carnal thinking, reprobate and deluded mind. Most of the alleged music today, coming out of Bethel, Hillsong and Elevation is absolute garbage to God. (Rev. Wade again tangents to unrelated issues.)
The date of the song is irrelevant -- only the biblical accuracy matters. (Rev. Wade thinks some other thing is irrelevant.
And once again we are left hanging. Is it really true that only biblical accuracy matters? How about a singable, interesting melody? A smooth flow of thought? God-honoring lyrics? Excellent musicality?)
This esoteric gobbledygook about singing in the throne room is at the heart of the problem with NAR experiential Christianity. We cannot go to throne room beloved. (Undocumented claim. Yet another opportunity for Rev. Wade to expound on the Bible passes by.)
Yes, it is true that Paul was once taken there (Ezekiel [Ezekiel 1:4], Stephen [Acts 7:55], John [Book of Revelation], Peter [Acts 10:10], among many others.)
but the outlier in all of history is not what we base sound doctrine upon. (Now comes an irrelevant tangent....)
Kim Walker-Smith is the worship leader for Jesus Culture from Bethel and she is firmly entrenched in this experiential mess. She tells of a waking visitation she had from Jesus who whisked her away to the throne room where she met the Father face to face. God ripped out a piece of His own heart to mold a miniature version of Walker-Smith to dance and sing for Him while He clapped maniacally. Seriously. This is her testimony she tells everyone, at every concert. Since we know from the bible that she could not have seen the Father face to face and live, we are left in assuming this was a demonic visitation with Satan's emissaries posing as angels of light and she could not tell the difference. That is what happens when you leave the "box" that is the surety of scripture in order to chase your personal experience. So get over yourself. You are not the Apostle Paul and will not be visiting the throne room any time soon.
(Another irrelevant tangent....) If we truly want to experience God then we need to read His word, not chase these fleeting emotional flings. As for accepting healing, I think most churches would welcome it. Yet the fake healings passed off by these rogue churches are transparent.
(Another irrelevant tangent....) If Todd White is so gifted a healer, why not ship him off to China right now and quell this coronavirus outbreak? If Bill Johnson truly fancied himself a healer, why isn't he camped out in the Redding California emergency room? I think we all know the answers to these questions.
"What Was the Bible's Response? But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. "There are six days of the week for working," he said to the crowd. "Come on, those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath." But the Lord replied, "You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn't it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?" (Luke 13:14--16, NLT). Make note that we have progressed little. Jesus would say the same words to us today. Can you see it? Religion says God can't do that. Not today. Religion cannot handle what cannot explain. John Burton said, "The days of predictable, scheduled, ordered church services must come to an end. We have become so enamored with human order in the church that Holy Spirit, biblical order, is completely rejected."' -- Thomas McDaniels
John Burton is as compromised a NAR adherent as Thomas McDaniels is. (Yes, of course. We get it. They all are NAR.)
This example is ridiculous. The point of the rebuke of the Pharisees was that they used the law without understanding the spirit of the law. They had no mercy. McDaniels wants to make a silly point here that they are somehow a "religious" spirit and the NAR position is the found in the role of Christ in this story. Just because Jesus healed on the Sabbath does not mean that God now wants to eliminate church. (Eliminate? No one has used this word except the author.)
The point is beyond vacuously stupid. Listen, I agree that overly formal church services that do not allow for a move of the spirit is not the design found in scripture (Waaiit. "Beyond vacuously stupid," but now Rev. Wade agrees???)
but to abandon all of it (Again Rev. Wade asserts something no one has claimed.)
and replace it with the emotional whims of man, (Which no one is suggesting.)
deluded into thinking something spiritual is occurring is madness. God is not a God of disorder.
(Irrelevant tangent...) Burton and his like have written extensively about church services wildly out of control like we saw in the Toronto demonic outpouring or the Brownsville debacle. No thanks, I think we should stick with what God has already written and stop pretending that it is somehow outdated for this generation. (Rev. Wade backtracks and doubles down, making wild claims about things no one but him have said.
And what has God written? Wouldn't be nice if the Reverend would tell us?)
The sheer arrogance of that thinking is staggering.
"God Desires to Do More. God is alive and has never been dead. Do our churches resemble that truth? Jesus was in a tomb. A borrowed one. Jesus only needed that tomb for three days. And on the third day, He rose. And He is alive. Just like Jesus told others to loose Lazarus and let him go, it's time the church loose God and let Him out of the box. Because ... "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Eph. 3:20)." -- Thomas McDaniels
Huh? Is this incoherent rambling (Pot, meet kettle.)
supposed to be some new form of eisegesis? Any church that preaches the Gospel is very much alive because only the Gospel brings life to what is dead.
(Irrelevant tangent...) We do not need to be rolling around on the floor shouting "shabba!" We do not need to be barking like dogs or twitching uncontrollably to know that we have had church. That is not experiencing God. It is experiencing the devil. These are very dangerous teachings that are deceiving generations. My experience is based upon my flesh and it counts for nothing. The word of God however is eternal and it is life. Give me that. (We have the same request. Maybe someday Rev. Wade will give us the word of God.)
The sheer arrogance of that thinking is staggering.
"God Desires to Do More. God is alive and has never been dead. Do our churches resemble that truth? Jesus was in a tomb. A borrowed one. Jesus only needed that tomb for three days. And on the third day, He rose. And He is alive. Just like Jesus told others to loose Lazarus and let him go, it's time the church loose God and let Him out of the box. Because ... "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Eph. 3:20)." -- Thomas McDaniels
Huh? Is this incoherent rambling (Pot, meet kettle.)
supposed to be some new form of eisegesis? Any church that preaches the Gospel is very much alive because only the Gospel brings life to what is dead.
(Irrelevant tangent...) We do not need to be rolling around on the floor shouting "shabba!" We do not need to be barking like dogs or twitching uncontrollably to know that we have had church. That is not experiencing God. It is experiencing the devil. These are very dangerous teachings that are deceiving generations. My experience is based upon my flesh and it counts for nothing. The word of God however is eternal and it is life. Give me that. (We have the same request. Maybe someday Rev. Wade will give us the word of God.)
No comments:
Post a Comment