Heresy Hunters

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Heresy Hunters

The use of the phrase "heresy hunter" by DMP PGS plus the rest of his post would seem to imply that we should not follow the Bereans' example in Acts 17:10,11. We are told that the Bereans "were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so." A number of us have listened to some of the teachings over TBN [Trinity Broadcasting Network], examined the Scriptures, and seen quite clearly that these things were simply not so. The NT warns us time and time again about false teachers, about being on the alert, about testing spirits, about exercising discernment, etc.

What is DMP PGS suggesting--that we keep silent in the face of teachings heard on TBN such as that the Godhead is really comprised of 9 entities, or that we have a divine right to material wealth, or that God must obey certain "spiritual laws" (none of which are found in Scripture) and that we can invoke God's obedience with the proper words, or that suffering is never part of God's will for us (I guess Jesus, Paul, and much of the early church were somehow lacking in faith or didn't know the right spiritual principles) or even ridiculous teachings such as Adam's supposed flight to the moon pre-fall and that God originally designed women to give birth through their sides just like Adam "gave birth" to Eve? All of these teachings, and many more at least equally aberrant ones, have been expounded on the Praise the Lord program, many times with the whole-hearted and enthusiastic approval of Paul and Jan Crouch. So what if there is the bit of wheat among the weeds...

I have seen some disturbing fruits of TBN. Most of those I know personally who exist on a steady diet of Crouch et. al. show a disturbing lack of comprehension or respect for the tenets of historic Christianity. Quite a bit of what is taught on TBN is a repackaging of ancient heresies that are all too familiar to anyone with a slight knowledge of church history. Many TBN followers have adopted an "us against them" mentality that does not allow them to examine what they are watching in a critical or rational way. Instead, they will cry "heresy hunters!" and personally attack anyone who would urge them to examine teaching in light of Scripture. I've been told, "I know what they're saying is from the Bible because they were holding a Bible when they said it!" I have seen extreme divisiveness emerge as a result of parishioners urging their pastors to dispense with solid exegetical preaching and "teach what they're teaching on TBN".

Perhaps the problem lies, at least in the eyes of DMP PGS, "with the obvious intent to uproot and pull down or discredit". Not everyone who critiques TBN has that intent: many are concerned that the Gospel be rightly proclaimed, and that people not be misled by false teaching.

I can laugh when I hear someone talk about Adam flying to the moon and being able to do everything any animal could do and more--fly, swim under water for hours on end, etc. I can write that off as harmless speculation and ignorant babblings of no particular spiritual impact. But when that same person teaches a completely aberrant and unbiblical view of the nature of God and a "new" doctrine of the Trinity completely at odds with historic Christianity, I become alarmed. When I hear someone else teach that God is NOT sovereign, that He is compelled to obey to the letter our prayers if we invoke the proper words (sort of like a magical incantation) I am more than alarmed. Then I become outraged when I hear someone teach that, if we are praying (claiming) that God should cause a too-short limb to grow, we need to tell God when to make the limb stop growing or it might become longer than it should! This is the low view of God that is being taught on TBN--God as some sort of cosmic errand boy who needs us to tell Him how to do His job properly.

I don't go hunting for heresy, but when it comes into my home (which, by the way, it no longer does) or when it is spouted and quoted by acquaintances, I am compelled to examine and, if need be, refute it--not with the intent of pulling down, but with the intent of lifting up the Truth of God's Word.

>>I once heard someone criticizing a well known preacher for "not being biblical enough". I realized, immediately, that it is wonderful he wasn't perfect. If this preacher was a perfect biblical scholar, we would follow him and not the Lord.

Imperfection in Christians who are in the ministry keep us from following individuals and always take us back to the source: our intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and the Word.<<

Does this mean that, if we desire an intimate personal relationship with Christ, we are better off if we purposefully seek out preachers and churches with the most imperfections? Strange, I've never heard this sort of advice in selecting a church. "Avoid 'perfect' Biblical scholars, or you will follow them, rather than the Lord."

Having sat under one "preacher" who was not Biblical enough, and also having been blessed by preaching that is some of the most powerful expository preaching I've ever heard, I would strongly advise people to avoid those who are not Biblical enough. The whole point of preaching is to rightly proclaim the Word of God. Unfortunately, many of our churches--and most of what I've heard on TBN--have completely lost sight of this. Most people have become so Biblically illiterate, so theologically naive, that they have no idea what a true proclamation of God's Word should entail. Preaching, by its very nature, should point us to God as revealed in His Word. If it elevates the preacher, or causes us to follow him and not God--well, then he's not rightly proclaiming the Word of God.

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