Comments on: Will the Real False Teacher Please Stand Up? http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:55:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: ruth http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html#comment-38560 ruth Sun, 25 May 2008 04:21:21 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=50#comment-38560 I attended The Church On the Way for a good number of years. They are Pentecostal which means they believe in tongues, prophecy and other manifestations of the Spirit. Simply because this is controversial to non-Pentecostals does not automaticly make their leaders false teachers. They weren't spiritually goofey (although I admit the Elders tended to be). J. Hayford taught a well-balanced theology with a few minor exceptions. There was a definate pecking order of heirarchy that felt painful but it was nothing cultish. They taught 10% tithing but did not beat the congregation over the head about it. Fund raising was kept low key rather than high pressure. I found that refreshing. A few of the Pastors entrusted to the position of helping members were unkind to parishoners who fell on hard times. This was wrong and unbiblical but not heresy. The church did promote an openly pro-Republican stance during both teaching and prayer, and did indeed offer leaflets by a certain Christian political organization on who they recommended be voted into office. Although this was unwise it was not heretical. On the whole TCOTW did as well as its contemporaries and with far less scandals. I attended The Church On the Way for a good number of years. They are Pentecostal which means they believe in tongues, prophecy and other manifestations of the Spirit. Simply because this is controversial to non-Pentecostals does not automaticly make their leaders false teachers. They weren’t spiritually goofey (although I admit the Elders tended to be).

J. Hayford taught a well-balanced theology with a few minor exceptions.

There was a definate pecking order of heirarchy that felt painful but it was nothing cultish.

They taught 10% tithing but did not beat the congregation over the head about it. Fund raising was kept low key rather than high pressure. I found that refreshing.

A few of the Pastors entrusted to the position of helping members were unkind to parishoners who fell on hard times. This was wrong and unbiblical but not heresy.

The church did promote an openly pro-Republican stance during both teaching and prayer, and did indeed offer leaflets by a certain Christian political organization on who they recommended be voted into office. Although this was unwise it was not heretical.

On the whole TCOTW did as well as its contemporaries and with far less scandals.

]]> By: Anonymous http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html#comment-81 Anonymous Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:30:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=50#comment-81 I agree with you that we all can make mistakes (gospel/doctrine) in what we may share with others. However, what sets a false teacher apart is that he/she will do it in the name of the Lord (ie. Thus says the Lord, or the Lord told me, ...) and their comments are in error. The Bible tells us that there will be (and are) false witnesses and prophets. What is the common denominator of witnessing and, especially, prophesying? A truth which is claimed to have been derived from God! Then comes correction by highlighting the error and still such teachers continue with false teachings! Interpretation of future events is just that, interpretation, and we wait for the events to occur. Yet, when some prominent 'ministers' go as far as dismissing the completion of the work of Christ on the cross, how should we take such preachers/teachers??? These comments are not directed at Hayford, since I don't know of him, but I'm simply answering the notion of what makes a false teacher. I agree with you that we all can make mistakes (gospel/doctrine) in what we may share with others.

However, what sets a false teacher apart is that he/she will do it in the name of the Lord (ie. Thus says the Lord, or the Lord told me, …) and their comments are in error. The Bible tells us that there will be (and are) false witnesses and prophets. What is the common denominator of witnessing and, especially, prophesying? A truth which is claimed to have been derived from God! Then comes correction by highlighting the error and still such teachers continue with false teachings!

Interpretation of future events is just that, interpretation, and we wait for the events to occur. Yet, when some prominent ‘ministers’ go as far as dismissing the completion of the work of Christ on the cross, how should we take such preachers/teachers???

These comments are not directed at Hayford, since I don’t know of him, but I’m simply answering the notion of what makes a false teacher.

]]> By: Anonymous http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html#comment-80 Anonymous Mon, 08 Nov 2004 16:41:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=50#comment-80 To quote someone, the best of men are men at best. Where we as Christians fall prey is when we do not study fundamental theology and doctrine in which there can be no derivation such as the Trinity and Christ's bodily resurrection. There are many different preaching / teaching styles and that's ok as long as each hold up to biblical scrutiny. But if you and I don't know the foundational points, then we can easily be mis-led. Pastor do need to be held to a higher standard but equally, Christians must know what the word of God says. Fool me once, it's your fault. Fool me twice and you've proven I haven't been studying scripture. To quote someone, the best of men are men at best. Where we as Christians fall prey is when we do not study fundamental theology and doctrine in which there can be no derivation such as the Trinity and Christ’s bodily resurrection. There are many different preaching / teaching styles and that’s ok as long as each hold up to biblical scrutiny. But if you and I don’t know the foundational points, then we can easily be mis-led. Pastor do need to be held to a higher standard but equally, Christians must know what the word of God says. Fool me once, it’s your fault. Fool me twice and you’ve proven I haven’t been studying scripture.

]]> By: Anonymous http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html#comment-79 Anonymous Sat, 23 Oct 2004 04:47:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=50#comment-79 This is tough. We have a call to be discerning, but should we not give each grace for honest differences in opinion? The question over what is "essential" has been going on for the last 2000 years. Some guidelines that I use to evalute teachings are : - Does it the change the message of the Gospel. - Does it change the nature of God, Christ, or man - Are scriptures consistently twisted out of context, even when used to prove a "good" thing. - Do the teachings promote judgmentalism within the body of Christ. I happen to agree with you on the tithing issue. Many don't and would actually teach that you are outside of God's will if you don't tithe. Bill Gothard actually lists not tithing as a potential cause of women having miscarriages. What do you think? Is that far enough out there to merit raising some red flags? Sozo www.reasonswhy.org This is tough. We have a call to be discerning, but should we not give each grace for honest differences in opinion? The question over what is “essential” has been going on for the last 2000 years. Some guidelines that I use to evalute teachings are :

- Does it the change the message of the Gospel.
- Does it change the nature of God, Christ, or man
- Are scriptures consistently twisted out of context, even when used to prove a “good” thing.
- Do the teachings promote judgmentalism within the body of Christ.

I happen to agree with you on the tithing issue. Many don’t and would actually teach that you are outside of God’s will if you don’t tithe. Bill Gothard actually lists not tithing as a potential cause of women having miscarriages. What do you think? Is that far enough out there to merit raising some red flags?

Sozo
http://www.reasonswhy.org

]]> By: Anonymous http://ceruleansanctum.com/2004/10/will-real-false-teacher-please-stand.html#comment-78 Anonymous Fri, 15 Oct 2004 01:22:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/?p=50#comment-78 I have seen quite a few of these "heresy hunter" websites and even read a few books by self proclaimed heresy hunters such as the Bobegans who rail against christian pyschologists. The strange thing most of these "experts" seem to spend very little time actually proclaiming the truth and a lot of time attacking others for being wrong. MacArthur does this quite a bit too but I don't want to see him condemned in like manner. I know who the accuser of the bretheren is, I don't want to be involved with him. Windblown I have seen quite a few of these “heresy hunter” websites and even read a few books by self proclaimed heresy hunters such as the Bobegans who rail against christian pyschologists. The strange thing most of these “experts” seem to spend very little time actually proclaiming the truth and a lot of time attacking others for being wrong. MacArthur does this quite a bit too but I don’t want to see him condemned in like manner.

I know who the accuser of the bretheren is, I don’t want to be involved with him.
Windblown

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