Code Orange Coverup?? (aka Steven Furtick and Matt Chandler conference

[billiefan2000]

BREAKING NEWS: Code Orange Coverup?? **Updated**


• BREAKING NEWS: This is the first ever, Saturday edition of Fighting for the Faith. In this episode we ask if Steven Furtick and the Code Orange Revival are purposely covering up and suppressing Matt Chandler's sermon? Fact is they edited OUT Chandler's sermon for the rebroadcasts of last nights revival. We ask why? You can hear Chandler's sermon in this special episode.

**Update**

At 9:18 AM Eastern Standard Time Steven Furtick sent out a Tweet apologizing for the "programming change".

Here's the Tweet





Furtick's "explanation" doesn't make any sense and only raises more questions.

Questions like:

1. Who made the decision to EDIT OUT the sermon from the Code Orange Revival re-broadcasts?
2. Why was the decision made to EDIT OUT the sermon from the Code Orange Revival re-broadcasts?

3. How on earth does it make any sense for anyone to make the decision to EDIT OUT the sermon from the Code Orange Revival re-broadcasts? Isn't that like a hamburger joint making the decision to sell hamburgers with no meat?


Fact is, Furtick's "explanation" feels like a flimsy effort at spin/damage control.

I'll be discussing this more on Monday's edition of Fighting for the Faith.


Chris Rosebrough



Fighting for the Faith: BREAKING NEWS: Code Orange Coverup?? **Updated**

[billiefan2000]

STEVEN FURTICK, MATT CHANDLER & A “PROGRAMMING CHANGE”
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 14, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Steven Furtick

Apprising Ministries is doing what we can to warn you of a growing syncretism that I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams.

With it has come a growing syncretism as the Gospel shifts from repentance and forgiveness of sins to let’s all work together to make the world a better place.

One such example can be seen in “The Steven Furtick Show” Played At Harvest Bible Chapel Of James MacDonald where we give you an eyewitness report of Furtick being given the pulpit for his Word Faith-lite message at this Reformed church. More indication of curious associations being formed within mainstream evangelicalism.

I’ve told you before that Furtick, who’s fresh off an appearance for Church Growth Movement guru Bill Hybels, is an attractional Seeker Driven Prophet-Führer, one of the Popes of the Carolinas along with his friend and mentor Perry Noble. MacDonald also advanced the popularity of Furtick by having him in to the first Elephant Room (ER) conference.

Earlier in Still Curious, But Better, Decisions And Matt Chandler I mentioned that Chandler is associated with the Young, Restless, and Reformed camp. It was in ER that Furtick would come to know Chandler, who is lead pastor of The Village Church. Apparently this led to Furtick asking Chandler to be one of the speakers for his current Code Orange Revival (COR).

There are those who questioned Chandler’s involvement with COR being that it also features Word Faith heretic T.D. Jakes. Well, here’s where things now become even more curious after Matt Chandler preached at COR last night. We begin with Apprising Ministries special correspondent Erin Benziger who tells us in her post Is Steven Furtick Suppressing the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? that:

Last night, Matt Chandler preached the Gospel at Code Orange Revival. He even tossed in a few well-approached, much-needed rebukes toward Elevation Church and “pastor” Steven Furtick. Admittedly, there were a few times in his message when I cringed, knowing that what he was saying would be misconstrued by about 99.9% of his audience.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that Matt Chandler preached both Law and Gospel before an audience that likely had never heard such a thing before. Jesus Christ and the Cross were preached and, though I’ve expressed concern over Matt Chandler in the recent past (and still hold those concerns), I still was pleased to hear him boldly preach truth in a venue where the truth obviously is not welcome. (Online source)

You may wonder: Why would Benziger offer that truth “is not welcome” at COR? Well, it seems:

Following each evening’s message, there is a rebroadcast of the entire night’s “revival” footage at 10:12 pm, 3:12 am, and 12:12 pm the next day. Well, apparently Matt Chandler hit a rather tender nerve in Steven Furtick’s ego.

Trusted sources tell me that the revival footage from Friday, January 13 was aired at 10:12 pm last night and 3:12 am this morning without Matt Chandler’s message. They actually cut out and removed his sermon from the rebroadcast! (Online source, emphasis hers)

As I looked into this today I find Steven Furtick tweeted an explanation, which only serves to make it more obvious what actually happened:


(Online source)

My secular career was as a morning drive radio air personality and program director. That meant I was in charge of everything that aired daily on the various radio stations I worked for. Note carefully what Steven Furtick said, and conversely, what he did not say. Did you see that he calls the omission of Matt Chandler’s sermon a “programming change”; he didn’t say programming “error.”

This can only mean that it was a conscious decision on someone’s part in choosing to not rebroadcast Chandler’s message. I think we’re safe to assume, since Steven Furtick is in charge of virtually everything at his church—at the very least—he would have had to ok this. We would even find it very likely that it would have been Furtick’s own decision to have Chandler’s sermon excluded from the rebroadcast.

Benziger also informs us:

If you were unable to hear Matt Chandler’s message last night, the audio was captured and can be heard here. (Online source)

In closing this, for now, I point you to BREAKING NEWS: Code Orange Coverup?? where Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio tells us:

BREAKING NEWS: This is the first ever, Saturday edition of Fighting for the Faith. In this episode we ask if Steven Furtick and the Code Orange Revival are purposely covering up and suppressing Matt Chandler’s sermon?

Fact is they edited OUT Chandler’s sermon for the rebroadcasts of last nights revival. We ask why? You can hear Chandler’s sermon in this special episode. (Online source)

Now here’s this special edition of F4F:




STEVEN FURTICK, MATT CHANDLER & A “PROGRAMMING CHANGE” : Apprising Ministries

[myinnuendo999]

I read about that how they covered up Matt Chandlers message when he preached the gospel. I just thank GOD that he did and who knows hopefully 1 person at least will be saved because of this. God is faithful and his word does not return to him void but it accomplishes his will. Thank You LORD for your word going forth

[paul&katie]

Just found this:

[billiefan2000]

speaking of code orange



The Opening from Steven Furtick's Code Orange Revival last week


If you don't know the secular song, it's Rihanna's "We Found Love"

[ANY MINUTE]

Wow, a concert. Pretty telling song for that church, I noticed his, S.F. (not HIS) name scrolling the screen at the end. I hope his church hasn't become a hopeless place for those who attend there.

[billiefan2000]

STEVEN FURTICK HAS CODE ORANGE SERMON OF MATT CHANDLER PULLED
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 17, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Steven Furtick

As I pointed out in the Apprising Ministries article Study In 1 John 4:1—Test The Spirits there is a critical lack of proper Biblical understanding of the Gospel and the actual mission of the Church.

This is exactly what’s producing the man-centered pragmatism of the whole Seeker Driven Church Growth Movement, aka attractional, as typified e.g. by Prophet-Führer Steven Furtick and his Code Orange De-vival.

I’m also not endorsing the ministry of Matt Chandler, who’s in the Young, Restless, and charismatic Reformed camp, as I have much concern with its postmodern form of so-called New Calvinism.

Take for example Still Curious, But Better, Decisions And Matt Chandler. That said, I now point you back to where this story begins in Steven Furtick, Matt Chandler & A “Programming Change.”

You may remember Furtick made a real tactical blunder by not running Chandler’s sermon on the rebroadcast of the OC De-vival. Apprising Ministries special correspondent Erin Benziger told us in her post Is Steven Furtick Suppressing the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? that:

Last night, Matt Chandler preached the Gospel at Code Orange Revival. He even tossed in a few well-approached, much-needed rebukes toward Elevation Church and “pastor” Steven Furtick…

Nevertheless, there is no denying that Matt Chandler preached both Law and Gospel before an audience that likely had never heard such a thing before…in a venue where the truth obviously is not welcome. (Online source)

Benziger statement truth “is not welcome” at Code Orange proved to be dead-on-target as:

Following each evening’s message, there is a rebroadcast of the entire night’s “revival” footage at 10:12 pm, 3:12 am, and 12:12 pm the next day. Well, apparently Matt Chandler hit a rather tender nerve in Steven Furtick’s ego.

Trusted sources tell me that the revival footage from Friday, January 13 was aired at 10:12 pm last night and 3:12 am this morning without Matt Chandler’s message. They actually cut out and removed his sermon from the rebroadcast! (Online source, emphasis hers)

Steven Furtick would later tweet an explanation, but that really only served to make it more obvious what actually happened:


(Online source)

As I said before, Steven Furtick calls the omission of Matt Chandler’s sermon a “programming change”; he didn’t say programming “error.” This can only mean that it was a conscious decision on someone’s part in choosing to not rebroadcast Chandler’s message. I think we’re safe to assume, since Steven Furtick is in charge of virtually everything at his church—at the very least—he would have had to ok this.

You may recall I’d also offered that I’d even find it very likely that it would have been Furtick’s own decision to have Chandler’s sermon excluded from the rebroadcast; but it turns out I’m wrong. It wasn’t Steven Furtick; no, apparently it was God the Holy Spirit Himself. Before I show you the proof, let me point out that Chandler’s sermon did air the next time Code Orange ran.

Then when it got on YouTube I put it in Matt Chandler At Code Orange Revival: God Is For God. Well, God/Steven really doesn’t want that sermon seen because here’s screen capture of Chandler’s sermon now:



As far as how the original programming change came about we turn to the Facebook wall of Geoff Schultz, “Motion Graphic Designer at Elevation Church.” Note carefully his answer early Saturday morning, January 14, when asked why Chandler’s sermon wasn’t rebroadcast:






So, now we know that “the team” made the decision to pull the sermon in order to “focus the rebroadcast on Jesus” because they were trying to “stay in the flow of what Spirit” was “leading” them “to do.” The Elevation Church Code Orange De-vival team believed God the Holy Spirit wanted Matt Chandler’s sermon pulled to…um, focus more on Jesus.

Well, leaving my differences with Matt Chandler aside, I can tell you from viewing his God Is For God sermon there’s no way the LORD God Almighty would have led that team to pull it. Looks to me as if Steven Furtick’s team is following another spirit (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:4). I’ll tell you what; make up your mind for yourself.

Below Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio discusses the issue further and then plays Matt Chandler’s sermon in its entirety:




STEVEN FURTICK HAS CODE ORANGE SERMON OF MATT CHANDLER PULLED : Apprising Ministries

[billiefan2000]

Code Orange Revival: To focus on Jesus, we cut the only sermon that pointed people to Him
If you’ve been following Fighting for the Faith’s coverage of Steven Furtick’s Code Orange Revival, you’ll know that, thus far, the so-called ‘preaching’ has been an irredeemably dire exhibition of narcigetical scripture twisting. With just one exception: Matt Chandler bravely preached a decent sermon that actually pointed people away from themselves and towards Jesus Christ, the only One who shed His blood that people might be saved.

Matt Chandler’s reward for being faithful to His Lord and Master by proclaiming Law and Gospel was to have his sermon pulled from the rebroadcast of that evening’s Code Orange Revival event. Speculation abounded as to the reason for this, but Geoff Schultz – Motion Graphic Designer at Furtick’s Elevation Church – has posted on Facebook what sounds very much like an official line. Schultz writes:

The team decided to focus the rebroadcast on Jesus, so we reformatted the content a bit – We are trying to stay in the flow of what the Spirit is leading us to do.

Here’s a screenshot (courtesy of Apprising Ministries) of Schultz’ Facebook wall:



Let me translate Schultz’ explanation for you:

Steven Furtick was embarrassed by Matt Chandler’s implied criticism of his teaching. So we pulled reformatted Chandler’s sermon into non-existence, even though this meant that people wouldn’t hear about their fallen condition and be pointed towards Jesus – We are trying to stay in the flow of what a spirit is leading us to do.

For more Code Orange coverage, see Apprising Ministries, Fighting for the Faith and Do Not Be Surprised.



Code Orange Revival: To focus on Jesus, we cut the only sermon that pointed people to Him « BetterThanSacrifice.org

[billiefan2000]

BREAKING NEWS: Elevation Employee Reveals Reason For Chandler Sermon Censorship
I hope you're sitting down because you're not going to believe what you're about to read!

Geoff Schultz, the Motion Graphic Designer for Elevation Church said on his Facebook wall that the reason why Chandler's sermon was edited out of the revival's rebroadcasts was that "The team decided to focus the rebroadcast on Jesus - so we reformatted the content a bit - We are trying to stay in the flow of what the Spirit is leading us to do."

Here's the Screen Shots taken today of his Facebook Wall.


Fighting for the Faith: BREAKING NEWS: Elevation Employee Reveals Reason For Chandler Sermon Censorship

[billiefan2000]

Elevation Church Accused of Censoring Reformed Pastor's Sermon
By Brittany Smith | Christian Post Reporter
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Elevation Church’s revival is seeing some theological controversy. An apologist and blogger is claiming that Matt Chandler’s sermon was censored during a rebroadcast.

Chandler, a Reformed evangelical pastor, spoke as a guest speaker at Elevation last Friday, the third night of the Code Orange Revival.



But Chris Rosebrough, blogger and host of Fighting for the Faith, told The Christian Post that Chandler’s sermon was never rebroadcast afterwards like the other speakers’ talks were.




Elevation Church is in the midst of its 12-night revival in Charlotte, N.C. Each night, the worship time and speakers' sermons are rebroadcast on the Elevation Network at 10:12 p.m. and 3:12 a.m. EST.

Rosebrough told The Christian Post that when he went back to watch Chandler’s sermon at both of the appointed times they never showed up. Elevation rebroadcast the worship time leading up to Chandler’s talk, but “right when it got to the time for the sermon it was cut out.” They put a prayer update in its place.

Elevation’s spokesperson, Tonia Bendickson, told CP, “We decided to do prayer time live during the first rebroadcast time. We were getting so many requests for prayer.”

The Motion Graphic Designer for Elevation Church, Geoff Schultz, also explained on his Facebook wall that Chandler's sermon was edited out of the revival's rebroadcasts because "the team decided to focus the rebroadcast on Jesus - so we reformatted the content a bit - We are trying to stay in the flow of what the Spirit is leading us to do."




Elevation’s pastor, Steven Furtick, sent out a tweet at 9:18 a.m. the next day, stating: “I apologize for the inconvenience of last night's #CodeOrangeRevival programming change-Matt Chandler's msg will reair today@10:12am&12:12pm.”

Bendickson noted that “Pastor Chandler’s message did rebroadcast, just not the first time, and it will be available for podcast after the revival with all the other messages.”

Rosebrough isn’t buying it. He said on his blog: “Fact is, Furtick's ‘explanation’ is a flimsy effort at spin/damage control and an admission that a deliberate decision was made to remove Chandler's sermon from the first two rebroadcasts.”

He told CP that he broke the story of the "censorship" Saturday morning and shortly after, Elevation “reversed their decision” and the sermon was rebroadcast at 12:12 p.m. on Saturday.

Rosebrough thinks part of the reason for the alleged censorship stems from Furtick and Chandler’s theological differences. During his talk, Chandler “came out both guns blazing and blew the head off Steven Furtick’s favorite Bible technique of allegorizing a text. He (Chandler) said the Bible is not about you.”

At the beginning of his talk at the revival, Chandler, who leads The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, told crowds, “We’ve got to get past Elevation and Pastor Furtick. We’ve got to get underneath all that so we can gaze upon what is actually going on and what God is about.”

In Rosebrough’s view, the talk was a “boxing match theologically; if you watched Furtick’s body language he was pissed. He wasn’t clapping, he was shaking his head.”

Chandler, who was one of 11 “world-class” speakers invited to the 12-night revival, preached about the law and about sinfulness, which Rosebrough said is “considered negative preaching” in Furtick’s book. Furtick has told his congregation that he doesn’t like negative preaching.

Chandler’s talk centered around the law and Gospel, telling those in the audience that “the law can’t save you, its purpose is to show you your sin.” The Texas pastor told the crowd the only solution against sin is “Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” Rosebrough recalled.

Chandler and Furtick have debated theological issues before. They participated in the Elephant Room Conference last year where Chandler told the young Elevation pastor that the Reformed community is not a big fan of him.

He pointed to a video he came across where Furtick rebuked his church for wanting depth. “You’re in front of your congregation saying you guys want to talk about reform? You guys want to talk about this doctrine? … Well I want you to know we baptized 1,000 people.”

Chandler said he was heartbroken because through that talk Furtick literally “said evangelism and doctrine are exclusive.”

The Elevation pastor clarified that he was just being hyperbolic and that what he was trying to say was that he was tired of people saying “give me abstract theoretical truths” as long as they don’t have to do anything about it. He said he exaggerated his point to tell those people to “get out of here (Elevation) if that’s what you want.”

The Village Church declined to comment on the rebroadcasting issue.




Elevation Church Accused of Censoring Reformed Pastor's Sermon, Christian News

[billiefan2000]

Matt Chandler Goes To Code Orange Where He Exalts Christ, Confronts Narcissistic Man-Centered Preaching, and *poof* He's Gone
Posted by Christine Pack



For those unaware of the latest brouhaha in Evangelicalism, let me first lay out the facts. Steven Furtick, megachurch pastor at Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, is currently hosting a revival which is running from January 11-22 and is promoted as "a 12 night worship experience to set the stage for 2012."


The event is entitled "Code Orange" to indicate, according to Elevation Church's website, "a heightened sense of urgency....something significant is about to happen."


The line-up of speakers for Code Orange includes Craig Groeschel, Jentezen Franklin, Matt Chandler, Christine Caine, Ed Young, Israel Houghton, Perry Noble, James MacDonald, T.D. Jakes, etc.




So Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Highland, Texas, and one of the invited speakers at Code Orange, stood up at Elevation Church and delivered what turned out to be a barn burner of a sermon.



In his distinctive delivery style (that is to say, humble, loving, direct and at times laugh-out-loud funny),


Chandler took aim at the kind of preaching that has been so aptly termed "Narcissistic Eisegeis," and at which Steven Furtick, and so many others in the seeker sensitive movement, excel.





"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."


2 Timothy 4:3-4


Narcissistic Eisegesis

("Narcigesis") = Forcing the Bible to mean something you already want it to mean by superimposing yourself into the meaning of the passage, rather than interpreting Scripture for what it means about God, and letting the Scripture simply speak for itself.



Conversely, seeking to understand Scripture for what it reveals about God is known as Exegesis,


and is also sometimes referred to as the "Literal" or "Grammatical-Historical" approach to interpreting Scripture. Example: The Narcissitic Eisegesis version of David and Goliath would be about you fighting your personal "giants" (i.e., problems, difficulties, setbacks, etc.). The Exegetical approach to interpreting David and Goliath would reveal, instead, an historical account of David's faith and God supernaturally intervening in an impossible situation for his own glory.


Matt Chandler,


Pastor of The Village Church



Now, back to Elevation Church, Code Orange, and Matt Chandler's sermon.


First of all, before the letters start, I am aware that Matt Chandler is affiliated with Acts 29, has contemplative authors on his site and has claimed audible words from God.


I'm not putting a stamp of approval on any of that by posting Chandler's sermon.


The church is in a big muddle today, and I truly do think that we're in the end times deception, such that even the elect might be deceived.


But here's a thought: maybe part of that playing itself out is that some will appear to be slipping, but when push comes to shove, will stand up and preach Jesus Christ and him crucified.


The desire, of course, is for the ones who appear to be slipping to demonstrate that their feet are firmly planted on the Rock of our Salvation - Christ - and it appears to me that Matt Chandler is demonstrating just that.


Because really, for Chandler to go to Elevation Church and preach as he did?


To stand up before thousands and thousands of people, knowing that his message would not be well received? That could not have been easy, and it demonstrates a fear of God, rather than a fear of man.




So the sermon rocked, Christ was exalted, and man was humbled.


I can only speak for myself, but I personally need sermons that pierce me and break me and make me lie down on the floor, repenting and crying, and also remind me of the only hope that I have, which is not that I can be great and conquer problems but that God is great and has made a way for wretched sinners (like me) to be reconciled to himself.




But now for the controversial part. Chandler's sermon was immediately pulled from the Code Orange rebroadcasts.



This was pointed out by several Christian writers, including Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for Faith and Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries.


Then, the sermon reappeared in subsequent rebroadcasts with a cryptic message from Elevation's graphic designer about a decision being made to "reformat the content" for the purpose of focusing "the broadcast on Jesus."




So we'll let you be the judge. Matt Chandler's sermon is posted above, where you can listen to it in its entirety.


Was this a sermon that should have been pulled because it did not focus on Jesus?



Sola Sisters: Matt Chandler Goes To Code Orange Where He Exalts Christ, Confronts Narcissistic Man-Centered Preaching, and *poof* He's Gone

[billiefan2000]

Matt Chandler Is No Outsider To Emergents

Surph's Side: Matt Chandler Is No Outsider To Emergents


Matt Chandler is lined up to speak at Perry Noble's pastor conference on September 6,2012 This would include sharing the pulpit yet AGAIN with the cast of usual suspects:

Quote:



In one day, learn from seven pastors who love Jesus, love the Church, and lead in the Church, preaching from experience and conviction.


Join James MacDonald along with Matt Chandler, Steven Furtick, Perry Noble, Judah Smith, Andy Stanley and Jud Wilhite at NewSpring Church on Thursday, September 6, 2012 for the NewSpring Leadership Conference.


End quote.


Again, proving the point that Chandler is no outsider to this group, and hasn't been. He's PART OF IT.


Surph's Side: Matt Chandler Is No Outsider To Emergents

[billiefan2000]

speaking of Furtick



anyone seen this?

[billiefan2000]

January 19, 2012
Laying Hold of Eisegetical Nonsense


• Email
• Elevation Church Accused of Censoring Reformed Pastor's Sermon
• Perry Noble Slams 'Scheduled Revivals'
• Furtick's Quid Pro Quo Theology
• Stovall Weems Lays Hold of Eisegetical Nonsense


Fighting for the Faith: Laying Hold of Eisegetical Nonsense

[billiefan2000]

related:

MEDAL CEREMONY FOR HERESY OLYMPICS AT CODE ORANGE DE-VIVAL OF STEVEN FURTICK
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 23, 2012 in Current Issues, Features, Steven Furtick

Apprising Ministries is doing what we can to draw attention to the New Downgrade No-Controversy happening within evangelicalism and growing syncretism as spiritual blindness and apostasy increase.

Unfortunately, at a time when the church visible could desperately use one, I’m afraid there doesn’t appear to be a Charles Spurgeon arising.

In pieces like Word Faith Heretics Like Creflo Dollar Draw Nearer To Evangelical Acceptance and Word Faith Heretic Cindy Trimm Receives Award From Billy Graham Evangelistic Association you get a good idea of just how far down the grade they are within apostatizing and spiritually spineless evangelicalism.

For a vivid illustration we need only look at the Furtickism I discussed e.g. in Word Faith Pastrix Christine Caine Preaches Sunday Morning Sermon For Steven Furtick and Steven Furtick Bringin’ On Word Faith And The Pastrixes, where I began to introduce you to this Furtickism, which looks to be a new move.

However, it’s not a move of God; but I think after Friday night’s Code Orange De-vival you will see Furtickism slither throughout the younger sectors of mainstream evangelicalism and the whacked Word Faith movement. Keep in mind what actually happened that night in one of the fastest growing ostensibly mainstream evangelical churches in the United States.

Prophet-Führer Steven Furtick excitedly introduced heretical modalist Word Faith mogul T.D. Jakes as “The Greatest Preacher Of Our Time” to a cheering crowd. That’s because Furtickism is a unique hybrid of the Seeker Driven aka attractional church growth model, which adds to it the charismania of the Word Faith movement—along with its acceptance that a church may be headed by a female pastrix.

So, against this background of the heresies inherent within Furtickism, we now point you to apologist Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian Radio who masterfully handled the coverage of the Heresy Olympics at the recently concluded Code Orange De-vival. It was quite the apostasia-palooza clearly revealing that the spiritually obtuse Steven Furtick’s certainly no prophet of God.

In this clip form his Fighting for the Faith program Rosebrough brings us the shocking must-hear results from the Code Orange Medal Ceremony:




MEDAL CEREMONY FOR HERESY OLYMPICS AT CODE ORANGE DE-VIVAL OF STEVEN FURTICK : Apprising Ministries

[billiefan2000]

Megachurch Revival Reignites Discipleship vs. Evangelism Debate
By Brittany Smith | Christian Post Reporter


What's more important? Reaching the lost or growing the reached? Over the past two weeks, the ongoing debate between discipleship and evangelism took center stage during one megachurch's Code Orange Revival.


Elevation Church, a seeker-friendly church in Charlotte, N.C., hosted a 12-night "old-school revival," that ended Sunday night, featuring presentations from well-known pastors like Ed Young, Perry Noble and T.D. Jakes. The event drew thousands of attendees but it also attracted critics, who raised important questions for the evangelical church.

Steven Furtick, lead pastor of Elevation, has made it clear that his church's main goal is about reaching out to unbelievers. In fact, his church's list of core values called "The Code" states: "We Need Your Seat. We are more concerned with the people we are trying to reach than the people we are trying to keep."

He told those attending the Code Orange Revival on night seven, "We're all about the numbers." Elevation has grown to six campuses in just six years and claims to have more than 10,000 people attending their services on any given Sunday.

Many pastors, including Craig Groeschel and Ed Young, have taken note of the rapid growth. Young, pastor of Texas-based Fellowship Church and author of the new book Sexperiment, highlighted on night five of the revival that Elevation has "baptized about a 'squillion' people. That's growth."



However, a wide variety of theologians and watchdog organizations have a different view.




David Wells, senior research professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, put it this way in an email to CP: "At the two NFL playoff games this weekend there will be large, enthusiastic crowds but a crowd by itself is no indicator of the work of God."



Chris Rosebrough, apologist, host of the radio program "Fighting for the Faith" and a long-time critic of Elevation, told The Christian Post:


"They equate somebody who wants to go deeper in their understanding of theology as someone who is missing the need to be keyed into the latest move of the Spirit."




He said pastors like Furtick and Young believe they "know the Spirit is moving because of how many people showed up."


They have a popular message and are "doing a great job of puffing up people's egos and telling them what they want to hear."




He compared Elevation to a Chinese company that produces millions of plastic toys that break easily and don't last. "It's more expensive and time consuming to make something that has quality," he noted.



Dr. John Hardin, a writer for 9Marks, a Washington, D.C., organization that helps "church leaders define success as faithfulness to God," recently completed his dissertation on the history of church promotion in the 20th century.



He told CP that often it's easier for churches to measure their success in numbers because it's how our society measures success.

"Quality is hard to measure, unless it's in a numerical ranking system," he said. "A quality hotel is one with five stars or 50 positive reviews or 500 guests or a profit of $50,000. It's much easier to measure and communicate success by reporting 50 baptisms instead of the details of transformation in one person's life.


In 21st century churches big numbers mean big success. And big success means God is behind it, so don't question it."




For Wells, the real indicator of success is once people are brought in to the church, whether or not they see Christ as their redeemer.



"Whether they know that he bore their sin and gave them his righteousness, whether there is deepening conviction of sin, whether people yearn to find new levels of faithfulness, whether they are giving themselves to the service of Christ and so on.


These are the only indicators there are as to whether God has been at work or not," he said.



Apologist and author Frank Turek agreed that the numbers aren't always the whole picture. "It could be a measure of success, but it could also be a measure of popularity.


Joel Osteen preaches a mild prosperity gospel and hardly ever talks about sin. He's got the largest church in America. I would say that's not necessarily a measure of success for making disciples," Turek pointed out.




He told CP that part of the responsibility of the church is to make disciples. Just getting people to make a decision for Christ isn't enough.

Turek added that while it's a good thing that churches like Elevation are focused on reaching the lost, there is a problem if "the numbers don't convert to disciples." He said, "Jesus didn't say come make believers, he said go make disciples."

Elevation Church did not immediately respond to requests for comment.




Megachurch Revival Reignites Discipleship vs. Evangelism Debate, Christian News

[billiefan2000]

related:


STEVEN FURTICK: T.D. JAKES IS MY FAVORITE PREACHER IN THE WORLD
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jan 23, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Steven Furtick

Every night of the Revival I’ve been sharing with you one of the elements of our Code—our 12 Core Values at Elevation Church—except tonight. I’m not gonna do it tonight. I had something written tonight (pauses) but our preacher for tonight is (pauses and audience cheers)—sitting on the front row. And he [T.D. Jakes] makes me so nervous that I don’t think I’d want to read a nursery rhymr in front of him because—if you’ve never heard T.D. Jakes preach; listen, you have heard Bishop T.D. Jakes preach. Let me explain that. Every preacher who has anything to say rips off Bishop T.D. Jakes. Bishop T.D. Jakes is the preacher—if you attend this church—who feeds your soul every single week.

And you didn’t even ever know to write him a thank you note. Most of us quit apologising for how much we ripped-off Bishop T.D. Jakes a long time ago, because we were taking more time in our sermons attributing the credit to him for the way he fed our souls than we were actually preaching. So when Bishop Jakes said that he would be with us at Code Orange Revival (audience cheers), I just made up my mind, that we would sing just enough to get you ready; and not show any videos or anything like that. And that I would sit down on my orange chair on the stage, and have the best night of my life listening to my favorite preacher in the world. (enthusiastic applause)

Now, there are a lot of introductions that you could give for Bishop Jakes. There are a lot of things you could say about him, in regards to his influence, in regards to his success. It’s pretty obvious, though, how successful he is when you look at the way that God has used him to impact—not only Christian culture—but he’s found a way to break out of the sub-cultural Christian ghetto, where we just all sing songs to each other, and preach sermons to each other. And he literally impacts the world.

That inspires me as a young preacher. I hope that one day I can have a fraction of his influence. And I pray that God will give me wisdom but. One of the things that I wanted you to know—as I’ve tried a personal introduction for each speaker each night—is what Bishop Jakes sermons have meant to me. And I’m gonna try and do this without acting stupid—they made me cry on Tuesday night—Apostle Ron—and I made up mind to hold it together the rest of the time. (audience member calls to Futrtick) I love you. But—(pauses)

Bishop—Bishop Jakes doesn’t know this but there was a sermon that he preached one time—right when we were starting the church—on The Ten Commandments Of Christian Leadership. I’ll never forget it because I was at this conference, sitting in the back of the room. And, when he got to preach I was so excited—I love his preaching. I was telling everyone that was with us, this is gonna be the best, um, 40-50 minutes of your life—it’s all downhill from here. This is gonna be th-the apex.

And it was at that time when we were stepping out in faith to start Elevation, and we had just a few families committed. And were wondering, “Is this gonna work? Can we really reach people?” It was only 6 years ago. We just had 7 families; that’s it. And, in the middle of that (audience applauds), I got to hear Bishop Jakes preach a sermon; and, it meant so much to me—this is no exaggeration, the Holly spirit’s on the front row—she can verify the words that I’m about to say to you. That I listened to it—I listened to the sermon—for a year and a half; every Sunday, before I came to preach—the same sermon.

Tha’s all—I couldn’t—I couldn’t preach—I couldn’t even say an opening prayer without listening to that sermon. And we’re meeting in the senior center at that time. A lot of you won’t remember those days, but—we used to meet in a senior center and they had a little closet where I would go pray in between the services. And I’d listen to that sermon on my ipod. And, uh—I memorized it. Uh, I could probably preach it verbatim right now.

But the thing about it is that, when someone has touched your soul, and been an instrument of God, to speak so deeply to you, and then, he agrees to come and share with your church, and help build your church, that’s gotta be one of the most meaningful moments of your life. I want my Amen Corner to get ready; and then (to audience) I want you to get ready, because we’re about to welcome this man; ah, who could have been anywhere in the world, but chose to be with us tonight.

I want you to know, Bishop Jakes that, there’s a whole generation of younger pastors who—because you’ve been a pioneer to stay faithful to God’s Word—and to preach with such power, that we’re now charging forward in the name of Jesus. And I wanna let you know personally, that I’m gonna do my best to make you proud.

An’ I appreciate the fact that you would come and be with us tonight. But, more importantly, I appreciate the fact that you’ve got a bunch of hungry people in here (audience cheers), who are about to lose their minds. Elevation Church, at every location, I want you to stand up on your feet right now, and let’s welcome to the stage, the Greatest Preacher of Our Time—Bishop T.D. Jakes. Come on, let’s show him some embarrassing love.

Steven Furtick



STEVEN FURTICK: T.D. JAKES IS MY FAVORITE PREACHER IN THE WORLD : Apprising Ministries

[David T. McKee]

I am getting pretty tired of the name calling being thrown at my Church - nothing is being covered up and a few minutes of research time and you would have found this:

Elevation Church - Code Orange Revival: Night 3 (Guest Speaker: Pastor Matt Chandler)

Which is the direct link to Matt Chandlers sermon given on night 3 of COR - easily found by going to the sermon archives of the website.

Matt was warning our church not to get into the place where we forget that all is for His glory, not that we are there. But then, it is so much easier to simply listen to a few video clips here and there, take them out of context, never having visited the church or actually know anything about it, and fling dung.

I'll have more to say about the charges of "Narcissistic eisegesis" that have been thrown at us by what I see as actual practitioners...

-DTM

[David T. McKee]

Just found this:

If you go to Elevations website, click "Media - > Sermon Archives" and then click the Code Orange Revival button, all of the sermons including Matt Chandlers (Night 3) is right there complete and uncut, as it has been since COR ended.

-DTM

[OnceWasLost]

I am getting pretty tired of the name calling being thrown at my Church - nothing is being covered up and a few minutes of research time and you would have found this:

Elevation Church - Code Orange Revival: Night 3 (Guest Speaker: Pastor Matt Chandler)

Which is the direct link to Matt Chandlers sermon given on night 3 of COR - easily found by going to the sermon archives of the website.

Matt was warning our church not to get into the place where we forget that all is for His glory, not that we are there. But then, it is so much easier to simply listen to a few video clips here and there, take them out of context, never having visited the church or actually know anything about it, and fling dung.

I'll have more to say about the charges of "Narcissistic eisegesis" that have been thrown at us by what I see as actual practitioners...

-DTM

To be totally accurate re: the article, the controversy is about the rebroadcast and not what was archived. Since we didn't hear the rebroadcast, we can't know, however the tweet from your pastor seems to validate the story. Am I missing something here?

Now, for the more frightening thing IMO is he views TD Jakes as a great teacher and someone worth listening to and learning from. Jakes believes in a different god than the one revealed in Scripture, now that is unsettling to be sure.