Everlasting Life
Through Faith in Jesus
Ok....so, many of us are more than aware of these movements (IHOP is particularly nauseating) and the damage that they are incurring. In working with certain groups, without fail someone eventually shows up with a "message" or "knowledge", etc. to share.
Always I'm on high alert with this stuff and ready to deal directly, kindly and without reservation. In fact I'm very dogged and staunch with this because of the damage I've seen with false teachings in the opposite spectrum of these movements (legalism). At first I was really thrown off because I'd not heard or seen this stuff before and all these people exhibited this syrupy sweet personality while slipping in junk.
Some things that I've learned so far (I'm sure at God's leading and I'm sharing for the benefit of others) is to pray (simple prayer is sufficient) before meetings that God's Holy Spirit would be fully present and that He would disperse our enemy from people, rooms and whole buildings/properties, and those spirits that would attempt to thwart/impede/distract good messages or growth. I always ask that God bring only those He desires to be there.....those who are in Christ and those who may have participated in these movements but God has determined to bring them out, those who are really there to heal, and most importantly give their hearts to Christ. I always ask that God bring the people and stop the enemy from entering as well, so these people can truly hear and make a choice. Also, if there has been a leader that's embracing this stuff, they have been talked to and prayed for, and when they've persisted I've prayed (never in a retributive attitude) that God would deal with this person. There's either been a change or something has taken them else where, removing them.
It seems that this is really key and has helped tremendously, and maybe that's all the needs to be done. : I know that I've had to be very firm in regards to false teachings at times for the sake of other people, to protect them and keep meetings safe.
As I've encountered this stuff, I often wonder, compassionately....how can a pastor/leaders/groups of a church deal with this? It seems that this is the big elephant in the room that's ignored or sidelined. There's almost a sense that it's just not "politically correct" to speak out loud about this and to directly address false teaching, showing the truth v.s. deadly falsehood. Or perhaps there's a fear in addressing these things in a frank manner.
I've often thought that it would be good to have some short guidelines drawn up for pastors/leaders of a church to equip those leading groups in how to counter/correct in a Christlike way these false ideas as they are introduced.
I guess my point/question is, yes...many of us know about these movements and are more than well educated on this, but it seems there is a need to understand how to wisely deal with this false theologies as we encounter them without damaging tender, growing Christians. In your experience, what are the simple/best/wise ways practically counter this and apply the Word of God where some of us are in our communities, churches, and families?
I can only imagine that some Pastors/leaders/teachers are somewhat at a loss here, and may not feel confident in how to go about addressing these things.
Always I'm on high alert with this stuff and ready to deal directly, kindly and without reservation. In fact I'm very dogged and staunch with this because of the damage I've seen with false teachings in the opposite spectrum of these movements (legalism). At first I was really thrown off because I'd not heard or seen this stuff before and all these people exhibited this syrupy sweet personality while slipping in junk.
Some things that I've learned so far (I'm sure at God's leading and I'm sharing for the benefit of others) is to pray (simple prayer is sufficient) before meetings that God's Holy Spirit would be fully present and that He would disperse our enemy from people, rooms and whole buildings/properties, and those spirits that would attempt to thwart/impede/distract good messages or growth. I always ask that God bring only those He desires to be there.....those who are in Christ and those who may have participated in these movements but God has determined to bring them out, those who are really there to heal, and most importantly give their hearts to Christ. I always ask that God bring the people and stop the enemy from entering as well, so these people can truly hear and make a choice. Also, if there has been a leader that's embracing this stuff, they have been talked to and prayed for, and when they've persisted I've prayed (never in a retributive attitude) that God would deal with this person. There's either been a change or something has taken them else where, removing them.
It seems that this is really key and has helped tremendously, and maybe that's all the needs to be done. : I know that I've had to be very firm in regards to false teachings at times for the sake of other people, to protect them and keep meetings safe.
As I've encountered this stuff, I often wonder, compassionately....how can a pastor/leaders/groups of a church deal with this? It seems that this is the big elephant in the room that's ignored or sidelined. There's almost a sense that it's just not "politically correct" to speak out loud about this and to directly address false teaching, showing the truth v.s. deadly falsehood. Or perhaps there's a fear in addressing these things in a frank manner.
I've often thought that it would be good to have some short guidelines drawn up for pastors/leaders of a church to equip those leading groups in how to counter/correct in a Christlike way these false ideas as they are introduced.
I guess my point/question is, yes...many of us know about these movements and are more than well educated on this, but it seems there is a need to understand how to wisely deal with this false theologies as we encounter them without damaging tender, growing Christians. In your experience, what are the simple/best/wise ways practically counter this and apply the Word of God where some of us are in our communities, churches, and families?
I can only imagine that some Pastors/leaders/teachers are somewhat at a loss here, and may not feel confident in how to go about addressing these things.