“Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching…” – 1 Timothy 4:16
Well… I never intended for this to be a long, drawn-out series of posts, but I really felt led to share my concerns–regardless of how long it took. I pray that they have been a blessing to you. If you’ve been reading along since Part 1, thank you for coming back. If you’re just joining us, welcome! Please take a few moments to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 before reading Part 4… unless you’d rather not. The video is included in all three blog entries, so you should have no problem following along either way. Totally up to you.
I‘ve said it in the past 3 entries, but I’ll say it again: the purpose of this blog series isn’t to bash Hillsong Church, Brian Houston, or Carl Lentz. My intent is to share my personal concerns about statements made by Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz on a CNN interview from a Biblical and loving viewpoint. What you do with this knowledge is between you and God.
Below is the interview in its entirety. Please view it for yourself and then join us after the jump.
Where are the Bereans?
Lentz: Only because people uneducated on what a cult is. A cult is when I tell you what to think, and if you think any different, you’re gone. That’s a cult. Um… we… preach the opposite. Actually, you should go home and question what I’m preaching. You should look it up in your own Bible.
Reporter: But getting American youth to read a Bible is more and more difficult. A 2012 Pew study found 1/3 of American adults under 30 have no religious affiliation. A big jump from past generations.
I recently read an article that claimed we are as Biblically illiterate as people were in the Dark Ages, before the Bible was translated into languages that could be read by the masses. I also read an article that refuted this claim. You’ve got to love the internet. Regardless, the fact remains that most Americans aren’t reading their Bibles. After a casual Google search, I found a report from 2013 with the title, “Americans Love the Bible But Don’t Read It Much.” I also found the American Bible Society’s 2014 State of the Bible report which confirms that things are bad and they aren’t getting better. So, if this is true (and it obviously is), it is less likely that Carl Lentz’ congregation is going to “look it up in your [their] own Bible,” and more likely that they will just accept whatever he says. In other words, he will “tell them what to think, and if they think any different, they’re gone.” (See Part 3) He may not throw them out of the church (or poison their Kool-Aid), but they will leave. As long as they like what he says and enjoy the “experience,” though, they will keep coming back.
I should say here that it is not Lentz’ fault–or any other pastor’s fault–that 
Christians are not being good Bereans (Acts 17:11). And, since we’re not reading our Bibles, we certainly can’t think that nonbelievers will “look it up in their Bibles.” It’s naive to even assume that they own Bibles. So, realizing this, it is up to pastors to preach uncompromised Biblical truth. The Apostle Paul warned the young Pastor Timothy that, “A time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)” And we’ve certainly seen this. The airwaves are filled with “celebrity pastors” who are not teaching sound doctrine, and Christians are eating it up while their Bibles remain under an inch of dust on their bookshelves. Bottom line, pastors: whether you like it or not, since you know that most people aren’t reading their Bibles, that places the responsibility for teaching Biblical truth squarely on your shoulders. Hey, Jesus never said feeding His sheep was supposed to be an easy gig where you make lots of cash, drive fancy cars, hang out with celebrities, and live in a swanky pad on the river. It is a heavy responsibility with dire consequences if you do not preach the truth. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples (which also applies to pastors), “If you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matt. 18:6)” Reread that. James, the half-brother of Jesus and the Jerusalem Church’s first pastor, adds, “Not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Preach the truth, or don’t preach at all. The fame, cash, photo ops, and other perks simply aren’t worth your souls–or the souls of those you “tell what to think.”
[TO BE CONTINUED]
True love in Christ,
Dwight
The Parson
