{"id":56071,"date":"2009-11-22T21:31:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-23T03:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=56071"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:41:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T20:41:19","slug":"the-emerging-church-the-new-face-of-heresy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-emerging-church-the-new-face-of-heresy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Emerging Church – The New Face of Heresy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Wayne Jackson<\/p>\n

Recently, Charles Colson, a leading evangelical writer, pointed out:<\/p>\n

Last June, a Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey found rampant doctrinal ignorance among American Christians. Fifty-seven percent of evangelicals believed people who follow religions other than their own can enjoy eternal life. The results were so unexpected that Pew repeated the survey, asking more specific questions. The answers were virtually unchanged. Astonishingly, about half believed that everyone, atheists included, was going to end up in heaven. Heaven for the godless? That’s the old heresy of universalism (2009).<\/p>\n

The thinking of many who profess an identification with some form of “Christianity” has become mushy indeed. Here is a typical comment from a student of the so-called neo-evangelical community.<\/p>\n

It is not now, nor was it at the time of the Reformation, the\u00a0correct teaching<\/strong> or doctrine that brought the Reformation. It was willing to challenge the Church by living out the doctrine that mattered most. Today we need a reformation of less teaching<\/strong>\u00a0and more living (emphasis added).<\/p>\n

This statement is senseless. How about\u00a0more<\/strong>\u00a0teaching and\u00a0better<\/strong>\u00a0living? How can there be correct living without proper teaching?<\/p>\n

If we may borrow an expression from Solomon, “there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9); the same old heresies just undergo superficial theological cosmetic surgery-or to use another metaphor, they are recycled. Let us reflect upon several old ideas with new faces.<\/p>\n

Universalism<\/h2>\n

Universalism asserts that there will be the final and complete salvation of all beings. The dogma was taught by some of the early church writers, e.g., Clement and Origen of Alexandria, who lived in the mid-second to mid-third centuries A.D. There is no biblical basis for this dogma (see\u00a0The Growing Trend Toward Universalism<\/a><\/strong>). Yet most folks seem to be inclining to the notion that almost everyone – if not literally everyone – will be saved ultimately.<\/p>\n

Postmodernism<\/h2>\n

The expression “postmodernism” is not found in Van Harvey’s book,\u00a0A Handbook of Theological Terms<\/em>, published in 1968. It is a relatively new designation. Postmodernism denies universal truth. Supposedly, truth is how each individual feels about things, not how they really are. Hence, supposedly, there is no exclusive<\/strong>, true gospel. The facts of Christianity must be redefined by a new vocabulary in preaching, writing, and worship. This is a wrong-headed ideology.<\/p>\n

The Emerging Church<\/h2>\n

The so-called “emerging church” is the stepchild of postmodernism. This ideology contends that it is arrogant to believe one knows the truth; instead, the “truth” is determined subjectively, shaped by culture, not by Scripture. Is this concept even remotely associated with a logical thought process?<\/p>\n

It is contended that each person must find his own way to God, and not be addicted to “bibliolatry.” This sounds like the philosophy of those rebels who lived in the dark ages of Israel’s history (Judges 21:25). The “emergist” believes that all who do not subscribe to his elastic view of truth are arrogant. He absolutely knows<\/strong>\u00a0one cannot\u00a0know<\/strong> the absolute truth.<\/p>\n

Several of these aberrant ideas have found their way into churches that were once conservative. For example, it is argued by an increasing number that we cannot declare as gospel truth that those are wrong who disagree with our “traditional” teaching. All teaching is now declared to be mere tradition.<\/p>\n

What difference does it make whether one believes that baptism is “*for* [unto, to obtain] the remission of sins,” or whether it is “*because of* remission of sins.” It is alleged that gospel preachers of bygone years who debated with the sectarians on the design of baptism were misguided. Some are contending that the mode of baptism is irrelevant; sprinkling is as valid as immersion, and those baptized as infants must not be excluded from Christian fellowship. To speak of a “non-immersion baptism” is an oxymoron, because “baptize” by definition signifies “to immerse.”<\/p>\n

“Emerging” churches are restructuring the worship format. The Lord’s supper is being offered in conjunction with special events, e.g., weddings. The communion memorial is not restricted to the Lord’s day; instead, groups step beyond the biblical pattern and provide it on weekdays, ignoring a New Testament undergirded by historical truth, namely the Lord’s resurrection on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The music issue is wide open among a growing number of churches. A prominent Dallas church (that once hosted a respected school of preaching) recently advertised for a “minister of music.” One of the stipulations was that he must be able to play the guitar or the electronic keyboard. Choirs, praise teams, clapping to accompany singing, etc., are becoming standard fare in many churches. Performance is rapidly supplementing congregational worship. Biblical authority yields to emotionalism. It is the new “will worship” (Colossians 2:23).<\/p>\n

These are trying times for the body of Christ. But it is not a time for despair. Instead, courageous men and women must keep the ship of Zion on a straight (and strait) course within the boundaries of divine truth. The truth will prevail in spite of the winds of change-and irrelevant statistics.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Wayne Jackson Recently, Charles Colson, a leading evangelical writer, pointed out: Last June, a Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey found rampant doctrinal ignorance among American Christians. Fifty-seven percent of evangelicals believed people who follow religions other than their own can enjoy eternal life. The results were so unexpected that Pew repeated…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1580,1581],"class_list":["post-56071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-the-emerging-church","tag-universalism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63425,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/salvation-in-no-one-else\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":0},"title":"Salvation in No One Else","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 4:5-12 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In April, 2011, Time Magazine listed their 100 most influential people, among whom was Rob Bell, a preacher who founded a church called \u201cMars Hill.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It isn\u2019t connected with any denomination. Time reveled in calling Mr. Bell and his church \u201cevangelical,\u201d but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":89553,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/religion-by-majority\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":1},"title":"Religion by Majority","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dub McClish A Pew Poll of 35,000 Americans, released in June 2008, revealed some interesting statistics about religious beliefs. More than half (57%) of \"evangelicals\" (strong in their belief in the Bible and in Jesus as God's only begotten Son, right?) opined that Christianity is not the only way\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":90030,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/mistaking-cowardliness-for-humility\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":2},"title":"Mistaking Cowardliness for Humility","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Eric Lyons In 2006, Baylor University published the results of a survey indicating more Americans claim affiliation with Christianity than with any other religion. In fact, the report claimed that \"82 percent of Americans are Christians\" (see Tooley, 2006). Sadly, the vast majority claiming Christianity as their religion have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50421,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/reaction-to-heresy\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":3},"title":"Reaction to Heresy","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 30, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Irven Lee via Truth Magazine, December 3, 1970 \"Heresy must needs come\" (I Corinthians 11: 19). Paul said, \"I know this,\" when he warned the elders that wolves would enter the flock (Acts 20:29-32). Peter said, \"There shall be false teachers among you\" (II Peter 2:1-3). John said, \"Many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37596,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-gouge-in-a-pew\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":4},"title":"A Gouge in a Pew","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford A couple of weeks ago, I attended a friend's funeral in an unfamiliar church building. I took a seat by an aisle and shortly noticed a gouge in the back of the pew support in front of me. The gouge was at knee height. To the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/pews-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":58549,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/partial-faith-is-satans-victory\/","url_meta":{"origin":56071,"position":5},"title":"Partial Faith Is Satan\u2019s Victory","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 28, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Carey Scott \"A major survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that most Americans have a non-dogmatic approach to faith. A majority of those who are affiliated with a religion, for instance, do not believe their religion is the only way to salvation.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56071\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}