Going Public

May 22
Jon Quitt

Several people asked me last week why I called out a very famous prosperity preacher on a Sunday morning.  To some it was bad taste.  Rude even.  Potentially building walls in the kingdom instead of breaking them down.  I understand and do my best to not offend when no offense is needed.  Honestly, to add more offense to the gospel than the gospel already offers is a waste of energy.  However, there is a calling for each pastor (and follower of Jesus) to point people to the right Jesus and to warn others of false teachers.
At our church we operate with a basic understanding of the larger church.  Essentially, there are some churches that we can fellowship with.  We understand that we may have different practices (ecclesiology) and even different understandings of some doctrine.  But because we subscribe to the main and plain orthodoxy of Christianity and the gospel we can hang out, call each other brother and sister and spur one another on.  Then there are churches we can minister with.  Not only do we share similar doctrine, but we also share similar practice.  And because we have a larger foundation of faith and practice it gives us room to not only share life together but to give away our lives together.  And then there are churches that we can build with.  These are churches and leaders that share our same vision, doctrine, and practice and are on the same mission in the kingdom. 
There are many churches in our city that I disagree with on peripheral doctrines.  There are churches that I disagree with on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  There are churches that I disagree with on their ecclesiology and eschatology.  But in spite of those differences they are in the family as much as I am because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
However, there are churches and leaders that do not subscribe to orthodox faith, do not subscribe to the finished work of Jesus Christ, do not believe Jesus is King and do not bow their knee to an all powerful, all sovereign God and believe that it is God’s job to fill up our bank accounts and keep us from suffering until we die a safe and sound death in our beds in our gated community.  Those are false teachers. 
The apostle Paul says Colossians 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spiritsof the world, and not according to Christ.
The Apostle John reinforces this in 2 John 7-8  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 
And then Paul calls one out by name in 2 Timothy 4:14-15  Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
My message is never going to be bogged down by talking smack about other churches or leaders.  However, I feel no regret or hesitation in warning brothers and sisters about false teachers.