Proper response to troubling teaching?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Wonderkins

Wonderkins

Puritan Board Freshman
So at our Sunday night Bible study, our pastor has been having us go through a program by Bruce Wilkinson called The 5 Stages of Consecration. It's basically watching videos and following along in a workbook. I've been a bit uneasy with it overall. But this past Sunday under stage 3, it got towards the end, Bruce had everyone kneel down (which I couldn't bring myself to do). He started out by actually saying "the bible doesn't teach this", and then preceded to lead in what he called a ceremony of consecration. I only saw it once and the video isn't available without buying it. I will describe this "ceremony" as best as I can. He is basing this on Romans 12:1.


-----
You imagine yourself walking into the throne room of heaven. Off to the side is an altar. You sort of draw back out of body and imagine walking over to the altar while somehow carrying yourself as a sacrifice to be placed on it. You basically say to God that you're presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to be set apart. You then imagine that God is pleased with your sacrifice.

Next you see our Lord's throne to the right of God's. Jesus comes over to you, hugs you, and tells you how God sent him to die for you. Jesus then points you to earth in the distance and says that you and He will be working together to essentially change the world.

When all this is done, Bruce says basically because of how important this was to do, the ones who did it should in their workbook or preferably their Bible write the date inside the front cover to commemorate and then someday your grandkids might see it and you can tell them what happened.
-----

So that was basically it in a large nutshell. It bothered me so much that I'm unsure what to do. I don't know if it's blasphemy or heresy or what to call it. But it's clearly not biblical since he says it isn't taught in the Bible. My pastor has obviously gone through it multiple times because he made room to kneel before it got to that point.

I started searching this site for consecration and found a post quoting j.c. ryle. I bought the holiness book to get some clarity.

Consecration and conversion (Ryle)

"I doubt, indeed, whether we have any warrant for saying that a man can possibly be converted without being consecrated to God! ... If he was not consecrated to God the very day he was converted and born again, I do not know what conversion means. Are not men in danger of undervaluing and...
www.puritanboard.com www.puritanboard.com


So aside from the obvious issue of how Sunday night study is being operated, how would any of you deal with what happened? Am I right to be horrified at what went on?And how would you approach the topic of consecration? Is it new? J.c. Ryle in that quote mentions pastors teaching consecration in his day. Does anyone know of examples of who he may have been talking about?

I don't mean to be long winded.
 
This is the first picture in my mind when I read your story...[emoji6]

All jokes aside, I would trust your first thought. Something definitely is off with that teaching.
f07faecc2c75a59c399bf955ebb34a89.jpg


Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
 
It seems like foolish mummery. Your life IS consecrated to God if you are a Christian; "your life is hid with Christ in God."
These sorts of events are just a way for people to get a "religious feeling," as though they're doing something sacred and meaningful, because they find that simply keeping God's commandments doesn't satisfy their fleshly longing for that "altar call" feeling. Some do it with candles, some do it with fatuous ceremonies, some affect solemnity with all sorts of vestments and chasubles and censers and rituals. It's the human heart seeking out many inventions because they don't appreciate the simplicity of God-ordained worship.
I would simply not participate--indeed, whenever they're going to show a video series at my church in place of live instruction, I skip that hour.
 
Thank you for the great responses.

With pentecostalism being a huge part of my life, after getting out of it I now find myself overreacting sometimes when even the slightest hint of it shows itself. My first thought was either word faith stuff or spiritual formation, so I was worried.

We love the people at this church and don't want to just look for reasons to leave even though a reformed church would most likely be a better fit for us.

And I agree with you Ben, that I will probably skip those video studies in the future. Thanks for helping me get my thinking leveled out.
 
Since you asked specifically for a "proper response," I think it would be best to talk to your pastor (preferably face to face) about these things. Be honest but humble about your concerns. This will accomplish a few things:
  1. It will show respect for your pastor. Even if he disagrees with you, he will likely appreciate the fact that you felt comfortable enough with him to speak to him about something that is bothering you.
  2. This will show that you are not like so many other Christians who, when they encounter something they don't like, just up and leave the church, most of the time without ever talking to the pastor or elders about their issues. This is disrespectful and often divisive.
  3. This could very possibly open up some helpful conversation. Who knows how much iron sharpening has been thwarted because nobody was willing to open the difficult conversation?
  4. This will help you determine your next move. This stuff is clearly wrong. If your pastor listens to you, then it is a sign you might want to stay and see if anything changes for the better. If it does, this is good, and a cause for praising the Lord. However, if your pastor ignores you, belittles you, or the like, then it will be an indicator to you that you might need to think about moving to a better place. It will also give you a clear conscience about doing so, since you made the effort to speak to the pastor.
Others can probably add more, but this is what I think will be practical and, by God's grace, helpful.
 
I too came out of a Charismatic background, and there were a lot of inventions to give us a feeling of being somehow specially "anointed," or "set apart" (even from others in the church), or specially gifted, etc. A lot of superstitions, as well. I define superstition as any behavior or action designed to elicit God's approval or appreciation, but which He did not command. We thought our inventions were so clever, and we actually dared to give the Holy Spirit credit for inspiring them. My final exit from my last Charismatic church was because of these inventions without scriptural basis (other than out-of-context references). Perhaps your Pastor will listen, since you are a Deacon. Mine did not, but it has been a huge blessing to me that he didn't, all those years ago now.
 
Ben Zartman said:
It seems like foolish mummery. Your life IS consecrated to God if you are a Christian; "your life is hid with Christ in God."
These sorts of events are just a way for people to get a "religious feeling," as though they're doing something sacred and meaningful, because they find that simply keeping God's commandments doesn't satisfy their fleshly longing for that "altar call" feeling. Some do it with candles, some do it with fatuous ceremonies, some affect solemnity with all sorts of vestments and chasubles and censers and rituals. It's the human heart seeking out many inventions because they don't appreciate the simplicity of God-ordained worship.
I would simply not participate--indeed, whenever they're going to show a video series at my church in place of live instruction, I skip that hour.
Click to expand...
In short: it's innovation on the manufacturing floor of our hearts, aptly named "Idolatry Inc".

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
 
As was stated, ask to meet with your pastor and discuss your concerns. Pay close attention to what he states and I would have some specific questions ready. Depending upon what he tells you will determine how you proceed.
 
Wonderkins said:
You imagine yourself walking into the throne room of heaven...

Next you see our Lord's throne to the right of God's. Jesus comes over to you..
Click to expand...

I think the fact that you are not comfortable with this is good.

Do we suppose that we can picture the Lord of glory in our minds and “imagine” what He is doing?
No we believe the truth as it is revealed to us. We pray to the Lord and trust in Him. We walk by faith and not by sight.
 
And to agree with Ryan, consecration is a good thing. It must be done according to what is written. For example, we lift our up our souls to the Lord. We put off from ourselves that which is fleshly and worldly. All built on the foundation of our conversion in Christ. This would make an excellent Bible study.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

sotzo
  • Locked
Reasons for / response to post-Christian Europe
Replies
7
Views
2K
ZackF
ZackF
alexandermsmith
New Book on the Church's Response to Covid
Replies
2
Views
1K
alexandermsmith
alexandermsmith
Notthemama1984
  • Locked
A surprising response
Replies
6
Views
2K
Notthemama1984
Notthemama1984
JS116
  • Locked
Christian Teaching
Replies
3
Views
1K
Eoghan
Eoghan
C
  • Locked
Teaching children
Replies
1
Views
1K
VirginiaHuguenot
V
Back
Top