Ten Deadly Trappings of Evangelism

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“Virtually all the people on Time magazine’s list of ‘The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals’ share at least one glaringly significant trait,” said pastor Phillip Johnson in 2005, "For the most part, these are the fadmakers." Phil goes on to list a number of “cheerleaders for whatever is fashionable”, including the usual suspects such as Rick Warren and Tim LaHaye, and explains why their programs are fads: Not one of those movements or programs even existed 35 years ago. Most of them would not have been dreamed of by evangelicals merely a generation ago. And, frankly, most of them will not last another generation. Some will last a few short months (like the Jabez phenomenon did); others may seem to dominate for several years but then die lingering deaths (like Bill Gothard’s movement is doing). But they will all eventually fade and fall from significance. And some poor wholesale distributor will be left with warehouses full of Jabez junk, Weigh-Down Workshop paraphernalia, “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets, Purpose-Driven" merchandise, and stacks and stacks of “emerging church” resources.
Like Johnson, I’m concerned about the way in which evangelicals tend to embrace whatever trends and kitsch happen to be hot sellers at “Christian” bookstores. But while Johnson laments that most of the “stuff you are currently being told you must read and implement will soon seem as hopelessly out of date” I take comfort in knowing that most of this stuff is nothing more than a passing trend. It is not the dernier cri that will soon be gone that concerns me but the faddage that becomes a fixture. Fads still receive scrutiny while fixtures remain largely unquestioned.
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#1 The Sinner’s Prayer — The gates of hell have a special entrance reserved for people who thought that they had a ticket into heaven because someone told them all they needed to do was recite the “sinner’s prayer.” I’ve searched through the entire New Testament and can’t find an example of anyone who was “saved” after reciting such a prayer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that such prayer is worthless or that it can’t be used by the Holy Spirit. But salvation is not obtained by reciting a magical incantation as many, many, “Christians” will discover after it’s far, far, too late…
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Over two decades ago I read an article entitled “Trendiness: Christians in Jeapordy”. Obviously, things haven’t changed much in pop-evangelicalism in the interim.

The entire article you’ve sampled here is excellent! Especially it points out what I have said for some time: that American pop-evangelicalism tends towards Pelaganism.
 
Its amazing how some people continually try to “re-invent” the wheel, or make a better mousetrap, or try to re-invent Christianity.
 
I clicked on the link and read the rest of the article…

What I especially loved about it was that so many of these are reasons why I chose the Catholic church as the place to go when I found myself wanting to return to my faith. I would add to the list…

Praise and Worship (or lack of respect for the sanctuary of God):

Contemporary Christian music is well and good, and provides a healthy alternative to some of the musical fare provided to teenagers these days. But the antics performed at a rock concert have no place in a church sanctuary, where God is to be worshiped and reverenced. You would not behave in such a way in front of any human King, so why do so in front of God?
 
That is a good point…I hadn’t thought of that.

David was not in a church, or any sanctified place, however.

Perhaps I should mention that I don’t believe it’s a sin, or that anyone would go to hell for it…my family and “second family” attend just such a church, and they are good Christian people…but it makes me very uncomfortable, and I feel it shows a lack of respect.

Perhaps it’s only my opinion.
 

About this:​

  • #1 The Sinner’s Prayer — The gates of hell have a special entrance reserved for people who thought that they had a ticket into heaven because someone told them all they needed to do was recite the “sinner’s prayer.” I’ve searched through the entire New Testament and can’t find an example of anyone who was “saved” after reciting such a prayer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that such prayer is worthless or that it can’t be used by the Holy Spirit. But salvation is not obtained by reciting a magical incantation…
    Of what prayer can that not be said ? It’s been said about the rosary, & the Lord’s Prayer, to name only two. If they are not disqualified, why should the “sinner’s prayer” be ?
This thread is nothing more than myopic partisan bitching about the prayers of other Christians, merely because it is fun to deride & belittle devotions that we do not use oureselves. And that is pathetic 😦 :mad: 😦 😦 😦
 
Gottle_of_Geer said:

About this:​

  • #1 The Sinner’s Prayer — The gates of hell have a special entrance reserved for people who thought that they had a ticket into heaven because someone told them all they needed to do was recite the “sinner’s prayer.” I’ve searched through the entire New Testament and can’t find an example of anyone who was “saved” after reciting such a prayer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that such prayer is worthless or that it can’t be used by the Holy Spirit. But salvation is not obtained by reciting a magical incantation…
    Of what prayer can that not be said ? It’s been said about the rosary, & the Lord’s Prayer, to name only two. If they are not disqualified, why should the “sinner’s prayer” be ?
This thread is nothing more than myopic partisan bitching about the prayers of other Christians, merely because it is fun to deride & belittle devotions that we do not use oureselves. And that is pathetic 😦 :mad: 😦 😦 😦
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Shlomo,

Whoa. Are you saying you believe, as a Catholic, that there is a prayer that you have to recite once and you are instantly granted eternal salvation? I have not heard that one before.:o

Alloho minokhoun,
Andrew
 
Hmm…I didn’t read it that way at all, Andrew. I think Gottle is saying that just as simply reciting the “Sinner’s Prayer” will not immediately save anyone, neither will simply reciting the Rosary, the Lord’s Prayer, etc.

Or at least I hope that’s what he meant, because otherwise that is a new concept for this Catholic, too! 🙂
 
I really enjoyed that blog, especially #8.

That guy deserves to be a Catholic! 😉

And I love him for saying “Chick tracts are a tool of the devil.” 👍

He is so right about saying that “selling” Jesus is wrong. I remember one of the many JWs who have come to my door trying to sell it to me. She sounded just like a vacuum cleaner salesman. I may have told her so. :rolleyes:

Trying to sell Jesus is just like trying to win an argument about Christianity. It may be fun, but it doesn’t make disciples!

Blessings,

Ruthie
 
The “Sinner’s Prayer” is admittedly not found in the Bible but the prayer of the Publican/tax collector in Jesus’ parable is very close to the basic idea: “Lord have mercy on me a sinner”. Jesus said that the tax collector who said this prayer in the Temple (with true contrition) went away justified. The problem is when any prayer becomes looked upon and promoted in a magical way or as part of a general sales pitch.
Many of the things in that list of 10 are (or can be) good and do not need to be shunned by Catholics or Protestants. It is good to pray the sinners prayer, to be able to give a testimony, to make converts, to hand out tracts (Catholic Tracts), to pray in an impromptu way or in a soliquoy (spontaneously) as St. Ignatious recommended, and to have a growing church (not just growing due to immigration). We should do all of those but not forget that the best point the author made was that an encounter with God is what draws people into discipleship (not a slick sales program). My question is how, in our post Vatican II openness and imitation of so many things protestant… how can we best maintain the awe and reverence in our churches that attracts non-believers to God and therfore to the holy Catholic faith?
My opinion: ban the drums and guitars, have good hymns, some awe inspiring Latin chant, return the Tabernacle to the center, turn the priest back around during the Eucharistic prayer but leave it in the vernacular…and give us some inspiring challenging preaching with some solid catechesis mixed in.
 
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