Stew…
In the comment section of this post, I introduced several columns, including Berean Research: Evangelicals Divided, A Movement Fractured, Part 1 written by Marsha West. Upon further research, I found that West’s columns can also be found at Renew America.
I have only read about half a dozen of her essays, but they have all been absolutely on-target for those of us who hold to biblically-based Christianity!
Her column entitled Purpose Driven dismantling of Christianity, Part 1, written back in 2011 caught my eye this morning.
Excerpt:
The real danger to traditional Christianity is not from without, but from within its own ranks. Millions of professing Christians have conformed to the world and have been taken in “through philosophy” and “the tradition of men” and are “not after Christ.” (Col. 2:8) Not that this is anything new. The attempt to blend Christianity with paganism has been going on since the days of the early church. And here we are 2 millennia later, still fighting some of the same battles.
One of the major problems Christendom is combating is pagan spirituality. The pace at which unbiblical pagan beliefs are seeping into evangelical churches is dramatically quickening. Many of the orthodoxy have been sounding the alarm, but few have been listening.
Liberalism, with its false social justice gospel, has also reared its ugly head in the Church of Jesus Christ. The liberal “social justice Christian” sees traditionalists as out of touch with the times. Their clarion call is: The Church must change! The next generation of Purpose Driven pastor’s accuse traditionalists who speak out against change agents of being “haters.” Purpose Driven/charismatic pastor Steven Furtick rapped his disdain for outspoken traditionalists in Hey Haters. “Fall back! It’s a new day!” he rebuked. The orthodoxy’s “day is done.” They are “haters…nit-pickers…black and white…full of opinions, low on the Spirit.” Steven seemed angry, even, well, low on the Spirit. I saw no love emanating from this pastor’s eyes, what I saw was arrogance.
I have been sounding the alarm bells regarding the heresy of Rick Warren over the past several years, but Ms. West does a superb job in listing not only the wrongs of the “purpose driven” Warren in this piece, but also shares the mix of “syncretism stew” that is currently ravaging many local churches (especially, sadly, several mega churches) that were once biblically based!
West writes, “liberals were serving up platefuls of Christian stew” and lulling them into “la la land” through a “blend of Christianity with paganism.”
I know SO MANY PEOPLE that I would LOVE to share this with! Especially, there is a great need to share this information with Millennials who have fallen for unbiblical pagan beliefs. However, in today’s twitter and texting generation, an article like this would probably cause their eyes to glaze over and they would not even get past the 140 characters that they are used to reading at any given time. Sad observation, isn’t it? And, I know this is true because I have shared previous articles with some 25 to 30-something individuals. But when I ask “did you read…” I get the usual, “no, didn’t read it yet.” They probably read the first line or two and perhaps decided to reject what was being said? Well, maybe some day they will come back to this blog and read the difference between biblical Christianity and the satanic stew being mixed in by the “change agents.”
Ms. West explains what she means by “syncretism.”
SYNCRETISM
False teaching has made inroads through the blending of religions. It’s called syncretism. Syncretism in Protestantism occurred when elements of other religious beliefs were integrated into mainstream denominations. As syncretism takes place fundamental beliefs change.
Those involved in syncretism have a name and a goal:
Grievous wolves (Acts 20:29) masquerading as evangelicals introduced false religious beliefs (abominations) into mainline churches. Many of them are forthcoming about what they’re doing, others not so much. Their main goal is as I stated above, change. The plan (yes, they have a plan) is to dismantle historic orthodox Christianity and usher in a “new paradigm,” a “new kind of Christianity.”
Ms. West lists the ingredients of syncretism stew:
SYNCRETISM STEW
Ingredients:
Darwinian evolution
Eastern religions
Neognosticism
Neopaganism
New Age
Theosophy
Transformation
Simmer for several decades, then gradually turn up the heat and add an abundance of ‘isms’:
Annihilationism
Communitarianism
Cultural Marxism
Ecumenism
Emotionalism
Environmentalism
Freudian naturalism
Globalism
Homoeroticism
Inclusivism
Liberalism/progressivism
Moral relativism
Multiculturalism
Pluralism
Postmodernism
Postmortem evangelism
Pragmatism
Secular humanism
Universalism
Bring to a rapid boil. (For added flavor sprinkle in gimmyism, meism and voyeurism.)While the isms boil, toss in a whole lotta movements, phenomena, and worldly practices:
Alternative medicine
Angelology
Charismatic
Church Growth
Contemplative
Emergent
Global Peace
Man-centered (self-esteem)
Metaphysical
New Apostolic Reformation/Kingdom Now/Dominionism
New Revelation
Pentecostal
Progressive (social justice)
Purpose Driven
Psychology
Reformed
Revolution
Signs & wonders
Televangelist
Twelve-steps
Universal Reconciliation
Word of Faith (health & wealth)
Turn down the heat and simmer until the flavor of historic biblical Christianity completely disappears.Serve to the sheep.
Quite a long list…isn’t it?
No wonder there is so much confusion going on in the lives of Christians who do not, and have not, studied the Scriptures in order to recognize heresy, apostasy, and the satanic “stew” being fed to them via the wolves in sheep’s clothing!
I encourage all to read the entire article!
When Christians realize, study, understand, and finally see the following:
“The attempt to blend Christianity with paganism [which] has been going on since the days of the early church. And here we are 2 millennia later, still fighting some of the same battles.”
…it means that they have taken the Berean road towards discovering the truth within God’s Word through diligent study of the Scriptures so that they can earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
One more excerpt:
Followers of Jesus Christ are commanded to contend for the faith! Listen to what Jude 1:3, 4 says:
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
According to Clark’s commentary:
The meaning of the apostle seems to be this: ‘Beloved brethren, when I saw it necessary to write to you concerning the common salvation, my mind being deeply affected with the dangers to which the Church is exposed from the false teachers that are gone out into the world, I found it extremely necessary to write and exhort you to hold fast the truth which you had received, and strenuously to contend for that only faith which, by our Lord and his apostles, has been delivered to the Christians.’
Hat tip: Marsha West at Renew America
Hat tips to all links.
Tags: answering critics, Berean, Bible, Christian apologetics, Christianity, Jesus Christ, reprobate theology, restore our nation, syncretism stew, truth
Talk Wisdom 
April 18, 2016 at 4:09 am |
Polls have been taken where it is claimed that over 70% of Americans label themselves as Christians. After reading this syncretism stew post (including the very important links within the essay!) it makes even more sense why Jesus informed us how important it is that we must:
Mat 7:13
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Mat 7:14
“Because[fn] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
In fact, all of Matthew 7 informs us of what to watch out for and:
Mat 7:20
“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
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April 18, 2016 at 4:18 am |
Mmmm…stew! Let’s eat!
Marsha West: To the liberal, or post-evangelical aka emergent, it matters not what the Bible says; what matters most is how they feel about things.
Tell me. Christine: if you agree with this statement, I ask you once again a question I’ve asked you many times over the years: why aren’t you killing homosexuals? I know you feel as strongly about them as you do about abortion, and you know what god’s instructions are regarding them. You know that the order has never been rescinded, and in fact you proudly state on these pages that “God’s Word Stands Forever!” So why aren’t you doing it? Surely the idea shouldn’t make you feel anything except righteousness. In my experience, right-wing Christians prefer the violence of the Old Testament to the teachings of Christ.
This is the first time I’ve seen the term “emergent” here since Sothenes departed. Ms. West may not like them, but it’s possible that they will be mainstream Christianity 300 years from now. Such things have happened before.
Liberals believe they’ve come to a new understanding of what the Bible does and doesn’t reveal so it’s incumbent upon them to bring that dusty ol’ book out of the stone age and see to it that it blends nicely with our enlightened culture.
Maybe religious liberals do; I don’t. Leave that dusty ol’ book in the stone age along with the bearskins and spears.
…the post-evangelical/emergent’s political and social agenda takes priority over everything else, even if it means they have to modify the writings of men who actually observed and reported on events that took place several thousand years ago – the eye witness accounts!
Who witnessed Herod’s massacre of the innocents? Did John observe Jesus’ ascendance into heaven? Who reported all the dead men walking and preaching in Jerusalem? Why didn’t the whole story of Jesus get written down until forty years had passed? Not to mention there are certain discrepancies in the narratives themselves.
Donald Drumpf is what I would call a good deed doer. People who do good deeds think they’re all in with God (high five!) and they don’t feel the need to repent. Why should they when a loving God—and He’s that—overlooks their sins because of all the good they do. Good deed doers believe their generosity will cover any past, present, or future sins they commit.
Which puts him on the moral level of all those child-raping clergymen caught in the past decade or so. Even you, ma’am, would not willingly put such a man in the Oval Office. At least, I hope not.
The Bible tells us that our omnipotent sovereign God removes kings and sets up kings. (Daniel 2:21, Rom 13:1) There has never been a ruler on Planet Earth that God did not establish. No Bible believing Christian would entertain the idea that the Lord gasped and said, “No way!” when Nero became Emperor.
Oh, no. He probably rubbed his hands together and murmured, “Now the fun begins.”
Yet you have spent the past 100 or so months defying the sovereign authority of your god by trying to remove the current executive. Leaders good and bad throughout history have invoked the divine as justification for their rule. You know that, yet by your actions you’ve sought to correct god’s judgment by telling him things he didn’t know about Obama. Most were lies; some were simply wrong; none made any difference.
You say your god is “in control”. Act like you believe it, then.
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April 18, 2016 at 4:33 am |
I was just about ready to sign off for the night but then saw your new comment.
I will address your first paragraph. Once again, you claim that I have not answered your question regarding “the killing of homosexuals,” and once again, I will tell you that Jesus paid the price for all of man’s sins on the cross at Calvary. THAT is why the “killing of homosexuals” is not what believers in Christ should do. Recall the woman caught in adultery? What did Christ say to all the men surrounding her with rocks and stones in their hands? I’ll let you look that up.
The book of Jude warns us about…
For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[fn] and our Lord Jesus Christ.
…infiltrating the churches. Many of the “stew” listings in the blog post include the different types of attempts to “turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[fn] and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jde 1:10
But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
Jude 1:12 warns us that they are “serving only themselves.”
Could this be why you like the emergent movement? Probably…
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April 18, 2016 at 7:56 am |
Good morning, ma’am.
The story is famous. Jesus didn’t say, “You’re a vile and wicked woman, fit only for hell–get out of my sight.” He said “These guys are just as bad as you are, but they didn’t realize it. Now be on your way, and don’t do that again.”
Nice story. But there’s too many believers out there—of all flavors—who would rather be the sword arm of their god than the open arms of that god. Even you fall back on the Eternal Stick of Punishment when backed into a corner.
If religion claims to have the superior way of living, too many of its followers have never received the memo.
If ‘certain men’ were ‘marked out for this condemnation’ long ago, then it’s no big deal that all that child molestation happened, because god obviously wanted it that way. But people are surprised and shocked when it happens. Maybe it’s because some people—even unbelievers—have better morals than the alleged representatives of the god.
Maybe it’s because some people can’t let themselves believe that their god would allow such things.
And of course if such men were ‘marked out’ to do such things, then the concept of “free will” is a cruel lie and a vicious joke.
But I digress.
Could this be why you like the emergent movement? Probably…
Hardly! I never even heard the term before Sothenes brought it up, years ago; the inner policies of any church organization are not something I lose any sleep over. I figure when you Christians have it all sorted out, you’ll come and tell the rest of us why it’s evil and bad—just as it’s been done for Arminianism, Gnosticism, Lutheranism, the Amish, Congregationalism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventism, Universalism, the Latter-Day Saints…and so on. I don’t like it any more than any of the others, and I pay as much attention to it as any of the others—none.
Not my problem, ma’am. You and Ms. West can exchange emails over how horrible it is, since it concerns you so.
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April 26, 2016 at 1:51 am |
I appears that you are using the “marked out” phrase out of context. This commentary informs us:
Taking it a bit further explains the context even more clearly:
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May 10, 2016 at 4:21 pm |
Thanks, Christi. You were correct: this is a good post and makes a crucially important point. Sadly, I see the works of the goats and wolves among the sheep everywhere — especially in myself. It makes me tremble with fear of the Lord…
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September 1, 2016 at 5:02 pm |
[…] today’s era, unfortunately preach), the heretic and apostate beliefs as described in this Syncretism Stew […]
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October 13, 2016 at 8:10 am |
Awesome article and comments!
Keep up the great work!
I am with you in these battles, praying!
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December 30, 2016 at 6:07 pm |
[…] I have dealt with the idea of syncretism in a previous post entitled, Syncretism Stew. […]
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March 6, 2017 at 4:35 pm |
[…] suggest reading my post entitled Syncretism Stew. An author by the name of Marsha West has created a list of denominations that have drifted their […]
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March 20, 2017 at 6:37 pm |
[…] Syncretism Stew that is being pushed upon believers informs us exactly why Jesus gave us the parable of the wheat […]
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June 20, 2018 at 9:09 am |
[…] instance. Back in April of 2016, I wrote a post entitled Syncretism Stew. That post has gotten a lot of attention over the past 14 […]
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