DOCTRINE & LIFE

These days everyone’s definition of truth is subject to their own ideas and perspectives.  It seems there is nothing solid anymore on which we can build our belief system.  Our trust has been damaged and our fears now rule every decision and thought process.  What becomes tragic is when this mindset invades the Church and Christians just don’t know what they believe anymore.  As a result of this confusion there are dangerous theologians questioning the very core doctrines of the Christian faith and casting a dark shadow of doubt over many of the long-standing beliefs we’ve held for centuries. Such points under attack include – Jesus as our substitute, Jesus’ divine nature and status, God in the trinity union, the inerrancy of the Bible, the existence of Hell, and the list goes on.  Many so called scholars spending countless hours debating and searching for a new theological platform to share their perverted and demonic ideas.

But what we are seeing is that these confusions and distortions not only exist on the elite, intellectual level but have seeped into our Churches and are now infecting the common Christian attending your local church.  Men and women professing a faith in God are really not that sure what they believe.  What is even more disturbing is that there are pastors and preachers teaching people about things that they themselves are not convinced of.  I recently heard a pastor share how in a room filled with Christian pastors the answer to the question, “What is the Church”, was met with blank stares and differing opinions.  I mean, if we can’t get that basic question answered by those that lead these churches, then what hope do we have?

As I began to hear some troubling ideas and perspectives and be witness of some massive confusion on major doctrinal points, I asked myself if I really knew what I stand for and would my convictions stand against the doubts and opinions that attack us all.  Something that really gripped me was that if we stand for nothing, we will fall for anything.

In my studies of revival history one reoccurring threat that seems to be repeated is the subtle and cunning attack on Christian doctrine.  In the height of revival transformation certain individuals, who can only be described as wolves in sheep clothing, seek to steal, kill and destroy those that are young in their faith and weak in their theology.  They plant seeds of confusion and throw into question what the church believes and replace it with subtle twists and distortions which are designed to divert the move of God.  Satan’s tactics have not changed in thousands of years and yet there are still churches, pastors and everyday Christians falling prey to his deceptions because the core of what they believe has been compromised.

So in asking God what to do about this, I was led to preach our up and coming sermon series titled, “Doctrine & Life – Knowing What You Stand For”.  This series is in preparation for the vision of revival God has given us and will secure our theology on the truth of the Bible and give us solid footing for when the heretics and false teachers come.  We will cover key doctrines like the Trinity, the Bible, creation, prayer, angels and demons, man and sin, Christ and His life, death and resurrection, justification, sanctification, death, the Church, worship, judgement, heaven and hell etc.  Many of these topics are not addressed in church today and it is time to revive these ancient truths which have upheld the Christian witness for so long.

Of course, such an extensive study and sermon preparation demands help from more seasoned leaders.  Most helpful has been Pastor Mark Driscoll and co-author Gerry Breshears’ book titled, “Doctrine – What Christians Should Believe” and Wayne Grudem’s monumental work titled, “Systematic Theology“.  If you would like to dig deeper into this theme I highly recommend both of these books as they compliment the solid Word of God which shapes our doctrine and theology.  I am so grateful for their endless hours of work and labour to guide us into a clear understanding of these extremely important issues.

So, please join us online or in person from Sunday 30th May 2010 for this empowering and critical sermon series.  Get ready to build your Christian life on what we should believe as the followers of Jesus Christ – without compromise, wavering or shame.  The truth has always been with us and it is not a concept to be grasped but a Person to be worshipped…JESUS.