Southern Baptist Convention Embraces the Emerging Church in a Cover Story

By Brannon S. Howse

I am sad to say that the Southern Baptist Convention is on its way back to liberal land. Some of you may remember several years ago when Dr. Adrian Rogers and others were successful at reclaiming the SBC from the liberals. Well, it looks like the time has come to clean house again.

One of America's Emerging Church leaders is Erwin McManus. Erwin is an author as well as pastor of a Los Angeles church called Mosaic. Erwin is featured on the front cover of the SBC magazine, HomeLife. Inside the December issue is a puff piece that pushes Erwin and his church and books as something to be admired and read. Mosaic is reported to be a member of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Erwin does not appear to be as extreme as Brian McLaren and the Emergent group. However, Erwin is promoting Emerging Church philosophies by promoting the merging of Christianity with mysticism. In his book, The Barbarian Way Erwin R. McManus writes (emphasis mine):

"Somehow Christianity has become a non-mystical religion. It's about the reasonable faith. If we believe the right things then we are orthodox. To know God in the Scripture always went beyond information to intimacy. We may find ourselves uncomfortable with this reality; but the faith of the Scriptures is a mystical faith. It leads us beyond the material into an invisible reality." (p. 60-61)

"We are mystic warriors who use weapons not of this world." (p. 109)

According to Webster's dictionary, mystical is "having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence." Webster's dictionary defines mysticism as "vague speculation, a belief without sound basis."

Biblical Christianity requires intelligent thought and reasoning. In fact, Jesus said, "seek and ye shall find." I don't find Biblical Christianity to be based on vague speculation without sound basis, do you? Biblical Christianity is not mystical, and I am not a mystic warrior, are you?

This promotion of mysticism is also on the website of Erwin's church which is called the Mosaic. Erwin has symbols used by various other religions to describe the beliefs of their church. These symbols include Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Wood. The symbol for water is the same symbol of the Yin and Yang which is a Chinese symbol associated with Tai Chi, a form of martial arts.

I was further shocked when I visited Erwin's church website and played a short video clip on his sermon series. The background music was a song by the vulgar rapper Eminem entitled "Lose Yourself." The song plays for about 36 seconds and it is a good thing. When I looked up the words to the song and read them, I found that Eminem takes God's name in vain and it is connected to a swear word, and he uses a four letter word that starts with an F. Why would a church and pastor use a song by Eminem as the soundtrack to promote his upcoming sermon series? Does Pastor Erwin not see anything wrong with the music or worldview of Eminem?

Ephesians 5:11 says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but, rather reprove them."

In order to reach the lost are we to mix Christianity with mysticism and use the music of a blasphemous, vulgar rapper? Is this what it takes to be cutting edge, relevant, cool, and postmodern?

Essentially a manmade worldview and religion, Emerging Church teachings have also alarmed author and talk-show host Jan Markell. Jan perhaps describes it as well as anyone. The Emerging Church, she writes:

…relies heavily on mysticism, a great danger to believers of all denominations. Some leaders will tell you that you cannot know truth. An EC service will often meet in homes, and will rely on extra-biblical paraphernalia, extra-sensory images, sounds, smells of candles and incense, silence, mystical meditation, making the sign of the cross, touching icons, statues of saints, rosary beads for Protestants, liturgy, yoga-like deep breathing, contemplative prayer, and sacraments-all for a full sensory immersion with the divine. In other words, they are looking for an encounter with the Lord using all their senses. Worship is stressed, but some would say more than the Word.

Concerning the Emerging Church, the president of the SBC wrote this in response to an open letter written by some concerned members of the SBC. President Page wrote:

When I encouraged the involvement of emerging churches and leaders, I was referring only to those whose message and methodologies which are biblically based. When I made that statement, I was referring to the emerging churches of which I had at that time become aware. I was referring to a group of young leaders in churches who were reaching the lost with the clear message of Christ. They are biblically sound in both message and methodology. The groups, pastors, and churches to which you refer are obviously not among the group to which I refer. I do believe that there are ways to be relevant in today's culture without sacrificing the very clear commands of Christ.

Why has President Page allowed for Emerging Church leader Erwin McManus to be on the cover of HomeLife? Why is the magazine pushing Erwin's books and website with a puff piece? Does President Page agree with Erwin's worldview and methodology? If President Page does agree with Erwin's theology and methodology then he should say so and we can all be clear where he stands and the mistake that was made in electing him President of the SBC. If he does not agree then he should put out such a public statement and fire the Emerging Church disciples helping him lead the SBC. Dr. Page should also fire the individuals responsible for pushing Erwin McManus and his theology and methodology to thousands of SBC churches and families in the HomeLife magazine. The ball is in the court of President Page. We are waiting to see what he does because actions speak louder than words.

While President Page may not be involved in the day to day operation of the SBC he should work with the committees that run the SBC to bring about great reform. President Page can also use his position to speak out about the needed reforms. A big part of the problem with the SBC is all the committees; the same committees which make them strong against change from a single wayward leader make them slow to respond when a threat has infiltrated their organizations.

Why would any Christian want to mix Christianity with mysticism? Why would a Christian minister mix truth with evil? Why has it become more important to look like the world than to be set apart? Why is it about appearing culturally relevant rather than Biblically committed? Why is it about making people comfortable rather than convicted? Why is it about being ecumenical instead of evangelical? Why is the sound of the music more important than sound doctrine? Why is the focus on a mystical Christianity instead of a Biblical Christianity?

It is beyond me how the SBC can justify being involved in promoting the EC Movement when it is so clearly unbiblical is so many ways. What would Dr. Rogers say and do if he were still here with us?

Colossians 2:8 we read, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of the world and not after Christ."

Additional Information:
Erwin's Church, Mosaic:
http://www.mosaic.org/