Opinions on Carl Lentz?

[Christ4Ever]

Don't want to have this as a total bashing of another professing believer........but.....you knew the "but" was coming!!!!
With not much research and a few video clips that I've watched. I'm very curious if others have looked into his ministry and whether they are unnerved by what they have found out as I am?

My perception after listening to a few clips is that he places the Love of God above all other things or in other words that all other of God's attributes which include Righteousness are below His Love, so are not a consideration he wants to discuss.

In reading scripture I don't see where God equivocates as it pertains to sin and what it is. Is this just another sign of the times or am reading too much into this?

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance. Matthew 24:23-25

I'm also curious in seeing a clip of his in which he was preaching and the Bible being pictured in the background and which he was using to support what he was saying was The Message. To me this also is alarming, since even the Eugene Peterson said that he would never use this to preach from, which when he first saw it being done was a surprise to him. When the author of the book says this, I would think any preacher would think twice in using it as a study reference from the pulpit. Maybe, it was this one time only?

Am I behind the times? What am I missing? Believe it or not this doesn't make me angry, but rather sad. I'm more concerned with the effects it could/has with the congregation which I believe is Mega Church size. What are they incorporating into their lives that could be poison to them?

Would like to review this more, but I'm off to church. Studying 1 & 2 Corinthians!!! Love it!

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
<><

 

[Sue J Love]

Don't want to have this as a total bashing of another professing believer........but.....you knew the "but" was coming!!!!
With not much research and a few video clips that I've watched. I'm very curious if others have looked into his ministry and whether they are unnerved by what they have found out as I am?

My perception after listening to a few clips is that he places the Love of God above all other things or in other words that all other of God's attributes which include Righteousness are below His Love, so are not a consideration he wants to discuss.

In reading scripture I don't see where God equivocates as it pertains to sin and what it is. Is this just another sign of the times or am reading too much into this?

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance. Matthew 24:23-25

I'm also curious in seeing a clip of his in which he was preaching and the Bible being pictured in the background and which he was using to support what he was saying was The Message. To me this also is alarming, since even the Eugene Peterson said that he would never use this to preach from, which when he first saw it being done was a surprise to him. When the author of the book says this, I would think any preacher would think twice in using it as a study reference from the pulpit. Maybe, it was this one time only?

Am I behind the times? What am I missing? Believe it or not this doesn't make me angry, but rather sad. I'm more concerned with the effects it could/has with the congregation which I believe is Mega Church size. What are they incorporating into their lives that could be poison to them?

Would like to review this more, but I'm off to church. Studying 1 & 2 Corinthians!!! Love it!

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
<><

@Christ4Ever - Nick, I am not familiar with this name, but I will look him up. I am familiar, though, with the diluting of the gospel message in many, many churches today, church services being turned into big shows and stage productions, and the church being marketed just like any other business. And, I am familiar with "The Message," and it is not good - things we should take very seriously, in some places, making light of them. I am also very familiar with many pastors who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness but who are wolves in sheep's clothing, men of the pulpit who spend more time reading marketing books and books written by mere humans, some of whom teach what is contrary to scripture, than they do reading or studying their Bibles. And, it shows. Many of them are following marketing 101 more than scripture, and are planning their services around attracting large crowds of people from the world, i.e. their customer base, whom they want to please, and so they make things happy-happy and avoid teaching what might offend people, so that the world will feel at home in the church.

Have you heard of Max Lucado? Check out this sermon illustration which he gave: Cancelled Insurance?

 

[Sue J Love]

Well, I watched part of one of his sermons. He is a comedian, a showman, an entertainer, who had his audience laughing continually. He continually made fun or made light or even mocked serious spiritual matters. He kept talking about "turning the page," but he didn't really say what that meant exactly, and I just couldn't take any more of it, so I didn't listen to the rest. He is nicknamed the "rock star pastor," so that says a lot right there.

I tell you there are many, many more just like that. Steven Furtick of Elevation Church is one example, but there are lots of them. We had visited churches like that, too, years ago. One of the first ones we visited like that, the pastor had a section of the church service he titled "The C... R... Show," the CR standing for his name. He was a game show host, and it was entertainment 101. There were others like him, too, that we saw in person, who felt like the way to reach people was to entertain them. The Lord gave me a song to write about that a little over a year ago.

Zeal for Your House
An Original Work / August 1, 2016

Based off Jn. 2:17; Ps. 69:9

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
Lord, I love my times with You.
I love to worship You and sing Your praises.
Time in Your Word brings me closer to You,
List’ning to You speaking to me,
Gently guiding me in truth.

Lord, You are my life’s example,
Showing me how I should live.
I love to walk with You where’er You lead me.
No greater joy have I when serving You.
Loving, giving, resting in Your strength,
I’m yielding to Your will.

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
See the church turned upside down:
Marketing ventures taking place of worship,
Men of the gospel turning into clowns.
Gospel message made appealing,
So the world will feel at home.

Lord, we need a great revival.
Turn their hearts, Lord, back to You.
Open the blind eyes, turn them all from darkness,
Lord, to the light. May they return to You,
Turn from their sin, forsake idols,
Be restored to God again.

 

[Dave M]

Hey Sue funny you mentioned elevation church, they are in my town here. He has a cult like following. I see cars everyday with the bumber sticker on it and they are growing fast.

 

[Sue J Love]

Hey Sue funny you mentioned elevation church, they are in my town here. He has a cult like following. I see cars everyday with the bumber sticker on it and they are growing fast.

They were just down the street from us when we lived in SC. My husband worked in Charlotte, NC, which I think is where their main campus is. The one near us was one of their satellite churches. The music was so loud coming from inside the building that the parking lot people would hand out ear plugs to people showing up for the church services. Something just seems wrong with that picture.

 

[Dave M]

Most churches have a outside firm do a audit and have financials records open to the public, not elevation church according to a news program I watched on them