There have been many important distinctions that have been made throughout Church history. These distinctions have been used to set the Church apart from its surrounding culture. The fathers of the Christian Faith fought many battles to make these distinctions clear. The modern liberal church however, has long distanced themselves from Church history because the very historical documents would remove all credibility from their claims. This tactic quickly turned on the postmodern church so they have sought out a new tactic known as revisionism. Revisionism seems to be the ruling force in modern evangelicalism.
One such revision is the gay agenda. The gay agenda is spreading through the Church like the Great Plague of London. However, unlike the plague London faced, this is necessary for the vitality of the true Biblical and Historical Church to continue in the future. It is necessary because of the perversions the evangelical Church continues to place itself in as this agenda continues to advance for the Church to accept the gay lifestyle i.e. Gay Marriage and allow them full covenant member status, churches and denominations that maintain the biblical standard are going to further the great chasm. Before I continue any further I want to make something clear. This is not an article about how the Church should handle homosexuals, but let me say this simply, the Westboro Baptist people of the world is not what ministry should look like to the homosexual community.
There are numerous shifts the modern/postmodern church has made of the last century, and the first part of the 21st century isn't looking any better. What makes this news encouraging is that the church is separating and fragmenting into very distinguishable segments. There have been at least a dozen prominent experiments that have all exploded onto the scene only to disappear as quickly as they came. There was the Jesus movement (1960-1970), Promise Keepers, the pesky liberal Emergent movement, Pentecostalism, the Charismatic movement (also known as the Second Wave), to name a few. Not all of these were damnable, but each one has made for itself a distinction from the Church at large.
Evangelicalism has been continually evolving over the many years with a wide array of reasons why the changes were necessary. Willow Creek is one such example of a church that created a massive chasm from the historical church. When they were questioned about their methods they simply responded by telling people to look at the growth and all the good they are doing - that is their great historical objection. I've had numerous conversations with people about the overall damage that Pentecostalism has done to the Church, and the objection that is usually given from Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals alike is along the same lines as Willow Creek's, "look at all the good they've done" and, "they're leading the world in world missions". In fact, that is almost always their objection when they are challenged on pretty much anything regarding their methods and/or their theology.
Evangelicalism has been continually evolving over the many years with a wide array of reasons why the changes were necessary. Willow Creek is one such example of a church that created a massive chasm from the historical church. When they were questioned about their methods they simply responded by telling people to look at the growth and all the good they are doing - that is their great historical objection. I've had numerous conversations with people about the overall damage that Pentecostalism has done to the Church, and the objection that is usually given from Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals alike is along the same lines as Willow Creek's, "look at all the good they've done" and, "they're leading the world in world missions". In fact, that is almost always their objection when they are challenged on pretty much anything regarding their methods and/or their theology.
It has long been difficult for outsiders to distinguish between the varying branches of evangelicalism, however, as evangelicalism continues to embrace the plethora of abominable lifestyles that scripture so clearly condemns, churches that continue to maintain biblical orthodoxy will continue to be the city on the hill (Matthew 5:14).
The point is, with anything that diverts away from the Biblical and Historical Christian truth will inevitably create a chasm in its wake.
The good news: Jesus is ruling, reigning, and He alone builds His Church.
Matthew 16:18 I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it
