Friday, October 10, 2008

Blue Like Jazz Why You Shouldn't Be Emergent & Biblical Discernment






This picture signifies the importance of using discernment while you're out shopping at your local bookstore or online. I snapped this photo a few months back at a popular Christian bookstore in Houston. These two books were being featured on the “bestseller’s" display in front of the store.

While I haven’t read Why We’re Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should be), it’s interesting to note the synopsis of the book as quoted on their website:

“You can be young, passionate about Jesus Christ, surrounded by diversity, engaged in a postmodern world, reared in evangelicalism and not be an emergent Christian. In fact, I want to argue that it would be better if you weren’t.”

The authors, Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, basically run through the emergent movement using theological and Biblical support as to why they believe this new church movement needs to be examined and exposed.

On the opposite side, you have Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. If you’re a hip, mid-twenties, young adult/college-going Christian, then you know all about this book. Much of the story stems from Miller’s personal experiences at Reed College, an extremely liberal and anti-Christian college campus. A lot of his theology, or lack thereof, is popular within the emergent movement. While I did read this book and enjoy some of his stories, the beliefs expressed Miller can be dangerous to a new and growing Christian that lacks Biblical discernment.

So don't leave your discernment at the door just because you walk into a Christian bookstore...expecting to be in a “safe-zone”…here you have one of the most popular Christian retail chains featuring two books that polar opposites in terms of important doctrinal beliefs.

Furthermore, Christian retail stores, such as the one in discussion, do function just as any other consumer-driven business functions…supply is driven by demand. With that said, take a look at the aisle and you’ll see shelves filled to the top with man-centered, self-help, motivational books. And if you’re looking for the evangelism section you better look hard…in fact, a friend of mine once asked an employee where he could find the evangelism section and she had no idea what he was talking about. Evanga-what?

Bottom-line, use wisdom when shopping at your local Christian bookstore. The Bible is clear on this matter. Paul said that Satan’s servants masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:15) so it’s vital that we test the spirits (1 John 4:1) and guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) with self-control and alert minds (1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Peter 5:8). Many false prophets and deceivers have gone out and into our churches (or bookstores for that matter) and are like wolves amongst the sheep. And while many may confess with their mouths that Christ did come in the flesh, their hearts are far from him and we see this by the multitudes of authors writing man-centered, humanistic books all in name of God and bringing error concerning the person and doctrine of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 7:15, 1 John 4:1, 2 John 1:7).

So before you buy that book because it has cool packaging or it’s on the bestseller list, consider the following:
  1. Research the author and check his doctrinal beliefs and closely examine the essentials; there are a few popular authors and worship leaders who don’t believe in the Trinity yet they get a lot of exposure on Christian television and radio and are consistently featured at your local bookstore.
  2. Read the back cover and inserts and make note of pastors, authors, etc. whom endorse the book. Bad company corrupts good character so who he associates himself with will say a lot about his beliefs.
  3. Check out book reviews from credible Christian websites such Tim Challies' blog.
  4. If you do decide to buy the book, hold every word of the author up to the Word of God and read with a sound mind with your Bible right next to you.
And if you’ve ready Blue Like Jazz, I encourage you to read this critique by Richard and Linda Nathan.

Finally, the next time you're shopping at your local Christian bookstore, you may want to pick up a copy of some of these old and new classics.

Reading List
The Way of the Master By Ray Comfort
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur
Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur
The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
The Soul Winner by C.H. Spurgeon

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