Ten Indictments Against the Modern "Church"{A 21st Century Message}[Against Decisional "Evangelism" Once and for All](Paul Washer)

"If there's one thing I've gone to war against, it's this (decisional "evangelism")."

- Paul Washer
(2008 Sermonindex Revival Conference - 10.22.08)

Ok, I've heard many, many sermons by Paul Washer. Many of them have been basically the same because he preaches to different groups, but they all need to hear the same message (which means that he isn't preaching the same message to the same people on a regular basis). This sermon may be the one that ends up being the 95 theses of our time in history. In this sermon that was preached earlier tonight at Sermonindex's Revival Conference, Paul explicitly declares that our biggest enemy today in the Church is decisional "evangelism". It's a sentiment that I've been thinking about for a long time now. I've told others that I've been close to writing a blog post on here denouncing any place that is calling itself "Christian" but incorporating these unbiblical methods. I lament with Washer about the state of what some call "Christendom" today, but it's because I agree that we need to get as far away from this unbiblical practice of decisional "evangelism" as much as possible. It has wrecked more lives and caused more people to worship an idol called "God" that is just a trivial form of your dude "Bob" from high school. "If it's cool with 'Bob,' it's cool with God." I'm sick of this and if anyone wants to continue in this line of "worship" then they can have their religion because, as far as I'm concerned, it's another one, not Christianity. They use the same words, but change the definitions like the Mormons do. Atonement biblically means that Jesus, for believers, came as the propitiation of God's wrath against sinners who are justly condemned already for not believing in Jesus Christ. Atonement in the "seeker" movement is Christ came to save you from low self-esteem, being unpopular among unbelievers, and your little mistakes that don't allow you to live "your best life now" with "purpose". Sin in the Bible is transgression of God's holy, righteous law. Sin in the "seeker" movement are little mistakes... little boo-boos... but God loves you anyway as long as you try harder and don't argue against Rick Warren and his fans. The Christian authority is the Word of God (the 66 books of the Bible); what it says has the final authority in our lives and dictates what course of action we should take. The authority in the "seeker" movement is the unregenerate unbeliever; what it says has the final authority in their lives and dictates what course of action they take. Justification, biblically, is being put in right standing with God based on belief in the finished work of Christ alone. Justification in the "seeker" movement is making your decision to be a Christian by joining a popular "seeker" church (the more "seeker-friendly" the "church" is, the more you're justified, of course) then whether you stay justified is based primarily on five things (possibly more): 1) The positive opinion the "leadership" or those popular with the leadership have of you. 2) how hard you try 3) your works that build the congregations numbers (only if it helps the particular seeker-church in some way, though. If you do good works that don't bring a good light to the particular "seeker church", you need to get with the program because you're all about doctrine and not deeds.) 4) your disdain for biblical doctrine 5) and the amount of narcissism you exude (the more narcissistic you are, the more justified before God you must be).

Tell me I'm wrong. Please, tell me I'm wrong. I would love to be wrong about this because it would mean that things aren't as bad as they are now, but sadly, after studying this movement for years now, I have no other name to call it and still be honest before God.: it's another religion at worst and a cult at best, folks. As Washer says in this sermon, there's no Holy Ghost present in these things because one of the chief aspects of the Holy Spirit is that He will convict men of their sin, and "anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him (Christ)." (Rom. 8:9b) When a "Christian" is promoting such Satanic doctrines as "the carnal Christian", it's a cult at best, and these "seeker" guys can have it if the idol of unregenerate popularity is the idol they continue to choose to serve. I wash my hands clean of the inane things that are being done in Christ's name.

This sermon by Paul Washer is a must hear. I encourage all of you to listen to it. You can find the mp3 by going to the following link by clicking on Paul Washer's picture, or you can watch the sermon in the following video. (NOTE: The sermon is a little longer than the mp3.):