The Emerging Church Movement: Assessing the Dysfunction of Its Bibliology

Introduction

Rather than withdrawing from culture, the emerging church movement (ECM) dives in headfirst. In doing so, the ECM welcomes great numbers into their churches and is more palatable to modern culture. Prominent figures in the ECM include Brian McLaren who was named to TIME’s “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America” list, and Rob Bell who was recently a guest on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. With this platform for reaching people, McLaren, Bell and others in the ECM could allow themselves to be used by God to reach a great multitude of people so that they might come to know Him. However, some of those in the ECM are embracing postmodern thinking, which encourages liberal theology and bibliology, leading to a low view of Scripture; the result is the loss of Jesus’ identity and His teachings.

The Emerging Church Movement

In the late 90s . . . Christianity in America, it really wasn’t working the way we thought it should be working, and so. . .  people . . . wanted to . . . reform or rethink the church. And people really came at it from two different avenues.  Some people came at it from . . .  the church is broken, we need to fix the way we do church. Some people came at it from . . . the way we understand the gospel is broken, we need to rethink the gospel.[1] 

Tony Jones provided Drew Sumrall with this explanation of the ECM when he was a guest on The Harvest Show. Similarly, Mark Driscoll,[2] by way of Dr. Ed Stetzer, understands the ECM to have three types of Christians, Relevants, Reconstructionists, and Revisionists.[3] Driscoll explains, “Relevants are theologically conservative evangelicals” who want to update things “to be more relevant” to today’s culture.[4] Revisionists, on the other hand, are defined as those who are “theologically liberal,” questioning “key evangelical doctrines, [and] critiquing their appropriateness for the emerging postmodern world.”[5] Reconstructionists land somewhere in the middle, tending to hold to evangelical theology and a general dissatisfaction “with the current forms of church.”[6] Both Reconstructionists and Relevants walk along the former avenue Jones speaks of, while Revisionist think “the gospel is broken.”[7]

The ECM is not a denomination and many who are part of the ECM do not like faith statements or doctrines.[8] Since this is true, it is difficult to put the ECM in a box and plaster a label upon it. The ECM is diverse, with an attempt at some sort of cultural relevance as the only similarity throughout. While some have sacrificed the true teachings of Jesus and the values of the church fathers in an effort to be culturally relevant. Others in the ECM, or inspired by the ECM, have retained a conservative theology and bibliology that embraces God’s objective truth and morality; in doing so, they also retain a grasp on Jesus’ identity and His teachings.  

Conservative Bibliology

Those who maintain a conservative bibliology attest that the Bible is God’s authoritative, inerrant, special revelation to humanity about Himself and His plan for the redemption of humans.  The most prominent figure representing a conservative theology and high view of Scripture is Mark Driscoll. Driscoll was deeply involved in the conversation of the ECM in its early days, but in his book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev., he said that he had to distance himself “from one of many streams in the emerging church because of theological differences.”[9]  When it comes to Driscoll’s “stream” of the ECM he says,

The emerging church welcomes the tension of holding in one closed hand the unchanging truth of evangelical Christian theology (Jude 3) and holding in one open hand the main cultural ways of showing and speaking Christian truth as a missionary to America (1 Cor. 9:19–23). . . . the movement . . . is young and is still defining its theological center, I do not want to portray the movement as ideologically unified because I myself swim in the theologically conservative stream of the emerging church.[10]

By way of self-attestation, Driscoll regards Scripture as God’s authoritative and infallible revelation to his people.[11] Driscoll addresses the resistance some have in regard to this conservative view, citing the account of the fall of man found in the third chapter of Genesis. He says that the serpent deceived Eve “not by rejecting God’s Word, but rather by subtly seeking to change the meaning.” Driscoll reasons that the devil continues to seek these subtle changes today.[12]

Dan Kimball is also identified with the conservative branch of the ECM. In 2004, Kimball was part of a team that planted Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, CA. This church plant was largely in response to the lack of church attendance among high school and college students.[13] The team chose the name Vintage Faith Church “to reflect the ‘vintage’ values of the early church and teachings of Jesus.”[14] Kimball’s conservative beliefs and high view of Scripture are evidenced by his church’s core beliefs. The core beliefs of Vintage Faith Church include a self-attested “high view of the Scriptures and its authority.” They also believe in the existence of heaven and hell, Jesus’ virgin birth, and His death and consequent resurrection for the atonement of sins.[15]

Prolific writer and retired Anglican bishop N. T. Wright also holds a high view of Scripture and is a prominent influence on the minds of those in the ECM. Wright acknowledges that postmodern thinking is not only relative, but also constantly changing, deceitful, and follows an agenda.[16] The church, however, he says cannot respond to what truth is when the postmodern mind asks, “because we know that they can’t hear what the answer might really be.”[17] Postmodern thinkers actually do not want to know the truth because they believe they define truth. Wright says it is Christians’ job “to tell the truth about God.”[18] He strongly believes that Christians need to promote love and social justice, and in this way, Wright and those in the liberal branch of the ECM would get along, as that branch of the ECM tout love and social justice as their goal, believing this is what is largely missing in evangelical Christianity. One aspect of Wright’s conservative bibliology can be found in his view concerning homosexuality, which is possibly the most prominent issue currently dividing those in the ECM (and in all of Christianity). Wright holds to traditional heterosexual marriage. He says, “It’s all about God making complementary pairs which are meant to work together.”[19]

Liberal Bibliology

            Brian McLaren is perhaps the most criticized and well-known personality in the ECM. Concerning McLaren, Mark Driscoll writes, “I find it curious that, from my perspective, he is using his power as a writer and speaker to do violence to Scripture in the name of pacifism.”[20] However, it is not just in this context that McLaren assaults Scripture. In regards to current issues the church is facing today, such as homosexuality, McLaren has relented to the pressure of the current culture. In a blog post by McLaren, he describes his thoughts as he changed his views on homosexuality, expressing that once he changed his view to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality, he feared divulging this change in his worldview to others because he thought, “[M]y colleagues will simply think I’ve capitulated to ‘the world’ or ‘the culture.’ They’ll accuse me of compromise, liberalism, and all that.”[21] Perhaps this thought was an attempt from God’s Spirit to convey that that was exactly what he was doing. He goes even further in his effort to welcome homosexuality and other perversions of God’s intention for gender and sexuality when he says that he “believe[s] that extending marriage to gay and lesbian couples would strengthen, not weaken, marriage.”[22] McLaren is not alone in his desire to accept homosexuality. Rob Bell as previously mentioned has been a guest on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, and it was in an appearance there that he divulged his belief that the church would soon embrace gay marriage,[23] something Bell and McLaren have already done.[24]

            In A General Orthodoxy, McLaren has a chapter entitled “Why I Am Liberal/Conservative.”[25] In it, he expounds upon liberal and conservative theologies, as he understands them, and concludes that he hopes he is not considered a member of either camp. Though he does not divulge to the reader whether or not he believes the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, some of his beliefs, as expressed above, make it painfully obvious that he does not. In a following chapter, “Why I Am Biblical,” concerning his view of Scripture, McLaren offers,

I have spent my life learning, understanding, reappraising, wrestling with, trusting, applying, and obeying the Bible, and trying to help others do the same. I believe it is a gift from God, inspired by God, to benefit us in the most important way possible: equipping us so that we can benefit others, so that we can play our part in the ongoing mission of God.[26]

McLaren says he believes the Bible is inspired by God, but does not like using terms like authoritative, inerrant, and infallible because, as he says, the Bible does not even describe itself this way.[27] He also expresses that he obeys the Bible, but his view on homosexuality is a clear example that he does not, for Paul describes homosexuality as unnatural, indecent (Rom 1:25–27),[28] and immoral (1 Tm 1:8–11).  

As N.T. Wright points out, “[A]ll authority lies with God himself.”[29] God also, is the only perfect being, evidenced by Him living a perfect life when He came to earth in a human body. These truths, dancing with the truth that “[a]ll Scripture is inspired by God,” (2 Tm 3:16a), can invoke a doctrine regarding the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. It can be surmised that God reveals His authority in Scripture, and He does so without error.

To a large degree, McLaren’s biggest hurdle in seeing the Bible as authoritative and inerrant, is an improper understanding of “the God of the Old Testament.”[30] Paul Enns cites, “McLaren acknowledges problems in understanding why God did certain things in the Old Testament.”[31] However, God does not change, so the God as we see Him in the Old Testament is the Christ of the New Testament (Heb 13:7–9), so Christians must remember not to be “carried away by varied and strange teachings” (Heb 13:9a).

Some of the Old Testament narratives that are used to depict a tyrannical “God of the Old Testament,” include the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:16–19:29), the slaying of the firstborn in Egypt (Ex 11:1–12:36), and God promising forced cannibalism if the inhabitants of Jerusalem refuse to turn from their ways (Jer 19). However, the image of God that this creates is inaccurate; because often people look at just the part of the narrative they judge as malevolent, without investigating the backstory.[32] In context, one would find that God told Abraham if he found even ten righteous people in Sodom, He would not destroy the city (Gn 19:23–32). Context also reveals that God only killed all the firstborn in Egypt, to free his people from the bondage of slavery, after nine previous plagues (to serve as warnings) were ignored (Ex 3–12:36). Finally, context reveals that God did not even think of the sort of acts committed in Jerusalem, and threatened cannibalism because of their own atrocities.  The inhabitants of Jerusalem were burning “their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which [Yahweh] never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter [His] mind” (Jer 19:5). When context is not ignored, it is clear that God was, is, and always will be a God of love (1 Jn 4:7,8; 1 Cor 13), mercy (Gn 18:22–33; 19:15–22, Ti 3:5), and justice (Dt 10:17–18); much of what He requires of us (Mi 6:6–8; Mt 22:38–40).

            Tony Jones is another figure in the ECM concerning a low view of Scripture. In an interview with Drew Sumrall, as mentioned above, he talked about two approaches to changing Christianity. He made it clear that he went down the avenue of rethinking the gospel.[33] In his reinterpretation of the gospel, Jones believes God changes.[34] He also denies that God is omniscient, believing that in order for God to have foreknowledge of all things, he must also be forecausal.[35]

Jones notes that much of the church initially was onboard with ECM ideas, at least when it came to rethinking the presentation of church and increasing cultural relevancy, but when the ECM decided “there are ways we think we’re getting the gospel wrong,”[36] many people in the church got off the ECM bus. What Jones and others who represent a desire for a change in the approach and understanding of the gospel do not understand, is that people wanted to separate themselves from the ECM for a reason. For when the gospel is reinterpreted from a post-modern way of thinking, there is no careful exegesis, instead, eisegesis is employed and truth is lost, and in turn, Jesus’ identity is lost.

Consequences of Liberal Bibliology

When one does not affirm the inerrancy of Scripture, instead embracing post-modern thought with its relativity, then anything goes as long as it feels right to the individual. N. T. Wright notes, “The biblical view of reality is . . . under attack.”[37] While only God can judge a person, one must ask, is a person truly saved and living for Jesus, if the Jesus he knows condones abortion, homosexuality, and other immoral acts? Perhaps a better question is does a person who believes Jesus condones those acts even know Jesus? The answer, he does not. Instead a person who believes those things has defined a fictional man, not the historical Jesus.

Douglas Groothuis points his readers to an idea Francis Schaeffer had in 1968. “Schaeffer was prophetic,” says Groothuis.

[He] wrote that the problem with communicating Christianity to a new generation was centered on a new view of truth that detached it from objective and knowable reality. . . . the dangers he discerned then are epidemic now. Truth, especially spiritual truth, is now widely taken to be a matter of perspective.[38]

The culture has embraced postmodern thinking, along with relative truth. In postmodern thinking, morality and truth is subject to individuals. This manner of thinking absolutely does not compute with Christianity. Paul affirms that the Christian faith and that which is preached by Christians must be grounded in truth, and it is indeed (1 Cor 15:12–22).

            Ergo, when postmodern thinking triumphs, truth is lost, Christianity is lost, and Jesus’ identity is lost. Groothuis is clear that postmodern thinking, and therefore a liberal bibliology as held by many in the ECM, is not compatible with Christianity and the truth of Scripture. Concerning these issues, Groothuis says,

Christians who are attracted to postmodernism change the very concept of truth itself and then apply their new concept of truth to the Scriptures. The Bible is thus relieved of the pressure to exhaustively conform to an objective and given reality outside of its own words and outside the perspectives of its readers. The Bible is now ‘true’ in the sense that it is found meaningful by the believing community, that it gives us great narratives and that it inspires us spiritually. Perfect agreement is no longer an issue. Realizing this, for McLaren and those he represents, means becoming ‘a new kind of Christian.’[39]

Sadly, many have followed the path of postmodernism. Inevitably, more will continue in this destructive way of thinking, as the father of lies brings more into his fold (Jn 8:44). It is the job of the church to face the threat of the ECM and the disguise it puts on postmodern thinking. A liberal bibliology presents great dangers to the continued growth of the body of Christ.

Conclusion

            The theology of the ECM ranges from conservative, such as represented by Mark Driscoll, Dan Kimball and N. T. Wright, to more liberal proponents, such as Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and Tony Jones. When a more liberal approach is taken, viewing Scripture as good, but not authoritative and inerrant, the result is an acceptance of relative truth leading to an immoral belief system as defined by individuals. When one believes truth is relative, it is impossible to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture (for this belief would require one to believe God defines truth), and to not believe God defines truth means one must believe He does not define morality. These are vital underlying truths to knowing Jesus and His teachings. Therefore, when people think they have a relationship with Jesus, but do not believe in objective morality and objective truth as defined by Yahweh, the One True God, they do not truly know God. Paul teaches by example that is of utmost importance to rebuke false teachings (1 Tm 1:3–7; 4:1–2; 6:3–5; 2 Tm 1:13–14; 4:2–5; Tit 1:11; 2:1a), and to teach relative truth and relative morality is a mockery of God that some of the more theologically liberal churches in the ECM are engaging in.

Though postmodern thought is rapidly invading the church, it is vital to hold fast to the truth. In a sermon entitled “The Bible Tried and Proved,” Charles Spurgeon said,

In the good company of those who had spoken under divine direction, [the psalmist] was able to bear the threats of those who surrounded him. So, dear friends, if at any time your lot is cast where the truths you love so well are despised, get back to the prophets and apostles and hear through them what God the Lord will speak. The voices of earth are full of falsehood, but the word from heaven is very pure. There is a good practical lesson in the position of the text––learn it well. Make the Word of God your daily companion, and then whatever may grieve you in the false doctrine of the hour, you will not be too much cast down. For the words of the Lord will sustain your spirit.[40]

So let us do as Spurgeon encourages and remember only God offers truth, that truth is freely available in His Word, and through His Word we can grow closer to Him and we gain knowledge of Him. In conclusion, people who do not regard the Bible as authoritative and inerrant do not truly know Jesus. Therefore, those led to false beliefs in theologically liberal churches that twist Scripture are, in reality, without Christ. Christianity has its identity in Christ, but some in the ECM have lost that identity, rather, they have lost Jesus’s identity.

Bibliography

Anderson, Ray S. An Emergent Theology for Emerging Churches. Downer’s Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2006.

Bashir, Martin. “MSNBC Host Makes Rob Bell Squirm: ‘You’re Amending The Gospel So That It’s Palatable!’” (video). March 15, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube. Com/watch?v=Vg-qgmJ7nzA.

Bell, Rob. “What is the Bible? Part 22: The Word of God, Baby.” Rob Bell. Last modified December 10, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://robbellcom.tumblr.com/post/6962 0018734/what-is-the-bible-part-22-the-word-of-god-baby.

Bell, Rob. “What is the Bible? Part 28: Authority.” Rob Bell. Last modified December 23, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://robbellcom.tumblr.com/post/70613417528/what-is-the-bible-part-28-authority.

Bell, Rob. “What is the Bible? Part 38: We Lost Him, And Then We Didn’t.” Rob Bell. Last modified January 31, 2014. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://robbellcom.tumblr.com/post /75186572024/ what-is-the-bible-part-38-we-lost-him-and-then.

Bell, Rob. “What is the Bible? Part 59: Sin.” Rob Bell. Last modified March 27, 2014. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://robbellcom.tumblr.com/post/80913487032/what-is-the-bible-part-59-sin.

Bell, Rob. “What We Talk About When We Talk About God: A Special Edition” (video). September 2, 2014. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBCax LXIV_Y.

Bell, Rob and Andrew Wilson. “Rob Bell and Andrew Wilson // Homosexuality & The Bible // Unbelievable?” (video). May 3, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=XF9uo_P0nNI.

Blair, Leonardo. “Former Megachurch Pastor Rob Bell Tells Oprah the Church Is ‘Moments Away’ From Embracing Gay Marriage.” The Christian Post. February 17, 2015. Accessed March 4, 2015. http://www.christianpost.com/news/former-megachurch-pastor-rob-bell-tells-oprah-the-church-is-moments-away-from-embracing-gay-marriage-134264.

Driscoll, Mark. “A Pastoral Perspective on the Emergent Church.” Criswell Theological Review 3, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 87–93.

Driscoll, Mark. Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

Driscoll, Mark. The Radical Reformission. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.

Earley & David Wheeler. Evangelism Is . . . How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010.

Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology, Revised and Expanded. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014. Kindle.

Franklin, Patrick S. “John Wesley in Conversation with the Emerging Church.” McMaster Divinity College, November 2009.

Gay, Doug. Remixing the Church Towards an Emerging Ecclesiology. Chippenham, Wiltshire: SCM Press, 2011.

Gibbs, Eddie and Ryan K. Bolger. Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.

Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2011.

Harvest Show LeSEA Broadcasting. “Tony Jones and Drew Sumrall on the Atonement pt.1” (video). February 25, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =4aYu_4dYmOY&t=124.

Harvest Show LeSEA Broadcasting. “Tony Jones and Drew Sumrall on the Atonement pt.2” (video). February 26, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =DYFVEf1-nPI.

Hengler, Greg. “MSNBC Host Makes Rob Bell Squirm: ‘You’re Amending The Gospel So That It’s Palatable!’” Townhall.com. Last modified March 15, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://townhall.com/tipsheet/greghengler/2011/03/15/msnbc_host_makes_rob_bell_squirm_youre_amending_the_gospel_so_that_its_palatable!/print.

Jones, Tony. “Doctrine Does Change.” Tony Jones Theoblogy. Last modified October 20, 2014. Accessed March 7, 2015. http://tonyj.net/blog/2014/10/20/doctrine-does-change/.

Jones, Tony. “Tony Jones and Drew Sumrall on the Bible” (video). April 19, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1VZaV6COHM.

Jones, Tony. “With Mark Driscoll Gone, We’ve Only Got John Piper to Show Us the Insanity of Hypercalvinism.” Tony Jones Theoblogy. Last modified November 6, 2014. Accessed March 7, 2015. http://tonyj .net/blog/2014/11/06/with-mark-driscoll-gone-weve-only-got-john-piper-to-show-us-the-insanity-of-hypercalvinism/.

Keuss, Jeff. “The emergent church and neo-correlational theology after Tillich, Schleiermacher and Browning.” Scottish Journal of Theology 61, no. 4 (2008): 450-61.

Marti, Gerardo and Gladys Ganiel. The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

McLaren, Brian. A Reading of John 14:6. Brian McLaren, 2006.

McLaren, Brian. “Can We Talk?” Sojourners, March 2010.

McLaren, Brian. “FAQ: Do you believe the bible is the inerrant word of God?” Brian D. McLaren. Accessed February 25, 2015. http://brianmclaren.net/archives/faq/do-you-believe.html#more.

McLaren, Brian. “July 2014: How (parts of) the Church Will Change on Homosexuality.” Brian D. McLaren. Accessed February 25, 2015. http://brianmclaren.net/archives/how-the-church-will-change-on-ho.html.

McLaren, Brian. “FAQ: Why is there so much hatred towards homosexuals?” Brian D. McLaren. Accessed February 25, 2015. http://brianmclaren.net/archives/faq/why-is-there-so.html#more.

McLaren, Brian D. A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished Christian. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004. Kindle.

Muehlhaurser, Luke. “Top 20 Evil Bible Stories.” Last modified December 4, 2008. Accessed March 2, 2015. http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=21.

O’Reilly Factor. “Rev. Franklin Graham: Rob Bell Is A ‘False Teacher’ & A ‘Heretic’” (video). April 29, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCOkGDU gij8.

OdysseyNetworks. “Interview: Why Rob Bell Supports Gay Marriage” (video). March 20, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q0iDaW6BnE.

OdysseyNetworks. “Tony Jones on Christian Leaders Coming out in Favor of Gay Marriage” (video). April 23, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= U01QeFqzlAU.

Schmitz, Matthew. “N. T. Wright on Gay Marriage: Nature and Narrative Point to Complementarity.” First Things. Last modified June 11, 2014. Accessed March 6, 2015. http://www.firs tthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/06/n-t-wrights-argument-against-same-sex-marriage.

Spurgeon, Charles. The Essential Works of Charles Spurgeon: Selcted Books, Sermons, and Other Writings . . . Edited by Daniel Partner. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books, 2009.

Tony Jones. “Tony Jones and Drew Sumrall on the Bible” (video). April 19, 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1VZaV6COHM.

Vintage Faith Church. “Core Beliefs.” What We Believe. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://www. vintagechurch.org/corebeliefs.

Vintage Faith Church. “Our Story.” About Us. Accessed March 5, 2015. http://www. vintagechurch.org/ourstory.  

Webber, Robert, ed. Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

Wright, N. T. “How Can The Bible Be Authoritative?” NT Wright Page. Last modified 1989. Accessed March 2, 2015. http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Bible_ Authoritative. htm. 

Wright, N. T. “The Bible for the Post Modern World.” Lecture, Latimer Fellowship, Orange Memorial Lecture. August 2000. Accessed March 6, 2015. http://www.biblicaltheology. ca/blue_files/The%20Bible%20for%20the%20Post%20Modern%20World.pdf.

Wright, N. T. “The Christian Challenge in the Postmodern World.” Response, Summer 2005. Accessed March 6, 2015. http://www.spu.edu/depts/uc/response/summer2k5/features/postmodern.asp.

---

[1] Harvest Show LaSEA Broadcasting, “Tony Jones and Drew Sumrall on the Atonement pt.1” (video), February 25, 2013, 1:14, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aYu_4dYmOY&t=124.

[2] Formerly of Mars Hill, Driscoll resigned on October 14, 2014. There is a great deal of controversy regarding his resignation and the reasons behind it, but this paper discusses his impact on the ECM and his theology as revealed in his books and articles.

[3] Mark Driscoll, “A Pastoral Perspective on the Emerging Church,” Criswell Theological Review 3, no. 289.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid., 90.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Harvest Show LaSEA Broadcasting, “Jones and Sumrall pt.1” (video), 1:14.

[8] Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, Revised and Expanded (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014), 16122–134, Kindle.

[9] Mark Driscoll, Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), 21.

[10] Ibid., 22.

[11] Robert Webber, ed., Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 22, 24.

[12] Ibid., 24, 25.

[13] “Our Story,” Vintage Faith Church, accessed March 5, 2015, http://www.vintagechurch.org/ourstory/.

[14] “Core Beliefs,” Vintage Faith Church, accessed March 5, 2015, http://www.vintagechurch.org/core beliefs/.

[15] Ibid.

[16] N. T. Wright, “The Christian Challenge in the Postmodern World.” Response, Summer 2005, paragraph 15, http://www.spu.edu/depts/uc/response/summer2k5/features/postmodern.asp. 

[17] Ibid., paragraph 17.

[18] Ibid., paragraph 37.

[19] Matthew Schmitz, “N. T. Wright on Gay Marriage: Nature and Narrative Point to Complementarity,” First Things, last modified June 11, 2014, accessed March 6, 2015, http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/ 2014/06/n-t-wrights-argument-against-same-sex-marriage.

[20] Driscoll, Confessions, 99.

[21] Brian McLaren, “How (parts of) the Church Will change on Homosexuality,” Brian D. McLaren, accessed February 25, 2015, http://brianmclaren.net/archives/how-the-church-will-change-on-ho.html.

[22] Brian McLaren, “Can We Talk?” Sojourners, March 2010, 13.

[23] Leonardo Blair, “Former Megachurch Pastor Rob Bell Tells Oprah the Church Is ‘Moments Away’ From Embracing Gay Marriage,” The Christian Post, February 17, 2015, accessed March 4, 2015, http://www.christ ianpost.com/news/former-megachurch-pastor-rob-bell-tells-oprah-the-church=is-moments-away-from-embracing-gay-marriage-134264.

[24] OdysseyNetworks, “Interview: Why Rob Bell Supports Gay Marriage” (video), March 20, 2013, accessed March 5, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q0iDaW6BnE.

[25] Brian D. McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I Am a . . . (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), 1793–1982, Kindle.

[26] Ibid., 2197.

[27] Ibid., 2296.

[28] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Bible (The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

[29] N. T. Wright, “How Can the Bible Be Authoritative?” NT Wright Page, last modified 1989, accessed March 2, 2015, http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Bible_Authoritative.htm.

[30] This is a term that is often used to describe God as vindictive, unloving, unjust, etc., etc.

[31] Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, 16207–218.

[32] In an example of eisegesis, one who believes the “God of the Old Testament” is evil and vindictive will read into the narrative of the Bible what he or she already believes to be true. This is evidenced by an article found on the Common Sense Atheism website. See Luke Muehlhauser, “Top 20 Evil Bible Stories,” last modified December 4, 2008, accessed March 3, 2015, http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=21.

[33] Harvest Show LaSEA Broadcasting, “Jones and Sumrall pt.1” (video, 1:14.

[34] Tony Jones, “Doctrine Does Change,” Tony Jones Theoblogy, last modified October 20, 2014, accessed March 7, 2015, http://tonyj.net/blog/2014/10/20/doctrine-does-change/.

[35] Tony Jones, “With Mark Driscoll Gone, We’ve Only Got John Piper to Show Us the Insanity of Hypercalvinism,” Tony Jones Theoblogy, last modified November 6, 2014, accessed March 7, 2015, http://tonyj.net /blog/2014/11/06/with-mark-driscoll-gone-weve-only-got-john-piper-to-show-us-the-insanity-of-hypercalvinism/. 

[36] Harvest Show LaSEA Broadcasting, “Jones and Sumrall pt.1” (video), 2:40.

[37] N. T. Wright, “The Bible for the Post Modern World,” Lecture, Latimer Fellowship, Orange Memorial Lecture, August 2000, accessed March 6, 2015, http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/blue_files/The%20Bible%20for%20 the%20Post%20Modern%20World.pdf, under heading “Deconstructing Biblical Reality.”

[38] Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2011), 117.

[39] Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2011), 119.

[40] Charles Spurgeon, The Essential Works of Charles Spurgeon: Selected Books, Sermons, and Other Writings . . ., ed. Daniel Partner (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books, 2009), 904–05.