Confessions Of A Misguided Innovator

Dakota Community Church

November 16, 2008 (pm)

Confessions of a Misguided Innovator

Begin by reading Ephesians 4:1-16

Ephesians 4:14

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

A tendency to rebel against authority, an exaggerated desire to win the approval of others, and a skewed definition of what it means to be successful; these deadly ingredients combined to create the misadventures of my life and ministry so far.

I think I have been tossed back and forth and blown about doctrinally.

I think a wrong definition of success has lead to a desire to do whatever is necessary to be one of those popular ear scratching teachers.

Tonight I want to share a few of my greatest mistakes and what the Lord has done to bring repentance and new life.

This is not a sermon about me!

Although I am going to use the story of my life as Paul did in many of His epistles I want you to be patient until I share the “rest of the story” which is about repentance, forgiveness, and a renewed passion for the gospel.

What started out as a withdrawal from some of the more extreme expressions coming out of the emergent movement has grown into an examination of my life and ministry that has left me feeling stripped and exposed for a number of errors that I have participated in and promoted.

Tonight I want to discuss three of these false assumptions and what is being done to correct them.

I believe I have been:

1. Wrong on the purpose of Church gatherings.

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

These are things Christians are to focus on when they meet togeather.

Ephesians 4:11-13

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The gathering of the saints is not for those who are “far from God”. The saints gather to be prepared for service, to be built up, and to mature through knowledge of the Son of God.

We are to be sensitive to the seeker but not the seeker that has gained prominence in these times. We are to be sensitive to the One who came to “seek and to save”.

Colossians 3:15-17

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Do these things sound “seeker sensitive”? Does this sound anything like what church services have become in the last 15 years?

Quote:

We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.

- C. S. Lewis

John 21:15-17

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."