Christians today forget that Revelation 2-3 is part of the Christian Scriptures and are red letter words spoken by Christ Himself to seven local churches/pastors. What I am trying to say is that it's safe and quite easy to publicly criticize the church growth pragmatism of Rick Warren from 2000 miles away or to question the doctrinal underpinnings of Tim Keller's social justice methodology/gospel when you pastor in the Midwest. It takes a lot more courage of conviction to lovingly confront biblical compromises within your own city or church because it might actually cost you something. There's a reason Paul exhorts young pastors "to endure hardship" while exhorting them to teach "sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" it in 2 Tim. 4:5 and in Titus 1:9. The apostles not only correct heresy (see Galatians) they also correct second and third tier compromises such as "Christian feminism" (see 1 Tim. 2:9-15).
The following two historic declarations are both helpful and true. They were drafted by some of the best theologians and pastors of the 20th century. If nothing else prayerfully consider the final conclusion titled "A Call To Repentance and Reformation." May the Lord help us to humbly "wear the shoe" if "the biblical shoe fits."
Cambridge Declaration Heritage and Resources
Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.
In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.
Cambridge Declaration Heritage and Resources
Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.
In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.
