The Second of Two Theological Flaws that will Doom the Latest Grand CGGC Idea

As I noted in the first post on this blog, the teaching of the Word makes it very clear that there are two flaws with the latest vision to come down to the CGGC body from it's leadership core. 

I described the first of those flaws, i.e., it does not begin with the pursuit of repentance, in that first post. 

I also promised that, in time, if the Lord was willing, I'd describe the second flaw.  That is the purpose of this post. 

Very briefly: 

The second flaw is that leadership ignores the teaching of the Old and New Testaments that God's people are saved by faith and that the righteous live by faith.

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In review:

In his final eNews posting prior to the 2013 General Conference sessions, Ed Rosenberry announced leadership's latest vision.

This latest idea is rooted in the key phrase which Ed said would "pervade the [General Conference sessions 2013] gathering, i.e., "ONe Mission."

Ed predicted: "During the sessions, God’s call from Isaiah 6:8 will figure prominently: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'" 

Ed added that, during the last year, the CGGC church planting team took Isaiah 6:8's question and "sought to address the leadership issues it raises."

He continued saying that before a disciple or the church today can echo Isaiah's words, "'Here I am. Send me!'...certain realities must exist in our hearts and lives."  They include the following four "priorities:"

1. Always we must hold to our first love, namely Jesus. This will require a radical commitment of heart, mind, soul, and strength to the message and ministry of Jesus (Mark 12:30). It is possible to be busy about many things, and neglect that which is better (Luke 10:42). Sadly, a disciple, or even the Church, can loose sight of its “first love” when engaged in ministry and thereby lose sight of its calling.
2. We must be ONe Mission in the world, seeking the lost and serving the least. Jesus ministered to people’s spiritual and temporal needs. As his disciples the Church can do no less (John 20:21). The CGGC has but one mission: to help people everywhere experience life abundant in Christ Jesus. This means walking in the way of Jesus and sharing his gospel in ways that bring deliverance from bondage (Luke 4:18-19).
3. We must work together and stand against the adversary. His attacks often come externally, but sometimes he works from within. Always the Church must be ready to stand! (Ephesians 6:10-13) Since his tactic is to divide and destroy, unity of the Spirit is a must (Ephesians 4:3) as is the love of Jesus in all things or all is naught. (1Corinthians 13)
4. We must pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (Philippians 4:6). Without the prayers of God’s people nothing of lasting merit can be accomplished. Prayer has the power to unleash the forces of heaven against the forces of darkness (Matthew 16:19). The Bible is replete with examples! May the CGGC pray prayers that shake the cosmic order, seeing lives and communities delivered and transformed (Matthew 7:7).

Please understand: 

These priorities are not wrong as much as they are secondary to the Word's foundational priorities and that they are skewed toward shepherd values and assume that the yearnings and passions of shepherds define the totality of the Gospel.

Each of these priorities are fruit of the shepherd calling that most of our leaders, even our church planting leaders, share.  The priorities emphasize, as shepherds do organically, in the Spirit and by their calling, relationship not righteousness.

Therefore, typical of past shepherd-oriented innovations--all of which have failed--Ed and the planters ignore what the New Testament always places as the first step (and first priority)--as well as what it places as the second step/priority--in obedient discipleship:

In the Word, the first step always is repentance.

In the Word, the second step--a step which must accompany repentance but which must follow a nano-step behind repentance, is faith. 

Considering our roots in the ministry of John Winebrenner, it is remarkable that living as people of faith is not listed even as one of Ed's priorities for the CGGC.

There is an important macro--big picture--truth played out here:

It is characteristic of the shepherd-dominated leadership culture to set aside the most essential biblical truths and to substitute, for those truths, ideas and values with which shepherds are most comfortable.  After doing that, the shepherd culture adds truths and values which genuinely are rooted in biblical truth but which, because they are not built on Christ, lead us into error.

Hence there would be value in Ed's four priorities IF Ed's submitted to those of Jesus.  However, in the new program, leadership's priorities exclude the priorities of Jesus.  They make no mention of either repentance or faith.

Faith is a core biblical reality that our shepherds set aside in establishing new priorities for the CGGC.  This is death!

Does leadership not know that the Gospel of John teaches, "Whoever believes in him will not perish." (3:16)

Mark says that Jesus' core message was:  "Repent and believe the gospel." (1:15)

Paul says that men and women are saved by faith.  (Eph. 2:8-9)

He says repeatedly that followers of Jesus are people of faith and that, when men and women believe as Abraham believed, their faith is counted as righteousness. (Rom. 4)

Paul also quotes the words of the prophet Habakkuk, who states, in sentence form, the truth demonstrated by the way Abraham's lived his life.  Habakkuk quoted the Lord saying: 

...the righteous person will live by his faithfulness. (2:4)

Paul alludes to this foundational truth in Romans:

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (1:17)

He does that again in Galatians:

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith." (3:11)

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Frankly, dear ones in the CGGC, our leaders are leading us astray from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles to shepherd-oriented traditions. 

CGGC leaders regularly, and apparently without shame, set aside the most foundational teachings of Jesus and, in the process, lead us to ignore the very acts that bear fruit in salvation.

According to the universal proclamation of the New Testament, the foundational priorities of the righteous are, first, repentance and second, faith.

Please ignore what's coming down from leadership.  Build your hope for eternity on the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, not on the traditions of the leaders of the CGGC.

Our leaders must become men and women of His truth.  They must set aside shepherd traditions.

We all must repent.