PROMISE KEEPERS NEW STRESS ON DOCTRINE

PROMISE KEEPERS NEW STRESS ON DOCTRINE

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October 19, 1996 (Fundamental Baptist News Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) - The following is by Al Dager, Media Spotlight report, June 1996, P.O. Box 290, Redmond, WA 98073 --

Promise Keepers has begun to stress from the platform of its conferences the need for unity based on sound doctrine. To this we must give a hearty agreement. In practice, however, they continue to stress the need for unity without regard to denominational differences, evidently considering of no consequence the differences between Roman Catholic doctrine and biblical truth.

Anyone can say they believe in sound doctrine--they may even hold belief in sound biblical doctrine--but WHEN THEY SO VOCIFEROUSLY TELL US NOT TO JUDGE THE DOCTRINE OF OTHERS, THEIR INSISTENCE ON SOUND DOCTRINE RINGS HOLLOW. As James says, "the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19).

Mental assent to truth is insufficient for salvation or for service to God. GENUINE, HEARTFELT ASSENT TO TRUTH MANIFESTS ITSELF IN A WILLINGNESS TO STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FEEL-GOOD EFFORTS OF OTHERS TO COMPROMISE THE TRUTH. We must be willing to offend those we love if we hope to minister to them God's way of salvation and sanctification. There can be no sanctification at the expense of truth or if cowardice compels one to overlook error for the sake of unity.

Promise Keepers' new stress. on doctrine as the basis of unity is overshadowed by its willingness to compromise doctrine for the sake of unity. And that compromise is being spread to thousands of churches through the Promise Keepers agenda.

It is also overshadowed by the fact that its top leadership are members of the Vineyard, which holds some serious doctrinal errors itself. (See our special report, The Vineyard: Doctrines & Practices.)

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

As time passes, we expect Promise Keepers to reveal more and more the philosophical beliefs of its founders. This means more leaning toward the Vineyard belief system and stronger cooperation with Roman Catholic priests.

Plans are already afoot to bring Promise Keepers to the Jesuit community in Steubenville, Ohio, for a conference. [O Timothy Editor: This has happened two years in a row.]

With Promise Keepers' emphasis on ecumenical unity, the question arises why there are no Roman Catholic priests on the PK Board of Directors. Is Promise Keepers merely biding its time until the leadership feels that the general mood among the churches would be conducive to bringing the Vatican's agents into its ranks? Time will tell, of course, but it must seem hypocritical to some that Promise Keepers claims to make no distinction among Catholics and Protestants, yet has no Catholics among its leadership.

This is a legitimate question since BILL MCCARTNEY, IN HIS BOOK, FROM ASHES TO GLORY, SPEAKS GLOWINGLY OF HIS ROMAN CATHOLIC BACKGROUND, AND ASSERTS THAT HE STILL BELIEVES MUCH AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC. He did not leave Roman Catholicism as much as he joined James Ryle's Vineyard fellowship because it was meeting his needs at the time:

"Lyndi and I continued attending services at Pastor Ryle's church, and each time we went we felt more comfortable there. I was soon to be forty-nine years old and here I was, drifting away from the church of my childhood, yet knowing in my heart that I had a closer and more meaningful relationship with God. I NEVER HAD THE FEELING I WAS DISCARDING OR EVEN REJECTING ALL THAT I HAD BEEN TAUGHT, NOR IGNORING ALL THE GOOD THAT HAD COME FROM BEING A REGULAR AND OFTEN A DAILY COMMUNICANT. But God's message was clear. Pastor Ryle was touching my heart in a special way. I was growing as a Christian and thirsting after the knowledge that comes only from being immersed in God's word" (Bill McCartney, From Ashes to Glory, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995, p. 47).

We don't question McCartney's sincerity. But he has placed his trust in a religious philosophy almost as aberrant as that of the Roman Catholic Church. Certainly Ryle has not challenged McCartney's beliefs as a Roman Catholic. But why should he? The Vineyard philosophy forms the basis of the Promise Keepers philosophy when it comes to doctrine: beyond the basics, it doesn't matter what one believes or practices, even if those beliefs and practices de facto nullify the basic tenets of the Faith.

It is often said among Christians who wish to avoid controversy that we must hold others accountable only to the basic doctrines of the Faith--the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, His death for the atonement of sins, His bodily resurrection, the existence of heaven and hell--everything else must be left to the individual's conscience.

But if this is the case, why do we have the whole counsel of God given to us? There is more to the Faith than the offering of fire insurance. Everything God has revealed in His Word is important to our growth and service to Him. Otherwise we are unprofitable servants.

Satan has persuaded a large majority of today's church leadership to believe that there are gray areas to the Faith. This has resulted in a weak Christianity that is impotent when it comes to leading others to Christ and discipling them according to God's truth. This doesn't mean that these leaders are all lost; it means they are ineffective shepherds whose sheep are falling victim to wolves in sheep's clothing.

We may think this is of little consequence when compared to the doctrine of salvation, but it cannot really be separated from the doctrine of salvation. Jesus did not come merely to save us from hell, but to make us citizens of heaven--to give us the power to overcome the evil of the world. In the name of unity, the evil of the world is stunting the growth of the Church and wreaking spiritual havoc in its midst.

And in the process, Promise Keepers may be the greatest ecumenical deception in the history of the Church.

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