Subliminal Dangers in Seeker Churches

This is kind of a rant, but I think it is more of a "controlled rant". While my points are triggered by my own recollections and experiences, I will recount my points through the Scriptures. It is my hope that some of this will make sense and maybe even prove to be a source of encouragement to those who are where I have been. 2nd Corinthians 1 comes to mind -- and my hope is that I can comfort someone with the comfort I have received.

I have seen the dark side of the "seeker" movement. See, a "seeker" is supposed to be someone who is searching. And by definition, we are to be "sensitive" to seekers, according to this approach within contemporary Christianity (and I'm not sure of the precision of my use of the word "contemporary" in this case).

Others far more knowledgeable than me have written on the theological bankruptcy of the seeker movement. It presupposes that those who are outside Christ are not dead in their sin, but merely "really sick" or some such similar silliness. It caters to the notion that to win them, all we need to do is find the "key" to unlock their heart to Christ. That is a flat out fallacy. Those outside Christ are dead to God. They are therefore totally unable to do anything unless God acts, for "death" by definition is an inability to respond to an outside stimulus.

But the seeker movement is full of other hidden dangers. Ironically, it has to do with how the movement deals with the seeker who struggles in his or her faith. And this is where I come in.

See, it goes back to the superficial view of salvation. To the seeker movement, salvation is had by a human choice, which is expressed by praying a prayer, walking an isle, signing a card or otherwise "deciding for Christ". Once that is done, the grand assumption is that you are now a Christian. It doesn't matter about what your life is like, you've outwardly done what you have to do to be "saved" (Starting to sound like works salvation, isn't it???).

So, we start out with a faulty assumption which is "pray the prayer, make the choice, claim the prize". Well, I'll not write the book I could write on why this isn't Biblically correct. Let me say simply that this is "syllogistic salvation". Kind of like "You doubt your saved? The bible says "If you confess Jesus as Lord" you shall be saved". You've done that, I saw you do that, so, you are saved. Stop doubting! You are dishonoring God!" (Note: "Confession" there has to do with a pattern of life, not just reciting some words. It shows a change of life over a period of time).

No. What dishonors God is putting salvation in the domain of a human decision, not God's sovereignty. See John 1:12, we are not born of human decision, but of God. God's not waiting with His hat in His hand waiting for you or me to "decide for Him".

Consider with me John 6:44. Let me paraphrase it as "No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him." Ok, you say "Yes, God 'woos' the unbeliever". Well, that word "draw" doesn't mean to "woo". It doesn't mean anything such as "God really, really wants you to choose Him and so He's doing the best He can". No. The word there in the Greek is "helkuo". It is a violent term, not some soft experience where God does the spiritual equivalent of sending you flowers and candy. It's not a reference to God "courting" you. It is a term that is more akin to what Saul experienced on the way to Damascus. Saul had no choice. It wasn't his decision and he had no say in the matter. He simply knew what he had to do and that was the end of it. If you have read my tesitmony, you know I can relate to Paul's experience.

You say "are you sure of this?" Well, let's try the concept of "wooing" in other places where "helkeuo" is used.

James 2 says that "Rich men oppress you and woo you into court"? No, they drag you into court, just as James said. Or how about Acts 16:18 where Paul and Silas were "wooed" into the marketplace to be made to suffer for ruining local commerce by delivering a woman who did divination from demonic spirits. Give me a break!

Silly, isn't it? Of course it is. And with this the absurdity of seeker soteriology becomes more obvious. You don't win them with carrot cake any more than God does.

But that still doesn't get to the core of my message. See, you don't see it or experience it unless you just won't sit back and take your "salvation" for granted, which seekerism really wants you to do. If you struggle, if you battle with doubt, if you otherwise won't "come along" in their time, you'll see the less "sensitive" side to seekerism. If you don't just toe the line and "rest in Jesus" (in other words, don't go along to get along and cement yourself into an assumption that self-examination is unecessary regardless of what Paul said in II Corinthians), you'll be stepping all over the protocol and you'll find yourself out of favor. See, you just gotta make your choice and wear your "happy mask".

I clearly remember, and do have documentation for, an incident where a pastor said (after a protracted battle with introspection and doubt), "What will it take to get you to trust Jesus".

Try "an act of God", sir. That's the Biblical answer. It is an act of God that makes us exercise faith. It is all of God and "sweet talk" doesn't make converts. It is the message of repentance and faith. And even then, you never tell someone you know they are saved. You have no way of knowing the state of someone else's heart. You "know" Sally or George is saved? How? You saw the Spirit of God descend on them when they prayed a prayer? You saw a green light go off when they said "...in Jesus' Name, Amen?" I hope you don't answer that in the affirmative. But in a way I dare you to because when you trivialize the doubts of another who desires certainty of salvation you may as well say those kind of things. Yet it was the Puritans who had it right..."First tested, then trusted".

See, I had been in a time of deep conviction of sin. It was obvious that the Spirit of God was working deeply in me. However, contemporary Christianity makes the assumption that where this is happening, salvation is present. At least that is what I have seen, many times. Indeed, any time someone saw evidence of God's Spirit at work in my life, it was because I was "already saved"...and that isn't necessarily the case. It is possible to "taste" and not yet have "consumed" according to Hebrews 6. You can harden your heart against conviction before you are converted.

Don't think I'm right? Ok, just try voicing your doubts sometime. If you are strugging with doubts, just try to bring them out in the open. The happy faces around you won't be smiling long in a seeker church. See, "you've walked an isle, quit insulting God". That seems to be the only fruit necessary for proof of conversion. If you doubt your salvation, silly boy, just look at the floor for your nike prints leading down to the altar! "You did your bit, and God has to do His!" (Again, notice salvation by works).

The seeker church will not and cannot allow for biblical self-examination. That is, at least in part, because you have to show results. And we have to be sure our numbers our up. That can't happen if you are doubting. You're just being a burden to those who want to claim a higher tally and move on.

I would also ask professing Christianity to stop telling people "if you are saved, God will give you a passion for..." this or that. No, He may or may not. In any case, those words imply some sort of feeling. You say "what's the problem with this?". The problem becomes obvious when someone who has "prayed the prayer" then has doubts, which may be legitimate doubts. What happens is the person says "...but I don't have that feeling of passion you mention". The response? "Quit living by your feelings". Excuse me, but you said if I'm really saved, I'll have this feeling....

If you do that kind of thing to those who are doubting, kindly shut up. All it does is lead to increased frustration and exacerbated doubts. If it isn't about feelings, quit implying that salvation will produce a "feeling", no matter how you describe it...a passion, or whatever. If you say that salvation will produce a "passion" (a feeling which can ebb or become obscure) to see others saved, then you must deal with the fact that the person may be a false convert. But don't even dare say "stop living by your feelings" if someone says they don't have a passion that you say they should have. It is patently wrong, stupid and unloving in the extreme for it minimizes the peril that that soul may very well be in. Again, if you are guilty of doing this, please shut up until you can get it right and, no, I won't apologize for using the language I've used.

For someone who is doubting it is far better to look at their life and ask them to tell you if they are now pursuing godly things. Things that demonstrate repentance and obedience. Before I was converted (whenever that was), I led a life of filth. As a "seeker" (their term, not mine), I was a real "problem child" because I had difficulty leaving my past behind me. I was perceived as a curse, like an amputee at a Benny Hinn revival who refused to grow legs on command. I saw my past as a great ocean of mud and slime, with some certain sins standing as skyscrapers, hundreds of stories high. There were times when I was convinced I was hopeless. The only cure was time and growth. I see now where there were times when I'd started to veer off course only to realize that somehow, in some way, God was tapping me back to the center of the road. Isaiah said "Whether you turn to the left or the right, I will tell you 'this is the way, go in it" (my paraphrase).

It may be months. It may be years. But what God wants from those who would follow Him is obedience. And he will drag ("helkuo") you through whatever is necessary to get you to trust in Him and obey Him. He'll kick out props. Anything that holds you up other than Himself, He will remove. But eventually you will get to the point where you see what He is doing and you will have a choice of "Will I Really Trust Him or Will I Not". And that, my friend, may be your point of conversion, regardless of what anyone in your church says.

That is a personal history that helps one overcome the doubts. It's a faith builder that defies the laws of the seeker movement which demands a decision and a settled contentment with that decision, regardless of doubts which may even be legitimate.

You say "wow, you really seem passionate about this!" You better believe I am. I've had a decade of this kind of thing and it is simply wrong headed.

Is it possible to be in a mental state where you lose track of a passion you'd otherwise be aware of? Sure! It's been a real problem for me. I tend to be very cerebral. My mind tends to be very busy. What makes it even worse is a tendency to be introspective and analytical. Sometimes I think I have an attention deficit. But when I can get myself to a point where my mind is calmed, I tend to be more aware of my concern for ministering to others, sharing the Gospel, or whatever else God wants me to do.

If you are struggling in your faith, don't let the appeals of the "Seeker Sensitive" people stop you from coming to a point of assurance when God wants you to have it. You may be looked down on as I was. You may be chastised for not becoming "stable" on command. But refuse to be another notch in the "seeker" tally. If you doubt, don't hesitate to do what I have done, which is to simply say "Lord, I am not sure of where I am. You know my feelings, I trust You. Only You can sort this mess out, I don't know the end from the beginning. You do even if I don't". Use the trial as a reason to trust in God. Use it as a stepping stone instead of letting it be a stumbling block.

Are you saved? I can't tell you. Only God knows who belongs to Him. I still remember the cold, hard statement of Rick Holland back in 1998 when I was in the depths of doubt. I had attended Logos Bible Institute (at John MacArthur's church) with Rick in 1982 and '83. He is now an elder at the church there. He told me, quite simply, that if my faith was real, "it'll last". And that is the ultimate test. "Those who endure to the end will be saved". Or, "the ones who are saved will endure". It's called "the perseverance of the saints". If your conversion is real, it will show itself in continuance, for "He Who began a good work in you will continue to perform it..." according to Paul in Philippians.

The seeker movement is a death trap for true conversion. It truncates true conversion. It discourages those who need to doubt from doubting. All it does is encourage everyone to wear a "happy mask" which allows Satan to convince the one who struggles that he or she is all alone when, truth be told, most everyone is probably struggling. . . needlessly or not.

Thus, seekerism kills true body life. It does it by discouraging the very thing that God may be doing in someone's life. It does it when it falsely assumes conversion when it shouldn't be assumed. It does it when it discourages those who doubt from investigating the reason for their doubts, as legitimate as they may be. It does it by keeping others from being truthful about their doubts, which allows Satan to 'divide and conquer'. And it displays itself as an overall lie when it claims concern for others when it simultaneously shows lack of regard and patience with those who struggle.

It is a damnable heresy.