Numerous times over the years I have been asked about the stance I have taken over other ministries, including ministers, which may be doctrinally or philosophically against where I stand. To explain this the following truths must be understood:
- Not everything a “false” preacher teaches is automatically wrong just because they are wrong in certain areas. The truth is not about the preacher but about the Word of God. This means you must be cautious about every preacher and filter them and their teaching through the truth of God’s Word every time. But if a teacher/preacher is clearly teaching false doctrine, then everything they say should be brought under closer examination. (Acts 17:11)
- Not everything a sound preacher says is going to be philosophically unchanging. Even a sound preacher is human and can make mistakes in certain messages and he can even take a stand and then grow and learn he was wrong philosophically. Don’t follow the preacher’s words above following God’s Word taught by the sound preacher. I am a different preacher today than when I came to NY 12 years ago and now emphasize things I didn’t use to emphasize. A preacher’s major doctrines should never change but his philosophy or emphasis might, and, that doesn’t mean he is a false teacher. (1 John 4:1)
- If a preacher (such as myself) doesn’t take a stance against a fallible teacher, this does not mean defense of that teacher or his false teachings. A biblical stance is “realm of influence and realm of knowledge.” This means that if the false teacher doesn’t directly influence our church, the fallacy may not be mentioned often or at all. Why would a preacher emphasize certain false teachings unless needed? As an example, why preach in New York against Sati (the practice of burning a wife at husband’s funeral) when that is not an issue? A sound preacher may take a stance publicly against the “prosperity gospel” being taught by Osteen but not the easy believe-ism seemingly taught several years ago by Hyles, because the one if still active and dangerous here and the other is not in a church’s “realm of knowledge or influence.” Is Osteen wrong? Yes! Was easy believe-ism wrong? Yes! (1 Corinthians 5)
- Each church should be independent of all others and thus the issues of a local church are not the duty of another church to fix. As an example, there are many churches, including IFB, which have seemingly ignored the immoral behavior of their leadership. The immorality is wrong, the indifference is wrong, but the issue must be dealt with in that church unless it influences “my” church. This is not acceptance of that church’s behavior, but it is the acknowledgment of local church autonomy. Should a preacher who ignores sexual sins, such as child abuse or adultery be dealt with? Absolutely yes! But its his church that must remove him and if he influences my church I must publicly take a stance. (Galatians 2:11)
If a preacher listed every false teaching and false teacher, he would get nothing else done as the world is full of them. Sound doctrine must come from a sound biblical position and even sound preachers are human..so remember that when you are tempted to judge a pastor/teacher/preacher.
