Woke Churches?

[Kokavkrystallos]

After the Covid lockdowns I heard many churches that had been mainline, or Conservative had gone Woke, and began teaching Social Justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, openly LGBTQ, etc, and were barely preaching the Gospel at all. Honestly, I've looked up some churches and found a horrific false Gospel being proclaimed, but most of what I've seen had already been there for 10 years or longer.
I'm just wondering if there are any represented here that had a drastic shift in their church after Covid, say in 2020 the Church was preaching the Gospel, then they closed their doors, and came back in 2021 or 22 preaching a social Gospel that was all political?

Departure from the Scriptures is a very dangerous thing, spiritually.

Acts 20:27-31,
"For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

 

[Maria Billingsley]

After the Covid lockdowns I heard many churches that had been mainline, or Conservative had gone Woke, and began teaching Social Justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, openly LGBTQ, etc, and were barely preaching the Gospel at all. Honestly, I've looked up some churches and found a horrific false Gospel being proclaimed, but most of what I've seen had already been there for 10 years or longer.
I'm just wondering if there are any represented here that had a drastic shift in their church after Covid, say in 2020 the Church was preaching the Gospel, then they closed their doors, and came back in 2021 or 22 preaching a social Gospel that was all political?

Departure from the Scriptures is a very dangerous thing, spiritually.

Acts 20:27-31,
"For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

Do we read the same Bible? Scripture is full of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Be blessed.

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

Do we read the same Bible? Scripture is full of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Be blessed.

Yes, it is. However, I'm talking about the Woke, racist, political agenda that crept into churches. They adopted many of the same policies as were held by those burning cities to the ground in 2020, or taking over areas of Seattle & Portland. They were trying to push masking and vaccine's rather than leaving it an individuals medical choice. And I won't compare it the same as abortion, since abortion kills a life, whereas the whole Covid issue was a lot of fear mongering. How many died from the vaccine, or got very very sick from it? I knew several who got sick for weeks.

Also the whole business of the government trying to force churches to close their doors while liquor stores could remain open. Righteous resistance was practiced by those churches that kept their doors open, because in America we still have a constitution, though it's being shredded and tattered by the day.

D.E.I. is fine as long as it's not insisting the whole rainbow agenda be pushed on kids, and parents can get in trouble for steering their kids away from LGBTQ stuff. They want to tell kids to keep stuff from their parents in regards to all this? That's child abuse. Same stuff that child molesters might tell a kid. Don't tell Mommy. Well, you got people telling kids who aren't even mentally developed yet that they can change genders, which in itself is tampering with God's creation.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Yes, it is. However, I'm talking about the Woke, racist, political agenda that crept into churches. They adopted many of the same policies as were held by those burning cities to the ground in 2020, or taking over areas of Seattle & Portland. They were trying to push masking and vaccine's rather than leaving it an individuals medical choice. And I won't compare it the same as abortion, since abortion kills a life, whereas the whole Covid issue was a lot of fear mongering. How many died from the vaccine, or got very very sick from it? I knew several who got sick for weeks.

Also the whole business of the government trying to force churches to close their doors while liquor stores could remain open. Righteous resistance was practiced by those churches that kept their doors open, because in America we still have a constitution, though it's being shredded and tattered by the day.

D.E.I. is fine as long as it's not insisting the whole rainbow agenda be pushed on kids, and parents can get in trouble for steering their kids away from LGBTQ stuff. They want to tell kids to keep stuff from their parents in regards to all this? That's child abuse. Same stuff that child molesters might tell a kid. Don't tell Mommy. Well, you got people telling kids who aren't even mentally developed yet that they can change genders, which in itself is tampering with God's creation.

Critical Race Theory , commonly called Woke in slang, is not defined as a racist agenda in scholarly circles. It is the complete opposite. It unveils areas in society where the freedom of individuals are compromised due to the color of their skin. Something everyone should be aware of rather than weaponize. If Love does not guild ones path, one can fall into the deep sin of unrighteousness. Please consider researching this more fully. Blessings

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

Critical Race Theory , commonly called Woke in slang, is not defined as a racist agenda in scholarly circles. It is the complete opposite. It unveils areas in society where the freedom of individuals are compromised due to the color of their skin. Something everyone should be aware of rather than weaponize. If Love does not guild ones path, one can fall into the deep sin of unrighteousness. Please consider researching this more fully. Blessings

Racism of any kind is bad. But singling out whites as oppressors is nothing but reverse racism. And, I'm part Native American, whose ancestors were oppressed. By what would be considered a white regime. (The US govt.) However, I do not demand reparations from white society, and I am more white by race, so I've seen the nonsense of all sides. I've lived in Black communities, Native Reservations, Hispanic communities, worked with illegal immigrants, and Asian folk.
I'll agree love must guide ones path, but speaking the truth in love. One cannot dismiss it was also the white regime of the US Govt. that abolished slavery, and a bloody Civil War was fought to bring that about, in which the majority of soldiers killed on both sides were white: they estimate anywhere from 618,000 to 750,000, of which 40,000 were black, mostly Union soldiers.
CRT teaches systemic racism. It's a satanic distraction.
I preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified: His blood shed for our sins in an agonizing death, so that we might be redeemed from the curse, and inherit eternal life.

 

[lismore]

I preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified: His blood shed for our sins in an agonizing death, so that we might be redeemed from the curse, and inherit eternal life.

Hello! I agree. The message of the church and the solution to sins like racism is the gospel of Jesus Christ. All have sinned, the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is salvation through Jesus Christ. Even if some aspects of 'Woke' teaching and Theology are seemingly laudable, they are at best a distraction. Every moment the church spends talking about other issues is one moment less talking about the truth of the gospel. But some aspects of 'Woke' teaching and Theology are the opposite of what the bible says, LGBTQI for example. Perhaps at best a distraction, perhaps at worst a deception.

God Bless You

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Racism of any kind is bad. But singling out whites as oppressors is nothing but reverse racism. And, I'm part Native American, whose ancestors were oppressed. By what would be considered a white regime. (The US govt.) However, I do not demand reparations from white society, and I am more white by race, so I've seen the nonsense of all sides. I've lived in Black communities, Native Reservations, Hispanic communities, worked with illegal immigrants, and Asian folk.
I'll agree love must guide ones path, but speaking the truth in love. One cannot dismiss it was also the white regime of the US Govt. that abolished slavery, and a bloody Civil War was fought to bring that about, in which the majority of soldiers killed on both sides were white: they estimate anywhere from 618,000 to 750,000, of which 40,000 were black, mostly Union soldiers.
CRT teaches systemic racism. It's a satanic distraction.
I preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified: His blood shed for our sins in an agonizing death, so that we might be redeemed from the curse, and inherit eternal life.

Jesus taught, "Repent and believe the gospel." Before we can repent we much acknowledge our wrongdoing. Between the wrongs done to native Americans and Africans there is a lot of acknowledgement not happening. In stead it is , "Poor white people who getting all the blame"., As a white person, I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries.

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

Jesus taught, "Repent and believe the gospel." Before we can repent we much acknowledge our wrongdoing. Between the wrongs done to native Americans and Africans there is a lot of acknowledgement not happening. In stead it is , "Poor white people who getting all the blame"., As a white person, I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries.

I acknowledge wrongs were done to Native Americans & African Americans. I've read the actual detailed history of the so called "Indian Wars."

This kind of thinking makes race a party to sin by saying white sins: "I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries."
I am not about to whine for so called 'reparations" because one of my ancestors family members may have died on the Trail of Tears.

We all have sinned. To spend our time worrying about phantoms of the past as the devils would have us do, we should focus on the now and hereafter, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Seeing a bunch of Christians standing around with a bunch of BLM signs and waving rainbow flags is NOT what Jesus Christ calls us to! That stuff is what the world does. It is not led by nor sanctioned by the Holy Spirit, but is a work of the flesh that fosters strive and divisions.

Lismore, both are true, a deception that becomes a distraction: "But some aspects of 'Woke' teaching and Theology are the opposite of what the bible says, LGBTQI for example. Perhaps at best a distraction, perhaps at worst a deception."

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I acknowledge wrongs were done to Native Americans & African Americans. I've read the actual detailed history of the so called "Indian Wars."

This kind of thinking makes race a party to sin by saying white sins: "I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries."
I am not about to whine for so called 'reparations" because one of my ancestors family members may have died on the Trail of Tears.

We all have sinned. To spend our time worrying about phantoms of the past as the devils would have us do, we should focus on the now and hereafter, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Seeing a bunch of Christians standing around with a bunch of BLM signs and waving rainbow flags is NOT what Jesus Christ calls us to! That stuff is what the world does. It is not led by nor sanctioned by the Holy Spirit, but is a work of the flesh that fosters strive and divisions.

Lismore, both are true, a deception that becomes a distraction: "But some aspects of 'Woke' teaching and Theology are the opposite of what the bible says, LGBTQI for example. Perhaps at best a distraction, perhaps at worst a deception."

Some aspects of most things are opposite of what the Bible says.
Respect for each other and sensitivity to the plight of others is not opposite of what the Bible says.
Being aware of the struggles of other is what "woke" is all about. It is only a start and , sure, aspects can be distorted and manipulated.
But can raising awareness ever be a bad thing?

 

[lismore]

Jesus taught, "Repent and believe the gospel." Before we can repent we much acknowledge our wrongdoing. Between the wrongs done to native Americans and Africans there is a lot of acknowledgement not happening. In stead it is , "Poor white people who getting all the blame"., As a white person, I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries.

Hello Akita! The injuries of the past, to be healed and forgiven can do a lot of good. However the examples that you gave, no-one living today connived in the 19th C African slave trade, no-one living today was ensnared in it. But everyone living today has connived or has been ensnared in sin.

The bible says:

Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin (Deuteronomy 24:16).

What will send someone to hell is not that their great-great-great-grandfather connived in the slave trade or was a member of the seventh cavalry.
God Bless You

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

Some aspects of most things are opposite of what the Bible says.
Respect for each other and sensitivity to the plight of others is not opposite of what the Bible says.
Being aware of the struggles of other is what "woke" is all about. It is only a start and , sure, aspects can be distorted and manipulated.
But can raising awareness ever be a bad thing?

I have no problem with treating people fairly, and with love. But if you coddle them IN their sin, rather than expose the sin, letting them know they are sinners, and in dire need of a Saviour, who is Jesus Christ, how is that love?

I see a lot of this so called "woke love" and D.E.I. stressing inclusion of everybody no matter what they do. That isn't Biblical love - that's a worldly form of acceptance under the guise of a very loose Christianity that is sending souls strait to the devils hell and fiery torments.

This sort of stuff is from websites of "affirming churches"

"We proudly welcome members of the LGBTQIA community to our congregation, no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey"
(Even if where you are on life's journey is taking you to hell?)

"“Standing at the crossroads of ancient faith and contemporary culture, we are a Christian church asking God to open us to a new way.”"
(A new way? No thanks. Jeremiah 6:16 exactly describes what's going on here: "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.")

"this means much more than hanging a rainbow flag and sign that says “All Are Welcome!” We work to make our worship language, leadership structures, pastoral care and advocacy to be inclusive as well."
(All they are doing is making hell more inclusive by deceiving people, making them comfortable in their sin, and if they die in their sins following these false teachers who are preaching a false Jesus, they will go to hell)

Or, how about this mix up of John 3:16 with Buddha!
"Friends, John 3:16 is so central to our understanding and experience of Christianity that I think it only right to begin our exploration of this verse with a few wise words from… the Buddha. I was hoping that would get a laugh but you’ll soon see that I’m not just being cheeky.
In one of his most famous sutras, the Buddha offers a word of caution when it comes to handling the central truths of faith. “There are always some people,” he says,
“who do not understand the letter or the spirit of a teaching and, in fact, take it the opposite way of what was intended …people who study only to satisfy their curiosity or win arguments, and not for the sake of liberation."

How about this wonderful exhortation?
"Does everyone here know who Elizabeth Gilbert is? She wrote a little book called “Eat, Pray Love” you might have heard of…anyone? Yeah. Well, her newest project is called, “Letters from Love,” and it’s… amazing.
Elizabeth has been writing herself letters from Love for many years, and now she is inviting other people to join her.
This spiritual practice is as straightforward as it sounds. You basically sit yourself down, take a few deep breaths, open yourself up to the Divine or whatever higher power you believe in and start by asking, “Love, what would you have me know today?” Then you write what you hear in your heart.
Easy peasy, right? Well, maybe. Maybe not.
People often ask her how you can know that the words that come to you are from the Divine and not just yourself. That was definitely my first question and maybe it’s yours too. And Gilbert says… you don’t. This practice is as much an act of faith as any other.
But she advises us not to worry so much about it because she says that when we tune into love - whether it is the Love with a capital “L” that lies at the heart of the Universe or simply the most loving part of ourselves - we’re going to tap into something good and worth listening to....
Open yourself to practices that remind you that there is an “ocean of warm, affectionate, and outrageously unconditional love…a magnificent intelligence in the universe that is kind beyond measure” and that this being loves you more than you can scarce contain or imagine."

(Oh, there's some Jesus mixed up in the sermon too, but most is this New Age delusion, being PREACHED in a so called Christian Church! THIS is the Wokeness and a grand delusion, sadly)

And, finally, if you want to know about this lady Elizabeth Gilbert who is being PREACHED in church,

"Gilbert writes that she is seeking God, but makes it clear it is not the Christian God. The god she claims is the one within and the one who accepts her as a divine being: “The Supreme Self is our true identity, universal and divine” (122). In fact, she writes that she has “always responded with breathless excitement to anyone who has ever said that God does not live in a dogmatic scripture or in a distant throne in the sky” (14), thus revealing her rejection of the Bible (the word “dogma” is increasingly used these days as a code word for the Bible or for orthodox Christianity).

She openly states that she does not accept Jesus as the only way to God, and so “Strictly speaking, then, I cannot call myself a Christian” (14). I have to give her points for honesty. Gilbert is a classic New Ager, even if she may reject that label (I do not know how she feels about such a label). But having followed New Age and Eastern beliefs for many years, I have no hesitation in saying this. I once had her god as my god as well.

Although Gilbert rejects the Christian Jesus, she has no problem accepting the teachings of Hinduism, and those of her medicine man teacher, Katuk, while in Bali. She readily and without question accepts the Balinese teaching, one that is quite alien to her, that everyone is born with four spirit brothers who “collect your soul and bring you to heaven” when you die (251)."

New Age Deception In 'Eat, Pray, Love': A Christian Review

By Marcia Montenegro| In her book, Eat, Pray, Love (NY: Penguin Books, 2006), Elizabeth Gilbert narrates her journey through three countries, Italy, India, and Indonesia, which parallels the exploration of three stages of her post-divorce experience: pursuit of pleasure, pursuit of devotion, and pur

reasonsforjesus.com

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

...rather than expose the sin, letting them know they are sinners...

We are all pretty good at that, aren't we.

And not so good at recognizing the log in our own eyes.

 

[lismore]

We are all pretty good at that, aren't we.

And not so good at recognizing the log in our own eyes.

An attitude of superiority or looking down on someone is not good. But we have a duty as Christ's ambassadors and watchmen to speak the truth:

Ezekiel 33: 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Mark 16: 15-16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned"

Watered down messages that make people feel good, tickle their ears but don't lead to repentance and reconciliation with God are in the end messages of hate. We must really hate someone to watch them going over the edge without warning them.

God Bless You

 

[RileyG]

Do we read the same Bible? Scripture is full of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Be blessed.

I completely agree, but I think it depends how someone defines "woke." Many people see the "woke" term as a negative political label. It's not very nice.

 

[FireDragon76]

Jesus taught, "Repent and believe the gospel." Before we can repent we much acknowledge our wrongdoing. Between the wrongs done to native Americans and Africans there is a lot of acknowledgement not happening. In stead it is , "Poor white people who getting all the blame"., As a white person, I know that I have benefited and still do benefit from the white sins of the past centuries.

I agree.

Social responsibility is not a new teaching in mainline Protestant churches.

Inclusion is an important value as I understand the Hebrew Prophets and Jesus' ministry. It isn't optional. Everyone is welcome at our church, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We do not need the affirmation of religious fundamentalists or integralists, who parted ways with us a long time ago. If you don't like equity and inclusion, you don't have to darken the doors of our church.

 

[FireDragon76]

I completely agree, but I think it depends how someone defines "woke." Many people see the "woke" term as a negative political label. It's not very nice.

It's a vague term.

I think dialogue is a more appropriate response than seeking to exclude people because of their political views.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Watered down messages that make people feel good, tickle their ears but don't lead to repentance and reconciliation with God are in the end messages of hate. We must really hate someone to watch them going over the edge without warning them.

There is a great temptation to make my warning to you also my judgment of you as you do not conform to my understand of morality.

 

[RileyG]

It's a vague term.

I think dialogue is a more appropriate response than seeking to exclude people because of their political views.

Thanks for your response.

 

[FireDragon76]

There is a great temptation to make my warning to you also my judgment of you as you do not conform to my understand of morality.

It's not just a temptation. Most of the time that's what people do.

Rene Girard and his theory of Mimesis and the Scapegoat Mechanism comes to mind.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Rene Girard and his theory of Mimesis and the Scapegoat Mechanism comes to mind.

I am just discovering mimesis, narrative, diegesis.