In this video, I reflect on some lessons and challenges for broader Evangelical culture from my deep dive into Bethel. Specifically, I want to pick up on one theme. It’s to do with trust and who/what you trust.
I’ve identified this as a risk for wider evangelical culture, though I wonder if there is a particular risk for charismatic culture. The issue is too-fold. First, we have a tendency, a natural desire to be positive. That’s no bad thing in itself. However, it can make us nervous of challenge, correction, questioning and critique. Linked to this is a desire to be perceived as “relational”. This leads to what I would describe as a culture that emphasises trust in persons over trust in evidence. In the case of Evangelical Christianity, the trust should be in the Bible, Gospel, doctrine. This means that we should not start from whether we get on with and trust a person then decide to trust what they say and do. Rather, we should assess what they say and do by how it aligns with God’s Word. Paul puts it this way.
“8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed
Now, as I’ve suggested above, this may be a more obvious challenge for charismatic evangelicals so that we need to pay particular attention, this still affects wider evangelicalism, including reformed evangelicalism when it places an emphasis on particular speakers and authors.
Have a look at the video where I go into more detail.
Faithroots 