Yesterday, Francis Chan responded to the harsh accusations that he has been aligning with false teachers. A recent article published at The Cripplegate was entitled Farewell Francis. The author Jordan Standridge warned that Chan "is sharing the stage with false teachers who will spend eternity in Hell (Gal. 1:6-9)." He pleaded for Chan to repent and "come back to your first love!"
Chan has been on a steady decline over the last few years. Preaching with Mike Bickle at the International House of Prayer may have been a head-scratcher, but it wasn't enough to denounce Chan as developing an alliance with the enemy. Maybe Chan didn't know that Bickle claimed to have gone to heaven and had a personal audience with Jesus. Maybe Chan didn't know Bickle teaches that we bring about Christ's return through prayer (according to what Jesus personally told him). Maybe Chan didn't know that Bickle has claimed there will be new apostles preaching things you will not be able to find in the Bible, and they will be superior to the biblical apostles.
I'm not vetted on what they all practice and teach, but this article is failing to make a vital distinction:
Inviting them to teach amongst us...
2 John 10-11 (NIV)
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
...is not the same as being invited to go to them / going to them to argue against their deviant beliefs (e.g. Paul who went to the synagogue to argue against the Pharisees who denied details of what's written in the Law and the Prophets).
Acts 17:2-3 (NIV)
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.
Acts 24:14-15 (NIV)
14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
...unlike the Pharisees who denied things that were written (though they didn't deny everything, v. 15). Paul still went to them to argue / battle / take their thoughts captive to the truth / to what is written, not to enjoy himself/chill/agree with their interpretations or approve of their self-imposed traditions/practices that were either untrue and/or nullifying of what is written.
Nothing in Francis Chan's clarification makes me think he's doing the latter. He's going in to fight.
If they don't repent after his attempts to take their thoughts captive to what is written...
Acts 19:9-10 (NIV)
9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
...then he separates from the deviant and congregates with those who accept the full scope of what is written.
P.S.
The apostle Paul called full out, idolatrous pagans his "friends" even though no one is Christ's friend unless they do what He says.
Acts 14:15 (NIV)
15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
John 15:14 (NIV)
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
I'm not going to get hung up on that word, "friend". Is it approval or battle?
Reply
