“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…” – Romans 12:2
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If you’ve been reading along since Part 1, we thank you for coming back. If you’re just joining us, we are thrilled that you decided to drop by! Please take a few moments to read Part 1 and Part 2 before reading Part 3… or not. The video is included in all three blog entries, so you should have no problem following along either way. Your call.
The purpose of this blog series isn’t to bash Hillsong Church, Brian Houston, or Carl Lentz. My intent is to share my personal concerns about statements made by Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz on a CNN interview from a Biblical and loving viewpoint. What you do with this knowledge is entirely between you and God.
Below is the interview in its entirety. Please view it for yourself and then join us after the jump. We’ll wait for you. Promise.
Cult of Personality?
Lentz: Our goal is not to turn some cultish thinking into New York City like if you come to our church we’re going to change you. That’s an arrogant premise.
Reporter: Have people said that to you, that this is cultish?
Lentz: Oh, for sure! Yeah. Even though it’s the most preposterous allegation in history.
Reporter: Can you see where that might be coming from?
Lentz: Only because people uneducated on what a cult is. A cult is when I tell you what to think, and if you think any different, you’re gone. That’s a cult.
Interesting that Lentz–and not the reporter–would bring up the word “cultish.” Perhaps he has been visiting many of the same blogs I’ve found on the internet. Do you see how agitated he becomes when the reporter asks him if it is a fair criticism? It appears to be the reaction of someone who does not like to be questioned. Not only is what he says troubling, but his overly aggressive (odd?) delivery and body language make him appear menacing. He says that only uneducated people arrive at this conclusion, and yet, his definition of a cult is simplistic at best, and dangerous at worst. Not every cult leader is a Jim Jones or David Koresh, after all. On the contrary, many are energetic, cool, seemingly helpful folks…well, people much like himself. In fact, we’re told in Scripture (2 Corinthians 11:14) that, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Anyway, since I don’t want us to be uneducated, I referred to Merriam-Webster Dictionary and found the following definition for cult:
1: formal religious veneration : worship
2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad
b : the object of such devotion
c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
I‘ve highlighted the particular entries the criticism appears to relate to. I believe there are many who would say Hillsong Church is unorthodox, and spurious means not genuine, sincere, or authentic; based on false ideas or bad reasoning (also according to Merriam-Webster, respectively). There are many who do believe Hillsong’s pastors are spurious (according to many Christian blogs), but, of course, only God knows their hearts. As an outsider, however, I can certainly see where the overall criticism comes from. The question is: is it true? Are Hillsong’s pastors spurious? Why did they create Hillsong Church? Why do they continue to expand the church? What is the goal of Hillsong Church? Is it for the purpose of spreading the Gospel, seeing souls saved, lives changed (I’ll come back to this), making disciples to make disciples? Are they preaching the uncompromised Gospel of Jesus Christ? I do not know. And until God judges the church–judgment begins with us, after all (1 Peter 4:17)–we can only prayerfully draw our own conclusions.
I know Lentz says Hillsong NYC isn’t a cult of personality, but I wonder what would happen if he took a sabbatical for, say, 6 months? Would the crowds still be there? I don’t know. Perhaps. Perhaps not. We may never find out. And, to be quite honest, if he were to step down, there is no shortage of energetic, young, cool speakers that could take his place in a heartbeat.
The Gospel Changes Us
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What really bothers me about his response is that he says, “like if you come to our church we’re going to change you. That’s an arrogant premise.” Yes, he is right. Carl Lentz and Hillsong NYC aren’t going to change anyone. It would certainly be an arrogant premise if he said anything to the contrary. But if Lentz is presenting the whole Gospel, the Holy Spirit will change people. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Perhaps he betrays the fact that “we” (Lentz and his wife, and perhaps Houston, too?) are the ones “running the show,” and not the Holy Spirit? Because if the Holy Spirit is running things at Hillsong NYC, trust me, He won’t just change people, He will radically transform them!
I‘m afraid that this statement displays Lentz’ fundamental misunderstanding of the Gospel. What I mean by that is that many people (apparently even some pastors) think the Gospel makes bad men good, but that simply isn’t true. The Gospel is intended to make dead men live. This is what Jesus is talking about when He says that we must be born again (John 3:1-21). Jesus also says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)” Furthermore, the Apostle Paul tells the church in Ephesus in that, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1-2 and 4-5) ” Born again believers are dead to sin and alive with Christ. If that isn’t change, I don’t know what is! I could go on and on, but I believe I have made my point. The Holy Spirit uses the Gospel to change us. None of us–no matter how flashy, sincere, or charismatic we may be–have the power to change people. But if we will preach the whole Gospel, relying upon the Holy Spirit to “run the show,” we will see the spiritually dead come to life, people set free from sin and addiction, healing of the brokenhearted, restoration of broken relationships–we will certainly see people change. And for us to say anything different is not arrogance, but ignorance of the power of God.
[TO BE CONTINUED]
True love in Christ Jesus,
Dwight
The Parson
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