The Latest Compromise By Tim Keller

TULIP will give you a pass for anything. We've seen it with Piper repeatedly, as well as Tim Keller. Keller, the Reformed version of Ricky Warren, is just as man-centered as Warren has ever been, but he also claims to hold to Reformed Theology. Considering that TULIP or the Doctrines of Grace has, at its base and foundation, the absolute and total sovereignty of God, it rejects pragmatism completely. But this isn't what many Reformers do these days. Here's the latest on Tim Keller's compromise regarding the false movements of the "Seeker-Friendly" and Emergent movements.

Quote:

This summer I spoke at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. It was an honor to be invited. No one pulls off a conference like Willow Creek. Who else could bring their content to 120,000 people? And the three other talks or sessions that I saw were extremely high quality.

The time at Willow led me to reflect on how much criticism this church has taken over the years. On the one hand, my own 'camp' -- the non-mainline Reformed world -- has been critical of its pragmatism, its lack of emphasis on sound doctrine. On the other hand, the emerging and post-modern ministries and leaders have disdained Willow's individualism, its program-centered, 'corporate' ethos. These critiques, I think, are partly right, but when you are actually there you realize many of the most negative evaluations are caricatures.

... The danger there is that we can have a naïve and unBiblical view that, if we just expound the Word faithfully, everything else in the church -- leader development, community building, stewardship of resources, unified vision -- will just happen by themselves.

By thinking in this way, it makes it possible for me to love and appreciate the best representatives of each of these contemporary evangelical 'traditions.' Nobody provides more practical help for organizing and leading ministry than Willow Creek. I also am humbled that Redeemer is well-regarded in each of these 'streams' of evangelicalism, though we have our feet firmly set in our own Reformed tradition.

End quote.

Willow Creek is the church that is pragmatic, pagan-friendly, Islam-friendly, and heretical. Bill Hybels couldn't be farther from the Gospel if he tried. This is the man that coddles God-haters and offers Muslim Imams to his congregation to "better understand" how friendly Islam really is. This would be the same Willow Creek that has joined hands with Focus on the Family to Promote Contemplative Prayer Proponents.

Speakers he shared the platform with at Willow Creek's Leadership conference: Bill Hybels, Henry Cloud, Tony Blair, Bono, along with a few women. Bono? Blair? The mission of this leadership conference states:

"The Leadership Summit has become more than a solitary event on the calendar: it is a perpetual movement of men and women whose relentless global mission is to develop authentic leaders for the sake of the local church and their communities. This rich expanse reflects incredible cultural diversity and racial heritage, and does not dilute in the face of tough economic times. No individual or church need walk through this alone. Join with other leaders worldwide as we stand together to confront the challenges facing us. "

Unbelievers, God-haters, joining with "Christians" in a common mission for the local church and its communities? Scripture says this:

Joh 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
2Co 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."

Yet, Keller doesn't believe what the Bible says. He mocks Is sufficiency, so of course he holds hands with the political worldly, God-hating leaders. Just like Warren. (Warren has participated in the TED seminares and Tony Blair's Faith Foundation --Blair is a Roman Catholic.)

Rather, Scripture says:

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Ps. 138:2… You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.

Psa 119:104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Psa 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

Look at his statement against the sufficiency of Scripture again: "The danger there is that we can have a naïve and unBiblical view that, if we just expound the Word faithfully, everything else in the church -- leader development, community building, stewardship of resources, unified vision -- will just happen by themselves. "

Scripture screams against Keller's statement above and shatters it to pieces:

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Now, you have to realise he's got a set of phrases that are easily glossed over by Christians b/c they sound Christian, but in fact his practice and his website shows his true meaning: "community building" in his mind is worldly community building, joining hands with God-haters to do "good deeds"; "stewardship of resources" = environmentalism (all the rage in Emergent churches), and "unified vision" = common ground with those who don't hold to Biblical doctrine ---truth is optional.

**Update**

Keller's church's "Renew Campaign" is very Warrenesque (thanks to commenter, Grace, for pointing out that page):

"By the end of this next decade the vision is to have three strong congregations serving a total of 9,000-10,000 people, worshipping at 7-9 locations and 12 or more services around the city, drawing many more un-churched people into a relationship with God, and with a reputation for serving and loving those in the city who don't share our beliefs as well as loving those who do."

Keller's Redeemer Vision:

"To spread the gospel, first through ourselves and then through the city by word, deed, and community; To bring about personal changes, social healing, and cultural renewal through a movement of churches and ministries that change New York City and through it, the world."

Just like Ricky Warren, Timmy Keller wants to join hands with God-haters for "social justice" and temporal, earthly pursuits.

Compare Redeemer's Visions/Renew projects to Warren's PEACE plan. They are extreemly close in verbage, focus, and motive. More information on the PEACE plan here.

Like Warren,Keller is a man-centered false teacher. He embraces the world and it embraces him. He wants to be all things to all men. He wants to find truth in error (Scripture says "no lie is of the truth), sift through the dung hill to find something good, and come out smelling like a rose. But his fruit is putrid and is offensive to God, His Word, and those who are loyal to Christ alone.