John MacArthur recently took Emergent Darrin Patrick to task for statements made in his book. People are getting upset about this but MacArthur is right. Here's a summary of the issue.
"Here’s the essence of John’s concern, not just with that paragraph, but with the whole book: It’s unwise for Darrin Patrick to encourage young church planters to develop their own theological beliefs. It’s especially unwise when it’s coupled with promoting radical individualism in the ministry." ~ full article here.
Let's take a closer look at Darrin Patrick:
His close connection with Mark Driscoll's Acts 29:
"Patrick serves as lead pastor of The Journey in Saint Louis, Missouri, which he founded in 2002. Darrin also serves on the board of directors of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network as Vice President and is a regular contributor at the Resurgence. His passion is to help the church understand and live the gospel in the world. Today, The Journey runs eight services across four campuses and continues to aggressively plant new campuses and churches in the Saint Louis region and beyond."
Patrick has taught at Driscoll's reTrain in 2010He taught at Rick Warren's Saddleback 12Cities12 Conversations in 2010 (hosted by Ecummenical Lausanne Congress).
Patrick was a panelist at the ecumenical gathering of Lausanne Congress back in March 2010.
Speaker at Emergent Exponential 10: alongside: Ed Stetzer, Ken Blanchard (New Age/Contemplative promoter), Alan Hirsch, Darrin Patrick, Francis Chan, Shane Claiborne, Matt Chandler. This conference includes women "pastors" and head over various church ministries. Also speaking: Tim Stevens, head Goat-Herder at X-rated Granger Community "Church".
Patrick was speaker at Emergent innovation3.
Let's look at Patrick's church, The Journey:
Emergentspeak all over the place. For example, the grammatically incorrect "God is eternal community. " More to follow.... But you can see how that is an odd way of describing God. Its Post-Modern (POMO) verbage.
Quote:
Evangelism, or mission, is not just another program that the church carries out. It is not some peripheral activity. The church is mission. Yes, the church gathers as people being called out (ekklesia) of the world. But the church is at the same time being sent out (apostolos) into the world. The church certainly must be called out from the world, but it also must certainly go back into the world. We are to be holy, set apart and different in our character than those who do not know God. But, we should also refuse to believe the lies the “churched” culture tells us: avoid hanging out with the people in the world because you will be corrupted. We also need to reject the lie that we have to create our own Christian sub-culture and insulate ourselves from the big, bad world. Mission demands that we follow Jesus, friend of sinners, by being immersed in relationships with those far from God, and thus, bring light to lost people in dark cultures. We are called out, but we are sent. It is only in the context of being sent do the metaphors “salt of the earth,” “city on a hill,” and “light of the world” make sense in describing the church. We are to be people who have been encountered by God through the gospel, and then we are to enter the world with the gospel.
Mission is intrinsically connected to community...
Living the gospel, ie – being on mission, can take many forms: explaining the gospel to a friend or stranger, carrying out acts of compassion, or by being faithful to sacrificially love those in your church. The challenge is for all of us to stay in “mission-mode” and not to default to “maintenance-mode.” When it comes to being missional, it is easy for Christians and local churches to be content in our bible studies, worship services and small groups and to forget the world. We do not drift toward mission, we drift away from it. It is not easy to be missional, it is hard work, it takes intentionality. It is much less stressful to hang out with people who look the same, smell the same and believe the same things we do. It is uncomfortable and challenging to intentionally spend time with people who hold differing world-views. But we must push through this discomfort because we are the church. We are the church, the called-out ones. We are the church, the sent-out ones. We are the church, on mission for the sake of the world.
End quote.
The Journey has a Board of Directors. For one that claims to be the pattern from a man who writes and speaks about church planting, this is UNbiblical:
Quote:
Board of Directors "This team ensures The Journey operates in accordance to the law while implementing best practices, policies and procedures regarding business, finances and facilities for a church of our size/complexity."
Executive Elders "This team leads The Journey by setting the overall vision and strategy, overseeing the health and development of the entire church."
Oddly, Darrin Patrick isn't listed under any church. I'm not sure if he just floats around, however he's continually listed as an elder there, on the board there, as senior pastor as well as founder of Journey.
Remember Patrick's church is the fruition of his church planting theology and practice....
Beer and Theology: as reported by " 'Christianity' Today" back in July 2007:
Church planters who receive money from the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) must now teach alcohol abstinence. The policy change was sparked by the Journey, a growing interdenominational church that borrowed $200,000 from the MBC to renovate a church two years ago. One of the Journey's outreach groups meets in a St. Louis microbrewery.
"Theology at the Bottleworks was started to reach people who are actively opposed to Christianity, by discussing contemporary cultural issues in a neutral environment," explained Darrin Patrick, founding pastor of the Journey, which attracts about 1,500 people weekly to three sites. Those who attend Theology at the Bottleworks grab a beer and discuss political or spiritual topics, such as the role of women in society, the legal system, or animal rights.
End quote.
And so they continue on their church blog of upcoming events:
Upcoming Events
Theology at the Bottleworks: Have a good conversation on important issues with people both inside AND outside of Christianity at this lively monthly discussion. Our topic is "Should Animals Have Rights?"Wednesday, January 19, 7-9 PM at Schlafly Bottleworks.
If you need additional assistance in getting involved at The Journey Tower Grove please contact our Campus Administrator, Rachel Moskal and she will be glad to help.
Bottleworks is a brewery in St. Louis.
This violates many verses on promotion of drinking and being sober-minded. It also violates the Bible on commands to be salt and light--different and distinct from the world, not like the world. This is so fundamentally opposed to sound doctrine and practice, its incredible anyone has to even discuss it. Yet this is what its like to be a "church planter". Paul never did this. He was the last one to be pragmatic. Consider who hangs out in bars. Is using that which perpetuates drunkenness to promote that which is spiritual, even considered in Scripture? No! How about as a "church"- to promote this--they aren't considering the brother who may either have drunkenness in his past and so is very cautious to be in a bar, but to have that thought put out there--promoted, isn't helping him grow in Christ. The MATURE believer would know this from Scripture.
To drink and talk about theology (notice, not doctrine), is justification for wallowing in worldliness. How can one "show" (as they claim that's what this is about, "living the gospel") the striking and polar differences between Light and Dark, between Death and Life, as well as the call to the Lordship of the Lord which IS part of the Gospel, if they are hanging out in bars drinking?
1Pe 4:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1Pe 4:4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;
1Pe 4:5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
1Pe 4:7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
1Ti 3:2 Therefore an overseer MUST BEabove reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1Co 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
1Co 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Rom 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Rom 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
Rom 14:22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.
1Th 5:3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
1Th 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
1Th 5:5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
1Th 5:6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
1Th 5:7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
1Th 5:8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
2Ti 4:4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2Ti 4:5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
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