On Heretics and Helpfulness: Relating to Those Outside of Orthodoxy

Friday January 27, 2012 ~ 15 Comments

How do we relate in a helpful way with those who are (or are perceived to be) outside of orthodoxy? When you choose to interact with people with such views, there are certainly consequences to pay but, I propose, there can be benefits to reap in the right circumstances.

Bad examples exist where evangelical Christians have been used by those outside orthodoxy to legitimize their aberrant views. In addition, the scriptures warn us away from false teachers. Yet, I believe in interaction around the scriptures in a way that leads to helpful conversations and theological clarity when such people are considering (or engaging in) moves toward orthodoxy.

Probably the most prominent example in modern times has to be the Worldwide Church of God. They were once a non-Trinitarian, heretical cult (their term, not mine), and are now an evangelical denomination and a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

A couple of decades ago, I first learned that the Worldwide Church of God was on a theological journey, reconsidering some of its basic beliefs. Everyone had seen The Plain Truth magazine and knew of the teachings of both Herbert W. Armstrong and his son Garner Ted Armstrong. These teachings were largely considered (and rightfully so) to be heterodox. When I first met the local WCG leaders, they were a mix of views-- some orthodox, some not, and still on a journey.

At that point, some would prefer to condemn them and demand they recant and renounce their friends before further conversation. I did not and I am glad others did not.

Today, I have spoken at the Worldwide Church of God (now called Grace Communion International) annual meeting and consider their leadership to be friends. (I have blogged about them here). But the reason I could do that with only a little controversy was because some evangelical leaders chose to engage in relationship and conversation with those outside of orthodoxy in order to bring them to orthodoxy.

I asked my friends, Joseph Tkach (leader of the movement) and Randy Bloom (director of multiplication) to share some insights.

Joe explained:

We should never underestimate the importance of making good friends with people who we may consider less than orthodox in their beliefs. I can speak here from personal experience. In my journey from the fringe to the fold, I denied the Trinity, avoided birthdays and refused to have anything to do with Easter and Christmas. When I, along with some of my colleagues, began to understand the gospel of grace, we encountered some very strong resistance. Our denomination was split - shattered might be a better word. Many who had been lifetime friends became almost overnight, bitter opponents.

It was a lonely and rather daunting time. With old friends abandoning me, and wondering where the next attack would come from, I hoped to find some support among the wider community of faith. It surprised me to find that some who seemed to know the most about grace were very un-gracious when it came to accepting us. But it was also refreshing and encouraging to find that many who I had previously labeled 'false Christians' welcomed me and accepted me. Fifteen years later, I remain deeply grateful to those who had the humility and courage to help us 'come in from the cold'.

The very first to befriend me were some faculty members at Azusa Pacific University, Haggard School of Theology... This encouraged me to keep going on this new and unfamiliar path into grace.

Another person that I must mention is Hank Hanegraaff, who was unlike many counter-cult ministers that I had previously met. Hank was one of the first to accept me without suspicion. I discovered that he would come to my defense in his private conversations with others. Ruth Tucker is another person who was encouraging and also defended us from those who were a bit more than suspicious toward us...

I thank God for all those who follow the lead of the Holy Spirit to accept and make friends with those who seem to be coming from a different direction. Just as Jesus did and still does!

Randy added:

I have no doubt that the encouragement and non-judgmental support on the part [of] these fine Christian leaders was extremely helpful as I wrestled through the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to transform my relationship with Jesus as well as my theology and worldview . . .

I must say, there were occasions during my journey when neither I nor WCG were treated with grace by some of our brothers in Christ during our changes. Needless to say, this was both disappointing, hurtful and certainly not helpful.

Now, this transition was before shrill tweets and angry blogs shaped many conversations, but I can imagine the outcry would have been loud and sustained if Hank Hanegraff had defended leaders of the Worldwide Church of God as they were reconsidering their theological errors. I am sure we would have heard that evangelicals were being co-opted, they were being tricked, and were naive. But the reality is that instead, they were helping to move a movement-- and I am thankful for the courage.

I am encouraged some had the courage to actually engage in this conversation. I imagine they dialogued, they instructed, and then they defended as people were on a journey towards more fully embracing orthodoxy. It does not mean we are not clear in our statements and teaching (and I think Hank Hanegraff has never been a subtle man). However, it does mean we deal with people who are on a journey, we celebrate moves toward orthodoxy, and do so with grace and patience.

It's much easier to critique (and there is a place for that), but I also appreciate those who instead of simply speaking against the heterodox, engage and help people to become orthodox. It saddens me that some seem happier when they can label someone a heretic rather than rejoicing when they move toward orthodoxy.

At several points along the way, some Christians preferred to condemn members of the WCG. When they first began to embrace a Trinitiarian view, yet some were still holding to dietary and Sabbath laws, some Christians demanded that they condemn their friends still unsure on the Trinity and recant their other views immediately. It would seem a more patient and winsome approach was the successful one in this case.

Imagine if Priscilla and Aquila had blogged against Apollos, rather than helping him as he sought to understand the truth of the gospel. The decision to help and to celebrate growth made a difference.

Yes, there are heretics and most of the time they will not be persuaded and need to be resisted. Yet, when there is openness, I'm willing to talk to them, be friends with them, and hopefully persuade them-- and I hope you are as well.

Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:00 AM ~ 15 Comments

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15 Comments

By Fred Johnson on January 27, 2012 9:17 AM

Ed,
Thank you for writing these last two posts. I agree that heresy is an important topic, but I'm concerned that we often don't actually create enough space for God to bring people to a change of heart. For Randy to say, "there were occasions during my journey when neither I nor WCG were treated with grace by some of our brothers in Christ during our changes. Needless to say, this was both disappointing, hurtful and certainly not helpful."

I sometimes wonder if the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing truth is not hindered by those who live in absolute certainty they have a full handle upon it.

By Bobby J. on January 27, 2012 9:30 AM

Ditto, Fred. We need to love each other more. Call to truth, but listen in love as well.

By Tony Gulbrandsen on January 27, 2012 10:00 AM

This is one of the best calls to be gracious I have read. Thank you.

By Ramona on January 27, 2012 10:14 AM

"Imagine if Priscilla and Aquila had blogged against Apollos, rather than helping him as he sought to understand the truth of the gospel. The decision to help and to celebrate growth made a difference."

Good stuff! I didn't know that about the WWCOG (their move forward). We had a long-time neighbor who grew up in amongst that; and being a pastor's family, it was a long time after we moved in before he'd even speak to us.

By Brandon on January 27, 2012 10:20 AM

When it comes to heresy, I find it amazing how certain we claim to be regarding what is and isn't a heresy. Don't misunderstand me: there IS heresy and it SHOULD be addressed. John certainly does in his letters. However, denying Jesus actually came in the flesh seems far different to me than debating over what word is best used to describe the Trinitarian nature of God. Since the definition of what is and isn't heresy is based on man's understanding of God's word, it is arrogant to presume with the utmost certainty what qualifies as heresy. This may sound very post-modern and I suppose, in one sense, it is. But the last time I checked, we are not the Judge. You are right on Ed - we should engage with those we consider heterodox in a spirit of love and grace. Ultimately the Father will lose none. In this truth we can take comfort.

By Bart Barber on January 27, 2012 10:41 AM

It's a good point, Ed; it just isn't the ONLY good point. While trying to be winsome with the heterodox, one must remember that other people are watching. It is necessary to maintain public clarity regarding the truth for the sake of those others.

When both can be accomplished well, then praise the Lord! If the two should come into conflict, believers will have to make decisions as to which is the more important of the two objectives. I believe that the priority that I have identified in this comment trumps the other desire, uncertain as it is.

So long as that is kept in mind, I don't disagree with you.

By Clark Dunlap on January 27, 2012 12:34 PM

Well, the Elephant in the Room here is TD Jakes along with Driscoll et.al. And I decry the ad hominem attacks, but I also think that Jakes could draw a line between "persons" or whatever other term he likes, and mere "manifestations." He sounds like he's agreeing, then he sounds like he's mollifying the UPC. He will hopefully come down on the side of orthodoxy, because the nature of God is too important to vacillate on.

By Roger Simpson on January 27, 2012 1:01 PM

One a scale of 1 to 1000 this is the level of importance of various topics:

1. The power of the substitutionary atonement of Christ -- 1000

2. The exact word in the English language is best to define the various "partitions" of the Trinity -- 50

3. Whatever English language word some particular "hetrodox" person uses to describe the "partitions" of the Trinity -- 1

By Ryan Mahoney on January 27, 2012 1:05 PM

I can only assume this post, being in temporal proximity to the events of the Elephant Room Conference, starring TD Jakes, is related by more than mere coincidence. I appreciate the positive question, "so HOW do we do this rightly?"

I would suggest the Elephant Room was not the context, nor was the lack of challenge and teaching during the conversation sufficient to correct bad theology. The error that went unchecked is deeply problematic. I know you spoke at Harvest previously, and I assume you have something of a relationship there. It would be good thing for you to contact MacDonald and urge him to make some very needful and clarifying remarks about Jakes, Trinity and the Prosperity Gospel (which went unmentioned).

Thanks. I enjoy reading your blog.

By Ed Lauber on January 28, 2012 5:06 AM

Thank you, Ed, for this great post. In Ghana, you will find some helpful examples of how to treat churches with heretical and marginal teachings. Years ago, some missions and churches started a Bible School in Accra specifically for African Instituted Churches (AICs), no matter how strange their doctrines. One of the rules - one could not criticize the doctrine of any one of the churches. One could teach the truth, but not directly bash non-truth. This Bible school still exists. It has contributed to renewal movements in some of the AICs.

In addition, an issue of the Journal of African Christianity of the Akoffi-Christaller Institute had a series of articles on Ghanaian AICs. One of the interesting points was that reform movements in those denominations tended to stop teaching marginal and heretical doctrines rather than condemning them.

It seems to me that, forced to deal daily and face-to-face with those holding marginal (or heretical) doctrine and practice on the front lines and driven by a heart for outreach, missions have often done better with this issue than have the churches sending the missionaries.

By Ed Lauber on January 28, 2012 5:12 AM

I forgot to mention that your post was particularly meaningful to me because I had just blogged on AICs in Africa. http://edlauber.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/what-to-make-of-them/

By Brett Maragni on January 28, 2012 8:10 PM

Beautifully said. Thank you, Ed for the sanest and most compelling perspective I've seen on this controversy.

By Luke Allison on January 30, 2012 9:31 AM

Here's an interesting question: do you think prostitutes stopped being prostitutes immediately after following Jesus?

I've been mulling that one over for many years. It's kind of a game-changer in terms of how we frame our understanding of what the "in" are like and what the "out" are like.

By Jeffrey Broadnax on February 1, 2012 2:05 PM

Ed, I have been in the pastoral ministry of GCI/WCG for 25 years now and I can tell you that your discussion here is amazingly insightful about impact the followers of Jesus can make when we love like He loves (seeing the heart first and actions second).

I remember all too well Pastoring in Westchester County, New York during the dramatic and traumatic changes the Holy Spirit brought our Denomination through. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus simply demanded of us that we examine and take steps to remove any teachings and beliefs that didn't truly reflect HIM. We are still on that journey but praise Him for where we have come.

I also remember the skepticism that accompanied that journey. But my memory is brightened when I think of Rev. Dr. Lars Wilhemsson of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. In 1997, Lars invited a fellow GCI pastor and me to lunch and offered not just a hand of fellowship but his sanctuary for our weekly worship service.

That move not only forged a bond of brotherhood in Christ between us but provided me a mentor, friend, confidant, and mutual accountability partner in the Gospel. 15 years later we still talk, we still pray and we still love each other even though our journeys have placed hundreds and at times thousands of miles between us.

I Praise God for servants like Lars. His students a Alliance Theological Seminary are blessed to have a professor who lives the gospel he teaches with his whole heart. In fact, the Body of Christ is stronger because he saw past our doctrines and our journey and into our hearts.

I Praise God also for servants like you (we met at our International Conference in Florida) for taking the time to breathe even more fresh evangelistic wind into our denominational sails.

Praise God for the truth that states, "Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find and knock and door will be opened." WCG/GCI asked, sought and knocked and He opened, welcomed and then sent us back out to share the news of what He has done and is doing.

By Steve Doyle on February 9, 2012 7:07 PM

To Roger Simpson, words are important! They carry meaning that either point to truth or lies. Are our words sufficient to fully encapsulate the Trinity? No. But can we use words that ultimately deny it? Yes. So care, and much thought must be take. Thank goodness the church fathers that went before us already did this. Jake's heresy has already been refuted in the third century. To give him a pass now, because we think words are not important, is to spit in the face of the church fathers who bled and died for specific words that meant specific things within very important and God magnifying doctrines.

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