Dear Dwayna,
...After browsing through your website and blog and reading some of your articles, I'd like to share some things with you first. I live in NYC and have been here for almost 11 years. I am a born again Christian from Chicago, where I was raised in Bible-believing/Bible teaching churches. Since coming to NYC, I first attended 5th Avenue Presbyterian Church; although it was unlike the Bible churches I attended, it was “close enough”. The preaching was good though it lacked teaching from the Bible, and the fact that they offered AA and 12 step group recovery/ support groups was a little uncomfortable.
So after the Senior Pastor left the church I found Trinity Baptist Church; and while the preaching and focus on the Bible was sound, I was again uncomfortable with the contemporary worship style and with the use of media/videos/DVD/ movies during the service as well as some of Rick Warren’s materials and association with Willow Creek’s Leadership summit, which I questioned.
During this time I attended an evening service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church as I heard about it and Tim Keller a lot, so I thought I’d try it out. On this night there was a tribute concert to the jazz artist John Coltrane, whom I learned was “spiritual”; even though we were told he came from a Christian home, we were also told that he drifted into spirituality and practices such as meditation and becoming involved with eastern religions, and, as I learned later on at home, naming albums after syllables or chants used in the eastern religion mystical practices. So this, of course, bothered me as to why is this guy was being honored in this church...? So I didn’t go back until about one year later (last Aug 2008) for another try at the morning Eastside service. It is more traditional in style, which is what I was brought up in, and the pastor at this service was good. So I went back again and liked it more after I heard Tim Keller, because he uses more of an intellectual approach to his preaching, which can help someone understand the Bible more on an “intellectual/ apologetic level.” So I became a regular attendee and liked it more with each passing week, even though I did learn that the 6-day creation period is not taught (but also not really dwelled on). And that abortion is wrong except in the case of saving the mother. (I believe both of these ideas are biblically wrong)
But God started to work in me and was opening my eyes further. I learned after reading the bulletin and their website that courses were being offered in lectio devina. I was again disturbed by this as I remembered the tribute to John Coltrane, but did not dwell on it at that time and I still attended the services. At the same time, I was also becoming aware of other prayer classes being offered such as “Quiet Times in a Noisy City” which was about finding silence and solitude with Jesus in prayer, which is fine if in prayer as God instructs us…. But then I came across another class being offered; “The Way of the Monk”. The class was described as discovering “age-old methods of contemplative/centering prayer”, chanting the Psalms, “authentic Christian meditation” and using monastic prayer tools such as prayer ropes and the practice of Compline… things that will help you to create your own private monastery! In other words, classes were offered to learn ancient Roman Catholic practices, with roots in mysticism. This sent alarm signals off inside me and I proceeded to write a letter to Tim Keller and the Assistant Pastors and Elders of the church about teaching and misleading the congregation on this false teaching/practice.
I sent this letter to them by email and postal mail early April. Since then I have prayed for the church and its leaders and for a response to my letter, but, unfortunately, I am still waiting, and, as far as I know, the class went on as scheduled. Because of this and the fact that I do not believe this teaching is biblically sound, I stopped attending Redeemer Presbyterian Church. I do not want to cause division in the church and especially one that could lead to giving Jesus a bad name to outsiders/non-believers. All I am doing right now is keeping Redeemer in my prayers.
...Recently, on some days as I walk thru the park or the streets of the city I am approached by someone asking me if I want to learn about the “mother-god” of the Bible. A friend of mine also gets approached by these people and even while in a place like Barnes and Noble. I am kind of shocked and clueless when asked this—I have somewhat of an idea of what they might mean (such as “mother earth” or possibly Mary) but I have not engaged in conversation with them. As it stands, I want to know more about how to answer such ideas with true and sound biblical doctrine.
I am becoming more and more aware of how prevalent the practices of the New Age and Eastern Religions are in our culture. Even through the practice of the popular Yoga—to which some people may be “innocent” participants—unaware of its roots. I have no experience in any of these religions or practices, but I am aware of their false doctrine...
...After browsing through your website and blog and reading some of your articles, I'd like to share some things with you first. I live in NYC and have been here for almost 11 years. I am a born again Christian from Chicago, where I was raised in Bible-believing/Bible teaching churches. Since coming to NYC, I first attended 5th Avenue Presbyterian Church; although it was unlike the Bible churches I attended, it was “close enough”. The preaching was good though it lacked teaching from the Bible, and the fact that they offered AA and 12 step group recovery/ support groups was a little uncomfortable.
So after the Senior Pastor left the church I found Trinity Baptist Church; and while the preaching and focus on the Bible was sound, I was again uncomfortable with the contemporary worship style and with the use of media/videos/DVD/ movies during the service as well as some of Rick Warren’s materials and association with Willow Creek’s Leadership summit, which I questioned.
During this time I attended an evening service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church as I heard about it and Tim Keller a lot, so I thought I’d try it out. On this night there was a tribute concert to the jazz artist John Coltrane, whom I learned was “spiritual”; even though we were told he came from a Christian home, we were also told that he drifted into spirituality and practices such as meditation and becoming involved with eastern religions, and, as I learned later on at home, naming albums after syllables or chants used in the eastern religion mystical practices. So this, of course, bothered me as to why is this guy was being honored in this church...? So I didn’t go back until about one year later (last Aug 2008) for another try at the morning Eastside service. It is more traditional in style, which is what I was brought up in, and the pastor at this service was good. So I went back again and liked it more after I heard Tim Keller, because he uses more of an intellectual approach to his preaching, which can help someone understand the Bible more on an “intellectual/ apologetic level.” So I became a regular attendee and liked it more with each passing week, even though I did learn that the 6-day creation period is not taught (but also not really dwelled on). And that abortion is wrong except in the case of saving the mother. (I believe both of these ideas are biblically wrong)
But God started to work in me and was opening my eyes further. I learned after reading the bulletin and their website that courses were being offered in lectio devina. I was again disturbed by this as I remembered the tribute to John Coltrane, but did not dwell on it at that time and I still attended the services. At the same time, I was also becoming aware of other prayer classes being offered such as “Quiet Times in a Noisy City” which was about finding silence and solitude with Jesus in prayer, which is fine if in prayer as God instructs us…. But then I came across another class being offered; “The Way of the Monk”. The class was described as discovering “age-old methods of contemplative/centering prayer”, chanting the Psalms, “authentic Christian meditation” and using monastic prayer tools such as prayer ropes and the practice of Compline… things that will help you to create your own private monastery! In other words, classes were offered to learn ancient Roman Catholic practices, with roots in mysticism. This sent alarm signals off inside me and I proceeded to write a letter to Tim Keller and the Assistant Pastors and Elders of the church about teaching and misleading the congregation on this false teaching/practice.
I sent this letter to them by email and postal mail early April. Since then I have prayed for the church and its leaders and for a response to my letter, but, unfortunately, I am still waiting, and, as far as I know, the class went on as scheduled. Because of this and the fact that I do not believe this teaching is biblically sound, I stopped attending Redeemer Presbyterian Church. I do not want to cause division in the church and especially one that could lead to giving Jesus a bad name to outsiders/non-believers. All I am doing right now is keeping Redeemer in my prayers.
...Recently, on some days as I walk thru the park or the streets of the city I am approached by someone asking me if I want to learn about the “mother-god” of the Bible. A friend of mine also gets approached by these people and even while in a place like Barnes and Noble. I am kind of shocked and clueless when asked this—I have somewhat of an idea of what they might mean (such as “mother earth” or possibly Mary) but I have not engaged in conversation with them. As it stands, I want to know more about how to answer such ideas with true and sound biblical doctrine.
I am becoming more and more aware of how prevalent the practices of the New Age and Eastern Religions are in our culture. Even through the practice of the popular Yoga—to which some people may be “innocent” participants—unaware of its roots. I have no experience in any of these religions or practices, but I am aware of their false doctrine...
God bless you,
****
