An Open Letter To Pastors, and Church Leaders
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Posted: 12/12/07
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An Open Letter To Pastors, and Church Leaders
By Dr. David M. Berman www.wakeupandsmellthetruth.com
Dear fellow Pastors and leaders,
I would not presume to have any authority over you my fellow Pastors and leaders. Having said that, I do believe I at least have the Biblical right as a fellow minister of the Word of God to speak my mind. Please allow me to take the liberty to preach a bit and speak with honesty. It is not my purposeful desire to offend any of you. Again, I speak as having the authority of a fellow Elder in our land and thus feel it is proper to share my sense of what The Lord is moving me to say. I know some may respond negatively to my words but I speak this with love as well as boldness.
For years I have heard all the words from people concerning revival and how unity is essential for it. I have heard the words of what "God is about to do" Do we really think that God is on vacation in Bermuda and someday when he is rested he will "bring revival?" It is not God who is waiting to move us to repentance for a particular time. I find no scriptural evidence for such thinking. He did all that was necessary on the Cross and in His resurrection for revival. The Scripture says; "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded" (James 4:8) God set revival in motion in Acts chapter two when he birthed the Church with power. It is not that God is going to get around to it….we must get around to walking in it! Every revival comes from single minded repentance and a turning back to the will and Word of God, not slick marketing or fancy packaging. Revival is the power of God released in the hearts of men and women who are willing to lay it all down and follow Christ.
I know as you do what the Word says about unity. There is no question that unity is essential for revival however unity must, and I repeat must be centered in the written Word of God. There are many that seem to think that they have a revelation of how God is going to move in restoring the culture. They think that there is a certain method by which God will gain more converts. The methods such as "seeker sensitive" and "emergent church" doctrines and practices are not the answer to our weak congregations. In fact the "Willow Creek" movement has recently released their study of the effects of their ministry model. Their study has shown it to be a dismal failure in terms of effective discipleship. They concluded that although they get bodies to come to church, there is little deep understanding and practice of Christian principles in the lives of those who have joined their "seeker sensitive" church. To their credit, it took a lot of guts to admit that. I have been chastised often for speaking out against the "seeker sensitive" movement. It turns out that I and others were right. Why were we right? The answer is simple. Jesus established the Church and gave us His Word through the Apostles. No system that violates the principles of the Word of God will work to accomplish the will of He who established the Church. I certainly believe in being relevant to society as any missionary would. Having said that, compromise of Biblical truth is not the way to be relevant since all else is irrelevant concerning salvation and discipleship. Simply put, you cannot expect people to become powerful Biblical Christians without expecting them to submit to the Bible. Furthermore, you can't expect them to submit to the Bible without them being taught the Bible. Many in our land are now afraid to teach it concerning any culturally sensitive topic. Issues of sexuality, male headship authority in the home, male leadership in the Church, cohabitation etc. have been eliminated from the pulpit. These things have become offensive to our cushy culture. Excuses are made in descriptive spiritual platitudes like "we must be redemptive about this". They sound so good and yet there is nothing redemptive about being afraid to apply the truth of God's Word. I dare say that most would not allow the Apostle Paul himself to preach in their congregations if he were alive today. They would think him to be harsh. They would admonish him to be "redemptive" in his approach as though we must make the Bible more palatable in order to be redemptive.
Our society has become filled with politically correct language that demands a proverbial "walking on egg shell" precision. Some in the Church now actually believe that it is the job of the Pastor to make sure that they are comfortable. Comfortable with what is preached, comfortable about what is asked of them, and comfortable about being able to sit and do nothing for the kingdom of God. Consequently Church has been influenced by the "what about my feelings" self centeredness of the culture. The idea that a preacher of the Word of God could please everyone is ridiculous. In fact there is no way to be one who preaches Christ and His Word, and at the same time be free from offending the flesh. The modern gospel is the idea that each person is the center of importance. From the prosperity preachers who preach in a manner that puffs up and takes advantage of human pride, to the emergent types who are unwilling to stand on the fundamental truth that the name of Jesus is an offence (Romans 9:32-33). Unity at all costs is not something I am willing to do. I will not be unified with feminism, watered down Biblical preaching, new age power of positive thinking, evolutionism, or any other destructive message cloaked in Christian terminology. Unity comes from the oil that flows from the head (Christ), down upon the beard and garments (His church), to the skirts of his garments (his people). For there the Lord commands the blessings (Psalm 133). What fellowship does light have with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)?
I am not saying that everyone must agree with me on every possible point. What I am saying is that we must agree on essential points. Here are a few of those points;
1) The Bible is infallible in its original tongue. It has full authority.
2) He is the only name given whereby we must be saved.
3) Jesus Died on the cross paying the atoning sacrifice necessary for salvation.
4) Jesus rose bodily from the dead.
5) Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father and along with the Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father.
6) A person must be born again (regenerated by the Holy Spirit) to enter heaven. Hell is a real place.
7) Jesus was born of a virgin and is God manifested in the flesh.
8) The family was established by God. Marriage is man and woman.
9) God established order in the family by placing the man as the woman's head and the children under the parent's authority.
I am not saying all have to have the same style of ministry. I am simply saying that the idea of liberalism with all its politically correct nonsense has no place in Christianity. Much of the Church in America has become worldly in thinking. You know, "Pop Music", Pop Food", Pop Culture" and now…"Pop Church."
With all the declarations made by those who are looking to announce the next "move of God", it concerns me that there is little practical practice of what God has already said.
The receiving of false witness against men who stand for the Bible is prevalent in the Church in America and all too often pastors will take advantage of anything in order to get another body in their church. That is a shame! How can we have unity when there is no respect? I understand that this article may sound as if I am angry however, I am not angry my friends. I am simply being real. I have heard some of the most unscriptural things come out of people's mouths in the name of Jesus...that concerns me. I have also heard many say that doctrine does not matter. Well Christology for example is an essential doctrine and if we do not understand Christology we will misrepresent Christ. Some in Charismatic circles border on new age goofiness. How about the most basic of teachings that would work to bring unity? The following scriptures say it all;
Romans 15:5-6 "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
Philippians 2:2 "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind"
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
I feel so strongly that we do not understand the power of the spoken word. There can be no unity when pastors receive lies against other pastors. There can be no unity when pastors receive people who are under church discipline from other churches. There can be no unity when pastors receive people who belong in other churches and have left because of their own foolishness and rebellion. There can be no unity when jealousy prevails in the body. There can be no unity when "Christians" are against God's delegated authority. There can be no unity when pastors are maligned by other Christians for simply standing on the Word of God. Unity speaks of a common trust and harmony for the purpose of fulfilling it together.
I will never unify with those who I do not trust to love me. I will help them if I can and I care about them but unity is beyond simply caring. The covenant of Christ is about Love for one another. There have been many who have told me they love me and then have stabbed me in the back…Again, it is not anger that I am expressing but rather I am simply confronting the issues. I will not believe people who do such things. Do we want unity so we can pretend we are making a difference? Do we want to hear words that make us feel good? Have we given into a cultural mind-set that says all things are at the push of a button? Do we in our vain imaginations believe that all we have to do is say we want unity? Unity is something that comes from agreement (Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they are agreed?) Agreement comes from relationship. It takes the work of Christian friendship for us to be in unity. It is important to understand that without agreement and trust there cannot be unity. Without trust there can be nothing to base unity on. Do we get deep covenant unity from making a proclamation of the next fad in ministry and then all jumping on the band wagon? I think not. Unity comes from a common purpose and brotherhood. What is friendship? First, I will tell you what it is not;
1) Saying you will do something for your brother and then not doing it. Making casual promises and then having no care for the expectation created with lackadaisical meaningless words.
2) Making excuses for lack of action in keeping one's word.
3) Abandoning someone at the first sign of them being a liability.
4) Believing what is said about your "friend" before hearing his side.
5) Being a taker that always looks at what the friendship has for you rather than what you may have to bless your brother.
6) Getting offended so easy as to forsake a person due to unforgiveness.
Now let me sum up the answer to the next question, "What is a friend?" A friend is one who understands and is committed to covenant. Jesus said he is our friend;
"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you" - John 15:15
He called us friends because he understood what that means. It means covenant. Covenant is an agreement and Jesus made the ultimate agreement and would never go back on His Word. Can there be unity without covenant? No, there may never be real deep unity absent of covenant relationship. If Christians do not know how to be in covenant, how to be true friends, and how to walk in love for others more than themselves, who does? Jonathan and David had the type of friendship rarely seen in our modern church culture. They made a covenant. Their covenant consisted of a lifelong vow to defend each other and to be as true brothers, and that meant they would die for each other if it came to that. I remind you that was in the days of the Old Covenant. How much more should we walk in covenant together as we walk in the power of the New Covenent?
There have been a lot crazy things done in the name of Christianity…People controlled by their emotions, laughing out loud in the middle of a preacher bringing the Word. People saying that God said something that is not in keeping with the Bible…and on and on…all this done in the name of "God's revival Spirit moving." Many people who declare that they are called of God have barely any understanding of the Scriptures at all. We have people who want to be in authority who have never been able to sit under any authority. How can I believe that is the makings of revival?
If we want revival we MUST come under the authority of the Bible and walk in sound doctrine and in covenant with each other. Revival will not come from anything other than what it has always come from; repentance, prayer, courage to preach the Word, the veracity to follow through on our promises to each other. Did our Lord tell us that the world will know us by our prosperity preaching, our buildings, and our numbers? Did Jesus encourage us to grow the church by preaching a wimpy social gospel? Did Christ seek to make the temple a place of comfort for the human condition, or did he turn the tables over and declare the truth with a whip? Jesus was rather offensive to those who withstood him. The Church must again become the place of covenant where the world gains understanding of who we are by our "love for one another" (John 13:35) and our willingness to love unbelievers enough to preach the truth at the cost of being lied about and hated. In a lost and dying world that has no respect for true covenant relationship, the witness of genuine Christian love for one another is more powerful than any marketing plan. Covenant relationship coupled with sound doctrine, illuminated by the actions of repentance and faith, will bring revival to God's people and thus will prove to have the same wonderful result that it has always had; salvation of people, relationships, and the culture. Anything short of sound doctrine and true covenant will only be a tinkling cymbal and a sounding brass (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Acts 2:42 "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers"
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they draw to themselves teachers, having itching ears"
Titus 1:9 "Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to refute the opposition"
Titus 2:1 "But you speak the things which become sound doctrine"
I trust that the response to this article will be received in the spirit that it is intended. It is truly my desire to see the power of God move in salvation and discipleship, and to see a restoration of covenant relationship. This is a strong word my friends, but I hope that God will use it for the furtherance of His glorious kingdom. Consider the following Scripture for strength..
John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" Amen!
Dr. David M. Berman
Senior Pastor, Author, Convention Speaker
211 Whitcomb Road
P.O. Box 10357
Swanzey, NH. 03446
Phone 603 352 9471
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