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From Progressive Christianity to the Gospel: Discipleship In a Culture of Deconstruction—The Alisa Childers Podcast #108

6/11/2021

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The Alisa Childers Podcast · #108 From Progressive Christianity to the Gospel: Discipleship in a Culture of Deconstruction

In a special live episode, Dave Stovall, formerly of the band Audio Adrenaline, and his Pastor Bobby Harrington join me to follow up on Dave's story of coming out of progressive Christianity. When Dave first met Bobby, he had already been through deconstruction. Pastor Bobby took an interest in Dave, and began discipling him, eventually leading him back to the historic gospel. Hear the story from both sides, and listen to Dave and Bobby answer practical questions about deconstruction, doubt, and discipleship.

5 Comments

Georgia Fulenwider

6/11/2021 10:30:54 pm

Just listened to this podcast. THANK YOU! I cannot remember the name of the book that you mentioned was written in 1972, you also mentioned that it was short. I'd love to read it. Thank you for boldly speak TRUTH!

JDT

6/14/2021 02:06:46 pm

Good episode with some practical tips on how to interact with those struggling with this.

It wasn't a significant part of the conversation, but Alisa commented that language doesn't really have as much meaning as it used to have. When someone says they believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, you have to drill down into what they think that means in order find out what they mean. Derrida would be smiling if he were alive.

Amanda

7/17/2021 01:23:09 pm

Thank you so much for your ministry of shining a light on the dangers of the often subtle lies in our churches. I’ve been tempted by progressive theology teachings, but God helped me see enough red flags to avoid it. So many of my friends are falling for some version of progressive thinking, and it’s so difficult to pinpoint the theological differences with the way they slowly change their stances. Your blog and podcast are such wonderful tools, and I feel like they can really help believers navigate through the murkiness and share truth. Thank you!!
-Amanda F.

Concerned Christian

8/1/2021 02:45:19 pm

I see progressive Christianity as an attempt by naive Christians trying to reconcile Christianity with eastern mysticism.

But eastern mysticism was popularized by Hindu godmen from India, who were heavily into occult practices. Hindu godmen convert Christians by deceit and this has been going on 100+ years now. They repeatedly lie to Christians by telling them that yoga is only an exercise, even though supreme yogi/diety is hindu god shiva. Only the devil uses deceit to convert people.

Look up Asaram Bapu, a Hindu godman in India who had cases of Human sacrifice etc. That is how they get their powers. These powers can then be used to brainwash, influence and possess people, especially the spiritually vulnerable ones.

I think west got too arrogant into thinking that they know everything, they are the center of the world, and that there is no such thing as the devil, and its all only "science", and became easy preys to occult powers and deceit of the hindu godmen.

Progressive Christianity is the overton window shifting gradually towards Eastern occult mysticism.

David

9/27/2021 07:40:51 am

Thank you for your podcast. I just discovered it, though I did hear you on another podcast.

Just a few observations from this and the other podcast with Dave.

We must always remember that Satan is said to masquerade as an angel of light. He will give you just enough nuggets of truth that someone, including those who may know better, if they do not critically think through what is being said, will be deceived. At the moment, I am nominally a member of the PC(USA). Despite the 2010 and 2014 amendments to the Book of Order, which led to a mass exodus, there are still faithful individual congregations within that denomination, given that the church hierarchy, unlike the UMC and TEC, has cannot overly meddle in the affairs of the local congregation.

However, it amazes me the heresies, and I don't know what else to call most of them, that being dogmatically proclaimed by individuals as part of the institutional church organizations through official denomination outlets (webcasts and print media (inclusive of online articles)). And yet, the response from the highest levels is that we have diversity of thought, so they cowardly, assuming the individuals disagree with the teachings, behind that as an excuse not to exercise their moral authority over these individuals.

And truthfully, a person with a pleasant smiling face can do more damage to, ruin, make a shipwreck of, or what ever description you want to give to it to the faith of many, than the dour dogmatic person. We've seen it in the various sex abuse cases, where it would be said, "I've never suspected that Father/Cardinal/Pastor/whatever so and so was capable of that.". We see it with particularly this second generation of the prosperity gospel preachers, who've tried to disavow the blatant excesses of the first generation, and present a less brash, flashy version.

And what really angers me the most is that within the historic Protestant denominations, is that now you can essentially almost do as Tetzel did in one scene from the 2003 version of Luther by saying, "With this indulgence, a man can violate the very Mother of God herself and gain entrance into heaven.". In my interactions and monitoring of my denomination, I have come to believe that progressive Christianity is nothing more than the indulgence controversy in new garb and in some sense it is no different than the prosperity gospel by promising your best life now (by living your truth) toned down with a gospel of good works through concern for the poor and marginalized, aka social justice.

Sorry that this is long, but members of my household, who are very empathetic, and I cannot have a logical conversation, because it always turns into, well, you're a Republican, or you don't believe the gospel is for everyone. And it is very frustrating, so I have no other outlet at this point, except my pastor and others.

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From Progressive Christianity to the Gospel: Discipleship In a Culture of Deconstruction—The Alisa Childers Podcast #108

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