Recommended reading

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

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[exshep]

I have read Enroth. It is a good historical read on aberrant churches. It does provide some perspective. He does not go into the recovery process from an abusive group, which is a let down. Any good library should have it. If not, I would use interlibrary loan. I would not run out and buy it.

[Frail]

Twisted Scriptures by Mary Alice Chrnalogar was good. I actually have a ton of Post-It notes still in there from issues I could relate to.



Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton was also helpful. One nice thing about this book is almost everybody in Christian circles has heard of Stephen or one of his books. I always thought that his might be a good tool for talking with current GCMer’s.



These books and Enroth’s really helped ‘journal out’ my thoughts on GCM in order to move on with my life!

[AgathaL'Orange]

I really liked Toxic Faith myself. It was a very applicable book.

[theresearchpersona]

I know this is older stuff, but this is for new readers:

The materials "Velvet Elvis" and "Generous Orthodoxy" are the "streams of thought" from which many GCM type practices have roots/stems. McLaren denies Christ and Rob Bell teach reconciliation between ALL people with God as being done though Christ and the Apostles teach that only those who believe with Trust toward Christ and in Him are reconciled; trouble is with these men is that when they want to be they're subtle, especially Bell who's now going around teaching a "the gods are not angry tour" in which you'll notice very subtle omissions and twisting; Bell is also known for saying the Bible is just a human product rather than from God's Word.

These men had "crises of faith" and then decided to re-define; as one liberal theologian who decided to be intellectually consistant (and hence stop claiming to be Christian) many many people who claim to be Christian really create something they can feel comfortable with believing, and do not follow Christ; how loving they appear isn't issue: the Mormons do the same; how convincing they are isn't an issue: Paul warned of men with good words and convincing arguments; how counter they are to all you've seen is wrong: if they are also in error, they are just as dangerous.

Christ did say he came not to bring peace, but a sword, and to divide; there is elitism and pride Church's must not tolerate and there is also Biblical separation we're commanded to undertake and keep; GCM often skews and is disobedient regarding both these areas especially for its doctrinal twists; sometimes its doctrines seem great and they often will be for the most part...but with a few TINY things off which change the context and intent; it's the subtleties we must be wary of as much as the camel. Please be very weary of those two men: after evaluating their teaching, and according to their own words (which Jesus said we'd know men by), they preach another Christ and another Gospel, and to anyone taken or at all enamoured by them I'd say QUICK! RUN! and pray diligently to be made vigilant and discerning. Anyone who does what they do is an antichrist.

[Genevieve]

I've flipped through Velvet Elvis but not the other one. I was so weary with a progressive, emergent kind of Christianity, that it didn't really appeal to me. I do have to say, though, that I probably prefer a message of love and acceptance over "sinners in the hands of an angry God."

It will be interesting to see how GC incorporates both the message of emergent Christianity (if that's the right term) and "everyone's going to hell if we don't convert them!" Will the war metaphors be able to define the movement if they adopt a generous orthodoxy?

[sistanchrist]

The idea of the emergent church probably won't be two popular within GC as a large piece of this idea is that the churches should work to include each other and to tear down the walls of elitism and division with in the Church. GC* interpretation of this is to unite under the GC banner and exclude everyone else. While much of the emergent idea's are out flat dangerous, the idea of Christians working together, and learning from each other would do most of us good and could be a welcome treatment for the GC virus.