Brian McLaren Defends Rob Bell against Mohler's Critique

Controversial evangelical pastor Brian McLaren has come to the defense of Rob Bell, taking on R. Albert Mohler, Jr.'s critical review of Bell’s new book, Love Wins, in a recent blog post.

Anticipating Bell's "baptism in hot water" with the book's publication, McLaren said he was waiting for an opportunity to speak up on behalf of his friend and Mohler's March 16 blog post gave him that chance.

For weeks, evangelical leaders have hammered Bell for his views on heaven and hell as expressed in his new book Love Wins. Bell is accused of being a universalist, dismissing the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross, and not believing in hell, among other things. ...

read more: http://www.christianpost.com/news/brian-mclaren-defends-rob-bell-against-mohlers-critique-49534/

Why on earth are these folks calling McLaren an "evangelical pastor" ?

Turn off any Pop-up blocker for this one --

http://www.faithhousemanhattan.org/faith_house/endorsements.html

He's neither!

The ONLY reason we should expose these things is for others.

Our minds should be continually on others.

A babe in Christ will be spared experimenting and wasting a lot of time with being confused if we'd just Speak Up when deception is in view.

What of the person who just been saved in these days?

Is there time for them to "find out for themselves" about the multitude of false prophets and teachers around these days?

Whenever I see gross error, my very first thought is who Jesus called "the lambs" and what He told Peter to do... "tend my lambs"

A true shepherd Protects the sheep. Swats error as fast as one would take a fly-swatter to a fly. Nips it in the bud ... 'as soon as' it shows up within a fellowship and most especially for the young in Christ and for the unsaved that are searching for truth.

My conviction is, if there is just one lamb reading these forums - we should always stay in the protection mode for their sakes.

To let error go by without us saying anything about it is Just As bad as letting sin go by in the same way. Paul regarded doctrine and lifestyle on equal footing before Him.
He regards the call to both a consecrated life and sound doctrine to be one and the same.

before i begin my post, let me just state for the record, that i've never bought, nor read any books by either McLaren or Bell.

not because everyone said these two are "emergent heretics" or whatever charges are hurled that way, i'm just not interested nor lead to read their words. in fact i have little interest in reading Protestant "talmudic" stuff.

The Bible has 66 Books in it, quite a Sufficient Font to feast on, though i've picked up on Tozer at a dear brother's leading. (along with reading "Brainerd" multiple times, and quite fond of Bonhoeffer, i must admit.)

but there was one response of McLaren's to Mohler that was SPOT ON, and defy anyone on this forum to refute the truth in this statement:

On the final point of argument, McLaren said he actually agrees with Mohler's statement that "a secular society feels no need to attend or support secularized churches with a secularized theology."

But he is quick to note that Mohler might be confusing secularism with liberalism.

"To more and more of us these days, conservative Evangelical/fundamentalist theology looks and sounds more and more like secular conservatism - economic and political - simply dressed up in religious language," said McLaren.

its the truth.

Had you taken the time to get to know McLaren, you would not be looking for a candy bar in a septic tank.

You'd be more concerned about PROTECTING the young!

Edit to add: There have been countless posts about him over the years here on SI. You wouldn't have had to even go far to learn about this man.

In case you think that I've been too harsh to call what McLaren believes as the septic tank, I will tell you that I am only coining a similar phrase from a highly esteemed and respectable elderly Missionary-Greek Professor who literally gave his very life [died] for the Christians in India.

His phrase was just a tad different and I only re-phrased it to be more polite ... but he said that if we look for one good saying from the multitude of sayings/teachings of a heretic - it's like "taking a candy bar out of a river of urine" ..... so I felt the need to soften that saying of his - though because of his great love for his students, maybe I shouldn't have needed to soften his words.

You'd be more concerned about PROTECTING the young!

are writing that to me?

Quote Neil: "but there was one response of McLaren's to Mohler that was SPOT ON, and defy anyone on this forum to refute the truth in this statement:"

Can you see what I am trying to say in my two posts after yours? I speak this in love my dear friend but it should be obvious that saying "SPOT ON" about anything this man McLaren says is an endorsement of sorts to those young that are so easily misled.

That saying about - "Allowing the camel to get his nose in the tent" .... you've probably heard that one - that next thing you know, the camels IN the tent?

JiG, dear friend as well IN Jesus' love,
what i quoted him as saying is truth...come on!

let's consider our ways, and get real, let me quote it again, and refute the comment IF you so desire:

On the final point of argument, McLaren said he actually agrees with Mohler's statement that "a secular society feels no need to attend or support secularized churches with a secularized theology."

But he is quick to note that Mohler might be confusing secularism with liberalism.

"To more and more of us these days, conservative Evangelical/fundamentalist theology looks and sounds more and more like secular conservatism - economic and political - simply dressed up in religious language," said McLaren.

i have too many BAD memories as a young follower in Christ, on THIS forum, refuting and battling with many believers, in the 6 months prior to the Mar 2003 invasion of Iraq, who were "oorahing" the President as he laid a foundation of cooked up intelligence, half baked truths, and dare i say, outright lies, to justify invading a nation that had NOTHING to do with the attacks of 9/11.

Many many people who say, "Lord Lord", were hellbent on war in Iraq on this very forum, and i contended with them, because the war was the wrong war, it was predicated on faulty intel, it was constructed on the cheap, we hadnt even finished in Afghanistan yet, it broke our nation, almost 5,000 American kids dead, tens of thousands grievously wounded, only God knows how many Iraqi's killed, and for 6 months prior, and 6 months after, scores of cheerleaders RIGHT HERE on SI......talk about stumbling the "young", i even got booted for my calling out of this national sin. and believe me, i am no lib lab dove.

having worn the uniform proudly, my setting is, if we face a REAL threat, as Colin Powell said, "Our strategy in going after this army is very simple. First we are going to cut it off, and then we are going to kill it".

the camel though, i'd just give it a whack with a ironwood stick, the beast pokes it head in the tent.

so....if you care to comment on the quote i posted and not the man, fine, otherwise...i'm good,neil

I just don't believe in lifting up Any quotes from severe heretics/hirelings/false prophets or teachers.

We may as well find an accurate quote from Jim Jones if that's our habit.

McLaren is one of the top leaders in bringing his followers into the United Religion... second only to Warren.

They attend Davos together (and WHAT may I ask are "pastors" doing at Davos - the meetings where a one world currency is in the making) so the both are of the religious-nwo-political crowd that visit other countries as ambassadors for this one world governance and religion ... in case you didn't know.

I can think of much better folks to quote as a critique against Bell.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black --- McLaren talking about "liberalism" or critiquing one of his own comrades of the emerging one world religion .......... Did you not see the link I posted and that Endorsement of McLaren's?

People are being deceived by McLaren and Warren based upon "Good Works" around the globe and the deception is real and the purpose is a United Religion under the nwo.

Are you for that Brother? I should think you are not.

These who are in the nwo-religious-political click practice "double speak" and their words have different meanings than what you or I would define these words as.

Because you lack guile and try to see the good in everyone, it's probably hard for you to believe that people would put different meanings to words in order to deceive the masses.
These men sit shoulder to shoulder at many meetings, with the same Globalists that you come against about these wars.

Bless your heart but I pray for your strong point of discernment will increase and become more Equal to your other strong point of love.

You just probably just didn't know who this man is.

oh my,

Because you lack guile and try to see the good in everyone, it's probably hard for you to believe that people would put different meanings to words in order to deceive the masses.

you really dont know me, i'm as shrewd as a snake, you're post said everything i need to know, including ducking that quote......i put it up there because thats what i say about the "church" in America today, and i do know about Mclaren, bell, Warren, Dobson, Haggard, Bentley, D. James Kennedy, etc etc ad naseum.

no offense, this is waste time, your just going to talk right past me. its fine. God bless you.

Sister Ginny,

i'm speaking purely now of things of this world...ok?

there was a secular political playbook written for centrist Democrat's refered to as Blue Dawgs, how to win in red states, i forget the name, but the jist was this, even if your a Democrat, you can stand a chance to win a Republican district, if you got photographed deer hunting, vote pro-life and quote the Bible.

what can i say? politic's is a brothel, for men filled with the lust of money. i'm weary of it all.

not only hunting this ten pointer, but bagging him, gutting him, handing him to the town butcher to be processed, handshakes and smiles, go home to warsh off, in time for the Thursday night prayer meeting, which is off limits to press.

be a landslide.