5 Signs Your Church Might Be heading Toward Progressive Christianity

Article by Alisa Childers

Several years ago, my husband and I began attending a local Evangelical, non-denominational church, and we loved it. We cherished the sense of community we found among the loving and authentic people we met there, and the intelligent, "outside the box" pastor who led our flock with thought-provoking and insightful sermons. Sadly, the church started going off the rails theologically, and after about a year and a half, we made the difficult decision to leave. Today that church is a self-titled "Progressive Christian Community." 

Back then I had never heard of "Progressive Christianity," and even now it is difficult to pin down what actually qualifies someone as a Progressive Christian, due to the diversity of beliefs that fall under that designation.  However, there are signs—certain phrases and ideas—that seem to be consistent in Progressive circles. Here are 5 danger signs to watch for in your church:

 1. There is a lowered view of the Bible 

One of the main differences between Progressive Christianity and Historic Christianity is its view of the Bible. Historically, Christians have viewed the Bible as the Word of God and authoritative for our lives. Progressive Christianity generally abandons these terms, emphasizing personal belief over biblical mandate.

Comments you might hear:

• ​The Bible is a human book...
• I disagree with the Apostle Paul on that issue...
• The Bible condones immorality, so we are obligated to reject what it says in certain places...
• ​The Bible "contains" the word of God...

Random Bits

"I walk through this sinful world as a 

pilgrim in a foreign country" - CH Spurgeon

On the first Thursday of May, the national day of prayer, Mr. Trump signed an executive order which protects our religious freedom... but isn't that what the first amendment of the Bill of Rights supposed to do the same thing? Actually all the Trump executive order really does is tell the IRS not to enforce the Johnson Amendment. In case you're wondering, the Johnson Amendment prohibits registered 501(c)(3) organizations from endorsing political candidates and participating in political campaigns. Doing so would put them at risk of losing their nonprofit status.

The executive order does nothing about Christian business owners being harassed by the gaystapo for not participating in their revelry, It does nothing to end the IRS targeting of conservative Christian organizations, it does nothing about atheist harassment of Christians in schools, colleges and the military. Since the Johnson amendment is rarely enforced this executive order is primarily symbolic. It does release the pressure a pastor would feel if his sermon strays toward politics, on both the left and the right (although I haven't seen a lot of restraint coming from the left side of the spectrum).

Genoa Township, Michigan is using zoning laws to exclude a Christian school from operating on a church’s property. In other words they won't allow a Christian institution to place a Christian institution at a Christian institution.

God - is He a criminal, or is He gangsta? 'Cause He broke the law! This is the kind of thing that our buddy Steven Furtick spews at his goats every Sunday

A college professor at Northern Arizona University has barred a student from reading the bible before her class

Spurgeon Thursday - Why Sacraments Are As Filthy Rags

WWUTT Wednesday - Yet another Christian Flavored Fad

Vegetables love Jesus too

Remember the WWJD bracelet? That was a pretty big Christian fad, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Jesus would not wear a rubber bracelet that said "What Would I Do" or even WWGD. Then there was the Mend Mark bracelet "a distinctive wristband that is designed to resemble the nail scar of Christ" emblazoned with the words REMEMBER and LOVE.

Welcome to the Fad Driven Church. I don't know why but many Christians seem drawn to fads like moths to a candle, and it's not just trinkets and baubles that would make any Roman Catholic proud, it's trappings that Christians use to 'enhance' their experience as a Christian. Take testimonies, our Christian autobiographies. Not sure why they are important to people, but Pastor Paratus once mentioned this and I'm going to use it forever. Here is my testimony, and you're all welcome to use it too:

I was saved 2000 years ago when Christ died for my sins

Anything else would be self aggrandizing. Other fads we enjoy are things like body counts; both the "meat in the seats" oneupmanship of the mega churches and the conversion counter where a church proudly announces that they had X number of conversions at some event while their weekly attendance doesn't change. There's also the Church Growth movement, the purpose driven (fill in the blank), the seeker sensitive church, tribulationism, alter calls, and bone spitting. The problem with these is that they're focused on people, not on God and not on God's word. And speaking of Christian fads that are focused on Christians and not on Christ, here's the Christian Diet fad. 

Feeling Good at the Church of Holy Karaoke

You've had It happen to you, I know you did. Maybe you're afraid to talk about It, maybe you're like me and still trying to figure out what It was that just happened, or maybe you're in shock that It happened at all and you're trying to deal with It using the tried and true method of denial.

What it It that I'm alluding to? It is hard to describe It and not insult someone, but It happens quite often and I'm trying to figure out a loving, Christian way of dealing with It. Let me give you an example - you have a friend that attends a large Karaoke bar Church whose pastor wears tight jeans and a perma-smile and seems to find himself in every bible verse that he uses. You mention to this friend "That Oprah Winfrey lady talks like a Christian but she sells new-age false teaching to millions of people and claims that Jesus didn't come to die on the cross but..."

Your voice drifts off because your friend is looking at you like you just grew a third eye in the middle of your forehead. So you shift gears and come at this new-age sentimentalism from a different direction. "She does this in the same way that Joel Osteen tends to..." and you've lost them before you get to the first adjective. Then all of a sudden It happens. This person you knew as a bible loving Christian starts defending Oprah and Joel; 

How can you attack someone who's just telling us how great it is to be a Christian?

Of course it's in the bible, she wouldn't have said it if it wasn't!

How can you be so judgmental? The bible says you're not supposed to judge

You're wrong because I don't hear the love in your voice