RightNow Media advertises itself to pastors as “the world’s largest library of video-driven Bible study resources, used by more than 24,000 churches, schools, and organizations.” A church membership gives the members “access to thousands of inspirational videos anytime, including kids content.” That which is advertised as a spiritual help and blessing is actually a window into the very dangerous world of modern evangelicalism, a world filled with heresy, an ecumenical path to “the greater church,” which is nothing less than the end-time one-world church. The two great dangers of the internet are moral pollution (e.g., pornography) and spiritual pollution (heresy). These are great dangers to any Bible-believing individual, family, and church. Never was there a time when God’s people more urgently need to be educated about heresy so as to be protected from its onslaught. A few of the dangerous authors promoted by RightNow Media are J.D. Greear, Louie Giglio, Max Lucado, Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Tony Evans, Bruce Wilkinson, John Perkins, Mark Batterson, Ed Stetzer, Joseph Stowell, Erwin McManus, John Piper, Henry Cloud, Gary Smalley, R.C. Sproul, and David Platt. Some of the speakers on RightNow Media are fairly harmless, such as Tim Tebow, Kirk Cameron, and Dave Ramsey, and there are helpful teachings on subjects such as marriage, finances, and apologetics, but all of the personalities are ecumenical and are pathways to the “broader church,” where any heresy can be found and the simple devoured (Proverbs 14:15). Further, things you will not find, typically, in contemporary evangelism include repentance, separation from the world, warnings about heresy, teaching on sacred music vs. contemporary, teaching on modest dress, clear identification of apostasy, and an emphasis on the New Testament church. Quietness on these issues is a mark of contemporary evangelicalism. The Bible teaching is kept on a soft, gentle keel, with little to no reproof and rebuke. Heresies you will encounter including Reformed Sovereign Grace Theology, Roman Catholicism, Psychological Self-Esteemism, the Church Fathers, Replacement Theology (the church is Israel), Modern Textual Criticism, Form Criticism, Universal Church, Amillennialism, and the principle that Music is Neutral. (For an education in popular evangelicalism, see New Evangelicalism: Its History, Character, and Fruit, www.wayoflife.org. The book now has course material availble for free with registration. I have used this book and the review questions to prepare people for membership in our church when they are coming from a weak background.)
(Friday Church News Notes, March 10, 2023, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)
