Christian freedom spies are everywhere and annoying. But they must be dealt with.
These people are looking for ways to disrupt the faith of true Christians and bring them under the control of their self-made and so-called “Christian” religious system.
It Happens Over There
Recently I was with a team training pastors and leaders in southeast Asia, and spies showed up. I didn’t know who they were at first, but apparently my national partner knew them and had had dealings with them before.
At first they seemed very interested, knowledgable and glad to be joining us. Although it wasn’t long after sitting down in the front rows of seats that their hands went up. They kept asking question after question that weren’t on topic and didn’t seem to be going anywhere.
Their questions became longer and longer, and it was then that their agenda showed itself with their unusual and unorthodox views of church, authority and rules. So we authoritatively cut off their opportunity to ask any more questions.
When that session finished it turned out they had to leave the training event early. Good riddance. At the end of the day my partner explained who they were, where they came from and what their intentions were. We discussed plans on how to deal with them upfront if there is ever a next time. And there probably will be a next time.
In Happens Here at Home
When I was pastoring a local church it seemed like at least once a year similar folks would infiltrate our worship service on a Sunday morning. The first sign of their ulterior motives was frequently their awkward interactions with the people of the regular congregation. Again, this often involved odd questions about the Bible, interpreting it and following certain practices.
So I would keep a close eye on them while I was preaching. If I sensed something strange, immediately after the worship service I would seek them out and ask a lot of my own questions. As soon as they implicated themselves with their own words that they adhered to a false Gospel their time was short.
I would explain the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it contrasts with their false one. At this point they are typically scared and want to leave, or they want to stay and argue, which I would not allow. So I would warn them that their stuff is not happening here and show them the door. Even while doing this, I am praying that they will come to their senses and want to submit to the Scriptures and be learners.
Protecting the church is a priority. And entertaining fools is not our calling.
Galatians 2:4–5 ESV “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
These people are looking for ways to disrupt the faith of true Christians and bring them under the control of their self-made and so-called “Christian” religious system.
It Happens Over There
Recently I was with a team training pastors and leaders in southeast Asia, and spies showed up. I didn’t know who they were at first, but apparently my national partner knew them and had had dealings with them before.
At first they seemed very interested, knowledgable and glad to be joining us. Although it wasn’t long after sitting down in the front rows of seats that their hands went up. They kept asking question after question that weren’t on topic and didn’t seem to be going anywhere.
Their questions became longer and longer, and it was then that their agenda showed itself with their unusual and unorthodox views of church, authority and rules. So we authoritatively cut off their opportunity to ask any more questions.
When that session finished it turned out they had to leave the training event early. Good riddance. At the end of the day my partner explained who they were, where they came from and what their intentions were. We discussed plans on how to deal with them upfront if there is ever a next time. And there probably will be a next time.
In Happens Here at Home
When I was pastoring a local church it seemed like at least once a year similar folks would infiltrate our worship service on a Sunday morning. The first sign of their ulterior motives was frequently their awkward interactions with the people of the regular congregation. Again, this often involved odd questions about the Bible, interpreting it and following certain practices.
So I would keep a close eye on them while I was preaching. If I sensed something strange, immediately after the worship service I would seek them out and ask a lot of my own questions. As soon as they implicated themselves with their own words that they adhered to a false Gospel their time was short.
I would explain the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it contrasts with their false one. At this point they are typically scared and want to leave, or they want to stay and argue, which I would not allow. So I would warn them that their stuff is not happening here and show them the door. Even while doing this, I am praying that they will come to their senses and want to submit to the Scriptures and be learners.
Protecting the church is a priority. And entertaining fools is not our calling.
Galatians 2:4–5 ESV “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
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