Liberty University Yoking with Emerging Preachers

Erwin McManus

Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church have been on the “slippery slope” of compromise for decades. They have been building dangerous bridges ever since Jerry Falwell turned his back on separatism and strict obedience to God’s Word for the sake of pragmatism (bigness, influence, prestige, political power, etc.). They are now yoking together with emerging preachers. Rich Wilkerson Jr., pastor of Vous Church near Miami, spoke at Liberty’s chapel service on January 20, and Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic of Los Angeles, is scheduled to speak on February 3. Wilkerson is so cool that he is close friends with foul-mouthed, blasphemous rapper Kanye West, who appeared as a thorn-crowned Jesus on the cover of Rolling Stone in 2006. His 2013 album was titled Yeezus, which is a play on West’s nickname Yeezy and the name Jesus. The cover art depicts West being crowned king by angels. In the song “I Am a God,” he raps, “I just talked to Jesus/ and he said, ‘What up, Yeezus?’/ ... I know He the Most High/ But I am a close high/ ... I am a god.” The Book of Zeezus: A Bible for the Modern Day, published in 2015, is a version of the book of Genesis that replaces every mention of God with the rapper’s name. Wilkerson performed West’s marriage to pop icon and Playboy model Kim Karshashian. Wilkerson says he collaborates with West on a number of projects, including the “Yeezus Tour.” In a promotional video for his reality show Rich in Faith, Wilkerson says, “I come from a different perspective. I don’t think people are interested in a bunch of religion, like tell me what I can and can’t do. But I think people are interested in having a relationship with a higher power.” Wilkerson doesn’t warn about sin and judgment. He says, “I don’t know who’s going to Hell. I just know that followers of Jesus are going to Heaven--that’s what the Bible says. My message isn’t ever who’s going where” (“Liberty University Welcomes Reality Show ‘Pastor,’” ChristianNews.net, Jan. 20, 2016). Wilkerson doesn’t explain how his “Jesus” differs from the false christs that Paul warns about (2 Cor. 11:1-4). Erwin McManus is author of The Barbarian Way, in which he urges Christians to reject rules and boundaries. As “evidence” he shows his complete disregard for sound principles of biblical interpretation by citing John the Baptist’s statement in Matthew 3:11 that Jesus would “baptize us in both Spirit and fire.” McManus’s amazing interpretation is that “Barbarians are guided by the wind of God and ignited by the fire of God” and that “the way of the barbarian can be found only by listening to the voice of the Spirit” (The Barbarian Way, p. 13). This is blind mysticism divorced from the protection of “sola Scriptura,” but it has nothing to do with what John was teaching in this passage. In fact, the baptism with fire is interpreted by John himself in the very next verse as eternal judgment, something that the emerging guys don’t talk much about. Mosaic is one of the many Southern Baptist Churches that have been taken into an emerging direction by a new generation of worldly cool pastors. Jerry Falwell Jr., pastor of Thomas Road and head of Liberty University, would pretend that his associations aren’t indicative of his own beliefs and that he has liberty in such matters, but the Word of God exposes this lie. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3), and, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17), and, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

(Friday Church News Notes, January 29, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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