Friday, October 20, 2006

Dan Kimball-Point Man for the Emergent Church

Because of what has happened in this last week I am putting my new series On Domionism and Reconstructionist off for a couple days to do an expose on Dan Kimball. Dan comes across has a very nice guy.


And well that’s nice.

Dan has a way of showing up at discernment sites trying to further the agenda of the Emergent Church. Often acting as a hurt individual who asks why are Christians so mean. In my opinion this is all some kind of cat and mouse bait and switch game played by Dan. I’ve had an interesting exchange in the past as well with Dan who seems to monitor discernment websites for an opportunity to romance the naive into starting up a dialog with him.

In the past he has came into Ingrid's Slice of Laodecia website and pretty much been put off. Now via Steve Camp Dan is back in their with his nice, hurt puppy dog ways of course just to dialog. Campi also gave Mark Driscoll (the cussing pastor a pass as well)

Is there anything wrong with this? Dan’s theology seems to be more solid than most of the other Emergent leaders such as Leonard Sweet and Brian Mclaren. Let’s start with my exchange through email with Dan where I asked Dan to repent and turn from the New Age rituals such as the labyrinth.

(Me)- Do you think Jesus is the only way to God?

(Dan)- I sent you the PDF file of what we taught and gave out as a handout in our church when we teach on it. Yes, we believe that Jesus is the only way of salvation.

(Me)- And if you do believe Jesus is the only way why even hang with people like Tony Campolo etc... And I’m not sure that even Brian McLaren knows what he believes his statements are very confusing and contradict each other.

(Dan)- I have never heard Tony or Brian say that they don’t believe Jesus is the only way of salvation. On a recent document talking to critics of emergent, that Brian was part of writing it, it clearly says he believes Jesus is the way of salvation.

(Me)- My biggest problem with guys like you and Tony Jones is the ritual prayer you teach. Jesus never promoted it either does the Bible.

(Dan)- lectio divina is only meditating on Scripture. At least the way we practice it. we read some verses and then leave the Scriptures on the screens and have a time of quiet. It is no different than if you were to be reading your bible, stopped at a verse and pondered and prayed about it. we don’t do; centering prayer in our church.

(Me)- Maybe you believe Buddhist and Hindu roots are ok for something because in your PDF it states.”there are great teachings in other faiths."

(Dan)- the great teachings in other faiths, is where they also say treat your neighbor as yourself etc. but then I distinguish when you go past that, there are extreme differences showing that all roads do not lead to the same mountaintop, so they cannot all be true. I have written an entire chapter on this topic in a book I am finishing up for zondervan.

(Me)- Let me sum it up with this. I think your teaching allows the individual to come to their own conclusion instead of you folks being the preacher and stating” This is the truth now you decide what you want to believe." Statements like "Jesus claimed He was the only way." Which is a true statement but as a teacher where do you stand on the truth.

(Dan)- when I teach, we look to what Jesus said. So when we taught Jesus said He is the only way, then that is what we follow. We follow the teachings of Jesus.

OK- hope this helps.

Dan: end of email

Pleasant exchange Dan is a gentleman and a very nice guy but so what. Doesn’t the Bible state even the devil can come as an angel of light.

Could he come as a nice guy?

If Dan was really as solid a Christian as he seems to be why would he promote, endorse and associate with heretics like New Age teacher Leonard Sweet ( and I’ve read much of Leonard’s work such as Quantum Spirituality) as well as Brian Mclaren. And that’s just the short list.For some solid commentary on what Dan is really all about please check this link. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/dankimball.htm

I believe that the Emergent Church Movement is not of God but of the enemy because of all the New Age, Ancient Catholic and occult rituals that they have embraced in their services.

Why would any solid biblical Christian associate with such folk or engage them in dialog?

What does the Bible teach about this?1 Corinthians 5:11 "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner‚–not even to eat with such a person." This verse is talking about sin.

Is false doctrine and practicing the occult sin? Of course it is.

Romans 16:17-18 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.Gal 1:6-7 "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ", to a different gospel, not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians pretty much sums up the agenda of the Emergent Church. And if this is indeed a Mars Hill debate you had better know that Paul in the Mars Hill debate in Acts 17 was not talking to believers but to unbelievers.

This again makes my point and so as far as dialog or debate goes refer to the verses I quoted from scripture.

I looked at the replies on Steve Camps website and no one is really asking Dan any hard questions like why he promotes occult and new Age teachers and their rituals.

Instead its just bunch of pseudo intellectual banter.2 Timothy 3:7"always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Dan still endorses the labyrinth which is an occult mystical experience.Here is a link to Dan’s endorsements http://www.vintagefaith.com/links.html

Its a shame that so many including discernment ministries have fallen for Dan’s charm and given him a platform to advance his Emergent agenda but the Bible does state-1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.” So when the point man shows up at your website of course pray for him.

I really hopes Dan repents of the New Age/Occult agenda he is part.But don’t give him a platform.

http://www.simplyagape.blogspot.com/

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