Emergent church leaders understand A.A. diverts people from Christ; Christian leaders do not

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. (Jeremiah 2:11)

Why have so many rejected the Christ of the Bible? Why have so many created a “christ” of their own understanding? What happened?

Emergent leader Phyllis Tickle knows. 

“As Phyllis Tickle has noted, the development of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) probably did as much as other, more celebrated events to undermine our concept of religion. Emerging in the late 1930s, AA made it acceptable to talk about a generic God–a ‘higher power.’” [1] (bold mine)

You can find the above statement in A Heretic’s Guide To Eternity, by Spencer Burke (The Ooze) and Barry Taylor, pg. 34-35, foreword by Brian McLaren.

Burke and Taylor further note what AA has brought on us. Of course, they see it as a good thing: “Consequently, a generation of people began speaking about God in new ways not previously sanctioned by the consensual illusion–and traditional religious perspectives began to change as a result.” [2]

Yes. And what a change it has been.

In the ground-breaking article by Jack Alexander, an article which is now official “A.A. General Conference-approved literature,” here is how the “god” of Alcoholics Anonymous can be defined: “Any concept of the Higher Power is acceptable. [The alcoholic] may choose to think of his Inner Self, the miracle of growth, a tree, man’s wonderment at the physical universe, the structure of the atom, or mere mathematical infinity. Whatever form is visualized, the neophyte is taught he must rely on it and, in his own way, to pray to the power for strength.” [3](Bold mine)

The article notes that even a tree can be prayed to. Interestingly, the Bible refers to this: Who say to a tree, “You are my Father,” And to a stone, “You gave me birth.” For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. (Jeremiah 2:27)

In The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, secular author Christine Wicker credits Alcoholics Anonymous with “hastening the fall of the evangelical church.” [4] 

Wicker states A.A.’s Twelve Step program “slowly exposed people to the notion that they could get the [higher power] without the dogma, the doctrine, and the outdated rules. Without the church in fact.” This has removed the authority and influence of “the preacher and the Bible and tradition.” [5]

Emergent leader Brian McLaren attacks biblical understanding, and tries to revise both God and the Bible in A New Kind of Christianity. In his chapter on reinterpreting God’s Word, he notes, “Even for those of us on this quest, breaking out of centuries-old habits won’t be easy…” [6] 

In the same paragraph, McLaren makes an interesting statement. “No wonder those of us who want and need to change our approach [to the Bible] may need to form twelve-step groups to deprogram our thinking.’” [7] (Bold Mine)

McLaren knows this has already happened–and is continuing to happen–through both Christian and cultural acceptance of twelve Step spirituality. Unlike numerous Bible-believing pastors who allow Twelve Step groups to meet in their churches, the Emergent leaders are clearly aware of what Alcoholics Anonymous has brought about.

Can we just admit it? Alcoholics Anonymous teaches precisely what Jesus Christ warns against: The Broad Way.

According to the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book (the A.A. “bible”), “We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of the Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men. When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God.” [8] Bold mine) 

The Lord tells us, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is BROAD that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13)

The false church will have (has?) emergent and contemplative roots, but we have not yet realized the spiritual destruction Alcoholics Anonymous has birthed.

But it is odd, isn’t it? A Bible believing church would not allow Mormons, for instance, to hold worship meetings in the church, even if the Mormons have traditionally been strong in areas where we may need help, such as family, long term marriage, etc.

Our pastors simply would not do such a thing, not even with our high divorce rate, broken families, and unmarried couples who live together. Why? Because, in spite of the fact that Mormons are traditionally strong in family matters, and are good neighbors, they reject the Christ of the Bible. Believing Christ and Satan are spirit-brothers, and that we can all become “gods,” Mormons profess and spread an anti-biblical spiritual system.

Getting Mormon spiritual help for our problems is therefore out of the question. Right? This is obviously another “gospel,” and the Apostle Paul warns against partaking in any such thing:

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1: 6-9)

Just to emphasize the point, pastors don’t allow Mormons, Christian Scientists, Buddhists, and other groups to use our churches. Makes sense, right? Nor is a Bible believing Christian ever told to go to one of these spiritualities to get help.

Why, then, do pastors allow Alcoholics Anonymous to hold meetings in Christian churches?

Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; (Ezekiel 22:26)

AA theology is just as anti-biblical as Mormonism. AA declares it does not matter at all what one worships as “god.” This is “official” A.A. doctrine. Of course, Alcoholics Anonymous, although ruled as religious by the U.S. Supreme Court, and defined as such theologically, sociologically, and even by a dictionary definition, has always insisted it is a “spiritual program.”

Are there other teachings that contradict the Bible? Yes.

The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book (the AA “bible”), which states, “Sometimes we had to search fearlessly but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis, it is only there that He may be found.” [9] 

Yet God is not within all people. The Bible tells us we must be saved through Jesus Christ first. That is the only way one has the Spirit of God within.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9)

Alcoholics Anonymous has spread the concept of a generic god, and convinced many there is no need for Christ–for the Higher Power is already within or already accessible. Jesus as mediator between man and God is not needed. 

Why is any of this important? If you are a Christian, and believe the Bible is the Word of God, it is clear the Lord hates the worship of false gods. We are not to join such a thing. We are to be separate in our worship. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17) If you are a Christian attending AA, and you say to yourself, “Well, I don’t worship false gods,” the Lord doesn’t want you worshiping alongside those who bow to false idols. 

Never in the Bible will you find an example where the Lord allows His people to worship Him in a religion where He is just one option of many. Josiah threw the false gods out of the temple; our wise (?) pastors of today bring them in by allowing AA in our churches.

The Lord warned Solomon that his foreign wives would entice him into worship of foreign gods–and that is what happened. The Lord knows better than you what is required. As Solomon’s love for the Lord shifted, so is there a transference of faith in Alcoholics Anonymous. Many–okay, I’ll just say it–almost all the Christians in AA also have AA as an idol. How could it be otherwise? Part of the AA theology is faith in AA itself, is it not?

The Lord was angered by those who bowed both to Him and the false god, Milcom:

And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven, And those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom… (Zephaniah 1:5)

For Christians swimming in Twelve Step spirituality, Alcoholics Anonymous functions as a modern Milcom. For all too many, the Lord  AND Alcoholics Anonymous are both worshiped.

There are also many in A.A. who identify Christ as their higher power, but whose god in reality is solely A.A. itself. This I say not from the height of some scholarly hill, but as one who has experienced the deceptions of A.A. first hand.

It is important to understand we have many Christians who have more faith in A.A. than in Christ. These  people need Truth as much as the unsaved. As has been said before, “So it’s pretty obvious where a person’s loyalties lie by who they defend…the A.A. gospel or the gospel of Jesus.” [10]

Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. (1 Kings 18: 21)  

A.A. people are mostly unsaved, and are doing the best they can with what they have been taught-which is that anything and everything can be worshiped as a “higher power.”

This articles and many others have been written to inform Christians as to what is happening. But, once we have understanding, we need to separate from the twelve step religion. This will be painful, for those who are willing. And Alcoholics Anonymous needs missionaries–devoted, Bible believing Christians who have not been tainted by twelve step concepts and theology.

Jesus Christ is not some “higher power.” We do not need to be timid about Him. Nor should we continue to believe that alcoholics and addicts are being helped in a system that points them away from Christ.

Man up, Christian.

Endnotes:

1. Spencer Burke and Barry Taylor, A Heretics Guide To Eternity, pg. 34-35

2. Ibid.

 3. http://www.aa.org/catalog.cfm?origpage=180&product=35

4. Christine Wicker, The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, between pgs. 134-138

5. Ibid., somewhere from pg.134-138

6. Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christianity, pg. 85-86 

7. Ibid.

8. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS “Big Book,” pg.55

9. Ibid.

10. Carla, http://prayeraware.blogspot.com and http://morebooksandthings.blogspot.com