Wolves in Church
(Part 2)
Cult Like Worship Leadership
Summary of “If Your Church Plays Hillsong, You NEED to Know This”
- (00:00) The speaker critiques churches that quote or play music from Hillsong, labeling them as “cults” and “false churches” due to their teachings. Emphasizes the importance of biblically qualified leadership in the church.
- (00:34) The speaker suggests addressing the issue with the pastor if they quote problematic figures, without immediately dismissing them. Approaches the problem with patience and understanding.
- (01:10) Acknowledges that preaching styles differ but insists that sound biblical doctrine, rather than style, is the crucial measure of a good pastor.
- (01:45) Warns against using music from Hillsong or similar churches (e.g., Bethel, Elevation), urging worship leaders to reconsider the impact of such music on the congregation.
- (02:25) Encourages confronting music leaders with the truth about these churches and their teachings. If they refuse to change, suggests leaving the church.
- (03:01) Expresses concern that churches that use Hillsong music may shift toward more seeker-sensitive approaches and away from deeper theological worship, raising a broader concern about church direction.
- (03:34) Provides three signs to leave a church: lack of expositional preaching, absence of church discipline, and a shift toward seeker-sensitive or prosperity gospel teachings.
- (04:43) Emphasizes that no church is perfect, but a church should strive to meet biblical standards. If it doesn’t, it’s time to leave.
- (05:17) Advises against staying in a weak or flawed church in hopes of changing it, stating that a church’s spiritual maturity cannot rise above its leadership.
- (06:22) Stresses the importance of finding a biblically sound church with qualified leadership for spiritual growth. If no good churches are available nearby, suggests starting one with like-minded believers.
- (07:32) Concludes that while no church is perfect, a church led by godly, biblical elders is worth staying in, even if there are secondary theological differences.
transcript.
Title: “If Your Church Plays Hillsong, You NEED to Know This” Transcript: “(00:00) are you aware of what hill song is these are Cults these are false churches a congregation is not going to rise to a level of spiritual maturity above that of its leadership the Bible has standards for what a church is if you don’t have biblically qualified men leading the church leave my pastor faithful guy he’s been preaching the word and he just quoted Fillin the blank with some knucklehead kick him out no what do I do do not kick him out well I can tell you what I’ve done the first time I hear it and I’m (00:34) like Let It Go if if I hear him quo him again then I’ll say brother you should know this is yeah are you aware that the person you’re quoting teaches such and such but that’s different than he says amen and we make a beline hey didn’t you know that CS Lewis was that’s right yeah am my pastor boy he just nice guy but Justin he just does not preach like Phil John son well no one preaches like John MacArthur no one preaches like Todd frel no one preaches like Jim Osman we all have our own Styles you know we all all (01:10) have our own Styles and of delivery you know nuances things like that so um I mean even the biblical writers right all of scripture is inspired by God and yet you can see the personalities of the individual writers coming through in their writings so yeah don’t hold your pastor to a standard of some other man as far as his preaching style or how long he goes or something like that so all right for the last 50 years of my church we have rightly been singing old hymns accompanied by a pipe organ the biblical way to worship (01:45) yes I think that’s a hill song song we just played what do I do then you need to go to your music leader and say Hey brother are you aware of what hill song is Elevation Church elevation music you know fill in the blank are you aware of what these organizations are what they teach and if he’s if he’s not then tell him these are Cults these are false churches and we should not be singing music that comes from false churches and so hopefully Lord willing he’ll see that is like yeah that’s probably not best you know and quite honestly folks (02:25) there’s no reason we need to go to the hill song well or bethl well we there there’s so many other good songs good hymns we don’t even have to tap into that poisonous well but I will say this if they hear you and they understand if they understand what bethl is if they understand what Hillsong is and they say don’t care this is what the folks like we’re going to continue to sing that music right I will speak for me here if they’re not going to change then I’m I’m starting to look for another church because I cannot not in good conscience (03:01) sit there and sing music that comes from a cult that preaches a different Jesus a different gospel brings reproach upon the name of Christ I couldn’t do it I haven’t visited every church that has ever played a Hillsong song but there does seem to be a trajectory of the church that starts to jettison a loftier worship with deeper theological worship songs yep for Hill song it’s like that’s just the the the door just got cracked open and we are probably going to become more and more secret sensitive which leads us (03:34) to a discernment issue when do I leave my church give me the three rules airtight no more three rules period keep this simple because it’s hard you can’t do three rules it’s like a big question so it is when do I go well I guess it depends what church you know the the state of the church if you see that your church your pastor your ERS are not doing expositional preaching if they’re not doing that which means they’re not truly preaching the gospel if they’re not doing that then you need to to leave the church if if they don’t practice church (04:13) discipline then you need to leave the church if they go down the secr sensitive path with bethon Hill song and Jesus’s Life Enhancement he’ll make your life better kind of stuff than than you need to to leave the church let me say this it sounds cliche but it’s true you’re not going to find a perfect Church there is no such thing as a perfect Church all churches have flaws we live in a fallen world but the Bible has standards for what a church is and that church should be striving to meet those standards imperfect though it may (04:43) be I I get emails from people all the time and they say something like this well Justin uh I’ve been growing in my understanding of scripture I’m reading the Bible for myself I’m listening to all the right preachers I’m growing in my knowledge and I realize now that I’m not in a good church you know we have female pastors or Elder we have you know we’re we’re Seeker sensitive maybe we’re Prosperity Gospel I see the truth now but I’m in this weak Church do I leave or do I stay because what I’d really like care for these people and I’d (05:17) really like to stay to be a source of light here and maybe I can try to change the church and my advice is always the same you’re not going to change the church a congregation is not going to rise to a level of spiritual maturity above that of its leadership it’s just not going to happen you’re not going to change the church from the bottom up if you don’t have biblically qualified men leading the church and they’re not doing church discipline that there’re that doesn’t meet the biblical definition of a sound chart if you don’t have that (05:49) leave don’t pass go don’t collect $200 leave because you’re not going to change it and you as a Christian you need to be in a good doct Al Sound Church led by biblically qualified men because that is the only place that you will truly grow in Christ you need to be under sound preaching you need to be able to do the one anothers you need that Fellowship you need that accountability you need a place where you can use your spiritual gifts none of those things are going to happen in a false Church none of them are and you’re (06:22) not going to change it we’re not called to be in bad churches and change them that’s right we’re called to be in biblical churches and serve them find a good church find a Biblical Church serve in that church well I don’t have a Biblical Church within 200 miles of me if that’s the case and there are no good if there simply are no good churches then what you need to do is find some like-minded Believers and start a church yeah I I think that I’ve I’ve heard Phil Johnson also say and it’s to your point that if you’re in a church especially if (06:55) you’re in a church you start to see it going Wayward oh you can you can start asking questions to ask where are we going here and what’s happening but as far as staying when the writing is on the wall if you don’t have a position of authority you’re not an elder you don’t you’re not involved at all you just you just don’t have a chance Noe not a chance perhaps this is U the thought that you made that I think we we want to wrap this up with to remember that if you are in a church with Elders who are most certainly imperfect but they’re (07:32) Godly men they want to be biblical they are aimed in the right direction they don’t want to be a crackpot church then you probably found yourself a good church and you can stay yep you can stay absolutely yeah stay as I said you’re not going to find a perfect church but there are good churches out there there’s a lot of them actually they they are out there it might mean that you have to join a church or join yourself to a church that um maybe they differ with you on esqu maybe they got a different eschatology it’s okay you know (08:03) if if I have my choice if I have a if there’s two good churches one of them has my same eschatology one of them differs in eschatology well I’m going to go where my eschatology lines up of course that’d be my preference but don’t not go to a church that in all respects is good simply because of a difference on a on a secondary or even tertiary issue [Music] your cake is going to be ready for your baby [Music] shower you can pick it up at noon it’s just [Music]”