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LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS RESOURCES
Matthew 18—Private or Public?  
Here at Lighthouse Trails we are sometimes asked the question, "Did you go to that person first before exposing that person's false doctrine?"
We believe that the scriptural approach to dealing with false teachings and false doctrines differs than the popular dialectic approach that is so popular today. Our focus is to send out a warning to those who are being misled. Dialogue with those who are spreading false doctrines would only be beneficial to those persons and ministries; it would not benefit the ones being hurt. If you are in a lifeboat and people around you are drowning, will you focus on the shark who is devouring the people in the water or will you pull as many into the lifeboat as possible? For us, we have chosen the latter and will leave dialogue up to someone else.

The following articles have done an excellent job discussing the matter of Matthew 18 and give a clear answer to that question.

"Every now and then I get a terse email from someone who has taken exception to my candid comments on Rick Warren, asking questions like: “Have you ever spoken with him personally about your objections and concerns and tried to work through your differences privately as scripture teaches, rather than attack him publicly as you do?” The scripture they usually cite is, of course, Matthew 18:15-17"—by Paul Proctor, Read Entire Article, Heretics and Hypocrites

 

"Why did Paul confront Peter publicly "before them all"? Because he "saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the Gospel" and their words and actions were causing others to be led astray. Therefore, we see a clear-cut Biblical precedent for public rebuke where it concerns aberrant teachings which depart from the truth of the Gospel."by Debra Bouey, Read entire article: "Matthew Eighteen": A Viable Contention Where Principles of the Gospel are Concerned?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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Contemplative Spirituality: A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is rooted in mysticism and the occult but often wrapped in Christian terminology. The premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Common terms used for this movement are "spiritual formation," "the silence," "the stillness," "ancient-wisdom," "spiritual disciplines," and many others.

Spiritual Formation: A movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.