{"id":16190,"date":"2021-10-20T15:05:37","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T15:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thescripturecache.com\/?p=16190"},"modified":"2022-01-27T21:29:13","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T21:29:13","slug":"the-oak-hills-church-of-lucado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thescripturecache.com\/?p=16190","title":{"rendered":"The Oak Hills Church of Lucado"},"content":{"rendered":"

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[Note: <\/strong>This MS is available in larger font on our Longer Articles<\/strong> page.]<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a long time coming. Oak Hills \u201cChurch of Christ,\u201d San Antonio, Texas, is no more. No, it did not close its doors (unfortunately). It will now be just \u201cOak Hills Church.\u201d However, the name more accurately describing this religious body would be \u201cOak Hills Church of Lucado\u201d (OHCL). The news has traveled rapidly since it appeared in a story in the San Antonio Express-News<\/em> on September 6, 2003. In case some of our readers are unaware, this is the church that, over the previous fifteen years, had come under the total thrall of Max Lucado, renowned best-selling author of religious books. He is also a renowned (among those who are informed) theological liberal and false teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

My first reaction at this news was, \u201cWhat took them so long?\u201d Dropping Church of Christ<\/em> from their name was the most natural and normal thing they could (and should) have done\u2014long ago. It was also the only honest thing they could do regarding their identity. Given Lucado\u2019s outrageously anti-Scriptural statements and behavior on numerous occasions spanning several years (easily documentable and widely known), this move was inevitable. They ceased being a church of Christ in any Scriptural sense years before. By hypocritically hanging on to Church of Christ<\/em> as part of their name, they spent a long time deceiving and confusing a gullible public about what a church of Christ is.<\/span><\/p>\n

While subtracting some words from their name, they were, however, adding some things to their worship activities\u2014instruments of music. The report indicated that Oak Hills will begin a new Sunday evening worship hour\u2014aimed at young adults\u2014that would include instrumental music. This announcement should have surprised no one. On their Website (www.oakhillschurchofchrist.org<\/a>) they have the following statement:<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of instrumental accompaniment is not a doctrinal issue at Oak Hills, but it is part of our religious heritage that we have chosen to preserve. We continue to use a capella singing as our primary source of music for our worship assemblies.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The reader will note that the OHCL does not consider the use or non-use of instrumental music in worship a \u201cdoctrinal issue.\u201d Its non-use is only a \u201ctradition\u201d in the \u201cChurch of Christ\u201d (merely another denomination in their view), to be preserved or cast aside by the local powers that be. How magnanimous of them to have \u201cchosen to preserve\u201d this \u201cpart of our religious heritage\u201d for this long! You can mark it down that the root of their apostasy (and of those on the same road with them) is not just introduction of the instrument. This is only the symptom. The spiritual disease is rebellion against the authority of Jesus Christ by rejection of His Word, His doctrine, His law. The eternal fate of all who persist in this course is not a matter of guesswork: \u201cHe that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day\u201d (John 12:48).<\/span><\/p>\n

The OHCL Website also carries the following note pertaining to fellowship:<\/span><\/p>\n

We have chosen to emphasize what we have in common with other Christian groups rather than debate about our differences. We try to be “Christians only” and believe that no particular group is designated by God as “the only Christians.” We are non-denominational.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The choice they have made concerning fellowship is not one any of us has the right to make. Put these words in the mouth of our Lord and see just how ridiculous they are: \u201cI have chosen to emphasize what I have in common with the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests, and lawyers, rather than debate about our differences.\u201d They work no better with the Old Testament prophets or with John the baptizer, Peter, John, Stephen, or Paul. The apostles most certainly had no trouble believing and preaching that they and their \u201cparticular group\u201d were \u201cthe only Christians.\u201d It is both false humility and false doctrine to assert that others are Christians besides those whom the inspired writers identify as such. No, OHCL and its comrades-in-arms congregations are not \u201cnon-denominational;\u201d they are all inter<\/strong>-denominational because they have, by their own departures, transformed themselves into denominational bodies. Again, with their history of disdain for New Testament authority, I ask: \u201cWhat took them so long\u201d to finally make the break?<\/span><\/p>\n

The Express-News<\/em> article\u2019s lead paragraph reads:<\/span><\/p>\n

Max Lucado hopes renaming his church, opening new campuses, and adding musical instruments to the worship service will help bring more people to Christ.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ordinarily, I would attribute the statement indicating that Oak Hills is \u201chis [Max Lucado\u2019s] church\u201d to \u201creporter misconception and ignorance.\u201d However, in this case, the reporter hit a home run. Oak Hills is Lucado\u2019s church. He has obviously been given carte blanche to take the church wherever he chooses to go doctrinally. It has become the mirror image of all his ecumenical compromises and doctrinal betrayals of the Savior he claims to serve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who does Lucado think he is fooling? He and his disciples are not making these changes to \u201cbring more people to Christ.\u201d Were this so, they would still be preaching and practicing the Truth (as the founders of the old Fredericksburg Road Congregation [Oak Hill\u2019s original name] doubtless set out to do in 1958). These changes will merely attract more gullible people who are already separated from Christ into Lucado\u2019s denomination that is also separated from Christ. Let us state their aim accurately: to \u201cbring more people to Lucado.\u201d The most accurate name change would simply replace Christ with Lucado, for this is what Oak Hills is\u2014The Oak Hills Church of Lucado (OHCL).<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucado admitted his unabashed pragmatism in the name change and the addition of instrumental music to one of their worship periods. The news story quoted him:<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to strategy, when it comes to approach, we want to do whatever seems most effective at the time\u2026.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0In other words, whatever it takes\u2014the end justifies the means, in order to keep attracting people. He has thus found it \u201ceffective\u201d through the years to do and say all sorts of things that are a stench in the nostrils of those who are dedicated members of the blood-bought church of Christ. The following examples are mere \u201cstarters\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n