United Church of Christ's edgy 'sorta scriptura' campaign

With words like "rebranding" and "edgy" and "campaign" better suited to a New Coke commercial marketing blitz, the United Church of Christ (UCC) is re-launching their ten year old "Still Speaking" campaign in a 2.0 update fresh for 2016.

Oh boy.

Chills, I tell you. I got chills.

Not really.

The UCC's campaign isn't a campaign and it isn't edgy. It's just blasphemy and biblical ignorance.

Here it is in the UCC's own language:
God is Still Speaking, the identity campaign that branded the United Church of Christ in a distinctive way and helped define its progressive voice in the faith community, is getting an upgrade/refresh in 2016. In fact, the UCC launched the pilot phase of Still Speaking 2.0 on Dec. 1 in anticipation of a full rollout after the first of the year. 
“We are asking what the new edge is for the United Church of Christ,” said the Rev. John C. Dorhauer, UCC general minister and president. “It is clear that the brand still works, but we are all using the same language that we have used for 10 years. In addition, the edge 10 years ago was clearly built around commitments to ONA and marriage equality.” But since the world has changed and marriage equality is the law of the land, Dorhauer says the UCC is working to identify what now sets it apart. "So, what’s our new edge?"
Jesus Christ. That's the edge. Jesus. He is everything and He is all you need. Jesus is the premier Person in the entire Universe, He is what sets anything apart. His Gospel is the edgiest message ever proclaimed on the face of the earth. The world hates it. Living for Christ and proclaiming His Gospel is the edgiest you can ever get. Unless it's blaspheming His word. [see below]. That's really living on the edge.

Here is an ad from the UCC campaign:
Yes He did. Don't these people read the Bible?

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. (Revelation 19:18-19)

But obviously the UCC does not read their Bible. Here is UCC's new, 2016, freshly edgy ad:


As my Twitter friend Tara at @AMamasWisdom said of the above ad, "sorta scriptura".

Tara nailed it. The above ad is blasphemous. What it's saying is that the Bible is nothing more than a flawed guide to life. By the way if it is occasionally wrong, who decides which parts are wrong and which parts are right in it? Man.

In my growing up days of the wild 1960s, there was a cultural revolution led by that generation's youth. Peace-love and all that. Their mantra was "Don't trust anyone over 30." It was a ridiculous statement but it made a crazy sense at the time.

Well it's another crazy time. There are so many fake "churches" calling themselves churches, it makes me want to say "Don't trust anyone calling themselves a church." Not really but, man, it's rough out there. If UCC leadership as a whole promotes these as their doctrinal statements regarding their denomination, (and they are) we can safely say that any Christian should stay away from the denomination as a whole. Erase them from your list as a church entirely.

My message to you is this: anything can happen regarding church life, and it will. Don't stick with a denomination just because it has been your family's tradition. Don't stay in a church that obviously points to man (like the one above) and does not point consistently and correctly to Jesus. When visiting churches, be very careful. Sentiments like the one the UCC expressed are more and more common now, not just uttered from a fringe guy marginalized through church discipline, but these heresies are mainstream and widespread doctrines held by entire denominations as their Church Distinctive. Or, "brand".

Hold your Bible in high regard and let your children see you studying it, quoting, it, and living it. In a crazy world, the word of God is the ONLY anchor that we can trust.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16)


Comments

  1. WOW! The Bible is a guide? You mean, it will get you to the destination, but you may choose your own route, if you wish? And the God of the Bible occasionally gets it wrong?! So if you wind up on the wrong road, its because the Bible led you astray? WOW! The arrogance and the stupidity. If you're in agreement with that doctrine of demons, you really are living "Your Best Life Now" because your future looks very hot. Beware!

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  2. Thank you for the heads up about the UCC's new campaign. It actually makes me cringe because I attended a UCC church when the "God is Still Speaking" campaign first started. It appealed to me then because of course, I wasn't saved, even though I was attending a "church". I was looking for a faith community; I wasn't looking for Jesus. Since I got saved in 2008, the Lord has been opening my eyes to all sorts of false teaching...and false churches. Thank you for your web site and all that you do. --Claudia

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  3. Sheryl, I like how you pout that. Exactly so, a guide guides you but there is still room for your own choices. Well said.

    Claudia thanks for your testimony. The Holy Spirit is active in the lives of those whom God saves and I'm thrilled that He is bringing you up to speed so quickly. The more I look back on my "spiritual" [i.e. non-saved] days I cringe but it makes me love Jesus more because He first loved me, such a crumb.

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  4. Hi Elizabeth,

    Thank you for your continued efforts to expose false teachers / doctrine as well as encourage your readers.

    While I hate to nit-pick, I wanted to clarify one sentence in your post. I hope you receive it well. Your one line in response to the UCC's Revelation Ad ("Here's a Revelation: God didn't End in Revelation") was "Yes He did." But I believe your response was referring to God's written and spoken Word ending with Revelation; that no one should add nor take away from it. Rather, your response makes it sound as if God himself ended. So, I just wanted to point out to your readers that God WAS and [still] IS and IS TO BE!

    Blessings to you sister in Christ.
    Emily

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    1. Hi Emily,

      Thanks! You're right. I don't believe God has ended :)

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