Mark Harris

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The Danger of the Suburbs: Examining Our Spiritual Trajectory

This sermon is a robust exposition of [Genesis 13](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+13&version=KJV), effectively using the narrative of Lot to warn against the gradual slide into worldly compromise. The preacher maintains a strong Gospel Framework, ensuring that the call to holiness is rooted in grace rather than mere moralism. The homiletics are clear, the illustrations are vivid, and the theological boundaries are well-fenced.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining doctrinal integrity and pastoral warmth without compromise. It successfully contrasts the carnal path with the spiritual one, urging believers to examine their hearts with humility and reliance on God's grace.

Read MoreThe Danger of the Suburbs: Examining Our Spiritual Trajectory
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The Bold Pilgrimage: Walking by Promise

The sermon offers a compelling call to obedience and faith, effectively using Abraham's example to encourage the congregation. However, the administration of the Lord's Supper lacks the necessary biblical fencing, presenting a significant theological and pastoral concern that requires correction.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — The sermon exhibits homiletical compromise by failing to fence the Lord's Supper, treating a holy sacrament as an unqualified activity rather than a guarded covenant meal. This reflects a weak boundary around holy things, characteristic of the Pergamum archetype.

Read MoreThe Bold Pilgrimage: Walking by Promise
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The Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Saying Yes’ Is Not Salvation

The sermon demonstrates strong exegetical engagement with [Genesis 9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+9&version=KJV) and offers robust pastoral applications regarding sin, alcohol, and the universal scope of the Gospel. However, the homiletical execution is critically flawed by the inclusion of a decisional altar call that replaces the Holy Spirit's sovereign regeneration with a human ritual. This error invalidates the Gospel's core message of grace, shifting the burden of salvation from Christ's finished work to human performance.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with a human decisional formula. While the external structure of the Gospel is present, the internal mechanism of salvation is compromised by Decisionism, rendering the message spiritually dead despite its orthodox appearance.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Saying Yes’ Is Not Salvation
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The Rainbow Signal: God’s Covenant of Grace

This sermon is a robust exposition of [Genesis 8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+8&version=KJV)-9, effectively weaving together the historical narrative of Noah with the theological reality of the New Covenant. The pastor successfully avoids moralistic pitfalls by anchoring the call to faith in the objective reality of Christ's sacrifice. The homiletics are clear, the theological distinctions are precise, and the pastoral application is both comforting and challenging.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining a clear distinction between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works. It successfully anchors the congregation's hope in the finished work of Christ rather than human effort, reflecting the steadfastness and faithfulness characteristic of the church in Philadelphia.

Read MoreThe Rainbow Signal: God’s Covenant of Grace
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The Ark of Grace: Salvation by Faith Alone

The sermon effectively uses the Noah narrative to illustrate the necessity of faith and the security of salvation. However, it contains a critical theological error regarding the nature of salvation, presenting it as a synergistic process where human response is the decisive factor, rather than the sovereign work of God's grace.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by presenting a decisional framework for salvation that relies on human response rather than the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit. This aligns with the Sardis archetype, which is characterized by a reputation for life but a lack of true spiritual vitality and reliance on human effort.

Read MoreThe Ark of Grace: Salvation by Faith Alone
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The Grief of God: Finding Grace in a Fallen World

The sermon effectively highlights the gravity of sin and the reality of God's grief, using vivid illustrations to connect the congregation to the biblical narrative. However, the message is critically weakened by a failure to articulate the Gospel of grace. By focusing on moral exhortation and human effort to resist sin, the sermon risks leading the congregation into spiritual exhaustion rather than the rest found in Christ's finished work.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — The sermon exhibits homiletical compromise by relying on moralistic exhortation and human effort to address sin and cultural issues, while failing to anchor the message in the finished work of Christ and the monergistic power of the Holy Spirit. This reflects a 'Pergamum' state where the church has compromised its distinctiveness by allowing worldly moralism to replace the transformative power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Grief of God: Finding Grace in a Fallen World
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Beyond Existence: The Call to True Life in Christ

Pastor Harris delivers a robust message that effectively contrasts the futility human effort with the sufficiency Christ's work. This sermon anchors the call to holiness firmly in the Gospel, successfully avoiding moralism by emphasizing true life as a gift of grace received through faith, supported by clear homiletical structure and engaging illustrations.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining a clear distinction between mere existence and true spiritual life in Christ. It upholds the necessity of the Gospel for salvation while encouraging believers to pursue a deep, abiding communion with God, reflecting the steadfastness and faithfulness of the church in Philadelphia.

Read MoreBeyond Existence: The Call to True Life in Christ
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The Danger of Human Decision: Why Salvation is God’s Work

The sermon offers a compelling cultural critique of secularism and issues a clear call to repentance. However, it is fundamentally compromised by a critical soteriological error: the reduction of salvation to a human decisional formula. While the core Gospel Framework of Christ's substitutionary sacrifice and salvation by grace is articulated, the mechanism of salvation is presented as synergistic rather than monergistic, requiring immediate correction to align with biblical orthodoxy.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with a human decisional formula. While the external structure of the Gospel is present, the internal mechanism of salvation is compromised by synergistic decisionism, rendering the message spiritually dead despite its orthodox appearance.

Read MoreThe Danger of Human Decision: Why Salvation is God’s Work
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The City of God: Finding Hope in a Secular World

Pastor Harris delivers a robust, theologically sound exposition that effectively contrasts the futility of secularism with the sufficiency of the Gospel. The sermon is marked by strong doctrinal clarity, a clear Gospel framework, and practical applications for urban ministry. It successfully avoids moralism by anchoring all calls to action in the finished work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining a clear distinction between the fallen nature of secular society and the redemptive hope found in Christ. It avoids the moralism of self-help and the compromise of cultural accommodation, instead calling the congregation to a Christ-centered worldview and active evangelism.

Read MoreThe City of God: Finding Hope in a Secular World
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The Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Choosing’ Jesus Is Not Salvation

The sermon contains strong expository elements regarding the resurrection narrative and offers practical applications for believers. However, it is critically compromised by a synergistic soteriology that places the burden of salvation on human decision-making. This error undermines the doctrine of grace and must be corrected to ensure the congregation understands that regeneration is God's monergistic work.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with human decisionism. By teaching that salvation is contingent upon a human 'decision of the will,' the message shifts the ground of salvation from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Choosing’ Jesus Is Not Salvation
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The Finished Work: Resting in Christ’s Sovereign Atonement

This sermon is a robust and theologically sound presentation of the Gospel. It effectively contrasts the human tendency toward works-based salvation with the biblical truth of monergistic grace. The preacher successfully anchors ethical duties in the indicative of the Gospel, providing a clear path to spiritual rest and assurance.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, centering on the finished work of the cross and the sovereignty of God. It avoids the moralism of human effort and the coldness of mere intellectualism, instead offering a warm, grace-centered invitation to rest in Christ's completed atonement.

Read MoreThe Finished Work: Resting in Christ’s Sovereign Atonement
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The Danger of Decisional Regeneration: Why ‘Saying It’ Is Not Salvation

The sermon offers a vivid and emotionally resonant depiction of Jesus' trial and scourging, effectively highlighting His innocence and the severity of His sacrifice. However, the homiletical application collapses into decisionism, inviting listeners to 'say' a prayer to secure salvation. This shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, fundamentally compromising the Gospel message.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits the characteristics of Sardis, characterized by a reputation for life but a spiritual deadness in its core soteriology. By replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit with human decisionism and ritualistic prayer formulas, the message presents a 'dead orthodoxy' that relies on human performance rather than the living power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisional Regeneration: Why ‘Saying It’ Is Not Salvation
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The Cross Before the Cross: Finding Strength in Christ’s Suffering

This sermon offers a rich, biblically grounded exposition of the Passion narrative. It effectively connects the historical events of Jesus' arrest and Peter's denial to the believer's call for spiritual vigilance and reliance on God. The homiletical structure is sound, with clear applications that encourage personal commitment without resorting to moralism or decisionism.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining doctrinal integrity and pastoral warmth without compromise. It successfully balances the gravity of sin with the hope of the Gospel, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their commitment to Jesus.

Read MoreThe Cross Before the Cross: Finding Strength in Christ’s Suffering
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The Danger of Conditional Salvation: Why ‘If You Will’ Undermines Grace

While the sermon offers rich illustrations of God's glory and the hope of resurrection, it is fundamentally compromised by a Critical error in its presentation of salvation. The pastor frames regeneration as a conditional human act ('if you will... you will be saved'), which contradicts the biblical doctrine of monergistic grace. This error requires immediate correction to protect the congregation from false assurance.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with human decisionism. By framing salvation as a conditional response to a human formula ('if you will... you will be saved'), the message shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Danger of Conditional Salvation: Why ‘If You Will’ Undermines Grace
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Hope Beyond Optimism: The Reality of Christ’s Sacrifice

The sermon offers a theologically rich reflection on hope versus optimism, effectively using personal anecdotes and historical illustrations to ground the congregation in the reality of Christ's sacrifice. However, the service is compromised by a critical failure in sacramental practice: the Lord's Supper was administered without the necessary biblical fencing, leaving the congregation without the required warning against unworthy partaking.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — The sermon exhibits a pastoral concern regarding the lack of table fencing, which serves as a critical ecclesiastical boundary. While the Gospel framework remains intact, the omission of this sacramental discipline represents a weak boundary around holy things, aligning with the Pergamum archetype of compromised spiritual boundaries.

Read MoreHope Beyond Optimism: The Reality of Christ’s Sacrifice
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The Danger of Decisionism: Why Walking the Aisle Cannot Save

While the sermon contains commendable illustrations of God's love and a call to evangelism, it is critically flawed by the inclusion of Decisional Regeneration. The pastor commands unbelievers to 'walk the aisle' as a condition for receiving salvation, which replaces the Holy Spirit's sovereign work with human ritual. This error requires immediate correction to preserve the integrity of the Gospel.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with human ritual decisionism. By commanding a physical act (walking the aisle) as the mechanism for salvation and membership, the message shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisionism: Why Walking the Aisle Cannot Save
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Sanctified Separation: Living Distinctly in a Worldly Age

Pastor Harris delivers a robust exposition on sanctification, effectively balancing the believer's physical presence in the world with their spiritual identity in Christ. The sermon is theologically sound, avoiding moralism by anchoring duties in the truth of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit. It provides clear, actionable guidance for Christian living while maintaining a strong Gospel foundation.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining doctrinal precision regarding sanctification and the authority of Scripture. It exhibits the 'open door' of Gospel grace by clearly distinguishing between the believer's position in Christ and their practical walk, encouraging steadfastness without compromising biblical truth.

Read MoreSanctified Separation: Living Distinctly in a Worldly Age
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The Perfect Savior: Glorifying God Through Christ’s Finished Work

This sermon is a robust and theologically sound presentation of the Gospel. It successfully anchors the congregation's hope in the objective work of Christ rather than subjective human effort. The preacher effectively balances doctrinal precision with pastoral warmth, offering clear applications for both believers and unbelievers while maintaining a high standard of biblical fidelity.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, centering on the exclusive sufficiency of Jesus' sinless life and atoning death. It maintains doctrinal precision regarding salvation by grace alone through faith alone, while encouraging believers to glorify God through their response to this Gospel truth.

Read MoreThe Perfect Savior: Glorifying God Through Christ’s Finished Work
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The Divine Helper: Conviction, Righteousness, and Judgment

This sermon is a robust exposition of [John 16:8-11](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A8-11&version=KJV), effectively communicating the theological necessity of the Holy Spirit for salvation. The preacher maintains a strong doctrinal foundation, clearly distinguishing between human effort and divine conviction. The homiletical delivery is engaging, utilizing relatable illustrations to drive home the urgency of the Gospel message.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining doctrinal precision regarding the Holy Spirit's role in conviction and salvation. It exhibits the 'open door' of the Gospel by clearly presenting the need for repentance and faith, while maintaining a strong, unyielding commitment to biblical truth without compromise.

Read MoreThe Divine Helper: Conviction, Righteousness, and Judgment
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Love as a Decision: The Power of Christ’s Sacrifice

This sermon is a sound and commendable exposition that effectively bridges the gap between theological truth and practical Christian living. By anchoring the command to love in the finished work of Christ and the enablement of the Holy Spirit, the pastor avoids moralism and provides a robust, grace-filled framework for family, church, and societal engagement.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, maintaining doctrinal integrity and pastoral warmth. It successfully anchors ethical commands in the Gospel, avoiding moralism by emphasizing the Holy Spirit's enablement, and reflects the steadfast witness characteristic of the Philadelphia church.

Read MoreLove as a Decision: The Power of Christ’s Sacrifice
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The Pruning Process: Abiding in Christ for Fruitful Living

The sermon offers a rich exploration of [John 15](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15&version=KJV), utilizing vivid agricultural illustrations and personal anecdotes to explain the concept of abiding. However, the homiletical execution is compromised by a moralistic framework that places the burden of spiritual growth on human effort rather than the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — This sermon reflects a homiletical compromise by prioritizing moralistic application over the finished work of Christ. Although the Gospel Framework is compromised by this assumption, the errors are categorized as Major rather than Critical. This aligns with the archetype of Pergamum, characterized by weak doctrinal boundaries and a tendency toward moralism.

Read MoreThe Pruning Process: Abiding in Christ for Fruitful Living
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The Power Within: Relying on the Holy Spirit

This sermon offers a robust and biblically grounded exposition on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The preacher effectively balances doctrinal precision with pastoral application, urging the congregation to rely on the Spirit's power rather than their own strength. The message is sound, encouraging, and free from theological error.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, specifically highlighting the necessity of the Holy Spirit for spiritual vitality and witness. It avoids the cold orthodoxy of Ephesus by maintaining pastoral warmth and practical application, while avoiding the moralistic compromise of Pergamum by anchoring all duties in the Spirit's power rather than human effort.

Read MoreThe Power Within: Relying on the Holy Spirit
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From Gifts to God: The Path to Spiritual Maturity

Pastor Harris delivers a robust exposition of [John 14](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14&version=KJV), effectively contrasting the immature desire for material blessings with the mature pursuit of God's presence. The sermon is theologically sound, emphasizing that true spiritual maturity is evidenced by a shift in focus from what God gives to who God is. The homiletical structure is clear, moving from diagnosis to application, and the Gospel Framework remains fully intact.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon demonstrates a faithful adherence to the Word of Christ, emphasizing the exclusive revelation of God through Jesus and the necessity of obedience and love. It avoids doctrinal compromise and maintains a strong focus on the Gospel's transformative power, reflecting the steadfastness and faithfulness characteristic of the church in Philadelphia.

Read MoreFrom Gifts to God: The Path to Spiritual Maturity
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The Danger of Decisional Faith: Why ‘Saying It’ Isn’t Saving

While the sermon offers a compelling call to focus on Christ during times of trouble, it is fundamentally compromised by a critical soteriological error. The message reduces salvation to a human decision and ritual response, effectively replacing the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit with human effort. This 'Decisional Regeneration' undermines the Gospel's power, leaving the congregation with a works-based assurance rather than the peace found in Christ's finished work.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with a human ritual decision. By framing salvation as a response to a countdown and a recited prayer formula, the message shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisional Faith: Why ‘Saying It’ Isn’t Saving
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The Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Giving Your Life’ Is Not Salvation

While the sermon effectively uses the story of Judas to warn against spiritual complacency and self-deception, it fundamentally fails by prescribing a synergistic method for salvation. By inviting listeners to 'give their life' as a human act, the pastor replaces the monergistic work of the Holy Spirit with human decisionism, rendering the Gospel message incomplete and the assurance of salvation false.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits the characteristics of Sardis, characterized by a reputation for life but a heart of death. By reducing salvation to a human decision and ritual act (Decisionism), the message replaces the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit with human performance. This creates a 'dead orthodoxy' where the external form of faith is present, but the vital power of the Gospel is absent.

Read MoreThe Danger of Decisionism: Why ‘Giving Your Life’ Is Not Salvation
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The Cross: Judgment, Distinction, and Drawing Power

While the sermon offers a robust exposition of the cross's theological significance, it is fundamentally compromised by two critical errors: the administration of communion without biblical fencing and the promotion of decisional regeneration. These errors undermine the Gospel's integrity and require immediate correction.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with human decisionism. By commanding a specific prayer formula as the mechanism for salvation, the message shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a fundamentally compromised Gospel presentation.

Read MoreThe Cross: Judgment, Distinction, and Drawing Power
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The Shepherd’s Grip: Assurance Beyond Human Effort

The sermon presents a robust defense of biblical assurance, effectively contrasting the security found in Christ with the instability of human effort. However, the homiletical execution contains a critical theological error regarding the mechanism of salvation, specifically through the use of a decisional prayer formula that risks reducing regeneration to a human ritual.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — This message exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy,' maintaining the language of eternal security while replacing the sovereign, monergistic act of the Holy Spirit with a synergistic model of salvation. Although the doctrine of perseverance is affirmed, the mechanism for entering into that state is compromised by decisionism, rendering the core Gospel framework broken.

Read MoreThe Shepherd’s Grip: Assurance Beyond Human Effort
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The Shepherd’s Call: Beyond the Door

The sermon effectively utilizes the rich imagery of [John 10](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10&version=KJV) to provide deep pastoral comfort, particularly for widows and young people, emphasizing God's personal knowledge and care. However, the homiletical execution is critically compromised by a decisionist framework that reduces salvation to a human act of will, undermining the biblical doctrine of sovereign grace.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit with human decisionism. By framing salvation as a human act of 'making a decision' to come through the door, the message shifts the ground of salvation from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Read MoreThe Shepherd’s Call: Beyond the Door