As years passed this new theology found its way from the seminary to the pulpit. Something strange happened. Those in the pew were more discerning than those in the pulpit. Many couldn’t put their finger on it exactly, but they knew something was wrong. Sermons no longer gave answers to life’s problems from the authority of Scripture, they offered platitudes and empty philosophy. Pulpits devoid of authority lost their power and those in the pew found the door. The result? Those in leadership analyzed the drastic situation of declining membership, attendance and revenue and decided that the answer was to … become more liberal!

The farther the pulpit strayed away from the absolute authority of Scripture the larger the exodus to the parking lot—never to return. The trend in the pulpit continues as does the exodus. The result? The mainline is no longer the mainline; evangelicals have taken their place.

Even a cursory examination of the current fads within evangelicalism shows a shocking trend. Those once characterized by strict adherence to the authority of Scripture are starting to walk in the footsteps of their mainline counterparts. The Emergent Church (which seems to gain strength daily) is characterized, to a great extent, by the same propensities as those who led mainline Protestantism into oblivion. Consider just one example.

Rob Bell is, without question, one of the most vocal of the Emergent leaders. In his book, “Velvet Elvis,” he considers at length the importance of biblical doctrine in today’s church. While stressing continually his love for the Bible, his commitment to Scripture and his “orthodoxy,” he uses an extremely troubling illustration that contradicts his claims.

In Bell’s theology you look at Bible doctrine either as a brick or a spring. A brick is hard, unbending, unmovable and static. He berates those who hold this view of doctrine as being out of touch, legalistic and rigid. On the other hand, a spring is pliable, moving, dynamic, constantly changing—it’s almost alive. He then relates this to a trampoline. The springs allow someone on the trampoline to bounce and move. Now, it’s nice to have all the springs in place, but in reality you can remove several of them and still be able to bounce.

This is his view (and the view of the Emergent Church generally) concerning Bible doctrine. Doctrine is not primarily to be understood but merely studied. To question, to discuss and to debate is the end—not discovery and proclamation. It would be nice to be able to truly “know” doctrine and to have it all in place, but it’s not necessary. A spring here or there can be removed without hurting the trampoline. In other words, the Virgin Birth is important, but not vital. The whole concept of how a person is really justified may never be completely understood so, as long as you love Jesus, you’re in.

This attack on the authority of Scripture is much more dangerous than that of the liberals who destroyed the mainline denominations. Why? Because it’s much harder to discern. It’s cloaked in the language of evangelicalism, but under the cloak is the doctrine of doubt rather than confidence in the biblical witness. For Bell and others, it seems that questioning Scripture is more important than understanding it. We’re left with essentially the same message as classic theological liberalism, but wrapped in different packaging.

Unless the evangelical church wakes up to the fact that the authority of the very Word of God is under attack in their own movement, evangelicalism will indeed become the new “mainline”—and experience the same tragic end.