Church reviews/NC/elevation Church
Breaking "The CODE", A Review of Elevation's "Code"
When looking at a church one can tell a lot about that said church in a few moments of navigating around their website. In particular we can learn a lot about what a church believes by what is put forth in their statement of beliefs section and in their “NEW” section. This observation seems to be ever so true with Elevation Church of Charlotte, NC. Within a quick drag of your mouse and one quick left click of your mouse’s button you can find yourself viewing a section called “The Code”. For this, "The Code", will be the focus of this article. We will be taking a closer examine of what Steven Furtick and Elevation Church are trying to promote as a biblical guide for their church.
I have placed below this paragraph on Scribd a copy of “The Code” for everyone to look at and read through for your selves. Since I started writing this article on “The Code” Elevation Church as attempted to change or lock down access to “The Code” section of their website. I don’t understand why they would do this if “The Code” is biblical and they have nothing to hide, seems to me that there is something a foot at Elevation Church.
I have placed below this paragraph on Scribd a copy of “The Code” for everyone to look at and read through for your selves. Since I started writing this article on “The Code” Elevation Church as attempted to change or lock down access to “The Code” section of their website. I don’t understand why they would do this if “The Code” is biblical and they have nothing to hide, seems to me that there is something a foot at Elevation Church.
When we take a precursory look at “The Code” we can see that it is made up of 12 individual points to be adhered to by its followers at Elevation. As you can see at the top of “The Code” we are given a description of exactly what "The Code" means to those at Elevation Church.
“The Code is our core set of values at Elevation Church. It sets the tone and trajectory for how we get things done. If the mission is the compass, The Code is the map that gives us direction.”
If “The Code” and not the bible is what is setting the tone and trajectory for how things are done at Elevation church than we should all be very concerned. If this is their map than they need to throw it away and start over. Doing so with the bible, not a man centered tool promoting the Law. They really should try using the Word of God as their map not the 12 points of narcissism. Please note the lack of any biblical references to Scriptures mentioned or cited in “The Code.”
As we scan down the page of the copy of “The Code” above lets start taking a closer look at each of the 12 points that guide this church and analyze them in the light of God’s Word and proper Christian theology and doctrine.
1. We Act in Audacious Faith – In order to dominate a city with the gospel of Jesus, we can’t think small. We will set impossible goals, take bold steps of faith and watch God move.
Well while there is nothing exactly unbiblical about this first statement it could use so better defining. For example where in the bible are we told to “dominate a City with the Gospel?" The fact is we are never told to do this at all. We are told in the Great Commission in Matthew 28 to go out and make disciples in all nations. We are never told to go out and dominate all nations. There is an over all problem with this first statement, it has not biblical backing. The way this first point is worded it’s trending toward Dominion theology, meaning that it is our job, as Christians, to take back the culture in order for Christ to return.
2. We Are a Generation of Honor – We freely give honor to those above us, beside us and under us because of the calling and potential God has placed inside of them.
What does this exactly mean? Can we have some Scriptural references of what “A Generation of Honor” is from Elevation or Steven Furtick. Without any Scriptural references this leaves point number 2 open to a wide range of interpretations for members of Elevation to define what “Honor” is. I believe that this open-endedness is done on purpose in order to used as a showman’s piece to create an illusion of honor.
3. We Lead the Way in Generosity – Our staff and church will go above and beyond to give sacrificially to the work of God in our city.
Point number 3 is actually a good point and is something that Church’s around the country should be trying to do move of being generous in the community. This is something that Elevation Church is good at. Let’s just hope that they are being generous for the right reason, Christ being the reason behind their generosity.
4. We Are United Under the Visionary – Elevation is built on the vision God gave Pastor Steven. We will aggressively defend our unity and his vision.
Point number four is a little scary and kind of cultist sounding. First of all when reading this, God gave Pastor Steven a vision? This seems a little strange since the bible is very clear that no man has seen God. So now God is making personal trips to Steven Furtick and giving him visions? I don’t think so what vision Furtick received from the supernatural realm I pretty assured that it was not from God. A demon masquerading as God yes maybe. This statement makes Furtick out to be a type of messiah of sorts in which you disagree with Furtick or his “vision” you are essentially disagreeing with God.
The second part of point number four is even more condemning the first. “We will aggressively defend our unity and his vision”. This is a dangerous statement that is very cultish in its nature. Basically if you disagree with Furtick and his “vision” you better watch out they are going to come and get you. Oh boy, I better lock my doors, turn out my lights and hide under the blankets.
5. We Need Your Seat – We will not cater to personal preference in our mission to reach this city. We are more concerned with the people we are trying to reach than the people we are trying to keep.
Point number five is a perfect example of what not to look for when you are looking for an example of an Acts 2 New Testament Church. From this point we can see that the only purpose for Elevation church is to reach people far from God. My question is what are they trying to reach them with? I don’t think it is the Gospel at least not the one Jesus in the Bible preaches. I guess if you are attending Elevation Church you can’t expect to get fed as a sheep or to grow in your knowledge of who God is or what His Word teaches. I would take this advice if you are attending this church and give them your seat and find yourself a bible teaching, Gospel preaching, church.
6. We Think Inside the Box – We will embrace our limitations. They will inspire our greatest creativity and innovation.
All one can say about point number six is; HUH? I think Furtick and Elevation Church must have needed a filler here to make it to number 12. You know the 12 points to “The Code” just like there was 12 disciples.
7. We Dress for the Wedding – We will continually increase our capacity by structuring for where we want to go, not where we are. We will remain on the edge of our momentum by overreacting to harness strategic momentum initiatives.
Again with point number seven where is there any Scriptural references for this? I am not finding any for this statement, nor am I finding any base in the bible to make this a point to follow as a church. This point seems to be word to push an agenda, that agenda is, “we need your money”. The way they have set this statement up they are making the members of Elevation underlings to moving forward and it they are not doing that than they are failing. In Psalms 46:10 God tells us to be still, we don’t always need to be moving forward to be pleasing God. Often moving forward to fast and all the time is what gets many churches and Pastors in trouble because they are moving ahead of God’s plan for them.
8. We Are Ruth's Chris, Not Golden Corral – Simplicity enables excellence. We place a disproportionate value on creating a worship experience that boldly celebrates Jesus and attracts people far from God.
In other words point number eight is saying we are that it is all about the experience and nothing about the context. This is one of the best examples of psychobabble I have seen from a church in a while. Saying nothing by saying everything.
9. We Are All About the Numbers – Tracking metrics measures effectiveness. We unapologetically set goals and measure progress through all available quantitative means.
Well point number nine says it all. If you are attending Elevation church remember you are just a number. Hope you meet those quantitative means or you won’t count. At least they are being honest here and telling us that its all about the numbers and not what God wants them to do or the people of the church. There is no biblical support for this type of value in a New Testament Church. Lucky for us Jesus doesn’t base His Grace on numbers like Elevation and Steven Furtick does.
10. We Eat the Fish and Leave the Bones – We will always maintain a posture of learning. We seek to learn from everyone and incorporate a variety of influences into our methodology.
We can learn from point number 10 that anyone is welcome at Elevation Church to teach. It doesn’t matter if they are orthodox or heterodoxical. Point number 10 was clearly seen being fulfilled during the Code Orange Revival. During which they allowed many heretics including T.D. Jakes to speak and teach from their pulpit.
11. We Are Known for What We Are For – We will speak vision and life over our people. We will lift up the salvation of Jesus rather than using our platform to condemn.
With Point number 11 we get to see that Elevation Church and Steven Furtick believe that they are prophets, the get to “speak vision and life over our people.” Also we see in this statement that if someone uses biblical discernment and goes against what Elevation Church or Furtick is speaking as a vision they are condemning. It would seem to me that they are pulling the classic tu quoque fallacy here. In other words saying that a retort made by a person accused of a crime implying that the accuser is also guilty of the same crime. Here the crime is being condemning, but are not being condemning by condemning someone for condemning them?
12. We Will Not Take This for Granted – What we are experiencing is not normal. This is the highest calling, and we will remain grateful for God’s hand of favor.
Point number 12 makes a good concluding statement for "The Code" and a great way to conclude this review. Elevation says it well when they stated; “what we are experiencing is not normal.” I would agree with that statement 100 %, what we are experiencing here is anything but normal and not even biblical. Elevation Church and Steven Furtick are far from normal and far from biblical in both their approaches to handling the Word of God and the proper purposes of a New Testament Church. The 12 points of “The Code” is anything but based in the bible or even with in the norms of orthodox Christianity. I would suggest anyone attending Elevation Church or following Steven Furtick as a Pastor follow point number five and give them your seat and leave while you can. If you follow and adhere to “The Code” too long you might find yourself in a non Christian cult the way this church and its pastor is heading.
