Wise Counsel and Discernment

"Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14

"But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him." I Kings 12:8

We would do well to not just heed wise counsel, but to proactively seek it. As Moses, chosen by God to lead His people, needed help from wise counselors (Exodus 18:13-27), so do we. We need this counsel to help us discern. I've noted lately some "Christian" books that border on heresy, see here and here. As Charles Spurgeon says, "Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right." This is where we need those counselors that we trust, that have searched the Scriptures and speak the truth.

This is especially important in choosing the books we read.

“I want to warn you, especially, of books and teachings that are almost right, but devastatingly wrong. Teachings and preachings and books that have a measure of truth in them, but they’re wrapped in a whole lot of poisonous dough.” Michael Youseff

"We must remember verbal paintings can become just as iconic as images carved from wood or smelted from precious metals." Larry DeBruyn

We can be so easily led astray by the "poisonous dough". May I suggest you make a mental note of "counselors" you have come to trust and that others have come to trust.

We need to also note "...those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them…by smooth talk and flattery...deceive the hearts of the naive." (Romans 16:17-18)

Publishers often seek recommendations from other authors or leaders and make known their thoughts in the quotes they list on the cover or back of the book. I'm not usually so interested in what these people actually say as I am in who says it. Therefore, with all humility, I offer a list of who I look for when reading these recommendations. This is not all inclusive. There are more that could be added. These are common names that you will see on a lot of books. I haven’t listed more obscure names that don’t get used a lot. I also haven’t read everything by every author so these are just impressions based on personal experience and are only used in judging whether, or not, a book may be worth reading.

The distinction between elders and deacons is more superficial than it may look (although not superficial in the Biblical sense of the word). It is just a convenient way for me to think of those who I look to primarily and secondarily, i.e. it is just a way to categorize the names. Also, please note that I may not agree with any of those recommended, in either the elder or deacon category, across the full spectrum of theological and doctrinal issues, however, I am confident that we would agree on the orthodox basics of Christianity.

Elders - those commited to doctrinal teaching. They test, and base, their grasp of doctrine on the Word. (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:1-13). These are the ones I have found to be extremely trustworthy.

Alistair Begg, Jerry Bridges, John MacArthur, Albert Mohler, John Piper, R.C. Sproul (Sr., not Jr.)

Deacons - those who serve with gladness (Acts 6:1-6). Don’t take this to mean that these aren’t commited to doctrinal teaching, as noted in the elder category, but these are ones that I may disagree with on certain secondary points or that I just don’t know as well.

Randy Alcorn, Darrell Bock, D.A. Carson, Charles Colson, Mark Dever, John Frame, Wayne Grudem, Joshua Harris, James MacDonald, C.J. Mahaney, Josh McDowell, Vern Poythress, John Stott, Paul Tripp,Gene Edward Veith, David Wells, Donald Whitney

Misleading, false teaching or heretical – (I John 4:1, 2 John 1: 9-10) these differ enough, often a lot, on the basics to be a concern.

Rob Bell, Marcus Borg, Tony Campolo, Shane Claiborne, Kenneth Copeland, John Dominic Crossan, Paul Crouch, Creflo Dollar, Jessie Duplantis, Bart Ehrman, John Hagee, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, Tony Jones, Brian McLaren, Erwin McManus, Joyce Meyer, Donald Miller, Joel Osteen, Elaine Pagels, Doug Pagitt, Peter Popoff, Robert Schuller, John Shelby Spong, Ron Sider, N.T. Wright