Counterfeit Gospels: Understanding the True Gospel and Identifying Dangerous Counterfeits is a course that is designed to help those who attend recognize the true gospel – when it is preached and taught – and to discern when they encounter a counterfeit gospel. We’ll start off by looking at the true gospel, and specifically dive into Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6-10 as he tells the Philippian church –
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
And even though some counterfeit gospels “…distort the gospel of Christ…” they still refer to themselves as “Christian.” These are easily recognizable as counterfeit based on what they teach and what they add to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Among those counterfeit gospels that fit into this category that we will look at are the Mormon church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Prosperity Gospel, and a counterfeit gospel referred to as theological liberalism.
In addition to these, we’ll also look at some lesser-known counterfeit gospels that act, as Trevin Wax states, “…as a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of the stool until it topples the whole thing [the whole gospel].” Among these “termites” are the therapeutic gospel, the moralistic gospel, and the “activist” gospel.
Last, we’ll look at recognizing counterfeit gods/ idols. Idolatry is worshiping, or being more devoted to, anything other than God. It is also worshiping something other than God as if that thing were God. These counterfeit gods that we will look at lean on the empty promises of money, sex, and influence/ power.
Group Leader Resources
Week 1 | Introduction, Understanding the True Gospel
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide | State of Theology Survey A
Week 2 | Identifying Counterfeit Gospels
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide
Week 3 | The Mormon Church: What does this Counterfeit Gospel Believe?
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide
Week 4 | The Jehovah’s Witness: What does this Counterfeit Gospel Believe?
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide
Week 5 | The Prosperity Gospel & Theological Liberalism: What do these Counterfeit Gospels Believe?
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide
Week 6 | The Therapeutic, Moralistic and “Activist” Gospels: Why are these Counterfeit Gospels so Dangerous?
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide
Week 7 | The Counterfeit gods of Money, Sex and Influence/ Power: Why are these Counterfeit gods so Dangerous?
Group Guide | Teacher’s Guide | State of Theology Survey B