The gospel and the New Age movement

A primer on sharing the gospel with people of the New Age movement

Cezar Luchian is the former editor of the Romanian Signs of the Times and is currently a postgraduate student at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee.

I was once an admirer of the New Age movement. Soon after the fall of communism, the search for truth and meaning sent me to the Greek-Orthodox Church, to Eastern mysticism, and then to many branches of the New Age movement. I was so fascinated with the New Age that I went from campus to campus in Romania, holding seminars on the supposed hope to be found in this movement. But, person ally, I was far from satisfied. Then I found Jesus. Joy filled my being. As I reflect on the grip New Age had on me and the many obstacles, failures, and sorrows that hindered my acceptance of the gospel, I am grateful for the blessings that inevitably accompanied my acceptance of Jesus.

A historical overview

Today New Age is a common term in religious vocabulary. Since the 70s, the movement began to gain public recognition as hundreds of oriental gurus, western philosophers, scientists, movie stars, writers, and politicians turned to New Age to find spiritual fulfillment. These men and women proclaimed the dawn of a new era in history, an era in which all humanity will ultimately reach its final stage of spiritual enlightenment through a worldwide conversion to a syncretistic, mystical, and humanistic religion.

All this is not entirely new. Recent roots of the movement can be traced to the resurgence of spiritualism in the second half of the nineteenth century, when, under the influence of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Annie Bessant, George Steiner, and Alice Bailey, the mystical philosophy of India and medieval occultism were reconciled and advocated as the only alternative to what they concluded was a defunct Christianity. But it was not until almost a century later that this anciently conceived "new age" movement finally reached its zenith after a long and obscure adolescence spent in the shadow of two world wars.

The zenith came in the wake of the counterculture of the 60s. The rejection of traditional moral values, the denunciation of a materialistic society, the rethinking of many western patterns of thought, the "LSD era" along with the explosion of psychedelic art, and the Vietnam crisis were among the most important factors1 that contributed to the launching of this "other gospel."

This "gospel" essentially told the world that ultimate and everlasting happiness is dependent on the mystical expansion of an inner sacred potential which is hidden in every human being. When this potential is properly developed, the individual will find his or her identity in the divine principle that governs this universe, and, by so doing, will again be a part of the initial cosmic order.

Until the arrival of this quasi gospel, Christians saw their main opponents to be the ongoing secularization of postmodern western society, anti-Christian political and philosophical ideologies, and the growing fundamentalism of traditional religions. But this is no longer so. Christians now have a new front: a new pervasive religion that transcends all religious, social, cultural, or political boundaries, and that has no sourcebook, no earthly leader, and no physical headquarters. This new religion is an apparently chaotic network of thousands of organizations, groups and clubs, proclaiming the coming of a New Age. Because many New Age philosophers feel free to include the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, the movement is perhaps the most subtle and powerful destroyer of the uniqueness of Christian faith. Indeed some Christian authors have called it "the spiritual version of AIDS."2

In the light of all this, it was only normal that anti-New Age apologetics began to develop in the Christian community, with evangelicals leading the battle. Constance Cumbey's The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow3 was largely responsible for coining the name New Age. This book and others that followed4 created a sensationalistic phobia regarding a secret worldwide conspiracy that would eventually establish a unique world government and impose on every human being the claims of a Satanic religion. Cumbey's detailed comparison between the New Age movement, Adolf Hitler's Third Reich, several original prophetic insights presented with hundreds of references gave credibility to her book. Although in recent years the book has been critically reevaluated by many conservative Bible scholars,5 many Christians still live under the fear that there is some hidden evil in the movement.

The Bible and the New Age movement

Having said this, we need to turn to what the Bible says about the New Age movement. Without any doubt, the movement is a threat to the Christian faith (consider Col. 2:8, 18-23); it partially fulfills the Bible prediction of an end-time resurgence of false religions and false messiahs (Matt. 24:5,23-26; etc.); its intellectual and spiritual presuppositions prepare the minds of many with basic philosophies that could eventually lead them to accept the "last day" deceptions (Rev. 13:13,14; 16:14; 2 Thess. 2:9-12). The worldwide impact of the movement prevents the work of the gospel as other pseudo-gospels have done in the past (Gal. 1:6-8; 2 John 7-11; etc.).6

Facing these challenges, we do need to "hold firmly to the trustworthy message of the Bible as it has been taught... and refute those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9; see also 1 Tim. 1:3; 4:1; 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:13; etc.).

But how do we do this? How do we counter the work of the New Age movement and reach out to those who are in its grasp? Organizations, such as the Spiritual Counterfeit Project and Christian Research Institute, are probably the leading Christian counter New Age groups. Also, several books published in the last decade provide a balanced analysis of this movement, as well as a solid biblical defense of the Christian faith.7

However, anyone who reads a Christian apologetic against the New Age or attends a seminar on the topic will realize that the main goal of this type of outreach appears to be a warning of the deceitfulness of the New Age teaching and practice and the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the only viable alternative. But Christians have little to gain from this approach.

Ellen White's counsel in this respect is extremely valuable: "It is not best to dwell upon the spiritualistic sentiments, the strange, misleading theories, which have for years been coming in among us.... If you try to handle these subjects, you will be led to repeat the sophistries of Satan, and thus you will help Satan to present his false theories to the people. Resolve never, never to repeat error, but always to teach the truth."8

While warning people is indeed an important part of our work, it is only a small part. We need not only to warn but to guide people to the channel of God's grace. The ultimate goal is not simply to expose error, but to lead people to Jesus Himself.

Two basic characteristics

The first premise of any outreach philosophy is that while the gospel is the same for all human beings, not all can be reached in the same way. The specific characteristics of each group, their cultural and social background, religious interest, educational and economic level, etc., demand that a specific method be employed in each group. Hence, it is vital to have a knowledge of the main psychosocial characteristics of those who get involved in the New Age.

Paul gives us a fascinating analogy which shows that the human soul in every age possesses the same basic needs, fears, desires, and hopes. The apostle wrote: "Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Cor. 1:22,23).

Paul employed a common preconceived Jewish distinction to illustrate the preeminence of the gospel and the universality of the Christian message (see verses 24-26). The way in which he characterized the Jews and the Greeks appears to be analogous when it comes to the New Age mind.

In today's world Paul's distinction points to two different types of personalities in which the New Age net catches a lot of its fish.

The first one is the "Jewish-minded" group: people dissatisfied with the kind of life they live. They are eager to escape the banality of surrounding mindsets. They want to discover a new world and test the supernatural. They are ready to engage in all sorts of unusual experiences to obtain free access to a new dimension of the uni verse. They "demand miraculous signs" to make their lives meaningful. They attempt to resolve their social maladjustments and self-esteem problems by seeking refuge in a world supposedly inaccessible to the average individual. And since a healthy body is perceived to be the best vehicle for any supernatural adventure, they prove to be extremely health conscious.

The second group are "Gentile-minded." They are dissatisfied with anything traditional ideology or Western religion has tried to offer in the past two centuries. People in this group are more intellectually oriented. They are in search of a philosophy that will answer all questions and give a coherent explanation for humanity's bloody destiny. They look "for wisdom," and they pretend to have found it in the syncretistic philosophy of the New Age—a combination of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist philosophies, a few Western ideas taken from Darwin, Maslow, or modern physics. Many are also politically active, ecologically conscious, and vigorous promoters of pacifism. In short: They are a lot more socially involved than their "Jewish" cousins.

All told, however, the typical New Ager is more or less a combination of both the "Jew" and the "Greek" in our analogy. Intellectual and physical needs are mixed with curiosity and fascination to the point that no one is able to give a clear answer as to what it might have been that convinced a person to start their New Age adventure.

Having said this, we now turn to our main concern: What are some basic principles and strategies for reaching New Agers with the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Three general principles

1. Reveal the character of Christ in your life. New Agers are as much in need of the revelation of God's character as anybody else. Coldness, harsh words, icy looks, or an air of academic superiority will always close doors and confirm their preconceived ideas regarding Christians' bigotry and exclusivism. In order to be effective in reaching others with the gospel of Christ, we first need to be thoroughly convinced that "the strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian."9 What New Agers re ally need is not so much somebody telling them the truth but somebody consistently living the truth. "Love will gain the victory when argument and authority are power less. ... It is melting and transforming in its influence, and will take hold of the lives of the sinful and affect their hearts when every other means has proved unsuccessful."10

2. Respect them by avoiding confrontation, either private or public. Constant attacks in our outreach materials or public lectures will only harden hearts instead of softening them. Our goal should be to establish relationships. The only way in which people realize their true needs is a "one to one" meeting with Christ at Calvary. Arguments over how erroneous people's beliefs are is the worst way of starting the journey to the cross.

This aspect cannot be over-stressed: In reaching New Agers, there is no place for any ideological debates. Threats, accusations, or criticism will only reinforce them in their belief and make them less and less receptive to the influence of the Spirit. Long theological debates will only help them find new arguments and lead the discussion to a philosophical "no man's land."

"The Lord wants His people to follow other methods than that of condemning wrong, even though the condemnation is just. He wants us to do something more than to hurl at our adversaries charges that only drive them farther from the truth. The work which Christ came to do in our world was not to erect barriers, and constantly thrust upon the people the fact that they were wrong. He who expects to enlighten a deceived people must come near to them and labor for them in love. He must become a center of holy influence.... In the advocacy of truth the bitterest opponents should be treated with respect and deference."11

3. Isolate them. Although at times they may work, public seminars targeting this group are not generally the best way to reach them. Such seminars cannot be limited to New Agers. Besides, due to the strong influences under which New Agers move, we may seldom expect mass conversions from their ranks. Consequently, the best approach is that of friendship evangelism. Reach them one by one, through personal effort and prayer.

Four-step building strategy

With these three general principles before us, we now turn to some practical methods to be used in reaching New Agers. They are no different from well-known principles of friendship evangelism but are adapted to the specific interests and needs of those in the New Age movement.

1. Build true friendships through a life of service. Reach out and help whenever an occasion arises. In spite of the ongoing theological debate around the "good deeds" issue, unselfish service remains the best way of disarming prejudice, winning confidence, and making someone "an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master" (2 Tim. 2:21; cf. Matt 5:16; Titus 2:14; 3:8; James 1:27; etc.). Although most New Agers try to present themselves as completely detached from this world, they still need to hear kind words, see smiling faces, and get the help of friendly hands.

2. Build bridges of common interest. No other topic can serve as an entering wedge for reaching New Agers better than that of health. It is in this area that New Agers and Christians—particularly Seventh-day Adventists—have many things in common. When the gospel is thoroughly understood, there will always be an interest in the proper maintenance of the "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:12-20). Since New Agers are interested in health, we can share with them our insights in matters of nutrition, stress management, and physical fitness. We do not sacrifice any principle, or violate our conscience, when we manifest a genuine interest in their way of approaching vegetarianism or various sorts of natural treatments. We may not endorse everything they believe about health and spirituality, but we can use health as an excellent bridge for building confidence and arousing curiosity about the Bible as something more than just an interesting book.

One good way of building bridges is giving them something to read. Recognizing that most of the time we will be dealing with college-educated people accustomed to reading and thinking, the books we offer should be well-chosen. The "solid food" of Bible prophecy will work as no other in motivating them to accept the Bible as an inspired book and the Christian perspective on human history as valid. Books such as God Cares, What the Bible Says About the End Time, and Chariots of Salvation12 make fine reading for them.

3. Build a genuine Christian testimony. When the time comes—and only then— give your personal, short, and powerful testimony of what Christ means to you. If you try to show them how great Christianity is by quoting Augustine or even Max Lucado, you are on the wrong track. Never talk about the Christian experience in vague, philosophical terms. New Agers are interested in having real experiences and an experiential knowledge of God. Prayers answered, old habits conquered, and daily miracles will make our relationship with Christ tangible for a New Age mind. The simple story of our own "walk with God" will do more than a documented exposition about the Trinity, the uniqueness of biblical salvation, or the fate of the lost.

4. "Pray continually" (1 Thess. 5:17). Paul's advice finds an excellent application in the work of reaching those who have submitted their will to someone else. Ultimately, neither our personal effort nor our power will make much difference. It is only by God's Spirit that the work of salvation is to be accomplished. We may be sure that the "powers of darkness" will not be pleased with our uninvited visit. If we want to have success in this fight, we must not argue but pray.

Even if New Agers will not accept our first invitation to join "the kingdom of God," we should remain friends with them. The process of conversion for a New Ager is often a long and painful one. They must change not just beliefs but an entire conception about the universe and its God. Waiting patiently the light may break for them sooner than we expect.

* Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture passages in this article are from the New International Version.

1. See Douglas Groothuis, Unmasking the New Age (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1986), 37.

2. Philip H Lochhaas, How to Respond to ... The New Age Movement (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1988), 5.

3. Constance Cumbey, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow (Shreveport, La: Huntington House, 1983).

4. For example, see Texe Marrs, Dark Secrets of the New Age (1987), Mystery Mark of the New Age (1988), Ravaged by the New Age (1989).

5. See Elliot Miller, A Crash Course in the New Age Movement (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989), 193

6. See Norman R Gulley, "The New Age Movement and Eschatology: Exploring its World-View Shift, Global Consciousness, and Role in End Events," Adventist Perspectives 5 (1991)1:24.

7. See Elliot Miller, A Crash Course on the New Age Movement (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989); Douglas Groothuis, Unmasking the New Age (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1986); Karen Hoyt (ed), The New Age Rage (Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1987); Walter Martin, The New Age Cult (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1989); Ron Rhodes, The Counterfeit Christ of the New Age Movement (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989).

8. Ellen G White, Evangelism (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1973), 623.

9. ————, The Ministry of Healing (Nampa, Id: Pacific Press' Pub. Assn., 1942), 470.

10. ————, Testimonies for the Church (Nampa, Id: Pacific Press* Pub. Assn., 1942), 135.

11. ————, Evangelism (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1970), 305,306.

12. C. Merwyn Maxwell, God Cares, 2 vols. (Nampa, Id.: Pacific Press9 Pub. Assn., 1985); John Paulien, What the Bible Says About the End Time, (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1994); Hans K. La Rondelle, Chariots of Salvation: The Biblical Drama of Armageddon (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1987).

Cezar Luchian is the former editor of the Romanian Signs of the Times and is currently a postgraduate student at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, Tennessee.

June 1998

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