How should the church deal with heresy?

[Two Lamps]

I was appalled when I read this article:  http://headlines.agapepress.org/users/worthynews/worthynews4.asp       :butbut:   :???:

It's not like I want the guy burned at the stake or anything, but he should not be allowed to continue to spread such heretical thinking.  I remember something one of my professors told me in college, "If they ain't no ressurrection, they ain't no christianity."  Equally damaging, I think is the rejection by Bishop Joseph Sprague of such core tenets of the faith as "the virgin birth and bodily resurrection of Christ" which dangerously undermines the bible.  But, even more inflammatory was the denial of "the atoning death of Jesus Christ" and the radical assertion that "salvation does not come through Christ alone".  

Bishop Sprague sounds less like a christian priest and more like the poster child for the United Nations'/World Council of Churches' polically correct and ever so tolerant wet dream... ahem... vision of the one world religion that they would like to build at the expense of christianity.

So, what do we do about such things?  My thought would be to defrock him.... publicly.    How can he continue as a pastor of a christian church when he himself is not a christian?!  Perhaps I'm being harsh.  But, I cannot imagine God not being angry about His own priests rejecting His ultimate sacrifice.  :angry:

And, what has the church come to when this is not perceived as a big enough problem to even address?!   How do we as christians explain this to those to whom we are trying to witness?  How do we explain this to our children to whom we are trying to teach christian values?

Am just hyper or is there something fundamentally wrong here?  Something should be done.  But, care should be taken in the response.  A inappropriate response, or a lack of adequate response, can alienate many that we would hope to lead to Christ.  So what to do?    Please add your thoughts.  

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Two Lamps,

All valid concerns. But something I believe we must live with till the Lord comes and sets everything aright.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

This is how the nations will rejoice over the demise of Christians:

Revelation 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

We are told:

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

So "heresies" will about especially during the latter days. We are unable to STOP them, but ours is to reveal the Glory, and the fruit of Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[martyr]

We have an obligation to expose heresies.  Christians are to act in humility and love, but we are never to roll over and play dead.  There will always be heresies in this world, just as there will always be sin.  We must focus on spreading the truth in love.  We must know our Bibles, and we must be prayed up for the battles that lay ahead.

There are also some false doctrines that have permeated our worship assemblies.  We must be on guard against these also.  Even the apostle Paul was pleased when church members studied the Scriptures to verify his teaching.  Follow the Holy Spirit's leading.  I look forward to seeing all of you fellow brothers and sisters in the land of no battlefields.