Mickey Mouse Doctrine - By Ken Parks

The church businesses in the metro Atlanta area seem to maintain consistency in avoiding some key scriptures. One of these religious organizations recently offered a 16-week set of sermons on “The Sermon on the Mount.” And, they did not disappoint in regards to avoiding key scripture. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR1Yc4QIb4Q

The last of the sixteen sermons was based on the latter part of “The Sermon on the Mount,” specifically Matthew 7:13 through 29. The beginning of the sermon concentrated on entering into the gate.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. ~ Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

The leader of this religious business went on to describe entry into Disney World theme park, and as he was trying to find similarities to the above ascribed verses, the pianist played “It's a Small World,” one of Disney's popular songs. The five-minute discourse seemed to be a far cry from the “narrow gate” that Jesus described. If anyone has visited Disney World, there is not a narrow gate; there are many gates. And getting into the theme park is not difficult. The only similarity I found was that there was a gate, and many who find it as a wide gate.

After jokingly making the attempted similarity, and I might add, failing at that, the leader skipped Matthew 7:15-23 and went on, without missing a beat, to Matthew 7:24-29.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ~ Matthew 7:15-23


I consider Matthew 7:15-23 a very important set of scripture, warnings, and a clarification of those who are real followers as compared to the fakes. Sixteen weeks of sermons can easily be taught just on these set of verses.


The five minutes of the Mickey Mouse Doctrine superseded even the thought of reading out loud of Matthew 7:15-21. Perhaps, the skipping of these verses was to avoid any controversy about how the prophets, today's leaders of religious businesses, are false pastors, teachers, scribes (authors), and the “wolves in sheep clothing.” Jesus summed it up by saying that these “many” who say “Lord, Lord” will not make it into His Kingdom.

And He plainly tells them, “I never knew you.”