Coming From the Lighthouse

June 19, 2007

In This Issue -

Episcopal Priest: "I am Both Muslim and Christian" -- OK with Emerging Church

Hitting the Road on a Mission of...Misplaced Faith

Training Teens to Twist the Truth

Africa Plea: Please Stop Sending Money

Global Meditation Same as Spiritual Formation Meditation

Luis Palau Event Receives Catholic Endorsement

A Special Announcement

Publishing News...

"Catholicism and the Emerging Deception Bible Conference in Virginia

Media Spotlight Reviews "The Other Side of the River"

Quick Links

Printer Friendly Version
Episcopal Priest: "I am Both Muslim and Christian" -- OK with Emerging Church

 The June 17th headline in the Seattle Times newspaper reads, "I Am Both Muslim and Christian." Janet Tu, religion reporter for the Times has written the piece on an Episcopal priest named Ann Holmes Redding. Redding has been a priest for more than 20 years, and she became Muslim 15 months ago. The article is her coming-out-of-the-closet debut. Redding explains: "I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."

Interestingly, the article quotes Kurt Fredrickson, director of the doctor of ministry program at the pro-contemplative/emerging Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. Of Redding's choosing to be both Muslim and Christian, Fredrickson seems to be opposed to Redding's decision and states, "The most basic [question] would be: What do you do with Jesus?"

But there is a twist to this story, and obviously, it's one the Seattle Times didn't include in their own report. While Fuller Theological Seminary and probably most evangelical institutions would say you can't be both Muslim and Christian, in truth they are saying the opposite every day. How you ask? Simply by promoting contemplative and/or the emerging church, which countless Christian organizations, ministries, schools and churches do now. One thing is important to understand  --  If there is a promotion of contemplative (i.e., spiritual formation), then there is a promotion for emerging spirituality (the belief system of the emerging church). That is because the premise of contemplative is the premise of emerging, and both end up in the same camp - interspirituality of which Redding is a perfect example.

Some may be thinking right now, the emerging church proponents may be practicing mystical exercises but they would never agree with Redding that you can be both Muslim and Christian. And here is the essence of our report: They do agree with Redding! Even Rick Warren agrees with Redding in a round about way. And here is how we can say this:

When Rick Warren told an interfaith audience at the 2005 UN Prayer Breakfast that God didn't care what religion they were, they just needed to add Jesus to their lives, what he meant was that you can stay Hindu, or Buddhist, or Muslim, but you need Jesus. It's called the New Missiology. It promotes the following ideas:

1. You can keep your own religion - Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism - you just need to add Jesus to the equation. Then you become complete. You become a Buddhist with Jesus, a Hindu with Jesus, a Muslim with Jesus and so on.

2. You can throw out the term Christianity and still be a follower of Jesus.

3. In fact, you can throw out the term Christian too. In some countries, you could be persecuted for calling yourself a Christian, and there is no need for that. Just ask Jesus into your heart, you don't have to identify yourself as a Christian.

Rick Warren isn't the only one promoting the new missiology. In fact, momentum is growing daily, and new missiology evangelists are increasing by number steadily. While Don Miller, author of the very popular, Blue Like Jazz says, "the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity" (p. 115), and Brian McLaren says "It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts," Baker Books' new release, An Emergent Manifesto of Hope takes the belief to astounding new heights (see our book review).

In the Manifesto, under the chapter "The Sweet Problem of Inclusiveness," the following statements are made. These are all in context and from the same author, Muslim raised Samir Selmanovic who later served as a Seventh Day Adventist pastor and now is part of Emergent Village. Selmanovic states:

"Christianity's idea that other religions cannot be God's carriers of grace and truth casts a large shadow over our Christian experience" (p. 191).

"The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not Christianity but rather the kingdom of God" (p. 192).

"To believe that God is limited to it [Christianity] would be an attempt to manage God. If one holds that Christ is confined to Christianity, one has chosen a god that is not sovereign. Soren Kierkegaard argued that the moment one decides to become a Christian, one is liable to idolatry" (p. 193).

"Is our religion the only one that understands the true meaning of life? Or does God place his truth in others too? ... The gospel is not our gospel, but the gospel of the kingdom of God, and what belongs to the kingdom of God cannot be hijacked by Christianity" (p. 194).

The message that Selmanovic is preaching is none other than what Alice Bailey calls the rejuvenation of the churches, where Christianity will be melded into the other religions of the world, ultimately leading to a universal global religion, and in which the gospel message of Jesus Christ will be completely compromised. Ray Yungen, in his book, A Time of Departing, explains this in depth.

Some may think that Selmanovic's anti-Christian statements are isolated, that other emerging leaders don't carry it that far. But they do. Dan Kimball's book, They Like Jesus But Not the Church is a perfect example of this hammering away at Christianity -- the only belief system with the truth and the only one that offers salvation freely through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Kimball condemns what he calls fundamentalists (which he defines as Bible literalists), and yet leaders like Josh McDowell and others commend and endorse him. Erwin McManus says it is his goal to "destroy Christianity" yet David Jeremiah and others promote him.

If Christianity is redefined as "just one of the great religions," the obvious next step will be "Jesus is just one of the great masters among many."

Emerging spirituality is quickly overtaking much of mainstream Christianity, right before our very eyes. If your pastor or youth leader is telling your church to be involved with spiritual formation, they are taking you down a road the same as Samir Selmanovic when he says he seeks "to bring progressive Jews, Christians, Muslims, and spiritual seekers of no faith to become an interfaith community for the good of the world," or when he says,  "We have one world and one God," and "Imagine: One humanity, One pulpit, A rich diversity of voices, All learning from one another and cherishing the traditions of one another."1

Jesus asked the question "[W]hen the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). That's a sobering question that we should ponder.

For more information:

A book review: They Like Jesus But Not the Church

Emergent Manifesto: Emerging Church Coming Out of the Closet

Church-less Christianity - Christ-izing Other Religions

Roger Oakland's upcoming book, Faith Undone, is a riveting expose' on the emerging church. One of the things it will discuss is the new missiology and the "kingdom of God on Earth here and now."

Related Quotes:
"I'm not talking about a religion this morning. You may be Catholic or Protestant or Buddhist or Baptist or Muslim or Mormon or Jewish - or you may have no religion at all. I'm not interested in your religious background. Because God did not create the universe for us to have religion."-Rick Warren, 2005, United Nations interfaith prayer breakfast (Listen to RW at UN; must have Real Player)

"Imagine: Jews, Christians, Muslims, Atheists, All wrestling with God together" - Samir Selmanovic 2

Hitting the Road on a Mission of Misplaced Faith 

"A lot of people see Jesus as just for Christians but I keep discovering that his teachings are really about what it means to be human." - Rob Bell, Manchester Evening News (June 15, 2007)

According to a news report from Manchester Evening News (Britain), emergent leader Rob Bell is "setting out on an ambitious theatre tour of Britain with his message, Calling All Peacemakers." As do most emergents, Bell believes in a universal/interfaith religion where all one has to do is add Jesus to their own religion - it isn't necessary to become a Christian and identify with the body of Christ. One can remain a Hindu, continue practicing Hindu rituals but just say they like Jesus the best. This is what we call the new missiology, and its evangelists include Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, and many other emerging church proponents.

Mike Oppenheimer of Let Us Reason ministries has done extensive research and analysis on the new missiology. In his article, "A New Evangelism for the 21st Century," Oppenheimer states:

Can a Christian now call himself a Muslim? The word Muslim is made up of two words, Islam and Mu. Muslim does not just mean submission; it means submission to the God Allah; not the Lord Jesus Christ or Yahweh. Can a Muslim be called a Christian and walk with Allah? This seems to make no doctrinal or practical sense, unless they change the names and the meaning. This only brings confusion. Why do this when you can introduce Yahweh as the true God without any baggage and shuffling around in names, nature or descriptions? The answer is that you may not see the same results. This is what this is all about isn't it, results; pragmatism, the end justifies the means.

In a book by Oppenheimer and Sandy Simpson titled Idolatry in Their Hearts, they show how widespread this new missiology has become. Listen to some of the comments made by a few new missiology evangelists:

New Light embodiment means to be "in connection" and "information" with other faiths.... One can be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ without denying the flickers of the sacred in followers of Yahweh, or Kali, or Krishna."-Leonard Sweet

I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions.-Rick Warren

I see no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity. . . . I intend to become as good a Buddhist as I can.-Thomas Merton

Allah is not another God...we worship the same God.-- The same God! The very same God we worship in Christ is the God the Jews-and the Muslims-worship.-Peter Kreeft

Oppenheimer and Simpson ask the question, "Can one be a Hindu or a Muslim and follow Jesus?" They explain why the answer is no:

One cannot be in relationship with Jesus within the confines of a false religion. One must leave his or her religion to follow Jesus, not just add Him on....

This broadens Jesus' statement of the road being narrow into a wide, all encompassing concept. What is concerning is that these same kinds of statements are also made by those who are New Agers that hold a universal view. Alice Bailey said, "I would point out that when I use the phrase 'followers of the Christ' I refer to all those who love their fellowmen, irrespective of creed or religion." (Idolatry in Their Hearts, Oppenheimer/Simpson - 2007)

In an article titled "Will the Next Billy Graham Be a Mystic?" we can see where Rob Bell's spiritual persuasions lie. He admits that he is influenced by Sister Virginia, a Dominican sister from a spirituality center that practices the occultic-based Reiki. This helps to explain why Bell stated: "We're rediscovering Christianity as an Eastern religion, as a way of life."1

The Manchester Evening News article title reads: Hitting the road on a mission of true faith." But is this true faith? Jesus Christ was referring to "true faith" when He said "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." As a world that has rejected Christ races quickly toward destruction and so many are lost in spiritual darkness, as believers (calling ourselves Christians), let us not grow weary and turn away from "true faith" that offers light (The Light of the World) to lost sinners.

Training Teens to Twist the Truth

by Berit Kjos

"Last year I was asked to teach the high school Sunday school class for four weeks," wrote Dan Titus, a visitor to our website. "At the end of each lesson the students broke up into discussion groups. I presented the questions for them to discuss. One group decided they would rather discuss the latest R-rated movie. The discussion leader had no problem with them changing the discussion. Another group looked at the questions on I Thessalonians and said, 'We don't need to discuss this.' It dealt with persecution, but the group had no interest in the Bible."

Unusual? Not according to the Barna Group:

"Our continuing research among teenagers and adolescents shows that the trend away from adopting biblical theology in favor of syncretic, culture-based theology is advancing at full gallop."

This gallop toward all-pervasive pluralism shouldn't surprise us. Taught to stress tolerance more than truth, few dare criticize even blatant compromise. Sensuality, immodesty, insolence, mysticism... anything goes, if it can draw a crowd and teach new values.

"Our church announced 'that the youth would be going on a retreat,' a troubled parent told us. It promised "Twenty-four hours spent living, learning and serving in the inner city: Issues of poverty, justice and homelessness will be explored through various debriefing and service components. Students will be challenged to realign their perspectives, passions and pursuits with those of Christ."

"The buzz word 'debriefing' sounds suspicious to me," the mother added. "So does 'realign their perspectives -- as if Christianity has not been effective enough in the past so we have to 're-imagine' and 'rethink' God's Word in light of the world." She continued,

"My daughter struggles with obedience to parents, submitting to authority, and loving the elderly. It seems to me that the youth group should encourage growth in those areas....

"We left another Baptist church about 4 years ago because of the youth pastor's successful start of an emerging church, which included lectio divina techniques, visualization in the sanctuary, contemplative prayer and various other new age influences. All this while our youth room set up prayer stations, icons, candles and promoted on-line labyrinth prayers. It seems like our children are being used as lab rats for someone's idea of a cool way to feel spiritual, experience new environments, and check off that 'service project' box." Click here to read the rest.

Africa Plea: Please Stop Sending Money

LTRP Note: The following article by an outside source regarding American (and other) aid being sent to Africa reiterates what Africa evangelist Loren Davis wrote two years ago in his Race to Africa report--the money being poured into Africa often never even reaches those in need but finances corrupt institutions, individuals, and governments. Top that off with the false heretical gospel that self-proclaimed Africa-rescuers take to the African people, and the damage to Africa is astounding. While countless Christian ministries now tell everyone how much they are doing to help the needy in Africa (letting their left hand know what their right hand does) and covering their websites with photos of African people to further display their good works, most of these ministries are promoting the dangerous and deceptive spiritual formation movement (i.e., contemplative), and/or the emerging spirituality, offering their disciples ways to "be like Jesus" through mystical practices but never offering the Gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone.

Please Stop Sending Money
by Voddie Baucham Ministries

"The recent rise in humanitarianism has Christians of all stripes striving to keep up with Bono and Rick Warren in their efforts to end AIDS and hunger in Africa. However, there are those who have said all along that this rush to pour American dollars into African economies does more harm than good. Of course, those people are often called insensitive, or worse. However, what happens when one of those calling for an end to all the aid is an African who sees the devastation wrought by that aid? ...

"Such intentions have been damaging our continent for the past 40 years. If the industrial nations really want to help the Africans, they should finally terminate this awful aid. The countries that have collected the most development aid are also the ones that are in the worst shape. Despite the billions that have poured in to Africa, the continent remains poor." Click here to read this entire article.

Related Information:
"For God's Sake, Please Stop the Aid!"

Race to Africa

Bruce Wilkinson Quits Africa

Armed Men Hijack Car of African Evangelist - 2005 Report

Global Meditation Same as Spiritual Formation Meditation

LTRP Note: The article below is from the Global Peace Meditation Day website, talking about an event that took place in May. It is crucial to understand the significant role meditation plays in building a global society that teaches God is in all humans and all creation (a society which will negate the Gospel message of Jesus Christ). If you are someone who does not see the connection between the current Christian contemplative prayer movement (i.e., spiritual formation) and what is described in this article below, we beseech you to examine the evidence and compare it to the Word of God. We think you will find that the meditation they speak of in the article is the same as the meditation performed through spiritual formation throughout mainstream Christianity today.

From Global Peace Day Meditation

"[T]he aim of the meditation is that of bringing together in different parts of the world, a critical mass of citizens who are interested in and spiritually committed to meditating or praying to heal our planet, by means of the power of their collective consciousness:

"An experiment destined to signify a point of no return in the collective consciousness, instigated by two organizations of world fame known for their long-standing campaign to promote a culture of peace in the world: the Laszlo Foundation, created by Scientist and Nobel Peace Prize candidate Ervin Laszlo and the Club of Budapest, which includes famous figures such as the Dalai Lama, Liv Ullmann, H.E. Vaclav Havel, Pir Vilayat Inayat-Khan, Sir Peter Ustinov, H.E. Mikhail Gorbachev, Peter Russell, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, Desmond Tutu and Peter Gabriel." Click here to read the rest of this article.

See also:

Mantra Meditation research


Global Peace research

Luis Palau Event Receives Catholic Endorsement

According to an article in Catholic Voice, the upcoming Luis Palau event called Heartland Festival (taking place in Omaha, Nebraska) will have Catholic elements. The article, titled "Luis Palau's Christian festival to have Catholic elements" states:

When nationally known evangelist Luis Palau brings his two-day Christian festival to Omaha next summer, Catholics will not only be invited to participate, they also will find a Catholic presence at the event.

Archbishop Elden Francis Curtiss endorsed the July 14-15 festival, telling pastors it was okay for Catholics to attend the event. He came to the decision after consulting with local priests who met with Palau and members of his organization...."The thinking was that we really need to be a part of this festival if for no other reason than to make sure that the large number of Hispanic Catholics, who for sure will show up, are brought back to their faith - the Catholic faith," he said.

An article on Luis Palau's website titled "Evangelist's visit drawing support across denominations" states:

Catholic churches have participated in Palau's past events, but this is the first time a Catholic archbishop officially endorsed his pastors' involvement, said one official from Palau's organization.

The endorsement came as a result of outreach from the Palau organizers to the archdiocese, including an October visit by Palau to Archbishop Curtiss "They really hit it off and had a real substantive discussion about the opportunity and the concerns with Catholics participating," said the Rev. Ryan Lewis, vice chancellor for the archdiocese. "Long story short, the archbishop became convinced that the Omaha Palau festival would be prepared and executed in such a way that he could endorse Catholic participation."

While some will look at this ecumenical shift as a positive move in the right direction toward global peace, others will find it disconcerting that Palau, an evangelical Christian with so much influence, would send out this ecumenical, inter-faith message to Christians around the world.

However for some, Palau's actions may not come as a surprise at all. Last June, in a news brief titled, Popular Evangelist Luis Palau Joins Brian McLaren in Book Project, it stated:

InterVarsity Press will be releasing a book this summer called Reimagining Evangelism: Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey. The author, Rick Richardson is a professor at Wheaton Graduate School and an associate director for evangelism for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. According to InterVarsity, his book "Evangelism Outside the Box: New Ways to Help People Experience the Good News has been widely used by campus ministries, by Emergent churches and in seminary classes on evangelism."

Popular evangelist Luis Palau has written a foreword for the book as has Brian McLaren. In view of the fact that Palau also endorsed emerging leader Dan Kimball's book, The Emerging Church, there is reason to be concerned.

The question Lighthouse Trails has is which came first, Palau's interest in the emerging church or his willingness to accept Catholic elements. Either way, it's all really the same because the emerging church is heading right into the arms of the Catholic church and taking a countless number of people with it.

We pray and hope Luis Palau will realize that linking with and promoting the emerging church and the Catholic church will lead his followers away from biblical truth and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

For more information:
Read Faith Undone by Roger Oakland, an expose' of the emerging church, which will include a discussion and documentation on the Catholic's New Evangelization program. This book will not be released until early August so please refer to Understand the Times, International or Lighthouse Trails Research Project for information on this important topic until then.

 Special Announcement!

In the fall of 2005, we reported that Eastern Regional Watch Ministries (ERWM) director Steve Muse sadly lost his wife when she was taken home to be with the Lord. We posted a tribute to her click here on our website.

Today, we are happy to announce the following from Steve's website: "On Friday, May 25, 2007, the Lord blessed me with the special privilege of asking 'Margie Overly' to be my wife and she has graciously accepted. We have set a date in early October, 2007. Please keep us in your prayers."

Eastern Regional Watch Ministries has been a steady and sure online resource for the body of Christ for several years. We rejoice with Steve and Margie as together they will serve the Lord and continue with the ministry of ERWM.

A few of Steve's articles:

Dan Kimball and the Emerging Church and Eastern Meditation

Spiritual Formation or Spiritual Adultery

A Book Review: The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson

Publishing News

"Catholicism and the Emerging Deception Bible Conference in Virginia

" Catholicism and The Emerging Deception"
Bible Conference with Former Roman Catholic Priest, Richard Bennett

On June 22nd through 25th, former Catholic priest, Richard Bennett, will be the guest speaker at the "Catholicism and the Emerging Deception" conference in Woodbridge (Dale City), Virginia.

Richard Bennett was a Roman Catholic priest for 25 years. Through his ministry, Berean Beacon, Richard shares the good news of God's grace and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church (with Pastor Robert Gifford) will be hosting the event. Please call the church office at 540/788-3613 for more information.

Schedule for Conference

Friday 7:30 PM Identifying the Authentic Early Church
Saturday 10:30 AM Catholic Mysticism and the Emerging Church
12:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Voices of the Emerging Church
Sunday 9:30 AM The Ever Present Dangers of Catholicism
10:30 AM The True Gospel and the Modern Evangelical Lie
6:00 PM The Gospel and the Present Day Idolatry
Monday 7:30 PM A Biblical Uncovering of the Pope and Papacy

Richard Bennett was a Roman Catholic priest for 25 years. He is originally from Northern Ireland. Richard is the founder and director of Berean Beacon. You can read or listen to his testimony on the Berean Beacon website.

Richard is the author/editor of the book Far From Rome, Near to God, which is a collection of testimonies by 50 former Catholic priests.

Lighthouse Trails will be publishing Richard Bennett's new book in early 2008. The book is a collection of testimonies by former Catholics.

Some Articles by Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett's testimony

The Purpose Driven Life: Demeaning the Very Nature of God

Emerging Church Indoctrinates with Catholic Style Eastern Mysticism

Special Video Presentation of the Inquisitions

"Catholicism and the Emerging Deception" conference is not a Lighthouse Trails event.

Media Spotlight Reviews "The Other Side of the River"