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Lighthouse Trails is a Christian publishing company. While we hope you will read the books we have published, we also provide extensive free research, documentation, and news on our Research site, blog, and newsletter.

We pray that the books as well as the online research will be a blessing to the body of Christ and a witness to those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

spiritual formation: a movement that has provided a platform and a channel through which contemplative prayer is entering the church. Find spiritual formation being used, and in nearly every case you will find contemplative spirituality. In fact, contemplative spirituality is the heartbeat of the spiritual formation movement.

How Widespread Has Spiritual Formation Become? Read our list of ministries that are promoting it. Please pray for the leaders of these groups that their eyes may be opened.

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On Monday night, August 25th, emerging church author Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) gave the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. This comes on the heels of the news that Brian McLaren (prolific writer and emerging church leader) is now an advisor to Barack Obama.

A concerted effort is taking place to draw emerging church voters into the Democratic arena. It is quite possible that the emerging vote will be the tipping factor in the upcoming presidential election. In a 2006 CBS Special Report, it was suggested that there could be as many as twenty million participants in the emerging church. 1 Even if this figure is higher than the actual number, based on the number of emerging church books that have sold, those influenced by and attracted to this spirituality are in the millions.

Two myths should be dispelled in order to gain a better understanding of this effort:

Myth 1: Donald Miller is not really an emerging church figure. Wrong. Miller shares the same spiritual outlook as other emerging leaders (even in Blue Like Jazz, which has sold over a million copies and has gained enormous influence in the evangelical church). That is why atonement-denier Brian McLaren said there is "no better book than Blue Like Jazz to introduce Christian spirituality." McLaren said this about Miller because he recognizes Miller as a soul mate of emerging spirituality.

The following quote by Miller (in BLJ) reveals much about his spiritual propensities:

For me, the beginning of sharing my faith with people began by throwing out Christianity and embracing Christian spirituality, a nonpolitical mysterious system that can be experienced but not explained (p. 115).

When Miller says that "Christian spirituality" cannot be explained, he means that solid, unchangeable biblical doctrine and theology do not exist. When Miller says "Christian spirituality" can only be "experienced," this is referring to mysticism. That can be substantiated when Miller says: "You cannot be a Christian without being a mystic" (p. 202). He has echoed mystic Karl Rahner's words who said the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will be nothing. Some may say that Miller is merely defending ideas like the trinity or eternity (which he refers to in BLJ) as being mystical. But putting in context Miller's statement above, he is actually defending "Christian writers" who embrace "mysticism." These are two different things. When the "Christian" mystics speak of mysticism, they are referring to altered states of consciousness (the silence) reached during mantric-style meditation. And while Miller doesn't mention contemplative or mantras in his books, he helps condition people to see mysticism as a legitimate and valuable practice.

For those who may be skeptical regarding Miller's view on mysticism, in Searching for God Knows What in the acknowledgements, Miller thanks New Age meditation proponent Daniel Goleman. Goleman (author of The Meditative Mind) writes favorably about mantra meditation and Buddhism. He was the editor for a book titled Healing Emotions: Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health.

Miller backs up his dismissal of doctrine and theology (an earmark of all emerging leaders) when he says he has "climb[ed] outside my pat answers [doctrine]," and says "Too much of our time is spent trying to chart God on a grid" (p. 205). That might sound acceptable to many people today in our feel-good, redefining society, but it is the "pat answers" and the "chart" that the Bible has given us so we can understand God, life, and salvation. Miller reiterates his rejection of immoveable doctrine by concluding:

At the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my math is wrong we are still going to be okay. And wonder is that feeling we get when we let go of our silly answers, our mapped out rules that we want God to follow.

A million to one is very low odds that "any" of our theology is right. What about the theology of the atonement? Is our chance of understanding that a million to one? What about the theology of Jesus Christ's return? Can we possibly know whether or not He is coming back? And what about the theology of biblical inerrancy? Can we even trust the Bible? With the odds Miller suggests, no, we can trust nothing about God's Word at all. Praise God, that Miller's odds are completely wrong.

Myth 2: The emerging church isn't against debating the abortion or gay issues; they just don't want those to be the ONLY issues. In Donald Miller's second book, Searching for God Knows What, mystic proponent, Tony Campolo, endorsed the book, saying, "We need this book." Brian McLaren and other emergent leaders endorsed the book as well. In that book, Miller echoes the emergent voices when he states:

I wondered if the Christian faith in America had not been hijacked as well, hijacked by those same two issues: abortion and gay marriage. How did a spirituality such as Christianity, a spirituality that speaks of eternity, of a world without end, of forgiveness of sins and a mysterious union with the Godhead, come to be represented by a moralist agenda and a trickle-down economic theory?

The mantra of the emerging church is (including by Rick Warren) the false accusation that the only two things biblical Christians care about is stopping abortion and gay marriage. They state publicly that we should also care about the sick, the poor, and the needy. But you see, this is not what they mean: Since biblical Christians have cared about the poor, the sick, and the needy already, what they really mean is those two issues should be dumped altogether.

Rick Warren and other emerging leaders are not being honest when they use the media and their books to convince the masses that biblical Christians do not care about those in need. And whether they know it or not, they are helping to bring about a new spirituality, which has its foundation based on death. How's that? The driving force behind the emerging church is mysticism. The premise behind mysticism is man's divinity. Believing that man is God ultimately leads to death because in that belief system, there is no need for a Savior. Man erroneously thinks he can save himself. Thus, he dies in his sin because he rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Everything that Satan does leads to death. Abortion and practicing homosexuality are in essence practices of death, and it only makes sense that this new age mystical spirituality that is entering the church condemns Christians who oppose abortion and the practice of homosexuality.

The reason the emerging church must ultimately accept practicing homosexuality and abortion is because both of these practices lead to death, and emerging spirituality is ultimately a belief system that draws people away from biblical truth that gives life and takes them toward an interspiritual, panentheistic "religion" (i.e., man is God) that leads to spiritual death (see Sue Monk Kidd).

Basically, the agendas of the Democratic Party and the emerging church are strikingly similar. Is it any wonder that the Democratic National Convention and the Obama ticket are using emerging church leaders to win this next election?

Related Information:

Donald Miller's "prayer" at the Democratic National Convention

The Era of the Single Savior is Over by Warren Smith 

One World, One Dream

The overarching theme of Miller's book is the glorification of rebellion by preaching false freedom. That's exactly what the Haight-Ashbury preached; it's exactly what drugs promise; and it's exactly what the Emergent Church movement promotes today.

by Richard and Linda Nathan

A phenomenon in evangelical circles, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller has sold over 800,000 copies and made the New York Times bestseller list since its publication by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 2003, and its popularity continues to grow. An icon in the burgeoning Emergent Church movement, it attracts countless youth in contemporary Christian culture. Seminarians nationwide are reading it avidly, and some Christian ministries and pastors are even using it to evangelize.

Why? And what does that popularity reveal about evangelicalism today?

I first read Blue Like Jazz because Christians I knew were whispering about what a wonderful book it is. I had no idea what it was about, but I figured with a name like that it could be about anything. Now, after reading it, a better title has occurred to me: Green Like Envy. I chose this title because it refers to my overwhelming impression that Don Miller envies the non-Christian or pagan life but feels confined by Christian roots. Instead, he hangs around the outskirts of paganism, hoping that something will rub off on him that he thinks Christians don't have and pagans do.

A big focus of Miller's book is his attraction to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where, although he doesn't attend, he spends a lot of time. He reports getting involved with the few Christians on campus and mingling with the students. The book's high point is his description of an annual festival he thinks is cool.

"Each year at Reed they have a festival called Ren Fayre. They shut down the campus so students can party. Security keeps the authorities away, and everybody gets pretty drunk and high, and some people get naked. Friday night is mostly about getting drunk, and Saturday night is about getting high. The school brings in White Bird, a medical unit that specializes in treating bad drug trips. The students create special lounges with black lights and television screens to enhance kids' mushroom trips." [Author's note: Hallucinogenic mushrooms are also called "magic" mushrooms.]

"Saturday evening at Ren Fayre is alive and fun. The sun goes down over the campus, and shortly after dark they shoot fireworks over the tennis courts. Students lay out on a hill and laugh and point in blurry-eyed fascination. The highlight of the evening is a glow opera that packs the amphitheater with students and friends. The opera is designed to enhance mushroom trips."

Now why would a "Christian" call an immoral festival where people run around nude high on drugs "alive and fun"? Why does he think of this as hip and cool? Click here to read this entire article.

Related:

Emerging Church Author to Give Prayer at Democratic National Convention
 

Lighthouse Trails Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Things We Couldn't Say by Diet Eman.

This is the true story of Diet Eman, a young Christian woman who joined the resistance movement in the Netherlands during WWII. Together with her fiance' and other Dutch men and women, "Group Hein" risked their lives to save the lives of Jews who were in danger of becoming victims of Hitler's "final solution."

Things We Couldn't Say is an endearing and moving love story that occurs in the midst of extreme danger and often unbearable circumstances and loss. Before the war ends, Eman, her fiance', and several in their group are arrested and sent to concentration camps-many of them lose their own lives.

A time in history that should not be forgotten. A story that will inspire Christians to live more courageously and stand for what is right, doing so by the power and grace of God.

Table of Contents
Lighthouse Trails Publishing
ISBN 978-0-9791315-7-8
$14.95 Retail * 352 pages * Softbound
Photos * Illustrations

For more information: www.lighthousetrails.com
Toll Free Order Line: 866/876-3910 (M-F/8-5)
Or order from your local bookstore after August 21st.
*************

A Note from the Publisher
We at Lighthouse Trails chose this book because we agree with Diet Eman that the Nazi Holocaust must never be forgotten. Many voices have arisen that say the Holocaust never happened, and as we move more generations away, this denial of history grows only stronger. Yet the evidence and the proof exists, as is demonstrated in this book.

Often, it has been stated that the study of history is good because it helps us learn from the past, with the implication that if we just educate ourselves we could have a utopian world. But true history does not leave God's redemption through Jesus Christ out of the picture. The prophets have foretold that there will be no lasting peace until Jesus Christ establishes a new Kingdom after He returns. In the meantime, we know there will continue to be wars and rumors of war and a future Antichrist on the horizon. But rather than grow fatalistic, we believe now more than ever before, it is time to ring out a warning and offer a word of hope. Diet's book does all these things. Beyond this, it is a very practical manual of how godly people were able to engage an ungodly world. It offers not only a look at the past but a way to look to the future.

It is our hope, therefore, that this book will serve as a wake-up call to things that are happening today. When we look at the theological sentiments (e.g., deifying man and denying his sin nature), the growing anti-Semitism, and the lack of people in today's world who think for themselves, we are alarmed, but at the same time comforted, in knowing that we have this book ready to place in the hands of those willing to listen.

We thank God for His faithfulness, and for precious people who have suffered so immensely when doing what is right, such as the ones in this book. Their lives, their sufferings, and their courage are an inspiration. In our hearts, as we read this book, we cannot imagine that we could ever have the strength to endure so much as these did, but we know, just as Diet and her friends knew, it was by His grace that they stood.

Publisher Note: In 1998, Diet received the Righteous Among the Nations medal from Israel's Yad Vashem in recognition of her aid to Jewish people during the war.