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January 31, 2012
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Come Back to the True Living Water

LTRP Note:  Over the past ten years, we have talked, either through e-mail or by phone, to thousands of people. A good number of these people have come out of churches whose pastors have been trained in the seminaries and Christian colleges, which have, in large part (of course with some exceptions), become havens for unbiblical teachings. These ill-equipped, misled pastors have brought their unscriptural teachings with them to the churches. We have heard the stories from so many of our readers of Christians they know who became caught under the bondage of legalism, and then went to the opposite pole of turning grace into a license for sin. Many times when this happened, these confused Christians began practicing contemplative prayer and/or joined emerging churches, thinking these experiences were from God, especially when they compared them to their legalist backgrounds.

While we do not claim to be theologians here at Lighthouse Trails, we desire to address this issue in this short essay, with the hopes it may draw some back to the true living water that only Jesus Christ can give. Perhaps these words can alleviate some confusion to those who are held in bondage by either of these extremes.

“Come Back to the True Living Water”

By David Dombrowski

In previous articles, we have demonstrated how the Gospel is the greatest of all treasures. Throughout the ages, man has been out digging for treasure. From the earth, we have been able to extract much of the things that we prize most highly including silver, gold, diamonds,  gems, metal ores for making innumerable things made of iron or steel, copper or brass, and aluminum, while massive amounts of oil and coal have been extracted propelling us into an industrialized world. Yet, the human heart remains empty, and only God can fill that void.

Scripture likens our need for the Gospel to our need for water. The psalmist wrote, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1). And just as a deer is driven by thirst to drink of the cool water brooks, so we, like the psalmist, should hunger and thirst after God. But for most Christians in the Western world, that thirst drives us elsewhere, and what we attain never really satisfies because it is not the living water that is able to give us life and renew us.

The Gospel has been with us for a very long time, but of the world’s population, relatively few have chosen to dip into that water of life. The Scripture beckons, “the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Though the offer is made to all, there are so few who seem to listen. Consequently, so many choose to live in a perpetual drought, fearing the water of life that is able to save men’s souls.

Now, how long has the Gospel been with us? Paul tells us that Abraham received the Gospel:

And the scripture, forseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Galatians 3:8)

God made a covenant with Abraham based on a promise to send a “seed” (namely Christ), and in that seed, the promises would be fulfilled (see Galatians 3:16). It is here that a date is given of four hundred thirty years before God gave the Law to Moses. And while the date is of no real significance, what is significant is that the New Covenant (the Gospel) came before the Old Covenant (the Law). Paul’s letter to the Galatians vividly portrays how the Law was never given to save anyone; rather it was given to lead us to the Savior:

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)

Abraham was justified by faith and faith alone as Paul recounts that “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6). Paul then emphatically states that no one is justified by the law when he says, “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11, emphasis added). In fact, the Law was an impossible system for salvation because to break any of it even only once meant to break the whole Law:

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)

James reiterates the power of the Law when he states: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). It is clear, therefore, that the Law has power, but not the power to save – unless of course a person keeps all of the Law, at every point, perfectly, and no one has ever done that (except Christ). The power of the Law is to show us that because of sin, our righteousness is as filthy rags and consequently we remain under the curse of the Law until we come to Christ. The Law demonstrates that, without question, we are in need of a Redeemer, and that is why in Old Testament law, lambs and bullocks were sacrificed year after year, not because they saved at all but because they served as a continual reminder of the need of a Savior who was to come. One teaching that is spread abroad today is that the Jews are exempt from the Gospel because God gave them the Old Testament. But if that were true Paul would not have written “no man is justified by the law in the sight of God” (Galatians 3:11). On the contrary, it was to the Jews first that the apostles preached the Gospel until later when God showed them that it was to be preached to the Gentiles also. The Gospel is for all people everywhere, Jew or Gentile. This is why the proclamation of the Gospel is so very important because, under God’s plan, the way of salvation comes in only one way.

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. (Galatians 3:18)

And when we think about it, the religions of the world think that we can be saved by our own goodness or that we already have God’s divinity within and consequently have no need of a Savior. But God chose to show Abraham a different way, and all who come to God must come to Him in the same way:

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. (Genesis 17:4)

So, when God made Abraham a father of many nations, He made it clear that this covenant, based on faith in a promise (i.e., Christ the Redeemer), was to be available to all people everywhere. Then came the Law four hundred and thirty years later to direct everyone, like a schoolmaster, to their need of a Redeemer as it exposes our sinfulness. In this sense, the Law can be likened to the test equipment in a doctor’s office. After performing various tests, the doctor is able to identify a particular ailment, but the tests themselves have only exposed the problem and done nothing to render the cure. The doctor can then prescribe the proper medicine or refer the patient to a surgeon. Once that prescription or surgeon’s referral has been made, the patient is bound rather than cured by his doctor’s orders until the proper steps have been taken. Likewise, we remain bound under the curse of the Law until we come to Christ. Then He, as the Great Physician, cleanses us from our sin and imparts new life in us. That is why the Scripture says:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This is also why Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well:

Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13-14)

This woman was acquainted with the problem, but now she had found the cure.

Likewise, Jesus’ offer of “living water” (John 4:10) goes out to all people as He explained “whosoever” may come and drink of this water of life (Revelation 22:17). I find it rather puzzling, though, that while countless numbers from all over the world have found that water, many have the tendency to go back to the Law to find comfort and assurance there. Like the patient who is now cured but feels compelled to stay indefinitely in the doctor’s office or the hospital when all that doctor can really do is to test and prescribe. If the Great Physician has already cured us, why would we want to go back into the Law that was designed to diagnose but not to cure. Furthermore, the Law can never be fulfilled by adherence to a set of rules; that is why Paul said, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). Somehow, we get to thinking that mechanically observing a set of rules pleases God, but God is concerned with the condition of our hearts. So, while we can fulfill the Law by love, we cannot do it by merely observing a set of rules. Like the patient holding the prescription, the Law is for those bound by sin, directing them to the Savior. The Law is good insomuch as it exposes our sin and brings us to our Savior, but it has no power to save. This is why Paul was so startled in hearing that the Galatians were going back into the Law and why he was compelled to write:

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3)

Contrary to what many might teach, Paul was not offering the Galatians a license to sin, but a fundamental truth of Scripture – that the Christian life can only be lived out as that well of living water springs up from our hearts. It is imperative, however, that we be found in Christ because Jesus alone is that well from which the springs of life flow.

Jesus is that well of living water, offered freely to whosoever will invite Him into their lives and hearts to be Lord and Savior. To the unbeliever, He is the invitation, “let him that is athirst come” (Revelation 22:17). To the new believer, He is that new life where, “old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). But to those who have known Christ for awhile, even a long while, He is the reminder to come back and be refreshed again to the only water that “shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). When we partake of that water, it does us much good. And when we share that water with others, it does no harm to our neighbor. It is the only water that is clean and pure and flows from the throne of God.

Other recent articles by David Dombrowski:

Keep Thy Heart with All Diligence

Sounding the Trumpet in the Midst of Apostasy – The Enemy is in the Camp!

Lighthouse Trails Editor:”My Journey Out of Catholicism (and why the Catholic Church is not reformable)”

 


Come Back to the True Living Water
Wheaton College “Dialogue” Evening – Exploring “Common Ground” with Catholicism in “A Conversation on Unity”
50 Top Organizations With a Significant Role in Bringing Contemplative Spirituality to the Church
“They Hate Christianity But Love (Another) Jesus” – How Conservative Christians Are Being Manipulated and Ridiculed, Especially During Election Years
‘Father’ and ‘Son’ Ousted from the Trinity in New Bible Translations by Wycliffe and 2 Other Groups
UN Textbooks for Palestinian Children ‘Explosively Anti-Semitic, Anti-American and Anti-Israeli’
Starbucks: Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage ‘Is Core to Who We Are and What We Value’ (From Let There Be Light)
News Headlines from Understand the Times
Considering Reiki? Watch This Video First
Obama Defends Roe v. Wade As Way for ‘Our Daughters’ to Have Same Chance As Sons to ‘Fulfill Their Dreams’
Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, to begin chemotherapy for lung cancer
Conclusion to Have Heart Review: “BREACHED! The Symptoms of Seduction by Spirits”
UTT UPDATE ON MISSION IN KENYA
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TOP LT STORIES
FROM YEARS PAST

2011

An Epidemic of Apostasy – Christian Seminaries Must Incorporate “Spiritual Formation” to Become Accredited

2010

Sojourners Founder Jim Wallis’ Revolutionary Anti-Christian “Gospel” (and Will Christian Leaders Stand with Wallis?)

2009

New Age Department of Peace Bill Introduced to Congress One Week After Inauguration

2008

They Say the Emerging Church is Dead - The Truth Behind the Story

2007

No Repentance from Willow Creek – Only a Mystical Paradigm Shift

2006

Calvary Chapel Rejects Purpose Driven and Emerging Spirituality

 

 
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Wheaton College “Dialogue” Evening – Exploring “Common Ground” with Catholicism in “A Conversation on Unity”

On March 26, 2012, John Armstrong (pastor in the Reformed Church) and Catholic Cardinal George of Chicago will come together at Wheaton College for “A Conversation on Unity in Christ’s Mission.” The flyer you see to the left reads: “An evening of dialogue exploring the common ground and current challenges that face Catholics and evangelical Protestants in Christian faith and mission.” The event came about last summer when Armstrong met with Cardinal George and asked him,  ”Would you join me in a public venue to further discuss this idea of missional-ecumenism?” The Cardinal agreed, and thus the “Conversation” at Wheaton in March.

On July 23, 2007, Lighthouse Trails wrote an article titled, “John Armstrong ‘Enjoys’ Emergent Village Experience ‘Immensely.’” The article relayed that Armstrong had once read the unpublished manuscript of A Time of Departing and given Ray Yungen a hearty endorsement of the book.  He told Ray at that time, in 2001, that he might even be able to get Harvest House to publish the book if Ray would remove chapter 6 of the book (the chapter on the “End of the Age). Ray decided not to remove that chapter, a year later, Lighthouse Trails was birthed and published the book. Our 2007 article explained our surprise that John Armstrong had begun to resonate with the emerging church, so much so that he called Tony Jones’ contemplative book The Sacred Way “excellent.”1

We found it astonishing that someone who had said a few years earlier that Ray Yungen was right-on in his deductions of contemplative prayer and found A Time of Departing to be exceptional could now be calling Jones’ mystical meditation promoting book “excellent.” It made no sense.

Fast forward to 2012 and the Conversation on Unity to be held at Wheaton College this spring. As Lighthouse Trails has documented for several years, the emerging church and the contemplative prayer movement are roads to Rome (i.e., a path to unite with the Catholic Church). We cannot say whether John Armstrong has himself practiced contemplative prayer, which is an eastern-style meditation prayer method. But we believe without a doubt that Armstrong’s resonance in 2007 with emerging contemplative mystics was connected to Armstrong’s desire to find “common ground” with the Catholic church. 

Lest you think that we are being too quick to determine that Armstrong is on the road to Rome, consider this: On his personal blog, earlier in January 2012, Armstrong wrote the following:

There is a long history behind the worldwide call to prayer for Christian unity but I became acutely aware of the history of this call at the Center for Unity in Rome last March. Then in June . . . I visited the grave site of Fr. Paul Wattson, the man who launched this global week of prayer for Christian unity. As deeply interested as I am in this subject I am pleased to share news today from the Vatican Information Service of January 18. The Pope’s comments provide a gracious reminder of our common duty to the whole of Christ’s Church, not just our own communion or fellowship. 2

Armstrong then posted an article from the Vatican news, which in part stated:

Ecumenism, as defined by Vatican Council II and Blessed John Paul II, is “the responsibility of the entire Church and of all the baptised, who must augment the partial communion that already exists among Christians until achieving full communion in truth and charity. Praying for unity . . . must then be an integral part of the prayer life of all Christians, in all times and places, especially when people from different traditions come together to work for victory in Christ over sin, evil, injustice and the violation of human dignity.”3

This article is referring to the New Evangelization of the the Eucharist Christ that Roger Oakland documents in Another Jesus. This is a zealous effort by the Roman Catholic Church to “win back the lost brethren” to the “Mother Church.”

Why is that such a big deal that we, as Bible believing Christians should pay attention to? Because the “Eucharistic Christ” of the New Evangelization program is not the Jesus Christ of the Bible, and the “gospel” it brings in not the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Bible. Rather it is a false gospel that will mislead followers away from the only means of salvation, which is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and justifies a man by faith alone.

John Armstrong  and a host of other evangelical figures who are following his suit must not realize what they are doing. If could just recall that many of those martyred by the Catholic Church were martyred because they would not say that Jesus was in a wafer, and they would not adhere to Catholic doctrine. What would those martyrs say today if they could address evangelical leaders who are marching off to Rome? Is this not a slap in the face to those who died, making their torturous, violent deaths of less avail? Though no less in God’s eyes, it makes those deaths less in man’s eyes. For what reason did they die, some will now ask? To stand against the doctrines of the Catholic church? But surely this is nothing worth dying for, and in fact perhaps it is something worth embracing, they will say.

To understand more about the New Evangelization plan for the “lost brethren,” we are posting here the entire chapter 6 of Roger Oakland’s book, Another Jesus. We hope you will take time to study this issue through the lens of Scripture. We believe if you do you will see why ecumenical “Conversations” to find common ground with Roman Catholicism will bring no good fruit for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Related Articles:

James Robison: The Lord wants Protestants and Catholics to unite as one

October 2011 “Note” by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council Shows Vatican Move Toward the New World Order

U.S. Catholic Church prepares to accept Episcopalians

50 Top Organizations With a Significant Role in Bringing Contemplative Spirituality to the Church

From 10 years of research at Lighthouse Trails Research Project, we have found the following fifty organizations to have had a significant role in bringing contemplative spirituality into the evangelical/Protestant church. If you do not know or understand the implications of this, we urge you to educate yourself as soon as possible.

Note: We have not listed any colleges or seminaries in this list. To see our list of contemplative promoting schools, click here. This list below is in conjunction with our recent list of Christian leaders: 100 Top Contemplative Proponents Evangelical Christians Turn To Today.

1.  Acts 29 Network
 
2. American Association of Christian Counselors
 
3.  American Bible Society 

4.  Association for Biblical Higher Learning 

5.  Association of Theological Schools (ATS) 

6.  Baker Books (Emersion) 

7.  Bible.org 

8. Boundless Webzine (FOF) 

9.  Breakforth (Canada) 

10.  Center for Action and Contemplation 

11.  Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) 

12.  Christian Missionary Alliance 

13.  Christianity Today 

14. Emergent Village 

15. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America 

16.  Focus on the Family 

17.  Group Magazine 

18. Henri Nouwen Society 

19.  IHOP-KC 

20.  Intervarsity Press 

21.  Kairos School of Spiritual Formation
 
22.  Conversations Journal
 
23. Leadership Network
 
24.  Lifeway Resources 

25.  Mennonite Brethren
 
26.  Mennonite Church, USA

27. Metamorpha  

28.  National Worship Conference
 
29. NavPress

30.  New Church Specialties

31. Presbyterian Church USA

32.  Relevant Magazine

33.  Renovare

34. Robert E. Webber Institute for Spiritual Studies

35. Saddleback Church 

36.  Sojourners 

37.  Spiritual Directors International 

38.  Teen Mania 

39.  The Church of the Nazarene 

40. The Ooze 

41. The Purpose Driven Movement

42.  The Upper Room
 
43. Thomas Nelson Publishers 

44.  Transforming Center 

45.  Wesleyan Church 

46.  Willow Creek Association 

47.  Worship Leader Magazine
 
48.  Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project
 
49. Youth Specialties
 
50. Zondervan

Note: You can get information on any of these organizations using our search engines on both our blog and research site. 

“They Hate Christianity But Love (Another) Jesus” – How Conservative Christians Are Being Manipulated and Ridiculed, Especially During Election Years

LTRP Note: We realize some reading this may not agree with our deduction of Jefferson Bethke's popular video, but we believe it needs to be included in this article.


In 2007 and 2008, books, videos, broadcasts, and news articles were pouring into mainstream America with a guilt-ridden message that basically manipulated conservative Christians into thinking that either they shouldn’t vote because “Jesus wouldn’t vote,” or they shouldn’t vote on morality issues such as abortion or homosexuality. Suddenly, all over the place there was talk about “destroying Christianity,” or “liking Jesus but not the church,” or “Jesus for president” (suggesting that maybe we could get Him on the ballot but certainly we shouldn’t vote for anyone already on the ballot). It all sounded very noble to many. After all, everybody knows there is so much political corruption in high government and certainly as much hypocrisy within the walls of many proclaiming  Christian leaders and celebrities.

This special report by Lighthouse Trails is not going to attempt to answer the question, “Should a Christian vote?” But we hope to at least show that things are not always as they seem, and what may appear “noble” and good may not be so at all.

This month, January, a young man, Jefferson (Jeff) Bethke, who attends contemplative advocate Mark Driscoll’s church, Mars Hill in Washington state, posted a video on YouTube called “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” Within hours, the video had over 100,000 hits. Soon it reached over 14 million hits, according to the Washington Post, one of the major media that has spotlighted the Bethke’s video (actual hits has now reached over 17 and a half million as of 01-30-12).

The Bethke video is a poem Bethke wrote and recites in a rap-like fashion his thoughts and beliefs about the pitfalls of what he calls “religion” but what is indicated to be Christianity. While we are not saying at this time that Bethke is an emerging figure, and while some of the lyrics in his poem are true statements, it is interesting that emerging spirituality figures seem to be resonating with Bethke’s message. They are looking for anything that will give them ammunition against traditional biblical Christianity. They have found some in Bethke's poem. Like so many in the emerging camp say, Bethke's poem suggests that Christians don't take care of the poor and needy. While believers in Christ have been caring for the needy for centuries, emerging figures use this ploy to win conservative Christians (through guilt) over to a liberal social justice "gospel." Emerging church journalist Jim Wallis (founder of Sojourners) is one who picked up on Bethke’s video, writing:

Bethke’s work challenges his listeners to second guess their preconceived notions about what it means to be a Christian. He challenges us to turn away from the superficial trappings of “religion,” and instead lead a missional life in Christ.1

What Wallis is talking about when he says “preconceived notions” is Christianity according to the Bible. Emerging figures accept some of it but find to accept all of it is too restricting. Many of them call themselves red letter Christians, supposing to mean they adhere to all the red letters that Jesus said; but they have actually chosen which red letters they adhere to – they don’t accept them all. For instance, they dismiss red letters that refer to there being a hell for those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior.  When Wallis says missional, this doesn’t mean traditional missionary efforts to evangelize the world. It means to realize that all of humanity is saved and being saved along with all of creation, and that the means of salvation didn’t take place in a one time event (the Cross) but is an ongoing procedure that occurs as people begin to realize they are all connected to one another and can bring about a Utopian society through this interconnectedness. Such emerging buzz words like missional fool a lot of people though.

Incidentally, if you never read an article we posted in the summer of 2010 regarding Jim Wallis and Sojourners, we highly recommend it. But be warned – you may find it quite disturbing when you read what the agenda behind the scenes really is: “Sojourners Founder Jim Wallis’ Revolutionary Anti-Christian “Gospel” (and Will Christian Leaders Stand with Wallis?)”

 The rally call to throw out Christianity but keep “Jesus” isn’t a new one - we’ve heard it many times before from various emerging contemplatives. Futurist Erwin McManus once said in an interview:

My goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ . . . Some people are upset with me because it sounds like I’m anti-Christian. I think they might be right. 2

And, of course, there is Dan Kimball’s book, They Like Jesus But Not the Church. In a book review of Kimball’s book, Lighthouse Trails stated that the book should really be called They Like (Another) Jesus But Not the Church, the Bible, Morality, or the Truth. Kimball interviews several young people (one is a lesbian) who tell him they “like and respect Jesus” but they don’t want anything to do with going to church or with those Christians who take the Bible literally. Kimball says these are “exciting times” we live in “when Jesus is becoming more and more respected in our culture by non-churchgoing people (p. 12). He says we should “be out listening to what non-Christians, especially those in their late teens to thirties, are saying and thinking about the church and Christianity” (p. 12).

According to Kimball, it is vitally important that we as Christians be accepted by non-Christians and not thought of as abnormal or strange. But in order to do that, he says we must change the way we live and behave. Kimball insists (p. 19) that “those who are rejecting faith in Jesus” do so because of their views of Christians and the church. But he makes it clear throughout the book that these distorted views are not the fault of the unbeliever but are the fault of Christians, but not all Christians, just those fundamentalist ones who take the Bible literally, believe that homosexuality is a sin, and think certain things are wrong and harmful to society … and actually speak up about these things.

Perhaps what is most damaging about Dan Kimball’s book is his black and white, either or reasoning (the very thing he accuses Christians of). He makes it very clear that you cannot be a Christian who takes the Bible literally and also be a humble, loving thoughtful person. They are two different things, according to Kimball. There is no such thing as a loving, humble Christian who takes the Bible literally. His book further alienates believers in a world that is already hostile to those who say Jesus is the only way to salvation, the Bible should be taken literally, homosexuality is a sin, and we are called out of this world to live righteously by the grace of God. (We hope you can take the time to read our review of Kimball’s book to better understand this “I hate the church and religion” viewpoint.)

Brian McLaren, the emerging church’s early pioneer resonates with these ill feelings toward the Christian faith when he stated: 

I must add, though, that I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. 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.3

Roger Oakland deals with this “we love Jesus but hate Christianity” mentality in his book Faith Undone. Listen to a few quotes Oakland includes in that book:

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.4 Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz

They [Barbarians] see Christianity as a world religion, in many ways no different from any other religious system. Whether Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity, they’re not about religion; they’re about advancing the revolution Jesus started two thousand years ago. 5 Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way

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.”6–Leonard Sweet

I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions.7–Rick Warren

I see no contradiction between Buddhism and Christianity…. I intend to become as good a Buddhist as I can.8–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 Muslims–worship.9–Peter Kreeft

Roger Oakland relates a story from the Book of Acts:

 [T]he apostle Paul had been arrested for preaching the Gospel. He was brought before King Agrippa and given the opportunity to share his testimony of how he became a Christian. He told Agrippa that the Lord had commissioned him to preach the Gospel and:

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:18)

Agrippa continued listening and then said to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian (vs. 28).” Paul answered him:

“I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” (vs. 29)

If Paul had been following the emerging mentality, he would have told Agrippa, “No need to become a Christian. You can remain just as you are; keep all your rituals and practices, just say you like Jesus.” In actuality, if Paul had been practicing emerging spirituality, he wouldn’t have been arrested in the first place. He would not have stood out, would not have preached boldly and without reservation, and he would not have called himself a Christian, which eventually became a death sentence for Paul and countless others. 10

It’s hard to believe that there was not at least some political agenda in this storm of “we love Jesus but not the church or Christianity.” And we believe this agenda was aimed especially toward young people from evangelical conservative upbringings who had joined the emerging church movement. In a CBS Broadcast, anchorman Antonio Mora suggests there may have been over ”twenty million participants [in the emerging church movement] in the United States alone by 2006.11 Even half that number would be enough to change the results of a presidential election.

Some may contend that Jefferson Bethke’s song doesn’t have any political message at all – it’s just about hypocrisy of religious people. But interestingly, in the very first few lines of the song, Bethke raps: 

What if I told you getting you to vote republican, really wasn’t his [Jesus'] mission?

Because republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian.

Could there be some message here that Bethke is trying to relay? Is it just to tell people that just because they are Republican doesn’t mean they are Christian? Surely not. A fourth grader could reason that out. It’s difficult not to believe there is some other message here that just happens to be taking place on an election year.

Just consider some of the things being said by evangelical and emerging figures during the 2008 presidential election year. And think about what you are hearing today.  A lot of people love the messages being sent out by people like Dan Kimball, Erwin McManus, and let’s not forget Frank Viola and George Barna’s book, Pagan Christianity, where they condemn church practices like pastors, sermons, Sunday School, and pews, but say nothing about spiritual deception that has come into the church. These latter two figures (Viola and Barna) give readers a feeling that they should hate Christianity but just love Jesus. But what Jesus are these voices writing, singing, and rapping about? It may be “another Jesus” and a “different gospel.”

As the world is gradually (but not too slowly anymore) heading toward a global government and global religion, it is becoming more and more apparent that this global society will be one where “tolerance” is the byword for everything other than biblical Christianity. And what better way to breed hatred toward biblical Christians than to say “we love Jesus but hate the church” (i.e., Christians and Christianity)? Perhaps they have forgotten what Jesus said:

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15: 18,19).

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:14)

This report we have written may produce more questions than answers regarding things like politics, voting, the role of Christians in the world, the view the world has of Christians, and so forth. But while we have not answered such questions, we hope we have shown that indeed things are not always as they seem and that often what seems right may actually be from a deceiving angel of light and who appears good may actually only be false ministers of righteousness. 

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. 2 Corinthians 11: 14-15

Notes:

 1. http://www.sojo.net/blogs/2012/01/11/viral-why-i-hate-religion-love-jesus?quicktabs_1=2
2. http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Mar05/Art_Mar05_09.html (Also see our research page on McManus.)
3. Brian McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy, p. 293.
4. Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz (Nashville, TN: Zondervan, 2003), p. 115.
5. Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005),p. 6.
6. Leonard Sweet, Quantum Spirituality, p. 130.
7. Rick Warren, “Discussion: Religion and Leadership,” with David Gergen and Rick Warren (Aspen Ideas Festival, The Aspen Institute, July 6, 2005, http://www.aspeninstitute.org); for more information: http://www. lighthouse trailsresearch.com/newsletternovember05.htm.
8. David Steindl-Rast, “Recollection of Thomas Merton’s Last Days in the West” (Monastic Studies, 7:10, 1969).
9. Peter Kreeft, Ecumenical Jihad, op. cit., pp. 30, 160.
10. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone, chapter 10
11. Cited from Faith Undone, from chapter 1; taken from Antonio Mora, “New Faithful PRactice Away from Churches” CBS Broadcasting, July 10, 2006

APPENDIX:

These clippings below from various 2008 Lighthouse Trails articles show that there was a definite effort to alter the sociopolitical views of conservative Christian adults and their young adult children.

January 2008: According to an AP (Associated Press) report out of Washington DC, “Rick Warren is calling for reconciliation in politics and the church.” . . . The report also stated that Warren said “the nation needs both liberals and conservatives, and he lamented that evangelicals are often viewed as only ‘right wing.’”1 Warren’s ongoing message has been that “right winged” Christians against gay marriage and abortion need to come to a middle of the road place with liberal “Christians” who want to do something about the environment and AIDS. In this talk Rick Warren stated: “People ask me all the time, Are you left-winged or right-winged? … I’m for the left wing and for the right wing…. the fundamental truth is Washington needs both wings. (Rick Warren Calling for Reconciliation Between Religion and Politics )

January 2008:  The New Baptist Covenant, an alliance of over 30 Baptist organizations, will be hosting the 2008 Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant conference starting today, January 30th. A luncheon will be held with guest speaker, Al Gore. Other speakers at the event include Tony Campolo and former presidents Bill Clinton (keynote speaker) and Jimmy Carter (the founder of the New Baptist Covenant). . . . The 30 plus Baptist organizations that are part of the New Baptist Covenant represent 20 million Baptists around the world, according to the NBC website. . . .  In addition to Al Gore and Tony Campolo . . . some of the “Presenters” at the conference starting today are: MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), The Alban Institute, and The Upper Room. While this article will not attempt to determine whether there are political motives behind this newly formed organization that includes at least three major political personalities, one thing can be stated with surety: The New Baptist Covenant has the potential of being another avenue through which mystical spirituality will enter the lives of millions of people and thus take them further away from the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. (Conference Alert: Al Gore and Tony Campolo to Address Baptist Organizations )

January 2008: Emergent leader Brian McLaren will begin his “Everything Must Change” tour in February. The tour will run in several different US cities and is named after his book, Everything Must Change. . . . McLaren’s message that everything must change is the ongoing message of the emerging church. (Conference Alert: Brian McLaren Tour Starts Soon )

January 2008: On February 11th, Cedarville University will be hosting an evening with emerging church activist Shane Claiborne. The evening is titled after Claiborne’s book, The Irresistible Revolution . . .  

Claiborne’s book has a foreword by liberal political activist Jim Wallis. While Cedarville’s Dean of Student Life (Purple) told Lighthouse Trails that Cedarville is “very conservative,” pointing students to a book that is partially written by Wallis seems to give a different message. Wallis is the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, a widely read publication that gives a voice to mystics, emerging leaders, and New Age proponents. Sojourners would not represent the views of a “conservative” Christian college by any means, and it is a dichotomy for Cedarville to call itself conservative Christian then introduce students to a book written by Wallis and Claiborne in a favorable light, which CU is doing when it says that Claiborne is “rooted in the values of the Christian faith.” (Cedarville University Bringing Emerging Church Activist to Campus  - Claiborne is the author of Jesus for President)

March 2008: Tony Jones comes out with his book, The New Christians, which insists that Christianity is dead. As is typical with many emerging church books, The New Christians emphatically tries to convince readers that the “church is dead” (p. 4), at least church as we have known it. Jones uses several analogies to describe present day Christianity, such as it being like the nearly-obsolete pay phones, or a dying old growth forest, or compost (rotting vegetables). He says we can almost hear the “death rattle” of “America’s church” (p. 5). (Book Review – The New Christians by Tony Jones )

May 2008:  CNN, reporting on a document that is going to be released this Wednesday and signed by several “evangelical” leaders including Rick Warren. . . . we thought our readers would want to learn about “An Evangelical Manifesto,” another effort by some highly influential figures to marginalize biblical Christians. . . . “The statement, called “An Evangelical Manifesto,” condemns Christians on the right and left for using faith to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained Friday by The Associated Press.” (This is really to say that conservative Christians shouldn’t get involved with politics. PART 1: ‘An Evangelical Manifesto’ criticizes politics of faith)

May 2008: “An Evangelical Manifesto” Released

May 2008: First, Red Letter Christians announced that we are trying to create a new movement that seeks to make faithfulness to Biblical Christianity an imperative for progressive politics. With media exposure, the group recasts the image of a “Christian” in the 21st century, i.e. sympathetic toward the bondage of homosexuality and inclusive toward other religious belief systems. The Red Letter Christians misrepresent Biblical Christianity to the general public. Now, another self appointed “non-group” of public square Christians step up to the podium at the National Press Club to act as spokesmen ( though the event is described as an invitation to join the effort ) for Evangelicals to announce: ” We’re different, we’re sorry, and we’ll change for the global good.”. . . The expressed intent of the Manifesto claims to “depoliticize” faith or “take religion out of politics.” Which is interesting, giving the venue of the National Press Club. (Decoding the Evangelical’s Manifesto for Global Ecumenism )

May 2008:  Three “of the most outspoken” leaders of the emerging church (Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, and Mark Scandrette) will be going on a national road tour this summer and are receiving sponsorship from several large organizations. Some of those sponsors are Christianbook.com, Jossey-Bass, Compassion International, International Bible Society, and Zondervan.

The three men will hit 32 cities with their message of “a 21st century gospel.” Pagitt states they are taking their “invitation of hope and good news to people around the country. . . preaching a fresh way of life and faith–one that is in rhythm with the life of God.” Unfortunately, this “fresh way” consists of a message that contradicts the gospel message of the Bible. (Emergent Road Show Receives Sponsorship From Major Organizations )

May 2008: Time magazine has joined the ranks of Christian and secular media that are reporting this week on Rick Warren’s new PEACE Coalition. The article, titled “Rick Warren Goes Global,” says that Warren is “perhaps the most important voice in contemporary American Evangelical Christianity,” and that Warren is hoping to “take his ‘brand’ [of spirituality] to the ends of the earth.” Warren told Time (who was invited to the by-invitation-only conference) that this was “the most important conference” of his life, and he was extending participation in the PEACE Coalition to “the wider Evangelical community.” . . . For those who read the Time article and are not familiar with Rick Warren’s previous statements and teachings, Warren’s reformation may appear to be a biblically-based reformation, one that represents the Christian church, caring about the poor and needy. But Warren has defined this “new reformation” and how he intends to “re-engineer” the Christian faith. For instance, when Warren spoke at the Pew Forum on Religion in 2005, he told the audience that his new Christian reformation would include those from other faiths (in particularly Muslims). (Time Magazine on Rick Warren’s New Global Reformation and His PEACE Coalition )

June 2008: Emerging church leaders Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, and Mark Scandrette have gone on a summer road tour across the US as we reported on May 22nd in our article, Emergent Road Show Receives Sponsorship From Major Organizations.  Jones says the tour is a rendition of evangelism 100 years ago.  “We think that the church — even Christianity — needs an overhaul,” Jones states. Lighthouse Trails believes this tour will mislead many people. For three emerging leaders to say they are impersonating evangelists from a hundred years ago is a frivolous parody at best, and a mockery of godly believers of the past and the God whom they served at worse. The great evangelists from the past were for the most part Christians who held fast to the Word of God and did not compromise its truth and authority. But not so with those who lead what is known as the emerging church. (Pagitt, Jones, Scandrette: “What in the World Are We Doing?” )

June 2008:  On June 26th, an Associated Press article was released titled “Faithful in pews might not be voters in November.” The article prompted a response by emerging church author/lecturer Brian McLaren. The article stated that Obama had “sent Brian McLaren, one of the country’s most influential pastors, to meet with fellow evangelicals.” . . . McLaren concluded his comments by stating: “. . .  To say I hope he[Obama] will be our next president rather than Senator McCain is accurate.” (Brian McLaren: Hoping Obama Will Be Our Next President )

July 2008: CNN Interview with Rick Warren on Obama/McCain at Saddleback; (Warren: They’re both amazing men.)

August 2008: Presidential Forum – ABC Interview with Rick Warren: Warren Takes On His Critics

August 2008: Emerging Church Author [Donald Miller] to Give Prayer at Democratic National Convention  

August 2008: 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. (Donald Miller, the Emerging Church, and the Democratic National Convention )

September 2008: Obama: Grew up with “the Bible and the Koran” – Believes Many Paths Lead to God

September 2008: Phyllis Tickle and a New Kind of Church

September 2008: Contemplative Spirituality and the Emerging Church Come to Kansas Through YouthFront and MNU

October 2008: Socialism in America: A Revolution in the Making By Jan Markell – In recent weeks it has become more obvious that America is on the yellow-brick road to Socialism. In 1962 Russian Premier Khrushchev said, “We can’t expect the American people to jump from capitalism to Communism but we can assist their leaders by giving them small amounts of Socialism until they awaken one day to find out they have Communism.”

‘Father’ and ‘Son’ Ousted from the Trinity in New Bible Translations by Wycliffe and 2 Other Groups

By Hussein Hajji Wario
Yahoo! Contributor Network

(courtesy True Discernment blog)

A controversy is brewing over three reputable Christian organizations, which are based in North America, whose efforts have ousted the words “Father” and “Son” from new Bibles. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers are under fire for “producing Bibles that remove “Father,” “Son” and “Son of God” because these terms are offensive to Muslims.”

Concerned Christian missionaries, Bible translators, pastors, and national church leaders have come together with a public petition to stop these organizations. They claim a public petition is their last recourse because meetings with these organizations’ leaders, staff resignations over this issue and criticism and appeals from native national Christians concerned about the translations “have failed to persuade these agencies to retain “Father” and “Son” in the text of all their translations.”

Biblical Missiology, a ministry of Boulder, Colorado-based Horizon International, is sponsoring the petition.

The main issues of this controversy surround new Arabic and Turkish translations. Click here to continue reading.

Related Stories:

The New Look of Christian Missions

The ‘Camel Method’ of Evangelism is Not Biblical

The English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible. “A Dream Come True”?

 

 

UN Textbooks for Palestinian Children ‘Explosively Anti-Semitic, Anti-American and Anti-Israeli’

By Penny Star
CNSNews.com

The textbooks used to educate Palestinian children who live in refugee camps came under fire at a briefing on Wednesday on Capitol Hill where experts said lessons of intolerance and hatred toward Jews and Israel fill the books’ pages.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the House subcommittee on Human Rights and co-chairman of the Bi-Partisan Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism, told CNSNews.com that U.S. donations to the United Nations Refugee and Works Agency (UNRWA) make the federal government accountable for what is in the books.

“We are responsible for the content and the content has been, year in and year out, explosively anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-Israeli,” Smith said, at the event he hosted with the Center for Near-East Policy Research, which is based in Jerusalem and which has studied the topic extensively. Click here to read more.

Starbucks: Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage ‘Is Core to Who We Are and What We Value’ (From Let There Be Light)
By Elizabeth Harrington
(CNSNews.com) – Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee shop chain, added its name to the list of major corporations that have endorsed a gay marriage bill in Washington State, saying the legislation shares the company’s values at its core. The decision was criticized by many conservative, pro-family organizations.

Leading traditional marriage organizations, for instance, are accusing the Seattle-based company of “meddling” in the debate, after Starbucks joined Google, Microsoft, and Nike in support of the legalization of same-sex marriage that is currently gathering momentum in the state legislature.

Kalen Holmes, executive vice president for Partner Resources, released a statement on Jan. 24 entitled, “Starbucks Supports Marriage Equality,” to all of the company’s U.S. employees. Starbucks employs 149,000 people internationally. Click here to continue reading.

 

 

News Headlines from Understand the Times

To view this online, click here.

 

Considering Reiki? Watch This Video First

LTRP Note: We posted this video from YouTube last year, but because Reiki is still on the rise, we thought we should post this again.

If you have trouble viewing this here, click here to watch: from YouTube: Shazoolo – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlhKeph63D8

 

 
Obama Defends Roe v. Wade As Way for ‘Our Daughters’ to Have Same Chance As Sons to ‘Fulfill Their Dreams’

By Fred Lucas
CNSNews

President Barack Obama says the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade is the chance to recognize the “fundamental constitutional right” to abortion and to “continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.”

The 1974 U.S. Supreme Court nationalized abortion law, prohibiting states from deciding on the matter. In his written statement, Obama acknowledged that abortion has been a divisive political issue.

Obama, while serving in the Illinois State Legislature and as president of the United States, has taken a hard line on abortion rights.

In his statement on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, Obama said it reflects the broader principles of America. Click here to continue reading.

Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, to begin chemotherapy for lung cancer

By Dan Wooding
Assist News

COSTA MESA, CA (ANS) – Pastor Chuck Smith, the 84-year-old senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California, is about to start chemotherapy for his lung cancer.

This was revealed by Mike MacIntosh, one of the early converts of the Jesus People Movement that took place at Calvary Chapel in the late 60s and early 70s, writing on his Facebook page.

MacIntosh, the senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, California, on Saturday, January 14, 2012, said, “Chuck Smith is doing fine. I spoke with him last week and this cancer is not going to separate him from Jesus. Please pray for him as he will begin chemotherapy next week and then radiation. Click here to continue.

Conclusion to Have Heart Review: “BREACHED! The Symptoms of Seduction by Spirits”

This is the conclusion of the 7 part series by Herescope on the book Have Heart and its introduction to necromancy. In this article, Herescope identifies the symptoms of seduction by spirits. Some of these symptoms include: apparitions, universalism, frightening phenomena, synchronicity and “God Nods,” psychic science, and others.

By Herescope

“BREACHED! The Symptoms of Seduction by Spirits”

 Now it came about when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached.  Jeremiah 39:1-2

In a point-by-point biblical and theological analysis and commentary, Have Heart was reviewed by Pastor Larry DeBruyn in his 5-part series “Do the Dead Communicate with the Living?” The Discernment Research Group thought this review of the Bergers’ book was necessary because the issues it introduces to America’s evangelical community; namely a New Age understanding of Heaven that allows for visitations from Christian loved ones who have entered the afterlife.

From our perspective, we are sorry that the grief and anguish of their son’s death has opened the minds of the family, their friends and their audience to “the other side” for the term “other side” derives its meaning from the occult world of Spiritualism, a religious phenomena that has been around for centuries. As a movement, Wikipedia describes the rise of Spiritualism to prominence in the 1840s as follows:

Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living. Anyone may receive spirit messages, but formal communication sessions (séances) are held by “mediums”, who can then provide information about the afterlife.

Under the subheading “Syncretism,” the Wikipedia entry also notes that Spiritualism was a forerunner to the New Age movement, with which it shares many similarities and overlapping connections, and that in the past it gained a foothold in many liberal Christian churches whose membership contains so-called “Christian Spiritualists.” So herein resides our concern: the door to the doctrines and practices of Spiritualism is now being opened amongst unsuspecting evangelicals because of the information and experiences communicated by the Bergers’ book.  Click here for footnotes, to continue reading this article, and to see the symptoms of seduction of spirits.

UTT UPDATE ON MISSION IN KENYA

By Roger Oakland and Understand the Times
(source for this update)

Pastor Achilla

PASTOR PIUS ACHILLA

We received a report [on November 18th] from Pastor Achilla in Kenya bringing us up to date with regard to progress with the Bryce Orphan Home Project. Pastor Nelson has moved with his entire family from Kisumu to Rongo where he will be establishing Bryce Home One. Along with his wife and seven children of their own, they have seven additional adopted children they are looking after.

 

Pastor Nelson

PASTOR NELSON OCHIENG

Understand The Times has rented a home in the Rongo area for Pastor Nelson and his family. Understand The Times will be providing support for food, clothing, and education. He and his wife will help to administer the Bryce Orphan Home program with Pastor Achilla and be responsible for reporting to us.

 

We are presently in the process of putting together a board of directors made up of Kenyan pastors and headed by Pastor Achilla in Rongo. In March of this year, I will be making another trip back to Kenya, along with my friend Byron Hardy from Canada, to meet Pastor Achilla and his pastoral team in order to discuss the Bryce Orphan Home project and set up a long-term Bible teaching program that will promote the teaching of biblical truth in these Last Days.

While I did not expect to go back to Kenya this soon, it became obvious that it was important to come along side the Kenyan pastors at this time to make sure the foundation we establish is sound and biblically based. Byron is the President of a Bible school and is well grounded in sound biblical doctrine and will bring important input and expertise with regard to the training of pastors to stand for the gospel according to the Scriptures.

Missions in Kenya

Widow Benta Orphan Home

To see more photos of the new Bryce Orphan Homes, click here.

As per our previous reports, a number of widows and orphans have already been helped through support provided for basic needs from Lighthouse Trails readers. These funds were sent recently and have been distributed by Pastor Achilla and his support staff, which have provided immediate relief for many. Understand The Times, through the support we have received for orphans and widows will now come along side and continue to maintain these homes as the Lord provides.

The purpose of these reports is to keep you informed of what we are doing to invest the support we have received in a wise manner and with accountability.

Sincerely,

Roger Oakland
(Click here for more information on the Bryce Orphan Home project that is headed up by Understand the Times and supported by UTT and Lighthouse Trails readers.)

To support the widows and orphans, please donate through UTT website; these donations will go directly to the support of the 10-11 Bryce Orphan Homes that are being established in Kenya under the supervision of Pastor Achilla and Pastor Nelson in conjunction with UTT.

To support the pastors and their families, to help buy new Bibles to distribute, and for many other needs there, please donate through the Missions for Truth (a Lighthouse Trails website).

To donate to the widows and orphans in Suna and Rongo Kenya through Understand the Times ongoing Bryce Orphan Homes (there will be 12 homes supported in 2012), click here. To learn more about Pastor Achilla's work with his ministry team in Rongo and Suna, Kenya or to donate to this mission work, please click here.

This is a Lighthouse Trails sponsored project.


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