Every year at this time, Lighthouse Trails presents its Year in Review. Over the next few days, we will be posting our top stories from several different categories from 2015. This is an opportunity to read stories you may have missed and also to get a wide-lens glance at important things happening in the church and the world from a discernment and biblical point of view. As always, our primary focus at Lighthouse Trails is the Gospel. We hope this Year in Review will point readers to that very message.
2015 YEAR IN REVIEW – PART 1 – TOP 10 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
1/Letter to the Editor: Concerned About Spiritual Deception in the Homeschooling Camp
There are so many homeschooling blogs by professing Christian mothers who promote all manner of things that are unbiblical and smacking of the world, witchcraft, the New Age and psychology. Blog after blog promoting Harry Potter novels and fantasy, Disney movies and T.V shows that promote witchcraft, homosexuality, and the spirit of the world. Having the veneer of Christianity but having no substance thereof. Loving and promoting all things of the world on the one hand while professing to be Christian and having a love of Jesus on the other.
2/Letter to the Editor: Thoughts About Saints and Suffering in the Last Days
The recent posts are really depicting how quickly we are getting there. Now it is all coming into place. I think one reason the warnings have died down is people are getting a sense that the time to blow the trumpet is over. It is just comments people leave. It may sound counterproductive, but at some point this time arrives. Usually just before judgment or something like that. I keep warning as God leads me.
3/Letter to the Editor: Alone and Dismayed By Condition of Churches in a Midwest Town
I live in the Midwest, and one would think that the apostate church has not infiltrated us here. Nothing could be further from the truth. My husband and I have stopped attending church due to previous churches attended now being mega seeker sensitive. Recently we decided to try two churches.
4/Letter to the Editor: Concerns By Awana Leader About Awana Linking Hands with the Emerging Church
My family has been involved with the Awana ministry for almost 20 years both as “clubbers” and leaders. Awana came out with new junior high curriculum. I reviewed one of the books and was not happy. The high school level curriculum too is in the process of being re-written with the help of a man named Josh Griffin. Josh Griffin is the high school pastor for Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church.
5/Letter to the Editor: Left Standing Alone After Challenging Pastor Over C&MA Emergent Teachings
n March 2015, we were at a small Calvary Chapel in ________________. Our pastor needed to relocate so we were without a regular pastor for many months.
Since we were unable to find a satisfactory Calvary Chapel pastor, we were extremely anxious as to what our next step should be. Someone knew of a C&MA [Christian & Missionary Alliance] District Superintendent who mentioned he could come talk to us as a congregation. When he came, he was extremely nice and personable and exuded confidence and kindness.
At one time, in the 1950s, one could find dozens of Bible Churches with sound pastoral leadership and outstanding music (e.g. Moody Church choir at the time under Richard Dinwiddie). There is no way these kinds of churches would ever fall prey to compromise, ecumenism, or contemporary music shifts–or would they? The last two or three decades has experienced a virtual paradigm shift
I have personal experience with the book: Jesus Calling. A few years ago, having received the book as a gift by a church member, I began to read it. I had no prior knowledge of the book but quickly realized I did not like it. I thought there was another spirit within the pages. I threw it in the garbage can, not even willing to donate it to the thrift shop. We have since moved and have connected to another church. The worship, teaching, and fellowship is God directed, and we were very happy to have found this group of people.
When I came across a tweet including a picture of my pastor attending the recent Alpha Leadership conference in England, I was intrigued. I had never heard of Alpha, so I did some research. My concern deepened as I uncovered the focus of this conference. Unity. Ecumenical unity with the Catholic Church. The choice of speakers confirmed my concern: Father Raniero Cantalamessa, (Preacher to the papal household), Joyce Meyer, Archbishop Justin Welby, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
9/Letter to the Editor: “I Received a Reiki Treatment Without Being Told it Was Happening!
After having chiropractic treatment for years, I decided to give osteopathy a try, as it seemed to be more gentle on the body. But at the end of the treatment, something strange happened. The practitioner held my head for about seven minutes or so. Up until this point, I figured it was all part of the therapy. But then I became concerned. I couldn’t work out what he was doing, as he was not massaging my neck nor did he seem to be applying any pressure. Then I heard him taking several deep breaths.
A Lighthouse Trails reader who is on David Jeremiah’s mailing list received the following e-mail notice from David Jeremiah. The appearance took place arch 12, 2015 . . .