Is “The Church is the Hope of the World”?

By Paul Proctor Well, another Leadership Summit has come and gone at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois–a yearly conference led by its senior pastor and Willow Creek Association’s Chairman of the Board, Bill Hybels. They reportedly drew over 6000 attendees this year with some 60,000 watching a live broadcast of the event. … [Read more…]

Individual Salvation Rejected by “New Spirituality”

by Larry DeBruyn  LTRP Note: The following comments made by Larry DeBruyn help to point out the emerging church teaching that God is more concerned about (and desirous of) community or cultural salvation as opposed to individual salvation. This is a classic earmark of emerging/contemplative spirituality. This is the message conveyed in books such as … [Read more…]

Will the “New Science” Prove That God is “in” All Things?

In a July 4th article in the San Antonio Express-News, it features Thomas Keating, a Catholic monk who has been instrumental in bringing contemplative spirituality out of the monasteries to the layperson. In the article, Keating conveyed what contemplative mystics have been saying for centuries: mysticism is the common ground among all the world’s religions. … [Read more…]

Should Pastors Warn Their Congregations About Contemplative Spirituality?

  Lighthouse Trails believes that contemplative spirituality must be addressed head on. Recently, we were contacted by a pastor who told us he did not see the reason to focus on these “negative” aspects (such as contemplative and emerging). He wanted to know why we did what we did. We believe the Bible instructs believers … [Read more…]

A Letter from Ray Yungen: Is Lighthouse Trails “Haters?”

by Ray Yungen Lighthouse Trails author Recently, at a large Christian youth event, Lighthouse Trails was indirectly referred to as “haters” because of our articles and books exposing the emerging church movement. We realize that many people think ministries like Lighthouse Trails are mean-spirited, hateful and derive pleasure from causing trouble for others. On the … [Read more…]

Rob Bell and the Dalai Lama – A Dream Come True?

In the mid 1970s interreligious efforts began within the monastic stream of the Catholic church with the hope that a mystical (East-West) spirituality could be absorbed into Christianity at large. Thomas Keating, Basil Pennington, and David Steindl-Rast were among those who shared this vision and effort, as was Swami Satchidananda, and eventually the Dalai Lama. … [Read more…]