Several Christian media outlets are announcing the “friendship” between evangelical mega-evangelist Luis Palau and the new Jesuit Pope who was elected at the Vatican in Italy this past week. Headlines are letting Christians know that one of their most popular evangelists has a special relationship with “Pope Francis.”
Palau is not the only evangelical leader to send his praises and words of support to the new pope. Rick Warren sent out a message on his “Twitter” account just prior to the election, “Join me today in praying and fasting for the 115 Cardinals seeking God’s will in a new leader,” and after the election Warren tweeted “Welcome Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, #HabemusPapam [“We have a pope!”] You have our prayers.” Christians who look at things from a biblical point of view and take into consideration biblical prophecy about the last days will have a difficult time not being concerned about the implications of Christian leaders exhibiting a kind of comradeship with the Roman Catholic leader. As Lighthouse Trails and Understand the Times have attempted to warn believers about the ecumenical, interspiritual one-world religion that is coming, once again we see the lethargy regarding spiritual deception within the ranks of Christian leaders.
While behaving with Christian charity toward the Pope and praying for him (as we should for all people) is not a bad thing in and of itself, Luis Palau and Rick Warren’s ongoing minimizing of the extreme differences between biblical Christianity and Roman Catholicism is. Over the years, the Palau crusades have included Catholic counselors for those coming forward to receive Christ, and Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven movement has offered Catholic-focused programs. This goes beyond the scope of reaching out to Catholics with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and negates Scripture that tells Christians to be discerning and speak up against false teachings.
In an interview with Luis Palau on Relevant magazine website, talking about his friendship with the new pope, Palau stated: “I think that’s the emphasis he is going to bring to the papacy: That the Gospel is primary, that we must emphasize it and especially with youth.”1 But just what “Gospel” will the pope actually emphasize? Will the true Gospel of Jesus Christ be able to be emphasized when it is shrouded in Masses, Eucharists, Transubstantiations, Marian apparitions, and a “new” evangelization program that seeks to bring back the “lost brethren” to the “Mother” church? To understand more clearly the concerns that Lighthouse Trails and Understand the Times share, please read some of our material on just what Roman Catholicism teaches. We do not have any animosity toward Catholics themselves, but we do see the Roman Catholic church as a body of deception, leading millions away from the Gospel with a “justification by works” false gospel and a eucharistic christ that is “another Jesus.”
Below is just one of many headlines by Christian media boasting of Luis Palau’s relationship with the Pope.
“Luis Palau: New Pope Francis a Friend of Evangelicals”
By Anugrah Kumar
Christian Post
Evangelist Luis Palau, who knows and has prayed together with Pope Francis on several occasions, called the new leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics a friend of evangelicals who is respectful of all sides of Christianity.
“I exploded,” Palau told oregonlive.com, of his reaction after his son, Kevin Palau, president of the Luis Palau Association, shared the news that Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pope this week. “I just couldn’t believe it. In the last election, he was in the running but he told me he felt led by God to remove himself from the race. I said, ‘Maybe next time,’ and he said, ‘I’ll be too old.'”
The fiery preacher who some have called the “Latin Billy Graham,” said whenever they prayed together, Bergoglio asked him to “lay your hands on me and pray for me, that God will keep me as servant.” The new pope is respectful of all sides of Christianity, Palau said, adding the press referred to him as the “evangelical pope” in 2008. Click here to read more.
Related Material:
Our “Road to Rome” books, booklet tracts, and DVDs.
A Jesuit Pope? Understanding The Jesuit Agenda and the Evangelical/Protestant Church – Special Report by UTT and LT
New Lighthouse Trails PRINT BOOKLET TRACT: My Journey Out of Catholicism
