Kay Arthur Will be Sharing the Platform Again With Contemplative/Emergents at the Break Forth in Canada in 2013. Why does it matter?
In 2007, Bible teacher Kay Arthur shared the platform at the Canadian Break Forth conference with mystic Tony Campolo and other emergents. Lighthouse Trails spoke with Ms. Arthur’s assistant that year. We were told that Kay Arthur would speak any where with anyone in order to get her message out. We beseeched her to reconsider. This year she will be speaking at Break Forth again, sharing the platform with New Age sympathizer Leonard Sweet, contemplative proponents Gary Thomas, Brad Jersak, and John Ortberg, and several others in the contemplative/emerging camp. To understand why we believe this mixing of “good” teachers and “bad” teachers is harmful to the body of Christ (not to mention confusing to both believers and unbelievers), please read our 2011 article below.
Below is an article we wrote in 2011 about Break Forth, still relevant today:
“Break Forth Conference in Canada – Causing Confusion by Mixing Truth with Apostasy ” – 2011
Lighthouse Trails has written in the past about Break Forth, an annual conference that takes place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada each year, because of its promotion of emerging and contemplative speakers. What makes this conference even more spiritually dangerous is that the speaker list is a mixture of truth and apostasy. For example, one year both Kay Arthur and Tony Campolo shared the platform. When we contacted Arthur’s ministry, we were told that she will speak anywhere she is invited to share her message. Another year, Joel Rosenberg and Frank Peretti shared the platform with Leonard Sweet, a New Age sympathizing colleague of Rick Warren’s and William Paul Young, author of The Shack. Rosenberg’s defense: he’ll speak anywhere he is invited to.
The problem is, by seemingly solid teachers sharing platforms with those who outright teach and promote anti-biblical ideas (such as contemplative/centering prayer) a lot of confusion and misleading information is brought into the church. If Kay Arthur gets up on stage just before Tony Campolo, those attending will assume that Arthur has no serious problems with Campolo’s teachings, and so on. Of course, if Kay Arthur got up and told the crowd that Tony Campolo was teaching anti-biblical doctrines, then maybe she could justify herself. But to our knowledge, no such brave talk goes on by speakers at the Break Forth conference (or any other Christian conference where there is this mixture of truth and error).
Most of the speakers at the Break Forth conferences would fall into the contemplative/emerging camps (At least one in 2012 is a Catholic convert). It is difficult not to wonder why they are even bringing in people like Kay Arthur, Josh McDowell, and Frank Peretti, names that so far are not promoting contemplative prayer or emerging spirituality. Could it possibly be to give their emerging conference some credibility among the general populace of the evangelical church? Whether intentionally or not, by bringing them, it is indeed giving their agenda credibility.
Below is some research one of our Canadian readers sent us last week about the upcoming Break Forth in 2012 where Ann Graham-Lotz and Josh McDowell will share the platform with emerging figures Erwin McManus and Tony Campolo. Contemplative advocate Gary Thomas will also be there. (We have a few comments of our own, which you will find in brackets [ ].
To Lighthouse Trails:
I read most of the 12-page Break Forth newspaper last night, and it is a real mix.
Some of the topics appeal to me:
John and Sean McDowell on “The New Tolerance” “. . . See how research shows that the majority of our church people have distorted beliefs about Christ and Christianity. Josh teaches critical steps we need to take to reverse this alarming trend . . . .”
Joe Amaral (don’t know him) “Understanding Jesus” “. . .back in time to the Jewish culture of Jesus.” ”God’s Holy Days.” ”The Passover Prophecies” ”Ancient Wedding Feast”
Hans Weichbrodt (don’t know him) “Jet Tour through Ezekiel” ”Daniel’s 70th Week” ”The Jewish Temple” ”Heaven — Our Eternal Future!”
Here’s my biggest objection to BreakForth 2012. The Main Assemblies.
Registrants attend four main assemblies and may choose elective for five sessions. Friday night main assembly Erwin McManus and Arlen Salte (Arlen is a musician and the organizer of BreakForth) Saturday morning “ Anne Graham Lotz and Brenton Brown Saturday night ” Tony Campolo and Paul Baloche Sunday afternoon “ Nick Vujicic and Robin Mark
That’s means every registrant will hear Erwin McManus and Tony Campolo!
Many of the speakers I don’t know. Some of them I read years ago, but I don’t know their doctrinal position now.
Others I recognize as false teachers: Tony Campolo “Red Letter Christianity” [Says he is born again through mystical experiences]1
Erwin McManus “Capacity: Increasing Your Leadership EQ” “. . . Come learn about leadership that brings intrinsic change.”
Dr. Chris Alford “A pioneer on Ancient-Future renewal . . . .” ”Robert Webber said ‘The road to the future runs through the past.’” ”. . . then defines and unpacks Ancient-Future Worship Renewal.”
Gary Thomas “Sacred Pathways” “Experienced spiritual directors recognize the futility of ‘one size fits all’ spirituality. . . . ” ”Growing with the Classics” “Gary will explain why the great ancient writings are so important for everyone to be familiar with. You’ll learn guidelines for getting the most out of this spiritual discipline and show how our pursuit of seeking intimacy with God can be greatly bolstered with ancient wisdom.” ”The Ministry of the Thorn” “Paul had a thorn in the flesh. Teresa of Avila had splitting migraines. Augustine was threatened by a marauding horde . ”
Other sessions I don’t know the speakers and I’m not sure of the content. I would put a question mark beside them until I could do more research.
Mark Virkler ”4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice” [Mark Virkler is a contemplative advocate] ”Prayers that Heal the Heart” ”Prayer will allow you to use the language of the heart to break generational sins and curses, sever ungodly soul ties, replace negative beliefs with God’s promises and experience healing.” ”. . .We will try this together and learn to listen to God’s voice.” Julie Drew ”Painting Prayers” Simon Guillebaud “Screaming Injustice” Bill & Pam Farrel ”Red Hot Monogamy” 3 electives under ”Soaking” with Jared Anderson, Dr. Chris Alford, and Brenton Brown Audrey Assad ”. . . This hour will be focused on deepening prayer in the interest of true spiritual rest . . . . ” [Assad is a convert to Catholicism.]
What a state the church is in when we need to be suspicious of sessions on Prayer!
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