Dear Lighthouse Trails:
The Wesleyan church is being lead by Jo Anne Lyon, who has yoked the denomination with false teachers. I had been in a church that was taken over by the Wesleyan denomination. I later transferred my membership away from it. She has spoken in our church and she all but tripped over herself in bowing down in name dropping being in meetings with Rick Warren and Bono. She also was giving credit to the teachings of Richard Foster. She also has signed many documents with the usual suspects and their names on it – Rick Warren, Bill and Lynn Hybels, Tony Campolo, Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, and the like. She has equated being pro-environment/climate change with being pro-life. She is pushing the social gospel and spiritual formation.
Even if it were a man in the pulpit spewing this stuff, I would say it is unbiblical. Thought I would let you know to keep your eye on things.
https://www.wesleyan.org/sftour
Here is just one of the stops coming up:
GO + MAKE | The Wesleyan Church
The Spiritual Formation Department Tour: GO + MAKE is coming to the Chesapeake District on Saturday, November 7, 2015. The event will be hosted by Calvary Wesleyan Church in Harrington, Delaware. https://www.wesleyan.org/3490/go-make
Saturday, November 7th is the date set for GO + MAKE a one-day, holistic, all-church discipleship training event for local church leaders plus a Generous Church Training event for lead pastors and spouses. Both events will be hosted by Calvary Wesleyan Church in Harrington, Delaware for the Chesapeake District and will run from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Don’t miss this day of training and learning. These events are a great opportunity for you and your church congregants to be challenged and energized by our denominational leaders.
Presenters include:
Rev. Jeremy Summers, Director of Spiritual Formation, previous to his current appointment, he served three Wesleyan churches in Indiana and Illinois. He has also studied at Indiana Wesleyan University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and currently at Fuller Theological Seminary. Jeremy is also the author of Awakening Grace: Spiritual Practices to Transform Your Soul, the Merge Discipleship Series, and The Way Forward.
Rev. Scott Simmons, Director of Youth Ministries for the Wesleyan denomination, has served in youth ministry for over 18 years. He is an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church and a graduate of Bethany Bible College and Indiana Wesleyan University. Scott is committed to the Wesleyan youth movement, being involved with youth camps, student and adult leadership development and the Wesleyan youth conventions.
Rev. Kathy George, Director of Children’s Ministries for the Wesleyan denomination, has been a children’s ministry director for 28 years. She served at First Wesleyan Church in Chilllicothe, Ohio for 9 years, and is currently in her 19th year at Cypress Wesleyan in Columbus, Ohio. During her time at Cypress, she has seen the children’s ministry grow from 200 to over 1,000 participants. She loves sharing her passion for Children’s Ministries through her position in The Wesleyan Church.
The Generous Church Training for lead pastors and their spouses will be presented by The Generous Church Organization. Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor, North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Georgia say of this event, “The Generous Church team are partners to churches striving to create cultures of generosity by reaching every steward. Creating culture starts with the leaders, and the team brings the vision, strategies, and tools to equip church leaders for this important yet challenging task.”
Back Up Research and Documentation from Lighthouse Trails:
- Dr. Jo Anne Lyon’s book The Ultimate Blessing: My Journey to Discovering God’s Presence is laden with quotes by and references to contemplative and or emergent figures such as Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster, Soren Kiekergaard, and Jurgen Moltmann.
- The Wesleyan Church website offers a book series on Lectio Divina (see LT article on What is Lectio Divina?)
- The “Consistent Life” Document (“An International Network for Peace, Justice, and Life”) is signed by several contemplative/emergent/New Spirituality figures including: Wendell Berry, Shane Claiborne, Richard Foster, Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren, Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, Jean Vanier (trained Rick Warren’s spiritual director),and New Age teacher Wayne Teasdale.
- (2006) Wesleyan Goes Deeper into Contemplative
- List of 50 Top Contemplative-Promoting Organizations Adds 8 Runner Ups
