See Part 1 of Year in Review: Top 10 Letters to the Editor.
See Part 2 of Year in Review: Top 10 Out-of-House News Stories.
See Part 3 of Year in Review: Top 10 Articles by LT Authors
See Part 4: Top 5 Guest Writer Articles
In this last part of our 5-part Year in Review series, the following 10 articles are written by the editors at Lighthouse Trails.
(1) Christianity Today: “We are theologically conservative . . . committed to the glory of God.”—CT History Shows Differently: In the last 20+ years, since the emerging “progressive” socialist church was birthed, Christianity Today has not been theologically conservative [as it claims] and has actually helped to propagate an emergent socialist, very non-theologically conservative spirituality that does anything but bring glory to God.
(2) Christian Colleges and Seminaries in More Trouble Than Ever As Many Plunge Into Emergent Spirituality: When we started warning about the contemplative movement entering the church through the evangelical colleges, seminaries, and universities back in the early part of this present millennium, our warnings were brushed off and dismissed by many Christian leaders. Today, some of these same leaders are being vocal about the left-leaning, anti-God, socialistic condition of this country. But they either don’t realize or don’t care that the early contemplative pioneers that they embraced twenty plus years ago brought in that very same mindset into the church through contemplative prayer.
(3) Philip Zodhiates – Remains in U.S. Prison For Helping Former Lesbian Mother: Since 2010, Lighthouse Trails has been reporting on the story of former lesbian Lisa Miller and her then-eight-year-old daughter, Isabella. After Lisa committed her life to Christ, she left her lesbian partner when Isabella was about a year old and quit the homosexual lifestyle. Obeying the law, Lisa allowed her young daughter visits to her former partner, but in time, she came to believe that Isabella was undergoing various forms of abuse while on those visits when Isabella.
(4) Lilly Endowment’s Contemplative-Focused Clergy Renewal Program Updated Lists: If you are in a church where your pastor is planning to go on a sabbatical, whether it is sponsored by Lilly or not, find out if he is going to be spending part of his sabbatical time at a monastery or a contemplative retreat center and reading contemplative-influenced books.
(5) The American Legion Gives Big Push for Veterans to Practice Transcendental Meditation: In a 2020 three-part series titled “Mysteries of the Mind,” The American Legion magazine tells veterans they should practice transcendental meditation if they feel stressed, saying that TM “can help veterans confronting PTSD.” Writer of the article, American Legion magazine editor Jeff Stoffer, enthusiastically adds:
(6) Coronavirus, George Floyd, and Riots in the Streets—When God Discloses the Heart of Man: It doesn’t take much to see that between the coronavirus and George Floyd’s death that God is disclosing what’s in the heart of man. For some, it is racism and brutality; for others, it is hatred, violence, and anger; for others, greed and covetousness; and others fear and even cowardness.
(7) Critical Race Theory, Southern Baptist Convention, and a Marxist “Solution” That Will Not Work: In June 2019, at its annual conference, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) passed Resolution 9: “On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality.”1 Critical Race Theory is a political/philosophical-driven ideology that claims to be a solution to ending racism but according to critics actually presents a “solution” that will install Marxism into our society while creating a sentiment leading to escalated conflict and diminished freedom for all.
(8) Passion of the Christ Sequel May Be Coming—First One Promoted Roman Catholicism Amid Immense Evangelical Support: Some have asked the question: was it Mel Gibson’s intention for the film to focus on the Catholic Eucharist and Mary? In an interview given on EWTN, while explaining the “very moving and emotional and efficacious” aspects of the Catholic Latin Mass, Mr. Gibson stated his goal and intention for making this film.
(9) Steve Berger and Other Church Leaders Calling for “Repentance” and “Revival” May First Need to Repent Themselves: Today, a growing number of Christian leaders are holding public events calling for national repentance and church revival. With Christians deeply concerned about the state of our nation, it is understandable that repentance and revival would be on the hearts of many in the church. But sadly and alarmingly many of the figures who are calling for revival today have been promoting false and dangerous teachings.
(10) LT Author Patrick Crough Awarded “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” for His Fight Against Human Trafficking: I can’t help but think that Jesus weeps for those little ones who fall into the hands of child predators. I also believe Jesus weeps over the despair and hopelessness we experience as communities because of the crimes committed against our children.—Patrick Crough
(photo from bigstockphoto.com; used with permission)