Lighthouse Trails 2023 Year in Review—Part 1—Top 5 Letters to the Editor

At the end of each year, Lighthouse Trails presents its Year in Review, divided into different parts. Below is the first part of our 2023 Year in Review. While we receive numerous letters, comments, calls, and e-mails throughout the year, and consider them all important and of value, we believe the 5 below illustrate very well what many of our readers are concerned about in these difficult days.

#1: A New Believer’s Experience in Today’s Confused Church

I was saved by Christ in June 2022. A Christian friend recommended The Chosen about two months ago. The truth is that I didn’t pay that much attention to the introduction to the series, this is something I need to be diligent about, “testing the spirits, proving all things and holding to what is good.” I was grabbed by the “purity” of the show, no profanity, love the time period; as a new Christian, the stories “made sense” to me. I started to feel moved by the actor playing Jesus, the last episode I watched is the scene where Jesus is healing people all day, an argument breaks out by the fire among the disciples, and “Jesus” walks by. I started crying and felt so moved. In the following days, I felt a bit strange and had the insight that this is not the real Jesus and shortly after I read an article (on a different site) with compelling criticisms about the series. Shortly after that, I came across an article (on a different site) about the dangers of the Alpha program, which I completed a few weeks ago, and then shortly after that, I came across an article on the LT site about the dangers of the book Jesus Calling which I had been reading daily since July 2022.

Needless to say, I felt dismayed at how easily I was deceived. I continue to read about the Alpha Course and pondering presenting the pastors at the church where I took this program with this information, I threw away the Jesus Calling book, and I will not continue to watch The Chosen. I have also considered that anything that is so hugely popular with the world requires close examination. Even though I feel at times like I have the spiritual discernment of an amoeba, I praise God for revealing these truths to me. The narrow path gets narrower and narrower. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13-14). Prior to being saved, I spent decades immersed in the New Age world, and so I recognize a lot of the “spiritual” material that you warn about on your website.—Kathy

#2: From Two Women: What Are We Doing Wrong?

This note is actually from two people—my friend Elizabeth and myself (Ann).  Elizabeth and I have known one another for 12 years—we met at a Bible study in my home. She still lives in ___________ and I’m now in ________, and we meet once a week for a Zoom prayer. Even though there is a large age disparity—Elizabeth is 44, and I am 81—we are like-minded sisters in Christ. 

Our question is this: Over the last several years, we have contacted pastors whose churches we attended—or—pastors who came to our attention, who were involved in contemplative, New Age, spiritual Formation, etc.  When we spoke to our own pastors and provided them with links from Lighthouse Trails in an honest attempt to warn them about a particular teaching they were promoting, we never received ANY response from them, not even a “thank you but get lost”!  We are always dismissed out of hand and actually ignored.  It just appears to be rude and not becoming to men who lead a church.

Specific examples: this is from Elizabeth:

My own search for a church has been fruitless. I have sought several in the area and they’re either compromised by affiliations or their Statement of Faith is promoting false doctrines, or the women teach Bible studies from untrustworthy books. I reached out to the pastors of these churches with my questions and concerns, but I never get a response. The church I was attending had solid teaching until a charismatic couple began attending and then taking the place as elders and influencing the pastor. He started teaching about “binding and loosing” and promoting shows like The Chosen, whereas he had always been discerning with solid teaching before. When I sent information from Lighthouse Trails with my concerns to him, I never received a response. 

And this is my example (Ann):

I have been attending a church here in _________ for 2.5 years.  The preaching is quite solid; however, much to my dismay, the church library which is in plain sight (it is situated off the large entrance, leading to the sanctuary) openly displays books by Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Tim Keller, John Piper, etc.  I sent the pastor a note and links from LT about these books/authors and my concerns.  I believe it has the propensity to be confusing to young Christians or those with little or no discernment, since what those books teach are diametrically opposite to the messages from the pulpit.  Therefore, I don’t understand the need to offer them. When, like Elizabeth, I explained my concern and included Lighthouse Trails links, I was totally ignored. I never heard from him, and I know he avoids me when I am at church and he sees me.  And the books remain a year later.

And while visiting my son in another state recently, my son mentioned a new church had been started there.  I was curious so I looked it up online.  In the young pastor’s bio, he proudly mentions his involvement with Spiritual Formation, how he taught it in a seminary setting and now is using it in this new church. I really believe he is totally naive about what it is and has no clue how dangerous it is.  Pastors are warned they will be held to a stricter account for what they teach others.  So I sent him a short e-mail, explained I was just visiting, told him my age and when I had been saved and asked him if he would please read the link (from LT) on Spiritual Formation and explained my sincere concern for him.  Again, no response. 

In all these instances, we get the impression these men must look down their noses at discernment sites, no matter how accurate and truthful and even though videos, links, other sources, ibids, etc are provided showing the veracity and truth of the information. 

So what are we doing wrong?  Should we not say anything?  Is it wrong to contact a pastor you do not know but who really appears to have a need to be warned?  We don’t do this willy nilly; we do it reluctantly! We have learned from experience that discerning is a very difficult gift and frankly, the church doesn’t seem to like those who have it and (attempt) to apply it.  

What counsel can you give us?  It is very discouraging.  I would be happy to send you the actual emails/letters so as you can see for yourself what was written had been presented in a kind and loving way.  And it’s not even that we need an acknowledgement, but it seems so odd that NONE of these pastors got in touch with us, .and the above is only a few examples.  There are other examples which we have not detailed. Sincerely, Elizabeth and Ann

#3: On Chasing After a “Deeper” Life

There is way too much focus on human-flawed writings, teaching, sermons, etc.—not enough pure Bible study. Over the decades, I have watched many well-meaning Christians always yearning and seeking deeply for a new Christian high. And sure enough, they buy into all sorts of extra-biblical weirdness; and unfortunately take others down with them.

Here is my take—the Christian will experience real (God-given) highs just by properly studying the Bible deeply and being in consistent/constant prayer. These highs are not sought after but are a result of our growing relationship with Christ; and not in conflict with the Bible. Jesus fills our void(s), not the extra-biblical highs.

I bump into these people years later, and they have strayed further into weirdness. Some who are labeled boring/content Christians are some of the most grounded Christians I know and are refreshing to be around. My Lt. Col. dad was a (boring/content) chaplain in the Army Reserves for a few decades. He also had an M.Div. He also taught public school. After retiring from teaching, he became the first Protestant chaplain at a Catholic Hospital in our area. He never boasted about it, but the hospital kept track and reported at his funeral how many people he led to Christ.

Because of their deep biblical knowledge, he, my mom, and grandparents were successful at keeping errant teaching and practices out of the churches they attended—instead of following the new “high seekers.” They took many unpopular stands in the public school system, such as teaching Creation. Several co-teachers that ridiculed them later in life became Christians, as did many of their students.
Instead of seeking fabricated highs, they worked hard and long for God, their immediate family, and extended families. Many relatives became saved due, at least in part, to their Christ-centered influence, patient persistence, and in some cases decades of consistent prayer. Stop chasing the wind, and consider the high of a life of hard-working biblically based service for God.—F.K.

#4: God Protected My Family From Bill Gothard’s Damaging Teachings

The Bill Gothard article from the Fall issue hits close. That “ministry” has done so much damage. But I have a bittersweet taste for the ministry. God used the seminars as a tool in our family in the ’80s. My parents were under counsel with a local Bible-believing pastor and attending that local church. They were presented with the Gospel by the pastor and other believers, but it was during a seminar that my parents were saved. That is the sweet part of the ministry. I was a young girl at this time.

When I was in high school our family joined [Gothard’s] ATI program. I will forever be grateful that my parents never went down the controlling path. They allowed me to be a free-thinker by reading and thinking through things on my own. When I was around 19 years old, I had finished reading the IBLP [Institute of Basic Life Principles] booklet series on Biblical Counseling. I had some serious red-flags in my spirit. I started questioning everything that was taught by Gothard. The man who was our interim pastor, at the time, met with me and my parents quite frequently to discuss these concerns. It took about three years to sort through the issues, but I could not be part of this “ministry” any longer.

My parents allowed me to write the letter to Gothard and ATI for why we were leaving the program. I thank the Lord frequently that He protected me and my family from what could have even been worse. The theological and doctrinal side of things was bad enough. I still struggle with some of the “stinkin-thinkin” from twenty years ago. Those doctrinal issues sink deep and were ingrained in my thought process. Don Veinot’s book [A Matter of Basic Principles] came out a couple years after leaving ATI, and I appreciated his book then, and now the article in the fall issue of the Lighthouse Trails Research Journal.—Tara

#5: From a Canadian Man: “Maranatha: Come Quickly Lord Jesus”

Here in Ontario, Canada, my wife and I personally witnessed the Covid insanity. Our Prime Minister Trudeau is now pushing a double vaxx for Covid and the flu. My wife is a Registered Nurse, and she still cannot obtain employment going on three years now because she is not vaxxed and cannot obtain a medical exemption despite the fact of a life-threatening risk to her (her medical history of taking the vaxx far outweighs the risk of “dying” from Covid). The vaxx does not stop transmission and does not stop infection as per the CDC’s own admission.

The majority of church leaders and their congregations were and are still in “lock step” with the government edicts concerning: 1) Covid; 2) the government’s stance against the Canadian truckers’ convoy; and 3) a select number of pastors who continued to open their churches. I’m not wondering any longer about how Chancellor Hitler deceived the German people into participating in “the Final Solution.”

Pro-Hamas rallies throughout the West are confirmation of the perilous times we are in. “Thank you” Martin Luther and John Calvin (so-called “revered reformers”) for passing along your Jew-hating ideas (e.g., Replacement Theology/Supersessionism) throughout so many “churches” (many which still adhere to those ideas today).

Is it even possible to find a biblical church today? Yes, there still are some, but you may have to drive/fly for many hours just to get there. All I can say is Maranatha—come quickly Lord Jesus.—Jeff