There
have always been attempts to silence truth.
It happened in the Old Testament days
when God's prophets were killed. It happened
to the disciples after the resurrection
and then to a long line of courageous
believers throughout history who stood
for the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
In a lesser way (I mean not yet with our
lives), believers in the Western world
are also being silenced when they attempt
to defend the Christian faith in the midst
of heretical teachings and false doctrines.
We hear the stories every week. One evangelist
told us that when he showed up at a conference
(as one of the speakers), he was told,
"Talk about anything you want, but don't
say anything negative about Rick Warren."
Another person told us that their pastor
held up a copy of Ray Yungen's book to
his congregation and said, "Do not read
this book - it is a dangerous book." Again,
another incident took place just this
week with a Christian newspaper that lost
the support of a long-standing mega-church
when the publisher of the paper ran our
story (Christian
or Christ-Follower? ) warning about
contemplative spirituality.
For us here at Lighthouse Trails, threats
are issued (warning us to stop), untrue
statements are posted on blogs and websites,
and rumors of lawsuits find their way
to our office. When we ask these people
to show us where our documentation is
faulty, there is silence.
The facts speak for themselves, and thus
we continue (by the grace of God) to make
them available for others to see. And
we know that many of you are working hard
also to warn, beseech, and plead with
those for whom you care. May God strengthen
you in your efforts, and may we remember
those who have gone before us and paid
a much higher price than we have had to
pay - they paid with their lives. May
we as Christians in this century stand
in the strength of the Lord, according
to His power and grace.
Will the Evangelical Church Help Usher in
the "Age of Enlightenment" and the
Coming False One? |
|
by Ray Yungen
In
the early twentieth century, a figure
who would have a major impact on
the Western esoteric movement came
out of the occultic Theosophical
Society. The actual coining of the
very term New Age has been attributed
to her writings. Her name was Alice
Ann Bailey.
|
Christianity Today Article Promotes
Mystical Practices |
|
In
the current online edition of Christianity
Today, an article by contemplative
proponent Keri Wyatt Kent is instructing
on the practice of lectio divina
and breath prayers. As with most
contemplatives, Wyatt Kent says
that her prayer time was filled
with too many "words," saying her
time studying the Bible became "stale."
She then explains how she found
the solution to the dreariness of
her spiritual life:
But
just when exhaustion and guilt made
me ready to give up, God brought
some people and books into my life
that showed me ways to put the quiet
back into my quiet times, old ways
to revitalize my relationship with
him that were new to me.
In
the article, Wyatt Kent does not tell
who those "people" or "books" are,
but she does admit she has been following
certain "practices" for over ten years.
She lists three of these practices
as 1. Deep Listening (lectio divina)
2. Breath Prayers and 3. Being There.
Wyatt Kent does mention one author
whom she looks to though - David Benner.
Benner is the author of Sacred
Companions (foreword written
by Larry
Crabb). In Sacred Companions,
Benner favorably cites a who's
who of contemplative spirituality
including Thomas Merton, Teresa of
Avila, Alan
Jones(who says the doctrine of
the Cross is a vile doctrine), Henri
Nouwen, Evelyn Underhill, Gerald May
and many, many others. Benner proudly
proclaims his contemplative proclivities.
While the Christianity Today article written by Keri Wyatt Kent
does not give the names of the "people"
she has gained spiritual insights
from, it isn't too difficult to find
out who these people are. In her book, The
Garden of the Soul, Wyatt
Kent favorably refers to and/or quotes
Henri Nouwen, Dallas Willard, Ruth
Haley Barton (whom she calls "one
of my spiritual mentors," John Ortberg
(saying his insights have been "tremendously
helpful"), Richard Foster and several
others.
|
Adventures in Odyssey Promoting Contemplative? |
|
Is the Focus on the Family
Children's Program Heading in the
Contemplative Direction?
On
January 9th, Focus on the Family's
Adventures in Odyssey (their program
for children) presented a show called
"Solitary Refinement." Much like
the recent Fox Home Video production,
Be Still, "Solitary Refinement"
is an infomercial for Contemplative
Spirituality. Talking about going
to monasteries to learn the disciplines
of silence and solitude, getting
rid of distractions and thoughts
in order to hear God, the program
makes references throughout that
encourage children to practice the
"spiritual disciplines," with a
particular emphasis on the disciplines
of silence and solitude. Anyone
who has been researching and studying
the contemplative prayer movement
will understand the message in this
presentation.
The original
air date of this Adventures
in Odyssey episode was 1996. This
means that 11 years ago, long before
contemplative spirituality (i.e.,
Spiritual Formation) had become
mainstream in Christendom, as it
has today, Focus on the Family was
already heading in this direction.
Now over a decade later, they are
reintroducing the episode to a new
generation of children. Interestingly
though, it first aired several years after Rick Warren said that
the Spiritual Formation movement
was a vital and needed wake up call
to the body of Christ (see Purpose
Driven Church).
Click
here to listen to this 25 minute
Focus on the Family program.
If your children listen to the Adventures
in Odyssey, we encourage you to
monitor this show as it may introduce
your children to non-biblical spirituality.
Related Stories:
Focus
on the Family Promotes Contemplative
Authors
Be
Still DVD - Advertising for Contemplative
Prayer
|
AFA Removes "Mysticism" Category But Keeps
Authors |
|
This
is a follow up from a
previous report.
American Family Association has removed
the "Mysticism" category from their
Resource Center; however, the same
authors who appeared under "Mysticism"
have remained available to buyers
and can be found in other categories
on the store. Some of these authors
like Evelyn
Underhill and Jean-Pierre De Caussade
can be found under the category Spirituality (in Spiritual Growth section). Others
can be found throughout the Resource
Center bookstore.
Evelyn Underhill was a mystic who
believed that mysticism was the vehicle
in which all religions could come
into contact with the "Absolute" (God)
however one perceived him to be. She
states:
[T]hose
who use the term "Mysticism" are
bound in self-defence to explain
what they mean by it. Broadly speaking,
I understand it to be the expression
of the innate tendency of the human
spirit towards complete harmony
with the transcendental order; whatever
be the theological formula under
which that order is understood.
Whether that end be called the God
of Christianity, the World-soul
of Pantheism, the Absolute of Philosophy,
the desire to attain it and the
movement towards it-so long as this
is a genuine life process and not
an intellectual speculation-is the
proper subject of mysticism. I believe
this movement to represent the
true line of development of
the highest form of human consciousness.
- Underhill, from Mysticism:
A Study in Nature and Development
of Spiritual Consciousness
Underhill's
belief that mysticism united all the
world's religious traditions and that
"God" could be found at the center
of it, is the core of contemplative
spirituality. Tony Campolo (in his
book, Speaking My Mind) recognizes
this when he suggests that Christianity
and Islam can come together by way
of mysticism:
Beyond
these models of reconciliation,
a theology of mysticism provides
some hope for common ground between
Christianity and Islam. Both religions
have within their histories examples
of ecstatic union with God ... I
do not know what to make of the
Muslim mystics, especially those
who have come to be known as the
Sufis. What do they experience in
their mystical experiences? Could
they have encountered the same God
we do in our Christian mysticism?"
(pp. 149-150)
But
this presents a serious problem for
the Bible believing Christian, for
Scripture says that the only way to
reach God is through a relationship
with Jesus Christ:
I
am the door: by me if any man enter
in, he shall be saved, and shall
go in and out, and find pasture.
(John 10:9)
Panentheists,
like Underhill, would reject that.
Calvin Miller, another author who
was on the AFA "Mysticism" category,
is still on the AFA store. In fact,
AFA is listing just about every book
Miller has written. In Miller's book, Into the Depths of God, he
clearly reveals his mystical proclivities.
Quotes and references in the book
offers a who's who of contemplatives:
Thomas Merton, St. John of the Cross,
Hildegard of Bingen, Ignatius, the
Desert Fathers and more. Of centering
prayer, Miller states:
Centering
is the merger of two "selves"- -ours
and his. Centering is union with
Christ. It is not a union that eradicates
either self but one that heightens
both (p. 107.)
Miller
also quotes Karl Rahner as saying:
"The Christian of the future will
either be a mystic or not exist at
all" (p. 122). Rahner's statement
may indeed become a reality if Christian
leaders like AFA refuse to acknowledge
the serious implications of allowing
books promoting contemplative mysticism
to flourish and grow in influence.
And when one realizes that contemplative
is being heralded by influential Christians
like Rick Warren and Brian McLaren
(considered to be two of the most
influential evangelical leaders today),
then it is easier to see just how
widespread this really is.
Yes, the "Mysticism" category is gone
from the AFA website, but the contents
of that category are not. It's kind
of like a child who hides his peas
under the edge of his plate, thinking
he has them safely out of view.
It is puzzling to see that AFA does
not take the spiritual persuasions
of the books they sell and promote
as seriously as they do the problems
in the secular world. We wouldn't
expect secular businesses like Amazon.com
or Barnes and Noble to pull such books
from their stock, but we would think
one could expect more from Christian
businesses and ministries - especially
those who warn of dangers in the secular
marketplace?
Study
to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth....
Nevertheless the foundation of God
standeth sure, having this seal,
The Lord knoweth them that are his.
And, let every one that nameth the
name of Christ depart from iniquity.
(II Timothy 2:15, 19)
|
Rick Warren Recommends Contemplative Conference |
|
In
Rick Warren's January
10th, Ministry Toolbox newsletter,
he is recommending the National
Pastors Convention 2007. The
convention is put on by Zondervan
publishing and sponsored by InterVarsity
Press and Leadership Journal (Christianity
Today). The pastors convention
has consistently been a conduit
for contemplative and emergent spiritualities.
In the past, Yoga workshops and
labyrinths, as well as contemplative
sessions, have been part of the
event. This year, along with many
workshops on the silence (i.e.,
contemplative), there will also
be an an
enneagram, which is a "system
of spiritual psychology based on
an ancient Sufi typology of nine
personality types or primary roles
with the recognition of one's type
tantamount to a spiritual awakening"
(from Alternative Health Dictionary).
In the following video
clip, Catholic priest William
Menninger explains how an enneagram
is a universal tool that can be
used by anyone in any religion to
have a spiritual experience.
Speakers for this year's event include some
of the strongest promoters of Eastern
mysticism (i.e., contemplative)
and the panentheistic emerging church
belief system. The list of speakers
is long, and you will no doubt recognize
many names: Brian McLaren, Ruth
Haley Barton, Doug Pagitt, Phyllis
Tickle, Dan Kimball, Mark Driscoll
and Eugene Peterson. Gary Thomas
will be teaching a workshop called
"Sacred Pathways," named for his
book in which he tells readers to
repeat a word over and over for
20 minutes. Labyrinth and lectio
divina proponent Dan Kimball will
be doing a workshop titled "They
Like Jesus, But Not the Church"
(from his new book - see our article Christian
or Christ Follower).
Rick Warren has been promoting contemplative
spirituality at least as far back
as his first book, Purpose Driven
Church, when he said that Richard
Foster's Spiritual Formation movement
was vital and needed for the body
of Christ.1 Since then he has consistently endorsed,
promoted and encouraged contemplative
as well as the spirituality and
leaders of the emerging church movement.
While some may feel this is not
all that significant, we believe
it is crucial. 400,000 churches
have participated in Rick Warren's
Purpose Driven program. Countless
pastors and church leaders around
the world receive his newsletter
each week. Week after week, month
after month, they are being introduced
to a dangerous belief system by
someone they trust who is encouraging
them to follow a new kind of Christianity
(Warren calls it a new reformation).
Unfortunately, it is a kind that
will ultimately negate the Cross
and lead followers after seducing
spirits.
When the Orange County Register
just finished a 20 week series on
America's Pastor, they ended the
series with the title: "Can Warren
change the world?" We at Lighthouse
Trails have a different question:
"Will Rick Warren help bring the
world into mystical, interspiritual
unity through contemplative spirituality?"
|
A PURPOSE DRIVEN PLAN |
|
by Roger Oakland
Have
you noticed that Christianity is
undergoing a major transition? "Purpose
Driven" pastors are producing "Purpose
Driven" churches that are filled
with "Purpose Driven" believers.
Further, the gospel message that
reminds man their need for a Savior
has been replaced by the idea that
the kingdom of God can be established
on earth by human effort. Why is
this?
Christianity has always undergone
times when new ideas, trends or
fads are promoted in the name of
Jesus Christ. While proponents of
these ideas claim they have discovered
a new formula or plan that will
produce a new and better brand of
believer, we must always test these
ideas authored by man with the Scriptures.
In the past, many genuine believers
have been led astray, believing
that the "new enlightenment" was
the ultimate answer to the world’s
problems that had previously been
hidden in the Bible until recently
uncovered or rediscovered.
However, the Bible commands that
faith in God must be based on the
Word of God. When man’s word does
not line up with God's Word, we
should always stick with God's Word.
History reveals this has not always
been the case for many sincere professing
Christians. Numerous are the examples
of spiritually shipwrecked churches
and families who followed spiritual
leaders who led unsuspecting believers
away from the Scriptures.
|
Amazing Quotes |
|
Popular Christians Talk About
Mantra Meditation
"In
my case, intimacy with Christ has
developed gradually over the years,
primarily through what Catholic
mystics call 'centering prayer.'
Each morning, as soon as I wake
up, I take time-- sometimes as much
as a half hour -- to center myself
on Jesus. I say his name over and
over again to drive back the 101
things that begin to clutter up
my mind the minute I open my eyes.
Jesus is my mantra, as some would
say." -- Tony
Campolo, Letters
to a Young Evangelical,
2006
"Choose a sacred word or phrase.
Consistently use the same word throughout
the prayer. Begin silently to repeat
your sacred word or phrase" Mark
Yaconelli, Youth Specialties
National Pastor's Convention
|
Christian Yoga: Rooted in Hindu Occultism |
|
(from Spiritual
Research Network - Scotland)
The
number of people today, including
Christians, that are involved with
yoga is absolutely astonishing.
Yoga, once considered by the western
world to be a Hindu spiritual practice
for attaining of occult enlightenment
(Self-Realization), has now been
thoroughly integrated into the western
world- and into compromised churches.
In fact, in many churches today,
to proclaim about yoga what it really
is - an eastern occult practice
rooted in paganism - is tantamount
to committing linguistic suicide.
Calling yoga by its true colors
and telling people what it is really
designed for is simply not "politically
correct" anymore. It seems that
people no longer value how a common
dictionary defines yoga.
|
Nazarene Superintendent Praises "A Time of
Departing" |
|
But Denomination's Schools
Sinking into Contemplative
Dr.
Jim Diehl is one of six General
Superintendents of the Nazarene
Church of America. Three years ago
Dr. Diehl called Lighthouse Trails
Publishing because he had just finished
reading A Time of Departing.
He told us he believed the book
was excellent and that the message
in it was vital. We told him at
that time that some of the Nazarene
colleges were inviting contemplative
speakers to address the student
bodies. Today, the Nazarene colleges
and universities are sinking deeper
than ever into contemplative. We
are saddened that professors and
college presidents within the Nazarene
church do not share Dr. Diehl's
appreciation for our warning against
contemplative spirituality (i.e.,
spiritual formation).
Below is some documentation on one
of the Nazarene universities.
Northwest Nazarene University in
Nampa, Idaho is a perfect example
of the direction Nazarene colleges
are heading. Under the School of
Theology and Christian Ministries,
NNU lists
several ministries they are
affiliated with at various events.
Last September, Brennan Manning
was a guest at the College Church
of the Nazarene in Nampa. In October,
NNU participated in the Missional
Leaders in an Emerging Culture Conversation at the Nazarene Theological Seminary
(in which there was a workshop on
the Eucharist). In June last year,
NNU participated at the "Allelon
Ministry in a Postmodern Context
Conference with Brian McLaren,"
and in February, they participated
in the "Renovare Spiritual Formation
Conference" (Richard Foster).
Northwest Nazarene's Call
to Ministry program tells those
who sign up that they must read
Henri Nouwen's book, Can You
Drink the Cup?, and in November, NNU
professor Dr. Mark Maddix "facilitated
a weekend Spiritual Formation workshop
... The workshop explored both a
wide variety of spiritual practices
such as prayer, meditation, lectio
divina, and solitude." 1(about
1/6th down page)
In addition to NNU participating
in events with Brian McLaren and
Brennan Manning, promoting Henri
Nouwen and lectio divina, Leonard
Sweet was a chapel
speaker in 2005. CE
513 Topics in Postmodern Ministry,
(Tim Milburn includes textbooks
by Leonard Sweet, Brian McLaren
and Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz).
Over the past couple years, our
research shows that Nazarene colleges,
seminaries and universities are
introducing students to the New
Age and mysticism through their
spiritual formation programs.
|
Rick Warren and Ken Blanchard - It Really
Did Happen |
|
As
many of you may remember, Rick Warren
announced his P.E.A.C.E. Plan to
Saddleback church in November 2003.
During that sermon, he said that
New Age sympathizer Ken Blanchard
had "signed on" to help with the
peace plan. Then in 2005, Lighthouse
Trails came out with a report titled: Rick
Warren Teams Up With New Age Guru
Ken Blanchard! Rick Warren wrote
to us after that and denied that
Blanchard was going to be working
with him on the P.E.A.C.E. Plan.
He also told us that Blanchard was
a new Christian insinuating that
is why he has consistently endorsed
and promoted the New Age for twenty
years.)
However, when Warren told us these
things, he knew they weren't true.
How do we know that? Take a look
at this transcript of a conversation
Warren and Blanchard had at the
2004 Lead Like Jesus conference.
|
Driscoll Participates at Emergent Event |
|
And Recommends Contemplative
Authors
Emerging
church leader Mark Driscoll, who
claims to have distanced himself
from the emergent movement (which
has a premise immersed in mysticism/contemplative)
recommends his readers turn to contemplatives
like Gary Thomas (who tells people
in his book Sacred Pathways to
repeat a word of 20 minutes) and
Richard Foster (Celebration of
Discipline). Some Christian
leaders have defended Driscoll's
supposed turn away from emergent.
And yet, Driscoll is a scheduled
speaker at the upcoming National
Pastors Convention, which is a significant
promoter for contemplative and emerging
spiritualities.
For documentation, see:
Driscoll
Talks on the Spiritual Disciplines
Mark
Driscoll on Silence
Mark
Driscoll: Emergent or Not?
Mark
Driscoll Speaker at the emergent
National Pastors Convention 2007
|
|
