Another C&MA Thing

His book, The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, is endorsed by Rob Bell, Phyllis Tickle, Brian McLaren, and universalist Scott McKnight. He is the managing editor of Leadership Journal (www.christianitytoday.com/le/), and contributes regularly to Out of Ur (www.outofur.com). His name is Skye Jethani (www.skyejethani.com), and he is going to be the keynote speaker this week at the Christian & Missionary Alliance's Canadian Midwest District Conference (Brandon, MB, Canada) retreat (Feb. 1 - 4) at Riding Mountain Nat'l Park.

Hmmm. Is the C&MA sliding another inch down the contemplative/emerging slide?

Related very recent post:

Some Things about the Contemplative CREST - Promoted by the C&MA
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

***Update:
Skye Jethani tells us it's all about the global church and the ecumenical Lausanne Committee, which some say is helping to usher in the one world church of the wide road...
May 2010
The Saddleback Conversation – LIVE!
http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?p=16414

Note: "Skye Jethani" is among the top google word searches that brings people to this blog (first quarter of 2010). Don't ask me why.

McLaren's New Book Release Count Down [and his pro-Palestinian pilgrimage]

As he counts down to the release date of his new book, A New Kind of Christianity, Brian McLaren has been blogging snippets and hearty endorsement and praises from his new book alongside updates from his Holy Land pilgrimage (if you got to www.brianmclaren.net and click on January you can read them all).

Accompanying Mclaren to Israel is his band of disciples, including Shane Claiborne and guest blogger, Greg Barrett, who writes that "until the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 it was illegal for Palestinians to protest the occupation of their land."

Their land? Not a surprising thing to read on McLaren's blog as he also writes repetitively about the "occupation of Palestine." I would have read more blog posts but began to feel nauseous as he seems to be more concerned with the nasty segregation walls than the reason this protection for the Israelis is necessary in the first place, and soon found myself wondering what would happen if he would accidentally bump into someone outspoken and knowledgable on his little peace and justice tour, like Jacob Prasch. Can you imagine?

Anyways, the following thing says it like it is...

“Brian McLaren’s Holy Land tour, whether deliberate or clueless, seems like just another Religious and Evangelical Left crusade to demonize Israel.”
-Mark Tooley, IRD President

-Evangelical Left Leader on Anti-Israel Pilgrimage
The Institute on Religion and Democracy
www.theird.org

Since Brian McLaren is so excited about the power of questions, I have an exciting, powerful question for him.

Question: To whom does the land of Israel belong?

Answer: See here:

The Land of Israel - To whom does it belong?
by Dr. David R. Reagan
www.lamblion.com

More answers here (I know, I know, the ECers do not want answers, however, these are the faqs):

Israel and Jerusalem Facts
www.moriel.org

History in a Nutshell
www.conceptwizard.com

The Occupation of Palestine
www.contenderministries.org

[Note: "This is a history lesson: the term “Palestine” was a common term used even by Jewish people, and it is only recent situations in the Middle East that have created a need to adjust the terminology." - Ariel Ministries]

Oh, and here's one more related thing:

“Emergent Church” guru Brian McLaren is a key figure on the Evangelical Left who is trying shift Evangelicals, who are America’s most pro-Israel demographic, into a more neutralist stance. Currently, he is leading a delegation through Israel and “Palestine” to broadcast the sins of Israeli oppression against Palestinians by “listening, learning, thinking, observing, reflecting.” His blog is providing daily updates of his discoveries, all of which confirm his previously often declared bias against Israel...
-The Anti-Israel Revelation
frontpagemag.com

I suppose this is one more instance of McLaren's unorthodox interpretation of God's Word, and one more good reason to not buy his new book.

~ ~ ~

For more biblical answers, also watch:

Jewish Arab Reconciliation
Jacob Prasch: How the Jew and Arab will be reconciled in Biblical prophecy, and looks at the prophetic purposes of God both for the Arab nations and the Jewish nation, all descended from Abraham.
www.radiofreechurch.com

~ ~ ~

Related article:

The Anti-Israel Revelation
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

On-line Books

Did you know that there are entire on-line books and booklets that you can read at Answers in Genesis? This looks worth checking out:

Online Resources
www.answersingenesis.org

This one looks particularly interesting to me:

The Woolly Mammoth, the Ice Age, and the Bible

As the World Turns (to the east)

This is too bad, as the things in this book are...well, read it and see...

This August a new film, starring one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses, Julia Roberts, will be released. The movie, Eat, Pray, Love, is based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoirs of the same name. Gilbert’s book hit the New York Times Best Seller list after becoming well known through Oprah’s ardent promotion, in which Oprah calls the book, the modern woman’s Bible. Oprah says that Gilbert is everybody’s guru. The book follows Gilbert in her spiritual journey, which takes her to an Indian Ashram and to a life of meditation. No doubt, with Julia Roberts playing Gilbert, actor Brad Pitt producing the film, and Oprah most certainly promoting the movie, tens of millions of viewers could be drawn toward Eastern religious outlook. Eat, Pray, Love is one of a number of films over the last few years that have had a strong eastern mystical content.

Read the rest here...
Hollywood Darling, Julia Roberts, To Play Elizabeth Gilbert in “Eat, Pray, Love”
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Things to Focus on in the Last Days - Besides the Last Days

No matter what our gifts or callings are in the body of Christ in these times we live in, it's easy to lose our focus, go overboard or get weighed down when we don't have a healthy balance. I just read an article that is not only very timely, it's filled with encouragement for the weary watchman...here's an excerpt...

So many books, conferences and websites are today dedicated to the discussion of the End Times which overwhelmingly focus on dates, events, and signs which will accompany it, but far less often on what God’s Word teaches that His people should do during those times. James’ admonition is:

* Be patient and endure, even if you are wronged. (v.1-11)
* Remain pure in speech. (v.12)
* Remain prayerful, continuing to confess one’s sins. (v.13-18)
* Be persistent in winning souls for the Kingdom. (v.19-20)

In other words, we are called to live exactly the same during the End Times as during every single, normal day of our life....

-moriel.org

To read the rest of this (very good must read) article, click here:

The Last Days: Not a Test of Knowledge But Faith
moriel.org

Christian Elephants?

Here's something different for a change. This must have been quite the thing to see...

The Elephants Have Become Christians!
moriel.org

The thing I love about this story is the important lesson that God always does a way better job at vengeance than we ever could by taking things into our own hands. This passage from Deuteronomy 32 comes to mind...

35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Some Refreshing Things for Spiritual Burnout

I've noticed that quite a few weary folks seem to be finding this blog through google word searches which indicate that they are spiritually burnt out. Unfortunately, the posts they are being led to by google are some current things I blogged recently regarding spiritual disciplines and how tired, burnt out pastors are being told to go to contemplative retreats and learn how to practice rhythms, the Daily Office, and other contemplative monkish practices (eeks, I just used spell check and it is suggesting I use parasites for practices! LOL!) Anyways, I felt kind of bad about not offering an alternative to that and some good living water. But who am I to do that? Nevertheless, I happened to find a good thing about it, and have since updated those posts.

Now, if you think you have spiritual burnout, I don't know who you are, but religion and spiritual disciplines are not the answer. So how do you find life in Christ when you are spiritually burnt out? I don't know who it is who wrote this, or who might benefit from it (we've all been there), but when I found this nice little write up I thought it had some refreshing advice that was just too good not to blog:

Spiritual Burn Out Or Abundant Life
by Malcom Smith
www.lastdaysministries.org
[Last Days Ministries is the ministry started by the late Keith Green.]

As the Emerging Church Morphs

As the emerging church progresses (or perhaps more fittingly, digresses), it has become increasingly more obvious that it is morphing into a mystical, monkish, green, interfaith thing.

For example, this little piece over at Apprising Ministries highlights last year's Emerging Church gathering ad, while moving on to show the latest mystical convergence happenings as birds of a feather converge together:

MYSTICAL INTERFAITH CONFERENCES IN THE EMERGING CHURCH
apprising.org

This is a concerning matter to me because Christians where I live, in a so called Bible belt, have been giving emerging moths like these a platform and passing around their spurious books and things like candy with little (or no) discernment. And that is not a good thing.

Some Things about the Contemplative CREST - Promoted by the C&MA

This week, as this post is being written, according to the Christian and Missionary Alliance (Canadian Pacific District) website, the 2010 District Staff Retreat is taking place in Kelowna, B.C. It’s called "Living as Called People in a Driven World", and one of the presenters is Dr. Dan Reinhardt (1) from CREST Leadership Centre, who is leading a seminar on the mid-life issues in ministry renewal.

So what is CREST? The description on the CREST website says it is...

…an innovative leadership development program whose mission is “Impacting the hearts of mid-life leaders to fulfill their compelling dreams.”

Established in 2002, CREST has trained over 150 leaders through its various programs. Leaders trained include pastors, lay persons, business owners, and executive teams of major Canadian charities: Focus on the Family, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Compassion Canada, 100 Huntley Street, Opportunity International, and Christian Business Ministries Canada.

-http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/home/the-crest-team.php

Dr. Dan Reinhardt is Crest’s founder and director. He was also a director on The Leadership Centre of Willow Creek Canada for 15 years (2). Crest is supposedly a Christian program. It’s acrostic is a 'Jesus’ method', which they call The CREST Paradigm (3):

• Chosen
• Relational
• Experiential
• Spiritual
• (with) Time

Many leaders from Christian organizations have been trained by Crest. But is this program true to the gospel of Jesus Christ found in God’s Word? A closer look at past Crest Encounters reveal more than a few red flags.

For example, in a recent report on Crest Encounter # 3, we read that the week ended with a focus on Spiritual Formation at the contemplative Providence Renewal Centre(4) where CREST members "experimented" with a conversation with a "spiritual director," or soul companion, under the ministry of (the late) Dr. Virgil Stauffer, Director of the very contemplative Kings Fold Retreat Center (Cochrane, Alberta - www.kingsfoldretreat.com ). (5)

Then there was the Crest Encounter # 5, which was reportedly(6) held at a small retreat center called Edenvale(7). The focus of this week was on Inner Issues such as emotional, spiritual and psychological strength of the leader. Oddly, the place they chose for this week of Christian leadership training is a New Age center notorious for hosting Buddhist meditation and yoga retreats.

In the Report on Crest Encounter # 7 we read (8) the following about what a CREST Encounter looks like, confirming all those red flags and warning bells we have seen so far:

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships and camaraderie are an important part of the CREST Leadership experience. This being August, we enjoyed a couple of barbecues and several great days out at King’s Fold, a Christian retreat center just northwest of Calgary...

LEARNING

Every August we participate in Willow Creek's Leadership Summit. This is the premier Christian leadership conference available in North America each year. The Willow Creek Association brings in top name speakers - excellent presenters that we could never afford...

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

The leader’s inner life is crucial to his or her ability to cope with external realities. Each CREST Encounter incorporates a spiritual formation piece. Taking the prayer walk at King's Fold and ending at the crucifixion scene was a powerful encounter with the price Christ paid for each of us.

Once again, King's Fold and Willow Creek are huge promoters of contemplative spirituality, which CREST is helping to spread through their leadership program.

One final red flag might be CREST'S Leader’s Links page (9), which includes the contemplative Rocky Mountain College (10), John Maxwell’s Injoy (www.injoy.com), and Steven Covey (New Age Mormon author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). (11)

Some might conclude that the leaders of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, through speakers like Dan Reinhardt and organizations like Crest, are okay with contemplative spiritual formation and New Age ideas infiltrating their denomination. We can only hope this is not true and possibly only a one time incident, however, the facts show that this is not the first time they have partnered together. As recently as last November, the C&MA promoted a Crest Leadership Seminar in Vancouver, B.C. (12). But the C&MA is not the only Christian organization affected by this slow, subtle poisoning of the evangelical church into the Silence. Perhaps these associations and things might also explain the link between contemplative spirituality and Focus on the Family (13). Who knows? One thing we do know is that spiritual formation seems to be slipping in unnoticed everywhere, and this is only one of many ways. We can only pray that discerning Christians will see these red flags, stay off this contemplative pathway, and warn others who are being deceived by these things.


ENDNOTES:

(1) Dr. Reinhardt also recently spoke at a Church of God (July 05, 2009 Pathways to know God) where he promoted contemplative Gary Thomas (Sacred Pathways). See here:
http://www.glamorganchurch.ca/media.shtml

(2) Willow Creek Canada website: http://www.growingleadership.com/
[See Contemplative Emphasis Continues at Willow Creek … Stronger Than Ever]

(3) The CREST Paradigm:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/home/the-crest-difference/
E280A2-the-crest-paradigm.php

(4) Read Report on Crest Encounter # 3 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-312.php
See Providence Renewal Centre website here:
http://www.providencerenewal.ca/

(5) Find out about the spirituality of King's Fold Retreat Center here.

(6) Read Report on Crest Encounter #5 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-514.php

(7) Edenvale Retreat Center (www.edenvaleretreat.ca) is owned and operated by Emissaries of Divine Light International (www.emissaries.org), a "global network of people offering programs for spiritual awakening, transformation and leadership."

(8) Read Report on Crest Encounter # 7 here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/posts/
report-on-crest-encounter-716.php

(9) See Crest's Leader's Links page here:
http://www.crestleadership.ca/pages/leaders-links.php
(Note: CREST has a disclaimer on the bottom of the page, nevertheless, they are listed and therefore promoted.)

(10) Read about the contemplative spirituality of Rocky Mountain College here.

(11) Covey's book The Eighth Habit has been endorsed by Ken Blanchard, see here:
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blanchardreportfeb06.htm

(12) Note CMA's promotion of CREST Leadership Seminar, November 13th, 2009 in Vancouver, here:
http://www.cmacpd.bc.ca/events/crest-leadership-seminar

(13) Learn more about Focus on the Family (Canada) and Contemplative Spirituality here: http://morebooksandthings.blogspot.com/2009/09/focus-on-family-canada-and.html

Interview - Mark Hitchcock on 2012 Book

Author Mark Hitchcock was invited to answer questions about a new book he wrote (2012: The Bible and the End of the World) about the widespread speculation and hysteria that the world will end on December 21, 2012.

Check it out here:

Mark Hitchcock on Nostradamus Talks 2012
www.lamblion.us

Spurious Things

According to Merriam Websters dictionary, spurious (rhymes with furious) means false or deceitful. And so, just in case anyone has ever wondered why Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries uses this word so often to describe spiritual formation (eg. SPURIOUS SPIRITUAL FORMATION USHERS IN DECEPTION), you should know that he is actually being very kind and gente by using this flowery word for such a stinking creeping thing. You see, the synonyms of spurious are quite nasty, and include words like artificial, assumed, bastard, bent, bogus, bum, contrived, deceitful, deceptive, dummy, faked, false, feigned, forged, framed, illegitimate, imitation, make-believe, mock, phony, pirate, pretend, pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, substitute, unauthentic, ungenuine, and unreal.

On the other hand, the antonyms of spurious are authentic, genuine, real, and true, all of which have absolutely nothing to do with the infiltration we are witnessing as contemplative mysticism slips and slides into the church...and that, dear reader, is the truth.

More Things to do to Avoid Spiritual Burnout

Like I said (see previous post), they will tell you that spiritual health means contemplative spiritual formation, which is all about spiritual rhythms, practices, exercises and disciplines. Like this thing next February:

The Spiritually Vital Leader
A spiritually healthy leader makes for a healthier community! Help the leaders in your community revitalize and protect their spiritual vitality in this inspiring Best of CCN broadcast with spiritual formation experts Willard and Ortberg and host, H.B. London.

-CCN (Church Communication Network)
[http://www.ccn.tv/programming/event/broadcast.php?evtID=evt_03feb10]

They say that in this broadcast, you will "discover practical and daily ways to breathe life into your spiritual disciplines and foster a deeper intimacy with God." CCN says, listen to these guys talk about their books and things, and explore spiritual formation for leaders and the keys to avoiding spiritual burn-out.

BUT, what they don't say is that while the spiritual formation taught by these guys is growing more popular by the day, it is not biblical...

Learn more about John Ortberg's spiritual formation here:

John Ortberg Promotes Contemplative Spirituality
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Learn more about Dallas Willard's spiritual formation here:

Dallas Willard—Promoting Contemplative Prayer and Mysticism Through Spiritual Formation
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

The Spirit of Disciplines by Dallas Willard
by Bob DeWaay
www.svchapel.org

THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES OF DALLAS WILLARD DESTROYED
apprising.org

Personally, I think this CCN program should be more appropriately entitled The Spiritually Viral Leader, because thanks to folks like RW, Willow Creek, and CCN, this contemplative thing is spreading out of control like a virus.

*Note:
If you think you have spiritual burnout, religion and spiritual disciplines are not the answer. So how do you find life in Christ when you are spiritually burnt out? Here is some very good advice:
Spiritual Burn Out Or Abundant Life
by Malcom Smith
www.lastdaysministries.org
[Last Days Ministries is the ministry started by the late Keith Green.]

Even doing Contemplative Things leads to Burnout!

They are telling pastors today that if they are burned out, they really need to go to a restful retreat and learn to be silent(1). You know, read a book by a contemplative priest, and find your true self by practicing Lectio Divina, centering praying and the exercises of Jesuit priest Ignatius of Loyola. Well, here is an interesting thing. A pastor who works closely with the increasingly popular Trappist wannabe Peter Scazzero says that...

Even The Contemplative Struggle With Burnout
pastorforlife.org

The article mentions a prominent Jesuit priest who recently quit due to burn out (see Prominent Jesuit quits). I guess in Scazzero jargon that means his emotional and spiritual health were out of whack.

So now even RW himself is offering you Scazzero's form of spiritual health, which entails chanting with the trappist monks at 3am and performing fixed hours of prayer and meditation exercises (see here at 4:20). They, and others, may tell you that these things will help you avoid burnout, and it might seem like a cool thing to do for a while, and it will certainly make one feel religious and supposedly emotionally and spiritually mature. Sure, you can do the Ignatius thing all you want, but the truth is that EVERYTHING YOU DO will lead to burnout! The only way you are going to be emotionally and spiritually healthy, balanced, and effective is to be filled up to overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit through abiding in the Vine. That means reading His Word, obeying it, being broken before Him, and resting and renewing our minds in Him daily - not DOING daily traditions, ancient rituals, breathing exercises and eastern religious practices like chanting and repeating prayers.

After just telling someone last night that we must tell the truth with gentleness, I have went and gone and done it again...I have ranted. Well, maybe if I rant long enough, some of the hypnotized sheep being silently led down the path to the Mother ship (aka church of Rome) will wake up and run back to the Good Shepherd.

Related:

EHS Part 1
foolsonly.blogspot.com

RICK WARREN AND PETER SCAZZERO UP TO MONK-EE BUSINESS
apprising.org

10 Scriptural Reasons Not to Be Involved with Rick Warren’s “Broad Way” Christianity
by Warren Smith

Endnote:

(1) For example: In an article called The pastor’s need to rest and retreat (www.focusonthefamily.ca), Focus on the Family recommends that pastors go to the very contemplative Kerith Creek. [More about that here.]

~ ~ ~

*Update:
If you think you have spiritual burnout, religion and spiritual disciplines are not the answer. So how do you find life in Christ when you are spiritually burnt out? Here is some very good advice:
Spiritual Burn Out Or Abundant Life
by Malcom Smith
www.lastdaysministries.org
[Last Days Ministries is the ministry started by the late Keith Green.]

Warren and Scazzero Connection - a Serious Thing

As the Warren/Scazzero connection is further examined, this should be quite a stern wake up call for those who are still following RW (all the way to the Holy Roman Catholic Church). If you don't know what this is all about, read to the very end, here...

RICK WARREN AND PETER SCAZZERO WITH MESSED-UP MONK-EE BIZNESS
apprising.org

Letter to Charles Stanley

Not too long ago I wrote a blog post called In Touch Ministries promoting some not very good books and things. It was about an article in January's In Touch Magazine written by a certain Mr. Bentz. Well, here's an update. Someone has written a very good letter to In Touch Ministries regarding these things. I am oh so curious to wait and see if there will be a response. Anyways, here is the letter:

Letter to Charles Stanley: Is In Touch Getting Out-of-Touch With the True Gospel?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Hmm...maybe I was not just imagining things a while ago when I blogged this other thing I noticed.

And this is a very much related thing also:

The New Church Trend
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

Anti-Israel Comments in Scottish Parliament Book

Ahmadinejad is not the only one who says nasty things about Israel...

Anti-Israel exhibit in Scottish Parliament

Remarks left in a comments book in the Scottish Parliament calling for Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth have been condemned in a motion sponsored by a member of the Scottish Parliament and set to be debated in the parliament.

Written in a comments book attached to an exhibition titled "Gaza Now" - and appearing alongside an array of messages of support for the Palestinian people - the comment, written by someone named "Raza from Glasgow," said, "Israel must be (and will be inshallah) wiped off from the Earth!"

-The Jerusalem Post, HERE

~ ~ ~

35 Thus says the LORD,
Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs the sea,
And its waves roar
(The LORD of hosts is His name):
36 “ If those ordinances depart
From before Me, says the LORD,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”
~Jeremiah 31

Something about the Napkin

Why was the napkin in the tomb neatly folded? Here's one theory...

THE FOLDED NAPKIN
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

Bizarre things of the week

It's a toss up as to which of these is the strangest thing of the week. In the signs and wonders category we have the face of Jesus appearing in naan bread and in the believing a lie section are the suicidal movie fans of Avatar. You pick.

What is your Youth Pastor Teaching?

Take a look at the things youth are being taught these days by their "pastors"...

Parents Beware . . . Do You Know What Your Youth Pastor is Teaching?
firstjohnfourfive.wordpress.com

I find it very sad to read about youth pastors struggling to find their identity in an ever-changing environment and trying to figure out how to minister to adolescents by reading a ton of books and things that seem to confuse them even more. Then they get silly ideas like the reverse shift train theory, where the engine is EXPERIENCE, the caboose is FACTS, and FAITH is in the middle. If these leaders don't teach the youth about Jesus from the Bible, but only offer ways to "experience" Jesus (as this youth pastor writes), how will these kids know it's the right Jesus they are supposedly experiencing? It reminds me of the boys and their encounter in the labyrinth.

And what will emerge from all this is an even more confused generation.

These are Monkish Things

Here is a must read, must listen to, thing.

RICK WARREN AND PETER SCAZZERO UP TO MONK-EE BUSINESS
apprising.org

Amazing!

Amusing!

What can I say...

I've said enough about this guy to write a book.

And now, finally...FINALLY....

Thanks guys (Ken Silva and Chris Rosebrough) for exposing this monkery for what it is.

~ ~ ~

By the way, you can watch the Scazzero interview here:

Catalyst Voices - Pete Scazzero (part 1 of 2)
www.youtube.com

Catalyst Voices - Pete Scazzero (part 2 of 2)
www.youtube.com

Changing the Books

They want to change the text books...

America's Christian roots - a myth?
www.onenewsnow.com

Group wants Christianity out of history books
www.onenewsnow.com

But they're taking out the wrong things. Meanwhile, they leave all the references to the religion of the theory of evolution in the text books...such as...

What biology textbooks never told you about evolution
www.answersingenesis.org

Biology 101: Dissecting Today’s Textbooks
www.answersingenesis.org

Here's an interesting thing to listen to about that:

Evolution is a Religion
www.youtube.com

I Guess We Haven't Seen Everything Yet

Just when we thought we had seen everything...

THE CASKET OF ERWIN MCMANUS
apprising.org

Oh brother. (Make sure you read this too.)

I hope McManus's big supporters, Power to Change (see here) and the Canadian Christian & Missionary Alliance (see here), are taking note.

Avatar's Worldview

I know this is probably old news by now, and I think the message in this movie was blatantly obvious, but since I haven't blogged about it yet, I'll post it anyways...

Seminary president warns of hit film's worldview
www.onenewsnow.com

Of all the reviews I've read, this was probably one of the better ones:

Is there anything that redeems 'Avatar'?
by Drew Zahn
www.wnd.com

Update: Here's another new review I am adding:

Feast of the Epiphany: The One True Avatar
Article by Peter Jones
www.worldviewtimes.com

More food for thought:

Twelve Things I learned From Avatar: A Worldview Review of the Top Film of 2010
www.visionforum.com

[HT: defendingcontending.com]

Also see:

Avatar: Advertisement For Paganism
www.youtube.com/watch

AVATAR: Wonderland of Postmodern Idealism
ltwinternational.org

How to Stay off the Slip & Slide Ride to the Post-Modern Abyss

Lately I've been cancelling a lot of e-mail newsletters I've been getting. There is just TOO MUCH INFORMATION out there, the majority of which I don't need to stockpile in my mailbox, but this morning I found some very important things to read in one update that are worth sharing. This is serious stuff...

This first one is really good. It's about the pattern of the downslide into theoligical liberalism. For example, that increasingly unpoplar unmentionable thing called hell. Albert Mohler calls this the air conditioning of hell, and says the pattern goes something like this...

• First, a doctrine simply falls from mention.
• Second, a doctrine is revised and retained in reduced form.
• Third, a doctrine is subjected to a form of ridicule.
• Fourth, a doctrine is reformulated in order to remove its intellectual and moral offensiveness.

Read about these things in more depth here:

Air Conditioning Hell: How Liberalism Happens
By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Oh, and here's another really good one to read by Phil Johnson about the four things to resist in order to stay off the down slide. He starts out like this:

The gospel's most dangerous earthly adversaries are not raving atheists who stand outside the door shouting threats and insults. They are church leaders who cultivate a gentle, friendly, pious demeanor but hack away at the foundations of faith under the guise of keeping in step with a changing world.

No Christian should imagine that heresy is always conspicuous or that every purveyor of theological mischief will lay out his agenda in plain and honest terms. The enemy prefers to sow tares secretly, for obvious reasons. Thus Scripture expressly warns us to be on guard against false teachers who creep into the church unnoticed (Jude 4), wolves who sneak into the flock wearing sheep's clothing (Matt 7:15), and servants of Satan who disguise themselves as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

You can find the rest of that one over here:

The Neo-Liberal Stealth Offensive
By Phil Johnson

These are very good articles, and anyone stopping by to read them today would do well to take heed and pass them on to others who are lining up for their lethal ride on the slip and slide.

Walter Martin's daughter's book

Jan Markell's latest radio show ("Understanding the Times") sounds interesting...

Jill Martin Rische is the daughter of Dr. Walter Martin. She and Jan talk about her book, "The Kingdom of the Occult." This is not a dark topic as Jill reminds us that we have victory over the wiles of the devil. Since the paranormal is the new normal, Christians need to be equipped with this information.

Listen to January 2, 2010 - Hour 1 HERE.

Dr. Seuss Meets the Bible

This looks like a very good thing for children to read...

Dr. Seuss Meets the Bible

MOBILE, AL, Jan. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- "The Rhyme and Reason Series: Genesis." From creation to the story of Joseph, this book will teach kids the events and themes of the book of "Genesis" in a fun and educational way. This book is written in a compelling manner so that children will be intrigued with the Word of God and parents will be encouraged to spend time reading the Word with them....

Read more about it HERE @ www.christiannewswire.com.

*Note: See "The Rhyme and Reason Series" website here:
therhymeandreasonseries.com

No Other Religion can say This Thing about their Sacred Books

The following is something I read this week at Every Day Light (January 6) The Great Divide:

“… 'And the Word became flesh.' " This verse has been described as "The Great Divide," because no other religion can claim that the word they received from God became flesh. In all other religions the essential element is a word become word - a philosophy, a moralistic system, and so on. Only in Christianity does God appear in human form; the Word become flesh. Early in my career as a minister I found that whenever I tried to present the Christian gospel to people of other faiths, everything I said brought the bland reply: "Yes, what you say is good, but we have the same teaching in our sacred books also." The Sermon on the Mount? Muslims have something similar in the Qur'an. Turning the other cheek? Hindus would reply: "Our sacred books tell us the same." Caring and sensitivity to the needs of others? Buddhists would respond: "We believe in that too, perhaps even more than you." Every issue I raised had its parallel. I was puzzled. Where was Christianity's uniqueness? Then it dawned upon me - the Incarnation. No other religion has anything like the Incarnation.

-http://www.studylight.org/devos/edl/

A Famine in the Land - for God's Word

An unfortunate truth, as prophesied...

There is a famine in the land
by Matt Slick

Spiritual discernment is lacking in the Christian community. Though there are faithful pastors and Christians who take the word of God seriously, there is an increasing number of Christians who are abandoning the clarity and commands of Scripture and substituting political correctness, feelings, and tolerance for biblical truth and its sometimes difficult revelations. They want to make Christianity more palatable so that the gospel offends no one, but they fail to realize that the gospel that offends no one is not the gospel of the Bible. Though we are not to purposely offend, in the name of truth offenses will come and we are not to shy away from them....

If you are hungry to read the rest of this article, please click here:

http://www.carm.org/famine-in-the-land

Emerging into Darkness

This is why Christians who have researched the emerging church can hardly bear to walk through our "Christian" book stores anymore, and only do so when absolutely necessary...

The Emergent Church's Retreat into Pre-Reformation Darkness

by Paul M. Elliott
www.trinityfoundation.org

In recent years, the Emergent Church movement has become a headline-grabbing favorite of the religious media establishment. Emergent leaders' books and videos line the shelves of religious bookstores. Press coverage of their activities and pronouncements is overwhelmingly favorable. The movement has received national exposure in a two-hour PBS television special and on ABC's Nightline. Emergents' influence has spread like wildfire in colleges, seminaries, and churches - mainline liberal, Roman Catholic, and Evangelical alike.

Emergent Church1 leaders and their supporters promote the movement as "the way forward" for the church. It is, they claim, a "new Reformation" with its own "95 theses" and its own new Luther pointing the way. But the Emergents' "way forward" is in fact a headlong, headstrong retreat into pre-Reformation spiritual and intellectual darkness....

Read the rest HERE @ www.virtueonline.org.

[HT: Christian Research Network]

Not THAT book!

Okay, so I probably shouldn't have. Every once in a while I get curious and go browsing on the sites of some local churches my friends and rellies attend. And so here I was nicely looking at the interesting books and things being read by the pastors of the big church in town, when what to my wondering eyes did appear...one of their associate pastors is currently reading a book by Ruth Haley Barton of the Transforming Center(www.thetransformingcenter.org)! Oh no, not THAT book, said I to my inner self, doesn't this pastor know better?

The name of the book is Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton, in which the very contemplative Leighton Ford (author of The Attentive Life) has written the glowing foreword (from none other than the Rock Hill Oratory, the retreat center where he regularly goes for a sacred place of listening or being still by the pebbled labyrinth prayer walk). He highly recommends the book and praises Ruth Haley Barton’s experience of the inner journey.

Throughout the book, aside from the usual references to the infamous silence that contemplatives talk so much about, Ruth Haley Barton includes the usual quotes about the usual things from the usual favourites (i.e. Henri Nouwen, Parker Palmer, Ignatius of Loyola, and a Gerald May lecture at the ecumenical, contemplative Shalem Institute in 1998, etc.). And amidst all that, she has the audacity to write:

It is especially important for leaders to cultivate the ability to “discern the spirits” or “test the spirits to see whether they are from God”…A leader who is committed to paying attention at this level devel0ps a mature capacity for discernment that helps him or her distinguish the real from the phony, the true from the false, in the world “out there” but also in the interior world of thoughts and motives. p 67

Isn't it rather ironic for a supposedly Christian author to talk about discerning the spirits and distinguishing the true from the false when in the very next paragraph she writes about Ignatius of Loyola, and her most authentic self? What kind of 'discernment' is that? And if an author has no discernment about such things, what might be said of her readers? Why any Christian evangelical leader would choose such a book to read in this age of information is beyond me, unless it is for discernment purposes in order to warn his church. I can only hope this is the case, although there was no indication of that. But then, I suppose we should expect to see more pastors reading such a book if they belong to any Willowcreeked church (as so many are now), especially since The Leadership Centre of Willlow Creek Canada is featuring this same Ruth Haley Barton book this month at 25% off.

Once again, it's a sign of the times, as Christians are increasingly spending more time reading books than The Book.

Further info:

Ruth Haley Barton and Contemplative Prayer
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

*Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this blog are the personal opinions, rantings, and meanderings of this blogger.

Mysticism, Rome and the Emerging Church

This is a very very very very important thing to watch and listen to...the latest on the emerging church and where it is heading...

The Mystical Marriage Of Rome & The Emerging Church
christianresearchnetwork.com

Richard Bennett is challenging seminary students in the UK to speak out the truth and defend and contend for the faith on blogs and websites to counter the fast spreading poison of the emerging church and contemplative mysticism. It sounds like there aren't many there doing that, but there certainly are more than a few who are on the forefront of the battleground for the truth here in North America.

Update: By the way, after watching the video, you may see things like this in a whole new light:

Columbia Theological Seminary’s Emergent Conference
christianresearchnetwork.com

Fred picked up a book and learned a new thing called contemplative spirituality

...but he didn't learn everything about it. This is not a brand new article, but relevant…as more people all the time are picking up this new thing...only it's not new at all, really...

Hungry for God
www.christianity.ca

Spiritual formation is not new but it has been rediscovered, and it is attracting Evangelicals.

After serving 32 years as a lay leader in an Evangelical Missionary church, Fred Clark began to feel a need to grow closer to God. Regular worship services were not enough. Although he appeared mature in the externals of faith, on the inside “I wanted and needed to grow,” he says.

At first he wasn’t sure what to do. “I had no real idea what that growth would look like or what was possible.”

So he went to his pastor who recommended the book Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. This well-known book (more than one million copies sold since its debut in 1978 and named one of the top ten books of the century by Christianity Today) is by Richard Foster, a Quaker from Colorado.

The book includes chapters on meditation, prayer, fasting and study (“inward disciplines”); simplicity, solitude, submission and service (“outward disciplines”); and confession, worship, guidance and celebration (“corporate disciplines”).

Oops, while the article continues with more things that are filling people's spiritual hunger, it kind of neglected to mention just a few more things in Foster’s book. Poor Fred, I guess he never noticed or learned about the bad stuff…things like:

"...faulty views on the subjective leading of God (pp. 10, 16-17, 18, 50, 95, 98, 108-109, 128, 139-140, 149-150, 162, 167, 182); approval of New Age teachers (see Thomas Merton below); occultic use of imagination (pp. 25-26, 40-43, 163, 198); open theism (p. 35); misunderstanding of the will of God in prayer (p. 37); promotion of visions, revelations and charismatic gifts (pp. 108, 165, 168-169, 171, 193); endorsement of rosary and prayer wheel use (p. 64); misunderstanding of the Old Testament Law for today (pp. 82, 87); mystical journaling (p. 108); embracing pop-psychology (pp. 113-120); promoting Roman Catholic practices such as use of “spiritual directors,” confession and penance (pp. 146-150, 156, 185); and affirming of aberrant charismatic practices (pp. 158-174, 198)."

-Mysticism Part 2 (www.svchapel.org)

It seems that all kinds of people are forgetting to mention, let alone notice, these things when they refer to Foster and his ever so popular books and Renovare and all that stuff. Hmmm...it's almost as if finding the silence transcends all commandments of God to not participate in pagan practices or vain repetions, etc.

Anyways, as the above article explains, rediscovering spiritual formation is definitely the latest new thing. As if there is such a thing as a new thing...

That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

Questionable Books are Everywhere

The College of Prayer (collegeofprayer.ca) is a ministry of prayer mobilization for five provinces in Canada. Among the books on prayer on their recommended reading list are some good books, but also some not so good books. These include...

• Possessing the Gates of the Enemy, Cindy Jacobs
• Taking our Cities for God, John Dawson
• Answering God, Eugene Peterson
• The Transforming Power of Prayer: Deepening Your Friendship With God, James Houston
• Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, by Richard Foster
• Celebration of Disciple: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster
• The Transforming Power of Prayer, James Houston

Cindy Jacobs is, well...some say she is a false prophet who tampers with the Word of God. She is listed among the false prophets of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) here. Also see:

When is a Prophet NO Profit?
Philip L. Powell
Is Cindy Jacobs Really A Prophet to the Nations?
www.intotruth.org

As for the John Dawson book, it's surprising that they would still recommend this teaching of spiritual mapping which fizzled out a few years ago. Here's a bit more about it from Let Us Reason:

Author John Dawson, the son of Joy is the International Director for Urban Ministries of YWAM has written Taking Our Cities for God: How to Break Spiritual Strongholds, 1989), and Defeating Territorial Spirits. He writes the “Battles against evil spiritual forces controlling our cities can be waged and won.” According to Fuller Theological Seminary's C. Peter Wagner, John Dawson's book Taking Our Cities for God: How to Break Spiritual Strongholds` is “the most important book on the subject ever written.” In this book he proposes concepts and views that are foreign to true Scriptural warfare (which we do not have the time to go into). Today, 12 years after the book was written, not one city anywhere in the world has been “taken for God” using these concepts (much less a nation). The fact that evil has increased should be noticed by everyone, as the Bible said it would. Yet this teaching is still being promoted. John Dawson has recently been named to head YWAM after Cunningham.
-http://www.letusreason.org/Curren29.htm

There's a quite a detailed review about the error in John Dawson's book at Deception in the Church here:

Book Review
"TAKING OUR CITIES FOR GOD"
by John Dawson, YWAM Publishing 1989
www.deceptioninthechurch.com

The rest of the books mentioned above are written by authors promoting the contemplative movement. See here:

Is the Author of 'The Message' a Contemplative Mystic?
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

Who is Richard Foster?
apprising.org

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

James Houston and The Psalms
foolsonly.blogspot.com

So why should it matter...like, who cares? Well, notice who partners with College of Prayer Canada...

*AlliancePray.ca (a source of information and resources to assist the prayer initiatives of the Alliance churches in Canada
*The Alliance Pray Team
http://cmalliance.ca/prayermobilizationp52.php
*The College of Prayer International
http://www.collegeofprayer.org/

And why does this all matter? It just shows that false teaching about spirituality and prayer abound, and the only source we can really trust is God's Word, no matter who says what. The main thing to remember is - test everything, examine everything, and warn others. And that's all.

~ ~ ~

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" 1 John 4:1.

Things that point to the soon return of Christ

The things that most accutely point to the return of Jesus are not what Jacob Prasch of Moriel Ministries used to think they were. Things have changed. What he now believes points to the soon return of Jesus Christ is...

“the magnitude of deception within the church, and by the church I mean the evangelical church, the body of Christ, people who say they are born again.”
-Jacob Prasch, Deception In The Last Days - Part 1 of 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9QHlBhNyx8

In Part 5 he exposes RW and his P.E.A.C.E. Plan which he says is very different than God’s peace plan. He really says it like it is, oh yes - check it out:

Deception In The Last Days - Part 5 of 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buLH-3okoic

Some Things about Looking Within

Is this true?

"Deep within us all [all human beings] there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center"
-Thomas Kelly (Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster)

Or so the contemplative teachers say. Look deep within, and you will find yourself, and union with God, they assure you. But really, it’s kind of the same thing as what the Buddhists have been saying for a long time….

If we are to understand the teaching of the Buddha, we must look within. The Buddha was concerned exclusively with thing within, and his teaching is an account of what is to be seen when we look within... Unless we attempt to look within as the Buddha did, we have little hope of understanding the Dhamma and the teaching of the Buddha.

(...)Looking at the inner life is what Dhamma is all about. We must look within if we are to make Dhamma one with our life.

-LOOKING WITHIN, Lecture with the Buddhist Studies Group at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 15 December 1961
http://www.buddhadasa.com/naturaltruth/lookwithin1.html

Funny thing is, do you notice that this is the same kind of thing as what today's contemplative teachers are saying. Take Peter Scazzero, for example, who devotes quite a lot of space to looking withing. He says…

For the first fifteen years of my life as a Christian…I rarely took time to look deeply into…my interior, my heart, my depths, or my soul. Yes, I spent an average of two to three hours a day with God in prayer, Scripture reading, listening to God’s voice, confessing my sins, and journaling. Regularly, I spent a day in prayer and fasting at a Jesuit retreat center near my house – and I still do.

Even so, I can confidently say that I was not taking a depp, hard look inside. How could that be? Wasn’t I giving God an opportunity to examine my heart?

My great concern with the call to a “deep, hard look inside" is that most people believe they are already doing so.

-Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Church (EHC), Chapter 5, Look Beneath the Surface, page 71

In this chapter, Mr. Scazzero mentions the phrase to “go beneath the surface“ or take a “long, hard look inside” at least 18 times! (See: Look Beneath the Surface.) It gets worse, as Scazzero then goes on to quote the late Dag Hammarskjold (of all people), the former secretary of the United Nations (and founder of the creepy UN meditation room he dedicated to the God whom man worships under many names and in many forms), who suggested that "we have become adept at exploring outer space, but we have not developed similar skills in exploring our own personal inner spaces. He wrote, “The longest journey of any person is the journey inward.”" (Scazzero, pg. 73, EHC)

The contemplative teachers of every faith seem to be all telling you the same thing - that you need to look within and find your true self - but guess what? Only God knows the heart. And if we look inside His Word, we find that...

~for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart~ 1 Samuel 16:7b

…and He says we are all desperately wicked inside…

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

…which is why we are to keep our eyes on Him…

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

…and learn of Him, not look within ourselves to find sanctuary…

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:29

On the other hand, there are times that you need to look deep inside yourself, but that is for self examination, and we are to do this in the light of God's Word under the conviction of the Holy Spirit...

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? 2 Cor. 13:5

And it's true the the Holy Spirit dwells inside of the born again believer...

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Cor. 6:19

...but what the contemplatives are saying is that EVERYONE has a divine center (all human beings). This is why contemplative proponents say that ANYONE can practice contemplative prayer and find God's voice in the silence within. Christian or not. But this is the same thing that the Buddhists and Hindus and New Agers find in the silence.

If you have been experimenting with contemplative prayer, centering prayer, the silence, and finding your true self...and you feel something is just not right, it's not to late to stop and ask the Lord to show you the truth about these things.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Oh, and one more thing. Anyone who is truly seeking the Lord can pray (talk to God) and call on His name...

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13

...but it's only through the blood of Jesus Christ that any of us can enter into His presence...

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

Nothing compares to that!

Truth of the day from this morning's devotional...

"I remember hearing a missionary to India say that he was forced to rethink his faith in the light of other faiths and other ways of life. "All the old shibboleths and modes of expression and accepted outlooks on life are challenged," he said, "and one begins to see where the relevant lies." He started discussions with Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim leaders, as well as representatives of India's many other religions. The gatherings were called "Round Table" discussions to suggest that everyone could present what they considered to be the distinctives of their faith. One could see scintillations of truth, the missionary recalled, as people spoke from experience or from their sacred books. But whenever a Christian spoke and unfolded the truth of the Incarnation, the meeting would lapse into silence. Sometimes the silence would last for many minutes, only to be broken with the remark: "We have nothing in our faith that compares to that. Nothing!""

- Every Day Light, "Nothing!" Jan. 5

Hear that? Now that's the kind of silence God speaks in.

So much for all those compromising common ground documents and discussions and meetings and interfaith things that Christians are participating in these days.

Standing for the Truth is not a Popular Thing

When you find out the truth about the roots of contemplative spiritual formation and its spiritual disciplines, you will lose friends.

A few years ago, a dear friend told me I should read a popular book called Soul Feast. I told my friend it wasn’t a very good thing to read, because when you care about someone, you will tell them the truth. If you don't know about this book, here is why I warned my friend about it:

Book Alert: Popular Contemplative Book in Christian Circles
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

I had also just warned this friend about contemplative spirituality after some respected, solid Christians she looked up to had just returned from a Renovare conference. They had loved it, and said that the worship was amazing, and they had found nothing wrong or unbiblical with anything taught there.

My friend said she would think about what I had said. Although we had kept in touch for years until then, I have not heard a peep from this friend since then, and have no idea how to contact her now. This was the first of many friends to drop like flies because they didn't like to hear the truth.

But here's the good thing...the Lord will always bless you for being obedient and faithful to Him. For every friend I have lost by sticking to the truth in God's Word, the Lord has replaced - with a double portion. He has sent so many trustworthy companions my way who understand and know His Word, and who also examine everything with what the Bible says.

In these dark times we live in as the whole world is accepting an all inclusive religion, unless you have a lamp (God's Word), you may end up stumbling into some spiritually dark books and things and lose your way.

~ ~ ~

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119

Advice on Reading

If you need some help selecting a new book to start the year with, here is some very good advice on reading and choosing books from one of my favourite blogs...

“Advice on Reading” by Richard Baxter
firstjohnfourfive.wordpress.com

Is 'The Jesus Prayer' Method a Biblical Thing?

To those of you who say you are Christians and saved by the blood of Jesus, but are wanting to walk the contemplative pathway...this one's for you.

Do you want to learn more from the experts about those spiritual disciplines, the interior silence, the treasure of the ancient tradition, that timeless wisdom, the Jesus prayer, the Desert Fathers, the state of constant awareness of God, practicing the presence of God, shutting down the noise of life, finding a place of solitude, the state of the soul, interior peace, imagination, watchfulness, consciousness, relaxation and breathing exercises, and experiencing God within yourself?

Is this what you want? This form of godliness that's denying the power of God? Okay then, go for it - this is what it's all about...Mysticism 101:

Early Christian Mysticism: The Jesus Prayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqZs5NzK1_s
(1 hour)

It’s all about mysticism, and nothing about the truth found in the Bible.

Meanwhile, here is the truth about these things...

Mysticism and God's Word with Mike & Ray – Part 1
www.youtube.com

Part 2
www.youtube.com

And these are from The Berean Call guys...

Following Hermits And Mystics (the Ancient Future Faith)
www.youtube.com

Do You Pray the 'Jesus Prayer?'
www.youtube.com

Is There A Biblical Mysticism?
www.youtube.com

The New Church Trend

One of the church trends mentioned in this year end review is interesting...

Year in Review - Church 2009

Denominational issues were front and center in 2009 as some religious bodies welcomed new leaders and others grew more open to the homosexual agenda.

Lesbian bishop – sign of apostasy

A spokesman for a conservative Episcopal group stated that the election of an avowed lesbian as a bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles provided further clarity to the rest of the Anglican Communion.

In an election that took seven ballots, the Diocese of Los Angeles elected Mary Douglas Glasspool as a bishop in the liberal diocese, making her the second elected "outed" homosexual bishop in the Episcopal Church USA. The other is V. Gene Robinson, currently bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire.

-www.onenewsnow.com

Besides being a sad sign of the times, here's why this is quite interesting. Author Sara Miles (saramiles.net), founder and director of The Food Pantry, speaker, preacher and leader of workshops around the country, is the Director of Ministry at another Episcopal Church, St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco. Sara Miles' church says they are:

Who We Are

Saint Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church is made up of children and elders, families and singles, straight and gay people, lifelong Christians, interfaith couples, converts and seekers. We join in worship and service, creating a community that shares the unconditional welcome offered at Jesus' Table.

-http://www.saintgregorys.org/about

In her book Jesus Freak: Feeding Healing Raising the Dead, Sara Miles testifies as a gay Christian claimed by Jesus "as an integral part of his body" and a "Jesus freak" among secular friends (see here).

Then there was this Yes! Magazine interview she did, posted July 30, 2008:

Madeline: You have worked with food pantries in many different kinds of churches, some more conservative than your congregation. Is it difficult to bridge those differences?

Sara: It’s interesting. We’re an Episcopal church. We have a gay priest. I’m gay. We have a range of political views among our members, but mostly liberal to progressive. And we work closely with the Samoan Assembly of God, a very fundamentalist congregation. But we feed people in the same way. They’re not telling people what to believe, and neither are we.

Madeline: You have said Christians are united by bread. What does that mean?

Sara: Bread is the mechanism for understanding ourselves as part of one body, instead of just private individuals.

Madeline: So it’s basically a way of understanding our connectedness?

Sara: Exactly, on a very basic human level.

Madeline: How has being gay affected your experience with the Church?

Sara: I don’t think it’s ever been an issue. St. Gregory’s is probably about half gay and half straight. But I think the experience of being gay is good preparation for being a Christian. You understand that there’s another world that is real, beneath the official world.

Madeline: You mean being gay prepared you for a more radical understanding of Christianity?

Sara: No, it prepared me to be a Christian…

-http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/purple-america/the-power-of-food

As you can see, Sara Miles and her church appear to be part of the current trend of apostasy, which only makes it an even more surprising thing to see that her conversion story is highlighted in this month’s In Touch Magazine. It looks like the ministry of Charles Stanley may have indirectly given the impression that it supports this new church trend. It is my prayer that those close to Dr. Stanley will alert him to these issues, as I suspect he may possibly be completely unaware of what his magazine has just promoted.

See yesterday's blog post about that here:

In Touch Ministries promoting some not very good books and things
morebooksandthings.blogspot.com

In Touch Ministries promoting some not very good books and things

I sat down with the first coffee of the year for my first devotional reading of 2010 this morning and began to read, when I nearly spit out my first sip. And just when I had recommended this a few short weeks ago as one of the few monthly devotional magazines we can still trust in, too. The articles and devotionals by Charles Stanley’s In Touch Ministries are usually pretty good, but I have to report that this month’s issue is promoting some not very good things.

The January 2010 edition of In Touch contains an article called i didn’t want to be a Christian, But…How running away can take you on an unexpected journey by Joseph Bentz (page13, In Touch Magazine). It’s about people finding God while running away from Him as fast as they can. While it’s true that no one seeks God, but it is the Lord who seeks after us and draws all men to Himself, the two main unlikely “conversion” stories this article focuses on caught me by surprise - Anne Lamott and Sara Miles. You can read it at the above link and see that these two are positively promoted, their conversion stories highlighted. But are these conversions biblical examples of being born again, as Jesus said we must all be to inherit the Kingdom of God? Are these testimonies consistent examples of the gospel message preached by In Touch Ministries of Charles Stanley?

Sara Miles (saramiles.net) is the founder and director of The Food Pantry and speaks, preaches and leads workshops around the country. She is the Director of Ministry at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco. One of her books is called Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion. The following is from the Prologue, where she tells of her "conversion" that happened after walking into a church, eating a piece of bread and taking a sip of wine, and how that moment changed everything:

Eating Jesus, as I did that day to my great astonishment, led me against all my expectations to a faith I'd scorned and work I'd never imagined. The mysterious sacrament turned out to be not a symbolic wafer at all, but actual food — indeed, the bread of life. In that shocking moment of communion, filled with a deep desire to reach for and become part of a body, I realized what I'd been doing with my life all along was what I was meant to do: feed people.

And so I did. I took communion, I passed the bread to others, and then I kept going, compelled to find new ways to share what I'd experienced. ...

- http://saramiles.net/books/take_this_bread

This is how Miles stumbled into what she describes as a radically inclusive faith that was centered on sacraments and action. Her conversion seemed to be one of eating with her mouth, not confessing with her mouth that Jesus is Lord. This faith was not about "arguing a doctrine — the Virgin birth, predestination, the sinfulness of homosexuality and divorce — or pledging blind allegiance to a denomination." It was about "body, blood, bread, wine poured out freely, shared by all." This kind of religion that she found is a table where everyone is welcome and honored - a communion to bridge the divide.

This book which has the distinct aroma of universalism is endorsed by contemplative/emerging church speaker Phyllis Tickle[1] as well as Anne Lamott (who calls it “The most amazing book”).

Anne Lamott, remember, is the other example which the In Touch article focuses on. Lamott is best known for her book, Traveling Mercies. She is often referred to as "potty mouth" Lamott due to her choice of vocabulary. Her beliefs resonate with Oprah's New Age meditation author, Elizabeth Gilbert. In fact, Lamott's endorsement is on the back cover of Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love. [2] Lamott has also written the foreword in a book which is leading our youth astray, called Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing The Presence of Jesus by Mark Yaconelli, co-founder of the Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project. These associations are instrumental in showing where Lamott's beliefs and loyalties lie – with the emerging/New Age/contemplative gospel.

Lighthouse Trails Research documents the following about Lamott:

“I am at heart a Jesus-y person”... Lamott is a perfect example of someone who “likes Jesus” but rejects biblical Christianity. Lamott illustrates this by her recent back cover endorsement of the best-selling book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Gilbert’s book is heavily promoted by Oprah and has been at the top of the New York Times best-seller list for over a year. Gilbert was a disillusioned young woman who traveled to an India ashram where she learned to meditate and find oneness with God. During her time at the ashram, Gilbert had a meditative experience where she says “the scales fell from my eyes and the openings of the universe were shown to me.”

Her book is a virtual primer on New Age thinking. Of the book, Lamott says: “This is a wonderful book, brilliant and personal, rich in spiritual insight.” The reason McLaren resonates with Lamott is because the New Age and the emerging church (or what we call the merging church) are going in the same direction – to help man awaken to his inner divinity through mysticism. When McLaren states in this chapter that he learned from Hinduism, what else could he have learned than this?

-SOURCE

Then there’s this problem:

Take for instance, an interview with Christianity Today published in the January 2003 edition of the magazine, in which Lamott admits to being pro-abortion and to dating a non-believer, about whom she says, "he loves God. It's just that he doesn't quite commit. He's been sober as long as I have, and we both have a higher power. I call mine Jesus." In the article, the author tells of sending Lamott a later email to ask her the question, "Do you think that people from other faiths who don't believe in Jesus are God's children and will go to heaven?" Her response: "Yes". And she goes on to add, "I think Jesus is divine love manifest on earth, as it comes through the community of Christians." The author says she describes Jesus as the "beautiful Jewish uncle" who says, "Well, I can show you the way." She continues, "Only Jesus has come to me, and I experience God's love in an immediate and personal way through his companionship." And finishes by adding that non-believers in unevangelized countries "feel Divine Love come to them through more local teachings, through other expressions of that love." In summary, she's a classic universalist.

-The Problematic Anne Lamott
[From the Christ and Culture blog
Thinking Biblically in a Post-Christian World
danielrandle.blogspot.com]

Wow! As you can see, these books and things certainly do not sound very good. What a way to start the new year! It's very unfortunate and disheartening to see that Charles Stanley's very popular magazine would promote such figures as examples of how God seeks and converts the lost. Perhaps In Touch, an older established ministry, is trying to stay in touch with the current day culture, but by showing this lack of discernment in promoting these very controversial authors, it looks like they may have begun to get out of touch with the true gospel.

Endnotes:

[1] See: WHO IS PHYLLIS TICKLE? @ apprising.org

[2] See: Eat, Pray, Love (But Don't Think): An Evaluation of THE spirituality in eat, Pray, love by elizabeth gilbert @ www.christiananswersforthenewage.org

Note: The writer of this In Touch article, Joseph Bentz, has written other In Touch articles, and is also the author of several books, including Silent God, and When God Takes Too Long: Learning to Thrive During Life’s Delays, (see here @ In Touch Ministries).

Related:

Letter to Charles Stanley: Is In Touch Getting Out-of-Touch With the True Gospel?
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com