"We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain weight, every free motion of the Consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right and the greatest devotion to the Truth in hearts that God has touched. We have a work to do, as great as our forefathers and, perhaps, far greater. The enemies of Truth are more numerous and subtle than ever and the needs of the Church are greater than at any preceding time. If we are not debtors to the present, then men were never debtors to their age and their time. Brethren, we are debtors to the hour in which we live. Oh, that we might stamp it with Truth and that God might help us to impress upon its wings some proof that it has not flown by neglected and unheeded." -- C.H. Spurgeon . . . "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32 . . . . .

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Thursday, May 13, 2010

PLUNGING TOWARDS APOSTASY

by A.M. Kisly

Many questions are beginning to surface as to whether or not leaders of Evangelical Churches including Calvary Chapel are going the way of the Emergent philosophy.
For this reason I would like to present a reasonable word of caution, as well as important facts regarding some upcoming events, and the strange new ties between Evangelical leaders and those of the Emergent and New Age philosophies.


First let me state that the Emergent/New Age/Positive Thinking/Universalist and Global philosophies that are sweeping the Church are not the Gospel of truth, nor the Gospel message of the Bible! It is deception, it is apostasy and it is a rejection of the God of the Bible and his plan of redemption for mankind! 

 It is a complete mockery of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection power that has brought the sinner to salvation.
As the organized Christian church and church leaders continue in their plunge toward apostasy, turning their heads and ignoring the truth, it is imperative for individual believers to find out the facts and discern what is of God and what is not.

 We can no more rely solely upon the leadership to show us what is right…because it is the individual believer’s responsibility to know God’s voice, to be students of the Word, and to know the difference between the biblical truth and false doctrine. If not, rest assured, more and more people will be pulled into the tumultuous winds of deception.


As Evangelical leaders continue to compromise, continue to yoke themselves up with those who are preaching a false Christ, a false Gospel message…the Church is becoming confused, splintered and led astray. While the attack on Christianity increases, our biblical values and freedoms continue to diminish and the apostate church and the world’s global religion is ever growing.

 I feel like a broken record, yet I see friends and family and the Church of God playing Russian roulette with their spiritual lives because they don’t know the Scriptures, they have no discernment and they believe the word of man over the word of God.

 The idolatry in this country has infected even the body of Christ. The Church, those who are in the pews blindly follow men because they have not bothered to develop a living relationship with their Creator and have revered the church leader and not the Lord God of heaven and earth.

 Take heed Christian friend, take heed! Consider the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. I didn’t say it, he did:

Matthew 7:13-15
“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. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

 Recently the very popular Evangelical preacher, John Piper, invited Emergent Church leader Rick Warren to speak at his upcoming Desiring God conference.
2010 Desiring God Conference Speakers John Piper - Rick Warren

 The idea that Rick Warren is “more doctrinal” than he appears is absurd. Warren’s involvement with Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation and its “North American offensive”, as Blair put it, with a purpose of “uniting all faiths,” should be considered to be the doctrine of anti-Christ, shouldn’t it?

 We will get into some more of Rick Warren’s teachings a bit later.
 Read Article: Tony Blair's Faith Foundation - North American Offensive

2 Corinthians 6:14-18
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”


 Jesus himself claimed to be the way the truth and the life….no man cometh unto the Father but by me…John 14:6

Ingrid Schlueter (Crosstalk)
stated:
“I don’t know what John Piper is thinking, but giving Warren prime time to manipulate hearers and present himself as just another misunderstood leader, is a serious mistake. Piper’s years of credibility as a trustworthy minister of Gospel truth are being undermined by this decision.
 For me personally, I don’t believe this to be the correct forum in which to find out what makes Rick Warren tick. If John Piper has taken a personal interest in Rick outside the scope of prayer, let him do so on his own without exposing the body of Christ to be swayed or deceived by their emotions and false doctrines.
 John Piper is not the only one making questionable decisions, Rick Warren and co-worker Leonard Sweet are sharing platforms lately with many popular evangelical leaders (e.g., Joel Rosenberg with Sweet at Breakforth, Rick Warren with Greg Laurie and Chuck Smith at Harvest Crusade, Calvary Chapel pastor Skip Heitzig with Leonard Sweet at Heitzig’s church (later this summer).

For those who don’t understand the “new” spirituality and the hoped-for “new reformation” of Rick Warren and Leonard Sweet, maybe it is a good time to research this out.

 In March, Lighthouse Trails reported that this coming June, Calvary Chapel Albuquerque (a veteran Calvary Chapel church pastored by Skip Heitzig) will host the National Worship Leader Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will feature New Age sympathizer and emerging church leader, Leonard Sweet.

The NWLC event will take place in three different U.S. locations with Sweet participating in two of them. National Worship Leaders Conference
 The worship conference is presented by Worship Leader magazine, whose chief editor is Chuck Fromm (Chuck Smith, Sr.’s nephew). On the conference website, a banner promotion by Greg Laurie, (another veteran Calvary Chapel pastor) sits in a prominent spot.

Laurie states: “In Worship Leader magazine, you hear from the leading thinkers, artists, and pastors on how we can more effectively worship God.” Though there have been many conflicting stories regarding this, including the story that Dr. Sweet will not be speaking, that the leadership of CC Albuquerque had no idea that he would be speaking, and that perhaps the whole conference would be scrubbed,

 I can tell you that as of today and according to Calvary Chapel Albuquerque’s website on their upcoming events page, Dr. Leonard Sweet will be speaking at their upcoming church sponsored National Worship Leaders Conference.
 If you scroll down to about the 17th event, National Worship Conference…there is an audio promo posted which states that Mr. Sweet will in fact be speaking. Though Calvary Chapel has denounced the teachings of the Emergent Church and Contemplative Prayer, one has to ask the very obvious question of why they are teaching along side some of the leading pastors of such New Age and apostate doctrines at scheduled events.

 It has been reported that after discussions with other Calvary Chapels pastors, Skip Heitzig had denied knowing about Dr. Leonard Sweet being a guest speaker at this event. He also claimed that he had not been informed of those who would be speaking at his church, and that he would cancel Leonard Sweet as a guest speaker; in fact, he said that he was thinking of “pulling the plug” on the event.

 Well, according to their church website, the event is still on (as of this date anyway) and the audio promo clearly states that Dr. Leonard Sweet is a guest speaker. [Update: Since the posting of this article, C.C. Albuquerque has changed their audio promo, deleting Dr. Leonard Sweet as a guest speaker. According to sources, he was asked not to speak because of the controversy of his Emergent position and New Age philosophy.

Though I am very happy about this decision, I think it would be wise to keep a mindful eye on future events. Also, Dr. Sweet is not the only person of question at this event, as you will see further down.] Calvary Chapel Albuquerque

 Also, after some research through the many archives on the Internet…there doesn’t seem to be any confusion to me as to whether or not Calvary Chapel’s plea of ignorance is true or not. As far as I can tell, though NWLC is not an exclusive CC event; both Calvary Chapel pastors and Leonard Sweet have all spoken at this annual event for the past 3 years.

 So it is not a stretch of the imagination to conclude that Skip Heitzig and staff have full knowledge of who the invited speakers will be, including Dr. Leonard Sweet. At the 2009 National Worship Leader’s Conference held in Kansas City, Greg Laurie and Leonard Sweet both spoke at the event. See Greg Laurie’s promotional video: Greg Laurie at the National Worship Leader Conference 2009

 See also the following article from 2009 which states that, “This year’s featured speakers and worship leaders include Michael W. Smith, Greg Laurie, Leonard Sweet, Mac Powell, David Crowder Band, Paul Boloche, Donnie McClurkin, Tommy Walker, Leeland and Lenny LeBlanc.” See Streaming Faith’s post: Kansas City to Host 3rd Nat’l Worship Leader Conference

 After finding this information, I searched a bit further to see just how many years Calvary Chapel had been attending and speaking alongside Emergent Church leaders at this event. I won’t post all of the research, but it was very curious to find that at the 2008 NWLC, which was held in Austin, Texas, it was Skip Heitzig and Leonard Sweet speaking at the same event. In the following link, the blogger writes: “Yesterday we had more incredible sessions, other classes by Paul Baloche and Ross Parsley, and dynamic teaching by Dr. Leonard Sweet.” National Worship Leaders Conference, Austin Update

 Skip Heitzig also wrote about the 2008 event on his own blog. He writes,
“The conference hosted speakers, musicians and loads of workshops for the musically and ministry inclined. This worship conference from the first night had a wonderful air of simplicity and reverence. Rather than introducing the "big name bands" or high profile speakers, one after another came to the platform to share their gift but mostly to shine the stage light of attention onto Jesus. It was an exceptionally receptive group and it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. Before I spoke Monday night on, "Casting the Worship Vision--Past, Present and Future" Sarah Kelly and Matt Redman fill the sanctuary with a "joyful noise." These folks were up for a good dose of Bible truth and resonated with the message I brought. I thoroughly enjoyed the staff of Riverbend Church and watched firsthand a great teamwork by many faithful servants in that church community.” Skip Heitzig - Austin City Limits
  Clearly, Calvary Chapel has full knowledge of the type of event, the speakers of the event and have been apart of the event for years. My question is, why? Why the compromise? Listen, we are not trying to vilify Calvary Chapel, but we do want to know what the truth of this matter is.

 Are they going the way of the Emergent Church, or are they compromising because of ignorance? Perhaps it is this New Age quest and obsession of replacing the “old ways” for the new “relevant ways”… in my opinion this third is a very slippery slope indeed! The Church has compromised and compromised, the Word has been watered down, changed and now is unrecognizable…all for the sake of the worldly philosophy of being relevant and MEGA popular.

 Whatever the reason, it is clearly wrong to compromise, and it is leaving the impression that there is nothing wrong the the teachings and philosophies of the New Age Movement and the Emergent Church.

Who is Dr. Leonard Sweet?
He is a futurist, Emergent Church Leader and New Age Sympathizer "A sea change of transitions and transformations is birthing a whole new world," wrote Dr. Leonard Sweet, whose books are often quoted in Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox. "God is birthing the greatest spiritual awakening in the history of the church.... Are you going to show up." (Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in the New Millennium Culture - Zondervan, 1999).

  If you love truth, you may want to say no! For in his book Soul Tsunami, Dr. Sweet, a popular leader of the Emerging Church, tells us to flow with the currents of change and leave God's unchanging gospel behind.

"Postmodern culture is a change-or-be changed world," he continues. "Reinvent yourself for the 21st century or die. Some would rather die than change." (Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in the New Millennium Culture - Zondervan, 1999).

 The new focus is on unity -- a world-wide oneness reflected in the growing union between the East and West.
Leonard Sweet's online book, Quantum Spirituality, sheds some revealing light of the envisioned global "church" for the 21st century. In his view, the offense of the cross has been replaced with a passion for interfaith peace and possibility-thinking. To illustrate this point, Dr. Sweet points to Thomas Merton, the popular Catholic author who popularized mysticism and died in Asia searching the depths of Tibetan Buddhism.

 Read James Fire's article: Beware of Prayer - of the Contemplative Kind

 Seeking that illusive solidarity, today's success-driven church leaders are rushing into the postmodern age of flexible "truth" and relational pleasures. Unbounded by any solid anchor in God's unchanging Word, they dash forward -- hand in hand with the world -- toward an imagined future attainable through practices long hidden in secret societies and Eastern religions.

These include meditative rituals, dialectical synthesis and systems thinking. Add service learning to the last two and you have the transformational strategies first tested by Communist tyrants, then incorporated into the UN - U.S. education system, which intentionally undermined factual, rational learning and established the postmodern ways of thinking. (See The International Agenda and Small Groups and the Dialectic Process

 I would also like to point out that Leonard Sweet while blatantly New Age, he is not the only speaker in question. There are many guest speakers in this upcoming conference who are a part of Saddleback and Willow Creek. Both pastors of both churches, Rick Warren* and Bill Hybels respectively, are graduates of the Robert Schuller School of Church Leadership, and both pastors also endorse contemplative prayer, a 'Christianized' brand of Hindu meditation practices.
 Read More: Sweets "New Light" Heroes - Online pdf

~ WHO IS ROBERT SCHULLER?

Let’s take a look at the Gospel ACCORDING TO ROBERT SCHULLER (Some of the following excerpts are taken from Let Us Reason Ministries)

 His new reformation is not repentance or a renewed sense of dependence on God and his word. No humbling our self before Almighty God. In fact it is the very opposite a boosting of ourselves to a "divine self-esteem." The Bible tells us that our righteousness is like filthy tags before God (Isaiah 64:6), that we've all sinned and fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23), and that there are none who are righteous (Romans 3:10).

All this and more is denied by the philosophical musing of a man who claims to represent Christ, His gospel, and the church. In fact he states "I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ that and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition." (Time, March 18, 1985)

Yet Paul wrote that, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15), and Christ Himself said that He came to call "sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32). Yet Schuller rejects the depravity of man which he calls "error" (Self-Esteem the New Reformation, p.162)

 Romans 3:23 ...all have sinned. Who is in question here the Bible or Schuller? What made Schuller successful in his ministry? He had found something wrong with the ancient gospel? He now has the new improved modern version. Schuller message can be attributed to how wonderful life can be if we all come together as one and be positive. His preaching is "Gospel of Positiveness and Success". It has been embraced by numerous unbelievers and quite a numbers of Christian leaders as well.

Schuller has stated thousands of pastors and hundreds of rabbis and over a million Muslims a week watch his Hour of Power. The only way to please this wide of an audience is to have only positive things to say lest some toes get stepped on. He believes, "God is trying … to build a society of human beings who live out the golden rule" (Self-Esteem p. 135).

 Schuller believes he has found a basic defect in modern Christianity and identifies the problem "What is that basic flaw? I believe is it the failure to proclaim the gospel in a way that can satisfy every person's deepest need - one's spiritual hunger for glory. Rather than glorify God's highest creation - the human being - Christian liturgies, hymns, prayers, and scriptural interpretations have often insensitively and destructively offended the dignity of the person..." (Self-Esteem, p. 31)

 Bella Stumbo staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, after an extensive interview with Schuller, wrote: "In short, Robert Schuller believes that God placed him on this Earth to preach possibility thinking" ("The Gospel of Success," 5/29/83, Los Angeles Times, p. 24).

To Schuller “this message is, vitally important" he at one time wrote: "I believe in positive thinking. It is almost as important as the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (Michael Nason and Donna Nason, Robert Schuller: The Inside Story, 1983, p. 152).

~ WHO IS JOHN MARKS TEMPLETON?

Interesting statement considering the fact that positive, or possibility thinking was not mentioned at all by Christ or taught by his apostles. Befriending The New Age Sir John Marks Templeton, founder of The Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion (New Age Beliefs) were first introduced to the church by none other than Robert Schuller in 1986. 

 Templeton's beliefs are clearly expressed in his writings. He is an evolutionist, pantheist, Universalist, and occultist and in no unequivocal terms rejects the God of the Bible, Christ as the only Savior and only way to God. He claims that heaven and hell are states of mind we create here on earth, that truth is relative, and that Christianity is no longer relevant. He states, "Behind this book is my belief that the basic principles for leading a "sublime life"... may be derived from any religious tradition Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others as well as Christian...." (John Marks Templeton, Discovering the Laws of Life, 1994 inside front of jacket.)

 Schuller continues to endorse him by putting Templeton's picture on his Possibilities magazine front cover, and running a major interview with Templeton. In it Templeton articulated his Unity of all Religions beliefs, 'Your spiritual principles attract prosperity to you material success comes ... from being in tune with the infinite.... The Christ spirit dwells in every human being whether the person knows it or not; nothing exists except God." (Possibilities, p. 12 Summer 1986, pp. 8-12.)

Templeton has become famous for offering a million dollars from his religious research center that is developing progress in religion. Maybe Schuller would like to be the next recipient. " On an Amway motivational tape, Robert Schuller sums it up: You don't know what power you have within you! ... You make the world into anything you choose. Yes, you can make your world into whatever you want it to be. ( R. Schuller Possibility Thinking: goals Amway corp. tape).

 What is this power within? Schuller's article in the Summer 1986 issue of Possibilities magazine explains the central message being that 'all is God and God is all,' the article also declared that, "The Christ Spirit dwells in every human being, whether the person knows it or not" (p. 12).

So now we are born with Christ instead of with sin. The Bible says the very opposite, Galatians 3:26-28
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."


These heresies are upheld by Schuller to his readers and those who watch his TV program. These are the same teachings that Rick Warren and Bill Hybels have submitted to, studied under, and continue to preach in their own churches today! Schuller has addressed Unity ministers in training, at the Unity School of Christianity in Kansas City, not only stating that he agreed with their teachings (which, among other things, reject the gospel of Christ, and teach Yoga, reincarnation, and other New Age philosophies), but he also commended Unity and offered his success techniques to help Unity grow larger.

In an address to a Unity congregation in Warren, Michigan, Schuller's motivational talk presented Jesus as "the greatest Possibility Thinker of all time!" (Reported in the 1/88 issue of the CIB Bulletin.)

 Unity is a Mind-science cult, with occultic beliefs incorporated as well. Actually they accept just about anything except the biblical record. "The classical interpretation of this teaching of Christ on 'bearing our cross' desperately needs reformation...."
 "The cross Christ calls us to bear will be offered as a dream... an inspiring idea that would incarnate itself in a form of ministry that helps the self-esteem-impoverished persons to discover their self-worth through salvation and subsequent social service in our Savior's name..."
"So the proclamation of possibility thinking is the positive proclamation of the cross!..." He was asked,
'Dr. Schuller, we hear a lot of talk these days about the New Age, the Age of Aquarius, the type of New Age thinking that we are involved in with Holistic healing and various other things that are part of what is called the New Age. Will you describe the role of what you might consider the New Age minister in the '80s and beyond?'"
 "Schuller replied, 'Well, I think it depends upon where you're working. I believe that the responsibility in this Age is to 'positivize' religion. Now this probably doesn't have much bearing to you people, being Unity people, you're positive. But I talk a great deal to groups that are not positive... even to what we would call Fundamentalists who deal constantly with words like sin, salvation, repentance, guilt, that sort of thing.'"
"So when I'm dealing with these people... what we have to do is positivize the words that have classically only had a negative interpretation." (Address at Unity Village, Unity tape)

 Schuller states, "It is important to remember that meditation in any form is the harnessing, by human means, of God's divine laws.... We are endowed with a great many powers and forces that we do not yet fully understand. (He believes these are valid methods for "the harnessing, by human means, of God's divine laws."
 “A variety of approaches to meditation . . . is employed by many different religions as well as by various nonreligious mind-control systems. In all forms . . . TM, Zen Buddhism, or Yoga . . . the meditator endeavors to overcome the conscious mind ...”

"The most effective mantras employ the "M" sound. You can get the feel of it by repeating the words, "I am, I am," many times over.... Transcendental Meditation or TM... is not a religion nor is it necessarily anti-Christian.” (Peace of Mind Through Possibility Thinking, 1977 pp. 131-32)

 This is what people in the occult do (such as I AM groups like the Ballard's or Elizabeth Claire Prophet) TM is religious and is Hinduism, its promoted by the Maharishi who is Hindi, and leads to union with the Hindu God Brahma and to eternal separation from Christ. A variety of meditation is employed by many different religions TM, Zen Buddhism, or Yoga.

 Robert Schuller can say “It is important to remember that meditation in any form is the harnessing, by human means, of God's divine laws" he is essentially promoting another religions practices within the church. It is easy to see how these eastern religious and occult practices came into the Church.

Robert Schuller has been endorsed as a “Christian” pastor by many respected Church leaders (Billy Graham) however, Robert Schuller is anything but a Christian, he is a Humanist, a psychologist, a New Age thinker who denies the authority of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Mr. Schuller is a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing who has led millions away from the Biblical TRUTH of God’s Word!

From Robert Schuller's book, My Journey
"I met once more with the Grand Mufti (a Muslim), truly one of the great Christ-honoring leaders of faith. I'm dreaming a bold impossible dream: that positive-thinking believers in God will rise above the illusions that our sectarian religions have imposed on the world, and that leaders of the major faiths will rise above doctrinal idiosyncrasies, choosing not to focus on disagreements, but rather to transcend divisive dogmas to work together to bring peace and prosperity and hope to the world...." p. 502.

 "Standing before a crowd of devout Muslims with the Grand Mufti, I know that we're all doing God's work together. Standing on the edge of a new millennium, we're laboring hand in hand to repair the breach." p. 501

~ Who else is speaking at the National Worship Leaders Conference hosted by Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque?


 Others, such as Mr. Maher routinely minister in Roman Catholic fellowships (is he a Roman Catholic, or an ex-Roman Catholic and a Christian simply reaching out to these souls?): Matt Maher - is still involved in local church ministry at St. Timothy Catholic Community, as well as helping out with the young adult ministry at All Saints Newman Center on the campus of Arizona State University.

Buddy Owens
- is Pastor of Spiritual Growth at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California.

Scott Dyer
- is the Pastor of Worship and Arts at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, in the northern suburbs of Dallas, TX, where he has served since February of 2004. Prior to coming to Bent Tree, Scott spent 14 years on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church and the Willow Creek Association.

Stan Endicott
- is Executive Worship Pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif., a large church known for progressive and culturally compelling approaches to worship, communications and ministry. He also consults with churches around the country and continues to work with established and up-and-coming recording artists in music production. Stan is a mainstay at Arts and Worship conferences at Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill., and at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., where he also directs the worship choir.

Curt Coffield
- Curt is committed to helping others worship. He is the Pastor at Sewickley Valley North Way Christian Community in Pennsylvania. Formerly, Curt served as Worship and Teaching Pastor at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, Michigan; as Worship Pastor at Shoreline Community Church in Monterey, California; and as Worship Director at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. As a member of Integrity Music's band PK7, Curt led worship for Promise Keeper events in arenas around the country for several years.

Tony Guerrero
- is currently serving as the Director of Creative Arts at Saddleback Church, where he leads a mostly volunteer group of hundreds of musicians, singers, and performers in a variety of arenas.

Randy Swanson
- has been involved in Creative Arts ministry for over 30 years. He has a degree in music from UCLA and a JD from Western States University. He was admitted to practice law in California in 1983. As an accomplished trumpet artist he performs in churches and orchestras on a regular basis. He served as the Executive Director for the Robert Schuller Performing Arts Center.

 So why are doctrinally sound pastors yoking themselves up with those who teach a false gospel? Are they themselves being deceived? Are they truly God’s under shepherds? Are they themselves wolves? Are they compromising in order to be apart of the “mainstream” mega churches? I don’t know the answer, but I know that there are many warnings in the Bible about the apostasy of the last day’s church. Jesus himself warned us not too be deceived. We must take heed lest we too are caught up in the deception sweeping the church!

~ WHO IS JIM WALLIS?

 I would also point out the tie between the Hybels and President Obama’s new “Green Shepherd” and far leftist liberal pastor, Jim Wallis. I listened to a program on Christian Worldview yesterday discussing the Social Justice Movement and how it is infiltrating the Church.

 Those who are at the top of this big radical environmental and social justice movement include Rev. Jim Wallis…as well as the Hybels of Willow Creek.
 Background: Mr. Wallis who was head of the Students for a Democratic Society at Michigan State University up until the present time, has been moving in the left wing, collectivistic, communistic crowd for all of these years; and now he is the new spiritual advisor to the President of the United States. The President of the U.S. has given Jim Wallis his marching orders…telling him that now he is going to be the “Green Shepherd” to lead the Evangelical Church into the Whitehouse’s program of Climate Change under the guise of justice and injustice.

 The question conservative Christians should ask is why is a pastor so popular among secularist liberals who routinely vilify Christians for their involvement in political issues? The answer is to be found in Jim Wallis’ consistently radical—and even Marxist—worldview. FrontPageMagazine.org has published a lengthy expose on Jim Wallis’ far-left background, including his anti-capitalist views and his support of Communist or terrorist regimes throughout the history of Sojourners.

While Wallis was in seminary, he founded an anti-capitalist magazine called Post-American. In it, Wallis called for the redistribution of wealth and government managed economies. This anti-capitalist worldview is expressed in religious terms as a quest for “social justice.”

 In January 2005, Democrat Senators met in a closed session with Wallis to figure out how they could use religious language to pull evangelical voters away from the Republican Party to vote Democratic. In addition, 15 Democrat House members made Wallis their guest of honor at a breakfast. His topic was how to turn religious voters in to Democrats.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NM) admitted that Wallis was working closely with the leadership to lure religious voters to the Democrat Party. In 2005, Wallis was appearing on TV and radio talk shows all over the U.S. and was being interviewed by the mainstream print media as well.

The New York Times reported that Democrats in the House has picked Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) to establish a “faith working group” that would “encourage lawmakers to sprinkle references to God and religion into their speeches.” Jim Wallis was their pick to help them devise clever ways to fool Americans into believing secular liberals had found “religion.”

 ~ Case in point, Lynn Hybels, the wife of Rev. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek is now writing for the website (Sojourner) of Rev. Jim Wallis, a pro-Marxist. Listen to: Worldview Radio: Worldview Matters with Brannon Howse - May 7th, 2010

 I believe that the apostate church will play a leading role in destroying America and introducing the new-age system of the globalists…world government and religious system. If you want to know where Bill Hybel stands on these issues, you don’t have to look much further than the Magazine the put out, called Willow.

 Article titles in this Willow issue certainly make a statement: "Seismic Shifts," - "Rediscovering Spiritual Formation," - "Stemming the Tide," - "The Changing Face of Worship," - "Shifts in Missional Mindset," and "The Next Great Debate."

With such commitment to change, it's no wonder Willow Creek supports Brian McLaren, who is currently on his "Everything Must Change" tour. You can flip through the magazine yourself online: Willow Magazine

~
 WARNING FOR SHEEP: A little known fact about true shepherds of GOD's flock: they NEVER, EVER, EVER expose their sheep to wolves or any other danger! They feed the sheep, and carefully watch over and protect the sheep. To not do so goes against all that is biblically sound!

John 10:11
 
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORE ON RICK WARREN:

The following is a list of concerns regarding the teachings of Rick Warren. These examples were taken from the book by Warren B. Smith “Deceived on Purpose” (from chapter 1 of A “Wonderful” Deception)

Ten Basic Concerns

 1) Rick Warren Cites New Age Leader In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren introduces his main themes of “hope” and “purpose.” Inexplicably, Warren chooses to introduce “hope” and “purpose” in his book by citing Dr. Bernie Siegel—a veteran New Age leader who claims to have a spirit-guide named George.(1)
Somehow, readers of The Purpose Driven Life are expected to believe that God inspired Warren to introduce the themes of hope and purpose by referencing the “wisdom” of Bernie Siegel, an author and leader in the New Age movement. But the Bible warns that this kind of worldly wisdom is not from God and can confuse and stumble believers, and completely mislead unbelievers: This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (James 3:15) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. (Romans 14:13)

 2) Rick Warren Sends Confusing New Age Message: “God is in everything” Out of the fifteen different Bible versions Rick Warren uses in The Purpose Driven Life, he chooses to cite Ephesians 4:6 from a new translation that erroneously conveys the panentheistic New Age teaching that God is “in” everything. According to New Age leaders, this teaching is foundational to the New Age/New Spirituality.(2) 
Yet of these fifteen Bible versions Warren uses in his book, he chooses the New Century Version that has potentially misled millions of Purpose Driven readers to believe this key New Age doctrine that God is “in” everything. Regarding God, Warren writes: The Bible says, “He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything”(3)
 The New Century Version quoted by Rick Warren verbalizes what A Course in Miracles and my other New Age books taught me years ago—that God is “in” everyone and everything. This completely misrepresents what the apostle Paul is saying in Ephesians 4:6. In Deceived on Purpose, I explain: In this Scripture Paul is not writing to the world at large. The book of Ephesians is Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus and to the faithful followers of Jesus Christ.
In Ephesians 1:1 he makes it clear that he is writing to “the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” According to properly translated Scripture, God is not “in” everyone and everything, and God’s Holy Spirit only indwells those who truly accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (John 14:15-17; Acts 5:32). In Deceived on Purpose, I wrote: Because the Church of Ephesus was composed of believers who had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, God had sent His Holy Spirit to them.
Therefore, as a result of their conversion God’s Holy Spirit resided in them all. Thus, Paul is only addressing the believers of Ephesus and the “faithful in Christ Jesus” when he stated that God is “above all, and through all, and in you all.” He was not saying that God is present in unbelievers. He was not saying that God is “in” everyone and “in” everything. That is what the New Age teaches.(4)
 It is vital to understand the difference in renderings of Ephesians 4:6. Compare the New Century Version that Rick Warren quotes with the King James Bible: He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything. (NCV) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (KJV)

 3) Rick Warren and The Message In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren cites Eugene Peterson’s The Message more than any other Bible version. The Message is laden with its own set of questionable New Age implications. In the first chapter of The Purpose Driven Life, five of the six Scriptures that Warren cites come from The Message. Warren states that The Message is a Bible “paraphrase,” yet he frequently writes, “the Bible says” when quoting from The Message.(5)
 One of the many examples of the New Age implications of The Message is seen in Eugene Peterson’s paraphrasing of the Lord’s Prayer. Where most translations read “in earth, as it is in heaven,” Peterson inserts the occult/New Age phrase “as above, so below.” The significance of this mystical occult saying is seen clearly in As Above, So Below, a book published in 1992 by the editors of New Age Journal.
Chief Editor Ronald S. Miller describes how the occult/magical saying “as above, so below” conveys the “fundamental truth about the universe”—the teaching that “we are all one” because God is “immanent” or “within” everyone and everything. Miller writes: Thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt, the great master alchemist Hermes Trismegistus, believed to be a contemporary of the Hebrew prophet Abraham, proclaimed this fundamental truth about the universe: “As above, so below; as below, so above.”
This maxim implies that the transcendent God beyond the physical universe and the immanent God within ourselves are one. Heaven and Earth, spirit and matter, the invisible and the visible worlds form a unity to which we are intimately linked.(6)
Miller continues describing the meaning of “as above, so below” by quoting Sufi scholar Reshad Field: “‘As above, so below’ means that the two worlds are instantaneously seen to be one when we realize our essential unity with God. . . . The One and the many, time and eternity, are all One.”(7)
(ellipsis in original) In 2004 when I searched “as above, so below” on the Internet, the first entry listed further defined this “key” New Age term: This phrase comes from the beginning of The Emerald Tablet and embraces the entire system of traditional and modern magic which was inscribed upon the tablet in cryptic wording by Hermes Trismegistus. The significance of this phrase is that it is believed to hold the key to all mysteries. All systems of magic are claimed to function by this formula. “‘That which is above is the same as that which is below’ . . . The universe is the same as God, God is the same as man.”(8)
 Most of the references, either on websites or in books and magazines containing the phrase “as above, so below” describe the term as having the same occult/mystical/New Age/esoteric/magical sources. One website states: This ancient phrase, “As above, so below” describes the Oneness of All That Is.(9)
In Deceived on Purpose, I discuss my concerns over Rick Warren placing such great emphasis on Eugene Peterson’s The Message. When I looked up Ephesians 4:6 in The Message, Peterson’s paraphrase (like the New Century Version) also definitely lends itself to the New Age interpretation that God is present “in” everyone. In The Message, Peterson introduces his readers—with no parenthetical warnings or explanations—to the concept of ‘Oneness’: You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.(10) 
 The “as above, so below” God “in” everything “Oneness” message of Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase The Message sounds strikingly similar to the same “as above, so below” God “in” everything “Oneness” message of the New Age/New Spirituality. Such a teaching is contrary to what the Bible teaches. We are only “one” in Christ Jesus when we repent of our sins and accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
Galatians 3:26-28 states: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

 4) The Purpose Driven Life’s Distorted View of Bible Prophecy In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren strongly discourages the study of prophecy. He states that “in essence” Jesus told his disciples: “The details of my return are none of your business.”(11)
Contrary to what Warren writes, in Jesus’ discussion on the Mount of Olives, He tells His disciples that an understanding of the details of His return is very important. He provides much needed prophetic information so that His followers will not be deceived about the details of His return at the end of time.
 In Deceived on Purpose, I explain: He warns that there will be false teachers and false teachings that will try to confuse the details of His return. He provides the prophetic detail because He didn’t want His disciples, or any of us, mistaking Antichrist’s arrival for His own return. He initiates His lengthy prophetic discourse by saying, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” He ends His discussion by warning them to “watch” and “be ready.”(12)
 As someone who has come out of New Age teachings, I find it very disturbing that Rick Warren writes that the details of Jesus’ return are none of our business. In Deceived on Purpose, I talk about the role that these details had in my own eventual conversion: Understanding the events surrounding His return was critical to understanding how badly I had been deceived by my New Age teachings. I had learned from reading the Bible that there is a false Christ on the horizon and that for a number of years I had unknowingly been one of his followers. Because the Bible’s clear authoritative teachings about the real Jesus and His true return had been brought to my attention, I was able to see how deceived I was. By understanding that there is a false Christ trying to counterfeit the true Christ’s return, I was able to renounce the false Christ I had been following and commit my life to the true Jesus Christ.
(13)

 5) 
Rick Warren and John Marks Templeton Rick Warren unwittingly lent himself to the “purposes” of New Age sympathizer John Marks Templeton, as shown in Deceived on Purpose: Even as I write, [New Age leader] Neale Donald Walsch’s New Age colleague Wayne Dyer is teaching the principles of the New Spirituality to an unsuspecting American public on a 3-hour PBS television special. His subject? The power of intention and purpose. While Dyer was cleverly presenting the New Spirituality by talking about the power of “purpose,” Rick Warren was judging a “Power of Purpose” essay contest for the New Age-based Templeton Foundation. John Templeton—with his strong New Age and metaphysical leanings—believes in a “shared divinity between God and humanity.”(14)
I pointed out that the late Templeton had been featured on the cover of Robert Schuller’s Possibilities magazine and was described as “my wonderful role model” by Neale Donald Walsch.

 6) Robert Schuller’s Influence on Rick Warren I discovered that Rick Warren had been greatly influenced by Robert Schuller and that he frequently used unattributed material from Schuller’s writings. In promoting his 2004 Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership, Schuller stated that Warren was a graduate of his Institute.(15)
Furthermore, on an April 4, 2004 Hour of Power television broadcast, Schuller described how Warren had come to his Institute for Successful Church Leadership “time after time.”(16)
And Rick Warren’s wife, Kay, was quoted in a 2002 Christianity Today article saying that Schuller “had a profound influence on Rick.”(17)
 In reading Schuller’s past writings, it soon became apparent that Schuller had indeed greatly influenced Rick Warren’s ministry and that Warren often used Schuller’s material without any attribution to Schuller. One of the many examples where Warren emulates Schuller’s material can be seen in the following comparison of their writings.
In his 1982 book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, Robert Schuller writes: Our very survival “as a species depends on hope. And without hope we will lose the faith that we can cope.”(18) 
 Twenty years later in his 2002 book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes: Hope is as essential to your life as air and water. You need hope to cope.(19)
 Another example of how Rick Warren mirrors Robert Schuller is found in Warren’s 1995 book The Purpose Driven Church. He concludes his book by writing: Accept the challenge of becoming a purpose-driven church! The greatest churches in history are yet to be built.(20) Rick Warren’s statement is almost a direct quote from Schuller’s 1986 book Your Church Has A Fantastic Future!, which quotes a pastor saying: Ten years ago, I heard Dr. Robert Schuller say at his leadership conference, “The greatest churches in the world are yet to be built!”(21)
 These are just two of many other examples I found where Rick Warren uses unattributed material from Schuller’s writings and teachings. In Deceived on Purpose, I wrote: The more I read Robert Schuller, the more I was shocked at how so many of Rick Warren’s thoughts, ideas, references, words, terms, phrases, and quotes in The Purpose Driven Life seemed to be directly inspired by Schuller’s writings and teachings.(22)

 7) 
Rick Warren and Robert Schuller’s “New Reformation” & “God’s Dream” Rick Warren’s proposed “New Reformation” and his “God’s Dream” Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan are strikingly similar to Robert Schuller’s proposed “New Reformation” and his “God’s Dream” plan “to redeem society.” The only real difference between their basic plans is that Schuller proposed his “New Reformation” and “God’s Dream” plan twenty years previous to Warren. In his 1982 book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, Schuller called for a “New Reformation” in the church.(23)
To accomplish this New Reformation he frequently invoked the metaphor “God’s Dream” to describe God’s “great plan to redeem society.”(24)
Twenty years later, Warren was also calling for a “New Reformation” in the church.(25)
To accomplish his proposed New Reformation, Warren also invoked the “God’s Dream” metaphor that Schuller had used over two decades earlier to describe his New Reformation and his “plan.”(26)
Warren described his new reformational P.E.A.C.E. Plan as “God’s Dream For You—And The World!,”(27)
which also happens to resemble the PEACE Plan proposed by Neale Donald Walsch. In Deceived on Purpose, I wrote: Following Schuller’s forty-year commitment to his church, Rick Warren made a forty-year commitment to the Saddleback community. He “grew” his mega-church by faithfully implementing all that he had learned from Schuller. . . . Now Schuller’s concept of “God’s Dream” was being used to inspire millions of Christians to get behind his [Warren’s] 5-Step P.E.A.C.E. Plan to “change the world”—a 5-Step P.E.A.C.E. Plan that, on paper, bore an eerie resemblance to the 5-Step PEACE Plan proposed by Neale Donald Walsch and his New Age “God.”
(28)

 8) 
 New Age Embraces Schuller’s New Reformation In Neale Donald Walsch’s 2002 book, The New Revelations, Walsch and his New Age “God” praise Robert Schuller’s ministry and laud Schuller’s call for a New Reformation. Walsch describes how he and his “God” are also calling for a “New Reformation.” In fact, they commend Schuller and believe that Schuller’s New Reformation can merge with their plan to help bridge the divide between the Christian church and the teachings of the New Age/New Spirituality. They also present their New Reformation in the form of a 5-Step PEACE Plan
(29) that is similarly put forth in the form of an acronym—much like Rick Warren’s 5-Step P.E.A.C.E. Plan.(30)
In The New Revelations: A Conversation with God, Walsch, in a conversation with his “God,” states: Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the American Christian minister who founded the famous Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, said twenty years ago in his book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation that what is needed is a second reformation within the Church, to move it away from its message of fear and guilt, retribution, and damnation, and toward a theology of self-esteem.(31) 
 Walsch quotes Schuller as saying that the “church” is “failing at the deepest level to generate within human beings that quality of personality that can result in the kinds of persons that would make our world a safe and sane society.”(32)
Walsch continues his conversation with “God” about Robert Schuller: Dr. Schuller went on to suggest that “sincere Christians and church-persons can find a theological launching point of universal agreement if they can agree on the universal right and uncompromising need of every person to be treated with great respect simply because he or she is a human being!”(33)
 Walsch then calls Schuller an “extraordinary minister” and quotes him again as saying: “As a Christian, a theologian, and a churchman within the Reformed tradition, I must believe that it is possible for the church to exist even though it may be in serious error in substance, strategy, style or spirit.”(34)
 Walsch adds: But, he [Schuller] said, ultimately “theologians must have their international, universal, transcreedal, transcultural, transracial standard.”(35)
 Walsch’s “God” answers Walsch: Rev. Schuller was profoundly astute in his observations and incredibly courageous in making them public. I hope he is proud of himself! I suggest that such an international, universal, transcreedal, transcultural, transracial standard for theology is the statement: “We Are All One. Ours is not a better way, ours is merely another way.” This can be the gospel of a New Spirituality. It can be a kind of spirituality that gives people back to themselves.(36)
 I do not believe it is just coincidence that Neale Donald Walsch—like Robert Schuller and Rick Warren—is also calling for a New Reformation. Nor do I believe it is a coincidence that Walsch and his “God” identify with Schuller and suggest Schuller’s New Reformation as a prototype for their PEACE Plan. Nor do I believe it is a coincidence that Warren has also used Schuller’s New Reformation as the prototype for his P.E.A.C.E. Plan and that both the New Age and Warren have devised 5-Step PEACE Plans to encourage their mutual calls for a New Reformation. Other New Age leaders, like Bernie Siegel and Gerald Jampolsky also praise Robert Schuller and endorse his writings and teachings.(37)
Jampolsky and Schuller have mutually endorsed each other’s books.(38)
In his book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation, Schuller favorably cites Jampolsky and praises the New Age leader for his “profound theology.”(39)
Yet it is Jampolsky who first introduced me to the teachings of A Course in Miracles when I was in the New Age movement. I would later discover to my amazement that A Course in Miracle groups were meeting on the grounds of Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral back in 1985.(40)
 I would also learn that Schuller has had an ongoing relationship with his “dear friend” Gerald Jampolsky from the early 1980s up through the present day.(41)
And it is not surprising that Bernie Siegel—the New Age leader Rick Warren cites in The Purpose Driven Life—had been a long-time member of the Board of Advisors for Jampolsky’s A Course in Miracles-based New Age Attitudinal Healing Centers.
(42)

 9)
 The Implications of Schuller’s Influence on Rick Warren It became evident to me that Rick Warren was incorporating Robert Schuller’s plans and teachings into the Evangelical church. Whether it is “God’s Dream,” God “in” everything, the “New Reformation,” or something else, the non-referenced writings and teachings of Robert Schuller have been gradually introduced into the Evangelical church through Rick Warren.
 In Deceived on Purpose, I wrote: [I]t seemed that one of Rick Warren’s unstated purposes was to mainstream Robert Schuller’s teachings into the more traditional “Bible-based” wing of the Church. Many believers who seem to trust Rick Warren, ironically, do not trust Robert Schuller. Rick Warren’s “magic” seems to be able to make the teachings of Robert Schuller palatable to believers who would have otherwise never accepted these same teachings had they come directly from Schuller himself.(43)
 Recognizing the overwhelming influence that Robert Schuller has had on Rick Warren and thousands of other pastors, I explain in Deceived on Purpose that “The Purpose Driven Church campaign to enlist every man, woman and child into its ranks to ‘do’ the P.E.A.C.E. Plan and to ‘do’ God’s Dream did not have its origins at Saddleback Church or in the singly inspired mind of Rick Warren.”(44)
The spiritual foundation of the Purpose Driven movement can be found in the writings and teachings of Schuller’s fifty-year ministry. While Warren and other Christian leaders and organizations “forge new Purpose-Driven alliances around the world, the real architect of this seemingly unsinkable Purpose-Driven ship sits quietly in his office at the Crystal Cathedral.”(45) I found it very ironic that while evangelical pastors were studying and speaking at Schuller’s Institute for Successful Church Leadership, A Course in Miracles groups were also meeting in Crystal Cathedral classrooms. Apparently, these pastors “thought that Schuller knew what he was doing because he had a big ‘successful’ church, and they wanted one, too.”(46)

 10) A Serious Concern—A Sober Warning I concluded Deceived on Purpose by stressing that it is not too late for Rick Warren to recognize how he has been influenced by Robert Schuller and by New Age teachings that are taking the church into the New Spirituality. I wrote: He [Warren] could open many people’s eyes if he started to expose the differences between biblical Christianity and the deceptive teachings of the New Age and its New Spirituality.(47)
 However, I presented a sober warning regarding Rick Warren and other Christian leaders who remain in denial about the very real threat of this pervasive spiritual deception that will seriously endanger many who are trusting in their judgment. I explained: Sadly, if Rick Warren and other Christian leaders fall for New Age schemes and devices rather than exposing them, they will take countless numbers of sincere people down with them. It will be the blind leading the blind, as they fall further and further into the deceptive ditch of the New Age and its New Spirituality. Undiscerning Christians, who think they are on “the narrow way” preparing the way for Jesus Christ, may discover too late that they had actually been on “the broad way” preparing the way for Antichrist. It is not too late to warn everyone, but it must be done soon before the deception advances any further.(48)
 (View Endnotes: A Wonderful Deception - Warren B. Smith)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORE ON LEONARD SWEET -

In His Own Words
"The first of these five untheorized observations is that New Light embodiment means to be "in connection" and 'in-formation' with other Christians. Deeper feeling and higher relating go together. The church is fundamentally one being, one person, a comm-union whose cells are connected to one another within the information network called the Christ consciousness." (Quantum Spirituality, P. 122)

 "Energy-fire experiences take us into ourselves only that we might reach outside of ourselves. Metanoia is a de-centering experience of connected-ness and community. It is not an exercise in reciting what Jesus has done for me lately. Energy-fire ecstasy, more a buzz than a binge, takes us out of ourselves, literally. That is the meaning of the word 'ecstatic.'" (Quantum Spirituality, P. 93)

Note
: This ecstasy Sweet speaks refers to the New Age ecstasy that occurs in an altered state of consciousness. The power of small groups is in their ability to develop the discipline to get people "in-phase" with the Christ consciousness and connected with one another. (P. 147)

 New Lights offer up themselves as the cosmions of a mind-of-Christ consciousness. As a cosmion incarnating the cells of a new body, New Lights will function as transitional vessels through which transforming energy can renew the divine image in the world, moving postmoderns from one state of embodiment to another. (P. 48)

 A surprisingly central feature of all the world's religions is the language of light in communicating the divine and symbolizing the union of the human with the divine: Muhammed's light-filled cave, Moses' burning bush, Paul's blinding light, Fox's "inner light," Krishna's Lord of Light, Bohme's light-filled cobbler shop, Plotinus' fire experiences, Bodhisattvas with the flow of Kundalini's fire erupting from their fontanelles, and so on." (P. 235)

 The various quotations were taking from the teachings and publishing’s of those represented in this article. So you tell me, what is wrong with this picture? Why are Evangelical pastors becoming entangled with those who are teaching a false gospel? It is compromise, it is wrong and the Church must not participate in anything that defames the true Gospel message, and presents a false one! It is not the mission of the church to become relevant to the world! It is the mission of the Church to present the TRUTH!

 The Gospel according to the Scriptures! It is the will of God that we be not conformed to this world, but to be TRANSFORMED, by the renewing of the mind in CHRIST JESUS! It is important that all true believer’s do their homework! Don’t take my word for it, research what these widely accepted “winds of doctrine” are, and test them according to the scriptures. I will say this again and again, read the scriptures, study the scriptures, know the scriptures, pray for discernment, stand for righteousness, stand for truth according to what God hath said. Matthew 16:24 (King James Version) “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST.

2 comments:

James J. Fire said...

Thanks Anne for a very well written and IN-DEPTH article and for being a faithful watchman (watchwoman? watchperson!) on the wall.
We shall wait and see what happens on June 15th - 17th when this event takes place in Albuquerque, NM.
Its truly disheartening, even alarming to learn that these Calvary Chapel pastors have shared platforms with the likes of Leonard Sweet and Rick Warren before (three yrs running now, it would seem!), along with a host of others from Saddleback and Willow Creek fellowships.
What was particularly disturbing to me was that when I received the email from CC ALB. it stated that Leonard Sweet is not speaking at "Skip's church" but at the NWLC that is leasing the facilities at CC ALB, as do other organizations. So this isn't a CC ALB event per se, but they will be on the premises. A building and land that I would presume is dedicated to the service of the LORD Jesus, consecrated to the teaching of His Word, and a place where His Spirit would reign. How does this make the situation any BETTER???Mr. Sweet at last report will not be speaking at this event, but will still be in attendance (?). Why would someone such as this, that denigrates the literal interpretation of God's most Holy Word, that is intent on changing it to make it more 'today' and one who endorses such as Rick Warren, Robert Schuller and Pierre DeChardin (Roman Catholic priest and mystic who was deeply into occult beliefs)even be invited to a worship conference? Did not our LORD say that they who worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH??
It will bode ill for CC as a whole if for any reason whatsoever, Mr. Sweet is, after all, granted a speaking engagement at this conference (though he has shared platforms with CC pastors in these last few years already).
Saints, please keep these crucial issues in prayer! Remain diligent in studying the Word, and holding pastors and teachers accountable to its TRUTH in a spirit of love, grace, and holiness, never though with any compromise whatsoever! <

1crosbycat said...

Good article. I thought I would add a comment albeit late just for documentation about Northway Christian Community with a "campus" in Sewickley PA (main church is in Wexford PA). NWCC is a full blown Purpose Driven Church, having received Warren's PDC award in 2004 w retired senior pastor Jay Passavant speaking at PD conferences until the new direction was revealed during their "Church Disturbed" $15 million building campaign. So I would not.list any of their folks as 'biblically sound" but just another worldly rich church that makes its pastors rich but lacks in, well, substance and soundness. The county real estate records plus lavish lifestyles of the pastors lead me to conclude the donations are not going to the needy.

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