END-TIME
CHURCH / PLURALISM
- GREETINGS
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- QUICK VIEW OF UPDATED INDEXES
http://cephas-updates.cephasministry.com
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- "The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not
worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the
word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under
authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go,
and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my
servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled,
and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have
not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you,
That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus
said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as
thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his
servant was healed in the selfsame hour. "
(Matthew 8:8-13 KJV)
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- ::GREETINGS to all and the newcomers to this list. We'd like
to introduce ourselves. George and Rita Williams, who founded
this ministry, were Mormons (Temple Mormons part of the time)
for 20 years. We prayed to God in 1992 to allow us to do a ministry
speaking out against Scientology. Six months later God led us
to the truth: out of the cult of Mormonism. We did not know at
the time we were in a cult. No-one had witnessed to us in 20
years.
- The Holy Spirit brought us to information about all the cults
and the present development of the New World Order. We began
bringing our research to you. Because all the research was already
done, we decided to build a library within Cephas Ministry.
- We are fundamental Bible students and have left all worldly
organizations.
- The focus of these newsletters is to prove why we had
to leave the world system. We are called 'Watchmen on the
Wall' which God always had during the Old / New Testament Times.
- To understand what is happening, one has to know the Bible
to compare notes.
- The first section is about the church.
The news about churches is unedited unless indicated by Ednotes.
The church as we knew it, is undergoing disintegration. This
began on a fast track in the early nineteen sixties when the
Catholic Church produced liberal Vatican II to replace Vatican
I.
- The trend since then has been ecumenical which is truly what
the word 'Catholicism' means: a universal religion all
inclusive and multicultural. The Bible calls for a final church
which doesn't resemble what Jesus taught. The Word of God has
undergone many changes to fit the present mode. The Bible calls
for a falling away from the truth before Jesus
comes back for His Bride, the true believers called 'Ekklesia.'
Our newsletters prove this fact and prove that the Bible is true
from beginning to end.
- The second section is about globalism
where we bring your attention to the social, political and global
trend to prove that we are moving to closure of the times of
the Gentiles.
- The third section compliments End Time
teachings with what is happening in Israel. We describe and watch
for signs of the coming Tribulation to confirm that we are moving
into that space and time.
- Watchmen on the wall do not solicit memberships. We have
an email group that gets information when we upload new information
and a newsletter whenever it is possible time wise. We love the
Lord with all our hearts and minds and we love all people God
has created but especially those who love our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ. Our Statement of Faith is at http://www.cephasministry.com/statement_of_faith.html
-
- ::We believe every word in the KJV Bible and believe it is
the Word of God and that Jesus is the Christ, God Himself, who
spilled His blood on the cross for our sins and rose again to
prepare a place for those who accept 'His' righteousness as their
righteousness. They are those who accept Jesus Christ as their
Lord and Savior, Jews first and then Gentiles. We expect to be
raptured in a pretribulation Rapture to live with God the Father,
God His Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit, who are ONE
GOD in three persons, forever.
We pray the Lord will bless you with a thirst for truth and a
desire to serve Him exclusively, in Christ Jesus, Nicholas A.
Stivers, NicholasScrolls and Rita Williams, Cephas Ministry /
Cephas Library.
- For the updated (red sparkles) main index go to http://www.cephasministry.com/index2.html
- -----
- Cephas Ministry cordially invites you to sign up for
safe fellowship with our VP Nicholas Stivers at his website:
http://nicholasscrolls.cephasministry.com
- You may interact with him on his discussion board and or join
his e-mail group to receive his frequent exhortations. Of course,
all are invited. Nicholas is offering a free Video for Bible
studies V 243 CMI "Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name of
the Lord" - by Nicholas Stivers(60+ minutes) Hear what
Nicholas has to share about the present spiritual condition in
today's churches.
- To simply subscribe to the e-mail group click on this link:
http://www.cephasministry.com/subscribe.html
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- -----
- T.V. ADDICT'S PRAYER
- The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the faith. It destroys my soul.
It leads me in the path of sex and violence for the sponsor's
sake.
Yea, though I walk in the shadow of Christian responsibilities,
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
Its cable and remote control, they comfort me.
It prepares a commercial for me in the presence of my worldliness.
It anoints my head with humanism and consumerism.
My coveting runneth over.
Surely, laziness and ignorance
shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.
~Author Unknown~
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- EAT THE SCROLL
- "Eat the scroll" was thus an impossible demand
to obey apart from divine assistance. To swallow such a message
was distasteful to the "nth" degree. Ezekiel was enabled,
by God's grace, to consume the bitter scroll. In Ezekiel 3:2,
we see that God fed it to him. Since it is as unnatural for us
today, as it was for Ezekiel then, to embrace and devour a message
so devastating, it is comforting to know that the Lord Himself
will enable us to open our mouths and swallow His seemingly bitter
truth.
- Even after the scroll was in Ezekiel's mouth, he was reluctant
to swallow it. At last, by the grace of God, Ezekiel was enabled
to swallow the bitter scroll, and when he swallowed it, God transformed
that galling scroll into the sweetest morsel Ezekiel had ever
eaten. God's will for Ezekiel became sweet as he appropriated
it. That which was difficult to swallow at first became sweetness
itself.
- As we face the difficult times ahead, have no doubt that
the Lord will be as faithful to you as He was to Ezekiel. Eating
God's scroll will honor the Lord Who ordained it for you. You
will discover there is sweetness in bringing honor to Him. Eating
the scroll God has handed you will crowd you more closely to
Jesus, and the experience will conform you more to His likeness.
No matter how bitter it seems to the flesh, there is sweetness
in being more conformed to Jesus. Eating the scroll will also
be a testimony to all those who are watching you relate to the
Lord. They are aware of the difficult matter God has asked you
to swallow.
- We should not fear the will of God. It is only to our mortality
that the scroll seems bitter. God's purposes are as wise as they
are loving, and His name and reputation are advanced as we consume
the scroll He has handed us, whatever may be written on it. If
you fear the things that have been decreed for you, you fear
needlessly. Yield to Jesus. Eat His scroll, and in eating, may
you discover the sweetness of His will as you acquiesce to His
purposes for and through you! [Brother Ed Miller, "God's
Dawn For Every Darkness", p. 127-8]
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- A ONE WORLD RELIGION
- Rev. Robert Schuller recently appeared on the TBN Praise
the Lord show and talked about his visit to Syria in December
1999. He had been invited by the leading Muslim leader of the
world, the Grand Mufti, to preach in his own Mosque in Damascus
on December 17. Paul Crouch was curious about this very unusual
invitation. The reverend of positive teachings related this story.
- Schuller [Questioning the Grand Mufti] "First of all,
let me ask you: 'How many Christians do you have in Syria?'"
Grand Mufti "Oh, I would think, maybe 17 millions."
[Population exceeds 17 millions]
Schuller "No. I said Christians?"
Grand Mufti [he replied with the same answer] "I would say
about 17 millions. This is my territory. [And he added] You can't be a Muslim in Syria if you're not a follower
of Jesus Christ." [Ed note: Muslims regard Jesus
as a prophet. Christians regard Jesus as God
the Son of God. Big difference, Muslims can't understand the
truth without the Holy Spirit who is also God
the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. The Christian God
is the only God who is a trinity: God the Father, God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit, they are ONE (One God). No other religion
has a triune God and therefore the religion cannot give an understanding
of the truth and the only truth
we have on earth, the Holy Bible, KJV. To receive this truth
one has to approach God and ask for forgiveness, repent which
means turning away from our sinful lives and ask God for the
baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is necessary to enable a life
that is acceptable to Jesus Christ and enables understanding
the Word of God. The Word has to be consumed to nourish the spirit
and spiritually washes one on a daily basis.]
TBN owner and host Paul Crouch was startled by the comment, a
comment that is very misleading. The reverend also appeared on
Larry King Live on Christmas Eve 1999. Some of his comments
leave no room to interpretation. Here are some excerpts:
- King [asking why he met the Grand Mufti] "And why are
you here?" The idea of bringing religions
together, right?"
Schuller "Absolutely.... We're
in a totally new era...the age of being able to indoctrinate
people is finished..." King "Does [this visit], Robert
Schuller, give you encouragement...?"
Schuler Oh, absolutely...the Grand Mufti said...'religion is
like rain that falls... the extremists...pollute the pure water'....
I predict we're going to focus in the next millenium as religious
leaders to clean up the pollution in religion...
- Give me Some Facts, please!
Would that mean that Christianity will soon
mingle with Islam? Would Trinity Broadcasting Network
(TBN) participate in the unification of these two mutually-exclusive
religions? Or even assist in the clean up of "extremists"
and "disobedient brethren"? Here are some FACTS about
Islam: The biblical God is called Yahweh (or Jehovah) nearly
9,000 times. Yet Allah is not called by that name even once in
the Koran (their sacred writings). God is also referred to as
Elohim more than 2,500 times in the Bible, but again the word
never appears for Allah in the Koran.
- The God of the Bible chose Jerusalem as His holy city. He
declares in I Kings 11:36: "Jerusalem, the city which I
have chosen for Myself, to put My name there". He promises
that the Messiah will be descended from David and will rule on
David's throne in Jerusalem. Never does the Bible mention Mecca
or Medina but Jerusalem is mentioned more than 800 times. Yet
the God of Islam Allah never mentions Jerusalem. And how can
the Muslims today claim Jerusalem as a holy city of Islam, when
it isn't even mentioned in the Koran? (extracted from The Berean
Call, February 2000).
- Did you know that Allah has no son? The God of the Bible,
however, definitely has a Son. John the Baptist heard this voice
from heaven: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"
(Matt. 3:17). Islam teaches that Jesus is merely a prophet. It
acknowledges that he is the son of Mary, however, this makes
Jesus an ordinary human being, the equal of Adam. The Koran declares
that Jesus did NOT die on the cross, but a substitute took his
place. He would therefore still be alive, but never died. Consequently,
he never died for our sins. The concept of sin is even foreign
to the Muslim faith. They admit Adam sinned, but he repented
on a Friday. Therefore, sin has not spread to all mankind, and
humans do not need salvation nor a savior. I could give much
more facts, but these will suffice. Numerous books discuss the
differences between Christianity and Islam, a primarily Arab
religion.
- One Last Important Observation
Paul Crouch was startled by the comments. He probably has no
clue about Islam and its tenets. On April 19, 2000, I faxed a
letter informing Paul and Jane about these facts. Paul's personal
secretary assured me that a copy would be left on both desks.
The matter is important. Yet, they haven't found time in five
months to contact me!
- Do you want to know why Islam recognizes Jesus? Because as
a prophet he would have pointed the way to a greater prophet,
that is, Muhammad - the cornerstone of their religion. Therefore,
the Grand Mufti, Syrians and all other Muslims BELIEVE that Jesus
CAME because it substantiates their claim that Muhammad is a
great prophet. Let me point out to you that Jesus Christ never
mentioned Muhammad and definitely gave no indication that a greater
prophet would come later. Jesus even declared, "Do not think
that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come
to destroy but to FULFILL" (Matt. 5:17). Jesus Christ is
not merely a prophet, but the Savior of the world.
- Here's another shocker. In the Koran, their god Allah commands
Muslims, "Take not the Jews and Christians as friends"
(Surah 5:51, Al Hil-ali, v.54, Jusuf ali). Can someone explain
how a One World Religion can take shape with such provocative
statements? Are people going to embrace it by tolerance, ignorance
or apathy? For further information on the reverend, Islam or
other subjects, search Schuller at The BEREAN CALL. Source: http://fakefaithhealers.com/aoneworldreligion.htm
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- A MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT
- "And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory
of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and
the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I
am.' "
- "Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout
of joy. For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is
done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth
is full of the goodness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD
the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath
of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a
heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear
the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of
Him." Psalm 33:6-8
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- GEORGE WASHINGTON NATIONAL MASONIC MEMORIAL
- Two magnificent murals adorn the full width of both the North
and South walls. The mural on North wall depicts George Washington
and Brethren attending a Saint John's Day Observance, Christ
Church, Philadelphia, December 28, 1788. The mural on the South
wall shows George Washington laying the Cornerstone [a Masonic
ritual] of the National Capitol, September 18, 1793. These
majestic murals were the work of Allyn Cox, one of the most talented
muralists in America. Cox worked for approximately 30 years at
the Capitol building; he painted 26 murals in the House side,
one in the Senate side and the frieze on the Capitol dome. The
Grand Lodge of California contributed the murals in
our Memorial Hall. High over the murals are six historically
significant stained glass windows. These were designed by Allyn
Cox. There is, however, little mention of the artist, Robert
Metcalf, who installed these beautiful windows. Yet, Metcalf
was one of the finest artists in stained glass in the world.
His reputation was so outstanding that following World War II,
he was called upon to replace or repair the many stained glass
windows in the cathedrals which had been damaged during the bombings
throughout England, France, Germany and other areas of Europe.
- http://www.gwmemorial.org/Tour/MemorialHall/MemorialHall.htm
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- PRESIDENT BUSH PRAISES HOMOSEXUAL CHURCH.
- Church News Notes, November 14, 2003 - On the occasion of
the 35th anniversary of the founding of the homosexual Metropolitan
Community Churches (MCC), President George Bush sent a letter
praising them. The letter stated, "By encouraging the celebration
of faith and sharing of God's love and boundless mercy, churches
like yours put hope in people's hearts and a sense of purpose
in their lives." From this, it is obvious that President
Bush does not believe the Bible, which states plainly that sinners
must repent before they can be saved. The MCC claims that God
accepts their homosexuality as natural and that they do not have
to repent of it. They are also on a campaign to change America's
laws to allow homosexual marriage. [ www.wayoflife.org]
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- POLL INDICATES THAT CATHOLICS IN AMERICA ACCEPT IMMORALITY.
- Friday Church News Notes, November 14, 2003 - According to
a new poll, two-thirds of the Catholics in America approve of
premarital sex. The Washington-Post-ABC News poll was based on
telephone interviews conducted from October 9-13. Other findings:
Six in 10 support the death penalty, 505 support homosexuality,
and 30% say abortion is morally acceptable. About two-thirds
said priests should be allowed to marry and women should be eligible
for ordination. [ www.wayoflife.org]
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- LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS PUBLISHING PRESENTS FAITH AT RISK - FEBRUARY
27th 2004
New Age Seminars free to all. Speakers: Brian Flynn, A former
New Age practitioner, Brian Flynn now conducts seminars on the
New Age for churches and small groups, informing them on the
influence of the philosophy of the New Age upon our society.
He calls this philosophy the Now Age. Brian is based out of Minneapolis,
MN.
- Marcia Montenegro, CANA - Christian Answers for the New Age
- Marcia was involved with various New Age, occult, and Eastern
beliefs and practices, including Inner Light Consciousness, Tibetan
Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Hindu teachings and meditation. Since
becoming a Christian, Marcia has been on several radio shows,
including “Unshackled!,” Bill Bright’s “WorldChangers,”
“Janet Parshall’s America,” and the “Dawson
McAllister Live” show for teenagers. She has also been on
Christian television, including having her testimony dramatized
on Dr. D. James Kennedy’s show. She has led workshops and
spoken at conferences, churches and retreats, and written for
Christian publications.
- Ray Yungen, author of A Time of Departing. Ray Yungen is
a speaker and research analyst, has studied religious movements
for the last twenty years. He is also the author of "For
Many Shall Come In My Name". His exuberance for life and
his love for Jesus Christ and for people are evident in his writing
and his speaking. He is based out of Salem, Oregon.
- The Conference is on February 27th - 28th 2004 in Minneapolis
at Twin City Fellowship 2315 Nicollet Ave S - Minneapolis, MN.
Go to for more information: http://www.lighthousetrails.com/faithatrisk.htm
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- Fátima to Become Interfaith Shrine
- Portugal's Weekend Newspaper - 11.1.2003 - Delegates
attending the Vatican and United Nations (UN) inspired annual
interfaith congress "The Future
of God", held during October in Fátima,
heard how the Shrine is to be developed into a centre where all
the religions of the world will gather to pay homage to their various gods. The Congress was
held in the Paul VI Pastoral Centre and presided over by the
Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon José de Cruz Policarpo.
- The Shrine's rector, Monsignor Luciano Guerra, told the Congress
that Fátima "will change for the better." Addressing
Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, Buddhist
and African Pagan representatives he stated: "The
future of Fátima, or the adoration
of God and His mother at this holy Shrine, must pass
through the creation of a shrine where different religions can
mingle. The inter-religious dialogue in Portugal, and in the
Catholic Church, is still in an embryonic phase, but the Shrine
of Fátima is not indifferent to this fact and is already
open to being a universalistic place of vocation."
- Traditional Catholics opposed to the Congress were described
by the Monsignor as "old fashioned, narrow minded, fanatic
extremists and provocateurs." ..
- An official statement put out by the Congress called for
a non-proselytising approach by all religions.
"No one religion can irradiate another", it said "or
strengthen itself by downplaying others and an open dialogue
is the way to building bridges and tearing down walls of centuries
of hate. What is needed is that each religion be true to its
faith integrally and treat each religion on the same footing
of equality with no inferior or superiority complexes."
It emphasised that the secret to peace amongst all religions
is admitting that contradictions exist between creeds but to
concentrate on what unites them as opposed to what separates
them.
- http://the-news.net/cgi/story.pl?title=Fátima%20to%20become%20interfaith%20shrine&edition=727
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- MANMADE FIRE IN CALIFORNIA ANOTHER EVENT FOR ECUMENISM TO
THRIVE IN WHICH MASONS COME TOGETHER WITH CHRISTIANS
'God wanted us to come here,' says one volunteer. California
Wildfires Spur Christians to Action. Many of the evacuation centers
were filled to capacity. In Hesperia, food streamed in from local
churches, restaurants and supermarkets. Knights of Columbus [Masonic]
members collected 10 truckloads of food from Roman Catholic parishes
and other neighboring churches in just two hours, the Los Angeles
Daily News said. Sheriff's deputies evacuated East Highland resident
Rod Collins along with his wife and three sons. "It makes
you realize what's important in life," Collins told the
News. "What's important is my family, and Christ. I think
homes are temporal, and it's a temporary loss. It's just a place
to live, and I'll have another place to live." Often, evacuees
had just a few minutes to decide what to take with them. Gloria
Custis-Moton was given 30 minutes to flee. She grabbed her cats,
some clothes, a bag of Eukanuba cat food, and her brown leather-bound
Parallel Bible, The Boston Globe said.The Rev. John Yohan Yoon,
pastor of Del Rosa United Methodist Church in San Bernardino,
evacuated the church parsonage on the afternoon of Oct. 25, United
Methodist News Service reported. The family saw the flames coming
and Yoon, his wife and their two sons, ages 10 and 12, escaped
with little more than the clothes they were wearing. "We
didn't get any warning," he said. Salvation Army (Masonic),
Immanuel Baptist Church, River Christian Reformed Church, Calvary
Chapel Bible College, Episcopal Relief and Development Canyon
Springs Covenant Church, http://www.religionjournal.com/showarticle.asp?id=592
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AMERICAN TOMBSTONE
 SheepTrax - November
20, 2003 - Now that Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore has
been kicked off the bench for his insistence of leaving at 5200
lb granite statue of the 10 Commandments in public view, whatever
shall we do with this massive rock?
- I have the perfect answer: Let’s use it to make a grave
tombstone for the USA! Why not? It seems we’re dying anyway
and preplanning your funeral can save your loved ones a fortune
at the actual time of your demise.
- Perhaps we could remove the Statue of Liberty before the
always tantrum prone Allah orders a plane full of his equally
angry faithful to go and do his dirty work – Lady Liberty
is, after all, French and they do seem to hate us – and
lay her to rest in the big hole left after the 9-11 bombings.
We can whitewash over God’s top 10 – we’re awfully
good at that, anyway – and write over God’s Law.
- What then shall we carve on her tombstone?
- “Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses
yearning to be free?” Naw, not very PC to speak of the general
poverty of the rest of the enslaved world while free Americans
live so well. Perhaps this is a more fitting epitaph:
- Here lies America the Beautiful. Born 1776 – Died When
“In God We Trust” Became a Punch line For Her Late
Night Comedians, when Sodomy Became the new Law of the Land,
and God was outlawed from her public life, schools, and justice
system.
- Would it be OK if we publicly displayed a fitting verse from
the Bible one last time? Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness
exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.” Perhaps
such an inscription would serve as a warning to other nations
of the terrible fate that awaits those who forget God.
- If you want more of this sign up with Bryan Hupperts ©
2003 - SheepTrax Media ™
www.SheepTrax.com - http://www.sheeptrax.injesus.com
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- SPIRITUALITY - MYSTICISM MOLDS THE MAINSTREAM
ReligionLink, 10.27.2003 - Kabbalah, Rumi, labyrinths, centering
prayer. Thousands of Americans are exploring the mystical aspects
of their own faith and others.' Although no studies have been
done, scholars and experts cite anecdotal evidence that interest
in mysticism has been steadily increasing. Judaism, Roman Catholicism
and Islam have long traditions in mysticism, and it is officially
accepted doctrine in the Catholic Church. Mainline Protestantism
has comparatively background in mysticism, yet experts say that
is where mysticism is gaining the most ground.
- Aging baby boomers who dabbled in Eastern and New Age spiritualities
in their youth are returning to organized religion and bringing
those spiritual experiences with them, according to Steven Fanning,
an associate professor of history at the University of Illinois
at Chicago who writes about Christian mysticism. Robert Eisen,
an associate professor of religion at George Washington University
in Washington, D.C., and an expert on Jewish
mysticism, says the daily stresses of contemporary
life, coupled with the uncertainty of the times, also create
a climate in which mysticism can thrive.
- Mysticism crosses faith lines,
with many practitioners adopting rituals from other traditions.
Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, is popular among some non-Jews
as well as Reform and Conservative Jews. The poetry of the 12th-century
Muslim poet Rumi draws readers well beyond Islam. Centering
prayer, a form of silent contemplation aimed at opening heart
and mind to God, reaches beyond is core audience of Catholics
and Protestants.
- These movements challenge religious groups from both the
inside and outside. Within Judaism, Islam and Christianity, not
all traditions accept mysticism as orthodox teaching, causing
division. As Americans "borrow"
parts of mystical traditions such as Kabbbalah and Sufism without adopting the Jewish or Muslim faiths,
religious leaders question the integrity of these seekers'
practice and try to protect their traditions from being diluted
by pop culture. http://www.religionwriters.com/public/tips/102703/102703c.shtml
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- HINDUISM'S MILLIONS OF GODS
- Hinduism is the world's third largest religion and the dominant
one in India and Nepal. It has 900 million adherents and about
1 million now live in the U.S. Hinduism seems polytheistic because
Hindus worship many gods and goddesses. But Hindu gurus say that
when they are worshiping those small gods-at least 33 million
in all-they are actually bowing to Brahman, the supreme god,
the impersonal ultimate reality, the world soul. They say the
many gods merely represent various incarnations and manifestations
of the supreme god. Hindus believe that the soul never dies and
reincarnation enables one to complete a journey to nirvana, a
oneness with God. Hindu gurus describe their religion as monistic,
which means there is no essential difference between God, man,
and animals. They say everything is part of God, and that the
universe is one unitary, organic whole (3/8/03 World). Those
in darkness need the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ.
(2 Cor. 4:4). [http://www.cnview.com]
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- HAGGARD IS NEW N.A.E. PRESIDENT
- Ted Haggard, an Oral Roberts U. grad and a charismatic, was
recently named president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
He is pastor of New Life Church (largest in Colo.) and president
of the World Prayer Center. C. Peter Wagner who taught church
growth at Fuller is the "general" who leads Christians
in spiritual warfare at the WPC (5/15/99 CC). One NAE speaker,
Martin Marty, has been shown by Christian News articles for over
40 years to be a liberal who attacks the Bible, denies the physical
resurrection of Christ, and supports abortion and homosexuality
(4/02 CC). Other speakers included pro-Catholic Chuck Colson,
Bethel College & Seminary president George Brushaber. Christianity
Today editor David Neff, and Assemblies of God leader Thomas
Trask. Marty also spoke at the 1992 NAE meeting and another liberal,
Robert Schuller, is scheduled to speak at next year's NAE meeting.
Ralph Colas attended this year's NAE, the Promise Keepers Pastors
and Leadership, and NRB meetings. Reports are ready from ACCC
(PO Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015) on some of these and are forthcoming,
as funds permit, on others. Further information is available
from accc@juno.com. [http://www.cnview.com]
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- UNIVERSALISM
- Universalism is basically the belief that all people will
be saved. Jesus' death and resurrection will automatically, or
at least eventually, save the whole human race. Personal repentance
and faith in Christ are not necessary for going to heaven. The
Christian mission is reduced to announcing to people the "good
news" that they are already saved. [4/03 Charisma] Many
liberals today teach this false doctrine, thus denying Christ's
exclusionary claim (John 14:6) that no one comes to God the Father
except by Christ. [http://www.cnview.com]
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- FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY SAYS GAY BISHOP DAMAGE 'INCALCULABLE'
LONDON (AP) by Robert Barr 11.6.2003 -- The consecration of an
openly gay bishop in America's Episcopal Church has done "incalculable"
damage to the global Anglican Communion, former Archbishop of
Canterbury George Carey said in a letter published Thursday.
However, he urged all factions in the communion to hold together
and strengthen their "bonds of affection."
- In a letter to The Times of London newspaper, Carey said
he shared the distress of conservative evangelicals following
Sunday's consecration of Gene Robinson as Episcopal bishop of
New Hampshire. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of Anglicanism.
Subsequently, Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola, speaking in
the name of the "Global South" of the communion, said
he would no longer participate in any meetings with Episcopal
leaders. "I can only share the principled distress of the
primates of the Global South and others who have expressed themselves
so strongly in recent days," Carey wrote.
- "They are surely right to do so. The damage done to
ecumenical relations, interfaith dialogue and the mission of
the worldwide church is incalculable." Carey served as archbishop,
and thus spiritual leader of the communion, from 1991 to 2002,
and presided at the 1998 Lambeth Conference which denounced "homosexual
practice as incompatible with Scripture.".. http://www.nj.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0532_BC_Britain-Anglicans
- -----
- 'ONE NATION UNDER GOD'
- ReligionWriters, October 3, 2003 - On Oct. 14, the U.S. Supreme
Court agreed to consider whether it is a violation of the First
Amendment to have public school teachers lead students in the
Pledge of Allegiance when it includes the phrase, “Under
God.” The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
stayed its earlier decision that called the pledge unconstitutional.
If the Supreme Court lets the Ninth Circuit opinion stand, public
school students in nine Western states will then recite the pledge
without the phrase "Under God," while students in the
rest of the country include it. The Supreme Court will also consider
whether Michael Newdow has standing to challenge his daughter’s
school's policy on the pledge. The girl’s mother has custody
and has said she has no problem with her saying the pledge.
- In 1943 the Supreme Court ruled that schoolchildren
cannot be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance,
but the court has never addressed the issue of whether language
added since then - "one nation, under God" - amounts
to government endorsement of religion. Most Americans and the
Bush administration say they want to keep the language in the
pledge. What will the Supreme Court do? Why it Matters
At the heart of the case lie core questions: Is the United States
really one nation, under God? Is the phrase a religious statement,
or a symbolic one? If nine out of 10 Americans say they believe
in God (see poll), should the pledge include "Under God"?
For the whole story pro and con: http://www.cephas-library.com/nwo/nwo_one_nation_under_god.html
- -----
- GAY BISHOP COMPARES HIS TRIAL TO CHRIST'S
- Jesus 'often enraged' the religious establishment,
bishop says. The man at the center of a worldwide church debate
over homosexuality said last week that Jesus has been a model
of strength and stability for him during the past few months
of controversy leading up to his consecration as bishop of New
Hampshire on Nov. 2.2003. "I have been reflecting a lot
about Jesus at His trial," the Rev. Gene Robinson, the openly
gay bishop-elect of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, told
a conference of gay and lesbian Christians. "It has given
me a profound respect for our Savior, who was silent at His trial
and just absorbed the evil that was there."
- Robinson addressed the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement's
conference at Manchester University in England by videolink from
New Hampshire.
- "It was the religious establishment that [was] often
enraged by what Jesus said and did. It is the marginalized who
rejoiced. In some ways the world hasn't changed," Robinson
said. "This loving God of ours offers us a promised land,
just as He did to the Hebrews."
- Robinson said he had received messages of support as well
as abusive mail. "I'm getting lots of hate mail – and
lots of love letters of incredible passion and depth," he
told the 250 delegates. He said he stopped counting his e-mails
when they exceeded 8,000 messages. "The fact of the matter
is that I am neither the devil one side would take me to be,
nor the saint that others would have me to be. I am trying to
hold on to who I am, as a human being and as a Christian on his
own journey toward God." For whole article go to:http://www.cephas-library.com/episcopal/episcopal_gay_bishop_identifies_with_christ.html
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- EVANGELISM
Churches Need to Redefine Evangelism, New Movement Says
- [EdNote from emailer: This article was shocking at
how far "Christians" will go to change the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. Chris Marshall, a church-planter in Ohio, changed
the way he viewed the unchurched after participating in OTM [Off
The Map] events. Now rather than being "targets," non-Christians
are "fellow brothers and sisters," he said. "I
no longer count conversions, rather I count conversations."
I have experienced the emptiness of the Purpose Driven Church
curriculum and business-based churches (my website is http://SimplicityInChrist.org)
and this article saddened me. Please pray for the people who
are continuing to be deceived by this pseudo-gospel. end of
note]
- Spiritual Life on CBN.com, by Andy Butcher - Charisma News
Service - 'Christians don't listen,' biggest complaint of unchurched...,
CBN.com - With more Americans dismissing the relevance of traditional
Christianity to their lives, a growing number of church leaders
are saying that it is time for a major change
in the way believers try to share their faith.
- The Off the Map (OTM) movement tries to turn the accepted
idea of "evangelism" on its head by inverting the typical
church meeting. At OTM events, the pastors and lay members
sit quietly in the audience while nonbelievers take the microphone
to explain their lack of faith. For whole article go to:
- http://www.cephas-library.com/otm/otm_movement.html
- -----
- "YES JESUS DID LIVE" SAYS DEAN OF SIDNEY
The new Dean of Sydney’s Anglican Cathedral, Phillip Jensen,
took a brave stand for the claims of Christ recently. Speaking
in his inaugural sermon, Phillip Jensen attacked the excessive
‘relativism’ in the way the media treats Hinduism,
Judaism, Islam and Christianity. An excellent report by Tas walker
of AiG-Australia. Read on at:- http://www.c-w-m.org/not_in_pubs/april_mmDetail.html#1
- -----
- TED HAGGARD, WORLD PRAYER CENTER, ISLAM?
Sandy Simpson of the Apologetics Coordination Team writes an
open letter to fellow believers warning of Haggard’s ministry
and associations with C. Peter Wagner, Paul Cain, Chuck Pierce,
John and Paula Sandford, Cindy Jacobs, Bill Hamon, Dutch Sheets,
Rick Joyner, Kingsley Fletcher, Mike Bickle, Jim Laffoon, Barbara
Wentroble and Bobby Byerly. These people claim they are "foundational
apostles for the 21st Century Church who will change the world
with their proposed centralized, all-inclusive Church Government"
- The NAE's constituency includes 51 conservative evangelical
denominations with 43,000 congregations, individual churches
from 27 other denominations and various parachurch ministries.
- Read on at:- http://www.c-w-m.org/not_in_pubs/april_mmDetail.html#2
- -----
- WAR IN IRAQ ­ Israel is the key. The current issue of
VANGUARD contains two excellent articles by Tony Pearce entitled
The Fall of Babylon and Islam, Terrorism and World Government.
Did you know that March 17th the day George Bush effectively
opened the second Gulf War happened to be the Jewish feast of
Purim, which commemorates the historic attempt
to eliminate the Jewish people by a wicked ruler in
the Persian Gulf region and God’s intervention to save them
and that the first Gulf War ended in 1991 at the time of the
same Jewish festival of Purim? A coincidence? http://www.c-w-m.org
- -----
- PHARISEE WATCH BACKS PALESTINIAN ARABS
Project Strait Gate(PSG) is being urged onto unsuspecting Christian
Groups. PSG wants people to stand outside churches urging action
FOR the Arabs in Palestine in preference to the Jews in Israel.
"PHARISEE WATCH: Go to Church to Stop Wars" email Newsletter
Sat, 8 Feb 2003
- Does this mean PSG considers the church, has taken the place
of God's chosen people? We have proof that we are in the time
period allotted to the Gentiles, after which Israel is brought
back into God's fold. At the very least they should read "From
Time Immemorial" by Joan Peters. Here is a reporter who
was going to prove that the Palestinian Arabs had a good case
against Israel. Two years into her research she reversed her
opinion & prejudice in favour of Israel. She said that the
uncovered facts couldn't be denied. Read on at http://www.c-w-m.org/israel/Israel.html
- -----
- COLSON'S COMMENTS IN THE BODY SOUND LIKE BLUEPRINT FOR 'STEALTH
CAMPAIGNS.'
In Colson's 1993 book, The Body: Being Light in Darkness, he
calls on evangelicals to join forces with orthodox Catholics
and charismatics in the "common cause to combat cultural
relativism [atheism & secularism]." He says "the
body of Christ, in all its diversity, is created with Baptist
feet, charismatic hands, and Catholic ears -- all with their
eyes on Jesus." In an 11/23/92 Christianity Today interview,
he criticized those evangelicals who would write-off and not
join with Roman Catholics in the "cosmic battle." Colson,
ever ecumenical, praises the Catholic chain of command and includes
the Catholic Church as a part of the body of Christ. (Reported
in the 12/15/92, Calvary Contender.) [Colson has also made a
two-part video series on The Body.] According to the 12/28/92
Christian News, the bottom line of The Body is:
-
- "... the Catholic Church runs a tight ship and he approves
a Southern Baptist sounding at times like a Catholic traditionalist.
praising the Catholic chain of command. Some of Colson's comments
in The Body sound like a blueprint for 'stealth campaigns' by
the Christian Religious Right. An effective army, he argues,
'infiltrates small units to disrupt the enemy's communications
and attack strategic targets.' [He argues that] this is, in fact,
what Christians must do in a 'post-Christian culture' dominated
by the TV feel-good values of Donahue and Oprah." [The book
has been endorsed by Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Carl F.H.
Henry, James Montgomery Boice, Jack Hayford, Adrian Rogers, Vernon
Grounds, and Catholic priest Richard John Neuhaus; a 7/19/93
Christianity Today advertisement carried additional endorsements
from Roman Catholic John Cardinal O'Connor, neo-evangelicals
J.I. Packer and Kenneth Kantzer, and psychoheretic, "church
growth" guru Bill Hybels.] [http://cnview.com/]
- -----
- LARRY CRABB'S FLAWED TEACHING
- Psychologist Larry Crabb's teachings are discussed in an
8-page article in the May Christianity Today. It says his chronic
fascination with the unseen forces at work in people drove him
into spiritual direction and turned his back on diagnostic counseling
methods, therapy, etc. Martin & Deidre Bobgan, in a 210-page
book (1998) said Crabb continues, at that time at least, to integrate
psychotherapy and its underlying psychologies with the Bible.
They said he tries to make psychological counseling better by
adding the Bible, and Christianity better by adding psychology
(see 9/1/98 CC). Crabb says sin "is not what you do wrong-it's
looking at God and saying, 'You're not enough, and I'm going
to find some way to make my life work without you!'" (5/03
CT) The Bobgans argue that Crabb has psychologized the gospel,
and in his teaching they write: "The gospel becomes the
good news that Jesus meets the needs/longings/passions which
motivate all behavior from the unconscious. Sin becomes wrong
strategies for meeting the needs/longings/passions." In
1988, Crabb was asked to leave Grace Seminary - [http://cnview.com/]
- -----
- LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, THE FIRST 32 YEARS Dr. Jerry Falwell
founded Lynchburg Baptist College (later became Liberty U.) in
1971 as a "fundamentalist" school, but in the intervening
years it has taken the new-evangelical stance of its founder.
Both founder and school are now solidly Southern Baptist and
New Evangelical. Dr. Adrian Rogers recently brought the commencement
address. The statistics are impressive from a worldly view. In
its 32-year history, it has been provided with $3 billion, enabling
the purchase of a 4,421-acre campus. Dr. Jerry Prevo is its new
chairman of the Board; Dr. Bailey Smith is the new Executive
Committee chairman. Due to space limitations, Liberty can only
accept 3,200 freshmen this fall (from an applicant total of 11,177).
Falwell's goal is 25,000 resident students and 25,000 external
students for a world-class university of 50,000. Dr. Rick Warren
will utilize Liberty's 2003 Super Conference to kick off (Oct.
11) his "40 Days of Purpose" national campaign. [ http://cnview.com/
]
- -----
- HODEL SUCCEEDS DOBSON AT FOCUS ON FAMILY
- Longtime president of Focus on the Family James Dobson has
expanded his role as chairman and passed on the presidency to
former Christian Coalition president and Reagan Cabinet member
Don Hodel (5/1 Alabama Baptist). John Paulk, controversial "ex-gay"
leader, left Focus May 6. http://cnview.com/]
- ----
- CALIFORNIA PRO-HOMOSEXUAL BILL
- A bill passed the California Assembly April 21 that would
mandate fines upwards of $150,000 against business owners who
refuse to hire cross-dressing or transsexual job applicants (5/8
Ala. Bapt). If passed into law, this bill would apply to Bible
book-stores and nonprofit organizations such as local Boy Scouts.
[http://cnview.com/]
- -----
- U.M.C. TOP LEADERS DEMAND BUSH 'REPENT'
- Top officials of the United Methodist Church, President Bush's
denomination, are demanding that he "repent from domestic
and foreign policies" they claim are not in line with the
teaching of Jesus. UMC bishops and the head of the UMC's Board
of Church and Society recently signed a full-page ad in Christian
Century magazine accusing President Bush of contributing to "spiritual
forces of wickedness." Mark Tooley (Institute on Religion
and Democracy) says to the "religious left," the fact
that the president believes Jesus is his Lord and Savior is not
nearly as important [to you] as the fact that he took the nation
to war against Iraq or is not an enthusiast for the welfare state.
Describing the officials' comments as "pretty outrageous,"
Tooley says they confirm his group's basic critique of the religious
left-that is, "they measure Christian orthodoxy not by what
one may believe about Jesus Christ and God, but by what one's
politics are." Tooley says once again this is an example
of church leaders who are wedded to the political fads of the
1960s and who never really progressed beyond that. (4/22 Agape
Press) [http://cnview.com/]
- -----
- BAPTIST CHURCHES CAUGHT IN THE WILLOW CREEK ASSOCIATION WEB
OF COMPROMISE
- CNVIEW.COM - Bill Hybels is one of the most dangerous religious
leaders in America. Through his ministry at Willow Creek Community
Church, South Barrington, Illinois, and the Willow Creek Association,
he is leading many Baptists into the web of compromise.
Churches are being destroyed, while at the same time they
are growing in membership. If this seems to be a contradiction,
just remember that when a church departs from the faith it is
destroyed, no matter how many members they may continue to have.
- Every Sunday morning about 15,000 people gather in the Willow
Creek Community Church (WCCC). This is not your regular church
service. There is no organ, piano, hymnbooks. They do not join
in singing the grand old hymns of the Christian faith. Neither
is there a biblical sermon preached. This is their so-called
Seeker Service, which is produced
in order to get lost people to enjoy church without guilt
or shame. There are no sermons against sin,
nor is there a call for repentance. Instead of
this, there is plenty of rock music from a rock band. Instead
of a biblical sermon they feature dramas and multi-media.
Of course, the lost man likes to be entertained, and he gets
plenty of that at WCCC.
For the whole article go to: http://www.cephas-library.com/baptists/baptist_willow_creek_web_of_compromise.html
---
- WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT, ISLAM?
Islam is today the fastest growing faith in the Western world,
and nearly 20 million inhabitants of the European Union are self-avowedly
Muslims. If present trends continue, by 2020, Muslims will account
for 10 percent of the overall population of Europe and exceed
10 million in America. This population is expanding by immigration
and an enormous birth rate that far exceeds that of the indigenous
population....
- Almost a tenth of all babies born in EU countries are Muslim,
and in the moribund Brussels the figure was over 50 percent.
With the expanding numbers and the creation of distinctly Muslim
neighborhoods in Western, primarily European cities, the initial
detachment of culture from territory has been reversed, and the
bold notion of conquest by demographic rather than military means
entered the activists’ minds.... In the ensuing decades
[since the 1981 Third Islamic Summit Conference], a new mosque
was opened somewhere in the Western world twice every week. The
Sword of the Prophet Islam History, Theology, impact on the world
p.263-264.
- -----
- DALI LAMA URGED PEOPLE TO EMBRACE [ANY] RELIGION AS PART
OF THEIR LIVES
- AP- 9/8/2003 Bloomington - With representatives of 15 world
faiths on hand for the consecration of a new interfaith temple,
the Dalai Lama urged people to embrace religion as part of their
lives.
- "Religion should implement. The teachings should be
part of our life," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said.Several
people who attended Sunday recited prayers in their own languages
and presented gifts reflecting their religious beliefs. A Muslim
representative presented a small book titled, "The Meaning
of the Quran," while a rabbi offered a ram's horn.
- A Navajo religious leader gave a seashell filled with sage,
representing water and land. The Dalai Lama responded by offering
symbolic white scarves. The winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize
for his nonviolent struggle against Chinese rule of his homeland
visited Bloomington to dedicate a temple at the Tibetan Cultural
Center directed by his brother, retired Indiana University professor
Thubten Norbu. It was part of the Dalai Lama's 16-day U.S. tour.
The Chamtse Ling Temple, which means "Fields of Compassion,"
is a $1.2 million, 10,000-square-foot center dedicated to world
peace and harmony.
- -----
- A REVIEW OF PETER WAGNER'S CONFRONTING THE POWERS
- Moody Bible Institute - John F Hart, Professor of Bible,
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Spring 1997 -- Volume
10:18. reviewed C. Peter Wagner's 1997 book. It shows that (1)
some evangelicals have not been caught unaware by Third Wave
Evangelical pretenders like Wagner and (2) the beginnings of
the New Apostolic Reformation were already in full swing in 1997.
The hermeneutics of Wagner, the justification for his beloved
"new" Apostles and Prophets, is simply wrong.
- His whole foundation for subjects like strategic level spiritual
warfare, spiritual mapping, foundational apostles and prophets
for the Church today, and other Latter Rain concepts has been
swept out from under him by Hart. Let this be a wake up call
to all Evangelicals who support people like Ted Haggard, a member
of Wagner's "International Coalition of Apostles" who
is now the president of the National Association of Evangelicals
...
- Latter Rain heretics have invaded the Church! Our use of
the word "heretic" is based on the fact, even by Hart's
estimation, Wagner undermines the highest authority of Scripture
when he teaches what he teaches. The inerrancy and authority
of Scripture is a core doctrine of the Church (see The Five Basic
Doctrines). Third Wavers like Wagner not only deny one core doctrine,
by their teachings they end up denying them all
- -----
- PASTOR: WHO IS LEADING YOU ASTRAY?
- Pastor, I used to go to your church; or maybe I still attend
it. You may remember that I came to you with a concern about
some program, resources, invited speaker, teaching that was being
brought into our church. I told you it looked like a false teaching.
I even gave you some research that was done with scripture to
support my concerns.
- You listened, but in the end you did not really hear. You
told me that we can't put God in a box, that God told you there
was nothing wrong, and that you were only interested in bringing
more of God's Kingdom in, and was just giving people a way to
experience God more. I acknowledged your good intentions, but
asked you to consider and look into what I brought you.
- I did not hear back from you until the following Sunday.
You did not talk direct to me about what I brought to you, but
you talked to the entire congregation about it, woven into your
sermon. Although you did not say my name, it was obviously a
put down of what I showed you. I was warned before going to talk
to you that you probably wouldn't be receptive to what I was
going to tell you, but this was a response I did not expect.
- I was disappointed, hurt, and felt deceived. Your sermon
did accomplish something. Now I am avoided and even shunned by
others in the church. I guess that was your way of putting a
stop to criticism of the things I spoke to you about. But it
only confirmed to me that there is a problem with this new thing
that has come in.
- This new thing has changed you, and even the staff. I always
thought, and the Bible says too, that the pastor was the Sheppard
of his sheep. What came to mind as I listened to your sermon
was Jesus speaking about the true Sheppard. For the whole article
go to:
- http://www.cephas-library.com/complaints/complaints_pastor_who_has_led_you_astay.html
- -----
- FOCUS ON THE FAMILY REJECTS HAVING AN ALLIANCE WITH MORMONS
- Emailer M.C. wrote: "we have seriously taken up your
email and made some research from our side. Above all, we screened
some programs to ascertain that there is nothing which steers
away from our faith in Jesus. I can confirm that we have found
no real evidence that the programming of Focus on the Family
is compromised in any way. Having done all that, we went a step
further and requested a reaction from Focus on the Family themselves
by forwarding the content of your e-mail to them. Below please
find their statement." Reply from Focus on the Family starts
here: Discussion Thread Response (S.S.) - 07/31/2003 10:01 AM
- Greetings from Focus on the Family. In response to the e-mail
sent to you from one of your listeners, you can assure him or
her that there is not and never has been any question of a "merger"
or "alliance" between Focus on the Family and the Mormons
for any reason whatsoever.
- We did consent to serve as the host for one meeting of the
Planning Committee of the World Congress of Families III, an
endeavor that includes participants from some of the non-evangelical
and non-Christian groups. But this should in no sense be interpreted
as evidence of some kind of formal "alliance," nor
does it imply that we have in any way backed down from our firm
commitment to biblical truth and the evangelical faith.
- We believe that Focus on the Family has received a pressing
mandate from the Lord to defend biblical righteousness and truth
in the public square (whether with regard to the activist homosexual
agenda, defending the unborn child or any of a number of other
issues of crucial concern). It's part of our calling as a Christian
organization in an increasingly secular world. It also explains
why we decided to participate in this meeting of the Planning
Committee. This diverse group came together primarily to address
common concerns about the direction the United Nations has been
taking with regard to family and religious issues.
- The members shared a sense of alarm at the growing influence
of gay activists, left wing feminists, and organizations such
as Planned Parenthood upon UN policy, with their harmful effect
upon families around the world and their unfailing antagonism
toward religion. The purpose of this dialogue was strictly to
develop a strategy for combating this intentional, concerted
assault on the family. Focus' reasons for taking an interest
in this endeavor should be obvious. In hosting this meeting,
we exhibited the best in Christian hospitality to the representatives
of the various religious groups involved. But the meeting itself
was not "religious" in nature. We are not "unequally
yoked" in any way.
- -----
- RICK JOYNER AND THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA
- Rick Joyner goes beyond simple inspiration from historical
characters to literally trying to parallel these things (the
concepts and teachings of these kinds of groups) with Scripture
and calling them
prophetic words from the Lord. In his own words he stated that
God was interested in raising up "Orders" like unto
Malta and even that Malta would be instrumental in the last days
events. He seems to glory in this type of thing and it moves
far beyond simple inspiration; he is consumed with it and it
bleeds through everything he does. Even naming his leadership
meetings "round table" discussions. Roman Catholics
are now admitted in those discussions as well! That is a verifiable
fact! And regarding the fact that so much of His writings in
the Final Quest and The Call are directly opposite what Scripture
teaches, that concerns me immensely. But too many Christians
don't recognize this stuff. And when they ask sincere questions
from the Word they are railed upon and called contentious and
rebellious.
- For the whole article go to: http://www.cephas-library.com/joels_army/joels_army_rick_joyners_knighthood.html
- -----
- LATTER DAYS: A GUIDED TOUR THROUGH 6 BILLION
YEARS OF MORMONISM
Book by Coke Newell Hardcover: 288 pages - Publisher: St. Martin's
Press; (April 5, 2000) ISBN: 0312241089 - Newell, a media resource
development manager at the headquarters of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, provides an insider's (and sometimes
heavily insular) view of Mormon theology and history. Rather
than focusing on Mormons' much-commented-upon practices (e.g.,
tithing, wearing temple garments and eschewing coffee, tobacco
and alcohol)
- Newell instead highlights Mormons' distinctive beliefs. These
include the ideas that Eve's transgression was "a brilliant
move," enabling humankind to bear children and thereby obey
the commandment of replenishing the earth; that the resurrected
Christ visited his "other sheep" in America, descendants
of a group that the Book of Mormon records had fled Jerusalem
centuries earlier; that Native Americans are the contemporary
descendants of these Book of Mormon peoples; and that the Garden
of Eden was geographically located in Jackson County, Mo.
- Newell also discusses the extraordinary Mormon commitment
to "agency," or free will, a doctrine that is operative
throughout eternity, not just on Earth. (Human souls, according
to Mormon theology, have a premortal existence in which they
may decide to follow their elder brother Jesus' example and undertake
a mortal life, with all of its attending trials, in the hopes
of one day returning to their heavenly parents.) Despite its
intriguing and fresh topic, however, Newell's book is poorly
written, with abrupt, short paragraphs tumbling upon one another
without transition or adequate explanation. (May) Copyright 2000
Reed Business Information, Inc. Latter Days: For more information
go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312241089/ichthusfasttrack/
http://www.a2zbookdepot.com/mormon_books_4.html
- -----
- WHAT IS HOLY LAUGHTER?
- Many churches are reporting spontaneous, uncontrollable laughter
erupting from their congregations, even during times of solemn
ceremony or messages from the pulpit. Some report uncontrollable
weeping, falling to the floor in ecstatic trances, and animal
noises such as barking like dogs and roaring like lions. Some
stagger and reel like drunken people, unable to walk a straight
line. For simplicity's sake, all these have come to be called
"holy laughter," since laughter is the preeminent phenomenon
displayed. In simple terms, it is physical manifestations in
the form of virtually any expression attributed to absolute control
by the Holy Spirit.
Proponents of these phenomena say they are evidence of a fresh
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in response to the people's desire
to see a new sign from God -- the latest in manifestations of
Holy Ghost power, such as took place at Azusa Street in Los Angeles
at the turn of the century. They point to the Welsh Revival,
the Cane Ridge Revival in Bourbon County, Kentucky in 1801, and
to [Arminian] preachers like Charles Finney, to validate today's
holy laughter experience.
Opponents say it is either a manifestation of the flesh, at best,
or of demonic spirits at worst. Those who believe it is of God
point to changed lives, deeper commitment to faith in Jesus,
huge responses to the salvation message, a renewed strength and
purpose for ministry, and all sorts of positive results. On the
other hand, there are also reports of demonic oppression, suicidal
feelings, and loss of faith after the holy laughter experience.
Whatever one thinks of holy laughter, it has certainly impressed
a number of well-known personalities within the Christian media
circuit. There seems to be a strong manifestation especially
in word-faith churches, and within the Vineyard movement, as
well as charismatic mainline churches such as Episcopalian and
Anglican. Individuals who have flocked to holy laughter meetings
span every denomination from Baptist to Roman Catholic.
Holy laughter has also received the endorsements of Oral and
Richard Roberts, Marilyn Hickey, Paul and Jan Crouch, Karl Strader,
Larry Tomszak, Kenneth
Copeland, Benny
Hinn, John
Wimber, and many other hyper-charismatic luminaries.
While the claim of spontaneity is heard from all sources, the
current popularity of the phenomenon can be traced to one man,
Rodney Howard-Browne, formerly a Pentecostal South African evangelist.
The major impetus for the worldwide spread of the movement has
come through one church in particular -- the Toronto Airport
Vineyard, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, famous for "the Toronto
Blessing."
- For the whole article go to: http://www.cephas-library.com/toronto/toronto_holy_laughter.html
- -----
- "TOUCH NOT THE LORD'S ANOINTED!"
- Time and again we hear this cry parroted as a counter to
those who attempt to alert the unsuspecting of the dangerous,
unbiblical teachings of a particular ministry. As a result, key
religious figures fall into a category that is apparently safe
from scriptural examination; since their ministries influence
millions, they MUST be God's anointed--don't you dare "touch"
them!.. Saul had a very visible testimony that affected all of
God's people. When he failed to minister according to the absolute
standard, God's faithful prophet was commanded to cry out against
the error. Take his life--no, rebuke his sins--yes! Let's get
straight what the Bible forbids in this account, and what it
demands. Scriptural reproof and rebuke of a disobedient brother
is not "touching God's anointed." It is compliance
with God's order.
- http://www.wayoflife.org
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- CATHOLIC CHURCH INSTALLS NEW BOSTON ARCHBISHOP
The New York Times, By Fox Butterfield - BOSTON, July 30, 2003
— In a venerable ceremony, the Rev. Sean P. O'Malley, a
Capuchin friar, was installed today as the new archbishop of
Boston, putting him in charge of efforts to restore a Roman Catholic
Church rocked by a year and a half of revelations of sexual abuse
by clergymen...
- "The whole Catholic community is ashamed and anguished
because of the pain and damage inflicted on so many young people
and because of our inability and unwillingness to deal with the
crime of sexual abuse of minors," Archbishop O'Malley said
in his homily to the 2,500 people who packed the cathedral...
- Last week, the Massachusetts attorney general, Thomas F.
Reilly, reported that 250 priests and other church workers in
the Boston Archdiocese had been accused of abusing at least 789
minors over the last six decades and probably more than 1,000,
according to a review of the church's records...
- And the church faces almost 500 lawsuits from people who
say they were sexually abused by priests. Archbishop O'Malley
has said he wants to settle them quickly, but that would take
millions of dollars and could force the church to sell valuable
land and buildings...
- About 40 people protested outside the cathedral, holding
signs reading, "Criminals in Robes," and "Different
Robes, Same Secret." Some protesters shouted, "Shame
on you" as the long procession of 800 priests came around
the front of the church.
- Susan Renehan, 55, who said she was abused by a priest from
ages 11 to 14, asserted: "We don't treat this as a coronation.
This is an installation by the same bosses who were the bosses
of Cardinal Law."
- The cardinal was invited to the ceremony, but declined to
attend...
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- MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE FOR THE BIBLE'S RELIABILITY
- There are more than 24,000 partial and complete manuscript
copies of the New Testament.These manuscript copies are very
ancient and they are available for inspection now. There are
also some 86,000 quotations from the early church fathers and
several thousand Lectionaries (church-service books containing
Scripture quotations used in the early centuries of Christianity).
- Bottom line: the New Testament has an overwhelming amount
of evidence supporting its reliability. The Variants in the New
Testament Manuscripts Are Minimal. In the many thousands of manuscript
copies we possess of the New Testament, scholars have discovered
that there are some 150,000 "variants." For the whole
article go to:
- http://www.cephasministry.com/water/bible_manuscript_support_for_the_bibles_reliability.html
- -----
- INNERCHANGE FREEDOM INITIATIVE - PROGRAM USED ON PRISONERS
- FUDGED REPORTS OF SUCCESSES
- For those who know how hard it is to reduce recidivism, the
reported results were impressive. Colson celebrated the report
by visiting the White House for a photo op with the president.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay issued a triumphal press release.
The Journal smacked critics of faith-based programs for "turning
a blind eye to science" by opposing InnerChange. The report
heartened officials in the four states that have InnerChange
programs and buttressed President Bush's plan to introduce the
Christian program in federal prisons.
- You don't have to believe in faith-healing to think that
an intensive 16-month program, with post-release follow-up, run
by deeply caring people might be the occasion for some inmates
to turn their lives around. The report seemed to present liberal
secularists with an unpleasant choice: Would you rather have
people "saved" by Colson, or would you rather have
them commit more crimes and go back to prison?
- But when you look carefully at the Penn study, it's clear
that the program didn't work. The InnerChange participants did
somewhat worse than the controls: They were slightly more likely
to be rearrested and noticeably more likely (24 percent versus
20 percent) to be reimprisoned. If faith is, as Paul told the
Hebrews, the evidence of things not seen, then InnerChange is
an opportunity to cultivate faith; we certainly haven't seen
any results.
- So, how did the Penn study get perverted into evidence that
InnerChange worked? Through one of the oldest tricks in the book,
one almost guaranteed to make a success of any program: counting
the winners and ignoring the losers. The technical term for this
in statistics is "selection bias"; program managers
know it as "creaming." Harvard public policy professor
Anne Piehl, who reviewed the study before it was published, calls
this instance of it "cooking the books." - Here's how
the study got adulterated.-
- the InnerChange cheerleaders simply ignored the other 102
participants who dropped out, were kicked out, or got early parole
and didn't finish. Naturally, the non-graduates did worse than
the control group. If you select out the winners, you leave mostly
losers. For the whole story go to:
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