Soulforce & COLAGE Target Megachurches

You've likely already heard this, and I found this out quite some time ago, but I'd thought I'd share it anyway.

Soulforce, which promotes a "pro-gay" interpretation of the Bible and COLAGE (children of lesbians and gays everywhere) are recruiting LGBT parents and children to participate in what's called "The American Family Outing" and will attend 6 megachurches to try to "educate" the church and public about homosexuality.

The churches targeted are one's led by Joel Osteen, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Rick Warren, Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., Bill Hybels and Bishop Eddie Long. Read the article about this here.

Jesus wants us to love these people who engage in homosexual behaviour by doing the most loving thing there is-- pointing them to Jesus who, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Let's be careful not to compromise what the Bible says about homosexuality--that it is a sin---in the name of "love, tolerance, and unity" in the process.

After all, the most loving thing to do is lovingly point people to the truth, isn't it?

This campaign will be happening between Mother's Day and Father's Day this year. Let's pray for both the churches targeted and the people who are participating.

Mystical Health and Wellness Taught at University

To all those out there who have been wondering whether or not I fell off the bloggerland map, well I'm back and plan to continue blogging every now and then. I took a blogging break to focus on final exams for university and also for the holidays when access to computers was limited due to travels. So, now I'm back to a regular routine and also back to school and taking some new classes.

One of these classes is a health class, which is required for my program. My professor for this class is a young female, likely in her late 20s. She is a yoga instructor and her ideal of perfect wellness is the Buddhist monks.....mysticism here we go again...She is a very nice lady and a great teacher, but the new-age spiritual/mystical spin is very very evident. This will prove to be a very interesting class I think.

But if you don't believe that mysticism/universalism/new-age spirituality is going to be coming to a school near you....you are in for a nasty surprise in the near future.

In another class I took last term, my professor turned off the lights and led us (or at least those willing, myself NOT included) through a mental and physical relaxation technique which included a lot of visualization. He warned us that if we did this exercise correctly, we would experience wave-like sensations going through our body that would likely be a sensation we had never felt before. So, throughout this, I sat in my chair and observed through the dim light what was going on. Now, this is a class of about 150 people, so try to picture this if you can---the lights were off, it was dead silent except for the professor going through the exercise, people were sprawled out on the floor in the aisles. The guy two seats beside me started snoring. I prayed against this the whole time because the goal was obviously to reach a different state of consciousness and experience weird sensations. This was for a sports sociology/psychology class.

Now, here I am in a health class learning, once again, about yoga, meditation, and monks (they call is being "spiritually well"). New age religion and eastern mysticism is very prevalent at university. If you don't think this is coming to a school near you, well it already has if you attend my university. And, I've mentioned these two classes so far that are teaching this... does anyone want to guess what program and field I'm in....??

Religious Studies? nope, not that program. I can imagine how frustrating that program would be though.

Psychology? nope

Nursing? ....nope, try again. (Although this stuff is all over the place in the health field too)

The Answer......

Education.

yep. elementary/middle years education. This is what we future teachers are being equipped with, people. Teach future teachers these methods to pass on and use in their classroom--teach them this mystical RELIGION (of course they would never call it religion...but that's what it is.)

So, let's add it all up together, shall we?

Meditation/yoga taught and promoted to future teachers at university in health classes
+ meditation and yoga taught at the National Pastor's Conference in the States
+universalism, new age, and interfaith at the United Nations
+professor at university ensuring students "understand" that Catholic and Christian are one and the same (which they are not)
+"evangelical" leaders such as Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback, and Bill Hybels, pastor or Willow Creek Church signing a letter that Christians and Muslims should work to "reflect our common love for God" (Jesus Christ and Allah are NOT the same God!!)
+meditation and labyrinth prayers taught at MB Seminary in Fresno

=a world ready for the anti-christ and his eventual one world religion

Reading my school newspaper sickens me so much I barely ever read it because each time it is filled with mockery of true Bible-believing Christians. Some of you may also remember the offensive cartoon published a year or two ago that mocked Jesus. At university, I am forced to pay for this newspaper in my tuition. Isn't that sickening?

It is definitely time to prepare for persecution. In fact, it has already arrived, but it will only get worse. Pray for the Christians at university that we would be a light in a very very dark place.

Guard the Flock

I've heard some church leaders say that it's okay and even beneficial to learn church leadership skills from unbelievers. In other words, some people (including some pastors) think that pastors can benefit and learn leadership skills that they can use in church and can benefit their ministry from taking advice and guidance from non-Christians. One church that seems to apply this philosophy is Willow Creek. At their leadership summits, they invite speakers who are successful business men, but not necessarily Christians to share leadership advice. Check out an 8 minute clip from Bill Hybels speaking at the leadership summit about "expanding your learning bandwidth".

Once again, I want to be clear that I am not judging his heart; I am simply asking you to examine his teaching about the importance of learning as much as you can from as wide a variety of leaders as possible. I think this is important to examine because I personally know people who believe he is right about this and that we can and should learn church leadership skills from unbelievers. Here are a few of the comments Bill Hybels makes during the clip:

...claims he has learned “Invaluable leadership lessons from…"...“a Hindu Harvard prof”, “an Agnostic leadership researcher”

"who can you learn from?"

“is your learning bandwidth getting wider or narrower as you mature as a leader”

He then talks about, and in my opinion wrongly criticizes, a pastor who refuses to come to the summit and “protests” it due to Hybels bringing in a faculty member to the leadership summit that the pastor did not agree with.

“it’s my fiercest determination to keep putting faculty lineups together that make a portion of you get your underwear in a bundle” (laughter and applause)

“there are no accidents here friends, this is absolutely intentional” (referring to the speakers chosen to speak)

“we think you can separate wheat from chaff”

“take the good and leave the bad”

“at the end of the day, it’s all about learning leaders”

“I better expand my learning bandwidth so I can learn and grow and do the best job I can”

So, my question is...is this biblical? Can a pastor benefit and learn how to be a better leader by learning from a Hindu prof? I checked out my Bible about this. I didn't find any verse that encouraged pastors or shepherds of the flock to take advice from people who believe in a false god or in no god at all.

But, I did find a few verses about what shepherds (or pastors) should be like.

"For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. "
Acts 20:27-31

I think this verse is saying that pastors (shepherds) have the responsibility to protect the congregation (the flock) and themselves (be on guard for yourselves) from people who speak things that are not of God (perverse things) that could draw people away from God to false teachers (wolves). It seems pastors should be careful who they take guidance from and also who they allow their flock to take guidance from. I think encouraging yourself and your flock to take advice from a Hindu professor is probably not protecting the flock. How can one be sure of his motives in sharing in a church? He may see it as the prime opportunity to attract people to Hinduism. Hybels says that he trusts those at the conference to "take the good and leave the bad". But this passage in Acts suggests that trying to protect the flock is part of the pastor's responsibility. He's not supposed to just pass that off and trust his flock to take care of themselves. Should the shepherd welcome potential wolves to come and "speak" to the sheep and leave the sheep to fend for themselves? I don't really think so.

Now, back to this whole "learning" thing. Increasing one's knowledge of God is talked about in the Bible as a good thing, yes.

"Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. " Proverbs 9:8-10

But what about increasing your knowledge of leadership to become a better church leader by taking advice from unbelievers...How can we possibly learn about the spiritual gift of leadership from someone who does not have the Holy Spirit? What useful advice could an unbeliever possibly have that a believer is missing out on? I argue that taking advice from these people actually does harm because they do not know the Spirit, therefore, they cannot understand God's ways and will teach things contrary to the Bible.

The gift of leadership is just that--a spiritual gift from God.

"Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;
or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." Romans 12:6-8

" But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3

The Bible has given us all we need to know so that we can be equipped for the work God has for us. ("that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work"). We don' t need to, and in fact are warned not to, go to unbelievers for spiritual advice (which includes leadership since it is a spiritual gift). Pastors, along with the rest of us, should look to the Bible and to the Good Shepherd's example to see how a shepherd is supposed to lead and protect the flock.

Yale Confirms High-Profile Names

I hope everyone in my neck of the woods is staying warm! And now that my face has finally thawed out, I can begin my post. As I mentioned in my last post, I emailed both Yale and Willow Creek to try to confirm whether, indeed, Bill Hybels and Rick Warren indefinitely signed this letter. I am pleased to let you know that I have received confirmation from Yale. While I appreciate their response, I am somewhat disturbed to find out that, without a doubt, Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, along with all the other high-profile names DID sign this letter.

I know I shouldn't be surprised at this, but I have a hard time believing everything seems to be moving so fast. Believing Jesus Christ is God is "essential" (to steal a term from the emerging church "unity push") to our faith. To say we can love God together with Muslims is absolutely offensive, when the Islam religion rejects Jesus Christ as God.

Here is an excerpt from the email Yale's Associate Director of the Reconciliation Program sent me, addressing my questions of how they monitored the names on the letter, particularly Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, which was published as an advertisement in the New York Times on November 18. Here is part of their personal email response to my email:

"In answer to your inquiry, all of the high-profile signatories listed in the Nov. 18 New York Times advertisement, including Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, were added in response to a direct invitation from someone here at Yale Divinity School, or through invitation by a direct Yale Divinity School contact. This was verified through written and/or telephone confirmation in all cases. With few exceptions, all of the approximately 300 signatures presently listed on the Yale Divinity School website were similarly obtained...."We very much appreciate your concern for accuracy and integrity in these matters of such significance, and are working hard to ensure that nobody is publicly misrepresented in any way."

So, according to Yale, Bill Hybels and Rick Warren were directly contacted by Yale and they definitely signed this letter. I am going to pass this information on to some people in leadership in, which very recently became my "former home", church. We no longer attend there after meeting with the pastor to discuss these emerging church issues and his confirmation that they would not be withdrawing from Willow Creek Association and saw no reason to do so.

When the world's major religions (Christianity and Islam) start believing and agreeing that we all worship the same God, there will no longer be a need to evangelize. And, eventually, it is likely that those who do try to "convert" people to Christianity will be shunned and intensely persecuted even in the western world. It's already started to happen. And then, when the antichrist does come (and he will), he will be widely welcomed by a world who already believes we all worship the same God.

"Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down theirAsherim
--for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God--otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice," Exodus 34:12-15

I wouldn't dare even think of signing this letter that dances with this idea that the God of the Bible and the God of the Koran are the same, so we can share "a common love for God".

I fear God, not men.

Our God is a jealous God.

Are those who signed this letter trying to arouse the Lord's anger?

"Common" Love For God Between Christians and Muslims?

Dear Friends,

I recently left my home church that I had been attending for just over a year due to a few things. One of them being its membership in the Willow Creek Association and its support for WC's Leadership Summit. Today, I came across an article from the Christian Post that reported that Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, along with many other Christian leaders, have signed a letter as a response to a Muslim open letter. This letter calls "on the two Abrahamic faiths to love God and neighbors together." Now, as Christians we are to love others and even our enemies, definitely; no doubt about it. But to "love God together" is not possible because we do not serve the same God. Read the article from Christian Post here.

The entire letter and the list of all those who it claims have signed this letter can be found here at the official Yale website.

I have emailed both Willow Creek and Yale to try to determine if these men did, indeed, sign this letter, and if it is possible, someone had added their names without their approval. We shall see if I receive a response.


Here is an excerpt from the article:

"Christian leaders urged for an interfaith dialogue that moves beyond “polite” ecumenical talks between selected leaders. Instead, leaders of both faiths should hold dialogues to build relations that will “reshape” the two communities to “genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another,” the Christian letter stated."..."The letter’s main emphasis is the “absolutely central” commonality between both religions: love of God and love of neighbor. "

The Koran is clear that Muslims are to believe Jesus was ONLY a prophet. They deny that Jesus was God in the flesh. How can we possibly say that we share a "common love for God" when Muslims reject Jesus as God and Savior?? WE CAN'T!! We do not serve the same God. Allah and Jesus Christ are not the same!!

Jesus came to bring peace between men and God. If you read Matthew 10, Jesus is clear that the world WILL HATE us because of Him. In fact, Jesus said he will bring division and that he did NOT come to bring peace on earth. This is what Jesus said:

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes." (Matthew 10:21-23)

"But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:33-34)

These are the words of Jesus, folks, not me. The Bible is clear about this issue. Case closed.