Mysticism and Politics Converge at Saddleback

Isaiah 31:1-3 comes to mind when I read this post from LighthouseTrailsResearch.com.

I am not completely sure on the right balance when it comes to the church working arm-in-arm with the world to resolve social issues. I know 2 Cor. 6:14-18 tells us to be separate from the world. What agreement does the temple of God have with idols?... AIDS? I also know Isaiah 31:1-3 warns not to go down to Egypt for help. Israel believed the strength of Egypt could be trusted more than God's strength (i.e:church growth movement). I think there is a lot of danger in doing this. There is a great potential for the church to once again lose its focus of preaching the Gospel and making disciples. The true Gospel becomes, and is becoming the "Social Gospel". It's easy for the church to become distracted from its God-given purpose and lust after what the world is doing and how they are doing it. It seems like Rick Warren and those who follow him want the applause and the world's smiles of approval.

Unfortunately I think this is what's happening here.

Here is a brief excerpt from the article:

"To put it bluntly, many who are doing the training are New Agers, mystics, and those who work toward a kingdom of this world where man is divine and one with all. Strong words? Yes, but desperate ones. Many believers watch in shock and dismay, as leader after leader, church after church, and ministry after ministry are dancing to the tune of spiritual formation (a "safe" word for a mystical spirituality that ultimately negates the very Gospel of Jesus Christ because of its panentheistic nature).

NEW BLOG: Families-R-first.com

HERE is a new blog dealing primarily with the family (FR1st.com). It's not quite as polarizing as thinkerup can be at times. It will cover topics from parenting, children, fathers, mothers, cultural and social issues, politics, recipes and even pets. As a matter of fact, the whole family will be contributing to the posts.

It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun and I am hoping families will find encouragement and help.

It is just the beginning of the blog and as time goes by more categories will be added and more depth will be applied to the blog.

Please stop by! families-r-first.com or FR1st.com

Jesus Just Wants to Give You a Hug?

"Tune into your “get you through your day” Christian music station and you will hear grown men, whining like love sick puppies, “Nothing else can take your place, or feel the warmth of your embrace.” Who are they singing to? The One who holds the universe together by the power of His word, or a chick?...

Christian men sing with such romantic longing and neediness it makes me want to scream, “Man up!”...

Christian women are singing with such throaty breathiness you would think they had just run from their home to the studio. To whom exactly are they singing? Brad Pitt or the Savior?"

Check out THIS ARTICLE from Todd Friel writing for Christian Worldview Network on today's contemporary christian music.

Is Unity Our Highest Goal?

Is unity with Muslims possible if a Christian is to be fully obedient to Jesus Christ? About 300 evangelicals want to make this unity a priority.

How can Christians 'love God and neighbor together' with Muslims if we do not have the same God, Jesus Christ?

We should seek peace with everyone. We as Christians should never look for a fight. I want unity. Unity would be wonderful. Consider this, if we are to be obedient to God, it will result in total submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Muslims do not agree with the total submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ so when the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord arises, it more than likely will result in spiritual conflict and tension with Muslims. We don't look for trouble, it happens as a result of obedience to Christ.

I wonder if THESE CHRISTIANS would have any insight into this issue?

My fear is that these evangelicals are setting themselves up for more compromises of the gospel for the sake of "unity".

Here is an excerpt from the Christian Post article:

"The letter entitled, “A Common World Between Us and You,” urged followers of the two faiths to find “common ground” and not simply just for “polite ecumenical dialogue” between certain religious leaders.

“Peaceful relations between Muslims and Christians stand as one of the central challenges of this century, and perhaps of the whole present epoch,” wrote the Christian leaders.

“If we can achieve religious peace between these two religious communities, peace in the world will clearly be easier to attain.”

Some of the evangelicals who have signed this include Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Jim Wallis, John Stott, and Brian McLaren.

HERE is the article from Christianpost.com

ICHABOD-the Glory Has Departed

Here is a timely commentary by Roger Oakland on the state of many churches today. Below is an excerpt:

"These mega-churches grew to the point that there was no longer a flock, there was a herd. There were so many sheep in the flock that the shepherd had no choice but to manage the flock by turning the church into a corporation.

As everyone knows, churches, when they become corporations have to operate like a corporation not a church. In the world, people in corporations are always looking for position. The only way one can be successful in climbing the corporate ladder is to be loyal to the corporation and the corporate president.

Here lies a problem—when a Christian becomes more loyal to a man than to the Son of Man, spirituality can soon turn into carnality. Carnality that is further driven by the obsession for power, position and possession often is the perfect recipe for disaster. What once was a wonderful Spirit-filled church now becomes a machine that simply goes through the motions. Everything looks like it is working. However, the machine is broken."

READ THE REST...

Willow Creek's Deliberate "SHIFT" Toward Emergent

These are snapshots from Willow Creek's 2008 SHIFT Youth Conference website where they seem to be rushing full throttle toward Emergent and Contemplative persuasions via their youth.


Here is the opening page which states (in McLarenesque fashion) "a new kind of event for the shifting world of youth ministry"



Here is your line up of Emergent speakers:





The brochure for the conference starts off with this Brian McLaren quote:




Here is the video section displaying a couple from Brian McLaren, one from Shane Claiborne, and one from Youth Specialties' Contemplative proponent Mark Yaconelli:



You will also get to preview emergent Rob Bell's latest Nooma video:



The conference wouldn't be complete without sending the kids off with some Emergent books to indoctrinate them further for years to come:



"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
-Matthew 18:6

If I Do So I Tell Them A Lie

"If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."

--C.H. Spurgeon

Willow Creek's Failure

Is your church a member of the Willow Creek Association? I think you had better check. You can find out HERE.

Below are 3 videos created by Todd Friel of Way of the Master featuring excerpts from Bill Hybels, the senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, admitting some of the failures made throughout the years. Too bad they've led thousands of unsuspecting souls into becoming possible false converts and misguided thousands of pastors into what appears to be a form of church growth idolatry.

My family and I left our church of 20 years due in a large part to the leadership staking the entire future of its church to the Willow Creek Association methodology of church growth. They left a lot of casualties in their wake.

Matthew 23:15 -- "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

James 4:9-10 -- "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."


PART ONE:



PART TWO:



PART THREE:


Joel 2:12-13 -- "Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

OTHERS MAY, YOU CANNOT

If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.



Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.



Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.



Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.



The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make YOUR REWARD TEN TIMES GREATER WHEN JESUS COMES.




The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.



Settle it forever, then that you are to DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this PECULIAR, PERSONAL, PRIVATE, JEALOUS GUARDIANSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OVER YOUR LIFE, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.



by G. D. Watson (1845-1924) from Faith, Prayer, & Tract League: Tract #76; Grand Rapids, MI.