Olive Tree Ministries - prophetic signs, current issues, and the Messianic Jewish movement.

News Watch: Topical

Bentley's Revival
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2008

The Ignited Church quickly hired A New York public relations firm to send out press releases claiming "documented healings." Information and webcasts were made available via their website and the revival is streamed live via stream - which received over 1 million hits in the first five weeks of transmissions. After the initial weeks, GOD TV, a religious satellite channel, decided to pre-empt its primetime programming and broadcast the Lakeland meetings nightly.

Stepping back to 1998, the FreshFire Ministry Group asked Bentley to give his testimony at one of their weekly meetings. Soon after, Bentley took over the leadership of the group, which became more of a revival movement. He works with and/or otherwise promotes Patricia King of Extreme Prophetic, and he is also very close to aberrant Kansas City prophet Bob Jones, supports Rick Joyner, as well as such churches as the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. Todd Bentley’s neo-Pentecostalism is Latter Rain influenced and Bentley now claims to have William Branham’s ministry angels helping him.

The latter is where the so-called ‘Toronto Blessing’ began. The movement is characterized by a plethora of unorthodox teachings and questionable practices — encouraged and promoted by alleged ‘words,’ ‘prophecies’ and ‘visions’ from God, and accompanied by anything from outbreaks of uncontrollable laughter, people acting as if they were drunk, and claims of having received gold dust or other ’supernatural signs’ from God. Bentley’s teachings and practices place his ministry squarely among the controversial renewal and revival movements.
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Evangelical Apostasy: The Dual Covenant Error--Reagan
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2008

More and more Evangelical leaders seem to be following the lead of John Hagee in his assertion that Jews do not need to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be saved. Hagee argues, incredibly, that Jesus never even claimed to be the Jewish Messiah.1

Others argue that Jews have their own special covenantal relationship with God and can therefore be saved by observing the laws of the Torah.2 This view is called Dual Covenant Theology. It has been embraced by most of the non-Evangelical Christian community. It is also the viewpoint of many Catholics. For example, in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a document called "Reflection on Covenant and Mission" in which they affirmed that "Jews already dwell in a saving covenant with God."3

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Todd Bentley and the Beautiful Side of Evil--Kjos
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

What's driving Todd Bentley? Why do thousands of people flock to his revival meetings?

Some reasons are obvious. Many seek healing, financial success, spiritual experiences, prophetic knowledge and sensual entertainment. After all, Bentley puts on quite a show! Known for his heavenly visions, angelic "partners," mystical tattoos, and irreverent "teaching," he makes them laugh. One of his many Youtube performances includes this outrageous dialogue with an unbiblical "God":

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The Continuing Coup in the Evangelical Church
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

The Continuing Coup in the Evangelical Church
Linda Harvey

What happens when the word of God about homosexuality is greeted with hostility at an “evangelical” church, while open and unrepentant homosexuals are welcomed with open arms?

On June 8,2008, a group called Soulforce visited Willow Creek Community Church (WCCC) in South Barrington, IL in suburban Chicago. Soulforce is an activist group of proud homosexuals and cross-dressers who call themselves believers, yet they want a few in-house changes to God’s truth. Those who disapprove of homosexuality are guilty of “spiritual violence,” according to Mel White, the founder, who is an ex-speech writer for Jerry Falwell. White conceived of Soulforce after he left his wife and kids for a homosexual lover while maintaining he was still a Christian.

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Albert Mohler audio on "The Shack"
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

Mohler's commentary begins 10 minutes into the program. Listen to Mohler Commentary

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Is this Revival?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

AN APPEAL FOR UNITY

An Appeal for Unity in a Divisive Season

The Lakeland Revival has created tensions over doctrine and ministry styles. To avoid a crippling rift in the church we need strong leadership, clear discernment and a lot of love.

Revival is messy. As much as we would love for it to come in a neat and orderly package, history teaches us that outbreaks of the Holy Spirit are often accompanied by holy chaos. There may be conversions and healings in one corner and demonic manifestations in the other. In seasons of revival you can have miracles and mayhem. Holiness and heresy can erupt simultaneously.

When we look at the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, we tend to focus on the positives: Dead people were raised, whole villages were saved and prison doors were opened supernaturally. On the flip side, this same revival season was interrupted by riots, opposed by religious legalists and tainted by false prophets, greedy charlatans and demons masquerading View Full Article

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Unity vs Truth in the Apostate Church--Missler
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

The minister at Toronto's West Hill United Church, Rev. Gretta Vosper, does not teach her congregation to recite the Apostle's Creed. She does not believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit or born of a virgin. She does not believe that Jesus rose again from the dead or ascended into heaven... or most of the basic tenets of Biblical Christianity. In fact, when her congregation sings famous hymns, the references to Christ and God are removed. Yet, Ms. Vosper calls herself a "Christian" and runs a church in one of Canada's largest Protestant denominations.

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Skepticism on Blair/Warren Interfaith Group
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

ONE NEWS NOW

Christian broadcaster and author Dave Hunt says born-again Christians should be more than skeptical of a new religious education group started by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair recently launched an interfaith group designed to promote a "peaceful coexistence" between the major religions and "encourage interfaith initiatives to tackle global poverty and conflict." The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is backed by some high-profile Americans, including former President Bill Clinton and evangelical mega-church pastor Rick Warren, who serves on the group's advisory board. (See earlier article)

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Todd Bentley's Mysticism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS

LTRP Note: Many people have been inquiring about Todd Bentley and the "revival" that is taking place in Florida right now. The following information will show Bentley's spiritual resonance with a man named Sundar Singh (1829-1929). At one point in Bentley's ministry, he had a vision of Sundar Singh - this vision greatly influenced Bentley. According to a biographer of Sundar Singh, Singh spent much of his Christian life in deep trance-like states communicating with spiritual beings:

We know he had long hours of meditation ... Also he had days of silence.... One day ... he was in the woods praying.... Suddenly his spiritual eyes were opened and he saw the glories of the spirit world. After that he had visions from time to time. Later on the visions came as often as ten or twelve times a month and he then had long talks with the beings of that world. 1

Todd Bentley and Contemplative Meditation View Full Article

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My Response to the "Evangelical Manifesto"--Farah
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

My response to the Evangelical Manifesto

Exclusive: Joseph Farah rebukes 'celebrity Christians' who penned 'whiney screed'

Posted: June 05, 2008

By Joseph Farah

I feel like I'm running out of descriptive names to call myself.

Quite a long time ago, I quit thinking of myself as a "conservative." I found that label to be ill-matched to my radical view of the world. The Jesus I follow and His disciples turned the world upside down. I want to do that again – and I make no apologies for it.

So, I stopped calling myself a "conservative" and I urged other conservatives to do the same – to abandon a label that pigeonholed them and their view of the world into trying desperately only to hold on to the good that was left rather than restoring good that has been lost.

I clung instead to a theological label that seemed to suit me – evangelical Christian.
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Treason in the Church: Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel"--Kjos
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

Infiltration and deception have been tools of conspirators through the ages, and the Church has been a primary target! After all, God warns us that "the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." (1 John 5:19) One of his most effective schemes is to redefine God's Word and divert Christians from His unchanging Truth to man's shifting ideals.

For example, God calls us to serve the poor and fills our hearts with love for the needy. That's why His true followers around the world have willingly given their lives to share His truth and love in perilous places. But today's world-centered church illustrates a different kind of service. Designed to please man rather than God, it trains its servers to hide the "offensive" truths of the gospel.

Like Rick Warren, it uses the Bible to validate its purposes but emphasizes organizational behavior rather than Biblical beliefs -- in short, deeds instead of creeds.[3] Behind its noble appearance hides a postmodern version of the century-old "Christian Socialism."

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End-Time Apostasy--Ice
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

1 Timothy 4:1

The free-fall of American evangelical Christianity into various kinds of apostasy in the last couple of decades has been breathtaking. The last twenty-five years have witnessed the greatest change in the American Church in her entire history. Where are things headed? What does this mean in light of the Bible's prophesied plan for the church age?

What Is Apostasy?

The English meaning of apostasy means "the abandonment or renunciation of a religious belief"[1] or simply to depart from one's faith. Wikipedia says that apostasy "is the formal abandonment or renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy."[2] Thus, an apostate is one who moves away from something that he formerly held. There are two words used in the Greek New Testament for apostasy. First is apostasia, from which we get our English word apostasy. The noun, apostasia is a compound of the two Greek words apo "from" and istŽmi which means "to stand," hence "to stand away from," or more smoothly put, "to depart from." Next, is the verb pipt™ which simply means "to fall," or "fall away from."[3] When used abstractly of "falling away from the faith," for example, it fits into the category of apostasy.

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Tony Blair Calls on Faiths to Act for Global Good
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2008

NEW YORK - Tony Blair today launched his faith foundation with a call for the creation of a new coalition to harness the moral leadership of people of faith to do good and to show the relevance of faith to the challenges of the modern world.

The event, moderated by Christiane Amanpour, included representatives of a number of the organisations the Foundation will partner with.

Dr Eboo Patel, founder and director of the InterFaith Youth Core, and Malaria No More campaigner Saleemah Abdul-Ghaffur will address how the Foundation and its partners will help people of faith do more: they are part of the Faiths Act campaign - multi-faith action on eradicating deaths from malaria.

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Todd Bentley: Meet the New Same Old Thing
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2008

LET US REASON

Wow, these are just a few impressive marketing phrases that do not compare to the supernatural stories that surround him. His ministry is called, “Fresh Fire ministries International: Apostolic Network.” After a short visit to Ignited last year Bentley was invited by Strader to return. He has been conducting "healing meetings" (twice daily) in Lakeland since April 2. 2008. The 700-seat sanctuary of host pastor Stephen Strader’s Ignited Church is filled up as people have been waiting for hours for the doors to open. It has now been attended by more than 20,000.

Steven Strader is the son of Karl Strader former pastor of Carpenter's Home Church that launched Rodney Howard Browne’s ministry in the US. The TBN broadcasts carried its services and the church was influenced to believe this kind of preaching and behavior is what revival is about.

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Decoding the Evangelical Manifesto's Call for Global Ecumenism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2008

Decoding The Evangelical Manifesto's Call For Global Ecumenism

Since the passing of Jerry Falwell, it seems that politically motivated religious groups are competing for the attention of the American electorate during this campaign season.

First, Red Letter Christians announced that we are trying to create a new movement that seeks to make faithfulness to Biblical Christianity an imperative for progressive politics. With media exposure, the group recasts the image of a "Christian" in the 21st century, i.e. sympathetic toward the bondage of homosexuality and inclusive toward other religious belief systems. The Red Letter Christians misrepresent Biblical Christianity to the general public.

Now, another self appointed "non-group" of public square Christians step up to the podium at the National Press Club to act as spokesmen ( though the event is described as an invitation to join the effort ) for Evangelicals to announce:

" We're different, we're sorry, and we'll change for the global good." View Full Article

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Virgin Mary Miracle in Bosnia
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2008

Virgin Mary Miracle in Bosnia

Monday, May 19, 2008

By: Paul M. Weyrich

These are difficult times: wars and rumors of wars, troubling times with the world economy.

While all of these things are happening, there is a remarkable development in Medjugorje, a small village in Bosnia. More than a million people a year are visiting the site where the Virgin Mary has appeared regularly since 1981.

The visions have affected not just Roman Catholics but Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, and even members of non-Christian religions. The local Roman Catholic bishops have tried to throw cold water on these visions. They have been unable to convince people that what is happening there isn’t real. Indeed the Vatican has removed them from the process.

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The Emergent Church and Biblical Authority
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2008

The Emergent Church and Biblical Authority

A discussion between Sean McDowell and Tony Jones

The following discussion first appeared in The Journal of Student Ministries, vol. III no. 3 (May/June 2008), published by Student Ministries Partners. www.thejournalofstudentministries.com

Sean Says:

Since we’ve started our discussions, Tony, I’ve wondered how our views on the Bible compare. We’ve both expressed concerns about the lack of biblical knowledge today among youth, but I can’t help but wonder—is it for the same reason?

I am concerned about the lack of biblical knowledge among youth because I believe an accurate understanding of the character and nature of God is critical for spiritual formation. This is why I often wonder, Can true health in the church take place apart from accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15)? This is why much of my concern about new movements in the church is the de-emphasis on the authority of Scripture.

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BGC World Magazine and Yoga
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2008

BGC World Magazine Article by Contemplative Jan Johnson; Includes Yoga Poses

Source: Editors at Lighthouse Trails

BGC World magazine is a publication of the Illinois-based Baptist General Conference. BGC has a long history dating back to the 1800s when Swedish Baptists came to America to escape religious persecution. With a heritage like that, it is with dismay that we must report that the May 2008 BGC World magazine is carrying an article about fitness written by contemplative proponent Jan Johnson. The article, titled Bent Every Which Way shows photos of a young woman in various yoga positions.
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A Critique of Greg Boyd's Open Theism--DeWaay
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2008

The Foreknowledge of God Part 1

A Critique of Dr. Greg Boyd’s Open Theism

by Bob DeWaay

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me. Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” (Isaiah 46:9)

“[A]lso we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11)

In recent years, some evangelicals have rekindled an old controversy by asserting that God does not have exhaustive foreknowledge. That is to say that He does not know everything that is going to happen. Jonathan Edwards devoted many pages of his famous 1754 book, A Careful and Strict Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of the Freedom of the Will, Which is Supposed to be Essential to Moral Agency, Virtue and Vice, Reward and Punishment, Praise and Blame (commonly known as Freedom of the Will for obvious reasons). Edwards wrote:

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The Emergent Church: A Dangerous Counterfeit--Greg Laurie
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2008

'The Emergent Church': A dangerous counterfeit

Exclusive: Greg Laurie also takes on Barack Obama
over theology, those preoccupied with global warming

Posted: April 12, 2008

By Greg Laurie

As a 17-year-old boy, I had looked for truth and answers in this world and found none. Then, to my own amazement, I found myself completely won over by the bold, unashamed witness of a group of committed Christians on my high school campus.

People could have tried to be cool and win me over, but it would have never worked. I'd had enough of "cool" in the crazy home I was raised in to make me choke. I had pretty much seen it all, and nothing to me was lamer than people trying too hard to be cool.

The Christian kids I encountered in high school weren't working overtime to be cool – and didn't even seem to care about such things. They cared about knowing and following Jesus, and that deeply impressed me. There was an authenticity about their lives that drew me to them, then to Jesus Himself.

I had been looking for something to believe in, something worth living or dying for, something that was genuine, real and authentic. But most of all, I was looking for something that was true.

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Oprah and the Gospel of Me
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2008

Paul Proctor

There are a couple of You Tube video clips making their rounds on the Internet that have aroused a lot of attention lately. I know this because they keep showing up in my email inbox from readers of this column.

I’ve seen two versions – both of which reveal celebrity talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, denying the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the only way to God – going so far as to tell members of her studio audience:

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Could the Apostasy be Upon Us?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2008

The Church is obviously backslidden. The greater question it provokes is: Could we be in the Great Apostasy and not be aware of it?

After having spent the last two years studying this subject in scripture, I was forced to acknowledge that two of my long-held assumptions regarding it have been wrong.

First, I came to realize that this falling away would not primarily be an obvious, outward renunciation of Christianity; it would be much more an issue of what is occurring in people's hearts (e.g., Matthew 24:12 -- Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold... [NIV]).

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Hanegraaff's Replacement Theology: Are the Last Days Over?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2008

Hank Hanegraaff’s Replacement Theology: Are the “Last Days” Over?

“Does the Bible Make a Distinction Between Israel and the Church?” Hank Hanegraaff asks in the CRI Journal, Vol. 31/Number 01, page 54. If you “Ask Hank” (which is the title of the featured page), the answer is unequivocally, “No.”

Here is an excerpt from the current Bible Answer Man: View Full Article

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From Truth to a New Spirituality--Kjos
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2008

"The hope of the New Age faith, or New Spirituality, is that when this One Humanity has achieved its 'divine potential' and all separation has been purged from the world, then world problems such as 'tribalism' and poverty and hatred and violence will be left behind. The world will then be transformed by this New Humanity into a divine new world of peace, love, good will, and sharing where everyone can be free to worship his own inner (immanent) 'God' of his own understanding in his own way.

"The call for this New Age 'kingdom of God' is now being so widely heeded, even in today’s Christianity, that the building of humanity’s Ark of Oneness is suddenly nearing completion." Tamara Hartzell

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Rob Bell and the Purpose of Christian Yoga
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2008

CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW: INGRID SCHLUETER

“In the yogic tradition, the breath is intimately associated with prana, a Sanskrit term that means “primordial impulse” or “life force” . . . the vital energy that animates every molecule in the universe. Pranayama – the formal practice of regulating the breath – allows us to calm, cleanse, or invigorate our bodymind. In fact, many master yogis believe that pranayama is the essence of yoga. There are many pranayama techniques you can use to enhance your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. One of the most valuable practices is simply staying conscious of your breath as you practice your yoga postures. By focusing on the breath, the mind becomes more clear and quiet.”

–Deepak Chopra, in the February, 2008 edition of his Namaste Newsletter.

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Where Are the Elders who Guide the Flock?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2008

CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW

Where Are the Elders Who Guard the Flock?

By Bob DeWaay

This past weekend I received a call not unlike many dozens of previous communications from Christians concerned about unbiblical practices being introduced into their local churches. This particular one expressed a committed Christian’s concern that their large evangelical church was introducing mysticism and eastern practices under the guise of youth ministry. This church had even created a shrine of sorts in the church basement for young people to practice this mysticism.

The caller had researched this subject for several months, documented her church’s new practices and described why the practices were dangerous and unbiblical. Confident that her findings would help correct the church’s direction, she brought her research to the church leadership, only to be mollified and warned about having a bad attitude. In response she asked the leaders to compare these practices to Scripture, but to no avail. The story is all too common; why does it continue to happen?

Most evangelical churches have elders; these elders are responsible for the Lord’s flock.
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The Humpty Dumpty of Evangelicalism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2008

Robert Schuller – the Humpty Dumpty of Evangelicalism

by Gary E. Gilley

You might recall that, when Alice was conversing with Humpty Dumpty, she rebuked him for misusing words. Humpty replied, “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.” Alice protested, asking if he could really make words mean different things, to which Humpty answered, “The question is, which is to be the master – that is all.”

This approach to words and their meanings has been common among theological liberals and cultists for years. Visit the worship service of any liberal church and most likely you will hear much that seems to define and frame orthodox biblical truth. Listen more carefully and you will soon realize that the words and phrases have been infused with new meaning. They have, if I could make up my own word, been humptified.

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God is Glorified in Us When We Are Most Satisfied in the Culture
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2008

This brings me to this article today: recovering a reverence for God by having a right view of God. This is hard for any emerging or emergent church leader to humbly submit too. Why? Because it means resigning their cultural hermeneutic to a biblical one and that is painful for them to do. They would rather speak to you about "contextualizing the truth" for they honestly believe that their little methods, techniques, gimmicks, tricks, cultural analysis, market surveys, and postmodern pathology actually adds to the effectiveness and impact of the gospel. They really don't believe in sola Scriptura; they really don't believe that "the gospel IS the power of God unto salvation" and requires no additional assistance from them. They don't understand Acts 17 or 1 Cor. 9:18ff thinking the Apostle Paul was emerging too.

And if you speak of biblical evangelism - you are out of date. Missional is the new term. No one quite knows what it means, but that's the beauty of this movement. They like the ambiguity and call it the reformed faith.
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Rethinking Eschatology: Dominionists on the Move
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2008

This past weekend, December 4, 2007, in Dallas, Texas, there was an Acts 29 Conference. It was called Eschatology and the Marketplace: Rethinking the Future and sponsored by the marketplace transformation apostles. This conference is an interesting precursor to another marketplace transformation conference, which is immediately following Robert Schuller's Rethink Conference (see previous blog posts), and called Reclaiming the 7 Mountains the 2008 Church in the Workplace Conference. This Reclaiming the 7 Mountains Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on January 24-26.
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The Future Lies in the Past
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2008

CHRISTIANITY TODAY

Just what was going on in this veritable shrine to pragmatic evangelistic methods and no-nonsense, back-to-the-Bible Protestant conservatism? Had Catholics taken over?

No, this was the 2007 Wheaton Theology Conference, whose theme was "The Ancient Faith for the Church's Future." Here, the words spoken 15 years ago by Drew University theologian and CT senior editor Thomas Oden rang true: "The sons and daughters of modernity are rediscovering the neglected beauty of classical Christian teaching. It is a moment of joy, of beholding anew what had been nearly forgotten, of hugging a lost child."

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Can a Pagan Practice be Christianized?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2008

CAN A PAGAN PRACTICE BE "CHRISTIANIZED?"

By Marsha West

January 25, 2008

NewsWithViews.com

Is yoga just a way of reducing stress or is there more to it than that? I mean, everyone's doing it so it has to be a good thing…right? The short answer is that there's more to yoga than meets the eye. So bear with me as I explain the reasons practicing yoga "stretches traditional Christian boundaries" and why Christians should avoid yoga and seek other alternatives.

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Entertained to Death
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2008

(HEAR ERIC BARGER ON OUR "RADIO ARCHIVES" FOR NOV. 10, 2007 AND JAN. 19, 2008).

Since the very beginning one of the focuses of our ministry has been to speak out about the effects of entertainment on society, in particular the Church. Though others, such as the late Neil Postman (Amusing Ourselves to Death), have denoted that particular mediums through which people are entertained (i.e. television) are destroying our culture, in all of these years I have never intimated that being entertained is in itself wrong.

I don't believe this is what Spurgeon was driving at either. To have a harmless diversion, hobby, activity or interest -something we refer to as "entertainment" is not necessarily an evil practice. As with Spurgeon, my concern is the trend of making entertainment a basis for Sunday services and an enticement to draw people to church.
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Emerging Church Confusion: What Does it Really Mean?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2008

Some books and several articles have now been written about the emerging church, and interestingly, nearly all of them lack the most important element -- the emerging church (which incorporates the teachings of the Emergent leaders: McLaren, Pagitt, Kimball, etc.) is a conduit for mysticism and is heading right into the arms of Catholicism and eventually a universal interfaith church.

Many feel that the real problems with the emerging church are centered around methodology (e.g., how much lighting to have, where to hold church services, and what to wear while attending them, etc.) Such distraction from the true concerns is like telling a neighbor that his dog is tearing up the garden when his house is burning down and his children are inside.
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Mohler: Evangelical-Muslim Letter Troubling
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2008

Mohler: Evangelical-Muslim letter troubling

Posted on Jan 11, 2008 | by Garrett E. Wishall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--When Christians enter into conversation with Muslims, their conversation should be clearly and distinctly Christian, R. Albert Mohler Jr. said on his national radio program Jan. 8.

Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., was responding to a full-page letter endorsed by nearly 300 Christian leaders that appeared in The New York Times in December. The letter, drafted by scholars at Yale Divinity School's Center for Faith and Culture, said conversation should take place between Christians and Muslims centered on the "common ground" that Muslims and Christians share.

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Osteen: Mormons and Romney are Christians
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2007

JOEL OSTEEN: MITT ROMNEY AND MORMONS ARE CHRISTIANS
Below you will see Word Faith preacher Joel Osteen say that he believes Mormons are “true Christians.” This incredible statement from an alleged evangelical pastor came during Osteen’s December 23rd appearance on FOX News Sunday With Chris Wallace.

Wallace asks Joel Osteen:

WALLACE: And what about Mitt Romney? And I’ve got to ask you the question, because it is a question whether it should be or not in this campaign, is a Mormon a true Christian?

OSTEEN: Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that's what I believe, so, you know, I'm not the one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are.
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Evangelicals Combine Eucharist and Contemplative Mysticism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2007

(NOTE: HEAR OUR RADIO SHOW ON THIS ON PART TWO OF DECEMBER 8 PROGRAMMING, HOUR ONE, AT "RADIO ARCHIVES.")

Evangelical Christians Combine Contemplative Mysticism with Catholic Eucharist

Source: Lighthouse Trails

Many Christians believe that the Christian tradition of communion is the same as the Catholic tradition of the Eucharist. But this is not so. The Eucharist (i.e., Transubstantiation ) is a Catholic term for communion when the bread and the wine supposedly become the very body and blood of Jesus Christ; thus when taken the partaker is said to experience the presence of Jesus. View Full Article

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The Kingdom of Emergent Theology--Gilley
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2007

The Kingdom of Emergent Theology - Part 1

It has been claimed that Sigmund Freud enjoyed telling his followers a story of a pastor who visited an atheist insurance agent who was on his death bed. The family had asked the pastor to share the gospel with their dying loved one as they waited in another room. As the conversation continued longer than expected there was hope that the pastor was being successful in his mission. When the pastor finally emerged from the bedroom it was discovered that the agent had not converted to Christ but he had been able to sell the pastor an insurance policy.

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Don't Wait! Meditate
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2007

Waiting Rooms Turned Into Meditating Rooms

Peaceful Earth, LLC has come up with the Meditation Challenge... A way to help people develop the habit of meditation and experience peace in their lives and their relationships. Waiting rooms across the country are turning into Meditating rooms as part of the Don’t Wait—Meditate™ campaign of the Meditation Challenge.
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Christian Leaders Betray Christ for World Peace
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for November, 2007

CHRISTIAN LEADERS BETRAY CHRIST FOR WORLD PEACE

By Paul Proctor

November 28, 2007

NewsWithViews.com

Once again, leaders from the so-called "church growth movement" are demonstrating for us the Hegelian Dialectic -that transformational Marxist process of compromise and consensus made famous by Georg William Friedreich Hegel which seeks to rid the world of its divisive absolutes in the interest of global peace and unity.

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Ichabod--Oakland
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for November, 2007

The Bible calls Satan the great deceiver. To be deceived means to be led away from the truth without knowing it. If the person being deceived knew they were being deceived, then deception would not have occurred. One must believe that one is not deceived in order to be deceived. It is just that simple.

I believe that understanding deception has a lot to do with having a proper perspective. Instead of having God’s perspective, the person being deceived has his own perspective. A human desire for power and the potential to be proud are two of the greatest barriers that prevent us from seeing God’s perspective. Satan’s plan is to deceive mankind by working on human weaknesses. He knows what he is doing.

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Hanegraaff's Trashing Israel--Ice
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2007

Hanegraaff's pro-Palestinianism has been advanced at the expense of the modern state of Israel. When I stated in an article that, "Hanegraaff is no lover of Israel,"[2] he responded by saying that my statement "is flatly false."[3] Hanegraaff cited from his book, The Apocalypse Code[4] his most positive statement about Israel in defense, which merely says, "the modern state of Israel has a definitive right to exist."[5] If that is all he said it might have been acceptable. However, when compared to what he says about and against the modern state of Israel, his answer does nothing to rebut my statement that Hanegraaff is no lover of Israel.

Trashing Israel:

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Mysticism and Global Mind Change--Kjos
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2007

Do you wonder why yoga, labyrinths and other meditational practices have suddenly emerged in churches across America? Or why "Christians" now use the old occult formulas practiced by sorcerers, alchemists and "enlightened" yogis (a combination of concentration, meditation, visualization and mental projection) to invoke the presence of "God"?

This East-West synthesis didn't happen by chance. For several decades, influential church leaders have been promoting a "new way of thinking," a more experiential religion, an end to "separatism," and an inclusive oneness that would fulfill their vision of an earthly "Kingdom of God."

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Slaughterhouse Religion--Oakland
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for September, 2007

Slaughterhouse Religion?

Commentary by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

The heart and core of the Christian faith is the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures. This foundational belief is under attack by many who are considered to be leaders of the Emerging Church movement that is sweeping the world and “re-inventing” Christianity.

It is for this reason we chose the title Faith Undone: the emerging church… a new reformation or an end-time deception for my book published by Lighthouse Trails.

Chapter 11 of Faith Undone is titled “Slaughterhouse Religion?” This chapter was written to shine a light into the darkness and show where the Emerging Church is headed.

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Christians Are Mixed Up--In Mysticism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for September, 2007

Any person who honestly believes "we are one" as do pantheists should consider this: When you die you will become "absolute nothingness." Isn't that comforting?

Christianity believes that the born-again Christian's resurrected body will spend eternity in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He's the gift that keeps on giving!

Understand that pantheists are not saved.
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A Look at the Future of a New Christianity
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for August, 2007

LTRP Note: This past weekend, Lighthouse Trails author Ray Yungen visited believers in the Vancouver, BC area. Ray visited the Vancouver School of Theology and its Thomas Merton reading room. The pictures on this post are from the visit. Please note the one of Merton and the Dalai Lami, who resonated with each other; also see the photo with Merton and the Buddha statue. Ray has asked us to post the following excerpt from his book along with the photos. He believes that this type of interspirituality is what lies ahead for Canada, the US, and the rest of the Western world - a mystical, apostate Christianity in which eastern mysticism (rather than the Word of God) will be the foundation. May God bless and protect all Christian believers, including faithful pastors, as they stand for the faith and defend the gospel.
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Christ Yoga? (video)
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for August, 2007

Video trailer on Christ Yoga

Please check out the DVD we offer warning on this. Caryl Matrisciana's DVD "Yoga Uncoiled" is at "Our Products." View Trailer

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Church Growth Conference Lauds Jimmy Carter
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for August, 2007

(NOTE: This is a report on Willowcreek's recent conference in August, 2007, featuring former President Jimmy Carter.)

Jimmy Carter has done more since retiring from the office of president than most people accomplish in a lifetime. The author of more than 20 books, he is recognized worldwide for his leading work in conflict resolution, diplomacy, and humanitarian work.
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Keating, Kundalini, and Contemplative Prayer
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for August, 2007

Keating, Kundalini and Contemplative Prayer

By Brian Flynn

The class began with a meditation exercise that we were to practice everyday when we awoke and again each evening. Elinor instructed us to sit with our feet firmly on the ground and to close our eyes. She then asked us to imagine roots or cords extending from the soles of our feet down into the earth. She said to imagine going deeper and deeper to the light, with the heat and power of the earth below us. Her words flowed from one to another and had an almost hypnotic effect on me:

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Fasting Against America
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2007

Fasting Against America

By Mark D. Tooley
FrontPageMagazine.com | 7/31/2007

Muslim Groups in the U.S. have joined with left-wing Protestants and Catholics in planning an “interfaith fast” on the upcoming “day officially known as ‘Columbus Day,’” according to fast organizers. Called “From Conquest to Community, From Violence to Reverence: An Interfaith Fast to End the War in Iraq,” the day of October 8, 2007 will conveniently synchronize with Islam’s “Night of Power” during Ramadan.

The fasters include officials from the Islamic Society of North America, the National Council of Churches, the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Catholic Maryknollers, Sojourners, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, and the Quaker Fellowship of Reconciliation.

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Three Questions for Emergents
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2007

TOWNHALL

As far as my “information and experience,” that comes from the following pro-emergent sources: Brian McLaren (homepage), Doug Pagitt (homepage), Tony Jones of emergentvillage.org, Steve Chalke (Wikipedia), and perhaps the best text in support is Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger’s Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (Baker, 2005) (Amazon).

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Ultimate Ecumenism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2007

Intense extended meditation was the cornerstone of the "Peace Building and Reconciliation" workshop run by Centre for Peace Building and Reconciliation (CPBR), which says meditation is common to all religions. So the Buddhists, Catholics, Hindus, Muslims and Protestants all sat in silence and meditated.

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Health and Wealth in Africa
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2007

Bishop of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) since 1988, Okonkwo presides over the annual Kingdom Life World Conference of 150 prosperity-oriented churches. But tonight he yields the podium to the Rev. Felix Omobude, who urges the crowd to dream big. "There are so many dream killers around," he says. "Don't let them kill your dream."

Omobude prophesies: "Your tomorrow will be better than today. In 2007 you will take your place."

The crowd is thrilled. Omobude promises that women will find husbands, audience members will buy new cars, and the barren will birth twins.

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Will the Emergent Church Submerge Yours?--Markell
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2007

Will the Emergent Church Submerge Your Church?

Jan Markell

www.olivetreeviews.org

The short answer is no if solid, Bible-believing Christians preach truth and stand on the Word of God. However, in today's world of apostasy, the stakes are higher and so are the casualties. The Emergent Church is not new, but it hid in the shadows until recently. I recently had this email:

Jan: When you first started talking about the Emergent Church I thought, sure, this is a California experience. I didn't have to worry. How wrong! In Michigan it is now everywhere!
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Evangelicals and Interfaith Cooperation
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2007

On evangelicals and interfaith cooperation: an interview with Tony Campolo by Shane Claiborne
Cross Currents, Spring, 2005 by Shane Claiborne

Tony Campolo is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church and professor emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.

Shane Claiborne is a founder of the Simple Way Community in Philadelphia and a prominent Christian activist.

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What do "The Secret", Yoga, and Harry Potter Have in Common?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2007

CARYL MATRISCIANA--Scroll down on her blog

What do “The Secret”, Yoga and Harry Potter have in common?
Are you discerning of the times in which we live and able to recognize the “technique” common to these three apparently unrelated “phenomenon”?

The root of THE SECRET, Yoga, and the power of the young witch Harry Potter, once acknowledged as “heathen” and the foundation of The New Age Movement, is today sweeping through Christendom. While remaining true to its New Age tenets, the “new mysticism” has been sanitized with Christian terminology, seductive packaging and is being embraced by the Christian Body as The Emerging, Seeker Friendly, Purpose Driven Church, Christ-centered Yoga, Contemplative Prayer and Christians for Harry Potter.
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Lecto Divina: Ancient Practice Has Fresh Message
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2007

Lectio Divina: Ancient Practice Yields Fresh Messages
Whitney Hopler
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Tony Jones' new book, Divine Intervention: Encountering God through the Ancient Practice of Lectio Divina, (Think Books, 2006).

If you’re looking for a fresh message from God’s Word, you may discover it through an old practice: lectio divina (“sacred reading”). This ancient way of approaching Scripture can be a powerful way for you to tap into what God wants to tell you today.

Here’s how you can use the ancient practice of lectio divina to discover new messages from God:

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New Spiritual Discipline from Ancient Catholic Sources--Oakland
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2007

New Spiritual Disipline From Ancient Roman Catholic
Sources

Commentary by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

Promoters of the emergent conversation say we are on the verge of an era that promises renewed spiritual awareness. “Spiritual disciplines” are being touted as the avenue to a “spiritual reformation” that will take Christianity to a new and higher level of spirituality drawing all participants closer to God.

Books published by major Christian publishers written by well known authors are plentiful on this topic. For example, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler are both professors at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in southern California. Moreland is professor of philosophy. Issler is professor of Christian education and theology. In 2006, Navpress published a book they co-authored titled The Lost Virtue of Happiness: Discovering the Disciplines of the Good Life. [1] On the back cover, the following statement is made:

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Grunge Christianity--MacArthur
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2007

Grunge Christianity and Cussing Pastors? What Next?
John MacArthur

We keep hearing from evangelical strategists and savvy church leaders that Christians need to be more tuned into contemporary culture.

You have no doubt heard the arguments: We need to take the message out of the bottle. We can’t minister effectively if don’t speak the language of contemporary counterculture. If we don’t vernacularize the gospel, contextualize the church, and reimagine Christanity for each succeeding generation, how can we possibly reach young people? Above all else, we have got to stay in step with the times.

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Seminaries Crank Out Eco-Theologians
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2007

SEMINARIES CRANK OUT NEW BREED OF ECO-THEOLOGIANS

By Debra Rae

A Moral Imperative

Canadian billionaire and 1992 Rio Earth Summit Secretary-general, Maurice Strong contends that global ecosystems will be preserved only when affluent nations lower their standards of living. Countering the culture of abundance with “a rite of atonement for the sin of excess” apparently resonates with Protestant underpinnings of colonial history. Increasingly, evangelical Christians align with this moral mandate.

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New Age Pandemic in the Church
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2007

New Age “spirituality” is corrupting Christians, most of whom have no clue that they’re partaking in sorcery. Astrology, “Christian yoga,” meditation to achieve an altered state of consciousness, calling on angels, and even some of the martial arts, falls under the category of sorcery. Such practices attract a large number of Christians, like moths to a flame.

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Another Gospel: The Dangers of the "Seeker Senitive", Man-Centered Gospel
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2006

Another Gospel

The dangers of the "seeker-sensitive,"
man-centered Gospel.

Though few seem to realize it, Satan has been in the "another gospel" business for a long time. His goal, since the glorious good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ burst onto the world scene nearly 2000 years ago, has always been to produce a counterfeit gospel, which would replace the true, and keep men in darkness and spiritual slumber.

In the early days Gnosticism suited his purposes well. The early church found itself in a battle for its theological life, as this heresy rose up and persuaded many that Christ was a spirit-being and had not truly come in the flesh, or truly died on the cross. Paul's epistle to the Colossians is a strong refutation of this ancient heresy, and serves as a continual warning to believers throughout the ages to "beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
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Evangelicalism Moves Left--Markell
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for December, 2006

Nothing stays the same anymore; it is always morphing into something it shouldn't. So it is with evangelicalism. My alma mater, Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, recently featured the king-pin of the "religious left," Jim Wallis. Wallis heads Sojourners' ministry and magazine, a ministry devoted to social issues though called evangelical.

In his e-newsletter Wallis refers to his Bethel experience where he spoke to a packed chapel service.

He says, "I was at Bethel University, known as a conservative evangelical school--fertile ground for recruiting by the ‘religious right.’ But the wind is changing at Bethel as it is among the new generation of evangelical students across the country for both faith and politics in America."

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Last Days Appearances of "Jesus"--Oakland
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2006

LAST DAYS APPEARANCES OF “JESUS"

Commentary by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

It was another one of those headlines that immediately caught my attention: “Non-Catholic visitor sees Jesus in local chapel.” [1] Ever since I became aware of the Roman Catholic New Evangelization program to win the world to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Christ, I have been expecting a news item of this nature.

The St. Charles Herald Guide reported that a petroleum geologist by the name of Andy Petty experienced a manifestation of “Jesus” at the Adoration Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Quoting from the article:

It all started when Petty visited Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adoration Chapel in Rivertown. Little did he know that someone was waiting for him there. Petty, who belonged to the Worldwide Church of God, was only attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help to be with his fiancé, Ina. When Ina said, “let’s go to the chapel” he thought she meant wedding chapel. [2]

For those not familiar with this topic, adoration of the Eucharistic Jesus that takes place in adoration chapels is a major part of the New Evangelization program. In order to understand what this means, some basic terms and concepts need to be defined.

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Rick Joyner's "Latter Rain" Teachings
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2006

It is very important to realize that in the prologue to “The Call”, Rick Joyner indicates that he received some questioning response from people who read the first installment, “ The Final Quest”, and that he is out to set the record straight. This means that he has had to defend the remarks and doctrines that he set forth in “The Final Quest”, as it seems it may have provoked a fair amount of controversy among the reading public, despite press to the contrary from the greater Charismatic world. He flatly contradicts many of the previous statements he made in “The Final Quest”, even though the "vision" was supposed to be in the "trance level", or two levels higher than the level of inspiration under which the apostles wrote the New Testament! He states this exact thing in the first few pages of “The Final Quest”.

“The Call” also takes place on this supposed "fourth level" of revelation, and discloses quite a bit more of Joyner's Latter Rain teachings than his previous work. Latter Rain doctrine was condemned by the General Council of the Assemblies of God in 1949, because of the move’s aberrant teachings. In the forefront of the Latter Rain doctrine are a denial of the rapture for believers, the false teaching that the Church is built upon the foundation of present-day apostles and prophets, and the dominion mandate, which states that the Church must overcome the world and destroy all evil preventing the return of Jesus, and when all enemies of the faith are finally dealt with by the Church, Christ will be released from heaven to return, at which time Christians will present the world to Him as His footstool.

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Red Letter Leftists
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2006

"Red Letter" Leftists
By Mark D. Tooley

Frustrated by the conservative tendencies of most religiously active Americans, a group of liberal religious activists have started "Red Letter Christians" to espouse political themes of the left.

Referring, of course, to the fact that words of Jesus in Bibles are often printed in red letters, these new "red-letter" communicators and activists want to steer Christians away from concerns about marriage and abortion and towards anti-war activism and environmental causes.

Red-Letter evangelist Tony Campolo, in a column for Beliefnet.com, explained earlier this year what this new activist group is all about:

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Treason in the Church: Trading Truth for the Social Gospel--Kjos
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2006

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Queen of All
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2006

(NOTE: We carry this product on our Web site and print newsletter as well as the DVD "Messages from Heaven."--jm)

Apparitions!

She appears as a living, breathing, three-dimensional lady enveloped in exquisite light. Visionaries and seers describe a beautiful, young woman glowing in radiant splendor. Seers, while describing her as brilliant to behold and arrayed with every splendor, admit that the "Queen of Heaven" transcends human description.

Marian followers also report seeing strange lights and glorious visions that often accompany an apparition. Visions of angels, glowing orbs, tongues of fire, mysterious solar phenomena, and peculiar luminous clouds have been sighted. Because of the tremendous pleasure and joy experienced by visionaries during an apparition, the term ecstasy[1] is the word most often used to describe this event. Those who have witnessed her, admit that they are paralyzed and enraptured by her beauty and charm.

Numerous healings and miracles have been reported at apparition sites around the globe. In addition, the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary has repeatedly announced that her most significant signs and wonders are yet future! She admits that she has not yet revealed her full glory to the world. She predicts heavenly signs and wonders that the whole world will soon witness. Consider the following messages received by three separate visionaries:

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Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for June, 2006

For the past several decades the political Left has focused attention on the Christian Right’s political activism in America. Particularly, the Left has been highly critical of a select group of dominionists called Reconstructionists, whose aggressive verbiage, extreme Calvinist theologies, and religious political agendas have made it an ideal target for outrage. But, as Leftist researcher Sara Diamond has astutely observed, “the Reconstructionists’ religion of Calvinism. . . makes them unlikely to appeal to most evangelicals.”4 Indeed, few Reconstructionists would consider themselves to be evangelicals. Nevertheless, their influence has been considerable over the much larger group of patriotic evangelicals.

There are two other dominionist sects within evangelicalism that have escaped in-depth scrutiny from the Left. These dominionists have been able to function virtually incognito for several reasons: 1) They have been deeply embedded within the evangelical subculture; 2) They cloaked their dominionism with new terminologies and doctrines over a period of thirty years; and 3) They figured out how to package dominionism using sophisticated mass marketing techniques. Also noteworthy: these two other dominionist camps have been operating in a dialectical fashion – while one group appealed to the TBN charismatics with all of its emotional excesses, the other group carefully managed its more intellectual public image to conform to traditional evangelical standards.
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Potter Influence Unchallenged in Homes and Churches
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2006

(Ventura, CA) – Each generation has its popular legends and heroes – from Superman to G.I. Joe, and Rambo to Luke Skywalker. Through the years, these stories and many others have formed a type of American mythology.

One of the country’s newest heroes is Harry Potter, the coming-of-age wizard who stars in J.K. Rowling’s imaginary world. Featured in a decade-long stream of novels and movies, the child wizard has generated a massive following among today’s youngest Americans. According to a study conducted by the Barna Group, exposure to Harry Potter – including reading at least one book or watching at least one movie – has doubled in the last three years. Currently, more than four out of every five teenagers (84%) have personally read or watched Potter.

Missing in Action?

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Foundations for Apostasy: 1950-1985
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2006

Foundations For Apostasy: 1950-1985

How Did We Get To Where We Are Today?

In the 1940s and 50s, a foundation was laid that would, in the decades to follow, shake Church structures to the core. In this article, we'll be looking at the last fifty years and examining the process that brought apostasy to the Church and put it on the road leading toward the New Age Christ. We will begin by looking at the forties.

The Forties

I only want to mention two things about this decade. One is a man and the other is an organization.

40s: DAVID DU PLESSIS. In 1947, the First World Pentecostal Conference was held in Zurich, Switzerland. This conference brought into prominence David Du Plessis, "Mr. Pentecost," who went on to organize three other World Conferences.

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The Age of the Church of Laodicea
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2006

The age of Laodicea has arrived next comes the rapture and the tribulation

by Don Koenig

Most Bible prophecy teachers would say the Laodicean church age started around AD 1900. This is correct but when Laodicea appeared among Thyatira (Catholics), Sardis (the near dead denominational churches) and Philadelphia (the Church of true believers), she was not the predominant church of that time period. That is no longer true today. Now there should be no question for those of us who believe that there are seven church ages, that Laodicea has arrived as the predominant church type of our age. Laodicea is the final church age before Jesus comes for his Church and when Jesus does come for the Church He vomits this Laodicean church out of His body into the tribulation. I am not saying that Laodicea was part of His body to start with but only that this church type identified with him. After Jesus tasted of their lukewarm doctrine, He would not digest it and they would have no place in His Body.

We have had lukewarm denominational country club type churches for quite some time now but they did not cross denominational lines and movements and become the predominant Christian identity until very recently. The large seeker friendly mega churches are the fastest growing movement in Christianity today and they are achieving this growth at the expense of smaller traditional Evangelical and Pentecostal Bible churches.

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Theophostics: Unbiblical and Wedded to Mysticism
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2006

“Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2Peter 1:3)

A few weeks ago my wife and I were driving to the house of some close friends, listening to a tape of Dr. Ed Smith, the founder of Theophostic counseling, who was preaching at a large evangelical church in our city.1 As we listened, my wife asked, “what kind of sermon is this?” The sermon was filled with psychological terminology, a sprinkling of Scripture giving 21st century psychological meanings to 1st century concepts, and many anecdotes to convince the listeners that every one of them needed “Theophostic” ministry. After some time my wife looked at me and said, “Why are these people listening to this? We heard this 25 years ago.”

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The Dual Covenant Error
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2006

Theological liberals have long taken the position that Jews do not need Jesus. Their argument is that the Jewish people have a separate way of salvation - by grace through faith in God the Father as manifested in their obedience to Torah (the Law of Moses). This viewpoint is known as "Dual Covenant Theology." In other words, God has one covenant for the Jews (the Old Testament) and another for the Gentiles (the New Testament). This view reduces Jesus from a universal Savior to a Savior for the Gentiles only.

The Test of Scripture

Needless to say, this viewpoint is thoroughly un-Biblical. Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6). Was Jesus deluded by visions of grandeur or was He God in the flesh proclaiming a fundamental truth?

Peter proclaimed the same truth to none other than the Sanhedrin Council (the highest council of Jewish religious leaders) when he said, "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). He had already identified that name as "Jesus Christ the Nazarene" (Acts 4:10).

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Ancient Labyrinths are Re-Emerging
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2006

Ancient Labyrinths are Re-emerging

There is a sharp increase in the building and use of labyrinths in the West, which occurs in conjunction with the resurgence of other mystical practices such as Yoga and Eastern meditation. In the USA, more than 1000 labyrinths have been built in meditation garden settings, at retreat centres, churches, hospitals and prisons. The popularity of labyrinths is also increasing in South Africa and many other countries.

Labyrinths have been in existence for about 4000 years and are encountered in many of the religions and cultures of the world. They are found in various shapes, of which the seven circuit and eleven circuit ones are the most popular. The word “circuit” is used to describe the number of times the path circles around the centre. When a person walks the labyrinth he meanders back and forth, turning 180 degrees each time he enters a different circuit. It is said that each time the person shifts his direction he also shifts his awareness from the left brain to the right brain, or vice versa. For this reason, labyrinth walking is accredited with inducing receptive states of consciousness, which also helps to balance a person’s chakras (the body’s psychic centres). View Full Article

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What is Dominion Theology?--John MacArthur
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for October, 2005

"What is Dominion Theology?"

Answer

Have you heard about that? Dominion Theology, that's a new label, for a new kind of theology, and there are always new theologies. Dominion Theology comes in a lot of forms, but I think what you are probably talking about is John Wimber, who is now advocating a new kind of Dominion. Let me give you this very simply, ok?

Dominion Theology, espoused primarily by John Wimber, who is networked through a group of churches called "The Vineyard Churches," basically is saying, "That as believers, we are to take power over Satan and demons, we are to exercise dominion over them." There is another kind of theology, that is existing today, that is called "Liberation Theology." It is a form of theology that says, "That the Church is to take dominion over the institutions of the world." That's another form of Dominion Theology, or Kingdom Theology.

And what it basically says is that the Church's mandate is to take over the institutions of the world, that's the Liberation Theology side. What Dominion Theology says is that we are to take over the Powers of Darkness; we are to take over the demons; and we are to take over the spirits; and we are to dominate Satan. We are to take dominion, and that's why they talk about "Power Evangelism" and "Power Healing." In other words, he trains people, supposedly, to invade the Satanic World and take dominion over demons.

That we as Christians, by living in the natural world, and by just moving around in the visible world, have failed to exercise the power that we have, to literally take over the Satanic World. You hear them talk about, "Binding Satan," have you heard that? "Binding demons; Pleading the Blood on demons; Pleading the Blood on Satan; Taking dominion over, not only demons, but all of the institutions of the world, that are infiltrated and influenced by demons.

And they believe that whatever people's problems are, tend to be demon induced. And it gets extreme, no matter what it is, it’s a demon, and you have to take dominion over these demons. And that is why they talk about Power Evangelism. They say that you cannot evangelize without signs and wonders. You have to overpower the demonic world, and demonstrate your divine power to the lost, in order for them to be saved. Power Healing, break the bondage of demons and so forth.

It is unbiblical. We are never told, never told, to take dominion over demons. We are told by James, "Resist the devil and he will" what? "Flee from you." We are never told to bind Satan. We are never told to bind demons. We are never told to plead the Blood on Satan and demons. Listen to Jude 9, "Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you.'" Even Michael, who is "superangel," did not dare rebuke Satan. But rather said, "Lord, you take care of him." And if Michael, as a holy angel, does not take to himself the exercise of authority over fallen angels, where would we find a mandate to do that?

The Bible simply tells us, that if you want to deal with the enemy, you put on the whole armor of God, right? You put on the whole armor of God, and you'll be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We are not called to take dominion over the institutions of this world. We are not called to take dominion over demons and over the devil. We are called to get on our spiritual armor, to resist that demonic world and trust in the power of God, who does take care of them.

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The Rising World Religion
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for September, 2005

The Rising World Religion

Neo-paganism, Neo-satanism or Neo-christianity - What's the Difference?

"Stop looking too far into things and ruining it for the youth. ... Stop casting judgment on symbols.... I am a Satanist, but don't judge me as a Satan worshipper. I have no guilt of what I do. It is Christians who should feel guilt." Jasyn, a visitor to our website

"I believe in GOD. I go to church, I pray. I love Harry Potter. It's a fun movie, and in NO way promotes 'evil' witchcraft. That is why the characters are 'good' characters." Laura, a visitor to our website.

"I play Dungeons & Dragons, read comic books, watch Star Wars, play video games, and believe in one of God's great mysteries: evolution. I am also a Christian. These things are not mutually exclusive. Stories are a gift He gave us to entertain, explain, and educate. By telling and glorifying something like magic, we don't teach that it is right. We teach that it is fun." Louis, a visitor to our website

"...the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light...." John 3:19

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Faulty Premises of the Church Growth Movement
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for September, 2005

Faulty Premises of the Church Growth Movement

By Pastor Bob DeWaay

Please read the entire article at
www.twincityfellowship.com/cic/articles/issue89.htm

“They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1John 4:5, 6)

“It is my deep conviction that anybody can be won to Christ if you discover the key to his or her heart. . . . It may take some time to identify it. But the most likely place to start is with the person’s felt needs.”1 (Rick Warren)

...the Apostle John... says that the world will not listen to a true, unsullied Christian message. Rick Warren says that anybody can be won to Christ if we discover a message that will interest them through promising to meet their felt needs. These concepts are contradictory. The Biblical idea is that we must speak God’s unchanging message of the gospel whether the world hates us or not:

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19).

The Church Growth idea is that we must study man (using the latest sociological, psychological, and anthropological insights) to determine how to create a church that will grow and a message that will be popular through appealing to a target audience. Someone is wrong here....

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Compromise and Confusion in the Churches--Mohler
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for July, 2005

Compromise and Confusion in the Churches
Friday, July 01, 2005

The church today finds itself assaulted without--and even within--by a culture and worldview of untruth, anti-truth, and postmodern irrationality. In fact, researchers increasingly report that a majority of evangelicals themselves reject the notion of absolute or objective truth. The seductive lure of postmodern relativism has pervaded many evangelical pulpits and countless evangelical pews, often couched as humility, sensitivity, or sophistication. The culture has us in its grip, and many feel no discomfort.

The absence of doctrinal precision and biblical preaching marks the current evangelical age. Doctrine is considered outdated by some and divisive by others. The confessional heritage of the church is neglected and, in some cases, seems even to be an embarrassment to updated evangelicals. Expository preaching--once the hallmark and distinction of the evangelical pulpit--has been replaced in many churches by motivational messages, therapeutic massaging of the self, and formulas for health, prosperity, personal integration, and celestial harmony.

Almost a century ago, J.C. Ryle, the great evangelical bishop, warned of such diversions from truth: "I am afraid of an inward disease which appears to be growing and spreading in all the Churches of Christ throughout the world. That disease is a disposition on the part of ministers to abstain from all sharply-cut doctrine, and a distaste on the part of professing Christians for all distinct statements of dogmatic truth."

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The Bloodless Gospel
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2005

Understand The Times Radio Commentary
by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

BLOODLESS GOSPEL

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not the gospel unless the blood of Jesus was shed. Man can not be saved unless he understands and accepts this, ask for forgiveness of our sins and repent. There are many in the church today who say the gospel is too “bloody” and “offensive” for seekers. Can the gospel be watered down and diluted?

There is a trend in the church today known as “seeker-friendly.” The goal of the church is not to teach the body the scriptures. If we make the services more contemporary and less threatening then we can attract more seekers, they say. Eventually these seekers will find out what they are really seeking and discover Jesus. However, if you shock these seekers by confronting them with the “blood of Jesus” or telling them braking God’s law is sin, they will run away instead.

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Protestant Church "Lowlights"--Koenig
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for May, 2005

The Protestant “replacement theology” churches are continuing to develop an alarming legacy. Sadly, and biblically speaking, they are getting worse rather than better.

Some of the church organizations are pro-gay and favor gay ordination, while others are moving much closer to accepting the lifestyle.

One major church organization (United Methodist Church) is pro-choice in its abortion position, while other church organizations have many pro-choice members.

Martin Luther, John Wesley, John Calvin and other church fathers would cringe over some of the recent news items below — not to forget some of their churches’ political positions. However, and ironically, their belief that the prophetic scriptures of the Bible are allegorical and not literal opened the door to the discounting and/or the re-interpretation of other scriptures by parts of the Church on today’s moral issues and the covenant land of Israel.

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Christian "Self-Esteem"
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2005

Havner wrote at a time when the work of one of America's most influential pioneers of Christian happy-talk was fomenting what is still a powerful factor in the happy-talk world. A follower of Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller has become the face and voice of today's "Christian" self-esteem movement. Of course, there is nothing Christian or biblical about Schuller's self-idolatry message. It is clearly more akin to New Age thinking.

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Mary for Protestants?
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for March, 2005

Mary for Protestants? A New Look at an Old Question
3/18/2005
Albert Mohler

Should Mary be venerated by Protestants? That question frames the March 21, 2005 cover story for TIME magazine. David Van Biema has written an expansive and insightful report on contemporary developments among Protestants--developments that may influence some evangelicals.

Van Biema begins by introducing Reverend Brian Maguire, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio. Pastor Maguire has decided to combine his church's Good Friday observance with a Marian Festival, calling this move "a beautiful, poetic opportunity." As Van Biema notes, this kind of attention to Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have been controversial just a few years ago.

Nevertheless, the situation has changed so much that TIME's cover carries this explanation: "Catholics have long revered her, but now Protestants are finding their own reasons to celebrate the mother of Jesus." What's going on here?

The TIME cover story is part of a larger phenomenon, with many mainline Protestants turning to a reconsideration of Mary and incorporating the veneration of Mary into personal devotions and corporate worship. Some are going so far as to acknowledge Mary as an intercessor, addressing prayers to her as well as to other saints.
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Reiki, Thomas Merton & Richard Foster
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for February, 2005

M]ystical pragmatism is growing particularly fast through various New Age healing techniques. One such procedure is called Reiki (pronounced ray-key), a Japanese word that translates universal life energy or God energy. It has also been referred to as the Radiance Technique. Reiki is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist healing system, rediscovered by a Japanese man in the 1800s and only recently has come to the West.

The Reiki technique consists of placing the hands on the recipient and then activating the energy to flow through the practitioner and into the recipient. One practitioner described the experience in the following way:

When doing it, I become a channel through which this force, this juice of the universe, comes pouring from my palms into the body of the person I am touching, sometimes lightly, almost imperceptibly, sometimes in famished sucking drafts. I get it even as I’m giving it. It surrounds the two of us, patient and practitioner.
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Christian Leaders Speak Against Israel--Koenig
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for April, 2004

Influential Christian Leaders Speak Against Israel's Biblical Significance and Her Land - Bill Koenig

Leaders of replacement theology churches, ministries and preterists/amillennialist do not acknowledge the biblical and prophetic significance of what is unfolding in Israel and the world today.

Below are examples from a commentary and sermons from Chuck Colson, Dr. Joseph (Skip) Ryan and Dr. John Piper on Israel, Jews and the covenant land.

These men are very influential and are major voices throughout America. Colson has an excellent relationship with President Bush and his top staff. His Prison Fellowship Ministry will be a financial benefactor of the president's faith-based initiative program. Skip Ryan of Dallas is the pastor of one of President Bush's closest friends whom we have spoken to about Israel for two years. John Piper is a Minneapolis pastor with a national radio ministry and a new best selling book "The Passion of Jesus Christ."

"Eye to Eye" is a tool that is being used to show specific examples of the seriousness and consequences of endangering the 'apple of God's eye' and dividing His land. We encourage you to get "Eye to Eye," read the book, and then give it to another person to read. Pray that the Spirit of God will open their 'eyes and ears' to what the Spirit is saying about God's special relationship with Israel.
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MacArthur: Re-Invented Gospel Being Preached Today
--> Posted to Spiritual_Deception for January, 2004

Pastor Says Some Churches Preaching 'Reinvented' Gospel

A well-known Christian author and pastor is concerned that a growing number of Evangelical ministers are watering down the gospel message in order to be "seeker sensitive."

Dr. John MacArthur says many Evangelical pastors are presenting what he calls a "reinvented designer pop gospel" in hopes of making Christianity appear more attractive or culturally relevant.

The pastor of Grace Community Church in San Valley, California, says those who preach in that fashion have a weak view of the authority and power of scripture.