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Spiritual Research Network.org


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SRN Resources

—A Directory of Authors: Three NOT Recommended Lists
—How to Know if You Are Being Spiritually Abused or Deceived—A Spiritual Abuse Questionnaire
—The Alpha Course: An Evangelical Contradiction
—Yoga and Christianity: Are They Compatible?
—Taizé—A Community and Worship: Ecumenical Reconciliation or an Interfaith Delusion?
—Jesus Calling Sarah Young Exposé​ Archive—A closer look at Sarah Young's dangerous occult (hidden) teachings

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See also


Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Benny Hinn: A Simple Over-Sight, Perhaps?

Benny Hinn: A Simple Over-Sight, Perhaps?
'Sometimes, it's the small stuff that makes a big difference'

An Observation by Bud Press
January 31, 2007

While watching Benny Hinn's January 26, 2007 This Is Your Day telecast (
Archive Shows, London, England), I couldn't help but notice the small stuff, which can be easily overlooked during the emotional drama of Hinn's "healing" crusades.

At 5min-57sec into the telecast, the first person shown to claim a healing was a woman who had suffered from multiple injuries during an auto accident. As the woman stood on-stage with Benny Hinn, she explained that her injuries were to her back, neck, head, and shoulder. Also, the woman said she had suffered from arthritis for the last 14 years, resulting in the loss of use of her shoulder for the past year.

The woman's husband, who accompianied her on the stage, also suffered from arthritis, and had been under the care of chiropractors.

Benny Hinn placed his hands on the pair and they fell backwards, into the arms of Hinn's body-catchers, of course.

At 7min-20sec into the telecast, two women walked onto the stage side-by-side. One woman, in particular, suffered from arthritis in her shoulder, and believed God had healed her. Hinn placed his hands on both of the women, and they fell backwards into the waiting arms of Hinn's body-catchers.

At 9min-19sec into the telecast, a woman who had suffered from eye problems; "fluttering" and "swelling" of the eyes for five years, came on stage to claim her healing. Hinn walked past the woman and introduced Pastor Zach from Orlando, Florida, then laid hands on the woman and gave praise to to Jesus.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Stopping the paganization of America

The following article can be found at WorldviewWeekend.Com

Stopping the paganization of America

When the paganization of America is reported in the New York Times, one begins to wonder if one needs a new pair of reading glasses.

On Oct. 6, 2006, Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times said that the number of Evangelical Christian teenagers could be declining rapidly from 35 percent among baby boomers to 4 percent among today's teenagers, "if current trends continue." The Times quoted many young Christians who had trouble keeping the faith in the midst of peer pressure, consumerism, cynicism, and lust inflamed by the mass media of entertainment.

In 1950, 70 percent of all British children had a working knowledge of the Bible. Now, it's about 4 percent. The children without a working knowledge of the Bible no longer understand the biblical perspective, Thou shalt not steal, lie, lust, etc., and are susceptible to the winds of every crazy belief system that comes along.

Click here to read entirte article...

http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/article.php?ArticleID=1173

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A Group of prominent scientists and security experts say "...closer to nuclear Armageddon"

"This is interesting. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, keepers of the doomsday clock since 1945, will be moving the clock forward on 17-January-2007 due to recent developments in WMD and other global indicators."

L.R.
Inverness, Scotland

Their official website is offline until 17-January-2007.
http://www.thebulletin.org/index.htm
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Doomsday_Clock_Graph.png

Here are a couple of links to articles:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070112/ts_nm/doomsday_clock_dc_2

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/12/doomsday.clock.reut/index.html?section=cnn_latesthttp://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=62731

Sunday, January 14, 2007

The Christianizing of Ancient Idolatrous Worship Practices - A Review Of The Video "God's Fingerprints In Japan"

SRN Suggets reading:

"A Review Of The Video "God's Fingerprints In Japan"

by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 5/06

"...In his search for the creator God in Japan Kikawa has built a cross cultural relationship by Christianizing ancient idolatrous worship practices, making people think through his presentation that nearly every people group/culture has truths about God that were put by God in their culture-and that they knew him."
http://www.letusreason.org/ecumen8.htm

Read the following articles:
(1) A Review Of The Video "God's Fingerprints In Japan"
(2) Hirata Atsutane in Kami
(3) Gateways to God, Sumo wrestling and the way of Tea
(4) Communion with Tea, Buddha and Endorsements

Friday, January 12, 2007

Surprise!!! - Not Every Book You Read Will Lead to Spiritual Health - Check Out The Master List!

Surprise!!!
- Not Every Book You Read Will Lead to Spiritual Health.

READ THE MASTER LIST
Of Contemplative, Cultic, Heretical, New Age, Homosexual, Lesbian, Pro-Gay, Transgendered and Word-Faith Authors and Books found Advertised and Promoted within Numerous, Major Online Christian Bookstores Worldwide
Revised & Updated: September 30, 2006

To the Reader:
The following is a Master List of Contemplative, Cultic, Heretical, New Age Movement, Homosexual, Lesbian, Pro-Gay and Transgendered authors and books found advertised and promoted within numerous, major online Christian bookstores worldwide. While special care has been taken to provide current and accurate information, the reader is encouraged to check and verify the names prior to their removal....
Read Master List...

You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your Pastor.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your local Christians bookstore.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your Church Leaders.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your home group leader.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your fellow Christians.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your Christian Employer.
You may also want to print the Master List and give it to your Worship leader.
You may also want to print the Master List and keep a copy of it in your home.

How the Church of Scientology Found its Way Into British Politics

How the Church of Scientology found its way into British politics

This Is London, January 12, 2007

The controversial Scientology sect was accused of trying to inflitrate British politics last night after it emerged that they paid thousands of pounds to both the Labour and Tory parties.

Members of Labour's ruling executive committee, on which Tony Blair sits, approved the payment from a charity which is closely linked to the Church of Scientology, which boasts Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its members.

Labour allowed the charity, the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), to pay between £3,500 and £13,500 for a stall at the party's annual conference in Manchester.
Tory bosses also sanctioned a stand at their annual gathering in Bournemouth.

But MPs expressed concern after it emerged that they were part of an extensive lobbying operation by Scientology members to promote its drug treatment programme, Narconon, and the criminal rehabilitation scheme Criminon.

The "religion" founded by science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard, was once branded "corrupt, sinister, immoral and dangerous" by High Court judge Mr Justice Latey.

The Home Office has refused to sanction Narconon because it "does not meet the minimum standard for drug treatment delivery. It has never been funded by the Prison Service."

Click here to read the entire article...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23381539-details/How+the+Church+of+Scientology+found+its+way+into+British+politics/article.do

Thursday, January 11, 2007

OVER 3000 CHRISTIANS IN FREEDOM RALLY OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TO OPPOSE LAW THAT REQUIRES CHRISTIANS TO CONDONE PRACTICES THE BIBLE TEACHES ARE WRONG

OVER 3000 CHRISTIANS IN FREEDOM RALLY OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TO OPPOSE LAW THAT REQUIRES CHRISTIANS TO CONDONE PRACTICES THE BIBLE TEACHES ARE WRONG

11th January 2007

Summary

The police estimated that over 3000 Christians, as well as a small number from other faith groups, attended last night’s peaceful torch-lit rally outside Parliament (see link to photos, below).

The rally was a fantastic witness to Christ as hundreds of banners (primarily with the slogans ‘freedom of conscience’ and ‘freedom to believe’) were held aloft and worship songs were sung. The sound of the songs and prayers could be heard across the Parliament area.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

LINKS
The BBC news online coverage of the rally can be found at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6243323.stm

The coverage from the Daily Telegraph can be found at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/01/09/do0901.xml and
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/09/ngay09.xml

Also
Daily Mail, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Herald.

Please sign the petition to the Queen (now in relation to the England, Wales and Scotland SORs,) at
http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sorpetition.php

Photos of the rally can be found on the Christian Concern website at
http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/imagesrally/album/

Will Christians Be FORCED to Accept Homosexuality as a Legitimate Lifestyle?

News Item from Christian Concern

OVER 3000 CHRISTIANS IN FREEDOM RALLY OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TO OPPOSE LAW THAT REQUIRES CHRISTIANS TO CONDONE PRACTICES THE BIBLE TEACHES ARE WRONG

11th January 2007

Summary: The police estimated that over 3000 Christians, as well as a small number from other faith groups, attended last night’s peaceful torch-lit rally outside Parliament (see link to photos, below).

The rally was a fantastic witness to Christ as hundreds of banners (primarily with the slogans ‘freedom of conscience’ and ‘freedom to believe’) were held aloft and worship songs were sung. The sound of the songs and prayers could be heard across the Parliament area.

Meanwhile, the motion to annul the Northern Ireland SORs was defeated in the House of Lords by 199 to 68: the sizeable majority had been anticipated as the Government whipped their Peers into opposing the motion, and the Lib Dems similarly required their Peers to support the Government line. The lack of freedom of conscience for Peers can perhaps be seen as symbolic…

Read Entire Article ...
http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sor/11jan7.php

http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk and http://www.lawcf.org

ALSO AT CHRISTIAN CONCERN:
London Mosque
Sexual Orientation Regulations
Freedom to preach
Euthanasia
Equality Bill
Legislative & Regulatory Reform Bill
Abortion
Embryo
Christians & employment
Gambling
Other
Glossary of terms

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Rick Warren: Is he or isn't he?

Rick Warren: Is he or isn't he?
by Joseph Farah

Posted: January 9, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53688

Who are you going to believe – Rick Warren or your own eyes?

That's the dilemma I face.

You see, back in November, I had a series of e-mail exchanges with the pastor of Saddleback Church and the best-selling author of "The Purpose-Driven Life."

Among several interesting revelations of that dialogue was Warren's admission – a boast, really – that he is a member in good standing of the Council on Foreign Relations, an organization specifically founded to attack national sovereignty, to promote world government and to enlist U.S. church leaders in those goals.

It was in the context of our debate over Warren's characterization of Syria as a "moderate" country that provides religious freedom to Christians that I suggested the media's favorite mega-pastor should have sought counsel from someone like me – a Christian journalist of Syrian and Lebanese heritage who has covered and analyzed the Middle East for the last 25 years. Warren explained, somewhat condescendingly, that he had counseled with the National Security Council and the White House, as well as the State Department, before his little pilgrimage to Damascus.

''In fact,'' Warren added, ''as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Oxford Analytica, I might know as much about the Middle East as you.'' I hadn't asked about the CFR. I didn't use thumbscrews to pry this information out of him. He volunteered this bombshell in a written communication.

But there's something deeply disturbing I have learned about Warren: He generally tells people what they want to hear. And evidently he didn't realize how alienating news of his membership in the CFR would be to many in his own flock.

So what did he do?
Read What he did here...http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53688

Monday, January 08, 2007

The Edinburgh Vaults - The Haunted Underground

More demonic activity in Edinburgh.

For those who are reading, only the power of the Lord Jesus Christ can overcome the wicked forces of evil manifesting in Edinburgh, a city hailed as "the most haunted city in the world". Colossians 2:13-15 says:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."


From a recent news email:

The wonderful story of the underground city.

The Edinburgh Vaults have a few major entrances which are only a few minutes walk away from us here. They are constructed in the labyrinth under the South Bridge and extend back into the hillside beneath the city. Originally constructed in the 1700's they were sealed off before the close of that century and forgotten about until 30 years ago when they were opened for the first time in 200 years. What has been found inside makes them one of the most haunted places not only in the UK but in the world.

In the part of the vaults we visited there are 3 things to see: a currently in use Witches Temple, an empty but haunted vault with a poltergeist, and an abandoned witches temple with a forbidden altar.

The worst part of our adventure was the abandoned temple to be honest. But first if you scoff at the poltergeist room then you need to know that there was definite activity down there just 2 days ago because one of the tour guides was attacked with a metal bar that came out of the blocked off part of the vaults that no one is allowed into. There is a 4 ft appature that is mostly blocked off and just 2 nights ago a tour group heard a metal clang from beyond this barricade and then something drop over it that sounded metalic and then the tour guide was hit on the leg by a metal bar which visibly just flew at her. This wasn't set up either. She was targetted because the poltergeist is known for attacking women who stand on the left hand side of the room and a foreigner who was told that all women need to keep to the right didn't understand English and someone didn't switch off their phone. So when the tour guide chased after the woman that's when she became a target. So there is clear activity down there!

The abandoned temple is now just an empty room with a 10 ft diameter stone circle. 10 years ago the grand wizard of the coven set up this temple but didn't buy a proper witches mirror but instead just took it off an old wardrobe door. So because witchcraft is highly symbolic this window was turned into a doorway that could be enterred into in either direction, so something definitely came in. The members of the coven started to report things being broken randomly in the temple and then were violently attacked. So George Cameron who set up the temple spent a night down there in the temple in the middle of the circle, which is used to protect witches in their ceremonies. So much happened that night around him that he immediately the next day began removing everything from the temple and turned the stone circle into a prison to trap whatever spirits had been released. All he didn't touch was the mirror. But one of his non-believing friends came along and took down the mirror but in defiance walked through the middle of the circle in enterring and leaving the temple. He didn't last 5 minutes after that. So we were warned not to step into the circle but to keep a very safe distance. Over the last 8 years that the vaults have been open the people who have stepped into the circle have reported attacks at home and similar experiences to what happened to Cameron that night.

I absolutely believe that that stuff is real. If you mess with that stuff then you will only get things you won't expect and would rather not see. You could feel that there was something not right down there. As I was telling Stefan and Calum, instead of mocking there should be real caution about such things because that stuff is real.

The currently in use temple is all kitted out in everything and has the big pentagram and everything. Not good! It's probably the worst place in Edinburgh after Salisbury House which is the centre of occult worship and is just 20 minutes away from us here.

Revealed: How Scientologists Infiltrated Britain's Schools

Revealed: how Scientologists infiltrated Britain's schools

Insight: Drugs charity is front for ‘dangerous’ organisation

Devotees of the Church of Scientology have gained access to thousands of British children through a charity that visits schools to lecture on the dangers of drugs. A Sunday Times investigation has found that Marlborough College is one of more than 500 schools across Britain where the charity has taught.

Critics of the charity, Narconon, say it is a front to promote the teaching of Scientology — the controversial “religion” founded by L Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer....


Read Entire Article at The Sunday Times - Britain...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2535187,00.html

Friday, January 05, 2007

Protestants Looking At Mary in New Light

Protestants Looking At Mary in New Light

Article posted in
(Friday church news notes, january 5, 2007, http://www.wayoflife.org/ fbns@wayoflife.org)

A growing number of protestants and evangelicals are looking at Mary in a more catholic light today, fueled by Hollywood movies (i.e., the passion of the Christ and the nativity story), books (i.e., the real Mary by Scot McKnight and blessed one by Beverly Gaventa), ecumenical associations, the charismatic movement, organizations such as the legion of Mary, and the spirit of apostasy that is in the air in these last days (2 timothy 4:3-4).

An article in the Miami herald for December 24 observed that a Lutheran church in Orlando features a nearly life-sized statue of Mary and the infant Jesus, an Episcopal church in Sarasota celebrates the feast day of the virgin of Guadalupe, and a united Methodist church in Chicago has a statue of Guadalupe in its sanctuary. Christianity today, the associated Baptist press, and the Lutheran have featured articles calling for Mary’s reappropriation. Since its inception in the 1960s, the charismatic "renewal" in the roman catholic church has exalted Mary. In 1979 light of life, India’s most influential evangelical magazine, asked if the charismatic Catholics' views of Mary had changed.

They responded: "nothing has happened to the great mother of god. She still remains queen of heaven and earth, respected, loved and venerated" (light of life, June 1979).

That same year Tyndale house published Michael Harper’s book the three sisters, which traced the growing ecumenical unity of evangelical Protestantism Evangeline), Pentecostalism (charisma), and roman Catholicism (roma). On page 49 Harper, an Anglican, exclaimed: "oh, what an enrichment it has been to meet with Catholics and to be introduced to some of the treasure stores of catholic life! The virgin Mary has come alive and I feel I know her now, in the same way as my evangelical heritage helped to know St. Paul."

At the north American congress on the holy spirit & world evangelization in new Orleans in July 1987, which brought together roughly 40,000 representatives of 40 denominations, there were many books for sale promoting the alleged Mary visitations at Medjugorje, Fatima, and Lourdes. The late and very influential assemblies of god preacher David Duplessis, who was called "Mr. Pentecost," believed that Mary was truly appearing at Medjugorje in Yugoslavia. He is listed on page 135 of the book "is the virgin Mary appearing at\ Medjugorje" (the word among us press, 1984).

A catholic priest who spoke at Indianapolis '90, an ecumenical charismatic conference that i attended with press credentials, told how that Protestants have learned to pray the rosary, which features prayers to Mary, through their relationships with Catholics in the anti-abortion movement. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15:33).

Prophezine Special Note:

Note the HEAVY Catholic influence, Mary is alive and living well in the evangelical movements AND TBN today…

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Ok, then, I'm a Fundamentalist ~ The Enemy of the 21st Century and the New Church Order


"There it is…the new "f" word representing all that is terrible and wrong within the church. It's Fundamentalism. Just saying the word in the New Church Order* in America today is probably far worse than blurting out the old "f" word…which they might tolerate much better.
In an e-mail recently received from Deborah Dombrowski's
Lighthouse Trails Research Project, I was discouraged to see Rick Warren criticizing 'fundamentalism' again. The quote from the Philadelphia Enquirer article reads as follows:


"Warren predicts that fundamentalism, of all varieties, will be 'one of the big enemies of the 21st century.' "Muslim fundamentalism, Christian fundamentalism, Jewish fundamentalism, secular fundamentalism - they're all motivated by fear. Fear of each other.'"1


Seems that Rick Warren is peddling a bit of fear himself. Just what does he need to fear from Christian fundamentalism? Why does he feel the need to identify Muslim fundamentalism with Christian fundamentalism? They are not the same. Far more than mere implication, Warren seems to lump fundamentalists all together to imply that Christian fundamentalism is just as bad as Muslim fundamentalism. And we all know the fruits of Muslim fundamentalism…terrorism, murder, fighting, war, and such.


This is not the first time that Rick Warren has addressed Christian fundamentalists…
"Today there really aren't that many Fundamentalists left; I don't know if you know that or not, but they are such a minority; there aren't that many Fundamentalists left in America."
2


If so few Christian fundamentalists exist, how can they possibly...:




READ MORE ARTICLES BY SCOTT MACINTYRE
Articles by Scott MacIntyre
(Read Bio)
We Choose Our Outrage Against Rick Warren - NEW
Doctrine and Deeds - Something to Balance?
'Emergent Church' Philosophy Infiltrating Christian Camping
My Dad and The Truth
Calvary Chapel Distinctives: A Tale of Two Churches
How Can These Things Be? The Pastors Role in Church Deception
Gee, What Should I Preach On? Processed Food for the Franchised Church
Ok, then, I'm a Fundamentalist --The Enemy of the 21st Century and the New Church Order
Striving to Maintain
Serving Two Masters: When It's Time to Leave Your Church
Church of the Morphing Hybrid
My Purpose Driven Perspective-
The Culture of Followers 8/05
The Promise of Persecution
Calvary Chapels & Purpose Driven ~ A Poor Marriage (6/22/05)
Purpose-Driven Ironies:Some Brief Passing Thoughts --
Contemporary Music in the Church: Culprit, Symptom, or Innocent Bystander - 2/15
Keep Your Bible Near - 2/2
Why No Repentance? - 1/24
Worshipping Worship Music - 1/17
Merchandisers in the Church
A Family's Purpose Driven Diversion
Purpose Driven Methods

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Beliefwatch: Blasphemy

The following news excerpt below this commentary note covers a very sad story - youth encouraging one another to reject God and attempt to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. This is just further proof that the heart of man is desperately wicked, even from his/her youth.

Genesis 6:5 says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." And Genesis 8:21 says,

"...for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth..."

Word of CAUTION for those who dent God, Christ and the Holy Spirit:

Psalm 14:1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.Psalm 14:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 14 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 53:1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.Psalm 53:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 53 (Whole Chapter)

---SRN

The following is from Newsweek - Jan. 8, 2006
Beliefwatch: Blasphemy

'Hi my name is Lindy and I deny the existence of the Holy Spirit and you should too.'

"With that five-second submission to YouTube, a 24-year-old who uses the name "menotsimple" has either condemned herself to an eternity of punishment in the afterlife or struck a courageous blow against superstition. She's one of more than 400 mostly young people who have joined a campaign by the Web site
BlasphemyChallenge.com to stake their souls against the existence of God. That, of course, is the ultimate no-win wager, as the 17th-century French mathematician Blaise Pascal calculated—it can't be settled until you're dead, and if you lose, you go to hell..."

Read Entire Article...
-------------->>>>>>>>>

Find the love of God here:
Who Is the Real Jesus Christ...
How to Be Saved from Hell...
Surrender your life to Christ, the SAVIOR OF SINNERS, who ALONE can save you from sin, death, wrath and hell. AND SELF..

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Purpose Driven Resisters - Must Leave or Die Those who oppose the "program" are called leaders from hell.

 
"The phone calls and emails started coming in about three years ago. Sometimes the caller was in his mid-eighties, sometimes the caller was crying. But all of them had the same kind of story to tell - when their churches decided to get involved with 40 Days of Purpose, everything began changing and when they questioned these changes, they each soon found themselves silenced, ostracized and eventually without a church to attend. Now today, nearly five years after Purpose Driven Life was released, thousands of believers are scattered throughout the world, having been ridiculed and demoralized for even just the slightest questioning of the Purpose Driven program. In one email we received, the young man was handed a letter from his pastor. The letter had been written by a Saddleback field representative who told the pastor to do what he had to do to get rid of those opposing the new program.
 
According to Rick Warren, these people are resisters and are standing in the way of Purpose Driven progress. In a June 14th article written by Rick Warren on his website (What Do You Do When Your Church Hits a Plateau? ), Warren told pastors and church leaders not to be discouraged about slow change in their churches. He told them it would take time ... and in many cases it would take these resisters either leaving the church or simply dying. Warren stated:
If your church has been plateaued for six months, it might take six months to get it going again. If it's been plateaued a year, it might take a year. If it's been plateaued for 20 years, you've got to set in for the duration! I'm saying some people are going to have to die or leave.
 
Moses had to wander around the desert for 40 years while God killed off a million people before he let them go into the Promised Land. That may be brutally blunt, but it's true. There may be people in your church who love God sincerely, but who will never, ever change.
 

Monday, January 01, 2007

Christian or Christ follower

Christian or Christ follower
Article from the Lighthouse Trails Blog
 
Christian or Christ follower. It's a distinction that is being made more and more today, and often the latter term, Christ follower, is replacing the former term, Christian. Even many Christian leaders are making the switch. But just what does it mean? Emerging church leader, Erwin McManus says his "goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ." In McManus' book, The Barbarian Way, he talks about being "awakened" to a "primal longing that ... waits to be unleashed within everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ." McManus says that the "greatest enemy to the movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity [i.e., Christians]." A video series on YouTube.com called "Christian No More" (by Christian Community Church) exemplifies this view by portraying those who call themselves Christians as shallow church-goers who wear suits and ties, have Christian bumper stickers on their cars and prefer the King James Version. This video is evidence that it is increasingly more popular to call oneself a Christ follower rather than a Christian.
Interestingly, most of those leaders who seem to be downplaying the name Christian and promoting the appropriation of the term "Christ follower" are contemplative spirituality proponents. One contemplative advocate, Rick Warren, has the term throughout his pastors.com website. Lee Strobel refers to it in his book Case for Christ (Student Edition), and Wesleyan pastor David Drury has a Christ Follower Pop Quiz on his web site to help determine if you are really a "Christ follower."
This theme of anti-"Christian" sentiment is not going to disappear any time soon. Book titles, for example, express this growing attitude. One book, Why One Can Be a Christian or a Christ Follower (But Not Both), by Floyd Henderson, is a case in point. Emerging church leader and labyrinth promoter Dan Kimball has a new book coming out next spring called, "They Like Jesus, But Not the Church....