Plans Changed for Bob Coy and the Exponential Conference

The following is a very important article for pastors as well as all Christians.   What we are seeing in the church today is nothing less than a gigantic postmodern paradigm shift in Christianity.    We must remember  that our first and last line of defense is the Word of God.   Nothing less will suffice to keep the Christian believer on track.  May every Christian who reads this take heed!

 - Chris Lawson

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Plans Changed for Bob Coy and the Exponential Conference

Source: Lighthouse Trails

Update on the Exponential 2007 Conference

On September 16th, Lighthouse Trails issued a report titled "Bob Coy Joins Contemplative Promoters Rick Warren and John Ortberg for Conference." On October 12th in a telephone conversation, personnel at the Crown Financial Ministries office (the major sponsor for the event) said that originally Bob Coy was scheduled to be physically present at the conference, but plans had changed for undisclosed reasons and while he would still be participating in the event, he would be addressing the audience through a videotaped session instead.

Coy's church, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, has been carrying and selling books by several contemplatives and/or emergents (see examples below), including material by Rick Warren. This has resulted in people contacting Lighthouse Trails with concerns and confusion because of Calvary Chapel's statements last year (see recall notice and position paper) that denounced both Purpose Driven and the emerging church. Since then, Calvary Chapel's founding pastor, Chuck Smith has spoken on the pulpit and on the radio on several occasions against both contemplative spirituality and the emerging church. 

NOTE:  The rest of this article addresses good and bad things that are happening in the Calvary Chapel movement and many denominations.  We encourage you to read this article in its entirety.

Read Full Article

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=834&more=1&c=1

Hindu Council United Kingdom Attacks ‘Illegal’ Church Ban on YOGA

Truly East has Come West!  And now the West, having embraced the East, is feeling its serpentine bite.

As any Biblical Christian understands, Christianity is not a popularity contest - there is a cost to being a Christian!  Included in the cost of following Christ is that Christians are to depart from, reject, and have nothing to do with pagan practices and false religion.   Standing true to the convictions of the Bible and not waffling in the wind of compromise is the real issue.  Like always, the world does not like that.  In this case, calling YOGA  "...a "sham", a "false philosophy" and "unchristian" " is causing Lawyers for the Hindu Council United Kingdom  (HCUK) to "explore" further whether Christians have violated the 'Religion and Belief' section of the United Kingdom Equality Act 2006.

Truly East has Come West!  "HCUK's spokesperson on Yoga, Amarjeet-singh Bhamra added: 

"Yoga is one of the oldest known medical systems enshrined in the Atharva Veda, 

the most ancient Hindu book on wisdom, 

and it is now at the forefront of holistic and integrated medicine in the West.

"It is very disappointing that such medieval-like irrational prejudice is still allowed to flourish in the Christian Church in 21st Century multicultural Britain."

The following excerpts are from the September 4, 2007 Christianity Today  article entitled, 

Hindu Council Attacks 'Illegal' Church Ban on Yoga

The Hindu Council UK (HCUK), the largest national network of Hindu organisations within the UK, is considering whether a ban on yoga classes at St James' Church and the Silver Street Baptist Church in Taunton, Somerset, may breach the Equality Act 2006.

Lawyers for HCUK are exploring whether comments made by both The Reverend Tim Jones, Vicar of St James' and The Reverend Simon Farrar of the Silver Street Baptist Church that yoga is a "sham", a "false philosophy" and "unchristian" may indicate they have acted contrary to the 'Religion and Belief' section of the Act, specifically those parts relating to discrimination in providing goods, facilities and services.

HCUK is also considering whether to ask the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to investigate whether the priests' comments amount to "instructing or causing discrimination".

HCUK General Secretary Anil Bhanot said: "These priests might appear to be advising Christians not to practice yoga because they believe it is based on a 'sham' and a 'false philosophy' but what in effect they mean is that Hinduism is a false religion.

Read Full Article...

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/hindu.council.attacks.illegal.church.ban.on.yoga/12812.htm 

Read Chris Lawson's Commentary on Hindu Council Attacks 'Illegal' Church Ban on Yoga

The Whole Basis of YOGA (and Hinduism)

http://spiritual-research-network.blogspot.com/2007/10/whole-basis-of-yoga-and-hinduism.html

The Whole Basis of YOGA (and Hinduism)

The whole basis of YOGA (and Hinduism) is the pantheistic, and panentheistic occult philosophy of Eastern occult religion.  The arousal of Kundalini [occult] energy, the "Serpent Power", is the foundation and ultimate aim of all YOGA!  To believe otherwise is to be ignorant of the facts and to reject what the world's leading YOGA authorities and occult texts say.

For any Christian to practice YOGA in any way, shape, or form is to compromise the very foundation of the Christian Worldview.  It is also a blatant compromise of one's personal  faith and obedience to Jesus Christ.  (1 Cor. 6:14-7:1)

"Christian YOGA", and Christians "doing" Yoga, is to put into practice the ultimate oxymoron.   To do so is to subtlely bring occult philosophy (through its occult methodology) into the church.

Christians, like Muslims, Jains, Sufis, Hindus, etc., have every right to be set apart (1 Cor. 6:14-7:1) from that which they would personally consider to be an abomination.  In the case of the Christian, the God of the Bible condemns all occultism and every form of paganism as an abomination - this would also include YOGA, which comes straight out of the world of the the occult.  (See also Lev.19:31; 20:6; 20:27; Num.22:7; 23:23; Deut. 13; 18:9-14; 29:4; Jer.14:14; 29:8; Ezekiel 12:24; 13:6-7; 21:22,23; Acts 16:16...)

Some say YOGA predates Hinduism.  Even if it does that is beside the point! YOGA is still occult in nature and can lead humans into all manner of spiritual, mental, psychological, physical and physiological chaos - including severe possession states, suicidal tendencies, irreversible brain damage, undiagnosable diseases, extreme psychoses, excruciating pain, etc. 

Christians should be allowed to NOT do YOGA and to warn others of the dangers involved in YOGA.  They should also be allowed to attend churches where loving and informed pastors and church leadership will warn them of the dangers of YOGA.

For information and well researched, balanced articles about the dangers of YOGA, visit:

http://www.spiritual-research-network.com/#Yoga

http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ChristianYoga.htm

http://www.christianresearchservice.com/SBCYogaandtheNewAge.htm

http://www.erwm.com/Yoga.htm

DVD exposing the occult roots of YOGA: 

YOGA UNCOILED

http://www.carylmatrisciana.com/media/YOGA_Uncoiled/inv-010.php

Seminars exposing YOGA and its dangers:

Spiritual Research Network - Chris Lawson

http://www.spiritual-research-network.com/about_seminars.asp

One Truth - Brian Flynn

http://www.onetruthministries.com/

It is my sincere hope that this small comment will be of use to help people (and Christians) avoid the dangers that we have seen as a result of YOGA.

Sincerely in Christ,

Chris Lawson

Spiritual Research Network

www.spiritual-research-network.com 

President Bush Says All Religions Pray to the 'Same God'

Bush: All religions pray to 'same God

Source: The statements from the World Net Daily article at bottom of this blogpost can also be found on the White House website:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071005-5.html

Interview of the President by Al Arabiya

Oval Office, Colonnade, Map Room

October 4, 2007, 11:35 A.M. EDT 

------------------------- 

Source:  WorldNetDaily.com 

October 7, 2007

Bush: All religions pray to 'same God'

'That's what I believe. I believe Islam is a great religion that preaches peace'

President George Bush has repeated his belief all religions, "whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God" - an assertion that caused outrage among evangelical leaders when he said it in November 2003. 

Bush made the statement Friday in an interview with Al Arabiya reporter Elie Nakouzi. [see White House website for transcript of interview]

Al Arabiya is Al Jazeerah's top competitor in the Mideast. 

As the president and Nakouzi walked from the Oval Office to the Map Room in the White House residence, Nazouki asked, "But I want to tell you - and I hope this doesn't bother you at all - that in the Islamic world they think that President Bush is an enemy of Islam - that he wants to destroy their religion, what they believe in. Is that in any way true, Mr. President?" 

"No, it's not," said Bush. "I've heard that, and it just shows [sic] to show a couple of things: One, that the radicals have done a good job of propagandizing. In other words, they've spread the word that this really isn't peaceful people versus radical people or terrorists, this is really about the America not liking Islam. 

"Well, first of all, I believe in an Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That's what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace. Click here to read entire WorldNetDaily report. 

Click here to read full World Net Daily article

Read more about InterSpirituality and the coming One World Religion

Hitler’s Spiritual Master-Maitreya

News Source: Article used by permission  (Let Us Reason Ministries)

Hitler's Spiritual Master-MaitreyaHitler's Spiritual Master-Maitreya

by Mike Oppenheimer

There are invisible spiritual forces at work behind the scene that most are unaware of. Once we understand that there is a spiritual influence of both good and bad taking place in the world we can better understand what is being formed and which side we are to be on (Eph 6:12).  

H. P. Blavatsky was given "The Secret Doctrine" by the Masters of wisdom through telepathy; in the same way Alice Bailey was given the Teachings by Dwaj Khul, they were channeled by spirit entities that posed as benevolent creatures to advance mankind.

It is well known that the birth of the Nazi Party is connected to the Thule Society. The Thule's were basically a "secret society" that was in pursuit of occult esoteric knowledge. The Thule Society was formed about 1914, and grew to over 1,500 members. Its membership was varied from all different people.

It included the wealthy, judges, lawyers, police, university professors, scientists, physicians and businessmen. The Occultic Thule Society was named after the mythical hyperborean Aryan culture that is alleged to have existed northwest of Norway sometime before the dawn of history. The hyperboreans were the root race that spawned the current root race homo- sapiens.

The Thules believed they descended from the Aryans, a race of Causcasian "supermen" that lived nearly a million years ago. These same concepts are connected to the occult view of the continent of Lemuria (Mu) and Atlantis.

The Thules were occupied in a propaganda war against the Jews. They convince the German public of a sinister Jewish conspiracy blaming them for nearly all of Germany's problems.

The similarity to the secret doctrine of the occultists cannot be overlooked. "Creation is not finished. Man is clearly approaching a phase of metamorphosis. The earlier human species has already reached the stage of dying out.... All of the force of creation will be concentrated in a new species... [which] will surpass infinitely modern man.... Do you understand now the profound meaning of our National Socialist movement?" (Adolf Hitler, quoted by Hermann Rauschning, Hitler ma'a dit [Hitler Speaks] p.147, translated in The Occult and the Third Reich, Jean and Michel Angebert, p.178.)

Hitler's ideas about the Aryan race came from the Thule Society. Thule was supposedly a lost island inhabited by a ancient race that were "masters of wisdom" (much like the mythology of Atlantis or Lemuria and the spiritual hierarchy, the White Brotherhood today). Though unseen, they are a superior highly intelligent beings working behind the scenes (as Benjamen Crème states). Hitler believed he was in contact with them and that they gave him power and energy. Through his alleged contacts with this mythical superior race, he believed he was destined to lead the Aryans to rule the world. Hitler's vision of the world was that Germany would unite the world under his leadership which would last for 1,000 years.

Read Entire Article

http://www.letusreason.org/Nam%2037.htm

Muslim Group Behind ‘Mega-Mosque’ Seeks To Convert All Britain

News Source: 

Times Online

Muslim Group Behind 'Mega-Mosque' Seeks To Convert All Britain

Andrew Norfolk

A Muslim group that wants to open a giant £100 million mosque in London has set its sights on "winning the whole of Britain to Islam".

Tablighi Jamaat aims to build an Islamic complex near to the site of the 2012 Olympic stadium, with a mosque for 12,000 people, by far the largest religious building in Britain.

The organisation, which has millions of followers worldwide, insists that it is a peaceful, apolitical revivalist movement that promotes Islamic consciousness among individual Muslims. However, intelligence agencies have cautioned that the group's ability to fire young men with a zeal for Islam acts as a staging post, for some, along a path that leads to jihadist terrorism.

Kafeel Ahmed, the Indian doctor who died from burns last month after trying to set off a car bomb at Glasgow Airport, is the latest in a line of terrorists for whose initial radicalisation Tablighi Jamaat has been blamed. The group (literally, the preaching party) belongs to the ultra-conservative Deobandi school of thought within Sunni Islam, whose adherents run more than 600 of Britain's 1,350 mosques...

Read Article 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2419524.ece

Hardline Takeover of British Mosques

New Source: 

Times ONline

Hardline takeover of British mosques

Almost half of Britain's mosques are under the control of a hardline Islamic sect whose leading preacher loathes Western values and has called on Muslims to "shed blood" for Allah, an investigation by The Times has found.

Riyadh ul Haq, who supports armed jihad and preaches contempt for Jews, Christians and Hindus, is in line to become the spiritual leader of the Deobandi sect in Britain. The ultra-conservative movement, which gave birth to the Taleban in Afghanistan, now runs more than 600 of Britain's 1,350 mosques, according to a police report seen by The Times.

The Times investigation casts serious doubts on government statements that foreign preachers are to blame for spreading the creed of radical Islam in Britain's mosques and its policy of enouraging the recruitment of more "home-grown" preachers.

Mr ul Haq, 36, was educated and trained at an Islamic seminary in Britain and is part of a new generation of British imams who share a similar radical agenda. He heaps scorn on any Muslims who say they are "proud to be British" and argues that friendship with a Jew or a Christian makes "a mockery of Allah's religion".

Background

Seventeen of Britain's 26 Islamic seminaries are run by Deobandis and they produce 80 per cent of home-trained Muslim clerics. Many had their studies funded by local education authority grants. The sect, which has significant representation on the Muslim Council of Britain, is at its strongest in the towns and cities of the Midlands and northern England.

Figures supplied to The Times by the Lancashire Council of Mosques reveal that 59 of the 75 mosques in five towns – Blackburn, Bolton, Preston, Oldham and Burnley – are Deobandi-run....

Read Article

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2402973.ece

"Many Pastors Promoting Rob Bell and Emerging Church"

News Source: 

LightHouse Trails Research Project

Special Report From

Roger Oakland at Understand The Times

"Many pastors promoting Rob Bell and emerging church"

September 19, 2007   The following is a special report from Roger Oakland of Understand the Times:   There are pastors (including Calvary Chapel pastors) who are promoting Rob Bell's view that Christianity must be "reinvented for the 21st century." Rob Bell is one of the prominent leaders of the Emerging Church movement.  In Faith Undone, the following facts about Rob Bell are presented: Bell, a graduate of Wheaton College (the same as Billy Graham), is the producer for short films called Noomas (derived from the word Pneuma, meaning breath or spirit.) In his Nooma film called Breathe, Bells states: "Each day we take around 26,000 breaths ... Our breathing should come from our stomach, not our chest." This sounds fairly benign at first glance. But in a 2004 Christianity Today article titled "Emergent Mystique," Bell says, "We're rediscovering Christianity as an Eastern religion, as a way of life." Is Bell just trying to sound postmodern and culturally-relevant when he says this, or does he really believe that Christianity is an Eastern religion? The answer to that question can be found in two people with whom Bell strongly resonates. In Bell's Velvet Elvis, in the "Endnotes" section, Bell recommends Ken Wilber (whom I mentioned in chapter two as one of Leonard Sweet's "New Light" teachers). Of Wilber, Bell states: "For a mind-blowing introduction to emergence theory and divine creativity, set aside three months and read Ken Wilber's A Brief History of Everything." Ken Wilber was raised in a conservative Christian church, but at some point he left that faith and is now a major proponent of Buddhist mysticism. His book that Bell recommends, A Brief History of Everything, is published by Shambhala Publications, named after the term, which in Buddhism means the mystical abode of spirit beings. Wilber is one of the most respected and highly regarded theoreticians in the New Age movement today. (from pp. 109-11, Faith Undone) Any pastor (including a Calvary Chapel pastor) who follows and promotes the teachings of Rob Bell (Velvet Elvis , Nooma films, etc.), but claims not to be part of the Emerging Church after reading the following article (see link below) about Rob Bell, needs to publicly declare whether he is Emerging Church or not. A pastor who follows Rob Bell has the potential to be led away from a Bible-based Christiantiy towards a New Age eastern mysticism that includes contemplative spirituality. This is a perfect example of how a shepherd who is supposed to protect his flock from wolves can become a wolf in sheep's clothing and become a danger to his own flock and other pastors who follow him or his methods.   Roger Oakland Understand the Times   'Velvet Elvis' Author Encourages Exploration of Doubts Excerpts from the article: Faith in Jesus, Bell says, must be repainted for each generation if it is to avoid the fate of his velvet Elvis. "What often happens in religion is people freeze the faith at a certain point," Bell says. "There's no more need to paint. We've got the ultimate painting."  On the contrary, he says -- religion, like art, must keep exploring and reforming, or "you end up with a velvet Elvis on your hands."  "It is not possible to simply do what the Bible says," Bell writes. "We must first make decisions about what it means at this time, in this place, for these people."  Many of them are looking for what Bell says his book offers -- "a fresh take on Jesus."  Bell also shakes up traditional evangelical beliefs. While calling Christ's way "the best possible way to live," Bell writes Jesus did not claim one religion is better than another when he said he was "the way, the truth and the life." Rather, he writes, "his way is the way to the depth of reality." As a follower of Jesus, Bell says, he is free to claim the truth wherever he finds it. "One of the lies is that truth only resides in this particular community or that particular thought system," Bell says. "I affirm the truth anywhere in any religious system, in any worldview. If it's true, it belongs to God."     LTRP Note: Please see the articles below for more information: Velvet Elvis: A Doorway to the New Age Rob Bell: Hitting the road on a mission of "misplaced" faith Poll Shows Many "Most Influential Christians" Promote Contemplative More research on the spirituality of Rob Bell Calvary Chapel Rejects Contemplative Spirituality and the Emerging Church!   Click here for more information about LTRP.

'Velvet Elvis' Author Encourages Exploration of Doubts

'Velvet Elvis' Author Encourages Exploration of Doubts

News Source:

Understand The Times

http://www.understandthetimes.org

Comments From UTT

There are pastors (including Calvary Chapel pastors) who are promoting Rob Bell's view that Christianity must be "reinvented for the 21st century." Rob Bell is one of the prominent leaders of the Emerging Church movement.

 

In Faith Undone - the emerging church - new reformation or last day deception, the following facts about Rob Bell were presented:

 

Bell, a graduate of Wheaton College (the same as Billy Graham), is the producer for short films called Noomas (derived from the word Pneuma, meaning breath or spirit.) In his Nooma film called Breathe, Bells states: "Each day we take around 26,000 breaths ... Our breathing should come from our stomach, not our chest."26

This sounds fairly benign at first glance. But in a 2004 Christianity Today article titled "Emergent Mystique," Bell says, "We're rediscovering Christianity as an Eastern religion, as a way of life."27 Is Bell just trying to sound postmodern and culturally-relevant when he says this, or does he really believe that Christianity is an Eastern religion? The answer to that question can be found in two people with whom Bell strongly resonates.

In Bell's Velvet Elvis, in the "Endnotes" section, Bell recommends Ken Wilber (whom I mentioned in chapter two as one of Leonard Sweet's "New Light" teachers). Of Wilber, Bell states:

 

For a mind-blowing introduction to emergence theory and divine creativity, set aside three months and read Ken Wilber's A Brief History of Everything.28

 

Ken Wilber was raised in a conservative Christian church, but at some point he left that faith and is now a major proponent of Buddhist mysticism. His book that Bell recommends, A Brief History of Everything, is published by Shambhala Publications, named after the term, which in Buddhism means the mystical abode of spirit beings. Wilber is one of the most respected and highly regarded theoreticians in the New Age movement today.

Any pastor (including a Calvary Chapel pastor) who follows and promotes the teachings of Rob Bell  (Velvet Elvis - Nooma  films etc.), but claims not to be part of the Emerging Church, after reading the following article about Rob Bell, needs to publicly declare whether they are Emerging Church or not. A pastor who follows Rob Bell (who is following Ken WIlber), has the potential to be led away from a Bible based Christiantiy towards a New Age eastern mysticism that includes contemplative spirituality. This is a perfect example of how a shepherd who is supposed to protect his flock from wolves can become a wolf in sheep's clothing and become a danger to his own flock and other pastors who follow him or his methods.

 

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/173/story_17 301_1.html

 

It's also the title of Bell's first book. In "Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith," published by Zondervan, Bell presents a fresh picture of Jesus for those who have trouble with the traditional portrait.

Faith in Jesus, Bell says, must be repainted for each generation if it is to avoid the fate of his velvet Elvis. "What often happens in religion is people freeze the faith at a certain point," Bell says. "There's no more need to paint. We've got the ultimate painting."

On the contrary, he says -- religion, like art, must keep exploring and reforming, or "you end up with a velvet Elvis on your hands."

"It is not possible to simply do what the Bible says," Bell writes. "We must first make decisions about what it means at this time, in this place, for these people."

Many of them are looking for what Bell says his book offers -- "a fresh take on Jesus."

"I affirm the truth anywhere in any religious system, in any worldview. If it's true, it belongs to God."

Report: UK Libraries Stock Islamic Terror Books

Report: UK Libraries stock Islamic terror books

Telegraph, UK

Sep. 6, 2007

Duncan Gardham

News Source: Religion News Blog

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19285/islamic-terrorism-11

Public libraries are stocking hundreds of Islamic books by advocates of "holy war", with many glorifying acts of terrorism, a new report claims.

Council taxpayers' money has been spent on the books, with one library stocking works by the convicted preachers Abu Hamza and Abdullah al-Faisal.

An investigation by a leading think-tank found extremist literature at six libraries, three in the London area, two in the Midlands and one in the North.

It raises fears that public libraries could inadvertently fuel the radicalisation of young Muslims...

Read Article...

'Ecumenical ´Code of Christian Conduct´ aims to ´cure´ the “obsession with converting others”

News Source:  Letter from England  (by journalist Jonathan  Dawson - 2'2 Mb)

This week's audio broadcast, 

'Ecumenical ´Code of Christian Conduct´ aims to ´cure´ the "obsession  with converting others"

DOWNLOAD MP3 audio file

<http://www.emision.net/new/descargaaudioi.php?audios/070911lfe.mp3> 

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Did not the King of Righteousness, Jesus Christ say:

"Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13,14).

Yes indeed He did!  Ecumenism - embracing unity whilst sacrificing truth is the Broad Road that leadeth to destruction, the Biblical Gospel of Salvation by grace alone, faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone is the Narrow Road that leads to everlasting life. 

-SRN