Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

So much to report today, for warning people against false teachings and false teachers.  It is surely getting closer to Jesus’ return when we are seeing all the evidence of people refusing to listen to sound doctrine as they chase every wind and fad of false doctrine which makes them feel good.

First up, Bill Gothard has NEVER accepted accountability for any of his actions, be it false teachings or sexual harassment/abuse of young women in his ministry.  Now his lawyers are threatening lawsuit against Recovering Grace Ministries for posting testimonies of his abuse. The man has absolutely NO shame!

First Heavy Metal Church of Christ.  WOW!  In Dayton, OH.  This is what the market-driven/seeker-sensitive/emergent “church” has come to.  Another “church” which doesn’t understand what church is for.  (I listened to one sermon, and it was ridiculous about what God supposedly put on his heart, and other charismatic claims, in addition to claiming people are “saved” at this church every week.)

Marsha West has posted part 2 of her examination of false spiritual warfare, naming names of important false teachers in this movement, most of whom are part of the New Apostolic Reformation.

An older series from Gary Gilley is about entertainment in the church.  Read part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Gilley also has an older two part review of Rick Warren’s “The Purpose-Driven Life.”  Part 1 is here and part 2 is here.

A good review on the new movie, “Risen.”

A “Christian” rapper thinks it is just fine to use foul language.  I’ve previously written about why using profanity is wrong.

Steve Chalke proves what a false teaching heretic he is.

Andy Stanley thinks a pastor should be more like a CEO; his description is very narcissistic.  This article also examines the multi-site “church” ideology in general, and some information about false teacher Steven Furtick.

Due to complaints I’ve received for saying John MacArthur is a good teacher (as long as you ignore his TULIPs), I have links about teachings which people question.

Did he teach that Jesus only became God’s son at incarnation?  Did he teach that one could take the mark of the beast and be saved?  Is his teaching about the blood of Christ the same as Christian Science?

Answer to the first question is “yes” but he has since recanted and changed his teachings.  The answer to the second is “yes” but there is a context to it which the attackers ignore.  The answer to the third question is an unequivocal “NO”!  Once again the claims against him are out of context; MacArthur’s point is that the blood in and of itself has no salvific value - Jesus’ blood could have been all over the place but if he didn’t die for our sins, then the blood would have accomplished nothing.

Interesting old video I came across, exposing what a false teaching heretic Joel Osteen is.

Richard Mouw’s beliefs about Islam are dangerous, demonstrating once again what a false teacher he is.

Greg Laurie is another once-good teacher slowing sliding down the slippery slope of compromise for popularity.

WOW!  What a horrid gathering of Christians, apostates, and heretics.

More on Francis Chan’s adoration of false teacher Mike Bickle and his support of Catholicism.

Doug Evans has a really good examination of Dominionism.

The false prophecies of the late Bob Jones. I never heard so many lies in such a short video.

If only more Christians would read their Bibles we’d have a lot fewer false teachers.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

Keeping up with the weird in the Christian faith is really hard to do!  There have been so many things happening that I had to just let a lot of stuff go without reporting.  It’s just as Paul said in his first letter to Timothy: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such things come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”  

I think most of the nonsense in seeker-sensitive churches is caused by the “cool pastor” syndrome.  

Okay, now that you’ve hopefully had some nauseous response to these videos, let’s start by looking at a cult - the Mormons.  I was unaware that the LDS was denying their foundational teaching about eternal progression, in which those Mormons who reach exaltation will be gods of their own planets.  I guess there are those who claim that this is nothing more than folklore.  I think they are embarrassed about this teaching, because it is one of the many LDS doctrines which prove they are not Christian.

One thing I always teach people is that when they are talking to members of cults who claim to be Christian, make sure to have the cult member define their terms.  Mormons are especially guilty of sounding like Christians due to their terminology, but once you make them define their terms, the differences between them and real Christianity are profound.  Dr. Richard Mouw really needs to understand this, because he continues to say that Mormons and real Christians have a lot in common.  That is because he is ignorant and accepts their terminology at face value.

Okay, enough about the Mormons - for THIS post, anyway.  But, where do I start now?
How about the latest exposure of Mark Driscoll’s plagiarizing?  It all started with a program hosted by Janet Mefferd, where she challenged Driscoll about some apparent plagiarism in his book, “ A Call to Resurgence.”  An article I read about the situation linked to the audio of the program, and I thought Janet handled the situation quite well.  Mark, of course, didn’t like being challenged and finally hung up on her.  I can’t give the link because it has been removed.  However, there are some other sites reporting on the situation, which I think all prove what I have been saying all along - that Mark Driscoll is unworthy to be a pastor - he is not qualified.

Elizabeth Prata has three articles covering different aspects of the situation.  First, she has an article about real martyrs compared to the whines from Driscoll about how difficult it is to be a pastor.  Next she addresses the plagiarism situation, and then lists some of the bad fruit from this “pastor” to demonstrate why he shouldn’t be in his position.  Lastly, Elizabeth writes about Driscoll’s “porno-vision,” as well as a horrible “dream” he had about his wife, which is published in the book, “Real Marriage.”  I have read so much stuff by - and about - Driscoll that it is apparent that he is obsessed with sex.l

It seems Pope Francis is urging redistribution of income:  “I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: ‘Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs,’” he writes.
So, if I don’t share my income with someone who is poor, then I am stealing from them?!?!  This sounds like something President Obama would say!  I wonder where he finds this in the Bible?

A Mennonite University is pondering changing their policy so as to allow people who practice homosexual behavior to be faculty members.   Meanwhile, the Texas Wesleyan University is providing a special prayer room for their Muslim students!

Not to be outdone, a new report on the Church of England’s attitude to sexuality.  The reports “suggests couples in permanent and faithful civil partnerships could have their relationships blessed as part of an Anglican service.”  I wonder how they will explain where this fits in the the Biblical teachings against homosexual behavior?

In regards to the recent “Strange Fire Conference,” and the claims by its detractors that it didn’t reflect “mainstream” charismatics, Lyndon Unger, over at the Cripplegate, asks and answers the question, “So who exactly IS the mainstream of the charismatic movement?”  It is devastatingly honest.  Additionally, Unger writes another article, apparently in response to that charismatic group of the New Apostolic Reformation, as he answers the question about what a true Apostle is.

Speaking of false prophets, the Church is now short one.  Arch-heretic Paul Crouch has died.  One less tool of Satan to confuse and mislead the flock.

Tim Challies has a review of Rick Warren’s “Daniel Plan.”  I wouldn’t trust anything from Warren, but Challies says it has sound dieting advice, while at the same time point out Warren’s abuse of Scripture to make his points!  Of course, as I reported on my last “Random...” post, Warren’s uniting with New Age doctors is another problem.

Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as “Cru”) seems to be leaning more and more left to the whole contemplative movement.  This stuff is a dangerous epidemic infecting the Church.

Bill Gothard’s teachings have been the subject in more than a few of my posts.  He is a dangerous false teacher, leading people into legalistic bondage.  Oh, he’ll pass away soon, but his IBLP and ATI empire will continue putting burdensome loads on the backs of non-discerning Christians.  It’s sad, really.

Finally, market-driven and seeker sensitive Willow Creek seems to be having a bit of trouble in regards to one of their pastors, who seems to be promoting homosexuality as something good.

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Random Apostasies and Heresies

I have been so very busy lately that I’m still behind on researching things I want write about.  However, I still try to stay up with the news in regards to the false teachers and false teachings invading the Church today.  So I’ve collected stuff for today’s edition of random things.

Rick Warren’s “Daniel Plan” is getting more exposure.  Not having reviewed the plan myself, I rely on information from those who have, and every article I’ve read seems to come up with the same problems with this program.  I read another excellent article exposing he unbiblical nature of Warren’s “health program.”

While I’m “talking” about Warren, you need to see his idea of what it will take for a revival in the U.S.A.  Did you know that a sign of renewal is that the singing gets better in your church?!?!   And you really need to bring in an outside speaker, because, apparently, the local teacher isn’t good enough.  As usual, his ideas are about human efforts.

The ignorance of “evangelicals” when it comes to the Mormon cult is really unbelievable, and without excuse.  Southern Baptist leader Richard Land has claimed that Mormonism is a “fourth Abrahamic faith,” while the liberal Fuller Theological Seminary’s Richard Mouw has long been promoting “detente” with the Mormons, decrying the historical denouncement from Christianity towards Mormonism.  Mouw even suggests we should “work together for the cause of righteousness,” although how pagans and Christians can work together for righteousness is beyond my comprehension!  To make matters worse, he seems to think that the Mormons “Jesus” and the real Jesus are the same.  Ladies and gentlemen, the LDS is a cult - a non-Christian cult.  They have nothing in common with Christianity except words, for which they have a totally different definition.  People like Land and Mouw need to remember 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

Speaking of the LDS, here’s an article demonstrating that science, philosophy and history all prove the LDS to be fraudulent.

I’ve seen one particular false teacher pop up now and then, but this week an article about her just rankled me.  Nadia Bolz-Weber is only one of the newest emergent heretics who is rapidly growing in popularity with her “anything goes” teachings.  First, as a woman she is already going against the Word of God by being a “pastor.”  Second, she is a  member of the apostate ELCA denomination.  The comments following this article are very interesting, with a couple from supporters and one important one which gives links to some of this woman’s beliefs.  I disagree with the last paragraph of the author’s article, because she thinks Nadia will be able to share the Gospel; from the evidence, I would suggest it would be “another Gospel.”  And I wonder what sort of “church” this “Calvary Baptist Church” is if they permit her to have such a platform.

Anyone reading this blog for any length of time knows that I frequently talk about good hymns vs so much of what passes for “praise and worship” songs today.  Steve Bricker had a thought-provoking post on this subject.

I have attended a couple churches (one a few times and the other just once) where someone in the congregation would stand and speak in “tongues.”  Of course it was all gibberish pretending to be the “tongues” of the Bible.  On this subject, I recommend this article from Hip and Thigh.

One of the worst false teachers in the public eye is Jim Wallis of Sojourner’s.  What makes him such a wolf is that he is media and political darling, and therefore represents true Christianity to the public.  Unfortunately, he teaches “another gospel.”  Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry examines some of his teachings.

An article in the Huffington Post examines some of the heretical Word of Faith teachings  promoted by Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

I will start this episode with a link to Aberrations in an Abusive Church.  This article describes examples of what can take plane in any church if spiritual abuse or unbiblical authoritarianism is taking place.  Some very good warning signs.

In my last “Random” post I mentioned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints promoting the acceptance of homosexual boys into the Boy Scouts.  Well, I found some more information about the subject - and it isn’t flattering for the LDS.  Along with the additional information, this article states that Mormons have already been catering to homosexuals.

I’ve also come across some other interesting things about the Mormon Church.  The first is a good article demonstrating that Mormons do indeed teach works salvation, no matter how much they claim otherwise. 

Then there is an article about Elizabeth Smart’s statement against the teaching of abstinence - except in context she was talking about the Mormon version which teaches that, if for some reason a woman is not a virgin before marriage, then she is pretty much worthless, even if it was due to rape.  This is a horrible teaching of which I wasn’t aware, since I study mostly Mormon doctrine.  BUT, does it really surprise me that this would come from a system in which men can have many wives? 

The last one isn’t so much about the LDS as it is about Fuller Seminary President Richard Mouw and his compromising with the Mormons by lying about what they teach! [link gone by 1/2/16] He has been playing footsie with Mormons for quite some time now and, frankly, I don’t understand it.  I guess this is what you can expect for the president of a very liberal seminary.

Another cult in the news is the Seventh-day Adventists.  They have long ago taught that Christ was going to return on a specific date, and when that didn’t happen they just claimed that the prophecy was misunderstood and in reality Christ just changed his location - he “entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary for the first time to begin a work of investigative judgment.”  The church wasn’t supposed to still be here, according to the SDA, and yet here we are.  They are somewhat embarrassed by this situation.

It isn’t just in the USA that apostasy is reigning, as anyone knows who has read this blog for any length of time.  Now the Church of Scotland has decided that the Jews never really had a promised land - that they have no more attachment to the land of Israel than does anyone else.  "Promises about the land of Israel were never intended to be taken literally, or as applying to a defined geographical territory."  I guess they read a different Bible.  Read this full article, and you will see just how anti-Semitic this Church is.

Can you believe that there are fake money scams claiming to be by some popular preachers?  The Christian Post has an article exposing the reactions to this fraud by the preachers who are being abused.  The link has been updated since it was first posted, so it is lacking the most important statement of the original:  “Perry Noble, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen and others are warning about fake Facebook pages using their names and likenesses to run money scams. Please tell me that I don't need to point out the intense irony of this.”  I guess when you are known for scamming people out of money for your “ministry,” gullible goats who follow you probably won’t notice the fake version!

Lastly, an interesting short commentary about those supposed Christians who are joining the pro-homosexual movement.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

Well, it has been a busy week for me, with little time at home, so I haven’t worked on any articles as I wanted to do.  And here it is already time for another “Random” collection.

First up, Tim Challies posted the second part of his review of Debi Pearl’s book, “Created to Be His Help Meet.”  Well worth reading.  As usual when dealing with false teachers, the comment string does have some supporters who think Challies is wrong in his assessment.

Erin reports on “The Resurgence” conference, which promotes Rick Warren’s “man-centered mythology.”  This is the type of stuff which is destroying the Church from within.

Speaking of Rick Warren, his self-esteem theology makes for some wonderful satire.  Apprising Ministries demonstrates this as they give an example of a daily devotion by one of Warren’s staff.

Years ago I first read Alexander Hislop’s “The Two Babylons,” and immediately had some problems with his claims against the Roman Catholic Church.  As years have gone by I have learned much more about how poorly the book was written, based mainly on speculation and poor logic - and bigotry.  This book has become the mainstay of those who want to “prove” just how horrid Romanism is.  However, one doesn’t need to misrepresent and lie about Romanism to prove how apostate and heretical it is, so promoting the stuff in this book just backfires on those using it.  Sola Sisters has a good article about this book.

Ed Young, Jr continues to demonstrate how unbiblical he is as a teacher.  Now he is pandering for “tithes” via automatic withdrawal.  He seems more and more like the Word of Faith hawkers looking for money from the gullible.  This man is definitely a goatherd.

I’ve never been fond of Max Lucado because everything I’ve seen from him is touchy-feely, and that’s just not my cup of tea.  He also participated in the Be Still video, which has contemplative teachings.  Well, now I have another reason to dislike him:  He has now come to the conclusion that Christine Caine is just like Paul, Mary and Esther, and has endorsed her new book, “Undaunted.”   Caine’s promotion of various Word of Faith heretics certainly eliminates her from comparisons to these Biblical persons.

Roman Catholics have another recent demonstration as to how apostate they are.  It seems there is a relic of a “saint’s” heart which has been traveling around, with Catholic venerating it (read, “worshiping”).  The whole teaching of worshiping relics - including body parts - is nothing less than idolatry, as well as being totally nonsensical.

The ELCA Lutheran denomination long ago left any semblance of orthodoxy, especially when they began supporting homosexuality.   A good example of how far down to the pit the ELCA has gone is the fact that “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber has not been excommunicated.  This woman is a rank heretic, besides being a false teacher.

Hank Hanegraaff is really starting to bug me.  I have previously written about some theological problems of Hanegraaff’s, including his preterist view of eschatology, his support for the Local Church, and his low view of the book of Genesis.   Then there was his joining up with OWS in Iran.  Now Hank, and his cohort Gary Burge, attacks Christian supporters of Israel as being “racist and supporting ethnic cleansing.”  In this article, Hanegraaff demonstrates his complete lack of understanding of the mid-east conflict, as well as what Dispensationalism teaches about the end times.  They also have unbiblical ideas of Israel’s place in history.  Hank has been a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Rich Mouw, president of the liberal Fuller Theological Seminary, has spent too much time supporting the Mormon church.  Back in 2004 he made a stir when he suggested Christians have sinned against Mormons by exposing their false teachings.  His new book seems to be much of the same about how we just need to understand Mormons, and they really aren’t a cult, etc.  I agree with Mouw that we have to understand Mormonism in order to effectively deal with it, and the same could be said for any other cult.  But Mouw’s soft-peddling around the real issues of Mormonism, and his seeming lack of understanding of their teachings, makes his teachings on the subject dangerous.  I guess I shouldn’t expect any better from the president of Fuller.

Rob Bell once again proves he is a heretic and a dangerous teacher to follow.  He now has come out as “gay affirming,” who doesn’t see the need to tell homosexuals that their behavior is sin.

Meanwhile, the United Methodist Church has decided to take another step into the political area (aside from preaching the social gospel) and put out the call to ban all handguns. [link gone by 12/5/15]  Explain to me where in the Bible one finds God being against handguns?  Actually, I guess they have been anti-gun since 1972, but the latest shooting in Colorado is bringing them out of the closet again.  Perhaps the UMC should start reading their Bibles and leave the social gospel behind instead of promoting the banning of legal personal property.