Random Apostasies and Heresies

It's that time again, ladies and gentlemen, so let's just jump right in there!

Interesting interview with the son of the hate-filled heretic cult leader Fred Phelps.  Phelps and his bunch have no clue about the Gospel; we can hope they change for the better now that Phelps is dead.

Andy Stanley is getting worse.

Jesse Duplantis, one of the big Word of Faith heretics, says that if “healing” [WOF style] isn’t for today, then nothing in the Bible is.  And this claim gets lots of acclaim from his lemming followers.

Answers In Genesis has an excellent article with huge concerns about the “Noah” movie.

Heaven is For Real is getting a lot of attention by apologetics ministries as well as by just people with good discernment.  The book is unbiblical nonsense, which means — guess what? — the movie will be just as bad.  In my last RA&H post I linked to a commentary by David Platt about the movie.  Well, there are three good reviews I’ve read this week which I want to share with you.  The first one is surprising because it comes from a secular source - CNN!  Next up is Randy Alcorn. 

Another book about visiting heaven is highlighted by Tim Challies in his series of examining bestsellers: 90 Minutes in Heaven.  I recommend that after you read this abridged review, take some time to look at his full review — to which he links in this review.  It is a very, very unbiblical book.

I just learned that a Christian dating site is using a system created by a Mormon!  Of course that isn’t the real issue — the real issue is that the root philosophy behind that Mormon’s idea is itself is not something Christian dating groups should be using.

Methodists.  More and more assemblies —with their wolf leaders — are embracing homosexuality.  This time the Boy Scouts of America has revoked a Methodist church charter for their support of a homosexual scoutmaster.

Patriarchy is not the Problem.  Vision Forum is.

John Hagee’s teachings about “blood moons” has gotten a lot of exposure recently.  Tim Challies reviews Hagee’s book.

Tim Challies also continues his series about false teachers by addressing Benny Hinn.

Bill Gothard has also been in the news in apologetics circles.  He has issued a statement supposedly repenting of his sins over the past few decades — sins that have been coming to light this past year as more women come out with their testimonies.  The question is, can we trust Gothard’s honesty at this point?

A new book claiming biblical support for same-sex relationships receives an excellent critique from Albert Mohler.

Rachel Held Evans is a wolf to fear.

Timothy Keller has caused flags to be raised with his new book, “Center Church.”  It seems he is one of those who belief in the false idea of “contextualization.”  Not only does the Cripplegate address the errors of Keller’s philosophy, but No Compromise Radio also questions the mindset.

An excellent resource is available for those reaching out to Mormons; A Timeline of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.  Some good information demonstrating the many versions which contradict each other.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

I want to begin this installment of “Random Apostasies and Heresies” with an open letter from Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry requesting that their detractors demonstrate where LTRM is wrong in their warnings about the “Spiritual Formation movement” and its associated mystical spirituality.  This has been the primary focus of their ministry from the beginning.  Please familiarize yourself with this open letter to see their concerns.

I realize that the Evangelical Free Church of America is a denomination wherein the individual assemblies are really just associated rather than under a hierarchy, and that means they don’t always align themselves with a headquarters.  However, supposedly, according to the official EFCA web site, they should have a “common vision” as well as the “same theological convictions.”  With that understanding, I still think it is important to look at the question posed by the Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry: “Does the Evangelical Free Church of America lean toward contemplative?”

Another examination by Lighthouse Trails is about “Chrislam,” which is a heretical movement blending Islam and Christianity.  It is downright spiritually dangerous.  One cannot be a Christian and a Muslim - the faiths are contradictory.

Rachel Held Evans is in the news again.  I don’t understand why such a woman, who demonstrates over and over her lack of understanding what the Bible says, who demonstrates much of what is wrong with liberal theology, can be so appealing to Christians who should know better.  I understand her appeal to the liberal media and liberal so-called Christians, but too many Christians without discernment flock to her books and writings.  Anyway, now she has decided that if you tell the truth about what homosexual behavior is, it has to be because you are “homophobic” and “hateful,” etc.
It is very apparent that she supports same-sex unions and has no problem with homosexual behavior - all the while claiming to honor Christ.  (The support for Evans in the comments section amazes me.)

Neil had a good article demonstrating the dangers of praying to the “Saints” of Romanism.

The New International Version of the Bible has been a very popular version over the years for many reasons, including its readability and formal/dynamic synthesis of translating.  But over the years the publishers of the NIV have been toying around with all sorts of gender-neutral translations, becoming more and more liberal in their overall translational philosophies.  Now the NIV is gone.  Oh, it’s still around - just in another permutation.  Read the Cripplegate article explaining the situation.

Speaking of the Cripplegate, they had an excellent article about whether the early Church affirmed the deity of Christ.  Some good things to know for your next visit by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Starting to get into the weird stuff now, Pope Francis seems to have caused some confusion by preaching what sounded to be universalism - that even atheists could be saved.  Ah, but he really meant you have to be a Roman Catholic to be saved.

Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS is not a Christian church, rather it is a cult by every means of the word. A prime example of their cultdom is provided by an article reporting on a woman who left the church, and because of that no family attended her wedding.  Yet the media seems to love Westboro - they love to use them to “prove” how horrible Christians are.

The Mormon Church officially condemns homosexual behavior as sinful, and are against same-sex unions.  So my question is, why do they not excommunicate members who promote homosexuality?  What about the organization, “Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons” - why is the LDS church not publicly denouncing this organization and booting out all members?

Lastly, I’m sure Jesus would approve of a Church who only wants “white” people as greeters because “first impressions matter.”  Yeah, we wouldn’t want the world to know that those dark-skinned people are really just the same as us, would we?  Racism is certainly behind such attitudes, and certainly sinful.  This “church” needs to clean up its act.  Their apology should not have been needed if they had properly taught in the first place.

Some Good Stuff

Another post to start the New Year, this time with some articles which I found last month, which were edifying or otherwise helpful.

First up is a great article about “10 Old Wives’ Tales About Church Growth.”  This article is good at demonstrating part of the error with the seeker-sensitive and market-driven churches.  Now, this is not a site I normally would have visit, so I have to give a hat-tip to my fellow blogger Steve Bricker.

Stan, over at Winging It, had an excellent article about marriage, based on what he calls the Genesis Principles.

Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry blog had a good list of books Christians should avoid.  All these books promote contemplative prayer in some way or another.  It’s a good list to be familiar with.

Are you interested in the truth about St. Nicholas and his connection to Christmas?  The Gospel Coalition had an informative article.  I enjoyed the article especially because my wife and I had just recently visited the National Czech and Slovak Museum while they had a huge display about Nicholas and the history and legends surrounding him.

A very interesting article examined God’s probable attitude towards the cult known as Westboro Baptist Church.  This is the “church” which likes to protest at funerals, claiming the person or people were killed by God because of the sanctioning of homosexuality in America.  I think God does indeed hate WBC.

And, finally, Elizabeth Prata has an excellent article about the “therapeutic gospel” being espoused by so much of today’s church leadership.  Although I have not previously heard of Trevin Wax, Prata’s review of his book explaining this false gospel leads me to seek to purchase a copy of Wax’s book.

Have a blessed New Year!