Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Today I will start with some links to information about Dallas Willard.  Yesterday I was asked by a retired pastor friend to get him some information about Willard, so I copied articles from some journals in my library, and then started to copy some teaching letters from Gary Gilley when I remembered that THOSE are on line!  So I went on line and printed out the articles much quicker than photocopying.  These articles are not just about Willard, but are about the whole “spiritual formation” movement in which Willard is a top figure.  So will see some other big names, such as Richard Foster, associated with these articles:

Spiritual Formation
Solitude and Silence
Roots of the Spiritual Formation Movement
Fasting and Spiritual Direction
Discernment and Revelation

Finally, a review of Willard’s book, The Spirit of Disciplines, reviewed by Bob DeWaay.

From Lighthouse Trails Research Project we have this caution about a “”New Way’ of Doing Things.”

I was surprised to learn that a very secular source published an article by a pastor exposing the false teachings of Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer.  He does a good job of explaining some of their worst errors.

Another episode of “A.D.” was reviewed.  The series is definitely poison.

The “7 Unbiblical Statements Christians Believe” seem to be from Joel Osteen and his ilk.

Gee, the Vatican is having trouble keeping up with the demand for exorcisms.  Well, when you invent a problem and then teach it as dangerous to your followers, it should go without saying that there will be an explosion of that problem among your followers!

Random Apostasies and Heresies

One reason why apologists such as me continue to press the issue of proper teaching and exposing false teachings is that unbiblical teaching leads to an unbiblical worldview.  The proof can be given in two examples: abortion and homosexuality.   Unbiblical teaching in regards to just these two moral issue have led to the unbiblical worldview that God approves of both and therefore we should also approve of both, no matter how much it leads to the moral corruption of our society.  These two topics, as well a the preaching of the social gospel, have led almost all the mainline denominations into varying degrees of apostasy in regards to their overall theological viewpoints.  Then this leads to more and more un-discipled Christians who remain in the flesh with their worldviews.  And it spreads like cancer through the body of Christ.

As an example of my point, the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has now decided to affirm sexual anarchy with the embracing of openly homosexual members.  Even beyond that, they are embracing the lie of “transgenderism.” 

Even Roman Catholicism has their rogues who support same-sex fake marriage.  Jesuit Priest John Whitney in San Francisco (where else?) marched in the “Gay Pride” parade in “solidarity with and respect for our homosexual brothers and sisters.”  Too bad he forgets that the only brothers and sisters of Christians are other Christians!  Will the Pope excommunicate him?  Not likely.

Speaking of the Pope, he is now offering indulgences to reduce time spent in purgatory if you will just follow him on Twitter!  Yes, the heretical idea of purgatory, and the heretical idea that one can earn their way out of such a non-existent place simply by following the Pope’s “tweets,” is again demonstrating that the Roman Catholic Church is NOT a Christian organization.  IF purgatory was real, does it make sense that God would lessen one’s time there just because they followed the pope’s “tweets”?!?!  If you think purgatory is real, and that indulgences are biblical and beneficial, I invite you to read my article on the subject.

In my last “Random” post I provided some information about the upcoming “Wildgoose Festival” and the false teachers who would be in attendance.  More information can now be found at Lighthouse Trails Research.

Elizabeth Prata has a good list with 20 Characteristics of false teachers.  If you recognize any of these characteristics at your local assembly, perhaps you should think about running out of there!

If you are interested in learning more about the false teachings of people in the Word of Faith cult or other charismania, there is a “Strange Fire Conference” coming in California in October.  The Cripplegate talks a little bit about what you will learn and who will be speaking, but they mainly give a good report about Rodney Howard-Browne’s having his dander up about the exposure people like him will be getting and what is wrong with his pragmatic approach to his false teaching.

Richard Foster has been mentioned in some of my articles about the current move to bring all things mystical into the Church.  Lighthouse Trails Research ministry has a good post about problems with his teachings.

I will end today’s edition with an interesting article about Bill Gothard’s method cultic teaching which “inoculates” his followers against those who would criticize him.  Recovering Grace ministries is a good one for information about Gothardism and the harm his false teachings have caused.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

It’s that time again to expose the stuff I’ve found in the news since my last Random post.  Sometimes this stuff can really be discouraging and frustrating to learn, but someone has to expose these false teachers and false teachings for what they are so as to warn the sheep to keep away from wolves.

Steve Harvey was a new name to me, but since he appeared on TBN it is obvious where his theology lies.  At any rate, he as a written a book where he gives a “90 day rule” - i.e., date for 90 days before fornicating.  After all, people are going to fornicate so it is unreasonable to ask them to wait for marriage, but it isn’t unreasonable to ask them to get to know each other a bit better.  Heretic Paula White agreed with him (what do you expect from a heretic?).  On thing I take issue with in this article [link gone by 9/20/15] is that the author calls TBN “Christian” television.  Sorry, but that station doesn’t have anyone who preaches the truth about Christ; it is a station of blatant heresy.  Otherwise, the examination of this fornication teaching is excellent.

The ever-heretical Joel Osteen is again claiming Mormonism is Christian.  I really wish the media would quit seeking him out for discussing Christianity; the man has no clue about his proclaimed faith, let alone LDS.  But there is good news: Osteen actually admits to teaching the heretical prosperity gospel.

Spiritual Formation has become a fad, especially with Emergent churches, but it has actually been around for quite a while, with one of the main origins being mystic Richard Foster.  Spiritual Formation is unbiblical mysticism - period.  Lighthouse trails has an excellent article about this false teaching.  Bob DeWaay had a good article about Foster’s false teaching a couple years ago which is still worth reading.

I really can’t understand the Roman Catholic Church’s love affair with the false belief system of evolutionism.  Their latest foray into this nonsense is the official Bible used in Latin American countries, which promotes evolutionism in Genesis!  What is evolutionism doing in a Bible to begin with, except for that fact it helps promotes Satan’s agenda.  Ken Ham has a good article about the situation.

More problems with “gay marriage” being given at least tacit support by so-called Christians.  Look what has taken place recently at a conference on “sexuality and covenant” with some things stated about marriage.  More sliding to apostasy.

Going along with the promotion of same-sex fake marriage by apostate churches, we have news that the Episcopal Church has released a draft of same-sex union rites!  Well, I have reported many times in the past about this apostate denomination, but this just demonstrates how far they are descending into the pit.

And another concern in this area is Andy Stanley’s latest comments, reported on by Albert Mohler and Denny Burke.  It sure seems that Stanley becoming favorable towards acceptance of homosexual behavior.  It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Rather than properly teach youth about the Gospel and everything else in the Bible, along with teaching them how it should affect their worldview, it seems too many assemblies today are more interested in spiritual junk food.  An Assemblies of God church has gone way overboard and staged a kidnapping, ostensibly so the youth would know what persecution is like.  The teen did NOT know it wasn’t a real kidnapping and suffered emotional trauma and some injury.  This is a youth pastor who should be fired.

Willow Creek was on the cutting edge of the unbiblical idea of “market-driven” mentality - one of the original “seeker-sensitive” churches.  Over the years the continually have demonstrated that sticking to truth and doctrinal standards is something they don’t choose to do.  Remember, this assembly has allowed Imams to teach from the pulpit, to prove that Islam is a peaceful, God-fearing religion similar to Christianity.  More recently, Bill Hybels, their leader, has stepped all over himself to prove they are not “anti-gay” (whatever that is supposed to mean) as he severed Willow Creek’s relationship with Exodus International.  Now he’s putting a rank heretic in the pulpit - Shane Hipps.  When you start pandering to the world to draw in your audience, anything goes.

Finally, Erin reports on a “worship” song which is really weird and unbiblical, regardless of the nuances the author claims are really there.  To me, it sounds much like another “Jesus is my boyfriend” story.

Random Apostasies and Heresies

Things have been collecting because I spent a few days at the St. Louis Conference on Biblical Discernment.  This biennial event was as good as ever, and I learned lots of good stuff!  Teaching discernment is what my blog is about, especially with these random clips of some of the sometimes more subtle errors affecting the Church today.  Hold on to your hats, because there are some weird things exposed below.

Sunday, April 8th, Christians around the world celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  Unfortunately, many “church” assemblies chose to worshiping something else, as you will see in the following examples:

1.  Bill Gothard had a new twist by sending out a mass mailing asking his followers to “Let’s Celebrate Easter...by Doing the Impossible.”  The letter is typical Gothardism abuse of Scripture promoting his aberrant views, without even a hint of what Easter was about, other than to give us “resurrection power” to “do the impossible.”

2.  Beavercreek, Ohio (a Dayton suburb) Church of the Nazarene had a very bizarre “dance” [link gone by 12/15/16] on stage as part of their Easter service.  I agree with The Museum of Idolatry that this dance has nothing to do with the Resurrection, and at times is even quite sensual for a church service.

Okay, moving on from Easter, a new fad spreading more and more is the idea of “Chrislam,” a clear violation of 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.  I found a report this week to be disturbing:

Now the End Begins appears to be a bit aberrant with some of their ideas (KJV only, e.g.) and, with their emphasis on prophecy, I wonder if there is a connection to Seventh-day Adventism.  However, I think their article about Chrislam is pretty accurate.  I noticed in their list of churches involved in sponsoring Chrislam services is one near me in Iowa City, and where I even played for a funeral.  Be discerning on this site if you choose to look over it.

With Mitt Romney in the news, more and more goatherds are showing their ignorance of the LDS faith.  Rick Warren, promoter of Islam, ecumenicism, and other false teachings, thinks the main problem with Mormonism their view of the Trinity. [link gone by 12/15/16]  HELLO!!!  They could accept the Trinity but as long as their God and Jesus are not the God and Jesus of the Bible, believing the Trinity would still be a “sticking” point.  And there is one heck of a lot more than this which makes a “fundamental difference” between LDS and true Christianity.  Then Richard Mouw, the president of the very liberal Fuller Theological Seminary, claims that he’s studied cults and therefore knows that the LDS isn’t a cult.  Of course his reasoning is that cults don’t have world-class universities.  HUH?!?!  So according to Mouw, as long as the LDS has a great university, it doesn’t matter that their theology is everywhere contradictory of true Christianity.  Another reason not to trust any graduate of Fuller to be a teacher worth listening to.

I’m learning more and more about Emergent heretic Steven Furtick.  As with other false teachers, not only does he totally abuse Scripture, he also claims to hear directly from God.  And yet James MacDonald still supports him (as he still does T.D. Jakes).

Emergent heretics are now going after our children.  A conference is coming up next month to train children and youth in a “new kind of Christianity.”  Those who send their children there should first read what Christ has to say about causing children to stumble (Matt. 18:6).  The “old kind” of Christianity is what Jesus started; we don’t need a “new” kind.

You just have to love false teacher Richard Foster; he says the Bible is still a reliable guide even though it has many “inconsistencies.”  Of course Foster just seeks his “inner light” for determining the accuracy of the Word.

We have a new Bible translation coming off the presses, this one called “The Voice.”  

It was previously out only as a New Testament in 2008, but now it’s available as a complete “Bible.”  Steve Bricker makes a short comparison between The Voice and the ESV translation at Titus 3:1-11, and just that comparison should be a warning bell going off in anyone’s head.  Other reports I read this past week were from Erin over at Do Not Be Surprised (who also points out the heretics on the writing team) and The Blaze. [link gone by 12/15/16]  There is really no need for any new English translations of the Bible.  Despite the claim from those promoting The Voice, who claim the Bible is difficult to read and therefore they are solving the problem, there are numerous easy translations of the Bible available, including the formal English Standard Version, and the less formal Holman Christian Standard Bible, the New International Version and the New Living Translation.  Going more dynamic is God’s Word translation, as well as the old Today’s English Version (Good News Bible).  None of these are as paraphrased as is The Voice.  The only reason for a new translation is to push a particular agenda.  Leave this mine in the minefield.

Multi-site churches have become a rage, but they cannot possibly be good for shepherding the flock since the shepherd can’t know his sheep.  The very idea of preaching from one site and broadcasting to numerous other sites to super-large followings reeks of egotism and entertainment-orientation.  Erin has posted an interesting article about this subject.

Another article from Erin exposes Ed Young, Jr and his continued reliance upon gimmicks for church attendance.  This time he’s holding a “pet service,” and he wants it to be the “largest pet service in the history of Christianity.”  I have no doubt that it will be. But what has that got to do with the purpose of the church?  For those who see nothing wrong with this, I suggest you read my article, “What is ‘Church’ For?”

Lastly, Sola Sisters posted an excellent commentary about some problems with Ann Voskamp’s book, “One Thousand Gifts.”  Short answer, the book is just another mine in the Christian book store minefields.  Leave it there.