Controversy

Controversy for its own sake is a sin.  But controversy for the sake of the truth is a divine mandate.

Walter Martin.  Cited by Joe Dallas in The Gay Gospel? pg. 37

Why Join A Cult?

A person does not usually join a cult because he has done an exhaustive analysis of world religions and has decided that a particular cult presents the best theology available.  Instead, a person generally joins a cult because he has problems that he is having trouble solving, and the cult promises to solve these problems.

Ron Rhodes, The Culting of America, p.27

Adventures in Missions — Guest Post

A while back someone pointed me to an article about “World Race and Adventures in Missions.”  This outfit was new to me but the particular article led me to linking to their site on one of my “RAAH” posts as a warning to others unaware.  The site exposing this group really piqued my interest so I have been following it ever since, and have linked to one of their articles in my last “RAAH” post.  

One of the site owners recently emailed me and asked if I could write an article just about this group so as to be another way of getting the information spread.  Well, I think I had a better idea.  I asked the site owner to consider writing a guest post, since I had absolutely no knowledge about this group other than what I read on their site.  My suggestion was accepted!  The site owner has a family member still involved in this group and works with another family member putting their blog together, and so asked for their names to be withheld if I publish their article.

Below is the guest article from the authors of the blog, “Concerns About the World Race and Adventures In Missions.”   My heartfelt thanks goes out to them for publishing information about this cultic group and its leadership as a warning against vicious wolves.

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Adventures in Missions: Short term Christian Missions trips

Considering the 11-month World Race mission trip?  Please do your research before committing.

This is written by members of a family whose loved one joined a World Race team a few years ago.  As a result of the teachings of Adventures in Missions and this organization’s leader Seth Barnes we have experienced increasing distance from that loved one.

  

We understand that the message of Christ can bring division between believing and non-believing family members (Luke 12:51-53), however, a family of all believers should not experience this division.  Rather, they should remain united by the Spirit of God that lives in them, dialoging about differences and pressing one another on toward Biblical truth.

  

We know from firsthand experience that on the surface AIM seems to be a Christian mission organization.  It is the erroneous and deceptive teaching that lies beneath the surface that has so negatively affected our family. We had no reason for concern, therefore we did not take the time to investigate Adventures in Missions prior to our family member leaving for the World Race.  We hope that our efforts now will prevent others from blindly supporting loved ones seeking to join AIM and will bring to light the darkness that is hiding in this organization that calls itself Christian. 

This forum will provide general information about AIM.  Please refer to our website for further details to help you make wise decisions if your loved one is considering going on the World Race.   

Adventures in Missions, is based out of Gainesville, GA and The World Race , (a $15,000, 11 month, 11 country mission trip) is the main attraction.  AIM has far reaching influence (100,000 missionaries and counting), the "what we believe" statement doesn't immediately cause obvious concern. 

Seth Barnes is the Executive Director and founded Adventures in Missions in 1989 . "He worked out of his garage to lead nearly 1,000 youth to the mission field over the next three years." "Since we (AIM) were established in 1989, we have taken over 100,000 people into the mission field."  In 2005 "The World Race began..."

Listed here are a few of our main concerns understood from the writings of Seth Barnes, those that he esteems as mentors, and those who have influenced his teaching.  Please visit our site for more details on each of these concerns. We do our best to let Seth and AIM speak for themselves, choosing to let error become evident as we compare their words to Scripture.

*The words Gospel, Jesus, God, evangelism, disciple, etc. are used frequently, however, they are not defined and/or incorrectly defined.  The Gospel they speak of is missing main components that would cause it to be a saving Gospel message.

*Christ is not glorified, nor are His suffering and atonement for sin the main focus of AIM.

  

*The Father is spoken of as Papa or Daddy.  Christ is spoken of most frequently as a model discipler and good guy to learn from.  The Holy Spirit seems to be a magic genie and one leader speaks of Him as his “best friend”.  There is no Holy fear or reverence.

*Catholic Mystic teachers and their practices are prevalent, influential, and recommended reading for young Racers.

*There are many similarities to the Emergent church and the New Apostolic Reformation Movement, neither of which are Biblical.

*Parents are disrespected and the value of the faith in which young people were raised is minimized.  AIM then seeks to re-teach racers a higher form of spirituality.   They encourage them to “experience” and be awakened to a new way of communing with God.  They insinuate that those who question AIM’s teaching (such as parents and pastors) are likely inexperienced believers that they should pray “Jesus’ name” over them until they too “experience” the Holy Spirit.

*The young people comment often on Seth’s blogs, praising him for his wisdom, calling him Papa or Daddy, and telling him how much they love him.

*AIM minimizes and mishandles God’s written Word and overemphasizes the miraculous spiritual gifts.  Prophetic words and healings are commonplace and expected, there is even frequent talk about “raising the dead” although there is no documentation that we have found.

*They hold to a form of Dominion Theology believing that the world is getting better and by their efforts the young people will bring Christ’s kingdom to earth, as opposed to Christ Himself.  

The deeper we look, the more concerns surface.  We write this with the intention of protecting young people from an experience that will draw them away from Biblical truth, replacing it with an experience-driven hype that may cause a division as our family has experienced. 

“They must be silenced, 

since they are upsetting whole families

by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” (Titus 1:11)

The subtlety of the enemy to distort truth is worthy of our caution and discernment. 

However, we give Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ that nothing will prevent His Church from being built upon the preaching of His Glorious Gospel, it is the power of God to salvation. (Rom 1:16)  

 “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18)

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.  (Jude 24, 25)

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Read this testimony from a man who participated in the World Race, emailed to me after reading this article.

About “Mother Teresa”

Pope Francis proclaimed Mother Teresa a saint on September 4th, the anniversary eve of her death 19 years ago. The world needs to know that God is the only one who converts a sinner to a saint. Of all the references to saints in the New Testament, they were all alive both physically and spiritually. They were made spiritually alive in Christ and were all members of the household of God (Eph. 2:5- 19). It is God alone who chooses and calls His saints out of the world to be sanctified or set apart as new creatures in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 5:17). Mother Teresa cannot be a saint in death because she was not a saint in life.

Mother Teresa did not believe or proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. She encouraged Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists to be better Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists. She never pointed people to Christ as the only savior, mediator, and redeemer. Instead, she taught a bizarre 'pseudo-pantheism' in which she believed Jesus was present in everyone. In her book "Life in the Spirit: Reflections, Meditations and Prayers," she wrote, "We never try to convert [anyone] to Christianity, but in our work we bear witness to the love of God's presence, and if Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, or agnostics become better men, we will be satisfied."

The widespread perception that Mother Teresa sought to relieve the suffering of the poor was the furthest thing from the truth. She believed suffering would help the poor make satisfaction for their sins. She said, "There is something beautiful in seeing the poor accept their lot, to suffer it like Christ's Passion. The world gains much from their suffering." This theology is consistent with Roman Catholicism which declares the sinner must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins by doing penance (Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1459).

At the end of her life, Mother Teresa doubted the existence of God and heaven. In her private letters she wrote: "Lord, my God, you have thrown [me] away as unwanted and unloved. I call, I cling, I want, and there is no one to answer, no, no one. Where is my faith? There is nothing, I have no faith." Yet, in spite of her lack of faith and her rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this unbelieving agnostic has been declared a saint.

Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel e-mail, 1 October 2016

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Doug Evans has a good examination of Steven Furtick and his Code Orange heresy fest.

Why the KJV is NOT the best translation:

Catholics keep proving over and over that they have no clue about the real teachings of Christ.

Of course when the Pope himself focuses on environmentalism rather than Christ, then what can we expect from his followers?

Why don’t you recommend GOOD teachers?  I agree with Amy Spreeman, which is why I do what I do here at The Watchman’s Bagpipes.  Oh, I will occasionally recommend a good one, but I tend to spend more time alerting people to the danger of the wolves.

This satire could really be true!

I find it to be very disappointing to learn that Eriwn Lutzer says we shouldn’t attack false teachers.  But, it isn’t something new because too many pastors say we should not worry so much about exposing false teachers but rather we should just teach the truth and people will discover for themselves who is false and who isn’t.  This, of course, has been demonstrated to be a 100% false philosophy — otherwise the false teachers wouldn’t be so prevalent and so powerful!  At any rate, the article also exposes what a false teacher Larry Crabb is (which I’ve know for many, many years!).  (The article makes a big issue about what Lutzer didn’t say, but that doesn’t concern me too much because one would have to have a whole lot more time to say everything the article suggested; my concern is about what Lutzer did say.)

Church by the Glades should be better named “Goat Pen by the Glades.”

Comparing Adventures in Missions to the Emergent Church.  Peas in pod.

Oh no — Jesus Calling now has a sequel!  Sarah Young continues her claims about revelation from Jesus in her new book, Jesus Always.  Warn your friends against this garbage.

Andy Stanley’s apologetic and a great response to it!

Here’s one I don’t remember hearing about — the Catalyst Conference.  Looking at the names involved, I have the same question — what’s Swindoll doing there?

I’m always learning about another false teacher, this time it is Billye Brim.  Anyone Hagin “anointed” are part of Satan’s realm.  One can never keep up with the apostate state of the Church today! (Oh, and Sid Roth is about as false teacher as they get!)

The false doctrine of Jory Micah

Another reason to avoid teachings by Lysa Terkeurst.

Stay away from iDisciple!!!   Save yourself from lots of false teaching.

Religion Cannot Save Anyone

As we evangelize Roman Catholics, many of them reject the Gospel because of their strong religious faith. Ultimately, they are trusting their religion to get them to heaven. Many of them display their stubborn-hearted loyalty to an empty religion by saying, "I was born a Catholic and I will die a Catholic." Their unchanging commitment to an apostate Christian religion is because they are convinced the Roman Catholic Church is the church Jesus founded.

Tragically, Catholics have been indoctrinated with a fatal flaw. They have been taught that salvation is dispensed through the sacraments by an installment method. Instead of passing from spiritual death to life, their salvation is said to be received piecemeal, a little at a time. This is why they are utterly dependent upon their priests for salvation. They have been taught that their priest administers baptism for regeneration and justification; he hears confession to absolve sin; he offers the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist; he imparts the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Confirmation; he gives Last Rites for those who are dying; and he offers Mass for Catholic souls suffering in purgatory. 

By the supreme authority of God's Word, we can see that all of these teachings are completely false. Salvation from the power and punishment of sin is instantaneous, unconditional, and eternal. It occurs at the moment our sovereign God brings to life those who were dead in their sins (Eph. 2:1-5). He graciously grants repentance and gives the gift of faith to those who humbly receive and believe Christ and His Word (John 1:12-13; 2 Tim. 2:25; Jas. 4:6-8). The Lord Jesus calls those who are heavily burdened by legalistic rituals to come to Him for rest. To everyone who embraces Him with empty hands of faith, He offers an eternal relationship in exchange for their empty religion. 

When God opened the apostle Paul's eyes to the light of the Gospel, he quickly realized that religion could not save him. Clearly, no one had more reason to boast about his religious activities than Paul. His stellar resume is presented in Philippians 3:4-9. He was "a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless." However, by God's grace he "counted everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus" as Lord. For Christ's sake Paul suffered the loss of all things and counted them as rubbish, in order that he may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of his own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. Paul exchanged his religion for a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He exchanged his futile attempts to become righteous with the gift of Christ's righteousness that comes by faith (Rom. 5:17). He exchanged everything he was doing for what Christ had done!

May the truth of God's Word instruct those who are held captive by a religion that cannot save them, to exchange it for a relationship with the only One who can!

Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel e-mail, 1 October 2016

About Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth

A lot has been on the Internet, from various apologetics sites, about how Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth is teaching the “Circle Maker” new age nonsense.  I’ve even linked to these sites (all links now removed).

One of my readers has demonstrated to me that Nancy’s circle teaching isn’t the same as Batterson’s.  So here I go with the explanation.

First, what does Batterson teach?  In my article about the “Circle Maker” book, I show the following:

He says to draw a circle around whatever it is you are praying for/about.

He teaches a “name it and claim it” prayer.

He claims prayers are prophecies.

He says if you draw a circle around whatever it is you are praying for, then God will “multiply the miracles in your life.”

Batterson’s approach is virtually a “magic circle.”

(Not mentioned in my article is that Batterson claims that a circle is actually a sacred symbol!)

A quote from Batterson:  Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn't just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It's a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.

Of course he just asserts this with no biblical warrant.

What about Nancy’s circles? 

This broadcast apparently explains the beginning of Nancy’s teachings:

Gypsy Smith was a nineteenth-century revivalist who did something unusual when he came to a new town. He’d stop on the outskirts and draw a circle in the dirt. Then he would stand inside that circle and say, “O God, please send a revival to this town, and let it begin inside this circle.”

It won’t do much good for me to ask God to convict the world around me of sin if there’s unconfessed sin in my own heart. The first step toward revival is to ask God to show us our sin and repent.

Would you ask God to revive His people? Would you let the Holy Spirit draw a circle within your own heart? Then say, “Lord, I long for You to send a revival to my nation, my church, my marriage, and my children. But Lord, would You first start a revival inside this circle? Let it begin in me.”

Here’s a quotation from her article, Draw A Circle:

It's a challenge Life Action has issued repeatedly to men, women, teens, and even children. It's a simple expression of a heart prepared for God's work—and no matter how many times it's done, it keeps illustrating something critical about the revival we are praying and pleading for God to send. It involves a simple piece of chalk. This piece of chalk represents a turning point, a moment of surrender, a change of heart. It marks the difference between those who would pray, “Lord, change them” and those with the humility to plead, “Lord, change me!” It is a piece of chalk with which we kneel and draw a circle around ourselves and then look to heaven expectantly and pray, “Lord God, send revival, and begin it right here in this circle!”

Notice the difference?  Batterson says to draw a circle around whatever you want to pray for so that God will perform miracles and give you blessings.  Nancy says to draw the circle around yourself and pray that God does a work in you.

A problem is that both Batterson and DeMoss refer to the origin of their idea as the same person, Gipsy Smith (and Nancy actually follows Smith’s teaching, whereas Batterson doesn’t). Also, various apologetics sites point out the many occultic uses of circles, and so any use of circles must be occultic. (This of course it a logic fallacy of “false cause,” or perhaps even “non sequitur.”)  This seems to be why people jump to the conclusion that the two teachings must be alike.

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s teaching about praying in a circle is certainly aberrant and extra-biblical.  However, it is indeed a much “different animal” than what Batterson teaches.  One teacher I found pointing out the difference is Tim Challies.  I agree with his article.

One more thing:  According to my source (the reader who alerted me to this issue), apparently DeMoss’ ministry, Revive Our Hearts, learned of the association between DeMoss’ teaching and Batterson’s teaching and decided they didn’t like the connection; they dropped the teaching in 2014.  Any yet some sites are still publishing articles about it as if it is current teaching!

Abusive Churches

Digging through some files I came across a 3-fold tract made from one normal typing/copying sheet.  I don’t know where I got it, and there are no notations as to where it came from, where it was printed, author, etc.  I probably picked it up at either an apologetics conference or a biblical counselors’ conference — either way it is many years old.  

The tract is titled, “Religious Abuse, Addiction and Fanaticism.”  On the front fold are definitions for the words, “Fanatic,” “Religiosity,” “Addiction,” “Abuse,” and “Toxic Faith.” 

When you open the front fold you come to “Characteristics of Religious Addicts & Abusers,” which cover 2/3rds of the inside section.  The other 1/3d of the open page, and continuing on the reversed side of that fold, is the section I find most important for imparting to others, as I’ll cite below.  The last section is, “Suggestions for Intervention.”

Here is are the most important things to notice:

Rules of Abusive Churches

1.  Leadership is form the top down — replacing the need for God’s power and preventing any responsibility or accountability to others.

2.  When a problem arises, find a scapegoat.

3.  Mistakes are not allowed, acknowledged or repented.

4.  Ignore reality.  One must be happy and confident in the fellowship of fakes.

5.  Irrational drive to appear perfect.

6.  Questions, answers and opinions are not allowed.  Questions show lack of faith.

7.  No deviation allowed outside the boundaries of ones’ role of conformity.

8.  Trust the leaders, not ones’ self or anyone else.  Outsiders are lost, inspired by Satan.

9.  Nothing and no one is more important than the system.

10.  Faith in the system is more important than facts.  Contradictory information is of the devil.

11.  Members report on anyone who doesn’t fit in or who thinks independently.

12.  Members are monitored through testimonies, confessions, and by conformity to appearance code or rules.

13.  Members are discouraged from socializing outsiders.

14.  Members must act disinterested in outside influences and activities in order to appear holy.

15.  Members are afraid of outsiders and outside information.

16.  Scripture is overruled by leaders’ viewpoints and statements.  Members ignore scripture that contradicts the leaders.

17.  Strong anti-society and anti-Christian attitudes prevail.

18.  Too many questions are cause for excommunication.

19.  Leaders often act naive when presented with questions.

20.  Decisions and financial matters are handled secretly.

Roles Within Abusive Churches  

1.  Manipulative leaders live in fear of losing control and of being found out; must constantly manipulate and spin any information to appear righteous.  True “religious addicts.”

2.  Co-conspirators are the leaders’ “enablers” who live in fear of rejection by the leaders.  Must act as insulators with members and outsiders.

3.  Victims feel unworthy and fearful of rejection.

4.  The outcasts and rebels — live in confusion.

Results of Abusive Churches

1.  Victims become “Robots or Rebels.

2.  Lies must be protected by more lies.

3.  Nervous breakdowns.

4.  Stress related physical disorders.

5.  Divorces.

6.  Rejection of children or family members who leave the group or disobey the rules.

7.  Hidden immorality, sin, financial fraud, alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling problems.

Two Classes in Abusive Churches

1.  The deceivers.

2.  The deceived.

If you encounter these rules, roles, or results, do not stay with that church — and warn others to leave also!

UPDATE 10/4/16:  On of my readers searched out the origin of the tract, and it was written by Kathleen Lewis, who sent me her book, "The Church Without A Name."  Apparently it was in the package with the book.  Lewis has a wealth of information about the "2X2" cult.

Random Aberrations, Apostasies, and Heresies

Yep, it’s that time again for a scary post!

Talk about leading children astray!!  This is the spiritual danger from heretics like Rodney Howard-Browne.  (And this doesn’t even consider that she’s a young woman “preaching” and “teaching” to the entire congregation of people — who are just as deceived — when Paul clearly says this is forbidden to women.)

This is an example of what happens to people who abuse God’s Word to make a mega-church (with an assistant leader as a woman) with a cult of personality. Glyn Barrett demonstrates why he is totally disqualified as a church leader.

The Andy Stanley Cornucopia of false teachings includes sooooo many links to items demonstrating why he should be disqualified from church leadership!

More examples of the horrible teachings and abuses of Scripture by Bill Gothard.

An interesting article about the Hutterite sect.  I hadn’t studied the Hutterites (although I have heard of them) so I did a wee bit of “Googling” to get some information and found this National Geographic article. [link gone by 7/18/18]  I see a lot of similarities between them and the Amish and Mennonites, especially with some legalistic practices.  Apparently there was a television program by National Geographic which didn’t set well with some of the Hutterites.  Of course this is common when cultic groups are examined.  Wikipedia has a pretty good article about the history of this sect.

Joyce Meyer’s jokes at Steven Furtick’s “revival.”  An excellent example as to why her teachings should be avoided at all costs.

Doug Evans has an excellent examination of false teacher Steven Furtick.

If your “church” does this, leave it and find a God-honoring assembly.  Concert performances are not worship services.

What Is Heresy?

Excellent sermon examining false prophets/teachers, including Beth Moore.

Is John Piper disqualifying himself as a pastor?

Several years back the Emergent movement came up with what became known as “The New Perspective on Paul,” which is nothing but more heretical theology.  I came across articles on the subject by Gary Gilley, which were in my file, and decided it was something which should be made available for as many people as possible so everyone can avoid this false teaching.  It’s a three part series:  part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Refuting Word of Faith teachings.

I was probably one of the original haters!

Funny, But So True