Thursday, February 27, 2014

NAZARENE ROAD TO ROME~FAST BECOMING AN APOSTATE DENOMINATION

The Nazarene Road To Rome

SEE: 

The Nazarene Road To Rome Part 2

February 27, 2014 by reformednazarene
“The Church of the Nazarene is fast becoming an apostate denomination.  It has for quite a while now been embracing Rome, notwithstanding anything that the leaders might tell you.  And don’t think you can look to the General Superintendents for help- because they are part of the problem.  They are either going fully along with these false teachings and ideologies, or they have abdicated their responsibility to protect the flock.  For many of us, it has been an absolute nightmare reading their “non-responsive” responses to our concerns.  They will have much to answer for their negligence.”
Many Christians today have a hard time dealing with reality regarding what’s happening in their “beloved denomination.” We may not know all the details, but there are some things that are for certain regarding the end times.  There will be no great revival, but there will be a great apostasy, of which we may well be in the midst of it now.  Those who preach about a great revival as the precursor before Christ’s return do not know their scripture, or perhaps they do know and are simply ignoring the truth of what Revelation teaches us.
In this video excerpt we see two events: in 1988, John Paul II led a worldwide service for peace that included spiritists, Buddhists, and other religions; and the other event depicted shows Pope Benedict leading an ecumenical prayer service, it seems almost unreal, but this “ecumenical spirit” continues today, as evangelicals are falling over each other in a race to be seen as full of love and unity with all “Christians”, regardless of doctrinal differences.
You will notice various evangelical denominations represented in the prayer service, with some going so far as to kiss the pope’s hand.  If this is not idolatry, what would you call it?  This procession of misguided “Christian” leaders did not include anyone from the Nazarene denomination-yet; but give it time.  After all, there are already many prominent leaders in the Nazarene denomination who are calling Roman Catholics our “brothers and sisters”, and who are introducing RCC traditions and rituals to Nazarenes in many churches and districts.
January was the occasion of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  From the website atonementfriars.org, it states that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites the whole Christian community throughout the world to pray in communion with the prayer of Jesus “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).  It is an ecumenical venture that has been around for a long time, and is proud of making connections and joining hands with any group that simply proclaims the name of Jesus, even if they are all over the place in doctrine.  The goal is unity- no matter what the differences.  Their theme this year is Has Christ Been Divided? And so they state that: “We continue to be divided by doctrine, polity, and practice, and to maintain our own religious identity, yet our pilgrimage towards unity continues under God’s guidance.”
Does God really guide such kinds of ventures? And is God guiding the Church of the Nazarene into joining with those who are marching slowly and steadily to join hands with Rome and the one world religion?  Are there really no serious differences between the evangelical church and the Roman Catholic Church that would hinder fellowship between them?  Apparently not to many of the Nazarene leadership, and it seems Nazarenes are joining the bandwagon happily, and ignoring the serious differences between the two.
For me, I have been made strongly aware of it in the past five years or so, but for others, they have seen this coming for a long time.  On the above mentioned website, you will read that a Nazarene pastor, Rev. Ken Ardry from New York, participated in this endeavor.  He has also written a document that is available from the site that reflects his views about this ecumenical event and what it means to him.  Rev. Ardry is in good company in the Nazarene church, and therefore should not even fear any serious criticism for this. He will most certainly be applauded by the leadership.  Here is an excerpt from that paper/talk he penned (see attached for complete text):
“To my Wesleyan, Reformed, Calvinistic, Pentecostal brothers and sisters… God really does use our Catholic brothers and sisters to bring people who have no faith into reconciliation with their creator God. To my Catholic brothers and sisters, and I know I preach to the choir this evening because you wouldn’t be here praying for Christian unity if you didn’t believe this, but to my Catholic brothers and sisters God really does use us Protestant types to bring people who are lost without their God into reconciliation with him.
As we seek to build Christian unity Paul sets an example for us in his attitude toward the Corinthian church.”
To those who have bought into the idea that for Roman Catholics and Nazarenes (or any evangelical Protestant) there is nothing that should cause them to break fellowship, I can see them nodding their heads and saying “amen.  Perhaps they believe that the Reformation was a waste of time and should never have happened.  And now leaders in the church are working hard to bring the Nazarene denomination a step closer to Rome.  I recall at this year’s General Assembly, when at Mark Maddix’s seminar promoting contemplative spirituality practices, I was rebuked by him and several others who approached me later.  Why?  Because I spoke the truth and said that Roman Catholicism is a false religion.
The evidence is everywhere.  We have seen it with programs in every university and the seminaries promoting Eastern style mysticism (contemplative spirituality) under the guise of a better sounding phrase, “spiritual formation.”  We have seen pagan prayer labyrinths at Trevecca Nazarene University and various churches, as well as trips to a monastery to “practice the silence” and mingle with the nuns and monks in their rituals.  We saw this continuing promotion of contemplative prayer sponsored by the seminary itself, at the General Assembly in Orlando in 2009.  Two years before that the seminary sponsored the same thing just before the M-7 Conference.  Then there was also the Roman Catholic style prayer rooms at General Assembly, with books by mystic Richard Foster prominently displayed next to a Bible.
We have seen books sold at Nazarene Publishing House that promote to the youth such practices as prayer beads, creating their own labyrinths, lectio divina, and recommending going on pilgrimages to the Taize interspiritual center in France. (SEE: www.taize.fr/en)  And at least one university, Point Loma Nazarene, has organized its own trip for youth to Taize.  Then along came Ashes to Fire, a devotional book that continues the trend towards Roman Catholic practice.  Remember  the Nazarene video promotion showing someone receiving ashes to the forehead, Roman Catholic style?  And then, the Nazarene pastor taking confessional at St. Peter’s in Rome, reminding his friends that he did not want to forget “his roots.”  Or what about the heavy promotion of books by Catholic mystics recommended for a Nazarene camp in New Hampshire?
You believe in biblical inerrancy?  Big problem!  Confessional in Rome?  No problem.
We now see a Facebook group, Sacramental Nazarenes, heavily promoting and talking about all the latest fads in rituals and ceremonies that they can all share and perform in their churches.  The new president of Nazarene Theological Seminary proudly has displayed an icon of an Eastern Orthodox “saint” on her Facebook page.  It’s all about ritual, and tradition, now for these people, and less about scripture and doctrine.  And if you see the list of members of Sacramental Nazarenes, you will see leaders in the church, such as former General Superintendent Jesse Middendorf, and GS David Busic; Carla Sunberg, new president of the seminary; district superintendents, pastors, college professors and president – because they have bought into these ideas!
There are so many more signs that the Church of the Nazarene is no longer the church that was used by God to bring the Gospel to my father and rescue him from Roman Catholicism and its false religion.  Have you noticed pastors quoting Mother Teresa and other Catholic mystics in their sermons?  The jesus of Catholicism is not the Jesus I know.  So if that is true, how can there be unity?  In fact, can there be unity when the official position of the Roman Catholic Church is that all of us are lost, unless we repent and return to Rome?  Don’t these Nazarene leaders even know that much?  Don’t they know what the RCC teaches?
There is much more that is destroying the Nazarene denomination.  There is the emergent church culture, that doubts most of Scripture.  There is the godless evolution movement, being promoted aggressively by leaders in the church.  There is now the signs and wonders movement, with many Nazarenes under the influence of such as Bill Johnson and Dan Bohi.  There is the contemplative spirituality movement, which is bringing Eastern mysticism into the church.  And finally, there is the fundamental denial that God’s word is inerrant, and if you dare to preach otherwise, or preach against the emergent church- you will lose your ordination unless you recant.  And that has already happened.
“The Church of the Nazarene is fast becoming an apostate denomination.  It has for quite a while now been embracing Rome, notwithstanding anything that the leaders might tell you.  And don’t think you can look to the General Superintendents for help- because they are part of the problem.  They are either going fully along with these false teachings and ideologies, or they have abdicated their responsibility to protect the flock.  For many of us, it has been an absolute nightmare reading their “non-responsive” responses to our concerns.  They will have much to answer for their negligence.”
The only hope right now are the faithful churches that are standing against the emergent movement, regardless of criticism- and they do get it.  They get it from district superintendents who are pushing the agenda.  And the casualties along the way are the many faithful, Bible believing Nazarenes who have no choice but to leave their churches, and find another church.  I urge those who have not any good options left, to shake the dust off their shoes, and leave the Church of the Nazarene.  Don’t become part of Rome.
For further reference:
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COMMON CORE: NEA PRESIDENT SAYS "IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY BOTCHED"

NEA President: We Need a Course Correction 

on Common Core

EXCERPT:
"I am sure it won’t come as a surprise to hear that in far too many states, implementation has been completely botched.  Seven of ten teachers believe that implementation of the standards is going poorly in their schools. Worse yet, teachers report that there has been little to no attempt to allow educators to share what’s needed to get CCSS implementation right.  In fact, two thirds of all teachers report that they have not even been asked how to implement these new standards in their classrooms."

FULL TEXT OF LETTER REPUBLISHED BELOW IN FULL UNEDITED FOR INFORMATIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND RESEARCH PURPOSES:

February 19, 2014
By Dennis Van Roekel
During my 23 years as a high school math teacher, I learned some important lessons.  One of the most important was that effective teaching and learning required me at times to be the teacher and at other times, the student. I listened closely to my students because they were the ones who told me what was working and what wasn’t.  I don’t believe I am any different than any other NEA member—we all want the best for every student in our classrooms and schools.
So when 45 states adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), we as educators saw the wonderful potential of these standards to correct many of the inequities in our education system that currently exist.  Educators embraced the promise of providing equal access to high standards for all students, regardless of their zip code or family background.
We believed the standards would help students develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to succeed in the fast-changing world.  NEA members overwhelmingly supported the goals of the standards because we knew they could provide a better path forward for each and every student. The promise of these high standards for all students is extraordinary.  And we owe it to our students to fulfill that promise.
As educators, we also had high hopes that our policymakers would make an equal commitment to implement the standards correctly by providing students, educators, and schools with the time, supports, and resources that are absolutely crucial in order to make changes of this magnitude to our education system.
So over the last few months I have done what my students and fellow educators have taught me:  I have been listening closely. I have joined our state leaders in member listening sessions around the country, observed dozens of member focus groups, and invited hundreds of thousands of NEA members to share their views about how CCSS implementation is going.
I am sure it won’t come as a surprise to hear that in far too many states, implementation has been completely botched.  Seven of ten teachers believe that implementation of the standards is going poorly in their schools. Worse yet, teachers report that there has been little to no attempt to allow educators to share what’s needed to get CCSS implementation right.  In fact, two thirds of all teachers report that they have not even been asked how to implement these new standards in their classrooms.
Imagine that:  The very people expected to deliver universal access to high quality standards with high quality instruction have not had the opportunity to share their expertise and advice about how to make CCSS implementation work for all students, educators, and parents.
Consequently, NEA members have a right to feel frustrated, upset, and angry about the poor commitment to implementing the standards correctly.
So, where do we go from here?
NEA has been called upon to oppose the standards.  It would be simpler just to listen to the detractors from the left and the right who oppose the standards.  But scuttling these standards will simply return us to the failed days of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), where rote memorization and bubble tests drove teaching and learning.  NEA members don’t want to go backward; we know that won’t help students.  Instead, we want states to make a strong course correction and move forward.
Not surprisingly, as a math teacher I have some strong views about the proper sequence of things—not only in my classroom, but also when it comes to implementing this kind of systemic change in public education.  Start with high standards, create a curriculum that supports them, then focus on assessments that are aligned to what is taught and that really measure learning, then evaluate progress in teaching and learning, and finally pledge to make continuous adjustments to improve teaching and learning for each and every student.
So the first step is for policymakers to treat teachers as professionals and listen to what we know is needed.  Give us the resources and time—time to learn the standards, collaborate with each other, develop curriculum that is aligned to the standards, and time to field-test the standards in classrooms to determine what works and what needs adjustment.  We also need the financial resources for updated textbooks and fully aligned teaching and learning materials.
Second, work with educators—not around us—to determine how to properly use assessments in classrooms across America.  It’s beyond me how anyone would ask teachers to administer tests that have no relation whatsoever to what they have been asked to teach.  In too many states, that’s exactly what’s happening.
Old tests are being given, but new and different standards are being taught.  How on earth does that give any teacher, student, or parent information that is relevant to what they need to know or how they can improve?  Why would we waste valuable learning time for students?  And, then, to make matters worse, many states are proceeding to use these invalid test results as the basis for accountability decisions.
This is not ‘accountability’—it’s malpractice.
In states that have made a commitment to involving teachers up front and providing teachers with the time, training, and resources they need to make the standards work, educator support for the standards is strong.
So if better teaching and learning is our goal, then policymakers need to implement educators’ common sense recommendations to get implementation on track:
1. Governors and chief state school officers should set up a process to work with NEA and our state education associations to review the appropriateness of the standards and recommend any improvements that might be needed.
2. Common Core implementation plans at the state and local levels must be collaboratively developed, adequately resourced, and overseen by community advisory committees that include the voices of students, parents, and educators.
3. States and local school districts must place teachers at the center of efforts to develop aligned curriculum, assessments, and professional development that are relevant to their students and local communities.
4. States must eliminate outdated NCLB-mandated tests that are not aligned with the new standards and not based on what is being taught to students in the classroom.
5. States must actively engage educators in the field-testing of the new assessments and the process for improving them.
6. In any state that is field-testing and validating new assessments, there must be a moratorium on using the results of the new assessments for accountability purposes until at least the 2015-2016 school year. In the meantime, states still have other ways to measure student learning during this transition period—other assessments, report cards, and student portfolios.
7. Stakeholders must develop complete assessment and accountability systems. It takes more than one piece of evidence to paint a picture of what students are learning. Testing should be one way to inform effective teaching and learning—not a way to drive it.
I know that NEA members are committed to seeing the promise of the standards fulfilled. But we can’t do it alone.  Elected officials, school administrators, and other stakeholders are part of the accountability system, too, and that means stepping up and accepting more responsibility to get CCSS implementation right. There’s too much at stake for our children and our country to risk getting this wrong.
Visit nea.org/commoncore for more information and resources.
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