THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
Doug Harris of Simply the Truth (Reachout Trust- http://www.reachouttrust.org), hosted a debate on Mariology between Cecil Andrews of Take Heed Ministries and Catholic Jesuit priest Keith McMillan:
Reformed Baptist apologist/debater James White from Alpha & Omega Ministries http://aomin.org, discusses the apparitions of Mary (even in window smudges):
The 20 page report dated 1987 in the PCA Digest on Freemasonry within the Presbyterian Church in America is here for your inspection: http://www.pcahistory.org/pca/2-300.pdf.
It references several other denominations which have published statements regarding the incompatibility of Freemasonry with Christianity and that those who are involved in Freemasonry while claiming to be Christian should repent by terminating their membership in the Masonic Lodge or affiliated female or youth focused Masonic organizations.
Ralph Ovadal of Pilgrims Covenant Church, Monroe, Wisconsin, http://www.pccmonroe.org, has backed up his article in print "What a Difference Six Months Does Not Make" previously referred to in this blog, with an audio sermon to complement at http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=14131031143. Ovadal exposes Beeke's associations with organizations and persons that are clearly ecumenical, apostate, heretical and Catholic. It is well worth reading Ovadal's two written articles and then listening to the audio sermon, since it is a rare pastor who will dare to uncover and expose the unbiblical lack of separation of those who claim to be "reformed", but who are in fact traitors to the historic Protestant Christian faith by their words, writings, affiliations and associations. It is full time that these charlatans be exposed as the compromisers they are.
Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith describes the Passion 2013 event, making reference to Erin Benziger's thorough and revealing article at Do Not Be Surprised, titled "Jesus Culture and Judah Smith to Join Piper, Moore, Chan and Others at Giglio's Passion 2013": http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2013/01/jesus-culture-and-judah-smith-to-join.html
Who is Louis Giglio? Pastor of "Passion City Church" in Atlanta, Georgia. Let him preach tolerance to you here at Passion 2012 with John Piper approving:
And Giglio at the Liberty University Convocation Nov. 2, 2012 where he promoted Passion 2013 and his goal of seeing "spiritual awakening" come to college campuses worldwide:
The following is a rather mixed bag of what's happening in the emerging church, incorporating Catholic contemplative mysticism, mind-emptying meditation, with a heavy emphasis on "experiencing God" and where this all leads. "Passion" is not the passion of Christ in these venues. The idea is we can all have unity if we are strictly non-dogmatic and non-doctrinal.
Here the alleged "Glory Cloud" (small glitter flakes) descends and floats down around the crowd at Bethel Church, Redding, California. This is what is called "camping around the presence", i.e., "the presence over the Word".
At other times the alleged "Glory Cloud" has allegedly floated up from the floor!
Close examination of the phony "Glory Cloud" glitter:
The great "reformed" John Piper leading Catholic contemplative "Lectio Divina" at Passion 2012:
Beth Moore also leading the mystical "Lectio Divina"
"Jesus Culture" live in Chicago, now at Passion 2013 to give a giant boost to everyone's "spirit":
Compare this with the multisensory E.P.I.C. (experiential, participatory, image-rich, and connected/communal) Worship coined by Leonard Sweet, postmodern New Age, "Christian" mystic, in his book "The Gospel According to Starbuck's". For example Martha Munizzi sells EPIC here:
Followed by a "prophetic interlude" (false gospel) for you sinners that is devoid of Jesus Christ, repentance, etc, but filled with feelings and experience, as is typical with all the emergents:
A one hour video is below of Diet Eman, age 92, who was and is a "righteous" person for saving many Jews and resisting the Nazis. She is a concentration camp survivor as well. Here is her personal story and testimony:
In addition, Lighthouse Trails Research has an excellent article about her and her book "Things We Couldn't Say" at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10128. Included in this article is a video of Hitler in 1935 at the "Reichsparteitag" stressing unity of industry, state and church, Peter Drucker style (three legged stool). The video is titled: "Speech During a Reichsparteitag (Reich Party Day rally) to the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth)". Wait for the 3:05 minute mark for the translation of Hitler's speech. Hitler said: "He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future". Do you know a leader like this today? Beware these unaccountable ALL POWERFUL LEADERS (FUHRERS), whether in churches or in government!
The rotten charismatic/pentecostal/"signs and wonders" fruit of Lonnie Frisbee is still corrupting to this day. The search for the so-called "radical middle" between fundamentalism and pentecostalism, otherwise known as "power evangelism" (along with the necessary display of questionable "gifts of the Holy Spirit) is typical of Calvary Chapel, founded by Chuck Smith, the Vineyard Church founded by John Wimber, and Sovereign Grace Ministries, founded by C.J. Mahaney, who were ultimately influenced by the Jesus People of the sixties and Lonnie Frisbee as you will see in the Wikipedia articles here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Frisbee, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Smith_(pastor), and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wimber. SGM, however, has morphed away from pentecostal displays of these gifts toward a more refined or "reformed" Calvinist stance. All three regardless, have had their issues, their corruption, and their own particular problems. The overarching similarities are the authoritarianism, powerful leadership, and members signing covenants agreeing to be submissive, non-judgmental, and non-divisive, and especially not discerning.
A very good description of the "spiritual formation" thrust in the Vineyard movement is in this: http://www.sgm.org.nz/Research%20Papers/Buried%20Seed-Spiritual%20Direction%20and%20the%20Vineyard%20Movement.pdf and Lighthouse Trails Research's article, "The Vineyard Movement Grabs Hold of Contemplative Spirituality" at: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=7137.
More to come.
