Seven Wrong Paths

In the distant past, at this blog, I have identified what I believe are seven (7) evangelical movements/streams/theologies that have gotten off the main Biblical track and are taking many Christians down wrong roads.
Today I want to summarize in chart form the data I've researched for many years.

The main reason for these movements are unresolved problems in the evangelical church. Since these problems have not and mostly are still not being addressed, movements to solve them arise, often going to extremes. Most of the leaders of these movements are sincere, but IMO off-track. The danger is how much influence they have within the evangelical community.

So then, here are the seven with the problem(s) they are trying to resolve, their solution(s), the new problems their solutions are creating, and the BIG question this is raising.

1) Seeker-sensitive
The Problem from their view: Non-Christians and even many Christians are simply not coming to church. So, the solution would be how to get them there.
Their solution:Do marketing campaigns to find out WHAT people in the neighborhood want in a church. Then design the church around that data.
The problem with their solution: The Holy Spirit is blanked out of the "drawing to God and church" process as man draws people through slick programs and at times manipulation. We saw this at times last summer in my revival series. For example, check out Charles Finney. In the midst of this, the gospel gets compromised or even lost. Many call it "gospel lite.
The BIG Question: Does gospel lite save?
Notables: Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen

2)Emergent church
The Problem from their view: Same as above except it is worse in the generation between 18 and 35. How do we get this age group to church? Soem polls show that 9% of Christians in this age group go to church and only 4% of non-Christians ever attend.
Their solution: Same as above. Cater to the wishes of this group.
The problem with their solution: What this age group wants is tolerance. Unfortunately, that isn't always possible in Christianity. Tolerance shouldn't be confused with being mean. But Christianity means walking a narrow road where Christ Himself says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." He intimates that He is the ONLY way. The emergent generation doesn't always like that.
The BIG Question: They often do not present certain crucial propostional Biblical truths. They also tend to embrace all kinds of non-Christian thought. Can this save people?
Notables: Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, Dan Kimball, Erwin McManus

3)The Third Wave (Charismatics)
[Note: Not all Charismatics are Third Wavers as we have seen in pervious posts here).
The Problem from their view: Early Christianity was endued with power. This is missing from many churches today and so evangelism and healing is thwarted.
Their solution: Bring forth the gifts of the Spirit through fasting and prayer and other means.
The problem with their solutions: Too many of their signs and wonders do not "feel" right Biblically; they seldom mention Christ, the cross or are in the New Testament; they have a works program of fasting and prayer, observing feasts, strong spiritual warfare and other works; too much mysticism; little or no accountability for their "anointed" prophets and apostles and pastors; a lot of hype about healing and other "wonders" but the facts don't always bear it out; little growth in church attendance that one would expect in a revival.
The BIG Question: If Christ and the cross is seldom preached, how do they get saved?
Notables: The Head Apostle of the Apostolic Reformation Council-Dr. C. Peter Wagner, the Kansas City prophets, Randy Clark, Mike Bickle, Cindy Jacobs, John Arnott, Che Ahn and a myriad of others.

4)Word of Faith
The Problem from their view: Christians are not getting too many of their prayers healed, especially in the area of area and finances.
Their solution: Faith and standing on certain Scriptures seems to be the key to this dilemma.
The problem with their solution: If they were more balanced, this would be a great contribution to the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, they often get off on extreme tangents such as the extreme prosperity message. Also, their church organizational structure is quite faulty causing small churches that do not grow and often have too much control and even abuse.
The BIG Question: Actually there isn't any question, but there is a statement. If the WOF'ers would revise some of their theology and their organizational structure but keep some of their main tenets, they could become a vital force and a blessing in the evangelical church instead of being marginalized and laughed at as is their current situation.
Notables: The late Kenneth Hagin Sr., Kenneth Hagin, Jr, Kenenth Copeland, Frederick K. P. Price and so forth.

5)The Open View or Open Theism
The Problem from their view: The dilemma of Free will. If God knows what we will decide before we decide it, isn't our free will then compromised?
Their solution: Establish a theology which claims God "knows the future as it is." This simply means that God doesn't know all of the future-that is the part of humans making decisions.
The problem with their solution: While they have some good Scriptural passages to back up their theory, there are other passages which can blow it apart.
BUT, the main problem is the compromise of the omniscience of God.
The BIG Question: If Christians start to go in these directions, where does it end? In other words, what will God end up being? Will He go from being God to being god?
Notable: Greg Boyd, Clark Pinnock

6)Universalism and Partial Universalism
The Problem from their view: "God so loved the WORLD He gave His only begotten Son..." If evangelicals only believe SOME get saved, wouldn't this negate this verse?
Their solution: All are saved through the Atonement whether they accept Christ or not. Partial Universalists believe a few really, really bad people are not saved--people like Hitler, Stalin, etc.
The problem with their solution: Poor Bible exegesis ignoring key Biblical passages that plainly state not all will be saved uch as the last part of John 3:16. Ecumenicalism becomes very real in their churches, that is, all religions and life-styles are welcomed without question.
The BIG Question: Why receive Christ if all are saved?
Actually, the Christian Universalist says that there are benefits on earth for those who accept Christ.
Notable: Carleton Pearson

6)Gay-friendly churches (not liberal mainline or MCC churches--but evangelical gay friendly ones--yes it has now arrived in our camp)
The Problem from their view:Evangelicals do not know what to do with homosexuals, lesbians and transgendered people who may be born that way. It seems that the church has a poor record helping and changing these people.
Their solution: Accept these people the way they are and require NO change.
The problem with their solution: To teach and believe this, these churches have to adopt similar Biblical interpretations as their MCC and liberal mainline counterparts. The major "revision" is the definition of effeminate used by Paul in the NT. The gay-friendly churches say this refers to homosexual prostitutes who were common in the Roman empire; not to monogamous moral gays. Most mainstream evangelical scholars maintain the interpretations of these groups is faulty.
The BIG Question: How will other evangelical churches respond? Will they--and can they-fellowship with churches who maintain that their members can be practicing homosexuals? And can these people be saved in this atmosphere?
Notables: I am having trouble finding out leaders involved as it's very new on the horizon in the evangelical community.

Reformed Charismatic (or in my case--Pentecostal)

Adrian Warnock
recently asked us why we who are on the Reformed Charismatic Blogroll are Reformed (Reformational) AND Charismatic.

I will keep this short and sweet in answering why I am both....kind of. Actually I am more of a 3 1/2 . I am really trying to get to 4 so I won't be kicked off the list....:)

1. Pentecostal=Jack Hayford and the Church on the Way-1975
Word of Faith Teaching-1980
Presbyterian Charismatic Communion-1980

2. Reformed=Michael Horton and the White Horse Inn radio program/Modern Reformation magazine

The end.

P.S. Do read the bloggers who are a part of the Reformed Charismatic Blogroll.

Salaries

Marsha Evans, President of the American Red Cross... $651,957 salary plus expenses.

Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way… $375,000 base salary plus numerous benefits.

Todd Bassett, Chief Commissioner of the Salvation Army… salary of only $13,000 (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization.

Will the Real Charismatics Stand Up Please?

It seems that many are calling themselves "Charismatic." But they seem to fall into different camps which are very different. So far I've identified four groups, but I'm sure there are probably more in the woodwork.

So, here are the four I've catalogued.

1. The originals from the 1960's/'70's Charismatic Renewal. To see information about them, see my post, The Charismatic Renewal. IMO these people were fairly right on with their emphasis on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts while doing a lot of good Bible study. There was a good balance. Of course there were the crazies too. Anyone remember throwing up in a paper bag during "deliverance sessions?" Or, the Shepherding controversy? New Wine magazine, Catholic Charismatics, the really handsome Father Francis MacNutt, the Catholic's healing guru? The Presbyterian and Lutheran and Episcopalian Charismatics? Rev. Dennis Bennett and Larry Christenson?

2. The Vineyard. I'm not a Vineyard fan but there are two things John Wimber did right IMO--the small home group concept which the Vineyard did remarkable well; and putting more responsibility for prayer on the pray-ers--not just the ones being prayed for.

3. The Vineyard morphed into the Third Wave courtesy of Rodney Howward-Browne, Randy Clark and Dr. C. Peter Wagner among others. And you know if you've read this blog for long, I have BIG problemos with this group. My apologies to Adrian Warnock who has counseled in his latest blog not to be mean to people. What I am doing is not getting personal with people and name calling and being noxious as I rarely do that. I am pointing out their faulty theology.

The bad fruit coming out of it is overwhelming. For example, the extreme latter rain teaching including the faulty Manifest Sons of God teaching; the rare mention of Christ, the cross or even anything in the New Testament; telling people who disagree with them that they have bad spirits..Jezebel, religious and other obnoxious sounding ones; and a few of them telling people who disagree with them that "God will get them" because they dared to "touch the anointed."
I really cannot think of anything the Third Wave have contributed THAT WASN'T PRACTICED AND TAUGHT IN THE ABOVE TWO MOVEMENTS (#'s 1 and 2).

4. Something new called the Reformed Charismatics. That is Reformed as in Reformation....as in Luther, Calvin et.al. Michael Horton and R.C. Sproul are going to have a heart attack right about now. The one criticism I would have of this group which includes the Sovereign Grace minsitries (think C.J. Mahaney) and the UK Frontier Ministries (think Terry Virgo) is that many of them are heavy on the Reformed but IMO light on the Charismatic side.

(5). YES, the Pentecostals are a different group from the Charismatics. Similar but different. Think Assembly of God, Foursquare, Church of God in Christ (COGIC), Tommy and Matthew Barnett, Jack Hayford, all of the Word of Faith people (the late Hagin Sr., Copeland, et. al), Bishop Gilbert Patterson; (No, I'm not going the include the United Pentecostals and Holiness Pentecostals here...sorry...I consider their theology off.).

Here is my suggestion. Combine the best of all 5 together.

NOW, I think we have something...actually what many of us are actually looking for.

We have the balance and scholarship of the original Renewal Charismatics, the signs and wonders from the Vineyard, the passion of the Third Wave (See? I found something positive about them), the Reformed theology of the Reformed Charismatics, and the no-holds barred, no-compromise stance of the Pentecostals as to what happened at the cross.

Now we have it! Now we have the right church!

What's Ahead on Crossroads?

Tomorrow I will once again ask the question: Who exactly are the Charismatics?

Then for the rest of the year I will begin to talk now and then about the emergent church movement--its dangers and those who are doing it wrong IMO; as well as those who are perhaps doing it right.

Beginning in January 2006 I will be doing a very long series on the topic which I have researched for 25 years now.

That subject is:

Control and Codependency (including abuse, cult groups, and cultic behavior).

First, I will examine both control and codependency over all; then, in the home, in the workplace, in the church and other nonprofit organizations both secular and religious, and in governments (dictatorships). Since I have studied Hitler and the Third Reich, the Holocaust, and recent (19th and early 20th century ) German history including the psycho-social history of Germany as well as the history of Jews since 1600 in Germany as well as some other European countries, we will do a lot of fousing on Hitler and Germany and the lessons we should be learning from that era and event.

Blogout Week

I've decided to honor Dan's (Cerulean Sanctum) blogout. He is calling for a week of no blogging but I will proably be back on Wenesday evening or Thursday with a new post. I want to begin to explore the current craze to "reach postmoderns." If we don't get in on this ("we" being more strict evangelicals), then the whole church and country is gone. And I'm very serious about that. So stay tuned.............

Dan is asking us to do some good things for people during the blogout, and unbeknowst to me, God was secretly lining up elderly people to take shopping and the doctors this week. Also, I missed church this morning to take my neighbor to the airport. I promised him when my prayer for a new car was answered, I would take him. How did I know his plane was going to leave during church time....LOL. But I felt I should honor my vow.

So, see you later this week.

Diane

P.S. Whew! My alma mater, USC, barely sqeaked by Fresno State. I hope we will still be #1 this coming week in the crazy computerized world of the BCS.

I Accept the Challenge-Prophecy

Another challenge that is being issued and discussed in blogland is current prophecy and prophets. One major discussion topic seems to be centered around OT prophecy vs. NT. Is it the same? Is it different? If it is different, how so?
And a main topic along htis line seems to be:
How accountable should NT prophets be? Should they be held 100% accountable as they were in the Old Testament?

Sadly, many of the Charismatic bloggers I've read say "no." I think this is how much the Third Wave Charismatic thinking has influenced even independent Charismatics and even some Pentecostals.
I would like to weigh in on this and say we absolutely MUST strive for 100%. Our continual acceptance of these lame excuses from the "major prophets" that their 65-70% accuracy rate is OK will take us down a slippery slope. In fact, we truly are falling down that slope. Who can really depend on prophetic words today? And what should we do about this dilemma?

I wanted to write about this topic in depth, but my friend Dan at Cerulean Sanctum once again beat me to it...:). So, I will defer to him and encourage you to read his really excellent treatise on the subject. By the way, I agree 100% with everything he wrote.

Here is his post, Response to "Some Say It Blundered".

I Accept the Challenge-Healing

On Friday, Nov. 11, John of Blogotional, wrote this:

I am sure all of us have a story to tell of the "unexplained" healing. You know, the one that baffled the doctors. And most of us would, I think attribute that to God, and His Spirit. How are such things demonstrably different from the "faith healings" of tent revivalists and televangelists?

I would argue the difference is in the prior case there is no one claiming the "healing power." Does the gift of healing require an intermediary? Must the gift of healing be bestowed on a healer, or may it in fact be bestowed upon the healed? Is there ever a circumstance, in post-apostolic times, where it is bestowed on an intermediary? Does someone who prays for another to be healed, and sees that prayer answered have the "gift" of healing?


To my way of thinking the problem lies not in the healing, but in the intermediary. As with prophecy, someone who claims to be a healer, takes for themselves Godly authority. I think it quite possible that God grants that authority to some, thus the question about answered prayer, but I seriously doubt that anyone that "practices" the gift (distinct and separate from the role of physician, who may in fact be so gifted but accomplishes it not based on claims of Spirit interaction but of science) is genuinely endowed with that gift

My Response
1. I would begin with I Cor. 12:8-10, the list of what is called "The Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit."

In that list is the gift of healings (not healing, interestingly enough). If we delete healings, then we must also delete the gift of faith, knowledge and wisdom to be consistent. Even most cessationists will not want to do that. This passage begins with the words, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (emphasis mine) So, it looks as if God is wanting to work through people.

2. Another interesting passage is Col. 1:27, "God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Note that it doesn't say, "Christ, the hope of glory (although of course He is), but Christ IN YOU. The mystery is Christ's life and power working through us and in us for salvation. The word for salvation in the NT is almost always sozo which also has the larger meaning of deliverance from oppression and sickness.

3. One of God's redemptive names is Jehovah or Yahweh Rapha which means "I am the One who heals"; or more accurately, "I am healing;" not...I HAVE healing. The implications of that to me are staggering. God doesn't have healing to shed around when He feels like it; but rather where He is healing must be because He IS healing. Jesus demonstrated this redemptive name through His healing ministry on earth. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever."

So, let's put it all together.
1. God has put Christ IN us so He might work THROUGH us. That was God's decision, not ours.
2. God gave certain gifts to us to work as the Holy Spirit empowers us to do so. One of these gifts is healings.
3. God is Healing. To deny that this happens on a consistent basis is denying that redemptive name of God.
4. (looking at Hebrews 13:8) If Jesus healed yesterday, and gave His disciples (He sent out at times more than the 12 who were the later Apostles) authority to heal, both when He was on earth and afterwards, then why wouldn't He do the same today?


And here is the finale:
James 5:14-15 says this,
14. "Is any sick among you?"
Note that James says "any," not some.

"let him call for the elders of the church; and let them [the elders] pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."
Note it says elders (plural), not apostles, prophets, pastors (although pastors are elders). Or, even in this instant those with the gift of healings.

Now here is the dynamite statement:
15. "And the prayer of FAITH SHALL save the sick, and the Lord SHALL raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

I think you see why I have emphasized certain words in verse 15. It doesn't say the sick MIGHT be healed. They SHALL.

This certainly puts a damper on those who either say healing has ceased; or, as with most evangelicals today, "God only heals a certain select few." I call this Calvinist healing theology...LOL. God has an elect to be healed and the rest...well...sorry.


And then there is healing in the Atonement which I have written on extensively and you can read here.

One more note. If they ever find early manuscripts of the gospel of Mark, then the fur will certainly fly. It says in Mark 16:18, "they (the believing ones in Christ in vs. 17) will place their hands on the sick people, and they WILL get well."

But of course I really cannot use this passage as it is disputed, not being found in the earlier manuscripts, but showing up as if perhaps it was inserted by someone else centuries later.

OOPS! NEWSFLASH! The passage in question (Mark 16:9-20) is cited (at least in part) by many of the early church fathers such as Justin (165 AD), Irenaeus (177 AD), Tertullian (220 AD), Hippolytus (235 AD), Ambrose (397 AD) and Augustine (430 AD).

Hmmmmm.......

Now to answer some other observations you have made.

--->The problem with the "miraculous" gifts is that they imbue "the gifted" with a sense of power and specialness that is not real. The power and specialness belong to God, and we should never claim it as ours.

You are correct. And if those that are so imbued observe the chapter in between the gift one and the prophecy/speaking-in-tongues one (I Cor. 12 and 14), that is I Cor. 13--the LOVE chapter--perhaps we would see some genuine healings take place instead of the so-often hype the Charismatics (especially the Third Wavers) are constantly throwing at us. Unfortunately, there are a lot of nut-jobs in Charismatic/Pentecostal land. But I have been in (mostly Pentecostal) churches where real healing is taking place but it is subdued as the healers aren't crowing about it to every Christian media outlet.

In fact, in the church that you used to attend John, the pastors son, who was injured severely in a hiking accident and was declared a paraplegic for life by the medical community, was up and walking about 6 months after the accident. This wasn't some "sovereign act of God." Church members and elders were praying up a storm for him. Many were standing in faith in what the Bible said about healing and was holding God to His Word. Elders were anointing with oil and praying the prayer of faith. AND THIS IS A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH---PCUSA yet.

{NOTE: I don't know if John was there at that time or even knew about this. I don't want to be unfair.}

By the way, I saw the exact same thing happen in another church (a Pentecostal Word of Faith one). A teenager had a motorcycle accident and he was also pronounced a paraplegic. Each week the elders and others prayed for him IN LOVE (hmmm..perhaps that is a secret toward success a la I Cor. 13?). Each week some of the paralysis left. First his shoulders. Then a few weeks later his upper arms. Then his arms. Then his torso. Unfortunately I left the church at that point and don't know if he ever walked, but I am betting my booties that he did.

I rest my case.

P.S. If you wish, in the future I will be glad to take up the very important question, "Then why aren't some people healed?" Charismatics and Pentecostals MUST answer this question. It isn't fair to have people hanging on this one.

Is the Bible Adequate for Today's World?

The late James Boice made the following statement in his last and final book. I would like to hear your reaction.

"Evangelicals are not heretics, at least not consciously. If we ask whether the Bible is the authoritative and inerrant Word of God, most will answer affirmatively, at least if the question is asked in the traditional ways. Is the Bible God's Word? Of course! All evangelicals know that. Is it authoritative? Yes, that too. Inerrant? Most evangelicals will affirm inerrancy.

But many evangelicals have abandoned the Bible all the same simply because they do not think it is adequate for the challenges we face today.

*They do not think it is sufficient for winning people to Christ in this age, so they turn to felt-need sermons, or entertainment, or "signs and wonders" instead.

*They do not think the Bible is sufficient for achieving Christian growth, so they turn to therapy groups or Christian counseling.

*They do not think it is sufficient for making God's will known, so they look for external signs and revelations.

*They do not think it is adequate for changing our society, so they establish evangelical lobby groups in Washington to elect "Christian" congressmen, senators, presidents, and other officials. They seek change by power politics and money."

Are Christians Wealthier?

Here's an interesting news tidbit.

A new study says churchgoers are wealthier, less likely to divorce, and are better educated.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Jonathan Gruber -- writing in the book Religious Market Structure, Religious Participation and Outcomes: Is Religion Good for You?, for the National Bureau of Economic Research -- has found higher incomes, higher education levels, less welfare participation, and more marriages and fewer divorces among frequent churchgoers than in the general population.

Gruber compared national statistics on religion and income for his study. He found higher income and education levels in communities densely populated by a particular religion. For example, in communities where church attendance rates were double that of the general population, incomes were 9 percent higher.

Gruber's theories as to why, are:

*Churchgoers have more social contacts and job leads.

*Church community provides "financial and emotional insurance."

*Children in these communities more frequently attend religious schools, which could lead to better outcomes.

*Religion itself could directly improve well-being, which can lead to more prosperity.

Hmmm...maybe the prosperity message is working after all (snicker, snicker..chuckle, chuckle).

Healings and Mircales Lead to Salvation

I have had many problems with Vineyard theology and practice over the years but I do credit John Wimber with getting two things right:
*geographical home groups
*the normative ways that both Jesus and His disciples (Apostles) brought people to Christ through healings and miracles. Today we'll look at the latter point.

Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), why exactly are we having the cessationsit discussion again??

Here is something I received recently in my email from the Elijah list. As you know if you read me often, I am not a huge fan of the Elijah list because of the Third Wave prophetic "words" there, but once in a blue moon there is something useful. Here is a recent post from them but they don't give the sources, so I have no idea if this information is accurate or not. But I do know from other reliable and personal sources that this type of thing IS happening here and there in our world and even at times in Western nations. So here are some examples that the Elijah list reports:


*Researchers contend that 80 percent of new Christians in South Asia
come to Christ as a direct result of some kind of supernatural
encounter. Church planters among the Gamit people of Gujarat, India,
say that membership jumped from zero to 60,000 in ten years as a
result of hundreds of miraculous healings. The Chinese church is
growing faster than any other in the world. In one province, 2,000
new churches were planted in three years. Why? Most observers
believe the answer lies in the Chinese propensity for prayer -- a
habit formed among those who have grown up with no hymnals, few
Bibles, and much suffering.

*In Saudi Arabia, some Christian nurses were asked to pray for a
thirteen year old girl dying of leukemia. The girl was visited by
the Lord one night, though she knew nothing about Jesus. The next
day, she announced to her astonished parents that she had met her
Healer, and the entire family is now following Christ.

*The Gospel has penetrated even Islam's holiest city. In 1993,
several Saudi believers conducted a prayer march around the
periphery of Mecca, site of the annual Hajj or pilgrimage. They
asked God to establish a church in the city and to reveal Himself to
the two million truth-seeking pilgrims who visit the city every year
to pay homage to Allah at the Ka'bah shrine. According to at least
two sources, Jesus made a special guest appearance at the 1994 Hajj
-- declaring to a group of Nigerian Moslems that He was indeed the
One they were seeking.

*Some Kurds reportedly have come to Christ as a result of
intercessory prayer and supernatural dreams and visions. One of
these new Christians was converted a few years ago in Turkish
Kurdistan. An avowed atheist and the editor of an influential
Marxist magazine, this man was arrested in 1981. A Christian who
gave him a New Testament prayed that Jesus would reveal Himself in a
series of dreams. At their next meeting, the man became a Christian
and announced that Jesus is the One who cleanses sin.

*In Tunis, as in other parts of the Arab world, God is employing
dreams, visions, and miraculous healings to draw truth-seekers to
Himself. One dramatic example of this phenomenon involved a group of
Sufi Moslems in North Africa who were chanting and dancing before
Allah in hopes that he might reveal himself. They say that Jesus
appeared and declared that He is the true God.
According to missionaries in the region, many other people living in
the isolated reaches of the Sahara Desert have reported similar
visions of the Lord, and they are requesting Scriptures so they can
learn more about Christ.

*In Egypt, a Moslem military officer said he was visited by Jesus
Christ in a dream. Upon waking, he immediately sought out Christians
in his unit to see if they could provide him with a copy of God's
Word. Finding only one believer in his officer corps, he quietly
asked if he could borrow the man's Bible. In a manner reminiscent of
Ananias' reluctant ministry to Saul of Tarsus, the Christian
cautiously agreed. After several days of pouring over the Gospels,
the officer became a disciple of Jesus. According to reports out of
Cairo, this man has become a bold witness.


*In Cuba, a divine visitation of healing descended upon a small town
about 40 miles outside the capital. Everyone who walked into the
church there was healed. As news of this spread, people from other
towns began arriving. They too were healed. Eventually, people from
all over the Island were coming and being healed. This went on for
six weeks. Tens of thousands were saved. Many churches were planted,
and interest in the Gospel rose nationwide because everyone had
heard the news. It was so powerful that even the Communist
government could not deny these events. (Most of these healings were
a result of laying on of hands.)


*Many Argentine church leaders say that the church growth boom in
this South American country is a result of "spiritual warfare"
against the powers of darkness. Eduardo Lorenzo, pastor of the
Adrogue Baptist Church in Buenos Aires, says his small congregation
began growing rapidly in 1987, immediately after church members
fasted and prayed against a demonic spirit.
"Until then, virtually no one who resided in Adrogue had ever been
converted," Lorenzo says. "Now 40% of the church members are from
Adrogue." His church, which was 70 years old, had never had more
than 100 members, but it grew to 600 members in three years after
the demon was challenged.

My Concluding Comments
People like to be healed; in fact, there is a yearning in almost all hearts not to be infirm or sick. When people are healed miraculously, they wonder why; they listen more intently to the explanations; they are more open to the gospel.
And it's just that simple.

A WORD TO THE THIRD WAVE REVIVALISTS, PROPHETS AND APOSTLES:
Healing and miracles are great, BUT AFTERWARDS you MUST preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and what He did at the cross clearly too. And that is where I think you often fail.

Quote of the Day

"People are talking, carefully, very carefully, about, 'Yes, there must be something in Islam that's not compatible with democracy. And yes, some migrants do have some cultural traits that are not compatible with modernity, that are not compatible with a society based on universal human rights principles."

__Somalian-born, Dutch lawmaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali

30 Small Chinese Children

Sadly, I think I am beginning to agree with the Chinese Christians who are praying for persecution to come to the Christians here in America. After seeing over the past few years the spoiled evangelical church here go down their self-absorbed wrong roads, I am wondering if that is the only way to get it back on track. Consider this event in China...

"When Chinese police burst into a Sunday School recently where 30 children were learning about Jesus, they were in for a shock. Bristling with state authority, the police officers herded the children into police vans. They must have seen their job of intimidating babies as an easy one. They bargained wrongly. It started when one of the children began to sing. The rest of the children joined in. As they were marched into the police station, instead of sobbing and crying, the children were singing praises to the Lord. The outraged police told the children to sit down and write, "I do not believe in Jesus" 100 times. Instead the children wrote this: "I believe in Jesus today, I will believe in Jesus tomorrow, I will believe in Jesus forever." Exasperated, the police officers called in the parents, threatening to take the children away. Some parents, in fear, denied Christ. One widow whose twin boys had been arrested was told to deny Christ or lose her children......."

To read the rest of this exciting story, go here.

Charismatics! Get Back on the Right Road!

Phil Johnson is debating Adrian Warnock on the subject of Charismatic gifts vs. Cessationism. It's being refereed by David at Jollyblogger.

Many other bloggers are getting in on the action by posting on this subject. I actually was going to do something on Charismatics and now seems to be the time to do so in the Christian blogosphere.

But I need to get one thing out of the way that just drives me nutso!
Please stop calling Pentecostals Charismatics. They are simlar but not quite the same. To answer Phil, Oral Roberts and the Word of Faith teachers are Pentecostals. Dr. Peter Wagner and the Third Wave revival group along with the Vineyard are Charismatics. The difference is mainly theological differences cocnerning the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and the speaking with tongues. But even moe importantly, I find the Pentecostals much more Christ and cross-centered, while the Charismatics (especially the Third Wavers) much less so. And that is my BIG gripe with the present day Charismatic movement.

BACKGROUND INFO: You may wish to tke a moment to read about the foundations of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement.
To read the early 20th century history of the Pentecostal beginnings, see my posts of July 14, 2005 and July 16, 2005.
To read the middle 20th century history of the Charismatic Renewal of the 1960's, Read my post of July 28, 2005.

OK, now that you have the background, let's see what happened to the Charismatic movement from let's say 1975 to the present time. Why are so many crazy prophets and other assorted folks bringing shame to that movement?

Mario Murillo has announced that on December 2, he is going back to his roots of the beginning of the Charismatic Renewal [His wer at Melodyland Christian Center in Anaheim]. He writes this,

Many see a great lack in the Spirit-filled world today. [The] meetings have polarized. They are either droughts of power, joy and miracles; or they are drenchings of emotion, screaming rants and bizarre doctrine. Our meetings either starve the saints or bewilder the outsider [MY NOTE: they also bewilder many insiders].
The atmosphere at Melodyland got it right! [MY NOTE: Well, Melodyland had some serious problems, especially in its latter days, but I want you to see the essence of Murillo's comments].

Elements that we cannot seem to balance were effortlessly blended in the presence of God. Freedom of worship was kissed by divine order. Signs and Wonders flowed alongside the Word of God. Conviction of sin was wrapped around the Love of God. The seeker could drink the living water even as the saints ate the sincere meat of the Word!.
(Source: http://www.mariomurillo.com)

IMO the renaissance of the Charismatic movement came in the middle 1970's. After that it was all downhill and has been ever since.
The problem was a shift from the cross and the Word; in other words, by grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone and to God be the glory alone (these are known as the Five Solas and are a good foundation for our faith). In the early Charismatic movement there was a healthy respect for keeping on the straight and narrow Scripturally and prophetically. If a group or person got off, the leadership of the movement as a whole would offer correction. For example, when the Shepherding Movement hit, it ws roundly criticized by almost every part of the C/P (Pentecostal/Charismatic) leadership.

Today that accountability has basically gone by the wayside as leaders play the Good 'Ole Boy game as well as the Monkey game with each other.

The Monkey game="I see nothing, hear nothing, know nothing.
The Good 'Ole Boy game="I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine."

Both of these games were played during the Jim Bakker/Jimmy Swaggert era. And, it seems we have learned almost nothing from that time.

Mario is right on with his statment of the bizarre in some quarters and basically nothing in others. There is a lot of hype among Third Wavers about how many people are in "revival." But if you look at their churches you see little numerical growth. You also find more immaturity, dysfunctionalism and codependency there than in the church as a whole. At least that is my conclusion after talking to these people and reading their comments on forums for the past 6 years. And of course, then there is the matter of the "prophets." Both in the Third Wave AND in some Pentecostal quarters, MOSTLY THE INDEPENDENT PENTECOSTALS--NOT the denominationals (i.e. A/G; 4Square;COGIC), theer is absolutely no accountability. In fact, there is a unviersall acceptance by these leaders whenever one of their "own" prophesies. To question them would be out of the question...at least it seems to be that way. Dan over at Cerulean Sanctum is right. Discernment has gone by the wayside in these churches and ministries.

This is taking a huge toll on both the theology and the soul of the C/P (Charismatic/Pentecostal) movement, not to mention how we are laughing stocks to both evangelical non-C/P'ers and also to nonbelievers.

I see a trend among many C/P bloggers today to return back to at least some of Calvinistic theology. I do hope this trend continues although I would hate to see us go into extreme Calvinism. I realize that the Reformationists like Michael Horton and R.C. Sproul will have heartburn over acknowdleging us, if they have even heard of us.
My fantasy? To hear one of us interviewed on the White Horse Inn.

By the way, do visit the Reformed Charismatic blogroll for what Reformational C/P'ers are blogging about these days.

And, Dan at Cerulean Sanctum this week has done a very nice job of how the Charismatic movement should, as well as should not be conducted. Read his post, How Not to Be a Charismatic Headcase.

Marketing the Reformation (Parody)

Major kudos to Peter at Stronger Church for an absolutely wonderful parody of the modern evangelical marketing nonsense.

It's entitled How We Failed to Capitalize on Reformation Day

"What is wrong with us? We've missed a major opportunity to make the Reformation relevant to 21st century people. The marketing geniuses that provide meaningful stuff for the shelves of our Christian bookstores certainly have overlooked this one. Why are we not seeing quality items for sale such as:

1. Indulgence trading cards.
2. An "educational" video series on the Reformers using animated pieces of fruit - or maybe cute little bears dressed in period costume.
3. Reformation T-shirts (oh right, we've got them)
4. Luther and Calvin vs. The Pope and Tetzel wrestling action figures.
5. A modernized version of the 95 Theses, entitled, "Hey Mr. Pope!"
6. Greeting cards with pithy sayings from Luther's Table Talk. Luther needs to be cartoonized of course. How cute! (Hey - is there any way we can get these on Starbucks cups??)
7. Diet of Worms gummy candy.

Oh well, maybe next year."

Source:How We Failed to Capitalize on Reformation Day.

Faith Healing--Not an Option Anymore

For the next few days I'm going to comment and interract with some very good posts I've read in the Christian blogging community lately.

Up today is one by Dan at Cerulean Sanctum.

He talks about a subject I've also harped on now and then here at Crossroads. I will let my missionary friend and Dan explain how things really are.

From My Missionary Friend:
This is very true [what Dan says]. Here in this country, we have long ago shed our beliefs in healing. [It's] too Pentecostal. Healing has gotten a bad name. So we go to doctors, we take chemicals into our body that have side effects and some make us ill. Instead of being healed of our diseases, we run from place to place "getting prayer," which we can't get our faith up enough to believe in. We just hope the praying person's prayer will be strong enough to overcome our lack of faith. If we have a bad disease, the doctors can only cut, irradiate and poison. (Surgerize, radiation therapy and chemotherapy). These things extend our existence on earth by a month or a week. But they cannot cure us, or if we go to them soon enough, they can remove the first tumor before it spreads, but something else will come along that they can't fix.

Now go read Dan's excellent post.
Creating a Theology From Unbelief.

Ethics in Christian Institutions

Christian Schools

In my past occupations I've worked with a few Christian schools as a teacher, and for educational companies dealing with all type of schools, including Christian ones. I was a trainer in one company and an Educational sales consultant in another. Frankly, I didn't like what I saw. Too many times the decisions about teachers, curriculum, salries and so forth were money-directed instead of Biblically and Spirit-directed.

*Is it legal to hire non-credentialed teachers? In private schools--yes. Is that the best for the students? I know this can be controversial, but my point here is WHY many times non-credentialed teachers are hired by Christian schools. Follow the money trail. Or I should say, the lack of. But is that an ethical reason (especially when parents are told "other" reasons)?

*Is it legal to use horrible curriculums that "pass" for Christian? Yes. Is it ethical?

Is it legal to pay your staff way below what even most secular private schools pay (much less the even higher paying public schools)? Yes.
But is it ethical?

And then there are the Christian pre-schools and what they pay their staff. This is so nauseating that even I cannot go there at this moment. Maybe in a future post.

Christian businesses and ministries
We who have been Christans a while have learned the hard way the game being played by some "Christian" plumbers, contractors, and even some professionals, especially financial advisors who advertise to the Christian community as fellow evangelicals. And we know how so many of them walk the fine line of con artists.

Is it legal to be bad workman? Yes. Is it ethical? No.

And then there are the Christian parachurch ministries. Think Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert as the worst case scenarios. Unfortunately, there are many just like them. And happily, there are also many that are ethical and honest.

In all of this, the philosophy of any Christian school, business or ministry should be:
1. what you see is what you get--we aren't trying to hide anything.

2. We are dedicated to paying our employees the market rate, including benefits.


This is part 3 of a three-part series.

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

Ethics: The Fine Line

Yesterday I began a discussion of what is legal vs. ethical to the Christian.

In Part 1 I retold my story about how I couldn't find work, had to live frugally off of my credit cards, and then finally hit the max. Did I declare bankruptcy?
No. I began to pray and believe God to get me on my feet and pay back the $18,000. It is now over 10 years later with a judgement against me from one of the banks for the entire ten years. I also went through hell from collectors for the first years. The first judgement was up last July and my attorney said if I had told them I had no money they wouldn't have renewed it. But, I knew the inheritance was coming soon so I told them I would pay them. They renewed the judgement against me. The money finally came in late August and now my attorney is in negotiations with their attorneys to see if they will decrease it to a little over the original principal since they had offered that to me earlier this year.

As for the other two banks--legally, according to California state law, they cannot collect since the time limit has passed (four years). I am asking God for the principal for the two banks. When I get it (and I have no doubt I will), I will direct my attorney to ask the banks if they will accept it. If one or both say no, then that is their decision. But at least I will try.

I know by now, many will think I have either rocks for a brain, or I am very naive. I assure you, it is neither. The reason I've used myself as the example here is I really haven't heard any story like this one, and it illustrates my theme well.

The theme is....if something is legal, but say it's just on the line ethically, what should a Christian do?

Here's another fine line issue that many Christians do not know about. I call it the dirty little secret of many Christian organizations and schools. It's legal to pay Christian workers (teachers, secretaries, etc.) as independent contractors WHILE no other non-profit can. It has to do with a religious organization having these privileges. Most Christian organizations pay their staff less than even many non-profits, let alone businesses or the public sector. Being an independent contractor means no health insurance or other benefits and no unemployment. Also, the independent contractor does not have their Social Security or taxes withheld. They must pay the government themselves which includes filling out more tax forms (Schedule C, SE, etc.). To add insult to injury, they must pay the full 15.3% of their SS, not the usual 7.65%.

So, here's the question: Is it right (read that ethical) for a Christian organization to hire their employees as independent contractors? I'm not talking about true independent contractors such as accountants who are only used yearly and so forth.

What do you think?

Legal--Yes. But Ethical?

I want to start a three-part series on ethics in the ministry, as well as in the lives of individual Christians.

For the past few years, God has challenged me to think about this issue in a little different way than I hear most Christians discussing it. Almost all Christians are of course in favor of ethical behavior in the ministry and in their personal lives. But perhaps we need to define ethical behavior.

I am finding that if something is legal, most Christians believe it is also ethical. In other words, it's right for them to do. Here is an example--declare bankruptcy? It's legal. But is it ethical? Perhaps it depends on the circumstances. Or does it?

On one hand someone might have started a business and did everything correctly from the planning to the execution. Then the economy went "south" as it did during the 1990's severe recession. People just didn't have the money to buy the business's product. Should the business declare bankruptcy?

Or, a person runs up credit foolishly on their credit card(s) and cannot even pay the monthly minimum. Should they declare bankruptcy?

How about this one? I know a lady who lost her job and did everything she could to find another job--anything. She had scads of interviews and many second interviews where it was between her and one or two others for the job. But she never was offered any job (not even entry level ones since she was always "overqualified" and perhaps too old). Actually, there was one exception-- one that she didn't feel good about. She had another interview scheduled and asked the job offerer if she could wait to give them her answer for a few days. They relunctly agreed. It turned out that after the interview they put her in the top five candidates and asked for a second interview. She went through the second interview but didn't get the job. So, she called up the first company to accept their offer (although she still didn't feel good about it but needed to work). But they withdrew the offer. So, she lived frugally off of her credit cards the whole year and a half through this, since she had no savings and no unemployment (she had been hired as an independent contractor, worked on commission and went through her savings to live). She had to move in with her mother. Then she hit bottom and couldn't pay off her credit cards and her car was repossessed. A few years after that her mother had a major stroke and our lady was confined to the house for 6 years taking care of bedridden mom. She tried to find a job at home but didn't have the background for anything. She started a pet sitting business in her neighborhood and barely had enough for food much less anything else. She had no health insurance and couldn't visit the dentist for years. Due to an unexpected inheritance, she is now getting on her feet. Should she have declared bankruptcy when she couldn't pay her credit cards off?
Tomorrow I will tell you what she did and the results.

Oh, by the way, I am that lady.

You may read Part 2 of this series Here.