POLITICIANS TOUGH ON TOBACCO, SILENT ON ALCOHOL—Government investigators are taking tobacco bad boys to task, but don't hold your breath for a similar campaign against alcohol abuse. There are 14 million adult alcoholics in the U.S., 100,000 of whom die each year from this (3/25 USN&WR). We hesitate to give the federal government so much power in our individual lives, but if they go after tobacco companies, why not distilleries and breweries? Both smoking and drinking are harmful to our society, but we confess to feeling safer meeting a smoking driver on the highway than a drinking one.

DRUGS LINKED TO 70% OF CRIME—An analysis of prison statistics by The Birmingham News found that 17 percent of Alabama's inmates are imprisoned for drug charges. By comparison, 43 percent are behind bars for crimes against people and 34 percent for property crimes.(3/19 HT). But experts say more revealing is the 70 percent of Alabama inmates who are on drugs when they commit a crime or commit the crime to get money for drugs. People on cocaine are either stealing, or dealing, or about to start. Of the 20,000 people in Alabama prisons in Nov., 3,473 were drug offenders; it was 900 10 years ago.

HAGIN A NEW AGE HERETIC?—Kenneth E. Hagin is "father" of the word-faith movement, mentor of Kenneth Copeland, and disciple of E.W. Kenyon, whose theology was heavily influenced by science of the mind teachings (3/96 Media Sptlt). Cult-watcher Hank Hanegraaff compares Hagin and Copeland to "wolves in sheep's clothing", and describes their movement as being as heretical as the Mormon Church(5/1/95 CC). Hagin promises health and wealth to Christians, and says: "All you have to do is visualize it, speak it into existence." He claims that Jesus has appeared to him eight times--seven times barefoot, one time in Roman sandals (3/4 Chr. News)--that He came into his room one day, sat down by his bedside and talked with him for about 30 minutes.

GAMBLING & THE CASINO CRAZE—More than 500 gambling casinos sprouted across America in the 1990s, accounting for 85 percent of all gambling (4/8 Chr.Today). More Americans visited casinos in 1994 than attended all major-league baseball and National Football League games, accounting for $407 billion in wagers. Americans lost more money in casinos than they spent on children's toys. One developer forecasts that casinos--not department stores--will become the new anchor of shopping malls. But some say the U.S. casino movement has peaked. They predict a backlash, as people learn the costs and hardships created by legalized betting--the increase in crime, domestic disputes and suicides.

WIMBER'S DANGEROUS DOCTRINES—Media Spotlight (3/96) has a huge compilation of the history, teachings and practices of John Wimber's Vineyard movement. It briefly mentions Vineyard's role/influence in the "Toronto Blessing"/"Holy Laughter" and Promise Keepers movements. MS shows that many of Wimber's "signs and wonders" teachings are rooted in Eastern mysticism and mind-science inner healing techniques. It says: "Although he cites psychic healing as a false system, by using the intuitive approach to healing Wimber is dabbling in the occult realm of psychic healing." MS says Wimber validates certain elements of Roman Catholic mysticism, and that: "Deviation from the Word of God, and the use of extra-biblical sources of teaching, have led Wimber and Vineyard into many New Age/ occultic, shamanistic beliefs/activities." It says Wimber bases his teaching on demonization on information allegedly given him by demons. Wimber has praised the Pope and Robert Schuller. Send offering for this 32-page report to: Media Spotlight, P.O. Box 290, Redmond, WA 98073.

THE CREED OF CHRISTIAN RECONSTRUCTIONISM—Rev. Andrew Sandlin (3/96 Chalc. Report) gives the Creed of Christian Reconstructionism. He says: "A Christian Reconstructionist is a Theonomist. Theonomy means 'God's Law'....A Christian Reconstructionist is a Presuppositionalist....a Postmillennialist. He believes Christ will return to earth only after the Holy Spirit has empowered the church to advance Christ's kingdom in time and history....A Christian Reconstructionist is a Dominionist. He takes seriously the Bible's commands to the godly to take dominion in the earth. This is the goal of the gospel and the Great Commission..." R.J. Rushdoony, founder and chief theorist of the "Theonomy" movement, says the Bible requires the death penalty for 14 different kinds of offenders, including blasphemers, adulterers, homosexuals, idolaters and incorrigible children (3/18 CN).

ABWE: BASHING THE BASHERS—In a recent address to "the ABWE family," Association of Baptists for World Evangelism president Dr. Wendell Kempton took pot shots at fundamentalist "zealots," "gangs" and "swat teams" he accused of "abuse and bashing." He spoke in strong terms of "love" and "hate." He said: "I predict the creation of new nomenclature in the near future....The beautiful names of 'fundamental' and 'evangelical' have both surrendered their distinctiveness." He said "...separatists of all kinds must discard their rulers. They must measure up to GOD'S 'RULER.'" He then listed seven verses, including "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?", and "why dost thou judge thy brother?" Misusing these verses to silence exposers of the "spiritual adultery" and/or compromise of a "fundamentalist" brother is wrong, and is much the same as misusing these verses to ignore a physical adultery or drunkenness sin of an erring brother. We are to "judge righteous judgment" (Jn. 7:24). Conspicuously missing from Kempton's list were verses (e.g., 2 Th. 3:6, 14-15) which command withdrawal from compromising new evangelicals which ABWE consorts with. He denounced "religious tabloids that are dedicated to mitigating [sic] people or organizations." To exhort leaders, and to warn Christians of groups that deceive supporters is needed more than ever today. We are to warn as Paul did, with tears, but "fundamentalist" leaders are not above scriptural reproof.

ADRIAN ROGERS & BELLEVUE BAPTIST SPEAKERS—Dr. Adrian Rogers is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a very effective orator. He delivered a strong keynote message at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville last year. His popular "Love Worth Finding" is carried by the charismatic TBN and also by Tennessee Temple's WDYN. The problem is that he preaches truth but promotes errorists. He is embraced by ecumenicals and by Jerry Falwell. Rogers pastors the 24,000-member Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis. Its Women's Conference this month features Vonette Bright and Jill Briscoe as speakers. Listed speakers for its 3/96 World Missions Conference were associated with: Promise Keepers, Campus Crusade, Youth For Christ, Wycliffe Bible Translators, SIM, TEAM, Life Action, TWR, and--sad to say--a couple of fundamental mission boards. Rogers is a Focus on the Family board member.

CALVARY HAS CCM CONCERTS & ECUMENICAL SPEAKER—Calvary Bible College/Seminary (Kansas City) in its Spring 1996 Calendar of Events lists: Elisabeth Elliot (very ecumenical), and concerts by Bill Gaither and Friends, Cheri Kaeggy, Steve Ragsdale, and Dick and Mel Tunney. Dr. Warren Bathke is Calvary's interim president.

EVANGELICALS ACCEPT CATHOLICISM, NEW WORLD ORDER—The subtitle of Wilson Ewin's new book, Under The New World Order, is: "Evangelicals, Catholics and Israel: Conspiracy of the Ages." Dr. Bart Brewer in the Introduction says: "Many today, disguised as evangelicals....ignore the fact that Roman Catholicism is paganism in a new garb." Ewin says: "The Catholic Church is an active component of the New World Order's religious unit. As such, the counterfeit Church is a working partner of International Communism." Photos and documentation expose the treachery of New Evangelical leaders (e.g., Billy Graham) and the current sinister stratagems of the Pope and Gorbachev in the quest for global unity. Order this book from: Ewin Publications, P.O. Box 180, Norton, VT 05907, $6.85 postpaid.

PROMISE KEEPERS 'BREAK DOWN THE WALLS'—Last year, over 720,000 men gathered for 13 Promise Keepers stadium events. In 1996, Promise Keepers men will assemble in 22 stadiums to "Break Down The Walls." Some of the "walls" they will break down are walls of separation erected by God's Word to "put a difference between the clean and the unclean" (Lev. 10:10), those teaching a false gospel (Catholics, e.g.) and those teaching a true (evangelicals). Gal. 1:6-9 is clear that those bringing a false gospel are to be "accursed." The 1996 slate of ecumenical speakers is about the same as last year, plus a few new ones, including: Chuck Colson, Bruce Wilkinson, Haddon Robinson, and David Burnham.

PK ECUMENICAL CLERGY MEET IN ATLANTA—ACCC Executive Sec'y Dr. Ralph Colas attended, with press credentials, the Promise Keepers Clergy Conference for Men in Feb. at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. A long firsthand report is available from: ACCC, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA, 19086 (send offering). His report states that there were "priests, bishops, and ministers from every denomination in our country" among the almost 40,000 attendees. The 4/96 Charisma said "several Catholic priests were in attendance." Dr. Colas said, "The big beat, contemporary music brought the ministers to their feet...." Steve Green belted out repeatedly "Let the Walls Come Down." The 40,000 clergy shouted, whistled, clapped, and cheered as they worked to a higher and higher pitch of emotion. Dr. Colas said: "While there may be some good things said at a PK conference, this meeting included compromise, ecumenism, apostasy, Jesuit casuistry (end justifies the means), and hyper-emotionalism, along with a theology based on relationships rather than Biblical truth."

MURRAY HARRIS NOW BELIEVES IN RESURRECTION?—A major controversy has raged in recent years over Trinity International University (formerly TEDS) Prof. Murray Harris's confusing/heretical views on the resurrection(see 12/1/94 CC). Dr. Norman Geisler, Dr. Robert Culver, and Duane Magnani (Witness, Inc.) had expressed serious concerns about Harris. But the 3/18 Christian News reports that an agreement has been reached with Evangelical Free Church President Dr. Paul Cedar and the concerned groups, and that Harris now holds to the resurrection of Jesus in a physical body with "flesh and bones," and that believers will be raised in their "physical" bodies. So, they say, "The battle is over!"

ELMER TOWNS PULPIT-SHARES WITH CHARISMATICS—Fuller Seminary and Global Harvest Ministries will host a symposium in May to study the fast-growing post-denominational church. The symposium meets at Lake Avenue Congregational Church (Pasadena). Speakers include: "Signs & Wonders" guru C. Peter Wagner, Liberty University's Elmer Towns, Ted Haggard, Larry Lea, and other charismatics. Wagner is professor of church growth at Fuller Seminary, and coordinator of the United Prayer Track of the ecumenical A.D. 2000 and Beyond Movement. Towns speaks in Southern Baptist churches. He is not a separatist fundamentalist, though some "fundamentalist" schools/churches schedule him anyway.

HOVIND TO BE AT TTU—Dr. Kent Hovind--who often speaks on charismatic, Southern Baptist, and new-evangelical platforms (see 9/15/94 CC)--will teach a modular course entitled Creationism for Christian Leaders at Temple Baptist Seminary in June. Other TBS Summer 1996 Modular speakers include Dr. Olford and Dr. Kaiser.