CCM DRAWS CROWDS FOR ECUMENICAL EVENTS—Many churches today are falling for the error of Contemporary Christian Music. The old hymns are supplanted by songs that over-emphasize the beat.. With words that are mostly bereft of spiritual value, CCM/rock most often results in applause for the performer and performance. Dr. Gordon Sears says this new music is "powerful and dangerous." He says: "CCM (rock) drew a crowd of 95,000 to a recent Billy Graham rally. It is this same trash that is drawing crowds of men to fill stadiums all across the country for Promise Keepers rallies. While it succeeds in causing friction and division in many local church situations on the one hand, it advances the world-wide ecumenical church, by bringing all religions together regardless of doctrine." [CCM is really "Commercial Charismatic Music."]

ABORTION SURVEY MISLEADING—About 1.5 million American women have abortions each year. A new survey on abortion by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (long associated with Planned Parent-hood) presents a misleading picture. So says an 8/19 USN & WR article.. It says Guttmacher is "strongly in favor of abortion rights," and the new survey is "a good example of how statistics rarely reach us these days without spin or heavy massage.". But it did find that religious women have the lowest abortion rate--one fourth the rate of non-religious women.

PK NEW POSITION ON HICK'S BOOK—Promise Keepers has issued two recent new position statements on Robert Hicks's psychobabble and blasphemous book (see 12/1/94 CC), The Masculine Journey, which it has so heavily endorsed and distributed. PK no longer distributes it, but still defends it. The July-Aug. PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter said PK only seems to be trying to avoid further controversy and that there is still no warning, apology, or repudiation of the book.

DC TALK MIXES SECULAR & 'SACRED'—With roots in Liberty U., praised and promoted by Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham, CCM/rock stars DC Talk recently won an award for their "Jesus Freak" being the "best rock recorded song." (7/1 CC). Secular rock bands (The Beatles, U2, etc.) are among their musical role models (6/96 Chr.Con.) and they sometimes include a Beatles or Doobie Brothers song in their shows. An article in the secular BMI MusicWorld (Summer '96) quotes DC Talk's unofficial leader as saying his songs "simply stem from human awareness....primarily come from just being socially aware." He frets that "too many critics do not perceive DC Talk and other CCM acts as being inspired by the same things moving the rest of our culture."

CBS GIVES SMUT A TRY—That's the title of an article in the 8/5 USN & WR. It said: "Politicians and family-values crusaders who need fresh TV-bashing material...can quit looking.. Steven Bochco is providing "Public Morals," a smutty half-hour sitcom debuting on CBS next season...". The show uses words that we can't repeat in a Christian paper. Sad to say, there already was no dearth of "TV-bashing" material!

WHO WAS CARL JUNG?—Most Christians likely have never heard of Carl Jung, but his influence has been vast. A current popular example is seen in Robert Hick's book, The Masculine Journey, which was given to each 1993 Promise Keepers attendee (8/96 PsychoHeresy. Awareness Ltr.). Jung delved deeply into the occult, practiced necromancy, and had daily contact with disembodied spirits ("archetypes"). He rejected Christianity and turned to idolatry. His goal for psychoanalysis was to be an all-encompassing religion, superior to Christianity. He has been called "an immoral slob and adulterer" who had sexual affairs with some patients (1/15/93 CC).

'THE MOST PRO-GAY PRESIDENT IN HISTORY'—Bill Clinton recently appeared on the cover of The Advocate, the nation's oldest gay magazine, and became the first sitting president ever to approve an interview in a homosexual magazine (Nat.Lib.Jrnl.). The Advocate admitted Clinton has "stumbled" in his relationship with gays, but stamped him "the most pro-gay president in the history of the United States." * * * Meanwhile, Alyson Publications has produced a sequel to the infamous children's book Daddy's Roommate (BJU's WhatInTheW.!). Called Daddy's Wedding, it is designed for children ages 2 to 6. Illustrations include a homosexual kiss.

FARRAKHAN & GANGS—Dr. Robert Morey says Louis Farrakhan "claims to be Allah, Jesus and the Messiah all rolled into one! He is a false Christ as well as an antichrist."(8/5 Chr. News) Libyan terror chief Khadafy reportedly promised Farrakhan $1 billion to help "mobilize oppressed minorities to play a significant role in American political life.". The 8/19 New American says Farrakhan and his Nation of Islam are helping mobilize street gangs, and says: "According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there are 1,000 gangs and more than 150,000 gang members in Los Angeles...."

ABORTION PILL MAKES BABY-KILLING EASY—Mife-pristone, the U.S. version of the French oral abortion method RU 486, is expected to receive FDA approval later this year. Abortions will be simple...but may have painful side effects.

BEYOND PROMISES AUTHORS DIALOGUE WITH PK—We have recent correspondence from Christian Conscience publishers Lynn & Sarah Leslie indicating they have spent time on the Internet with Beyond Promises authors Hagopian and Wilson (see 7/15 CC). The Leslies recommend the book as a "solid biblical critique" of Promise Keepers but note several areas of caution.. We share their concern that the book may be used to "prop up" the PK movement, inasmuch as PK has purchased several copies of the book and made it required reading for its top brass--and the authors are dialoguing with PK trying to help it make some "mid-course adjustments." There are other concerns (e.g., psychology), but the overriding concern is the bad "roots" of the PK movement. The Leslies devote several pages to this issue in the July-Aug. Christian Conscience (P.O. 17346, Des Moines, IA 50317).

PAT ROBERTSON COZY WITH CATHOLICS—After meeting with Pope John Paul II last year, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called the Pope "a humble and caring servant of the Lord." (12/1 CC). He said "We all want to build bridges with the Catholic Church." The 8/12 Chr. Today said Robertson has helped to shape the charismatic movement as a wide, ecumenical and comfortable phenomenon. It said: "Robertson has also opened himself to Roman Catholics--so much so that he signed a controversial statement of common cause between evangelical and Catholic believers, hired a devout Roman Catholic to head his public-interest law organization (the ACLJ), and allows the Catholic Mass to be celebrated daily on the Regent [University] campus for its sizable group of Roman Catholic students."

ANY SAVED ROMAN CATHOLICS?—Alex Dunlap says "No.", and: "When a Roman Catholic is converted, he is no longer a Roman Catholic. He no longer believes in merits, works, sacraments as aids in salvation; nor baptismal regeneration, nor papacy, nor priestcraft. If he does, he has not been converted...." (8/96 Gospel Std.). He says: "We pray with [a new RC convert] in such a manner that he knows he is leaving Romanism and asking God to direct him to a Christ-centered, Bible-teaching...evangelistic, separated, Fundamental, Protestant, Christian church...."

ACCC CONVENES IN OCT.—The American Council of Christian Churches' 55th annual convention is set for Church of the Open Door, Lebanon, Pa., Oct. 22-24. Dr. Robert Mayer is host pastor. Speakers include: Drs. Arno Weniger, John Ashbrook, Frank McClelland, Richard Harris (ACCC Pres.), Howard Carlson, and Mr. Eric Kooy. The Executive Committee will meet, and two Panel Discussions are scheduled. Conference theme is "A Ministry That Pleases The Lord." The Executive Committee of the World Council of Biblical Churches, chaired by Dr. Jim Fields, will also meet. Dr. Ralph Colas is Executive Secretary of both the ACCC and the WCBC. For more info, contact the ACCC at Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086.

PREACH AND PRACTICE SEPARATION—ACCC Executive Sec'y Dr. Ralph Colas writes (7/96): "A distinguished historian, Dr. Robert Delnay, recently noted that 'Harvard was founded to train ministers for New England but it cooled in two generations and Yale cooled in one....Andover Seminary was founded in 1807, with strong safeguards--yet in only six decades teachers were teaching outright Liberalism.'. All of these institutions were lost to Bible-believers because they failed to both preach and practice separation as it is taught in God's Word...."

CORNERSTONE COLLEGE PUB HAS ROCK STATION AD—Dr. Clay Nuttall sent this news item from his Central Challenge): "In Golf Invitational Magazine, a publication of Cornerstone College, Radio Station WLHT advertises its format on the whole back cover. 'Lite Rock' is boldly published as its fare in 40-minute blocks. Such an admixture might not be so puzzling after one listens to WCSG the college radio station on the Grand Rapids campus. Cornerstone is approved by the GARBC denomination."

TOLERATING LIBERALS—The 6/24 Chr. News reported that thousands of Presbyterians (USA) are on the brink of leaving because of ordination of homosexuals, etc., but said: "'Conservatives' in many denominations have for decades threatened to leave their church because of liberalism. They usually remain and learn to live with clergymen and professors who deny the virgin birth and resurrection....They learn to accept women [and] homosexual pastors. They still protest abortion but will commune in churches which support baby killing. They may still complain about the National Council of Churches, but will remain [in an NCC] church rather than join a Bible-believing non-NCC congregation."

WHAT HAPPENED AT PILLSBURY?—Dr. Gerald Carlson has written an informative 73-page booklet by this name, after a recent one-year stint as pres. of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College (MN). Dr. Carlson found "a perception among fundamental Baptists that Pillsbury has changed in its stand and standards.". He said: "I believe the only hope for Pillsbury is to connect strongly with churches all across the country that are solidly in the fundamental Baptist camp. To do that, [it] must clearly repudiate the idea that it desires to coexist with a softening attitude toward a broader theological and ecclesiastical base, a looser position towards worldliness and standards, and an accepting spirit toward increasing secularism in educational philosophy." The tone throughout seems fair, kind, and factual. Dr. Carlson's address is 801 Northgreen Ln., Rocky Mount, NC 27804, where he serves as Director of Development and Finance at Positive Action for Christ. The book is $4.00 + postage.

NEW BOOK ON BILLY GRAHAM—Brad K. Gsell has written a new booklet, The Legacy of Billy Graham: the accommodation of truth to error in the evangelical church. It chronicles Graham's ministry of compromise from the 1950s. It updates old material and adds much new. This attractive 54-page booklet may be obtained for a minimum contribution of $3.00 from Fundamental Presby. Publications, P.O. Box 26164, Charlotte, NC 28221.

PK REPORT AVAILABLE—A quick perusal of Dr. Don Jasmin's exhaustive report (151 big pages!) of the Promise Keepers clergy conference in Atlanta reveals it to be a vital resource document for fundamentalists and others. Far more than conference coverage, Dr. Jasmin analyzes the whole PK movement and its "Seven Promises" and gives valuable reference material on PK speakers--and includes resolutions passed by fundamentalist groups warning of PK dangers. The report will be an eye-opener for many by showing PK's ecumenical essence and clear violation of Biblical separation. Order from Dr. Jasmin at P.O. Box 2322, Elkton, MD 21922, $12 postpaid.

NO HEALING SERVICE AT RUDD'S CHURCH—The info in the 4/1 CC article concerning a "Physical Healing and Prayer" (2/18), all three services, was accurate, but the article's title was wrong.  

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