VOL. XIII NO. 18 NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM September 15, 1996

ROCK MUSIC EFFECTS—A mail bomber says 1960s "rock music brought him to the point of being the messiah." (8/2 H.Times). AC/DC's lead guitarist says: "We're rebellious, yeah. But that's what rock 'n' roll was founded on." (8/22 HT). The 9/96 Charisma says the "Christian rock" band The Newsboys are "translating the gospel into the language of rock 'n' roll for an alienated youth culture." Perhaps much of "Christian" Rock is being used as a tool of Satan to draw youths into the secular rock culture, and/ or into the charismatic movement? Charisma had this quote (1/96): "People love music, singing and clapping. I believe that draws them toward the Pentecostal and charismatic churches."

CHRISTIAN COALITION: FEC'S SELECTIVE LAWSUIT—Cal Thomas says of the Federal Election Commission's lawsuit against the Christian Coalition: "When the Rev. Jesse Jackson ran for president, he openly collected funds for his campaign in black...churches in what [seemed] a flagrant violation of IRS and FEC rules. No action was taken against him. Liberal clergy/ churches/denoms have for years been involved in lobbying for and against legislation while enjoying special [tax] status." (8/24 World). He says at Foundry Methodist, where the Clintons attend, literature opposing the Republican "Contract with America" was available in the church, and Foundry's facilities have been used by gay-rights and other groups as a platform for political speech and activism.[See 1/15 CC]

JAY GARY, A NEAR NEW AGER?—Jay Gary refers to himself as "The Millennium Doctor," and is involved in planning a big celebration of "Jesus' birthday in the year 2000. He denies being a New Ager but has promoted/endorsed New Agers and their ideas, and recommends books by New Agers. He has promoted the UN, and Robert Muller's (see 6/15 CC) occultic World Core Curriculum. Yet he also has been involved in various ecumenical evangelical projects (see 3/15 & 11/1/95 CCs). Templeton Prize winner Bill Bright, who heads Campus Crusade, endorsed Gary's book The Star of 2000 and later reaffirmed his original endorsement. Dr. Cathy Burns has written a new 40-page (11 are Endnotes) paper dealing with Gary, Bright, and an assortment of globalists and New Agers. Get it from: Sharing, 212-G E. 7th St., Mt. Carmel, PA 17851, $5 postpd.

FAX, E-MAIL, INTERNET—We now have a FAX #, 205/830-1905 (same as phone #, so you need to phone first), and E-mail address: Contender@whoisit.com. The CC can also be found on the Internet at various Web sites in the U.S. A local one is http://www.whoisit.com/Contender.

A CHILD BELONGS TO ITS PARENTS, NOT THE STATE—A 1930 White House Conference on Child Health and Protection "marked the triumph of a new conception of the State's child." (7/8 New American.) It described each child as an individual "who belongs to the community [village?] almost as much as to the family" and a citizen of "a world predestinedly moving toward unity." The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child would formally designate the government as the primary custodian of all children.

WOMEN'S ORDINATION CONFUSION—Southern Baptist and charismatic churches have ordained women preachers/pastors, and just recently, Ruth Hofman became the first woman officially approved as a "minister of word and sacrament" in the declining-membership Christian Reformed Church (8/5 Chr.News). A woman pastor within the charismatic ranks has asked, "Is God in a woman to be subordinated to God in a man?" When questioned about the Bible doctrine of male church leadership, she responded, "I would never permit a few words by Paul, spoken to women of an archaic epoch to limit my obedience to my Lord in my generation." (Mrs. T. L. Osborn). PMU Missions Banner editor Dr. Morris McDonald comments on this (5/96 MB): "Note what happens when charismatic visions, emotions, and 'gifts' take precedence over God's written Word!"

COORS EXTENDS SUPPORT TO HOMOSEXUALS—Coors Brewing Co. last year, along with Disney and others, extended health benefits to homosexual employees' partners (10/9/95 HT). Evangelicals and political conservatives cried "betrayal," since they for many years had received Coors support. A Coors leader said it had supported various homosexual efforts in the past few years. Alcohol is the nation's number one drug problem, accounting for $100 billion in economic costs and 105,000 deaths each year (8/17/ 92 Chr. Today). Many pro-family organizations such as Beverly LaHaye's Concerned Women of America and the Heritage Foundation have long accepted Coors money, which hindered some from tackling alcohol-related issues. Hopefully now, for many, their silence is no longer for sale.

INCONSISTENCIES—Media routinely refer to pro-lifers as "opponents of abortion rights," or "opponents of a woman's right to choose." But they never call gun control supporters "opponents of the right to keep and bear arms." **** Pro-abortionists say abortion is a woman's private choice and decision. But if it is a PRIVATE matter, why demand PUBLIC funding for it? **** Why no lawsuits and crusades against the liquor industry as against tobacco companies?

STANLEY A NEAR CHARISMATIC?—The 9/96 Charisma reports on Dr. Charles Stanley's close brush with divorce and his Pentecostal roots. In a surprise move on March 14, Anna Stanley dismissed her divorce suit. Although they still live apart (for the last three years), they are working toward reconciliation. The article said Stanley's Atlanta church attracts many charismatics, who also watch his program on stations affiliated with Paul Crouch's TBN. Stanley is not charismatic, but says: "I have no problem with the Pentecostal movement....People ask me, 'Do you have charismatic people in your meetings?' Absolutely! Then they ask, 'Do you like that?' Absolutely! It makes for a good mixture...." He thinks it humorous that many charismatics believe he is one of them while some Baptists aren't too sure what he is. Stanley says "...I just love God. If somebody loves God, who cares what kind of title they have?"

BAKKER CALLS 'PROSPERITY GOSPEL' A LIE—Jim Bakker used to tell followers God wanted to bless His people with fancy houses and Rolls Royces. Today he says the "prosperity message" is bunk from the devil (9/96 Charisma). After a humiliating fall from PTL power, defrocked by the Assemblies of God, a stint in prison, and a traumatic divorce, Bakker is writing a new book entitled I Was Wrong sharing his restoration. Denouncing the so-called health-and-wealth gospel, he says, "I taught people that God wanted above all for you to be rich....That's a lie."

YFC'S DC/LA '97 EXTRAVAGANZA—Youth For Christ expects 35,000 attendees at its Washington, DC (July 16-20) and Los Angeles (June 25-29) conference. The list of over 75 "Christian Colleges" involved in DC/LA '94 included: Oral Roberts University, Fuller, Wheaton, Trinity, Biola, Gordon, Baylor, Asbury, Moody, Liberty, and Grace (IN). It may surprise some to know that the list of charismatic/liberal and new evangelical colleges involved also included the GARBC's Western Baptist College and Christian Heritage College (David Jeremiah, pres.).

FGBMFI SPLITS—Demos Shakarian formed the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship in 1952. He, a charismatic, was an ardent proponent of miracles, tongues, healing and visions. But after his death in 1993, and under his son Richard's leadership, the FGBMFI declined and has now split. Longtime supporters last year defected and formed the Business Men's Fellowship (BMF). BMF invited E.V. Hill, Adolf Coors IV, and Sen. John Ashcroft as speakers for its first annual convention in August. FGBMFI recently sold its 65,000-square-foot headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA to the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

PCUSA'S MIXED MESSAGE ON HOMOSEXUALITY—The Presbyterian Church(USA) at its recent meeting sent a muddled message on homosexuality, and failed to condemn partial-birth abortion as sin (8/24 World). It approved a policy of forbidding the ordination of practicing homosexuals, but: (1) It continues to receive self-acknowledged, practicing homosexuals as members in good standing. (2) Its new moderator favors ordination of homosexuals. (3) 43% of the commissioners were unwilling to ban homosexual ordination. (4) It passed a resolution urging the Stated Clerk to explore the feasibility of giving civil rights to same-sex partners. Plains Baptist Challenger editor E. L. Bynum said the PCUSA is following the Roman Catholic plan. He said RC priests take a vow to be celibate, yet reportedly, at least 40% practice homosexuality.

NEW BOOK EXPOSES ABWE ERRORS—Sedition in Missions is a first-hand account by Missionary Michael McCubbins of the "tragic errors being made by GARBC-approved missions." It largely focuses on the compromise and unscriptural policies of the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE). McCubbins says: "ABWE has continued a long record of Neo-evangelical ties through its President, Dr. Wendell Kempton, and its hierarchy and field councils. This has not only led to the resignation of a couple of its distinguished, separatist board members... but of some of its missionaries....The primary issue in each of these cases was compromise or lack of separation on the part of ABWE. I first realized things were heading down the wrong road when Dr. Kempton began close cooperation with Dr. Jack Wyrtzen [Word of Life]...." [p13] He also mentions Kempton's close associations with Drs. David Jeremiah, Warren Wiersbe, Lehman Strauss, Joe Stowell III, John MacArthur, and Jerry Falwell [p17]. This 133-page book's missions philosophy will be considered controversial by some. [By way of clarification (p100): We received a letter from Dr. Bennett in Sept. 1992 saying he had informed ABWE that he would be resigning after arriving back in the states in Jan. He enclosed his "Reasons For Leaving," a Statement on Separation, etc., with no request not to report his resignation. ABWE's treatment of Dr. Bennett seems unconscionable.] Order the book from: Bethel Bapt. Bookstore, 754 E. Rockhill Rd., Sellersville, PA 18960, $7.95 postpaid.

MOODY ALLOWS WOMEN PREACHERS—Defending Moody Broadcasting Network for airing a woman preaching at Moody Founder's Week activities from the pulpit of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, MBI president Dr. Joseph Stowell's office said (7-8/96 Keystone Baptist): "The Moody Bible Institute does not believe that a woman should be ordained to the authority of the pastorate, but that a woman may function in the specific role of preaching. She may not have the authority of the pastorate, but she may preach the Word of God from the pulpit of a local church."

EVANGELICALS FORCED TO BE SILENT ABOUT ERROR—New evangelicals of our day are so yoked with charismatics, liberals, Catholics, Mormons, etc., that they cannot warn of the false doctrine of these groups. We see it in Promise Keepers, the Christian Coalition, ECT, Graham crusades, and in a vast array of other ecumenical endeavors. Denver Seminary's Craig Blomberg recently said: "The 'parachurch' movement has repeatedly demonstrated that conservative Christians of every denomination can put aside such differences [gender roles, Christ's return, sacraments, church polity, etc.] to work together for the advancement of God's kingdom in our world." Christianity has become so highly politicized that the true gospel takes a back seat to moral and social issues. Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition has Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Moonies, and a hodgepodge of others seeking to "Christianize" America. Evangelicals are silenced and can't warn of the false gospel of their co-workers. Spurgeon rightly said: "Complicity with error will take from the best of men the power to enter any successful protest against it.... [C]onfederacies founded upon the principle that all may enter, whatever views they hold, are based upon disloyalty to the truth of God. If truth is optional, error is justifiable." New evangelicals are silenced, and compromised to the point that they are "dumb dogs, they cannot bark." (Isa. 56:10). When the shepherds are cozy with the wolves, the sheep are in trouble!

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