VOL. XIV NO. 24 NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM December 15, 1997
VOL. XIV NO. 24 NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM December 15, 1997
| CARTER CRITICIZES SBC CONSERVATIVES:
FOR ADVERSE AFFECT
ON AMY, & MORMON EVANGELISM—Former President Jimmy
Carter said his daughter Amy is seldom in church anymore, and says her
"participation in an organized church has been adversely affected, in a
major way, by the theology of the [conservative] leaders of the
Southern Baptist Convention, who condemn the equal role of women in the
church... " (11/22 H. Times). He also said that So.
Baptists are wrong to believe that Mormon doctrine is essentially
non-Christian and that Mormons are in need of evangelization (11/25 Ind.
Bapt.). His pastor disagrees. SBs plan to "convert Mormons"
when they go to Salt Lake City next June for their annual convention. SHOCK-ROCK CD DROVE YOUTH TO SUICIDE?—Raymond Kuntz (N.D.) told a Senate panel last month that Marilyn Manson's shock-rock CD "Antichrist Superstar" played a key role in his son's suicide last Dec. (11/17 CN). His son shot himself in his room while playing the Manson CD. Manson's act includes calls to kill parents and children, overt Satanism and invectives against Christianity, and other celebrations of evil, including suicide (see 2/1/97 CC). EUROPEAN TV SATURATED WITH SEX—Americans in Europe have long been taken aback by the sex and nudity shown on European television (11/29 World). Today nearly half of Germans want to see even more pornography on TV. FILTHY FILMS—Of 209 films reviewed by Preview last year, 91 percent had mild and moderate crude language, 83 percent contained obscene words, and 73 percent profaned the names of God and Jesus (9/4 Ala. Bapt.). Ninety percent of PG-13 films had obscenities, 80 percent had profanities. DEEPAK CHOPRA, NEW AGE GURU—Deepak Chopra, M.D. (from India) was on the cover of the 10/20 Newsweek and described as an endocrinologist, educator, author, lecturer, Hollywood guru and scribe of the Playboy essay "Does God Have Orgasms?" With seven new spiritual laws and plans for a global empire, his enterprises bring in about $15 million a year. Newsweek says: "For people who rebelled against the inconveniences of mainstream religions - thou shalt not - Chopra offers an appealingly well-padded path to nirvana. 'They say you have to give up everything to be spiritual,' he says, 'get away from the world, all that junk. I satisfy a spiritual yearning without making [people] think they have to worry about God and punishment.'" KINSEY DISCREDITED—Alfred Kinsey 50 years ago wrote a book saying that homosexuality and other sexual deviancies were common. A new biography says he was a closeted homosexual and masochist, obsessed with sex. GRAHAM DECEIVED BY COMMUNISTS—Gary Bauer says: "Billy Graham went to the Soviet Union during the Cold War and said there was no persecution. He was going to the fake church, the state-controlled church." (11/8 World). He and son Ned (President, East Gate Ministries) meet/dine/work with Red China's government leaders, and recently lobbied for MFN trade status for China (9/29 Chr. News). Meanwhile, the China Christian Council, the official agency representing Protestants, is insisting that Southern Baptists send all their missionaries through the CCC's official channels (11/15 H. Times). Chinese government policy permits Christianity within limits that include a ban on foreign missionary proselytizing. In China today (per the 5/26/97 New Amer.), more Christians are in prison because of religious activities than in any other nation in the world. CFR, UN, NEW WORLD ORDER—Whether or not you believe in conspiracies, there indeed is a CFR, a UN, a quickly-being-formed New World Order, and a New Age movement. These are networking together, forming what may become the one-world government of the Antichrist. CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) membership has now grown to 3,371 members, and its assets have increased to $138 million (12/8 New American). At UN conferences over the world, global treaties are being devised to dictate how we raise our children and use our property. Many of these treaties have sovereignty/freedom-threatening implications. A recent Los Angeles Times article (11/2 H. Times) entitled "We're moving toward a one-world society" warned: "By the end of the century, we will have the first permanent international criminal court to prosecute the most serious violations of humanitarian law." Be warned, be wise, beware! EXTREME SELF-ESTEEM IN EDUCATION—Education experts gave us "Whole Language" for teaching reading, sending reading scores plummeting. They also gave us what could be called "Whole Math." Students no longer have to memorize the multiplication table, do geometric proofs, or calculate exact answers. Instead, they use calculators, work in groups, and get credit for coming close (11/29 World). The Wall Street Journal quoted a Calif. mother who sat in on a sophomore math class: "There was no emphasis on right answers. In an effort to improve self-esteem everyone's solution was discussed and valued equally." VINS ILL—Georgi Vins, former leader of the Council of Evangelical Baptist Churches (persecuted congregations) in the former Soviet Union, at 69 is now suffering from a malignant inoperable brain tumor. He spent many years in the Soviet gulag for his Christian activities. Since 1980 he has headed Russian Gospel Ministries, Elkhart, IN. Drs. Wayne Van Gelderen and Ed Nelson serve on the board. CRITIQUE OF MacARTHUR STUDY BIBLE—Dr. John MacArthur is a very popular Bible teacher and author. Dr. George Zeller has a 15-page critique of MacArthur's new Study Bible and teachings (Order for $2 postpaid from Dr. Zeller at: 349 East St., Middletown, CT 06457). He acknowledges that most of the study notes are helpful and true to the Bible, but points out some serious doctrinal problems with some of the notes. These relate to MacArthur's denial of the Eternal Sonship of Christ, his denial that Christ died as a Substitute for all men, his denial of the two natures of the believer, his teaching on Lordship Salvation, his teaching that faith is the Gift of God, his departure from dispensationalism, and his teaching that the Gift of Prophecy is for today. Zeller analyzes these teachings in greater detail in a larger 100-page book available from him for $5. [Bob Ross says MacArthur reportedly regrets the "inept" way he handled the Sonship of Christ issue in past writings, but gave no sign that he has abandoned his past position. Stating "new doctrines" in a confusing way is not new for him! Dr. R.L. Hymers, in corresponding with Dave Hunt over the latter's scheduled Nov. speaking engagement at MacArthur's church, calls MacArthur's position heresy.] IFCA & JOHN MacARTHUR—Dr. John MacArthur's church hosted the Independent Fundamental Churches of America's annual convention in 1990, still speaks at its meetings, and IFCA nat'l exec. dir. Dr. Richard Gregory speaks for MacArthur. Dr. George Zeller in a critique of MacArthur's new Study Bible writes: "As former members of the IFCA, we were especially concerned because some of Dr. MacArthur's teachings contradicted the clearly worded IFCA Doctrinal Statement which made us wonder how Dr. MacArthur could, with integrity, annually sign the doctrinal statement and how the IFCA leadership could allow him to maintain his membership in the IFCA." More on MacArthur's teachings is available from: Dr. George Zeller, 349 East St., Middletown, CT 06457, and BDM, P. O. Box 679, Bedford, IN 47421. SBC WOMEN PASTORS—The number of ordained women in the Southern Baptist Convention - which on the national level opposes women pastors - has grown to about 1,225, with a quarter of them serving as chaplains (11/17 Christian News). Thirty-five percent of the women serve in church staff positions, at least 85 are pastors and over 100 are associate pastors. North Carolina has the largest number of women pastors and 16 states have churches where women are serving as senior pastors. FALWELL'S CHURCH LISTED AS SO. BAPTIST—The long-running feud between the two factions of the Southern Baptist Convention is now filtering down to the state level. A fight is brewing in Texas and other states, and the split has already happened in Virginia. In the first annual meeting of the SB Conservatives there, 157 churches were approved for affiliation with the new SB-related state convention - 108 were received for "unique" affiliation, including Thomas Road Baptist, Lynchburg. The others were "dually" affiliated with both the moderate/liberal group and the conservative group. POSITION & DISPOSITION—Evang. Jim Van Gelderen in the new Preach the Word quarterly (P.O. Box 5614, Woodridge, IL 60517) says there is a subtle danger in the "right position with the right disposition" philosophy. He writes: "I'm afraid that this thinking leads to passivity in the fight of faith. Preachers are afraid of having the wrong disposition. In their effort to be kind and sweet, they dilute the truth. If Jesus had cleansed the temple with a softer disposition, would not truth have been compromised? Friends, there is a time to thrust Phinehas's javelin. There is a time to brandish Samuel's sword." WIMBER DIES—John Wimber, 63, founder and director of the Association of Vineyard Churches, died Nov. 16 of a brain hemorrhage following a fall and recent coronary bypass surgery (11/29 World). Vineyard has 450 U.S. congregations and 250 in other countries. It was a strong influence in the "Laughing Revival" and Promise Keepers movements (top PK leaders are Vineyard members). Wimber, a former Quaker, emphasized supernatural healing, spiritual warfare, and prophecies. He taught a church growth course at Fuller Seminary with C. Peter Wagner. Many of his "signs and wonders" teachings are rooted in Eastern mysticism (see 4/15/96 CC) and mind-science inner healing techniques (per a 1996 32-page report by Media Spotlight, P.O. Box 290, Redmond, WA 98073). FASTING & PRAYER '97 ATTENDANCE DOWN—Dr. Bill Bright's ecumenical Fasting and Prayer conference at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport last month, sponsored by Campus Crusade and Mission America, only drew some 600 attendees. Attendance was about 3,000 to 4,000 for 1995 and 1996 (Kansas Christian). Speculation was that sponsors had promoted satellite sites so much that many thought the live event was only for ministers. Pat Robertson in the last message said God would not heal our land until the church became united in one goal, and said we must stop tearing each others' doctrine apart... Other speakers included Adrian Rogers, Tony Evans, and Kay Arthur. SOLM CARELESS ASSOCIATIONS?—Source of Light Mission has a very vital and fruitful ministry. We are from time to time disappointed, however, at the way they speak in fundamentalist pulpits then also with ecumenicals or new evangelicals. Case in point: Dr. B.H. Struthers, on SOLM's Exec. Council, recently spoke in notorious ecumenical Billy Kim's large church in Korea (Sep-Oct Reaper). Dave Newell, the editor of SOLM's paper The Reaper and also Assistant to the General Director, said after a trip to China, etc.: "I met with the Regional Director of Singapore Youth For Christ on two occasions and learned more about their work with Radio Bible Class... " (Jul-Aug Reaper). Luis Palau's 1/31/93 National Crusade paper listed SOLM (along with Roman Catholics, liberals, charismatics, and new evangelicals) as "endorsing" his Jamaican ecumenical evangelism crusade. SCHULLER SELF-ESTEEM—Robert Schuller defending himself against assault charge of flight attendant (9/1 CC, 10/27 CN): "I am very proud of who I am... I have never broken a single one of the ten commandments. I have not broken any of the teachings of Jesus Christ, and so I'm proud of my faith and my message." [See 1Jn.1:8] NEW PK REPORT—ACCC exec. secretary Dr. Ralph Colas attended the Promise Keepers' Stand in the Gap assembly in Washington, DC, Oct. 4 and has a thorough, incisive report of the happenings. He tells who spoke (from Moody Pres. Joe Stowell, to Roman Catholic PK board member Mike Timmis) and gives quotes. He said: "No less than five of the 16 PK board members have ties to charismatic churches. In spite of his extra-biblical beliefs and practices, many Evangelicals associated with PK look with favor on John Wimber, the Vineyard denomination, and its third wave theology." He said PK's unbiblical base is composed of charismatics and those who defend or excuse maintaining membership in liberal, apostate denominations. Get this report from: ACCC, P.O. Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Offering appreciated. NEW BOOK ON PENTECOSTALISM—Rev. Wilson Ewin has updated his 1988 111-page book Seminar on Pentecostalism and makes it available for $7 postpaid (P.O. Box 180, Norton, VT 05907). He also has a 7-page "Update on Pentecostalism" paper for $1.50 postpaid. Send comments to ccemail2015@gmail.com |