VOL. XV  NO. 5  NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM   March 1, 1998

HANDGUNS BANNED IN BRITAIN—Brits must give up handguns or face jail. A total ban on private ownership of handguns went into effect in Britain last month, the result of a public outcry over the 1996 massacre of 16 school children and their teacher by a crazed loner (2/9 USN&WR). Today, 95 percent of police officers in England and Wales never carry firearms. But career criminals remain armed!

CARMAN'S 'HOLY GHOST HOP'—Pastor E. L. Bynum in his 9/96 Plains Baptist Challenger ($5/yr., P.O. Box 3100, Lubbock, TX 79452) had an article titled, "Carman And His Dancers & Religious Entertainment." Now Rev. David Cloud (Fund. Baptist News Svc., 1701 Harns Road, Oak Harbor, WA 98277) last month sent a couple of e-mails containing words from CCM performer Carman's "Holy Ghost Hop" song from his "Addicted to Jesus" album. Another song mentioned "jam with the Lamb," and "rock with the flock." Yet Carman is alleged to be a serious Christian musician who has performed at Liberty University, etc. Bro. Cloud says of the Contemporary Christian Music movement: "How worldly, how sensuous, how dangerous, how unscriptural CCM is!" And how blasphemous some of it is!

CLINTON'S RELIGIOUS ADVISERS—American Baptist sociologist Tony Campolo and Promise Keepers founder Bill McCartney have both said they are praying for Pres. Clinton in the latest sexual misconduct scandal. Clinton also reportedly is talking to his SBC pastor Rex Horne, Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels, Gordon MacDonald, and pro-homosexual Methodist pastor J. Philip Wogaman whose church the Clintons attend in Washington. Campolo, worried that other ministers might distance themselves from Clinton out of concern for their own reputations, said (2/2 Chr. News): "I follow a man who really didn't give a hoot about his reputation. As a matter of fact, I think Jesus had the worst reputation in Jerusalem." How can such blind, undiscerning leaders help our president?

MOTHER TERESA & GOOD WORKS—Good works are good.... However, good works can be one of the cleverest counterfeits Satan can use. Dr. James Dobson accepted the late Mother Teresa as a Christian because "she manifested the fruit of the Spirit in her life." Jack Van Impe scorns those who think this "sweet 90-pound lady" could possibly be lost (2/98 C.E.C. Journal). Bill Jackson continues: "While I have no desire to judge an individual's salvation, from her own lips come statements that indicate a darkness [as to] the state of her soul. She prayed for a soul to leave Purgatory every time she was photographed; she said she could not have Jesus were it not for the priest's blessing on the wafer; she openly urged the pope to name Mary 'Co-Redeemer, Co-Mediatrix and Advocate of Christians.'"

PARTNERSHIP ON SOCIAL REFORM LEADS TO THEOLOGICAL UNITY OF EVANGELICALS, CATHOLICS—The Massachusetts Catholic Conference (representing the Catholic Church) and the Massachusetts Family Institute (associated with Focus on the Family) entered into a long-term partnership to try to reframe the entire social debate in Mass. around the concept of the critical importance of two-parent families. A 2/14 World article goes on to say: "The partnership does not deal with theological issues, but is founded on a belief that Catholics and Protestants can glorify God in our post-Christian culture by working alongside in the social debate. At the center of this partnership is a comprehensive legislative and cultural agenda, covering a wide range of social reforms, designed to encourage and strengthen two-parent families...." Matt Daniels, the writer, associated with Focus on the Family (James Dobson), concluded this article by saying: "Catholics and Protestants will need to recognize that they can glorify Jesus Christ by working side by side for the good of everyone in our society." So, ECT I leads to ECT II (see 1/1 CC), to Jesuit casuistry - the end justifies the means! The Jan-Feb Foundation had this perceptive quote: "They toiled together in the vineyards of the movements against abortion and pornography, and now leading Roman Catholics and Evangelicals are asking their flocks for a remarkable leap of faith: to finally accept each other as Christians."

BEWARE OF 'THE ALPHA COURSE'—Anglican priest Nicky Gumbel began teaching the Alpha course in 1990. It was originally intended for new Christians, but now is aimed at the unchurched. Its philosophy is New Age, and it leads to experiences rooted in the occult. It promotes humanism, ecumenism, and Charismaticism (tongues-speaking, Toronto Blessing, etc.). Conversion is mentioned but it is conversion to a Christian lifestyle, not conversion to Christ. [The above is based on lengthy reports in the 2/9 CT, the Australian Beacon, and The Burning Bush.] This is spreading like wildfire among Catholics, Baptists, and others, so Christians should be warned, be wise, beware!

HOMOSEXUALS CAN RENT STUDENT HOUSING—The University of Washington Board of Regents has voted unanimously to allow same-sex couples to rent family student housing. The couple must be registered as a domestic partnership with the city of Seattle to qualify. [What In The World, Church Bulletin insert, $2/yr., BJU, Greenville, SC 29614, current news items without comment]

SERMON-LESSON OUTLINES—Send $2 for a packet of helpful outlines (including. a new one on "Authority") by Dr. J. B. Williams, to: Dr. Robt. Cunningham, Metropolitan Bapt. Church, 1315 Old Woodbine Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.

NAE PRESIDENT ARGUE RESIGNS—Assembly of God minister Dr. Don Argue has unexpectedly resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, effective April 15 (2/9 Chr. Today). He becomes president of Northwest College (AOG) in Kirkland, Wash. He had tried to revitalize NAE membership, calling it "too old, too white, and too male." He made strides in racial reconciliation and was a bridge-builder to charismatics and liberals. The NAE should actually be called the NAEC (Nat'l Assoc. of Evangelicals & Charismatics), given the growing preponderance of charismatics in its constituency. And, for the first time since its creation in 1942, the NAE's top leader (Argue, and a Muslim leader) addressed the general assembly of the liberal National Council of Churches (2/1/97 CC). NCC general secretary Joan Brown Campbell said regular meetings with Argue and other meetings with him involving the chairman of the Roman Catholic bishops' ecumenical committee show that increased cooperation between the NAE and NCC is occurring. She said this cooperation is being accepted by the NAE board and not by Argue alone, since he spoke at the NCC in 1996 with the NAE board's approval (Jan-Feb Foundation). The NAE (and Promise Keepers, and other new-evangelicals) are building bridges (ecumenism) into the enemy's camp instead of building walls (separation) to protect the sheep from ravenous wolves in sheep's garb.

SEPARATISM: THE LEFTWARD SLIDE—Evang. John Van Gelderen writes (Jan-Mar Preach the Word, P.O. Box 5614, Woodridge, IL 60517, $12.95/yr., free to pastors): "My father, Wayne Van Gelderen Sr., often spoke of the battles of the Conservative Baptist Association which took place in the early 1960s. He pastored in Durango, CO in the early '60s, and Colorado played a major role in the C.B.A. fight. Two schools of thought formed the battle lines: the hard core and the soft core. (Each group claimed the terminology used.) The soft core eventually became part of the 'new evangelicalism.' Now, three decades later, the path of the new-evangelicals has taken them farther to the left than their founders ever planned to go. Not long before my father's Home going [3/9/97], he stated that, generally speaking, the fundamentalists of today are weaker than the new-evangelicals of the C.B.A. days. This is an alarming thought indicating that the present-day left-wing fundamentalists have perhaps moved off the legitimate scope of fundamentalism. Also, right-wing fundamentalists today, in light of history, may not be as far to the right as they think. If you compare modern fundamentalism to modern new-evangelicalism, there is still a gap. But if you compare modern fundamentalism to early new-evangelicalism, the similarities are alarming. I believe that many are not realizing that the whole gamut of fundamentalism is moving left-ward...." [The CBA today is new-evangelical and a member of the NAE.]

BOICE IS SPEAKER AT CEDARVILLE—Dr. James Montgomery Boice was listed in the Feb. Baptist Bulletin as the Staley Foundation lecturer at Cedarville College, a GARBC-approved school. Boice is pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, speaker for the "Bible Study Hour," and currently chairs the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and a conference on Reformed Theology. He chaired the 1977-1987 International Council on Biblical Inerrancy whose final event, Congress on the Bible II, was chaired by pro-Catholicism Chuck Colson (11/1/87 CC).This ICBI ecumenical congress featured such speakers as William Buckley (Catholic), leftist Ron Sider, E.V. Hill, and Art Simon (liberal Lutheran). It is sad when a GARBC-approved school features a supposed inerrancy-defending new-evangelical who features inerrancy deniers as speakers at his meetings. GARBC's Greening seems to dislike "who speaks where" being reported. [Rock-oriented vocalist Steve Camp is listed for a Cedarville concert.]

PATTERSON TO BE SBC NOMINEE—Dr. Paige Patterson who helped engineer a conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention will be nominated to succeed Tom Elliff as the SBC's next president (2/12 Ala. Bapt.). He is currently the president of Southeastern Seminary and was formerly president of Criswell College.

FALWELL TO KEEP SPEAKING AT MOON EVENTS—Jerry Falwell's Liberty University recently disclosed that insurance tycoon A. L. Williams is the unnamed benefactor who provided $15 million to settle Liberty debts (2/9 C. Today). The announcement came in part to counter rumors that self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon had been the anonymous benefactor. Liberty has received financial support from Moon-related enterprises, and Falwell says he addressed several events where Moon has been in attendance, including a Uruguay meeting in 1995. He said: "I preach for the Moonies, the Mormons, the Catholics, the Jews, the Buddhists," and "I'll preach in hell if they promise to let me out." He says he does not compromise truth, and added: "I go a lot of places other preachers won't go as long as I don't have to restrict my message." This sounds like Billy Graham as he embarked on the apostasy path. [Beverly LaHaye, Robert Schuller, Gary Bauer, and Ralph Reed spoke at a 1996 Moon-sponsored Family Federation for World Peace event.]

NEW EVANGELICAL SINCERE BUT WRONG—The compromising new evangelical thinks he is doing right, and doesn't think himself to be a diabolical deceiver scheming the destruction of the church. Jack Stephens (Ohio Bible F'ship Visitor) says: "I think I can understand the new evangelical's mind set. He is concerned with reaching the world with the Gospel, and the sooner the better. And he will sacrifice almost everything else to do it. But in so doing, he gives up far too much and destroys the very thing he seeks to promote. He has outward success and truly does seem to flourish. He is very sincere. He thinks he is right. He is a brother. But he is very wrong."

CANADA CHURCH LEADER PHIPPS A LIBERAL—Rev. Bill Phipps, the new moderator of the United Church of Canada, says "I don't believe Jesus was God," and "I don't believe He rose from the dead." He says he "has no idea" if there is a heaven or hell. The Nov-Dec Canadian Revivalist, edited by Dr. Frank McClelland and printed by Britannia Printers (138 Main St., Toronto, Ontario M4E 2V8, $10/yr.), has an excellent 8-page article discussing the modernist Phipps and the apostate UCC.

KING'S COLLEGE TO BE RESURRECTED?—The King's College, which closed over three years ago (CC, 12/15/94), has emerged from bankruptcy under Campus Crusade ownership and hopes to open a campus in NY's Empire State Building (2/9 CT). King's steering committee cochair is also cochair of the local Promise Keepers. King's was founded in 1938 by radio youth evangelist Percy B. Crawford, and long led by Dr. Robert A. Cook.

CREATION '98—The 19th annual Creation '98 is billed as "The Nation's Largest Christian Festival." It seems to be closely akin to a Rock Festival. Featured speakers and performers include: Greg Laurie, Buster Soaries, Ron Hutchcraft, Bart Campolo, and Mike Silva (CBA/PK). Jars of Clay, Petra and other "rock" groups are featured.

RBP KITS INCLUDE JEWISH HOLIDAYS—Someone sent us a copy of an ad for Regular Baptist Press' Childrens Church materials. A "Special Days" section listed Christmas, Easter, etc., but also included Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah. These kits are "to guide four to eight-year-olds in worship, study...." Seems a bit strange to see Jewish religious days included.

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