Just had an enjoyable dinner with Ed Dobson, author of ‘The Year of Living Like Jesus’ (http://is.gd/50I6K),

Earlier over at his revamped blog Tony Jones, “theologian in residence” at the EC church of his equally heretical, and JoPa partner, quasi-universalist pastor Doug Pagitt, asks: Are Baptists Softening on the Emerging Church? He then tells us, “This one is” as he points us to The Baptist Standard :: The Newsmagazine of Texas Baptists – 2nd Opinion: Emerging church: Threat or ally?

See also:

TONY JONES AND COURTNEY PERRY ET AL

BRIAN MCLAREN COMMENDS FRIEND TONY JONES

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

TONY JONES SHARES LOVE FOR “CRAZIES” LIKE KEN SILVA

TONY JONES ON CHRISTIANITY 21 APOSTASIA-PALOOSA

CHRISTIANITY 21 AND ALLEGED INNOVATIVE VOICES IN THE FAITH: PHYLLIS TICKLE

CHRISTIANITY 21 AND ALLEGED INNOVATIVE VOICES IN THE FAITH: NADIA BOLZ-WEBER

RT @zoecarnate: Is God ‘a recovering practitioner of violence’? http://is.gd/50B4q

Samir Selmanovic also retweeted the above, adding his own comment:

RT @zoecarnate: Is God ‘a recovering practitioner of violence’? http://is.gd/50B4q. (Samir: “Yes, we are.”)

The link takes us to Is God ‘A Recovering Practitioner of Violence’? by TransFORM member Mike Morrell where we’re told:

I was just watching some sessions from 2004’s Emerging Theological Conversation that I attended at All Souls PCA Church in Decatur with Jasmin and Seth in the fall of 2004 – some five years ago. Walter Brueggemann was the presenting scholar, and Brian McLaren, Tim Keel, Troy Bronsink and others were hosting the dialogues with him…

It’s interesting that what disturbs us sometimes the first time we hear it ends up comforting us the next time we hear it. More explosively than his challenging theses, it was at this conference that Brueggemann posits that “God is a recovering practitioner of violence.”

As Geoff Holsclaw summarizes – “By this he means that God used to think violence was a good idea, but then gave up on it. However, like all addicts, He has relapses. Of which the cross is either the final deliverance, or another relapse.”

Of course this is potentially disconcerting, as we don’t like to imagine the repentance of God – and yet, this is precisely what is suggested in Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan…

The one below originally came via the CRN contact form, and is published by permission of its author. The note they mention first is found in Adele Sakler And Ken Silva, and the post to which they refer is God Himself Told Kay Warren To Marry Rick Warren:

Ken,
Great note to Adele S.  That’s good stuff.  I wished she would continue the dialogue.

OK, does God speak only through the Bible today?  If so, how do I know I’m supposed to be a pastor?  How do I know which church to pastor?  How do I know which ministries (the godly ones) to support?

Since there is no way you can refute Kay Warren’s testimony, and since it is not out of the bounds of Scripture, why the snarky post about it?

CRN Reader

Hello CRN Reader,

I tried to be as honest and kind as I could with Adele. She didn’t respond back, though she did tweet “Wow” as she quoted my statement about her and Tony Jones being on Satan’s team.” Maybe a nerve got hit.

Ok, we’ve been through this before. I am not a strict cessationist, nor a fundamentalist. Regarding the Gifts of the Spirit I would roughly be in agreement with the late Dr. Walter Martin; though from much past experience within their movements, I see the vast majority of what’s claimed to be of God in charismatic and Pentecostal as spurious.

I am on record as one who has ZERO problem with people claiming to have “heard” from God via dreams, etc. My point with the “snarky” Warren post is to try and open this kind of dialogue. You hit the critical point: No one can definitively prove that highly subjective personal experience (a type of existentialism) did not happen.

CRN Reader, after intense research into Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) these past 5 years and watching it now infiltrate the mainstream Protestant evangelical community, the church visible had better begin seeking God as to how to deal with it. Evangelicalism has now stepped onto the very same path once taken by mainline denominations.

Think of me what you will, but the Lord knows I am a rational empiricist, who is not an alarmist. I personally disagree with quite a bit of what I see in the broader online discernment field; there are many small unaccountable blogs who do use guilt-by-association conspiracy theories. However, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get ya.

Seriously though, one can follow a very disturbing trend in mainline churches: Ordination of women, rejection of proper Sola Scriptura (not dead orthodoxy), CSM, questioning the doctrine of hell, full inclusion of practicing gays, and finally homosexual clergy. The Nazarenes, AoG, ECC, and some others more in the mainstream have already opened that door.

My point being, now many in evangelicalism decide issues by their subjective experiences, and the Warren post is an illustration of this. The post makes no judgment about whether God spoke to Kay. It simply points out she does make that claim; and, in and of itself, that’s not really even outside of a proper view of Sola Scriptura.

That said, the preaching of Rick Warren, and that of more and more mainstream evangelicals, often contains “the Lord told me,” etc. In fact, Richard Foster is a real good example; he claims divine revelation in discovering the “disciplines,” which are simply reimagined pietistic and ascetic practices developed in monasteries of apostate Roman Catholicism.

So, what happens when I step forward and say: Well, God just told me that Foster didn’t hear from Him; it was actually lies from Satan. Now what do we do? Same thing I pointed out a while back re. Rob Bell. In VE he specifically claims God spoke with him; and I related that when I began reading VE the Lord also spoke to me, and said: “He doesn’t know Me.”

CRN Reader, I’m simply trying to warn there are very dangerous and rough spiritual waters dead ahead now, because the visible church is about to go into a time of dueling revelations. The only people who aren’t going to end up being deceived are those who will do what the Bible text, rightly interpreted, says. Ah, but who’s to say what’s right, eh?

And there you go, the Emerging Church has so clouded the idea–particularly among younger evangelicals–that one can interpret, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word correctly. So the message today ends up being: Let’s just put aside our differences (think Adele Sakler) and work together to make the world a better place.

Finally, the Warrens make a very good illustration because they are about as middle-of-road as it gets in the mainstream. And here they are now sounding more and more like charismatics and Pentecostals claiming direct revelation; just the same I used to hear back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Add in the neo-Gnosticism of CSM, and, we have much coming confusion.

Ken

See also:

CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS STANDING UP FOR JESUS?

CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY OF RICHARD FOSTER ROOTED IN THE EASTERN DESERT AND THOMAS MERTON

THE EMERGING CHURCH SOWING ITS NEO-ORTHODOX CONFUSION ON SCRIPTURE

CORRUPT CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM GAINING GROUND IN EVANGELICALISM

“INWARD JOURNEY” ESPOUSED BY RICHARD FOSTER IS A FORM OF DIVINATION

DONALD WHITNEY AND EVANGELICAL CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM

EVANGELICALISM BECOMING ANOTHER RELIGION ENTIRELY

The fact is I have no staff to assist me with research, writing, answering email questions, etc. and at this time AM receives no financial assistance at all from any other agencies or churches. Right now AM is still running behind our projected budget for the next couple of months.

Those who have been with me for a while already know how much I absolutely hate discussing funding, but it’s something all ministers must do. And at this time AM doesn’t have any radio program to make appeals from; nor do we have any product to sell, so a work like depends entirely upon the generosity of God’s people.

I’m asking that if you’ve been blessed through the work here that perhaps you might consider helping to support this labor. The truth is, I regularly receive letters from many pastors around the country looking for help discerning issues or asking me to do additional research, and we remain hopeful that a church or two might consider taking on AM as even a small part of their mission giving.

In any event, at this time a gift of any amount—whether one time or on a regular basis—will go a long way toward helping to keep AM available along the Internet Front. If you’d like to donate via PayPal click here or you can make your checks/money orders payable to Apprising Ministries and send them to:

APPRISING MINISTRIES
P.O. BOX 340
Claremont, NH 03743

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

 Rough Spiritual Waters Dead Ahead

In many of our local fellowships on a given Sunday we could hear a congregation singing songs like “Stand Up Stand Up For Jesus” and/or “Onward Christian Soldiers.” But now, let’s stop and think for a moment; isn’t part of the job of a soldier defending against attack? If so, then doesn’t this bring them into conflict; and wouldn’t this mean that they would have no choice but to fight? Well, ask yourself: Have I actually seen much of that going on for the cause of Christ in my lifetime? Which is why I find myself wondering: “Where are the Elijahs of God?” Lord, about now I’d say Your Church would be willing to settle for just one.

You know I can’t help but wonder, among our professing Christian brothers and sisters today, just where are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6)? Among our so-called Christian “leaders” we see striving for phony unity with their compromised man-centered message—while courting their favor—speaking from the viewpoint of the world, which is why the world listens to them (1 John 4:5);  just where are those who are persecuted because of righteousness (Matthew 5:10)? Do they seriously not know that Christ Jesus said of those who do hunger, and of those that are persecuted, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (ibid.).

As an example, we move over to the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church de-formation of the Christian faith aka Emergent Church—now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC), and I bring to your attention how Dr. Gary Gilley did a fine job a while back of reviewing The Secret Message of Jesus (STJ) by leadng EC guru Brian McLaren. In doing so, Gilley brings out McLaren’s own growing cultish quasi-universalism:

[McLaren] now says that he has some things he wants to say “clearly” about “what Jesus’ message really was” (p. 7). But herein lies the problem. McLaren believes that the church has never understood the real message of Jesus (see Appendix 1). Very early, the church “twisted” what Jesus (and Paul) taught into a gospel of “justification by grace through faith, the free gift of salvation, Christ being a substitutionary sacrifice for…sin” (p. 91).

That is not the gospel at all according to McLaren,… McLaren is sure the kingdom is populated by people from all religions, not just Christianity. It is open to all but those who actively oppose it (pp. 163, 167). As a matter of fact it is possible that some Muslims, Buddhist and Hindus might begin to “take their places at the feast,” discovering the secret message of Jesus in ways that many Christians have not. (Online source)

The Quickly Creeping Postmodern Fog Of Postliberal Christian Universalism

Now I readily acknowledge there are those who take serious exception to my calling this EC, of which McLaren is unquestionably one of the noted of its “theologians,” a cult of postliberalism. But, doesn’t it strike one as behavior quite typical of cult leaders when this “spiritual director” tells us in STJ that the “true” message of Jesus has been lost on the Church of Christ until he and his enlightened brood in Emergence Christianity re-discovered it? And how did these neo-Gnostics do this; through their subjective experience in their practice of Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism—which first flowered in the monastic traditions of apostate Roman Catholicism.

I pointed this out before, the truth is we now see widespread acceptance of this EC cult within mainstream evangelicalism, which had CSM as a core doctrine, as taught by “key mentors” Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic Richard Foster and his spiritual twin Southern Baptist minister Dallas Willard. As I just told you in Evangelicalism Becoming Another Religion Entirely the EC would serve a Trojan Horse from which Satan would unload his spurious CSM, now spreading under the guise of Spiritual Formation. If you want a good current illustration, then actually make the time to listen to Crosstalk: Ingrid Schlueter And Bob DeWaay On Buddhists At Bethel University.

Or how about this defense of that recent “Bethel Interreligious Symposium” discussed by my friends on that Crosstalk program above. This was released by Bethel News:

Myth: The program emphasized various sorts of meditative practices that are Eastern and unbiblical.
Fact: What was said is that the Christian faith has a long tradition of meditative practices. Paul Reasoner commented that Christians can gain insight into themselves by practicing Buddhist approaches to meditation. But at the same time, Reasoner critiqued the “self-authentication of experience” inherent in Buddhist practice. He commented that Christian meditation may involve being overwhelmed by the presence of God, leading to worship and awe–not the way a Buddhist might describe the “expanded consciousness” of enlightenment. The experiences are fundamentally different. (Online source)

No, the myth is that “the Christian faith has a long tradition of meditative practices.” The fact is that you will not find “meditative practices” in the Judaism of Christ’s time; Jesus includes them anywhere in His teaching on prayer contained for us in the Gospels, nor will you find this skubalon in the doctrine of His Apostles. As you can see in Keeping You Apprised Of: Contemplative/Centering Prayer, from those who teach this type of meditation in an altered state of consciousness, it actually orginates with heretical hermits in the desert of the East. That aside for now, practioners of this CSM eventually come to a form of enlightenment—precisely as do non-Christian mystics—of some supposed “spark of the divine” within all men.

In other words, God already dwells within all of mankind, and not just the regenerated Christian. And in Shane Hipps, Co-Pastor With Rob Bell, Says All Religions Valid you’ll see where this kind of lunacy in the Lord’s Name leads as below Hipps muses myth right in line with classic mysticism:

And that’s why it says, “It was the life and light of all people.” It didn’t say the light and life of the people who believe in Jesus. This logos affects everybody including Osama bin Laden, as long as he’s got breath, in him, is a spark of the divine.

Despite such heresy Hipps, along with his friend and co-pastor at Mars Hills Bible Church, Rob Bell—the Elvis of Emergence—are published by Zondervan as evangelical authors; and they were teaching mainstream evangelical pastors at their 2009 National Pastors Convention; that despite such foolishness as Through Rob Bell “The Great Enlightened Ones” Tell Us Man Has Divine Greatness, where Bell reveals he’s in agreement with New Age Priestess Marianne Williamson concerning the nature of mankind. You may recall that I have previously refuted this whole mystic ”divine spark” nonsense using God’s Word in Understanding The New Spirituality: God Indwells Mankind.

Drifting Into Rough Spiritual Waters Without A Biblical Anchor

But because these false prophets, lovers of self (see—2 Timothy 3:2), have then run forth with a compromised message so focused on pleasing the people they are preaching to, men like this are hoping that their mush god of unconditional love has made another provision outside of the genuine Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Well, for one, because with this theology of a universal atonement where Christ already indwells all of mankind then we would have no real need for Gospel missions, or for that matter, true evangelism at all; you know, that alleged ”heresy” of individual salvation. So, now can you figure out who is actually behind this kind of false teaching?

You need to know that if you are going to stand for the absolute Truth of the Gospel today, then you are going to have to be willing to come into conflict with this core teaching of the EC, which over the past 10+ years has deeply penetrated mainstream evangelical Young Adult and Youth groups. As a matter of fact, the battle will be very similar to that fought by men like J. Gresham Machen; who had to come into conflict with the Cult of Liberal Theology that would go on to spiritually poison the mainline denominations. And that’s why we now have such an influx of anti-Reformation teaching—particularly against the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible—which then leads to women in the pastorate, and finally, to openly practicing homosexual clergy.

The Lord be praised, but I began showing this was already in the EC—and receiving much criticism for saying it—as far back as the December 2006 Apprising Ministries article Tony Jones And The Emergent Church: “Christian” Gay Is A-Ok. But now this EC existential rebellion against the final authority of the Bible has come completely out of the closet in attempting to convince us that the deviant lifestyle of having sexual relations with another of the same sex, i.e homosexuality, is a viable one for the evangelical Christian; as you’ll see in Emerging Church And Adele Sakler Transform Gay Agenda In Evangelicalism. Pease do some research on your own; but you are only going to find that these issues really are just as theological dominoes.

All you need to do to see this plainly is to take a look at what liberal theology did, and is still doing, to mainline denominations; see e.g. ELCA And Homosexuality and PCUSA Votes To Ordain Lesbian Lisa Larges. Well how about we put it this way; the Lord told me to begin covering this growing gay agenda within mainstream evangelicalism because His Word is crystal clear that The Sin Of Homosexuality Is Different. And using a battle metaphor, with the Light of the Bible we can light up the night sky so you can see the advance of enemy troops within the church visible against the proper approach to Christian spirituality ala Sola Scriptura. If the Lord tarries, we will witness this same domino effect happening within the heart of evangelicalism as well.

We are simply going to have to come to grips now with this new postmodern form of liberalism, which you need to understand, has already come slithering into the leadership of more and more of your major evangelical denominations; for example, the SBC (Slowly Becoming Catholic) and the AoG. The most important issue before us is, once you punch out our anchor of the absolute and final authority of what God has unambiguously said in the Bible, then cardinal doctrines of the historic orthodox Christian faith all will topple one by one. And if we aren’t willing to come into conflict soon, then all of these wonderful truths, which the great martyrs for the faith of our Lord so willingly died for, will continue to fall each after the other right before our eyes.

Inevitably each of these great doctrines will tumble; until all that will be left, is but a very hollow shell of the glorious Gospel that those gallant Christian soldiers once stood up for, and then marched onward unashamedly to proclaim to this lost world, with the Cross of Jesus going on before.

See also:

DONALD WHITNEY AND EVANGELICAL CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM

THE TERMINOLOGY TRAP OF “SPIRITUAL FORMATION”

CORRUPT CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM GAINING GROUND IN EVANGELICALISM

DISCIPLINES TO DECEPTION IN SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

“INWARD JOURNEY” ESPOUSED BY RICHARD FOSTER IS A FORM OF DIVINATION

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINNING FOR MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM

Brian McLaren

I’m disgusted by the latest absurdity from the religious right covered in the clip below. I’m also depressed by the lack of courage among Evangelical leaders to speak out strongly against it (also covered in the clip below). How about it, Evangelicals? How many of you will join Frank Schaeffer and say, “Enough is enough?” (Online source)

The clip McLaren places in his post discusses the use by some “evangelicals” of Psalm 109:8 concerning President Barak Obama. It sounds to my ears a chance for Shaeffer to use this idea, by a group he initially says is “a crazy fringe,” to promote his book while grinding an ax against the evangelical movement and taking a shot at those “deluded” people who would hold a pre-trib pre-mil eschatology.

Well now I’m saying, Enough is Enough: Religious Left Insanity, Evangelical Cowardice. You see, I’m disgusted by the latest absurdity from the religious left in the EC with their Growing Gay Agenda In Evangelicalism as they attempt to convince us that the deviant lifestyle of having sexual relations with another of the same sex, i.e the sin of homosexuality, is a viable one for the evangelical Christian.

In posts like But Do Emergence Christianity And Brian McLaren Really Love Gay People? I shared that couldn’t care less what [insert celebrity-level evangelical leader here] has to say concerning their opinions about the issue of homosexuality; I care: “What does the Bible—God’s Word—itself have to say.”

If so-and-so’s opinions, speculations, and/or teachings, line up with that (see—Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21) then I will agree; if not, then it matters little what they say. And since Holy Scripture is crystal clear regarding the sin of homosexuality I’m also depressed by the lack of courage among evangelical leaders to speak out strongly against the EC’s homopression in lying to GLBTQ people.

Now, if only I had a book to promote, eh.

See also:

WHY NO CONDEMNATION FOR CHRISTIANS WHO ARE HOMOPRESSIVE?

JESUS DEFINES MARRIAGE FOR RED LETTER CHRISTIANS

THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT

HOMOPRESSIVE AS JAY BAKKER

EMERGING CHURCH AND ADELE SAKLER TRANSFORM GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINNING FOR MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM

As you can see in Meet Outlaw Preachers Sakler’s also made the dubious choice to align herself with that largely Biblically illiterate, and rather rapscallion bunch now sprouting up around head Outlaw gay affirming “pastor” Jay Bakker. Today I received the email below, by which time I had already read it online at Sakler’s EP website as the post Dear Ken . . . That was fine by me, and since she’d decided we’d do this publicly, in the same vein I will publish the reply I sent Adele right below her email:

Ken,

i just wanted to write and thank you sincerely for all the traffic you bring to my two blogs. Even though people rarely comment, it’s real nice that you help my stats increase!

i know we disagree on most everything related to faith. Yet, the common denominator we have in common is our faith in Jesus Christ. That, sir, is the most important thing to me. G-D commands us to Love him and to love others as we love ourselves. Kindness and grace go a long way.

i know you feel like you are doing what you are supposed to do. Free as you are, it is sad that you think anyone who disagrees with you is wrong, reprobate, an apostate, and/or going to hell. i used to believe like you but it was too tiring and painful.

i just wanted to let you know that despite all the things you write about Me even though you do not really know me, i LOVE YOU, Ken Silva! It would be nice if you would take the time to get to know someone like me, a queer who loves Christ. i can be a pain in the ass but i am really a nice person who is plodding along through life. Too bad you are so set in ‘your’ ways. We might have a cool conversation. Yet, i sense you really are not open to that since you have everything all neatly figured out and interpreted from the Bible.

i am so sorry you think i am an apostate on my way to hell. i beg to differ and i’m ok with that.

G-D bless you, Ken Silva!

Warmest Regards,
Adele Sakler

Hello Adele, 

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries. I read this earlier on your Existential Punk website, which has also has an intro noting I’m one “who is CONSTANTLY writing negative things about me and my friends. i am starting to wonder if he is getting an unhealthy obsession with me?!” Is ok; you may rest assured I am not. Truly, this isn’t personal; I’m just doing my job is all. You asked: “Why are some people so locked in their certainties and if one disagrees with them, then they are wrong, they are going to hell, they are reprobate, they are apostates? Why can’t people like this see that there is room at the table for differing views and interpretations?” 

But I could also ask you, why are some people so afraid of certainty concerning what the text of the Bible actually says? How, in their uncertainty, are they then suddenly so sure that someone like me is wrong? Why can’t people like this see that where the Bible is clear we must proclaim its truth, regardless of whether others like it or not? All depends upon how one looks at it, ya know. Adele, in the issue of homosexuality, there is no room at the table for differing views and interpretations because God has spoken quite clearly that it is sin. However, I would ask you to be careful not to just assume that I am some narrow-minded fundamentalist bigot who hates GLBTQ people; because I’m really not, and, I don’t. 

Prior to being saved, I was a stand-up comic and professional musician living for years in Long Beach, and performing all around the Los Angeles area, so there really isn’t much I haven’t seen. I have many gay friends, one of which was my boss when I worked in a group home with people who are developmentally challenged people. And he was very out about his sexuality. We’d joke about it all the time; we got along great, and I even visited with him, as well as his partner, at their home many times. Also, my niece is out concerning her homosexuality. You see, strictly on a personal level, one’s sexual orientation doesn’t matter to me at all. 

However, as one Jesus called to be one of His pastor-teachers, I have an obligation to proclaim His Word; and the Bible tells us homosexuality is among the sins which lead one to hell. Still, I’m not telling anyone they are going to hell; because I have no way to know their future. What I do warn someone about, who is unrepentant in their sin, is that if they do not repent and receive the forgiveness of their sin in Jesus Christ, then the broad road they place themselves upon does end up in hell (see—Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus tells us, apart from Him, they are already condemned (see—John 3:18).

In your case Adele, from reading your own testimony, you have apostatized from a previously held proper view of the Bible, and sin, so at this time you are on that broad road. In love I humbly implore you, please repent and turn to the Jesus of the Bible; as He’s the only one there is. If there’s anything I can do to help you, I would certainly be willing to try. Adele, you are correct; we don’t agree, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you, for Christ’s sake. There are many people with whom I disagree, and we can agree to disagree agreeably. 

That said, sometimes God’s message has an Isaiah 6:8-10 result; and this is something I have no control over. When I link to your sites, because I’ve been blessed of the Lord with a couple of large Internet forums, your traffic will increase. However, being a former head football coach, I often use football as an analogy for this type of spiritual warfare. The truth is, you and me are on the playing field of ideas in the church visible, and like a middle linebacker, it’s my job to stop you—and the team you play for—from penetrating the heart of the defense. 

One of the best ways I can do that is to link to your sources, and thereby shine the light upon what your team is actually doing, supposedly in the Lord’s Name. You said, “the common denominator we have in common is our faith in Jesus Christ.” I’m sorry Adele, but you’re wrong; we don’t believe in the same Jesus Christ at all (see—2 Corinthians 11:4). You also said, “Too bad you are so set in ‘your’ ways. We might have a cool conversation.” I say this gently, and you’re not? 

The fact remains, I’m not here to have “conversation” about God when I’m on the playing field; as a pastor I am to preach His Word and teach people what He has said (see—2 Timothy 4:2). Now, as I told Tony Jones when he called me a couple of years ago, once we are off the field, so to speak, we could talk about other things over dinner. But I cannot fellowship with you as fellow Christians because you’re not playing for the Lord; though I assume you’re sincere, in my view you’re both on Satan’s team. 

Finally, you also say, “i sense you really are not open to [getting to know someone like me] since you have everything all neatly figured out and interpreted from the Bible.” Adele, my mind is closed to anything that fights against Jesus because — To fear the LORD is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13), and as I explained above, I know many people like you. And I’m sorry that you appear to have been hurt by people claiming to know Christ; however at the same time, no one credible is claiming to “have everything all neatly figured out.” 

All we are saying is that, when the Bible is clear, then those of us who dare call ourselves Christians need to obey what Jesus has said. I pray this helps a little anyway. 

Sincerely, 

Ken

See also:

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINNING FOR MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM

GROWING GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT

HOMOPRESSIVE AS JAY BAKKER

BIBLE OUTS GAY MARRIAGE (PART TWO)

QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?

Then the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. ”I thought, ‘After she has done all these things she will return to Me’; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.”

Spiritual Practices From Roman Catholicism Now In Protestant Evangelicalism

Today there is more and more talk about apostasy that gives an appearance of having only been recently ignited within the visible Church of our Lord; and for many, it seems to have suddenly exploded onto the scene. However, Satan has been busy saturating throughout the very dry forest of intellectual evangelical churchianity, so easily passing for Christianity these days in alleged postmodern [read: relativistic] America, highly flammable Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism—which first flowered in apostate Roman Catholicism.

Now, as if by a spiritual match tossed onto the gasoline of CSM—with its main vehicle Contemplative/Centering Prayer, a critical thinking skills-paralyzing and highly existential meditation in an altered state of consciousness—apostasy appears to have just exploded in the church visible. But I offer however, that this apostasy has actually been slowly burning for years, and the Holy Spirit is simply blowing it throughout the whole church. And so it’s just now spreading within the American Christian Church, as quickly an Oklahoma wildfire, in order to burn out the deleterious driftwood that’s wasting our Father’s precious resources. 

You see, those listening to the Voice of the Spirit know that very rough spiritual waters lie dead ahead because we are beginning to witness 1 Peter 4:17 judgments as Christ begins shaking His Church. Men and women, you hear me; and hear me good. The time has come in the American Christian Church for division; for a reformation every bit the same as when Luther stood hammer in hand.  There is no way to harmonize what you will hear in the following sermon from Dr. John MacArthur with today’s centered on the self semi-pelagian evangelicalism, and its reversal of the Reformation.

Know this, there can be no compromise with men who’s message is really rooted in the man-pleasing Church Growth Movement—be it personal betterment ala Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren, or quasi-Christian Universalism ala Rob Bell. And tragically going unnoticed within squishy evanjellyfish right now is what can only be called The New Downgrade No-Controversy. Well, I for one want nothing to do with this vain religiousity currently passing for the genuine Christian faith, and especially not as it begins to fully accept apostate Roman Catholicism as a “Christian” tradition.

Devastating Effects Of Bringing The Emerging Church Into Mainstream Evangelical Camp

We can directly trace that foolishness back to evangelicalism’s embrace of the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church de-formation of the Christian faith aka Emergent Church—now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC). However, what many people don’t know is that the EC had CSM, as taught by “key mentors” Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic Richard Foster and his spiritual twin Dallas Willard, as a core doctrine. And tragically, it would serve a Trojan Horse from which Satan would unload spurious CSM, now spreading under the guise of Spiritual Formation.

And here we arrive at the very heart of the matter: The Emerging/ent/ence Church of postevangelicalism had to attack Sola Scriptura because God’s Word exposes its own lust of the self (see—2 Timothy 3:2). If it’s ever to realize its utopian dream of some Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man then it must attempt to reverse the Lord’s Reformation with its proper Bibliology. So with this in mind, I take my leave with the following words from an excellent and prophetic sermon The Pope and the Papacy by Dr. John MacArthur.

The point we make isn’t so much about the Pope, or his spiritually bankrupt church; it’s about false religion, period. And sadly, the EC has taken such a deep root within Young Adult and Youth groups in mainstream evangelical churches, it’s “make the world a better place” religion has all but obscured the actual mission of the church — that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations (Luke 24:47). The truth is, the reimagined version of the social gospel of the Cult of Liberal Theology spreading through evangelicalism is another religion entirely.

Even though saying so is offensive to many; when all is said and done, the most loving thing we can do is try and call people out of this apostate form of Christianity. Having studied the teachings of CSM proponents, I can tell you that out of one side of their mouth they will sound humble in their embrace of mystery and how we shouldn’t speak with certainty regarding the things of God. But, out of the other side of their mouth, such as these who aren’t sure what they believe are sure of one thing; men like me, who advance Sola Scriptura, are wrong.

Bottom line, this Ecumenical Church Of Deceit (ECoD) is filling up with new Gnostics who are certain through their practice of CSM that God is uniting all Christian “faith traditions” in order for us to join forces to bring the world into the way God “dreams” for it to be. And in this way, the ECoD reveals she is very much like her mother the Roman Catholic Church. So what MacArthur says in reference to the Church of Rome also applies to these new Gnostics now slithering deeper into the mainstream of apostatizing evangelicalism:

I want to talk about the Pope himself, and then talk about the Papacy in general. I’m going to tell you at the beginning what is at stake because of what I am going to say will surely offend those who are devout Catholics. It will surely offend those who believe that Catholics are brothers and sisters in Christ. Some will read it as unkind and unloving but nothing is more loving than the truth.

To let somebody perish in a false system isn’t loving at all. To rescue people out of a damning and false religion is the only loving thing to do… Oh, they’ve got a clever system. How to preserve error. How to perpetuate error. Make heresy infallible. And the arch heretic unassailable, ir-reformable and absolutely authoritative… (Online source)

Which is precsiely why I’ve labeled this Emerging/ent/ence Church exactly what it is; a cult. It has its own Jesus, its own gospel, and its own leaders who interpret the Bible for them. It’s an extension of its evil forebears in what cult expert Dr. Walter Martin (1928-1989) labeled circa 1985 “the cult of Liberal Theology; or Modern Theology, if you will.” And very much like the original liberalism aka modern theology, which attempted to blend in with its time, the EC is a postliberalism, or a postmodern theology; best you finally see it for what it is—before it swallows up even more of your young.

See also:

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINNING FOR MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM

THE TERMINOLOGY TRAP OF “SPIRITUAL FORMATION”

CORRUPT CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM GAINING GROUND IN EVANGELICALISM

DISCIPLINES TO DECEPTION IN SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

“INWARD JOURNEY” ESPOUSED BY RICHARD FOSTER IS A FORM OF DIVINATION

THE GOSPEL-LESS GOSPEL OF ROB BELL

EMERGING CHURCH AND ADELE SAKLER TRANSFORM GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

Recently, Bethel University in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, area held an interreligious symposium that was titled: Meditation–Buddhist and Christian: Is There Common Ground?

Pastor Bob DeWaay of Twin City Fellowship appeared on Crosstalk to discuss this symposium, a gathering that sought to explore how much common ground there is in both Christian and Buddhist meditation.

Just how dangerous is the belief that Christians can gain insight into themselves by practicing Buddhist approaches to meditation? Pastor DeWaay presents the Bible truths that speak directly to this issue on this edition of Crosstalk.

You can listen to this program right here.

See also:

THE TERMINOLOGY TRAP OF “SPIRITUAL FORMATION”

CORRUPT CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM GAINING GROUND IN EVANGELICALISM

CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY OF RICHARD FOSTER ROOTED IN THE EASTERN DESERT AND THOMAS MERTON

DISCIPLINES TO DECEPTION IN SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

“INWARD JOURNEY” ESPOUSED BY RICHARD FOSTER IS A FORM OF DIVINATION

MOVE OVER PASTORS FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS/GURUS

DONALD WHITNEY AND EVANGELICAL CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM

And in Emerging Church To TransFORM Outlaw Preachers I talked about the EC group TransFORM, a network created by “Kingdom Journalist” Steve Knight of Emergent Village. As I’ve said before, most all of the familiar names in the EC existential rebellion against the final authority of the Bible are to be found; and it’s very important for you to realize that the EC has also now embraced a bunch self-described, largely gay-affirming, Outlaw Preachers (OP) now slithering up all around “pastor” Jay Bakker.

 Together one of their pet doctrines right now is the attempt to convince us that the deviant lifestyle of having sexual relations with another of the same sex, i.e homosexuality, is a viable one for the evangelical Christian. Here’s yet another example;  just minutes ago it was brought to my attention that TranFORM has re-tweeted:

RT @Queermergent #Queermergent has started an Emergent/ing Spiritual Communities page: http://is.gd/4ZbGU (Online source) 

You may recall this EC group Queermergent is headed by practicing lesbian “Christ-follower” Adele Sakler aka Existential Punk, who was also co-leader of Richmond Emergent Cohort aligned with Emergent Village. The link above takes us to Inclusive Communities:

Here are a list of Emerging/ent Queer-inclusive/embracing spiritual communities. If you know of any others, PLEASE feel free to contact Adele… (Online source)

Not surprisingly, already on the list we find House For All Sinners And Saints, which is the church of gay affirming ELCA “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber—a self-identified OP—whose HFASS church will be hosting next years OP annual meeting. We also find Ikon, the heretical group started by Sakler’s good friend, and EC darling, Peter Rollins. You’d best know this: That very dark and threatening same-sex storm, right now approaching hurricane force, grows even closer to the coast of your own local church.

See also:

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

THE NIGHTMARE BEGINNING FOR MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM

THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT

HOMOPRESSIVE AS JAY BAKKER

BIBLE OUTS GAY MARRIAGE (PART TWO)

QUEERMERGENT AND NOW ADULTERMERGENT!?

PCUSA VOTES TO ORDAIN LESBIAN LISA LARGES