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C.E. Fuller, Harold Ockenga, J. Edwin Orr, Armin Gesswein and Henrietta Mears were friends and co-workers who layed the groundwork for the workers who prepared to follow them and become "world changers" and "expendables for Christ" . Working together they established the ecumenical campus movements which has become the method of continual change as demonstrated in articles such as Joel's Global Police Force. The combined resources in these article traces the move of Reconstructionism and Manifest Sons of God Doctrine into the 'evangelical' and fundamentalist church, which we discuss in our other articles as well.. The goal is a 'theocracy', which does not fit with Biblical doctrine, but rather the apostasy of the antichrist. The acceptance of the various movements and their teachings all combines into the attitude and spirituality necessary for the eventual worship of the beast. C. E. Fuller was founder of Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, CA. Mr. Fuller was one of the earliest speakers on Christian radio. His "Pilgrims Hour" and "Old Fashioned Revival Hour" laid the groundwork for a global ministry that has transcended denominational barriers and which formulated the ecumenical pastoring evident throughout churches and television and radio evangelism. The radio shows eventually siphoned off church dollars into the global movement and numerous other para church organizations. Dr. Fuller taught at Henrietta Mears's Forest Home Christian Conference Center and promoted Mears and her Forest Home conferences on his radio show, the Old Fashioned Revival Hour. Fuller would announce the conferences and encourage his listeners to attend in order to work toward revival, which he and the others had as the ultimate goal. Harold Ockenga, --Ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in 1931 and was a pastors assistant at Pittsburgh's First Presbyterian Church from 1930-3. He then became pastor at Point Breeze Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh from 1931-36. He moved to the Park Street Church, Boston, MA, in 1936, remaining there until 1969. He was with Fuller from 1947-1954 as president, and then as a trustee from 1959-63. He was also Director of the Christian Freedom Foundation and a member of President Truman's Clergymen's Mission to Europe in 1947. He taught at Henrietta Mears's Forest Home Christian Conference Center. See: The Christian Freedom Foundation which shows it's history with Bill Bright, Ed McAteer, The Religious Roundtable, Cry for Renewal, Sojourners, and Richard DeVos and so on. Besides being first President and co-founder of Fuller Theological Seminary, Harold Ockenga was, along with J. Edwin Orr, Co-Founder of the National Association of Evangelicals in 1942. He served as President of both the National Association of Evangelicals and the World Evangelical Fellowship, which are merely the national and world organizations of the same thing. Christianity Today which was the New Evangelicalism report, had its birth in 1956 as the brainchild of Billy Graham and his father-in-law, Dr. L. Nelson Bell. Dr. Ockenga was Chairman of the Board from 1956-1985. In 1966, he was one of three featured speakers at the World Congress on Evangelism. His career, which involved a radio ministry, found him also leading tours to the Holy Land and missionary journeys to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He also preached in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Orient, and Europe. Dr. Ockenga also helped found Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary >http://www.gcts.edu/> in 1969 and was President of it and Gordon College from 1969-1985. "The Conwell School of Theology and Gordon Divinity School merged in 1969 through the efforts of philanthropist J. Howard Pew, Dr. Harold J. Ockenga and Dr. Billy Graham...Dr. Ockenga, the long-time pastor of Boston's historic Park Street Church, became the new institution's first president. Dr. Ockenga retired in 1979 but maintained an active emeritus relationship with the school and served as member of the Board of Trustees until his death in 1985" Dr. Billy Graham is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees. For an understanding and analysis of J. Howard Pew and their grants ~ [Click] The Association of Theological Schools (ATS), mentioned in our previous article, is also a Pew recipient. In 1996 ATS received a grant from Pew Charitable Trusts and has also received grants from the Lilly Endowments and the Rockefellers. In Thy Will be Done, authors Colby and Dennett wrote, "Nelson [Rockefeller] knew, as did much of the nation, that Barry Goldwater had refused to disavow support for the ultrarightist John Birch Society. He also knew...that Goldwater and the Birch Society were both heavily funded by J. Howard Pew, owner of one of Standard Oils major rivals, the Sun Oil Company." [Colby, p. 453-454] Wycliffe Bible Translators received large funds of money from Nelson Rockefeller, Crowell Trust [Quaker Oats], the Glenmeade Trust [Pew] and the Lilly Foundation, the liberal Ford Foundation and others. [p. 569]. Henrietta Mears developed Christian Education and founded Gospel Light Press. Mears was one of the ‘original five’ who have influenced the direction of those connected to Fuller Theological Seminary and many other people. Dr. Henrietta Mears was raised Baptist under the ministry of W. D. Riley. In 1928, she become the Director of Christian Education at Hollywood First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California. While there she founded Forest Home Christian Conference Center in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. Her influence was widespread as she preached to thousands of young people. Dr. C. E. Fuller promoted Mears and her Forest Home conferences on his radio show, the Old Fashioned Revival Hour. Fuller would announce the conferences and encourage his listeners to attend in order to work toward revival, which he and the others had as their ultimate goal. Gospel Light Press, which became Gospel Light Publishing, a division of which is Regal Books, has a website. From the Gospel Light website,
Henrietta presented her theology as "the Cause of Christ," which meant winning the world to Christ and establishing Christianity as the guiding force in society [recontructionist theology] through evangelization of the world. The Fellowship of the Burning Heart, established by Mears at Forest Home, was where she encouraged her students to be willing to die for "the Cause of Christ." She laid her hands on them to receive her mantle, hence, receiving within themselves a "burning heart." In 1947 she gave a speech at The Forest Home which resulted in motivating and calling what were later called the "acceptable anointed evangelists" namely Billy Graham, Richard Halverson, Bill Bright and several others.
According to the Wheaton Archives Biography on Billy Graham, "The BGEA only held crusades in places where they had been invited by a large number of local pastors and laypersons, although the organization received so many such invitations that the evangelists could virtually pick the place they wanted to go. Staff would investigate each invitation to see if there was wide support for the meeting and then a decision would be made whether to accept the offer or not...In the early 1950s, the Navigators, another evangelistic group, developed a system for following up on the Christian nurture of converts at BGEA crusades. At first, Navigator staff members were loaned to the BGEA to supervise counseling and follow-up, but by the late 1950s, BGEA staff had taken over. Charles Riggs left the Navigators to take charge of crusade counseling and follow-up." http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bio.html The concept of individuals receiving Jesus Christ did not take precedence. Instead, numbers and converting "people groups" was and still is the factor that motivates many 'evangelicals', due to the theology of "new evangelicalism." As spokesman for the "New Evangelicalism," Dr. Graham has couched his theology in Christian terms while enjoining with every global group possible. Dr. Graham also believes that Jesus Christ is not the only way to the Father. McCall's January 1978 article, "Why I Can't Play God Anymore", quoted Dr. Graham as saying, "I used to believe that pagans in far-off countries were lost--were going to hell--if they did not have the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them. I no longer believe that....Graham once believed that Jews, too were lost if they did not convert to Christianity. Today Graham is willing to leave that up to God...I am far more tolerant of other kinds of Christians than I once was. My contact with Catholic, Lutheran and other leaders...has helped me, hopefully, to move in the right direction. I've found that my beliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodox Roman Catholics, for instance. They believe in the Virgin Birth, and so do I. They believe, in the Resurrection of Jesus and the coming judgment of God, and so do I. We only differ on some matters of later church tradition"[ as cited in New Neutralism II, pp29-30]
A Religious News Service dispatch from Urbana, Illinois, about 1976, read, "Billy Graham, the evangelist, urged here that evangelicals 'accept unity in diversity' and avoid divisiveness over such matters as Biblical inerrancy, charismatic phenomena, and political activism." [ as cited in New Neutralism II, p. 30]
Besides getting a "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dr. Graham was awarded a Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, in 1982. The Templeton awards deal with ecumenical and New Age ventures, which show "progress in religion." Graham has also received honors from the Anti-defamation League of B'nai B'rith and the National Conference of Christians and Jews, as well as receiving the Congressional Medal in 1996.
Re the Perspectives Curriculum, "The on-going work of evangelizing the world, especially the unreached people groups where there is presently no church or witness, is a primary responsibility of Christians everywhere. There is no course of which I know that will inform, inspire, and motivate Christians for world evangelization like the Perspectives class. It will stretch your mind, warm your heart, and stir your will." -Billy Graham." See also: Wheaton Bio >http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bio.html; and Deceptions and Lying Signs & Wonders for more on Billy Graham. Bill
Bright
–(d.
July 19, 2003) [See also CNP Bright] attended Princeton
Theological Seminary in 1946, and in 1947 enrolled as a
member of the first class of Fuller seminary. Bright is part
of Fuller’s Vision for AD 2000 & Beyond Networks &
Task Forces, 1993, that is, " Evangelism: Bill Bright."
He is President and founder of Campus Crusade for Christ &
involved in Lausanne
Consultations.
Being a salesman, Bill Bright brought into being the watered-down,
non-offensive, marketable version of the Gospel in his "Four
Spiritual Laws" booklet, of which Bill declares, "millions
have received Christ.". While holding Biblical truth, it
is quite simply, not the Gospel as preached by the apostles. Many
never get beyond, "God loves you and has a plan for your
life", believing that is all they really need to know. In 1951, Bill had a vision for taking the world for Christ. He sought the counsel of his closest friends including, Wilbur M. Smith, Henrietta Mears, Billy Graham, Richard Halverson, Dawson Trotman (founded The Navigators in 1934), Cyrus Nelson, Dan Fuller, and J. Edwin Orr. UCLA campus was CCC's first mission field. Campus Crusade for Christ is the collegiate ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International, " a family of more than 50 ministries worldwide." A list of US Ministries and Projects is found at http://www.ccci.org/ministries/ with International Ministries at http://www.ccci.org/international/ The original Board Members of the Campus Crusade (1951) included: Henrietta Mears, Billy Graham, Dawson Trotman, Dan Fuller, J. Edwin Orr. The main theology behind CCC is that ours [in 1950] is the last generation before the Second Coming which came from the Latter Rain Pentecostal movement of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Since that particular generation is basically gone, and we are still awaiting the Lord's much desired return, these along with many other false predictions merely bring shame to our Lord. No one knows the day or hour. It was the latter days when the apostles were on the earth. It is that much closer to the hour, and we need to be about our Master's business, prepared for His return, but certainly not continually and falsely predicting we know when that will be. We don't know--only God knows the day and the hour and the very moment. Matthew 24:36,42 "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Among his many ventures, Bill Bright tackled Berkley University Campus in 1967. Not succeeding with an open presentation of the Gospel, Bright had some of his staffers appear as hippies under the guise of the Christian World Liberation Front (CWLF). According to Richard Quibedeaux in "I Found It: the Story of Bill Bright and Campus Crusade, (Harper and Row, 1979) p. 32,
2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men 1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Jack Sparks and the Christian World Liberation Front - One of three founding fathers of the Christian World Liberation Front (CWLF) on the Berkeley campus of the University of California in 1969. A former statistics professor and Campus Crusade worker, Sparks felt the need to begin a campus outreach to left-wing student activists. In 1975 he and a number of other Campus Crusade members made the move into the Eastern Orthodox church. Most recently he has worked on the Orthodox Study Bible while continuing to teach at St. Athanasius Academy.
Rev. Hubert Lindsey, "Holy Hubert" wrote of his part of CWLF: "The end of such tight control had its beginning one April morning in 1969 when three campus crusade for Christ staffers and their wives arrived on campus. The men were 6 ft. 3 Pat Matricianas, former member of the campus crusade for Christ wrestling team, Dr. Jack Sparks, former professor at Penn. State, and Fred Dyson. After they had introduced themselves, Pat Matriciana's said, "We would like you to join us in starting a Christian World Liberation Front. We want to conduct Bible studies and workshops and lead Bible raps on campus." http://www.brotherhoward.com/vietnam.htm Patrick Matrisciana, owner of Jeremiah Films, was the co-chairman and co-founder of the Christian World Liberation Front from 1969 through 1972. He is a member of the CNP Bright was awarded a Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, in 1996, "He's just the kind of man I had in mind when I started the program twenty-five years ago because he's an example to everybody of all religions that it's possible to have progress in religion." -stated Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Bright donated the $1 million honorarium to support the national movement of prayer and fasting. Bill also supports the Perspectives Curriculum and endorsed the controversial Evangelicals and Catholics Together. He believes, "There are tens of millions of true believers among the Catholics who don't believe that salvation is something you can work for. Many are reformers, like Luther." On his CCCI site, which claims 40-50 conversions daily, Dr. Bright states, "...we have helped train, have already taken the gospel to more than one billion people during the past forty years - tens of millions have indicated their desire to receive and follow Christ.....It is our prayerful objective to help take the gospel to over six billion by the year 2000 with at least one billion receiving Christ and one million churches being planted. This will be accomplished by millions of trained Christians from thousands of churches of all denominations and hundreds of mission groups working together in obedience to our Lord's command. Dr. Billy Graham is serving as the honorary Chairman of NewLife 2000 and Dr. Ted Engstrom, President Emeritus of World Vision, is chairman of the International Committee of Reference...." Campus Crusade hosts the website Fasting and Praying > http://www.fastingprayer.com> "a resource ministry for Campus Crusade for Christ, International. Mission: To encourage and equip Christians to experience a deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ through the biblical discipline of prayer and fasting, resulting in revival and spiritual awakening toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission." Started by Bill Bright, it was as a result of having ecumenical fasting and prayer conferences. Bright wrote in the History, "our nation has officially forgotten God and failed to obey His commands (Deuteronomy chapters 8 and 28). I think primarily of the colossal insult to our heavenly Father when we betrayed Him and the trust of our Founding Fathers by removing prayer and Bibles from our schools. The basis for our moral and spiritual integrity as a nation is gone." http://www.fastingprayer.com/history.htm In 1994, Bright fasted 40 days during which he claims to have received a "prophecy from God" that a mighty revival is coming. He then issued a call for hundreds of liberals, charismatics, and new-evangelicals to gather in Orlando December 5-7 to fast and pray for revival. An ecumenical Invitation Committee included such individuals as CNP's E.V. Hill, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and Larry Burkett, and others like Robert Schuller, Charles Colson, Jack Hayford, W.A. Criswell, Charles Stanley, Paul Crouch, Luis Palau, and Bill Gothard. For Chuck Colson See: Evangelicals and Catholics Together The "Fasting & Prayer" conference held in November of 1995 united 3,500 evangelicals and charismatics. The Invitation/Host Committee for this event included many of those from 1994, plus CNP's Tim and Beverly LaHaye, and others like Dick Eastman, Chuck Smith, Bill McCartney, Shirley Dobson, Paul Cedar, Ted Engstrom (World Vision), Joseph Stowell (Moody), and Joseph Aldrich (Multnomah). The 1996 conference increased it's committee to include Max Lucado, Henry Blackaby, Loren Cunningham (YWAM), Greg Laurie, Dennis Rainey, Randy Phillips (Promise Keepers), Josh McDowell, CNP's D. James Kennedy, Howard Hendricks, and Neil Anderson. [BDM: Bright>http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/ccc/ccc.htm] Jesus clearly rebuked public displays of prayer and fasting and then proceeded to teach how to pray. Matthew 6:5-7 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." While fasting is a Biblical concept, group-fasting is not. Fasting is a private activity between the believer and the Lord. It is not to be "advertised." Matthew 6: 16-18 - Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Those who advocate Biblical disobedience are not to be considered Biblically sound. The Jesus Film/video, funded in 1978 by CNP's Nelson Bunker Hunt and produced by Bill Bright & Paul Eshleman,, was produced at a cost of $6 million, is used in promoting AD2000 & Beyond initiatives. The Jesus Film is also featured on the Campus Crusade for Christ Int’l. homepage. [http://www.ccci.org/whoisjesus/choice.html] According to one source, "the film JESUS has been translated into more than 470 languages and reportedly been viewed by more than 1.6 billion people around the world. The film was financed and sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ International. It was produced by John Heyman, Cannes Film Festival award winner. Warner Brothers handled the initial release in North American theaters." [In Plain Sight> www.inplainsite.org/Page2/Jesus/The__Jesus__Film/the__jesus__film.html] The Jesus Film website >http://www.jesusfilm.org/> boasts, "Every two seconds—sometimes in the midst of global chaos and conflict—someone indicates a decision to receive Christ as personal Savior as a result of seeing the "JESUS" film...Through use by The JESUS Film Project, and more than 1,195 Christian agencies, this powerful film has been seen by more than 4 billion people worldwide...As a result, more than 139 million people have indicated decisions to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord..." "Jesus" is promoted by Random Story's from The Touch of Jesus, by Paul Eshleman.
To
equate any man as being what Jesus Christ looks like and to have
this "vision" look identical to a non-Christian does
not align with Biblical truth. It is in Revelation that a "picture"
of Christ is given and the Apostle John's reaction to seeing
Him: Revelation
1:12-17 "And
I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned,
I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven
candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment
down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
and his eyes were as flames of fire: And his feet like unto fine
brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound
of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and
out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him,
I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon
me, saying unto me, Fear not: I am the first and the last:"
In Daniel and other Scriptures we see the same reaction when God has revealed His Holy presence to someone: They fall on their faces in fear--as dead, totally overwhelmed with His presence. This is hardly the reaction of the villagers who "saw" the vision. Many
are suggesting that by supporting the ventures of Bill Bright
and his associates they are completing the requirement of publishing
the Gospel in all nations. They believe they are ushering in
the return of Christ. If that were so, then we must apply ALL
the Scriptures to Last Days time frame. Matthew
24:24 "For there shall arise false Christ's, and false
prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect."
II
Thessalonians 2:3,9 "Let no man deceive you by any
means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
. .Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with
all power and signs and lying wonders."
I
Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."
SEE:
Lying
Signs & Wonders: The
future appearance of Jesus discussed in Scripture, by which the
"vision" must be evaluated on, states: Acts
1:11 "…this same Jesus, which is taken up from
you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven." I
Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall arise first."
And
until that appointed time - Hebrews 8: 1 "…We
have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in the heavens." 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." By these Scripture's, which must be our source of truth, could the "vision" be our Lord Jesus Christ? "The "vision," which the villagers saw that was identical to the actor could be a trial run of something like Project Blue Beam which Jack Van Impe and others discuss. Blue Beam is an alleged Government/NASA /other agencies’ laser project which produces holographs. Various sources suggest that satellites have been strategically placed to use this laser technology to project holographic images onto the earth's surface, hence the "vision." The various "sightings," which relate to the Jesus Film, may be man-made phenomena staged to elicit an emotionally charged response to the film. 1 Peter 1:7-8 “ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” It has been suggested that if an English-speaking person were to view the Jesus Film he would think that it accurately presents the Gospel message. However, when translated to other languages, the film is contextualized to make the message more palatable to various religious groups. For example, the Hindu believer sees gestures to the forehead and other practices familiar to East Indians. The subtle message is that Jesus can be added to the other household gods. Therefore, the claims that there have been millions of conversions as a result of the Jesus Film are highly suspect, since the Gospel has not been accurately portrayed. Even worse, the Mission America and Campus Crusade global mapping projects are logging "crowd conversions" (whoever has seen the Jesus Film is registered as a conversion) into their data banks. We could analyze these visions based on what has taken place, for instance, in Africa, where Charismatic/pentecostal teachers and their teachings were embraced in the early 1900's because the manifestations demonstrated were no different than what was already seen in shamanism. Those who did not become free of the occult practices and turn from them by honestly accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, merely moved back into those origins. It is the same in every country, including North America. The foundation concept is the Parable of the Sower and also Building upon What Foundation?--Jesus Christ, God's Word or something else. SEE: Sins of "the father"~ Charles F. Parham & What Happened in Africa? A three-part article in Christianity Today about Bill Bright and his vision of taking the gospel to the entire world, which originally had the goal of being fulfilled by 1980, included these thoughts, "We're ending this millennium, and people are expecting something wonderful to happen," says Bright. "We have momentum, and if we don't harness every opportunity, we'll fail—the Great Commission won't be fulfilled, and people will drift away. We are challenging tens of thousands of people not to make any plans but to help fulfill the Great Commission by the end of the year 2000....His emphasis on "spiritual breathing"—a discipline he contrived that involves exhaling confessed sins and then inhaling cleansing and empowering of the Holy Spirit—" http://christianitytoday.aol.com/ct/7t8/7t814c.html Spiritual breathing is no different than other occult practices disseminated by others like Richard Foster of Renovare. Since the Great Commission according to Campus Crusade has not been fulfilled by the end of the Year 2000, what are we to think? Where in Scripture does it say that the Great Commission was to be fulfilled by the end of 2000? Will all these people who supposedly have come to know the Lord through CCC fall away, because they weren't really saved, but were caught up in the emotion of a crusade or were swept up in the fervor of the moment? Is their focus on Bill Bright, another organization, or on Jesus Christ? For Renovare See: Renovare and the Christian Mystic Scripture does say that "...this gospel will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matthew 24:14 And Mark 13:10 "And the gospel must first be published among all nations." God's word will never return void, regardless of the intent behind the presentation. However, the gospel being preached for a witness, is different than the dominionist concept of bringing in the Kingdom of God on earth so that Christ will return. We have no continuing city on this earth. Nor is there a Biblical suggestion that all will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, many are going to face God's wrath due to their rejection of Jesus Christ.
The Lighthouse Movement , initiated by Bill Bright and which site is hosted by CCC, states, www.lighthousemovement.com/intro/whosInvolved/index.asp?sid=0
Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade, is founder and a past chairman of the National Prayer Committee and served for nine years as chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. She became a member of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and served as chairperson of the Intercession Working Group from 1981 to 1990. She helped draft legislation, which both houses of Congress unanimously approved, setting aside the standing date for the National Day of Prayer, the first Thursday in May, by an act of Congress. Recently she was given the title "Lifetime Honorary Chairman" of the NPC, which site states their history >http://www.gospelcom.net/npc/background.html:
J. Edwin Orr who died in 1987, was Co-Founder of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in the U.S. in 1942. In 1948 he earned a doctorate in "Awakenings" at Oxford. It was Orr who laid hands on Billy Graham at Forest Homes, so he could "be filled" with the Holy Spirit, which of course is Pentecostal/Charismatic doctrine. Orr was an ordained Baptist minister, and was professor of Fuller's School of World Mission from 1966 forward. From 1933-1942 he was with International Christian Leadership in Washington, D.C., and from 1947 forward he was chaplain of mission to the academic community, lecturing in universities and colleges throughout world. In 1973 he became director of the Oxford Association for Research in Evangelical Awakening. One bio states, "Dr J. Edwin Orr was a leading scholar of revivals who published detailed books about evangelical awakenings." http://www.christianword.org/revival/orr.html Another biography reveals, "...In 1966, Orr became a professor at Fuller Seminary's School of World Mission, a position he held until 1981. Besides his teaching and writing, he greatly stimulated the study and understanding of revivals and evangelism through his founding in 1974 and continuing leadership of the Oxford Reading and Research Conference on Evangelical Awakenings....He was an advisor of Billy Graham's from the start of that evangelist's career, a friend of Abraham Vereide and helped shape the prayer breakfast movement that grew out of Vereide's International Christian Leadership..."http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/guides/355.htm#3 Orr developed the groundwork for Bill Bright's Campus Crusade for Christ and Billy Graham’s “new understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit.” Orr, an Oxford seminarian, traveled as a historian and theologian to major cities and universities globally to prepare the way for ecumenism on college campuses. One researcher wrote, "The ecumenical groups on campus who were pre-conditioned by Orr to look for a 'great end-time harvest', and sweeping "revival" movement, or "awakening" prepared the way for Bill Bright's ecumenical ministry. The success of Campus Crusade for Christ was a direct result of the groundwork layed by Orr. Orr's vouching for Billy Grahams "new understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit", which he conveyed in letters to key workers paved the way for his success in ministry as well." The NAE history reveals the roots of this massive organization and some of it's influence..
The NAE website lists members by denominations, organizations , schools, associations & networks, and local associations. Armin
Gesswein
is
92 and the founder of the Minister’s Prayer Fellowship and
The Revival Prayer Fellowship. Gesswein started Pacific Palisades
Conferences, out of which came Prayer Revival Fellowship. The
purpose was to get pastors together to pray for their cities.
Eventually Prayer Revival Fellowships were started in every U.S.
city, as well as globally. These "Armin has been a local church pastor, evangelist, revivalist and mentor to countless people in countless countries of the world. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. Today he gives priority as a faculty member in The College of Prayer." From the homepage of The College of Prayer
The need to be filled with the Holy Spirit is accomplished when we accept Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost as a fulfillment of prophecy and promise. Not setting aside the importance and command for all to watch and pray, prayer didn't bring Pentecost--God's promise to send His Comforter brought the Holy Spirit. According to various other sources, Armin, who was a friend of those mentioned, also prepared the way by traveling to cities globally and setting up ecumenical prayer meetings for pastors and lay workers. Gesswein also trained up these groups in the expectation of a "great end-time harvest", and "revival" movement. The ecumenical prayer groups prepared the way for Billy Graham. Dr. Graham would not travel to a city unless Gesswein's ecumenism had been successful there to establish a pastors group that would "sponsor" his crusade. There is no doubt that there are many sincere Christians who have been swept up into the many movements and organizations, not considering the full Biblical implications. All these people, yesterday and today are looking for a massive worldwide Revival. They want a sociological 'people movement' that is characterized by what they call a powerful manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This manifestation, according to them, will result in a global movement that changes communities, cultures and society. These same manifestations are viewed as having recurred throughout history, as promoted by the writings of people like J. Orr. The expected revival must be evident in it's affecting large numbers rather than an individual who repents and comes to know and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Anything less would be viewed as a failure. History does reveal the patterns of "sweeping revivals" where many are indeed swept up in the emotional fervor, but history also reveals, as we discuss in our other articles, that these movements invariably were focused on manifestations and aberrant and bizarre signs and wonders. The reasons that history also reveals that each of these movements died down is because many that were involved did not stay involved. Their 'commitment' could be suggested to be based on a need for manifestations, crowd fervor and signs and wonders rather than being rooted in Jesus Christ. In other words, it cannot be a personal revival based on Biblical truth and obedience. We're to "walk by faith, not by sight." By teaching the false doctrine that there is to be a second, 'latter rain' outpouring of the spirit, which was fulfilled in Acts 2, these leaders teach their followers to fully expect to see that outpouring, and watch for the "signs" of it appearing. The Holy Spirit was poured out upon all flesh at the day of Pentecost, which was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2, which many also wish to claim as their own. The Holy Spirit indwells each and every person that accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He has remained, He abides with us still, and according to the promise He will never leave us or forsake us. It is an affront and blasphemy to the abiding Holy Spirit of God, to look for another spirit, call upon another spirit, invoke another spirit, or participate in the pagan manifestations of another spirit. [See: Lying Signs and Wonders, Shepherds in Disguise, Pentecostal Tongues and The Inner Ecstasy] The false teaching of Revival worldwide is just that, false. Our beliefs must be based on the Word of God. Many that advocate this idea also believe these are the very last days and have overlooked that God has said that there will be a great falling away--meaning those who appear to have known the Lord Jesus Christ, will turn away unto false teaching and the acceptance of the anti-christ. It is not referring to those who are already involved in the occult--the occult does not turn away to the occult. It is in reference to the parable of the sower and the seed as explained by Jesus in Matthew 13: 18-23. We've shown this same teaching in the articles such as "The 'god' in Every Man" , Sins of the Father, Charles Parham and many others throughout our website.
Previous Section: New Evangelicalism 13. http://www.tiu.edu/pr/Bios/Henry.htm
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