CHURCH NEWS

 

THE CALVARY CONTENDER - August 15, 2000 [Messengers of Christ Ministries] Excerpts:
BENNY HINN A FALSE PROPHET-Charismatic Evang. Benny Hinn says within two years there will be a new pope - "an Italian who wears glasses and has long hair." He adds: "And within two years a young Egyptian male converted from Islam will preach the gospel so well that hundreds of thousands of Muslims will accept Christ." Hinn said Israel and the Palestinians will sign a peace treaty before the end of the year (8/00 Charisma).

He "predicts that a group of Israeli rabbis will see a vision of Jesus so magnificent that they will preach the gospel in their synagogues." He recently predicted that people by the thousands would be raised from the dead in their caskets watching TBN (12/15 CC). See Jer. 29:8-9.

BILLY GRAHAM'S AMSTERDAM 2000: A SPECIAL FIRST-HAND REPORT BY RALPH COLAS- American Council of Christian Churches Exec. Secretary Dr. Ralph Colas attended, with press credentials, Dr. Billy Graham's Amsterdam 2000 conference, July 29 - Aug. 6 (see 8/1 CC). He is preparing an extensive report, available soon from ACCC, P.O. Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015, 610/865-3009 (send offering). Below are some adapted excerpts: Due to serious illness, Graham was unable to attend, but son Franklin read greetings from him. A Catholic archbishop addressed the gathering, followed by the president of the Netherlands Council of Churches. The latter reminded attendees that the Council and the Evangelical Alliance join together for prayer, and added: "We are the same, for personal faith and social action go together. Evangelicals and ecumenicals are one in Christ."The BGEA spent over $40 million to put on this meeting. Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse provided clothing and other items for the evangelists (SP has a budget of over $130 million).

A drama team from Bill Hybels' Willow Creek Community Church had a prominent role at the meeting. One presentation dealt with the woman taken in adultery. In acting out the part, she said, "Jesus said to me, 'You are not condemned.'" She failed to add that Jesus also said, "Go and sin no more." Chuck Colson criticized Seeker Sensitive churches, but called for acceptance of the Great Commission AND the Cultural Mandate. He defended ECT (Evangelicals & Catholics Together). He said a new document is being discussed, and added: "We must hold what we have in common so we can stand together against secular naturalism, and it was Billy Graham who helped us break down the walls." Dr. Colas observed: "It is easy to see how the National Council of Churches (USA) and the National Association of Evangelicals recognize each other as 'brothers' and permit dual memberships."

Most of the music was not intense rock, but by the end, more "swinging and swaying" music was presented which brought cheering, clapping, raising of hands and dancing. The meeting was well organized and helpful practical suggestions were shared by leading evangelicals. God forbid that we would lose the burden or concern to let others know how precious Jesus Christ really is. But while telling others what the Gospel is we cannot and must not join in spiritual partnerships with those who refuse to obey God's direct commands. Such commands include separation not cooperation with those who remain in fellowship with apostasy as represented by the NCC/WCC. Even though Billy Graham could not attend, his influence was obvious. His ecumenical evangelism is carried on by his son Franklin who calls his meetings "festivals" instead of crusades. Note: Dr. Colas' complete report will have controversial comments by such speakers as John Stott, Billy Kim, George Carey, and J.I. Packer. The ecumenical meeting closed with three special task group "futuristic" reports, and a communion service.

SPURGEON ON LIGHT & DARKNESS-"God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." Gen. 1:4. No sooner is there a good thing in the world than a division is necessary. Light and darkness have no communion. God has divided them; let us not confound them. Sons of light must not have fellowship with deeds, doctrines, or deceits of darkness. The children of the day must be sober, honest and bold in their Lord's work, leaving the works of darkness to those who shall dwell in it forever. We should by our distinct separation from the world divide the light from the darkness. In judgment, in action, in hearing, in teaching, in association, we must discern between the precious and the vile, and maintain the great distinction which the Lord made upon the world's first day [7-8 Foundation].

CHO DEFENDS HIS 400 WOMEN ASSOCIATE PASTORS David Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world's largest church (S. Korea), is prodding American and European pastors to allow women to fulfill the role of pastors/teachers in their local assemblies. He recently wrote (see Foundation): "In ministry, [women] are equal to men. They are licensed, they are ordained. They become deacons and elders, and they become the cell leaders." Per Charisma News Service, "400 of Cho's 600 associate pastors are women, as are 47,000 of the 700,000-member] church's 50,000 cell group leaders." Cho's answer to the Biblical passages that forbid women to be pastors: "Once women are called into ministry, they no longer belong to the category of women. They are messengers of the Lord." Such twisting of Scripture by Cho is not surprising. Christian News Editor Herman Otten (1/15/98 CC) called Cho "a charismatic and occultist who rejects historic Christianity."

HARRINGTON NOW A FALWELL EVANGELIST Bob Harrington ("The Chaplain of Bourbon Street"), after speaking at Dr. Jerry Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church July 9 was asked by Falwell to become Jerry Falwell Ministries' "evangelist at large" to the fallen and unwanted. Harrington returned to preaching about four years ago (see 7/15/97 CC), and his pulpits seem to mostly be Southern Baptist and/or charismatic.
FALWELL, CAMPOLO & HILL YOUTH WORKERS SPEAKERS- Youth Specialties 2000 is hosting its National Youth Workers convention in three U.S. cities this year - Anaheim, St. Louis and Atlanta. It features a variety of Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic speakers, including: Tony Campolo (liberal), E.V. Hill (liberal ties), Jerry Falwell, and other male and female pastors (7-8 Foundation). Over 30 "Christian rock" bands were to perform, including Audio Adrenaline and Jars of Clay.

JOHN HAGEE IN CHARISMATIC ORBIT-Dr. John Hagee is a bestselling author and pastor of the 17,000-member charismatic Cornerstone Church in San Antonio. He was an NRB '98 speaker and has an honorary degree from Oral Roberts University. He is pictured in the 8/00 Charisma-along with Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes, and Kenneth Copeland-as a speaker for Creflo Dollar's International Covenant Ministries conference.

CAMPUS CRUSADE'S BILL BRIGHT RETIRES-Dr. Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951, is retiring this month. Bright, 78, is succeeded by Steve Douglass (7/31 C. News). Campus Crusade currently has 22,000 full-time staff, plus 489,000 trained volunteer staff members. For many years, Crusade has tilted ever more to a pro-charismatic, pro-Catholic stance. Bright was awarded the notorious Templeton Prize in 1996.

NewsNotes-The Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership speakers include: Bill Hybels, Tony Campolo, Richard Mouw, and the rather liberal Clark Pinnock. *** Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and former leader of the African National Congress (Marxist terrorist group) will receive the 2000 World Methodist Peace Award. *** The United Methodist Church has 13 new bishops, three of whom are African-American women. *** About 10,000 couples will be married, and 1 million couples will renew their vows during the Oct. 16 Million Family March announced by Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. *** Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu told Lutheran (ELCA) officials he only flies in private jets. He won't fly on a commercial airline. He is a big promoter of same-sex unions and now repudiates historic Christianity. [Source for this NewsNotes article: 7/24 Christian News.)

[ URI GLOBAL CHARTER IS SIGNED-Hundreds of delegates from 44 countries and 39 religions around the world met in Pittsburgh June 26 at Summit 2000 to sign the United Religions Initiative Charter (see 6/1 CC). This was the birth and basis for a unified world religion - a counterpart to the UN. The URI Charter begins: "We, people of diverse religions, spiritual expressions and indigenous traditions throughout the world, hereby establish the United Religions Initiative to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence, and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings." Could URI be the one-world religion of Antichrist in embryo? [ http://cnview.com/ ]

Pope appoints Michel Camdessus to pontifical council

VATICAN CITY, Aug 7 (AFP) - Pope John Paul II on Monday named former International Monetary Fund managing director Michel Camdessus a member of the pontifical council for justice and peace, the Vatican press department said. The council, created by Pope Paul VI in 1967, is mandated to promote the Catholic Church's social doctrine, among other purposes. It is headed by Vietnamese Archbishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan and is made up of laymen and clergy. Copyright 2000 by Agence France-Presse

Considering the fact that there are evangelists and upcoming political leaders who are recommending the Harry Potter books, we have included this paragraph. GIRLS JUST WANT TO LEARN WITCHCRAFT
August 4 2000 BRITAIN http://www.the-times.co.uk/ - TEENAGE girls are showing unprecedented interest in witchcraft, with about 100 every month wanting to join covens to learn about casting spells, according to a report in the September issue of Youthwork, a monthly magazine of the Premier Christian Media Group.

Boys, too, are rejecting Christianity and the Church for witchcraft, inspired by television programmes such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the Harry Potter books. However, the greatest demand is from young women seeking female empowerment. The demand is being accelerated by thousands of pages on the Internet offering anything from "poison" rings to spells. The report says that the development is influenced by pressure to pass exams, to find boyfriends and to become wealthy.

One book to be published later this year, The Young Witches' Handbook, by Kate West, vice-president of the Pagan Federation, includes spells to get a partner and pass exams. Marina Baker, author of another book, Spells for Teenage Witches, to be published next month, said: "Young people have always been into all things mystical but they are not getting the spiritual guidance they need from teachers, families or Churches."
The trend is worrying evangelical Christian leaders.

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