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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 11–12, 2004 New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO A Major Report by the ACCC Given a standing ovation, Dr. Robert Schuller brought his
message of self-esteem Christianity to the platform of the 61st
Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals
(NAE). He declared, "There are some things in the Bible
I cannot swallow but you get saved not by the Book but the blood.
Keep your message positive. Understand God is a God of grace
and glory so forget the matter of justice." In speaking directly to NAE leadership, Schuller said, "The NAE had strong negatives in its early days but I now sense a mellowing and maturity here so I will join it. I want the NAE to be healthy and whole." This is the same individual who wrote in his book on Self-Esteem, "Jesus never called a person a sinnner. Rather he reserved his righteous rebuke for those who used their authority to generate guilt and caused people to lose their ability to taste and enjoy their right to dignity." This apostate speaker, coming to speak at an NAE Convention marked new territory for this inclusive organization. The fact that so many evangelical leaders would treat Schuller as a brother in Christ is clear evidence of their spiritual blindness. It was interesting to observe that not everyone in attendance accepted Schuller's message of self-esteem. The CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), who was a guest of NAE, told this reporter, "The NAE in having Schuller in to speak was a serious mistake. We do away with sin, according to Schuller, and embrace self-esteem." Schuller also reminded the NAE that he and Billy Graham are friends. He said he has 10 million listeners to his program and related he was even invited to bring his message of self-esteem to a Muslim group of 15,000 at a mosque. He said, "Salvation is to become the person God wants you to be here and now." When Schuller finished speaking, a long-line of friends and supporters surrounded this liberal clergyman, whose church denomination is in both the National and World Council of Churches. Many also commended him, asked for his autograph and purchased a copy of his book, My Journey, which was on sale at the back of the large sanctuary. The NAE was hosted this year by Dr. Ted Haggard and the New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO. Dr. Haggard was elected in 2003 as the new president of NAE. This mega-church, begun 19 years ago, is erecting a new 7,500 seat sanctuary which will be dedicated in January 2005. There was a large banner hanging in the front of the New Life Church which read, "The NAE-Cooperation Without Compromise." A scenic background also was there in preparation for their Easter Production. Haggard told everyone that 50,000 individuals will attend their Easter production scheduled for April 2004, and he expected 400-700 new converts from this performance. That evening Dr. Haggard let the NAE attendees see and hear just two parts of the major production. One part of the program represented Jesus in heaven before He came to earth and those who surrounded Him up there objected to Him coming to earth. During the first part, gymnasts representing angels moving in outer space did multiple somersaults, high jumping, and dancing all across the huge platform. Then the second section represented Jesus performing miracles on the stage. One was feeding the multitude so that many loaves of bread suddenly appeared. The drama players then come through the sanctuary handing everyone pieces of bread and calling out, "It's a miracle!" Tickets to attend this Easter production cost $8.00 a piece and if you multiply that by 50,000 it adds up to lot of dollars! Three times at this year's convention there were worship sessions led by Don Moen, New Life's Integrity Worship Artist. With six background singers, a Christian Rock Band, along with a swaying choir of no less than 60 singers, the music was loud and even ear piercing. Raising of hands by all of the charismatics was evident and Moen would intersperse the songs with short prayers. One was "Lord, we invite you to come into our meeting." One chorus sung included the words, "Thank you Jesus that you took all my sicknesses and my sin." After Dr. Haggard's welcoming remarks, President George W. Bush spoke to the NAE from the Oval Office via satellite. His eight minute address drew the hardest applause for taking credit for banning the so-called partial-birth abortion. Also they expressed appreciation for his recent backing of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages. President Bush called the union between man and woman, "humanity's enduring feature, an institution honored by culture and by every religion." He said, "Government by recognizing and protecting marriage serves the interests of all." In conclusion Bush declared, "I know that liberty is not America's gift to the world. Liberty and freedom are God's gifts to every man and woman who lives in this world." An assistant to President Bush, Tim Googlein came to the NAE's platform to urge everyone to continue praying for the President. "Your greatest gift is your prayer," he said. Most of the speakers at this year's convention dealt with current political as well as religious issues facing the nation, the world and the church. John Hanford, US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, said, "Religious Freedom issues are life and death issues." Hanford, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary gave quotes from the late Dr. Carl Henry which emphasized that freedom of religion is freedom for all people. Hanford related problem areas like China, Vietnam, as well as Middle East countries where religious freedom is denied. He commended the NAE for issuing a "Statement of Conscience" paper in 1996. He concluded by urging those present to remember those in prison and to uphold them in prayer. Dr. Robert Schuller spoke next and was followed by Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies at Penn State University, as well as the author of The Next Christendom. Jenkins said that there are changes in the world and that there are "3 billion Christians in the world today." He added that "the majority are now found in Africa, South America and the Far East." Jenkins, an Anglican, said that "Christianity is a religion of the young and the young are interested in results here and now which are supernaturally oriented. They have a respect for visions and dreams. Many in Africa today would describe themselves as part of three groups, Catholic, Evangelical and Charismatic. Luke 8 is a major text for such groups because it includes casting out demons with exorcism, and also numerous miracles." Dr. Haggard shared with everyone about the size of some churches where he had spoken when he was overseas. He said that some were so large they had motorized vehicles to bring those wanting to make a decision up toward the platform and these small trucks were driven right through the vast crowds. The afternoon in New Life church again began with the "swinging and swaying" choir and the worship music led by Don Moen. NAE President Haggard said that Dr. Bill Bright, before he died, predicted there would be one billion new converts to Christ in the next ten years but there then would be a need of 5 million new pastors to disciple them. He challenged everyone to get busy at the task of reaching this goal. Dr. Jack Graham, the next speaker, is Pastor of the Presentwood Baptist Church in Texas with 22,000 members. He has also served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Graham said the SBC has 42,000 churches and the NAE has 43,000 churches and together they represent a large group of 85,000 churches which can accomplish much since the "Church is the voice of the kingdom." He spoke about Dead Churches which he said need revival while Divided Churches need restoration. His final point was that Disobedient Churches need repentance. Thursday evening, after the opening worship service with portions of the Easter drama presentation, Dr. Frank Wright, CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), spoke on the lost axe head. He encouraged a radical engagement of the culture and also an understanding that here is a distinction between Christianity and the Culture. While the NAE met in their sessions, nearly 200 young Evangelicals held their own meetings in another building. After Dr. Frank Wright of the NRB finished speaking, Haggard invited a panel of these young adults to come to the platform and to share their concerns and goals. One wondered how well they were being represented by NAE leaders, while another said that, "We Evangelicals have learned that in our various churches we have more in common than what are our differences." The final day began at the Focus on the Family Headquarters. David Holden of the Weslyan Church brought a brief devotional. In introducing Dr. & Mrs. James Dobson, Dr. Haggard of the New Life Church rehearsed how much the Dobsons had contributed to their church. In response Dr. Dobson reminded everyone that Dr. Haggard had previously walked around property in Colorado Spring that was available and poured oil on it (symbolic of the Holy Spirit) and prayed that this piece of land would become available for Christian organizations. Dr. Dobson also underlined that this "social experiment" of homosexual marriages had serious consequences. He said it can lead to polygamy, undercut the legal definition of marriage and bring terrible instability to the children living in such relationships. Shirley Dobson promoted the National Day of Prayer, which is held on the first Thursday of May. This years theme is "Let Freedom Ring." After returning from Focus on the Family Headquarters to New Life Church, Dinesh D'Souza, who is at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, spoke on the need to use freedom well and to remember America will be judged by the character of Americans. He said, "To love our country is to love a lovely country. Patriotism is not automatic. Gays want the family to include them since they are consenting adults, but so do the polygamists." The final part of the Convention's program was World Reliefs Anniversary Luncheon. Dr. Chive Calver, president of World Relief spoke and issued a report as well as a challenge requesting financial support for their world-wide projects. Among the denominations recognized for increased support for World Vision were the American Baptist Churches, Open Bible Standard Churches, the Weslyan Church and the Southern Baptist Convention. Observations by this reporter: The NAE, while usually having speakers on their platform who are Charismatic New Evangelical and even members of the National and World Councils of Churches, reached a new low by using Dr. Robert Schuller this year. Dr. Schuller, who had been invited by the former president of the NAE, Dr. Kevin Mannoia, freely commended the NAE and used the occasion to brag about his accomplishments-one of which was to sell Dr. Paul Crouch one of Crystal Cathedral's burial sites for $250,000. He said he told Crouch, who is president of Trinity Broadcasting Company, that it was important he not be buried next to a prostitute or a bootlegger. Crouch finally agreed, Schuller said, and even paid cash for his burial site! Schuller underlined several times that repentance is certainly leading people to say, "I want to live the dream you have, Lord" Dr. Schuller also has written, "A person is in hell when he has lost his self-esteem. Pride is the great thing we all need to strive for." The leadership control of Dr. Ted Haggard was obvious. It is obvious Haggard pays little attention to the Board of Directors or the membership of the NAE. No business whatsoever was brought to the floor for action. This was a radical change from NAE's history and practice. They reduced the board from 160 members to 120 and several commissions also were discontinued. Every part of the usual public business was merged to the board of the NAE so nothing was discussed by the membership. There were no Bible Study sessions as done in previous years. One NAE leader privately told me, "We will not let Bible study be overlooked next year." The NAE ended the year with $34,000 in the black but an estate had helped to make this a reality. Registration was 360 in 2004 which was up 40% from 2003, but still very low compared to the 6,049 that attended the "daughter's" convention (NRB) in Charlotte, North Carolina, one month earlier. The NAE is going on the offense in regard to supporting the proposal for a federal marriage amendment to forbid same-sex marriages. However, the evangelicals themselves are divided over the issue of granting legal benefits to same gender couples. Richard Cizek, vice president for governmental affairs of the NAE said, "We have to be willing to adopt a principle at times called 'less is more' so we would accept civil unions on a strategic if not a moral level." Watching the New Life Church Choir and band swinging and swaying, reminded this reporter that Dr. Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, told a Promise Keepers Clergy Conference in 2003 that "So some choirs swing and rock and sway as they perform, maybe yours puts people to sleep!" With loud, big bang bang coming from the platform at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, it seems it might even damage one's hearing ability! The NAE is becoming less separatist as time passes and the new leadership promotes "Cooperation Without Compromise" but in reality it is "Cooperation With Compromise." The new young evangelicals are pleased to embrace an ecumenism that includes Protestants, Orthodox, Rome Catholics, Charismatics and even some so-called "Fundamentalists" who will set aside Biblical Separation to join with these evangelicals since "The end justifies the means." Dr. Ted Haggard, NAE's charismatic president, in an open letter went so far as to claim that to evangelize the Muslims "the primary goal is not to win new Christian converts, but to serve Islamic people." Haggard overlooks the Biblical precepts that our first task is to preach the Gospel. The young evangelicals, like Haggard, put action first and not second. We must be sensitive to people's physical needs, but if we fail to show them from God's Word that they are sinners and Christ Jesus is the One they need, we are following the pattern and practice of the apostate ecumenical organizations like the World Council of Churches. The NAE with their inclusiveness gave credibility to once shunned Pentecostal/Charismatic groups. Dr. Ted Haggard has even suggested "that the distinction between the Pentecostal-charismatic world was quickly becoming irrelevant. I have in my work with the NAE found no resistance to the Pentecostal-charismatic message, and within 10 years, I do not know if there will be a distinction. The ACCC, on the other hand, continues to expose and oppose the compromise of the NAE along with the fast-growing charismatic movement. We do this because God's Word forbids alliance with those who put experience above the Scriptures as well as permitting membership to those who are still a part of the ecumenical movement. http://www.amcouncilcc.org |