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By Mary Fairchild - March 2003
Many good Christian leaders have difficulty perceiving the spirit
of compromise. I went back to Willow Creek earlier this year
only to discover my plans to serve in the women's ministry as
a Biblical "Titus 2 woman" serving the younger were,
in actuality, going to be a "spiritual guide" for a
New Age Movement. Mystic ways of praying (repeating and meditation)
and relating to God were being taught along with frequent references
to Quakers. Terms like "covenant", "covenant groups",
and "lectio divina" where frequently used. They gave
out free books in the mentor training class in January (Sacred
Companions by David G. Benner, and Spiritual Mentoring by Keith
Anderson & Randy Reese). One class included a clip from the
movie The Matrix. The movie was recommended and had keen insight
for us in some way. We were told to avail ourselves to the classics
of Roman Catholic mystics, and do timelines on our lives.
Willow Creek is noted as the second largest "Protestant"
church in North America and is upheld widely as a model for church
growth. Bill Hybels is a popular speaker and has appeared, for
example, at Moody's Founders Week Conference with men such as
Billy Graham, E.V. Hill, Warren Wiersbe, Charles Stanley, Chuck
Swindoll, , George Sweeting, Joseph Stowell, Tony Evens, and
David Jeremiah.
Protestants are in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church
and Catholic thought as expressed in literature, art, science,
and culture in general, an opposition in the name of individual
responsibility before God. Webster's dictionary puts it this
way, a member of any of several church denominations denying
the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation
principles of justification of faith alone, the priesthood of
all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source
of revealed truth: a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church.
Scripture clearly warns us against adding to or subtracting from
the gospel. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches
of Christianity, although they agree with Protestants to the
divine inspiration of the Old and New Testaments, go somewhat
beyond the Bible as to their source of authority.
"Spirituality" is not Christianity. The written
Word of God gives Christians order and direction in living and
worshiping together. God defines "truth" with His Word.
It is objective, authoritative, and sufficient.
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy
of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the
plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which
are written in this book." Revelation 22:18,19
I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not
something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man,
nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from
Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11,12
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am
I trying to please men? If I were trying to please men, I would
not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
The classics the women's ministry were instructing us to "avail
to" were mystical writings from around the forth to fifteenth
century. The mystics taught how to unclutter the mind and remove
any rational thought so the mind is totally passive. This
opened them up for the "Presence of God" which is actually
a form of Zen meditation. Quaker quietists believe in a similar
manner that "God is within" and they believe a "Quiet
Revolution" is coming and declare there will be a coming
incomparable "harvest." They are predicting the greatest
harvesting of souls in the history of the world. An important
difference to understand is that the Holy Spirit indwells us
when we accept Jesus Christ and the occult meaning behind the
concept of "the god within," "the light within,"
or "the Christ within" has a different meaning.
It's a strategy for ecumenism without regard for doctrine.
Renovare is the organization behind this movement out
of the traditions of Quakerism and it is directed by Rich Foster
and William L. Vasivig.
At the Wednesday night service at WCCC we were introduced
to a "spiritual formation leader", Mindy Caliguire.
This was a special night of prayer for those who had concerns
about our situation in Iraq and it was a last minute idea to
fill-in because Randy Travis cancelled his concerts. It had received
TV coverage due to the Iraq situation. This guide was not on
TV but she led us in ways best described as of the "New
Age." We were instructed to relax our arms and put our palms
up and be silent and meditate. She was praised by Bill Hybels
for how "deeply" she had just been praying and was
introduced as someone who is very actively working behind the
scenes in the spiritual direction of the elders and the church.
On page 41 of the membership book Willow Creek currently claims
to be "interdenominational," emphasizing that all true
believers are one with Christ and each other, regardless of denominational
background. This is an important change in that "nondenominational"
rejects all man-made doctrines and strives to follow only what
the Bible teaches and "interdenominational" accepts
all beliefs. This makes a "grave" difference. Just
like the old Jesuit Philosophy, "the end justifies the means,"
or "if one's goal is to promote worthy spiritual causes,
one may adopt questionable means to attain those goals."
The Bible never approves of such cowardice: rather, God rewards
courageous faith that does right, no matter the consequences.
Faith believes that if I obey God, everything will come out right
in the end. If we obey God's Word, God will take care of the
results. Ecumenical evangelism advocates infiltration of liberal
denominations and organizations rather than separation from liberal
unbelief and error. The Bible calls for separation from unbelief
and worldliness. As long as the church has maintained her standard
of separation, she has been wondrously blessed of God. Whenever
she has compromised that standard and made unholy alliances with
unbelievers, her spiritual strength has been sapped, confusion
has resulted, and chaos has threatened.
We are encouraged by Jesus to "Buy of me gold tried in
the fire." It's a great cost to go against the trends of
fashionable churches, but God offers heaven's gold to motivate
believers to leave unholy alliances of lukewarmness. Lukewarm
water nauseates the Lord. The Lord is nauseated with worldly,
compromising Christians. God reveals his disgust when He says,
"I will spue thee out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16
The lukewarm, Laodicean will cease to be God's witness on earth
and the church will continue only until the end of the church
age. True born-again believers will be raptured into heaven,
marking the end of the church age, after which, follows the seven-year
Tribulation period.
One night Sibyl Towner was speaking to the woman next to me.
She was excited telling of how she had used some sort of spiritual
exercise on a 3 year old. She said she had used it 66 times and
offered it the woman she was speaking to. She was excited because
she felt that the 3 year old "was ready" somehow because
she enjoyed the game where she likes being "found"
by the great shepherd.
- Spiritual Formation leaders at Willow Creek
1. Mindy Caliguire; http://fm2.forministry.com/Article.asp?Record=2772
- head of spiritual formation for elders at WCCC; spiritual
retreats on website; teaches at women's classes at WCCC.
2. John & Nancy Ortberg; www.caresonline.com/Presenters.html
- teaching pastors at WCCC; various websites on seminars and
speaking engagements around; the world; books; ministry; 1995
John and Ruth Barton unveiled the "spiritual formation"
at WCCC; 1996 John was responsible for the push for equality
of women at WCCC.
3. Ruth Haley Barton; www.napce.org/archives/confer01/confer01.html
- co-author of book with John Ortberg; presented spiritual
formation in 1995 with John Ortberg at WCCC; President of
Chicago chapter of Christians for Biblical Equality; spiritual
formation minister at WCCC; spiritual formation speaker for
NAPCE pastors conference involving one-on-one spiritual directors
and training.
4. Sibyl Towner: www.helpingpastors.com/covenantmembers.html
, http://teamsundays.gospelcom.net/hungrysouls/mentortraining.html
- Sibyl is heading up mentoring for women at WCCC and various
other ministries there; trainer for the Hungry Souls Website
with Karen Mains from Mainstay Ministries; teaching staff for
women's ministries at WCCC.
5. Keri Wyatt Kent: . www.cenacle.org/retreats, www.gospelcom.net/ivpress/keriwyattkent/biography
Is teaching women's ministry classes at WCCC; Involved in Cenacle
Retreat House Spirituality Center-Interactive Retreats where
you can experience "God within" in a variety of
ways-through art, walking the labyrinth, Franciscan priest's
prayers, chanting, meditation, Indian sound mysticism, and
other journeys to your creative center; she frequently speaks
at MOPS.
6. Susan Shadid teacher from the Middle East who taught spiritual
mentoring with Sibyl Towner in the women's mentoring classes
recently. She also has websites for WCCC promiseland.
In the Friday morning women's study, Practicing Our Faith by
Dorothy Bass, taught by: Keri Kent, Lynn Siewert, Sibyl Towner,
and Charlotte Tofilon the acceptance of "traditions"
of other faiths is being taught through the month of May.
Last fall's women's classes were equally disturbing in topics.
Meditation techniques and the writings and traditions from the
Jesuits, the Quakers, and the Black church are being mixed
with Scripture and New Age ideas.
A video of Mother Theresa was shown, during the Friday
study, where she vividly prayed to Mary for a cease fire and
there was a cease fire. They didn't use this to discuss true
Christianity but left it up to us and many were in awe. It was
merely an example of compassion they said. While reading from
Hebrews 12:1-2 Lynn Siewert pointed out that one of the words
in the verse, "hinders", also means "encumbers"
and that is a Quaker word! She then goes on to tell her woes
of being a busy mom who broke down one day in her business. She
began reading this book we were using for class, Practicing
Our Faith, and one day she just took the two words "be still"
and meditated on them for two hours! This has helped her to say
"no" to business.
Often the Holy Spirit's greatest work is teaching us to persist,
to keep on doing what is right even when it no longer seems interesting
or when we are in a deep struggle. Are you so foolish? After
beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your
goal by human effort? Galatians 3:3
To preserve our freedom, we must stay close to Christ and resist
any who promote subtle ways of trying to earn our salvation.
Many today would have us return to trying to earn God's favor
through following rituals. Look to Christ for guidance about
your own behavior, and let Him lead others in the details of
their lives. The apostle Paul wrote about those who might live
in vain. He said only one gospel saves and that gospel is according
to the Scriptures, not tradition. Believing in vain is to trust
someone or something other than Jesus Christ, or to believe another
gospel according to the traditions of men.
An indicator of counterfeit faith that does not bring
conversion is a desire to be saved from the punishment of sin,
but not from sin itself. Other indicators would include a desire
for the blessings of Christ, but no desire for a relationship
with Him and a desire for the free gift of eternal life, but
not with empty hands of faith. More indicators of counterfeit
faith would include a desire for Christ as a Priest to procure
pardon and peace, but not as a Prophet to instruct them or as
a King to rule over them. And finally, a desire for Christ that
is only under the terms of their religious traditions or unbending
philosophy.
I called the leader of the women's ministries I knew from about
10 years ago and she was let go after 911. She was aware of
some of the influences of the women in leadership as relating
to Catholic traditions. She is not very involved now and
had been busy with family over the past few years. She encouraged
me to go to leadership because I may be on to something especially
if the spiritual formation was in any way leading to having
another direct you in prayer in some way. I affirmed that the
books did just that and that there were more in the bookstore
promoting the same. She said that Mindy Caliguire, the spiritual
guide, had been an intern with her husband and that they started
a church in Boston and had returned. The assoc. pastor, John
Ortberg had gotten together with Ruth Barton about 5 years ago
and started a focus on "spiritual formation"
with a book they co-authored.
I got a call from the women's ministries volunteer about becoming
a mentor at Willow. I told her I hadn't had an interview yet
and I wasn't even a member. I only attended recently in the past
few weeks. She said as long as I attended the class that was
good enough since they were understaffed. Then I let her know
that I was concerned about some of the references to Catholic,
Quakers, and the Jesuits in class. She told me she was just
reading a book on "Quakers." And then she added, "We
must avail ourselves to the classics!" I was concerned that
the church was not Protestant anymore so I asked about these
influences from other religions. She said Sibyl Towner had been
a volunteer for 8-9 years and has recently headed up mentoring
in the past year and a half. She has inspired the liturgical
influences like "lectio divina." I told her I didn't
agree with these meditations and the "breath prayers"
as described by Sibyl. I warned her that this form of meditation
could open people up to the wrong spirit and hearing voices.
She replied, in defense, that in the Old Testament God spoke
to people. I told her God doesn't speak to us today as he did
in the Old Testament and that she may be opening herself up to
other spirits and they are not of God. I shared the Scripture
Matthew 6:6-9 with her about how to pray.
http://teamsundays.gospelcom.net/hungrysouls/mentortraining.html
-
- This Hungry Souls website, in which Sibyl Towner is planning
to train mentors, details experiences by Karen Mains as she anxiously
awaits to hear her "voices." They're geared up
for growth complete with "telementoring calls," and
"pilgrimages back to the sacred Spanish mystic sites."
Sibyl Towner called me after speaking with the volunteer and
reading my comments on the Mother Theresa video. We covered all
of the information I shared with Pam and I asked her why not
choose a great woman of faith like Elizabeth Eliot who is not
compromising like Mother Theresa. I discussed my problem with
the meditating and breath prayers with her also. I also
shared my concern for her misleading innocent women with her
teaching which may open them up to evil spirits since this type
of prayer is how the occult prays and it's not found in Scripture.
She tried to have me see how Psalm 1:2 taught this method. Although
it describes one who meditates on the Scriptures day and night
I see no indication of choosing one or two words to repeat over
and over for hours or even half a day as they are beginning to
teach in these classes.
We need to read all of God's word so we can have more resources
to guide us in our daily decisions. When we pray to God He already
knows all about what is on our mind but he wants us to relate
with us and when we read the Bible we learn what He is like and
what He wants for us to do. Habitual, formula prayers dominate
in pagan religions. They appeal to human nature and its "felt
needs." Who wouldn't want to recite a prayer or mantra that
promises easy access to higher powers that will fulfill your
dreams and satisfy your wants? Our finite dreams and wishes fall
far short of God's wonderful plan for us.
The Bible tells us that "we do not know what we should pray
for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for
us….according to the will of God." (Romans 8:16-17)
Remember, Jesus always prayed and served according to His Father's
will and purpose on each occasion.
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if
we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we
know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have
the petitions that we have asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15)
"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen
do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things
you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore,
pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom
come. Your will be done….(Matthew 6:7-9).
"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts
are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are
but rules taught by men'. You have let go of the commands of
God and are holding on to the traditions of men." And he
said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the
commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! Romans
7:6-9
Promoted writers and leaders of this movement at the WCCC
1. Richard J. Foster www.cephasministry.com/new_age_richard_foster.html:
Renovare & Christian Mystic Quaker and Fuller
psychologist, Foster teaches all the techniques of the New
Age such as quietism, mantras, centering, Buddhism, Yoga,
T. M., exercises of Ignatius Loyola, Eastern religion and so
on….
2. Tilden Edwards http.//www.shalem.org author: Spiritual Friend,
Paulist Press, 1980 Episcopal priest; founder and director of
Shalem Institute For Spiritual Formation. His vision is
that contemplative spirituality can have a powerful effect on
today's national life.
3. Parker Palmer http://csf.colorado.edu/sine/transcripts/palmer.html
Palmer believes that a life illuminated by spirit and infused
with soul will transform education. His on-line transcript
follows the Dalai Lama. He is a Quaker.
4. Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits www.geocities.com/dasydministries/jesuits.htm
Ignatius was the first general of the Jesuit army. They infiltrated
churches to destroy all that were not related to the mother
church. One of the bloodiest times in the history of mankind,
the Jesuits were probably the most cruel and fierce as they justified
torture and murder for the church. Loyola's spiritual exercises
were used by the Jesuits and they would put themselves into a
trance and levitate.
5. George Fox founder of Quakerism Mothers of Feminism;
The Story of Quaker Women in America by Margaret Hope Bacon,
Harper & Row Publishers, 1986; The Quakers by Hugh Barbour
and J. William Frost, Greenwood Press, 1988, Westport, CT. In
deep depression and hopelessness Fox hears a voice and promotes
it as the "Light within." Perhaps out of his devotion
to his over-indulging and well-learned mother, he pushes a strong
egalitarian movement and sets up women preachers as he twists
Scripture to make sense of his "experiences" and explain
his unscriptural choices.
6. Gilbert Bilezikian and Egalitarians www.wayoflife.org/fbns/fbns/fbns464.html
Bilezikian is the founding elder and influential theologian at
WCCC. Egalitarians assert that women should be pastors,
elders, and co-heads of families. They twist Scripture just like
George Fox did to make this possible.
7. John Ortberg & Ruth Barton Egalitarian and New Age
influences. http://nationalpastorsconvention.com/2003/programs/spiritual.php
Together they opened up "spiritual formation" at WCCC
with the introduction of their new book and curriculum An Ordinary
Day With Jesus.
Richard Foster
Al Dager writes: "A large part of Renovare's spiritual
disciplines involve meditation on the writings of selected spiritual
masters associated with the "Christian" contemplative
tradition. Most, of course, are Roman Catholic, particularly
those mystics from the fourth through the fifteenth century..
Like other occultists, Foster encourages his followers
"astral projection," the ascension to heavenly
places and into the "Presence." "Foster takes
his followers on spiritual journeys up beyond the heavenly places
and into the "Presence of God", face to face with the
Creator of the universe through the use of Eastern meditative
techniques. His book, Celebration of Discipline, instruction
is offered using guided imagery in occult practices of visualization,
meditation and even astral travel.
Media Spotlight gives a long list of those supporting Foster's
Renovare including: Renovare's Steering Committee *Sister
Thomas Bernard, Director. The Spirituality Centre, Catholic Archdiocese
of Los Angeles. *Isaac Canales, Ass. Dir. Hispanic Ministries,
FTS* *T. Eugene Coffin Counselllor, Memorial Gardens, Crystal
Cathedral. *Richard Felix, President, AZUSA Pacific University.
David Allen Hubbard, President of Fuller Theological Seminary…*Robert
A. Seiple, Pres. World Vision, Inc. Renovare's Board of Reference
Ted W. Engstrom, Tony Compolo, Richard Felix, Roger Forster,
William C. Frey, Millare Fuller, Henry Gariepy, Michael Harper,
Roberts Hestenes, Jerry R. Kirk, Clarence A Kopp, Sr., David
LeShana, Peter Lord, Carl H. Lunquist, David and Karen Mains,
Martin Marty,
Renovare's speaking platform are: (Many are from Fuller
Theo. Seminary). Eugene Coffin, Crystal Cathedral, Bob Seiple,
World Vision, Inc…..
Foster reciprocated John Wimber's endorsement by commending
Wimber's honesty in the forward to "Power Healing."
He affirms Wimber's apostolic role and claims that "John
speaks with confidence as one who is living out of the divine
center." That "divine Center" is an Eastern
mysticism term, meaning "God is a universal consciousness,
residing within everyone, guiding them on the path to evolutionary
perfection."
Renovare is merely one of the many avenues for incorporating
this mysticism and ecumenical teaching into society, and specifically,
Christianity. Foster and Vasivig have held many conferences
and in 1991 had their second "National Conference on Personal
Spiritual Renewal of Christian Leaders": "with more
than one thousand pastors and leaders in attendance, the directors
praised occultist/psychiatrist Carl Jung as a great psychiatrist
emphasized personal renewal through 'meditative prayer' involving
'centering down' to become quiet and passive, then used guided
imagery and visualization of Christ" "Foster called
for unity in the body of Christ through the 'five streams
of Christianity, the contemplative, the holiness, the charismatic,
social justice and evangelical. Vasivig recalled that his
first experience of "meditative prayer using visualization
was taught to him personally by Episcopalian mystic Agnes Sanford.
Roman Catholic mystics, particularly of the fourth to
the fifteenth century are associated with these same teachings.
Besides Jacob Boehme and George Fox, some like-minded mystics
include Thomas Merton, Ingatius Loyola, Henry Suso, Dorothy of
Montau, Julian of Norwich and so on.
Tilden Edwards
"Together I think both the Catholics and Protestants vaguely
have sensed that we share a time of grouping together toward
and emerging, reconstellated understanding of direction in which
none of us is yet thoroughly confident. Thus, in regard to readings,
as in all other dimensions of the program, there is a common
sense of humble searching and equality.
Five levels of reading are involved in the first year.."p.
223; criteria for selection of individual: 4. Have a B.A. degree
or equivalent, 5. Express commitment to Truth through a particular
major religious tradition and at the same time are open to learning
from other traditions. p. 208; Roughly 50 people applied for
the first program in September, 1978. Our main disappointment
was in having no black applicants. ..we chose a group of almost
equal numbers of men and women and of Roman Catholics and Protestants,
and a good mix of parish clergy, religious community members,
chaplains, seminary faculty, advanced students, formation directors,
and laity working in various church and community situations.
..they really need apprenticeship to a master..but in this relatively
"masterless" time, ,this is not likely to happen. They
do need to be with someone who is their director, who can help
them attend to the Master of Loving Truth within. There is that
dimension of charisma involved that can only be attended as an
unfolding process. A program can provide launching, sensitising,
and securing platforms, but oh, how puny these look beside the
spirit's movement in a person when the time has come. A program
at its best stands as midwife, attending the birth of deeper
spiritual sight through cleansing, aligning, resting.
This faithfully appropriated integrative sight is what "makes"
a good spiritual director. It is not the accumulation of knowledge.
It is the nakedness of sight. The program can be taken for graduate
academic credit...some are taking it as part of academic doctoral
programs in Christian Spirituality at Catholic University..and
some as part of master of divinity programs. (pp. 210-212, Tilden
Edwards, Spiritual Friend, Paulist Press, 1980,).
Parker Palmer
"As we go into these five days together, let us remember
one thing about the soul. It is like a wild animal: tough, self-sufficient,
resilient, but also exceedingly shy… if we are willing to
go into the woods and sit quietly at the base of a tree, that
wild animal will, after a few hours, reveal itself to you. And
out of the corner of your eye, you will glimpse something of
the wild preciousness that this conference is looking for.
I ask for guidance for myself and , as Quakers say, hold the
entire conference in the light, to be here, to be present to
each other in the right spirit, speaking our truth gently and
simply…ground in our own experience and expanded by experiences
that are not yet ours. Compassionate toward that which we do
not yet understand, not only as a kindness to others but for
the sake of our growth and our students and the transformation
of education. Amen.
Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits
Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) spent time reading about pious Roman
saints and the life of Christ while recuperating from a broken
leg. Feeling too inadequate, he confessed his sins for three
days at a shrine of the Virgin Mary. As his conscience troubled
him deeply he chose to earn his salvation by obedient service
to the Roman church and the pope rather than accept Christ's
free offer of salvation. He soon planned to bring Catholic turned
Protestants back to the Roman Church which he thought was the
Kingdom of God on earth.
The Counter-Reformation brought new life to the inquisition.
The Inquisition virtually destroyed Protestantism in Spain and
halted its growth. The Inquisition became one of Europe's bloodiest
times and one of the bloodiest times in the history of mankind.
Loyola was responsible for torturing and killing Protestants.
He started up the Jesuits. He was the first general of the Jesuit
army. The Jesuits, an order of priests, were probably most the
most cruel and fierce of all the Catholic organizations in their
tactics. They believed that "to kill or torture is justifiable,
if it is done for the cause of the church. He used to put himself
into a trance and levitate like many other Roman Catholic Jesuit
priests. Around 1550 the Jesuits began infiltrating every religion
and denomination. Their job was to infiltrate and destroy churches
other than the mother church. Before long, Jesuits had become
teachers and professors in universities throughout Europe. Eventually
they started their own schools, colleges, and universities. They
saw education as a way to serve the church by strengthening people
who were already members and reclaiming those who had become
Protestants.
The Roman Church remained convinced that it was the Kingdom
of God on earth, and it saw the Protestant Reformation as a threat
to that Kingdom. The church determined to regain what it had
lost and to put the whole world under its religious domination
once and for all. A Christian is condemned by the Roman Catholic
Church. Over 100 anathemas against Christians have been pronounced
by the Roman Catholic Councils of Trent and Vatican II. These
condemnations are still in effect today. A Catholic is condemned
by the Word of God. There is a judged for the one who rejects
Me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke
will condemn him at the last day (John 12:48). If we or an angel
from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached
to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:9)
They still infiltrate churches today. They also infiltrate many
Bible schools and Seminaries around the world and keep them from
teaching the fullness of the world of God. Education was and
is used to reach others and strengthen their own and their hallmark
is "the end justifies the means." (History of the World
by A Beka Book, 1995, Pensacola Christian Collage, p. 221, Church
History and the Things to Come by A Beka Book, 1993, Pensacola
Christian Collage, p.50) www.geocities.com/dasydministries/jesuits.htm
George Fox
The Quakers sought equality for women from their beginnings and
had women teachers and circuit preachers known to abandon their
large families at the start. In some of their earlier travels
they appeared to enjoy arguing with young theologians and even
went to such extremes as walking through the streets naked to
oppose hypocrisy. Their acts were considered to be under the
direct leading of the Holy Spirit. Some of their experiences
were described as response to falling deeply in love and they
would follow whatever the Spirit wanted. The nickname "Quaker"
came from the shaking aroused by inner struggles of individuals
facing their inner motives "under the Light" in the
Quaker meetings. They believe they have revived true Christianity
and all other religions are false.
In 1654 pairs of north-country farmers or women who had received
calling from the Quaker Light, set out to reach all parts of
England. Huge crowds gathered at a rented hall in a tavern in
London and at an orchard in Bristol:
John Audland, who very much trembled…stood up, full of dread
and shinning brightness on his countenance, lifted up his voice
as a trumpet, and said "I proclaim spiritual war with the
inhabitants of the earth, who are in separation from God."…some
fell on the ground, others crying out under the sense of the
opening of their (spiritual) states…Oh, the tears, sighs
and groans, tremblings and mournings…in the sense of our
spiritual wants and necessities…We are forced to meet without
doors, and that in frost and snow, when several thousands have
been assembled together.
Margaret Fell, wife of George Fox, instructed to "let the
Eternal Light search you…for this …will rise up and
lay you open…naked and bare before the Lord. …Keep
down your Minds that questions and stumbles at the power of God.
Puritan Francis Higginson writes during the summer of 1652: Groups
met in homes or on crags sometimes a hundred or two hundred in
a swarm…..and continue all night long. They have no singing
of psalms, no reading or exposition of Holy Scripture, no administration
of sacraments….Their speaker for the most part uses the
posture of standing, or sitting with his hat on, his countenance
severe, his face downward, his eyes fixed mostly towards the
earth, his hands and fingers expanded, continually striking gently
on his breast, …his voice low, his sentences incoherent…Some
stand in the market place…and cry "Repent, repent,
woe, woe, the judge of the world has come." They exhort
people to mind the Light within, to hearken to the voice and
follow the guide within them, to dwell within…The priests
of the world (they say) do deceive them, ….they speak of
living under the cross, and against pride in apparel and covetousness.
(The Quakers by Hugh Barbour and J. William Frost, Greenwood
Press, 1988, Westport, CT.)
George Fox was the founder of Quakerism. He was indulged by his
mother who was considered to be "more learned" than
most women. George was described as an inward and serious child
and was kept away from playing with the other children since
he was different and quite withdrawn. His mother had encouraged
him to spend many hours of solitary meditating and Bible reading.
After the death of his mother he wrote that his spirit was in
travail. As an adolescent he writes in his journal that he continued
in his "religious struggles." After seeking on a pilgrimage
for anyone who could answer his spiritual yearnings he had a
religious experience where he actually heard a voice say: "There
is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition."
From then out the Quakers believed that Jesus Christ was the
light within that everyone had the potential to experience. The
"light" was always given a capital "L." He
believed that "there was that of God" in all men, in
the American Indian, the African Black, and in all men. We are
all a "holy community" where no one has dominance over
another and where there is no reason for war. For a long time
Fox had been promoting equality of men and women. In 1648 he
stood up and opposed a meeting of Presbyterians, Independents,
Baptists, and Anglicans when a woman was silenced and not allowed
to speak in the church. Fox said that because the church is a
spiritual household in which Christ is the head that women may
be allowed to prophecy and speak. In 1656 He wrote a tract called
The Women Learning in Silence: or the Mysterie of the womans
Subjection to her husband, as also, the Daughter prophesying,
wherein the Lord hath, and is fulfilling that he spake by the
Prophet Joel, I will pour out my Spirit unto all Flesh. Fox explained
that he thought that people respond "to a certain measure"
of their attained "Light" of the teaching of Christ
in their heart. He taught that 1 and 2 Timothy, where Paul writes
that women are to keep silent in churches, is only "Paul's
attained level of knowledge on the subject."
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16
Every Word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take
refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you
and prove you a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6
In his second tract he believed Paul was merely speaking to a
particular group of unsaved women who had not been raised to
that "certain level of understanding" so he did not
actually condemn the preaching of all women. He continued to
write and defend women and stated that the Holy Spirit is available
to everyone and no one had the right to stop it. As his followers
turned to him for advice and counsel, Fox was compelled to bring
others to the liberating experience he knew and to also confound
false teachings. He likened the experience of the Holy Spirit
as to that of mother nurturing her baby at her breast. In 1652,
in Lancashire, Fox converted a large group of seekers. This was
the beginning of the Society of Friends once called the Children
of the Light.
In 1669 when he married a convert he was determined to exemplify
marriage as a union of equals. Their marriage was considered
a spiritual partnership and neither hindered the other's leading
of the Spirit. After his death his wife, Margaret Fell, traveled
and counseled until her death.
Puritan values were challenged as the Quakers pushed gender equality
and disorder to the Puritan's reverence for order and the Scriptural
role of the man as the sole authority of his household. William
Penn, who believed that religious liberty must be available to
everyone, helped the Quakers secure their own colony while remaining
ambivalent to their roles of women. (Mothers of Feminism; The
Story of Quaker Women in America by Margaret Hope Bacon, Harper
& Row Publishers, 1986).
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads
to death. Proverbs 14:12
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's
cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere
and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon
the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
1 Timothy 4:1
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from
it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:2
- See to it that no one takes your captive through hollow and
deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the
basic principles of this world rather than Christ. Col. 2:8
- Gilbert Bilezikian
www.wayoflife.org/fbns/fbns/fbns464.html
- Selections from the article "Femme Fatale: The Seduction
of the Evangelical Church," World Magazine, March 29, 1997:
The move (to inclusive language Bibles) fits with the trend toward
egalitarianism-the denial of any distinctions between men and
women-in the church and home. Egalitarians assert that women
should be pastors, elders, and co-heads of families. Gilbert
Bilezikian, professor emeritus at Wheaton College and author
of Beyond Sex Roles, puts it bluntly: "There cannot be authentic
community as described in the New Testament without the full
inclusion of the constituency of members into the ministry life
and leadership of the group." After reading the book Mothers
of Feminism;The Story of Quaker Women in America I could see
obvious parallels with Belezikian's book Beyond Sex Roles. He's
been promoting the Quaker's feminism all along.
Mr. Bilezikian is a founding elder and influential theologian
at Bill Hybel's Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington,
Ill. Willow Creek's rapid growth and it's influence on other
evangelical churches through the 2,200-member Willow Creek Association
makes it position on the issue important. Willow Creek has
had women elders since its founding in 1978. But in the past
year the church has made explicit among its leaders the reasons
for its position-and demanded a level of agreement from staff
and prospective church members.
John Ortberg & Ruth Barton
John Ortberg had gotten together with Ruth Barton about 5 years
ago and started a focus on "spiritual formation."
She's a graduate of Wheaton College, recently served as president
of the Chicago chapter of Christians for Biblical Equality. She
is currently working on a degree at Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary and ministering in the area of spiritual formation at
Willow Creek. Ruth is a trained spiritual director and speaks
often to conferences and groups. NAPCE, North American Professors
of Christian Education, annual conference 2001; this conference
explored the journey to spiritual maturity in four communities;
African, Asian, Hispanic and the Willow Creek Community Church
experiences. "Ruth Barton 'champions' the rapidly emerging
spiritual formation emphasis at Willow Creek." At the National
Pastors Convention February 26-March 1, 2003 meetings were planned
one-on-one with spiritual directors to explore your presence
and call in your life. You get to embark on an hour-long journey
through the prayer experience of Labyrinth. A personal guided
meditation tour to help you "deeply" relate with God…Ruth
was scheduled to teach seminars on spiritual transformation.
General session speakers included John Ortberg and Rob Bell(well
known at WCCC). John Ortberg and his wife, Nancy, both teach
at Willow. John claims to be "passionate about spiritual
formation" as his write up states on the website along with
his wife they are selling teaching videos there. www.napce.org/archives/confer01/confer01.html,
www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=1566http://nationalpastorsconvention.com/
- 2003/programs/spiritual.php
- www.caresonline.com/SpiritualDisciplines.html
Teachng videos are sold by the Ortbergs on spiritual formation.
Note Nancy's New Age term "centering" and John's terminology
"Rule for Life" which was written by St. Benedict in
the early years of monasticism and is still used in monasteries
and convents; also used in the discipleship of a New Age by Alice
Bailey & Djwhal Khul.
http://beaskund.helloyou.ws/netnew/bk/discipleship1/disc1390.html
"The rule" can be roughly translated into modern English
as follows: "The one upon the Way leaps forward, leaving
the world of fluid life. He makes the great transition and leaves
the watery way behind. He walks upon the water and is not submerged
therein. A chela with a light leads him by the hand from light
into a greater Light. (John's current book is titled, You Can't
Walk On Water Until You Get Out Of the Boat)
Mr. Ortberg's teaching became the basis for a draft position
paper dated January 1996. The paper, which was distributed only
to Willow Creek's ministry leaders, says the church "has
sought to ensure an appropriate level of consensus on this issue
with new staff members" to avoid an environment that "would
be destructive to authentic community and effective ministry."
The statement makes clear the church's belief that "when
the Bible is interpreted comprehensively, it teaches the full
equality of men and women in status, giftedness, and opportunity
for ministry," despite "a few scriptural texts that
appear to restrict the full ministry freedom of women."
God gave us a body to interact and be conscious of the world
and others around us; He gave us a soul that we might be conscious
of ourselves, our own thoughts, emotions and desires; He gave
us a spirit so we could communicate and fellowship with God and
be conscious of His will. Our spirit is our link to God. When
God created man He breathed the breathe of life (the spirit)
into man and man became a living soul. Our human spirit came
forth from God, but our soul was produced after the spirit entered
the body.
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life; and man became
a living soul." Genesis 2:7
Man's soul was not only in communication with his body, it
was also in perfect communication with his spirit. Even though
Adam's soul was the "meeting point" between his spirit
and body, his spirit always remained the ruling power. It controlled
his whole body through his soul. Man's spirit was to be the master,
the head force over man's soul and, thus, his body.
When sin entered Adam he lost his original union and fellowship
with God. His soul became inflated and his spirit suppressed.
When Adam chose independence, rather than dependence upon God
his spirit died and lost its sensitivity and communication with
God. His spirit and soul became co-mingled with his soul becoming
the ruling and governing force. As the spirit of man no longer
controlled his body, God could no longer communicate with man
or rule him internally, and He had to resort to the laws of nature.
When we are born-again God's Spirit unites with our human
spirit and it becomes alive and regenerated (Ezekiel 36:26).
God's Spirit uses our human spirit like a carrier or a transport
to help carry out the process of sanctification and to restore
spiritual communication in our lives. The process of sanctification
is simply the process of restoring our spirit back to its rightful
place, as director of our souls. Until our soul is completely
submitted to our spirit, our communication and our walk with
the Lord will be hindered.
Our biggest difficulty is that our spirit needs to be untangled
from our soul and to break free from its influence and rule.
The true spiritual Christian is one in whom the spirit rules
and not the soul. Our spirit can only fill us, lead us and guide
us, when the sensory part of our soul is weakened, crucified
and annihilated. The soul needs to be brought to the death of
its own ability. A spiritual Christian is one whom the Spirit
is allowed to lead, guide and direct, whereas, a carnal Christian
is one who chooses to follow his own will and desires and quenches
the Spirit.
All communication with God must occur in our spirit, not in
our soul. The reason this is so important is because the enemy
has no entrance to our spirit. Our soul and body (the flesh),
however, since they are not yet renewed, remain wide open to
the enemy. Satan's scheme is to get us to react emotionally to
all that is going on in our lives. He does this by stirring up
the sensory part of our soul with suffering or hurt or doubt
or fear or bitterness or guilt or expectation, or disappointed
hope, etc. If he can stir up some fondness for our self and we
fall for it, then he's got us. He'll get a foothold in our souls,
cause a distraction and stop communication with God's Spirit.
The devil can always interfere with fleshy communication, but
never with Spiritual communication. He can easily deceive us
by giving us visions, counterfeit words, revelations and prophecies,
and even at times, physical manifestations. When our spirit is
being cleansed and purified through a trial we are vulnerable.
If we are operating only on the fleshly level, we will become
wide open targets for the enemy's deception.
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the
heart. Hebrews 4:12
Our soul and spirit together are analogous to our "bones,"
which consist of joints and marrow. In order to divide our bones
they must be broken. God's Word is like His sword and He uses
the power of His sword to cut, pierce, and divide our soul and
spirit, just like you would divide the joint and marrow of our
bones. The deeper God is allowed to go with His sword, the deeper
the cross can do its work. He must be allowed to expose even
our most private and secrete thoughts and intentions. We must
willingly come to the alter and present our bodies a living sacrifice.
Then He does the cutting, the separating, and the dividing.
http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/streams-of-life/SL0502W3.htm
Many good Christian leaders have difficulty perceiving
the spirit of compromise. In the 1940's the Fundamentalists
were criticized for standing against modernism. They were known
for exposing theological liberals who perverted the true gospel.
These evangelicals gathered together in protest and called themselves
"New Evangelicals." Rather than separation they choose
infiltration with those contrary to the true gospel. In the 1950's
the Bible was viewed as outdated where it claims separation.
They believed a "higher" principle of Christian conduct
had been discovered and the Biblical command that believers separate
from religious unbelievers is not to be obeyed.
Dialoging with and infiltrating with those who pervert the
gospel is contrary to God's method of preserving His truth and
is disobedient to the Biblical command:
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17
Unfortunately compromise began in 1955 with the book, The
Christian View of Science and Scripture by Bernard Ramm. Evolution
denied the Genesis account of Creation and claimed the universal
flood of Noah's day was a mere local flood.
In 1956 Vernon Grounds wrote in Eternity, describing The Nature
of Evangelicalism:Evangelicalism …admits that errors have
doubtless crept into the Bible…
In 1957 Harold Ockenga, who first coined the phrase "New
Evangelical" in 1948 at a Fuller Seminary convocation address,
reported on who the New Evangelicals were: The evangelical forces
have been welded into an organizational front…the National
Association of Evangelicals,…the World Evangelical Fellowship,
…Fuller Theological Seminary, …and…Christianity
Today Magazine… There is the appearance of an evangelist,
Billy Graham who is the spokesman of the convictions and ideals
of the New Evangelicalism.
In the 1950's Graham had refused invitations to liberal associations
but later, when asked to come for a crusade; he agreed to conduct
an evangelistic crusade in New York City provided it was under
the joint sponsorship of fundamentalists and liberals. Bible-believing
churches were shocked. Although they had no problem with liberals
sitting in the pews they could not allow liberals to be involved
in crusade leadership, or sit on the crusade platform, or lead
in pubic prayer at an evangelistic crusade since this violated
Scriptural commands and would confuse both believers and nonbelievers
as to the true gospel.
In 1957 Graham announced his "inclusive policy"
to infiltrate rather than separate. In 1963 he made liberal Bishop
Gerald Kennedy the honorary chairman of his Los Angeles crusade.
Kennedy's denial of the diety of Christ in the book God's Good
News felt that Kennedy should be treated as 2 John states:
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. …If there come any unto you, and bring not
this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him
God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his
evil deeds.
In changing his crusade policies, Graham influenced many
pastors and churches to follow his example of compromise
in a new approach to evangelism called ecumenical evangelism
because of the peer pressure of a brother in Christ and for the
sake of souls being saved. The mixing of belief (hot) with unbelief
(cold liberalism) created the lukewarm condition of the Laodicean
church as described in Revelation 3:15,16. In time it has created
spiritual blindness, spiritual poverty, and apathy.
In 1976 Harold Lindsell, in his book The Battle for the Bible,
announced that Fuller Theological Seminary had decided to officially
deny the inerrancy of Scripture. This doctrine was removed from
the school's statement of faith.
Willow Creek has had women elders since its founding in 1978
(compromise #1). In 1995 John Ortand and Ruth Barton were allowed
to begin "spiritual formation" at Willow Creek Community
Church (compromise #2). In 1996 John Ortberg taught a two hour
class to church ministry leaders to seek "an appropriate
level of consensus on the issue of the church's belief that "when
the Bible is interpreted comprehensively, it teaches the full
equality of men and women in status, giftedness, and opportunity
for ministry," despite "a few scriptural texts that
appear to restrict the full ministry freedom of women."
[Bold lettering added by Cephas Ministry] |