"..those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:14)
PAUL AND JAN CROUCH’S OPULENT LIFESTYLE.
October 22, 2004 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service) - Paul and Jan Couch of Trinity Broadcasting Network fame are staunch believers in the “prosperity gospel” and they have the lifestyle to prove it. Their annual salary is $763,700. Their ministry owns a $7.2-million jet and 30 homes, one of which features a $10,000 wine cabinet. Two of the homes are multi-million dollar mansions in a gated community overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The ministry’s balance sheet for 2002, the most recent available, lists net assets of $583 million, including $238 million in Treasury bonds and $31 million in cash (“Pastor’s Empire Built on Acts of Faith, and Cash,” Los Angeles Times, Sep. 19). The extravagant headquarters near Los Angeles features reflecting pools, sculptures, and neoclassical colonnades. TBN spreads a radical unscriptural charismatic message around the world. Recently it came to light that 1997 Paul Crouch paid a former employee $425,000 to keep silent about a homosexual tryst.
EPISCOPALIANS WORSHIP QUEEN OF HEAVEN.
Friday Church News Notes, November 5, 2004 ( Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061) - The Episcopal Church USA’s Office of Women’s Ministries is promoting worship of the Old Testament idol, the Queen of Heaven. The “Women’s Eucharist: A Celebration of the Divine Feminine” is based on a rite from Tuatha de Brighid, “a clan of modern Druids ... who believe in interconnectedness of all faiths” (“Episcopal Church Officially Promotes Idol Worship,” Christianity Today weblog, week of October 25). The Women’s Eucharist proclaims: “Mother God, our ancient sisters called you Queen of Heaven and baked these cakes in your honor in defiance of their brothers and husbands who would not see your feminine face. ... We offer these cakes and enjoy them too. ... May we also be signs of your love and abundance.” See Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:15-19. This is not new. In 1984 the World Council of Churches (of which the Episcopal Church is a member) published a liturgy titled “No Longer Strangers,” which called God by the following names: Lady of peace, Lady of wisdom, Lady of love, Lady of birth, Mother, Bakerwoman, Presence, Essence, Simplicity.
THE WORLD HAS CONVERTED THE CHURCH—
Through "contemporary Christian music" and "contemporary worship," the church has been converted to the "religion" of the world! Some of the largest presumably evangelical churches have designed their Sunday morning services based upon what the ungodly want. Missing are the fear of a holy God's wrath against sin…Seeker-friendly churches must not "offend" with the Truth, but pamper with the flattering "gospel of self-esteem, self-love, and positive thinking—a "gospel" that cannot save. As Paul foretold, "they will not endure sound doctrine…" (2Tim.4:3). Creating large, rich churches is not new….The Roman Catholic Church—the world's largest and wealthiest—grew out of a marriage between the Roman world and the church, making "Christianity" the state religion. Historian Will Durant explains: "…the world converted Christianity….[Paganism] passed like maternal blood into the new religion, and captive Rome captured her conqueror…" [Adapted, Dave Hunt, Berean Call]
PROMISE KEEPERS CONFERENCES FOR 2005 CALLED “THE AWAKENING.”
Promise Keepers has announced conferences for 20 cities in 2005 and the theme is “The Awakening.” This will be the 15th year that Promise Keepers has conducted conferences. Tom Fortson, president and CEO of Promise Keepers, says, “We want to help men design a plan that will empower them to impact their world and fulfill their destiny.” In truth, the plan is in the Bible and men don’t need the help of a weak, unscriptural organization like Promise Keepers to fulfill it.
Speakers lined up for 2005 include charismatics Ted Haggard and Jack Hayford. I heard Hayford speak at St. Louis 2000, and he told how his daughter came to him and questioned whether her “tongues” were really biblical tongues. He encouraged her that “you have to start with baby tongues before you can advance to adult tongues.” Promise Keepers has seven pledges that it encourages men to follow. Number six is a pledge to promote unity between all denominations, and Promise Keepers has made it clear that this unity includes Roman Catholicism. Speaking at one of the early rallies, in an interview with the Catholic publication Our Sunday Visitor, McCartney said that full Catholic participation was his intention from the start. “Back in 1992, at our first stadium event, we very clearly stated from the podium that we eagerly welcomed the participation of Roman Catholics, and we’ve had scores of Roman Catholics attend and go back to their churches excited” (Our Sunday Visitor, July 20, 1997, p. 10). In 1997 Promise Keepers appointed a Roman Catholic, Mike Timmis, to its Board of Directors. It is obvious that Promise Keepers cares nothing about biblical truth and sound doctrine. This is radical, lowest-common-denominator ecumenism. Men from fundamental Baptist churches who become associated with Promise Keepers partake of the spirit of compromise and apostasy promoted by this rebellious movement. (David Cloud, Way of Life Literature).
EPISCOPAL CHURCH HIRES MUSLIM CLERIC. - The newest staff member at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Denver, Colorado, is a Muslim Imam. Ibrahim Kazerooni was formally installed on Nov. 14 as the director of the church’s Abrahamic Initiative, a bridge-building effort among Christians, Jews, and Muslims (“Reaching Out, church hires Muslim,” The Denver Post, Nov. 11). This is probably the first time in history that a Muslim cleric has become a staff member in a church. Church representative Greg Movesian said, “We hope this appeals to people who don’t look upon people of other religions as a target for conversion but rather potential partners in maintaining a civil society.” It is churches that don’t believe the Gospel that have a problem with evangelism and conversion. (David Cloud, reporter).
When politicians and religious leaders tell us what a good and peaceful religion Islam is, they are not telling us the truth. It is sad that many sell out the truth just to be politically correct. Here is a quote from one of America's leading Muslims. Take time to digest its content.... CAIR chairman, Omar M. Ahmad, an American Muslim leader: "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran . . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth."
