Liberalism on the Move...
Episcopal Church
Goes to Court Against Congregations
Ungodly lawsuit could be a blessing in disguise
In January of this year eleven Virginia Episcopal churches were
sued after they left the Episcopal Church USA because of its liberal policies.
Named in the suit were clergy, local church leaders and
hundreds of uncompensated volunteer workers who serve in various roles. However, the
latter appear to be immune from the lawsuit under Virginia statute. Most importantly, the
Diocese asked the court to declare it the legal owner of all church property involved and
to prohibit further use of the property by the breakaway congregations.
Recently, Anglican archbishops have asked both sides to back away from property
litigation. However, the Episcopal Church said it would be premature to withdraw from
legal action.
Jim Oakes, a spokesman for the breakaway churches and senior warden of the Truro Church
in Fairfax -- one of the larger churches among the ten -- says the property claims are
baseless. He states that during its entire existence as a church, Truro "never
received a penny in funding" from the Diocese of Virginia.
The case is currently in court and the ruling may hinge on the wording of a law made in
the early 1800's which appears to allow the local churches to leave the ruling body should
that body (in this case the Virginia Episcopal Diocese) break from the teachings of the
Bible. The eleven churches broke from the Episcopalian Church over the ordination of
homosexuals to be priests and bishops. The breakaway churches have since affiliated with
the more conservative Anglican Church.
Make no mistake. This case is about money and power as much as
any social agenda. The majority of the old denominations have structured their
affiliations with local churches in such a way that gives the denomination and NOT the
local churches control of properties, buildings, monies and other assets. Though the local
congregations have funded building and maintaining their facilities, in reality they own
nothing and have no rights to the church, or so the denominational leaders would like the
court to believe. This ungodly practice is one dirty little denominational secret among
many that the majority of congregants in Episcopal, Presbyterian and other mainline
churches may not be aware of. However, it may all come to an end soon. Amen.
Heretical church leaders nationwide should be quaking in their
boots if the judge finds against the Virginia Diocese. Though the case is expected to go
to the Supreme Court no matter how the Virginia court finds, it may signal an end to the
ungodly stranglehold that increasingly liberal denominations have kept on the local
churches.
When faced with the inevitability of having to walk away from
their church buildings and bank accounts because of doctrinal breeches by their
denominations, local Evangelicals have for the most part continued to stomach the
heretical policies of the hierarchy and have thus stayed put. However, if indeed the
Virginia case goes to the Supreme Court and the high court should rule in favor of the
local churches I believe it would open the flood gates and the evangelical exodus out of
liberalism may be on like never before.
If the Virginia case goes the right way, there is a good
possibility that hundreds, if not thousands of local churches, could be persuaded by Bible
believing Christian laypeople to vote in favor of breaking ties with organizations who are
Christian in name only but whose policies and doctrines have become
theologically rotted.
We need to pray about this case and also pray that the
once biblical organizations associated with names like Calvin, Wesley and Luther will once
again become beacons of biblical truth and righteous doctrine.
In my seminar message, "The Most Dangerous Cult" I enumerate:
"Most individuals within liberal denominations have no idea what their leaders really
believe or they would leave, demanding the buildings, properties and bank accounts back
from the heretics who are in control!"
As the late, great apologist, Dr. Walter Martin once said, “If the people in the
pews really understand the corruption at the top they would throw the devils out!”
Its about time.
More on Virginia Case:
Va.
Diocese Sues 11 Congregations Over Properties
Breakaway
Anglicans Call Lawsuits over Property 'Act of Betrayal'
Episcopal
Church's Lawsuit Called 'Un-Christian'
More on Episcopal Church split:
Church 'storm' of mass defections brews
Flight from biblical orthodoxy triggers exodus of 'faithful'
Charlotte, NC Baptist Church
Expelled for Accepting Gays
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311505,00.html
So, the ongoing Occult Invasion
isn't effecting our kids? These first two emails are eye openers.
The positive thing is that the
writers of these emails are actually reading biblically based rebuttals at our
website...Praise the Lord!
MISGUIDED AND UNIFORMED TEENAGER #1
I read you're article about Harry
Potter and religion, and would just like to say that I am Catholic and love Harry
Potter. You also talk about Halloween.
No one sees Halloween as a holiday as celebrating witchcraft! It's just a fun day were you
dress up and get candy. I went to a Catholic school and we celebrated Halloween! Did you
know that J.K. Rowling, the author, is Christian and has put many Christian things into
the books? There are many books that talk about religion in Harry Potter (the good
things). I encourage you to read these books, or, even better actually read the Harry
Potter books! Remember the saying, "Never judge a book by it's cover?" You
should practice it!
Haley
Eric Comments:
I have received many letters from people associating themselves with Catholicism
who love Harry Potter and defend Halloween. Maybe that's a religion problem? J.K. Rowling
has claimed to be a Christian. Anyone can do that. By their fruits you will know
them however.
The only book that we need to bother
with concerning what the Christian position on the Occult is the Bible. I suggest that you
read my article "The Nine Forbidden
Practices of the Occult." It is clear that God is not amused with Harry Potter or
Halloween and either the Bible is true and trustworthy or Jesus was a liar and it really
doesn't matter what a person decides to believe.
MISGUIDED AND UNIFORMED
TEENAGER #2
Hello,
I just saw your web page and thought I'd write to you and expose your errors about Harry
Potter.
I've read them all and loved them. The books even got me thinking to use a Ouija board to
contact Christ, which I did several times. How can this be bad? My older brother thinks
you are "old school" and just don't get it. The occult is just another way for
us to connect with God. Who are you to tell God what he can and can't do?
I think Harry Potter gives kids something to aspire to. He teaches us to think for
ourselves, not always trust parents or adults. Harry is sort of like Jesus too. A lot
actually. Harry made mistakes just like Jesus did but then always becomes a better person
for it.
So, I hope you're now able to see that Harry Potter isn't something we Christians should
hate. They are great books and you should read them!
Damian
Eric Comments to Readers:
I have personally written both Haley
and Damian on each point they brought out in their emails. But before moving on, please go
back and read this last email again. This email represents so many that we have responded
personally to over the years. It shows the gross misunderstandings that many teens have
concerning the Bible, the life of Jesus and the perils of the Occult.
This boy claims to have contacted Jesus
with a Ouija Board several times and that the Occult is just a way to connect with God,
like going to Youth Group at church!
This teen also illustrates for us one
of the central themes of the Harry Potter novels - rebellion against parental authority.
Thank God Jesus is NOT like Harry and
that we know that Jesus did NOT make mistakes.
God's word has expressed to us all
we need to understand about His Son, Jesus. God's word has also made clear what what His
attributes are and what He will and will not do. He has also made it clear that the enemy
will use supernatural fakery, such as Ouija Boards and Tarot Cards, to deceive anyone he
can.
Often, Satan impersonates God so
that the unsuspecting will perceive that occult acts and practices are actually acceptable
avenues to communicate with and gain knowledge from God. Millions of people are drawn into
Satan's traps because something appeared as if it was God, when in reality
the origin was actually demonic. It is up to us to listen for the warnings of the Holy
Spirit and to discern truth from error by searching God's infallible Holy Word to know
what is real and what is counterfeit. It is also our responsibility to warn others and to
point them toward the only authentic source of truth, power and eternal life.
SEEKER SENSITIVE NIGHTMARE
(Read "Willow Creek
Admits 'Seeker Sensitive' a 'Failure'" here)
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I was on staff at a church for 12 years as Children’s Pastor. The church ran 1000. It
was full of the Holy Spirit and the powerful presence of the Lord. Then it happened.
Several of our pastors attended a “growing church” called Willow Creek. They
came back with excitement and “new” ideas. My heart pounded in disbelief as they
expounded on the great way this Willow Creek ran the show. They immediately began
implementing this new program. I ended up leaving that church because I couldn’t bare
it. Altars were removed. No more move of the Holy Spirit allowed, no more gospel preached
. . . well, you know the shtick! It was devastating. People left in droves; quietly. Oh,
my gosh. That was 1992 or so. The church that I knew and served is “no more”.
I am thankful that I am now on staff at an AG (Assemblies of God) church that is full of
the presence of God; altars, healing, deliverance, salvation, powerful preaching! Thank
you, Lord.
Hey . . . leave it to men, and we’ll mess up God’s plan every time.
Gail
Gail,
What a powerful testimony. I know you wish it was a testimony of a different sort but
still, its powerful. Thanks much for writing.
Eric
www.ericbarger.com
SEEKER SENSITIVE STALLS SPIRITUAL
GROWTH
Your "Seeker Sensitive" newsletter
really struck a chord with me. My husband and I have attended a "Seeker
Sensitive" church modeled after Willow Creek for the past 15 years. It never felt
quite right to me, but the arguments in favor of the seeker approach were very convincing.
Our church is very concerned about "numbers": the number in attendance, the
number saved, the
number of church plants, etc. What about the number of genuinely repentant followers of
Jesus Christ? For a few years, many mature Christians at our church have seen their
spiritual growth stall.
For some time I have felt God leading us to
another church. My husband has been a little slower to agree with me, and our kids like it
where we are. Our challenge now is finding a Bible-believing church that is as spiritually
conservative as we are (i.e. no to Harry Potter; courtship vs dating; family oriented
worship services vs. PG13 services dealing with adult subject matter).
Any suggestions in the metro-Detroit area?
You are a light in this dark world. Everyone of your
newsletters resonates truth with me. I thank God for your ministry, Eric! God bless you.
Mary
Mary,
I can't say thank you enough for your letter and encouragement. I get a lot of flack, some
of it can't be printed. Just this evening I received an email from a teen who was railing
on me about how God is foolish and Harry Potter is harmless. This particular email was so
graphic and vile that I clicked off of it so that no one else in the office would be
subjected to the filth it contained. Don't get me wrong, I get many supportive letters
like yours but sometimes particular letters are a real lift. Yours was one of these for me
tonight.
I have never spoken in the metro Detroit area but I am certain there must be many good,
Bible believing churches there. I'll pray that God lead you to just the right one.
God bless you and thanks again!
Eric
TOO HARSH ABOUT HYBELS
Dear Eric,
I know you from going to a conference and going to one of your very compelling
presentations... It was fantastic, and I enjoyed it immensely. I am totally into "The
End Times" and "Spiritual Warfare". But I have also been to one of Bill
Hybel's Leadership conferences, and that I why I am writing to you today.
Before reading your letter, I would never
have put Bill into one of those "watered down" Christian leaders. Listening to
him speak, one immediately can see that he is a TRUE man of God - not a fake, and I am a
bit shocked at your obvious distaste for the man. Bill made me think about A LOT of things
during the conference that I attended. I also respect him for including
"secular" leaders in his conferences, because I think that it is a great way to
minister to those people. One cannot experience taking part in a Willow Creek Leadership
Conference without being touched by the Lord in one way or another. Bill loves the Lord,
and I truly believe his mission is to bring others (in great numbers) to Him. I think that
you are being too harsh in your criticism of him. Have you ever MET the man? Have you ever
read one of his books? He's
a good, thoughtful, well meaning Pastor - and if he is man enough to admit that one of his
"ideas" didn't live up to what he thought it did - then I think we all owe him
kudos for standing up and admitting it.
Not all discipleship has to include
"fire and brimstone". You CAN bring people to the Lord without striking FEAR
into their souls. In fact, I think it is a much more effective way of introducing
Christianity to ANYONE. A sinner doesn't want to hear right away about how Evil they
are...they will figure that out after the Holy Spirit in indwelling them. That is the Holy
Sprit's job - to give us a conscience.
I do enjoy reading your emails, but sometimes
I can see how unbelievers would be totally turned off by some of your banter. The type of
stuff you are into is your "gift". Use it wisely, and hopefully you will help us
all to grow in our faith and obedience. I just hope that none of it is ever why someone
DOESN'T accept the Lord. Minister to those who already know Him. Let the Holy Spirit do
it's work in Believers BEFORE you start in on how Harry Potter is EVIL and Halloween is
for witches. That is just some advice that I feel the Holy Spirit wants me to share with
you... Keep up the Good Fight!
Blessings,
Shayne
Eric Responds:
Hi Shayne and thanks for writing.
I know people are going to see things different ways. This is specially true who someone
has won over our confidence. However, if I were to simply give you one reason why so MANY
pastors and leaders are standing against the Willow Creek teaching it is because it has
slowly replaced biblical teaching and discipleship with programs which alleged to be the
answer. Now, the Hawkins/Parkinson book I mention - a Willow Creek publication - admits
they have been wrong all along. When so many of us have been waving a red flag about the
seeker movement for so long are we to just give them a pass now...especially after so much
damage has been done?
I am not against Hybels, the person or Rick Warren, the person or anybody else. I just
have to be true to the truth of God and not be swayed by personalities, success, numbers
or because something "sounds" like its Christian. As one of many watchmen God
has raised up inside the Church I am merely pointing out the dangerous, unbiblical and
sometimes cultic and mystic ideals being promulgated by people who have written and
developed teaching inconsistent with the Bible.
You indicated in your email how sincere Hybels is and how he has a heart to bring people
to Jesus. While this may be true, these are not reasons we should endorse anyone's
teaching. If sincerity were all that mattered many cult leaders would be called
"Christians" regardless of what they taught or believe. This is exactly what so
many of the leaders who are often called "new kind of Christians" don't
want...they expect acceptance on face value instead of a thorough biblical test, the kind
that we read of the Bereans dishing out in the Book of Acts. No, the key for us can never
be sincerity. The test must be if something completely aligns with and is found in the
Scriptures and by the fruit it produces. Remember, fruit does not mean success in numbers.
It is because we who are in discernment ministries are always testing and then rocking the
boat making people uncomfortable about their preconceived assumptions that apologetics is
often viewed as unloving and cold. It is part of our human nature to want to think the
best of what people say, especially if they have said some good things previously. You
know, if everything that Hybels or any other teacher who has gained prominence had ever
taught had been wrong or demonic we'd have never listened at all. Of course he may have a
lot of things right. But just as with Warren's teaching, its not what Hybels says on every
page that is cultic or faulty. Its what he omits in his teaching and his overall premise
that has error written in giant letters on it.
Also, concerning your comment about "fire and brimstone," ... you can't have the
Jesus of love without the Jesus of repentance from sin and you can't have the joy of
salvation without the understanding that you've been saved from a dreadful eternity in
Hell.
Frankly, I expected some negative email today due to the article that was sent to our list
yesterday. Our email newsletters are sent to about 5,000 addresses and I figured it would
step on some toes even though I know the majority of those on our list are dedicated,
biblical Christians. However, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. So many have
written thanking me for standing up. Most of them have included horror stories that relate
right back to the Willow Creek failure. Shayne, I may not convince you or change your mind
but let me include just one link for you to examine another blog on this issue. I do not
know the blogger, but he relates that he spent months examining Willow Creek and Hybels
teaching many years ago. Perhaps what he has written might communicate to you in a way
that I have not. I will put the link to this blog at the end of my letter.
Also, allow me to simply copy and send to you the text of just one of the emails I
received earlier tonight on this topic. Maybe you'll get a deeper understanding of the
problems caused by the Hybels' church model.
Here's that email.
_________________________
Dear Eric,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I was on staff at a church for 12 years as Children’s Pastor. The church ran 1000. It
was full of the Holy Spirit and the powerful presence of the Lord. Then it happened.
Several of our pastors attended a “growing church” called Willow Creek. They
came back with excitement and “new” ideas. My heart pounded in disbelief as they
expounded on the great way this Willow Creek ran the show. They immediately began
implementing this new program. I ended up leaving that church because I couldn’t bare
it. Altars were removed. No more move of the Holy Spirit allowed, no more gospel preached
. . . well, you know the shtick! It was devastating. People left in droves; quietly. Oh,
my gosh. That was 1992 or so. The church that I knew and served is “no more”.
I am thankful that I am now on staff at an AG church that is full of the presence of God;
altars, healing, deliverance, salvation, powerful preaching! Thank you, Lord.
Hey . . . leave it to men, and we’ll mess up God’s plan every time.
Gail
(staff member at......Church name and email address omitted)
_________________________
Shayne, here now is the link to the blog I
mentioned. Please read there carefully.
http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/10/church-growth-movement-fall-down-and-go-boom.html
One more comment. I'm not sure what you mean by "Let the Holy Spirit do it's work in
Believers BEFORE you start in on how Harry Potter is EVIL and Halloween is for
witches." My job is to lay out information so people can make better decisions
Shayne. I've always just trusted the Lord on the timing of everything we do. Hopefully,
I've been in tune with His call and will. That's why I waited over a year to say a word
about Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven philosophy, even though I had completed two
extensive articles on it. I sought the Lord for His will and for timing. Now, perhaps you
need to seek Him about Hybels?
God Bless you!
Eric
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