Proclaim ng

he Gospel
"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." - Romans 1:16

October-December 2006
Vol. 15 No. 4

Hard Questions to Ask Good Catholics

Editor - Evangelist Mike Gendron

"...they found Jesus in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions." (Luke 2:46)
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ne of the most effective ways to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to ask questions. This method is highly effective because it is biblical! It also shows people that you care for them. Usually people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. The Lord Jesus had some hard questions for good Jews. He asked questions, not only to make His Gospel known, but also to expose the errors of religious leaders. Jesus challenged Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, about his knowledge of the Kingdom of God: "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" (John 3:10). He asked the stubborn-hearted Pharisees who were blinded by religious tradition: "If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?" (John 8:46). Then He exposed how corrupt their religion had become with this hard question: "Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" (Mat. 15:3). Possibly the most important question the Son of God ever asked was addressed to Peter: "Who do you say that I am?" (Mat. 16:15). The response to this question carries eternal consequences because Jesus warned: "if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:24). These questions must be answered correctly, not only by those lost in religion, but by everyone else. Following are some hard questions to ask good Catholics. Where do you go to find the truth about life's most critical issues? There is only one source that will never mislead you, never deceive you or try to control you. It is Christ and His Word (John 14:6;

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17:17). Jesus said: "If you abide in My wordyou shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). Free from what? Free from the bondage of religious deception. Knowledge of the truth is necessary to escape from the snare of the devil who holds people captive to do his will (2 Tim. 2:25-26). Satan uses deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ to blind people from the truth (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Knowing this, Rome defiantly declares its Bishops to be successors of the "apostles of Christ." According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), "whoever listens to them is listening to Christ" (CCC, para. 862). The apostles had only two successors - Matthias who was chosen by the apostles and Paul who was chosen by Christ (Acts 9:1-19). Catholic bishops do not meet the qualifications for apostleship given in Acts 1:21-26. God warns us: "Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation" (Psalm 146:3). Why the warning? Because "savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). In light of these warnings, a most critical question must be answered truthfully: Are you trusting Christ and His Word or man and his religious traditions? Did you know there is only one way to be saved? God's Gospel is by grace through faith in one person (Eph. 2:8-9). The gift of eternal life is given freely to those who trust the eternal God incarnate - Jesus Christ - His virgin birth, His perfect life, His atoning
(see Questions on page 2)

In This Issue
Hard Questions . . . . . . . . .1 PTG's Purpose & Vision . . . 2 New Book Refutes PTG . . . 3 Letters and Rebukes ....4

What In The World? . . . . 6 Witnessing Resources . .7-9 Time to Renew . . . . . . . .10

(Questions from page 1) death and His glorious resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-4). The Lord Jesus is sufficient to save sinners completely and forever. Diametrically opposed to God's Gospel is the Catholic gospel which offers salvation through baptism. New born babes, who receive the sacrament of baptism, are said to be saved apart from personal faith in Jesus. The Catholic priest believes he is replacing the sovereign work of God by administering baptism. The sacrament "not only purifies all sins, but also makes the neophyte a new creature, an adopted son of God who has become a partaker of the divine nature, a member of Christ and co-heir with Him and a temple of the Holy Spirit" (CCC, 1257, 1265). Did you know those who distort the Gospel are condemned? This includes apostles, priests, popes, pastors or angels (apparitions of Mary) from heaven. The apostle Paul warned: "there are some who...want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:7-8). Catholics need to be warned that their clergy is under divine condemnation for adding works and sacraments to God's Gospel (CCC, 1129). Did you know that Jesus put an end to the ordained priesthood? God's Word reveals that the veil of the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from sinful man was torn open by God (Mat. 27:51). Man can now come directly to God through faith in the shed blood of the Savior (Rom. 3:2326). Priests are no longer needed to offer sacrifices for sin (Heb.10:18). The only legitimate priesthood which remains on earth is the royal priesthood of all believers. They offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for being called out of darkness into the marvelous light of the Son (1 Pet. 2:9). Do you really believe Catholic priests have the power to call the Lord Jesus down from heaven every day? According to Roman Catholic priest John O'Brien in his book Faith of Millions, "The priestreaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from His throne, and places Him upon our altar to be offered up again as the Victim for the sins of manChrist, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows his head in humble obedience to the priests command. Over 200,000 times each day, priests throughPage 2

out the world believe they re-present Jesus on their altars as an offering for sins of the living and the dead (CCC, 1371-1374). Again Catholics ignore God's Word which declares that Jesus "having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation not to bear sin" (Hebrews 9:28). The Bible also tells us how and when Jesus will appear. He will return the same way he left, immediately after the tribulation with power and great glory (Mat. 24:27-30; Acts 1:11). By the authority of God's Word we must conclude that the Eucharist is a false Christ that is deceiving millions. Why do Catholic priests continue to offer Jesus as a sacrificial victim when He said "It is finished" (John 19:30)? God's Word says: Jesus appeared once and offered Himself once to bear sins. His offering is not to be done again (Heb. 9:25-28). When Jesus "offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, [He] sat down at the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12). Disregarding the infallible Word of God, Catholicism teaches: "the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice. The victim is one and the same. In this divine sacrifice, the same Christ who offered himself onceis contained and offered in an unbloody manner" (1367). Did you know Jesus has already obtained redemption for believers? Catholicism denies this by teaching: "The work of our redemption is carried on" every time the Eucharist is celebrated (CCC, 1405). God's Word declares: "He [Jesus] entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:12). "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph. 1:7). Why do you call Jesus the Savior when you must save yourself? Catholicism teaches the sinner must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance." (1459) In this way they attained their own salvation and cooperated in saving their brothers (1477). God's Word proclaims "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Why do you believe a place called Purgatory can purify your sins? God's Word says "when He [Jesus] had made
(See Questions on page 10)

The Ministry of Proclaiming the Gospel

OUR PURPOSE The ministry was established in 1991 and is incorporated in the State of Texas as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation for the purposes of: 1) glorifying, honoring and serving the Lord Jesus Christ by proclaiming His Gospel of man's redemption with clarity, conviction and consistency; 2) providing evangelistic training and resources with an emphasis on biblical integrity; 3) exposing any doctrines that oppose or nullify the Gospel of grace so that people can discern truth from error, avoid deception and come to the knowledge of truth; 4) contending earnestly for the faith against the agents of compromise who suppress doctrinal truth for the sake of ecumenical unity and 5) encouraging and supporting former Catholics who may be feeling a sense of guilt, ostracism or persecution from their family or friends for leaving the Catholic religion and culture. OUR METHOD In a spirit of love and humility, we teach evangelistic seminars, conferences and workshops to train and encourage Christians to be effective witnesses to Roman Catholics and others who may be lost in their religion. We also offer resources designed to teach, equip and encourage others to labor in this huge mission field. OUR NEWSLETTER Proclaiming the Gospel's quarterly newsletter is designed to extend the purposes of the ministry throughout the world. The editor is Evangelist Mike Gendron, a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and a former Roman Catholic of over 34 years. OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, satisfied the righteous justice of God by paying the complete penalty for sin when He died as mans substitute on Calvary's cross. Any person who repents and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior by grace through faith in His life, death and resurrection, ceasing to trust in anything else for salvation, becomes a child of God and receives the gift of eternal life, which can never be revoked. OUR PROVISION Everything we do is made possible through the prayers and financial support of those who share our burden for the lost. We recognize the sacrifices Gods people make to sustain our work and pledge to use these resources effectively and efficiently. Donations (except for products) are tax deductible.

Book By Catholic Apologists Refutes Mike Gendron

A new book has been published by Project Dominic entitled: How Catholics Read the Bible - A Response to Mike Gendron. The title is an interesting one since we have known very few Catholics who ever read or study the Bible. Seven different Catholic apologists contributed to the book which is their response to my 1999 essay entitled, Catholic Hermeneutics, published in The Conservative Theological Journal. A statement on the back cover of the book speaks volumes about the Catholic religion and the purpose of the book. It states: "We encourage all readers to refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other Magisterial documents for a more solid grounding in the faith." This statement refutes my exhortation for Catholics to read and believe the Bible as the supreme authority for their faith. The book accentuates the Vatican's longstanding position that Catholics must rely on the Magisterium (Bishops) to explain what the Bible teaches. The Bishops are said to be the only ones qualified to interpret Scripture. One of the authors dares to say that Paul was the first-generation Magisterium, Timothy was the second-generation Magisterium and his disciples were the third-generation Magisterium. We praise God that His Spirit is the only teacher anyone needs to believe the Word that brings forth life (1 John 2:27). We will continue to proclaim it with clarity and pray the truth will set many Catholics free!

Steeling the Mind Prophecy Conference Orange County - Feb. 17th

The first Steeling the Mind Bible Conference of 2007 will be devoted to Bible Prophecy. Once again, Oak Hills Community Church of San Juan Capistrano will host the event which is scheduled for Saturday, February 17th. The lineup of speakers and their topics include: Mark Hitchcock - The Prophetic Big Picture; Mike Gendron - Dynamic Deception and Apostasy; Dave Reagan - Israel and the Last Days; Don Perkins - The Rapture In The Twinkling Of An Eye; David Hocking - Hell on Earth, The Great Tribulation; Chuck Missler - Mr. Big Mouth, The Antichrist; Tommy Ice - The Return of Jesus at Armageddon; Ed Hindson - Judgment Day! In one day you will see what the future holds and learn more about Who holds the future. To register, call 800-977-2177 or visit www.compass.org.

Quick Quotes
"The Eucharist is, in fact, the treasure of the Church, the precious heritage that her Lord has left her. However, this treasure, which is destined for those who are baptized, does not exhaust its radius of action in the ambit of the Church: the Eucharist is the Lord Jesus... At all times and in all places, he wishes to encounter man and give him God's life... the Eucharist also has cosmic value: The transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ constitutes, in fact, the principle of divinization of creation itself. By carrying the Eucharist through the streets and squares, we wish to submerge the bread descended from heaven in the everyday of our lives; we want Jesus to walk where we walk; to live where we live. Our world, our lives, must become his temple. Mary is the 'Eucharistic woman,' as Pope John Paul II described her in his encyclical "Ecclesia de Eucharistia." Let us pray to the Virgin that all Christians may deepen their faith in the Eucharistic mystery, so that they live in constant communion with Jesus and are his valid witnesses." Pope Benedict XVI (Zenit.org, 6/18/06)

Where Mike Is Speaking

Oct. 8 Believers Chapel Dallas, TX (972) 239-5371 Oct. 12-14 Prophecy Conference Erindale Alliance Church Saskatoon, Canada (306) 270-5817 Oct. 21 Steeling the Mind Bible Conf. Coeur d'Alene Bible Church Coeur d'Alene, ID (800) 977-2177 Oct. 22 The Spokane Dream Center Spokane, WA (509) 924-2630 Nov. 8-11 The Master's Academy International Ministerios Evangelicos De las Americas Siguatepecque, Honduras Jan. 12-14 Contending for the Faith Conf. Grace Bible Sanctuary Melbourne, FL (321) 728-4136 Feb. 17 Steeling the Mind Bible Conf. Oak Hills Church (800) 977-2177 San Juan Capistrano, CA Apr. 26-28 Biblical Discernment Conf. Calvary Chapel Santa Fe, NM (505) 988-3291 May 12 Steeling the Mind Bible Conf. Calvary Chapel Albuquerque, NM (800) 977-2177 To schedule Mike Gendron to speak at your church or event, contact him at: phone: (972) 495-0485 e-mail: ptg@pro-gospel.org

Women Ordained As Catholic Priests

Eight women were ordained as priests aboard a riverboat near Pittsburgh by the group Roman Catholic Womenpriests. After the ritual they danced and sang "We Are Chosen," holding hands with their female bishops. More than 350 guests cheered and applauded. The Diocese of Pittsburgh, however, has declared that none of the ordinations is legitimate, and warned that those involved have excommunicated themselves. "Today we give honor to our mother God," said Dagmar Celeste, a priest of the group and former first lady of Ohio. "Just as the water broke in the womb of our mother, so we open the waters of mother church." In the most traditional part of the rite, the women prostrated themselves on the floor before a makeshift altar, while the congregation sang. As they concelebrated their first Eucharist, the women offered their prayers "together with Benedict, our pope, and with all our bishops, men and women." Roman Catholic Womenpriests says that 130 people are now either clergy or candidates in their preparation program, and that 80 of those are from the U.S. (RNS, 8/3/06)
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Reversal of the Reformation

Pope Benedict XVI had this to say at an ecumenical celebration in Germany attended by leaders of various Protestant churches. "I extend warm greetings to our friends of the various traditions stemming from the Reformation. I think of the demanding efforts to reach a consensus on justification. I recall all the stages of that process up to the memorable meeting that contributed decisively to the achievement of the conclusion. I am pleased to see that in the meantime the World Methodist Council has adhered to the Declaration. The agreement on justification remains an important task, one not yet fully complete." (Zenit.org, 9/13/06)

Seeking His Truth

Letters to the Editor
While incarcerated, I read two of your tracts and by the grace of God, I am now a follower of Jesus Christ. I was raised Catholic, yet Glory to God, was elected by God to know the truth and now I am a born again Christian. My family is still devoted to Catholicism even though they are ignorant of what that means. They have trusted their eternal souls to Catholic tradition. Your tracts prove their religious tradition is contrary to Scripture. If possible, send me some tracts so I can send them to my family. K.C., Soledad, CA I just showed your DVD titled, The Death of Discernment to my Men's Discipleship meeting. What a powerful and timely message! Your Powerpoint presentation was exceptionally well done with excellent use of Holy Scriptures. I will show this message again and again to Christian friends who are involved with "user-friendly" churches. Thank you for your careful attention to God's Word and for being led by the Spirit. Pastor R. W., Spokane WA Regarding your amazing book, Preparing Catholics For Eternity, I want to express my admiration for your work and understanding, for your study and patience and for your research. I had been looking for a good study manual to respond to the hard questions posed by Catholics and I found gratitude in your forthright explanations of the many differences in the two faiths. Ive been a missionary in prison while serving as an Evangelism and Bible Study Leader. Mr. Gendron, your book has affected many strong Catholics. It gives them pause for reflection and an opportunity for me to share the sufficiency of Jesus with them. I always pray for your ministry! May your path be fruitful and fulfilling! R.L., Soledad, CA I was formerly a minister/church planter who moved from Canada to Ireland but found myself caught up into a myriad of study materials by former Protestant ministers who are now Catholic. Before you knew it, I was confirmed as a Catholic myself. I am starting to realize that perhaps I was wrong but I
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still have a lot of historical, biblical and theological issues to work through. I would appreciate your prayers. Right now I just feel confused and troubled but believe God's grace will help me work through these matters. Thanks for all your resources. P.D., Dublin, Ireland As an ex-Catholic, now saved by grace, I found it necessary to speak out against this false religious system. I am finding it is not without a price. I submitted a letter to the editor of our newspaper exposing some of the ungodly doctrines of the Catholic Church. The onslaught of opposition and hatred is now causing me stress. I am so appreciative of your work so I used facts from your tracts. It inspires me and gives me courage to know there are other brothers and sisters in Christ earnestly contending for the faith and that I am not alone. E.H., Waynesville, NC I'm a former Catholic who, last year, was brought by the Holy Spirit to believe the Gospel of God's sovereign grace. Now I am trying to evangelize my parents who are extremely devout Catholics. My fiance and I are considering having two wedding ceremonies, one for my parents in a Roman Catholic church. They are so strongly adherent to the system of bondage of Catholicism that, if we did not have this ceremony, we feel they would cut themselves off from us. My concern is that we would lose a line of communication with them that, by the grace of God, may eventually bear the fruit of their conversion. What is your advice? Michael, Internet A year ago, your heavenly Father chose you to be adopted into His eternal family. He granted you every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus and your first allegiance is now to Him. The earthly life of every child of God is filled with decisions like the one you face. Each decision is a test to see if we will honor and obey God. We exhort you to use this opportunity to lovingly and tenderly teach your parents the eternal truths God has revealed to you through His Word. We recommend doing this by letter or card

to give them an opportunity to consider everything you say without interruption. Let them know how much you love them and want to honor them, but your greater love and loyalty is to the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell them that you must always seek His approval over all others (Gal. 1:10). Honor the Lord with your obedience and pray He will open the hearts of your parents to receive the Gospel with gladness and joy. If your letter breaks off communication with your parents you will be comforted by the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:34-35. Our prayers are with you! I just viewed your DVD with Dr. Reagan of Lamb & Lion Ministries twice. It was totally impressive! Your credentials from Dallas Theological Seminary are a big plus and the way you come across professionally in describing the differences between Catholicism & Evangelicals is unique (like their different gospel). My heart is warmed by your holy boldness and I want to encourage you and your team to continue speaking out and proclaiming our Awesome Gospel of Christ Alone wherever the Lord opens doors. Don't ever lose your zeal! K.R.C., Oreland, PA Who in the world do you think you are? Why do you have to say mean things of a pope who did so much for humanity? You call yourself a Christian yet you trample over his body. You say he did not know the Gospel, what makes you think that you know it. The Pope's actions will always outweigh anything you preach. I feel so bad for the people who believe the trash that comes out of your mouth. You must know that you are the one who does not know the Gospel, that's why you have to resort to talking about the Pope just so you can get people to read your B.S. Anonymous, Internet I ordered your book Preparing Catholics for Eternity after seeing you on a DayStar TV program. I understand what a gigantic task it is to witness to Catholics. Dont get discouraged, but keep on even when you meet such ignorant and blind resistance. It took me years after coming out of the RCC to really analyze the demonic hold that church had on me. The devil is very clever in the way he brain-washes devout Catholics such as I, a nun for 13 years. It shows what a masterful manipulator he is. Only the Holy Spirits convicting grace can break through the crust around a devout Catho-

lic. The emotional attachment to holy mother church makes for a very difficult barrier. Catholics, who resist the obvious truth, display their irrational ignorance in your Letters to the Editor section. God bless you in your evangelistic endeavors. Your rewards will be great when you meet our magnificent Savior and Redeemer. He is truly appreciated by those He draws out of the black hole of Roman Catholicism! L.H., Del Rio, TX Thank you for your ministry of God's Word and your true biblical love for Catholics. I came out of the Catholic Church and praise God for people who speak the truth. You are a faithful man and may God continue to bless your ministry to the glory of His Holy Name! C.A., Long Grove, IL I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your messages on DVD. What blessings! They have helped my husband and I understand the Word of God more clearly. Lately we have felt very alone in our walk with God as we would warn others about false teachers and doctrines, but they would not listen. Not only is the true Gospel of our Lord disappearing and hard to find, but so are true believers. God bless you for sharing the truth and equipping the believers. A .V., Boyne Island, Australia Since taking your seminar we are seeing doors open for opportunities to share with Catholics. We are also encouraging others who know Catholics to witness to them. We feel so much more equipped for evangelism and we hope to continue to improve in our understanding and experience at sharing God's truth with Catholics! Thank you!! J. & H. D., Syracuse, NY Things are getting more and more interesting every day. We have been looking for a good church for almost a year and can't seem to find one. They are either in the business of entertainment, preaching wrong doctrine or using the marketing strategies of the world like Rick Warren. More and more churches with less and less of Jesus. Dr. T. D., Coral Springs, FL We invited a few friends to our house to watch your DVD so they could have an idea of what the Roman Catholic Church teaches. We were shocked when one of them told me she thought the Roman religion wasnt so bad. Mike, thank you for caring for the

lost souls who are deceived in such a cruel way by the many trappings of Romanism. L.S.,Wellington, NV Your article on the Emerging Church was extremely well written and accurate. We have so many dear Protestant friends who dont even know what they are reformed from. We must travel two hours for a church where the full council of God is preached to a congregation who desires to worship God in Spirit and in truth. Since our past includes Catholicism (mystical rituals) and seeker friendly churches (entertainment, skits, musicals, and topical preaching), it is so humbling to be in a church where God is exalted and revered. It is not about us, how we feel or what we want. It is about worshipping our Sovereign God as He commands and deserves. May God continue to use you to faithfully remind us to hold fast to Gods truthso we will not be deceived and God will be glorified! G.B. ,Tinley Park, IL I was a Catholic for 38 years, until a tract caused me to compare Scripture vs. Tradition and now I am free, free indeed! Praise our Father, Son & Holy Spirit for providing deliverance. Thank you for being a staunch supporter of Gods word in contrast to mans religions. It is refreshing to hear such commitment from preachers in the present age! Wrongful and anti-biblical ecumenism is a work of the deceiver. You will be acclaimed a true hero in eternity! This life is a time to fight for Gods truth, which you do extremely well, Praise Jesus! K.C., South Padre Island, TX Thanks for welcoming me to your Bible study in your house. I been reading Preparing Catholics for Eternity and I am like WHOA! After the chapter about Mary I had to switch off that part of my brain that believes in her. I had been conditioned to believed all the priests taught me but now I have a discerning spirit. I grew up in the Phillipines where Catholicism is a must. And yes it's true that we did more worshiping of Mary than Jesus. Your book explains a lot of Catholic teachings that I didn't even know. Maybe they taught us that when I was daydreaming! Am I an oxymoron because I still call myself a Catholic? (Is this like once a nurse always a nurse?) The contrasts you wrote are very interesting especially how the Catholic Church has authority over Scripture. They make their interpretation fit

their own needs. Hmmm. Wow! All Christians are saints. Now, that is totally new to me. The Catholic church can't do this because everybody would have their own statue? Haha! Reading your book is like waking up and finding out that everything you always believed is false, a lie! I won't deny that I am having a hard time reading things that are contradictory to what I believed. You must have gone through this also so I should be patient and continue studying the Bible and hopefully never give up. Every Catholic I come across who asks me why am I doing all these Bible studies, I tell them it's because I have found the source for Truth and I am interested to learn more about the Truth. What really amazes me is God's LOVE ...that He could love me so..a gal who grew up Catholic and was told He is a vengeful God. Knowing about His love is just overwhelming because I am not deserving of it. D.F., Rowlett, TX I need to purchase some of your DVDs to educate some Christians who simply dont understand the deception of the Catholic Church. Your 16-panel tract, Roman Catholicism: Scripture vs. Tradition is the best Gospel tract for Catholics that I have ever seen in my life! I get volunteers to put Gospel tracts by the hundreds on cars while the poor (spiritually bankrupt) deceived Catholics are inside celebrating the attempted representation of the crucified Christ (transubstantiation). I was glad to hear that you make it a point to witness to priests and nuns and distribute tracts as you and your team travel around the world. S.&S.S., Pinehurst, NC We showed your wonderful DVD with Dr. Reagan in our prison ministry Bible class. It was well received, and ministered to all in attendance. One inmate is currently witnessing to some Catholics so your video was a "God-message" help for him. Thank you for your loving approach and incisive delivery of the Gospel. P. & C. N., Jenkinsville, S.C. Please submit questions or comments to: Mike Gendron Proclaiming the Gospel P.O. Box 940871 Plano, TX 75094 e-mail: ptg@pro-gospel.org web site: www.pro-gospel.org
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Mary Could Unite Catholics and Muslims

An Egyptian Muslim and deputy director of a prominent Italian newspaper suggested the Blessed Virgin Mary could be the figure who brings Roman Catholics and Muslims together in unity. In the national daily newspaper, Magdi Allam appealed to Muslims living in Italy to visit the Marian shrines. The journalist said, "Mary is a figure present in the Koran, which dedicates an entire sura to her." (Reuters, 5/28/06)

Eucharist For Sale?

The Sacrament of Holy Communion is not for sale, Cardinal Manila Rosales has warned amid reports some priests were demanding fees before giving the sacrament to public schoolchildren. "We priests, whom God have called to the custody of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, must see children...as the first recipients of the immense gift of the Eucharist, which God has placed in our consecrated hands," he said. He said priests were not allowed to collect fees for the sacrament, but they may accept donations, although collecting fees may be valid. More importantly, [the fees] may put an additional burden on the poor families of these children, which could lead to the nonreception of this great gift of the self-giving God, and this is quite heartbreaking, he said. (Manila Standard Today, 7/20/06)

opens the door for future ecumenical relationships. The ecumenical landmark followed decades of dialogue and achieved a significant new step in reconciliation. Roman Catholic Cardinal Walter Kasper called it one of the major achievements of ecumenical dialogue and quoted Pope Benedict XVI who noted the agreement as a full visible unity in faith. After Roman Catholics shook hands on the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification with Lutherans in 1999, Methodists, who had also been in dialogue with Lutherans for two decades, came in as a third party to endorse and be included in the agreement. Kasper said, This is a gift of God, a joint living out of the gospel message. Rev. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches and a Methodist, highlighted the event as a giant step to overcoming Christian divisions. He added, Our world needs a church that bears witness to the gospel in word and deed." (Christian Post, 8/18/06)

have already turned out to venerate these same relics in California, Texas and Pennsylvania over the past few months. The six priests were martyred for their faith by the Mexican government during the religious persecution in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s. "This pilgrimage seeks to promote devotion to the priest martyrs and all those who sacrificed their lives for their faith during the Mexican persecution," explained Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. Relics have long been a part of Catholic devotional practice. The church has preserved and honored the physical remains of men and women recognized as saints as well as the cloth that bears the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That tour drew more than 150,000 people. (Arizona Daily Dispatch, 7/06)

Statues Bring Good Luck?

As the housing market slows down, statues of St. Joseph are becoming hot items. In the last six months 273 people have purchased statues from three stores in Northern Virginia. That's up from 92 sold during the same months last year. The tradition of burying a statue of St. Joseph upside down to sell your house more quickly has been around for a long time. Some say it dates to an order of European religious sisters in the Middle Ages who sought help in getting land for a convent. Stephen Binz's recent book, St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent, fanned new interest. Binz says he was a doubter until he buried a statue and a week later was able to sell his house, which hadn't moved in seven months. One company is now marketing his book with a statue and prayer card for $7.50. (Press of AtlanticCity.com, 8/4/06)

Bishop Fulton Sheen Up for Sainthood

The process to canonize the late Roman Catholic Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who died in 1979, is moving forward. Sheen had a great influence through his radio and television broadcasts. In his book Treasure in Clay, Sheen said, "When I was ordained, I took a resolution to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist every Saturday to the Blessed Mother ... All this makes me very certain that when I go before the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will say to me in His Mercy: 'I heard My Mother speak of you.'" (Catholic News Agency, July 25, 2006).

Bishops Held Accountable

A new database with over 2,900 names of accused Catholic priests is now being updated daily on the bishop-accountability.org website. The web site includes hundreds of photos and work history of abusive Catholic priest along with the heart breaking testimonies of their victims. It is the most comprehensive public database of its kind. Much of the information is derived from the courage and openness of survivors who suffered the abuse by Catholic priests. Many people have found the information very useful including survivors, concerned Catholics, scholars, lawyers, journalists, and law enforcement. New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte has endorsed the web site which will soon be posting information on every Catholic diocese in the country. (BishopAccountability.org)

Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics Take Historic Step of Unity

Three world church bodies made an unprecedented move in ecumenical history when Lutherans, Roman Catholics and Methodists signed a joint agreement on justification. We plowed new ground today, commented Dr. George H. Freeman, general secretary of the World Methodist Council. This
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Relics of Priest Martyrs on Tour

The relics of six Knights of Columbus priest martyrs of Mexico, canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000, were in Arizona in July as part of a nationwide pilgrimage. Thousands

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PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL RESOURCES

BOOKS
Preparing Catholics For Eternity by Mike Gendron. Hundreds of questions are answered with the power and authority of God's Word. An excellent discipleship tool to share with Catholics who are unsure of their eternal destiny or confused about how a holy God reconciles sinners to Himself. Also available in Spanish. Code: BPCE, Sug. Don. $12 New Queen of All by Jim Tetlow and Roger Oakland. A probing look at how the apparitions of Mary may influence the unity of Islam, Roman Catholicism and other faiths. Code: BQUEEN, Sug. Don. $11 est religion through the lens of Scripture. Seven biblical principles for effective witnessing are presented with a focus on the huge mission field in the Catholic Church. Code: CLDC, Sug. Don. $5 Divided in Doctrine by Mike Gendron. A message presented at The Master's Seminary explaining why there can never be unity between Evangelicals and Catholics and how we can effectively evangelize Catholics. Code: CDID, Sug. Don. $5 The Coming One World Religion and Israel, Islam and the Vatican by Mike Gendron. An examination of key prophecies describing the false religious system that will prevail during the end times. What role will the Roman Catholic Church and Islam play? A look at their history and their common bonds for unity gives us some clues. Code: CWORLD and CIIV, Sug. Don. $9 Catholicism: Scripture vs. Tradition. This 16-panel tract is most effective for presenting the Gospel and exposing the errors of Catholicism using Scripture. Shows how the Catechism contradicts the Bible and why Catholics cannot believe both. The tract persuades Catholics to trust God and His word instead of man's traditions. Also in Spanish. Code: PTRAD, Sug. Don. 50 for $10 New Have You Ever Been Deceived? New graphics impact this tract that helps people evaluate their source for truth. The Bible must be trusted as the supreme authority for life's most critical question - "What must I do to be saved?" Code: PDEC, Sug. Don. 50 for $8 Is Roman Catholic Christian an Oxymoron? This tract reveals eleven objective and undeniable differences between Catholicism and biblical Christianity. It explains the need to exchange their religion for a relationship. Code: POXY, Sug. Don. 50 for $8 The Greatest News Ever Told. A six-page tract presenting the Gospel's six key elements using only the power of Scripture: God's Perfection, Provision and Promise along with Man's Problem, Part and Privilege. Code: PGNET, Sug. Don. 50 for $8 Pocket Evangelism Kit. A booklet with 12 illustrated cards showing Catholics what they must forsake to be saved. Code: PCARD, Sug. Don. $5 page 7

CDs
New Hard Questions for Good Catholics by Mike Gendron. The Lord Jesus communicated the Gospel and exposed religious errors by asking Jews hard questions. We can do the same as we evangelize Roman Catholics. Discover the key questions that will provoke Catholics to examine their faith, and hopefully, bring them to repentance and a knowledge of the truth. Code: CQUES, Sug. Don. $5 Evangelism Conference with John MacArthur, Sinclair Ferguson and Mike Gendron. Five edifying messages on Repentance, Regeneration, Faith and Witnessing. Code: CEVANG, Sug. Don. $24 Last Days for Catholics by Mike Gendron. Objectively examines the world's 2nd larg-

TRACTS
NewWhich Jesus Will You Trust? Share this thought provoking contrast between the Eucharistic Jesus of Catholicism and the Jesus of Scripture. Those who embrace a counterfeit Christ must be lovingly warned. Code: PWJ, Sug. Don. 50 for $8 Bible Bookmarks. Twenty-three Roman Catholic Doctrines with refuting Scriptures. Code: PMARK, Sug. Don. 50 for $5

DVDs For Equipping, Evangelizing, Exhortation and Edification

Each DVD contains two PowerPoint messages by Mike Gendron. unleashed an all out assault on the Christian faith. His insidious attacks are strategically aimed at six targets: The Supremacy of God's Word, The Sufficiency of God's Son, The Singularity of God's Gospel, The Sovereignty of God's Grace, The Security of God's Children, and the Sanctity of God's Church. True followers of Jesus Christ must defend the faith against the devil's schemes. (Ephesians 6:10). The 2nd message, Are You Sure You Are a Christian? deals with Paul's exhortation "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test?" Have you passed the test? Discover the Bible's tests to determine genuine faith. Share this message with professing Christians who have never heard the true Gospel. Tragically, there are many who profess Christ who are destined to hear the most terrifying words anyone could ever hear when Jesus says, "I never knew you, depart from me." (Mat. 7:23). Code: DSACF Sug. Donation $20 so that the name of Jesus Christ will be fully glorified and honored! The 2nd message, The Best Kept Secret in the Church, reveals man's greatest need - the need to be forgiven by a holy and righteous Judge. Many Christians live in a shadow of fear and without peace because they have never heard or understood this key doctrine in John's first epistle. Code: DDOD Sug. Donation $20

New Hard Questions for Good Catholics - The Lord Jesus communicated
the Gospel and exposed religious errors by asking Jews hard questions. We can do the same as we evangelize Roman Catholics. Discover the key questions that will provoke Catholics to examine their faith, and hopefully, bring them to repentance and a knowledge of the truth. The 2nd message, Last Days for Catholics objectively examines the world's 2nd largest religion through the lens of Scripture. Clearly it is not the church of Jesus Christ but a false religion that needs to be evangelized. Seven biblical principles for effective witnessing are presented with a focus on the huge mission field within the Roman Catholic Church. Code: DQUES, Sug. Don. $20
Hard Questions for Good Catholics Last Days for Catholics

What Catholics Don't Know identifies the ten most important biblical truths Catholics will not hear from their clergy. Without knowledge of these doctrines, over one billion Catholics are being held captive in legalistic bondage and are facing eternal consequences. Our sovereign Lord said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). The apostle Paul prayed for the salvation of the Israelites who were zealous for God but without knowledge (Romans 10:1-4). The same is true with many Catholics. In obedience to the Great Commission, we must share these Scriptural truths with them for the glory of God and for their salvation. The 2nd message asks the question, Is Catholicism Apostolic or Apostate? It is a provocative one because Catholics believe their church is the one true church of the apostles. However a close examination of its doctrines and dogmas tell another story. Over the last 1600 years the Roman Catholic Church has departed from the faith and the eternal truths of the Gospel. They have rejected the blood of Jesus Christ as the only cleansing agent for sin by creating Purgatory for purification. We must love Catholics enough to correct them in hopes that God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. Code: DWHAT Sug. Donation $20

The Coming One-World Religion reveals some key prophecies describing the last days including the formation of Satan's global religion. The catalysts for ecumenical unity and the role the Vatican are examined. The 2nd message, Tell Catholics the Truth, answers the question: "What is our most trustworthy source for discovering God's truth?" We must tell Catholics there is a supreme objective authority that we can trust - The Bible. Code: DCOWR Sug. Donation $20

The Death of Discernment - The major cause for the lack of discernment is due to a steady decline in biblical preaching. Many pastors are more interested in entertaining the goats than feeding the sheep. As a result, the most critical issue in the church today is defending the purity of the Gospel against compromise and ecumenism. The Bible must be the rudder that guides the Church through the stormy waters that have been stirred up by every wind of doctrine. If the Body of Christ does not start practicing discernment, we are headed for serious trouble, because the enemies of the Gospel are more outspoken than we are. Every Christian is called to discern the truth of God's Word from doctrinal error

Satan's Attacks on the Christian Faith is a message that reveals how the
devil's legions of liars are masquerading as messengers of Christ to deceive people with a false hope. The prince of this world must know his days are numbered because he has

God and the Gushy Gospel - A growing number of churches are now preaching a generic god with a gushy gospel in order to appeal to a larger segment of society. Seeking the approval of men over God, they measure success in numbers instead of faithful-

ness to God's Word. This message reveals the tragic consequences of a man-centered approach to Christianity? The gushy gospel has produced a generation of professing Christians who have never been truly converted. These "victims" live with a false hope because they have embraced a gospel that is powerless to save sinners. The 2nd message, Witnessing According to Paul is a practical exhortation for the Body of Christ to overcome the effects of the gushy Gospel. We can all learn from the greatest evangelist of the first century who honored the Lord Jesus Christ by proclaiming His complete Gospel with clarity and conviction. This message is an urgent call to restore biblical integrity to evangelism by proclaiming a Christ-centered Gospel that calls sinners to repentance! Be aware of the unbiblical methods of evangelism that have crept into many churches over the last hundred years. Test and examine your methods of evangelism with Paul's outline for witnessing. Code: DGUSH Sug. Donation $20

Israel, Islam and The Vatican - Examines the influence Roman Catholicism and Islam may have on the events leading up to Armageddon. These two religions share a common spiritual bond and worship the same god according to the late Pope John Paul II. Both have a strong history of anti-Semitism, both have over 1 billion adherents, great wealth, political power and influence. Both esteem the Virgin Mary as the most revered woman who ever lived. Learn more about these three monotheistic religions, the tribulation period and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign on the earth. The 2nd message, Contending for the Faith, provides a comprehensive look at the epistle of Jude with a 21st century application. Jude's exhortation needs to be heard today because the Gospel has been perverted and distorted like never before. All Christians must fight the good fight of faith for the glory of our Savior, the sanctity of His Church and the eternal destiny of those who are being deceived. Code: DIIV Sug. Donation $20 The following DVDs contain only one message by various evangelicals:

Catholicism: Crisis of Faith - Follow the spiritual journey of former priests and nuns as they explain how they found the narrow road that leads to life by turning to Christ and His Word. Discover the cause for the present global Crisis in the Catholic Church. Now in English Spanish, German, Korean, Portuguese, Polish and Chinese all on the same DVD. Code: DCATH Sug. Donation $20 A Woman Rides the Beast - A revealing look at the history of the Roman Catholic Church and how it may play a significant role in the Last Days. Whether you believe the woman is the Roman Catholic Church or another false religious system, this DVD will give you a greater urgency to contend for the faith against the ecumenical movement and all other attempts to unite professing Christianity under the pope. The fatal errors of Catholicism must be made known to those who embrace her gospel. Code: DRIDE Sug. Donation $20

Which Jesus Do You Trust? is a message that contrasts the Jesus of the cults and Roman Catholicism with the Jesus of Scripture. Objective facts from authoritative sources reveal the Jesus whom Roman Catholics worship and trust is another Jesus whom the apostles did not preach (2 Cor. 11:4). He is unable to save Catholics completely and forever. Knowing and believing the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ is of vital importance because He said: "if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:24). The 2nd message, Doctrines of Demons, is a message that reveals the character and ambition of Satan and his schemes and strategies to deceive the world. Discover all the counterfeits he has created to divert people's attention away from a pure devotion to the Creator. Learn how you can stand firm against his lies and deception. Code: DWJ Sug. Donation $20

Roman Catholicism vs. Evangelical Christianity.

Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries interviews Mike Gendron on a subject that every Catholic needs to hear. The program was professionally recorded and produced from the studio where the weekly television program Christ in Prophecy is broadcast nationally over the DayStar Network and the Inspirational Network. With sensitivity and compassion, Gendron and Reagan explore how Catholics have been led to trust a different authority, believe another gospel and worship a Christ who is unable to save sinners completely and forever. Code: DCVEC Sug. Donation $20

Messages From Heaven - Reports of

paranormal and supernatural activity are on the rise! Tens of millions of people have been flocking to apparition sites around the world hoping to encounter the Virgin Mary. This DVD examines these visions in light of God's holy word. Excellent visual and sound effects accompany footage of various apparition sites and interviews with Marian devotees. The alluring power of these visions is drawing not only Catholics but many Protestants and Muslims also. A clear Gospel message is given during this 79-minute presentation. Now in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Polish, all on the same DVD. Code: DMESS Sug. Donation $20

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Please let us know if you would like to continue receiving our newsletter. You can do this by calling us at (972) 495-0485, or checking and returning the order form on the preceding page or e-mailing us at: ptg@pro-gospel.org It is our desire to be good stewards of the resources God provides for this ministry. The best way we know how to control our printWhy do you pray to Mary? ing and distribution costs is to purge our mailNowhere in the Bible do we see believers ing list at the end of each year of those who praying to anyone except God. Jesus taught no longer desire to receive our publications. us how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. If you have not contacted us He instructed us to pray to the Father and in the past twelve months not to use meaningless repetition (Mat. 6:7we will assume you no 13). Yet Catholics are taught to pray the rolonger wish to receive our sary which is made up of over 50 meaningnewsletter. less and repetitious prayers to Mary. As you have been blessed by the ministry of Proclaiming the Gospel, please remember us Why aren't these Catholic traditions in your year-end gifts and prayers. Your sup- found in the 1st century Church? port will help equip more saints for the work o Priests offering sacrifices for sins of evangelism and keep our newsletter going o Indulgences remitting sin's punishment out to subscribers in 55 countries. Donations o Church leaders forbidden to marry are tax deductible. o Infallible men

purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3). "He gave Himself for us to purify for Himself a people for His own possession" (Titus 2:14). "The blood of Jesuscleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). These verses destroy the myth of Purgatory. Yet the Vatican continues to deceive Catholics by teaching they must undergo purification [in Purgatory] to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven (CCC, 1030).

Did you know that whenever you believe a doctrine, you must also forsake that which opposes it? Scripture reveals that Jesus saves... + by faith in Him, not baptism + His grace, not our merit + by His finished work, not our works + by His righteousness, not ours + by His one offering for sin, not the Mass + by His blood, not purgatory + by His obedience, not ours + by His Gospel, not our perversion of it Which Jesus will you trust? The Jesus of the Bible promises eternal life, the complete forgiveness of sins, a permanent right standing with God and the power to live a victorious life. The Catholic Jesus is a Jesus that was never preached by the Apostles (2 Cor. 11:4). This counterfeit Christ provides only conditional life, partial forgiveness of sins, an ongoing need for priests and mediators, uncertainty, fear and doubt. Those who reject the true Jesus, who is clearly and conclusively revealed in His Word, will be judged accordingly. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "The word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day" (John 12:48).