C

Contending ontending
earnestly
July 2011

cetf Ffaith
for the

aith

Volume 17.2

Issue 56

When He Cometh...When He Cometh

.... they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; ... - Malachi 3:16-17. My wife and I have just returned from a ministry trip to UK May 10 to June 16, 2011, which included a three day Conference at Bawtry in south Yorkshire, where I was invited to speak on the theme, I go to prepare a place for you John 14: 2. In view of the topic, the increased difficulty of travel, plus the impact of the many worrying, confusing and at times plainly grotesque happenings in our world, I was reminded of the old song, composed by Albert E. Brumley, that we used to sing with gusto: This world is not my home; I'm just a-passin' through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world any more [1] That sentiment is stronger today than ever, and so it should be. Like the migratory bar-tailed godwit that flies 11,000 kilometres (6,875 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand or the arctic tern that migrates more than 17,000 kilometres (10,625 miles),[2] when the time for their setting off draws near, become restless and excited, so the true Christian senses we won't be here too much longer. It's happening and this is one of the signs that the trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52) will soon summon us upward and, like those migratory birds, the true Church inevitably engages in the bridal preparation referred to in scripture:
Footnote:
[1] http://cetf.co/ilMx4p [2] http://cetf.co/jln4rR

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready - Revelation 19:7.

Of course there are other signs, empirical evidences that are pointers to the near return of Christ: Birth pangs Jesus warned, ... these are the beginning of sorrows (Greek [Strong 5604] (odin) = the pain of childbirth; intolerable anguish) - Matthew 24:8. Apostasy of Faith Jesus questioned, ... when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? - Luke 18:8, cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Worldly indifference and callousness Jesus prophesied: ... as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed - Luke 17 26-29. The end-time spiritual instinct (what A. W. Tozer would have referred to as the magnetic draw) is not present in the unbeliever or carnal Christian and they also reject the empirical evidence that is so clear to the Bible-believing Christian. I encountered an example of this on Tuesday February 22, 2011,

visit our website @ www.cwm.org.au

When He Cometh...When He Cometh.........................................1 David Wilkerson Memorial Service .............................................3 Prophecy & Disaster in our Time ................................................4 When In Rome Do As the Romans?.............................................5 Did Jesus Teach the Divinity of Man?..........................................8 What about Chrislam?..............................................................11 Hellsong - The Music of Hillsong - In Praise of Folly.............................13 News, Views and Your Letters...................................................16 CWM Resources .......................................................................17 What Have We Become? ..........................................................23 Mocking Truth: Rob Bells False Hope, Worldly heaven and Earth-based Hell ...........................................................24 The Capture of the Ark Gad as a Prisoner of War .....................................................27 The Making of a Prophet ..........................................................29 Assemblies of God and Elim: Living in a Fool's Paradise (Part 2) ........................................32

URL links have been shortened to save space. Visit our website for full URL link references.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them - Ephesians 5:11.

the day of which John Key, New Zealand's PM later said, [it] may well be New Zealand's darkest day. I was drinking coffee in a cafe in the West-End of Brisbane, waiting for our grandson Joshua Pitman, who was having his infected leg checked at the hospital, when Kath called my mobile to tell me about the devastating Christchurch earthquake. I broke the news to a man sitting next to me who immediately verified it on his iPhone. I said to him, Have you noticed the increased frequency of these natural disasters? The Bible warns that this will happen in the end times. His response was dismissive, It's all happened before. Little did he know that the Bible describes him and his response: .... scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." For this they wilfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men 2 Peter 3:3-7 (NKJV). The birth-pangs are numerous and the apostasy is endemic and still the indifference prevails eating and drinking; marrying and giving in marriage; selling and planting and building, what could be more normal, natural, ordinary? And indeed this is what we see. Disaster here and there, and life everywhere else continues on as if nothing happened. Only Bible-believing Christians have a true sense of what is happening and what to do about it, just as Daniel predicted: none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand - Daniel 12:10. ... but the people who know their God shall be strong, and do exploits (take action) - Daniel 11:32. Both the world and Christendom in general are dismissive about the end of the world and/or the rapture of the Church. Only true Bible-believers are 2
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alert to and accepting of both and this drives us to: Expose the works of Darkness in obedience to the Scripture: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them - Ephesians 5:11. And to: Prepare ourselves to meet Christ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure - 1 John 3:3. Back in the mid 1990's I did a series of talks to a small group in Hamilton, New Zealand, entitled The Bride of Christ. This developed out of a series of articles which I wrote for the late Barry Smith's paper, Omega Times. Barry was warned by AoG pastors in Australia that if he continued to publish my writings his platform opportunities would be affected. Barry and I agreed that he had enough battles of his own without fighting mine, so the series was wound up. That event sparked the formation of CWM and the launching of CETF. The series of audio tapes on The Bride of Christ went worldwide, as did CETF, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Peter Fowler told me that he would be pleased to be put in touch with any person who had suffered abuse similar to his own. If anyone can contact PF I would appreciate their asking him to get in touch with me see back page of CETF. The true Bride of Christ will not avoid or ignore the truth, nor will they shy away from true repentance, which requires total disclosure. It's Cleanup Time in the Church. The Bride of Christ must make herself ready to meet her Bridegroom. WHEN HE COMETH Words: William O. Cushing, 1856. Music: Jewels, George F. Root, 1866 (MIDI, score). When He cometh, when He cometh To make up His jewels, All His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Refrain - Like the stars of the morning, His brightness adorning, They shall shine in their beauty, Bright gems for His crown. He will gather, He will gather The gems for His kingdom; All the pure ones, all the bright ones, His loved and His own. Refrain Little children, little children, Who love their Redeemer, Are the jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Refrain Once more we commend the articles in this issue of CETF to your prayerful consideration and ask you to sincerely and earnestly pray for the forthcoming CWM Conferences in New Zealand and Australia on the theme of The Vanishing Gospel and the Call of God to Preach The True Gospel. This is undoubtedly the most important issue facing the church in our time see separate promotional literature enclosed. God bless you.

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men
One of the tapes in the series is entitled, It's Clean-Up Time in the Church, which in a small way proved to be prophetic. Encouraged by our literature several decided to make a stand, including Peter Fowler (PF) who brought a serious charge against AoG's front running preacher and pastor, Frank Houston (FH). Frank was disciplined by AoG who forbad his preaching in Australia and New Zealand for life. FH is now dead and PF, with whom I had an extensive email correspondence, has disappeared after achieving an undisclosed settlement with AoG-NZ.

Philip

wow, Id like to be like David Wilkerson, but rather, wow the power of the cross of Jesus to save lives.

David Wilkerson
Memorial Service
never met a gang member and never met a drug addict. David was indeed a man who, like Abraham, went out not knowing where he was going but looking for a city which he did not build; a man who believed in Gods calling, who knew his God and knew the still small voice that spoke to him. He had no plan, no timelines, no board to consult and no particular funding. He just turned up! Some would say that was total naivet. As The New York Times, put it, His method was an absolute model of simplicity, directness and total nonsophistication he just went out on the streets and mixed with the kids and reasoned with them face-to-face, often quoting the Bible and it worked. Teen Challenge was born out of this ministry as was the David Wilkerson Youth Crusades resulting in many teenagers giving their lives to Christ. The ministry then went international and hundreds of thousands heard and responded to the Gospel. In 1987 David returned to New York and established Times Square Church. As he said, Times Square was put in my heart and I couldnt shake it. The church moved a couple of times but was finally established in the old Mark Hellinger Theatre. Like New York itself the building was in a dirty and run down state. The fellowship helpers spent a Saturday cleaning it up for the first service held the next day. New York City, the Big Apple as some call it, was equally in need of a cleanup. In 1987 Times Square itself was pretty much a red-light district. Full of pornography, people on crack (cocaine), prostitution was rife and up to 60,000 people were homeless and lived on the streets. The streets were full of garbage and completely littered. Crime was high. st West 51 Street itself was known as crack alley. David described it as vile. Here again the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, administered Gods way, produced a transformation in the city of New York. This transformation is not in any way associated with or even resembles, the so-called transformation spiritual warfare techniques taught by Peter Wagner, Harold Caballeros or Cindy Jacobs and their associated Prophetic Apostolic Reformation nonsense. The ministry of David Wilkerson and his church fellowship were truly works of God through the power of the preaching of the gospel, with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven cf. 1 Peter 1:12. By Lawrie Cornish CWM-NZ On May 14 I had the privilege to represent Christian Witness Ministries at the memorial service for Pastor David Wilkerson. The service was held at the st Times Square Church West 51 Street, just around the corner from Broadway, New York City.
th

Many U.S. newspapers carried headlines of which the following is a sample: The San Francisco Chronicle read: Broadway Church Smash Hit in N.Y. 25th December 1988. People Magazine: His Prayers Answered, Evangelist David Wilkerson Has a Divine Hit thRunning on the Great White Way. 4 September 1989.The Houston Chronicle:David Wilkersons th Church a Broadway Hit. 7 October 1989. The memorial service was the greatest show on Broadway. Im not trying to be sensational; many people euphemistically describe Times Square Church as such. I mean, what believer would want to pay and go to some sort of clown-show on Broadway when you can enjoy the fellowship of believers and be part of the worship? Even if it is jazzed up a bit!

Many will remember David Wilkersons book The Cross and the Switchblade written in the early 1960s. It later became a film. In my early Christian years the film was shown at youth group meetings and later, after I had read the book, the testimony had quite an impact on me. Not so much, wow, Id like to be like David Wilkerson, but rather, wow the power of the cross of Jesus to save lives. Having said that, it is remarkable that through one mans obedience to the call of God on his life, many thousands have been saved from the miry clay and established on THE ROCK, who is Christ. David Wilkerson born in 1931 came from a line of pastors. Both his father and grandfather were pastors. No doubt the prayers of his forebears and a godly upbringing set David on a firm highway to obedience in Christ. In 1958 David left his pastorate in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, and travelled to New York, after reading about the gang troubles in that city, in Life magazine. He had never been to New York before,

The service contained many testimonies and stories about David from the Times Square pastors and from Davids sons who are also pastors. The singing and worship at the end of the service was quite incredible. Im not sure how many attended the service or how many viewed the CNN live Internet streaming. However, I do know that the Churchs main annexe and auditorium were full plus two other church fellowship buildings used in the location. These
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It is not calamity and disaster that brings people to God...It is the Word of God through witness that brings people to God.

other two had evidently purchased old theatres as well. The authorities closed the road off and put white seats out in front of a large projector screen. Evidently the estimated viewers were well over a million people worldwide.

The ministry then went international and hundreds of thousands heard and responded to the Gospel.
At the end of the service I spoke to a man who called himself a Rabbi of the New York Messianic church on my left and on my right a pastor who had just driven for three hours to get to the service. Three hours after arriving I spilled out onto the road with everyone else and turned the corner towards Times Square. The 1980s porn shops and strip joints were all gone. I couldnt see any sign of drug dealers and the streets were litter freetruly a transformation.

Prophecy & Disaster in our time

by B. Michael Bigg (Assistant editor CETF). 2011 commenced with a spate of disasters: floods, earthquakes and tsunamis. The second quarter of the year hasnt fared much better with deadly tornados in the United States, flooding in New South Wales, another aftershock earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a Chilean volcano sending an ash cloud around the world, ongoing unrest and civil war in parts of the middle-east, and the continuing meltdown of Japans Fukashima nuclear reactor. In spite of all this turmoil, death and destruction life goes on. The one light amongst such gloom was the much hyped and broadcasted marriage of Britains Prince William to Catherine (Kate) Middleton. And He (Jesus) said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, 'Look there! Look here!' Do not go away, and do not run after them. For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. Luke 17:22-30 (NASB) It is not calamity and disaster that brings people to God, though they might cause them to cry out to or at God, and church attendance may increase until things get back to normal. It is the Word of God through witness that brings people to God. We see this vividly in the book of Revelation where the response to calamity is not a seeking after God but a desire to hide from Him. I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" Revelation 6:12-17 (NASB) But what does this mean for us? In biblical Greek the word for witness is ma,rtuj (martus) and its verb form marture,w (martureo) means to bear witness, testify. It is from this word that we get our English martyr indeed it was not uncommon in the first century that being a witness for Christ meant death especially under the rule of certain Roman emperors; and likewise in some parts of the world today witness leads to martyrdom.

Pastor David Wilkerson died in a car accident on 27th April in Texas. He was th only a few days off his 80 birthday. He was a loving husband to his wife Gwendolyn, a loving father and grandfather, friend to the outcast and a fearless witness to the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May the Lord raise up more David Wilkersons for this generation. To see the video of the memorial service please go to:- http://cetf.co/qIG02p

It is not calamity and disaster that brings people to God...It is the Word of God through witness that brings people to God.
Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain the seven letters (of praise, warning and criticism) to the churches. The warning introducing these letters, in Revelation chapter 1, makes the observation that Jesus walks amongst the seven lampstands which we are told are symbolic of the churches. Jesus is aware of what is truly going on IN HIS churches. The letters to the churches begins with Ephesus and ends with Laodicea. The warnings and criticism to these two churches include a call to repent, and indeed failure to do so means that Jesus,

about the author

Lawrie Cornish lives in Wellington, New Zealand with his wife Sherry and their two sons and two daughters. He has his own Accountancy practice and kindly administers the New Zealand arm of CWM on a voluntary basis. He was privileged to be invited to officially represent CWM at the memorial service of dear brother David Wilkerson.

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Faithful witness means being a faithful and uncompromising witness inside the church and ... in the cultural and societal location we are in

will remove your lampstand out of its place (Rev 2:5) and will spit you out of My mouth (Rev 3:16). Ephesus was criticised for failing to keep their first love failing to do what they did at the beginning. Though commended for their perseverance to maintain correct doctrine and testing those who say they are Gods ambassadors (apostles, prophets, teachers, etc.) they appear to have failed to keep their witness alive. They had become so introspective and so protective of themselves (and their church) that they failed to be a light and witness to others. The Laodiceans were the complete opposite: they were so open and loving they stood for nothing. The introduction to the Loadicean letter is by The Amen, the faithful and true Witness (Rev 3:14), something this church obviously was not. These letters and warnings to the churches in Revelation show us that:
correct doctrine is important and in

individually.
Our witness is to be faithful and true

as HE is faithful and true.

We are to witness to a fallen world:

to our neighbours, associates and work colleagues; witnesses socially, societal (or societary) and in business.

the beach, the park, football, cricket, baseball, and so on and so on. True Church growth is not happening in the blessed West, but in the persecuted church around the world. Church growth happens as a result of the light of witness, even when that witness results in martyrdom. Increasingly the freedoms of the West are being eroded and biblical Christianity is becoming openly criticised, accused of being intolerant and bigoted. So, is the church being shaken, our faithfulness tested and our witness revealed? If so, was the Church in the West really blessed for having its time of peace and safety? Or is the time of trial and testing coming to the western church a time of true light and true witness?

And also, our witness is to be

maintained, even in the face of death.

fact, essential;

the testing of ministers is correct

Faithful witness means being a faithful and uncompromising witness inside the church (even if those in a church reject that witness) and a faithful and uncompromising witness in the cultural and societal location we are in. For some Christians the consequences of such a stand may result in a lack of business and/or the ability to support ones family. For others their witness may mean martyrdom not necessarily by being killed, maimed or blown up but by refusing to renounce the Lord Jesus Christ, i.e. laying down our lives for Him.. A common prayer heard in the west is for the continuing freedom and blessing of living in a country where we can worship God openly. Yet the churchs witness (in general) is such that it is seen as merely a bunch of people going to church on Sunday whilst the rest of society goes to

about the author

B. MICHAEL BIGG, and his wife, Kathryn, came out of the Word-Faith movement. Michael has a concern for the preaching of the truth (or lack of it) in many of today's churches. He has a desire to assist in the education of the elect and reaching the lost.

practice,

as is the rejection of those who are

shown to be false;

The church as lampstands are

called to be light, corporately and

When in Rome, Do as the Romans?

By Mark L. R. Mullins And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God Romans 12:2 This year sees the celebration of 400 years since the King James Bible was authorised by King James I. Certainly this translation was a remarkable achievement and represents a rare moment in history where the rulers of Britain took so seriously the need to have an accurate translation of Gods Word. Having said this, one must remember that all was not rosy in this period of English history. The reason behind the translation of the King James Bible was to try and provide a bridge between the Puritans on the one hand, many of whom wanted a division between church and state, and the high churchmen on the other, who were upholders of the establishment with the King at its head. Archbishop Richard Bancroft was appointed overseer of the translation and Lancelot Andrewes was his right hand man as chair of the project and head of the company responsible for translating Genesis through to 2 Kings. Yet both of these men had actively engaged in persecuting Puritans. For example in March 1590 Andrewes, under the instruction of Bancroft, interrogated Henry Barrow, a leading separatist who had been arrested in 1587 and kept in the Fleet prison[1]. The purpose of the visiting churchmen was in Barrow's quaint medieval English, to fish from [him] som matter, wheruppon they might accuse them to the holy fathers the th bishops. Barrow was executed on 5 April 1593 at Tyburn[2] because he denied the holiness of the English Church and its liturgy and the Queens authority as its head. Bancroft and Andrewes were not alone in their persecuting endeavours: Hadrian Saravia, a major propagandist of the Divine Right of Kings interrogated a separatist[3] called Daniel Studley (also in the Fleet) and Thomas Sparkes tried to convince Roger Waters of his sins as he
Footnote:
[1] Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Thames in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846. [2] Tyburn is very close to the present day Marble Arch in London [3] Separatists did not believe in an established church but instead that the church should be separate from the State
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Archbishop Richard Bancroft

Sadly, in the legal world, it is difficult to find Christian judges who will stand up for biblical teaching in their judgments.

hung in chains in Newgate gaol (known as the Limbo).[4] The purpose of this article is to show that, in some ways, little has changed over the 400 years since the translation of this great work. Establishment religion has generally been opposed to biblical faithfulness. Men like Bancroft and Andrewes were intimately acquainted with the Word of God and, in its translation, did an invaluable service to Christendom. It is a translation used today by many evangelicals including myself. Yet these men denied its message in their persecution of the true Church of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus warned his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1) and even more pointedly that there would come a time when whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service (John 16:2). The 21 Century Legal World On 12 May 2011 the Christian Broadcasting Council held a symposium at the House of Lords to celebrate Britain a n d t h e B i b l e [ 5 ] . A m o n g st t h e contributors was Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss who was the President of the Family Division of the High Court between 1999 and 2005. She said this about the Bible: The Bible had a great effect on me as a judge and in my private life and still does. I was very much aware that I would one day be judged as I was doing. In these days of moral pluralism, the celebration of the King James Bible in this year may encourage more people to read it and to benefit from it.[6]
th st

It is hard to understand this endorsement of Gods Word, when on 3rd April 2003, Baroness Butler-Sloss called for the law to recognise homosexual partnerships so they could have protection for their partnerships and the resulting family structure. At the same time she called for the law to recognise the right of transsexuals to marry in an assumed gender.[7] Before that in 1999 she said that she supported the adoption of children by gay couples.[8] It is difficult to appreciate how Baroness Butler-Sloss could take seriously the impending and terrible judgment of God, when she is calling for the very things that are themselves evidence of Gods Wrath against mankind, to be endorsed by the nations laws (Romans 1:26-27): For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. The end of Romans 1 carries a warning not only for those who do these things but also for those who may not participate themselves but in the words of the English Standard Version, give approval to those who practise them (v32). And that is not even to mention Sodom and Gomorrah (see Jude 7). Baroness Butler-Slosss successor as President of the Family Division, Sir Mark Potter, at least upheld the distinction between heterosexual marriage and homosexual partnerships when refusing the challenge of a lesbian couple against the refusal to have their Canadian marriage recognised in this country: It is apparent that the majority of people, or at least of governments, not only in England but Europe-wide, regard marriage as an age-old institution, valued and valuable, respectable and respected, as a means not only of encouraging monogamy but also the procreation of children and their development and nurture in a family unit (or "nuclear family") in which both maternal and paternal influences are available in respect of their nurture and upbringing [9].

biblical teaching in their judgments. It fell to a non-legally qualified justice of the peace, Andrew McClintock, to make a stand over homosexual adoptions. When the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 came into force in December 2005, granting samesex partners equal rights to married couples for adoption, he asked to be recused[10] from sitting on cases where civil partners were candidates for the adoption of children. The Legal Director of the South Yorkshire District and the

Andrew McClintock Chairman of the Lord Chancellors Advisory Committee for the local Bench informed him that he was not entitled to recuse himself from such cases and so he resigned his position. He said in January 2007: In the 15 years I have sat with colleagues on the Family Bench, I can say with total conviction that I have always acted in the very best interests of every child over whom I have been asked to make an order Acting in the best interest of the child I believe I therefore have no choice than not to make an order to place a child in the care of a same-sex couple. [11] He went on to lose the case he brought against the Lord Chancellor in the Employment Tribunal. Andrew McClintock is, sadly a lonely Christian voice thwithin legal circles. By contrast, on 13 May 2010, Mr Justice Hedley, a committed Christian and layreader in the Church of England, made an adoption order in favour of a lesbian couple to bring up a child who had been
Footnote:
[10] Recuse means to disqualify oneself as a judge in a case [11] http://cetf.co/mbmZSo When Mr McClintock was sent a copy of this article he made this comment: My position was in fact less than 100% opposition to same-sex placements: I said there might be exceptional circumstances in which the emotional harm, to a child, of a severed relationship was greater than the continuance of an arrangement which, as I saw it, was both unbiblical and usually inferior in practice.

Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss

Footnote:
[4] Taken from When God Spoke English by Adam Nicolson (pages 88-92) [5] http://cetf.co/kIOwXN [6] http://cetf.co/kmPHM8

Sadly, in the legal world, it is difficult to find Christian judges who will stand up for
Footnote:
[7] http://cetf.co/lCvofe [8] http://cetf.co/leY122 [9] Wilkinson v Kitzinger [2006] EWHC 2022

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Today there is a real danger of Christians in professional and public life calling themselves Christians ...yet... They profess to know God; but in works they deny Him

adopted in Nicaragua by one of the two women thus recognising not only the legitimacy of a lesbian couple as a family unit but also that the childs welfare was best served by her being brought up within this unbiblical framework. [12]

It is difficult to see what kind of salt Mr Justice Hedleys decision is in this case. The only possible justification that Mr Justice Hedley could give is that there was no alternative prospective parent for the child, but that does not excuse a Christian endorsing a family unit based solely on sexual sin, not to mention the effect on the child of being brought up in this unnatural and immoral environment, however well-intentioned the judge might be. Mr Justice Hedley was in the news in May 2011 over a number of his decisions to retrospectively recognise commercial surrogacy arrangements, entered into abroad, which he admitted during a BBC Radio 4 interview.[15] During that interview he said this: Commercial surrogacy is a highly controversial matter ethically and at the end of the day, by the time the case gets to me, the best I can do is focus on the welfare of the child The whole issue of surrogacy warrants an article of its own. In short it involves implanting an embryo (whose source is sperm/eggs from either anonymous donors or putative parents[16]) into a third party female who carries the embryo through to birth. In the case of commercial surrogacy, which is illegal in the UK, the only way a judge can order an adoption after birth is to retrospectively authorise the paying of unreasonable[17] expenses to the surrogate mother which the judge admitted doing in the cases that he was involved in. The Bible condemns this approach to child-birth for a number of reasons: (1) it usually involves procreation (whether by s ex u a l i n t e rc o u rs e o r a r t i f i c i a l insemination) with partners other than the adoptive parents and (2) even more fundamentally it involves the destruction of unwanted embryos (that is fertilised eggs and therefore human life) that are not placed within the surrogate mothers womb. In the two reported cases that Mr Justice Hedley presided over [18], the child was conceived using an anonymous donor egg and the sperm from the putative father. The fertilised egg was then implanted into the surrogate mothers womb.
Footnote:
[15] http://cetf.co/lU0wsh [16] Reputed or supposed parents. [17] The purpose of not allowing unreasonable expenses was to prevent commercial surrogacy arrangements [18] Re X [2009] Fam 71 and Re IJ [2011] EWHC 921 (Fam)

It is hard to conclude other than that Mr Justice Hedley has, by retrospectively authorising the payment of the funds to the surrogate mother, and ordering the adoption, endorsed a practice that is forbidden by the Bible. What does a Christian do in such circumstances? At the end of the day he must do whatever is required to avoid endorsing conduct that breaks Gods law which may simply mean passing the case to another judge. However, as Andrew McClintocks example shows, it might have more regrettable consequences to a persons career. The title of this article poses the question: When in Rome, do as the Romans? It is st so easy in the 21 Century, to go along with the prevailing ethos of the world and often with the best of motives. I have no doubt that Mr Justice Hedley and Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss both considered that their comments and decisions relating homosexual adoption, same-sex couples and surrogate children were being charitable to those concerned. However true charity comes only in the context of Gods Law. The summary of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:3739). Love is not possible outside the commands of God and our allegiance as Christians must be to God first.

Mr Justice Mark Hedley Yet in June 2004 Mr Justice Hedley wrote an emailed thought for the week to Christian lawyers[13] in which he commented on Abrahams petitions to the Lord about the destruction of Sodom and the effect of fifty righteous people (Genesis 18:26-7) and the call in Revelation 18:2,4 for Gods People to separate themselves from the fallen city, Babylon. This is what he wrote: From the earliest days of Abraham until the last moment before the judgement falls, God's people are to be found side by side with the evil of the Earth. We are there not to share in its sin, but for two quite different reasons. First, we are to be the salt of the Earth and if salt is to be effective as a preservative and seasoner, it must be a sprinkling in a mouldering mass. Secondly, God's people are to be where the Earth hurts most, which is usually where Sin's effect is at its most powerful. Many Christian lawyers have a special place in this aspect of God's work and we should not fear the forces around us as we have to deal with violence, dishonesty, betrayal and the abuse of others - the general lot of Family and Criminal lawyers as well as others. [14]
Footnote:
[12] T v OCC [2010] EWHC 964 (Fam) [13] http://cetf.co/larH13 [14] http://cetf.co/larH13

The title of this article poses the question: When in Rome, do as the Romans? It is so easy in the 21st Century, to go along with the prevailing ethos of the world and often with the best of motives.
In the days of Bancroft and Andrewes it was the King of England who took their first allegiance and led to the disastrous result that they persecuted Gods children, despite being the organising minds behind what is one of the finest translations of the Bible in existence. Today there is a real danger of Christians in professional and public life calling themselves Christians and professing to love that same Bible, yet in the words of
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For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Paul in Titus 1:12:They profess to know God; but in works they deny Him Tempting as it is to be conformed to the standards of this world, we must remember that it is the Word of God that should inform and transform our thinking. It may not be easy but it is the requirement of every Christian who must not only believe in the Lord but also do His Will as the Lord said in Matthew 7:21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Let us all take heed. The way to the King James Bible was paved by the blood of the martyrs starting with Tyndale, whose translation is said to have made up 90% of the King James version. Consider the words of Latimer to Ridley, both Marian martyrs, when the stood bound together outside Balliol College, Oxford, waiting to be burned: Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out. The King James Bible was founded by the unswerving devotion of Christs servants who were willing to pay the ultimate price which allegiance to Gods Kingdom may ultimately require. May we not be found wanting when our hour of trial arrives and remember those precious words of Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7-8: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God

DID JESUS TEACH THE DEITY OF HUMANITY?

Investigating the original intent of Jesus' statement, "You are gods."
By Larry DeBruyn Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? - John 10:34 (KJV) Mystic, New Age, cultic and Word of Faith spiritualists commonly assume that in the essence of their being they are divine, that either they are or can become gods.[1] By employing The Third Eye for example, mystics attempt to contemplate into the consciousness of their divine nature. One Norwegian website explains: During deep meditation, the single or spiritual eye becomes visible within the central part of the forehead. This omniscient eye is variously referred to in scriptures as the third eye . . .[2] The website asserts that the Lord is in heaven. But where is heaven? How can heaven be found? "Gliding inside oneself in the right way should 'work wonders'," the university explains. How can someone "glide within" to discover heaven within where the Lord dwells? By meditating upon the assumption that you are "the image of God inside yourself," the website answers. In a spirit of self-hype, members of the Word of Faith movement also claim themselves to be little gods who can selfcreate what they want out of life. To assert their divinity, both movements employ the statement of Jesus where He asked the Jews, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'?" (John 10:34). When in John 10:34 He told the Jews "You are gods," did Jesus mean to say that persons possess an essential divinity awaiting their discovery by taking a meditative journey into "inner space"? To support their claim that man is or can become God, teachers of the "man-isgod" doctrine have seized upon words that Jesus intended only for the Jews, ignored their original intent and arrogantly applied them to their own being. Without conscripting Jesus words to make them conform to any preconception of what we might want them to say, what did Jesus
Footnote:
[1] In enunciating the view of humanity held by most teachers of the human potential movement, psychologist M. Scott Peck wrote: "God wants us to become Himself (or Herself or Itself). We are growing toward godhood." See M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Travelled (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978) 270. In its "Adam-God" doctrine, Mormonism teaches, "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." See "Mormonism," Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult, George A. Mather and Larry A. Nichols, Editors (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993) 194. Word of Faith teachers assert that because Christians are "little gods," they can through positive confession decree their own health and wealth. See Walter Martin, "You Shall Be As Gods," The Agony of Deceit, Michael Horton, Editor (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1990) 89-105. [2] The Gold Scales, "The Divine Light and the Third Eye," http://cetf.co/lQhOgY

really mean when He said to the Jews, "You are gods"? [3] To discover the intent of Jesus' statement to the Jews, Psalm 82, the source of Jesus' quotation in John 10:34 must be understood. The psalm begins by asserting that God (verse 1a) is the Judge of "the gods" (verse 1b). The psalmist then directs attention to God's indictment of "the gods" (verses 2-7). God accused them of prejudice in favour of the wicked and of oppression of the poor, the innocent and the needy (verses 2-4). He accused them of being blinded by their might, of being

In a spirit of selfhype, members of the Word of Faith movement also claim themselves to be little gods who can selfcreate what they want out of life
corrupted by their power, and of having perverted the nation's legal "foundations" (verse 5). Sound familiar? Because they thought themselves to be invincible, God reminds the arrogant judges/gods of their mortality and that He had appointed them to their office (verses 6-7). The song closes with the congregation's petition to God that He would administer justice on the earth (verse 8). Because Jesus quoted this psalm in His argument with the Jews, any understanding of His words must be connected to the psalm's original intent. As the Master Lawyer, we assume that Jesus' reference to the Law of Psalm 82 was a key part of His defense against the
Footnote:
[3] Because of the negative cast John seemingly ascribes to the Jews, some accuse the gospel of anti-Semitism or racial stereotyping. But the reader should know that in his references to the Jews, John, himself being a Jew, most likely was referring to the leadership of the nation at that time (John 1:19; 5:10,16,18; 7:13; 9:22; etc.). As to how to understand the frequent mention of "the Jews" in the gospel, Morris comments that John employs the term Jews "to denote the Jewish nation as hostile to Jesus. It does not necessarily denote the whole nation. In fact characteristically it means the Jews of Judea, especially those in and around Jerusalem." If Jews may at times be a synonym for Judaens, then the expression also differentiates Judaeans from Galileans and Samaritans (John 4:9). See Leon Morris, The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1971) 130131. One must be careful to think that John's designation "Jews" carries a narrow racial meaning (i.e., the Jewish people).

about the author

Mark Mullins is a practising barrister at the Bar of England and Wales. He is also an elder at Stroud Green Christian Assembly (a traditional Pentecostal church started out of a Smith Wigglesworth crusade in the 1920s). The Assembly has had links with CWM since CWM was formed (www.sgca-online.org).

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And all this Jesus did by the authority of Scripture, for as He said, "the Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

charge of blasphemy which the Jews leveled against Him for stating, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). In order to determine the original intent of the psalm's declaration, "I said, 'You are gods'," two interpretive questions must be answered: first, who are the "gods" to which the psalm, and then Jesus, refer (Psalm 82:1b, 6a); and second, who is the designated speaker in the phrase "I said"? The First Question: Who are the gods? Scholars offer three interpretations of the identity of the gods: a, that gods refer to pagan idols; b, that gods refer to angelic beings; and c, that gods refer to human judges who were vice-regents in the administration of Israel's theocratic kingdom. As already intimated and for good reasons, the gods of Psalm 82 can only refer to human judges. First, Psalm 82 begins, God [Elohim] takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers [elohim]. In the Psalm's opening verse, there are two elohim references. First, there exists the single and sovereign God (Elohim) who possesses authority over His earthly vice-regents (the elohim). Like "the gods" in Psalm 82:1b and 6a, elohim is elsewhere translated "judges" or "rulers" in the Old Testament (See Exodus 21:6 and 22:8.).[4] God had therefore invested the gods with authority to administrate the Law in Israel's theocratic kingdom (verse 1). For the purpose of administering day-to-day justice, the judges/gods (the elohim) were the extension of Elohim's authority amongst His ancient people, Israel. Second, the immediate context also identifies these elohim (i.e., gods) to be human. God chastises the judges for showing partiality in administering justice, for oppressing the unfortunate, and for ignoring the needy (verses 2-4). Such offenses can only be committed by human rulers. Further, because of their crookedness "All the foundations of the earth are shaken" (verse 5). For reason of judicial prejudice, the "shakenfoundations" metaphor signals that Israel's legal system had collapsed. As David questioned elsewhere, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). For better or for worse, human judges administer earthly justice. Angels and/or pagan gods do not.
Footnote:
[4] In reference to the adjudication process, Exodus 21:6 advises, "Then his master shall bring him unto the judges [the elohim]." Again, reads Exodus 22:8, "If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges [the elohim]."

Third, regarding these gods (i.e., elohim, verses 1b, 6a), the psalm declares: "Nevertheless you will die like men, and fall like any one of the princes" (verse 7). Because God is eternal (Psalm 90:2), angels are immortal (Luke 20:36), and pagan gods are lifeless (Habakkuk 2:19; Acts 17:29), these elohim (i.e., gods) are human, not divine. And fourth, the correlation between Psalm 82:6 and Jesus' quotation of it in John 10 necessitated that the gods to whom Jesus referred corresponded to the gods in the Psalm. If the gods to whom Jesus referred in John 10 were many of Judah's judges (i.e., the Jews), the reference to the gods in Psalm 82 must likewise have referred to Israel's judges. The fact that in His quotation Jesus viewed that the gods of Psalm 82:1b and 6a were equivalent to the Jews indicates that the gods were not angels or pagan deities. If they were, then it becomes difficult to see the relevance of Jesus' reference in the controversy. The gods of Psalm 82 whom Jesus made reference to in John 10 were human judges.

were reminded of their solemn relationship with God and their obligation to fairly administrate His justice in the nation. The ceremony by which a Supreme Court justice is sworn in to uphold the U.S. Constitution by placing his hand on the Bible may illustrate the statement. By declaring them to be gods in His defense against the accusation of blasphemy, Jesus made at least four points to the Jews: 1. Their authority to judge was on loan to them from God; They would account to God for any miscarriage of justice they might perpetrate; 2. Like the judges of Psalm 82:5, Jesus inferred they were corrupt and did not "understand" and walked "about in darkness" (Jesus after all, was the light of the world! John 8:12; 9:5); 3. Because of the legal precedent set in Psalm 82:6 where the Law called judges gods, Jesus was innocent of the accusation of blasphemy; and 4. By identifying Himself with the divine Speaker in Psalm 82 (i.e., in symphony with God in Psalm 82:6, Jesus also decreed to judges, "I said, 'You are gods'"). Jesus further affirmed that He was God! And all this Jesus did by the authority of Scripture, for as He said, "the Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). The subtlety of mystic and Word of Faith spirituality is that to claim their divinity they twist a Scripture Jesus quoted to defend His Deity. By calling them gods, in no way did Jesus assert that the Jews were "enlightened" beings. Fact of the matter is, quite the opposite was the case. Jesus' quotation of Psalm 82 subtly implicated the Jews with the "darkness" that characterized the judges of that day. Neither the Jewish judges nor people were gods for reason of indwelling divinity. After all, they would "die like men." Only in so far that God had invested His authority with them were the Jewish authorities considered gods. That was the original intent of Psalm 82:6, and that is the only sense, it may confidently be asserted, in which Jesus called the Jews gods in John 10:34. Had Jesus meant, as mystic, New Age, cultic and Word of Faith religions assume, to say that all people are gods, then He was guilty of teaching polytheism, something that the context of John 10 (the issue at debate was the accusation of blasphemy) and the spirit and the letter of Jewish Law did not and will not bear (See Deuteronomy 6:4.). If Jesus was affirming the existence of gods other than the Father and Himself, He would have been in violation of the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Some might accuse that by declaring Himself to be God in John 10:30,
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If there be gods in our nation today, these gods are not mystical contemplators who believe they bear within them a divine nature, but rather the gods are judges presiding over a nation's legal system.
The Second Question: Who is the speaker in Psalm 82? When the Psalm states "I said, 'You are gods'", who is speaking? (Psalm 82:6). Was the speaker the psalmist (Asaph), or God (Elohim)? For a number of reasons the speaker must be identified as God.[5] Given that the contents of the psalm flow together after the introduction (verse 1) until the closing petition (verse 8), then it should be concluded that in the middle section (verses 2-7) the speaker in verse 6 is God. The you-are-gods statement is intended by God to remind Israel's judges that they served under His authority, by His appointment and at His discretion. The statement, "I said, 'You are gods'" may have recalled the investiture ceremony by which Israel's theocratic judges were officially installed to their position (cf. Psalm 2:7). In assuming their office, the judges were told, You are gods. With those words of investiture, the judges
Footnote:
[5] Willem A. VanGemeren, Psalms," The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 5, Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991) 536. VanGemeren understands the speaker to be God because the "I" is emphatic and is followed by a verb of speaking. Resembling Psalm 2:6, "I said . . ." appears to be the speaking of a divine decree."

...it evidences a "leap into the dark" when mystic religion ... turns Jesus' words on their head, and announces the divinity of humanity.

Jesus introduced the possibility of multiple gods. But that accusation cannot stick in light of Jesus' declaration, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). There is unity within the Trinity! God's holiness marks Him out to be separate and apart from man the creature (Isaiah 6:1-5). Application of Jesus' saying "Ye are gods" for the purpose of affirming human theosis, that man is or can become God, treats the Holy God as common. A theologian humorously stated, "God created man in His own image and likeness, and man has been returning the compliment ever since!" But God has said, I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another (Isaiah 42:8).

themes stand out: 1. First, those judges possessed authority from God. 2. Second, those same judges, as the r e s t o f h u m a n i t y, w e r e / a r e accountable to God. Therefore, it evidences a "leap into the dark" when mystic religion "spins" a statement Jesus meant to affirm the authority and accountability of the Jews to God, turns Jesus' words on their head, and announces the divinity of humanity. By quoting Psalm 82 Jesus was not telling the Jews they were deities, but that from the perspective of the Law, He was reminding them of their accountability to Almighty God! Like Lucifer, Adam and Eve, Tyre and Babylon, and the anti-Christ, those who live in practical denial of God's holiness for reason of affirming their own divinity are heading for certain judgment (Compare Isaiah 14:14; Genesis 3:5; Ezekiel 28:2; Isaiah 47:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:4). Those claiming to be deities at the expense of God's glory will one day be subpoenaed to the High Court of the universe to appear before Judge Jesus (John 5:26-30), and in that moment of final truth, they will be called upon to defend the indefensible; namely, that they being men had made themselves out to be gods. Then, and probably only then, will they come to the stark realization that they were no gods at all cf. Galatians 4:8. As the Apostle Paul wrote of the delusion of theosis: "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man . . ." (Romans 1:22-23a).

The VANISHING GOSPEL and the CALL to PREACH the TRUE GOSPEL
Four DAY CWM CONFERENCE Brisbane. OZ Thursday to Sunday September 15 to 18, 2011. Speakers include: Bill Randles (USA); Mark L. Mullins (UK); Larry DeBruyn (USA); David P. Powell (AUS); Aeron Morgan (AUS); Philip L. Powell (AUS). Numbers limited to 175 Booking is ESSENTIAL Contact: CWM-Fellowship for booking form www.cwmfellowship.org (down load) Postal: 2759 Logan Road. Eight Mile Plains, QLD 4123, Australia. Phone: Intl + 61 7 3137 1031; National 07 3137 1031; Local 3137 1031. Email: conference2011@cwm.org.au Other Australian Locations: SYDNEY (3-4 September, 2011) Contact: Sam Mule email mule_sam@hotmail.com ; phone 02 9984 8841; 0431 557 270 Speakers: Mark L. Mullins, Larry DeBruyn; Philip L. Powell. MELBOURNE (10-11 September, 2011) Contact: Werner Schulz/Lionel Letcher email wellaschulz@bigpond.com ; phone 03 9727 4098; 0439 039 079 Speakers: Larry DeBruyn, Mark L. Mullins; Aeron Morgan. ADELAIDE (23-24 September, 2011) Contact: Sam Corneloup email sam@streetchurch.com.au or www.adelaideconference.com Speakers: Larry DeBruyn; Philip L. Powell. NEW ZEALAND Conference and Tours see page 26 column 3.

Those claiming to be deities at the expense of God's glory will one day be subpoenaed to the High Court of the universe to appear before Judge Jesus
If God intends to uphold the holiness and glory He will share with no one else, then the Holy One must surely be provoked by the compliment with which contemplators compliment themselves. By arrogantly asserting their deity, they seem to imply that God cannot live without them! If there be gods in our nation today, these gods are not mystical contemplators who believe they bear within them a divine nature, but rather the gods are judges presiding over a nation's legal system. As Jesus intended it to be understood (recognizing that our government is a democracy and not a theocracy), can the nine justices of the United States Supreme Court be considered gods? In a sense, Yes! [6] But should New Age gurus, devotees to mystical or contemplative spirituality and members of the Word of Faith movement be considered gods? Absolutely not! For reason of the divine authority invested in judges by God, and as Jesus affirmed before the Jewish resistors He faced, Psalm 82:6 was meant to recognize the authority of some, not the divinity of all. Conclusion From Jesus' statement to the Jewish judges ("I said, 'You are gods'"), a couple of
Footnote:
[6] ED we agree with the author, but only in a very limited sense based on the Hebrew elohim used in Psalm 82:6 and so long as the human judge acts in the fear and within the law God. Modern judges unlike their Old Testament counterparts enact the law of the land not the law of God.

about the author

Larry DeBruyn is a graduate of Taylor University (B.S., 1968) and Dallas Theological Seminary (Th. M., 1974) where he received the Charles A. Nash Award in Church History. He has been married to his wife Margie for forty-one years. They have two grown sons. Larry has ministered in local churches forty-one years, the last twenty-two being at Franklin Road Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has authored three books: "Church On the Rise, Why I am not a 'Purpose Driven' Pastor," (2007) "Drumming Up Deception, Whether in Celebration or Contemplation--'Feeling' the Beat," (2008) and most recently, "Unshackled, Breaking Away from Seductive Spirituality." (2009) Larry is a guest overseas speaker at all the CWM Conferences in September 2011.

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Islams regard for biblical prophets is based on Muhammads and the Qurans assertion that they are Muslims.

What about Chrislam?

PASSIVE ENDORSEMENT - CWMF says, NO On Sunday 22 May 2011 an invited guest speaker known for his Calvinistic position delivered a presentation on Perfect Love Casts out the fear of Islam to the morning congregation at Christian Witness Ministries Fellowship, Brisbane. The speaker of Dutch Reform persuasion used John 4:7-21(NIV) as his text after having expressed his strong recommendation for the book Encountering the World of Islam by Keith E. Swartley [1] as providing a biblical approach to the question of Islam. The presentation introduced heresy to the congregation including but not limited to inference that the Allah of the Qur'an and the God of the Bible are one and the same, and that the Jesus of the Qur'an is the same as the Jesus of the Bible (Later he said he did not believe and did not intend to convey these ideas.) The speaker made reference to verses of the Quran and Bible. He stated, If you know the Qur'an as well as your Bible you should know that Surah 3:55 [2] says something about Jesus being raised from the dead. He went on to refer to Surah 19:33, 34 [3] before making the statement that Christians start a debate on matters that do not matter the slightest little bit What you believe about God may not be the same as what I understand about God it is not what you and I understand about God it is the Word of God that matters. READ ON HERE http://cetf.co/okRwwN The above incident raised a controversy that strikes at the very heart of CWMs existence and could not be allowed to go unchallenged. Philip Powell founder of CWM was overseas so the elders of the Fellowship, prompted by an approach from some concerned members made a statement as reported at the above URL. B. Michael Bigg (BMB), assistant Editor of CETF was incensed so he wrote the following to counter what was claimed. This could well be one of the most significant issues of our time in the apostatising of the Church cf. American Churches To Embrace Chrislam On June 26, 2011 http://cetf.co/jgmtgh By B. Michael Bigg Chrislam is a syncretistic or blended religion which merges elements of Christianity and Islam. There are two different forms of Chrislam: One started in the 1980s in Nigeria by Tela Tella, and is called Ifeoluwa, The other in 1999 by a Muslim, Prophet (Dr.) Samson Saka, who after he went on a Hajj to Mecca, says, The Lord told me, Make peace between Christian and Muslim. Chrislams ideologies are being formally developed, in the United States, by the Islamic-Christian National Dialogue
Footnote:
[1] ED - Encountering the World of Islam (EWI), by Keith E. Swartly, is the prescribed text for the course of the same name conducted by Pioneers (a missionary organisation started in 1976 by Ted Fletcher) and Perspectives Study Program (which is a ministry of the U.S. Center for World Mission). And though this book and course may be informative for the mission field, it does not mean that its content should be the basis of Christian doctrine -B.Michael Bigg (BMB) [2] ED - Surah 3:55 (from The Noble Quran, with its English translation and commentary, published in Saudi Arabia) says, And (remember) when Allah said: O Isa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that Isa (Jesus) is Allahs son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad, Isa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel, the Quran] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute. What this surah is saying, according to this Qurans commentary, is that on the Day of Resurrection Jesus will stand up and condemn anyone who says that he was anything more than just a man - BMB [3] ED - notes Surah 19:33-34 in context (from verse 30) is Jesus (as a baby) claiming he is but a prophet of Allah and notes his life, death (at the end of his natural life, Abdullah Yusuf Alis Quran, translation and commentary states, concerning this surah, Christ was not crucified) and his resurrection (on the last day). Verse 35 says, It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that Isa (Jesus) is the son of Allah]. Glorified (and Exalted is He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: Be! and it is. Surely this so-called slander of Christians against Allah is not insignificant, surely it is not a part of matters that do not matter the slightest little bit! It is ignorance of what the Quran actually says, and the fundamentals of Islams doctrine, that allows Christians to believe in the compatibility of Islam with Christianity - BMB [4] ED - We at CWM do not endorse Warren or Schuller as sound Christian Leaders. Rather we see them both as heretics - PLP
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Similarity of stories in the Bible and the Quran: e.g. the Flood. Jesus born of the virgin Mary The names/attributes of God Though it is legitimate to note these s i m i l a r i t i e s b e t we e n I s l a m a n d Christianity are the similarities themselves legitimate? YES in some cases they are, but not in all: Abraham did have more than one son. He had Ishmael (Gen 16), Isaac (Gen 21), and others to Keturah (cf. Gen 25:1). Nevertheless, the promise of redemption was through the freeborn Isaac and not Ishmael. Indeed the entire story and history of Gods plan of redemption was through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel and through the line of Judah. Isaacs son Esau, who was also Jacobs brother, aligned himself through marriage with Ishmael. The descendants of Ishmael and Esau were (and to this day are) enemies of Israel.

Committee, the proponents of which include Rick Warren and Robert Schuller. But despite what some may see as such high profile endorsement,[4] is Chrislam a valid thing, let alone a good thing? Are Christianity and Islam compatible? The Focus on Similarities Those endorsing Chrislam, and its leaders and teachers, wish to highlight the similarities between Christianity and Islam, such as: Abraham as our Father, Regard for biblical prophets: Moses, David, etc.

Chrislam is a syncretistic or blended religion which merges elements of Christianity and Islam
Islams regard for biblical prophets is based on Muhammads and the Qurans assertion that they are Muslims. Islam claims that because these prophets were truly men of God, they came back to God,

11

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews

i.e. reverted to being Muslims (since according to their teaching Adam was a Muslim); and this (reverting) is what everyone does when they believe the Qurans teachings. Though there are matching historical events, places and people in the Quran, the timeline in the Quran places events in the wrong order, compared to the Bible. A prophet of the God of the Bible would not get this wrong (or, for that matter, a person who knew the Bible, and not just heard stories on ones travels, would likewise not get this wrong). Believing Jesus is born of the Virgin Mary d o e s n o t m a ke t wo t h e o l o g i e s compatible. There are similarities in names, attributes and titles given to many ancient gods many of which match those given to the God of the Bible. Simply because Allah has 99 names, many of which correlate to names/attributes given to God in the Bible, doesnt make Allah the god of the Bible any more than Romes Cupid (the god of love), Clementia (goddess of mercy); or the Sumerian god of heaven Anu.

and Islam are opposites. Bible/Christianity i. God has a Son ii. Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit iii. Jesus died on the Cross iv. Jesus died on our behalf v. Man is inherently evil and even his righteous deeds are as dirty rags vi. Salvation is by Grace alone through Faith in Jesus Christ Quran/Islam i. God has no son ii. Christian Trinity: Father, Mary, Jesus iii. It only appeared that Jesus died on the Cross iv. Someone else (Judas or Simon of Cyrene) took Jesus place on the cross v. Man can do good deeds to become acceptable to god vi. Salvation is earned your good deeds must outweigh your bad deeds Conclusion There are elements within Islam and the Quran which can be used as points to instigate conversation or dialogue, but it is not what Christianity and Islam have in common that unites us, as our differences are fundamental differences. Chrislam exists because some people hold to the premise that both the Bible and the Quran can be regarded as inspired and authoritative. In order to do this, though, they are required to be selective in what they read, and apply a Christianised understanding to the text, rather than the Islamic they must deliberately ignore the fundamental teachings of Islam. To say to a Muslim, We have the same god in order to initiate dialog allows that Muslim to equally say, Then why wont you listen to what his Prophet Muhammad has said and written? Our similarities dont unite us, because our differences keep us apart. When in Samaria (John 4) Jesus was asked, Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship (verse 20).

Jesus replied, You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews (verse 22). Jesus did not placate the Samaritan woman with things the Samaritans had in co m m o n w i t h J u d a i s m . T h o u g h supposedly knowing and (according to their traditions) correctly worshipping the same God as Israel, Jesus pointed out that they were wrong.

This is the non-negotiable element of Christian doctrine which makes Chrislam a misnomer and contradiction ... at the heart of their theology

Christianity and Islam are opposites

Likewise Paul at Athens (Acts 17) did not evangelise by preaching what God had in common with the Roman gods on the contrary he preached the Unknown God to them the God that they did not know, did not understand. The same too for Muslims, we need to tell them of the God they do not know, not the god they think they do know. In Revelations introductory letters Jesus stands before the churches (lamp stands meant to be a light to the world, witnesses for him) aware of their condition. To the Church we are told, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches and in these letters the church is told to be faithful, remain faithful, remain true, do not compromise. Some churches in these letters tried, like now, to syncretise Christianity they were rebuked. As witnesses for Christ and of Christ, let us not compromise the Gospel (i.e. betray Christ) by talking about similarities. Preach Christ and Him Crucified. but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, - 1 Corinthians 1:23. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. - 1 Corinthians 2:2. You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? - Galatians 3:1.

But What about the Differences? Compare the Greek with the KJV English Ou[twj ga.r hvga,phsen o' qeo.j to.n ko,smon( w[ste to.n ui'o.n to.n monogenh/ e;dwken( i[na pa/j o' pisteu,wn eivj auvto.n mh. avpo,lhtai avllV e;ch| zwh.n aivw,nion For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life - John 3:16. The so in For God so loved the world in the Greek text of John 3:16 is the word hutos. This is not a word meaning quantity, as if this verse is talking about the amount or degree of Gods love; this word means in this way, in this manner. This is the crunch! This is the non-negotiable element of Christian doctrine which makes Chrislam a misnomer and contradiction. There can be no such entity as Chrislam because at the heart of their theology Christianity 12
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Such carnality is unacceptable to God, and as we shall see, is totally incongruous with the true worship of God.

- The Music of Hillsong - In Praise of Folly

By Lance Goodall Christian Nightclubs - Thou shalt party Back in 2003, Time Magazine ran the story on a new phenomenon, The Christian Nightclub. Club Three Degrees in Minneapolis, Minn., boasted all the nightlife staples, like pool tables, DJs and live bands. But a few things were missing, like alcohol, cigarette smoke and music with racy lyrics. That's because the club, was the city's first downtown Christian nightclub. Previously it was housed in an out-of-the-way spot that used to be a rocknroll bar. a vision to bridge the gap between the church and the secular world. [3] Hobbs had a new revelation of God and a new vision, to mix the world and the church, like some alcoholic beverage that he doesn't currently serve in his nightclubs. Has he forgotten that Christ and Belial have no agreement? - cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14 15. We are called to separation, from the world's ways, the world's pleasures, and the world's lifestyle. This is the new kind of thinking. This is the new breed of religious convert. The room is black, the coloured lights flash all around. The atmosphere is electric, the laser lights glide through the room. All the youth are pumping! There is noise and hollering. The MC on stage shouts out, (just being heard) over the beat, the clamour, and cymbals; Oh yeah....this is good....this is good....you're dancing crazy.... I'm excited to be here --- That was crazy!! What was he saying? I don't think he even knew what was coming next. What I just described to you was not on Sunset Strip, LA, or in a discotheque in Manhattan. This was an in house event in August 2010, held at Hillsong Brisbane City Campus, for the young people at Powerhouse, just 18 months after Hillsong, Sydney took over the church there. [4] The nightclub has been brought right into what was once the House of God! And it is all through the channel of music. There is no longer any difference between the Church and the World. The devil has won? This type of ministry is appalling. Youth being lead by youth, cf. Isaiah 3:4 & 12 These same young people come to church with alcohol on their breath from the night before, while the little ones are allowed to dress up in Halloween costumes, during the October vigil. Meanwhile the adults are making sure they are catered to by having a rekindle the romance dinner this September, called, Wine Night Stand. This theme links the event to drunkenness, and debauchery, even if it isn't. The Bible says
Footnote:
[3] http://cetf.co/lAvXUx [4] http://cetf.co/kxpT2c

that such things should not even be named among you cf. Ephesians 5:3 Such carnality is unacceptable to God, and as we shall see, is totally incongruous with the true worship of God. Unfortunately the sins of the world are now wholly approved by an increasing number of professing Christians. A W Tozer declared: Young Christians take as their models from the rankest kind of worldlings, and try to be like them as much as possible.[5] Just to show you how significant the downgrade is, on two or three occasions members of Hillsong Brisbane told me that the walls have been painted black inside the sanctuary, and I know from my own experience that they placed black paper over the windows of the doors of the main entrance. I remember coming into the auditorium one Sunday morning just before 10:30 am. The auditorium was so dark, like the low mood lighting of a nightclub. As I walked down one of the aisles I was asking myself, What have they done? Why is it so dark in here? Two minutes before, I was walking in the car park in bright sunshine!

ask Paul what value it was to him when he was right up against a spiritual situation. He will cry, "Who is sufficient for these things? ... Our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor. 2:16; 3:5)
"We see this as a mission," said the Rev. Nancy Aleksuk, who had managed the club's move to its new $3 million venue with a capacity of 1,700.[ 1] The relocation came as Christian entertainment was and is increasing in popularity and visibility across the U.S and the world including Australia. Russell David Hobbs, founder of The Door, Christian nightclubs in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, says his clubs have done so well he is opening a third, in Plano, Texas.[2] In Hallandale Beach, Fla., more than 600 people attended the opening of Club Mighty, a once a month Christian nightclub created by insurance agent Sheldon Bland. "We get believers and nonbelievers," said Bland. "People are looking for an alternative to the typical club scene." The controversial Hobbs describes how he took some time out, and received a greater revelation of God's character, and
Footnote:
[1] http://cetf.co/iKgadJ [2] http://cetf.co/irPuli

Joel Houston of Hillsong United I and my wife no longer attend that church. They are being slowly poisoned, or to use another metaphor, like the lobster in the pot, the water temperature is slowly increased til it's all too late. This tidal wave of profanity and corruption, is seeking to carry away every hint of genuine Christian community. These people are swayed by the fashion of
Footnote:
[5] Keys to a deeper life A W Tozer p22
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13

There has been much concern voiced over the dangers and errors of contemporary Christian music, and its refusal to separate from secular party music

Hollywood, and not the inner life of Christ. Rick's Rock Rhetoric Saints of Los Angeles There has been much concern voiced over the dangers and errors of contemporary Christian music, and its refusal to separate from secular party music, such as rock and rap. This is evident at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Southern California.

epitomized the rock and roll philosophy, which is live as you please. Music was Jimi Hendrix's god. He attended church in his youth, but later he testified: I used to go to Sunday School, but the only thing I believe in now is music (cited by Curtis Knight, Jimi). Hendrix understood the mystical and hypnotic power of rock music. He said: Atmospheres are going to come through music, because the music is a spiritual thing of its own. ... I can explain everything better through music. You hypnotize people to where they go right back to their natural state, which is pure positive-like childhood when you got natural highs. And when you get people at [their] weakest point, you can preach into the subconscious what we want to say. That's why the name 'electric church' flashes in and out. (Hendrix, interview with Robin Richman An Infinity of Jimis,- Life magazine, Oct. 3, 1969). Once you have some type of rhythm, like it can get hypnotic if you keep repeating it over and over again. You do that say for three or four or even five minutes if you can stand it, and then it releases a certain thing inside of a person's head. It releases a certain thing in there so you can put anything you want right inside that, you know. I always like to take people on trips. That's why music is magic. (Hendrix, cited by Henderson, p. 356). Rick Warren clearly agrees with the communicative construct of music like that of Hendrix, A song can often touch people in ways a sermon can't. Music can bypass intellectual barriers and take the message straight to the heart. It's a potent tool for evangelism. [7] These are observations, and warnings that should be taken seriously by Christians. Though Hendrix was a licentious drug user, he was also a brilliant and gifted musician and he understood the nature of rock music as few men have. Those who think that there is no spiritual danger in rock music are deceiving themselves and are leading others down the primrose path of delusion. Observe that Hendrix was referring to the power of the music itself without the words. It is therefore inexcusable for Rick Warren and his worship team to perform any Jimi Hendrix song on any occasion whatsoever. The use of the song was inappropriate, and says a lot about Warren on a number of levels.
Footnote:

There is a long history of no separation from the world at Saddleback Church. Any sorry piece of rock or rap music is fine as long as it is accompanied by a thin veneer of religiosity. Under the Worship section of Saddleback Church's web site there is a School of Music and Arts, where you can learn to play in a band. The best way to learn is to play with other rockers like you! This is worship, Rick Warren style' [8] The Celebrity Driven Church Sold Out Jesus Hillsong Music is christian music produced by Hillsong Church in Sydney Australia. Their albums are released and distributed by Hillsong Music Australia, the resource arm of Hillsong Church. Hillsong is one of the world's fastestgrowing ministries, with a 25,000-plus strong congregation in Australia, as well as one of the largest evangelical churches in

Rick Warren In chapter 8, of The Purpose Driven Life, Warren said: God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all--fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new. You probably don't like it all, but God does! ... Christians often disagree over the style of music used in worship, passionately defending their preferred style as the most biblical or Godhonouring. But there is no biblical style! ... God likes variety and enjoys it all. There is no such thing as 'Christian' music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune. There are no spiritual tunes (pp. 65, 66). When Warren says that God loves all kinds of music, he means ALL kinds. Saddleback Church features eight to nine different worship venues on the property. There is a worship style to suit every worldly taste. On April 17, 2005, when Warren announced his P.E.A.C.E. programme to Saddleback Church at Angel Baseball Stadium, he began by singing part of Jimi Hendrix's drug-drenched song Purple Haze to the congregation, accompanied by his praise and worship band. He said he had wanted to do that for a long time. [6] Though he is long dead, Jimi Hendrix's influence lives on, but it is an evil influence that should be reproved rather than encouraged. His music and his life
Footnote:
[6] http://cetf.co/iZDS6O

You hypnotize people to where they go right back to their natural state... And when you get people at [their] weakest point, you can preach into the subconscious what we want to say.
London, Cape Town and Kiev. Hillsong also has churches in Stockholm and Paris, and recently established a new church in New York City. [9] For the past twenty years Hillsong worship music has been a global phenomenon. The songs from Hillsong church in Sydney, Australiawith their quirky punk rhythms and euro pop harmoniesare sung around the world. You can even find Hillsong CDs in small town Lutheran bookstores, as I did recently. Hillsong popularity in Christian praise and wo rs h i p m u s i c ste m s f ro m t h e inauguration of their conferences, in the late 1980s, and the first publication of choruses written by Hills CLC members, especially Darlene Zschech. Their first live worship CD The Power of your Love was released in 1992. Since then, live praise and worship albums have been produced each year. Other music series include the Worship series, United, Youth Alive, Hillsong Kids and Instrumental series, as
Footnote:
[8] http://cetf.co/lpe8zF [9] Also http://cetf.co/iIqZPG

[7] http://cetf.co/kO7LUL
www.cwm.org.au

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The Christian music industry is celebrity driven, now more than ever. The song is irrelevant. The focus is on the person, and the songs have become disposable.

two Christmas albums and several compilation albums. Since its first release in 1988, Hillsong has recorded more than 60 albums, including live worship, and kids and youth CDs. They have been distributed in 80 countries and collected more than 30 gold and platinum awards in Australia and the U.S. [10] Total revenue of Christian music in Australia in 2004: $30.2 million. [11] Ok, actually it's pretty obvious: the people in the band and all their fans are gorgeous and hip! They spend time in airports and travel the world looking cool, wearing shades and sporting The Clash t-shirts. Image is the name of the game. The Hillsong United band is a praise and worship band that originated as a part of Hillsong. The band tours the world, performing at the various Hillsong church locations as well as general concert venues. The music style now is known as 'Hard Worship' or 'Rock Worship'. [12] Dr. Mark Evans (Macquarie University) states in his Ph. D thesis: A youth band was formed from the Hillsong music team, which took what was happening in the church musically and played it louder and rockier, appealing directly to a youth demographic. [13] The Christian music industry is celebrity driven, now more than ever. The song is irrelevant. The focus is on the person, and the songs have become disposable. Most of our ills can be directed at this circus of Christian entertainment which is giving a generation a palatable Christianity, a people who know nothing of seeking after God. This has produced a crisis amongst today's Christian youth. Much of this error is flooding into the church under the guise of "relevance". In the name of 'relevance' they are rushing around desperately trying to make their music, their leadership, their gospel, and their youth events "cool"all in an effort to attract the world on its terms. Instead of "holier than thou", they are "cooler than thou". Their entire effort is aimed at proving to the world that Christianity is just as cool, just as much fun, just as much of a party, as the world has to offer. These organisations and their followers think they have to become just like the world, in order to impress the world. Thus
Footnote:
[10] Read more : http://cetf.co/jHE2rF [11] http://cetf.co/iUTUHb [12] http://cetf.co/jTox7u [13] http://cetf.co/iW7V5P Also see http://cetf.co/iV2NUM

they now need to be seen in fashionable (or better-still, 'hip' or alternative) clothes; and their youth events become an excuse for a "party"; and their presentations become entertaining multi-media extravaganzas. This is all in an effort to be equal to, or to "out-cool" the world. Which is why you now see 'moshing' heads, slam-dancing, and stage-diving at their youth concerts, matching the world's mindless hedonistic ways. They have become "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" cf. 2nd Timothy 3:4, being cool, yet full of pride, worldliness, and rebellion - all in the name of "relevance". There is a real danger of the emergence of the 'Concert Christian', the semiconverted, shallow committed teenager whose Christianity means little more than that he enjoys festival-going", and the tragic fact is, that such 'Concert Christians' are now found in their multiplied thousands, around the globe. It is not just the large festivals, and concerts, that have succumbed to this spirit of entertainment.

You cannot serve God and EMI - Takin' care of Business Hillsong's Music Industry (HMI) has joined forces with EMI. In April 2010 EMI CMG Label Group and its Sparrow Records Label started marketing and developing Hillsong Music's annual releases, including the best-selling Hillsong LIVE, Hillsong UNITED, and Hillsong Kids recordings, as well as their other music and video products. The plan is to extend its reach into North and South America. [14] It raises the all-important question as to whether these Christian labels are now essentially profit-driven or ministrydriven entities; and it also gives a pointer to just how much MONEY is involved in the Christian music industry today. Today the largest Christian publishers are owned by secular corporations or have shares held by Wall Street investors. As ministries turn into big businesses, theological integrity all too easily gives way to marketing considerations... The Christian marketplace thus follows the lead of the world's pop culture. A common saying in the industry is: Whenever a trend emerges in the secular arena, wait six months and a Christianized version will appear in the religious bookstores. The early songs of Hillsong such as Power Of Your Love (1992) covered some basic Christian themes. An acknowledgment of G o d , t h e n e e d to c h a n ge , o u r weaknesses, God's Grace, our need for Him, the power of God's love to forgive and overcome in our lives. But in this past decade, we have seen a steady wellorchestrated decline into the worship of entertainment. Hillsong United Break Free (Abridged) 2007 Would you believe me, would you listen if I told you that? There is a love that makes a way and never holds you back? So won't you break free, won't you break free Get up and dance in his love (repeat) Who would have thought that God would give His one and only Son? Taking a stand up on the cross to show his perfect love?
Footnote:
[14] http://cetf.co/lFvWJ8
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It raises the all important question as to whether these Christian labels are now essentially profit driven or ministry driven entities
We now find this 'entertain-them-at-allcosts' approach to youth ministry almost everywhere in the western world, from local church youth right up to large regional gatherings. This spirit has pervaded almost everything, particularly those areas in the church that are connected with young people. In fact, it has become increasingly rare to find gatherings of Christian youth now in which these attitudes do not prevail. Many Christians do not realize that in America, every one of the major Christian music companies is now owned by a secular corporation. EMI owns Sparrow, Starsong, Forefront and Gospocentric, Gaylord Entertainment owns Word Records, and the Zomba Group owns Benson Music, Brentwood Music and the Reunion Label.

15

Christ paid our price on the cross. He took our place. He took our penalty for sin, and received the very wrath of God poured out on Him.

Now we have a Christ, whose love doesn't hold us back, and a love that is taking a stand on the cross. When you look at the importance of songs in conveying a message, this song falls far short of the traditional Christian canon. In fact, it is downright repugnant! Christ paid our price on the cross. He took our place. He took our penalty for sin, and received the very wrath of God poured out on Him. He died a physical death, as the Eternal God in human flesh. He who had no beginning, ever present with the Father, was cut off for the first time from God. For He (God) has made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, (He) who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him 2 Corinthians 5:21. He endured agony, emotionally, physically and spiritually. All for us!! Not quite the same as making a stand, to show His love. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8. For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15. To be continued .......... NEXT - The Cross and the Phoenix - Talking up the cross Hillsong United have just released a new studio album called Aftermath 15 Feb 2011 When I read this title, I was disturbed, and questioned the name with a great deal of unease. You can read the full article @ URL please.

News, Views & Your Letters

Letters may be edited for brevity. Editorial Comments unless otherwise specified are by Philip L. Powell (plp). ******* FROM THE CWM BLOG To comment go to http://www.christian-witness.org/blog/ Find the thread (topic) and make your comment at the end of that thread: ASSEMBLIES OF GOD: http://cetf.co/idmBN4 Other interesting posts may be viewed at the following: http://cetf.co/enIs1l http://cetf.co/ggIV3f FROM THE REGULAR MAILER To subscribe go to http://cetf.co/gXVZ0e And follow the prompts: ******* AoG & Elim Living in a Fool's Paradise - See also pages 31 to 36 27-04-2011 - 18:13 - Thank you for your mail about our two beloved movements. As far as I can see I am mostly in agreement with what you say. The problem of trying to improve things by restructure has been wrong from the beginning, and has only made things worse! Due to ill health I am unable to get involved with communications. I do hope that someone can get these leaders to see some sense and allow our movements to recover even a little. May the Lord bless you in your attempts to bring the truth to their notice B.M. AoGUK. 27-04-2011 - 21:55 - Dear Sir - I do not know who you are and have no relationship with you and you have no authority to speak into my life whatever the content or context. I find you (sic) email content demeaning not only to the leaders of AOG but to my spiritual understanding of my connection to AOG. I am not placing my future ministry or hope in any church structure including the one you are involved with. For someone to pertain (sic) they are right and others are wrong puts you in a vulnerable position before God. I suggest you get on with the work you feel called to do which does not involve any input to me. Please do not email me again and take me off any list you may have M.T. AoG-UK 27-04-2011 - 17:31 - Having read your article with burdened heart for you and the evident bitterness undergirding these unfair judgments presuming the motives and ministries of people (some of whom I know well and respect), I most definitely want to come off your mailing list Thank you T.R - AoG-UK 18-04-2011 9:21 AM - Dear Pastor Powell, I read your article on AoG and Elim. I am not surprised at the apostasy that has taken over most of the Church system. I was raised in the Foursquare Church and they too have gone the way of apostasy. Today people are at risk staying in the system because of so much false teaching and signs and wonders i.e., Rick Joyner, Todd Bentley, etc. I have a friend whose husband and she were AG pastors who saw the writing on the wall and left. My husband also was a pastor, and we left the system. My friend Pearl was a student of Walter H. Beuttler, do you know about him? She said he was one of the best teachers at the AG schools back in the 1950s 60s and 70s. He is with the Lord now but she has transcribed his tapes into booklets. Now we are fellowshipping in our home and phone fellowship. Isn't it sad that it's come to that? In the last time according to Daniel 8:12, Truth will be cast to the ground. God Bless J.T. Texas, USA. ED I responded to each of the above personally, pointing out to the critics that as Christians we all have a relationship one with another and that the Bible requires us to warn those who depart from the faith, which is what we try to do at CWM and through CETF. Some are awakening, others sleep and dream on. Those who wish to engage in a discussion on this topic may do so at http://cetf.co/okRwwN OR http://cetf.co/gtomeV ******* Cessationism vs Biblicism part 3 Junia Woman Apostle 10/03/2011 10.41 a.m. - Dear Philip re. Part 3 of your series on Cessationism vs

about the author

Lance Goodall and his wife Norilyn left the Australian church growth movement in 2009. They both have a concern for the knowledge of God and His glory. They carry in their heart, a love for Gods honour, for His Word, and for the salvation of the lost. Lance can be contacted via email

lancegoodall21@gmail.com

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CETF 56 July 2011

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HOLY BIBLE

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The other side of The River

Isobel Mil er gave up God for worldly pursuits.But as graduation approached and her engagement was broken,she questioned that decision If you wil prove to me that You are, and if You wil give me peace, I wil give You- e life. my whol
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TOPICS THIS BOOK ADDRESSES Word Faith Movement Holy Laughter Slain in the Spirit practice Emphasis on humanity of Jesus over His Deity, Gifts and Calling for the unbeliever Experience Versus Scripture Repetitive chanting & singing Paradigm shift Questionable worship practices
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July 2011 CETF 56

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Day of No Return
In the mid 1930s a brave young theological student refused to preach Nazi doctrine and was denied ordination in the German Lutheran church.He struggled to resist the Nazi takeover of the church,but with his life in danger was ordered out of the country by his bishop.He fled to the USA where through the FBI,he contacted author Kressmann Taylor so he could tell his story
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CETF 56 July 2011 www.cwm.org.au www.cwm.org.au July 2011 CETF 56

Our stance should be sola scripturaScripture Alone.

Biblicism, [June 2010 CETF just received] and the comments on apostles, I agree that the present so-called prophets and apostles are not biblical. In the Scriptures we see the original 12 and then various others, such as Barnabas, referred to as apostles. John Stott suggests perhaps we should refer to them as 'apostles of the church' since they are not the same as the original 12. In Romans 16:7 we have the naming of a female apostle. Wayne Grudem who is somewhat of a misogynist naturally says that there is 'too little clear information to allow us to draw a conclusion' from the verse. Actually there is quite a lot of information! Below is some and I also attach a file containing a synopsis of the book Junia, the first women apostle by Eldon Jay Epp Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005, ISBN: 978-0-8006-3771-2 In addition in Rom. 16 :7 the apostle Junia [female] is much commended and approved of by some of the early Church fathers e.g. Clement, Origen and John Chrysostom [337- 407]. Clement praises the woman apostle Junia in one of his letters, thus providing further evidence of this woman, and he was not particularly pro women! John Chrysostom, another early church father, praises Junia, the woman apostle. He too says some very negative things about women but wrote positively about Junia: Oh, how great is the devotion of this woman that she should be counted worthy of the appellation of apostle! John Chrysostom (337-407), Bishop of Constantinople. Origen of Alexandria (c185-253) said the name was a variant of Julia (see Rom 16:15), as does Thayer's Lexicon. Leonard Swidler cited Jerome (342-420), Hatto of Vercelli (924-961), Theophylack (10501108), and Peter Abelard (1079-1142) as believing Junia to be a woman. Dr Swidler stated, 'To the best of my knowledge, no commentator on the text until Aegidus of Rome (1245-1316) took the name to be masculine. Apparently the idea that Junia was a man's name is a relatively modern concept but the bulk of the best evidence available is that Junia was indeed a woman, and an outstanding apostle.' This passage is fascinating indeed. It includes three prominent early church fathers, Thayer's Lexicon and three medieval theologian Christian writers who all agree with the premise that Junia was a woman. Surely we've accepted other stances in scripture to be true with much less supportive historical evidence than this one.

Dr Alan J. Torrance, Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Kings College, London writes in Harmful Religion: An Exploration of Religious Abuse: Lawrence Osborn and Andrew Walker: It can be argued that there is a male orientation and 'slanting' of the scriptural witness at different levels. First, it is apparent that the (Jewish) culture, which provides the cognitive and semantic context of the biblical writings, was patriarchal and that this is echoed in the text. Second, it can be argued that this led to an inherently selective (male-oriented) recording and rendering of events in the traditions from which the biblical material was compiled. And further, it appears that the editorial processes involved in producing the scriptures conditioned these accounts still further, in that those who collected a n d a s s e m b l e d t h e m ate r i a l accentuated the patriarchal slant of its message. There are examples of women who feature in early biblical accounts, whose place in the stories diminishes in favour of the male characters as the accounts are retold in later material. The contributions,

century; she was to undergo a change of name and sex, becoming Junias (supposedly a male name - although not one that features anywhere else in ancient literature). As Bernadette Brooten points out, the argument in the minds of the translators was quite simple: 'Because a woman could not have been an apostle, the woman who is here called apostle could not have been a woman.' Not only do we have here an alarming expression of the supposition that anyone making this degree of contribution to the life of the Church could not possibly be a woman, but this distortion also served to compound this supposition still further within the Church throughout the following centuries. It eliminated a prime exemplar of the kind of role which women, as well as men, might be modelling. Cases of this kind confirm the extent to which accounts of past events tend to concern a history that is indeed 'his-story' rather than 'her-story', thereby ensuring that future history is likely to remain 'his-story'. [chapter 6 Theology and Political Correctness] Regards, J.G Ed . Thanks for going to such lengths to present your case. However from my perspective all of the above builds on weak perceptions (implications) and actually avoids the internal biblical evidence about the role of women in the New Testament Church. There is no mention of Paul's clear instruction to Timothy: But I do not suffer a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence 1 Timothy 2:12. If Junia was indeed a woman, and an apostle in the generally accepted sense, then surely there would be a didactic and an authority function in her ministry. This contradicts what Paul clearly explains to Timothy. Biblically we must dismiss it no matter how much extra biblical material e.g. what your authority claims about the early Church Fathers etc, you may call upon. Our stance should be sola scripturaScripture Alone. I have to agree with John Stott and with Wayne Grudem even though you may dub me a misogynist as you have dubbed Grudem. For me the matter is quite simply resolved if you carefully examine the text and allow for another interpretative conclusion: Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me Romans 16:7.
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But I do not suffer a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence
1 Timothy 2:12.
for example, of Miriam in the Old Testament and Priscilla in the New Testament gradually lessen in favour of the accounts of Moses and Aquila. While there are other similar cases, we can assume that the fact that there are not still more examples of this is an expression of the fact that the majority of women have disappeared entirely from the historical process. The testimonies to their witness and contribution in the life of the Church are now, humanly speaking, lost in the sands of history. That the editorial processes continued to downplay, or even eliminate, the role and contribution of women is reflected in the case of Junia. She was referred to by Paul as 'outstanding among the apostles', and had even gone to prison with him as a result of her witness (Romans 16:7). As late as the thirteenth

Paul's clear instruction to Timothy:

21

By all means argue your case but do it logically, biblically and based on history...

Adronicus, presumably a man and Junia, presumably a woman, though related to Paul were nevertheless highly esteemed by all the apostles who knew them and therefore worthy of honour by the saints at Rome. Paul was keenly seeking to avoid partiality based on blood relationship and shared imprisonment. What a great character is Paul, a true apostle of Jesus Christ in EVERY sense. PENTECOSTALISM Classic & Neo Hi Philip - David Wilkerson stood strong on many things, but his prophecies failed. It was a shame he did not come right out of the lie of Pentecostalism Andrew Craig Adelaide, South Australia. ED Andrew if DW's prophecies failed you should give the documentation for your assertion. Neo Pentecostalism is a sham and you are a fraud. As you know the only time we met was when we were joint speakers at a Pentecostal Conference in Brisbane. Do you deny it? If you are so opposed to Pentecostalism why did you participate in that conference? Classic Pentecostalism, as I have proven to you many times, and you have never logically and intelligently refuted it, is totally biblical and historically attested. God willing I shall be speaking at a CWM Conference in Adelaide during the last weekend in September, 2011. I challenge you to come. My co-speaker, Larry DeBruyn, is NOT Pentecostal. Why don't you bury the hatchet and join with those who are contending for the one Gospel Truth and stop accentuating incidental differences. PASTORS of OR in THE CHURCH? Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 3:54 PM - Wow, your website is a little behind registering the latest CETF as Dec. 2010. With regards to Volume 17.1 Issue 55 page 21 The Position of Pastors might I please contribute matters of research I have done on this issue for your publication in light of the fact that an article or series of articles could be a soon possibility. Did you know that: 1. Not one of the 22 Epistles was addressed to any Pastor or any particular "church" leader, and all this under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit ? 2. Deaconage" only came about to release the "apostles" to the Word and Prayer ? 3. The Body of believers chose men full of The Holy Ghost to do this "menial" task, but these men went on to do miracles....perhaps we have under categorized and meanealized the deaconage but elevated pastors who hardly get a mention in the Word of God ? 22
CETF 56 July 2011 www.cwm.org.au

4. Pastor, Shepherd does not get a good rap anywhere in The Bible so maybe they are not the best ministry/gifting/function to have as CEO ? 5. As we now have "pastors" seeking to be recognised as Senior pastors then that must make other "pastors" secondary and subjective to the SENIOR pastor. R.M. Nambour, Queensland. Australia. ED thank you Roy for your submission, which as you know is very lengthy. It will be used for reference purposes when we get into the series which you have anticipated. I don't want to pre-empt things here but must say that you have made some elementary errors in your assertions. Paul did address particular Church leaders in a number of his epistles e.g. Timothy, Titus (both of whom acted or functioned as pastors), Philemon (fellow-labourer), Apphia, Archippus (fellow-soldiers), and I could go on and on. You see you have fallen into the same trap that you are actually trying to rescue others from. I know what you are trying to say, but your premise is wrong. Simply because these NT characters are not

church. When the letter was printed the phrase 'pastor of the church' was changed to pastor in the church. Of course there are pastors in the church. A Sunday school teacher is pastoring. It is part of God's plan for the church: but by changing the word you have completely changed the main focus of the letter. Readers may form the opinion that I am criticizing scripture. One little 2 letter word and it is so important. I am rather disappointed. Christian greeting. ADJ South Australia. ED I apologise if we used the wrong preposition. As yours was in longhand and I need it on-line it was copied. The original by you was destroyed or lost so we have no way of checking what actually happened. I take your word. However it really makes no difference what preposition in or of you use. In the strictest sense it is impossible for someone to be a pastor in the Church as the Church is people not a building. So pastor of the Church is more correct. The issue does not lie with the use of the preposition but with the understanding and definition of pastor, who is a carer not a controller. Basically I agree with you but I would express it differently. Today most pastors act as Directors or Chief Executive Officers (CEO). The emphasis on leadership should have been a focus on servant-hood and that's where the problem lies. I recently heard of a pastor who was criticised that he was NOT a CEO so he went off to University to learn how to become a CEO. That's how much the world has influenced the Church and that's where the problem lies. The other statements that you wrote on the page of CETF that you sent to me are disappointing and misleading. You say, Satan is using 'tongues' to confuse, to divide and to convince people that speaking in tongues is a guarantee of salvation. While there is a measure of truth in this, it is misleading as it tends to imply that all who speak in tongues fall into this category, which is NOT the case. The Christian Revival Centres (CRC) did, and may be still do, teach that speaking in tongues is a sign of salvation. Most Pentecostals disagree as do I. You say that the Baptism into the Holy Spirit is not in your Bible. Then all I can say is you have a perverted Bible. It is clearly there as I have shown in my series of articles on Cessationism v Biblicism. If you are trying to make a case based on prepositions with as opposed to in or into then I think once more you are missing the point and confusing the issue. It's a pity that you don't base your argument on all that we have published on this issue. By all means argue your case but do it logically, biblically and based on history, as we have done in our publications. God bless you PLP

Today most pastors act as Directors or Chief Executive Officers (CEO). The emphasis on leadership should have been a focus on servanthood and that's where the problem lies.
directly identified in some leadership role that we recognise today does NOT mean that they were not leaders. On the contrary they were real leaders in terms of New Testament definition. Also you have made the same mistake that most make in assuming that the seven in Acts chapter 7 were deacons which they are never called, though obviously they served in that capacity as did Paul himself and our Lord of course. But we'll get into that later. In the meanwhile thanks for sending what you have. Also thank you for mentioning our website default. Actually we now have a new website at www.cwm.org.au where you can source the latest and some of the earlier CETFs in a more acceptable format and setting. God bless you plp an errand boy for Jesus. ERRATA CETF #55 (March 2011). To The Editor - The whole purpose of my letter was to draw attention to the unscriptural office of the pastor of the

Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature - Mark 16:15

What Have We Become?

By Paul Proctor Taken from NewsWithViews.com (April 27, 2011) with written permission Source: http://cetf.co/iAAwJY The command from Jesus was so simple: Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature - Mark 16:15. How complicated is that? The world is right outside our door; and yet, look at the church today and what those claiming to be His disciples and witnesses are actually conveying to that world just in the latest headlines alone: Church Sucks' But Come Anyway? Many Born-Again Christians Hold Universalist Views Utah church offers free Korans in Easter gesture Worst place to Celebrate Easter Is in Church, Says Pastor Nashville-area church offers drivethru prayer Church's 'Dance Your Shoes Off' video goes viral Survey Reveals Decade-Long 'Erosion' of Traditional U.S. Congregations Church Touts Homosexuality as a Gift, Not a Sin 'A Massive Shift Coming in What it Means to Be a Christian" Is it any wonder there is so much confusion about Who Jesus is, what He did and what He taught and that so many frustrated Bible believers are wandering from church to church these days looking for someone to simply preach it and teach it as it is written? It's as if church and staff have become desperately bored with the Bible and are so afraid that the world will be likewise that they must try anything and everything imaginable to get more attention and attendance in a noisy, jaded and wicked world. I continue to be both saddened and disturbed by how many professional Christians there are today who are more interested in advancing their own ministries and agendas than they are the Word of God and frankly, it shows because far too many spend their time and effort talking about we, me and mine promoting and defending themselves, their feelings, their visions and their experiences with one another, week in and week out, rather than contending for the faith with Bible in heart and hand cf. Jude 1:3. Christians, what have we become? Every day brings another storm another hurricane another tornado another flood another earthquake another tsunami another disaster another tragedy another invasion another war more disease more drought more depravity more beatings more deaths more failures more thievery more injustice more perversion more lies and deceit ever increasing in frequency and severity. Time is running out! The Great Commission has not changed since it was given even though the socalled church and its hirelings have. What would the Old Testament prophets say to us today if we could hear them? What would the Apostles from the New Testament say if they were still with us? More importantly what is our Just and Holy God saying to us right now? Look around look in the mirror and then look in your Bible for answers that is, if you really want to know what they are. They've been there all along. Do we still believe that? Do we still believe Jesus, who said: He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me? - Matthew 10:37-38. Then, what are we waiting for? Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen - Matthew 28:19-20. 2011 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved

The Great Commission has not changed since it was given even though the so-called church and its hirelings have.
What will it take for us to once again fear God, believe and repent in humility and faith? The world is spinning out of control and starving for answers to the issues of life while the touchy-feely go-along-to-getalong church in all its biblical ignorance and apathy exchanges flattery and praise for one another with hearts and mouths full of silly songs, sayings and slogans from serpentine salesmen that have no power and never saved anyone. Do we come to church to relate to and party with people like ourselves or to hear and obey the Word of Someone Who is nothing like us? Just who is it we actually worship and serve anyway? Do we even know? Are we really sure?

about the author

Paul Proctor, a rural resident of the Volunteer state and seasoned veteran of the country music industry, retired from showbiz in the late 1990's to dedicate himself to addressing important social issues from a distinctly biblical perspective. As a freelance writer and regular columnist for NewsWithViews.com, he extols the wisdom and truths of scripture through commentary and insight on cultural trends and current events. His articles appear regularly on a variety of news and opinion sites across the internet and in print.
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...there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies....

Mocking Truth:
Rob Bells False Hope, Earthly Heaven and Earth-based Hell
From - NewsWithViews.com April 30, 2011 By Berit Kjos Written permission has been granted by the author to republish this article. Source: http://cetf.co/ml0QfZ There is an energy in the world, a spark, an electricity that everything is plugged into. The Greeks called it zoe, the mystics call it 'Spirit,' and ObiWan called it 'the Force.' ...Growing, evolving, reproducing... [1] Rob Bell, Love Wins. [Jesus] will always transcend whatever cages and labels are created to contain and name him, especially the one called 'Christianity.'...Jesus...demonstrates how seriously he takes his role of saving and rescuing and redeeming not just everything, but everybody."[2] Rob Bell ...there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies.... And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed - 2 Peter 2:1-2. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head.... And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!' Then they spat on Him... struck Him... [and] led Him away to be crucified - Matthew 27:29-31. While Christians prepared to celebrate Christ's victory during Easter week, 2011, a contrary message was spreading through the Internet and news media. Rob Bell's new book, "Love Wins," has become a sensation -- especially among those who welcome its assaults on biblical Truth. Featured as the current cover story of Time magazine, its mockery has fuelled hostility toward God's Truth around the world.
[1] Love Wins (HarperOne, 2011, pp.144-145), was listed as No. 2 on the New York Times Hardcover Advice & Miscellaneous best-seller list for the week of April. Rob Bell is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. [2] Ibid., pp.150-151.

The popular emergent "pastor" Rob Bell has a unique ability to make God's Truth sound detestable. Then, having raised doubts about our holy God, he offers comforting counterfeits that fit today's quest for unity and community. It's a deceitful set-up for group "dialogue" driven by feelings rather than by facts and truth. Don't forget, this is spiritual warfare! So we need to be prepared for the rising war on God's Word. Remember this warning: ...we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of

be a part of that.' You are not alone. There are millions of us. ...A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better.... This is misguided and toxic a n d u l t i m ate l y s u b ve r t s t h e contagious spread of Jesus' message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy... [Preface] How dare this "pastor" rage against the words and ways of the sovereign King of the universe? Bell's arrogance reminds me of the tempter's seductive message in Genesis 3. There we see Satan in the form of a serpent whose main purpose is to block God's plan and deceive His people. Notice how deviously he twisted God's guidelines and raised doubts about His words: Now the serpent...said to the woman, Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' Then the serpent said... 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' So when the woman saw that the tree was...desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate Genesis 3:1-6. Might Robert Bell have been blinded by similar lies? He seems to pick from the Bible whatever fits his values, then blends the truths with heresies that sound reasonable to those who don't know God's Word. The result is a corrupted message that feels right to a world that's fast trading God's absolutes for an evolving social gospel. As Bell said, "there are millions of us." That's so sad!

the darkness of this age.... Therefore put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day... Ephesians 6:12-13. In Love Wins, pastor Bell describes the current clash between biblical Christianity and today's postmodern, pluralistic values. Guess which side he has chosen: I've written this book for all those, everywhere, who have heard some version of the Jesus story that caused their pulse rate to rise, their stomach to churn, and their heart to utter those resolute words, 'I would never

Footnote:

24

CETF 55 March 2011

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...there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies... and will bring the way of truth into disrepute - 2 Peter 2:1-2.

Is America forgetting God's amazing grace and the peace that comes from "walking" with Jesus and delighting in His Word? ...there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies... and will bring the way of truth into disrepute 2 Peter 2:1-2. A WORLDLY HEAVEN According to Bell, the old biblical truth about heaven is obsolete. Notice his disdainful tone: The dominant cultural assumptions and misunderstandings about heaven have been at work for so long it's almost automatic for many to think of heaven as ethereal, intangible, esoteric, and immaterial. Floaty, dreamy, hazy. Somewhere else" [p. 56].

heavenly future will be based right here on this planet: The writers of the scriptures consistently affirm that we're all part of the same family. What we have in commonregardless of our tribe, language, customs, beliefs, or religionoutweighs our differences. This is why God wants 'all people to be saved [p.99]. A couple of observations about the prophets' promises regarding life in the age to come. First, they spoke about 'all the nations.' That's e v e r y b o d y. T h a t ' s a l l t h o s e different...customs, habits, patterns, clothing, traditions, and ways of celebrating..." [p.34]. Some of those prophets described God's extreme displeasure with certain kinds of celebrations -- especially when they involved idolatry, occultism, drunkenness and immorality. His judgments may seem severe to people who have learned to smile at evil. Thousands lost their lives -sometimes in a mere moment of time -through God's miraculous mastery over nature's forces. B u t B e l l s e e m s to i g n o re s u c h demonstrations of God's divine power and man's foolish defiance. Instead he offers a less offensive list of sins: Central to their vision of human flourishing in God's renewed world then was the prophets' announcement that a number of things that can survive in this world will not be able to survive in the world to come. Like war. Rape. Greed. Injustice. Violence. Pride. Division. Exploitation. Disgrace [p.36]. How will the earth be cleansed of these evils? How can fallen humanity be freed from the pull of our corrupt human nature and its selfish inclinations? Since Bell fails to explain the divine power and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the "born again" Christian believer, that miraculous source of spiritual life and cleansing seems to be absent. What part, then, does God Himself play in Bell's view of a "literal" earthly heaven? Bell's confusing answers may be seen in these visions of evolving universal peace and solidarity. Notice their similarity to the UN agenda. And remember, every religion would be part of envisioned solidarity: God says no to injustice. God says, 'Never again' to the oppressors who prey on the weak and vulnerable. God declares a ban on weapons [p.37].

Around a billion people in the world today do not have access to clean water. People will have access to clean water in the age to come, and so working for clean-water access for all is participating now in the life of the age to come... [p.45]. Jesus calls disciples in order to teach us how to be and what to be; his intention is for us to be growing p r o g r e s s i v e l y i n g e n e r o s i t y, forgiveness, honesty, courage, truth telling, and responsibility, so that as these take over our lives we are taking part more and more and more in life in the age to come, now [p.51]. Fo r a l m o st 2 0 0 0 ye a rs , h u m a n civilizations have had opportunities to grow "progressively" in generosity, forgiveness, etc. The fact that today's culture is no closer to perfection suggests that Bell's utopian vision is merely an illusion based in man's lofty imagination. And ancient Israel was no more successful: They... walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward - Jeremiah 7:24.

Bell's arrogance reminds me of the tempter's seductive message in Genesis 3. There we see Satan in the form of a serpent whose main purpose is to block God's plan and deceive His people
...People in white robes with perfect hair floating by on clouds, singing in perfect pitch [p. 57]. Much of the speculation about heavenand, more important, the confusioncomes from the idea that in the blink of an eye we will automatically become totally different people who 'know' everything. But our heart, our c h a r a c t e r, o u r d e s i r e s , o u r longingsthose things take time [p.52]. Apparently Bell's sceptical mind can't believe that our sovereign, omnipotent God is more than able to accomplish all that He has promised. So he simply clings to his finite earthly vision: Life in the age to come. If this sounds like heaven on earth, that's because it is. Literally [p.33]. It's not true! Yet Bell assures us that humanity's evolving and collective

Bell's confusing answers may be seen in these visions of evolving universal peace and solidarity. Notice their similarity to the UN agenda.
But God's promised heaven is not a figment of human imagination! It will include all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, recognize their need for forgiveness, and joyfully accept their new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. This verse from one of my favourite hymns describes it well: Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! Great is Thy faithfulness... [melody]
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Bell's liberal eschatology has no room for a biblical hell. So he simply redefines hell to fit his own solution to evil

AN EARTH-BASED HELL Bell's liberal eschatology has no room for a biblical hell. So he simply redefines hell to fit his own solution to evil: For many in the modern world, the idea of hell is a holdover from primitive, mythic religion that uses fear and punishment to control people for all sorts of devious reasons. And so the logical conclusion is that we've evolved beyond all that outdated belief, right? [p.69-70]. Do I believe in a literal hell? Of course."[p.71] God gives us what we want, and if that's hell, we can have it. We have that kind of freedom, that kind of choice. We are that free. We can use machetes if we want to [pp.71-72]. How do those statement line up with Bell's earlier call for renewal, peace, and "a ban on weapons"? Not very well. In fact, inconsistencies abound in this book. For example, We need a word that refers to the big, wide, terrible evil that comes from the secrets hidden deep within our hearts all the way to the massive, society-wide collapse and chaos that comes when we fail to live in God's world God's way. And for that, the word 'hell' works quite well. Let's keep it [p.94]. So "hell" is merely a reference to earthly troubles? Would today's masses feel better if they could imagine away the devastating problem of sin and evil -- and replace it with a collective dream of peace and social justice? Not Biblical justice, of course. That wouldn't fit Bell's view of an evolving earthly heaven. Does that remind you of John Lennon's most popular song? It seems to match Bell's quest for an earthly paradise: Imagine there's no Heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky... Eugene Peterson, esteemed author of The Message, doesn't seem a bit troubled by Bell's unbiblical teaching. Ponder his endorsement of this book: ...it isn't easy to develop a thoroughly biblical imagination that takes in the comprehensive and eternal work of C h r i st i n a l l p e o p l e a n d a l l circumstances.... Rob Bell goes a long 26
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way in helping us acquire just such an imagination. Man's gullible imagination has served as a tempting tool in social and spiritual transformation through the centuries. Today it's used to promote faith in a unifying "energy" -- like the "energy" Bell mentioned in the introductory quote. It sounds like the teachings of Teilhard de Chardin, the heretical Jesuit priest, who became a sage to mystics, globalists (including Al Gore) and the UN long after he helped "discover" the phony Piltdown_Man. According to Teilhard de Chardin, the human community is undergoing a radical transformation of c o n s c i o u s n e s s . . . . [ Te i l l a r d i s ] challenging the religions to be active forces in our time to harness and direct human energies. [3]

The VANISHING GOSPEL and the CALL to PREACH the TRUE GOSPEL
TWO DAY CWM CONFERENCE Palmerston North, NZ Friday/Saturday September 9/10, 2011. Speakers: Bob Bailey (Friday 7:30 p.m.) Bill Randles (Saturday 11 a.m.; 1:30 & 2:45 p.m.) 7PM Join Bill @ Valentines Buffet Restaurant (www.valentines.co.nz) 227 Featherston Street, Palmerston North Contact: Lester Fensom (021) 936 403 Conference Venue: Emmanuel Congregational Church Corner Broadway & Victoria Avenues Palmerston North Suggested Accommodation: Alpha Motel Inn www.alphamotorinn.co.nz Free phone: 0800 777 070 BILL RANDLES - NEW ZEALAND TOUR 8 14 September 2011 Thursday 8 September 2011, 7.30PM Calvary Coastal Fellowship Wainui Road , Silverdale. Contact: Anton Heyns (09) 428 3319 Friday 9 September 2011, 7.30PM Howick Baptist Church Corner Picton & Wellington Streets, Howick, Auckland. Contact: Clive Hughes (09) 534 8294 CWM Conference 9 & 10 September 2011 see above No registration fee (Love offering to help offset overseas air travel cost) Those attending make own arrangements (Recommended accommodation in Alpha Motel Inn opp. Conference Venue) Morning and afternoon teas provided Own lunch arrangements. Full programme etc to be posted @ www.cwm.org.au Sunday 11 September 2011, 10AM The Fathers House 28 Criterion Street, Bulls. Contact: Mike Millane (06) 329 3612 Sunday 11 September 2011, 7PM Calvary Chapel Wellington St Orans College 550 High Street , Lower Hutt. Contact: Peter Warnes (04) 589 6765 Monday 12 September 2011, 7.30PM Witherlea Bible Chapel 47 - 49 Wither Road , Blenheim 7201. Contact: Darrell Buckley (03) 578 3550 Tuesday 13 September 2011, 7.30PM Middleton Grange School Hall 50 Acacia Avenue, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. Contact: David Maples (021) 178 28 98

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.... Woe to
those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight - Isaiah 5:20-21.

But God says, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.... Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight - Isaiah 5:20-21.
Footnote:

[3] Ewert H. Cousins, Fordham University, New York, September 16-18, 1981.Teilhard de Chardin and the Religious Phenomenon. UNESCO: International Symposium on the Occasion of Centenary of the Birth of Teilhard deChardin

about the author

Berit Kjos is a widely respected researcher, writer and conference speaker. A frequent guest on national radio and television programs, Kjos has been interviewed on Point of View (Marlin Maddoux), The 700 Club, Bible Answer Man, Beverly LaHaye Live, Crosstalk and Family Radio Network. She has also been a guest on Talk Back Live (CNN) and other secular radio and TV networks. Her last two books are A Twist of Faith and Brave New Schools. Kjos Ministries Web Site: http://www.crossroad.to

(Entrance is halfway along ACACIA Avenue on the LEFT. Street Parking Only)

Wednesday 14 September 2011, 7.30PM North Beach Christian Fellowship Tedder Avenue, North Beach, Christchurch. Contact: David Maples (021) 178 28 98. LARRY DEBRUYN (USA) NEW ZEALAND TOUR 25 September 2 October 2011 Full details in CETF#57 or view the tour on line @ www.cwm.org.au

The Capture of the Ark

- God as a Prisoner Of War?
before the Philistines who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield - 1 Samuel 4:1-2. The story is set in a time of profound transition for Israel. The time of being ruled by God appointed judges was coming to a close. The people had been chafing under Philistine domination for forty years, and Samson had only begun to deliver Israel (cf. Judges 13:5) when he was killed. In their attempt to throw off the Philistine yoke, Israel had suffered a crushing defeat costing them 4000 dead! But rather than search their hearts, seeking God as to how it was that Israel had been so defeated by the Philistines, the suggestion was made to fetch the Ark of God's Covenant, and bring it into the battle. They would, by its power, crush the Philistines. Notice that they referred to the Ark as an it. Let us take the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies 1 Samuel 4:3. By Bill Randles Part 1 There is so much more to the so-called Bible stories than most Christians realize. Too often they are just relegated to children's Sunday school felt board stories, or attempts are made to derive morality lessons from them. Jesus and the apostles treated these stories in a far more serious vein Adam, Eve, Lot and Noah were used to teach the Gospel and especially to reveal eschatology, which is the teaching on the end times. For example Jesus said: And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man - Luke 17:26. of the Ark, and the Philistines trembled in fear remembering what the God of the Hebrews had done to Egypt. Two superstitious peoples squared off in battle that day. The Israelites - so backslidden and removed from true allegiance to God - brandishing the very throne of their living and holy God as some kind of a talisman. It must have amazed them that they could with impunity take the Holy Ark from its holy setting, without anyone being fried on the spot!

These were arrayed against the Philistines, who at least came by their superstitious ignorance honestly, for they were pagans! Sure they were uneasy, for the Israelites had some serious magic going for them. This So Israel took the Ark out of the was the Ark of the God who With that in view, let's look at the sanctuary, to use it. Note how the Ark conquered Egypt! But being good story from I Samuel about the time is referred to in more personal terms, pagans, and since they were going to that the Ark of God was captured in in verse 4, die, they purposed not to die battle by the Philistines. cowering before this 'slave nation'. So the people came to Shiloh and Then the word of Samuel came to from there they carried the Ark of Take courage and be men, O all Israel. Now Israel went out to the Covenant of the Lord of hosts Philistines, lest you become slaves to meet the Philistines in battle and who sits above the cherubim the Hebrews, as they have been slaves camped beside Ebenezer while the The arrival of the Ark into the camp of to you, therefore be men and fight Philistines camped in Aphek. And Israel, initially emboldened them, and verse 9. the Philistines drew up in battle deeply frightened the Philistines. So the battle commenced, but this array to meet Israel. When the Israel shouted in triumph at the arrival time the disaster was even worse than battle spread, Israel was defeated
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And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man - Luke 17:26.

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The Ark represents the very throne of God, who Dwells between the Cherubim.

the first battle. There was incalculable damage done to Israel, by the second battle at Aphek, for among the 30,000 casualties, the two sons of the high priest were killed, and the Ark of God was captured by Israel's enemy in battle. In trembling horror, the High Priest of Israel awaited news of the battle outside of the camp. Above all he feared the fate of the Ark. When the exhausted, dirt covered and tattered messenger bearing news of the battle came upon Eli he breathlessly delivered a fourfold tale of woes,

corrupt priests, Hophni and Phineas would have been struck dead for daring to enter the Holy of Holies in Shiloh, pulling back the curtain and removing the holy throne of God. But they were allowed to do it. It would be reasonable to expect such retribution, for the Ark is more than furniture, in fact more than holy furniture. The Ark represents the very throne of God, who Dwells between the Cherubim. Incredibly God allowed that which represents His very throne to be captured by the Philistines!

taken into captivity long before any Israelite would go to Babylon or Assyria. The Israelites thought that they were using God to get them a victory over their enemies. In the height of presumption and superstition, they would seize His throne, and put it out there as a talisman! On the other hand, the Philistines thought that the battle of Aphek was a clear demonstration of the superiority of their god, Dagon, over the God of Israel. To them the Ark was a trophy of the victory of their false god!

Israel has fled from before the I will go further, for the Ark is in fact a But God saw it all differently, for the type of the Messiah. It is the ultimate thoughts of God are so much higher Philistines, and teaching of the person and work of than man the Messiah, who would come to there has been a great slaughter reconcile man to God, by being a among the peopleand So That He (God) abandoned the mercy seat or propitiation (covering)! dwelling place at Shiloh, the tent your two sons Hophni and Phineas God has set forth Jesus to be a which He had pitched among men. are dead and propitiation (mercy seat) - Romans And gave his strength into 3:25. Therefore the Ark is a type of captivity, and His glory to the land the Ark of God has been taken - Christ Himself. of the adversary - Psalm 78:60-61. 1 Samuel 4:11 It begins to look like a familiar story This news so stunned the aged High now, something we have heard in God has set forth Priest of Israel that he fell off his seat, another setting. We worship a God Jesus to be a breaking his neck, and died. who can let Himself be taken, who can relinquish His mighty power, and by propitiation (mercy Another horror was to occur, for upon apparent weakness and defeat, effect hearing the news of the defeat the seat) - Romans 3:25. his greatest victory. high priest's daughter-in-law went Therefore the Ark is a Next PART 2 - Israel's future history into labour and bore a son. In her labour, she went comatose and type of Christ Himself. in I Samuel chapters 4 to 6. became unresponsive. When they about the author tried to cheer her by announcing the BILL RANDLES came out of the birth of a son, she replied by naming Why would God become a Prisoner Word of Faith Movement and is Of War (POW)? the soon to be orphan, Ichabod the founder and pastor of Believers in Grace Fellowship in Marion, which means, the glory of God has Iowa which has been in existence When God brought Israel into the land departed - and then she died. since 1982. He is the author of 4 of promise, He warned them that if books: Making War in the Heavenlies, Weighed & Found Wanting, The implications of the events in this they ever departed from Him he Beware the New Prophets, and story are troubling and profound. For would evict them from the land and Mending the Nets. He has travelled to Nigeria, South example, how could the Ark of God that they would go into exile. Africa, Zimbabwe, England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and the Philippines preaching the become a spoil of war? One waits in Faithlessness would get them put out. gospel and contending for the faith that has been vain for the expected 'lightning bolt' But this time God Himself took the delivered to the saints. He and his wife, Kristin, have 6 children and 10 grandchildren. to shoot out of the Ark the first time a rap for them; God Himself was exiled; hapless Philistine dares to touch it. In God Himself bore the punishment Bill will be speaking at the CWM Conference in Brisbane and previously doing a tour of NZ fact one would have thought the that was due them; God Himself was September 2011.
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All the false prophets came from schools of prophets, and were accepted publicly on that ground.

The Making of a Prophet

By T. Austin-Sparks SOURCE: http://cetf.co/kQd3Id Prophetic ministry has not developed with time, but is eternal. It has come out of the eternal counsels. When Adam sinned and was expelled from the garden, the Word simply says, God "placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim... to guard the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24 NKJV). Who or what are the Cherubim? Where do they come from? They have no prior reference in Scripture just this simple statement. God put them there to guard the way of the tree of life. They became the custodians of life, to hold things according to God's will and thought. For the thoughts of man's heart had departed from God's thoughts and had become evil; everything had been marred; and now the custodians of the divine thought, about the greatest of all things for man - divine life, uncreated life - the custodians of that, the Cherubim, were placed there. Later we are given to understand what the Cherubim are like: this symbolic, composite representation has a four-fold aspect - the lion, the ox, the man and the eagle (cf. Ezekiel 1:4-14 with 10:14 and 15); and we are given to understand very clearly that the predominant feature is the man. It is a man, really, with three other aspects, those of the lion, the ox, and the eagle. The lion is a symbol of kingship or dominion; the ox, of service and sacrifice; the eagle, of heavenly glory and mystery. The predominant aspect of the Cherubim is that of a Man Throughout Scripture the man takes the place, in the divine order of things, of the prophet, the representative of God. The representation of God's thoughts is a man. That was the intention in the creation of Adam in the image and likeness of God - to be the personal embodiment and expression of God's thoughts. That is what man was created for. That is what we find in the Man, who was God manifested in the flesh. He was the perfect expression of all God's thoughts. Where has this symbolism of the Cherubim come from? It is simply brought in. It comes out from eternity. It is a divine, eternal thought, and it takes charge of things, to hold things for God. So that man - and we know that phrase "the Son of man" (cf. Ezekiel 2:3,6,8; 3:1,3,4,10,17,25 etc) - is peculiarly related to the prophetic office, and the prophetic function which is an eternal thing that just appears. It is, in its very nature, the representation of divine thoughts, and it is to hold God's thoughts in purity and in fullness. That is the idea related to the man, to the prophet, and is the prophetic function and nature. THE IDENTITY OF THE PROPHET WITH HIS MESSAGE Here we come to the most important aspect - the absolute identity of the vessel with the vessel's ministry. Prophetic ministry is not something that one takes up. It is something that one is. No academy can make you a prophet. Samuel instituted the schools of the prophets. They were for two purposes - one, the dissemination of religious knowledge, and the other, the writing up of the chronicles of religious history. In Samuel's day there was no open vision; the people had lost the Word of God. They had to be taught the Word of God again. The chronicles of the ways of God had to be written up and put on record for future generations. The schools of the prophets were instituted mainly for that purpose. something that he does. The vessel itself is the ministry and you cannot divide between the two. THE NECESSITY FOR SELF-EMPTYING This explains everything in the life of the great prophets. It explains the life of Moses, the prophet whom the Lord God raised up from among his brethren (Deut. 18:15,18). Moses essayed to take up his life work. He was a man of tremendous abilities, "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22), with great natural qualifications and gifts, and then somehow he got some conception of a life-work for God. It was quite true; it was a true conception, a right idea; he was very honest. There was no question at all about his motives; but he essayed to take up that work on the basis of what he was naturally, with his own ability, qualifications and zeal, and on that basis disaster came upon the whole thing. That is NOT how prophets are made. That is NOT how the prophetic office is exercised. Moses had to go into the wilderness and for forty years be emptied out, until there was nothing left of himself upon which he could have confidence to do the work of God or fulfil any divine commission. He was by nature a man "mighty in his words and works"; and yet now he says, "I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech..." (Exodus 4:10). There had been a tremendous undercutting of all natural facility and resource, and I do not think that Moses was merely disagreeable in his reply to God. He did not say in effect, 'You would not allow me to do it then, so I will not do it now.' I think he was a man who was under the divine discipline and yet on top of it. A man who is really under things and who has become petulant does not respond to little opportunities of helping people. We get a glimpse of Moses at the beginning of his time in the wilderness (Exodus 2:16,17) which suggests that he was not of that kind. When there was difficulty at the well, over the watering of the flocks, if Moses had been in a bad mood, cantankerous, disagreeable because the Lord had not seemed to stand by him in Egypt, he probably would have sat somewhere apart and looked on and done nothing to help. But he went readily to help, in a good spirit, doing all he could. He was on top of his trial. Little things indicate where a man is. We go through times of trial and test under the hand of God, and it is so easy to get into that frame of mind which, says in effect, 'The Lord does not want us, He
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the identity of the vessel with its ministry is the very heart of divine thought. A man is called to represent the thoughts of God, to represent them in what he is, not in something that he takes up as a form or line of ministry, not in something that he does
But there was a great deal of difference between those academic prophets and the living, anointed prophets. The academic prophets became members of a profession and swiftly degenerated into something unworthy. All the false prophets came from schools of prophets, and were accepted publicly on that ground. They had been to college and were accepted; but they were false prophets. Going to a religious college does not of itself make you a prophet of God. My point is this - the identity of the vessel with its ministry is the very heart of divine thought. A man is called to represent the thoughts of God, to represent them in what he is, not in something that he takes up as a form or line of ministry, not in

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"We... had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead"

need not have us!' We let everything go, we do not care about anything; we have gone down under our trials and we are rendered useless. I do not believe the Lord ever comes to a person like that to take them up. Elijah, dispirited, fled to the wilderness, and to a cave in the mountains; but he had to get somewhere else before the Lord could do anything with him. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (I Kings 19:9). The Lord never comes to a man and re-commissions him when he is in despair. 'God shall forgive you all but your despair' (F. W. H. Myers, 'St. Paul') - because despair is lost faith in God, and God can never do anything with one who has lost faith. Moses was emptied to the last drop, and yet he was not angry or disagreeable with God. What was the Lord doing? He was making a prophet. Beforehand, the man would have taken up an office, he would have made the prophetic function serve him, he would have used it. There was no inward, vital relationship between the man and the work that he was to do; they were two separate things; the work was objective to the man. At the end of forty years in the wilderness he is in a state for this to become subjective; something has been done. There has been brought about a state which makes the man fit to be a living expression of the Divine thought. He has been emptied of his own thoughts to make room for God's thoughts; he has been emptied of his own strength, that all the energy should be of God. Is not that perhaps the meaning of the fire and the bush that was not consumed? It is a parable, maybe a larger parable, but I think in the immediate application it was saying something to Moses. 'Moses, you are a very frail creature, a common bush of the desert, a bit of ordinary humanity, nothing at all of resource in yourself; but there is a resource, which can carry you on and on, and you can be maintained, without being consumed, by an energy that is not your own - the Spirit of God, the energy of God.' That was the great lesson this prophet had to learn. 'I cannot!' 'All right', said the Lord, 'but I AM.' A great deal is made of the natural side of many of the Lord's servants, and usually with tragic results. A lot is made of Paul. 'What a great man Paul was naturally, what intellect he had, what training, what tremendous abilities!' That may all be true, but ask Paul what value it was to him when he was right up against a spiritual situation. He will cry, "Who is sufficient for these things? ... Our sufficiency is from God" (2 Cor. 2:16; 3:5). Paul was taken through experiences where he, like Moses, despaired of life. He said, "We... had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead" (2 Cor. 1:9). 30
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THE MESSAGE WORKED OUT BY ACTUAL EXPERIENCE The principle at work all the time is that God is going to make the ministry and the minister identical. You see it in all the prophets. The Lord stopped short at nothing. He took infinite pains working even through domestic circumstance and the closest relationships of life. Think of the tragedy of Hosea's domestic life. Think of Ezekiel, whose wife the Lord took away in death at a stroke. The Lord said, 'Get up in the morning, anoint your face, do not allow the slightest suggestion of mourning or tragedy to be detected; go out as always before, as though nothing has happened; show yourself to the people, go about with a bright countenance, provoke them to enquire what you mean by such outrageous behaviour.' The Lord brought this heartbreak upon him and then required him to act thus. Why? Ezekiel was a prophet; he had to embody his message, and the message was this: 'Israel, God's wife, has become lost to God, dead to God, and Israel takes no notice of it; she goes on the same as ever, as though nothing had happened.' The prophet must bring it home by his own experience. God is working the thing right in. He works in deep and terrible ways in the life of His servant to produce ministry.

ask Paul what value it was to him when he was right up against a spiritual situation. He will cry, "Who is sufficient for these things? ... Our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor. 2:16; 3:5)
If we are under the Holy Spirit, God is going to make us prophets; that is, He is going to make the prophecy a thing that has taken place in us, so that what we say is only making vocal something that has been going on within us, that has been done in us. God has been doing it through years in strange, deep, terrible ways in some lives, standing at nothing, touching everything; and the vessel, thus worked upon, is the message. People do not come to hear what you have to teach. They have come to see what you are, to see that thing which has been worked by God. What a price the prophetic instrument has to pay! So Moses went into the wilderness, to the awful undoing of his natural life, his natural mentality; to be brought to zero; to have the thing worked in him. Was God justified? After all it was a question of resource for the future. Oh, the strain that was going to bear down upon that life!

Sometimes Moses almost broke; at times he did crack under the strain. "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me" (Num. 11:14). What was his resource? Oh, if it had been the old resource of Egypt he would not have stood it for a year. He could not stand provocation in Egypt, he must rise up and fight. He broke down morally and spiritually under that little strain away back there forty years before. What would he do with these rebels? How long would he put up with them? A terrific strain was going to bear down upon him, and only a deep in worked something that had been done inside, would be enough to carry him through when it was a case of standing against the stream for God's full thought. With us, too, the strain may be terrific; ofttimes there will come the very strong temptation - 'Let go a little, compromise a little, do not be so utter; you will get more open doors if you will only broaden out a bit; you can have a lot more if you ease up!' What is going to save you in that hour of temptation? The only thing is that God has done this thing in you. It is part of your very being - not something you can give up; it is you, your very life. That is the only thing. God knew what He was doing with Moses. The thing had to be so much a part of the man that there was no dividing between them. The man was the prophetic ministry. He was rejected by his brethren; they would not have him. "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?" (Ex. 2:14). That is the human side of it. But there was the divine side. It was of God that he went into the wilderness for forty years. It had to be, from God's side. It looked as though it was man's doing. But it was not so. These two things went together. Rejection by his brethren was all in line with the sovereign purpose of God. It was the only way in which God got the opportunity He needed to reconstitute this man. The real preparation of this prophet took place during the time that his brethren repudiated him. Oh, the sovereignty of God, the wonderful sovereignty of God! A dark time, a deep time; a breaking, crushing, grinding time; emptied out. It seems as if everything is going, that nothing will be left. Yet all that is God's way of making prophetic ministry. A MESSENGER DIVINELY ATTESTED I expect that Moses at the beginning would have been very legalistic, laying down the law - 'You must do this and that' and so on; an autocrat or despot. When, after those years, we find him coming off the wheel, out of the hands of the Potter, he is said to be "very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth" (Num. 12:3), and God could stand by him then. He could not stand by him on the day when he rose up in a spirit of pride, arrogance, self-assertiveness. God had to let that work itself out to its inevitable consequence. But when Moses, as the

...prophetic ministry is a function. Its function is to hold everything in relation to God's full thought...

meekest of men, the broken, humble, selfless man, was challenged by others as to his office - at such a time Moses did not stand up for his position, his rights; he just handed the matter over to the Lord. His attitude was, 'we will allow the Lord to decide. I have no personal position to preserve: if the Lord has made me His prophet, let Him show it. I am prepared to go out of office if it is not of the Lord.' What a different spirit! And the Lord did stand by him marvellously and mightily on those occasions, and terribly so for those who opposed themselves (Numbers 12:2ff.; 16:3ff.). PROPHETIC MINISTRY, A LIFE, NOT TEACHING Well, what is a prophet? What is the prophetic function? It is this: God takes hold of a vessel (it may be individual or it may be collective: the function of prophetic ministry may move through a people, as it did through Israel), and He takes that vessel through a deep history, breaking and undoing, disillusioning, revolutionising the whole mentality, so that things which were held fiercely, assertively, are no longer so held. There is developed a wonderful pliableness, adjustableness and teachableness. Everything that was merely objective as to the work of God, as to divine truth, as to orthodoxy or fundamentalism, all that was held so strongly, in an objective, legalistic way, as to what is right and wrong in methods - it is all dealt with, all broken. There is a new conception entirely, a new outlook upon things; no longer a formal system, something outside you which you take up, but something worked in an inward way in the vessel. It is what the vessel is that is its ministry. It is not what it has accepted of doctrine and is now teaching. Oh, to get free of all that horrible realm of things! It is a wretched realm, that of adopting teachings, taking on interpretations, being known because such and such is your line of things. Oh, God deliver us! Oh, to be brought to the place where it is a matter of life - of what God has really done in us, made of us! First He has pulverised us, and then He has reconstructed us on a new spiritual principle, and that expresses itself in ministry: what is said is coming from what has been going on behind the scenes, perhaps for years and even right up to date. Do you see the law of prophetic function? It is that God keeps chosen vessels abreast of truth by experience. Every bit of truth that they give out in word is something that has had a history. They went down into the depths and they were saved by that truth. It was their life and therefore it is a part of them. That is the nature of prophetic ministry.

A P R O P H E T, T O L E R A N T B U T UNCOMPROMISING Reverting to what I was saying about the change in Moses: you can see a reflection of it in the case of Samuel. I think Samuel is one of the most beautiful and lovable characters in the Old Testament, and he is called a prophet. Do you notice that although his own heart is utterly devoted to God's highest and fullest thought, and inwardly he has no compromise whatever, yet he shows a marvellous charity toward Saul during those early months? (It seems not to have gone much beyond a year, the first year of Saul's reign, during which it seems that Saul really did seek to show some semblance of good.) And yet we must remember that Saul represents the denial of the highest of all things - the direct and immediate government of God. Such government was repudiated by Israel in favour of a king - "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations", they said. God said to Samuel: "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me" (1 Samuel 8:5-7).

Divine things have been taken hold of by carnal men, and brought down to an earthly level...Men have set up the government in divine matters and are running things for God.
Kingship was a Divine principle as much as prophecy was. The lion is there with the man. The monarch, representing God's thought of dominion, is there. But with Saul it is on a lower level. His coming in represented the bringing down of that Divine thought to the level of the world: "like all the nations" - a divine thought taken hold of by carnal men, dragged down to the world's level; and Samuel knew it. In his heart he could not accept that, and he complained to God about it; he was against this thing, for he saw what it meant; but how charitable he was to Saul for as long as he could be! Why do I say that? Because there is a condition like that existing today. Divine things have been taken hold of by carnal men, and brought down to an earthly level; the direct government of the Holy Spirit has been exchanged for committees and boards and so on. Men have set up the government in divine matters and are running things for God. The way of the New Testament, that in prayer and fasting the mind of the Lord is secured, is hardly known. Well, those who are spiritual, who know, who see, who understand, cannot accept that. But they are very charitable. A true prophet, like Samuel, will be

charitable as long as possible, until that wrong thing takes the pronounced and positive form of disobedience to light given. The Lord came to Saul through Samuel and gave him clearly to understand what he had to do. It was made known to him with unmistakable clarity what God required of him, and he was disobedient. Then Samuel said, 'No more charity!' He was implacable. "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you from being king" (I Samuel 15:23). Samuel went as far as he could. That is charity. Of course, types are always weak and imperfect, but you can see the truth there. The prophet Samuel showed a great deal of forbearance with things that were wrong, even while in his heart he could not accept them. He hoped that light would break and obedience follow and the situation be saved. We have to be very charitable to all that with which we do not agree. The point is this Samuel (and Moses) had to learn these things. They had to be made like that. We are better fitted to serve the Lord's purpose, we are truer prophets, when we can bear with things with which we do not agree, than when in our zeal we are iconoclasts, and seek only to destroy the offending thing. The Lord says, 'That will not do.' In all that we have said we have emphasized only one thing - that prophetic ministry is a function. Its function is to hold everything in relation to God's full thought - but not as holding a 'line' of things, in an objective and legalistic way. You do not take something up. You can only do it truly as God has worked into you that thing for which you are going to stand, and in so far as it has been revealed in you through experience, through the handling of God - God has taken you through it, and you know it like it is. It is not that you have achieved something, but rather that you have been broken in the process. Now you are fit for something in the Lord.

about the author

T. A u s t i n - S p a r k s became a Christian at 17 while listening to young street-preachers in Glasgow. Ordained a Baptist pastor at 24, he led three congregations in London. In 1926, he broke with this organisation, resigned his Baptist ordination and established a conference and training centre in southeast London. Among the many books which he wrote, at least three are regarded as Christian classics: The School of Christ, The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and We Beheld His Glory. The golden chord which runs through Sparks' books is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. T. Austin-Sparks died in 1971. www.austin-sparks.net
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He, who being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy Proverbs 29:1 (KJV)

PART 2 - Part 1 was published in CETF #55 (March 2011). He, who being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy Proverbs 29:1 (KJV) Editorial Comment - The full article a p p e a r s @ w w w. c w m . o r g . a u a n d www.cwmfellowship.org It was emailed to Colin Dye and John Glass of Elim and to most AoG-UK leaders some of whom accused me of being bitter or questioned my right to communicate on the issue. One thanked me for speaking out and agreed that a re-structure of AoG was NOT the answer, wishing me well in the campaign. As these were personal emails I responded in each case personally. I am writing this at the end of another Ministry Tour in UK (June 17, 2011) when a number of people have spoken encouraging words and have promised to help in distributing CETF #56 which included the first part of the article. The only hope for a true revival is to mobilise a grass roots movement. It will never come through the current leadership, who have too great a personal investment in their Church Growth programmes.

offer was genuine and stating that he would like to be put in touch with those to whom I am accountable. I considered this disingenuous and hypocritical as I had already indicated my willingness to discuss issues of accountabilitymine and hisduring a meeting which I had proposed. I blind copied my email to a person who I knew had former links with Kensington Temple and who, unbeknown to me at that time, had been an elder at KT. This person wrote to CD urging him to meet me. In the end and almost at the last minute CD agreed to meet me. This meeting occurred for about 90 minutes at a private home in Manchester on Friday June 10, 2011, two days before our return flight. Due to what I consider to be false accusations that I have edited Mr Dye's comments I have suggested to him that he publish what has passed between us on his web site. If he does not act in this way I may well publish all of it on one of our web sites in the interests of truth. For more see Letters to the Editor on page 16 Summary of Part 1 - see CETF #55 (March 2011 pages 31-34): www.cwm.org.au Ashley and Jane Evans lead The Influencers with heretical teachers Creflo Dollar and Bishop T.D. Jakes. Who are they influencing? Colin Dye appointed Roberts Liardon (RL) as principal of Kensington Temple's prestigious Bible training centre IBIOL. RL admitted to homosexual liaison with his former youth pastor for which he was disciplined requiring three month's absence from his preaching platform. The first (new) AoG-UK national magazine RE promoted RL's book and published an article by Rob Bell who denies the authority of the Bible and has set himself to repaint Christianity. (RB is a UNIVERSALIST who has written the book Love Wins see http://cetf.co/lqbSHy All of this and more constitutes the writing on the wall for these formerly godly movements that have become theocratic bureaucracies who are Living in a Fool's Paradise or to use another metaphor, they are fiddling while Rome burns.

Part 2 - In Britain, Australasia and America the writing has been on the wall for a number of years. In fact, as far back as the 1950s John Wallace in his UK-AoG Conference Chairman's addresses warned that the denomination was in danger of going off track. He entitled his two messages Assemblies of God Wither Bound and Repentance or Else. As a young minister, growing up in the movement to which I owe so much, I heard a number of AoG preachers refer to those messages, but I have to wonder how many within the Assemblies of God actually heeded the warnings.

The problem in every case was a failure to test the move hermeneutically understood and rationally (logically) applied.
John Wallace's brother, James, for whom I have a very high regard as the late principal of the Australian Commonwealth Bible College (CBC) where I studied (1957-1959), gave similar warnings within the Australasian context. He was ruthlessly outspoken against the antics of men such as Oral Roberts [2], T.L Osborne, and William Branham [3] et al, who were beginning to make their impact upon the AoG scene back in those days.[4] Sadly most of my former Australian colleagues at national executive level ignored James Wallace's warnings and in some cases said scurrilous things about him and his supporters. John and James Wallace were right and their critics are being continuously proven wrong. Some of those named above and their false doctrines and wrong practices
Footnote:
[2] http://cetf.co/j5Fmpe [3] http://cetf.co/lppXV5 Also do a Google search on these men [4] Do a Google search on these three names and research what comes up.

by Scripture

Colin Dye of Kensington Temple Editorial Communication with Colin Dye Elim - Due to the nature of this issue, diligent contact has been maintained throughout with John Glass and Colin Dye, who again wrote to me on June 1st 2011, stating that he was sorry that he was not disposed to take up my offer of a meeting as he had no confidence that my
Footnote:
[1] http://cetf.co/h8uah7

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We do well to take heed. We are facing a creeping paralysis in our Fool's Paradise.

undoubtedly influenced the Assemblies of God in both Australasia and Britain. The Australasian leaders claim numerical increase, which is true in the cases of Australia and New Zealand. In Britain there has been a notable decline with Assemblies withdrawing. In each of the three countries there has most certainly been a downgrade[5] which is as serious as that of C H Spurgeons[6] day, to which the great preacher gave constant warning. If the Pentecostal Down-Grade[7] began in the 1950s, as recognised and warned against by John and James Wallace and others, it gained great momentum through the so called Charismatic Renewal when doctrine was largely jettisoned in favour of emotional and psychological sensationalism that masqueraded as a move of the Holy Spirit during the 1960s. This paved the way for the various so called waves of the spirit, of the 1980s and 90s, which were nothing more than the expending of human energy and sheer emotionalismDancing and Demons, John Wimber's Signs and Wonders, Toronto, Pensacola, Peter Wagner's apostles and prophets ad infinitum, ad nauseam. The problem in every case was a failure to test the move by Scripture hermeneutically understood and rationally (logically) applied. The down-grade reached a watershed with Toronto and Pensacola. That is why I and others constantly allude to this false move as the one thing that those who were caught up in it, in any way, should openly confess and publically repent over. It opened the flood gates to an avalanche of spiritualistic and new-age hypnotism that paved the way for the emergent church, a major proponent of which is Rob Bell with whom John Partington of Assemblies of God and his new Re magazine are now flirting. Ironically if you merge the title Re with the word Bell as they appear on the front cover of Issue 1 of this strange magazine you may see a truth Rebellious hmm. THOUGH the mills of God grind slowly; Yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience he stands waiting; With exactness grinds He all.
Footnote:
[5] http://cetf.co/jG4mZT [6] http://cetf.co/mBEzuR [7] http://cetf.co/lv980X

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 March 24, 1882) In June of the year (2010) I drove many miles around Englands green and pleasant land[8] and within South Walesthe Land of My Fathers[9]. It is always a great joy to return to the countries of my birth and early ministry, which is a privilege that was afforded to me again this year May 10 to June 12 2011, just concluded. (I led the Droylsden Pentecostal Church from 1962 to 1978 aged 24 to 39 in the then greater Manchester area, also called Tameside. How sad to see that Church has become a Dream Centre!) Obviously there have been many changes, but the most impacting, by far for my wife, Kathleen and me, on the natural level, was the

property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property - either as a child, a wife, or a concubine - must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome - http://cetf.co/iHaLof We do well to take heed. We are facing a creeping paralysis in our Fool's Paradise. At the spiritual and equally frightening level was the observable failure of the socalled Christian Church, including our own section of it. Why is this? Well it's largely because the leaders have forgotten or ignored their real purpose. They've bought the lie that bigger is better and Church Growth should be our chief goal. In chasing this will of the wisp they ignore the fact that the Church is not primarily a social-welfare instrument but should always be a spiritual force no matter what the cost and irrespective of size and numbers. Paul, the apostle describes the Church as the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). The irony is that, in U.K., with all their efforts towards growth the opposite is what actually has occurred. For example in the years just prior to our family's leaving UK for Australia (1978) the annual Assemblies of God Conferences boasted thousands of registrants year after year. It reached its zenith somewhere in the mid 70s of 10,000 registrants. Now if they get 500 they think they are doing well. And the latest I hear is that through the influence of John Partington and the present leadership AoG-UK will cancel their annual Conference opting for some strange so-called apostolic leadership. Ah well Peter Wagner here we come with the disgusting Todd Bentley style experiments. May the Lord look in mercy
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Theyve bought the lie that bigger is better and Church Growth should be our chief goal.
observation of the spread of Islam in many English cities, with what now appears to be the inevitable downgrading of the infrastructure and the general environmental standardspotholes and litter abound, similar to third world countriesand the perception that Islam has not yet touched the villages and hamlets away from the cities. Things in the country remain comparatively clean and pristine. Obviously Muslims are first targeting the large population sections of our society and they will swamp us by sheer weight of numbers as a result of their frightening birth rate. Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), commented in his 1899 The River War : How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of
Footnote:
[8] Cf. English poet William Blake 1757-1827 http://cetf.co/p1vfon [9] Cf. http://cetf.co/n2FoF7

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For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed - Malachi 3:6.

on AoG-UK, but then it may well be too late. It's Repentance Or Else as John Wallace warned those many years ago see part 1 CETF#55 pp. 31-34.. The most disturbing indication of what is happening within my former denomination in UK presented itself when that pastor friend in South Wales showed me the new AoG national magazine referred to above - see part 1. Throughout my ministry I have always been interested and vitally involved with literature. In my pastoral years in Manchester (1962-1978) I published and edited an evangelistic paper called Release, which circulated nationally through local churches of varying denominations and eventually touched countries beyond UK. I founded a company to carry out this work called Bethel Publications Limited, which continued for a number of years after we, as a family, left Britain and came to Australia in 1978. During my two-year pastorate in the Blue Mountains I published and edited an enlarged and revamped version of Release for local church evangelistic purposes and during my eight-year pastorate in Northern Victoria produced a newspaper called Stand up Australia. Later I was editor of the national Australian Evangel and am now editor of the international magazine Contending EARNESTLY for THE Faith (CETF) since 1994. I write these things simply to stress my interest in and concern about this method of communication, not to promote anything grandiose about myself. After all what's great about editing and publishing magazines? It's a lot of hard work!

When I say that I have NEVER closely examined any piece of literature that could by any stretch of the imagination be called Christian that is so infantile, puerile and plain silly as this Re magazine I am NOT exaggerating. I have already mentioned other serious 34
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impediments from a Christian perspective, apart from its puerility. It is the spiritual window into the Assemblies of God and possibly also into the Elim movements. In the remainder of this article I propose to further examine Re. Now what was that, or maybe more pertinently what is it? RE[10] John Partington (JP) in his editorial of the first issue defends the use of the title Well the truth is that the prefix 're' is a wonderful description of our God. ... 'Re' in its simplest form means 'again', and without doubt our God is an 'again' God ... REALLY or should I ask RE-ALLY? Let's examine both claims i.e. that re means again and that this represents our God. According to my Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (the full expanded edition comprises some 80 volumes) the derivation of the prefix is from a Latin word which signifies in the matter of or referring to in the general sense of back or again. The primary idea is back so if the secondary ideaagainfeatures at all it must be related to the primary notion. This carries over into today's parlance. Everyone recognises that the prefix re in today's world is an abbreviation for the words regarding, respecting or relating to which certainly do not include the idea of again. There are many words where re has no reference (there it is again) to again. It's a ridiculous notion and it matters not how you spell that word or what its derivation 'ridiculous' means absurd, preposterous, comical, laughable and that's what Mr. Partington's claim amounts to. To make things worse Re is going to be the title of this AoG publication indefinitely. Being so absurd, the idea that the new leader of AoG-UK is projecting is bound to wear thin the sooner the better!! For you see JP and those whom he represents have done it AGAIN. They have overlooked what is basic to biblical recovery and that's biblical repentance. Instead they simply put a new spin on the past in the vain hope that the spinning top will confuse their bewitched and bemused followers. They should come out into the open and confess to all that they got it wrong and have departed from the old paths of Pentecostalism[11]. For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed - Malachi 3:6. In his writings (see Re Issue 1, May 2010, pages 5 and 38-42) JP has confused not only the true meaning of words but
Footnote:
[10] http://cetf.co/kuhnbk [11] God willing I hope to extend this series to include a part on Classic Pentecostalism and the legacy of our founding fathers.

also the nature and character of the God of the Bible, who in His grace and mercy will give humans a second and a third chanceagain and againyet He Himself never changes. If we disobey His Word or go contrary to His ways once, He will not adjust either of them to something else for our benefit nor will He forgive forever. That's not how the God of the Bible operates.

Re magazine ... is the spiritual window into the Assemblies of God and possibly also into the Elim movements.
This is never more clearly illustrated than in the passage of scripture that I read in my morning devotions (26/07/2010)Jeremiah chapters 35 to 39 inclusive. In chapter 36 we read that the scroll was cut up with a pen knife and burned (verses 22-25) and the king sought to kill Jeremiah and Baruch his scribe in order to destroy both the evidence and those responsible for it. What did Jeremiah do after God hid him? He simply dictated the exact same words to Baruch the scribe who re-wrote them in another scroll, that was read a second time to the rebellious king and his people, then judgment came. God's Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). Amazingly JP actually quotes Jeremiah in the opening paragraphs of his article Will you not revive us again O God? (Pgs 3942) yet he still misses the point and actually perverts the divine intent of Jeremiah's words. Here are JP's words: One day while I was in Honolulu, I felt the Holy Spirit ask me as in Jeremiah 1, What do you see? .... I noticed a boy with Down's Syndrome trying to pay for a DVD but not having enough money. As I read his story my mind went to Acts chapter three and what we know as The Healing of the Lame Man. I almost became excited. Were we about to read of a modern miracle? But then the huge anti-climax. JP continues: My prayer in the morning was, Lord, today let me experience a miracle, see a God opportunity and have another exiting day of adventure. When I found myself in that situation I had a choice as to what I saw. I paid for the DVD without the boy even

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved Jeremiah 8:20.

knowing and walked out feeling ten feet tall ... Now wait a minute. This is the new leader of the Assemblies of God in Great Britain and Ireland, in what must have been his inaugural address. Do you get it? He paid for a poor incapacitated boy's DVD and he calls that A MIRACLE. I wonder if it was a good or a bad DVD and whether it would actually do the boy any good or harm? We are not told and I guess JP wouldn't know anyway. But still he felt ten feet tall. How different from the scenarios of scripture both Acts chapter 3 and Jeremiah chapter 1. In the former the ambassadors of our Lord gave no financial benefit to the poor beggarsilver and gold have we nonebut they did share a real miracle. In the latter Jeremiah never chose what he saw but he did receive the divine call to a supernatural ministry. And oh, by the way, Jeremiah saw two things on two separate occasionsboth as the result not of natural observation but of supernatural vision cf. Jeremiah 1:11-12 with verses 13-19. Can you imagine Peter and John or Jeremiah for that matter feeling ten feet tall. The Christian and Pentecostal message has nothing to do with us or how we feel. It has everything to do with Christ and what He did and does on behalf of needy mankind. Until the AoG and Elim get back to that there is NO HOPE. JP is clearly an ambitious man who is trying to solve a spiritual problem with a purely natural approach and a lot of hype thrown in. I tremble for the future of AoG in UK. What Mr Partington projects is pure, undefiled, motivational claptrap.

numbers, ... discouragement, disarray and despair wondering who we really are, where we are going and what our purpose is? (Ibid page 39). He calls for ... change and to embrace a new culture, a new DNA and a new outlook. (page 40). How sad then that he simply dishes up more of the same, without any mention of repentance and no meaningful Bible quotes in his entire editorial and his long article. He found space to quote Bill Cosby and Mikhail Gorbachev, but NOT the Bible, the Word of God, other than by mere reference to try to validate his ridiculous idea about the prefix re or to condemn the excessive reference to the so called Ephesians 4:11 ministries. The Bible tells us that we should rejoice (Philippians 4:4), be refreshed (Jeremiah 31:25), be re-established (2 Chronicles 29:35), refine [that's stretching things a bit] (Psalm 66:10), rebuild (Ezra 5:2), renew (Isaiah 40:31) and remind (2 Timothy 1:6). Ibid p. 40. Can you see the connection he naively asks. Sorry John I can't. There is no connection other than in your befuddled mind and hyped up sales pitch. Dear Reader, if you are an Assemblies of God adherent please read those Bible referencesall of themand read them in context and you'll see what I mean. Incidentally rejoice does NOT mean joice again, nor does it mean as the author of the article claims rejoice again, otherwise why does Paul repeat the word? It's just one of the numerous occasions where re does not mean again!! John Partington, who is this man? He certainly likes his own picture as it is full length on page 5, appears as a silhouette on pages 3 and 39, and occupies a full page in four colours on page 41. Just in case we missed it he's there again in full colour on page 42. It is plaintively obvious that Mr Partington the replacement General Superintendent of AoG-UK is second choice. First choice was Danny Guglielmucci of Adelaide, Australia, who acted as JP's mentor. The wheels had already been set in motion and an announcement of an approach to Danny and possibly of his appointment would have most certainly been made had it not been for the breaking of a scandal in connection with Hillsong, Sydney. Michael Guglielmucci, Danny's son had presented himself as a young man suffering from terminal cancer. He went so far as to sing a song on public television with oxygen mask and tubes as

if he were about to die. The song went to the top of the Aria Charts[12] boosted mainly by the inevitable sympathy vote. Huge sums of money changed hands by way of donations and other things. Then came the announcements by Michael[13] and by Danny[14]. It was a total fraud.[15] Michael had never suffered from cancer in his entire life.[16] While Michael's parents tried to distance themselves from their son's lies and fraudulent behaviour it was difficult for people to accept their claim that they were in the dark throughout given the circumstances. It was undoubtedly as a result of the breaking of this scandal that the offer of the position of General Superintendent was diverted from Danny Guglielmucci to John Partington who had moved from Britain to work with Danny at his Edge Church[17] in Adelaide.

Danny Guglielmucci of Edge Church Danny Guglielmucci has learnt the modern corrupted AoG craft well. In his earlier days when he served in some associated position to senior pastor Andrew Evans at the Paradise AoG he frequently was used to make difficult platform announcements to cover embarrassing situations. What goes around comes around, but the modus operandi tends not to change and those who don't know are just kept in the dark. It's best that way you know! That's how natural politics operates and that's how theocrats carry out their business. Then when a scandal breaks just go into damage control but never come out and tell the full story; after all why tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, when you can project a cover up with smoke and mirrors and by telling half truths. Why should the common folks know everything when the bourgeoisie
Footnote:
[12] http://cetf.co/mGhxTQ [13] http://cetf.co/itCWnW [14] http://cetf.co/l1mUaj [15] http://cetf.co/kseLbf [16] For more information do a Google search on Michael Guglielmucci and Danny Guglielmucci [17] http://cetf.co/kdUQFo
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them in context...
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved Jeremiah 8:20. There is a time for harvest; there is a season that produces harvest. O the sad lament We are NOT saved ... Superficially some have seen a measure of improvement in AoG-UK. The new face at the top has at least acknowledged past mistakes, declining

...if you are an Assemblies of God adherent please read those Bible referencesall of themand read

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Rise up, O men of God!

can handle it? After all that's what leadership is all about. No! The Bible calls it Nicholaitanism and God hates it cf. Revelation 2:15. This really is what this new Re is all about, is it not? Don't reveal anything and take your readers and supporters for a deceptive ride. Don't tell your readers that popular author of God's Generals and recently appointed principal of Kensington Temple's (Elim) International Bible Institute of London (IBIOL), was disciplined, albeit inadequately, by his then church for having a homosexual affair[18] with his youth pastor. He was excluded from his pulpit for a mere matter of months and was then back again preaching. Now he's the principal of the Bible College of Elim's showpiece Church Kensington Temple, London. Shame on them and shame on John Partington and Assemblies of God in UK for giving Liardon such publicity. Stay quiet about these things and just go ahead and advertise his books (page 68).

PUBLISHED BY

Christian Witness Ministries

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CETF is sent free of charge upon request within Australia, New Zealand & UK

Judge of all the earth to decide. We know that Oral Roberts was an arch heretic whose legacy includes the abominable seed faith [21] doctrine which has deceived millions and bereft orphans and widows of their money and made him and his family enormously rich. Paul Crouch of TBN[22] and many other faith prosperity teachers still rake in the money based on this false teaching A son of two of our good friends in South Wales and a mild critic of some of my work some time ago suggested that I should include some positive suggested remedies for AoG. Personally I now find that extremely difficult if not impossible. Obviously there are some good, godly men and women and churches within AoG-UK and the renamed Australian Christian Churches (ACC) of Australia, but the movements as they were founded and intended no longer exist. They are now backslidden denominations that to a large extent have become ecumenical. During my time in UK I learned of yet another former pioneer AoG that withdrew under protest Crosskeys, South Wales. My strong suggestion is that many others would do well to follow their lead. Let the religious bureaucrats continue with their silly Re nonsense. True servants and soldiers of the Lord are made for nobler and more sensible stuff. Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things. Give heart and mind and soul and strength To serve the King of kings.[23] Author William P. Merrill (1867-1954)[24] In Christ, Philip L. Powell Brisbane January 13, 2011 The River is in FLOOD. Today is its highest peak. NEXT PART 3 A look at Classic Pentecostalism in the Light of the Elim and AoG departures
Footnote:
[21] http://cetf.co/jZss1W [22] http://cetf.co/j5Fmpe [23] Words: William P. Merrill, 1911; first published in the Presbyterian newspaper The Continent. [24] Author William P. Merrill (1867-1954) wrote (1911): Nolan R. Best, then editor of [Presbyterian newspaper] The Continent, happened to say to me that there was urgent need of a brotherhood hymnThe suggestion lingered in my mind, and just about that time I came upon an article by Gerald Stanley Lee [1862 1944 American Professor], entitled The Church of the Strong Men. I was on one of the Lake Michigan steamers going back to Chicago for a Sunday at my own church, when suddenly this hymn came up, almost without conscious thought or effort.

them in context...
Include a full page advertisement in your more than 70 page glossy magazine of sensational money preacher Morris Cerullo[19] (page 23) but don't publish anything about his money rorts or his detractors and critics who allege that he's a fraud who falsely claims healings, none of which are ever verified simply because they are fake. Take a look at the YOUTUBE[20] evidence. Then for good measure throw in another full page of AoG-UK evangelist Melvin Banks with his sensational and equally suspicious claims of healing (page 34) and include two pages about the daddy of them all, the late Oral Roberts with his Let me share a few secrets (pages 69 and 70) and confuse everybody by publishing alongside the Oral Robert's baloney a photograph of George Jeffreys who may indeed be a true Hero of the Faith, though personally I'll leave that for the
Footnote:
[18] http://cetf.co/hBWMsj [19] http://cetf.co/lECHPa [20] http://cetf.co/jK4jLc

...if you are an Assemblies of God adherent please read those Bible referencesall of themand read

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