Sola Sisters

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Documenting the Problems with Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll [UPDATED]

[UPDATE: New links continue to be added regularly]

In order to understand what went wrong at Mars Hill, we highly recommend that you first read this article by former Mars Hill elder Paul Petry. According to Petry (and other witnesses in the form of former Mars Hill elders who have also since come forward), there was a dramatic change in the climate of Mars Hill in late 2007, when new bylaws were instituted under which Mark Driscoll was not accountable to anyone who disagreed with him. (Here is a copy of the 2007 bylaws)

And here is a concise timeline of Driscoll's downfall.

** Mark Driscoll Resigns - October 15, 2014 **

Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll Resigns, Claims He Is Not "Disqualified From Future Ministry"

Mars Hill “Global Fund” Contributors With Concerns Invited to Contact Washington State Attorney General’s Office

Paul Petry, The First Elder Fired From Mars Hill, Is Interviewed (Paul and Jonna Petry's Website)

Driscoll Fleeing Church Discipline, Seeking To Set Up NEW Church?

Former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll Considering New Ministry, Still Has Not Repented, Sought Reconciliation Say Former Mars Hill Members/Elders

One Year Ago Today Janet Mefferd Interviewed Mark Driscoll

Mars Hill Elders Were Going to Discipline Mark Driscoll (listen beginning at the 37 min mark)

Mars Hill Church Board of Elders: Mark Driscoll Resigned Instead of Entering a Restoration Plan

Current Mars Hill Pastor Says Investigation Findings Showed Mark Driscoll Not Qualified as Elder

Gateway Pastor Robert Morris Welcomes Mark Driscoll Onto the Stage One Week After Driscoll's Resignation, Even Though Driscoll Has Fled the Discipline Process at Mars Hill and Still Has Not Repented And Sought Forgiveness From Those He Abused (audio of Mars Hill pastor A.J. Hamilton speaking at 10-19-14 church service, listen beginning at the 37 min mark)

Open Letter to Gateway Pastor Robert Morris From a Former Member of Mars Hill Church

Driscoll Has Resigned - What Next?

Mars Hill Church To Dissolve

Lessons From Mars Hill - An Interview With Warren Throckmorton

Beauty From Ashes: 18 Mars Hill Elders Issue Letter of Confession to Former Mars Hill Elders Who were Railroaded Out in 2007

Interview with Former Mars Hill Elder/Pastor Paul Petry, Part 1 and Part 2

Former Elder Jon Krombein Issues Public Challenge to Current Mars Hill Pastors To Release Information (Patheos)

Unanswered Questions at Mars Hill Church

Dr. John Piper Finally Addresses the Issue of Mark Driscoll.....and Misses The Mark

What John Piper Said When He Finally Addressed the Issue of Mark Driscoll......What We Wish He Had Said Instead

John Piper and Mark Driscoll: Lessons Not Learned? (Pyromaniacs)

Pastor Driscoll's abusive nature toward the flock in his care

The Out Of Control Bus That Runs Over Sheep (Sarah Leslie, Herescope)

Ungodly Behavior

Mark Driscoll Proud of the Dead Bodies Behind the Mars Hill Bus?

Audio of Mark Driscoll chuckling about the "pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus"

Pastor Mark Driscoll Called Women “Penis Homes”

Mark Driscoll: "Shut Up and Do What You're Told."

Mark Driscoll Brags About Pile Of Bodies Behind Mars Hill's Bus

"Break their nose"

A Former Mars Hill Pastor Speaks Out and Why Others Are Afraid: The Mars Hill Church Non-Disclosure Agreement

Mark Driscoll Joking About His Anger

Mark Driscoll's Church Discipline Contract, Part 1 and Part 2

Mark Driscoll affirms false teachers as Christian brothers

Mark Driscoll calls Word of Faith heretic Joel Osteen his Christian brother

Mark Driscoll affirms Trinity denier T.D. Jakes as a Christian brother at his Elephant Room event

Former Mars Hill pastor claims violations of city ordinances

Former Mars Hill Pastor: Mars Hill Leaders Ordered Violation of City Ordinances

The Mars Hill Orange County Discrimination Narrative: The Rest of the Story?

Former Mars Hill leaders and church members going public with concerns

Former Mars Hill Women’s Ministry Leader: “The cult of personality . . . isn’t how God builds his church”

According to multiple witnesses, Mark Driscoll refers to himself as "The Brand" (Seattle Times)

The Reckoning of Mars Hill

Current Mars Hill Members Write An Excellent Letter To Mark Driscoll, Make Suggestions

Former Mars Hill Elder Sutton Turner Releases Explosive In-House Email Detailing Mars Hill's Disastrous Financial Condition (Turner's entire email can be read here)

New Disclosures by Former Mars Hill Elder Bent Meyer (Written record of Mars Hill events compiled by Meyer directly linked here)

Mars Hill Co-Founder and Former Elder Leif Moi Interviewed On Camera About Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll

Twenty-One Former Mars Hill Church Pastors Bring Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll (Statement of Formal Charges and Issues brought against Mark Driscoll linked here)

Nine Mars Hill Pastors Take A Bold Stand (Aug 28, 2014)
..........and All Are Now Gone (Oct 8, 2014)

Pastor Dustin Kensrue – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor Drew Hensley – Mars Hill U-District (DISMISSED)
Pastor Mark Dunford – Mars Hill Portland (DISMISSED)
Pastor Ryan Kearns – Mars Hill Bellevue (DISMISSED)
Pastor Ryan Welsh – Pastor of Theology (DISMISSED)
Pastor Adam Ramsey – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor Cliff Ellis – Mars Hill West Seattle (DISMISSED)
Pastor Gary Shavey – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor James Rose – Mars Hill Ballard (RESIGNED)

Nine Mars Hill Church Elders Took a Bold Stand and Now Eight Are Gone

Mars Hill Church Director of Worship Dustin Kensrue Resigns

Members Flee Mars Hill; Remaining Members Are Berated For Not Giving Enough Money

Dozens Protest Mars Hill Church after Leader Resignations and Mark Driscoll Apology

Pressure being brought for Mark Driscoll to step down from spiritual leadership

Mark Driscoll's Problem, and Ours (Carl Trueman, March 2014)

Mark Driscoll To Step Down While Mars Hill Elders Review Charges Against Him (Religion News Service)

Mark Driscoll's Statement To Mars Hill Church (Audio Included In the Body of the Article)

Twenty-One Former Mars Hill Church Pastors Bring Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll: “A lot of the people we were dealing with in this season remain anonymous, and so we don’t know how to reconcile or how to work things out with people because we’re not entirely sure who they are.”

New Group To Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church: We Are Not Anonymous

Dear Pastor Mark and Mars Hill: We Are Not Anonymous (Facebook group)

I. Am. Not. Anonymous. (Acts 29 co-founder Ron Wheeler pens open letter to Mark Driscoll)

Former Mars Hill Members Protest Mars Hill, Call For Driscoll's Resignation (The Seattle Times)

James MacDonald Resigns From Mars Hill Board; Paul David Tripp Resigns But Continues To Work With Mars Hills As Consultant

Paul David Tripp Releases Clarifying Statement

Why Mark Driscoll Might Go Down and Why He Should......

Rock Star Pastor Loses His Luster (USA Today)

Mars Hill Church and Pastor Mark Driscoll Removed from Church Planting Network (Acts 29) That He Co-Founded

Acts 29 Pioneer Ron Wheeler Sends Open Letter to Mark Driscoll, Asks Him to Resign

Acts 29 Network Removes Co-founder Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church From Membership (UPDATED)

Questions about Mars Hill Global Fund

Former Mars Hill Church Members Speak Out About Church Finances

Mars Hill Member Wants Accounting of Global Fund Donations

Mars Hill Church’s International Mission Ministry: Mars Hill Global

Mars Hill Church Scrubs Three Mars Hill Global Videos

Websites of former Mars Hill leaders

WenatcheeTheHatchet

Joyful Exiles - Website of former elder Paul Petry and his wife Jonna

Jonna Petry's Testimony (Jonna Petry is the wife of former Mars Hill elder Paul Petry)

Miscellaneous

Mark Driscoll's Salary While At Mars Hill Church

Thoughts On Driscoll and The Biblical Qualifications For A Pastor

"Demon Trials" At Mars Hill Church ??

Mark Driscoll: I Made The Mistake Of Trying To Be Under the Authority Of My Elders

Mark Driscoll: It was a mistake to submit to these young, new and green elders

Will John Piper Publicly Address The Mark Driscoll Virus That He Unleashed Into the Church by Keynoting Mark Driscoll at the 2006 Desiring God Conference?

Mark Driscoll Gives Himself a 6-Week Timeout

Former Mars Hill Elder Deconstructs Mark Driscoll's Public Statement

Pastor Jesse Johnson Weighs In

An Open Letter To Mark Driscoll (made after Driscoll's public statement, which can be read and watched here)

Mark Driscoll: A Brash Style That Filled Pews, Until Followers Had Their Fill (New York Times)

After $2 Million Raised For Mars Hill Event, ‘Jesus Festival’ Disappears Without a Trace or Explanation

Mars Hill Resurgence Ministry Cancels 2014 Conference

Lifeway Christian Stores Pulls Mark Driscoll's Books

Mars Hill Church in May and June of 2012: Systemic Deficits and a Million-Dollar Home Purchased in Snonohomish County

An Open Letter To Mark Driscoll (Pyromaniacs)

Driscoll bought his way onto the New York Times bestseller list

Mark Driscoll bought his way onto the NY Times bestseller list through anonymous 3rd parties

Mark Driscoll Repents? Not So Fast, Say Phil Johnson and Chris Rosebrough

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability: Buying Place on Best Seller Lists Violates Standards

Chris Rosebrough interviews Janet Mefferd about Driscoll's latest scandal

The signed contract that helped get Mark Driscoll’s Real Marriage book on the New York Times bestseller list

Mark Driscoll's plagiarism

Janet Mefferd's Interview With Mark Driscoll

Allegations That Mark Driscoll Plagiarized Dr. Peter Jones

Driscoll's Citations Errors At-A-Glance (Chart)

Former Colleague Provides Evidence Mark Driscoll Plagiarized Material in Two Books

The Evangelical Celebrity Machine: Janet Mefferd accused pastor Mark Driscoll of plagiarism then deleted all her proof. Why’d she back down?

More on the Silencing of Janet Mefferd, the Shamefulness of Tyndale Publishers, and How Mark Driscoll the Plagiarist is Getting Away With It

College professor James Duncan evaluates evidence of Mark Driscoll's plagiarism, assigns him an "F"

American Copy Editors Society: Leading The Charge Against Plagiarism

The Atlantic Asks Can Megachurches Handle Mega Money? Puts Focus on Mark Driscoll Controversy

This Was No Boating Accident

Of Mefferd and Driscoll and Integrity

On Plagiarism, Tone and Tribalism

Evidence of Plagiarism or Swatting at a Hornets Nest

Mark Driscoll Reacts to Janet Mefford’s Questions About Plagiarism and Strange Fire

New Twist In Mark Driscoll Plagiarism Scandal: 'You May Not Go Up Against The Machine'

Mefferd producer reportedly resigns over Mark Driscoll controversy

The Best Dumbest Excuses Made by Plagiarists

Driscoll's vulgarity and pornographic mindset
***Please note that the links below contain strong, explicit sexual content. My desire is not to cause anyone to stumble, so please prayerfully bear this in mind. The links are here for documentation purposes ***

Mark Driscoll: "Look, I had this vision. Let me tell you about it."

Dreamweaver: The Visions of Mark Driscoll

Pornographic Divination

Mark Driscoll Issues Apology for Pussified Nation Comments; Is This Just the Beginning? (**Warning: Extremely Vulgar Content**)

Mark Driscoll and His Rated R Sermon in Scotland - transcript here, audio here (**Warning: Very Explicit Content**)

Explicit sexual discussion/recommendation on Mars Hill website

***Please note that the links below contain strong, explicit sexual content. My desire is not to cause anyone to stumble, so please prayerfully bear this in mind. The links are here for documentation purposes ***

(NOTE: These links were active as of 2:00 PM EST on 8/12/14, but appear to have been recently removed. Attached is a screenshot of the Mars Hill Q and A about the use of sex toys as it appeared before being removed.)

Mark and Grace Driscoll Comment on a Mars Hill Q/A Regarding the Use of Sex Toys

Link to Sex Toys Site ("Covenant Spice") From the Above-Referenced Mars Hill Q/A

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1 Timothy 3:1-13 - Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Titus 1:5-10 - Qualifications for Elders

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

Give Me Jesus (Fernando Ortega)

Posted by Sola Sisters

"You can have all this world, but give me Jesus."

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

World Vision President Richard Stearns: "We don't proselytize."

Posted by Christine Pack

In a 2007, Richard Stearns, president of World Vision, was interviewed and gave this response to one of the questions:

Question: Are you trying to end poverty or evangelize Christianity?

Richard Stearns: As a Christian organization, we are motivated by our commitment to Christ to love our neighbors and care for the less fortunate. That's why we do what we do. We don't proselytize. We do not force our religious beliefs on anyone, and we don't discriminate in our delivery of aid in any way. If the people we serve want to know why we are there, we tell them. St. Francis once said: "Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary." Love put into action is a compelling and attractive worldview.
(Online source: Ten [or so] Questions With Richard Stearns)

This response given by Stearns, about World Vision workers not proselytizing (evangelizing) the lost they serve (and also stated on the World Vision website under the "Our Approach" section), further gives evidence that World Vision, while claiming to be Christian organization, is a relief organization almost entirely void of any Christian distinctives.

We recently noted in several articles that World Vision has the appearance of being more of a relief organization than a Christian one, in that on their website, their humanitarian efforts are greatly emphasized, while the gospel is given short shrift. Yes, Jesus and the gospel get brief, albeit vague, cameos, but the overall tenor of the World Vision website is that of a relief organization. And now in tandem with Richard Stearns' statement that workers with World Vision "don't proselytize," I have to wonder if Richard Stearns thinks that doing good deeds alone ARE the gospel. His usage of the misquoted "preach the gospel, use words if necessary" mantra seems to support the idea that Stearns does not understand that the gospel is a distinctive message that cannot be conveyed through good deeds, but must be conveyed through words.

So is that how World Vision operates while in the field and in countries hostile to the gospel? Do those who work ion behalf of World Vision let their good deeds do the talking? Do they deny Jesus before men by not speaking the gospel message in order to continue to do their humanitarian work? Do they think that the good deeds they are doing are a substitute for preaching Jesus Christ and him crucified? That somehow the message of the person and work of Jesus Christ will be mysteriously conveyed through giving aid? How would giving aid transmit the information of Jesus that is so vital to understanding who He is rightly in order for lost sinners to be brought into a saving faith? How, for instance, do good deeds convey the following?

- Jesus as the God-man, who has existed eternally as God, in conjunction with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-4)

- Jesus, who incarnated as a man, being born as an infant to a virgin woman through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)

- Jesus, who lived a perfect life, never sinning in thought, word or deed, and thus fulfilling all moral laws (Matthew 5:17-18, Galatians 3:10, 13)

- Jesus, who, out of great mercy and lovingkindness for sinners, offered up his perfect life as an acceptable ransom to propitiate the righteous wrath of a holy and just God against sin (Galatians 1:4)

- Jesus, the sinless One who would have never died (because the wages of sin are death - Romans 6:23), and yet who willingly gave up his life as an atonement for sinners by allowing himself to be crucified on a Cross, where He suffered and died (Romans 5:10)

- Jesus, who was gloriously resurrected by God 3 days after his death, this resurrection being proof that Jesus' sinless life was an acceptable sacrifice (payment) to a high and holy God on behalf of those sinners who, upon hearing this account, repent of their sins and believe on Jesus's atonement made for them (Acts 2:24, Acts 17:31, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1Corinthians 15:12-23)

- Jesus, who is the righteous ruler of this world, and who commands all people everywhere to repent and believe on Him for the forgiveness of their sins, sins which will condemn them on Judgment Day and earn them eternal hell if they reject his offer of salvation (Revelation 19, Romans 10:11, Matthew 4:17)

Not to be crass, but that message is not automatically conveyed through the provision of clean drinking water. Those in desperate circumstances in third world countries have a need that is deeper even than their physical needs: they have a spiritual need. Yes, they need fresh water and sustenance to live, but more than that, they need salvation and the forgiveness of sins. They need living water. They need a Savior. They need Christ:

"A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink.' (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?' (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.'" (John 4:7-10)

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37-38)

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." (Revelation 22:17)

The gospel is a distinct message that must be communicated and explained through words: it does not happen mysteriously or in some kind of gnostic way. It must be spoken and proclaimed:

"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" (Mark 16:15)

"Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.'" (Luke 24:45-47)

"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" (Matthew 28:16-20)

Richard Stearns,
President of World Vision

Here's the bottom line: Good deeds that are not undergirded by the gospel proclamation are just relief work. They merely make people more comfortable on their way to hell.

I have had general concerns about Christian relief organizations for almost as long as I have been a Christian (more than 10 years now). But my concerns almost always fell on deaf ears, and I couldn't figure out why. My question was always, are they preaching Christ? or just handing out water? Because if they're coming into villages as a "Christian" organization and only handing out water bottles (or food or blankets or medicine or whatever), and not sharing the way of salvation with these lost people, then it really would be better for the Church at large if they just stopped identifying themselves as Christian. The way of salvation isn't mysteriously transmitted when good deeds are done. It has to be spoken. And the waters are muddied when organizations claiming the name of Christ don't speak that message. Let me put it this way: Eternity will be a very long time for the children who have been ministered to with food and water by World Vision to wonder why this organization did not share the way of salvation with them.

For those wishing to ask questions of the leadership at World Vision or express concerns, you can call World Vision at these numbers:

(888) 511-6548 or (253) 815-1000

Or, you may email World Vision at this address:

info@worldvision.org

photo credit: timgrable via photopin cc

Additional Resources

World Vision Affirms Same Sex Marriage (Sola Sisters)

World Vision: Whose Battle Is It? (Stand Up For The Truth)

World Vision To Hire "Gay Christians In Same Sex Marriages" (Apprising Ministries)

On World Vision and the Gospel (Dr. Russell D. Moore)

Franklin Graham's Statement on World Vision (Billy Graham Organization)

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Will the Visible Church Soon Accept LEGAL Same Sex Marriages, in the Same Way that World Vision Has? [UPDATED]

Posted by Christine Pack

(UPDATE: About a day after their announcement that they would begin hiring professing Christians in same sex marriages, World Vision made a statement reversing this new policy change, calling it a "mistake." While I am glad for this reversal, my prediction is that World Vision will eventually reverse this reversal, only they will do it quietly next time, without any kind of grand public statement. I think they learned their lesson, especially after immediately being called out by Franklin Graham and Dr. Albert Mohler, and others. Our Facebook wall was also flooded with comments from readers expressing that they could no longer in good conscience partner with World Vision. So sadly, the lesson I think World Vision learned was not to have greater fidelity to God's word, but to "manage" their liberalism more covertly. I could be wrong about how this plays out, but time will tell. I think that liberal churches and organizations [and yes, I'm counting World Vision among them] are just biding their time until such time as same sex marriage is legal in all states. At that point, I predict they will be straight up same sex marriage affirming, and will feign shock and dismay that "certain" Christians [and we know who they are, right?] still refuse to affirm homosexuality as lawful and good in God's eyes. The law is the law, right? I can just hear it now. Be prepared for World Vision to go all Romans 13 on us at that time, it's coming.)

"(T)he board has modified our Employee Standards of Conduct to allow a Christian in a legal same-sex marriage to be employed at World Vision." (in-house letter to World Vision staff)

After we recently published an article about the fact that World Vision has decided that going forward they will hire professing Christians who are in "legal same-sex marriage(s)" (while at the same time confusingly claiming they're not endorsing same sex marriage via an in-house letter to their staff), we got to thinking about what the real issue is here. Could it be that the visible church of today is slowly apostasizing, and yet assuaging its collective conscience with the salve of legality? After all, as the United States rushes headlong into legalizing same sex unions (17 states so far, and counting), it seems it will only be a matter of time before same sex couples can get married in every state in America. So the real question for Christians today is this: do you understand how this battle will likely play itself out? Fines and jail sentences and increasing persecution will in all likelihood be coming to Christians who refuse to participate in same sex unions, whether that is a Christian baker choosing not to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple, a photographer choosing not to book same sex weddings, or a pastor of a church refusing to perform a legal (but biblically sinful) wedding ceremony between a same sex couple. Are you prepared for this battle, my friends? Because it's coming to your door very soon. And the hinge that's swinging this door will be that these unions will be 100% legal, though still condemned in God's eyes. Are you ready?

photo credit: TJ Sengel via photopin cc

Additional Resources

World Vision States That They Will Hire Legal Same Sex Couples

World Vision Claims To Not Endorse Same Sex Marriage

On World Vision and the Gospel

Pointing To Disaster — The Flawed Moral Vision of World Vision

Franklin Graham's Statement on World Vision

Monday, March 24, 2014

World Vision Affirms Same Sex Marriage [UPDATED]

Richard Stearns, U.S. President of World Vision, announced today that the organization would reverse its previous policy of requiring their employees to abide by marriage as defined in God's word as one man and one woman, and would begin hiring professing Christians who were in legal same-sex unions. From the article:

World Vision's American branch will no longer require its more than 1,100 employees to restrict their sexual activity to marriage between one man and one woman.

Stearns asserts that the "very narrow policy change" should be viewed by others as "symbolic not of compromise but of [Christian] unity." He even hopes it will inspire unity elsewhere among Christians.

(Online Source: World Vision: Why We're Hiring Gay Christians in Same-Sex Marriages)

At the same time, World Vision claims to be distinctively Christian. From their website:

We are Christian: We acknowledge one God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ, the love, mercy and grace of God are made known to us and all people. From this overflowing abundance of God’s love, we find our call to ministry........We bear witness to the redemption offered only through faith in Jesus Christ. The staff we engage are equipped by belief and practice to bear this witness. (online source)

Sorry, but World Vision can't have it both ways. If World Vision is going to reject the authority of God's word, it would be better for Christianity if, going forward, they would simply proceed purely as a relief organization, and not as an organization claiming any Christian distinctives. After all, for true believers, Scripture is our guideline in all matters of faith and practice. And the Bible is not unclear on what it says about unrepentant homosexuality, so it's not a matter of interpretation, but one of obedience. World Vision simply can't claim to be a Christian organization, but then deny the Bible in practice where it speaks clearly and authoritative on matters, as it does on unrepentant homosexuality.

Bending To the Culture

Caving on the same sex marriage issue is a very "cultural" stand for World Vision to take. By explicitly making a public statement that they will, from now on, be hiring into their organization homosexuals who profess to be gay, then they are accepting, as valid, a profession of Christian faith from practicing, unrepentant homosexuals. And again, by doing so, World Vision is rejecting the authority of the Bible, which condemns unrepentant homosexual sin (along with all other unrepentant sins).

Administering ONLY Relief to The Needy Will Merely Make Them Comfortable on Their Way To Hell

Richard Stearns stated in his interview with Christianity Today that:

"...when Christ left, he gave us the Great Commission [to make disciples] and the Great Commandment [to love others as ourselves], and we're trying to do just that."

But is this accurate? Is this how World Vision operates? Are they seeking to preach the gospel message to the lost, that there is a holy God who made them and to whom they are beholden, and who commands all people everywhere to repent and believe on Christ's atoning death for forgiveness and reconciliation? If so, I could not find any evidence on the World Vision website of the gospel message being a part of the World Vision ministry.

"World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice." (online source)

Unless I missed something, from looking at the World Vision website, it seems apparent to me that World Vision sees their primary focus as being one of bringing relief to the needy. Nowhere on the site did I find a statement attesting to the desire to bring lost sinners into a saving relationship with their Creator, who made them and who has a righteous claim on their lives. And while there is nothing at all wrong with ministering to the poor and needy, and a whole lot good with doing so, Christians need to remember that ONLY doing benevolent acts for the disenfranchised is not the same thing as preaching the gospel to them. While growing up in a very liberal mainline denomination, one thing I heard often was this quote (often wrongly ascribed to St. Francis of Assisi):

"Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."

This quote makes me cringe today. The gospel cannot somehow be mysteriously conveyed by kindness or good works. The gospel is a distinct message, communicated with words. Of course, kindness can and should enhance the message of the gospel, but the gospel is a MESSAGE. It's a message comprised of actual words which convey the truth of our Savior, Jesus the God-man, who lived a perfect life that He offered up as an atonement for the sins of wretched, sinful man. Kind actions cannot convey that message.

"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Going into third world countries with medicine and blankets, and digging wells, and building infrastructure are good, benevolent and loving things to do. But such actions are not a SUBSTITUTE for speaking the actual gospel message. Thus, if an organization claims to be Christian, but does not proclaim Jesus Christ and him crucified for the forgiveness of sins, then they really ought to rethink their mission statement. I contend that if Richard Stearns and World Vision are only ministering to the physical needs of those in need, and not their greatest need, their spiritual need, then they really ought not to identify themselves as a Christian organization. It only muddies the waters for the rest of us who don't mind taking heat from the world for giving the gospel that offends and for taking stands that aren't popular, such as the hotly raging same-sex marriage issue.

Let me close with this exhortation: To my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please don't be under any illusions that if you give $$$ to World Vision that you will be participating in the unadulterated gospel message going forth into the world. Jesus did not turn a blind eye to sin (homosexual or otherwise), nor did He bend to cultural trends.

Additional Resources

On World Vision and the Gospel

Pointing To Disaster — The Flawed Moral Vision of World Vision

Franklin Graham's Statement on World Vision

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Mark Driscoll Repents? Not So Fast, Say Phil Johnson and Chris Rosebrough

Post by Christine Pack

"I wish (Driscoll) would step out of ministry, at least for a time, for a long time, and really try to get the issues---, really seriously reboot his life. I don't think that's gonna happen. I think what we're actually gonna see -- because he's hanging on to all of his authority and all of his influence and all of the things that really seem to matter the most to him -- I don't see him making the sort of changes that are needed." (Phil Johnson - Executive Director, Grace To You, beginning at 27:20 mark in his 3-18-14 interview with Chris Rosebrough)

In the wake of recent scandals that have rocked the Mars Hill empire of celebrity pastor Mark Driscoll, Driscoll has written an open letter of apology which was recently posted by Renue Magazine. Driscoll's apology (A Letter Of Apology From Mark Driscoll) reads in part:

"(A) marketing company called ResultSource was used in conjunction with the book Real Marriage, which was released in January 2012. My understanding of the ResultSource marketing strategy was to maximize book sales, so that we could reach more people with the message and help grow our church. In retrospect, I no longer see it that way. Instead, I now see it as manipulating a book sales reporting system, which is wrong. I am sorry that I used this strategy, and will never use it again. I have also asked my publisher to not use the '#1 New York Times bestseller' status in future publications, and am working to remove this from past publications as well." (online source)

Driscoll wrote that, in conjunction with what he termed a "Board of Advisors and Accountability," he has decided he will "be doing much less travel and speaking" and "will not be on social media for at least the remainder of the year."

While many Christians (fans?) have rushed to accept this letter from Mark Driscoll as a genuine offering of true repentance in keeping with biblical mandates, a few are not so sure. For instance, Phil Johnson (Executive Director of Grace To You) and Christian talk show host Chris Rosebrough (of Fighting For the Faith radio) recently discussed Driscoll's repentance letter, and are publicly questioning the sincerity of it. On the 3-18-14 FFTF show, Phil Johnson made the following statement:

"Even the confession, if you call it that, was a bit weak because (Driscoll) manages to make himself sound like kind of a victim. He does this throughout the letter. He talks about the crushing weight of the responsibility, and his lack of a personal pastor, but when he gets to that part about the New York Times (bestseller) list, he makes it sound like he was sort of duped into doing that, that it was unwise, it was a bad decision and all of that. He doesn't really address the heart of what it is that makes (what he did) so wrong. And that it's a) dishonest, and b) he used church funds to do it."

And later in the discussion:

Phil Johnson: "When it comes to that letter (Driscoll) is the one calling all the shots when it comes to defining both what his sin was and what his consequences are going to be. That's not genuine repentance. Real repentance lets Scripture define the nature of the sin, and somebody else needs to define what the consequences are."

Chris Rosebrough: "Right. The way I read it is, Jesus supposedly is the pastor of Mars Hill, and Jesus and Mark Driscoll decided Driscoll's punishment, and then it was rubberstamped 'Approved' by their Board of Accountability.' I've never heard of or even seen a scheme like that run in any organization even remotely calling itself 'Christian.'"

Phil Johnson: "No, but you have to see that that is the inevitable result of the notion that God speaks directly to (Driscoll). He's a prophet, he thinks of himself as a prophet. I think he even calls himself a prophet in that letter. He sees himself as a prophet, and therefore, he's in control of what is said about this, what is going to be done about it, because he and Jesus worked it out, just the two of them together. And they have this (Board of Advisors and Accountability)--- whatever they call it, it's hard not to see that as a total sham, because it was set up in the wake of several moves that so changed the leadership at Mars Hill, where (Driscoll) actually got rid of anyone who had any inkling of trying to hold him accountable."

Also discussed in the Johnson/Rosebrough FFTF interview:

- That Driscoll has made public mea culpas in the past which don't seem to bear the biblical marks of genuine, biblical sorrow for the sins being apologized for

- That Driscoll has yet to apologize for the lies he told in his gate-crashing publicity stunt at the Strange Fire conference

- That Driscoll has claimed to receive what can only be termed as "pornographic visions," and which Driscoll has blasphemously ascribed to the Holy Spirit.

- That Driscoll continues to engage in coarse/off-color language

- That Driscoll delivered sexually explicit content during a sermon (the infamous Song of Solomon incident), and when the inappropriateness of that sermon was pointed out by John MacArthur, Driscoll scrubbed the record of that sermon from the internet and told a series of lies to cover himself

- That, perhaps most alarmingly, Driscoll has extended the hand of Christian fellowship to modalist heretic TD Jakes

Rosebrough also commented that Driscoll has never publicly apologized to Janet Mefferd of The Janet Mefferd Show for saying on-air that she was just "having.....a grumpy day" for questioning him over his several incidents of plagiarism she had uncovered. (Incidentally, it is to Janet Mefferd that many Christians owe a great debt for being willing to publicly confront Driscoll over his plagiarism in a show some months back, for which she was severely criticized and forced to make a public apology. So kudos to Janet for being the first across the battlefield and being willing to be bloodied for that. It seems God has vindicated her in this matter.)

Quite a laundry list of known sin issues with Driscoll, isn't it? And yet, Driscoll's fanbase (there's no other term I can think of that more accurately describes them), continue to come out en masse whenever Driscoll gets into hot water and vigorously defend him against the charges made, no matter how heinous the charges might be. So in closing, I'd like to publicly give a big "thank you" to Chris Rosebrough and Phil Johnson for having the willingness and the boldness to publicly state that the problems with Mark Driscoll have reached enough of a critical mass for Driscoll to be disqualified from holding the office of pastor (see biblical qualifications listed below). May other Christian leaders come to understand how grievously harmful Driscoll has been to the body of Christ, and follow suit in calling Driscoll to step down from pastoral office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1 Timothy 3:1-13 - Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Titus 1:5-10 - Qualifications for Elders

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

Additional Resources

How to Identify True Repentance (Fighting For The Faith)

Documenting the Problems with Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll [UPDATED]

True Repentance, The Ministry and What (Really) Just Happened (Janet Mefferd)

Mark Driscoll's Problems and Ours: The Crisis of Leadership in American Evangelicalism (Carl Trueman)

Documenting The Problems With Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll's Failed Publicity Stunt That Ended With Him Lying About What Really Happened

Mefferd/Driscoll Interview

Mark Driscoll bought his way onto the NY Times bestseller list through anonymous 3rd parties

Chris Rosebrough interviews Janet Mefferd about Driscoll's latest scandal

Mark Driscoll and His Rated R Sermon in Scotland (Warning: Explicit Content)

Mark Driscoll: "Shut Up and Do What You're Told."

Mark Driscoll Brags About Pile Of Bodies Behind Mars Hill's Bus

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Having An Eternal Perspective

Posted by Christine Pack

“If we would remember that all the trees of earth are marked for the woodsman's ax, we should not be so ready to build our nests in them.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon,
Morning and Evening Devotional, p. 141

Friday, March 7, 2014

Bill Gothard Resigns, Duggars Still Slated To Speak at ATI/IBLP 2014 Conference

Commentary by Ingrid Schlueter, posted with permission

Duggars keynote speakers for IBLP 2014 conferences

Bill Gothard has recently resigned from an institute he founded, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). IBLP (also known as ATI) is a pseudo-Christian ministry that advocates for homeschooling, but is also a systematized form of legalism and extrabiblical rules, including strictly supervised courtship dating and a ban on all secular music and movies. The IBLP principles are very popular within the Quiverfull movement, which the Duggar family in the popular 19 Kids and Counting television show adhere to. (The Duggars are slated to speak at several IBLP conferences in 2014.) Gothard's resignation comes on the heels of recent abuse allegations documented by the Recovering Grace website.

Bill Gothard made it to 79 years of age, lived the life that he planned out, and now, resigns, leaving unbelievable human wreckage behind him. Why it takes so long for these monsters to be outed, I will never understand. And most of his followers will just claim it was a set up to tear down a Great Man of God. None so blind as those who will not see.

For many in fundamentalism, he was like a Mormon-style influence. He produced clean cut kids and families that looked so good coming out of the 60's anarchy. It was a natural response from parents genuinely concerned about drug use, promiscuity, etc. in the culture. But where the local churches should have been doing their job, a whiz bang parachurch ministry stepped in and took over. Wrong. Wrong and wrong. That was problem #1. The actual teachings were the biggest problem.

Ironically, Protestants who rejected even the concept of a Pope in theory had no hesitation in following the teachings of one man on nearly every aspect of their lives, including sex and contraception, nutrition, family, even medical information which was proven false and dangerous. He was far more of a pope than the Pope, frankly.

Additional Resources

Josh Duggar's Infidelity Outed in Ashley Madison Website Hack (Sola Sisters)

Bill Gothard Legalism (Sola Sisters)

Growing Up Gothard (The Gospel Coalition)

An Open Letter to Bill Gothard's IBLP

A Beginner's Guide To Growing Up Gothard (Ron Henzel)

Conservative Leader Bill Gothard Resigns Following Abuse Allegations (Religion News Service)

When Having Kids Is A Religious Experience (ABC News)

Quiverfull: More Children For God's Army (Newsweek writer Kathryn Joyce)

Inside the Duggar Family's Conservative Ideology (Newsweek, Kathryn Joyce)

Recovering Grace

The Duggars, Bill Gothard, Vision Forum, and The Quiverful Movement (I am aware that some of the links in this article are no longer active, but this article still gives a quick thumbnail sketch of Bill Gothard, the Duggars, Vision Forum, Hyper-Patriarchy and the Quiverfull Movement, and how they are connected)

Midwest Christian Outreach

A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life

Josh Duggar, Mike Huckabee and Fodder for Progressives

Is Jesus a Sinner According to Bill Gothard’s Teachings?

If Bill Gothard is Wrong, Then What’s Right?

Bill Gothard: Who Knew What and When? A Question of Accountability

ATIdentity

Bill Gothard’s Analogous Teachings

Bill Gothard; Déjà vu All Over Again

Bill Gothard and the Continuing Sex Scandal

Bill Gothard - Truly Repentant?

Leveraging Lunacy: How Bill Gothard Rode a Wave of Evangelical Goofiness

Four part series on Bill Gothard
- Part 1, Bill Gothard's Evangelical Talmud
- Part 2, Bill Gothard's Chain of Authority
- Part 3, Bill Gothard and the Law
- Part 4, Bill Gothard's Mystical Approach to Medical Issues

An Evening With Bill Gothard

From the
Institute in Basic Living Principles (IBLP) website
http://iblp.org/seminars-conferences/regional-conferences

43 Seconds of Funny

Posted by Christine Pack

Why does Daisy get her ice cream before Cooper gets his? At first I thought tiny Daisy might get hers first because she was the alpha dog......but no.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Andy Stanley Continues His Sad Slide Into Compromise

Posted by Christine Pack

Andy Stanley, North Point Community Church, Atlanta, GA

Matt Kennedy has recently written an excellent article entitled Andy Stanley and Baking Cakes for Gay ‘Weddings’ on the Stand Firm blog, in which he calls into question a recent statement made by popular North Point pastor Andy Stanley to USA Today. (For those not familiar with Andy Stanley, Stanley is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, and his church is the second largest church in the U.S. Thus, statements made by Stanley can be understood to have a potentially widespread effect on Christendom.) Stanley had this to say about the battle over same-sex marriages and whether a Christian baker (or florist or photographer, etc.) should be forced to participate in a same sex wedding ceremony with their services:

“Serving people we don’t see eye to eye with is the essence of Christianity. Jesus died for a world with which he didn’t see eye to eye. If a bakery doesn’t want to sell its products to a gay couple, it’s their business. Literally. But leave Jesus out of it.”

From the article by Matt Kennedy:

"I hope you can spot the problem with Stanly’s ethical proposition here? There is a cosmic difference between, say, baking cookies for your porn star neighbor (serving someone you don’t see eye to eye with) and driving your porn star neighbor to the set. There’s a big difference between helping your heroin addict office secretary get an appointment with a rehab counselor and driving your heroin addict office secretary to a meeting with her dealer. Love does not celebrate or participate in the self destruction of the beloved." (Andy Stanley and Baking Cakes for Gay ‘Weddings’)

photo credit: Willow Creek D/CH via photopin cc

Additional Resources

Andy Stanley: "The foundation of our faith is not the Scripture."

What Is the Foundation of Andy Stanley's Faith? (Chris Rosebrough, Fighting For The Faith)

Is This Andy Stanley's Gay Affirming Shot Across the Bow?

Problems at Andy Stanley's North Point Church?

Is The Megachurch The New Liberalism? (Dr. Al Mohler)

Is The Megachurch the New Liberalism? (discussion) (Chris Rosebrough, Fighting For the Faith)

Homosexuality, Megachurches and Andy Stanley (Apprising)

Pastor Andy Stanley Responds to Questions Over Homosexuality Stance (Christian Post)

Andy Stanley Avoids Gay Issue in Last Sermon of Controversial 8-Part Series (Christian Post)

The Need for Elders Who Guard Their Flocks (Criticial Issues Commentary, Bob DeWaay)

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

"Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit"

Posted by Christine Pack

I'm a Christian. That doesn't mean that I'm strong and have it all together. It means I'm weak and admit how much I need a Savior.

I saw this quote on a friend's wall and loved it (can't give attribution because there wasn't any, sorry). But I've taken this quote and added a picture of Christian from Pilgrim's Progress at the foot of the cross because to me, this statement is saying that not only should we as Christians marvel at the Cross at the moment of salvation, but that we should also find ourselves, again and again, coming back to the foot of the Cross in all things: bringing our burdens, confessing our sins, praising the Lord for his mercy and care, crying out for wisdom......in other words, we should be completely and humbly reliant upon our Savior, not just for eternal salvation, but for everyday living and at all times, and in all things.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Books
Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic
Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim's Progress
Pilgrim's Progress

Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English

Pilgrim's Progress: One Man's Search for Eternal Life--A Christian Allegory

Videos

The Pilgrim's Progress

Pilgrim's Progress

Dangerous Journey

Pilgrim's Progress: Journey to Heaven

Pilgrim's Progress

Free Audio
John Bunyan audio (Sermon Audio)

Monday, January 13, 2014

"Christian" Dream Interpretation?

Posted by Christine Pack
(originally published in Critical Issues Commentary, Issue #119, Aug/Sep 2010)

Author Barbie Breathitt, described as a "respected teacher of the supernatural manifestations of God," has just released a new book entitled Dream Encounters, in which she claims Christians can have access to a secret dream language that God uses to reveal "hidden knowledge" to believers. In this book Breathitt tells believers they will be enabled to use the "revelation" obtained from God through their dreams in order to unlock their "destinies" and live lives in which they are "productive, responsible, successful, prosperous, loved and fulfilled" (p. 138).1According to Breathitt, this is done by decoding information that God has "embedded" into our dreams and through which he continues to communicate with us in personal, ongoing revelation. But there are three significant problems with what Breathitt teaches, and I will attempt to develop why these issues are unsupported by Scripture. The three problems are as follows:

1. Breathitt's teaching is more in alignment with a pagan and superstitious—even New Age—worldview than Christian

2. Breathitt puts forth the idea that each believer has a "destiny" waiting to be unlocked, accessed, known and lived out, an idea that is contrary to the teaching of Scripture—that, as Christians, we have no "rights" to our lives. And finally,

3. Breathitt's teaching about ongoing, personal revelation from God goes against the clear teaching of Sola Scriptura, which is that God speaks to us through scripture alone.

Dream Interpretation is New Age

To help explain how I can make the assertion that Breathitt's teaching on "dream interpretation" is much closer to being New Age (pagan) than Christian, let me back up for a moment. I write this review not as a theologian but as a former New Ager who was saved by God's grace out of New Age Spirituality. My testimony is this: after rejecting the church as a teenager, I went wholeheartedly into New Age Spirituality. While in the New Age, I went down many different paths to seek enlightenment, truth, hidden knowledge and, yes, God. I sampled from a buffet of religious practices and traditions, including psychological self-help, Hinduism, Buddhism, mysticism, paganism, shamanism, astrology, trance channeling, reiki, dream interpretation, yoga, astral projection, runes, numerology, chakra meditation, visualization, fortune telling, tarot cards, psychic readings and on and on. But the problem with this freestyle way of attempting to approach God is that, at its core, it is pagan and therefore cannot give anyone access to God. However, this "freestyle approach" is also the chief allure of New Age Spirituality: one is encouraged to choose any path or practice that "feels good" to them, that makes them feel closer to "God," and gives them a sense of purpose. What I know now is that without God's "special revelation" of Himself through His Word (the Bible) I never could have come to the saving knowledge of God. The Bible distinguishes between "general revelation" (found in nature) and "special revelation" (found only in God's Word) this way: "General revelation" is revelation of God found through observing nature and the surrounding world. While "general revelation" gives enough revelation for people to know that there is a God to whom they are accountable, it does not give enough revelation for people to actually be saved. This was why God was so elusive to me while I was in the New Age. I was getting vague, shadowy glimpses of God through the many occult things I did but was unable to get a true understanding of his character, nature and what He required of me. For this, I needed "special revelation," found only in the Bible, God's revelation of Himself, which teaches who He is and the way of salvation. New Age Spirituality, at its essence, is a pagan form of religion in that it can operate only within the realm of "general revelation." Even though plenty of biblical terminology and even scripture itself is used in the New Age, salvation is found only through faith in the atoning death of a Messiah who made propitiation, died and was resurrected—the correct view of Jesus that is clearly rejected by adherents of New Age teaching.

Before we go further, let me define paganism and explain how I can make the assertion that New Age is pagan at its core. Paganism is often thought of as sort of a nature religion, something practiced by primitive people groups who live in grass huts in remote areas and who carve idols and literally look to "signs" in nature in an attempt to know God. But in another sense, every religion that is not Christian can be considered to be pagan; there are simply different "flavors" of it. All false religions attempt to come up with ways to "reach" God, whether through yoga, meditation and fasting (Hinduism/Buddhism); mecca, prayers, Jihad (Islam); meditation, energy work, spells (Wicca). Paganism, then, is the "default setting" of the natural mind when it is does not have the revelation of God's Word which only comes through the Bible ("special revelation"). As Pastor John MacArthur has said, "There are only two religions in the world….One is by works, the other is without works." Without benefit of God's "special revelation" given through his Word, pagans are forced to sift through the natural landscape, searching for clues about who God is and what he requires of them in the hopes of coming up with a system that makes sense of what they see. So even though I identified myself at various times with specific religions when I was involved in New Age Spirituality, I was living and functioning as a pagan.

In my view this kind of "functional paganism," is the main problem with Breathitt's book. Though she quotes plenty of scripture in her book, she is continually pointing her readers back to the paganism of "divining" and interpreting omens and symbols in their dreams. Breathitt seems to want to make a distinction between the kind of "Christianized divination" she is teaching and what she considers to be unbiblical, occultic divination, but the Bible makes no such distinction. Even though Breathitt specifically names psychics, mediums, witches, wiccans and other New Age occultic means of divination as "counterfeits" (p 95), she is teaching her readers to do the same things that these occultic practitioners do. The Bible, though, has very strong words for anyone who attempts to divine hidden or secret knowledge belonging only to the Lord (Deut 29:29):

"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. ‘For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.' " (Deut. 18:10-12, my emphasis).

This passage in Deuteronomy makes quite clear what the Lord considers to be occultic and wicked. Yet two of the above practices (divination and interpreting omens) are exactly what Breathitt's book is teaching! At least one third of Breathitt's book is devoted to teaching readers how to interpret symbols in their dreams such as colors, stones, numbers, sounds, types of clothing, types of buildings, modes of transportation, animals, weather, insects and others. And incidentally, the type of dream interpretation as taught by Breathitt is virtually identical to the type of dream interpretation I was taught and practiced as a New Ager. But these are pagan practices, and they are off-limits to Christians in that they are an attempt to usurp God's power and authority over our lives by discerning hidden knowledge.

"A man will plan his course, but it is the Lord who determines his steps." (Prov 16:9)

Unlocking Our Destiny?

In addition to the New Age practice of divination (which I have noted is an attempt to usurp power and authority that belongs only to God), another key teaching of the New Age is that people can direct their own destinies (which they do partly through divining the signs and omens in their life, dreams and in the world around them). The main thrust of this teaching is that every person has a "right" to a life of good health, prosperity, transcendent happiness, wonderful relationships and exciting careers. This brings me to my second problem with Breathitt's book. She teaches that God has a "divine plan for us to be successful" and that each believer has a "destiny"—a word she uses repeatedly—waiting to be unlocked, accessed, known, and lived out. This kind of man-centered, positive self-help sort of teaching has always been popular in America. Over the years it has latched itself to the culture and taken shape in many different forms ("Law of Attraction," "The Secret," "Possibility Thinking," "Word of Faith"). It has even taken on Christian terminology so as to become more palatable to confessing Christians who want a way to be "Christian" and still have control over their own lives and destinies. Yet, this thinking is completely at odds with the crucified, yielded life that is described of New Testament believers.

The Bible teaches that it is God alone who reigns and rules sovereignly over our lives. And while Breathitt makes mention occasionally that only God knows what the future holds for us, she also repeatedly puts forth the idea that once we are saved we are able to access this "hidden knowledge" about the "purpose" and "destiny" of our lives through dream interpretation and that our lives ought to be marked by happiness, success and prosperity. Breathitt asserts that it is the "right" of every Christian to access hidden knowledge through dream interpretation for the purpose of navigating their lives to "fulfilling destinies." Indeed, Breathitt claims in her book that an astonishing array of blessings can and should be had by Christian believers if they will learn how to decode their dreams. Some of these claims are that believers, through dream interpretation, will be able to:

- Unlock God's revelation
- Receive messages from God through angels
- Get answers to questions
- Steer clear of harmful events
- Fulfill their dreams and destinies
- Know the path to their future
- Be healthier, both physically and spiritually
- Achieve prosperity, success and increase
- Be more creative
- Live longer

But this teaching of physical blessing and prosperity flies in the face of the clear teaching of scripture, which is that we have no "rights" to our lives, and that it is God alone who knows and determines our destinies. In fact, a study of the apostles does not give a sense of lives marked by "living longer," "steering clear of harmful events" or being "prosperous." All but one of the apostles were killed for the faith, most of them having suffered torturous deaths. Paul himself was shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, left for dead, imprisoned and ultimately martyred.

Paul often referred to himself in his letters as a "slave to Christ," and it is this language that gives us a more biblical understanding of a Christian's "destiny," according to Paul. Upon the moment of conversion, all "rights" to our lives are relinquished. We know that our lives are no longer our own; we have been bought for a price, and only God alone can know and direct our destiny. But oh, how this kind of language and teaching chafes today's Christians, especially American ones, who have been taught to esteem liberation and freedom, choice and autonomy. But is this the picture that Scripture paints for the life of a Christian? We do not have "rights" to our lives, nor do we have the power or ability to navigate our lives to "fulfilling destinies," as Breathitt claims. If I make a plan for my life and God has a "destiny" in store for me other than the one I have mapped out, I must bend the knee in humble submission before God's greater plan for my life. Just ask Stephen, who was stoned to death after rebuking the Sanhedrin for their sinful rejection of the prophets and Messiah himself. About Stephen, I wonder: did the "life of (his) dreams" include death by stoning? (Probably not, because in our flesh each of us is small, narcissistic, self-protective and vain.) But when submitted to the Lord, as Stephen was, and as we all must strive to be by God's grace, our lives have deeper meaning and serve eternal purposes that our finite minds cannot grasp. But not according to Barbie Breathitt, in whose teaching I saw nothing of the crucified life, a life yielded to its Maker for His purposes. Rather, Breathitt's teaching seems designed more to tickle ears and pander to worldly and fleshly appetites for success, comfort, prestige and wealth, than to exhort true believers to lay down their lives in service of the Lord and to take up the cross and follow Christ, wherever that may lead. Christ never promised his followers that they would have successful, prosperous, fulfilled lives. In fact, one thing that He did tell them about their "destinies" was this:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours." (John 15:18-20)

But to true Christians it doesn't matter. True believers don't come to Christ in the first place looking for "goodies" or worldly blessing; they come to Him because they know He and He alone offers forgiveness for sins and the way of salvation. True believers will follow Him anywhere, yielding their lives to Him, submitting their dreams, wants and desires to His perfect will (Mat 6:10), knowing that He alone knows what they need. This is what the Bible teaches: a crucified self (Rom 6:6), a life yielded to its Maker. Not a genie-in-a-bottle "God," or some hoop-jumping "God" or a "God" who is the outlet for us to "plug into" so we can get power for our dreams.

The Rejection of Sola Scriptura

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Which brings me to my third and final point: According to Breathitt, believers will receive personal, ongoing revelation from God if they will learn how to "read" the "dream language" God supposedly gives them, which to her is the way He desires to communicate with believers. But this is a rebellion against and rejection of the means God has chosen by which to reveal Himself to us, which is through the Bible, a concept known as Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura teaches that we "hear" from God through the Bible alone. In fact, this idea of personal, ongoing revelation from God is unbiblical, in that Hebrews 1:1-2 explains to us that God has spoken directly to prophets of His choosing in past ages, but that once His full revelation has been given, culminating in Jesus Christ, the final and greatest Prophet, the canon is then closed and no further revelation will be given in the last days beyond what has been given in Scripture.

Let me point out that although Breathitt quotes a lot of scripture in her book, it must be understood that the usage of scripture does not necessarily mean that someone is teaching truth and that applying Scripture to wicked and forbidden practices does not somehow "cleanse" these practices of evil. Let me repeat, the sprinkling of scripture atop wicked practices will not sanctify them, nor will it imbue some kind of mystical protection over a Christian who innocently wanders into the occultic realm. I can attest from my own experience that the occult is a very dangerous realm and nothing to meddle with. Even for Christians the occult is a dangerous realm. I often hear the argument that once a person is born again and sealed with the Holy Spirit they have a "supernatural protection" against deception. "Well, I hear what you're saying about things being occultic, but I would know if I were being deceived." But isn't that the whole point of deception? After all, if we knew we were being deceived, isn't it rather self evident that we wouldn't actually be deceived? Deception's greatest trick is that it is evil masquerading as good. A "Christian" book by a "Christian" author teaching readers to do unbiblical things in the pursuit of forbidden, hidden knowledge is an example of this. A writer or teacher being loaded up on Christian terminology or scripture doesn't necessarily mean that biblical truth is being taught. All Christians are exhorted by scripture to test everything, to hold fast to what is true and to be like the Bereans, who were commended for their diligence in studying Scripture. In short, Christians are not to blindly accept any and all teaching at face value. In fact, Paul exhorted believers not to believe even himself if he should come bearing a message that was different from the one handed down to the saints! Very strong words, and believers should take this as an exhortation to examine all teaching of scripture to take care that it is being taught correctly and in context.

As far as I can tell from reading Breathitt's book, the Bible functions as little more than a handbook of symbols for believers to search through for the purpose of decoding their dreams to "unlock" their destinies and live prosperous, successful lives. Again, Breathitt seems to be deliberately pandering to sinful desires with this teaching. Pandering to the flesh and to the human desire for hidden knowledge is nothing new at all:

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" " (Gen 3:1)

Isn't Satan himself insinuating to Eve that there is hidden knowledge being withheld from her? And lest we forget, it did not turn out well for Eve when she began to long for the fruit God had forbidden. And we must also remember that Satan will rarely present himself in all his awful glory. He delights in taking evil and presenting it as something good and alluring, such as a luscious piece of fruit that is "a delight to the eyes and good to taste." In American culture, so rife with materialism and excess, the "forbidden fruit" that we seem to be continual lusting for is some form of worldly success or prosperity.

Conclusion

In closing, I believe Breathitt does her readers a grave disservice in her book by directing them away from the special revelation contained in the Bible and toward a "Christianized" kind of divination in which they will be reduced to living as functional pagans. While Breathitt does often quote scripture, her references are heavily lopsided toward passages describing dream sequences, visions and the like. As far as Breathitt's teaching goes, the Bible seems only to be useful as a kind of "omens handbook." This is amazingly bad theology coming from someone who professes to be a Christian, as Breathitt does. And contrary to Breathitt's teaching, Christians do not have some kind of "right" to access "hidden knowledge" once they are born again. They do not have the ability or power to navigate their own destinies toward prosperity, success and comfort. And the pursuit of "hidden knowledge" for the purpose of such is sinful and condemned by God, as it is God alone who knows and directs the destinies of believers. I simply cannot recommend this book to Christians, as it will lead them not into a deeper understanding of the one true God as revealed in Scripture but rather into the shadowy world of pagan divination and a lust for hidden knowledge and worldly comfort. Buyer beware.

__________________________________________________________________________
End Notes

1Barbie Breathitt, Dream Encounters – Seeing your Destiny From God’s Perspective (North Richland Hills, TX: Breath of the Spirit Ministries, 2009)

Additional Resources

Patricia King and Barbie Breathitt Talk Symbols and Omens

2014 "Prophecy" Roundup - Hall of Shame (William Tapley, Barbie Breathitt, Patricia King, Michael Maiden)

The Unholy Trinity: Benny Hinn, Chuck Pierce and Barbie Breathitt

Barbie Breathitt Claims that God is Positioning Us

Barbie Breathitt: Prophetess of Self

Saturday, January 11, 2014

A Recommended Resource: Christian Answers For The New Age (CANA), the Teaching Ministry of Marcia Montenegro

Posted by Christine Pack

Please prayerfully consider contributing to the ministry of Marcia Montenegro, a full time missionary with Fellowship International Mission (FIM). Fellowship International Mission is an independent mission board located in Allentown, PA.

Before being saved, Marcia was a professional astrologer in the Atlanta area. Since becoming a Christian, Marcia has completed a Masters degree in Religion from Southern Evangelical Seminary (Charlotte, NC). She has also written and contributed to a number of scholarly resources, including Rose Publishing, a wonderful resource that many homeschooling families use. Marcia is the author of the book Spellbound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids, and is also the creator of the website Christian Answers For the New Age (CANA), a website which contains a wealth of well-researched articles. From the CANA website:

"Before becoming an astrologer, Marcia was involved with various New Age, occult, and Eastern beliefs and practices, including Inner Light Consciousness, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Hindu teachings and meditation, and psychic development classes. During these years, she also participated in past life regression, numerology, Tarot cards, spirit contact, seances, astral travel, and received a spirit guide through a guided visualization."

Marcia is today a highly sought after radio guest on the New Age, New Thought, the occult and many other topics. You can listen to many of her past radio shows here. Marcia's written testimony can be read here.

If you would like to donate to Marcia's ministry, you may do so here. One time gifts or monthly giving in any amount would be deeply appreciated.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Francis Chan: "I love Mike Bickle"

Posted by Christine Pack

Thank you to Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries for his recent article documenting that popular Christian author and speaker Francis Chan has publicly given his enthusiastic endorsement of IHOP false teacher Mike Bickle. (Watch video of Francis Chan declaring his love and affection for Mike Bickle here.) To learn more about Mike Bickle, you may watch the video below, and follow some of the links at the end of this article.

Additional Resources

Francis Chan is Wrong For Endorsing IHOP False Teacher Mike Bickle (Apprising Ministries)

Francis Chan Has Endorsed New Apostolic Teacher Mike Bickle (Apprising Ministries)

Francis Chan Rebukes Christian Apologist Mike Gendron? (But He's Okay With False Teacher Mike Bickle?) (Sola Sisters)

Mike Bickle and International House of Prayer (Critical Issues Commentary (CIC), article #107)

Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer, Part 1 (CIC, radio series)

Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer, Part 2 (CIC, radio series)

Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer, Part 3 (CIC, radio series)

Signs and Wonders Training Camp for Kids? (Stand Up For The Truth)

Manifesting: Which Spirit? (Stand Up For The Truth)

A Tale of Two Kingdoms (Stand Up For The Truth)

What About IHOP? - Part 1 (Stand Up For The Truth)

What About IHOP? - Part 2 (Stand Up For The Truth)

Former Member Calls IHOP a Cult

Apostasy Watch (additional links)