http://www.wayoflife.org/index.htmlWay of Life Literature - Daily Articlesensupport@wayoflife.orgCopyright 2013 Way of Life Literature2013-05-24T06:03:11-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Fri, 24 May 2013 08:47:23 -0400support@wayoflife.orgFriday Church News 20132013-05-24T06:03:11-04:00http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/friday_church_news_14_21.html#unique-entry-id-1254http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/friday_church_news_14_21.html#unique-entry-id-1254

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CATHOLICS, PROTESTANTS, AND BUDDHISTS TOGETHER (Friday Church News Notes, May 24, 2013, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The one-world “church” described in Revelation 17 encompasses every heresy and idolatrous abomination on earth. This can be seen today in interfaith dialogue. The late Pope John Paul II was a leader in this field, bringing together every denomination and religion in the Day of Prayer for World Peace events in Assisi, Italy. The movement continues all over the world. Earlier this month the Vatican hosted the fourth Buddhist-Christian Colloquium with the theme “Inner Peace, Peace Among Peoples.”  The announcement said, “The participants expressed that dialogue between Buddhists and Christians be strengthened to face new challenges such as threat to human life, poverty, hunger, endemic diseases, violence, war, etc., which belittle the sanctity of human life and poison peace in human society.” Interfaith dialogue is thus seen as the path to a “new age.” May 27-31, the World Council of Churches (WCC), which encompasses 340 denominations and groups, is hosting a “Buddhist-Christian encounter” in Bangkok. Participants will stay at the Bangkok Christian Guest House and visit a Buddhist monastery. Wesley Ariarajah, former Director of the WCC’s Interfaith dialogue, said that all religions are one with God. At the Seventh Assembly of the WCC in Canberra, Australia, 1991, Ariarajah said that it “is inconceivable to me that a Hindu or a Buddhist, or anybody, is outside God. My understanding of God’s love is too broad for me to believe that only this narrow segment called the Christian church will be saved. If you are a Christian you must be open and broad, not narrow and exclusive” (The Australian, Feb. 11, 1991). 

CONTEMPORARY PRAISE MUSIC AND THE AGE OF THE INTERNET (Friday Church News Notes, May 24, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We are living in the age of end-time technology, which means that one can no longer use songs and hymns without the listeners being able to come into communication with the authors with great simplicity. Whereas even 30 years ago, it was not possible to easily contact and be influenced by authors of Christian music, that has changed dramatically with the Internet. Now if people in a church hear songs by Jack Hayford or MercyMe or Graham Kendrick or Stuart Townend or Darlene Zschech or Keith Getty, songs heard in “adapted form” in many Bible-believing churches, they can easily search for that group or individual on the web and come into intimate contact, not only with their music (played in "real" rock & roll style as opposed to the watered-down versions performed in churches that are only beginning to dabble with contemporary praise music), but also with their ecumenical/charismatic/one-world church doctrine and philosophy. Men such as Paul Chappell and Ron Hamilton, who should know better but who are defending the use of contemporary praise music, will answer to God for the souls that cross the bridges they are building to the dangerous world that is represented by this music. 

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A 2012 study by the University of Washington concluded that megachurches “provide the same biological ‘high’ and euphoria as that produced by sporting events and concerts” (Ecumenical News International, Aug. 21, 2012). The study, entitled “God Is Like a Drug: Explaining Interaction Ritual Chains in American Megachurches,” was co-authored by Katie Corcoran and James Wellman. They attribute the worship “high” to the “upbeat modern music, cameras that scan the audience and project smiling, dancing, singing, or crying worshippers on large screens, and an extremely charismatic leader whose sermons touch individuals on an emotional level.” They believe these things “trigger chemicals in the brain to give the individual an emotional ‘high’ and feeling of transcendence as well as a need to come back for another ‘hit.’”

On a research visit to City Harvest Church, the largest church in Singapore, on February 8, 2003, I was reminded of the power of rock music to create the emotional high that contemporary worshipers are seeking. 

On Saturdays, City Harvest has two services, one at 4:30 p.m. and one at 7:30. I attended the 7:30 session. The music was pull-out-the-stops rock & roll and was the loudest I have ever heard in a megachurch church or Christian conference, even though I have attended many of them for research purposes. City Harvest’s music featured two drummers, electric guitars, a keyboard, and a powerful brass section. Several worship leaders, both male and female, swayed and pranced at the front of the stage. 

The several-thousand-seat auditorium was almost full and the people were very, very exuberant. As best as I could tell from my vantage point, almost every person joined in enthusiastically during the worship time, singing, clapping, jumping, swaying to the potent music. 

When I walked out of the auditorium and got away from the sound of the music, I actually felt a little lightheaded from not being accustomed to such loud, sensual music. It had been more than three decades since I last heard music that loud in an enclosed environment, and that was at a rock concert before I was saved. It was such a relief to get away from the relentless pounding. 

I am convinced that if you took away the rock music, churches like this would lose their large crowds almost instantly. Rock music is a drug in itself, and this generation is high on music.

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RICK WARREN UNCERTAIN IF HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS SINFUL (Friday Church News Notes, May 17, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Rick Warren Says ‘Gays’ Go to Heaven,” Christian News, Nov. 29, 2012: “Controversy is stirring over recent comments made by Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life and megachurch leader of Saddleback Church in California, who stated that homosexual behavior ‘might be’ sinful, and that he believes homosexuals go to Heaven. ... During an interview this week with the Huffington Post, Warren was asked by Marc Lamont Hill if having romantic feelings for a member of the same sex is a sin. ... ‘No, it’s not a sin to love somebody,’ Warren said. ‘It might be a sin to have sex with them,’ he added. ‘It might be.’ ... Later during the interview, when Hill asked Warren if he believes homosexuals will go to Hell, he replied that they will not. ‘No, not because they’re gay,’ he said. ‘We go to Hell because we choose to reject the grace of God.’ When Hill asked what happens to a homosexual that accepts Jesus, Warren responded enthusiastically. ‘He’s going to Heaven!’ he declared. ‘Without a doubt.’ ... Peter LaBarbera, the president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality ... stated that he was shocked at Rick Warren’s comments. ‘You don’t want to give the impression that it’s fine and dandy to live the homosexual lifestyle and as long as I believe in Jesus, I can still go to Heaven,’ he said. ‘It’s one thing to have attractions and [fight] that, [and another to embrace homosexual behavior].’ ... ‘When you accept Christ, your behavior changes,’ LaBarbera said. ‘And the attitude is [people like Warren] don’t want to talk about changes. … We know that God changes homosexuals, so why isn’t Rick Warren saying that?’ ... What part of Romans 1 doesn’t Rick Warren understand? It’s so clear,’ he said. ‘When you make statements like these, you end up losing the Biblical sense, and the Biblical sense is that this is an abomination.’ ... LaBarbera said that Warren should not only have called homosexual behavior sin, but should have gone deeper to the root issue. ‘It’s also sinful to lust after another man,’ LaBarbera said. ‘We can’t advocate sin as believers, and we have to think about how that the person that’s struggling with homosexuality is going to hear this.’” 

PENTAGON MAY COURT MARTIAL SOLDIERS WHO SHARE CHRISTIAN FAITH (Friday Church News Notes, May 17, 2013, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Pentagon Confirms May Court Martial,” Breitbart, May 1, 2013: “The Pentagon has released a statement confirming that soldiers could be prosecuted for promoting their faith: ‘Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense ... Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis...’ The statement, released to Fox News, follows a Breitbart News report on Obama administration Pentagon appointees meeting with anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein to develop court-martial procedures to punish Christians in the military who express or share their faith. (From our earlier report: Weinstein is the head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and says Christians--including chaplains--sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in the military are guilty of ‘treason,’ and of committing an act of ‘spiritual rape’ as serious a crime as ‘sexual assault.’ He also asserted that Christians sharing their faith in the military are ‘enemies of the Constitution.’) Being convicted in a court martial means that a soldier has committed a crime under federal military law. Punishment for a court martial can include imprisonment and being dishonorably discharged from the military. So President Barack Obama’s civilian appointees who lead the Pentagon are confirming that the military will make it a crime--possibly resulting in imprisonment--for those in uniform to share their faith. This would include chaplains—military officers who are ordained clergymen of their faith (mostly Christian pastors or priests, or Jewish rabbis)--whose duty since the founding of the U.S. military under George Washington is to teach their faith and minister to the spiritual needs of troops who come to them for counsel, instruction, or comfort.”

]]>support@wayoflife.orgSeparation2013-05-23T06:03:02-04:00http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/beware_soft_separatism.html#unique-entry-id-1073http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/beware_soft_separatism.html#unique-entry-id-1073

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The separation that is practiced by many fundamental Baptist churches is “soft,” meaning it is insufficient and ineffectual. It is insufficient in warning, insufficient in education, insufficient in the actual practice of separation. 

Soft separatism is characterized by focusing on positive truth and avoiding “negativism and criticism.” Soft separatists don’t reprove error plainly or name the names of compromisers. They avoid dealing with “personalties.” 

Soft separatists don’t distance themselves properly from those who are headed in a wrong direction in order to cut off the leaven of compromise from their personal lives and families and churches. Compromise is a contagious spiritual disease, and separation is the only thing that will protect us from its pollution.

Soft separatists are more concerned about the danger of “fragmentation” and more desirous of “unity” and getting along with the brethren than about standing for the truth. 

Soft separatists don’t properly educate their church members so that they won’t be led astray by the evangelical bridge builders and contemporary worship musicians, etc. In a soft separatist church the people are largely ignorant about important issues such as contemporary worship music, textual criticism and the modern versions, New Evangelicalism, the Southern Baptist Convention, Reformed theology, reconstructionism, Darwinian and theistic evolution, contemplative mysticism, and the emerging church. 

If they are given any education on such things, it is paper thin and ineffectual.

Soft separatists don’t carry books containing clear warnings of such things in their bookstores. They don’t encourage the people to read publications that issue clear warnings about such things. They don’t have conferences to provide education and exhortation on such matters. Their conferences are focused on evangelism and world missions and “positive” Bible preaching and “friendship,” which are important topics, but the equally important issues of separatism and related topics are neglected. 

Since the previous characteristics are actually principles that have characterized New Evangelicalism since the 1950s, it is no surprise that soft separatism leads to full-blown New Evangelicalism within a generation or two.

Soft separatism is the mindset that has already led a great many IBaptist churches into the contemporary sphere, and it is going to have the same result in a great many more churches in coming years

This is because soft separatism is not biblical separation. It is separation in name only. 

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The following is from Way of Life’s Advanced Bible Studies Series course on the Epistle of James. 

 

“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit” (James 5:13-18).

I've followed the practice of James 5 and I’ve seen it practiced by others for 40 years, and it is a great blessing. In fact, I don’t know if I can recall a case in which God didn’t heal in response to the anointing of oil and the prayer of faith for the sick in according with these instructions (though I don’t believe that He is obligated to do so or that He always does heal in such cases). I’m just talking about my own experience with this matter.

I don't understand why so many seem to ignore the passage. Perhaps because the charismatics have so abused it.

1. Miscellaneous introductory points

a. The Bible nowhere condemns doctors and medicine, but it does condemn trusting in man rather than God (2 Chron. 16:12)

b. This passage shows that the apostolic gift of healing would pass away. Here the elders of the church are called rather than someone with the gift of healing. The elders do not lay hands on the person or rebuke the sickness or cast out devils, but they simply anoint him with oil and pray for him. The gift of healing was associated with the apostolic age, and God gave the apostles sign gifts to authenticate their calling (2 Cor. 12:12). See Mark 3:14-15; Acts 2:43; 4:33; 5:12, 15; 19:12. The apostles laid the foundation for the church (Eph. 2:20), and when they died their sign gifts ceased. If the sign miracles were operative throughout the church age, they could not have been effective as apostolic sign gifts.
Even in the early churches, all Christians could not do the sign miracles of the apostles. The only exceptions were a few men upon whom the apostles had laid hands. There was no general miracle-working experience among the first churches. If there had been, Paul could not have pointed to his miracle-working ability as a special sign. His would have been just another miracle-working Christian ministry if all could have performed such things; but all could not. If all could have performed miracles as a matter of course, the Christians would not have called for Peter to come and raise Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). Peter’s miracle that day was the “sign of an apostle.” 

c. James begins by saying that the afflicted should pray and the merry should sing psalms (Jam. 5:13). We see that God’s people are not required to pretend to be something they are not or to try to “work up” any certain condition. When I attended Pentecostal meetings as a young Christian, I felt great pressure to act out something I did not feel. There was pressure to be exuberant in praise and to exhibit various “gifts” such as tongues, but James does not support that type of thing. If I am afflicted, I am not instructed to be merry, and if I am merry, I am not instructed to be afflicted. If I am afflicted, I need to pray and seek God’s face for wisdom and strength. If I am merry, I need to sing and glorify the Lord. This does not mean that the merry should not pray or the afflicted should not sing, but James is showing what should be emphasized in each particular situation. 

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