The Contemplative Explosion in on and many evangelicals have jumped on the bandwagon...and the wagon is on fire!
Lighthouse Trails Research Project and many other research ministries have just scratched the tip of the iceberg as far as how bad things are really getting. But then there are those who will say things aren't so bad.
Just take a look at how many big name churches, authors, publishing companies, evangelists, preachers, missions organizations, etc, are on board with this thing - Contemplative Spirituality. See links below.
I have researched this to the hilt folks. Many church leaders have no idea that there are countless thousands of occult websites out there that promote this same type of spirituality, meditation, mantras, cenerting prayer, yoga, Jesus prayer, labyrinths, etc. Much of what is going on in the church under the guise of 'conetmplative prayer, etc' is EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!! as what they are promoting on these occult websites and in occult literature.
To go along and say nothing to congregants about these dangerous things is a great evil for church leaders to fall into. God forbid that pastors, elders and other church leaders would lead His sheep into the mystical darkness and occult techniques of the contemplative spiritual movement.
The links below will help find answers to many of the questions facing the church today.
The techniques used by many Christians today to supposedly connect with God have the potential to lead people believers into spiritism, claivoyance, psychic phenomena, mental chaos, occult shock, etc.
I seriously recommend reading the following four articles by John Ankerberg and John Weldon and then taking a closer look at the articles on the Lighthouse Trails website.
Reasons for Modern Occult Revival(1)-ATRI
Reasons for Modern Occult Revival(2)-ATRI
Warnings from Occult Practitioners(1)-ATRI
Warnings from Occult Practitioners(2)-ATRI
If you do your homework you will see that what many Contemplative authors are promoting is nothing more than soft mysticism. And in a lot of cases, full blown occult techniques that are found in Hinduism, Buddhism and the world of the cults.
Obviously not all of the authors and leaders that are involved in this movement are at the same level of promoting and endorsing literature and methods. But, the warnings from Scripture are clear to ALL Christians and apply to ALL Christians...
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11
And our desire is to expose them in an attitude of love, in order that fellow believers would come out of the deception.
~ Chris at SRN
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Here are some link from the Lighthouse Trails Homepage:
Through Which Avenues is Contemplative Entering the Church?
"Evangelical Leaders Join Together to Bring Contemplative Prayer to Thousands ... Beth Moore, Max Lucado, Richard Foster and many others."
Read about the BE STILL DVD
Purpose Driven Life - one of the major avenues through which contemplative spirituality is entering the church.
The Emerging Church — emerging, but not with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christian Seminaries & Colleges—leading our future pastors and Christian leaders into contemplative spirituality
Christian Publishers — succumbing to the temptation to publish books promoting contemplative and emerging spirituality
The Spiritual Formation Movement —another way of saying contemplative spirituality
Mystical Rituals — labyrinths, contemplative prayer, lectio divina, breath prayer, yoga, taize and other rituals.
