A Purpose Driven Plan

A PURPOSE DRIVEN PLAN
Commentary by Roger Oakland

http://www.understandthetimes.org/

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Have you noticed that Christianity is undergoing a major transition? “Purpose Driven” pastors are producing “Purpose Driven” churches that are filled with “Purpose Driven” believers.

Further, the gospel message that reminds man their need for a Savior has been replaced by the idea that the kingdom of God can be established on earth by human effort. Why is this?

Christianity has always undergone times when new ideas, trends or fads are promoted in the name of Jesus Christ. While proponents of these ideas claim they have discovered a new formula or plan that will produce a new and better brand of believer, we must always test these ideas authored by man with the Scriptures.

In the past, many genuine believers have been led astray, believing that the “new enlightenment” was the ultimate answer to the world’s problems that had previously been hidden in the Bible until recently uncovered or rediscovered.

However, the Bible commands that faith in God must be based on the Word of God. When man’s word does not line up with God’s Word, we should always stick with God’s Word.

History reveals this has not always been the case for many sincere professing Christians. Numerous are the examples of spiritually shipwrecked churches and families who followed spiritual leaders who led unsuspecting believers away from the Scriptures.

The latest plan by a man that is sweeping the world has already attracted thousands of pastors who are influencing millions of Christians. With the advent of modern technology, this is the first time in history that a single man has the means to market that plan on a global scale in a short period of time.

Of course by now, you know that I am referring to the Purpose Driven P.E.A.C.E. Plan. I also know that when I express my concerns about this plan I will be bombarded with countless number of critics who will not agree with what I am saying.
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http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c56.shtml

Christian or "Christ Follower"

The following is an excerpt from the Lighthouse Trails Publishing Blog -----

"Christian or Christ follower. It's a distinction that is being made more and more today, and often the latter term, Christ follower, is replacing the former term, Christian. Even many Christian leaders are making the switch. But just what does it mean? Emerging church leader, Erwin McManus says his "goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ." In McManus' book, The Barbarian Way, he talks about being "awakened" to a "primal longing that ... waits to be unleashed within everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ." McManus says that the "greatest enemy to the movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity [i.e., Christians]." A video series on YouTube.com called "Christian No More" (by Christian Community Church) exemplifies this view by portraying those who call themselves Christians as shallow church-goers who wear suits and ties, have Christian bumper stickers on their cars and prefer the King James Version. This video is evidence that it is increasingly more popular to call oneself a Christ follower rather than a Christian... "
Read entire article...
http://www.fromthelighthouse.com/blog/index.php?p=444&more=1&c=1

Can Contemplative Spirituality Be Dangerous?

Called emerging, emergent church movement, and emerging church spirituality, this post-modern way of doing church is causing people to question the validity of its teachings. Simply put, many emerging church teachings are rooted in Contemplative Spirituality, which comes from the East.

But just what is Contemplative Spirituality and can Contemplative Spirituality be dangerous? This we seek to examine, not in a spirit of contention, but grace, humility and love. (1 Thess.5:21; Phil.1:8-11)

We recommend the following research sites for a closer look at emerging, emergent church movement, and emerging church spirituality.

At these sites you can also find info about contemplative spirituality, spiritual formation movement, contemplative teachers and teachings, contemplative movements, etc.

Emerging Church - Discernment Research Archives
Apprising Ministries Archive
Critical Issues Commentary Archive
Deception In The Church Archive
Herescope
Kjos Ministries Archive
Let Us Reason Archive
Lighthouse Trails Archive
Lighthouse Trails Topical
One Truth Ministries
Understand The Times Archive

Resources
Books, DVD's, Glossary, etc.
Revival or Return To Darkness DVD
Books and Authors: Buyer Be-a-ware!!!
Critical Issues Commentary - Bob DeWaay
Discernment Tool Kit at Deception In The Church
Discernment POWER Search

We exhort you to examine contemplative and emerging church spirituality and test it in the light of the Word of God. Researching the real foundations of contemplative emerging church spirituality may shock you. We have spent many hours examining the teachings and practices in this movement and have found that they ultimately lead to what we call Contemplative Emerging Church Deception.

Obey Jesus and "let no man deceive you."

Do what the Bible says,

"Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil. "
1 Thes.5:21

Apostasy Continues To Exponentiate!

Greetings once again!

We hope and pray our readers are reading their Bibles too. Because apostasy in these last days continues to exponentiate!

Amidst working through more emails, we have received some very encouraging letters and also some very sad ones too. Periodically people will share their own stories about how their churches are embracing contemplative spirituallity, New Age mystical techniques, yoga, etc.

People also share about how their church leadership frowns upon them as they ask why the church is not teaching the Bible, but instead Rick Warren's book. We have recently posted more articles regarding these dangers of these things at our SRN Blog and our Contemplative Emerging Church deception Blog. These two articles help shed a bit of light on what Bible believers are up against nowadays

• pseudodidaskaloi' - The Cut & Paste Hermeneutics Of Rick Warren and The Gnostic by Jacob Prasch, Moriel Ministries, 12/14/06

BIBLE BUTCHERY - How To Make God’s Word Say Whatever You Like And Ignore What God Said It Actually Says - The Cut & Paste Hermeneutics Of Rick Warren and The Gnostic Interpretation Of The Parables By Brian Maclaren & Peter Tsukahira
www.moriel.org/articles/discernment/church_issues/pseudodidaskaloi.htm emerging church

• How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c54.shtml

I have also received correspondence from a Christian who got into alternative therapies, new age healing, and Kundalini [yoga] arousal. Although he is a Christian, his life has been dramatically affected by occult influences. This ought not to be.

Sadly, many leaders in churches nowadays think it is a New way of doing church to integrate Gnostic mysticism and ancient rituals into church services, including chanting, praying with crystals, centering prayer, visiaulizing Jesus, incense, candles, venerating images and icons, walking labyrinths, etc.

A simple reading of Jeremaih chapter 7 and 8 reveals what our Holy God thinks about mixing pagan religious practices with the worship of the One true God - Jehovah - Jesus Christ!

Beware friends, New Age Gnosticicm and Ancient Mysticism re-labeled for Christians is not of the God of Holy Scripture! We understand that post-modern leaders want to reach out to poeple, but this is Christian chicanery - artful subterfuge, Trojan Horsism, masquerading as "true worship".

Purpose Driven Ecumenism

Purpose Driven Ecumenism

by Roger Oakland

Nearly every day we read headlines that indicate the ecumenical movement is sweeping the world. It seems churches and denominations that once took strong biblical positions no longer believe what they once believed. It is common to hear about unity at any cost, however, not at the foot of the cross.

The death of Pope John Paul II was a watershed event with regard to the ecumenical movement. Christian leaders from all over the world demonstrated their willingness to lay down their differences. What would have been deemed impossible a decade ago, with regard to embracing Roman Catholicism is now common-place. Since taking over as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has promised to unify Christianity. Based on current events and trends, there is a strong possibility this may well happen.

Bible prophecy reveals the last days will be characterized by a time when a counterfeit bride will be prepared for a counterfeit Christ. Deception will take place in the name of Jesus because the truth of God’s Word will be ignored.

This commentary will document a number of trends that appear to be leading towards a unified “Christianity” with a reunion of the separated brethren in Rome. My prayer is that people will read this commentary with an open mind and consider the facts...

Read Entire Article on Purpose Driven Ecumenism
at Understand the Times International

Christian Yoga-Oxymoron

Brian Flynn has done en excellent job at telling the truth like it is. Brian has an excellent website and he speaks at churches and conferences exposing the deception of New Age and Contemplative spirituality in the church.

See Brian Flynn's website: One truth Ministries

Learn more about Brian Flynn's book Running Against The Wind: The Transformation of a New Age Medium and His Warning to the Church

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Christian Yoga-Oxymoron
by Brian Flynn at One Truth Ministries


- Why is there such a thing as Christian Yoga? It certainly has no scriptural or biblical basis in support of it. I have repeated many times in my book, my writings and in radio interviews that Yoga is an eastern spiritual practice and has no place in the church. Do you think that Hindus who practice yoga are doing it to attain rock hard abs? The answer is clearly no. The purpose is spiritual. It is not just the meditations; but many of the postures used are a form of sun worship. Does that sound Christian to you? If you do not believe me than this newspaper article called "Is Yoga Debased by Secular Practice" should prove it. After you have read the article please click the link at the bottom of the page to return for my comments.

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The description of Yoga is contradictory with Christianity, "Its practice strives to unite the individual soul with the "greater soul" of the universe..." The response from Christians who practice Yoga state that they do not use the meditations normally associated with Yoga. However, the meditations are not the only problem. "It is a whole series of ritual appreciations to the sun, being thankful for that source of energy." To think of it as a mere physical movement is tantamount to "saying that baptism is just an underwater exercise..." Can't Christians find another form of exercise to use then one that is clearly connected to eastern religions? Even the Hindus in the linked article are stating that it is a Hindu religious practice and to stop pretending that it isn't a Hindu religious practice! They seem a bit upset don't they?...

Read entire article at Brian Flynn's One Truth Ministries website...