1999 News and Views

Fundamental Evangelistic Association
News and Views - 1999
^{^{^©}}FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W.Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt Costella, Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor

Index of Articles

FOUNDATION Magazine : Current and Past Issues

1997 News and Views
1998 News and Views
2000 News and Views
2001 News and Views

Index of FOUNDATION Magazine News and Views for 1999:

1999 Promise Keepers Conferences - Conviction or Hype
10,000 "Jesus People" Fill the Pond
A Campaign for the United Religious Organization that Parallels the United Nations
Baptist World Alliance General Council Nominates Dr. Billy Kim
Christian Night Clubs Becoming Popular In the United States
Cornerstone College - GARBC New Evangelicalism
Dali Lama Has Made Some Notable Comments on the Matter of Religion
Death of Jordan's King Hussein
Deceptive United Methodist Videos
"Faith Stories" In A Changing World
Fuller Theological Seminary's Infidelity to the Word of God and Denial of the Inerrancy of the Scriptures
Healing the Wounds Between Catholics and Presbyterians
Interdenominational Church In Athens, GA., Is Experiencing Its Fourth Month Of "A Sovereign Work Of God,"
Jerry Falwell's Speculative Statements
Professing Christians Today Say Tattoos Are Leading People To Christ
Most Admired Men In America?
New Nondenominational, Ecumenical, Divinity School at Wake Forest
Oldest SBC Church Changes Its Name
Pastor's Day at the Capitol
Pat Robertson Promotes A "Cooler" Bible
President Clinton Became The First U. S. President To Hold A White House Meeting With Openly Homosexual Officeholders
Robert Schuller Visits Israel and Middle East Leaders
Steve Hill's Conversion Story
United Methodist Minister Refers to God As Mother
TBN Adds Southern Baptist "Conservative"

"10,000 'JESUS PEOPLE' FILL POND - FORMER HIPPIES GATHER TO CELEBRATE THE FORM OF WORSHIP THEY SPAWNED." This headline in the Orange County Register detailed the Jesus People Reunion, a concert held at Anaheim's Arrowhead Pond on April 24, 1999. Over 10,000 people gathered to celebrate the birth of the Jesus People Movement, a movement of hippies in the late 60s and early 70s who, under the leadership of Calvary Chapel's Chuck Smith, professed to come to Christ but continued to indulge in the music, dress and commune-style living of the hippie generation. The April 25, 1999, Orange County Register article by Hieu Tran Phan noted that scholars today "credit them with spearheading a casual style of worship that is the norm among many congregations worldwide." In addition, "they were instrumental in the budding success of groups such as Campus Crusade for Christ, the Navigators and Youth for Christ" the article reported. One reunion attendee, Shanen Laslow, told the Register, "Jesus resembled the flower children in many ways. He probably sported long hair. He hung out with the poor and the outcasts. He shook up the establishment. And if he understands English, he's grooving along with us right now." Chuck Smith, founder of the Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana, California, and leader of the Jesus People Movement, spoke at the reunion and reminisced about the hippie years. The Register article noted, "More than anything else, music defined the hippie experience at Smith's sanctuary. Some of the top draws reunited Saturday afternoon." Those in attendance listened to several bands perform, including Mustard Seed Faith, Parable and Love Song. Calvary Chapel now boasts 750 congregations in the United States and 500 worldwide.

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THE BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE (BWA) GENERAL COUNCIL HAS NOMINATED DR. BILLY KIM to serve as BWA president from 20002005. Kim, a South Korean pastor and past president of the Asian Baptist Federation, was nominated at the BWA General Council meeting in Dresden, Germany, on July 26, 1999. If elected, Kim will replace current BWA president Nelson Fanini of Brazil. Kim is a renowned New Evangelical who often participates in New Evangelical and ecumenical meetings. Kim has served as a featured speaker at several conferences and conventions held by New Evangelical para-church organizations such as Promise Keepers, National Religious Broadcasters and the BWA. In addition, Kim has also spoken at the Moody Bible Institute's Founders Week Conference and at Billy Graham's Amsterdam '86 conference. A Baptist Press(BP) report noted that during the recent BWA general council meeting, in addition to Kim's nomination, "sixteen vice presidential nominees were also proposed to represent the BWA globally with Kim." The nominees included Morris H. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, Robert Ricker, general secretary of the Baptist General Conference and John Sundquist, executive director of the American Baptist Churches USA's Board of International Ministries. Current BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz was re-elected to hold the general secretary position he has held since 1988.

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BUSINESSMAN AND TELEVANGELIST PAT ROBERTSON HAS LAUNCHED A SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN to promote a "cooler" Bible. According to the Associated Press, Robertson said, "We want to make Bible reading cool in America." In an effort to make Bible reading "cool," Robertson has spent seven million dollars in advertisements for The Book, including television commercials featuring hip-hop and country-western musicians such as Smokey Robinson, MC Hammer, Chaka Khan and Naomi Judd to name only a few. The Book, described as a simpler "thought for thought" translation of the Bible rather than a literal word-for-word translation, is published and promoted by Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. Robertson hopes to sell one million copies by the end of the year.

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A CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNITED RELIGIONS, A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION THAT PARALLELS THE UNITED NATIONS, is gaining momentum, according to a June 22 Ecumenical News International (ENI) report. Largely through the efforts of Episcopal Bishop William Swing, this organization's purpose is to unite the world's religions for the global good by using peaceful dialogue and conflict resolution. "The problems, among religions, and in religions, are everyday problems, and they are not going to be solved, or addressed or helped, until we finally have some kind of 'United Religions,' that will parallel the United Nations, so that we can carry out negotiations," Swing said. Buddhists hurling grenades in Sri Lanka, Hindus and Sikhs murdering Muslims in Jammu Kashmir, Muslims killing Christians in the Sudan and Christians killing Christians in Ireland are just some of the hostile situations Swing sees as needing the conflict resolutions offered by the United Religions. "It's going to be a whole new world very quickly, and there are going to be religions living beside each other everywhere," he said. According to a June 22,1997, San Francisco Chronicle article, the religions that began working on the charter for this interfaith organization included "Christian ecumenical leaders, Black Muslims, American Jews, Australian aborigines, California pagans, South African Hindus, Thai Buddhists, British Baha'is, Catholic priests, Indian Sikhs and other leading lights from across the spiritual spectrum." Two years ago, delegates from 1 00 historic religions and I 00 spiritual movements met at Stanford University to begin outlining the functions of the United Religions, with their unifying purpose reading as follows: "We, people of faith, called by our respective traditions to compassion in response to the suffering of humanity and the crises which endanger our planet, wish to create a permanent forum where the world's religions and spiritual movements will gather daily to engage in prayerful dialogue to make peace among religions, leading to cooperative action for the sake of all." Such a goal is contrary to Scripture and must be avoided by any true believer.

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"CHRISTIAN" NIGHT CLUBS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES. "CHRISTIAN" NIGHT CLUBS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES. A June 30,1999, Charisma News Service CCNS) report opened, "Can't make it to church on Sunday morning? Try worshipping God at the nearest nightclub. That's what lots of young people are doing in North Carolina." The CNS report cited one particular club, Cathy's Christian Cabaret, as being a place where Christians can come together and socialize without the presence of alcohol and smoke. The clubs usually feature Christian rock music and some, including Cathy's, allow dancing. One patron of Cathy's Christian Cabaret said, "The good thing about this club is you can come here and hear all kinds of Christian music-heavy rock, contemporary and alternative-and you get to praise and worship." The report noted that most clubs do have a cover charge which varies each night depending on the entertainment. While some clubs are striving to obtain nonprofit status, owners of other clubs, such as The Salt Shaker in Greensboro, N. C., admit they are in the business to make money. The idea of "Christian" nightclubs is one more example of how worldliness is being embraced by professed Christians who will do almost anything to feel comfortable in the world and become accepted by it.

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CORNERSTONE COLLEGE, A GARBC-APPROVED CHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, is helping advance new evangelicalism and compromise by partnering with new evangelical mission agencies through their media ministry known as Mission Network News (MNN). Described as a "ministry" and a "service" of Cornerstone College, Mission Network News offers daily satellite feeds to radio stations across North America with mission news "from a wide range of evangelical mission organizations." The MNN website says, "Since November of 1995 we've told the stories of nearly 400 evangelical mission groups from around the world ... Individual Christians benefit by getting the news they need to help them pray, give and even serve in world missions. Local churches will experience increased enthusiasm for missions among their people." What evangelical mission organizations have united with MNN? The website adds: "The following organizations have joined Mission Network News as partners in this ministry. Their financial and news contributions make this media outreach possible." The list of partners includes the Baptist World Alliance, Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network, Evangelism Explosion International, the Jesus Film Project, Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, Lutheran Bible Translators, International Bible Society and Youth for Christ international, to name only a few. Certainly Cornerstone College has no reservations about uniting with and even promoting such compromised mission agencies through their media ministry. GARBC pastors and leaders who desire to be faithful to the Word of God and to the separatist position which the GARBC had at its beginning should refuse to be identified with any college or seminary, such as Cornerstone College, that advances the cause of new evangelicalism.

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THE DALAI LAMA HAS MADE SOME NOTABLE COMMENTS ON THE MATTER OF RELIGION. Ecumenical News International CENI) reported that on August 8, 1999, the Dalai Lama told an interfaith congregation in Geneva, Switzerland, at the St. Pierre Cathedral, "that all the great religions deserved respect, and, if practiced seriously, were a path to love and peace" (ENI, 8-10-99). Senior officials from Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and Baha'i faiths were all represented at the service. One of the ministers of the cathedral, William McComish, said, "the Dalai Lama was not trying to turn people into Buddhists, he was trying to turn them into Christians." Later in August, the Dalai Lama took his message to America. The Associated Press reported that the Tibetan Buddhist monk told a New York audience, "I'm not here to convert people. I think it's better to keep your own tradition... Everybody has the potential to make a contribution to human development" (New York Times, "Dalai Lama Brings Message of Inner Peace to Frantic NYC," 8-12-99). He added, "Whether a person or family is religious or not, we need some way to promote human values, which I call secular ethics." After his stay in New York, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning monk traveled to Indiana to lead a "Kalachakra," a Buddhist ceremony considered to be one of the highest forms of prayer and meditation in the Tibetan tradition. Its purpose is to transform the world by creating enough positive energy through prayer and meditation to clear a path for peace. According to an article in Indiana's Evansville Courier & Press titled, "Dalai Lama Will Find Many Catholic Friends During Visit to Indiana," one follower of the Dalai Lama, Sister Mary Margaret Funk, said she "was struck ... by how similar the rituals of the monks, both Catholic and Buddhist, were" (Courier&Press,8-16-99). Funk added, "When you get down to it, we are so much closer than we are apart. The same impulses are there. To clear the self of all the negative forces that keep us from reaching our construct of God at the highest level."

"FAITH STORIES IN A CHANGING WORLD" will be the theme of the Religious Communications Congress 2000 (RCC 2000) meeting to be held in Chicago, Illinois from March 29 to April 1, 2000. Over 1500 individuals involved in religious media are expected to attend the multifaith forum, the fourth RCC in twenty years. The United Methodist News Service said the forum will include "state-of-the-art communications exhibits, workshops, expressions of faith, banquets, denominational and interfaith meetings and award presentations." Numerical and ecumenical participation in each congress has grown since the first meeting in 1970. RCC 2000 chairperson Shirley Whipple Struchen said, "We're not talking about just Protestant, Catholic, Jewish. We're talking about a larger religious gathering."

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FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY'S INFIDELITY TO THE WORD OF GOD AND DENIAL OF THE INERRANCY OF THE SCRIPTURES was recently witnessed by one friend of the FEA who attended Fuller's promotion of the seminary entitled "Fuller Evening Visit" on July 27, 1999, where prospective students had the opportunity to see the campus and sit in on a class. During a lecture by Dr. John Goldingay, faculty member of Fuller's school of theology, Goldingay told the class that no archaeological evidence existed to prove the reality of a city of Jericho or that any walls ever tumbled down upon such a place. Referring to the Biblical account, Goldingay said, "Perhaps this is a parable." It is not surprising that Goldingay and other Fuller professors so blatantly deny the reality of the record of Scripture. Dr. Harold Lindsell extensively detailed Fuller's compromise in his 1976 book The Battle For the Bible. In 1972, Fuller dropped a phrase that the Scriptures are "free from all error in the whole and in the part" from its statement of faith. The original statement, which contained the inerrancy clause, was rejected by many Fuller faculty members even before it was removed from the doctrinal statement in 1972. The original statement, adopted January 31, 1950, is now located in a glass display cabinet on the seminary campus.

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HEALING THE HEALING THE WOUNDS WOUNDS BETWEEN CATHOLICS AND PRESBYTERIANS in the rural community of Dixon, N.M., was the theme in this small town's Pentecost Sunday service. In one Albuquerque Journal article titled, "Catholics, Presbyterians Heal an Old Bitterness," Rev. Jim Collie, the regional presbyter for Santa Fe Presbytery, said the ceremony made history. "Collie said it was the first reconciliation meeting ever in the United States of regional leaders of the two faiths" (Journal, 8-6-99). Archbishop Michael Sheehan, the Catholic regional leader, welcomed the historic event with excitement. "I think it's a good catalyst about respect and living with one another and focusing on things we have in common and not just the things that separate us." The religious leaders were not the only ones in attendance as several hundred members of both churches united for worship. Ruby Martinez, a local Catholic married to a Presbyterian, said, "To me, it doesn't matter which church you go to because God is there."

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AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH IN ATHENS, GA, IS EXPERIENCING ITS FOURTH MONTH OF "A SOVEREIGN WORK OF GOD," according to its pastor Howard Conine (Charisma News Service, 8-12-99). Since May, Conine has given the pulpit of New Covenant Worship Center over to Beth Stephens, a former X-ray technician who turned to full-time ministry three years ago. The 29-year-old Congregational Holiness Church evangelist has sparked "almost 300 conversions," according to CNS. Conine said Stephens, the first woman to ever preach at the church, has "set the house on fire." He noted, "Many people also have been set free from addictions, and there have been several reported hearings, including one man who had his hearing restored." Conine said "pew potatoes" are turning into "aisle athletes" at the Thursday through Sunday meetings that sometimes run until 3 a.m. "We never have a benediction because that seems to say it's over. We tell people, 'Stay as long as you can and leave when you have to,"' Conine added. The fact that noncharismatic churches are participating in the Athens revival leads Conine to believe this work of the Spirit is different than the other "revivals" that are occurring. "We are bringing in United Methodist Church choirs, and we have had I can't tell you how many filled with the Holy Spirit." Some members of the church refuse to participate in the meetings because a woman is preaching. This has not left the pews empty, however, as the church has had to provide overflow seating to accommodate the more than 800 attendees.

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IN AN EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO STATE LEGISLATORS, CHUCK SMITH AND JOHN MACARTHUR, JR. are joining with pastors in the state of California at the 1999 "Pastor's Day at the Capitol" gathering on May 18 and 19. Capitol Ministries, which has organized the event, believes pastors can influence the lives of legislators by either sharing the Gospel with those who are unsaved or worshipping with those who profess to know Christ. This meeting allows pastors the opportunity to get to know their elected representatives. An invitation to the event, mailed to over 16,000 California pastors, says, "We are asking you, the men of God in our state, to come to the Capitol ... for a time of relationship building and outreach to our elected officials. We plan to unite in a special time of fellowship, worship and prayer all centered on the clear proclamation of God's holy Word by two of our State's leading pastors, Chuck Smith and John MacArthur Jr." Fernando Ortega is scheduled to serve as the worship leader. While MacArthur speaks out against the Charismatic Movement and even many church growth programs, it is evident that he certainly has no reservation about joining with those who believe otherwise.

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JERRY FALWELL'S SPECULATIVE STATEMENTS concerning the end times as well as his scheduled participation in a Charismatic revival service only prove that he is continuing to wander farther away from the Fundamentalist position he once embraced. In a recent pastor's conference in Kingsport, Tennessee, Falwell said he believed the Antichrist was a Jewish male who is alive today. Falwell has also released a video titled "A Christian's Guide to the Millennium Bug" in which he says the Y2K problem may be "God's instrument to shake this nation, to humble this nation." The Associated Press (AP) reported that Falwell said he planned to stock up on "food, sugar, gasoline and ammunition in case the computer bug causes a catastrophe." The November 24 AP report also added that Falwell speculated "such a catastrophe could start a worldwide revival leading to Christ's return" and added that he would not be surprised if Christ appeared in the year 2000. Falwell is selling his video for $28 per copy, and over 1900 copies have been sold thus far. In addition to Falwell's eschatological speculations, he has agreed to speak at the Charismatic "Revival Fires Celebration" on April 6 in Branson, Missouri, sharing the platform with Cecil Todd, Rod Parsley, Jesse Duplantis, Tommy Barnett and other Charismatic speakers.

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MANY PROFESSING CHRISTIANS TODAY SAY TATTOOS ARE LEADING PEOPLE TO CHRIST. "Move Over WWJD Bracelets-Christian Tattoos?" (Evangelical Press, 5-25-99) and "Indelible Ink: Christian tattoos? What's the draw behind this trend?" (Christian Single, 5-18-99) are two articles that attempt to prove this practice is acceptable. For example, the first article gives supposed Biblical reasoning, stating that "biblical passages from Exodus to Revelation describe divine symbols being placed on the bodies of believers." The article says that last year about 100 U.S. tattoo parlors joined the Christian Tattoo Association. In the second aforementioned article, a Christian tattoo artist in San Diego discussed how he has led many people to the Lord through his religious tattoos. Mike Kellerman claimed, "Over 30 people have given their hearts to Christ in my shop ... God is using me to reach people the church doesn't reach." Today's "church" is certainly going to great lengths to be just like the world.

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LOCATIONS AND SPEAKERS FOR THE 1999 PROMISE KEEPERS CONFERENCES have been announced. Speakers this year include Franklin Graham, Max Lucado, Tony Evans, Luis Palau and E. V. Hill, to, name only a few. Promise Keepers conferences are scheduled to be held in Memphis, TN; Detroit, MI; Indianapolis, IN; Denver, CO; Philadelphia, PA; Tacoma, WA; San Antonio, TX; Charlotte, NC; Hartford, CT; Stockton, CA; Kansas City, MO; East Rutherford, NJ; St. Petersburg, FL; Des Moines, IA and Phoenix, AZ. Promise Keepers continues to ignore the importance of doctrinal purity and actually endorses ecumenical unity and Charismatic style worship at each conference. Despite the many testimonies of changed lives, according to some sources, the PK-style conferences usually only serve to produce decisions based on emotional hype rather than true conviction. New Man magazine reported that researcher George Barna has discovered that "male church attendance and volunteering have changed little since the founding of PK" (New Man, Nov/Dec 1998). New Man also quoted Jim Burton, director of men's ministry for the Southern Baptist Convention, as saying, "I cannot say I've seen an abundant increase in the number of men volunteering for ministry."

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A NEW NONDENOMINATIONAL, ECUMENICAL DIVINITY SCHOOL HAS BEEN FORMED at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, N.C. Although Wake Forest University is a historically Baptist university, the new divinity school is intentionally ecumenical in scope, says William Leonard, dean of the new school. Leonard told Religion Today the school will "either offend or delight everyone" (Religion Today, 8-4-99). According to Religion Today, the faculty includes Sam Webber, a Benedictine monk, and James Dunn, former director of the Baptist Joint Committee, a politically liberal Southern Baptist public policy group. According to an Associated Press report, the initial class of 24 students includes "a Catholic, a Lutheran, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Moravians" (Los Angeles Times, 7-31 99). Stan Cross, a student at the new school, told Religion Today, "That's the reason I'm going, because it's ecumenical ... what I see God doing is creating bridges among various denominations and people. There is a real coming together that is beginning to accelerate." Cross said he believes God has led him to become an "open thinker." He told Religion Today, "My gut feeling is that it is Scriptural."

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PRESIDENT CLINTON BECAME THE FIRST U. S. PRESIDENT TO HOLD A WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH OPENLY HOMOSEXUAL OFFICEHOLDERS. According to Baptist Press, "The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee that works for the election of open homosexuals, said the state and local officeholders came to Washington to support two pieces of legislation Clinton has endorsed" (BP, 729-99). Brian Bond, executive director of the committee, said the meeting represents a milestone on the long road to full inclusion of gay and lesbian Americans in the civic life of our nation." In 1997, 132 openly homosexual individuals held political office in the U.S. according to the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Political Organizations.

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ROBERT SCHULLER RECENTLY VISITED ISRAEL AND MET WITH SEVERAL MIDDLE EAST LEADERS in preparation for his upcoming holy land One Light, One World peace tour. According to the September l999 issue of Powerlines, Crystal Cathedral Ministries' official newsletter, Schuller met with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, King Abdullah of Jordan and the president of the Palestine Authority, Yassir Arafat. Schuller told the Orange County Register that because religious differences play a major role in the region's conflicts, Christianity, Islam and Judaism must each play a significant part in assuring peace during the turn of the millennium. In a phone interview with the Register, Schuller said, "I'm talking from my heart. The message is that the past millennium has been filled with suspicion, frowning faces of our religions." He added, "Now we need to bring positive people together. Smiling faces will make peace on earth happen." (Register, 7-17-99). The Powerlines newsletter also noted that Schuller will speak at a Muslim prayer service at the Abu Nour Islamic Foundation in Damascus, Syria, on December 17, 1999. The Grand Mufti of Syria, Shaykh Ahmad Kuftaro, Head of the Supreme Council of Fatwa, invited Schuller to speak at the prayer service and visit the Dmyad Mosque of Damascus where the prophet Mohammed is reported to have preached. The Powerlines article said Schuller "is the first Christian minister in history to be extended such an honor." The September 1999 Powerlines also announced that Christians and Muslims for Peace (CAMP) will hold its first "Conference for Christian and Muslim Understanding" on the campus of the Crystal Cathedral in September. The announcement said, "This conference is the first of its kind to be held in America and will feature notable speakers of both faiths, with the keynote address given by Dr. Robert H. Schuller." CAMP's motto, as it appears on its emblem, states, "Nothing is sacred except the truth."

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STEVE HILL, THE EVANGELIST WHO HAS ATTAINEDFAMEAND FORTUNE AS THE LEADER OF THE BROWNSVILLE REVIVAL in Pensacola, Florida, recently shared his conversion experience with Charisma magazine. Hill told Charisma how he used to indulge in drugs, alcohol and crime before he one day "recognized that the voice that had led him down his life's deadly path was the devil" (Charisma, May 1999). He said while visiting his mother in Alabama, Rev. Hugh Mozingo from the local Lutheran church visited him and told him, "You don't need to say a fancy prayer. Just cry out the name Jesus!" Hill said after he cried out the name "Jesus" he felt "peace like I never felt before" flood through his body. He added, "That Tuesday morning, Jesus transformed my heart. I was clean, forgiven, alive again!" While a believer can never truly know the hearts or motives of another individual, the testimonies they give and the lives they live often say quite a bit. Hill's conversion experience includes no mention of him believing that Jesus Christ died and rose again as his substitute and as a perfect, acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of the Father. The idea that one can simply shout the name "Jesus" and claim salvation is completely foreign to scripture. Believers must beware of those whose "salvation" testimonies do not square with what the Bible says must be understood and believed in order to be saved (Jn. 5:24; 1 Cor. 15:1-4).

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TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK (TBN) HAS RECENTLY ADDED SOUTHERN BAPTIST PASTOR JAMES MERRITT to its programming list. Merritt, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Snellville, Georgia, is a conservative voice in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) who spoke out against extra-biblical revelations in his June 1998 sermon at the SBC annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Merritt decried extra-biblical revelation and then added, "if any group extends inspiration beyond the Bible, elevates experience over the Bible or edifies doctrine contrary to the Bible, let that group be anathema." However, TBN's February 1999 Praise the Lord newsletter contained a picture of Merritt sitting on stage with Paul and Jan Crouch and Benny Hinn - three Charismatics who readily accept and even proclaim extra-biblical revelations to millions of people. The TBN newsletter stated, "What a JOY to meet one of our newest programmers on TBN, Dr. James Merritt... God IS bringing His Church TOGETHER! The old denominational barriers are coming DOWN!" The newsletter added, "On the same night we had Baptist minister, Dr. James Merritt, Benny Hinn preached a message about the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit ... The Holy Spirit provided a beautiful DEMONSTRATION of the fruit of the Spirit through the LOVE and HARMONY of these two precious brothers in Christ. One day, every doctrinal question will be settled; but, in the meantime, remember what Matthew (and Benny) said: '...By their FRUITS you will know them' (Matt. 7:20)." The Charismatic Movement is certainly attempting to do everything it can to bring ecumenical unity to fruition, and those like Merritt who claim to be evangelical and conservative in doctrine are helping pave the way to ecumenical unity by refusing to separate from those who preach another gospel. Merritt's duplicity is characteristic of many professing evangelicals who proclaim sound doctrine in the pulpit but who unite with those who teach otherwise.

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THE OLDEST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEW ENGLAND HAS CHANGED ITS NAME in order to more effectively reach the unchurched. Screven Memorial Baptist Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is now called Seacoast Community Church. Ed Parker, pastor of the congregation, told Baptist Press that the name change is "part of a process we are in that seeks to remove any potential roadblocks and hindrances to people coming through the front door of our church." Parker said a survey revealed that even changing the name to Seacoast Baptist Church would not appeal to as wide an audience since many believe the word "Baptist" is "somewhat exclusive." Parkertold Baptist Press, "if it wasn't for our burden to reach people and meet them where they are, with all of their preconceptions and attitudes about Baptists and their obviously unfavorable reaction to the present church name, the name change would not have happened." Parker added, "We will do whatever it takes to reach our area for Christ." The pastor said the name change is only one of many new strategies that will be implemented to reach people for Christ. This is a typical example of the rationalization behind popular "church growth" programs that move away from traditional, Bible-based ministry to a culturally stylized program. This amounts to much more than simply "trying harder to reach the lost." Write for our "Church Growth Movement" report that deals with this vital issue.

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THE METHODIST CHURCH RECENTLY RELEASED A SERIES OF VIDEOS entitled "Talking About God" in which individuals from "various faith traditions" reflect on their perception of God. The purpose of the video series is to encourage dialogue and is "designed to help people share their faith, beliefs, stories and experiences," according to a United Methodist News Service release. As questions are asked on the videos, individuals of various "faith traditions" appear on the screen and reflect on topics such as "What's your experience of God?" "Who are you to God?" and "How can believers live together?" Speakers on the videos include Episcopalian Bishop John Shelby Spong, Jesus Seminar Scholar Marcus Borg, Jewish Theological Seminary of America professor Burton L. Visotzky and renowned black liberation theologian James Cone. [See resource on the United Methodist Church].

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METHODIST MINISTER PHILIP WOGAMAN warmly welcomed the new British Methodist worship book which refers to God as "God our Father and God our Mother." Wogaman, pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., and spiritual advisor to President Clinton, recently authored a United Methodist News Service(UMNS )commentary titled, "is God Both 'Mother' and 'Father'?" He responded to the recent controversy concerning the British Methodist gender-inclusive language worship book by alluding to the current debate and saying, "I'm not quite sure what the fuss is all about. God, after all, is neither male nor female. To Christians (as well as Jews and Moslems), God is the Creator of everything." Wogaman said the Bible uses various titles to describe God but adds, "God is much, much more than any human characterization. But surely that must include the best of the feminine qualities as well as the masculine ... I do not want to abandon either one." He said he welcomes the new worship book as a contribution to Methodist thinking and worship. Despite Wogaman's ideas, God's Word declares without reservation that God is Father and Son, not "Mother" or "Daughter." If the Bible says God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then we worship Him and understand Him accordingly, not as any form or being that merely comes to our mind in order to create a political correctness.

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WHILE THE DEATH OF JORDAN'S KING HUSSEIN IS an emotionally difficult time for the king's family as well as his country, the greatest tragedy is that King Hussein never professed faith in Jesus Christ. Hussein was a devout Muslim, not a Christian. However, in an official statement on the death of King Hussein by Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC), Campbell lauded Hussein for his part in the NCC's ecumenical Middle East dialogue and wrote, "in our loss, we are comforted by the knowledge of the sincere faith in God that sustained King Hussein through many painful tests and trials in his life. May God the Merciful receive him into the gardens of Paradise and grant him peace eternally." What a sad, unscriptural statement by one of the leading religious figures of our day! While every true believer should desire the eternal well-being of every individual, he must never give the world a false hope and claim that a Muslim (or one who clings to any other false faith) who rejects Jesus Christ as God manifest in the flesh, will spend eternity in paradise with the Lord. As finite human beings, we can never know the hearts of men. However, as believers, we do have the responsibility to proclaim the truth that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and that any who do not accept Him as their personal Savior will spend eternity apart from Christ. While this message is certainly not popular or "politically correct," it is the truth that must be proclaimed to a lost and dying world.

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WHO ARE THE MOST ADMIRED MEN IN AMERICA TODAY? A recent Gallup Poll, taken December 28 and 29,1998, reveals just how far the citizens of the United States have lapsed into moral and spiritual decay. For the sixth year in a row, President Bill Clinton was ranked the most admired man in the world, followed by Pope John Paul II and Billy Graham. Clinton received 18% of the vote (up from 14% last year) while the pope received 7% of the vote and Graham received 5%. The rest of the top 10 included Chicago Bulls basketball notable Michael Jordan, Senator John Glenn, General Colin Powell, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Nelson Mandela and computer software billionaire Bill Gates. While it is difficult to place a tremendous amount of confidence in random polls, recent events this past year combined with media attention clearly reveal that despite the deceit and adulterous acts of the president, the American public continues to support his agenda and dismiss his crimes as "private matters." While this political situation shows America's lack of respect for morals and the law, the fact that so many Americans continue to look to the pope and Billy Graham as respectable religious leaders reveals the spiritual decadence that has pervaded our nation as well. The pope is leading millions of individuals to an eternity apart from Christ, while Graham is espousing a universalistic theology and embracing religious liberals and Roman Catholics as fellow brethren, leading those who make a profession for Christ back into liberal or Roman Catholic churches.

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Related Resources:
1997 News and Views
1998 News and Views
2000 News and Views
Watchman's Trumpet - 1998
Watchman's Trumpet - 1999
Watchman's Trumpet - 2000

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