Why Is Ian Morgan Cron Speaking At Olivet Nazarene University?

The following is a letter I have revised and sent again to Dr. John Bowling, President of Olivet Nazarene University, after having learned of Ian Morgan Cron’s scheduled speaking at chapel service on March 13 and also March 14.  (The original letter was emailed on Mar. 6).  I had been aware of Mr. Cron and his involvement with the blasphemous Wildgoose Festival, and felt I needed to send a warning to the president with the hope that the school would reconsider the invitation to Mr. Cron.  I am also sending this letter to General Superintendent JK Warrick as well as to Mark Holcomb, chaplain at Olivet.  (I have not had a response yet from the original email).

I assume Mr. Cron will speak as scheduled tomorrow.  I fear that the exposure of our students at the Christian colleges to false teachers such as Cron is continuing unabated, and I would strongly advise Bible believing parents to ask some hard questions before sending any of their children to a Nazarene university unless there are dramatic changes for the good.

Dear Dr. Bowling,

As a lifelong Nazarene, I am very concerned about a speaker that is coming to your university to speak in chapel service.  The speaker is Ian Morgan Cron, and this came to my attention through a report by Lighthouse Trails Research.  I had been previously familiar with Mr. Cron’s work, and the report caused additional concern for me, that he was scheduled to speak at a Nazarene university, which I have always believed stood for traditional Christian beliefs and Nazarene doctrine.

On the Olivet website, the Chapel statement starts with the following: “Teaching the Bible with clarity and passion.”

It also states this: “In this sacred place, the hearts and minds of Olivet students are being stimulated, challenged and inspired…”

 

How does a Jesuit priest who promotes mindless silence as a form of prayer, and says that “the future of the church is silence”, end up speaking to students at a Christian college?

How does his aberrant mystical philosophy allow him to “teach the Bible with clarity?”

How does a man who promotes Eastern style meditation help ” stimulate and inspire” born-again Christians?

How does a man who is endorsed by such heretics as Richard Rohr, and who himself endorses many proponents of contemplative mysticism, end up speaking to students at a Christian college?

Does this man even have any kind of testimony of salvation (Biblical salvation?)

Has anyone even vetted him, and asked him questions that would shed a light on his true beliefs, such as whether he believes Jesus is the ONLY way to God?  Is there even a process involved in making sure someone is fit to speak to a group of Christians without worrying about their true beliefs?

Surely this must be a horrible mistake or oversight.  In stark contrast to what we as Nazarenes believe (and most importantly as Christians), Mr. Cron is far from traditional and “normal” in his teachings.  I am not talking about minor theological differences here.  I first learned of Mr. Cron when I noticed a few years ago that he was on the speaker’s list at a blasphemous “Christian” festival called Wildgoose, which sadly featured two influential Nazarene leaders.  You can read about that event, which occurred again last year, in one of my posts (Two Prominent Nazarene Leaders Promote Blasphemous Festival).  You will see that Wildgoose is far from coming close to what Nazarenes and Bible believing Christians believe, and that it is simply a love fest of ecumenical heresies and emergent church advocacy, even promoting “homosexual Christianity”, beer and wine parties, and more.

Mr. Cron is a proponent of contemplative mysticism and he aligns himself with a host of emergent and mysticism advocates.  In the full article documenting his background, Lighthouse Trails has pointed out the serious errors of his philosophy.  In the attached YouTube video, you will see him promoting the falseness of “silence” as the future of the church.  With what biblical teaching he justifies this is beyond me, although he does not even seem to justify his belief through anything but his own imagination and wishes!

I speak for many Nazarenes when I ask this: why is Ian Morgan Cron being allowed to speak to the students at Olivet Nazarene University?  Is this the kind of person who should be influencing students who are studying at a school that is supposed to reflect the values of the Church of the Nazarene?  Now that you are aware of what Mr. Cron teaches and promotes, will you step in and speak out strongly against his visit?  If so, will you ask for the removal of Mr. Cron, and any other false teacher, from the list of those who would influence young impressionable minds at a Christian university?  I would think that the only reason to invite him that is justified, would be to give someone equal and direct time to rebut Mr. Cron’s beliefs directly in front of the students in chapel.

The following is a quote from an interview:

“I grew up a Roman Catholic and later became an Anglican priest (it was the closest I could get to being a Catholic priest without having to “swim the Tiber”) so there’s definitely a weird brew of influences floating around the community. I’m presently studying spiritual direction and contemplative spirituality at the Shalem Institute and beginning next year in a doctoral program at Fordham University (The Jesuit University of New York) so the voices of Merton, Rahner, Ignatius, St Francis, Teresa of Avila, Evelyn Underhill and other contemplatives find their way into our ministries and preaching as well.”-Ian Morgan Cron

Dr. Bowling, I realize you may not know of me, but I have been speaking out on behalf of hundreds if not thousands of Nazarenes for the last four years.  We are concerned that the denomination is going down a path which is leading many astray.  I hope that you will be able to give us an answer regarding this speaker, and that Olivet Nazarene University will make a decision to stand strong for biblical principles, and reject such false teachers as Ian Morgan Cron.  However, if you believe we are wrong in our assessment, would you at least give an explanation as to why Ian Morgan Cron is a good choice to speak to the students at Olivet.

Sincerely in Christ,

Manny Silva
Stand For Truth Ministries
Concerned Nazarenes

Why Can’t They See It? Demonic Activity In Nazarene Schools and Churches

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4

An Alarm That Needs to Be Sounded But Will Largely Be Ignored
(John Henderson)

http://youtu.be/Nk_I3fNCWxQ   ENC Harlem Shake
http://youtu.be/iExjofik6wg  Unmasked Version of Harlem Shake
http://youtu.be/9dxWxv376xM  “Original Version” at Mid America
http://youtu.be/Tm23MxS6xz8  Olivet Nazarene University
http://youtu.be/yNCP7YOM3Pk  Olivet Coaches
http://youtu.be/4kHaOnOSGNc  Point Loma Nazarene University
http://www.treveccalive.com/angelotate/harlem-holiness-shake/  Trevecca “Holiness” Shake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9gh-XlOMvm0#!  Northwest Nazarene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpUABrTCfY  Southern Nazarene

 

The above You Tubes clearly demonstrate there is something wrong in our Church of the Nazarene.  Except possibly for the second one (and there were others so vile I could not share them here), they are all at Nazarene Universities.  The one at Olivet is set up by who is apparently the chaplain.

I might say that this is the ultimate emergent heresy unabashed and out of control.  I would be right.  I might say it is just a cousin to the demonic kundalini and I would be right because it is demonic through and through.  People who are demon possessed are not born again because God’s saved cannot be demon possessed.  They can be harassed but not possessed of demons.  These people are demon possessed.

What I do say is a serious question:  Where on God’s green earth are the university presidents, administration, and faculty?  Where, in the precious name of Jesus are the university board members?  Where are the general superintendents, department heads, district superintendents, and major pastors in the Church of the Nazarene?  Why is no one calling a halt to this?

It is ironic that we Nazarenes who stand for the truth of the Scriptures are snubbed, insulted, and demeaned because we raise a voice against this stuff from hell!  It is ironic that pastors are bemoaning the exodus of people and offerings from their churches while they “hee-hee” this filth and continue to offer up cultic substitutes for worship and prayer.  It is ironic that we wring our hands at the consequences of the lawsuit out of the Bethany sex scandal that now forces every Nazarene church to conduct a “background” check on everyone who has direct contact with its children.

Isn’t it high time that we Nazarenes start being Nazarenes?  I tell people that I am a traditional Nazarene, that I am not an emergent Nazarene, a postmodern Nazarene, a new age Nazarene, a progressive Nazarene, and so on.  I take the Bible at its word—God’s Word to be precise.  I believe the creation was a real event.  I believe that God is omnipotent, omni-present, and omniscient—that He knows the future just as if it was today.  I believe that sin is awful and damning and that if anyone is not fully trusting Christ as Savior that person is lost and has only Hell to anticipate and dread.  I believe the Bible is totally true and accurate by divine action.

I believe that God expects us to live above the world in attitude, conduct, speech, and even our outward appearances—we are to live beyond the world-order in holiness of heart, mind, body, and soul.  We are not of the world so we are not to take on its identity in any form.

This world cannot teach us a thing.  We are on a divine mission to win and teach them.  There is to be no compromise or accommodation on our part.  We have a clear message that has often been summarized accurately in three words—repent or perish.

It is so pitiful that we have received a call to intercessory prayer by our denominational leaders leading up to the 2013 general assembly.  It is clear that we need to do that.

A Failure Of The Shepherds To Exercise Leadership In The Church Leads To Such As This
(Manny Silva)

The worldwide phenomenal popularity of a new dance video craze called the Harlem Shake is clearly obvious.  YouTube videos with well over 40 million hits collectively prove that.  It is yet another fad that soon will die out as many other fads do.  Briefly explained, as described in an article by Stand Up For The Truth:

First you see a subdued, well-behaved group or crowd. Suddenly you hear music audio declaring, “Con Los Terroristas!” A sole individual is then seen dancing while wearing a helmet or mask, while the others seem oblivious to the gyrations in their midst. When the song breaks into “Do the Harlem Shake!” the video cuts and shows the room filled with people in costumes dancing wildly and seductively. It is reminiscent of the Golden Calf scene in the Ten Commandments movie.

By the way, Con Los Terroristas  means “with the terrorists.” When you see one of these from a Christian viewpoint, it is clearly a worldly performance that most of the time looks demonic.  Much of it is sensual, oftentimes bordering on the pornographic, with many of the participants often scantily clad, dressed in devilish costumes, and making extremely vulgar gestures.  Certainly not something any professing born again Christian would do, right?

Wrong.

It is now a craze that is sweeping evangelical Christian schools and even church youth groups.  In the Stand Up For The Truth article, they document how Christian organizations such as Liberty University, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Youth Ministry, Kentucky Christian University, Cedarville University, and others, have jumped onto this bandwagon and brought this phenomenon into their chapels and churches!  In one of the videos from a church in San Antonio, Texas, you even see this being performed in the middle of a sermon, with the pastor joining in enthusiastically.  And in a blasphemous performance, a C3 church in Australia did it while re-enacting Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

But… what about Nazarenes?  After all, we are a holiness denomination, are we not?  Surely not us!

Out of curiosity, I did some research.  Why am I not surprised?  The first one I found was actually from my alma mater, Eastern Nazarene College. Probably the many years of a liberal “kids will be kids” attitude, coupled with an ecumenical philosophy and the emergent rejection of doctrine in favor of being like the world, has poisoned the minds of our youth.  And this is the result.  Worldliness in a Nazarene school, or a Nazarene church, and many of the youth and many of the adults have no problem with this at all.  More likely, they think this is cute and so much fun, and think that the world will love how we like to have a good time.

Such is the state of the church, and how it continues to go deeper and deeper into worldliness until it will no longer have any kind of distinction from the non-believers.  (At the end, you will find a full list of what I have found (so far) at our Nazarene universities, churches and youth group meetings).

And will anyone in Nazarene leadership say a word?  Why should they?  They have not taken a serious stand on all the apostasy that has started to destroy the Nazarene denomination, so clearly I do not expect any of our General Superintendents, or our District Superintendents, or any of our college presidents, to say a peep about this.

But if I’m wrong, I guess I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

You make your own judgment about this, but I agree with my friends who have said that this is nothing but demonic activity, and it is truly sad how our university and church leaders have contributed so poorly to the spiritual development of our youth.  The result is this and much more that we have already sounded the alarm about.  And the majority of the sheep sit quietly in the pews, meekly listening to feel good sermons and bragging about how they are proud to be Nazarene.  Well, for the first time in my life, I am no longer proud to be a Nazarene.

As Scripture clearly teaches us, those who are in such positions as supposed shepherds in the church will have much to answer to the Lord someday.

 “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”  James 3:1

 

APPENDIX: (Viewer discretion advised.  As John said, some of these are pretty vile in their content)

Mid-America Nazarene University:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxWxv376xM

Wenatchee Nazarene Student Ministries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSwhbacXGz0

Muncie First Church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZViVviAgE

Point Loma Nazarene University:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laryefkPsTY

Olivet Nazarene University:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhK6pfgo72U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iExjofik6wg

Bethany First Church Youth Ministry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25UqkFylwHY

Chicago First Church, Edge Student Ministry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe1iI8Y-iEQ

Maysville Nazarene Church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG-YBKawRkg

Southern Nazarene Univ. student bus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpUABrTCfY

Eastern Nazarene College:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk_I3fNCWxQ

ENC’s Facebook page brags about it:  http://www.facebook.com/EasternNazarene

Trevecca Nazarene University:
http://www.treveccalive.com/angelotate/harlem-holiness-shake/

Northwest Nazarene University:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9gh-XlOMvm0#!

A Nazarene church in MN:
http://www.ffnaz.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=555:harlem-shake-youth-ministry-style&catid=22:youth-ministry&Itemid=132

The Roman Catholicization Of the Church of the Nazarene

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.  Eph. 2:8-9 (NKJV)

It was a bit ironic that after I had drafted this post, I learned that Dr. Kent Hill, a Nazarene who among other positions was formerly President of Eastern Nazarene College, has joined the Roman Catholic church.  That would be the Roman Catholic false religion.  Dr. Hill gave thanks for his Wesleyan heritage, yet I fail to see what would cause him to abandon a denomination that believes in “saved by faith alone”, to become part of a religion that believes in works and baptism as the means of salvation.  And yet, I have in the past received notes from at least two other former Nazarenes who became Roman Catholic. Dr. Hill was also a signatory to the Evangelicals And Catholics Together document (ECT).  Here is just one statement found within that document which shows a stark difference as to why two opposing beliefs cannot be right at the same time:

“For Catholics, all who are validly baptized are born again and are truly, however imperfectly, in communion with Christ.  That baptismal grace is to be continuingly reawakened and revivified through conversion.

For most Evangelicals, but not all, the experience of conversion is to be followed by baptism as a sign of new birth. For Catholics, all the baptized are already members of the church, however dormant their faith and life; for many Evangelicals, the new birth requires baptismal initiation into the community of the born again.”

The Church of the Nazarene, of which I have been a lifelong member, may as well merge with the Roman Catholic church. Certainly the evidence is nowhere in the church manual, but in practice, it is clear that the Church of the Nazarene is incorporating Roman Catholicism, and it would be foolish to deny this reality if you have seen the evidence.  Complicit in this “denominational makeover” are leaders from the very top, to District Superintendents and pastors alike, as well as university chaplains and other leaders. Soon, the Nazarene church many of us have grown up in will not look the same.  In fact, many have already reached that state of mind, and have embraced Romanism and its ideology as being acceptable and equal.

The New Catholic Catechism states: “The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation” (1129).  This is a heretical teaching that has no basis in Scripture, and is totally contradictory to what the Church of the Nazarene states, that we are saved by faith; not through works (1).  In spite of this and many other egregious heresies that show that the Roman Catholic Church is a false “church” that preaches a false gospel, (grace plus works, faith plus sacraments), some of the leadership in the church seems to have no problem identifying Roman Catholics as our brothers and sisters in Christ.  But are they really?

The sacraments and rituals being done in the Nazarene denomination have now gone beyond Scriptural authority.  With Ashes to Fire being promoted for three years now, church leaders have been quite successful in convincing many Nazarenes that ritualism and liturgical practices are necessary for the spiritual growth of its people.  When Lent was invented by the Roman Catholic church in the 4th century, it was for the purpose of fasting, moderation and self-denial.  It was, and is seen as a way to remind Christians of the value of repentance, and that giving up something for Lent is a way to earn God’s blessings.  Yet, we know that we can never earn God’s grace; it is a gift from God; it is the gift of righteousness, as expressed in Romans 5:17.  Furthermore, why do we need Lent to remind us of the value of repentance?

Fasting is one of the biggest parts of Lent.  And many Nazarenes not only are expressing publicly that they they are fasting during Lent, or giving up “something”, but many churches are going further and placing ashes to the forehead so that others will see what you are doing.  But does not Jesus Himself tell us in Matthew 6:16-18: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen.”

How does putting ashes to the forehead “jive” with this clear command by Jesus that we should not be parading around our piety to others?  Jesus is clearly telling me that my personal fasting is no one’s business but between me and the Lord.  And do the Lenten practices comport with Scripture?  There is nothing in Scripture that promotes this or tells us we should do rituals such as this.  This is a works based practice right out of the false Roman Catholic culture, and now many Nazarenes are embracing it.

Is there more evidence, you might ask?  Yes, every month that goes by there is more evidence.  Just recently, the Nazarenes news site posted an article about an interconfessional conference in Italy, where Nazarenes, Baptists and Catholics met.  Interconfessional means a gathering of groups that have differing confessions of belief systems, of which it is clear that we are totally different from Roman Catholics, albeit certainly not perfect in our theology.  Yet, at least we do not believe that works are needed to save us, as the RCC does.  Or do we?  There are dozens of beliefs held by the RCC that upon Scriptural analysis are rank heresies, not just small differences in theology.  But the Nazarene denomination has certainly changed in the last several years, perhaps it has been slowly happening for much longer, and only now is sticking out like a sore thumb.

Have you noticed the terminology changing also?  Communion is often replaced with Eucharist; child baptism is now emphasized by some pastors to the point where some believe that it saves you, just like the Roman Catholics believe.  Prayer stations are our version of Stations of the Cross in Romanism.  Prayer labyrinths are sprouting up at universities and Nazarene churches.  Prayer beads are being promoted to our youth.  Retreats are now being held at monasteries, including participation in their mystical rituals. Interspiritual pilgrimages are planned at places such as Taizé in France.  Roman Catholic monks such as Thomas Merton, and “saints” such as Theresa of Avila and Mother Teresa are quoted and promoted from the pulpit!  This is the Nazarene church?  This is reflective of holiness?

It’s embarrassing to call myself a Nazarene right now, when so many of us can testify to having been freed from the bondage of Roman Catholicism and its curse of works-based salvation.  My father was one of those, who after becoming a Christian, preached to the very people whose misguided ideology we are embracing now!  Yet we have Nazarene leaders silent on these issues, while they call Roman Catholics our brothers and sisters in Christ.  How can that be, when their religion is based on doctrines of demons?

This continuing corruption of the “church” will go on until it completely falls apart and will only be a church by name.  In the meantime, a small remnant that is faithful will separate one way or the other from the apostates running these sideshows that deviate from the true Gospel.

Like the proverbial frog in the pot of slowing heating water, we just did not realize what was happening, and now it is probably too late to save the denomination. But we can pull some people out of the fire, one at a time.

 (1) IX. 12: We believe that justification, regeneration, and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith, preceded by repentance; and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness. (Articles of Faith, Church of the Nazarene)

Resources: Mike Gendron: Catholic Christians: Is This An Oxymoron?
http://proclaimingthegospel.org/equip/articles/34-catholic-christians-is-this-an-oxymoron

Roman Catholic Ritualism Corrupting Nazarene Schools and Churches

The Lenten season is upon us once again. As I have reported before, spiritual formation is one of the key avenues of the demonic influences coming into evangelical churches and universities.  Where spiritual formation is mentioned (another red flag is spiritual disciplines), it is more likely than not that it is an unhealthy emphasis on things other than what God has prescribed for our growth in spiritual maturity.  Christian spiritual formation would be that which is supported by Scripture and follows the model and examples given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles.  The problem is that today’s spiritual formation strays far from God’s word and incorporates inventions of man that goes back as far as the Desert Fathers, who introduced unscriptural methods of “getting closer to God.”  This is being taught at every Nazarene university and seminary.

The following, which I received  last week from an alumnus of Point Loma Nazarene University, is a reflection of the sad decline of the Church of the Nazarene.  We are moving away from a biblically based tradition, to a mystical, ritualistic and experience-based tradition based on man’s inventions.

“So this evening at Point Loma Nazarene University and most likely in other so called Christian universities they will have a “Traditional Ash Wednesday” chapel service.

Today’s chapel service speaker said that “Lent was needed.  The practice of Lent and the ritual of Ash Wednesday is the invitation for God’s spirit to come to you.”

Where does it say that in scripture!?!  He then said that this was a practice to “undo unholiness” a “seasonal affection time”. Really!?!

God does not ask us for a season, but if I recall scripture says DAILY…

And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:22)

Yes! I’m going to say it! If you are at Point Loma , any university, or any church service that is offering you a “Traditional Ash Wednesday” service, DON’T GO! The Word of God does NOT require this ritual or practice of you! God keep us in His TRUTH!!!  END QUOTE

In listening to that chapel service (Wednesday Feb. 13) with speaker Jamie Smith, I could barely finish it without hearing in almost every other sentence a promotion of Lenten practices that I had never before seen in my dad’s ministry or in any other Nazarene pastor’s ministry, nor during my years at Eastern Nazarene College.  Although the speaker mentioned Psalm 51, he used it erroneously to justify the practices of “spiritual disciplines” during a prescribed Lenten season, as if they are biblically mandated and necessary for spiritual growth.  I can smell this stuff a mile away it seems, because these people consistently have the same goal: move away from clear doctrine in Scripture, and embrace a lifestyle of experientialism and ritualism.  The result is a rejection of clear instruction from God, and a welcoming of your own personal “experience” of God, and a formulaic, unbiblical way of “doing” things to get an outcome.

Consider more of what Jamie Smith said in light of Scripture:

“So the church… is a peculiar people who are sort of stretched… which is why we keep time differently.  One of the ways the church has tried to embrace this peculiarity, this difference, is by inhabiting different calendars, different rhythms and seasons, with feasts and fasts, which are all meant to regulate and circle us back to the life of Jesus Christ.

“And so, around the world today, Christians will observe what we know as Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of the season of Lent.  It’s a season of disciplined denial and focused confession.”

“I want to encourage you to see the spiritual disciplines associated with Lent as the answer to the prayer of Psalm 51.  The spiritual disciplines of denial are the answers to prayer in Psalm 51.”

“So the Psalmist’s prayer “create in me a clean heart”… that prayer now is answered in the gifts that God gives us, of bodily tactile disciplines, the visceral ritual of Ash Wednesday, and the ascetic practices of denial that accompany Lent.”

“Friends, I encourage you to receive in a way the ritual of Ash Wednesday and the disciplines of Lent as yet another way that our gracious God meets us right where we are.”

“This is how the Spirit of God creates in us a clean heart,  by meeting us in the practices and disciplines that are invitations into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. God actually knows that the way to our hearts is through our bodies.”

“And there is something tangible and bodily and visceral about the practices of denial, and the rituals of Ash Wednesday that are a way of God marking His love on our hearts.”

“We tend to assume that we will think our way into holiness.  We assume that we will get some information that will finally trigger a way for us to follow Jesus in the way that we’re supposed to do.” 

“We don’t think our way into holiness…. But what primarily drives our behavior… our actions… what moves us in the world is not for the most part the outcome of some logical conscience deliberative choices we make, it’s in fact governed by the power of habits we’ve acquired.” 

“It’s a season in which the Holy Spirit wants to tap into your affections and order them to the Kingdom of God.”

“…to see these rhythms and rituals as the conduits of the Spirit’s power is because I really think we need a paradigm shift in the way we think about sanctification.”

Very little of this is Scripturally sound, if any.  But I was not surprised by any of this, considering that Jamie Smith wrote a book called Desiring The Kingdom.  In the book, he makes the premise that ritual, or liturgy, is that which comes first, before someone’s Christian worldview or theology is formed.  In other words, he believes that “doing things” first, will then formulate what you believe inwardly.  This I straight out of works based Roman Catholic theology.

There is nothing Scriptural about Ash Wednesday rituals, or ashes to the forehead, or giving up something for Lent.  There is nothing “traditional” about it, other than it being man’s tradition, not God’s.  Yet, the Nazarene denomination and its leaders are defying God’s word and are shamelessly going forward with another year of Ashes to Fire, Lent, and the various mysticism based practices we have been warning about.  I have warned many times that the Nazarene leadership seems to be complicit with efforts to mix Roman Catholicism and mystical practices into a denomination that claims to preach holiness.  Should not the leaders, whose duty it is to interpret church doctrine, either explain how these practices are Scriptural, or if not, speak out against them?

Some Nazarene churches last week had Ash Wednesday services complete with the ritual of ashes being placed on the forehead.  There is no doubt it is happening, the only question is, what is the motive?  And what of those Nazarenes sitting in the pews who felt a bit awkward as others got up to receive their ashes?   Did they feel less pious for not going up?  And did the recipients feel good about a practice which never existed before in a denomination that preaches “holiness unto the Lord?”  Is this a way of attracting those of the Roman Catholic faith, by saying, “look at us, see, we are just like you.”

A Church Now Focusing On Experience, Instead of Doctrine

All these things are part of the “experience” that comes with the contemplative mysticism being introduced, and even some charismatic based revival. It’s prayer stations, and prayer labyrinths, and lectio divina, etc, etc. Do this ritual, or do that ritual, follow these steps, and you will get closer to God. We are exchanging a real experience with God through knowing His word and through prayer, for activities that are not prescribed by the Lord. Instead, the focus is taken away from Jesus, and becomes a focus on ourselves, and what WE do, not what He has done for us.

As many Nazarenes now focus on that magical goal of 40 days of Lent, what then after that?  How is your life after this specified time period going to look like?  Is this like the Super Bowl experience, where the hype builds up over time until the big event, and then we go back to “normal” until the next time around?  Do you really think that this is a “special” time God has set aside for you to grow spiritually, or is not God’s desire that we grow spiritually every day, without any gimmicks?

The bottom line is that no ritual can make our hearts become right with God, and instead, we may end up being only filled with personal, sinful pride for thinking “look at me, I’m better because I did this, and you did not.”

In his article Spiritual Formation at Worship, Dr. Gary Gilley states:

 “Deliberate asceticism, harsh treatment of the body and abstinence from acceptable activities, actions and food, may have the appearance of spiritual activity but have no effect on our souls, nor do they enhance our spiritual development. Lent is a hold-over from ascetic practices of the past that have no direct spiritual value.”

The danger of participating in these practices is that the Nazarene church will also eventually tell you, as the RCC does now, that these “new” liturgical practices are required for our “spiritual formation,” thus resulting in the practices of man once again casting aside the teachings of Holy Scripture.

I close with a word from Colossians 2:20-23 which I believe speaks to these issues:

“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”

 

Recommended Resources:

 Spiritual Formation at Worship, by Dr. Gary Gilley of Southern View Chapel

Point Loma Summer Retreat Encourages Interfaith Worship With Unbelievers

Spiritual formation in the Nazarene churches, universities and seminaries is NOT a biblical endeavor.  It is merely a nice sounding way of introducing contemplative mysticism to the masses without using terminology that might scare some people.  It is a cancer on the church that will continue to cause great damage unless it is cleaned up.  Yet, you will find spiritual formation, including occultism, being taught at Nazarene Theological Seminary and practically all the Nazarene universities.  Lessons are not being learned; warnings are not being heeded; administrators have bought into it; and national leaders continue ignoring the many signs of spiritual decay.

We have seen it trickle in by way of seemingly harmless practices and rituals that used to be solely the purview of Roman Catholic tradition.  It sneaks in under the umbrella of celebrating the Lenten season; it sneaks in through the use of Sunday School quarterlies and such programs as Ashes To Fire.  It is evident through the programs being used for the youth, primarily promoted through the extremely dangerous Barefoot Ministries as well as Nazarene Publishing House.  But the warnings fall on mainly deaf ears, and most likely the following issue will also.  It all points to the severe compromise of church leaders today.

What am I talking about?  Point Loma Nazarene University, along with San Diego First Church of the Nazarene, is encouraging mysticism, ecumenicalism and interfaith worship with unbelievers to its college students.

A summer retreat called Taize 2013 is being offered to students.  The website states the following:

A unique trip is being offered through San Diego First Church  (the church on campus) during the summer of 2013.  A cross-generational group will be taking a pilgrimage to Taizé, France to spend a week in community, in worship and in spiritual reflection.  This will be followed by a week of service in a nearby location.

Students will be spending a week Taize (pronounced Ta-zay), a monastery in France, and the stated purpose is that it is a

“spiritual formation trip, aimed at those seeking intentional devotional time, Sabbath, fellowship, and space to seek and listen for God in a cross‐cultural setting.  Taize is a community made up of over a hundred brothers, Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, coming from around thirty nations.  From its beginning the community has been inspired by two aims: to live in communion with God through prayer and to be a leaven of peace and trust in the midst of the human family. A stay at Taizé is an opportunity to seek communion with God in prayer, singing, silence and reflection.”

I have previously written about Point Loma’s fascination with Taize, and Northwest Nazarene University’s embrace of Taize worship.  Their explanation at best waters down what Taize stands for, although please note that there is no emphasis mentioned about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That’s because Taize does not stand for, and never has stood for, the spreading of the Gospel.  Not the true Gospel anyway.

The following is excerpted from LightHouse Trails Research:

“Taize is a form of contemplative worship that incorporates mystical practices and interspiritual beliefs” [an odd term?  Probably means, “all roads lead to the same Heaven,” or something similar.]

“’Short chants, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character,’ the brothers explain in a brief introduction printed in the paperback songbook. ’Using just a few words, [the chants] express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being.’”

The entire matter is “just another indication that contemplative spirituality is no respecter of denominations. Nearly all are affected and influenced.”

Taize Worshipers:  “Practicing the silence with icons, candles, incense and prayer stations, this very contemplative community is attracting young people from around the world.”

In John Henderson’s post on my blog on Nov. 11, 2011, he states the following to which I am in agreement:

“I find it enormously puzzling as to why Nazarenes, especially in a Nazarene university or a Nazarene church, would have so easily abandoned the simple faith in Christ for this satanic form of the worship of strange gods and evil spirits—and then call them by God’s names.  An even greater wonder is how they unabashedly resort to mauling the Word of God to force-fit those precious words of life to this spiritual sludge.  They seem to sense no shame in it but, rather, boast in it and lie that God is pleased with it.  It is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah and I fear that God’s judgment will not tarry much longer.  I had rather be in Heaven when it breaks open but He might keep me here to witness it and I just do not look forward to that.”

It’s more than Taize that is going on here, in spite of the school’s recent rejection of an on campus LGBTQ group, which most likely they had no choice.  This school is being corrupted daily and is rotting from the inside out, taking students with it down the road of apostasy.  And once again, while “Rome burns”, our irresponsible leaders at all levels do nothing.

A Host of Problems

It is the promotion of contemplative spirituality by way of other retreats, such as the Jesus Prayer Retreat at Point Loma Nazarene University, conducted by Frederica Matthewes-Greene of the Orthodox Church.  What Matthewes-Greene promotes is nothing more than Roman Catholic style mysticism, including praying to icons, as I noted in the post Blind Guides.  She also spoke at a student chapel the week of the retreat, where she promoted these false teachings, with the approval of college leaders.

In a post on May 9, 2011 entitled Would Jesus Attend PLNU?, problems were addressed such as: false teacher Brian McLaren speaking in a chapel service; universalist Rob Bell speaking at a pastor’s retreat; a biology professor promoting Darwinism and evolution; the failure to immediately as a gay activist student chaplain to step down from his position; the retreat sponsored by Richard Foster’s Renovare organization, which promotes mysticism.

And in his article on spiritual formation, Dr. Gary Gilley concludes:

“The “face” of the Spiritual Formation Movement, as well as contemplative spirituality and emergent Christianity, is often first noticed within evangelical churches by the incorporation of traditional Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practices and liturgies. Many of these practices are being introduced at special events and eventually find their way into the regular services of the church. Worshippers are often confused by what they are experiencing and do not understand what is taking place. It should be understood that when traditions borrowed from errant groups such as Catholics and Orthodoxy are taken into evangelical worship and life, and are done so without a careful examination of Scripture, what is being adopted is more than just methods. There is a comprehensive, and in many ways wrong, theology upon which these practices rest. Methods do matter, and we are naïve to think that we can take techniques from false religions and not eventually embrace their theology.”

I cannot explain to you exactly why all this is happening.  I do know that these things are not of God, and yet it is being condoned over and over again by our supposedly mature spiritual leaders.

I will conclude with a few admonishments from Holy Scripture that address the problem with Taize worship and this upcoming summer retreat:

James 4:4-5 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Romans 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Amos 3:3  Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

 

Resources:

Spiritual Formation (Dr. Gary Gilley) http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/133-spiritual-formation-movement/783-spiritual-formation-at-worship

The Destructive Careless Ease of Fools

By John Henderson

Proverbs 1:22-31 – “How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?  If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you and I will make my words known to you.  However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention, because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke, so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes, when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you.  Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me. Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord, they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel. For the waywardness of the  simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.  But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm.” (NET Bible)

Where to begin!  Where to begin!  These eleven verses summarize the conditions of our religious and secular culture in ways that I find disturbing because of their clarity and precision.  The frustrations of trying to get just regular people to stop and listen then turn seriously to the Lord in prayer and supplication feels like one is standing in a dense forest shouting to the trees that a massive fire is approaching with gale force.  They will just stand there and be consumed in the fire.

The world is plunging deeper and deeper into its sin and lostness mainly because the church is largely lulled into apathy by the same delusions that grip the lost souls.  When the modern emergent movement stepped up and declared that the church was no longer viable in reaching beyond its borders, it was right in one sense but they offered wrong and fatal solutions.  We bought into postmodern thinking and became victims ourselves rather than emissaries of God’s truth.  We believed our methods were not working when we weren’t even using them in the first place.  We had already laid aside the gospel tools that always won souls for the more flimsy but shinier ideas of carnal advancements; and what would still work, if only they were used, was left to rust.

We forgot that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and went after the allurements of the world’s wisdom, somehow thinking God needed something different than the “old fashioned” gospel message.  We became simpletons and fools in our own “wisdom” and thought that somehow God would come over to our way of thinking.  The Bible became irrelevant, even unneeded [it had a lot of “errors in it, you know, because Professor I-know-best said so and who were we to question such prestige and knowledge].  Our message shifted from “thus saith the Lord” to “thus saith the sages of New Age Postmodernism.”

We can easily find just about anything going on in church buildings and environments except intercessory praying and learning the Word of God.  No longer can we really say with the Psalmist, “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee.”  We ask for prayers for our lost loved ones but we are nearer to joining them in Hell soon enough than they are of becoming born again.  How many of our lost loved ones, if they were honest and frank, would tell us that they are convicted of their sins from watching how we live?

You can turn on just about any news program and see astounding foolishness that challenges sanity itself.  The examples are abundant.  You may sit there half-asleep and with your brain in neutral and hear such outlandish pronouncements from government and religious “leaders”, supplemented by equally bizarre statements of commentators, that you shake your head to throw off the bombardment of “stuff” that makes no sense at all.  I often remark aloud that the inmates have the keys to the insane asylums and the sane are locked behind the bars.

In the United States and the entire world, we have picked up speed towards divine judgment, if for only two reasons (but actually more): wanton abortion and the embracing of homosexuality in every way possible.  God will not be mocked by this travesty much longer.  Sodom and Gomorra will look like a wiener cook-out by comparison when sudden destruction hits. Pompous officials and arrogant clergy may smirk, strut, and gloat for now, reveling in their self-indulgence, but it will end much sooner than they expect.  Their kind learned that the hard way in times gone by and, today, they have learned nothing at all from history.

I have received messages many times from people who say they feel so isolated in the church that they just do not know where to turn.  What they once knew and could always expect has suddenly been booted from their congregations and they have often been obliged to also go away.  Once-vibrant churches where filled pews and balconies at least three times a week heard the clear message of life are struggling to just hold itself together.  For them, there is more space than needed for the people now and the finances are draining away.  Their messages are so watered down and compromised that a spiritual soul can hardly hear truth at all that lifts and encourages the heart in Christian service.

This is happening to entire denominations in some instances with no promise of rebounding if things remain as they are.  That which once sent forth clear messages of life filled with Biblical truth now exudes empty substitutes of sham gospel messages.  The Word has been replaced by any “ole” word.  The authority of the Scriptures is set aside for the vain philosophies and useless opinions of godless men and women.

Where does the faithful child of God go from here?  Our answer is only in the Scriptures.  God has made promises that He will not break and no man can nullify.  One of those promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He asks that we faint not but keep looking for His return.  He is coming again just as surely as He has said He would.  It is more certain than the rising and setting of the sun or the rising and falling of the tide.  Jesus will come again right on schedule—God’s schedule.

Psalm 56:11 – “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Psalm 118:6 – “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”

 

Dr. Gran’pa
(John Henderson)
[NOTICE:  ANYTHING I write over this signature may be copied or shared with others and is deemed as published material unless otherwise stated herein]

 

Humans Are A Plague On The Earth?

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7

“We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now,”

This is what was said in an interview on The Telegraph, by famed British broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough.  So now, Mr. Attenborough has joined the ranks of intellectuals who have devalued human life and worship the created rather than the Creator.  The “plague on humanity” is not what God has created.  Instead, the real plague is the sin in the hearts of men such as Attenborough who fail to understand who God is, and why He created us in the first place.  The only thing he did not specify here is: just how we are to go about limiting population growth?  Besides abortion, perhaps we should consider euthanizing those who society might deem unfit for living anymore, or are too much of a burden on the rest of us?

Wait, that’s already happening, is it not?  In Holland, since 2002, doctors are now deciding whose life has more value, and putting to death many patients.  Euthanasia, a horrific crime, has now become another medical procedure in Holland.  In fact, according to the Patients Rights Council, a person may qualify for euthanasia or assisted suicide if the doctor “holds the conviction that the patient’s suffering is lasting and unbearable.” [Chapter II, Article 2, 1b]  There is no requirement that the suffering be physical or that the patient be terminally ill.
David Attenborough should be pleased at this.  That should help reduce population growth somewhat.

And not to be outdone, the state of Oregon is the first state in the United States to put assisted suicide on the books.  Well, that should help just a little bit more, so Oregon is doing their part now to help deal with the population explosion.  But there’s more than just talking people into a state of hopelessness about their lives.  Patient Barbara Wagner was denied life-saving chemotherapy by the Oregon Health Plan, and instead offered suicide as a course of treatment.  Wagner told ABC News, “It was horrible. I got a letter in the mail that basically said if you want to take the pills, we will help you get that from the doctor and we will stand there and watch you die. But we won’t give you the medication to live.”  (Mrs. Wagner has since passed away).  As far as I know, only Holland and the state of Oregon allow assisted suicide instances of this type of thing.  For now.  Just give it time.

Let’s now recall in the recent inauguration how President Barack Hussein Obama put his hand on not one but two Bibles and took an oath to defend the Constitution.  What the many adoring, and some would say worshipful, fans there that day don’t seem to understand (or don’t care), is that he has failed to speak up for and defend the most helpless in society, in spite of the declaration in the Constitution that all humans have a right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  Perhaps Mr. Obama’s callous disregard for life while in the Illinois Senate, when he voted AGAINST protecting a baby that was born live after a botched abortion,  was just one of the solutions that would be okay with the Attenboroughs of the world who are so concerned about overpopulation.

It was Mr. Obama who said in 2008, regarding his daughters: “but, if they make a mistake, I don’t want to punish them with a baby.”  This is a professing Christian who supports the killing of innocent human lives, to the point of killing them AFTER they are born.  And to have a cavalier attitude as this, where he would regard a baby as a punishment, is outrageous and immoral.  David Attenborough and others of like thinking perhaps would say “it’s a start” as an answer to the question “what is 55 million dead unborn babies since 1973?”

As someone said several years ago, the culture of death is all around us.  This month is the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, that monumental decision by the Supreme Court that has unleashed a killing field with numbers growing beyond 55 million children and counting.  Not to mention the countless women this procedure has brought harm too, and the families destroyed as a result of what has been overwhelmingly a decision for convenience, and not much else.  Want to see how many in the liberal left feel about this anniversary, and how they celebrate it?  Perhaps most of them will not be so publicly blatant as this video shows (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM-jskPAQn0), but what’s the difference when they do not say a word to defend the innocents?  There is no difference, because they condone it, and the most shameful thing is when Christians, including many pastors, who shut their mouths and do not say a word about it.  I find it a bit ironic that the man who is in the video is a black man, because the original founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was a racist who wanted to use abortion as a means of wiping out as many blacks as possible. (http://www.blackgenocide.org/sanger.html).  Quote: “We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”

When I pause and write posts like this outside the usual items I write about, such as the emergent church movement and all the corrupt teachers in our pulpits and seminaries, it reminds me that all these things share the same common theme.  It matters not whether you like to repeat the word “Jesus” over and over again and pretend you are talking to God, or that you support the right of a “woman to choose”, or that you think same sex marriage is compatible with Christianity, or that animals somehow are more important than what God created in His own image.  It’s all the same.  It is blatant disobedience to God and His holy word, whether you claim to be a Christian or not.

For the Christians, or those professing to be one, judgment is coming sooner than we have ever thought, in my opinion, based on the condition of not only the unbelievers who are in rebellion to God, but the professing believers who are complicit in allowing these ideas and actions to be promulgated unchecked by way of their silence.  Judgment starts in God’s house, does it not?

References:

David Attenborough: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9815862/Humans-are-plague-on-Earth-Attenborough.html

Euthanasia in Holland: http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/hollands-euthanasia-law/

Barbara Wagner: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5517492&page=1

Taking A Stand Against Anti-Christian Leaders: http://www.tcunation.com/profiles/blogs/bishop-e-w-jackson-ministers-taking-a-stand