.WEEKLY CHURCH NEWS NOTES

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

.WEEKLY CHURCH NEWS NOTES

March 6, 2010

By: David Cloud FBIS

The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in churches

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA APPROVES ORDINATION OF HOMOSEXUAL

On February 20 a presbytery in Wisconsin approved the ordination of Scott Anderson who was disqualified 20 years ago. Anderson pastored Bethany Presbyterian Church of Sacramento, California, from 1983 until 1990, when he was forced to step down because of his homosexuality, since the constitution of the Presbyterian Church USA requires that pastors “live in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.” In 2006 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA “reinterpreted” this to allow the ordination of homosexuals if approved by a regional ordaining body. It is obvious that words mean nothing to these people, not the words of the Bible and not the words of their own constitutions. Anderson’s new ordination was approved by his apostate peers by a margin of 81-25.

ANGLICAN/EPISCOPAL BISHOP SAYS PAUL DID NOT CONDEMN HOMOSEXUALITY

V. Gene Robinson, the first “openly gay bishop” in the Episcopal Church in America, claims that Paul did not condemn homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27, which reads as follows. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” Robinson says, “St. Paul was talking about people that he understood to be heterosexual engaging in same-sex acts. It never occurred to anyone in ancient times that a certain minority of us would be born being affectionally oriented to people of the same sex. So it did seem like against their nature to be doing so” (“First Openly Gay Episcopal Bishop,” CNSNews.com, Feb. 4, 2010). This is nonsense. Paul condemned homosexual acts in a wholesale manner, which is in conformity to the teaching of the entire Bible. God established the first marriage between a man and a woman and ordained that all sexual relationships outside of holy matrimony are sinful (Hebrew 13:4). Robinson broke his marriage vows two decades ago when he left his wife and two young daughters and moved in with his male partner. In a speech in April 29, 2000, Robinson said: “... we are worthy to hold our heads high as gay folk--NOT because we’ve merely decided we are worthy, but because God has proclaimed it so. That we are loved beyond our wildest imagining by a God who made us the way we are and proclaimed it good.” This is solid evidence of the divine inspiration of the Bible, because it is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy (e.g., 2 Peter 2).

STUDY LINKS VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES TO VIOLENT THOUGHT, ACTION

The following is excerpted from The Washington Post, March 1, 2010: “A study in the March issue of Psychological Bulletin, a journal of the American Psychological Association, shows that playing violent video games increases violent thinking, attitudes and behaviors among players. And it does nothing to promote positive social behaviors. Psychologist Craig Anderson of Iowa State University and his team analyzed existing studies of 130,000 people from the U.S., Europe and Japan. His findings held for players in Western and Eastern cultures, for male and female players and for players of various ages. ... the new research found that exposure to violent video games was associated with aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition and aggressive ‘affect.’ It desensitizes users and is associated with lack of empathy and a lack of ‘prosocial’ behavior.”

RAP’S WELL-TRAVELED PATH TO PRISON

 Rap or Hip Hop music is lawless, violent music, and it is not surprising that it is accompanied by lawlessness and violence. An Associated Press report entitled “Rap’s well-traveled path to prison” bears this out. “It’s a ritual that seems to play out at least once a year in the rap community. A top star faces a criminal charge, and more often than not, is locked up at the height of their wealth and fame. Lil Wayne is the latest example. On Tuesday, he is to be sentenced on a weapons charge and will likely face one year behind bars. Besides his scheduled court date in New York, he is also scheduled for trial in Arizona on March 30 on felony drug possession and weapons charges. ... Lil Wayne joins a group of rappers with legal woes over the past year, from Gucci  Mane to Soulja Boy to popular music producer Shawty Reed, who faces a charge of murder in Georgia. T. I., another one of rap’s top sellers, reported to a federal prison in 2009 for his conviction on weapons charges. In the history of hip-hop, other popular rappers such as Slick Rick, Shakur, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Remy Ma, Beanie Sigel, Shyne, Mystikal and C-Murder have spent a few months to several years in prison” (“Rap’s well-traveled path,” AP, Feb. 25, 2010). Jeff Royal observes, “The only hope for rap music stars and anyone else is the redemption found in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Their re-hab speeches at schools are for the most part ineffective. While some may warn about the dangers associated with fame, the warnings in my opinion simply go unheeded because they are seen at the next concert glamorizing money, immorality, and the rapper lifestyle.  The lyrics of most of the current rappers are some of the most vile that you could ever imagine. What these kids so desperately need is the clear, unvarnished gospel that can save their souls and deliver them from the ravages of sin. Jesus Christ is their ONLY hope!”

EVANGELICAL INTERFAITH ONE WORLD CHURCH DIALOGUE CONTINUES TO SPREAD

Interfaith dialogue continues to spread among “evangelicals.” The March 2010 edition of Lausanne World Pulse features an article entitled “Interfaith Interface with Buddhists” by Chandler Im. The author is director of Ethnic Ministries at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College and professor of missions at Faith Evangelical Seminary in Tacoma, Washington. Chandler Im favorably quotes Lesslie Newbigin, saying, “I strongly concur with Newbigin’s claim that until one has felt in one’s soul the dynamic power and influence of a great religion, one has not heard or understood the message of it.” This is heresy. Nowhere does the Bible teach God’s people to study pagan religions in order to “feel” their dynamic power. To the contrary, the Bible says that the power behind pagan religion is the devil and warns us in strongest terms to stay away from it. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? ... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15, 17). Newbigin, a favorite author of emerging church proponents, was Associate General Secretary in the radically heretical World Council of Churches. In The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, Newbigin denied that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and said the 18th century defenders of the faith were in error when they taught that the Bible is “a set of timeless truths.” Further, Newbigin said, “All so-called facts are interpreted facts. ... What we see as facts depends on the theory we bring to the observation” (p. 21). This is a liberal emerging church principle, that all interpretations of the Bible are imperfect. Newbigin taught that there is the possibility of salvation apart from personal faith in Christ. The March issue of Lausanne World Pulse also features an article promoting the heresy that Hindus do not have to be baptized or identify with a church after “accepting Christ.” This article, “Sharing Christ in Hindu Contexts,” is by Lalsangkima Pachuau of the Asbury Theological Seminary. Pachuau reports approvingly that some “believers” in India “find being labeled ‘Christian’ unnecessary and unhelpful as it isolates them from their native (Hindu) community.” Modern evangelicalism is shot through and through with dangerous heretical thinking.

POPULAR CCM SONG PROMOTES ECUMENICAL UNITY

 The song “Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along,” which promotes ecumenical unity, is up for the Dove Awards’ “Song of the Year.” The lyrics proclaim: “Why can’t all God’s children get along/ We can’t all be right/ we can’t all be wrong/ We’re just different singers in the same old song/ Why can’t all God’s children get along?” The popularity of this song, which is from Karen Peck’s CD “No Worries,” is not surprising, since this has been one of the unscriptural theme songs of the Contemporary Christian Music movement from its inception. (It has also become one of the theme songs of contemporary Southern Gospel, and it is telling that Bill Gaither and Mark Lowry have lauded “Why Can’t All God’s Children Get Along.”) Contemporary Christian Music is ecumenical music. In fact, Contemporary Christian Music is one of the glues holding together the end-times ecumenical movement. The same music is popular with theological modernists, Roman Catholics, Charismatics, and New Evangelicals. Not one CCM musician that I know of stands against ecumenism and for the whole counsel of Bible doctrine, ecclesiastical separation, personal separation from the world, etc. They have replaced the commandments of God’s Word to separate from error with a feel-good philosophy of unity. The answer to the question “Why can’t all God’s children get along” is found in the Bible. Jesus and the apostles warned repeatedly that many false teachers would arise and that nominal Christians would increase as the church age progresses (e.g., Mat. 7:15, 21-23; 24:11, 24; 2 Tim. 3:13; 4:3-4). God’s people are instructed to earnestly contend for the one true faith (Jude 3) and to mark and avoid those who err (Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Timothy 3:5). This is not an optional part of the Christian faith. The fact that the Contemporary Christian Music movement despises biblical separation and rejects the Bible’s warnings about end-time apostasy is plain evidence that it is not of God. It is a movement that has made an idol of pop music.

UNIFORMITARIANISM AND A BURNING CANDLE

The evidence for evolution is always dependent on evolutionary assumptions. Remove the assumptions, and the “evidence” vanishes. The following example is excerpted from The World That Perished by John Whitcomb: “Many scientists claim to have nearly infallible methods for determining the age of the earth and its various formations. But all of these methods are built upon two basic and unprovable assumptions: (1) the assumption of starting point or original condition and (2) the assumption of a uniform rate of change from that starting point to the present. Consider a burning candle in an abandoned house. It is now burning at the rate of one inch an hour. Question: How long has it been burning and, thus, how long ago was the house abandoned? Answer: No one can know until it can be shown how high the candle was when it was last lit and how fast it was burning originally! Question: How old is the earth? Answer: No one can know unless it can be shown what it was like when it began and how rapidly it has changed since then!”

NEW AGE INVADING HEALTH CARE

 The New Age is invading the field of health care. A study done by David Eisenberg of Beth Israel Hospital in 1990 found that Americans were spending $14 billion a year on alternative health care, including practices such as meditation, touch therapy (including reiki), positive confession, guided imagery, polarity therapy, aromatherapy, sound therapy, gemstone healing, magnetic therapy, spiritual healing, biofeedback, reflexology, iridology, urotherapy, homeopathy, emotional freedom techniques (EFT), hypnosis, and acupuncture. That figure has grown dramatically since then. According to a report in the U.S. News & World Report for January 21, 2008, alternative medicine has gone “mainstream.” In 1992 only 2% of U.S. medical schools offered courses in alternative medicines, but by 2004 that figure had risen to 67% (“More Medical Schools Teaching Spirituality in Medicine,” Lighthouse Trails newsletter, March 4, 2008). Dr. Christina Puchalski, founder of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the George Washington School of Medicine, was the recipient of the John Templeton Spirituality and Medicine Award in 1996. The famous Mayo Clinic has a section at its web site on “complementary and alternative medicine” dealing with touch therapy, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, cupping, biofeedback, and hypnosis. A friend who read a pre-publication edition of our book The New Age Tower of Babel observed, “Going into a health food store is like going into a New Age chapel.” God’s people need to be careful. It is certainly not wrong to want to live in a healthy manner and some “natural” remedies are effective and legitimate, but when a practice enters into the realm of the occult, it is forbidden by God’s Word. One example is the idea that there is a metaphysical life force energy that permeates everything and that flows through and/or around the body and affects the health. This is foundational to the Eastern approach, which aims to manipulate the flow or balance of life energy to restore and maintain health. Hindus call it prana; Chinese call it chi (pronounced chee); Japanese call it ki. Terms with similar meaning are kia, huna, mana, ordic, and orgone. It is purely occultic, with no biblical or biological basis, and lies at the heart of yoga, eastern massage, reiki, feng shui, tai chi, qi gong, acupuncture, acupressure, polarity therapy, magnetic therapy, biofeedback, reflexology, iridology, ayurveda, and homeopathy. Another example is the idea of humors. It is based on the ancient Greek cosmology that there are four elements--fire, air, water, and earth--and these have four corresponding humors in the body: choler (yellow bile), blood, phlegm, and melancholy (black bile). An imbalance of the humors supposedly results in sickness, and humor practitioners prescribe remedies to control and balance the humors, but it is pure hocus pocus! The book The New Age Tower of Babel deals extensively with this subject.

CONCLUSION: The Weekly Church News Notes is designed for use in churches. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).