For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Hating Biblical Doctrine Makes Strange Bedfellows

As part of our labors in the Lord along the Internet Front the online apologetics and discernment work Apprising Ministries closely monitors Intel along the Net not unlike secular Military Intelligence. The weak-kneed milquetoasts among us would like to make you forget that we are in a war for the souls of men. However, the opening text of Scripture above reminds us of this fierce battle and that we’re to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.

In other words, we’re not simply here on some picnic where we walk hand-in-hand down a Primrose Lane; we’re supposed to be fighting the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12). Notice it doesn’t say, take the long vacation and join together with the enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18), such as apostate Emergent Church universalist pastor Doug Pagitt and his fellow apostate, progressive/liberal “theologian in residence” at his Emerging Church, Dr. Tony Jones.

Don’t believe that they’re hostile to the Gospel; then actually make the time to read Christianity 21 To Attack Christian Sexuality where I show you that Jones has already begun pressing forward an argument in favor of open marriage and polyamory (many sexual partners) as acceptable for the Christian. If you want to know how low the bar is in the visible church right now, then consider that Tony Jones is set to teach “The Doctor of Ministry cohort in Christian Spirituality” at Fuller Theological Seminary. ^[1]

For the doctrinally impaired, let me explain  Jones’ messing around with practices of Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) ^[2] that has led him into apostasy in the first place. So explain to me again why ostensibly evangelical FTS, with its professing Calvinist president Richard Mouw, would want a progessive/liberal universalist teaching his CSM to its students. Here’s another little tidbit of info for you; I  have also shown you that Fuller Seminary Sponsors Emerging Church Heretic Doug Pagitt.

Hmm, I wonder if the FTS president Richard Mouw’s included in what you’re about to see. Today Doug Pagitt would tweet:

(Online source)

The link takes us to Pagitt’s web site and his post How the Neo-Calvinist Cabal is ruining Evangelicalism – Doug Pagitt in conversation with Roger Olson:

(Online source)

We’ll come back to this; first, a cabal is being used in a negative sense as referring to “a small group of secret plotters, as against a government or person in authority.” And secondly, I told Doug Pagitt:

(Online source)

Not surprisingly Pagitt made a point to tell me that he includes me among those people he’s accusing of “ruining” evangelicalism:

(Online source)

So I let him know, forget evangelicalism, I don’t even believe Pagitt’s regenerated:

(Online source)

Not that I would necessarily expect him to, but quite obviously Doug Pagitt’s not aware that I publicly broke with evangelicalism three years ago. The reason being, the Lord be praised, I could see spiritually spineless evanjellyfish leaders would eventually allow emerging apostates to set up shop right within their camp. I wanted be very clear I had no part in that kind of toady middle-of-the-road mushiness, which brings me nicely back to Doug Pagitt and Roger Olson.

If you don’t know, Roger Olson “is Professor of Theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University,” as well as the author of numerous textbooks and books including Against Calvinism: Rescuing God’s Reputation from Radical Reformed Theology. He’s a very well known theologian within the mainstream of the visible church; and that the Arminian Roger Olson is sounding less like an A.W. Tozer and more like a Doug Pagitt gives you an indication of his continued downward spiral.

As a matter of fact, at around 2:04 into part two below, Olson muses:

I have a vision of evangelicalism as a big tent. That’s my metaphor for evangelicalism. I grew up in a very revivalistic wings of evangelicalism and we had tent meetings in the summer. And people would come and sit around the outside of the tent—as well as under the tent. You know, it’s kind of hard to tell exactly who was after revival, and who was just there to visit and look on.

And I see evangelicalism as made up of many different theologies; I mean, it’s not like anything goes—it’s not a circus—but, I see it as diverse. And we gather around a center; rather than within boundaries, is the way I like to put it. It’s a centric set; and the Gospel is the center.

Sure, that sounds very pious, but here’s the key question: If Roger Olson’s including the likes of Emerging Church apostate universalists like Doug Pagitt and Rob Bell, exactly which Gospel is it we’re supposed to rally around? Should it be the Love Wins mythology of Bell? Well, since Roger Olson also includes apostate Roman Catholicism as “evangelical,” even though the Church of Rome anathematized the Gospel, then maybe he thinks their sacramental system would be the gospel that we are agreed upon. This really isn’t about Arminianism and Calvinism at all; it’s about the Gospel itself.

Here’s the heart of the matter: There’s a growing syncretism that’s now attempting to swallow the church.

Doug Pagitt Radio | Roger Olson Pt 1 | 8/7/11

Doug Pagitt Radio | Roger Olson Pt 2 | 8/7/11

Doug Pagitt Radio | Roger Olson Pt 3 | 8/7/11

________________________________________________________________________________
End Notes:

Back to note 1 — http://www.fuller.edu/academics/school-of-theology/dmin/csc.aspx, accessed 8/8/11.

Back to note 2 — This spurious CSM, a repackaged Roman Catholic mysticism, taught by the dubious duo of Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic Richard Foster, along with his spiritual twin Dallas Willard, was a core doctrine from the inception of the Emerging Church circa 1997; it’s often referred to as so-called Spiritual Formation.

Far from dead, the upgraded Emerging Church 2.0—through delusions received in spurious CSM—has been busy forging together its new postmodern form of Progessive Christianity theology, a Liberalism 2.0 many call Emergence Christianity, which Living Spiritual Teacher and EC guru Brian McLaren begins laying out in his latest book A New Kind of Christianity.

See also:

TOXIC THEOLOGY OF DOUG PAGITT

THE EMERGING CHURCH, DOUG PAGITT & PROCESS THEOLOGY

DOUG PAGITT, THE EMERGING CHURCH, AND AFFIRMING HOMOSEXUALITY

DOUG PAGITT ON ROB BELL AND UNIVERSALISM

DOUG PAGITT POINTS US TO EVOLUTIONARY EVANGELIST MICHAEL DOWD

ROB BELL HERETIC

ROB BELL AND POSTMODERN NEO-LIBERALISM

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Refusing to follow the historic orthodox Christian faith and to worship the one true and living God of the Bible, instead these apostates would rather follow the whimsical ways of their highly subjective experience and to construct their own mystic mush god with a man-shaped hole in his/her/its heart.

That’s why in The Wild Goose Of The Emerging Church Is Not The Holy Spirit I pointed out that we’re dealing with neo-Gnostic fools who, through their practice of existential corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM), have now convinced themselves they are the truly enlightened ones. So now these deluded ones truly do believe that they’re receiving special revelation from God while they use a form of meditation in an altered state of consciousness commonly known as Contemplative/Centering Prayer (CCP).

And this awful influence of the Emerging Church has now reached deeply into the younger sectors of the evangelical camp of the church visible. Now we’re witnessing with more and more of them joining with the EC in spurious CSM and CCP, which is about to explode like a spiritual wildfire into a raging Progressive Degeneration Within Mainstream Evangelicalism.  Keeping this in mind, yesterday in Gay, Tattooed, And Generally Liberal Folk On The Emerging Wild Goose Chase I shared another eyewitness account of the recently concluded EC apostasia-palooza called the Wild Goose Festival (WGF).

Therein I told you that the mainstream Protestant Christian community itself is responsible for crippling its own future by handing their young to wolves like gay-affirming universalist Doug Pagitt and his progressive/liberal theologian in residence Tony Jones, forming two-thirds of the apostate EC trinity along with Living Spiritual Teacher and EC guru Brian McLaren. It’s well past time for you to come to see that because of their long-time practice of CSM, and rejection of sola Scriptura, these leaders within the early EC have long ago left anything even remotely representing the historic orthodox Christian faith.

As a matter of fact, in Brian McLaren Admits Ken Silva Was Right I showed you clear evidence that guru McLaren is now out of his theological closet and openly refers to himself as a progressive Christian. Should diminishing funding allow, I will be instructing you as to the theology of so-called progressive Christianity. For now, suffice to say it has pagan universalism at its corroded core.  This understood we turn to a tweet today by Steve Knight:

(Online source)

You may recall that Knight started the EC group TransFORM; and his link takes us to Crazy, Holy, Hungry Ones: My Wild Goose Festival Reflection by former EC pastrix Julie Clawson over at the God’s Politics blog of Jim Wallis. Clawson tells us she “was excited” to attend WGF and then get to “learn from respected Christian leaders.” However, as I pointed out before WGF was a veritable who’s who of heresy including the evil EC trinity, universalist Roman Catholic mystic Richard Rohr, gay-affirming “pastor” Jay Bakker, self-professed “queer inclusive” ELCA pastrix Nadia Bolz-Weber, along with EC interspiritual leader Samir Selmanovic, Christian universalist Chad Holtz, and the Empress of Emergence Phyllis Tickle (in video below).

No respected Christian leaders to be found there in that bunch; and not suprisingly, Clawson wasn’t exactly pleased by my description of WGF:

I had to laugh when I read after the festival that some opponents were deriding the festival, questioning our faith and referring to the event as Apostate-palooza (because *obviously* anything to do with art, camping, and justice can’t possibly be Christian). (Online source)

I would hope that Julie Clawson isn’t as limited in her understanding as that statement makes her seem. No one’s saying those things are anti-Christian; the Liberalism 2.0 of the Emergent cult is. Though billed as a Christian festival WGF was more akin to a neo-bohemian assemblage of spiritual hippies as Clawson continues:

Wild Goose was a gathering of those who dream of a better way: a better way to be human, a better way to be the church. Not in a “we want to be better than you” sort of way, but more of a deep felt recognition that the world is not as it should be.

It was that wrestling with trying to live into the lives God created us to live that became the conversation at Wild Goose. As part of that, one theme that kept resurfacing in the talks I heard was that of learning to be open to the full range of human emotions and experiences in the world. (Online source)

Coming of age at the tail end of the 1960′s I used to hear that kind of talk all the time; now however, we’re hearing the same things all over again, but this time in spiritual terms. Unfortunately, because of centered on the self CSM, such as these—while seemingly well-meaning—are (ala 2 Timothy 3:2) more interested in “a better way to be human” than in preaching the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness of sin in Jesus’ Name. What people like Julie Clawson don’t seem to realize is they’re actually attacking a caricature that isn’t the genuine Christian faith.

She tells us Emergents are:

People who desired for our faith to mean something tangible. People, who, as Richard Rohr said, don’t want to settle for the easy shallow faith of merely worshiping God — putting God on an idealized but distant pedestal to be admired, but not known. They want to follow God in ways that transform their lives and the lives of others as well. (Online source)

Those of us in Christ also desire our faith be lived out as well; however, this is actually accomplished by our worshiping God. You see to us God isn’t on a “distant pedestal” in the first place; and that said, it’s important to understand that faith doesn’t transform lives, Jesus does through His Gospel. The people who adhere to this emerging postmodern progressive Christianity don’t preach the apostolic Gospel; and so, they are powerless to affect any real change despite their admittedly noble desire to be a people “who desire to follow God…that always orient around caring about the needs of others.”

As I get ready to close this out, for now, let’s be clear: I have no doubt that Julie Clawson, and others within this Emergent cult, truly do wish “to follow God wholly.” The problem is the mystic mush god of progressive Christianity, the one with a man-shaped hole in his/her/its heart, doesn’t even exist. Right desire, but pagan universalism isn’t the answer; and this is what you get with progressive  Christianity. Consider the below tweet from the interspiritual website Patheos:

(Online source)

When we follow the link we end up at a promo piece called Growing Progressive Leaders: The Beatitudes Society by “Rev.” Anne Sutherland Howard, whom I told you in Richard Rohr And The Emerging Church As The Third Way heads something called The Beatitudes Society: Strengthening the Progression Christian Network for justice, compassion, and peace (TBS). Under Resources provided by TBS we find Progressive Christianity Today and the following recommended reading:

(Online source)

You are likely aware that Living Spiritual Teacher and Progessive Christian scholar Marcus Borg is an apostate (at best) who denies the deity of Jesus Christ, which I show you e.g. in Marcus Borg And Christians Who Don’t Believe In Jesus. Below are a couple of The 8 Points of Progressive Christianity:

(Online source)

Did you see in No. 1 that following Jesus can lead, not does lead, to experience with God; and then in No. 2 Jesus is merely one way among many ways to God. Quite obviously, this is not the historic Christian faith under discussion. Then finally, from my copy of the book by Delwin Brown recommended by the progressive Christian outfit TBS above, we’re told that “‘Christ’ is the Christian name for the logos of God in all of creation, including all religions” wherein people are to be encouraged “to consider and to appropriate” the teachings of Jesus “according to the light of the divine in their lives.”

As honorable as the intentions of people like Julie Clawson may be, she needs to repent and renounce her association with these progressive quasi-Christians because what you just read is actually the doctrine of the antichrist. It is written — Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22). Progressive Christianity is neither progressive, nor is it Christianity. No tragically, what we’re witnessing is actually a wild goose chase merging onto the broad pathway of pagan universalism.

________________________________________________________________________________
End Notes:

1. Delwin Brown, What Does a Progressive Christian Believe? [New York: Seabury Books, 2008], 38.

See also:

SEXUAL IDENTITY WITH THE EMERGING CHURCH ON THE WILD GOOSE CHASE

TOXIC THEOLOGY OF DOUG PAGITT

DOUG PAGITT AND HOMOSEXUAL SIN

TONY JONES, THE EMERGING CHURCH AND PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY

FOR BRIAN MCLAREN AND MARCUS BORG BEING “BORN AGAIN” IS REACHING “ENLIGHTENMENT”?

BRIAN MCLAREN SPEAKS AS A UNIVERSALIST

BIG TENT CHRISTIANITY IS A POSTMODERN PROGRESSIVE LIBERALISM

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The ones which follow below we share as a way to encourage you that your support of Apprising Ministries enables me to be here, not only to sound warnings concerning distrubing trends within the visible church, but also to offer pastoral counsel as well. AM is one of the few online apologetics and discernment ministries headed by someone who is a pastor-teacher; and it’s my undeserved privilege to serve the Lord’s people.

Perhaps you’ve been blessed through the work here and maybe you might consider helping to support this labor in the Lord. At this time a gift of any amount—whether one time or on a regular basis—goes a long way toward helping to keep AM available along the Internet Front. Right now we’re running around $500 a month behind our budget; however, we are seeing things slowly improving in that regard.

If you’d like to donate via PayPal you may click here; or you can make your checks/money orders payable to Connecticut River Baptist Church with Apprising Ministries in the memo and send them to:

Connecticut River Baptist Church
P.O. Box 340
Claremont, NH 03743

___________________________________________________________

I just wanted to say how surprised I was earlier today when I went to your web-site for the first time and right there in front of me was the devotion titled Others May – You cannot.

For over 20 years I have wanted to find this again but did not know how. I used to have a tract back in the 80′s I believe, with that title and it meant so much to me.

Of course over time, I lost it and I always wished that I could find another one. This made my day! I am so glad that you posted it – Just for me!!!

You have a great web-site and I will be returning frequently. Thank you so much,

Sincerely,

AM Reader

_________________________________________________________________

Hi Pastor Ken,

Your articles have been awesome this past week- just wonderful.

I did manage to watch a bit of the Piper/Warren video and honestly it made me so ill I could only watch about 10 minutes of it.

It wasn’t Warren who made me so ill it was Piper. Warren was his old usual look at me self.

John Piper, I fear, is somewhat driftng it appears. Strange how the video disappeared. How utterly childish and bizarre.

Do you think the ones that are protecting John Piper might be the ones who wanted it taken down? Really, it would be to Warren’s benefit for it to stay up, wouldn’t it?

As I see it, this is all just so foolish and the silliness of what’s going on now in much of the church is beyond description.

Blessings,

AM Reader

_________________________________________________________________

Dear brother Ken,

I just want to thank you for continuing to faithfully use your God-given gift of discernment to educate believers on the clever deceptions of the enemy which have infiltrated the church today.

I have greatly benefited from the documentation you have shared on AM, and I continue to pray for you, and for the Lord’s provision in keeping AM going.  May the Lord Jesus bless and keep you.

AM Reader

See also:

ANOTHER SIDE OF APPRISING MINISTRIES

AM MAILBAG: CHRISTIANITY SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT CHRIST

AM MAILBAG: MINISTERING ACROSS CONTINENTS

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At the same time, all email sent to AM and Christian Research Network is considered the property of Apprising Ministries so we may indeed publish unsolicited email for the purposes of edification.

The one which follows below is published by permission of its author. You may have noticed less activity here at AM following it being offline along with CRN a while back.

What happened was an illegal DOS attack which was so severe that the infected materials were actually affecting other websites on the server we were on.

This necessitated rebuilding the sites and then moving them onto another more secure server. I also used the time to rest and seek God as to the direction of AM.

I can now tell you that the Lord has seen fit to encourage me to continue along this Internet front and slowly the necessary funding is just now beginning to come in.

Should you wish to assist this work financially you can learn how to do by clicking right here. I thank you for your willingness to help me be here to defend the Truth.

With this in mind them, as a pastor-teacher I felt led of the Lord to share the following email exchange with you because as the reader says Christianity should be all about Christ:

Hi Diane,

I know precisely what you mean about the state of the visible church. For example, in 23 years of full time ministry in the fields of counter-cult evangelism, apologetics, and Comparative Religion, I’ve found that those who follow heretical teachers within the Word Faith Movement (WF). i.e. Joel Osteen, see themselves as “super” Christians filled with the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongies) so they are the “real” Christians and we’re second class citizens. Make sense.

Actually I was in a WF church when I was a very young Christian and I personally went through this. It’s really a form of Gnosticism; gnosis is the Greek word for knowledge; so they see themselves as the intiated ones “in the know,” so to speak, having a secret—as in purer—knowledge about God that we who are unintiated simply don’t have. That is what they have in common with those who practice the Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism you’ll often see me writing about.

Concerning the sad state of what’s passing for Christianity within mainstream evangelicalism today, let me offer this bit of encouragement from Jesus:

“And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:10-12)

You see, what you’re noticing is exactly what the Lord said we’ll see as time grows closer to His arrival. We get “down in the dumps” sometimes because we long to see the church be what Scripture says it should be. The Truth is the actual Church—the universal and invisible Body of Christ—is always what God wants it to be; however, it’s the visible church, which automatically includes all who would claim to be Christian, that contains those who would be doing the foolish things you’d talk about. That’s why you’ll see me mention the church visible as I critique it.

I pray this helps. Please know that you never need to be concerned about sharing anything with to me; as a pastor, it’s my undeserved privilege to listen to God’s people and to serve them. I’m not much, but for better or worse, what you see is what you get. I’m happy to hear you and your family enjoying the times you told me about; and having some fun time with friends and family is a good thing for mental preparation. We all need rest. I even took some extended time off this past month to kind of recharge my batteries.

Some of the other online apologetics and discernment ministries have been talking to me about how so many of us are going through real times of testing right now. Diane, this seems to be happening to the remnant God is preparing and drawing out in this generation. Sadly, so many pastors aren’t maturing as they should so God always has a group of people He prepares through the fire of trials that we might help people see how worldly more and more of their lives are becoming as they seek the status quo.

Not that it makes what we’re going through any easier; however, let us try and remember that trials make us stronger in the Lord because His strength shows itself in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). I pray this helps. May the Lord give us the courage to stand for what His Scripture says, no matter what others who claim Him do.

Blessings,

Pastor Ken

Thanks Pastor Ken!

Well, if we are going to be going it alone—God will give us the strength to do it.

I prayed in the very beginning that God would give me a consuming love for Christ alone—after having found out exactly what He has done for me. I prayed that devotion to Him would be first in my mind, and that I would understand that this is how the Lord commands it to be; and that it would be my desire to not deny Him in front of people. Not that I do that perfectly—but wanted the desire to be foremost in my mind—so then I would be sensitive to my sin when I failed. God has granted that prayer. I am sure He gave me that prayer to pray in the first place—as I never would have come up with it, nor  even have wanted to do that on my own.

This worldly Christianity makes me ill. I just want to take away all the books, conferences, big churches, pastor tweets and blogs that are all about themselves; worldly clothes and 100 dollar haircuts, and throw it all away. Why the interest in all of that, I ask. Why not just be an ordinary Christian who doesn’t really care about how he looks, or being witty, or whether people are noticing him., but just wants to quietly serve God by not denying Christ and His Word?

It seems like that is what Christ is asking/commanding us to do—deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Otherwise, we are not worthy of Him. That’s a scary thought, and yet, I never hear any sermons on this subject. Seems there is such a competition to be “out there and in the front—cutting edge Christianity,”whatever that is. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just empty words.

Christ is the only important Person to me—and honoring His Word is the only way I wish to arrange my life. As it will be with all true born again believers who have new hearts and changed desires. Christ—our Avenger, Protector, Just Judge and Righteous King!

God’s rich blessings to you always, I pray,

Diane

See also:

YOUR SUPPORT WILL BE APPRECIATED

FORCE OF APPRISING MINISTRIES

ANOTHER SIDE OF APPRISING MINISTRIES

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At the same time, all email sent to AM and Christian Research Network is considered the property of Apprising Ministries so we may indeed publish unsolicited email for the purposes of edification.

The one which follows below is published by permission of its author:  

Hello Ken
 
Wow wonderfull to get reply so soon al the way from USA. We are in South Africa !!
 
Thank you very much for the permission and I will certainly provide the link back to your Ministry on the post. I will also put a link on my blogroll for you.
 
I have been following your website for over a year now and your teachings have certainly been very helpful and a blessing this side of the world.

Things are not looking healthy for the visible church here in South Africa either. Sooo Sad but we know what have to come to pass as we eagerly learn what His Word is teaching us.
 
You are also welcome to have a look at our blog 4 The Love Of The Truth

 It is only a couple of months old but after a hair raising  expierience on a so called “discernment blog/website” I just had this need to spread the  Word of our Lord Jesus Christ And my main theme is Love as commanded by our Lord Jesus.
 
My husband Grant writes for our blog when he has time but other than that I am always on the look out to share with other believers and to be there for edification and the truth.
 
Ken thank you again :-) !!
 
I also use Twitter to publisice new articles placed and if you want to you can follow to keep tabs with us. We follow you on Twitter that is how I know about your latest post, our Twitter name is twitter.com/4loveofthetruth
 
May God bless your ministry in your labouring for Him our Lord Jesus. We keep you in our prayers. We remain in His service.
 
Blessings & peace be with you
 
Elmarie

See also:

YOUR SUPPORT WILL BE APPRECIATED

FORCE OF APPRISING MINISTRIES 

ANOTHER SIDE OF APPRISING MINISTRIES

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So Slabaugh, with his “over twenty-five years of  pastoral  experience, is set to ride to the rescue—for $12.95 a pop—informing us:

This New Pharisaism falsely claims that New Age, Eastern mystical, and occultic  practices are  being  introduced into most churches in America as part of the apostasy of the last days. This  inflammatory  and  divisive  material  has  made its way into local  churches  through  individuals  and small groups  of  bullies  who  have  used  it  for their own selfish gain and self-promoting agenda.

The weapons of their warfare consist of destructive written material and radio broadcasts which have no true scriptural basis.  They are self-appointed Pharisees who refer to themselves as: “watchmen,” “apprising ministries,” and “discerning ministries.”

These Pharisaical organizations and individuals include Ray Yungen, Dave Hunt and The Berean Call, Crosstalk America, Lighthouse Trails Research Project, Media
Spotlight, Southwest Radio Church, Apprising Ministries, and Understanding the Times. (Online source)

As we investigate this matter, and Slabaugh himself, further it would seem to be a good time for all of us to revisit the article Playing the Pharisee Card by Todd Wilken, host of the radio program Issues, Etc. Wilken begins:

I have been called a Pharisee more times than I can remember. It goes with the territory. I host a conservative Christian radio talk show. I publicly defend the teachings and practices of the historic Church. I also publicly point out false teaching and practices in the Church today. For these reasons alone, some believe that I deserve to be called a Pharisee.

But I’m not alone. Today, the label “Pharisee” is applied to many Christians just like me—perhaps you’re one of them. We are Christians who cherish God’s Word, the Church’s historic Creeds, confessions and practices. When we see the Church abandoning these things to follow the latest fads and entertainments, we lament. When we see the Gospel itself being left behind in the Church’s rush to mimic popular culture, we are grieved. And when we question the Church’s infatuation with the spirit of the age, we are labeled Pharisees. (Online source)

You can read this article by Todd Wilken in its entirety right here.

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The ones which follow below are published by permission of their authors:  

Pastor Ken.
It has been years since I first discovered gospel teachings on your website. Thanks to that I converted from being  a contemplative chrisitan (following the likes of Thomas Merton)  to an ardent Calvinist christian.

Pastor Ken, you may never know what a blessing you are to many in this life but your reward is with the Father. If you despair, I remind you like I remind myself, we aren’t home yet! I wish you God’s blessings for the new year.
Simon Thomas
South Africa

Praise be to God for what you do here.  I’m preparing to teach the Reformation doctrines of grace to Baptists in my community who have never heard them, and I will gladly share your website with the students.  Fantastic resource.  Grace and peace to you.
RN

I just wanted to tell you how much I like your website! In fact, it is my home page on all of my computers! I often find myself referring to articles here, past and present, when discussing the condition of the church. I firmly believe that the church as the body of Christ is alive and well. It’s the human institution of the church and it’s current direction that is particularly bothersome. For that reason, I thoroughly enjoy coming to your website at least once daily to check in on things, so to speak.

I post often to a prophecy forum and one of my biggest desires is to get people to follow 2 Tim. 2.15 and I tell them that EVERYTHING that comes our way MUST be weighed against the truth of the Scriptures! If it is a “new gospel”, then it’s a LIE.

Your site helps me to learn and discern, and pass on as well, much of what is happening with the Emergent Church heresy and all those who espouse it’s teachings. The work you do is something near and dear to my heart, and that is exposing the lies creeping into the church while also praying for not only those leading it but those deceived by it. As you know, Jesus died for them too and they need to repent and come out of that garbage.

In any event, thanks again for all that you do and all the great articles and information you provide!! It has helped me in my own walk and I hope that what I’ve shared with others as a result of AM will also serve to bring them closer to the Lord and equip them for every good work!!

God bless you and have a blessed new year!!

In His service,

Mike

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Such is the one which follows below. The post re. alleged “overstating the dissent within the ELCA greatly” to which they refer is ELCA Imploding Over Homosexuality. In that piece I simply pointed you you to Dissident Lutherans: Bullying over gays by Wayne Anderson that appeared in a Saturday edition of The Washington Times where he talked about some unrest within the ELCA.

The reader writes: 

I will not debate the August ELCA vote with you, but I will tell you that you are overstating the dissent within the ELCA greatly.  As of 12/2009:  135 of 10400 congregations have voted to leave.  97 voted yes, 38 no.  Actual count, not percentage.

Some of the congregations which did leave were drifting from Lutheranism and Lutheran practice already, so they were already thinking of leaving. Many people were reacting to the sometimes misleading headlines without knowing the actual content of the issues voted upon.

No, I’m not going to debate that vote with anyone because as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I am upon the solid Rock when I’ve referred to that fateful vote as a mortal wound. There are rebels against the final authority of God’s Word in the church visible trying desperately to convince us that having sexual relations with another of the same sex i.e homosexuality is fine for the regenerated Christian.

Well, repudiators of Sola Scriptura within the ELCA such as “Presiding Bishop” Mark Hanson and “Queer Affirming” woman “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber won the day, whether they personally voted or not. For the sad fact remains that the ELCA has ceased being a church of Jesus Christ when in violation of His Word in Holy Scripture they voted to ordain people openly, and unrepentantly, committing sexual sin.

And as far as dissent within the ELCA goes, one may wish to make some time to peruse Faithful Witness.

See also:

ELCA WITHHOLDING GOSPEL FROM THOSE IN PRISON OF HOMOSEXUALITY

PRESIDING ELCA BISHOP MARK HANSON SPEAKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF HIS MOUTH?

ELCA “PASTOR” NADIA BOLZ-WEBER AND TATTOO FAITH

MARTIN LUTHER ON HOMOSEXUALITY

THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT

QUICK WORD ON SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY

BECAUSE I LOVE JAY BAKKER AND GLBTQ PEOPLE

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Earlier in Not So Gay Writing On Wall Of Apostatizing Evangelicalism I had mentioned that Rick Brentlinger of Gay Christian 101 was kind enough to send me, on his own, his 390 page gay affirming textbook of the same name. I also said, should the Lord allow, I would hope to do some pieces interacting with Brentlinger’s very in-depth book of “Spiritual Self-Defense For Gay Christians.”

As I also said previously, we’ve since had a few amiable discussions; and the one below, from today, is published with permission:

Hi Ken-

As I read your website almost daily, I often marvel at how frequently you decry homosexuality.

The August, 2009, Christianity Today, had an interesting article about evangelical marriage by Mark Regnerus, which deals with heterosexuals and sex.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/august/16.22.html

This quote from the article jumped off the page at me.

“Indeed, over 90 percent of American adults experience sexual intercourse before marrying. The percentage of evangelicals who do so is not much lower.

In a nationally representative study of young adults, just under 80 percent of unmarried, church- going, conservative Protestants who are currently dating someone are having sex of some sort.”

The 80% figure astonished me and raises questions about why conservative evangelicals spend so much time decrying homosexuality when in their own churches, “just under 80 percent of unmarried, church-going conservative Protestants who are currently dating someone are having sex of some sort.”

If almost 80% of unmarried, heterosexual, conservative evangelical Protestants are having sex outside of marriage, isn’t that a far bigger problem than homosexuals being welcomed in some liberal and emergent churches?

How can the conservative evangelical church win homosexuals to Christ when almost 80% of their unmarried young people are living a sexually immoral lifestyle?

Your brother in Christ,

Rick Brentlinger
http://www.gaychristian101.com/isnt-it-all-about-sex-for-you-gays-and-lesbians.html

Hi Rick,
 
Please for give the delay in getting back to you. Now if you read my site daily then should already know why I have brought up the subject of homosexuality so often; and “decry” would be a stronger word than I would use, because through the subject of homosexuality I’m illustrating just how far from Sola Scriptura the visible church has become. The Bible is very clear that homosexuality is sin.
 
Ok, as far as other forms of sexual immorality, I’ve worked much with youth, and so it doesn’t surprise me that in this nearly sex-mad society that we human beings as sinners will sin in that area. You wonder: “why conservative evangelicals spend so much time decrying homosexuality when in their own churches, ‘just under 80 percent of unmarried, church-going conservative Protestants who are currently dating someone are having sex of some sort.’ ”
 
No doubt that’s a serious problem and the subject of homosexuality is obviously close to you; but again, I think “decry” is way too strong. 1) I’m personally not an evangelical and 2) unfortunately “conservative Protestants” covers a pretty wide spectrum; as far as I’m concerned, the semi-pelagian message preached by so much of evangelicalism is producing too many false converts. Therefore, as those who’d still be in the flesh, they would continue their sin; and of course, even the regenerate will still struggle with sin (e.g. see-Romans 7:14-25).
 
Then you ask: “If almost 80% of unmarried, heterosexual, conservative evangelical Protestants are having sex outside of marriage, isn’t that a far bigger problem than homosexuals being welcomed in some liberal and emergent churches?” Rick, the problem is, “homosexuals being welcomed in some liberal and emergent churches” are not being told that those having same-sex sexual relations, which will always be outside of God’s design for marriage, are also committing sin. So yes, I would say that’s a bigger problem; and one that comes with a possible eternal consequence in hell, unless one repents and accepts the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.

And finally you ask: “How can the conservative evangelical church win homosexuals to Christ when almost 80% of their unmarried young people are living a sexually immoral lifestyle?” First of all, let me ask you a question: How will homosexuals, unrepentant in their sin, be won to Christ if they are affirmed while still in their sin; and if the genuine Gospel of Jesus Christ is withheld from them? The truth is, Jesus died even for the sin of homosexuailty; and the Good News is, whomsoever will come to Him for forgiveness, is invited to come.
 
Rick, as a rule I don’t publish emails without permission; that said, as a pastor I do so on occasion when I feel led it’s good for edification. In this case I’d like to publish your complete letter as you sent it, as well as my response here, if you’d consent. In my opinion it would make a really good conversation starter concerning these issues. Obviously you and I don’t agree; however, this exchange will provide some serious food for thought. Just let me know my friend.
 
Sincerely,
 
Ken Silva
http://apprising.org/2009/07/the-sin-of-homosexuality-is-different/

See also:

GAY CHRISTIAN

ELCA BISHOP MARK HANSON SAYS BIBLE NOT FINAL AUTHORITY

GROWING GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

EMERGING CHURCH AND ADELE SAKLER TRANSFORM GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

ADELE SAKLER AND KEN SILVA

EX-HOMOSEXUAL FRIEND OF APPRISING MINISTRIES

QUICK WORD ON SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY

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The one below originally came via the AM contact form; and as you’ll see, the following exchange is published by permission of the author of the initial email:

This seems as if you have confused the noun with the verb, so let me see if I can get some clarification: can a Christian struggle with homosexuality? Can a Christian be forthright with his/her friends about their temptation by telling them they are attracted to members of the same sex? How is that different than calling themselves gay?

I’m not trying to incite…actually, I’m trying to get my own terminology in order since this is the situation in which I find myself.  I am a Christian person who is attracted to members of my own sex and who is seeking to live in repentance granted to me by God and abstaining from sin.  Since Christ has redeemed me, I am honoring God with my body.

AM Reader, 

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries, and please know that you came across as very sincere, and I did not at all take this as offensive. That said, let me also assure you that what I’m about to say is returned in kind, and written in the tone as two people talking over coffee, ok. I just put this up front due to the limitations of the written language. 

I’m not the one confused about this issue of homosexuality; and I’m afraid that what’s happened is that you may be reacting to only one article, of many, which I have written concerning this important issue. In fact, I’m one of the very few who are even touching on it right now as it currently begins to fester within the mainstream of the church visible because of the gay agenda of the egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church aka Emergent Church, which is a cult of postliberalism—now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC).

AM Reader, in my many articles I have been very clear as to what I’m talking about: Those who are unrepentant in their practice of same-sex sexual relations i.e. homosexuality, which because it will always be outside of marriage according to God, is actually under the sin of sexual immorality. And most of those to whom I’m addressing my writings also defy the Scripture and say homosexuality isn’t sin at all. 

In my considered opinion, someone like yourself would definitely benefit by not referring to yourself as a “gay Christian”; if indeed you might do so. The reason being, for most of those you’d talk to right now, in their minds, it would place you in that prior camp to which I refer above e.g. the Outlaw Preachers slithering around Jay Bakker and/or Adele Sakler. It’s because of their growing influence that I began writing the truth about homosexuality. 

Now you ask: “Can a Christian be forthright with his/her friends about their temptation by telling them they are attracted to members of the same sex?” But of course; this would be a good thing, and may even be helpful to others. Then you ask: “How is that different than calling themselves gay?” Well, as I see it, usually when someone says they “are” something, it means that they are still acting as such; i.e. practicing it. 

Take for an example, if I were to say: “I’m a thief.” AM Reader, if I’m no longer acting as a thief, if I’m no longer in the practice of stealing, it would be better for me to say that I used to steal, or I struggle with the urge to steal, but as a Christian Jesus freed me from doing [insert sin here]. Make sense? No Christian, who is honest, would claim to be without sin, or free from struggling with it (see—Romans 7:7-25).  

And here, beloved in Christ, is what sets you apart from those I am writing about: “I am a Christian person who is attracted to members of my own sex and who is seeking to live in repentance granted to me by God and abstaining from sin.  Since Christ has redeemed me, I am honoring God with my body.” The Lord be praised; that’s a wonderful testimony. I pray this has helped, and please know that you have a friend here if I can be of further service. 

AM Reader, I think there are others who may feel as you do and this would be edifying for them. I don’t like to publish emails without permission, though I do on occasion. So before I put this exchange online at Apprising Ministries, I’d like to be able to note it’s with your permission. Can you just let me know; and I can edit your letter to make it gender-neutral, and it would just say it’s from “AM Reader”, which would protect your identity.

Ken Silva, pastor-teacher

I do consent to you publishing my email and I thank you for your kind response. 

I think there is a notable cultural difference.  Since homosexuality isn’t seen as a “civil sin” anymore, referring to myself as “gay” doesn’t mean practicing to most people my age (the under-30 crowd) any more than straight means having sex with one’s girlfriend.  This, I suppose, wouldn’t matter to someone if they never identify themselves according to their orientation, but it seems to happen in my age set.  

So for the sake of consistency, I’d like to ask a follow-up question, if I may: would you have a problem with a man who is attracted to women calling himself “straight”? Does that connote active sexual behavior? 

I have read several articles of yours on this topic over the past 2 years or so, but I’ve never quite gotten the sense of what a repentant homosexual Christian should call him or herself.  Your response helps me with knowing where you stand and in the times that I have referred to myself as gay in the past, there has always been a context such that I’m not bearing false witness about the nature of my sin and my being ok with it…because believe me, I’m not. 

And I also give permission, if it would fit in the context of a post, to quote from this reply.  Thank you for the work that you’re doing to compare the claims folks are making in the name of God to the Word of God.

AM Reader

AM Reader,

I appreciate your permission, and you are certainly most welcome. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m really not a computer-programmed cyborg with no feelings. Seriously though, as far as a difference in our culture, I would quite agree; sadly, there is a growing acceptance of homosexuality. Now let’s be clear; in no way do I advocate mistreatment of anyone practicing homosexuality, I personally have family and friends who are gay. 

As a minister of the Gospel, by sadly, I’m referring to the judgments of sin God’s speaking about in Romans 1. Dr. John MacArthur did a good job elaborating on them recently in his sermon A Nation Abandoned by God which is about what happens when the Lord abandons a culture. You ask a follow-up question: “would you have a problem with a man who is attracted to women calling himself ‘straight’? Does that connote active sexual behavior?” 

No, that is as it should be in the created order; and no, it doesn’t necessarily imply that he is acting upon the impulse. It’s just been my experience so far, in tracking the issue of homosexuality slithering into the younger sectors of the evangelical community, that oft-times “gay Christian” refers to one who, unlike yourself, does not think homosexuality within a monogamous relationship is sin. 

I also happen to think you’re quite right; there really does need to be more discussion as to what a repentant homosexual Christian, no longer living in this sin, should call him or herself. However as I said, that hasn’t been the focus of my writings, and I don’t see myself as someone qualified to make that decision. So please know that my comment before re. the use of “gay Christian” is simply my opinion, and some advice, which you’re free to use, or not, as you may see fit.

Here’s my hope, your permission to publish these exchanges may indeed open the door for the Lord to begin such discussion, which it seems to me, would be profitable for all of us as we move forward. By the way, I like what you said here: “compare the claims folks are making in the name of God to the Word of God.” Sounds just like my good friend Chris Rosebrough, host of Fighting for the Faith on Pirate Christian Radio. 

Blessings,

Ken

See also:

QUICK WORD ON SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY

THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY IS DIFFERENT

GROWING GAY AGENDA IN EVANGELICALISM

ADELE SAKLER AND KEN SILVA

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS, AND QUEERMERGENT’S ADELE SAKLER

HOMOPRESSIVE AS JAY BAKKER

WHY NO CONDEMNATION FOR CHRISTIANS WHO ARE HOMOPRESSIVE?

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