But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves…always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-2,7)

Phyllis Tickle Scratches Itching Ears With Her Bedtime Story Of “The Great Emergence”

In her post The Great Emergence Event will Tickle Ears our friend Carla over at More Books and Things tells us a bit about the Empress of Emergence Phyllis Tickle, fresh from her teaching at the Mars Hill Bible Church of Rob Bell, and her October event where she’ll be conducting story-time:

The book is called Great Emergence, The: How Christianity Is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle. The big event (thegreatemergence.com/TheEvent) is called The Great Emergence, a one day conference that will take place in Winnipeg on October 31 (Halloween). It’s being promoted as…

A BOOK… AN EVENT… A PHENOMENON…

The event consists of four main sessions with author/speaker Phyllis Tickle. In between these sessions, participants will also do the daily office (three daily times of scheduled prayer) based on a bestselling book called The Divine Hours (also by Phyllis Tickle). (Online source)

Some familiar with Apprising Ministries know that my late mother was from Sydney, Nova Scotia so Canada has always held a special place in my heart. Previously in Phyllis Tickle And The Emerging Church: It’s Not If Sola Scriptura Ends But When AM brought you an eyewitness report of the first Great Emergence Event, which was held last December and put on by Jopa Productions. The quote by Tickle contained in the title of my post denigrating the Word of God reveals that this is not a move of God at all.

For those who don’t know the Jo(nes)Pa(gitt) company specializing in “innovative learning events & social media consulting” is actually Tony Jones, theologian in the Emerging Church aka Emergent Church—now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC)—along with his quasi-universalist pastor Doug Pagitt. They’re also the dubious duo behind the upcoming EC gathering called Christianity 21, which you can find out more about in Christianity 21: Emerging Voices Of A Pseudo-Christian Faith.

OK, Something called Emerging Spirit from the United Church of Canada carries an recent interview with Phyllis Tickle where we’re told:

Declining church membership, the breaking down of denominational loyalty and barriers, the rise of new “emergent” churches that blend ancient rituals, litanies and hymns together with contemporary forms of worship and calls for social action–something is happening out there. But what is it? And why is it happening now?

What’s happening is as old as religion itself, says Phyllis Tickle, author of the book The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. Tickle, who will be speaking at The Great Emergence, a one-day conference in Winnipeg on October 31, 2009, explored the link between the church’s history of change and the new face of the church today in an interview with Winnipeg freelance writer John Longhurst. (Online source)

Tickle told the truth there; this Emergence de-formation aka apostasy is indeed “as old as religion itself.” Tickle also further scratches itching emerging ears as she muses:

Evangelicalism has lost much of its credibility and much of its spiritual energy of late, in much the same way that mainline Protestantism has. In their place is a new approach called the Emergent Church. This is a new gathering of believers that is not based on traditional denominations, creeds or beliefs. (Online source)

Trickles of truth again; much of evangelicalism has lost their First Love and is now as apostate as Roman Catholicism, but this “new approach” of the EC is really as old as Genesis 3 where their father mocked: Indeed, has God said? The wise person will recognize dreamers and false prophets like Phyllis Tickle for who they really are — having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people (2 Timothy 3:5).

See also:

ROB BELL, PETER ROLLINS AND PHYLLIS TICKLE TOGETHER ADVANCING EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY

PETER ROLLINS AND PHYLLIS TICKLE ON THE EMERGENCE OF A BRAND NEW RELIGION

MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM NOW ON THE RAPID SLIDE TO APOSTASY

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

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

POPULAR EMERGING CHURCH WEBSITE THE OOZE SLITHERS OUT OF THE GLBTQ-AFFIRMING CLOSET

“GAY-AFFIRMING” PASTOR JAY BAKKER TO SPEAK FOR ELCA GATHERING

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. (Daniel 9:23)

Is there any limitation in the Spirit of God? Why should not the feeblest minister become the means of salvation to thousands? Is God’s arm shortened? When I bid you pray that God would make the ministry quick and powerful, like a two-edged sword, for the salvation of sinners, I am not setting you a hard, much less an impossible, task.

We have but to ask and to get. Before we call, God will answer; and while we are yet speaking, he will hear. God alone can know what may come of this sermon, if he chooses to bless it. From this moment you may pray more, from this moment God may bless the ministry more. From this hour other pulpits may become more full of life and vigor than before. From this moment the Word of God may flow and run and rush and get to itself an amazing and boundless victory.

Only wrestle in prayer, meet together in your houses, go to your closets, be instant, be earnest in season and out of season, agonize for ouls, and all that you have heard shall be forgotten in what you shall see, and all that others have told you shall be as nothing compared with what you shall hear with your ears and behold with your eyes in your own minds. (Charles Spurgeon, At the Master’s Feet, July 4)

 Jay Bakker

The 31 year old pastor became discouraged with the Christianity he saw as a kid and turned away from it. What he apparently has found instead is an emerging spirituality that resonates with many apostatizing with in the Emerging Church aka Emergent Church, now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC), as well as with contemplative teachers as a recommended book section on Bakker’s website shows with contemplative teachers like Brian McLaren, Brennan Manning, Rob Bell and Tony Campolo.

On Bakker’s “links” page, he shows his affinity with groups like Youth Specialties and Sojourners and an organization called RHOP (Revolution House of Prayer) where alleged “ancient” forms of prayer and “emerging” spirituality are adhered to. A quote by Henri Nouwen on Bakker’s site further illustrates his sympathies towards Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism.

In addition to resonating with contemplative spirituality, Bakker has become outspoken in his non- biblical views about homosexuality. In an interview with Radar Online, Bakker is quoted as saying: “I felt like God spoke to my heart and said ‘[homosexuality] is not a sin.’” This statement from Jay Bakker also appears in the ABC News story Punk Pastor Preaches Tolerance, Compassion.

On Bakker’s website, this view is consistently upheld. And in a December 15th interview with Larry King, the following conversation took place:

KING: Would you say that you’re part of the liberal sect of Christianity?

JAY BAKKER: Well, I definitely say I’m a little bit more liberal than probably most, yes.

KING: You, for example, in your church would you marry gays?

JAY BAKKER: If the laws passed, yes.

KING: You favor there being a law, though?

JAY BAKKER: Yes, I do. (Online source)

As Lighthouse Trails has shown in previous reports, homosexuality and New Age thought go hand in hand. This “marriage” of mysticism and sexual depravity is drawing more and more people into its seducing and dangerous web. Jay Bakker’s attraction to and promotion of both will undoubtedly mislead many young people away from the saving grace of Jesus Christ, who alone can bring true peace and deliverance from sinful lifestyles.

This article originally appears in Coming from the Lighthouse Newsletter, January 1, 2007 and republished here by Apprising Ministries with permission. 

See also:

EMERGING CHURCH PASTOR JAY BAKKER CLAIMS HE KNOWS THE SCRIPTURES BUT IS STILL “GAY AFFIRMING”

[LARRY] KING: What’s your take on the fundamentalist church, the evangelicals in America?

JAY BAKKER: Well, I think we’ve gotten a little off track. I think there’s a lot of great evangelicals out there too. I mean, we’ve got people like Tony Compola (ph), who is amazing, Peggy Compola (ph) who is amazing, Brian McClaren (ph), Philip Yantzy (ph), Jim Wallace (ph). And so I think there’s a lot of great progressive thinkers out there right now, but also there’s some of the guys who are kind of old school and still worrying about fictitional characters being gay and pointing the fingers at people, and almost creating a moralistic club, you know, that you have to be very moral to be in our private country club. And to me, that’s kind of sad, because Jesus said to whom — whomever will come, you know, all have sinned, all fall short.

KING: Yes, and the gay area, do you know why they’re so adamant against the gay concept?

JAY BAKKER: Well, I mean, I know the arguments. I know the scriptures. And the scriptures are very — you could argue on them all day. I believe they’ve been taken out of context, and I don’t believe that, you know, we’ve researched enough of the background on those scriptures. But I think it’s also that we, as Christians sometimes, we’re getting the idea that we have to do something in order to be accepted by God. And that if we’re not telling other people how to live or we’re not trying to live a certain way, that God doesn’t love us. I think we get caught in this idea of pleasing God rather than trusting God. And I think once you learn to trust God, it’s a lot easier to please God. And I think what we do is we put the cart before the horse. (Online source)

See also:

“GAY-AFFIRMING” PASTOR JAY BAKKER TO SPEAK FOR ELCA GATHERING

Q&A FOR “GAY AFFIRMING” EMERGING CHURCH PASTOR JAY BAKKER

POPULAR EMERGING CHURCH WEBSITE THE OOZE SLITHERS OUT OF THE GLBTQ-AFFIRMING CLOSET

OXYMORONIC ‘HOMOSEXUAL CHRISTIANS’ FOCUS OF BARNA REPORT

MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM NOW ON THE RAPID SLIDE TO APOSTASY

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

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

Our Lord’s strong language about the false teachers of the Jews ends here. Those who think that unsound ministers ought never to be exposed and held up to notice, and men ought never to be warned against them, would do well to study this passage. No class of character throughout our Lord’s ministry seems to call forth such severe denunciation as that of false pastors.

The reason is obvious. Other men ruin themselves alone : false pastors ruin their flocks as well as themselves. To flatter all ordained men, and say they never should be called unsound and dangerous guides, is the surest way to injure the Church and offend Christ. (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Vol. 3, 195)

J.C. Ryle

Well, now we’re blessed because Pyromaniacs has an easy-to-understand chart for all us them there un-ed-you-mah-kated folks, which you can see by clicking here.

See also:

EMERGENT-SEE PO-MOTIVATORS FOR EMERGING CHRISTIANS

 

Not knowing how much time we have left Apprising Ministries is doing what we can to warn the Body of Christ of a very threatening same-sex storm growing; one which is rapidly picking up speed through the embrace of corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism within the alleged “Protestant” sectors of the visible church, and this growing and angry storm—right now approaching hurricane force—is currently just slightly off the coast of the mainstream evangelical community. A case in point is Megan Rohrer, “the first openly transgender Lutheran pastor ordained in the United States.”

You may also recall that we’ve shown you e.g. in Emerging Church: “Gay Affirming Pastor” Jay Bakker On A Mission From God where Emerging Church aka Emergent Church, now morphing into Emergence Christianity (EC), pastor Jay Bakker feels God has now changed His mind about homosexuality, which is the unrepentant practice of sexual immorality with a member of the same sex:

“The more I follow grace, the more I’m drawn to him [God], the more I’m willing to stand up for people being persecuted,” said Bakker. “It sounds so churchy, but I felt like God spoke to my heart and said ‘[homosexuality] is not a sin.’ ” (Online source, emphasis mine)

Those who’ve read the AM post Oxymoronic ‘Homosexual Christians’ Focus Of Barna Report will know that both Jay Bakker and Emergent Village were doing all they could to get people to support an exhortation from Mel White, the openly gay “Christian” co-founder of Soulforce—a militantly pro-homosexual group—to sign a petition “to expand Civil Rights Act to include GLBT people.” Well, it sounds so pastoral, but I felt like Jesus spoke to my heart and said warn the church that these people all know each other.

And so I am; through the myriad of social media today it’s very easy for information to be spread and aquaintances to be made. This issue of accepting, as a viable Christian lifestyle, some people—namely gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer (GLBTQ) people— committing the sin of sexual immorality is one that many EC leaders are now rallying around. And I say only some people committing sexual immorality because I’ve yet to see, for example, Sexumergent for those folks who really enjoy sexual relations; and then say it must be okay for them to have multiple partners because this is the way God made them.

Which brings us back to Jay Bakker, the EC pastor of Revolution Church where they want us to know they’re “sorry for being self-righteous judgmental bastards”. Bakker is set to be one of the speakers for the 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering—Jesus Justice Jazz, July 22-26 in New Orleans. You may recall this is also the denomination which ordained “queer inclusive pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber. For those who don’t know, Bolz-Weber will be sharing her message “Authority; Authenticity and A**holes” at the upcoming EC gathering Christianity 21.

But both Bakker and Bolz-Weber actually share in their homopression of the GLBTQ people they profess to love. You see, those who reject Sola Scriptura in favor of what they “feel” God is saying love to cry “homophobia” when someone like myself loves them enough to confront them with what the Lord has said in Holy Scripture. Well, as I said previously Homopression Is At Least As Bad As Homophobia, by homopression I am referring to not telling someone—claiming to be Christian—who self-identifies as GLBTQ the truth concerning their lifestyle; thereby leaving them under the oppression of their sin.

Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse put it so well many years ago in his classic exposition of the Book of Romans when he brings out the proper Christian response “toward the poor individuals who are enmeshed in these depravities.” The answer is certainly not found in lying to them like Bakker and Bolz-Weber and others in the EC are doing; and while I don’t agree with everything Barnhouse taught, he is dead-on-target here:

What is to be the attitude of the church toward these people? For they are now in our population, numbered by the thousands… In the first place, they must be surrounded by Christian love and care on the highest plane. They are not to be shunned, but must be welcomed into normal Christian society and not made to fell like pariahs. (Vol. 1, 278)

Ah, but we don’t just stop there leaving them under the oppression of their sin; no, our love for sinner for whom Christ died must compel us to offer them the only real hope for freedom in the resurrection power of Jesus as Barnhouse goes on to point out:

We have a hymn that expresses the true Christian attitude toward these, as toward all who are in the bonds of deep sin:

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them, in pity, from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring ones, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore,
Touched by a loving hand, wakened with kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. 

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;
Strength for thy labors the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way, patiently win them,
Tell them of Jesus, the Savior, who died.

For there is hope for them in the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is no hope for them anywhere else in this world. There is salvation from the penalty of sin and there is salvation from the power of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save and to keep, and He is able to give you love for the unlovely and zeal for the rescue of the lost (ibid., 278, 279)

But lying to GLBTQ people by telling them that their deviant lifestyles are acceptable to God is not love at all; in fact, it’s actually the height of cruelty. And that’s why I asked once before Does “Gay Affirming Pastor” Jay Bakker Really Love Gay People? Well, I do; and so hear me good, I have zero intention to stop drawing attention to this ongoing homopression prepetrated upon GLBTQ people by more and more within the quasi-universal and egregiously ecumenical Emerging Church community.

See also:

POPULAR EMERGING CHURCH WEBSITE THE OOZE SLITHERS OUT OF THE GLBTQ-AFFIRMING CLOSET

OXYMORONIC ‘HOMOSEXUAL CHRISTIANS’ FOCUS OF BARNA REPORT

MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM NOW ON THE RAPID SLIDE TO APOSTASY

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

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

Q&A FOR “GAY AFFIRMING” EMERGING CHURCH PASTOR JAY BAKKER

WHY NO CONDEMNATION FOR CHRISTIANS WHO ARE HOMOPRESSIVE?

Episcopal Church leaders are scheduled to meet in a private session next week with the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion. Members of the Episcopal House of Deputies are expected to address homosexuality issues and how LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) members are involved in The Episcopal Church during the meeting with Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, according to the Episcopal News Service…

Leaders at this year’s convention, which takes place July 8-17 in Anaheim, Calif., will be considering resolutions that would allow the consecration of openly gay bishops. Some dioceses, or regional bodies, have asked the General Convention to repeal or retract resolution B033, which was approved in 2006. B033 calls for restraint in ordaining bishops “whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church,” mainly noncelibate homosexuals…

Episcopal head Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, however, told the Episcopal News Service that the she doesn’t think revisiting B033 will be helpful… “Far more productive, I think, to have the hard conversations involved in claiming our current position and identity,” said Jefferts Schori, who has expressed support for homosexual ordination as well as the blessing of same-sex unions…

In addition to homosexual ordination, the Episcopal General Convention will also be considering resolutions calling for the development of rites for blessing same-gender relationships. The Diocese of Massachusetts is further calling on the legislative body to amend references in the national church’s canon laws on marriage from “a man and a woman” to “two adults.” (Online source)

More and more mainstream evangelical denominations and churches are heading in this same direction so leaders are catching here a glimpse of their own future, so you had best pay close attention. The sad truth is that there’s a threatening same-sex storm growing, which is rapidly picking up speed through the embrace of corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism within the alleged “Protestant” sectors of the visible church.

And this growing and angry storm, while currently just slightly off the coast of the mainstream evangelical community, is right now approaching hurricane force…

See also:

POPULAR EMERGING CHURCH WEBSITE THE OOZE SLITHERS OUT OF THE GLBTQ-AFFIRMING CLOSET

OXYMORONIC ‘HOMOSEXUAL CHRISTIANS’ FOCUS OF BARNA REPORT

MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM NOW ON THE RAPID SLIDE TO APOSTASY

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

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

REV. MEGAN ROHRER ON GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Q&A FOR “GAY AFFIRMING” EMERGING CHURCH PASTOR JAY BAKKER

Luther seldom mentions homosexual behavior. But when he does, his evaluation is always negative. For example, Luther identifies the sin of Sodom with homosexuality. Commenting on Genesis 19:4-5, he writes “I for my part do not enjoy dealing with this passage, because so far the ears of the Germans are innocent of and uncontaminated by this monstrous depravity; for even though disgrace, like other sins, has crept in through an ungodly soldier and a lewd merchant, still the rest of the people are unaware of what is being done in secret. The Carthusian monks deserve to be hated because they were the first to bring this terrible pollution into Germany from the monasteries of Italy”.

In the same section of the Genesis lecturers, Luther refers to “the heinous conduct of the people of Sodom as extraordinary, inasmuch as they departed from the natural passion and longing of the male for the female, which is implanted into nature by God, and desired what is altogether contrary to nature. Whence comes this perversity? Undoubtedly from Satan, who after people have once turned away from the fear of God, so powerfully suppresses nature that he blots out the natural desire and stirs up a desire that is contrary to nature.”

Luther’s rejection of homosexual activity is not merely a matter of aesthetic preference but rather a theological judgment rooted in the reality of the way the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness that will not acknowledge God to be the Creator and Lord that He is. For Luther, homosexuality is a form of idolatry, of false worship as we see in his lectures on Romans. (Online source)

John T. Pless, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN.

See also:

POPULAR EMERGING CHURCH WEBSITE THE OOZE SLITHERS OUT OF THE GLBTQ-AFFIRMING CLOSET

OXYMORONIC ‘HOMOSEXUAL CHRISTIANS’ FOCUS OF BARNA REPORT

MAINSTREAM EVANGELICALISM NOW ON THE RAPID SLIDE TO APOSTASY

THE NEW CHRISTIANS WITH CHRISTIANITY WORTH BELIEVING—NO SOLA SCRIPTURA: YES, WOMEN PASTORS AND QUEER CHRISTIANS

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

BUT DO EMERGENCE CHRISTIANITY AND BRIAN MCLAREN REALLY LOVE GAY PEOPLE?

REV. MEGAN ROHRER ON GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT