The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people. (Isaiah 3:14)

Reject Contemplative Spirituality And Instead Pray According To The Will Of God

What will follow is illustrated e.g. by the Apprising Ministries piece Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Contunues Asserting Henri Nouwen A Great Christian Saint. Since I happen to be one whom God, in His mercy and sovereignty, chose to regenerate and then deliver from the religious bondage of apostate Roman Catholicism, Zacharias’ mistaken position would certainly capture my attention. You can learn more about the deceased apostate (at best) Roman Catholic monk Henri Nouwen in Who Is Henri Nouwen.

Unfortunately, in our generation we will need to come to grips with the fact that we are living in a time of increasing 1 Peter 4:17 judgments currently coming upon the Church of Jesus Christ. And that particular statement is a shining example of rapidly expanding apostasy within the mainstream of evangelicalism. Please note carefully here, I am not at all saying Ravi Zacharias, or anyone else at RZIM, is apostate. However, in the bigger picture of American evangelicalism, the lust for success and for numbers has created an interesting parallel to Israel and Saul in the Old Testament.

As I was explaining via email to an AM reader not long ago, it’s sad that men like Rick Warren and Rob Bell are kind of like Saul in the Old Testament. You may recall the time when, just like the world around them, Israel also wanted a King rather than simply allowing God to be their Ruler. Well, as the American Christian Church would embrace the Church Growth Movement, vomited out of Fuller Theological Cesspool Seminary, somewhere along the line it decided it would rather have “success” and peace with the world than to truly follow Christ.

What; did you really think it was simply a coincidence that Warren and Bell both studied at Fuller? And right now the current fad is so-called Spiritual Formation, which is actually a reinterpreted version of the “Christian” mysticism of Roman Catholic Counter Reformation apostates (at best) such as Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the spiritual Gestapo unit the Jesuits, and messed mystic nun Teresa of Avila. With this in mind the following from How Spiritual Formation Became Popularized at Herescope proves most interesting:

Recently some tidbits about the history of “spiritual formation” came to our attention while reading John E. Ashbrook’s excellent critique of neo-evangelicalism in his 1992 book The New Neutralism II(Here I Stand Books). Sure enough, this false doctrine — like so many others — originated at Fuller Theological Seminary, where it became established. Once it found a comfortable home at Fuller, the doctrine quickly spread across neo-evangelicaldom… (Online source)

Sure; just another coincidence…or… just maybe this is simply God giving some people what they want (see—2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). American evangelicalism, as it morphed into neo-evangelicalism—good ol’ arrogant American business savvy—aka humanism combined with good ol’ American Deism, because dominion theology works much better without God getting in the way, desires a Christian utopia on earth so the Lord grants them some new Sauls for another fulfillment of men who — therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5).

Food for thought as we watch evangelicalism circle up their wagons and head right on back into embrace of the apostate Roman Catholic Church by following the quasi-Eastern spirituality of Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic “Roshi” Richard Foster. Former Fuller professor Foster’s mystic musings are then given a pseudo-scholastic spin from his spiritual twin and ordained Southern Baptist minister, Dallas Willard. So perhaps this is why RZIM now felt the time was right to come out of the closet to let us know they also endorse teachers of Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM).

See also:

GARY GILLEY REVIEWS: THE ATTENTIVE LIFE, DISCERNING GOD’S PRESENCE IN ALL THINGS BY LEIGHTON FORD

MOVE OVER PASTORS FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS/GURUS

BOB DEWAAY ON DONALD WHITNEY AND SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

RICHARD FOSTER’S LEGACY ENDURES: CHRISTIAN LEADERS HELP TO MAKE IT SO

THE TERMINOLOGY TRAP OF “SPIRITUAL FORMATION”

“CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE” BY RICHARD FOSTER AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THEOLOGICAL ERROR

EVANGELICAL RIP VAN WINKLES EMPLOY QUAKER MYSTIC RICHARD FOSTER FOR BEDTIME FABLES