It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Circle Up The Wagons Evangelicalism Is Heading Back To The Bondage Of The Dark Ages

The following is presented as further evidence of this Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM) becoming a growing menace within the “Protestant” evangelical community. Here I remind you of something called SpiritLines Newsletter (SLN), which is written by Wendy Minton Edwards, “Spiritual Formation Coach” from the Office of Prayer for Evangelization & Spiritual Awakening of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (SBC).

As Apprising Ministries has previously pointed out this is the official SBC state convention of affiliated churches in North Carolina. For those who may not know, the Southern Baptist Convention itself being the largest Protestant (well, allegedly anyway) denomination in America. However, the spurious Spiritual Formation (SF) straight out of The Cult of Guru Richard Foster and his twisted twin Dallas Willard quite literally dominates the SBC SLN Archive (scroll down).

I find it interesting that under “Upcoming Events” over at the Spiritlines blog overseen by SF Coach Edwards the disclaimer reads: Retreat information is provided for informational purposes only. It does not include endorsements or recommendations. Uh-huh, right; then why does Guru Edwards of BCSNC feel she even needs to publicize the anti-Protestant garbage which follows below in the first place? What’s next supplying, “for information purposes only” of course, the latest schedules for Mass in area Roman Catholic Churches?

Ok, so first up our SF Swami encouraged, while *wink* not recommending, her CSM devotees to attend a recent conference which featured Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic “Roshi” Richard Foster  along with SBC minister Dallas Willard and their reimagined pietism aka “spiritual disciplines.” In fact, Guru Edwards so *ahem* not recommended this conference of spurious CSM that she also placed a link to it right in the September SLN:

Renovare, Life with God: Celebrating Lifelong Discipleship
October 2-4, 2008

Renovare, in conjunction with Houston-area ministries and churches, will hold a conference celebrating the 30th anniversary of Richard Foster’s marker book, Celebration of Discipline.  This special symposium will look at exploring what discipleship is all about in the 21st Century.  We will look at where we have been, where we are, and where we are going in terms of growing lifelong disciples of Christ.   

Keynote Speakers: Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, Lauren Winner, Ron Sider, and Richard Foster (Online source) 

O sure, makes perfect sense to me; for a proper Christian spirituality “Protestant” Southern Baptists are taught to turn to a Quaker mystic (and since when were Quakers evangelicals?) who is steeped in the mysticism of apostate Roman Catholicism—and specifically messed up mystics like Teresa of Avila and seducing spirits like Ignatius of Loyola (not the Church Father Ignatius) originator of the slavish Ignatian Examen, currently a rage in the postliberal Emerging Church rebellion against Sola Scriptura.

Ignatius of Loyola was also the founder of The Society of Jesus, “Contemplatives In Action,” better known at the Jesuits who were kind of like the spiritual Gestapo in the Counter Reformation of the Church of Rome. So let’s stop and contemplate a little something; as we meditate upon the following idea perhaps some of the murky mystic mist might drift back over the brain bog of a slumbering Protestant evangelical or two caught up in today’s relentless indoctrination into spurious CSM within the leadership of so many evangelical circles today.

Now, using the verse from our opening as a backdrop; if the Roman Catholic Church was deemed apostate during the Protestant Reformation, and it was; and if it hasn’t changed one iota in any of the dogma deemed unBiblical by the Reformers, and it hasn’t; do you suppose it makes any sense whatsoever for Protestant evangelical Christians to now return to practices taught by apostate Roman Catholic monks and monkettes who vigorously and quite specifically opposed the very doctrines you profess to believe?

I’m telling you, as a former Roman Catholic graciously delivered by God into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, the more I study this CSM and evangelicalism’s sordid romance with Rome the more I can see why postevangelicalism pushes for postmodernism. With an idea which will probably bring a smile to the gelatinous Emergent Guru Brian McLaren; “Yeah, if I’m pomo I can now be an evangelical/liberal, Protestant/Catholic.” Nah, here’s what Jesus says you are —“lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

O, and here’s a link to show you some of the wonderful disciplines of religious bondsage loyal to Rome Ignatius of Loyola placed upon his disciples. I’ll list just a few of the eighteen “Rules” but anyone who really thinks Jesus Christ wants His Church to return to this kind of religious slavery already has some very serious spiritual problems. And for Southern Baptists in North Carolina it’s time to ditch that Spiritual Formation Coach and get back on the Lord’s team:

TO HAVE THE TRUE SENTIMENT WHICH WE OUGHT TO HAVE IN THE CHURCH MILITANT 

Let the following Rules be observed.

First Rule. The first: All judgment laid aside, we ought to have our mind ready and prompt to obey, in all, the true Spouse of Christ our Lord, which is our holy Mother the Church Hierarchical. 

Second Rule. The second: To praise confession to a Priest, and the reception of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar once in the year, and much more each month, and much better from week to week, with the conditions required and due. 

Third Rule. The third: To praise the hearing of Mass often, likewise[40] hymns, psalms, and long prayers, in the church and out of it; likewise the hours set at the time fixed for each Divine Office and for all prayer and all Canonical Hours…

Thirteenth Rule. To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it, believing that between Christ our Lord, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride, there is the same Spirit which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls. Because by the same Spirit and our Lord Who gave the ten Commandments, our holy Mother the Church is directed and governed… (Online source, emphasis mine) 

See also:

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

PRAYER: JESUS VS. RICHARD FOSTER

DELUSIONS OF DALLAS WILLARD

SPIRITUAL FORMATION IS PIETISM REIMAGINED

HAS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH REALLY CHANGED?

ROMAN CATHOLICISM: ANOTHER GOSPEL OF BAPTISM AND SACRAMENTS