The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

May 27, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

The following is excerpted from the book CONTEMPLATIVE MYSTICISM: A POWERFUL ECUMENICAL BOND, which is available from Way of Life Literature. Contemplative mysticism, which originated with Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox monasticism, is permeating every branch of Christianity today, including the Southern Baptist Convention. In this book we document the fact that Catholic mysticism leads inevitably to a broadminded ecumenical philosophy and to the adoption of heresies. For many, this path has led to interfaith dialogue, Buddhism, Hinduism, universalism, pantheism, panentheism, even goddess theology. One chapter is dedicated to exposing the heresies of Richard Foster: “Evangelicalism’s Mystical Sparkplug.” We describe the major contemplative practices, such as centering prayer, visualizing prayer, Jesus Prayer, Lectio Divina, and the labyrinth. We look at the history of Roman Catholic monasticism, beginning with the Desert Fathers and the Church Fathers, and document the heresies associated with it, such as its sacramental gospel, rejection of the Bible as sole authority, veneration of Mary, purgatory, celibacy, asceticism, allegorical interpretation of Scripture, and moral corruption. We examine the errors of contemplative mysticism, such as downplaying the centrality of the Bible, ignoring the fact that multitudes of professing Christians are not born again, exchanging the God of the Bible for a blind idol, ignoring the Bible’s warnings against associating with heresy and paganism, and downplaying the danger of spiritual delusion.

The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL PEALS OUT LENNON’S ATHEISTIC SONG (Friday Church News Notes, May 22, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The bells of the Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool pealed out John Lennon’s atheistic song “Imagine” three times on May 16. A spokesperson for the cathedral said, “We feel this performance has inspired many people to think about their relationship with God in their lives” (“Imagine That,” The Daily Mail, May 17, 2009). Indeed, many members of the Anglican Church have no problem imagining with Lennon that there is no heaven or hell. In 1994, it was reported by the Sunday Times (July 31) that at least 100 Anglican priests are atheists who do not believe in “an external, supernatural God.” In 1996, the doctrinal commission of the Church of England said hell is not a place of fire and eternal torment, and Episcopal Bishop John Spong wrote in his paper that the image of God in the Bible is “no longer operative” (ENI, Dec. 6, 1996). In September 2008, the Church of England officially apologized to Charles Darwin for rejecting his theory of evolution (“Church Makes ‘Ludicrous’ Apology,” The Daily Mail, Sept. 13, 2008). John Lennon was anti-christ. His book A Spaniard in the Works portrayed Jesus as El Pifico, a “garlic eating, stinking little yellow, greasy fascist ****** Catholic Spaniard.” In this wicked book, Lennon further blasphemed the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the song “I Found Out,” Lennon sang, “There ain’t no Jesus gonna come from the sky,” and in his song “God,” he said, “I don’t believe in Bible. I don’t believe in Jesus. I just believe in me.” In an interview with a British newspaper Lennon defined God in these words: “All the energy is God. Your own energy and their energy, whether doing god-like things or ungodly things” (The Daily Sketch, Oct. 9, 1967). Lennon and Yoko Ono were heavily involved in occultism. The books Hellhounds on Their Trail by Gary Patterson, Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon by Robert Rosen, and Lennon in America by Geoffrey Giuliano describe how the Lennons purchased entire sections of occult literature in bookstores, consulted tarot cards, astrologers, and psychics, learned how to cast spells, sought magical power from Egyptian artifacts, and believed in reincarnation.

May 20, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

The following is excerpted from the Way of Life Advanced Bible Studies Series title on PSALMS. ISBN 978-1-58318-108-9. The book of Psalms is a most amazing and wonderful portion of Scripture. It is a devotional book, providing comfort, hope, compassion, encouragement, conviction, and spiritual zeal. It is a prayer book which teaches us how to pray. It’s a song book, a divinely-inspired hymnal for the child of God who walks through this present dark and pain-filled world. It’s a praise book, teaching us the acceptable way to worship a thrice holy God. It is a poetry book that far surpasses anything that the pens of the most acclaimed men have produced apart from divine inspiration. (And the King James Bible captures the exquisite poetry of the Psalms in peerless English, as we show in this course.) This course contains an extensive introduction to the Psalms that deals with its title, splendor, authorship, inspiration, inscriptions, division, interpretation, and New Testament quotations thereof. It then looks at ten major themes of the Psalms (the blessing of the righteous, the importance of the Word of God, the judgment of the ungodly, the afflictions of the saints, prophecy, God as protector and help, praise and worship, righteousness, God as great and holy, and imprecations). Finally there are expository studies on many of the individual psalms, including Psalm 1, 2, 12, 19, 22, 23, 37, 51, 72, 73, 90, 103, 119, 127, and 139. Regular size 7X8 paper binding, 250 pages, $14.95. (For large print or coil binding add $1 or $2 for both.)

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Forming as it does the introduction to the entire Psaltery, Psalm 1 is very important. It describes the two ways man can take, the way of blessing or the way of cursing. And it describes the way of spiritual victory through separation from sin and wrong associations and devotion to God’s Word. “This Psalm may be regarded as THE PREFACE PSALM, having in it a notification of the contents of the entire Book. It is the psalmist’s desire to teach us the way to blessedness, and to warn us of the sure destruction of sinners. This, then, is the matter of the first Psalm, which may be looked upon, in some respects, as the text upon which the whole of the Psalms make up a divine sermon” (Spurgeon, Treasury of David).

Republished May 20, 2009 (first published September 11, 2008) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

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I have been examining and re-examining the Pentecostal-Charismatic movements for more than three decades. In 1973, after I was led to Christ by a Pentecostal, I began to seek God’s will about tongues-speaking and the miraculous gifts of the early churches. I have built a large library of materials on this subject and have interviewed Pentecostals and Charismatics and attended their churches in many parts of the world. I have also attended large Charismatic conferences with press credentials.

I have approached these studies with an open mind in the sense of having a commitment only to the truth and not to anyone’s tradition, and each fresh evaluation of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement has brought an increased conviction that it is unscriptural and dangerous.

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May 15, 2009, Volume 10, Issue 20

The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

A NEW AMERICAN REVOLUTION? (Friday Church News Notes, May 15, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Some are calling for a new American revolution, but I would observe that there is a great difference between the last half of the eighteenth century and the first half of the twenty-first. In the 18th century, there existed enough moral character among American citizens to bring about a great, far-reaching revolution based (among other things) on biblical principles, and in hindsight it is obvious that the American revolution was God’s will for that time. No such moral fiber exists today. In the eighteenth century children learned how to read from the King James Bible and from moralistic texts which urged such qualities as honesty, thrift, and industry. The citizens, whether truly Christian or not and whether godly or not, generally believed in an Almighty God, in divine creation, in moral absolutes, in heaven and hell. On the other hand, twenty-first century children learn to read in a context of atheistic evolution and moral relativity, in a public school system in which the Bible has been renounced. God’s people need to understand the times. America today is not “one nation under God” in any sense of the term and it cannot be brought back to God through politics or demonstrations or alternative media or tax revolts or stockpiling weapons. The only hope for America is genuine spiritual revival in the churches, and that is what God’s people need to focus on. The end of the age is fast approaching. We need to look up. We need to be found faithful in fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) rather than having become sidetracked to some extra-biblical objective. We need to imitate the early Christians who “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). There is a saying, “When the outlook is bleak, try the uplook!”

Updated May 14, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) –

The following are some truths that I consider very important and that I would like for all of my readers to take to heart. Please keep in mind the fact that I am not your pastor. I hope to be a helper in Christ, but I am not your pastor. And I want to give an exhortation about how to act wisely in the churches.

The vast majority of you knows and lives these things, but sometimes I hear things from pastors and others that cause me to realize that some of my readers might need this exhortation. At the same time, I don’t have any particular case in mind, so there is no need to write and try to explain yourself to me. Rather, let us be doers of the word and not hearers only.

Enlarged May 12, 2009 (first published July 18, 2006) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

From its inception the Pentecostal movement has been marred deeply by scandals, as we have documented in our illustrated 317-page book The Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements: Its History and Its Error. If the movement had the fullness of the Holy Spirit unction and power that it claims, we would not see such an exhibition of the flesh, but in fact moral and other scandals have continued to plague it in recent history. The following are some prominent examples:

In 1977 ORAL ROBERTS claimed that God had appeared to him and instructed him to build a medical center called the CITY OF FAITH. In 1980 he claimed that he had a “face to face” conversation with a 900-foot-tall Jesus who told him that he was going to solve the City of Faith financial problems. Seven years later, Roberts said that God had appeared to him yet again and told him that he would die if he did not raise $8 million within 12 months. The wild-eyed visions and unrelenting appeals could not save the City of Faith. In 1989 Roberts closed it to pay off debts! Yet the Pentecostal world in general did not decry Roberts as a false prophet and a religious phony. Thousands continued to flock to ORU from Pentecostal churches across the country, and millions of dollars continued to flow into Roberts’ ministry from gullible supporters.

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May 8, 2009, Volume 10, Issue 19

The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

WHY ARE THE FOOLISH IN CHARGE OF AMERICA? (Friday Church News Notes, May 8, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Conservative web journalists and radio talk show hosts are beside themselves at the stupidity of the Obama administration, and rightly so. We, too, bewail the squander of America’s wealth, the weakening of her military, the traitorous, despicable mishandling of the CIA, the celebration of moral wickedness, the encroachment of constitutional liberties, the blind commitment to environmental myths, and so much more. While Bush conducted a war on terrorism (though he didn’t really take off the gloves), Obama appears to be conducting a war on the war on terrorism. All of these things, though, are mere symptoms of a deeper problem, one that very few of the conservative pundits understand. America’s root problem is the apostasy and compromise of her churches. The problem is not in the White House; it is in God’s house. America is not a Christian nation, but America was founded largely by church-going, God-fearing people and the majority of her citizens are still professing Christians. The root of America’s woes is spiritual. The people don’t fear God because the churches don’t preach the fear of God. For that reason the issue can’t be solved by political action and moralistic crusades and Republican or Libertarian rants. I am thankful for the watchdog role of the conservative media and for the fact that there is a viable alternative media today, but the best thing Bible-believing Christians can do to help America is to seek God’s face and purify our individual lives and congregations and keep our focus on Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). A man that has not submitted himself to the gospel of Jesus Christ but who follows false religion such as Catholicism (Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Laura Ingraham, Michael Reagan), Judaism (Michael Medved, Mark Levin, and Dennis Prager), and Mormonism (Glenn Beck), or who believes the Bible contains myths and denies Christ’s blood atonement (Rush Limbaugh and Neal Boortz) does not have the spiritual wisdom necessary to understand the times, and Bible believers would be wise not to drink deeply of such wells. “Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths” (Isaiah 3:11-12). If the biblical churches in America would take this matter seriously and call for some special prayer meetings, for fasting and earnest prayer, falling on their faces and confessing their sins, God would probably hear and turn back the tide of wickedness and give us more years. Instead, though, for the most part it is business as usual, and if anything at all is being done it is a misguided attempt to address the situation according to the flesh rather than the spirit, by politics and rantings and anger and fear and frustration and worldly demonstrations and unscriptural associations. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

FRANCIS OF ASSISI (1181-1226) was the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly known as the Franciscans. He was canonized in 1228 by Pope Gregory IX and is the patron saint of animals, merchants, and the environment. Some Catholic churches hold ceremonies honoring animals on “the saint’s feast day,” which is October 4.

Born to the family of a wealthy nobleman, he was named Giovanni di Bernardone by his mother but Francesco by his father. When in his twenties Francis allegedly saw Jesus looking at him through the eyes of a crucifix, telling him to repair a ruined church. Absconding with a load of expensive colored drapery from his father’s shop, he sold it for gold and tried to give it to the church. His father was not pleased, and Francis, after returning the gold, renounced his father and his patrimony. He dedicated himself to celibacy and married “the Lady Poverty.”

Francis founded his religious order on the command of Christ in Matthew 10:9-10, but this is not a command for believers in this present time: Jesus said: “Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.” Francis ignored the fact that this command pertained only to the preaching of the kingdom in Israel. Jesus instructed them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles ... But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat. 10:5-6). They were to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat. 10:7). This is not the preaching of the gospel; it is the proclamation that the Jews should repent because their King and Messiah was in their midst! Israel rejected the preaching of the kingdom and Christ turned His attention to making the Sacrifice on Calvary that would provide salvation for all that believe. After He died and rose from the dead, Christ gave a different commandment to the disciples, instructing them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, not just Israelites (Mk. 16:15; Acts 1:8).

HENRI NOUWEN

May 6, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

HENRI J.M. NOUWEN (1932-1996) was a Roman Catholic priest who taught at Harvard, Yale, and the University of Notre Dame. Nouwen has had a vast influence within the emerging church and evangelicalism at large through his writings, and he has been an influential voice within the contemplative movement. A Christian Century magazine survey conducted in 2003 found that Nouwen’s writings were a first choice for Catholic and mainline Protestant clergy. Nouwen is promoted by Christian leaders as diverse as Robert Schuller and Rick Warren (who highly recommends Nouwen’s contemplative book In the Name of Jesus).

Nouwen’s biographer said that he “had a homosexual orientation” (Michael Ford, Wounded Prophet, 1999).

Nouwen did not instruct his readers that one must be born again through repentance and personal faith in Jesus Christ in order to commune with God. The book With Open Hands, for example, instructs readers to open themselves up to God and surrender to the flow of life, believing that God loves them unconditionally and is leading them. This is blind faith. Nouwen wrote:

“When we pray, we are standing with our hands open to the world. We know that God will become known to us in the nature around us, in people we meet, and in situations we run into. We trust that the world holds God’s secret within and we expect that secret to be shown to us” (With Open Hands, 2006, p. 47).

The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. For instructions on how to unsubscribe to this list or to change mailing addresses, please consult the information paragraph at the end.

THE NEW Y2K (Friday Church News Notes, May 1, 2009, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - In 1999 there was near hysteria by many in regard to the Y2K computer bug. Prophetic speculators and doomsayers called upon people to stockpile food and guns and to otherwise prepare for a major catastrophe. Lots of money was made on the sale of fear-mongering books and survival gear. On October 11, 1998, I made the following statement: “The Year 2000 Bug will cause problems but not severe ones. There should be no hysteria about this. I have no survivalist plans. I do not believe planes will fall out of the sky or the electric grid will fail or the water system will cease to flow or the banking system will collapse or the military will dissolve into confusion. ... Many of those who are sounding the Y2K hysteria are the same scaremongers, the same prophetic speculators that have been proven wrong before.” (See “The Y2K Hysteria” and “A Reasoned Response to Y2K Hysteria” at the Way of Life web site.) As it turned out, the Y2K hysteria made many Christians look foolish. Now A NEW Y2K HYSTERIA is building steam.