REPENT AMERICA CALLS FOR PAT ROBERTSON'S IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION

Founder of CBN counsels that divorce due to disease is permissible

PHILADELPHIA - Repent America (RA) is calling for the immediate resignation of CBN Founder and President Pat Robertson who recently counseled on his television broadcast that a man can divorce his wife over a debilitating disease.

On Tuesday's edition of the 700 Club, which reaches an estimated 360 million
people worldwide, Robertson was presented with a question from a viewer that asked how they should advise a friend who had been having an affair after his wife began suffering with Alzheimer's Disease. Robertson responded, "I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and someone looking after her." He continued, "I certainly wouldn't put a guilt trip on you if you decided that you had to have companionship [because] you're lonely." When co-host Terry Meeuwsen inquired about spouses honoring their vows, Robertson replied that he knows that husbands and wives promise "til death do us part," but claimed, "This is a kind of death."

Robertson's statements are clearly in direct conflict with the Word of God, which declares, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. ... Whosoever putteth away his wife and marrieth another, commiteth adultery against her." (Mark 10:9,11) "[M]en ought to love their wives as their own bodies." (Ephesians 5:28)

"It is disgraceful that a minister would use the pulpit of international television to advise viewers that illness and loneliness are sufficient grounds for divorce," Repent America Director Michael Marcavage stated.

"Marriage is one of the cornerstones of any healthy society, and is under attack in this nation. Robertson's ungodly counsel adds to the further degradation of marriage, and is a direct assault on the word of God," he added. "Disposing of your spouse due to illness is something that you would have expected to have heard from the likes of Jack Kevorkian, not a minister of the Gospel. Marriage is in sickness and in health until death. There is no justification to dispose of your spouse because of disease. God hates divorce," Marcavage continued. "We call on Pat Robertson to publicly repent or resign his post as President and host of the 700 Club immediately," he concluded.

"Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them, according to knowledge, giving honor unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life..." - 1 Peter 3:7

Please comment......

THE POWER OF A CLEAN AND BLAMELESS LIFE

by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011]

When you set your heart to walk blameless before God—living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord—you will be feared and despised by those who have lost the favor and blessing of God. Lukewarm or compromised Christians will be absolutely disturbed and repelled by your life!

We see this illustrated vividly in 1 Samuel: “Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul... And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him” (1 Samuel 18:12-15).

David’s blameless behavior struck fear in Saul’s heart! Whenever Saul was around David, he remembered the time he had enjoyed the favor of God and the high esteem of men. But disobedience, envy, pride and self-will had cost Saul every bit of power with God. And it robbed him of all respect of the people.

Now, Saul had come face to face with a younger man—a less experienced, probably less articulate, man—who exuded the power and integrity of holiness.

He was pure in heart, full of the Holy Spirit and Saul was afraid of him!

Keep in mind that this was no idolatrous pagan who was afraid of David. No, Saul was a man who had known the power of the Holy Spirit! He had once been God’s anointed, a mighty man chosen of God!

David was simply living a clean life and God was pouring out favor upon him! “All Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them” (1 Samuel 18:16).

Saul did not want to be around David. Scripture says “Therefore Saul removed him from his presence” (1 Samuel 18:13). Sadly, Saul represents the compromised church of today, those Christians who have compromised and lost the anointing of God. He is a type of the believer who once was full of the Holy Spirit, baptized, on fire for God, but has been robbed of everything they once knew of God by their disobedience, pride and lust.

There is nothing scarier to a compromised Christian than a holy blameless life. And the more your life lines up with the Lord’s will and His holiness, the more repelling you will become to backslidden believers.

Be a Man... Biblically - Paul Washer

"How Do I Know if I'm Saved?" (Paul Washer)

It takes a long and painful process to purge it out!

(James Smith, "The Love of Christ! The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Savior's Grace Displayed!")

"I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering!" Isaiah 48:10

The love of Jesus will not preserve His people from trials--but rather, assures them of trials! All whom He loves--He chastens! He has a furnace to purge our dross, and refine our souls. His Word and the Spirit reveal to us our defilement and impurity--and His grace and providence co-operate to remove them. "I am the Lord God, who sanctifies you."

It is divine love which . . .
prepares the furnace,
kindles the flame,
brings the Christian into it,
superintends the whole process, and
brings him out as gold, seven times purified!

"From all your filthiness and from all your idols, I will cleanse you!" He cleanses them in the laver of the Word by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit. But He also cleanses them by a variety of afflictive dispensations, through which He causes them to pass.

Our sin calls for trials--His love sends them!

Our nature repines at trials--but grace submits to them!

Our corruption is enraged at trials--but the Spirit sanctifies them to our good, and our Savior's glory.

He makes His people choice ones--in the "furnace of affliction!" He says, "I will put you into the fire--and will purely purge away your dross."

Believer, never repine at your trials, nor be over-anxious for their removal. They are appointed by Jesus as your Purifier--and are choice blessings in disguise!

Seek their sanctification,  wrestle with God that you may see His love in every stroke, and  look to Jesus that you may enjoy His presence when passing through the flame!

Nothing can hurt you--while Jesus is near you; and He is never nearer to you--than when you are in the furnace! For He sits right there as the Refiner . . . watching the process, regulating the heat, and waiting to effect a gracious deliverance--when the ends of His love are answered.

He is only preparing you for fresh manifestations of His glory and fitting you for larger communications of His love.

In the furnace, you will lose nothing that is worth keeping--but you will obtain what is truly valuable!

The flesh and the soul need constant cleansings--for corruption is so deeply rooted in our nature, that it takes a long and painful process to purge it out! But in reference to the furnace, your Lord says, "The Lord did this to purge Israel's wickedness, to take away all her sin!"

Coming Up From The Wilderness ~ J. C. Philpot

The Lost Doctrine - Paul Washer

Paul Washer preaching on regeneration, a doctrine that is so lost in the modern church. The sermon excerpt does not go into great detail with scripture. We would recommended anyone who has not read Justification and Regeneration by Charles Leiter to get a copy of it. It is a great blessing and was foreword by Paul Washer.

Cell Church Movement - The New Testament Flavour

Theological Foundations for Cell Church Ministry

By Joel Comiskey

Winter 2009

Why cell church? Why do we believe in it? Is it because David Cho's church, the largest church in the history of Christianity, is a cell church? Is it because someone said the number twelve will bring blessings and growth? Is it because cell church is the strategy that many "great" churches are using?

The problem with the above reasons is that they don't give long-term foundational strength. God has been showing me lately that theology must guide our strategies-and not the other way around. So what are the core theological reasons for doing cell church? Allow me to share three important ones:

1. The Trinity

Our God is a social God! He lives in relationship with the other members of the Trinity. God is not an independent, lone ranger. Individualism might be the cultural norm in the western world, but God loves community and unity (think of all the one-anothers in the Bible). One of the key values of cell church is that people need to live in community rather than hide in anonymity. The intimacy of a cell group encourages people to know and be known.

The Trinity is also an outreaching God. Evangelism flows from His very heart. God's will is to reach lost people through His Son, Jesus, and the church is His instrument to make it happen. The cell church encourages each member to reach out through relational evangelism. Cells expect all members to develop relationships with non-Christians because such activity reflects the heart of God.

2. Priesthood of all believers

It's quite easy for people to sit in church. Some churches grow large through filling pews. Yet, Scripture teaches that all believers are priests. Cells value the participation of every believer.

Part of the priesthood of all believers is the use of spiritual gifts. My books, The Spirit-filled Small Group and Discover, talk about how cells are the best atmosphere for spiritual gift use. In fact, all of the New Testament gift passages were written to house churches. Cell churches are rediscovering this important truth.

3. Making disciples

Christ's last command to His disciples was to make disciples of all nations. I believe the essence of cell ministry is making disciples who make disciples. Cells are leader breeders and the best place to prepare disciple-makers. Multiplication is at the heart of cell ministry because new cells provide the environment for making new disciples.

I often highlight large, growing cell churches or church planting movements. But such examples shouldn't be the main reasons for doing cell church. The best reason is because cell church promotes key theological concepts and brings glory to the living God.

Why do you do cell church? Or, perhaps you'd like to make a general comment or add a theological concept not listed here. If so, please click HERE.

In God He Trust: Tan Sri Francis Yeoh

Tan Sri (Dr) Francis Yeoh, Managing Director of YTL Corp Bhd is featured on Bloomberg Television's first Asia-based business interview series.

Haslinda Amin interviews members of Asia's business elite from inside the famed observation wheel of the iconic Singapore Flyer.







Bear with the short Mandarin prologue before the interview in English begins. This is a powerful testimony of market place ministry, of being salt and light to the world while being in business.



Tan Sri Dato’ Francis Yeoh Sock Ping CBE (Chinese : 楊肅斌; pinyin: Yáng Sùbīn, born August 23, 1954) is a prominent business personality in Malaysia, and the eldest son of Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Degree in Civil Engineering from Kingston University, United Kingdom in 1978.

Francis had his secondary school education at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he was School Captain. He became the Managing Director of YTL Corporation in 1988. Under his stewardship, the YTL Group grew from a single listed entity in 1985 to a force comprising five listed companies, and is now one of the biggest conglomerates in Malaysia.

On January 16, 2003, he was awarded the First Malaysian Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 in recognition of his entrepreneurial acumen. On February 13, 2004, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from his alma mater, Kingston University. He was awarded BusinessWeek’s “25 Stars of Asia 2003″ on November 6, 2003 in Hong Kong; and was ranked 21 by Asia’s 25 Most Powerful Business Personalities on August 9, 2004.Fortune Magazine Francis married Rosaline Yeoh in 1982, and they have five children. His siblings reside in Malaysia and are fellow directors of YTL Corporation. In 2006, he was conferred Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his philanthropic endeavours. His wife, Puan Sri Rosaline died on 5th August 2006.

SHOULD WE PREACH with AUTHORITY?

NOTE FROM ANDREW: Last week we published a piece on the "Extremes of Leadership" we see in today's church. I guess Shane Idleman's article below is related. I believe this is a huge issue in a lot of the circles I have come across in recent years. We think that in seeking real 'change' and getting rid of "religion" we need to get rid of the whole concept of a man up the front proclaiming the word of God. I have met many who now regard preaching as a "religious" concept - and not part of the "coming move of God". In discarding this they get rid of every true Revival and Reformation down through history - every apostle and evangelist from the Bible. In fact, they get rid of New Testament Christianity altogether - which has ANOINTED PROCLAMATION at its very heart. I would be very interested in your comments on the article below, my friends-

SHOULD WE PREACH with AUTHORITY?
-by Shane Idleman.

A few years back, I listened in astonishment as postmodern leaders talked about replacing “preaching” with “having a conversation.” At first, I thought that maybe they were confusing individual conversations with how we should speak to the masses, but I was wrong. They felt that we should stop “preaching” from the pulpit, and start being more passive and less confrontational. Never mind the fact that Jesus said, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). But according to many postmoderns, it’s time to replace... preaching with conversing.

Don’t get me wrong... I’m not questioning cosmetic issues such as styles of worship, ambiance, lighting, and mood. I’m challenging the dangerous practice of removing foundational principles - Spirit- empowered preaching is foundational.

I’m also not suggesting that we never converse with people; quite the contrary... We must be slow to speak and quick to listen, but when we are called to preach, a whole new dynamic takes place… the Spirit of God speaks, convicts, draws, heals, breaks, restores, wounds, and rebuilds. In the book, Spirit Empowered Preaching, the author said, “It must be understood that the preacher does not share, he declares… Preaching is not a little talk. It is not a fireside chat. To substitute sharing and discussion for preaching is to risk the integrity of the gospel itself.”

“What does this have to do with me; I’m not a pastor, or a preacher,” you might ask. It has a great deal to do with any Christian regard-less of his or her calling. Let me explain. There is a very troubling trend in the evangelical church, as a whole. Foundational doctrines such as the cross, sin, judgment, and repentance were declared openly in the early hours of church history, as well as in American history—when revivals and awakenings spread across our landscape.

Today, these foundational truths are often neglected, watered-down, or avoided altogether in the hope of “not offending,” “securing an audience,” or being “user-friendly.” Judgment is never mentioned; repentance is never sought; and sin is often excused. This leaves people confused and deceived because they believe in a cross-less Christianity that bears no resemblance to Jesus’ sobering call to repentance. Even though you may not be a Christian leader, we all are called to share God’s Word with others—especially the difficult truths. Then we are also able to offer hope.

“To convince the world of the truth of Christianity, it must first be convinced of sin. It is only sin that renders Christ intelligible” (-Andrew Murray; 1794-1866). In other words, the crucifixion only makes sense in light of the consequences of sin. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15), yet, we’re not suppose to mention sin, repentance, or judgment?

Again, the good news about Christ can only be appreciated with the bad news as the backdrop. There are times when the saints must be fed, and there are times when the sinners must be warned (-C.H. Spurgeon). Preaching, witnessing, teaching, and so on must be done with God-given authority to truly be effective.

When we fail to proclaim God’s Word faithfully, we run the risk of "encouraging sin” and “perverting the words of the living God.” (cf. Jeremiah 23).

-Please comment on this issue at the website below- http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

-Source- www.wcfav.org

THE POWER OF A BLAMELESS LIFE

by David Wilkerson

"You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:10).

That is a powerful statement to make—to call on God as a witness to your holiness! Yet, without flinching, Paul boasted to the believers in Thessalonica: “My co-workers and I lived blamelessly before you and before God. Our conduct was righteous and pure. God is witness to our holy behavior and you also are witnesses. You saw that we walked holy and blameless before God and men!”

Paul was an effective preacher and he knew the secret of his effectiveness in moving people toward God. He could stand boldly before every living soul, every principality and testify: “I live daily under the gaze of a holy God. I walk always as if His holy eyes are upon me. And you all are witnesses to my blameless life!”

The apostle desired every believer to have the same power he had in moving people toward God. He prayed night and day that all of God’s children would be established holy and unblamable before God: “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

The rich young ruler who came to Jesus had been good from his youth upward and that won him the love and respect of Jesus (see Matthew 19:16-20). But something was lacking and that one thing makes all the difference! Beloved, if you do not have this same purpose operating in all you say and do, you can never be blameless before God and man: “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you” (2 Thessalonians 1:12).

This is what motivated Paul to live a blameless life: He was jealous for the glory and name of Jesus! He knew everything had to be built on that foundation—because all human goodness is as filthy rags! What distinguishes the blameless walk is a consuming desire to honor the name of Jesus before all men.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/14791?src=devo-email

WHAT IS A BLAMELESS LIFE?

by David Wilkerson

Here is the behavior of the blameless believer, according to the Apostle Paul:

1. To be blameless is to have no deceit of any kind. “For our exhortation did not come from deceit or uncleanness, nor was it in guile” (1 Thessalonians 2:3).

A blameless Christian is one without any deceit in his heart. Paul was saying, “I was not a fraud, preaching one thing to you and yet living another. My behavior was an open book!”

2. To be blameless is to touch nothing unclean. “For our exhortation did not
come from . . . uncleanness” (1 Thessalonians 2:3).

Paul’s emphasis here is on sensuality or lust. He is saying, “Not an unclean word came out of my mouth. My conversation was pure, coming forth from a clean heart.” Paul had his body under control. No fleshly passion drove him—no spirit of lust or fornication possessed his mind. He was a free man! A believer who tells dirty jokes, makes sexual innuendoes, or has roving eyes is someone whose heart has not yet been cleansed! God says, “If you are going to walk blameless before Me, you must have clean ears, a clean heart and a clean tongue!”

3. To be blameless is to be without error. “Our exhortation did not come from deceit” (verse 3).

The Christian without error or guile is not trying to be clever, crafty or manipulative. He has no hidden agenda and is totally open and honest. Paul said, “I did not manipulate you into the kingdom of God nor did I use clever words or try to play on your feelings. I gave the gospel to you straight!” Paul never played word games; he never used psychology to get people to like him. Paul said, “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (2:7). But when sin came in, he rebuked it with thunder out of heaven! He did not desire or need approval of any man, yet he loved people with all his heart. “For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others” (verses 5-6).

Paul was always mindful that God was watching him and checking his motives. He abstained from “every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) and lived as if Jesus were coming within the hour!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/14792?src=devo-email

Unraveling the Power of Witchcraft—One Warlock at a Time

J. Lee Grady

How an occult leader in Peru transferred his allegiance from Satan to Christ.

Just a year ago, Victor Hugo Perez Vargas was a leader in Peru’s vast but secretive occult movement. His strange ability to curse people and cause accidents seemed to be increasing. He was being mentored by a well-known satanist master and he attended witchcraft conferences.

But today you can find Victor sitting on the front row of a Pentecostal church in Tarapoto, Peru, with his wife, Deili. He loves to worship God with his hands raised, he frequently goes to the church altar for prayer and his face glows with a bright smile. “Jesus is my Lord today,” Victor says. “The power of the devil cannot be compared to the power of the true God.”

“These satanists want to take over the nation of Peru. The witches come here because there was so much blood sacrifice during the Inca times.” –Teresa Gomez

Victor’s transformation showed me how the Holy Spirit is working in Peru, where occultism has been a tradition ever since ancient Incas sacrificed children on altars to their sun god. Today, occultists from Africa, Europe and the United States attend witchcraft gatherings in Peru because they consider the country a central power center for New Age energy.

Victor, who is 36, was drawn into this occultism as a teenager in the city of Moyobamba, where friends convinced him to have sex with dogs in order to receive supernatural power. Witches told him to do this so he could hear better and see in the spiritual realm. After the perverse initiation rites, he began to hear voices—and he discovered his ability to kill people with his words.

“I didn’t know anything about God,” Victor told me. “I really didn’t understand the devil was using me. I just thought I had a special power.”

One man he cursed had a car accident and ended up with a crushed skull. Another man had a motorcycle crash and died six months later. “Every time I cursed people they would suffer in a terrible way. They wouldn’t just die immediately,” he told me in an interview last Sunday.

Victor eventually moved to Tarapoto, located in north central Peru, and began living with his girlfriend Deili. But she struggled in the relationship because he often flew into fits of rage and sometimes abused her. “When I realized he could kill people with his curses I wanted to break up with him, but something prevented me from leaving,” Deili said.

Deili grew more fearful as Victor climbed higher in the occult heirarchy. He participated in animal sacrifices and went to Cerro de Oso, a high mountain near Tarapoto, to receive satanic authority over the city. He was working to become an occultic master.

Because Victor feared his wife would leave him, he tricked her into participating in a blood covenant, asking demonic forces to track her. She began to feel tormented by ghostly spiritual forces and contemplated suicide often. She even felt unseen powers pushing her to cut her wrists.

All this terror culminated one evening when a group of intercessors from Mision Cristiano Esmirna, a Pentecostal church in Tarapoto, came to Deili’s house to pray for her. The demons that had a death grip on Deili began to manifest. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she became violent. Six people could not hold her on the ground.

Later, Teresa Gomez, wife of the pastor at the Esmirna church, came to Deili’s house and commanded spirits of death to leave her. Deili was miraculously delivered and gave her life to Christ.

Two weeks later, Teresa and her husband, David, prayed with Victor to receive Jesus, and they commanded the demons inside him to go. “When we told the spirits to leave, we could hear booming sounds on the ceiling,” Teresa explained. “There were strange pounding noises. It was like something was leaving the house.”

When Victor shared his testimony with me last Sunday, his eyes were moist with tears. “I came to the Lord because of love—Satan was taking my wife,” he said. “I felt this might be my last chance to know Christ. When I got on my knees and repented, I had a vision of the feet of Jesus.”

Observers say witchcraft is growing in Peru today, and human sacrifice still occurs—although it is rarely reported. (Several weeks ago, a girl’s dismembered body was found in Mayobamba.) Teresa Gomez believes this is all a last-ditch effort by satanic forces.

“These satanists want to take over the nation of Peru,” she says. “Witches come here because there was so much blood sacrifice during the Inca times.” She also noted that poor families, especially in jungle areas, have been known to sell their children to be sacrificed in occult rituals.

But Victor and Deili’s testimony is proof that the gospel of Christ is far more powerful than a network of witches who are trying to renew ancient satanic covenants. Says Victor: “I am not afraid of the devil. I know who I am walking with now.”

J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. Diego Caballero provided translation during Lee’s interview with Victor Hugo Vargas.

What It Means To Live By Faith by David Wilkerson

Full article: http://www.worldchallenge.org/node/6222

Only One Life Will Soon Be Past by Zac Poonen

Description: Brother Zac shares from the famous phrase of the missionary C.T. Studd: "Only One life will soon be past, only what is done for Christ will last." He shares the need not only to do things in the Name of Christ but to do them in the calling and power of Christ's life in us. A powerful needed message towards especially those in ministry or pastoring.

To listen please click on the link: http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=22804

WHY GOD ANSWERED DAVID’S PRAYER!

by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

David tells us why God answered his prayer: “He also brought me out into a broad [large] place; He delivered me because He delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19, NKJV).

Delight here means “to take pleasure or joy.” David was saying, “I bring pleasure to God. He delivered me simply because He takes pleasure in me!” And, beloved, He takes pleasure in you and me, as well!

You see, we who trust in the Lord are His holy Zion, His holy remnant. Remnant means, simply, "those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” They are those who have been called out of a lazy Christendom and are totally devoted to Jesus.

To the chosen of Zion, God says: “You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land Beulah, for the Lord delights in you” (Isaiah 62:3-4, NKJV).

Why does God come to my rescue, so willing to deliver me? It is because He delights in me! I am a pleasure to Him and He enjoys my friendship!

A precious young man told me: “I have never been convinced that I have truly been accepted by the Lord. I seldom feel good enough for God—like I just do not measure up. I keep trying to appease Him by doing something good for others.”

So many Christians feels this way! Over the years I have known many older Christians who never had assurance in the Lord. They felt unworthy, unclean, unloved. They never believed they were a delight to the heart of God, so they were always trying to work out something in their lives to please Him. If they failed in one area, they did three things in another area to try to make God happy.

Beloved, this can never be! When you come to Jesus, you cannot make up anything to Him. No, He makes it all up to you because that is who He is! He says, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25, NKJV).

No matter what your failure or shortcoming, God makes it all up to you!

The New Apostolic Reformation Is Not a Cult

Posted 5:00PM EDT 8/24/2011 C. Peter Wagner

NPR on Wednesday published an article called, "The New Apostolic Reformation: The Evangelicals Engaged in Spiritual Warfare." The article names C. Peter Wagner as the movement's architect and ties Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other politicians to NAR in a negative light. Wagner has been observing how the media is working to taint Christian political candidates with false notions about the NAR and wrote the following article to explain what the NAR is—and what the NAR is not.

Surprisingly, the New Apostolic Reformation has recently become a topic of discussion in the political media. I noticed some mention of it in connection with Sarah Palin’s run for vice president, but I considered it relatively insignificant. Then more talk of the NAR surfaced around Michelle Bachman, but it soared to a new level when Rick Perry entered the race for the Republican nomination for President in August.

The best I can discern, the NAR has become a tool in the hands of certain liberal opponents of the conservative candidates designed to discredit them on the basis of their friendship with certain Christian leaders supposedly affiliated with the NAR. To bolster this attempt, they seek to accuse the NAR of teaching false doctrine and paste on it the label of “cult." For example, Forgotten Word Ministries posts an article by Marsha West expressing concerns about Rick Perry’s prayer assembly in Houston on August 6, that uses the title: “Texas Governor’s Upcoming Leadership Event Includes Cult Members.”

Soon after the event, nothing less than Al-Jazeera News picked up on the theme and posted an article on the NAR under the title “America’s own Taliban.” My name comes up in most of the Internet postings on NAR, but in this one I am called the “intellectual godfather” of the movement. When I read that, I felt that I had a responsibility to attempt to bring some clarification as to what the NAR is, what are its goals, and how these goals are being implemented.

What Is the NAR?

The NAR is definitely not a cult. Those who affiliate with it believe the Apostles’ Creed and all the standard classic statements of Christian doctrine. It will surprise some to know that the NAR embraces the largest non-Catholic segment of world Christianity. It is also the fastest growing segment, the only segment of Christianity currently growing faster than the world population and faster than Islam. Christianity is booming now in the Global South which includes sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and large parts of Asia. Most of the new churches in the Global South, even including many which belong to denominations, would comfortably fit the NAR template.

The NAR represents the most radical change in the way of doing church since the Protestant Reformation. This is not a doctrinal change. We adhere to the major tenets of the Reformation: the authority of Scripture, justification by faith, and the priesthood of all believers. But the quality of church life, the governance of the church, the worship, the theology of prayer, the missional goals, the optimistic vision for the future, and other features, constitute quite a change from traditional Protestantism.

The NAR is not an organization. No one can join or carry a card. It has no leader. I have been called the “founder,” but this is not the case. One reason I might be seen as an “intellectual godfather” is that I might have been the first to observe the movement, give a name to it, and describe its characteristics as I saw them. When this began to come together through my research in 1993, I was professor of Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, where I taught for 30 years.

The roots of the NAR go back to the beginning of the African Independent Church Movement in 1900, the Chinese House Church Movement beginning in 1976, the U.S. Independent Charismatic Movement beginning in the 1970s and the Latin American Grassroots Church Movement beginning around the same time. I was neither the founder nor a member of any of these movements, I was simply a professor who observed that they were the fastest growing churches in their respective regions and that they had a number of common characteristics.

If I was going to write about this phenomenal move of the Holy Spirit, I knew I had to give it a name. I tried “Postdenominational” but soon dropped it because of the objections of many of my friends who were denominational executives. Then, in 1994, I tested “New Apostolic Reformation.” “Reformation” because the movement matched the Protestant Reformation in world impact; “Apostolic” because of all the changes the most radical one was apostolic governance, which I’ll explain in due time; and “New” because several churches and denominations already carried the name “apostolic,” but they did not fit the NAR pattern. Other names of this movement which are more or less synonymous with NAR have been “Neopentecostal,” “Neocharismatic,” “Independent,” or “Nondenominational.”

I am rather fascinated at the lists of individuals whom the media glibly connects with the NAR. I’m sure that some of them wouldn’t even recognize the term. In many cases, however, they would fit the NAR template, but since the NAR has no membership list they themselves would need to say whether they consider themselves affiliated or not.

Concerns about the NAR

If the critics are using openness to NAR as a slur against conservative political candidates, they obviously need to verbalize what could be wrong with NAR in the first place. To suppose that NAR is a “cult” or that it teaches “heresy” can be attributed only to sloppy or immature journalism. All too often “heresy” has come to mean only that the person disagrees with me and my friends, but the purpose of using the word is to project guilt by association on the politician. It attempts to implant a question: Who would vote for a heretic? But there is little evidence presented that the issue in question incorporates the doctrinal unorthodoxy of a true heresy. Instead, key words are usually dropped which describe legitimate areas of disagreement among Christian theologians on the level of whether or not we baptize infants. Neither of the opposite positions on matters like this deserve to be placed in the category of heresy.

Let me review the media pieces I have collected and pick out some key words in order to clarify my position. I say “my position,” because others in NAR might not agree with me, and they are not compelled to do so. NAR has no official statements of theology or ecclesiology, although a large number of us do happen to agree upon many somewhat radical conclusions. Most of us have long track records of service within traditional Christianity, and we have needed to go through paradigm shifts to get where we are now. Keep in mind that one of the affects of every paradigm shift is that some people get pulled out of their comfort zones. One of the reasons for opposition to some of the more radical ideas of NAR is that certain people have decided not to change and they are upset with those who have chosen to change.

Apostolic governance. As I mentioned before, this is probably the most radical change. I take literally St. Paul’s words that Jesus, at His ascension into heaven, “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-12). Most of traditional Christianity accepts evangelists, pastors, and teachers, but not apostles and prophets. I think that all five are given to be active in churches today. In fact, St. Paul goes on to say, “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers…” (1 Corinthians 12:28). This does not describe a hierarchy, but a divine order. Apostles are first in that order.

I strongly object to journalists using the adjective “self-appointed” or “self-declared” when referring to apostles. No true apostle is self-appointed. First of all, they are gifted by God for that ministry. Secondly, the gift and its fruit are recognized by peers and the apostle is “set in” or “commissioned” to the office of apostle by other respected and qualified leaders.

The office of prophet. Prophets are prominent in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. As we just saw above, apostles are first and prophets are second. Every apostle needs alignment with prophets and every prophet needs apostolic alignment. One of the reasons why both should be active in our churches today is that the Bible says, “Surely God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). And also: “Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe His prophets and you shall prosper” (2 Chronicles 20:20). I want to prosper and I want you to prosper.

Dominionism. This refers to the desire that some of my friends and I have to follow Jesus and do what He wants. One of the things He does want He taught us to pray for in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This means that we do our best to see that what we know is characteristic of heaven work its way into the warp and woof of our society here on earth. Think of heaven: no injustice, no poverty, righteousness, peace, prosperity, no disease, love, no corruption, no crime, no misery, no racism, and I could go on. Wouldn’t you like your city to display those characteristics?

But where does dominion come in? On the first page of the Bible, God told Adam and Eve to “fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, etc.” (Genesis 1:28). Adam, Eve, and the whole human race were to take dominion over the rest of creation, but Satan entered the picture, succeeded in usurping Adam’s dominion for himself and became what Jesus calls “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30). When Jesus came, He brought the kingdom of God and He expects His kingdom-minded people to take whatever action is needed to push back the long-standing kingdom of Satan and bring the peace and prosperity of His kingdom here on earth. This is what we mean by dominionism.

A theocracy. The usual meaning of theocracy is that a nation is run by authorized representatives of the church or its functional religious equivalent. Everyone I know in NAR would absolutely reject this idea, thinking back to Constantine’s failed experiment or some of the oppressive Islamic governments today. The way to achieve dominion is not to become “America’s Taliban,” but rather to have kingdom-minded people in every one of the Seven Mountains: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business so that they can use their influence to create an environment in which the blessings and prosperity of the Kingdom of God can permeate all areas of society.

Extra-biblical revelation. Some object to the notion that God communicates directly with us, supposing that everything that God wanted to reveal He revealed in the Bible. This cannot be true, however, because there is nothing in the Bible that says it has 66 books. It actually took God a couple of hundred years to reveal to the church which writings should be included in the Bible and which should not. That is extra-biblical revelation. Even so, Catholics and Protestants still disagree on the number. Beyond that, I believe that prayer is two way, we speak to God and expect Him to speak with us. We can hear God’s voice. He also reveals new things to prophets as we have seen. The one major rule governing any new revelation from God is that it cannot contradict what has already been written in the Bible. It may supplement it, however.

Supernatural signs and wonders. I have a hard time understanding why some include this in their list of “heresies.” Whenever Jesus sent out His disciples He told them to heal the sick and cast out demons. Why we should expect that He has anything else in mind for us today is puzzling. True, this still pulls some traditionalists out of their comfort zones, but that just goes with the territory. One critic claimed that the NAR has excessive fixation on Satan and demonic spirits. This is purely a judgment call, and it may only mean that we cast out more demons than they do. So what?

Relational Structures

Some of the authors I read expressed certain frustrations because they found it difficult to get their arms around the NAR. They couldn’t find a top leader or even a leadership team. There was no newsletter. The NAR didn’t have an annual meeting. There was no printed doctrinal statement or code of ethics. This was very different from dealing with traditional denominations. The reason behind this is that, whereas denominations are legal structures, the NAR is a relational structure. Everyone is related to, or aligned, with an apostle or apostles. This alignment is voluntary. There is no legal tie that binds it. In fact, some have dual alignment or multiple alignment. Apostles are not in competition with each other, they are in cahoots. They do not seek the best for themselves, but for those who choose to align with them. If the spotlight comes on them, they will accept it, but they do not seek it.

The key to this? The mutual and overriding desire that “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!”

C. Peter Wagner is the president of the Global Harvest Ministries and Chancellor of the Wagner Leadership Institute. Established in 1998, the Institute equips men and women for leadership positions in churches and translocal ministries. It is designed especially, but not exclusively, to meet the needs of leaders who have become a part of the New Apostolic reformation. Missions have been a watermark of Wagner's career. From 1956 to 1971, he and his wife, Doris, served as missionaries in Bolivia under the South American Mission and Andes Evangelical Mission (now SIM International).

Gospel Artist Quits for Secular Music, Says Church Is Judgmental

Posted 4:25PM EDT 8/25/2011 Felicia Abraham

Grammy-nominated gospel artist Shei Atkins announced Wednesday that she is leaving gospel music and instead embracing more secular R&B music. Her reason: The church is too “judgmental.”
With three gospel albums under her belt, her first releasing in 2004, Atkins says gospel music fans struggled to accept the “realness” of some of her song lyrics.

“I had fans who loved me on one side and people condemning me on the other side calling me worldly, pulling me to the side at some of my shows about my hair color, sending in mean letters, etc.,” she told the hip-hop, gospel music website dasouth.com.

Atkins received much radio airtime for songs like “He Can Fix It” and “Lord I Love You” but many radio stations wouldn’t play songs such as “Temptation,” which was an account of a woman struggling not to give into sexual sin. Atkins says she is called not only to help people become Christians, but to help them walk out their faith practically.

Now married for 14 years, Atkins says she and her husband almost divorced during their first year, and she feels a responsibility to sing songs that show how God can bring hope and healing to relationships with both God and with man.

“It’s evident that families are under major attack,” she says. “I make songs to help instill love, honesty, faithfulness and communication back into relationships.”

Now, three years since her last album debuted, Atkins is releasing a secular album—her fourth—titled Emotional. Her new album allows her to freely minister the way she feels God is leading her, without limitations, she says.

“Although I love God’s people, I can’t waste years trying to break this mentality and use that as an excuse for not doing what God told me to do,” Atkins says.

“Every part of the body of Christ is unique and beneficial and if we all work together, we would be so much more powerful. God is more concerned about how you live than what genre you’re categorized in.”

Though Atkins has decided to move out of the gospel genre, popular hip-hop artist and one-time Haitian presidential candidate Wyclef Jean recently announced that he would be moving into the gospel industry with his newest album. This summer he released a Creole-language gospel single. Sources say that Jean had always wanted to return to his roots of Christian music. Finally, with this new album, he was afforded the opportunity.

Listen to one of Shei Atkin's more controversial gospel songs below. Do you find it offensive?

VISION - "SKIMMING OFF the DROSS"

by Raheli.

I had a vision a few years ago. I’d been going through the mill for many years and was getting fed up with everything going wrong, and I asked the Lord how much more was He going to put me through, because I thought I’d been through enough.

I had a vision of a huge cauldron that was sat on a load of flaming logs, and as I was telling the Lord that I’d had enough refining, He chucked more logs on the fire and the flames went higher and loads of black chunks kept floating to the top of the bubbling cauldron. Then I saw a large ladle which kept skimming off the black chunks that had floated to the top.

Then I realized that this is how gold or any other precious metal is made (I worked in a steel mill at the time, so I knew what I was seeing). The more heat you apply to metal, the more the impurities float to the top and they have to be skimmed off, so that in the end you are left with a pure metal.

I believe this is what the Lord has been doing with me for over 4 decades (which just goes to show you how sinful the human heart is). My prayer for years has been ‘Lord, burn up the dross’ – and He’s been doing exactly that! It’s not comfortable in the furnace, of course [!!]...


Source: http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

Extremes of "Leadership"

by Andrew Strom

I have been having a discussion with some friends on extreme types of  "Leadership" in the church. It would be great to hear others' opinions on this.

I wish we could find a better "balance", but today it often seems that the choice is limited to either the "One man band" style of leader who rules the church like a mini-"fiefdom" - or in the more "post-church" type settings the "facilitator"-type leader who is anxious not to be seen to really 'lead' at all ("group hug", anyone?)

Neither of these types are the answer, in my view. But I have seen a lot of both over the years. The first "chieftan" style is so controlling and likes the sound of his own voice so much that he hardly lets anyone else minister to the people. The second type is so apologetic about "leading" that he would rather not preach and wants everyone to have "equal time". He thinks that the early church was "all body" and 'no strong leaders' at all. In this he is quite mistaken.

I have spent quite a bit of time in the last 25 years around "House church" and 'Out-of-church' type Christians. A lot of them have rejected the "One man band" style of leadership completely. (I cannot fault this). But then they have gone right over to the other extreme. There is to be no real leadership or preaching, no authority, no "Joshuas" or Peters or Pauls exhorting the Body to "go forward and take the land". And there is certainly to be no "eldership" to come 'under'. (Perish the thought!)

Many of these people will "say" that they believe in leaders and the "5-fold" ministries, but in every way by their actions and attitudes they show that they basically want *none*.

The opening sentence of John's gospel tells us that "In the beginning was the WORD". That is how important the "spoken word" is to God. He uses it to "found" everything. And we need to take note that the very first description of the early church starts with this phrase- "And they gave themselves to the APOSTLES' TEACHING" (Acts 2:42). In other words, the very first thing that the early Christians did was to devote themselves to the "anointed word" coming out of the apostles' mouths. That 'word' was life-transforming and essential. But many today no longer want preachers.

It is seen as an "outmoded" form. Tomorrow's church, they say, will be "all body" and no leaders. (Because its too "old-school," they say). I beg to differ. I say that without such preachers or leaders there will be no revival, no reformation, no new move of God, and no "New Testament" church.

As we can clearly see from Scripture, true New Testament Christianity is simply LOADED with preaching and LOADED with leadership. And if we cannot see how important these things are, then we will never get back there. We need to start valuing the "anointed word" just like they did. But where
do we find it today? -That is the biggest problem.

This is not to say that it will be back to the "One man band". For true "apostolic" preaching raises up the whole Body to be who they are meant to be in Christ. That is what real anointed preaching does. It cleans people out and helps raise them up into their calling. Especially if the leaders have learnt to be truly "Body-enabling" in a very active, practical way. In this sense, I totally believe in the "Facilitating" model of leadership as well. Only then can all the gifts and functions of the Holy Spirit flourish and be raised up into their fulness. -"Every joint supplying". -Full "body" ministry.

Sadly it is so rare to find this combination - this "balance" of both types of leader. I am convinced that this is what is needed in any future move of God. Not one extreme or the other, but leaders who are both "word"-oriented and "Body-enabling". -Totally essential.

I would love to hear your comments on this topic of "leadership", my friends. Please post your thoughts at the website below- http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com

God Bless you all!
Andrew Strom.