Long Live Organic Church!

But what do we do if the world isn't transformed?
Mark Galli

I love the work that Neil Cole is doing—and Alan Hirsch (The Forgotten Ways), Bob Roberts (Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World), Frank Viola (Finding Organic Church), and many, many others.

In one form or another, they are champions of "organic church." The term is fluid, but it contains at least three ingredients: Frustration with the-church-as-we-know-it, a focus on people (vs. programs) and mission (vs. institutional maintenance), and a vision to transform the world.

As Neil Cole put it in his book Organic Church, "It is not enough to fill our churches; we must transform our world." He puts it similarly in his latest effort, Church 3.0. The book is ostensibly about how to shift from program-driven and clergy-led institutions to churches that are "relational, simple, intimate, and viral." Still, says Cole, "Changing the church is not the idea of this book … . The only reason to shift from Church 2.0 to Church 3.0 is to change the world."

I love the passion. And the prophetic word to institutionalism (believe me, I know the evils of institutionalism: I'm an Anglican!). And the vision to make Christ's love and grace known to the four corners of the planet.

What I worry about is the coming crash of organic church. And after that, I worry about the energetic men and women at the forefront of the movement. Will they become embittered and abandon the church, and maybe their God?

On not kidding ourselves

That the organic church movement will crash, I have no doubt. Every renewal movement in church history has either derailed immediately or produced temporary renewal at the expense of long-term unintended consequences. Church historians tells us that in 11th- and 12th-century Europe, churches and chapels sprang up all over the continent, signaling a revival of faith after the centuries formerly called "the dark ages." It was one of the most viral, church-planting movements in history. Unfortunately, it nurtured a fervency that longed to transform the world for Christ—which soon bore fruit in the Crusades.

Other examples of viral, organic faith gone to seed are found in Calvin's Geneva, Puritan America, and the imperialistic mission movement of the 19th century. A careful reading of these events suggests that the reformers were nothing but well-intentioned, devoted followers of Jesus just trying to make a difference in the world. And that they did—one could say they changed their worlds for the good in significant ways. But the unintended consequences—especially for the reputation of the church and Christians—make their efforts an arguable trade-off. Not exactly the type of transformation we dream of.

Take away the extreme examples, and look at the ongoing, normal, everyday life of the local church, century after century. It is not a bright example of evil, but merely good intentions in a coma. Institutional. Programmatic. And full of people whose lives look anything but transformed. Churches time and again, in culture after culture, look like they are composed of nothing but sinners. We are kidding ourselves if we think, finally, our generation will turn things around.

This is precisely why many of my seminary classmates have abandoned ministry. They ran into a brick wall of legalism or lethargy or just plain Christian hardness of heart and said, "Enough is enough." I have one California friend who would much rather put up with the headaches of the business world than those of the church. I dare say every reader of this column knows one or more ministry leaders who are burned out and angry.

So, when the organic church movement has run its course—maybe in this generation, or maybe in two or three—then what? What will become of those who have given their best years and their hard earned fortunes to the cause only to see that the world is not, in fact, transformed, or that they have sown the seeds of some bitter unintended consequence? Or what if the church never quite gets it and reverts to its old institutional self? I fear they may become bitter at the church and at God. It would be perfectly understandable if they did. It is a terrible thing to be disappointed by God when you've sacrificed all to promote what you think has been his purpose.

But it is in the midst of such disappointment—even inevitable disappointment—that we see afresh Paul's wisdom in encouraging us to be "obedient from the heart" (Rom. 6:17).

A more excellent way

The fact that everything we undertake will fail to produce the results we hope for is not a reason to do nothing. Far from it. The mistake we sometimes make is doing only those things we imagine will make a difference. When that is the case, our motive—the thing the drives us—is change. If change doesn't happen, or happen in the way we expect, we have no recourse but to fall into a funk. But there is a more excellent way.

That is the way of love, or more particularly, loving obedience. Jesus doesn't call us to make a difference in the world, let alone to transform the world. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:13-16), he does tell us that we will be "salt"—that is, we will preserve the world from complete self-destruction. No small thing that, but hardly world transformation. He also tells us we will be "light," that is, we'll help people see his truth. But when people see truth, often only hardness of heart sets in. Or worse: hostility erupts, and the bearers of the light are thrown into prison and killed, and the recipients of light remain in darkness.

Salt and light—that's about the extent of our effectiveness. Nothing about transforming the world through our efforts. Make no mistake: Jesus does indeed call us into the world to do stuff: preach, baptize, teach, and heal. But he does not promise results. Faithful diligence in such tasks will sometimes change lives and change communities. Whenever this happens, we can rejoice that God has permitted us to see him at work! But a lot of times when the church has obeyed faithfully, we've only received hardship—violence that seems to make things worse for victim and perpetrator alike.

The fact is that sometimes God calls us to do things that make no sense to those who calculate the effectiveness of every act. Like his calling a 20th century Albanian nun to comfort the dying of Calcutta in their last hour. Or like the 18th century Bartholomew de las Casas, who felt called to speak out against brutal treatment of indigenous people in the Americas—only to be completely ignored in his lifetime. Or going further back, like the patriarch who was told he should take his only son—the product of miracle and grace—and sacrifice him on Mt. Moriah.

Our God appears not to be particularly taken with efficiency, effectiveness, or our changing his world. He is mostly interested in our obedience. What he longs for is not people who make a difference in the world, but people who listen for his call and lovingly respond—no matter how absurd or impossible the command.

When the focus is on loving obedience to a loving Father, what difference does it make if it doesn't seem to do any good? What difference does it make if the world or church is not transformed by our lights? When our motive is results, we are bound to be disappointed, because we live in a tragically fallen world that is stubbornly resistant to transformation. But when we focus on obedience to a sovereign heavenly Father, who in love is redeeming his creation in his own time and way (often mysteriously)—well, how could we ever be dismayed?

In his providence, God has raised up in our day men and women who rail against church-as-usual, church-as-program, church-as-institutional-management. They are telling us something true and vital about the church. They are disturbing the religious establishment, upsetting our pious social order, causing a holy chaos! These are prophets in our midst whom we should honor, and for whom we should have ears to hear.

And for whom we should pray—that they would keep their eyes not on the prize of transformation, but that their ears may continue to hear and obey that still small voice that called them into ministry in the first place. Only then will they be among us, challenging and energizing us, even when things look as disappointing as ever.

Mark Galli is senior managing editor of Christianity Today. He is the author of Jesus Mean and Wild: The Unexpected Love of an Untameable God (Baker).

Response articles:
Long Live the Organic Church: A Response by Neil Cole
Why Organic Church Is Not Exactly a Movement by Frank Viola

An indictment against the Christian community

 

by Thomas Lee Seng Hock, Sin Chew Daily

My friend Jackson Ng has raised a very rational and legitimate point in his comment in the Malaysia Chronicle on the matter of the Najib aides asking the organisers of the Christmas Eve gathering at the St John’s Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur to remove the crucifixes, and the banning of singing hymns.

Jackson asked why didn't the church organizers object to such unreasonable instructions?

Although he is not a Christian, Jackson said he decided to write on the issue because it is a matter concerned with the universal acceptance of basic principles and the rights of mankind.

He has rightly pointed out that the removal of crucifixes and the banning of hymn-singing at St John’s Cathedral constitute a violation of religious freedom guaranteed under Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution.

According to news reports, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s aides had ordered the removal, claiming that the crucifixes would be offensive to the prime minister.

Jackson said he was not only upset with the instruction given by the Najib aides, but more angry with the church leaders for their failure to stand up and speak out on the matter.

"Are they not God-fearing Christians, just like Muslims are also God-fearing? Why then did the organisers remove the sacred crucifixes? Isn’t it logical to deduce that they are not God-fearing beings but Satan-fearing arse-licking politicians who claim to be Christians? God-fearing Christians would have defended the crucifixes, Jesus Christ and God. Do they value the presence of the PM more than God?" Jackson asked.

"As it was, the organisers, for reasons best known to them, felt the presence of the PM was more important than their Jesus Christ and God. To them, it was more important for the PM to grace the function and, therefore, abandon Jesus Christ and their God. Disgraceful and shameful are two words best to describe the organisers," he said.

"God-fearing Christians must therefore start defending Jesus Christ and their God by throwing out the organisers from their holy house of worship. If not, they too are condoning what they did," Jackson said.

Strong words, indeed, but Jackson certainly is right to lambast the church leaders for being spineless cowards in the face of such violation of human, civil and constitutional rights.

Jackson's denunciation of the action or lack of it of the Christian leaders is perhaps the first public indictment against the Christian community in Malaysia, as far as I know. And it is not without justification, and surely, appropriate too.

One of the major reasons that the fundamental human, civil and constitutional rights are slowly being eroded is the failure of so-called community and religious leaders to stand firm and steadfast to preserve, protect and promote these rights.

I am very familiar with the Malaysian Christian community, having been a Christian for nearly 45 years and actively involved in teaching and preaching for nearly 40. Hence, I think I am well-qualified to make observation and comment on the Church in Malaysia.

There are basically three types of Christians in Malaysia.

The first common type is the introvert conservatives, who are generally shy, reticent, and typically individualistic self-centered persons, predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings, with nary a care for things outside the walls of their church.

These traditionally orthodox Christians are always concerned about their own "spiritual growth", and are generally timid and harmless. They live their lives in the familiar safe comfort zone of their church community, and speak a sort of churchy language, often convicing themselves that they will be okay if they go to church regularly, give often to the church and their pastor, pray always in whatever situation they are in, and shun, evade and eschew controversial matters, especially political ones. They dress decently and avoid elaborate and spectacular extravagant and lavish display of wealth and luxury. They made good church members and citizens as they never ask questions or challenge any rule, precept or instruction, no matter how excessive, unreasonable or even oppressive the rules and instructions are. They are generally afraid of anything official, especially the government and its enforcement agencies. Mention the ISA or May 13, and they will secrete cold sweat and clinched in fear.

Their pastors and church leaders love these church members, because they are literally under their complete control, and want them to remain in their innocent gullible situation. Hence, there is no real teaching of doctrines, biblical and theological matters, and on issues concerned with life, thoughts and faith in relation to the world outside the church. Actually, the pastors and church leaders themselves are as biblically and theologically disabled as their church members. Hence, they play church happily, and never growing beyond their religious pubescence. The church is their safe abode, and anything outside the church is none of their business.

The pastors and leaders of such churches generally avoid speaking up on issues, even if the issues affect their churches or their rights to religious freedom. They will not sign petitions to seek release of political and religious freedom fighters, and will not want to be part of the movement to struggle for the right to use the word "Allah" in the worship, teaching, preaching and publications of the Church. We have many of such Christians in the Malaysian Christian community.

The second type of Christians are the so-called Health and Wealth charismatics, whose main focus in their life, thoughts and faith is material wealth and luxurious living. Their church worship services are no difference from that of an entertainment disco joint, with whirling colourful psychedelic lights, with an intense, vivid and swirling abstract loud music and repeated chantings masquerading as worship songs that produce religious hallucinations and apparent expansion of spiritual consciousness.

Most of the worshippers jump, wave, swing, sway and undulated to the thumping rhythm of the deafening music, and wail loudly, with some making animal sounds. There is no solid biblical exposition, only entertaining motivation talks masquerading as sermons. A good preacher is one who tells a lot of stories and joke, and make the congregation laugh. No Bible message, just a feel good prosperity gospel.

Such churches are usually housed in mega complex with attractive facilities like gyms and swimming pools to attract members of other churches to their fold. There is no growth by evangelism or conversion, only the seduction of church members from other churches.

My personal observation is that most of these people are no different from those under the influence of psychedelic drugs, with their mental intuitive capability almost unilaterally being under the complete control of an irrational runaway emotion. These people are certainly brain-washed into giving large sums of money to their churches and pastors. Most of the pastors of such churches receive big fat pay packets, driving top brand cars, and live in luxury houses in upmarket residential areas. They go on church-sponsored overseas holiday masquerading as "mission trip" two or three times a year.

Obviously, the pastors, leaders and members from such churches couldn't care about what is happening in the real world outside their churches. They are in a world of their own. For the members, the churches are where they can find escape from their frustration, misery, griefs, mental suffering, and get release and relief for themselves. For the pastor, the church is a bigh income generator, giving him undreamt of wealth and luxury. The recent news reports of a mega church in Singapore, where the pastor is a multi-millionare is one example of such a church.

Such churches will not hestitate to remove any religious artifacts, like the Cross, and stop singing hymns and praying in order to receive a non-Christian VIP. To the pastors and church leaders, the Lord Jesus Christ is irrelevant so long as they receive material benefits such as government grants for their mega church building and facilities. After all, Christ is just a brandname of their religious commercial enterprise.

Finally, there are the radical non-comformist Christians, who will stick out their necks to stand up for their faith and principles. There is no organised body of such Christians, but they are found in various churches, especially the traditional denomination churches. These are Christians who are well-educated in their faith, know what it means to be "salt of the Earth" and "lights of the World", are professionals in the various fields in the secular marketplace, are outspoken and articulate in issues, especially on matters concerning the truth, righteous, justice, fairness, racial and gender equality, freedom of religious practices, freedom or speech and press, and accountability and transparency in the church and in government.

These are the Christians that the pastors and church leaders generally ignore and avoid, and will distance themselves from, for fear of getting into the bad book of the authorities. We don't find them holding leadership positions in the churches, but we see them active in the secular marketplace, spearheading the struggle for the advancement of God's kingdom among the people of the world, standing up and sacrificing career prospects for the sake of the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

These radical non-conformist Christians will NEVER allow their faith and ethics to be compromised for the sake of acceptance by any unreasonable and oppressive regime.

My friend Jackson Ng is right. It's time the Christians who are truly God's people stand up and be counted in the face of the increasingly exessively unloving and tyrannical repressive regime.

Source: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/50818?tid=12

Copenhagen Climate Deal Shows New World Order May Be Led by U.S., China - Must Read

December 20, 2009

In a Washington Post analysis, Anthony Faiola, Juliet Eilperin, and John Pomfret explain why the Copenhagen talks are an indication that a new world order may be forming with increasing power given to China.

COPENHAGEN -- If the talks that resulted in an imperfect deal to combat global warming provided anything, it was a glimpse into a new world order in which international diplomacy will increasingly be shaped by the United States and emerging powers, most notably China.

Friday's agreement, sources involved in the talks said, boiled down to President Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao personally hammering out a pact both could live with, even if many other leaders could not. Wen even squelched his own negotiator's protests.

What Obama heralded as a "breakthrough" -- after getting India and other rising powers to sign on -- was decried by some nations as too little, too late. The leaders of Europe, Japan and other countries at the summit were largely left to rubber-stamp the deal. The Swedish prime minister's office dubbed it "a disaster."

Ever since the concept of a G2 was proposed this year by former U.S. national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, the idea that the United States and China together are going to solve all the world's problems has been pooh-poohed by both American and Chinese officials. China hated the notion because it put too much responsibility on a country that has done very well rising in the shadows. Many U.S. officials opposed the idea on the grounds that the best way to influence China was through multinational partnerships.

So, more than anything else, critics said, Friday's climate agreement reflected the domestic political realities in Washington and Beijing. Both nations, the two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, remain more cautious than, say, the governments of Europe about establishing a strict set of international rules to combat global warming. Not coincidentally, the agreement allows nations to set their own emission reduction targets and provides no deadline for signing a binding international accord.

Full Text of Document

COUNCIL on FOREIGN RELATIONS

Obama in India: Testing a New World Order, Starting with the Security Council

Author: Daniel Michaeli, Research Associate

November 8, 2010
Huffington Post

The future of American global influence will be decided in Asia, and India's success could be a prerequisite for America's long-term position in the region. So President Obama just made a substantial step towards securing U.S. interests in Asia by endorsing India's aspiration to greater global and regional influence. He declared today in New Delhi, "I look forward to a reformed U.N. Security Council that includes India as a permanent member." Indians have been waiting for this for a long time.

Successive U.S. administrations have avoided taking a position on India's Security Council aspirations. Diplomatic non-answers denied New Delhi a clear path to U.S. backing, a source of exasperation for many Indians. And the U.S. approach also obscured legitimate American concerns about the limits of U.S.-Indian cooperation on some foreign policy issues of great importance to the United States.

The only problem is that when Obama endorsed India's membership "look[ing] forward," he actually ignored these legitimate concerns, too.

At issue is the reality that--despite the democratic values the United States and India share--India often takes sides against the United States on major global issues from trade and climate to sanctions and human rights. Take Iran as an example: the United States is alarmed by Iran's nuclear program and seeks to use almost any possible means to deter Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but India sees things differently. "Don't squeeze us too hard on Iran," a former Indian official urged earlier this year, citing India's interest in regional stability and the energy needed for economic development.
UN General Assembly votes on contested resolutions are another striking indication of differences between the United States and India. In 2007 and 2008, India and China voted the same way 122 times out of 154 votes, while India and the United States voted the same way just 17 times.

Meanwhile, even when the United States and India share interests, Indian domestic politics can limit the ability of the Indian government to align itself publicly with America. This is one reason U.S. nuclear energy companies now face a nuclear liability bill they consider to be unworkable, despite years of efforts that went into the bill.

The time is now ripe for an honest conversation between the United States and India on the UN Security Council. Public opinion polls show that a majority of Americans believe India should become a permanent member of the Council. And last month, India was elected overwhelmingly by the members of the United Nations for a two-year rotating Council seat. Beginning in January 2011, an impressive lineup of global rising powers, including Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, will be seated together--a preview of what a newly-ordered Security Council could look like. Americans should watch closely to see how well the U.S. and Indian delegations work together.

The path forward should be relatively clear in areas where Washington and New Delhi are already beginning to work together or in parallel, such as securing the global commons, including freedom of navigation in the seas; countering global Islamic fundamentalism; improving the regional balance of power; and developing clean energy solutions. But for the U.S. and India to cooperate effectively more generally, each will need to consider carefully how to calibrate expectations and policies to allow both governments to turn to each other in support of important national interests in and out of the Security Council.

India will now have the backing of the United States as it seeks more formal positions of global leadership, including on the Security Council. The United States can also be a key part of solutions to major Indian ambitions, beginning with granting India access to high technology products through revised export controls. At the same time, the United States should be able to turn to India for support on major security and economic issues--issues over which India will gain increasing sway, whether or not it is in the UN Security Council. How India votes on Iran over the next two years will be one important signal.

Americans want India in the UN Security Council. They recognize that the institution's very effectiveness depends on whether it unites the great powers of the present day--not only the great powers of 1945. (The 2011 Security Council, though temporary, will finally reflect a new composition of world power.) In Washington this June, former Indian foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh posed the question, "Why can't the United States say 'yes, we think India is worthy of becoming a [permanent] member of the Security Council?' " In New Delhi, President Obama didn't fully address the question.

India now has a path forward--beginning with a two-year trial run--and we should all watch closely.

Rockefeller Reveals 9/11 FRAUD to Aaron Russo

Reflections And Warnings - An Interview With Aaron Russo {Full Film}

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND the NWO?

Has The Financial Collapse Of Europe Now Become Inevitable? by Michael T. Snyder

What in the world is happening over in Europe? Well, it is actually quite simple. We are witnessing the slow motion collapse of the euro and of the European financial system. At this point, many analysts are convinced that a full-blown financial implosion in Europe has become inevitable. Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Belgium are all drowning in an ocean of unsustainable debt. Meanwhile, Germany and the few other "healthy" members of the EU continue to try to keep all of the balls in the air by bailing everyone out. But can Germany keep bailing the rest of the EU out indefinitely? Are the German people going to continue to be willing to hand out gigantic sacks of cash to fix the problems of other EU nations? The Irish were just bailed out, but their problems are far from over. There are rumors that Greece will soon need another bailout. Spain, Portugal, Italy and France have all entered crisis territory. At the same time, there are a whole host of nations in eastern Europe that are also on the verge of financial collapse. So is there any hope that a major sovereign debt crisis can be averted at this point?

One would like to think that there is always hope, but each month things just seem to keep getting worse. Confidence in European government debt continues to plummet. The yield on 10-year Irish bonds is up to 8.97%. The yield on 10-year Greek bonds is up to an astounding 12.01%. The cost of insuring French debt hit a new record high on December 20th.

Bond ratings all over Europe are being slashed or are being threatened with being slashed. For example, Moody’s Investors Service recently cut Ireland's bond rating by five levels. Now there is talk that Spain, Belgium and even France could soon all have their debt significantly downgraded as well.

But if the borrowing costs for these troubled nations keep going up, that is just going to add to their financial problems and swell their budget deficits. In turn, larger budget deficits will cause investors to lose even more confidence.

So how far are we away from a major crisis point?

Professor Willem Buiter, the chief economist at Citibank, is warning that quite a few EU nations could financially collapse in the next few months if they are not quickly bailed out....

"The market is not going to wait until March for the EU authorities to get their act together. We could have several sovereign states and banks going under. They are being far too casual."
Many analysts are even calling for some of these troubled nations to stop using the euro for a while so that they can recover. In fact, Andrew Bosomworth, the head of portfolio management for Pimco in Europe says that Greece, Ireland and Portugal must all quit the euro at least for a little while if they expect to survive....

"Greece, Ireland and Portugal cannot get back on their feet without either their own currency or large transfer payments."
Sadly, most Americans don't realize just how bad the situation in Europe is becoming. This is truly a historic crisis that is unfolding.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared earlier this year that this is the biggest financial crisis that the EU has ever faced....

"The current crisis facing the euro is the biggest test Europe has faced for decades, even since the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957."
So what is the answer?

Well, many are speculating that the EU could actually break up over this whole thing, but another possibility is that we could eventually see much greater integration.

In fact, for the first time the idea that "euro bonds" could be issued is gaining some traction. This would spread the risk of European government debt throughout the European Union. At this point, Andrew Bosomworth says that things have gotten so bad that it now seems inevitable that we will soon see the creation of euro bonds....

"Whether now or later, there is no way around a euro bond."
So just how bad are things going to get in Europe? Well, earlier this year Anthony Fry, the senior managing director at Evercore Partners had the following to say about the emerging bond crisis in Europe....

"I don’t want to scare anyone but I am considering investing in barbed wire and guns, things are not looking good and rates are heading higher."
So why should Americans care about all this?

Well, what is happening to these troubled European states is eventually going to happen to us.

If rates on U.S. government debt eventually hit 8 or 12 percent it will literally be financial armageddon in this country. The U.S. government has piled up the biggest mountain of debt in the history of the world, and if we continue piling up debt at the pace that we are, then it will only be a matter of time before the IMF is demanding that we implement our own "austerity measures".

As I have written about previously, there are already numerous indications that confidence in U.S. Treasuries is dying. If that happens, we could literally see interest costs on the national debt double or even triple.

But it is not just the U.S. government that is in trouble. A bloodbath in the municipal bond market has already started. Hundreds of state and local governments across the United States are on the verge of bankruptcy.

So don't laugh at what is going on in Ireland or Greece. The next victims could be financially troubled states such as California and Illinois.

In the history of global finance, we have never faced a sovereign debt crisis like we are seeing now. All over the globe governments are being suffocated by absolutely crushing debt loads. Once a couple of dominoes fall, it is going to be really hard to keep the rest of the dominoes from falling.

This is the biggest crisis that the euro has ever faced. At some point Germany will either be unwilling or unable to continuing rescuing the rest of the EU countries from the unsustainable mountains of debt that they have accumulated. When that moment arrives, it is going to throw world financial markets into turmoil.

But this is what happens when we allow long-term debt bubbles to be created. Eventually they always burst.

So keep your eye on the euro, because if a financial collapse does happen in Europe it is going to have a dramatic impact on the United States as well.

George Soros: The United States Must Stop Resisting The Orderly Decline Of The Dollar, The Coming Global Currency And The New World Order

In the video you are about to see, George Soros talks about "the creation of a New World Order", he discusses the need for a "managed decline" of the U.S. dollar and he talks at length of the global need for a true world currency. So just who is George Soros? Well, he is a billionaire "philanthropist" who came to be known as "the Man Who Broke the Bank of England" when he raked in a staggering one billion dollars during the 1992 "Black Wednesday" currency crisis. These days Soros is most famous for being perhaps the most "politically active" (at least openly) billionaire in the world. His Open Society Institute is in more than 60 countries and it spends approximately $600 million a year promoting the ideals that Soros wants promoted. Soros and his pet organizations have played a key role in quite a few "revolutions" around the globe over the last several decades, but these days the main goal of George Soros is to bring political change to the United States.

So exactly what is it that George Soros is trying to accomplish? Well, in a nutshell, what he wants is a Big Brother-style one world government based on extreme European-style socialism, strict population control and the radical green agenda. It would be a world where the state tightly regulates everything that we do for the greater benefit of the environment and of society as a whole.

However, Soros is not the "mastermind of the New World Order" that some have tried to make him out to be. The truth is that to those in the international banking elite, Soros is considered to be something of a "black sheep" and an "outsider". Much of what Soros is trying to accomplish lines up with the goals of the international banking elite, but what they don't like is that Soros won't stop publicly talking about a global currency and a "New World Order". Of course the international banking elite very much want a global currency and a "New World Order", but what they don't need is a "squeaky wheel" like Soros running around drawing unneeded attention to those goals.

Also, Soros does not seem to understand that both sides of the political spectrum in the United States are deeply influenced by the international banking elite. Sadly, the truth is that the same handful of elitist organizations has dominated the cabinets of every single president that we have had since World War II. If you doubt this, just check out how many members of each presidential administration over the last 40 years have belonged to either the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission or the Bilderberg Group. If you have never looked into this before, you will be absolutely shocked. No matter what president we elect, it is always the exact same organizations that always dominate their cabinets.

But Soros still seems very much trapped within the left/right paradigm and he seems absolutely obsessed with destroying the Republican Party. For example, Soros spent an insane amount of money attempting to defeat George W. Bush back in 2004. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, George Soros donated $23,581,000 during that election cycle to political organizations that were trying to keep Bush from being reelected.

Soros has also been a tremendous backer of Barack Obama, although lately Soros seems a bit disenchanted with him. Through organizations such as the Center for American Progress and MoveOn.org, Soros is constantly trying to influence the state of American politics.

So what is George Soros thinking about these days? Well, in the video posted below you will see Soros discussing "an orderly decline" of the U.S. dollar, the coming global currency and the importance of the New World Order....



Did you noticed how uncomfortable Soros was when he was saying the term "New World Order"?

The truth is that he knows exactly what that phrase means. He knows that it is a phrase that he probably shouldn't say and that will get a lot of attention.

But he said it anyway.

Soros also seemed a bit uncomfortable as he discussed "an orderly decline" of the U.S. dollar.

Soros has been saying the the U.S. dollar needs to go down for quite a while now, and he speaks of the coming fall of the dollar as if it is inevitable.

The only thing that Soros seems to fear is that the "managed decline" of the dollar could "get out of hand" and could lead to global financial chaos.

Soros even had the gall to say that having the dollar be the reserve currency of the world is not in our national interest and that a move to a global currency is "a healthy, if painful, adjustment" that we are just going to have to endure for the greater good of the world economy.

But shouldn't the American people have something to say about all of this?

Perhaps the American people do not want a "managed decline" of the U.S. dollar.

Perhaps the American people do not want any part of a new "global currency".

Perhaps the American people do not want any part of a "New World Order".

But to men like George Soros, it doesn't really matter what "the little people" think. In the world that Soros lives in, those with overwhelming amounts of money and power know what is best for the rest of us, and if "the little people" don't seem to want to go along initially then public opinion can be bought if you just spend enough money.

The sad truth is that we already live in a global economy. Just go into just about any store across the United States and start picking up products to see where they were made. Very few of the things we buy are still made in the United States.

Today, labor is a global commodity. American workers must now directly compete for jobs with those making slave labor wages in China and India. The fact that millions of U.S. jobs are being offshored and outsourced does not bother advocates of globalism at all because it is supposedly a beneficial thing for the overall global economy.

And most Americans have little to no idea just how much influence international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO have over our daily lives.

The truth is that we already live in a world that has been deeply, deeply integrated. As this continues, at some point it will only seem "natural" for America to agree to a true global currency and full global political integration.

Let us hope that day never arrives. Or at least let us hope that the American people wake up enough to not just go passively into a "New World Order".

A global economy is bad for America and a global government would be really bad for America.

But perhaps you disagree. Perhaps you believe that integrating our economy, our currency and our government with the rest of the world would be a wonderful thing. If that is the case, please feel free to leave a comment explaining exactly why globalism is such a wonderful thing for all of us....

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the New World Order

ONE WORLD CURRENCY LEAD TO ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT IS COMING TO PASS?

One world goverment ruled by the protectorate of the UNITED NATIONS and first and last president of the UN - Antichrist.

Whole world will be in ONE CURRENCY SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC CURRENCY. (e-currency). Casheless system and biometric id's.

Mark of the beast is HERE together with the new "buy and sell" system over bioemtric data base in central system with code 666 for right hand and forehead. Stop biometry! Retnurn to Orthodox Chrurch!

In 1974, Washington Uni Prof R Keith Farrell tatooed an 18-digit ID, insertingf a soft plastic, under the skin, that gives off one watt - 'just to be scanned by cash till lasers for safe, 'cashless, chequeless society'

Techno hitch: that signal can be pinpointed anywhere on Earth - even on a plane

In '78, then-EEC Chief Computer Analyst, Dr Hanrick Eldeman, said that EU supercomputer 'Brussels BEAST - Belgian Electronic Accounting Surveillance Terminal - had already given everyone on Earth an 18-digit ID - it starts 666 - as in total control freakery of Revelation 13:15-18

The patented procedure, titled, "Method For Verifying Human Identity During Electronic Sale Transactions," was developed by Houston inventor Thomas W. Heeter. His patent -- bearing U.S. Patent No. 5,878,155 and granted in March, 1999 -- "describes how people can be identified for eCommerce transactions by invisible barcodes tattooed on their skin." The patent identifies invisible tattoo ink that is currently available commercially, according to the Compaq report.

According to Heeter's abstract, "a barcode or a design is tattooed on an individual. Before the sales transaction can be consummated, the tattoo is scanned with a scanner."

"Characteristics about the scanned tattoo are compared to characteristics about other tattoos stored on a computer database in order to verify the identity of the buyer," the abstract says. "Once verified, the seller may be authorized to debit the buyer's electronic bank account in order to consummate the transaction. The seller's electronic bank account may be similarly updated."

All of us must return as soon as possible in the Orthodox Christianity Church, The First Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.

Before WWI there was a economic crisis, before the WWII there was a economic crisis, and now we have world economic crisis - next is WWIII.

The objective of the globalisation programme is to do away with independent nations and turn them into interdependent member states of a single world Corporatist/Socialist order with a single integrated global economy. This requires governments to implement policies which progressively hand over ownership and control of their national economy, banks, big business and industry, public utilities, and farming sector, to global interests; and to surrender their political, legal, and cultural sovereignty to so-called 'institutions of global governance' and ultimately the United Nations world government.

If the program were to be written out as it has to be implemented by national governments.

National governments will agree to ultimately surrender their own sovereignty and take direction from the World Government.

VeriChip Buys Steel Vault - A Step Closer to Endtime Fulfillment

VeriChip Buys Steel Vault, Creating Micro-Implant Health Record/Credit Score Empire

Latest Update
By Jim Edwards

VeriChip (CHIP), the company that markets a microchip implant that links to your online health records, has acquired Steel Vault (SVUL), a credit monitoring and anti-identity theft company. The combined company will operate under a new name: PositiveID.

The all-stock transaction will leave PositiveID in charge of a burgeoning empire of identity, health and microchip implant businesses that will only encourage its critics. BNET previously noted that some regard the company as part of a prophecy in the Book of Revelation (because the HealthLink chip carries an RFID number that can be used as both money and proof of ID) or as part of President Obama’s secret Nazi plan to enslave America.

The most obvious criticism to be made of the deal is that it potentially allows PositiveID to link or cross-check patient health records (from the HealthLink chip) to people’s credit scores. One assumes that the company will put up firewalls to prevent that. PositiveID CEO Scott Silverman said:

“PositiveID will be the first company of its kind to combine a successful identity security business with one of the world’s first personal health records through our Health Link business. PositiveID will address some of the most important issues affecting our society today with our identification tools and technologies for consumers and businesses.”

Unless, of course, consumers don’t actually want to be implanted with chips, have their health records available over the internet, or have their medical records linked to their credit scores.



Related: Scott's profile http://www.idworldonline.com/index.php?id=scottsilverman

My Comment: We are a step closer to the fulfillment of the biblical prophecy. I've verified the above details and found them to be true. At first, they tried to deny it as only for medical purposes. Now they've acquired Steel Vault a credit monitoring company for what purpose only God knows. Revelation 13:16-18 say, He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

(Steel Vault, formerly known as IFTH Acquisition Corp., is a premier provider of identity security products and services, including credit monitoring, credit reports, and other identity theft protection services. Since 2004, its subsidiary, National Credit Report.com, has specialized in providing a variety of credit information to consumers to help protect them from identity theft and fraud.)

FURTHER READING: http://www.steelvaultcorp.com/press-release-october-08-2009.html

http://investors.positiveidcorp.com/releases.cfm?ReleasesType=&Year=2009

http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ABEA-3Y7P8E/1112795545x0x390842/b885bd17-aca9-492d-becf-661d7af3e820/69263_eprint.pdf

WATCH THESE VIDEOS! THE FUTURE!

Chip Implanter PositiveID Aims to Clean Up a PR Mess — One of Its Own Making

By Jim Edwards | April 16, 2010

The pressure has finally taken its toll: PositiveID (PSID), the microchip implant company formerly known as VeriChip, has hired a PR firm to clear up inaccuracies in the media about its products — many of which originate from PositiveID’s own Web sites and its annual report.

There’s a lesson for managers here: hiding in a bunker and hoping that bad press about your business will go away on its own is a rotten strategy. Only by being upfront, transparent and above all quick in your response to negative coverage can you nip PR challenges in the bud.

PositiveID has suffered for months from dismal headlines about its experiments on elderly Floridians with Alzheimer’s and its plans to inject as many people as possible with RFID-enabled microchips that grant doctors access to their online medical records.

Until now, PositiveID had rarely responded to the press, and even turned down a request by BNET for a Q&A with CEO Scott Silverman to rebut allegations about the company. (The offer still stands.)

When BNET noted recently that PositiveID wanted to expand its Health Link medical record system to sailors and seafarers, a representative from Gibraltar Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based PR firm, wrote to demand a correction:

Health Link is a software-based product, and has nothing to do with the FDA-approved RFID microchip products under development at PositiveID

The reason Health Link and the microchip are confused is because of PositiveID’s own web site, which once had a page that said:

Health Link is the connection between you and your personal health record. Health Link utilizes a tiny, passive microchip (the nation’s first and only microchip cleared for patient identification by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration) and a secure, private online database that links you to your personal health record.

… About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is inserted just under the skin and contains only a unique, 16-digit identifier. … unlike conventional forms of identification, the Health Link cannot be lost, stolen, misplaced, or counterfeited. It is safe, secure, reversible, and always with you.

That sounds a lot like a microchip to me, especially as the page was dominated by a photo of a microchip (pictured above), and a headline that said, “The Health Link Microchip,” which you can see in this copy of the original page. When I pointed this out to Gibraltar, the page disappeared. The rep said in an email:

The old VeriChip Web site you link to and quote is no longer active -– the company, now known as PositiveID, has a new Web site here: www.positiveidcorp.com

I understand the confusion that could result from reading the old site, so let me clarify this again for you -– Health Link is a software-based PRH product. It is in no way affiliated with the FDA-approved RFID VeriChip or any other injectable products PositiveID currently has under development.

For good measure, the rep added later:

I understand that the presence of the old site may have created some confusion. It has been taken down.

So far, so good.

Unless you’re an investor reading PostiveID’s annual report, as filed with the SEC. It describes Health Link as an FDA-approved microchip system on pages 6 and 26:

Our HealthID segment also includes the VeriMed system, which uses an implantable passive RFID microchip (the “VeriChip”) that is used in patient identification applications. Each implantable microchip contains a unique verification number that is read when it is scanned by our scanner. In October 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, cleared our VeriMed Health Link system for use in medical applications in the United States.

When I asked PositiveID to clear up the various brand names — VeriMed, VeriChip, Health Link – used to describe this suite of products, the Gibraltar rep replied:

VeriChip Corporation previously marketed a product by the name of Health Link that included both an RFID microchip and a PHR [personal health record], but the pairing is not being offered at this time.

So there you have it: The chip and the medical record system used to be the same thing but now they’re separate. And while the company is offering its Health Link medical records system to various customers, that offer does not come with chips. (Of course, it’s still not clear why you’d want to get a VeriChip implant if it’s not linked to the Health Link system.)

All clear?

Addendum: PositiveID even made a TV commercial in which its microchip was described as “Health Link.” Watch it here before it mysteriously disappears.

HEALTH LINK TV ADVERT

Fulfillment of the Mark of the Beast in a most subtle Way!

FDA approves computer chip for humans

WASHINGTON — Medical milestone or privacy invasion? A tiny computer chip approved Wednesday for implantation in a patient’s arm can speed vital information about a patient’s medical history to doctors and hospitals. But critics warn that it could open new ways to imperil the confidentiality of medical records.

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that Applied Digital Solutions of Delray Beach, Fla., could market the VeriChip, an implantable computer chip about the size of a grain of rice, for medical purposes.

With the pinch of a syringe, the microchip is inserted under the skin in a procedure that takes less than 20 minutes and leaves no stitches. Silently and invisibly, the dormant chip stores a code that releases patient-specific information when a scanner passes over it.

Think UPC code. The identifier, emblazoned on a food item, brings up its name and price on the cashier’s screen.

Chip's dual uses raise alarm

The VeriChip itself contains no medical records, just codes that can be scanned, and revealed, in a doctor’s office or hospital. With that code, the health providers can unlock that portion of a secure database that holds that person’s medical information, including allergies and prior treatment. The electronic database, not the chip, would be updated with each medical visit.

The microchips have already been implanted in 1 million pets. But the chip’s possible dual use for tracking people’s movements — as well as speeding delivery of their medical information to emergency rooms — has raised alarm.

“If privacy protections aren’t built in at the outset, there could be harmful consequences for patients,” said Emily Stewart, a policy analyst at the Health Privacy Project.

To protect patient privacy, the devices should reveal only vital medical information, like blood type and allergic reactions, needed for health care workers to do their jobs, Stewart said.

An information technology guru at Detroit Medical Center, however, sees the benefits of the devices and will lobby for his center’s inclusion in a VeriChip pilot program.

“One of the big problems in health care has been the medical records situation. So much of it is still on paper,” said David Ellis, the center’s chief futurist and co-founder of the Michigan Electronic Medical Records Initiative.

'Part of the future of medicine'
As “medically mobile” patients visit specialists for care, their records fragment on computer systems that don’t talk to each other.

“It’s part of the future of medicine to have these kinds of technologies that make life simpler for the patient,” Ellis said. Pushing for the strongest encryption algorithms to ensure hackers can’t nab medical data as information transfers from chip to reader to secure database, will help address privacy concerns, he said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday announced $139 million in grants to help make real President Bush’s push for electronic health records for most Americans within a decade.

William A. Pierce, an HHS spokesman, could not say whether VeriChip and its accompanying secure database of medical records fit within that initiative.

“Exactly what those technologies are is still to be sorted out,” Pierce said. “It all has to respect and comport with the privacy rules.”

Applied Digital gave away scanners to a few hundred animal shelters and veterinary clinics when it first entered the pet market 15 years ago. Now, 50,000 such scanners have been sold.

To kickstart the chip’s use among humans, Applied Digital will provide $650 scanners for free at 200 of the nation’s trauma centers.

Read more: http://www.theworldsprophecy.com/fda-approves-computer-chip-for-humans/

Naming Names

by Holy Pevic

One of the criticisms I hear most is that it is wrong for me to “name names” of people who promote false teaching unless I first go to those teachers in private to address my concerns with them.

The implication is that no one should listen to me if I haven’t followed the proper order — going to the teacher first, then going public. False teachers, themselves, often promote this idea to shield themselves from criticism.

But this is a misuse of the teaching on church discipline found in Matthew 18:15-17. Here’s an article I wrote about this subject three years ago.

Naming Names

There’s a common view among Christians that it’s wrong to publicly criticize the teachings of other professing Christians.

People who hold this view cite Matthew 18:15-17. They believe this Bible passage teaches that anyone who has concerns about someone else’s teachings should go to that person privately.

In fact, some people have recently warned me that my blog is a violation of this command because it identifies people who are bringing false teaching into the church.

But they don’t realize that this passage is being used out of context. It doesn’t refer to addressing false teaching. It refers to addressing someone’s private sin. This can be seen in the larger context, which includes a discussion — immediately following this passage — of forgiving those who sin against us. Also, this passages deals, specifically, with church discipline — the manner of dealing with those who sin in a local church.

Public vs. Private Rebukes

Here’s what the Bible teaches about confronting sin and false teaching in the church:

• A private rebuke is given for private sin. Matthew 18:15-17

• A public rebuke is given for public sin. (See the apostle Paul’s public rebuke of the apostle Peter’s false teaching in Galatians 2:11-14. Also, see the apostle Paul’s public rebuke of a man who was flagrantly sleeping with his stepmother with his church’s knowledge in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. Paul didn’t confront this man privately. In fact, he had never even met this man, as shown in 1 Corinthians 5:1, when he refers to a report he heard about the man’s sin. Yet, Paul confronted this public sin publicly because the sin effected the whole Corinthian church.)

Teachers who bring false doctrines into the church must be confronted publicly because their teachings are public. They write books, speak at conferences and appear on television programs promoting their teachings to thousands of people. Because they have public influence, they must be held to public scrutiny. If people go to them privately, then — in the meantime — thousands of people can be misled by their harmful teachings.

Teachers should expect — and even welcome — criticism of their teachings. The Bible warns them in James 3:1 that they are held to high standards because of their influence and will face stricter judgment from God than other Christians. They should be open to correction.

But many times the false teachers, themselves, are the ones who teach their followers the misapplication of Matthew 18:15-17. They use this as a technique to silence criticism.

What the Bible Teaches About Dealing With False Teaching in the Church

Here are some more things the Bible teaches, specifically, about dealing with false teaching. (My professor, Kevin Lewis at Biola University, provided the list below.)

• Name Names: In 2 Timothy, the apostle Paul identifies false teachers in the church, by name, four times. 2 Tim. 1:15, 2:17, 3:8, 4:14

• Warn the church publicly what the false teachers are teaching. 2 Timothy 2:16-18

• Silence the false teachers. (This means that church leaders shouldn’t allow people to teach false teaching in their churches.) Titus 1:10-11

• Refute the false teachers. Titus 1:9

• Do not give false teachers a platform or otherwise support them in their ministries. 2 John 1:10-11

Putting Apostles to the Test by Holy Pevic

Thousands of men and women throughout the world today are claiming to be “apostles” and “prophets.”

If you doubt this, do a Google search using the terms “modern apostles” and “modern prophets.” You’ll see what I mean.

It’s not just Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses or other cult groups who claim that their leaders speak directly for God. A growing number of charismatic Christians are following so-called apostles and prophets. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a town in America that doesn’t have at least one “apostolic-prophetic” church (though they might not identify themselves with that label).

Yet with all their talk about “apostles” and “prophets,” the churches generally place very little emphasis — if any – on testing the claims of these individuals to see if they’re true. On the contrary, they often teach that questioning an “apostle” or “prophet” is sin.

This teaching is in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus, which stressed the importance of testing so-called apostles and prophets. In His message to the first-century church of Ephesus — delivered by an angel to the prophet John — Jesus praised the church members for ferreting out false apostles. He said:

I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false. (Revelation 2:2)

But He rebuked another first-century church — the church in Thyatira — for tolerating a false prophetess (Revelation 2:20-23). By her teachings, this woman was leading the church members into sin. He gave them a stern warning: those people who continued to follow this so-called prophetess would face His judgment.

Jesus’ messages of praise and rebuke to these two churches would be well heeded by today’s churches. Don’t simply embrace the new “apostles” and “prophets.” Put them to the test.

The ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ — 100 Percent Returns!

by Holy Pivec

(Former managing editor of Biola University’s magazine, Biola Magazine, and a former contributing writer to the Christian Research Journal. She has a master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola. She also operate the site http://www.fulfilledprophecy.com/.)

How can you get rich and build God’s kingdom at the same time?


By following the modern “apostles” and “prophets” — at least that’s what they claim. They say a “great transfer of wealth” is about to occur — from the wicked to the righteous.

If you want to be on the receiving end of the transfer, then you’d better get “properly aligned” with
them. What that boils down to is submitting yourself to them.

More than 30 so-called apostolic leaders taught people how to take part in the wealth transfer at the Financial K.E.Y.S. conference held earlier this month in Denver, Colorado. Speakers included Bruce Cook, Lance Wallnau, Os Hillman, Cindy Jacobs, Rick Joyner and C. Peter Wagner. See the full list here. The name of the conference — Financial K.E.Y.S. — refers to their teaching that money is the key to global transformation and establishing God’s kingdom on earth. As Wagner says in his book Dominion!:

“If you check back through human history, you will find that three things, more than any others, have produced social transformation: violence, knowledge and wealth — and the greatest of these is wealth! (page 181)

To make the wealth transfer happen, Wagner claims that God is raising up a special group of apostles called workplace apostles. He says they will have the ability to make investments that will yield extraordinary returns:

“They will not be traditional financial planners who are satisfied with annual returns of 5 percent to 20 percent or so. … I have faith that we will see the biblical standard of 100 percent returns or more become the norm” (Dominion!, page 196).

Wagner and company claim that their prophecies about a “great transfer of wealth” have a biblical basis. Yet, the Scriptures they quote in support of this teaching are taken out of context. Let’s take a quick look at the two verses Wagner quotes in his book Dominion!.

Isaiah 60:11 and Proverbs 13:22

The first verse Wagner quotes is Isaiah 60:11:

“Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession.”

The chapter this verse is taken from, chapter 60, is about the restoration of the nation of Israel during the millennial reign of Christ. It’s not about the Church. The other verses in the chapter make this clear. Verse 14, for example, specifically names Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem, when it refers to “the city of the Lord” and “Zion” (these are two other names for Jerusalem).

In light of the rest of the chapter, it’s clear that verse 11 is saying that the wealth of the Gentile nations (non-Israelite nations) will be brought to Israel during the millennium, after Christ’s return to earth. It has nothing to do with wealth being transferred to the Church, today, through so-called workplace apostles.

The second verse Wagner quotes as support for a “great transfer of wealth” is Proverbs 13:22:

“But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”

Actually, Wagner only quotes part of verse 22. He completely leaves out the first half of the verse without telling his readers that’s what he’s done. But the full verse sheds more light on its meaning. Here it is: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”

So, this proverb is about inheritances and the lasting legacy left by the righteous versus the fleeting prosperity of the wicked. I don’t know how Wagner — someone with multiple theological degrees - could take a simple proverb about inheritances and legacies and turn it into a teaching about the end times, workplace apostles and a wealthy Church.

Apostles and Wealth

Many of today’s apostles insist that they must possess vast sums of money to defeat the forces of darkness and advance God’s kingdom. Yet, Peter and John — two of the original apostles — didn’t have much money and God used them mightily. They relied on something even more powerful than money — the authority of Christ.

Once, when a crippled beggar asked them for money, Peter replied:

“I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene–walk!” (Acts 3:6)

Never once did the original apostles say wealth was a key to the Church’s success. Yet today’s apostles claim it is indispensable.

The Fire of Holiness vs. the Spirit of Perversion

Lee Grady

Share Moral failure in our ranks has become an epidemic—and the only solution is a heaven-sent spiritual housecleaning.

I'm sure you felt as heartsick as I did when you heard about the nightmarish charges leveled against Atlanta preacher Eddie Long of New Birth Full Gospel Baptist Church. While I passed through two airports last Thursday, CNN was airing the sordid details of the lawsuits filed by two young men who are accusing Long of coercing them into sex. Two more men have since come forward with similar lawsuits.

Whether the charges are true or not (please pray for Long and his church during this ordeal), it was awkward to hear newscasters suggesting that a married Pentecostal bishop had abused his power and carried on secret gay affairs. What's really sad is that in our sexually desensitized culture people don't even blush when they hear such talk about a minister.

"We must preach the full gospel, not a neutered version that avoids any mention of sin, judgment or holiness. The redemption of Jesus does not give us a license to sin, and those who teach such heresy will be held especially liable."

In a sermon last Sunday, Long dismissed the allegations and vowed to fight his accusers. Most members of his 25,000-member church rallied behind him, even after incriminating photos began circulating. Long has not explained the suggestive photos of himself or how the young men obtained them, but he declared he is "not the man" he is portrayed to be in the lawsuits.

At this point it is Bishop Long's word against the four men, and we will soon endure the embarrassment of a civil trial that could be very ugly—and even more shameful if evidence supports the accusations. As with the Catholic child abuse cover-up, and numerous recent scandals among Christian leaders, the name of Jesus will be dragged through the mud and Christians will be broad-brushed as hypocrites who preach one thing and do another.

I started noticing a disturbing trend way before the allegations against Bishop Long surfaced. A sinister spirit of perversion has invaded the ranks of charismatic churches. Here are just a few examples that have been reported to me by people familiar with the situations:

The leader of one supposedly Christian ministry encouraged the wives of two men to have adulterous affairs, and then asked the women to provide detailed descriptions of their activities
A group of traveling ministers routinely met for weekend getaways that included wife-swapping
The male leader of a "prophetic" church on the West Coast seduced several men in his core leadership team. (The church shut down after the sin was exposed.)

A pastor learned that members of his staff were having sexual affairs in the sanctuary of his church, and he did nothing to stop the debauchery.

A church in the Southeast hosted a marriage seminar in which Christian couples were encouraged to install poles in their bedrooms so wives could engage in pole dancing prior to sex. (Question: Didn't pole dancing originate in strip clubs? Did someone visit a strip club to get this idea?)

Forgive me for being so graphic. It gives me no pleasure to describe sins that should never be named among believers, especially those who claim to be "Spirit-filled." Any leader who engages in or tolerates such behavior has no business laying his filthy hands on people in a church and pretending to have the Holy Spirit.

The spirit of perversion resembles the cult of Baal worship, which caused ancient Israel to backslide constantly. In the New Testament, it is associated with Jezebel, the priestess of Baal, and it manifests when false teachers invade the church and lead people into idolatry and immorality (see Rev. 2:20). It attacks church leaders because the enemy's goal is to contaminate the people through defiled pulpits.

God raised up an Elijah to confront Baal and Jezebel. To pull down the stronghold of perversion in today's compromised church, we must have an army of fearless men and women who live in the fire of holiness and who preach the Word without compromise. Not perfect people, but those who have allowed the Refiner to consume their selfish pride and materialistic greed—the breeding grounds of perversion. Not self-righteous people, but humble, broken men and women like Elijah, who was prepared on the backside of the desert before he confronted Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel.

We need holiness, and true holiness is not legalism. We preach the mercy of the cross and God's amazing love for sinners. We offer forgiveness and healing to those who have been immoral. The blood of Jesus and the renewing power of the Spirit can free any repentant person from the bondage of sexual sin. But we must also warn believers that those who turn from Christ, and return to perversion, have trampled His blood and "insulted the spirit of grace" (see Hebrews 10:29).

We must preach the full gospel, not a neutered version that avoids any mention of sin, judgment or holiness. The redemption of Jesus does not give us a license to sin, and those who teach such heresy will be held especially liable.

My prayer is a desperate one: Lord, baptize us in the fire of Your holiness! I hope you are desperate for the same flame. Ask Him to rekindle the Refiner's fire in you.

J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma. His most recent book is The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. Follow him on Twitter at leegrady.

The Year in Review: Top Spiritual Trends of 2010

Lee Grady

God is working all around us today. Don’t let negative headlines distract you from the real story.

2010 was a year of shaking. It began with a magnitude 7 earthquake in Haiti, followed by an 8.8 quake in Chile, followed by the eruption of the Iceland volcano that sent tons of ash into the skies over Europe and shut down air travel faster than you could say Eyjafjallajokull. While the ground shook, economies in Europe teetered. As floods displaced 13 million people in Pakistan, Americans worried that we might drown in federal debt.

There were plenty of negative headlines—which explains why one of the biggest movies of the year (Inception) was about a guy who escaped reality by dreaming. We had the BP oil spill, the WikiLeaks scandal, double-digit unemployment, and angry debates about Obamacare, illegal immigrants and full-body scanners. There were a few bright spots, especially in October when 33 Chilean miners climbed out of a dark shaft and donned T-shirts that read, “GRACIAS, SENOR!”

Quote: “More Muslims have come to faith in Jesus in the past 10 years than in the past 15 centuries. Radio, TV and Internet-based programming have been key in this wave of evangelism.”

As I’ve pondered the events of 2010, I’ve realized that the most important trends are often not the most obvious. Mainstream media pays most attention to the wealthy, the famous and the powerful. But today’s significant spiritual trends are linked to the nameless, faceless people who will never appear in the New York Times. Here’s my list of 10 Most Significant Spiritual Events or Trends of 2010:

1. Haiti’s earthquake triggered a wave of international relief. More than 230,000 people died in the Jan. 12 quake. A million were left homeless. But thousands were spared because brave Christians ventured into the disaster zone to bring food, medicine and clothing, and to rebuild orphanages, clinics, churches and schools. Many relief agencies and churches are still working there to transform the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Compassion is alive and well.

2. The number of Muslims converting to Christianity increased. One mission worker announced in 2010 that more Muslims have come to faith in Jesus in the past 10 years than in the past 15 centuries. Radio, TV and Internet-based programming have been key in this wave of evangelism. Mission workers in the region say Muslims often embrace faith in Christ after having a spiritual dream. The underground Christian movement is especially strong in Iran, where youth are desperate for spiritual solutions to social and political problems.

3. The threat of Islam prompted a backlash. Switzerland banned minarets, and France and Belgium banned women from wearing full veils. Plans for an Islamic center near Ground Zero triggered a national outcry in the United States. Terry Jones, the pastor of a tiny church in Gainesville, Fla., announced he would burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11. After religious, civic and military leaders reacted with disgust, Jones canceled the bonfire. (And we all sighed with relief, and prayed that Muslims would realize Jones wasn’t speaking for all Christians.)

4. Christianity continued to grow in Asia. In 2010, China’s economy grew to become the second largest in the world. Meanwhile a documentary filmed by charismatic evangelist Jaeson Ma showed that a New Testament-style spiritual revival is sweeping countries in Asia. The movie, 1040, reported that since the 1970s the number of Christians in China has grown from 1 million to at least 70 million. Ma says: “What’s happening in Asia today is actually the greatest move of God in human history.”

5. Persecution of Christians increased. At a conference sponsored by the European Parliament, researchers admitted that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world. Human rights organizations revealed that between 200 and 230 million Christians face threats of murder, beatings, imprisonment and torture. They also stated that 75 percent of all religious persecution is aimed at Christians. This year, persecution of Iraqi Christians was intense. Even as President Obama pulled U.S. troops out of Iraq, Islamic radicals closed down churches there. The Open Doors organization says the “religicide” of Christians in Iraq today is similar to what happened to Iraqi Jews in 1941.

6. American megachurches grew in spite of economic recession. Although unemployment remains high, a report from the Leadership Network revealed that 81 percent of megachurches in this country are still growing—and meeting budgets. Only 4 percent of megachurches cut salaries in 2010. A growing number of the churches also reported that outreach to needy people is a budget priority. “The recession is helping us focus on what we really need and want to do,” said one Ohio pastor, David Fletcher, who was interviewed in the survey.

7. Younger Americans lost their faith. While a segment of charismatic youth are engaged in prayer and evangelism movements, such as the International House of Prayer or Campus Crusade for Christ, a large percentage of “millennials”—people born between 1980 and 2000—don’t consider religion important in their lives. A new book, The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation, says only 13 percent of people in this age category consider any form of spirituality to be meaningful. Hint: This must become a ministry priority for America’s churches.

8. Mainline denominations continued a downward slide. As Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Lutherans argued over the issue of gay clergy and gay marriage, their churches continued to empty. Lutherans who were upset over their 2009 vote (to allow gay clergy) split from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to form dissident networks.

9. Scandals plagued high-profile charismatic ministries. Bishop Eddie Long of Atlanta vowed to fight accusations from four men who claimed he had sexual relationships with them. A few miles away in Conyers, Ga., charismatic pastor Jim Swilley announced he is gay but vowed to remain pastor of Church in the Now. Benny Hinn's wife, Suzanne, filed for divorce in February. In the midst of the turmoil, charismatic leaders distanced themselves from the flashy, money-focused message of the past and emphasized the importance of accountability and integrity.

10. Evangelical church-planting movements grew. Francis Chan, pastor of 4,000-member Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., and author of the popular books Crazy Love and Forgotten God, stepped down from his prominent pulpit to plant a church in an undisclosed location in Asia. Chan’s decision reflects a quiet but significant trend: Many Christian leaders are engaging in brave church-planting efforts, and a refreshing apostolic spirit is on the rise. The trend is obvious in some older Pentecostal denominations (Foursquare, Pentecostal Holiness) as well as among newer networks such as the Alabama-based Association of Related Churches, or "ARC." Since 2001, when ARC began, its leaders have planted almost 200 churches in 36 states—and ARC now gives more than $8 million to missions around the world.

Please don’t let the headlines distract you from the real story. God is working all around us. I invite you to join Him!

J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. His most recent book is The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale (Chosen Books).