The following articles are compiled by:

Leo Wong

Leo@WatchmenWatching.com

 

 

'Prosperity gospel' is the greatest threat to black churches 

Source: chirstianpost.com

 

February 23, 2007 -- There is a crisis in many black churches, what a scholar-preacher calls a "mission crisis." And the greatest threat to the churches is the "prosperity gospel" movement.

 

Dr. Robert M. Franklin, author of newly released Crisis in the Village, says the achievements of the African American community are losing ground, especially among church leaders who have shifted more focus onto individual achievement.

 

"I am convinced that the single greatest threat to the historical legacy and core values of the contemporary black church tradition is posed by what is known as the 'prosperity gospel' movement," he writes, explaining that the black church has assimilated into a culture that is hostile to marginalized people, such as the poor, the HIV-infected, homosexuals and immigrants.

 

Comments:  The stark reality is that the majority of blacks in America are living in abject poverty.  Many are so down in the dump that they can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel and the future looks bleaker than Saddam Hussein with a noose around his neck.  Turning on the TV (that’s the main entertainment of many poor people) and seeing a San Antonio tele-evangelist proclaim his “Name it, claim it” message, another selling his Houston based “Your best life now” DVDs, and the money man himself, Mr. D (D as in Dollars), and you can’t blame the poor for wishing upon a shooting star for a way out of their poverty doldrums.

 

The prosperity gospel might make millionaires out of paupers, but it’s temporary and for this life only.  The Bible tells us we’re already rich if we have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  In fact, the unsaved, even if they have a net worth of billions, are spiritually bankrupt (devoid of everlasting life) and may end up in the Lake of Fire which is a fool’s reward for a life that’s lived for self and poor toward God.  Today, everybody wants to be a millionaire it seems.  That’s the cleverness of the Devil, deceiving the masses into running after this world’s riches which are only but for a season.  Matthew 16:[26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  1 Timothy 6[10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Jesus: Tales from the Crypt

Source: time-blog.com

 

February 23, 2007 -- Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you 'The Titanic' is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he's sinking is Christianity.

 

In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene.

 

No, it's not a re-make of "The Da Vinci Codes'. It's supposed to be true.

 

Let's go back 27 years, when Israeli construction workers were gouging out the foundations for a new building in the industrial park in the Talpiyot, a Jerusalem suburb. of Jerusalem. The earth gave way, revealing a 2,000 year old cave with 10 stone caskets. Archologists were summoned, and the stone caskets carted away for examination. It took 20 years for experts to decipher the names on the ten tombs. They were: Jesua, son of Joseph, Mary, Mary, Mathew, Jofa and Judah, son of Jesua.

 

Israel's prominent archeologist Professor Amos Kloner didn't associate the crypt with the New Testament Jesus. His father, after all, was a humble carpenter who couldn't afford a luxury crypt for his family. And all were common Jewish names.

 

Comments:  The attacks on the personage of the Lord Jesus Christ are persistent and unrelenting.  Satan, in his immense fury, is lashing out at Christianity like a Category 5 hurricane.  His aim is to shake the very foundation of Christianity and the faith of believers.  Some will actually think these Jesus attacker have some semblance of validity.  Some Christians have gone to movie houses to view The Da Vinci Code: the movie, and come out with doubts floating in their brains.  Did Jesus wed Mary Magdelene and foster a child?  How utter blasphemy!  Yet the attacks continue unabated.

 

Producer James Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici are just doing as they’re told by their master Satan.  Atheists will argue blue to the face that they don’t believe in religion, but beneath their façade, they’re Satan’s storm troopers out to seek and destroy all vestiges of God, Jesus and the Bible.  With them, it’s “take no prisoners” as evidenced by the collateral damage strewn everywhere.  Ungrounded in the Word souls are the casualties in this fierce spiritual war.  1 Corinthians 15[17] And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Rick Warren's controversial North Korea trip postponed

Source: chirstianpost.com

 

February 24, 2007 -- Originally scheduled for March when Warren was expected to preach to some 15,000 people at the first-ever outdoor Christian event in the reclusive country, the evangelical pastor plans to pursue a later date possibly in the summer when the weather is warmer, according to his public relations team, A. Larry Ross Communications.

 

Details have not been laid out on the reason for the delay, but the communications team says the trip to North Korea is still on.

 

Warren shocked his Saddleback congregation in July of 2006 when he announced his decision to preach in North Korea – a country listed as the worst human rights persecutor five years in a row by persecution watchdog Open Doors. They expressed support, nevertheless, for his trip.

 

The planned trip to North Korea came at the invitation of a delegation of South Korean businessmen working with representatives from North Korea. The invitation to preach publicly is a rare one. World renowned evangelist Billy Graham was one of the few Americans and religious figures to visit the communist nation. And Graham preached indoors. Warren was invited to preach outdoors at a stadium in Pyongyang, once considered “Asia’s Jerusalem.”

 

Comments:  Rick Warren is at odds with the Bush Administration.  His unsanctioned jet hop to Syria last year didn’t endear him with the President nor did it solicit an invitation to Mr. Bush’s sprawling ranch in Texas.  Mr. Warren has political aspirations (most likely as a Democrat as evidenced by his inviting Barack Obama to speak at Saddleback recently).  He’s working hard to make this world a better place to live.

 

Mr. Warren has been spoken to by renown Christian author Dave Hunt who believed that Mr. Warren is a dear brother in the Lord.  Warren has a Baptist upbringing and he is well aware of the Rapture of the Church doctrine.  He also knows the pure Gospel of God as preached by the Apostle Paul.  For some inexplicable reason (known only to Mr. Warren and God), Warren neither preaches the Gospel nor teaches about the soon coming of the Lord Jesus.  That has Dave Hunt scratching his almost bald forehead in wonderment.

 

This postponed trip to North Korea to speak to the persecuted Christians there would have most likely followed Mr. Warren’s pattern of promoting his concepts in his best selling books, “The Purpose Driven Church” and “The Purpose Driven Life”.  For these impoverish starving and government controlled believers, they probably already know about God’s purpose for their lives.  They need to be encouraged by the knowledge of the soon Rapture of all believers to Heaven.  For the millions who may be watching on TV or listening to their radios, “Jesus saves sinners” is their greatest need, even more so than scrounging enough food substance to sustain them and their families for another week.  2 Timothy 4:[2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  Romans 1:[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Christian right labors to find suitable ’08 presidential candidates

Source: nytimes.com

 

February 24, 2007 -- A group of influential Christian conservatives and their allies emerged from a private meeting at a Florida resort this month dissatisfied with the Republican presidential field and uncertain where to turn.

 

The event was a meeting of the Council for National Policy, a secretive club whose few hundred members include Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family, the Rev. Jerry Falwell of Liberty University and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform. Although little known outside the conservative movement, the council has become a pivotal stop for Republican presidential primary hopefuls, including George W. Bush on the eve of his 1999 primary campaign.

 

Comments:  The sands of time are running out for conservative America.  The Democrats not only took control of the U.S. Congress in November 2006, but they’re fielding a motley crew of president wannabe candidates to duel the Republicans for the White House on November 4, 2008.  With an all star lineup consisting of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards (and perhaps the retread Al Gore), the Republicans are sweating buckets trying to muster anything resembling a major league roster with the exceptions of Vietnam vet John McCain (not your typical God fearing conservative) and left of center Rudy Giuliani whom evangelical Christians have a hard time finding anything in common.

 

The USA is on a slippery slope decline, morally and spiritually.  The Rapture is even at the door to be followed by the 7-year Tribulation Period in which there’s no mention of America per se in Bible prophecy.  The complete control of the Federal government institutions by left wing humanistic anti-God liberal Democrats could explain that lack of mention.  The hour is late.  Evangelical Christians ought to spend what remaining time ensuring that their houses are in order and prepare to meet the Bridegroom Jesus rather than trying to mire themselves in politics which of this fast sinking ship called The Good Mother Earth.  We need more Abrahams and fewer Lots.  Matthew 25:[6] And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Catholic youths reconnect with faith: Growing number returning to their religious traditions

Source: CanWest News Service

 

February 25, 2007 -- A growing segment of Catholic youths are returning to old religious traditions, such as observing Lent, in order to reconnect with their faith, according to Catholic experts.

 

Wednesday marked Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, a traditional period of penance for Christians leading up to Easter. Practitioners typically give up something dear to them to mark their faith -- whether a favourite food, hobby or vice. Traditionally, Lent includes days of fasting and abstinence.

 

North American religion experts say Lent, as well as traditional Catholic customs such as confession, can offer the younger generation a tangible way to explore their religious convictions.

 

Renewed interest in older customs are part of a larger societal tend back towards religion, according to Matthew Farnand, a 24-year-old team leader with Catholic Christian Outreach, an Ottawa organization that serves Catholic post-secondary students.

 

"For young people in high school and university, it's coming back for sure," Farnand said of observing Lent. "A lot of people are deciding to make deeper sacrifices during Lent and looking at it as a period of spiritual growth in their lives.

 

Author Colleen Carroll Campbell recently chronicled the trend in her book The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy, in which she interviewed hundreds of young Christians across the country, and argued that youth were turning to traditional religious tenets partly as a rejection of materialism and hedonism.

 

Comments:  I have always believed that it’s better to be an atheist than to belong to a religious organization that doesn’t preach the true Gospel of God, but enslaves its members with church traditions, doctrines and practices.  At least, an atheist is free of religious brainwashing and the Holy Spirit can more readily convict that person of his/her need for repentance of sins and turning to Jesus for salvation.  Of course, the Holy Spirit is God and as God, He can perform miracles. It’s just that a person who has been indoctrinated into a religious institution has preconceived ingrained thoughts and opinions and has hardened his/her heart toward Jesus and the Good News.  As that person gets older, the resistance is more steadfast.

 

Perhaps, these Catholic youths aren’t beyond hope, but it will be difficult as climbing a greased flag pole since their priests, teachers and Catholic proponents will fight tooth and nail to see that they don’t swerve to Protestant’s evangelicals who open their Bibles and expound on the truth that only God’s Word contains.  The Devil has Catholic churches firmly in his vice-like grip and he and his cohorts will stop at nothing to make sure the Catholic youths won’t be loosen of their religious chains.  “Religious but lost” is the saddest refrain for many.  Colossian 2:[8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Too often, Christians remain silent

Source: Winnipeg Free Press

 

February 25, 2007 -- In 1948, French philosopher Albert Camus was invited to speak at a Dominican monastery in France. Said Camus: "I shall not try to change anything that I think or that you think ... in order to reach a reconciliation that is agreeable to all. On the contrary, what I feel like telling you today is that the world needs dialogue ... and that the only possible dialogue is the kind between people who remain what they are and speak their minds."

 

He went on to say that "what the world of today needs are Christians who remain Christians ... what the world expects of Christians is that they should speak up loud and clear."

 

Speaking up loud and clear about Christianity -- it's certainly not something that's encouraged today. Speaking up for Christian convictions is often considered impolite and politically incorrect. After all, we don't want to offend people from other faiths, do we?

 

Actually, I've discovered that the opposite is often true. People from other faith groups usually aren't threatened when Christians disagree with them or share their deeply held convictions. In fact, they are often surprised and bewildered when Christians don't speak up for their faith. They assume that people who love and believe in their faith will defend and promote it -- it's just what all religious people do. Otherwise, why bother having a religion at all?

 

One Christian who isn't afraid to speak his mind is coming to Winnipeg next month. Joe Boot, executive director of Ravi Zacharias Ministries, is a full-time Christian apologist -- someone who looks for opportunities to defend and give answers for his faith.

 

The 33 year-old British-born author and speaker thinks that too many Canadian Christians today think it is "impolite to talk about Christ." Yet, he points out, "everyone else feels free to talk about their beliefs and perspectives."   

Boot spends a lot of time debating and discussing faith with members of other faith groups -- he recently returned from a tour of universities in Muslim countries. When Christians won't promote or defend their faith, members of other religions "see it as a sign of profound weakness -- that we don't really believe or know what we believe," he says. "If we are more open and forthright about what we believe, and live what we profess, people from other faiths will respect us more."

 

There are times for Christians to be quiet and listen -- too often we've done most of the talking. But being willing to listen doesn't mean never saying anything at all. Interfaith understanding won't be achieved through monologue. For dialogue to truly happen, every group needs to feel free to speak up.

 

Joe Boot will be in Winnipeg March 4-7 to talk about proclaiming Christianity in a post-Christian world. He will speak Sunday morning, March 4 at The Meetingplace, 139 Smith St.; at Steinbach Bible College on March 5 at 7:30 p.m.; and at Canadian Mennonite University, 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., on March 5, 6 and 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. each day. He will also be a panellist at a March 4 CJOB GodTalk radio forum on the topic: "Is there meaning in life?" The other panellists in the forum, which takes place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at CMU, are Barry Webster of the Manitoba Humanist Association and Sensei Fredrich Ulrich of the Manitoba Buddhist Church. Everyone is welcome to all the events.

 

Comments:  Notice how insidious the Devil is in criticizing Christians who are afraid to witness to people all around them.  Yes, Joe Boot is correct in his assessment of Christians being silent and not let their light shine before men, women and children.  Yet, on the other hand, he sees no danger in interfaith dialogue with other faiths and religions. I am dogmatic in asserting that only the Holy Bible contains the truth.  All other religions and their books are counterfeits and lead a soul to a lost eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Unless the Gospel of God is preached to the lost and perishing, probing to ascertain the differences in other religious is a fruitless exercise. Of course, the Gospel of God tends to offend sinners and no debate is possible.  Mr. Boot is an ecumenism ambassador under the guise of reaching out to other faiths in love and harmony.

 

The upcoming scheduled meetings and discussions in March 2007 in which all are welcome will only entrench the set beliefs of humanists and non-Christian faiths.  Real Christians cannot possibly gain by listening to the Devil’s advocates spew their poison.  It’s like a first place hockey team that has nothing to gain but everything to lose by playing against teams below them.  Christians have the truth and faith in Jesus.  That faith will surely be tested in listening to the godless propagating their very convincing arguments and lies of the serpent.  1 Timothy 6:[20] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

 

 

 

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

Keep watching (Matt 24:42)!

 

Until next time,

Shalom!

 

 

Watchmen Watching HOME PAGE

Millennium Weekend Ministries Home Page