Dave Vaughan went goofily into the Big Brother house clothed in his trademark monk’s habit and fake laugh.

This is not the first time Dave Vaughan has grabbed the headlines. For more on this attention-seeking fake, check out the Dave Vaughan archive of articles, covering him and some of his other buddies within the ‘New Ecstatics’.  - Jonathan

“Lawsuit: Lower Merion spied on student through district-provided webcam.

The Lower Merion School District spied on a student in his home, using the webcam in his school-supplied laptop, a federal lawsuit alleges.

The parents of Blake Robbins, a Harriton High student from Penn Valley, claimed the school never warned parents that the webcam in the Macintosh computer could be turned on remotely by school administrators. The laptops were issued to all Harriton students.

Two Harriton students reached today said they were shocked to learn of the allegations. Both said they leave the laptop on in their room most of the time. They said it would have been running when they were changing clothes or returning from the shower. They said they intended to cover the camera’s lens from now on.

The suit says the parents only found out about the remotely activated webcam when an assistant principal told them last November about something their son had allegedly done inside their home, and then produced a photo taken by the computer built-in camera.

In a statement, the district said the web cams are used only as a security feature, when a laptop is believed lost or stolen. On Thursday night, Superintendent Christopher W. McGinley posted a letter on its Web site explaining its use of the web cams. Following is an excerpt:

Upon a report of a suspected lost, stolen or missing laptop, the feature was activated by the District’s security and technology departments. The security feature’s capabilities were limited to taking a still image of the operator and the operator’s screen. This feature was only used for the narrow purpose of locating a lost, stolen or missing laptop. The District never activated the security feature for any other purpose or in any other manner whatsoever.

As a result of our preliminary review of security procedures today, I directed the following actions:
Immediate disabling of the security-tracking program.

A thorough review of the existing policies for student laptop use.

A review of security procedures to help safeguard the protection of privacy; including a review of the instances in which the security software was activated. We want to ensure that any affected students and families are made aware of the outcome of laptop recovery investigations.”

A review of any other technology areas in which the intersection of privacy and security may come into play.

Apple began routinely putting webcams in its laptops in 2006. Every Macbook now has an integrated webcam. Webcams are stock equipment on most PC laptops as well.”

‘In the aftermath of destruction people are turning to what they know best. For some it’s their ancestral voodoo religion, and for others it’s the church. This is but a microcosm of what a future world disaster will entail. As you read this article think about the forces that are already taking shape. “RELIGIOUS TENSIONS RISING” says the report, As if all the suffering and pain was not enough.

Haiti society appears to be fracturing along religious lines. While we might rejoice that many have found refuge in Christianity. I am not totally persuaded that they have found refuge in Christ. So the question remains will we see a futile religious war erupt with more kidnapping and violence? As people jostle for converts and religious power, who will come forth?

“HAITIAN VOODOO LEADER VOWS ‘WAR’ AFTER ATTACK ON CEREMONY

Haiti’s supreme voodoo leader vowed “war” on Wednesday after Evangelicals attacked a ceremony organized by his religion honoring those killed in last month’s massive earthquake THE ATTACK ON TUESDAY IN THE CAPITAL’S SPRAWLING CITE SOLEIL SLUM CAME WITH RELIGIOUS TENSIONS RISING, AS PROTESTANT EVANGELICALS AND OTHER DENOMINATIONS RECRUIT IN THE WAKE OF THE EARTHQUAKE THAT KILLED MORE THAN 200,000.

Some of those who have converted have said they did so because they believed God caused the earthquake.
“It will be war — open war,” Max Beauvoir, supreme head of Haitian voodoo, told AFP in an interview at his home and temple outside the capital.

“It’s unfortunate that at this moment where everybody’s suffering that they have to go into war. But if that is what they need, I think that is what they’ll get.”
The quake also left more than a million homeless and left much of the capital and surrounding areas in this Caribbean nation of more than nine million in ruins.
Police said a pastor urged followers to attack the ceremony, resulting in a crowd of people throwing rocks at the voodoo followers.

Rosemond Aristide, police inspector in Cite Soleil, said he has since spoken with the pastor, who agreed to allow voodoo ceremonies to take place there. However, Aristide could not explain why no arrests were made nor provide further details. Beauvoir claimed the Protestant Evangelicals attacked the ceremony along with other people they hired, causing a number of injuries.

He also accused Evangelical denominations of using post-quake aid supplies such as food and medicine to try to “buy souls.”
“I would like to see each one of them tied up in ropes and thrown in the sea, and I hope the best of them will be able to catch a plane and run away and leave in peace,” the voodoo priest said.
“Because this is what we need right now — peace.”
Asked whether he would encourage voodoo followers to respond with the same kind of violence, Beauvoir said he would.

“They have not been aggressors,” he said of voodooists. “I think they are aggressed (attacked), and they will have to answer with the same type of aggression. I don’t mean for (Evangelicals) to die. I am not out to kill them.”
About half of Haiti’s population is believed to practice voodoo in some form, though many are thought to also follow other religious beliefs at the same time. The religion — whose practitioners often use the vodou spelling as opposed to the Westernized version — is deeply rooted in Haitian culture.

A voodoo priest named Boukman has been credited with setting off the country’s slave rebellion in the late 18th century, which eventually led to the creation of the world’s first black republic.
But Evangelicals have been making inroads in Haiti lately.

One Evangelical priest in the middle-class Port-au-Prince suburb of Petionville claimed on Wednesday that more than 200 people had come to his church to convert after the January 12 quake.
“They say that God struck the country,” said Sainvoyus Raymond of the First Baptist Church of Petionville, adding that some of those who converted were previously voodooists.
Raymond, however, condemned the attack in Cite Soleil, saying violence should not be condoned and anyone was free to worship in whatever way they chose.
Asked whether he believed the quake was a result of voodoo being practiced in the country, Raymond said no.
He said instead that the disaster was God’s response to all evil in Haiti, including violence and kidnapping.”

I just got this in the Anzac Andrew Strom mailing list: Feb 25, 2010

I’m only sharing this because I know many people read Strom’s letters without discernment and this is harmful to those weaker in the faith, but after reading much on this site and knowing some of Strom’s own leanings, which I gleaned through reading alot of his writings (esp healing revivalists and his almost worshipping Wigglesworth and others like him) and his mailing list letters (and odd visions shared) and so we need to examine this exposing/warning in light of scripture or else we go off into presumption.

The main exposing in this message is accurate to a point and some of which is already on this board ie: Bentley’s kingly anointing not of God; however we need to examine what Andrew is saying in light of scripture; especially with regards to some comments he made ie: “the coming Reformation” and the “new apostles”; we have to keep in mind Andrew still believes in an endtime revival. So we need to put up some scriptures in light of the endtimes and James 3:1, wheat and tares, and other relevant scriptures so we don’t go off on any presumption or make up some extra biblical endtimes scenario.

‘WARNING to THE “APOSTLES”
-Andrew Strom. Feb 25, 2010

An Open Letter to Peter Wagner, Dutch Sheets & Other “Apostles”.

I recently received a report of a new “Apostolic Network” headed up by Dutch Sheets which held a gathering in Florida last week to “carve up” territories for it’s ‘apostles’, etc. I need to put in writing what I believe the Lord would say to these men.

But first I need to remind us all of something. On June 23rd, 2008, a group of “apostles and prophets” under Peter Wagner’s headship stood on a stage in Lakeland at the Todd Bentley revival – to lay on hands and commission him, etc. But it was far more than that.

Peter Wagner called it an “apostolic alignment.” He made the following statement before all the TV cameras and all the people:

“I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley:

-Your power will increase.
-Your authority will increase.
-Your favor will increase.
-Your influence will increase.
-Your revelation will increase.

I also decree that:

-A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
-A new life force will penetrate this move of God…”

Onlookers might have thought that Wagner was ‘prophesying’ the above statements. But actually what he felt he was doing was “decreeing” these things over Todd – since he was the ‘head apostle’. In a letter the following day, Wagner called this a “groundbreaking event” and stated that, “We are now in a place in what I see as the Second Apostolic Age…” (In other words, a “new era” of real apostles).

So how did that work out for you, Peter? Well, literally within weeks we found out that many of the “miracles” at Lakeland had no foundation, and then Todd Bentley’s wife separated from him apparently over an affair he was having – and the entire ‘revival’ fell to pieces in the worst way possible. That’s how it worked out.

All the big Charismatic leaders that had stood on that stage hardly knew what to do with themselves – they were so embarrassed. And none more so than Peter Wagner – after making an “Apostolic decree” like that. -Probably the most colossal disaster of his life.

So who pulled the rug out from under your “apostolic alignment”, Peter? I need to tell you that there are two responsible parties. One is ‘yourself’ – clearly. And the second is GOD – because He is now pitted against you and your so-called “apostles”. He is the one who did this to you.

You and your friends have presumed to an office and a place over the Body that is simply not yours, and God is in the process of taking you ‘apostles’ down – and all your “networks” with you.

Dutch Sheets – can I ask you please, what gives you the right to carve up the Body of Christ in North America and parcel it out like McDonalds franchises to all your buddies so they can be ‘apostles’ over their own “territory”? Do you have any idea what you are playing with? Don’t you know that if your buddies are not real New Testament Apostles then all they are doing is painting huge targets on themselves and begging for the judgment of God?
How dare you treat the Body of Christ like a piece of Real Estate that you can carve up for your own aggrandizement?

Because of men like you, God is about to judge the leadership of the church. Do they call themselves an “apostle”? Well, God is going to put them to the test. If they are not the real thing, they make themselves His ‘enemy’ because they are blocking His real Reformation. Every self-proclaimed “apostle and prophet” is about to be put to the test. Oh, you call your group an “Apostolic Council of Elders” or something similar? Expect God to come
calling, and if you are not the real thing, expect Him to take you down. The Lord God is coming to take back His church with great violence. And you guys are standing directly in His way.

I’ve heard that one of these big “apostles” in Canada once told his network that their “apostle-ness” would be judged by the ‘noses and nickels’ that they represented. (In other words, their “numbers” and their reaping of money). Hmmmm. If I didn’t know better, I would call those the words of a hireling and a wolf.

As Lee Grady wrote about this ‘Apostle-Mania’:

“In some circles apostles demanded total allegiance from the leaders who were “under” them. Some required a policy of “tithing up,” creating a monstrous organizational structure similar to a spiritual Amway. So-called apostles with huge “downlines” made exorbitant amounts of money. One leader even offered pastors the opportunity to become “spiritual sons” by contributing $1,000 a month to his ministry.”

And yet here is what the TRUE apostle Paul wrote: “I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death… we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace… we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things…” (1 Cor 4:9-13).

Now THAT is true apostleship. Tell me, Mr. Modern Apostle, do you match up to the New Testament apostles? If not, what on earth do you think God is going to do to you if you claim that title falsely?

I believe that many true Apostles, when they do arise, will simply REFUSE to carry such titles in any way. They will “minimize” themselves, not exalt themselves. That is the heart of a true leader of God.

In closing, let me again warn those who have titled themselves “apostle” or ‘prophet’ in the modern church. God is coming to “clean house” and if you are not the real deal, expect Him to start with you. It is as simple as that. You need to repent urgently of your utter presumption. You have been warned.’

As the present moderator on this site, I don’t have the same ability as Miriam did to discern dreams or visions and interpret them, and I am often far less sure what is or what is not of God – unless I see major red flags, that is, with scriptural contradictions in the dream or vision. So with that extra ‘warning’ about the need for anyone to test and weigh this vision carefully, and making it clear this site or Miriam is not officially endorsing this prophecy (no offence to Chris intended, but I don’t know him or his (or her?) or his prophetic track record and also Miriam has not read it) and I don’t have the ability, I thought it best to post it up here with an open mind to see what others thought on it.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

I saw in a dream a young man wounded who goes by the name of Todd Bentley. He had been warned over and over of his deception in the past and present yet the warnings had went unheard and ignored. In the dream this man was wounded three times. For whatever reason I found myself carrying his bloody body in my arms to a hospital, but, the hospital was not what it appeared or seemed to be, for the hospital that Todd directed me to go to was a media center. I know, weird right? But I’ll explain later.

Todd layed in a bed dying. Three wounds he suffered were from gun shots, one wound caused blindness, the other caused deafness while the third more serious wound caused death itself. Let the reader know that these are SPIRITUAL WOUNDS. I tried to talk with him but he was full of anger and hatred at anyone, but especially me. He kept hitting his ear as if trying to desperately gain back his hearing, he shouted and cursed at me, so, I placed my hand upon his ear and called for hearing to return and it did, he was made whole in his ear.

He then turned to me, although still blind, he could now hear me, which made him even more angrier.I suspect that his anger was not so much at me, but what I represent – holiness and truth but he was more angrier because I was a prophet, a REAL prophet of God, which he hated and een told me. He asked me what did I want, and I told him that I was sorry that he was wounded, but that God had brought judgement in his life and that he needed to REPENT and to seek forgiveness for all of the deception he had caused.

Todd then became full of rage, he began to rant in a strange unknown tongue, and it was NOT of God, I then told the demon within him to silence itself, and it did, but he smirked and giggled and laughed, but the hatred still remained toward me. Todd then took this strange looking liquid, an IV of sorts and placed it in his vein, it was NOT anything from the hospital, but something else, it was evil, all I can tell the reader of this note is that this liquid was dark and moving into his veins. Todd’s eyes, although still very much blind, for his eyesight was not returned, became bright red with rage and hate toward me. I then pleaded with him to repent to allow God into his life, but to no avail. The demonic spirit came forth again and rebuked me, cursing me once more, this time I did not stand in its way to claim that which was rightly his.

I then began to leave the small area he was at, when Todd demanded that someone would help him up, but not me, anyone but me. Then, I saw two young women, very much attractive and very much sympathetic to Todd and they lifted him up, in his stooper and he demanded to be taken to a place so ALL could hear him. He cursed me and cursed my prophetic role. The hospital was in fact a media center and as Todd took hold of the mic and tv cameras, it seemed as though this would be his final stand. In the dream I saw his end, dying from his condition and eternally lost.

I walked out of that place I and he was in to cries of hatred of those that supported him, people called me to go back in and take care of him, raise him from the dead but I told them that he was to pay the price for his deception and that he was overcome by demonic forces and that I had no obligation to further deal with him and that in all, he was now gone from this world.

The interpretation: I believe Todd is about to face judgement. He has been wounded; he is blind (spiritually) and he is deaf (spiritually) but that deafness will be removed to allow him to hear the GOSPEL one last time but I believe he will refuse to repent. For his refusal to repent of his deception, God shall bring forth judgement to this man which will cost him either his life or his life in ministry. His recent return to ministry shall be a short one for God will bring this man to judgement for all to see and many will be angry for his removal. But judgement IS coming.

This is the dream I was given of this man on Monday February 22, 2010. ”

“And today I would like to speak to you from the theme, “Ten Shekels and a Shirt”, as we find it here in Judges Chapter 17. I’ll read the chapter and then I will read a portion also from the 18th to the 19th chapter as the background might be clear in our minds. “And there was a man of Mount Ephraim whose name was Micah.” A little background if you please. There was a situation where the Amorites refused to allow the people of the tribe of Dan to any access to Jerusalem and they crowded them up into Mount Ephraim. It is a sad thing when the people of God allow the world to crowd them into an awkward position. So they were unable to get to Jerusalem and we find, out of this comes the problems that we are about to see.

Judges 17:1- 18:6

And there was a man of Mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
And he said unto his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.”
And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, “I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it unto thee.”
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah.
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
In those days, there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem-Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And he came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
And Micah said unto him, “Whence comest thou?” And he said unto him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.”
And Micah said unto him, “Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give the ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals.” So the Levite went in.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Then said Micah, “Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
Judges 18:1
In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.
And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, “Go, search the land”; who when they came to Mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.
When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said unto him, “Who brought thee hither? And what makest thou in this place? And what hast thou here?”
And he said unto them, “Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.”
And they said unto him, “Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.”
And the priest said unto them, “Go in peace; before the Lord is your way wherein ye go.”
Judges 18:14

Then the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, “Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.”
And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.
And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.
And these went into Micah’s house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, “What do ye?”
And they said unto him, “Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest; is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?”
And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.
Well, there’s the story. This isn’t part of the actual history of the Judges, this is a gathering together of some accounts that enable us to see the social condition in that period when every man did as seemed right in his own eyes and there was no king in Israel. So we understand that Micah was unable to get to Jerusalem and perhaps for some kind of devote reason he decided he would build a replica of the temple on his own property. He built what he thought would be an appropriate building and he made the instruments of the tabernacle, for these are part of the furnishings : The ephod, included among them, but then he also gathered some of the things from the people around him; the teraphim, the images which God had forbidden.

But you see, nevertheless, there was a desire to get along as best he could. So he took a little bit of the world and a little bit of Israel, that which had been revealed by God, and he sort of mixed them up, until he had something that he thought might please the Lord. Then of course he was delighted beyond words when a wandering young preacher came along from Bethlehem, Judah. He was a Levite, his mother was of the tribe of Judah. Though he himself was a Levite, God had given permission through Moses that the Levites might marry into other tribes and they might join themselves to other tribes.

So this young man didn’t like the living, and every Levite was provided for, but he had wanderlust and an itching foot and so he started off to see if he couldn’t do better for himself that was being done. He felt that being a Levite was good, but there should be opportunities associated with it, and so he came to the house of Micah. There he waited and there he was invited in and asked to become the priest. And Micah made a deal with him. He said, “If you’ll be my priest, be my father and priest, then I’ll give you ten shekels and a shirt” It says a “suit”, but you understand that the people of the day wore what would be called a gelavia, a long sort of an outsize, well I was going to say a nightgown, I don’t know if that is exactly what it is but it is appropriate at least, something like that. And he gave him a suit of clothes or a change of apparel and his food and ten shekels a year.

This was pretty good living for him and so he decided that he would stay there and enter into the mixture of idolatry and so on that was in the house of Micah. But the people of Dan came along, they were suppose to have driven out the Amorites, but the Amorites were too difficult, and they wanted to find someone that was a little easier to get out. And they came to, as you’ve read, to Micah’s house and the Levite told them to go ahead. Then you find that they discovered that there were people after the manner of the Zidonians at Laish. They were peaceful and no one was there to protect them, and so they figure this would be a very good place to take some land for themselves. When they came with the men that were sent to conquer this area they figured that since they found the land through the young Levite, it would be splendid to have his assistance.

And so they went into the house of Micah, took all the things that he had made and it cost a good bit of money, because at least two hundred shekels had been given for this one piece of furniture. And so they just took it all, made it theirs and took the Levite. Rather hard on Micah, but you’ll notice the young Levite was able to adjust himself to this. It was amazing how flexible he was and how easily he could accommodate himself to such changes when there was a little rationalization along the way – As soon as he could begin to see that it was far more important to serve a tribe than one man’s family. And he could minister to so many more, why he could see the wisdom of this and he could justify it. With no real strain of conscious he could make the adjustment, hold his hand over his mouth while they took the furniture out of the little chapel that Micah had built. But he was a wise man nonetheless, rather than go along at the front which put him in a place of danger or at the rear which put him in a place of danger, I say he was a wise man, he put himself right in the middle. So that if Micah had sent any of his servants to get him he was safe with soldiers on every side.

What can we call this and how will it apply to our days generation? Would I be out of line if I were to talk to you for a little while about utilitarian religion and expedient Christianity? And a youthful God? I would like to call attention to the fact that our day is a day which the ruling philosophy is pragmatism. You understand what I mean by pragmatism. Pragmatism means if it works it’s true – if is succeeds it’s good. And the test of all practices, all principles, all truth, so called all teaching, is do they work? Do they work? Now – according to pragmatism, the greatest failures of the ages have been some of the men God has honored most.

For instance, whereas Noah was a mighty good ship builder, his main occupation wasn’t ship building, it was preaching. He was a terrible failure as a preacher. His wife and three children and their wives are all he had. Seven converts in 120 years you wouldn’t call particularly effective. Most mission boards would have asked the missionaries to withdraw long before this. I say as a ship builder he did quite well, but as a preacher, he was a failure. And then we come down across the years to another man by the name of Jeremiah. He was a might effective preacher, but ineffective as far as results were concerned. If you were to measure statistically how successful Jeremiah was, he would probably get a large cipher. For we find that he lost out with the people, he lost out with royalty, even the ministerial association voted against him and wouldn’t have anything to do with him. He had everything fail. The only one he seemed able to please was God……but otherwise he was a distinct failure. And then we come to another well known person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was a failure from judging all the standards. He never succeeded in organizing a church or denomination. He wasn’t able to build a school. He didn’t succeed in getting a mission board established. He never had a book printed. He never was able to get any of the various criteria or instruments that we find and are so useful; I’m not being sarcastic at all, they are useful. And our Lord preached for three years, healed thousands of people, fed thousands of people, and yet when it was all over there were 120….500 to whom he could have revealed Himself after His resurrection. And the day that He was taken, one man said, “If all the others forsake you, I’m willing to die for you.” He looked at this one and said, “Peter, you don’t know your own heart. You’re going to deny me three times before the cock crows this morning.” So all men forsook Him and fled. By every standard of our generation or any generation, our Lord was a single failure.

The question comes then to this, what is the standard of success and by what are we going to judge our lives and our ministry? And the question that you are going to ask yourself, “Is God an end or is He a means?” And you have to decide very early in your Christian life whether you’re viewing God as an end or a means. Our generation is prepared to honor with single honor anyone that’s successful regardless of whether they settled this problem or not. As long as they can get things done or get the job done, or, “It’s working, isn’t it?”, then our generation is prepared to say, “Well, you’ve got to reckon with this.”

And so we’ve got to ask ourselves at the very outset of our ministry, and our pilgrimage, and our walk, “Are we going to be Levites who serve God for ten shekels and a shirt?” Serve men perhaps in the name of God, rather than God. For though he was a Levite and performed religious activities, he was looking for a place. A place which would give him recognition, a place which would give him acceptance, a place which would give him security, a place where he could shine in terms of those values which were important to him. His whole business was serving in religious activities so it had to be a religious job. He was very happy when he found that Micah had an opening. But he had decided that he was worth ten shekels and a shirt, and he was prepared to sell himself to anyone that would give that much. If somebody came along and gave more, he would sell himself to them. But he put a value upon himself and he figured his religious service and his activities were just a means to an end and by the same token God was a means to an end.

Now in order to understand the implications of that in the twentieth century, we’ve got to go back 150, 100 years at least, to a conflict that attacked Christianity. Just after the great revivals in America with Finney, the Spirit of God having been marvelously outpoured onto certain portions of our country, there came an open attack on our faith in Europe under the higher critics. Darwin had postulated his theory of evolution; certain philosophers had adapted it to their philosophies, and theologians had applied it to the Scripture. And so about 1850, you could mark the opening of a frontal attack upon the Word of God. Satan had always been insidiously attacking it. But now it was open season on the Book, open season on the Church, and Voltaire could declare that he would live to see the Bible become a relic and just have it placed only in museums; that it would be utterly destroyed by the arguments that he was so forcefully presenting against it.

Well, what was the effect of this? The philosophy of the day became humanism. And you could define humanism this way: Humanism is a philosophical statement that declares the end of all being is the happiness of man. The reason for existence is man’s happiness. Now according to humanism, salvation is simply a matter of getting all the happiness you can, out of life. If you’re influenced by someone like Nietzsche, who says that “The only true satisfaction in life is power and that the power is its own justification”, and that after all, the world is a jungle. And it is therefore up to the man to be happy, to become powerful, and become powerful by any means he can use. For it is only in this position of ascendancy or as we saw in the worship of Molech that one can be happy. This would produce in due course, a Hitler who would take the philosophy of Nietzsche as his working, operating, principles and guide, and would say of his people, that, “We are destined to rule the world.” Therefore any means that we can use to achieve this is our salvation.

Somebody else turns around and says, “Well, no. The end of being is happiness, but happiness doesn’t come from authority over people, happiness comes from sensual experience.” So you would have the type of existentialism that characterizes France today, that’s given rise to beatnicism in America and to the gross sensuality of our country. Since man is essentially a glandular animal, whose highest moments of ecstasy come from the exercise of his glands, salvation is simply to find the most desirable way to gratify this part of a person. And so this became the effect of humanism, that the end of all being is the happiness of man. John Dewey, then an American philosopher influencing education, was able to persuade the educators that there were no absolute standards. Children shouldn’t be brought to any particular standard, that the end of education was simply to allow the child to express himself and expand on what he is and find his happiness in being what he wants to be. So we had cultural lawlessness, when every man could do as seemed right in his own eyes and we had no God to rule over us. The Bible had been discounted and disallowed and disproved according to what they said. God had been dethroned – He didn’t exist. He had no personal relationship to individuals. Jesus Christ was either a myth or just a man – so they taught, and therefore the whole end of being was happiness. The individual would establish the standards of his happiness and interpret it.

Now religion then had to exist because there were so many people that made their living at it, so they had to find some way to justify their existence. So back about the time in 1850, the church divided into two groups. The one group was the liberals, who accepted the philosophy of the humanism and tried to find some relevance by saying something like this to their generation, “Ha, Ha….we don’t know there’s a heaven; we don’t know there’s a hell. But we do know this – that you’ve got to live for 70 years! We know there’s a great deal of benefit from poetry, from high thoughts and noble aspirations. Therefore it’s important for you to come to church on Sunday, so that we can read some poetry, that we can give you some little adages and axioms and rules to live by. We can’t say anything about what’s going to happen when you die, but we’ll tell you this, if you’ll come every week and pay and help and stay with us, we’ll put springs on your wagon and your trip will be more comfortable. We can’t guarantee anything about what’s going to happen when you die, but we say that if you come along with us, we’ll make you happier while you’re alive.” And so this became the essence of liberalism. It has simply nothing more than to try and put a little sugar in the bitter coffee of their journey and sweeten it up for a time. This is all that it could say.

Well now, the philosophy of the atmosphere is humanism; the chief end of being is the happiness of man. There’s another group of people that have taken hum bridge with the liberals; this group are my people, the fundamentalists. They say, “We believe in the inspiration of the Bible! We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ! We believe in hell! We believe in heaven! We believe in heaven! We believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ!” But remember, the atmosphere is that of humanism. And humanism says the chief end of being is the happiness of man. Humanism is like a miasma out of a pit; it just permeates everyplace. Humanism is lie an infection, an epidemic – it just goes everywhere. So it wasn’t long until we had this, that the fundamentalists knew each other because they said, “We believe these things!” They were men for the most part that had met God. But you see, it wasn’t long until having said, “These are the things that establish us as fundamentalists!” The second generation said, “This is how we become a fundamentalist! Believe the inspiration of the Bible! Believe in the deity of Christ! Believe in His death, burial, and resurrection! And thereby become a fundamentalist!” And so it wasn’t long until it got to our generation, where the whole plan of salvation was to give intellectual assent to a few statements of doctrine. And a person was considered a Christian because he could say, “Ah hah” at four or five places that he was asked. If he knew where to say “Ah hah”, someone would pat him on the back, shake his hand, smile broadly, and say, “Brother, you’re saved!” so it had gotten down to the place where salvation was nothing more than an assent to a scheme or a formula, and the end of this was that salvation was the happiness of man, because humanism has penetrated. If you were to analyze fundamentalism in contrast to liberalism of a hundred years ago, as it developed, for I am not pinpointing it in time, it would be like this: The liberal says the end of religion is to make man happy while he’s alive, and the fundamentalist says the end of religion is to make man happy when he dies. But again! The end of all of the religion it was proclaimed was the happiness of man. And where as the liberal says, “By social change and political order we’re going to do away with funds, we’re going to do away with alcoholism and dope addiction and poverty. And we’re going to make Heaven on earth and make you happy while you’re alive! We don’t know anything about after that, but we want you to be happy while you’re alive!” They went ahead to try and do it only to be brought to a terrifying shock at the first World War and utterly staggered by the second World War, because they seemed to be getting no where fast.

And then the fundamentalists, along the same line, are now tuning in along this same wavelength of humanism. Until we find it something like this: “Accept Jesus so you can go to heaven! You don’t want to go to that old, filthy, nasty, burning hell, when there is a beautiful heaven up there! Now come to Jesus so you can go to heaven!” And the appeal could be as much to selfishness, as a couple of men sitting in a coffee shop, deciding they are going to rob a bank to get something for nothing! There’s a way that you can give an invitation to sinners, that just sounds for all the world like a plot to take up a filling station proprietor’s Saturday night earnings without working for them. Humanism is, I believe, the most deadly and disastrous of all the philosophical stenches that’s crept up through the grating over the pit of Hell. It has penetrated so much of our religion. And it is in utter and total contrast with Christianity! Unfortunately, it’s seldom seen. And here we find Micah, wants to have a little chapel, and he wants to have a priest, and he wants to have prayer, and he wants to have devotion, because, “I know the Lord will do me good!” AND THIS IS SELFISHNESS! AND THIS IS SIN! And the Levite comes along and falls right in with it! Because he wants a place! He wants ten shekels and a shirt and his food! And so in order that he can have what he wants, and Micah can have what they want, They sell out God! For ten shekels and a shirt! AND THIS IS THE BETRAYAL OF THE AGES! And it is the betrayal in which we live. And I don’t see how God can revive it! Until we come back to Christianity. As in direct and total contrast with the stenchful humanism that’s perpetrated in our generation in the name of Christ.

I’m afraid that it’s become so subtle that it goes everywhere. What is it? In essence it’s this! That this philosophical postulate that the end of all being is the happiness of man, has been sort of covered over with evangelical terms and Biblical doctrine until God reigns in heaven for the happiness of man, Jesus Christ was incarnate for the happiness of man, all the angels exist in the…..Everything is for the happiness of man! And I submit to you that this is Unchristian! Isn’t man happy? Didn’t God intend to make man happy? Yes. But as a by-product, and not a prime-product.

It was that good man that’s so admired by the fuzzy thinkers of our day, out there in Africa, dear Dr. Schweitzer; bless his heart, he’s a brilliant man. A philosopher, doctor, musician, composer – undoubtedly a brilliant man. But Dr. Schweitzer is no more Christian than this rose, and he would call it a personal insult if he were to say he was a Christian. He doesn’t see Christ as having any relevance to his philosophy or life. Dr. Schweitzer is a humanist. Dr. Schweitzer was sitting on the bow of the boat going up the broad Congo river toward his station, watching the Belgian government officials with their high power rifles, shooting at the crocodiles sunning on the mud flats along the river. They were expert marksmen. They would use these dumb-dumb bullets that would explode inside the crocodile and just send them spinning up into the air, from the contraction of muscles. You say, ” How do you know so much about it?” Well , to my shame, I was guilty of the same thing in the Nile. And they were there; this was what their sport was. They bagged them, and they kept count and they’d put strings around the place where their gun was and have a little place for the gun and then they’d tie knots so that they could see how many crocodiles they killed. A colossal waste of life! And it was there that Schweitzer saw the essence of his philosophy. And do you know what it is? Three words – Reverence for life….. Reverence for life. Crocodile life, human life, and other kinds of life. My friend, George Kline, who was with us last week and is going back to the Gabon, was just about 50 or 60 miles away from this Dr. Schweitzer’s station. You know, Dr. Schweitzer is so convinced of reverence of life, that he doesn’t like to sterilize his surgery. He has the dirtiest surgery in Africa, because bacteria are life and he doesn’t want to hurt any of the good bacteria with the bad, so he just sort of, let’s them all grow together. His organ broke. Someone had sent him our an organ and the means of playing it. Mr. Kline is an expert organist and an organ repairer as well, so he went over to see Dr. Schweitzer, and Dr. Schweitzer said, “George, do you think you can fix my organ?” He said, “I wouldn’t be surprised – let me try it.” So he took the back off and to his amazement he discovered a huge nest of cockroaches. With characteristic, American enthusiasm and zeal, George started trampling all over the cockroaches not to let a one of them get away. And the good doctor came out – his hair standing straighter than it had for a long time, and because of his anger, he shouted, “You stop that right now!” “Why? They’re ruining your organ?” He said, “That’s alright, they were just being true to their nature, “he said, “You can’t .” So one of the boys came in and said, “It’s alright Mr. Kline.” And he reached down, very tenderly picked them up, and put them in a little bag, and crimped the top, and he put each cockroach in, and they took them out into the jungle and let them loose.

Now here was a man that believed his philosophy, reverence for life. Utterly committed to it! Utterly consistent! Even when it came to the matter of cockroach or microbe. Do you see? This is humanism, this is consistency.

Now I ask you; What is the Philosophy of Missions? What is the Philosophy of Evangelism? What is the Philosophy of a Christian? If you’ll ask me why I went to Africa, I’ll tell you I went primarily to improve on the justice of God. I didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to Hell without a chance to be saved. So I went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. Now I haven’t put it in so many words, but if you’ll analyze what I just told you , do you know what it is? Humanism. That I was simply using the provisions of Jesus Christ as a means to improve upon human conditions of suffering and misery. And when I went to Africa, I discovered that they weren’t poor, ignorant, little heathen running around in the woods looking for someone to tell them how to go to heaven. That they were Monsters of Iniquity! They were living in utter and total defiance of far more knowledge of God than I ever dreamed they had! They deserved Hell! Because they utterly refused to walk in the light of their conscious, and the light of the law written upon their heart, and the testimony of nature, and the truth they knew! And when I found that out I assure you I was so angry with God that on one occasion in prayer I told Him it was a mighty little thing He’d done – sending me out there to reach these people that were waiting to be told how to go to heaven. When I got there I found out they knew about heaven, and didn’t want to go there, and that they loved their sin and wanted to stay in it.

(Brother Paris speaks with great passion in this paragraph) I went out their motivated by humanism. I’d seen pictures of lepers, I’d seen pictures of ulcers, I’d seen pictures of native funerals, and I didn’t want my fellow human beings to suffer in Hell eternally after such a miserable existence on earth. But it was there in Africa that God began to tear through the overlay of this humanism! And it was that day in my bedroom with the door locked that I wrestled with God. For here was I, coming to grips with the fact that the people I thought were ignorant and wanted to know how to go to heaven and were saying, “Someone come and teach us!”, actually didn’t want to take time to talk with me or anybody else. They had no interest in the Bible and no interest in Christ, and they love their sin and wanted to continue in it. And I was to that place, at that time, where I felt the whole thing was a sham and a mockery, and I had been sold a bill of goods! And I wanted to come home. There alone in my bedroom as I faced God honestly with what my heart felt, it seemed to me I heard Him say, “Yes, will not the Judge of all the earth do right? The heathen are lost, and they’re going to go to Hell, not because they haven’t heard the gospel. They’re going to go to Hell because they are sinners, who love their sin! And because they deserve Hell. But……I didn’t send you out there for them. I didn’t send you out there for their sakes.” And I heard clearly as I’ve ever heard, though it wasn’t with physical voice but it was the echo of truth of the ages, finding it’s way into an open heart. I heard God say to my heart that day something like this, “I didn’t send you to Africa for the sake of the heathen, I sent you to Africa for My Sake….They deserved Hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of Hell for them!!!! I didn’t send you out there for them! I SENT YOU OUT THERE FOR ME… Do I not deserve the reward of my suffering? Don’t I deserve those for who I died?” And it reversed it all!! And changed it all!! And righted it all!! And I wasn’t any longer working for Micah and ten shekels and a shirt! But I was serving a living God! I was not there for the sake of the heathen. I was there for the Savior that endured the agonies of Hell for me, who didn’t deserve it. But He deserved them, (the heathen). Because He died for them.

Do you see? Let me epitomize, let me summarize. Christianity says, “The end of all being is the glory of God.” Humanism says, “The end of all being is the happiness of man.” And one was born in Hell, the deification of man; and the other was born in heaven, the glorification of God! And one is a Levite serving Micah, and the other is a heart that’s unworthy serving the living God, because it’s the highest honor in the universe.

What about you? Why did you repent? I’d like to see some people repent on Biblical terms again. George Whitefield knew it. He stood on Boston Commons speaking to twenty thousand people and he said, “Listen sinners – you’re monsters – monsters of iniquity! You deserve Hell! And the worst of your crimes is that criminals though you’ve been, you haven’t had the good grace to see it!” He said, “If you will not weep for your sins and your crimes against a Holy God, George Whitefield will weep for you!” That man would put his head back and he would sob like a baby. Why? Because they were in danger of Hell? No! But because they were “monsters of iniquity”, that didn’t even see their sin or care about their crimes. You see the difference? The difference is, here is somebody trembling because he is going to be hurt in Hell. And he has no sense of the enormity of his guilt! And no sense of the enormity of his crime! And no sense of his insult against Deity! He’s only trembling because his skin is about to be singed! He’s afraid and I submit to you that where as fear is good office work in preparing us for grace, it’s no place to stop. And the Holy Ghost doesn’t stop there. That’s the reason why no one can savingly receive Christ until they’ve repented. And no one can repent until they’ve been convicted. And conviction is the work of the Holy Ghost that helps a sinner to see that he is a criminal before God and deserves all of God’s wrath. And if God were to send him to the lowest corner of a devil’s Hell forever and ten eternities, that he deserved it all! And a hundred fold more. Because he’s seen his crimes.

This is the difference between twentieth century preaching and the preaching of John Wesley. Wesley was a preacher of righteousness that exalted the holiness of God. When he would exalt the holiness of God, and the law of God, and the righteousness of God, and the justice of God, and the wisdom of His requirements! And the justice of his wrath and his anger! Then he would turn to sinners and tell them of the enormity of their crimes and their open rebellion and their treason, and their anarchy. And the power of God would so descend upon the company, that on one occasion it is reliably reported that when the people dispersed there were 1800 people lying on the ground, utterly unconscious! Because they had a revelation of the holiness of God and in the light of that they’d seen the enormity of their sins and God had so penetrated their minds and hearts that they had fallen to the ground! It wasn’t only in Wesley’s day; it was also in America, New Haven, Connecticut, Yale. A man by t he name of John Wesley Redfield had continuous ministry for three years in and around New Haven. Culminating in the great meetings in Yale Ball, the first of the Yale Balls’ back in the 18th century. The policeman were accustomed during those days, if they saw someone lying on the ground, to go up and smell his breath. Because if he had alcohol on his breath they’d lock him up; but if he didn’t, he had Redfield’s disease. And all you needed to do if anyone had Redfield’s disease was just take him into a quiet place and leave him until he came to. Because if they were drunkards, they’d stop drinking, and if they were cruel, they’d stop being cruel, and if they were immoral, they gave up their immorality. If they were thieves, they returned what they had. For as they had seen the holiness of God, and seen the enormity of their sin; the Spirit of God had driven them down into unconsciousness because of the weight of their guilt! And somehow in the overspreading of the power of God, sinners repented of their sin and came savingly to Christ.

But there was a difference! It wasn’t trying to convince a “good” man that he was in trouble with a “bad” God. But that it was to convince Bad men that they had deserved the wrath and anger of a Good God! And the consequences were repentance, that lead to faith, and lead to the life. Dear friends, there’s only one reason – one reason for a sinner to repent: and that’s because Jesus Christ deserves the worship and adoration and the love and the obedience of his heart. Not because he’ll go to heaven. If the only reason you repented, dear friend, was to keep out of Hell, all you are is just a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt! That’s all! You’re trying to serve God because He’ll do you good! But a repentant heart is a heart that has seen something of the enormity of the crime of playing god and denying the just an righteous God the worship and obedience that He deserves!

Why should a sinner repent? Because God deserves the obedience and love that he’s refused to give Him! Not so that he’ll go to heaven. If the only reason he repents is so that he’ll go to heaven, it’s nothing but trying to make a deal or a bargain with God.

Why should a sinner give up all his sins? Why should he be challenged to do it? Why should he make restitution when he’s coming to Christ? Because God deserves the obedience that He demands!

I have talked with people that have no assurance that sins are forgiven. They want to feel safe, before they’re willing to commit themselves to Christ. But I believe that the only ones whom God actually witnesses by His Spirit and are born of Him, are the people, whether they say it or not, that come to Jesus Christ and say something like this, “Lord Jesus, I’m going to obey you, and love you, and serve you, and do what you want me to do, as long as I live, even if I go to Hell at the end of the road, simply because you are worthy to be loved, and obeyed and served, and I’m not trying to make a deal with you!”

Do you see the difference? Do you see the difference? Between a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt or a Micah building a chapel because God will do you good, and someone that repents for the glory of God.

Why should a person come to the cross? Why should a person embrace death with Christ? Why should a person be willing to go, in identification, down to the cross and into the tomb and up again? I’ll tell you why – because it’s the only way that God can get glory out of human being! If you say it’s because he’ll get joy or peace or blessing or success or fame then it’s nothing but a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt. There is only one reason for you to go to the Cross, dear young person – and that’s because until you come to the place of union with Christ in death, you are defrauding the Son of God of the glory that He could get out of your life. For no flesh shall glory in His sight. And until you’ve understood the sanctifying work of God by the Holy Ghost taking you into union with Christ in death and burial and resurrection, you have to serve in what you have and all you have which is under the sentence of death: human personality, and human nature, and human strength, and human energy. And God will get no glory out of that! So the reason for you to go to the cross isn’t that you’re going to get victory – you will get victory. It isn’t that you’re going to have joy – you will have joy. But the reason for you to embrace the cross and press through until you know that you can testify with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ..” (Galatians 2:20) It isn’t what you’re going to get out of it, but what He’ll get out of it, for the glory of God. By the same token, why aren’t you pressed through to know the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Why aren’t you pressed through to know the fullness of Christ? I’ll tell you why – Because the only possible way that Jesus Christ will get glory out of a life that He’s redeemed with His precious blood, is when He can fill that life with His presence and live through it his own life.

The genius of our faith wasn’t that we were going to go through the motions like a Levite that was hired to serve God. No, No! The genius of our faith was that we’d come to a place where we knew we could do nothing, and all we could do would be to present the vessel and say, “Lord Jesus, you’ll have to fill it. And everything that’s done will have to be done by You and for You.” But oh, I know so many people that are trying to know the fullness of God, so that they can use God.

A young preacher came to me down in Huntington, West Virginia. He said, “Brother Reidhead, I’ve got a great church. I’ve got a wonderful Sunday School program, go a radio ministry – growing. But I feel a personal need and a personal lack, I need to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, I need to be filled with the Spirit. And someone told me God had done something for you and I wonder if you could help me.” I looked at the fellow, and you know what he looked like? ME. Just looked like me. I just saw in him everything that was in me. You thought I was going to say “me before”. No. Listen dear heart; if you’ve ever seen yourself you’ll know you’re never going to be anything else than you were. For in me and my flesh there’s no good thing. (Romans 7:18) He looked like me.

He was like a fellow driving up in a big Cadillac, you know, to someone standing at the filling station, saying “Fill her up, bub, with the highest octane you’ve got!” Well, that’s the way it looked. He wanted power for his program. God is not going to be a means to anyone’s end. I said, “I’m awfully sorry, I don’t think that I can help you.” He said, “Why?” I said, “I don’t think you’re ready.” I said, “Well, suppose you consider yourself coming up with a Cadillac. You’ve talked about your program, you’ve talked about your radio, you’ve talked about your Sunday School and church. It’s very good. You’ve done wonderfully well without the power of the Holy Spirit.” That’s what the Chinese Christian said, you know, when he got back to China. “What impressed you most about America?” He said, “The great things Americans can accomplish with out God.” And he, (the young preacher) accomplished a great deal, admittedly without god. Now he wanted something of power to accomplish his ends even further. I said, “No….no…you’re sitting behind the wheel and you’re saying to God, “Give me power so I can go.” You won’t work. You’ve got to slide over.” But I knew the rascal, because I knew me. I said, “No, it will never do. You’ve got to get in the back seat.” And I could see him leaning over and grabbing the wheel. “No,” I said, “it will never do in the back seat.” I said. “Before God will do anything for you, you know what you’ve go to do?” So he said, “What?” I said, “You’ve got to get out of the car, take the keys around, open up the trunk lid, hand the keys to the Lord Jesus, get inside the trunk, slam the lid down, whisper through the keyhole, “Lord – look. Fill her up with anything you want and you drive, it’s up to you from now on.” That’s why so many people you know, do not enter into the fullness of Christ. Because they want to become a Levite with ten shekels and a shirt. They’ve been serving Micah, but they think if they had the power of the Holy Ghost they could serve the tribe of Dan.

It will never work. Never work. There’s only one reason for God needing you and that’s to bring you to the place where, in repentance, you’ve been pardoned for His glory. And in victory you’ve been brought to the place of death that He might reign. And in the fullness, Jesus Christ is able to live and walk in you. Your attitude is the attitude of the Lord Himself, who said, “I can do nothing of Myself” (John 8:28) I can’t speak of myself. I don’t make plans for myself. My only reason for being is for the glory of God in Jesus Christ. If I were to say to you, “Come to be saved so you can go to Heaven, come to the Cross so that you can have joy and victory, come for the fullness of the Spirit so that you can be satisfied,” I would be falling into the trap of humanism. I’m going to say to you dear friend, if you’re out here without Christ, you come to Jesus Christ and serve Him as long as you live whether you go to Hell at the end of the way Because he is worthy!

I say to you Christian friend, you come to the cross and join Him in union, in death, and enter into all the meaning of death to self in order that He can have glory. I say to you dear Christian, if you do not know the fullness of the Holy Ghost, come and present your body a living sacrifice, and let Him fill you, so that He can have the purpose for His coming fulfilled in you and get glory through your life. It’s not what you’re going to get out of God, it’s what He is going to get out of you.

Let’s be done, once for all, with utilitarian Christianity that makes God a means, instead of the glorious end that He is. Let’s resign. Let’s tell Micah we’re through. We’re no longer going to be his priests serving for ten shekels and a shirt. Let’s tell the tribe of Dan we’re through. And let’s come and cast ourselves at the feet of the nail pierced Son of God and tell Him that we’re going to obey Him, and love Him, and serve Him, as long as we live, because HE IS WORTHY!

Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, “No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he’s shipwrecked we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave; but he’s never going to talk to any of us about God. I’m through with all that nonsense.” Three thousand salves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.

Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter and used the money they received from their sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave, to pay their passage out to his island for he wouldn’t even transport them. As the ship left it’s pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea, carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Herrenhut to see these two lads off, in their early twenties. Never to return again, for this wasn’t a four year term; they sold themselves into life-time slavery. Simply that as slaves, they could be a s Christians where these others were. The families were there weeping, for they knew they would never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. As the gap widened and the housings had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier, and the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad with his arm liked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them, they were these: “MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!” This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, That the Lamb that was slain, may receive the reward of His suffering.”

see the teaching library (fairly complete) 73 free teachings (enhanced version, I personally spent months meticulously editing the audio quality, NOT THE MESSAGE CONTENT) Audio Library of Reidhead’s teaching visit this link http://www.box.net/shared/52nnnkfwgs (Reidhead link at Tozer Reidhead stuff directory). you can download, view online, comment at files, at folders, discuss the teachings

“Police chief hails power of prayer in driving down town’s crime rates

“When Inspector Roger Bartlett realised his patch had one of the poorest crime detection rates in the area, he decided he needed help.

So he asked churchgoers to pool their efforts in calling for back-up – from God.

Three years after encouraging Christians from local churches to say prayers to help policemen, detection rates have soared, road accidents have fallen and Mr Bartlett is convinced it is evidence of divine intervention.

The clear-up rate for crimes in his force area of Barnstaple was 26 per cent, one of the lowest in the Devon and Cornwall area.

But since he asked for the prayers things have changed. Every quarter, the number of crimes solved has risen, so that at its current figure – more than 40 per cent – it is one of the highest in the country. ]
Mr Bartlett, 49, who is part of the leadership of the Christian Policing Team in his area, also asked worshippers to pray for a reduction in the number of serious or fatal road accidents – and they fell from 97 in 2007/8 to 32 in 2008/9.

He also works with Street Pastors. These are Christian volunteers who help with vulnerable or drunken people and diffuse trouble in town centres at night.

Last night the policeman said he was convinced that faith and prayer has had a positive impact on policing in Barnstaple.

He said he has seen his prayers answered ‘on a number of occasions’. There was the ‘unprecedented’ Halloween night when police did not have to attend a single incident of disorder.

Then there was the ‘prolific burglar’ who was apprehended within three days of the group praying that he would be caught, he said.

Mr Bartlett said ‘the most significant answer to prayer’ he had experienced relates to a fall in the number of serious road accidents in North Devon.

He added: ‘Not only was there a 67 per cent reduction on the previous year, and a far greater fall than any other area of the force, it was also more than 50 per cent lower than the next lowest annual figure locally.’

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton of Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘Whether you believe in the power of prayer or not, the fundamental issue is that there are people out there caring about society.’

Year of Jubilee? or Age of Aquarius Disguised?

“Rev. Ernest Ramsey, an associate pastor at Unity’s Kansas City’s Founder’s Church, Unity on the Plaza, is an enthusiastic follower of the Alice Bailey and Benjamin Creme teachings. In his Research Report #2, he tells of something he was led to by a spirit guide – what he terms “Neo-Pentecostalism.” An aberrant branch of Pentecostalism, this is more commonly known as the “Manifest Sons of God.” That movement is also referred to as “Sonship or “Overcomers.” Ramsey concludes based on even less evidence than I have personally collected that this is part of the New Age Movement.

Ramsey’s work for his organization, “Synthesis Fellowship” first came to my attention in early 1983. His major report, entitled “An Evolutionary Basis for the Reappearance of the Christ and his Executives, the Masters of Wisdom” was inspired by Benjamin Creme’s appearance and speech at Unity on the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Unity on the Plaza is the founder’s church of Unity School of Practical Christianity headquartered at Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Ernest Ramsey, a handsome and articulate spokesman for occult interests believes very much in the work of Alice Bailey’s “The Tibetan” and Benjamin Creme. In recent months he even made a trip to London to try and see “The Christ.” His report encompassed the works of several occult writers. He also attempted a synthesis of C.S. Lewis, whose work, at times, did appear to contain occult, syncretistic overtones. The most interesting section of Ramsey’s report dealing with “Neopentecostalism”, Ramsey spent a semester at one of the Neo-Pentecostal or Manifest Sons of God seminaries – in upstate New York “at a location surrounded by tall pine trees.” Already familiar with the Alice Bailey writings, he was amazed to see that there was a branch of Pentecostalism that embraced the same teachings – albeit using sometimes different terminology.

Like those seeking the “Age of Aquarius” these people too were seeking a “New Age.” Like the other New Agers, these people taught that “The Christ” was an anointing – not necessarily one man. They taught that Jesus was a pattern son who was to be a sign of something even greater to come – the “Manifestation of the Sons of God.” They too believed the earth was to be cleansed of evil. And chillingly like the other New Agers, they believed they were to be “God’s” instruments to do such cleansing. The New Agers believed they were gods. The Manifest Sons of God likewise taught that if one accepted their “new revelation” that they themselves would actually become Christ at the time of the unveiling or manifestation of the Sons of God.Ernest Ramsey believed the “Neo-Pentecostals” did not accept astrology in any way. This is obviously not true as some Manifest Sons of God teachers, such as David Ebaugh, obviously do accept it. However, Ernest Ramsey excitedly pointed out in his report that they had a teaching which indeed did parallel the Aquarian teaching of the Age of Aquarius – the Old Testament “Year of Jubilee paralleled the redistribution of the world’s wealth. The Feast of Tabernacles was the equivalent of the coming together of the world’s peoples and varied religions under one tent or tabernacle – the equivalent of the New Agers’ long-awaited “New World Religion.”

Ramsey said in his report that there were three major centers of the Manifest Sons of God or “Neo-Pentecostals.” Obviously there are more. But the three locations given by Ramsey were (1) recently deceased Bill Britton’s House of Prayer and associated networking churches headquartered in Springfield, Missouri; (2) Virginia Beach, Virginia; and (3) Upstate New York ‘on a mountain top at a location surrounded by tall pine trees.”

Obtaining some of Britton’s materials and other MSOG teachers as David Ebaugh and Royal Conquist. I discovered the following teachings which closely paralleled those of the New Age Movement:

1. Lucifer is not Satan
2. Those who do not accept the “truths” of Sonship are to be eliminated or killed. That judgement is to encompass the entire world, but will start with the church!
3. The Bible is not to be interpreted literally;
4. The Christ is an office – not a man;
5. The future coming of the “Year of Jubilee” which will see the redistribution of the world’s wealth.”
6. The Garden of Eden never existed as a real place. It instead was a spiritual state from which men fell.
7. A belief in the existence of auras and energies.
8. Jesus is not returning in one body as he did the last time – but this time in many bodies, as the overcomers or Manifested Sons of God. We will be headed by one who will be our king – Jesus’ younger brother.
9. We never leave this planet. “Heaven” is merely a spiritual state from which we fell which we may reattain by accepting the “New Truths” of Sonship.
10.Those accepting the “truths” of Sonship are the generation who will not see death, or who will “loose the bonds of death.”

When I was recently in Kansas City, I asked for and received a meeting with Ernest Ramsey.

Kansas City friend who was also engagedin fighting apostasy and the New Age Movement, we asked him “what was the Virginia Beach, Virginia center?” His reply was “Rock Church.”

Rock Church and CBN have been closely allied for several years. John Gimenez is a frequent guest on the 700 Club both in the capacity of representing Rock Church and his new found interest in Hispanic American civil liberties and political advancement. Apparently conveniently timed to coincide with Robertson’s open presidential aspirations, John Gimenez has organized what appears to be a political caucus of Spanish American interests known as “NOAH.” His most recent appearance on this was just as this book has gone to press, November 8, 1985. Rock Church services are frequently shown on the CBN network.

In an angry February 2, 1981 letter addressed to a critic, Bill Britton claimed to be fellowshipping with the following: Bob Weiner (Maranatha Ministries); Charles Schmitt, Larry Tomyzak, John Gimenez” and many others in your area of the east coast who know my life and doctrine”

Additional Manifest Sons of God centers who are teaching some or all of the above include those of Earl Paulk in Atlanta, Georgia; Kelly Varner; Royal Conquist; Eldon Purvis’ New Beginnings Fellowship; and David Ebaugh. Some may be advancing these New Age style teachings innocently. Others such as David Ebaugh who has even defended Satan and denied Lucifer was Satan, and has used astrology, proudly stated that a New World Religion was coming, leave little doubt of overt New Age Movement knowledge of and influence in their work. Kelly Varner, who appears to have assumed Bill Britton’s mantle since Britton’s death in the summer of 1985, apparently supports David Ebaugh. The word from Varner’s office is that Ebaugh has a “deeper revelation” than some of the other MSOG ministries.

Whether there is direct networking or not, it is a fact that the “Year of Jubilee” teachings do show up in Robertson’s work in amazingly similar format to those used by Bill Britton and Synthesis Fellowship. On page 133 of his book in a discussion of what he calls “The Law of Use” Robertson says: “Notwithstanding the sneers of many in the banking community, it may be that God’s way will be the only one open to us – a year of jubilee to straighten out the mess.”

Are Christians under the law of the Year of Jubilee or any other Jewish law? Indeed, Galatians chapter 5 tells us an emphatic no with the added proviso that if we bring ourselves again under the Law we are “fallen from grace” For the sake of our future freedoms, Paul’s advice is the best advice. “Stand fast in the liberty whereby Christ has set you free.”

Alice Bailey Similarities

On pages 588-589 of Alice Bailey’s The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, a seven point program appears. This was designed to assure the world’s acceptance of their New Age “hierarchy” and “Christ.” Two of them read as follows:

2. . . .”the recognition that the long awaited kingdom of God is simply the appearance of soul-controlled men on earth in everyday life and at all stages of that control. . . .

3. From a recognition of this relationship, the fact of the spiritual Hierarchy can then be deduced and the normality of its existence emphasised. The fact will appear that the kingdom has always been present but has remained unrecognized . . .”

The acceptance of points two and three would lead, accordingly to Alice Bailey to acceptance of the “fact of the spiritual hierarchy.”

In 1982 Pat Robertson and co-author Bob Slosser released their book, The Secret Kingdom. According to the hard-cover edition flap, a major theme of it is:

“The kingdom of heaven exists now, here. Although it is spiritual and invisible, it governs the material and visible, says Robertson. It operates in a rather specified manner.”

And, on page 36 of The Secret Kingdom we read:

The problem of the world, and many Christians, has not been simply refusing to acknowledge the possibility of such a kingdom, but failing to perceive that it exists Right Now, not in some far-off time or far-off place called heaven. This is so strange because Jesus spent virtually all of His earthly ministry telling people that the kingdom of God had come and then explaining its workings.”
These full-moon presented “eight universal laws” are to help us tap into this “secret kingdom” or “heaven” which has been here “all along.” Robertson says this is “a world far truer than any civilization in history.”

In her The Destiny of the Nations Alice Bailey discussed what she called the role of the “White Magician.” “. . .all that serves to thin or tear away the veil between the the worlds wherein those who have no physical bodies live and move and work and the worlds of outer form is the work of the white magician.” (38) It sounds ominously close to the reasons advanced for Robertson’s “Secret Kingdom”:
“More than any time in my life, I knew that night that we must urgently seek a third choice. I knew we would have to reach into the invisible world that has been there all along, a world far truer than any civilization in history. We have wasted too much time, decades of delay and doubt. . . . The challenges of my contemporaries rang in my ears: Is there truly an invisible world of the spirit? Is it possible to draw help from that invisible world? Can there be a new world order? Yes.”

Both Lucis Trust writers and Gina Cerminara sometimes utilized different phraseology to express the all-important New Age concept of “Karma”. Sometimes they alternatively called it “The Law of Reciprocity.” (40) A very similar concept shockingly still was the fact that 1985 saw the 700 Club celebrate “International Forgiveness Week” – an old time Lucis Trust project! That was a sad week for those Christians aware of the nuances of the New Age Movement as they were forced to view the spectacle of Lucis Trust, Tara Center, and the 700 Club all celebrating International Forgiveness Week – all at the same time! (41)

Abolish Separation of Church & State – Why Not?

A major thrust of both the 700 Club and its related Freedom Councils have been to abolish separation between church and state. They have diligently worked to restore prayer in the public schools and Pat Robertson has even davanced an interpretation that our founding fathers never intended actual separation between church and state.

While on the surface, all of this may sound good to concerned Christians anxious over the rise of humanism and even outright occultism in our schools, they should know that prayer in our schools over 30 years of deconditioning from Judaeo-Christian principles can only result in syncrestic, apostate thinking in our children. Constitutionally, equal protection will demand equal time for a little Buddhist child wishing to lead the class in prayer, a Hindu child likewise, a Unity child, and even little Satanist children.

Presently, the teaching of occultism in our schools is technically illegal as it is illegally teaching a religion and using state facilities to “establish religion.” If equal access and prayer in the schools measures are enacted, it will ex post facto ratify the presently illegal actions of school administrators and others promoting occultism and syncretism while suppressing traditional Judaeo/Christian beliefs.

But, could there conceivably be other than Christian interests striving to abolish separation between Church and State? Yes! It is a Lucis Trust/occult priority of the highest order: (42)
“The separation of church and state, now widely approved, is a dogma we have inherited from the days when religions dominated governments and fomented wars and when governments persecuted and crushed religions. In modern times this dogma has become one of the unthinkables much needed to be thought about. This separation of church and state seems reasonable to many because they fear churchianity in government. When Christianity supersedes churchianity, this fear will die . . ..” (page 96)

“Many leading church conservatives had accepted the separation of Church and State as good for the church, but such thought leaders as Djwhal Kuhl had spoken for its ending. An antagonistic hands-off restraint could not go on indefinitely in the face of new age world unity and cooperation.” (page 111)

Interestingly, a leader in the fight for prayer in the schools was New Age activist, Congressman Newt Gingrich of Georgia. He was frequently featured on the 700 club discussing these issues. Gingrich is active in the Congressional Clearinghouse for the Future, a New Age caucus within Congress. Mark Satin, author of New Age Politics rated him as having the best overall New Age voting record in Congress from the South – the only southern Congressman to score over 50% on those issues. Gingrich is also a backer of the Peace Academy – another issue considered vital to New Age goals. Gingrich and New Age leader Alvin Toffler jointly founded the Institute for Participatory Democracy – an institute promoting the “consensus process” again so dear to the hearts of New Age/globalist activists.

THE KINGDOM VISUALIZED? OR THE ARMAGEDDON SCRIPT?

Dave Hunt and Tom McMahon capably express the dangers of visualization. It becomes, particularly when used to manipulate external events, what the Bible calls “sorcery.” Astonishingly, Pat Robertson with co-writers Bob Slosser and Leslie H. Stobbe tell us the Kingdom of God, I.E. heaven, will not materalize unless we do just that!

“Ever wonder what it would be like if the kingdom of God were realized on earth beginning today? How would you recognize it? Would you feel comfortable in it? Or do you suspect your life would have to change significantly? . . . “In The Secret Kingdom Pat Robertson and Bob Slosser let us peek into the invisible kingdom of God as portrayed in the Bible. And they show that if it is to be implemented on earth now, you and I will need to be involved in its visualization. Our obedience to God’s Word will determine how much of it will be implemented in our communities, our nation, and our world.” (43)

I know of no scriptural requirement that our visualization is necessary to fulfill Jesus’ prayer “Thy Kingdom Come.” His Kingdom will come with or without our visualization. But it could well be that our visualization – deliberate disobedience of God’s prohibition against sorcery – could prevent us from entering that Kingdom! … “

“ORANGE, Calif. (AP) — The wife of televangelist Benny Hinn has filed for divorce from the high-profile pastor, whose reputation as an advocate of prosperity gospel has attracted millions of followers and criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups over his lavish lifestyle.

Suzanne Hinn filed the papers in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 1, citing irreconcilable differences, after more than 30 years of marriage. The papers note the two separated on Jan. 26 and that Hinn has been living in Dana Point, a wealthy coastal community in southern Orange County.

“Pastor Benny Hinn and his immediate family were shocked and saddened to learn of this news without any previous notice,” Benny Hinn Ministries said Thursday in a statement. “Although Pastor Hinn has faithfully endeavored to bring healing to their relationship, those efforts failed and were met with the petition for divorce that was filed without notice.”

Hinn is one of the best known advocates of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that Christians who are right with God will be rewarded with wealth and health in this lifetime.

His TV broadcasts on the Trinity Broadcast Network, a Pentecostal broadcasting juggernaut, and other TV networks are seen by millions of people around the world nearly every day. He travels the globe in his ministry’s plane, named Dove One, holding events he calls “Miracle Crusades” that include spiritual healings.

Hinn has never fully publicly disclosed how he spends the money he raises, but his vast ministry is believed to be a multimillion-dollar operation. There was no mention of finances in the court filing, which listed three recent Southern California addresses for the family.

Over the years, Hinn has been the target of intense criticism from fellow Christians and watchdog groups who call his teachings false and accuse him of raising money only to enrich himself.

He is one of six televangelists under investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley, the Iowa Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, over whether he complied with IRS rules for nonprofits. Hinn has said on his Web site that external auditors ensure his compliance with IRS regulations and that in 2008, 88 percent of the money he collected was spent on ministry.

Benny Hinn Ministries is based in Grapevine, Texas, and operates a church and television studio in Aliso Viejo in California’s Orange County, according to its Web site.

Sorrell Trope, the attorney with the law firm representing Suzanne Hinn, did not return a call for comment. A woman at his office said the firm does not comment on divorce filings without the client’s approval.

J. Lee Grady, contributing editor of Charisma, a news magazine on the Pentecostal community, said Hinn’s divorce is the latest in a string of high-profile ministry divorces and moral failures among the Pentecostal leaders, beginning with Ted Haggard’s fall from grace in 2006.

Haggard, who is married and has five children, admitted to receiving a massage from a male prostitute and buying drugs from him, but denied allegations he paid the man for sex.

Grady said in an e-mail Thursday that Hinn’s followers will want an explanation for the divorce because of the high profile the couple had.

“It will be devastating to the people who have supported Benny Hinn’s evangelistic work around the world,” Grady said.

“Obviously because their ministry has been very public, they will need to issue a statement to their supporters to explain how this happened,” he said.”

“From 1. Jan. 2011, every transaction above 1,500 euros between natural persons and businesses, or between businesses, will not be considered legal if it is done in cash. Transactions will have to be done through debit or credit cards”

Greece loses EU voting power in blow to sovereignty

Read the alarming details here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/7252288/Greece-loses-EU-voting-power-in-blow-to-sovereignty.html

“SEOUL, Feb 17, 2010 – Some 7,000 South Korean and overseas couples tied the knot Wednesday in a mass wedding dedicated to “the creation of a peaceful world beyond borders and races”, the Unification Church said.

Reverend Sun Myung Moon officiated at the “True Parents” Cosmic Blessing Ceremony at a sprawling exhibition centre in Goyang city north of Seoul, the church said in a statement.

The church describes Moon, 90-year-old founder of the controversial church, and his wife as “True Parents of Mankind” and Moon himself as “the King of all Kings”.

Moon, sporting a bow tie, and his wife blessed the couples from some 20 countries including South Korea, Japan, the United States, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

Moon’s son and successor as church leader Reverend Hyung Jin Moon also attended the event, the second mass wedding in four months.

Another 7,500 couples were united last October at Asan south of Seoul.

Brides in white wedding dresses and grooms in dark suits chanted prayers at Wednesday’s indoor event.

The church was founded in Seoul in 1954 and grew into a worldwide organisation.

Organisers say the number of believers is confidential.

Moon has presided over mass weddings since the early 1960s.

In the past he picked spouses for his followers.

His daughter-in-law has said she did not see Hyung Jin Moon until they were introduced at their engagement ceremony.

In recent years the church has allowed couples a chance to get to know each other before they marry, according to the Segye Times newspaper which is financed by the church.

Hyung Jin Moon, 30, took over day-to-day control of the church in 2008.”

And from this link: here

by BARBARA BRADLEY HAGERTY

“The Rev. Sun Myung Moon carried out one of the signature events of his church on Wednesday: He blessed about 7,000 couples in Seoul, South Korea — most of whom never saw each other before they were matched.

Some members believe this might be one of the last mass weddings conducted by the nonagenarian founder of the controversial Unification Church, whose membership has dwindled in recent years. Now the church is focusing on keeping its young believers in the fold.

New Ways Of Matching

On a bitterly cold Friday night in January, more than 100 members of the Unification Church crowd into a classroom in the church seminary in upstate New York. The heat is turned on low, but the air is electric as the believers, ranging from late teens to early 20s, gather for the first of many workshops on Unification marriage.

Men are on one side of the room, women on the other. Matched or engaged couples sit at the back. They open with songs from the ’60s — “Eight Days a Week” and “If I Had a Hammer” — anthems from their parents’ generation. These are “blessed children” — according to church doctrine, they were born without original sin because their parents were married by Moon, whom they consider the Messiah.

One of those children is Roderick Miller, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania who will attend Harvard Law School next year. He’s not dating anyone — his church doesn’t allow it — and he believes that is the key to a successful marriage.

“I’m not really interested in random flings with different girls,” he says. “Ultimately, what I want is a happy and successful family, and a loving relationship with someone with whom I can share my life.”

Moon matched Roderick’s father, Wayne, in 1979 to a French graduate student in a mass ceremony. Wayne says he “won the lottery.”

“We’ve had our arguments over the years, like all married couples,” Wayne says. “But in some 30 years of engagement and married life, we’ve never argued about anything important.”

Roderick will not be married by Moon. Recently, the church began allowing parents to match their children, and Roderick will have a strong influence in the person they select. But Roderick says the church’s emphasis on commitment is the same.

“And I think that commitment to commitment — the idea of commitment in relationships and to creating really strong, ideal families — has certainly benefited me enormously, tremendously, beyond words,” Roderick says.

He says having a marriage like his parents’ is “the end game.” And the church wants to help him get there.

The History Of The Movement

During the pre-marriage workshop in January, family department director Phillip Schanker laid out the road map to a happy Unification marriage: no sex (or dating) before marriage, selflessness, service and the strength to weather all relationship storms.

That road map was first drawn by Moon, who says that Jesus appeared to him when he was a poor teenager, and told him to finish Jesus’ mission. According to Moon, Jesus said that his crucifixion and early death were not supposed to occur; rather, Jesus had been meant to marry and raise a family. Moon says he was charged with completing that mission by raising the perfect family as a model for the world.

Moon’s message of family and world peace arrived on American shores in the 1960s. It inspired an army of young people to drop out of college, live in vans and raise funds for the church. In its heyday, the church drew national headlines for conducting mass weddings and dabbling in conservative politics.

The young believers at the marriage workshop wear this history as a badge of honor. Sure, they know some people view their church as a cult, and they bristle at the term “Moonie.” They know their parents were ostracized — and some deprogrammed — for following their Korean Messiah. But 19-year-old Renee Martinez says they had to.

“When the movement was first starting, Rev. Moon was a revolutionary,” she says. “It was so different in the hippie era. People were talking about free love, and our church comes around, and we’re talking about abstinence. So, of course, our parents had to be radical.”

Going Mainstream

But the church has a different plan for the second generation, says Carrie Pimental, 18.

“Our parents built the foundation, and after that, we’re, like, building the walls and finishing it up,” she says. “So basically, our goal is to be successful, have families, and have an impact on the world by doing great things and being good people.”

Today, the church wants college valedictorians, not dropouts, says Schanker’s son Josh, who plans to be a consultant once he’s graduated from Boston College. The church wants the second generation to fit into society — not fight it.

“I mean, I want to be very wealthy and very successful and have a good education,” Josh says. He and his parents have similar dreams, he says: “To create a beautiful, beautiful family, and to raise children with good character and good relationships with their family.”

Struggling With Membership

No one knows how many Unificationists there are worldwide. In the U.S., estimates range from 15,000 to 25,000. But the numbers have dropped since the 1970s, in part because many “blessed” children have left the fold. Jason Agress left when he was 14, after he began dating a girl over his parents’ objections.

“Everything was a system of control,” he says. “That’s what it seemed to me like. They were kind of breeding us to be a certain way. And if you weren’t that way, there was something wrong with you.”

D.F. Spratt agrees. She asked that her full name not be used because she worries the stigma of being once associated with the church could hurt her career. Spratt says she used to have nightmares about being married in a mass blessing to someone she didn’t know. The pressure of being blessed, and so different from her peers, drove her away — though with some trepidation.

“Back then, if you left the church, you fell off the face of the earth,” she says. “It’s the worst thing you could do. One person told us at Sunday school once that blessed children who fall out of the church go to a box underneath of hell.”

Winning Members Back

Now the church wants to win these people back, since it is easier to reignite the faith of people familiar with the unusual doctrine than to win converts outside of the faith. James Beverley, a professor at Tyndale Seminary in Canada and associate director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion in Santa Barbara, says converting non-Unificationists is a “hard sell.”

“When you tell the average Christian in North America that Rev. Moon is the fulfillment of the second coming, and that Jesus failed [in his mission to have a family and bring world peace],” Beverley says, “that message doesn’t help you go very far.”

So, how does the church go about wooing back those who have wandered from the faith? Phillip Schanker says the first step is acknowledging the excesses of the past.

“Although we talk universal love and the value of the family, we sacrificed our families to the extreme,” he says. “And that was Rev. Moon’s emphasis. He saw himself as a person who would sacrifice to create a family and gather followers, and then he asked them to sacrifice. He put his kids through hell — like Gandhi. Gandhi did the same thing in order to move India. Rev. Moon is trying to move the world.”

Schanker and his generation felt an “apocalyptic” urgency to heed Moon’s call, by going on missions for years at a time, fundraising for the church, and forgoing their education. But the church has turned 180 degrees, he says.

“My oldest son is in Harvard Medical School. He was valedictorian at Boston University,” Schanker says. “My daughters are doing great things. I’ve got two other sons on full scholarships. That’s definitely what we’ve encouraged them to do, and we hope they can not only make Unificationism great, but contribute to the world.”

In this, the church is taking a page from another new religious movement: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, who are growing by leaps and bounds in part because of their economic success. As to style of worship, the Unification Church is looking to yet another model: the evangelical megachurch.

New Leadership

On a recent Sunday morning, 1,200 Unificationists fill the cavernous ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York City. They leap to their feet and wave their arms as a rock band plays a mix of Fleetwood Mac and worship music with a thumping beat. They fall silent as the lights dim, and burst into applause when, theatrically, a single light comes up to reveal a woman behind a podium.

“How are you this morning?” asks In Jin Moon. “I bring you greetings from True Parents,” she says, referring to Sun Myung Moon and his wife, Hak Ja Han.

She speaks without notes for 40 minutes, weaving personal anecdotes with references to the Bible, Aristotle and Christian leaders. She is the 44-year-old daughter of Sun Myung Moon, and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School. When her father appointed her to head the U.S. church 18 months ago, she focused on one simple goal: to win back young people.

“Well,” she says laughing, “it’s been quite challenging.”

In her first interview with a reporter since taking over the church, she tells NPR that a major challenge came from the Asian church elders, who were upset that a woman was selected to run the American church. Then, they balked at her vision: a national church, which she calls Lovin’ Life Ministries, based in New York City, with smaller satellite churches.

In Jin Moon replaced the old holy songs with rock ‘n’ roll, and florescent lighting with concert lighting and a giant video screen.

“I think a lot of the leaders wanted to put an end to Lovin’ Life after the first couple of weeks, but we just kept at it,” she says.

She did so because she faced a problem that plagues even established churches: How do you transmit the passion of a convert to a child who merely inherits the faith?

“The first generation made a conscious decision to join, in that they had a conversion experience,” she says. “They had some kind of spiritual experience that made them feel, ‘This is what I want to do, this is where I want to be.’ Whereas for those of us — myself included — who were born into this movement or born into this family, we had no choice in the matter.”

Strategies To Bring People Back

So In Jin Moon did what the evangelicals do: She used music and technology to spark spiritual experiences. She says it is working.

“Some have called it ‘electricity running through my body, feeling of warmth — just feeling as if they’re engulfed in love,’” she says. “For those kids who come and have that conversion experience, then their belief system becomes theirs.”

Since In Jin took over, weekly attendance has nearly doubled. The question is: Can these bells and whistles woo back former members? For her part, D.F. Spratt, who is happily married to a non-Unification member, sees no reason to return.

“I don’t believe in the theology,” she says. “And I don’t think there’s necessarily anything missing or wrong in my present life. So if I felt there was a void and I needed to fill it, maybe that would help. But I don’t.”

But the church hopes that as it adopts an American style — in finding one’s mate and worshipping in church — the second generation will carry the Unification Church into the mainstream.”

Comment from ETPW moderator:

The ‘Moonies’ allegedly have many more outlets and fronts than are at first apparent, and are involved a lot with the Christian ‘religious right’ and political lobby groups focusing on family values. Moon also owns ‘The Washington Post’ newspaper.

There are also some proven links between long-term Moon supporters (disguised as ‘Christians’ and denying their Moon connections) teaming up with some in the New Apostolic Reformation, which is VERY telling.

I can’t comment on all Unificationists and their ethics and behaviour, and I also cannot say if the following behaviour has been sanctioned by their ‘church’ either. Or by ‘higher up’ in the NAR. But there are some Unificationists and some NARzies whose behaviour has been particularly abhorrent (not to mention hypocritical and criminal) – they have been lying, smearing and harassing incessantly their opposers – Miriam being one of them.  One former Moonie alleges that these are typical tactics that he was taught and then employed against Moon opposers while he was working within the group – constant harassment and smear. Many more ex Moonies (and also alleged Moonie victims) feel they cannot talk openly given how (allegedly) dirty and dangerous it gets for them and any others drawn into it.

So there are some known Moonie associations with the NARzies. And also more overt associations between the NARzies and Roman Catholic church and also with the emergent stream. All together, does that make one big happy one world family? Or does this ungodly lot just combine resources to silence, harass and discredit their critics? How ‘spiritual’, if so!

Revd. Moon, you’re not the Messiah. You’re just a very naughty boy!   - ETPW Moderator

“i would like to share what the Lord showed me around November 2008.
I saw a vision of myself, and I was walking side by side with someone that I could not see, on a sandy road surrounded by trees. and the Lord let me know in my spirit that it was Him walking besides me (even though I could not see Him). As we continued walking, we started to ascend up and I saw coming from heaven at very high speed, a huge ball of fire being hurled down to the earth, I believe by God Himself, even though I did not see Him, I knew the ball of fire was from Him. As it landed on earth, there was some writing in fire on some type of a board, and I could not make out what was written. And I heard the voice of the Lord say in a loud and very clear voice; ‘REPENT, JUDGEMENT IS COMING SOON’. with those words, the vision ended.”

This video has full subtitles/closed captions for the hard of hearing.

(If you have not yet read this article, please do so first: Kenneth Copeland Accused of Humanitarian Aid Fraud)

“Advocates of our KennethCopelandBlog.com redemptive project will be thrilled to read this latest update regarding the “Angel Flight 44 ministry” fiasco (AF44):

POOF! KENNETH REAPPEARS!:

About two days after our online analysis of Kenneth Copeland’s lack of public appearance and the missing use of the term “Angel Flight 44″ within Kenneth Copeland Ministries’ (KCM) sudden Haitian humanitarian publicity efforts, KCM suddenly announced a TBN “Praise the Lord” taping at TBN’s Irving, TX studios. It seems that Copeland decided that it was not good if he looked like he was hiding from the public limelight.

So Kenneth and his (third) wife, Gloria, hosted the program, which featured primarily their own family as guests, including:

Their daughter, Kellie Copeland Swisher, along with her (third) husband, Stephen.
Kenneth’s grandson, Jeremy Pearsons, son of George and Terry Copeland Pearsons (Kenneth’s eldest daughter by his first wife) along with Jeremy’s (second) wife, Sarah.
ApostasyWatch.com’s own Steve Lumbley attended the live taping, and published his own report about KCM’s public relations countermeasures in his article, Kenneth Copeland Thinks You’re Stupid.

THE ONCE FORBIDDEN “NAME”:

Moreover, now KCM has taken the extra step of openly using the name “Angel Flight 44″ and its abbreviation “AF44″ once again in its public relations efforts. On this update page about their recent Haitian flight, we see these two names pasted under nearly every photograph in their gallery, and elsewhere. Moreover, viewers to that web page are warmly greeted by Kenneth Copeland himself when that page is opened, right next to his latest commitment for humanitarian aid.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

We here at KennethCopelandBlog.com are very happy about these developments. Nevertheless, we encourage our viewers to keep in mind several things as you review all of these issues yourself:

• KCM made absolutely no mention of flights to Haiti, until AFTER our press releases drew attention to their broken promises concerning Angel Flight 44 and its probable impact in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake disaster. In fact, numerous natural disasters occurred over the years since Kenneth Copeland’s promises were made, and there were NO further post-Hurricane Rita AF44 humanitarian flights EVER until our two press releases brought the issue into the public eye.
• KCM’s first Haitian flight was about a month after the disaster. However, it would have likely been within 24-96 hours after the quake hit, had they maintained their disaster preparedness as promised. (Note: The main airport in Haiti was severely damaged, but they were receiving humanitarian flights so long as they had the capability of leaving again without requiring fuel. The Douglas Super-DC3 is a transoceanic aircraft, and would have qualified.)
• If KCM had added the new capabilities that Kenneth Copeland had pledged, they would have also been able to service the population from beaches through the promised amphibious aircraft.
• KCM has not fully accounted for the probable millions of dollars taken into their general fund as a result of their AF44 promises.
• KCM has not accounted for “which” aircraft their former AF44-designated funds went to repair.
• NONE of KCM’s financial claims above are independently verifiable, because they are not certified by any independent accountability group (such as the Evangelical Counsel for Financial Accountability) and they have a transparency grade of “F” at MinistryWatch.com.
• Neither Kenneth Copeland nor KCM has EVER fully come forward with an honest explanation why they previously failed in their AF44 promise performance, NOR why they ignored Rich Vermillion (the writer of the book, Angel Flight 44) for nearly three years before his two press releases suddenly “motivated” them to help disaster victims as they had pledged. In short, they have NEVER apologized for their obvious failures.

Nevertheless, we here at KennethCopelandBlog.com, along with our growing multitude of advocates, are thrilled that KCM finally found “compassion” somewhere within their hearts and decided to at least provide a good “window dressing” for public consumption. We are pleased that we have their attention; we are especially pleased that some needy Haitians are at least getting a little aid from them (although it comes about a month late and falls way short of Copeland’s original promises).

Of course, we are not in the least bit fooled by their sudden acts of “humanitarian aid” because it is nothing more than a public relations countermeasure…and not signs of true biblical repentance. One could even say that their current efforts are actually a sign of cowardice, given their continued deceptive practices and obvious self-serving motives.

So in short, though he claims to be a “billionaire” himself, it would seem that Kenneth Copeland is still “a day late, and a dollar short” in fulfilling his promises to help disaster victims.

Consequently, we and our advocates are still calling on Kenneth Copeland, his family, and his ministry, to simply repent.

Always in Christ,

-Rich Vermillion”

Apparently Raj Patel presently fits the bill for Maitreya, as proclaimed by Benjamin Creme, at least. Raj Patel’s response to the question ‘is he the Maitreya’ is in true Monty Python style: “I’m not the Messiah. I’m just a very naughty boy.” But then according to Benjamin Creme, the Maitreya would not claim to be the Maitreya at first, so his followers are not put off by this denial …

I don’t know if Constance Cumbey is reading this blog entry, but it sure would be interesting to hear her take on all this?

Some memorable quotes from it:

“So you [Jessa] had a dream with Todd Bentley and an elephant….This is what I think about the elephant. I think that what this means is what you did in Lakeland and what you are trying to reproduce again that you’re the elephant, Jessa, because you’ve got thick skin. That you don’t even listen to people crying out to you ‘repent!’”

And on Jessa’s remark that Lakeland was “just the beginning” -

“Some more ?!? Some more kicking people with cancer in the guts? Some more stories of healings?!? There’s gonna be more? That was just an introduction? The nerve of this is absolutely stunning. It is absolutely breathtaking. That whole thing was sin compounded with sin. He was drinking during that charade called the Lakeland revival. He was duping people, screening people so that they could bring the right ones up, leaving the people in wheelchairs devastated in their wake. He was having an affair with this woman who sounds like a rattlesnake. Now she’s getting up and saying there’s more to come. Wow, you people must love money ’cause you sure don’t love your souls.”

See also Jessa Bentley Shares Stacey Campbell’s Spiritual Manifestations and Jessa Bentley says Lakeland Revival was just an introduction, a table of contents for what is to come

“The Ravers Who Get High On God

WILD-EYED and out of control, the clubbers flail wildly to a booming beat.

With sweaty clothes clinging to their backs, some people even pass out.

While this could easily be mistaken for a dodgy booze and drug-fuelled party, there is something very different about Sloshfest.

The revellers are party loving Christians who don’t drink or take drugs – but say their euphoria is down to the power of God and their seeming drunkenness due to “God-ka” and the “yum rum of Heaven”.

Last weekend around 600 people attended the annual rave-like event – where no alcohol or drugs are available – at the dowdy Dolphin Club in Barry Island, South Wales. Now in its fourth year, it attracts visitors from alternative churches around the UK

Sloshfest organiser David Vaughan invited me along to experience the religious revolution first-hand.

The 38-year-old from nearby Pontypool is a former drug-user who makes no apologies for painting God as a party animal who wants to win over youngsters with supernatural highs.

Bizarrely, David greets me at the door wearing a monk outfit – he is joined by dozens of dancing pirates, an Abraham Lincoln, a unicorn, winged fairy and a court jester draped in Christmas lights.

After leading me to a quiet room away from the madness, David says: “This behaviour and message is bringing liberation to a world that doesn’t want Christianity as it has been.
“People are looking for something relevant to them. If you like to party, drink and take drugs, our advice is, ‘Don’t drink Vodka, drink God-ka’.

“There is no greater high than the Most High. When you come into God’s presence there is an intoxication that is overwhelming.

“It is filled with life and brings you to another level of joy unspeakable, liberating you from fears and inhibitions you find in the world. It is a blissful sense of liberty.

“This isn’t offensive to the Lord, but it is to the religious folk who attend a dead organisation.

“Heaven is going to be wild. God will show up and be the life of the party. We want to see fun coming back into the Church.”

Christians who claim to get high on the Holy Spirit and drunk on Heaven’s wine have caused outrage in the USA.

Dozens of complaints about blasphemy have been posted on YouTube videos of the movement’s best-known advocate, John Crowder.

The former alcoholic, whose fans are dubbed “Crowderites”, is at Sloshfest and typically slurs through sermons about “smoking the Baby Jesus”, being “whacked out” and “tokin’ on the Holy Ghost”.

Event organiser David reveals God guided him to establish Emerge Wales, the group behind Sloshfest, which calls itself “A rising supernatural movement in the UK who are burning for Jesus”.

He says: “From around the age of 18 I got into drink and drugs. I’d take speed, acid, amphetamine and smoke cannabis every day.

“Three years later I went to a church in Newport with a friend who’d reformed and I realised Jesus had plans for my life. I gave myself to him and that ripped out the desire for drugs and alcohol.

“I began praying and studying God’s word and remortgaged my house to devote myself even more.

“We set up Emerge Wales four years ago because, globally, spiritual eyes and ears are opening. God wants us to enjoy his wine and embrace the spiritual realm.

“Jesus changed my life dramatically and now I work for him to spread his message and love.”

Back in the main room the party is pumping, with dry ice, airhorns and dazzling disco lights adding to the debauched atmosphere.

A middle-aged woman calling herself Pinky Pirate dashes to the front and grabs a microphone.

The crowd screams with delight as she shakes uncontrollably and bellows: “It is such a wild fire. It is a fierce wild fire. It is untamable and undomesticated.”

Even bigger cheers are reserved for talented American singer Ben Dunn who takes the stage for a set of high-octane Christian tunes.

Amid the chaos a woman dressed as a pirate queen crawls past muttering. Strangely, despite no sign of alcohol or drugs being consumed, she and many other worshippers look spaced out, with red, puffy eyes and a vacant stare. Standing up, she shakes my hand and slurs: “I’m Mrs Jesus. I love my husband.

“He makes me so happy. I love him but I’m a bit drunk.”

At a lunch break I make a beeline for the woman, who now appears sober as she helps herself to the salad buffet.

Jesse Reid is a singer and actress from Maidenhead, Berks, who admits she once found this worship distasteful.

The 30-year-old says: “Five years ago this would have been so offensive to me. It can seem shocking if you’re not used to it.

“I had an operation which went wrong, followed by three years of ill health because my system was smashed. During that time I got really close to God – I felt him dwelling in me in an almost physical sense.

“When I’m worshipping I know I look absolutely insane, but that’s how I’m affected by my heavenly daddy.

“The pirate costume shows I’m involved in stealing back his treasure. We’ve been robbed of lots of good stuff and it’s time to take it back for God.

“All over the world there are Christians dressing as pirates to show he is their compass, Jesus is their captain and the Holy Spirit is the wind in their sails.

“Of course we all like to drink the yum rum of heaven, too.”

In 2005, John Crowder wrote The New Mystics, a religious book promoting Sloshfest-style ecstatic worship and mystical Christianity.

His ideas appealed to people like David Vaughan around the world and a second volume, The Ecstasy Of Loving God, followed last year. While John holds no official position within the movement, his influence is undeniable – both books are selling at the Sloshfest memorabilia stall.

John will feature in a fascinating new documentary called The YouTube Prophet, on Current TV at 10pm on February 22.

Before addressing the lively Welsh crowd, the 6ft 5in David Blaine lookalike tells me he became a Christian after a Godly experience on LSD.

John, 33, from California, says: “I was a party guy at college and became an alcoholic within the first year, sometimes downing up to 36 beers in a single day. I also did recreational drugs and during an LSD trip in a bar I had a profound encounter with God. I knew that if I went to sleep that night without changing my ways, I would surely die.

“When I sobered up I stopped doing drugs and became devoted to Jesus.

“Now I want people to see that church isn’t dour and dreary. It is an awareness of the mystical, fun and joyful nature of God.”

Moments later John is on the stage encouraging the crowd to enjoy the “love fest” and drink their fill of God’s wine.

Outside, a curious passer-by peers through a steamed-up window. Chuckling, he shakes his head and says: “Looks like one hell of a party.”