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Christianity
and the War With Iraq - Open Door
As we think about this war from an
eternal perspective, the all-important question is "what will the war in
Iraq mean for the Gospel of Christ Jesus?"
We believe that this war in Iraq will
give an open door for the Gospel. The Gospel is what will heal and free the
spirit of man to worship the true and living God, Christ Jesus! The Gospel
is the "bread of life"—the only answer to the hunger and hopelessness of
mankind. We want to bring the "bread of life" to the Iraqi people who have
suffered for so many years.
God has been preparing a people to
bring His Word to the Iraqi people. Since the first Gulf War, thousands of
Iraqis have become refugees in Jordan. God has used this "Exodus" experience
from their homeland to draw about 600 of them into the Kingdom of God. Many
of these 600 Iraqi Christians in Jordan are trained to carry the Gospel to
their homeland and ready to go when the doors are opened.
They need our help.
How can you help? In two main ways:
prayerfully and financially. Prayerfully, you can help by praying for our
Iraqi brother and sisters in Christ. Pray for wisdom, protection and
provision. Financially, you can help by giving to The Iraqi Bread of Life
Project in order to support the families that will be returning to Iraq.
Your financial gift will be used to help with the food, travel, and ministry
needs (like literature and Bibles) of the Iraqi Christian families.
Other NGO's (non-governmental
organizations) will be working with general needs of the Iraqi people.
Advancing Native Missions’ focus is on supplying the
physical needs of the 600 Iraqi
Christians in order to help equip them be Christ's ambassadors to their
countrymen in the refugee camps now and to their nation after the conflict
is resolved.
Gifts for the Iraqi Bread of Life
Project can be sent to Advancing Native Missions. Checks should be made
payable to Advancing Native Missions and clearly designated (in the memo
line, for instance) for the "Iraqi Bread of Life Project." If you prefer to
give on-line or would like information about ANM, visit us at
http://www.adnamis.org
May the Lord bless you as you bless
others.
Carl Gordon
President, Advancing Native Missions
WILLOWCREEK
CHURCH & BILL HYBELS’ THEOLOGY ~
Biblical Christianity or the
Church of Laodicea? ~
By James Sundquist Posted 12/03/02
There is an epidemic movement which has infected
even the most conservative denominations and seminaries, which began in
the United States more than a decade ago, and is now being manifested
throughout the Church globally. One of the founders of this
"seeker-friendly" movement is Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willowcreek
Church in the Chicago area.
REMOVE
THE CROSS
The Ten Commandments have been removed from being
posted in Public Schools and now we are reaping what we have sown —
children shooting children — consciences seared like a hot iron.
Similarly, now the seeker-friendly philosophy asks the Church remove the
symbol of the cross. Of course, you don’t have to have the symbol of a
cross in a church for it to be fervently evangelical or God-fearing. It
has much more to do with the REASON the cross is being removed — the
theology and philosophy behind this epidemic movement.
BE
CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF THIS WORLD
This "seeker" or sinner-friendly church growth
movement theology suggests that the Church needs to be conformed to the
image of the world. But the Apostle Paul writes that we (and the world)
are to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2). Christ is
a rock of offense to the world and we are trying to make Him appealing.
Decorate and disguise Christ and then you can reach "unchurched Harry and
Mary" and draw people into the Kingdom? Entertain people into repentance?
Whatever happened to the scriptural commandment
"come out from among them, be ye separate?" (II Corinthians
6:17). Christ was willing to become publicly humiliated (not
decorated), scourged, disgraced, shamed, pulverized beyond recognition for
us. But the seeker-friendly movement seems to suggest that we have to
apologize for the gospel in order not to offend anyone. The Church in
Symrna was one of only two churches in Revelation which Christ commended
and had NOTHING against. Why? Because they were faithful even to the point
of death (Revelation 2:10). These saints were willing to be (and
were) martyred. At the end of time we see again saints who
"loved their lives not unto death"
(Revelation 12:11). In fact, even in the Twentieth Century there
have been more saints martyred than since the foundation of the Church.
Christ commends Christians for overcoming this world by the blood of the
Lamb, not by some clever marketing plan or "felt needs." This whole
theology is a reproach to Christ and the persecuted and martyred saints
throughout the ages! And again, Hebrews 11:37-38 tells us that the
destitute, persecuted and mistreated saints of this present world, the
world was not worthy of them. Paul says earlier:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16)
REMOVE
RELIGIOUS WORDS
One of the Willowcreek theory papers on small
groups in churches suggests that we need to remove "religious words" in
our efforts to reach the community. Well, it is with these very Biblical
religious words that we confess our faith. What religious words used by
every major and minor Prophet in the Torah and by Christ and His Apostles
would you suggest we remove? It is with these very Biblical religious
words that we praise His Holy Name. Heaven and earth are hung by the
[religious] word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus used religious
words when he called forth Lazarus from the grave. The halt, the lame and
the blind went bounding through the streets with religious words after
being cured by Jesus or the Apostles. Religious words are precisely what
Noah preached to them that all perished in the Flood because they did not
fear God and hearken unto his words. Religious words are what Jonah
preached to turn 120,000 people (the entire population of Nineveh) to
repent ... "repent" ... another
religious word. These Ninevites were not only not "post-Christian era,"
but their culture NEVER heard the Gospel or had any Biblical form of
religion. There was NO modification of the message or methodology simply
because they were unchurched, but Jonah used the very same message in that
age and nation as we need in this present age and every nation, and that
message is simply "Repent". And guess what? It worked!! God’s Word was NOT
defective and did NOT return void!
"Born again"
is a religious word. But Jesus said "Except a
man be born again, he can NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven"
(John 3:3-7). Jesus used this religious word, so why shouldn’t we? How
do you carry out the Great Commission without using religious words in
Scripture to proclaim the Gospel...another religious word? "Saved"
is a religious word to every tribe and nation to the ends of the earth to
every generation throughout the ages. And, once again, what does the Bible
say? "Whosoever believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, even on His name shall be "saved" (Acts 16:31).
Jesus used religious words in the Sermon on the
Mount, whose audience was both churched and unchurched Harry and Mary.
Same message for both audiences!!! Religious words were spoken at the
upper room at Pentecost. If it is good enough for the 120 who started the
church in the First Century, it is good enough for me in the 21st Century.
Are we now to go into all of the world and preach the Gospel (of
repentance unto salvation and fear God and give him glory) without using
religious words!?!
CHRIST BUILT HIS CHURCH IN THE
RIGHT ZIP CODE?
Market research tells a church planting committee
what Zip Code to build your church. But Christ would have built one of his
churches in the worst Zip Code. The Willowcreek theory paper on small
groups (and this epidemic philosophy) further states that, "There was
a time in the early 50s that people could build small groups completely
around the disciplines of Bible study and prayer." Once again, if it
was good enough for the early disciples and founding fathers, it is good
enough for me. When Jesus overturned the money changers tables in the
Temple in righteous anger, He said "My house
shall be called a house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13). We
are not called to be successful, we are called to be faithful and holy. If
a church remains at three people or becomes 3,000 that is God’s problem.
The Scripture does not say "seek the fellowship (or church growth
movement) and I will supply the light." It says "seek the light and I
will supply the fellowship" ( ). "But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin"
(I John 1:6-8).
MAKE SURE
YOU’RE A PLEASING ("CONTAGIOUS") CHRISTIAN
Friendship with the world is enmity with God. In
the Book of Revelation, the Church of Pergamum was condemned for its
marriage of the world to Christ. Christ commended the saints "who loved
their lives not unto death." So much for a politically correct church
whose doctrine is Tolerance. In II Corinthians 2:14-16, Paul says
that our procession is a stench of death to world who is perishing, but a
pleasing fragrance to the Lord. Paul counted himself (and the other
Apostles) scum and refuse to the world. But some have now made the
churches become a pleasing aroma to the world, but a stench to the
nostrils of the Lord.
OH FOOLISH AMERICAN, WHO HAS
BEWITCHED YOU?
What we need in the United States is a New
Reformation. A New American Revolution. As the Prophet Jeremiah preached:
"Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see,
and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you
will find rest for your souls’" (Jeremiah 6:16). But
what we hear today is "this is the 21st Century!" This sinner-friendly
theology like the Church of Pergamos has married the Bride of Christ to
the unholy world which has a form of godliness but is bankrupt in spirit.
This spiritual harlotry God will judge. This epidemic in the church has
given birth to the Church of Laodicea (neither hot nor cold) whom Christ
will spew out of his mouth. It is time to trust the Gospel. It is time to
trust that God’s word will NOT return void! "If
I be lifted up I will draw all men unto myself" (John
12:32). And how was He lifted up? He was lifted up on the cross. It is
time to get back to preaching the cross and Him crucified.
"Except for the shedding
of blood, there is NO remission of sins" (Hebrews 9:22,
Hebrews 10:18) ... oh no ... another religious word.
"And he that doubteth is
damned if he eat, because [he eateth]
not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not
of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).
"All Scripture is
profitable [including every ‘religious’
word in the Scripture] for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (II Timothy
3:16-17).
Not using every word (religious word) of Scripture
renders us and anyone we teach spiritual cripples unquipped to do the work
of the ministry and lacking the full armor of God to fend off the fiery
darts of the enemy and fight the good fight of spiritual warfare and run a
good race. That is the true Gospel. Oh foolish Americans, who hath
bewitched you? This seeker-sensitive theology is not the Gospel of Christ,
but a theology of apology. It is a faith without armor, incapable of
withstanding the fiery darts of the enemy. It is a fleet of boats in a
sail boat regatta, when what we need are battleships in formation for a
spiritual war against the principalities. What we need are spiritual World
Trade Center tragedy firefighters who are running up the stairway to
Heaven who brave the Gates of Hell that none would perish. Repent while
God is still giving you a season to repent!
© 1999-2002 ROCK SALT PUBLISHING
551 VALLEY ROAD, PMB #123
UPPER MONTCLAIR, NJ 07043
Email:
rock.salt@verizon.net
Website:
http://www.yourpacemusic.com
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