LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails has been posting articles by Manny Silva for many years. Manny became part of a group called Concerned Nazarenes over fifteen years ago to warn the Church of the Nazarene denomination about the emergent movement and how it was entering into that denomination. Those warnings were largely unheeded by Nazarene leadership. … [Read more…]
Dear Lighthouse Trails: I know you have posted some things regarding the EFCA back in 2013-2014 and contemplative spirituality, but I haven’t seen anything more current so I thought I would share some things with you that I see. As a member (Technically) of an EFCA church, I accidentally stumbled across some things that, if correct, … [Read more…]
Three years ago today author and researcher Ray Yungen passed away at the age of 64. As regular Lighthouse Trails readers know, it was through Ray’s work that Lighthouse Trails began nearly 18 years ago. Interestingly, on the eve of this 3rd anniversary of Ray’s departure, we read an e-mail notice we received this week … [Read more…]
LTRP Note: The following letter to the editor was written in response to our recent post “Letter to the Editor: Yoga at Our CMA Church in Canada Broke Our Hearts.” Dear Lighthouse Trails: I too was once in a C&MA church in Southwestern Ontario. I attended from 1999 to 2001. I witnessed the whole shift … [Read more…]
The acceptance of contemplative prayer has hit an all-time high in the church. And is it any wonder? Christian media, Christian publishers, pastors, mission societies, Bible societies, authors, radio hosts, youth leaders, women’s group leaders, and Christian ministry leaders are all promoting it more than ever. The video below that was posted on Charisma Magazine’s … [Read more…]
An August 8, 2018 Christianity Today article titled Willow Creek Elders and Pastor Heather Larson Resign over Bill Hybels chronicles events that led to Willow Creek founder Bill Hybels’ resignation from the megachurch due to numerous women having come forth with accusations of years of sexual misconduct and abuse by Hybels. Because of the lackadaisical … [Read more…]
The denomination, Disciples of Christ (aka The Christian Church or The Disciples) is a mainstream evangelical group that has ties with the World Council of Churches and is known for its ecumenical efforts. But even though one would expect to find a liberal, emerging viewpoint within the denomination, it came as a surprise to us … [Read more…]
Hundreds of Protestant and evangelical scholars, pastors, and theologians have signed a document called “Reforming Catholic Confession” to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which will be commemorated on October 31, 2017. According to Dr. Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, who co-chaired the Confession’s steering committee, “a significant motivating … [Read more…]
Also see Part 1: “Commentary: Assembly of God (AOG) General Council to Vote on Resolution Against Israel ” and Part 2: “Dr. George Wood Responds to Lighthouse Trails Article on AoG Resolution 3 and Israel” See concluding part. By Cedric Fisher When I wrote my commentary on July 28th about the Assemblies of God Resolution … [Read more…]
Also see Part 1: “Commentary: Assembly of God (AOG) General Council to Vote on Resolution Against Israel ” and Part 3: “A Further Unveiling of Assemblies of God Resolution 3 & the Serious Implications” By the Editors at Lighthouse Trails On July 28th, Lighthouse Trails posted a commentary by Lighthouse Trails author Cedric Fisher titled … [Read more…]
To Lighthouse Trails: I have been going to a non-denominational church for years, and last year I noticed the term “Spiritual Formation” being used in the website of the Bible camp this church sponsors. I brought it to their attention, only to be met with indifference and the impression that I was somehow “over the … [Read more…]
Dear LHT editors: My parents attend an Assemblies of God church, and I try to keep up to date on what is going on. I left the denomination years ago, but they are struggling to stay. I just looked up the events for 2017 and wasn’t too shocked to find good old Rick Warren as … [Read more…]
LTRP Note: Please pray for Yoko, the woman from Japan who wrote this letter to us. We have been in correspondence with her this past week and have e-mailed her a copy of Dr. Harry Ironside’s booklet called Redemption. She told us after reading it that she particularly liked this sentence from the booklet: “Do … [Read more…]
Castles in the Sand by Carolyn A. Greene is a story based on true facts and addresses the fast growing contemplative prayer movement within the evangelical/Protestant church. The story is about a 21st century Christian college girl who is introduced to the writings of a 15th century mystic girl, Teresa of Avila in her Spiritual Formation … [Read more…]
From Understand The Times, International RE: Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and the Alpha Course (April 18, 2016) Recently, Brian Brodersen, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, sent out an endorsement of Nicky Gumbel’s Holy Trinity Brompton Alpha Course program. While Alpha is very well known in North America and around the world, it seems … [Read more…]
Dear Lighthouse Trails: Wow, so glad to hear about your efforts to reach out to Christian Leaders to warn them about Jesus Calling. Whether they heed the warnings or not, thank you for doing this!! While I don’t have any names to add to your list, (you covered most of the major leaders), the idea … [Read more…]
By Roger Oakland Understand the Times, International Recently, I was informed about a conference held this week in Budapest, Hungary where Willow Creek senior pastor Bill Hybels taught leaders. According to comments posted on Phil Metzger’s Facebook page, the event was held at Calvary Chapel Golgota Budapest where Metzger is pastor. He is also the … [Read more…]
LTRP Note: With more than 90% of the Christian colleges and seminaries now bringing in contemplative spirituality via Spiritual Formation programs, and with Christian leaders such as Rick Warren and Beth Moore endorsing the movement, and with countless pastors giving it a thumbs up to their congregations, isn’t it time professors, pastors, and leaders understand … [Read more…]
Dear Lighthouse Trails: The Wesleyan church is being lead by Jo Anne Lyon, who has yoked the denomination with false teachers. I had been in a church that was taken over by the Wesleyan denomination. I later transferred my membership away from it. She has spoken in our church and she all but tripped over … [Read more…]
To Lighthouse Trails: Last December during our Church Council, they (pastor and his wife) announced that we would be studying The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, and the Sunday School teachers would be teaching it. As one of the teachers, I said “No, I will not teach it. I don’t believe in it.” One … [Read more…]
To Lighthouse Trails: In March 2015, we were at a small Calvary Chapel in ________________. Our pastor needed to relocate so we were without a regular pastor for many months. Since we were unable to find a satisfactory Calvary Chapel pastor, we were extremely anxious as to what our next step should be. Someone knew … [Read more…]
Dear Editors at Lighthouse Trails: I stumbled onto your website while looking for a video from this year’s Alliance Council featuring John Stumbo. In your writings, you largely promote the idea the C&MA is espousing the emergent church, contemplative prayer, spiritual formation blather. I have never, ever heard this in my church. EVER. So, for … [Read more…]
In the Summer 2015 Journal of the Southern Baptist Convention, an article titled “Great Awakening” states: Thousands of messengers at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention knelt in prayer and raised their hands to heaven July 16 as they prayed for revival in the church and a great awakening across the United States. . . . … [Read more…]
By Heather Clark Christian News Network wo American colleges that identify as Mennonite institutions have announced changes to their hiring policy to now allow the employment of homosexuals who have “wed” their partners. Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia and Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana announced the alterations on Monday, while claiming to still … [Read more…]
By Roger Oakland Understand the Times International The seeker-friendly model was the brainchild of Peter Drucker. The concept of finding out what a consumer would like in a church has been a very successful way to get people to come to a church. At least for a while! This consumer-friendly model worked as long as … [Read more…]
LTRP Note: The following news article is posted for informational and research purposes. By Heather Clark Christian News Network WASHINGTON — The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition of approximately 34,000 churches spanning various denominations and representing an estimated 15.7 million African Americans and Latinos, has “broken fellowship” with the Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) after a majority vote … [Read more…]
Dear Lighthouse Trails: I thought this link would interest you. The Western Canadian District of the C&MA in Canada is promoting (yet with a disclaimer!) a number of books that teach the practices of contemplative prayer. I was surprised to see it promoted so blatantly on their website. http://www.transformcma.ca/resources-2/ There is also something called a … [Read more…]
1. Letter to the Editor: On Jesus Calling, My Wife and I Thought You Were Wrong, But We Have Been Deceived! 2. Letter to the Editor: Evangelical Free Church Snowballing into Spiritual Deception Through Contemplative/Emerging 3. Letter to the Editor: Assemblies of God Pastor Disheartened by Direction AOG and Other Denominations Are Going 4. Letter … [Read more…]
By Menno-Lite In an article called Have a “thin” Christmas in the December 2014 issue of the MB Herald, readers are encouraged to find God in the ‘thin places‘ this Christmas. God comes near In North America, with the endless noise and rush of life, it’s often difficult to find places where we can steal … [Read more…]
On October 14, 2014, Mark Driscoll, the senior pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington for the past 18 years, formally resigned from his position after numerous accusations came against him from former members and others. As is the case with most mega-church pastors these days when they do just about anything different than … [Read more…]