Growing Ecumenical Deception Taking Hold, Pt 2

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Last time, we introduced the subject of the growing ecumenical deception that is taking hold of large areas of Christendom. We noted that this push toward unity (ecumenism), is often seen within aspects of the Charismatic Movement (CM) and its many offshoots, but is also pushed and endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Because people within that arena are so dependent (and actually go out of their way to seek), on new “words” and “revelations” from God, all manner of aberrant theology stems from it often shipwrecking people’s faith.

Again, this series is not for the purpose of judging people’s motives or the condition of their hearts, whether they are lay people or leaders within the CM. It is to assess what leaders teach and promulgate that is of concern. The Apostle Peter warns against false teachers, who often rose from within the ranks of Christianity to spread untruths regarding God and what the Bible says. Every Christian  has the responsibility to ensure that what is taught and accepted is solidly based on God’s Word.

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. – 2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV

For too many today, the idea of theological differences is anathema and should be avoided at all costs to keep from offending people. It is fast becoming politically incorrect to voice concerns over something considered to be error. Neither Jesus, Paul, Peter or other writers of the NT had any such concerns. They met error head on and dealt with it. As Christians, we are to do the same, but before we can do that, we obviously must learn and know what God’s Word actually says.

Our large concern is what we see happening within Christendom. It appears that Christianity itself is being hijacked and morphed into something else entirely, while keeping the name, Christianity. Those who refuse to embrace this new “Christianity” are being labeled divisive, judgmental, spiritual racists, legalistic, Pharisaic, and worse.

For the remainder of this article, we’ll focus on some of the teachings and experiences that are part and parcel of aspects of the Charismatic Movement, which has largely morphed into what has become known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), but continues to have many offshoots. It’s actually difficult to keep up with the many micro-movements within the larger movement.

It should be noted that within NAR, there is the belief that there are new “apostles” anointed by God today. Certainly, in its most general usage, all Christians are “apostles” in the sense that we are “sent ones,” fitted by the indwelling Holy Spirit to evangelize the lost and spread the gospel (Matthew 28). However, many within NAR firmly believe that God is still appointing and anointing “prophets” and “apostles” today with the authority for that position as God bestowed on the original prophets and apostles of old.

In essence then, leaders within NAR (as well as the overall Charismatic Movement), will say that the God who worked miracles, gave prophetic voice and special authority to the first apostles in the gospels and the book of Acts is still working in that manner today.

Either what NAR leaders teach and what people experience is biblical or it is not. There can be no middle ground and God’s Word is to be used to determine whether or not the things seen and heard within NAR are biblical.

The first video highlighted here is from Emergent Watch and we are thankful for the incredible work they did putting together the video highlighting the recently held Voice of the Apostles Conference (held on Oct. 17-20 in Lancaster, PA). We reference specific spots in the video (by citing time stamps), noted in the paragraphs below for the viewer who doesn’t have the time to watch the entire video.

Viewers can jump ahead to time stamp 2:27 to hear NAR leader Randy Clark as he prays over people who are going to be anointed as pastors and teachers within NAR. Watch closely as the camera pans across the stage in preparation for this anointing. Some individuals are already “twitching” and experiencing other involuntary movements as Clark begins to pray over them.

Prior to praying, Clark asks for others to come onto the stage to pray over these people and also to act as “catchers” for when those receiving prayer will fall over onto their backs (an example starts at 4:06). This same type of thing often happens at Benny Hinn gatherings, where he will wave his coat jacket at people or do some exaggerated arm and hand movement like a magician. (Hinn was also one of the speakers at Voice of the Apostles conference.)

Jump ahead to 4:20 mark and watch a man involuntarily start whipping his head from side to side and other bodily contortions. Others do this at the 4:45 mark.

At the 5:10 mark, something rather frightening happens. A woman falls to the floor of the stage and begins screaming. Her scream sounds as if she is in fear, absolute dread. I know of no passage of Scripture where this occurred when the Holy Spirit manifested Himself through a believer, yet she screams and continues to scream. You can tell from the look on his face that the “catcher” behind her is obviously shaken and doesn’t quite know what to do. Others surround her and continue praying for her. Her screaming continues. This is God manifesting Himself?

The video is filled with examples of people twitching, shaking, making strange sounds, falling to the floor as if experiencing epileptic fits, and more. Quite honestly, it appears as though some of what these people are experiencing is quite scary for them. Cackling laughter can be heard peppered throughout as well. We have a difficult time crediting God with any of this because the Bible does not appear to support it.

Notice also that the leaders who walk on stage to pray over these people do several things. They of course lay hands on those who are to be anointed for ministry. They also lean into them and blow on or kiss them. Watch what they do with their arms and hands, moving them in large flourishes of movement in front of the recipients with recipients falling to the floor, shaking, or making involuntary movements.

Starting at 8:47, Clark turns to the audience and announces his blessing on them (he says, “I bless the people standing…”). He is not wishing God’s blessing on them. He is actually giving them his blessing. Of course he ends his prayer in the Name of Jesus, but Clark himself – as a NAR apostle – is extending his blessing to these people. This is an official and authoritative act, not simply wishing someone well or praying for them that God would bless them.

As the camera pans the crowd we see the same type of things there that we saw on the stage. People swaying, twitching, falling down, etc. At 9:51, camera pans back to the stage and we see leaders laying on of hands, the blowing on people, etc.

The interesting thing is that those who practice Buddhism, Hinduism, or New Agism often experience these same type of things. What the people on stage were experiencing appears to be very similar to what is known in the Occult and New Age as kundalini awakening. Those who teach this awakening say that it should never be done without at least some prior knowledge and not without an instructor who is well versed in the process itself and can oversee it. There are dangers in going it alone. By the way, this kundalini awakening, according to the mystery religions, is the awakening of the divinity within the person. It is the first step toward self-actualization or reaching our divine potential.

The folks at Emergent Watch have placed other videos after the Voice of the Apostles video that allows us to compare what happened at the conference with what occurs when New Age, Buddhist, Hindu or other pagan practitioners go through a kundalini awakening (starting at 11:29). What is seen there is eerily similar to what went on at the Voice of the Apostles conference. The video below highlights a kundalini awakening by a practitioner of the mystery religion. Notice the contortions, movements, and sounds associated with this awakening.

In this short video below, watch this woman experience “kriyas” as she walks. “Kriya refers to the outward physical expression of awakened kundalini and look like spontaneous yoga postures.” Were the people on stage at the Voice of the Apostles conference actually experiencing kriyas and not the manifestation of the Holy Spirit?

Here is another video of another man’s initiation into the kundalini awakening. The gentleman sitting on the couch is the practitioner/guru who oversees that awakening. Remember, the man’s movements are involuntary. This awakening is said to start at the base of the spine, travels up the spine through numerous “chakras” and ends at the Pineal gland (aka the third eye, located in our brains). The opening of the Pineal gland is said to give us a window into the spiritual dimension and access our inner divinity. People become much more sensitive to the spirit world.

According to NAR people, this type of awakening for Christians is said to be the specific working of the Holy Spirit. If so, why does it happen within the pagan religions the same way? It cannot be argued that Satan has counterfeited the Holy Spirit because kundalini awakening has been around long before the Holy Spirit gave birth to the Church in the first century and began manifesting Himself within members of the Church, Christ’s Body. Is it at all possible that the same power behind occult kundalini awakening is the same power behind the experiences at the Voice of the Apostles (and other) conferences? If so, would that power be the Holy Spirit or Satan?

Why is this in the church at all? Why do people think they need this? People who go through kundalini awakening tell of extreme feelings of love, peace, and acceptance upon the awakening. Those who experience this feel greater love for others. The dividing walls (of theological and doctrinal differences), come down and they begin to see all people as part of the brotherhood and sisterhood of humanity. People, not God’s Word, become their own barometer of truth based on how they feel about something.

But what about truth as expressed in God’s Word? Do we no longer have to be concerned about false teachers and erroneous doctrine, as Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and others were? If not, why not? What has changed? Is it possible that even Christians are starting to chase after things that make them feel good while ignoring the actual responsibility we have to spread the gospel and live a life that pleases God and brings Him glory?

Many so-called Christian conferences, churches, and gatherings now teach that Christians need to set aside differences and simply embrace one another. The gaps between theology and doctrine should not keep us from worshiping together and loving one another. The problem with this type of thinking is that it dismisses much of the NT warnings about contending for the faith. It implies that we should not “correct” another Christian who may be in error. To do so means to be judgmental and unloving, which leads to division.

The late Anglican Bishop Tony Palmer stated that diversity is divine, but division is diabolical. When he said that at a conference, the audience responded with clapping and cheers. The problem is that he is dead wrong. Jesus’ ministry divided truth from error, sheep from goats and it still does. Jesus Himself said He came to bring a sword, not peace (Matthew 10:34). Yet, Jesus is also the Prince of Peace. How do we understand His words? Clearly, He was intent on separating truth from falsehoods and those who continued to follow falsehoods would see Jesus as divisive. Those who embraced what Jesus taught would find peace with God, not necessarily with other human beings.

We are now being told that we must simply get along and if that means setting even the fundamentals of the faith aside, then so be it. Doing so will apparently allow the world to see that Christians truly love one another and start to see Christianity as authentic, true, and something to embrace. But what will the world be actually taught? Doesn’t sound doctrine do the teaching as well as a graceful and humble demeanor? You can love someone all you want but if you never tell them about the sin in their life that keeps them from God and their need for Jesus, your love means nothing. This push for unity is most certainly moving toward something huge. What is it?

Paul says the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). The world will ridicule and condemn if their eyes remain closed to the truth about Jesus. Yet, we are to love them with our words and actions. Parents, do you ever take the time to correct and/or discipline your children or do you only “love” them in spite of the things they do wrong? If you never correct them, you simply don’t love them. You love yourself and don’t want your children to dislike you so you never risk it by disciplining them.

Let’s end this article with some questions? First, did Jesus, Paul, Peter et al ever correct or even rebuke those who were in error? Did they do this because they hated the person or because they loved them? Second, how is loved defined by people who say we are to love only and never correct, setting all differences aside, and how is love defined in God’s Word? Third, is there ever a time when we are to offer correction to other Christians or is it always considered judgmental to do so? Fourth, if correction or contending for the faith is never a good thing, then what about discernment? Are we to seek and use discernment in seeking God or do we throw caution to the wind trusting that God would only let us experience what is good for us? Finally for now, what is Cultural Marxism and has it begun to infect the Church?

Every person has a “source” of authority. If it is not the Bible, then it is something else. For us, it is the Scriptures themselves. For in them is truth.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective