Do You Still Want to Shoot the Messenger?

Leighton Ford Promoting Contemplative Spirituality

See the following Publishers Weekly summary on Barnes & Noble:

6/19/09

“Ford would seem an unlikely candidate to write a gentle, moving introduction to traditional monastic spirituality. As Billy Graham’s brother-in-law and frequent stand-in, Ford’s evangelical bona fides are unquestionable. Yet he describes the details of life at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina, with the eye of the avid amateur painter he also is. Reading this book you’ll find yourself scribbling down prayers from obscure medieval figures like a certain St. Fursey. Ford is also appealing as he describes odd gestures he’s willing to make in search of the God who’s present in the everyday: hugging a tree, hugging himself in an airport with passersby all around…”

Leighton Ford promoting Contemplative Spirituality

See the Lighthouse Trails Blog 6/5/09

Gurus Beyond Critique

Paul Smith dismissed

from Calvary Chapel Board

The 80 year old brother of Chuck Smith had stood against Contemplative Spirituality, the Emerging Church, and the Purpose Driven – Seeker Friendly Movements.

See the report from Lighthouse Trails 5/15/09

To the degree that Paul Smith has stood against Contemplative Spirituality, the Emerging Church, and the Purpose Driven – Seeker Friendly Movements, I say amen.

And yet I do not support any attempt to enforce a denomination hierarchy control over assemblies of believers. We are called to persuade by speaking the truth in love and not coerce by bureaucratic power.

Also, I see no value in being devoted to his brother’s legacy any more than the church needs a Billy Graham (presidential-like) library. The kingdom of God is not about celebrity leaders or the history of denominations.

I do pray that our Lord Jesus will bless all concerned and turn all these conflicts for good in each of our lives.

Procinwarn.com Editor 5/16/09

Lighthouse Trails Research spot on YouTube

“Lighthouse Trails Research now has a spot on YouTube, where we will place video clips of people like Warren Smith, Ray Yungen, and Roger Oakland.”

Franklin Graham
takes part in Emergent Catalyst Conference

See the 10/7/08 Lighthouse Trails article (posted here 10/20/08)

“Billy and Franklin Graham Join Emerging Church Leaders and The Shack Author at Catalyst Conference”

“Billy Graham, and his son Franklin, will be speaking at the upcoming Catalyst Conference on October 8-9. Possibly, the father/son Grahams are not aware of the teachings and the spirituality that the Catalyst Conference represents. Unfortunately, Catalyst will gain respect and audience by many trusting and unaware admirers of the Grahams for including them on their list of speakers.”

See the rest of the article

More info about the Graham’s and the Catalyst Conference

Billy Graham

Christian Organizations being influenced by Emergent – Contemplative Spirituality

Calvary Chapel, Nazarene Church, Christian Missionary Alliance, Mennonite denominations, Southern Baptist, Many Reformed/Calvinist churches, Foursquare, and Assemblies of God

According to a Lighthouse Trails article

From Freedom to Servitude

From the Lighthouse Trails site 3/30/09

From Freedom to Servitude

Category: * A Global Spirituality
Source: Kjos Ministries

“Watching the markets… two interlocking phrases immediately come to mind: Ordo ab Chaos, and Crisis Equals Opportunity. Ordo ab Chaos is a Latin phrase and the motto of the Thirty-Third Degree of Freemasonry.[1] It means, ‘Order out of Chaos.'[2] Carl Teichrib

“Never waste a good crisis.” Hillary Clinton

“…the financial crisis will lead to the creation of a global central bank and a global single currency within 15 years.” Stephen Gallo

Once a nation parts with control of its currency and credit, it matters not who makes that nation’s laws. W.L. Mackenzie King [former Prime Minister of Canada]…

During the Nazi occupation of Norway (1939-1945), my father joined the Norwegian resistance movement and was willing to die for his country. But when the post-war years brought creeping socialism, he became increasingly disillusioned. Finally he chose to immigrate to America, which shone like a beacon of freedom and opportunity across Europe’s war-torn lands.

Entering the New York Harbor some years later, we gazed in awe at the Statue of Liberty. But even as we ate our first hamburger soon afterwards, America was already changing. Dwight D. Eisenhower, our war-time hero, was now president. John Foster Dulles — a founding member of the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) — was his Secretary of State.

Like most Americans, we had no idea what was happening “behind the scenes.” We didn’t know that Dulles had been a Trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation — or that he collaborated with Alger Hiss, an active member of the Communist Party, and had helped draft the preamble to the UN Charter back in 1945.

Nor did we realize that our Secretary of State had chaired a 1942 Federal (later renamed National) Council of Churches conference. In an article titled Conforming the Church to the New Millennium, I summarized the conference report. While Hitler’s armies were ravaging Europe, the Council used that devastating crisis as an opportunity to promote its agenda:

a world government of delegated powers

immediate limitations on national sovereignty

a [single] democratically controlled international bank

a universal system of money

worldwide freedom of immigration

even distribution of the world’s natural wealth.

Does that sound familiar? Apparently that last point didn’t originate with Obama! Even Time magazine was shocked!

See the article on the Lighthouse Trails site

“The staff and editors at Lighthouse Trails Publishing wish to express our sincerest condolences to Greg Laurie and his family for the tragic loss of their son on July 24th. We pray that God’s comfort and love will encompass them during this difficult time.”

From Lighthouse Trails 7/27/08

How Sad!

Ravi Zacharias Yokes with Robert Schuller and Emergent-Contemplative.

From Lighthouse Trails 8/26/08 posted here 8/28/08

Read more at Lighthouse Trails

Lighthouse Trails June Newsletter

Various topics relating to Emergent & Contemplative and other issues

Rethink Conference

January 2008

Mark Driscoll Rejects McLaren But Embraces Contemplative 

January 2008

Roger Oakland Removed from Calvary Chapel Radio

See Lighthouse Trails Blog

11/20/07

Is your church doing

“Spiritual Formation”? (hope not…)

See Lighthouse Trails Newsletter June 12th

Awana Embraces Contemplative Spirituality
From Lighthouse Trails 7/19/07

See the May 5th Newsletter

Lighthouse Trails

• National Day of Prayer Featured Author Promotes Contemplative

• Teen Mania Goes Contemplative?

• Rick Warren and Leonard Sweet Together…Again

• Laurie Beth Jones on Platform with Blanchard and McManus

• SPECIAL REPORT: Mel Gibson Reveals True Purpose of the Passion – Leading People to Catholicism

• Walk to Emmaus

Lighthouse Trails

Tragic Directions at
Moody Bible Institute

Young Christian Woman Withdraws from Moody Bible Institute Because of Contemplative Promotion

From Lighthouse Trails

8/31/07

T.D. Jakes says Yoga ok for the Christian

T.D. Jakes, Yoga, and Lighthouse Trails

This is a deception.

Posteed here 4/20/07

Contemplative, Emergent, Interspirituality

From Lighthouse Trails
Posted 1/1/2007

“In 2006, many of us witnessed the escalation of contemplative spirituality within Christendom like never before. One leader after the next either openly promoted contemplative or remained eerily quiet about the issue all together. A major Christian publishing house released a book on yoga, trusted Christian leaders participated in a Fox Home Entertainment DVD on contemplative prayer, online Christian bookstores became nesting grounds for authors who teach panentheism and interspirituality, and Purpose Driven has made it into over 400,000 churches with Rick Warren being a proponent of both contemplative and the emerging church.”

“We know that many of you have paid dear prices for standing for biblical truth. The editors and the authors of Lighthouse Trails Publishing and Lighthouse Trails Research thank you for being an inspiration to other believers and a witness to those who still live in darkness. It is our desire to be a service to the body of Christ, and we hope we can do that in 2007 in humility, love and courage.”

“God bless you as you contend for the precious faith. May the Lord watch over you and keep you safe.”

• Son of PTL Jim Bakker Says Gay Marriage OK; Resonates With Contemplative Spirituality
• Lighthouse Trails Research Top Stories of 2006
• Christian or “Christ Follower”?
• VIDEO: The New Age – A Pathway to Paradise?
• How to Know When the Emerging Church Shows Signs of Emerging in Your Church
• An End of the Year Greeting from Brian Flynn
• Rick Warren and Another Possible Presidential Candidate Meet Together
• Event in Iran Says Holocaust Never Happened
• In 2006, Which Christian Colleges Are Turning to Contemplative?
• Christian Leaders Still Promoting “Purpose Driven Life”
• Ministry Spotlights
• Just in case you didn’t know ….
• Publishing News

From Lighthouse Trails

WARNING: Congress 2007 Christian Conference
Posted on procinwarn.com 1/9/07

Source: Lighthouse Trails

“On February 1st – 3rd, Vision New England will be presenting the Congress 2007 conference. Speakers will include: contemplative meditation promoters Tony Campolo, Jack Hayford, and Bill Hybels and emerging church leader, Don Miller (Blue Like Jazz). The theme for this year’s event is a take off of Rick Warren’s motto, “Whatever it Takes.” It is disappointing to see Joni Eareckson Tada on the speaker list”

See the rest of the article

“Celebration of Discipline – 27 Years of Influence!”
From the Lighthouse Trails site 10/29/06

Richard Foster has been promoting unbiblical mysticism beliefs and techniques for many years and has helped to spawn the Emergent Church and Contemplative Spirituality movements that have swept Evangelicalism. Consider the following from the Lighthouse Trails blog article:

“Those that Foster quotes favorably in Celebration of Discipline:
Thomas Merton
Morton Kelsey
Madame Guyon
Evelyn Underhill
Elizabeth O’ Connor
Thomas Kelly
Fyodor Dostoevski
Soren Kierkegaard
George Fox
Agnes Sanford
Brother Lawrence
Dallas Willard “

“Those Who Quote, Promote and Endorse Richard Foster:
Focus on the Family
Chuck Swindoll
Christianity Today
YWAM
C.S. Lewis Institute
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
Youth Specialties
More on Celebration of Discipline “

Do You Name-Drop Rick Warren and Saddleback Church?

“Purpose Driven Resisters – Must Leave or Die”
 “Those who oppose the “program” are called leaders from hell.“

See Lighthouse Trails June 2006 Newsletter

“…when their churches decided to get involved with 40 Days of Purpose, everything began changing and when they questioned these changes, they each soon found themselves silenced, ostracized and eventually without a church to attend. Now today, nearly five years after Purpose Driven Life was released, thousands of believers are scattered throughout the world, having been ridiculed and demoralized for even just the slightest questioning of the Purpose Driven program. In one email we received, the young man was handed a letter from his pastor. The letter had been written by a Saddleback field representative who told the pastor to do what he had to do to get rid of those opposing the new program.”

“URGENT – Awana Club Participating in
Willow Creek Conference

“Awana Clubs

“Feb 23, 2006 Awana Clubs has been a respected and trusted Christian organization for many years. Countless children have been Cubbies and Sparkies and have memorized Scripture through the program.

“With so much of the church heading into the contemplative/emergent camp, also known as the spiritual formation movement, what a tragedy it would be to see Awana being sucked into this also. Few things are stable these days … is Awana the next to cave in?”

See entire article at the Lighthouse Trails site

“Awana Club Now Featuring Book by Youth Specialties Speaker“

8/9/06
From the Lighthouse Trails Blog

“In February, we contacted Awana Club with concerns about their affiliation with and promotion of contemplative organizations such as Willow Creek, Youth Specialties, and Group Publishing. We later learned that there would be no changes made by Awana regarding these organizations. (You may read about this situation in our February news release.)

“Today, we have learned that Awana is now featuring and offering a book by Saddleback Youth Pastor, Doug Fields (a regular speaker at Youth Specialties events). The book, Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry: A personal and practical guide to starting right, is published by Youth Specialties and Zondervan. Inside the book are several sidebar commentaries by various people who promote contemplative and/or emerging spirituality: Tony Campolo, the late Mike Yaconelli, Rick Warren, Marv Penner (Briercrest Biblical Seminary, Canada, Duffy Robbins, Bo Boshers (leader at Willow Creek), and others most of whom promote contemplative spirituality and the emerging church. It is important to remember that Youth Specialties has been working in conjunction with emerging church leaders for several years now and has a major role in the growth of this movement.

“According to the Awana website, “Awana is the leading ministry to help local churches reach children and youth for Christ.” However, if they continue going in the contemplative/emerging direction, it may not be the biblical Jesus Christ that is being offered to kids and youth but rather another Christ and another gospel. We hope and pray they will understand how vital it is to stay away from those who teach and promote contemplative spirituality and who are engaged with the emerging church movement.”

From Lighthouse Trails Blog

“Christian” Leader Still Promoting New Age

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 21, 2006: Well-known professing Christian author, speaker and business guru, Ken Blanchard, who has ties with Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, David Jeremiah and other Christian leaders, has been endorsing and promoting New Age teachings for over twenty years. After this was brought to the light last April in our Special Report, and after Blanchard said he would stop his promotions of the New Age, he is still endorsing New Age books and continues his connections with New Age organizations. This critical situation is affecting believers world-wide.

Blanchard, head of the Lead Like Jesus organization, is considered by many as a trusted leader. He speaks at many different conferences including the Living Leadership with Mikhail Gorbachev.

Below is a table showing many of the connections Blanchard has to the New Age.

See Table at the Lighthouse Trails site

Lighthouse Trails Publishing Responds to Rick Warren

A Public Response from Lighthouse Trails Publishing

June 17, 2005

On May 31st, 2005 we received an email from Rick Warren. Within hours of receiving this email, we learned that the email had been posted on the Internet. After prayerful consideration, we have come to the conclusion that we will not provide a personal response to Rick Warren regarding the email we received. However, we are compelled to address this situation publicly.

While in the process of preparing a response, we soon realized that the contents of the email sent to us by Rick Warren were misleading and contained much misinformation. And having now witnessed the mocking tone by those involved with Rick Warren, we have decided we cannot, in good conscience, engage with people who go to such great lengths to hide the truth.

On April 20th, 2005 Lighthouse Trails Publishing issued a press release, showing the connections between Rick Warren and New Age sympathizer Ken Blanchard. In our release we used a line from George Mair’s book A Life With Purpose (a biography of Rick Warren). While the press release was not at all contingent on the quote by Mair (it being used only as a qualifier), Rick Warren’s email to us focused primarily on George Mair. The assumption was that if Mair could be discredited then our press release would be invalid. However, the evidence we provided is solid, and we therefore stand behind our press release.

The real issue addressed in the press release was concerning Ken Blanchard—a man who, according to Rick Warren, has “signed on” to help implement Warren’s global Peace Plan. Both in the press release and on our research web site, we have provided numerous instances where Blanchard has shown his endorsement and promotion of the New Age such as in the Foreword of the 2001 book, What Would Buddha Do At Work?, in which Ken Blanchard states:

Buddha points to the path and invites us to begin our journey to enlightenment. I point to this little jewel of a book and invite you to begin (or continue) your journey to enlightened work.  

Blanchard’s latest endorsement of the New Age centers around Vijay Eswaran’s book, In the Sphere of SILENCE, a June 2005 release that promotes the inner silence through mystical prayer practices, i.e. contemplative prayer. Of the book, Ken Blanchard states:

This book is a wonderful guide on how to enter the realm of silence and draw closer to God.

Such comments speak for themselves. And yet, this same Ken Blanchard will, later this summer, share a speaking platform with Rick Warren in the Leadership Summit 2005, which will be broadcast to 100 cities and over 50,000 leaders throughout North America!

What has baffled us most is that Rick Warren and those affiliated with him would spend more time contending with a small Christian publishing company than they do contending for the faith. With New Age doctrines influencing millions of people worldwide and within the Christian church, Rick Warren seems more intent on discrediting his critics than in exposing spiritual deception.

As for Lighthouse Trails Publishing, we will continue researching pertinent issues, while publishing books that minister to and assist the body of Christ and reach out to the lost with the true message of salvation, which is through Jesus Christ alone.  

We want to thank the faithful ministries, churches, and brothers and sisters who have committed themselves to defending the precious faith and say to you:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:6-7) .

  May God bless each of you who is truly contending for the faith. We appreciate you and feel privileged to stand with you.

  David and Deborah Dombrowski

Lighthouse Trails Publishing

  P.S. Because the private email we received from Rick Warren was made public on the Internet and because there is so much misinformation in that email we have provided some additional documentation and resources that may be helpful to you.

Click Here for Additional Information
Including:
Email from Rick Warren
A Closer Look at the Email and much more.

From Lighthouse Trails (11/11/05):

• President of Youth Specialties announces that “Christianity is an eastern religion.”

• Saddleback Church’s head youth pastor teams up with Youth Specialties at the upcoming National Youth Worker’s Convention

• Tony Campolo, who says mysticism is a common ground between Christianity and Islam, is also one of the speakers.

• Youth Specialties is featuring a book called Sacred Way that promotes centering and contemplative prayer, labyrinths, stations of the cross, and other New Age practices.

• Rick Warren and his wife, Kay, are promoting Henri Nouwen, who said he was uncomfortable with those who say Jesus is the only way.

• Christianity Today, a big-time promoter of contemplative, now issues an article called “Contemplative Kids.”

• Most Christian leaders are doing nothing to warn the church about Purpose Driven, the emergent church and contemplative spirituality?

Doesn’t something seem amiss?”

Lighthouse Trails

“Rick Warren Teams Up With New-Age Guru Ken Blanchard!

“Apr 19, 2005 While Rick Warren is gearing up to train a billion people, unbeknownst to many he has also been teamed up with New Age and contemplative promoter, Ken Blanchard, for some time now. According to a new biography on Rick Warren, A Life With Purpose written by George Mair, Rick Warren has solicited the services of Ken Blanchard to aid him in training leaders: “Rick taps the best and most famous to help train church leaders to be like Jesus. He has hired Ken Blanchard …. to come to Saddleback to help train people how to be effective leaders.” p. 193″

https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/pressreleases.htm