Pentecostal Leaders Adapting World Views

Looking at the article below, the concerns expressed by Andrew Strom have been entering into my mind lately about compromise and a changing society. I had been contemplating that on television nothing resembles programs aired even 10 years ago--certainly not 20 or 30 years aog. Women are featured in commercials scantily dressed for even youngsters to see in the daytime (and all people for that matter). Homosexuality is unquestioned in mainstream shows---its becoming a norm, with gay people in leading roles on television. Sadistic crime shows abound, to which I am convinced influence people already given to sadistic perversions offering them more ammunition to feed their evil passions. Darkness has increased exponentially.

Who are we to accommodate? The world? Are you trying to reach them or be like them? Why question anything this world offers if we accept its views, and no one call tell us believers apart?

James 4:4 (New King James Version)
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Do you think the Lord changes?

Malichi 3:6 (New King James Version)
For I am the LORD, I do not change

Matthew 24:35 (New King James Version)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass.

The world is changing. Because it changes, are we to adapt to the ways of darkness? Light dispels darkness--but compromise and accommodation to a sinful world is only causing confusion and deception. And it should not be so in the Church.

The Lord is not willing any should perish. He desires all people to know Him. But He commands we preach the Truth, and call sin as SIN when we see it. Grace does not give us a license to excuse sin in our lives.

The article is posted directly below.

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PENTECOSTALS ACCEPT GAYS - It Begins
by Andrew Strom

It all started with a 2009 blog post by Rob Buckingham, pastor
of a large Pentecostal megachurch called 'Bayside' in Melbourne,
Australia. His blog post was entitled, "Is Jesus Anti-Gay?" and
made the case for 'acceptance' being the true Christian attitude
toward Homosexuals. Now bear in mind that this is not some
"liberal" church or 'liberal' congregation here. This fellowship is
part of the "C3" (Christian City Church) denomination - one of
the largest mainstream Pentecostal groups in Australia. That is
why the Gay community was so delighted by it all.

In the 'comments' section after his article, Rob Buckingham
made his views even clearer: "As a Christian, and pastor of a
church, I sometimes find the attitudes of fellow Christians
embarrassing. We have a number of gay men and women in our
church and they are accepted just the way they are - just like
everyone else is." So you are no longer willing to preach what
Jesus preached, Rob? "GO and SIN NO MORE."

Rob Buckingham later went on to preach a message at Bayside
that was entitled, "Real Christianity is Accepting". (You can find
it on Youtube). In it the pastor overturned the usual understanding
of the 'Sodom & Gomorrah' story and advocated "Christian
acceptance" of homosexuals. The Pentecostal congregation
literally gave him a standing ovation at the end of his sermon.

This message was heralded by the Gay press as a huge leap
forward inside the Pentecostal movement. One Gay activist called
it, 'The Bayside Breakthrough'. The Star Online trumpeted,
"Church Advocates for Gay Acceptance... minister at Melbourne´s
Pentecostal Bayside Church received a standing ovation earlier
this month for preaching just that in a special sermon on how
the church should embrace GLBT [Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual &
Transgender] people."

The official Bayside website also published the following statement:
"Bayside Church welcomes GLBT people to find God´s love and
grace and to worship Him freely within our community."

Even though this whole affair became very well-known, the
leadership of the C3 (Christian City Church) movement apparently
"declined to comment" on it - even though the C3 movement is
led by Phil Pringle, a very well-known preacher in Australia. It
seems Bayside is still welcome to be part of 'C3' and Rob
Buckingham remains a high-profile pastor in the movement. All
of his blog posts on this subject are still proudly featured on the
church website. Which surely leads one to believe that Rob
Buckingham's views must not be too different from the overall
church's views on this subject. Isn't that reasonable to assume,
since they have said nothing to the contrary? I wonder if Australian
Pentecostals are aware that this huge compromise is now taking
place under their own banner?

And so, Homosexual Acceptance is free to enter into the
Pentecostal movement by the back door, since leaders no longer
dare to actually make a stand on the issue. Please write to Phil
Pringle and the C3 movement if you would like to know why they
have been so "silent" about this - even to their own members.
Here is the email to write to-  info@myc3church.net

Isn't it sad that "political correctness" is now overtaking even the
Pentecostal churches worldwide? Perhaps the fruit of years of
no real 'Repentance' being preached? And I have recently heard
of large Baptist churches in Australia also starting to head in the
same direction. Who will stand and defend the truth?

-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at our website below-

http://www.revivalschool.com/

Yours in Christ - Andrew Strom ( prophetic@revivalschool.com )

Difficulties Finding A Church

I so can relate to this email sent from Andrew Strom's ministry! I have given up finding a church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Bible Belt--where hundreds of churches are located! Where churches abound in apostasy, circus like atmospheres, Tea Party politics, and camera rolling entertainment for the masses! I believe in the Word, but I cannot find a place which preaches the gospel, healing, deliverance without mangling it into the characteristics I listed above.  So many of these so called charismatic of spirit filled churches do not pray for the sick in their services, do not pray for the bound, do not pray for people in the need--BUT--fill out the back of your collection envelope and you bet we will pray for you! Hmmm. Something is amiss.

The preaching of politics is rampant in Oklahoma churches talking about Obama, Obamacare, the degradation of the nation; while half of the people attending these churches would not offer a cup of water to someone on the street who wants one--unless it is a special church event of course! Just touching. Would you believe I have gone looking into a Assembly of God church 3 times in the past two months, and EVERY single time, flamboyant guests speakers were there. Nothing wrong with guest speakers occasionally, but is the purpose to draw in crowds or to preach something? I cannot even figure out what this church is about because the pastor has yet to preach while I was there--but his guests do. Then I look on the website and behold, a barrage of guest speakers--and the entertainment is free, naturally.  It has a high definition, super sonic extravaganza feel quality equaling total spiritual emptiness.

There are the super spiritual apostolic kind who want to bless you with their anointed hands and oils--to serve as your Mediator. So not. Additionally, I cannot stand for pastors or speakers who stand up jabbering that if you take a step of faith, lay out some money for a blessing or your healing--you will see your miracle! Be obedient to God's voice--yet who do you think you will hear next? The devil saying "I am the Lord, give $100.00 and your healing will manifest". You give it, it doesn't manifest, and someone says "you lacked faith bro--another opportunity will come along".

I cannot find a church in Tulsa Oklahoma. I know of other people who are searching and cannot find one. Does perfection exist in churches? No. But gross error, emptiness, contingent prayer, Tea Party hatefulness, contempt for the poor type churches---I would do better to stay at home.

The email article is directly below:

"CAN'T FIND a CHURCH!"
-Andrew Strom
If it's one thing I hear over and over from people, it is this. They
literally look everywhere they can think of in their town, and cannot
find a fellowship that seems in any way "right". Many will heap
blame on these people. But I am not one of them. What are you
supposed to do when you go right around a town and cannot find
good, sound, anointed teaching anywhere? What if you are left
with a choice of hyper-grace, prosperity, dead formalism or
anti-Charismatic "King James only"? Which one do you settle for?

For years I have been hearing this cry and it is only getting worse.
There simply seems to be a "famine" of the true word of the Lord
in many places. This is the overwhelming reason behind a lot of
the "Out-of-church" Christian phenomenon - no doubt about it.
We would love to hear your own experiences and comments on
this topic, my friends. Below is a message that somebody sent
me just this week on this very subject-

Tracy wrote:
"Hi Mr. Strom, I live in America.. Our churches (most of them are
in apostasy). My family & I always get hurt, persecuted because
of the calling on our lives and our stand for the truth... Each time
it hurts worse and worse, and we feel like we don't even fit in
anywhere. It has caused our kids, who are now grown, to not
even want to go to church. Where we live now, we are currently
looking for a place to worship and almost all churches here only
have church on Sunday Morning.. No service Sunday Night or
Wednesday night.. We need fellowship with true believers.

We have been in churches that seem like CIRCUSES (apostle
movement) where the Pastor insisted he was my "father" and
I was his "spiritual daughter" - weird.. We left and he threatened
we would not be blessed or doors would not open because we
left "his covering"! We've been at churches where the pastor was
blind and followed the flesh instead of the Spirit.. Putting demon
possessed people over prayer teams, etc.. Etc.. We have had
enough.. Been hurt because of our stand for righteousness...
To the point we are fearful of even connecting with a church ??

I know these are the last days but I am so disheartened. Will you
please pray for us? Offer any advise of wisdom you may have.
America and our churches are backslidden and it is seriously
so sad.. Where are his true people?"

ANDREW AGAIN:  As I said, it would be easy to blame the
people and call them "uncommitted" or 'church hoppers', etc.
But the simple lack of GOD in so many fellowships today seems
to be what is driving a lot of true believers away. How can they
be blamed for leaving? Does anyone have the answer? How many
others have similar tales to tell?

-PLEASE COMMENT on this topic at the website below-

http://www.revivalschool.com/

God bless you all! - Andrew Strom ( prophetic@revivalschool.com )