Quantum Mix Of Error

I am posting an important warning received via email from Andrew Strom's ministry.  There is another disturbing new age twist coming from people associated with the Elijah List concerning energy, vibrations oil and quantum conjecture.  This group is mainly composed self appointed prophetic people and has caused great error to spread throughout the church from its inception. It has strong NAR (New Apostolic Reformation ties) and has repeatedly brought forth a yucky stew of new age practices, aggrandizement and national political agendas in one ugly pot.

Sadly, it has become increasingly difficult in United States, even in Tulsa, to find a church which discounts the new prophetic Elijah List crowd and NAR; but still believes in a God who is unlimited, who indeed heals and does not demand you pony up money for it. Hard to find a church which speaks in tongues, yet does not have people rolling on the floor shrieking, barking and jerking side to side as if they reside in an electric socket. Hard to find a church which offers prayer in their major services; yet people come in off the street seeking ministry and the sick sometime less so. Hard to find a church which has a true heart towards the poor, absent of judgmental attitudes, and not engaged in bashing the President of the United States when they should be preaching, teaching, and living the Word of God.  


Enough of my thoughts. Here is the article:

THE 'ELIJAH LIST' DOES it AGAIN! (-New Age)
-by Andrew Strom.

People need to be warned about this. Seriously. The Elijah List is the biggest "Prophetic" email list on the planet. It goes out to tens of thousands of Charismatic Christians around the globe. We have had cause to warn people about the Elijah List several times in the past, but a week ago they published one of their most "New Age" articles that I have yet seen.

The article was called 'A "Quantum" Change' by Kari Browning (designed to get people to buy the related books, of course). Here are some major extracts:

'A "Quantum" Change' by Kari Browning...

"There is great understanding coming to the Church about the quantum realm, and I believe it will help facilitate the change that has been prophesied. Albert Einstein said everything is energy. Remember his formula E=mc squared? He believed that energy and matter were interchangeable. Everything is vibrating energy, including our bodies. Every word and every thought carries a certain vibrational frequency...

It can be scientifically documented that everything has either positive or negative frequencies. Foods even have frequencies. Fresh food has a higher frequency than processed foods. On the other hand, coffee has a negative frequency. Prayer actually raises a person's frequency by 15 MHz. If our frequency gets low, we get sick...

God provided a way to raise our frequencies by using essential oils. These oils were used Biblically for medicinal purposes. The oils were not used symbolically as we have come to believe, but these oils had healing properties. For example, hyssop is a releaser of swallowed emotions and a spiritual cleanser. Prayer and essential oils together are a powerful combination, as both raise our frequencies."

ANDREW STROM AGAIN:  Someone needs to let the Elijah List know that they are (yet again) promoting pure "New Age" junk to the Body of Christ. As if "Ekstasis" dancing, portals, gold dust, 'angel feathers', fire tunnels and spiritual drunkenness were not enough. Now we have "vibrations", special 'frequencies' and healing oils being promoted in the church.

Does it really require that much "discernment" to see that these people have simply taken obvious 'New Age' techniques (not found in the Bible) and are repackaging them for gullible Christians? Where will it all end? How "New Age" do things have to get?

At the close of the article, the Elijah List adds:
"Kari Browning, 'New Renaissance'.
Kari Browning and her husband, Mike, have been involved in church planting for over 25 years. They are about to open a Healing and Creativity Center. This center will focus on releasing creativity and teaching on wellness. Kari has traveled nationally and internationally as a conference speaker."

It then goes on to promote Kari's next speaking event, which is entitled "Global Call School of the Prophets" with Bill Hamon as the main speaker - along with other 'prophets'. Thus we have the "Prophetic" Movement to thank (yet again) for this latest New Age deception to enter the church. Very sad. People need to be warned about this, my friends.

*Remarkable. However, sadly, it is not at all shocking.

First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs apologizes, had refused to marry Te'Andrea, Charles Wilson
By: Jeffrey Elizabeth Copeland CNN

(CNN) -- After barring a black couple from marrying in its Mississippi facility in late July, the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs released a statement Sunday apologizing for its actions.

"We, the church, realize that the Hendersons and Wilsons should never have been asked to relocate their wedding. This wrong decision resulted in hurt and sadness for everyone. Both the pastor and those involved in the wedding location being changed have expressed their regrets and sorrow for their actions," the church said.

Te'Andrea and Charles Wilson planned for months to marry at the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs but were asked at the last minute to move.

Their pastor, Stan Weatherford, made the request on behalf of some congregants who didn't want to see the couple married there, according to CNN affiliate WLBT. He performed the ceremony at a nearby church.

Sunday's statement follows a string of apologies from First Baptist and its congregation for turning away the young couple.

"As a church, we express our apology to Te'Andrea and Charles Wilson for the hurt that was brought to them in the hours preceding their wedding and beyond. We are seeking forgiveness and reconciliation with our Lord Jesus Christ, Te'Andrea and Charles, family and friends of the Hendersons and Wilsons, our church family, and our community for the actions and attitudes that have recently occurred," the statement continued.

Despite the church's recent statements, the Wilsons aren't convinced of the congregations' sincerity, they said, calling the recent release "an insult" and "misleading to the public."

"The pastor has not spoken to us since a couple days after the incident. We have not heard from the pastor or any church official since the incident," Charles Wilson said Sunday.

Jonathan Thompson, the African-American community relations director for the city of Crystal Springs, was one of many community members to organize a unity rally after the incident, aiming to help reunite church members.

"I think this is an opportunity to really get intentional about reconciling," he said, adding that he prayed God would forgive all of them for their sins and that they would be able to find reconciliation.

However, Charles Wilson said, "at the rally, the pastor avoided us. He walked the other way when he saw us walking toward him. It would have been nice to talk to us before issuing a statement."

A spokesman who agreed to be identified only as a "church member" said that the church had attempted to reach out to the couple and that calls were not returned.

The Wilsons had attended the church but were not official members. They would have been the first African-American couple to marry in First Baptist Church's 150-year history, church officials said.

"This had never been done before here, so it was setting a new precedent, and there are those who reacted to that because of that," Weatherford told CNN affiliate WLBT in July.

Read more here.
Also see: Black Wedding Banned by Miss. Baptist Church

HATS OFF to Andrew Stroms recent article!!!! I am so glad to see other Christians recognizing the ugly attitudes and indeed antics displayed by Tea Party Christians in America! Their actions and philosophies stand so contrary to God's Word and the true nature of Christ. Money, indeed is the root of evil in a lot of their political gesturing (not to mention stereotyping the poor and others...) No compassion if it costs them, but if it looks good or gets someone elected-- a token such as handing a turkey out on Thanksgiving will do--but only amidst themselves!  Such tokenism will certainly not be acceptable to God. He knows their hearts! I am blessed beside myself to see others speaking out against this egregious political movement which plays their "God card" for their own agendas.


WHY the "TEA PARTY" is UNCHRISTIAN
-by Andrew Strom.

I write this as a conservative evangelical Christian. I am anti-abortion and hold all the usual 'conservative' views. But I have come to believe that the Tea Party is one of the most misguided and misleading movements in America - especially since it claims to be so "Christian".

I saw a piece written by pro-Tea Party activist recently who quoted statistics saying that the majority of Tea Party members are evangelical Christians. He coined the term, "Teavangelicals". He says they are going to have a new Awakening and "Take Back America". I don't know what kind of "Awakening" he is talking about, but it is very different from the true spiritual Awakenings of the past. America certainly needs a Revival. But not the kind that these guys are pushing. I believe it is a counterfeit of the real thing. And if we fall for the counterfeit, then the true can be utterly lost.

So what exactly is the problem with the "Teavangelicals"? Below is a very basic list of things that, in my view, make this movement truly un-Christlike and unchristian:-

(1) -An Unhealthy Mixing of Christianity with Nationalism-. When you "wrap the cross in the flag" so-to-speak, you instantly distort the entire message and essence of christianity. You are taking two totally different "kingdoms" and mixing them together. Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world."  So in mixing Christianity with Nationalism, you are totally distorting what His kingdom truly stands for. Thus you get "Patriotic" actions such as saluting the flag or the Pledge of Allegiance being seen as "Christian" things to do. Marching off to war becomes a "Christian" activity. The two "kingdoms" are being completely confused. There is a great deal of this happening in the church in America right now - and the Tea Party is really pushing it. -Utterly distorting what real Christianity is all about.

(2) -Being Basically the Biggest Supporters of WAR in America-. (This is closely related to # 1).  One US commentator seriously stated that without the support of the American Christians the war would be over much quicker - because they are the staunchest and strongest supporters of War in the whole country. Now, can you imagine Jesus being like this? Can you imagine Him telling his disciples, "I want you to support military invasions and the shooting, killing and destroying of thousands of people"? -Because that is what WAR is. Does it sound "Christian" to you? Can we find anywhere in the New Testament where true Christians had this attitude? NO! They wouldn't have dreamed of being the biggest supporters of War in their generation! Just think what a terrible testimony this is today - to all the unbelievers who are watching. How un-Christlike. No wonder they call us "War-mongers".

(3) -Siding with the Rich and Against the Poor-. This is the exact opposite of Jesus - as we see again and again in the gospels and the entire New Testament. Pay close attention to the following words of Christ- "Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your comfort" (Lk 6:24), "How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 19:23) and "You cannot serve God and Money." (Mt 6:24). Jesus also said: "Blessed be you poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven" (Lk 6:20) and "I have come to preach good news to the poor" (Lk 4:18).

Can you imagine Jesus coming across like today's "Tea Party" Christians - where they seem utterly against the cause of the poor, and totally for the Rich and the 'Big Money' interests? Perhaps we have forgotten that Big Business exists largely for MAMMON and GREED. Can anybody tell me anything "Christian" about that?

(4) -HEALTH CARE - Denying it to the Needy-.  (-Related to # 3). I am not talking about "ObamaCare" here. I have no comment on ObamaCare one way or the other. What I am talking about is a general attitude amongst Christians. I cannot tell you the number of emails that I've gotten from believers who want to deny poor uninsured Americans any decent Health Care. (I guess because they are lower-class and can't afford it).

Do you know that millions and millions of Americans are being denied basic Health coverage that is totally taken for granted in other countries? And that it is the CHRISTIANS who want to deny it to them? And do you know that there are multitudes of Americans who wind up bankrupt or losing their home simply because they can't pay their medical bills? Does that sound like a "Christian" ideal to you? Does it sound like something that believers should be fighting for? -Fighting on the side of Big Business against the "little people" who can't afford to pay? What kind of "Christianity" is that?

(5) -Pushing the Idea that "Political" Answers can Solve America's Problems-.  To me, this is the worst deception of all - the idea that America's problems can mainly be solved with "Political" activism, or a change of government, or a new President. The USA's problems are almost entirely SPIRITUAL. It is because she has lost her way SPIRITUALLY that is causing all the other problems. And to get the Christians all caught up in a "Political" movement is a total distraction. A PRAYER movement - Yes!  A "Political" movement -NO!  It will not solve the problems in any real way at all.  In fact, it is like a "counterfeit" Awakening - to push the Christians into Political activism instead of focusing on the SPIRITUAL. It is like a false savior - a "pseudo" solution. The problems in America are Spiritual - and they need Spiritual answers. Not this "counterfeit" that gets everybody caught up in Political fights.

In summary, I want to say that I believe that many of the attitudes and behaviours of the "Tea Party" evangelicals in America are totally un-Christlike and unchristian. They come across as ugly, mean-spirited and anger-filled. It is awful to see real believers caught up in anything so unlike Jesus.

I would like to challenge every Christian reading this to forward it to your conservative friends. Tell them to come and meet me over at our discussion board, if they think they can prove me wrong. I am open. If they think they can prove from the New Testament that Christians should be thinking and behaving the way these "Tea Party" people behave, then let them come. I will be waiting. THE CHALLENGE is LAID DOWN.

Here is the link to our Discussion Board to post your comments-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

PLEASE FORWARD this EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS.

God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

Churches Of Christ Address Race Issues

Churches of Christ aim to mend longstanding racial divides

By Bob Smietana, USA TODAY

Whenever legendary civil rights lawyer Fred Gray comes to Nashville, Tenn., he drops by the intersection of 24th and Batavia.

That spot was once home to the Nashville Christian Institute, a K-12 school for African-American members of the Churches of Christ once banned from Lipscomb University and other Church of Christ schools.

Long closed, the school is never far from Gray's mind. The man who once represented Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. paid tribute to it during a recent ceremony at which he received an honorary doctorate from Lipscomb — an institution that he once sued over its racial policies.

His honorary doctorate was part of a new movement aimed at healing longstanding racial divides in the Churches of Christ.

"There have always been white congregations and black congregations, with little exchange between the two," said Wes Crawford, preaching minister at Glenwood Church of Christ in Tyler, Texas.

While church and academic leaders tackle the issue from the top, two 30-something members of Churches of Christ in Nashville are building bridges at the grassroots level.

Brent High, a member of the predominantly white Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, and Micah Otis, a member of the predominantly black Scott Avenue Church of Christ, have organized a series of meetings between ministers at black and white congregations in Nashville.

Those meetings have led to ministers at several congregations swapping pulpits for a week and, in at least two cases, to churches holding joint worship services.

Otis said those meetings are just a start.

"We have still not gotten a conclusion on how to fix this," said Otis. "But that's the purpose of having the meetings."

Denominations divide

Most American Protestants divided over slavery around the time of the Civil War. Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians all split into northern and southern denominations.

Those groups were often divided by race as well — with separate denominations for African-American Christians like the National Baptist Convention and African Methodist Episcopal churches.

By contrast, Churches of Christ leaders have claimed their fellowship never split.

That's not exactly true, Crawford said.

Churches of Christ say their group is not a denomination. Instead they call it a fellowship or brotherhood. So they don't have any denominational boards to officially split, said Crawford, who spoke at a session on race relations at the conference on reconciliation.

But the fellowship has long divided over racial lines.

In the 1940s and 1950s, there was some interaction between black and white Churches of Christ, because of Nashville preacher Marshall Keeble.

The dynamic evangelist was one of few African-Americans welcomed at white Churches of Christ. He often convinced those congregations to donate funds to the Nashville Christian Institute — known to alumni as NCI — where he was president from 1942 to 1958.

Things changed in 1967, when the NCI board of directors closed the school amid dwindling enrollment and gave all its assets to Lipscomb.

Gray and other alumni sued, saying Lipscomb was hostile to African-Americans. They lost in court. But the case — and Keeble's death in 1968 — marked a further split between blacks and whites.

The two groups have grown apart ever since, said Tanya Smith Brice, a Baylor University professor who also spoke at the conference.

"We, as a body, have kept a friendly distance from each other," said Brice, who grew up in a Church of Christ. "We have parallel structures — one that is white and one that is African-American. We pretend as if we are one body, but we are not."

Randy Lowry, Lipscomb's president, said the school can't undo the past.

"All you can do is over and over again do what is right and hope that over time that you are not only making a different impression but you are having a different impact," said Lowry.

 Click here to continue reading.

Criminalizing The Homeless

This is sad. Please read the article below about potential laws emerging towards criminalizing homeless people.  If it is not bad enough to be homeless! Imagine having no where to go. Imagine people stereotyping before you open up your mouth and say one word. Imagine shelters being full when you seek refuge only to be regrettably turned away. Imagine as you huddle against a bush for warmth in a park only to be arrested FOR BEING HOMELESS. Where are these people to go? They already have no where to go! There are not enough shelters and not enough resources currently out there to deal with this issue. Most cities are struggling mightily with their budgets--more so than usual. And what about burdening the criminal system people so love to quip about losing their nickels on? The homeless are certainly precious in God's eyes, but with people they are often viewed with contempt! I would hate to see people arrested simply because they have no where to go--it just shouldn't be!  The climate towards this poor group is becoming increasingly hostile.  Sad indeed.

Cities' homeless crackdown: Could it be compassion fatigue?
By Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY

A growing number of cities across the United States are making it harder to be homeless.

Philadelphia recently banned outdoor feeding of people in city parks. Denver has begun enforcing a ban on eating and sleeping on property without permission. And this month, lawmakers in Ashland, Ore., will consider strengthening the town's ban on camping and making noise in public.

And the list goes on: Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City and more than 50 other cities have previously adopted some kind of anti-camping or anti-food-sharing laws, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

The ordinances are pitting city officials against homeless advocates. City leaders say they want to improve the lives of homeless people and ensure public safety, while supporters of the homeless argue that such regulations criminalize homelessness and make it harder to live on the nation's streets.

"We're seeing these types of laws being proposed and passed all over the country," said Heather Johnson, a civil rights attorney at the homeless and poverty law center, which opposes many of the measures. "We think that criminalization measures such as these are counterproductive. Rather than address the root cause of homelessness, they perpetuate homelessness."

A number of organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia this month in response to its feeding ban.

Mark McDonald, press secretary for the city's mayor, Michael Nutter, said the measures are about expanding the services offered to the homeless, adding dignity to their lives and about ensuring good public hygiene and safety.

"This is about an activity on city park land that the mayor thinks is better suited elsewhere," he said. "We think it's a much more dignified place to be in an indoor sit-down restaurant. … The overarching policy goal of the mayor is based on a belief that hungry people deserve something more than getting a ham sandwich out on the side of the street."

If people come inside for feeding programs, they can be connected with other social service programs and possibly speak with officials such as substance abuse counselors and mental health professionals, McDonald said.

Critics argue that bans on feeding and camping often leave people with no where to eat or sleep because many cities lack emergency food services and shelters. Meanwhile, citing people who violate such ordinances costs cities money when officials try to follow up on such cases and hurts people's ability to get jobs and housing, because many develop criminal records.

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Roles Of The Salvation Army

Salvation Army serves thousands, but it’s a church first

The Anniston Star

By Laura Camper

Wayne and Mary Ellen Cotton sat at a long folding table in a Salvation Army food warehouse one day last week surrounded by mounds of food. The donated goods were waiting to be sorted and placed on the shelves.

On another folding table, bags the Cottons filled with an assortment of food were ready for clients of Salvation Army who will be making their way to the food pantry for help.

May 14-20 was National Salvation Army Week, a special period in which to remember an organization that set down roots in 1865 in London and spread across the world. But while many people think of the organization as a social service agency, it is a church first, said Capt. Bert Lind — a church that took on a militaristic name and infrastructure to preach to people.

“We do everything in the name of Jesus Christ,” said Lind, commanding officer of the local organization. “We do not preach to them in the expectation they will join our church.”

The Salvation Army has 7,300 corps throughout the United States. Each one has a number of soldiers, adult members and junior soldiers, children, in its membership. Worldwide, the Salvation Army has more than 1 million soldiers in its ranks.

The Salvation Army Corps in Anniston has a service each Sunday at its building on Fourth Street in the same area as its other buildings. Around 35 to 40 people, on average, attend the 11 a.m. service each week, Lind said.

“We have normal church activities; we have Sunday school and morning worship service,” he said.

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Seasons Of Change

A contemplative presentation below set mostly to Ecclesiates 3 and a classical piece " Adagio, for violin, strings and organ in G minor". Composer Samuel Barber.

Ecclesiates 3:1-8

1) To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2) A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted 
3) A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5) A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6) A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7) A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8) A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace