Thursday, March 31, 2011

Angelology Study by Pastor Michael Hoggard (2 parts)

Praise God for ministers such as Pastor Mike Hoggard, whose teaching is riveting and strictly scriptural! I pray all listen to all 8 videos. This is a most beautiful study on ANGELS!

The first 5 videos come in playlist mode so if you just click on the first one, the remaining four will follow through on their own. The last three, unfortunately, are not in playlist form, and have to be clicked on, individually.

This is an awesome study on Angels which will dismiss many a myth brought on by movies such as Ghost, and many others about "fallen" angels!
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08-27-10 Audio Presentation by Pastor Michael Hoggard Angelology - Part 1

AUDIO BIBLE STUDY 08-27-10 by KJV1611AD

Videos in this playlist (5)

Unfortunately, the second part was not added to the Playlist, and you must click on them individually to view the remaining three that make for the second part that completes this study on Angelology.

AUDIO BIBLE STUDY 1 OF 3 .wmv

KJV1611AD

AUDIO BIBLE STUDY 2 OF 3 .wmv

KJV1611AD

AUDIO BIBLE STUDY 3 OF 3.wmv

KJV1611AD

Uploaded by KJV1611AD on Sep 9, 2010

09-05-10Audio Presentation by Pastor Michael Hoggard
Angelology - Part 2 (three videos)

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

Psalm 68:17 (King James Bible)

He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Psalm 78:49 (King James Bible)

Hence,

THE LYING SPIRIT

IN THE MOUTHS OF MANY A PREACHER!!

Got this in from my dear Brother Edward, who daily sends me a verse, just as I was finishing this post, which is very appropriate to remember, always:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

¶ II TIMOTHY 2 : 15

But as the days of Noah were,

so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Matthew 24:37 (King James Bible)

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sports news

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Rio seen from the sky; O Rio visto do ceu! by Nilo Lima

I have just been sent this from my friend Dea.

It is a Power Point presentation, but you will have to click to advance the scenes.

View it in full screen!

Enjoy!

One thing no one will ever see on the coastline of Brazil are any "fences," limiting access to any one beach for it being "private!"

This alone I find awesome!

The coastline of the United States and Canada present so many such fenced-out areas to which the public has no access! I find this criminal, other than spoiling the look of the shoreline!

Rio Visto Do CéU

View more presentations from Marcelo Paiva

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mackie study

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Responses to My Warning About Lancaster's Music - Part 4 by David Cloud

Responses to My Warning About Lancaster's Music - Part 4

March 30, 2011 David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)

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Proverbs 27:5-6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

Galatians 4:16 “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

Psalms 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”

Psalms 119:128   "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way."

Following are some more of the positive e-mails I received in response to the February 18 Friday Church Notes article “Lancaster Baptist Shouting to the Lord” and subsequent articles on that subject:

“I just wanted to write and tell you how much I appreciate the material you produce and how much it has helped me in my Christian life. I have used much of your material now for several years in my personal Bible study, jail Bible studies and sunday school lessons and sermon preparation. I have several of your books on my kindle and am glad that you are putting your material into the kindle format. I also have many of your audio sermons downloaded to my ipod and am able to to listen to them while I work. ... I regard you as one of the most balanced men I have ever read or heard and I don't say that as empty flattery but simply this is what I perceived from reading and using your material over many years. You have dealt with a lot of hard issues in your warning ministry like the Lancaster Baptist Church’s use of CCM music (which you are totally right about) and many other hard things but every time your heart of compassion is very evident and I believe that shows true balance. I believe it is totally unbalanced to keep quiet about serious issues which go against the Word of God just as it is to blast others for their errors in a mean and unfeeling way. You do neither of these things but instead warn out of a heart obviously concerned with right doctrine and a love for the Lord and a love for God's people and his churches. So Bro. Cloud, I want to thank you for allowing God to use you in this ministry. I am praying for you and that the Lord will continue to use you and the material you write to strengthen churches and believers everywhere.” 

“How I would love to see Chappell or Horton at PCC stand up ... and say to one and all, ‘We have sinned against God in our compromise in the music we write, play, sing and record, and we repent of our compromise. We renounce the following songs (and list them!) and will no longer market the following CD's and printed music. If we starve to death because of our stand we will do so with a clear conscience. We ask all whose worship and service for Christ has been weakened to forgive us. By God's grace, we will from this point forward seek to abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. Brethren, pray for us!!!’ That is what David did when Nathan the prophet confronted him with his sin.”

“In my opinion, West Coast Bible College is heading in the wrong direction musically and has been for some time and if it continues in this direction it will pay a high price for not listening to the musicians, the prophets, the men of God who have been warning God’s people about these things for 20 and 30 years. I plead with you to open your minds to this. Could it just be that Satan, the master musician and the master of subtlety, has used both to infiltrate the church of the last days to rob it of its glory and spiritual power?”

“Bro. Cloud, I would like to send some encouragement to you in the midst of this issue. I appreciate the call the Lord has put on you to warn His people. We are a navy family living [and we lived] in California [for a few years.] ... Please don't be deterred by some people who are making judgments based on their preferences rather than the word of God. You wrote, ‘Many independent Baptist churches that still have any sort of conviction against CCM are adapting it by using the words while toning down the rhythm. They are trying to take the rock out of Christian rock. They think they can tame the beast and turn Charismatic praise music into fundamentalist praise music.’ This made me think of Ezekiel 22 where it says they profaned my holy things and did not put difference between the holy and the profane nor the clean and unclean. And then you represent in a way Ezekiel 44 where the Lord says the priests of Zadok will teach His people discernment and make judgments according to His word. ... I just want you to know your emails are appreciated and I pray the Lord continue to bless your ministry and keep you bold in it. Thank you.”

“I just wanted to send you a note of encouragement. I am training in my local church to be an evangelist in Canada. ... In the years that I have subscribed to your FBIS letters, there have often been times that I have been uneasy reading, unsure if the topics discussed were too ‘extreme.’ Over the last few years I have come to really appreciate your ministry. There are very few men out there who stand for the truth, and are willing to take the abuse that comes because of it. I have noticed that many of those who accuse you have being harsh or to critical, have often, themselves, been so to you. I just want to encourage you to continue going on. Young preachers such as I need older men to bring to light the things we do not see. I for one want to be one that will stand for the truth, and I hope to be a man for my generation who will, without compromise, be faithful. Thank you again, and if you have any particular insight or suggestion of things I could or should learn, please let me know.”

“It's the usual thing...if people don't like the message, they find some fault with the messenger, or the way he delivered the message. This way, they can change the issue and don't have to acknowledge the message. It's a really convenient tactic that many people use. People are trying to change the issue from the matter of adapting CCM for use in IB churches, to the way Brother Cloud dealt with it.’ I wonder, has anyone that has written to criticize you really taken your message in a truly positive way? Have the people who really agreed with what you said about this specific issue criticized you or the way you brought your message out? Or is it only the people that didn't like what you wrote about West Coast, that actually criticized you or the way you wrote about it? (I expect there will be a few who will disingenuously claim that they agree with you on the issue, but ‘you just didn't deal with the matter in the right way,’ and then spend the greater part of their reply to you just criticizing you). I think that if someone wanted to criticize you or the way you wrote about West Coast music practices, they should at least state what is wrong about your message before they get personal about you, or how you wrote about it. I would like to challenge everyone that has an issue with you to first contemplate the real issue, i.e., the matter of adapting CCM for use in IB churches, before they even bother writing you about "the way you dealt with it.’  Those that don't focus on the real issue first probably don't even deserve a reply.”

“Thank you so much for your Biblical stand. These days are lonely days for the OLD Fashioned preacher, and I look forward to every email that I get from WAY OF LIFE. The updates are encouraging to me and my ministry. Hold fast. Keep on Fightin.”

“I appreciate the music warnings you have been publishing. As a person who was saved in a ‘non-denominational’ church (that now preaches a wealth/health/prosperity ‘gospel’), I was completely wrapped up with this type of music. Fortunately the Lord led me out of this and I have learned a lot from your writings. As a young (28) man, the best warning I can give for anyone else my age is to leave it all alone. Most of it is so vague you could worship any god of your imagination, and the rest of it is a bridge to things that will take you away from God. It is not worth the price you have to pay to listen to it. Music with pseudo-Christian lyrics mixed with the worlds music style is the world's music and should be avoided. I thank you again for publishing this.”

“While you are ‘at it’ you might want to delve into PCC's use of CCM over the past several years. I would guess that they have influenced multitudes with their sensual music, and it is an observable fact that their dress standards have gone downhill with the music. Over the past few years I have seen three young men (my age and younger) that used to be my friends, men I have preached with, start down this trail. Two are outright emergents now, and admit it. The other one is on the path to emergent, though I doubt he would admit it. No doubt, part of their compromise is a result of the ‘big-shots’ who won't publicly stand and who have taught them that bigger equals better, ‘we can learn from these Rick Warren types without accepting their wrong stuff,’ etc. If you want to delve into the world of compromise, just spend some time looking at the Twitter sites of IB preachers. Look at who they follow and quote on Twitter. Notice how the young men that are actively engaged in compromise and mocking of Biblical separation are linked to, conversed with, but not rebuked by the older IB preachers. Social networking is one place where apparently separation does not apply at all. Also, the emergent mindset is show to exist strongly in places like Twitter. Without that mindset how in the name of all that is reasonable and sensible could men ‘follow’ Rick Warren, Jack Schaap, Johnny Pope, Mark Driscoll . . . all at the same time? I am convinced that the IB movement of my youth is gone, over, done, buried. ... The Lord, the Bible, and the local NT church (‘pillar and ground of the truth’) -- that is the place to find pure faith and practice. If it weren't for those three, I'd be a very discouraged man. I think I've been on the outside of the mainstream of the IB movement for years, but it is still sad to see it become such a pathetic joke while it claims to be what it is not.”

“People no longer want to here absolute truth. They call it divisive and those that stand for absolute truth as being troublemakers and the like. I personally want to thank you for standing for truth. For also being willing to stand against Bible Colleges that are compromising even when I personally know this alienates you from others. I am proud of you and the work you are doing for the Lord. God Bless you Brother and we will be praying for you.”

“What a breath of fresh air. I have been saying this over and over and over and have been endlessly bashed. I have taught against traditionalism for tradition’s sake , good old boys networks, and our own ‘program’ driven churches. I have harped about sin outside the camp being visible, yet inside the camp being invisible. Through all this I have been bashed time and time again. I Just wanted to encourage you, as I know how much I could have used the encouragement during those times. I chose to do what is right because it is right. I do not want the invitations to pastor’s fellowships or honorary doctorates. I only desperately want to hear “well done my good and faithful servant.’”

“Amen to the FCN piece on THE IB HYPOCRISY ABOUT WARNING. You hit the nail on the head. I am grateful the you are drawing attention to this.”

“I’ve been following the discussion on Lancaster’s music on the website. I deeply appreciate your position concerning the great double standard existing in much of the Independent Baptist Church leadership. I believe it goes far beyond them as well. When Jerry Huffman wrote The Calvary Contender, I had some long conversations with him about disclosures outside of where he and his church were, but never within the group or schools with which they were associated. It is the spirit of denominationalism – protecting the ‘system’ above the Word of God. You see it in many places. People profess to be saved and go along with the flow, and then some test emerges in their face and the easy, if not unscriptural and false way is chosen because it is easier, and they reason or are told that it really doesn’t seem to matter to God. Actually, it does matter to God. It is these people to whom it doesn’t matter. It is an indictment on them and their abandonment of the authority of the Word of God on their lives. ... Keep up the work that the Lord has given you to do – the end result is at stake, and you nor I have a corner on what happens in the end.”

“I want to say thank you for being willing to take a stand for truth even if the elites of the IB movement don't like it! I was brought to a place many years ago where I had to make a choice either follow men and the peer pressure of a fellowship or the Holy Spirit. I chose Christ and have not had the fellowship with many since but the fellowship I do have is centered on truth. I have never met you but your writings have encouraged me in knowing that though we are a minority we are not alone. You are on the mark with both CCM and West Coast. There are other colleges and movements in the IB circles that are on slippery slopes as well. I am reminded of the prophetic parables of Math 13 and the words of Jesus when HE said would he find any faith when he comes again. The closer we get to the end of this Age we will become more of a minority so we must determine to just stay with the stuff and stand on the truth.”

“Dear Bro. Cloud, I have read with interest these articles about West Coast Baptist Collage. I have found the music you object to and that I once listened to and sang slowly at first, then with great speed being  cast aside as I have learned more about the writers and performers of this music. I see God continuing to answer a prayer I prayed when I surrendered to his call to preach. Dear Lord, keep me out of stupid. And my grandfather had a saying that describes those who complain about you warnings about CCM and it association with rock music and CWM. ‘The poked pig done squealed.’”

“We agree with you taking this stand and pointing out the CCM at Lancaster. I just listened to ‘Sing to the Lord’ YouTube. It makes me feel ‘uncomfortable’ just listening to it.”

“ We as a family have followed your posts on the ccm music over the past two weeks. We totally agree with you on all points. We have known for a long time that the music in some of our IB churches in Australia is going the same way. ... Thank you for your ministry, it is not just my wife and I that appreciate it but our three oldest (teens) also appreciate what you are doing as well.”

“The more I read about those who have found fault with your warning and challenge to Pastor Chappell about CCM and the philosophy that comes with it, it really concerns me. This is obviously the last days. 2 Timothy 4:3, ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.’ But the fact that folks in IB churches are disagreeing with your warnings of CCM is very saddening. That has been a mark of who IB bible believing Christians are. We are to sound the alarm when compromise or worldliness creeps into our churches and mark things that are contrary to sound doctrine or practice in churches. If there is growth in a church (in number or size of ministry), and CCM is in that church, that is not the Lord's blessing. ... I have attended three ... churches before that started to use CCM and the result is all the same. It is a steady downward spiral in spiritual and moral standards, whether clearly taught in the pulpit or not, it is through practice. Dress, separation from worldly behaviour and standards and activities and even doctrine are all affected - especially, the ‘judge not’ attitude. If we can not warn and flag dangerous trends and especially something so infiltrating, yet subtle at first and deceivable as CCM, then what can we warn of? Paul said in Acts 20:31, ‘Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.’ When we bring in the devil's music, how ever harmless it may sound to us initially, we bring in the devil to the church. We won't see God's work and conviction in souls if the devil is in the church. We will see false growth, and superficial success and deception. CCM is not a small or insignificant matter in the church, it is at the very helm. The more that folks are saying that you were wrong in your warning, the louder and clearer the warning needs to be, in my books. We are in the battle for the Bible, the genuine conversion of souls by sound scriptural teaching and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and for separation from all worldliness, including CCM. When CCM is allowed to come into the church, all these battles and many others are, or will eventually be lost. Keep on warning about CCM, no matter what folks say about you.”

“Excellent and correct response [‘What If Brother Cloud Is Wrong about the West Coast Thing’], I too have experienced being in the minority on many things since I was saved, most often I have found that the minority view squares with Scripture, stay humble before the Lord and keep doing what you are doing.”

“I just wanted to tell you that what you are doing is a blessing! Just keep on preachin' brother! God called me to preach in 2008 and I love to read your material. I'm glad that you keep us updated on the current events that are leading toward the one-world government. You have my prayers brother Cloud. May God bless you and keep you in His will.”

“The music drift at West Coast saturates every part of their ministry. Here is another Darlene Zschech/Hillsong Contemporary worship song on YouTube and the LBC high school graduates giving their version of it at the graduation. I wonder if they practiced using this on their Ipods before the performance? I sat down with my assistant/youth director and had a long and thorough heart to heart on just how clear our church's position on music is going to be. Not only is the Bible text issue going to be a defining and dividing issue in the Independent Baptist movement, music is as well. IFBs may have lost the current generation to CCM, through their apathy in supporting supposed separatists colleges, but maybe this generation can be rescued by clear teaching and preaching on sacred separated Christ-honoring music doctrine.”

“You would give God the glory and prayer the credit for your success in missionary work. Did you ever stop to think that your success has some small thing to do with the fact that you make the hard calls and stand where fewer and fewer men would stand. Keep up the pressure on the brethren, someone has to. I am proud (in a good way) to call you friend.”

“Thank you for stalwart stand against Satan's subtle ways to destroy churches. I think of the tears shed by that great man of God, Nehemiah, and his love for God's people. I think of his spiritual battle to rebuild the wall of protection, even though the enemy had already moved in and fought against it. As the spiritual walls against the world are being torn down as God's people are sung to sleep, may we all wake up out of our slumber, for the hour is late. Thank you for you love for the lost AND God's men. Keep keeping on for Our Savior's sake.”

“Be of good cheer, a multitude of people are behind you. Just because they don't all speak up does not mean you are alone. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND CONTINUE BEING A MOUTHPIECE FOR GOD.”

“Keep preaching the truth, Brother. As a Baptist Pastor, I have witnessed the devastating effects of CCM in my own family. My own oldest son was influenced by his new father-in-law in CCM music and started a downward spiral leading to many earthly pleasures that has caused a broken family with children. Obviously there are many factors that go into a backslidden or lost person’s life, however we can see the change dating back to the introduction of CCM in His life, that now has turned into all sorts of demonic music and lifestyle. Once the devil pushes open the door and sticks his foot in, it is so much easier for Him and His demons to come marching in. I praise God for your ministry and the stand you have taken. I believe from the Word of God, you are on the right track in this area.”

“Appreciate both your humble spirit as well as your Bible stand on the subject matter at hand. As a pastor I too battle the desire to stand straight and speak forth the truth knowing full well that doing so will probably lead to a negative response rather than a positive one from a few of my people. I know that you know these things but we all need to be encouraged from time to time that we are doing the right thing. In this matter with Bro. Chappell you have. Galatians 1:10 MUST be a reality in our lives if we are to be what the Lord wants us to be as preachers. At the same time I've seen some of my preacher friends boldness turn into prideful arrogance. Keep standing ... and keep that humble spirit.”

“I appreciate your ministry and the warnings that you give.”

“Good spirit and heart, Brother!”

“Thank you, Bro. Cloud, for the example of courage and humility that you exhibit through your ministry. God is so good to us. He saves those that will come to him. He helps us along this Christian journey. He makes no mistakes; He is the Lord of all! I can’t thank him enough!”

“Thank you for showing us how careful we must be with the music in the church. Also thank you for taking a stand on the music issue. Please keep the faith, remain strong in the Lord and we are praying for you for strength.”

“If you allow ccm in the Lord's Church then you are the blame there. If we as God's people cannot handle a rebuke when are wrong, then we are to self centered. I really doubt we are protecting God's people as the Lord would have us do. I would not budge an inch here. I believe in hammering and hammering and hammering home until the shell cracks. Then we can have Church. I cannot tell you how many years I have had to put up with soft Preachers. I am tired of having higher standards than most Preachers. We act like it is us at stake. I know you like men of God, and want to see IB Churches flourish.We are to soft today. We are losing this battle due to the lack of backbone in the pulpits!!! This is not rocket science. I just refuse to listen to a Preacher preach if I know he is into southern gospel music. I am tired of wasting my time on powder puff Preachers. West Coast needs to step it up, Or step down! I wonder if the saying SLEEP ON has rested on out IB churches today!!! Keep the shell hammer going Brother!”
“Brother Cloud, I don't always agree with you, but I know there are many enemies of Christ who would be delighted if you would silence your pen. Don't! You were a strong anchor for me at a time when our church was going seeker-sensitive and I didn't know what that was; I just knew what was happening was wrong. Since that time several years ago, the church has gone further down the apostate road. Thank God for godly men like yourself who helped us remain strong! I watched your dvds on music. Well done and thank you.”

“Brother Cloud, thank you for sending this my way this morning [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart - My Warning about West Coast in Perspective’]. As my eyes traveled through the sentences, I felt the Power of God and His wisdom in your humble statements. Hopefully, after giving this email to my own pastor and assoc pastor, the resistance that has been there to the truth that you have so earnestly been shedding will melt away. We have been hearing a lot in our preaching lately about revival and God’s power in our church and I feel the Lord is trying to show us that these things aren’t going to come to us without some travel. We must be doers and not hearers only. It will be wonderful one day when our faith becomes sight and this old flesh is no longer such an opponent unto us.”

“I have no doubt that you did what you thought was right, concerning the West Coast thing. You bore nothing malicious toward the pastor, church or college. If people knew your heart, they would realize that there is a measure of compassion in what you do. It is easy to overlook that element in your ministry. Keep on ‘speaking the truth in love.’”

“Thank you so much for the courage you have taken in writing against the infiltration of CCM into the churches of independent Baptists. I have seen first hand the destruction of our former church after the pastor first allowed and continued to allow CCM at deafening proportions into a youth program at our church which started after the evening service, and went until 10.30pm every Sunday. It was called MADD - ‘making a difference.’ It sure did. Even though several members begged our pastor to reconsider the implementation of this program, he claimed that many young people were being drawn to the church and ‘saved.’ In reality, the lure of such worldly music was drawing youth from many other churches in the area, many to the despair of their parents. Even though the numbers were large, I do not know of any young people ‘saved’ at MADD who are faithfully serving the Lord today. Our church continued on the downward New Evangelical slope, started an extravagant building program and as far as I know is heavily in debt today. It was during this awful time that I came across your website which has been such a help to me in understanding what is happening in the churches.”

“Dear Brother Cloud, I have been reading your emails of the past several weeks regarding WCBC and LBC with praise for your warnings and with sadness regarding this compromise and those who defend the compromises. I have seen much more compromise than I have anticipated in my day but it is here. THANK YOU so very much for your earnest and humble desire to stand by the truth no matter what it costs. I do greatly appreciate you. I pray for you AND your wife daily.Your preaching and your stand has been a blessing and a challenge to me. Please stay on the front lines helping to defend the truth and sound a precise warning.”

“And this is way you are used of God in my life [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart’]. And why I have ordered material from your ministry. Iron shapeneth Iron, you have help me in many areas as well as I believe you have help many in the music area in the last few weeks. Bro Chappell, I believe, will hold you in good regards as to one who is striving to do right. Please do not stop and please let the Lord guide you. You have been a BLESSING and will continue.”

“Great response to any critics and anyone who has doubt about this issue [‘From Brother Cloud’s Heart’]. But don’t ever apologize for speaking the truth in love.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that you were right in the way you presented your warning. Having said that, whether you handled it in the best possible manner or not, the fact that this great institution is heading down the slippery slope of CCM compromise is still a fact (and one that needed to be revealed). Some representatives from West Coast called me, only days before you gave the initial warning concerning their music, to request that my two daughters consider attending college there. My pastor has promoted their college, and I had no idea that their music was going the way of the world until I read your article and reviewed the video you referred to. There is no way that I would send my daughters to a college that approves of what I both read and saw. Your warning will undoubtedly go to help inform pastors and parents of the dangerous path that this school is on, and may be instrumental in saving many young people from being swallowed up in the worldly, ecumenical movement, and CCM. I thank God for your warning, sir, and want to encourage you to keep warning others of the dangers you see within the IB movement. The world is quickly moving into our IB churches, and we need to be alert to the dangers that are all around us.”

“Like many others, I thank you for your stand on all of the major ‘hot topics,’ especially music. I first noticed this problem after two things. First, I noticed that the ensemble groups from West Coast, although modestly dressed and not gaudy, had no music that ministered to my heart as a simple hymn could. ... I knew that there was something wrong after hearing other IFB (independent fundamental Baptist) Bible colleges using the same kind of back-beat, jazzed-up piano accompaniment with their music. A music evangelist friend of mine told me, with a very sad expression, that ‘people are never standing still, but are moving (even if slowly) one direction or another.’ This man is conservative and has had problems booking meetings, because of this trend.”

“[The adaptation of CCM has been going on at West Coast since the early 1990s] I do believe that your exposure of these things will result in Lancaster's good!! It will at least cause the Pastoral Staff to think!  It could very well be that you may have spared, what is arguably the most influential IB ministry in America, from sliding irreparably down a slippery slope from which there is no return.”

“Thank you so much for writing the article on ‘Musical Association and CCM Adaptation.’ I believe that CCM music is the present day ‘Trojan Horse’ that will destroy the Bible Believing Church from within. So many Pastors, that I know, believe that it is necessary to have a ‘Worship Team’ in order to bring in the youth. The parents are told that we have to change with the times or we will lose our children. The parents do not wish to lose their children, so they go along with the contemporary music ... We would like to say a hearty ‘Amen’ to your statement as follows.’I am 100% convinced that God hates rock & roll and everything about it. I am convinced that it is one of the major factors of end-times apostasy and it plays a major roll in the spiritual downfall of formerly sound churches. The problem is that many who would agree with me on this don't understand what rock & roll really is. They think that if it doesn't have a heavy bass guitar and drums pounding out the back beat it isn't rock, but that is naive and ignorant. And it is ignorance that is destroying churches as much as carnality and willful apostasy.’”

“I've written you before, but want to thank you again for your stand for the truth. As I've received your emails for the past couple of years, I've been helped tremendously by them to be aware of potential dangers, to be edified, and to minister to others. I've also been blessed by your available materials. I certainly appreciated your exposure of the music at LBC. I found an old CD of theirs not long ago that I remembered having enjoyed when a former boss would play it while we worked. I downloaded it onto my computer, then discovered that one song—a beautiful song—had been written by Geron Davis, who you pointed out to be a heretic regarding the Trinity. I ended up deleting several of the songs. My mom had previously pointed out to me the lower music standards of many WCBC students we personally have known. Thanks for your courage in standing for the truth.”

“Thank you for standing strong! I wonder if they realize those in the CCM/C-rock crowd exhibit the same unChristian behavior attacking with name calling like this? I have had profanities thrown my way in a number of e-mails from so called professing Christians defending this sacred cow of theirs. ... I have often wondered for those responding in such a very negative way if they are under a degree of conviction by the Holy Spirit, the danger is most appear to harden their hearts versus turning from their sin.”

“Good morning, Brother Cloud. Over the past several weeks I've been reading the correspondence along with the responses you've received in regards to you speaking out against West Coast Baptist using CCM. I just wanted to tell you I appreciate your ministry and I'm praying for you. Be encouraged brother - Christ is coming soon!!!”

“I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for your ministry. I have been meaning to write for some time, especially after the criticism you got for the Lancaster report. I agree with all that you said and I know it took great courage for you to say it. Thank you. I'll bet there are quite a few others that are with you that just haven't written you yet. Your reproofs in the past reinforced many things that God was already speaking to me about, i.e. repentance, separation, etc; things that I really needed to nail down, having spent many years at Hyles-Anderson. I really appreciate your sincerity to speak up on these issues.”

“I thank you for your impactful ministry of presenting what’s black and white and avoiding the gray. Your recent expose on WCBC has made me more careful of what I listen to personally, and to carefully discern what I sing especially at church.”

“I believe it is reprehensible how these Independent Baptist brethren are treating you for exposing error and wrongdoing in our ranks. They don't mind if you expose the liberals or new evangelicals, but don't you dare cross their path. I reckon you have touched one of their sacred cows! I for one am very thankful for you being a watchman on the wall to keep me informed as a Pastor! May our precious Lord bless and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you. Keep pressing on!”

“From my home in Ireland, I have followed with interest the debate that you initiated on the dangers of contemporary Christian music. In particular, I was struck by the strong negative reaction that you received from many Christian pastors. Frankly, this was astounding to me. Through His grace and mercy, I came to Christ after 33 years in the New Age. I expected to find strong healthy churches all over America, but instead I discovered that the vast majority are shallow, people-pleasing, backslidden social clubs with a veneer of Christianity. Instead of preaching repentance and heartfelt obedience to the Word of God, they have drifted far into the world, with all that such reckless disobedience entails. ... Keep up the good fight, dear Brother! Please continue to speak loudly, plainly and boldly against the hypocrisy, pride and apostasy that are doing so much harm to true-Bible-based Christianity.”

“I just want you to know that I fully support the public stand that you took against the subtle infiltration of the CCM music at West Coast Baptist College. My husband and I have suffered similarly from our children and grandchildren over these same kinds of issues, and at this time there is a division in our family relationships as a result of the stands we’ve had to take. The emotional pain is indescribable, but we are committed to pleasing God rather than man. I believe God is using these issues today to separate the sheep from the goats and to reveal ‘who is on the Lord’s side.’ Thank you for your faithful defense of God’s Word and God’s honor and glory.”

Proverbs 27:5-6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

Galatians 4:16 “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

Psalms 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

Proverbs 9:8 “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”

____________________________

Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information Service, an e-mail listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY IS NOT DEVOTIONAL BUT IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. This material is sent only to those who personally subscribe to the list. If somehow you have subscribed unintentionally, following are the instructions for removal. The Fundamental Baptist Information Service mailing list is automated. To SUBSCRIBE, go to http://www.wayoflife.org/wayoflife/subscribe.html . TO UNSUBSCRIBE OR CHANGE ADDRESSES, go to the very bottom of any email received from us and click "Manage My Subscription." If you have any trouble with this, please let us know. We take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and those who use the materials are expected to participate (Galatians 6:6) if they can. Some of the articles are from O Timothy magazine, which is in its 27th year of publication. Way of Life publishes many helpful books. The catalog is located at the web site: http://www.wayoflife.org/publications/index.html. Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061. 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org. We do not solicit funds from those who do not agree with our preaching and who are not helped by these publications, but only from those who are. OFFERINGS can be made at http://www.wayoflife.org/wayoflife/makeanoffering.html. PAYPAL offerings can be made to https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=dcloud%40wayoflife.org

WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE SHARING POLICY: Much of our material is available for free, such as the hundreds of articles at the Way of Life web site. Other items we sell to help fund our very expensive literature, video, and foreign church planting ministry. Way of Life’s content falls into two categories: sharable and non-sharable. Things that we encourage you to share include the audio sermons, video presentations, O Timothy magazine, and FBIS articles. You are free to make copies of these at your own expense and share them with friends and family. You are also welcome to use excerpts from the articles. All we ask is that you give proper credit. Things we do not want copied and distributed freely are items like the Fundamental Baptist Digital Library, print edition of our books, PDFs of the books, etc. These items have taken years to produce at enormous expense in time and money, and we need the income from the sale of these to help fund the ministry. We trust that your Christian honesty will preserve the integrity of this policy.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? by Gail Riplinger (3 parts)

I am so very interested in Bible Hermeneutics, which Dr. Peter Ruckman has shown to work perfectly well when using the King James Bible, especially in his debate with Karl Keating.

I wish there was someone to show that such would not work using any of the corrupted versions.

How sad that the additions and subtractions are so very subtle that unless these are pointed to the ordinary person, one never realizes the stripping away that is done at the Deity of Christ in the hundreds of perversions existent, all of which follow the Alexandrian text!

As Dr. Russ Dennis said in a sermon I posted Versions, Politics & Ethical Questions and Good Men With A Bad Text by Dr. Russ Dennis, Sr.:

"Men who would not think of accepting Alexandrian theology,

have no trouble accepting Alexandrian texts!!"

The Devil is crafty!

Sad it is that Gideon Bibles now in use is the New King James Bible!

I have written them questioning the change from King James Bible they used for so many decades, but have obtained no response!

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 1

Uploaded by BereanBeacon on Feb 14, 2007

Every thing you wanted to know about the modern translation issue -
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?pi=0&ps=20&sf=added&sa=0&sq=...
The New Case Against the NIV, NASB, NRSV, NAB, REB, RSV, CEV, TEV, GNB, LIVING, PHILLIPS, NEW JERUSALEM, & NEW CENTURY. The Message - The emerging 'new' Christianty---with its substitution of riches for righteous, a crown for a cross, and an imitation for a new creation---is shown to be a direct result of the wording in the new versions. Documented are the thousands of words, verses, and doctrines by which new versions will prepare the aspostate churches of these last days to accept the religion of the Antichrist--even his mark, image, and Lucifer worship. The Men - Each page opens a door exposing new version editors--in agreement with Luciferians, occultists, and New Age philosophy--in mental institutions, seance parlors, prison cells, and court rooms for heresy trials--and most shocking of all--denying that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Five have lost their ability to speak. The Manuscripts - The Greek manuscripts, critical editions, lexicons and dictionaries behind the new versions are examined, revealing their occult origins, contents, and yet unreleased material--a blueprint for the Antichrist's One World Religion and government.
2 1/2 hour video - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=374705256619622536
THE TEACHERS and their 74 AUDIO MESSAGES with filenames:
http://www.wgcr.org/biblebelievers/AV_Today-audio.html.

More: http://www.warneveryone.com/audio_NABV_intro.htm.

Quotes by Evolutionary Scientists Against Evolution - http://www.warneveryone.com/evolution_scientists_quotes.htm

Live broadcasting with instant message 24/7, free downloads, Ipod, and dial up - http://www.warneveryonestudios.com

KJV1611 Bible - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=authorizedversion&search=Search

Brothers and sisters, my son's ministry at http://www.warneveryonestudios.com
has been featured on the front page of stick.com and the more members that watch the higher up the programs go on the list. He has been visited twice by moderators because of complaints so please tell others and support him

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 2

Uploaded by BereanBeacon on Feb 14, 2007

Every thing you wanted to know about the modern translation issue -
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?pi=0&ps=20&sf=added&sa=0&sq=...

The New Case Against the NIV, NASB, NRSV, NAB, REB, RSV, CEV, TEV, GNB, LIVING, PHILLIPS, NEW JERUSALEM, & NEW CENTURY. The Message - The emerging 'new' Christianty---with its substitution of riches for righteous, a crown for a cross, and an imitation for a new creation---is shown to be a direct result of the wording in the new versions. Documented are the thousands of words, verses, and doctrines by which new versions will prepare the aspostate churches of these last days to accept the religion of the Antichrist--even his mark, image, and Lucifer worship. The Men - Each page opens a door exposing new version editors--in agreement with Luciferians, occultists, and New Age philosophy--in mental institutions, seance parlors, prison cells, and court rooms for heresy trials--and most shocking of all--denying that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Five have lost their ability to speak. The Manuscripts - The Greek manuscripts, critical editions, lexicons and dictionaries behind the new versions are examined, revealing their occult origins, contents, and yet unreleased material--a blueprint for the Antichrist's One World Religion and government.
2 1/2 hour video - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=374705256619622536
THE TEACHERS and their 74 AUDIO MESSAGES with filenames:
http://www.wgcr.org/biblebelievers/AV_Today-audio.html.

More: http://www.warneveryone.com/audio_NABV_intro.htm.

Quotes by Evolutionary Scientists Against Evolution - http://www.warneveryone.com/evolution_scientists_quotes.htm

Live broadcasting with instant message - http://www.justin.tv/warneveryone

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 3

Uploaded by BereanBeacon on Feb 14, 2007

Every thing you wanted to know about the modern translation issue -
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?pi=0&ps=20&sf=added&sa=0&sq=...

The New Case Against the NIV, NASB, NRSV, NAB, REB, RSV, CEV, TEV, GNB, LIVING, PHILLIPS, NEW JERUSALEM, & NEW CENTURY. The Message - The emerging 'new' Christianty---with its substitution of riches for righteous, a crown for a cross, and an imitation for a new creation---is shown to be a direct result of the wording in the new versions. Documented are the thousands of words, verses, and doctrines by which new versions will prepare the aspostate churches of these last days to accept the religion of the Antichrist--even his mark, image, and Lucifer worship. The Men - Each page opens a door exposing new version editors--in agreement with Luciferians, occultists, and New Age philosophy--in mental institutions, seance parlors, prison cells, and court rooms for heresy trials--and most shocking of all--denying that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. Five have lost their ability to speak. The Manuscripts - The Greek manuscripts, critical editions, lexicons and dictionaries behind the new versions are examined, revealing their occult origins, contents, and yet unreleased material--a blueprint for the Antichrist's One World Religion and government.
2 1/2 hour video - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=374705256619622536
THE TEACHERS and their 74 AUDIO MESSAGES with filenames:
http://www.wgcr.org/biblebelievers/AV_Today-audio.html.

More: http://www.warneveryone.com/audio_NABV_intro.htm.

Quotes by Evolutionary Scientists Against Evolution - http://www.warneveryone.com/evolution_scientists_quotes.htm

Live broadcasting with instant message - http://www.justin.tv/warneveryone

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The Lord Gave the Word by E. L. Bynum - Traditional Bible Texts - Dean Burgon Society

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 Timothy 3:16 (King James Bible)

This is a very stirring sermon on standing on the word of God!

The Lord Gave the Word

E. L. Bynum | Traditional Bible TextsDean Burgon Society
TUE 10/02/1979

God has not only given us His Word but He as preserved it.
It is the responsibility of God's people to publish His Word.
"...truth can be spread through the printed word!"

The Lord gave the word:

great was the company of those that published it.

Psalm 68:11 (King James Bible)

⁶The words of the LORD are pure words:

as silver tried in a furnace of earth,

purified seven times.

⁷Thou shalt keep them, O LORD,

thou shalt preserve them from this generation

for ever.

Psalm 12:6-7 (King James Bible)

I will worship toward thy holy temple,

and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness

and for thy truth:

for thou hast magnified thy word

above all thy name.

Psalm 138:2 (King James Bible)

For ever, O LORD,

thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:89 (King James Bible)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40:8 (King James Bible)

The pen is mightier than the sword! Especially when in the form of the printed word, thanks to Gutenberg, in 1448, right in the middle of the Catholic Inquisition!

The printing press defeated the Roman Catholic Church's attempt, for centuries on end, to keep the word of God from His people!

Higher ground of Scripture,

No shaky platform this,

No weak supports, no creaky steps,

IT stand the greatest stress!

Higher ground of Scripture,

Ground solid, rock-like firm,

Wind cannot erode nor storms corrode,

Neither fire burn.

Higher ground or plummet's depths

On IT our confidence can rest;

With IT our conscience stands the test;

On IT our spirit's truly blest;

Our consecration IT demands,

For then our course is as God plans,

Our souls are blessed, our souls are stirred,

As we stand firmly on His word!

Author Unknown

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Analyzing "Adapted" CCM Songs by David Cloud

Analyzing "Adapted" CCM Songs

March 29, 2011 David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)

CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO TODAY'S ARTICLE

Because today's article is multimedia, we have chosen to publish a web version only. In this report we analyze three examples of the adaptation of CCM as performed at Lancaster Baptist Church with the original music performed by the CCM groups which produced it. To read the article and see these video clips, click the link below.

Click this link to be taken directly to the article.

http://www.wayoflife.org/adaptingccm/index.html

Thanks

Before you go to the page suggested by David Cloud, let me present to you just a couple of the so-called "traditional" songs, for the sake of comparison:

"It is well with my soul" with some history

Uploaded by Chris3jam on Feb 19, 2008

It Is Well with My Soul

Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
- Refrain:
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Just as I Am

Uploaded by BestLovedHymns on Feb 18, 2009

Just as I Am

Charlotte Elliott, 1835

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

One thing that jumps at us right away is the age of these hymns! It seems inspiration has left us since it is we left the true word of God, the King James Bible, for the perversions that nullify the deity of Christ!

One notes how these hymns have a story to tell, the stanzas so numerous and so filled with the recognition of our sinful selves and of the mercy we ask of our Lord and God, our souls uplifted to God!

Today's "songs" lack substance, are filled with repetition of meaningless verses, depending on the waving of arms and the swaying of the body at the rhythm of some percussion instruments to translate unfelt emotions that do nothing for the soul, calling out His name in vain!

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord,

and do not the things which I say?

Luke 6:46 (King James Bible)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father

which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 (King James Bible)

Now, please, do click on the following link to view the above-mentioned article by David Cloud:

CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO TODAY'S ARTICLE

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Monday, March 28, 2011

MUSICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CCM ADAPTATION by David Cloud - 2

Musical Associations and CCM Adaptation

Enlarged March 28, 2011 (first published March 1, 2011) David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org)

.
When it comes to music, the philosophy coming into ascendance among IB churches is this: as long as the words are right we should relax and be edified and not be critical.

Recent West Coast graduate: “The music was a lot more of a concern to me when I first started to hear it and think of the fact that it was CCM artists that perform it. But seriously, are the words evil? Can a Christian not be edified by these songs? Is it not more important for a person to be edified than it is to be approved by men?”

Recent Hyles Anderson graduate: “I am not against new songs that are theo-centric and doctrinally correct. Who the writer is is not my concern. Any music that promotes God for who He is or what He has done without emphasizing the flesh, I am for.”

This philosophy allows the churches to “adapt” CCM by selecting songs that have Scriptural lyrics and toning down the rhythm. It is an attempt to take the “rock” out of Christian rock and to turn charismatic praise music into fundamentalist praise music.

Following are some of the reasons why this philosophy is unscriptural and dangerous:

1. THIS PHILOSOPHY DISREGARDS THE BIBLE’S CLEAR COMMANDS TO SEPARATE FROM HERESY AND END-TIMES APOSTASY.

Romans 16:17   Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

1 Corinthians 15:33   Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Ephesians 5:11   And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

1 Timothy 6:3-5   If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

2 Timothy 3:5   Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Revelation 18:4   And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

All of these commandments pertain to associations.

The Contemporary Christian Music movement is permeated with heresy and is committed wholesale to a philosophy of ecumenism that is plainly building the end-times Harlot Church. Rome has a very prominent role in the CCM movement, and there is not one out of 1000 of the CCM artists that issue any sort of warning about that whatsoever. They talk about Christ and sing His praises, but they are spiritually blind at a truly fundamental level.

If they were indeed filled with the Holy Spirit, which they so frequently and earnestly sing about, they would do as Paul did when he encountered a false teacher trying to lead people away from the truth:

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:9-10).

I have been to some large, influential charismatic ecumenical conferences with press credentials and I have thus witnessed with my own eyes and ears those places where CCM is birthed and where it is most at home. Never have I seen reproof of error after the fashion of what the Spirit-filled Paul did in Acts 13. All of those conferences (New Orleans 1987, Indianapolis 1990, St. Louis 2000, etc.) featured an ecumenical mixed multitude that included large numbers of Roman Catholics. And not one of the charismatic leaders or popular CCM “artists” (including Bill Gaither and his outfit who performed at one of these) lifted even a finger of protest and warning. They are practically all in bed with the vile, wretched end-times apostasy. You might be able to find some exception somewhere, but it is only that -- an exception. (For reports on these conferences see “Strange Things in New Orleans,” “Charismatic Confusion in Evangelism,” and “End Times Confusion in St. Louis,” at the Way of Life web site. Use the search engine or consult the Charismatic section of the Topical Listing from the tab at the top of the web site’s home page.)

I attended with press credentials the New Baptist Covenant Celebration in 2008, with speakers like Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Tony Campolo, and that great Baptist giant Bill Clinton. The very liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Baptist World Alliance and American Baptist Churches USA were participants. The music was CCM and the theme was ecumenism. In his opening message Jimmy Carter said that it is impossible to agree on doctrines and issues so we should unite rather on the “gospel,” but the gospel was never defined, and the “gospel” that was actually preached was a social gospel. Carter mentioned the “fundamentals” but no one said what they were, because doctrinal purity was not on the table. There were “ministries” represented at the Celebration such as Affirming and Welcoming Baptists who are trying to get churches to receive unrepentant homosexuals as members and workers. We interviewed the representative of this organization and she told us that she believes the early chapters of Genesis are not literal history, marriage is a man-made institution, and there is no such thing as sexual sin. (For a report on this conference see “The New Baptist Covenant: A Celebration of Liberalism,” FBIS, Feb. 25, 2008, at the Way of Life Literature web site. Use the search engine or consult the Ecumenism section of the Topical Listing from the tab at the top of the web site’s home page.)

I attended the National Pastor’s Fellowship in 2009 sponsored by Zondervan and InterVarsity Press (with speakers such as Brian McLaren, Bill Hybels, Paul Young, author of The Shack, Shane Claiborne, John Ortberg, Christopher Wright, Scot McKnight, Alex McManus, J.P. Moreland, Andy Crouch of Christianity Today, and Billy Graham’s brother-in-law Leighton Ford, to name a few). (For a report on this see “The Emerging Church Is Coming,” FBIS, March 3, 2009, at the Way of Life Literature web site. Use the search engine or consult the Emerging Church section of the Topical Listing from the tab at the top of the web site’s home page.)

All of these large influential conferences are committed to the ecumenical philosophy. None of them would dream of reproving Roman Catholicism. They are far too busy with other agendas to do anything like that. These conferences throw men together of all doctrinal persuasions, from Leighton Ford’s “evangelical conservatism” to Brian McLaren’s universalism and rejection of hell to Paul Young’s non-judgmental female God as taught in his book The Shack.

These are the types of forums in which CCM is birthed and where it is most at home. The music at these forums was “real” Christian rock. They pulled out all the stops. No messing around with this silly business of trying to remove the rock” from Christian rock. There was even colored lights and smoke. No holds barred CCM. The real stuff.

It is really pathetic to see once old-fashioned Baptist churches like Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, or Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, trying to use CCM, like they have been doing for a couple of decades. They have the “worship leader” and the band but the people just stand there stiffly, mouthing the words on the big screen without the foggiest idea of what to do with such music. Hey, that music is created to “connect” you to God, to enable you to “experience” God. It’s all about “feeling” something. You’re supposed to yield to it, move to it, dance, man! Independent Baptist churches that want to use CCM need to bring in some charismatic ecumenists to teach them how to do it or they need to go to some of the charismatic churches and conferences and observe how it is done so they can do right by it. If you want to use charismatic stuff, you ought to at least make an effort to know what it is and how it should be used.

For nearly four decades I have researched the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, beginning from when I was led to Christ by an old-line Pentecostal and visited Pentecostal churches as a new Christian seeking God’s will about “who” to join. The 317-page book The Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements: The History and the Error is packed with documentation of the apostasy and spiritual danger represented by this movement, which also represents the very heart and soul of Contemporary Christian Music. We also have a photo-packed DVD series on that subject.

I have visited for research purposes influential churches that represent the heart and soul of CCM and its philosophy, such as Mars Hill Church in Seattle (Mark Driscoll), Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California, Vineyard Fellowship in Anaheim, Carpenter’s Home Church of Lakeland, Florida, Christ Church in Nashville, City Harvest Church in Singapore, Without Walls in Florida, Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul (supposedly the world’s biggest church), Bill Hybel’s Willowcreek Community Church west of Chicago, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California, First Baptist in Atlanta, Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney, and schools such as Oral Roberts University, Regent College in Vancouver, B.C., Wheaton College, and Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville.

I do have some unique personal experiences and have done some serious research into the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement and ecumenism and CCM. In 1998, when I published the first edition of Contemporary Christian Music Under the Spotlight, the use and “adaptation” of CMM was still rare among IB churches, but that is no longer the case.

Paul warned that evil communications corrupt good manners. If anything is evil today, it is the charismatic ecumenical movement which is producing the vast bulk of contemporary worship music. It has a name that it lives, but when judged biblically, it is found to be dead. It has zeal without knowledge. It has a form of godliness but it denies the power thereof, which is absolute truth.

There is widespread confusion about the gospel itself within this movement. At the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization in 1987, which I attended with press credentials, a large percentage of the participants and many of the speakers were Roman Catholic. The two leaders were a Pentecostal and a Roman Catholic who bragged about how wonderful it was that they could be so united and what a great thing God is doing today. Each evening featured about an hour of contemporary worship music, which united that mixed multitude in fervent “praise.” But then one evening a large percentage of the 35,000 or so participants raised their hands to indicate that they weren’t sure of their salvation. At a press conference the next day, Dennis Costella of Foundation magazine asked why the conference didn’t address the matter of salvation plainly and publicly in order to clear up the obvious confusion. A Pentecostal leader replied, “We don’t have time for that.” The more honest answer would have been as follows:

“We are a mixed multitude. This conference represents 40 different denominations, and we have different ideas about that. Our Catholic brethren have one idea and our Lutheran brethren another and there are differences of opinion even among us Pentecostals. In the context of the ecumenical movement, some believe baptism is necessary for salvation; some believe you can’t be saved without tongues; some believe baptism regenerates; some believe cooing infants can be saved; some believe salvation must be nurtured through sacraments; some believe you can lose your salvation; some believe salvation is a mere sinner’s prayer; some believe in ‘Four Spiritual Laws,’ etc. So it is impossible to be doctrinally precise on that or practically any other issue and still keep our unity. As you know, doctrine divides; love unites, and love is what really matters. We can’t judge someone else, you know.”

That would have been the honest answer.

And the fact that the vast majority of CCM “artists” have bought into this wretchedly unscriptural ecumenical doctrine is why their music should be rejected wholesale--lock, stock, and barrel--by Bible-believing churches.

Thus, the first reason why the associations of CCM and not just the words must be considered is that the Bible commands us to separate from heresy and even more particularly from end-times apostasy.

John Styll, the publisher of Worship Leader magazine, made the following telling observation:

“You can have a pretty straight-laced but theologically liberal Presbyterian church using the same songs that are being sung at a wild and crazy charismatic church, but they use different arrangements and adapt the songs to their unique settings” (Styll, quoted by Steve Rabey, “The Profits of Praise,” Christianity Today, July 12, 1999).

Observe that he said that churches “use different arrangements and adapt their songs to their unique settings.”

My friends, that is EXACTLY what Lancaster Baptist Church in California and a rapidly growing number of other IB churches are doing. Styll, who is totally committed to ecumenism and who delights in the fact that CCM is bringing all churches together, understands this matter much better than the average IB pastor who is allowing his people to mess around with CCM. Styll understands the power of music. He knows that if churches dabble around with CCM they will be hooked and they will be drawn gradually closer to the ecumenical thinking and orb and its multitude of heresies and fables.

In an interview with Christianity Today, Don Moen of Integrity Music said: “I’ve discovered that worship [music] is transdenominational, transcultural. IT BRIDGES ANY DENOMINATION. Twenty years ago there were many huge divisions between denominations. Today I think the walls are coming down. In any concert that I do, I will have 30-50 different churches represented.”

Styll and Moen know that they are talking about. They know the power of music and the deception of ecumenism. Forty years ago, who would have thought that fundamental Baptist churches would be using CCM on a wide basis in the early 21st century? But they are, and if they don’t set their houses in order they will be swept along by the flood of compromise and apostasy. The typical pragmatic IB thinking and the refusal to listen to “criticism” on the part of the average IB pastor, won’t get the job done.

2. THE CCM CROWD IS ACTIVELY TARGETING “OLD FASHIONED” CHURCHES TO MOVE THEM FROM SACRED TO CONTEMPORARY

These people are real proselytizers. There are TRANSITION SONGS and BRIDGE SONGS designed to move traditional churches along the contemporary path toward Christian rock. From the perspective of the CCM artists involved in this, they aren’t doing anything sinister. They are simply and sincerely trying to “feed” the “broader church.” But from a fundamentalist Bible-believing position, the effect is to draw “old-fashioned” Bible churches into the contemporary orb, and that is most sinister.

Bridge songs include “How Deep the Father's Love for Us” by Stuart Townend and “In Christ Alone” by Townend and Keith Getty.

These songs are doctrinally sound and hymn-like as opposed to out-and-out rock & roll in style, so they are considered “safe” by traditional churches. But by using this music a church is brought into association with the contemporary world that Townsend represents.

Townend is a Christian rocker. He is charismatic in theology and radically ecumenical in philosophy, supporting the Alpha program which bridges charismatic, Protestant, and Roman Catholic churches. He is a member of the charismatic Church of Christ the King in Brighton, U.K. and supports the “extraordinary manifestations of the Spirit (S4W.com). This refers, of course, to the demonic/fleshly charismatic mysticism such as spirit slaying, holy laughter, and shaking.

Townend is holding hands with the “broader church” in all of its facets and heresies and end-time apostasies, and Townend’s objective in writing the “hymn-like” contemporary songs is ecumenism. Consider the following statement:

“‘How Deep the Father’s Love’ was the first hymn-like song I had written; before that point I had only written modern worship songs in a more contemporary style. ... This melody just kinda popped out of my head one day. ... It had a kind of classic hymn-like element to it. I thought I should just tell the story of Christ on the cross, but tell it perhaps from the point of view of what it cost the Father to give the Son. ... There is lot of talk about the wrath of God and is that right to think that the Father’s wrath was poured out on Christ, and I think that is right to say that. But that is not to say that God is a vengeful God; actually it cost him to give up His son. ... It’s been interesting to see the response. It’s quite useful not only in the more modern contemporary churches, but in traditional churches as well because of the style. And I’m kind of exited about that; I am excited about the fact that you can write something that actually feeds the broader church rather than just particular musical pockets of the church. That’s something that motivates me and probably why I’ve thought more and more about writing hymns, is I would like to try and feed the whole church and not just part of it” (Stuart Townend, “Mission: Worship, The Story Behind the Song”).

The first comment we would make is that Townend openly states that his objective is to bridge “traditional” churches with contemporary ones. After “How Deep the Father’s Love” popped into his mind and he turned the “hymn-like” tune into a soft “modern hymn,” he realized that this type of music could be a powerful bridge. In his own blog he says “I don’t go home at the end of a busy day and put on a hymns album! So I don’t think of hymns as where I’m at musically at all!” (http://blog.stuarttownend.co.uk/2010/05/how-deep-fathers-love.html). He is a rock & roller, pure and simple. He wants to use the soft CCM to bring together the “broader church.”

What he does not say is that the contemporary churches aren’t very interested in soft CCM hymns. It is only the “traditional” churches that are interested in “soft” CCM, and by using it they are the ones that are in danger of being influenced and changed. When “traditional” churches borrow Townend’s “soft” CCM, the contemporary churches are in no danger of being “traditionalized,” but the traditional churches are most definitely in danger of being contemporarized.

The second observation is that Townend is committed to serious heresy. He states that God is not vengeful, whereas the Bible plainly, repeatedly, and forcefully states that God is vengeful. The Psalmist says that God will “execute vengeance upon the heathen” (Psa. 149:7). The prophets warn of the coming of the “day of the Lord’s vengeance” (Isa. 34:8; Jer. 46:10; Mic. 5:15; Nahum 1:2). It was God’s holy vengeance that fell upon Christ, and it is His vengeance that will fall upon every sinner outside of Christ. The apostle Paul said that Christ will exercise God’s vengeance on all who obey not the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8).

One concerned pastor wrote:

“Keith and Kristyn Getty advertise themselves as ‘Modern Hymn Writers’ and are deceiving many into the Rock Genre by this very innocent title and the more conservative Praise Soft Rock music. But the fact is, that they are not modern hymn writers because they are putting out Rock Music which is not spiritual at all but carnal and thereby, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and not the spirit (spiritual part of us yielding to the Holy Spirit).”

The frightful thing is that the average Independent Baptist pastor and music people don’t have the foggiest idea that they are being manipulated and that they are walking on a BRIDGE that leads to a place they say they are against, which is full blown CCM and its enticing philosophy of “don’t be so strict and uptight; relax; enjoy life; live the grace.”

3. THIS PHILOSOPHY WILL EFFECTIVELY STOP CLEAR WARNINGS.

How are the pastors and teachers going to give clear warnings about CCM and that crowd if they are using their music? (It is one thing to warn in generalities, which doesn’t offend people but also doesn’t get the job done, and it is quite another to warn in a plain manner so that the people who visit the music section of a typical Christian bookstore will know what music to avoid -- which is almost all of it!)

I can’t figure out how this would work at any practical level.

Consider a church that is using music of the likes of Jack Hayford, Darlene Zschech, Michael W. Smith, Twila Paris, Michael English, Brian Doerksen, Graham Kendrick, Rick Founds, Marty Nystrom, Michael Ledner, Marty Sampson, Steve Green, Jonathan Stockstill, Chris Tomlin, Stuart Townend, Casting Crowns, and other mainstream CCM musicians.

How can the pastor of such a church or visiting preachers effectively lift a word of clear warning against this crowd?

Knowing human nature as I do and knowing the preaching ministry as I do, I don’t believe this would ever work, and the longer the situation is allowed to continue the quieter the pulpit will be about CCM in an effective sense.

The pastor of the church that allows his people to dabble around in CCM in search of “good” stuff has effectively been stopped from giving the clear warnings that he should be giving about music.

Oh, he might be able to say, “Beware of Contemporary Christian Music, folks,” in a general, vague fashion, but he won’t be able to be precise in the way that is required today to make people understand the real danger. He will hesitate and probably decide against bringing in a preacher who might deal with these matters plainly, knowing that his people would be confused and probably offended.

If such a pastor becomes convicted that he has allowed the church to go down a wrong path and tries to turn it around by issuing clear warnings himself, he will quickly learn that addicted people (in this case, addicted to sensual music) fervently defend their addictions.

4. THIS PHILOSOPHY MEANS THE CHURCH IS ACTUALLY PROMOTING CCM ARTISTS, AND THE CHURCH MEMBERS WILL DOUBTLESS BE LULLED INTO LISTENING TO THE “REAL STUFF.”

When church members see that CCM is “adapted” in their services, at least some of them will doubtless obtain the full-blown stuff to listen to in private.

When they visit Christian bookstores and browse the music section they will see the same songs that they hear on Sunday and they will buy the stuff and before long they will see that real Christian rock is more fun, more powerful, more enticing than “adapted” Christian rock.

More likely these days they will go home and do a Google search for the titles of the adapted CCM songs they hear at church, perhaps some Hillsong numbers, and the top returns will be the “real” Christian rock and they will be drawn farther and farther into the CCM world.

One lady left the following comment at a YouTube clip featuring an “adapted” CCM song. The title is “We Will Remember” by Tommy Walker.

“I fell in love with this song when it was sang in our church today. I then got home to find the lyrics on the Internet. It’s a wonderful song.”

You can be sure that she found more than the mere “lyrics.”

In this way the appetite for the “real” CCM will spread throughout the church, and this type of thing doesn’t happen slowly.

When Lancaster Baptist Church, home of West Coast Baptist College, performed “Shout to the Lord” in a Sunday service, Cary Schmidt, one of the leaders, said, “Most of you have heard this song or know the words to this song.” He knew that many of the church members were familiar with Hillsong and their music, and I do not believe that they listen only to the toned down soft rock versions played in church.

A pastor described to me a scene at a fundamental Baptist preachers meeting in which Hillsong numbers were sung as specials by a pastor’s wife. He said, “One session when she was performing, I was looking across the auditorium and just happened to see a young pastor coming out of the toilet with a big smile, and he was miming the words of the Hillsong junk she was singing. So I said to myself, ‘You are not only familiar with this song, but you have memorized it, and that means it is the music you listen to with enjoyment.’” Exactly, and he is probably not listening to the toned down “adapted” editions!

5. IF A CHURCH IS “ADAPTING” CCM, SOMEONE IS LISTENING TO “FULL-BLOWN” CCM IN ORDER TO FIND AND ADAPT “ACCEPTABLE” PIECES.

Typically, if musicians are “adapting” CCM for use in a conservative church that doesn’t yet allow full-blown rock & roll, those musicians are listening to “the real stuff” in order to find something to adapt.

Since rock & roll, even “soft rock,” is highly addictive and sensual, we know that these musicians rapidly lose their spiritual sensitivity and appetite for truly sacred music and become lulled into accepting an increasingly wider range of CCM.

Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, who recorded some of the first rock & roll hits, including Elvis’ first recording in 1954, knew the power of rock. Reminiscing many years later about why rock became such a social phenomenon, he said, “It all came out of THAT INFECTIOUS BEAT and those young people wanting to FEEL GOOD by listening to some records” (“Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer Sam Phillips Dies,” USA Today, July 30, 2003).

Janis Joplin, who died young from the rock & roll lifestyle, describes her first big concert in these words: “I couldn’t believe it, all that rhythm and power. I got stoned just feeling it, like IT WAS THE BEST DOPE IN THE WORLD. It was SO SENSUAL, so vibrant, loud, crazy” (Joel Dreyfuss, “Janis Joplin Followed the Script,” Wichita Eagle, Oct. 6, 1970, p. 7A).

I can concur with that. Rock & roll reached into the Christian home and church in which I grew up and absolutely captivated my heart and soul with I was a kid, and it taught me the path of rebellion and godlessness. Thousands upon thousands have the same testimony.

Are you pastors who are letting your churches dabble with “adapted” CCM and its soft rock willing to take the chance that your carelessness in the matter of music will cause some young people to offend and go the way of the world, the flesh, and the devil? Is it not better and wiser to err on the side of safety?

Rock can be hard or soft, fast or slow, loud or quiet, and it is still rock because it still has a sensual, heavily syncopated swing rhythm that moves the body, and it is still “infectious” and it still makes people “feel good.”

With the musicians being influenced by “real” CCM, their influence spreads throughout the church body.

A typical private conversation will be, “Hey, listen to this new cut by Darlene Zschech! Hey, you won’t believe this new Vineyard CD! Cool stuff!”

6. THE ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE “ROCK” FROM CHRISTIAN ROCK TYPICALLY RESULTS IN MERELY TONING DOWN THE MUSIC FROM HARD ROCK TO SOFT ROCK.

Those who adapt CCM do so because that particular church still says it is opposed to CCM so they can’t use it full blown. They have to tone down the rhythm. They have to try to take the rock out of Christian rock. The pastor won’t allow a rock band on stage and is afraid of thumping bass guitars and drums, so the music people “adapt” it to whatever model is acceptable.

Typically, though, this is done merely by replacing hard rock with soft rock, and since it isn’t loud and boisterous and doesn’t have a heavy thump and the singers aren’t shaking around and there is no light show or smoke, everyone is satisfied that they are avoiding CCM.

The problem is that the back beat and other elements of soft rock are still there but it is much more subtle and the soft rock rhythm is created by the pianists and perhaps other musicians rather than guitarists and a drummer with a trap set.

It’s soft rock or Southern Gospel honky tonk, and it is just as sensual and addictive to the flesh as hard rock. And it creates an appetite for such music that is never satisfied.

7. THIS PHILOSOPHY RESULTS IN THE SAME OLD SLIPPERY SLOPE.

For the previous reasons, the “adaptation” of CCM launches a church down the slippery contemporary slope as surely as if they had brought in a pure rock band.

It results in the gradual acceptance of and increasing use of CCM, a gradual allowance for sensual rhythms, the continual pushing of the boundaries.

We repeat the warning that many discerning men have issued about this slippery slope and its outcome:

“When the standard of music is LOWERED, then the standard of dress is also lowered. When the standard of dress is lowered, then the standard of conduct is also lowered. When the standard of conduct is lowered, then the sense of value in God’s truth is lowered” (Evangelist Gordon Sears, Songfest newsletter, April 2001).

The late Gordon Sears, who I had the privilege of meeting the day before he died, loved the Lord and loved the Lord’s churches, and he was deeply concerned about what is happening among fundamental Baptists. In the 1990s the number of his meetings dropped significantly because so many churches had changed their music standards, and they didn’t want an evangelist to come in and shake the boat. Notice that Sears said that the standard of music doesn’t have to be radically changed. It just has to be lowered, and that leads to a downward progression that will ultimately result in a lowering of the sense of the value of truth itself. A church can hold to truth, to doctrinal soundness, without truly valuing it or deeply caring for it, and this happens when it buys into the CCM philosophy that “love” and “unity” are more important than doctrinal purity.

“If a church starts using CCM, it will eventually lose all other standards” (Dr. Frank Garlock, Bob Jones University, chapel, March 12, 2001).

Dr. Garlock is dogmatic here and doesn’t allow for any exceptions. I hope he has warned West Coast about this, because to “adapt” CCM is doubtless the same as “using CCM.”

“Perhaps nothing precipitates a slide toward New Evangelicalism more than the introduction of Contemporary Christian Music. This inevitably leads toward a gradual slide in other areas as well until the entire church is infiltrated by ideas and programs alien to the original position of the church” (Dr. Ernest Pickering, The Tragedy of Compromise: The Origin and Impact of the New Evangelicalism, Bob Jones University Press, 1994).

The late Dr. Pickering warned that the introduction of CCM precipitates a slide toward New Evangelicalism more than anything else. That is a powerful statement. And observe that he said this slide is initiated by the mere “INTRODUCTION” of CCM. It doesn’t have to be a full blown reception. CCM just has to be introduced, and the church is on its way to New Evangelicalism. This is because the “introduction” of CCM at any level and in any way brings the church into intimate association with the world of CCM which is totally, passionately committed to the New Evangelical philosophy at best, and to “ideas and programs alien” to the position of an old-fashioned Baptist church.

“Good fundamental Baptists and others that refuse the teachings of the charismatic crowd concerning tongues, signs, miracles, and so forth are NOW SINGING THEIR MUSIC in our churches and preparing our people for the world, the flesh and the Devil. It is the new Trojan Horse move ... to deaden our churches to spiritual truth” (Victor Sears, Baptist Bible Tribune, 1981).

This amazing warning was given 30 years ago! That was before CCM began to sweep into IB churches. But Victor Sears saw it as “the new Trojan Horse move ... to deaden our churches to spiritual truth.” He knew that that the contemporary music brings a contemporary philosophy, and he was deeply concerned. Sears was a leader in the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, and this was the first group of Independent Baptists that “introduced” CCM. It started with the use of contemporary background tapes for singing specials. I recall attending a BBFI preacher’s conference in the 1980s. The music was CCM even then. In light of these warnings, it is not surprising that the BBFI today has capitulated entirely to the New Evangelical philosophy. Victor Sears predicted it, and the men of real conviction and moral courage left long ago.

WEREN’T MANY OLD HYMNS IN BAPTIST HYMNALS WRITTEN BY NON-BAPTISTS? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USING THOSE AND USING CCM WITH GOOD LYRICS?

What is the difference between using a song by someone in the past like Fanny Crosby (“He Hideth My Soul,” Methodist) or James Gray (“Only a Sinner Saved by Grace,” evangelical Reformed Episcopal) or Martin Luther (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” Lutheran) as opposed to using CCW artists today as long as the lyrics are Scriptural and we don’t use the rock music?

To compare the use of Contemporary Christian Worship (CCW) songs to the use of hymns from the past that present a sound theology but were written by people from non-Baptist denominations is to compare apples with oranges. I offer the following simple reasons why it is improper to compare the two. Many others could be mentioned.

First, the difference between using a song by old-time Protestants as opposed to CCW artists today is that the entire milieu of CCW represents a philosophy that is geared toward creating a one-world church. CCW represents the ecumenical judge-not philosophy. It is one of the chief things that are bringing all churches together. I have documented this extensively in my books, and I do not see how it cannot be disputed. (See chapter 3 of this book.) Further, CCW could be called Contemporary Charismatic Worship, because it overwhelmingly represents the charismatic doctrine and perspective. It is promoting the charismatic position of experiential worship rather than faith worship centered on God’s Word. We have documented this in the previously mentioned book.

For an Independent Baptist or a fundamentalist Bible church to use biblically sound hymns of the faith from the past will not destroy that church’s principles and character, will not change it from a separatist church to a non-separatist one, but using CCW will definitely do that.

The reason for this is that CCW is not just music; it is a philosophy of Christianity that is opposed to what biblicist fundamentalist churches stand for. It is opposed to a staunch doctrinal stance, opposed to strict separation from the world, opposed to ecclesiastical separation.

The writers of the old hymns, though they were not all Baptist in theology, did not represent a movement that is opposed to old-fashioned Biblicist, separatist Christianity, whereas the CCW crowd most definitely does.

I have never heard of a member of an Independent Baptist church becoming a Lutheran because of singing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” or becoming a Methodist by singing Fanny Crosby’s hymns, but I know of many that have gone down the path of the contemporary philosophy because of listening to CCW.

Prior to the onslaught of the ecumenical movement, the Protestants were still protesting error. They still considered Rome a religious whore. All of that type of thing has been rejected by the CCW movement. Conservative Baptists today are far, far closer doctrinally and spiritually to the old-line Protestants than they are to the charismatic-ecumenical crowd.

Dan Lucarini, author of Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement: Confessions of a Former Worship Leader (which I highly recommend), says:

“No one should deny the power of music to proselytize! Pastors in particular must defend their flocks from false teaching, heresies and ‘ear ticklers’ who bring worldly sensuality into the congregation; you are right to point out how easily this comes into a church through worship music. It seems wiser to decline the use of what seems to be a perfectly good song, rather than to give any honor and hint of endorsement to the composer and his/her mission” (e-mail, May 24, 2009).

Another difference between the old Protestant hymns in a standard Baptist hymnal and the songs coming from CCW is that CCW is experience oriented. It is designed to create a sensual emotional experience.

The mission of Integrity Music and Integrity Worship Ministries is “helping people worldwide EXPERIENCE THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD” (integritymusic.com). Graham Kendrick, one of the biggest names in CCW, says, “The old way of preaching and singing began to give way to an expectation that ... God would visit us, and we’d EXPERIENCE HIS PRESENCE IN A TANGIBLE SORT OF WAY” (interview June 11, 2002 with Chris Davidson of Integrity Music). Secret Place Ministries exemplifies the CCW philosophy in that they “long for an encounter with the presence of God” and their worship music is said to “bring down the presence of God” (SecretPlaceMinistries.org).

It is important to understand that CCW is all about a feeling, and that is why the heavy syncopation, such as the back beat and anticipated beat, suits it so well. That type of rhythm is physically sensual and stimulating, even in the “soft rock” form. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith testified that rock music “is the strongest drug in the world” (Rock Beat, Spring 1987, p. 23).

The experience orientation of CCW is also why it tends to be characterized by repetitiveness. It has been called 7/11 music (7 words sung 11 times). This creates a hypnotic effect, particularly when accompanied by a strongly syncopated rhythm and non-resolving chording.

Another difference between the old-line Protestant hymns in a standard Baptist hymnal and the songs coming from CCW is that CCW songs typically are doctrinally vague. This is one reason why it is so broadly appealing and ecumenically successful. For example, one of the songs mentioned in your question is “Holy Ground.” It was written by Geron Davis, a “Jesus Only” Pentecostal who denies the Trinity and baptizes only in Jesus’ name. If we consider the lyrics, the reason for its broad appeal (as the No. 2 best-selling contemporary praise song) becomes obvious.

“As I walked through the door/ I sensed His presence/ And I knew this was the place/ Where love abounds/ For this is the temple/ Jehovah God abides here/ And we are standing in His presence/ on Holy Ground./ We are standing on holy ground/ And I know that there are angels all around/ Let us praise Jesus now/ We are standing in His presence on holy ground/ In His presence there is joy beyond measure/ At His feet, peace of mind can still be found/ If you have a need, I know He has the answer/ Reach out and claim it/ For you are standing on holy ground.”

In light of the incredibly vague message, it is not surprising that this CCW song is popular in ecumenical Protestant, theologically modernist, and Roman Catholic churches. In fact, it is popular with New Agers. Barbra Streisand, who is not a Christian, included the song on her 1997 New Age inspirational album “Higher Ground.” She says that she first heard “Higher Ground” at Clinton’s mother’s funeral in 1994 and that it was “an electrifying moment.” Streisand applied the lyrics to her New Age philosophy that “God is everywhere “and “every square inch of this planet is holy ground.” When asked how he felt about Streisand being electrified by “Holy Ground,” Davis replied, “The presence of God has the same effect on everybody. It doesn’t matter how powerful, how wealthy, how well known you are. When you come into God’s presence, friend, we’re all on level ground” (Phil Christensen, “Holy Ground by Geron Davis,” http://www.ccli.com/worshipresources/SongStories.cfm?itemID=6). His gross lack of spiritual discernment is evident in that he didn’t mention anything about the necessity of being born again in order to have a personal relationship with God, and he did not warn that the devil appears as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11).

This illustrates how that CCW is at home ANYWHERE, and that is a loud warning to those who believe what the Bible says about end-time apostasy (e.g., 2 Timothy 4:3-4)!

And the doctrinal vagueness is not limited to a few CCW songs. It is one of this genre’s hallmarks. There are exceptions, of course, but vagueness tends to be the rule.

Another difference between the old-line Protestant hymns in a standard Baptist hymnal and the songs coming from CCW is that the Contemporary Christian Music field is permeated with false christs and false gods.

Whatever doctrinal differences a Baptist would have with Martin Luther or John Wesley or Fanny Crosby, we share the same God, but that is often not true for Contemporary Christian Worship.

Many of the influential CCW artists worship A NON-TRINITARIAN GOD. For example, Geron Davis, Joel Hemphill, Mark Carouthers, Lanny Wolfe, and Phillips, Craig and Dean are “Jesus Only” Pentecostals who deny the Trinity. To deny the Trinity is to worship a false God.

Other CCW artists worship A NON-VENGEFUL GOD. Stuart Townend, for example, denies that God is vengeful, which is a brazen rejection of the very God of the Bible (Stuart Townend, “Mission: Worship, The Story Behind the Song”, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdVQNyQmdM4).

A great many of the CCM artists worship A NON-JUDGMENTAL GOD. Consider the popularity of The Shack among CCM artists. It has been directly endorsed by Michael W. Smith and has been well received in prominent CCM circles such as Calvary Chapels, Vineyard churches, and Hillsong. It was promoted at the 2009 National Pastor’s Convention in San Diego, which was sponsored by Zondervan and InterVarsity Fellowship. Young was one of the speakers and a survey found that 57% had read the novel. Young was enthusiastically received, and in an interview with Andy Crouch, a senior editor of Christianity Today, there was not a hint of condemnation for his false god. Crouch is a CCM musician in his own right and led one of the praise and worship sessions in San Diego.

The Shack is all about redefining God. It is about a man who becomes bitter at God after his daughter is murdered and has a life-changing experience with God in the very shack where the murder occurred; but the God he encounters is most definitely not the God of the Bible.

Young says the book is for those with “a longing that God is as kind and loving as we wish he was” (interview with Sherman Hu, Dec. 4, 2007). What he is referring to is the desire on the part of the natural man for a God who loves “unconditionally” and does not require obedience, does not require repentance, does not judge sin, and does not make men feel guilty for what they do.

In that same interview, Young said that a woman wrote to him and said that her 22-year-old daughter came to her after reading the book and asked, “IS IT ALRIGHT IF I DIVORCE THE OLD GOD AND MARRY THE NEW ONE?”

This is precisely what a large portion of the Contemporary Christian Music generation is doing.

Young admits that the God of “The Shack” is different from the traditional God of Bible-believing Christianity and blasphemously says that the God who “watches from a distance and judges sin” is “a Christianized version of Zeus.”

This reminds me of the modernist G. Bromley Oxnam, who called the God of the Old Testament “a dirty bully” in his 1944 book “Preaching in a Revolutionary Age.”

Young depicts the triune God as a young Asian woman named “Sarayu” * (supposedly the Holy Spirit), an oriental carpenter who loves to have a good time (supposedly Jesus), and an older black woman named “Elousia” (supposedly God the Father). God the Father is also depicted as a guy with a ponytail and a goatee. (* The name “Sarayu” is from the Hindu scriptures and represents a mythical river in India on the shores of which the Hindu god Rama was born.)

Young’s god is the god of the emerging church. He is cool, loves rock & roll, is non-judgmental, does not exercise wrath toward sin, does not send unbelievers to an eternal fiery hell, does not require repentance and the new birth, puts no obligations on people, doesn’t like traditional Bible churches, does not accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God, and does not mind if the early chapters of the Bible are interpreted as “myth.” (See “The Shack’s Cool God” at the Way of Life web site, www.wayoflife.org.)

The false CCM non-judgmental, universalistic god is represented by emerging church leaders Brian McLaren and Rob Bell, both of whom are very popular with CCM artists.

McLaren calls the God who punished Jesus on the cross for man’s sin “a God who is incapable of forgiving, unless he kicks somebody else” (McLaren, http://www.understandthetimes.org/mclarentrans.shtml and http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2006/01/brian_mclaren_p.html). He presents the traditional God of the Bible as a tyrant who “gets his way through coercion and violence and intimidation and domination. McLaren says that the “power of the blood” gospel “raises some questions about the goodness of God.”

Rob Bell, author of the extremely popular and influential book Velvet Elvis, claims that the God who would allow multitudes to go to eternal hell is not great or mighty (Love Wins, location 1189-1229). He says that such God is not loving and calls the preaching of eternal hell “misguided and toxic.” says there is something wrong with this God and calls Him “terrifying and traumatizing and unbearable” (Love Wins, location 47-60, 1273-1287, 2098-2113). He even says that if an earthly father acted like the God who sends people to hell “we could contact child protection services immediately” (Love Wins, location 2085-2098).

It is obvious that Bell worships a different God than the One we worship in “traditional” Baptist churches.

Bell’s God is more akin to New Age panentheism than the God of the Bible. He describes God as “a force, an energy, a being calling out to us in many languages, using a variety of methods and events” (Love Wins, location 1710-1724).

“There is an energy in the world, a spark, an electricity that everything is plugged into. The Greeks called it zoe, the mystics call it ‘Spirit,’ and Obi-Wan called it ‘the Force’” (Love Wins, location 1749-1762).

Bell worships a false christ. His Jesus is “supracultural ... present within all cultures ... refuses to be co-opted or owned by any one culture ... He doesn’t even state that those coming to the Father through him will even now that they are coming exclusively through him ... there is only mountain, but many paths. ... People come to Jesus in all sorts of ways ... Sometimes people use his name; other times they don’t” (Love Wins, location 1827-1840, 1865-1878, 1918-1933).

Many of the CCM artists worship A REBEL CHRIST, which is certainly a false christ. Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline says, “Jesus Christ is the biggest rebel to ever walk the face of the earth” (Pensacola News Journal, Pensacola, Fla., March 1, 1998, pp. 1, 6E). Sonny of P.O.D. says, “We believe that Jesus was the first rebel; the first punk rocker” (http://www.shoutweb.com/interviews/pod0700.phtml). This is absolute blasphemy. The Bible says rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23). A rebel is a lawbreaker, but Christ was the lawgiver who He came to earth to fulfill the requirements of His own law (Matt. 5:17-19). Christ was not crucified for rebellion; He was crucified for testifying that He is God (John 10:33).

Many of the CCM artists worship A ROCK & ROLL PARTY CHRIST. In his Live ... Radically Saved video Carman says, “Jesus is always cool; He’s got his thing together.” In Resurrection Rap Carman portrays Jesus as a street hippie; in The Standard he calls Jesus “J.C.”; and in Addicted to Jesus he speaks of “Jammin’ with the Lamb.” Robert Sweet of the Christian rock band Stryper had “Jesus Christ Rocks” painted on the back of his drummer chair. Petra claims that “God gave rock and roll to you/ Put it in the soul of every one.” In “Party in Heaven” the Daniel Band sing, “The Lamb and I are drinkin’ new wine.” Phil Driscoll says, “God is the King of Soul; He’s the King of all rhythm” (quoted by Tim Fisher, Battle for Christian Music, p. 82). Messiah Prophet Band says, “Jesus is the Master of Metal,” and Barren Cross says, “Better than pot, Jesus rocks.” John Fischer described God as puffing on a cigar and swaying to rock music (CCM Magazine, July 1984, p. 20), while J. Lee Grady says Jesus enjoys dancing with the angels and “grooving to the sound of Christian R&B pumped out of a boom box” (Charisma, July 2000).

CONCLUSION

The fact that the CCM crowd typically worships a different kind of God than the “old-fashioned” Biblicist, is why they are perfectly comfortable using music that has been identified as sexy by the secular world.

“... that is what rock is all about--sex with a 100-megaton bomb, the beat” (Gene Simmons of KISS, Entertainment Tonight, ABC, Dec. 10, 1987).

Note that Simmons was not referring to the words of rock music; he was referring only to its backbeat rhythm.

Music researchers Daniel and Bernadette Skubik, in their study on the neurophysiology of rock music, warned:

“Whether the words are evil, innocuous, or based in Holy Scripture, the overall neurophysiological effects generated by rock music remain the same. There is simply no such thing as Christian rock that is substantively different in its impact” (“The Neurophysiology of Rock,” an Appendix to Ken Blanchard, Pop Goes the Gospel. pp. 187ff).

The reason that statement doesn’t bother a CCM defender is because he sees Jesus as a rock & roll party Dude who loves a good time.

“Those who envision God as a special friend, a kind of lover, with whom they can have fun, see no problem in worshipping him by means of physically stimulating music. On the other hand, those who perceive God as a majestic, holy, and almighty Being to be approached with awe and reverence will only use the music that elevates them spiritually” (Samuele Bacchiocchi, The Christian and Rock Music).

By the way, we urge churches to be careful even with older hymns. We have never said that if a hymn is old it is good or if it is new it is bad. We must examine all hymns as to musical character and doctrinal purity. In my estimation, there are hymns in the standard hymnals used by Independent Baptist churches that shouldn’t be used (e.g., “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations”).

____________________________

Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information Service, an e-mail listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY IS NOT DEVOTIONAL BUT IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. This material is sent only to those who personally subscribe to the list. If somehow you have subscribed unintentionally, following are the instructions for removal. The Fundamental Baptist Information Service mailing list is automated. To SUBSCRIBE, go to http://www.wayoflife.org/wayoflife/subscribe.html . TO UNSUBSCRIBE OR CHANGE ADDRESSES, go to the very bottom of any email received from us and click "Manage My Subscription." If you have any trouble with this, please let us know. We take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and those who use the materials are expected to participate (Galatians 6:6) if they can. Some of the articles are from O Timothy magazine, which is in its 26th year of publication. Way of Life publishes many helpful books. The catalog is located at the web site: http://www.wayoflife.org/publications/index.html. Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061. 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org. We do not solicit funds from those who do not agree with our preaching and who are not helped by these publications, but only from those who are. OFFERINGS can be made at http://www.wayoflife.org/wayoflife/makeanoffering.html. PAYPAL offerings can be made to https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=dcloud%40wayoflife.org

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WHAT EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW: RIGHT DIVISION -Bruscha & One Book Rightly Divided -Stauffer

Thursday, March 31, 2011

AUDIO BIBLE STUDY 08-27-10 by KJV1611AD

Videos in this playlist (5)

Psalm 68:17 (King James Bible)

Psalm 78:49 (King James Bible)

But as the days of Noah were,

so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Matthew 24:37 (King James Bible)

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I am so very interested in Bible Hermeneutics, which Dr. Peter Ruckman has shown to work perfectly well when using the King James Bible, especially in his debate with Karl Keating.

I wish there was someone to show that such would not work using any of the corrupted versions.

How sad that the additions and subtractions are so very subtle that unless these are pointed to the ordinary person, one never realizes the stripping away that is done at the Deity of Christ in the hundreds of perversions existent, all of which follow the Alexandrian text!

As Dr. Russ Dennis said in a sermon I posted Versions, Politics & Ethical Questions and Good Men With A Bad Text by Dr. Russ Dennis, Sr.:

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 1

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 2

Are Modern Bible Translations Trustworthy? Part 3

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 Timothy 3:16 (King James Bible)

The Lord gave the word:

great was the company of those that published it.

Psalm 68:11 (King James Bible)

6The words of the LORD are pure words:

as silver tried in a furnace of earth,

purified seven times.

7Thou shalt keep them, O LORD,

thou shalt preserve them from this generation

for ever.

Psalm 12:6-7 (King James Bible)

I will worship toward thy holy temple,

and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness

and for thy truth:

for thou hast magnified thy word

above all thy name.

Psalm 138:2 (King James Bible)

For ever, O LORD,

thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:89 (King James Bible)

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Isaiah 40:8 (King James Bible)

"It is well with my soul" with some history

It Is Well with My Soul

Just as I Am

Just as I Am

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord,

and do not the things which I say?

Luke 6:46 (King James Bible)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father

which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:21 (King James Bible)

Monday, March 28, 2011

⁶The words of the LORD are pure words:

⁷Thou shalt keep them, O LORD,