Willow
Creek - Seeker Service - Change Agents
See Lipscomb University now offering a Doctoratein Spiritual Formation. Ortberg ex Willow Creek will help launch.
We are not "joiners" and therefore the following notes are information for those who cannot find the lost kingdom. "Conversion" to my position is not the goal.
The danger of adopting modern patterns to force growth of the congregation--even among those not interested in truth--is that most of these patterns have ancient, pagan roots. By adopting them a church may inadvertently invite in more than it bargained for. Furthermore, it divides the church by forcing innovations which are neither Biblical nor necessary for God's plan to work. In time, the fad will grow stale and will be discarded, but the damage will be done with no evil intentions.
One goal of the seeker model is to facilitate the introduction of women into pastoral roles such as preaching, serving as deacons or as elders. That musical performance pastors are preaching and ruling over the flock you should hear what Socrates and others say.
A.W. Tozer: "Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in His name. He calls them to forsake the world; we assure them that if they but accept Jesus the world is their oyster. He calls them to suffer; we call them to enjoy all the bourgeois comforts modern civilization affords. He calls them to self-abnegation and death; we call them to spread out like green bay trees or perchance even to become stars in a pitiful fifth-rate religious zodiac."
"These are the times that try men's souls. The latter times are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them (1 Tim. 4:1-2).
"Strange as it may seem the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than for the lukewarm and the self-satisfied. The seeker after God's best things is eager to hear anyone who offers a way by which he can obtain them, particularly if it is presented by someone with an attractive personality and a reputation for superior godliness.
"Now our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, has not left His flock to the mercy of the wolves. He has given us the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit and natural powers of observation. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," said Paul (1 Thess. 5:21). "Beloved, believe not every spirit . . . " wrote John (1 John 4:1). "Beware of false prophets . . .Ye shall know them bytheir fruits," our Lord warned (Matt. 7:15-16).
"Whatever is new or singular should also be viewed with a lot of caution. Over the last half-century, quite a number of unscriptural notions have gained acceptance among Christians by claiming that they were among the truths that were to be revealed in the last days.
The truth is that the Bible does not teach that there will be new light and advanced spiritual experiences in the latter days; it teaches the exact opposite. Beware of any man who claims to be wiser than the apostles or holier than the martyrs of the early church.
An article in Christianity Today about the Willow Creek model in Germany notes that it is held in suspicion by the pre-warned Germans because it smacks too much of a para-military model:
"Ulrich Eggers, a leading German evangelical who served as press spokesman at the Hamburg sessions, stresses that Willow Creek's "central message has nothing to do with drama or music,
but rather with the living portrayal of dedicated Christians."
Yet Eggers is worried that liberals may only accept the methodology and forms of this program. He says nothing can change "unless content is changed; the gospel must become a matter of the heart." Christianity Today For the rest of the article Click Here
This data no longer exists. As a response to my request for information:
...unfortunately we don´t have the article that you refered to. Of course: this article dates back many many years. A lot of great things have happend since then due to Willow. In fact, this February we have the Leadership Summit from Willow over here. 11.000 folks have registered already for that. That so many pastors and church leaders come together to learn about biblical leadership in the church, is staggering for us.
Gotthard Westhoff Willow Creek Germany
Ursprüngliche Nachricht
Von: Kenneth Sublett [mailto:ksublett@piney.com]
Gesendet: Dienstag, 4. Januar 2005 05:09
An: info@willowcreek.de
Betreff: Christianity Today Article
And Paul warns that trying to make friends with the world is a way to put up a wall of enmity between us and God:
FROM whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ja 4:1
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ja 4:2
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (sensual delight). Ja 4:3
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Ja 4:4
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth (intensely crave possession) to envy? Ja 4:5But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Ja 4:6
According to the Christianity Today quotation, the goal is to make the performing singers, dancers, clappers and actors into idols to be the projected image of what God wants. We believe that Christ was God's model and He refused to sing, dance or fall into effeminate choral antics. Keith Green warns:
Keith Green: "My dearest family in Jesus, why are we so star struck? Why do we idolize Christian singers and speakers? We go from glorifying musicians in the world, to glorifying Christian musicians. It's all idolatry! Can't you see that? . . Satan is getting a great victory as we seem to worship these ministers on tapes and records, and clamor to get their autographs in churches and concert halls from coast to coast.
Nevertheless, Willow Creek advertises that the new, musical, drama, dancing, fun brings in 4 times as many members as those not belonging to the new association! Woodmont Hills, promoter of Jubilee 98 trying to convert churches of Christ, is listed as a member of the Willow Creek Association and Max Lucado is listed as one of their "communicators." However, it was prophesied that Jesus "would not cry out" or He would not "call assemblies." He spoke in parables to the "multitudes" because "seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear." If Jesus meant what He said and patterned, He will not be "out there" because He said: "The Kingdom is within you."
We can feel the lostness and panic among those who are forced to find the lost God. However,
Karen Armstrong noted so perfectly of 1 Kings 19 the sign of God's presence:
"Unlike the pagan deities, Yahweh was not in any of the forces of nature but in a real apart. He is experienced in the scarcely perceptible timbre of a tiny breeze in the paradox of a voiced silence." (Armstrong,A History of God, p. 27)
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1K 19:12
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 1K 19:13
Woodmont Hills and a professional worship minister:
Position Title: Worship Facilitation Minister
Position Responsibilities: This person will work with volunteer leaders, ministers and staff to coordinate the planning and presentation of worship activities. Sunday worship activities will reflect the diversity of background and worship styles unique to the Woodmont Hills membership. In addition, "seeker" style assemblies will be planned and presented at other times of the week using contemporary music, drama and teaching formats more familiar to the unchurched segment of our community.
We will express our unwashed opinions in another fragment. Nevertheless, we should note that:
Facilitation means 2. Psychologically increased ease of performance of any action resulting from the lessening of nerve resistance by the continued successive application of the necessary stimulation." (Webster).
Elsewhere we note that that Plato understood how laws or patterns for the "church" or the government uses music as the most powerful change agent. This means, that when the congregation accepts this mind control ceremonial legalism into their assembly they lose all control over the results. In an identical analogy, when you roll up your sleeve for an injection of drugs, you lose control over the consequences. Click Here.
Lynn Anderson who will Keynote Jubilee 99, in Navigating the Winds of Change details the facilitation methods of professional Change Agents moving on the churches. Click Here.
The Ancient Pagan Wineskin - Music Facilitation Pattern:
Paul warned about the wineskins worship of Bacchus or Dionysus which the pipers tried to force on Jesus. In addition, it was the worship in Corinth, Ephesus and Colosse before they became Christians. The Bacchus worship still appealed to certain members of the new body of Christ.
"Now Iamblichus (De Mysteriis, III.ix) goes into the matter of the so-called Corybantic and Bacchic 'frenzies' produced by musical instruments in the Mysteries of Ceres and Bacchus; and in his Life of Pythagoras (xxv) he, further, tells us that:
'The whole Pythagoric school went through a course of musical training, both in harmony and touch, whereby, by means of appropriate chants,
they beneficially converted the dispositions of the soul to contrary emotions. Orphic Music
Now, look back to facilitation and see if you can catch the drift. Now, look at the minimum requirements below and see if it doesn't match the skills of the Bacchus musical worship team.
This modern pastor person needs among other things:
Minimum of Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in performing arts (music, drama, directing, theatrical programming).
Lyle Schaller and other business builders for the church may be the father of the end-time commercial religilons. He proposes that to meet the 21st Century you need a:
Team leader (Pastor):
Full-time, paid. A magnetic personality, networker, entrepreneur, who attracts a diversity of people.
Worship leader: Full-time, paid. Recruiter of various types of indigenous music. The primary responsibility is to recruit unchurched people who just happen to like singing, playing an instrument, being involved with drama, running the sound system, or generating computer graphics. From.
See how this Emerging Church of Christ parallels neo-paganism or witchcraft.
This helps to round out early warning trumpet "from the right bank of Jordan" as J. E. Choate and most of us warned of the avowed goals of the Jubilee movement. I have taken the liberty to high-light:
In an article by J. E. Choate in Firm Foundation notes a correction:
"The article as a whole strives mightily to prove something that is not for me clearly articulated. Holloway and Weed present three specific models which they say have already found their way into some large influential urban churches. In a previously printed article, I wrote that "Holloway and Weed propose the 'Third Wave' and (the Vineyards) as an optional model for the postmodern Churches of Christ." (1985)
"Dr. Weed called my attention to the fact that he did not say as much, and that he does not endorse the "Third Wave" model as an option for Churches of Christ. I take due notice and acknowledge the accuracy of his statement. The full text explains itself:
"Two models for worship changes are most evident among churches of Christ.
One is the seeker service model of the Willow Creek Community Church.
A few influential congregations have implemented a separate seeker service (drama, special lighting and sound, performance music, etc.) into the Sunday morning worship. (Note: Willow Creek adds dance)"(I also add that the influences of Willow Creek and the Third Wave are at work on the DLU campus in the administration, faculty, and staff. Want documentation? Ask for it. We are waiting upon the next administration to learn if corrections will be made, or will it be business as usual. I predict the latter.)
"The other model influencing Churches of Christ is third Wave charismatics described by church growth expert C. Peter Wagner and others.
"It was not the purpose of Holloway and Weed to describe and to expose these models as threatening churches of Christ. I am a debtor to them because they have introduced the reality of the fact that the models are already endorsed and adopted in some churches of Christ e.g., the Madison Church and the Hendersonville Community Church of Christ. They have provided me with a verifiable handle to put on the subject. The time is now passed that my writing can be dismissed as yellow journalism. Other than the intervention of an act of God, I plan to stay the course.
In another article J. E. Choate from Firm Foundation notes:
"The only bona fide community church in the Nashville area is the Hendersonville Community Churches. The Masons are no more secretive than the Church of Christ community churches who leave the false impression that they form an open religious society. My big question to the Hendersonville Church of Christ Community Church is: "What are your official ties to the Willow Creek Community Church Association?" Don't tell me you have none.
"We ask Doug Varnado of Hendersonville Community Church: Does your church belong to the parachute organization called the Willow Creek Association whose church memberships number 70 denominations with a total of 1700 churches? Harold Hazelip and Carl McKelvey preach in your pulpit. The churches of Christ in the Nashville area are entitled to know this much. And before you and your kind further milk the churches of Christ tell us really who you are?"
Further Notes, KLS:
The first wave was the Pentecostal movement of ignorant preachers, snake handlers and "poison drinkers."
The second wave included Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart. That died out from its own fertility rituals.
The Third Wave can be identified as charismatic and led by men who claim that they are latter-day apostles. Miracles, including raising the dead, are possible. Dreams and visions are prophetic revelations. Power Evangelism is sold from Fuller. "The Word of God is far more spacious than Scripture." Debra Bouey quotes evidence that Promise Keepers was spawned out of the Vineyard Movement.
"The Third Wave is captivated by the idea that in these end times, God is supposedly re-establishing the offices of prophet and apostle with the power and authority beyond anything experienced by even the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles. (He notes that The mind-altering move from soft to loud instrumental music is calculated to trap the visitors.)
Evangelism: A Gift to Some Rubel Shelly: If my understanding of the New Testament is correct, evangelism is a spiritual gift given to some members of Christ's body for its faithful and effective function (Eph. 4:11; cf. Rom. 12:7).In order to "fill all things" Jesus personally selected, trained and Spirit-filled a limited number of indivisuals:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ephesians 4:11
If Rubel Shelly is correct and the "evangelist" is a spiritual gift from God then the logical conclusion is that He still gifts apostles and prophets.
These men "Knew in part and prophesied in part."" However,
But when that which is perfect (complete) is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 1 Cor 13:10
The seeker model attempt to convert pagans by establishing a pagan worship service just for them. Maybe we can set the hook and move you to the Biblical model. Or maybe we like the seeker model so well we will just move it to Sunday. We know that it happens. Asked when the pagans will be taught the gospel:
"Continuing to be amazed, I said, 'Are you saying that you couldn't go back into that pavilion and tell those people the gospel?' He replied, 'No not yet.' I responded, 'When do you think you could do it?' And he said, 'maybe five years, maybe ten....'
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This new reformation of the end-time is The Third Wave. After she (Carol Wimber) had a
dream in 1976 of standing preaching to a large crowd a
seven-point sermon on the gifts of the Spirit, at the final
point, 'a sensation like hot electricity' hit her head, travelled down
her body, then up and out of her mouth. She awakened
speaking in tongues. The sensation of heat and electricity is typical of that experienced
in the current revival. She said 'Soon God stopped
showing me what he had wanted to do in the past and began to
show me what he was going to do in the future. I had
a strong sense of God's desire for his bride, for the whole
Church - Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox.' (Riding the Third
Wave - 1987)
"To understand how we worship God, it is helpful to learn about our fellowship's history, which goes back to 1977. At that time my wife, Carol, was leading a small group of people in a home meeting that evolved into the Anaheim Vineyard. I'll let her describe what happened during that time.
"At this time we also discovered that singing was not the only way to worship God. Because the word worship means literally to bow down, it is important that our bodies are involved in what our spirits are saying. In scripture this is accomplished through bowing heads, lifting hands, kneeling, and even lying prostrate before God. ... we are blessed as we worship him.
"In the Vineyard we see five basic phases of worship, phases through which leaders attempt to lead the congregation.... as we pass through these phases we are headed toward one goal:
The fifth phase is called "Generosity "The fifth phase of worship is the giving of substance. The church knows so little about giving, yet the Bible exhorts us to give to God. it is pathetic to see people preparing for ministry who don't know how to give. That is like an athlete entering a race, yet he doesn't know how to run. If we haven't learned to give money, we haven't learned anything... " From Source "Where there is no music, the spirit will not come." This West African proverb daily greets the divinity students in the Introduction to Preaching course taught by Brad R. Braxton, Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Biblical Studies at Wake Forest University. Explained Braxton,
Rubel Shelly speaking for a revival of such worship wants a Musical Worship Facilitator (manipulator) to:
"And Euripides does likewise, in his Bacchae, citing the Lydian usages at the same time with those of Phrygia, because of their similarity:
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J. E. Choate and Firm Foundation remind us that any mass movement to restructure churches of Christ in their own image moves away from the firm foundation which insists upon congregational freedom. Beyond the understanding of most of those "runing to and fro," the use of the term Jubilee, the Aztecs, and new winskins is the use of "affect images" or code words which propel the "foot loose" and highly underemployed, from a Biblical perspective, to rush to the city set on seven hills and crown the king for the year who gets his power through one hour of celebrity.
Willow Creek is a member of the Christian Church but calls itself independent and interdenominational. I always interpret that to mean: "We will taken anyones money." I do not find Madison and Hendersonville listed as members of this new association although I still groan when I see, in my mind, Madison on TV all dressed up in cowboy stuff! Is that what Isaiah meant when he prophesied that "Women (outside or pagan) and children rule over you." You may click below to determine whether your church is a member of this new umbrella organization:
Willow Creek Christian Church The search page is HERE
I checked on the states surrounding Tenessee and found only three churches of Christ who have formally cast their lots with Willow Creek:
WCA Member Search Result
1. Bellevue Community Church - Nashville , TN ... (615) 356-2500
2. Christ Church - Nashville , TN ... (615) 834-6171
3. Christ Presbyterian Church - Nashville , TN ... (615) 373-2311
4. Grace Church of the Nazarene - Nashville , TN ... (615) 889-7462
5. Highland Park Church - Nashville , TN ... (615) 662-4722
6. Woodmont Hills Church of Christ - Nashville , TN ... (615) 297-8551
28. College Street Church of Christ - Lebanon , TN ... (615) 444-9502
In Huntsville Alabama:
1. First Church Of God - Huntsville , AL ... (205) 881-7522
2. Rocket City Community Church - Huntsville , AL ... (205) 864-0488
3. Twickenham Church of Christ - Huntsville , AL ... (205) 881-7373 (Jubilee Information)
4. Willowbrook Baptist Church - Huntsville , AL ... (205) 883-5433
We must note that Willow Creek, of 67 East Algonquin Road South Barrington, IL notes that:
"The churches that have joined the Willow Creek Association have shown an interest in the method and philosophy of Willow Creek Community Church. All the member churches have professed an evangelical Christian faith, which crosses various denominations. It is important to note that this is only a referral and the Willow Creek Association does not oversee the ministry expressions of the individual churches.
To Please Men - Another Gospel
The goal of many new methods which certainly gather more people than even Christ would today, is to develop an entertaining, charismatic worship service for those not yet hooked and booked. Afterward (maybe) they will be told the truth. Along with this charismatic service (exciting music is charismatic) an "old fashioned" worship ritual will be held for those too adult to enjoy the show and tell.
Whatever Paul preached is the gospel or the good news that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh and justified in the Spirit. Like Jesus before him, the "multitudes" hated him, despised his masculine form of preaching Truth and sought to murder him. No one, but the angels, ever applauded him. He wrote, and the new revisers haven't read the depths of it--
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:8
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal1:10
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. Gal 1:11
Paul understood that all over the Greek and Roman world and not many were converted in the pagan theater and its brothel--
"Slaves provided 'dinner-theater' entertainment for the guests while they served: singing, playing musical instruments, reciting verse, dancing, acrobatics, and playing farce. Serving boys or girls dispensed the wine and offered sexually attractive appearances. While slaves were accepted as part of the banquet's course and (sometimes) admired for their entertainment, they were simultaneously segregated from the real camaraderie of the meal. In a sense, they were performing puppets, subject to derision, degradation, abuse and punishment. See Full Details
Dominant leaders, however, demand that--
"To attract churchgoers today, you've got to please the consumer That means high-tech entertainment, Day care, Self help groups- No pleas for money. No Bible-thumping. Happy customers from California to Maryland are eating up 'fast-food religion' this Easter Foundation goes on to say. The article describes a service at Willow Creek as 'a slick, show-biz service where drama and soft rock are served up on a stage washed in pink and blue spotlights. A soft-sell sermon is delivered by Hybels from a Lucite lectern...'
"The author of the article acknowledges the fact that people attending the services there 'will not be bored as a combination of drama, humor and pop music is presented with no archaic hymns.' And, she likens the church building to 'a 4,500 seat theatre complete with 12 big screen TV's showing close-ups of action on stage just like at Rock Concerts.' Billy Graham's Grason Press is pushing Hybels' latest book. Many evangelical pastors are rushing to Hybels for instructions in implementing his worldly programs in their own churches. {New Neutralism II: Exposing The Gray Of Compromise". by John E. Ashbrook)
if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
The Jubilee movements have always been a stalking horse for this new, but ancient as the tower of Babel, worship.
On page 135f, Randy Harris and Rubel Shelly in The Second Incarnation lament that the "Hymody" is not contemporary. We are still singing those archaic hymns written for the goatherds and plowboys. Contrary to "singing" restricted to teaching and admonishing one another as taught by Paul, Rubel Shelly wants "composed" prayers and voices the concern that:
"Leading the hearts and minds of whole congregations to the throne of God is a serious responsibility which deserves much thought and prayer... Think what a blessing would come to our worship if we produced people who wrote modern Psalms to voice our deepest needs and concerns." (Rubel Shelly and Randy Harris, Second Incarnation, p. 137)
Dr. Rubel Shelly says that the musical worship facilitator (manipulator) can lead the worshipers into the presence of God. That means that they have become the new mediators, and so the claim, between man and God. Because they are standing in the church architecture place identified in cathedrals as "the holy place" they ARE the abomination standing in the holy place.
Each believer is a virtual high priest by virtue of being in Christ. Only the high priest could go into the throne room. Any preacher or "musical worship team" which attempted to lead the worshiper into the throne room would be thrust through with a sword and his body cast into the burning fires or consumed with maggots. The musical worship team has been thrust through with the Sword of the Spirit but will just not lie down--yet.
Because the throne and the kingdom is in the same place, the only way to help lead is to get out of the way and allow the worshippers to "worship in spirit and in truth."
Neither shall they say, Lo here or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21
The Worship Facilitator Pastor at Woodmont Hills was hired to "help lead the worshipers into the presence of God."
This is the ancient pagan arrogance adopted by the Catholic church that the "unwashed" who were not initiates into the clergy had no right or ability to approach the throne of God without help. However, Christ came to remove those who "take away the key to knowledge" and want to be our priest--for a price, always for a price:
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He 4:15
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. He 4:16
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1Pe.2:9
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. Mt 23:8
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Mt 23:9
There is not a hint that approaching the throne happens during rituals where the facilitator "helps bring the worshiper into the presence of God." Jesus died so that we do not have to worship in your temple or my temple. Worship is in the spirit or mind and is devoted to the truth Christ gave free of charge to all:
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Jn.4:23
Paul said that we are not come to Mount Sinai which was a symbol of the slavery of Jerusalem and the Temple
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Ga.4:25:
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Re.11:8
People came to Mount Sinai, Jerusalem and the musical prostitution of Sodom to the sound of the trumpet as a universal sound of God's judgment:
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: He 12:19
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, He 12:22
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn (Christ), which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, He 12:23
Abandoning the hymns (prayers) written by God and the urge for "contemporary" songs to meet our needs was one of the very late apostasies from the Word of God. While the 1992 first incarnation disdained "flashy" music, the second incarnation as a direct implementation of the Willow Creek mandate has been born.
"Seeker" churches for gays and lesbians
"Greeters handed out "celebration folders" instead of bulletins. Clergy wore jeans and polo shirts instead of vestments and the faithful sang along to slides projected on a wall, instead of using hymnals. The call to worship became a "warm up" and the service ended with a "see you next week" benediction, followed by pizza. The "action words" -- that's the sermon -- led into question and-answer sessions.
Often, the clergy yielded the floor to "guest headliners" who sang, spoke on social issues or discussed their latest books. In other words, this Southern California church created a "seeker" service to try to reach "unchurched" people who are more interested in spiritual issues than in conventional churches. This is happening nationwide, especially in the Protestant congregations that researchers call "megachurches."
"In fact, the San Diego church's Saturday night "celebrations" weren't a big success.
So now it plans to experiment with Sunday night gospel music services. The congregation has set a goal of being a megachurch -- with 1,000 to 2,000 members or more -- within a decade.
"Others have caught this vision. The 30-year-old Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches sent a 50-member delegation to one of the spotlighted events on the church-growth scene -- the Robert H. Schuller Institute for Successful Church Leadership at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. Last month's gathering drew more than 2,000, including a Moslem cleric, said Eastman. The program included leaders from giant mainline Protestant churches, as well superstars such as Schuller and the Rev. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church outside of Chicago.
"I have always felt right at home at these meetings," said Eastman. "It's not that the people at the Schuller Institute have endorsed us. It's probably more of a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. But the whole point is to focus on what unites us, instead of what divides us. These meetings aren't about doctrine. They're about churches improving their music, their worship and how they communicate their message."
Willow Creek and Female "Pastors" and Elders
Woodmont Hills makes it clear that they are easing into the seeker service model of Willow Creek. To that end they are hiring a "pastor person" to facilitate (mind alter) the church into reaching God. Indeed, this is a fundamental acknowledgement of becoming a Willow Creeker:
"April 21, 1997 (Fundamental Baptist News Service, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277) - Bill Hybels's Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, Illinois, is noted as the second largest "Protestant" church in North America and is
upheld widely as a model for church growth.
Hybels is a popular speaker in Evangelical circles, appearing, for example, at Moody's Founders Week Conference with men such as Billy Graham, E.V. Hill, Warren Wiersbe, Charles Stanley, Chuck Swindoll, George Sweeting, Joseph Stowell, Tony Evans, and David Jeremiah. On March 19, 1997, we distributed an article which describes the unscriptural character of the Willow Creek ministries. One of those is their acceptance of female pastors.
"The following information is excerpted from the article "Femme Fatale: The Feminist Seduction of the Evangelical Church," World magazine, March 29, 1997 --
"The move [to inclusive language Bibles] fits with the trend toward egalitarianism--the denial of any distinctions between men and women--in the church and home. Egalitarians assert that women should be pastors, elders, and co-heads of families. Gilbert Bilezikian, professor emeritus at Wheaton College and author of Beyond Sex Roles, puts it bluntly: "There cannot be authentic community as described in the New Testament without the full inclusion of the constituency of members into the ministry life and leadership of the group."
The new freedom is imposed from the top and is not an optional belief:
"Mr. Bilezikian is a founding elder and influential theologian at Bill Hybels's Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill. Willow Creek's rapid growth and its influence on other evangelical churches through the 2,200-member Willow Creek Association makes its position on the issue important. Willow Creek has had women elders since its founding in 1978. But in the past year the church has made explicit among its leaders the reasons for its position--and
demanded a level of agreement from staff and prospective church members
In January 1996, John Ortberg, one of Willow Creek's teaching elders, taught a two-hour class to church ministry leaders, in which he said that staff needed to share the convictions of the church, or study until they shared those convictions; and they had a year to do so.
They condemn the "KJV Only sect" but at the same time:
"Willow Creek makes explicit the connection between the egalitarian position on women's roles and Bible translations. The January 1996 statement on sex roles states that Willow Creek is committed to "encourage the use of translations of Scripture that accurately portray God's will that His church be an inclusive community." ("Femme Fatale: The Feminist Seduction of the Evangelical Church," World magazine, March 29, 1997)
For more details from this source CLICK HERE.
It is a fact that churches begin as rebels of a group often worth rebelling against. However, the way to do it is to adopt those practices which they once detested. Once the move has been made, pride demands that the new Ceremonial Law be defended to the death. To justify ones actions, a recruiting program begins to move the old wine into the new skin. To hold onto the new position it is necessary to write new laws, demand conformity and exclude "rebels" or they might drive your flock back to the old wineskin. This is history:
Nothing is clearer in history than the adoption by successful rebels of the methods they were accustomed to condemn in the forces they deposed.
Ditto Rubel Shelly
The "camel" has its head in the door at Woodmont Hills but Rubel Shelly hasn't allowed the "tail" in yet. However, when it is found that people looking for entertainment want it bundled with "worship" and will not support "Saturday Night Praise Services."
"The Bible is not against women ministering, using their God-given talents, standing up and speaking, administering church programs, singing (congregationally, small groups, or solo), reading Scripture, sharing information about church projects, testifying, teaching sub-groups of the church's membership (whether female, male, or mixed), writing articles or poems that will be used by males, or otherwise participating fully in the life of local churches. A church's failure to encourage the development of female talent and work robs it of countless blessings. That same failure results in buried talents that return no dividend to the owner who entrusted them to the church through its female membership.
The last time I checked on God He didn't need, indeed cannot tolerate what we worship as talent. This has been identified as "the idolatry of talent." A defender of women in ministry asks: "If she can preach with a tune why cannot she preach without a tune?" Indeed. That is the next step and the quality of the church will radically change from the Biblical, masculine dedication to the Word or the feminine dedication to music and feeling.
If one picks a "pastor person" to facilitate the church into the seeker model then it might be a woman elder presiding or "standing over" the flock to teach it the musical way to heaven which Jesus and Paul were not competent to teach but overwhelmingly condemned (obvious if you are a reader).
Click here to see what fully-erected Asherah poles looked like with the flowing symbols of fertility at the capital or "beginning" or Arches.
Laughing Exercises
A close reading of Ephesians four shows that when God is pouring out His wrath upon a people He sends a wrathful, juggler or commedian or buffon as a "mood elevator" to substitute for the Words of Christ. Following, in chapter five, Paul demanded that they close down the wineskins music and speak the truth one to another or to themselves which is the meaning of hymning.
Arius was one of the first Christians to use musical worship teams and promote two services. The first, with the parade of women musicians was to attract the unbelievers to their heresy. Afterward, they went into their private room to eat the Lord's Supper:
"The Arians, as we have said, held their meetings without the city. As often therefore as the festal days occurred, that is to say, the Sabbath and Lord's day of each week, on which assemblies are usually held in the churches, they congregated within the city gates about the public piazzas, and
sang responsive verses adapted to the Arian heresy.
This they did during the greater part of the night; and again in the morning, chanting the same responsive compositions, they paraded through the midst of the city, and so passed out the gates to go to their places of assembly." (Socrates or 'Scholasticus,' Ecclesiastical History, Book VI, Chapt. VII., p. 314). See Full Details
The full-press Arius method still works and who can tell whether it will do good or evil in the end--
"Hybels' solution was to "program our Sunday morning service to non-believers, and program our service to believers on another day or evening." By this means, Hybels hoped the newcomers would "feel welcome, unthreatened, and entertained." Hybels states that it is absolutely essential that the "unchurched Harry's and Mary's be introduced to a "creative, introductory level, positive, Bible-centered church experience on a Sunday morning...a place designed for [the unbeliever]." Hybels states that his people "have put a lot of time and thought into what non-churched people want from a Sunday morning service. And we have concluded that they basically want four things: (1) anonymity; (2) truth presented at an introductory level; (3) time to make a decision; and (4) excellence in programming, creativity, humor, contemporary [worship], relevancy, etc."
Ditto: Rubel Shelly and Woodmont a "member"
Minimum of Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in performing arts (music, drama, directing, theatrical programming).
Experience in planning and presenting worship activities.
Program planning and coordination experience.
This same pastor person will be in charge for Sunday and "In addition, "seeker" style assemblies will be planned and presented at other times of the week using contemporary music, drama and teaching formats more familiar to the unchurched segment of our community."
(Note: Yes, these schemes have always worked but a naked dance would work better)-
"While Paul's contempt of musical instruments was based upon the Pharisaic view, the later Christian authorities had much more cogent reasons for their antagonism against all instrumental music.
The pagan theater and circus, with their licentious (read: "head exposed for exhibit.") female musicians, attracted vast masses of Gentile Christians,
who were accustomed to these spectacles... The church needed three centuries of severe legislation to eradicate at least the worst of these orgiastic customs." (Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, p. 468-9, Abingdon).
As "scary" as it seems, the end-time restoration of Babylonian forms of worship actually assaults or mocks women by exhalting them to superior, hand-clapping roles in worship. They tried to make Jesus into a "female" to sing and dance with the women worshipers of Dionysus as they piped their music. As they crowned Him in mock worship they plotted His death.
"Despite (or perhaps because of) Hybels' humanistic gospel, other churches hungry for Hybels'- style growth have been flocking to the Willow Creek staff to learn the techniques of "church growth." (About 15,000 people currently attend Saturday evening and Sunday morning "seeker services" with contemporary music, multimedia displays, dramatic sketches, and messages geared to those "investigating Christianity.") Hybels says his staff cannot keep up with the increasing number of requests for help from other churches. Therefore, he has recently formed Willow Creek Association (WCA), an international network of 96 like-minded churches.
This organization will provide special conferences, resources, and consultation to its constituents. He has also formed Willow Creek Resources (WCR), a joint-publishing venture between the new association and Zondervan Publishing House. WCR will publish books, audios, and videos produced by staffers from within Willow Creek Community Church and the rest of the WCA.
For the full article CLICK HERE
"Instrumental music was introduced into the worship at Belmont. "Charismatic" elements began to crop up in church worship. All connections with churches of Christ were severed, and the name was changed to the Belmont Church. There is a spontaneity and informality in the worship. The music service (a cappella and instrumental) is not formal and liturgical. Its membership is made up of many prominent Nashvillians. The top names in country and pop music attend the Belmont services. The membership embraces a large number of young families."
We might note that instrumental music was also used at Jubilee 98 and the singing team raised their hands and danced around the asherah poles..
(Note: The only purpose of loud music from literal Babylon to spiritual Babylon was to create a "drug high" to force people to fall into a charismatic fit. This will always be the goal and always be the result where loud is the goal).
"The word bizarre describes best what has come to pass in recent years. Don Finto announced that God had called him to be another "latter day" apostle. He was reluctant at first to accept the call, but God compelled him to do so. He alleges that his authority is the same as the apostolic twelve, and his apostolic authority extends to and embraces all churches. There are many such cultic groups with tenuous Christian connections. The tragedy of it is that this church was at one time a church loyal to the word of God. Other churches and cults dot the landscape of this nation, each with its own perverted notions of scripture....
(Note: The musical soothsayer believed that he -- or usually she -- had forced the god to literally come into their physical body. Those who see the magical effect of the drug-creating music will naturally feel that they are God's agents or apostles. This was a strong delusion that they believe a lie and be damned. Anyone who claims to be an apostle has allowed himself to be worshiped and has opened himself to be consumed with worms like the king of Babylon and his maggot-consumed harps.)
"There is a new breed in the land whose tactics are the same. Their big "buzz" word is renewal. They are catching on that "browbeating" the old traditional churches has a zero level of expectation. Their tactics are not all that clear to them or to us at present. This is all the more reason for the conservative churches of Christ to be constantly vigilant. Like Nehemiah, keep on building the wall, and keep a sharp eye at the same time on those fellows down in the plains of Ono. Sanballat and his cohorts sleep neither day nor night.
Choate refers the reader to articles on Willow Creek:
The most significant of these sources are:
The New York Times (Sunday, April 16, 1995) carried a series of four special articles on the Willow Creek Community Church. The first article is titled "Where Shopping&endash;Mall Culture Gets a Big Dose of Religion."
The New York Times Magazine (July 21, 1996, Section Six), "The Capitalist:
God in the Packaging." The lead sentence is: "A few years back the Harvard Business School gave its blessing to the Willow Creek Community Church. In this flattering case study, it was shown how in less than fifteen years, Willow Creek had grown from a hole in a wheat field in Illinois into the largest church in America.
By far, the Atlantic Monthly (August, 1996) carries the most penetrating and definitive feature article titled "Welcome to the Next Church," written by Charles Truehart on the Willow Creek Community Church and other similar churches. The names on the packaging are different, but the content is the same. Kindred churches using the mega&endash;market packaging of religion wear such names as Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Mariners Church, and the Church of the Open Door.
Coming from the religious side of the picture, an article was published duly 18, 1994 in Christianity Today titled "Selling Out the House of God" with a decidedly negative, if not unfriendly, approach. Bill Hybel, the genius who brought his Willow Creek dream to reality, answered a series of critical questions put to him by Michael Maudlin and Howard Gilbreath from Christianity Today. The Willow Creek Community Church is singled out as the undisputed prototype of this new pop 'Shopping&endash;mall culture" organized church where the biggest doses of this make&endash;you--eel&endash;good religion are dispensed.
Any church should be free to move in any direction it wants. However, honesty demands a clear break and a declaration of "denominational change." Without it, anyone wearing the name of "church of Christ" while becoming "The Family of God" inherits some credibility among those looking for "the lost kingdom" and new wineskins to replace the worship they dulled.
We should be aware that while still flying the flag of "churches of Christ" and recruiting from them, the Jubilee 98 - wineskins movement moved by Rubel Shelly seems to have moved on to become "another" loose demonination or association. All the while the little churches away from the urban mess carry on the work of Christ and wear His name with dignity and pride in spite of those who tarnish it with both rhetorical legalism and ceremonial legalism (liberalism). Or worse: Nothingism.
Check the Zoe Group support
See Fred Peatross opening the curtans to see the New Spectacle of Worship.
The Paradigms and Parameters of Postmodern Theology by J. E. Choate
Postmodern Theology: The Beast Slouching Towards Calvary by J. E. Choate
Counter added 12.26.7p 4507 Rev 7.04.07 1917 2.03.10 12000