Category Archives: apostasy
Leadership education on the Gospel and the “gay Christian”
Via Stephen Black and Oklahoma City based First Stone Ministries, a message to Pastoral Care Leaders seeking to navigate the muddy cross sections of the Gospel and “gay Christianity.”
“The Gospel according to Jesus Christ is the same message for a gay-identified person, an idolater, an adulterer, a fornicator, a pornographer, a liar, a thief, a gossip, a slanderer or a murderer. The message of good news–redemption into a love relationship with God–is the same for all sinners.[1] Many “Christian” leaders communicate a message that is not Biblical, but instead is deceptive and eternally dangerous. It is certainly not a message of love to lead a person into a false hope. Unfortunately, this misleading message of “gay Christianity” is spread by perhaps well-meaning but Biblically-illiterate leaders who present a message based not on the truth of the Bible, but on a man-made theology. Other leaders purposefully and deceptively spread this message, which is a much graver offense. Deception–which leads people astray–is not love; it’s evil.[2] I share this concern with the same grief-filled compassion as expressed by the Apostle Paul to the Romans in Romans 9:1-3[3] when he wrote “with a great heavy heart and many tears.” Sincerely I write this article after much heart-ache and many tears. Paul reminded us that many will fall away from the faith in the last days.[4] This perversion of The Gospel is an example of the message of ease, love of pleasure and living unrepentantly with which many will go astray.[5] This article is equipped with many end-notes of Biblical references to back up the emphatic statements and is a Bible study with over 150 verses. Please read the Scripture references with this article and let God’s word be your guide.”
The writeup contains a wealth of teaching, scripture and resources to equip pastoral leaders in the contemporary church. Many are unnecessarily falling victim to the seductively false doctrines of the gay christian movement. But the question comes down to this: will we believe the gospel or man’s replacement ideologies? Souls hang in the balance of our answer. Stephen Black succinctly fowards the challenge to believe the gospel of Jesus against the growing apostate teachings of the gay christian movement.
“Several church leaders[40] embrace the emergent message of gay Christianity and present a gay Gospel. Their teachings are not based upon the sound doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ or New Testament Biblical instruction. They choose to embrace a false social gospel of a more palatable feel-good-God, a man-made theology, yet they do ‘good things’ under the banner of Christianity. Unfortunately, rather than embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel of self-denial that produces a Spirit-filled life that really does do good,[41] they are embracing a man-made theology promoting gay Christianity. Which gospel message will you embrace? Will you follow a Biblical message that allows the human heart and soul to be transformed by the Word of God or a man-made theology that allows men to live in self-centeredness and indulgence?[42] Shall we teach people that just praying a prayer and being a part of a community saves them eternally? Or shall we teach a true belief, that accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and following Him in discipleship will result in a life of righteousness? Which Gospel will you teach or follow?[43] The true gospel of Jesus Christ, which leads to life, or a gay gospel according to man’s words, which leads to death? “There is a way that seems right to man, but the end leads to death.”[44]
Any leader who follows or teaches any other gospel other than what has already been given to us is to be accursed (Gal 1:8). Lies kill people and destroy souls but the truth of God delivers people from the snare of the devil into new life with Christ. Read the entire article here.
Willow Creek unfolding kinder, gentler apostasy
CHICAGO – Since the massive –but impotent– religious giant Willow Creek Church announced in late June that it was severing ties with Exodus International over issues with homosexuality, the smell of gradual decay continues to rise from its headquarters at 67 East Algonquin Road in South Barrington, IL. And if the church is spiritually decaying, its a sure sign that its leadership has already decayed.
According to 1 Tim 4 widespread apostasy will significantly mark the latter years of the church.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
The “latter days” are not coming, they are here.
Two recent developments in the story shed light on the new brand of apostasy Willow Creek is unfolding and why the world wants churches to sell out completely.
Today, Exodus President Alan Chamber released a statement revealing that Willow Creek no longer believed that people could change from homosexuality.
“Willow Creek was one of our first Exodus Church Association partners. They have had an incredible outreach for two decades to people dealing with same-sex attractions. In 2009 an inquest of sorts was embarked upon, led by one of their elders to find out what they were offering to people affected by unwanted homosexuality. The inquest culminated in a meeting between members of the Exodus staff, the elder in question and the staff person overseeing their recovery ministries. At that meeting they shockingly declared that they didn’t want to help people overcome because that wasn’t possible. They simply wanted to tell people that abstinence was the only option and then provide them with comfortable place to abstain. “
Chambers said Willow Creek’s decision “failed to convey the heart and truth of Christ.” Chambers is correct. When a church fails to tell the whole truth about homosexuality (like it should do for all sin) it intentionally subverts the message of the cross. Willow Creek is moving to the religious center. Its new message is that so-called sexual orientation cant change, therefore individuals who struggle with homosexual desires they do not want have no option other than to be single, celibate…and miserable for the rest of their lives. By defining the issue as one of “sexual orientation” and not as sin, its easy for the church to capitulate to gay ideology and eschew the bible.
And with progay theologians like Tony Compolo appearing at the church, its clear Willow Creek and Bill Hybels want to dumb down the brutal truth to satisfy the demands of external opposition.
Speaking of external opposition, the second situation involved a cancelled appearance at Willow Creek by Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Shultz.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Shultz cancelled but stopped short of saying it was because of the church past belief that altering a person’s “sexual orientation” is possible.
But the church’s membership in Exodus ended in 2009 when the church re-evaluated all of its healing ministries for people facing addiction, divorce, cancer or sexual identity issues, said church spokeswoman Susan DeLay. She said Willow’s views had evolved since signing up for Exodus decades ago.
“They were one of the few Christian organizations having conversations with people who struggle with being gay,” she said.
But after careful contemplation, Willow now espouses the belief that “coming to faith in Christ doesn’t promise a change in sexual orientation,” she said.
Scholars have noted that many contemporary evangelical leaders welcome people of all sexual orientations, but stop short of affirming committed same-sex relationships that they still believe violate Scripture.
Mary Lou Wallner, a former member of Willow whose lesbian daughter committed suicide 14 years ago, said a semi-private conversation with Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, three years ago gave her hope.
At the end of that conversation, Hybels said he didn’t believe homosexuality was a choice or that it could be fixed. But he did believe Scripture calls for gays and lesbians to be celibate, she said. “Someone like Bill Hybels could change the world,” she said.
Hybels is supposed to explain the church’s new position on homosexuality at a news conference today.
UPDATE 08/12
Hybel’s addresses the controversy [video] by insisting that his church is not “antigay”. He offers a sounder explanation of WC’s beliefs than his press secretary, but does not repudiate the remarks.
Tentacles: the leaven of the gay agenda
The conclusion of our exclusive and extensive interview with Pastor Joe Schimmel of Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley, CA exposing the roots of the homosexual agenda and its fellowship with leaders of the satanic religion. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Shofarsound: Tell me how the homosexual agenda fits into end time prophecy.
Pastor Joe: Jesus warned us that in the last days, just prior to his return, that the world would become just as vile as it was in the days of Lot, who was persecuted by homosexuals of Sodom (Luke 17:26-30). That homosexuality is one of the sins in view in Sodom is made clear in Jude 1:6-8.
We are also warned in the book of Revelation, that the world will become so wicked, that even the holy city of Jerusalem will become like Sodom and Egypt in the last days (Rev. 11:8).
Add to these passages the fact that the apostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 stated that the last days perilous times would come, and that many people would be “without natural affection.” The Greek word that Paul uses is Astorgos, which literally means “without family love” or “without natural love.” The only other place that Astorgos is used in the New Testament is in Romans 1:31, just after Paul condemns homosexual behavior and other sinful activity. Paul’s warning in Romans chapter one, that men abandoned their natural relationship with women for that which was against nature, is certainly “unnatural affection” and against God’s plan for what He created to be a truly loving family. This brings us back to Crowley’s satanic quest to usher in the age of Antichrist, and destroy the family, which he called “public enemy number one.”
Moreover, in the book of Revelation, which deals with the end of the age, Jesus, not only prophesies about a return to Sodomy, but warns that the final judgment will be for many sins including “abominations,” which we discussed earlier, includes homosexuality (Revelation 21:8, 27).
Shofarsound: The recent passage of California’s gay indoctrination law reveals a tell-tale moment about the goals of homosexual activists. What do you think is the ultimate goal of the homosexual agenda?
Pastor Joe: The most hideous aspect of the goals of the homosexual movement is that many homosexuals want legal access to our children. While this is obviously not true of all homosexuals, we can see that many of the leaders of the modern day gay movement, going back to Crowley, Harry Hay, Alfred Kinsey and Kenneth Anger, they were after the very young. Whether it was Crowley’s sexually perverted orgies with young boys; Harry Hay’s marching with NAMBLA; Kenneth Anger’s relationships with young men like Bobby Beausoleil or Kinsey commissioning the molestation of children in an effort to prove that children are sexual creatures. We document in “The Kinsey Syndrome” that Kinsey favored incest and that he, and many of his associates, have led the way in lowering or eradicating the age of consent laws.
Shofarsound: How is the homosexual agenda influencing the gay christian movement’s theology?
Pastor Joe: The homosexual agenda influences Gay theology by continuing to place the worship of the creature above the worship of the creator. When this takes place, the whole created order is inverted. Tragically, those who embrace gay theology hold the words of their leaders in higher esteem than those of the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and the prophets. When you erode the authority of scripture and begin with Satan’s premise in Genesis chapter three, asking “Hath God said?” about things He has already made clear, you fall into the trap of replacing God’s truth with Satan’s lies. Homosexuals, who claim to hold to the authority of scripture as the word of God, typically seek to explain away the many texts that condemn homosexual activity. They ignore the fact that the entire church for 2,000 years, beginning with the early church father’s, uniformly understood God to have made Himself abundantly clear throughout holy scripture, to be against all sexually immoral behavior, including homosexuality.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, we read that the world will refuse to love the truth and be given over to the lie. The apostle Paul reveals to us that this will result in the worship of the Antichrist as God (2 Thes. 2:1-4). Paul makes a similar point in Romans chapter 1:18-32, when he states that those who worship creation instead of God, believe a lie. Discerning Christians should see where this lie is going and hold fast to God’s Word without wavering.
Shofarsound: We dont see a lot of evidence of the church responding, but in light of what you have revealed, how should the Church respond to the homosexual agenda?
Pastor Joe: I believe that we need to respond to the homosexual agenda with Christ’s great commission. We need to speak the truth in love, and share with homosexuals, the same way we share with those who are caught up in other sins. We need to approach those who have been deceived by the leaders of the homosexual agenda, in a spirit of humility, remembering that we too were enslaved to one vice or another, whether it was homosexuality or a myriad of other sins. We need to remember that we are saved by God’s great grace and that God impartially extends this grace to all of humanity (Titus 2:11-13). We need to remember Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired words when he instructed us to:
“…. always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:2b-5).
We need, as the Lord instructed us through the apostle Peter, to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
We need to share the gospel and remember that it is the power of God to salvation, to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). We need to share with those caught up in homosexual activity, that the power of the gospel to save, refers not only to the power to deliver us from the penalty of sin, but the power of sin. Many who are caught up in homosexuality have experienced the power of the evil one and cannot comprehend the fact that they can be set free. We need to share with them the power of God’s Word (Heb. 4:12); the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). We need to let them know that the same power that rose Jesus from the dead, is available to them in person of Jesus Christ, if they are only willing to sincerely repent of their sins and embrace Him through faith as the Lord and Savior (Romans 8:11). He has promised victory to whoever will come to Him (John 6:37).
I would strongly counsel that we fast and pray for our friends and loved ones, and all who are bound by the spirit of homosexuality. I truly believe we will see greater and greater victory in the lives of those we are witnessing to, when we first break up the fallow ground with prayer and fasting:
“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).
We need to sincerely love and pray for those who have been given misinformation and taught that homosexuality is not a sin, or that it is genetic, or that it is impossible to be set free.
Lastly, I would encourage that those who are in need of help or guidance, to contact ministries like your own, that specialize in biblically based ministry to those caught up in homosexuality. We need to pray for ministries that are on the front line of this battle, so that God will graciously hold them up, and use them mightily to save those who are bound by the stronghold of homosexuality.
Repent, for the judgment of God is at hand!
There is a level of evil that is building and sweeping across this nation as well as most of the world like never before. In my years as a student of history and world events, I’ve never seen the level of wickedness and perversion as I see taking place currently in our world today. It’s almost as if someone has flipped off the morality switch and all hell has broken loose.
Here are some points to consider:
California is set to become the first State in the union that will require (mandate) every child in the State public school sector to know and learn about same sex relationships, homosexual lifestyles, tolerance/diversity training and, to top it all off, they (students) will be required to learn about homosexual “civil rights” leaders such as Harvey Milk.
Not only has California fought long and hard to make this a political issue, even the Obama Administration is watching this closely, as they to, are designing a program which will bring homosexual diversity training into the classroom to children as young as 5 years of age.
Then, with the recent passage and signing into law of New York becoming the 6th State in the union to adopt gay marriage, the recent lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the military and President Obama himself stating his views of gay marriage is “evolving”, the nation is spinning out of control and perversion is becoming another form of normalcy in the land.
Senators and Congressmen caught in the act of immorality, television preachers caught in love triangles while continuing to make millions off of un-discerning supporters. There is a foul spirit in the air and it’s growing.
Recently, statements by Washington officials and political insiders that suggest the real possibility of civil unrest in this nation is prompting many officials to consider enforcing martial law if things come to a head. It seems our nation is heading toward a point of no return.
From catastrophic weather events where floods, tornados and the past harsh winter where national records for snow and cold temperatures were broken, homes destroyed, lives taken and virtual communities lost forever, all suggest something is happening in our land.
Immorality seems to now be the rule of the day, where open nudity can be seen almost everywhere, where even the push for the sexualization of children seems to be epidemic and the idea of traditional morality is seen as repressive and out of date, we are sacrificing whatever morality we have left on the altar of idolatry.
The world is being shaken. From the economic turmoils that control the economic destiny of people everywhere, to the regulation of restrictions against Christians in democratic nations such as Canada and the UK, where it is now illegal for a preacher to declare the word of God against sin, especially when it comes to homosexuality. Preachers as well as Pastors are being jailed for doing nothing more than proclaiming the truth.
Even in the church today, immorality, false teachings and idol worship is gaining a foothold in many pulpits across America. What was once preached against has now become accepted, and what is now accepted is being preached to those who have ears to listen and hearts to believe. A form of Godliness is all too common today and yet, most believe they are experiencing a revival, yet there is no true power behind it.
It seems as though someone has taken all of the worse case scenarios one could dream up and found a way to make it reality. Even in our civil laws, where justice is promised to the weak and the abused, justice is but an illusion to the highest bidder or the best looking. When a mother, accused of murdering her child can be acquitted by a jury for murdering her own child; who sought the life of night clubs, who waited almost one month before reporting her child missing, as in the case of Casey Anthony, there is a problem with our culture. The Justice system itself has become just that, just-a-system.
But these events, these occurrences are indicators that our world is on a collision course with judgment. With each new day that brings another amazing revelation or discovery, or catastrophe, it only proves one thing, that our world is coming to a significant point in time where Christ has all but told us would come in due season. Today’s headlines are reading like the very pages of Revelation and as such, our only thought should be as believers is, are we doing all we can to preach the gospel before the end of our age nears?
So what is happening? What is going on in our world? Obviously the world is not getting better, it’s becoming worse and with every passing moment of time. What is the answer? The answer lies in the words of Jesus himself in Matthew 24, where he spoke about signs in the heavens as well as in the earth. Jesus gave us a warning of what was to come, and by the looks of it, his words of warning are echoing true.
We as Christians need to take an account where we are at in our own lives, for the time is coming when those around us will not endure sound doctrine, but instead, seeking soothing words, will seek false words and a false hope. But we move forward, preaching to all those who will hear, that judgment is coming.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
Repent, for the judgment of God is at hand.
Apostolic bishops affirm bible’s prohibition of homosexuality
There’s few, if any, organizations of Christian belief that have not seen substantial challenges from religious homosexual activism. The acceptance of homosexuality —unlike other sins— presents significant changes in fundamental doctrines of the church: sin, repentance, deliverance, biblical inerrancy and authority, even the nature of Jesus Christ himself. Although we previously had not heard much corporately from the various splinters of “oneness” adherents, they too are in the throes of struggle.
Ergo, several years ago, prominent bishops from leading apostolic organizations met to affirm their stance on homosexuality and same sex “marriages”. The International Christian Apostolic Fellowship included Bishop James E. Tyson of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Bishop GM Boone of the Apostolic Assemblies of Christ, Bishop Jeremiah Reed of the Christ Temple Apostolic Fellowship, Inc, Bishop Willie Duncan of United Apostolic Churches, Bishop JE Moore of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith, Bishop Joel Trout of Impact Apostolic Ministries and Bishop Nathaniel Urshan, former General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International. No doubt these are familiar names among those who attend the noted churches.
The meeting discussed what the Apostolic leaders deemed major challenges and doctrinal issues confronting the church. This particular segment focused on homosexuality. Bishop Jeremiah Reed mentioned (but got off track) that he knew one person who was “totally delivered”. It would have been an greater testament to the leaders if they had all acknowledged the reality of deliverance for those bound in homosexual sin.
While we can appreciate the unanimous solidarity with scripture against homosexual conduct, one wonders if these bishops and leaders spoke out against the current occupier of the White House and his overzealous affinity for homosexuality.
Your comments on the video statements welcome. This post is not an endorsement of apostolic doctrine so please withhold comments regarding that issue.
Pastor Joe Schimmel digs up the roots of gay activism
I had the recent opportunity to review international Christian apologist Pastor Joe Schimmel’s expose’ called Satanism and Homosexual Agenda. Pastor Schimmel resides in Simi Valley, CA and has been in ministry over 25 years. In 1990, he founded and pastors Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley and is president of Good Fight Ministries. His testimony of transforming power of Jesus Christ in his own life is told in the powerful documentary “They Sold Their Souls for Rock & Roll,” which has been heard during live presentations at churches around the world. In it, he describes his own deliverance from the bondage and satanic influence of Rock Music at age 18.
With the rise of homosexual marriage, gay churches, apostate churches who redefining sin to benefit sin and legal issues facing the contemporary church, GCM Watch asked Pastor Joe to share an in-depth perspectives on how satanism and homosexuality are co-joined.
Shofarsound: Pastor Joe, thanks for taking the time to share your perspectives with our readers. I’d like to start out by just asking what’s your overall biblical perspective on homosexuality?
Pastor Joe Schimmel: We see the overall Biblical view on homosexuality revealed from Genesis to Revelation. In the very first book of the bible the Lord reveals that He created humanity in his image and that He made them male and female. We observe that God not only made us male and female but that as male and female (Adam and Eve) we were designed as such to procreate (Genesis 1:27-28). Jesus corroborates and confirms God’s plan and original intention with regard to the sexual union between one man and one woman in Matthew 19:1-9.
God is not partial (Romans 2:9-11) and homosexuals are on the same vice list with drunkards, adulterers, revilers, extortionist, slanderers, swindlers, idolaters and fornicators, (1 Cor. 6:9-10). We are all in the same boat and in need of a Savior. In His love, Jesus died and shed His blood for homosexuals as much as he did for thieves and murderers. He died for each and every sinner (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2).
As Christians, we need distance ourselves from two extremes regarding homosexuality. One extreme is the “God hates fags” crowd, who treat homosexual behavior as the unforgivable sin. The other extreme to taking a cavalier attitude toward homosexuality, and fail to recognize that the scriptures teach that sexual sin is destructive in a way that other sins are not (1 Cor. 6:18).
The good news is that after the Lord reveals that adulterers, drunkards, homosexuals, etc., will not inherit the kingdom of God, He declares, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).
God reveals that the church is made up of former homosexual who are now “new creations” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) who are no longer slaves to sin but servants of righteousness and the living God. I have had the privilege of counseling those caught up in homosexuality and witnessing their glorious deliverance!
Shofarsound: That’s an interesting point you bring up about the “two extremes”. Given that, do you think it contributes to the increasing spread of homosexual influence in America?
Pastor Joe: That homosexuality is spreading throughout the United States is absolutely undeniable. Its rapid spread in America began with the expulsion of God’s Word and prayer from the government schools in the 1960s and the introduction of a steady diet of Darwinian indoctrination and moral relativism. Add to this the so-called “free love” movement espoused by godless atheists and occultists in the hippie revolution of the 1960s, and you have a volatile recipe for apostasy. It was at this time, like never before, that the moral compass of America began to be buried under an avalanche of liberal propaganda.
In the 70s the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses and it gained more and more approval in the academic world. Its spread slowed down precipitously with the advent of AIDS in the 80s but this trend was soon reversed after homosexuality began to be intensely advertised and glorified in mainstream media.
Shofarsound: You believe that homosexuality and satanism have a direct link. Tell me about that.
Pastor Joe: In my estimation that would be the most notorious Satanist of the last century, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). [Crowley died just three years before organized homosexual activism took root in America]. Crowley stated that he had gone over to “Satan’s side” and wanted to become Satan’s chief of staff. Crowley was a bisexual, and his “Abbey of Thelema” or sex temple in Italy was found to have biographical graffiti, depicting orgies that included little children. We document this from is own admirers in our documentary, The Kinsey Syndrome. He influenced the sexual revolutionary thought processes of everyone from Alfred Kinsey to Harry Hay. It is important to know that Crowley’s end goal was the ushering in of the age of Horus and the coming Antichrist, the man of sin. He literally signed his name “The Beast 666.”
Shofarsound: What was Crowley’s purpose in partnering with the agenda of homosexual rights activists?
Pastor Joe: Crowley stated that he was out to “sodomize the boys of England,” and wanted his diabolical teachings to be “circulated among the young.” He later stated that he would target the USA to push his satanic agenda. We document that in our video “They Sold Their Souls for Rock and Roll” that Crowley’s teachings provided the social architecture for the counter culture revolution of the 60’s. We prove that many of the leading social revolutionaries and academics of that era, as well as a host of top rock stars, have done Crowley’s bidding and were, wittingly or unwittingly, major change agents.
Shofarsound: Crowley’s views certainly mirror those of homosexual activists we see in the spotlight today. How did he view the nuclear family?
Pastor Joe: Crowley not only stated that he had gone over to “Satan’s side” but proclaimed the family to be “public enemy number one.” His licentious motto was “Do What thou Wilt,” and he taught that the word “sin” is “restriction.” This kind of thinking will destroy both family and society, once it is embraced.
