Catholic and Muslim delegates won a victory at a United Nations special session on women's rights over the weekend. In a late-night session, they defeated initiatives by feminists, forcing Western powers to drop homosexual rights, sex rights for children, and promotion of abortion from a five-year U.N. agenda, The Washington Times reported. ...Conservative forces led by Poland, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Senegal, Kuwait, Syria, and the Holy See pushed back efforts to expand an agenda adopted five years ago in Beijing by women from 189 nations at the 1995 U.N. Fourth World Conference for Women. ...The weekend session produced a document calling for better education and health care, universal education for children, and aggressive prosecution of those who commit acts of violence against women. It deleted items in the feminist agenda, according to the Times.... "The Western world was pushing for some of the most radical abortion language ever proposed in the history of the United Nations," but was defeated, said Mark DeYoung, director of the World Life League.

Baptists Donated Their $1.5 Million Building to a Nearby Pentecostal Congregation. The pastor of the Baptist church in Merced, Calif., telephoned Harvey Mitchell, pastor of First Assembly of God, and told him that he and his board felt their congregation had "grieved the Spirit of God" by splitting from another church and wanted to set things right. They planned to move to a new part of town and rename their church New Beginnings, Assemblies of God News Service reported. ...The Baptist pastor offered to donate the facility to First Assembly if First Assembly would pay for a $70,000 parking lot loan. In January, the 10,000-square-foot facility was turned over to First Assembly of God, which gave the Baptist church $100,000 to pay off the parking lot loan... "We did not get the building because we deserved it," Mitchell says. "God is the only One that got glory for this." First Assembly now has a second sanctuary seating 300, 15 new classrooms, a fellowship hall to seat 100, and a kitchen, and has grown 20 percent since moving into the new facility. Both churches enjoyed a celebration service praising God. Religion Today (ELB: This is pretty sick, if you ask me. Why would any Baptist Church want to give a building to the First Assembly of God? This shows just how little convictions some Baptists have.)

Scientists Prove Creation "A rough draft of the entire human genetic code has been completed, after years of work by thousands of researchers worldwide. The achievement is a milestone in a project that will change the face of medicine and society...It raises the prospect of `designer babies', for instance, or tests to assess insurance premiums or select employees. The goal of the Human Genome Project, a publicly funded international consortium, and its commercial rival, Celera Genomics in the US, is to read all three billion `letters' of the human genetic code, the book of life. Formal announcements of the first working drafts - 90 per cent of the recipe for a human being, or genome - are expected within the next week or so...Reading the entire code will be the most momentous achievement since James Watson and Francis Crick identified the structure of DNA in 1953 at Cambridge..." ("Scientists finish draft of human genetic code", June 8, Roger Highfield, Science Editor) Comments: Nothing argues better for special creation than thousands of scientists worldwide (in the year 2000) attempting to crack the gene code! It took advanced computers to even begin the project. Everywhere we turn we see evidence of intelligent design. One must be a literal fool not to see evidence of the Creator in creation (Ps.14:1, Rom.1:20). Psa. 139:15-16, My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. Kingdom Alert

Southern Baptists Calls it Evangelism? "Southern Baptists visiting Orlando, Fla., for their denomination's annual conference have been visiting strip bars and handing out money to the dancers. . . delegates use gold dollar coins to witness to the strippers and waitresses in the city's exotic clubs. The volunteers, part of a major evangelism outreach across Orlando, wait for opportunities to engage the club women in conversation and then present them with one of the coins. Referring to the profile of Sacagawea, the Native American guide to explorers Lewis and Clark, and the eagle depicted on the other side, they tell the women: `To God, you are more precious than gold. This coin is a gift to you so you'll remember the strength you have as a woman and your ability to soar like an eagle'...." (Charisma News Service, June 14, 2000) Baptist Information Service. Editor's Note [Stowe]: The fact that SBC messengers are going to nude bars is more than I care to comment on right now. But please tell me how the gold coin and the line about "the strength you have as a woman" presents the Gospel in ANY way, shape, form, or fashion. Scholarship money is being set aside for seminarians who say they are gay.

The United Church of Christ Donate to Homosexual Cause. The United Church of Christ announced this week it will create a $500,000 fund for "self-affirmed gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender" students. The 1.4 million-member denomination also advised wider acceptance of homosexuals by other denominations... "We are saddened by the announcement that historic mission funds donated to further the gospel of Jesus Christ, and entrusted in our generation into the care of agencies related to the United Church of Christ, will be perversely spent," said David Runnion-Bareford, executive director of Biblical Witness Fellowship, a renewal group whose members attend UCC churches ... "The diversion of funds committed in holy purpose for the unholy pursuit of a sexual political agenda is a grave insult and injustice to the godly history of our churches. Covenant has been broken with those who created these funds to promote the mission mandate of Jesus Christ." Religion Today

Another Heretic Moves to Dallas. An evangelist who intended to preach just one sermon has left after 5 years of continuous revival meetings. Steve Hill is moving his ministry to Dallas after preaching hundreds of times at Brownsville Assembly of God, a Pensacola, Fla., church that has been the center of an international charismatic revival movement. About 3 million people have visited the church during that time, pastor John Kilpatrick said, according to the Pensacola News Journal. ...The revival fervor "didn't happen because of Steve and I know it sure did not happen because of me," Kilpatrick said. "God came down and kissed this place." Hill's final service June 18 turned raucous. "For almost 20 minutes people raced through the aisles, danced, laughed uncontrollably, jumped, jerked, and collapsed," the newspaper reported.... "If somebody who is not Christian dropped in this morning, they would look at us and think we went bonkers," Kilpatrick said, according to the Journal. "Well, we have gone bonkers. People go bonkers over football and baseball. Why can't we go bonkers over Jesus?" He said he hoped that, even though crowds have diminished to about half what they were a few years ago, the revival will not stop, but go to "a different level." Religion Today (ELB: It seems like Dallas is now attracting some of the leading religious heretics. What a shame, because Texas has grown too many false teachers. We have too many of them that are home grown.)

Makes You Wonder Who Is in Charge. (Words by Cong. James Traficant) "The Supreme Court says pornography is OK and it is OK to burn the flag, that communists can work in our defense plants, that it is OK to teach witchcraft in our schools and that it is OK for our students to write papers about the devil. But the Supreme Court says it is illegal to write papers about Jesus, it is illegal to pray in school, and now the Supreme Court says it is even illegal to pray before a football game. Beam me up. I thought the Founders intended to create a Supreme Court, not the Supreme Being. Think about that statement. I yield back a Supreme Court that is so politically correct they are downright stupid, so stupid they could throw themselves at the ground and miss." Ohio Democrat Rep. James Traficant United States Congress Richard Eckstein

Communist Fidel Castro Speaks For Baptist World Alliance. A group of Baptists will have a highly unusual guest speaker: Fidel Castro. The Cuban dictator is scheduled to address leaders at the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Havana, Cuba, July 3-8. It is the first-ever BWA General Council meeting in the communist country, which has loosened some restrictions on religious freedom. ...Several evangelistic events, including an open-air rally, are scheduled. Revival services will be held in 40 churches in Havana and other cities. Topics include promoting racial equality and peace among ethnic groups, religious freedom, aid to developing countries, and growth among Baptist denominations, according to the BWA. ...Cuban Baptists invited the BWA to Havana. "For many years, due to ideological struggles around the world, Cuban Baptists had been cut off from many brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is with great joy that we have accepted their kind invitation," BWA General Secretary Denton Lotz said. Castro allowed 50,000 Bibles to be shipped into the country and distributed to Protestant groups after a 1998 visit by BWA leaders. The group has sent medicine, food, and other aid to Cuba's churches, BWA said. ...There are about 35,000 Baptists in Cuba, comprised mostly of three groups. The Baptist Convention of Western Cuba is aligned with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist Convention of Eastern Cuba is aligned with American Baptist Churches USA, and the Free Baptist Convention of Cuba is aligned with the Freewill Baptists, according to BWA. The Baptist World Alliance represents 43 million Christians in 96 churches from 110 nations. Religion Today (ELB: Of course Fidel Castro, one of the worst communists in the world, is simply using this as a propaganda tool. You can be sure he is not interested in promoting biblical Christianity in any form. He persecutes all evangelical Christians. The Baptist World Alliance is one of the most liberal religious movements in the whole world. They have never met a communist or liberal that they did not like. Why the Southern Baptist Convention, which claims to be conservative and fundamental, would have cooperation of any kind with the BWA, is a mystery to me. The truth is that the SBC has not cleaned up the liberalism in their denomination near as much as they claim.)

Episcopalian/Lutheran Merge - "After 30 years of debate, the U.S. Episcopal Church approved a historic pact on Saturday that would allow it to share clergy, sacraments and mission work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the largest U.S. Lutheran denomination." (Rueters, 7/8/00) The Episcopal Church's residing bishop, the Most Rev. Frank Griswold, had this to say about the agreement: "Besides allowing an interchange of ordained ministers this agreement gives us confidence to go forward together in a sharing of our resources and traditions for the sake of a greater good in evangelism witness and service." This is no real surprise. The Harlot's children are sure to have a family reunion. Episcopal Bishop Epting of Iowa, who helped draft the pact said, "If we Episcopalians who are in the Catholic heritage and the Lutherans in the Protestant heritage can come together then this could be a sign even in Rome that rapprochement can be possible without losing a church's identity." This ecumenical move is sure to catch on in every religious group. (W. W. Mosley, hereafter, WWM)

Will Baptists Soon Share Pulpits With Protestants/Catholics? - If the preparation for the Franklin Graham Festival in Lubbock earlier this years is any indication, they will. Since the pastors of First Baptist and Second Baptist Churches of Lubbock had no misgivings about signing a pact of unity with Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and many other denominations, how long will it be until sharing pulpits will be acceptable? Where are the men in these Baptist churches that will dare to take a stand? If the voices of the multitudes that lost their lives standing for doctrinal truths could be heard, a resounding warning would be noticed. It would be good if every Baptist pastor would read or re-read The Trail of Blood by J. M. Carroll. - WWM

Pope Disagrees With Clinton About Gays - It is common knowledge that Pres. Clinton has `leaded in rock' his feeling about "Gay Pride Month." A recent gay pride parade in the Vatican City was denounced by Pope John Paul II. (Fort Worth Star Telegram, 7/9/00) The pope said it was contrary to natural law. It is also contrary to biblical law. The pontiff may remember past feeling of the natural but God's law about homosexuality carries much more weight that the natural. One of Italy's leading gay activist responded, "The true offense is homophobia and anti-gay prejudice fed by the Vatican hierarchy." He will one day, with all other gays, hear from a much higher court than the Vatican. - WWM

Missionaries Urged To Use Softer Language - A group of mission leaders and scholars issued a ground breaking statement asking colleagues to look for gentler metaphors to reflect their desire to convert others to their faith. (Religious News Service, 7/7/00) To target, crusade, or conquer is now a no-no according to the consultation on Mission Language and Metaphors, held recently at Fuller Theo. Seminary in Pasadena, CA. It was stated there that "Warfare metaphors and terminology" have been misused. Although the believer's warfare is not carnal it is might through God to the pulling down of Satan's strongholds. (2 Cor. 10:4) Ephesians chap. 6 also sounds decidedly military. "It came about because a number of mission leaders began to realize that some of the metaphors we used were needlessly offensive to our Muslim and Hindu friends," said Paul Pierson, dean emeritus of Fuller's School of World Mission. "The basic issue is we do not want to create an impression with our friends of other faiths and cultures of arrogance or imperialism." - WWM

Peter Jennings' Search For Jesus - Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit reached a new high in June when ABC's Peter Jennings aired his "The Search for Jesus" broadcast. Every thing from mythology to mumbo-jumbo was used to discredit the virgin birth of Jesus. "Much of the information known about the first century does not support either Matthew's or Luke's Gospel story of Jesus' birth," was the claim of some theologians interviewed by Jennings (Kansas City Star, 7/7/00). The Word of God does not need carnal information for its support. If the world's records disagree with God's record, humanity would be eternally better off to read and accept God's record. "Let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Rom. 3:4) All who seek to prove that the virgin birth of Christ is a fraud are liars. So also is Peter Jennings' in his report. Any sincere soul can end such a search if they will follow the Lord's instruction. "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jer. 29:13) - WWM

Muslim Strong Hold In America - "Just down the street from the U.S. Capitol, and around the corner from the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties, sits a stately red-brick town house that will soon become the hub of political advocacy for American Muslims." (Religious News Service, 7/7/00) CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) hope to recruit and train a new generation of Am. Muslims "in the nuances of lobbying, media relations and community activism." Islam is one of America's fasting growing religions. Muslims are now a politically sought after voting block. Ending sanctions on Iraq is on their political agenda, and establishing a permanent Palestinian state. Muslims seem peaceful enough until they get a religious fortress established. Then comes sudden destruction on Christians. Ask Christians in the Philippines if the Muslims are dangerous! - WWM

High Court Stands Firm On Partial-Birth Abortion - "In two of four opinions released June 28, the Supreme Court struck down a Nebraska law banning a technique known as partial-birth abortion but upheld a Colorado statute prohibiting pro-life sidewalk counselors from approaching uninvited within eight feet of women preparing to enter abortion clinics." (Baptist Press, 7/7/00) How can the members of the Supreme Court sleep well knowing they have approved murder? Partial-birth abortion extracts the baby's body from the birth canal feet first leaving only the head in the canal. A sharp instrument is inserted in the base of the child's skull and the brains are removed. This removed the danger of harming other body parts to be sold for replacements; liver, heart, bone marrow, etc. If an animal was treated in this manner animal activist and society would shriek in horror. The unborn cannot make up a lobbying group to appear in the halls of congress but God will soon override such a grotesque law in righteous indignation and judgment. - WWM

Sherman A Liberal - Cecil Sherman was the first leader of the moderate-liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship ("split" from SBC). He is quoted in the 5/00 Baptist Banner from an earlier sermon: "I think the theory of evolution is the best explanation for the way life appeared on this earth." BB says: "Sherman does not believe the biblical account of the fall: no tree, Adam and Eve were not real people." He eschews the "liberal" label, but in a 1983 interview (see 6/15/96 CC), he said: "Sometimes I'm a liberal and sometimes not.I'm not nearly as chained to what is orthodox as some in our denomination are. I guess that would make me a liberal." - (Calvary Contender, hereafter, CC)

SBC Committee's Proposed Changes - So. Baptists are tightening some boundaries on biblical interpretation. The revised statement of faith discourages ordination of women, limits the office of pastor to men, and requires people to profess personal faith in Christ as Lord to gain salvation. It rejects charismatic teachings and opposes abortion, homosexuality, and mercy killing. Changes to the Baptist Faith and Message, reflecting a continued rightward turn, will be considered at the SBC meeting in Orlando, June 13-14. The BF&M is not binding on local congregations, which are self-governing, but is an influential guide in hiring SBC employees. The revision also relaxes "Sabbath"-keeping rules. Previously, Baptists were to avoid "worldly amusements" and secular work, but the revision suggests that Baptists spend Sundays doing things "commensurate with the Christian's conscience." (5/22 Religion Today) Committee chair Adrian Rogers said the Bible "is the source of our authority, not merely a support for our historic doctrines." If this was true, and practiced, the SBC could not remain part of the apostate Baptist World Alliance. -CC

Harry Potter's World Of The Occult - The fourth book of the Harry Potter series is due July 8. This popular series glamorizes witchcraft, disobedience and magic. It has frightening dark tales of witches (6/15 USA Today). Among the terrifying images: a disembodied voice repeatedly hissing "kill"; monstrous flesh-eating spiders; children being attacked and paralyzed; an apparently dead cat hung upside down by its tail. And there are creatures that "suck out people's souls." It gives children an appetite for the occult (see 12/1/99 CC). -CC

Vermont First To Recognize Homosexual Unions - Vermont's civil union law won't affect just Vermont (6/17 World). "Gay" activists' legal strategy is to legalize "marriage" in one state, then attack traditional marriage laws in all others. Homosexual activists will now go to Vermont, get "married," return to their home states, and sue for legal recognition of their marital unions. -CC

Pope Promotes Hoax As Truth - The Vatican May 13 disclosed that the so-called secret of Fatima, which the Virgin Mary is claimed to have told three children over 80 years ago, was a foretelling of the shooting of the Pope and the persecution of Christianity under communism. But the Pope is not telling the truth when he claims Mary appeared at Fatima in 1917 and predicted his shooting in 1981 (5/29 Christian News). Billy Graham and other evangelical leaders praise the Pope and trust his truthfulness, but he is not to be trusted in this and other false claims of Catholicism nor when he claims that Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians worship the same God Christians worship. -CC

NCC Near Death, But Wants Resurrection - The proud ecumenical National Council of Churches is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. But its board has adopted a resolution to develop a new ecumenical body that by 2003, it hopes, will include Catholics, evangelicals and Pentecostals (6/17 World). The NCC has a long history of being a hotbed of liberalism, communist sympathizers, abortion supporters, homosexuality supporters, radical theology promoters, and being more political than religious or spiritual (6/00 Maranatha Bapt. Watchman). Bob Edgar is its new Gen. Sec'y; Andrew Young is president. -CC

Robertson, Ecumenical Icon - Pat Robertson has become an icon for the ecumenical movement through a variety of venues. He endorsed the Evangelicals & Catholics Together (ECT). He founded the now defunct Catholic Alliance. During the Pope's 1995 visit to New York Robertson led an ecumenical procession including five Muslim leaders and 27 Protestant and Orthodox reps to participate in the Mass. He is quoted as praising the Pope and saying "We all want to build bridges with the Catholic Church." At Regent University where Robertson is chancellor and its president is a Roman Catholic, mass is said on campus each week. [Dr. Rod Bell, May/June Frontline, adapted. Dr. Bell also said the president and the football coach at Dr. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University are Roman Catholics see 1/1/99 CC.] -CC

NAE Veers Leftward - The National Association of Evangelicals recently dropped its by-law prohibiting member denominations from joint membership in the liberal NCC (4/15 CC). Now the Reformed Church in America, an NCC affiliate, has requested NAE membership (6/00 Review). The NAE's newest member is the charismatic Association of Vineyard Churches. NAE's new president, Bishop Kevin Mannoia, said the NAE's reason for existence has changed from providing an alternative to liberalism to calling the church to transform communities (6/00 Bapt. Bulletin). Christian News Editor Herman Otten advises: "True Christians in the NAE should now vigorously protest that the NAE now admits NCC churches. If [it] refuses to change its policy, they should leave the NAE." Moody Bible Institute President Joseph Stowell joined the NAE a few years ago. -CC

Rosie: `Go To Jail If You Own A Gun' - Rosie O'Donnell's shrill demands for gun control were evident in the recent "Million Mom March." In April 21, 1999, she said: "I don't care if you want to hunt. I don't care if you think it's your right. I say, `Sorry. It is 1999. We have had enough as a nation. You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun I think you should go to prison.'" (6/5 New Amer.) MMM organizers used figures showing 12 children were killed by guns every day. But pro-gun researchers noted most of those were 18- and 19-year-olds killed in drug-related violence (5/27 World). Law-abiding Americans use a gun to protect themselves from criminals once every 13 seconds. This year alone, armed citizens have stopped over 903,000 criminal attacks. -CC

What Will Evangelicals Do If Pope Makes Mother Teresa A Catholic Saint? - When the Pope makes "Mother" Teresa a saint, will she still be on the evangelical pedestal? When he elevates Mary to be Co-Redeemer, Co-Mediatrix and Advocate of Christians with the blessing of "St. Teresa of Calcutta" what will Jack Van Impe, Chuck Colson and James Dobson say, all of whom are quoted as having believed Mother Teresa was a true believer? (May 2000 C.E.C. Journal) -CC

Tutu To Address 45,000 Lutheran Youth - Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a radical liberal and socialist who rejects Christian doctrines, is to address the Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this summer in St. Louis (4/24 Chr. News). He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985, and wants churches to ordain homosexuals. He claims to hate capitalism, and has said "I think the West, for my part can go to Hell." Yet he spoke at the 1998 Baptist World Alliance meeting (the SBC is a major member of the apostate BWA), the 1999 NCC meeting, and a WCC meeting in Atlanta Dec. 1999. -CC

SBC Leader A Charismatic? - Today, Pentecostals or charismatics (nearly synonymous) number 523 million adherents worldwide. Regent University dean and historian Vinson Synan says arm-waving Promise Keepers meetings look like Pentecostal rallies. He says Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey is a charismatic (4/17 Chr. News), and: "The head of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board [now NAMB], Jerry Rankin, is a known charismatic [see 7/15/93 & 2/15/96 CCs]. Most of the [SB] missionaries are charismatic or they couldn't make it on the mission field." This may be hard to prove [and 61% of Ga. SBC messengers (11/99) voted to withdraw fellowship from member churches that "engage in non-biblical charismatic worship practices that are divisive and disruptive"(4/24 CT)], but there is no denying that charismatics are indeed making huge inroads worldwide, and that their influence is being strongly felt in the SBC. -CC

Pope Visits Holyland - Pope John Paul promotes an anti-scriptural universalism and failed to clearly proclaim the saving Gospel on his recent Holy Land Pilgrimage. Christian News Editor Herman Otten said: "Muslims, Jews, and the Pope are in error when they insist that Muslims, Jews, and Christians all worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God of these patriarchs is the Holy Trinity, the only God who exists." They trusted in the coming Messiah (Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity), not works, for salvation. -CC

The Happy Hunters Are Religious Crooks? - Charles and Frances Hunter, "The Happy Hunters," conduct charismatic "Healing Explosions" and teach that everyone has the power to heal themselves, but they can't heal themselves (see 4/15/91 CC). In their 4/00 Opportunity Letter they write: "During the month of April we are going to lay hands on every check that comes in and we are going to break the spirit of poverty on anyone who needs that spirit of poverty broken. We are believing that within a very short period of time you will experience unexpected cash! We are asking you to stretch your faith further than you have stretched it in a long time and believe what it says in Luke 6:38, `For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing.'" They say your "seed" money will multiply. This is all so unscriptural, yet these "charlatans" are promoted by many charismatics, e.g., Charisma magazine. -CC

Scout Ruling Potential Danger For Churches - The NJ Supreme Court said the Boy Scouts of America could not exclude homosexual men as scoutmasters. It ruled that the Scouts are a "public accommodation," subject to NJ's anti-discrimination statute. This definition of "public" could later include other non-profits and churches, forcing them to hire practicing homosexuals as staff members (4/24 CT). The Mormon Church said it would withdraw its 400,000 boys from the Scouts if the U.S. Supreme Court forces them to accept openly "gay" scoutmasters, It said the Scouting movement as now constituted would cease to exist. (4/28 Religion Today). Mormons sponsor 30,000 Scouting units in their facilities, more than any other group. United Methodists sponsor 424,000 Scouts, the Catholic Church sponsors 355,000. -CC

Christian Persecution On The Increase - It is estimated that 200 million Christians worldwide now suffer persecution and discrimination for their faith and that 150,000 are killed each year for being Christians (5-6/00 Moody). Most of the top 20 persecuting nations are Muslim (e.g., Sudan where almost 2 million were killed in the civil war there) or communist (e.g., Red China). Saudi Arabia, the world's most restrictive Islamic state, forbids any non-Muslim worship meetings and no Christian religious literature may enter the country. -CC

`Gays' Boast Of New Power - Homosexuals now control Hollywood and the engines of the entire American entertainment industry film and television, music and theater says their main magazine the Advocate. It gloats over the recent Oscar sweeps and other triumphs in the fields of religion, pornography, and public schools (4/10 C. News). The Advocate leaves the impression America's new homosexual power elite has harnessed the communications media to ridicule, belittle, intimidate, and demonize middle-class marriage and family life. It celebrates homosexuals' ability to use the entertainment industry to homosexualize the culture and shape the minds of millions of American middle-class youth to accept homosexuality. -CC

Planned Parenthood's Abortion Profits - The number of abortions nationally has decreased, but Planned Parenthood is performing more, not less. Its profits nearly tripled in fiscal year 1998-99. The number of unborn children killed in PP's 850 clinics rose from 139,000 in 1995 to nearly 168,000 in 1999 (4/22 World). Of PP's 1998-99 income, $211 million came from clinic operations (the rest came from government funding, and donations). Of clinic earnings, $58.8 million (over 1 out of every 4 dollars earned) came from killing an unborn child. -CC

Hybels Megachurch Growing - Bill Hybels' Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago has seen a 20 percent increase in attendance in the past five years (4/24 CT). Attendance recently topped 20,000, up from the usual 17,000 who pack six seeker-oriented worship services. Hybels, a perennial Schuller speaker, in Jan. announced a new building project on the church's 155-acre suburban Chicago campus costing as much as $70 million. His Willow Creek Association is now an alliance of 5,200 seeker-sensitive churches. -CC

United Religions Charter Ceremony - The San Francisco-based United Religions Initiative (URI) , a self-described "UN of religions" (UR) , is preparing for its global charter signing ceremony, June 26, Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh was chosen because it "has more bridges than any other city in North America." (5/22 New Amer.) The signing [according to its spring news bulletin] "will give birth to the global URI[which] will be a bridge into a new era of interfaith cooperation for the good of all life." -CC

SBC Event Speakers - Campus Crusade co-founder Vonette Bright is the featured speaker for the So. Baptist Ministers' Wives Conference at the SBC's Orlando meeting. Baptist World Alliance president Billy Kim, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Henry Blackaby, and Sammy Tippit will participate in various SBC-related peripheral events. Atlanta-area pastor James Merritt is unopposed, so far, to succeed Paige Patterson as new SBC president. -CC

PK Marches On, But Has Problems - Despite layoffs and low income for the past two years, Promise Keepers marches on. It closed its eight regional offices in Jan. and reduced its staff from 180 to 160. Registration fees were reinstated at $69 for adults and $49 for youths (5/22 Chr. Today) The Westminster Presbytery (PCA) recently upheld a complaint against a church session for its "continued support of the charismatic ministry known as Promise Keepers." (3/13 Chr. News) The complaint cited four areas that PK promotes which "clearly violate the Scriptures" and PCA standards. 1. Its pragmatic approach to worship. 2. Its denigration of doctrine. 3. Its allowing "heretics" such as T.D. Jakes to speak at PK rallies. 4. Its acceptance of the "unbiblical" role of women clergy. -CC

Falwell Praises Catholic Cardinal - Dr. Jerry Falwell is linked with both the BBF and the SBC. He has praised heretical faith-healer Benny Hinn and the Pope. He now last month called Cardinal John O'Connor "a man of courageous faith." He said they "differed on a few theological and social issues" but said "every pastor in America can learn a great lesson from this man." The pro-life Cardinal's "courageous faith" was evidently in the Roman Catholic Church's false gospel system of salvation by works. He said "I must teach what the [RC] church teaches." (5/15 USN&WR) He had an "unequivocal loyalty to the Pope [and] an adherence to the teachings of the [RC] church." (9/22/89 C. Today) He said of Mother Teresa: "If she is not in heaven, then I am really terrified of dying, because of all she did." (11/1/97 CC) A "courageous" faith in what? From his own testimony, sadly, it was in soul-damning Romanism. -CC

Clinton's Legacy - President Clinton seems almost desperately seeking a legacy that doesn't include the word "impeached." At this point, "gay rights" has to be a main contender. He spoke via videotape to marchers who came to Washington recently marching for his campaign for the Hate Crime Prevention Act. He boasted he had presided over "the most inclusive administration in history," with over 150 homosexuals appointed to important government posts. (5/13 World) A move last year to expand the federal hate crimes law to include special protection to homosexuals died last year. But Pres. Clinton is trying to force a vote before the Nov. elections. The Bush visit to Bob Jones is cited as a factor in renewing the push for a hate crimes bill (4/25 HT). Calling Catholicism and Mormonism "cults" may soon become "hate speech." A federal lawsuit over the firing of a lesbian employee has been filed against the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (5/11 Alabama Baptist). An SBC leader calls it "astounding and profoundly disturbing" that a Baptist ministry could be mandated to hire homosexuals. -CC

`Jesus' CBS Miniseries - We did not see much of the CBS miniseries "Jesus" but American Family Association reviewers cited several problems: 1) About six minutes in, there is partial female nudity when Mary Magdalene rises from her prostitute's bed after entertaining a client. Dialogue includes sexual subjects. She is later featured in another sex scene. 2) Jesus is angry at God for the death of Joseph. When Mary refers to God as Jesus' father, he declares, "Joseph is my father!" 3) John agrees to baptize Jesus if he has repented of his sins. 4) Jesus often appears confused/uncertain about his ministry. The producer said "We wanted to show he had fun, had anger and was attracted to women." (5/14 HT). Our local First Baptist Church pastor made promo ads for the film. -CC