Tabernacle Baptist Church
E. L. Bynum, Pastor
1911 34th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79411

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News & Views
Plains Baptist Challenger, January 1997

By E. L. Bynum

A Child Belongs To Its Parents, Not The State
Coors Extends Support To Homosexuals
Disney's "Hunchback"
Dobson Defends Christian Rights
Episcopalian Embezzler's Psychobabble Defense
Evangelicals Forced To Be Silent About Error
FBF Resolution on Van Impe
FGBMFI Splits
Focus-Moody Conflict, Colson.
Focus Invites New Age Group To Meeting?
Fundamental Baptist Fellowship Resolution on Separatist Fundamentalism
GARBC Sends Mized Signals on PKs
Graham Crusade/Rock Concert Draws 95,000
IBFNA Resolutions On Extramarital Unions
IFCA's Gregory Hits PK's Integrity Hipocrisy
Inconsistencies
Jay Gary, A New Ager?
Moody Allows Women Preachers
New Presbyterian Moderator Supports Homosexuals
"Politically Correct" Hymnals
Rock Music Effects
SBC Pastors' Wive's Give Award To CBF Leader
Stanley A Near Charismatic
The "Crime" Of Separation
Women's Ordination Confusion
YFC's DC/LA Extravaganza

(Editor's Note: In our News & Views column we quote from any different sources. Please understand that this does not necessarily mean that we approve of the publication from which we quote.)

Disney's "Hunchback" -- A recent SBC resolution criticized the Walt Disney Co. for participa tion in family-oriented cruises which promote the active use of alcohol and gambling, hosting of homosexual/lesbian theme nights at its parks, and production of questionable material through subsidiary corporations. Disney's latest film/video release, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," has bold "depictions of torture, sensuality, and lust...clearly inappropriate for children." A Hunchback actor says he won't take his 4-year-old to see it. Amid bad theology and sexual images and text, are overtones of the homosexual agenda. The film is "scary (as devilish figures haunt the bad guy) and sexy (with a gyrating dance)," says the U.S. News and World Report (6-24). It has "plenty of dark moments, including the chief villain singing of his desire for Esmeralda, the voluptuous Gypsy." Disney has been perverted by its own perversion -- it's president says 40% of its employees might be gay.--Calvary Contender

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New Presbyterian Moderator Supports Homosexuals. The 3 million-member Presbyterian Church (USA) last month elected Rev. John Buchanan as its new moderator. He said, "There is no scriptural reason that homosexual persons should not be ordained." The PCUSA is sharply divided over this issue and may decide to ban the ordination of "practicing" homosexuals.--CC

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""Politically Correct" Hymnals. The near frantic production of new hymnals in mainline Protestant denominations that emphasize pluralism, inclusivism, multiculturalism, and environmen talism is especially evident in the ecumenical New Century Hymnal, endorsed by the United Church of Christ. Very few hymns are addressed to God the Father or Son. God is sometimes blasphemously depicted as bisexual or androgynous -- containing both masculine and feminine traits. The Trinity is questioned when we rejoice in "our Father who lifts us when we fall, and our Mother who gives us birth."--CC

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Dobson Defends Christian Rights. Dr. James Dobson said: "When full-term healthy babies can be delivered partially and then brutally murdered with scissors and a suction device, it is our [duty] to fight for their lives. When teens are given immoral advice and condoms paid for with our tax money, we are obligated to object. When physician assisted suicide is legalized by reformist judges accountable to no one, we must seek to overturn their rulings." Dobson's letter was partially a response to Ed Dobson's article (Christianity Today 5-20) where he said we should keep the church out of partisan politics and political action.--CC

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Focus-Moody Conflict, Colson. Dr. James Dobson gave a report to Focus on the Family leaders May 23 concerning the resolution of a conflict with Moody Bible Institute which had threatened the loss of 100 stations or more. The problem involved Dobson's right to speak to moral concerns with intensity and outrage, lobbying, etc. MBI insisted that Focus not deal with public policy issues that were not directly rooted in Scripture (school choice, homosexuals in the military, etc.) In a meeting with MBI president Joe Stowell, it was agreed that minor editing might be done, and that Dobson, on certain Focus programs would draw a distinction between the Bible speaking and Dobson speaking. Dobson also reported that the Focus Board said the Lord appears to have ordained two people at this time to speak to the issue of righteousness -- Dobson and Chuck Colson -- and urged Dobson to work with Colson in rallies, etc. Dobson talked with Colson (pro-Catholic) about possibly doing rallies next year in stadiums (or whatever) and said Colson was very excited about that.--CC

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Focus Invites New Age Group To Meeting? In a May 13 letter Focus on the Family's H.B. London said: "As Vice President in charge of Ministry Outreach/Pastoral Ministries, I have the privilege of inviting you and one other person, or two designated representatives from the Liberal Catholic Church, to join us here in Colorado Springs... for a Christian Leaders Briefing here at Focus headquarters on Aug.26-27...to talk about the situation (attacks on marriage/family/values). We would be honored to have you take part." Per the New Encyclopedia Britannica: "The Liberal Catholic Church (a sect) combines theosophy, Roman Catholic sacraments, and freedom of beliefs and interpretation." Britannica says the LCC denies the uniqueness of Christ, and from the beginning (1916) held theosophical (Oriental-Western mystical) views.--CC

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IBFNA Resolution On Extramarital Unions. Homosexuality is condemned by God, both in the Old and New Testaments (Lev.18:22; Rom.1:27). The divine design for marriage has been one man and one woman, for life, since the time of Adam and Eve. The N.T. teaches that it is the duty of man, as head of his household, to provide for his family. Governments are beginning to recognize "domestic partnerships" as equal to marriage, and/or are considering legislation that would legally sanction same-sex unions and provide these unions, as well as unmarried couples, with all the benefits previously limited to heterosexual marriages. The IBFNA opposes legalization of such unions, and condemns actions that sanction homosexual practices.

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GARBC Sends Mixed Signals On Promise Keepers. The General Association of Regular Baptists is sending confusing signals on Promise Keepers. On the one hand GARBC-outgoing interim national representative Mark Jackson in his final column in the Baptist Bulletin called Promise Keepers' Chicago rally "openly ecumenical," and said: "it is hard to understand how so many of our Regular Baptist men are unwittingly involved." Commendable remarks, but note what the Muskegon Chronicle (Mich.) said about Dr. Bill Rudd's Calvary Baptist Church and associate pastor Rev. Eric Strattan: "Strattan traveled with two bus loads of men sponsored by Calvary Baptist Church last year to attend the Promise Keepers rally in the Pontiac, Mich. Silverdome." He called it an "awesome experience." Calvary Baptist Church was expected to sponsor "three bus loads to the Silverdome" for the May '96 Promise Keepers rally. Rudd is the new chairman of the GARBC's Council of Eighteen.--CC

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IFCA's Gregory Hits PK's "Integrity" Hypocrisy. Dr. Richard Gregory, national executive director of the Independent Fundamental Churches of America, recently asked a Promise Keeper leader, "Is Promise Keepers going to use practicing Roman Catholic priests as speakers in upcoming meetings?" The PK leader said this was under consideration, but "any speaker we use will have to sign our statement of core beliefs." The "core beliefs" now include sola fide (by faith alone), so Gregory raised the question of "integrity" (a main PK stress). He said a "practicing Roman Catholic priest that has broken his ordination vow by accepting sola fide cannot be an example of a promise keeper." He said "intregity is the issue." We sometimes warn of IFCA's "compromise," but now gladly praise this stance against the PK.--CC

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The "Crime" of Separation. "Lord Maitreya," through his New Age channeler says: "The crime of separation must be driven from this earth. I affirm this as my purpose." In the evangelical realm, Promise Keepers is helping drive the "crime of separation" from the earth by "breaking down the walls" between denominations. Billy Graham and other ecumenicals have for many years made significant contributions to this colossal compromise. New Agers says it's okay to believe in any god or anything, just don't claim that your god or belief is exclusive. But my God is exclusive! (Jn.14:6, e.g.) Ecumenical evangelicals have long been adept at ignoring the "divisive" doctrine of biblical separation.--CC

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Graham Crusade and Rock Concert Draws 95,000. Sixty denominations representing 1,075 churches assisted with the June Billy Graham Crusade in the Minneapolis Metrodome, including 119 Catholic parishes and 269 Lutheran congregations. Directors said there was a new receptivity, more openness, and more ecumenical spirit. Music was cited as the driving force for youth. Musicians are usually billed as "special guests," but publicity for "Youth Night" advertised it as a DC Talk/Michael W. Smith concert "with Billy Graham." (Note that "the tail now wags the dog") A counselor said, "It's a lot easier to invite someone to a concert than to a sermon." Rock star Amy Grant provided music for the Crusade's final night.--CC

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Fundamental Baptist Fellowship Resolution on Separatist Fundamentalism. "As Separatists Fundamentalists we believe that separation from apostates and disobedient brothers, is essential to the preservation of God's truth. On the basis of our separatist commitment, we believe it is necessary to limit the scope of our fellowship in ministry to those men, churches, and ministries which likewise agree with and practice separation from those who deny the fundamental doctrines of the Faith and from those who deny the doctrine of separation from disobedient believers."

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FBF Resolution on Van Impe. The Fundamental Baptist Fellowship continues to look with amazement to Jack Van Impe's exaltation of the Pope and calls upon fundamental pastors to alert their people to the dangers of his ministry. For many years Van Impe practiced a strong stance on biblical separation, but in recent years he has moved to a non-separatist and New Evangelical position rather than a scriptural position on separation. Van Impe's radical change reinforces the scriptural teaching that in the latter times men give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Tim.4:1).--CC

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Episcopalian Embezzler's Psychobabble Defense. Former Episcopal Church treasurer Ellen Cooke admitted in court last January that she embezzled over $1.5 million while in office but said the theft was due to mental illness, perhaps a bipolar mood disorder. But last month federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry (Donald Trump's sister) ripped Cooke's defense and sentenced her to the max. Judge Barry criticized Cooke's "refusal to accept responsibility...blaming everyone and everything, and relying on spurious psychiatric defenses." --CC

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SBC Pastors' Wives Give Award to CBF Leader. Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler, former executive director of the Southern Baptist Women's Missionary Union, and recent moderator of the moderate/liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, received the Mrs. J.M. Dawson Distin guished Service Award for the Outstanding Minister's Wife at the recent SBC Ministers' Wives meeting in New Orleans. This was a shocker, since she only became a pastor's wife in 1989. One wife said Crumpler's short tenure as a pastor's wife was not worthy of the award, and said it was inappropriate for the leader of a competing missionary funding group to be honored for denomina tional service within the SBC.--CC

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Rock Music Effects. A mail bomber says 1960's "rock music brought him to the point of being the messiah." AC/DC's lead guitarist says: "We're rebellious, yeah. But that's what rock 'n' roll was founded on." The Charisma (9-96) says the "Christian rock" band The Newsboys are "translating the gospel into the language of rock 'n' roll for an alienated youth culture." Perhaps much of "Christian" rock is being used as a tool of Satan to draw youths into the secular rock culture, and/or into the charismatic movement? Charisma had this quote: "People love music, singing and clapping. I believe that draws them toward the Pentecostal and charismatic churches."--CC

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Jay Gary, A Near New Ager? Jay Gary refers to himself as "The Millennium Doctor," and is involved in planning a big celebration of "Jesus' birthday in the year 2000." He denies being a New Ager but has promoted/endorsed New Agers and their ideas, and recommends books by New Agers. He has promoted the UN, and Robert Muller's occultic World Core Curriculum. Yet he also has been involved in various ecumenical evangelical projects. Templeton Prize winner Bill Bright, who heads Campus Crusade, endorsed Gary's book "The Star of 2000" and later reaffirmed his original endorsement. Dr. Cathy Burns has written a new 40-page (11 are Endnotes) paper dealing with Gary, Bright, and an assortment of globalists and New Agers. Get it from: Sharing, 212-G E. 7th St., Mt. Carmel, PA 17851, $5 postpd.--CC

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A Child Belongs To Its Parents, Not the State. A 1930 White House Conference on Child Health and Protection "marked the triumph of a new conception of the State's child." It described each child as an individual "who belongs to the community (village?) almost as much as to the family" and a citizen of "a world predestinedly moving toward unity." The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child would formally designate the government as the primary custodian of all children.--CC

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Women's Ordination Confusion. Southern Baptist and charismatic churches have ordained women preachers/pastors, and just recently, Ruth Hofman became the first woman officially approved as a "minister of word and sacrament" in the declining-membership Christian Reformed Church. A woman pastor within the charismatic ranks has asked, "Is God in a woman to be subordinated to God in a man?" When questioned about the Bible doctrine of male church leadership, she responded, "I would never permit a few words by Paul, spoken to women of an archaic epoch to limit my obedience to my Lord in my generation." PMU Missions Banner editor Dr. Morris McDonald comments on this: "Note what happens when charismatic visions, emotions, and gifts take precedence over God's written Word."--CC

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Coors Extends Support to Homosexuals. Coors Brewing Co. last year, along with Disney and others, extended health benefits to homosexual employees' partners. Evangelicals and political conservatives cried "betrayal," since they for many years had received Coors support. A Coors leader said it had supported various homosexual efforts in the past few years. Alcohol is the nation's number one drug problem, accounting for $100 billion in economic costs and 105,000 deaths each year. Many pro-family organizations such as Beverly LaHaye's Concerned Women of America and the Heritage Foundation have long accepted Coors money, which hindered some from tackling alcohol-related issues. Hopefully now, for many, their silence is no longer for sale.-- CC

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Inconsistencies. Media routinely refer to pro-lifers as "opponents of abortion rights," or "oppo nents of a woman's right to choose." But they never call gun control supporters "opponents of the right to keep and bear arms." Pro-abortionists say abortion is a woman's private choice and decision. But if it is a private matter, why demand public funding for it? Why no lawsuits and crusades against the liquor industry as against tobacco companies?--CC

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Stanley A Near Charismatic? The Charisma (9-96) reports on Dr. Charles Stanley's close brush with divorce and his Pentecostal roots. In a surprise move on March 14, Anna Stanley dismissed her divorce suit. Although they still live apart (for the last three years), they are working toward reconciliation. The article said Stanley's Atlanta church attracts many charismatics, who also watch his program on stations affiliated with Paul Crouch's TBN. Stanley is not charismatic, but says: "I have no problem with the Pentecostal movement...People ask me, Do you have charismatic people in your meetings? Absolutely! It makes for a good mixture." He thinks it humorous that many charismatics believe he is one of them while some Baptists aren't too sure what he is. Stanley says, "I just love God. If somebody loves God, who cares what kind of title they have?"--CC

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YFC's DC/LA '97 Extravaganza. Youth for Christ expects 35,000 attendees at its Washington, DC (July 16-20) and Los Angeles (June 25-29) conference. The list of over 75 "Christian colleg es" involved in DC/LA '94 included: Oral Roberts University, Fuller, Wheaton, Trinity, Biola, Gordon, Baylor, Asbury, Moody, Liberty, and Grace (IN). It may surprise some to know that the list of charismatic/liberal and new evangelical colleges involved also included the GARBC's Western Baptist College and Christian Heritage College (David Jeremiah, president).--CC

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FGBMFI Splits. Demos Shakarian formed the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship in 1952. He, a charismatic, was an ardent proponent of miracles, tongues, healing, and visions. But after his death in 1993, and under his son Richard's leadership, the FGBMFI declined and has now split. Longtime supporters last year defected and formed the Business Men's Fellowship (BMF). BMF invited E.V. Hill, Adolf Coors IV, and Sen. John Ashcroft as speakers for its first annual convention in August. FGBMFI recently sold its 65,000-square-foot headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA to the Trinity Broadcasting Network.--CC

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Moody Allows Women Preachers. Defending Moody Broadcasting Network for airing a woman preaching at Moody Founder's Week activities from the pulpit of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, MBI president Dr. Joseph Stowell's office said: "The Moody Bible Institute does not believe that a woman should be ordained to the authority of the pastorate, but that a woman may function in the specific role of preaching. She may not have the authority of the pastorate, but she may preach the Word of God from the pulpit of a local church."--CC

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Evangelicals Forced To Be Silent About Error. New evangelicals of our day are so yoked with charismatics, liberals, Catholics, Mormons, etc., that they cannot warn of the false doctrine of these groups. We see it in Promise Keepers, the Christian Coalition, ECT, Graham crusades, and in a vast array of other ecumenical endeavors. Denver Seminary's Craig Blomberg recently said: "The parachurch movement has repeatedly demonstrated that conservative Christians of every denomination can put aside such differences (gender roles, Christ's return, sacraments, church polity, etc.) to work together for the advancement of God's kingdom in our world." Christianity has become so highly politicized that the true gospel takes a back seat to moral and social issues. Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition has Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Moonies, and hodgepodge of others seeking to "Christianize" America. Evangelicals are silenced and can't warn of the false gospel of their co-workers. Spurgeon rightly said: "Complicity with error will take from the best of men the power to enter any successful protest against it. Confederacies founded upon the principle that all may enter, whatever views they hold, are based upon disloyalty to the truth of God. If truth is optional, error is justifiable." New evangelicals are silenced, and compromised to the point that they are "dumb dogs, they cannot bark" (Isa.56:10). When the shepherds are cozy with the wolves, the sheep are in trouble!

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