Life On Mars? Some scientists think there may have been life on Mars over 3.6 billion years ago, resulting from a rock blasting off Mars some 16 million years ago. This fairy tale is a frantic effort to prove evolution without God, and seems the celestial equivalent to an Elvis sighting. Dr. John Morris asks: "How does anyone know what Martian rocks are made of? Are the dates correct? Radio isotope dating methods are notoriously unreliable. Could a cometory impact send rocks out into outer space, overcoming Mars' gravitational pull? Could organic chemicals have resisted vaporization for 16 million years in a total vacuum? Are the fossils really fossils? They are extremely tiny, about 1/1000 the diameter of a human hair." We will wait until scientists prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" to a society that declared O.J. Simpson innocent, that such microscopic objects denote life on Mars. Super claims require super proof!--CC
Teen Drug Use Soaring. The world is more awash in drug use than ever. Our government seems to have "surrendered" in the drug war. Its recent annual survey showed drug use among youths aged 12 to 17 had more than doubled since 1992. Marijuana use rose 37 percent in one year for that age group, and cocaine use jumped 166 percent.--CC
Armstrong Cult Now Evangelical? We recently reported that some well-known new evangelical leaders were saying the Herbert W. Armstrong Worldwide Church of God cult's new leaders were heading it toward orthodoxy and should be accepted as brothers. But O Timothy editor David Cloud warns that: "If the leaders of the WCG want to obey the Word of God, let them disband their un scriptural organization and exhort their members to get saved...and to join sound churches. By attempting to reform an unscriptural organization which has such a wretched and apostate history, the leaders of the WCG are creating tremendous confusion."--CC
Michael Card To Perform At BBF Church. The historic Temple Baptist Church (Detroit) is the "patriarchal" church of the Baptist Bible College (Springfield) and has been pastored by J. Frank Norris, G.B. Vick, Truman Dollar, and now by Rev. Bradley Powell. Jack Van Impe has in recent years been a member. It is now helping sponsor the Detroit 1996 Fall Concert series featuring several CCM performers, including Michael Card (Oct.4). The concerts will be held in Temple's worship facility, according to Michigan pastor Carroll Turbeville. Card, "the Christian music industry's resident theologian," has produced a joint album with a leading Roman Catholic musician, John Michael Talbot. BJU's What In the World paper quotes the CCM magazine (7-96) thusly: "Brother to Brother glows with a warm and joyous ecumenism." Card says: "Doing this project has enabled us to become real friends...And along the way, the denominational lines have become really meaning less to me, and to John, too." Other BBF churches (e.g., Jerry Falwell's) in the past two decades have sadly featured CCM groups and ecumenicals.--CC
GARBC Pastor In Ecumenical Service. GARBC pastor Rev. Greg Baum, First Baptist Church of Monroe, Iowa is listed as "preacher" for a community church service, Aug.11 at City Park. Others participating in the service: Rev. Karen Merrill, pastor United Methodist Church, Rev. Larry Gander, United Presbyterian Church, and Dr. Robert Frank, Re-organized Latter Day Saints. A First Baptist Church trio was to sing. While the RLDS is not Mormon, it claims Joseph Smith as its first president, and all its prophet-presidents since 1860 were his direct descendants. It endorses his In spired Version of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants. A 1984 "revelation" allows women to be ordained to the priesthood. Why would a GARBC pastor participate in a "community church service" with heretics/apostates?--CC
Ware Speaks In GARBC and Liberal Denominational Pulpits. Dr. Charles Ware is president of Baptist Bible College of Indianapolis, and serves on the board of ABWE and Manna Bible Insti tute in Philadelphia. He was a main speaker at the GARBC's annual conference and YouthFest in June at Lakeland, Fla. He has served as an urban and ethnic writer for AWANA and Regular Baptist Press. He spoke at Huntsville Baptist Institute's Commencement in May. HBI is affiliated with the National Primitive Baptist Convention and has had United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Seventh- Day Adventist teachers. Ware's itinerary (Sept.-Oct.) in Reconciliation lists a United Methodist Church, a Reformed Church, an ABWE Board Meeting, and NY State GARBC Conference.--CC
Kantzer's Dangerous Views On Catholicism. Kenneth Kantzer has a Ph.D. from Harvard, has taught at Wheaton and Trinity, and is a former editor of Christianity Today. He says: "I do not for a moment deny the Christianity of any true Roman Catholic. Many Roman Catholics are certainly evangelicals. We share the faith of the Apostles' Creed and the seven ecumenical councils of the ancient church. We need each other in our battles against secularism and materialism. Yet there are crucial differences." Kantzer praised the Pope and referred to him as "the successor of St. Peter" in a 6-85 Christianity Today editorial. He said Catholic charismatics have become true evangelicals and called for continued dialogue with Catholics. He has pragmatically embraced women's ordination.--CC
Catholic Salvation. Dr. Ernest Pickering writes in Frontline: "Salvation by grace to a Roman Catholic is salvation through sacramental grace -- the application of God's grace through the official sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. Salvation by grace means something entirely different to the instructed Roman Catholic than it does to the Bible believer. For Catholics, God's grace must flow through appointed church channels. Baptism is looked upon as a working of grace and is required for salvation. Catholics teach that transubstantiation transforms the wafer into the literal, physical body and blood of Christ. This sacrifice of the Mass is a part of the 'work of our redemption.' The Catholic church has always erred in its confusion of justification and sanctification. The image, created by some evangelical leaders, of a Roman Catholic church that is loyal to the great fundamental doctrines of Scripture is simply not factual."--CC
Fundamentalists Were Too Gentlemanly. Rev. Bob Whitmore is completing research for an upcoming book on FBF history. He says: "It has been interesting to learn that some of our perceptions about our spiritual forefathers are inaccurate. For example, rather than being unnecessarily harsh, early fundamentalists were often too gentlemanly to press the fight against the liberals. And it was the liberals who engaged in name-calling, often shouting down fundamentalists at the Northern Baptist conventions with catcalls of scorn and derision. Neither were the new evangelicals kind, for in the Conservative Baptist movement they used the same tactics against the conservatives that the liberals had used during the struggles in the NBC."--CC
New Homophobia: Schools Fear Lawsuits. Schools are the latest focal point in homosexuals' war to legitimize their lifestyle. Education Week admits: "Public schools are becoming a battleground for gay-rights issues." Many are in turmoil over teachers "coming out." Lesbian activist Donna Redwing says: "We're here, we're queer, we're in the classroom."--CC
PK and Mormons. While claiming to preach a non-doctrinal gospel at its rallies, Promise Keepers has found acceptance among some Mormon leaders. The Mormon Church has no official position on PK, but some leaders have been involved with and praised the movement. We had not seen anything recently on Mormons and PK, until the issue of PK's New Man magazine (10-96). It had an article by Craig Branch warning against Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and New Age cults -- but not a word against the Catholicism cult!--CC
Muslim and NAE Address NCC. The liberal National Council of Churches extended its search for common ground among U.S. religious bodies with two symbolic firsts at its meeting in Chicago last month. Scheduled speakers included Don Argue, president of the National Association of Evangelicals and Warith Deen Mohammed, leader of Al-Islam, the largest orthodox African- American Muslim organization in the U.S. NCC head Rev. Joan Brown Campbell said of Cardinal Bernardin: "He was our longtime friend, counselor, and partner on the journey of Christian unity." Argue and Campbell have made reconciliation and the search for common ground among fractured religious communities main themes of their tenures. Such unholy alliances are unscriptural (Eph.5:11).--CC
Pat Boone Mixes Metal Music With Prayer. Pat Boone says he is being guided by certain Scriptures in releasing a new album of heavy metal rock music. Several metal musicians support Boone in this project. Ronnie James Dio, whose album art is "known for its horrific beastlike images, sat with Boone during the recording of Dio's tribute to Christ." A Jeff Godwin book identifies Dio as a "Satan Rocker," and pictures him flashing the devil's salute sign. Boone is an elder in Jack Hayford's church, has led Holy Land tours, and is co-chairman (with Shirley Dobson and Vonette Bright) of the National Day of Prayer.--CC
Pope Opposes Proselytizing Jews. Yechiel Eckstein, president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, in a new book where 16 writers dialogue and respond to Pope John Paul II's recent book, says: "The Jews, for John Paul, represent the Christians' elder brothers in the faith." He adds: "For the first time in history, a pontiff is essentially saying that rather than proselytizing Jews, the Church is to witness to them through dialogue." In the same new book, Yale professor Stephen Carter says: "I have the impression that the Pope's view is that respect for Jews, whom he calls our elders of the faith, means refraining from any effort to convert them." Carter goes on to say that Islam is a worship of the same God as our God of Christianity, but it definitely is not!--CC
State Statutes Against Abortion. Ten states now have informed consent laws, 17 with parental notice requirements, and 21 require the consent of at least one parent. Mississippi, which requires two- parent consent for minors as well as a 24-hour waiting period and informed consent, is showing positive results. Its abortion rate went from 8,184 in 1991 to 7,555 in 1992 to 6,002 in 1993. By 1995, the number of abortions had dropped to 3,563.--CC
CWA Says No Funds From Coors. Concerned Women for America's chief financial officer Lee K. LaHaye says CWA has never received funds from Coors Brewing Co., and has not been silent on alcohol-related issues. Our 9-15 CC article, based largely on 10-9-95 AP and 8-17-92 Christianity Today articles, reported that many pro-family groups such as CWA had accepted "Coors money" (we did not say "Coors Brewing Co. money"). Mr. LaHaye said CWA's donors list includes the name Coors, but that, "to the best of my knowledge," CWA has never received donations from CBC family members nor from the Adolph Coors Foundation.--CC
MacArthur and IFCA. The Independent Fundamental Churches of America promotes John MacArthur in its Voice magazine, and held its 1990 convention at his church. He has signed the IFCA doctrinal statement that says Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God even though he believes Christ's Sonship began at His incarnation. MacArthur speaks on Southern Baptist and other new- evangelical platforms.--CC
SBC's David Ring Speaks At GARBC's Western. The Baptist Bulletin (11-96) had this note in the Western Baptist College section: "The testimony of David Ring finished the week with a challenge to use whatever God had given us to impact the lives of others." Ring, a Southern Baptist, in recent years has frequently appeared on platforms with Jerry Falwell and Tim Lee, and the Charisma (10- 94) listed Ring as a speaker at a charismatic youth retreat. GARBC-approved Western has become increasingly cozy with the Conservative Baptist Association, in keeping with the overall GARBC's swift drift toward new evangelicalism.--CC
Catholic-Charismatic Ecumenism. Charismatic Episcopal church theologian Rev. Mark Pearson says there are signs that Christians across the Protestant-Roman Catholic divide are starting to listen to each other. He asks: "Who would have believed years ago that there would ever be a Roman Catholic charismatic, much less millions of them? Who would have thought that in the convergence movement, Pentecostal pastors would embrace liturgical worship and a higher view of the sacraments?" He says the assumption of Mary (the Roman Catholic belief that she was bodily assumed into heaven, perhaps without dying) could have happened, and that Mary could have been a virgin perpetually.--CC
Warning To Fundamentalists. There is a movement among fundamentalists to redefine fundamentalism in order to accommodate neo-evangelicals and liberals. Their writings are not written for the average believer, but are so worded as to appeal to the so-called intellectuals. This has the appearance of intellectualism. The next step is to compromise truth to gain recognition by neo- evangelicals and liberals. Therefore, it becomes easier to compromise the faith. To aspire to be recog nized as an intellectual is missing the mark as a servant of Christ. Scholarship does not grant authority to anyone to compromise or change the fundamentals of the faith. A lack of scholarship does not qualify one to be a fundamentalist, but intellectualism is a curse to the ministry of fundamentalists. (Dr. James B. Williams)--CC
Say No To Toleration and Compromise. "There is a toleration which is treachery. There is a peace which issues in paralysis. There are hours when the Church must say no to those who should ask communion with her, in the doing of her work, upon the basis of compromise. Such standing aloof may produce ostracism and persecution; but it will maintain power and influence. The reason why men do not look to the Church today is that she has destroyed her own influence by compromise." (G. Campbell Morgan)
Falwell Doublespeak. Dr. Jerry Falwell continues to cause much confusion on the issues of whether his church is Southern Baptist. It now makes monthly contributions to the state convention, and half of this goes to the SBC; it is in "friendly cooperation" with the SBC; its pastor fraternizes with SBC leaders; and the chairman of its college board is a Southern Baptist. Falwell and his church meet all the SBC's requirements for "membership," and all that is left is for him at any time to simply declare that he is a Southern Baptist. He claims to be independent (this is not so). Sword of the Lord editor Dr. Shelton Smith has a good analysis of this whole "flap" in the Sword (11-15) and says the Falwell press release has every appearance of doublespeak. Falwell may not be ready to call himself a Southern Baptist just yet, but sadly, he long ago forfeited the right to call himself a separatist, biblical fundamentalist.--CC
Augsburger Praises Pope. Myron Augsburger, is president emeritus of Eastern Mennonite University and of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities, and is an advisory editor of Christianity Today. As one of the 16 writers who responded to the Pope's "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" book, in a new book, "A Reader's Companion to Crossing the Threshold of Hope," he said: "Pope John Paul II has become a relevant and global prophet. As we face the new paradigms of our global community, his message of hope comes to us all." He said, "It is the message of Christ that the Pope brings." He said many Protestants and Catholics in North America believe in an ecumenism of spirit, believing that God's grace is large enough to extend to the church universally through voluntarism and freedom. He added: "There is unity of spirit in our confession of one Lord." The ecumenical Augsburger was a listed speaker for the Conservative Baptist Association at its 1990 Anaheim meeting.--CC
Campolo On Certainty and Catholicism. Anthony Campolo, one of 16 writers who responded to Pope Paul II's "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," in a new book says: "When young people say they are looking for certainty, they do not mean they are simply looking for proof that the doctrinal propositions set forth by the church are true. They want that certainty that comes from a mystical, experiential encounter with the living Lord that comes only when they can feel God permeating their lives." They want to have the assurance of salvation that comes when they sense that Christ is personally addressing them. He said "I agree with the Pope's implication that the young cannot be allowed to seek Christ apart from the church." He said "the most important pastor of any church body in the world today is the Pope."--CC