To battle Satan, we as members in the body of Christ had better know where the battles are waged.

Gal 4:16

With Leaders that are known to be considered as emergent teachers or promoters, why be involved with them if they are not teaching the TRUE gospel. Does this mean that Harvest is compromising in order to reach people? Has the way to salvation changed?

What I see is that there are many churches that seem to be confused and are not teaching their flock about how big this really is. If harvest wants to sway that way or be ecumenical as other groups then as Pastor Chuck says, leave, change your name, explain to your church the reasons for your doubts. And let Pastor Chuck remove him from the airwaves.

Due to some erroneous information disseminated through Lighthouse
Trails, I wish to clarify our ministry mission and strategy for New
York City.

Greg Laurie and the Harvest team have been invited by a group of local
churches to hold a one night outreach in the Madison Square Garden on
Oct 19th. Harvest received funding from a NY based foundation for the
purpose of proclaiming the gospel in NY City. As a part of the church
mobilization process Harvest is working with the New York City
Leadership Center – a network hub for local church ministries.

This year the NYCLC is helping to coordinate ministry outreaches for
several national ministries including the 40 Days of Purpose
spearheaded by Rick Warren, the Leadership Network led by Bill Hybels,
a city-wide prayer walk, Harvest 08 with Greg Laurie, and several
other community-wide initiatives. Harvest has purchased a promotion’s
package through NYCLC that notifies and enlists support of local
churches in print, in video, and through mail providing exposure for
the crusade at both the 40 Days of Purpose and Leadership conferences.

It is this promotions arrangement that Lighthouse Trails has
identified as “financial support” for 40 Days of Purpose.

Harvest Ministries is supportive of all endeavors to strengthen the
church and present the gospel and would affirm churches in seeking to
participate in 40 Days of Purpose. However, it is inaccurate to say
the Harvest is”underwriting” that effort.

John Collins
Executive Director
Harvest Ministries

Yes, I can see that I need to own up and start my own blog.

I would like to address the point of internet/untested discerners and their role in marginalizing what it is to embrace, live, teach and defend truth in the mind of the everyday layman in the body of Christ.

Equipping laymen while not rising above them and living amongst them is the God given goal for those called to a ministry of teaching and equipping the saints.

I have seen and noticed the effect that these ministries have had upon the members of the body of Christ over time.

I see defined for us in Scripture foundational these foundational goals for the disciple of Christ over the span of a God given and redeemed life:

Progressive, demonstrated maturity in righteousness and love; in outlook, character and action in while integrated and interacting with a local community of other saints:

A progressive and assured understanding of the gospel coupled with a steadfast courage to proclaim the gospel in God’s mission field.

These goals have been either undermined, marginalized or replaced with a hyper spirtiual eliitism measured by who you warn against and withdraw from.

They treat the warnings in Scripture of real and possible apostasy as some sort of mysterious super staph infection the way the medical community is treating the onset of the physical staph infection pandemnic.

I have had many engagements with such lay people and local elders and it is heart breaking.

They have set aside courageous living in the presence of God and amongst His people with a cowardice that masquerades as spiritual superiority.

This influence may not have embraced the heretical doctrine concerning the person of Christ of the 1st -3rd Century Gnostics; but they have re-introduced the quasi-spiritual/intellectual elitism that the Gnostics perpetuated.

They have undermined the confident but not arrogant assurance that practicing disciples of Christ can enjoy for the glory of God as a by product of their faith.

They have replaced it with a cleverly disguised fear.

Evango-Gnostics no more.

Yet I believe God will allow it to continue and be used for good by Him in spite of the real damage to “speaking the truth” in love that has been done. That damage does not have to be permanent , even though it may seem substantial today.

In Christ,

Richard Abanes

This article is one of your best and needed to be written and now it is.

Even Mr. Baker’s vague rebuke without relationship served it’s purpose to make your point.

I guess this makes me a heretic, too:
http://mondokblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/warren-recycle.html