RICK WARREN’S “INTERFAITH COOPERATION” (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Rick Warren and his Saddleback Church are hosting an interfaith meeting for 30 Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders “to discuss cooperation for the common good.” Warren says he is interested in interfaith cooperation “on things that involve all humans regardless of what we believe” (“Interfaith Cooperation,” OneNewsNow, July 25, 2008). Warren is also hosting a presidential forum to discuss issues with Barack Obama and John McCain, neither of whom have a biblical testimony of salvation nor live according to the Bible’s precepts. All of this is part of Warren’s P.E.A.C.E. plan, which aims to overcome the five “global giants” of Spiritual Emptiness, Self-serving Leadership, Poverty, Disease, and Ignorance (or Illiteracy). For authority for his interfaith ventures, Warren quotes Matthew 10:11 in the wildly unreliable paraphrase called The Message. Warren says, “When you go into a village, you find the man of peace. If he accepts, and he’s open, and he’s receptive and he’s willing to work with you, you start your ministry there.” In fact, Warren is not obeying Matthew 10 in any sense. Christ did not say to find a “man of peace” but to find one “who is worthy.” He was referring merely to someone who would be willing to show hospitality to Christ’s disciples. Further, the commission in Matthew 10:5-14 is obviously not for today, because Christ instructed the disciples to preach only to Jews. Further, they were to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead; they were to take no money with them or even a change of clothing; and they were to shake the dust off their feet and pronounce the most horrible judgment upon those who refused to believe their message. Rick Warren does not obey ANY of this. The church’s commission is in Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; and Acts 1:8, and it says nothing about working with “men of peace” of various religious persuasions, nor does it say anything about a global social-justice program. The apostle Paul condemned Warren’s interfaith policy in the strongest possible terms in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” The Bible says the church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth in this dark world (1 Timothy 3:15). By receiving unbelieving men who worship false gods and false christs and false gospels and giving them a forum to voice their opinions, Rick Warren has turned the church into the pillar and ground of confusion, and you can be sure that he will answer to Almighty God for it. Where are all of the “conservative” Southern Baptist preachers who should be lifting their voices against this wickedness? I also want to hear them condemn Billy Graham’s ecumenical evangelism, but I won’t hold my breath.

ROCK & ROLL HYPOCRISY (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The Rolling Stones have been preaching “do your own thing” for 45 years, so it is grossly hypocritical for them to question how one of their members is currently living. In 1965 the Stones sang in their brash manner, “I’m free to do what I want any old time ... I’m free to choose what I please any old time” (“I’m Free”). That rebellious lie rode deeply into the hearts of multitudes of youth through the sensual back beat. I was in the 10th grade at the time, and I certainly bought into the rock & roll lie, foolishly thumbing my nose at my father, the government, and Almighty God Himself. Now the London Daily Express reports that the Stones are amazed and troubled by the fact that guitarist Ronnie Wood is in rehab for the second time in a month and has left his wife for a 20-year-old Russian waitress, which might hinder their upcoming European tour. The Express reports that “Mick [Jagger] and everyone can’t quite believe it.” Rock & rollers are hypocrites. They mock biblical laws and morality and preach, “Do your own thing,” but they are quick to cry foul when their “lovers” cheat on them or their friends abandon them or their record companies steal from them or their rock partners fail to show up for a tour or their neighbors call the cops on them or their own children reject them. Hey, if I’m free to do what I want any old time, then other people are free to do to me whatever they want any old time! That, though, is anarchy. God’s law is better. It says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), and, “... as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).

A VISIT TO HIGHLAND PARK BAPTIST CHURCH (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from a report by James Knox, a Baptist preacher from Deland, Florida. Highland Park Baptist Church is the home of Tennessee Temple University. I graduated from there in 1977, and it was a different place then. “We decided to drive in for the evening service at Tennessee Temple University, telling the boys on the way about the history of the school. When we arrived we thought we had found a skateboard park or waterless beach. There were groups of long haired boys and short haired girls milling about, all of them wearing shorts and t-shirts and not one of them had a Bible. We entered the lobby of the auditorium and found it filled with posters advertising ‘Christian’ rock bands. There were posters, refrigerator magnets, and autographed pictures of different groups, all designed to look just like the same paraphernalia sold at a secular concert. ... Thinking there must be some mistake, in a daze we tried to make our way into the auditorium. On the platform were enough instruments and drum sets to make the Rolling Stones envious.  Technicians were setting up the laser light show which was to accompany the bands. A painted babe in tight pants approached us. ...  She said, ‘Oh you can’t go in there yet; the artists are still setting up for the show.’ I said, ‘Is there no church service tonight?’ With disdain she sneered, ‘Of course, this is a church service.’ ‘But what about the preaching of the word,’ I asked. ‘Oh we have (and she named some rock bands I was supposed to have heard of) performing and Jonathan Falwell is going to give a word in between.’ ... Now I know what some of you are thinking, because you hear it so much you almost believe it. We have to stay relevant and up to date to reach the young people. [In reply, I would say,] one, when the world converts the church you haven’t reached anyone, and two, huge buildings that once served as dormitories for the school are vacant and for sale, so it didn’t work. When you bring in music, holidays, dating programs, funzy time, etc., so kids who don’t want the word of God, street preaching, Biblical Christianity, and self-denial will want to come to your school you are on the road that leads to what we saw in Chattanooga Wednesday night.”

PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAUGHT IN TEST FRAUD (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Homeschooling Advocate: Public Schools All about the Benjamins,” OneNewsNow, July 26, 2008: “A home-schooling advocate says a recent case in which half the students in a big city school district failed a test after being provided the answers is just more proof that U.S. public schools have failed miserably at educating students. The school district of Rochester, New York, provided students and teachers with the questions and answers for a required test for seventh- and eighth-graders. The test covered four subjects: English, math, science, and social studies. Not only did the district deny that there was anything wrong with providing students with the answer key--but half the students failed the test anyway. Connie Leech, the district supervisor for secondary schools, informed a local newspaper that issuing the study guides was ‘probably not in the best judgment,’ but denied any wrongdoing. She also told the paper: ‘I’m not concerned that it’s a cheat. What we were doing is giving kids a better sense of the knowledge that they needed for the test.’ Bruce Shortt is a Dallas-based attorney who has written extensively on the need for a mass exodus from the public schools. He says Leech’s comment--that giving the answers for a test is not cheating--is typical of the attitude in an institution whose main focus is maintaining the status quo, and advancing students who cannot read or write. He also contends public schools are more focused on making money than educating students. ... Shortt says test fraud is something that has been an open secret for a very long time. But he says that is because public schools are only interested in maintaining an appearance that students are being educated. ... The home-schooling advocate accuses the public schools of bleeding the taxpayers dry, and crippling families financially through property taxes. At the same time, he adds, they are failing to educate children, and are indoctrinating them with various kinds of leftist ideology regarding homosexuality, the environment, economics, and gender roles.”

NUMBER OF INTERNET USERS IN CHINA SURPASSES U.S. (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The number of internet users in China has surpassed that of the U.S., to become the world’s largest internet population. At least that is what China’s own figures claim. The China Internet Network Information Center says the number of online users has risen to 253 million, a 56% increase from a year ago (“China Says Has More People Surfing,” Yahoo, July 25, 2008). Internet surfers in China get to see only what the Red Communist government wants them to see, though, blocking sites deemed “subversive.” In September 2005 the official Xinhua news agency announced, “The state bans the spreading of any news with content that is against national security and public interest.” Forum 18, a Norway-based organization that monitors state restriction to religious freedom, reports: “The Chinese government has blocked a wide range of foreign-based religious internet sites that relate to persecution of Christians and believers of other faiths...” (ENI, July 23, 2004). Todd Nettleton, spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs, says: “China has thousands of internet policemen. Their job is to monitor information and keep in the information they want to keep in, and keep out the information they want to keep out” (“China Ratchets up Christian Persecution,” WorldNetDaily, April 19, 2008). China requires that internet service providers spy on their customers by installing software to screen emails and to provide detailed information to the government; internet cafes are regularly raided, and the government requires the installation of software that bars access to restricted sites (The Australian, Jan. 23, 2002). Webmasters are supposed to monitor and cut off “subversive talk” on internet chat rooms. Many Chinese citizens have been imprisoned for “online subversion” Qi Yanchen, for example, a freelance writer, was sentenced for four years in prison for posting articles on the internet calling for political reform. Li Dawei, former police officer, was sentenced to 11 years for downloading articles from overseas-based Chinese democracy web sites (“Amnesty International Demands Release of Chinese Jailed for Getting Political Online,” AP, Nov. 26, 2002). Communism has never been a friend to true liberty. According to the communist’s dictionary, liberty is the freedom to do what the government allows.

CONSISTENT CHRISTIAN LIVING IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE CHILDREN TRAINING (Friday Church News Notes, August 1, 2008, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from Training Your Children to Turn out Right, an excellent book by David Sorenson (Northstar Ministries, 1820 W. Morgan St., Duluth, MN 55811, 218-726-0209, www.northstarministries.com, dhs.northstar@charter.net) -- “Twenty years ago, I had the privilege of working with the youth of the church. Later, I worked with the young couples. At the same time, my wife and I worked together in the large children’s church program. Then we started a Christian school. Again, I worked with families and their children. It was a unique experience. I came to know the younger children in the children’s church. I also knew the teenagers, having been the youth pastor for several years. In working with the young couples of the church, I got to know the parents of many of these same young people. Spirituality and character in the children and teenagers closely paralleled the degree of spiritual maturity and character evident in their parents. I came to learn that when the Bible spoke about reaping what we sow in Galatians 6, it likely had an application to our offspring. ... How we as parents live spiritually will profoundly affect our children. ... Children and teenagers are very perceptive of inconsistency and hypocrisy. Perhaps, because they are required to be under authority, they subconsciously scrutinize those over them. ... Mom and Dad, we do reap what we sow, and the harvest often comes through the children. ... The sowing to the flesh [brings] a harvest of corruption, and children tend to gravitate to the lowest common denominator spiritually in their home” (Training Your Children to Turn Out Right, 1995, pp. 137, 138, 146, 147).