Herescope Archives

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

"Relationships must have priority in your life above everything else." -- Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life, p. 124

Such is the philosophy of the peer-driven church. Given the influence of Peter Drucker over Rick Warren, this type of "relationship" emphasis can be expected. A recent tribute to "Peter Drucker, management master" was published Thursday, December 1, 2005 by Martin Henry at http://tinyurl.com/7a47p indicates the foundation of emphasis -- the humanities, psychologies and social sciences of the past century.

"In The New Realities Drucker sharply crystallised an idea that had been flowing through his work, the idea of management as a liberal art, something which means a lot to me because of my own interests and work, and something which has been widely picked up and endlessly quoted. 'Management is thus what tradition used to call a liberal art', Drucker wrote. '"Liberal" because it deals with the fundamentals of knowledge, self-knowledge, wisdom, and leadership; "art" because it is practice and application. Managers draw on all the knowledges and insights of the humanities and the social sciences - on psychology and philosophy, on economics and history, on the physical sciences and ethics. But they have to focus this knowledge on effectiveness and results.'

"'For these reasons,' Drucker announced, 'management will increasingly be the discipline and the practice through which the humanities will again acquire recognition, impact, and relevance.'"

The Truth:

Below is an excerpt from a sermon delivered November 19, 1643 by Jeremiah Burroughs entitled "A Heart That Trembles at God's Word is Precious in God's Eyes," based on Isaiah 66:2 " . . . and that trembleth at My Word."

"[A heart that trembleth at His Word] sees. . . a most dreadful authority in the Word of God. Not only greatness and luster and glory causes fear, but authority. If we should see a prince in his greatness, in his pomp, it causes some fear. But when we consider the authority that he has over us, this causes fear. And therefore, we read in Jeremiah 10:6-7: 'For as much as there is none like unot Thee, O Lord, Thou art great and Thy name is great in might. Who would not fear Thee, O King of Nations? For unto Thee doth it appertain.' See how fear is grounded upon authority.

"'Oh, Lord, Thou has the absolute and supreme authority over all nations of the world. Who would not fear Thee?' Certainly the reason why the hearts of men are so vain and slight before the Word of God is because they do not apprehend the dreadful authority there, that authority which has potentates under it as well as the poorest who lie upon the face of the earth, that authority which is over all authority, that authority that is over the heart and the soul.

"Nothing in the world has authority over men's consciences but the Word of the Lord, and that has authority. It has authority to bind consciences, to awe and terrify men. So a gracious heart sees the great seal of heaven stamped upon every truth in God's Word and, therefore, dares not trifle with it as it did before. It comes to the Word either as to a sovereign to receive laws, or as to a judge to receive the sentence of condemnation. That soul now looks upon the Word as backed with such authority that either it must yield unto it or else it binds that soul over to eternal death by such bonds that all the power of all creatures in heaven and earth cannot loose it again. When a soldier hears his fellow soldier rebuke him, he does not much care. But if the general speaks who has his life in his hand, then he trembles. So while people come to hear the Word as from a minister, one whom they look upon as equal with themselves, they do not much regard it. But a gracious heart, whoever the minister is, yet he looks upon the Word as being above him. Cyprian calls it 'the Tribunal of the Church,' because from thence men receive the sentence of death upon them. Now when the soul comes to see this, it cannot but tremble at whatsoever truths are revealed unto it. . . ."

[Gospel Fear or The Heart Trembling at the Word of God Evidences a Blessed Frame of Spirit, Delivered in Several Sermons from Isaiah 66:2 and 2 Kings 22:19 by Jeremiah Burroughs, 1647. Reprint by Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1991, www.SDGbooks.com.]

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." (Jeremiah 6:16)

Rick Warren just completed a conference on AIDS. According to www.christianpost.com, "The global P.E.A.C.E. plan was presented on the second day of the Disturbing Voices conference – a meeting for pastors and church leaders about the role of the church in the HIV/AIDS pandemic - held at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., on Nov. 29 - Dec. 1."

The article entitled "Church, HIV/AIDS Conference: Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan Presented," (12/02/05 http://tinyurl.com/7ud7s), is one of many evangelical and secular media accounts of the latest public relations/mission campaign of Rick Warren.

Rick Warren is quoted as saying, “I can’t make a big difference in the world, but together, we can make a big difference. . . . [t]oday, what if every Christian in the world one time in their life did a short term project that would mobilize a billion people at least. It would be unbelievable.”

The article continues:

"Warren also spoke about 'church in a box,' an idea derived from the P.E.A.C.E. plan to make a simple template that new Christians can use to set up the church around the world. He compared the template to McDonalds, which has created an easy step-by-step model that all employees can use to run the store.

“'We were trying to work out a model, a template and make it so simple that it could be passed on,' said Warren. 'The average McDonalds makes a $1 million a year and it’s run by kids. It’s goof-proof. As a result, you can buy McDonalds almost anywhere in the world. We need the same thing. We have to figure out simple ways to do it.'

"The Saddleback pastor said that the 'church in the box plan could include showing a Christian movie, the designated pastor listening to tapes everyday and teaching what they learned to villagers, and other 'how-to' programs to make setting a church simple." [emphases added]

The Truth:

Is Rick Warren an adherent of dominionism? This neo-evangelical doctrine of dominionism teaches that God is not sufficient; i.e., that God is not sovereign -- that God requires human machinations, manipulations, orchestrations, collaborations, strategic plans and packaged programs to accomplish building "His Kingdom" on earth.

The hype over the AIDS pandemic in evangelicaldom is increasing after the carefully timed Saddleback conference, which coincided the international World AIDS Day activities. Before congregations leap to participate in this global Big Mac Church in a Box, a step back for reflection might be of benefit. Below is a helpful quotation:

"A.W. Tozer, the gifted leader and writer from the Christian and Missionary Alliance was fully committed to missions. He made this thought-provoking point: 'We commonly represent God as a busy, eager, somewhat frustrated Father hurrying about seeking help to carry out His benevolent plan to bring peace and salvation to the world. Too many missionary appeals are based upon this fancied frustration of Almighty God.'

"Tozer feared that through our efforts to inspire action in missions we diminish worship of the Almighty. Missions are not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship and obedience are. Missions exist because true worship and obedience to the Word are missing. We want to discover in the life of a godly man how worship is the fuel for his mission in life. . . .

"True worship and biblical obedience are the ultimate -- not missions, because God is ultimate and absolute -- not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before God, missions will be no more. Missions are a temporary necessity, but worship and obedience abide forever." (Floyd Stoltzfus, "What is God's Pattern?" Calvary Messenger, Dec. 2005, p. 19, 21)

Rick Joyner of Morningstar Ministries, a well-known Latter Rain "prophet," recently wrote:

"As we have addressed before, the Lord could have bound the devil and established His kingdom immediately after His resurrection, as He already purchased the world and all that is in it. This entire age, the Church age, is for the purpose of training for reigning for those who will reign with Him in the ages to come. He purposely did not bind the devil because He does not want it to be easy. Easy in this age usually equates to less maturity, less importance, or even less of a calling." (11/29/05, "TAKING THE LAND--We Are Establishing Our Eternal Place And Position Here On Earth," http://tinyurl.com/atuvh) [emphasis added]

This is a perfect example of the domionionist doctrine that teaches that Jesus did not defeat Satan when He shed His blood for us on the cross. Beware of this Joyner "prophecy" because it is filled with much more leaven, including the false teaching that the Church is about to enter the "promised land," take dominion, and perfect herself as the bride of Christ on Earth:

"We are coming to the times when passive Christianity and passive Christians will cease to exist. There is a maturity, a discipline, and a divine militancy coming upon the people of God. Those who have succumbed to humanistic and idealistic theologies may have a hard time with this, but we must understand that God is a military God. The title that He uses ten times more than any other in Scripture is 'the Lord of hosts,' or 'Lord of armies.' There is a martial aspect to His character that we must understand and embrace for the times and the job to which we are now coming." (Ibid) [emphasis added]

Al Dager in his book Vengeance Is Ours: The Church In Dominion defined this Latter Rain heresy as the "Dominion Mandate":

"Dominion theology is predicated upon three basic beliefs: 1) Satan usurped man’s dominion over the earth through the temptation of Adam and Eve; 2) The Church is God’s instrument to take dominion back from Satan; 3) Jesus cannot or will not return until the Church has taken dominion by gaining control of the earth’s governmental and social institutions." (Sword Pub., 1990, p. 87, [available at www.discernment-ministries.org])

The Truth:

For an excellent sermon that teaches the old doctrine about the Kingdom of God see Charles Spurgeon's "Christ's Universal Kingdom and How It Comes," delivered in 1880.( http://tinyurl.com/8dss8) An excerpt follows:

"The power and Grace of God will be conspicuously seen in the subjugation of this world to Christ. Every heart shall know that it was worked by the power of God in answer to the prayer of Christ and His Church. I believe, Brothers and Sisters, that the length of time spent in the accomplishment of the divine plan has, much of it, been occupied with getting rid of those many forms of human power which have intruded into the place of the Spirit. If you and I had been about in our Lord's day and could have had everything managed to our hand, we should have converted Caesar straight away by argument and oratory. We should then have converted all his legions by every means within our reach. And, I guarantee you, with Caesar and his legions at our back we would have Christianized the world in not time, would we not?

"Yes, but that is not God's way at all, nor the right and effectual way to set up a spiritual kingdom! Bribes and threats are, alike, unlawful. Eloquence and carnal reasoning are out of court. The power of Divine Love is the one weapon for this campaign. Long ago the Prophet wrote, 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.' This fact is that such conversions as could be brought about by physical force, or by mere mental energy, or by the prestige of rank and pomp are not conversions at all! The kingdom of Christ is not a kingdom of this world, otherwise would His servants fight! It rests on a spiritual basis and is to be advanced by spiritual means. Yet Christ's servants gradually slipped down into the notion that His kingdom was of this world and could be upheld by human power.

"A Roman emperor professed to be converted, using a deep policy to settle himself upon the throne. Then Christianity became the religion patronized by the State -- it seemed that the world was Christianized, whereas, indeed, the Church was heathenized! Hence sprang the monster of a State Church, a conjunction ill-assorted and fraught with untold ills. This incongruous thing is half human, half Divine! As a theory it fascinates, as a fact it betrays! It promises to advance the Truth of God and is, itself a negation of it! Under its influences a system of religion was fashioned which, beyond all false religions and beyond even Atheism itself, is the greatest hindrance to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ!

"Under its influence dark ages lowered over the world. Men were not permitted to think. A Bible could scarcely be found and a preacher of the Gospel, if found, was put to death! That was the result of human power coming in with the sword in one hand and the Gospel in the other and developing its pride of ecclesiastical power into a triple crown, an Inquisition and an 'infallible Pope'! This parasite, this canker, this incubus of the church will be removed by the Grace of God and by His Providence in due season. The kings of the earth who have loved this unchaste system will grow weary of it and destroy it.

"Read Revelation 17:16 and see how terrible her end will be. The death of the system will come from those who gave it life -- the powers of earth created the system and they will, in due time, destroy it! Frequently do we meet with the idea that the world is to be converted to Christ by the spread of civilization. Now civilization always follows the Gospel and is, in a great measure, the product of it, but many people put the cart before the horse and make civilization the first cause. According to their opinion, trade is to regenerate the nations! The arts are to ennoble them and education is to purify them. Peace Societies are formed, against which I have not a word to say, but much in their favor. Still, I believe the only efficient Peace Society is the Church of God and the best peace teaching is the love of God in Christ Jesus!"

Bob Buford of Leadership Network sent an e-mail newsletter to his ACTIVEenergy.net list dated today, Tuesday, December 06, 2005. In the subject line it said, "My Dinner with Jim Collins..." What he says is absolutely astounding, especially when the reader recognizes that Buford is connected intricately with, and even somewhat responsible for, the development of both Rick Warren and the Emergent Church.

"Peter Drucker will have many successors and no successor. It's that way with the seminal, original thinkers. Think of Shakespeare, Beethoven, Lincoln, Churchill, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. God made only one copy. People ask: 'What will I do now that Peter has gone on to his reward?' Well, first of all, there is Peter's legacy of timeless writing.

"And, then, I personally would start with Jim Collins. Nobody can replace Peter, but his inspiration is apparent in Collins, whose 2.5 million selling Good to Great has been called the 'business book of the decade.' He, like Peter, is an original.

"What is Collins thinking about these days? I had a special opportunity to find out when Linda and I had dinner with him in Dallas a month ago. Wow! What a brilliant mind and what a noble heart. . . ."

Bob Buford then describes a monograph that Jim Collins has written on applying business methods and philosophies to non-profit organizations. A description of the monograph reveals that Collins is seeking terminologies to justify running non-profit organizations in Peter Drucker's business model.

Buford then switches gears, and writes, "I will ask you to ponder a very profound question that Collins posed for me. How would you have answered?:

"Collins began with a parable that went something like this: 'If I came to you today and said there was a man wandering around in the Middle East with fifty followers. In 300 years, his religion would be the formal religion of the United States. What did they do to connect the dots? Put aside that it had to happen because it was true. How did it happen?'

"In our phone conversation this past Saturday, Collins clarified what I had expected all along. He was talking about Jesus Christ and the 300 year period between His crucifixion and the time when Constantine made Christianity the established religion of the Roman Empire. Collins said, 'People say I am constructed for curiosity. No one has ever solved this one for me. What were the social mechanisms and organizational tools that allowed this statistically remote outcome to happen? What took place in the 300 years between Christ and Constantine?'"

Bob Buford is soliciting answers to this question which he will collect and send on to Collins, and "feature in a future ACTIVEenergy newsletter." He prods, "Here's your chance to influence an influencer - a genuine seeker after truth."

Buford then asks, "What is God Doing Now?" His answer, in the context of the above question by Jim Collins, is especially troubling:

"He's using disciplined management practice as a tool for accomplishing His purposes in churches (especially large-scale ones) and other social sector organizations like The Salvation Army." [emphases added] [http://tinyurl.com/an6we]

The Truth:

If the Herescope reader didn't read yesterday's post, be sure to catch the Spurgeon quote. It is perfectly applicable to today's Herescope post.

Herescope has some questions of its own, pertaining to this brazen endorsement of Constantine's empire:

1. Will "disiplined management practices" accelerate this process from Christ to Constantine?

2. Are these men saying that we can justify using our 21st century tools and techniques to bring about a state-sponsored/state-run church in 30 years, not 300?

3. Is this a confirmation that Peter Drucker's 3-legged stool (Corporate-State-Church, discussed in previous Herescope posts) is really a return to a Holy Roman Empire?

4. And are these men saying that this is BETTER?!

4. Is this what is meant by Rick Warren's call for a "Second Reformation"?

5. Are these men claiming that these management tools are "what God is doing now"?

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." (Psalm 127: 1-2)

"Transformation" in the new evangelical rhetoric is a code word for dominionism. This can have disastrous implications for the true Gospel.

Below is an example of the switch in focus from evangelism to dominion kingdom-building. This key quote is taken from a speech given by Dale Neill, president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), at an International Coalition of Workplace Ministries (ICWM) banquet, Oct. 2004:

“The Church must grow past the ‘Gospel of Salvation’ message and understand that it is only when we begin to implement the principles of the ‘Gospel of the kingdom’ that we will really begin to see change in lives and cities and nations.” "The Church has no understanding of this realm," he said. Neill gave examples of how we are losing the battle because of a lack of understanding in how to defeat spiritual forces that are often unseen. "The Church must grow up," he said.

In other words, the Gospel of Salvation message must be supplanted by kingdom-building activities, which are portrayed as more "mature." Such a serious heresy! And yet this different gospel is rapidly being disseminated via various mission agencies and leaders.

Alistair Petrie, author of the book Transformed!, addressed the participants of this ICWM summit. "He cited that God is using marketplace leaders as a core ingredient to transformation because of the authority they have to make changes in cities and nations." [http://tinyurl.com/a9db2 ] [emphases added]

Elsewhere Luis Bush of AD 2000 described this as "Pioneer marketplace redemption":

"The marketplace -- the combination [of] business, education and government -- constitutes the heart of a nation. To change an individual his or her heart must be changed, and similarly, [for] a nation [to be] transformed the marketplace must be transformed." [http://tinyurl.com/b5v5y] [emphasis added]

Bush is defining marketplace as Peter Drucker's three-legged stool -- Business (Corporate), education (Private Sector) and Government (State). This different gospel is talking about transforming a nation -- literally the infrastructure of a nation, including its government -- via this marketplace.

The Luis Bush quote above was linked to from Transform World, in a Market Place focus group chaired jointly by Graham Power and Ed Silvoso and facilitated by Brett Johnson. The Advisor was C. Peter Wagner. The focus group claims that believers are to use "business to gain authority over cities by using Kingdom principles." [http://tinyurl.com/dyv8w] [emphasis added]

In other words, what these men are advocating is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but kingdom-building activities via marketplace "transformation," i.e. dominionism. The marketing of the corporate business world is supplanting true evangelism with dominionism.

The Truth:

Scripture tells us of a time when there will be a Great Harlot, a spiritual and economic Babylon, whom the merchants (marketplace) will mourn when God's judgment destroys her in one hour. Read Revelations 17 and wonder at the formation of these marketplace pseudo-ministries on a global scale happening before your very eyes.

"How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. . . . Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." (Revelation 17:7, 8, 20)

There has been a noticeable increase in warfare talk coming out of the New Apostolic Reformation camp in neoevangelicaldom. For decades leaders of the Latter Rain cult (which gave rise to the New Apostolic Reformation) has spoken in aggressive military terminology about taking dominion of the Earth for "kingdom" purposes. Much of this language was highly spiritualized. But lurking behind the surface was always a threat of REALLY taking up the sword to achieve dominion.

Fifteen years ago, John Wimber of the Vineyard Ministires was quoted as saying,

"There is something higher than being Baptist and that is to be in this end time army and involved in this greater prize of bringing everything on the earth and above the earth and below the earth to the feet of Jesus." [emphasis in original]

Fifteen years ago Clifford Hill in his publication "Prophecy Today," (Vol. 7, No. 1) wrote about a Wimber's visit to the Docklands conference in England:

"The opportunity of joining the 'new breed', and elite group of believers endowed with supernatural power that would enable them to be part of the army of 'dread warriors' that God was said to be raising up in our generation. According to John Wimber, this is a type of 'Joel's Army' who will overcome all opposition to the gospel and eventually subdue the nations. This teaching is part of what is known as 'dominion theology' which teaches that an elite army of 'overcomers' will either destroy or subdue all the enemies of Christ until they eventually gain power and authority throughout the world. The government of the nations will be upon their shoulders and when all of the secular authorities, governments, princes and kings have finally submitted to them, Christ will return and they will present the kingdom to Him." [Read the entire Joel's Army booklet by Jewel Grewe of Discernment Ministries, posted at http://tinyurl.com/9lf9n,
http://tinyurl.com/cy7af,
http://tinyurl.com/cjf3s ]

There is now a rise in REAL warfare rhetoric, particularly the bold pronouncements (decrees) by false apostles and prophets that the time has now come for the Church to fully step into a dominionist role. This type of talk isn't just coming from the C. Peter Wagner spiritual warfare networks or the New Apostolic Reformation. This type of talk is also coming out of international mission agencies. And, it is coming out of the international prayer movements, very cleverly disguised as "prayer warfare."

Today's heretical and very scary quotation comes via The Georgia Strategic Prayer Network, which was instrumental in the Global Day of Prayer activities:

"The church has the mantle to execute the will of the King concerning the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism. This assignment must not be abrogated or left solely to the military. . . .

"There will be an apostolic prayer team in Washington, DC the week of December 15th releasing declarations for the Lord to set things in order in the White House and in the war."
[http://tinyurl.com/a743l ]

The introduction to this quotation states that it came from Dr. Hope Taylor, ministry director, International Leadership Embassy, Washington, DC, Dec 07, 2005. Dr. Taylor is said to "serve as the apostolic leader for the church with local pastors giving daily leadership," according to Jacquie Tyre, GA-USSPN, State Apostolic Coordinator).

What is this USSPN? According to C. Peter Wagner's Global Harvest Ministries,

"In the summer of 1989 a concerned group of Christian leaders dared to believe the United States could once again be a nation 'under God.' The idea for a network of intercessors dedicated to strategic-level spiritual warfare emerged from the Lausanne II Congress on World Evangelization held in Manila, Philippines. Less than a year later it was birthed.

"Led by C. Peter Wagner, the initial phase of the International Spiritual Warfare Network took place in California on February 12, 1990. More than two dozen recognized spiritual leaders attended. Following several years of annual gatherings, the official United States Spiritual Warfare Network was launched in January 1997, under the direction of Cindy Jacobs.

"In 2000, C. Peter changed the name of the network from the USSWN to the United States Strategic Prayer Network."
[http://tinyurl.com/7cm6u]

The Truth:

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts." (Psalm 119:133-134)

If you want to understand more of the heresy of the dominionism that comes from what is now called "The New Apostolic Reformation," be sure to read the entire Joel's Army booklet by Jewel Grewe of Discernment Ministries, posted in three sections at
http://tinyurl.com/9lf9n
http://tinyurl.com/cy7af
http://tinyurl.com/cjf3s.

Below is a key quote from Bill Hamon, in THE ETERNAL CHURCH:

"Each restorational advancement of the Army of the Lord has established denominational forts that are given responsibility to maintain the purity and power of that truth. . . . New recruits are now being drafted and trained and older soldiers and generals are being put through intensified training for the next advancement of the Church Army. They are being purified by the Baptism of Fire. . . . Are you Ready? Where do you start? What will you do? A new government must be established, a new way of life for those millions of people. You are now ready to rule and reign on your overcomer's throne!"

Keep in mind: this is talking about real human government, not some spiritualized government. Bill Hamon on page 385 of the same book explains the doctrine of the Manifested Sons of God:

"The Earth and all of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, the time when they will come into their maturity and immortalization. . . . When the Church receives its full inheritance and redemption then creation will be redeemed from its cursed condition of decay, change and death. . . the Church has a responsibility and ministry to the rest of creation. Earth and its natural creation is anxiously waiting for the Church to reach full maturity and come to full sonship. When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all of creation."

Note the heresy: Who is being glorified here? The "Manifested Sons of God"! Not Jesus Christ! This heresy teaches that Judgment Day can be bypassed, and that the perfection, immortality and glorification of the elect can be attained here on earth first, before Jesus comes again. This dominionist heresy is now spilled over the dam and is rushing in like a flood to the modern mission movement.

For more information on the history of the Joel's Army cult, also known as the Latter Rain or Manifested Sons of God, see the Discernment Ministries website: http://www.discernment-ministries.org where many articles and newsletters are posted examining the history of this heresy for the past 20 years. Particularly see the article by Lynn & Sarah Leslie entitled "What Is Transformation?" which details modern-day manifestations of these heretical doctrines espoused by Bill Hamon above.

The Truth:

"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." (Philippians 3:9-10)

From a recent prayer warfare group on a college campus comes this post:

"Our calling is to be worshippers, warriors, and workers. We must first offer our lives as a living sacrifice in worship to God. From our worship will flow our intercession and warfare as we fight with weapons of righteousness in our right hand and in our left. Only after we have worshipped our God and fought the fight in the Spirit will we proceed to work in the harvest fields, advancing the Kingdom of God." [http://www.tribeissachar.com/]

What is wrong with this statement above? Below is another excerpt from the Joel's Army booklet written by Jewel Grewe in the early 1990s. This entire booklet is now posted in a pdf format on http://www.discernment-ministries.org website. Check under the "What's New" section.

"Another subtle deception abounding, comes through the use of terminology to lure Christians into thinking that a very high form of godliness will earn them a distinctive place in JOEL'S ARMY as a potentate. There is a great emphasis on praying and becoming holy before the Lord. It sounds so good - so attainable. Yet when Bob Jones and Mike Bickle discuss intercession, a perfectly scriptural term, they are meaning something quite unscriptural.

Bob Jones: "Intercession releases revelation and revelation will release proclamation - so get on your knees and get what God's wisdom is and then blow the trumpet - and it'll work."

Mike Bickle: "Okay, let's get that.........INTERCESSION RELEASES REVELATION...... revelation releases the proclamation under the anointing to bring it to pass". (Visions and Revelations, KCF)

"On the surface of the above quote it sounds as though Bob Jones and Mike Bickle are exhorting Christians to pray for grace, understanding and power to preach the Gospel of Christ with boldness. But, that is not what is being shared. Farthest from that, the meaning behind the terms is that Christians pray to become 'MANIFEST SONS OF GOD in 'JOEL'S ARMY' thus becoming the oracle of God and the executioner of God's wrath on those that fail to comply or conform to the NEW ORDER of the MANIFEST SONS.

"George Warnock said it all already in THE FEAST OF THE TABERNACLES:

"By faith all things are and shall be possible. The very dispensations themselves are but weak barriers and obstacles if men of faith are enabled by the Spirit to reach out and leap beyond them. Enoch did it. So did Elijah. And so shall the Sons of God. The Word of faith shall grip their hearts, and they shall reach out and appropriate the Resurrection and the Life [MANIFEST SONS OF GOD] even now in this life. If they do not, Christ never will return to earth. For God hath said 'Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.' (Ps. 110:1) And the last enemy is Death."

"So accordingly, JOEL'S ARMY would arise to overcome the enemies of both man and Christ. This is also brought about by a 'secret inner coming' of Christ' to some Christians which would transform them.

"Christ should visit the saints in the last great Feast and minister His life 'in secret' before He is openly manifested! Christians think it is a horrible thing that Christ's second Coming should be spoken of in this manner . . When a Christian comes to that place where he really appreciates and understands and enjoys Spiritual things, then he can truly rejoice in the fact that Christ is coming back again to be manifested within. "(ibid).

"This is what is being portrayed in the teaching today when you hear Christ must come TO HIS CHURCH before He can come FOR HIS CHURCH. It has a very spiritual ring to it. The ring speaks of holiness and righteousness before God. We all long for HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and HIS HOLINESS to be manifest in our lives.

"However, using Christian terminology does not make the doctrine correct. Bob Jones, a "prophet" from Kansas City says that . . . .

"the Church is in no condition for the Lord to come today.. . He's going to come for a church that is mature in righteousness... progressively going in this righteousness until you take on THE VERY DIVINE NATURE OF CHRIST HIMSELF and you begin to see Christ in the Church. Christ won't come for The Church until you see Christ in The Church. Until the Church looks like Jesus. PAPA [God] planted Jesus, He sowed Him down here in this earth to have a whole nation of brothers and sisters that looked just like Jesus and he will have it. His Son was ALPHA SON, your children are the OMEGA sons and daughters. . ." [Mike Bickle interjects here, "Jesus was the beginning, but our children and us, we're included in this... we're the end of this thing.] [MANIFEST SONS OF GOD]. "The Church is asleep, but when she gets woke up, there's not any power. . . when she gets woke up and joins together in an ARMY, there's not any power anyplace that can stop her, for she'll know nothing but victory when she joins hands and becomes one in purpose and that's to REVEAL THE KINGDOM ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH." (School for Prophecy, Session 7, Vineyard Ministries, 1989).

THE TRUTH:

"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not In the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (II John 9-11)

The following explains many of the new doctrines that are being promulgated by the false apostles and prophets of the charismatic movement.

This quotation comes from Strange Fire: The Rise of Gnosticism in the Church by Travers and Jewel van der Merwe (Conscience Press, 1995). This book is posted at various sites on the Internet. The book is particularly helpful for believers who have been exposed to the new mystical teachings of the false prophets and apostles and are experiencing difficulty sorting out truth from error.

"No matter how we view Gnosticism, it is always an elitist faith. . . . There are certain groups of Christians that fall into the category of 'elitism' notwithstanding their affiliations. They use the same catch phrases: 'Come out of your man-made systems', 'denominational walls are breaking down', and 'Christians need to be "delivered" from "Spirits of Religion" and "sound doctrine."' The guilty groups are primarily among the Charismatics. . .. the common denominator is the 'elitist' concept. This [heresy] is set out as follows:

"God is forming an overcoming company within the body of Christ called, among other names, 'The Manchild Company,' . . . The Manchild Company is the true church. Those that are the real Christians are the Overcomers. . . and are becoming more and more perfected so that they will be able to drive Satan from the world. This must be done before Jesus can return. They believe that the church is not ready for the coming of the Lord. They are not looking for His imminent coming. They believe that Christ must come TO His Church before He comes FOR His Church."

"All do not necessarily use this terminology, but the premises are the same. The language is becoming increasingly militant as the 'Army of God,' 'Gideon's Army' or 'Joel's Army' takes shape. A common thread is that they are expecting a 'New Order': 'In all revolutions there are noisy and dangerous times as the OLD ORDER is replaced by the new. . . after the dust settles, we can proceed to build the beautiful kingdom that the Lord has purposed from the foundations of the World,' says Vinson Synan, one of the leaders of AD 2000 (Fulness, Jan.-Feb. 1990, p. 24)."

To read the whole book Strange Fire go to one of these links:
http://www.velocity.net/~edju/gnostic1.htm
http://www.discernment-ministries.org/StrangeFire.pdf
http://www.discernment-ministries.org/StrangeFire1.htm

The Truth:

Unto the church at Ephesus the Apostle John wrote,

"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou has tried them that say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars." (Revelation 2:2)

Business Reform did an interview with Ed Silvoso (01/07/05) in which Silvoso outlined the new marketplace "kingdom" transformation theology that is being disseminated by the apostolic networks and mission groups. This new theology guts traditional soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), making mincemeat of the Word of God in the process.

In this interview, and elsewhere, Silvoso contends that his new doctrines are transforming Argentina and "the nations." Working through his organization Harvest Evangelism and other mission entities, Silvoso claims miraculous results as a result of applying the new theologies. Below are a few key quotes from the Business Reform interview:

"The heart of the nation is the marketplace—the combination of business, education and government, the three arteries through which its life flows. If we take God’s power and presence to the marketplace we will see nations changed. . . .

[Editor's Note: this is Peter Drucker's 3-legged stool concept of a healthy society.]

"To change a man you must first change his heart. This approach, of course, is typical of missionary organizations. Silvoso's idea, though, is far more radical. Cities can be changed in nature. Countries can be redeemed. Entire cultures can be brought to "salvation." The land itself, in fact, can be healed.

"And such a miraculous change is brought about through one primary avenue: God working through the marketplace. . . .

"Silvoso says, Christians working internationally can rely upon four essential paradigms.

"First, as laid out in the Great Commission in the gospels, Christians are called to disciple all nations—not just to pastor a church or lead a ministry. By this, he explains, he means that Christians are to work to bring God's change to the nation itself, and not simply to change the hearts of individuals.

"Secondly, Silvoso believes that the marketplace itself has been redeemed, . . ." [http://tinyurl.com/akwd2]

The Truth:

This is a dangerous and seductive new gospel. It promises material riches as well as "kingdom transformation." It replaces traditional one-on-one evangelism based on the Word of God with a new gospel that establishes a "kingdom of God" on earth in a literal and physical sense. It teaches that nations can corporatedly experience "salvation." The Latter Rain cult doctrines upon which this new gospel is based, teach that paradise can be restored to its Genesis 1 condition, reversing the effects of the Fall. (See 12/12/05 Herescope post.)

These are extreme heresies that eviscerate the Gospel of Salvation, the death of Jesus on the cross, and His shed blood for our sins.

"They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. . . .

They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgat God their saviour,. . . " (Psalm 106: 13-15; 19-21a)

The Leadership Network has been a key organization that has now trained an entire generation of Christian pastors -- particularly the megachurch pastors -- to be "leaders" in the Peter Drucker corporate model. Buford was the chief mechanism by which Peter Drucker was able to gain access to the evangelical realm to implement his model of a "healthy society," particularly with his faith-based agenda (merging Church and State). This leadership training taught the men to be "change agents" using the most sophisticated psychological and sociological tools for manipulating groups to "transform."

This week's Herescope will focus on some relevant history of Leadership Network, to show its linkages to other neoevangelical movements for "transformation." An article by Brad Cope entitled "Top of the Game," appearing in the August/September 2000 issue of LifeWise magazine (Focus on the Family), demonstrates the early connections between Buford and the national faith-based movement. It also takes note of Buford's focus on recruiting young leaders to become change agents.

"At a Leadership Network meeting last spring, . . . Leadership Network President Brad Smith paced the small group through the agenda. They reviewed the organizationbs mission, settling on "communicating principles to make congregations more effective - a Bell Labs for the church at large." They discussed ongoing training programs for pastors and lay leaders. Each year, Leadership Network offers seven one-day seminars and three five-day institutes to its database of 10,000 churches. Other agenda items included networking young Christian leaders, funding church-development opportunities and considering a request by Texas Gov. George W. Bush. [emphasis added]

"The governor wanted Leadership Network to promote and run an upcoming conference on new partnerships between government and faith-based organizations. 'The state and the feds will put in $25,000,' Smith said. 'They want the Buford Foundation to put in another $25,000.'
Buford sat in silence, cocked back in his armchair. After a moment he said, 'I will put that in.' . . . The next item on the agenda included several Buford-backed 'venture philanthropy' projects costing millions of dollars." [ http://tinyurl.com/bp6g3 ]

The Truth:

It is noteworthy that the way leaders are being trained in Christendom today is not truly Scripturally based. However, Scriptures are taken and used to validate the new psycho-social management training for leaders. The methodologies may be cloaked in biblical sounding language, but they come straight out of the world's system of operating.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." (2 Peter 2:1-3)

The front page of the Wall Street Journal today carried a story about Bruce Wilkinson's failed venture into Swaziland on the continent of Africa. This is a very significant story.

"In Swaziland, U.S. Preacher Sees His Dream Vanish: Mr. Wilkinson Hits Wall Trying To Push 'Orphan Village'; Rodeo Stars, Safari Guides: Feeling Snubbed by the King," by Michael M. Phillips, staff reporter for the WSJ details the failure of Wilkinson's operations. [ http://tinyurl.com/bmw2q ] This article is a "must read."

Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez and The Dream Giver, was building a kingdom in South Africa, then moved to Swaziland. His template for nation-building was based on the Peter Drucker model of the 3-legged stool. Wilkinson was working in tandem with Rick Warren, who has relied heavily on Wilkinson's 5 Global Giants to build his own Rwandan kingdom. Both men had grandiose projects to "save" Africa.

Worse, Wilkinson built his empire based on "envisioning" the future, which is an esoteric practice derived from the occult (see earlier Herescope posts). His vision failed! According to the WSJ article, his mantra-like chant of the prayer of Jabez didn't work!

"Mr. Wilkinson says that he blames neither God nor man. He says he weeps when he thinks of his disappointed acolyes, and is trying to come to grips with a miracle that didn't materialize despite his unceasing recitation of the Jabez prayer."

""I asked hard enough," he added, his gaze drifting upward. 'All we can do is ask God what to do, ask him to help us in the doing of it, and work as hard and wisely as we can. Somewhere in this it's got to be all right to attempt a vision that didn't work and not to make it an overwhelming failure."

Peter Drucker's model of conducting corporate business, which was apparently utilized very aggressively by Wilkinson, offended the African people. His arrogant attitude apparently did not go over very well either. But what really seemed to bother the Swazis was Wilkinson's Christian (western) Imperialism.. For more information on this topic, see the latest article by Sarah Leslie posted at http://www.discernment-ministries.org/ChristianImperialism.htm on "DOMINIONISM AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIAN IMPERIALISM."

Wilkinson had played the 3-legged stool for all it was worth in his effort to tackle the Global Giants. The WSJ article provides an overview of how he networked with governments and private corporations to further his charitable work. A news release from General Motors fills in some of the details about the corporate relationships Wilkinson was building. Wilkinson's non-profit organization received a donation of 10 SUVs from GM:

"General Motors South Africa Makes a Fleet Donation to Dream for Africa"

"PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA (June 27, 2005) – GM South Africa recently made a fleet donation of 10 vehicles - six Isuzu KBs, three Chevrolet Vivants and a Corsa Utitlity Bakkie - to Dream for Africa. . . ."

"Gareth Paul, COO of Dream for Africa, said that aside from the transport benefits the fleet will bring, important partnerships are being built between the private and non-profit sectors. 'It is only through a collective investment from government, business and humanitarian organizations that we will be able to work toward sustainable social development in Africa.'" [ http://tinyurl.com/af9k7 ]

The Truth:

We should not rejoice in the sad ending to Bruce Wilkinson's story, other than to praise God for intervening in Bruce Wilkinson's grandiose plans to "help" Africa. But the truth is that Wilkinson is a man who needs prayer that he would understand the sovereignty of God. No prayer chanting, or mantras repeated over and over again -- no visions or envisioning -- will serve Jesus Christ. It is by our humble submission to His will, and to His plans, that we become true servants.

"For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places" (Psalm 135:5-6)

Since Discernment Ministries released the new article posted on its website entitled "Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism" on Monday 12/19/05 at http://www.discernment-ministries.org/ChristianImperialism.htm, there are several new developments that underscore concerns raised in the article.

Http://www.mediatransparency.org, a website that comes from the political Left and writes critically about the political dominionists, carried an article on December 19th by Bill Berkowitz entitled "Bush Administration mining fundamentalist recruits: The former Dean of Academic Affairs at the fundamentalist Christian Patrick Henry College is appointed to oversee USAID's democracy and governance programs." According to the article,

"Paul Bonicelli, who most recently was the dean of academic affairs at Patrick Henry College, a small fundamentalist Christian college located in rural Virginia, has moved on to oversee USAID's democracy and governance programs."

The Media Transparency article explains that

"In an October 19, press release issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Andrew Natsios, Administrator for USAID, announced that, 'Paul J. Bonicelli, Ph.D. joined the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) as the new Deputy Assistant Administrator.' Bonicelli, the press release pointed out, 'will primarily oversee the Agency's democracy and governance programs.'

"'Bonicelli's office will focus on four primary goals of strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights; promoting more genuine and competitive elections and political processes; increasing development of a politically active civil society; and implementing a more transparent and accountable governance. Progress in all four areas is necessary to achieve sustainable democracy.'"

This appointment is a key development because USAID has been a major player in the "transformation" of the African continent. Anne Peterson, a former missionary doctor to Zimbabwe and Zaire, was appointed by the Bush administration to head global health for the Agency for International Development (USAID). She spoke with Timothy C. Morgan, deputy managing editor of Christianity Today magazine in an interview posted 02/04/2004 at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/002/20.25.html. Dr. Peterson was asked,

"Some prominent Christian leaders such as Bruce Wilkinson, Rick Warren, Franklin Graham, Rich Stearns from World Vision, and Clive Calver from World Relief have recently seized on this issue. What do you see as their role in addressing the HIV/AIDS problem?"

Peterson responded, "I think there's a huge role, because this is an issue that fits with the Christian message." [emphasis added]

Underscoring this is USAID's commitment to faith-based and its support of Bruce Wilkinson's failed objectives in Africa (see 12/19/05 Herescope post). A brochure posted at the www.usaid.gov website entitled "Faith-Based Partnerships" describes many of the African faith-based funding initiatives. Listed was "A few examples of USAID partnerships with faith-based organizations," including Bruce Wilkinson's Dream for Africa in Swaziland:

"Swaziland: In June 2005, more than 500 Swazi pastors participated in a USAID-funded HIV/AIDS prevention conference. The conference was led by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, Chairman of Dream for Africa, a faith-based organization that mobilizes volunteers to work in sub-Saharan Africa on many issues, including AIDS. As a well-known pastor and author, Dr. Wilkinson has trained pastors on ways of talking appropriately and effectively to their congregations about abstinence until marriage, fidelity to one’s partner, and reducing stigma. Unequal treatment of women contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS, so he challenged pastors to make clear to their congregations that men and women are, according to their own sacred text, created equal." [emphasis added] [ http://tinyurl.com/8tw5j ]

This new appointment to USAID, coming out of the political dominionist sect, means that there will likely be even more financial payoffs for the corporate/mission structures that are being put into place. The July/August Discernment Newsletter, in an article entitled "The Second Reformation," posted at http://www.discernment-ministries.org/NLJulyAugust_2005.htm, details how these corporate/mission partnerships are working with USAID:

"Bruce Wilkinson is connected with an organization called Bridges International Development (BID) out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. This organization seeks to build 'an infrastructure for sustainable development' in Africa that 'includes utilizing government, NGOs [non-governmental organizations, ed.] and business.' BID’s 'spheres' include: 'Orphans, Relief & Aid, Women, Agriculture, Health Care, Environment/Energy, Economic Growth, Transportation, Communication Information Technology, Good Governance/Accountability and Education.' BID is seeking corporate partners to invest in Africa for the purpose of 'community transformation' by creating Community Empowerment Centers fitting USAID criteria. (http://www.bridgesid.org/) "

The Truth:

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision." (Psalm 2:2-4)

One of the major conduits for disseminating soft-core patriotic dominionism has been the televangelism ministry of Rev. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. D. James Kennedy is widely respected throughout evangelicaldom.

Many would therefore be shocked to learn that D. James Kennedy's name appears on the Coalition on Revival's (COR) Church Council Steering Committee letterhead dated May 1993 and signed by Jay Grimstead that called "personal neutrality before King Jesus. . . sin and treason in this universe." [emphasis added] See excerpts of this letter in the article posted on http://www.discernment-ministries.org website entitled "Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism."

A recent article coming from the Left, details D. James Kennedy's advocacy of the COR worldview "spheres" -- an agenda that has now gone global. The article entitled, "The Rise of Dominionism: Remaking America as a Christian Nation" by Frederick Clarkson is published in the winter issue of The Public Eye Magazine (Vol. 19, No. 3) by Political Research Associates. Clarkson notes:

"The three-shared Dominionist characteristics of religious supremacy, Christian nationalism, and theocratic visions are on vivid display in . . . Rev. D. James Kennedy, the prominent televangelist. "

According to Clarkson, in early 2005, Kennedy hosted an annual political conference, "Reclaiming America for Christ" at his church in Ft. Lauderdale. Conference attendees were given material written by D. James Kennedy that exemplified the patriotic dominionist beliefs of COR:

"‘As the viceregents of God, we are to bring His truth and His will to bear on every sphere of our world and our society. We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government ... our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors—in short, over every aspect and institution of human society." [http://tinyurl.com/e3smq ] [emphasis added]

This is pure COR dominionism. For more information about what is contained in the original COR sphere documents, see Al Dager's book Vengeance Is Ours: The Church in Dominion (available from Discernment Ministries).

The Truth:

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

The article below has been written by Prof. Johan Malan, University of Limpopo, South Africa (Dec. 22, 2005). It will be posted on a new Africa Watch section of the Discernment Ministries website at http://www.discernment-ministries.org/AfricaWatch.htm

Wilkinson's Dream for Africa is Shattered

Early in July 2005, after three years based in Johannesburg, South Africa, well-known American author and theologian, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, moved to the land-locked kingdom of Swaziland, a former British colony, to give practical expression to his “Dream for Africa.” During his extensive travels on the subcontinent he was captivated by the plight of millions of unemployed, poor, sick and undernourished Africans who have very little hope on a better future without assistance from outside. He was particularly concerned about the more than one million children left orphaned by the AIDS epidemic – more than a hundred thousand of them in Swaziland.

As a very able, influential and wealthy man, Bruce decided to lend a helping hand and soon devised a grand scheme for the upliftment of destitute communities and individuals on the underdeveloped continent. He had a dream, a vision, an ambitious plan, to channel vast humanitarian aid from the US to communities in Africa where it is most needed. He selected the poverty-stricken, former British colony, Swaziland, as a role model for the rest of Africa on how to successfully change lifestyles and eradicate poverty and suffering. Swaziland has one of the highest infection rates of HIV in the world.

Bruce secured an extensive support-base among private companies and churches, and also received a large grant from the US government to combat AIDS in Africa. Many US and local volunteers also engaged in projects like Never Ending Gardens, to teach locals how to have two gardens per family to sustain them with nutritious vegetables. The dream of Bruce had all the necessary backing to become a practical reality, if only it was shared and accepted by the target communities.

As an anthropologist and the son of a former missionary in Swaziland, I took special interest in the endeavours of Bruce Wilkinson. I have studied development policies on the African continent and was aware of the reasons for the failure of many of them. Would the project of Bruce be among the many failures or the few success stories of Africa? I had my doubts, also from a biblical point of view, but never realised that he would encounter such resistance and quit so soon. He obviously made very serious mistakes and saw his dream shattered in no time.
What went wrong? On 19 December 05 The Wall Street Journal published a lengthy article on how the African dream of Bruce turned into a nightmare. The article is titled: “Unanswered prayers: In Swaziland, US preacher sees his dream vanish.” In this article it is also related how Bruce acted against the advice of the US ambassador to Swaziland:

“In May, Mr. Wilkinson tried to win the Bush administration to his side. In a convoy of SUVs, he took U.S. Ambassador Lewis Lucke to the proposed site of the Dream Village. Mr. Lucke had served in Haiti, Jordan and Iraq, much of the time with the U.S. Agency for International Development. He admired Mr. Wilkinson’s enthusiasm and altruism, but was wary of groups with little overseas history claiming to know the answers for Africa. A few days later, Mr. Lucke showed up at Mr. Wilkinson’s door and told him he considered it unwise to move orphans away from their villages. ‘It’s laudable that you’re trying to do something about Swazi orphans,’ Mr. Lucke told Mr. Wilkinson... ‘but do it in a way that doesn’t conflict with Swazi culture.’

“Mr. Wilkinson felt the situation was so urgent that the time for cautious measures had passed. Mr. Lucke wasn’t persuaded, and he didn’t think the Swazi government would be either. ‘You’ll never get the land,’ he warned. The ambassador’s words seemed prophetic a couple of weeks later, when a Dream for Africa draft plan found its way into Swazi newspapers, turning public opinion sharply against Mr. Wilkinson. Under the headline ‘British Colony or Dr Bruce Colony?’ one op-ed writer in the Swazi News wrote, ‘Why can’t he simply tell us that he wants to be given the whole country so that he can gloat to his friends overseas that he owns a modern day colony in Africa called Swaziland?’”

A clash of cultures

The dream of Bruce, as well as the methods used by him to realise his Dream for Africa, were in direct conflict with Swazi culture. The following are the main mistakes that he made:

Ignorance about Africa’s own dream. The emerging African renaissance constitutes a return to Africa’s cultural roots, and is also a call to Africa to take responsibility for its own fate by cooperating towards the greater good for all. Africa has its own visionaries, politicians and philosophers who are determining national objectives and showing the way to a new future. It is very obvious why they wouldn’t be enthusiastic about an American millionaire’s dream for Africa. They would regard it as arrogance on the side of the overseas dreamer, as that would imply that they don’t have a dream and a plan of their own. Africa wishes to solve its own problems in its own way. Assistance is welcomed but not independent programmes in which the credit for achievements will go to foreign entrepreneurs and their international sponsors. That is one of the reasons why the dream of Bruce was so quickly rejected.

Ignorance about the nature of African politics. The national consciousness in most African countries is very strong. There is a new sense of pride in the attaining of full independence, and an absolute aversion against any form of neo-colonialism. Even though most countries desperately need some form of development assistance from rich countries, they are very sensitive to high-profile projects initiated and run by outsiders. The latter may claim the credit for certain achievements on a national level, thereby asserting unacceptable control over society. They may take the credit for achieving what the local government couldn’t do. In the African approach, large development projects must be executed under the auspices of the national government, thereby ensuring black empowerment in whatever development projects are initiated. Bruce was not seeking to collaborate with the Swazi government on their terms, but intended to impose American-style social engineering on the Swazi people.

Ignoring the principles of NEPAD. The development model chosen by African leaders is that of NEPAD – New Partnership for Africa’s Development. NEPAD is basically a pledge by African leaders to eradicate poverty and to place their countries on a path of sustainable growth and development. They are looking for partners to tackle the problems already identified by them. They are not looking for people to tell them what to do, or to do things independently of them. Bruce faltered in that he did not actively seek partnerships with African leaders and government departments; neither did he consult them about the feasibility of his dream. This dream definitely contained aspects that were unacceptable to them.

Demands for land. Bruce asked for large tracts of land, and that really infuriated the Swazi government and public. Land is seen as a national asset in Africa. Traditionally, no provision was made for private ownership. A traditional leader is the trustee of the tribal land under his jurisdiction and he only grants occupation rights to individual families. The grazing areas are communal land. In most African countries there are still many farms and other patches of land that are possessed by private persons who are regarded as foreigners. Much pressure is exerted by black citizens on their governments to redistribute land on a more equitable basis. Under these circumstances, it was unwise of Bruce to ask for a large piece of land, including control over a game reserve. Many people were angry because of these demands.

Inevitable clash with African social institutions. The orphanages (dream villages) that Bruce wanted to establish are at variance with African systems of kinship and the caring for their members. Traditionally, there were no orphanages and old age homes in Africa as every family is responsible for the care of its own members. In African cultures, a much more extensive system of kinship obligations is observed than in individualistic Western societies, thereby ensuring that members do not become estranged from their families. Even though the parents of orphans have died, there are usually other members of their extended families, e.g. the brothers and sisters of the deceased, or even the grandparents, who will take care of the children. Bruce was not aware of this fact and wanted to bundle 10 000 orphans from different communities and tribal groups into a singe home. This was quite unacceptable to the Swazi public and government, and they also indicated that the future land rights of such children would be in jeopardy if they were removed from their homesteads and extended families. In Africa, the caring for orphans should be done on a smaller scale in every community without estranging the kids from their communities of origin.

A wrong approach to development. The correct approach to development in Africa under the prevailing circumstances is an indirect approach aimed at grassroots development. Bruce should have followed this approach by training and empowering local (Swazi) pastors and other community leaders to take initiative in the development of their own communities. This would have averted the pains associated with efforts towards direct involvement in national projects. The collapse of Bruce’s dream and the abandoning of his development projects have been experienced in a highly traumatic way by the pastors in Swaziland with whom he had already established a working relationship. They feel that they have been left in the lurch by Bruce after his grand scheme has failed to gain public approval.

Religious failure

Apart from the wrong approach and methods followed by Bruce there are also serious objections by evangelical Christians against his biblical views, priorities and methods. The following matters have been raised:

Humanitarian rather than Christian programmes. In terms of the Great Commission, evangelistic work and discipleship must always take precedence over humanitarian aid and social welfare. If evangelists get bogged down in social welfare projects such as gardening, healthcare, poverty relief and the running of orphanages, evangelistic outreaches will be relegated to low-priority positions on their agenda. Bruce clearly relies more on socio-economic upliftment and sexual abstinence programmes than on evangelisation. As witnesses of Christ we are first and foremost called to evangelise the world. The unsaved must repent (Acts 17:30) and the saved must be sanctified and trained as disciples to go into Africa’s remotest villages to preach the gospel of salvation to the lost. Then, and then alone, will the lifestyles and morality of people change in such a way that they will not expose themselves to contamination due to immoral, sinful behaviour.

Reconstructionism. Since his arrival in South Africa, Bruce has actively engaged in the annual transformations rallies. These rallies are ecumenical in nature and aimed at reconstructing society in accordance with certain Christian and moral principles, as well as promoting a buoyant economy which will ensure a high employment rate. This is a kingdom vision for the world and therefore part of dominion theology. There must, according to this movement, be visible manifestations of God’s kingdom on earth, which means that entire nations must be discipled to become part of the kingdom. This is contrary to the biblical nature of the church dispensation, and therefore a man-made vision that cannot work. We are strangers and sojourners in an evil word that lies in the sway of the devil (1 John 5:19). In this dispensation, only a minority of people will be saved (Matt. 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-24). This scenario is not compatible with grandiose kingdom programmes with their non-offensive message and popular appeal, and rather calls for intensive evangelisation in small group contexts.

Deceptive Jabez prayers. Bruce popularised an Old Testament prosperity prayer in which the Name of Jesus obviously does not appear, and taught people to recite this 33-word prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10 every day to receive great blessings in their lives. Bruce recited the prayer regularly during the past 35 years and credits this practice for the 22 million copies of his books that were sold worldwide. But he now says that he tries to come to grips with the miracle that didn’t materialise in Swaziland despite his unceasing recitation of the Jabez prayer. Did it take him that long to discover the truth of Matthew 6:7? “But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words.” A New Testament prayer must be prayed in the Name of the Lord Jesus and in accordance with God’s will (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14).

Association with Robert Schuller. It is disturbing to many Christians that Bruce participates in meetings of Robert Schuller’s Institute for Successful Church Leadership. Schuller relies on psychological self-esteem programmes to change people’s lives, rather than the gospel message which tells us that lost people must first be under the conviction of their sins, failures and lost state before God (the opposite of self-esteem) before they can be forgiven and saved. Positive thinking is of no value in evangelisation as it keeps the preacher from proclaiming God’s judgements upon the wicked, and also induces him to neglect the very real danger of spiritual deception. Positive thing also breeds arrogance and pride. Even outwardly successful Christians must humble themselves before the Lord, clearly follow His instructions on how to win the lost for His kingdom which is not of this world, and always refrain from boasting of their own achievements (cf. (Rev. 3:17).

What has been said about Bruce Wilkinson in this review is said in the spirit of 2 Timothy 2: “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

Introducing a new section on Discernment Ministries' website -- AFRICA WATCH!

This past year Discernment Ministries has written about unfolding events leading to a global church. We've observed with growing alarm how the contintent of Africa has been targeted to receive an onslaught of the heretical theologies, marketplace transformation, collaborations with the United Nations, poverty programs of rock stars, and Rick Warren's global "P.E.A.C.E. plan."

The recent shocking revelations about the failed "dreams" of Bruce Wilkinson in Swaziland have given impetus to creating this special new webpage. AFRICA WATCH! will be devoted solely to Africa and what is transpiring there. This page will be frequently updated with new information and relevant commentaries on the on-going situation.

Africa holds a very special place in our hearts. Discernment Ministries has an office and active outreach in South Africa. Travers and Jewel van der Merwe (Grewe) began their ministry on this continent. One of the Discernment Research Group members served for six years as a missionary in Africa.

http://www.discernment-ministries.org/AfricaWatch.htm

From http://www.myideafactory.net/futurechurch.html one can order "THE FUTURE CHURCH: Lions in the Pews" by David Bradshaw, who is connected with James Rutz. Information gleaned from the website description provide more examples of the dominionist thought. This dominionism was explained in an article entitled "Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism," posted at http://www.discernment-ministries.org last week.

In particular, this website is a case in point of the DISinformation that is being fed to evangelical Christians. It exemplifies the deconstruction/reconstruction model of building the "kingdom" on Earth. Here are a few key examples:

1. It is claimed that the kingdom must be built by using a CELL CHURCH MODEL:

"Scientists tell us that every cell in our body carries in it two DNA codes; one code to bring the cell to maturity and reproduction, and another code to bring the cell into harmony and integration with the entire organism. It's part of God's natural design.

"So it is in the spiritual realm. God has placed within every member of the body of Christ an individual destiny of maturity and reproduction and a corporate destiny to integrate with the whole body. This organism, the body of Christ, is called to conform to the head, King Jesus Christ, and then to transform the world into the image of His Kingdom."

2. It is claimed the old church model (also referred to as "wineskins" by some) was ineffective, inefficient and must be DECONSTRUCTED:

"Today, a growing number of church leaders in America are talking about decentralizing, de-professionalizing and de-institutionalizing the church. The rise of the house-church, cell-church, meta-church, open-church and church-planting movements are just an indication of the growing level of discontent with the traditional CEO-business-as-usual, gospel-enterprise church structure among both clergy and laity."

3. It is claimed that there is an URGENCY and a CRISIS:

"The era of spectator Christianity is now ending because the urgency of our present cultural crisis in America and abroad simply won't permit it!. . . . The level of ungodliness in our culture is now triggering an alarm in the church. . . . Most leaders that I've spoken with agree that the crisis of our time requires swift action, but we must be careful to maintain our equilibrium as we accelerate the deconstruction of the American churchianity."

4. Genesis 1 is combined with theGreat Commission to create a new kingdom mandate:

". . . The implications of our first commission given to Adam in the Garden (Gen. 1:28), to reproduce and subdue the earth, was never revoked, only expanded and re-empowered by Christ. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus recommissioned each believer to evangelize and disciple the nations."

5. It is claimed that the cell church model is a house church, which is not TRUE. House churches are truly autonomous. Cell churches are part of a newly forming hierarchical structure that resembles Amway-style network marketing, relies upon sophisticated databanking and assessment procedures, and builds in extra-biblical levels of accountability. Note the careful choice of wording below:

". . . [T]he house-church movement is restoring the proper role of the man and woman of God as the primary reproducers of the Kingdom of God. That explains why the house-church and cell-church movements are where the sustainable growth is now occurring worldwide. They are in synchronization with God's stated goal of growing His Kingdom horizontally rather than vertically. The emphasis on relationship, covenant and accountability are the hallmarks of a healthy family both in the natural and the spiritual realm. "

6. There is a new psycho-social-spiritual rite of initiation being substituted for the process of sanctification:

"The process of coming to maturity requires: 1) a period of deliverance for the new believer, then 2) discipleship, including mentoring and apprenticeship, only then are we ready for 3) commissioning and deployment, being sent back into our confused and hurting culture.. . . . This growing army of delivered, discipled and deployed Christians are now prepared to become active participants in the cosmic battle for every area of God's terra-firma."

7. The new church structures rely heavily upon PEER PRESSURE, and utilize the team-building methods of psycho-social group dynamics:

"The rise of team ministry and plurality of leadership is already beginning to replace the "one-man-band" approach."

8. The Cell Church structure is not autonomous, but inextricably connected to a city-wide church apostolic structure, which is based on regional government models of a new world order:

"As leaders and congregations begin to discern their unity of purpose - to advance Christ's Kingdom - they will begin to discover one another. Periodic inter-church celebrations will be the forerunner of citywide corporate gatherings, concerts of prayer, praise and worship that will further unite God's army and rattle the gates of hell."

9. The city-wide model is inextricably connected with marketplace "transformation" dominionism:

"This dynamic is also growing among Christian businessmen and professionals who are awakening to the key role that God has given them in advancing God's Kingdom in the marketplace."

10. This model is inextricably linked to political dominionist agendas. In fact, there is evidence that the cell church model is linked to precinct models:

"Another indication is the growing number of grassroots Christian political leaders who feel called to mobilize the church to impact our society in the public policy arena."

11. This is brazenly being called "God's world order":

Don't worry about the so-called "New World Order," but rather focus on finding your place of service in God's world order. Rejoice! You are right in the middle of the action, but let's press on to the goal of finding our individual and corporate destiny. As sons and daughters of the Most High God who are called, equipped and empowered to model the superiority of Christ's Kingdom on earth,. . . " [all emphases in above quotations are added]

12. MORE. . .

For an example of comprehensive dominionism, see: http://www.myideafactory.net/bigpict.html.

For an example of the coming warfare, see: http://www.myideafactory.net/warfare.html

The Truth:

"When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy souls; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh forward things;" (Proverbs 2: 10-12)

In 1999 C. Peter Wagner, chief architect of and salesman for the New Apostolic Reformation, lists two significant members of this group. From Wagner's 1999 book Churchquake: how the new apostolic reformation is shaking up the church as we know it (Regal) comes these two statements:

"Bill Hybels, new apostolic pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, Barrington, Illinois, and a longtime friend of Robert Schuller, agrees that pastors have the responsibility of determining the purpose of each corporate gathering." (p. 179)

"New apostolic churches, like Rick Warren's, turn this [leadership and ministry] around 180 degrees, as he explains in his best-seller, The Purpose Driven Church (Zondervan)." (p. 213) [emphases added]

It is significant that C. Peter Wagner identifies Hybels and Warren as New Apostolic Reformation pastors. C. Peter Wagner oversaw Rick Warren's doctoral thesis at Fuller Theological Seminary, which later became his first book, The Purpose-Driven Church. A September 8, 1989 Christianity Today "had a picture of Hybels with Dr. Robert Schuller and C. Peter Wagner at Schuller's Crystal Cathedral, according to John Ashbrook in New Neutralism II, an excellent book critical of the neoevangelical movement. Dr. Schuller is the granddaddy of the Church Growth models utilized by Warren and Hybels.

For more information on the New Apostolic Reformation see