Category Archives: Assorted Articles

World Community for Christian Meditation

The Belfast Telegraph [Churches Page] tonight carries an advert for ‘Christian Meditation’. Various contact details are given including a website. This website is titled ‘The World Community for Christian Meditation’. The aim of this site would appear to be to perpetuate the teachings of a man called ‘Father’ John Main who died in 1982. This work is now carried on by another Roman Catholic priest ‘Father’ Laurence Freeman OSB. The following is a short extract about Mr Freeman from the website itself –

Laurence Freeman was born in London, was educated by the Benedictines and then took a Masters Degree in English Literature at New College, Oxford.

His spiritual guide was Dom John Main whom Fr Laurence had known for many years even before entering the monastic life. He studied with Fr John in his novitiate and then assisted him with the establishment of the first Christian Meditation Centre in Londonin 1975 which was the origin of The World Community for Christian Meditation.

This advert is an example of a concentrated effort that is being made worldwide by various groups to promote a form of ‘Meditation’ that is most certainly not ‘Christian’. It is known by many names such as ‘Contemplative Prayer’ or ‘Mantra Meditation’ and is advocated by many best-selling so-called ‘Christian’ authors. For helpful resources and information the following website links will prove invaluable.

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/researchtopics.htm

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/sitemap.htm

 

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 15 January 2005

 

United Church of God

The ‘Daily Mail’ of Tuesday 11th January 2005 carried a large advert headed ‘When disaster strikes – Where is God?

Readers were invited to make contact either by text, email or snail-mail with a group called ‘The Good News’ based in the UK in Watford. So who are this group known as ‘The Good News’. Well the group based in Watford are the British Isles base for a worldwide organisation known as the United Church of God. So who are they and what are their roots. Herewith are some extracts from a brief history of Herbert W Armstrong’s cult that was known as ‘The Worldwide Church of God’ that are found on the website –

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Presbyterianism and ‘State-Sponsored Peace’

In an earlier article posted to our website called “Irish Presbyterianism: Then and Now” I highlighted how some 50 years or so ago The Youth Committee of the General Assembly of the Irish Presbyterian Church published a ‘Handbook on Romanism and Evangelical Christianity’ to meet what they described in the preface to their booklet as ‘one of the urgent needs of our Church’. In the article I quoted a number of the Question and Answer contents of the booklet that were set out in ‘catechism’ format and it was evident that those who compiled this booklet were fully versed, not only in the unscriptural errors of Roman Catholicism, but also in the truths of Biblical Evangelical Christianity.

That was the ‘Then’ of Irish Presbyterianism and I contrasted it with the ‘Now’ of Irish Presbyterianism as represented by the invitation issued by the [at the time of the writing of my article] about to be installed Presbyterian Moderator, Ken Newell, to the Roman Catholic Primate of Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady to be one of his ‘personal guests’ at his installation on 7 June 2004. The contrast was that according to Ken Newell’s journalistic ‘spin-doctor, Alf McCreary of the Belfast Telegraph, there can be ‘joint mission’ with a Roman Catholic system that was clearly identified 50 + years ago by The Youth Committee of the General Assembly as being totally unscriptural when it comes to genuine Christian ‘mission’.

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Philip Yancey – “turning the grace of God into lasciviousness”

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When you go into any modern ‘Christian’ bookstore it will be virtually impossible not to be confronted at some point by books written by Philip Yancey. He is without doubt one of the best selling ‘Christian’ authors of this age and some of his best known works include ‘What’s So amazing About Grace’, ‘Where Is God When It Hurts’ and ‘Soul Survivor’. In March 2002 he was the Banquet Speaker at the Christian Booksellers Convention held in Doncaster.

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The hidden ‘agendas’ of CARE and Evangelical Alliance [NI]?

To fully understand the background to this article I believe it will be helpful for those who come to this article to first read the following articles that are posted elsewhere on our web site.

The articles and their links are as follows –

‘Evangelical Catholic’ suggestions for Belfast ‘Passion Café’ rejected?

The ‘leaven’ in ‘Power To Change’

Power To Change – Ecumenical or not Ecumenical?

In the article on the ‘Belfast Passion Café’ I referred to an ‘unnamed person’ in these terms – ‘One of the committee for the café’- and explained how this ‘unnamed person’ had sought guidance from the so-called ‘Evangelical Catholic’, Eugene Boyle. The rest of the article was an exposure of the devious suggestions put forward by Eugene Boyle and was not as some mistakenly thought a ‘condemnation’ of the planned café outreach to those who view ‘The Passion’ movie.

In the providence of God I have now been put in possession of further information that shows just how premeditated both this ‘unnamed person’ and Stephen Cave, General Secretary of Evangelical Alliance [NI] (this is the same Stephen Cave mentioned in the ‘Power to Change’ articles listed above) were to try and ensure that their solicitation of ‘Evangelical Catholic guidance and participation’ in the ‘Belfast Passion Café’ should not become public knowledge.

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‘Evangelical Catholic’ suggestions for Belfast ‘Passion Café’ rejected

Several years ago as part of an attempt to maximize the publicity-potential of the deceptive and ecumenical ‘gospel’ charade known as ‘Power to Change’, a café was manned for about 7 months in the centre of Belfast by, I have no doubt, some well-intentioned but sadly misguided professing believers.

This group are currently planning, in their terms, to ‘ride the wave’ of the publicity that will be generated by the screening in Belfast of the Mel Gibson movie ‘The Passion of The Christ’ by manning a ‘Café Passionate’ close to where the movie will be screened. What was somewhat disturbing, about what may well be promoted as an ‘evangelical’ initiative, was that important aspects of the format were initially ‘checked out’ in a hope that Roman Catholic involvement would be both possible and encouraged.

One of the committee for the café submitted documents and planned training procedures to Eugene Boyle of the so-called Evangelical Catholic Initiative to see if he could identify any problems from a Roman Catholic perspective that would hinder Roman Catholic involvement. Eugene Boyle’s reply makes very interesting reading – here are some extracts –

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Legalising “evil” & Outlawing “good” – USA Style

As I read the following excellent article issued on 24 January 2004 by Roger Oakland who is the Director of the Christian ministry called ‘Understand The Times’ my mind was directed to the words of Isaiah 5:20 –  “Woe unto them who call evil, good and good, evil”

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 25 January 2004

YOGA AND THE LAW

Imagine you are standing before a judge in an American courtroom. You have been accused of assaulting another person and are expecting to spend time in jail. Suddenly you hear the judge say, “instead of jail, your sentence will involve anger management. For your penalty, I’m sentencing you to yoga classes – based on the ancient Hindu philosophy of exercise and well-being. When it’s over, report to me and I’ll see how well you are doing.”

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COONEYITES IN BALLYNAHINCH?

In my mailbox this morning was a little printed invitation card that read as follows. A Series of Meetings BASED ON THE BIBLE are being held in the MARKET HOUSE, THE SQUARE, BALLYNAHINCH. Every Sunday 7pm – 8pm – Free & Non Denominational – Everyone Welcome – E. Drennan & A. Gault

This invitation bears many of the hallmarks of the group that do not ascribe any particular name to themselves but would be referred to by others as ‘Cooneyites’.

The venue for these proposed meetings – ‘MARKET HOUSE, THE SQUARE, BALLYNAHINCH’ fits well with their long established strategy when it comes to holding public meetings. Continue reading →

‘THE BARNABAS TRADITION’

In his book ‘52 Personality Profiles from the Bible’, former Principal of the Scottish Baptist College, R E O White wrote on page 20 in a chapter entitled ‘Barnabas the Good’ – ‘He was honoured with the nickname ‘Son of encouragement’ (or ‘comforting’) – the same word used of the Holy Spirit. No wonder that Bunyan modelled upon Barnabas the character of Mr Greatheart, companion, guide, defender and friend of all the weaker pilgrims on the King’s highway’. From time to time God has moved people to either ‘put pen to paper’ or to ‘email over the airwaves’ to express their gratitude for help given by ‘Take Heed’ or to commend ‘Take Heed’ for the stand taken for God’s truth.

In so doing these fellow-believers are following in what I have dubbed ‘THE BARNABAS TRADITION’. Barnabas as we have read in the brief profile above was one who encouraged those who were engaged in the Lord’s work. These expressions of gratitude to and solidarity with “Take Heed” have been sources of great encouragement to us and as another year draws to an end I hope that by sharing some of these messages with you that you, our readers, will likewise be encouraged and be energised to continue in your prayers for us.

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