Until now, I have purposely tried to avoid giving any type of commentary on the blog postings on this site. Rather, I have tried to let the facts speak for themselves. But it appears to me that the MB denomination is at a critical time in history, and I am compelled to speak about it.
I have been following a blog called Menno-lite for quite some time now, and especially in the last two weeks as "the olives" have been exposing the contemplative spirituality found in the October 2010 MB Herald. This is a blog that has much the same emphasis as my own. I have grown to appreciate the candid writings of the author(s) of this blog. Postings are written in a manner which is warning and yet not offensive. This person obviously has a deep concern for their Mennonite Brethren brothers and sisters, even as I do.
This latest edition of the MB Herald contains six references to contemplative spirituality (the sixth is documented by myself as a comment on the Menno-lite article, "Unanswered Questions"). This is alarming! It is obvious that the Mennonite Brethren are moving full steam ahead down the contemplative, mystical pathway. Many people, including myself, have been in contact with various people in positions of influence in the denomination. For the most part I have received saccharine replies and poorly researched responses dismissing my concerns. Sadly, I finally had to follow the Lord's leading and my conscience, first of all, by withdrawing my membership from our local MB church and then leaving the church altogether when I was told, in a dismissive attitude, that the leadership didn't agree with my position. That had been obvious to me for quite some time, as it was evident in the MB Herald, on the USMB website, at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, and many other arms of the denomination. The majority of people are too afraid or too busy to take the time out of their days to understand what is going on and those in leadership are more concerned with their positions and their reputations in the world than they are with what God's says about how we are to practice our faith in this area; but this is just too important an issue to ignore, and to do so is at your spiritual peril.
You see, folks, the time has come to make a decision. The Mennonite Brethren denomination has demonstrated for an extended period of time that they are moving ahead with this type of spirituality. Unless those in leadership repent of their false teaching, God is going to judge them. Many, many MBs need to phone, write, or do something to speak out about what is going on here. This denomination is sinking to the depths of spiritual apostasy rapidly. In my opinion, the only choice now, is to speak out against this and get out of the boat. It will take some serious change of hearts and minds to turn this situation around. If it doesn't happen at this point in history, it will be too late, and you will be part of a denomination that no longer relies fully on the Word of God for its teachings.
Is it too late? I know that nothing is impossible with God, and I pray that those who are promoting contemplative spirituality will finally get what we have been saying; however, once involved in these practices for an extended length of time, they honestly believe that they can hear, feel, see and experience God through contemplative prayer. This is not how God has chosen to communicate with believers. It is, however, how the corrupt Roman Catholic church, apostate church fathers and desert fathers chose to communicate with God or have God communicate with them. The practice simply is not biblical, although many Christians will take Scripture out of context to defend it. If anything, it is a pagan concept designed to unite all of mankind in a spiritual exercise. Those who are already involved in this type spirituality have fallen for Satan's lies and will not hear (listen, but not hear) what is being said to them.
Listen, you don't have to take my word for any of this. But please take the time to study the movement further, to see what all the fuss is about. Honest, faithful believers do not sound the alarm for no reason. All of the people I know who have left their churches over these changes are faithful, God-fearing people with a deep love for God's Word. Don't you think they have good reasons for doing what they are doing, for saying what they are saying? Examine God's Word and see if you can find anything in it that would indicate that these practices come out of it? (And please do so without reading something into Scripture that is not there). Take the time to find out where these practices originate and where they lead those deeply involved. The fruit is not always obvious at first. It is important to examine those who have been involved for a lengthy period of time, who have come to full fruition. This website and others I have linked to have lots of information available to help you understand the movement.
The Father is preparing to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to come and call His children home any day now. If you will honestly look at the times we live in, you know without a doubt that this is so. So very many once faithful churches have left their first love in favor of a church that is run like a business with a human CEO at the helm. There are hardly any churches left that stick faithfully to God's Word to order their lives and their doctrine. The faithful remnant is getting smaller every day. Where will you stand spiritually when the day comes and you hear Jesus' voice like a loud trumpet calling us home? Will you be found faithful? Will you even hear the trumpet? I pray that it will be so!
Please take the time to read what has been written in October on Menno-lite. Click HERE to get there. I also urge you to read Roger Oakland's latest commentary entitled, "Is Your Denomination a Sinking Titanic?" Click HERE to go the the commentary.
There is a denomination at stake here. There are people's spiritual lives and the truth at stake. Don't brush off the warnings. And don't wait another day, or you too may be found sinking with the ship. Oh, my Mennonite Brethren brothers and sisters, let it not be so!!
I have been following a blog called Menno-lite for quite some time now, and especially in the last two weeks as "the olives" have been exposing the contemplative spirituality found in the October 2010 MB Herald. This is a blog that has much the same emphasis as my own. I have grown to appreciate the candid writings of the author(s) of this blog. Postings are written in a manner which is warning and yet not offensive. This person obviously has a deep concern for their Mennonite Brethren brothers and sisters, even as I do.
This latest edition of the MB Herald contains six references to contemplative spirituality (the sixth is documented by myself as a comment on the Menno-lite article, "Unanswered Questions"). This is alarming! It is obvious that the Mennonite Brethren are moving full steam ahead down the contemplative, mystical pathway. Many people, including myself, have been in contact with various people in positions of influence in the denomination. For the most part I have received saccharine replies and poorly researched responses dismissing my concerns. Sadly, I finally had to follow the Lord's leading and my conscience, first of all, by withdrawing my membership from our local MB church and then leaving the church altogether when I was told, in a dismissive attitude, that the leadership didn't agree with my position. That had been obvious to me for quite some time, as it was evident in the MB Herald, on the USMB website, at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, and many other arms of the denomination. The majority of people are too afraid or too busy to take the time out of their days to understand what is going on and those in leadership are more concerned with their positions and their reputations in the world than they are with what God's says about how we are to practice our faith in this area; but this is just too important an issue to ignore, and to do so is at your spiritual peril.
You see, folks, the time has come to make a decision. The Mennonite Brethren denomination has demonstrated for an extended period of time that they are moving ahead with this type of spirituality. Unless those in leadership repent of their false teaching, God is going to judge them. Many, many MBs need to phone, write, or do something to speak out about what is going on here. This denomination is sinking to the depths of spiritual apostasy rapidly. In my opinion, the only choice now, is to speak out against this and get out of the boat. It will take some serious change of hearts and minds to turn this situation around. If it doesn't happen at this point in history, it will be too late, and you will be part of a denomination that no longer relies fully on the Word of God for its teachings.
Is it too late? I know that nothing is impossible with God, and I pray that those who are promoting contemplative spirituality will finally get what we have been saying; however, once involved in these practices for an extended length of time, they honestly believe that they can hear, feel, see and experience God through contemplative prayer. This is not how God has chosen to communicate with believers. It is, however, how the corrupt Roman Catholic church, apostate church fathers and desert fathers chose to communicate with God or have God communicate with them. The practice simply is not biblical, although many Christians will take Scripture out of context to defend it. If anything, it is a pagan concept designed to unite all of mankind in a spiritual exercise. Those who are already involved in this type spirituality have fallen for Satan's lies and will not hear (listen, but not hear) what is being said to them.
Listen, you don't have to take my word for any of this. But please take the time to study the movement further, to see what all the fuss is about. Honest, faithful believers do not sound the alarm for no reason. All of the people I know who have left their churches over these changes are faithful, God-fearing people with a deep love for God's Word. Don't you think they have good reasons for doing what they are doing, for saying what they are saying? Examine God's Word and see if you can find anything in it that would indicate that these practices come out of it? (And please do so without reading something into Scripture that is not there). Take the time to find out where these practices originate and where they lead those deeply involved. The fruit is not always obvious at first. It is important to examine those who have been involved for a lengthy period of time, who have come to full fruition. This website and others I have linked to have lots of information available to help you understand the movement.
The Father is preparing to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to come and call His children home any day now. If you will honestly look at the times we live in, you know without a doubt that this is so. So very many once faithful churches have left their first love in favor of a church that is run like a business with a human CEO at the helm. There are hardly any churches left that stick faithfully to God's Word to order their lives and their doctrine. The faithful remnant is getting smaller every day. Where will you stand spiritually when the day comes and you hear Jesus' voice like a loud trumpet calling us home? Will you be found faithful? Will you even hear the trumpet? I pray that it will be so!
Please take the time to read what has been written in October on Menno-lite. Click HERE to get there. I also urge you to read Roger Oakland's latest commentary entitled, "Is Your Denomination a Sinking Titanic?" Click HERE to go the the commentary.
There is a denomination at stake here. There are people's spiritual lives and the truth at stake. Don't brush off the warnings. And don't wait another day, or you too may be found sinking with the ship. Oh, my Mennonite Brethren brothers and sisters, let it not be so!!
