http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/charismatic-religion/ en-us Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:45:57 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048707/posts The History and Future of the Present Revival - Part 7  View Part 1 Last Sunday morning in one of our services, I polled those attending by asking the following questions: How many had come to the Lord through a revival?How many had come to the Lord through a crusade or evangelistic campaign?How many had come to the Lord through Christian television?How many had come to the Lord through the witness of a friend or relative? There were roughly a thousand people in that service. The following are the approximate results to these questions: 3 people7 – 8 people4... Morningstar Ministries http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2048707/posts#comment Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:45:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047837/posts Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,I give heartfelt thanks to God for this opportunity to meet and pray with all of you who have come here representing various Christian communities in Australia. Grateful for Bishop Forsyth’s and Cardinal Pell’s words of welcome, I joyfully greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus, the "cornerstone" of the "household of God" (Eph 2:19-20). I would like to offer a particular greeting to Cardinal Edward Cassidy, former President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, who, due to ill health, could not be with us today. I recall with gratitude... Vatican http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047837/posts#comment Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:08:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047112/posts Verified” Lakeland Resurrection from the Dead was a Lie Thanks to poster ’Arise My Love’ for pointing this video out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toGYy-H3pCw&feature=related From 6.20 minutes onwards on the video explains how the Fresh Fires Ministries passed through their ‘audit’ process an email, and Todd Bentley read out this same email of an alleged raising from the dead, without even attempting to check out any of the facts, let alone verifying them. Update 17th July: despite explictly being told the story was false, they haven’t retracted this story from their website or verbally. EndTimesPropheticWords http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047112/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:35:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047081/posts Chuck Pierce and Kabbalah: The Month of Iyar Last week, I posted an article exposing the occultic origins of Chuck Pierce's so-called "ministry," explaining that most of what he claims are "Words from the Lord" actually comes from astrology and Kabbalah (a New Age form of Jewish Mysticism). The latest post from Chuck Pierce is just more evidence that "Dr." Chuck Pierce is not a Christian minister, but an adherant of another religion, Kabbalah. According to him (and Kabbalah), we have just entered the Hebrew month of "Iyar." Here's a comparison of what Chuck Pierce and Kabbalah have to say:... Y@'S BLOG http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047081/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:35:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047068/posts If you’ve ever read any of Chuck Pierce’s so-called prophecies, you will have undoubtedly noticed that the man seems to have a vocabulary all his own, using words which, to the uninitiated, make absolutely no sense at all — at least in the Christian context in which Mr. Pierce chooses to frame his words. I’m talking here of words like shift, atmosphere, earth realm, energy, alignment, pillar and so on. Many of his writings also seems to place an unusual emphasis on colors, sounds and vibrations. It is tempting to just dismiss him as a nut and not give him... EndTimesPropheticWords http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2047068/posts#comment Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:09:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2045740/posts LAKELAND, Fla. - Todd Bentley believes God acts through him to cure cancer, heal the deaf and raise the dead. So do hundreds of thousands of people who have visited his raucous revival meeting, now in its third month and broadcast nightly from a huge tent in the middle of Florida. The 32-year-old Canadian, tattooed to the fingers and neck, puts a palm to the forehead of the sick, desperate and faithful. Bentley yells "Bam!" they collapse and he proclaims them cured. Attendees dance in the aisles, shout to Heaven, laugh, shake violently and cry. Such revivals aren't new, but... One News Now http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2045740/posts#comment Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:46:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2044429/posts "The Earth is not a hotel. It's our home." That's the message one of the world's leading Christian theologians delivered to 125 members of diverse religions at a recent Vancouver gathering. Canadian-American theologian Sallie McFague was one of the speakers at Vancouver's Faith and the Environment conference organized by Langara College and the Multi-Faith Action Society. It was the latest effort by McFague, author of A New Climate for Theology: God, the World and Global Warming, to counter centuries in which Christian leaders taught that humans should exploit the Earth for their own ends. Anglicans, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Pentecostals, Sikhs,... Montreal Gazette http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2044429/posts#comment Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:00:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2040819/posts For Marisa Hester, a Pentecostal Christian from Prattville, Ala., choosing an outfit for an ultra-Orthodox Crown Heights wedding wasn’t easy. Sorting through her two sets of formalwear, she eventually opted for a knee-length floral skirt and a high-necked black chiffon blouse, embellished with sparkling beads. She worried, however, that her slightly sheer sleeves were too revealing and would insult her newfound family. But at the June 24 wedding, the bride and her relatives could not have been less offended. A year ago, Hester, 26, gave an invaluable gift to the bride’s father, Hershey Fellig, 47, whose struggle she had read... Jewish Week http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2040819/posts#comment Fri, 4 Jul 2008 18:52:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2039695/posts NEW YORK — The angels are familiar, and the demons with the yellow sulfury smoke rising from their nostrils — but the plot, well, not so much.    The stage version of This Present Darkness, this summer’s Broadway sensation, is raking in profits but has rankled the author and many Christians expecting a faithful re-telling of the book.     "It’s a pale, watered down representation of my novel," says author Frank Peretti who sold the rights to two longtime producers but is now urging Christians to boycott the show.     Renamed ‘Dark,’ the musical depicts demons in Cats-style costumes and 12-foot... Lark News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2039695/posts#comment Wed, 2 Jul 2008 13:15:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037941/posts The value of anything must always be set by something outside of that object. A coin is no more valuable than a pebble except by common agreement that it can be exchanged for something else. Humans are unique in their ability to assign abstract values to inherently non-functional and other wise useless objects. A diamond ring, a thousand dollar bill, or a gold bar have no more value to an animal than a smooth pebble, shiny rock, or fuzzy leaf. Animals cannot even assign value to their own lives. Apart from survival instincts and some mutually beneficial biological relationships, animals... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037941/posts#comment Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:39:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037700/posts The Texas Supreme Court, showing continued deference to religious practice, on Friday tossed out a $188,000 judgment against members of a Pentecostal church who restrained a teenager they feared had come under demonic influence. Laura Schubert claimed that rough handling during the hours-long 1996 incident — involving the "laying on of hands" and intensive prayer — left her disabled by post-traumatic stress disorder. Jurors agreed, finding that Schubert, then 17, was falsely imprisoned and assaulted by a pastor, youth minister and members of Pleasant Glade Assembly of God church in suburban Fort Worth. However, the state Supreme Court dismissed Schubert's... Austin American Statesman http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037700/posts#comment Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:35:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037402/posts Leaders Commission Todd Bentley at ‘Lakeland Outpouring’ The special service was billed by leaders as one of the greatest moments in revival history   [06.24.08] Canadian revivalist Todd Bentley, leader of the “Lakeland Outpouring,” was commissioned as an evangelist last night in a special ceremony in Lakeland, Fla., that was broadcast into millions of homes by God TV.   California pastors Ché Ahn and Bill Johnson, along with Canadian pastor John Arnott, laid hands on the 32-year-old Bentley while Peter Wagner, leader of the International Coalition of Apostles, read a statement about the need for apostolic alignment. Other prominent leaders... Charisma magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2037402/posts#comment Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:30:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2035191/posts CHARITY: Even some Pentecostals are skeptical of Todd Bentley’s tent revival | Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith Canadian Todd Bentley doesn't look much like a minister. The 32-year-old has body piercings and tattoos on his arms and neck, and he often dresses in black. But a minister of the gospel he is, or claims to be—and those claims have become the real story of a series of meetings Bentley is holding in Lakeland, Fla. Bentley's British Columbia-based Fresh Fire Ministries arrived in Lakeland on April 2 for five days of revival meetings at a local church. These services would... World Magazine http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2035191/posts#comment Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:50:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2034036/posts Whether the problems in America are plagues or not, God is still in control. The revisiting of the ten plagues of ancient Biblical times makes it easier to understand the reasons why America is in the mess that it is in today. All the possible plagues that have been mentioned could become even worse as days, months and years pass. But, one thing is for sure, if America does not repent as a nation, God will send some form of punishment. God will not be continually mocked by sinful Americans who rebel against Him. Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2034036/posts#comment Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:51:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2033339/posts Evangelist Bill Keller of LivePrayer a dot com ministry that has 2.4 million daily subscribers to Keller’s messages is leaving the seat open for Sen. Obama to answer questions about his Christian faith. Will he accept the invitation? The call is simple and cordial but the questions are biting and will not be easy to answer. Bill Keller has issued the public invitation by saying “I am sending a formal invitation to Senator Obama to sit down with me on camera and deal with these serious questions regarding what he believes about his Christian faith Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2033339/posts#comment Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:52:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2032250/posts From the natural disasters that have devastated thousands of lives around the globe to the bleak financial reports we’re hearing in our own country, it’s apparent we’re living in some serious times. We are an informed bunch with news alerts sent to us by email, text messaging, and the old standby—the TV screen. News seems to travel at the speed of light. But how much of this information is just too much? Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2032250/posts#comment Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:53:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2032007/posts JUNE 5--Last June, Matthew Lincoln was attending an evening service at his nondenominational Tennessee church when he approached the altar where a visiting minister was offering individual prayers for parishioners. Assigned "catchers" were present on the altar in case congregants fainted, fell, or otherwise lost control. When the minister, Robert Lavala, slightly touched his forehead, the Knoxville-area man "received the spirit and fell backwards." Except nobody was there to catch him, Lincoln charges in a $2.5 million lawsuit filed yesterday against Lakewind Church and its pastors. Lincoln, 58, claims that he fell backwards, striking his head against the "carpet-covered cement... The Smoking Gun http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2032007/posts#comment Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:25:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2031594/posts CH Spurgeon called it "the Down-Grade", when preachers and churches fell away from the pure Truth of God's Word for those methods and teachings that would appeal to the flesh. It ain't stopped and the technology of today make it obvious to anyone with spiritual discernment (that of the Holy Spirit) to see the danger and falsehood of "the Down-Grade". Let Us Reason Ministries http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2031594/posts#comment Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:08:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2031002/posts <p>Several factors have caused the United States to deny its Christian heritage. First, after World War II, many immigrants moved to the United States. Many of these immigrants brought with them their non-Christian religious beliefs and their undemocratic political ideologies. Also, as decades and centuries have passed, the number of people who belong to non-Christian religions has increased tremendously. Therefore, these non-Christian religions are giving Christianity some serious competition. As a result of this religious competition, Christianity is gradually losing its recognition as being America’s most favored religion.</p> Cross Action News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2031002/posts#comment Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:36:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2027903/posts The great harlot of revelations. It seems I caused a lot of confussion by not taking more time in writing the thread, mayby I should have put some smileys in it to let people know that it was not a hate thread, I do not hate the church,s.Please do not take this as an apoligy, I admit that I am a grade school drop out and should have watched my spelling and grammar, but what I wrote was meant to be guestions in the form of comments. that should be easy to understand even for me and much easier for... The great harlot of revelations http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2027903/posts#comment Sun, 8 Jun 2008 16:13:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2026583/posts A new Web site is offering a miraculous service — e-mails sent to loved ones left behind on Earth after you've been swept up to heaven in the Rapture. YouveBeenLeftBehind.com promises to alert up to 62 people exactly six days after the event that, according to the Bible, signals the beginning of Armageddon, Wired magazine's Threat Level reports. "You've Been Left Behind gives you one last opportunity to reach your lost family and friends for Christ," the site promoting the service says. Final e-mails from vanished subscribers will be triggered when three of the site's five Christian staffers fail to... FOXNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2026583/posts#comment Thu, 5 Jun 2008 18:12:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2022871/posts Remember to take some time for prayer. This is the Lord's will. The worlds smallest bird, a hummingbird and as mentioned in the Bible, a sparrow, is always being noticed and looked upon by God. YouTube Video http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2022871/posts#comment Thu, 29 May 2008 10:55:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2020660/posts Doctrines RomanCatholic EasternOrthodox Anglican/Episcopal UnitedMethodist Lutheran Reformed/Presbyterians Southern Baptist Trinitarian Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Apostolic Succession Y Y Y     N N Roman Papal Infallibility Y N N N N N N Immaculate Conception of Mary Y N N N N N N Assumption of Mary Y Y N     N N Purgatory Y N N N N N N Celibacy of the Clergy Y Higher only N N   N N Infant Baptism Y Y, Triune  Y     Y N Transubstantiation Y N N N N N N Consubstantiation N Y Some... BibleFacts.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2020660/posts#comment Sat, 24 May 2008 12:35:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2017923/posts It can be a little intimidating in a Reformed context to admit that one is Pentecostal. It's a bit like being at the ballet and letting it slip that you're partial to NASCAR and country music. Both claims tend to clear a room. And yet I happily define myself as a Reformed charismatic, a Pentecostal Calvinist. It's been said that testimony is the poetry of Pentecostal experience, so permit me to begin with a personal poem to provide some background. I wasn't raised in the church; rather, I was quite "miraculously saved" the day after my 18th birthday through my... Christianity Today http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2017923/posts#comment Mon, 19 May 2008 04:24:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2014229/posts Thank you, Pastor Gruen for the opportunity to ask you some questions. 1. Did you ever hear the rumor that you recanted "aberrant practices "? If so what was your reaction?I was more disappointed, than shocked. I was disappointed that Mike Bickle and/or his I-hop staff would willfully, deliberately spread lies and it continues to this day. I receive several e-mails a month asking if I recanted, etc. (See e-mail I received this week in question #7.)2. What were you going through when you wrote your report?I really received tremendous support locally, and was not attacked by other ministers, so... The Grey Coats http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2014229/posts#comment Sat, 10 May 2008 23:41:23 GMT