Letters are a lively and rewarding aspect of our work.
We are thankful for all expressions of support -- there have been many -- and for the donations.
To conserve space we have refrained from publishing all of the appreciative remarks. This in NO way diminishs our gratitude. Please keep those LETTERS coming...
Correspondence:
CORRECTION
In the printed issue of our
CWM publication, # 29, we showed the incorrect photo.
However we now have the correct photo for the
Virgin of Guadalupe on our Web Site.
View it
HERE...
In addtion we inadvertently left off the author's name. This is now on the Web site article.
CWM regrets this oversight.
PRO-ACTIVE OR RE-ACTIVE:Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD ... heard it, and a book of remembrance was written... for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.
And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that does not serve Him (Malachi 3:16-18).
A number of people from Uniting, Pentecostal and Charismatic church back-grounds, who, for various reasons, have left or are considering leaving their denominations, have asked us about setting up something to which those of like precious faith can relate.
I have always been reluctant to initiate anything that savours of denominationalism.
However, I can see the benefit of some sort of ministers’ and churches’ network for administrative purposes such as the issuing of credentials and marriage permits etc and for inter-church fellowship within Australia and New Zealand, especially in the light of the encroaching darkness of apostasy and the ecumenical drift, which we believe will continue and increase — see other News and Letters, below.
With this in mind we are inviting ALL pastors, elders and other Christian or Church leaders to express interest or intent to attend a special discussion meeting during either or both of the time slots when Dave Hunt is scheduled to visit Brisbane Sept 3-7, 2004) and Melbourne (Sept 12-14, 2004).
This will allow an opportunity to hear one of today’s best christian apologists and hopefully to set up a working party (
WP) (may be two working parties) to look at a pilot scheme as to whether we should proceed with this matter and if so how best to do it.
If you are interested in at least considering the idea please write to our
CWM Office at Loch Sport in Victoria indicating which time slot is best for you. Please state your church connection and position.
Those who register interest and provide contact details will be informed as soon as possible if either or both events will proceed.
CWM cannot undertake to organise accommodation, but at least you can attend and share your views without facing a registration fee.
In the case of Brisbane, the meeting will be held during the daytime on Monday Sept 6). In the case of Melbourne it can be scheduled during the daytime on Monday or Tuesday (Sept 13/14).
Please state your preference.
The discussion is separate from the
Dave Hunt Tour and does not involve our guest speaker in any way.
The idea would be to meet for further discussion and decision in say March 2005.
The plan would be for the WP to include all options in their inquiries including the possibility of recommending a group that may be established already.
CWM won't reinvent the wheel where a good one exists and is operating well.
Please let us know ASAP.
Hello Christian Witness,
I just had to say thank you, to you and your faithful staff. I live in Texas in the USA and I have been so concerned about the rush to embrace the movie “The Passion” by so many if not almost entirely the churches in my area.
I went to see the movie and had some concerns.
Yes it was moving and yes, as a Christian who studies the Bible I saw many things I could agree with. But, as a Christian who is also involved in teaching people how to witness to their loved ones caught in cults and false faiths, I saw many things that were references to Catholicism, both subtle and not so subtle if you knew the Bible and/or the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church.
I am so delighted to find others who are Christians with whom I can
“[27] stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel [28] without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you” (Phil. 1). Thank you again, and may God continue to bless you.
Debbie in the USA
Dear Philip,
Thank you for what you are doing.
You may remember us.
The Experience of Ultimate Truth by Michael Graham (28 years into Yoga — “once a Guru now a Christian”) was sold in AOG, Spring St., Toowoomba. {A church} that amongst others followed the Toronto Blessing.
Strangely, the following appeared in the book, (p.49)
“There are many energetic phenomena in the cosmic area. Three of these are of the same genre and are almost identical.
One was a burgeoning that sprang forth spearheaded by Muktananda (a Hindu) beginning in 1947 out of India. Another emerged through Pak Subuh (a Moslem) around the same time out of Indonesia. And there was yet another that came to be known as The Toronto Blessing, which appeared in Christian Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches in 1994. Each of these awakenings is non-volitional and is characterized by a similar range of spontaneous body movements and postures, unusual breathing, utterances and interior states, etc. that are far more comprehensive in scope than other genres of energetic phenomena.”
The above says what it was.
Re Hillsong music: In India we sometimes watched TV God Channelfrom England, a 24-hour “Christian” channel.
Sadly, it was evident that the Hillsong entertaining brand of song service and jumping up and down, had arrived in churches in that country.
In Christ
Peter and Irene Faulkes, Queensland
The following correspondence interactions are included to provide an insight to the sorts of discussions that go on as a result of
CWM’s preaching and publications.
The first is from a layman and the other two from ministers. Names have been withheld for privacy purposes.
BRISBANE 31 – TV:
I have just finished watching your program on Briz31, Sunday 4th January.
During the broadcast a comment was made regarding Theophostic; it was referred to as being of the occult. The definition of Theophostic is as follows: Theo means God, and phosticmeans God’s Light. Thus Theophostic = God’s Light.
Didn’t Jesus say, “I AM The Light of the world” (John 8:12)? Then Jesus again spoke to them saying,
“I am the Light of the world. The one following Me will in no way walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Please understand that it is better to have understanding. I look forward to hearing from you. Please pass this on to whoever was preaching on Bris31 on Sunday 4th January. Thank you.
Editorial Response: Thanks for your comment.
I am the person who was preaching on BRIS 31 on Sunday. Maybe I should have explained more carefully the basis of my claim that “Theophostic Counselling” is linked to the occult. Lots of groups who use words that may superficially relate to God and to biblical things are none-the-less occult based. This is one of them.
We publish a free quarterly magazine called “Contending EARNESTLY for THE Faith” (CETF). In the current issue, which will be posted this coming week, there is more information about Theophostic Counselling and links to a very good American based organisation called “Psycho-Heresy” (www.pamweb.org). They re-search the many psychologically based ideas that have invaded the “church”.
It is worth getting hold of this material. If you email your contact details I will mail you a copy of the magazine and will arrange to place you on our regular data-base so that you hear about the things that we address.
God bless you.
Thank you for writing.
Kind regards
Philip L. POWELL
THEOPHOSTIC COUNSELLING:
MARCH 12, 2004 – To CWM:
Choice Christian Greetings!
Hello my friends!
As you know I have been with you in this heresy fight especially amongst the AOG.
However, I ran across an article in your archives that you may want to give a second look. Re “Linkcare & Christian Psychology”. There are many generalizations there with no real evidence. I under-stand the good missionary had a bad experience at a “Christian Counselling” experience and that is truly unfortunate, especially when you are seeking marital assistance.
MARCH 13, 2004 – From Philip Powell
PLP: Thanks for your letter.
Sorry if we conveyed the impression that we are against all forms of counselling.
That is NOT the case.
There is definite biblical counselling. I have a good friend who runs a counselling service and in fact gets financial support from the Australian Government to do so and amazingly it is totally Bible based.
If we have conveyed this false impression then I will try to correct it after I have given thought to what we wrote. In the meanwhile however here are some responses to what you have written below.
My comments are after yours.
Writer: However, while Linkcare may be the culprit here, and I do emphasize may be, not all Christian counselling centres are guilty nor is all Psychology, Christian or otherwise bad, evil and/or satanic.
PLP: I agree with you and I do NOT think we said they were, though if we inferred that then clearly we have conveyed a false impression.
Writer: I have been a Pastor for 13 years and a minister for 15 with the AOG. I also hold a B.A. in Psychology.
It has been my experience that the Bible simply affirms psychology and that the two do not have to work against each other. I suspect that Jesus Christ was our first Psychologist and a master at it.
PLP: Well that’s a pretty sweeping generalisation don’t you think?
Certainly it may affirm aspects of psychology but to say that it affirms “psychology” per se is a BIG claim.
Christ didn’t study Freud or rely on any form of modern “psychology” which is used in sales pitches etc.
Writer: When I went to the page that was responsible for the article I read this after an accusing introduction: Well, I should know if what you are saying is true.
What’s the evidence?
I’m glad you asked!
Let’s find out! The link provided takes me to another page advertising the Bobgan book and many other “for sell” items. Smacks of a Benny Hinn tactic, Phil.
PLP: I think … this is a bit “nit picky” on your part. The Bobgans naturally want to get their message out. They write books and they offer them for sale. Is that so bad? We all do it if we write books or produce tapes etc.
Writer: Even in your introduction to these people Phil you have submitted for evidence, subjective testimonies, one of which you admit to editing, as evidence of a harm.
PLP: I didn’t edit anything. One of the letters was edited by the original writer [author of the letter]. It was slightly different in our publication than the way it appeared in the Bobgan’s paper. The reason for this is that the man in question is based in Australia.
He is a retired surgeon and for reasons best known to himself wanted to retain anonymity.
I suspect that the main reason was in respect of his reference to what happened at the Church where he attends and where he ran up against the type of “counselling” that he decries.
That aside what is wrong with giving testimonies?
We have never spoken against that. We have simply suggested that subjective experiences should be brought to the “bar” of Scripture for test. Have we failed in this respect in this case — in your opinion?
Writer: Exactly where would we be Phil if we had accepted all the claims of healing on subjective testimonies alone? I am a bit disappointed.
PLP: I agree but do NOT know why you are disappointed. Testimonies are accept-able.
Even a court admits them as evidence but usually requires some corroborative support. In our case we refer to scripture as our objective support basis. By that I mean we should be prepared to allow inspection of the story as told both in respect of “fact” and of scriptural witness. This should be done both with positive (so called) and negative (so called) testimonies. Christianity is NOT solely objective. It is also subjective. If it doesn’t work out in experience we might as well shut up shop.
Writer: I thought you a voice crying in the wilderness and now I find out that you are part of organizational network with trappings that while different than our heresy friends are just as disturbing.
PLP: What do you mean by this?
Please explain.
We all have links somewhere and to someone.
We have no established links with the BOBGANS. What I have read of their work has impressed me and they do, like us, go against the stream. I have always had problems with some of the so called “psychological” approaches within AoG etc e.g. the Four Personality Traits etc. Many years ago I preached against it as being basically a carry over from Greek ideas about the four elements, which Paul says we should not focus on
— see his reference in Colossians and elsewhere. Sadly notions re the Four Personality traits have permeated the Pentecostal Church to the extent that it has replaced real Holy Spirit guided selection of leaders etc. It has also become a humanistic replacement for the “manifestations” of the Holy Spirit.
Writer: These are the reasons we are no longer effective in ministering to our world.
We provide no validity.
We must remain valid if we want to get our message across.
God’s blessings to you!
PLP: I agree that we should be valid and I assert that if we remain biblical we will always be valid. Wedon’t need Freud and his like. He was spiritistic in his basis and had an agenda which was anti-God and anti-Christian. It is amazing that so called ministers use his stuff and I trust you do NOT, notwithstanding your educational background in psychology.
I would recommend that you talk to Dave Hunt.
He helped my friend to switch from a ‘worldly” based counselling system to a totally Bible based counselling method.
There is a difference.
God bless you.
Thanks for writing and please feel free to respond.
Yours in Christ,
PLP
END NOTE: Several emails ensued without reaching agreement. In our view psycho-heresy has contributed to the apostasy as have the heresies of faith prosperity teaching and ecumenism. Contending earnestly for the faith must be on several fronts in our time. — PLP:
FROM THE CWM MAILER:
Please do not send me further information.
I find it completely disgusting.
I can-not recall anything like it in all my Christian life.
Even if all the things your emails contain were true, I find your attitude totally lacking in grace but rather filled with Pharisaism, gossip, slander and relish in revealing the sins and weaknesses of others in your self appointed “ministry” of accusing the brethren.
If the devil was to provide a critique of Christian ministry I wonder in what way it would be different from what you do.
Please do not contact me again while your (sic) are set in this direction.
The above letter was sent by email on March 30, 2004 as a response to our follow up March Mailer in which we made reference to Patrick of Ireland.
Philip Powell responded on the same day as follows:
How do you account for such a vitriolic attack upon us based on the kind and good things that we wrote about Patrick of Ireland?
I can only think that you failed to read what we wrote.
Please look at it again.
It’s all there for you to read—see below.
I don’t know who you are, but conclude that you must be blinded by your own prejudice to utter such ill chosen and critical comments about us.
YES, I will certainly remove you from my list and I presume our webmaster has acted on your request.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Philip L. Powell.
Some eight emails ensued over an allegation that CWM is a “fault finding” and “accusing of the brethren” ministry.
The following concluding comments were made by Philip on March 31 and April 2, 2004.
It is my considered opinion that it is because men like me have been intimidated by the outrageous claims of men like you that Christendom is in such a mess.
Those with discernment have failed to take their discernment into the public arena because they have perceived them-selves to be in a minority.
Well I won’t be intimidated by you or by anyone.
As I have already said I do not accept the notion that we ‘find fault’.
Obviously you have not
read the many biblical articles that we publish, which circulates to around 8,000 addresses worldwide.
Nor have you looked at our Monthly Mailers where there is Bible teaching as well as warning material.
For anyone to read even some of this and then conclude that our ministry is one of “fault finding” must be blind or illogical or something.
We never condemn.
Only God can do that, BUT we do judge and that is required of all of us.
I suggest you read the Scriptures and don’t base your ideas simply on what someone has taught you.
[
What we are about... ]
POLICY: We value and encourage your communications on any matter and especially on subjects raised in our publications. However due to the large amount of correspondence that we receive Philip Powell can not undertake to answer personal correspondence.
WE are receiving so many letters and emails that it is impractical to publish them all.
CWM issues a regular electronic Mailer, which among other things seeks to warn Christians about false doctrine and abusive practices within the Christian community. In the November 2003 issue under the heading “WOLVES” CWM republished a story from the Gold Coast Sun Newspaper entitled “Reach Out For Cash”. This story and three sequels can be read at URL where you can follow other URL links which show that this “financial scam” being presented by so called “Christian” Churches (especially the larger Charismatic or Pentecostal Churches) is a world-wide scourge. The following good advice resulted from our publishing the story.
You can join the CWM Mailer at http://www. christian-witness.org/join.html for future despatches.
Found this information useful?
Web Site by
S & R Cope in association with
July 2004 May not have appeared in any CWM Publication
"...contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" -- Jude v3
© Copyright 2006 Christian Witness Ministries, except where noted. All rights reserved
|
|
|
|
|
-Last revised-
Monday, October 09, 2006
