Yaconelli and Foster and Nouwen OH MY!
October 11, 2003
[I write this post as I sit upstairs in my room while over 30 women sing "This is the Day" while clapping downstairs. I live with a host-family and my host-mom is hosting the women's retreat again this year. [Now they've moved on to "He Has Made Me Glad"] I can’t complain too much though because I walked downstairs when they were all arriving and I got to walk through the buffet line of amazing(!) cakes and pastries…]
I ran across this link today at looking out from my little place. My goodness. Do “these companies” [even as I write..."these"...I'm reminded of a conversation a friend and I had about "those Christians" recently...and John Fischer's great article in the Sept/Oct issue of Relevant...it's called "Those Christians" if you can find it anywhere] have anything better to do than attack an organization that provides support, encouragement, training, resources, etc., etc, to thousands of pastors, youth pastors and youth worker volunteers? [I'm sorry to keep interjecting, but they are now singing a song that is to the tune of..."B-I-N-G-O, and Bingo was his name-oh!"]
So, this publishing company, which claims to “publish books that make a difference”, has it out for Youth Specialties, Richard Foster (& Renovare), Brennan Manning, Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and Eugene Peterson’s The Message [they link to an article entitled "What Kind of message is The Message?"].
While Lighthouse Trails investigates and questions many who have laid a solid foundation for spirituality and the lack thereof in today’s evangelical circles, they have published a book called A Time of Departing: How a Universal Spirituality Is Changing the Face of Christianity and recommends the following books: Far From Rome, Near to God: Testimonies of Fifty Converted Roman Catholic Priests [because Catholics must not be Christians...right?], The Seduction of Christianity [in which the author even attacks Robert Schuller and James Dobson and discusses the growing danger of the acceptance and practice of holistic medicine], and The Less Traveled Road and the Bible: A Scriptural Critique of the Philosophy of M. Scott Peck.
Not much to say about this. Except…what the hell? I know that if I spend time bashing this publishing company here, I’m simply doing the very thing that I’m ranting about. But…when will some Christians stop feeling the need to make sure that everyone knows their viewpoint (which is 100% true, absolute, verifiable, etc….right) is the Truth?
Tags: Lighthouse-Trails, Richard-Foster
Posted in Rants
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
October 12th, 2003 at 11:26 am
Oh man.
Maybe there’s an upside to all this. I see this Ray Yungen dude is speaking at a conference in Hawaii.
Maybe we need to go hear what the man has to say?
October 12th, 2003 at 10:11 pm
i’m up for a trip to Hawaii … what d’ya say Adam?
October 17th, 2003 at 8:50 am
Millions of Christians and Christian leaders do, in fact, promote and believe that Richard Foster’s teaching is Biblically solid. Well other than the fact that Richard Foster endorses Carl Jung who drew his theology from a demon-spirit guide named Philemon via divination and was an enemy of Christ, believes in astral projection, summoning down a spirit and calling him Jesus, praying and meditating with vain repetitions which Jesus said not to do, supports Roman Catholicism which is responsible for the slaughter of millions of martrys (the Pope kissing the Koran..the religion of peace), promotes Buddhist sympathizers Thomas Merton and Henry Nouwen, and a host of other Eastern Meditation and New Age teachers…other than that Richard Foster is a good sound Biblical teacher!
Still not convinced that Richard Foster is a clear and present danger to the Church? Then visit these three websites:
http://withchrist.org/MJS/renovare.htm
and
http://www.seekgod.ca/renovare.htm
and
http://www.cephasministry.com/new_age_richard_foster.html
Still not convinced that Richard Foster is a false teacher, then email me and I will send you my complete dialogue with Lynda Graybeal, Administrator for Richard Foster and RENOVARE….and for anyone who thinks I am unfairly attacking a good brother in Christ, you will get to read their side of the story too!
Kindest regards in Christ,
James Sundquist
President
Rock Salt Publishing
October 17th, 2003 at 11:25 am
James Sundquist:
A) You obviously don’t know the difference between Eastern and Christian meditation.
B) The practices Foster describes go back well before the “New Age” movement. Saying meditation is “New Age” because new agers do it is like saying prayer is “New Age” because new agers do it.
C) Imagination in prayer is fundamentally different from astral projection.
D) Next you are going to say Paul was a new ager and praciticed astral projection because he told the Corinthians he didn’t know whether or not he was in his body or not or he was with them in spirit.
October 17th, 2003 at 11:40 am
Mr. James Sundquist :: What I hear you saying is that you disagree with Richard Foster. . .
I, for one, will glady sit with the pagans, the clear and present dangers of the church , if among them are Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster, Thomas Merton, Borg, and the like.
God help us when we call good evil and evil good.
October 17th, 2003 at 11:50 am
thanks for the post and heads up, if you ever want to come up and hang out let us know, we are doing a gathering in early december that could be a cool time to hang out and get to know you guys.
December 21st, 2003 at 11:51 pm
As the publisher of A Time of Departing, a book which challenges the teachings of those who promote contemplative prayer, I challenge anyone who will read this book to do so and see if then they cannot see more clearly our concerns. If any one is sincerely willing to read the book, email us and we will send you a complimentary copy.
January 16th, 2004 at 10:27 am
For over 20 plus years these false teaching have been bouncing around in Christian book stores, so many of our christian leaders have egg on their face, the embarrassment that their going through is tough, But thats pride, there is no saving face, in regards to these teachings, If you want to continue to follow Christ, Repent! God forgives!
November 2nd, 2004 at 7:53 am
Well I have been waiting for this for a while now — the poor and misguided “christians” who have always been in the Church, attacking solid teaching. I understand where they are coming from because I was there. SO there is hope that with time and a lot of love and understanding from spiritually sound leaders they can learn the historic orthodox faith and life that has preceded them by hundreds of years, and experience authentic faith and prayer…. I am amazed that they do not see the pride they have fallen into, and the error of their ways. I am also certain much of this is caused as a result of ignorance and of course false teaching of a most virulent fundamentalist variety. I have compassion on them and my only prayer is that the deep love of God will reach their hearts in the grace and truth that has come by Jesus….It has been my experience that it will take time for false teaching rooted and grounded in pride, fear and legalism to be replaced by the true humility, the profound love and the beauty of true holiness — experienced in the historic, orthodox faith and found in the “one holy, catholic and apostolic church.” May the peace of Christ which passes understanding be with you all, and the love of God be your guide.
April 30th, 2005 at 4:55 pm
Bravo for James Sundquist and Dave Dombrowski!! James, you are a true brother who relies on the truth set forth in God’s Word. The Bible is the expert manual on falst teachers, as Christ and the apostles had much to say about them and to warn people about them. False teachers are the devils greatest tool. I love your book “Who’s Driving the Purpose Driven Church” and “A Time of Departing” is excellently written straight out on the truth of scripture.
For the person who said that New Age hasn’t always been around…actually it has. It just hasn’t always been called “New Age.” It was reinvented, repackaged, and renamed as if it is a new thing. New Age is another name for that which is of the occult. It combines all sorts of mysticism and ecumenism together to form a philosophy that glorifies human beings over God. Whatever name is used to describe it, whether it be universalism, new consciousness, interspirituality, the new enlightenment, or New Age it is still the same old lie the Devil sold Eve in the Garden of Eden some 6,000 years ago. He had to repackage it to make it more attractive for each generation. In our current generation when so many people are fooled into thinking they are gods, the New Age concept fits in quite well, having been made very attractive to a generation seeking the One True God without realizing it.
Search the holy scriptures. In them you will find true understanding.
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
I agree with both James and Dave. Lighthouse Trails along with Daves wife Deb puts out well researched and acurate information based on a correct intrepretation of scripture. James is in there fighting the good fight as well.
Im actually tired of calling people who promote the occult like Richard Foster and Dan Kimball as well ,brothers in Christ. They are not brothers. We still need to love and pray for those who have fallen away such as Dan and Richard but those who promote the occult we will need to distance ourselves from such.
guys like Dan Kimball worm there way and deceive Christians even solid guys like Steve Camp.
My own mother practiced Lectio went on a Cursillo as well as a Emmaus Walk back in the 60’s way before these rituals were in vogue.
You have no idea what the long term fruit of these practices are.
I do. My mom as pretty much went total new age/ the divine in her route.
This is the fruit of these practices.
I recomend you buy a case of “Time Of Departing” and even if your church is not interested in teaching the book do your own in home study.
Most important compare anything taught up to the light of scripture.
This is not a promotion for Dave and Deb but Rays book really is that good.
And it will help educate you in the great falling away and the great deception we are right in the middle of.
Peace and Blessings
Tim Wirth