A christian center with free resources, Information and Links

Apologetics Conference: Calvary Chapel Downey is hosting an Apologetics Conference on Sat., July 31. Come out and glean from some excellent speakers: *Norman Geisler, "Understanding and Answering the Emergent Church"; Paul Copan, "Responding to Relativism with Absolutes"; Ron Rhodes, "The Reliability of the New Testament"; *Ergun Caner, "5 Reasons Why I am not a Muslim"; Doug Geivett, "If God, Why Evil?"; William Dembski, "The Scientific Case for Intelligent Design"; and Patty Tunnicliffe, "Oprah Winfrey". For cost and detailed information, contact CC Downey's Church office [Source: www.cccsdowney.org/high-school/monthly-letter/]. -- Dr. Norman Geisler's Speaking Schedule - July 31, [2010] Calvary Chapel (Downey, CA), Apologetics Conference [Source: www.normangeisler.net/schedule2.html] [article link]

New Southern California Seminary Founded by Norman Geisler and Joseph Holden in MURRIETA, California - Veritas Seminary is planning their first annual apologetics conference for November 6-7 [2009], featuring lectures by distinguished pastors and apologists including Ravi Zacharias, *Norman Geisler, *Chuck Smith [Sr.], *Ergun Caner [LU], Lee Strobell, Ron Rhodes, Greg Koukl and others

MURRIETA, Calif., April 9 [2009]/Christian Newswire/ -- Former Dean and President of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES), Norman Geisler, has founded Veritas Evangelical Seminary in Murrieta, California, with co-founder and former SES student, Joseph Holden, who now serves as the seminary's first president. The founding of the institution has added a classically oriented apologetic curriculum with a strong emphasis on biblical inerrancy to the southern California area that hosts other larger universities such as Biola University, Fuller Seminary, and Azusa Pacific University. The Veritas faculty consists of well-known evangelical scholars and authors such as Randall Price, H. Wayne House, *Ergun Caner, Gary Habermas, Thomas Ice, Ron Rhodes, Arnold Fruchtenbaum and others. -- When asked of the need for such a unique seminary President Holden said, 'I see Veritas Seminary as an answer to the rapid slide away from the classical doctrines of Christianity such as the inerrancy of Scripture, the immutable and timelessly eternal nature of God, and the need to proclaim the gospel to a lost and searching world. In large part this is due to the influence of postmodernism on the thinking on some faculty and students. No longer can we take it for granted that one's church or school will hold fast to these cherished beliefs. Thus, our focus is not on the academic degree or credential one will earn, the stakes are much higher today, it is on the equipping of the Body of Christ and personal transformation by the Holy Spirit. What is needed today is an academic reformation and spiritual revival.' Since it's founding in March 2009, Veritas Seminary has experienced unprecedented support and enrollment by students and faculty seeking a safe learning environment. Holden said, 'The seminary's first course, Introduction to Apologetics, was taught by Dr. Geisler to a nearly full classroom of students from diverse backgrounds, all seeking a safe haven from the ideologies that are driving the shift away from sound doctrine.' Veritas Seminary is planning their first annual apologetics conference for November 6-7, featuring lectures by distinguished pastors and apologists including Ravi Zacharias, Norman Geisler, Chuck Smith, Ergun Caner, Lee Strobell, Ron Rhodes, Greg Koukl and others. For more information concerning Veritas Evangelical Seminary visit www.VeritasSeminary.com [article link]

Calvary Chapel Bible College located in Murrieta California [since about 1996] - Calvary Chapel Bible College is affiliated with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa where Chuck Smith [Sr.] is the pastor - All members of the Bible College staff are employees and ministers of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, under the direction of Pastor Chuck Smith and Associate Pastor Brian Brodersen [Note: associate pastor Brian Brodersen is just Chuck Smith's son in law.]

Affiliation: Calvary Chapel Bible College is affiliated with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa where Chuck Smith is the pastor. All members of the Bible College staff are employees and ministers of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, under the direction of Pastor Chuck Smith and Associate Pastor Brian Brodersen. -- Letter From The President: God is moving mightily by His Holy Spirit in this generation and we praise Him for His mighty works. As a part of what God is doing by His Spirit worldwide, He has raised up the Calvary Chapel ministries to help feed His people with His Word. At Calvary Chapel Bible College, men and women from all over the world gather together in the beautiful Murrieta Hot Springs oasis of Southern California to study the Word of God with Calvary Chapel pastors. May God bless you richly with His abundant love. Pastor Chuck Smith, President -- As the Vice President of the Bible College, Pastor Brian Brodersen works closely with Pastor Chuck and the Bible College Director, Pastor David Shirley to shape the vision of CCBC. Brian has been involved in pastoral ministry for over 20 years. He has served as Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Vista in Southern California, and also as Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Westminster in London, England. Brian has been extensively involved in missionary work throughout various parts of Europe. Brian is the featured speaker on the Bible teaching program 'Back to Basics' as well as the co-host of the live call-in program 'Pastor's Perspective.' Pastor Brian Brodersen, Vice President. [article link]

Greg Laurie [Harvest Crusade] Connects Purpose Driven [Rick Warren] to a Move of God - Gives Financial Support - In addition to Greg Laurie's letter to pastors regarding Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, Lighthouse Trails has also learned that Laurie is also helping to finance Warren's September [2008] event in New York - Lighthouse Trails contacted the New York City Leadership group this past week after we learned that Laurie's name was on their website showing him to be a sponsor - The New York City office said that this sponsorship is in the way of financial support and is for Rick Warren's September conference - This coming November [2008] Greg Laurie will present "Preach the Word" a conference for Pastors and Leaders - Those joining him will include Alistair Begg, Chuck Smith, and John MacArthur - Perhaps these three men can help Greg Laurie remember the simple and true faith he found so many years ago {Note: The hidden danger in donating to marginal ministries like Greg Laurie's Harvest Crusade is that some of the finances are then directly used [as a result of compromise and consensus building techniques] in some of the very ministries [purpose driven and emergent church events] that reject sound Biblical doctrine.}

On May 6th, [2008] Greg Laurie, pastor of mega-church Harvest Christian Fellowship wrote a letter to pastors and church leaders in the New York region, announcing his Harvest Crusade 2008 in New York City on October 19th. This letter to pastors and leaders is causing confusion among some because of its content, and this Lighthouse Trails report will examine this issue. Greg Laurie is best known as a Calvary Chapel pastor. His church is listed on the Calvary Chapel website, and Laurie often speaks at Calvary Chapel functions. And it is Laurie's connection with Calvary Chapel that presents a great dilemma. Two years ago, in May of 2006, Calvary Chapel issued a "Parson to Parson" letter, in which a statement was made against the emerging church and contemplative spirituality. The following month, at the 2006 Senior Pastor's Conference, Calvary Chapel founder and pastor, Chuck Smith, told the senior pastors that Calvary Chapel as a whole was rejecting various movements and practices that have been taking place within the Christian church at large as well as in some Calvary Chapel churches. According to a number of pastors in attendance, who afterwards spoke with Lighthouse Trails, Smith asked that those Calvary Chapel pastors who were going in the direction of the emerging church would no longer call themselves Calvary Chapel churches. One week later, Calvary Chapel instructed its distribution center to immediately remove all of Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life books from its center. The statement read: "The teaching and positions of Rick Warren have come into conflict with us at Calvary Chapel. Pastor Chuck has directed us to discontinue this product effective immediately." ... And now this brings us to the unpleasant task of reporting that Greg Laurie is giving a strong promotion of Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, which means he is indirectly promoting contemplative and emerging (which we will explain later in this article), and directly promoting Purpose Driven. And unfortunately, there is a twist to this story. In Laurie's May 2008 letter to pastors and leaders, Laurie talks about his upcoming crusade in New York City, saying, in reference to it, "God is on the move." He then states that "[t]his move is also seen in the formation of the New York City Leadership group. Under their direction, a community-wide 40 Days of Purpose campaign with Pastor Rick Warren has been launched, and the significant services of Bill Hybels' Leadership Summit conferences are also being organized to strengthen the local church." ... This report will obviously be disheartening to many Calvary Chapel pastors and church goers who have believed that their movement was going to press forward into the future without these un-biblical movements. Laurie's current promotion and financial backing of Rick Warren will cause many to wonder just which direction the Calvary Chapel movement will really end up going. ... This coming November Greg Laurie will present "Preach the Word," a conference for Pastors and Leaders. Those joining him will include Alistair Begg, Chuck Smith, and John MacArthur. Perhaps these three men can help Greg Laurie remember the simple and true faith he found so many years ago. [article link]

JIM WALLIS ADMITS TO SOROS FUNDING - George Soros, one of the leading billionaire leftists - he has financed groups promoting abortion, atheism, same-sex marriage, and gargantuan government - bankrolled Sojourners with a $200,000 grant in 2004 - Since then Sojourners has received at least two more grants from Soros organizations - In a Patheos interview, Wallis suggested that Olasky was lying "No, we don't receive money from Soros" - And now it seems Wallis has done an about face - Wallis released a statement through a spokesperson to Patheos - I should have declined to comment until I was able to review the blog post in question and consulted with our staff on the details of our funding over the past several years [The Reverend Jim Wallis is an evangelical Christian writer and political activist, best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, and of the Washington, D.C. based Christian community of the same name - Wallis actively eschews political labels, but his advocacy tends to focus on issues of peace and social justice, earning him his primary support from the religious left - Wiki.com]

George Soros, one of the leading billionaire leftists - he has financed groups promoting abortion, atheism, same-sex marriage, and gargantuan government - bankrolled Sojourners with a $200,000 grant in 2004. A year later, here's how Jim rebutted a criticism of "religious progressives" for being allied with Soros and MoveOn.org: "I know of no connections to those liberal funds and groups that are as direct as the Religious Right's ties to right-wing funders." Since then Sojourners has received at least two more grants from Soros organizations. Sojourners revenues have more than tripled-from $1,601,171 in 2001-2002 to $5,283,650 in 2008-2009-as secular leftists have learned to use the religious left to elect Obama and others. However, apparently Jim Wallis took exception to this: In a Patheos interview, Wallis suggested that Olasky was lying. "It's not hyperbole or overstatement to say that Glenn Beck lies for a living. I'm sad to see Marvin Olasky doing the same thing. No, we don't receive money from Soros. Given the financial crisis of nonprofits, maybe Marvin should call Soros and ask him to send us money. Then it gets worse for Wallis: Jay Richards of National Review and Olasky responded to Wallis. Here's Olasky again: Want to see for yourself what someone apparently did not want you to see? Click here to download the PDF, go to page 225, and you'll see the grant to Sojourners. And now it seems Wallis has done an about face: Wallis released a statement through a spokesperson to Patheos. I should have declined to comment until I was able to review the blog post in question and consulted with our staff on the details of our funding over the past several years. Instead, I answered in the spirit of the accusation and did not recall the details of our funding. You can read this CT piece by Sarah Pulliam Bailey right here. [article link]

Part 6 - 9-11-2001 - A Pact with the Devil

What is generaly being taught [Tithing, Dominion Now, New Apostolic Reformation, Inner Sanctuary, The Secret, New Age - Emergent Church, etc.] in Churches throughout America since the fateful day of 9-11-2001 is radically different from the [Bible Study, Devotions, Prayer, Fellowship, Holiness, Righteousness, Truth, Eternity, Reality, Life in Jesus Christ] that was generally being preached before 9-11-2001. The events of 9-11-2001 are highly debatable yet one diabolical aspect of 9-11-2001 remains and that is that the events of that day were a deliberate Occult [Chaos] offering to Satan. Not surprisingly it now seems that many leaders in the Christian Church have joined in [or had previous knowledge of a pending, disastrous event that was to befall America] - joined in on the secret plan to disable the Christian Church and deliver America over to a united [occult] NWO world government. [article link]

Wikipedia.org: Mike MacIntosh "a Ground Zero Chaplain" - the senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, California a Calvary Chapel affiliate - [Book] (2002) When Your World Falls Apart: Life Lessons from a Ground Zero Chaplain by Mike MacIntosh, Foreward by Anne Graham Lotz {Wow! 9-11 books and bracelets - some Calvary Chapel pastors seemed to see 9-11 as an opportunity to make some quick money. No wonder Calvary Chapel Pastors don't investigate [or even publically talk about] the possible NYC 9-11-2001 events because it seems in their best interest (best income opportunities) to go along with the official 9-11 version of events.}

Mike MacIntosh (born 1944) is the senior pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego, California, and is a Christian leader in the United States. MacIntosh left the hippie scene of the 1960s and got involved with Calvary Chapel. He then went on to pastor Horizon Christian Fellowship, a Calvary Chapel affiliate, beginning in 1974. He is also the organizer of Festival of Life, an international evangelical outreach program. MacIntosh has also served as a chaplain for the San Diego Police Department, and has been involved in post-9/11 rescue efforts in New York City, as documented in his book When Your World Falls Apart. [When Your World Falls Apart (2002): Life Lessons from a Ground Zero Chaplain by Mike MacIntosh, Foreward by Anne Graham Lotz - Amazon.com] -- An Unofficial Associate Pastor: An example of this is Calvary of Albuquerque [pastor Skip Hietzig] where Skip's wife, Lenya, functioned almost as a pastor for women. Her "9-11 bracelet" idea [was it her idea alone or was it a 'think tank' religion idea being passed along through Lenya Hietzig?] ended up costing the church hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory write-offs. - Source: http://calvarychapel.pbworks.com/pastors-wife [article link]

Part 7 - Perilous Days

The days are perilous and becoming more so not because mankind is becoming more and more wicked but because mankind is becoming more and more neglectful and forgetful of the plans, personality and reality of who God really is. The worst of the problem is that it is within the Church that God is being the most neglected and the most misrepresented. [article link]

As it was in the Days of Noah - The time leading up to the Great Flood was a lot like our time in that it was characterized by a deliberate and increasing disregard for the ways of God -- "Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man [Jesus] be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe (Noah) entered into the ark, And [they] knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man (Matt 24:37). The time leading up to the Great Flood was a lot like our time in that it was characterized by a deliberate and increasing disregard for the ways of God. Finally "the Lord saw how great man's wickedness on earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time" (Gen. 6:5). ... the sequence of events suddenly became so obvious to me. Enoch was taken alive from earth and the Holy Spirit was withdrawn. Then in Gen. 6:5 man's behavior is described as having become unbearably wicked and in Gen. 7 the judgement came, in that order. Enoch's name means teaching and according to Jude 14-15 he gave the first prophecy of the 2nd coming. ... If Enoch is indeed a model of the church and if the Lord's prophecy of Matt 24:37 includes the sequence of events, as seems likely, then one day soon we will be taken alive (raptured) from earth, the Holy Spirit withdrawn. Man's behavior will become unbearably wicked and the judgement will come, all in that order. As it was in the days of Noah. Selah. [article link]

Part 8 - Hidden Agendas

The perilous days [neglect of the plans of God] are being brought to us directly from the pulpits of America as the preachers in America are conforming to and confirming the preaching of the hidden messages and hidden agendas of the world. Messages and agendas that are secretly intended to disassociate mankind from a true relationship with God and once disassociated to then falsely unite mankind within any of the many false religions of today. [article link]

Holiness.mp3 the #1 Download from Basic Christian for 2010 (Mp3)

Christian music with message compilations. [article link]

Part 9 - A False Hope

Along with the false religions both ancient and new, comes a false hope. It is a false hope to think that financing the lifestyle of an individual is actually furthering the Kingdom of God on earth. It is a false hope to think that to exalt one man or woman above another is to further the Kingdom of God on earth. It is a false hope to think that anything apart from Jesus Christ Himself is furthering the Kingdom of God on earth.
[article link]

Jesus came to seek the lost Hallelujah! - Pace, be Still [Jesus calms the storms] - Know that Jesus is God - [he-came.mp3] (Mp3)

Christian music with message compilations. [article link]

Part 10 - Conclusion: The Real Hope - Jesus Christ

On November 5-6, 2010 Dr. Norman Geisler, Ergun Caner and several others will enter the Church sanctuary of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa (located in Santa Anna) CA, not to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ but to continue the lies; to deceive, manipulate and control the assembled people into a prearranged pseudo religion. A pseudo man-made, man-exalting religion that seeks to serve God less and man more. The host, Pastor Chuck Smith likes to play the role of a mature Christian yet he never seems to actually do anything that is emotionally Christian mature and instead compromises in the immature nature of prestige and adoration all the while neglecting a true Christian commitment to real Christian values and real Christian integrity. - The choice is clear and is becoming clearer each day and that is that Christians can continue to go down this path of lies and deceit being led by one of the many willing participants like Pastor Chuck Smith or Christians can seek God in our own devotions to God and find God on our own or in small fellowships born of everlasting truth, righteousness and accountability. -- "Isaiah 5:13-25 Therefore My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth [in the mishaps of others], shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: **But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is Holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: *That [mockers] say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: *Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the Law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. [Though] For all this His anger [God] is not turned away, but His Hand is stretched out [in a relationship with mankind] still." [article link]
Conclusion - The Vagabond Priesthood (i.e. Emerging Church): Definitions of the Vagabond Priesthood -- "Acts 19:13-17 Then (1)certain of the vagabond Jews, (2)exorcists, took upon them [themselves] to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you (3)by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests [lit. the Vagabond High Priest], which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and (4)overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (5)And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified."
1. The Vagabond Priesthood was a vagrant, wandering sect of pseudo Judaism attempting to Merchandise their minimal knowledge and abilities to the local populations. 2. Good intentions are a part of the Vagabond Priesthood in that its practitioners are generally out to perform a service (exorcism) for the good of mankind. Note: both good works and money were a motivating factor but money and reputation surpassed the works of good intentions. 3. Plagiarism and borrowing from other religions (i.e. New Age Religions, Cults) is a common and acceptable practice within the Vagabond Priesthood. 4. Ultimately the Vagabond Priesthood not being grounded in either reality or in Biblical Truth the Vagabond Priesthood is a powerless priesthood. 5. The Vagabond Priesthood being a pseudo and powerless priesthood is a contrary [don't do what they do] witness to mankind. [article link]

Conclusion - Return of the Scapegoat: The return of the scapegoat brought with it the omen of great destruction for the city of Jerusalem (Luke 23:28)