Jim Wallis Keynote Speaker at Lifest

Been doing some research on Jim Wallis this afternoon. Here are some quotes that I found:

“Jesus proclaimed, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand … He is saying that a whole new order is about to enter history, and if you want to be a part of it, you will need a change so fundamental that the Gospel of John would later refer to it as a “new birth.” Being born again was not meant to be a private religious experience that is hard to communicate … but rather the prerequisite for joining a new and very public movement – the Jesus and kingdom of God movement.”[vii] `Jim Wallis

On the Kingdom:

“The kingdom of God, which Jesus came to inaugurate, is meant to create an alternate reality in this world, and ultimately to transform the kingdoms of this world.[x]”

This quote is really off. He is doing exactly what the disciples of Jesus were doing before they finally understood that the Kingdom of God was the spiritual kingdom. This is so wrong people. It uses the words of Jesus to advance a political agenda that doesn’t even line up with scripture to begin with.

Sojourners (Wallis) On Bible Prophecy:

” It’s all too easy to make fun of the extreme examples of prophecy belief that we encounter on bumper stickers and best-seller lists. When people talk breathlessly of the dangers of Universal Product Codes and automated teller machines as signs of the impending Tribulation, giggles and head shaking are hard to repress … when we ridicule apocalyptic interpretations of bar codes and the European Common Market, we are … properly rejecting an interpretive method that (suggests a) correspondence between biblical events and symbols, and our own lives. Ought Revelation to be included within the family of Christian texts, or should it be thrown on the fire of apocalyptic excesses?[xii]”

Here is a quote by M. Danielsen~
“Wallis says in his book that the majority of his audience is under thirty and half of those are under 25. He speaks frequently at major secular universities and now even at conservative Christian colleges. This is how it was done back in the 60s when Wallis was young; today’s liberal thinkers got their worldview from the counterculture agendas of America’s universities. But lest you think Wallis himself is just another counterculture hippie type out there on the fringes of the establishment – note this Sojournerspicture taken at the “World Economic Forum.” This is the annual invitation-only event in Davos Switzerland that brings together the world’s most influential politicians and economists as they work to bring the world under a global authority.”

Here is a link to a very interesting article that I found and in it’s prelude it states that Wallis will be the Key Note speaker at Lifest in Oshkosh WI this summer.

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletters/2010/newsletter20100601.htm#1A

Now after reading this can you take a moment and re read the Ichabod word from the Lord in my last newsletter:

http://www.shoutsofjoyministries.com/InJesus/Ichabod.shtml

I want to add here that this article: Ichabod was written before I knew any of this was even going on. I say that so you can add this fact to your understanding as you discern how very very serious this issue and word from the Lord is.

Open Letter~Addressing the Prophecies Regarding the Headship of Christ

In 1999 a series of prophetic words were given to me regarding the state of the Church in the Fox Valley in northeast Wisconsin. A significant part of those prophecies were directed at a large Evangelical Church named Christ the Rock Community Church (CTR). In the course of discerning those prophecies the leadership of the church I attend, Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) and I came to the conclusion that there was enough factual evidence found to go forward with sharing them with Pastor Bill Lenz, his leadership at CTR, and finally, with the public. As the prophecies began to come to pass and the information disseminated, many inquiries about content and process arose. So through much prayer and the prompting of the Lord I put this “open letter” together explaining briefly why I came to the conclusion I did and linked up the original documents that speak to each issue. I also believe that this letter is important because it has become our testimony of allowing Christ to be the head and what that has entailed.

The original word to Pastor Bill Lenz was simply that God was calling him to repent of not allowing Christ to be the head. He explained that Pastor Bill was sinning in this way by putting people into ministry that God was not, putting people out of ministry that God was calling into ministry, bringing people into the Church that God was not bringing into the Church, and putting people out of the Church that God was not putting out.

The biblical process that I took included sharing this message with Pastor Lenz personally. Afterward, I was of the belief that Bill had repented because of his response in the meeting and because of the note he sent me a few days later. Yet, I was told by the Lord that Bill had not in fact repented. I was then told that the devil would be loosed upon CTR and that the enemy would be attacking their families first. I was told there would be five things that would happen in the body of CTR before it would split.

After I had given the prophecies to the leadership at CTR to discern they requested that the leadership from my church engage with them in a more formal discerning process. Through these meetings the leadership at CCV came to the conclusion that Pastor Bill was in fact being called by the Lord to repent: See Elders resolve.

The CCV elders discovered a number of issues that caused them to come to this conclusion. Since that time a number of the specifically prophesied details have surfaced that have also influenced why I and others believe the CTR prophecies to be true. They are as follows:

* The first thing that was prophesied to happen, after the devil was loosed on the CTR body, was that the families of this Body would be attacked and divorces would increase exponentially. I was contacted by a number of CTR members regarding a meeting the leadership at CTR had, addressing the large number of divorces that ensued shortly after this word was given.

* Another of the five things to happen before the split was that Greg Sampson would leave the Youth Pastor position and CTR without Bill’s blessing. Greg did leave on May 1st the year after the prophecies were delievered to CTR.

* To date, the sanctuary portion of the plans for the CTR church facility has yet to be built as was specified in the prophecies.

* One situation that caused us to believe that Pastor Bill was putting someone into ministry that God was not was that Ben Lenz, Pastor Bill’s eldest son, was hired as the Young Adults Pastor shortly after he was found to be in a sexual relationship with a minor in the ministry that he served in as an intern. Also, at least one elder at CTR who was instrumental in placing Ben in that position was not aware of the sexual nature of the relationship. Nor was he aware of the inappropriate response of the few who sought to keep it contained after the girl came forward seeking help. This led us to believe that Pastor Bill was manipulating the situation by not reporting it, hiring Ben so very shortly after it was revealed and allowing elders who were not aware to put Ben into a paid pastoral position. The sinful relationship that Ben entered into after the prophecies were given speaks to the children being attacked with sin both for him and the girl involved. It also speaks to putting someone into ministry that God was not. Another issue that rose to the surface causing me to believe that Ben was not called to this ministry, at least not at the time he entered into it, was that a heresy called “Modeletics” spread through the group of young adults under his leadership.

* Another situation that was brought to our attention was that Janet Lenz, Bill’s wife, was put into a mission’s pastoral role that was later specified as the Saharawi Director. After hearing from the Lord about what I thought was a completely separate issue regarding pigeonholing Christianity with Islam, a long time member at CTR contacted me about Janet’s ministry being advocates of the Insider Method to missions which is heretical as well. This method proposes that Muslims can be followers of Jesus as they remain in Islam. This speaks to two aspects of the prophecies, first that Janet is allowing heresy into her ministry and has become a vocal advocate of it and second that she and Pastor Bill are in effect bringing people into the church that God is not bringing in.

From my perspective it seems that there exists subtle manipulation from Bill and those very close around him that sway the direction of the choices that the elders make, in order to obtain Bill’s personal agendas—not the agendas of Jesus Christ. I say this because I see in the wake of these decisions many deeply wounded individuals coming out of CTR with no avenue of resolution, restoration, or healing. The situation with Ben looks bad at the least because he is Bill’s son. The circumstance listed above regarding an elder not being aware of Ben’s sinful relationship and yet being involved in the process of hiring him speaks to the idea of Bill manipulating the leaders so that he could obtain the position for his son. And the situation with the Islam issue now compounds that perspective because Janet, who is the director of this ministry, is Bill’s wife. That being said, it looks to me from the outside that Bill is putting people into ministry who God has not called and he is giving many Muslims the idea that they are in effect in the Church when in reality they are not.

These are just a few of the facts as they unfolded that point to the prophecies and how they were coming to pass. There are many more, however, I feel that the ones I listed above are encompassing and serious enough to give the reader an idea of what has transpired and why we believe what we believe.

If you have questions regarding the prophecies please visit:
http://www.shoutsofjoyministries.com/articles/Prophecy_Catalog.shtml

Ichabod

The Lord has been speaking to me about a number of different issues that I have been compartmentalizing in my thoughts: the “Insider Movement,” “Seeker Sensitive,” “Social Justice,” the “Emergent Church,” and “Prosperity Gospel” to name several. I have been seeing these issues as separate and distinct from each other and have been praying about them, prophesying about them, and doing some research as time permitted. But this past week at the prayer group called “the House of Prayer” the Lord began to reveal to us how each of these issues that the modern day Church is dealing with are inter-connected in that they are manifestations of the same foundational sin. This sin is not allowing Christ to be the Head.

Nearly ten years ago the Lord began to speak to me about a time of shaking that would occur in the churches in our region here in northeast Wisconsin. He told me that He was about to begin to remove a large number of ministers that were not allowing Christ to be the Head of the Church. As this time of shaking transpired the prophetic words that I was receiving began to veer in different directions, or so I thought.

The Lord spoke to me about Church leaders pigeonholing Christianity with Islam. He revealed that this is what a method of missions called the Insider Movement was doing. He told me that it was spreading quickly and then asked me to prophesy publicly that He hates this.

He spoke to me about the Seeker Sensitive method to church growth and ministry and how that belief system was avoiding the cross, repentance, and the need for a savior. Seeker Sensitive methodologists are saying that they are building bridges to the lost. But the Lord told me that these bridges are actually overpasses. He said that they are the symbol of not allowing Christ to be the Head. These so called bridges are actually overpasses to get over the cross. To overpass the cross is to overpass Christ.

He spoke to me about something called “Social Justice”. He told me that He is not involved in this work and to stay clear of it. He also told me not to take it into my thought life and not to consider it regarding missions or evangelism. He said that the way in which it is “sold” is deceptive. Assisting the poor and repressed needs to be directed by the Holy Spirit not by the logical deduction of man. Like the woman who poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet, the disciples rebuked her for not selling it and giving the money to the poor, but Jesus was pleased with her action. Giving needs to be directed by the Holy Spirit.

He spoke to me about the Emergent Church and how at its foundation it holds a humanistic world view. He said that people embracing this movement are relativeizing truth.

Last night the Lord showed me that each of these seemingly separate issues were all manifestations of the very thing He had been speaking to me about in the beginning: Not allowing Christ to be the Head. When men step out from under His Headship they begin to create philosophies, methods, and ministries out of their own ideas, logic, and flesh. This lack of Headship has created a very weak, ineffective, and unholy church. It has created a mongrel.

At the House of Prayer, as we spoke about these issues, I found it difficult to address the topic without a name. We prayed about a name and the Lord led us to the name Ichabod.

* I Samuel 4:21 – And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

When the Body of Christ removes itself from being under the Headship of Christ, it is a mongrel and the glory of God leaves it. It is headless. Ephesians 4:14-15 speaks directly to this:

* “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

It is the Christian who refuses to be tossed about by new teachings and whims and crafty ways of deceiving others, and who chooses to simply speak the truth in love, that matures into submission of Christ’s Headship.

But when the “Insider” deceives the Muslim with his cunning ideas, and the politically-correct pastor misleads the “seekers” with crafty teachings, they move themselves out from under the Headship of Jesus Christ. Thus resulting in Ichabod and the glory of God departs from them.

When the “Prosperity Preacher” “claims a new car” instead of the cross he is to pick up and carry, he moves himself out from under the Headship of Christ.

When the “Emergent Evangelist” agrees with the homosexual that he was born with this sin and can bring it into a relationship with Christ, he has removed himself from the Headship of Christ.

These ideas are spreading through the Body of Christ and they are generated by man and not by God.

God has been explaining to me how these philosophies are wrong and in what ways they are connected to the same source, how they all result in Ichabod. What He is asking me to do is to expose this sin for what it is, of not allowing Him to be the Head, and to warn those who seek to please Him to avoid these “winds of teachings.” He is asking those who have an ear to hear to pray for the Body of Christ that is being beset by such immaturity. He is asking us to put on the Armor of God.

* Ephesians 6:11-18 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

He is calling us to stand firm and speak the truth in love. If we cower back and allow these teachings to silence us, we become advocates of not allowing Christ to be the Head. Our voice of light is paramount in darkness. Our stand is integral to the advancement of the Kingdom of Light. We are soldiers called to fight against principalities of darkness, and we fight with a sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. I am prophetically calling you stand! To take up your cross and follow Christ as your Head! To press on to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus by speaking the truth in love as you grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.