fredag 6 november 2009

Demise of Evangelical gods of Money and Power

Global Economic Crisis; Demise of Evangelical gods of Money and Power

By Kato Mivule | May 4, 2009

As the world continues to reel back and forth in this current global economic crisis with no end in sight but only amplified by the ‘Swine Flu’ Pandemic, undercurrents in the global evangelical community are sweeping against the gods of Mammon and Political Power that have so much been idolized in the Westernized Christian Church.

The Fatal Love of Money and Political Power…

Much of the current global economic woes we currently face are a direct result of greed, self-indulgence, control, and manipulation, vices that the Westernized Church fell victim to. If part of the Westernized Church was not compromised by the Love of Money, she then fell for the Love of Political Power.

In as much as the current economic correction has come to the secular world, The Lord in His Providence has allowed this current global economic crisis to affect His Church so as to ‘strike’ at the gods of Mammon and Political Power inside Christendom.

Oblivion to the undercurrents…

Yet when one listens to many preachers and pastors on pulpits today, it seems that they are oblivious to what is going on and they continue preaching prosperity and agitating for ‘Christian Conservative Governmental Rule’, deliberately ignoring the fact that the rug is being pulled out from underneath them.

By a ‘Name it and Claim it’ faith, the ‘Prosperity Money Lovers’ continue to preach prosperity and more materialism, championed by the likes of Creflo Dollar and the Trinity Broadcasting Network – TBN group. Yet on the other end are the Dr. James Dobson and the champions of Political Christianity who seek to take Liberal Governments back onto a path of Conservative Christian Theocratic Rule.

On his recent Focus on the Family Radio Programs, Dr. James Dobson has been lamenting how he has such a “heavy heart” because of what the current ‘Liberals’ are doing both in Congress, Senate, and the White House – of course in reference to Barrack Obama and his support for Gays and Abortion rights.

However, Dr. James Dobson had better take care of himself because the ‘heaviness of heart’ is not going to subside any time soon but only increase to a point where Evangelical Christians will be placed in their rightful place as a minority rather than a self-claimed majority in the American society – which has been a place of presumption, arrogance, and wishful thinking by Political Evangelical Christians in America.

Yet Dr. James Dobson would better serve the Body of Christ by simply placing ‘Focus on the Family’ rather than steer the church towards Political Christian posturing in hopes that America will become a “Christian Nation” again. For the god of Political Evangelical Power has been overthrown.

Better still, Dr. James Dobson could still borrow a leaf from Paul the apostle in his letter to the Christians in Rome who where a minority in Rome and lived under Roman dictatorship, being persecuted and killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the Christian in Rome about how to self conduct in a secular society and not how to ‘overthrow’ secular governments and install Christian Theocratic Rule.

Tides beating against Westernized Church won’t subside…
The current Social and Economic tides beating against the Westernized Church are not going to subside but only increase with intensity until the day Jesus Christ comes back in the clouds with all His Glory. The days of Political Evangelical Christianity are gone, the days of Christian Prosperity Gospel are gone, and those who still fight for and hope for Material Christian Prosperity and Political Christianity are only seeing a mirage in the desert.

In the America, the days of Republican Politicians ‘even’ using Evangelical Christians for political gain are gone; Evangelical Christians are increasingly seen as a political liability. The Gospel of Prosperity has been dealt a death blow by the current economic crisis. Many churches are being foreclosed and other on the verge of being foreclosed because they cannot keep up with mortgage payments on the Million Dollar Loans they took to construct the Mega Church Complexes.

The Lord is using the current economic crisis to knock down all the gods of Mammon and Political Power in His Church. I believe that the days of the Mega Church Prosperity Gospel and Political Evangelical Christianity are over. Recent Press reports in the USA show that a number of churches are being foreclosed, unable to pay their mortgages due to the rising unemployment among believers after Churches borrowed a whooping six Billion US Dollars for Church construction projects…

“Lenders specializing in church properties are reporting rising rates of delinquency and foreclosure, but at least one pastor thinks that may mean good news for the Kingdom. In December 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported Evangelical Christian Credit Union of Brea, Calif. moved to foreclosure on seven of its 2,000 member churches in 2008 and expects to take similar action on two more this year. And, another church lender, Church Mortgage Loan Corp. of Maitland, Fla., filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008 after being unable to sell the 10 church properties it had foreclosed on in recent years. While churches have long been considered good credit risks, borrowing for church construction jumped from $3.8 billion in 1997 to $6.2 billion in 2007. Now, as construction financing dries up and collections dwindle, many congregations find themselves without places to worship…”

Christian Newswire, April 30, 2009; Orange County Church Sees Silver Lining in Rise of Church Foreclosures
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/110410236.html

Even more theatrical is that members of the foreclosed Churches are oblivious to what is going one, only to find locks on their houses of worship and see Church buildings auctioned off…

“The red brick St. Andrews Anglican Church in wealthy Easton, Maryland, was known for its open door. It hosted family movie nights, and weekend spaghetti dinners. Most people had no idea anything was amiss, until the bank took the key, and the church building was foreclosed and sold at auction…”

IPS NEWS, April 14, 2009: ECONOMY-US: Foreclosing on God
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46497

Still among wealthy US neighborhoods in Maryland, the god of Mammon is being knocked down to the ground that the affluent of American society cannot sustain the Mega Church Growth delicacies of Westernized Christianity.

Repercussions in Africa…

What do these events mean for the Brethren in Uganda, Africa? Will the Prosperity and Political Christian Movement, a foster child of Westernized Christianity survive the overthrow of the gods of Money and Power in Evangelical Christianity?

Of recent, Ugandan Media news has been awash with stories in which Uganda’s most prominent Prosperity Gospel Preacher and Political Evangelical, Robert Kayanja has been accused of Sodomy and Sexual Abuse of underage boys. The story has been going on for a longtime but a group of Pastors gathered medical evidence from the abused boys and filled police charges against Pastor Robert Kayanja who happens to be a TBN favorite of Paul Crouch; coincidentally Paul Crouch was taken to court himself for Sodomy in California some years ago. Pastor Kayanja claims the Sodomy Allegations are baseless according to the Ugandan Press.

“…Pastor Kyazze’s response follows a Sunday press briefing held by pastor Kayanja and his personal aide, Mr Chris Muwonge at Miracle Centre, alleging he was kidnapped on April 18 by unknown gunmen who wanted him to testify that his boss was sodomising boys in his church. “I have never been involved in any efforts to undermine or discredit any pastor or individuals at Rubaga Miracle Centre. I have no quarrel or anything personal against Pastor Kayanja or my brothers and sisters at Rubaga Miracle Centre,” Pastor Kyazze’s Press statement sent to Daily Monitor yesterday reads in part. He added: “My struggle has been and will be to fight for the increasing number of victims of sodomy in our society. If this has been misinterpreted as being an effort to discredit Pastor Kayanja, then it is unfortunate and also dangerous and unfounded insinuation.” Pastor Solomon Male, a close associate of Pastor Kyazze yesterday tore into Pastor Kayanja saying the alleged kidnapped of his aide was faked up to divert the society from accusations of sodomy against him…”

Daily Monitor, April 28, 2009: Church wars: Pastor Kyazze denies Kayanja allegations
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Church_wars_Pastor_Kyazze_denies_Kayanja_allegations_83945.shtml

Making matters worse, is that two other Junior Pastors, Pastor Isaac Kiwewesi of Kansanga Miracle Center and Pastor Grace Kitaka of Liberty Christian Fellowship, both under Pastor Robert Kayanja Miracle Center Churches, have been accused of sodomy and all had police charges opened against them with evidence from the abused boys.

“…Mr Arinaitwe, who says he was employed at Kansanga Miracle Centre from 2002, has filed a case with Kabalagala Police Station alleging that Pastor Kiwewesi sodomised him between 2006 and 2007 and promised to pay him Shs3 million. “He used me until 2007 when he got married. He promised me Sh3 million for my parents and said he would send me to the US to stay there with his cousin,” he told Daily Monitor on Monday. Mr Arinaitwe also accuses Pastor Kiwewesi of harassment and threatening him with death after learning that he was coming out with the “secret”. The OC of Kabalagala Police Station, Ms Dorothy Awori, said police are investigating the matter…”

Daily Monitor, October 2, 2008:Pastor Kiwewesi denies sodomy allegations
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Pastor_Kiwewesi_denies_sodomy_allegations_72442.shtml

“PENTECOSTAL churches are investigating a city pastor accused of engaging in sodomy. “The National fellowship of Born-again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda has set up its own committee to investigate the allegations against Kitaka,” the chairperson, Pastor Alex Mitala, announced yesterday. This followed reports that Pastor Grace Kitaka of Liberty Worship Centre, headed by Pastor Imelda Namutebi, sodomised a boy. Mitala said Pentecostal churches are against homosexuality or activities related to the act…”
New Vision, July 12, 2007: Pastors to probe sodomy allegations
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/575675
Interesting is that all these accused Ugandan Pastors are the champions of the Prosperity Gospel in Uganda, with Mega Churches, Mansions, and expensive SUVs to their names.

However, if the Sodomy litigations against the Ugandan Prosperity Pastors go ahead successfully without the impediment of Uganda’s corrupt Law enforcers, then the top voices of Uganda’s Prosperity Movement will have one of their platforms removed.

Yet still, due to the financial stress that Western Donors are going through, the remittances being sent to Africa are dwindling and that means that the donations to Prosperity Gospel Preachers in Africa from the West are being trimmed down greatly. This translates to the easy access of a flamboyant and materialistic lifestyle being removed from the Prosperity and Materialism preachers in Africa…

Eventually that will mean loss of thousands of dollars in their coffers and thus a heavy financial blow to Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Movement and eventual fall from Political Evangelical Power – for the gods of Money and Political Power are crumbling in Christendom! The happenings in Uganda’s Evangelical Church are a Case Study for African Evangelicalism.

Events that are changing the landscape…
Two events will forever change the landscape in global Westernized Christianity – the Election of Liberal President Barrack Obama in the USA and the Current Global Economic Crisis. Both signal the fall of the Evangelical gods of Power and Mammon in Westernized Christianity.

Instead Christians had better prepare themselves for a society that will increasingly become agnostic and antagonistic towards Evangelical Christianity. However, this is not without reason, Evangelicals for the last three decades have engaged overtly in militant political maneuvers to install and impose Christian Moral Theocratic Rule politically in the Westernized World and therefore the secular world sees them as suspect.

A clear point of this ‘secular suspect’ of Evangelical Christianity can be seen in the recent poll done by the Pew Research Center according to CNN in which 54 percent of Evangelicals in America thought Torture is justifiable…
“The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey. More than half of people who attend services at least once a week -- 54 percent -- said the use of torture against suspected terrorists is "often" or "sometimes" justified. Only 42 percent of people who "seldom or never" go to services agreed, according to the analysis released Wednesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life…The president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Leith Anderson, did not immediately respond to a request for comment…”

CNN: Survey: Support for terror suspect torture differs among the faithful; April 30, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/30/religion.torture/index.html

Though the survey is factual and shows the ideological decadence of Political Evangelical Christianity in Westernized Christianity, such views by the secular world of Evangelical Christianity only help to build a more antagonistic and Antichrist society, totally suspect of any Evangelical activities, even the good.

Christians in an antagonistic and Antichrist society…

However, Jesus Christ was clear that Christianity was not going to be popular but rather suspect, hated, and maligned by the world. But it is in such context that we are to live peacefully and live a Christian Life that reflects the glory of God as we become witnesses of Jesus Christ in a growing Antichrist world…being faithful to the very end.
Revelation 12:10-11
(10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
(11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 13:7-10
(7) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
(8) And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(9) If any man have an ear, let him hear.
(10) He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

I believe that Christians allover the globe had better take the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ seriously that “you will be hated of all nations for my Name Sake”. For that time is not future but progressively and surely happening now…
Luke 21:17
(17) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Such a world as described by Jesus Christ in Luke 21:17 is not the Dr. James Dobson Christian Moral Utopia. However, if we are to suffer as Christians, let us not suffer because of evil behavior like the support of torture and other Political Christianity meddling but rather let us suffer purely for the Name Sake of Jesus Christ, our love and faith in Him.

1 Peter 2:19-25
(19) For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
(20) For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
(21) For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
(22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
(23) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
(24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
(25) For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

For the evangelical gods of Mammon and Power have been overthrown and as Christians, we had better live our lives as Peter the apostle alludes to in his letter to the Christians – let us not suffer in the Name of Mammon and Christian Political Power but for the Name of Jesus Christ.

In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule


For more readings go to: Min blogglista:Yesu Mulungi Uganda

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Luther on ecumenism and papacy

History of the Papacy by J.A. Wylie: "...the Church (so-called) of Rome has no right to rank amongst Christian Churches. She is not a Church, neither is her religion the Christian religion. We are accustomed to speak of Popery as a corrupt form of Christianity. We concede too much. The Church of Rome bears the same relation to the Church of Christ which the hierarchy of Baal bore to the institute of Moses; and Popery stands related to Christianity only in the same way in which Paganism stood related to primeval Revelation. Popery is not a corruption simply, but a transformation. It may be difficult to fix the time when it passed from the one into the other; but the change is incontestible. Popery is the gospel transubstantiated into the flesh and blood of Paganism, under a few of the accidents of Christianity."

Martin Luther

Just as in the days of the Apostles, so at this day we are forced to hear from certain denominations that we (by our obstinacy to adhere to the truth) do offend against love and unity in the churches, because we reject their doctrine. It would be better (they say) that we should let it pass, especially since the doctrine in dispute is what they call non-essential, and, therefore (they say) to stir up so great a discord and contention in the church over one or two doctrines (and those not the most important ones) is unfruitful and unnecessary.

To this I reply: Cursed be that love and unity which cannot be preserved except at the peril of the word of God.

Just as in the days of the Apostles, so at this day we are forced to hear from certain denominations that we (by our obstinacy to adhere to the truth) do offend against love and unity in the churches, because we reject their doctrine. It would be better (they say) that we should let it pass, especially since the doctrine in dispute is what they call non-essential, and, therefore (they say) to stir up so great a discord and contention in the church over one or two doctrines (and those not the most important ones) is unfruitful and unnecessary.

To this I reply: Cursed be that love and unity which cannot be preserved except at the peril of the word of God.

The negotiation about doctrinal agreement displeases me altogether, for this is utterly impossible unless the pope has his papacy abolished. Therefore avoid and flee those who seek the middle of the road. Think of me after I am dead and such middle-of-the-road men arise, for nothing good will come of it. There can be no compromise. (What Luther Says, II: 1019)

Ah, my dear brother in Christ, bear with me if here or elsewhere I use such coarse language when speaking of the wretched, confronted, atrocious monster at Rome! He who knows my thoughts must say that I am much, much, much too lenient and have neither words nor thought adequately to describe the shameful, abominable blasphemy to which he subjects the Word and name of Christ, our dear Lord and Savior. There are some Christians, wicked Christians indeed, who now would gloss things over to make the pope appear against in a good light and who, after he does so and has been dragged out of the mud, would like to reinstate him on the altar. But they are wicked people, whoever they may be, who defend the pope and want me to be quiet about the means whereby he has done harm. Truly, I cannot do this. All true, pious Christians, who love Christ and His Word, should, as said, be sincerely hostile to the pope. They should persecute him and injure him…. All should do this in their several calling, to the best of their ability, with all faithfulness and diligence. (What Luther Says, II: 1072)

What kind of a church is the pope’s church? It is an uncertain, vacillating and tottering church. Indeed, it is a deceitful, lying church, doubting and unbelieving, without God’s Word. For the pope with his wrong keys teaches his church to doubt and to be uncertain. If it is a vacillating church, then it is not the church of faith, for the latter is founded upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Matt.16:18). If it is not the church of faith, then it is not the Christian church, but it must be an unchristian, anti-Christian, and faithless church which destroys and ruins the real, holy, Christian church. (Luther’s Works, vol. 40, Church and Ministry II, The Keys, p.348)

All this is to be noted carefully, so that we can treat with contempt the filthy, foolish twaddle that the popes present in their decrees about their Roman church, that is, about their devil’s synagogue (Rev.2:9), which separates itself from common Christendom and the spiritual edifice built up on this stone, and instead invents for itself a fleshly worldly, worthless, lying, blasphemous, idolatrous authority over all of Christendom. One of these two things must be true: if the Roman church is not built on this rock along with the other churches, then it is the devil’s church; but if it is built, along with all the other churches, on this rock, then it cannot be lord or head over the other churches. For Christ the cornerstone knows nothing of two unequal churches, but only of one church alone, just as the Children’s Faith, that is, the faith of all of Christendom, says, ”I believe in one holy, Christian church,” and does not say, ”I believe in one holy Roman church.” The Roman church is and should be one portion or member of the holy Christian church, not the head, which befits solely Christ the cornerstone. If not, it is not a Christian but an UN-Christian and anti-Christian church, that is, a papal school of scoundrels. (Luther’s Works, Volume 41, Church and Ministry III, Against The Roman Papacy, An Institution Of The Devil, p.311)



I believe the pope is the masked and incarnate devil because he is the Antichrist. As Christ is God incarnate, so the Antichrist is the devil incarnate. The words are really spoken of the pope when its said that hes a mixed god, an earthly god, that is , a god of the earth. Here god is understood as god of this world. Why does he call himself an earthly god, as if the one, almighty God werent also on the earth? The kingdom of the pope really signifies the terrible wrath of God, namely, the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. (Luthers Works, vol.54, Table Talks, No.4487, p.346)


C. H. Spurgeon on Popery


"It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the Popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. It wounds Christ, robs Christ of His glory, puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread in the place of the Saviour....If we pray against it, because it is against Him, we shall love the persons though we hate their errors; we shall love their souls, though we loathe and detest their dogmas...."

-- C. H. Spurgeon


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Frälsningens väg!

Heb 11:25 Han ville hellre utstå lidande med Guds folk än för en kort tid leva i syndig njutning;
Heb 12:2 Och må vi därvid se på Jesus, trons hövding och fullkomnare, på honom, som i stället för att taga den glädje som låg framför honom, utstod korsets lidande och aktade smäleken för intet, och som nu sitter på högra sidan om Guds tron.
Heb 12:3 Ja, på honom, som har utstått så mycken gensägelse av syndare, på honom mån I tänka, så att I icke tröttnen och uppgivens i edra själar.
Heb 12:15 Och sen till, att ingen går miste om Guds nåd, och att ingen giftig rot skjuter skott och bliver till fördärv, så att menigheten därigenom bliver besmittad;
Heb 12:16 sen till, att ingen är en otuktig människa eller ohelig såsom Esau, han som för en enda maträtt sålde sin förstfödslorätt.
Heb 12:17 I veten ju att han ock sedermera blev avvisad, när han på grund av arvsrätt ville få välsignelsen; han kunde nämligen icke vinna någon ändring, fastän han med tårar sökte därefter.
Heb 10:36 I behöven nämligen ståndaktighet för att kunna göra Guds vilja och få vad utlovat är.
Heb 10:37 Ty "ännu en helt liten tid, så kommer den som skall komma, och han skall icke dröja;
Heb 10:38 och min rättfärdige skall leva av tro. Men om någon drager sig undan, så finner min själ icke behag i honom".
Heb 10:39 Dock, vi höra icke till dem som draga sig undan, sig själva till fördärv; vi höra till dem som tro och så vinna sina själar.

Ord 25:26 Såsom en grumlad källa och en fördärvad brunn, så är en rättfärdig som vacklar inför den ogudaktige.

Upp 3:16 Men nu, då du är ljum och varken varm eller kall, skall jag utspy dig ur min mun.

Se Ljum, sammanblandad, mixad, förväxlad, utbytt, utväxlad, ersatt, avlöst, efterträdd, liknöjd, likgiltig!

2Ti 4:7 Jag har kämpat den goda kampen, jag har fullbordat mitt lopp, jag har bevarat tron.
2Ti 4:8 Nu ligger rättfärdighetens segerkrans tillreds åt mig, och Herren, den rättfärdige domaren, skall giva den åt mig på "den dagen", och icke åt mig allenast, utan åt alla som hava älskat hans tillkommelse.

Jesus HATES the deeds of the Nicolaitiane, which I also hate.

Rev. 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitianes, which I also hate. Nicolaitianes -To conquer the people or laity, these "deeds" had become in Pergamos a "doctrine" (Rev. 2:15)

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