Jubilee 99 - New Wineskins - Catholic and Dionysus

In 1987 the Pope formally called for Jubilee 2000. The Nashville Jubilee began about this time. Everyone from para-military groups to recording groups to religious revivalists jumped on board to break down the walls the professional revivalists built in the first place. This seems to be an effort to unite all churches under the umbrella of the universal church. Jubilee movements have popped up all around the country and even among churches of Christ. This, along with Promise Keepers and other perhaps sincere efforts, is to break down the walls which Christ built and to open the wineskins so the gospel can continue to ferment. All of this seems to flow from immaturity, insecurity and legalism which is the ancient Babylonian or Aztec effort to make sure God does not drop the sky again.

Our Hohenwald Church Topical Research

Breaking Away: "Much apostasy from religion is strongly related to conflicts with one's parents. Many of those who think they are breaking away from their church in the name of enlightenment and freedom actually are at least partially working out conflicts with their mother and father. Andrew Greeley, Unsecular Man

"In the Roman Catholic tradition, a Holy Year, or Jubilee is a great religious event.

It is a year of forgiveness of sins and also
the punishment due to sin (At first very severe),
it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries,
of
conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation,
and consequently of
solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters. A Jubilee year is above all the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity.

"The origin of the Christian Jubilee goes back to Bible times. The Law of Moses prescribed a special year for the Jewish people: "You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim the liberty throughout the land, to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his family. This fiftieth year is to be a jubilee year for you: you will not sow, you will not harvest the un-gathered corn, you will not gather the untrimmed vine. The jubilee is to be a holy thing to you, you will eat what comes from the fields." (The Book of Leviticus 25, 10-14) The trumpet with which this particular year was announced was a goat's horn called Yobel in Hebrew, and the origin of the word jubilee. The celebration of this year also included

the restitution of land to the original owners, the remission of debts, the liberation of slaves and the land was left fallow.

"In the New Testament, Jesus presents himself as the One who brings the old Jubilee to completion, because he has come to "preach the year of the Lord's favour" (Isaiah 61: 1-2).

Note our review of the parallel of Jubilee to the Aztec "burn down the old building" ritual. In many rituals the jubilee urge with musical "horn blowing" is a slave complex of those under some form of oppression. To make the remedy respectable it is important to get a great mass of people involved .

BUT: "The Church never stopped offering forgiveness of sins and punishment due to sins, through absolution and penance. This was practised in all the churches and sanctuaries in the world from the moment of their establishment; and even before this, in the catacombs and private houses where the cult was celebrated."

"And now:

In the 1940s the World Council of Churches concluded:
men have an obligation to recognize all churches alike and
to recognize the
brotherhood amongst denominations.
It introduced the idea of
worldwide unity,
to "claim for Christ the whole world and all aspects of life," and
to bring to light that
the Kingdom of God was being established upon the earth.

"In addition to the 25 members of the Central Committee, Catholic Churches of the Oriental Rite are represented at this meeting: the Copt, Greek-Melkite, Maronite, Chaldean, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar. There are also delegates from 30 episcopal conferences from Africa, 23 from America, 13 from Asia, 31 from Europe and 3 from Oceania. Added to these are fraternal delegates from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the World Reformed Alliance, the Methodist World Council and the World Council of Churches.

"The Holy Years have served as spiritual preparations for the Great Jubilee, especially the Marian Year 1986-87. Coming immediately and providentially before the end of the Cold War in 1989, the Marian Year anticipated much of the message of the Jubilee concerning the presence of the Mother of God in the Mystery of Christ and the Church. The events of 1989 reflected "the invisible hand of Providence at work with maternal care," but an examination of conscience is needed to counter the new threats of exaggerated nationalism that have arisen since then. The1994 Year of the Family has sought to make the teaching of the Second Vatican Council on the dignity of marriage and the family a reality.

Almost always when people are just "following the lead of God" or being guided "by the Holy Spirit" they spend a lot of works oriented effort to make sure that Christ (who they claim failed at His first incarnation to bring the kingdom) doesn't fail again:

"Today the question of unity is crucial and

begs the intervention of the Holy Spirit who alone can restore true unity.
Many institutions were created to work towards this end, such as

"The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity",
"The World Council of Churches" with its headquarters in Geneva, national and diocesan committees." (and of course,
Jubilee 99)

Now, everyone seems intent upon helping the Holy Spirit bring unity to the World. For instance, The Willow Creek Association is made up of Evangelical groups which profess a faith which crosses various denominations. Many denominations have aligned themselves with the goals of Catholicism in bringing about a Great Jubilee in the year 2000. It is impossible to determine how far the creed of breaking down the walls will go. However, the language of many groups runs on a parallel track.

These fragments are not intended to attack. Rather, as a student of ancient history we are aware that old "paradigms" seem to "hang in the air" to be sucked up when it seems that we have lost our hold on God. We urge a return to Bible teaching (preaching ain't teaching) without any agenda but to breathe in the Spirit and Life Christ put into His Word (Jn 6:63) as a way to "reach out and touch Him."

Denominations, old and new, are the result of one man who wants to put everyone under his control. The Jubilee theme is to develop a pattern which can be used by everyone. It now attracts Musical Worship Facilitators (manipulators) to the Athens of The South and A City Set on Seven Hills to be instructed by the Zoe Group about how to manipulate with music, drama and dance.

The ZOE concept is an ancient feminist god concept where the Biblical God is made into a musical worship minister. It is significant that ZOE in her various incarnations is identified as the "Lucifer" creature who is bisexual or primarily feminine even as the king of Tyre and of Babylon and as the endtime Babylonian whore of Revelation 18. She is called the BEAST. See the origin of the Sophia-Zoe or Zoe-Eve concept. And the Hypostasis of the Archons, a later addition.

In the denominational mind "bigger is better." And everyone seems to be jumping on board:

"The Rev. Joe Hale, general secretary of the World Methodist Council, attended a Roman Catholic planning meeting Feb. 10-12 at the Vatican for its millennium celebration. He was one of seven people from other Christian groups who joined 100 Roman Catholic cardinals and bishops for the meeting. Hale observed that Christian denominations seem to be moving in the same direction for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, which marks both the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the turn of the millennium."

See The Walk To Emmaus as a Catholic, Episcopal, Method of evangelizing the world by inculcating their beliefs in your members.

From the Pope's Homepage on the Solar Year, the Zoe concept is alive and well:

In 1999 "In this broad perspective of commitments, Mary Most Holy, the highly favored daughter of the Father, will appear before the eyes of believers as the perfect model of love towards both God and neighbor.

(Note: just saw her on TV in the middle of some poor woman's cake down in Mexico. People are flocking to the scene).

"May the unassuming Young Woman of Nazareth, who two thousand years ago offered to the world the Incarnate Word, lead the men and women of the new millennium towards the One who is "the true light that enlightens everyone." (Jn. 1:9)

Oops! I thought it was the Holy Spirit who was gonna do that aided by our world-wide Jubilee movement.

It is not fair to make a writer's words mean more than they were intended to say. Therefore, we draw no judgmental conclusions. However, because words like wineskins and Jubilee are affect images, we should be aware that they mean different things to different people and are chosen to have a power effect on the unwary. That is, they are not doctrinally-specific in Christianity and can define anything from para-military groups to rock music groups to satanic groups to Catholicism. For instance,

"The Holy Father asked for a New Evangelization to usher in the Great Jubilee Year 2000, the 2000th birthday of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our Bishops entrusted the New Evangelization to Our Lady of Guadalupe. They said, "We entrust our commitment to giving birth (Second Incarnation) with new fervor to the life of the gospel in our hemisphere, to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. She truly was the first Christ-bearer; by her maternal intercession, may her faithful sons and daughters be renewed and discover afresh the joy and splendor and promise of bearing bearers of the good news." (Note: some groups are trying to birth the second incarnation of Christ as the church -- more powerful than Christ)
 
"Our Lady of Guadalupe told Father Gobbi of the Marian Movement of Priests,
 
"My great victory against all the Masonic and Satanic forces will begin from here (the Basilica Shrine), for the greatest triumph of my Son Jesus. I confirm to you that by the Great Jubilee Year 2000, there will take place the Triumph of my Immaculate Heart, of which I foretold you at Fatima, and this will come to pass with the return of Jesus in glory, to establish His Reign in the world."
"May we walk in step with the Holy Father on Our Lady of Guadalupe's path toward the Great Jubilee Year 2000!

Ditto: In 1992 Rubel Shelly and Randy Harris in The Second Incarnation wrote:

"Thus the church waits for 'his appearing and kingdom.' In the meanwhile, the body bears witness to its head in baptism and the Lord's Supper as 'symbols of the promise.' Chapter eleven argues that the end of time brings about the realization of all God ever intended the church to be." (Rubel Shelly and Randy Harris, Second Incarnation, xvii)

"When He returns the kingdom will arrive in its fullness." (p. 235)

No, the Lord's Supper is a memorial to show forth His death. Show forth means to PREACH the death of Christ.

Jesus (in the old bible) said that faith which leads to Baptism leads to salvation. Peter defined this in Acts as THE REMISSION of Sins. In 1 Peter 3:21 the same Peter says that this is the time and place where we REQUEST a clear conscience which is the gift of A holy spirit in acts.

We always thought that when Christ comes it will be so that we can meet Him in the air and so ever be with the Lord. Isn't that the time He gives up His reign as Jesus the image of the "unimageable" God? The enforced doctrine of Willow Creek seems to be a tight conformity. Indeed, that is the only way a large group can exist.

A doctrine needing forceful education within the central group is the role of women in ministry. Catholicism has always had a feminine "Mediatrix" with the real power but the outward leaders are male sworn to be less than natural males. This invented Mary (Eve, Semiramis, etc), or her Protestant counterparts, will be the power behind the final Jubilee:

From "Miraculous Images of Our Lady"
Joan Carroll Cruz - Copyright 1993
Tan Books and Publishers, Inc

"Many of the Catholic statues and illustrations of Mary and Jesus will depict an exposed heart, and if you look closely, many times you will see that there is a surrounding sun burst and a flame on top of the heart. An example of this can be seen at left, which by Catholic teaching, portrays the immaculate heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to which Catholics are to consecrate themselves. Consecration is defined by the Catholic Encyclopedia as "the act and ceremony by which a person or thing is dedicated to sacred service or set apart for sacred use." So for a Catholic to consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is to dedicate their life in service to Mary. From

In addition to finding a new wineskin and throwing away old, obsolete computers, Shelly - Harris appeal to the Aztec pattern of burning down old structures in order to build new ones in their 52 year Jubilee which was strikingly parallel to the Babylonian ritual. In addition, the Aztecs held a 52 week Jubilee-type festival. All activity ceased for the end-of the year ritual (similar to Christmas to New Year) as they gathered and waited to see whether the work of the gathered priests could keep the sky from falling as it had when Venus seems to have orbited very close to the earth. To work the magic, the priests refused to be ritually murdered as in the old days and took many children, cut their immaculate hearts out, bathed in the blood while the heart was still ticking, lit a fire in the chest of the victim and rushed out to relight the fires in all of the homes and temples. This guaranteed safety until next year and perhaps for 52 years.

The Jubilee 99 and earlier movements have been determined to "unveil" the ladies who performed the music and dance in all ancient paganism. This ritual had the specific purpose of breaking through to the gods to ascend into their presence. From this "relighted fire" little flames are spread out into all the world to relight the flames of feminist religious leadership.

This is the meaning and goal of the defining Jubilee movement. The Lady of Guadalupe is guiding the Catholics in their year 2000 Jubilee. This has a strong appeal because the Black Madonna was responsible for converting six million Aztecs so that ten thousand people could have their religious pilgrimage at one time:

"A Black Madonna, the Lady appeared to a poor Aztec indian named Juan Diego in central Mexico. Near Tepayac Hill he encountered a beautiful woman surrounded by a ball of light as bright as the sun. Speaking in his native tongue, the beautiful lady identified herself as the ever-virgin Mary,

Mother of the true God. She gave him some flowers that miraculously appeared in his tilma to give to the Bishop as a sign that she had appeared to him, but when he opened the tilma, there was a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary precisely as Juan had described her.

"Within six years of this apparition, six million Aztecs had converted to Catholicism. The tilma shows Mary as the God-bearer -

she is pregnant with her Divine Son. It can be seen today in a large cathedral built to house up to ten thousand worshipers.

It is, by far, the most popular religious pilgrimage site in the Western Hemisphere.

Rather than converting to Catholicism, the Aztecs and others merged Catholic teachings with their own pagan Babylonian-type religion. For instance, they could

take the perfect virgin to be the mother of their own imperfect sun god.

An Aztec prayer demands that the god has to repent and be restored for his own sins as a second incarnation while the mother has no guilt:

"When thou wast created and sent here, thy father and mother Quetzalcoatl made thee like a precious stone . . . but

by thine own will and choosing thou didst become soiled . . .
and now thou hast confessed. . . .
thou hast
uncovered and made manifest all thy sins to our lord who shelters and purifies all sinners;

and take not this as mockery, for in truth thou hast entered the fountain of mercy, which is like the clearest water with which our lord god, who shelters and protects us all, washes away the dirt from the soul. . . . now thou art born anew, now dost thou begin to live; and even now our lord god gives thee light and a new Sun; now also dost thou begin to flower, and to put forth shoots like a very clean precious stone issuing from thy mother's womb where thou art created (Aztec Confession from Bernardino de Sahagun, Historia de las Cosas de la Nueva Espana (Mexico, 1946), VOL. II, P. 275)

The Aztec's god, like the Roman god, was created in the belly of the mother.

When Paul was writing to the churches to silence the "feminine" principle by men or women, Eve was already honored as the mediatrix. She was worshipped in the synagogues of Satan as the mediator through whom Satan revealed the special brand of feminine worship as he had to Genun (Jubal) earlier. This was with flowers, singing, clapping, dancing and playing musical instruments to force the "worshipers" to "know god personally" or sexually. Click here and here to see what early writers believed.

ARTISTIC-CULTURAL COMMISSION: In charge of coordinating cultural activities to be celebrated during the year 2000. It is divided into five sectors: literature, music, theater, painting and cinema. The commission has received to date 60 projects for cultural activities inspired by the themes of the Great Jubilee.

Ditto: Position Title: Worship Facilitation Minister

"Position Responsibilities: This person will work with volunteer leaders, ministers and staff to coordinate the planning and presentation of worship activities. Sunday worship activities will

reflect the diversity of background and worship styles unique to the Woodmont Hills membership.

In addition, "seeker" style assemblies will be planned and presented at other times of the week using contemporary music, drama and teaching formats more familiar to the unchurched segment of our community.

Wouldn't it be better to reflect the will of Lord Jesus Christ who was (is) fully God in His First Incarnation? Well, the Catholic leader of the band proposes to allow worship to reflect the teachings of Vatican II. Isn't that amazing?

Is The Pope's Jubilee agenda a Charismatic Agenda

"The best preparation for the new millennium, therefore, can only be expressed in a renewed commitment to apply, as faithfully as possible, the teachings of Vatican II to the life of every individual and of the whole Church.

"A new and very important concept came forth as one of the results of the II Vatican Council: that the charisms or gifts of the Holy Spirit should play a more important role in the Christians life; that these gifts should offer much to aid in worship, and in the decisions and evangelization in the Church.

Friends of Jubilee 99 tell me not to worry: "We are just following the lead of God." I wonder how they get the message? And why does it sound so much like the typical American-Made denominational worship?

"The II Vatican Council opened the door to this concept in order to emphasize the fact that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not restricted to the time of the apostles, but that they are a continuous reality.

"For the majority, to participate in the Renewal, is an encounter with the Holy Spirit for the first time, or at least, in a new way. With us since our baptism, the paraclete wants to reveal himself, and waits for our invitation to do so. When Christians pray that they may experience His presence, He very often responds allowing a knowledge of God so strong that it produces a peace and happiness which can't be described, but which produces strong praise and gratitude in the recipient.

"This experience is called A FREEING OF THE SPIRIT, THE FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT, AND SOMETIMES BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT" (Acts 1:5)

But, but, but: Jesus is now here in His invisible Spirit nature just as He promised (John 14:16-18) and the condition of His presense is obedience to His will:

"The music also plays a very important Part at the meetings, and is considered to be a form of prayer. There can also be Scripture readings or pronouncements; the use of the Charismatic Gifts such as PROPHECY and WORDS OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. TESTIMONIES can be shared to edify the people present; DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS to distinguish the will of the Lord; and finally PERIODS OF SILENCE in order to hear the Lords voice." From Catholic Charismatic Movement sources.

Ditto: Rubel Shelly in Faith Matters equates our understanding of women's roles in the collective assembly to racism to "upset your equilibrium" so that the new doctrine which follows can function as a "change agent." Or is this just judgmentalism? After equating most of the church to racists he wrote:

"What should a man or woman do with a revelation, tongue, song, prophecy, or prayer given to him or her by the Holy Spirit? Share it!

Observe the etiquette of your time and place in doing so,

which at Corinth in the first century required women to wear veils to symbolize their submission to male headship and leadership in the church (11:7-10).

Then, when the time came for the church's leaders to make an authoritative evaluation of anything that had been offered by either males or females in those services, the male leadership -- whose position of authority was acknowledged by the symbolism of the veil --

was to make a judgment with the women keeping strict silence as that verdict was delivered.

Thus the women at Corinth were permitted to exercise their supernatural gifts but were required to defer to the church's male leadership

for an assessment of its import on the future life of the group.

Does this mean that if someone has a revelation, tongue, song, prophecy or prayer that they may exercise these gifts in assembly as long as they defer to the men to evaluate the gifts? Seems so. However, this ignores the behind-the-symbolic language of Paul.

Paul wrote about spiritual gifts to shame Corinth. He kept on preaching the "core gospel" of "Christ and Him crucified" simply because they were 100% carnal.

He could not deliver the doctrinal meat because there was not a single leader in Corinth to whom it could be delivered.

The Corinthians were the "13th apostle" who believed that their charismatic revelation from the women oracles was authority for that church.

However, Paul asked them if the truth had only come to them.

Afterward, when they needed information Paul would write them a letter or even come with violence.

Therefore, there was no one in Corinth with the prophetic gift.

There is no hint that any person had any gift. They couldn't even make common decisions about order and decency. IF there was a revealer of supernatural doctrine or knowledge, one should reveal and another inspired person judge. This would automatically show Corinth that they were involved in non-Christian practices.

It is clear from Scripture and history that Paul first discussed women prophesying

outside the assembly in Corinth.

Then, in 1Cor 11:17 he begins to discuss the destructive nature of their assemblies which "do more harm than good."

When they came together in assembly (14:23) the statement is clear that women must remain silent. This does not mean that they cannot breathe: it means that they must not speak or stand over or leave the "sedentary role" the men (14:34). The majority translation in the KJV means that they "held their peace" Lu 20:26.

Contrary to Rubel Shelly, the symbolism of the veil meant that they did not get involved in the "out of assembly" charismatic, musical prophesying. Click Here for evidence. Nor did they ever expose themselves to public gaze unless they were the "just out of pagans" in Corinth.

Shelly excathedra: "The Bible is not against women ministering, using their God-given talents, standing up and speaking, administering church programs, singing (congregationally, small groups, or solo), reading Scripture, sharing information about church projects, testifying, teaching sub-groups of the church's membership (whether female, male, or mixed), writing articles or poems that will be used by males, or otherwise participating fully in the life of local churches.

A church's failure to encourage the development of female talent and work robs it of countless blessings. That same failure results in buried talents that return no dividend to the owner who entrusted them to the church through its female membership. Rubel Shelly Faith Matters

But: God does not need, indeed, cannot use human talent as performance! He put His change agent -- His once-for-all-delivered-to-the saints Word -- in clay jars who definitely will never be keynoters.

First, gaining and performing music is one of the most work-intensive efforts known to mankind. The use of the greek melody does in fact speak to both the work required to manufacture instruments, to learn the skill and to perform the music. To use this performance talent as a manipulator of "worship" is to defend a works-based ceremonial legalism which Jesus came to remove as the clergy-laded burden.

Augustine on the Psalms noted:

"Make melody unto the Lord upon the harp: on the harp and with the voice of a Psalm" (ver. 5). Praise Him not with the voice only; take up works, that ye may not only sing, but work also.

He who singeth and worketh,
maketh melody with psaltery and upon the harp.

Now see what sort of instruments are next spoken of, in figure: "With ductile trumpets also, and the sound of the pipe of horn" (ver. 6). What are ductile trumpets, and pipes of horn?

Ductile trumpets are of brass: they are drawn out by hammering; if by hammering, by being beaten, ye shall be ductile trumpets, drawn out unto the praise of God, if ye improve when in tribulation: tribulation is hammering.

Second: It is a fact that no man ever spoke in tongues outside of the arm's reach of one or more of the Apostles because tongues were supernatural signs of judgment against the Jewish clergy and to prove that these poor, non-clergy males were speaking for God. The tongues were signs and not means to express human talent. Click for more evidence.

Third: It is a fact that no woman ever spoke in tongues at any time or any place. If they were in Corinth, and this is possible based upon their just out of paganism, then Paul said: "Stop it."

Fourth: Paul did not tell the women to quit interpreting their speaking in tongues. He told them not to speak or move from the sedentary positions or they would be a disturbance to the church -- and male human nature has not changed. Therefore, performance women or effeminate males are doing what they know beforhand will be seductive to the males!

The Pope's Jubilee agenda is a socialist agenda.

"Sabbatical and Jubilee years were times dedicated in a special way to God during which slaves were set free, debts were cancelled, and the earth was left fallow. Specifically in the jubilee year liberty was to be proclaimed throughout the land and every Israelite was to regain his or her ancestral land. This gave rise to a social doctrine of equality among all the children of Israel. The riches of the earth were a common good of all human beings. Yet these were only stewards, God being the sole owner.

"The jubilee year was meant to restore this social justice. The social doctrine of the Church, which has always been a part of Church teaching and which has developed greatly in the last century, particularly after the Encyclical Rerum Novarum, is rooted in the tradition of the jubilee year.

If your retirement is based upon US or foreign bonds then as you see the Jubilee scheme develope you might want to cash them in, buy gold and burry it. This Jubilee, socialist scheme literally means that the debts of all will be paid and we will have a united one world order where everyone gives according to their means and receives according to their needs. But who will pay the debts of the old Capitalistic US of A which got its debts helping the world? Most of debt-free socialism places the blame on the USA and the World Bank which was stupid enough to give all of that money to leaders who misused it!

This debt seems to be replaced by grace which is destructively defined as "unlimited forgiveness for unlimited sins" rather than the power to be conformed to the image of Christ through the power of--

Charis (g5485) khar'-ece; from 5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstr. or concr.; lit., fig. or spiritual; espec. the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life...

Everyone flocks to hear that "I'm ok, you're ok" and that all get to heaven even as by diverse roads. It is an affect image of deception. The proof that one has been inducted into the Jubilee Family of God is a feeling in the pit of the stomach or somewhere:

"The exhilarating possibility is that the human race will finally undergo a kind of spiritual transformation during which we will forsake all the old social institutions and attitudes that have evolved during the past several thousand years based on the principle of competition,

and replace them with an entirely new social arrangement based on the principle of cooperation, resulting ultimately in the coalescence of more than five billion individual humans into a single collective social organism.

We can expect, however, that such a harmonious coalescence would produce a dramatic blossoming of the human spirit, a spectacular display of human creativity, and a miraculous metamorphosis (incarnation)

that would lift the human race onto another and higher plane of existence, a spiritual and physical transformation that would surely qualify as an extraordinary event along this planet's evolutionary path."

Where have we heard that before?

Any collectivist or denomination-building is totally consistent with the world-wide Jubilee movement. The paramilitary groups plan to be in charge, the pope plans to be in charge. Already churches are divided along Jubilee - anti-Jubilee and Promise Keepers lines or Shelly Vs Non-Shelly lines. The proof of Divine correctness in all of these efforts seems to be exhilaration.

Ditto:

"The tired, uninspiring event called worship in our churches must give way to an exhilarating experience of God that simultaneously exhibits and nurtures life in the worshippers." (Rubel Shelly - Randy Harris, Second Incarnation, p. 12-13)

In Woodmont Hills quest for a worship facilitator pastor person the skills are theatrical involving music and drama; the goal is to help "bring the worshiper into the presence of God!"

As everyone got the wineskins theme and the jubilee theme about the same time, we can see how easy it is for people to run flocking to the top of the hill with white robes flowing when anyone promises that the earthly kingdom is about to be established and I want to sit on the right or left hand of the king in Jerusalem-if only as king for one hour. Look up "wineskins" and "jubilee" on your search engines and you will see mass movement all around you. This fragment is an effort to document some of the historical movements which always followed loss of confidence in self and in the power of Christ to build His kingdom within the human heart. Aztec or Babylonian Jubilees was an effort to relight the fires in the open chest of the dead corpse after they had already destroyed the heart in which Christ might live.

The Holy Spirit was not infallibly guiding the Aztecs or Catholics who drove my ancestors out of France:

"The Aztecs, Mayans and Incas practiced human sacrifice. In the 1300s, the Aztecs, alone, killed about 20,000 yearly.

"In AD 1209, the entire population of the Albigens was slaughtered at the order of Pope Innocent III. The Albigens, in the south of France, was then the most populous, the most technically, socially, and economically advanced part of Europe. Its population was largely Gnostics and Arian Christians, and were a sanctuary for Jews who were persecuted most every place else in Europe.

All of these groups had a high percentage of literacy and read the Bible, which was prohibited by the Vatican.

"Innocent III was seeking to put a stop to the "Gnostic heresy", but found it to be entrenched throughout Europe, so he followed the "Cathar Crusade" with the creation of the Inquisition, resulting in countless millions of people being slowly and brutally tortured to death over the next 500 years, under mere suspicion of being witches. Innocent also reinstated a prohibition against the owning or reading of Bibles by anyone other than clergy, under penalty of death.

Have you noticed that the "Bible" has disappeared from many pulpits and 'bible classes' as a tiny text is used but not explained and integrated into an invitation plea to join our church?

Paul did not condemn "gnosticism" in the sense of trying to understand the Bible and every thing else possible. Rather this was "gnosis" from charismatic or ecstatic practices where wine, women and song brought them into a state of "knowing the god personally" or sexually.

We all seek affirmation and skills to improve our work in the church. Many feel that is worthwhile to attend conferences such as Jubilee 98, mingle with the crowd and go home inspired. Therefore, these fragments are not addressed to movements or personalities whom we admire for many qualities. Rather, the effort it to learn a bit of history and what seems to be Biblical commentary on mass movements.

We all long for God to come into our lives and lead us to redemption in the final Jubilee. There is implicit hope that it might happen at Jubilee 98 according to some sites. Promise Keepers seeks to convert gender-disturbed men into masculine role models. Jubilee 2000 will break down all the walls and Messiah will come and put us in charge of doling out punishments or rewards. Right hand or left hand, as a son of thunder I need to be one of those at the top of the pyramid as I step on the heads of the meek and not so smart.

My friends, going about their urban-immune anxiety, just wish all of the children would sit down, shut up and listen for the "whisper of a voiced silence" so that we don't all go home and begin our own twelve-step program of recovery from the burden laded our our backs which is defined as "spiritual anxiety from religious ritual." Loud speech or loud music can do that. Crowds are wonderful for destroying your nervous system and injecting endorphins (morphine-like) into you so that you make a fool of yourself at the football game at the Colosseum or church. "But,' you say, "Didn't we have fun passing out last night?"

"God preserve me from having to get involved with a large group in order to find You."

After all, Paul said that You are not far from any one of us. "In You we live, move and have our being." We don't have to chase you down to Nashville Jubilee 98 or Jerusalem Jubilee 2000.

While we admire the movers and shakers for some things we despise them because they cannot see the Biblical truth about wine and other intoxicants and therefore implicitly or explicitly give our children the right to partake of the sparkling, bubbling wine of religious exhilaration or rapture (frome rape). We are neither prophets or interpreters of prophecies but the, almost universal, appeal to the wine in new wineskins theme along with breaking down the walls between us and Catholicism may be prophetic:

"The drinking of wine could be a stumbling-block and the Apostle enjoins abstinence in this respect, as in others, so as to avoid giving an occasion of stumbling to a brother... The word is used metaphorically of the evils ministered to the nations by religious Babylon... or the contents of the cup of Divine wrath upon the nations of Babylon." (Vine, p. 1242)

We aren't tempted to get a new shot of wine from a new wineskin because God sent me this warning (Well, everyone else claims to speak for Him because His Word seems to have run out of water!)

Search for Ancient Dionysos Sacred Heart

It has been difficult for churches to keep ancient paganism from creeping in. In fact, the Catholic Encyclopedia notes that elements such as music "was common to all paganism." The sacred heart was adopted from Dionysos worship and there is even a festival to St. Dionysos.

The "triumph over" Jesus by Judas, whose bag carried "the mouthpieces of wind instruments," was not achieved by the Jewish clergy whom Jesus called "musical children piping to try to get Him to dance the choral dance of Dionysos." Paul condemned the musical worship of Dionysos in Corinth, Ephesus and Colosse by demanding that the melody be internal so that it would not abrade the people into a charismatic fit. The Corinth assembly did more harm than good because it was involved in the wine, women and song of pagan worship where women led (and lead).

Solomon agreed that when one has become totally bitter it is acceptable to turn to wine:

Give strong drink (intensely intoxicating wine) unto him that is ready to perish (void), and wine (fermented wine) unto those that be of heavy hearts. Pr 31:6 (Bitter, angry discontented)

Among the Aztecs, the old heart was cut out and gave new life to the priest so that he could help the gods hold the sky up for another year.

"Associated with the Orphics was a myth. Dionysos was killed and devoured by the Titans; his heart was rescued and a new Dionysos born from it. The Titans were destroyed by Zeus' thunderbolt, and mankind formed from their ashes. Man is thus compounded of a Titanic element, the body, and a Dionysiac element, the soul, and his aim is to purify himself of his Titanic element." - John Ferguson, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mysticism and the Mystery Religions

The loss of love for pure, "unparadigmed truth" leaves many preachers with no other tool but to fall back into hand waving, spit spraying charismatic breakdowns which the simple-minded will surely say "he shore do preach bible don't he?"

If the church grows stale perhaps it needs another "surrogate father" to rule the church for a spell rather than exchange the preacher-dulled congregation for one wearing shorts, dancing and hand clapping in the isles and generally falling under the preaching and singing as "mental change agents."

The only way to get a new wineskin is to slaughter a billy goat or a lamb. Christ came to free the world of empty wineskins. How, then, do tens of thousands want us to empty the "new man" created at and through water and fill it with new wine?

Yet, Shelly and Harris insist that we must turn into freshly-slaughtered billy goat skins:

"We must offer ourselves as fresh, flexible wineskins to Christ daily."

God didn't make us out of old goat skins. Rather, He made us out of clay so that we couldn't puff up or contaminate His Word too much.

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Is.64:8

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? Ro.9:21

God does not fill us with wine but just the opposite--Light:

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Cor 4:6

But we have this treasure (thesauros) in earthen (clay) vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2Cor 4:7

If you put pure juice into an old wineskin it will become "puffed up" because of its own self-importance. However, if you put it into pure, clay vessels it will not bubble of itself.

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs (growth by expansion) him up with idle notions. Col 2:18

I'll bet that when the Holy Spirit revealed the "water of the Word" as a way to nurture life in the worshippers He didn't know about Jubilee and new wineskins. Huh?

Commenting on the surge of new movements looking for something exciting, MacArthur wrote:

"But perhaps nothing was more characteristic of the mystery religions than what they called ecstasy. Believers in the mystery religions sought to cultivate a magical, sensuous communion with the divine. They would do almost anything to get themselves into a semiconscious, hallucinatory, hypnotic, or orgiastic spell in which they believed they were sensually in contact with deity. Some used wine to assist in the euphoric experience, as Paul implied in Ephesians 5:18. Whether from literal intoxication or emotional exhilaration, when worshipers fell into a state of euphoria, it was as if they had been drugged. They assumed they were in contact with God. (MacArthur, John, Charismatic Chaos, p. 164. Zondervan)

For the dangers of the Wineskin model CLICK HERE.

Refusal to hear the Word of God

Picking on a legalistic term such as Jubilee 98 or Jubilee 2000 seems to indicate that a lot of us have not read much of the Old Testament, perhaps because it isn't good "fodder" for inventing our own songs and sermons. However, the depth of ancient legalism was the belief that keeping certain rituals and making a lot of noise with vocal and instrumental music could bring about revival "through external means." Jubilee 98 gets too close chronologically to the paramilitary groups and Korean Messianic groups building their "space ship" out of 2X4s ready to "join that great space ship in the sky."

Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. Je 13:9

This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. Je 13:10

For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear. Je 13:11

Then God Sends a Full Wineskin

It may not be under people's control any more when they pick terms like Jubilee and new wineskins as a factual statement that the gospel is wine just busting to get out of old, stiff skins which those who want to break down the walls probably contaminated with leaven in the first place. Why would you rationally pick wineskins or wine bottles for the theme of Jubilee 98 - like revivalism when the Bible reveals that it might be a judgmental sign?

Why would you travel "from sea to sea" or wander "to and fro" upon the earth looking for a wineskin fix when you have the kingdom and the Water of the Word free of charge? Perhaps you are on the move to get your wineskin or bottle filled with new wine:

Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine (effervesce): and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle (wineskins) shall be filled with wine? Je 13:12

The "bottles" are wineskins and you know what you get out of wineskins. Did you notice the connection between new wineskins rituals and musical worship? The bottle is:

Nebel (h5035) neh'-bel; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form): - bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol (almost identical to h178 or the familiar spirit and the booming gong of 1Cor 13)

As with all musical terms in the Bible, the wineskins which could cause people to exhilarate or enthuse to find the lost god is from:

Nabal (h5034) naw-bale'; a prim. root; to wilt; gen. to fall away, fail, faint; fig. to be foolish or morally wicked; causat. to despise, disgrace: - disgrace, dishonour, lightly esteem, fade (away, - ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, * surely, make vile, wither.

That's what happens when you try to take God's "water" out of the ceremonially pure earthen vessels into which He put it. The result is that your wineskin just collapses because it is empty. Why else all of the anxiety trying to find the lost kingdom?

Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon Davids throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. Je 13:13

And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Je 13:14

God's Call to Repentance

Pride is the sin of Lucifer, the father of musical and wineskins worship. Don't we want to say, "A pox on both of your houses." Just Leave us alone. Enough polemic battles of pride. There is still hope for the empty waterskins religion:

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lords flock is carried away captive. Je 13:17

Concurrent with the battle of giants at the mini Armageddons the church has quietly slipped away because the one another relationship is gone with the wind of the hot air heros. God said to say to the king and the Musical Worship Queens or the nurse-choir of Dionysos:

Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down (please!) for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory. Je 13:18

Many problems in Israel were caused by women such as Athaliah who would murder her last grandson, if she could find him, just to stand up and preside over the nation. God sent her a musical worship team and when she heard it she shouted: "Treason." But she died. Jezebel triumphed over prophets like Elijah with her hundreds of prophets of Baal and Asherah. These were clearly usually effeminate men who became subservient as musical worship teams overseeing the worship of the nation. Israel was brought down by women of the wineskins and musical instrument worship. Jubilee 98, consistent with all ancient revivalism, picks the king for the hour or king for the year.

The world is filled with mass movements which believe that with organization the kingdom of God will be established on earth as it is in heaven. Some of these movements are a marriage of corporate America and the bewildered church. This is the fulfillment of prophecy about the end-time church.

Jesus promised to come back as Comforter so that we would not be orphaned (John 14:14-16). Where two or three (don't read thousand) are gathered together in His Name He will be in their midst. We will not find Him at the restored Feast of Tabernacles --the talent, book, music fair -- but He will be hiding inside that musically challenged friend whose off-key singing is music to my ears. He will be in the lowly who may "know but not be allowed to speak." Or He will be beside the road with a flat tire or walking alone suffering from thirst. He will not be on the book tour or lecture circuit trying to fix everything from low spirituality to loss of humility to bad breath.

Are Wineskins and Music a Supernatural Sign

Music and wine (Amos 5-6; Isa 5) is not just the cause of church failure. It is often a sign that the church is lost perhaps beyond redemption. (Wine comes from bubbling in the wineskins)

Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Jer 48:11

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander (pour out, lie down for coition) , and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles. Je 48:12

Moab's "vessels" were symbolic of the wineskin and music connection of the prostitute nation.

Keliy (h3615) kel-ee'; from 3615; artillery, bag, instrument, psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, psaltery...

Kalah (h3615) kaw-law'; consume, cease, consume destroy (utterly), make clean riddance, waste...

Moab's bottles or wineskins were:

Nebel (h5035) neh'-bel; from 5034; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form): - bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol

In Isaiah five, the people had abandoned the vineyards as the source of fresh wine and turned to intoxicating wine and music in their religious festivals:

Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards; no one sings or shouts in the vineyards; no one treads out wine at the presses, for I have put an end to the shouting. Isa 16:10

My heart laments for Moab like a harp (to twang), my inmost being for Kir Hareseth. Is 16:11

When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail. Isa 16:12

The shouting or singing (h7442) is almost identical to the shouting for joy with musical instruments which were outlawed when the people came together for instruction (Nu 10:7)

The lamenting which was done with the harp was:

Hamah (h1993) haw-maw'; a prim. root [comp. 1949]; to make a loud sound (like Engl. "hum"); by impl. to be in great commotion or tumult, to rage, war, moan, clamor: - clamorous, concourse, cry aloud, be disquieted, loud, mourn, be moved, make a noise, rage, roar, sound, be troubled, make in tumult, tumultuous, be in an uproar.

Remember that it was with the prostitute, Moab, to which the Israelite men broke down the walls and held a joint meeting as they were coming out of the 40 year wandering in the Desert.

The "Wineskins Gospel" is the change agent power to open the church to a wider fellowship. This is the theme of Jubilee 98 but it seems that the Baptists and others are no more interested than the fully occupied members of churches of Christ. The musical worship team is a natural outgrowth of any effort to make the church of Christ into a "me too" denomination. Wine was a magical symbol of spirit in many ancient religions, but not of the Holy Spirit. Religious, instrumental, music was used as an artificial means of intoxication or to enhance the wine. This same effect can be achieved with amplified Levite-like musical worship teams singing what Ron Brantner calls "four-part Fanny" (as in Crosby).

Magic was always present when you waited all year to assemble at the great show with rapture (read rape) for the mystery figure to be revealed to make you believe that you have "known" your god of the year.

Both the wineskins symbol and the musical worship teams are urges by some in the church of Christ to borrow old, worn out concepts. The "wellspring" of the love of the Word runs dry and the prophets "steal their prophecies from one another." These efforts attempt to restructure the church of Christ to make the kingdom come with visible proof so overwhelming that the masses -- whom Jesus fooled with parables -- will fall down and say, "Surely, God is with you."

At the same time, we all recognize the need to keep nudging the restoration movement closer to the Biblical model. Because each congregation is locally run it is not possible to impose big solutions without making the churches of Christ into a new denomination, like "wineskins without walls"--the wine will surely run out and the leaven of Herod or the Pharisees will surely creep in even if judging "I'm Ok, You're Ok" makes you feel like a god.

For research on Inner Healing, Promise Keepers, Spiritual warfare Movement, The Vineyard Movement, Twelve-Step Programs, Dominion Theology Click Here

For information on the rise of the Laughing Revival and new music to fit the revivals Click Here. The use of the New Wine model of the gospel and kingdom may give aid and comfort to those who believe that the new wine should enthuse or exhilarate. For a warning see Drunk in the Spirit.

Promise Keepers and the Year 2000 Jubilee

Because people use the same title we cannot assume that there are connections with other movements. However, as we noted, the Jubilee expectation reaches from paramilitary militia movements to the Pope's year 2000 Jubilee when He will call for the union of all groups -- Break Down the Walls.

Noting the connection between the global Jubilee movements and the arrival of the New Age Messiah, Ed Tarkowski begins:

"End times! Unity! Celebration! Joy! Rebirth! Right Relationships! Transformation! The greatest Move of God ever known to the Church!

"Is there such an occasion planned for a global celebration during which a much-loved and well-respected person will address the whole world at one time via television? Yes. Such an event is already in the works, and the united global Church (note: those who break down the walls) is heavily involved in bringing it about. In his book, The Star Of 2000, Jay Gary writes,

"December 25, 2000 will no doubt be celebrated as the most memorable Christmas ever. As early as 1987, the Roman Catholic Church talked about the ten-year preparation needed for a worldwide satellite telecast on Christmas Day in the year 2000. Pope John Paul II or his successor is scheduled to speak to a potential audience of 5 billion people" (p. 49-50).

"Before I even saw the similarities between Hubbard's Christ and Creme's Lord Maitreya, I wrote the following in my article Part Three of The "Church's" Part In Birthing The Corporate Christ. Realizing Maitreya's agenda makes these words even more disturbing:

"The Christ said he will communicate through external communication. Keeping in mind [New Ager] Earnest Ramsey's conclusion that Neo -pentecostalism's Jubilee is the same as the Age of Aquarius, or Hubbard's Planetary Pentecost, I ask you to consider this: Pope John Paul II is planning to speak by radio or television to 5 billion people of the world during the Jubilee celebration of Jesus' 2000th birthday. What do you suppose will happen if, during his address, he calls for another New Pentecost, or for the Spirit of Jubilee to be poured out? Would Mary inspire the rebirth of humanity to occur? What spirit do you think would respond - Jesus Christ or Hubbard's Christ? If it were Hubbard's, then the promise of a Planetary Pentecost resulting in a Planetary Birth [Christification of corporate humanity] by the New Age Christ would be fulfilled."

Much earlier, Hislop wrote:

"According to the system which Nimrod was the grand instrument in introducing, men were led to believe that a real spiritual change of heart was unnecessary, and that so far as change was needful, they could be regenerated by mere external means. Looking at the subject in the light of the Bacchanalian (see Dionysus above) orgies (Read Ephesus and Corinth), which, as the reader has seen, commemorated the history of Nimrod, it is evident that he led mankind to seek their chief good in sensual enjoyment, and showed them how they might enjoy the pleasures of sin, without any fear of the wrath of a holy God.

"In his various expeditions he was always accompanied by troops of women; and by music and song, and games (ritual drama) and revelries, and everything that could please the natural hearts, he commended himself to the good graces of mankind." (Hislop, Alexander, The Two Babylons, p. 55, Loizeaux Brothers)

Many of the revivalism through external means find that the laughing phenomena is about as exhilarating as you can get.

Tarkowski continues:

"Through the new "moves of God," the Church has placed itself in jeopardy by forsaking God's word for experience. Now we must consider a possible ramification of this blindly seeking after new things: Will Maitreya be standing on the platform with the Pope when the pontiff addresses the world in the year 2000? The scenario is certainly viable, but we will have to wait and see.

"I want to start with one quick comparison between Lord Maitreya and a particular aspect of the present "move of God", the laughing phenomena. If Maitreya is the Lord of the Apostasy, and if the laughing phenomena known as the "Toronto Blessing" is part of the Apostasy, then we must be able to connect the two. In Volume 1 of Maitreya's Mission, Benjamin Creme repeats a question asked him in April 1984: "Did Maitreya choose His own name?" Creme's answer is telling. Maitreya was given his name by his master at his second initiation in Mid-Atlantean times, and his name means, "The Happy One, The One Who brings Joy or Gladness" (p. 33). (from Jubilate)

Note: Medical science understands that laughing along with music creates endorphins and makes you feel good but queasy. You don't know why you laugh outright when God wants to speak to you. But you do it because you have been drugged. In the end you will understand that you have been a fool so that the speaker can be affirmed and applauded through thought control. The "laughing exercises" take place in many pulpits. Isn't hand clapping as an ancient sign of contempt a modern form of the "laughting exercises" to applaud the speaker who has little to say about God?

"The meaning of Maitreya's name is significant because of the chaos and division in the Church brought on by the controversy over the spiritual source of the "Spirit of Joy". One prophecy given through Master Potter Ministries says that the source is Jesus, pouring out this spirit through an Old Testament type:"

Note: Jubilee was just such a time when everyone went around tooting their own little horns because they got back the lands they sold. The Jubilee movements see a take over of banking, a forgiveness of debt and a redistribution of wealth by the year 2000. For a list of all of the Jubilees begun around 1987 as a result of the Pope's call Click Here. To see the link up of all denominations through Prayer Circles Click Here.

"Prophetically, the child Isaac, which means 'Laughter,' is being released in nation after nation as the new wine is being passed" (Promotion material, "The Great Intruder," 1994 Passion & Fire Conferences, Jill Austin of Master Potter Ministries).

"This prophecy contradicts Hebrews 1:1-2, which tells us,

"God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds."

However, they insist:

"Christ Jesus our Lord, who fulfilled the type of Isaac by His coming into the world, means "Emmanuel, God with us." This movement's child is "Isaac, meaning Laughter," and "he" is being released into the world as new wine, bringing joy and laughter to the nations.

"In an excellent critical review of Promise Keepers in the "Dallas/Fort Worth Heritage" (June 1995) entitled "Promise Keepers: Growth and Caution," Chris Corbett chronicled the connection between Promise Keepers and the Vineyard movement, "home denomination of PK founder McCartney, PK President [Randy] Phillips, and board member James Ryle, who is also pastor to the first two." Corbett noted:

"The Vineyard movement of churches is controversial even within its Pentecostal base. It has been labeled `hyper-Pentecostal' by its detractors... Currently, the Vineyard is a major conduit for the `Holy Laughter Movement' in which those said to be filled with the Holy Spirit during a meeting might begin laughing uncontrollably, becoming paralyzed, roar like a lion or howl and bark like a dog."

(Note: Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ or the Mind of God (2Cor 2), if the Mind of Christ is making us laugh it may be to make us look like fools. Remember that He made Israel at Mount Sinai into a "laughing stock" and Saul repeated the phenomena. Even David got so excited that he stripped off his clothes and could unite the people only with force. And Paul said, in effect, that "fools love to be fooled.")

"Promise Keeper founder Bill McCartney's pastor, James Ryle, who has been on the Board of PK, is a highly controversial figure [see sidebar, end of article]. His participation in the `Laughing Revival' was written up in a "Washington Post" article (11/18/95) about the Laughing Movement at the Pasadena Vineyard Christian Fellowship:

"At the Pasadena church, James Ryle, chaplain of the University of Colorado football team, is telling the congregation how Jesus freed him from his own demons - growing up in an orphanage and serving jail time for selling drugs. He tells many jokes about his missing middle finger, lost to a lawn mower. There are waves of tear-wiping laughter. (Well, that might be funny without any bad motive)

"Ryle makes sound effects, including some animal noises. He snaps his fingers, bangs the podium, paces and tells how God will appear here in suits of fire, oil, water.

`You will feel! And the glory of the Lord will put you down!' ("A Rush of Ecstasy and Alarm," Carol McGraw)

"The Vineyard movement has been closely associated with the signs and wonders means of evangelism. Founder John Wimber follows closely the doctrines of George Eldon Ladd who was a professor of Biblical Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Ladd introduced radically new ideas of the kingdom, redemption and Christian unity.

Of the use of loud music in Promise keepers, our writer continues:

"Rap music is an offshoot of soul, rhythm and blues, and rock according to Rev. Melvin Johnson in his book, "Junk Food in the Body of Christ" (Rainbow's End, 1995).

Rap music is an `acceptable' alternative for Christian men who may not be comfortable with beating drums in the wilderness as the men's movement advocates.

Rap music, like chanting or drumming, can be mesmerizing and has the potential to create an altered sense of consciousness. Unfortunately, this type of music has become very popular in the Christian community. Is it possible that the mass rallies of men accompanied by chants, yells, and now rap music, is designed to produce an altered state of consciousness in the name of "getting closer to God"?

(Note: Rock and Rap has its roots in Voodoo)

Jubilees and the Government Connection

The ancient and end-time Babylonian religion will be a marriage between the church or movement and governmental or commercial support for an otherwise unsupportable religion. It will be marked by commerce and music (Rev 18) but it will go into Sheol.

A RESOLUTION Georgia HR 1075 LC 188746

1- 1 Recognizing efforts to commemorate the Great Jubilee Year of
1- 2 2000 and celebrate the 2000th Anniversary of the Birth of
1- 3 Jesus Christ; and for other purposes.
1- 4 WHEREAS, the Great Jubilee Year of 2000 will commemorate the
1- 5 2000th Anniversary of the Birth of Jesus Christ and will be
1- 6 the occasion of world-wide celebration; and
1- 7 WHEREAS, no person has ever had a greater impact upon the
1- 8 world, from His humble birth to His human parents Mary and
1- 9 Joseph, His upbringing as a carpenter's son, His preaching,
1-10 and finally His death among criminals; and
1-11 WHEREAS, He is the ultimate sign of God's salvation in the
1-12 world and the key and focal point of human destiny; and
1-13 WHEREAS, His works of faith, hope, and love live on today as
1-14 regularly and dramatically expressed on a daily basis by
1-15 untold millions of people around the world of different
1-16 faiths and religions who strive to live spiritual lives; and
1-17 WHEREAS, He showed us how to bring peace to all, not with
1-18 bullets or battles, but with ideals of the message of Good
1-19 News that pierce the hearts of human beings and enable us to
1-20 work for justice and love in all of life's situations; and
1-21 WHEREAS, the historical significance of His 2000th Birthday
1-22 Year is beyond measurement and transcends philosophical,
1-23 geographical, and religious boundaries; and
1-24 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that
1-25 appropriate reflection upon and study of this singular
1-26 historic event take place throughout the state by means such
1-27 as exhibits or performances of historical and Christian
1-28 literature, art, music, drama, and programs.
1-29 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
1-30 GEORGIA that the members of this body recognize efforts to
1-31 commemorate the Great Jubilee Year of 2000 and celebrate the
1-32 2000th Anniversary of the Birth of Jesus Christ and express
1-33 their encouragement of all efforts to increase interfaith
1-34 understanding and appreciation of this momentous and
1-35 unprecedented occasion.

We watched Jubilee 98 on our little screen on the computer. While the mass presence may have been moving, we were embarassed by the Asherah poles and the singing and instrumental music around the base. The Scriptural content seemed to be an afterthought but the raising of holy hands and the laying on of hands was initiated in praxis. This is the way you make changes among those who may too embarassed not to raise their hands.

We won't be at Jubilee 99 or Jubilee 2000. Jesus said that when they say to you that you can find Him called to attention at a human-designated time and place: "Dont, go out, the kingdom of God is within you." The only way to find it, therefore, is through some merciful peace and quiet!

By definition, when great masses of people come out for something special an extraordinary level of anxiety has been created by the affect images. Everyone is nervous about 1998, 1999 or 2000. It was no different in 1503 according to some interpretations:

Nostradamus 1999 Web Page: "Nostradamus was born in 1503 in Saint Remy, France. He is without question the most famous and successful prophet of all time. In his writings, Nostradamus made over 1000 predictions about the future, many with stunning and incredible accuracy. Nostradamus predicted that in the year 1999 during the seventh month or July, a great king of terror would come from the sky. Is Nostradamus predicting the END OF THE WORLD? Or is he predicting a great global catastrophe to be followed by some new world order?"

We have linked in some of these sources so that you can read the entire article in its context as well as other sources on their web pages. For instance, most of the movements critical of Promise Keepers and Jubilee also consider churches of Christ as "Campbellites" and members of a "cult." But, we can still learn. In their view, Max Lucado not only holds the heretical Campbellite view of baptism, he believes in "water regeneration" or "salvation by prayer." So take your pick. Well, you will learn more by listening to enemies than friends. Then, you should just ignore it all and go back to sleep.

Jubilee 98 faded alarmingly from Jubilee 97. This shows that it is celebrity driven and not truth driven. Like all revivalists schemes it will eventially just fade away. However, in the mean time churches will be divided over personalities and many will move into the Willow Creek Association which teaches music, women elders and a tight control over membership.

On other's opinion of the Promise Keepers-Vineyard Movement connection Click.

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